tender: but his patriotism, it is probable, made him connive at the pious fraud of doing the same thing in a concealed indirect way. Be this as it may, the country, and the whole world, is indebted to Lord Stanhope for converting a great danger into a great benefit; and we are happy in having it in our power to shew a desire to do his lordship jus

tice.

It is a great pleasure to have to record such an assemblage of good qualities as unite in the person of the present Earl Stanhope. His suggestions as a member of the legislature have not met with that attention which they would have done if they had come from some man of another way of thinking

political questions. This is much to be regretted; for whatever connexion there may be between party and opinion, there is none in nature between party and an inventive mind. Inventions stand alone, and on their own merit, like gold or diamonds. The mine from which they come neither adds to, nor diminishes their value. As a real lover of his country, no man stands higher than Earl Stanhope, though his education at Geneva, and his genius so different from that of other men, give a peculiarity to all that he says, and to all that he does.

HON. CHARLES STEWART.

A YOUNG Statesman who has not long commenced a diplomatic career, but who is of great promise. His despatches are written with uncommon `clearness and elegance. He is brother to Lord Castlereagh, and has a great deal of that frank openness of character which distinguishes his lordship.

The opposition writers, who so long found fault with Lord Wellington, and attempted to turn his military skill into ridicule, and who have uniformly magnified the victories of the French, and palliated their iniquities, are now busied in representing Lord Cathcart, the Earl of Aberdeen, Mr. Stewart, and Mr. Thornton, as men who are held in very little esteem at the head-quarters of the allies; but the contrary is the case, as we can state from good authority.

It has seldom happened that so many powerful sovereigns have been in one place, and combined in one enterprise, as at present; and it is evident, that Britain could not be adequately represented in such a case, but by a member of the cabinet. It is from

this very evident cause, and not from any want of talents in the persons already resident at the different head-quarters, that Lord Castlereagh has gone over; besides, those writers who delight to find fault with the British government ought to know, that each of the ambassadors sent over to the continent, having a special mission to one sovereign, can be of no importance at a general conference.

The mission of Lord Castlereagh has, then, nothing to do with the talents, or want of talents, of the gentlemen representing England to the different sovereigns engaged in re-establishing the liberties of Europe, though the true state of the matter is, that they are all, without exception, looked upon by the different sovereigns as it could be wished they should be. They are considered as men of talents, integrity, and good intention, having the greatest desire to promote the success of that cause which has led the allied sovereigns into the field.

M. M. TALLEYRAND.

THIS Proteus is descended from one of the first noble families in France-A courtier favoured by the unfortunate king, and a bishop; betrayed his order, disgraced his cloth, and laboured to destroy his sovereign.

An intriguer of the first class, he has been reckoned as being a man of great abilities; but those who did so conceive him, were ignorant of the case.

The French revolutionists certainly did nothing that shewed talents, except talents for destruction; and in that sort of work a little talent goes a great way. Even amongst the revolutionists, and the monsters who, as the Abbé Raynal said, by a species of infernal magic, had converted France into a cave of robbers and murderers, Talleyrand was not conspicuous, except for extravagance of opinions. He did not distinguish himself, like many others, either by eloquence or abilities of any sort.

When permitted to return to France under Buo

naparte, Talleyrand became his favourite minister*, and it is then that he is supposed to have displayed his uncommonly great abilities; but even this we are ready to doubt, or rather to deny.

In the revolution, the French held a superiority over other nations, independent of the abilities of any man, or set of men. They had risen up with jacobin energy and jacobin morality, whilst the other nations of Europe, ignorant of the change, and unprepared to resist it, continued in the old way. It was like a well-prepared and desperate ruffian attacking a peaceable unsuspecting man, when half asleep, and unequal to resistance.

It is true, that it took an amazingly long period

*

Talleyrand came over in the last days of Louis XVI. with the French jacobin ambassador to London, and intrigued in every way, in order to revolutionize England. He was sent out of this country soon after the ambassador; but, as he was afraid to return to France, he went to America, and remained several years at New York, where he lived on the bounty of some of his countrymen, who were in better circumstances than himself.

By his intrigues he got back to France, and had the address to pass himself off as a man of great and profound skill. Hauterieve, who was in America at the same time, and is really a man of abili ties, assisted him in this, and in persuading Buonaparte that they knew how to ruin England.