The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-01 00:00:00

NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE.

In the continuation of the "Talleyrand Papers"—
in which, by the bye, there appears to be nearly as
much fiction as fact—some curious particulars, if
their authenticity could but be relied on, are given of
the closing days of Mirabeau. The Prince of Bene•
ventum was at that time in the very prime of man-
hood, and was the bosom friend of the great leader of
the Revolution, of whose worth as a man, and abilities
as a politiciaq, he is here made to express himself in
terms of the warmest admiration. Dissipated and
unprincipled as he notoriously was, Mirabeau was yet
not without his redeeming qualities. He was frank,
generous, and ardent in his friendship, and we can
easily believe what a powerful spell he must have ex-
erted by his wit, passion, and eloquence, over the
mind of Talleyrand at an age when he must have been
peculiarly susceptible of impressions of admiration.
It was much later in life that this wily statesman
adopted the " nil aitnirari" system, and we cannot
wonder at his subsequent coldness and scepticism
when we remember the startling vicissitudes he en-
dured at the commencement of his public career, the
extraordinary scenes in which he was a chief actor,
the brilliant adventurers with whom his lot was cast,
and the odious and humiliating form in which human
nature must too often have exhibited itself to him.
In his old age. Talleyrand, who never throughout his
protracted life knew what it was to have one really
conscientious principle, was a confirmed cynic—po-
lished, indeed, and conciliatory in his bearing, but still
a cynic. There was a bittern,•ss in his most smiling
repartee:, and his sarcasms stung like scorpions. The
attempt made in the " Papers" to prove that he was
an amiable sentimentalist, is perfectly preposterous.
" Lights and Shades in the Life of a Gentleman on
Half-pay" is one of Mr. I.laxwell's dashing stories of
love and adventure. In the ingenious essay on
" People who always Keep their Word," occurs the
following reflection, with whose truth we have been
much struck :—" E lucation's earliest lessons should
implant in the mind a sense of the sanctity of a pro-
mise. A child should never hear of an oath—that
fatal knowledge kills the innocent security, in the
simple word. If there were no necessity, real or sup-
posed, for oaths, there would be no lies. When the
child has learned that the simple word is not enough
for the ends of truth, it has learned the first lesson of
falsehood." "La M tison Maternelle" is a heavy,
prolix article, and the subject is not such as to
warrant the wearisome length at which it is treated.
The " Robertses on their Travels" is by Mrs. Trol-
lope. It contains some smart, satirical hits, but, on
the whole, is not elevated above the dead flats of
common-place. Tne " Tower of the Caliph" is a de-
scription of the towering structure erected by the late
Mr. Beckford in the immediate neighbourhood of
Bath. We subjoin Horace Smith's poem on " Camp-
bell's Funeral" in Westminster Abbey:—
'Tis well to see these accidental Great,

Mr. Horace Twiss's recently published " Life of
Lord Chancellor Eldon," which has attracted public
attention in no ordinary degree, is reviewed at con-
siderable length in this Number, and with a tact and
spirit that denotes the hand of a practised writer.
The fairness and moderation, too, of the criticism are
not among its least recommendations. We con-
fident] v expected—knowing well the high Tory charac-
ter of 'Fraser—to have seen it stuffed full of the most
fulsome eulogiums on Lord Eldon ; instead of which,
while it does justice to his merit, it points out his de-
fects frankly and boldly, with a conscientious regard
to truth of portraiture. Commenting on Mr. Twiss's
hasty remark, that the Chancellor's powers " were of
that rare and standard order from which a whole
generation is fain to take its impulse," the Reviewer
appropriately observes, " his position was essentially
one of resistance, and that only. It was impossible,
then, that he could give an impulse to a generation.
One might as well say that a breakwater gives an
impulse to the billows, or the fortifications of a.city
to the artillery discharged against it. This is an
apt and faithful illustration of the character of Lord
Eldon's political system. He deemed it his duty as
a statesman, not to accelerate, but to check, as far as
in him lay, the inevitable progress of events • to
defend the existing state of things, and oppose
him-
self to every species of innovation. He had no faith
in Reform theories, whether legal or constitutional,
but was desirous to leave the world in his old age in
the same condition in which he found it in his youth.
Had he lived in the days of witchcraft he would
never have consented to abolish the statutes against
it; would have maintained the legality of general
warrants as an integral part of our " glorious con-
stitution ;" and would have given " one cheer more"
in favour of the doctrine of constructive treason.
That he was clever, learned, and conscientious all must
admit, but none can say that he was a great man, in
the comprehensive sense of ti.e term. The elements
of greatness were not to be found in his composition.
He had no enlarged conceptions—no generous enthu-
siasm—no foresight ; his views were limited—his na-
ture distrustful—and, instead of turning a hopeful
eye towards the future, he was ever casting a fond
look back upon the past. Abuses of every kind, pro-
vided they had antiquity to recommend them, always
found in him a staunch supporter ; and he was ready
to defend the most monstrous paradoxes, if they hap-
pened to accord with his political prejudices. A bet.
ter man never lived—a worse statesman never influ•
enced the destinies of a kingdom. Like his master,
George the Third, whom he resembled in his worldly
craft and inveterate obstinacy, his private presented a
striking contrast to his public character—the one being
as irreproachable as the other was glaringly defective.
However, he is now gone to his account, and far be
it from us to treat his memory with undue harshness.
Throughout his long political career he acted unit
forinly according to the dictates of his conscience,
and committed a world of mischief with the best pos-
sible intentions. Alluding incidentally to Lord El
don's residence at Oxford, and the system of classical
study pursued at that university, and also at our
public schools, the Reviewer says—" As to the odes,
essays, and the like, in Greek and Latin, we know no
occupation on which the human intellect can be more
lamentably prostituted." What, indeed, can be more
absurd than to compel a boy against the grain to com-
pose Greek and Latin alcaics, sapphics, iambics, &c.
We laugh at the idea of his being made an English
poet on compulsion, and yet we strive to make him
a poet in a dead language by dint of a strenuous
process of flagellation ? This is a species of scholastic
bigotry that needs a thorough reformation. The
" Lectures of Professor Keble considered with refe-
rence to some of the Latin. poets," is a ram'sling
essay, written in a fluent style, full of imagery, but
without any direct object that we can perceive. In
the article on the " Marquise de Sevigne," we have a
biographical sketch of this accomplished lady, the
heartless vivacity of whose famous letters—so illus-
trative of the character of the age in which they were
written—Horace Walpole has imitated with marked
success. " A Fine Day in Piccadilly " is a gossiping
account of the numerous changes that have taken
place in this fashionable thoroughfare. Among other
singular metamorphoses, the well-known public-house,
the " Hercules Pillars," where Fielding's Squire
Western put up on his visit with Sophia to London,
has, it seems, been transformed into Apsley House,
the present town residence of the Conqueror of Na •
poleon. Thus the site has an historical as well as a
TAIT'S MAGAZINE. literary celebrity attached to it. The "Luck of Barry
In his political article this month Tait, while hitting Lyndon " is at length brought to a close. It is an
equally hard at both Whigs and Tories, takes the
amusing tale, and will, we suppose, be re-published
opportunity of introducing the following compli- in the usual three volume form. From "Military
mentary allusion to Lord Howick :—" His Lordship Tableaux" we quote an account of the battle of
is a man from whom we expect much. He has
Dennewitz, fought between the French and Prussians
talent, courage, moral earnestness, character—all the in the year 1813 :
well-wearing qualities of mind and heart on which a " Early in the morning an aide-de-camp of the Crown
nation may rely. With strong hereditary claims to Prince of Sweden" (the reader will recollect that Berna-
the leadership of Reformers, he is establishing an dotte commanded the allied army of the north during
independent title of his own, on the broadest and surest the campaign of 1813) " brought General Borstell an
foundations." This compliment is not undeserved. order to remain in observation before Wittenberg; but
Throughout the session, while the Whigs have been the roar of artillery, which had for some time been
nodding night after night on the Opposition benches, heard in the direction of I)ennewitz, was now gathering
thickh and fast upon the ear, and calling loudly upon us
in a state of sulky inactivity and torpor, and the
Tories have been playing the coward's game of ex- Htoirdiasuteesns,t,o
saidthe aid of
Generalour countrymen.pors t
el to t `Tellh e
staff-officer,
t ahffi s.
oßffiocyearl
pediency, rescinding to-day the vote of yesterday, ' that the battle is raging in the direction of Lower Gers-
and covering themselves with shame and obloquy, dorff ; there it is that the result must be decided, and
Lord Howick has been distinguishing himself by his there my duty calls me in consequence.' Events jus-
zeal, boldness, and manifest sincerity in the cause tified Borstell's resolution • but his answer shows the
of political and commercial reform; and the most little harmony that existed 'between the allied troops and
enlarged, statesmanlike sentiments that have been commanders during the early part of the campaign of
enuntiated in Parliament since its opening in Fe- 1813, the total want of confidence reposed by the Prus-
bruary last, are those that have fallen from his lips. sians in Bernadotte, as well as the low and dangerous
He has gone far beyond the majority of his party ebb to which subordination had fallen in consequence—s
in the manliness and prescient sagacity of his political evils-of which a skilful enemy might have taken the most
utterances ; and, on the important question of the fat,a,l,tadevandtage.
Irish Church, spoke out in the true spirit of an en- dierafwheroerinerthetoacmt
or"
wasic. crins
butta instantly
no t given, thleefsolo-
lightened statesman, who," sees, as from a tower, the soup
was
ast
prepare, still less to enjr.,cyootheingu
; theehewas
end of all." Alluding to the existing state of par- gal meal
thrown away, and the half-boiled meat paekedinto
ties in the House of Commons, Tait proceeds to camp-kettles, and the arms quickly grasped, Our course
remark that Whigs, as well as Tories, are decidedly lay straight on, over stubble fields and broken ground,
in a " false position." This is perfectly true. Both and almost always at a double-quick step, for every
appear to be equally the hapless victims of circum- moment staff officers were arriving and urging us to
stances, and fear to express themselves otherwise than speed and increased exertion. The roar of artillery was
in a timid, hesitating, equivocal manner. The truth every moment growing louder and louder, dust and pers-
is, the age is rapidly shooting a-head of them ; they piration had already disguised every countenance be-
feel this, and know not by what means to retrieve n
we eatth
uu impenetrable masks, when, about eleven o'clock,
themselves in popular estimation. While the business action.inthoedourselves on the right of the line, and joined
Our arrival tended ereatly to revive the
of legislation is conducted in ,:most every instance on
spirits of the other brigades of Bulo;'s corp, no longer
Whig principles, the Whigs themselves are in the able to withstand the continued assault oPi:'such vastly
lowest state of political decrepitude ; and the Tories superior foes. Before us we could see nothing, as the
are regarded in no better light than as a set of slaves soldiers said, but the sky of the French ;' and we
dragged sulkily and reluctantly at the chariot-wheels really perceived the enemy standing on several lines,
of triumphant opinion. The " Earth Stopper" is a while to r* Lain an equal front with them we were obliged
to bring not only our second line, but our
graphic sporting sketch, apparently from the life, and reserve also
is the production of Mr. Mills—the legitimate sac- into front line. The battle of Dennewitz certainly does
censor of the late Nimrod. The "Rose of Tistelon', the Prussian soldiers great honour, for the French were
o our number, as we had not more than
is a notice of a tale translated from the Swedish of at least double4o,ooo men in the field. They were also superior sup er
Emilie Carlen, and offends grievously in point of in artillery, for our brigade had generally fruintwto u
elves
length. " Bon Gaultier and his Friends" is a series to twenty guns rattling at us, and could only reply with
of lively aftei-dinner dialogues, written for the most two six-pounders that stood near our battalion, and with
part with tact and vigour, but recalling too often the four other field-pieces posted some three battalions to
recollection of the inimitable " Noctes" of Black- our left ; and, as stated, we fought without reserve.

Noble by birth, or Fortune's favour blind,
Gracing themselves in adding grace and state

To the Inure noble eminence of mind,