Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-07-08
THE GAZETTE.
FRIDAY MORNING, JULY $, 1859.
ENGLISH CELEBRITIES.

Dr. Maddyn has lately puDilsheu VOLUME
in England full of his recollections Of thu
great men of that stubborn race. In few
graphic sentences he describes day with
Charles James Fox, the Demosthenes of Eng
land. lie introduces us to the great orator
statesman ut noon, when he was "lounghe
over late breakfast" slipping his chocolate
and amusing himself with the latest anu most
piquant Partisan gossip. He Is surrounded
with books and papers las miscellaneous as
his acquaintance" A stray volume OF
Tacitus is beside the Italian opera; the new
Racing Calendar is carelessly tossed over
his old Eton copy of Thucydides. Every.
thing about the man. i'll fact, indicates the
mingled life Of business and dissipation, of
study and frivolity. into which he plunged
with passionate energy. Friends come IN,
and with them the orator saunters to his
club. There all flock round him. charmed
with his wit and wisdom, and the Prince
Of Wales, takes him aside for Il confidential
chat A ride in the Park follows, when the
chariot Of the Duchess of Devonshire is reach
ed. and with the lOveliest of reigning beau
ties Fox holds long and pleasant CONVERSE
He dimes with Mrs. Armistead, who should
long before have borne the name she after
wards adorned, that Of Mrs. Fox The
dinner is brief repast, for the presence OF
the Wing leader is required III the House,
lie has to answer Pitt on some great question,
and though he rises and speaks at first IN al
awkward and heSitating manner, yet IN u
few minutes he electrifes his audience, and
finishes amid thunders of applause. Then
comes the sad conclusion OF the hitherto glo-
rious day. The statesman sups ut Boobies,
and thence hurres of to the gnming-house.
where he remains long after the summer
morning has dawned. How humiliating the
thought that such stupendous genius could
sink so low. and that the mighty orator OF
the evening should ''stagger home to his
lodgings ruined gambler" With all
reverence for that greatest OF our American
statesmen aud orators. the kind-hearted, GENIAL
Daniel Webster. there were many points IN
common between him and Fox. Our excel
lent friend, Charles StetsOn. could make u very
pleasant book out Of his experiences Of the
great expounder.
Maddyn gives us an anecdote OF Lord
Brougham, which. true OF not, is equally
amusing. 1t is only another instance of
what thing of chance is the government oi
the world The merchants of Paris express
ed the true philosophy Of happiness when
they begged Neckar, the French minister. to
let them alone. A poet has said
Of governments il is confessed,
That which is best administered is best,
which is pure nonsense, aud very like some
of the editorials of our public Journals,
since Austrian despotism, If well laid on.
comes under the category. All government
is q restraint upon human action and I'M
pulse; and it would be as reasonable to say
that prussic acid. if well administered. Is
good physic But now to Lord Brougham.
One day. as Brougham WAS leaving the
House of Lords, he met II friend who was
proudly escorting two very handsome young
ladies'. "Ah! Brougham," was his greeting,
II am sorry you are leaving. because my iair
Young friends had made up their minds to
hear you address the House" Then re-
torted Brougham, casting an eye OF admlra.
ton upon his expected audience. they shall
not be disappointed" and forthwith he re-
turned into his accustomed place among the
peers, whilst the ladies were escorted to the
gallery. Lord Melbourne was then in otice,
and when the first pause in the proceedings
occurred. up jumps Broughum with ques-
ton upon some intricate matter OF foreign
policy. The poor premier smiles annually
but hopelessly; he is not acquainted with the
facts; no notice has been given him OF the
question; he is very sorry, but must inquire
for information. This was all that Brough-
am REQUIRED. Once more he rises, but tins
time with that terrible frown upon his brow
and that rugged voice with which he knew
so we'll how to crush an opponent. a
philippe against the incapacity OF the MIN
lister, the negligence with which public
affairs were conducted, the shameful supine-
ness and indifference manifested ny the
advisers of the queen, was poured fortii
with all the rough, strong. rapid eloquence
of which this man alone was capable
Lord Melbourne covered in his seat; the
rumors of this great speech brought loungers
from the Commons to listen to what seemed
the deathblow of the ministry; Queen Victoria
herself heard what was going OH. and treni-
bled for her amiable minister. leading ar
ticle appeared in the next mornings Times,
treating the speech rs something oi the i"st
importance and it was only made after all
to please pair pretty women in the gallery
who took it as they would any other tribute
of homage to their beauty-a bouquet, box
mt the opera, o whitehall dinner, or new Doll
net.
DIR. Maddyn does not seem to have any
InlHS pltttedut W say o"o~S -
one of the most repulsive, cold-blooded ma
chimes that ever wore flesh about him. Goblet
hit him to nicely when he said che had !,
ball of cotton where his heart ought t" be,
and that che had no more soul than SPIN
ningjenny's;" and Disraeli was equally happy
in likening him to roguish lad, who found the
Wings bathing one day, and stole their clothes
-aliuding to his introducing the very mea
sures he had resisted all his life. We gave
two specimens of the great bread-cheapener
manners.
One day, Sir Robert Pee! was riding neal
Birmingham, in company with one OF the
leading professional celebrities Of London
then on a visit with him at Drayton Manor
They passed a new and handsome villa. which
Sir Robert Peel pointed out as belonging t.
one OF the chief professional men in Birmlng
ham.
"Heis," said Sir Roberts companion, zone
Of the Oldest trends have in the world, and
it is nearly twenty years since l have taken
him by the hand, although often correspond
with him."
oh" said Sir Robert Peel, ell drive you
up there with pleasure" and the coachman
was ordered to drive to the villa.
"Aud you must come in with me. Sir koo
ert," said his companions; my old friend Will