Obrazy na stronie
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Where many a generous deed of fair re

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waves

And murmer long in Staffa's twilight caves. And the sad seer the mariner deplores To'd where Cape Wrath frowns o'er his tangled shores;

-Then by Torvaine's gay yellow blossom'd side

The bark shall cleave the scarcely ruffled tide;

While Joy shall mark the flickering pennons play,

And list the sailor's note-the shepherd's pastoral lay,

*Or sighest thou still more sacred notes to hear?

Religion's voice shall oft delight thy ear With sounds all eloquent the soul to raise, Where infant voices hymn the song of praise, And Wisdom rises calm with lips unseal'd, And Zion's heavenly beauty shines reveal'd."

So Hope illumes her torch at Learning's shrine,

4: hymns her song, and spreads her hues

divine,

O, sons of Virtue! fan the generous flame, And wake the blossoms of immortal fame, Ye Patriots! born those sacred fires to fan That guide, embellish, and ennoble man. And O! still cherish with approving smile The Muse's hope, the Student's learned toil,

Beauty! whose matchless charms, when dangers rise,

He yet may nobly guard, and dearly prize. -Haply from minds that here their gems unfold

May Scotia gain, to deck her mountains cold,

The wreaths that blossom in eternal hue, And here her vows be paid, her honours

due.

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Red streams of lightning flash'd on high;
Loud thunder shook the bog;
And swift descended from the sky
A huge unwieldy log.

Its dashing fall the nation heard,

And trembled in their caves,
But, when the tumult ceas'd, they rear'd
Their heads above the waves.

At length, approaching by degrees,
And more familiar grown,
The state, with indignation, sees
A log upon the throne.

Then on his back they swiftly mount,
Their king no more revere,
Nor make of him the least account,
But loudly creaking there,

In voice resounding o'er the place,
And all with one accord,
An active monarch for their race
Demand of heav'n's high lord.
The angry god, on vengeance bent,
Denounc'd their future woe,
And soon a direful monster sent
To give the fated blow.

Lo from the lake's remotest bed

A hissing voice is heard,
And o'er the waves his horrid head
A water-hydra rear'd.

With crest erect, and flaming eyes,

He circles round the shores,
In ev'ry creek and corner pries,
And half the race devours.
Again they pray-but Jove refus'd,
To grant the wish'd relief;
For they, who have his gifts abus'd,
Must bear th' attendant grief.

Kind reader, to this tale give ear,
Which Esop told before,
And ye may now with profit hear,
As Athens heard of yore.
Let short-eyed mortals cease to grieve
For good yet unpossest,
Live while they may, and still believe,
The present hour the best.

And had proud France allegiance giv’n
To Bourbon's milder sway,
She had not been so sadly driv'n
A Tyrant to obey.

SONNET.

H. W. T.

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TO A LADY.

"Who gives Pomona's juice,
"To match the sprightly genius of Chany
"pagne?"
ARMSTRONG

THO' from Schiraz, of Persia, come
The wine in the world the best,
To chear us when languid at home,
Or crown the convivial feast:
Yet France's rich produce we see,
Unless to our country quite blind,
In Britain still equall'd may be,
Nor come an iota behind.
Hence often raw travellers pay

For Perry the price of Champagne,
Nor know, till advanc'd on their way,
That inns are so greedy of gain.
But you of so fertile a brain,

Still good, and inclin'd to be merry,
Send a wine that equals Champagne,
And modestly call it but-PERRY.
So Shiraz may drink her fine wine,
France keep her Champagne out of sight,
We too have our liquors divine,

If we knew but to use them aright. Of old, they had chear'd mighty Jove,

Like those from dame Baucis he got, When for shelter, with Hermes he drove, To her's, and Philemon's old cot. Our first Henrys, and Edward well knew, That the grapes of a true English vine Equall'd those on the continent grew, And yielded as excellent wine. So for Liberty, forward and bold,

Let us shew the nations around,
Our courage can ne'er be controll'd,

Nor find, but with conquest, a bound
With Peace, and with Plenty still blest,
We keep Bonaparte at bay,
Nor mind the tyrannical pest,

While Victory crowns us by sea.
Now Emperor of a great realm,

And kings, but like slaves, at his knees, He vapeurs, and stings at the helm,

As a bramble set over the trees. Tho' like Jotham's bramble of old,

He devour the cedars around him, Our Navy, that rides uncontroll'd, Shall blow out his fire and confound him And each British Tar will renown

The strength of his grog, beef and beer "Tis by these that we beat the French dow 'Tis by these that "to glory we steer! Edin. 12th Dec. 1807. H. W.

• So late as the reign of Henry III. t whole south of England was covered wi vines; the grapes of which produced win

I

that were esteemed excellent, and are where mentioned as being inferior to forei wines. See Andrew's History of Gre Britain, and a late number of this magazin

HI

Historical Affairs.

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SPAIN.

THE events now passing in Spain and Portugal are of such an important nature, as to claim our primary attention this month. We shall first take notice of the dark and foul transactions of the French despot at Bayonne, relative to the Spanish Royal Family, and of the proceedings of the traitorous Junta which the tyrant has seduced from their allegiance to their lawful Sovereign, occurrences which have roused the spirit of the Spanish nation to the most determined resistance of those bonds si slavery so basely and perfidiously preparing for them.

The following very interesting particulars of the interviews between the Royal Family of Spain and Bonaparte, are given in a private letter from Bay.

onne:

Bayonne, May 8. 1808. This town has seen, with an astonishment from which it has not yet recovered, the conclusion of a business which, in the first instance, presented so favourable an appearance, by the artival of Ferdinand VII. and what subsequently occurred in the successive sittings up to the memorable Congress of the 5th-When the new Sovereign arved here, he was received at a league distant from Bayonne by the Prince of Neufchatel, the principal Major Domo Daroc, and other personages of the first Consequence, who accompanied the King of Spain to the apartments degned for him, leaving at the residence of his Majesty an Imperial guard of honour. Half an hour after, the Emperor Napoleon arrived from his palace of Marrac, accompanied by a numerous suite of personages, to visit Ferdinand VII. who immediately repaired to the gate to receive his Imperial visitor. Napoleon alighted from his horse, threw his arms around his august guest, salut ed him, shook him by the hand, and asred him of his sincere friendship. Af. ter this first meeting, Napoleon invited Ferdinand to dine with him at five o' cock, but previously sending to him a

July 1808.

state carriage, drawn by most beautiful horses, shewing to him then, and afterwards, every possible attention. So that the three first days after his arrival in Bayonne were days of rejoicing, and the people really believed that it was in tended in good earnest to honour and respect the royal visitor.

After this, there were a number of private interviews between Ferdinand and Napoleon; in the first of which, Napoleon offered to him the crown of Etruria, and his niece in marriage.Some of these conferences were held in the presence of the First Minister, M. Zevallos, who distinguished himself upon the occasion, as will be remarked in the Junta of the 5th May, and at these conferences there was much altercation. Subsequently to these, however, Ferdinand was deprived of his carriage and of his guard of honour, remaining only with the Commandant of his private guard, a Jewish officer of the national guard of Bonaparte.

From this moment, the state of things became changed, and Napoleon now ase sumed towards the Prince a different and an angry aspect; intimating to the Noblemen who accompanied Ferdinand, that they should answer with their heads for the security of his person, which produced among them a sudden dejection. The object of these conferences seemed to be that of gaining time for the arrival of Godoy, and of the King and Queen. But, in the mean time, Napoleon intimated to Ferdinand, that the reign of the Bourbons was at an endadding, that his and their interests were at variance, and that the continuance of the sceptre in their hands could no longer conduce to the developement of his plans, and the vast political objects he had in view. Notwithstanding this, however, he pressed Ferdinand to accept the kingdom of Etruria, and directed the Grandees to counsel their Prince to accede to his proposal. Ferdinand answered boldly, "I will not accept the crown of Etruria, nor any Crown in the world, whilst nature gives me a

right

rightful claim to that of Spain. My on ly ambition is to render my people happy, and I would choose to die in the midst of my faithful Spaniards, though it were my fate to wear the chains of servitude, and to resign whatever would most attach me to life."-Reproaching afterwards Napoleon with having deceived him, in thus inviting him to visit France, he answered, if he had not come voluntarily, he should have made him by force.

On the arrival of Godoy, and the King and Queen, who were received and entertained with the greatest magnificence, the sitting, or congress of the 5th of May, was held, at which Napoleon the First, and Charles the Fourth, presided-present, the Queen Maria Louisa, Don Ferdinand, called Prince of Asturias, the Infant Don Carlos, Godoy, the Grandees of Spain, and the first Mi. nister Zevallos. The Queen, transported with rage, addressed her son Ferdinand-" Traitor and wretch, for years you have been imagining and contriving the death of the King your father; but by the vigilance of the Prince of the Peace, his zeal and loyalty, you have not attained your object; neither you, nor those traitors who have served or co-operated with you in your base designs. I tell you to your face, that you are my son, and not the son of the King. Yet, without having any other right to the Crown than that which you derive from your mother, you have sought to wrest it from us by force-but I will and consent that the great Napoleon shall be the arbitrator between us, in favour of whom we renounce and cede our right, to the exclusion of our family. I call upon him to punish you and your associates as traitors, and I commit the whole nation to Napoleon." Napoleon put an end to this rage, by saying "No! I give to Ferdinand the Crown of Naples, and to Carios that of Etruria, together with two of my nie. ces in marriage. Let them say if they will accede to this proposal." To this the Infant Don Carlos boldly answered-" Emperor, I was not born to be a King, but Infant of Spain." Then addressing his brother" And you, my brother and King, speak, do not be alarmed, defend your right, you are a Spaniard your country will be ready to sacrifice its blood for you and its in

dependence. Be not alarmed, but let us go hence, though it were to the scaffold or perpetual imprisonment: For that Providence which directs a faithful nation, shall in due time visit his vengeance upon a faithless Emperor, who can thus disregard his own promise, and lay aside every semblance of right and reason. Ah! Fernando, who robs you of the Crown of Spain ?-An ignorant father and infamous mother, and her favourite, Godoy. He, in truth, is the traitor, the plotter of the death of your father, the usurper of the legitimate rights of your family, the author of the calumny, and an apostate in religion. Who countenances these machinations? The tyranny of an Emperor, to whom we look for protection." And he finished by saying, "Napoleon, if L am no longer an Infant of Spain, I was born one!" The Minister, Zevallos, then began to speak; and with a flowing eloquence, apostrophising Godoy, he said, "Infamous man! unworthy the name of a Spaniard; you have sold your Country and your Prince. But the same Emperor who now appears to protect you, has decreed within himself your punishment, and that of the parent King. Do you not behold, traitor, how he is taking advantage every moment of these contentions? Ah! how could you have influenced the minds of these miserable parents towards their children! Butyour errors, your crimes--you ought to have done your duty towards them, though it were only in return for having saved your life from the fury of the populace. Answer! But I believe it is impossible. 'Tis not so with me, who am a loyal Spaniard, the second person in the nation, and first subject of the King. But Zevallos has religiously fulfilled his duty; and you have always trembled before Zevallos." He continued speaking thus for near an hour and a quarter; so that the Emperor knew not what to answer in refutation of the arguments he advanced. In this predica ment, recurring to his authority, he ordered to be taken from his presence this phenomenon, saying, " "Twas impossible that the earth should subsist a man of so much freedom before the Emperor of the French. But I'll reward you for it." M. Zevallos went out; and M. Gomez spoke afterwards. But it was finally decreed by Napoleon I. and

Charles

Charles IV. that Ferdinand VII. should renounce the Crown to his father in the space of six hours. Under this violence he was compelled to do it; but with certain restrictions, which Napoleon was ready to admit, and which he did agree to with Charles IV. The latter finally consented to abdicate and cede his Crown to Napoleon, who, in return, transferred it to his brother, Joseph I. at Naples, nominating, in the mean while, the Grand Duke of Berg to be Lieutenant General of the kingdom. After this nefarious transaction, Boaparte, whose policy it is to blend fraud with force, and to give to both the colour of justice, next proceeded to clothe his claim to the throne of Spain, with something like the torms of legitimate right. For this purpose he has cutained a sort of popular election; and as the Italian deputies disposed of their country at Lyons, so the Notables of Spain (as they are termed in the French papers) have made a shew of alienation of their royal Crown at Bayonne. The proceedings of this perfidious Assembly are fully detailed in the Bayonne Gazette, and though narrated in the true French stile of the most fulsome flattery, they are of considerable importance.Accordingly we are told that,

charged with the sentiments, desires, and complaints of those they represent; and also with full power to fix the basis of the new Government for the kingdom. 2. Our cousin, the Grand Duke of Berg, shall continue to fulfil the functions of Lieutenant General of the kingdom. 3. The Minister, the Council of State, the Council of Castile, and all civil, ecclesiastical, and military authorities, are as far as is requisite con firmed. Justice shall be administered' under the same forms, and in the same manner as usual. 4. The Council of Castile is charged with the publication of this decree, and with the affixing it on all places where it may be necessary, that no one may pretend ignorance of the same.

"Given in our Imperial and Royal Palace at Bayonne, the 24th of May 1808.

(Signed)

"NAPOLEON."

IMPERIAL PROCLAMATION.

Madrid, June 3. "This day was published, in the name of his Majesty the Emperor, &c. a proclamation to the Spanish nation. The following are the more important

passages:

"Spaniards! After a long lingering "On the 30th of May, at eight o'clock disease, your nation sunk into decay. is the morning, the Council of Castile I have seen your sufferings; I will reheld an extraordinary assembly at Ma- lieve them. Your greatness makes a drd, by command of the Grand Duke part of mine. Your Princes have cedof Berg, Lieutenant General of the king-ed to me all their rights to the Spanish dom, to carry into execution the follow. crown. I will not reign over your proog Decree and Proclamation of his Ma- vinces, but I will acquire an eternal right esty the Emperor of the French, King to the love and gratitude of your posof Italy, and Protector of the Confede- terity. Your monarchy is old; it must racy of the Rhine. be renovated, that you may enjoy the blessings of a renovation which shall not be purchased by civil war or desolation. Spaniards! I have convened a general assembly of the deputies of your provinces and towns, that I may know your desires and wants.

IMPERIAL DECREE. "Napoleon, Emperor of the French, King of Italy, Protector of the Confe. deracy of the Rhine, &c.

"The King and the Princes of the House of Spain having ceded their rights to the Crown, as is known by their treaties of the 5th and 16th of May, 2nd by their proclamations published by the Junta and the Council of Castile, e have decreed, and do decree, as Bows:

"1. The Assembly of the Notables, hich has already been convened by Lieutenant General of the King7, shall be held on the 15th of June, Bayonne. The deputies shall be

"I shall lay down my rights, and place your illustrious crown upon the head of one who resembles me; securing you a constitution which will unite the salutary power of the Sovereign with the liberties and rights of the Spanish nation. It is my will, that my memory shall be blessed by your latest posterity, and that they shall say he was the restorer of our country.

« Given at Bayoune, May 25th 1808." By

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