The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1808-12-17 00:00:00

♦ f . 1 sl FRENCH RAIRASSY nfltraVolL It in matter of public ihotorintlit#4*.tirvral. ago the Fren c h G enera l tisr4mOlniii 140 Eta a mission to.the Persian MenantrvierwelltY the intention of procuring Ms. ii 84188116011 iV plan of attack upou our Last Indian po3.3ebsiono. Au octavo volume 'fins jolt been publirlied at Mi rth. giving au eteeoiant of the pmgress of that ma .l:i.o3y. It is entitled. Travels in Turkey, Asia. sad Persia, au Me sears 1507 and 1806 ; 10 , Asp De Cartlaue, First Secretary of Loritivu. The following interesitilig observations on We work are extructed from one of the minor French papers: Travel. written in the form of an itinerary are of greet utility, in a geographical point of view, when the distaucts are given in a positive manner, and without any chasm. It is by a cout t iarisoo of mo dem itineraries, with those which the inacientsitere left as, that at discover the position et .the,Pliiit: an acquaintance with which is indisPensaiblY sary for understanding history. It is a species of utility which ei n vulgar minds allow to compose ti ve geography ; but to plidoespiters, who ire wor thy of appriaiating tliataticitee, it is in itself an interestiag spectacle to see again called forth into esistesiee. upon is regruphie_al map, those king doms, sad those republics, whose annals we have learned by heart, *hose legislators and heroes we eillesim, but with eshoseertent, physieel.ereentees, commeree, and revenues. history makes us hut im perfectly siegentintied. To confine ourselves to the smeetries if which M. Gardens treat., is it not much mere interestingto know what means the nu tient( telitpfiss. niteetimv , Afforded the gr . a 31i -0101110.10:4111114 der as long a time, the con : gesemegithe world. Chao the Precise date titan the MU* Okla iswilisafise *II) the Romans ? Who 0 0 11 6 4se history of the wars the Periliihno and Romans, without having pL studied the physical geography of the teeefieines meenteins of Curdistan, where so ..Many Remiss Generals, from Anthony to the "giuvero..; were failed in their attempts, and res...ished their former glory? Though much has been done to elucidate the geography of that traitor 'the Asiatic Continent through which M. Claideni contitneti his readers, still we think it not at all unlikely that the Worm ries through 'Orient Pirrygie, which be has given. will induce geographers to alter mine positions; beta diseitesioamf thin point would lead us into greater lengths than onr limits will admit. We shall, therefbre, merely point out . to nsen of scicoce .this merit its the itinerary of M. delienef.'ltat we think it mar duty to direct the attention of 4111 be in general to another kind of interest„iridelsidi s . tiegniehes themuount of this traveller. Weillude to those Misty sketches inadiela he delineatei the moaners and present state elf the ems. The pergola composing the Peen* lirmissisy paid a visit to the Packet of Nierigmfla? . Tlie pier. objects that struck their view weeirelendileill Mike of two persons, one of vdioin the other beheaded. eilendcdeeeletlihreobsidiidthe door. They men the celebeated Anima Pache; asid berefOth Anthem- ' don of Pews and Peak are presented with horses, covered with goldmei pearls. to make their entry into that city. Here they fall in with a hiede of Curds, who attempt to pleader the caravan : there shepherds, earthy of ancient Arcadia. guide into the right hack mete of our travellers who had lost their way. In the centre of Asia Iktisor, Chapan Germ raises enormous contributions in his own name, and gives himself out to the iuhtbi(iusts pp their sovereign. while they dare neither appeal& nor even to find fault wit's him. At Bagdad, the Bache Soliman respectfully receives the hore-tails sent bins by the Porte; but fora hundred and twenty Years his +incest — en and himself have held the same goverisamwe., from which the orders of the Grand Signior hers net been able to remove them ; or, is ether words, these "'eches are hereditary Mo narchs, who, out of politeness, tranamie intelligence to the Porte, of their accession to the throne. Jr short. Turkey in Asia is iu a state of :march ) , winch predicts the mine fate to the Ottoman empire as formerly befit that of the aishiti . The condition eif the people differs according to the character of the Pashas; and the happiest provisoes are tho-e in which these tatraPs kave possessed themselves of Itereffstery pater. But amidst the barbariiiin which peeved.* this portion of the world, may still be per ceived mate brilliant traces of ancient civilization. The people appear highly susceptible of a good le gislation, and wherever any order and tranquillity prevail, the intishitauts manifest an honest and hos pitable disposition. Persia exhibits a very different spectacle. It is now an empire regularly organiAed, and infinitely more civilised than Turkey. The Court is mag rutioent; gold and diatuouds glitter on the gar ments of those who conipme it ; you walk on no. thing but carpets covered with embroidery in gold, or ou anperb niosa•, pavements; costly perfumes at. kept burning in vessels of precious stone ; the apartments are cooled by fo u ntains of limpid wa ter, which fall into }►ashes of marble and porphyry. The people, who anc extremely submis,ive, are engaged in useful work-, pay their taxes, nod app. ply the army with recruits. M. Gartlane only ob serves, that the Persians are very slow, even id I Lie .... ~ End trivia allatea; that they pay no timid of re spect to women ; thatiathe auttences jives / a y the Grand Visir of Portia, the Nobles the-twelve.. re main on their knees at the threshold of. the dear; tbsit mutilated INICCILIMIS lefty -be seals lying before the Itayal l'alace, as in Titrkey ; that the officers of the cony cannot read ; in is word, that he tumid in the Persians, Orientals, and not Europeans. Po. the rest, says he, the difkrence of characters end manners does not prevent the Persians and Frcucli from entertaining reciprocal love and esteem fet each other, and uniting their political iiitevests.— The name of the Emperor (Bonaparte) is there held in the highest veneration; the portraits and medallions of Napoleon 'appear to the Asiatics pre sents of inesiitnable val.ie. The monarch of henna is so' envious to receive news from Praire, Wine knew of -the • battle of Austerlitz on the gigailairafter it wits relight. The potilesseea °tele kiirsians ii of a apecies per redly Oriental. • A Nribletnaa, df high mult i wink 'Oat day to the French Ambassador's. treghis pardon, because the weather was so bad in Persia." The diplomatic conferences at Teheran, are held • in the same manner as in our dramatic exhibitlunti. with the doors open, and in the presence of a mul titude of auditors. The Orientals cannot con ceive the necessity of secrecy in Conventions be tween States. The women are kept as much enslaved in Persia, as in the rest of the East. A Frenchman, belong ing to the suite of the Atultassaador, one day escited is great uproar at Teheran, for having ventured to cast some inquisitive looks at the garden of a seraglio. At the sight of a man, the woman uttered screams of *Wright ; some of there even snatched up anus, and prepared to repel ogles with musket !tells. M. Gardane one day asked a Persian Nobleman how many children he had > 0. I rout know," re plied he, tt inquire of my Secretary." The Secre tary turned to his list, and answered, that Isis waster had seventeen children. PRIV:ITE COR RES PONDENCE. LISIBON. NOY. 1.5. We have very little politics here but what we receive from England ; awl as to the state of so ciety in'this city, we have had nothing brilliant bluer the grand fete, on the 29th October, in commemoration of the Restoration of Portugal. —On that occasion, the most splendid ball and supper perhaps ever ;.iven in any country took place ou the night of that .day,. at the magi.ifis cent Opera-Ilouse in this eity.—Upwardr of two thousand pesple tilled the stages orchestra,, end pit, the three heiiig one emitniued ;ffourivei.— :M e boxe s also overdnwml, add the house wail itlOst brilliant!? lighted with 'litstres, shiniet•with more than asid•day splendour, through this boaut?ful edilkor *me tbrikimpsal in size to the late tgr i mite iu Covesugardes. A very capacious and bean tiftsl temporary room was/meted in the gardel of the theatre, at the expels. 360 aluilinlilol.+4l moistest •ie 11. 7s. Mites!" currency). A/I the Court, all the Bessimisie were present. Thu dreams were most mieodid. Half a million of jewel., at least, adorned the fa who attended.— The ball commenced at aide o'clock with English eon/re-dances. Supper sees sensed et one. The wahzes, which cannot, aid eight not to be de scribed, commenced after supper, which vied with any thing that can be conceived of Bacchanalian orgies. The hall, however, was conducted with the greatest regularity. Among the ornaments were three beautiful transparencies, representiog .George . 111. the Prince Regent, and the Ring air ' Spain. The Prince Regent, however, it M thought, wiM never rehire from the Snails and this public eentimeet is the more to be regretted, as it must ' irporste in favour of the atrocious deitiges and oettsases of Bonaparte. All the briny which wvut to Spain marched in detail, one regiment at a blue. only, on *sweet of the great scarcity of provisions, and want of money—for not having a mint liert, coin is becoming scarce. This is the most beauti ful, foetid, dirty city in the world. With relied to odour, all the stories told of Edinburgh at night, are realised here; and the damage which they re late, is absolutely more formidable than is some times produced by the fire of the enemy. All the auug rich citizens are satisfied with the Coureatiou of einem, foe Mal Junnt returned, It is thought that he would have wreaked his venge ance upon the city.—While here, he lived in Baron Quintella's house, ut the expense, of tool. a duy, which he made the rich ei-cleennt niereltanta pay regularly. There is no Palace in England to be compared with this noble residence. Mr. Stephens was not obliged to pity the French ;ley contribution, after the Convelition of Cietra ; but 1 am sorry to say, that all the property that leis or can be recovered by the Commissioners does not exceed 33,0001. !! ! exclusive of ttoool. pro tested bills. The immensity of the French plus. der is incredible. The soldiers were actually dis tressed, upon their march, by the weight of the Crucibles, and melted church plate. A vast qusia tity of riches still reinnined to the church. At the fete which I have g oneutioned, on the 29t11, in bo- omer of the restoration of Portugal, I saw two golden angels, with large silver wings. diseased in ball hoops mid silk tissue, walking in the proces sion. 1 mention this us at once a proof of the riches of the church, and the state of the human teiderstandiu K hi this coentry. It is N pity that a country so fivenced by nature, shook] not have arrived at a higher degree of mental insproretneut. IP.• I or tbc 1.2 n 14G1114114aCt Ole tin page. THE BRITISH PRESS. 1,9ND0N . , SATURDAY. Dursume 17. Government have received dispatches frees Sir JOHN Moony and Sir trim BAimp, •brou g ht by the Cheerful cutter, fiotuCertunia, which place" she left the 9th instant. Uri, are happy to fiut that the reversed a hick the' Spanish 'imiles Ease sastaiord. so fin from exci:ing a feeling of despee tleney, have only stimulated that gallant people to greater exertions. The inhabitant* of hiStlrid were making every possible preparation to defend the Capital to the last extremity. This determination on the part of the Spaniards, and the junction of the corps com manded by General HOPE to the army of SirJotta Mooax, which took place on the Ist instant, at Salamanca, had inducci the latter to send orders to Sir DAVID BAIRD to slimier. This confer, we un derstand, was received• by Sir DAVID BAIRD on the 7th inst. We may, therefore, confidently hope, that by this time a British Ariny of 40,000 wen is assembled to assist the Spaniards. The following Biilletiii was last afternoon is sued by Government:— " A chip of wkr has arrived with dispatches from Corunna, which she lett on the oth inst. Accounis arc brought by it that the greatest enthusiasm hail burst forth at Madrid, and that the peop!c were determined to nuke every effoit to de fend the capital. General Hope had inbred Sir Jolla Moore, at Salamanca, and Sir Idasid Baird was at Villa rrsoca osi the 7th, and had susproikd his retreat. " Bou.iparte was at Aranda de Duero: his advauced corps had made itself waiter of Soma... Siena, and a Frtoch earin bad reached Segovia." No person expected that the Overtures' from Er furth, received by Goverainent, on the 22d iif Oc tober last, could possibly lead to a satisfactory conclusion. It was therefore generally supposed, that the last dispatches closed the correspondence, and the only surprise wssi that it had lasted so long. A Declaration, in the nome of His,MaJosei, an. flouncing its termitration, wed the cameo, was pre pared on Thursday, a coil, of which was sent at flight to the LORD NATOI 4 and yesterday fretted upon the Alanacm-House. A copy of it, given in our first page, states, that the propositioas were as overture to Col4llleUell a nevotaation for peace; that His Man!: x consented, on condi- . 'ion that his shies, comprehending Spain, should be included; and that this proposal* being positively imli t i l a s u s tly refused, he thenght proper to put of ens tltc correspondence. Nettling can he . amigo. _ and injustice of his Goveriiineirt. It was, therefore, BoN•PARTE, we repeat, and not Nlioisters, who virtually broke off the correspondence, by an act which rendered it impossible for His .111ssittrr to continue it longer. It is impossible that the .4 Declaration" made by His MAJESTY, relative to the propositions of peace. if such overtures can justly be so entitled, should not meet the moral approval of every man, who re gards justice, fidelity to treaties, and the existence of the first principle: of right and wrolig, as insepa rable from political society. The struggle of bpaiu against BOINAPARTZ has no anologyselikere r v. fir: those wars, which hiss'e, envie or hers , desolated the earth in every age. The actual Despot of, France, sprang from the boson% of crime and of revoltition, seems to kohl himself dispensed . from the observa tion of those forms and pretexts, with which stub'. tion usually glosses over it. purpose. Unlimited means of esti nding his r!vilt . itioinkur posirer--yeks. rau irmies-L . -the aka and win:Pico. of insidious cor ruption --a prom subjected to his controul, which operates by terror, sophistry, or seduction ; lastly, abilities of every description, military and civil: this: occomoluted weapons and engines, he con crises, stand in no want of other support.-- The assumption of supreme authority carer the French, was indeed originally covered with., the semblance of an election. But, in the instance of Spain, lie at once assumed the right, as His MA JEs rv's Declaration" statcs, to depose and imprison friendly Sovereigns, and for, ibly to trans fer to Jamul" the allegiance of indepenuent nati ons." It is, indeed, strictly to Mane j, and sot to Frailty, that he thus enforces submission. lie does not conquer, as the Stine', the STIA-Xes sod even the first CaIIARS did, in the ostensible 661116 P of the people whom he govvrim b n•A represents. • —lt is tor the family, or dyaA•ty, as he ternss of flossesias, that lie deliges the world with. .1 bloc 1. He professes, to mi;dihste, and he t'ider takes to effeil, the renovation. of . Ei4ope,. oarotsr I,r , licipiti and bases, which imply and admit; aria I necessary prelimiloary, the destruction ~ lore of all the arit'ientsdymerties, and the .order of thing's. Such r pretension., exe.ciseil - self-crenterfSrivereiia and enfod ht of four hundred thitaisand discifilinrceed troops, a porteutons speci es o f moral cornet, th re atei:',, with co m pl e t e subversion ow system of the a0!,.1. Neither antiquity, nor modern times, trite hi'hi.44o' preseuted 10 qur view rtlell a plustiomeocia ; 1 1 ,4 we may say with flonitert— " Qua!! pucterilum nealur • Wawa latii alai erenielis ; Nee Juba le;:ual general, konum Aruis loaDix !" • It will probably cache some antonisli n en. , n times to come, that, after the unprovo%ed flagitious a (tempt of NAPOLI:ON upon ther with his perfidious ieizuru of t•HattLeal and FERDINAND; the perpetrator of such atrociti es and outrages should not have 'Neu iiistamtlx dared, by ell the ancient Crowned Ilesils or Stabs of Europe, a COrtiluaii entail) of the honiai i If we could suppose that such • declaration h o t been made in July last, by Russia, Austria, P oo . six, Denmark, and Turkey, it is iligr o i t t o oft. crier that he would have proceeded, nod it ia More difficult to believe, that he could hart sera creded in his invasion of Spain. To all those So, vereigns and powers, but hi a special anuraner to the House of Aust r i a an d to the Porte, Mllu Declaration is most eilergetically ad dresser/. To those, 44 which are eve!' now balms. inn between the certain ruin of a proloaged non tivity., and the contingent dangera of ar, effort to save themselves from that ruin," it points out the only chance of safety or extrication, a speedy and desperate resistance. H aw f„ the invocation will be listened to, we cameo venture to rediet. But, the very magnitude, approach, and imminent natnre of the calatnity, may awaken and propel to exertion, We consider Denmark and Prussia as nottlied, or subjected,_ But of Russia, or rather of tie Emperor A Limas,. Dew, who, at Austerlitz, at Ey lau, aod at Friedland, performed so different a part, what can we soy ? Compared with his situations and his relleetiess,tho condition of FRODIIIIAND VIL itself is tolerable; for though imprisoned and deposed, he is a e i t / ser dis honoured nor disgraced. That the absolute Sore reign of almost one-half of the old world, placed by nature, in some measure. beyood the tyranny of Beitettasere„ secured from his attack by in mense deserts, commanding prodigious armies, and Palatially impired with sentiments of dignity, as well as of virtue; that such a Prince abuttla prostrate himself, at , the feet of a sanguinary and pert/thou* tyrant, raid is conjunction with him should denominate the Spaniards 44 insorgents," ' their resistance 44 imannectiets, sarpaates • If a ,Prince of Saloum, or a Landg, rave of HESSE DARMSTADT, 01011 e territorees, and whore persons were equally liable to insult or seizure, sheold bend before • power that. was irresistible, • compassion wooled soliersede our indigestion. t the majesty of the throne itself, ond all the decencies of our common nature, are laid low by 1 is:lamina. We have long shier: known, from authority, that the first and leadin g propeui , the sine quo non, which constituted the basis •oiertaire jointly made by the CZAR and NA ma, as a foundation for negraciation and was the recogoition of Jos.ph Bonaparte. as King of Spain, as.( of t/t® Indies. All ether poiuta, it was admitted, might constitute objects of discussion, consproaaire, or cessiali ; but the establishment of JoiErm, as Soverci, of the Spanish Monarchy, was unequirocallf demanded by Russia and !ranee. Can we wonder, after such a teethoony of reabspissioa, that ALEXANDUA passes sentence 00 his ewe people, of commercial interdiction sad extinction; (Roth he and Naeoi.Lom may nevertheless find that crime and disgrace produce eventually their own cure and their own puuishment. l)ispatches have been received at the Admiralty from Admiral Lord Cottrnomoon, which contain accounts of the complete failure of the attempt of the French upon Roses. Theexertions of the gal ling garrison were materially ailed by Ilia hisaxs- TT'S ship it:ere/kw, which was fortunately enabled to approach near eiJough to the shore to bring her grape shot to bear upon the gunny. with whida who did great iicention. A party of Marines were also landed, and contributed very essentially to the de fence of the place. The precise loss of the French is not stated, hut it must be very great. The following is a copy of the letter with which Hip Msraterirs Declination wes sent to the Lone MATOR lee MY Leo okie4 Mice the ho FOrr ll Drer, D. 15, Vlr,ol. ow- to incisor tie your LorOot.';' the copy of ■ Dectarrition hoe het. issued this dov. • Hiv Al.ijuity's command, a.m.rtlrsug the ierlelibleteen ugs 1144* intercourse which took place le-tweets His blis!ssiy n. 1.! !le Government of of ranee, in consequence...l the Orertutro (rum Erfurth. I have the tumour t.• be, M Lord, Tuer Lord sh ip's meat obedieuy t serront, The Right Hos. th e L ord Mayor, GIWItGE CANNOG Yest:rday a Court of Directors was lidd IA the East India !louse, when the stations of the follo‘, - lug ship were time mitereti, Dever Caatle, Caps . --, for Bombay d.rect, instead of Name mod Bletwal. Devonshire, Capt. J. NYoresy, foe 3TsJens sod Erng4l, in stead vi' the !Sorer Castle. , Marquis 11 ,, Ilealey, Capt. I.e Blase, for Ceiloo and Bei ssl inadead id Bombs), in Geo rem at* the Ettrueshire• Pie Court voted tile stun of way'. t,,..rds the sidascritatioo for the reliti of the Spunish Patrior,. The Court icljournod till 11 - cdistxlN) wen. hiorejust, hooottralite, and fair, o n th e pert o f the 4 . ,,., 1 //° " 1 .1 British G9V,Wargeot. We are olibr aissporiaqd at gay - 4 .. ,4 .e ". "4' ... woad paragraph is the Doclaratinm whiodupoints . "`-'' m • buethe evils that might arise from " **continued —Es " appearance of negociation, and, the cassequent . 1411"ki ." propriety of rem ov i n g the came ." The. f a ct —1 " ru1 ”" Is, the correspondence bad . eithanded itself, 641 . C °: and could he continued /14 longer. It lasted —ll three months ; during which time it may. have had " e v en.: he effect spun Austria, and other powers upon the ......... Th ""A otitiiient. which Ministers think it was compe .. , 16 "'" ; I I Let to produce ; and, finally, it was terminated by t 'r' il ."" ONAPARTF, who, they admit, iu his reply, threw of ciao off all disguise, and displayed, in the most in- [ Poulos suiting meaner, the arrogance and injustice of hilt Pelee' imm 61 eel thi tit