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Serra Convent crowned the united bravery of the English and French troops. A few days before this encounter, Colonel Achille Murat, of the Belgian service, and eldest son of the famous general of that name, afterwards king of Naples, joined the expedition. This young officer accompanied Colonel Hodges on the day of the attack; and the manner in which he was recognized by his countrymen seems to have given great pleasure to the English Colonel. 'It was singular,' says the latter, to observe the effect wrought on the minds of the French battalion by his name and presence, and the associations connected with them. His costume, which, even to the shape of the cocked hat, was precisely correspondent to that worn by his uncle, the Emperor Napoleon, assisted the strength of the impression; for amongst the French with us, were some old soldiers, who cherished the proud recollection of having served under the banners of the great military chieftain. As soon as they were informed who the colonel was, they flocked around him, and loudly cheered him. Some of the many brilliant feats of his romantic and unfortunate father were recounted by them with hearty good will, and with various incidental compliments to him who stood before them. Both their hearts and his were softened at these recollections, and in the eyes of some few an honest tear was seen to glisten.'

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Colonel Hodges mentions, that, during the stay of the Emperor in Oporto, up to his own ultimate departure from it, only one public execution took place. Though the criminal was a notorious offender, having twice attempted to desert to the enemy, yet Dom Pedro could scarcely be prevailed on to confirm the sentence of the court martial, by which the culprit was tried. However, it was ultimately settled that the execution should take place at four o'clock. I happened to be, observes Col. Hodges, riding with his Majesty at the moment when it was known that the sentence was being put into effect-four o'clock in the afternoon. Hearing the clock strike, he turned round, and, addressing an officer of his staff who was near him, said, in Portuguese, and with very evident emotion; "Well, this is the first man who has suffered by the sentence of the law in Portugal under my government. God grant he may be the last!" In further proof of the sincerity of this feeling on the part of the Emperor, it should be mentioned that owing to the painful impressions which he underwent at this occurrence, he declined attending at a ball given that evening at the quarters of an officer of the foreign brigade, who had, at his Majesty's own suggestion, and on the promise of his presence, invited all the ladies, English, French, and Portuguese; the ball having been unknowingly fixed for the day on which the unfortunate man was shot.

In one of the ensuing engagements which occurred subsequently to this period, the friends of the liberating forces had to deplore the loss of a gallant officer, Major Staunton, who was mortally

wounded. Amongst the particulars which Col. Hodges has, with such a generous recollection of the valour and character of Staunton, left upon record concerning him, are some stanzas beautifully written, and which were evidently composed under an impression of a premature fate. The lines will be read, under these circumstances, we are sure, with deep interest.

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We cannot follow the Colonel through the details of the various encounters which the army had with the Miguelites, and in which were repeated the same blundering and want of system and firmness on the part of the Oporto council, but still the same success, with many minor mistakes, as usual, in the military conduct of some of the leaders. From the plain course of his narrative, however, in one place the Colonel is led into a very justifiable fit of indignation in alluding to an act of the Emperor, which appears to us to be perfectly unaccountable. A report came to Colonel Hodges' ear, that the Emperor, as well as some around him, had, VOL. IV. (1833) no. 1.

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in reference to a particular engagement between the allied battalions of the French and English and the Miguelites, made some ungracious and totally undeserved animadversions on the conduct of the English and French troops. This was too monstrous to believe, until he inquired of Major Shaw, who told him in the field, on the previous day, that Don Pedro had sent the Marquis de Loule to him to say "the British battalion were drunk in officer of high rank and character added that he had heard the Emperor say that the "French had fled and abandoned their position."

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The Colonel, without the delay of a moment, addressed himself to Count de Villa Flor, who not only confirmed the statement of Major Shaw, but who also told Colonel Hodges that he (the Count) had denied to his Majesty the truth of the imputation. The Colonel on this sent a letter to De Villa Flor to be submitted to his Majesty. The latter delivered his message, but could get no other answer from the imperial calumniator, than" that he should see Hodges, and explain the matter to him, for that it was all a mistake." The aggrieved party in this case has the candour to acquit Don Pedro of any malicious intention in this matter, and confines his blame on the Emperor merely to the extent, that his Majesty was artlessly betrayed by his base advisers.

These were only a few of the many sources of annoyance, and even of persecution, which both the English and French officers endured from time to time. Even these might have been passed over by men whose enthusiasm in the promotion of a good cause was not to be easily turned aside; but, when Colonel Hodges saw that the half nakedness of his brave followers, and his own earnest importunity for the means of remedying their wants, were unheeded, he could no longer maintain his patience and equanimity, and as but a little drop was wanting now to fill the cup of bitterness which either he must swallow or retire from the army, that drop was speedily supplied by the Emperor, in a manner so seasonable as absolutely to call for the best gratitude of his deep debtor, Col. Hodges! In fact, Don Pedro attempted to put a humiliation upon the Colonel, who, it is scarcely necessary to say, complied with the dictates of his unstained honour, and abandoned the ungrateful and contemptible victim of an infatuated junta.

We have nothing to add, but that the recent unexpected good luck of Don Pedro, has rendered it unnecessary for us to make any observations on the succeeding statements of Colonel Hodges. We only lament the untoward accident which interfered to prevent so gallant a soldier, and a gentleman so accomplished, and who so largely shared in the perils of the struggle, from sharing as he ought, the fruits which crowned the ultimate victory. As a specimen of impartial history, as a detail of military events, and as a sample of literary excellence, we know of no parallel from any pen of modern times, with the exception of that of Colonel Napier's, the "Narrative of the Expedition to Portugal.',

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bind oder wede tomall to bariz ART, XII. Dramatic Scenes, from Real Life. By LADY MORGAN. In 2 vols. London: Saunders 2 and Ottley. 1833.

"MILADY," in direct contradiction of the conclusions which would be drawn from her experience, by any other individual under heaven, takes the strange method, which is in palpable evidence before us, of exposing the terrible state of destitution to which her intellectual resources are reduced. Because Lady Morgan could not succeed with her half English and half French vagaries with the sound part of the public, notwithstanding her numerous efforts for the purpose, she her failure was all a want of taste in that public, who, instead of being able to relish the noble repasts of Parisian luxuries which she had prepared for them, she now finds would be better pleased with the potatoes and salt with which she was previously too familiar to respect them. The purpose of these scenes, we presume, is to ridicule English families who go to Ireland, and to illustrate, for the thousandth and one time, the cruelty of the tithe system and the middle-men, and the ex-prejudices of the Sassanachs, &c. We only request of our readers to take the following as a specimen of the fastidious taste, the spirit of happy selection, which Lady Morgan has made, for the very edifying scenes which she has collected in these volumes. The Mr. Galbraith mentioned below, it should be understood, is the manager of an Irish estate, which is just entered upon by the Honourable Mr. Sackville, an English commoner of the first class; that Bijou is the name of one of Lady Morgan's

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I sd to most favourite characters in the piece, namely, a little lap-dog; and that Lady Emily is Mr. Sackville's gay and beautiful wife, whom Lady Morgan pretends to have been a spoiled child of nature and fortune, a London leader of ton, &c. It is proper, also, to state, that the scenes here described are only so many appendages to the dialogue that is all the time going on in a strain which may be estimated, very fairly, from the samples now adduced. Satisfied as to what will be the reader's conclusion, we shall abandon all intention of dwelling further upon this farrago.

"She leads him (her husband) gently to the door, and, putting him out, shuts it after him. S She then motions Mr. Galbraith to a chair, and, taking another, places herself exactly opposite, and rather close to him. Galbraith holds his hat in both hands, at which Bíjou makes two or three attempts; but, failing in these, the dog seats himself before a wooden box, standing in the corner of the room. Mr. Galbraith eyes him with a shy look. Bijou occasionally snarls and snaps at the box.

"He (Galbraith)rises with caution, and appears to watch something in movement. Lady Emily springs upon the table. Galbraith throws his hat at the box, which upsets, and an enormous rat bounces out. Lady Emily screams violently. Galbraith shouts, and claps his hands; and Bijou, barking loudly, gives chace. The rat shews great sport. Lady Emily becomes almost hysterical. Galbraith gets frightened. Bijou is outrageous. The rat escapes through a hole in the wainscot.' Bijou stands at fault. Lady Emily now laughs violently. 1.1. L 2

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Galbraith leans against the book-case, wiping his face, and unconscious that his coiffure au naturel has escaped from its moorings in the course of the chace. Bijou, with mischievous look in his bright little eyes, has carried the wig under the table, where he is busy dressing it after his most approved fashion. At this point the door opens. A group, alarmed by the previous noise, rush in; Lady Julia, in the full dress of Lady Isabella Sackville, Lord Fitzroy, and Clarence Herbert, in the cut velvet suits, bag-wigs, and swords of Mr. Fitzgerald Sackville, and Justine following, with an antique dress on her arm, for Lady Emily. A general burst of loud, vociferous, and continued laughter; Galbraith alone preserving his gravity, as he fans himself with his hat.'

ART. XIII.-Report from the Seleet Committee on Municipal Corporations. Printed by order of the House. 1833.

We have before us the report of a parliamentary committee, which has but recently concluded its inquiries into the very important subject of corporation abuses throughout the country. When we consider how much the highest interests of these kingdoms are involved by the acts of such local governments as corporations must certainly be allowed to be, we need not offer any apology for hastening to announce the satisfactory intelligence, that some considerable improvement is likely to be shortly introduced into these institutions. We perceive, by an examination of the contents of this document, that the evidence which it contains was exclusively supplied by corporate offiBut, justified as we should be in suspecting the character of such witnesses, under the circumstances, still, even from them, quite enough

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has been extorted to shew the necessity of speedy legistative interference. The following are amongst the principal abuses which formed the subjects of the committee's inquiries.

The jurisdiction of corporations is defective in some cases, in consequence of the town having been extended beyond the limits of the ancient borough; and in other cases, it is objectionable, from extending to places that are distant, and more properly falling within the jurisdiction of county magistrates.

The principle which prevails, of a small portion of corporators choosing those who are to be associated with them in power, and, generally, for life, is felt to be a great grievance. Thẹ tendency of this principle is to maintain an exclusive system, to uphold local, political, and religious party feelings; and is destructive of that confidence which ought always to be reposed in those who are entrusted with controul, judicial or otherwise, over their fellow-citizens.

One of the consequences of this system of close election has been, that publicity has been rarely given to the amount and application of the funds belonging to the different corporations.

The powers vested in corporation, for the administration of justice, both criminal and civil, are various and extensive. In some cases the choice of recorders has been, both in practice and in principle, highly creditable to the corporations; in other cases, recorders have been chosen of unexceptionable character, but selected rather on account of their rank and station, than from a regard to their fitness to discharge the duties of the office. The way in which the juries are summoned seems to be left too much to the discretion of the parties whose duty it is to summon them. There are no regular lists of those liable to serve on juries, and there is no controuł over the discretion of the

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