The Press. — London, England, 1854-10-14 00:00:00

.000j3t1 14, 1854. _ - f it t r at ur t. Turkey : its History and Progress. From the Journals and Correspondence of Sir James Porter. Continued to the Present Time by Sir George Larpent, Bart. Lon don: Hurst and Blackett. THE compiler of the present work is grandson of Sir James Porter, for many years ambassa dor at Constantinople in the last century. The portion of Sir James Porter's papers used in the composition of these volumes is scarcely large enough to justify the titlepage, and, owing to their peculiar arrangement, we do not know, on going through these volumes, whe ther we are reading original matter from the pen of Sir James Porter or compiled details from his grandson's pen. On the Turkish question, and on all the phases of Turkish society, Sir George Larpent (we say it without disrespect) can only be taken as an authority at second-hand. In the introduction Sir George records his " acknowledgments for " the ample sources placed at his command " by foreign literature, and more especially "by Übicini's Lettres sur la Turquie.'" Any one who has read Übicini must at once per ceive that without the Frenchman's assistance these volumes could scarcely have assumed their present shape. We are not only con stantly reminded of the matter used by Übicini, and classified by that clever writer with the characteristic lucidity of French style, but his letters, with their broad views and discursive • felicity, are so often forced on our memory that this present publication appears to some disadvantage. Sir James Porter was only a mediocre diplo matist, and has no pretensions to rank with some of his contemporaries, like Sir Andrew Mitchell, Sir George (Lord) Maoartney, and others of that class. Misled by amiable feel ing of relationship, and perhaps overrating his grandfather's knowledge, Sir George Larpent falls into the mistake of confounding exten sive attainments with original talents. Men of tenacious memory, with moderate under standings, often pile up masses of knowledge that astonish persons not conversant with the effects of systematic application How full are our universities of deep scholars who can compose no works of merit ! How crowded are our clubs at Pall-mall with agreeable and apparently omniscient members, skilled in tongues, acquainted with the leading notabili ties of the age, who cannot make a decent speech in Parliament, or throw off a clever pamphlet on politics! In our public depart ments all that class of minds are docketted red-rapists. In his memoir of his grandfather Sir George Larpent says : Sir James Porter was the architect of his own fortunes ; his father, whose name was La Rogue, or La Roche, was captain of a troop of horse under James 11., and distin guiahed himself in an attack upon Mont St. Michel. His parents followed the fortunes of James 11. to Dublin, where the subject of our memoir was born about the year 1710. The failure of their royal master's campaign entailed the ruin of the La Roches ; their grant of land in Ireland was forfeited and themselves proscribed. On the death of the father, an unole of the name of Porter, possessing consider able influence in Dublin with the successful party, pro tected the family, and, at his request, they assumed the name of Forter. This account seems open to criticism. The name of La Roche, or Roche, is of as much antiquity in Ireland as that of de Burgh, le Boteler, or Butler, or others of the Norman- Irish families whose descendants are very numerous in the sister country. Neither does Sir G. Larpent seem to be aware that the name of " Sir Charles Porter " is an eminent 3ne in the history of the seventeenth century in Ireland. The following account of the way in which Sir James Porter emerged from " city " life is supplied by the editor : At the theatre he became acquainted with a young lawyer of the name of Adams, and by him was introduced to a debating society called the "Robin Hood," where he dis tinguished himself as a speaker, and to maintain his repu tation with the society he was constrained to study those subjects which were brought forward for discussion. Mauls became Pecorder of London and a Baron of the Exchequer; their friendship only ended with their lives, and was strengthened by a foully connection. James Porter's brother, John, was also placed in business, pros pered, became an alderman of London, and he and Adams THE PRESS. married two sisters, daughters of Mr. Amyand, a merchant. Mr. Amyand had two eons, one of whom became an emi nent merchant, M.P., director of the East India Company, and was eventually created a baronet, while the other married a Dowager Countess of Northampton, and was ap pointed a commissioner of customs. Through Adams, James Porter was introduced to Lord Carteret, aftemanis Earl Granville. In 1730 it appears from his papers that he was on the Continent, where he formed, both at Leyden and in Germany, many valuable acquaintances among the scientific men of the day. lie has also lelt a rather curious account of his visit, during his residence at Leipzig, to the Moravian settlement of Count Zinzendorff, which will be found in the Appendix. From his general character for ability and his commercial knowledge, Mr. Porter was selected by Lord Carteret, and employed on several confidential missions, in matters con nected with continental commerce. Debating societies like tho " Robin Hood " were at that time a fashion in London, and the " Robin Hood " Bent almost as many of its members into public life as the " Speculative Society" at Edinburgh. There were certainly more facilities then for men in a low social level to emerge into political notice than at present. Knowledge and accomplishments often to be met with now were then rare, and for one competitor in the path of a man like Porter at that time he would now meet half a dozen. The most interesting parts of these volumes are the original portions, which, strangely enough, the editor has placed in an appendix. We get some characteristic glimpses of the King of Prussia, the Duke of Newcastle, Lord Granville (Carteret), and other celebrities brought under the notice of Sir James Porter. We shall extract a scene between the Duke of Newcastle and Mr. Porter, as described by the latter, which reads with considerable piquancy, when we recollect the conduct of another Duke of Newcastle nearer to our times. Sir James Porter, after relating his attempt to advance the interest of his brother diplomatist, Mr. Robinson, thus proceeds : Finding, however, that all this reasoning had no weight with the duke, 1 turned the matter on what 1 thought more feasible, and in itself just and reasonable; I told him that as I knew Mr. Robinson's desire, on account of the educa tion of his children, was turned towards home. and that, whenever a general peace should happen, he would seek to return at any rate ; if, therefore, his grace would intercede with the King to give him any post or place, or even to secure him one before his arrival, whenever that should happen, the reward would be equally agreeable to that which I had first proposed. The duke on this point stroked his face, settled his wig, hesitated, and asked nie, with a slow voice, stooping to wards my ear, has he a borough ? can he get into Parha ment? I told him I knew of no borough, no interest which could bring him into Parliament but his grace's; on which I rose up, took my leave abruptly, with this single remark, that I supposed, after twenty years' service, the same question would be put to me, and on such a vague prospect I was confirmed in my first resolution of staying at home. His grace followed me on my retreat, begging and entreating me to return into his closet, which I abso lutely refused. I left him, I confess, with indignation, and, to disburden my mind of the impressions of so discouraging and unsatis factory a conversation, I immediately went to Lord Gran ville, who judged by my countenance the effects of my con ference with the duke ; he received me with his usual smile, inclined to a laugh—brought me to a detail of the whole : the singularity of the negotiation not only amused him exceedingly, but heightened his spirits to much mirth. I found, however, by his lordship's asking what the duke would say to the King, that I had the interview by his Ma jetty's command. Observe the details. "He asked me with a " slow voice, stooping towards my ear, has he " a borough ? " and, if the too famous Mr O'F— shall ever write the history of his life and times, some curious talk about other ducal anxieties for boroughs will doubtless be recorded. Of Carteret, Lord Granville, we get this striking picture : Every passion seemed delineated in Lord Granville'a countenance; his eyes sparkled, he rtised his brows, settled his wig, sometimes straight, sometimes awry, then, with all the power of winds and eloquence, ridiculed my cow• ardice, anti my doubt of being supported at home ; extolled the importance by the confidential import of the commis sion, that I was the depositary of the King's and Ministers' most secret thoughts and designs that a like commission was the origin of the late Lord Stanhope's fortune ; he had traced that ground for me to become as great. He exhorted, persuaded, and in a set dissertation made use of every pos sible argument to move me. Lost to his rhetorical powers, I remained quiet in my chair as if I had been all attention. Whilst wrapt up in thought I was reflecting how I could execute this commission at Vienna with honour and safety. I considered that I might find some excuse not to take the audience withont Mr. Robinson ; if he did, which I was aim. at sore he would, 1 then ran no risk : we were two to attest all I should say, and, therefore, my words could not be misrepresented from the ideas they might convey to him, as well as to our Hungarian Majesty; that if any mis understanding, doubt, or jealousy arose in her mind, or 977 any altercation concerning the King's intention, he would bear his part. In short, I determined to proceed with the commission, and, without telling his lordship my reason, coolly desired him to continue dictating. The King of Prussia in those days played a more active part in the political drama than his present successor. We extract at length the following account of an interview between Mr. Robinson and Sir James Porter with the King : " What is it then you have to offer ?" replied the King. " First, to make a tender to your Majesty of two mil. lions of dories which you had proposed giving the Court of Vienna." " A handsome proposal, indeed," says his Ma jesty. " What ! assuredly they think me a beggar ; and what more will they give?"—" All Ouelderland," replied Mr. Robinson; "a country which may be of the utmost advantage to your Majesty by situation and commerce, as it commands the navigation of the Meuse." On which the King turned to Count Potiewills, and asked him," Qu'uvons nous de la Uueldre ?" He answered, " Presque rien, sire." " What, then, they offer me beggarly scraps and cottages for my just pretensions !" • • • Mr. Robinson, finding matters brought to the last er tremity, determined to attempt what the mode of expos tulation would operate. He therefore began with telling the King that if all method of negotiation was to cease, he greatly feared and apprehended, on some grounds, that in the last extremity the allies of the house of Austria would exert their utmost powers for its support. The seeds of passion had been operating in the King's breast on the unsatisfactory conversation he had already undergone. Count Podewills, who knew him, perceived that he artfully suppressed them from expanding, lint on hearing this reflection from Mr. Robinson they burst forth with great vivacity. Interrupting him at once, and raising his linger to the side of his nose, moving it with sonic agitation, he said, " Ire menaces pas, monsieur." Mr. Rubinson, with great modesty, replied, " I do not threaten your Majesty ; I merely intended to mention that the very nature and situation of things, and the hands of solemn engagements, must naturally produce." The King seemed to calm, and more moderately asked, " Who are then these allies?" The other answered, " The Russians." His Majesty stopped him short again, and said! " As to the Russians, I have taken care of them in a manner I cannot explain ; as for the King of l'oland, he is not in a condition to stir! and the King of England is my relation and my all (won tout)—ii he cloth not attack me I shall not certainly attack him ; if he begins, Prince An halt will take care on that side. But in the end," said he " what securities shall 1 have for the quiet and permanent possession of those countries they offer me?" "The King of Great Britain, Russia ' Saxony, and the States General," Air. Robinson answered, " will enter into solemn guarantees." "Guarantees," replied the King, "are now-a-days dwindled to nothing more than waste paper. Are not France, the King of England, and almost all the other powers of Europe guarantees of the Pragmatic Sanction; pray why do you nut all fly to its assist ace ?" It is interesting to note the opinion on " guarantees " expressed in this latter passage. No autocrat of our own time could have been more peremptory in his tone than the King. Sir James Porters narrative continues To bring the matter to a closer negotiation, and more specific, Mr. Robinson desired his Majesty to suffer that the proposals he had made might be written down, and that his Minister should add his last demand. The King conld not contain his passion any longer, but answered with some agitation, " I am tired of ultimatums; I have told you my ultimatum ; carry it back to Vienna. " Your Majesty," replied Mr. Robinson, " will have all Lower Silesia, the town of Breslau included." "Yes, T will," the King answered, " and if they postpone the giving theft six weeks longer, I shall add four more duchies." In the last hundred and fifty pages of the first of these volumes will be found their most readable portions. We do not learn from their contents aught that we did not know before, but unpublished papers always have corroborative interest. Those readers who are not conversant with the internal character of Turkish society will find in these volumes much compiled matter illustrating the Turkish question. But it must be recollected that there are already many able and thoroughly original works on Turkey accessible to the reading public. An able publication on Turkey can scarcely be expected from one who has not studied its condition on the spot. A Gazetteer of the Territories under the East India Company, and of the Native States, on the Continent of India. By Edward Thornton. London : Allen and Co. [Second Notice.) THE conclusion of our previous notice of this work brought us to the period when the first Government of Lord Cornwallis closes; and, passing over the nbscure career M Shore, we arrive at the moment hen the most il lustrious Governor-General that ever ruled over India comes upon the scone.