The National Register.
London, England, 1818-10-04 00:00:00

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No. 556.—V0L. XL

AIX.LA-CHAPALLE.

This place, so soon to became the some of a brilliant
!c-union, if nut of important conferences, lies about
20 miles east of 11Iaese from Macs:richt, and was be-
fore the French Revolution a free imperial city, in-
chided in the circle of Westphalia, and subject to the
bisbopiick of Liege. It is celebrated in history fu:•
laving been the birth-place, the northern capital, and
fevourite residence of Charlemagne; for having
been the place where le died, and whore his
ashes arc deposited ; fur having been selected
as the seat of many councils and synods; for
having witnessed the coronation of 36 Emperors of
Germany, and for being fixed upon by the Golaen Bull
as the.spot where the Emperors were always to be crown-
ed. This privilege, however, it has lost for nearly
three centuries, Ferdinand the First, the brother of
Charles V. being the last Emperor who received his
crown in the capital of Charlemagne. Though for-
merly more populous titan at present, its importance for
centuries has depended on its antiquity, the privileges
which it claimed rather than exercised, the sacred relics
which it contained, and the attractions it hold out to
the visits of strangers by its beautiful situatlan swathe
salubrious qualities of its mineral springs.
The city is situated in a delightful basin, surround-
ed on all sides at less or greater distances with moun-
tains or rising grounds, of the most picturesque variety,
and covered with the most luxuriant vegetation. A
'great part of its ancient wall, flanked by Roman turrets'
still ret.411113. The fosses are now filling up, and the
ground they occupied will soon be converted into
a beautilui pronwnale, extending all round the city.—
The intceior of the town has nothing striking or inter-
estie ; wither fix ancient fame or modern magnificence,
but the cathedral church, the Hotel de Ville, and some
of the houses in the new street of Cempesbad. The
cathedral, or church of Notre Dame, was founded by
Charlemagne in 785, and col:secreted by Leo. 111. in
804. It was endowed with a chapter of 33 canons, of I
which the imperial founder became one. The conseera•
tion is said to have taken place in the presence of 565
bishops turf archbishops, and cardinals, two of whom,
Saints ;`,lonuiplitut and Godulphus, are said to have
walked from their graves expressly for the purpose of,
being present at the ceremony, which it was resolved
should be attended by as reaey of these dignified
persons as there wer' days in the year.
according to Shakspeare, " All the world's a
stage;' Aix-la-Chapelle Seems now a stage for all the
world. The principal actors are to make their entrances
smith great pomp. The subordinate performers have
already done so with less ceremony, and the spectators
are assembling from all parts to witness the scene.—
Tie re will be Emperors, Kings, Princoa, Ambassadors,
Diplomatists of all kinds; :Slarshals, Governors, Gene-
ral?, Grand Crosses, Chevaliers of all orders down to
that of indasby, parasites, buffoons, and boxers. They
have already restaurateurs front Paris, and haberdash-
ers from Constantinople, aeronauts from Paris and
Dresden, bankers from London and Vienna, and gam.
bless hotn all the world.

Dispatches from General Morillo, similar to those
sum to Lord Combermere, had hem forwarded to the
iovernor of Detneraca, but there is a remarkable varia-
tion in them. in the dispatch signed Cires, in the
Berbadoes papers, it is said that the " news of the
dLeth of Bolivia- may be relied upon." The same
(El etch, ns published in the Royal Derterarn Gazrite,
sw, that the death of Bolivar was " again reported."
A Fwagaph in u Der4erara riper states, that Joseph
iltitnaparte bud sent not le:4; than six-teen thousand
invitations individually to Frenchtnea residing in France
to join Mm in America. Admitting this to be true,
the 1,,:p1y of Hoispur to C'enflower may very be
applied to his invitations—" Will they comp, when you
du send for them ?"