their

off the mosta Defarious jbbs.We will sayǝnqr|official authority, that one class of pensions, thing of individuals so specific as to point the only ones save that bestowed on brilliant military on political service, which, the ceun trys ought not to regard with suspicion or shame,-a class of pensions not given in wantonness or iniquity, not bribes to corruption, or encouragements, to idleness, or wages of profligacy or pamperers of insolent meanness, the pensions but of late years, and with a parsimony which we hope was conscientious, doled out to men of the most distinguished order in this uation, pensions in acknowledgment of literary and scientific eminence, that

of but there that hood in affirming is no great acts hardly to be named, much less acknow ledged, least of all rewarded and rewarded at the expense of those who would have been from the people of this country, paid in the form of sine eure places or pensions, to parties who could no otherwise have earned them but by some species

shocked at witness mering of them,

have been paid for by

of prostitution. Well, the place and Pension

List so made up,

names

but to read in any mixed company through
out England would have been to raise shouts
of contemptuous indignation or laughter,
these lists, disclosing the manner in which
tens of thousands of pounds sterling had been
purloined from the service of the State, and
perverted to that of worthless or useless indi-
viduals were laid before the last House of
hoped by many upright
persons, that Have Favoured the expectation
pretty generally entertained, of a thorough
overhauling of the pensioners, with a view
towards accomplishing a serious diminution
of the sums
had been mercilessly

they are one and all to be discontinued, while

the other vile catalogue remains in safety and untouched. We subjoin the paper, which, if true, is dreadful. What take away from such men as Coleridge, Mathias, Ouseley, Roscoe, Sharon Turner, and a few others, for the nation affords not many such, the wretched pittance of 1001. per, aunum,the niggard homage of a government, calling itself enlightened, to their talents, and, in the case of

Commons, and it was's present Govern- some among them, the only support of their

ment

FOTO had understood them to

our

declining years? Our impression at first was, pay it is, and without further evidence it shall be,-that the charge is false. The King's Ministers know nothing of it. Lord Brougham assuredly does not. Mr. Hume, who squandered on them. well understands the difference between corrupt Dilding of loose averment, that there seemed we say, can know nothing of the treatment thing. The question was quashed prodigality and base injustice, Mr, Hume, by a sort to be a point of honour involved in the con- alleged to be in store for these innocent, helpless, and highly distinguished veteranie place tinuance of the Pension List, forasmuch as ational literature, or he will rise in his the parties, although formally receiving the grants pensions for the life of the to protect them. It is not to be disputed that the worst stigma upon this country in the minds of foreign nations, is the neglect whether contemptuous or merely stupid, or both displayed by the State of England totheir contribution to the cause of science und literature; nor can we imagine any measure, as compared with that which we have now noticed for the sake of deprecating, more likely to wound the better feelings of the age, to fall with extreme harshness on the individuals affected by it, or to betray a revolting inconsistency with the spirit which appears generally to actuate at this moment the ruling powers of the empire,

reigning
be for their own lives, and therefore that
there would he positive cruelty, and indeed a
substantial breach of faith in their with
was no

drawal. There is my An of discrimina. Wards men of genius the most eminent for

tion between the

these pecuniary recompenses, some of which (not many) had been allowed for public and praiseworthy services; others for such as, being rather unSeemly, shunned the public eye, There was no intimation made from any official quarter, that the origin of the several pensions would be investigated, and that they would be continued or cut off, according to their respective merits.

66

Now, in every-thing that this brutal paper has said with regard to other pensions, I agree. Scandalous, indeed, will

It must be understood, that in alluding to On the contrary, the argument by which the permanence of the existing Pension List the eminent persons above referred to, we ex-was justified, confined itself to the "under-press no opinion with regard to the institution standing" and consequent expectation" of itself the Royal Society of Literature." the pensioners, and therefore became applicable to all pensigns, w whatsoever, which the igrantees had looked upon as yested, in them for life. 979d1elutbund gd zavido, ir tuo -Sach@being our conception of the case, de, fived to us from the direct language of those High functionaries with whom the settlement of the matter must be presumed to have rested, Judge reader with what sensations we have Paebel statement in periodical publication given to theseid Royals Associa a of this thonth lately commenced (The English ales o fellows kept out of the public amai's® Magaziney, assuring the world as on money whepthout of the labours of

it be i if any of these other pensions be

suffered to be paid even
out; but I
caitiff

year

for this with the

to the pensions

the sapeople eq fotavriting thingsT tofalibration of the Vatican, Maier Bennell amuse the great, and in some of the the geographer, Wilkins, the emigent Orien cases, at least to do Thury to the people art, Scott, Southey, Crabbe, Archdeacon Core, talist, Professor Schwerghauser, Dugald Step Amongst the most infamous acts; a-W. Roe, and Baron Silbarer de Sacy. mongst the most daringly profligate, is And justly renowned and deserging of distide that of bribing the press eternal dishonour of thos and to the dionas, this illustrious group of authors, is call is scarcely richer in characters who have toiled themselves literaty men, they have al-Tame, than the selection of Ahdividuals who golessing issue their laborious way to the highest summits of most all been sold to either Royalty or now form the body of Royal Associate Aristocracy. I wonder what the Ame-They are, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, the ricans would say, if a member of Con int of money

Edward Davies, Dr. Jamieson, The indefati RTR Malthus Wallitas, aut of the gable compiler of the Scottish Dictionary, he

show Sir William Quseley, William Roscoe, Res his face in the Congress again. 18 painful duty to add, that four of the gentlemen Henry Todd, and Sharon Turner is our would be stoped, even at Washington; whose names we have given, and perhaps the band if he ever dared to return home to most conspicuous of the numbers are annually, the spot for which he had been elected, or in a great measure dependent for their sub he would be tarred and feathered and distence on the paltry pittance which they f QIA 97903. bowhat!? ceive from the funds of the Society. ridden upon a rail. the AmeThink, benevolent and enlightened reader, ricans would exclaim, tax us, take our and ol!think of it with more than pity that earnings from a from us, to be give given men sume of those; uider the influence of whose. to amuse you, or to write a- pages many of your most blessed and instruc ainst us But, I must, before 1 s have been spent, and whose career further, insert the sort of 75 of rosperity has been thwarted, not official by evil propensities of luxurious indolence, account of this affair which the hacks but that, by the unwearied toil of their great themselves appear to have caused to be genius and understandings, they might eife published. d. It is inserted in the age.blish themselves in the memories and direct paper above-mentioned, and from it I transfer it into the Register, in order to render intelligible the remarks which I have to make upon it. OTW AIHTAM SOBAN79 91 10 9 38 21697

the virtues of future ages;bly think of such men, in the refine ook their days, had the steril winter of their winds, being reduced to the necessity of prizing a wretched pension which many of your illiterate, and soulless memals would scorn? But-shall we be be The Royal Society of Literature was lieved when we state intimation as a instituted in 1824, under the patronage of the tially been given, on the part of the Crowb late King, assisted by the zealous exertions of to Mr. Coleridge aud his brother associates. the learned Bishop of Salisbury. It consists, that t they must expect their allowances rety at presents of 248 members, each of whom, shortly to cease. Such is the melancholy, with the exception of ten Royal A Associates, and, our feelings compel us to say, most discontributes to the general fund, sums varying graceful fact. And this top at a time when from two to ten guineas per anum, in addition that vile engine of corruption, the pension list, to not unfrequent and liberal benefactions. has been sacredly preserved in all its entire The Royal Associates, on the other hand, have ness of political infamy; and white Lond hitherto received one hundred guineas each Brougham is attempting to persuade the from hundred King's annual bounty, and another House of Lords to settle a retiring pession of the same 2004 per aunum on seventy commissioners of source, have been applied to the purchase of bankrupt, who according to his own acequir medals, which have been presented, at the were enormously overpaid for services which rate of two a year, to the most distinguished they were generally quite incapable of per British and Foreign Literati. This, be it ob- forming, but who the amiably considers en served in passing, with two medals placed at titled to a liberal remuneration, Because and the disposal of the Councils of the Royal Sopray do mark the cogency of the reason their ciety, and of the Society of Antiquaries, is all expectations, poor dear sensitive darlings! had that the Crown, has ever done for the advance been excited by their appointments, and ment of science or literature in Britain. That the Joy of their hearts they had forgotten the the present instance these small rewards of warning boice of MatthasonWe sincerely wish merit have never been indiscreetly disposed that his Lordship, particularly he is the of the list of Vicelebrated personages ponofcial keeper of the Royal Conscience, would whom they have heretofore been conferred transfer a little of his superabundant Spathy will abundantly testify. It contains the names to the interests of literature, and prevents of Milford, the historian of Greece, Angelo patriotic master from being unconsciously 90 no bebant esw moteve BristoSS

auty of committing an action so unworthy of 16 Tuneiall your mystic harps to praise LE the dignity of the beloved Sovereignofdt BAUX i bas, 8979 1980 Britain ranges rostor Jailes Praise him each Jacobin or fool or knave, hindi Hose And your cropped heads in sign of worship Scorr, and SouTERY and one of the save mini Jom 9 tegaom MirroRDS, and two foreigners, were, iteistegillorANalcon, vol.sil page 635% Seems, upon this list but now it is dat hus: 22919 90 did 30 d This LEPEAUX was the founder of an confined to COLERIDGE, the Reve the Reverend lis EDWARD DAVIS, Dros JAMIESON, (the atheistical profession of faith in France; Scotch Dictionary-maker), MATHIAS or, at least, he was the great supporter (the outrageously anti-jacobin author of it; and he was, I believe, one of of a stupid string of libels, called The the Directory besides. So, here were Pursuit of Literature), PARSON MAL COLERIDGE and SOUTHEY proclaimed THUS, JAMES MILLENGEN, Sir WILLIAM as the worshippers of this atheistical OUSELEY WILLIAM Roscoe, the Rev. then enemy of England; and here we HENRY TODD, and a man by the name have them now, having turned about, Of SHARON TURNER; so that, out of the and written for the very thing which ten, here are three parsons, at the least, they were charged with having wished to pieces; and one of them the notorious MA to pull Thos. However, parson or parson now kept upon the money squeezed out not, they are all paid out of the public of the people; and yet there are writers money, without having rendered to that prostituted enough to express disappublic the smallest service in the world. probation even of the acts of the King, Of eight of them, so little famed are because he is about to take away the they, that I never read a word of any of pay which they so unjustly receive. Of the others, I have read the writings their writings. WALTER SCOTT wasi one of them, and a worthy subject of a of MATHIAS and MALTHUS, MATHIAS public pension, to be sure. The author was Treasurer to the late Queen, or of heaps of stuff for the amusement of something of that sort; I mean the wife of GEORGE the THIRD, of course, for the the idle hours of those who live on the wife of GEORGE the FOURTH, poor taxess This man was one of the very first that the late King decked off with soul, stood in no need of a Treasurer. the title of Baronet, then gave him a MATHIAS wrote, about five-and-thirty pension, he having a sinecure at the years ago, in the heat of the crusade against the the French, a poem called The same time. I never read, except here and there a line or two, any of this man's Pursuits of Literature; a silly, unmeanrabbish but I know that he has al-ing thing; but with a great parcel of ways written and spoken on the side of literary anecdotes and political observacorruption and that he has recently tions subjoined in the way of notes. I made his appearance as an enemy of the have not now a copy of the book: it is not worth a straw, being a mere string Reform Bill. COLERIDGE was a long of eulogies on PITT and the boroughtime represented as a Jacobin, and par-mongers, and of abuse on every man ticularly in CANNING's newspaper, as also was SOUTHEY, who eulogised the deeds of JACK CADE and WAT TYLER in a dramatic performance. Couriers and Stars, sedition's evening host, Thou Morning Chronicle and Morning Post, Whether ye make the Rights of Man your bad theme,

ΠΑΙ

9

2

ap

gumenty which so completely Mary-states without I præteryTMae malays-state's wilhdut havingbokail molished in the Register before the fast. aren; the groundworks The deeds Indeed, ever since this man book committed to take to for appeared, I have been assaulting it. which a aufgeblad Ins the norths MI: GODWIN bwi published da a complete and deted Himself so totoribus inThis is the Voluminous answer to has book about whom it delighted the late Miniseight years ago a most complete reters to make Royal sociale, and 41 futation of all his doctrines, but MY. to give him a pension to be paid out of Gopwin, who has lived to the age of the fruit of the labour of those whom pretty nearly four-score, I believe, and his work had a tendency to destroyTM who has as much talent in his little It was off this worle that the bills of s as MALTHUS has in his whole STURGES BOURNE Were Gottained and Body, has no pension from the Govern- so I told this very meritus the mo ment. Oh, no! MALTHUS Was its ment those bills were missed! Those Jít man it wanted somebody to find but bills it is, in fact, which have produced a something to account for the miseries those conflagrationsana terior that of the working-people other than the constant terror that incessant weight of the taxes; it wanted a pre-piness how experienced by the farmers tence to be discovered for still continu-of England, who were formerly the ing to tax the nation so heavily; and happiest men in the world this book it, at the same time, wanted a some-it is which suggested those bills which thing to justify it in some measures have disfigured the fair face of this or other for lowering the amount of the once-happy country Wndo yelide poor-rates, and giving the people less there writers in England prostituted relief than they had been accustomed to enough to complain of taking away a hang have. This at once stupid and impu-parcel of taxes from this mischievous parson n was their man. He dis-parson 10 393-90b9826 095d covered that God had committed a To show How fond people in power great blunder; for that he had so con- and people aspiring to power are of this trived it, that there should be in manman and his book, and to show that a "natnral propensity" to increase in there is no difference in this respect be numbers faster than subsistence could tween those who call themselves Tories possibly increase. From the very mo- and those who call themselves Whigs, ment the fellow's book appeared, I as- I here take an extract from a speech of sailed it; and have, from that time to that profound feelosopher and sincere ime to that profound feelosopher and sincere this, kept it constantly in view, until I reformer, HENRY'S BROUGH? which gave it, in the last Two-penny Trash, speech was made in the House of Comand in The Register of the week before mons, on the 16th December, 18192 last, that which a correspondent very Mr. BROUGHAM had no hesitation mons, on the hesitation justly calls a coup de grace. Though" in stating that the excess of popula in Long Island, I never forgot this book" tion was one of the great causes of of the boroughmongers, whose main" the distress which at present afflicted object was to provide a justification" the country This proposition, from beforehand for repealing and abolishing e law which awards relief to the pour. With that truly-damnable proposition he ended his atrocious book, which book has been the ground-work" of all the schemes to prevent what are called "premature marriages; the ground-work of all the Committees to Inquire into the cause of the increase of the poor-rates; the ground-work of all the nasty, beastly publications sent forth to instructo Jool Sw 11,9id v6.9m sokat bas: people how to to live in the

9

PLU

in the

ཝཱ

the best consideration which he had been able to give to the subject, he was fully prepared to maintain. But it was among the most melancholy mal-practices of the low part of the press, to depreciate this which was the indest principle of portical economy. Nay, the worst expedients were used to calumulate the writers by whom that principle was mainly supported, thoughamong those writers 102 aid base mid 19 send 300 Were to be found men of the most ex

A

falted morals, of the purest views, of the soundest intellect, and even of the most humane feelings. Yet against the writers who sought to guard so themet him send them forth te ciety against,this great eyil,the, ut maintain in the face of this long-opFimost obloquy was directed quodw.asm pressed and now roused people, people, that the baAs Mr. GoRWIN observes, there is an breeding of the tax-eaters ought to be #excess of numberso ohere also for here promoted and nd encouraged, while those would appear to be a multiplicity of who labour to keep them in idleness writers whereas there never was but ought to be treated a a szc cattle, and be one cruel, enough, and, at the same prevented from enjoying the conjugal time, impudent enough, to maintain riteseid, died SUNTAM 28793nd these abominable principles; to accuse After all, I shall be surprised if these God of having committed a blunder, or pensions be taken away, though, of being a malignant, being, instead of are the very worst that a Government being of benignity, very humane, to can bestow. It is beastly to talk of liberbe sure, to recommend starvation to be ty of the press if the people be taxed to inflicted upon the children of a man who give pensions to writers. There is a married after the passing of the act; writer in a paper called the Tatler, who ford the recommendation MALTHUS says that WORDSWORTH, who is a poet, Was that relief should be given to no I believe, has a Government salary. mam and of course, to the wife and Pops, whose name will ever be held in sehildren of no man, who should marry honour by good men for his independbafter the passing of the act. Very hu- ent spirit, while all men of taste will mane, and, above all things, very exalted admire the genius that dictated his writemorality seeing that, if such law had ings: POPE calls a pensioner, a "slave been passed, nine-tenths of those who of state, hired by a stipend to obey his should thereafter be born, must have master This definition Dr. JOHNSON been bastards. The pure views of has inserted in his Dictionary but he these exalted moralists we have now did it before he himself became a penillustrated in MALTBUS's taking a pensioner. He did not get a pension for sion as a reward for his book we have his laborious work, the Dictionary: an excellent proof of his purity of mo- he did not get a pension for his tive in his receiving as much relief from moral writings he got the pension the public money as would naturally fall for his vile pamphlet entitled "Taxation to the share of about fifty labourers' no Tyranny," which pamphlet was writfamilies, But this great feelosopher and ten to justify the boroughmongers in sincere reformer was, "after the best going into that war against America not consideration which he had been able which caused the separation of that -auto give to the subject, fully prepared country from this, and which has finally To sto maintain the soundness of MAL- raised up an enemy more formidable to bafernusisprinciples," which, he said, England than all the rest of the world mwere found fault of by none but the put together. For this it was that he blow part of the press. He must have got his pension of 300l. a year for the 9 meant my part of it; because, at the remainder of his life; and for this it intime when he made the speech, nobody was that his statue was placed in ylbut myself had even written against St. Paul's, at the public expense. In these abominable principles. Let him short, to hold the principle that the exhow came forth, then, when, Two-penny Government has a right to lay Trash, No. 19, has set the whole coun-out the public money in pensioning entry a scoffing at the adherents of MAL- writers, is to hold that the Government THUS, and when the Register of the is to have the power of employing every week before last has taken their great man of talent for the purpose of keeping and only argument and scattered it to in subjection and plundering the people. the airdet bim come forth, and, if I shall return to this subject another not himself, let him send his Scotch time; and, in the meanwhile, if we look