The Statesman.
London, England, 1824-01-16 00:00:00

.41.16

Let's skip a feW
Which peopled
And
With nothing hut newy names inscribed upon 3;
'Twill one day finish : mean time they increase,
" With seveta beads and ten horns," and all,ln front:
Like Saint John's foretold beast ; but *ours are born
Less formidable In the heldAlin Horn.
This was the tif7, after a reign of sixty years, that
tide poet treatbd his sabject. The Monarch was reproached
for the calamities with which he was afflicted by Heaven.
Satan is then brought forward as his accuser :
ci go came to hie,seeptre, young ; he leaves it, old ;
j,
.4. Look to the state in which he found his realm,
.111 And left it; and his snails too behold,
" How to a minion first he gave the helm ;
►4'4 How grew upon his heart a thirst for gold,
"The beggar's vice, which can but overwhelm
" The meanest hearts; and for the rest, but glance
" Thine eye along America and France !
"'Tie true, be was a tool from first to last;
" (I have the workmen safe); but as a tool
"So let him be consumed! From out the put
" Of ages, since mankind have known the rule
" Of Monarchs—from the bloody rolls amau'd
" Of sin and slaughter—from the Cesar's school,
"Take the worst pupil; and produce a reign
" Moredrench'd with gore, more cumber'd with the slain I
" He ever warr'd with freedom and the free ;
" Nations, as men, home subjects, foreign foes,
" So that they uttered the word " Liberty
" Found George the Third their first opponent. Whose
" History was ever stain'd as his will be
" With national and individual woes?
" I grant his household abstinence ; I grant
"His neutral virtues, which most Monarchs want."

The Poem thee goes on with a corresponding ludicrous*
nese, and in the end, George the Third slinks into Heaven
by stealth. This is the publication on which they (the
Jury) were called on to pronounce their verdict. Of the
publication by the defendant, there could be no doubt ;
and with respect to his motives, it was not material. It
was not necessary to prove that the defendant was actuated
by personal malice towards George the Third, or personal
hostility towards George the Fourth. If the Poem bad
the effect of making their enemies rejoice, and their friends
mourn, it was not the less culpable, whatever might be the
motive. He bad adverted to the origin of this publica-
tion. It was entitled " Vern and Prose from the South,"
and it would seem there was some author behind who was
not known, and could not be reached. It was no slight
aggravation of the defendant's °fleece, that be put forth
that which bad been sent from a distance, and the real
authors of which were safe. If there is an author whose
talents might have raised him to a high rack in literature,
and who might have taken his place among the first spirits
of the age, connected with this publication; if there is
such a person, he was truly sorry to see him degraded to
a level with the basest reptiles. He was truly sorry to
see a high and glorious name debased ; to see great talents
that might have been better employed, so occupied. He
trusted that such a use of his abilities was to be ascribed
to indiscretion, and that the world would still have to
rejoice in their better employment. He had read to them
some parts of the poem. Satan was the character, in whose
mouth the accusations against George the Third were
put; and it might be said, that as Satan is the father of
all lies, the fact of the charges, proceeding from such a
source, imported that there was no malice in the breast of
the author against the late King. This might be said,
and it would be perfectly true, if the tone of the poem
throughout corroborated such a view of the case. But in
point of fact this was only a most flimsy disguise, and
could only conceal the malice beneath. It might also be
said, that the characters of Kings belong to history; but
it is not to be said that the character of either dead or
living monarchs is to be left at the mercy of any daring
libeller. If an historian should write the reign of George
111., and showed brief charges against him, let hi'm prove
those charges, and he will not be called a libeller. If, like
some Roman Monarchs, George HI. had been an undutiful
eon, a faithless husband, lost in effeminate pleasures—if the
flames of persecution had raged under his sovereignty—if
he had been governed by favourites—if his power had
:been arbitrary and tyrannical—if (as in this poem it was
'dieted), insinuated) he was ruled by avarice, " the beggar'd
vice"—if this could be said of him, let him rank with
• those whose names cannot be regarded without loathing.
But if he began his course as a dutiful son; if the whole
'course of his life was marked by religion, by abstinence,
by geneioilty—if there was no moral stain upon his
character-if all which this publication said of him was
utterly libellous, they. the Jury, would pronounce upon
it accordingly. This was the view that he entertained,
and he hoped they would not suffer any artful address to
divest them of that cool judgment with which they ought
to retirent: Though he should be glad to have a new
'light thiown upon the subject. in his mind be could not
conceive the possibility of its admitting any other con-
struction than that he hail placed on it ; and with this
impression he submitted it to their serious consideration.
The libel had been published some time, and it might be
said that the Aubject was now stale, and that there was no
necessity to revive it; but, continuedthe L,arard Counsel,
the delay had been unavoidable, and was not owing to any
huh on either side. lie ',know. to the Jury the case of a
libel upon •an old mast who descended to the grave
lsmented by all classes;—upon a King who justly obtained
the title of father of his people ;—the case of a libel
affeetiog British fame and feeling, on the high point of
venerating the memory of their fathers. He left it to them
to say, forgetting whether George 111. was ever King,
whether when he descended into the grave his ashes were
to be raked up. They, he was sure, would do their duty
on their oaths, and he was satisfied that be bad faithfully,
ahough feebly, dischargei his duty.
John Pindon—l know the house 'No. 22, Bond Street
I went there on 2d Deeembee, 182'2 ; it is a bookseller's
shop , 4 saw the defendant John Hunt; I bought the
" Liberal" of the defendant ; I paid for it; there were a
great many more copies.
By Mr. Sciacerr —This is the very copy; 1 seer the
person sitting before ydu there; I am an °Scar belonging
to Bow Street; 1 bought a copy for Mr. Murray, and for
Mr. Mauls; Mr. Stafford employed me to get the copy for
'e. Mettle that was before I bought for Mr. Murray; Mr.
'word directed me to buy that copy; I saw. Mr. Murray
owe house, John Street, Bedford Row; lee is not
. • to the Treasury; Mr. Murray paid me for lois of
4id so several times before. Mv. Stafford assays
e •%; I understand bets an attorney; I helloed he
'he Purpose of 01.014011;We ; don't knOw iebo
don't baser Whether he is Member itthe
. sciaelois or Abele Attorney ; I hare hem
'es 114 Sharp ; 1 never sit* M alp
teght have mien them tOjeethe
I • • • whlett Shlited Ric 1 believe
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