Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

tain Luttrell, a naval officer, then attacked Fox with much severity, accusing him of treating the navy, in some of his speeches, with disrespect. Fox replied in his wonted keen and sarcastic style, in a short and rapid speech.

Mr. Burke at length arose, and attacked the king's address of the day before, in a vein of satire and ridicule. He said "it was a farrago of nonsense and hypocrisy."

Young Pitt, the newly created Chancellor of the Exchequer, replied to Mr. Burke, and handled him with dignified severity, imputing to him buffoonery and levity. General Conway said: "The recognition of American independence was explicit and unconditional."

for reading his speeches in a distinct, free and impressive manner. On this occasion he was evidently embarrassed; he hesitated, choked, and executed the painful duties of the occasion with an ill grace that does not belong to him. I cannot adequately portray my sensations in the progress of this address. Every artery beat high and swelled with my American blood! It was impossible not to revert to the opposite shores of the Atlantic, and to review, in my mind's eye, the misery and woe I had myself witnessed in several stages of the contest, and the wide-spread desolation, resulting from the stub bornness of this very king, now so prostrate, but who had turned a deaf ear to our humble and importunate petitions for relief. Yet I believe that When the House was about adjourning, AlGeorge III acted under what he felt to be the derman Wool came to me in the gallery, and high and solemn claims of constitutional duty.invited me to descend to the floor of the House. The great drama is now closed. The battle On my entrance I was met by Mr. Burke, who of Lexington exhibited its first scene. The introduced me as "a messenger of peace" to Mr. Declaration of Independence was a lofty and Pitt, Mr. Fox, Sheridan, Gen. Conway and other · glorious event in its progress; and the ratifica- members, grouped together on the floor. Mingtion of our independence by the king, consum-ling thus, by a happy concurrence of events, mated the spectacle in triumph and exultation. with the greatest luminaries of England, I felt This successful issue of the American Revolu- that I was occupying exalted and privileged tion, will, in all probability, influence eventually ground. It would be preposterous were I to atthe destinies of the whole human race. Such tempt to decide the relative merits of those dishas been the sentiment and language of men of tinguished men. Their acts belong to history, the profoundest sagacity and prescience, during and their high fame to their common country and anterior to the conflict, in all appeals to the and posterity.§ people. In leaving the House, I jostled Copeley and West, who, I thought, were enjoying the rich political repast of the day, and noticing the anguish and despair depicted in the long visages of our American tories.

The ensuing afternoon, having a card of admission from Alderman Wool, I attended in the gallery of the House of Commons. There was no elaborate debate, but much acrimony evinced

in the incidental discussions.

Commodore Johnson assailed Lord Howe's

expedition to Gibraltar, because he had gained no decisive victory, alleging that, with proper effort, he might have done so; when Mr. Townsend defended him with zeal and spirit. Cap

notes from Lord Shelburn, addressed to him both I find among the documents of Mr. Watson, before and after the speech of the king, December 5th 1782; one of these couched in the following language:

"Lord Shelburn presents his compliments to Mr. Watson, and shall be glad to see him to-morrow morning between nine and ten. Shelburn House, December 9th"-has this endorsement in "This card of invitation Watson's hand writing. from the Prime Minister of England was written four days after the speech of the king, acknowledging our independence." The object of the interview was, to inquire relative to commercial intercourse, under existing circumstances.

those who understand it, but not very effective for tutoring beginners.

BARNARD ON LANDSCAPE PAINTING IN WATER COLORS.* This work appeared in numbers, the first of which we noticed at the time of Waiving this general objection, one may comits publication. We then expressed distrust of mend Mr. Barnard's book as the result of long all the stereotyped attempts to teach art by theo- practice and teaching, easily written and replete ries or precepts. The artist is the man who with matter. Where it deals with strictly techfinds these out for himself, or practises them nical points, which it often does-as, for instance, even perhaps unconsciously; and the man who in specifying the particular pigments to be used does not will scarcely produce anything to justify the elaborate teaching he may have received. Nature and practice constitute the true firm for teaching landscape painting; critical or theoretical works on the subject being interesting to

The Theory and Practice of Landscape Painting in Water Colors. Illustrated by a series of twenty-four Designs, colored Diagrams, and numerous Wood-cuts; with two extra Prints on Simultaneous Contrasts. By George Barnard, Professor of drawing at Rugby School; Author of "Handbook of Foliage and Foreground Drawing," etc. Leighton Brother's Chromatic Process. Published by Orr and Company.

for rendering particular objects or effects-it comes to the legitimate range of artistic precepts, and the objection we have stated does not apply.

The work is prettily got up; it is illustrated with plates printed in color, and with wood-cuts; the former, clever fac-similes of water color paintings, and possessing in other respects a facility and telling skill which will atone to most eyes for a want of the severer qualities of a designer. Altogether, the book presents so much attraction as to be tolerably certain of a success.-Spec

tator.

From The Economist.

The Compass in Iron Ships, &c. WILLIAM SCORESBY, D. D., mans: Paternoster Row.

By the Rev.
&c. Long-

ing. Magnetism is altogether a series of wonders-vast effects produced by no visible metal in which it inheres, to which it is imcauses; for nobody supposes that the iron or parted by friction or percussion, or charged or POETRY and science are alike rebuked by wholly removed by a stroke of lightning or a modern shipwrecks. True as the needle to change in the ship's place or even in her posithe Pole has ceased to be for poets the illus- tion, is the magnetism itself; but no part of it tration of fidelity, and the instrument which is more wonderful than the fact that a piece science recommended as an unerring guide of iron when struck becomes endowed with across the pathless ocean has conducted ves-" terrestrially induced and retentive magnetsels to swift destruction. The compass is un-ism." Even then, if presented horizontally true-the needle, instead of pointing steadily to a compass it has no effect on it, but when to the north, points away from it, varying al-presented vertically affects the compass differmost like the wind. In wooden ships the use ently as its poles are reversed. The polarity, of iron in proximity to the compass often too, of the iron is reversed by striking the caused great deviations and sometimes disas-iron on different sides when in a vertical positers. At all times, too, whether in wooden or tion, or the magnetism is restricted by striking iron ships, the compasses have been liable to the iron in a horizontal position. There is be deranged by electrical phenomena. All the more mystery about magnetism-an unseen, causes that affect the compasses in ships built unfelt power pervading the earth-than our of wood have been intensified and many others philosophy is yet adequate to explain; but we added in ships built of iron. The loss of the must apply what we do know of it to neutralTayleur, of the City of Philadelphia, and ize the errors of our guide, or make them palother vessels, is ascribed to the deceit and pable when they cannot be annihilated. There treachery of the "unerring guide." Dr. Scores- is, both theoretically, according to Dr. Scoresby, who has undergone the somewhat sin- by, and practically, according to experience, gular, yet not previously unknown conversion much reason to doubt whether the present of a ship captain into a divine-(perhaps his plan employed to neutralize the errors of comsilent contemplation on the midnight watch at passes by the use of compensatory magnets, sea was not unfavorable to piety)-and who and of making them palpable by swinging the has retained in after life his early attachments ship, answers the object. At least, though to nautical science, has long taken a great in- very helpful and useful, this plan is not perterest in magnetism and all its results. For feet and does not secure the compass, as in the years he has devoted much time to these in-case of the Tayleur, from error. To remove vestigations, to trace out all the causes of the one compass from the effects of the ship's magunfaithfulness, and find means to correct them. netism, it is proposed to place it in the mizenHe states the following as some of the changes top, or in some position as far aft and as high likely to occur in a ship's magnetism, affecting as possible. By a compass in the air, however, in different manners the compasses on board the man at the wheel cannot steer the ship, her: and such a compass is only useful as a tell-tale In new ships when first encountering severe of the errors of the others. straining or rolling by the sea. In ships, Lieutenant Maury, who has also attended to generally, if following a new voyage. In ships the subject, recommends that the tell-tale long running on one course, and then sudden- should be placed under the fore or main top. ly changing their course. On heavy weather To make it useful, it should be illuminated, first occurring, after a great change of latitude and the illuminated card reflected on a plate and long continuance of pretty smooth water. above it, so that it may be read by a glass A stroke of lightning on the ship. On the ship being unequally heated in her hull, by the sun above, or by sudden changes of temperature of the sea below, etc.

from the deck. This is Dr. Scoresby's plan. If it were placed under the main or mizen-top, the card might not only be illuminated and reflected, but the reflected image might be magMoreover the magnetism of ships varies ac- nified so as to occupy almost the whole space cording to the direction in which the keel is of the under part of the top, and be as easily laid-east, west, north, or south-and changes read from the deck as the dial-plate of the as the ship's position changes in relation to the Horse Guards clock is read from the opposite direction of the line of the keel when build- side of Whitehall. If as much ingenuity were ing. The magnetism of the ship itself is af- employed in providing a visible and true comfected by the rivetting together the plates pass under the top of a ship as is employed in and knees by hammering; and this magnet- displaying the wares in our jewellers' shops, ism may be altered by heavy shocks at sea, the thing would be accomplished, and no ship such as all ships encounter, which, in their would ever be lost from such a cause as is said effects on the iron, are equivalent to hammer- to have wrecked the Tayleur. A compass

under the top would be wholly removed from were crossing it, and so tend to avoid disaster. the effect of the ship's magnetism, but it would His plan would be equivalent to the rule of be as much as any other compass exposed to keeping the left hand side of the road, rules the effects of electrical storms. To guard against such a fatality, careful observation of the sun and stars when they are visible, azimuths and amplitudes, must be as frequently as possible made. At all times the log must be kept carefully going to measure the distance run, the lead must be used whenever the ship is in soundings, and a good look-out must always be kept the three L's of all mariners -so ensue successful navigation.

for ocean travelling being now as necessary as rules for land travelling. When all the other useful things just enumerated be done for ships, and, in addition, rules for keeping in different tracks be agreed to and adopted by all, we shall still require care and skill in ship captains, as they are required in coachmen. Caution and circumspection in captains are important elements, Dr. Scoresby says, for safe navigation not only of iron ships, but all ships. When science has done all it can do to aid Such qualities in them being indispensable, the mariner-when his compass and his time- and their responsibility being great, like all piece and his marine barometer are all made persons in whose hands life and property are perfect-when the currents of the ocean and largely trusted, to be handsomely remuneratthe prevailing winds that blow over its differ- ed. When disasters which discretion in them ent parts are all known-when every rock might have avoided are thought worthy of and sandbank is carefully and conspicuously mention in the most important State doculaid down in the charts of every maritime ments, it is proper to encourage its growth by people, it will even then be impossible to dis- those means which are found to stimulate the pense with vigilance, discretion, and an acute soldier and scholar to exertion. sense of duty and responsibility in masters of Into the details of compass-making and admerchant vessels, which no interference should justing, and into the little controversy that is divide or weaken. So great have been the now going on in the subject, we shall not foldisasters at sea in the year now drawing to a low Dr. Scoresby. He has done much to close, that they are thought worthy of being elucidate some most important problems conmentioned in the American President's Mes- nected with magnetism. He has, probably, sage. To avoid such accidents as that which made more experiments on the subject, and wrecked the Arctic, and hurried so many of watched it longer, than any other man living, her passengers to destruction, Lieutenant and his suggestions deserve much attention. Maury, with that practical good sense which is great proposition to increase accuracy is distinguishes his countrymen, has at once sug- the one we have already adverted to, and gested and marked out different routes for which has Lieutenant Maury's approval, of steamers going to and from America, which, placing a compass aloft, which may be read putting neither to a disadvantage, and length- from the deck. This, however, will not disening the voyage neither way, shall bring the pense with other precautions: it is an addition routes together only at the points of depar- to them, and too much cannot be done to seture and arrival, and avoid the possibility of cure the safe navigation of the ocean. For a collision between them in the whole length his exertions Dr. Scoresby deserves the gratiof their course. Such a settled route, too, tude of the public. The admiralty has shown would keep sailing vessels out of the track of its sense of their value by adopting his sugsteamers, or at least inform them when they gestions without acknowledgment.

Discoveries in Chinese. By S. P. Andrews.*
London: Trübner.

On the whole, this work appears to be a step in the right direction, for the most rapid method of acquiring a language thoroughly is, after all, Tis curious and interesting book is intend- the best, and Mr. Andrews certainly shows the ed as an analysis of the elementary characters of student that he need no longer adopt the old meththe Chinese language, which the author insists is od of getting by heart some thousands of arbitrary more symbolic than phonetic, not only with re-characters, but that by at once mastering, at the gard to the elementary, but quite as much to the compound characters of the language. The assertion appears obvious when we examine the peculiar fitness of the different combinations of symbols of which the compound characters consist, and of which a few examples are here of fered to us, as well as 141 of the elementary cha

racters.

*Mr. Andrews is of New York.

utmost, about one thousand elemetary characters, he will never meet with anything more than new combinations, not forms or shapes absolutely new to him; in fact, what Champollion did for the Egyptian hieroglyphics, Mr. Andrews has attempted, and, we think, partly succeeded in accomplishing for the Chinese, and we trust that he will continue in his labors.-Press.

-

accepting a post in which almost every other man would challenge objection. He is there by universal suffrage.

It is

From The Spectator, 10 Feb. PALMERSTON, PREMIER. PALMERSTON has at last attained the sum- If we were to ask for the substantial and spemit of his ambition, and the Public has that cific evidence to justify this confidence, we which it has desired, if it did not ask, of the say, it might be difficult to discover or arrange. Crown. Both ought to be satisfied, and we Lord Palmerston's character, like his career, hope that both will be so in the end. The place-presents remarkable contradictions. enjoying Viscount, who has flourished some thought that he will stand to his pledges, notforty years in the public offices-whose po- withstanding the experience of Sicily. It is litical life spans the long peace and connects supposed that he is decided, although he has one war with the other. - has seen many vicis-undecided many more questions besides the situdes, has worked harder than men of less King of Holland's award in the Boundary genius, and his successful career is full of seem-question. He is to this day believed to be the ing contradictions. The post of supremacy, ablest of administrators, although the last exfor which he has longed, he obtains by acci-perience of him in the Home Office was not dent. Few men have provoked more mistrust; satisfactory. He is regarded as the most enerand yet the very reason why he stands where getic of statesmen at work, although he is sevhe does, is, that he is believed in. Why every-enty-one years of age. He is trusted, although body, from the late President of the Council to it is not known what his principles are. Mrs. Grundy herself, pitched upon Palmerston to rescue the state out of the dead-lock, it would be difficult to determine; since some of Lord Palmerston's adroitest feats, both at home and abroad, have consisted in setting one Power against another, and in producing a dead-lock. The public has not reasoned out its conclusion; yet perhaps, after all, the instinct is right.

[ocr errors]

The fact is, however, that the public has generally obtained from Lord Palmerston, at any time, that which it distinctly wanted. His own character seems a thing apart. He is gayety incorporate, frankness itself, and diligence personified. Give him a specific employment, and there is not a public servant who can execute it with a greater show of work done, and nicely done, and with admirable In one respect Lord Palmerston's Cabinet ease to the operator. Call him to account, and is essentially stronger than Lord Aberdeen's: he will pour forth a convincing defence, so it is relieved of a disintegrating influence that gay, so witty, so pleasantly vindictive in its existed in the late Ministry. In that Cabinet sarcasms, that we know no match for it except there were three Premiers- one in esse, one the model footman of comedy. If he does not dispossessed, and one in posse. Lord John evince enthusiastic devotion for any particular Russell's clientela cherished a constant sense" cause," he always shows excellent zeal to that he had been disrated: last summer, he serve the public, or his party, or his colleagues, went about the country reminding an admiring or his friends. And the fidelity to personal public of himself, and it was felt that he could relations accompanies him into quarters that not be at rest in any office below the chief. do not come conspicuously before the public Palmerston, on the other hand, had reached into humbler grades, where subordinates a greater age than that of inferior men who had retain for him a regard amounting to affection. already arrived at the Premiership; and by No man takes up with a subject more ably or his exhibitions to the public in the summer cordially. Originally a Tory, and a recent before last, it was evident that he felt the chief stickler in the Cabinet against a Russell Repost to be his due, and over-due. Lord Aber- form, he has won the regard of outside Redeen's prudent weight helped to condense and formers by the ability with which on occasion moderate conflicting parties in the Coalition; he has advocated their objects. Never susbut, indpendently of his honest convictions pected of deep thinking on subjects of political against war, he was presumed, perhaps justly, economy, he found the stream in favor of Freenot to possess the genius of activity requisite trade too stiff to be opposed as difficult to be for the time; and he had rivals beneath, con- turned back as the Exe to its source. If he is stantly threatening, if not by their own overt not Liberal on political conviction, he is Liberal acts, yet by undermining processes on their in feeling, generous in act. He may not be behalf, to supersede him. Palmerston has no- ardent on religious questions, but the public body to fear Aberdeen has passed, not to re-admires his open contempt of cant, and the wit turn; Russell has gone into isolation; and un- with which he dashes off a profound truth that less Palmerston supersede himself, he is master of the situation for a term not yet limited. If he has been working for the promotion, it has come to him without any recent, overt, or invidious effort on his part. Lord John did it for him. He assuages more than one feud, by

other men labor at. While setting down an opponent, he will reconcile the defeated man to himself. Even in his slashing arbitrary pushing of sanitary improvement, he can elevate to its place in the creation the foulness which he would drive from civilized economy;

TRANSLATED EXTRACT.

and if "dirt is but matter in the wrong place," | land as a means of disparaging our ally the so a political malfeasant may be guilty of zeal Emperor. Still graver considerations, howin the wrong direction. The contradiction ever, are presented in the following extract which has mystified the public on his charac- of a letter from a French gentleman, who is ter, seems to have been his enjoyment as well not only distinguished both in the statesmanas his forte. He has been like a man hiding, ship and literature of his own country, but is who laughs at others seeking in vain where to peculiarly versed in the knowledge of English have him; and Urquhart, laboring to bring and Anglo-Saxon constitutional politics. his head to the block for selling the state to Russia, is just one of those living antitheses to an acclaiming public nominating him leader of the war against Russia, which have been the staple and sport of his life. His exhaustless power of frankness is accompanied by an unwearied power of reserve; and the public, which cannot find his principles, sometimes thinks that he has none, at other times that they lie too deep for common apprehension.

"Chateau de *****, Oise. February 6, 1855.

*

If you do

"But to talk of more important topics-or rather of the all-important one, the war. My mind is continually dwelling with painful interest on the situation of your brave army; an interest inspired by admiration for the army itself, as well as by the concern which I feel for the honor and credit of your institutions, now in some danger If he has been faithful to humbler adherents, of falling into disrepute through incapable and there is one servant whose fidelity he has re-inexperienced administration. paid Viscount Palmerston has never forgot- not succeed in repairing the mischief, and that ten Henry John Temple. But the experi- quickly, (which indeed seems to me next to imenced official is actuated by no sordid, no possible,) England and her Government will as purely selfish ambition. Probably he chuckles suredly come out of this struggle somewhat over clever Henry John's progress in life, as discredited, whatever may be the ultimate results of the war and of the heroic achievements of he blurted out his admiration of Louis Napoleon's sudden success in the year of the coup your soldiers. "I have a difficulty in believing that this will d'état. It is an artistic egotism. He sympa- not have a considerable influence, though one perthizes instinctively with self-wrought prosperi- haps little foreseen, upon the future course of ty. Hence he has a living as well as an offi- your domestic affairs. I suspect that it will accial sympathy with our ally in France. Hence celerate the pace at which you appear to be deold scores with vexatious old Austria are wiped parting from the character of aristocratic gov off, and he is free to reciprocate confidence ernment, according to the old acceptation of that with new Austria. Hence he must be un- term. At any rate, it is impossible but that the able any longer to admire Russia, guilty which in time of war attend a centralized gov English must discern the immense advantages of a coup manqué, or to abide Prussia suc-ernment; or that they can be long in contact cessful only in a certain fidelity to voluntary with an army where every one can and may be failure. But this love of success, of excite- come an officer, without its producing upon them ment, and of action, is probably the stimulus a serious impression. Your army can hardly that our sluggard Administration most wants; avoid undergoing a sort of revolution; and a and the unreasoning public instinctively feels, that to place Lord Palmerston with the new field of glorious action before him is like placing a high-mettled hunter before an open

country.

revolution in the constitution of the army will surely not be confined to the army alone. Yon are the only people of the present day (except perhaps the Russians, and they less than you) who are officered exclusively by gentlemen. You will discover that an army commanded solely by gentlemen is not necessarily the best army to make war with it is better able to fight than to sustain itself before and after the battle. We have had good reason to know this, under our old monarchy.

From The Spectator, 10 Feb. THE disastrous manifestations of military On the other hand, an army commanded by incapacity in our War administration have gentlemen has the advantage of being good against created a strong and not a fovorable impres-revolutions; while an army of the opposite charac sion in France. The case is presented to the ter either makes revolutions or suffers them to be French in various ways, through the publish- made by others. R..... told me the other day, that ed reports, the complaints of our press and the aristocracy had never been stronger in EngParliament men, the avowals of Lord John land than they are now; for that they had never Russell and some of his colleagues, the reports poured out their blood more freely. But I must of General Canrobert to the Emperor Na- remark, that it is not altogether by military ser poleon, and innumerable private letters. Sur- otherwise, ours would not be levelled with the vices that an aristocracy can maintain itself; prise is succeeded by a feeling akin to con- dust, as it actually is: for who ever were more tempt; and this feeling is exploité by those prodigal of their lives than the French gentilswho try to revive the old feeling against Eng-hommes, of all grades, the lesser as well as the

DLXV. LIVING AGE. VOL. VIII. 48

« AnteriorContinuar »