THE year 1809 has been a year of mighty import; war has desolated every quarter of Europe, from the frozen ocean to the furthest south. The glorious struggles of Spain have marked many a day with bloody records for remoter times. British valour has been pre-eminently conspicuons: British exertions pre-eminently great; and British blood and treasure pre-eminently lavished in arduous conflicts, of which few have satisfied the hopes and expectations of the country. The following summary shews the varied scene, and discloses the progress of events during the year: JANUARY. 1. Bonaparte reaches Astorga, with the army from Madrid, in order to cut off the retreat of Sir John Moore. 3. Accounts received of a dreadful revolution in Turkey, in which Mustapha, the Grand Seignor, is slain; together with the whole of the troops disciplined in the European manner. 5. Peace between England and the Sublime Porte concluded. 11. Four French ships of the line destroyed in Basque Roads by the boats of the British fleet, under the command of Lord Cochrane. 14. The Island of Cayenne surrenders to the British. 14. The Hautpoult French ship of war captured in attempting to escape from the Saints, where it and several more French ships had been blockaded by Sir Alexauder Cochrane.. 17. The Island of Saints, in the West Indies, captured by the forces under General Maitland. 20. Battle of Abensberg between the French and Austrians. 16. Glorious but fatal battle of Corunna, which, after an unexampled retreat, and beating the enemy on several occasions, terminates the campaign in Spain under the gallant Sir John Moore, who was killed soon after the battle began. 21. Part of St. James's Palace destroyed by fire. 27. The House of Commons resolve to investigate the conduct of his R. H. the Duke of York, as Commander in Chief. 23. After the French and Austrian armies had had several skirmishes, the latter retreated upon Bohemia, and the former took Ratisbon. FEBRUARY. 8. The Spanish Junta publish a decree, directing the Spanish troops to give no quarter to such of the French troops as had committed certain excesses in that country. 13. Cevallos, the Spanish Ambassador, arrives in London. MAY. 1. The Duke of Sudermania created King of Sweden. 11. Mr. Maddox brings forward a charge of corruption against Lord Castlereagh and Mr. Perceval in the House of Comatous. 12. Sir Arthur Wellesley, after beating the forces under Marshal Soult, delivers Oporto, where he found a large quantity of French ordnance. 12. The French take possession of Vienna. 17. Bonaparte, by a decree, united the Papal States to the French empire; and puts an end to the temporal jurisdiction of the Sovereign Pontiff. 18. The port of Trieste taken by the French under Macdonald. 21. Saragossa taken by the French, after one of the most glorious defences recorded in the annals of history. 24. Drury-Lane Theatre burnt down. 24. The Island of Martinique captured by his Majesty's sea and land forces. 98. Lord Falkland killed in a duel by Mr. Powell. MARCH. 1. Austria puts her troops on the War Establishment. 21. & 22. Fattle of Aspern, in which the French army, under Bonaparte, is defeated by the Austrians under Prince Charles; the loss on both sides was immense. 15. Gustavus IV. King of Sweden, arrested and deprived of the functions-of government. is. The Duke of York resigns his situation of Commander in Chief. 31. Stralsund assaulted and taken by the Dutch troops, and Colonel Schill and one-third of his brave followers killed, after he had raised contributions upon the territorics of Jerome Bonaparte. 25. The Portuguese take Chaves from the French, with prisoners. 27. Vigo retaken by the Spaniards, aided by two British frigates, and 1300 French prisoners, who were in the town, sent to England. 27. A violent eruption of Mount Etna. JUNE. 1. Captain Barclay, the celebrated pedestrian, commences the undertaking to walk 1600 miles in 1000 successive hours, at the rate of a mile in each and every hour. This he performed at Newmarket, and won immense bets on the performance. 7. Expedition against St. Domingo sails from Kingston, and soon after takes the city of St. Domingo. 10. The Pope issues a protest against the usurpation of his dominions by Bonaparte, and apostolically excommunicates him. 14. The Austrian army under the Archduke John defeated at Kaab by a division of the French army, under the Viceroy of Italy. 25. Capture of the Island of Ithaca, by Sir John Stuart. 27. Riots at Liverpool, occasioned by a party of dragoons having quarelled with a press-gang. JULY. 1. Trial of Miss Mary Yorke, who was capitally indicted for maliciously firing a gun at R. Coombs. 3. Wright, te upholsterer, recovers a bill against Colonel Wardle for upwards of £1200, for furniture to Mrs. Clarke. APRIL. 8. Defeat of the Austrian army at Wagram, 6. The Archduke Charles, at Vienna, published after the severest couflict during that and the tw a declaration of war against France. preceding days. 8. Reduction of the French settlement of Senegal and Gorce. 12. Armistice concluded between the French and Austrian armies. 20. Cobbet, the reformer and stickler for freedoin and the rights of man, convicted of cruelty and oppression to a poor boy in his service. 92. Sailed from the Downs the Grand Expedition to Holland, under Lord Chatham. 26. Lord Gambier's trial on charges brought against him by Lord Cochrane, connected with the attack in Basque Roads; he is acquitted. 28. Defeat of the French at Talavera by the combined British and Spanish armies under Sir A. Wellesley and General Cuesta. AUGUST. 1. Meeting of the Court of Common Council, for the purpose of coming to a division on a motion for rescinding the Vote of Thanks to Col. Wardle, in which resolutions were adopted confirming the former vote. 3. Siege of Flushing commenced by the British. 9. A meeting of the Freeholders of the county of Middlesex at Hackney, to consider of the propriety of petitioning for a Reform in Parliament, 16. Surrender of Flushing to the British arins. 13. Joseph Bonaparte by decree suppresses religious orders in Spain, abolishes the class of grandees, and all old titles. 27. Gallant attack on the fort and shipping of Cortolezzo, between Venice and Trieste, by the crew of the Amp' on, in which the fort is blown up and all the vessels destroyed or taken. SEPTEMBER. 4. Eruption of Mount Vesuvius. 16. Arrived in London the Earl of Chatham, from the island of Walcheren. 17. Treaty of Peace between Sweden and sia concluded. 17. Eleven of Schill's Officers tried by a military tribunal at Wessel, and executed as robbers. 18. The new Theatre of Covent-Garden opened for the reception of the public. 21. Duel fought between Lord Castlereagh and Mr. Canning, in which our Minister for Foreigu Affairs is wounded by our Minister of War. 23. Increasing riot at Covent-Garden Theatre; it closes for the purpose of referring the points in dispute (raising the price of admission) to a Select Committee. 24. Received intelligence of the conclusion of the war in Travancore. 25. The celebrated fortress of Ismail surrenders to the Russians without resistance. 25. Lord Grenville and Load Grey invited to co-operate in the formation of a new Administration. DECEMBER. 3. Bonaparte, in an address to the Legislative Body, developes his future prospects. 5. The Common Council of London agrees to an Address to the King, which is afterwards re Rus-jected, as containing language personally dis respectful to his Majesty. 3. Trial relative to Covent Garden Theatre, between Henry Clifford, Esq. and Mr. Brandon. Verdict in favour of Mr. Clifford, which renews the most subsided tumults at the Theatre. 3. Accounts received of the surrender of the Jands of Zante, Cephalonia, Ithaca, and Cerigo to his Majesty's arms. 7. A dreadful Wreck of ships in the Seaford quarter, 32 seamen lest. 10. The arsenal and works about the bason of Flushing destroyed. 11. Court of King's Bench. The indictment of Mary Anne Clarke and Daniel and Francis Wright, for a conspiracy against Col. Wardle. Verdict Not Guilty. 14. Termination of the disturbances at CoventGarden Theatre. 14. Lord Grenville elected Chancellor of the University of Oxford. 15. The Empress Josephine and the Emperor Napoleon dissolve their marriage. 18. Subscription in behalf of Colonel Wardle opened at the Crown and Anchor Tavern. 20. The Persian Ambassador, his Excellency Mirza Abdul Hassan, presented his credentials to his Majesty. 23. Evacuation of Walcheren by the British forces. 23. The navigation of the Canal from the river Thames to the town of Croydon was opened. London: Printed by and for J. BELL, Southampton-street, Strand. FOR FEBRUARY, 1810. A New Series. CONTAINING A NEW SYSTEM OF BOTANY, The Duchess of Devonshire EMBELLISHMENTS. 1. An Elegant PORTRAIT of her GRACE THE Duchess of DevoNSHIRE. 2. Three WHOLE-LENGTH FIGURES in the FASHIONS of the SEASON, COLOURED, 3. An ORIGINAL SONG, set to Music for the Harp and Piano-forte; composed exclusively for this Work, by Mr. Hook. 4. Two elegant and new PATTERNS for NEEDLE-WORK. CONTENTS. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF ILLUS BEAUTIES OF THE BRITISH POETS. TRIOUS LADIES. ....... 59 ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 60 Hymenæa in search of a Husband of the Secretaries of his Excellency 67 70 A full explanation of the Science of Story of a Horse The Revenge; a Moral Tale MILTON. LA BELLE ASSEMBLEE, Explanation of the Prints of Fashion 98 ..... MONTHLY MISCELLANY-Including Varieties Literary, Critical, and Historical........ INCIDENTS-Occuring in and near London, interesting Marriages, &c. PROVINCIALS. Including Remarkable Occurrences, Deaths and Marriages in the several Counties of Great Britain, &c. &c. ...104 93 Supplementary Advertisements for the 85 Month. 73 79 93 .... LONDON: PRINTED BY AND FOR JOHN BELL, PROPRIETOR OF THE WEEKLY MESSENGER, 99 102 THE NEW SERIES. ALL Persons desirous of commencing Subscribers to the New Series of this Work, are respectfully informed, that an EXTRA QUANTITY of the First Number of the New Series was published, for their convenience, and which may be had of every Bookseller in town and country. The article on "L continued in our next. Prophecy," and the "Select Maxims of Lord Hale," will be |
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