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ployed in the navy should be taken from place vice and virtue on a level with those brought up in the merchant ser- each other, and to use the dishonest and the unfortunate alike. It is to degrade

vice.

All masters, and half the mates and the laws into mere engines of swindling, midshipmen employed in the navy, it is to afford facilities to the commission should be required to have served three of crimes far more injurious to society, years in the mercantile service. because they are of greater extent than All trading merchant shipping, in a housebreaking and highway robbery." political point of view, ought never to Mr. P further says, "Perhaps its have direct taxes laid upon them; with a perpetrators have suffered less by too view, if possible, to restore the carrying great eagerness to benefit some of their trade we once had, but which is compar- customers who have shared in the generatively much diminished. This is abso- al distress. No! this can never be, for lutely necessary to keep up the number it is the undeviating custom of bankers of seamen required to man our navy in never to lend money but on ample securtime of war. ity, &c." And he further adds, "MaThese suggestions are offered under ny of them, both in town and country, a strong impression of their great utility, who keep up an appearance of considerand I feel persuaded that the outline able grandeur, possess no private fortune, drawn, when systematically arranged, and have nothing but the income arising would, in the course of a few years' war, from the profession." A pretty heap of supply the navy to its full extent with abuse has Mr. P scraped together merchant seamen, would conquer the to throw at bankers; not some one or strong aversion our seamen at present two, but all of them, at least all that feel for the naval service, and be fully adequate to render it far more efficient in officers and men.

By allowing them the liberty of retiring from the navy at the expiration of a fixed period, it will prevent them from flying their country, at the commencement of a war; it will also have the effect to induce them to enter freely, and greatly lessen the temptation to desert. In this case they will have an object in view after a certain servitude, which, commenced at the early part of life, will nor appear long, particularly to respectable young men, who look forward to advancement in the mercantile service, and who will have ties upon them to keep them in the country. These will not now enter the sea-service, from having fear of being impressed, and all their hopes blasted through life!

have failed; they have not become bankrupts from misfortune, but vice: guilty of swindling, and crimes far worse than housebreaking and highway robbery.-Well done, Mr. P—, why did you not mention their names? Did the law against libel deter you? And had none of these bankers who have failed any property to begin with? Did their neighbours entrust their money in a bank without any capital ?-It generally happens, that people's property is guessed at, or nearly known by their neighbours; but were all these persons destitute of property and their neighbours ignorant of it? Or were they so foolish to trust people with money of whose stability they were unacquainted? It seems, also, that these bankers never lent money but on ample security; this was their undeviating custom. How then came they to lose any money, for many of them, I know, have lost considerable sums by persons they lent money to, which they would not have done had they adhered to this undeviating custom; and have IN your Magazine for May 1, 1816, lost to such an amount, that were all the is a letter signed "Joseph Prender- money they have lost by benefitting some gast," respecting the bankruptcy of of their customers without ample securibankers-He says, "to treat a bank- ty, repaid them, it would not only pay rupt banker as a tradesman who has the the full amount they owe, but leave a misfortune to become a bankrupt, is to handsome surplus for themselves.

THE SHADE OF ALFRED. Anno Domini 1816.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

Let

Mr. P prove what bank set up country; if any quantity of that was without any property-what bank never sent out of the kingdom, it would be lent money but on undeniable security necessary to substitute something else in whether the greater part of the banks that lieu of it, therefore small notes were ishave failed (if not all) could not pay sued by the Bank of England. But it their creditors in full, if their losses, by should be remembered, that if about the their customers, were made good. And year 1790, it required twenty millions further, whether any one banking com- for a circulating medium, by the enorpany, that has failed, have not lost more mous rise of every article in life, and the of their own property than the amount consequent advance of wages, it would they owe to their largest creditor. If require a double amount of the circulatMr. P knows of any particular in- ing medium. A family that went to stances of enormous speculation by market in 1790 with a guinea, could bankers, let him point them out; but purchase as much provision as they could that this has been the case, with the gen- twenty years afterwards with two guinerality of the banking concerns that eas: and a person who employed twenhave failed, I deny. Now, if Mr. Pty workman in 1790, might have twelve cannot prove his charges to be true of most or all the bankers that have failed, he has taken a shameful liberty with the characters of many virtuous and respectable, though unfortunate men. Either Mr. P- is very ignorant of his subject, or his motives must be judged of by his assertions, made without any proof.

or thirteen shillings per week each to pay them; would, in twenty years after, have 25 or 26 shillings per week to pay them, so that in all cases a double amount of the circulating medium would be wanted. I have not before me the last return made by the Bank of England of the number of small notes in cirBut I shall now leave Mr. Prender- culation, but if I recollect right, it was gast to make a few observations on the considerably more than the highest calsystem of banking, and the reason why culation ever made of the gold coin in so many new country banks were set circulation: and if to these are added up within a few years. The late de- the number of local notes, issued by structive wars upon the Continent in- different bankers in the country, I think curred such an enormous expense, it it will appear, that, between the year was with the utmost difficulty that a 1790, and the year 1812, the circulatsufficient quantity of gold and silver ing medium of this kingdom was doubcould be procured, to purchase necessa- led. Now supposing this twenty milries for the armies; and had not the Bill lions of guincas were all now in the passed restraining the Bank of England kingdom, it does not appear that it from paying in gold, they would soon would be sufficient for the purposes inhave been without a guinea. Never tended, and that there must either be a was there so expensive a war before, considerable additional coinage of gold, and nothing would pass on the Conti- or some substitute found out for the denent in exchange for necessaries for the ficiency. Whether there is a sufficient armies but the precious metals. That quantity of gold in the kingdom to fura considerable quantity of gold escaped nish a coinage equal to the circulating out of the kingdom before the Bank Re- medium now used, I cannot pretend to striction Bill, no one will deny; and it judge; but it appears to me, that there became necessary, as gold became ought to be a sufficient quantity somescarce, to have recourse to some other where, otherwise how is the Bank of circulating medium. At one time, the England to be able to resume its payquantity of gold coin in circulation was ments in cash, if there is not as much estimated at twelve millions, but upon cash in the kingdom as the amount of the light gold being called in, it was the notes in circulation. found to exceed that sum, and to be near twenty millions. Taking it then at the latter sum of twenty millions, as the amount of the circulating medium necessary for carrying on the trade of the

Had there been no small notes issued by country bankers, the amount of small notes issued by the Bank of England had been considerably greater than it is; and one great reason why the people in

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many parts of the country preferred tak- tain out worldly views, and to suggest ing local notes of the country bankers in religious objects for contemplative venepreference to Bank of England notes, ration. The proper topics in this case was the number of forged small bank- are beatified figures of apostles, saints, notes that got into circulation, and which and angels; who may be supposed to few of the country people were able to have glided down from empyræum, and distinguish from good ones, and they to have perched in the area of the temwere not so likely to be deceived in notes ple, for the sake of joining in the adoradrawn in their own town and neigh- tion of the faithful. bourhood: this encouraged bankers to In France and Germany much glass issue small notes, and encouraged fresh is enamelled for these purposes; but the persons to commence banking in places English custom-house opposes the imwhere there had been no bank before. portation of it, by heavy duties, Whatever evil may have arisen from which transcend the first cost of the banking, it has been a necessary evil; commodity. The remedy is for our what could large manufacturers do who own manufacturers to undertake the employ many hands, if they could not preparation of the material in all its get from a banker something to pay branches. At present, I speak from the workmen's wages: they sell goods upon information of a young artist of German credit, receive their payment in bills, and extraction who is employed in this line, it is only through bankers they can ne- the British glass-makers know not how gociate them, and procure a circulating to supply more than three or four varimedium to pay wages with. That ous colours in plain stained glass, and banking, like all other useful institutions this glass will not bear the furnace-heat may have been abused, none will deny; requisite to fuse the enamel, after debut to class all who have been bankers signs have been painted on it. Ruby and been unfortunate, with swindlers, glass, prepared with an oxyd of copper, housebreakers, and highway robbers, is and other coloured glasses, of infinitely such an outrage on common sense that it various shades of hue, are now regularly cannot be too severely reprobated. The made in the continental glass-houses. writer of this is not a banker nor con- The method of composing enamel colcerned with any one that is, but he con- ours is understood here; but there is a siders the attack upon them as unmerited and unjust. J. K. Liverpool; May 9, 1816.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

lack of furnaces, sufficiently large, to which the enameller could carry his work. Any painter can soon transfer his art of design to this branch of employment; but long habit is requisite to attain good colouring, as the enamel

A TASTE for painted glass is spread- colours alter their hues in the furnace.

ing in this country, and is likely

to become permanent. Almost every

As

The usual and greatest error of glasspainters, is, to attempt subjects on too house has some window which looks small a scale. Church-windows are into a dull court, or is overlooked by very large, and are stationed high, and neighbours, or is assailed, at an incon- no imposing or majestic effect is producvenient hour, by the sunshine. In any ed unless the figures are truly colossal. of these circumstances, painted panes The contour of these figures is necessarigive the requisite light, and exclude the ly traced with broad black frames of nuisance. The usual topics for such lead, serving to confine the panes. windows are, landscapes in the lower the lead must have a double groove, half, and, in the upper half, leafy these black lines cannot be narrowed; branches of creeping plants, depending now, unless a figure be really gigantic, in festoons, while the centre represents a these black lines quite destroy its aerial clear sky. In places of worship again, and picturesque effect. The chancel which are usually too luminous for the end, or eastern window, of churches is sober sadness of devout feeling, painted usually chosen for the station of painted windows are admirably adapted to cur- Scripture pieces; but the south-side, on MON. MAG. No. 234.

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account of the superior illumination, is to be preferred. VITRARIUS.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

WE

learning pure, and, instead of destroying,
augment the means of instruction, con-
sulted with his literary friends, and sup→
posing that the public indignation was
rather directed against the name than the
thing itself, he proposed the dissolution of
the academies, and the creation of a Na-
tional Institute.
After having every

outrage showered upon him for writing,
with that forcible eloquence which is so
natural to him, against the Vandalism
which destroyed the monuments of arts,
and persecuted those who cultivated
them, he at length triumphed, and ob-
tained even one hundred thousand crowns,
12,500l. sterling, to be divided among
the men of letters and artists, whose de
fender he had constantly been, and to
whom he rendered such signal services.
On the ruins of the academies, or rather
on their union under an unobjectionable
form, the National Institute arose ;
the genius of Gregoire was its founder,
and his exalted character its protector.

HEN Virtue is attacked by power, and Learning by bigotry, it is a duty incumbent upon the friends of Virtue and Learning to expose to the eyes of an unbiassed public, their claims to respect and their titles to esteem. Both the one and the other have been deeply wounded in the person of the virtuous and learned M. Gregoire, whose name alone brings with it such a crowd of delightful sensations, that one would have thought even despotism and bigotry would not have dared to aim a dart at him. The intrepid champion of civil and religious liberty, of whatever creed or colour might be their votaries; to him, more than any other person, is France indebted for the proud character she has long sustained for learning and science, and that noble spirit of Christian toleration she Whatever errors the National Convenhas exhibited from the commencement of tion may have committed in their necesthe revolution to its close. M. Gregoire, sary opposition to the machinations of the friend of human kind, was always at Pitt, to its approval of the suggestions of his post when the interests of humanity M. Gregoire the system of public instrucwere at stake; but, too honest to be a tion owes its date. It was the Convensycophant, he has preferred virtuous tion which created the central schools, poverty to riches and titles, only to be afterwards matured by Napoleon. It obtained by a sacrifice of the immutable was the Convention which organized principles of truth and virtue-yet the the public libraries, the school of health, Institute no longer numbers him amongst of the mines, of the oriental languages, its members! Such has been the decree of Louis XVIII.; how reasonable and how just, your readers will judge from the following authentic narrative.

the conservatory of arts and trades, and of all the great scientific establishments, the principal of which was the Institute.

What eternal obligations do the learnedworld owe to the skill and conduct of M. Gregoire, and religion and humanity owe not less. On the 15th of November, 1792, he, to save the king, demanded in the Convention the abolition of the punishment of death, and that Louis XVI. should be the first to receive the benefit of that law.

When, in the commencement of the revolution, the French found themselves assailed by external confederacies, and internal enemies, they indignantly destroyed every thing that reminded them of oppression, or endangered their darling liberties; in their inconsiderate zeal, they resolved on the destruction of all the seats of learning, particularly the academies which had shewn such blind devotion to When in the midst of the cries of aposroyalty, and become the incessant flatter- tacy in 1793, M. Gregoire entered the ers of power, whatever direction it assu- Convention and saw numbers of dastard med. M. Gregoire interposed in behalf ly priests abjuring their religion, he was of the academies, but nothing less than compelled to ascend the tribune to abjure, their destruction would be accepted by a as they termed it, his "infamous religion;' minority in the patriotic National Con- because it was the avowed religion of vention. M. Gregoire, feeling how im- the enemies of the French republic: deportant it was to preserve the seats of struction stared him in the face, but,

firm in his principles, he was not dis- the punishments that despotism can inmayed. In the most bold and im- flict; but it may not be amiss to shew, pressive language, he expressed himself with what impunity some powers can as follows: trample on all laws and established forms, when vengeance or caprice directs their actions.

"I enter here with but vague notions of what passed before my arrival. I am told of sacrifices to the country: I am The Institute was created by a solemn habituated to them. Is the question- law, a law recognized by Louis XVIII. attachment to the cause of liberty? I have on his ascending the throne; yet the Ingiven my proofs. Of the revenue attach- stitute, as well as the Polytechnic School, ed to the quality of bishop? I abandon which M. Gregoire also laboured to form, it to you without regret. Is it religion? have been decomposed and modified by This is beyond your domain, and you a royal ordinance. Now, if such an orhave no right to attack it. You speak of dinance have the power to abrogate or fanaticism and superstition: I have al- modify, laws, the whole of the legislative ways combated them,-define the words system may be overturned or changed, and you will find them diametrically op- at the pleasure of the king; a position posite to true religion. which despotism itself dare not avow.

"As to myself, a Christian from con- The illustrious Mongez, the inventor viction and sentiment, and a priest by of descriptive geometry, and who has choice, I have been selected by the peo- formed so many learned pupils; Mongez, ple to be a bishop; but it is not from it one of the most laborious members of the nor you I hold my mission. I consent- Institute, has been excluded, as it is ed to bear the burthen of episcopacy, said, because he is a married priest. And when it was surrounded with dangers. yet Talleyrand remains a member, though was tormented to accept it. I am now he is a married bishop, and does not even tormented to lay it down this I will attend at the sittings.

I

not do. I have endeavoured to do good GARAT, too, he is expelled! he who in my diocese, in principles which are was crowned by the French academy, dear to me; and I defy you to ravish and, even before the revolution, enjoyed them from me, and I will remain a bishop a high literary reputation.

still to do good."

It

Gregoire, because he is a bishop asserHe boldly invoked freedom of wor- menti, (who took an oath as a bishop to ship, and received from the tribunes ap- the Convention.) Now it happens, that plauses which were echoed by all France: M. Gregoire was the protector of those he was, indeed, insulted and outraged who would not take the oaths when they by the Convention; but, three weeks were proscribed and persecuted. after having refused his demand, public was he to whom the priests imprisoned opinion, which he had so strongly shaken, at Rochefort, in a place similar to the compelled the Convention to grant it, Black hole at Calcutta, owed their denotwithstanding the speech of Boissy liverance. D'Anglas, which deprecated every form of worship.

What ought to have been the conduct of those retained? Ought they not to It was Gregoire and the friends of have instantly resigned their seats, or Gregoire, who procured the abolition of made strong remonstrances,- -or at least the slave-trade in France; and numerous refused to nominate to the places vacant are his eloquent writings on this subject. by decree, or have re-elected those exIt was a question during the revolution pelled. What have they done? Nothing. to proscribe the Jews; this M. Gregoire They had not even the courage to state, victoriously opposed," We may de- in their proces verbal, their regret at plore their errors, (said he,) but let us losing their estimable colleagues. The never forget that they are men." Such Institute, at this moment, might have beare a few of the public claims of M. Gre- come a bulwark of opinion, and have goire on the gratitude of the lovers of gained immortal honour in the eyes of the liberty, the friends of humanity, and the learned world. VERITAS. learned world. His soul is beyond all

Cambridge; May 22, 1816.

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