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THE

EUROPEAN MAGAZINE,

AND

LONDON REVIEW,

FOR JANUARY 1807.

MEMOIR OF THE LATE DUKE OF BRUNSWICK.
[WITH A PORTRAIT.]

Dbours, it has never happened, that

URING the long course of our la

we have been called upon to execute a task more melancholy than this which the contemplation of the annexed Portrait imposes upon us.

Almost from infancy, has the fame of this hero of the House of Brunswick made a strong impression upon our minds; his character was among the earliest of our school predilections: we have, in idea, followed him since the year 1758, through the various events of the wars in which he has been engaged, and, in the former part of this period, have, with an ardour concomitant to youth, sympathized in his misfortunes, and rejoiced in his success.

Happy were we then to observe, gratified are we even now to reflect, that our attachment to the House of Brunswick, and to its heroic scion, the hereditary Prince, was not a particular predilection; the whole country expressed the same sentiment; and wheresoever the name of his uncle, PRINCE FERDINAND, was mentioned, that of the young hero was combined, as a sharer in the general applause which the brilliant career of victory that almost constantly attended the unparalleled exertions of the combined armies at that period, so frequently elicited.

We can well remember, when the people crowded to behold the portrait of this young Prince, as it was exhibited in our print shops; and still retain the idea of his person, when he resided in SOMERSET-HOUSE, a short time before his marriage with the lovely PRINCESS AUGUSTA, who was as much the idol of the country for her benignity and beauty, as he was for his courage and liberality.

It is not, as we have at first observed, a pleasing circumstance to remember these things; because, connected with recent events, they only serve to torture the mind, to excite the tear of sensibility, and to show us how closely greatness is allied to affliction.

No marriage could have been celobrated under more benigu auspices, than that to which we have alluded; no persons could have been happier in each other; no sovereigns could have been more beloved by their subjects, than the Duke and Duchess of Brunswick; yet, perhaps, few conjugal ties have had a more unfortunate dissolution.

It is not the purpose of this slight sketch, to revive the feelings of the public, if they have for a moment subsided, nor to add fresh stimulations to the woe of individuals; too keenly dỏ we sympathize with the one, and too profoundly do we venerate the other: we shall, therefore, having introduced the portrait of the late DUKE OF BRUNSWICK, which will, in its descent to posterity, gather respect far superior to any with which our feeble powers could endue it, conclude this memoir with a few brief notices of the eventfal history of its original.

It is here unnecessary to contemplate the illustrious and ancient family of Brunswick from its founder Azo, of the house of ESTE, who died in 1055. It may be sufficient for our present purpose to state, that by the marriage of HENRY V. surnamed the Lion, with Maude, the eldest daughter of HENRY II. of England, it became not only connected with the NORMAN, but traced the Saxon MoNARCHS in its line. ERNEST, DUKE OF BRUNSWICK, who died in 1546, divided the family into the two branches of

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WOLPENBUTTEL and ZELL. Of the former of which, the hero CHARLES WILLIAM FERDINAND, whom we now lament, was Duke. He was born October 30, 1735, and was the son of CHARLES DUKE OF BRUNSWICK, and a sister of FREDE RICK THE GREAT. Under his uncle PRINCE FERDINAND, as we have already statel, he acquired his military education. In the seven years' war, he commanded the troops of his native country, which composed part of the allied army. Courage is herent in the house of BRUNSwick, but prudence and fortitude are se dom the concomitants of so young a warr.or. Yet these were equally conspicuous in the hereditary Prince, who distinguished himself as much, and obtained applause as universal at HASTEN BUCK and SERGEN, where the lies were defeated, as at CREVELR and MINDEN, where their corts were crowned with victory.

In 1760, he acquired immortal glory, by a retreat to which he was impelled by the ardour of his troops, who, advancing with too much celerity, were disconcerted by the French; in this dilerama, he evinced that coolness of intrepidity which would have done honour to the oldest general: he retired fighting, and was wounded. Scarcely had he recovered, before (in the battle of Klosterkamp,) he was again wounded.

In 1761, he was a sharer in the victories obtained over the French, at WILINGHOUSEN and WARBURG; and also at the battle of JOHANNISBERG, where the enemy is said to have had the advanage. In this contention, he received a third and dangerous wound, in the lower part of his stomach.

The termination of the war, in which he had inade so distinguished a figure, showed the hereditary Prince in a new character. He returned to BRUNSwrox, and, with talents fully adequate to the task assisted his father in the administration of the affairs of his dukedom. On Janua. y 16, 1734, he married the PRINCESS AUGUSTA, the eldest sister of our beloved Sovereign; a union which, es has been observed, seemed to promise the greatest happiness. Equally amiable and munificent. the hereditary Prince and the Princess of Brunswickprotected men of letters, encouraged the arts, and promoted the manufactures of their country. Literary characters, that had, before this period, been in many

1

parts of Germany too much neglected, found in Brunswick a secure asyluin, where, treated with liberality, they enjoyed the utmost personal and mental liberty.

The DUKE OF BRUNSWICK succeeded his father in 1780, yet he still remained on the list of the general officers of the Prussian monarch, and commanded the army destined to the invasion of HoLLAND, in 1787. In this expedition, his high military character did much; the attachment of the populace still more; seconded by the STADTHOLDER, and the friends of the house of ORANGE, the numerous partizans of the French, those traitors to the true interests of their country, whom, we are sorry to observe, were among the higher orders of the DUTCH, shrunk from the treasonable task that they had with such temerity undertaken, and the cause of real liberty, of honour, and of virtue, triumphed.

In the year 1792, we are to behold the Duke again in the field, commander of that army, which was designed to counteract the infuriate operations of a nation bent upon TREASOx and Mun

DER.

In the plan of this excursion into France, there was a combination of the best principles that can animate the human system; it was at once generous, noble, liberal, and humane; it was intended to save a ferocious and wretched people, from all those crimes, from all those frantic ebullitions, which the insidious arts of interested and ambitious demagogues, were then in the very act of exciting, and from all those horrors, which their own sanguinary dispositions have brought upon them.

It is too much the custom of the world, to judge of and appreciate circumstances by their success. Had this expedition terminated in the manner which the exalted philanthropy of its plan most assuredly merited, it would have been recorded as the greatest event that ever adorned the page of ancient or modern history: thai it did not, is at this moment to be lamented by EvROPE in general, and by this country in particular.

Herc let us draw the curtain before the disasters that preceded the dissolution of this amiable and excellent Prince the remembrance of them is too recent, to need any stimulation from us; the public grief for his loss, for the distress

of his family, too acute, and the public indignation too universal against the tyrant, that endeavoured to carry revenge beyond the grave, and, with more than savage barbarity, would not, even on the petition of his faithful subjects, who revered his memory, suffer his venerable remains to rest with his ancestors to want any addition. Indeed, we could scarcely find words to express our sensatoas upon this occasion, were it even possible that our feeble powers could Add to the general abhorrence which this total abandonment of every principle and particle of humanity has excited.

From the union of the Duke and Duchess of Brunswick, have arisen several children, viz. George Charles Augustus, the late hereditary Prince, born Febru ary 8, 1766; he was married October 24, 1790, to the Princess Louisa Frederica, daughter of the Prince of Orange, born October 28, 1776; by whom he has left a son, born October, 1804. Princess Caroline Elizabeth, born May 17, 1768; married April 8, 1795, to his Royal Highness George Prince of Wales. Prince George William Christian, born June 27, 1779; and Princess Augusta, born August 18, 1770.

M.

ANECDOTE of POPE SIXTUS V. and the PRINCESS CAMILLA.

W

E have, in this age, from a most strange perversion in the order of things, seen, by the varied rotations of the wheel of fortune, some of the highest characters degraded, and some of the towest elevated. We have seen many of the metaphorical extravagancies exhibited in a coarse bat moral print, entitled, "The World turned upside down." We have, indeed, seen and heard of more instances of mutability in these respects, than we have any pleasure in speculating or descanting upon; we therefore wish to turn our retrospective attention to the contemplation of a character, to which we have formerly alluded, and which involves the consideration of a man, who soared to the acme of ecclesiastical and princely elevation, upon the wings of a great deal of merit, and a little hypocrisy.

SIXTUS the fifth, when he had mounted to the highest pinnacle of the Romish church, by feigning himself scarcely able to drug his limbs up the steps of ST. PETER's, in a short space of time, made such judicious regulations, both spiritual

and political, as at once evinced his fortitude and his wisdom. When he had systematized all matters respecting the holy apostolic sec, he began to turn his attention toward his own family.

His parents, who had been of low condition, were dead; but he had a sister, named Camilla, living, who had three sons. These seemed to be excellent sus jects to convert into a princess, and a most hopeful brood of young princes, that might spread his royal descendants over the Roman, perhaps the European territories. Or this the Cardinals were avare; and as, however greatness may have been acquired, it is always sure to find flatterers, some of those sought out Camilla, who, it has been said, then in habited a romantic cottage, in a small and beautiful village, cailed "The Grottoes," in the marquisate of Ancona; they immediately dressed her, and her sons in the stile, and furnished them with the appendages of royalty, and, highly pleased with what they had done, as they were sure it would procure them the favour of the Pope, were on the point of conducting their protegées to Rome, when a messenger from his Holiness arrived, commanding, that Camilla and her offspring should appear before him in their ordinary apparel.

The Cardinals, their conductors, judging that this was an affectation of humility in Sixtus, which he would be pleased to see dispensed with, proceeded with the Princess and her sons, who were loth to relinquish their newly-acquired finery, to Rome.

When they arrived at the Vatican, the POPE, who from the windows beheld them, was astonished at their train, and still more, when the Princ, ss Camilla and her three sons were announced to him. He, however, in a moment recollected himself, and said, that he had heard of many princesses, but that the name of Camilla was not in his list of royal personages.

One of the Cardina's, thinking that the memory of the good father was more treacherous than it really was, eagerly said, “Surely your lioliness must recollect your sister!"

"recollect

"I do," replied Sixtus, that I had a sister, but she was a washerwoman: therefore, the PRINCESS CAMILLA cannot be that person."

It was to no purpose to endeavour to persuade the Port of her identity; ha persisted, that until he saw Camilla in her proper habit it was impossible for

him to recognize her. In consequence, the Cardinals, crest-fallen at the ill success of their scheme, were obliged to

CONJECTURES respecting PASSAGES and CHARACTERS in BEN JONSON'S ALCHE

MIST.

dress her and her sons in their ordinary To the Editor of the European Magazine. garb.

It happened, that at her second appearance, which was in coarse habiliments, the Papal Court was in high gala, Sixtus was sitting in his chair of state, surrounded by the dignitaries of the church, foreign princes, ambassadors, and Italian nobiity; yet, as soon as he saw his sister and her three sons enter, he descended from his throne, and, embracing them, said, "Welcome, my dear relatives, I glory seeing you approach me ju the garb of virtuous poverty, and now perfectly recognize my Camilla, and am deghted with her promising offspring. You, my dear sister, shall now share with me in my exaltation; but, perkaps, when you reflect upon the peace and happiness that resided in the vicinity of Mosiatio, you will find little reason to congratulate yourself on your change of situation! These officious Carduals," he continued, “who, had I been so disposed, would not have suffered me to keep my domestic affairs secret, hardly mesit my thanks. They prematurely created you a princess, a dignity which my sense of propriety obliged me to anmul. I now restore to you that title; at the same time, I am almost tempted to endue them with one, that might mark any displeasure, that any persons should dare to make a PRINCESS in my family, except myself.

M.

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SIR,

is a remark that seems to have escaped even the sagacity of the SPECTATOR, in his humorous disquisition respecting signs, that many of the eccentricities, and enormities, which used to impend over our heads, arose from a circunstance common in the reigns of Elizabeth and James, and which had not entirely worn out, even at the beginning of the last century; namely, that when a young tradesman was about to open a shop, he deemed it absolutely necessary to consult the cunning man, with regard to the setting up a lucky or thriving sign; this, like liansel, &c. was among the superstitions of petty traffic, and is alluded to by SUBTLE, in the ALCHEMIST, who says to ABEL DRUGGER, in the scene where this absurdity is most admirably ridiculed,

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ATownsman born in Taurus gives the BULL, Or the BuT'S READ. In Aries the RAM. A poor device."

He then goes on to state, to Captain Face:

"He shall have A BELL, that's Abel;
And by it standing one whose name is DEE,
In a Rug gown; there's D. and Rug, that's
Aud right anenst him a dog snarling Er;
Drug;
There's Drugger, ABEL DRUGGER. That's
his sign.
And here's now Mystery and Hieroglyphic!"

In considering this passage, it has occurred to me, that this string of abominable and abortive PUNS, could not, even in the reign of James, have been tolerated on the stage, (although some apparently as senseless, were in other places,) if they had not conveyed some meaning, some local, or temporary allusion, which, although now obliterated, was probably felt and enjoyed by a large majority of the audience. Nothing delights a conjectural critic more than what the moderns call a puttle. BEx, whose sterling sense and wit make us blush at seeing what we see," was also equally keca and correct. He we may well believe, intuitively caught the manners of the age, and, in most instances, faithfully pourtrayed them.

The fashion of smoking, as it was

were conse

ye', was, among the gallants of the
imes, deemed an accomplishment. The
shops of Tobacconists
quently a kind of Smoking Academies,
where the dashing youths qualified them-
selves, in order that they might appear
with credit at the ordinaries* ; there-
fore I have no doubt but that ABEL
DRUGGER was the personal represen-
tative of, at that time, a well known
tobacconist living at the sign of the
BELL, and that the interior of his shop,
his utensils, his

-"fine Lilly-pots, that, open'd,
Smell like conserve of Rosesor French Beans;
His Maple Block, his Silver Tongs,
Winchester pipes and fire of Juniper;
formed a correct picture of still life.
Having done with the shop, I return
to the sign of the bell;

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That Frederick, Count Palatine, married Elizabeth, sister of Charles I, and by her had issue, Frederick Henry,

And by it standing one whose name is Dee drowned in 1629, in the fifteenth year In a Rug goten.

The absurdity of placing one of the name of Dee upon a sign, except the figure was labeled, or the portrait known, could not have escaped the observation of Ben: In the first instance it struck me; but upon consideration it seems to have a meaning, such as I should suppose to be congenial to the ideas of the poet, and its ridicule to be pointed at the famous Dr. Dee. whom it is probable Jonson contemplated, as the prototype of Subtle, and who, it appears from his portrait, wore the dress that he has described +: whether he meant by the "DOG snarling Er," to allude to his coadjutor KELLY, who was, it is most likely, the CAPTAIN FACE of the Alchemist, and of whom it was actually believed, that he had the Protean power of transforming Himself into a variety of shapes, human

Camden, in his annals of Elizabeth, says, that, to the best of his knowledge, the first Tobacco seen in England was brought from Virginia (by Sir Walter Raleigh, 1583); and he observes, that in a few years afterwards, Tobacco Tucerns, (or smoking houses,) were as common in London as Beer houses, or Wine taverns.

+ Cotton Cart. Antiq. xiv. 1. In this, which is his pedigree, the learned sage calls himself Johannes Dee, Philosophus, and makes hituself Cousin to the Queen; at the

bottom is a small whole length drawing of

him in a Fur Gown.

British Museum,

of his age, Charles, Charles Louis, Elizabeth, Louisa, and Sophia; conse eldest surviving son, Rupert, Maurice, quently nephews and nieces to Charles I.

Respecting Sir Christopher Wren, no doubt but Mr. Elmes will make use of those valuable scraps from the European Magazine, improperly denominated Drossiana. He will find that there is a collection of several volumes of Architect, in All Souls College, Oxford. the original drawings of that great And he is informed, that in a sale of drawings, &c. (Dr. H. thinks,) belonging to Charles Rogers, Esq. which were den Square, in 1799 or 1800, there were sold by auction, by Mr. Philips, of Golseveral pen-and-ink outlines of the principal Churches in Londen, by Sir Christopher. Dr. Ward, in his Lives of the sive on the article WREN. Gresham Professors," is very exten

In addition to the account of Mr. Cooke, Dr. H. begs to subjoin an anecdote highly creditable to the philanthropy of Mr. Cooke, which has come since, Mr. Cooke employed a person to his knowledge.--About four years in a street near Covent Garden, as his hair-dresser, on account of his family. he had neglected attendance, at which It happened that for several mornings

family, used, it is said, to personate an Angel. * Laski, a young Polander of a noble

Doll Common, the Queen of Fairies, was at. first performed by a youth.

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