sel is not answerable for any matter by him spoken, relative to "the cause in hand, and suggested "in his client's instructions; al though it should reflect upon the reputation of another, and even prove absolutely groundless: but "if he mentions an untruth of his own invention, or even upon in"structions if it be impertinent to "the cause in hand, he is then liable "to an action from the party in “ jured.” 66 But even this will seldom or never reach counsel for injuring a man's reputation in the form of cross examination.-Questions cannot be construed into assertions, and I am inclined to think, that where a witness is abused by impertinent questions, and is not protected by the judge, he has no means of obtain ing redress whatever. But it does appear, from the learned commentaries just quoted, that where a counsel mentions an untruth of his own invention, he is liable to an action. And if this be the case, we may surely conclude, that a client who instructs his counsel by brief to mention an untruth, is liable to be proceeded against also. I should like to see this question ably discussed by a professed lawyer. If the subject were once to attract public notice, it would quickly be decided,Whether in the very sanctuary of the laws, the character and reputation of Englishmen can be blasted with impunity, to gratify the malice of a client, or the whim of an attorney? Yours Sincerely A WELLWISHER. London, Jan. 6. THE EFFECTS OF BIGOTRY AND SUPERSTITION. SIR, truly independent and valuable Review, they are at your service. In the beginning of the reign of James 1st. a treaty was concluded between Spain and England, and an English Earl was sent to the continent to ratify the treaty. The train of the English nobleman was numerous and splendid; and the Spaniards, it is said, were extremely surprised, when they beheld the blooming countenances and graceful appearance of the English, whom their bigotry inflamed by their priests, had represented as so many monsters and infernal dæmons ! Should you think the following remarks deserving of notice in your If we are to place any reliance upon the numerous private letters received from our countrymen in Spain (and when they simply narrate matters of fact, of which the writers have been eye-witnesses, how can we refuse them our belief?) we must conclude, the power of superstition and priestcraft, is as predominant, in the nineteenth, as it was in the sixteenth century. We are told that the Spaniards, look upon the English, who are arrived amongst them to save them from the slavery of France, as hereticks, with whom they ought to avoid all intercourse. In many places, they refuse to sell these hereticks, their defenders, the most common necessaries of life. Degraded to the most abject state of ignorance by the monks who live upon their credulity, devoted to all the mummery and abs. dities of the catholic superstition, they regard even the generous English, as deservedly doomed to eternal damnation! Were we acquainted with every nation, or tribe upon the face of the earth, we should find it perhaps, impossible, to point out a single country, where human nature is more degraded than in some of the fertile provinces of Spain-where nature has done so much, and man so little. And will it be said by any of the most determined enemies to reform, that no reform is wanted in Spain? That the old system of go vernment in church and state, should remain untouched? In spite of the friends of priestcraft aad state-craft, there will most assuredly be a change, a great change in that unhappy peninsula. It is not one of the least of the inconsistencies and total want of principle, in the conduct of governments, that our times have been witness to, for the English nation, at the commencement of the nineteenth century, to be engaged in a most terrible war, in support of the vilest and most unpardonable superstition that has ever disgraced human kind. No man would probably object to this country's render ing every assistance in her power, to render abortive the ambitious projects of subduing Spain, the power of Bonaparte being already too great for the independance and repose of the other European powers; but that we should identify with our efforts to save the Spaniards from a foreign yoke, the preservation of their degrading and disgusting superstitions, the upholding of their priestcraft in all its abominable ramifications of saints, legends &c. is a flagrant dereliction of principle, and a disgrace on the character of the nation, which, in less enligh tened times, in centuries that are past, evinced even a persecuting zeal against some of the most harmless practices of the Romish church. Nay even during the revolutionary war, at the period when the Pope of Rome was first threatened by the armies of France, the religious part of this nation (or to speak perhaps more correctly the evangelical part) exulted in the approaching downfall of antichrist, the scarlet whore of Babylon, piously believing the interference of divine providence, was about to restore his church in her primitive purity: but now, when antichrist is indeed fallen-fallen never to rise again, the zeal of this evangelical part of the community is waxed cold; and, if we may judge from their writings and their sermons, they would rather the Pope should reign in all his glory, than Bonaparte be the instrument of his downfall! O poor human nature ! Liverpool, Jan. 10. X. Y. ORIGINAL POETRY. THE ANALOGY BETWEEN LEGISLATION AND HORSE RACING. [Written, October, 1808.] The season now convokes again Once on the turf I'll boldly venture, I've heard, there is a near alliance So the same features we may trace in Good laws require good heads to make 'em Laws were ordain'd to keep rogues under, To shine at these Olympic games, I've heard it said, that senates should And therefore should have hearts that feel Who can consign the thousands o'er Does not the saddle represent Proceed ye two-fold legislators And grooms or statesmen praise your skill, Epping, January 16th. AMATOR PATRIA. PARLIAMENTARY REGISTER. HOUSE OF LORDS. Thursday, Jan. 19, 1809. This day parliament assembled, pursuant to his Majesty's proclamation for that purpose. 66 About 3 o'clock, the Lords Commissioners, having taken their seats, sent a message to the house of Commons, to hear his Majesty's most gracious speech. The Speaker accordingly attended; when the Lord Chancellor read the speech as follows: My Lords and Gentlemen, "We have it in command from his Majesty to state to you, that his Majesty bas called you together in perfect confidence that you are prepared cordially to support his Majesty in the prosecution of a war, which there is no hope of termina ting safely and honourably, except through vigorous and persevering exertion. "We are to acquaint you, that his Majesty has directed to be laid before you, copies of the proposals for opening a negociation, which were transmitted to his Majesty from Erfurth; and of the correspondence which thereupon took place with the governments of Russia and France; together with the declaration issued by his Majesty's command on the termination of that correspondence. "His Majesty is persuaded that you will participate in the feelings which were expressed by his Majesty, when it was required that his Majesty should consent to commence the negociation by abandoning the cause of Spain, which he had so recently and solemnly espoused. "We are commanded to inform you, that his Majesty continues to receive from the Spanish government the strongest assurances of their determined perseverance in the cause of the legitimate Monarchy, and of the national independence of Spain; and to assure you, that so long as the people of Spain shall remain true to themselves, his Majesty will continue to them his most strenuous assistance and support. "His Majesty has renewed to the Spanish nation, in the moment of its difficulties and reverses, the engagements which he voluntarily con tracted at the outset of its struggle against the usurpation and tyranny of France; and we are commanded to acquaint you, that these engagements have been reduced into the form of a treaty of alliance; which treaty, as soon as the ratifications shall have been exchanged, his Majesty will cause to be laid before you. "His Majesty commands us to state to you, that while his Majesty contemplated with the liveliest satisfaction the achievements of his forces in the commencement of the campaign in Portugal, and the deliverance of the kingdom of his ally from the presence and oppression of the French army, his Majesty most deeply regretted the termination of that campaign by an armistice and convention, of some of the articles of which his Majesty has felt himself obliged formally to declare his disapprobation. "We are to express to you his Majesty's reliance on your disposisition to enable his Majesty to continue the aid afforded by his Majesty to the King of Sweden. That Monarch derives a peculiar claim to his Majesty's support in the present exigency of his affairs, from having concurred with his Majesty in the propriety of rejecting any proposal for negociation to which the ment of Spain was not to be admitted as a party. govern "Gentlemen of the House of sively and permanently beneficial to the country. Commons, "We are commanded by his Majesty to inform you, that he has directed the estimates of the current year to be laid before you. His Majesty relies upon your zeal and affection to make such further provision of supply as the vigorous prosecution of the war may render necessary; and he trusts that you may be enabled to find the means of providing such supply, without any great or immediate increase of the existing burthens upon his people. "His Majesty feels assured that it will be highly satisfactory to you to learn, that, notwithstanding the measures resorted to by the enemy for the purpose of destroying the commerce and resources of his kingdom, the public revenue has continued in a course of progressive improvement. "My Lords and Gentlemen, "We are directed to inform you, that the measure adopted by parliament in the last session, for establishing a local militia, has been already attended with the happiest success, and promises to be exten "We have received his Majesty's commands most especially to recommend to you, that, duly weighing the immense interests that are at stake in the war now carrying on, you should proceed, with as little delay as possible, to consider of the most effectual measures for the augmentation of the regular army, in order that his Majesty may be the better enabled, without impairing the means of defence at home, to avail himself of the military power of his dominions in the great contest in which he is engaged; and to conduct that contest, under the blessing of Divine Providence, to a conclusion compatible with the honour of his Majesty's crown, and with the interests of his allies of Europe, and of the world.". The two houses afterwards assembled, and the address which, was, as usual, an echo to the speech, was moved, and after some debate, which principally turned on the mode of carrying on the war, was, without amendment or division, agreed to. FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. FROM THE LONDON GAZETTES. Admiralty-Office, Jan. 7, 1809. Copy of a letter from Lord Collingwood, Commander in Chief of his Majesty's ships and vessels in the Mediterranean, to the Hon. W. W. Pole, dated on board the Ocean, off Toulon, October, 19. SIR, I inclose a letter which I have just received from the Right Hon. Lord Cochrane, captain of the Imperieuse, stating the services which he has been employed in on the coast of Languedoc. Nothing can exceed the activity and zeal with which his lordship pursues the ene my. The success which attends his enterprizes clearly indicates with what skill and ability they are conducted; besides keeping the coast in constant alarm, causing a total suspension of the trade, and harrasing a body of troops employed in opposing him, he has probably prevented those troops, which were intended for Figueras, from advancing into Spain, by giving them employment in defence of their own coasts. -On the coast towards Genoa, the enemy has been equally annoyed by the Kent and Wizard. Those ships have had that station some time to |