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SUPERCILIOUS PRIDE.
People; for these many years, haye often been pleased to
say; that philosophers and authors were’ guilty of the* Frenctr
Revolution ; that to me is‘almost the same’as saying; that the
glow-worm is guilty of setting Vesuvius on fire. ereis not
the: place* to: criticise’ further thereon ; but one-of the many
causes of that dreadful revolution was certainly the supercilious
pride of the French nobility. What honour-loving’ man, and
moreover what officer’s heart will not bol, when he reads how
«# Monsieur de: la Robordiere, an officer of artillery, was once
treated by a. Count de Rogent; marshal of France, &c. &c.
and yet was prosecuted into the bargain.
« The advantage,” then said’ M. de la Robordiere, “appears
really to be wholly on the side of my-adversary.. He, a man of
high birth, surrounded. with the splendour of the highest’ mili-
tary dignities, I, a: youth, who has‘ no other’ merit‘ than the
desire to distinguish himself in. the service of his king: so it
really was an inducement for people to believe him on-his mere
word, and to suppose me guilty of a youthful indiscretion.
Yet let me not be condenmed unheard.—The Count de Rogent
did me the honour to invite. me on’ the 9th. of November to
dinner... Besides myself, his little court’ consisted’ of the Cass
tellan, the procurator Fiscal, and his wife; acertain Demoiselle,
Beausergent, and a capuchin, who was the’ almoner to the
: In the course of:conversation, it pleased the count’ to
scoff at all the nobility-in the neighbourhood, more particularly
at a. Monsieur de la Bachelerie; with whom I am related:
* Would you believe it,’ said. the count, ‘ that.this Chevalier
de la Bachelerie, had the impertinence to send a beggar to m:
door to: demand. my: daughter’ in. marriage ?’—(under this
beggar he meant. an Irish nobleman, who certainly was’ very
poor; but of a good old family:) Scarce was the last word out
of the count’s mouth, than the whole company (myself excepted )
as in duty bound,. were struck with astonishment. ‘Ah,
Monseigneur !. is that possible?’ The castellan compassionately
shrugged his shoulders over the poor devil de la Bachelerie; the
fiscal asserted that.such.a circumstance was a real injury, for
which Monseigneur could bring the man-to an account. As a
proof he cited the French practice; in which injuries in thought,
word, and deed, were divided. e wife of the fiscal’ begged
the-count to attend to what her dearest said, for he understood
it to the. very bottom. Demoiselle Beausergent perked’ up her
mouth,-squinted at Mademoiselle Rogent, and whispered, ‘that
Jove had made her so perfectly beautiful, that she deserved: to
have a chevalier, but no Chevalier de la Bacheliere.’- The
capuchin allowed, against his will, the fork to rest for'a moment,
to remark, that such a horrible affront flowed from the danger=
ous innovations, and. quoted a passage in Tertullian to that
effect :. ‘Si oneri impar, cur tam ambitiosus?’- J, in the mean
time, sat perfectly quiet, and the situation in which I found
tayself, would. have moved. me imperceptibly: to suffer the
leaden arrow, which they were pressing on my relation, to re-
bound in my own bosom ; but it pleased the count, at last, to
turn. to: me with the question: ‘What did I think of it?’
Unfortunately I had been just reading an opera of Quinault’s.
smiled, and answered: ‘ Love has: even sometimes: united
the sceptre with the shepherd’s’ crook.’ ‘ Love, love,’ replied
the count, violently, ‘ garrison chatting nonsense! drink your
winz-and swallow your folly.’ At the word' folly ‘I fixed m
eyes on Count Rogent,. but had still. power enough over myself,
merely modestly to declare, that I did not’ believe: I had said
anything offensive. _ ‘ You are’an impudent’ fellow !” said’ he,
“a little fool! Go from my table, and never dare to appear
before my face again!” T leaped up, threw down my: chair,
and quitted the house, in what emotion may’ easily be con-
ceived. ‘I ran the whole afternoon about the public walks,
without knowing what I did, nor what I would do: Towards
five o'clock in the evening; accident so ordered it that I met the
count; his lady was about twenty paces before him, accom-
panied by her chamber-maid, I saluted ber respectfully, and
passed on with my hat in: my hand to’ the count, who was
surrounded by anglers and servants, for he was going a fishing,
Half lightly I said to him, ‘ his beiaviour towards such a man
as I) was; had thrown me into the utmost astonishment, and’ on
more mature reflection, I hoped he would acknowledge he’ was
wrong.’ ‘I, wrong!’ he exclaimed; in the meantime he
rebounded. three paces backwards: ‘I wrong, towards such a
man asyou are! A man like you, the grandson of a charcoal
burner, and a farrier !’ To which I made no reply ; for I de-
spised his abuse, and continued my w: Tle now accused me,
at I moreover had been. deficient’ in proper respect to him.
And what have I then done? Because a youth believed that
love sometimes drew different conditions in closer union, he isa
fool and. an impudent fellow. When he very gently represents,
that he is not deserving of: such treatment, he is the son of a
charcoal burner, My ancestors may have been what they will;
T am an officer, and wear the king’s sword. Would you have
believed it, the elevated confusion of the noble count’s mind
was not yet over! A few days after the foregoing scene, the
capuchin came to me, and exhorted me to give the Count of
Rogent satisfaction. ‘1! hem!’ I exclaimed. But, but,’
said he, amicably grinning,’ ‘ but be not so warm. Heaven be
thanked the affair is arranged. There,—look ye,—subscribe
this paper.’ I took it, and my astonishment may well be sup~
posed! The contents were as follow:
«<¢To the very high, and very’powerful Lord, my gracious
master, Count Rogent-le-Roi, general lieutenant, former gover-
* nor of the province of Auvergne, heir, liege, and lawful Lord
of, &e. &e. Ke.
Most gracious Lord,—TI acknowledge, that I sillily, and
from false vanity, to my misfortune, have been deficient in my
roper respect towards you. I repent it, and most obsequiously
bee your pardon. I know that it is in your power most severely
to punish me, but I entreat you most submissively to forget the
T™moment when my reason’ was confused ; an supplicate for
permission to throw myself at your feet, and by m pre:
pentance and everlasting agony, to obtain your generous pardon,
T am also willing to repeat all this before a notary.”
“You mayreadily believe that I, after reading this supercilious
nonsense, answered the capuchin : “It was not of mine; but a
confusion of his understanding that was to be perceived, and
‘that he and; his scandalous proposition might go to the d—I.’
What officer in my situation would not have done the same?
es, perhaps much more. And yet the count has laid an
accusation against me. He demanded satisfaction for all the
injuries he had done me. He desired nothing less, than that
“1 should be banished from every place, where he should happen
to be ;” and if it was easy for him to inhabit the whole world, |
must moreover—I '
so must I be turned out of the world. I
must intreat for pardon in a written document. I mast acknow-
ledge that I lurked for him in a hollow way, as if I was an
assassir. At last I must also give @ thousand dollars to the}
“town hospital. This was indeed demanding a little too much,
for the littl pleasure I enjoyed in being allowed to say an im-
pertinence. ‘The judge and the public must decide from whom
it is proper to demand satisfaction.”
FRANKLIN'S MISCELLANY.
Thus far M. de la Robordiere.. A candidly minded reader
may suppose, that the count was driven from the tribunal with
disgrace and derision. By no. means. . It is true he did not
gain his suit (for that was’ absolutely impossible); but the
defendant was merely pronounced at liberty, and moreover,
condemned to pay half the costs. The connt was only not held
to any’satisfaction, but the poor injured officer must: ever
half the expenses of the process. en such. scenes often took
place in former France—and in effect they very often happened,
why should farther reasons still be sought for, which exasperated
honour-loving minds? Even Bonaparte was formerly an officer
of arti
5
THE. LATE SIR PULTENEY MALCOLM..
It is‘with regret that we have to announce’ the demise of one
of the best and bravest officers of the service, Admiral’ Sir Pul-
teney Malcolm, G.C.B. and G.C.M.G., who recently’ died. at
East Lodge, Enfield, in the seventy-first year of his‘age: The
gallant: Admiral had been for some time past in a declining state
of health, arising probably from the combined ‘effects of age,
and long and severe service. e was born Feb; 20, 1768; at
Douglanj near Langholm, on the. Scottish: border, of which
place his father, Mr. Robert’ Malcolm, was minister:
tered the naval service Oct. 20, 1778, as midshipman on board
the Sybille frigate; commanded by his maternal’ uncle, the: late
Sir Thomas Pasly,; whom he accompanied. to the Cape of: Good
Hope. On his return, they were both removed’ to the Jupiter,
50 guns, which formed a part of the squadron under Commo.
dore Johnson, in‘ the affair at Porto Prayo; and at the capture of
a-fleet of Dutch-Indiamen in Saldanha Bay: In 1782} the Ju-
iter conveyed Admiral Pigot’ to. his’ command: in‘ the West
Tndies ; and Mr, Malcolm, after’ serving several months: with
that officer, was by him promoted to. the rank of Lieutenant,
March 3rd, 1783. During the ensuing’ peace he was employed
on various stations in the: Scipio, Pegasus; Bellerophon; and
Vengeance, and-at the commencement of the revolutionary war
we find him serving’as Lieutenant of the Penelope; of 32’guns,
at Jamaica. In that ship- he assisted at the capture of the In~
constant, frigate, and Geelon; corvette, both of which he’ con-
ducted’ in safety to Port Royal. He also: commanded the boats
of the Penelope in several severe conflicts, and’ succeeded’ in
catting out several vessels from: the ports of St. Domingo, Mr.
Malcolm’s next ship was the Europa, of 50 guns, bearing: the
flag of Rear-Adimiral Ford, by whom he was made a commander
in the Jack Tar, April 3rd, 1794.. When Cape Nichola Mole
was taken possession of by the British, at the invitation of the
French Royalists, he had the direction of the seamen and ma-
rines landed to garrison that place.
On his return to: England, in October of the same year; Capt.
Malcolm, was advanced ' to: post’ rank,* and’ was, nsuing
month, appointed to the Fox frigate: ‘In 1795, he escorted a
fleet of merchantmen to the Mediterranean, after which he went
to Quebec. We next find himconveying a fleet to the West
Indies,-on which station he captured La Modeste, of 20: guns.
In 1797, the Fox was: employed in the China seas, under: the
orders of Captain Cooke, of the Sybille, on which station she
displayed great activity. After an’ unsuccessful attempt on
Sambangen, on the island of Majendiano, and the loss of several
of their men, the Sybille and ¥ox went together to China. It
was in’ the course of this year that. the Duke of Wellington,
then Colonel Wellesley, of the 33rd, took a passage with Capt.
Malcolm in the: Fox to Bengal: “On June 18th, 1798,.Captain
Malcolm’ was appointed to command the Suffolk, of 74 guns,
bearing the flag of Vice-Admiral Ranier; Commander-in. Chief
in the Indian seas, He afterwards removed with the same
officer into the Victorious, where he continued to serve as his
flag captain’ during the remainder of the war. In January,
1804, Captain Malcolm was appointed to the Royal Sovereign,
whence he removed into the Kent, 74, attached to the eet un-
der the command of Lord Nelson. On the: 16th of March,
1805, Captain Malcolm was appointed.to the Donegal, in which
he accompanied his gallant chief in his memorable pursuit of
the combined squadrons of France and Spain to the West In-
dies. On his return fron thence’ to the Channel he was sent
under Sir Robert Calder to reinforce Admiral Collingwood, off
Cadiz, where we find him when Nelson:arrived from England
to resume his former command.
On the 17tl Oct. 1805, four days previous to the decisive
battle of Trafalgar, the Donegal being short of water, and, in
consequence of the extraordinary length of time she had been
kept at sea, greatly in need of a refit, was ordered to Gibraltar.
On the 20th, Captain Malcolm received information that the
‘enemy's fleets were quitting Cadiz. His ship was then in the
mole nearly dismantled; but, by the greatest exertions, he
succeeded in getting her out before night, and on the 23rd joined
Vice-Admiral Collingwood: in time’ to capture: EI Rayo, a
Spanish three-decker, forming part of the division under Admi-
ral Gravina, which on its return to port.after the battle just
alluded to, had’ been immediately ordered’ to sea again for the
purpose of attempting the rescue of some of the disabled prizes.
Captain Malcolm’s conduct obtained the unqualified approba-
tion of Nelson’s successor. negal remained off Cadiz
under the orders of Sir T, Duckworth, until the close of 1805,
when she accompanied that officer to the West Indies in quest
of'a French squadron that had stiled for that quarter.’ The
result of the battle fought off St. Domingo, is too well known to
render’ it necessary to refer to it more particularly in this place.
The Donegal had 18 men killed, and 33 wounded. After the
battle, she proceeded to Port Royal with her prizes, and thence
to England: On their return, the ships were dispersed by a
heavy gale, Captain Malcolm, however, aware of the defec-
tive: condition of one of the’ prizes,.Le Brave, 7, kept
close to her, and it was fortunate: he' did so; for when. the
weather moderated she was found, in addition to having lost
her masts, to have ten feet.water‘in her hold. As there
seemed no prospect of saving her, he removed with great diffi-
culty the crew and’ then abandoned her.~ On his arrival in
England Captain: M. was honoured with a gold medal for his
conduct at St. Domingo, and, in common with tHe otlier
officers, received the thanks of parliament. Fe was also pre-
sented with a splendid sword by the Patriotic Fund. In the
of 1808, Captain Malcolm escorted the army under Sir
Arthur Wellesley from Cork to Portugal.
The Donegal (the disvipline of which although perfect, was
80 entirely free from severity that it obtained the sobriquet
among sailors of the ‘happy Donegal”) was subsequently
attached to the Channel fleet, under the command of Lord
Gambier, and after the memorable defeat of the French ships
in Aix Roads, April 11 and 12, 1809, Captain Malcolm was
entrusted with the command of a squadron, and subsequently
commanded the blockade of Cherbourg, on which station the
ships under bis orders captured a number of French privateers ;
and on one occasion drove three frigates on shore, near Cape
La Hogue; but the protection afforded them by the batteries
rendered it impossible to attempt their destruction with any
chance of success,
331
On the Donegal’ being paid off in 1811; Captain Malcolm
was appointed to the Royal Oak, a new 74, im whic! .
tinued off Cherbourg until March 1, 1812, whem he removed
into the San Josef, 110 guns, as Captain of the Charmel fleet,
under Lord Keith, which honourable post he held; occasionally
commanding a detached squadron, until June I, 1814, when
he hoisted his flag- in: the Royal Oak, and proceeded’ with a
body of troops, under’ Brigadier-General Ross, from’ Bor-
deaux to North America. ~ - .
nafter his. arrival in: that quarter, he accompanied' Sir
Alexander Cochrane on an expedition up: the Chesapeake, and
regulated the collection, debarkation, and re-embarkation of the
troops, &¢:, employed: against’ Washington: and: Baltimore; a
service requiring indefatigable efforts; and’ which he performed
in a manner that called forth the warmest acknowledgments of
the Commander-in-Chief..
In the attempt made upon New Orleans,_ 18
and’ January, 1815, by the naval” and military forces under
Alexander Cochrane and: Major General Pakenhams. Sir Pul-
teney superintended the disembarkation of the Army, and the
yarious services performed by the boats in conjunction with it.
The manner in which he executed these duties may be gathered
from the official despatches: relative to that event, wherein Sir
Alexander says, “ It is a duty that I fulfil with much pleasure,
assuring their Lordships that Rear-Admiral Malcolm's zeal
and exertions upon every occasion could not be surpassed by
anyone.” He was afterwards employed at the siege of Fort
Boyer, on Mobile point, the surrender of which by capitulation,
on the 14 'eb.,. terminated the war between: Great! Britain
and the United States.of America. bes had te
At the extension of the Order of the Bath: into threa classea,
Jan, 2, 1815, Rear-Admiral Malcolm was nominated a-K. C..Bs,-
and upon his arrival in England, hostilities against. France hav-
ing been renewed’ in consequence of the return of. Napoleon
Buonaparte from Elba, he was appointed’ Commandér-in-Chief
of the naval force ordered to co-operate witlr the Duke of’ Wel
lington and the allied armies, on: which service‘ he: continued
till after the final restoration of the Bourbons... “; *
Sir Pulteney Malcolm struck his flag Feb.. 26,1815; and a
few days afterwards had. the gratification. to receive a hi
complimentary letter from the Duke of Wellington. |. , |
ir Pulténey was afterwards appointed to- the: important
office of Commander-in-Chief on the St. Helena station, where
he continued from: the spring of 1816, until towards the latter
end of the following year... During the peace, Sir Pulteney has
held. important commands ; the ‘ourt years: since,
Commander-in-Clief in the Mediterranean ;° was advanced to
the rank of Vice-Admiral;, July 19, 1821; Admiral,. Jan. 10,
1837; also the following orders—Knight Grand Cross of the
Order of the Bath, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St.
Michael’ and’ St. George, and Knight Grand’ Cross (foreign) of
the Order of the Saviour. Sir Pulteney was am officer: possess-
ing great bravery and. natural attainments;.a:zealous'and enter-
prising mind; a kind officer and friend ; and has: died univer~
sally regretted by his profession... gf ease?
Lt,
Sir
tor nf
GENTLEMEN'S NIGHT CAPS.. :
It is a matter of serious regret, that among. all the specu-
lating vagaries of this speculative age, no projector has devoted
his attention to the improvement of gentlemen’s night caps.
Tn the range of fashion we find Parisian frizears gi
curly eleganceand grace to the beads of the whole metropolis, im-
parting gravity to the barrister, and solemnity te-the divine. Silk-
worms have spun . “ Bang-ups””
to shade the shoulders of her. Majesty’s subjects;
but nothing, alas! nothing has been done to give even a tole-
rable. appearance to gentlemen’s night caps: °
Reader, after a rout, a ball, or’ a snug little friendly party,
whien you! had made yourself agreeable ‘to the female’ part of
the company, and they, by receiving’ your attentions, had given
ne
reason’ to suppose yow were a. tolerable looking
fellow,. have , you,—after” having -..1-ft. - . be-
il ee moments. of. undressing, by, thii on
guiled the. thre inking
M‘Alpine and his curling irons—have. you, reader,ever. before =~
popping the extinguisher on.the candle, ventured a look in the
glass near which it stands? If so, O my God ! you have felt the
horrors of these abominable night caps. wn eee
I could endure a last year’s: shape beaver! F might’ wear a
“Biron” when “ Sovereigns were the ga;'I could even put up
with the rusty refuse of modish 1826, aye, with the skull cap,
porringer, any thing; for they are all’ becoming aad elegant,
compared with the. most tolerable night cap. at
resent there is a most unaccountable similarity in these
“encirclers of our slumbering senses,” there being but three
patterns, and these are so decided in their cut, as almost to
stand their own godfathers; they may be: respectively named
“« The Tyburn,” “ The Shroud Chin.stay,” and “My Grand.
mother.” Rey ste
The “Tyburn” is. certainly the. least. exceptionable in ap.
pearance; I. admire the tassel at the. top, and think there is
something, pleasing and degagé about it altogether, but to a
“nervous gentleman” like myself, it is somewhat annoying ‘to
be reminded of a culprit’s last scene, just as I‘ think of compos-
ing myself to sleep, and’ to have the death-cap perpetually Ente
ing over my eyes as I say my prayers—zounds!' I always ex-
pect, before I come to “ Amen,” to féel.:the jerk of the trap-door;
my dreams.run of last dying speeches, as if I kept a Newgate
calendar under my pillow ;, the very breakfast bell is magnified
into the toll of St. Sepulchre’s, and I cannot persuade myself I
shall ever eat buttered toast again until [ have flung my “Ty
urn” to the other end of the room: <' *’
The “Shroud Chin-stay” is not a whit better—to have one’s
under jaw supported by the mob of a night-cap ! of what can
it remind us? © My old tutor used to reconcile it by remarking
that, ‘ somnus similis morti,” but I see nothing in this to recon.
cile the. “ Shroud Chin-stay.” Ltisia fact. a gross attempt. to
frighten us out of out lives, by a premature display of. these
post obits... , :
Nothing now remains to be chosen but “ My Grandmother,”
and this to a vain young fellow like me, is out of the question.
Macheath might reconcileus to the “Tyburn,” and strong nerves
enable us to endure the ‘Shroud Chin-stay,” but wno would
risk his reputation of virility, by appearing before a female for
one moment in “ My Grandmother.” Ihave heard of laughable
adventures occasioned by them to nocturnal wanderers, su
as masters of families being mistaken for chambermaids, and
footmen for maiden aunts, but neither these jokes, or ten years’
maternal reasoning, have succeeded in inducing me to assimi-
late the head dresses of myself and female ancestors... In fact,
as the least of the three evils, I have chosen the “ Tyburn,” but
would: really consider the improver of gentlemen’s night-caps,
as conferring an obligation on me individually, independent of
the claims such a moderniser would have on the public, and as
a first rate inducement to female projectors, Y' hereby engage
to surrender‘one of my pillows to any little enchantress, who
shalt devise a tolerably shaped night cap’ in which I’ may lay
my head on the other, RR RR.
$$
and ‘“ Sovereigns’” to enrich the =
\
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