Star.
London, England, 1817-04-10 00:00:00

pride of the Navy. the prop of the Couner_y—eietde-
peedeht is the pie Wit wafer* aid .641unliii
the wave. that bore him. lam afraid that leis rather
an anti-climes to tell you after this that he isibe pre-
sent plaintiff. The eloquence of Mrs. Blake via mot
exclusively confined to her encomiums on the Lime•
saint: she diverged at times into an episode on the
matrimonial felicities, painted the joy of Passion and
delights of Love; and obscurely hinted, that Hymen
with his torch had an exact personification in ber son
Peter, bearing a match-light in bis Majesty's ship the
Hydra I—While these contrivances were practising
on Mrs. Wilkins, a bye-plot was got up on board the
Hydra, and Mr. Blake returned to his mourning
country, influenced, as he says, by his partiality fi,r
the defendant, but, in reality, compelled by ill health
and disappointments, added, perhaps, to his mother's
very absurd and avaricious speculations, A letter
was received from Mrs. Blake, and almost immedi-
ately after its receipt, Miss Blake intruded herself at
Brownville, where Mrs. Wilkins was—remained two
days—lamented bitterly her not having appeared to
the Lieutenant, when he called to visit her—said that
her poor mother had set her heart on an alliance—
that she was sure, dear woman, a disappointment
would be the death of her--an short, that there was
no alternative but the tomb or the altar 1 To all this
Mrs. Wilkins only replied, how totally ignorant the
parties most interested were of each other, and that
were she eteen inclined to connect herself with a stran
ger (poor old fool'.) the debts in which her generce
I say to the family had already involved her, formed,
at least for the present, an insurmountable impedi.
ment. This was not sufficient. In less than a week
the indefatigable Miss Blake returned to the charge,
actually armed with an old family bond to pay off the
iecumbrances, and a renewed representation of the
mother's suspense and the brother's desperation. You
will not fail to observe, Gentlemen, that while V e
female conspirators were thus at work, the lover him-
self had never even seen the object of his idolatry !
'thus beset." harassed, conspired against, their, raise-
ruble vict7in entered into the contract you have heard;
a contract conceived in meanness, extorted by fraud,
and sought to be enforced by the most profligatecon-
;
spiracy. The wretched old woman could not sustain 1
ibis conflict. She was taken periously ill, confined
for many months in her brother's house, from whom
she was so cruelly sought to be separated, until the
debts in which she was involved and a recommended
change of scene transferred her to Dublin. There
she was received with the utmost kindness by her re-
lative, Mr. MeNamara, to whom she eontided the
delicacy and distress of her situation. 'that Gentle-
man, acting at once as her agent and her friend, in-
stantly repaired to Galway, where he had an inter-
view with Mr. Blake. This -was long before the
commencement of any action. A conversation took
place between them on the subject, which must, in
my mind, set the present action at rest altogether;
because it must shew that the neneperformance of the
contract originated entirely with the plaintiff himself.
Mr. *Namara inquired, whether it was not true that
Mr. Blake's own family declined any connexion, un-
less Mrs. Wilkins consented to -settle on them the en-
tire of her property ? Mr. Blake replied, it was.—
Mr. M•N411121111 rejoined, that her contract did net
bald her to any such extent. •' No," replied Mr.
Blake,'s I know it does not; howevet, tell Mrs. Wi-
lkins, that. I understand she has about 4580 a-year,
and I will be content to settle the odd £BO on her by
way of pocket money." Here, of course, the coa-
versation ended, which Mr. M'Nemara detailed, et
he was desired, to Mrs. Wilkins who rejected it with
the disdain which, I hope, ii will excite in every to-
noureble mind. A topic, however, arose during the
interview, which unfolds the natives and illustrates I
the mind •of Mr. Blake more than any observation''
which I can make on it. As one of the inducements I
, to the projected marriage, he actually proposed the 1
prospect of a £5O annuity, as' an officer's widow's
pension, to which she would be entitled in the event
of his decease! Oh 1 I know nothing to parallel the
sell-abasement of such at deed, except the audacity
that requires an honourable Jury to abet it.—The fol-
lowing letter from Mr. Anthony Martin, Mr. Blake'.
Attorney, unfolded the future plans ot' this unfeeling
ceaspiracy. Perhaps the Gentlemen would with also
to cushion this document? They do not.—Then I
shall read it. This ',Orris addressed to Mrs. Wilkins:
" Galway, January C, lil7-
a MataaW-.-1 have been applied to prolesolumilly by Lieute-
nant Peter Blake, to take proceeding. astolost you on rubor in -
euttls.adat emission, but from every letter of yours, and other do.
CUltients, together with the material and irreparable low Mr.
Blake Pm euwaened in bi 4 professional prospects, by means of
"sr r prepaid, as kiwi, make. it ludopensably necewary tot him to
get reaumemtkqt from yon. Under these circutustsusces lam
obliged to say, that I have Ms direc.lons to take inne4la:e pr .
reeding* against you, poles. he Is is. some measure compensated
for your breach of contract and promise to kiln. I Amid feel
happy that you would save me the Rectiaty oficdng profembass-
ally, by seam the busismes"—(You see, (leadsmen, money, mo-
ney, money, run. ebreugh the whole amour]—" and not =tar k''
to cons* to a pubic invretigetitel, particelarsy as I t motive from
the legal advice Mr. Blake has got, together wah all I have woo,
It will ultimately terminate most humeral/to his advantage; sad
to yourpectadery loss.-1 have the tumour to ilmsin, AM •:- il
(IPPIe " AlisTitilerit 11A11.71106 1
He first, Gentlemen, attacked her for,une witle+ael
sell, through the artillery of the Church, and_lietl
ving failed in that, be now attacks her fortune with-
out herself, through the assistance of the law. How-'
ever,. if I am instructed rightly, lie has nobody but
leniself to blame for his disappointment. Obstrve,
I do not vouch for the authenticity of this fact; but
I do certainly assure you, that Mrs. Wilkins was
persuaded of it. You knotr the proverbial frailty Of
Our nature; the gallant Lieutenant was not free
from it. Perhapsjou imagine that some younger,,
or, acccording to liis taste, some older lair oce,
weaned him from the widow. led. eJ they did not.
He bad no heart to lose, acid (can yon solve the pa-
ticiox?) his infirmity was Love—as the Poet says.
" Love—still—Love !" No, it was not to Venus,'
it was to Bacchus he sacrificed. With an Eas-
tern idolatry he commenced at day-light, and to.'
' persevering was his piety till the shades of night, that
When be was not on bis knees, he could scarcely be
rid to be on his legs, I When I came to this passage,
I could not avoid itivpluetatity exclainsitig "()h, Peter,
Peter ! whether it be in liquor or itelove—Nome but
thyself cars be thy parallel !"
Ardent as our fair ones have been announced to
be, they do not prefer a SAME that is so tokelesively
qpiritiel. WidovieWilltins, 'no doubt, did ndt otiose
to be eiegnar. • In the words of the Bard, and, my
Lord; I pereeive you excuse my dwelling, so mach
'on the authority of the Muses, because really on this
,nceeiica, OE isiiostrel.Reeme; to..hate stoothimeaths