The Sun.
London, England, 1821-05-28 00:00:00

BRITISH LITERATURE.

The CORONATION.—OBSERVATIONS on the PUB-
LIC LIFE of the KING. By GEORGE CROLY,
.This.pamphlet is not the production of an or-
dinary mind. It is Characterised by intellectual
energy, political acumen, extensive 'knowledge,
and fervent piety.
,The author takes a brief but
emphatic view of the history of this country, from
the commencement of the late KING'S reign to
the, present period.. Ile examines the conduct of
OPPOSITION from the origin, and during the whole
• - • t:4; the
manner of the REotscy, and noton.y
manner in which the PRINCE REGENT treated his,
old-political connexions,but proves that he acted to-
wards them with such liberality that if they had.
really been animated by the genuine spirit. .of
patriotism, they might have .formed part of his ad
ministration. In this examination he strilingjy,
evinces the political imbecility and prophetic
,rashness of Earl G[tY and Lord EttsKINE. lle
'places the characterofour late venerable Monarch
in the fairest light,And justly bestows the warmest
eulogiums on his conduct as a Sovereign and a
Man. The patriotic efforts of the present KING,
when Prince of WALEs,' to obtain an effective
military command while we 'were threatened with
a French invasion, is shewn to be in the highest
degree honourable to the Royal Character. The
unfortunate subject of the QUEEN is touched with
great delicaty. In short, the Pamphlet forms 'a
condensation of the histOry'of this Country from
the beginning of the ,reign or our late revered
Monarch. The only omission which we regret is
that, though- the author justly commendS the
system adopted by the present AdminiStrationin
order to accomplish the deli'verance of. Europe,
he takes no notice of our late illustrious States-
man.
Mr. Prit, to whom Europe is indebted for
that system, and the blessings which have at-
tended it. It would have been peculiarly grati-
fying to us to have found in the work a due tri-
bute to that pure and enlightened Minister, that
we might have inserted it this day, the anniver-
sary of his birth, which ought to be celebrated
by-every friend to our country and mankind.—
We subjoin the peroration to this masterly work,
as it relates to the august ceremony which ap-
proaches, the most awful that a' nation can wit-
ness—theratification of a solemn compact be-
tween the Sovereign and the People :--
" The world may no more see a day of vicissitude like ours ;
the Imperial Usurper, seated in full. dominion, calling up -and
embodying from the bright and the obscure, with,* power of
a necromancer, every Malignant essence of cur nature, casting
the earth into darkness, and binding in inexorable chains :the
noble and -the wise, the loyal and the brave ; and in a moment
undoner=the whole fabric of his, tyranny shattered -and :diS-
solved, as if shot thrbugh by the 'Jays of the sun ; the prisoners
loosed,—the master bound,- andlhiS unhallowed pomp, the bar- '
bafic pearl and gold of, his evil,thronci stricken into the worth-
lessness of which it was inade
" History will turn-froin die minute impressions of- the na-
tional mind 'to the impulse which the -king's government 'hai3
administered to England and -to Europe.' When we shall have
been gathered to the grave, and the petty shades and stains of
party shall have disappeared, like- the' outlines of the horizon
from. the 'face .of -an ascending 30n; ,flistory will contemplate
with wonder and thanksgiving the order that has been created
in the general system—the stately power by
,which it has been
sustained—the glory• Which our-glory has kindled:
" This is the attestation of posterity. It will see England
standing on the summit of human sovereignty ;—the represen-
tative of a beneficent Providence, holding the most powerful in-
fluence .ever given to a nation, by that holiest and gentlest te-
nure of the-affections and interests of- the world;—the king-
doms of the earth, strong, not in her weakness, but in her
strength ; the law of her dominion, like the announcement
that proclaimed the great advent of religion, "-Glory to God
in the. highest, and peace and good-will -to men." They will
remember at what moment this illustrious elevation was
reached ; and without asking through what delays and strug-
gles—through what unkindliness of the elements, or what un-
grateful caprices of man, her-steps at length surmounted the
height ; they will think of the hand by whose guidance, under
Heaven, she was led resolutely up to universal empire.
" It is with feelings established on those solid grounds,
that the nation will worthily advance.to the altar, whre their
Sovereign is -now to receive his ,Crown. There' even may
be, to our generation, something in - the rite higher than the
venerable custom of the State. The crowning of the King
bis the -pledge of the King to the people, and of both to
the Laws ;—it' is the crowning-of the Constitution ! The
nature of that,Englishman :be hard and unthankful,
who can look upon the ceremony, in all its splendid com-
binations to the eye arid mind,—its multitude of the illus-
trious- by. birth, and wisdom, anti Valour, assembled in the
midst of all that the world
.can display of magnificence ; its Ri-
tual, bequeathed through, a thousand years,--,its gorgeous em-
blemS and memorials of. regal prowess and grandeur,—the
whole august consecration of the laWs and rights of' England,
without rejoicing in what has been preserved, and lifting his
thoughts to that sleephss, supreme'Providence,. which, from
the Clouds and darkness of the world's trial, has held the.shield
over our Cause and our-Constitution."