the great seal. Whatever may have been the motive, it is certain that his negotiation with the whigs had been amicably carried on, till within a few hours of his delivery of that speech, from whose enthusiasm the public could little suspect how fresh from the incomplete bargain of defection was the speaker, and in the course of which he gave vent to the well-known declaration," that his debt of gratitude to his majesty was ample, for the many favours he had graciously conferred upon him, which when he forgot, might God forget him!"* *Forget you!" said Wilkes, "he'll see you dd first." SHERIDAN'S LOVE of BETTING. [From Moore's Life of Sheridan.] As an illustration of Mr. Sheridan's love of betting the only sort of gambling in which he ever indulged the following curious enumeration of some of his wagers for the year 1793 is not unamusing: "25th May, 1793.-Mr. Sheridan bets gen. Fitzpatrick one hundred guineas to fifty guineas, that within two years, from this date some measure is adopted in parliament which shall be (bona fide) considered as the adoption of a parliamentary reform." "29th Jan., 1793.-Mr. S. bets Mr. Boothby Clopton five hundred guineas, that there is a reform in the representation of the people of England within three years from the date hereof." "29th Jan., 1793.-Mr. S. bets Mr. Hardy one hundred guineas to fifty guineas, that Mr. W. Windham does not represent Norwich at the next general election." "29th Jan., 1793.-Mr. S. bets gen. Fitzpatrick fifty guineas, that a corps of British troops are sent to Holland within two months of the date hereof." "18th March, 1793.-Mr. S. bets lord Titchfield two hundred guineas, that the D. of Portland is at the head of an administration on or before the 18th of March, 1796: Mr. Fox to decide whether any place the duke may then fill shall bona fide come within the meaning of this bet." "25th March, 1793.-Mr. S. bets Mr. Hardy one hundred guineas, that the three per cent. consols are as high this day twelvemonth as at the date hereof." "Mr. S. bets gen. Tarleton one hundred guineas to fifty guineas, that Mr. Pitt is first lord of the Treasury on the 28th of May, 1795.-Mr. S. bets Mr. St. A. St. John fifteen guineas to five guineas, ditto.-Mr. S. bets lord Sefton one hundred and forty guineas to forty guineas, ditto." "18th March, 1793. Lord Titchfield bets Mr. S. twenty-five guineas to fifty guineas, that Mr. W. Windham represents Norwich at the next general election." 19th March, 1793.- Lord Titchfield and lord W. Russel bet Mr. S. three hundred guineas to two hundred guineas that Mr. Pitt is first lord of the Treasury on the 19th of March, 1795." As a sort of moral supplement to this strange list, we subjoin a letter, connected evidently with one of the above speculations: "SIR;-I am very sorry that I have been so circumstanced as to have been obliged to disappoint you respecting the payment of the five hundred guineas: when I gave the draughts on lord * * I had every reason to be assured he would accept them, as * had also. I enclose you, as you will see by his desire, the letter in which he excuses his not being able to pay me this part of a larger sum he owes me, and I cannot refuse him any time he requires, however inconvenient to me. I also inclose you two draughts accepted by a gentleman from whom the money will be due to me, and on whose punctuality I can rely. I extremely regret that I cannot at this juncture command the money. "At the same time that I regret your being put to any inconvenience by this delay, I cannot help adverting to the circumstance which perhaps misled me into the expectation that you would not unwillingly allow me any reasonable time I might want for the payment of this bet. The circumstance I mean, however discreditable the plea, is the total inebriety of some of the party, particularly myself, when I made this preposterous bet. I doubt not you will remember having yourself observed on this circumstance to a common friend the next day, with an intimation that you should not object to being off; and for my part, when I was informed that I had made such a bet and for such a sum,-the first, such folly on the face of it on my part, and the latter so out of my practice, I certainly should have proposed the cancelling it, but that, from the intimation imparted to me, I hoped the proposition might come from you. "I hope I need not for a moment beg you not to imagine that I am now alluding to these circumstances as the slightest invalidation of your due. So much the contrary, that I most perfectly admit that from your not having heard any thing further from me on the subject, and especially after I might have heard that if I desired it the bet might be off, you had every reason to conclude that I was satisfied with the wager, and whether made in wine or not, was desirous of abiding by it. And this was further confirmed by my receiving soon after from you 100l. on another bet won by me. "Having, I think, put this point very fairly, I again repeat that my only motive for alluding to the matter was, as some explanation of my seeming dilatoriness, which certainly did in part arise from always conceiving that, whenever I should state what was my real wish the day after the bet was made, you would be the more disposed to allow a little time;the same statement admitting, as it must, the bet to be as clearly and as fairly won as possible; in short, as if I had insisted on it myself the next morning. "I have said more, perhaps, on the subject than can be necessary; but I should regret to appear negligent to an application for a just claim. I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant, "R. B. SHERIDAN. Hertford St., Feb. 26." ANECDOTES of the LIFE of CANOVA up to the Time of his Residence at ROME. [Abridged from "Memoirs of Antonio Canova," &c. by J. S. Memes, A. M.] AMONG the former dependencies of Venice is the obscure village of Possagno, situate amid the recesses of the hills of Asolano, which form the last undulations of the Venetian Alps, as they subside in the plains of Treviso. In Possagno, on the morning of the 1st of November 1757, was born Antonio Canova, The mud-walled cabins of an alpine village witnessed, during the first twelve years of existence, the dawnings of that mind whose productions now constitute the most precious treasures of the noblest palaces. Pietro, the father of Antonio, followed the occupation of a stonecutter; while his mother was in nowise distinguished from the simple females of her native hamlet. Of these humble parents, Canova was the only child. At the period of his son's birth, Pietro still resided under the paternal roof, and continued without a separate establishment till 1760, when he died at an early age. He appears to have been a man of melancholy habits, and of a weakly constitution; not remarkable for talents of any kind, and in this respect greatly inferior to his father Pasino; with whom, either as assistant, or in partnership, he had always continued to work.t A few months after the demise of her former husband, the mother * In some biographical sketches published many years ago in the Italian Journals, he is improperly named Francisco, an error which has been copied into the still more erroneous accounts of travellers. + The family of Canova is said to have furnished stone-cutters to the village of Possagno for several ages. of Antonio entered again into a state of wedlock, and settled in the neighbouring village of Crespano. The name of her new spouse was Sartori; but of what condition or occupation does not clearly appear. The only offspring of these second nuptials was a son, who still survives, the Abbot Giovanni Battista Sartori Canova. This brother was the object of Canova's tenderest attachment, whom he patronized and supported in early life, and constituted his heir at death; confiding to him the completion of several designs in which he was then engaged.* When his mother removed to Crespano, on the occasion of her second marriage, Canova, then about three years old, remained at Possagno under the protection of his grandfather, Pasino. Thus, at an age when he could scarce yet lisp their names, was he deprived of both parents.† This loss, generally irreparable, was most amply supplied by the tender care of Catterina Ceccato, his paternal grandmother. She nursed his delicate frame with the kindest assiduity; watched his progress with the most affectionate solicitude; and directed his childish acquirements in the Il fratello d. Gio. Battista Sartori Canova, erede universale ed esecutore delle mie disposizioni è costituito nel diritto e nella liberta di fare quelle eccezioni, o alterazioni alle mie testimentarie disposizioni, &c.-"My brother, John Baptist Sartori Canova, sole heir and executor of my dispositions, is invested with the power and liberty of making these exceptions and alterations in my testamentary dispositions," &c. tract from Canova's Will-Introduction. +"Quasi ancor balbettante," says Canova, in one of his letters, Ex best manner her own limited information permitted. The good old matron lived to see the object of her early care prove worthy of it: and Canova, than whom no one ever more warmly cherished the genial influence of every social, every benevolent feeling, enjoyed one of the best and purest of pleasures, that of repaying former benefits. After the death of his grandfather, as soon as he could afford her an asylum such as age required, and gratitude would wish to offer, he brought the kind Catterina to reside with him at Rome; and his friends still remember, that to make the evening of her life decline in peace was a care ever nearest his heart. Pasino Canova, the grandfather of our artist, was distinguished by a character of facetiousness and of good nature, that rendered him extremely popular amongst his equals, over whom he exercised a species of ascendancy; while the more valuable qualities of skill and diligence in his occupation, recommended him to the employment, and even to the regard of his superiors. His acquirements, considering the situation in which he had always been placed, and the slender means of attainment he had enjoyed, seem to have been far from despicable. He possessed some knowledge of architecture; designed with neatness and facility-and shewed considerable taste in the execution of ornamental works in stucco, and sometimes in marble. His performances in the latter material, are still to be seen in the altars and chapels of several churches in the adjacent villages. Some of these are likewise incrusted with the more rare and valuable species of stone. He is said also to have executed relievos, and even statues in marble with passable skill. Canova suffered under all the privations inflicted by poverty : but the very narrowness of his circumstances produced the melancholy advantage of his being, from childhood, trained to an occupation at least remotely connected with sculpture. In the little Antonio, his grandfather contemplated, not without pride, the support of the name, and his own destined assistant and successor. The old man regarded his profession with fond partiality, and resolved that no care should be wanting to render his grandson accomplished in the knowledge which he himself possessed. Whatever of decided inclination, could at so early an age have developed itself in the mind of the future sculptor, the taste and the acquirements of his grandfather thus sufficed in the first instance to cherish-a most important object in the formation of what is termed genius-and for some years, might direct. Almost from the moment that Tonin's* hand could hold a pencil, this affectionate instructor began to initiate him in the principles of drawing,justly regarding this as the best means of acquiring proficiency in other branches. Considerably later, but still at a very tender age, he commenced executing models in clay; and the little round of his infantine attainments may be considered as complete, when he had learned to fashion the larger fragments of marble cuttings into ornaments of various kinds. These productions of early ingenuity represented inanimate objects only; and he had reached a much later Tonin is the provincial diminution for Antonio, and very commonly employed in the Venetian States. period of life before attempting the imitation of the human figure, in any more refractory material than the soft substances used in modelling. Of these his primitive labours in sculpture, two small shrines of Carrara marble, of which, one is likewise inlaid with coloured stones, both executed in Canova's ninth year, yet remain in the villa of his first patron.* Thus were passed the years of childhood, in occupations that might be termed studies, when compared with the manner in which this season of life is usually spent; studies tending to the formation of decided aims and tastes, if they did not terminate in actual acquirement. The moral influences of this judicious training were accordingly soon apparent. Attention was never the effect of compulsion, or of confinement to certain pursuits, but seemed to others, as to the individual himself, the result of natural inclination; and a casual or superficial observer would have pronounced, that Canova was formed by nature with dispositions for that art, in which he afterwards excelled. The society, or the sports of the other villagers possessed no attractions; and the "sullen Tonin," for so was he styled by the petulant levity of his youthful compeers, was constantly to be found, either in his grandfather's workshop, or hanging at the side, listening to the instructions, and conning the legendary lore of his grandmother. Sorely to the annoyance of the good old lady, the evidences of her grandson's attachment were generally but too visible in the marks of tiny hands, impressed in modelling clay, which her side drapery usually disclosed. Her tales and ballads, indeed, presented an allurement that frequently drew her young charge from his favourite employment, and seemed for a time to hold with these, over his enthusiastic and ardent mind, divided sway. Even in after life this taste survived. His friends yet recollect the pleasure he would often express on hearing similar compositions, and the animation with which he would occasionally recite, in the rich and expressive dialect of his native province, from the stores his infant memory had thus collected. his As young Canova continued to advance in years and improvement, the workshop ceased to become merely his play-ground, and its occupations the amusements of his voluntary application. It was necessary to think early and more seriously of that profession, by which he was to earn his future livelihood. Accordingly, soon after the completion of his ninth year, Antonio appears to have been employed constantly under his grandfather; regularly assisting in those labours for which strength and capacity were fitted. During the intervals, when not thus engaged, his favourite pursuits of drawing and modelling were resumed with increased ardour, and it may be presumed with corresponding success. This, his early proficiency in drawing, at least, would indicate; in other respects his attainments could be only future and more elevated studies. very remotely connected with In this situation he remained for about three years, destined, in all |