!

military science Wellesley wanted, practice has given to the Wellington; and he is not deficient either of sense, or experience, to apply his military acquirements, to civil affairs.

Are we, then, to suppose that a commander, drilled into knowledge, as the Wellington has been, so ignorant, that he will defend a closely invested citadel, by surrendering its outworks, at discretion, or rather indiscretion? But he has done this!

My views are, certainly, very different from those of men, who claim to be statesmen, in right of office, and par excellence.

Whatever the policy of legislation may require to be conceded, to an improved, or changed state of society, may be one thing; but I deprecate all concessions, made in fear of the sword, rebelliously brandished. A rebellion, or riot, or attempt at usurpation, of any kind, should, first, be quelled, on account of its professed character, and, that done, enquire into its origin, and apply your nostrum, accordingly.

I have, always, maintained, as my creed, on the Roman Catholic question (it is not consistent, with Protestantism, to omit the local epithet) that, when Ireland shall be as civilised, by education, and application, as is Great Britain, and still prefers the Romish faith, in God's name, let her have it but I feel that whenever she has attained, such maturity of knowledge, she will, generally, be as sound in the profession of Protestantism, as ourselves, and, I hope, infinitely more sincere, in its practice.. A great crisis is at hand.

Line 117. Till one vast ruin overwhelm ye all.

It is not in my nature to trifle with religious topies; therefore I wish to assert the purity of my motives in what, of the Scripture, I have introduced, am introducing, or may introduce, hereafter. The latter lines of this Canto, ought to excite the most solemn reflections, in every mind; but, especially, in those high places, to which, my allusion, cannot be mis-interpreted.

For as, in the days, that were before the flood, they were eating, and drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not, until the flood came, and took them all away; so, shall, also, the coming of the Son of Man be.-Matthew, chap. xxiv. verse 38 and 39.

Also, as it was, in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained firc, and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.-Luke, chap. xvii. verse 28 and 29.

H

The increase of petty offences, proves the necessities of the pilferers; but the unprecedented cases of murders, and of other crimes, of the deepest die, and heightened to a colour beyond all conception, proves, the demoralisation of Society.

The domestic endurances of the middle and lower classes, must be seen, to be believed, much more to be appreciated.

The violent measures, which have long been resorted to, for the purpose of keeping up an appearance of prosperity, in each quarter's revenue, really, surpass all cre

dence. The commissioners of taxes, stamps, and other revenue-departments, issue letters, threatening that, if the wretched defaulters do not cash up, by a particular day, they will be exchequered, and, in many, perhaps all cases, the writs are issued, before the letters are written. All the costs are to be paid, by the defendant, whose family, is, in numberless instances, starving, and, after the seizure of his goods, he himself is thrown into prison.

As all these charges, professedly, go to increase the revenue, I hope that Mr. Hume will move for returns of the number of all such letters, issued from each respective department, with their amount, and also of the number of actions, consequently, brought, in each department, respectively, and the amount of costs, which have accrued thereon, between the first of January 1827, and the first of January, 1829.

The probable cause of so many suicides which have taken place, within that period, may then be inferred! Bread being above one shilling the four pound loaf.

It is a singular fact, that the interference of Parliament, uniformly causes the price of bread to rise. The change, from the quartern to the four pound loaf, tricked the consumer out of six ounces; the four pounder being, still, generally, mistaken for a quartern.

Ah! little think the gay, licentious proud,

Whom pleasure, power, and affluence surround—
Ah! little think they, while they pass along,
How many feel, this very moment, death,
And all the sad varieties of pain!

END OF NOTES ON CANTO III.

HOLLY - GROVE.

AN

EPITHALAMIC SATIRE.

CANTO IV.

DEMONS, and fiends! for such, alone, can tell,

Scenes, which might grace these groves, and disgrace Hell,

Unfold your annals, of this burning shame:

Give, to posterity, each brilliant name:

But let their acts, the actors' selves proclaim.

Bute, if, to ancestry, thy fame, be due,
Why let it, thus, degenerate, in you?

Courage, not craft, Duke Gordon, was thy cry.

Fight, Rosslyn, in the field-temptation fly.

Wemyss, I think, thou hadst been well, away,
From such a place, at least, on such a day.

Should age have made thine arm, and wisdom fail;
They'll not recruit, at Highgate, Lauderdale.

Though, should thy thirst be great, e'en take thy fill,
At the fam'd Horns, on t'other side the hill.

Breadalbane calls aloud, to follow me—
"Twere better, clearly, first, our way to see.

Is Guildford's virtue true nobility?

Courage and faith might serve to gain a crown:
Their absence brings the mad aspirant down.

Abingdon's virtue's strong as any ram,

And Wellesley's, one thing needful-a mere sham.
Or such a thing, as calculation baffles:

Ask Lord Fred. Beauclerc, and the fam'd Moll Raffles.

Southampton, mark'dst thou splendid Virtue's shrine;
How all knees bend to hail it, chaste,-divine?
Reward, from Heaven, to grace an earthly throne;
Its undimm'd glories glisten all its own.

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