seven; and the right of presenting the | place between the two councils, it would turn out to be in an order directly opposite to that which was intended.

candidates, and selecting from the candidates alternately from one assembly to the other, i.e. on a vacancy, the We perfectly acquiesce in the reagreat council present three candidates sons M. Neckar has alleged for the to the little council, who select one preference given to an executive confrom that number; and on the next stituted of many individuals, rather than vacancy, by the inversion of this process, of one. The prize of supreme power the little council present, and the great is too tempting to admit of fair play council select; and so alternately. The in the game of ambition; and it is members of the executive must be wise to lessen its value by dividing it: thirty-five years of age. Their mea- at least it is wise to do so under a form sures are determined by a majority. of government that cannot admit the The president, called the Consul, has a better expedient of rendering the execasting vote; his salary is fixed at cutive hereditary; an expedient (gross 300,000 livres; that of all the other and absurd as it seems to be) the best senators at 60,000 livres. The office of calculated, perhaps, to obviate the efconsul is annual. Every senator en- fects of ambition upon the stability of joys it in his turn. Every year one governments, by narrowing the field senator goes out, unless re-elected; on which it acts, and the object for which he may be once, and even twice, which it contends. The Americans if he unite three fourths of the votes of have determined otherwise, and adopted each council in his favour. The exe- an elective presidency: but there are cutive shall name to all civil and mili- innumerable circumstances, as M. tary offices, except to those of mayors Neckar very justly observes, which and municipalities. Political negotia- render the example of America inaptions, and connections with foreign plicable to other governments. Amecountries, fall under the direction of rica is a federative republic, and the the executive. Declarations of war or extensive jurisdiction of the individual peace, when presented by the executive States exonerates the President from to the legislative body, are to be adopted, so great a portion of the cares of dothe first by a majority of three fifths, mestic government, that he may almost the last by a simple majority. The be considered as a mere minister of parade, honours, and ceremonies of the foreign affairs. America presents such executive, devolve upon the consul an immediate, and such a seducing alone. The members of the senate, species of provision to all its inhabiupon going out of office, become mem-tants, that it has no idle discontented bers of the little council, to the number populace; its population amounts only of seven. Upon the vacation of an to six millions, and it is not condensed eighth senator, the oldest ex-senator in such masses as the population of in the little council resigns his seat Europe. After all, an experiment of to make room for him. All respon- twenty years is never to be cited in sibility rests upon the consul alone, politics; nothing can be built upon who has a right to stop the proceedings such a slender inference. Even if of a majority of the executive senate, America were to remain stationary, by declaring them unconstitutional; she might find that she had presented and if the majority persevere, in spite too fascinating and irresistible an obof this declaration, the dispute is re-ject to human ambition of course, ferred to and decided by a secret committee of the little council.

that peril is increased by every aug mentation of a people, who are hastenM. Neckar takes along with him the ing on, with rapid and irresistible pace, same mistake through the whole of his to the highest eminences of human constitution, by conferring the choice grandeur. Some contest for power of candidates on one body, and the there must be in every free state: but election of the member on another: so the contest for vicarial and deputed that though the alternation would take | power, as it implies the presence of a

moderator and a master, is more prudent than the struggle for that which is original and supreme.

The difficulty of reconciling the responsibility of the executive with its dignity, M. Neckar foresees; and states, but does not remedy. An irresponsible executive, the jealousy of a republic would never tolerate; and its amenability to punishment, by degrading it in the eyes of the people, diminishes its power.

All the leading features of civil liberty are copied from the constitution of this country, with hardly any variation.

rank and wealth, though they are interested by a splendid debate, will not submit to the drudgery of business, much less can they be supposed conversant in all the niceties of law questions. It is therefore necessary to add to their number a certain portion of novi homines, men of established character for talents, and upon whom the previous tenor of their lives has necessarily impressed the habits of business. The evil of this is that the title descends to their posterity, without the talents and the utility that procured it; and the dignity of the peerage is impaired Having thus finished his project of by the increase of its numbers: not a republic, M. Neckar proposes the only so, but as the peerage is the regovernment of this country as the best ward of military, as well as the earnest model of a temperate and hereditary of civil services, and as the annuity monarchy; pointing out such altera- commonly granted with it is only for tions in it as the genius of the French one or two lives, we are in some danger people, the particular circumstances in of seeing a race of nobles wholly dewhich they are placed, or the abuses pendent upon the Crown for their sup. which have crept into our policy, may port, and sacrificing their political require. From one or the other of freedom to their necessities. These these motives he re-establishes the evils are effectually, as it should seem, salique law; forms his elections after obviated by the creation of a certain* the same manner as that previously | number of peers for life only; and the described in his scheme of a republic; increase of power which it seems to and excludes the clergy from the give to the Crown is very fairly counHouse of Peers. This latter assembly teracted by the exclusion of the episcoM. Neckar composes of 250 hereditary pacy, and the limitation of the hereditary peers, chosen from the best families in peerage. As the weight of business in France, and of 50 assistant peers en- the Upper House would principally joying that dignity for life only, and no-devolve upon the created peers, and as minated by the Crown. The number of hereditary peers is limited as above; the peerage goes only in the male line; and upon each peer is perpetually entailed landed property to the amount of 30,000 livres. This partial creation of peers for life only, appears to remedy a very material defect in the English constitution. An hereditary legislative aristocracy not only adds to the dignity of the throne, and establishes that gradation of ranks which is perhaps absolutely necessary to its security, but it transacts a considerable share of the business of the nation, as well in the framing of laws as in the discharge of its juridical functions. But men of

A most sensible and valuable law, banishing gallantry and chivalry from Cabinets, and preventing the amiable antics of grave

statesmen.

they would hardly arrive at that dignity without having previously acquired great civil or military reputation, the consideration they would enjoy would be little inferior to that of the other part of the aristocracy. When the noblesse of nature are fairly opposed to the noblesse created by political institutions, there is little fear that the former should suffer by the comparison.

If the clergy are suffered to sit in the Lower House, the exclusion of the episcopacy from the Upper House is of less importance: but in some part of the legislative bodies, the interests of

The most useless and offensive tumour

in the body politic, is the titled son of a great man whose merit has placed him in the peerage. The name, face, and perhaps the pension remain. The dæmon is gone: or there is a slight flavour from the cash but it is empty.

people expect not, nor are taught to look for, miraculous interference, to punish or reward them, he proceeds to talk of the visitation of Providence, for the purposes of trial, warning, and correction, as if it were a truth of which he had never doubted.

but in a well fed and well educated clergyman, who has never been disturbed by hunger from the free exercise of cultivated talents, it merits the severest reprehension. The farmer has it not in his power to raise the price of corn; he never has fixed, and never can fix Still, however, he contends, though it. He is unquestionably justified in the Deity does interfere, it would be receiving any price he can obtain: for presumptuous and impious to pro- it happens very beautifully, that the nounce the purposes for which he in-effect of his efforts to better his fortune, terferes; and then adds, that it has is as beneficial to the public, as if their pleased God, within these few years, motive had not been selfish. The poor to give us a most awful lesson of the are not to be supported, in time of vanity of agriculture and importation famine, by abatement of price on the without piety, and that he has proved part of the farmer, but by the subthis to the conviction of every thinking scription of residentiary canons, archmind. deacons, and all men rich in public or private property; and to these subscriptions the farmer should contribute according to the amount of his fortune. To insist that he should take a less

to insist upon laying on that order of men the whole burden of supporting the poor; a convenient system enough in the eyes of a rich ecclesiastic; and objectionable only because it is impracticable, pernicious, and unjust.*

The question of the corn trade has divided society into two parts — those who have any talents for reasoning, and those who have not. We owe an apology to our readers, for taking any notice of errors that have been so frequently, and so unanswerably exposed; but when they are echoed from the bench and the pulpit, the dignity of the teacher may perhaps communicate some degree of importance to the silliest and most extravagant doctrines.

"Though he interpose not (says Mr. Nares) by positive miracle, he influences by means unknown to all but himself, and directs the winds, the rain, and glorious beams of heaven to ex-price when he can obtain a greater, is ecute his judgment, or fulfil his merciful designs." Now, either the wind, the rain, and the beams, are here represented to act as they do in the ordinary course of nature, or they are not. If they are, how can their operations be considered as a judgment on sins; and if they are not, what are their extraordinary operations, but positive miracles? So that the Archdeacon, after denying that any body knows when, how, and why, the Creator works a miracle, proceeds to specify the time, instrument, and object of a miraculous scarcity; and then, assuring us that the elements were employed to execute the judgments of Providence, denies that this is any proof of a positive miracle. Having given us this specimen of his talents for theological metaphysics, Mr. Nares commences his attack upon the farmers; accuses them of cruelty and avarice; raises the old cry of monopoly; and expresses some doubts, in a note, whether the better way would not be, to subject their granaries to the control of an exciseman; and to levy heavy penalties upon those, in whose possession corn, beyond a certain quantity to be fixed by law, should be found. This style of reasoning is pardonable enough in those who argue from the belly rather than the brains;

No reasoning can be more radically erroneous than that upon which the whole of Mr. Nares's sermon is founded. The most benevolent, the most Christian, and the most profitable conduct the farmer can pursue, is, to sell his

lectual growth of an individual, it is still If it is pleasant to notice the intelmore pleasant to see the public growing wiser. This absurdity of attributing the farmers, was the common nonsense talked high price of corn to the combinations of in the days of my youth. I remember when ten judges out of twelve laid down this doctrine in their charges to the various grand juries on the circuits. The lowest attorney's clerk is now better instructed.

commodities for the highest price he Amelrosa with the plot formed by her can possibly obtain. This advice, we husband against her father. Amelrosa, think, is not in any great danger of already poisoned by Ottilia, in vain being rejected: we wish we were attempts to prevent Cæsario from blowequally sure of success in counselling ing up a mine laid under the royal the Reverend Mr. Nares to attend, in palace; information of which she had future, to practical, rather than theore-received from Ottilia, stabbed by Casatical questions about provisions. He may be a very hospitable archdeacon; but nothing short of a positive miracle can make him an acute reasoner.

rio to avoid her importunity. In the mean time, the King had been removed from the palace by Orsino, to his ancient retreat in the forest: the people rise against the usurper Cæsario; a battle takes place: Orsino stabs his own son, at the moment the King is in his son's power; falls down from the wounds he has received in battle; and dies in the usual dramatic style, repeating twenty-two hexameter verses. Mr. Lewis says in his preface,

I

have nothing to object; if it be found so,

"To the assertion, that my play is stupid,

even let it be so said; but if (as was most falsely asserted of Adelmorn) any anonymous writer should advance that this Tragedy is immoral, I expect him to prove his assertion by quoting the objectionable pas sages. This I demand as an act of justice."

MATTHEW LEWIS. (E. REVIEW, 1803.) Alfonso, King of Castile. A Tragedy, in Five Acts. By M. G. Lewis. Price 2s. 6d. ALFONSO, King of Castile, had, many years previous to the supposed epoch of the play, left his minister and general Orsino to perish in prison, from a false accusation of treason. Cæsario, son to Orsino, (who by accident had liberated Amelrosa, daughter of Alfonso, from the Moors, and who is married to her, unknown to the father,) becomes a We confess ourselves to have been great favourite with the King, and highly delighted with these symptoms avails himself of the command of the of returning, or perhaps nascent, purity armies with which he is intrusted, to in the mind of Mr. Lewis; a delight gratify his revenge for his father's somewhat impaired, to be sure, at the misfortunes, to forward his own ambi-opening of the play, by the following tious views, and to lay a plot by which explanation which Ottilia gives of her he may deprive Alfonso of his throne early rising. and his life. Marquis Guzman, poisoned by his wife Ottilia, in love with Cæsario, confesses to the King that the papers upon which the suspicion of Orsino's guilt was founded, were forged by him and the King, learning from his daughter Amelrosa that Orsino is still alive, repairs to his retreat in the forest, is received with the most implacable hauteur and resentment, and in vain implores forgiveness of his injured minister. To the same forest, Cæsario, informed of the existence of his father, repairs, and reveals his intended plot against the King. Orsino, convinced of Alfonso's goodness to his subjects, though incapable of forgiving him for his unintentional injuries to himself, in vain dissuades his son from the conspiracy; and at last, ignorant of their marriage, acquaints

"ACT I. SCENE I.-The palace-garden. -Day-break.

"OTTILIA enters in a night-dress: her hair flows dishevelled.

"OTTIL. Dews of the morn, descend! Breathe, summer gales:

My flushed cheeks woo ye! Play, sweet

wantons, play

"Mid my loose tresses, fan my panting breast,

Quench my blood's burning fever!

Vain, vain prayer!

Not Winter throned 'midst Alpine snows, whose will

Can with one breath, one touch, con

geal whole realms,

And blanch whole seas: not that fiend's self could ease

This heart, this gulph of flames, this purple kingdom,

Where passion rules and rages!" Ottilia at last becomes quite furious,