CHARLES JAMES FOX'S OPINION OF Mr. Fox once said of Buonaparte, that he was a man as magnificent in his means as in his ends; that he was a most decided character, and would hold his purpose with more constancy, and through a longer interval, than was imagined; that his views were not directed to England; but that he looked only to the continent. That his commercial enmity was but a temporary measure, and never intended to be acted upon as permanent policy. A DANGEROUS CASE. A surgeon being once sent to a gentleman who had received a slight wound in a duel, sent his servant home with all possible speed for a particular plaster; and on his appearing very impatient at the delay, the patient, turning a little pale, said to the surgeon, "Sir, I hope there is no danger!" "Yes, indeed there is," answered the disciple of Galen, "for if the fellow don't make haste, the wound will heal before he returns." STATE OF FRANCE AT THE PEACE OF AMIENS. Lord Fitzwilliam said, "that the revolution found the French a nation of coxcombs, and left them a nation of blackguards; that manners, the civility of man to man, and the chivalrous homage to women, which softens and gives a picturesque splendour to life, had wholly vanished, and a nation of citizens had replaced a nation of gentlemen." Mr. Fox maintained, "that the same gallantry continued to exist, though the foundation was gone; and that the distinction of ranks, sufficient for the purposes of social order, still remained. That the revolution had doubtless effected much mischief, but the ferment had ceased, and the sediment gone to the bottom, never to re-appear. That the French government, a century hence, would exhibit a most interesting spectacle: that of a government not founded on feudal principles." LETTER FROM A PERSON ON TRIAL AT NAAS, UNDER THE INSURRECTION ACT. My Lord and Gentlemen of the Bench, &c. &c. &c. My most poignant lamentable and form you that my grandfather was a novel predicament compells me to inmajor in the army and my father a commoner in Trinity Collige, and afterwards an officer in the army, and many of my relatives on every side of me, Highe in office in the army, who Boath fell and Bled in the field of mares -in Cause of their King and Country -and Tho' meeting with the vicissitudes of life in almost all their shapes, I trust, that, wherever my conduct or Character may be pursued, that it shall be found within the portals of justice; and my anxiety to procure myself some situation, By soliciting such as are boath able and bound under a tie, so as to Entitle me to Claim their patronage, laves me on the wing of persecution, however I trust that your Lordship and the Gentlemen of the Bench will Reflect on my situation as it is out of my power to Employ any Professional Man, and had I known that this Country was under the Insurrection Act I should be more on my Guard and at the same time I was making my way to the Guard House as I was after a journey that day, and I also defy man, Woman, or Child, to Impeach me with any sedition or Disloyalty which is a hereditary prensipal, in all my ancestors and relatives since noas flood-and have the honour to Be my Lord and Gentlemen, with the most profound Respect Your most obedt. and very Devoted Hble. Servt. "We ought net, like the spider, to spin a flimsy web wholly from our own magazine; but, like the bee, visit every store, and call the most useful and the best." THE town which gives name to the antique edifice represented in our engraving, was so called from the Zouches, its ancient lords, to distinguish it from another Ashby [Ashby Folville] in the same county. It is distant 98 miles from London, and stands upon the borders of Derbyshire, in a pleasant situation. It has a handsome church, and a free school; and its fairs are supplied with young horses of the largest and best breed in England. The castle is situated in the hundred of West Goscote. The manor, after the extinction of the male line of Zouches, in the first year of the reign of Henry the Fourth, came to Sir Hugh Burnele, Knight of the Garter, by marriage, with Joice, the heiress of that family. From him it devolved to James Butler, Earl of Ormond and Wiltshire, who being attainted en account of his adherence to VOL. I. the party of Henry the Sixth,it escheated to the Crown, and was, in the first year of the reign of Edward the Fourth, granted by that monarch to Sir William Hastings; in consideration of his great services, he was also created a Baron, Chamberlain of the household, Captain of Calais, and Knight of the Garter; and had license to make a park and crenellate, or fortify several of his houses, amongst which was the castle. The two ruined towers are said to be of hig construction, the other parts are evi dently of a later date. Burton, in his Natural History of the County of Leicester, mentions only one tower; his words are, "The Lord Hastings built there a large and fair house, and one stone tower, of great height,strength,and excellent workmanship." This nobleman for his bravery and amiable qualities, was almost idol D Leland, in his Itinerary, says, "Lord Hastings obtained the grant of Ashby de la Zouch, partly by title, and partly by money paid." In November, 1485, the attainder of this lord was taken off by Henry the Seventh, after the battle of Bosworth Field, and the estates restored to the family. At this castle, King James the First was entertained by the then Earl, with his whole court, for many days, during which time, dinner was always served up by thirty poor knights, with gold chains and velvet gowns. During the civil commotions in the reign of Charles the First, the castle of Ashby de la Zouch was fortified by the Earl of Huntingdon, who opposed in Leicestershire the ordinance of the House of Commons concerning the militia; for which he was sent for on June 18th, 1642, by that assembly, as a delinquent. Having given manifest proofs of a sincere attachment to his sovereign, he was constituted general of the forces raised in the counties of Leicester, Derby, Nottingham, Lincoln, Rutland, and Stafford, for the service of the king; and in further consideration of his loyalty was, by letters patent, dated 23d October, 1643, created Baron of Loughborough in the county of Leicester, to him and his heirs; but he died unmarried, in January, 1666. In consequence of Ashby castle never having been taken by the parliamentary forces, it was called the maiden garrison; it was, however, partly demolished by order of the Commonwealth soon after the king was beheaded. It is remarkable that the famous reformer, John Wickliffe, was born near the above castle. He died in 1387, and was buried at Lutterworth, but, about forty years afterwards, his skeleton was taken out of his grave and publicly burnt in accordance with the decree of the Council of Constance. Near the castle of Ashby, about fifty years ago, medals and coins, of silver and copper, were found in great abundance, particularly of the emperors Vespasian, Domitian, Trajan, and Antoninus. FEODOROWNA, A RUSSIAN NARRATIVE. During the tumults in Russia, when the Princess Sophia's intrigues to avail herself of Iwan's imbecility were defeated by Peter the Great, several ancient Boyards withdrew to their country houses in disgust or fear. Mierenhoff, one of this number, had a mansion about twelve versts from the metropolis, and resided in very strict retirement with his only daughter, Feodorowna. But this beautiful young Muscovite had accompanied her father with more reluctance than he suspected, and contrived to solace her solitude by frequent visits from her affianced husband, Count Biron, one of the Czar's body-guard. Though her lover laid claim to a title so sacred, his attachment to the imperial court, and a kind of favouritism he enjoyed there, had created a jealousy not far from rancour in Mierenhoff. Mixing private feuds with political secrets, he devised a pretext to dismiss the young captain of the guard from all pretensions to his daughter; but the young couple revenged themselves by clandestine disobedience. On one of the nights dedicated to their meetings, the Boyar chose to visit his daughter's apartment with an affectation of kindness. She, apprised of his intention only a few moments before, conveyed her lover into a large chest or press in the corner of her room, and closing the lid, covered it with her mantle, that he might obtain air by lifting it occasionally. But the Boyar unhappily chose to take his seat upon it; and after a long stay, which cost his daughter inexpressible agonies, departed without intimating any suspicion. Feodorowna sprang to raise the lid of her coffer, and saw Biron entirely lifeless. What a spectacle for an affianced wife!-but she had also the feelings of an erring daughter, conscious that detection must be ruin. She had strength of mind enough to attempt every possible means of restoring life; and when all failed, to consider what might best conceal the terrible circumstances of his death. She could trust no one in her father's household except his porter, an old half-savage Tartar, to whom he had given the name of Usbeck, in allusion to his tribe. But this man had taught her to ride, reared her favourite wolfdog, and shown other traits of diligent affection which invited trust. Feodo rowna descended from the lofty win dow of her room by the ladder Biron had left there; and creeping to the porter's hut, awakened him to crave his help. It was a fearful hazard, even to a Russian female, little acquainted with the delicacies of more polished society; but the instinct of uncorrupted nature is itself delicate, and the Tartar manifested it by listen ing to his distressed mistress with an air of humbler respect. He followed to her chamber, removed the dead body from its untimely bier, and departed with it on his shoulder. In an hour he returned, but gave no answer to her questions, except that " All was safe." She put a ring containing a rich emerald on his finger, forgetting the hazard and unfitness of the gift. His eye flashed fire; and making a hasty step nearer,he seemed disposed to offer some reply; but as suddenly turning his back, and shewing only half his tiger-like profile over his left shoulder, he left Feodorowna in silence, and with a smile in which she imagined strange meaning. The absence of the captain of the imperial guard could not be undiscovered long, and it was not difficult for his family to trace his nightly visits to his bride. But there all clue ceased; and after some mysterious hints at the secret animosity of his father, the search seemed to die away. An extraordinary circumstance renewed it. Biron's body was found near the imperial city with a small poniard buried in it, bearing this label round the hilt-The vengeance of a Strelitz."-The sanguinary sacrifice of the Strelitz regiment by Peter's orders, for their adherence to his sister Sophia, appeared to explain this inscription; and the friends of Count Biron in stantly ascribed his fate to the scattered banditti formed by the survivors of this proscribed regiment. Feodorowna, though not the least surprised at the incident, was the only one who rejoiced, as she felt the security it gave to her secret. Her father preserved an entire silence and impenetrable indifference on the subject. The emperor, notwithstanding the eccentric zeal of his attachments, chose to leave his favourite's fate in an obscurity he thought useful to his politics, and scandalous to his enemies. Six months passed in secret mourning on Feodorowna's 'part; and her father usually spent his evenings alone after his return from hunting. One night, as he sat half-dreaming over his solitary flaggon, he saw a man standing near his hearth, wrapped in a dark red cloak, with a fur cap bordered with jewels, and black velvet mask over his face. The Boyar had as much good sense as any Russian nobleman of that age, and as much courage as any man alone, or with only his flask by his side, can reasonably show. And probably he owed to his flask the firmness of his voice when he asked this extraordinary visitor whence he came. The stranger familiarly replied, that he could not answer the question." Have you no name?"-" None, Boyar, fitting you to know!-You have a daughter,---I desire a wife; and you have only to name the price you claim for her."--The Muscovite blood of Mierenhoff rose at this insolent appeal, and he snatched up the silver whistle by which he usually summoned his attendants. "Sound it, if you will," said the strange visitor," your servants will have no ears,and mine have more than an equal number of hands. Mirenhoff!-recollect this badge;"— and as he spoke, he raised his sleeve, and discovered the form of a poniard indented on his arm. At the sight of this brand, which he well knew to be the symbol of the Strelitz confederacy, Mierenhoff bowed his head in terror and silence. The unknown repeated his proposal for a wife, demanding an instant answer. The Boyar, full of astonishment and dismay, endeavoured to evade the demand, by alleging the impossibility of answering so promptly for his daughter. "I understand your fears, Mierenhoff;-your daughter herself shall determine, if I am allowed to speak with her alone one quarter of an hour." Some more conversation passed which determined Mierenhoff's compliance. The Strelitz, for such he now considered his guest, rose suddenly from his chair. "I do not ask you," he said, "to conduct me to your daughter's apartment-I know where it is situated, and by what means to enter it. Neither do I ask you to wait here patiently till my return. You dare not follow me." He spoke truth; and had the Boyar dared to follow him, his surprise would not have been lessened by the unhesitating boldness of his steps through the avenues of his house, and the intricate staircases that led to Feodorowna's chamber. The young countess was alone in sorrowful thought when her extraordinary visitor entered. His proposal was made to her in terms nearly as concise as to her father. When she started up to claim help from her servants, he informed her that her father's life and reputation were at his mercy, not less than her own; adding -You are no stranger to the the vengeance of a Strelitz." Feodorowna shuddered at this allusion to the fate of a man whose widow she considered herself, and his next words convinced her he not only knew the circumstances of Biron's death, but all the secrets of their interviews. In little more than the time he mentioned, he returned to the Boyar's presence and announced his daughter's assent. It was agreed that the unknown bridegroom should not remove his bride from her father's roof, nor visit it oftener than once in every month, unless she voluntarily consented to accompany him. He farther conditioned, that the priest should be provided by himself, and the ceremony unwitnessed, except by the father of Feodorowna. To these and to any other conditions Mierenhoff would have acceded willingly, hoping to elude or resist them when the day arrived. When the stranger rose to depart, he pointed to a time-piece which ornamented the Boyar's table. "I depend on your honour; and if I did not, I know my own power too well to doubt your obedience. Count twenty movements of this minute hand before you quit your seat after I am gone."-So saying, he disappeared, and the fatherin-law-elect of this mysterious man remained stupid with consternation and amaze till the period expired. What passed between the father and daughter cannot be explained. If he was surprised at her ready acquiescence, she was no less indignant at his tame surrender of his only child to a ruffian who had demanded her, she supposed, as the seal of some guilty confederacy. But this supposition wronged her father. Cowardly, yet not cruel, and ambitious without sufficient craft, the Boyar was only enough advanced into the mysteries of the Strelitz-faction to know that his own danger would be equally great,whether he betrayed the conspirators or the government. This man had passed unopposed among his servants, had learned all the secrets of his house, and must consequently possess means to purchase both. He felt himself surrounded by an invisible chain, and by a mist which magnified while it confused his fears. The countess Feodorowna, from whom he had expected the most eager questions and piercing complaints, was silent, sullen, and entirely passive. When the next midnight arrived, she sat by her father's side, with her arms folded in her fur pelisse, and her loose hair covered with a mourning veil, while the Strelitz entered with a Greek priest. The rites of the Moscovite church were performed without opposition; and the father, with a sudden pang of remorse and horror, as if till then he had believed the marriage would have been prevented by some unknown power, resigned Feodorowna to her husband. She clung to the Boyar, earnestly insisting on his part of the contract, while this mysterious son-inlaw professed his faithful respect for all his promises. "Depend on my word," he added, you will never be removed from your father's house, except to take your seat on the throne of all the Russias." 66 This was the first intimation ever given by him of his expectations or his rank; and certain flattering hopes which had always clung to the Boyar's fancy, seemed on the verge of probability. Perhaps this pretended Strelitz was the Czar himself, whose fondness for adventure and skill in political intrigue had induced him to assume the garb and stamp of the confederacy he meant to baffle. Feodorowna was not without ambition, and the diamond bracelet which her new husband placed on her wrist was worthy to bind an empresses hand. Every month, on the second day of the new moon, he appeared at her father's supper table, and departed before day-light; but by what means he gained ingress and egress was not to be discovered. The servants of the Boyar professed entire ignorance, nor did he venture to prosecute his enquiries very strictly. But his daughter's curiosity was more acute; and notwithstanding the solemn oath imposed on her to forbear from questions, and to respect the mask which covered his face, she resolved on trying the effect of female blandishment. Gradually, and by very cautious advances, she tempted the Streliz to exceed his studied temperance at a supper prepared with unusual care. [To be continued:] |