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FROM a desire to improve aud render the Monthly Publication of LA BELLE ASSEM ̧ BYEE as worthy as possible of public encouragement, the Proprietors are incessantly occupied in search of novelty, and studious to introduce such Original Articles as may be likely to interest and instruct their fair Readers in all the elegant accomplishments that can adorn the female mind.

In addition to the attractive Musical feature of Mr. DIEDIN's Original Songs, which he has engaged to furnish Mouthly for this Publication, exclusively, we shall hereafter also introduce a regular series of Critical Descriptions of all the Finest Pictures in the various Schools of Painting, with Outline Representations of every Subject.

It is our purpose to give fac similes of the original French Work entitled Manual of the French Museum, with analytical and critical descriptions of every Picture. This Work includes all the principal paintings of the different Schools as exhibited in the Gallery of the Louvre at Paris. The French Work is now completed in Ten Volumes, and we shall commence with the Flemish School in our next Number; and give a representation and critical account of all the Pictures therein within the course of the present year; and proceed afterwards through every School in the same manner until the whole Work is gone through, which we trust will prove a rich treat and gratification to every lover of the Fine Arts in this Country.

Our Subscribers are already in possession of Mr. DIBDIN'S ORIGINAL SONG, composed expressly for this Work, entitled LIFE'S WEATHER GAUGE, which was given in our last Number, and is likely to revive the popularity of that celebrated Composer, as it has already been sung in several harmonic and convivial societies with universal admiration it is now finding its way into the public theatres, and has been sung with great applause by Mr. Isaacs, every night last week, at the popular and beautiful theatre of Sans Pareil, in the Strand.

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In the present Number is another Song by Mr. Dibdin, which is likely to obtain equal celebrity, entitled "ALL WEATHERS:" it is bespoke already by several Performers, to be in. troduced on their benefit nights, and will doubtless prove equally attractive in all friendly and convivial parties.

London:

PRINTED BY AND FOR JOHN BELL, POPRIETOR OF THE WEEKLY MESSENGER,
SOUTHAMPTON-STREET, STRAND, MARCH 1,

1811.

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For FEBRUARY, 1811.

A New Series.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF ILLUSTRIOUS LADIES.

The Sirteenth Number.

CHARLES THE FOURTH KING OF SPAIN, AND HIS QUEEN.

Or all the usurpations which have occurred during the many ages of modern history; of all those atrocities which grew out of that prolific stock of mischief-the French Revolution, there is none more odious for systematic perfidy in the plan, or more revolting to the feelings of humanity for the uncoloured violence of its execution, than that which we have witnessed within these three last years take place in Spain.

This plan was a long time in agitation before it developed itself in action. In France it was a common subject of political conversation, that the Bourbons were to be dethroned in Spain, and a Bonaparte introduced in their stead. All this was meditated when both nations were in strict alliance together. For three years previous to the seizure of the Royal Family, Spain was deluged with French emissaries, commissioned to prepare the minds of the people for the event.

The original plan was to transport the Royal Family of Spain to South America, and to seize upon the Crown as a derelict.

We have had examples in our country, and have seen many instances in foreign nations, of the dethronement and abdication of monarchs. These are events, the familiarity of which, in the present age at It was the misfortune of Spain at this least, has taken from them all claim to time to be governed by an infamous upnovelty; but the dethronement, the seemstart, without either military talents, ingly voluntary, though, in fact, the forced or civil experience, and indeed totally abdication, of the King and Queen of without any other greater talent than Spain, are events which, in a time prega dexterous habit of intrigue, and a pronant with all wonders, have some claim to found system of cunning and dissimuattention. There was an awful warning lation. This man, who thus enthralled in this event; it seemed so intelligible a Spain, depressed her gallant spirit, drove dispensation of the will of Heaven-the her nobility from the Court, and ground hand-writing on the wall was so glaringly down her numerous population by every visible; it was calculated, moreover, to species of oppression, was Manual Godoy, impart such an irresistible conviction of the Prince of Peace, a title impudently the true genius of the French governassumed, to recommend Spain to France. ment; in short, it brings together such a by a course of inactive and self-destroymass of circumstances for profitable les-ing tranquillity, and mean-spirited sub

sons and useful warning, that it can never be too serious a subject for contemplation.

mission.

This man possessed the confidence of the King and Queen of Spain, and was

employed to manage the intrigues of France in the cabinet of the Escurial. The most splendid promises were doubtless made to engage and stimulate his perfidy; but how far these promises were fulfilled, and what was the just reward of his traitorous conduct, events have sufficiently shewn.

ments of his friendship, shews that he can stoop to any refinement of artifice, the massacre of three hundred victims, whom Murat caused to be grouped together and shot by the French soldiery in the squares of Madrid, tends equally to shew, that, in the nature of the Emperor of France, hypocrisy and savage cruelty are blended and united, and that the policy of Tiberius is employed to prosecute his views, joined to the cool and malignant cruelty of a Nero and Caligula.

The flight of the Royal Family of Spain to Bayonne, the pretended abdication in that city of the Spanish throne, for himself and his heirs, which was extorted at the point of the bayonet from the timid and helpless old King, are circumstances fresh in the recollection of our readers, together with their subsequent captivity in the hands of their powerful enemy, and their imprisonment in the heart of his dominions, far from their subjects, or any hope of rescue which they can afford them. Ferdinand, moreover, whom the Spanish people had unanimously elected King in

The means which Godoy employed to secure his power were as unnatural as cruel, he succeeded in alienating the heart of the King from his son, Prince Ferdinand. He is reported to have fabricated letters which contained an account of a plot meditated against the King's life by his son, and the heir of his throne, Ferdinand VII. Whilst these intrigues were carried on in Spain, Bonaparte, who saw that the progress of cunning was less certain, and in finitely more tardy, than that of open violence, prepared to march an army into Spain. The consent of Charles and his Queen was soon obtained; the consent of Godoy was not asked. The time was now arrived in which he ceased to be useful as an instrument, and (as he might in the event expect a reward which, though pro-place of their deposed monarch, was forced mised, was never intended for him) he was too costly to be entertained as a friend. Whilst the King and Queen were pre-dence, is reduced to the condition of a paring for a flight, the opposition of Ferdinand and his counsellors intercepted their departure; and the alarm spreading amongst the people, led to the first commotions at Aranjuez. The immense force which Bonaparte introduced into Spain clearly shews that he foresaw the probability of the subsequent convulsions throughout Spain, and had made every provision against them which his fears could suggest, If the detention of Ferdinand, when lured into toils by the dangerous blandish

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into the same captivity, and, with the exterior of splendour and nominal indepen

slave. We are not writing the history of Spain, or aiming at any detail of recent transactions; but we cannot help observing (and we shall conclude with the observation), that Great Britain never exhibited a more edifying spectacle to surrounding nations; she never displayed, at any period of her various annals, a more elevated virtue, or disinterested patriotism, than in the part which she took at the commencement of the Spanish struggles.-May the termination be fortunate.

ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS.

ROMANCES IN REAL LIFE.—HISTORY OF ALBERTO AND ANGELICA.

IN the city of Rome was a rich mer-long industry. And this we suppose was chant of the name of Stephano. His character throughout the city was that of a merchant who dealt honestly, and who had amassed his riches by small profits and

the cause that he loved his riches with a passion so inordinate, that he sacrificed all the enjoyments of his life to the sole pleasure of adding to the heaps he had already

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