The National Register. — London, England, 1814-05-15 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER. MAY 15. TINE ARTS. ROYAL ACADEMY. SOMERSET-HOUSE. No. 177. T. M. W. TURNER, R. A, has presented the ptibiic with one of the finest landscapes we have ever ad mired since the days of Claude ; it is called in the catalogue jrneas and Dido, but this historical transaction is entirely subordinate to the grand composition to which it gives a name. One of the most beautiful objects which nature has conceived and brought into existence for the admiration of men, for the delight of his eve, and the grateful vibrations of his heal t, k undoubtedly the rising of the sun, the majestic ascent of the fiery b above the half enlightened horizon and the beautiful accidents iight which :tenet ally accompany this glowing and splendid scene—of all the Fine Arts, painting alone has dared, and indeed alone can attempt to exemplify it. And we are not saying too much in praise of the academecinn, when we assert that this production will secure him a plate tot ever in the temple of the chrom2tic muse. Were we to leave aside the composition of the land scape—the distances so harmoniously blended with the kissing lips of the horizon ;" the richness of architectural fibrics, of bridges, or temples, of scattered cities with their pyramids and towers and spires ; the skies alone with their fold ft inged clouds, the expanse of light bursting upon the creation, ere the majestic god of day appears in the fulness of his splendour, would certainly be sufficient to call forth - zinceigned tokens of admiration—and we are enthusiastically prompted to say with an ancient poet, "The topaze sky, tinged with the roty hoe, The saphire hilts, the pearly drops of dew, 'the flr‘er log, fleecy clouds that flee apace Bi.fore the bright, lovely fare Of him fi om whom the whole creation craves Both light 41:d life " all are here and ,!tine in a most masterly manner. We would Le but the echo of others if we wet e to find fault with the very except i onable figures on the foreground—a parcel of leaves, or flowers, or high coloured broken logs of wood would have had the same etrec!, without being liable to censure. D..WILKIE, R. A. The. Refusal, No. 118.-133, by the same, the Letter of Introduction.—We are sorry, very sorry to say, that this eminent anti-t in these two pieces, fallen very short indeed of what we expected from him. But !he moon has her phases, the •on his sPots, • and we doubt not but the next production f!om this master will make full com pensation for what the public seem to lack here. J. NO ItT 116) . T is., R. A. The fudgement 3f Solomon, with a son g biblical quotation, No. 183. Ilad Solomon knoWn our friend Norrheote, he never would have expected to be caricatured by him in such a vub 4 ar peisbnification. • (To - le rontinut The Duke of Wellington at rived on Wednesday sc'nnight at Paris ; and in the eveping Was present at a grand ball given by Sir C. Stewart. Tlie Emperors eif Austria and Russia, the Kings of Fr: nee and Prussia, honoured the fete with their breSence. liesitie's these illustrious personages, the company consi,tPAl of nearly 700 persons, and comprised the individuals of every country, assembled'at the time in Pa ris, who were must distingui , lied fn; their rank, talents, and services. %Viten the Duke entered, the dancing :instantly ceased ; be'becaine the exeusive object ofattrac tion ; whithersoev4 he in - 61, cd, the company follbwed in crowds, atixi.us to view the great man, whose genius had chiefly raised the continent from the rn6st abject state of servitude, to the suprenie* independance it enjoys at present. Grace walked for a considerable time through the apart- 317 meats, accompanied by Marshal Blucher and Count .Platoir, who laid hold of his arms The Fiend) Marshals, who were present, pressed round the Duke of Wellington with the strongest marks of respect, and seemed anxious to 'hew that all recollections of former hostility were extinguished in admiration of his transcendant abilities. His Grace and h. Duke dc Berri went to the Opera the next day. On entering the house, shouts of VivelVellirean . 1 were min. gled with those of Vivent les Bauriteln.s and when they i ed, the ‘t Hcro of England" (these a'e the words of the Paris papers) was conducted to his carriage amid the ardent and univrasal acclamations of the pnoplc. BUONA PA RTE. Upon gritting Roatine on the ‘23,1 of April, •Bnenaparte re quested that a British vessel itationed Toulon, might be pro c•nred to► convoy him to Elhm. The Undaunted, commanded b♦ Capt:tin Usher, was appointed to that service. Ilitonaparte arrived at Frejus on ti.e 27th of April, and was to embark the next day - ou board that vessel. Extract of a letter from Lambets, April 27 Here is a fresh proof of the pusillanimity of lluonaporte. In the early part of his journey he took his meals alone; but when the unpleasant rumours :yon) the South, and the tumult in most of the towns through which he passed, had thoroughly convinced him that the people were ready to proceed to the most cruel extremities, he saw that his only chance of escaping, was to assume the uniform of an Austrian offi cer. He then determined also to renounce the part at Emperor, and to take hit repasts with the Commissioners who escorted hiM, and to whom he owes Ole preservation of his life. This decision, hoWever, was precede il by a flood of tears. Tim first day that he sat down with the Commissioners, it Was observed that he ate nothing, and that he secretly threw aside the victuals which he taised to his mouth. He was afi aid at' being poisoned. l i me follow ing d.zy he requesteft permission for his cook to dress his dinner. which was granted ; and the same man, who the day before* pre tended to be ill, fell foul of the dishes with an eageroess bey tiering on voracity. Throughout the whole journey he betrayed the strongest apprehensions, and preserved a solemn silence; but as he approached the coast, and perceived the Mediterranean fleet And the sails of the vessels lying in the road, his heart expanded, and he began to talk with extreme volubility, but, as usual, very' incohe rently. lt is said that in his conversation with Marshal Augerean, he several times observed—" 'Tis all over with me in Europi, 'but Asia wants a man." A gentleman who has arrived from the south of France and who met the escort of linonaparte, when changing horses, states, that it was truly a frightfid spectacle. The populaee assembled round his carriage, and, listening only to the impulses of hatred and vengeance; addressed a thousand reproaelies to him, threatening him with death - , and attempting to seize his person. oa.one occasion, the mi;itary force which accompanied him was overpowered by the mob. At length a foreign General who attended him harangned the multitude': lie told them, " that it was better to ;;liow the Tyrant to live, be cause an instant death would deliver him from all his troubles; whereas he would suffer a thousand de.itlis in the recollection of h's crimes," &c. During this speech the horses were chang ed, and the: carriage was allowed to proceed. Ilunnaparte, when he found he. was quite safe from this new danger, t►:r: u towards his preservet, and Fedi() him, " I thank you, General ! I heard all you said,— you spoke like an angel." Ac A private lettar from Avignon, dated on the 30th ult. contains a fact which ot!ght to be added to the details which we have already puhlished respecting Ipionaparte's krinney. A5l he was very much agitated and terrified at the dangers which beset him, he disguised himself in the manner which we have aireidy described ; but he carried his precaution farthet. He did not wish to remain in the carriage, and yet he was aware that he must necessarily form part of the cavalcade. To tecotielle every thing, he suggested the idea of Isis own accord of disguising a courier, named Vetnet, as the great Buonaparte, and - his man took his place in the carriage. This person quietly heard the most shocking imprecations tittered against his master ; but very luckily escaped with no other outrage than in sults and etirSes. • Buonaparte embarked •n board the Undaunted on 24t4 Aprik I' ! King Ferdinand of Spain entered Valencia on the 16th of last month, w't;re it' is said he would remain until the 224 and then proceed to Madrid. • , . • • • # . , • 1