The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1803-03-26 00:00:00

L:1 'NAM tIV!'SAPIII'•

L

CANDO-NS.
Then the glory of the arms of Portugal had
re:idled its meridian splendour, nature, as if in pity •
of the eterary rudeness of that nation, produced
yet great •Poet, to record the numberless aftions
of high spirit performed by his countrymen
Except Oboffius, the historians of Portugal are little
better than dry journalists. But it is not their in-
elegance which teudered the poet necessary.. It is
the peculier nature of poetry to give a colouring to
h-ribie &ions, and to express an iltdianition against
the tee:taws of honour, in a spirit `Which at once
wirer. :he heart of the man of feeling, and carries
with it an instantaneous conviaion. ftte brilliant
eztioid ef the Portuguese formed the great hinge
h opened the dour to ;he :nest important alter-
:nine in the civil history of mankind. And to place
taesie atoens in the light and enthusiasm of poetry.
that enthusiasm which particularly assimilates the
youthfel breast to its own fires, was Luis de Ca-
nteens, the poet of Portugal, born.
Different cities claimed the honour of his birth;
but, according to N. Antonio, :and Manuel Correa
his intimate friend,, this event happened at Lisbon,
in 1517. His family was of considerable note, and
originally Spanish. In 1370, Vasco Perez de Caa-
mans, disgosted at the Court of Castile, fled to that
of Liebrin, where Kitt.: Ferdinand immediately ad-
mitted him into his council, and gave hint the Lord-
ships of Sardoel, Punnete, Marana, Amendo, and
-other considerable lands ; a certain proof of the
eminence of his rank and abilities. In the war o
the succession, which broke Out on the death o
Ferdinand, Caarnens sided with the King of Cas
tile, and was killed in the battle of Aljabarrota.
Min though John I. the victor, seized a great part of
his estate, his widow, the daughter of Gonsalo
Tereyro, grand master of the order of Christ, and
general of the Portuguese army, was not reduced
beneath her rank. She had three sons, who took
the name of Camoens. The family of the eldest
intermarried with the first nobility of PortUgal, and
even, according to Castera, with the blood royal.
Bet the family of the second brother, whose fortune
seas slender, had the supeiior honour to produce the
anthor of the Losiail
Fitly in his life the misfortones of the poet began.
In his infancy, Simon Vaz de Camoens, his father,
commander of a veeeel, was shipwrecked at Goa,
Itvhere, with his life, the greatest part of his fortune
was lost. His mother, however, Anne de Macedo of
Santarene, provided for the educeeion of her soft
Luis at the University of Coimbra. What he ae.
gun-id there, his works discover: an intimacy with
the classics, equal to that of a Sealiger, but diree-
ed by the taste of a Milton or a Pope.
When he kart the University, he appeared at
Court. • Ile was handsome, had speaking eyes, it
is said, and the finest complexion, Certain it is,
however, he was a pelished scholar, which, added
to the natural ardour and gay vivacity of his dicpcs-
sirion, rendered him an accomplished gentleman.
Courts are the scenes of intrigue, and intrigue was
fashionable at Lisbon, But the particulars of the
amours of Carneens rest unknown. 'lbis only ap-
pears: he had aspired above his rank, for he was
banished from the Court, and, in several of his son-
nets, he ascribes this misfortune to love.
He now retired to his mother's at Santarena.
Here he 'mewed his studies, and began his Poem
on the Discovery of India. John 111. at this time
prepared an armament against Africa. Carnoens,
tired of his inadive obscure life, went to Ceuta its
this expedition, and greatly distinguished his valour
in several rencountets. In 4 naval engagement with
the Moors, in the straits of Gibraltar, in the con-
fliet of boarding he was among the foremost, and
lost his right eye. Yet neither the hurry of airtual
service, nor the dissipation Of the camp. could stifle
his genies. lie continued his LuJi2das, and several
of his most beautiful sonnets were written in Africa,
while, as he expresses it,
One hand the ven, and one the tweed empiny'd.

The fame of his valour had now reached the
iurt,and be obtained permission to return tc Lizhon.
But while he solicited an establishment which he had
merited in the ranks of battle, the malignity of evil
tonnes, as he calls it in one of his letters, was injari-
ously poured upon him. Tho' the bloom of his early
youth was effaced by several years residence ender the
scorching heavens of Africa, and though altered by
the loss of art eye, his presence gave uneasness to the
gentkmen of sortie families of the first rank, where
I e had formerly visited. .Ic.ilousy is the charac-
teristic of the Spanish and Portaguese ; its resent-
ment knows no bounds ; and Camoens now found
it prudent to banish himself from his native 4otin-
tTy. Accordingly, in 1553, he sailed for India, with
a resolution never to return. As the ship left the
Tagus, he exclaimed, in the words of the sepulchral
monument of Scipio Africanus, Ingrate 'atria, non
puradeil 0113 Mtn Ungrateful country, thou skdt
put possess my bones ! But he knew not what evils
in the East would awaken the remembrance of his

native fields.
When Camoens arri.-ed in -India, nn expedition
was.rrody to sail to revenge the K!ng of Coehin
.en the King of Pimento. Wit. Lout any • rest on
*bore, after hit long voyage, he joined this arma-
ment, and in the conquest vt theZ(lxfewstlaislands, dis-
flayed his usual bravery. But Perhaps,
%helve-oes; praise. la a sonnet he mentions this
espedstivn: we went to punish the sing of Pifnenza,
irs he, e, meadows hem, and we succeeded
1%.11cil leis consislered that the poet bore no irsonsi-
deg alike (11nrc in the victory, no ode conclude
'wire tick,-antly, more happily than
In the year fullooing, he attended Manuel de
Vincosicelks in an expedition to the Red Sea.—
.4ses*Futia, as Canuens had no use for his
e‘sorsi, bt trnpLated his pen. %sr was his aitivity
confia:d is% the fleet or camp. He visited Mount
At end the ad; scent Inhospitable regions of Afri-
ca, which 1w w stmn.gly pi Lures in the Lusiad, and
in tole hule pieces, wnere he laments the ab.-

:ewe of Inc niistres-4. •
When he tett • 'to Goa, he enjoyed a tranqui-
lity which enai4. in to 1-,rtow his attention on his
epic poem. Bet this serciii:.y se 4s interrupted, per.
baps by his own imprudence. 1k mote.stime satyrs
which gave elem.*, Ir 7 order of the Viceroy,
r.tncisco Barre:o, he was Liiinisiiel,w China.
[To k coahnesed3

•tbe close of the fifth

COVINTRN
day's poll, the numbers were,
tor M. 111,•or • FI+
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NAT 42. IY77I.LIGEKCE.

ri.vmovrit, MARCH 23.
Lord Keith k uncommonly aftive in forwarding
the equipment of the ships fitting for sea at this
port. Capt. Otway is hourly expetqed to t'ke the
command of the Culloden, of 73 guns, vier ~iptain
Lane, who is appointed to the Prince Frederi.l, of
74 guns, receiving-ship. The Salvador fir! Mande,
of )90 guns, is also overhauling, to be got ready for
a receiving-ship.
A marine of the Mars, of 7.3 guns, yesterday fell
down the main hatchway, and was so bruised as to
be conveyed to the Royal Naval Hospital.
Yesterday evening, the Boadicea, of 43 guns,
Capt. Maitland, lying in the Sound, tired a gun, and
hoisted a signal for all officers to temaia on board.
At a ottaru•r before seven she got under way,
and stood direiftly down Channel, with a fine lead-
ing wind ; her destination is at present unknown.
lithe armament goes on, there will be a stroeg
park of artillery near Tomos, in this garrison, and
at Lestwithiel, Cornwall.
Came in a neutral vess.-.4 from sea, the master (if
which reports, that he spoke with, some days since,
the ship Beidga, D. 'rhoinas, master, in lat. 41.3.
long. 11. 49. W. all well, on her voyage from Liver-
pool to Virginia, with a line leading wind.
The Tenant, of 80 guns, Capt. Sir E. Mew,
Bart ; the Malta, cf guns, Capt. Buller ; and
the Soartiaie, of sit guns, Capt. G. Murray, have
got all their lower rigging over head, and their top-
masts up.
There was a very hot press last night throughoist
Plymouth and j)ock, and many useful hands were
picked op and sent op board the Cadre, of 74.
guns, A dmiral Lord Keith..
PORTIIKOCTNI maltcll'24.
Went nut of harbour his Majesty's ship Diamond,
of 3't guns, Captain T. ElphinsWn, and L'ifigle, of
36 guns, Captaii: Wolfe.
Arrived his Majesty's ship Juno, of 32 guns, Cap-
tain Richardson, from tile eastward.
His Majesty's ships Aurora and La Deter-at:l,k, this
day embarked the 8l st Regiment for Guernsey.
The his, cif guns, Capt. Lobb, is under orders
to proceed to the Downs, where it is supposed she
will hear the flag of Edward Thornbrough, Esq.
Rear Admiral or the Blue.
Commissions are received here, appointing officers
to his Majesty's ship Puirrani, of 74 guns.
Orders arc received here to fit for a state of com-
missioning, without delay, all the line of battle
ships at this port not in need of any great repairs.
All the gun-brigs are also ordered to be got ready
for prompt service ; with the flat-bottomed boats,
and every description of small vessel laid up at this
port.
Sailed the Clarletoa, --.---.., for the East In-
dies, and several other outward-bound vessels.
CMATHAM, MARCH 24.
The Lords of the Admiralty have directed that
the men of war fitted out at this port shall take in
their powder, guns, &c. in Long Reach, about
half way to Sheerness, instead of Blackstakes,
where they have hitherto brought up for that pur-
pose.
Yesterday, about eleven o'clock, the Anion!,
Capt. Winthorp, got under way, with a tine
breeze; being the first ship of the armament that
has left this port, much anxiety appeared on the
countenances of many who were viewing her, as to
the issue of the present bustle. She is now at an-
chor in Long Reach, and this day most of her guns
have been shipped off from the ordnance wharf.
The Victory having had a most comp".ete r., air,
is ordered to be fitted for a flag ' • she will be out of
dock in a few days; it is said Cap:. Sutton is to
have life.
LIVERPOOL, MATCH 23.
Arrived the Hibernia, from Africa and Barbadoes,
that Vas on shore. The Rig hard, Perrin, from Lon-
don and New York, is arrived at Jamaica ; the 41-
chynt'st, Neverson, from Liverpool and Dominica, at
St Vincent's ; tke Alexander, Ainsworth, from Liver-
pool, at the windward coast of Africa; and the
Laurel, Gould, from Liverpool at Africa.

114 ARCH 24.
An it ed the Print,' of J olu packet, Capt. Sutton,
with Mr. Perry, who proceeded to London with
dispatches ; also the Hjac;na passage vessel, Polet,
with Mr. Goldfinch, Mr, Collett. Lieut. Aka. Ca-
meren, and a number of other passengers.
Sailed this afternoon Duchess of Top I, Watson.

TRINIDAD, Mar‘b 3.

On Monday last, about ono o'clock, his Majesty's
ship if/me', of guns, Capt. Columbine, anchored
in the Oulph. His Excellency General Piaon im-
mediately deputed Sir Jemes •Bnntein and the Hon.
John Black, to wait upon Col. Fullarton, with con-
gratulations on his arrival, and a request to be inform-
ed when he proposed to land. When the deputation
returned, orders neve immediately issued to prepare
for his reception the next morning. A.t about nine
k his Excellency landed, and was received upon
the wha..; by 4everal Members of the Council, of the
Cabildo,Ciril and Military Officera, and most of the
principal inhabitants. 'llse military, drawn, up on
each side of the street from the Fort to Government-
house, raid the customary compliments, and General
Piacm, with a Lirgeparty.of Ci.yil and Unitary Gen-
tlernets, received him with all imaginable respeCt.
His Majesty's Commission being read, which ap-
pointed Colonelkullarton, Brigadier-General Pis on
and Captain Hood, Comn,issioncis for the acairs of
and the two E.t.a being sworn in (Captain
Hood not htieg as . yet arrived), Cul. Fullerton ex-
pressed in lisely terms his most anxious wish for the
welfare and prosperity of the colony; declaring that
• nothing should. be wanting on his part to render the
situation of every individual as comfortable as an im.
partial distribution of instice would permit ; at the
sartisr time observinz, that the cev.tua Qf General
Piton had been rich as at borne been highly
approved, nod whidli, he was tberiaughly convinced,
would alwa-/s tend to promote thcri;.-.:l(ire of die
itl-
habitants oetrinidad. To which General Piftou.re-
plied, so.that the welfare and happiness of ere island
had most cerise:illy constituted his first and only wish;
but that he was tirmly persuaded, that to please every
man was not in man's lower.”—t)n the net day all
the Afficers, both Civil-and military, attended at Go-
vernment-house, to congratulate die Commissioners :
and the following day the Merchants attended for :he
like purpose,:ind to ex press their firm reliance upon die
wisdom and justice of their 'administration; to which
their 'Excellencies were pleased to reply int arpropriate
r tji ais.

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