The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1803-03-09 00:00:00

1 MEM • • I - . . LITEIMiureE. Est oilers prelim . tr. ceporcert. Ho R. DELPDINF, By MADAME DE STAEL-TIOLsTEIN. We persuade oarselves that our readers will thank us, for indulging them with another extr a a front this interesting novel. In I)elphine, we under stand that Madame de Stael has professed to give a transcript of her own charaaer ; and she has cer tainly succeed: in arraying the heroine of her work in all Idle am :talons which ever clustered round a wlinan. As we have called the accomplished Del phine an amiable Deist, it is bat just that we should stiffer her to speak for herself, and to com municate, in her own manner, her sentiments on religion. The following let.er, however, though evidently the prodaaion of a person who is careful of not belirving too much, presents us with nothing which can be deemed exceptionable by the Chris tian. LETTER X IV. DELPHINE TO LEONCE. I was not satisfied -with you yesterday, my dear Leonce. I never thought you were so indifferent to religious sentiments, and I venture to find fault with that indifferente. Your morality has no other foundation than honor. You would have been touch happier had you adopted those true and sim ple prieciples; which, by subjecting . our aftions to the dictates of conscience, emancipates us from every other yoke. You cannot bat know, that the education which I have received, instead of subju gating my mind, has, perhaps, rendered it too in depelidant. It is even possible that superstition it self might he suited to the condition of females. 'nave tottering beings require a variety of supports; and lore is a sort of credulity, which, perhaps, very easily blends with every other species. But thege nerous protector of my infant years had su ffi cient regard for my charatier to induce him to develope my understanding, and never desired me to adopt an opinion until I had investigated it with all the information I possessed. I may, therefore, speak to rou on the religion I love, which I have freely and cand:dly examined with all the powers of my mind aitd my soul ; and yekt cannot ascribe the sentiments I am about to disclose, to habits which authority has imposed, or to impressiens received in the unrefleeftilo„; period tsf infancy. I assure you, th :t ever since my mind was at all formed, the in difference and levity too often displayed by the world on religious ideas, has always excited in me strong feelings of disappmbation and repugnance. Whatever may be the degree of conviEtion, of hope, or of d. -- :::.t, is of inferiar importance ; the soul prostrates its..if before a chance as it would before a certainty, v hen it is filled with that one grand idea which Aid hovers over the destiny of mankind. I was penetrated with these sentiments, Leonce s before I knew what it was to love i how powerfully rust I no; feel them now, when that passion ex pands my heart with ideas that are boundless, and wishes that never can . end! I shall not attempt to retrace all the various kinds of proof which doubt less have engaged yOui etrentisin; but let me ask you whather you have, since ,s au loved me, felt in your heart something which revealed to yen the hope of immortality ? At the death of )4. d'Albemar. I was not quite witty)* a religious belief; but I never befora telt the **essay of recurrin to it. I was then so yoom that no painful m tent had ever reached i tin my heart; and throe who ave experienced no sor raw cannot have exercised much refledion. But on the death of may benetaeor 1 was persuaded that I had not done enough for his happiness, and this idea was followed by the mint tormentin remorse. The extreme iliffer-nce of our ages, w hen he be came my liasband, frequently raised in my mind snelaucholy refs liens on my situation. I feared I bad sometimes given vent to those feelings ; and now Olathe had ceased to live, I could not avoid re proaching myself for entertaining them. Nothing can be more horrible than the idea of repentance, when there are no possible means of expiation— when death has for ever deprived you of the hope of repairing the wrongs you have committed. So great was the influence of this melancholy reflec tion, that it would have affeted my reason, had not the excellent si Aar of M. d'Albemar calmed my mind, by representing to it, with new force, the existence of God, and the immortality of the soul. _ Convinced that my generous friend was the witness of my sorrow, I at last believed that he had accepted my contrition, and the idea of his pardon poured consolation into my heart. I executed his last orders with a reli;inus punc tuality : every time I ful fi lled any of his wishes, I experienced an eacquisite sensation which gives me the assurance that our souls still hold communica tion. What would have become of me, had I thought there was no longer any part of him in ex i s t enc e ?a—What should I have done with my re pentance?--How could its pain irave been miti gated ; or where was I to seek for consolatiOn for the slightest of my errors, if I had believed that he had received the seal of eternity ?--Shall it be said, that those emotions of gratitude, thosa sentiments of regret which attach us to the dead, form the on ly farshood of steam., the only grief without an ob jell, the only desire without hope? RecolleEtion, the most noble faculty of the soul, would then prove our torment, by making us bestow our sor rows on nothing but the dispersed dust of those who were his friends. It is tru-o my dear Leonee, I am not afraid of surviving you. I never shalt weep over your tomb ; fur my lite is inseparable from yours: but if that shocking system which har annihilation for its term, were to take possession of my soul, horror would be mingled with my love. How could I cherish the tender aft a rtion I feel for you, if I thought that all your excell e nt qualities were only the result of one of those h i ppy combinations of chance which time produces a nd destroys?—Could we, in the in timacy of our soils, search our most secret thoughts to entrust them to each other, when, at last, all our refleaions must terminate in despair? An extraor dinary sensation obscures my mind, when any pro cess of seasoning snatches from it, for a moment, • the hope of futurity, and encloses it within the nar ,, r,.• boundary of this life. I tl.-.1 feel that every 4 thing is lost to me. I have no longer any confi dence in myself; I- tremble at the thought of being for ever separated from him I love. It seems to one that his countenance becomes pale ; that his voice is lost in the gloom that surrounds me. I see him plated on the brink of an abyss. Every /no. arm in vdich I aligiiik to hint, appears to me the . last, since One Imo an4ve to Anish nut ieserconrse ' ler ever, nhd my soul experiences the ag it at i on o f fear, instead of the enjoyment or love. But, oh! how the sentiment of love is strengthen. ed !—hnw it elevates us when two souls mutually animate euThi other to place their trust in the Su preme Be eg! Do not, Leonce, do not resist the consoled •ns which meurel religion can afford. It is not posSible for our minds to be cnnvineed On this subjed by positive argument, but our sensibi lity can teach us all that is necessary to be known. Take hut a slight view of human destiny; you *ill there perceive only a few delightful moments of youth and love, followed by a length of declining years, which eoniluCt from sorrow to sorsow, and from terror to terror, until the whole is closed by the awful hand of death. Hope is of all things most necessat y to man, and yet his existence, after his twenty-fifth year, consists only of a series 01 . days, of which the present is always better than the next. He wishes to cause when he finds himself on the declivity of life ; he clings to each twig, in order that his steps may carry him less rapidly to wards old age and the grave. lie incessantly dreads the period for which the imagination is formed—the only one from which it can never be de tashed—fitterity. Oh, Leonce, is this all the use of life ? Is this soul of fire given to us for no pur pose, but to be slowly extinguished in the agony . of age? By the faculty el loving I am enabled to feel within me the immortal oiliest of life. Vhat I shall my ashes be laid near thine, without the hope of reviving I Shall we, for ever, be strangers to that nature which speaks so powerfully to the soul ! Shall that magnificent sky whose aspect excites so limy noble sentiments, and sublime ideas !—Shall those brilliant stars of night and of day arise on our tomb, as they rose on our happiest hours, and nothing of us remain to admire them ? No, Leonce, the idea of annihilation is as dreadful to me as that of guilt, and the same conscience teaches me to abhor both. But how melancholy must he my hope if you do not partake of it ! Shall I deliver up my soul to a future state which is not recognized as yours ? What idea can my imagination afford me of happi ness, if it is not to be enjoyed with you ? How shall I continue those solitary meditations which are not encouraged by your voice lam capable of nothing by myself ; 1 require to examine with you all my thoughts, in order to judge of them, admit them, and attach them to to my love. Oh ! Leonce, le once, believe with me, that I may hope in peace, that I may follow thy brilliant course in that heaven, where my eyes seek thy place before they aspire to mine. Indeed, Leonce, there exist another world, in which the fad tious bonds of this are broken ; where no enjoyment is promised, but the love of those we love : Oh ! be not impious to this hope ! The hap piness which sensibility gives, instead of diverting us like other pleasures, from paying that homage of gratitude which is due to the Crmtor, turns our minds incessantly towards him ; the nearer we ap proach pertedion, the more necessary becomes the idea of a Deity : and the more ardent and pure the affeCtiou of the heat, the less possible is it for us to resign them to the bounds of this life. I conjure yeu, Leonce, never allow yourself to speak with pleasantry of my desire to inspire your soul with religious ideas. I should even doubt your love for me, is I could not succeed at least in making you respect those great questions, which have interested so many enlighteaed minds, and calmed so many suffering souls. Levity in the principles of condud, soon leads to levity in sentiment. The art of speech may easily turn in des isioa every thing most sacred eerth ; but the impassioned character repulses that superfi cial pride, which attacks all the powerful and deep rooted affections. The enthusiasm which love in spires, is a new principle of life. Some enjoy it, but it is as utiknewn to others, as that future exist ence to which you will not turn your thoughts. We feel in ourselves, sentiments which vulgar souls can not comprehend, let us then also hope for those blessings, of which we have at present but a con fined prosped. Sublime ideas are as necessary to love as to virtue. But, alas ! is it fit that I should speak of virtue ! I well know that pure morality would already re.. prove my condua ; and I am more severely judged by my own conscience, than I should be by the opi nions received in the world ; but 1 love the justice of Heaven better than the indulgence of man t Though I have not the. resolution to renounce see ing you, I air convinced that 1 shall better preserve the natural quelities of my heart, by offering, each day, my repentance to the Supreme Being, than by seeking to doubt the power which condemns rite- The education whizh you hare received, Leonce, the crimple and the recolledion of the ancient Spanish menaces, the military and romantic ideas which charmed your infancy, seen 'to you capable of sueelying the place of the most delicate principles of religion and nnn.ality. All eerierous characters experience a pleasure in makieg sacrifices, and you h i ve formed of t':: seatiment of honour, an almost superstitious respect for public opinion, an idol to which you would immolate yourself with joy. But if religious ideas occupied your mind, you would be less sensible to the praise or the blame of the world ; and, ales! perhaps calumny would not be so' easily able either to irritate or convince you. Oh ! my frieed ! devote es Heaven some of those quali ties which distinguish you from other men. You will then find in your own approbation, a censola don which no one can disturb ; and I shall also be more tranquil respecting my fate. Religions ideas, even when they condemn love, never dry up the source of that generous passion ; bnt the perfidious filshoods of the world wither fer.ever the affections of him who dreads, and yet obeys their influence. You see, Leonce, that when speculating with you on the gravest subjects, I constantly revert to that interest by which lam governed—to your sentiment of attachment for me. Neither this letter, nor any' ocher action of my life, can henceforth be attributed to virtue ; for love alone is the origin of ell the gOod as well as all the evil k perform. • s On Monday morning, about one o'clock, a man genteelly dressed hired a hackney-coach at Charing icross, who ordered the coaclutten to drive to the King's-road, Chelsea, and, on the coachman stop,. ping at the place as dircded, the man got out of talc coach, and immediateie demanded the. coachman': money, which only. amounted so eighteen shillings, w ith whiclethe robber-made his , escape: • ~~ <. .• • • NA PA L INITLLICENCE. tORT.MMTI - 1, 'MARCH 7. Last night saited his Majesty's ship ileaeta, of 36 guns, Capt. Wood, supposed for Guernsey. This day arrived his Majesty's ship' Castor, of 32 guns, from the West Indies, bearing the broad pendant of Commodcire the Hon. Robert Stopford ; anti his Majesty's ship Juno, of 32 guns, Capt. Richardson, from the Downs ; they remain at Spit lieu!, with his Maj'sty's ships Neptune, Isis, Calcut ta, La Loire, Apollo, Dryad, ilmat.on, Amphi , m, La De!ermi4e, Kite, Port Mallon, Alorgiana, azd .tionley. His Majesty's ship Amazon, of 38 guns, Capt. Parker ' is under orders to proceed to sea. His Majesty's ships Venerable, of 74 guns, Capt. Seatle, and Diamond, of :; 8 guns, Capt. Elphin ston, have received orders to proceed to Spithead, without loss of time. Wind E. and blows stro,g. DOVER, MARCH 7. We have had a most violent storm of wind and snow all day from the eastward. This morning, at eleven o'clock, a large collier brig, the Claude, of Blyth, in attempting to come into the harbour, struck against the south pier head, and was after wards dashed on shore, where she now lays a perfect wreck. A small fishing-boat, with five men, was upset about the same time at the entrance of the harbour; the boatmen immediately put off their boats to the relief of the poor sutforers, and provi dentially arrived to their ass stance at the moment they were sinking ; and it is with much pleasure we state, that all of them were brought on shore without receiving any very material injury. lIRIDQZTOWN, BAR BADOLS, J AN. 4. Tnis morning arrived from London and Madeira the ship Simon Taylor, biiund to Jamaica, with troops. By this vessel accounts are received of the loss of the ship Simon and Bella (a new vcccel, intended for_the trade of thiq island), Anthony Moll, commander, which happened in the night between the 4th and sth December last, of Madeira. Soon die; the ship struck, the Captain,with eleven seamen and six passengers, took to the long boat, while the second mate and seven other seamen had the pin nace and yawl, which took the long-boat in tow, and endeavoured to reach the shore; but unable toweather point tie St. Lorenzo, the long-boat was cast off at ten o'clock on Monday morning, when, being im merged in a tremendous surf, she was soon dashed to pieces, and every soul in her perished. It is but adding to the affitaing tale to state, that the unhap py sufferers were, besides all the seamen, Capt. Moll who has left an amiable widow and five infant chil dren in this island), the two Mr. Goodridges (sons of Jacob Goodridge, Esq. of Christ Church); Dr. Denny, a Mr. Bennett, and Mr. Jacob Belgrave. The yawl and pinnace reached the shore with the people in. them, who soon after had to perform the melancholy office of burying twelve of their unfor tunate companions, whose bodies had been washed to:the shore. The ship is entirely lost. The ship Siam, from Bristol, has just arrived; and the Le viathan, from London, put into the Bay. LLOIT's LIST. •11111 T ED. At Lieerpnn'.—tlip Stirprize, Peartim, from Triera. At Du Fame, t; VVIII3II, frmn flondura4 ; Coun tess of linty, —, from Alicant ; Brilliant, Gordon, front Cadiz; ti,stert, Nfackii., from New York; and Jamaica, Luldk, from laAtion. At Loriduuderry—r•the Jo,:i.th Collins, —, from Wil rnin! At B-Ifast—William Sibbald, Christie, from Alicant. At Gieirikey—the Thomas .urt —, fro'', Culir. At Gibraltar--the Elizabeth and Ann, Lewi', from Lon don. At New York—the Kwg•tou, Stevens; and Friendi, Powell, frous London. At Barbailoes—the Leviathan, Bryce, friin London; and Diaries, Liddy, from Africa. At Nevis—the Stanley, Chivers, from London. At Deinarara:he Demarara, lugluh, from Liverpool. , ,:„, r r -gr INV . • AMERICA. 'Yesterday arrived a Mail from New York, brought to Falmouth by the Lady Arabella packet, in 31 (I.i) i. From the papers' brought by this Mail we have just time to make the following extrads : A letter from Mr. Jefferson to Governor Garrard, respelling the shutting► of the port of New Oreans, contains the following particulars :—We think the evidence tolerably conclusive, that this measure was not the consequence of any order from Europe, but merely an irregularity of the intendant; and the Spanish Minister here expresses his conviction, that the prohibition was unauthorized, and has undertaken to remonstrate against it. We trust, therefore, it will be as promptly remedied as the distance will permit. For the present it. is the interest of every part of the Republic to cherish peace,'and await a friendly rectification of the injury - -the uncertainty with what power we may have to settle this matter adds to its difficulties. According to letters from Tennessee, the con duit of the Spanish Government, in shutting up the Port of New Orleans, must make the merchants of that pate of the country bankrupts, and the farmers get nothing for their crops. Although threatened with the heaviest losses by this violation of treaty, the people seemed disposed to remain quiet until they see what the Government of the United States will do. And should Government not resolve to ad promptly and decisively, the people are determined to arm themselves, to descend the river in their boats, and to force all opposition. In this projed there willte an union of the people of Kentucky, the north west ern and Mississippi territories : it is hoped the states will immediately declare uar against Spain ; if they do not, they will necessarily have an intestine com motion.—The Commercial Alvert;ser. - On Tuesday se'unight the following Gentlemen were unanimously eleeted Governor, Deputy Go. yernor, and I)ireaors of the Royal Bank of S. - land, for the year ensuing, viz.— ' The Duke of Buceleugh, Glvernar. Gilbert Innes, of Stow, Esq. Deputy-Governor. Ordinary Directors. Istrovidinary Diredipea, Alexander Duncan, Esq. John Gonlon, Est Sir James Stirling, Hart. George Rainuty, t„sq• Andrew Boner, Esq. !kitty ThDriiton Esq. William Ramsay, Esq. of Willie ii Scott Nioricriefili Dist Bannon. Ale , :atuler lionar,,Eeq. ' ' John Campbell, Ree. Gen. 1 Baron Haps:ouzo. William Macdtinald,Esq. I James Ferrier, FA. Jahn Campbell, Esq. . David Raiusay t Esq. . James Dunitai, E A . William taunt, ri,sq . Hugh Warrender, Rota ....., 1 scorLANt. • EbINZURCR, MARCII Si COtRT OF JUSTICIARY. Monday came on before the Contr a the trial of Robert Wilson, lately residing in Rose -street, ac cused of the murder of Janet Moodie, his• wife, on Thursday the27th of January last. The prisoner pleaded Not Guilty. No objedion was made to the relevancy of the libel. It appeared fi om the proof, that on the night libelled, a little after ten o'clock, the cry of murder was repeatedly heard in the tenement where Wilson resided, which alarmed 'the neighbours, and some of the witnesses prove it came from the patina's house. - A number of people assembled in the pas sage, chiefly women, hut none of them went into the house. A gentleman who resided in the house as a lodger, came home before eleven o'clock, hot saw nothing remarkable, and the pannel dressed his supper before he went to bed. Next meaning, between seven and eight o'clock, Wilson ki.oclced up his neighbour, saying his wife was dead. The neighbour rose, and found Mrs. Wilson dead and quite stiff. She got the assistance of some other women, and the corpse was dressed. While this was doing some marks of violence were observed about Mrs. Wilson's face and neck, which were more visible next day. One of the persons asked the pannel when Mrs. Wilson died ?He said, he did not knov. Was it before or after the cries of murder were heard ?—He answered, there were •no cries in his house. 'I wo witnesses, one of whom lived above, and the other below the pannel, swore they heard a noise in the pannel's house during the night, as if ranging the lire. The panne& did not call up his lodger till nine o'clock, when he inform. I him his wife was dead. When this gentleman left his lodgings at ten o'clock, he was met by several people, who wished him to make some investigation into the affair; but this he declined, as Wilson had wrote for his wile's brother to come up from Leith, who came that night ; and, on account of the clamour raised about his sister having died a violent death, called on the Sheriff, and was desired to return next morning. He mentioned this circumstance to Wilson, who said he was willing to go to the Sheriff, and accord ingly next morning he went in company with Moodie and two other men, first to Mr. Clark, who was confined by indisposition, then to Mr. Davidson, to whom Wilson said he wished that surgeons should insped his wife's corpse, on account of the clamour of the neighbours. Mr. Davidson referred. him to Mr. Scot, and surgeons were accordingly sent on the Sunday, who inspected the body, and _ . gave in a report, from which it appeared, that trom the marks on different parts of the body, and from the state of the lungs, she had died a violent 'death, by strangulation, and to this report the two surgeons (Or. Farquharson and Mr. Bryce) swore. Wilson was not taken up till the Saturday after noon. It also appeared from the evidence, that Mrs. Wilson was a weakly woman, often complaining, and very frequently in bed.—That her husband and. she lived happily together, till lately, when she thought he paid too much attention to another woo- man who lived on the same floor. This she com municated to her lodger and a woman her neigh bour, which last swore that Mrs. Wilson informed her that between and Martinmas last her husband had twice attempted to administer poison to her, first in a glass of toddy, and then in some water gruel. For the prisoner, it was proved, that he was al. ways respelled by his neighbours, and was a per son of an lamest charader, and decent in his beha viour ;—that, after he was accused by the r.eieh. hours, he did not abscond ; on the contrary, be took every means in his power to get the matter investi gated, and went for that purpose to the Sheriff. Dr. Monro was called for the pannel as to the re port of the surgeons, from whom he differed in se veral particulars respeding the cause of Mrs. W 4. son's death. The evidence was closed on both sides a little after seven o'clock, when the Lord Advocate for the Crown, and Mr. Campbell for the pannel, se verally addressed the Jury in very able speeches. The Lord Justice Clerk summed up the whole in his usual candid manner. At eleven o'clock the Jury were inclosed, and on Tuesday at two o'clock, returned a verdid, finding by a plurality of voices the libel Not troven ; on which the pannel was dis missed.froin the bar. BIRTfIS. On Friday last, at Clapham, Mrs. T. W. Plummer, of a daughter. Tuesday, the Lady cf Cornelius Smith, Esq. of a sun, 4 MARRIED. Yesterday morning, at Qtwelesquam chapel, Bath, by the Rev. Dr. Randolph, Ralph Dutton, Esq is Miss Mutate* Githhins, daughter of the late Joseph Chibbins, Esq. of Eid faech, in the kingdom of Ireland. Saturday, at St. Paorges, I lanoyer-sq uare, Mr. 3 ,1 aceby of New Rond-street, to MissGrantliant,'M Hamitic , smith. Lac*, at Berwick-upon-Tweed, John Lowttier, tlsq. stole holier to the garrison, to Miss Raldell,ehlot daughter oi Tito alas Ridtkll , Esq. of itirreick. Ott thy 28th ult. at Wi.ttliorti-hotise„ Edinburgh, Alex mdcr Lang, Esq. junior, of Oye.tiiwn, Advocate, to Miss Rctreccia Gray Denuistuun, daughter of James Dennistoutt, of Welt thorn. DIED. Latch, at Mount-House, GlatillorliViliirei aged 7 4, lVilliotn Hurst, Esq. one of the Deputy Lieutenants, a,,..d iu the COM.- miwion of the Peace fur the 6 . ninties of Monmouth and Gla morgan, for which latter be served the office of Sheriff in 1776. I.a.tely,. at Brit:ails, Caittaitt Lambe, of the Meledie Castle East Indiattum. I nday last, at his country scat at Bedford, Alderman M. cattily. MOCK OF STOCKS. TESTRIRDAT. Rank Stork '3 per Ccut •711kifillriAt 6 per Cam Cent. Cons. 701 6911 684 Consuls fur April 711700k69.1 4 per Coat Coni• • kk, 11144 for OWL 5 per Cent. Ann. .... 1004ik Rank fur Optn. 5 per Cent. 1797.....1041k Omniunt 51 6 dim'. Rank L. Ann •: 0 14 11-16 Irish ()maim Bank Siturslinn. .... 49.16 Eng. lot Tick.....-171. 1"*".- I al!lia Stock Ditso.Bondi . Ditto Ana. V4rEB Kr LONDQN 4RIDGI,. tun DAY. htoniong. Sia. slier 3. I Auentoon i .... 46m. alter 3. Lows : Printed by J. Gita.s:r s Ne. 1S gown -court, .Flapttreeti, anti published, there bp W. 1. CiEtabarrof Nu. 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