The National Register.
London, England, 1809-03-05 00:00:00

SUNDAY, MAR CII 5, 1809.

PRICE 84.

only free deliberative assembly in the old world, unchecked
by brutal violence, unawed by tyranny. This last remain-
ing stay of freedom ;—this Pharos in the obscurity and
storms of our age, must be preserved, towering and efful-
gent, to cheer the drooping minds and raise the sinking
courage of the present generation ; otherwise public virtue
and happiness may take a long, perhaps, lasting farewell

of Europe and our own islands.
These,.considerations arc sufficiently impressive to in-
spire with firmness and patriotism a less independent and
less virtuous House of Commons than the present. Their
proceedings must determine whether the moral resources
of this country are sufficient to resist the tempest, which, •
with the most frightful symptoms, is gathering round it.
The highest stretch of human virtue, wisdom and energy
is alone competent to preserve us from the calamities which
have befallen our neighbours ; and, we cannot conceal it,
the Moment is fast approaching, when we must undergo
this severe and unparallelled trial. A tremendous crisis is
near at hand ; and impressed with the awful conviction, we
turn away, with horror and disgust, from a Mrs. Clarke,
her associates and paramour, and consigning them to the
punishment, or contempt, which the law, or public opinion,
may inflict, will propose some measures in order to meet
with fortitude the alarming occurrences. Our own nature
is too mercurial to give way to despondency ; and at exig-
ence we would spurn, were it dependent on the brutal
caprice of a tyrant. Our mind is made up for the worst
events which may happen ; what we, therefore, propose
may bear more the stamp of our own feelings and princi-
ples, than apply to the present state of society.
The fifth act of the dreadful tragedy, which, for more
than nineteen years, excited the sympathy and terror of
mankind, is upon the point of commencing. The maths
has already been raised a little, and the appearance of the
hero of the piece is looked for with anxious, trembling
impatience. It bears a striking resemblance to the pro-
ductions of our immortal bard. The scene shifts with ale
most the rapidity of lightning—from Europe to Afeka, to
Asia, and back again to Europe ; and the prim' I per-
sonage is transported, as if by the effect of mag K from
the Seine to the Po, from thence to the Nile and aordan.
He reappears on the Po—from thence is conveyed to the
Danube and Vistula. His next appearance is on the Ebro;
and the next scene of his exploits will probably be the Da-
nube or the Niemen. In perfect conformity to the prin.
ciples of the tragic art, the hero has been uniformly suc-
cessful, though branded with every crime, and an object of
universal terror and abhorrence. Ail human means, have
been as yet found ineffectual to resist him in his mad ca-
reer of ambition and cr:ltes, whilst the powers of the
probable are considered itiadequ‘te to render the cause of
justice triumphant ; and, according to some of our politi-
cal critics, some Deus ex machina, some supernatural
agency, is una.,,Adably necessary to stem the course of vii.
lainy and inkatice.
Every account, private and public, from the Continent,
every article in the Paris Papers, referring to Austria, furs