The Sun.
London, England, 1828-05-01 00:00:00

NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE.

This is a light, showy, and superficial number,
with plenty of anecdote, and the least possible
quantum of thought. The subjects are of no im-
portance, whether in point of novelty or intelligence;
but are handled uniformly with grace. " The Phi-
losophy of Clubs" gives some agreeable details of
these old fashioned convivial societies ; among
others there is an anecdote of the never-to-be for-
gotten Mr. Canning, which though it possesses no-
thing of particular interest in itself, is yet important
from its connexion with one of the most enlarged
and variously accomplished statesmen of modern
times. Mr. Canning, it seems, in his earlier years,
was in the habit of frequenting a club held at the
corner of Bond-street, and entitled the Clifford-
street Society.

" At the Clifford street Society Canning generally took
what, in modern phraseology, is called the " liberal side"
of these questions; and he entered into its discussions with
the ardour and animation of his usual temperament. Can-
! fling's earliest prepossessions are well known to have in-
dined to this side ; but he evidently considered the society
rather as a school of rhetorical exercise, where he might
acquire the use of his weapons, than a thrum, where a
serious profession of opinions, and a consistent adherence
to them, could be fairly expected of hint. I remember
tieing there, when the question fir debate was, ' the jus-
tice and expediency of resuming the ecclesiastical property
of France.' Before the debate began, Canning had taken
some pains to ascertain on which side the majority of the
members seemed inclined to speak, and, finding that they
were generally in favour of the resumption, he expressed
his fears that the unanimity of sentiment would spoil the
discussion, and volunteered to speak against it. He did
so, and it was a speech, I well recollect, of considerable
power, chiefly i❑ reply to the opener, who, in a set dis-
course of sonic length, bad asserted the revocable condi-
tions of the property of the church, which being created,
he said, by the state, remained ever after at its disposition.
Canning denied the proposition, that ecclesiastical property
was the creature of the state. He contended, that though
it might be so in a new Government, yet speaking histori-
cally, the great as well as lesser ecclesiastical fiefs were
coeval with the crown of France, frequently strong enough
to maintain fierce and not unequal conflicts with it, and
certainly not in their origin emanations front its bounty.
The church, he said, came well dowered to the state, who
was now suing for a divorce, in order to plunder her pin-
money. He contended that the church property stood on
the same basis, and ought to be protected by the same
sanctions as private property. It was originally, he said,
accumulated from the successive donations with which a
pious benevolence sought to enrich the fountains, from
which spiritual co►ufort was to flow to the wretched, the
poor, the forsaken. He drew an energetic sketch of Mica-
beau, the proposer of the measure, by whose side, he re-
marked, the worst characters iu history, the Cieons, the
Catilines; the Cetheguses of antiquity, would brighten into
virtue. He said that the character of the law-giver tainted
the law. It was • proffered to the National Assembly by
hands hot and reeking from the cells of sensuality and
vice ; it came from a brain infl smed and distended into
frenzy by habitual debauchery. These are, of course, but
faint sketches of this very early specimen of Canning as a
! speaker. I despair of recalling a single trait of the
humour and the irony with which he delighted his
auditors. It is sufficient to observe that he displayed
nearly the same powers of pleasantry and of humour,
which in a maturer period of his career have so often
enlivened the dulness of debate, and softened the exaspera-
tions of party. He was, indeed, less rapid, and more
measured in his elevation; sometimes impeded in flow,
probably from too fastidious a selection of words ; but it
was impossible not to predict that at no very distant period
he would rise into higit distinction as a Parliamentary
speaker. He was then the most handsome man about the
town; and his fine countenance glowed, as he spoke, with
every sentiment which he uttered. It was customary,
during the debates at the Clifford-street senate, for pots of
porter to be introduced by way of refreshment. Canning,
in his eloquent tirade againft Mirabeau, handled the
peculiar style of the Count's oratory with great severity.
The president had, during this part of Canning's speech,
given a signal for a pot of porter, which had been brought
in and placed before him. It served Canning for an
illustration. c Sir,' said he, ' much has been said about
the gigantic powers of Mirabeau. Let us not be carried
away by the false jargon of his philosophy, or imagine
that deep political wisdom resides in tumid and decorated
diction. To the steady eye of a sagacious criticism, the
eloquence of Mirabeau will appear to be as empty and vapid
as his patriotism. It is like the beverage that stands so
invitingly before you—foam and froth at the top, heavy
and muddy within!' "

The 4 Dying Improvisatere," is among the most
graceful and finished specimens of Mrs. Hemans's
poetry; it is full of chastened feeling. " The Two
Dining Rooms" is an amusing narrative of a fashion-
able young man, whose hobby it was to have his
small dining room enlarged ; the consequences are
well detailed, as long as his " Refectory" was
limited in dimensions, he could fill it with the
choicest wits of the age ; when it increased
in size he was compelled to make up with
Aldermen, &c. as a large vessel is filled with
lead for ballast. " The influence of Books on the
progress of Manners," is entertaining but common-
place, and sets out on a very trite and obvious
axiom. " Alfadhel Alderamy," by the author of
the "Rejected Addreses," is worthy of him: the
sketch of Time in the wilderness, washing his scythe
in a small pool, is forcible and striking. The re-
maining articles all, more or !ess, deserve a perusal.