Oldalképek
PDF
ePub
[merged small][graphic][merged small][merged small]

THE

EUROPEAN MAGAZINE,

AND

LONDON REVIEW;

For APRIL 1797.

HORA СЕ EARL OF ORFORD.
(WITH A PORTRAIT.)

THE Nobleman whofe Portrait adorns eur pretent Magazine paffed a long life in purfuits fo feldom the objects of attention in perfons of the fame rank, that we cannot forbear claiming for his memory that refpect which ever fhould accompany thote who, by the exertion of their mental faculties, have contributed to the improvement of their own or to the entertainment of future times.

HORACE WALPOLE was the youngest fon of the celebrated Minifter of Great Britain, Sir Robert Walpole, afterwards Earl of Orford (a title which became extinct by the death of the Noblaman now under our confideration), by his wife Catherine Shorter. He was born about the year 1718, and received the early part of his education at Eton, where he firit became known to the celebrated Mr. Gray, whofe friendship at that early period he cultivated, and whofe efteem and regard he retained, with a fhort interruption, to the end of that Gentleman's life. From Eton he went to King's Colkge, Cambridge; but, according to the

practice of men of rank and fortune at that time, left the University without taking any degree. While there he wrote "Verfes in Memory of King Henry the Sixth, Founder of the College," which are dated Feb. 2, 1738, and are probably the firft production of his pent. In the fame year he was appointed InfpectorGeneral of the Exports and Imports; a place which he foon after exchanged for that of Uther of the Exchequer f. To thefe were added the poft of Comptroller of the Pipe and Clerk of the Etreats; all which he held unto his death.

Finding hitelt difinclined to enter fo early into the bufinefs of Parliament, he prevailed on his father, Sir Robert Walpele, to permit him to go abroad, and Mr. Gray confented to accompany him in his travels. They left England on the 29th of March 1739, and took their route by the way of France to Italy, viewing whatever was remarkable in the feveral places they visited, and at fome of them, particularly Florence, refiding feveral months. Unequal friendships are not

In July 1754, Lord Orford erected a cenotaph to the memory of his mother in the Chapel of Henry the Seventh in Weftminster, with the following infcription: “ To the memory of CATHERINE LADY WALPOLE, eldeft daughter of John Shorter Efq of Bybrook, in Kent, and first wife of Sir Robert Walpole, afterwards Earl of Orford. HORACE, her youngest fon, confecrates this monument. She had beauty and wit without vice or vanity, and cultivated the arts without affectation. She was devout, though without bigotry to any fect; and was without prejudice to any party, though the wife of a Minifter, whofe power the efteemed but when he could employ it to benefit the miferable, or to reward the meritorious. She loved a private life, though born to shine in public; and was an ornament to Courts, untainted by them. She died August 20, 1737." See Fugitive Pieces, 1758, p. 1. and Pearch's Collection of Poems, Vol. I. Malon's Life of Gray, 4to. p. 34.

* Mr. Pope faid,

"She was untainted by a Court.”
Gg 2

always

always the most lafting. About July 1741 the two friends came to a rupture, and parted at Reggio, each pursuing his journey homewards feparately. Of this quarrel the circumftances are unknown; but Mr. Walpole enjoined Mr. Mafon to charge him with the chief blame, confeffing, that more attention, complaifance, and deference, to a warm friendfhip, and fuperior judgment and prudence, might have prevented a rupture which gave much uneafinefs to them both, and a lafting concern to the furvivor. The liberality of Mr. Walpole on this occafion deferves much praife; though we cannot but affent to Dr. Johnson's remark, that "if we look without prejudice on the world, we shall find, that men whofe confcioufnefs of their own merit fets them above the compliances of fervility are apt enough, in their affociation with fuperiors, to watch their own dignity with trouble fome and punctilious jealoufy, and in the fervour of independence to exact that attention which they refufe to pay." In 1744 a reconciliation took place between them, by the intervention of a Lady who wified well to both parties; though it is probable the cordiality which had fubfifted between them did not wholly return, as Mr. Walpole was entirely unnoticed by Mr. Gray in his laft will.

In the Parliament which met the 25th of June 1741, he was returned for Callington, and foon had an opportunity of thewing that he was not likely to become either a filent or inactive Member. On the 23d March 1741-2, on Lord Limerick's motion for an enquiry into the

conduct of Sir Robert Walpole for the preceding ten years, he oppofed the propofition, as far as the debates of that period may be depended on, in a speech of fome length, with great spirit, and greatly to the credit of his filial piety *. He was not, however, a frequent speaker. In 1747 he was chofen for the borough of Castle Rising.

The tenor of his life was not much varied by accident or adventure; though about the year 1749 he narrowly escaped the piftol of a highwayman, the relation of which we fhall give in his own words: "An acquaintance of mine was robbed a few years ago, and very near fhot through the head by the going-off of the pistol of the accomplished Mr. Maclean; yet the whole affair was conducted with the greatest good-breeding on both fides. The robber, who had only taken a purse this way because he had that morning been difappointed of marrying a great fortune, no fooner returned to his lodgings, than he fent the Gentleman two letters of excufes, which with lefs wit than the epiftles of Voiture had ten times more natural and eafy politeness in the turn of their expreffion. In the poftfcript he appointed a meeting at Tyburn at twelve at night, where the Gentleman might purchase again any trifles he had loft; and my friend has been blamed for not accepting the rendezvous, as it feemed liable to be conftrued by ill-natured people into a doubt of the honour of a man who had given him all the fatisfaction in his power for having unluckily been near fhooting him through the head." (To be continued.)

TWO ORIGINAL LETTER-S of DR. ARBUTHNOTT.

HONOURED SIR,

THE kind meffage I had from you by

Mr. Pricket tother day, putts me in mind of a neglect of my duty, which is to with you a good new year, in all health and pr iperity to yourself, and fuccefs to your defigns, for the good of a fociety which I have many obligations to honour. Were it not that I have hardly any thing beides to tell you, but what I know you have from much better hands, I should be

Chandler's Debates, vol. xiii. p. 191.

† World, Dec. 19, 1754

often troublesome to you. I was in hopes of having a good account of my friends at Oxford to-night by Dr. Gregory, but I find, by a letter of his, I am dilappointed at present. I do not hear of any remarkable newes about town, the Czar and My Lady Macclefield make up the greatest part of the deverfion. As tor the ftanding army, we reckon ther is an end of that. I was pleafd to fee Mr.

The Author hiníelf, as he explains it in his "Fugitive Pieces."

Alfop's

:

Alfop's fop: Mr. Bentley fayes, there is three faults in the Latin of Canis in prape. Mr. Charles Bernard told me, he bid him inftance in one: he faid, exteri fi quid jeiaul fer fciunt. Mr. Bernard afk'd him, if he was fure it was wrong; be faid he was, and bid him depend upon it. The next day Mr. Bernard fent him this verfe in Horace, fi quid componere curem, but was forry afterward he did not lett him publish his criticitm. We expect foon fome reply to his differtation at the end of Wotten's book. This new act of parlia', againit correfponding with K. James, lyes very heavie upon a great many people it is reckon'd to comprehend above 20 thousand at least. I beleive I know above thirtie of my acquaintance that must gett them gone be fore the day appointed. Sir Andrew Forefter, Dr. Cockbern, &c. feveralls I mefure have not money to pay for their pallage to Graves-end; & which is yet harder, they are like to be very ill receiv'd in France, where they are putting a tax upon foreigners, fome fay on purpofe to difcourage thofe who might leave England on this occeation. We are expecting the Count de Talard over here, as ambaffadour, with a fplendid equipage. He stayes only at Paris to give my Lord Portland a dinner. It is no newes to tell you of his highness the Duke of Glocefters preceptors & governour My Lord Malborough, the B of Salefburry, La Vaiteur, a French refugee, whom you have feen at Oxford, & I cant tell how many more of one fort of people & other. I hope at least the University of Oxford may have the intereft to have one. I have not had the good fortune to fee Mr Jeffreys fince he came home. I have made fome enquiry about him, & expect a return before I proceed further.

[blocks in formation]

I receaved yours, & thanks you heartly for your Ballad. It is not as yet refolved, fo farr as I know, that her Majefty fhali go to the Bath, but I do beleive the will, & if the do's, I fancy it will be a little fooner than last year. I can give you no newes in return for yours. I have feen this day a moft impudent petition, of the Commiffion of the Kirk, to the parliament, againit toleration in Scotland. I think it will be of service to print it, & it will fully anfwer your occaional Ballad. Affairs there feem to be in great faction & confufion, by the honett & wife managment of the Queens Minifters, as you may guefs, but the rediculous compleafance of the Cavalier party is paft all comprehenfion, for they, forfooth, out of a fear for the Queens Honour, wont fuffer a miniftry to be touch'd that are ruining her affairs as fait as they can. Please show this to D' Gregory, & tell him it is the ftate of the cafe; when it comes to greater maturity I fhall give him a more particular account of it. I hope to fee you at od time. In the mean time, wishing you all health & happiness, remain,

Hd St,

Your Moft affectional freind & humble Servant,

Jo. ARBUTHNOTT,

Dr ARBUTHNOTT,

Abt

Jun. 10, 1703.

an impudent Petition of the Commiflion of the Kirk agst Toleration to the Parliament there.

I shall ufe the freedom to give my respects Windfor, June 8th, 1703. to the Warden of All Souls, The Dean of Chrifts-Church, and D. Wallis. I long for good weather, & leifure to fee yourself & the rest of my frends at Oxford. If I fhould be fo happy as to have line from you, please to direct it for me at the Pine apple in St Martines Street. Pricket faid he was going out of town, but I fancy not without fecing the Czaar. I hop you will excufe this trouble, & beleive that I will alwayes be,

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors]

For

The much Honoured Doctor Charlot, Mafier of University Colledge,

Oxon.

THE

THE BEGGA R.

IN THE MANNER OF STERNE.

"AH, little FANNY!" said he, taking from a bag fome broken victuals, would thou wert here to partake of thy ufual portion, which, though feanty, thou wert always contented with." The words were imple, but the manner in which he delivered them affected me: they came from a blind Begger; he was a venerable figure, and feated on a ftone bench, with a tablet of his misfortunes before him. "But, alas, thou art cold!" faid he;"cold as the ftone I now reft upon." In faying this he took up a cruft, and held it awhile to his mouth; but nature denied him appetite; he laid it down again. I had only a tingle fous about me- I dropped it into his hat-I was weak enough to let fomething fall with it, no matter what-it was a. He would have thanked me, but nature demanded her tribute-he wept bitterly. I was not ashamed; I advanced, and feated myfelf clote befide him, and took hid of his hand. "Tell me, friend," faid I, "what has pierced this pointed arrow in thine heart, that it bleeds thus? Haft thou loft in thy Fanny the only prop that fuftained thy tottering frame? Per. haps foire virgin daughter that is cold, on whole cheeks were painted he blushes of the morn, and whole befom for whiteneis excelled the fpotleís lilly." But here

imagination pictured before me my lovely Eliza-I could fay no more. I had not touched the right ftring of the mendicant's woe; he hook his head, and gave agh. When he felt himfelt more compofed, he took from his bofom, close to where his heart (I am fure it was a feeling one) lay aching, a folded paper: as he untied it, he called twice on his Fanny's name, and twice kiffed it for Fanny's fake. No fooner did the inclofure meet my eye, than I knew the fource of the mendicant's woe-it contained a lock of Fanny's hair, which once graced the ear of a faithful Dog-" She died yesterday," faid he, "on the very spot I am now lamenting her. I do not with to live without her." He always boafted of her as the most precious gift of Heaven. "While fhe was alive," continued he, "I needed not my eyesight, for the fafely every morning brought nie hither, and fately every evening conducted me home."--I was not proof against his eloquence, but, rifing, took my leave, thinking how fortunate my lot would be ever to poffefs fo valuable a friend as this blind Beggar once boatted in his Dog; for when we are parted the lofs will not be a trifling one.

T. ENORT.

Borough, March 1, 1797.

COPY of the ARTISTS' PETITION PRESENTED to His MAJESTY GEORGE the THIRD, NOVEMBER the 28th, 1768; and which gave rise to the ESTABLISHMENT of the ROYAL ACADEMY.

To the KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR MAJESTY,

WE, your Majefty's most faithful

fubjects, the Painters, Sculptors, and Architects of this Metropolis (being defirous of establishing a Society for promoting the Arts of Defign, and fenible how ineffectual every ettablishment of that nature must be without the Royal influence), mott humbly beg leave to folicit your Majefty's gracious affiftance, patronage, and protection, in carrying this ufeful plan into execution.

It would be too great an intrufion upon your Majefty's time to offer a minute detail of our plan. We only beg leave to inform your Majefty, that the two principal objects we have in view are, the citablishment of a well-regulated Sibiul ʼn Academy of Defijn, for the ufe

of Students in the Arts; and an annual Exhibition, open to all Artifts of distinguished merit, where they may offer their performances to public infpection, and acquire that degree of reputation and encouragement which they fhall be deemed to deferve.

We apprehend that the profits arifing from the laft of thefe inftitutions will fully answer all the expences of the first; We even flatter ourselves that they will be more than neceffary, and that we fhall be enabled annually to diftribute fomething in ufeful charities to the indigent of our profeffion.

Your Majesty's avowed patronage and protection are, therefore, all that we at prefent humbly fue for: But fhould we

ខ្លះ

« ElőzőTovább »