SCENE IX. Cabinet of the Duke of WELLINGTON. WELLINGTON. (sitting at a table, and looking at the clock)-No Polignac yet! this is strange. My invitation was laconic, and no less pressing on that account-Napoleon's style. But the moments are precious; as I am accountable to posterity for every minute, for every second. These Frenchmen àre so thoughtless, so giddy! Well, let me see-I will prepare the lesson and draw up the instructions, to be given to my friend Polignac. He is not a diplomatist of the first class-I must therefore be very simple and clear, that he may understand me, and not go blundering on in his own way. But somebody comesthis is doubtless my man. I've a devilish good mind to scold him Show him in. (Servant enters, announcing Prince POLIGNAC.) PRINCE POLIGNAC. (entering)-Good morning. WEL. Let us speak French, my dear President. POL. (aside.) My dear President!-If you desire it, my Lord Duke, I will speak French; but I confess to you that I thus make a great sacrifice to your Excellency. WEL. And I am sensible of it, my dear President. POL. President!-I President! This is the delicate pleasantry of an ami able disposition, which can descend from the heights of genius WEL. I speak most seriously. POL. Might I presume then to enquire of your Excellency WEL. Oh let us lay aside the protocol of diplomatic politeness-the repertory of sickening etiquette. Your hand, my dear friend, your hand (extending his own). Come, let vain ceremoniousness no longer raise a barrier between us. You are a Frenchman, and I also-I am French; or at least I POL. How, my Lord Duke! WEL. Oh, let alone my dukedom. WEL. Plain Wellington, understand me. POL. May I know what entitles me to so much kindness--to these expres sions of friendship, which at once honour and surprise me? me. WEL. My dear Polignac, your character pleases me-it has always pleased The first time I saw you I said to myself, There is a brave, an honest man, whose physiognomy is of the happiest-the type of a chivalrous loyalty— the worthy representative of French nobility.' POL. In truth, my Lord Duke-no, no-my dear Duke-Lord Wellington -alas! I know not what I say-pardon me this confusion-this embarrass ment WEL. Don't be so frightened-come, let us be seated-(he draws a chair, and Prince POLIGNAC sits down)—but I beg of you, my dear friend, not to interrupt me. You will make me lose the train of my ideas-I no longer remember where I was. POL. You were doing me the distinguished honour of regarding me as the representative of the nobility of France. It is true that my nobility is of very ancient date: I am a true French gentleman-being descended in a direct line from a Roman family........... WEL. Ha! I remember now. When I had heard you speak, and had been enabled to appreciate your profound skill, your surprising sagacity, I said to myself, How is it that a man of such rare merit is banished in the ordinary station of an embassy-how is it that they deprive themselves of the support of a talent, which would throw so much splendour round a government—which would give to the ancient monarchy its old preponderance? I impatiently awaited an opportunity for bringing you forward on the theatre of the worldthat opportunity this day presents itself. POL, POL. I had no idea that I had fixed the attention of a great man. My merits are very limited. To serve religion-to serve the WEL. We have nothing to do with religion now, my dear Prince-you wander from the question. You have long, I believe, had a wish to try your hand as a minister-you desire a portefeuille ? POL. Why 'tis true I should have no objection-but only for the good of religion, which is quotidianly outraged, to defend the monarchy, and stifle anarchy-not for my interests WEL. Oh leave such considerations to your Quotidienne, to your Gazette. For heaven's sake, leave off these repetitions, which savour too much of 1815. Confess to me frankly that you wish to be minister. POL. Well, my dear Duke, a portefeuille is the object of my most ardent wishes-ah, if I had it!-But I have no longer any hope-for I have made a dozen journies to Paris, and to no purpose. Always to return empty-handed, and exposed to the taunts of the Parisian and London papers-all this begins to make me despair of the monarchy. WEL. And you alone can save it-is't not so? The country is always in danger, when one wishes to be minister. I said as much myself, when I aspired to Canning's place. But supposing that you were minister to-morrow-or even to-day POL. Or even to-day! WEL. Or to-morrow, or next day-a few days more or less don't alter the business. But to be brief-supposing that I should procure for you this so much desired ministry-if, by my influence, I should raise you to the Presidency of the Council POL. A portefeuille for me! I should expire with delight-I should die content! WEL. Living-not dying-is the question here. Supposing, as I had the honour of saying to you, that you became First Minister in France-would you be grateful? POL. My gratitude should finish but with my life. I would esteem you my guardian angel. WEL. Oh, I don't require so much as that-I ask but little of you-very little. POL. Speak, my Lord Duke, speak-or, rather, say nothing; for I should never think I had done enough to evince my gratitude to you. I WEL. This language pleases me, my dear Jules-but I exact no impossibility. I prescribe limits to your gratitude; for it would afflict me were you to carry your acknowledgments too far. You know how much I love France -all that I have done for her-my intentions have been calumniated. POL. Envy always pursues merit-the shadow following the body— WEL. Pray, my good friend, a truce to these common places. I tell love France, and wish to give her a proof of my affection. For example, they talk a great deal of economy in the discussion of your budget-now, I have a way of enriching your treasury by a hundred millions. If I were minister, I know what I would do, I have a sure receipt-yes, I've discovered the philosopher's stone. you POL. It would, of course, be indiscreet to request of you the communication of so important a secret. WEL. Indiscreet! you indiscreet, Polignac.-Oh, my friend, listen to my plan. You have a navy, the maintenance of which absorbs an enormous capital. Now what do you want with such a considerable navy? Have you a war to support? No.-Well then, set aside some twenty vessels of the line and a dozen frigates..... POL. What a happy idea-what a ray of light! 'Tis true-to what purpose so many ships of war? A few brigs are sufficient convoy for merchant 2 M 2 vessels. vessels. And then, should a war break out, we might soon refit the dismantled ships-'tis the work of a week. WEL. Good, very good, my dear Jules-I see you understand the matter perfectly. Now tell me what you think of the war between Russia and Turkey. POL. I confess to you that this question somewhat confuses me. I know well enough that these two powers are now at war; but I have not troubled myself much about it-tis so far off. WEL. But do you think that France gains much by the aggrandisement of the Russian empire? POL. True I had not thought of that. WEL. Then France should desire-it is her interest to desire-that Mahmoud should continue at Constantinople. Now, my dear Prince, give me your profession of faith relatively to the battle of Navarino. POL. It was a glorious battle for Christendom-another battle of Lepanto. WEL. What mean you by that? Don't you see that the victory in question is not only a political crime, but a stupid blunder? POL. Your pardon, my Lord Duke-I did not think of that. WEL. Can you, who are a good Christian and a faithful catholic-can you mention Christianity with reference to the battle of Navarino, when the French fought in conjunction with English heretics and Greek schismatics? POL. I'faith, that's true. I had not thought of that-I feel confident that no one in France has thought of that. WEL. You abjure then that impious glory?-good! Now, my dear Jules, I must let you know my mind. The Russians threaten Constantinople-we must keep them out of it-and nothing but a close alliance between England, France, and Austria, can prevent the impending misfortune! The French ministry is weak-shrinking before the noisy Liberals-and will never dare to meet the question fairly. Tis you who must decide it. Go to Paris-every thing is prepared and ripe for your elevation-the chair of ministerial precedency awaits you: you will fill it worthily. The star of Choiseul, of Vergennes, will grow pale before you. POL. I go I go, my Lord Duke. I will justify your choice and your confidence. But, a word-I shall stand in need of fresh instructions-I can do nothing without instructions. WEL. You're right-I will enlighten your inexperience by my counsels. My friendship will watch over you at Paris. POL. Excellent! Thus, then, I can set off? WEL. Immediately-there's no time to be lost.-The Russians have passed the Balkan. POL. The Balkan-good God!-they have passed the Balkan! Who is he? WEL. 'Tis a chain of mountains-but you can consult the map of Turkey in Europe. POL. Yes, my dear Duke;-and as the Russians have crossed the Balkan, I am going to cross the Channel. WEL. Good, good-but quick!-set off for Paris. POL. But I'm not in the habit of travelling-I may at least take a turn to the embassy? WEL. Be it so. I give you an hour-no more-for your preparations. POL. Thank you, my dear Duke. But remember you promised me your instructions-your advice;-without them I shall be in utter confusion. WEL. By Waterloo! I'll keep my promise. POL. Adieu, then, my dear Duke. (They shake hands affectionately, and Prince POLIGNac retires, testifying his gratification.) WEL. (alone) Now there's just the man I wanted. He was right enough in asking me for instructions. Were I to let him go alone, he'd make fine work of of it! He has at least one merit-simplicity. Yes! I will assist him, be his Mentor, his preceptor;-but woe to the new Telemachus, if he disobey his English Minerva. This political sally we have chosen, not more as a specimen of the author's style than as a tolerable evidence of the state of feeling in France with regard to the men and the measures of her present ministry. CONTINENTAL LITERARY INTELLIGENCE. Denmark. A NEW Dictionary of Danish Synonyms has just appeared, by Messrs. Sporon, Heiberg, Smidth, and Müller. Messrs. O. Thornson and Thomas Erslen, are about to give a Supplement to the Dictionary of Danish Literature, by Kraft and Ugeruss. Mr. P. A. Heiberg is occupied with Sketches of his Life in France,' which will appear at Christiania. The celebrated philologist Thorlacius, professor of eloquence at the University, died lately. He is succeeded by Mr. Madvig. Mr. Arnesen is engaged with a Greek and Danish Dictionary, the first of the kind in Denmark. A Dictionary of the Frisian language, by Mr. Fritzen, is in the press. It will be published at the expense of the Society of Belles Lettres. Mr. Malling, Minister of State, and author of the celebrated work called Great and Good Actions of Danes and Norwegians,' which was translated into English and French, has departed this life. Brondsted and Villoison.-In vol. xii. of Hermes,' a German journal, edited by Dr. K. E. Schmid, an article appeared with the following title, Villoison and Bröndsted; a Supplement to the History of Plagiarism. It is worthy of attention, as it treats of a work equally known to the English, French, and German scholar, and of a man sufficiently celebrated throughout Europe to justify a suspicion à priori against the critic. This is Dr. P. O. Bröndsted, agent of his majesty the king of Denmark at the papal see; and his work is, 'Voyages and Researches in Greece, published in German, French, and English, and dedicated to his majesty the King of Denmark.' Before we enter on a minute examination of the critique in question, we will say a word of Mr. Bröndsted. Having in 1806 obtained the degree of master of arts in the university of Copenhagen, he, at the close of the same year, undertook a journey to France, intending to proceed afterwards to Greece. He spent two years in Paris, where the imperial library was open to him, and in 1809 repaired to Italy, whence he proceeded to Greece in the following year. Here, in company with many celebrated men, as Linckh, Haller, Cockerell, Foster, &c., he entered on researches, the fruits of which are contained in the work above-mentioned. In 1813 he returned to his native country; from which, seven years later, he again set out to revisit the Ionian isles, and having spent a year there, came home. He begins his work with these isles, the first volume containing a description of the isle of Ceos. The criticism to which we would direct attention begins thus :-'This work is a plagiarism from the notices of Mr. Villoison*, written on the margin of the * D'Ausse de Villoison visited the island of Ziaceos in 1785. After his death, in 1805, the imperial library became possessed of his papers, which are of the utmost importance. edition edition of Tournefort, and from his manuscripts, which form more than twelve quarto volumes...... From what Villoison says of Ceos, Bröndsted has taken, without acknowledgment, his citations, conjectures, opinions, results, and even his faults of style and effaced passages. He quotes him thrice-once concerning another island, and the two remaining times in a note and in a supplement, in a manner designedly perverse and mutilated. We have inquired among men most calculated to form a judgment, and, according to them, it is more than probable that Mr. Bröndsted employed the papers of Mr.Villoison, even before he set out: after his return, he made extracts from them, during several months, in the royal library.' Such are the general accusations of the critic; and it must be admitted that, had they even verisimilitude, they would be sufficient to eclipse for ever the reputation of a man who enjoys so wide a celebrity. But Mr. Bröndsted has not been without defenders; and we will compare their statements with the charges brought against him, in order to arrive at a just conclusion between the author and his critic. The first defence of Bröndsted appeared in a Danish journal, called 'Dansk Litteraturtidende,' edited by Professor P. E. Müller. But this defence, written in the mild tone which distinguishes the journal, is rather an excuse than a justification. Next was published a pamphlet, by Mr. Hage, entitled 'Bröndsted and Villoison,' in which the writer, following the critic step by step, not only proves that Mr. Bröndsted is not guilty of the charge of plagiarism, but further adds that the critic is a base calumniator (niederträchtiges verläumder). Without blindly following either party, we will proceed to notice the accusations of the critic, and the replications of Messrs. Müller and Hage. The critic begins by a general assertion that Mr. Bröndsted has copied from Mr. Villoison his quotations from the ancient authors, concerning the topography and history of the isle of Ceos; and this he attempts to prove, by comparing several of the quotations. But, is it not absolutely necessary that two men tending towards the same point, when studying the ancient authors, should meet with and quote the same passages in numerous instances; or is it a fault in Mr. Bröndsted, that he saw the light some thirty years later than Mr. Villoison ? As to the geography, the principal result is, that the ruins called Taes Polaes,' which are found at Ceos, are not those of Iulis but of Carthæa. Tournefort had believed that they were the ruins of Iulis; but Bröndsted proves that they are those of Carthæa. The critic supposes that this idea was borrowed from Villoison, who quotes the passage from Strabo (x. 480) which had misled Tournefort. But why should this be so? Bröndsted proves by inscriptions, &c., in the clearest manner, what was before only slightly conjectured, and has not confined his illustrations to this particular part of the island. He has also explained the site of Coressus, &c, &c. 'The chief result in the archæological part of this first book,' says the critic, is that the worship of Aristæos all over this island was joined with the worship of Apollo, and not with that of Jove;' and he believes that this opinion of Mr. Bröndsted is taken from two lines of Æneas de Gaza, quoted by Villoison. But the critic is wrong: the chief result is the explanation of the worship of Aristæos at Ceos, and the critic omits what Bröndsted has said on the worship of Jove, &c. which strengthens his opinions. The critic will have it that Brondsted has stolen even the nymphs of Ceos from Villoison, because both writers cite the same passage from Heraclitus Pontius: and he proves this charge as he does all the rest. With regard to the notices of Mr. Villoison on the fine arts,' says the critic, Bröndsted has thought them so excellent, that he has not given an abridgement, |