Star.
London, England, 1821-04-27 00:00:00

MR. PITT.

The Life of Mr. PITT, by the Bishop of WVINCHES•
TER. just published, contains the following account
of that statesman's first speech in Rirliament, and
of the manner in which he ctiltivated his talent for
debate, which will probably prove interesting to our
Readers:

" Ua the 26th of February (1731) a circumstance
of a very remarkable nature occasioned Mr. Pitt to
make his first speech in the House of Commons.—
The subject of debate was, Mr. 13arke's Bill for Eco-
nomical Reform in the Civil List. Lord Nugent was
speaking against the Bill ; and Mr. Byng, Member
for Middlesex, knowing Mr. Pitts sentiment upon
the measure; asked him to reply to his Lordship,
Mr. Pitt gave a doubtful answer ; but, in the course
of Lord Nugent's speech, 'be determined not to reply
to him. Mr. Byng, however, understood that Mr. •
Pitt intended to speak after Lord• Nugent; and the
moment his Lordship sat down, Mr. Byng, and seve-
ral of his friends to whom he had communicated
Mr. Pict's supposed intention, called out, in the man•
ner usual in the House of Commons, Mr. Pitt's name,
ras being about to speak. This probably prevented
any other person from rising; and Mr. Pitt, finding -
himself thus called upon, and observing that the
House waited to hear him, thought it necessary to
rise. Though really not intending to speak, he was,
from the beginning, collected and unembarrassed :
he argued strongly in favour of the Bill, and noticed
all the objections which had been urged by the Noble
Lord who immediately preceded him in the debate,
in a manner which greatly astonished all who heard
him. Never were higher expectations formed of any
person upon his first coming into Parliament, •and
never were expectations more completely answered;
they were, indeed, much more than answered. Such
were the fluency and accuracy of language, such the
'perspicuity of arrangement, and such the closeness
of reasoning, and manly and dignified elocution
generally, even in a much less degree, the fruits of
long habit and experience—that it could scarcely be
believed to be the first speech of a young man not
yet two-and-twenty.
"On the following day Mr. Pitt, knowing my
anxiety upon every subject which related to him,
with his accustomed kindness; wrote to me at Cam-
bridge, to inform me that he had heard his own
voice in the House of Commons e and modestly ex-
pressed his satisfaction at the manner in which his
first attempt at Parliamentary speaking had been re-
ceived. Before Mr. Pitt had a seat in. Parliament,
he had been a constant attendant in the gallery of
the House of Commons, and near the throne in the
House of Lords, upon every important debate ; and
whenever he heard a speech of any merit on the side
opposite to his own opinions, he accustomed himself
Ito consider, as it proceeded, in what manner it might
be answered : and when the speaker accorded with
his own sentiments, he then observed his mode of
arranging and enforcing his ideas, and considered
whether any improvement could have been made, or
whether any argument had been omitted. To this
habit, and to the practice already mentioned, of ren-
dering Greek and Latin into English, joined to his
naturally wonderful endowments, may be attributed
that talent for reply, and that command of language
for which he was, from the first, so highly distin-
guished. At whatever length he spoke, he avoided
repetition ; and it was early and justly observed of
him, that he never tailed to put the best word in
the best place."
We can add to this.account some particulars of
Mr. Pitts early preparation for public speaking,
which came within our own knowledge. It was not
only the gallery of the Hou e of Commons that Mr.
Pitt attended to hear the debates, in that brilliant era
of forensic eloquence; but fOr two years Previous to
his introduction to Parliament as a Member, he fre-
quented all the Debating Societies which were then
prevalent in every corner of the town, from the one
at Comely's, in Soho-square, at half-a.crown admis-
sion, down to those at sixpence, for which the spec-
tator was entitled to a pot of norter. At none of tho.e
Societies did he ever open his mouth; but it was
usual for him, on his quitting the scene, to say to his
friends, that if he had had to reply to such a speaker,
describing him, he would have said—and here he
proceeded to an argument, as an exercise of his fa-
culties, and by which he came to that wonderful
proficiency in the composition of his periods, that
characterized his future talent in the Senate. So
much was public speaking then countenanced, that
the Lyceum, now the English Opera House, was
fitted up on the model of the llouse of Commons, as
4 Forum for public debate on a superior scale, the
admission to be five shillings; and this sleculatitm
was entered into by John Sheridan, Esq. a Barrister,
with the express hope that Mr. Pitt and his friends,
the present Lord Grenville, the late Mr. St. John,
Mr. Wilberforce, &c. would be induced to speak.
Mr. Pitt attended the first night, with several friends,
but they took their seats in the gallery, and did not
join in the discussion, which was chiefly on points of
order, as it was agreed to adopt and conduct the de-
bates on the rules and regulations of the House of
Commons. The supporters of the Establishment
were chiefly young Barristers, Students of Law, and
Iteporters. It soon declined ; and though the Bri-
tish Forum, Coachmakers' Hall, and others, conti-
nued to exist for some time, their popularity wore
off. The Robin Hood had been closed for two or
three years before.

Yesterday morning, a Gentleman bathing in the
Serpentine River, Hyde-park, was unfortunately seized
with the cramp, and immediately snnk. :Some per-
sons near. the spot made an instant "alarni,• and, after
several endeavours, they succeeded in:getting him nut
of the water. Medical assistance wasiprocured, but
he was quite dead. The body was .cerried, to the
Bricklayers' Arms, in Moutit-street,
for the Coroucr's Inquest.

THF4 EVENING STAR.

LONDON.

. /

FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 1821.
THE FUNDS.

PRICES OF STOCKS THIS HAY AT ONR O'CLOCK :
Bank Stock 2231/2-3 per Cent. Reduced 719/4 3/8
3 per Cent. Cons. 721/4 Vs-31/2 per Cent. 811/4
4 per Ct. 893/4 % 1/4—.5 per Ct. Navy 108% 1071/4
Long Anns. 183/8 7-16 5-16—India Stock 230 1/4
India Bonds 445. 40s. pr.—South Sea Stock 80%
Exch. Bills 4s. 6s. pr.—Cons. for Acct. 7278 3/8 1/4.

We are sorry to find that the rejoicings on ac•
count of the Anniversary of his MAJESTY'S Birth,
should have been anywhere interrupted by acts of
outrage and disturbance ; and that the instances we
have to record, should be furnished by a country,
the population of which has hitherto sustained so
high a character for its moral and orderly habits.—
We refer our Readers wish pain to the details, which
will be found in another part, of the violent and un-
provoked attacks to which the military force has been
exposed, both at Edinburgh and Glasgow, and to the
distressing consequences which, at the latter place,
have ensued to many misguided individuals.

We have received this forenoon the Paris Papers
of Monday and Tuesday, as also private.letters. The
following article is given under the head of Vienna,
of date the 12th April :
It appears certain that a corps of observation of
40,000 men will be sent to the frontiers of Wallachia.
The regiments in garrison in Gallicia have received
that destination.• Everything announces that our
whole atiny will be put on the war establishment,
and that the Landwehr will be entrusted with the
service of the interior. From these extraordinary
measures, it is presumed that after the occupation
of piedmont, there will be still some farther enter-
prize for Me re-establishment of tranquillity in Europe.
It is said to be on news received from Laybach that
these conjectures are founded."
What, then, can be the further enterprize contem-

plated ? Can Spain, notwithstanding the solemn as-
surances of the Allied Sovereigns, be the country
which is next to have its affairs overhauled by these
Imperial Supervisors? But, after what has passed,
why need we talk of Royal assurances as any obsta-
cle to any injustice they may have the power to ac-
complish? It cannot be denied that, according to all
appearances, Spain is the country next threatened.
The continued march of Austrian troops for Italy,
together with the approach of a formidable Russian
army, cannot be accounted for by any circumstance
connected with Italian affairs. It is not improbable
that an attempt will be made by the Allies to induce
Spain to modify her present institutions; and should
persuasicn fail, coercive means will, of course, be
tried. It is well known, that by the stipulations of
the Alliance, improperly called Holy, the Members
pledge themselves to protect one another from the
effects of Revolution. King FERDINAND of Spain,
as one of the Men.bers of the League (at least he was
so previously to the adoption of the Charter), is no
doubt considered by the Allies as having a claim to
their interference.
The Spaniards are not blind to the danger which
threatens them. A private letter from Paris, of the
23d inst. says—" I am happy to inform you that the
Spaniards have at last adopted strong measures. They
have decreed a levy of 500,000 men, and the creation
of four armies. A Commission of five Members is to
be nominated, in order to be joined to the Ministry
during the war. As soon as hostilities commence,
the Political Chiefs are to have dictatorial power,
and all attacks against the Constitution are to be
tried by a Military Commission, the sentence of
which is to be executed within twenty-four hours,
with the approval of the Political Chief.
Two Piedmontese have been arrested at Lyons,
who are said to have played a great part in the
troubles at Turin and Alessandria.
A letter from Modena of the 7th April states, that
the students of that town have attempted a small in-
surrection, after the fashion of the Carbonari, but
that the attempt had been very speedily suppressed.
Three of the mutineers have been arrested, and the
rest brought back to obedience.
Fiend) Five per Cents. Monday, 82 fr. 60 c.—
Deferred Stock, 96 fr. 10 c.—Bank Shares, 1545.

We have received this forenoon, by Mails from
Flanders and Holland, Papers to the 24th inst. The
following are extracts:

CORFU, MARCH 16.

The Commissioners formed by the order of the
Government of the 17th of January, condemned to
six years imprisonment Anastasius Peta (surnamed
Cuchi), as an accomplice of Antonio Martinengos.
The Lord Commissioner has ordered the execution
of the sentence. Sir Thomas Maitland then dissolved
the Commission, and ordered all the persons arrested
to be set at liberty, on condition of their giving to the
Government of Zante security for their good conduct'
in future. Pietro Logitelli, and Dionisio Platimessi,
are excepted from this measure, not being permitted'
to return to Zante, till after the lapse of a year.