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EUROPEAN MAGAZINE,

AND

LONDON REVIEW,

FOR JULY, 1816.

A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF

HER ROYAL HIGHNESS

PRINCESS CHARLOTTE-AUGUSTA OF WALES,

AND OF SAXE COBOURG SAALFIELD.

(WITH A PORTRAIT, ENGRAVED BY BLOOD, FROM AN ORIGINAL DRAWING.] -All princely graces

TOWA

That mould up such a piece of work as this is,
With all the virtues that attend the good,

Shall still be doubled on Her.

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A pattern to all Princes living with Her,
And all that shall succeed.

OWARDS the anticipated Sovereign of a mighty Empire, every hope and every expectation are naturally directed;-even the realities of the past and present lose their interest, and are not unfrequently absorbed in contemplating the speculative visions of the coming future.

In sketching however the biography of the heiress presumptive of the British empire, it cannot be supposed that we shall have many events to record, connected with her private life, much less events unknown to the generality of our readers. In fact, it is the pride of our fair countrywomen (and long may it remain so,) to be but little known for conspicuous actions; and with respect to the illustrious Personage in question, Her native dignity of mind will always prompt her to veil her good deeds in an honourable obscurity, whilst her great ones shall be the theme of future histories, promulgated by the example of Britain in arts, and by the valour of her sons in arms.

Yet the prospect,- a far distant one we trust, of the sceptre of the United Empire being wielded by a female hand, gives rise to many interesting feelings, particularly as it is now more than a century since our throne was filled by a female monarch. It is worthy of notice too, that although the principle of the British constitution admits of Female inheritance, yet its absolute application in practice never took place before the

SHAKSPEARE.

year 1553, when the accession of the first MARY placed a Queen upon the English throne.

That the principle is anciently British, is evident from the historical facts respecting Boadicea; and although we had not any female sovereigns under the Saxon governments, yet it is well known to have been a Saxon principle, inasmuch, that William, Duke of Normandy, founded his claim in preference to Harold, on his descent from Matilda of Brunswick, who was herself a descendant from Elfrida, wife of Baldwin H. Count of Flanders, and daughter of Alfred the Great, who was grandson of Egbert, the first Saxon monarch of the whole kingdom of England.

On the same principle William married his son Henry, to Maud, daughter of Malcolm III. King of Scotland, by Margaret, sister of Edgar Atheling, last of the Saxon line of Princes, and the undoubted heiress of the British crown.

In the unhappy reign of Edward II. and in the minority of his son, the Queen Isabella, though a foreigner, assumed the Regency; and afterwards in the reign of Edward III. his Queen Philippa, not only exercised the regal powers du ring his absence in the French wars, but even commanded the English army in the contest with Scotland. Again, in the 15th century, though Henry VII. founded his claim on a descent from the heiress of the Beauforts, and the great grand-daughter of John of Gaunt, Ďuke

of Lancaster, fourth son of Edward III.; yet he even thought his claim strength ened by an union with Elizabeth, the

heiress of the hostile House of York.

None of these, however, produced an absolute female sovereignty until 1553, when Mary succeeded her brother, the youthful Edward VI.; and when her succession was contested by another female claimant, the lamented Lady Jane Grey, most certainly the Protestant heir, if the Princess Elizabeth, afterwards Queen, had not been alive; for the Lady Jane, wife of Lord Guildford Dudley, was daughter of Henry Grey, Duke of Suffolk, by his wife Frances, daughter of Brandon Duke of Suffolk, by the sister of Henry VIII. and Queen-dowager of France: we say, the Protestant heir, because Mary Queen of Scots, who claimed by descent from Margaret, an elder sister of Henry, and Queen dowager of Scotland, was a Catholic, and her son James was not then born.

In MARY'S reign then, we must first look for the practical effects of female sovereignty; but the picture is too gloomy to be contemplated, as the whole of that Princess's annals were stained with the blood of martyrs, and the independence of England was sacrificed in an alliance with a foreign and tyrannical bigot, Philip II. of Spain.

On the accession of our first Protestant Queen, ELIZABETH, the prospect brightened, and the sun of England's glory once again burst through the clouds of ignorance and fanaticism, presenting a display of national and domes tic prosperity, which, in a comparative reference to past and present times, though we cannot hope to see surpassed, yet we trust that the British empire will ever behold fully equalled.

'The last female reign (of ANNE) must be ever memorable for the military glory of the nation abroad, and for the strength and virulence of parties at home. Involved as the kingdom was during the whole of her reign in continental wars, yet these were actually caused by the necessity of interference, in support of the great balance of power in Europe, in opposition to the views, of aggrandisement and of universal domination then pursued by the wild ambition of the French King.

It is almost needless to add, that the claim by descent to the British throne. of the present illustrious House of Bruns wick, in addition to the free choice of

the British people, is a female one, through Sophia, youngest daughter of Frederick, King of Bohemia, by his wife Elizabeth, eldest daughter of James 1. so that the present heiress presumptive of the British Crown is the lineal representative of the ancient British Princes, by descent from Owen Tudor and Llewellyn the Great,-of the Saxons, by descent from Egbert,- of the Normans, by descent from our ancient line of Kings, of the ancient Kings of Scot land, of the royal Houses of Bruce and Stuart, and of the ancient monarchs of Ireland, by descent from Elizabeth De Burgo, heiress of Lister, descended from the heiress of O'Connor, and the wife of Lionel Duke of Clarence.

-

The illustrious subject of our present biography, was born on the 7th of January, 1796: but to trace her Royal Highness's progress through the various stages of education from that period to the present, would be little more than to recapitulate what is so generally known. Her earliest years were spent under the domestic tuition of her Royal Mother; and at a proper period the Bishop of Salisbury, a prelate of the most eminent piety and profound learning, was appointed to the important office of her private tutor by the pa rental choice of his Majesty, who, by the customary law of England, must direct the education of the presumptive heiress to his crown.-On being taken from the superintendance of her mother, the accomplished Lady De Clifford was selected as her Governess, but who, on the advance of her Royal Pupil to maturity, was superseded by her Grace the Duchess Dowager of Leeds.

That under such care, our future Sovereign has imbibed a true sense of the British Constitution, we can have no doubt; since of its excellence, she has witnessed many practical proofs. Under the prospect then of a future female reign, we need not despair of Britain's prosperity, when we contemplate our youthful Princess thus ac-. complished in her education, of manners and disposition the most amiable,and possessed of all those blessings which must make her happy in herself, and a happiness to all around her.

To Her Royal Highness's recent unionwith Prince LEOPOLD, it is unnecessary now to advert-farther than to repeat those congratulations on the event, which every voice has uttered, and which every heart has felt.

T.

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A local habitation and a name. Shaks.

AMONGST the many distinguished

His

poets of the present age, no one has been more deservedly popular than ROBERT BURNS-nor has any one possessed fairer claims upon the gratitude and admiration of his country. wildly original, though uncultivated genius, arising superior to all the restraints of adversity, and the shackles of situation, blazed like a meteor on the poetic world, and was hailed with the same enthusiasm which greets a newly discovered planet of the astronomer. But the slave of his passions-neglectful of himself—BURNS was neglected by others; and, though TWENTY YEARS have this day elapsed since his decease until now, no public monument has marked his resting place, no national cenatoph has pointed out the sepulchre of native genius. Large, then was the debt of gratitude due to his undying fame, and nobly now has Scotland redeemed the pledge.

"At length we hail him cenotaph'd

inurn'd.

At length we mourn him as he should be mourn'd.

Art waits at length upon his honour'd tomb,

And Poesy recording, weeps his doom!"

Scotsmen, indeed, may well be vain of his talents and his name, for his genios was truly national.—Scotland may, indeed, exult in having given him birth, for he may be said to have sprung from her very soil. But while, as Scotsmen, they are justly proud that it was reserved for their country to give birth to much a Poet, the hard fate of BURNS, while living, and the comparative obscurity in which he closed his days, prove, also, that while among them he was not sufficiently valued, and thus in some degree turns their very pride into a reproach. Britain owes to his memory a long arrear of admiration, and the only way in which we can discharge this debt is by uniting to do honour to his tomb.

By the common consent of mankind, monuments are raised to perpetuate the memory of heroes and of Kings,

and justice equally demands, upon the same principle, that gratitude and admiration should bestow similar honours on poetry, since it is the bard who may be said to make kings and heroes what they ultimately become in the eyes of the world, by inciting them to deeds of virtue, and by animating them to pursue the paths of fame and glory. Poetry, indeed, is not an idle art,-it is that

which leads us to the noblest efforts of which the human mind is capable; and which, while it is the source of our most exalted actions, proves itself to be intimately connected even with the purFor the powerful effects of national est springs of our intellectual existence. poetry on all who can feel, we might confidently appeal to all our readers. We might ask if there is not a charm in the poetry of BURNS which has had the effect of giving a new and a superior has loved to celebrate. interest to every spot which his muse Who has ever

visited the rivers, the valleys, the moun tains, which he sung, and felt not the glow of that enthusiasm which animated the poet they admired,-without remembering, with feelings of no common emotion, that these were objects which Who can direct his steps to the humble he once delighted to contemplate? →→→ adorned with all the loveliest domestic cottage which the muse of BURNO virtues, and not feel the vast import endeared and sanctified by his verse? ance it has gained, from having been Who can visit the fields on which those achievements have been accomplished, which gave to Scotland immortal fame, without feeling the power of him, who, in appropriate strains, has sung the glory of her chieftains, and, as it were, revived WALLACE, BRUCE, and all those who have so long slumbered with them in their gory beď ? Some mark of public gratitude-some lasting record of admiration, then, must be due to the memory of that great original-untutored-and inimitable because untutored poet, whose name we have attempted to commemorate. Feeling this, and feeling the importance of distinguishing the hallowed grave of BURNS by a public monument, his admiring countrymen have at length united, heart and hand, to promote this! great design.

To the indefatigable perseverance of WILLIAM GRIERSON, Esq. of Dumfries, is due the individual praise of having been principally instrumental in the discharge of this national obligation; and amply must his own feelings have

recompensed every exertion. It will be remembered that BURNS died at Dumfries, on the 21st of July, 1796, at the early age of 36 years and about 7 months, yet, though every tribute of municipal and military respect attended the funeral ceremonies of depositing his remains in the church-yard of St. Michael's, yet a very considerable time elapsed before even a stone was raised over the sod that covered the reliques of departed genius, and this was but a plain memento, reared by a widow's affection, and 'dewed with a widow's tears. Such neglect was regretted, but not retrieved; and, though several sums were individually subscribed towards the erection of a public monument, it was not until the close of the year 1813 that any measures of importance were ultimately decided upon. After much exertion amongst private friends, Mr. Grierson was enabled to convene a public meeting of the admirers of Burns, on the 6th of January, 1814; when General DUNLOP, M.P. was called to the chair, and considering "that it had long been a subject of regret that no public tribute of respect was yet paid to the memory of a inan who had employed his unrivalled powers in giving grace and dignity to the lowJand language of Scotland, and illustrating the manners and character of the Scottish peasantry."—It was unanimously resolved,

"That a Mausoleum be erected over the grave of BURNS, and a public subscription be immediately opened for that purpose."

A committee was consequently appointed, consisting of the Marquis of QUEENSBURY, the Earl of SELKIRK, and a number of other distinguished characters, to carry into active effect the resolutions of the meeting. A very extensive correspondence was immediately commenced, and the lists of subscriptions soon proved that the appeal was not in vain, as amongst many other contributions of British liberality, the Treasurer had early the honour of acknowledging the munificent donation of FIFTY GUINEAS from H.R.H. the PRINCE REGENT.

Proposals were then issued for artists to furnish designs for the mausoleum and monument, when. from nearly sixty others, the plan of THOMAS F. HUNT, Esq. architect, was selected for the mausoleum; and a most classic model, by PETER TURNERELLI, Esq. was made choice of, for the marble sculpture, to be erected over the place of sepulture

in its interior. It is from this truly elegant design that we have been obliged with the drawing from which our Frontispiece is engraved; and, throughout the varied range of all the poetry and prose of BURNS, there is, perhaps, no one passage which could have been transferred to live in marble with equal felicity of effect for the purposes intended. The words occur in the dedication of an early edition of his poems to the" Noblemen and Gentlemen of the Caledonian Hunt.”— "THE POETIC GENIUS OF MY COUNTRY FOUND ME AS THE PROPHETIC BARD ELIJAH DID ELISHA-AT THE PLOUGH,

AND THREW HER INSPIRING MANTLE

OVER ME!" And, in giving" form and pressure" to the imagination of the poet, Mr. Turnerelli has been singularly successful.

It was, however, now discovered, that the grave of Burns was, unfortunately, so situated as to preclude the possibility of any erection upon its present site, and with the consent of his surviving relatives, the sacred deposit was removed to a piece of new ground, on the opposite side of the church-yard, where the projected mausoleum would not only produce an infinitely superior effect, but receive the additional advantage of being much easier accessible. On Monday, therefore, the 5th of June, 1815, was laid, the first stone of the intended erection, when the ceremony. was performed with due solemnity and masonic pomp, by W. MILLER, Esq. Provincial Grand Master of the district, assisted by several hundred brethren of Dumfries, and deputations from all the lodges in its vicinity. So interesting a spectacle attracted an immense concourse of visitors, and the whole was conducted to the gratification of all who witnessed it.

The building is now nearly completed, and the marble sculpture, it is hoped, will be erected early next spring. When entirely finished, it will, as a whole, certainly equal any sepulchral memorial in Great Britain. It will be a cemetery worthy of Caledonia's highly gifted bard: an honour to those who have reared it over his ashes, and a most interesting ornament to the surrounding country

"Where still that fresh, that unforgotten

name

Shall pay th' arrear of monumental fame,
As oft the traveller, oft the poet turns
To muse and linger o'er the TOMB OF
BURNS."

We must not omit to mention that

another tribute to the memory of Scot tish genius, in the person of Burns, is now erecting near to his place of birth, in Ayrshire. To the fund for its completion Sir JAMES SHAW, Bart. M.P. is the London Treasurer; and to this, also, his Royal Highness the PRINCE REGENT has presented the royal donation of FIFTY GUINEAS.

On Saturday, the 25th of May, 1816, was celebrated at Freemasons' Hall, Great Queen Street, a "COMMEMORATION OF BURNS, in aid of the subscription for completing the monument over his grave at Dumfries." At this meeting the Right Hon. the Earl of ABER DEEN presided; and the list of stewards comprised some of the most distinguished names connected with Scotland. A poem, written for the occasion by THOMAS CAMPBELL, Esq. much influenced the very liberal subscription then received; nor can we more appropriately close this interesting detail, than by the insertion of this truly admirable composition.

F. C. S. July 22, 1816.

T.

ODE TO THE MEMORY OF BURNS,
Written by Thomas Campbell, Esq. and re-
cited at the Commemoration of Robert
Burns, by Mr. Conway, of the Theatre
Royal Covent Garden.

Soul of the Poet!-whereso'er
Reclaim'd from earth thy genius plume
Her wings of immortality;
Suspend thy harp in happier sphere,
And with thine influence illume

The gladness of our jubilee.
And fly like fiends from secret spell,
Discord and strife at BURN's name,

Exorcised by his memory;

For he was chief of bards that swell
The heart with songs of social flame,
And high delicious revelry.

And Love's own strain to him was given
To warble all its extacies,

With Pythian words unsought—unwill'd,
Love the surviving gift of Heaven,
The choicest sweet of Paradise

In life's else bitter çup distill'd.
Who that has melted o`er his lay
TO MARY'S Soul in Heaven above,

Bat pictured sees in fancy strong,
The landscape and the livelong day
That siniled upon their mutual love --
Who that has felt forgets the song?
Nor skill'd one flame alone to fan-
His Country's high-soul'd peasantry
What patriot-pride he taught:-how

much

To weigh the inborn worth of man!
And rustic life and poverty

Grow beautiful beneath his touch,

Him in his clay-built cot the Muse
Entranced and shew'd him all the forms
Of fairy-light and wizard gloom,
(That only gifted Poet views,)
The Genii of the floods and storms,

And martial shades from Glory's tomb.
On Bannock-field what thoughts arouse

The swain whom BURN's song inspires?

Beat not his Caledonian veins,
As o'er the heroic turf he ploughs,
With all the spirit of his sires,

And all their scorn of death and chains?
And see the Scottish Exile tann'd ́
By many a far and foreign clime,

Bend o'er his homeborn verse and weep,
In memory of his native land,
With love that scorns the lapse of time,

And ties that stretch beyond the deep.
Encamp'd by Indian rivers wild,
The soldier resting on his arms,

In BURN's carol sweet recals
The scenes that blest him when a child,
And glows and gladdens at the charms
Of SCOTIA's woods and waterfalls.
O deem not, 'midst this worldly strife,
An idle art the Poet brings,

Let high Philosophy controul
And sages calm the stream of life,
'Tis he refines its fountain springs,
The nobler passions of the soul.
The native banner of the brave,
It is the Muse that consecrates

Unfurling at the trumpet's breath,
Rose-Thistle-Harp-'tis she elates
To sweep the field or ride the wave,

A sunburst in the storm of death.
And thou, young Hero, when thy pall
Is cross'd with mournful sword and plume,'
When public grief begins to fade,
And only tears of kindred fall,
Who but the Bard shall dress thy tomb,

And greet with fame thy gallant shade?
Such was the Soldier,-BURNS forgive
That sorrows of mine own intrude,

In strains to thy great memory due,
In verse like thine, Oh! could he live,
The friend I mourn'd-the brave, the good,
"EDWARD that died at WATERLOO !†
Farewell, high Chief of Scottish song!
That could'st alternately impart

Wisdom and rapture in thy page,
And brand each vice with satire strong,
Whose lines are mottoes of the heart,
Whose truths electrify the sage.
Farewell!--and ne'er may Envy dare
To wring one baleful poison drop

From the crush'd faurels of thy bust;
But, while the lark sings sweet in air,
Still may the grateful pilgrim stop

To bless the spot that holds thy dust.

+ BURNS was born in Clay-cottage, which his father had built with his own hands.

+ Major EDWARD HODGE, of the 7th hussars, who fell at the head of his squadron in the attack of the Polish Lancers.

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