The Sun.
London, England, 1814-10-07 00:00:00

(No. X LII.)

The (?aptire Mime. A 'Collection of, Fogi ti Poents^,•'writti
by the Author, during his captivity in 'France. Inter-
spersed with a variety of Anecdotes, illustrative Of the
Cite' Treattnciit of the British PritOners 'of War by the
French Government and its Agents. By T.1103tA4 DWI-
TON, Author of a Characteristic Sketch of his Yfajvsty
George The Literary Census, a Saarical Poem ;.Pi-
zarro, with Notes; The Wise Man .of the East, or' the Ap-
parition of Zoroaster, a Mock-hereic Poem, in four Canto's,
with,Notes ; The Dramatic Censor, &c..; and Translator of
Nicolais' celebvilvd Satirical Romance, entitled Sc;ablas.
Noth-dasher; . pp. 129. Price 6s. Published by Sherwood,
Neely, and Jones, Paternoster-row..

We have given the title-page of 1014 work at
large, that our Readers may be able to form a
general conception of. its contents, and of the
Author.. The work, is dedicated to,a Lady, to
whom the Author as'signs the name of LAbRA,
and of whom he speaks with a fervour that de-
notes no ordinary attachment, as is particularly
observable in the stanias, with which Dedica-
tion concludes.—We are told, in an advertise-
ment which folloWs the DedicatiOn, that the first
Poem.in the book was written in the winter 'of
,
1806, o n the Author's return to Verdiin, froth
Bitche, where he had stiffer&l a rigorous exile for
two years. The Poem is entitled an Apologetical
Prologue. It, assumes a dramatic form at its
commencement, but, in its progress,. consists of
characters,
,parodies, a tale, and some songs, se-
verally marked by humour and patriotic spirit.—=
The Captive Muse, however rigorous the treat-
ment might be which she suffered during her con-
finement, dues not appear to have sunk into de-
spondency; but, on the contrary, manifests.gaiety,
spirit, and vigour.,
There is a considerable degree of poetical en-
ergy;, in an Ode to Liberty, written in the Fort
of Bitche, in the summer of 1808. This Poem
opens in the following.,manner

Pair Goddess of my native.shore !
Whom Mbion's hardy sons revere ;
To whom they incense burn, and altars rear,
And at thy hallow'd shrine adore ! •
Whom Ocean, in his wat'ry care,
First rear'd, and gave to rule the wave!
cave, 'midst the load and angry storm, •
To raise sublime thy god-like fora! •
distance, heav'n-born FttEcoom ! hail!
when shall I thy face kehold ? -
When load with sighs no more the gale ?
No more thy long-lost charms bewail ?
nut, 'inongst thy radiant train curoll'fl,
2inidcherisied oy thy gracious smite,
Again salute thy native Isle?
Or join the ardent Sons of Fame ?
Whose breasts, with gen'rous impulse fir'd,
And by immortal Hope. inspied,
Thy gloriots attributes proclaim.?
Where Britain's standard, wide unfuri'd,
Controls at will the,subject world !
Where glitering iu the solar ray,
A thousand galMutstreaineri play I
,And Wafted by'the ambient tide,
In all the pomp of martial pride,
Triumphant Britain's conquering Navies ride !}:

It should be observed, that the Author had not
only the hardships of captivity to depress his spi-
rit and cloud his., imagination, but was obliged to
endure the criticism of the French Commander,
wha, for any passage which he might consider
per as. offensive, might have doomed the Author
to More severe restrictions. Yet the Poem is
animated, and breathes a spirit which might be
' supposed to have broken forth under happier au-
spices.
_ _ _

In the Preface; to some Elegiac Lines on the
(Icath of .JOSEPH MARSHALL and WILLIAM COX,'
two British Seamen,, inhurnanyly butchered at
Bitche, on the night. of ,the lst of May, 1804,
the Authot gives an affecting narrative of the cir-
tumftances which attended this melancholy event,
after a description of the fortress.—We shall sub-
join this Narrative, previously observing, that
we can venture to recommend the Work alto-
gether, ti 3 an amusing and interesting miscellany,
written under .eirmnstances that might well be
expected to damp all poetical ardtiurs, but which
do not appear to haye impaired the fortitude and
pleasantry, of 'the Author.
‘f Impatient oftheir rigorous and irksome eon-
finement,'the prisoners, %Alto had considerably in-
•cieased
_in number, since the author's arrival at
3.3itebe, began i❑ the month of April to project
various phins of escape. The recur❑ of line %yea-
ther,after a winter peculiarly inclement, gloomy,
and - sev.eie, naturally induced. thetu to pass as
much of the:day, .as the regulations of the
tb:pl.)t' permitted, above ground ; that ,is to say,
iti wqlking the court of their 'prison, which
from,its-great height, commanded a sublime and
xtenSiv"e,Yiew of the surrounding country. En-
chanted with the beautiful scenery of and
hilly verdure, which presented isself in every di.
rectum to 'their admiring eyes„-they felt with
double and a9-gravated force the iveight of their
chains, which prevented them, from wandering
amidst the beauties of nature, 'the contempla-
tion of Which afforded them. such exquisite
delight. '

At this-period, the ferocious Usurperof France
had etot yet carried into execution those daring
,project's of. aggrandizement and universal domi-
lion,' which his restless ambition ,led.him
realfic. The confederation of the Rhine
%. as not yet, organized-. Bitche, in a strait- line,
is not. more thaq nine leagues, or about t‘venty-
five English Mires, from 'that celebrated river.
'That hairier once crossed, you might consider
in 4afety2 The temptation was too power-
ful'und alluring to be resisted by English Men,
horn wi.th- an 'lnextinguishable love of liberty;
panting to regainwhat they justly cbusidered their
birth-rigq and whose feelings had not yet been
iicuieficd'zinil•r)lunted,., by protracted, indefinite,
and. lipeiess captivity: •
c,--After a variety scheiivs; successively em-
brac-cd amt. rqe.Ct.2o, a :it length, by' un-
nniinons snib-agadopted, fo:c11-1.cting their escape
thvough-acoo.e, s,!.tuatetl at one of ti:e ektremitieS
of tits souterrain. Tnis .(Ig97l';' it WaS snliptised,
must communicate with SOMe of thedilferent sally,
ports„,;\ sailor, of the name of Cox. a most
awl-able -chatacter,. who had been captured at an
(:;.r:y pi:A-ilia of the war, laze fri-
: • Di en ton, of whicic-Ice-i:tis
volunteered his services On this or.cn-

kts abiy seconded in the tuteiprize by

'aii-ran, Of the name Of .Ikrarshall, has
been a'sserted, was the flatnrai son of a certain late
. perforiner, well knower 'at the Haymarket Theatre.
Marslrail had 'served 10-f appi'en'ticeship to a lock=
'smith, a fai bine the'repute Of being very expert
in his prOlessiOn.
" Every thing seemed to favour their attempt. A
variety of doors were Plecessively opened, and no
doubt remained but that the last door, at Which
they stopped their operations, tht-ough 'which- they
could plainly•distingnish the country, but which
they durst not, in prndence, force, was the ex-
pected means of issue. The necessary arrange-
ments being made, every than sworn to secrecy and
reciprocal fidelity, the night of the first of May
was fixed upon for carrying their project into
execution.
" During these preparations had arrived from.
Paris, to fora) part of the depot of Bitche, on a
charge' of fraud and swindling, a German dew,
who went by the name of
.Moses Solomon Mi-
chaelis. There was' something in ,his look and
manner, which at first sight inspired disgust, and
awakened suspicion. A hawk-bill nose, small
ferrety eyes, a general turn of countenance and
-physiognomy., which indicated a mind false, Crook-
ed, and depraved. Add to this, he had contract-
ed a habit, which rendered him the object of ge-
'neral aversion and derision. This habit consist-
ed in what professional men call rurninating; but
which the seamen at Bitche, without any (ina`ifi-
cation, termed chewing the cud. It is -impossible
to conceive a practice more nauseous and re-
volting.
" From his general appearance, as well as from
the imperfect accounts his fellow-prisoners could
collect of his tinnier life and habits, Mr, Moses
Solomon Michaelis was christened by the name of
the Wandering Jew. In fact, he was never ad-
dressed, nor spoken of, by any other appellation.
He affected not to possess the smallest knoWledge '
of the English language,; but from several ex-
pressions he would occasionally let fall, when
holding soliloquy with himself, the author,• ,fvflo
happens to be tolerably proficient in the German
language, is firmly convinced, that Mr. Michaelis,
granting even, that he was not able to converse
in English, at ail events understood that language.
The object and importance of this remark will be
seen in the sequel.
•

" 'At length set in? the long expected night,
fired upon and hailed by.fond but fallachMs anti-
cipation, as the period of deliverance.. The pri---
soners being locked down, according to custom,
at that time of the year, (:he first day of May) at
o'clock in the evening ;‘ the doors ofthesouter-
rain duly bolted, locked, barred, and every re-
quisite securityattended to by the gendarmes,, the
inmates of this dreary abode were left to their own
meditations.
" Difficult would it be to conceive-a situation
more awful and replete with anxious foreboding,
than now intervened between the time the souter-
rain was, locked, and the moment for carrying
their project of escape into execntiOn, which coull
not with safety be attempted, -till the garrison,
with the other inhabitants of the fort, (the seatries.
and gendarmes, on duty, excepted) might reason-
ably he supposed to have retired to rest. Dc-
tacked gronpes were seen pacing the souterrain,
some in .pensive silence, others conversing in low
and agitated whispers, for fear of being overheard
by the soldicrs, whom curiosity, (not to attribute
to their conduct a more•odious motive) frequently
induced to listen at the-aperture, through which
light and air descended to the souterrain. Every
look was ominous; every gesture announced some-
thing extraordinary, something fearful, something
anxious ; every thing bore evidence of the strong,
internal struggle between. hope and dread.
" At length, between the hours of ten and
eleven, was given the' watch-word for flight.
Everyman had previously taken the precaution
to dispose of what small quantity of baggage be
might be possessed of, in such a nianner aS to
have as little incumbrante as possible. •Several
had on .two or three shirts, as many trowsers,
waistcoats, &e. in order to avoid carrying any
bundles ; as it was apprehended they might have
occasion for the free exercise of their arms and
hands, in their own defence, or in that of their
comerades,fto whom .they reciprocally plighted
their faith, with solemn engagement•to assist each-
other, in all cases of need and difficulty. •

The egress was through a hole 18 inches
square, cut by Cox through the door of the sou-
terrain, already described. To pass, yott are
obliged to cra‘il on your hands and knees. Cox
and Marshall were appointed to lead the van, as
having already some knowledge of the direction
of the different passages. All was still as death ;
silent as the grave ; all anxions expectation ;
.almost might it be said that respiration itself was
suspended." _ _

{To be concluded to-ruOrrow.)

FREEMASONRY.—A letter from Rome gives an
account of the real motives which actuated his
Holiness the Pope in issuing his .Order for the
prohibition' of Freemasons' Lodges I know
that much, misconception will take place us to the
motives of the Church for abolishing Freemasonry
in-the papal docurinions ; butt be assured it is not
because they have either discovered, or because
they dread any treasonable priactices against the
State in those Fraternities. They are well aware
that no political subjects of any kind are discuss-
ed 'in the Meetings or Lcidges of Freemasons.—
.No—the dread is of another kind. They know
that the principle of Freemasonry is freedom
conscience, awl that the very first precept it in-
'culcates, is that not merely of universal toleration,
• but of universal religious-freedom ; for they assert
• that that' worship is acceptable to the Divine
Author of Our being which is contrite, whatever
May be its form. Freemasonry, therefore, eat-
' braces the •Members of all Churches and Sects
• but it is riot a proselytiiing, Fraternity. They
send out 'no Missionaries—they admit none, on
the, contrary, without strict examination as to
• their' moral character, and only after a long ap-
preticeship:. bat the idea of theirlaccdcating
notion, 'that a Protestant as well as a Catholic
may be saved, is so abhorrent to the views of our
H•Mother Church, that it is no •wonder the Moll,-
' Father shonld wish to extirpate the dangeLogs
Brotherhood."

'POIAcE

O,UEEN-SQUARE:

'ark 111ailes, a Converted JeN,r,, wits. Yi3tCrday
eharged o suspicion of having robbed the house-
of Mr. Pope, of York-street, Westmin§ter, to a
eonsMerable extent, during, the absence of that
gentleman and his family at Litighton;for the last
sbren weeks.

It'appeared that. Mark's wife was left in care of
the house during the family's absence, and that
her husband at, Such time lived there with her.
The family returned on Wednesday, and soon at-
turwards discovered a number of articles packed
up, and the tipper rooms in• confusion, as it the
house had been entered by robbers, but no per-
son could be found.. They also Observed a large
horse pistol lying in the gutter.
Bly, • one of the Officers r: ho took Marks into
custody, stated, that, soon after entering the,
house, kie had suspicion that -MIAs had some
guilty knowledge of what had happened, from
the circumstance of his appearing more indiffe-
rent and unconcerned than' any one else. This
suspicion was strengthened, when he learned that
Marks went to the,house very poor, and that, not-
withstanding his having little work and low wages,
he had recently contrived to buy new clothes for
himself- and wife, to have tea-parties., to g, to
the play; &c. and under these circumstances, he
took Marks into custody. On being searched,
nothing.supiciouswas found on him.
SeVeral suspicious -circunistances, however,
having- come out in . evidence, and
_considerable
property being missed, the prisoner -was commit-
ted tofirideivell, to he brought up a week hence
,for further examination. •

MARLDOROUGH-STREET.

FRAUDS AND FELONIi%S.-.4Bthony; alias Captain
Swinton, George Smith, his coachman, and Netrioit,
his butler,,,weie yesterday again brought up for
examination. The first charge against the pri-
soner Swinton,: was for frauduleotly obtaining and
feloniously 'disposing of a gold ,watch, the pro-
perty of Mrs. Larkins..
Sarah Christie lived servant with Mrs. Larkins,
and afierwards with Swinton, who took the house,
No. 5, Somersetrstreet, of Mrs. L. A.-watch
was brought to the house from Mrs. L.'s jeweller's
for her; about a forttfight after she had left, and
witness Would have kept it until her return frOm
the country,
.but -Swinton got it froth her as lie
said to send to Mrs. L. in the country.
Mrs. Larkins proved that she left the watch in
question with her jeweller to repair, and he fur-
nished her with one to wear in the- interim. The
prisoner. had no order or authority to touch the
watch,, nor had witness ever seen it since. The
jewellcr,next proved having delivered the watchto
the custody of Christie. in SOmerset-street.
, The prisoner attempted to justify himself, by
stating, that he had sent the watch to Swansea,.
to a -Miss O'Callan, a companion of Mrs. L. to
deliver to the latter. Mrs. L. had left Miss O'C.
at the above place, and she was obliged to pawn
the watch, front necessity. Swinton, however,
made a mistake moon atter; and stated that he had
the property then in his possessiOn, which he held
for 101. he had advanced Miss Otallan. The
Magistrate here observed, that ft-would aid the
prisoner's case to bring Miss O'Callan forward to
prove his assertions, lint he, the prisoner, did
not. consider such a step would be prudent.--
Mrs. Larkins negatived the assertion that Miss
O'Callan was instructed to receive a.oy of 'Mrs.
L.'s communications. She first hecaine acquaint-
ed with her through the means of a. Dr. Davis,
and another man, on one of the evenings of the
Park Rtes, and she introduced Captain Swinton
to her subsequently, as a man of consequence,
who associated in fashionable life. Miss. O'Calltin
pressed Mrs. L. against her inclination, to ac-
company her to the \Vest of England ; hut on her
short journey .she missed a brooch worth eighty
guineas, and other appendages of dress, when no
one was about her person but and
she got rid of her at Swansea. This Miss O'Cal-
lan was the woman who passe:., for the wife of
Swinton.—The prisoners were all icinanded, and
Nvarrants were issued for Miss O'Callan and Lloyd.
*There were several other complaints in the office.