HA To the Editor of the European Magazine. SIR, Brighton, July 6, 1818. AVING here at my leisure perused with uncommon interest, the Rev. William Cox's Memoirs of SIR ROBERT WALPOLE, I was pleased with the character of this eminent Whig Minister, drawn by EDMUND BURKE, and which forms the conclusion of his biography. "I shall close this sketch of WALPOLE's public character," says Mr. Cox, in the words of a celebrated writer, who alone seems to have fairly appreciated his merits and scanned his defects. "He was an honourable man and a SOUND WHIG. He was not as the Jacobites and discontented Whigs of his own time have represented him, and illinformed people still represent him a prodigal and corrupt minister. They charged him in their libels and seditious conversations, as having first reduced corruption to a system: such was their cant. But he was far from governing by corruption: he governed by party attachments. The charge of systematic corruption is less applicable to him, perhaps, than to any minister who ever served the crown for so great a length of time. He gained over very few from the opposition. Without being a genius of the first class, he was an intelligent, prudent, and safe, minister. He loved peace, and he helped to communicate the same disposition to nations at least as warlike and restless as that in which he had the chief direction of affairs. Though he served a master who was fond of martial fame, he kept all the establishments very low. The Land Tax continued at two shillings in the pound for the greater part of his administration; the other impositions were moderate. The profound repose -the equal liberty-the firm protection of just causes during the long period of his powers, were the principal causes of that prosperity which took such rapid strides towards perfection, and which furnished to this nation ability to acquire the military glory which it has since obtained, as well as to bear the burthens, the cause and consequence of that warlike reputation. With many virtues, public and private, he had his faults; but his faults were superficial. A careless, coarse, and over-familiar style of discourse, with out sufficient regard to persons or occasions, and an almost total want of political decorum, were the errors by which he was most hurt in the public opinion, and those through which his enemies obtained the greatest advantages over him. But justice must be done. The prudence, steadiness, and vigilance, of that man, joined to the greatest possible lenity in his character and his politics, preserved the crown to this ROYAL FAMILY; and with it their laws and liberties to this COUNTRY." SIR ROBERT WALPOLE expired 18th of March, 1745, in the 69th year of his age, and was interred in the parish church of Houghton, Norfolk, without any monument or any inscription to his memory-thus Pope remarks:"So peaceful rests without a stone or name, Which once had honours, titles, wealth, and fame!" "As to his death," Mr. Cox observes, "SIR ROBERT WALPOLE had been long afflicted with the stone. The journey from Houghton, which he employed four days in performing, aggravated its symptoms, aud brought on such excruciating torments, that the des.. cription of his sufferings during the last day's journey, which was only twenty miles, filled Danby, his surgeon, with horror. His only relief was opium; and from an apprehension of returning pain, he took such large and repeated doses, that for six weeks he was almost in a constant state of stupefaction, except for two or three hours in the afternoon, when he seemed to rouse from his lethargy, and converse with his usual vivacity and cheerfulness. He bore his sufferings with unexampled fortitude and resignation. Mr. Danby, the surgeon who published a narrative of his last illness, thus expresses himself. "When I recollect his resigned behaviour under the most excruciating pains, the magnanimous sentiments which filled his soul when on the eve, seemingly, of dissolution, and call to mind the exalted expressions that were continually flowing from him at this severe time of trial, however extraordinary his natural talents or acquired abilities were, however be had distinguished himself by his eloquence in the senate, or by his singular judgment and depth of penetration in counsels; this incomparable constancy and astonishing presence of mind, must raise, in my opinion, as sublime ideas of him as any act of his life besides, however good and popular: and reflect a renown on his name equal to that which consecrates the memory of the remarkable sages of antiquity!" These interesting particulars of so eminent a man will, I doubt not, be acceptable to the more intelligent class of your readers; and have, on this account, been transcribed; and they may be deemed more interesting at a period when the eyes of the public will be turned, with some intenseness, towards the debates and proceedings of our New PARLIAMENT. I am, dear Sir, Respectfully your's, JOHN EVANS. For the EUROPEAN MAGAZINE. A FTER all the numerous tracts and essays on friendship which have appeared in print, either in the periodical publications, or in the writings of learned men, is it not surprising to find, that vast numbers in the world know not even wherein it consists, nor who are fit objects to make friends of. Does not the drunkard esteem that man his friend who attends him constantly in all his revels, debaucheries, and excesses: who commends his folly, and gives way to his vices? In short, is it not common for men to esteem those their greatest friends who think and act as they themselves do; those who praise their vices, and assist them in gaining their ends, or executing some base purpuposes; approving all they do, and encouraging them in the commission of the most flagrant vices!-such are in ruin with you by his destructive advice and example? surely not! Learn then to be wise in due time. Remember that real friendship and vice are utter strangers; they have nothing to do with each other; and where one is, there the other cannot be. The man who would be your friend, must have a far greater regard for your eternal welfare than for your temporal; must be so far from encouraging you to persist in any one vice; that he must prudently remonstrate against it; much less must be aid or abet you in the commission of any sin; he must "have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them." It is then evident, that instead of taking a man into your friendship who screens your faults and commends your vices, who is ever ready to assist you in vile and siuful practices; you certainly should prefer him much who acts the counterpart; who tells you of your faults, and advises you to forsake all your sins; is however tender of your reputation, and careful to secrete all your foibles and failings from others. Such good offices as these plainly evince friendship: and from such let me advise all to chuse their friends; otherwise, they will be certain of finding foes in their room; for it is a self-evi dent truth, that the man who is a friend neither to God or religion, or himself, can never possibly be a friend to any man. Hence, I conclude, that without virtue or religion, there can be no friendship. THOMAS HILL. esteemed friends! But what says the To the Editor of the European Magazine. voice of reason? Never trust or be lieve that man who approves all you say and do, fully convinced that he has some ends to answer by flattery. Des pise his advice, reject his offers, and bid adieu to his company; for can he be your friend, when all he says and does is a certain step taken towards your destruction? If you stand on the brink of a precipice, will you esteem that man your friend, who is the first ready to push you headlong? If not, then remember that the case is exactly parallel between such a one, and the man who teaches you to despise God's laws, and to ridicule and burlesque every thing sacred. Will it be any advantage or service to you at the final day of accounts, to find that your false friend is equally involved himself SIR. YOU YOUR attention last year to the quantities of Ale and Porter brewed by the principal Houses, has again induced nie to copy it for your insertion.. Your constant Reader, W. O. P, Quantities of Porter brewed by the principal Houses, from July 5th, 1817, 10 July 5th, 1818. Barrels. Barclay, Perkins, and Co.....340,560 ...151,107 Combe, Delafield, and Co.....130,217 Felix Calvert and Co.. H. Goodwin and Co. Elliott and Co. Taylor and Co. Cocks and Co. .... 97.420 at the breaking out of the unfortunate 60,247 seven years' war, and was crowned with 52,161 the most brilliant success. At the 47,975 battle of Hastenbak, being entreated 35,702 not to stand within the range of a Being a total increase of 104,409 battery which was making the most from last year. THE LATE PRINCE DE CONDE. LOUIS Wade Ben at Chantilly OUIS Joseph de Bourbon, Prince on the 9th of August 1736. He was the only son of the Duke de Bourbon, who became Prime Minister after the Re gency, and of Caroline Hesse-Rhinfels, an amiable and accomplished Princess, for whom Louis XV. entertained the sincerest and most irreproachable friendship. The Prince de Condé became au orphan at the age of five, when Louis XV. appointed him to the situation of Grand Master of his Household: the duties of the office were discharged by the Count de Charolais, who superintended the education of the young Prince with a degree of attention which quickly developed his passion for literature and glory. On the 24 of February 1752 he was created a Knight of the Order of the Holy Ghost. On the 3d of May in the following year he married the Princess Charlotte-Gudefride-Elizabeth, by whom he had two children, the Duke de Bourbon, born on the 13th of April 1756, and Mademoiselle de Condé, born on the 5th of October in the year following. He entered on his career of arms dreadful ravages around him, he replied, I do not find any such precautions displayed the most intrepid courage at in the history of the great Condé. He the battle of Minden; but the victory of Johannesburgh, where the Duke of Brunswick was defeated in 1762, was the most brilliant feat of arms for which the Prince de Condé distinguished him self throughout the whole war. Louis XV. to reward the worthy descendant of the Condés, presented him with some of the pieces of cannon which were taken on that occasion. The Duke of Brunswick afterwards paid a visit to the prince de Condé at Chantilly, and not seeing the cannon, which from a delicacy of feeling his Serene Highuess had caused to be removed, You wish, said the Prussian General, to conquer me twice, in war by your arms, and in peace by your modesty. During the disputes which prevailed between the crown and the parliament, the Prince, faithful to his duty, never separated his own cause from that of the King; he only on one occasion Louis XV. by measure contrary to the joined the opposition, namely, when old constitution of France, intended to dissolve the Parliament, and to establish new sovereign courts. The Prince de Condé, faithful to his old principles, refused to acknowledge these pretended Parliaments; he was exiled, but was ere long recalled by the King. Conformity of taste and disposition united him in the closest friendship with the Dauphin, and after the death of that Prince, Louis XV. granted the Prince de Condé the Dauphin's regiment. The Prince de Condé was passionately at tached to literature, and he cultivated it with success; he had formed around him a society of literary men, who were neither philosophers nor detractors of the old institutions of the monarchy; among them he particularly distin guished Valmont de Bomare, who collected at Chantilly one of the Gaest cabinets of natural history that perhaps ever existed. In 1787, during the assembly of the Notables, he proved himself a firm partisan of the principles of the old mouarchy, and signed the famous me morial of the Princes, which was addressed to Louis XVI. on the close of that session. On the 17th of July 1789, the Prince de Condé quitted France with his family, and retired to Brussels, from whence he proceded to Turin. He was accompanied by a great number of gentlemen, and there is no sacrifice which he did not make to maintain his little army. In the month of July 1790, he published that energetic manifesto in which he forcibly expressed his indignation of the treatment to which the monarch had been subjected. Immediately on the publication of that manifesto, the revolutionists proceeded to lay waste Chantilly; aud when he addressed to Louis XVI. the letter where, in reply to the injunction he had received of returning to France, he declared in the name of the Princes and himself, that they would sooner perish than consent to the degradation of the throne and the overthrow of the monarchy, the National Assembly placed all his property in sequestration. After baving made inconceivable sa crifices to organize bis army, the Prince de Condé opened the campaign in 1792, by marching on Landau. If this cam paign afforded the Prince's brave troops but few opportunities for displaying their valour, that of 1793 was as active as glorious; then, according to the happy expression of Delille, three generations of heroes were seen com. bating and rising up in the midst of dangers. The most remarkable affairs of this campaign were the battles of Jockrim, Pfortz, Barbelroth, Wissemburg, Berstheim and Hagnenau. At the battle of Berstheim the Prince de Condé addressed the following words to the French emigrant troops who were rushing forward to take the village by the bayonet: Gentlemen, you are all bayards! let us march forward to the village; but he must pass over my sword who enters it before me." The village was taken, and the Prince de Condé was the first to enter it. The campaign of 1799 afforded the Prince de Condé new opportunities of distinguishing himself, he powerfully protected the retreat of the Austrians at Biberach. The royal army displayed equal valour at St. Mergen and St. Pierre. At the battle of Schingen, an officer of engineers standing between Europ. Mag. Vol, LXXIV. July 1818. the Prince de Condé and the Duke de Berry, was killed by a howitzer. On the conclusion of the peace with Austria in 1797, the Prince de Condé entered the service of Russia; his corps was cantoned in Poland; he proceeded to Petersburg, where Paul I, treated him in a way to prove that he had not forgotten the reception which the Comte de Nord formerly experienced at Chantilly. A magnificent hotel was prepared for him, over the door of which was inscribed in letters of gold, The hotel Conde. The equipages, furniture, and liveries, were so arranged, that the Prince might almost have imagined he had been restored to the residence of his ancestors. In 1799 the army of Marshal Suwarow having marched to Switzerland, the Prince de Condé followed it at the head of his division. After the campaign of 1800 the army of the Prince de Condé was disbanded, and the Prince came to reside in England, where he remained until the period of the restoration. He chose Aylesbury as the place of his retirement. There he married the Princess de Monaco, who died in 1813, and he there received the dreadful tidings of the death of his grand-son, the Duke d'Enghien. Every one knows the attachment which His Highness entertained for that meritorious and last branch of his illustrious race. Though fourteen years have elapsed since that fatal event, yet the sorrow of the Prince de Condé remained unabated to the last moment of his life, and he was the more inconsolable, when on the restoration of his illustrious family to the throne of their ancestors, he again visited the spot which had been the witness of so horrible a murder. The Prince made his entry into Paris with the King on the 3d of May 1814: his titles and dignities were restored, and he was present, on the 17th of March, 1815, at the famous royal sitting. Three months afterwards he accompanied the King to Belgium, and returned to Paris with His Majesty in July 1815. The Chamber of Peers appointed him president of one of its Bureaus every time it was renewed. The Prince de Condé employed his leisure hours in writing a life of his illustrious grandfather: the manuscript of this work was left in France, and it was published in Paris in 1806, under the modest title of Essai sur la Vie du F HUMPHREY REPTON, ESQ. Was born in the year 1752, in the county of Norfolk, on an estate of the late Mr. Windham, and bred to the bumble business of a stocking manufacturer. His sister and daughters kept for many years a hosiers shop at Hare Street. Mr. Repton had, however, the good fortune in his outset in life to attract the notice and obtain the pa tronage of Mr. Windham, whom he accompanied as his secretary when that gentleman was engaged in the public service in Ireland. On his return from that country, about 30 years ago, he adopted the profession of a landscape gardener, as he expresses in one of his publications, "under the first patronage in the country." At that time the celebrated Brown had been dead some years. Mr. Rep. ton hesitated not to declare himself his successor, and defended his principles against the attacks made on them by Mr. Price and Mr. Knight. After some years of experience, however, as the writings of these gentlemen began to effect a change in the public taste, Mr. Repton, with great good sense and discrimnation, gradually conformed to it, for the best of all possible reasonsbecause, as the principles upon which landscape gardening ought to be founded, became better known, it was perceived that the object of the artist should be to follow, not to force nature in the various forms under which she is presented to us. With these impres sions he published his "Observations on the Changes of Taste in Landscape Gardening and Architecture," in 1806, and has subsequently explained himself more fully in "Fragments of Laudscape Gardening and Architecture," 4to. which appeared in 1817. He was unquestionably an artist of elegant and good taste, but perhaps rather more calculated to follow thau to lead, and more attached to the beautiful and the pretty than to the great and the sublime: he was evidently most at home in the gothic architec ture, which in temples of ample dimensions excites an elevated feeling; but we cannot applaud the taste for the gothic, when displayed in smaller buildings, unless under peculiar cir cumstances, such perhaps as insulated cottages covered with thatch, and where no contrast with other buildings is presented to the view. Mr. Repton has published a variety of different works, and at very different periods of his life. We believe that the first time he appeared as an author, was so long ago as 1781, in "The Hundred of North Erpingham, in the History of Norfolk, with Preface," &c. &c. 8vo. 66 Variety, a Collection of Essays," 12mo. appeared in 1788. "The Bee, or a Critique on the Exhibition of Paintings at Somerset House," 8vo. 1788; The Bee, a Critique on the Shakspeare Gallery," 8vo. 1789; Sketches and Hints on Landscape Gardening," 4to. 1794; “A Letter to Uvedale Price, Esq. on the same Subject," Svo. 1794;" Observations on Landscape Gardening," 4to. 1808; "Observations on the Changes in Landscape Gardening ;"" Odd Whims; being a republication of some Papers in Variety, with a Comedy, and other Poems added," 2 vols. 1804; On the Introduction of Indian Architecture and Gardening," vol. 1. 1808. Several of these were embellished with plates from the pencil of the author, who also furnished for twenty years the vignettes to the Polite Repository Pocket Book. To these fruits of his taste and industry must be added, not less than three hundred manuscript collections on various subjects, accompanied by drawings to explain the improvements suggested by him at different places, with numerous letters on the art of landscape gardening to different persons. He died at his cottage near Romford in Essex, where he resided for the last thirty years, in the 66th year of his age. One of his sons is a solicitor, we believe at present residing at Aylsham in Norfolk; and another, who has devoted himself to the study of architec ture in the office of Mr. Nash, was lately united in marriage to the daughter of the present Lord Chancellor Eldon. |