The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1803-02-15 00:00:00

ir I L17E11,171," RE. Eli oprz pretium cog nacre. HOUSE OF LORDS. tiIIDAY FHB. 14. 9_ _ . • Hoe. [Concliel,-(1 from our Paper of the 4th In.tant.] 4 4 At twelve o'clock, the beverage I have men tioned, which the French think unwholesome at all times, and which even the English fear m take at so late aa hour, was placed near the fire, on a large table, surrounded with cakes, creams, custards, a large tureen of soup, and a bowl of punch, the party crowded round the table, and helped them selves to the refreshments it contained. When the ceremony was over, those who did not return to the card tables, entered into conversation ; and as literary subjects were still the favourite theme, a young man, with a pompous manner, and a solemn tone of voice, said, addressing himself to me, " Is it true, sir, that there are Englishmen, so blinded by national prejudice, as to prefer volt? . 6 score Shakspare t, to our divine Racine r' Endeavour ing to avoid a discussion, which I knew the answer I was inclined to give would create, I contented myself with observing, that Shakespeare and Ra cine were sich different authors, that it was ab surd to compare them. As well," said I," might you draw a resemblance between the beauties of Switzerland, and those of Versailles." " The pro per simile," retorted the first speaker, 44 would be between Versailles and a ban en heath, on which some few beautiful plants may have been accident ally scattered, by the capricious hand of nature," The whole circle joined in the triumph, which my antagonist supposed he had gained, and I in vain attempted to recapitulate, and to translate some of the striking passages of Shakspeacr. Though all condemned our 4. heaven-inspired poet," I soon perceived, that few had ever read, and none under stood the sublime work which they presumed to criticise. " Speaking of English authors," cried the mem ber of the ci.devant academie Francsise, " makes one think of English orators. I see, by Chateau Brian's account of England, that the cause of Mr. Fox's retirement from parliament has been at last discovered ; and that it arose fi om his mental pow ers having been weakened by the effect of excessive drinking. To this I suppose one must attribute his late unwarrantable attack on the House cf Bour bon." Astonished at this extraordinary assertion, I took the liberty of assuring the gentleman, that Mr. Fox's talents were as perfect as ever, and that his last speech was one of the finest efforts of human reasoning. " Pardoners," cried the academician, " Mr. Fox could never reason. He was indeed once a fine declaimer, but as to the powers of ar gument, he never possessed them." I was ridicu lons enough to combat this absurd opinion, and to assure him, that there was not an Englishman, (whatever his political sentiments might be) who would not willingly bear testimony to the wonder ful argumentative talents of the extraordinary man in question. I talked in vain, the whole company joined with the academician, who par torte reporne, i said, " Cat Mr. Pitt, qui rat ra . totmer, mats pour Mr. Fox it didante joirteot, To a tout JON talent. Vox: me permettertz de savoir !" assuming a look of great dignity, " ,arceque, c'est moi qui a tratirit :es di:- c:urs." So saying, he turned away, and soon after the company dispersed, Can I give you a stronger instance of the taste and just re, with which the French pronounce on the merits of our authors, and public characters ? If Shakespeare is not a poet, nor Mr. Fox an orator, where are we to look for examples of per fection ? Thus it is on every sub;ect in this country. The French suppese, that they understand English books, and English politics, muck better than we do ; and this is not the first lesson which I have re ceived. I have often been contradicted on consti tutional, as well as literary question!; and I have always found, that the company supported not the opinion of the native whose local knowledge de served seine little credit, but the bead assertion of their countryman, nho was generally believed and applauded, in proportion to the extravagance and singularity of the doctrine which he laid down. I forgot to mention, that great offence being taken at Mr. Fox's remarks on the old government, a gentleman took great pains to persuade me, that Passeasist reg:nte was the freest constitution under the sun. You will not be surprised to hear, that he did not make me a convert to his opinion, anti that I assured him, if such was a free government, hoped it wo uld be long, very long, before England should possels it. This evening's entertainment gave me altogether hip a very unfavourable opinion, both of french society, french taste, and french gallantry. There was no mirth, no general conversation, and scarcely any intercourse between the men and women. As to Mrs. —, she was left to the uninserruped en joyment of her own thoughts, for no person took the trouble of addressing her. Her English dresi, however, did not escape the criticism of the ladies ; and my pronunciation was equally a source of amusement to the gentlemen. I shall only add, that if this be a specimen of French society, I miff obtain much information at Paris ; yet I shall cer tainly receive but little pleasure from my journey. t Your dro'l Shake-;pure. By way of an unarnwerabl: a•gument, srid ; " It is Mr. Pitt who understand: reasoning ; but at to Mr. Fos, he can dt-claim prettily : all talent consi-ts in this. You will al low me to kiwi, for it wa- assuiutug A look of v.:at ctraity, " who translated his speeches " IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. the Appeal Cause, Lawson v. Maxwell, Mr. An A 1 , 4 was heard on behalf of the Respondent, after which Mr. ALEXANDER made a reply. The fur ther hearing of the cause was then adjourned to Wednesday. The Duke of Mow rsoss, the Duke of ATROL, Earl PEMBROKE, the Earl Moitrox, Lord MONT FO ND, and the Archbishop of Dino's, took the Oaths. _ _ The Drder of the Day was moved, for the House to take into consideration the Rerrt of the Com mittee appointed to enquire into that part of the Aa of Uftion, which refers to the right of the Spi ritual Lords of that part of the United Kingdom called freliad to claim their Swats in the House of Loi cis, and to report upon the same. Lord CARLETON moved, that the House do ~. agree to the Resolution contained in the said Re- port. The same, on the Question being put, was or dered. `HANdELLOR left the Woolsack, The LORD C. and observed,' that as the House had agreed upon the poiut referred to the Committee of Privileges, there was an end of the Question as to the right of the Archbishop of CastrEL to bold his Seat in that House, during the remainder of the present Session ; but there was another question of great importance still remaining to be decided, as it was surrounded with many difficulties. It was not his intention to go into the detail of those difficulties at present ; what he referred to was, the mode of summoning the Spiritual Peers of Ireland to sit in that House. By the Act of Union, it was not decisively expressed, whether they were to be considered as summoned under that A& or whether it were necessary they should be summoned by a Special Writ. As it was of importance, that this matter should be finally settled, and perfealy understood, it was his intention, in the Committee of Privileges, that this point should be decided upon. He meant to move, that the consideration of it should take place in that Comthittee, either on Th►Tsday or Monday next, which ever day should be most convenient. — Adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS. MONDAY, FEL 14. Several Members were sworn in. Lord EUSTON brought up a report from the Dumferline Eledion Committee, which stated, that in consequence of the indisposition of Wm. Ralph Cartwright, Esq. one of the Committer, they had adjourned from Friday to ten o'clock this morning, and again to ten o'clock to-morrow, and moved that a medical gentleman who attended be admitted fur examination on the subject. Do for Vaughan having been admitted to the.bar and examined by the SPEAKER, proved that the absence of Mr. Cartwright proceeded from a serious indisposition which prevented him from attending his duty in that House. Lord EUSTOI then moved, that leave be grant ed to Wm. R. Cartwright, Esq. to absent himself from the said Select Committee. Leave was granted accordingly. Mr. S EEELE brought up an account of the ex traordinary expences of the army from 24th Dec. 1801, to 25th Dec. 1802 inausive. Ordered to lie on the table. Mr. JOHN FANE, from the Committee on the Dublin University Eles%on Committee, stated, that Mr. Jefferys had absented himself on Saturday last from the Committee, which occasioned an adjourn ment. The SPEAKER called upon Mr. Jefnrys to an serer forhis condut on this occasion. Mr. JEFFERYS declared, that his ron.attenti. anee on Saturday last, did not proceed from any neglect on his part, but from an ignorance of the precise, time of adjournment, which having verified upon oath. his excuse was admitted. A message from the Lords informed the House that their Lordships had passed several naturaliza tion Bilis. On the motion of the SECRETARY at WAR, the Militia-Training 1!ti1l was read a first, and or dered to be read a second time to-morrow. The SECRETARY at WAR moved, that the Order of the Day for the House to resolve itself into a Cotemittee of the whole House on the Mutiny BM, on Wednesday next, ble discharged; and that new order be fixed for Tuesday following. Ordered. Mr. TIERNEY brought up a Petition from seve ral chemios, apothecaries, and others, praying the repeal of the Medicine MI. Mr. VANSIII'ART admitted that many errors had crept into that Bill, which it was the intention - of Government ter remedy, but certainly not to re peal the Bill altogether. The Petition was ordered to lie on the Table. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved the Order, of the Day for the third reading of the Bank Restriction Bill. Mr. JOHNSTONE said,it was not his intention in this late stage of thebnsiness; to trouble the House with many observations on a subject which had been al ready so ably and fully discussed.. He thought it, however, his duty to state his reasons for assenting to the measure proposed by the Bill, arid which cer tainly was one of the greatest importance which ever came before the House ; and particularly be cause his opinion was different from that of other Gentlemen. One reason was, that bethought it necessary, at the present moment, to nurse the Bank, for the purpose of supporting our credit on the continent of Europe. It would also have a salutary etre& with regard to our finances, and a similar influence on the state of our Stocks. Ano ther reason was, that merchants, at the conclusion of the war, were apt to overtrade themselves ; and it was necessary to restrict the payment in specie until trade should get into its proper channels. He pettedly agreed with his Right Honourable friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in his statement on a former night, that however necessary the measure was at present, credit could not be . com pletely established as long as the restriction lasted : the history of all countries supported that statements He found that the circulation of paper in tax' city was not very g: eat in consequence of the restric tion; but in the country it was very different, and much more than the state of the country requires. And the reason why the country was overloaded with notes was this, that in, consequence of the re striaion, the banking business was become more profitable than fiirmerly, because the restriction af forded a greater facility' to bankers of circulating • their notes. The exchange, he said, did not depend on the nomiled, but the real value of money ; and in his opinion the exchange was at par when an ounce of gold or silver brought as much in one country as another. In 177'2, when coin was in a bad state, the exchange was three or four per cent. against Ras ; but on a re-coinage, it rose exactly so much in our favour; and he was confident, that taking off the restriction (whenever it could he done with safety) would have the same effect. He hoped it would be of short continuance, and wished to see the time when paper will be as valuable as gold—when it may be commutable into- specie at the will of the holder. The honourable member concluded with apologiiing to the House, for tres passing so much at that period of the business on their attention. '1 he ATTORNEY GENERAL, in consequence of an observation which he made on a former night, re .petting the tender of Bank Notes as payment of • debts, moved some verbal Amendments, which were agreed to. 'The Bill was then read a third time, passed, and ordered to be carried to the Lords, by Mr. AL EXA Ntrtß. Mr. WILLIAM ELLIOT said, that an Hon. Friend of his (Donor L R CE), had given notice previous to the recess, that he would make a mo tion very soon after the meeting of Parliament, re spening the confinement of Captain D'AUVERGNE, in France, but was prevented by indisposition from attending. He was authorized by his Hon. Friend to say, that he hoped to be able to attend in the course of a few days, and that he should make a proposition to the House on the subjen, on Monday next ; but as he understood some business was to be brought forward on that day, by an Hon. Baro net (Sir WILLIAM ELFORD), if that business should then be brought forward, the Motion of which he gave notice could be deferred to some other day. Mr. LEE guve notice of his intention to move, to-morrov, se'riniot, for leave to bring in a Bill for assimilating tae proceedings of the Law Courts in Ireland with those in England. Mr. %VICKHAM toss, pursuant to notice, to move that leave be given to bring in a Bill, for the better securing of the rights of Eredion in Ireland, by preventing Revenue Officers from voting at Eletions.—Leave was given. On the Motion of Mr, VANSITTART, the Com mittee of the Land Tax Commissioners Bill, which stood for to-morrow, was postponed to to-morrow three weeks. _ _ . Mr. ROBERT DUNDAS presented a Petition from Glasgow, praying for leave to bring in a Bill for ereaing a new Theatre in that City.—Referred to a Committee. Mr. MANNING brought up a Petition from the Cities o tondos: and Westminster, and County of Middlesex, praying for leave to bring in a Bill for making a Canal from the Bason of the Grand Junelion Canal at Paddington, to the London New Docks —Referred to a Committee. Deferred the other Orders of the Day.—Ad journed. THEATRE-Ronfr., DRURr-LANE. THIS EVENING rill be pre , eoted the Tragedy of CYMBELINE. Cymbeline, Mr. Ravtnnnd; Guideritts, Mr. C. Kemble; Arviragus, Mr. De Camp; Cloten, Mr. Palmer; Eclarius, Mr. Wroughton; Lconatus Poithumus, Mr Pone lachimo, Mr. Powell. Queen, MN. Harlowe; Imogen, MN. Pope. To which will be added. LOVE Al' MAGIC. T9-11101113W, The Beaux Stratagem, with A House to be Sold. On Slat-lay will be produced a new Musical Drama, called The I Icro of the Norte THEATRE-ROrAL, COVENT-GjRDEN. MS EVENING -rill be performed the Cantle Opera of TjIE CABINET. Orlando, Mr. Braham; .Peter, Mr. Munden; Whimelculo, Mr. Fawcett ; Count Curvoso, Mr. Emery; Marqui• de Grand Chateau, Mr. Blanchard; and Lorenzo, Mr. incledon. Cu riae°, Mrs. Mattocks; Constantia, Mn. I÷. Johnston; and Flort.tta, Signora Storace. To which will be added, ANIMAL MAGNETISM. Tomorrow, the Suspicious Husband; Ranger (Ist time) by tbe Gentleman who performed Hamlet with so much applause. With The Farmer. On Thurid ry, Family Quarrels, with a Tale of Mystery. A Nr•vr Comedy is in rehearsal, called John Bull; or, An Englishman's THE BRITISH PRESS. 1 r 6 7: • r•.;M . I .11.1. -- a ---- • LONDON, TUESDAY, FEB. 15. The Morning Frost of yesterday asserted, that " Colonel Dese AID, and his six condemned asso ciates who were not recommended to mercy, are chained together in a string, the chain strongly fastened to she cell in which they are confined," and that " no one sees or speaks to them but through a grating." When we considered that Colonel I)Espa RD was stated to be the seducer of his guilty companions ; when we reflected upon. the crimination and re-crimination that must consti tute the converse of a groupe thus hideously bound together, and how impossible it must be, in such a situation, to recover that sanative affeaion of the mind so eloquently recommended by Lord EL LEN nosnuatt as the great duty of their remaining days, we own we were shocked with horror, upon reading this account. A restraint so barbarous, and involving consequences so revoking to human feelings, might become the Spanish Inquisition in the darkest ages, but would ill accord with the en lightened charaker of the British nation, and the mild exercise of its criminal jurisprudence.—We have, therefore, made the most diligent enquiry into the real circumstances of the case, and arc happy to say, that the alleged cruel treatment of these wretched men, is as unfounded in point of fad, as illiberal with re ference to those by whose orders alone such seve rit y could have been infliaed. It is not true that they are chained together in a string : they are se cured as all felons are after ecinviaion. The enor mity of their offence makes no difference as to their treatment ; and the Governor, obeying the impulse of his own humanity, has only adopted those pre cautions necessary for the safety of persons for whose appearance to answer the lodgment of the law he is responsible. The Prisoners have, in addi tion to those comforts provided at the expence of the county, whatever their own means, or their friends can procure for them. indeed such a num ber of persons were never left in this Prison under Sentence of Death ; and thence there is some diffi culty in disposing of them separately. They are, however, allowed the range of a spacious ward, with out any other restraint, than that of being double ironed, theusual precaution in all cases of capital con vidion. Their friends and relatives are also allowed free access to them. Any restraint beyond what ts Accessary for safe custody would be unconstit,i tional and unjust ; and we understand the deport ment of the prisoners is not such as to render it ne cessary. From every information we have been able to eollea, we should rather suppuse that the or dinary restraint of condemned prisoners i 3 relaxed in their favor. A Cabinet Council will be held to-morrow, at. Lord HAWKESOURY'S Office, Downing-street. Re port says, the fate of the prisoners now under sen tence of death for High Treason, will be one sub je of its consideration. Mails from New York, *nd the Leeward Islands, arrived Yesterday morning. The letters contain no important intelligence. Leeward Islands, %se. are happy to state, ate healthy. It is said, that the CHANCELLOR of the ERCHE• gent will, on Monday next, deliver a Message to the House of Commons from his Majesty, respea— ing the adj ctment of the affairs of his Royal High-' nest the PRINCE of WA 1. vs. BI the nevi arrange ment, his Royal Highness is to have a clear income of 12.5,0001. per annum. • On Friday night arrived, off Plymouth, the Nils, East Indiaman, from China. purser landed at Plymouth, with the dispatches. The Mk left China on the 25th of May list. She experienced very bad weather on her passage. In a gale of wind, last month, she fell in with the Minorca East Indianian, which arrived in the Dowus a few days art Orders have been issued from the War-Office, within these few days past, to increase the bounties for recruiting, and to take men two inches below the last regulation standard. Thelist of Members who have been chosen to forni the COurt of East India Judicature, on the part of the Hottte of . Coundoni, contains among the names, those of W. WILBERFORCE, Esq. W. SMITH Jun. Esq. G. WOOD, Esq. D. LANGHAM, Esq. H. BAtoces, Esq. I. H. BROwNE, Esq. Hon. J. SCOTT, Hon. W. A. Towtoncrop, C. ADAMS, Esq. W. STURGES, Esq. J. H. ST MITT,. Esq. Hon. R. RYDER, Sir W. PyLTEN Bart, C. S. LE FEVRE, Esq. W. M. PITT, Esq. Sir E. H. Hatroep, Bart. T. STANLEY, Esq. and Sir J. FREDERICK, Bart. TnomAs TY RWHITT, Esq. is elested Member for the Borough of Portarlington, in the room of HENR Y PA KNELL, Esq. who has accepted the office. of Escheator of Munster. A new writ is ordered to be issued for the Bo rough of Yarmouth, in the County of Southampton, for a Burgess to serve in Parliament, in the room of JAMES PATRICK MURRAY, Esq. who has accepted the Office of his Majesty's Manor of East Hendred, in the County of Bella. Mr. COOPER was advertised to take his farewel benefit, at the Near York Th'eatr, on the Bth Ja nuary, previous to his departure for that of Drury lane. The American, Judge AnotsoN, Was upon li;s trial on the 7th of January, before the Senate of Pennsylvania, upon an impeachment, charging hit:a with attempting to vilify and degrade his brother Judge LUCAS on Circuit in the Allegheny County, by telling a Petit Jury that the charge of the said LUCAS was nothing to the question at issue, and refusing to lot him address the Grand Jury. Some of the daily papers are sending Sir SIDNEY SMITH to Egypt, in the Diamond frigate. °the's insist that he will stay at home. The same paper, alluding to the report that parcel of inflammatory hand-bins were picked up in the City, and carried to the Lord Mayor, also says, " Nothing is more probable, than that hand-bills or letters, containing threats, to prevent the execu tion of Colonel DESPARD, have been dispersed by some such of his mad partizans, as those that have been convicted with him."—Now into this :also we have made diligent enquiry, and we have the plea-, sure to say, that no such hand-bills or letters have been dispersed, nor is it probable that any such have been dispersed, for this plain reason—no such hand-bills or papers have been seen or read by any body. This morning tl c first battalion of the Cold stream Regiment of Guards will attend at the Surry side of Blackfriars-bridge, to conduct the remaining convicts from Newgate to Woolwich, to be put on board the transport intended for Bo tany Bay. Yesterday morning, at eight o'clock, eighty of the Guards attended the above place, to escort, in waggons, 100 of the said convicts to the aforesaid place. On the 4th instant died, at Paris, the Lady of Sir ALEXANDER. GRANT, Bart. of Malsanger, Hants. A report was circulated on Saturday, that Earl Sr. VI rtc EST is to retire from the Admiralty, and is to be succeeded by Lord MELVILLE. The Committee appointed to try the merits of the Shaftesbury Eleetion Petition, met on Thursday last, and declared RORLRT HURST, Esq. (the sitking Member) to he duly elefted. The petitioner callei no witnesses in support of the petition. Mr. HURST being chosen also a. Burgess for the Borough of Steyning, in the county of Sussex, has made his eleetion to serve for the said Borough of Shaftes bury. In consequence, a new writ was on'Thurs day ordered for Steyning. In consequence of a number of young Gentlemen being paid off at the conclusion of the war, and not provided for, the Lords of the Admiralty have been pleased to allow 10 additional Midshipmen to be entered on board 50-gun ships and large frigates, and-five on board smaller ships. Letters and papers fmra America, confirm the statements we have already made of the alarm pro duced throughout the United States, and more par ticularly in the western districts, by the shutting up of the port of New Orleans against the American commerce, unless it consents to pay the established duties of the port. 'these duties consist of five per cent. upon the estimate made by the merchant: themselves of the value of the article, viz. flour 4 dollars per lb. cotton 18 cents. per lb. tobacco 40 dolls. per hhd. which must be paid immediately after the entry, aad the same on exportation. Should the ploduce be forwarded to New Orleans for ex portation, the duties may be saved, by keeping it on board the boats till an opportunity occurs of shipping it gp board American vessels, which must lie in the stream. Produce sold out of baats to persons shipping in American vessels will not be subject to duty, as the Custom-House is not to know transactions of this nature ; but the moment the articles are entered, the duties must inevitably be paid.