The Statesman.
London, England, 1822-09-19 00:00:00

ACHILLES ! ! I

TO TOE IDITOR OF TOL STATJSMAN•

Slll.—How very few amongst the busy multitude,
are there, who have sufficient patience to enquire mi-
nutely into the explanation. necessary, to the forming
of correct opinions upon any subject. that comes before
the public ! Without pointing oat the consequences
which atteod Ibis deficiency, allow me. to ob
that the truly unfortunate Statue of Achilles, recently
erected. has shared great obloquy; and that the artist
has had his fair fame blighted, if sot destroyed. by
the hasty opinion of the public. A little explana-
tion is therefore necessary to the showing of the pro-
priety of the naked warrior, and the circumstances
the figure will hand down to posterity.—Tbe "Great-
est Captain of the Age", was taken completely by sur-
prise, at Brussels. just prior to the battle of Waterloo;
insomuch, that he was obliged to ride off to the field of
battle sad d: that is to say. not dressed ala Mill
toire--consequently, the inked Statue fairly repre-
sents the matter; and you see Achilles, with his left
arm having the shield buckled on, and his right fist
clenched under the powerful imagination of grasping a
sword! You further see, that be would have been
deceit, if the great interest at the momeat had allowed
him; for there is his armour ready to put en ; and
is his merlins to get iate battle, he is dragging a
robe over hie shoulder; and no doubt would have
folded it round his body, if his alert adversary had
gives him time. It is only common charity toe, to pre-
MOO that his rotall-e/othes are stuffed into the armour,
ready to be put on: so that the attist is substantially
correct as to historical fact, and the result of the battle
chew., that it was the mei and not the clothes, which
decided the fate of the day; and gave • birth to the
Holy Alliance'', to " Peel's Bill", or in other words,
Cash Payments--to jell bellies to the people—empty
purses to the landlords and all that train of blessings,
which make this country, the "envy of surrounding
nations, and the admiration of the world."
I am, your's, I. K. N. D.
• There is no sword in the hand at preseot.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE STATESMAN.

Imprison it it not
h Ignorant comealment.—WErret's TALE.

Ste,—Allow me to congratulate you and your reg.
ders upon the symptoms of economy which begin to
manifest themselves io the establishment of the Ex-
cise. Rot do not expect that lam going to say, that
the Commissioners are to be reduced from a super-
tam' to an efficient number, or, t►at many of that
vast mul!itude, whom no man can number," of exa-
miner., general examiner., surveyors, &e. are to be die.
rased with. N , Sir. (lemmas risme') lam going to
tell you. sot that a reduction bas taken place either
Jr siderite or place., but that a reduction has taken
plat* in sheets of paper, is quills, and is black bad
prod.'s: Yrs, Sir, so completely have the Ministers
repented of their prodigality, so fully are they deter.
mined, In future, to confine the public expenditu►e,
that not a quill is to be was'ed, not even a pencil is
to be allowed, Alas ! for the 1 and fishes! for
ti..e candle ends and diets! pariitia! lint, Sir, to be
serious, (if it be possible to abstain from risibility on
such a subject,) the fact is tiller—Usti' the present
time, each of the officers io the Enloe was allowed
a small quantity of stationary for the actual re-
quisitions of tttiness; which might be worth,
at the highest market prices, six shillings per
sonata for each man. Bet io future Sir, and 's here's
the rub," these little nibbling' are to be nearly all
taken from the small fry, while the vermin of a longer
growth are still to prey, and prey, and prey !*

" Vet little rogues must still submit to fate.
" That great cotes may enjoy the world in state."
Now Is it not monstrous, while the country is sink-
ing beneath a host of Placemen and Pensioners, while
the pnbiie expenditure is so ponderous, ■s almost to
destroy trade and to crush individuals, that this
trilling should employ the heads of the nation, instead
of going on, as they ought to do, at once to the root
of the erii ? If instead of calculating how many pence
andshillings might be saved by taking a few sheets of
paper,
would take up the Black Book or the Court Calendar,
■nd calculate how many thousands might be saved by
the abolition of placemen and pensioner., of ambassa•
dory anti sinemists, they would be " tossing about
their brains" fot some purpose; they would deserve
and obtain the confidence of the country. Ent the
fact is, they are sworn enemies to economy ; they fat-
ten on a prodigal expenditure, and they will protect it
to the last.
My object, Sir, in furnishing you with the particu-
lars of this paper, is to pat you and your readers in
p• 'on of " the real truth, and nothing but the
troth," in case any of his Majesty's Ministers, or any
of their tools, should hereafter stand up In the House
01 Commons. and announce, that during the recess a
retrenchment had been effected by the " wisdom" and
diligence of his Majesty's Hovernment, in the esta-
blishment of the Excise. Let it not be supposed, how-
ever, that 1 condemn even the smallest reductions of
the public expenditure. Far from it. But if his
Majesty's Ministers wish to Tepees* the expose/ of the
Excise establishment, let them reduce the larger sa-
laries ; let them abolish some of the heads of depart-
ments, who have large incomes sod little hilliness ; who
are merely well paid drones. This would be working
for some purpose ; but clipping pens and counting
sheets of paper in the present situation of the country,
is like saving water by catching the rain in one's hat
on the side of a mighty river that is running to waste.
QUIZ IN TR' CORNIIR.

• At the very time that all the talents are employed
in calculating how many shillings, pence, and farthings,
may be saved by withholding a few pens and a few
aheets of paper from the officers in the excise. who ac-
tually will now have to purchase them out of their nig-
gardly salaries, 2001. or 3001. have been expended in
creating a useless balcony in the Rsciee-office, in Binh-
upstate . for the use of the commissioners, who,
nmst likely, will .ever put a foot in it. So much (or
consistency'.—How long will men gape at the gnat, and
swallow the camel!—Hat these are limes of " mental
delusion ".

R. Chiholt, who was convicted at tire Assizes for
We county of a d ble offence, was executed on
the new drop at ilchester-gaol on Wednesday, at a
gea►ter before twelve o'clock. lie persisted in deslar•
ing his Lawrence to the last.—(Balk Chronicle.)