The National Register. — London, England, 1808-04-25 00:00:00

260 THE NATIONAL REGISTER. ought to he music a little congenial with the subject of the drama—Lochaber, and Can thou rer't mina awn thing, are very appropriate tunes for the relief of the Scotch play of Douglas; but what should we say to a Manager, who should give the pub lic such a jig as Mot/3 put the kettle on, by way of intertnede to the tragedy of Venice Preserved? Mr. Cobbett has no care of this sort. If he have begun never so forcihly—if be have de claimed, with all the ardour and force of his naturally strong tho' vulgar intellect, against constitutional violations that really deserve animadversion—if he have entered on a subject which possesses sufficient elevation to reflect even fame on a person ho may treat it with tolerable success—suddenly he descends from his pride of place, and rushes into the lowest malignity of personal attack, the vulgarest language of a quarrelling tinker. lie certainly is a great adept in the science of intellectual prize t;;hting ; his knack for introducing vulgar illustrations, and ill natured stories, may be very useful in some companies : no doubt it will have great effect next month, at the anniversary of Sir Francis illurdett's election, when the porter -drinking politicians of Westminster shall assemble to celebrate the triumph of mobbing and madness; but why does Mr. Cobbett torment his readers, among whom there probably are several gentlemen, with slang that is so much beneath them ? " Inceptis gravibus plerumque, et magna professis, Purpureus, late qui spltndeat, unus et alter " Assuitur pannus.---Amphora coepit " I nstitui; currente rotd cur urceus exit? " Desinit in pisccni mulier formosa superne : Spectatuin admissi, risunt teneatis, amid ?" In this Number of April 16th, which we have here been review ing, how manifold are the digressions of this angry politician ! The Reversion Bill, a great and interesting topic, is the professed subject of his paper: and in the course of his dissertation, he abuses the Whig Club, gives advice to Mr. Waithman, attacks all oppositions, abuses Mr. Sheridan, cuts at Mr. Alexander Da vison, and tells us about the Members for 'Westminster riding in a dirt-covered car. What has all this to do with the Reversion Bill ? But above all, what secret influence has withheld Mr. Cobbett from denouncing in the strongest terms that invidious, that•' odious system, by which the Reversion Bill was disconcerted in the Ilouse of Lords ? Where is the loud tongue of Mr. Cobbett when real danger bids him sound its alarum to his coun try ? What becomes of the people's unbiassed, uninfluenced, immoveable champion when lofty blood runs feverish and hot, maddens the nerves of powerful men, and lets them loose to fight against the rights of meaner subjects ? Some writer more acquainted with the secrets of Botley, must tell us why Mr. Cobbett has spared when mercy is a crime, and spread the man tle of darkness IN here day-light should have flashed the broadest and clearest splendour of its noon-tide ! FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. APRIL 25, nor in number, and covered the ietftat of the rest of the army, which carried away all the magazines formed in Brorneborg.. " Count Cronstedt, Chief of Brigade, reported from Nnopio, Alipitka. and Idensoben, under date the 13th, 16th, and 18th March, that, with the troops uuder his command, he is continu ing his march to Ulcnberg, pursuant to his orders. lie had some severe engagements with the enemy on the 11th, near Lippanirta, and the 15th, near Knopin, during which a cannonade wa6 for some time kept up on both sides, without the Russian troolb having been able, notwithstanding their great superiority in number, to make any successful attack on his Majesty's troops; they were, on the contrary, continually repulsed." .......lipm.... His Swedish Majesty's Proclamation, touching the Levy en Masse, dated Stockholm, March 14, 1808. " We, Gustavus Adolphus, make known, that, as the Eastern frontiers of the Empire are already attacked by the enemy, and those in the West and North are likewise threatened, we fed ourselves called upon to make the utmost exertions fur th^ de. fence of our invaded country. For this purpose, in order that we may be able to raise a sufficient force for attacking the min\ , it is our will that all young men, of 18 to 25 years, both inclu sive, of whatever rank or condition they may be, who have not enlisted in the regular army, militia, or navy, shall hold them selves in readiness to take up arms for the defence of our native land, and, assemble at such places as shall be appointed out to them at a moment's notice." STOCKHOLM, MARCH IS.—The French General of I/41.- ston, Grandjean, informed Lieutenant Wahrenberg, by a letter. of the 6th of October last year, by General Brune's order, that the Sweetish packets would not be molested on their arrival at (trossen Zuker, in the Isle of Ruge.n, but be allowed to enter that port, until the exchange of French and Swedish prisoners should have been completed. In spite of this solemn assurance, two Swedish packets, which on the strength thereof were di-- patched from Istadt to Rugen, have been detained there by the French commanding Officer, and declared good and lawful prizes. On board of one of them was his Majesty's Aide-de- Camp, Major Darmfelt, who was sent with a flag of truce to Rugen, and, contrary to all the usages of war, detained in Stral sund under a military guard ; .sod on board the other was I.lk!a -jor Schmitz, of the artillery, who was likewise declared a prisoner of war. This conduct on the part of the French. bY no means unprecedented, is recorded as an additional proof of the well-known fact, that no reliance can be placed on the incq solemn and most sacred promise of that people. M A nen 26.—Lieutenant-General Baron Carpalon has made a report, dated the 19th inst. stating, that the English !qi:a dron which was frozen in near Gottenburgli, and consist Fut three sail of the line, two frigates, and three brigs of war, f. l • afloat the said day, and is ready to set sail with the first tau wind and weather. By advices from Helsingburg received to-day we learn, that, as late as the 26th inst. the French had not crossed the !Seib. though it had been confidently reparted they were to ho.. embarked for Zealand on the 15th. Count Miolki, the Panoh Minister at Stockholm, and M. Gildenpalm, the Secret:o, arrived at Helsinburg a few days since, under a Swedioli guard, and embarked in a flag of truce for Elsineur. A PRIL S.—The day before yesterday arrived her his Britau nic Majesty's ship Dictator, of 63 guns, together n ith the lar virus bomb, Salcette frigate, Daphne, Snake, and Charger gun brigs, &c. ; these ships have brought a great quantitv of arms and ammunition for the Swedish Government, and a large sins of money. Last night also arrived Admiral Sir Samuel Bond, in the Centaur, with several other ships, whose names I cannot yet learn ; many more, I am told, are g one to the Sound. rho arrivals have diffused a general satisfaction here, as we now thin ourselves secure from any iuvasion of the French and Dane.. though, indeed, we have as yet no account to bed epended upon, of the French having come over to Zealand, or even of their having entered Holstein. There is no news to-day trout i .e n• land ; nor do I hear that operations have yet commenced y oni . tb frontiers of Norway, where a considerab le army ' is assembh.d. SPAIN. MADRID, 'MARCH 11. —Yesterday there was a„ ran' ;.7r.: 1;1e Court (which at present is at the Royal Palace of Aratwiez account of the birth of the infant Don Francisco de Paula • touio Maria, the third sou of his Majesty. SW EDEN.-BULLETIN. " GRIPSUOLM CASTLE, MARCII 30. " His noval Majesty received yesterday two reports from Count Klingspor, Commander in Chief of the army iu Finland, bearing date, Head-quarters, Longfors and Nerper, not far from Wa4a, March 200 and 23d.' The army continues, in good order, its march to Ulenberg, in order to form a junction with the column of Count Cronstedt, Chief of Brigade. The rear was almost daily engaged with the enemy's light troops; hut a more considerable affair took place ' under the orders of Count Sewembjelm, Adjutant General, and of Colonel Gripen berg, Chief of Brigade, in which his lajesty's troops, with the itmust gallantry, with toad the attack of the cavity, far supe- 1 i