Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-04-30
NO. Sgo

bet was willing enough to- give up the
honour of having Napoleon in his
grounds, upon finding that the dis
tinction was to be clogged with the
grievous -incumbrance of soldiery, but
if compensation was doubtful, the re-
moval Of the body was utterly hopeless.
At St Helena, he expostulated to the
winds, and depending upon the libe-
rality of his Majcsty's Ministers, upon
personal application, came over to
this country, and memorialized the
Administration and the East India
Company, setting forth the grounds of
his claim for remuneration,a nd offering
to sell the place OH which Napoleon
lay. But at this period great diff
Guilty arose as to the price which he
should ask of liberal and munifcent
Government. Perhaps it was not UNI
fair to form the estimate of the value
ofthe grounds according to the income
it would have produced upon the toll,
and as it was calculated to produce up
wards Of 1900 per annum, and allowing
for collection, repairs, SC. Ho0o was
not an uRconscionable sum to ask. But
as Mr.. Torbet had no Court influence,
and was an humble unpretending in
dividual, the difficulties he had met
with terrified him into determination
to grasp at any thing he could get in
the way of compensation. When he
applied to Sir Hudson Lowe to obtain
his support, that officer advised him
to fix upon as low sum as possible,
"for," said he "if you ask too much, the
Government may pull up the remains,
and bury them somewhere else" This
advice was more than once en-
phatically repeated. Mr.. Torbet was
strongly urged by his friends, to make
the matter public, as an outrageous vic.
lation of private property, and case
of severe oppression. But he is a
man of very quiet habits; he is advanced
in life. and has a familp-;--"s'v-f 'iaho'
and did not wish that, his residence
there should be made uncomfortable, by
his being looked upon as factious and
suspicious subject; norwas he inclined
to give up any fair expectations OF Ia
YOUR in the way of trade. He was,
therefore, ready to resign every thing
rather than take such course, and he
fixed his demand at 1000 for the
ground, to avoid any further trouble or
vexation. 1t is now more than three
months since he sent in his first me-
mortal to Government, and, after con-
siderable delay, he obtained settle
ment. But he found that he had COM
mitted fatal error in fixing the
amount of his demand, for he discover
ed that if he intended to take only IL, 900
remuneration, he ought to have asked
u 900, as Government, acting upon the
presumption that such applicants al
ways ask twice as much as they ought
to get, or really deserve, offered him
no more than 800. This sum he ac-
cepted, and it is to be paid him by the
East India Company, upon his arrival
at St. Helena. The spot will be left
open for the gratuitous admission OF
all strangers, and the neighbourhood is
to be laid out in gardens and kept in or
der.
| A Connoissew.-Vernet relates that he
was once employed to paint land
scape, with cave, and St. Jerome in it;
he accordingly painted the landscape,
with St. Jerome at the entrance OF the
cave. When he delivered the picture,
the purchaser, who understood nothing
of the perspective, said, "The land
scape and the cave are well made, but
St. Jerome is not in the cave" 81
understand you sir" replied Vernet,
81 will alter it," He therefore took
back the painting, and made the shade
darker, SO that the saint seemed to sit
farther in. The gentleman took the
painting; but it again appeared to him
that the saint was not in the cave.
Vernct then wiped out the figure, and
gave it to the gentleman, who seemed
perfectly isfed.-Whenever he saw
strangers TO whom he showed the pic
ture, he said; "Here you see a picture
by Vernet, with ST. Jerome in the cave.
"But we cannot see the saint" replied
the visitors. "Excuse me gentlemen
answered the possessor," he is there; ]
have seen him standing at the entrance
and afterwards farther back; and am
therefore, quite sure that he is in it,
HONEY MOON.
1t was the custom Of the higher or
ders of Teutones, an ancient people
who inbahited the northern parts OF