The National Register.
London, England, 1812-05-24 00:00:00

TilF, NATIONAL REGISTER.

0, 1 Q
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he hears, and feels a potent desire, well expressed in the position of his !
hand, to try his skill upon the steel-wrought lyre ; whilst the girl, lost
in alimiret,in, forgets to continue the praise which she liacrbegun upon
the ribbons and trinket; she has brought with her. No Muse ever
listened with more attention to the strains of Apollo's lute; and her
countenance pronounces most admirably, what pleasure she receives
frern the sounds of the Harp. This sweet little piece has been most ac-
cerately engraved by Bun Ni r, who has painted and en;ravcd himself
a very suitable companion to it. Both have been published lately by
Messrs. BUYDnLL and Co. and are no disparagement to the valuable col-
lection of prints which they are in the habit of offering to the public
from the most celebrated painters.
No. 6. The Bind Fiddler, painted in 1806.—The public knows well
to *hat degree of merited praise this picture is entitled, and we are not
afraid to assert, that it would have dune great honour to the pallet of
those exquisite translators of familiar scenes, who are still the boast of
%the Dutch and Flemish schools. A circumforaneous player on the violin,
the solace of his darkened hours, and the only means of support for
himself and his family, has entered the house of a peasant, whom he
treats with a tune in order to introduce his humble claim to charity.
The family enjoys the vocal shell, and among them we cannot help re•
marking a mischievous boy, who, at that age, when imitation becomes
a delight, catches Loll of the bellows, and mimics the trevelihis musi-
cian, whilst his eidcst sister, with a frown of jest indignation, and a
sense of knowitie better, reproves his childish impertinvece. But what
shall we say of the attitude of the gaud (amber, who snaps his fingers to
cheer up the baby on the knees of its interesting mother ? and of the
excellent contrast between his lively attitude, and the deeply thinking
old man, with his hack turned to the chimney place, and the unthinking •
wife of .the Fiddler, and the Fiddler himself. All these arc most ex-
cellent, and eeldoin to be matched by what we know of good in Os•rnDE
aril TENIERS.

TIM COURT A.\ D 117-ORLI) OF FASHION.

—..sr:Ya.P--

TUE PLUNCF. REGENT"S LEVEE.

Friday hi; Royal Hi.,,lair,•.•s the PRINCI,, RF.oucr held a
Levee, received :he Lit! Address, and trdns.rcred a variety
of public business, at Lairlton House. At three o'-clock
the Corporation of London, arrived with their Address
upon the assassination of Mr. PERCEVAL, anri. was intro-
duced into the Throne Room, where his Royal Highness
Teceived the Address, to which he was pleased to return
the following most gracious Answer :*
" I thank you for your-Dutiful Address. The sentiments which you
have expressed of deep regret for the severe loss which the Country has
sustained by the death of Mr. Perceval, of a high sense of his einnumt
talents and virtues, and ofgabhorrence of the atrocious act which closed so
useful and exemplary a life, are most consonant to try own opinions and
lettings. My mind is relitw.d from the most painful sensations by the
proof airortled upon the trial of the assassin, that this dreadful act was not
connected with any unguimiry system ; ant', I trust, that our annals
will not he sullied by a crime, which the generous and manly cha-
racter of the Btitish people has ever held in peculiar detestation. In
recommending to Parliament to make a provision for his wEtow and
f4mil)-, I have discharge.i a duty to th Public committed to my charge;
_and f am gra:iiied h tile a :suiances, that this act of justice, towards de-
parted mem, will lg.- ,conai by the unanimous voice of the nation."
His R 017+ 1, Iliut,N,:ss held a meeting of the Most An-
cient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, in the room
adjoining the L‘evee-room, called the Blue-room, the
PatNcE wearing a green Ribbon on this occasion, as re-
presenting the •Sovereign, which was attended by the
Dukes of CL A nENC r,, Earl MOI(TON, the Duke of Mum.,
and Viscount CATHCART. The Duke of BUCCLEUGH waS
introduced, and receiv•:—.l the honour of knighthood, from
his Royal lii'?lniess, with the Sword of State. His Grace
then knelt, and the Prince took from a Velvet Cushion the
Order and a green Ribbon; wl.ich WAi handed to him by
a Gentleman Usher in Waiting ; his ROYAL HIGHNESS
thi4PpLced the Ribbon over his Grace; thereby investing
hint: wills the Order.. On his Grace's ri7ing, the ususiil
oath was administered to hiin by RozERT QUARME, Esq.
,Gentleman Usher of the Green Rod, holding his elegant
a;id superb .Staff of Office.

MAY 24

DISTRESSES OF THE POOR.

Yesterday a meeting was held at the Free Mason's Tavern, Great
Queen-street, for the purpose of taking into consideration the present
distressed state of the poor.
About half past one o'clock, his Royal Highness the Duke of York,
accompanied by the Royal Dukes, Kent and Cambridge, the Duke of
Rutland, Lord Rolls, and several other Members pf both Houses of
Parliament. When the Duke of York having taken the Chair,
Mr. WILBERFORCE after an appropriate speech;proposed three Reso-
lutions, the srst pointing out the existing necessity apd expediency of
adopting some plan whereby the present lamentable situation of the
lower orders might be relieved. Secondly; suggesting the propriety of
entering into an immediate subscription; and thirdly, appointing a Com.
mittee to consider the best course to pursue under the existing circum-
stances.
These Resolutions were secoaded in an appropriate speech by his
Royal Highness the Duke of Kent. And after some observations from
Mr. Stephen, Mr. Lush, Judge Bailey, the Dukes of Cambridge and
Rutland, and oth-r Gentlemen, the Resolutions were unanimously
agreed to, and a Committee appointed to meet on Monday at Hatchett's
Hotel, Piccadilly, consisting of the Puke of Rutland, Lord Roll, Mr.
Wilberforce, Mr. Stephen, Mr. H. Thornton, Mr. Babington, Sir T.
Baring, and others. A subscription was immediately entered into when
upwards of 20001. was subscribed.
The Royal Chairman having left the Chair, on the motion of the
Duke of Rutland, a Vote of Thanks was carried, to which his Royal
Highness returned his gracious acknowlegentents, and the Meeting
broke up.