"missions of 206 individuals have been recorded, 115 of them voluntary, and without "consideration. "The above returns do not include manumissions by will, which may fairly be "considered as adding one-third to the number; but it is very difficult to discover the number really manumitted by will, as, in some cases, conditions are annexed which are never "fulfilled; sums are left for the purpose, which cannot afterwards be realized; and the "judgment debts against estates too frequently more than cover the whole; in addition "to this, many will manumissions are afterwards confirmed by deeds, which are included "in the foregoing statements." This statement proves that there existed no necessity for the enactment of any measure of the kind, and is strikingly illustrative of the ill effects to be apprehended from that which is now in question. A jealousy has already begun to exist between the Masters and the Slaves, which has operated in inducing the former to be less ready than heretofore in the granting of voluntary manumission. The Slaves must feel this; and hence begins the discord, which, if suffered to extend, must involve the Colonies in ruin and desolation. ANACREONTIC EPIGRAMS. If to-morrow I shall live, Little know I, less I think; This I do know, I shall drink. All the world in this combine, APHORISMS. Whenever I read an Auctioneer's Catalogue, I am always reminded of the speech which Socrates once made on going through a market, "How much there is here, which a reasonable man can "do without." The most important part of man's existence is that which is influenced by Love, True love is the parent of true virtue; nothing evil can exist with it. It is a child of heaven, and leads to heaven. While all the conquests of the understanding can only give a joyless consciousness of the infinity yet understood, love produces a fullness of enjoyment which is analogous to eternity, and a proof of it. Even in an unhappy attachment, there is a feeling of ennobling delight which makes its sorrows dear. In our days, the Temple of Hymen borders too closely on the burying-place of Love. Remembrances of childhood are like the tones of an Eolian harp, which do not possess the power and the perfect accords of harmony, but rather entices us to imagine them. DAIRY OF AN M. P. November 10.-Stevens's. Arrived yesterday morning: travelled all night; average nine miles and a half an hour, including stops; fair going, slept little. Great bore to break off in the midst of the best hunting season, within my groom's recollection, to vote for a damned indemnity bill, whatever that means; but this is the devil of being dubbed M. P. Mem. To meet Mr. Canning at dinner to morrow. 11. Most mortifying to be refused the moving of the address after committing Dr. B 's speech to memory, and after all my aunt said to Mr. Peel at his father's. Shall become a violent Oppositionist, that I am resolved upon. Would go to Mr. to dinner. Met Liddell in Piccadilly. He's in great spirits: his wife and all the Ravensworth family come up to hear him spout his maiden speech. Bet 7 to 4 he breaks down the first heat; that will be some consolation to me. He was always a form below me at Harrow. Dropped a card at Sir R- -'s: met Euston at Lady D's; the same bodiless coat and legless top-boots; he's the very image of my cousin Harry's groom: think of him talking to that blue stocking Lady Dof Ariosto and the currency question. Mem. To write home tomorrow for the two petitions of " my constituents" about the corn laws, and my speeches that I forgot in my hurry to dine at 13.-Fatigued and sickish after yesterday; visiting and Cantabing it. Bad champagne at the University Club, and worse Bishop's. Mem. To accompany Ashton at four o'clock to his tailor: had a devilish well-built coat on him. Had a pain in my head from Althorpe's prosing about Political Economy and Purity of Election. Think of Stuart Wortley's glove being fourteen smaller than mine. Dropped into Brooke's on my way down to the House: nobody there: all talking about a Mr. Fysh Pallmer's election; don't care about it: wouldn't subscribe. Great bore this swearing: it should be done by deputy. The oaths are very long and stupid; worse than the A. M. oath: who cares about the Pope or James III. ? I saw the Pope at Rome; he seemed to be a very elegant gentleman. I don't know yet how I am to vote about the Papists: they and the corn laws are the great bores; damn them both, pray I. I wish these oaths were abolished, or, as my friend Peel says of the larceny acts, consolidated. Ordered two coats; Ashton's build. Bet 20 to 10 with Euston to drive my cab from Steeven's to the House in seven minutes. Didn't like the speeches to-day. Sturgess Bourne, of Tremaine notoriety, mumbled his speech most damnably; mouthed it, as Hamlet says: heard he was a sensible man; can't believe it. I Jiked my friend Portman's speech much better. I said a very good thing about the Speaker, forgot the words, but the thought was, that in re-electing him we secured the constant presence of good manners in our proceedings. Euston and Liddell laughed very much; must ask them to dine with me, they are very good fellows. 16. Must be sworn again to-day, great bore. Promised to trot my black mare against Captain Fitzgerald's bay horse. Met my old fellow sportsman and neighbour, Joliffe: always the cut of a gamekeeper; keeps a good stud, and rides well. Popped in on Liddell, and found him and Winn wrangling about the proprietorship of an argument of Burke: a good seene; two thieves fighting about stolen goods. Mem. Asked to meet Sir W. Scott and Mr. Canning at Croker's, on Friday: expect something good and piquant. 17.- Lost my bet with Euston by a quarter of a minute. John tells me Merlin would do it with ease: will double bets with Euston, same time and distance. Lame from tight boots; press upon my corns. This ought to furnish matter for a pun upon the corn laws: will utter it to-morrow the first good opportunity; a capital thought. Mem. Must read the last Quarterly and Blackwood to furnish clever extempore chat at dinner. 18.-Disappointed in Croker's feed: it was dull and stiff; the heavy weight seemed shy of engaging. Wellington paid great court to Scott, who, by the way, is a right stupid fellow. He never laughed at my jokes, though Canning did. Uttered my excellent pun about the corn laws, a few smiles: Croker said it was the best thing Lord Lauderdale ever said. This was very invidious, and, in his own house, very impolite; but he is an author, I'll cut him. However, they all laughed at two very good things I said: one was, Wynn and another were disputing whether a fowl, that was near them, were a duck or a drake; I maintained the former, quoting dux fœmina facti as a proof: I forget the other good one. 20.--Read an article in the last Edinburgh Review on Phrenology. They disbelieve it, from want of the organs of causation and upper individuality; I believe it--the organs of wit, ideality, and firmness, are generally developed in me, much more than Canning's, or ever Hume's, whose ideality and wit are remarkably prominent; hence his power of provoking laughter. An ugly business that of the Greek scrip; he ought to refund drawn bets; not surprised at Bowring: patriotism, or liberality, from a cockney-merchant-devilish suspicious to say the least: "Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes." Saluted Mr. Huskisson to day in the lobby-scarcely returned it- a Jacobin bear. Wonder what organs he has got; certainly wants what Lady P— says, "I have in great perfection" the organ of "bontonativeness," situated between cunning, superciliousness (Gall's physical height) and hypocrisy. Was told a good anecdote of this freetrade minister, by his friend, A. Baring. It seems Coventry Ellice, one of the Greek pirates, one of the Epictides, applied to him for a" repeal of some silk laws; "-was refused-then asked for a committee on those laws." I'm damned if I do," says Huskisson: very unparliamentary language-damned unparliamentary. Mem. Must send and quote Huskisson's pamphlets. Cam Hobhouse says, the only way to win his approbation. 21.--Met a lady to-day, the image of my Theodosia. What strange sensations these resemblances occasion. Mrs. Macbeth would not kill the king, because he looked like her father in his night-cap, as Shakspeare tells us,-shews him to have some observation. The resemblance haunted me till I dressed for dinner. It is, as I heard Sir James Mackintosh say of the Highlander's love of oatmeal porridge, an interesting phenomenon in the history of the human intellect. Mem. To find out in amphibious conversation from Mrs. H., when Theodosia will be in town. 22.-Was any thing ever so vexatious? I spoke, and very well too, last night for ten minutes, and not a word of it in the papers to day, only in the Chronicle:-" An hon. member, whose name we "could not learn, and who, from his having risen with Alderman "Wood, and the latter having given way, we conclude is a new "member, supported the address." Brougham's speech was rather spirited, though weak. The play upon flat and fertile, was good. Canning's reply was excellent; well reported in New Times. What a number of the Irish Johnny, or rather Paddy, Raws, "flashed "their maiden swords." Think of young Grattan's presuming, on his first night, to speak at the table, and to move an amendment,— in fact, to take Tierney's stations in the House!! This beats Alderman Heygate's moving an adjournment, that he might open the debate himself next night! But this is the age of Bronze, as my cousin Byron said, "of all bores, spare me from the bores of pre"sumption." Sir T. Lethbridge fired the first agricultural shot; he is, I believe, a well-meaning selfish booby. Portman told me a good story of him. He turned Radical during the agricultural distress, wore a white hat, went down to vote with Grey's son-in-law Lambton, was frightened and convinced of his folly by Canning's admirable speech, and voted against Reform. On the night of the Catholic Question, of which Lethbridge is a staunch opponent, he rushed out of the House when Canning rose. Portman met him in the lobby. "Where are you running to?" "I am going beyond the reach of "Canning's syren voice. He is speaking for emancipation; I don't "understand it, and am against it; I therefore fear he will convince me to vote for it if I listen to him. I will be back in time for the "division." Althorpe's second edition of Lord J. Russell's resolutions about bribery and corruption, has been dished, very properly too; would be a great bore, and no good. We take care enough of the people, and damn them, what more do they want? Said so to Ashton and Lord Lowther; they agreed with me-both clever men. Althorpe, in great chagrin, scarcely spoke a word in Brooke's. He is jealous of Milton's and Lord J. Russell's popularity. His father is a good fellow, an old crony of my uncle's; he is rather pedantic. Great plotting among the Saints-at fault for game. St. Buxton looked particularly sanctified; hope Surrey Palmer will expose their humbugging. Great bore that negro slavery-damn them, what a taste they have for black men and women. The niger est is their motto. There is another bore-cruelty to animals Martin, a fellow that would shoot a man for coughing too loud. 66 |