Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

taking leave of this supposition, I must next take notice of his remark, that parties of fifteen were severally admitted at the hours of eleven, twelve, half after twelve, and one; and that he had the misfortune to be ranked among the last: now, sir, 1 have frequently been classed myself among the one o'clock party, but nevertheless, the guides did not stay literally till that hour; but after the first party had passed through the first, se cond, or third apartment, then the second was admitted, allowing that time for the first to have sufficiently the lead of the subsequent party, and so on with the rest, making the divisions limited to certain times of the day merely nominal; and this I believe to be the general prac tice, notwithstanding the statement of Inquilinus. We will however suppose this to have been the case on the occa sion referred to, but then Inquilinus need not have again encountered the perils of the weather. Was there not the whole gallery of antiques, the rich collection of Townley and Hamilton, the most valuable and most unreserved part of this national collection, in which your correspondent might have spent the intervening short space? One would think, that Inquilinus must be aware that no entry in a book, or pass-ticket, is required to view all this. Till four in the afternoon, it is open to all the world, as Inquilinus would have the rest to be, and with but one (hardly a sufficient) guardian among the spacious suite; I presume, that besides his theoretical skill in mineralogy, and other accomplish ments, which far be it from me to dispate, Inquilinus must have some taste, some interest, for that transcendant display of art which your valuable correspondent, Mr. Fosbrooke, is now so learnedly illustrating; and in that case, surely he had no just cause of complaint in this particular. His other suggestions are certainly perfectly reasonable; and most cordially should I coincide, in his proposed alterations, but as a lover of impartiality, I take the liberty of laying these objections in his way, which, if you will allow to appear, will much oblige a constant reader.

October 18, 1810.

H. M.

[blocks in formation]

rians, or those who succceded, as John Sobieski, king of Poland.

Though called from a very inferior station to fill a throne, yet he proved that an elective monarch was not always deficient in the arts of governing a people, too prone to licentiousness of liber ty, and consequently divided amongst themselves. From a state of anarchy and confusion, he restored Poland to social order; her exhausted coffers he replenished, without adding fresh burden on the people; and not only drove back the powers who had invaded, and possessed themselves of her fairest provinces, but retaliated by invading them in turn, and increasing both the revenues, the territories, and population, of his native country. Previous to Sobieski's being called to the throne of Poland by thể united suffrages of the diet, that country was a prey to continual discord. After the death of the great Hungarian prince Stephenus Bathori, which happened in the year 1586, Poland for many years was the scene of civil commotion. That prince, who was justly styled the Great Ba thori, rendered himself formidable to the enemies of the state, by an intrepidity, a courage, and a constancy, which overcame the greatest obstacles: he possessed in an eminent degree that wise policy, that persuasive eloquence, so peculiarly adapted to govern the proud spirits of republicans, whilst at the same time it seemed to humour them. He was just, benevolent, and virtuous; but he could: not avoid occasionally exhibiting proofs of a hasty impetuous temper. His death. threw Poland into a state of universal distraction, which, with little intermis sion, continued for many years. From the peace of Oliva, which was concluded in 1660, Poland ceased to be reckoned among the number of the principal pow ers of Europe. After the death of king. John Casimir, which happened in 1672, a year of interregnum succeeded, which ended by placing Michael Coributh duke of Wisniowiecki, upon the vacant throne, His reign was but of short duration: he lost the affections of both the nation and the army, by the little care he took to defend Poland against the invasions of the Turks, and by the disgraceful treaties he concluded with them: he died in 1673, on the point of being dethroned by his own subjects. After a considerable degree of tumult and agitation, the diet conferred the crown on John Sobieski, general in chief of their armies, and who had rendered his country the most emi

neut

sent services under the last monarch's reign.

Sobieski, who had compelled the Turks to renounce the tribute king Michael had agreed to pay them, was obliged, through the intrigues which prevailed in the diet, to postpone to another time the re-capture of Kaiminieck. The hero, when once crowned, soon found a bril liant opportunity of increasing the glory of the nation, as well as his own. The Turks, who were then in the zenith of their power, laid siege to Vienna: all Christendom was in a state of anxious inquietude; but the jealousy which the house of Austria inspired them with, became a balance amongst the greatest powers, to the alarm which the Turks excited; so that but a very inconsiderable number of the princes of Germany put their troops in motion to assist the emperor Leopold. Sobieski, although he had strong and weighty reasons to be dissatisfied with Austria, induced the generous Poles to devote themselves to the cause of Europe: he levied an army of forty thousand men, and took the command in person: his valour and his genius decided that dreadful battle which forced Soliman to raise the siege of Vienna, (1683); and, in a short time after, the Turks were even driven from the whole of Hungary. But what recompense did the intrepid Sobieski receive for these signal favours? The emperor Leopold continued to detest him; the Polish senate encouraged the disputes: after his death, which happened in 1696, all parties were of the same opinion-that of excluding the children of Sobieski from the throne; and, to fill up the measure of ingratitude, both the Polish and German historians agree in representing this great hero as a bad citizen, and a weak prince.

It is not to be wholly denied, but that the fame of Sobieski may have been in some degree exaggerated. The French writers of the day, have praised him so much, perhaps, because they believed that he seriously meant to place a French prince upon the throne, invested with absolute power. Sobieski knew the genius and temper of the people of Poland; and he foresaw that they would never consent to receive a master, though they would give themselves one. Thus every negociation with Louis XIV. relative to the prince of Condé and marshal de Turenne, appears to us but a crafty invention to awe the diet of elecon. The threats of Sobieski against king

Michael, are not to this day explained clearly by historians: we will therefore avoid touching here upon points of such a difficult nature.

The heroic traits of the life of Sobieski, have acquired universal fame and cele brity, by the sentences, short, but full of eloquence and genius, by which they were accompanied. On taking his departure from Warsaw, he turned to the different ambassadors and said, "Tell your masters, that you have seen me mount my horse, and that Vienna now is saved." The queen, who was drowned in tears, held her youngest son fast in her arms. The king requested her not to be alarmed: "Sire, (answered she) the rea son why my tears will flow is, that the tender age of this young prince will not allow him to follow the footsteps of his father, and his ancestors." Surrounded by the princes of Germany, Sobieski made the army of the Republic defile before them. The cavalry was admired for the beauty of their horses, their appointments, and their fine appearance; but the infantry was badly clothed: there was one battalion, in particular, whose nakedness, if we may so call it, was more remarkable than all the others. Prince Lobomirski advised the king, for the honour of the nation, not to let that regiment march past his allies.Sobieski re jected his advice, At the moment when the battalion was marching past them, he said to the princes around him, "Look at that corps well; it is a regiment of invincibles, who have taken an oath, never in time of war, to wear any other dress than that of their enemies; in the late war they were all dressed as Tu ks."

There are various other anecdotes aus thenticated by contemporary historians, which describe the mauners of the age. A Polish deserter, who had been in the service of the Vizier, after the battle, brought a silver stirrup, which Mustapha had let fall in his flight. The king gave it to one of his officers, saying at the same time, "Carry this stirrup to the queen, and tell her that he to whom it belonged is vanquished." An immense booty was found in the Turkish camp that of the Vizier, in particular, dazzled the eyes of the conquerors, being every thing which luxury and pride could con ceive as the richest and most precious.

Sobieski wrote to the queen, “that the Grand Vizier had made him his heir, and that he had found in his tents the value of several millions of ducats. So

[ocr errors]

that," added he, " you cannot say of me what the Tartar wives do when their husbands return empty-handed. You are not men, since you return without plunder.""

The inhabitants of Vienna received their deliverer with the most lively demonstrations of gratitude; and shouts of joy accompanied him to the cathedral of that city, where he went to return thanks to the God of battles, for the glorious success of his arms: he himself pitched the key of the Te Deum, which was chaunted: the text of the sermon was, "Fuit homo missus a Deo, cui nomen erat Joannes."

The joy which the delivery of his capital afforded Leopold, was checked by the humiliation of seeing a foreign monarch triumphant. He passed several days in deliberating upon the ceremony which, in his quality of emperor, it was proper he should observe towards Sobieski, who was an elective king; and, according to the German pretentions, a vassal of the empire. In vain did the duke of Lorraine advise him to forget, for a short time, the usual etiquette, and receive him with open arms. Leopold had not sufficient greatness of soul to follow such counsel. In order to remove all difficulties, it was at last decided that the interview should take place on horseback, in the open country, and as if by mere accident.

When the two monarchs met, Leopold, after having in general terms adverted to the services which the Republic of Poland had rendered to Christianity, in speaking of the deliverance of Vienna, happened to mention the word "gratitude." Sobieski, immediately interrupting him in the most elegant and graceful manner, replied, "Believe me, brother, I feel happy in having contributed to render you this trifling service." He then presented his son, Prince James Sobieski, adding, "This is a young prince whom I have brought up to the service of Christianity," One of the palatines alighted from his horse to kiss the emperor's boot: Sobieski, who observed the action, stopped him; "Hold, palatine, (said he) no degradation ;" and respectfully saluting the emperor, put an end to the interview; thus sparing the haughty monarch any further opportunity of offering thanks. But, previous to his putting his army in motion to return to Poland, he took out of the imperial archives, all those humiliating and burden

some concessions, which his predecessor, King John Casimir, had been compelled to sign in Silesia. He obtained also the title of Majesty for the kings of Poland; and that of Most Serene, for the Republic: the whole of this brilliant expedition was, however, attended with no real benefit to Poland.

The Poles in particular blamed the policy of Sobieski, who, by the treaty of 1686, ceded to Russia the cities of Sinolensko and Kiowe, the palatinate of Czerniechow, and the duchy of Novgored Sceivierz, provinces which were already in their possession, Russia, by way of compensation, promised the king to aid him in his conquest of Moldavia and Wallachia. The Republic, never having ratified this treaty, the authentic copies of it are only to be found in the archives of Moscow-a circumstance which Catharine II. turned to advantage, in order to give to certain articles a latitude and extension, which they most probably would never have had in the originals. On the other hand, the advantages which Sobieski had hoped for, from the alliance with Russia, successively evaporated by the obstacles which the want of provisions opposed to the march of the allied armies, and by the revolutions which took away the supreme power from the princess Sophia, and ber favourite Gallitzin, the real author of all these projects.

In the interior, every nomination to a high office became an opportunity for the king to increase the number of the ungrateful and discontented. The opposition, become every day more nume rous in the diets, thought only of throw ing fresh obstacles in the way of the king. The animosity of party was car ried to such a height, that a bishop, without any explanation previous, dared to say to the king, "Be just, or cease to reign." This was, of course, treason; but the opposition pretended to excuse the bishop. The diet of 1689 spent their time in quarrelsome debates, and neglected to provide for the payment of the army, and even of the corps of 12,000 Poles, who had gained a complete victory over 40,000 Turks. We shall here cite another instance, characteristic of the Polish anarchy. The army of Lithuania, having no means of subsistence, took up their quarters in the estates belonging to the clergy. The bishop of Wilna, after repeated but vain representations to the general in chief to withdraw his troops,

AL

at last pronounced the anathema of the church, and the grand-general was excommunicated. The prince primate, in

his quality of metropolitan archbishop, reversed the bishop's sentence of excommunication; and the apostolic nuncio, reversed the decree of the prince pri mate. Whilst these squabbles occupied the diet, a horde of 60,000 Tartars set fire to the suburbs of Lemberg. The minor nobles could never forgive Sobieski the share which he had in the misfortunes of king Michael.

Although some suspicions may rest upon the memory of Sobieski, yet it must be allowed that he had a just claim to the title of Great, both by his military and political talents: endowed with great strength of body, and fire of genius, learned in the laws, the interest of the people, and versed in warlike tactics; eloquent in the dicts, and enterprising in the field, he possessed all the virtues, and all the qualities necessary to a warrior, and to the monarch of a people so untractable as the Poles. Nobility and greatness of soul were visible in all his looks, attitudes, and actions. At the head of his armies, his confidence and intrepidity inspired and encouraged his soldiers: he required but a handful of men to destroy a multitude of his enesnies; he possessed the envied talent of profiting by the slightest advantages; and a rapid foresight, which made him look into, and provide against, unexpected dangers. Reading, and different studies, formed his chief amusement. He was master of several languages, and was fond of conversing with men of letters. His court was rather splendid, and attended by foreigners of the first distinction, who came to study and learn the profession of arms. All the powers of Europe had their ambassadors at his court; amongst others, he also entertained the ambassador of the king of Persia, who complimented him upon his victories, and claimed his friendship and alliance.

Such was the last great king who reigned over Poland: after his death, the crown was, as it were, put up to auction. The Prince de Conti, and Augustus, Elector of Saxony, were elected at the same time; the first had the wishes of the majority, the second supported his claims by his Saxon ariny; he annulled the election of Conti, and in 1697 became possessor of the throne.

For the Monthly Magazine. SUMMARY of the DUTIES of Sheriffs,

Aed annually by that portion of the people on whose behalf they were to serve the office; and by the constitution, they are popular officers appointed to

NCIENTLY, all sheriffs were elect,

execute the laws in the name of the so

vereign, with due respect to the privileges of the people.

The general duties of the sheriff's office are six-fold:

1. As executors of all writs and legal pre

cess.

2. As keepers of the prisons.

3. As summoners of jurymen.
4. As guardians of courts of law.

5. As executioners of all summary punishments.

6. As presiding officers at the return of representatives to the Wittena Gemote, or Parliament,

To perform these important functions usefully, effectively, and honourably, there are requisite in the person of the sheriff

1. Public spirit, and independance of mind and fortune.

II. Habitual sentiments of charity for the frailties, and of tenderness for the misfor

tunes, of their fellow beings.

III. An unshaken attachment to public liberty, and to the person of the sovereign.

IV. Persevering vigilance in the superin tendance of every department of duty, taking nothing on trust, and leaving nothing to deputies.

V. An immovable respect for principles never compromising them to gratify temporary prejudices or practices.

VI. Courage to resist the clamours and intrigues of those who profit by abuses.

The details of duty are implied by the duties themselves, but those of primary importance are—

1. To visit the goals frequently, and at unexpected seasons, unaccompanied by goalers or turnkeys, taking care that imprisonment includes no punishment beyond safe custody.

2. To ameliorate the condition of the pri soners and their families, and to report to the executive government on those cases on which the law bears with unreasonable severity.

3. To take care that no punishment is incriminal, and that all the judgments of the creased by any popular prejudice against the law are executed in tenderness and mercy.

4. To strike all juries in person, and to take especial care that the spirit of all the laws for striking juries is acted upon.

5. To

5. To guard against cabals, prejudices, intrigues, and improper influence in juries, by calling each jury in a predetermined order from at least three remote districts of the jurisdiction.

6 To summon grand juries by a similar rotation from among the most intelligent and independent persons of every district, taking care that there is a due mixture and balance of local interest in every grand jury.

7. To examine minutely and scrupulously every charge made against goalers, turnkeys, bailiffs, and their followers; to visit lock-up houses, and beware that no extortionate or vexatious practices take place in exacting

bail.

In a word, the security of our persons and properties, under the law, against oppression or mal-administration, is in

the hands of the sheriff, and it depends greatly on his vigilance whether the laws ance. serve as a means of protection or annoyWhile the verdicts of juries remain a barrier against the caprices of judges, and the influence of wealth and power, it is evidently of the highest in portance that the sheriff summon them in the way which is the most likely to secure an impartial and independent decision, and therein lies the essence of Eng lish liberty. On this intelligence and uprightness of the executive officer depend therefore all that is desirable under the constitution of England, and all that renders the English, in respect to civil liberty, superior to other nations. COMMON SENSE.

MEMOIRS AND REMAINS OF EMINENT PERSONS.

MEMOIRS of the LIFE of PRINCE
EUGENE of SAVOY;
WRITTEN by

I

HIMSELF.

(Concluded from No. 204, p. 246.)

[1711 continued.] WENT to Utrecht to see how the negociations proceeded. England, Savoy, Portugal, and Prussia, were ready to sign their treaties; and Holland hung only by a thread.

I set out for Vienna to report this to the Emperor. On my arrival, Charles VI. said to me: "You are right; Holland has just signed too. So Zinzendorf uforms me; and he has sent me the proposals of France, to which you will cerlainly not advise me to agree." "Your Majesty does me justice," I replied. "We will obtain neutrality for the Low Countries; and with the troops which you will order thence, as well as from Naples and Lombardy, we shall be able to keep the French in check on the Rhine."

I hastened to all the states and courts of the empire to collect men and money. 1 procured three millions of crowns in oue quarter, and a million of florins in another. But the tardiness of the princes and circles in marching from their quarters prevented me from anticipating the French on the Upper Rhine. Charles VI. inanifested a desire to command his army in person. I represented to him that he could gain no honor by it. My opinion was but too well-founded, as I clearly perceived that Villars meant to nake an attempt on Landau. I ordered lines to be formed at Etlingen, within which I sent one-half of my army, aud

posted the other at Mühlberg, where I hoped my reinforcements would arrive before the fall of Landau; but the Prince of Würtemberg was obliged to capitulate.

Still I was in hopes of preventing the I took French from besieging Friburg. possession of all the defiles of the moun tains. I threw up entrenchments, formed abattis, and erected redoubts at all the principal points. The inferiority of my force made me fear that the peace, which must necessarily be soon concluded, would be detestable: I called in all my troops, leaving only 18,000 with Aubonne to defend the passage of the mountains, Villars attacked the heights with his grenadiers. The troops of the circles, which I had placed behind the abattis, behaved like the Dutch at Denain, and The Duke of ran away at the first fire. Bourbon and the Prince of Conti began the attack of the defiles at seven in the evening. Aubonne, hurried away by the fagitives, could not rally them till they were at such a distance that he could not regain his entrenchments, and contented himself with throwing twelve battalions into Friburg. After so many battles during a period of thirteen years, the emperor's troops themselves were but raw recruits. The best of my entrenchments at Hohlgraben being forced, there was nothing to check Villars in his march across the Black Forest, and he opened the trenches before Friburg on the 1st of October. Harsch disputed every inch of ground. In the night between the 14th and 15th, the covered way was taken

by

« AnteriorContinuar »