Effusion, on offering an Address of Condolence, on occasion of the Death of

the ever to be lamented Princess Charlotte of Wales.

we

PRICE 18. 6d.

Of wedded secrecy must loath and hate!

On the New Coin.
TO THE EDITOR.

Connected with this subject, the pracsunk into an untimely tomb, followed tions of near and dear friends, but of in the following beautiful lines, extractnot only with the tears and lamenta- tice of embalming is strongly reprobated the whole population of an empire, on ed from an Elegy on the death of the whose flag, unfurled in every quarter of Princess Charlotte. Of late years, we have often met in the habitable globe, the sun never sets, this place to present our congratula- and upon whose grief therefore he can-Yet what avails it to embalm a frame, Which now bears nothing but a splendid name, tions to the throne, expressive of our not go down. And perhaps there never Or strive to rescue from devouring time joy and satisfaction on account of the was witnessed either in the moral or What Heav'n has doom'd to perish in its prime? glorious achievements of our fleets and political world, a grander or more sub- Alas! how little can our caution do, armies, and of the happy events which lime movement, than that which we Except to mangle and expose it too! were the consequence of their victorious lately beheld in a great, brave, en- Foul, savage practice, which the modest state career. Now, are assembled in lightened, and affectionate people, with Can spices lend a lustre to that eye, mourning, to offer our condolence on one assent as it were, and spontaneously Or teach that heart to beat, that breast to sigh? occasion of a great national calamity, pausing in the midst of their labours, The vanish'd crimson of those lips renew, and severe domestic affliction, which shutting their doors on business and And softly touch them with ambrosial dew? "bows down our very spirits to the diversion, and repairing to the temples And play'd in kindness o'er the poor and weak? Recal the smile that dimpled on that cheek, earth," and has plunged in grief inex- of their God to pour forth their pious Vain, foolish hope: the muse alone can give pressible the Royal family, and the sorrows,-to express their loyal sym- Those beauties life, and make their owner live; whole population of the British empire. pathies,-to seek those present conso- The muse alone will man's past actions scan, Let us improve this eventful dis-lations, and to cherish those immortal And force her lessons on surviving man. pensation, as an awful and imposing hopes which are the peculiar and blesinstance of the mutability of human sed fruits of our holy religion. "Deep," affairs, and the instability of all earthly says the Celtic bard, "is the sleep of grandeur. Let the people be convin- the dead; low their pillow of dust! ced, that the pains and troubles incident When (he asks) will it be morn in the to humanity are not confined to hum-grave, to bid the slumberer awake?" Now that gold is again to be seen, I ble stations, but penetrate indiscrimin-We know not when, but we are assured have got a seven-shilling piece of 1800, ately into the palaces of kings and the that the morn of the grave will arrive, and being rather an amateur of coins, cottages of the poor; and that for all when our noble, yirtuous, and amiable I cannot repress my surprise at the dethe varied forms of human trial and Princess will arise in her native ma-cline of art, as well as of the titles of affliction, there is only one true and jesty, in the presence of an assembled our monarch, exhibited in so short a time genuine antidote to be found, and that world, to receive on high, at the hands after as the late great coinage 1816. is in patient resignation to the will of of the Eternal, a crown of glory that heaven, and confidence in the wisdom of the inscrutable decrees of providence. Of these principles, and of every virtue that can grace or adorn the human character, the illustrious Princess whose death we now deplore in the sincerity and anguish of our hearts, afforded an" admirable and memorable example, which it is to be hoped will prove an useful and instructive moral lesson to all ranks in the united empire, and in That Heaven may grant every conso-termination VS. not cut short as if to the dominions over which, to all hu-lation, divine and human, to the royal avoid a difficulty, as on the silver. But man appearance, she was destined on and afflicted parents of our beloved and in these days, when innovation of any some future day to sway the sceptre. departed Princess, to her illustrious and kind is held in such horror, I am chiefly But, alas! this fond and adored object of an empire's hopes, snatched in the bloom of youth and health from the highest honours, riches, and delights, which were strewed in her path, has

"

can never fade, and a diadem that can
never tarnish.

Too pure and perfect still to linger here,
"Cheer'd with seraphic visions of the blest;
Smiling, she dried a tender husband's tear,

And poured her spirit forth upon his breast."
He bends not o'er the mansions of the dead,
"Where loveliness and grace in ruins lie;
"In sure and certain hope he lifts his head,

“And faith presents her in her native sky."

disconsolate consort, (who to the glory
of the hero adds the virtues of the man,)
and to the whole royal family, is the uni-
versal prayer of a loyal, dutiful, and af-
fectionate people.

On comparing a shilling of the latter period with my seven-shilling piece of the former, I really find a wonderful difference. On the gold, the head, if not of bold relief, has at least an elegant, not a vulgar and coarse expres sion, as in the shilling, leaving the halfcrown entirely out of view, which the Master of the Mint himself has been ashamed of. Then, the name of the monarch is expressed with the classical

struck with the wonderful alteration in
the titles on the reverse.
In the gold
appears the fine sounding legend, Mag.
Bri. FR. et Hib. Rex.a legend but
poorly supplied by the modern Britt.

218

Letters of David Hume.-Epitaphs.

February 7, 1818.

even with the double 7. the frippery of But this will be sufficient for a man of letters, soon as it is fixed, and as long before it is executed the Garter, and the w. w. P. in the cor-who surely needs less money both for his enter-as possible, that I may previously adjust matters so tainment and credit than other people. as to share the compliments with other of my friends, particularly the Hertford family, who may reasonably expect this attention from me.

ner, both of which last, by the bye, are
innovations. I wish, too, the present
Master of the Mint had copied the fine
twisted milling on the rim of the old
coin, rather than favoured us with his
own invention in the new. I have not
yet been fortunate enough to obtain a
crown-piece of the late coinage, but fear
from what I have already seen that, as it
is larger, its faults will be but the more
apparent, especially if the mint artist
should attempt to pourtray a naked
shoulder, as in the late half-crown.
I am, Sir, yours, &c.

David Hume.

SIMON.

April 17, 1775.

You are mistaken, my dear madam, I am sufficiently of an age to feel the decline of life, and I feel it sensibly. I have, however, been always, and still am very temperate.

Can I beg of you to mention my name to the
Prince of Conti, and assure him that the world
does not contain any person more devoted to him,
or more sensible of the obligations which he im-
The only debauches I ever was guilty of were posed on me. I suppose Madem. de Barbantane
those of study; and even these were moderate, is very agreeably situated with her pupil, the
for I was always very careful of my health by us Dutchess of Barbantane; will she be pleased to
ing exercise. I own that this country does not accept of the respects of an old friend and ser-
entirely please me, particularly the climate. I vant.
sometimes entertain the notion of returning to I beg to be remembered to M. de Viereville.

France; but as I could not now, at my years, If Miss Becket be still with you I wish you to
bear the tumult of Paris, and all provinciel towns make her my compliments. I am, with the great-
are unknown to me, I shall never probably carry est truth and sincerity, ever yours
this idea into execution.

Edinburgh, 25th January 1772.

DAVID HUME.

DAVID HUME.

Edinburgh, 20th August 1776. I am truly ashamed, dear madam, of your hav- Though I am certainly within a few weeks, ing prevented me in breaking our long silence, dear Madam, and perhaps within a few days of but you have prevented me only by a few days; my own death, I could not. forbear being struck We now conclude the Extracts for I was resolved to have writ to you on this com- with the death of the Prince of Conti, so great we intend making from the inedited mencement of the year, and to have renewed my a loss in every particular. professions of unfeigned and unalterable attach- My reflections carried me immediately to your Letters of Mr Hume. There is some-ment to you. While I was at London I had con- situation, in this melancholy incident. thing to our minds very pleasing in the tinual opportunities of hearing the news of Paris, What a difference to you in your whole plan contemplation of this distinguihed au- and particularly concerning you; and ever since of life. Pray write me some particulars, but in I had settled here, I never saw any body who such terms, that you need not care, in case of thor, in the greater familiarity of epis- came from your part of the world that I did not decease, into whose hands your letter may fall. tolary correspondence with an elegant question concerning you. The last person to My distemper is a diarrhoea, or disorder in my female. It is obvious, however, that whom I had the satisfaction of speaking of you bowels, which has been gradually undermining the idea of having his letters preserved was Mr Dutens. But there were many circum-me these two years; but within these six months and published, was never entirely ab- stances of your situation which moved my anxie- has been visibly hastening me to my end. I see sent from the writer; if we except, in-ty, and of which none but yourself could give me death approach gradually without any anxiety information. You have been so good as to enter or regret. I salute you, with great affection and deed, the last melancholy, interesting, into a detail of them much to my satisfaction; regard, for the last time. and most affecting of our present selec- and I heartily rejoice with you, both on the restion. This single note refutes all the toration of your tranquillity of mind, which time foolish stories respecting the dying re- and reflection have happily effected, and on the domestic satisfaction which the friendship and morse of David Hume. He died, as society of your daughter-in-law afford you. These he lived, a philosopher; and whatever last consolations go near to the heart, and will make we may think of his principles, it is but you ample compensations for your disappointments fair to allow, that they were consistent in those views of ambition which you so naturally collection of burlesque Epitaphs, such entertained, but which the late revolutions in as I have often grieved to see disgracFrance might perhaps have rendered more full ing our prominent church-yards. This of inquietude than satisfaction. For my part I have totally and finally retired idea which has more than once occurpaper brought to my recollection an from the world, with a resolution never more to There was a report here which got into the appear on the scene in any shape. This purpose red to me,-that a little volume of orinewspapers, that I was going over to France in arose not from discontent but from a satiety. 1ginal and selected poetry of this class, my former station, but it never had the least foun-have now no object but to sit down and think and would not be uninteresting, and might dation. The truth is, 1 would rather pay you a die in peace. serve to introduce a better taste than visit voluntarily, than in any public character, What other project can a man of my age enthat generally displayed by the parishthough indeed the prospect of affairs here is so tertain? Happily I found my taste for reading clerk or stone-mason on these occastrange and melancholy as would make any one return, even with greater avidity, after a pretty desirous of withdrawing from the country at any long interruption. But I guard myself carefully sions. I have always been fond of virate. Licentiousness, or rather the frenzy of li- from the temptation of ever writing any more; siting village burying-grounds. I acberty has taken possession of us, and is throwing and though I have had great encouragement to

to the last, and sustained him even in gaiety before the certain approach of death.

December 23, 1768.

Epitaphs.

In one of your late Numbers, was a

every thing into confusion. How happy do I es- continue my history, I am resolved never again quired this inclination before I can reteem it, that in all my writings I have always to expose myself to the censure of such factious member how; but I do not forget how kept at a proper distance from that tempting ex- and passionate readers as this country abounds often in youth have a few appropriate treme, and have maintained a due regard to ma-with. There are some people here conversible and tolerably written lines produced gistracy and established government, suitably to enough. Their society, together with my books, in my mind that feeling, "pleasing yet the character of an historian and a philosopher. fills up my time sufficiently, so as not to leave any mournful," whose impression faded not I find on that account my authority growing vacancy; and I have lately added the amusement with the last view of the sacred and daily; and indeed have now no reason to com- of building, which has given me some occupation. plain of the public, though your partiality to me I hearken attentively to the hopes you give me of simple dwelling of the rustic dead. made you think so formerly. seeing you once more before I die. I think it be- How often have I seen the mirth of a Add to this, that the king's bounty puts me in comes me to meet you at London; and though I giddy party, which was excited by some a very opulent situation. I must, however, ex- have frequently declared that I should never more pect, that if any great public convulsion happen, see that place, such an incident as your arrival stranger "lame of a foot," suddenly my appointments will cease, and reduce me to there would be sufficient to break all my resolu- melted into tearfulness and sensibility tions. I only desire to hear of your journey as by an unadorned, unaffected sketch of

my own revenue.

220

The bankrupt, in some cases, it will be observed, avails himself of a temporary embarrassment under which trade labours, though its effects may never have reached him; he talks loudly of the badness of the times, and of the desperate state of the country, while he is trading all the time on other people's money. The next step is to make out a flattering view of the state of his affairs, to shew that he is perfectly solvent, and that he is entitled to the management of his own estate. To gain this point, which is one of the first importance to himself, every endeavour is exerted, by increasing the number of nominal creditors by means of relations or friends, who being joined by others, having little interest in pushing the examination of matters very far, present something like an example to those who are not unwilling to find a plausible pretence for indulging their benevolent feelings, in treating the unfortunate man with indulgence. English creditors seldom prove troublesome, and the last class, those who think they perceive some grounds for inquiry, before surrendering again every thing into the hands of men whose conduct, whether fair or otherwise, had brought their affairs to an unfortunate issue, are in consequence not unfrequently overruled, and even stigmatized as severe, vindictive, or self-interested, in putting down a rival in trade.

I have known a case of the most desperate bankruptcy, involving extensive interests, where all those arts had been employed, and had so far succeeded, that, with the exception of two or three creditors, all parties either believed, or affected to believe, that nothing had occurred, in what was delicately called a suspension of payment, deserving of reproach, or of suspicion, or which indeed demanded any thing like the exercise of an ordinary degree of circumspection in watching the proceedings of the unfortunate men in the management of their estate. The delusion was carried so far, on this occasion, that on a ruined creditor referring to the bankrupts, he was checked, with all the spirit of offended pride, and requested to measure his words; for, that gentlemen who were in a condition to pay 30 shillings in the pound ought not to be so stigmatized; that partners-partners, was the proper term! But a few years management brought about a useful discovery to those creditors who had sacrificed their judgment or shut their

eyes to some obvious features in this of the common funds to improve certain
case ;---after many out's and in's, and other parts which had become, by va-
vicissitudes of hope and disappoint-rious means, more or less circuitous→→→
ment, it appeared that L.45,000 had their own individual property.
dwindled down to something less than It is easy to perceive the length to
one half of that sum; and none of the which such a system would be carried
creditors, so far as I could learn, ever when it was once begun, and how dif-
received more than one-half of the a- ficult it is for men to lay any restraint
mount of their debts! Now, how could upon their actions, when they have
this happen, some of your readers will once overstapped the limits of strict
probably be ready to exclaim? There justice. There was some reason to
must, doubtless, have been some great suspect, indeed, that in the case alluded
loss, during the trust management from to, there had been so much jostling of
other bankruptcies,-or from the de- interests, and so many shifts and expe-
vouring flames or merciless ocean, or dients employed, with so many breaches
from the sudden depreciation in the of promise, that it ended in maturing a
price of goods, the produce perhaps of disposition in those chiefly concerned,
the West Indies,-or from some other to convert every thing to their own pur-
unforeseen but equally overwhelming pose, and to elude the payment of every
casualty.-No, none of these misfortunes just demand which could be made upon
visited the property in question. So them. This much, however, is certain,
far, indeed, from any real loss having that in place of a large surplus fund,
happened, it was shown by the partners there ultimately appeared a shortcoming
themselves, that by trading during the nearly double the amount of that al-
period of the trust management, a gain leged surplus; while there was nothing
had actually been made. As the cause, in the nature of the stock or funds
then, of such an enormous shorting which could have prevented any man
must be a subject of much curiosity to of ordinary understanding and common
most persons, I shall briefly detail such honesty from fixing a valuation, within
facts as came to my knowledge, which a few hundred pounds at most, of the
may serve to throw a faint light on the sum for which the whole might at any
history of a case involving so much mys- time have been sold. Nor is there less
tery, even to those who were most deep-doubt as to the effects of the system of
ly concerned. First, then, there was a management now alluded to, in another
clear shortcoming, to a considerable a- point of view; I mean in its influence
mount, in place of a surplus fund, at the on the fortunes of the bankrupts. To
date of the trust-deed; in other words, a close observer it soon appeared, that
the company were bankrupt, a fact these bankrupts, or partners, or by
which had been well known for several whatever name they may now choose
years to the partners themselves, and to be distinguished, if they be yet alive,
those immediately connected with them; while their interest was rapidly advan
but that, for the sake of obtaining the cing, that of the creditors was proceed-
management of their funds, they re-ing, by equally certain and quick steps,
jected the statements of their clerks, in an inverse ratio. Long before the
and exhibited a most exaggerated view insolvent affairs were finally wound up,
of the state of their funds. Secondly, they not only found themselves in bet-
From the delusive appearances of sol- ter circumstances than ever they had
vency, the partners were permitted by been in before, but continued in posses-
the creditors to follow their own course sion, for how long I cannot venture to
of management—a management which, say, of a business which no talents they
even in its best aspect, was no other possessed, and no exertion of honest in-
than that which brought their affairs dustry on their part, could ever have
into a state of bankruptcy. Thirdly, enabled them to form. It must excite
The partners being permitted, during the most painful feelings, when we come
their management of the trust funds, to contrast the splendid establishment,
to carry on business on their own indi- and luxurious mode of living, of men
vidual account, they made large pur- in such circumstances, with the condi-
chases, after due preparation, of their tion of some of their ruined and deluded
own property, or rather, the property creditors. The present case exhibited
entrusted to their management. But a striking example of what may be
this was not all. It was clearly disco- done, and what may be endured-of
vered that they had solely and delibe- the triumph of audacious villainy over
rately sacrificed more than one branch all the obligations of gratitude and jus-

February 7. 1818.]

Sketches of Society-Twelfth Day.

called from its being the twelfth day
after the nativity of our Saviour, and
the day on which the Eastern Magi,
guided by the star, arrived at Beth-
lehem, to worship the infant Jesus.

221

ed, a bowl of spiced wine, which being presented with the Saxon words just mentioned, was therefore called a Wassail-bowl. A bowl or cup of this description was also to be found in almost every nobleman's or gentleman's house, (and frequently of massy silver,) until the middle of the seventeenth century, and which was in perpetual requisition during the revels of Christmas."

Hence we have the word Wassel, sy. nonymous for carousing and joviality. "During the reigns of Elizabeth and James I. the celebration of the Twelfth The Twelfth Cake was almost always Night was, equally with Christmas Day, accompanied by the Wassail Bowl, a a festival through the land, and was obcomposition of spiced wine or ale, or served with great ostentation and ceremead, or metheglin, into which was mony in both the Universities, at court, thrown roasted apples, sugar, &c. The at the Temple, and at Lincoln's and term Wassail, which in our elder poets Gray's-inn. Many of the masques of is connected with much interesting Ben Johnson were written for the aimagery, and many curious rites, ap-musement of the royal family on this pears to have been first used in this night; and Dugdale in his Origines Juisland during the well-known interview dicales, has given us a long and partibetween Vortigern and Rowena. Geof- cular account of the revelry at the frey of Monmouth relates, on the au- Temple on each of the twelve days of thority of Walter Calenius, that this Christmas, in the year 1562. It aplady, the daughter of Hengist, knelt pears from this document, that the hosdown, on the approach of the king, and pitable rites of St Stephen's day, St presenting him with a cup of wine, ex- John's day, and the Twelfth day, were claimed, Lord King Was heil,' that is, ordered to be exactly alike; and as literally, Health be to you.' Vorti- many of them as in their nature, pergern being ignorant of the Saxon lan-fectly rural, and where there is every reason to suppose, observed to a certhat the purport of these words was to tain extent in the halls of the country wish him health, and that he should re- gentry and substantial yeomanry, a ply by the expression, drinc-heil, or short record here, of those that fall undrink the health :' accordingly, on his der this description, cannot be deemed so doing, Rowena drank, and the king inapposite. receiving his cup from her hand, kissed and pledged her.

tice. How all this happens-how such
men are again allowed to take their
place in society, to enter again into all
the intercourses of life, and to be again
received into the confidence of their
neighbours, may at first sight appear "This festive day, the most cele-
a problem of no easy solution. Igno- brated of the twelve for the conviviali-
rance or want of reflection in some, and ty of its rites, has been observed in this
self interest in others, as we often find kingdom ever since the reign of Alfred;
out, must do a good deal towards weak-in whose days,' says Collier, a law
ening the recollection of such acts of was made with relation to holidays, by
moral delinquency, and of inducing a virtue of which, the twelve days after
forgetfulness of the proofs of utter in- the Nativity of our Saviour were made
sensibility to the sufferings and calami- Festivals.
ties which the prosecution of such ini-
quitous schemes must inevitably bring
upon others.
But something more
would yet seem necessary to account,
not merely for that indiscriminate re-
spect which is shewn to men of good
and bad principles, but to that respect-
ful deference which is yielded to the
latter, when highly successful. It is
often sufficient, that a man is successful
in his designs; by what means, it is of
little consequence to inquire. Let him
be guilty of a breach of trust, and abuse
the confidence, which, from a sympathy
for his unfortunate situation, was re-
posed in his integrity-and let the pro-
perty with which he was entrusted,
under such circumstances, be trans-
ferred, by a series of tricks and decep-
tions, to himself and for his own use-guage, was informed by an interpreter,
and let all this happen, as it has done,
his ill-gotten wealth will yet secure to
him the respect and consideration of
those even who were loud in their re-
probation of his conduct, so long as the
issue of his selfish exertions remained
doubtful. I myself have known several
instances within these few years of this
compromising spirit, and subserviency
to events. This influence of good and
bad fortune upon our moral sentiments,
it must be well known to many of your
readers, is forcibly illustrated by Dr
Smith, by a reference to our opinions
of the characters of some of those men
who acted a conspicuous part in Ro-
man story.

Sketches of Society.

TWELFTH DAY.

DR DRAKE in his recent work, "Shakespeare and his Times," gives the following curious and entertaining account of this remarkable holiday.

"To the rejoicings on New Year's tide succeeded, after the short interval, the observance of the Twelfth Day, so

Health, my Lord King, the sweet Rowena said;
'Health,' cried the chieftain to the Saxon maid;
Then gaily rose, and 'mid the concourse wide,
Kiss'd her hale lips, and placed her by his side.
At the soft scene, such gentle thoughts abound,
That healths and kisses 'mongst the guests went
From this the social custom took it rise;
We still retain, and still must keep the prize.

round:

"The breakfast on Twelfth Day is directed to be of brawn, mustard, and malmsey; the dinner of two courses to be served in the hall, and after the first course cometh in the master of the game, apparelled in green velvet; and the Ranger of the Forrest alsu, in a green suit of satten; bearing in his hand a green bow and divers arrows, with either of them a hunting horn about their necks: blowing together three blasts of venery, they pace round a"Since this period, observes the his- bout the fire three times. Then the torian, the custom has prevailed in Bri-Master of the Game maketh three curtain of using these words whilst drink- tesies, kneels down, and petitions to be ing; the person who drank to another admitted into the service of the Lord saying was-heil, and he who received of the Feast. the cup answering drinc-heil.

Paraphrase of Robert of Gloucester.

"This ceremony performed, a huntsIt soon afterwards became a custom man cometh into the hall, with a fox in villages on Christmas-eve, New and a purse-net, with a cat, both bound Year's Eve, and Twelfth Night, for iti- at the end of a staff: and with them nerant minstrels to carry to the hous- nine or ten couple of hounds, with the es of the gentry and others, where they blowing of hunting-horns. And the were generally very hospitably receiv-fox and cat are by the hounds set