The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1821-12-19 00:00:00

1..

'Nos,S,‘

lees extensive? are the lives of the Rtaal Family
more secure or lees valuable than at the period
of the Duke de Ocean's deaths Upoo these
several matters we do not profess to entertain any
opinion ; but unless some changes have occurred
in the internal condition of Frier', in the mural
habits or the social principles of those who, whether
as asaasains or as seditious writers, were lately the
avowed objects of ultra-royal alarm, we do iiie
see bow the present Ministers can reconcile their
conduct with any ordinary notions of political eon-
sisteney. For our own parts we caimot coerces!
the satisfaction we feel at the prospecL of seeing ow
principle of a previous censorship filially alsene!,,,..
ed ; but we must, at the same time, confess, that
we can entertain but little respect for any
public men who can change their sentenelas
easily as their gloves, mul sacrifice them withie,t
remorse or hesitation at the shrine of e paler
miserable ambition. There can be little deulit
that the removal of the censorship is the ptiye I
by Ministers to conciliate the favour of the librr
party in the Chamber of Deputies. It is a tint,
because a tree, remark, that extremes have a tec-
dem,' to approximate; and, indeed, the prese::
union of parties in France would seem to illustrate
the ohservation; but such an union cannot bang
subsist, unless the Ultra-Royalists are disposed to
purchase its continuance by repeated sacrifice.,
which must give to the auxiliary party all the ac-
tual power of the ostensible principal.
It is intimated in private accounts from Pori,
that the Ministers have withdrawn this project of
law solely for the purpose of musing their friend,,
but that they meals to substitute manlier project
which will as effectually control the action of the
public press. This, however, ;you'd be most cot:-
teroptible juggling ; besides, it is quite evident
from the proceedings in the Chamber of Deputies,
that all the Members present considered the las,-
eeeilitig as • total abandoninei:t of the law and its
principle, and it is quite impossible thut bad the
Ministers such an intention as is imputed to there,
they would have suffered the opportunity to pass
without giving some intimation of their future par.
pose. It is probable, indeed, that a law merely of
regulation will be proposed, but that power will be
taken from the hands of the police, which, in such
hands, paralyzes the liberty of the country.
Nothing has yet transpired which can throw any
light upon the probable resolution of the new Mi-
nisters respecting the foreign policy of their Cabi-
net. If faults have in their opinion been coin-
witted with regerd to the occupation of Italy by
Austria, it may not be thought very easy or very
prudent to remedy the evil by any sudden effi;rt
of power ;, but there can be no doubt that the per.
suasion of the present Ministers, of the Ultra-
Royalists, and of the liberal party in France, is,
that France has not since the restoration of the
KINO taken a sufficiently prominent part in the
political concerns of Europe, that she has suffered
other Powers, such as Austria, Russia, and even
Prussia, to assume a more active lead in controlling
the destinies of the great European Commonwealth,
and has thereby forfeited the influence to which
a country so happily circumstanced in population,
resources, and situation, is entitled. The 51i-
nisters will omit no opportunity of redeem-
ing, in this particular, the character and import-
ance of France ; they will assert the dignity of
their country, and if they succeed in checking the
insolent meddling of Russia and Austria in the
affairs of oilier States, they will confer nn light
advatitsge upon Europe in general. We do not
periouely apprehend an immediate rupture betweta
France and either of these Powers, but France is
now in a condition to give such weight to her re-
monstrances, that neither Russia nor Austria would
think it prudent to trifle with her displeasure.

Yesterday about three o'clock the Princess
SOPHIA errierd at York House from Kensington,
Get a vial' to the Duke of YORK. The Royal Duke
soon after returned home from a ride, and met hib
itOpt! 'sister. The Duke and the Princess rode out
together in a carriage in St. James's Park. The
Prince,' afterwards returned to Ketisingtou, mat
the Doke of YORK proceeded to the Commander
in Ciders office in the Horse Guards, where hie
Royal Highness held • levee, which was attended
by about forty military Officers, principally those
upon half-pay, who, it *as understood, were simian
for emplovineut in the Veteran Battalions, but there
are no (officers wanted for these corps, as there was
a sufficient number of those on half-pay called into
that service about two year's since. The levee cons
Milord bitting till about • quarter before six o'clock.
Ili consequence of • 'serious misunderstatithoo4
with some of the leading Members of the Stuck
Exchange on the subject of abolishing tinse bar-
gains, a project fur the erection of a Dew Slut'
Excheege has beta started by the dissentient,
On Monday a meeting took place, and name. to
very considerable amount have been entered in 1,
Your or the measure. The Jew party are strongly
against the abolition of options.
PERbIA.—The following account of Persia is
extracted from the Ilanthurgli Journal:
The populesio• of Persia, very much diminished by the
evil wait of 1722 (the epoch of the overthrow of the dytta.
of Ismael aud of 1743 Ohs year of the sr.OIMISIIIIIOU
of the celebraird Schah.Nadir) 1/ estimated at 0/replan
sailboat of souls. The slumber of provinces is 58. The grits.
tog Sovereign ascended the throne in 1797. He is called
Fut h•Ali-Schah, sad is about 53 years of age. He is missed
a good port. tie 'anal* sous and es many daughters. His
Iliad sue, Abdas Nies; is destined to succeed lota, afihuayh
Prioce Ali Maas, who is rejected try this Aore, is 111flifl-
gist.heal by great persoual qualities la the peace conehuhil
wills Russia, the 12th of October, 1813, the Emperor Ali t•
ander agreed to a amputation by which both himself mild hi'
successor are honed to amitosis' by forte, on the thrum.
il he atressary, the Prince mho is deetiard Mr
reed, rte order that uu foreiest Payer shall taterfcre la 1'
internal concerns pf Persia."

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LORD BYRON.

Three new pieces, the production of Lord Byron,
have been just published. They are entitled " Sur-
do/sopa/es," a tragedy ; " The Two Foseari," a
Tragedy; and " Cane," a mystery. The.e works
are po 'dished in one volume, with a preface, in which
the Noble Author alludes to the representation of
his late tragedy, The Doge of Venice, contrary to
his wishes. and seems to fear a like attempt will be
made with the present works, while he repeats that
they were not coasposed with the most remote view
to the stage. _ _

SA RDANAPALUS.
ACT T. KM I.
A Hall in Ike Palace.

SALM NI, (wise).
He bath gunned his Queen, but still he is her lord ;
Ile bath wroned my sister, still be is my brother;
He bath wrong'd his people, still be is their sovereign,
And I must be his friend as well as'aubject :
He must not perish the.. I will not see
The Mood of Nimrod cad Semiramis
Sink in the earth, and thirteen hundred year,
Of empire ending like a shepherd's tale;
He must be roused. In his effeminate heart
There is a careless courage which corruption
Iles not all quencli'd, and latent energies,
Represt by circumstance, but not destroy'd—
Sterp'd, but not drowu'J, in deep voluptuousness.
If born a peasant, be had been a man
To have reacted an empire; to an empire born,
He will bequeath none; nothing but a name,
'Which his sons will not prize in heritage:—
Yet, not all lust, even yet be may redeem
His sloth and shame, by only being that
Which he should be, as easily as the thing
Ile should not be and is. W'ere it less toil
To sway his nations tkan consume his life ?
To head an army than to rule a harem ?
Ile sweats in palling pleasures, dulls his soul,
And saps his goodly strength, in toils which yield not
Health like the chase, nor glory like the war—
Ile must be roused. Alas! there is no sound
[Sound of soft "Baste heard from within.
To rouse him abort of thunder. Hark! the lute,
The lyre, the limbed; the lascivious tinkling
Of lulling instruments, the softening voices
Of women, and of beings less than women,
Must chime its to the echo of his revel,
While the groat king of all we know of earth
Lolls crown'd with ruses, and his diadem
Lies negligently by to be caught up
By the first manly hand which dares to snatch it.
in, where they come! already I perceive
The reeking odours of the perfumed trains,
And see the bright gems of the glittering girls,
Who are his comrades and his council, flash

Along the gallery, and amidst the damsels,
As femininely garbed, and scarce less female,

The grandson of Semiramis, the man-queen.
lie comes ! shall I await hie ? yes, and frost him,
!,11 him what all good men tell each other,
speaking or him snd his. They come, the slaves,
Led by the monarch subject to his slaves.
series H.
Ell ler SARDANAPALUS, effeminately dressed, his head
crowned with flowers, and his robe nationally jlenoing,
attended by a train of women and young staves.
SARD A AAA Lin (speaking to some of his attendants).
Let the pavilion over the Euphrates
Be garlanded, and lit, sod Curoish'd forth
For an especisl banquet ; at the hour
tlf midnight we will sup there: see nought wantiog,
And bid the galley be prepared. There is

. .
A cooling brine which crisps time broad clear river:
We will embark anon. Fair nymphs, who deign
To•hare the soft hours of Sardanapalus,
We'll meet again in itnet time sweetest hour,
Wlii.o we shall gather like Ibe stare above us,
And you will form a heaven as height as theirs;
Tilt then, let each be mistress of her lime,
And thou, my own lumen Myrrbee, choose,
Will thou along with them or me?