The Sun.
London, England, 1842-01-20 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 1842.

LITERATURE.

MEMORIALS of the CIVIL WAR in ENGLAND.

2 Vol.. Colturn, London, 1842.

These volumes consist of a selection from the
well-known Tanner collection of MSS., which
has been duly arranged for publication by the
Editor, Mr. Carey. The selection refers exclu-
sively to the most stirring period of the Great
Civil War in England, and comprises original
Letters from many of the eminent soldiers and
statesmen who distinguished themselves during
that war, whether on the side of the Cavaliers or
the Roundheads. Among them we find Letters
from Oliver Cromwell, describing the progress of
his campaign in Ireland, and detailing matters
connected with the differences that occasionally
broke out between the Parliament and the army
in England. Nothing can be more clear, simple,
or straightforward in expression than these letters.
There is none of that quaint, roundabout phra-
seology or studied ambiguity of meaning in which
the writer's speeches abounded in so remarkable
a manner ; he is as concise and simple in his
language as the Duke of Wellington himself.
Neither does he affect that puritanical forin of
expression which he was so fond of doing to his
army or when addressing the Senate ; a manly,
heartfelt sense of piety pervades his correspon-
dence; but it is never pushed to an absurd ex-
treme, as was the fashion among the Roundhead
leaders. Cromwell as he is represented by his-
torians, and Cromwell as he exhibits himself
in these Letters, appear two very different cha-
racters. His much-talked of fanatical enthusiasm
breaks out nowhere in his official correspondence
—at least not in that portion of it which is con-
tained in the volumes before us; butt instead, he
shows to great advantage, as a cool, self-possessed
man of the world, and one by no means likely to
be carried away by his religious sensibilities.
We still believe—notwithstanding the many able
arguments that have been adduced to the con-
trary—that there was much of trickery and cal-
culation in Cromwell's puritanical zeal. He fell
in with the fashion of the day, not so much from
any innate tendency that way, as from a convic-
tion that it was the only means by which lie
could rise to eminence; but though we are of
opinion that he began by affecting a zeal which
he did not feel, there can be no question that he
ended by becoming the dupe of his own arts.
Never was man sincerer in his fanaticism, than
he was in the last two or three years of his life,
as his frequent and earnest conferences with his
favourite preachers as to the possibility of his
being able " to fall away," having " once been
in a state of grace," abundantly prove. Next in
interest to Cromwell's, are the few, brief Letters
of Prince Rupert—" the fiery, Rupert," as he
was called both by friends and foes—whose cor-
respondence, however, exhibits much more cun-
ning and hypocrisy than frank,impetuous energy
of character. Writing, for instance, to the
Speaker of the House of Commons, he says—
" What we have done is very far from wilful-
ness or purpose to offend the Parliament, or from
any thought that we could thereby have preju-
diced ourselves ; having firmly resolved, to our

best power, to assist and advance the peace of
this kingdom, and to give that regard that is
just and due to those that represent it." And
yet, at the very time that the Prince was expres-
sing himself in this bland, pacific style, he was
making every effort he could to induce the King
to carry on the war with vigour; and acknow-
ledged Charles as the only head, even while he
was addressing Parliament as the representative,
of the kingdom! But such was the character of
nearly all the Cavaliers. Notwithstanding their
incessant boasts of manliness and generosity of
spirit, and their constant sneers at the upstart
cunning of the Puritans, there was not one of
them whose good faith could be relied on, with
the exception, perhaps, of the high-minded
Lord Faulkland, and one or two others among
the more moderate Royalists. The Letters of
Queen Henrietta Maria, wife of Charles the
First, are only two in number, and give not the
slightest insight into character. Till of late years,
this woman's nature has been greatly,-in some
instances, wilfully misunderstood, and she has
been eulogised itbr qualities to which she had
not the slightest pretension. Faithless as a wife,
treacherous as a friend, self-willed and unprinci-
pled as a Queen, it is at her door that many of her
husband's misfortunes, in the earlier period of his
squabbles with Parliament, may be laid. She it
was who encouraged him in all his worst acts of
oppression, by alternate taunts, menaces, and
cajolery, lery, and, in particular, goaded him on to
that most unjustifiable act—the attempt to seize
the five obnoxious Members of Parliament hr

the House of Commons itself, which may be
said, more than anything else, to have precipi-
tated the awful crisis of the Civil War. There
are few, .Letters in this selection, besides those
we have allfided to, of any great public interest;
but after so many able hands have been reaping
in the. field, it could not be expected that a mere
gleaner should be able to pick up much of value.

COURT CIRCULAR.

WINDSOR, WEDNESDAY.—The Queen and
Prince Albert enjoyed equestrian exercise this
morning for some time, in the new riding schOol,
attended by Lord Charles Wellesley, and Colo-
nel Bouverie.
Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales
and the Princess Royal are in excellent health.
His Royal Highness Prince Albert honoured
Mr. Lucas with another sitting, for a full length
portrait, to-day.

Their Royal Highnesses the Duke of Cam-
bridge and Prince George of Cambridge, attended
by Colonel Jones, took their departure yesterday
from the seat of the Duke of Rutland, Belvoir
Castle, Leicestershire, to honour the Earl of Car-
digan with a visit at Lean Park, Northampton-
shire.

Lord Ashburton and Mr. Hume had interviews
with Lord Stanley at the Colonial-office.

The Earl of Beverley, as Captain of her Ma-
jesty's Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard, has
appointed Mr. Ellerthorp, the Clerk of the
Cheque, as his Secretary.
The Cabinet Ministers dined last evening with
Sir James Graham at his residence in Hill-street.

Lord Ashburton transactedbusiness yesterday
at the Foreign-office.
Despatches from the Lord High Commissioner
of the lonian Islands were received yesterday at
the Colonial-office. Despatches were also re-
ceived from the Governor of Ceylon.
Despatches for the Governor of West Australia
Were sent off last evening from the Colonial-office

THE ROYAL CHRISTENING.
The most extensive arrangements are in progress
throughout the country, for the purpose of making the
day on which the Royal infant is to be christened one of
general rejoicing, and it is gratifying to see that this
will not only be done by the gentry, tradesmen, and the
more respectable portion of the community, but that the
poor will also be enabled to join in the general re-
joicing, and that in all the principal towns of the king-
dom, by the consideration of their more wealthy neigh-
bours, a plentiful and excellent dinner, and other com-
forts, will be provided for them. At Aylesbury, a Com-
mittee of the inhabitants was formed, and a subscrip-
tion. entered into, to provide the poor of the
town and adjoining' parishes with a dinner rind blankets;
and warm clothing will also be distributed among the
more necessitous. The inhabitants of the town will also
have a public dinner to celebrate the auspicious event.
At Buckingham the poor will also be regaled in a
similar manner, a very considerable subscription, to
which the Duke of Buckingham contributed 50/., having
been entered into for that purpose ; and there will also
be a public dinner upon a very grand scale, and the day
will be closed by a ball,, gratification being thus afforded
to all, rich and poor, old and young. in most of the
other principal towns in Buckinghamshire similar pro-
ceedings are to take place. At Hertford it is intended
to give a quantity of beef and plum-padding to every
poor family in the town, and the gentry in the neigh-
bourhood, and the principal inhabitants, are to dine to-
gether at the Town Hall. All the other principal towns
of the county will adopt similar proceedings. At
Chelmsford, and all the chief towns of Essex, there will
also b© public dinners, and the poor will be provided
with substantial comforts in commemoration of the
happy event. From every other part of the country si-
milar accounts are received, and there can be very little
doubt that, under Providence, the day will be one of al-
most universal gladness.

(Quakers) were introduced, to offer the Emperor an
address, and some books explanatory of their religious
opinions.

• WEDNESDAY.—This morning, at nine o'clock, the
Emperor of Russia, accompanied by the Grand Duchess,
departed from London, in an open carriage of the Prince
Regent's. At the same hour the King of Prussia left
Clarence-house in a Royal carriage for the Earl of
Liverpool's seat. The Prince left Carlton-house about
the same time for Portsmouth.

THURSDAY.--The Prince Regent and Royal visitors
reached Portsmouth, where lodgings for the week were
let at 20, 50, and even at 100 guineas.
FRIDAY AND. SATURDAY. 'there was a naval review,
after which the Royal visitors proceeded to Brighton,
and from thence to Dover.

DOVER, MONDAY, JUNE 27.7—This morning the Em-
peror Alexander and his sister embarked on board the
Royal Charlotte for Ostend, and the King of Prussia
and his suite embarked in the Nythph frigate for Calais,
amidst the discharge of artillery and the cheers of the
populace. The wind, however, being unfavourable for
Ostend, the Emperor made for Calais, at Which place he
disembarked on Tuesday morning.
Thus ended the Royal visit.