The National Register.
London, England, 1808-04-25 00:00:00

260

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

ought to he music a little congenial with the subject of the
drama—Lochaber, and Can thou rer't mina awn thing, are very
appropriate tunes for the relief of the Scotch play of Douglas;
but what should we say to a Manager, who should give the pub-
lic such a jig as Mot/3 put the kettle on, by way of intertnede to
the tragedy of Venice Preserved? Mr. Cobbett has no care of
this sort. If he have begun never so forcihly—if be have de-
claimed, with all the ardour and force of his naturally strong
tho' vulgar intellect, against constitutional violations that really
deserve animadversion—if he have entered on a subject which
possesses sufficient elevation to reflect even fame on a person
ho may treat it with tolerable success—suddenly he descends
from his pride of place, and rushes into the lowest malignity of
personal attack, the vulgarest language of a quarrelling tinker.
lie certainly is a great adept in the science of intellectual prize-
t;;hting ; his knack for introducing vulgar illustrations, and ill-
natured stories, may be very useful in some companies : no
doubt it will have great effect next month, at the anniversary
of Sir Francis illurdett's election, when the porter-drinking
politicians of Westminster shall assemble to celebrate the
triumph of mobbing and madness; but why does Mr. Cobbett
torment his readers, among whom there probably are several
gentlemen, with slang that is so much beneath them ?

" Inceptis gravibus plerumque, et magna professis,
Purpureus, late qui spltndeat, unus et alter
" Assuitur pannus.---Amphora coepit
" I nstitui; currente rotd cur urceus exit?
" Desinit in pisccni mulier formosa superne :
Spectatuin admissi, risunt teneatis, amid ?"

In this Number of April 16th, which we have here been review-
ing, how manifold are the digressions of this angry politician !
The Reversion Bill, a great and interesting topic, is the professed
subject of his paper: and in the course of his dissertation, he
abuses the Whig Club, gives advice to Mr. Waithman, attacks
all oppositions, abuses Mr. Sheridan, cuts at Mr. Alexander Da-
vison, and tells us about the Members for 'Westminster riding in
a dirt-covered car. What has all this to do with the Reversion
Bill ?

But above all, what secret influence has withheld Mr. Cobbett
from denouncing in the strongest terms that invidious, that•'
odious system, by which the Reversion Bill was disconcerted
in the Ilouse of Lords ? Where is the loud tongue of Mr.
Cobbett when real danger bids him sound its alarum to his coun-
try ? What becomes of the people's unbiassed, uninfluenced,
immoveable champion when lofty blood runs feverish and hot,
maddens the nerves of powerful men, and lets them loose to
fight against the rights of meaner subjects ? Some writer more
acquainted with the secrets of Botley, must tell us why Mr.
Cobbett has spared when mercy is a crime, and spread the man-
tle of darkness IN here day-light should have flashed the broadest
and clearest splendour of its noon-tide !

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

APRIL 25,

nor in number, and covered the ietftat of the rest of the army,
which carried away all the magazines formed in Brorneborg..
" Count Cronstedt, Chief of Brigade, reported from Nnopio,
Alipitka. and Idensoben, under date the 13th, 16th, and 18th
March, that, with the troops uuder his command, he is continu-
ing his march to Ulcnberg, pursuant to his orders. lie had some
severe engagements with the enemy on the 11th, near Lippanirta,
and the 15th, near Knopin, during which a cannonade wa6 for
some time kept up on both sides, without the Russian troolb
having been able, notwithstanding their great superiority in
number, to make any successful attack on his Majesty's troops;
they were, on the contrary, continually repulsed."