Imatges de pàgina
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prospect that the peace of Europe will not be disturbed.

Gentlemen of the House of Commons,I thank you for the supplies which you have granted me for the service of the present year, and for the wisdom you have manifested in availing yourselves of the first opportunity to reduce the interest of a part of the national debt, without the least infringement of parliamentary faith.

It is most gratifying to me that you should have been enabled, in consequence of this, and of other measures, to relieve my people from some of their burdens.

My Lords and Gentlemen,--The distress which has for some months past pervaded a considerable portion of Ireland, arising principally from the failure of that crop on which the great body of the population depend for their subsistence, has deeply affected me.

The measures which you have adopted for the relief of the sufferers meet with my warmest approbation, and seconded as they have been by the spontaneous and generous efforts of my people, they have most materially contributed to alleviate the pressure of this severe calamity.

I have the satisfaction of knowing that these exertions have been justly appreciated in Ireland, and I entertain a sincere belief, that the benevolence and sympathy so conspicuously manifested upon the present occasion, will essentially promote the object which I have ever had at heart, that of cementing the connection between every part of the Empire, and of uniting in brotherly love and affection all classes and descrip tions of my subjects.

After the delivery of the speech the Lord Chancellor declared Parliament prorogued to the 8th day of October next, by his Majesty's command, and the Commons left the bar. The King then departed, attended by the same state in which he had proceeded to the House; he was received with every demonstration of loyalty by the populace, and looked uncommonly well. Thus has terminated a session protracted, we be lieve, beyond all former example, marked by much labour, and certainly commenced under circumstances of uncommon difficulty. The financial and agricultural discussions were of considerable importance and perplexity; and the public burthens have been either directly or indirectly relieved to the annual amount of nearly four millions. It is not our intention, nor docs it fall indeed, we think, within either our limits or our pla se,minute

ly to review those various measures which will be found from the commencement to the close of the session carefully noticed in our abstract. We cannot, however, conclude this subject without hoping that some serious attention will be, on the next meeting of Parliament, bestowed upon the state of Ireland. It is a subject which calls loudly and deeply for the interference of the legislature; and undoubtedly the expedition with which her constitution was suspended in January ill accords with the refusal in July to enter even into an investigation of her grievances.

The termination of the session was followed by an occurrence of no ordinary interest; we allude to the death of the Marquis of Londonderry, by his own hand! This appalling event took place at his Lordship's residence, at Foot's Cray, on the morning of the 12th of August, his Majesty's birth-day. The circumstances immediately attending his Lordship's death were detailed by his physician Doctor Bankhead, on the inquest, which, as it must necessarily be the most authentic account, we shall epitomize for our readers. It appears that on the Friday evening preceding the catastrophe, the Doctor had, at Lady Londonderry's request, waited on his Lordship at St. James'ssquare, where he found his head so confused, and his pulse so irregular, that he ordered him to be cupped, which operation accordingly took place, seven ounces of blood having been taken from the nape of his Lordship's neck. After this they departed for Foot's Cray, Doctor Bankhead having promised to follow them on the next day and remain a day or two with his Lordship. At seven o'clock on the ensuing evening Doctor Bankhead arrived; and having gone directly to Lord Londonderry's room, who had remained in bed all day, his Lordship immediately said it was very odd that he should come to his room first without having gone to the dining room; to which the doctor answered, that having dined in town, he did not wish to disturb the family at dinner. His Lordship then said that the Doctor looked very grave, as if something unpleasant had happened, and begged to know what it was; the Doctor said that he had

nothing of the kind to tell, and was very much surprised at the manner of putting the question; upon which his Lordship apologized, adding that "the truth was, he had reason to be suspicious in some degree, but hoped that the Doctor would be the last person to engage in any thing that would be injurious to him." The Doctor continued in the house all the next day, and did not leave his Lordship till half-past twelve o'clock on Sunday night. He then retired to rest in a room very near his Lordship. On Monday morning about seven o'clock, being summoned to attend his Lordship in his dressing room, he entered just in time to save him from falling; his Lordship said, "Bankhead, let me fall upon your arm, - 'tis all over," and instantly expired. The Jurors having heard the evidence, unanimously returned a verdict to the following effect:"That on Monday, August the 12th, and for some time previously, the most noble, Robert, Marquis of Londonderry, laboured under a grievous disorder, and became in consequence delirious and of insane mind; and, whilst in that state, he inflicted on himself, with a knife, a wound in the neck, of which he instantly died." After the verdict was delivered, the Coroner read a letter addressed to Doctor Bankhead, by the Duke of Wellington, and said to be in his Grace's hand-writing, requesting the Doctor to call on Lord Londonderry on some excuse or other, as he had observed his conduct to be so strange at the council on that day, that he had no doubt he was under some temporary mental delusion, owing to the severe pressure of business which he had had of late. The Duke ended by declaring the communication to be strictly confidential, and begged that its subject might never be revealed to any one. Now that the fatal event has taken place, various occurrences immediately previous are recollected by friends of the deceased, indicating the incoherence of his mind. On the previous Friday, it is said, he called at the British hotel in Cockspur-street, and asked in a hurried manner whether the council was sitting, and whether Sir Edmund Nagle was there; and on being told he was

not, he clapped his hands together in such a way as to attract the notice of the passengers in the street. On that day also he was observed to go three several times to the gate of Carlton House, in order to have an interview with the King, and he departed again without entering. At the interview, however, which he subsequently had, in order to take his Majesty's pleasure on certain subjects connected with the approaching Congress, he entered upon the political discussions which were likely to take place, in so luminous and able a manner, as to excite the admiration of the royal auditor. When however he was about to depart, the King graciously hoped he would take care of his health, adding, that he did not think he looked so well as usual for some time past, and that greater care was necessary; upon which the Marquis turned quickly round, saying, "Does your Majesty see any thing the matter with me?" His look, manner, and tone, at once excited his Majesty's suspicions, and he is reported to have said to the Duke of Wellington after the interview: "Have you seen Londonderry? either he is mad or I am." The more the King reflected upon the circumstance, the more he was convinced, and he dispatched a messenger to Coombe Wood to Lord Liverpool, to whom on Saturday morning he stated his apprehensions. The consequence was, that pistols, razors, and, as it was supposed, every instrument of self-destruction were carefully removed out of the Marquis's way. It is rather singular certainly, that with all these appearances, and all these precautions, his Lordship should have been left at such a crisis, with an unusual weight of public business to transact! He had not only the duties of his own office, but those also of the home department, to attend to, according to official etiquette, during Mr. Peel's necessary absence in Scotland. It is a very curious fact, but one for the truth of which we pledge ourselves, that on the very week before his death, the noble Marquis's solicitor had called by his desire three several times upon Messrs. Simpkin and Marshall, the publishers of O'Meara's "Voice from St. H. lena," to demand

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that Mr. O'Meara should be delivered up to him for prosecution! Mr. O'Meara desired to be instantly surrendered, and even retained counsel. The passage at which his Lordship took offence is contained in the second volume, page 228, relative to the fortune of Marie Louise. His Lordship had declared his intention of proceeding by information, a mode which deprives the accused of the benefit of a grand jury. His Lordship was buried on Tuesday the 20th, in Westminster Abbey, between the graves of Mr. Pitt and Mr. Fox: although the funeral was considered a private one, still it was attended by a number of the carriages of the nobility, and by all his colleagues in office who were in town. When the coffin was removed out of the hearse for interment at the Abbey, the multitude who were assembled on the occasion raised a shout, which echoed loudly through every corner of the Abbey! We state the fact; the reader must make his own comment: but we cannot avoid saying, that if, on the one hand, it argues a barbarous spirit in the people, it also proves how deeply unpopular he must have been, whose horrid suicidal death became a matter not of grief but of exultation.

After the prorogation of parliament, his Majesty departed on his long-projected visit to his Scottish dominions. He embarked at Greenwich, where he was met by the Lord Mayor in his stage barge, attended by all the pomp of civic parapher nalia. The day was remarkably fine; and the Royal Sovereign, in which the King embarked, was surrounded by boats and pleasure barges of every description, filled with elegant company, and many of them containing bands of music. The King was every where very warmly received by the crowds who had assembled to meet him, and made repeated acknowledgments to his subjects as he passed along. After his Majesty's departure, the weather appeared very boisterous and unfavourable, which prevented his landing at Leith on his birth-day, as he had intended. The afternoon of the day on which he did arrive in Leith harbour proved

so very wet, that he was obliged to defer his landing till the next day, very much to the chagrin of his Scottish subjects, who had assembled from all the hills and islands, and whose well-seasoned feudal pomp seemed to defy the elements. Early, however, on the important day, all Leith and Edinburgh poured forth its population-Culloden and "Charlie" were forgotten, and the chieftains all put on "their tails," and the highland bagpipe strained its chanter in honour of " their Geordie, their old chevalier." The scene is represented as having been exceedingly "imposing," which we have no doubt it was; but notwithstanding all the pomp with which he was surrounded, and the loyal welcome which he received, a deep gloom was visible upon his Majesty's countenance ;-he had received but the evening before the melancholy account of his minister's decease. It is a very remarkable thing, that the King has never departed from his usual place of residence without some fatal event occurring, either in his household, or his administration. Thus he was in Lancashire when Mr. Fox died-at Sunbury, when the Princess Charlotte died-in Ireland, when the Queen died- and now the death of Lord Londonderry has marked his arrival in Scotland! The day after his arrival, the King held a Levee in Holyrood House, at which it is said nearly 2000 were present. Before the King landed, Sir Walter Scott, whose muse has been in requisition on the occasion, went on board the Royal Sovereign, and presented him with a superb St. Andrew's cross, formed of Scottish pearls and precious stones, and sent as a present from the ladies of Edinburgh. His Majesty received it very graciously, and declared his intention of wearing it on all state occasions. We have neither time nor space at present to detail all the balls, banquets, and festivals, in honour of the royal visitor. The King seems much pleased with his reception, and is reported to have said, "I always heard the Scotch were a proud people, and I do not wonder at it, for I find they are a nation of gentlemen."

LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE, &c.

Homer.-After an interval of about twenty years, that magnificent classical work, Tischbein's Illustrations of Homer, from ancient monuments, has been resumed; the Seventh Number, forming the first of a new series, having lately appeared. It contains six subjects, five of which have been till now unedited. The only one hitherto published is the celebrated Tabula Iliaca, which is here given of the exact size of the original, a cast having been made expressly for this purpose, and with the utmost exactness. On the interest of such a work, and its value to philology, it is needless to dwell; it is enough to remark, that M. Schorn, the writer of the accompanying text, is in every respect a worthy successor to the illustrious Heyne. The archæological erudition and the superior taste uniformly displayed, will render this work a most honourable monument of that zeal for classical literature by which Germany has been long distinguished.

Constantinople.-M. Von Hammer's work, entitled, Constantinople and the Bosphorus, may be considered as a most interesting accession to the studies of geography and statistics, since every thing relating to the metropolis of a country, to which recent circumstances have excited more than ordinary attention, are detailed with scrupulous exactness. No one could be more competent to the task than the present author, who, independently of his familiarity with Oriental language and literature, was farther qualified for it, by having for some time filled a diplomatic situation at the Porte; through which circumstance he has been enabled to collect a variety of information not accessible to travellers in general.

Ger

Retsch.-Moritz Retsch, a German artist, whose name is familiar in England by his popular illustrations to Goethe's Faust, has painted, for the collection of his Excellency the Austrian Ambassador, a picture, of which the subject is taken from Undine, representing the heroine when rescued by Huldebrand and carried to the fisherman's hut. man critics speak in terms of the highest admiration of the fascinating beauty and grace which characterise the principal figure. Retsch is equally admirable as a portrait-painter; and is distinguished by the peculiar skill with which he expresses the mental characteristics of his sitters.

Hungarian Literature.-A literary almanack, similar in plan to those which have so long been popular in Germany, and the first attempt of the kind in the Hungarian language, has appeared this

year. The editor is M. Kisufaldi, a dramatic writer of some celebrity. The contents possess in many respects no ordinary merit, combined with varied interest. The work is got up with much taste, and the plates, by Häfel, Apmann, and Blaschke, are favourable specimens of the ability of Hungarian artists.

Italian Literature.-The academy of Lucca has published the first volume of its transactions, under the title of Atti della Reale Accademia Lucchese di Scienze, Lettere, ed Arti, 8vo. Prefixed to the work is an historical account of the rise of this society. It originated in 1584, when it was called Accademia degli Oscuri, at which period it was held at the house of Gian Lorenzo Malpiglio, the person after whom Tasso has named two of his adınirable dialogues. During the course of two centuries this institution maintained itself without exciting any attention on the part of the government, or receiving from it any support, until 1805, when it was put upon an improved footing, and received its present appellation. The papers contained in this volume consist of a variety of treatises on historical, mathematical, and other subjects. The Abbate M. A. Marchi has published the fourth volume of his Etymological Dictionary of all Scientific and Technical Terms derived from the Greek, Dizionario Etimologico di tutti i Vocaboli usati nelle Scienze, Arti, e Mestieri, che traggono Origine del Greco : compilato dal fu Aquilino Bonavilla coll' assistenza del Professore di Lingua Greca, M.A. Marchi, This laborious undertaking is executed with great diligence and ability, notwithstanding that, like every other work of a similar nature, both omissions and defects might be pointed out. When completed, for the author has not advanced beyond the letter P, it will form an important addition to Italian philology. Count Cicagnara, the author of the excellent Storia della Scultura, and president of the Academy of Fine Arts at Venice, has published an extensive Catalogue Raisonné of his library, one of the richest in the world in works of engravings and graphic literature. This collection has been enriched with the rarest articles of this description from some of the most distinguished libraries in Europe, for its possessor spared neither pains nor cost in amassing whatever related to the fine arts. The Catalogue is divided into forty sections or classes, and contains remarks on each article, pointing out its rarity, the value of the editions, the merit of its embellishments, &c. &c. all of which render it truly valuable to those who study the

bibliography of the fine arts. Under the head of Ingressi, Trionfl, Feste, &c., there are no fewer than 200 articles; and relative to the single subject of ancient and modern Rome, about 300.

Bohemian Literature.-The branch of literature most assiduously cultivated here at present is that of philology and languages. The bookseller Hewel proposes to publish by subscription a German Dictionary, far superior to that of Adelung in comprehensiveness and extent. The second volume of Zimmermann's interesting History of Bohemia, under Ferdinand I. has appeared, and contains an introductory review of the literature of that period.

Darmstadt. This city has so increased within the last thirty years, that its population has been more than doubled. It has received likewise considerable embellishment by the erection of several important public buildings. Some new ones have been late ly begun, among which are, the new Catholic church, and the Fountain, intended to commemorate the New Charter of the Constitution, (bestowed on the States by the Grand Duke, on December 17, 1820). The latter of these will, when completed, be a most magnificent decoration to the city. The basement is decorated with the figures of Genii, taking hold of each other's hands, and in the pannels, or intervals between them, are the names of the Deputies of the Second Chamber. On this basement rises a cube of eleven feet, having pilasters at its angles, and the four principal rivers of the Duchy in bas-relief, viz. the Lahn, the Maine, the Rhine, and the Neckar, one on each side. Above these are eight lions, which, on particular days, will spout forth water. The whole structure is surmounted by a figure of Hesse Darmstadt, holding a sceptre in her right hand, and in her left a scroll, on which is inscribed the word Constitution. Around this figure stand three others, representing the Provinces of the Duchy. The artist who designed this splendid monurnent is the architect Lerch. The other edifice, which will occupy one of the highest sites within the city, will be a rotunda; and, if executed according to the original design, will be one of the most noble and beautiful places of public worship in all Germany. Its architect is M. Moller, an artist of superior talent, and favourably known to the public by his excellent work the Architectural Antiquities of Germany. The public library at Darmstadt is one of great value, and contains no fewer than 140,000 volumes.

Russia.-Lithography is making rapid progress in this country, where it bids fair to become popular. Prints from Hamburgh are more highly esteemed than those of either Munich or Vienna, to which the pre-eminence is generally allowed.-A collection of portraits of celebrated living public characters, chiefly residing at St. Petersburgh, has been commenced by a young artist named Hippius, under the title of 'Contemporaries.' Each number of this work contains five subjects: Count Strogonoff, Grilloff, the poet, and Martos, a sculptor, who has been honoured with the flattering appellation of the Northern Canova, are among those which have already appeared.

Danish Artists at Rome.-Freund, a pupil of Thorvaldson, has modelled a figure of Mercury, full of energy and spirit, and every way worthy of the noble school to which it belongs. This young artist is evidently inspired with the spirit of his master, and strives to emulate the fine nature and simplicity of the antique.-Pontoppidan, another artist, will doubtless inspire his countrymen with a purer taste in architecture. Many of the designs which he exhibited when at Rome were commended for their elegant style, and for their other excellencies. He is now in Sicily, studying the remains of ancient art in that island.-Hillerup and Jensen are assiduously employed in studying and copying the finest productions of the Italian masters; the latter of these painters, who has already given such decided proofs of superior talent, has lately produced a most exquisite copy of Raphael's celebrated Julius II.-Thorvaldson has nearly completed his colossal figure of Christ, for the new Fro-kirke (Notre Dame), at Copenhagen. This statue possesses indescribable majesty: nothing can be conceived more affectingly sublime than the attitude, and the dignified manner in which the Saviour of mankind stretches forth his arms towards the whole human race.

Sculpture.John Gibson, an English sculptor, now studying at Rome, is likely to rise to eminence in his profession, and to become a conspicuous ornament of British art. Sir G. Beaumont has just given him a commission to execute in marble his exquisite groupe of Psyche borne by Zephyrus, the model of which is now the admiration of all who pretend to virtú. Canova has been warm in his commendation of this performance, in consequence of which, the artist's studio is become a lounge for all the fashionables at Rome.

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