The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-06-29 00:00:00

MOVEMENTS.

The Martinis of Anglesey has left town, for the he of Wight.
The Marquis of Camden left town yesterday. for Bath.
I.ord Colville and family bare left townv for Scotland.
T. T. Drake, Esq. M.P. arrived yesterday at the London Hotel, Albe-
marle-street, from his seat In Bucks. _ .

Koht. Bristow, Esq. tett town yesterday, for Ms seat, Broekruore Lodge,
Hint..

L. Hemming, Esq. left town yesterday, for bin seal In IwlceetersOire.
Major Preston has arrived at Fenton's New lintel. St. Jaoreesattreet,
from a tour; R. For, Esq. has left ditto, on a tour; and Vander.
horst, Eaq. for Brighton.
Arrivals at the Brunswick Hotel (late Blake's), Jerroyn.strert
Bedlngton and family, from Bucks. Pepartutes :—Sir Edmund and the
Slisses Bacon, for Norfolk. _ _

Departures from the Royal Hotel, St. James's...street :—G. Thompson,
Esq. for his seat in Hants ; C. W. Tupper, Esq. on a tour ; the Rey. 0.
Dealtry and son, fur Yorkshire.
Arrival at the St. George's Hotel, Albemarle-street .—Mrs. and Miss
Preston Halton, from Southampton. Departures :—SIr Tyrwhit and
Lady Jones and family, for their seas Stanley Hall. Shropshire ; Colonel
Brotherten, (or Hampton Court.

BRAZIL.

[From the Etoik, dated Jene27.l
Rio DE JANEIRO, 3Lav 16.
OFFICIAL ACT.

'• Don Pedro, by the grace of God and the unanimous acclamation
of the people, Constitutional Emperor and Perpetual Defender

of Brazil.

" We make known to all our subjects that the people of this
Empire, asseruhled in the Chambers; having asked of us that as
noon as possible we should take and cause to be taken, the Oath to
the project of a Constitution, which we presented to them foe dis-
cussion, in order to attend immediately the new Constituent
Assembly, .hewing their most lively desire that this Act, which
1103 their entire approbation, and for which they expect their poll,
tical felicity, generally and individually shared, be considered as
the Constitution of the Empire.
" We take the Oath to the said project, to observe it as the Con.
stitutional Law, which shall henceforth govern this Empire.
"The Constitution is of the following tenor-4 Here follows the
project of the Consti:ution.l

" We therefore order all the Authorities, whose business it is to
know and to execute this Constitution, to take and cause to be
taken the Oath to it, to execute and cause it to be executed, in its
whole extent and tenor.

"The Secretary of State for the Affairs of the Empire is enjoined
to have it printed, publiahrd, and circulated.
" Given at Rio d: Janeiro, With March, 11126.
(Signed by the Emperor.)
" JOAO SEVEREANO MACIEL DA COSTA."

THE BRITISH PRESS.

LIT'ER.4TURE.

•

MRS. RADCLIFFE'S POSTHUMOUS WORKS.
It is a common and a true remark, that fa ye is seldom
advanced by the publication of those remains "skirl the
zeal of friends and admirers interposes to snatch from
oblivion, after the grave has closed upon an author's career.
In works undertaken merely to fill up time, or-to exercise
the porter of composition' or to try the capabilities of a
subject, or to relieve the langour of sickness, or to flatter
the infirmity of intellectual decay—nay, in works which
have not received the last touches of an author's pen, it
is seldom that the public .recognize those beautiet which
first attracted their notice, and subsequently insured their
applause to the productions of a favourite writer, Some-
times the failure has been so complete, that even the most
superstitious regard for genius must fail to trace the shadow
of former excellence in the posthumous illusion. Both,
indeed, spring from the same mind, but they seem to stand
in diKrent relations towards their original—one, as the
light it flings before, the other as the shadow it casts
behind it.

Mrs. Radcliffe's posthumous wfrks consist of four vo-
lumes; containing a romance called Gaston de illandevilk,
or the COllll of Henry 111. keeping Festival at Ardenne ;
and a collection of poems, the principal of which is an
exceedingly long talc; entitled St. Athan's Ahhey. We do
not mean to apply our opening remarks in all their force,
even to the poetical, or rather metrical, portion of these
volume;; but we cannot help wishing that the editor,
who, in devoting the profits of the publication to charitable
purposes, has raised himself far above the suspicion of
sordid motives, hail been satisfied with giving the romance
to the world unaccompanied by its ambitious and dangerous
associates. There is more sweetness of cadence, more con-
ciseness of expression, more passion, more esiergy of
thought and feeling, requited to satisfy the Muse of
Poetry than any other of the heavenly sisterhood; and
though Mrs. Radcliffe often succeeds in drawing an
imaginative picture, or working up a romantic situation,
in verse, it is certain that she seldom does it with
the same felicity as when her ideas are permitted
to wander in the diffuse, unmeasured, and arbitrary
language of prose. Resides, there is no fact more firmly
established in the history of the human mind than this,
that it is possible for a writer to r.sseas a fruitful fancy,
an active sensibility, a copious and elevated diction, without
being aWe to confine their charms within the boundaries
of measure and music. The laws of poetical rhythm are
certainly restraints, but restraints which operate on the
truly poetical temperament, like the banks which confine a
mighty river, irritating and impelling its course until it
drowns its thunder in the ocean.
It would be a tedious process to search over the waste
grounds of conjectural criticism, in the hope of discovering
by what determinations of habit or of accident this dif-
ference is impressed upon minds, in other respects so con-
genial. But, we may observe, in allusion to our present
subject, that when writers postpone to the decline of life
those essays which require a peculiar turn of thought and
language, the result has generally proved that judgment
was more conspicuous in their forbearance than in their
undertaking.
_ .

The author of the preface, which contains some judi-
cious and spirited remarks on the character of Mrs. Rad-
cliffe's genius, has introduced a timid hint of approbation
with respect to her poetical talent, glancing only at the
verses interspersed through the romances. His words are
these :—" The verses scattered through all the romances
are so inartificially introduced, that they have little chance
of being estimated by an impatient reader ; but when ex-
amined, they will be found replete with felicitous expres-
sion, and with rich though indistinct imagery." Now,
in the first place, though we are willing to allow, as a ge-
tient truth, applicable to composition in all its branches,
that there are latent beauties of style which appear to
sleep in the page until they are awakened by the assidui-
ties of repeated perusal, we must say that such beauties are
seldom to be found but in writers who are alto remarkable
for the bolder and more striking ornaments. It is so in
the great hook of Nature herself. The field abounds with
minute productions that vie in sweetness with die rose,
but the sun must point them out with his burning fingers,
and stand as it were amongst them, creating their loveliness
and our admiration. In the next place we will candidly
confess, that with respect to the particular verses alluded
to, they always seemed to us to partake too much of the
nature of occasional poetry, under which the greatest
geniuses have sunk ; and to be kept in too much subordina-
tion to the main purpose of romance-writing, ever to propi-
tiate the favour of atioffetuled muse. But, however this

may be, we are certtin that the praise of elegance and
animation, nay, even of " felicitous expression" and" rich
imagery," cannot be extended to the more elaborate and
elongated of her poetical performances. What, for instance,
can be more grating to the ear than the following allusion
to an ancient portal ?
" No furrows deep upon its brow
The frown of seven stern centuries show."

In the following description, which we select almost at
random from a great variety spread before us, the reader
will perceive the struggles of a brilliant imagination de-
prived of its full lustre by the disadvantages of a harsh
style and an ill-chosen metre :
Within the pillared arch unseen,
Ile stond and looked beneath,
Transept and aisle lay deep between
This ant4le and the nave's long seen*
Of suffering and death.
Obscure in that far distance, lay
This scene of mortal misery ;
And when tall arches rose,
Each arch discovering the way
To what beyond might passing be,
Did some dread group disclose.
Pale phantoms only seemed to glide
Among the torches there :
And stoop upon the tones low side,
In busy silent care.
Unseen the deathly form below, .
Unseen the pale reflected war,
On miens that each woe share,
The sable cowl appeared alone,
Or glimpse of helm or corslet shone
By the red torches' glare."
In short, the literary reputation of Mrs. Radcliffe stood
too high before, not to suffer some abatement from the
publication of such pieces as make up the poetical part of
those volumes.

The romance of Gaston de Blondeville, however, affords
a much more favourahlr specimen of the writer's talent.
It embraces, ia its compass, a period of not more than seven
days, and is limited in its action to a few simple incidents
connected with the discovery of a murder by supernatural
interference. The plot may be despatched is five lines.
Gaston tie Blondeville, a young Frenchman, the favourite
of henry the Third of England, having in early youth
been concerned in the murder of a gallant knight, is de-
nounced as the murderer by one Woodreeve, a merchant,
many years after the commission of the deed, in the pre-
sence of the King himself. Henry, indignant at the im-
peachment of his favourite, and the interruption of his fes-
tivities at Ardenne, throws the accuser into confinement;
but the accusation is verified and corroborated at last
by the interposition of the knight's ghost, who, after
playing many posthumous pranks, to the great delight
and wonder of the courtiers, not only vindicates the
merchant, but inflicts on the murderer the permit,
of death, and that too in the very first week of his mar,
riage. Such is the ground-work of the romance—a pro-
duction containing some faults anti many beauties, and
likely to attract, in no common degree, the attention of the
literary world. It differs, in this respect, from the other
enchantments of the same magician—that, in former in-
stances, the ghost was summoned, with due pomp and
ceremonial, only to be betrayer. eventually into the plain
day-light of common sense; whereas, in the present, it is
permitted to march out with all the honours of supersti-
tion, earth shaking, thunder rolling, instead of being re-
solved into some insignificant and paltry mistake. One
thing, we apprehend, will strike all the readers of Gaston
de litondeville, as tending, in a great measure, to weaken its
supernatural terrors, and that is the inappropriate scenery
and accompaniments to the ghost's appearance. Instead of
gliding through the desolate apartments of ruined castles,
the dee- Itade of ii 'able woods, in darkness and

dlifti has been less careful to deepen the gloom of her
scenery, than in any of the preceding, the delicacy of het
sentiments, the force and beauty of her reflections, and
the splendor of her imagination, arc conspicuous in every
page. The work will never become as popular as the Italian,
or the Mysteries Id Udolplto—that is altogether impossible;
hut it *lll rank above some of her early productions,
and thtfefore may be described at once as worthy of
het pen. In style, it is an imitation of our elder prose writers,
and the fiction of its being the production of a venerable
monk, with the moralizing habits of whose order it is made
to correspond, casts an air of agreeable singularity over the
whole composition. Nor did Mrs. Radcliffe think it necessary
to act like some of our modern imitators of the ancient style,
who deprave the language with every obsolete and crabbed
word they can find, as if they were actuated by a spirit of
morose imitation, which could sympathize with none but
the moat barbarous sounds. On the contrary, being freed
from the shackles of poetic numbers, which in her case
produced the clanking as well as the confinement of chains,
she employed her freedom to better purpose, and, by a
truer imitation of the great originals of past days, con-
sulted harmony when it could be done without the sacri-
fice of vigour. The two following quotations will give
our readers an idea of the moral and descriptive power
which pervades the whole. After describing the gambols
of the squirrels in the trees, the author proceeds --
" There were, I fear, sonic overborne by their own evil passions,
and galled by the consciousness of them, who might look up ro
those poor animals with momentary envy. And, doubtless, many
who had not these painful reasons for choice, thought it even bet.er
to live amongst these vita:Hands in blessed ease and sprightly
health, than confined in the golden trammels of a Court, where
every feeling was checked, that it might only move to certain steps
of order ; and nature was so nearly forgotten, that if perchance she
did appear, she was pitied and reproved for a child of ignorance,
and straight altered after their own fashion. And there were few
who, when they came abraad amongst the hills and forests, and the
free air and the open sunshine, and heard the joy of birds, and saw
the playful grace and glee of animals—there were few who felt not
their spirits dance, although they knew not it was in sympathy with
free and guileless nature, which if they never more could resume,
let could they never, even in spite of themselves, entirely cease to
ove." _ _

Again, after the death of Gaston de Blondeville, the
change that took place in the castle is thus described :
" All was changed to grief and silence. The footstep* only of
attendants were heard along the halls and galleries ; no voice spoke
there; it seemed, indeed, as if every one were tearful of speaking.
When perchance the door of a chamber was opened, no burst of
merriment or song came forth, no harp sounded, or hum of voices.
The impression of this whole change muy be hest signified by con-
ceiving what one might feel on another chant,e on a smaller scale;
that in one hall, for instance, of thissame edifice, which shoukl have
been lately deserted of its splendid guests, where the few lights
still burning might serve but to chew its lonely grandeur, while
one heavy step proceeds about the tables to extinguish these ; and
then the long sound of the closed door denotes the vaguest and
emptiness of all that space."
Upon the whole, the world of letters will be gratified by
the addition of Gostun de Bionderille to its prose collec-
tions, and we apprehend will experience but little disap-
pointment at discovering that its poetry was not destined
to be enriched from the same source.

vherance and Mires:fitting attention to their interests, he 0004
feel that some part of the debt was discharged, though enough
would mill remain unpaid to stimulate hint to future exertion.
on the ccentriry, lie was no: abls to obtain this acknowledgment.
but had disgraced himself by forfeiting their opinion, he would
rather the bond that was between them aliould he gently untied
than rudely cut asunder. If thus diseraced, he would rather retire
into private life than taupe pertinaciously a eituetion which he .
felt himself incompetent to fill., His HonourableFriend who pre-
sided had alluded to the Cern Laws, a subject which he (Mr. %V.)
had never mentioned during the Elettion. He had refrained from
doing so, not because he was ignorant of the importance of this
question, but that lie was desirous to wait and are whit the api„
culturtats themselves meant to propose. He conceived theyelfould
have patience, and hear what they meant to do for thernselme, be-
fre they forced their views upon them. Thus much, lie thought was
due to the agriculturists. from their importance and respectability.
Clem the Catholic question hie object Wits distinct : he conceived it.
a most important question, at d he did not wish to go beyond hie
depth. This he might say, howeverohat to no man in this city, .
er this kingdom, was Ills religion dearer thin it wax to him. (Ap-
plause.) It NM not necessary for him to say that his religion was
that of the Establi4sed Church of England, aml Ile need not add that
the spirit of that religion was marked by the greatest forbearance.
When catechized on this subject, he h:t he might become liable
to a charge of bigotry as great as that often ascribed to the
Roman Catholics. if he pledged himself for the long period of
seven years to oppose their claim% He *mkt conclude his ob-
servations on this subject by remarking,. dist he could not
sacrifice the feelings of his er nititaents without also sacrificing
his own, and that he telt grateful to those who had not pressed him
to pledge himself on this question. .11e knew the difficulties which
would oppose him on entering the House of Commons. In contra-
diction to an assertion ohen made, he believed that the House of
Commons cent dried many men of the highest integrity and greenlet
ability. (Hear. hear.) During his clic-lion, the independent Mae
he assumed was nit from hit'-gratulation, bnebierhuae be felt be
Was aspiring to represent the moleindependent body in the world,
and there'ore that independent tone would ill become him.
(Cheers.) On ell subjects he would endeavour to avoid prejudice.
On many subjects lie hoped he ward be up to zero, but never
below it Upon matters of 'thee he must be allowed a latitude. •
Trade was subject to so many fitretrations, that what was goad at
one time wasbad at another; and on a'l questions of that nature he
should only prornisoto act to the best of his undqrstending. Them
was one kind of preM lice to which bemuse plead guilty. He con-
fessed hr felt a prejudit c for things as they are ; fia had no dislike
to the bridge that carried us over, nor to the system which pro-
duced a state of unparalleled prosperity. It was not his wish rei
destroy ;he system under which we had flourish 44 thissendel be
a bad brg'nning. and where it would end he knew not: 1(e welb.d
not take tip their time longer, than by again thanking theft flit'
the manner in *which they received the proposal of the on. Ban.
He could mit forget that 4,910 of the Livery of London had voted
for him; he could not furget the kindness with which, he was
treated on the hustings ; and he begged to lie allowed to indulge
his feelings, by concluding with proposing e. the Lively of Lon-
don." ((treat applause.)
The CHAIRMAN said he was now about to acquit "'jimmy of a
most gratifying duty. Wlim he addressed them last, he e ngratu-
lated thou oa having selected Mr. Ward, after being deprived of
the valuable services of his lion. Friend Mr. Wilson, than WIWISI;
the City of Landon could not have a beet. Representative. ifie,
spoke the untmen s of every merchant' and trader, when ha MIA
that no one hal ever applied to him in vain, nor had he ever in-
terested hie:self in vain tot any one. The fact was, Mr. Wition'i-
character was duly apprecia ed in the House of Common*, ae both
sides of the House. lie never rose to peak without full coreldera-
tion, and he never rose ni.hont being attended to. Whilst they
congratttlated tbeinseleet, therefore, on such a substitute at
Mr. Ward, they must be allowed to expecte, their regret at the re-
tirement of their late worthy Representative. He retried, however,
into the bosom of his family with every enjoyment the Could await
a good man. Ile shou'cl say nothing more, but propose " The
health of they la's worthy Iterreviutive, Mr, Thornhi Wilson,"
which lets drank with acclamation.

isle. les° x rote to return thanks. He said this honour came
upon him by surprise, he bed no itlea of having the attention of the
Meeting directed to him. He had o ply attended to mule hie u.
defection at the return of his Hon. Friend, which he did not think
it proper for him to do during the election. He shruld be insensi-
ble, however, if he did not feel flattered by the mtenher in which
his health had been received. Ito had been rettitned under very
auspicious circumstances; but his Hon. Friend had a brighter
course before him. He was called upon to represent a most respect-
able and intell gem class, c. mpos .he mercantile community of
Loud .n. Six ot seven and twenty years ago the Corporation of
London and the merchants of London were the same', and all re.
sided within the city. Since that period, however, the Metropolis
had extended, some resided in the west end of the town, tome in
the co intry, and as intercourse became lees frequent, it had become
more nec misty that the mercantile interest should be represented:
it was said that the shopkeepers of' the metropolis should W repre-
sented, and tide he did not deny, because sir entertained a great
resew,* for that class of traders; but if it was true of the shop.
keepe with far more reason most it apply to the mercantile
interest. He congratulated the city of London on the choice of a
Representative, whose services they were already disposed to value
by anticipation. It was most advantageous to his Holt. Friend
(Mr. W.) thit he had to render an account to persons so intelligent,
so considerete, at d so indulgent, as he was sure his Hon. Friend's
constituents would prove. Under such circumstances his Hon.
Friend need r ot fear to elver the House of Commons, and might
well feel pleasure at tieing called on to fill the proudest situation in
which a citizen emit I be placed. He would have the gravest advan-
tage a commercial man could have, namely, constent communica-
tion with his •corstiatents. As for his (Mr. Wilson's) part, be •
wou'd retire erlih the conviciion that he had born valued far be-
yond his deserts: Again he congratulated them on the choice they
had made, amt. in con lotion drank all their good heaths.
The next toast was—" Prosperity to the City of London."
Mr. CHARLES PARCLAY then rose. He said he had been
selected to peoptem the health of his valued friend the Chairman,
and in doing so he felt he wive performing a most acceptable duty.
Many of them, no doubt, were acquainted with the respectable sad.
Honourable Baronet, end appreciated these mime virtues that
made hint so popular. Nor could they forget the claims of his family,
and how well his revered father had served the City in Parliament.
(Applause) His Honourable Friend hail always maintained the
priticiples nnder which his country had flourished. Ile had sup-
ported the Cloyernm, nt and Constitution, and uniformly opposed
that spirit of rancorous hostility and violence, which was too often •
exhibited egaM•t tlte measures or his Majesty's Ministers, when
the citiz tn. ot London know that those measures were best calcu-
lated :o pro ote the real interests of the empire. (Cheers.) Hilt
H nourable Fr:end had alluded to• the period of 1688. but he
might be t x _used if he did not begin at that period to ettew the
inc neistency of th se opposed to the present assembly in political
opt. i ins. There were three periods. however,when the City of Lane •
d, n had cli•tieguished itself by rallying round the Government, and
sueporting Cie Ministers of the Crown against those who had
a mind to render themselves popular, by undermining all that
was V Lluah'e. At the period of the Fr. nch Revolution, when the
people were mad with absurd ideas of liberty, when corresponding
a cietes were formed throughout the emu:try, and acquitted
leans disturbed the country, it was not the Whigs, the friends of
liberty, as th y were called, that came forward to support the Con-
siittifon. No, it wes the loyal citizens of London, conducted by
the Honnural le Baronet's father, that tallied round the Throne.
Agin, wh n a new heto arose, when Bonaparte was to have de-
stroyed tells country, and made it dependent on France—.who came
forward to oppose his mad and daring schemes of ambition, and set
an example of defiance, backed by 305,1100 volunteers? He felt
p-'de in iay ng that it was the merchants and citizens of London,
o then came f nwar 1 in support of our Constitution and liberties.
Welt, the eth rgs a sed away, and in its turn came Parliamentary
Reform. 'f his was the. great panacea of the Whigs and Opposition.
But tl•ey hal lived 'o ter enough to turn over the psees of history ;
and he b.lie.ed it sat only with i tto last year that it was slated,
in Major C irtWrig. C. Memoirs, what the opinion of Mr. Fon
w s on the goes iot of Parliamentary Reform. Mr. Fox
thought Ref ten an excellent subject to discuss at Covent-garden
hustings, but that it was practically absurd. Mr. Moore, in his
life of Sheri 'a 1, el omentiolied that Mr. Sheridan, who was a great
poetic advotette f. r Reform, was in the habit of saying to his psi.
va.e friends, " I always vote for annual Pailiaments and UDlVersta
eutfrage, becalee they are too ri.liculous ever to be carried." With •
such sethorides he could not be blamed for being a little prejudiced
and obstinate, in favour of the exit ing order of things. He had the
honour of a seat in the House of Commons, and was therefore a lit-
tle more decided in his political principles than it was reasonable to
suppose his lion. Friend, with whom he hoped in future to act in. •
concert, c uld be. lie returned to Parliament, determined to eup•
port those principles under which the country had arrived at t s
prevent prosperity. If we altered our system, it should be slowly
ands dolly, for latterly he found we were travelling too fire.
(Apt lone.) By pureeing this course, he doubted not we shoelt
rise to a still higher state of prosperity than that we bad lately
wd nested. It was the triumph of those principles which they were
advocating wheel they selicted his Him. Friend 10 serve them in Par- •
insolent, and such were the principles uniformly supported by the
Hon. Baronet, whom health lie now proposed.
Sir CHARLES PRICE returned thanks. He conceived the city
of London I ad a right at all times to his humble services. • He
could not sit down without adverting to a charge made Nominee
Mr. Ward's Committee, of which he had the honour to be Chair-
man. His Ho: minable Friend, Mr. Ward, had refused to pledge
himself on the Catholic quee.ion, and notwithstanding this distinct
refusal, it wra said that hie Committee had taken advantage of the
popular cry eg iinet the Catholics to red his election. A placard
was a-ude.l to, which he (Sir C. Price) had never seen, and cf
which he distinctly denied having any knowledge. Though the
same avowal had been niasie by his Honoorahle Friend, however
they could not succeed in convincing Mr. Alderman Wood, who
had vitiated h:m (Sir C. Puke) on this occasion with sornethieg
like peremial diereepect. (('ries of " Shame.") Ile thought the
declaration of hie Honourable Friend and himself were suffictent
on this point, but as it did not strisfy Alderman Wood, he (Sir
C. Price) urged him to find out the author of the placard. He
thought it necessary to advert to this subject, as a 11 their eisractal
were in some decree involved in it. (Hear.) He trust say he did
not think the Alderman's con inet ups a it at all calculated to ad.
trance his pretensions on any four e se anion.
- Lora Mayor. and
"lie Chairman bri
derived from