The National Register. — London, England, 1813-08-01 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL R EULOGY *TO THE MEMORY OP THAT EXCELLENT PERSON AND DISTINGUISHED PHILANTHROPIST, THE . LATE GRANVILLE SHARP, ESQ. ADDRESSED tO A FRIEND. Why mourns my friend, in sorrow's deepest gloom ? Why heaves his bosom, with such poignant grief? That matchless merit sinks into the tomb ? Painful the change to us—to him, relief. Shall worth like his unto the grave descend, Without the tribute of one parting lay; Shall SHARP! so long, of ail mankind, the friend, Unlionoild, leave u;, for the realms of day ? No : every virtue round thy bier shall weep ; And Britain's sons partake a gen'ral sigh ; The sable children of the western deep, Shall join in sorrow, with a widow's cry— That lost for ever, is that holy flame, Which ncrv'd thy arm, and strung thy pow'rfal tongue, rimpeach Oppression's ever guilty name. And plead the Freeman's Rights—the Captive's Wrong. Thy Genius pierced first, the darksome night, Where groaning Africa, despairing lay, Her woes, unthought of, met Britannia's sight; God said, " let Sharp exist :" and all was day. Nor slept thy arm through many a Conflict dire, With pallid avarice, it long Till Senates witness'd the consuming fire Of truth; and Lust and Cruelty were both enchanfd. Nor Slavery shall escape thy deadly blow ; To error's reign, a loud alarm is giv'n ; Freedom's the right of ev'ry man below ; Conviction travels like the light of heav'n. lUpled by thee, the Muse with wings elate, Sees days approach, when neither grief nor pain, Nor wrong, nor strife, disturb man's happy state, But earth enjoys her own Messiah reign ! In youth, thy mind eurich'd with learning's page ; Truth for its guide ; benevolence its aim ; Prov'd justice to be law : t nor envy's rage, Could intercept from thee, the wreath of fame. Religion claimed thee for her meekest son, 'naiad her precepts, and her doctrines pure, Though affluent, taught thee ev'ry vice to shun, Tby wealth not on thyself bestow, but on the poor. What nnm'rous blessings, the distress'd have giv'n ! What human woes have been assuag'd by thee! A recompense awaits thy soul in heav'n, And shines thy crown to all eternity ! Ye F whom the world calls great, mark welt his end • Heroes or Statesmen ! can your deeds compare, With SHARP! so long, of all mankind, the friend; • Or can you hope a bliss like his to share ? A bliss like hii, you'll share, if faithful found, Nobly pursuing the high road lie trod ; Elijah's mantle never reacted the ground, Caught by Elisha, troth Elijah's God. • Meek, venerable sage ! a long Farewell! Some montunental stone thy Deeds may bear, There pensive Genius shall delight to dwell, And mingle with thy honor'd Dust, a Tear. • Mr. Sharp was for about twenty years Chairman of the Com tnittee for the abolition of the Shiiteie ; till the great object was obtained. . . t Alluding to the memorable case of Somerset, the Negro, brought by Mr. Sharp beforet•ord Alato.fichl, in the Court of King's Bench, 177.4 which obtained the important Decision, " that the women; a sets biz tout 0:1 Eugiablt Ground, he become, free." ;ISTER. AUGUST 1. SWINDLING FETE A All the mountebanks of the town are now coming forward with their several impositions; in honour, as they say, of Lord WELLINGTON. The immense crowd which attended at Vauxhall inspired certain adventurers with :an idea that a burlesque on it would be profitable at the Opera Rouse. The Public were accordingly invited there, in form, and gravely assured, the entertainment would surpass ev,?.ry thing that had been seen before. In the puffs which appealed in the Papers, it was set forth, that all the inconveniences which had been experienced at Vauxhall, in getting refreshments, would be avoided here, by arrangements equally novel ar►d accommodating. By such arts as these, the 'Adventurers, who hired the Theatre for the tight, had the satisfaction of seeing upwards of a hundred persons fall into the snare. At a late hour, with much difficulty a sufficient party was mustered to open the ball, and about a dozen pair forthwith began to dance. Exercise gave an appetite, and in due time the company felt a sort of disposition to eat, In the refreshment-room, they were lucky enough to find sandwiches and negus, of which they partook freely, and were about to resume their spor ts, when they were called upon to pay. This applica tion excited. much indignation, and some opposition. Those who had paid a guinea for admission; talked of the Antedilu vian times, when for a guinea they could go to a masque rade, in which an elegant supper and wines were included. They had not the liberality to reflect, that as there were so few persons assembled, those who presumed to eat or drink must pay for their refreshments, and think themselves welt off' to be allowed that privilege by the guinea they had given for a ticket. Payment was generally refused, an d the parties demanding it, treated with as little respect as other vagrants in the street. The greater part of We company soon retired in disgust, consoled however by the reflection, that from the thinness of the attendance, the swindlers were taken in, as with all their extortion and fraud, the sums pro duced by their shameful depredations on the Public could not be enough to pay their expences. Fur once the biters were bit. AU'IGRA m, 4 c. (From The Satirist of the present month.) A GOOD EXCUSE. A Gentleman, furious with anger awl hnng•er, Thus address'd an itinerant Irish fishmonger : " Yon knavish infernal impostor! pray lw %%- Could you sell me slit:hush as I paid tor just now? Why d--n it, you rascal! they stink lire Me devil !" Says paddy, " your honour, that's not very civil ! • Wliate'er be the mack'rel, 'tis sorely a shame To blame me whew none but yourselt are to blame; Before your owu door you allow'd me to cry 'em Five days, Sir, before you thought proper to L tty 'cm." ' AMERICAN DIVORCES. The summary mode of obtaining divorces in the United States may be gathered from die following extract from a newspaper of that country. The defendant (husband), being cited to appear for three several weeks, and failing lo obey the '+unnwn•, Mts. Nancy- Fanning was of course decreed by the justices to be again Miss Nancy Coffin, and at liberty to choose - a more constant and coal nent swain as a partner for. lite. To the Honourable the Justi of the SI begun and holden at Roston on the second Tuesday of . thousand eight hundred and Humbly sheweth, Nancy It of Nantucket, and the wits of tices of the Snpreme Judicial Court, II within and for the comity GlSt:ff • iu the yea* of utif Lord, or.,e .1 thirteen. Nanning. of Nantucket, in the county f Mai C. FADiiiiik ufatkl Ntiuturt.4l, 493 T TUE OPEI4A ROUSE.