expenditure have been complete! All parties when in place have fully entered into his lordship's enlarged views, and in matters of expenditure, both in church and state, have been elevated above all narrow views of public economy." Millions upon millions of the public money have been voted by the two branches of the legislature in as thin houses, as that in which an additional hundred thousand a year has lately been given to the church, and towards the close of a session, when, but for the assistance of the minister to whom is committed what is technically and correctly termed "the management "of the house of Commons," the assembling of a sufficient number of members to make a house, would be attended with some difficulty. Thus on the day fixed for the discussion of Sir F. Burdett's motion respecting Parliamentary Reform, a few days after voting the grant, above stated, when the Speaker took the chair, 28 members only being in attendance, the house of course adjourned; and had not the hon. Baronet brought on the motion the next day, without giving any notice, it is probable the same "management" would have been repeated, and that no opportunity would have been afforded him of bringing on the motion at all.

But the late grant we have reason to expect is only preparatory to still larger grants, or as Lord Liverpool expressed it, a "measure "to answer the exigencies of the moment until time was allowed "to prepare and digest a plan to be permanently acted upon." We however contend, that before any additional grant had been voted, an inquiry ought to have been instituted into the state of the church, and such a reform adopted, as would have no longer suffered dignitaries and pluralists to live in indolence and luxury, whilst the laborious curate is starving on a miserable pittance. The present measure, is however, calculated rather to multiply than to diminish the abuses of the church: the value of livings under a certain sum is to be augmented; but no provision is made for the supply of the wants of those who have the most work to do, and who are paid the least for doing it: the great body of the curates are to be kept in their present state of poverty, and have no hopes of an improvement of their situation unless by practising greater servility to their superiors.*

* Lord Harrowby does not appear to have stated from whence he derived his information of the value of church livings. If from the usual source of clerical information, the King's books, the sum is much underrated, as the value of the livings has, owing to the increased value of the tythes, considerably increased within these few years. In all subjects of legislation, some inquiry is thought necessary; but in matters of expenditure, all inquiry seems to be thought by our senators useless—a mere waste of time!

The shameful practice of non-residence, for aught that appears to the contrary, is to be continued. Lord Harrowby styles the list of non-residents laid on the table of the house of Commons. "Not a list of delinquents, but of men, who following the example "of many of the brightest characters which have adorned the "church, had not executed in person the parochial duties of the place from whence they derive the whole, or a part of their in"come!" That a modern statesman should approve of holding sinecures in the church, as well as in the state, is by no means surprising; but if his lordship had understood the nature of the office of a minister of religion under either the Old or the New Testament dispensation, he would have perceived, that however bright the character of the pluralist, and the non-resident may be in his eyes, such persons are in the eyes of the great head of the church, the Shepherd and bishops of Souls, very lightly esteemed, and will have an awful account to render of their trust another day.

It is not only the corruptions of the established church of England, but the still greater corruptions of the established church of Ireland which are to remain as they are! Mr. PARNELL lately moved in the house of Commons-" An humble address to his Majesty, that he would order a special commission to be appointed "to inquire into the state and ratage of tythes in Ireland, &c." Repeated and unanswerable evidence has been presented to that house of the intolerable oppressions which the Irish labour under respecting tythes, Mr. HUTCHINSON charged Lord CASTLEREAGH with having "pledged himself to the people for an amelioration of their "condition," adding" If the noble lord did not wish to be handed "down to posterity as the betrayer of bis country he would redeem "his pledge." Mr. PERCEVAL however declared" he had looked into the subject, and the result of the impression on his mind was, that nothing could usefully be done: so he gave the motion his "decided negative." We need not add that the house, following the example of the minister, gave it a negative equally decided. Why will our rulers in church and state set their faces against that reform which must sooner or later take place, and which the longer it is delayed the more difficult will be the accomplishment. Will not the experience of ages-Will not the passing events of the present day impress on the British nation the important remark equally applicable to corrupt ecclesiastical as to corrupt political institutions -RUIN CAN BE PREVENTED ONLY BY REFORMATION!

FRANCE AND AUSTRIA.

The public have been anxiously waiting during the past month for intelligence respecting the negociation between France and

Austria; but nothing has arrived to afford them any satisfaction on the subject. In the mean time various reports have been afloat which can only be considered as expressive of the feelings and wishes of the writers. The ministerial prints have " sounded the "note of preparation" for a rupture of the armistice, and a renewal of the war; but they have been much puzzled to account for what appears to be fact-the resignation of the Archduke CHARLES of the chief command of the Austrian armies, and the appointment of Prince JOHN OF LichtensteIN in his room: this report these writers at first "hesitated to believe, and anxiously de"precated its confirmation." It has, however, since been confirmed, although the foreign prints assign no other cause for the resignation of the Archduke than that of " ill health." But the Editor of the Morning Post, states "with the most poignant feelings of regret "certain circumstances which led him to view the fact of the re"tirement of his royal highness in a very different light to that in "which they had viewed it the day before!" Then follows a philippic against their late favourite. "Unfortunately his royal high"ness," [he whom they had so lately styled the saviour of his country and of Europe, the conqueror of Bonaparte, &c. &c. &c.] "whose former glorious services has entitled him to our respect, ❝ and claimed our admiration, has of late permitted himself to be "influenced by a military cabal, by whom he became surrounded, "and whose baneful advice was the sole cause not only of the "victory of Aspern not having been vigorously and successfully "followed up, but of the ill fated and unfortunate armistice which "his highness had subsequently been induced to propose. Yielding "to the suggestions and advice of this cowardly or traiterous "cabal, Prince Charles, it appears rejected the wise and salutary "counsels of the gallant and skilful part of his generals who had so "eminently signalized themselves in the different engagements of "the campaign, and actually refused to adopt the necessary measures of vigour for improving the important advantages of the "brilliant victory of Aspern. Prince John of Lichtenstein in par"ticular, who contributed so essentially to the victory, had ear"nestly implored to have the permission of pursuing the dis"comfited enemy; but this ardent and brave officer received the "cold, the killing answer that it was not the time for pursuit, "From this time it appears the greater part of the Austrian army "became very discontented, the universal sentiment being, that if "the success had been followed, it must have been complete. The "French army was very materially reduced, and in every respect "exhausted; but the archduke, unfortunately yielding to the timid “counsels and false representations of others, rejected Prince John's

"

plan of promptly passing the Danube, and cutting off Bonaparte " from Vienna. The favourable moment was thus suffered to pass "unimproved; the enemy was permitted to gain his strength; and

again yielding to the baneful councils of the cabal, the Archduke "so far humiliated himself, and the brave warriors under his com"mand as to solicit the uncalled for, and unfortunate armistice " which succeeded the battle of Wagram."

The writer we have thus quoted for the amusement of our readers must surely suppose that the public had entirely forgotten, not only the French but the Austrian accounts of the battle of Aspern, in which latter it is stated that "the Austrian army lamented the death "of 87 superior officers and 4199 subalterns and privates; and 663 "officers, and 15,651 men wounded; and 9 officers, and 829 men "prisoners." Indeed it is evident to every impartial person, that the Austrian armies, however bravely they night have fought, were so exhausted that they were utterly unable to pursue the enemy, or in any respect to disturb his future plan of operations.

All ranks of foreigners, whether kings, princes, officers, or people who do not follow the infatuated councils of this country, and embroil themselves in eternal war with France; who will not sacrifice their existence for the sake of carrying on our mad schemes, are insulted and abused by the hirelings of government; and although the objects of this insult and abuse, were but a few days before the objects of the most extravagant panegyric. Such in particular has been the fate of the Arch Duke of Austria, and the Austrian Generals; the former of whom is now described as a weak, timid man, acting under the influence of the latter, a cabal of cowards or

"traitors!"

Notwithstanding the ardent hopes, wishes and expectations of ministers and their dependents for the rupture of the armistice, we think it is scarcely possible that the Austrian Emperor should, after consenting to an armistice which gave his opponent so many advantages, again attempt to renew the war. It is after all probable, that there are many important points to be settled, respecting the fate of other empires besides the Austrian, and which may be the reason of the lengthened negociations. If the Austrian Emperor should renew the war, his councils must be seized with the same infatuation as that which has seized the councils of some other countries: greater infatuation there cannot be !

Some of the most important proceedings of parliament occurred towards the close of the session, and to which we request the serious attention of our readers: these will be the subject of remark in a future number.

Harlow, Aug. 30.

B. F.

SUCH

THE GRAND EXPEDITION.

UCH was the term applied by the British cabinet, and by the public in general, to the expedition lately fitted out for the purposé of capturing the Isle of Walcheren, and for the still more important purposes of affording the Hollanders an opportunity of "throwing "off the French yoke under which they had so long groaned," of capturing the forts on the Scheldt, the city of Antwerp, and the French fleet; and by these means to discomfit our grand enemy BONAPARTE, to distract his attention, to encourage our allies to a vigorous resistance, and by animating the continent in general to take up arms, at length to bring about that great event for which all our ministers for these sixteen years past have been vainly striving—“ The deliverance of the continent," that is the restoration of the old despotisms civil and ecclesiatical, always by them termed the "regular governments of Europe!"

દર

However the "grand expedition" may finally terminate, for the last act of the tragedy yet remains to be performed, the means it must be acknowledged were conducted on a larger scale than this country had witnessed for many years past. One hundred thousand men, with a fleet sufficient to surround the Island of Walcheren, the estimated expence éleven millions sterling, the equipment of which has been the principal employment of ministers during the spring and summer months-such an armament naturally fixed the attention, and excited the expectations, the hopes, and the wishes of many, and the fears of others of less sanguine expectations; who calmly contemplating past events, and judging from circumstances, présaged little good from the plans of the present administration, more especially when they suspected the difficulties which might impede the progress, and at length frustrate the execution of such plans, and perceived that the chief command was committed, not to some veteran general of abilities VOL. VI.

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