The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-04-12 00:00:00

MR. BATTIER AND THE TENTH HUSSARS.

' Mr. Bank' hss publisd reply to Sr: Herbert Tay-
lor's lett,T, which he analyzes with great spirit. Ile gives
fiat contradictions to the statements of Colonel Quentin and
Lord Londonderry. We subjoin three principal passages
of Mr. Hittites stEetnent • •
ilitary readers dq not require to be told, that the Commander.
in-Chiet sedate *restrict and peremptory aith regard to the in.
struction and the drill of young officers joining regiments. Win it
test then excite sem little surprise when they are told, that Colonel
Sir Charge Quectin, the then contninding office at the 10th hum
sars, orders+ ire on two diferent occasions to attend no drills, no
parades, no duties whatever? lf, on joint:lg the regiment, I could
not beast of touch proficiency as a cavalry officer, was it to be ex.
parted that I should attain it by inspiration ? Or was it likely that
the small portion of knowledge which I could lay claim to would
be improved and augmented by an order horn the cominarding
officer to do no duty whatsoever, and to attend to no drill, nor in.
structlon that might enable me to learn that duty I call upon
Illajor-General Sir Colquhoun (leant to corroborate the assertion
have just made. He, at least, permed judgment to seal:trough
the conspiracy formed against ore, and feeling and principle to des-
pise it. I appeal to him, by his frankness as a soldier, by his ho-
nourable feeling as a gentleman, and by his candour and truth as
a man, to confirm n.y statement. 1 bring to his recollection, that
on the last of the two occasions alluded to, I called on him at his
apartments in the Rryal Barracks, Dublin, and that then and there,
in the presence of Major England, his aide-de.camp, I distinctly
reported to him the fact I have just related. I stated, that for two
distinct periods, each comprising the space of six weeks and up-
wards, I was expressly ordered by Sir George Quentin to attend to
no drills, and to do no duty with the regiment ; and I now, for the
purpose of impressing this event more forcibly on Sir C. (hint's
mind, recall to his memory the conversation which he held with
me in reply. Ile signified his intention of inspecting the regiment
in a few days, and stated that he would examine me along with
other officers es to my proficiency in my riding drills, and my other
duties. 1 then took my departure. • • • •
I now ofer some remarks on the defence set up by Lord London-
derry for his conduct on the evening of the 24th, when his Lord-
ship dined at the mess. In the first place, his Lordship states his
entire ignorance of the proceedings whic:i had incurred his Royal
Highness's displeasure, and of the reproof conveyed to the officers
concerned. On this heal I have to observe the very great impro-
bability, not tosay the utter inipoesibility, of his Lordship's • en-
tire ignorance;" the proceediegs alluded to were matter of public
notoriety ; they were as priming as the noon-dey sun ; they were
freely discussed in places of public resort ; they were the topic of
conversation in the circles of private society; they were made the
theme of ribaldry anicng the very outcasts of society. wh the I
officers of the 111th on these occasions patronized as their selected
coolidents, and the chosen depositaries of their secrets. But, how-
ever,
as the must noble Marquis professes total ignorance of cir-
cumstances that occurred in his own regiment, and that were so
plain and palpable to all the world beside, I beg to ask him a few
questions. Previously to his Lordship ordering me out of the_
mess-room on the '24th, did not Sir George Quentin submit for his
Lordship's perusal the entire of the documents relating to me • and
which comprised my report to Sir C. Grant, together with the me; and
reproof to the officers concerned? Did not hi
Lordship retain these papers in kispossession foe an entire day ?
and oat the following morning, when he returned them to Sir Um.'
Quentin, did lie not state that ke lid made himself master of their
contents 1 Verbal*, sapittel. • • • • •
With regard to the efhcera of the 10th at large, I have little to •
add. Sir Herbert Taylor has admitted that their conduct was •
most unjustifiable, and his Royal Highness has more than once'
expressed his disapprobation. Why the Commander-in-Chill
should have occasion to express his displeasure at the conduct of
any of his offices more than once, is a question that will perhaps
remain for ever unanswered. The Military Secretary bas endea-
voured to establish, that the officers of the 10th, at length con-
vinced of their impropriety of conduct, subsequently endeavoured
to atone for mistaken prejudice. 'Tis true, that by the command
of his Royal !lignites, the) mode their formal and affected obei-
sance; they honcured me with their official salaam! But where
was the altered conduct that might have redeenied past error ?
Where WWI the courtesy that might have allayed wounded feelings ?
14'h7re the genuine politeness that marks the gentleman, and
might have given some pretensions to humanity, to honour, and to
sense ? The mandate of authority enforced the ceremonious a.:-
ktiowledgment ; the hind of power compelled Cee bps to move,
while feeling was friisen in the heart. It was, indeed, a laughable
and pitiable sight to see these high sp' d gentlemen, whom their
own good feeling could not induce to act with common decency,
forced at last to obey a power, which yet they had not sense to
respect. • • • • • • • • • •

Advice' were receivtd on Saturday from Pernambuco
of the 24td of February, and from Bahia of the 11th.
They supply no intelligence of the least importance.
General Filisberto Brant was waiting at Bahia, from
whence he was to take his passage for England in a few
days in an English ship of war, for the purposeof nego-
.
cutting the loan for the Government of Brasil. Another
Cottunissioner, who share:: with General Brant the autho-
rity for that purpose, has already arrived in this country.
' A melancholy accident happened on 'Tuesday last by
the falling of a bridge at Bowling Ilyke, between Halifax and
Northowrant, owing to a concourse of spectators who hail col-
lected on the spot for the purls:he of hunt-hang • procr,tion
which attended the ptrambulation of the bounder" of the pariah of
Ilahlax ; when from the prehiure against one of the bettietneut
walla, it gav^ way, and precipitated a great number of persons into
the brook which it t hissed . Upward* of twenty-five tastoirtcd
some injury, and from seven to twelve rcettyt• br.ban li nba, acd
the lint of our us: two crc tissoaitco of.

OR THE LIFR AND OPINIONS OF A BOVERRIOX

This book belongs to a dui of literature,—We will sot
say book-takking,—that is somewhat popular at the present
moment. It is s callection of anecdotes and observatieee
thrown together in short essays, and embraces *description
of public place* public characors, national peculiari-
ties, &c. &c. A facility in sketching a litely ticcount of
every-day occurrences and every-clay people—a few Com.:
mon-places of reflection and friendship--auel a little tad in
discussing topics of mere prattlement, are the only requi-
site qualifications in a writer of such a book tut that now
before us. Original and serious opinions, elaborate rea-
sonings, or classical literaturi, Would be deemed ile intro;
sion in such a performance, and the author has therefore
(Ore presume purposely) abstained from bailing what is
rennet! " light reading" with such indigent incumbrancea.
" The Opinions of a Sovereign" is the whimsical title
chosen to des; ;nate a work Written after the manner of
" Chrysal's Adventures of a Guinea." It possesses less
wit, vivacity, and range of observation, thaj that perform-
lance, which it is pleased to term " its renowned ancestor.'
Like eve: y author who lertakes to write "de omnibus
rebus et palmetto'', aliis," there is a great difference in the
manner which the author before us &unities the variant
topics on which he has thought proper to enlarge. With
some of the topics in the volume he appears ptitty well
acquainted—of others manifestly ignorant. Of the latter
description is an essay on " Editorial Vanity," for which
we must be excused.foi being somewhat in dudgetin with
him. Ile has thought proper to introduce us into very ob-.
jectionable company, namely, in an interview with a keeper
I of a gaming-house in the welt end of the town, where a
bargain is struck between the keepei and the editor, the
conditioue of which are, that the edit'ar receives five buns",
deed guineas for abstaining from the ineertion of an artlele
in his paper, on soinemst-practices committed in this dein
of thieves. This dull story concludes with this duller pieed
I of wrong inference and mawkish sentimentality
This transaction panel to .hew. how tine of the bnghteit
legts of • free countrY, the liberty of the press, is sometimes abused.
The best gifts of Heaven may be perverted, though of their easel-
hence we cannot be insensible. It is, however, no small portion of
the glory of Great Britain, that such roes and culpable venality al
this is exceedingly rate, and never to be found except emetic *the
Journaltsts who have no reputation to bastard.
And is the author simple enough to think that e` a jou:- •
nalist who has no reputation to lose" is worth a bribe of five.
hundred guineas ? Or frum the knowledge of what real fad
is he induced to intrude this heavy detail of a most Wpm-
battle event on the attention of his readers ? There aft a
more frequent illusion to gaming than we eould wish to 7
see in a work of this kind. It is a topic on which it alt
little creditable to any person, and least of all to a literary •
person, to be very conversant. One Of tl'e beet-told nut
most readable anecdotes in the book turns on this c
vice. It is an occurrence at Ascot races, and hos adieZ •
air of strong probability about it:—
It am a delightful day, and the glo*lng Clan of *An
me exhilarated my sphita. But, on a rare-eourse, theisiihe
sad concomitants not calculated to seder the pinky it alt
real being, of which one is, the aide field that it epees me,
foe ganibling,—and the other, the baneful impbTse that
parts to the prince and the ;,loughinan. Neither could
reason why .such numbers of E 0 tables shotild hi iv=
eel : at sonic of them, boys of fifteen, wits clothing
dent to cover then], were seen winning their guinea whit
indifference.
At one of these tabled I noticed a tittle dandy sir!
strtaw=s•
than a keen years old, sporting his money walla
experience of a veteran gamester. The boy's countasseed
meltingly beautiful, but his youihkl features *ere •
cording to the variations of he fortune, and be will
game, regardless of tidierie consequences. lily speruer
to prevent the further loss of his mope; ; alien
whom he belonged, fie discovered chat he was grim to
ous Major D., whose fancy it is to receive into pia maple, dieardilf
beautiful lad he can find, to einip him in a dais/ ameerneeleatle
to his own, and to have his clothes made by his tsar ef the Omit
materials, with no variation by which todistingeWe hie as a ate:
vant except a small crest, engraved On the bought if his Moir •
jacket, that is generally turered irtfb • emparkwird,
white rest coat. This practice has now become yaks the math
among the smirants for celebrity on the turf, and a eldthill
man of tea ran scarcely be seen is them days Widest es
pretty equivocal miaboures of himailf tented a his di.* dp
bury or baroodee. .
Air. Brisket bed Jost learnt theme pMfridete. Mahe bee=
was raised, sod stall for Major ra's mum eaebeatitheet•
quarters. This dt* sweeke of the herws.lrthatia, had bailie* is
charge of the seepiais, whilat the *won of it itiettbed so the=.
or walked op lode . The bey thatialtr•
equally te avow gameful ' and required Wittig., •
%tuition to quit hilitilearge and join in the emeasolealr
around him • , in the !mend, a compuy of those ingenieme atis
INTOISMIS, Awe sews who make as imposing part is all large con:;
mums, borrowed the ilajor'a homes and eurdele, anti melishiti
from the course, whilst the boy *as aererly engaged at the E CY
table, to which he had best purposely allured by one of the ganef
depredanm. Information was monied, gives at Row-street, bee
without effect ; for the horses were speedily swerved• nicked, and
metamorphosed in such& jockeyisls style, as* render k impossible
to rementse them. The colour of the niarlage was likewise area
ditiously transfotmed from a King's
and
tea dove t
body was placed upon new wheels, and the Major's uhsti mom at...
tithed to another body. newt changes rendered die Amity of
the curride exceedingly ambiguous, so that it meld net be mimeo:
ly called es oil flirted with a arse fere, but "an old Mead with o
acw body." Though the alterations which it received were obi:
namely Cell ascertained, yet no one could undertake to now to
the property, sod the Ylajor thus became seises a condole old
-4