The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-01-29 00:00:00

AMERICAN PAPERS.

WhO is there among the gay and noble in England
that does not remember the heroine of our romance? Se
veral years have elapsed since first she entered the bril-
liant-circle of English beauty and fashion, "brightening
that which was so bright;" and some few have passed
since, happy alike in station, fortune, personal charms,
and gaiety of disposition, she was bestowed, in what she.
agreed to call " holy" matrimony, upon one whose coro-
net for some time appeared a far less precious treasure
than-his consort; and whose name, long identified with
the subtilties of the law, seemed doomed to be for ever
afterwards associated with.the fascinations of loveliness.
The'period at which she sacrificed her place in this ele-
vated circle of English society, and became neither wife.
nor widow, is recent enough to be regretted by many and
remembered by all. The circumstances that immediately:
ensued in Paris—the princely affections and flatteries
for which she had resigned all that ought to have been
her hoMe and happiness—the princely inattention, sus-
piCion, alienation, that 'flillowed, and rendered Paris
something.rather short, of Paradises—these for the pre•
sent must be passed over. We may take a trip to Paris
another day.
Skipping, then, not only a second, but a third separa,
tion, which occurred at the same period, let us endeavour
to follow the lovely inconstant, the ignus-fatuus of beau-
ty,-in her flight to Bavaria. She has just alighted very
near the court ; she has caught the smile and receives the
salutation of an illustrious' personage. Now is thento-
rnent to zet a glimpse of that face, just as it is lit up
with. a sweet flush of pleasure, immediately succeeded by
a prouder'one of triumph, and looking so lovely as, to
make one wonder how any body could refuse to see it at
court. ft is quite evident at least that one royal voice
out of two is ready to decide upon its admission into the
regal circle.
If the face be, indeed, an index to the character,. there
stands the purest creature that ever shed lustre upon-life,
or-tinctured the dark cold shadows of earth with the rosy
hues of heaven. It is not that the Lady Ellen is beau-
tiful in the ordinary sense of the word ; it is the particu-
lar style, the singular expression of her face, that attract
and Charm us: She is the. very personification of guile-
lessness—she is purity herself; that is the very aspect
which innocence wore in Eden. If an impure thought
ever crossed that mind it must have been in a dream—RS
owner could not have been conscious of it. Who would
believe one word of a tale not to be denied, or put faith
in a story which they knew to be true, while looking into
those large blue eyes that only seem to mirror the hea-
ven, or admiring those golden locks as soft and beautiful
as the sunshine ? Every glance melts away a
.convic-
tion, every tinge of the clear cheek makes.an affidavit of
guilt blush for its untruth. Such she seems, and her fi-
gure by no means destroys the personification. It is
short, out pretty--she is rather fat, but not fatter than an
angel ought to be. Such seems the Lady Ellen.
. Well, there are a slivorce and a separation or two to
set against all this apparent purity ; and, innocent as the
face is, it is not seen at court. In vain would the illus-
. trious admirer of it open the door of the sanctuary ; a
fair hand, imperial and even more powerful than his, on-
poSes the introduction. Ellen can only enter there'
the gate of marriage. A few weeks elapse,, and lot she
is at court—introduced, accepted, admired every where—
but she is the Lady Ellen no longer. In her you now
see the bride of a Bavarian noble; the happy bride—
she really seems as happy as she looks innocent—of one
whoSe whole soul is hers, and who can ensure to her all
-that the heart knows of joy, or the world of luxury and
I,,plendour. Life then is to commence anew—the past is
to be compared to a sickly and hidepus dream—the pre-
sent and the future alone are actual. She is restored,
reinstated, almost re-born. She is quite young, and has
a world before her so rich in fruits that not a wish that
Ought to be entertained need be for a moment unfulfilled.
She has no occasion to take a fancy to jewels that glitter
on the neck of royalty—they may be freely rendered
back7—her own sparkle in all eyes. She is in fact the
lady-lion. Her cortege almost breaks the heart of wo•
man, while it enchants that of man.
What can promise fairer than all this? Her position
restored in a distant land, her happiness watched over by
One who identifies it with his on n, and her countenance
a perpetual certificate of purity to all questioners! There
was a Helen in the elder times (for poetry is just as true
as history) who fell, or rather walked voluntarily, into the
snares of a Greek youth, named Paris; a name involving
some unfortunate associations for our Ellen. That ancient
Grecian had a modern representative, or imitator, in Ba-
varia; one who was gallant as well asSoung, and hand-
some up to one degree beyond the irresistible. With
such a Greek—in the midst of all her fresh-blown honours
and budding virtues—in the bright sunshine of her second
career—in the very morning of that new marriage which
was to be to her as the millenium—did the Lady of our
romance suddenly disappear! She went out like a star
that had attained to its brightest twinkle, and become
tired of a fixed sphere. There is no keeping an eccentric
planet in its place.
• When did this happen? Only the other day. Hardly
is the dust yet laid, which was raised by the wheels of the
Carriage that bore the outraged and distracted husband
in pursuit of the fugitives. Rapid indeed was his flight.
They were overtaken, detected, dismayed. This was at
Berlin. The frail fascinator found herself Greekless, un-
done, and in the custody of her wronged lord. As a first
Step, she was securely locked by, and was then left to ru-
minate on the consequences of her crime—on her hus-
band's character, on his devotion for her, on his sense of
honour—and to wonder whether Greek or Bavarian would
fall in the deadly struggle which she knew must ensue.
The husband and the lover met immediately ; and mel
with. a determination on the part of the former that one
'party should fall. This happier destiny he chose for him-
self. Death appeared to him to be his only • refuge, as it
was his only desire. The duel was of course not strictly.
on the English system. When placed upon the ground,
lie said, addressing the Greek, " You have destroyed my
only chance of happiness—all that I was.. realizing—all
that I hoped for. You have dried up the spring of joy
"—Yon have turned life, green and fruitful as it seemed,
into'
• a desert. Fire, Sir! do not 'spare my mere life, when
1" hive not spared that which endeared it to me." His
antagonist answered •
and, of conrs% in a generous and gallant spirit;
beam
that the Bavarian should fire first.
Which breath
at length fired, a% expended and no powder, the. husband
from
Greek instantly dropped to, the
ground, bleeding a mortal wound. the remon-
strance of his adversary,that lie should discharge his piss,
tol is turn, the Greel(reiriaitilned deaf; but beckoning him
who had. been so deeply '
avenged, he implored Itim3witeh'sallnd' was thus so fatally
titie sfolemnity that dy-
ing breath could add to the prayer to this euartglive the erring
Creature whose beauty had led
Bavarian, however, was an inexorable liLsitila.(1)11:11-le. Time
all appearance, he returned to his faithless captive ,and, to
consort his heart told him she had ceased to be) only °
take that act of vengeance upon her which had already.i
brought her lover wi tin n . a. hair's breadth of the grave.
Afa-§!rie.entirel
Y.-forgot that:6mo -e:ves, fitill•rair; and
visage the most innocent, in the•.: world, could, produoe
•odd &awes in -.unalterable. resolutions.- But .wiren the
blue eyes are seen streaming with tears, and golden

NEW-YEAR'S-DAY`.—TILE PRESIDENT'S LEVEE.
At twelve o'clock. the doors of the president's palace
(for every. one here has royalty enough about him to call,
the mansion a palaCe,) was thrown open.for the reception
of the Multitude, without distink;tion of rank or politics.
The front of the president's houSe was lined with a hun-
dred or more carriages, bearing: to and from the presi-
dent's house an innumerable concourse of people, strati •
gerS and citizens, belonging in the good city of Washing•
ton, and its adjoining toWns. The outer hall was throng•
ed with visitors, pushing their way to the drawing-room,
where the president was stationed. In the hall also were
the marine hand, in full uniform, playing'a pleasing va-

rietv of national airs.
Satiated-W.lth music, curiosity was next gratified by
gazing nilorfa large cheese of 7001bs. in the same de-
partment,-presented by some gentleman of Oswego, in
your state. The monster, for it was a monster of supe-
rior attraction, quite eclipsing the president and his reti-
nue, bad but just reached the president, who, always hav-
ing the good of his people at heart, ordered it to be placed
where all could view it. From the as it is called,
we-entered into a beautifully decorated drawing-room,
at the-door of which stood the president, offering his
hank and making his best bow to all who entered. Do-
ne, n, his private secretary, stood by, ordering " we,
the-1 ople," as soon as we had left the president," to dis-
persei-and make room for others. In this manner the
drawing- room was filled, and again emptied, for the space
of two hours. As crowded as we could be, " we, the
people," again moved ,into an adjoining .drawing-room,
where stood the wife of the president's adopted son, and
the wife of the president's secretary, the centre . of at-
traction. They seemed to all the spectators the very
nucleus of beauty and interest—certainly so, if I may
judge from the attention which was given to them by all
present, and the very many introductions they received
to strangers present.
In this room most of the- wives and daughters of the
secretaries were seen, and, indeed, the most distinguished
ladies in the city. Here, too, was Martin Van Buren,
frisking about like a toad von the green, shaking hands
with every body—glad to see every body—hoping for
every body's health—asking after every body's friends—
winking to every body—and of course trusting tone re-
warded by every body in a better than golden cointlie
votes of the people. Upon a wager of a thousand pounds
[ could have selected him from ten thousand people, had
I never seen him before. He is. Martin Van Buren—
"the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever"—with the
same everlasting devil in his eye—the same smirk upon
his race—the same proffered hand to grasp the hand of
another, be he friend or. foe, ignorant or learned—the
same bland voice and manner to one and all, or, if there
bp.a difference, grasping the hand of a stranger with
more fierceness and cordiality than he Would the hand of
a friend.
Weary of gaiing upon his hypocrisy, or what he and
his friends call his tact, and eater to see all that was to
be seen in the hour of seeing (tor the time of receiving
spectators was limited to two hours) I forced my way in-
to a third drawing room, covered with green paper,, and
adorned with green dec-orations, anit furnished in part
with green furniture. Here beauty was as scarce as
flowers in midsummer. Nota woman could be found, for
the very good reas.on that the green from the walls re-
flecting upon the countenances, had the-effect to make
the ladies appear woise than pen or tongue coned paint
them—with a green, jealous, bottle•imp face, as forbid-
, ding as it was disagreeable.. From this sickly, pale-cast
room, an egress was made as soon as one could he found.
know not to whom the president is indebted- for this'
green:eyed room—so ugly in its appearanCe, that one af,
ter being there would fancy he had been walking among.
the tombs or on the grass-plots of the dead. We found.
an• outlet .from.this cave into the East Romp—aye, the
far-famed East Room, that field of caucus and Man=
vre, where
" Thrones are raised and kings are inade."

where, too, as around Egypt of old, now swarm the
holders and seekers of office, coming.. if possible; to fos-
ter the plagues that were .sent as curses upon Pharoah.
To reach this room, seemed the ne plus ultra of the de-
sires of the crowd, as I am sure it was of my own wish.
The foreign ministers were there, dressed in the military
uniforms of their Own countries, with gold stars upon-
their coats;—,the whole uniform far more beautiful than '
the American—not so much surpassing the American,
military dresses in their,display, as in their neatness and
richness. The American officers, too, were there in fUll'
uniform, from some of the veterans in the'revolution, to
many of the heroes in the last war, and from these. to
some of the officers in the navy-yards. belonging to the
city and elsewhere. All the splendor of the city was
there, and all the'splendor from abroad; hating some few
of the opposition, whom the preSident spurns, and who
in turn receives a mutual regard from them. Ladies of
all ranks from not a few from all parts of the other side
the,Atiantie, to the American.wytnen gathered from all
parts of their national land, were also there, dressed in
all the bezniv and fashion that taste and wealth could
display. In short, the people were there in thousands,
from the poorest devil to the richest nabob. I saw there
the lame, the halt, and the blind, as well as the strong,
the sprightly ; all from grey hairs and grey beards to
beardless boys, and even infants in their mother's arms.
Babel itself never presented a greater confusion of
tongues than the East Room, upon the present occasion:
German, Russian, Spanish, French,. English, and all
talking with the crowd as if upon a wager, and making
.all the hidedus noises of 'a newly caged menagerie. So
Much for the democratic levees of the chief magistrate of
the nation.
Of the 700 lbs. cheese mentioned above, more anon.

LATE FIRE AT NEW YORK.—II is now sixteen days
since the conflagration, and yet in many of the cellars
where the rubbish is large the fire still burns, and at
night not unfrequently blazes up se as to illuminate the
sky. The bricks are also found so hot, that it is exceed-
ingly difficult for the workmen to handle them. A num-
ber of stores are rapidly Oink up; some of thenfare to
be finished and occUpied on the first of May. The rapid
movement on the part of the,owners of property, to get
up their buildings, will most probably prevent all regu-
lation of streets, which is so much needed. All admit
that the itreeis ih the burnt district are too narrow ; vet
the forms of. law. are such, that six months or a year
would elapse before any regulation would be fixed upOn.
By that time a large portion of the stored will be up and
occupied.

OPENING OF THE NEW DOCKS AT NEW BURY PORT, PEAT-
RREY.—On Wednesday, the 6th instant, the splendid gates of
these extensive docks were thrown open, to admit the first ves-
sel within that fine expanse of water, when, accompanied with
music, colours flying, and the joyous acclamations of a large as-
semblage of persons, the Ninus, of Scarborough, of about 3(X)
tons burden, C. Noble, master, entered in as tine a style as its
most zealous advocates 'Could have wished. This vessel had just
arrived for.a cargo of W. L. Wrey, Esq.'s fine aOthraciie coal,
for the London market, and by the liberality of that gentleman
the event was marked by a plentitul distribution of cwrw do
amongst the ,numerous workmen and others engaged on the oc-
casion; and we cannot but add our most cordial wishes that so
spirited and noble a public undertaking may eventually amply
repay all those interested therein.,—The Cambrian of Friday.
VALUE OF A SINGLN VOTE,---WhiStoll says he was informed
by Mr. Arthur Onslow that it depended upon a single vote in
the House of Commons whether King James should be permit-
ted to employ popish offices in his army. The,circumstance was
this :—A courtier, who had to watch every member that had any
employment under the king, observed one who had a regiment
,and was going to vote against the court; upon the discovery he
accosted tiim warmly, and put him in mind of his regiment; to
which the officer made answer, "my brother died last night,
and left the seven hundred pounds a year."

A LEG OF MUTTON AIIGUMENT.—The Vestry-room of
Saviour's church was rather crowded yesterday inorfiirig, in the
expectation that several bibers would be heard noon a charge
,of exercising their craft, trade, or proleSsion on the Sabbath-
day, it was, however, thought preterable to send the cases to
'Union Hall. Among the many nitliculties thrown in the way
of recovering fines imposed for trading upon the Sabbath, a ra-
ther laughable one was started by Robinson, the beadle of Si.
George's—" S'pose, Sir,' said he, addresiing Mr. Weston, "I
-sees a leg. of mutton a' hanging out on a Sunday morning, and
I lays an information, how can I swear next day which was the
len of mutton I seed?" The worthy Magistrate, smilingly own-
elthe difficulty.

___
- pennant; in his journel from Chester to London, states that
" Woburn .Abbey and its revenues in 1517 were grantel by
Edward VI. to Lord Russel, soon after created Earl of Bedford
by the
elj,ascar aes l,i i/, u
prince.
g /hm Ny9n•le profited so greatly by the plunder of
whose fiffirene, even to the present time,
,principally nriffinates from gifts of this nature. To the grant of
Woburn it owes »inch of its property in Bedfordshire and in
Bucks; to that of the rich abbey of Tavistock vast fortunes and
interest in Devonshire; and toy render them more extensive,
that of Dtitik..!swell was 'aided.•hetlomation niThorney Abbey
gave him an amazing tract of,.fens in, Cambridgeshire, tog,ether
with f.,great revenue. Alelchburn Ahln increased his primeity"
in Bedfordshire, the priory of Castle Hymet gave him footin
in Northamptonshire, and he came in for. parcels of the appur-
tenances of St, Albans and Mountgrace, in Yorkshire, not to
mention the hintse of the friars preachers in Exeter, with the
revenues ~beloriging. to, the foundation; and, ti»ally, the estate
about Ceventgarden, with afield adjoining, called the.' Seven
Acres,' 'oli mfliiidi 1.611g11el e k thrift, appurtenances to the con-
vent of Westminster, the 'first gartien;'belrynging to the;abbot.
the super ti will stand amazed that no sio•nal "tidelic-t
hay o:,,.ifhltti-ill4 ''i 1 •sacrilege;. ' house 4 .1-
'.
,le chi It ten of yet no 'in Bri,
tain has th I iven more than the house of Russel."