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Sophia Frederica, born August 19, 1778; married February 22, 1804, to Count Emanuel de Mensdorf, chamberlain to the emperor, major-general in the Austrian service, and governor of the fortress of Mentz.

Juliana Henrietta, born September 23, 1781; married February 26, 1796, to the Grand-Duke Constantine of Russia, from whom Her Highness was separated, April 2, 1820.

Victoria Maria Louisa, born August 17, 1786; married December 21, 1803, to Enrich Charles, Prince of Leiningen, by whom (who died July 4, 1814) she has issue

Charles Frederick, born September 15, 1804, present Prince Leiningen; married February 13, 1829, Maria, daughter of the late Count Maximi lian of Klebelsberg.

Anne Feodorowna, born December 7, 1807; married February 8, 1828, to Ernest Christian Charles, present Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. Her Highness espoused, secondly, July 11, 1818, His Royal Highness Edward, Duke of Kent, fourth son of King George III. of Great Britain; by whom (who died January 23, 1820) she has an only child,

QUEEN ALEXANDRINA VICTORIA,

Born May 24, 1819.

MOTHER OF THE DUKE.

Duchess-dowager Augusta Caroline, daughter of Henry XXIV., Prince of Reuss Ebersdorf, born January 19, 1757; married June 13, 1777.

PRINCE FERDINAND GEORGE has embraced the Roman Catholic religion, and all His Highness'schildren have been brought up in that faith, but the elder branch of his illustrious House has continued faithfully attached to Protestantism from the time of the Reformation.

In an empire like England it is impossible, as it would be unfortunate if it were possible, that upon all great political questions there should not exist great differences of opinion; for it is most essential to the well-being and safety of the Constitution, that public measures and public men should be subjected to the judgment and criticisms of all parties; but in a matter like that of which we now venture to speak, the PEOPLE can entertain but one general feeling, one universal hope for the welfare and happiness of HER, who, let what party may prevail, or what politics predominate, is MONARCH of us all.

Those who were present, describe the manner in which HER MAJESTY made the important communication, we have just given, to the council, as most impressive and interesting. The emotion natural to a highly

born, and highly-educated young lady upon such an occasion and under such circumstances, was subdued by a sense of the great duty she had to perform; and although it was impossible for her entirely to conceal the workings of her feminine feelings during the delivery of the address, her manner was characterized by a calmness which rivetted the attention, and a mild dignity which commanded the respect and veneration of the assemblage of great and good men by whom, upon that particular occasion, Her MAJESTY was surrounded.

That every domestic happiness may attend Her MAJESTY, and that the happiness and prosperity of the country may be proportionably increased by the approaching nuptials of the QUEEN with PRINCE ALBERT, we humbly and sincerely hope and trust. It is said that the marriage will take place earlier than is generally supposed, or has been publicly stated. Let it happen when it may, our QUEEN will be followed to the altar by the prayers and best wishes of her inherently loyal and affectionate PEOPLE.

THE

NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE.

THE PLANTER'S BIRTHDAY.

BY THE EDITOR.

THE following narrative, in its leading facts, I believe to be true. I am not so certain that it has never been given to the public, although I never have seen it in print.

One of the most respectable, as well as opulent planters in a French West India colony, no matter which, was Monsieur Philogene Dupres; he was benevolent and humane, and together with his wife, constantly endeavouring to improve the condition of his slaves, at a period long antecedent to that in which our "black brethren" became the objects of a more exalted and extended philanthropy. Dupres, in opposition to the remonstrances of his neighbours, who objected to the indulgence which he allowed his negroes, admitted, as indeed he could not well deny, that they differed from their masters, inasmuch as the one was black, and the other white; but applying the principle, that "a good horse cannot be of a bad colour," he maintained with a zeal and enthusiasm, which would have done credit to the Abbé Raynal himself, that they possessed every quality of mind and understanding in common with the whites, and that nothing was necessary to the full development of their intellect but care and education.

That with all his efforts towards his grand object in this respect, he ever attained it, is not upon record; but there can be no doubt that when he departed this life his plantation was in the best possible order, his stock of negroes the most peaceable, and best regulated of any in the colony; his crops were flourishing, and his lands productive. At his death, which was soon succeeded by that of his wife, the estate devolved upon his only son, Louis Dupres, whose aim in the outset of his career appeared to be to tread in the steps of his lamented sire, and maintain the principles and system upon which he had so successfully conducted the estate.

But Louis Dupres, with all these just intentions, was young, and although good-natured in an eminent degree, was not good-tempered; he was kind and generous, but not having quite so favourable an opinion of the race of whose good qualities his father was so ardent an admirer, he began to find out that although much had been done with his paternal acres by fair means and sweet words, a little more might be done by a more steady perseverance in the exaction of labour; Sept.-VOL. LVII. NO. CCXXV.

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and although he was too happy to excite his blacks to that labour by encouragement and rewards, still, if he found that his attempts at persuasion were not altogether successful, he had recourse to more frequent punishments than had been inflicted during his father's lifetime.

This alteration of discipline made for some time but little change in the feelings of the slaves; they knew their master was resolved to have the work done-happy to reward with extra comforts or luxuries, the efforts of the industrious; but, on the other hand, equally quick to correct or chasten negligence and idleness. The negroes soon found out what they had to expect, and accordingly applied themselves to work with even greater assiduity than they had done in "old massa's time," well pleased that his successor did not trouble them quite so much upon the subject of their mental improvement as his venerated predecessor, and perfectly happy when the day's work was over, to find themselves well housed, well fed, and well clothed.

Amongst these slaves, or rather at the head of them, was one, called after his young master, Louis; he had been the favourite of old Dupres, he was born upon the estate, on the same day with his present master, and they became, until they advanced in life, up to the period when the difference of rank and station necessarily parted them, associates and playfellows. Young master Louis, and piccaninny Louis, were always to be seen diverting themselves in all sorts of games and frolics, under the fostering care of Monsieur and Madame Dupres, while the black Louis's mother acted as nurse to both-the attachment was mutual, the boys were never happy apart, and the kind-hearted planter used to instance the engaging manners and graceful playfulness of the young slave as striking proofs of the justice of his theory, that nothing but enlightenment and an association with whites, was wanting to equalize their claims upon the regard and respect of the world.

Louis, then, and his young master, grew up together, till at eight years of age the young master was sent to France for education, and his companion Louis became merely the young slave. But during the previous course of his life, being infinitely quicker than the generality of his race, he had availed himself of the advantages derivable from the initiatory lessons which were given to the heir-apparent, and when he joined his brethren in the field, the black boys of his own age used to listen to his "reading his book" with wonder and surprise.

It cannot be denied that the intercourse which had been permitted to Louis with young master had interested both old master and old mistress in his progress through life, and accordingly as he grew up he was always put forward, and excited to industry by the promise of future promotion, with the prospective view of being head man on the estate. Emancipating him never entered M. Dupres' head, he would have considered such a course as the most injurious he could pursue as depriving him of a home, of food, and of clothing, so long as his health and strength remained, and of an asylum in which he might pass the closing years of his life in peace and security. Mr. Dupres. in his most romantic flights as to the civilization of his blacks, never went the length of emancipation.

After an absence of nine years, during which he had completed the education which he considered adequate to his intellectual wants, Monsieur Louis Dupres returned to his home. His surprise at seeing

the change which, during his absence time had wrought in the personal appearance of his parents, was exceedingly strong, but even that was less than that which affected him at the sight of his sable namesake. The little playful urchin fancifully dressed up to make him look like the associate of Buckra man," rolling and tumbling about, and playing all the antics of a monkey, had grown into a fine, manly youth, a head and shoulders taller than his young master. Their interview was most embarrassing. The white Louis as a child had loved the black child Louis, he was then all the world to him, and he parted from him with tears in his eyes. But he had been enlightened in France-he had been made fully aware of his importance as a West India proprietor, the value of whose property was proportionably increased by the number of his slaves, of whom this Louis was one, who were catalogued, described, and spoken of in conversation, as if they were no more than the brute beasts which formed the rest of the "stock" amongst which they were classed.

Before he saw Louis, on his return, all his recollections were of a little playfellow, in whom, until this knowledge of the world had brought him to a sense of his own position, and of the wide difference which existed between them, he knew only an equal. But when they met, and the affectionate slave, grown into manhood, addressed his "massa,' Louis Dupres started back. Nature, however, for the moment, overcame pride and prejudice, and the young Frenchman shook his former companion heartily by the hand, to the infinite amazement of a lady and gentleman whose estate adjoined that of Dupres', and who were perfectly scandalized at such an outrageous breach of decorum. The expressions of their countenances betrayed their emotions, and young Dupres, although unable to repress his feeling at the surprise of first seeing Louis, felt himself blush at the solecism he had committed.

Louis saw the sudden change in his master's look, and fixed his eyes on his features steadily for a few moments. M. Dupres turned to the lady to say something complimentary to her bonnet, and Louis shaking his head sorrowfully, went his way to his work.

We have already told the reader the sort of master the young Dupres made when at length he came into possession, which he did when he and the black Louis were twenty-seven years of age. Louis, however, was first and foremost amongst the best men on the property, and on the anniversary of his master's birth, and of his own, was always called forward and given an extra glass of rum, and made the bearer of any largess to his brethren, and their wives and piccaninnies.

Perhaps, if it be admitted by naturalists, that the higher passions and feelings of humanity may inhabit the negro breast, no human being could be more devotedly attached to another, than Louis was to his master. His instinct-if it were not sense-taught him, very soon after Dupres' return, to understand the difference of their station, and to regulate his affection for him accordingly. But he loved him-watched his looks-basked in his smiles, and trembled at his frowns; which, however, unfrequently lowered over his brow.

During the nine years which succeeded the return of young Dupres from France, he made several voyages backwards and forwards, to and from Europe, in order to increase his connexions, and enlighten his mind. At the end of that period the death of his father

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