The Sun. — London, England, 1839-12-07 00:00:00

EVENING EDITION e , rris, unless they pay the damages awarded against tk m, is not a case in which the privileges of the House of Commons have any share or concern. (From the _Morning Advertiser.) The London Dissenting Committees are beginning to exhibit symptoms of an intention to yield to public opinion. They find from sundry indications, which arc not to be mistaken, that to resist the feeling which has been raised by the nonconformists of Leicester, and the metropolitan and provincial press, in favour of Mr. Thorogood, would be fatal to their own existence as Societies ; and therefore they have come to the worldly wise resolution of making a virtue of necessity. The Committee of the Anti-Church-rate Society sent a deputation of their number to Lord Melbourne, on I I Tuesday, for the purpose of urging on his Lordship the extinction of Church-rates, the abolition of the civil jurisdiction of the Ecclesiastical Courts, and the liberation from gaol of any person or persons now incarcerated by virtue of process in those Courts. As Mr. John Thorogood is the only person now immured within the walls of a prison at the suit of the Ecclesiastical Courts, it would just have been as straightforward and becoming, under all the circum stances of the case, had they, by name, called Lord Melbourne's special attention to the case of that in jured man. However, it is something to see that this Society have at last awakened from their long sleep ; and it would ❑ot much surprise us, notwithstanding the abuse which their organ, the Patriot, has heaped upon us for presuming to call on them to get up meetings in Mr. Thorogood's favour, were they, ere many weeks have elapsed, to respond to our earnest and oft-repeated appeals to them on that point. Falstaff would do no thing on compulsion ; there are committees, as well S 3 indiriduals, with whom compulsion is the only effectual logician. Lord Melbourne, in replying to the represen tations of the deputation, said that he was not pre pared to say that Government would introduce in the ensuing Session a measure for the e ntinction of church rates, though he deeply regretted the present state of the question, and the social evils it occasioned. Hi s Lordship, however, made this most important declara tion, that " a Bill will be brought forward in the al> preaching Session for the abolition of the civil juris diction of the Ecclesiastical Courts. in which it might not be improper to introduce a claose for the liberation from prtson ofpersons incarcerated under ecclesiastical process." Here, then, we have the first fruits, and most important and glorious they are, of the agitation begun by the Dissenters cf Leicester, and the public press, in favour of the Chelmsford martyr. Let Mr. Thorogood keep up his heart ; a bright gleam of hope, - - as he reads these words of the Prime Minister, will penetrate his dark and lonesome dungeon, and shine in o❑ his spirit' We anticipate with unutterable joy the near approaeh of the hour which shall unbolt his prison doors, and restore him to his liberty and his friends. We most heartily rejoice in this on Mr. Thorogood's individual account ; our exultation increases to a ten fold extent, when we see in his person the triumph of a great principle—the future exemption of Dissenters from the civil jurisdiction of Ecclesiastical Courts. But we would most earnestly adjure the friends of religious freedom throughout the country not for one mo ment, or in the slightest degree, to slacken their exertions on behalf of Mr. Thorogood. Let them con tinue to act as if the battle were yet but beginning, and not as if the victory were already won. Who can tell how necessary energetic and untiring exertion in the righteous cause in which the Dissenters have em barked, may be to keep Lord Melbourne's promise in his recollection, and to stimulate the Government to its performance. Besides, it is to be remembered, that though Ministers may bring in the contemplated Bill, and may have every wish to see it passed into a law, it does not necessarily follow that they can insure its safe transit through both houses. There is a formidable hostile party in either branch of the Legislature, each of whose votes is, unhappily—we say unhappily as regards the present question—as important and in fluential as the vote of Lord Melbourne himself, or any other of her Majesty's Ministers. Let, then, the Dissenters in all parts of the kingdom—and riot the Dis enters only, but the friends of freedom generally persevere in keeping the case of Mr. Thorogood prominently before the public mind ; and along with the subscrip tions which are now pouring in from all-quarters on his account, let there be public meetings in every town and city in the land for the purpose of petitioning Par liament for the abolition of the civil jurisdiction of the Ecclesiastical Courts, and the immediate liberation of Mr. Thorogood from prison. Nor will even this be all that the exigencies of the case demand. These com bined exertions must be followed up by the isolated ef forts of congregations. 'We trust there is not a Dis senting congregation in the kingdom that values reli gious freedom, and is anxious to see the rights of con science asserted, but will forward its petition in favour of these two great objects. This is the way, and the only way effectually to strengthen the hands of Minis ters. Without such cordial and general co-operation, the Church party will frustrate their just and liberal intentions. And let the work of meeting and petition ing begin without an hour's delay. Promptitude is as necessary as union and energy. Let Dissenters re member, that the object to be accomplished is one of unspeakable importance, and is worthy of any amount of exertion which can be expended on its attainment. ( From the Herald.) The opinion gains ground, that Parliawient will as seeable in January. The state of the country, undoubt edly, calls loudly for the superintending care of the Le gislature ; but Lord Melbourne and his associates dare not meet Parliament without the intervention of some new variety of Court influence in their favour. The Queen's marriage may, it is true, be turned to ac -1 count ; and, therefore, it is understood that that event is to be accelerated as much as possible. The eclat attendant on the Royal Marriage will, however, yield but a fleeting sort of influence to the Queen's present Ministers. The stern realities that present themselves on every side—the suffering and discontent which per vade all classes of the community—these are subjects, to the consideration of which Parliament must without delay address itself ;—and how may the men in office, to whom as to the cause, may be traced the misery and anxiety which now, " with fear of change, perplex" the calmest observers, pretend to deal with the mis chief which they have called into existence ? Are the Canadas in danger ? The Whigs have aided and abetted Colonial traitors in their attempts to " shake off the baleful domination of the mother country." Are the Wed Indian interests in a state of depression ? The Whigs have injured and insulted the planters, and al most goaded them into an attitude of rebellion ! Is the Protestant Church in Ireland beleaguered ? The Whigs are not only consenting parties to the siege, but they actually hold office at the pleasure of the Popish conspirator who directs the assault ! Does the scarcely-extinguished Chartist rebellion affright the isle from its propriety ? That rebellion has been " got up" after the models of rebellion prepared by her Ma jesty's present Ministers in 1831 ; nay, the late out break was actually headed by afar:ajar of the Colonial Secretary—by a member of that body of 'Magistrates, with which " Municipal Reform" has blessed Eng gland ! On every side, does the direct connection of Ministers with the present distresses of the country ren der itself apparent. If these distresses are to be removed, the present Ministers must be removed as a preliminary measure to the pacification of the country. They have already sounded the bass string of humility." They can sink no lower. They have survived character, principle, professions. They have out lived eveu their party—for the supporters of the Whigs are not their followers. No :—Lord Melbourne and his colleagues are mere instru ments,—base yielding instruments of destruction, —in the hands of open and avowed enemies to all the established religious and political institutions of England. But the alliance between the contracting parties to the compact which still sustains the Whigs in place, is not graced or cemented by anything so re spectable as a spirit of partisanship. The O'Connells and Shiels on the one hand, and the Humes and Wakleys on the other, despise Lord Melbourne and i his associates, as heartily as the staunchest Conservative can do. But the " Liberals" in question are content to secure to Lord Melbourne the wanes of office, as the price of his treason to the Monarchy, to the Church, to th e Aristocracy, and to the Constitutional rights of the labouring pcor ; and Lord Melbourne is base enough to become the despised recipient of official pay, in ex change for services, which the worst of English states men in past times would have shrunk from performing ! The first step towards the pacification of the country must, we rep eat, cons i st i n the expu l s i on o f t h e presen t Ministers from office. The next must consist in a calm inqmry into the causes that have generated the danger ous feelings which now possess immense bodies of the working people in every part of the kingdom. Not only are all existing political institutions regarded by the Chartists as perniciou s to the order of labourers ; but the insti t u tion of property itself is held up by them as the fountain and source of all the evils that have ever desolated society. These opinions are, obviously, fraught with perils of the most formidable kind ; and unless these opipions can be corrected and removed, they may bear the fruit of rebellion during every year for a long time to come. Of all the stumulants to Chartism, the New Poor-law has been, beyond comparison, the most active. That law placed the labouring poor, as they believed and felt, beyond the pale of the constitution ; and now they are eager to subvert a Constitution, under whi c h, as they think, the rights of the labourer are no longe r re cognized. If we could even admit, that the hatred which the labouring poor bear to the New Poor -law was altogether unwarranted by the nature of that enact ment, still we should contend for the policy of its re• peal! What do the Whigs mean when they prate at other times, about the policy of yielding to public opinion ? There exists a mighty public opinion in op position to the New Poor-law ! What is meant by the Whig slang about the wrongs of Ireland protracted through centuries ? The New Poor-law is a living, ever-active wrong ; and the remonstrances of the poor of England ought to exercise as much influence over a Protestant Parliament, as the grievances, real or simu lated, of which Popish Ireland is the hot-bed ! (Prom the Globe.) Defending enesself gravely against a palpably silly , attack, looks almost as ridiculous as making it. Never theless to this folly we are driven whenever we notice 1 the charges of the Hanoverian Opposition. But really we cannot disgrace ourselves in this manner much longer. Can those persons who consult our co lumns be long content with seeing them taken up with elaborate reasonings to prove that Lord Lansdowne is not an infidel because he says that no supernatural being will spare us the trouble of providing a shheine of national education ; or that Prince Albert is not a Catholic because certain words, altogether unne cessary, were omitted in the Queen's announce ment to the Privy Council, though they hap pened to have been used by George the Third on a similar occasion ? Our readers , w e are sure, will ab solve us from any more of this humiliating penance ; and we will content ourselves with commenting upon the general tendency of the tactics and metelanguage employed by our Tory contemporaries. Of course is, their eleventh hour, when all other schemes have failed, it is high time to raise the good Church cries; of course, there fore, misrepresentation must not be spared, nor language the most inflammatory and the most exasperating. Of course, first and foremost, the " No Popery" banner must be unfurled ; and of course it must be entrusted to the especial protection of the paper and the priest, that to the most plentiful qualifications of viru lence and unscrupulousness add the peculiar charm of being the most deeply compromised and most marked renegades. This is a very natural commence ment, but it is to the end of all this that we wish to direct the thoughts of those who have at heart the peace and prosperity of their country. The history of every nation—and unhappily our own as emphati cally as any—teaches that the agitation of religious questions is conducted with more violence, and more danger, than that of the wildest or widest organic changes ever contemplated even by Chartism. Are we then, after all this experience, to embark again on this frightful struggle ? We are on the brink of it. The Tories are hallooing on to it. There is no disguise about them. Some openly declare for the repeal of the Catholic Emancipation Act. Others, somewhat more moderate, would be content that it should remain a law ; but would insist on the Catholics deriving no benefit from it. And all this for what ? Because Mr. Sheil is made a Privy Councillor, and because it was proposed that Catholics should be permitted to read their own version of the Scriptures at a Normal school. Now, supposing Mr. Sheil were animated with all the malignant spirit of a Phillpots, what harm could lie do Does any man of sense suppose that he would turn the Privy Council into a monastery, or that in his capacity of Vice-President of the Board of Trade he could facilitate exports of Protestantism and imports of Popery ? Yet such arc the necessities of the Tories, that unless they do believe all this, their outcry is as unmeaning as it is false. (From the Courier.) Certain articles have appeared of late, it seems, in some hitherto unheard-of periodical, called the Church of England Magazine, the tenor of which has been to malign that loyal and irreproachable body of our fellow countrymen, the followers of John Wesley, generally known as Methodists. The object of the calumniator has evidently been to achieve a discreditable notoriety for this last of several speculative abortions of the press, in the unenviable pursuit of which he has been hailed and helped with all the congenial sympathy and ardour of those Ministerial hirelings who have re cently rendered themselves so disgracefully conspicuous by their skulking slanders, amongst the rest, of that illustrious personage the Duke of Wellington, the man who, beyond all others, whether in his private or public life, has realised the eulogy of Bayard, as one sans pcnr et sans reproche. The base intent of these profligate compatriots, if not collaborateurs, of the Paul Prys and other vermin of the streets, is doubtless, since they can find so little to exalt in the characters of their own pa trons, to drag down all above them to the level of the filth of their own kennel. It is in this sense, and with these views, that this miscellany of envy, hatred, and malice, to which the title Church of England Magazine is affixed, by way of desecrating the Church we presume, has been eagerly dragged from its obscurity, and with evident obliquity of purpose paraded and upheld, as the authorized representative of the Church, by which it is repudiated equally with the same pity and contempt with which the habitual defamers of the national, as of all re ligion, among the Ministerial press, are themselves re garded. When the heads of that venerable Church shall have rewarded with preferments and distinguished with dignities the scurrilous libellers of Methodism, it will be time enough to challenge the unknown magazine as their organ ; upon the same principle that the pub lication of a periodical of the Newport school of trea son might be accepted as the special organ and confes• sion of faith of Lord John Russell, who invested Frost, the teacher in chief, with authority and honour—that unhappy criminal whose death-warrant Lord John may come to sign himself with the same hand which ratified his former elevation to the magistracy. (From the Standard.) There may be found in the collected works of Swift " a Treatise upon Political Lying," generally ascribed to Dr. Arbuthnot, though it is supposedto have been revised by the Dean. This work seems to be the constant study of Lord Melbourne's retainers. The writer of the treatise, classes the proper kinds of lies to be employed upon particular occasions, and it would be extremely easy to illustrate each class by examples taken from the Whig-Radical Newpapers of the present day, for instance, " the enormous lie," or, as Ar buthnot calls it, ', the proof lie." " A proof lie" is like a proof charge for a piece oP ordnance to try a standard credulity. Of such a nature he takes transubstantion to be in the Church of Rome—a proof article which, if any one swallows, they are sure he will digest everything else, therefore the Whig party do wisely to try the credulity of the people, sometimes by swingers, that they may be able to judge to what height they may charge them afterwards : of " such swingers," the " Hanover lie" at the Queen's accession, and the lie that the Duke of Wellington and Sir Robert Peel, meant to poison the Queen—a lie only a few months old—are specimens such as Arbuthnot or Swift could scarcely have conceived. Swift, however, in other parts of his works confesses that mere lying will not serve all the purposes of a faction, observing that ingenious misrepresentation is often the most efficacious form of pseudology— of misrepresentation he gives many examples to show that, either by subtle construction or metapho rical application, or a transposition of letters such as the Cabalists call Gematria, any words may be made to afford any meaning ; we may mention " our brother Tom, &c.," where a communication of a kins man's malady is made to constitute a confession of a treasonable plot. The best known example is, how ever, the " Key to the Lock," proving beyond all contradiction the dangerous tendency of the poem called " The Rape of the Lock" to government and religion. We need scarcely remind any one that this key clearly proves that Belinda means Great Bri tain or Queen Anne, the Lock " the Barrier treaty," the Baron who cuts off the Lock, Harley, Earl of Ox ford, Clarissa, Lady Masham, Thalestris,Sarah Duchess of Marlborough, Sir Plume, Prince Eugene, &c., &c. Our Contemporary the Morning Chronicle has this day an article upon Mr. Roby's letter in yesterday's Standard, which clearly proves the Whig-Radical writers are no less adepts in the subtle construction and in Gematria, by which words are bent from their plain meaning, than in the use of " the proof lie." ANOTHER FEMALE SA ILOR.—The following romance of low life is given by the Journal du Havre : Josephine Fleury, a native of Brettiville, has been recently committed to prison at Cherbourg for having robbed her master and mistress at M.ontaign-le-Bois. At sixteen she assumed male attire, and hired herself as a servant at Cerences, but in the summer left this employment, and embarked at Granville as a sailor in a vessel engaged in the Newfoundland cod fishery. For sixteen years she led the same life, being alter nately a servant in winter and a sailor in sum mer. She at length became tired of this mode of living, and lived for four years as a servant at Brehat. From thence she engaged herself as a wood cutter in the forest of Gavray. In a quarrel in a public house she w ounded a man severely, and, being brought in consequence before the Correctional Tribunal, was sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment. During her confinement her sex was discovered. On her discharge, a year and a half ago, she hired herself to do day's work at Montaign-les-Bois, where she has fallen into hor present scrape. Josephine's complexion is com pletely bronzed by exposure to all weathers, and she has small whiskers." BIRMINGHAM, DEC. 2.-- CAPTURE OF EIGHTY-FOUR DOG-FIGHTERS BY THE BIRMINGHAM POLICE AND THE OFFICERS OF T HE ANIMALS' FRIEND SOClETY.—lnformation having been obtained that a dog-fight was to take place this day, at the pit in Fox-street, precautionary measures were taken by the Animals' Friend Society's agent and the Birming ham Secretary, to secure the aid of the police ; and it having been ascertained that the fighting had corn ' menced this morning, a strong party of police, under the direction of Mr. Shaw, the Superintendent, and several inspectors, &c., were marched to the scene of action. Having obtained admission the whole of the parties present were apprehended, and having been secured by handcuffs, two-and-tvvo, and a long rope passed between the whole, they were marched to the police-office, where the Mayor and Magistrates were sitting. The two principals, John Strotton, file-cutter, and George Hyam, were brought up and charged with the offence, which being proved, they were fined 20s. each, and Bs. 6d. costs each, and in default of payment sentenced to fourteen days' hard labour in the House of Correction. John Statham and Hughes were also charged with being present ; the former had been repeatedly charged with the same offence, and once con victed bad Birmingham,te digner-baitnz but the record of his conviction for ' in Staffordshire could not, on so short a notice, be produced. The other prisoner Hughes had been twice convicted for cruelty to animals, but as it did not appear th at t h e prisoners had, in this instance, taken any active part in the business, Statham w as fined only 20 s. and costs, an d H ug h es was dis t missed with a caution for the future. THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7, 183!,. THE FRENCH NAVY Abridgment of the Report addressed to the King of the French by the Mi►►ister of Marine, relative to the condition acid expense of the French navy for the year 1840. PARIS, Nov. 26, 1839. Stns,—The navy, according to times and exigencies, is a matter of lively interest to the glory of the King's arms and to national prosperity. In war it is called upon now to fight alone ; now to be an auxiliary to the land forces—an auxiliary always useful, and sometimes even indispensable, to the conditions of success. At other epochs, when, after a long peace, it is necessary, that the blessing may be continued, to keep an active watch afar off, and to have recourse at times to concili atory or repressive powers—then does the navy again offer its aid to political combinations, while at the same time it protects the interests of commerce, on and beyond the seas, and, on the other hand, by its various relations to science, continues to maintain us in that elevated rank in the intellectual sphere, in not descending from which France places her glory. Thus, under different circumstances, whether of war or of peace, or of that state of vigilant observation which has become one of the necessities of the age, the navy is a branch, the employment of which is emi nently useful. Let us add, that with the means which are obtained, or to be obtained, from the application of the new motive power, for securing the promptness and re gularity of the movements of a part of the fleet, the mission which is confided to it promises to become more than ever fruitful in advantageous results. On this head, and I feel happy in repeating it, the Chambers have expressed their accordance with the convictions of the Government. The reports of their 1 commissions during the last Sessions, the debates, the votes, all bear witness of their encouraging adhesion. They have added a double wish, and have demanded 1. That the Administration do everything in its power to increase the resources of the inscription mari time, which is the nursery of true seamen, that the equi librium between the material and personal strength of the fleet may be preserved. 2. That for active force the principle of the stabi lity of armaments be maintained, not only because it is favourable to the practical instruction and discipline of the crews, but also because great economy in the use of money and material is the result. Your Majesty well knows that the accomplishment of these dominating views has constantly guided me in the acts of my Administration, and the plans therewith connected. According to the terms of the Royal order of Fe bruary, 1837, the naval strength of the kingdom ought in times of peace to consist of 40 ships of the line, .50 frigates, and 220 vessels of inferior rank, 40 steam. vessels being included. These 220 vessels arc afloat ; half only of the ships of the line and the frigates is to be launched ; the other half is to remain on the stocks. In a complete state of armament, this union of force would present, with an effective of 78,000 men, a bat tery of 9,200 guns. As in the two preceding budgets, the number of armed vessels has been carried to 130, among which there will still be 8 ships of the line and 12 frigates. Tbese 130 armaments will carry an actual crew of 20,498 men. Their composition will be regulated as follows : SAILING-VESSELS OF WAR. 8 Ships of the line. 12 Frigates. 10 Corvettes of war. 6 Corvettes avisos of 18 guns. 14 Brigs of from 16 to 20 guns. 5 Cannoneer brigs of 8 guns. 10 Brigs avisos of 10 guns. 13 Goelettes, cutters, &c., of from 6 to 8 guns. 12 Flotilla vessels. SAILING-VESSELS OF BURDEN. 8 Corvettes of burden. 12 Gabarrcs. STEAM-VESSELS. 3 of 220 horse power. 14 of 150 horse power. 3 of 120 horse power. 130 These 130 armed vessels will secure every useful communication, protect the trading ships, provide for special expeditions, and occupy the 11 ordinary stations indicated in the preceding budget, the enumeration of which is here repeated—namely, the coasts of the Pe ninsula, Brazil, South America, the Antilles, Cayenne, Mexico, the coasts of Africa, the Levant, Bourbon, Terra Nueva, Algiers. Besides the 130 vessels, with their crews of 20,498 men, which are destined to keep the seas, there will be as before, in order that the contingencies may be met, twenty-four vessels of two different ranks, eight of which will be kept in a station, and sixteen commis sioned in port. The following is the detail : In Station Ships of the Line 2 Frigates Corvette of War 1 Brigs Commissioned ingort Ships of the Line and Frigates 5 Various vessels of inferior rank ll-16 Total The total credit required for 1840 amounts to 70,648,300 f., which, compared with the supplies voted for 1839, presents an increase of 4,432,343 f. This in crease especially', bears relation to the following ex penses—the pay and clothing of the crews and troops, provisions, works of naval materiel, and colonies. The demands .given in detail in the 21 chapters of the Budget are combined under the four great divisions as follows : Francs. General Department 992,500 General Department ( excluding tem- } 60,480,400 porary expenses) Scientific Departments 725,400 8,540,000 Colonial Department Total 70,648,300 I am, with profound respect, Sire, your Majest)'s very humble, faithful, and obedient servant, ROSAMEL, Vice-Admiral, Secretary of State of the Marine and the Co,onies, THE CHAR TISTS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Snt,—l am a country clergyman. On many mo mentous points nearer to yourself than are (I am sorry to say as I fear) most of my clerical brethren. When the Times newspaper renegaded, I ordered yours in stead, and have continued ever since your gratified and sometimes grateful reader. I like you, because you can " discern things that differ," and seem always upon the watch, and honestly desirous so to discern. You can distinguish between Catholics and Popery—between true religion on the ono hand, and Church of Englandism or Dissenterism on the other—between what is good in Chartists and their Charter, and what might be amended in both. _ _ But why do I write to you to-day who never wrote to you before ? Because, for once, I may afford four pence, though I might not have afforded a shilling, to gratify myself in writing to tell my newspaper Editor how much he has generally pleased me ; and to express my hope that he will exert himself in forcing off all needless taxation from the shoulders of the people, as energetically as he has this of the postage. Let me implore your attention at this moment to the poor bewildered Welsh Chartists. Though a clergy man, I am in heart, and somewhat more, a Chartist. Surely every Englishman born and living in his native land has a constitutional right to the suffrage. Well, as to the silly, infatuated Welsh Chartists ! Suppose their conviction to be, that by showing themselves in force, armed mainly with their working implements, they should excite all England to join them, and thus at once get their Charter made a part of the law of the land, to the unspeakable benefit of all ! What of that ? Surely they have suffered for their babyism. What else could it be ? Designed treason ? Absurd. Had it been that, could twenty-five raw recruits have so routed 10,000 miners and colliers ? I firmly believe there was no more thought of treason in them than in the lads of the 45th, who so heedlessly slaughtered them I Would that the Government would withdraw its Special Com mission, and prove itself wiser in its second thoughts than in its first. Should punishment stop here, the poor Chartists might then feel it to be their just desert, and the Government to be indeed merciful to them and worthy of their love ; but should the Special Commis sion, with Baron Williams, go farther, as in the sad case of the Dorchester labourers, both the present Govern ment and the whole country may very soon see cause to repent the rash procedure. Would that you saw this matter, Sir, as I see it ; you would then greatly contribute to the joy of your con sten t reader, North Staffordshire, Dec. 5. H. P, THE RARE 'WIDOW.—In the churchyard of Edington, in this county, may be seen a humble tomb stone, erected a few years ago, to the memory of Mr. Morga n , o f Ti o h ea d , b y hi s aged and affectionate widow, and upon which she caused some lines to be inscribed, to perpetuate the remembrance of his worth. Having liv e d toget h er f or near l y h a lf a century in the enjoyment of un i nterrupte d h app i ness , their separation was, of course, so much the more painful. To alleviate the sorrows of her disconsolate heart, she not only inscribed the name of her departed husband upon the tomb-stone, but added—" Also, Grace, his wife, who died"—(leaving blank the date of her own death.) The wags and boys of the place frequently annoy her by filling up the blank, by adding " still alive !" As soon as she hears that the blank has been filled, she marches off (rain or shine) to Edington, a distance of two miles, and with a wet flannel, which she carries with her, care fnlly effaces the offending letters ; and then returns, with fresh and en dearin g rec ollections of him whose bodylieslow in the cold and silent to m b,—Wills Independent.. LITERATURE EXCURSIONS IN DENMARK, NORWAY, AND SWEDEN, 2 Vats. Co'burn, London, 1839. Mr. Bremner, theauthor of these volumes, started on his Tour through the northern countries of Eu rope, in the spring of 1836, from the city of Ham burg, which he describes as " the most industrious, and at the same time the most licentious, in some places the dirtiest, and in others the most splendid, of continental cities." His first excursion was through the Danish province of Holstein, of which he gives a very favourable account, especially as regards the fertility of the soil. From Kiel, the principal town of this province, he took the steam boat to Copenhagen, passing on his route several of the most beautiful of the Danish islands. During the voyage, one of the passengers told him a curious story of an Englishman who happening to fall in love with, and be rejected by, a pretty girl of Ham burg, endeavoured to cure his infatuation by tra velling several hundred miles to fish among the streams of Norway. Finding, however, this recipe unavailing, he took a strong dose of Africa, but this being attended with no better effect, he has ever since been a restless wanderer over the broad face of Europe ! Our author was much struck with the first appearance of Copenhagen which, he tells us, is " among the finest in the world." The city, however, has " no mob" — a most unaccount able peculiarity in a great capital, but which at once explains the secret of its perfect still-life. Speaking of the feelings of the Danes towards us, Mr. Bremner states that there is still a lurking Court prejudice against Englishmen, originating, of course, in our bombardment of Copenhagen, and the seizure of the Danish fleet during the late war. " An instance of this feeling," he adds, " is exhi bited by the King himself, in his refusal to see Eng lish naval officers at Court. At least, if he does not expressly forbid, it is well known that lie does not encourage their attendance." - The following pas sage is worth notice, more particularly as`Mr. Brem ner styles himself Conservative ••• ' " Regarding the state of public:opinion among the Danes, one fact struck us very remarkably—viz. that in reference to the two parties which divide English society, their sympathy is exclusively with the Liberal one. Let his own political leanings be what they may, every can did traveller will attest that this partiality prevails here more strongly even than in other foreign countries. It would not perhaps be difficult to account for this leaning, now universal on the Continent ; but we are at present neither reasoning on it, nor inquiring whether it portend a wholesome state of public feeling abroad ; all that we now seek to do is, to record the fact that—whatever he the reason, or whatever the consequences it may lead to —universally, even under the most monarchical govern, menu:, there is no fellow feeling with the strictly Con servative party in Great Britain. The names of Peel and Stanley are known only to the few ; while those of Brougham acrd Russell are familiar as household words all over the Continent." Of course, when travelling in the neighbour hood, our author did not omit paying a visit to " thy wild and stormy steep, Elsinore"—to quote a fine line from Campbell's noble " Battle of the Bal tic"—where he saw Hamlet's tomb, and wandered through a garden which still goes by his name. Who shall say, after this, that imagination has not all the weight and impressiveness of reality ? Here we see it operating on men's minds like a matter-of fact—a substantial incident of history. We need not say that Shakspeare's Hamlet is a purely ficti tious creation, yet such is the impression which the character has made on the Danish mind—for our dramatist is a great favourite with the Danes—that they cannot conceive of him as other than a veri table historical personage. To be sure there was a Prince of Denmark named Hamlet ; but it is not of him that his countrymen think—for he was merely one dull item in a common-place Royal catalogue ; but of the moralizer over Yorick's skull, the would be avenger of a deed of blood—in a word, of Shak speare's Hamlet. But to return. Mr. Bremner was much pleased with the orderly and intelligent character of the Danes, and particularly with the women, whom he pronounces to be frank, agreeable, and good-looking. He thus closes his account of Denmark: —" There is no other country we have ever been in, of which we could say, that during the whole of our stay, we saw neither a beggar nor a cripple in any part of it ; nor did we meet a drunken person at any hour of the day or night !" From Elsinore, our author took the post-office boat across the Sound to the Swedish town of Helsingborg, which is the place where Bernadotte first landed when called to the throne. This re markable man, whose whole life is a romance—who was originally a private soldier, then a sergeant, then a General of Division, then a Marshal of France and Prince of the Empire, next Crown Prince, and, lastly, King of Sweden ; at one time fighting at the head of the French troops for Bona , parte, and at another with the Allied forces against him—this extraordinary personage is almost the only substantial record left of the once paramount influence of Napoleon. All his other kings, princes, " pouips and powers," have passed away ; Prussia has risen greater than ever from her fall ; the Con federation of the Rhine has become a mere faint re collection ; the King of Spain has degenerated into the Count de Survilliers ; the King of Rome died an Austrian Duke ; Murat the death of a traitor ; all are gone, ambition's idle game is played out ; and, we repeat, were it not for Bernadotte, not a vestige would remain, save in history, to show that Napoleon was once a king-maker ! We quote Mr. Bremner's sketch of the Swedish monarch : " Though now in his seventy-second year, Bernadotte looks as hale and vigorous as most men at sixty five. His face is round, full, and good-humoured ; the centre somewhat prominent, but not nearly to such an extent as to injure the expression. His smile is extremely fascinating, and has nothing of the constrained grin, which Monarchs and great men are often forced to ac quire. In person he is large and well-built, with a figure still full and manly, which appeared to great ad vantage in a plain hussar uniform, with the broad green sash of the Seraphim across his breast. He galloped about with all the ease of a youth proud of his first steed : but it is only reasonable to suppose that the loyal shouts of the troops and the people made him more than usually animated on this occasion. Always as he came to a new division of the troops, a loud, long, and honest hurrah ! hurrah ! hurrah I rang from end to end of the file. It was evidently no purchased homage—it came from the heart ; and the same was evident in the shouts of the crowd. All doffed their hats when he was in front of them. At times the multitude, in their eagerness to be near him, pressed so closely on his cortege that there was great danger of accident, especially as he rode very fast the whole time of the review. Bernadotte has retained the affection of the people simply by keeping his word. He vowed that their rights should in his hands be sacred ; and that this was no empty pledge, his whole conduct has proved. Under him, the country has been raised to a degree of influence and prosperity to which she had long been a stranger ; a shrewd, observant Englishman, who has been many years in Sweden, and has mixed freely with all classes, from the highest to the lowest, assured me that there cannot be the smallest doubt of the sta bility of the reigning family. No Royal family in Eu rope, he said, is more firmly settled on the throne, Ber nadotte is said to be very wealthy : but he makes a no ble use of his large fortune. In all parts of his domi nions—and he makes a rule of visiting their remotest corners—he has sought out, and relieved distress. His private habits are reported to be, at times, sufficiently amusing. Though always attentive to public business, he indulges in most admired' disorder regarding. all domestic matters. He dines to-day at one hour—to nmootr r t o il lv m a t i d a n n i o g t h li t e , r a — n d s osizteitmimesesin:ohtecavt gall, t,osometimes great discomfiture of cooks and scullions. Night he literally often have rosy y ns d in a t w o n da t y o . Thoseght them e w m h o to r their chamber. him, His ma nners, ho wever , are so kind to al l about h i m, that every varyi ng h um our is cheer full y com p lied with. An int erv i ew b e tween him an d some honest Swedish peasant is said to be exceedingly amusing. The gallant Kin g , w ith the light-heart ed aversion to drudgery charact er i s ti c o f his countrymen, has never acquired the Sw e di s h l an guage , but what he wants in words, he m a k es up b y good-humour and readiness to join in the laugh at his own blunders ; and as the honest Swede never d ou bts that the F r e nch he has heard, is all very muc h t o the purpose, the parties sepa rate, delighted with each other's a miability. It is one of Bernadotte's best qualities that he is most , accessible to all who h ave wrongs to b e redressed. Nor is it a bad sign that he is extremely sensitive under popular censure. We do not insinuate that he is afraid of it, but it is well-known that any expressions of dissatis faction—and they have been very r are—annoy him ex ceedingly. Th ere was an i ns tance of this when the Crown Prince name d one o f his sons:after the Empe ror Nicholas ; th e p eop l e w h o , a s we had many opportu nities of lear n i ng , most cor dially hate the Rassians, were so indignant at this harmless compliment to the autocrat, that it was long before they could be brought to forget it." Washington Irving, if we remember rightly, alludes in his amusing History of New York, to the " wind-dried, water-drinking Swedes" ; now, our author found few water-drinkers among them ; but a great many tipplers, with whom corn-brandy I was in hourly request, being taken in the shape of a drain, before every meal, by way of invi g orating the appetite. Of the beauty of the Swedish women, he does not think very highly. They are sinewy and masculine ; and in point of height, bear too close a resemblance to a lamp-post. Of the Swedish money, we have this curious account : " We were greatly puzzled on meeting several gen tlemen with neat bags, of green leather, dangling from their neck or wrist, much in the same way as ladies carry clasp reticules with us. What effeminate wretches ! thought we ; but we were soon reconciled to them, when told that these were travellers, and that the ob noxious ornaments were those most necessary appen dages to travelling—their purses For money in this country, being nearly all in paper, is so bulky that, to mike a sum of three or four shillings, you need a whole handful of greasy, ragged notes, some of which represent only fourpence sterling 1 These fourpenny notes arc as large as a ten-pound note with us, and are composed of abit of bad printing, with as ocean of margin about it, on paper so thick and coarse, that the bulk, without reckoning the filth which paper of such texture soon drinks up, comes to be a serious evil to the traveller. The notes for a large value, however, are very handsome, and each different value is conveniently distinguished by paper of a different colour. Besides these handsome notes, there is a new coinage, both of silver and copper, of great beauty." At Gottenburg, which is the second town in Sweden, Mr. Bremner met with capital London porter. It is pleasant to find such a striking proof of civilization In a distant clime, as the traveller said when he unexpectedly came in sight of a gibbet, in a remote nook of Arabia I With Stockholm our author was delighted, and no wonder, for in point of site, it is one of the most picturesque cities in Europe. After a short stay in Sweden, he passed into Norway, whose mountain and forest scenery must, by his account, be the finest in the world. Christiania, however, which is its ca pital, somewhat disappointed him, being inferior, as regards appearance, to Lerwick, the principal town of the Shetland islands. While at Chris tianiape attended a meeting of the Storthing, or Norwegian Parliament, and was struck with the calm, dignified, business-like air of the proceedings. There was no declamation—no cock-crowing—no sneaking against time—the Members went through their duties quickly, methodically, and in compara tive silence. We should not be sorry were our own House of Commons to take a lesson from the Nor wegian Storthing. Considering the great extent of the country, the population of Norway is ex ceedingly scanty. " There are only," says Mr. Bremner, " 1,098,291 semis to a surface of 71,400 square miles ; in other words, the single county of York contains nearly 200,000 inhabitants more than the whole of Norway, or 1,173,187 souls on an area of only 6,000 square miles ! The con trast might be made more striking were we to descend to the particulars of the revenue, &c. ; but taking only one head, we shall find that the sum raised for the poor rate and county-rate alone, in a single year, within the three Ridings, was actually double the whole Customs' duties drawn in Norway in the same space of time." There are abundance of newspapers, it seems, in Norway, for the press is perfectly free, and no tax of any kind is levied on it. Christiania alone boasts not less than eight journals, "which are very im partially conducted, and, it is said, much read." Nevertheless, adds Mr. Bremner, " in the country districts, and in the provincial towns, wherein we travelled, you might as well ask for a bunch of fresh grapes, as for the last newspaper ; and all the time we were in Christiania, we did not see a journal in anybody's hand at the hotel, or in any other public place." There appears to be a strange contradiction here. Abundance of newspapers, yet no one to read them I— Not to be met with in provincial towns, yet not less than twenty-one published in the kingdom! We cannot understand this incongruity. Our author has no very inordi nate opinion of the Norwegians. He found them rude, over-reaching, and not a little licentious in their habits, more particularly the lower classes, who, he tells us,;" live in the most lawless manner, as is well proved by the statistical returns, which show that of every five children born, one is illegiti mate." Of the grandeur and beauty of the Nor wegian scenery Mr. Bremner speaks in the most enthusiastic terms. He has been a traveller through Europe, yet never has he seen anything approaching to what he saw in this remote northern kingdom. We subjoin his account of the grand Falls of Riukan-Fos : " But, hark we are:still far away from the Fills, and yet their roar is already heard. We had been climbing without intermission for several miles, and there is another terrible bill before we dismount ; at its foot several large and dangerous torrents are to be crossed. As we rise, houses even at this remote and elevated point of the valley, are seen nestling among the copse, or completely overshadowed by some trees of nobler g rowth. The track rises higher and higher, so steeply that it seems impossible for our wearied horses to reach the top. At last the path seems to terminate—a huge precipice bars all advance. Leaving the horses in a de serted hut, we get round the interposing rock—climb on our hands and knees—turn a soft green point—and in another moment the Fall bursts upon us in all its beauty and sublimity. Above the Fall, the river is seen slanting through a naked ravine in a long inclined bed, where it flows smoothly and swiftly, without a pool to rest in, or a rock to break on, till in one moment, from clear and foamless water, it vanishes in white clouds of spray ; with a single plunge it has fallen four hundred and fifty feet into a vast gulph scooped from the solid marble ! So tremendous is the shock, that even at this distance the mountain trembles. From the immense height of the fall, the body of the water is lost sight of long before it reaches the bottom ; instantly it recovers itself, however, and rises back to the very sum mit in light vapoury clouds, bounding and curling up wards, till the whole basin and the retreating hollows are full of wreaths upon wreaths of fantastic beauty. A matchless sight! The floating masses are ever varying their forms ; now they are like the rich foliage of lofty trees waving in the summer gale, now like the gilded clouds at even. Their beauty is singularly heightened by the blackness of the surrounding rocks, and the deep green of the sward above. Lofty as the Fall itself is there are yet loftier mountains round it, whose imposing masses greatly increase the effect of the impressive scene. The sound of the cataract is at times louder than the loudest thunder, filling the air for miles with peals of terrible distinctness. On listening to it for awhile, the head begins to turn. Altogether, the height—the mass of water—the ebon darkness of the surrounding rocks—the silence of the green spot we cling to in viewing it, backed by a huge triangle of swarthy basalt—the streaks of snow on the heights— tbe small hut creeping near the brink—the river rush ing triumphantly out of the caldron it has escaped from in despite of so fierce a trial —every adjunct re quired by taste unite to make this scene one of the most magnificent that nature presents." From the extracts we have given above, our readers will be able to glean a tolerably correct idea of the nature of Mr. Bremner's book. It is amusing, but superficial. The author is a quick, but by no means a deep, observer ; and writes with ease, but too frequently in a slovenly, slip-shod style. We lay little stress on his accounts of the Norwegian pea santry, for they are at variance with those of M r.Laing, who was intimately acquainted with the character of the lower classes of Norway, having resided among them upwards of three years, whereas Mr. Brem ner merely paid them a flying visit, and rattled through the country at quite a railway speed. The best portions of his volumes are those which relate to Sweden. LARDNER' S CY CLOP./ EDIA.—Voz, CXIX. Longman, London, 1839. . . . In this volume we have Memoirs of not less than fifty English poets who flourished during the last three centuries, and the majority of whom have long since been forgotten. In the collection of materials for these biographies—some of which, of course, are mere outlines—the author has shown unusual diligence ; and where no prejudice interferes to cloud his better judgment, his criticisms may be relied on, for they are characterized by a certain staid good sense, which the reader must accept in lieu of higher qualifications. The first Memoir is that of Dryden. It is written in a manly, inge nuous spirit, but might have displayed less evident partiality for the man—the poet it is impossible to praise too highly—without at all injuring its effect. The chief incidents in Dryden's chequered career are well known. His was the lot of most poets— to know no repose of mind or body, but to be kept in a cons tant state of feverish excitement ; now to be raised to the highest pinnacle of popularity, now to be thrust rudely from his lofty pedestal, and find a dull blockhead—as in the case of that miserable scribbler Elkailah Settle—elevated to his niche in the Tem ple of Fame. The present biographer, in noticing Dryden's rhymed plays, which are now generally given up, speaks of them in just and fitting terms ; but why does he say so little about the noble tran slation of Virgil ? All the criticism he condes cends to favour us with on the subject, amounts to no more than this:—"The work requited the universal curiosity ; even the most bitter of Dry- , den's enemies acknowledged its great merits. Meagre comment this ! The translation is first rate throughout, but the sixth book , in particular,is the finest specimen of free, energetic, and harnioni nious versification in the lanp,uage. It is not often that a translator surpasses his original, yet in the desciiption of lEneas's descent to the Shades with the Sibyl, where Dry&n—we quote from memory—says— " With slow and stately steps they tread Along the waste dominion of the dead," he is far superior to Virgil. The remark that the celebrated " Ode on St. Cecilia's Day" is one grand conception, sudden and complete, and could hardly have been composed piecemeal," is perfectly correct. Such a spirited lyrical out-burst could never have been painfully elaborated. 'We are pleased also with the comments on Dryden's Satires, but should have been glad to have read more about his " Fables," especially that wild and impressive tale, " Theodore and Honoria." Of the Memoirs of the minor poets, the most entertaining is the one of Corbet, who was the jolliest priest that ever laughed and grew fat on the Episcopal bench ; and is the author of a sprightly bagatelle, " Farewell to the Fairies," of which Percy has made honourable mention in his " Relics." Prior, like Dryden, is a favourite with our author, who accordingly does every justice to the arch and laughing graces of his lighter works of fancy. His Muse, indeed, was an incorrigible flirt, cold and heartless, but full of brilliant witchery. His free translations from Fon taine are as good as anything of the sort that was ever penned. We come now to Pope. Of this great poet the biographer speaks in terms of ill-concealed dislike. His Memoir is jaundiced throughout. For instance, alluding to the poet's forbearance under Wycher lty's anger, we are told, " there is more real good ness in this than the world has generally given Pope credit for, and certainly more than the predominant character and tenor of his works would justify any one in attributing to him." Now what right has the biographer to assume that the world does not give Pope credit for a good heart? The world is guilty of no such ungenerous severity ; but on the contrary, highly respects his manly sense of inde pendence, his kindness as a friend, his exemplary conduct as a scn. As for the " tenor of his works," in what respect are they deficient ? Are they immoral ? Are their ethics mere sophistry ? Do they confound the distinctions between vice and virtue, or pay to mere rank and wealth the homage due only to honest worth ? Nothing of the sort. Taken as a whole—without reference to one or two particular passages, where his irrita bility, the result of constant ill health, overpowered him—Pope's works inculcate a plain, healthy, practical system of morality. They arc not crotchetty ; they are not fantastic in their notions of virtue ; but address the world as the world should always be addressed—that is to say, in the spirit of uniform good sense. He who runs may read them, which is more than can be said for some of our high flown moral teachers in verse. The biographer goes on to remark, " throughout the whole of Pope's works we do not find a single specimen of what Mr. Roscoe designates love poems.' " What, then, is the " Eloisa ?" If this be not a love-poem, and of the most pathetic, eloquent, and impassioned character, we know not the meaning of the term. Again, we are assured that the sketch of Atticus is '°a vindictive satire." Now, to our thinking, it is one of the most affecting and dignified passages in all Pope, betraying, in every line, a heart wounded indeed, but certainly not rendered " vindictive," by the coldness of a once loved friend. Speaking of the well-known character of " Atossa," the bio grapher rakes up the exploded calumny that Pope accepted a thousand pounds from the Duchess of Buckingham for suppressing it, yet hints immediately afterwards that he does not be lieve the story. Why, then, does he repeat it ? If—to use his own words—" none of the bio graphers believe the circumstance to be true"— surely common sense, to say nothing of justice or izenerosity, should have induced him to suppress it'. Pope as a poet, does not seem to be less in favour with the author, than as a man. We have little or no criticism on his works—and what little there is, is of the coldest character—no allusions to his in comparable melody of versification ; his sparkling, tranchant, epigrammatic satire, and occasionally lofty outbreaks of indignation ; his grave moral pathos ; his unrivalled felicity of epithet ; his wit, his shrewdness, and his unerring knowledge of the world about him ;—we have nothing of all this ; though when the author speaks of Dryden, be can be copious and panegyrical enough. The spirit that pervades the Memoir of Young, is not much better than that of Pope. The critical portion, in particular, is about as common-place as it is possible to be. Conceive a writer talking of the " hollow pomp " of the Night Thoughts—of that extraordinary production which contains pas sage after passage of more weighty, profound re flection, more unleavened sublimity, more vigour of fancy, and nervous description, than is to be found in any one of our poets, with the single ex ception, perhaps, of Milton I We close our notice of this volume, by observing that it displays much reading, and more prejudice, some just and occa sionally subtle criticism, but not one atom of the feeling, the fancy, the enthusiasm, or quick, intuitive appreciation of the more recondite beauties of poetry, that characterize a critic of the higher order. LONDON AND EDINBURGH PHILOSO PHICAL MAGAZINE. R. and J. E. Taylor, Red Lion-court. The first article in this Number, which is en titled "On the Combination of Carbon with Si licon and Iron and other Metals, forming the dif ferent species of Cast-iron, Steel, and Malleable Iron," is from the pen of Dr. C. Schafhaenth, of Munich. The learned author details the result of experiments made with the view of discovering the qualities of different kinds of iron and steel, which cannot fail to be of great importance to those who are practically engaged in the various arts in which those metals are used. "On the Stratified Rocks in the neighbourhood of Killarney and Dublin," by C. W. Hamilton, Esq., is interesting to the geolo oical. student. The author points out what he con ceives to be the erroneous conclusions of Mr. Grif fith, who has lately published a map of Ireland. The paper is accompanied with a plate, repre senting, sectionally, the relative position of the dif ferent rocks of which the district under discussion is composed. Mr. J. 0. Halliwell has a curious paper " On the Connection between the Boeotian and the Middle-age Arabic Numerical Forms." The learned author has come to the conclusion that Europe is not indebted to the Arabians of the middle ages for the decimal system of numera tion, but derived it from the East, through the La tins, at an earlier period. "On Lightning Con ductors," is an examination, by Mr. Snow Harris, of certain electrical doctrines broached by Mr. Sturgeon, in a paper addressed to the British As sociation. The question at issue between these gentlemen, who are both inventors of lightning con ductors, is whether or not conductors let off lateral explosions. Mr. Sturgeon supports the affirma tive of the proposition, Mr. Harris the negative. As this is a subject of no small moment, we shall look with interest for the further details, which Mr. Harris promises in order to establish his views. In addition to several other able papers, purely scientific, which the present number contains, the proceedings of various learned societies are given at considerable length. THE CITIZEN.—.No. A ❑ew monthly Journal, devoted to politics, literature, and arts. So far as it has yet proceeded, we incline to think favourably of it, for the articles are written with tact, and show skill in the choice of subject. EVENING F.,D ITION. LETTER TO THE QUEEN. BY A COUNCILLOR OF THE We extract from this pamphlet, which is com monly, ai:d? we believe, correctly, ascribed to Lord t, Brougham, the fo;:;:wing very just observatio ns on ' the case of the late Lady Flora Hastings : i MADAM,—It is impossible for any one,. be his party \ in polities what it may, if he have the common feelings ' of our nature, to approach your Majesty withoe Pr' I \ found respect, or to contempla te y our p eculiar situ. bil l without a feeling of the most to uchin g interest. W ‘l' 1 other Monarchs of tender year s have been called to € lll f the thrones of mighty kingdoms , a nd been compelled 1 . - 0 I act under the guidance of others, or to rule by vicariou s authority, it has pleased Divine Providence to place in your Majesty's unfettercd hands, the sceptre of the greatest empire in the world, one ` c upon which the sun never sets ;" and while barely of the age which the law of the land recognizes as entitling you to act, you have wielded that seqstre for above two eventful years with as entire self-possession as it you had long ago attained majority, with as much general acceptance among your people as the greater part of your predecessors, with as few errors as fall to the lot of men or of princes, and without a single mischance which could be imputed to the inexperience of youth. I sincerely hope that your reign may be long and glorious, honourable to y ourself and happy for your people. But I ouch question if after it has closed, be its lustre ever so bright., there will be found in it any passage more striking h'.is a peculiarity to which I have alluded as marking :1.5 n oar the e . mencement. From the tone and tenor of what I have now , pre sumed to say, it will manifestly app ear to one f sr less,, discerning than yourself, Madam , t hat the p ur p t Ise of this letter is wholly devoid of any factiou s or ca p .tious feeling. With the profound respect due to my : Sove reign are united in me the feelings of admiratio , 3 in spired by her personal qualities, and the interest e• :cited by her singular position. Attracted by the sight of what is so apt to engage the heart as w•ell as to s trike the understanding, I have gone along ,pith the: g rest bulk of your Majesty's subjects in forming i,o my sell 'the brightest hopes and expectations of the ,vuture. Yet the unparalleled difficulties that beset yoL tr path tina voidably give rise to some disquietude in ( 'ur bos ours , and it is the pelt of a good subject — p art. I.on the, ex pression, Madam, if I add, it is the part of a .true friend—to point out every possible danger , and to prt le ' r incurring the chance of being deeme.d officious by offe ing superfluous coun-el rather than see your Majesl run the risk of meeting perils of which no wart tillig bad been given. But in entering on this very anxious att en ipt to direct your Majesty's attention to the diffit.ulties o. f your position, I am met by the suggestion, that some ; things have recently occurred, if not to weaken t the re spe cs hitherto felt by the people, yet to cool for A me meat the people's loyal enthusiast). In some sort• this rnaY have been unavoidable. Fits of heat and col d art apt to alternate in the public mind. The glo w of et: ter gerated devotion is succeeded by the chill w . Bich t he exhausted spirits naturally undergo. And no men' s' human creature could have realized all tha t was at fit pictured in prospect of your reign. Yet yo ur I ",...ajest) has given no just cause of disappointment. rirhe un happy affair of Lady Flora Hastings leas been put for ward as the reason why the general erethuslasni m a y have suffered some reaction. I believe if that lam ens le person had never been born or had not dieci e the peoP l f a risen of this country might have felt the same a;Sateak"! e en their zeal ; far 1 am intimately persuaded that it has partly from the mere alteration of their spirits.' a partly from their own extravagant expectations.. Let me, however, pause for a while to ask if tbertehbaet any just foundation for even the momentary f eel e g , the has arisen out of this unfortunate lady's case. eted first place, I am somewhat astonished at the atealta care of your Majesty's name, which has be en olst tiously paraded throughout the controversy . th sides) succeeding statement (and pretty equally on dis osi n has manifested a reluctance to name nam es, • t tion to stop, a desire not to implicate, or to coroml • in short, all have as significantly indicated that there was something to conceal as if they had said so—enn i d all have by their studiously assumed mystery , as ploinq pointed to the Sovereign as if they had named her sa cred name. I see no one, even on the side of the Court, who has taken either of the ties) courses whicit could alone have effected the purpose they all appeared to have in view—namely, either made no m ystery stbout the matter, or at once assumed the whole responsibility. I have next to observe, that I do not believe tht , in ferences which are so freely drawn among the credu lous and the gossips, and which, through the fa. ; nte heartedness of some, the blundering of others, and t he clumsy kindness of not a few well-wishers, have for n season been pointed against your Majesty. Nor is niy disbelief at all singular ; it is shared by the mo st acute, practised, and sagacious persons of tr•Y ac " quaintauce. the I come now to what is of far more importance to question—namely, to show that it is utterly immaterial whether the inferences to which I have alluded be true or false. For I will at once suppose your Majesty 'We e induced to regard the rumours afloat in the Palace, t° partake in the previous suspicions—nay, I will suppose , for argument's sake, that these suspicions originated with your Majesty, which I know to be untrue ; and still I will venture to assert, that no on e in your Majesty's exalted but delicate situation could have done otherwise than act upon such suspicions as soon as they arose, and require immediate measures to be taken for either confirming them or laying them at rest. Let it only be considered in what position the Queen of this country stands with respect to the purity of her own character and of her Court, if she he unmarried and young, without the shield of long-tried viietue during a life of some duration, and without the couosel aid of a husband ore brother. Tau g ht, and most justly taught, from her infancy to regard a breach of feeusla virtue as among the worst of crimes, she is dee).* aware of the pollution never to be washed out, wide which its sufferance among those who surround the throne must taint the whole Court. The natural course of feeling in a young person thus circumstanced must be to view this contamination with an exaggerated severity and alarm, and it could scarcely be m atter of astonishment, if, under the first influence of this impres sion, all other feelings had been weakened ; among them the sympathy and charity towards the individual, which under other circumstances would have prevailed. Let no one doubt that if a Queen under twenty years of age could regard such things with any but the strongest feelings of horror, her palace at a more ad vanced p eriod of her lif e wou ld emulate the Courts of the Catherines ' and Elizabeths of Russia. On examining the facts (so Jar as they are known to the public) of this unhappy affair, it is impossible to • deny that errors of judgment may have been commit ted ; yet it does not appear to me that feeling towards the individual was disregarded, more than the nece ssity of the case rendered inevitable. It may be regretted that some communication was not at once made to an ' Illustrious Lady, Lady Flora's Royal Mistress, an d . e ' the time being her natural protector. Yet that tnis error could have produced any evils affecting LadY Flora's honour I cannot for a moment suppose, for the ; inquiry was a matter of absolute necessity, and Lady Flora's honour imperatively required that everything should be made as public as possible. Whether th e Duchess of Kent was apprized of these suspicions ear l, ' . or late, or not at all, could make but little difference upon this point. The existence of the suspicious el l ' cumstance is admitted ; the existence of the suspici ° is admitted ; the generality of the impression is admitt ed. Then from that—nay, from the suspicion being en ter. tamed by your Majesty for one hour, and whether it , were carried by others to your mind, or suggeste d itself without any communication—from its existenc e for an hour there followed inevitably the neces; sity of an inquiry on your Majesty's account, a nd 01 r publicity on Lady Flora's. This is a position from ' which I cannot be driven. For I will suppos e further that you had sent ever so secret a m essage to Lady Flora or your Royal Mother, or only to one of them—i will s uppose that you had made the•com , munication ti Lady Flora herself in the most manner—nay, I will suppose, contrary to the whole truth of the case, that the suspicion existed in y our Majesty's mind alone, and that .hus a mere converse tion between two individuals had taken lace---surelY uo friend of Lady Flora's could have been P so wildly le d ' discreet as to allow the result of this e , After a a Q i i \ ii7 ti n d 0 0 0 fr ainversation tion of' the necessarily cons&quentinquiry to be concea led f NV hoer er did s s Ha l nocirtiti'uoeeudern ona,s s y se e ur r yc y a,hn s t e a a hs n ,til t ab y csnkto:Tdtl g g e jur re e s - f . o tie human nature, turd took an enormous risk upon IPiimrivsaeltf.e ! vocable w or d h a d t a k en it s fli g ht— no p o ssibility hushing up the matter remained—and the worst e ven*: of her w h o never d eserve d t o h ave an ene my, could have de v i s ed a more effectual course for the ea do ne` ing of tier than to attempt concealment. Inquiry a nd pub; lie ay were as essentially necessary to prevent innn een a c e crom being overwhelmed, as to keep the purity of, t ': a Court untarnished. Many even have not hesita tea affirm, that nailing but inquiry in a Court of Justice could eff ctually accomplish the object of protecting Lady Flora from all possibility of suspicion. It was a very frequent and a very thong/410S re; mark (luring the last summer, that the daughter 01 Lord Hastings had been more harshly treated than t! housemaid would be in any private family. Wonder.fu. want of reflection ! Is there a doubt that between noetes of honour and maid-servants—between palaces and pri vate houses—there must always be a wide difference, and that things can be easily and safely hushed up within the walls of cottages, which within the precinct! ' of the Court it would be vain attemp t ing to concea, and, if possible, be perilous in the extrem e . A servu et would, even if guilty, have been quietly removed ; ,'rho so ignorant of e vents, even by hearsay, as not to know that in a palace. and with women filling the public sta tion of Princesses and their Ladies, this is absolute!): out of the questio n ? Who so romantic as to fancy that a lady, in accepting a high place at Court, shall be ex' Pos,-(1 to none of the inconveniences Web tvoold rr I insufferable in private As well might we exclaine THE POLY7'ECH.A'IC JOURNAL - --- - - -- __ This number contains a nother paper on the his tory of wood-engraving, with some beautiful speci mens of the art at the present time. " Tile River Peneus and Mount Pindu s, and the "Templ e at Rhamnus," are proofs o f the perfecti on to which it has been brought. T he article " Behind th e Scenes" contains some amusing details of the in ternal arrangements of theatres and of the capa bilities of the various establishments in London for mechanical effects, and it is singular enough that a theatre, which never stood veryhigh , either for the character of the performances or pageants, should be described as the first •in London. " Among the minors the Victoria stands alone," says the writer; " there is 11 LI . 0 Ulla that could be done in a theatre that might c' not be effected there." " A Visit to Khosret; Dacha" has already spoken for itself in nearly all the daily journals. The Countess Nelson and family have returned to Trafalgar Park, near Salisbury, from Weymouth, where they have been passing the bathing season. Earl Nelson, who has just completed his sixteenth year, will Shortly enter one of the universities.