"There is affront in exhortation..I have spoken." whom, in the pride of your soul, you will run His friend and tutor Anaxagorus is banish- with her letters in your hand. He upon ed, and by his tears alone he saves Aspasia. whose shoulder you have read them in my The old philosopher in his banishment be- presence, lies also in the grave: the last of comes an object of profound regard-in the them is written." calm majesty with which he surmounts mis- With this exquisite picture Pericles and fortunes, and ascends, as it were, to death. Aspasia closes. Limited as our space is, we He writes to Aspasia:believe that our extracts quite vindicate the "Imagination is little less strong in our later years opinion we have desired to express of the than in our earlier. True, it alights on fewer objects, work, as the production of a man of first-rate but it rests longer on them, and sees them better. powers. Yet we have given so little of what Pericles first, and then you, and then Meton, occupy we had marked for notice that we purpose to my thoughts. I am with you still; I study with you, return to it next week. We cannot conclude just as before, although nobody talks aloud in the schoolroom. at present, however, without quoting a pass"This is the pleasantest part of life. Oblivion age from the dedication to Lord Mulgrave, throws her light coverlet over our infancy; and, soon who has reason to be proud of this honour, after we are out of the cradle, we forget how soundly no less than of the terms which convey it. we have been slumbering, and how delightful were "When an author is desirous of prefixing an illusour dreams. Toil and pleasure contend for us almost trious name to his title-page, it has usually been thought the instant we rise from it: and weariness follows which proper, of late, to solicit the permission. I, who never ever has carried us away. We stop awhile, look around ask anything of any man, would least of all ask this; us, wonder to find we have completed the circle of and, were it peradventure in my hands, I should be apt existence, fold our arms, and fall asleep again." to let it drop out of them. Long before you were in Aspasia answers him in a tone quite worthy possession of power (you will remember) I prognostiof this, and exhorts him to lay the presents cated it from the aspect of the times. I clearly saw he has received from philosophy at the feet the necessity of your becoming more than a man of of history:rank, or even of genius. Your Excellency will correct the faults, and inasmuch as sagacity, integrity, firmness, "The deeds of past ages are signally reflected on and moderation can do it, will compensate for the the advancing clouds of the future: here insurrections iniquities and attrocities of six centuries: you will unite and wrecks and conflagrations; here the ascending, Great Britain and Ireland; which our princes and parthere the drooping diadem; the mighty host, the liaments, until now, have never wisely planned nor mightier man before it; and, in the serener line on the honestly intended." horizon, the emersion of cities and citadels over far-off seas. There are those who know in what quarter to Though we reserve till next week any furlook for them: but it is rarely to their hands the power ther allusion to Pericles and Aspasia, we conof promoting the good, or averting the evil, is entrust-sider ourselves bound to give publicity to the ed. Yet, Anaxagoras! all is not hideous in the past, selfish vanities on the side of the affections; and, on all is not gloomy in the future. There are communities following extract from a postscript to Mr. where the best and wisest are not utterly cast aside, Landor's volumes. We feel too much inand where the robe of Philosophy is no impediment terest in the recovery of one of our most fato the steps of men. Idly do our sages cry out against vourite books, to hesitate for an instant in the poets for mistuning the heart and misgoverning the what may possibly contribute to it, however intellect. Meanwhile they themselves are occupied in slightly. We hope we do not subject ourthe side of the understanding, in fruitless, frivolous, selves to the duty on advertizements:indefinite, interminable disquisitions. If our thoughts "I had much extended my remarks on this subject, are to be reduced to powder, I would rather it were in that volume of the 'Imaginary Conversations' which for an ingredient in a love-portion, to soften with sym- contains the dialogue between Tooke and Johnson; pathies the human heart, than a charm for raising up and I thought of detaching its materials from the body a spectre, to contract and coerce it." of the work, and publishing it apart. At this time an American traveller passed through Tuscany, and faThe last scenes are deeply affecting. The voured me with a visit at my country seat. He exfierce horrors of the plague are presented to pressed a wish to reprint in America a large selection us, and, beside rising of the passionate star of my Imaginary Conversations,' omitting the politiof Alcibiades, the sober and sublime grandeur cal. He assured me they were the most thumbed books of the setting of the sun of Pericles. He on his table. With a smile at so energetic an expreshas great consolations to the close, for under sion of perhaps an undesirable distinction, I offered him unreservedly and unconditionally my only copy the very portico of Death, he meets Acron of the five printed volumes, interlined and interleaved and Hippocrates! He has scarcely ceased to in most places, which I had employed several years in live, when Cleone enters Athens in search of improving and enlarging, together with my manuscript Aspasia, and the pestilence strikes her at the of the sixth unpublished. He wrote to me on his artomb of Xeniades. "Aspasia," writes Al-rival in England, telling me that they were already on cibiades," she will gladden your memory no their voyage to their destination. Again he wrote, informing me that a friend, a nameless one, had left them more: never more will she heave your bosom at an American merchant's in Florence. I inquired with fond expectancy. There is none to there, and found the man indignant at such a charge · Editors have against his punctuality: he declared he never had seen not afforded a sufficient medium for the exor heard of them. Without a question in regard to posure of private wrongs. the anonymous friend, I told the American traveller, observed a degree of delicacy towards perin few words, that they were lost, and requested him to take no more trouble on the occasion than I myself sons in high places utterly unknown at home, should do. I never look for anything, lest I should with respect to acts unconnected with the add disappointment, and something of inquietude, to government, and in which, before the emanthe loss. I regret the appearance of his book more cipation of the press, they might have interthan the disappearance of mine. My letter of intro-fered without incurring any danger except duction to Mr. R. (whom he simply and unceremoniously calls a barrister) procured him, at my request, adthat of giving private offence. Not many mittance to C. L. and his sister, both of whom he seems years have elapsed since a widow, desirous to have fidgetted. My letter of presentation to Lady to institute an action at law against one of B. threw open (I am afraid) too many folding-doors, the great mercantile houses of Calcutta, some of which have been left rather uncomfortably could not get an attorney to conduct the cause, ajar. No doubt his celebrity as a poet, and his dignity for the more nefarious the transaction to be as a diplomatist, would have procured him all those distinctions in society, which he allowed so humble a exposed, the more unwilling did these genperson as myself the instrumentality of conferring. tlemen feel to embroil themselves with perHere and there are persons, great and small, who in-sons with whom they were constantly asterest me little: yet I wish the traveller had spoken in sociated. As it was not easy to induce edia slight degree more respectfully of my friend R., the tors of newspapers to incur the odium attenmost courageous man in existance, who determined to resign his profession when he had acquired by it tendant on the publication of any flagrant case, thousand pounds, and who did then resign it, when he recourse has been had to a medium liable to was gaining ground daily. We should raise a statue much abuse; anonymous letters, containing to every lawyer of such integrity: we might do it with- the foulest slanders, have been published, out fear of indictment for obstructing the streets. An- with little scruple, and no enquiry, on the other wish is, that the ingenious and good-natured From The Asiatic Journal. traveller had represented somewhat less ludicrously, part of those who have printed them in their C. L. and his sister; not knowing or not minding that columns, respecting the truth of their statehe is the most exhilarating and cordial of our writers, ments. Hence a double mischief has been and she the purest, If, amid the accidents of human produced, resulting from the dissemination life, the anonymous friend be living; and if it hath of private scandal, and the suspicion too pleased God, by the sea-voyage or any other means, to often attached to innocent persons, supposed have restored to him the blessing of memory, so that he may recollect where he deposited the volumes and to be the authors. The proceedings of the manuscripts; and if he will consign them to my pub- Supreme Court have been exempted from lishers, I shall be happy to remunerate him handsomely discussion, even when it has unjustly refor the salvage." fused its interference, or disdained to reply to the legal claims of its suiters in matters of the most serious import. If, however, ANGLO-INDIAN SOCIETY IN FORMER DAYS. civil law has not been always open to those PERSONS acquainted with British India who have made appeals to it, the condition only as it now exists, the high degree of of military litigants has been infinitely worse; integrity and probity which characterizes they have had only a misnamed court of the majority of its Christian inhabitants, honour to apply to, and it is sufficient to and the (generally speaking) just administra- pursue the remarks made by judicious comtion of the laws, can scarcely form an idea manders-in-chief (when the army happened of the state of affairs among the early visi- to have been blessed with such a personage,) tors and traffickers. Yet, notwithstanding to shew the mistakes into which ignorant the great and manifest improvements, few, and prejudiced men have fallen. Though who have looked upon Anglo-Indian Society there is even yet scarcely such a thing as with an observant eye, will deny that much public opinion in India, party spirit prevails, still remains to be done, in order to render especially in the Upper Provinces, to a sejustice as easily attainable in India as in rious extent. Any accusation privately cirEngland. Occasionally, even at the present culated against an officer who has not the period, we see such "fantastic tricks" played support of powerful friends, is apt to be inbefore "high heaven" as may be supposed stantly believed; molehills swell into mounto "make the angels weep;" but this is noth-tains; he is driven to demand a court-martial, ing compared with the doings of other and, in consequence of the merest act of imdays. prudence, often finds a formidable list of Hitherto, the main obstacle to the redress charges arrayed against him, and a host of of grievances in India has been the almost enemies anxious for his downfal. He may total absence of puplic opinion. In so know that half the members of the court are comparatively narrow a circle, the press has personly inimical to him; but to challenge these jurors would be to insinuate doubts of dress these wrongs, and some have gained and the Portuguese, but frequently with An officer brought to a court-martial in each other, and rival adventurers from India cannot have the benefit of legal advice, the same port met in warfare upon the high but at an expense which few are able to en- seas. Before the final adjustment of the counter; the utmost they can do is to get the charter granted to the potentates of Leadenassistance of a friend better versed than hall street, various private persons obtained them selves in a difficult branch of jurispru- letters patent from ihe King, which enabled dence. The deputy judge-advocate is not them to trade to India upon their own acalways well-informed and well-instructed in count, greatly it was supposed, to the preju. his peculiar functions, and if there should be dice of the regular company; this led to no bias or prejudice at head-quarters, the much ill-will, both abroad and at home, injured party is not always able to pro- and as persons attached to the same factory cure justice at their hands. Authenticated treated each other in the most unjustifiable documents essential to the case have not been manner, it would scarcely be expected that forthcoming on demand, though required they should be more considerate to those for the purpose of being brought before the who openly crossed their interests. The Court of Directors at home; and persons government, if such it might be called, esproceeding to England, under the persua- tablished at the different settlements upon sion that every paper relative to their case the coast of India, was often carried on with has been scrupulously forwarded, have flagrant disregard of reason or justice. The found some dreadful omission, which has strong oppressed the weak, and un principled been ruinous to their interests. It is neces- men decked in a little brief authority,” sary, in any defence made before officers and outraged every law, in the furtherance of gentlemen, in order to avoid a reprimand their pursuits and the indulgence of their for contempt of court, or an additional passions. Some very curious features of charge tacked on to the original, to adopt line state of society in India, as far back as the device of Mark Antony, and to design the reign of Charles I, are to be found amid nate the members of the tribunal as "hon-the pamphlets of the day, consisting chiefly ourable men.” The defendant must not in- of siatements of wrongs, printed for the pur. sinuate that any of them have been actua. pose of being laid before the King or the ted by improper motives in their proceed. Parliament. One, bearing date of 1644, being ings, and in consequence, upon seeking re- not unjustly entitled “unparalleled and exdress in England, he is told that he has no traordinary.” is the narrative of one Richard remedy in a court of law, since on account Boothby, merchant, a man of family and of the tenor of his defence, he cannot impute substance, who went out to Surat as a memmalice to any one of the parties. It is true ber of council, with a fair prospect of sucthat the commander-in-chief and the gov.ceeding in time to the office of president. enor-general have it in their power to re-He appears (by his own account) to have VOL. IXIX, AUGUST, 1836-29. been a worthy and pious gentleman, very un-state of intoxication as to be of no account fit to deal with the revellers and runagates whatever. Their time appears to have been whom he found in absolute rule at the seat spent in devising iniquitous schemes, and in of government. The puritanical nature of drinking to their success. Boothby charachis principles may be inferred from his re-terizes their conduct as marked "with deep comendation to the directors of the Compa-juglings and impostures, to the defraudment ny at home, that, before they proceeded to of their honourable employers," and his rethe election of a servant to manage their af- fusal to join in these excesses brought upon fairs in India, they should engage "some pious him the imputation of being "a puritan, a divine to spende an hour or lesse in godly spie, and an informer." Anxious to rid themexhortations, in a sermon, to perswade to up-selves of so rigid an observer of their actions, right dealing between all parties, as well in they commenced a series of persecutions of differences between the Court and their ser- the most galling and intolerable nature. Their vants, one against another, as for their fidel- first step was to degrade him in the eyes of ity and industry in managing the main af- the people around, by compelling him to disfairs or joynt stock of the company; for sure-charge inferior offices, such, as he observes, ly," he adds, "the partiality, injustice, and "would be almost scornful to an apprentice." ingratitude of those courts, have wrought He was obliged, against his conscience, to much wrong to their best servants, being attend at the custom-house on Sabbath days, blinded with the hopes of ill-gotten goods, a thing the more grievous to him, as he perby bribery, and hopes to match ill-deserving ceived that the "heathenish idolaters" would men in marriage to their daughters." not so desecrate their religious festivals, Dreams of conquest had not, at this period, The native merchants, it appears, who were entered into the imagination of the mer always very kind to him, took notice of these chants trading to India; their intercourse indignities, and condoled with him upon them: with native powers was purely commercial, they are a quick-sighted race, and easily disand the ill-gotten wealth, here mentioned, cerned the merits and demerits of the stranwas not acquired by the spoilation of the gers with whom they trafficked. Their subcountry in which they were settled, but by sequent, conduct, and the confidence which the not accounting to their employers for all they seem to have placed in our friend Booththe monies which passed through their hands. by, form strong testimonials in his favour, and Persons engaging in the service of the com- the desire they manifested to serve him in pany were obliged to enter into a covenant, his utmost distress is equally creditable to by which they bound themselves to abstain their characters. In the present instance, the from private trade; but as their salaries respectful attentions they paid to Mr. Boothby were exceedingly small, this covenant was increased the enmity of the president, which always broken, a consequence so inevitable, was perhaps rather imprudently augmented as to be connived at by the very framers of by some ill-timed remonstrances upon his the bond. Not contented; however, with part. Wylde and his colleagues spent their what might be entitled fair transactions of time in feasting and drinking with a promiscuthis nature, lawless and profligate men en-ous throng of Dutch, French, Italian, and gaged in all decriptions of fraud and kna-Armenian adventurers, who joined readily very, enriching themselves at the expense of in the sabbath breaking orgies of their entertheir employers, and being cheated in turn tainers. Boothby, on the contrary, stood by their executors or agents, since they aloof, yielding, as he says, "mild reproof to were obliged to keep their accounts so loose- their bacchanalian counsels," and their licenly, that in case of death or absence, they tious life and conversation, which he stigmawere wholly in the power of those who tizes as little inferior to that of the Earl of might have their money or goods in their Castlehavens, a nobleman in bad repute at the hands. time. Unwilling to have so severe a censor Our adventurer informs us, on his arrival always at hand, the confederates devised a at Surat, he endeavoured to discharge his plan to exile him to a place which he desigduty with a good conscience, and therefore nates as the most "uncouth, forlorn, and concould not avoid being scandalized by the pro- temptible factory in India," and thither,fligate lives of his associates. The president, though protesting that he had covenanted for Richard Wylde, who appears to have been a a residence at Surat, and being a member of dare-devil of the first order, carried every council, was bound to remain on the spot,thing before him; one of the members of the nolens volens," he was banished. When council, George Page, being his creature, and thus removed, few pretexts were needed to inanother, one Skibbowe, so continually in a volve him in ruin. They sent him two com missions so contrary in their purport, that he threatening him with torture and death if he could not fulfil the one without transgressing refused to plead. The menace of instant exethe other; the first containing the orders of cution upon an "extraordinary high gallows, the government at home, the second being of at the sea-port, before the Christian ships their own framing. In his reply, he chose lying there at anchor," so wrought upon to abide by the former; and this act of con- Boothby's fears, that he consented to make tumacy, together with a visit of curiosity answer upon oath. It seems scarcely possible which he made to the city of Amadabad, that Wylde could have proceeded to such an afforded a plea for the execution of a scheme extremity, even though permitted by his which was but too successful in the end, though mean-spirited colleagues to use the threat; failing in some of its objects. Their first but Boothby evidently stood in bodily fear of attempt was to make him a bankrupt; and, the result of further resistance; and submitcommanding him to return to Surat in the ted. Finding, upon his examination, that he most inclement season of the year (the rains), was acquainted with'secrets which the presithey seized upon his goods and papers, and dent and his colleagues supposed to be only obliged his native creditors to send in their known to themselves, they hastily dissolved accounts, though only of a few weeks' stand-the court; but this discovery, in all probaing. Upon his arrival at the factory, he was bility, strengthened their determination to not allowed to occupy his former apartments, compass the ruin of one of whom they had but was compelled to take up his quarters in made a formidable enemy, and they subsea meaner place. He could gain no admission quently brought him again before them, and excepting to the second table, where he sate found him guilty. Judgment followed, and amidst pursers' mates, inferior clerks, and he was sentenced to be mulcted of the arrears cabin-boys promoted to officers on shore:-an of his salary, dismissed from his employindignity which struck him deeply, as he was ment, and confined in irons in a dungeon, a man of good family, accustomed to great until the departure of the fleet, in which he respect at home, while the president and his should be shipped as a prisoner to England. abettors were low-born adventurers, who Upon this decision, Boothby was removed to came to India without capital, and were al- the place assigned to him, a dungeon six feet ways in danger of losing iheir credit. Soon square, for which a set of iron stocks, or after Boothby's arrival, Wylde sold off all his bilhoes, ten or twelve feet long, of extraordigoods (which he seized, upon a false pretext nary size (like the gallows), had been unad. of money being due to the Company), below visedly provided. The size of the apartment their original cost, in the hope of reducing precluded their admittance, so they were set the owner to insolvency; but in this he failed, up at the door, and fetters substituted in their there being a surplus left after the payment place. A gaoler of the most stony.hearted of every demand. Having authority in his character being appointed to keep guard, with hands, he was not, however, to be deterred orders to prevent all intercourse with Chrisfrom further aggression; he contrived to draw tian or heathen friends, the condition of the up “ seven foolish and malicious charges,” prisoner would have been desperate, but for and caused his victim to be arraigned beforeihe conduct of two faithful native servants, a senate composed of the European riff-raft peons, who insisted upon sharing their mascollected out of merchant-vessels and count. ier's captivity, and clung to him with unconhouses. Richard Wylde, with Page and Skib-querable fidelity to the last. As the president bowe at his elbows, seated himself at the had retained his unfortunate victim's money head of two long tables, joined together by and effects in his own hands, the poor man way of state, while the culprit was obliged had not where withal to requite the services to stand bare-headed at the lower end. Of of his two attendants, nor to provide the course, in such an assembly, so conducted, means for his own subsistence. No funds neither law nor justice could be obtained. had been allotted for that purpose; but at Boothby at first protested against the right of length a sum, amounting to about tenpence this tribunal to try him at all, and had he English money, was wrung from the public been firm in his refusal to recognize its power, purse for the daily maintenance of the prisoner he might have defeated the malice of his and his servants. This boon was rendered enemies; for Wylde, though pretending he as ungracious as possible, by an order for. possessed a secret commission, which gave bidding the issue of more than one day's penhim the power he had usurped, was unable sion at a time, and that only at the humblest to prove his assertion. Aware, perhaps, of solicitation. The system pursued by the prethe character of the person with whom he sident had the desired effect. Boothby found had to deal, he tried the art of intimidation, his imprisonment too intolerable for endur a |