The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-07-31 00:00:00

it a. a reward to the first of her children, slow proficiency
enoold enable him to read it to her. The emulation of Al.
PeA was excited: he ran to his master, applied to the tusk
with diligence, perforated it to the satisfaction of the Queen,
▪ reeeived the prise of his inthestry.
1 he northern nations were all passinaately tonal of their
vm,scular poetry. Every victory whirh they obtained was
e.aleSeated in the straw of their bards: Dud the-memory of
their fathers was preserved and consecrated in their teach-
t.troary poems. To Mhos to inch ellasiosis was the great
airtight of Alfred: he teamed them by heart, and was
pcond to repeat them to ethers. Dnt by the death of his
foments he was transferred to the rare of an elder brother,
who seelectecl the ethication which had been begun by his
another. and when he had reached his twelfth year be was
far fr..an being perfect in the humble but necessary art of
readieg. The utility of this attainment, though it laid the
("mediation of his future proficiency, was cireamscribed
...ton a very narrow circle. For Saxon literature comprised
..ft!, • few natives' poems, and Woke of devotion ; the
eyesores of history aid science were still locked up in the
eamority of • boozed language. Whets in a later period
of life, oppressed with disease, and occupied by the cares of
sorsernment, the Kiag applied himself to the study of the
1.311 n longue, he bitterly lamented that indulgence which
I sti permitte diversions, to throw away the years of his youth in
"...oils and from which he had reaped nothiog
bot ignorance and regret.
" But if the mind of Alfred had not received the polish of
c!,...eal literature, it had been deeply impressed with reit-
sentiments, which Witenesd his conduct (brooch life.
At the age of twenty he determiu.d from motives of virtue
to reser,. The lady whom be honoured with his choice was
A!swiths, thedaughter of Ethelfrid, • Mercian ealdorman,
a... 4 of Carthame, a Princess of the race of Pend*. Butt
the joy of the militia! airman, was clouded by an lines.
eceted calamity. In the midst of the festivity, while Alfred
ass. ceterminiog the themes of both kingdoms, he was mud
..'•••!)- seized with • must paha.' disorder. lie seal was in
roel: its origin and nature bailed all the science and skill
r the Saxon physiciane. By the ignorance of the people it
e.,* attributed to magic, or to the malice of the devil, or to
et. and unknown species of fever. from that moment to
the de, in which Avlifr wrote his history, during tbe long
I ore of five-and twenty years, the King was atteted with
ch. mrderions disesee: its attack were almost incessant
rah short interval of ease was imbittered by the prop
cc! of a speedy return of pain It coutinued to It
-en till lii. death."—(Pp. 173-175.)
It has been said that the cheractrr of Alfred was without
Vetnish. Such tinquelified praise is the language of che-
f .real declamation, rather than of historical truth. In his
. ly yeses. indeed, his opening Tint oes endeared him to the
't on : and in • more advanced eye he was the gnardian
the b.norfacter of his conntry. But in his conduct at
commencement of his reign there was much to repot-
eve!. The young Monarch seems to hare considered his
Lich dignity as an emancipation from restraint, and to have
fantod !thieve, I veil amidst his struggles with the Danes, to
inr4elge the impetausity of liis passions. The scandal of
eringford may be dismissed with the contempt which
it perhaps deserves; hut we learn from more ancient
elh'w;ties that his immorality and desputisni provoked
th.• (..fMlre of his virtuous kinsman gains Nrot and
A *ger. hos fiend and panegyrist, acknowledges, that be was
nuzlity to his subj-cis, that he omit eted the adminiatra.
I.. Jr. of justice, and treated with contempt the complaints
o r tNt iodigent and oppressed. It was to this indiscretion
(o burros the terns loader which the partiality or the
I --erctri..r was silting to veil the mieriinduct of his patron),
1'7,1' Alfred himself attributed the severe and unexampled
ea. coin which belated him io the eighth year of his
f iv, For the piety of the age, instead of tracing events
1. their political sources, referred them immediately to the
vr ...lance of God; and considered misfortunes as the in.
t ?current sith is hills divine justice punished past enormities."
180, 181)
(to be confirmed.)

lIMEIGN INTELLIGENCE.

-....m..-
DUTCH 111 AI L.

BRUSSELS. JULY 24.
Accoesots from Lille say, that in the great plain
ruts sd that city, in which there are several large
towns, such as Roubaix, Turcoin, and Moscroen,
'navy (((( sand workmen live, who gain a good
I ...:.hood by working IU the lU'lllUrACtOflet Within
y ear many Netherlsoid and some English ma-
poolacturers have settled here, and from time to time
turei-lwd better work. The jeldoul thus excited,
trod also a diminution of the demand, by which
tonne master manufacturers have been obliged to
d.scharge come workmen, or to lower their wages,
have caused first discontent, and then a kind of in-
surrection. Numerous hands of workmen, armed
irate sticks, forks, and sabre., have as-embed in these
towns. and demanded that the foreign workmen
shall be sent away, threatening if Ow demand is
not complied with, to set fire to the manufactories.
The gendarmerie assembled immediately from all
tuiarters rod were supported by some detachments
of the garrison of Lille. In 1 places they have
come to Wows, and some of the workmen have
b, •n wounded, and put under strict confinement.
Itlf.'entotne the spirit of discontent is not allayed in
this populous plain, but the Magistrates have
tot:opted the best measures to preserve tranquillity.
Notaithstailding the bad success of the first at.
tempts of General M'Gregnr, the favourers of the
party a the losurgents in New Grenada appear not
iv be discouraged. Two agents have arrived at
Gherit. and General Macirone is also expected.
We Icarn that they mean to purchase arms. and. if
;tastable, engage officers now on half-pay.
I.EYDEN, JULY 22.
country, and the sciences,
' en irreparable loss by the
'earned M. S. S. Burgmatins,
hernistry, and Natural His-
lluess of a few days, iu the

f STA NTIN OPL C, JUNG e 5.
prevented Spain from con-
Treaty with the Porte, has
special order of the Sullen ; so
)portsut to the Spanish cum-
Ided.

STOCKHOLM, JULY 19.
r Ship w tins port, loaded by
Itor, bound to Egypt, oath
,ceroy.

HAMBURAM, JULY 20.
Constantinople have been received
to which • Convention has
'vett the Paella of Egypt and
iughatn, two British ow-
ronsol at Cairo), to facilitate the
• way of Sues.—(Datch L'a•

t. This University, the ci
,:,,re
this day sustained
di!sth of the very learn
1
;I '
.:,
I
It Professor of Botany, Che
torr, after a severe ilia
.;7•13 )ear of his sr..
cONSI
. The difficulty which
eviling sib Cloth Wert 1.11 .
been removed by • speci
that this affair, so imp
11';‘ nieree. is now concluded
We have now another
,:r.ler of Ismael Gibralt
fa. tillery, Lc. For the Vic
Accounts from Consta
at Viellill, according to
been agreed upon betwee
Ililevuo. Lee tad, 'Lat
it h
cheats (the first is Coosa
ty.,,,,, with Luba by the a
pets. .1111)! Ili.)
- .