The Sun. — London, England, 1822-08-03 00:00:00

LITERARY NOTICE. THE COUNCIL OF TEN.—(No. III.) We take some credit to ourselves for having been the first to notke the valuable publication -which has appeared under this title. We an nounced the contents of the first number, and I :should have stated those of the second if more-, pressing matter had not prevented us.—lt con sists chiptly of judicious comments on the RE.. •YIEWS, M kO.I2,INES, and other periodical works' "of time day. 'We shall recur to that number, but the strong and universal interest which is at ' tached to the cause of the GREEKS induces us to select from the third number of this interesting ',work the following Letter on that important subject:— LETTER TO THE REV. DR. MONK, PROFESSOR OF ORF.EK, IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAM _ ___ BRIDGE. 'INTRODUCTION. The struggle of the Greeks for independence is a passing evnt of such stupendous interest, that it must be needless to bespeak for it the attention of the British nation. They, how ever, will deserve well of their countrymen, who, on an occa sion such as this, can enlighten their views, add something to their information, and give a proper direction to their sym pathy. England ' is placed in a position of extreme delicacy; the question, which regards the best course which she can adopt, 13 one of most difficult decision ; it is, whether she can obey the first impulses of all humane and generous natures ' or must,he restrained by maxims of state, and bound down by the iron chain of coercive circumstances. Whatever England does, or 4omite to do, the eyes of the world must be upon her. Her con duct must be a matter-of no ordinary curiosity to the nations of the Continent ; but to those, who are immediately concerned in. the present struggle, of intense and soul-exciting anxiety. For ourselves, as persons who have assumed certain public caps. cities, and public.duties ; as subjects of the British empire ; as men, and as Christians ; we cannot look on such occurrences with an eye of indifference. But our interference will be actu ated solely by a desire to see that England pursues measures the most worthy of herself. It is our wish to promote the true interests, and maintain the proud character, of the country. Vv e would not have her honour tarnished, and her name revil ed, either from precipitate violence, or from disgraceful for ,begrance. We would have her, if it be possible, assist the enure of freedom and humanity ; without breaking her existing treaties, aggravating her heavy burdens, or compromising her tranquillity, her dignity, and her good faith. if it be possible, we would shew ourselves to he the friends of liberty, without being the enemies of social order or established dynasties. But txpon the point, how far these different objects can be reconcil ed, we confess ourselves somewhat in the dark. At all events, • we are influenced by no selfish or unpatriotic views ; in this, as in all other instances, we shall disdain to lend ourselves to the political purposes of a faction. Our aim is to elicit truth ; and to have a subject, of such immense and vital importance, whether we regard the general principle or the particular case, freely canvassed ; fully, thoroughly, and impartially discussed. We, therefore, publish the following letter with much plea sure ; but, we must remark, without pledging ourselves by any means to a strict conformity with all the opinions which it con tains. The majority of our Council is, in fact, dissentient on several particulars ; but there is no space left for them to state the grounds of their dissent. We insert this letter, becafise it is an earnest and powerful appeal in behalf of a peo ple, which has been free, and is enslaved ; which has been il lustrious, and is degraded; which has shed a moral and intel lectual light over the nations of Europe, and is now sunk her self in ignorance and darkness; which has contributed to the happiness of mankind, and is now crushed beneath the worst and deadliest of all human afflictions. And we shall insert with equal pleasure any arguments on the other side of the question, which are written with the same spirit, the same eloquence, and the same sincerity. LETTER. • Sfit.—You have now for many years filled the dignified and arduous office of Professor of Greek in the University of Cam bridge ; and it seems to be the .opinion of all, that you have flllei it with zeal and ability. During that period, you must I:a7e been led, by inclination as well as by duty, to an ani mated and ardent study .of Greek literature ; and you have not disdained to endeavour to catch a few of those rays of glory which it st.ll continues to reflect upon its satellites. If I am correctly informed, the same altar which received the first fruits of your youthful talents, is to be covered by the riper produce of your manhood ; so that, if not an inspired, you may certainly .be considered _an unwearied, votary. lam willing to believe, "that you possess that first attribute of genius, the power of in tense fervid admiration ; and you have certainly been contem lating for years. an object of the most radiant a nd matchless beauty. Under these circumstances, I shall not insult you, by attempting to express the passionate and devoted attachment which you must feel for Greece, its inhabitants, its very soil; the fountain of your mental cultivation, the basis of your lite rary reputation. It must .be " / a love without reproach or blame,' originating in beauty, and sustained by gratitude: What then must have been the feelings with which you view ed the first convulsive starts, which shewed that this object of youl adoratioik was about to rouse itself from its long and •deathlike sleep;--with what interest,or rather with what agony, must you have seen it toss and writhe upon its bed of torture ! But when it had actually risen in its wrath, when it had put forth its regenerated strength,and was struggling furiously with the demons of tyranny and superstition„ and lust, and rapine, Sand murder, -which :were endeavouring to load it with triple chains, you too must surely have felt the" certaminis guadia," azid have burnt to assist, as you could not partake, in tie strife.' You will pardon '.me for having . thuslar, perhaps presumptu ously, attempted to deScribe emotions which have been confined to your own breast. I am now come to a point where imagina - don must stop. "I must now record your actions, or nothing. With the history of these, however, you have not thought pro per to supply the world ; and we are consequently bound to believe that you have been unable or unwilling to pass the nar row bound which parts thought and action ' and that you have suffered some of the noblest feelings of the human mind to de celerate into a barren sympathy. In dragging you and your brother. Professors before the tri bunal of public opinion, it will easily be believed that I am actuated by the purest motives—it matters not whether lam - acquainted with any or all of you. personally ; I have not done, nor can have done, any thing to forfeit my indefeasible right • 'of examining the conduct of those holding pdblic situations. -If I can shew what you night have done in this most holy cause, and prove (which, however, is self-evident), that you ought to have done it, what shall prevent me from inflicting the censure which your omission has deserved? not even the fear of wounding the feelings of otherwise respectable and emi nent individuals— 'EA),ocaoc paAto - r` ErtrlE rrc TaAa.nrctifou GTEYW, OsAouo - a Bpocv rt .iCEOVOY PappapoVc, TOUS - OU3E.Y2c, KarayEXurvras EZavr,crEi 6ix crE! The scene of desolation, which is so admirably describ ed in the well-known letter of Sulpicius, was indeed suf ficiently heart-rending to show, by contrast, the insigni ficance of all private grief ; but the spectacle which the same countries now present would afford amore amiable con solation to a lover of the human race. There are few sorrows which might not be mitigated in the bosom of an enlightened philanthropist, by the knowledge that the fairest and most sa iled portion of Greece is free. It must make those leap for joy, who have merely learnt to lisp the names of Homer and Plato ;—what must be its effect upon those who have imbibed a part of their inspiration 1 if it he true, as I believe you and your colleagues have often asserted, that a keen perception of the charms of Greek literature is more widely diffused in our own country than in any other, let us hope that our feelings have in this case kept pace with our knowledge: But however cold atid immotable we may be in the cause of literature, we never can be insensible to the cries of freedom. Our virtues and our vices--our institutions and our prejudices—our na tional glory, and our national interests, plead equally in her fa vour. Through the whole course of our eventful history, we . have never succoured her without glory, never opposed her without disgrace; end the enlightened liberality of the present age rejoices equally at our triumphs and our defeats. But few days have elapsed, since an assembly of our coun . trymen met to celebrate the deliverance of the noblest part of the new world from the Spanish yoke ; and, by a rare coinci dence, were at the same time enabled to rejoice at the emanci pation of Spain herself from domestic oppression. Here were . men of all parties, eminent for, talents and virtues, establishing, in speeches full of the purest philosophy, the universal con nexion which -exists between all parts of the human race, and . proclaiming that their own liberties were enlarged and secured . by the liberty o'f-their fellow men. I shall not attempt to con ceal, that at 'this meeting little or no mention was made of the struggling patriots of Greece ; but I confess myself utterly un . able to account for the omission of a topic of such commanding interest--Was it fear or shame wleich tied the tongues of so many independent Britons ? Indfference it could not be.— 'When, in addition to the general' principles which they had just before so nobly applied, they considered the multiplied and inconceivably great benefits conferred by Greece upon their na ,aive country; when, setting aside the benign influence which. ihe'has exercised uPon our literature, they recollected, that, a few years ago, upon the arrival of a few mutilated statues from Athens, an (era of unthought-of brilliancy dawned upon our sculpture, they could not be indiji , rent to the virtues and suf ferings of the descendants of their benefactors. I will never be lieve them, or any body of Englishmen, capable of such base and stupid inconsistency. I trust that my attachment to the great and glorious country that gave me birth will never lead me into the contemptible error of believing her faultless ; and I hope that', whenever I see Eng land on the point of disgracing herself in the eyes of mankind, I shall have the courage to make the voice of admonition heard ,how - ever it may be disregarded. It is unhappily the taste, probably because it is the interest, of many writers of the day, to flatter our national vanity, at the expense of every principle of honour, and to sooth, by the most odious falsehoods, our irritated pride, which is but too often wounded by the complaints and re proaches of other nations. This unfortunate deception is in dustriously propagated both in speeches and writings ; and 1 observe, that the most popular of our Reviews is not yet tired of the profligate and hateful labour. For my part, I shall not hesitate to express my surprise and grief at the inglorious apathy, which pervades the whole of Eng ' land, on a subject whica might have electrified a nation of slaves—much less shall I attempt to conceal my indigna tion at the conduct of such an assembly as the one above-men tioned, of such bodies as our Universities, and of such men as our Greek Professors. Before it be too late, I implore them to reject with disdain the servile adulation which is offered to them, or to make sonic glorious endeavour to deserve it— MT;6'l-,3ecial OcznrEvoth,Evotic,per mat xauvozuoi\c'rocc I at any rate do not drain with complacency the Circean cup of interested praise. The peculiar claims, which, as I have endeavoured to prove, the Greeks possess upon our compassion and our justice, have hitherto been derived from their ancestors—that which I am about to Mention, which may appear to some the strongest of all, proceeds wholly from themselves. They profess that re ligion, in comparison with which we consider all the other blessings which have been showered upon the world as worth less and contemptible—they have adhered to it under the most insolent and capricious system of persecution—and they are now defending it, as well as their liberty, against the alarmed and irritated tyrant who would extirpate both. As a distin vished member of our church, you must often have gloried in the reflection, that the exertions of Britain in the propagation of Christianity far exceeded those of all other nations. t can not help thinking, Sit, that you Will view with different feel ings the marvellous inconsistency, that a people who are will ifig to pour forth their treasures, and even their lives, for the conversion of a few obscure proselytes, shinild shew no dispo sition to rescue millions of confirmed and tried Christians from the most cruel and contemptuous enemy of their faith. You will easily perceive, thatsl do not write to those whose Chris tian sympathies arc confined within the narrow and doubt ful limits of orthodoxy—Zcsi.pEr'r Core is ToloS — his services can only be desirable for the• support of a system of intoler ance—for you and other enlightened Christians, I must already have said enqugh. It cannot be denied, then, that a most extraordinary com bination of circumstances exists, which appears to entitle Greece more especially to the commiseration of Englana—she seems to have collected all the scattered rays of interest, and cons centrated them in a focus of irresistible warmth. NiThile, as if to ensure the more speedy and effectual kindling of tbe flame, fortune has brought the two nations into actual contact, by, placing a part of. Greece itself under British protection. It is certain, and our history affords a melancholy proof of the fact, that enormities,' which, if in sight, would excite transports of horror and indignation, may be tolerated, and even defended, when committed at a distance. Let us hope that, in this\ case, the proposition will be reversed, and that the tardy and awk ward benevolence, which was so long in reaching the unhappy natives of Africa, will more speedily overleap the narrow strait which separates it from the victims of a more monstrous ty ranny. I am far from asserting, Sir, that these two cases bear to each other any more than a general resemblance; but' there is one point in which the enemies of the human race have contrived to make them coincide. We all remember that, amongst the infamously cruel arguments produced by the defenders of the traffic to, hich I have alluded, the following was not uncom mon—that its miserable objects were incapable of the virtues, and therefore unworthy of the rights, of civilized man. This viper race, this noxious and venomous brood of calumniators, is not yet extinct—and in their impious warfare with improve ment of every description, their zeal still supplies them with the ready artillery of falsehood. 'According to them, the modern Greeks are, without exception, naturally incapable of a single virtuous or generous feeling ; they shew no ardour, but in the pursuit of the most dangerous vices; they arc unfitted even to he slaves under a mild Government, since the servillity of their dispositions is more than equalled by their malignity ; they are incapable of feeling gratitude for the most overwhelming be nefits; if you release them•from bondage, you will make them your implacable enemies; you will give wings to the arrow which is to drink your blood; these are notthe descendants of the xvppEc iVictpctOwvolhaxal of the gifted warriors and states men of the days of old—they are a sordid, ignorant, grovelling, yet blood-thirsty race, who can only be prevented from endan gering the peace of mankind, by , an organized system of for cible and unrelenting coercion. ' Upon opinions like these they act, and call upon others to follow their example— the taunt is succeeded by the blow—like the base and cowardly rabble who mangled the body of the. slaughtered Hector— to; spa 1 - 1; eI'7IITX.F Yr,2l OUT"; OG7XE irapao-rac.- For the atrocious violation of truth contained in these asser tions, I might refer to the testimony of the most respectable individuals, to the notorious fact, that many of the Grecian youth have lately been educated at the most eminent Conti nental Universities, and to the moral impossibility that such a people could make an united, a steady, and a prolonged effort, to procure themselves a safe, and rational, and constitutional liberty. I will, however, for a moment suppose them to .be founded in fact ; and we shall then see the circle of argument in which it suits the narrow intellect of despotism to revolve. " I have reduced a spirited and intelligent people to the most abject state of subjection ; 1 have crushed them, and ground them down to the earth : unable to shun or ward off the blows which I may condescend to inflict,the slaves sometimes venture to mutter a desire of vengeance, and they only display their talents in shamelesss endeavour,: to regain by fraud a small part of that which it has pleased me to take from them by force. My oppression has caused them to assume the most odious of vices—but no matter, the vices will serve to justify the continuance of the oppression." As I can expect nothing from the man whose understanding does not instantly refute this argument, I shall not insult the rest of my readers by no ticing it further. I have now, Sir, I believe, established the important fact, that from the general spirit of the nation, and the high tone of feeling which animates individuals ; from the glorious treasures of poetry, and art, and philosophy, which we have drawn from the rich mine of , Grecian literature ; and from our transcendent zeal in the cause of Christianity, we are entitled and bound to lead the nations of the world, in the most righte ous cause that ever excited the energies of man. if there be any who think this distinction unenviable, I must remind them that they cannot waive it, without at the same time resigning their supremacy in public and private virtue, in literary and re ligious enthusiasm. I confess, Sir, that 1 should be inclined to reject, even if you should advise, the ignoble sacrifice. Of 'the adversaries with whom the Greeks are engaged in this unequal strife I shall say but little—it is not my intention, I believe it is not My duty, to pronounce a sweeping invective upon their institutions and religion. But, whatever erroneous ,ideas may be usually mixed up with our tuitions of the Turks, we justly consider diem as a people capable, when irritated, of the most inhuman atrocities, and easily inspired with a spirit of savage fanaticism : it isaperfectly natural that they should de fend with fury the Empire of their fathers—it is perfectly tia tural that they should see with indignant surprise, like the Scythians of old, their slaves set in battle array against them— but it cannot escape a philosopher, that they are asserting, with outrageous violence, a claim which has no foundation in nature or civilization—when contrasted with the Greeks, they only ap 'pear as persecutors raging for their victims—and, as in the fa mous parallel of the Athenian moat, we see every vice coin batinton the one side, and every virtue on the other. I must pause here for a mornent, to consider an assertion, made with the most impressive gravity, and supported by the allegation of pretended facts—but which I am bound to conas sider as an invention of unparalleled profligacy. There are writers who assert that the present Government of England is unfavoutable to the emancipation of the Greeks ; and they affirm, as proofs, that it has supplied a besieged Turkish fort ress with provisions ; and that it has refused an asylum to some miserable Grecian fugitives, who had barely escaped the sword of death, or the chains of slavery. The slenderness and improbability 61 . the facts, is such, that they would hardly af ford a pretext for belief to the most designing enemy of our na tional fame—much less are they likely to obtain credit with you, Sir, and with me, who, like Mr. Canning, have cast in our lot with the British Constitution. I confess that, if by any possible infatuation I could be induced, even for a moment, to give credit to the accusation, my constitutional feelings would receive a iphock from which they could not poSsibly recover— they would be struck by a thunderbolt which would disperse and disunite them for ever—how many deeply-rooted preju dices would be torn up, and levelled with the dust—how many fair hopes of universal emancipation, built upon the firmest basis, would be swallowed up in ruin. I should feel like one who hears that his dearest friend has been treacherously mur- dered by his most inveterate enemy, and should pant for an immediate and indefinite vengeance— Away to heaven, respective lenity, And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now ! But we'may spare ourselves the expression of a just and ho nourable indignation—the thing is impossible—some base de signing knave has forged the tale, in the hope of crushing ris ing freedom, and at the same time throwing odium upon that which has been long established. The proposition involves in consistencies, which startle reason ; it implies a sordid selfish ness, whichrmakes humanity shudder; against it, argument is a mere string of truisms, and invective assumes the character of mitigation, at the bare mention of any thing so execrable , and enormous. . Quis ccelum terris non misceat, et mare coelo ? In this case, the difference between not preventing the perpe tration of a crime, and assisting in.it, is absolutely incalcula ble ; the former, indeed, would expose our boastful pretensions to paramount nobleness of feeling, to the most bitter and in sulting scorn—it would be the subject of unceasing and almost unbearable shame and remorse ; but the latter is a madness of crime, which would infalliby operate -us a' curse ; it would make every individual, who should dare to confess that Eng land was the country of his birth, be considered as a murderer, and render us, as a people, deserving of utter and unpitying extermination. You will now, Sir, probably ask, and, I confess, with reason, why, if the expressions which 1 have above used, be justifia ble, I have addressed myself to a peaceful and retiring clergy man and scholar like yourself, instead of appealing to the mighty influence of those who sway the destinies of nations, to the Minister, or even to the King himself. I answer, Sir, that 1 have not the inclination, perhaps not the courage, to enter upon the 'gloomy and intricate labyrinth of our foreign rela tions. I might lose myself inextricably in the devious error of its windings ; or, if 1 were successful in penetrating it, I might find, at the conclusion of my labours, some' unnatural and portentous guardian, who would make me dearly abide my profligate curiosity. I shall carefully avoid, therefore, such rash intrusion, and though the interference of our Government in behalf of the Most injured beings now upon the face of the earth, is undeniably just and desirable, I will not take upon me to say that it is possible. The bed-ridden wretch, " whose fever-weakened joints,, like, strengthless hinges, buckle under life," will be easily excused from rushing to the cries which proclaim the outrages of the ravisher, or the assassin. The il lustration, I must allow, is a degrading one ; if we are reduced to a state of utter nervelessness, it is by a process widely diffe rent, from that of natural decay ; our vigour has not melted away slowly and imperceptibly—it has expired in a fierce and dazzling blaze. Whatever may be the opinions of other na tions, we continue to console ourselves by the reflection, that the struggle, in which our strength departed from us, was not . the child of passion or caprice, but the offspring " a para mount and unreasoning necessity ;" that our life-blood flowed, not for fame or empire, but for existence. If this be true, and I am not permitted to doubt the conviction of a majority of the British nation, I will leave to others the hypocritical and malicious lamentation—" that by . the performance of one duty, we have deprivedourselves of the means of fulfilling every other; that, to preserve life, we have given all that makes life worth possessing." It is the great weakness of our nature to mourn over evils absolutely unavoidable, and in such a case as this it is not an amiable weakness. it is certainly a more useful task to inquire, if the description generally given of our total state of exhaustion may not be qua lified by some circumftances which may yet enable us to make a partial exertion • but in order to accomplish this object, I must speak more plainly, and descend to more particular facts. Without refeience to any engagements which our Govern ment may have entered into wish the Continental Powers, of which we are, of course, supposed to be ignorant, I need not fear to assert, that the question of peace or war is to us, at this moment, merely financial ; there never was a nation, which in military and naval skill, in bravery, in mechanical ingenuity, in short, in all kinds of disposable, physical, and intellectual force, was more qualified to carry on victorious warfare ; yet 1 believe there are few insults, which even the _hardiest of our Statesmen would not advise us to endure submissively, rather than appeal to the sword. it is certainly consoling to think,' that the all-consuming' debt, the acknowledged cause of this compulsive tameness, is also the cause, or rather the test, of great individual riches. Singularly favoured by circumstances at this moment, and always exempt from a certain class of taxes, the public creditor might do much to support the na tional honour ; the munificence of private wealth might efface the stain which has been contracted by the general poverty, and the strange anomaly which we present to the world might cease to be dishonourable. I cannot help now asking you, Sir, whether it has never oc curred to you that a very moderate sum of money, a much smaller sum than might be expected to be raised in such a country and in such a cause, would be, under their present cir cumstances, of incalculable advantage to the Greek patriots ? lam confident that even now the present of a few thousand stand of arms, 'and a supply of ammunition, would go a great way towards securing their independence. It is well known that, in the beginning of the war, which terminated in the freedom of America, when the two armies were lying near one another in a state of inactivity, the Republicans were totally unprovided with powder, and it was afterwards acknowledged by . Washington, that, had they then been attacked by the Eng 'lisn, a superior army in other respects, they must have been de stroyed without a blow. It is perfectly must clear that this is infi nitely more likely to happen in the present case ; and it is equally evident that a trifling exertion of the wealthy in Eng land might prevent the possibility of its occurrence. We must not, we will not, basely suffer these brave assertors of the rights of man to be delivered up to their executioners in a state of un armed helplessness. Have you considered, Sir, the moral effect which would be - produced upon the minds of this acute and sensitive peo ple, by a comparatively trifling effort of British liberality ? Menaced with extermination by an overwhelming force, un cheered even by the good wishes of the mighty powers, whose religion they profess, we must expect to see their ardour con verted into despair, and their bravery into the most gloomy atrocity. There is something in the feeling of utter and un merited desolation, which debases and hardens the hearts of nations as well as of individuals ; the most ruthless arc those who in their lime have sought for pity, and found none. In deed, Sir, the smallest manifestation of sympathy on our part, die barest acknowledgment that we consider the Greeks as our brethren, would be as a light from Ileaven--sit would exalt as well as soften the energies of their minds ; at any rates if not too long delayed, it would save them from withering under the overpowering feeling of universal and unmitigated hate. You have now a right to expect, Sir, that I' should state to you with precision the particular line of conduct, which, in my opinion, you should have adopted. I will proceed there fore to mention what I think you ought to have done, and still ought to do. I am not flattering you when I suppose that you pos-. sess very considerable influence in the University in which you reside; you have amply earned it by a long and judicious at tention to its interests. This, therefore, should have been the theatre of your first' attempts. You were the proper per son to call upon the University collectively, or if that had fail ed, upon its members individually, to perform a duty perfectly conformable with the objects of its institution, and delightfully harmonizing with its most enthusiastic feelings. You are not unwilling, when required by your duty, to assume the pen ; what an appeal might you have composed upon this subject ; what an opportunity was' presented to you for an honourable display of refined and classical eloquence. The effect upon your own University cannot be doubted ; whether her haughty sister would have condescended to 1911vw her even in the path of the noblest virtue, I knot , not—but' I recollect that she lately dogged her steps in a more doubtful track ; and I cannot help believing that the illustriouslscholars and patriots by whom she is adorned, would have been inspired with the most ardent emulation alone ; the tide of bounty, flowing from such sources, would have received tribute from all that is noble, enlightened, orehumane, and would have rolled onwards to the scene of slaughter, carrying hope and courage to tile oppressed upon its ample bosom. I shall be not so malicious as to attempt to paint the pure and splendid reputation which you would have acquired by such an enterprise—failure could not possibly have disgraced you, and success would have obtained you a name, only equalled by that of 'Wilberforce, among the benefactors of mankind. You have had many distinguished predecessors in the station which you now fill, but one more particularly, the pride of his Uni versity and his country. Yet I may safely affirm that had you acted in the, manner I have described, your Professorship would have been more illustrious even than that of Porson.— What would he, the friend,of every description of liberty, have given to see this day, upon which you seem to look with such cold and sullen insensibility ? I shall not, however, proceed to condemn your conduct, without considering if it be possible to devise any plausible matter of excuse or of palliation ; for be assured, sir, that all my prejudices would lead me rather to applaud than to censure a person in your situation. I hope I shall never do either at the expence of truth. It is asserted then by those who contend that the Greeks have no claims upon our com passion," that they are to be considered as subjects in rebel lion against the rightful sovereign ; that their mad attempt is only calculated to throw into confusion the whole of Europe, and to disturb the existirg state of things, which approaches as nearly as possible to perfection ; and -they darkly insinuate that their revolt is no more than an explosion of democratic principles,. which pervade more or less every country, but are concealed in many till a more favourable opportunity offers of hurling don Monarchs from their thrones, and reducing the human race to a state of savage and - lawless equality. Alas ! the wretched 'objects of this invective are unable to comprehend its meaning—they understand not its mysterious import—they are equally ignorant of Jacobins, Reformers, Li berales, and Carbonari ; they feel, indeed, that they are sub jected to a despotism of intolerable weight, 'and they presume to inquire by what rigid it is imposed upon them ? The stern answer is ready,—by the right of conquest :—but instinctive reason then convinces them, that what has been torn from the owner by brutal violence, may be, and ought to be, recover ed by the same means, if there be no other possible method ; and they reject every argument which is inconsistent with this first law of nature, as the hateful offspring of abject and trem bling servility. It is possible, Sir, that you may be under the influence of that morbid fear of democratic encroachment, which has bound with its spells so many of the spirits of the wise and good, and has forced the firmest friends of Freedom, by its baleful delu sions, to plunge their daggers into her heart. But the time is nearly arrived when the incantations of this blood-stained hag must cease ; her abominations are become the scandal and exe crat on of the world, Canidia, parce vocibus tandem sacris, Citumque retro solve, solve; turbinem It is true, indeed, that a knowledge of the real principles of government, those principles which England was the first to practise, is rapidly diffusing itself; and shall we be so in• credibly selfish as to endeavour to impede its progress ? Base as the attempt would be, it would be still More vain and fruitless. The devouring blaze of legitimacy is rapidly sinking into a pale and flickering flame ; and woe to those who continue to guide their steps by its faint and ominous light ! We may hope to see the absolute. monarchies of the earth subside, one after the other, into representative govern ments, equally removed from the despotism of the one and of the many—and the tranquillity of the world may be secured upon the basis of the admirable maxim lately laid down by an enlightened statesman, " that to rebel against freedom is the greatest crime—to rebel against tyranny the greatest virtue !" ' But I believe, Sir, I must be mistaken in supposing you to be moved by such pitiful arguments : is it possible, then, that you can fear the snarling growl, or the ve,oulous bite, of the creatures that use them ? It is certainly probable that you would not entirely escape their malice—some peculiarity of your person or manner would be served up to the weekly appetite of malignity as a delicate morsel, after its more substantial repast upon insulted honour or traduced chastity. All I can say is, that, if you dread such attacks as these, you must never think of attempting any public good—it will be dangerous to be too active even in private charity. Though I have selected you, from your office as Professor, and from the high dignity which you hold in the church, as the most proper person to address in behalf of Greeks and Christians, yet lam far from meaning to assert that you are culpable, alone, or even more so than Professor Gaisford, and the other eminent scholars of both Universities. Why do we hear nothing now of the heroes who appeared to the world to have devoted their lives to the service of Greece—do they shrink in the hour of need ? Will they tamely see some inferior warrior, some Menelaus of literature, risk his reputation in a cause worthy of the noblest, and in which they were sure to have triumphed ? If this be really their intention, I feel con vinced that that generous champion, whoever he may be, will not fail to dismiss them with the humiliating, yet appropriate wish— ANA UthEic 1.1,5 V 'rani; acop xtzi yam ygvesAE, H i ttsvor cool Exacrret, astr i ptet, otxAssc carrwc. The age of Dr. Parr,. that veteran, who has seen more than one generation of critics, may well excuse him from mingling in the conflict; but I am convinced that it has not so far deadened the feelings of his ardent and patriotic mind, as to render him insensible to the degeneracy of his feeble succes sors. He may, probably, wish, like Peleus, to take refuge in the grave from the painful and degrading spectacle. I have now, Sir, to perform the more pleasing task of paying a sincere tribute of applause to some individuals of less cele brity, who, though they have not organized any comprehensive plan of assistance, have, at least, made isolated efforts in be half of distress deserted by its natural protectors. I shall single out one who was early in the field, a member, I believe, of your own society ; his generous conduct may have clashed with the rules of an antiquated institution.; but 1 must be allowed to hope, for the sake of the eminent individuals engaged in it, that he acted in a manner conformable with its spirit. lam happy to say, that while I am writing, the number of such men is continually increasing ; but I am yet unable to find in the honourable list the names of those who stand fore most as scholars. The inhabitants of an inconsiderable town petition Parliament to protect Greece from being made a desert, and her inhabitants hunted like wild beasts from the earth—the Professors, the Commentators, though called upon to raise their voites by every tie of gratitude and en thusiasm, are silent. What, can you expect us to answer, then, when you claim, by the dignity of your situations, and the splendour of your attainments, our respect and reverence ? That you are unworthy of the double share, which we, imitat ing the example of the ancients, were willing to allow the learned in our feasts 'if—that your external appearance of taste and refinement conceals sordid and interested dispositions—that, instead of inspiredsworshiPpers in the temple of genius, you are mere hirelings, that swell the pomp of the procession, and partake in the spoils Of the sacrifice. Are you, after all, no thing more than a band of (TtelEr. 7 l. l -wv 'Oriffrof , ES) whose hearts are benumbed and contracted by the painful and barren toil ? I will never believe it—l am confident that you will yet shew by your actions the falsehood of such outrageous asper sions, and make us cast to the winds ideas which arc equally injurious to you and to ourselves. But even should this be the case, 1 shall only feel myself cal led upon to retract a small part of my censure. Should the slumbering virtue of the nation arise, and ultimately, as it must do, drag you with it, your situation will still be far from glorious—you will be a weight, a drag, an ocOxta qoAxic upon public opinion, instead of being the spring which sets it in motion—instead of leading the van of the army, you will be goaded on in its rear like forlorn and overwearied captives —you are too late to acquire fame, but it is something to pre vent your characters from becoming irretrievably infamous. We are necessarily so ignorant of many of the circumstances of the war, and its features are so rapidly changing, that it is impossible to speak with any certainty as to the termination of the contest : it seems but too probable, however, that unless speedy and effectual assistance be afforded, the desolation of Scio will be extended over the whole of the most lovely of coun tries ; that the greater part of the inhabitants will perish, and the survivors be reduced to a state of slavery that might justify the melancholy custom of the-ancient Thracians, the mourning over the new-born, and the rejoicing over the dead. There can be no doubt that, if this be the close of the bloody scene, we shall be devoured by bitter and unavailing regret—we shall look back with the deepest Jiorror and remorse upon our incom prehensible apathy—we shall bewail the memory of Patriots, whose labours we ought to have shared—we shall adorn the tomb of a nation which we ought to have rescued from death. lnnubet tepido pellex Cornelia busto. * Lucian. Chronosolon. 'rots 7avoci3EU ILE' , al 64tAacria irxv , rx irEpinEa-Ow, cciov 7ccg 6tihotfirocc CHELTENHAM, AUGUST I.—A subscription has been opened for Mr. GREEN (and family,) and the list of subscribers is not only numerous, but its amount is considerable. A report has just been received that the balloon has been taken up at Woodstock, and that it is very little injured. Mr. Green's wife and son are here, and their distress 'is beyond description. A report was brought this morning into the town, by a farmer, that Mr. Green was dead ; but within the last hour, the surgeon, Mr. Murly, has arriv;. ed with intelligence of both of the Gentlemen being much better. Snow ra OF .SNAILS.—T he Cheltenham Chro nicle says—" A few days since a shower of snails was observed to fall on a piece of ground nearly opposite Jersey Villa, near Cheltenham. Several of them were picked up by Mr. FREE MAN, a surgeon of this town, who kindly permits the curious to inspect them." Pious ROBBERY.—Thursday evening, while Mr. Bassett, of Dean-street, Soho, was engaged with his family in the upper part of the house, an elderly woman contrived to enter the place, -and steal from the parlour two books, which were ly ing on a table, the one Fox's Book of Martyrs, and a Family Bible. The robbery was discovered al most immediately after it was perpetrated, and an alarm was given, when it was ascertained, that three men and an old woman were seen lurk ing about the house, and not far from the spot the old woman was discovered with one of the books. She was immediately taken to the watchhouse, by Gook, .a constable, and yesterday examined at Marlborough-stre.et ) when she was remanded, FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. PARIS, JULY 30.—1 t is said that an extraefr dinary courier has arrived from Madrid, and tha t he brings intelligence of the formation of a M i. nistry, entirely devoted to the popular cause. It is also stated that the Extraordinary Corte; have been. convoked.—(Le Constitutionnel.) There has been received at Paris the act o f accusation drawn ni) by the Procureur-Gerw ral of the Court of Poictiers, against Gen. Berto n and his accomplices; the accused appear to hpf frequently employed the names of several Me rra. bers of the Chamber of Deputies, to lead into error the individuals whom ,they wished to se duce. We have been particularly a fflicted 011 reading the following passages (pages 67 and 6-8) : " He (Grandmeuil) then made journies to Par a It follows from the discourses which he h e ' that he was presented to the Deputies Lafi tt t e ; Benjamin Constant, Foy, L a F a y e tte, that was recognised by them by means of C a rbon°, cards, that he saw them singly and togeth er ' that the Marquis de la Feyett e p a id the exP ell % of his journey ; that h e r e c e i ve d from th e se Gentlemen instructions for the new m ° t v il e i; ment to be operated on Saumur. If to movement had been successful, one " I" break out in the capital, where it was c°l , e pletely organized. Its object was to deth ra c i. o , the King, and take possession of the Royal ' l n j mily. The debates will instruct us to whom 1 " 5. before whom Grandmenil held these disou r n se d, Moreover, it is proved, that this accused (Gr a n C , menil) presented to the Marquis de la Fal e .` ni , in the month of May last, one of the mo st portant agents of the new c o nspi ra cy ; that t he Marquess de La Fayette said to Grandmenil, m g moment he took leave of him, " Courage/ j, dear Grandmenil." It is after this that G raP r ; menil took Berton to the envi ron s of Sati ° o that Berton confided, and gave himself LIP im.—(Quotidienne.) of A report is , in circulation that the Mg • 70' Prussia is to visit Paris without dela y. ---4 6° ' tutionnel.) f alf Our Correspondent at Aix-la-Chapelle ;ne°-01).. us that the account of the last successe s ; 0 1 tamed by the Greeks has diffused unj /e „ 0 05 satisfaction throughout Germany. SubscriP; - e st continue to be raised in many of the. g di a rk towns; and from time to time young men,s e i ` no ty as well as students, proceed towards the reln`de, nesus to combat beneath th e standard nt . pendence.—(Journal de Paris.) of SMYRNA, JUNE 30.—Youssouf Smyrna, whom circumstances had taken t° allowed himself to indulge in revolting ex ce ' t he notwithstanding the wise r e p resen tations i. co o- Captain Paella, who, tired of his odinu s S top duct, determined to march against hin l , t° ,o him. A combat was the consequence , ' 9 f stic"; lives were lost on both sides, and Yous se9 c . l ol(. l ceeded in effecting his escape ; but the ' l „ial Admiral sent every where orders to ha ve the arrested.—Captain Hamilton, commauding, hi; English naval force in the Levant, ch ir , in i ,' $ ll stay here, treated as a liberator and I.3('s'enecta the unfortunate who approached - tear Oriental.) COURT OF ASSIZE AT COLMAN' SITTING ITzistannd?tyhe sub JULY 25. feel of wife; - , f ee, The King's Lieutenant bai I ,1, called back, and the following question was put to the 0 VERNY through the President— lilt °Li' Have you any knowledge that there has existed Or 5 The King's Lieutenant and the Sub -Prefect a secret or mysterious society at Belfort ? aho cerey both no, hue exists no such society in the n of nelf°re. i °i ' ll to the O. t ly In answer to a question from the President• as was v rfe,o , of the witness, the King's Lieutenant declared he e,, e t convinced that it was a conspiracy' which he had had t' 0. 1 nour of defeating. s 3 ,‘ - f the wi tne nt M. BARTHE contended, that the opinion 0 t to sa to for o f no evidence ; it was the province of the Jury nion upon the facts. ~a o a,i o The PRESIDENT declared his opinion of the deP . ,'":ol l :,, b j the King's Lieutenant. The conduct of Guinand l'''ll.e ~i, Ito be an accomplice. A man who flies is g uiltY; irig at,n e l i as prevents his arrest is equally guilty. They who, I ; ) ens , k pursue and endeavour to arrest him are good ci ti y eak" jag the persons who apprehended Louvel were goo d citl f reo oo o , The PRESIDENT was interrupted in this chain °their C°)i ao o j 0; by the indignant expostulations of the accused sel. The Procureur-General informs the acc i n s , c tsfa et rth e Verny, that they have no right to express their co'' - c ter and the Counsel entreat the Jury to mark the cha rs I ,ltl l • • proceeding. of t ' ll d 'O P Twenty-third Witness.—M. George, Captain , o o bv -1 -Prefect Regiment of the Line, declared that he had hear" 3 0 1 4 i language. a trite The KING'S Lieutenant, being called back an aOw e ,i 5 as to this point, made the same declaration. VeaDitie- The twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth witnesse n 'a n os r al Lebourg, two soldiers of the 29th Regiment, hear 1101 e cries uttered by Guinand. f t be,. ic h : The twenty-sixth witness, Maximi, a sola-i er .oce I .'i t , said' Guard, added ta his written testimony a cirenn he ar . 4,,, a oll at '• had forgotten to mention, namely, that he lla t • P ik— CO ' , 1 an tow that Guinand exclaimed, as the soldiers were e„, e t , " To-morrow the tri-coloured flag shall wav e - re gim e Belfort." oth o, The next witness, Gambier, asoldier of the 2 'ard b l , he be 0 .1 deposed, that after he had arrested Guinxn" 01 t ° ; o 5 the words mentioned by the last witness. ~„,,-„ cleP' ressi c r ti 28th Witness.--Brunelet, a soldier of the w'''tber of a , same effect as the last witness, but added nlar ° t on '` .. „,f tbe i " o r which he pretended to have heard Guin an`_ i , , 0.0 1 1 1 ; e hol l h " ci Gambier did not hear, though they each her", l ' s for 1." t be ' ' cubed. He heard Guinand say he had cartriageolei t. - ~,a s of the Emperor, that he had powerful friends, . o e, ,- ie O ti ot t ' tri-coloured cockades in his pockets. A -f o rd AV Gambier who held an arm of the accuse d , ,-„,.i , called back, and declared that he heard not n ita des' i , ea ti , 1- 3 ":1- Emperor, powerful friends, or tri-coloured °° fat he ay e ' at ' Dabussiere, a mason at Belfort, deposed t' 1 ,,,,n sed nand declare that the tri-coloured flag wo uld nole , ert s t y fort, and that he had cartridges, tri-coloured.„'reone eke Lieutenant-Cqlonel Regniac and Captain Pt i fa s o il back, and deposed that the witness Dabussieres ,be , ! I f. tremely drunk. a tb 3 e 0 t bif . , w itte , 0 0s ~ On his cross-examination, Dabussieres a. . 0 t he P ce )". 0 1(f been employed by the Police to make search I ,e ev iden t° kn e e , Petite Jean, for the purpose of getting 1 W t'" Oto thing li savgal trial. Before he went to work he asked for trisible,.°fineithe a preliminary which he declared to be inal s t - ot ties ( Poise °, el' . eel s casions. M. Petit Jean brought him three , :dot s. , s p r s 0 shortly after he found several packets pf ca r ' << This l„eite t agents of the Police immediately exclaimel'. e vera l r been, what we are looking for:" Two flags an" - i , atotae • tri-coloured cockades were also found. h a ve Y ° l 5 OP M. CitamEn—Since the affair at Belfdrt, editi°°6 sentenced to 15 days imprisonment for using s , •ed , ~ , ..1 Witness—Yes ; but 1 was unjustly se nterZ lce a , s i o ge_ i a PRESIDENT—TeII us why you were se% ba nal a , o t s vi e Witness said he happened to meet a feln_ s he cr tie r r 'g the streets, and that he asked her whetherin rin g . .. f 0 so,_- o f something better than the songs she waT to s lc ( f ! whic P e 0, apswering in the negative, he happen e e" ho rthen ° ,--asi 1 1, 0 4 honour of the Emperor Napoleon, th , the w- a 'd KATI Vive l'Empereur ? But, the she sang N . 0 :e thinking all the time of the Emperor. nr," l l `; e fore - o ` t i, seat' surely say Vive l'Empereur de Rdssie , unjO ' O e Notwithstanding this explanation, be "- V. an t to imprisonment. J.,-dirt' , c f al 26111 .has - A p AUDIENCE OF THE hich ~t h vent yr , -g f• or ou. , 7 We have this day witnessed. an e his 01 WhOIC town into consternation. T eleven, thr l owiz b , eac 11 0ri zoi, ar '4413 throe l'owder Peer blow: cf this e corne a I te rrible cal ect. th is calam kias, ant 411 . Th 'nef and The pe Ju ry, occ necessary Sitting wl N .OTICi Which 1 CON IlJdes ar, c. i r• Ofti to ir for Cure.., hat, "K St Per c e ' u Per, " . 1 Per ( I Pet c, ) t , er ~a nk 14'1). ?R ic} Vret l; Prqs, wlo , SPau b an Neal Aus; It us , (;hil ltil4 ‘,. 1 .1 1,, 1 - v,cien H