The Sun.
London, England, 1823-08-05 00:00:00

THE LATE JOHN WILKES.

TO THE PRINTERS OF TIIE HAMPSHIRE TELEGRAPH.
SANDOWW, ISLE OF 'WIGHT, JULY 5, 1823.--I have.been
lid into a train of meditation on the hackneyed . theme of the
instability and vanity of human distinctions, and have felt their
utter worthlessness and perishable nature, by an examination of
the Villakin of the late John Wilkes, of party, I had almost
said, factures memory. " BOW are the mighty fallen."—" Alas
poor Yorick ! where he your gibes now ? your songs P your
Hashes of merriment, that were wont to set the table in a roar?
Not one now to mock your own grinning.—Now get you to
my
lady's chamber, and tell her, let her paint an inch thick, to
this favour she must come at last."—This cottage, it is well
known, is situated in the Bay of Sandmen, is the Isle of Wight,
and the situation certainly marks the excellence of that taste for
the picturesque, which was a distinguishing trait in the character
of its eccentric owner. The original part of the building still
remain, with the best rooms and offices, and forms a pretty
summer residence, neatly and conveniently furnishd, for tire ac-
commodation of the summer visitant of the sea coast, who may
choose to become its inmate. The tracery of Wilkes basin a great
measure disappeared, and little remains of the erratic meteor, but
a sufficiency to prove " fuit ilium." The shoutings of the mob,
the civic feasts, with most of' the eaters and drinkers at them,
the 'toasts, the votes of thanks, the addresses of Corporations,
the honorary pieces of plate, with the whole catalogue of sense-
less and unstable honours with which the fiend party delights
to decorate those who are the dupes of her seductive arts, and
followers in her bawling, empty train, have all disappeared,
• without leaving, as I believe, a wreck behind.—l think there is
little doubt but Wilkes, had he not succeeded in the Chamber-
lainship, would have died in a garret or an almshouse ; for, al-
though 'one of the keenest men alive in other matters,- he was
evidently the dupe of the party with whom he acted, and having
used his brilliant talents and great political courage to serve
their own selfish views, they threw the man, who weakly thought
himself their idol, from the pedestal on which he had been erect-
ed by their duplicity, and left him to the mercy of his bitterest
and most powerful: enemies. - Most truly has Swift said, that
" party, is the madness of the many, for the gain of the few ;"
and the rich harvest reaped by John Wilkes for his exertions,
was great personal danger, excessive mental labour and distress,
and pecuniary ruin.—The Citizens of London, to their honour
be it spoken, had the generosity andgratittide not to forsake him,
but raised him to a situation. of ease and affluence at a time
when, having outlived his usefulness to the wretches for whom
he had risked his life and fortune, lie was up to his neck in pe-
cuniary difficulties, and had pawned his gilt cup to supply Ilia
must pressing wants. For the Isle of Wight he seems to have
had a strong predilection as a summer station, and in the bay
of Sandown he found all the advantages he sought. The
healthy dryness of the soil, the magnificent scenery of the flay,
and the excellence of its silver sand fur bathing,. which is
scarcely to be even equalled in the- kingdom, certainly prove
that his judgment was correct in the selection of his 'retreat.—
Since his dine, the place has become one of the favourite sta-
tions of resort in the Island of Sea-bathing, and there are seve-
ral elegantly furnished cottages, with an excellent inn and
warm bath, affording every accommodation to those who, in
pursuit of health or pleasure, prefer retirement from the fealty
and bustle of life, and wish to enjoy, in the full 'perfection of
Nature's Thveliness " the cool,' the fragrant, and the silent
hour to meditation due and sacred song.' _There is an elegant
little red rose, now in full perfection, which is very abundant
here, and the inhabitants call it Wilkes's Rose; they say he
brought it tip enmen here nut of the West, and planted great
numbers about his grounds, where they have taken such root
that it is impossible to get rid of them-.-iris of the dwarf kind,
blows fill, and of a beautiful crimson tint. I am' neither
Florist or Botanist ; but perhaps sonic of your readers would
have the kindness to give their opinion of its Botanical name.
If it should be desired, I would take an early opportunity, by
a private hand, of sending a specimen.—Excuse the prolixity
of this letter, and believe me to be, Gentlemen, your friend and
well-wisher,

CARMINAL MAZARIN.—MAzARIN exhibited
in himself a singular instance of the vicissitu-des
of fortune. He was of a very low extraction,
had been a gambler, became Prime Minister of
a great country, was afterwards banished, and a
price set upon his head, and then returned tri-
umphantly to his administration with greater
power than ever. Ere was an extremely handsome
man, and had a very fine face. This he was so
anxious to preserve, that, not many days before he
died,lie gave audience to the Foreign Minister with
his face painted. This made the Spanish Minister
suy," Voila un portrait que resemble a M. le Car-
dinal." Not many days before Mazarin died, a
comet Appeared in France. Some sycophants,
who were in his bedchamber, observed to him,
that this awful phenomenon of the heavens was
to announce to the world the death of so great a
statesmen and so consummate a politician as him-
self. Mezarin coolly replied, 44 En verite, Mer-
sleurs, la cornetc me fail trap d'honneur."

POLYGAMY.—A man named Matthews, who
has for the past year been employed in this city
as a journeyman bell-hanger, having contracted
an intimacy with a young woman, a servant,
whom he understood to possess a little money,
gained at length her affections, and they were
married at Bristol. Previously to returning home,
Matthews Went to an ironmonger's, where he se.
lected some articles to stock his intended shop,
which he desired might remain till sent for, when
the money should be remitted; but took with
him knives and forks to the value of 51. They
then returned to Bath, and at the expiration of
about four days, Matthews pretended that k would
be necessary for him to go to Birmingham to make
purchases, and prevailed on his wife to give up to
him great part of her money : he then left her, and
has. not since been heard of ! The poor young
woman, after Waiting some time for his return,
applied for information to the persons with whom
he previously lodged, who informed her that he
had left Bath entirely, and was gone home to his
wife and family at Birmingham. This atrocious
conduct 14 but part of ibis wretch's villainy he
had actually but a few days before married ano-
ther young woman in Bristol, whom he abandon-
ed in a similar manner. lie was likewise in
treaty of marriage with a young woman '
of Dr.
vices, who gave up a good situation with the
intention of being married to him.=--(llat)s
licrald.)

MELANCHOLY EVENT.—In the courSe of last
week, as Captain RUSSELL, master of a schooner
n
called (we believe) the Bar!, was o his passage
fro:a Carrickfergus to the North of England, his
son, a fine young man of twenty-three years of
age, who was the only seaman he had on hoard,
was struck by the boom in a gale of wind, and
thrown into the sea. As the vessel was in full sail
at the time, Captain Russell could afford him but
little assistance. Ile succeeded however in throw.
in g a ladder down to him; but the young
man, in
Ms exertions .to secure himself upon it, got his
legs so entangled amongst the rundles, that he
was quite unable to extricate himself, and nits
towed or dragged after thee vessel, and chiefly
n
under water, whilst the old ma was endeavour.
ing to raise him by means of a windlass, and
in
the course of his exertions' had received a severe
hurt. In this awful situation the expiring Youth
cried out, " Farewells father—My dear father,
farewell!—We. part now!---.1 perish !" such
were,:the last words addressed by this excellent
youngtnan•to agouized father, who fulfilled
the melancholy task of conveying his corpse to
harbour!—
...lorivspondent, jug, 2.)