The National Register. — London, England, 1816-07-14 00:00:00

I M ~i No. 440.—V0i.. IX. TILE ;NORTHERN iIPRIC.IN INSTITUTION Lord Exmouth will sail in a few days with the squa aron destined to rescue the high character which Great Britain deservedly holds in the opinion of all Europe, front the odious charge of conniving at the outrages so lung committed with impunity by the pirates of North ern Afrim. Never did an expedition depart from our shores with more general or unqualified wishes fur its complete success. It is embarked not only in the cause; of the civilized nations of Europa, but in that of batman naturz ; tin. what is the slavery of the natives of ' Africa, in our trans-atlantic Colonies, about which so much argumentative sympa:hy is perpetually and honour sibly displayed, when compared with that of the Chris tians who annually toll into the power of those inflimous banditti of Algiers, Tripoli, and Tunis? It is really astonishing and incAnnprehensible, by what stupid and in faulted policy those receptacles of naval piracy can have been permitted so long to exist, when there is not a single European Power that has not sullin-ed from them 'the grossest outrat;es ; while no benefit is derived from an intercourse with them, by any nation in the world. Surely they cannot be thought too contemptible fiar yen #,;eance, when the lamentable fact is on undisputed record, A'tat there arc never fewer than from 4000 to 5000 Cinistian slaves enduring the most horrible of human staerings in the territories of those despicable third-rate tyrants. But whatever the policy may have been that has hitherto caused our thrbearance, we hope and believe that it is at an end. The circumstance of the gallant Admiral being accompanied by bomb-ve*sels and rocket ships, proves that it is at last intended to strike a blow; ital thus while we feel convinced that lemporiziag is past; itve have only to look f mard to the complete anni hilation of the whole of the piratical fleets, and de molition of the fialrees that protect them ; regretting however, that such en operation has been thus long de- luyed. When we re'Llt, that these very piratical States once firmed, under the dominion of the Carthaginians, the greatest naval Power in the world, and had a more ex tensive commerce than all the other people on the face of the earth united, we have still greater grounds thr asto nishment and indignation at the apathy of the whole of roadern Europe towards the ex resses a the wretches who have surce.aled those distinguished heroes of antiquity; mil who, for more than a century, have been suffered to lay ail the c ommercial nations of the world under annual tribute, as t'ua price of their temporary abstinence from Vl:ruler. We have (Alen heard the argument, that the different States of Europb were jealous of each other in regard to the inane= which any one might hereafter obtain in this part of Africa, if, by a consentanuous en terprize, they were to destroy the vessels of the banditti. That such a jealousy may have always existed towards (':eat Britain, as the greatest naval power in the world, we can readily imagine; yet nothing can be snore absurd ead futile than the principles on which it is grounded. if it had not been fur such a pitiful and miserable jea leasy, there is no doubt that any one of thole Powers Wisald have long since, of its own accord, performed the task which we have at, last taken upon ourselves. But we wish those envious scribblers for the German Papers, who so lately threw out the calumny, that it was a duty incumbent upon us to avenge the cause of the rest of Eu rope, would point out how we could in future be benc fitted by our forbearance. We have no commerce with the North of Africa ; and in fact those piratical States have no trade worth mentioning with any part of the world ; but ever since the time ?when their able Chief; Wiley Mollie, &fisted and killed Don Sebastian, King of Portugal, they have lived in an almost continual state of warfare with every nation in Christendom. We may look, therefore, in vain, for any political motive as the -cause of our present lenity. That which existed in 1796, when (as on several occasions since) we did not disdain to purchase their friendship by considerable presents, cer tainly exists no longer. To have attacked the Barbary Pirates at those periods, would have inevitably involved us in a war with the Ottoman Porte ; to whom, it ought to be kept in mind, the States of Northern Africa have ever been and are to this hour tributary. A war, then, with the Porte at any former period, would have put a stop to the immense Turkey trade, which we have car ried on e xclusively for more than a century, particularly in scald& cloths ; but a more important point would have been the loss of an ally, which, by good diplomatic ma nagement, we have always succeeded in keeping from the all -devouring grasp of revolutionary France. This is the .only cause which w e can su gg est for our remnant for- tetwlor .4 . 0 nal Mt t iOttr+ - Our Itina, ContiMutton nub TLainl, SUNDAY, JULY 14, 1816. bearancc towards those nests of plunderers during the whole course of the late and the two preceding wars. But these motives no longer exist. Our trade with Tur key has of late suffered the same decline, and from the same causes, us has affected it in every other part of Eu rope ; and now ) therefore, tha hour has arrived to avenge the insults we have received from those petty despots, who have violated every title to their reception within the pale of humanized nations. There is nu occasion for a crusade on the part of all Europe. By the fiat of Great Britain alone can those miscreants exist or be extermi nated. Let her, then, put them out of the condition of doing farther injury to herself or her allies, and she will have another well-tounded claim to the gratitude and ad miration of the civilized world. MR. SHERIDA.N"S DEATH AND FUNERAL. With deep regret we announce to our readers the death of the Right Honourable Richard Brinsley Sheridan; who, after a severe and protracted illness, ex piral on Sunday, at noon, in the (35th year of his age. Yesterday the remains of this celebrated 111:111 were buried in Westminster Abbey, near the tomb of Garrick. The com pany met about tWelve o'elock ut Mr. Peter Moore's, in Great George-street, Westminster and thence followed the body to the 4rave on foot. The Pall was borne by six gentlemen.. amongst whom we noticed the Earl of Molgrave, Lord Hol land, the Bishop of London, and the Lord Mayor. Mr. Chas. Vieridao wits the prineipal mourner. Next him followed the Dukes of York and sussex, with the Marquis of Anglesey and the Duke of Argyle. The six Mourners in Cloaks followed the N.ly 41 Dukes; and the ehnle m her of Ge n tlemen was very cousi&rabie. Amongst them were the Earl of Bridgewater, Lords Sidmotaili, l'armonth, Erskine. General Phipps, Sirs A. Piggott, and S. K •Ily. Messrs. Cunning, Wellesley Pole, Leach, Angela 'Taylor, Peter Moore, Perrv, (of the Chroni cle) Lane, kof the Press) Ward, Smith, Burgess, and Dr. . . Ilse company vnts an n 1111 l ernn., tint when the Bier reached thr Abbey, the Itutt of the attendants bad only left George street. . The procession went across Parliament-square to the Great Door of Westminster Abbey. where it W.IS received by the Soh Dean of Westminster. The service was perforated in the usual manlier. We were happy to see this tribute of respect paid by mon of all Parties towards one who, in polities, was always consis tent and always independent, and who in literature was cer tainly the first genius of his ay. The departed spirit no longer felt the honour paid to its earthly remains ; but to his son, it must hare been a proud con solation to ha :e witnessed this special( it of national tc••liug amongst the tirst rant. and the tito,t splendid talents of the day. It is always interesting, whether gratifying nr painful, to me ditate the history of a distinguished man ; and more especially of a man, trout the materials of whose character even more of wanting, than of example, may be collected. From the mix ture and counteraction of high eudowments, with vulgar in firmities and nufortunate habits. ordinary men derive lessons of candour and rontentmera. We cease to murmur at any seeming partiality in the distribution of intellectual gifts among mankind, when we see the most useful qualities with held from, or disdah,ed by, those upon whom the most splendid ones have been munificently lavished. It extends our charity, and abates our pride, to reflect with colonies. , on the fate a one who was equally the delight of society, and the grace of literature —whom it has been for many years the fashion to quote as a bold reprover of the selfish spirit ur party; and throuOiont a period fr u itful of able men and trying circum stances, as the most popular specimen in the British senate of political consistency, intrepidity, and honour. It Is needless to say much on those intellectual powers whose living memorials are formed to command the admira tion of every fature age. The alt •shiug talent for observe , Con, and knowledge of character, displayed by Mr. Sheridan in his dramatic writings, will surprise us more Meru we re collect that he compo ed Me Melds whilst yet a boy; anti that his ScAuol fur Scaael.d was written at four and twenty. Those• who are best acquainted with the history of the stage for an I feed years preceding their arpearance, can best appre ciate the obligations tithe public to an author, whose dialogue has the spirit of reality without its coarseness—who neither wearies nor offends his audience— but whose sentiment is ani mated, and his wit refsed. His opera is another specimen of varions power, which has eclipsed all but one of those which which Heat before it, and all without exception, of those which have followed. 'IA , DifeNIKIIIiIS brat a single riv al on the stag, and if the broad .... sness of the Beggar's Opera has given its author thedneans of indulging a nervous axd 'newton' vein of satire, to be loan.' in no other fmglish work, Sheridan has combined in the plot and lenguage of his Durbaa the charms of delicacy, elegance, and ingenuity; and in his songs has dis covered a taste and pathos of high poetical beauty. If we pursue Mr. Sbei titan into political life, we shall have equal cause to a thiiii e the vigour and versatility of his genius. The field on every side of him was oc cupied by the ablest men who had appeared in Parliament for more than halt• a century. Burke, whose mature mold was richly furnished from the iutellertual stores of all ages aunt of all nations—Pitt and Fox, not left like She rid•an to chance, but trebled and moulded into orators anal statrsmen t —these Were formidable cheeks to the Ilse of an adventurer not recommended by character nor eon llVXlolll—nt.ser edueated tier public life--beset by a thousand unacbievous 141)1U—crusted vet with indolence, and de- • ' • rrticE 9; d. pressed by fortune. Some wondrous internal power ntuov e him up; and a temper invulnerable to ordinary att left lulu at all times in possession of his unshaken faculties. In co-operation therefore, or rivalry, or hostility, with the first men of his day, he distinguished himself amongst them by wield ing with success the vitriol's w•!apons for which they were re spectively celebrated. In flow of diction he yielded not even to Mr. Pitt —in force and acuteness lie might justly be com pared with the great Opposition Leader—while in splendour of imagination he equalled Burke,andii his as i us a e ng a e n r d ; n a ta n n d ag tht em , w en it t fur excelled him. His sarcasms were finer, bid less se vere , than those by which Mr. Pitt indulged displayed by Sheridan in Parliament was, perhaps, from the suavity of his teinuer, much less sharp than ti nt t h e quality which predominated over all its compauions in the mind of Mr. Sheridan was his exquisite anti highly finished taste. Ia this rare talent lie had no competitor; and this it was which gave such inimitable grace to his expressions, and which, in arguing or declaiming, in eulogy or invective, disposed his thoughts with an effect so full and admirable. We cannot ex patiate farther on his rhetorical qualifications, than by Misery mg, that lie joined to the higher attributes above spoken of, the natural ails antages of a clear and melodious voice, a distinct, emphatic, and unaffected utterance ; and a manly and becoming action. As Mr. Sheridan has produced a comedy which may be described as nearly the beat in our language, so did he by carious felicity of genius put forth, in his speech on the trial of Hastings, the finest specimen of English senatorial elo quence o f which modern times can boast. Of this divine oration, although none hat those who heard it can adequately judge, enough re mains to justify our praises in the fragments handed down to us by the pit blicationsaf that pet iod,and in the recoi tied sentiments of the leaders of all parties, who hung in rapture and amaze. ment on his words. Mr. Sheridan then reached the pinnacle of his fame. No length of days could add to the erlehrity it tbat moment poured around him, as an orator awl statesman of eon) , prehensive and transcendent powers—no human fortune could have surpassed the exit( stations then formed of his future e nonce. Why they have not since been realised, is a question which posterity will not fail to musk. We past by the druids of his parliamentary progress, from the disetissiolis en the recency in 1789, to .those on the seine subject in fell. Many important questions, many dangerous crises, which arose in the to in , . terval between these periods, gave3lr. She. ohm the ,neaps to establi,•:i for himself an occasionalinterest with the peopie or England, distinct from any that could hat e been derived from mere proof's of talent, or influence of party. On the mutiny at the Note, he enjoyed the credit of essentially contrilmiteg to save the state. lflienever the Liberty of the press was at•acked, that bulwark of the constitutiou found in hint its most zealous and consistent defender : and when the eat ly burst of Siva:dsts patiriutisin had raissid a strong sympathy throughout thin coun try, it was Mr. Sheridan who tirst gave form amid expression to the feelings which swelled every English heart; sad who traced nu Parliament the natural relation between the sit put of Spain and the deliverance of Europe. Withont imsti,eti, a too severe or invidious set ininy into the justice el' thost high encomiums which have been passed out Mr. Sheridan's pat, lone spirit, w e shall merely observe, that Otte object of our aAlitil is the exquisitejudgement— the dexterity of iact—with which lie at all times seized the full title of public sentiment, and turned it into the proper channel. lint it must be achnowiedgeil,that the longer he remained in the House of Commons, and before the public, the m o re his personal consequeace declined. ?Ir. Sheridan had never in his happiest days effected any thine by steady application. He was capable of intense, butt not of re. Ruler study. When public duty or private difficulty urged him, he endured the burden as if asleep under its presume. At length, when the pain could be no hunger borne, he roused himself with one mighty effort, and burst like a lion thron.gli the toils. There are reasons for believing that his constilatiumal indolence began its operation upon his habits at an early age. • Ht• very first dramatic scenes were written by 'matches, with eunsitier. able internals between them. Convivial pleasures haul lively charms for one whose wit was tt e soul of the table ; and the sparkling glass—the medium of social intercourse--had no small share of his affeetioll. These were joys to he iiiduleed without effort : as such, they were too well calulated to absorb the time of Mr. Sheridan, and sooner or later to make large cm:touch 'limits on his character. His attendance in Parliament became every year more languid—the tits nuolia inure iniairable —the plunges by which his genius had now and then extricated him is former times less frequeut and mot e feeble. We 'reser vt'sec a contrast much more na•lancholy than between the in illiant and commanding talent displayed by Mr. Sheridan throughout the first rtgelley disrossions, and the low Scale of nerve, at Cis ity, and capm-ify, to which. he seemed 'educed, when that spit p.ct was more recently agitated in l'arliament. But dolence and intemperance must hanisb reflection, it' not nor. rested by it ; since no man could snpport the torture id per. nut nal self-reproach. AlferaSated, We fear,lliS setae such caoscs, • the naturally careless temper of Sir. Sheridan became riiiiitins to all his better hopes and prospects. tVilhont ait reet appe tite for spending money, be thooglit not of checking its aspen. diture. The cc iiiiii my of time was as much tiisngarled as that of money. All the arraneements, plinetnalitit s, and online obligations of life, were forgotten ; anti the household of Mr. Sheridan was always in a state of nature. His domestic feel ings were originally kind, and his manners treacle: out the same bad habits seduced hint ft unt the House of C omme „ s , ma d from home ; and equally injured him as an agent of the potion good, and as a dispenser of pis Mc happiness. It is paintlal, it is mortifying, but it is our sacred duty, to pursue this history s to the end.. Pecuniary embai la-melds often leash Men to shifts and expedients—these exhausted, to others of a less doubillul colour. Blunted sensibility —renew k of web tv—follow each other in melancholy successiun, emit saa. tole rod darkness cline the scene. It ha+ been made a reproach by some persons, in lap,: uu , lir. Slieriulait's ern-1 destiny, that '• his friends - last tuu.re for hint. We freely and constientionsly du i• tuitional, that had Mr. Sheridan enjoyed It ,v Cornwall, instead Of one, lie would not have of, ointui • lie 'aver autuil have aitamed to costfort uriudt t t suit, . c • . • r • .9, • . v.i.4