Star.
London, England, 1829-10-30 00:00:00

THE STAR.

—" 1, -sant withot c -urrility, witty without affection, auda-
• without impudent% learned without opinion, and strange
clout heresy."—S4

e TiOPEDO:N •".DRIAN IV. was the first English-
titan who tilled th- Papal chair. He was born at
Langley in Heretoro•!...ire, and his name WBB NICHOLAS
BILKESPERE. He assured his countryman, JOHN OF
SALISBtRY, that "all the former hardships of his life
were mere amusement to the misfortunes of the Pope-
dom; that he looked t:pon St. Peter's chair as the most
uneasy seat in the world; and that his crown seemed to
be clapt burning on his head."—BAßowitts. Anna.
tom. zii. An 1154.

DIPLOMATIC SINCERITY.---" The seventeenth cen-
tury, especially towards the bator part of it, may justly
be styled an age of intrigue, in which most of the Princes
of Europe, and their Ministers of State, carried on their
projects and designs with more address and policy than
open force and plain downright violence. Those disci-
ples of MACHLAVEL, RICHLIEU, and MAZARINE, re-
fined upon 'and improved the maxims of their masters,
so far that they had the art, even whilst they were sign-
ing of treaties, and caressing each other in the most en-
dearing manner, to carry on, underhand, a scheme of
proceedings which looked another way."—Works of the
Learned, vol. ii.
Who can read this passage without at once discovering
the incompetency of a soldier—a gallant and triumphant
soldier it is true—but still more versed in the details of
the camp and the tented field, than in the affairs of the
Cabinet or of the Senate—to enter upon political dis-
cussion with the proficients of such a school of chicanery
and intrigue ?—a soldier, too, who might exclaim with
OTHELLO:•—•

" Little of this great world can I speak
More than pertains to feats of broil and battle;
And therefore Wile gall I grace my caws
.4 sPeakin for inreV."

He who could hope for success in such an encounter of
subtle wit, with inexperienced self-sufficiency, " must be
mad" indeed.

ROYAL CANDOR.—Few have spoken so severely of
others, as FERDINAND OF ARRAGON (styled "the
Catholic") has done of himself. His ambassador to the
Court of France once told him that Louis XII. com-
plained of his having deceived him twice. " A lying
blockhead !" said FERDINAND, "I have taken him in a
dozen times at least !"

INDOLENCE.—When the DUKE OF NEWCASTLE
left the Ministry, a whole closet of American dispatches
was found unopened !—WALPOLE'S 'Reminiscences.'
[Of course His Grace, with the liberality and con-
scientious scrupulosity which distinguishes his house,
took no salary for this faithful discharge of his minis-
terial duties. Such " indolence," to use WALPOLE'S
lenient phrase, is a dangerous qualification for place and
power ; but from the utter ignorance which some English
Ministers of State for Foreign Affairs have betrayed of
the affairs of Europe—and the world in general, it would
be little surprising if the closets of Downing-street were
—one day—to bear fearful testimony to the influence of
the Noble Duke's example upon his successors.]
THE HEART AND THE FACE.—" My heart," said a
Gaston. " is a clock, of which my countenance is the
index."--Gasconiana.

MODEST MERIT.—BOLINGEROKE, la a letter to
Pow LLY, gives the following estimate of his own merit,
—which he considerably extends to the talents of two
of his friends:—" My dear POUILLY, of all the men I
ever knew in my life, there are but three fit to take
upon them the task of governing nations,—You, and I
and POPE!! !"

Linas.—Though some may make light of libels, yet
you may see by them how the wind sits : as take a straw
and throw it up into the air, you shall see by that which
way the wind is, which you shall not do by casting up a
stone ; more solid things, do not spew the complexion of
the times so well as ballads and libels.
, SELDEN.