the ground of which is red enamel, the colour of the Turkish flag. Nelson was the first invested with it in the summer of 1799. This order was afterwards, by certain insidious suggestions, divided into classes; a medal of the second class was attempted to be imposed on Sir Sidney Smith by the same suggestions; which attempt, of course, he treated with the scorn it deserved. It has since been shamefully prostituted by pitiful intrigues.

to

Selim was not satisfied that he had done enough for the Euglish, and ordered the house and ground where the English embassy had long long resided, be furnished at a liberal price, and presented them to the British nation, with a handsome sum for building a new house. This was an act of personal feeling towards our country, and could not be placed to the account of remuneration for services. Did it therefore become the dignity of Great Britain to accept of it without offering a retaliation, which might have been made at a trifling expence, by appropriating some neat house, inclosed in a garden, for the residence of the representatives of the Porte at our court?-Neither the purport nor limits of these pages will allow us to record the many instances in which Selim has evinced his partiality and affection for the British, we shall soon have reason to appreciate their value by retrospective contemplation, in the contrast we are likely henceforth to experience.

The qualities above described could not fail of attaching the people to Selim by the most flattering sentiments of affection, as well as respect. But human happiness is seldom unalloyed with a portion of misery. Selim's reign was often disturbed with the dissatisfaction and tumult which the janissaries and ill disposed persons raised, in opposition to the establishment of the new system of tactics and finance; this was fomented by suspicions insidiously rumoured that he was influenced by his mother, the Valide Sultana, to favour too much his christian subjects. She was suspected of being herself a christian at heart, as she was a native of Georgia, and of christian parents. But the greatest cause of discontent to the people, and anxiety to himself arose from his not having children. The attrocious attempt to destroy him, which we have mentioned, although it did not succeed in its full intent, had yet

produced an effect destructive of all. hopes of his ever having issue. The danger which the failure of male issue in the Ottoman branch would expose the empire to, in the election of a successor to the throne from the khans of Crim Tartary, who are of the Jenghisian branch of the Oguzian tribe and the collateral heirs, was repeatedly urged as a good reason for setting Selim aside, and for putting his cousin on the throne, that he might get issue, to secure the succession to the race of Othman; the laws of the empire not permitting the presumptive heirs to have children ere their accession to the throne. Evil designing factions bave ever made this the ground-work of their machinations against Selim.

And Buonaparte, finding that, notwithstanding the unprovoked aggression perpetrated by England against Turkey, Selim still continued averse to become an active tool of his hatred

to

England, av availed himself of this greatest misfortune of that prince, as well as of the incorrigible imbecility of the agents of the powers opposed to France, and through its merciless intrigues, deprived Selim at once of power and life. *

Mustapha IV, the son of Abdul Hammid, Selim's cousin, now on the Ottoman throne, is about 28 years of age, and is said to be a very fine young man. He has only one brother, some years younger, named Mahmoud.

The state of the Ottoman empire at this crisis, presents a most momentous object, which we cannot help contemplating with awful silence.

CONSTANTINOPOLITANUS.

ter or in oil. For these inventions Mr. G. has received the silver medal and twenty guineas from the Society of Arts. The pannels and canvass are prepared by laying on them a composition nade from sheep's trotters calcined, and wheaten flour, in equal proportions. The grounds do not crack, and may be painted on almost it mediately; while, from their absorbent quality, the business may be proceeded on without delay. Oil is purified by bone-ashes, made into a paste with water, heated red hot, and immersed in the oil. The crayons are formed of bone-ashes and spermaceti, in the proportion of three ounces of the latter to one pound of the former: colouring matter is then added.

A

GREEABLY to

your request,

that I would commit to writing the narrative that formed part of our late conversation, I have now the renewed pleasure to inform you, that H. I. M. the Emperor ALEXANDER, in one of his journies through POLAND, by his own humane perseverance and personal exertion, restored to life a peasant of that country, who had been drowned a considerable time. This very interesting occurrence came to my know ledge during my late stay at St, PETERSBURGH, and took place between KONNA and WILNA (in LITHUANIA), on the banks of the little river WILNA, from whence the last-mentioned town derives its name,

"The EMPEROR, from some cause or other immaterial to the present interesting subject, had considerably preceded his attendants, and being led, by the winding of the road, within a short distance of the above-mentioned river, and perceiving several persons assembled near the edge of the water, out of which they appeared to be dragging something, instantly alighted; and, on approaching the spot, found it to be the body of a man apparently lifeless. Prompted by humanity alone, and without any other assistance than that of the ignorant boors around him (to whom he was no otherwise known,

than that his uniform indicated an offcer of rank), he had him conveyed to, and laid on the side of a bank, and immediately proceeded, with his own hands, to assist in taking off the wet clothes from the apparent corpse, and to rub his temples, wrists, &c which H. I. M. continued for a considerable time, using every other means (though destitute of every medical assistance) that appeared at the moment most likely to restore animation, but all without effect.

"In the midst of this beneficent occupation, the EMPEROR was joined by the gentlemen of his suite, among whom were Prince WOLKONSKY and Co. LIEWEN (two Russian noblemen), and Dr. WEILLY, his Majesty's head surgeon, an English gentleman, whese professional abilities are so well known (at least on the Continent) that they need no comment, who always travels with, and indeed never quits his Majes ty at any time

"Their exertions were immediate ly added to those of the EMPEROR and on the doctor's attempting to bleed the patient, his Majesty held and rub bed his arm, and gave every other assistance in his power; however, that, and all other means they could devise, proved equally ineffectual; so much so, that after above three hours fruitless attempts to recover him, the doctor declared, to the extreme chagrin of the EMPEROR (who was by this time become very anxious about it), to be his opinion, that life was quite gone, and that it was useless proceeding any fur ther.

Fatigued as he was with such continued exertion, the EMPEROR Could not, however, rest satisfied without entreating Dr. WEILLY to persevere, and to make a fresh attempt to bleed him. -The doctor, although (as he has declared to me himself, and from whose own mouth I have these particulars) he had not the slightest hope of being more successful in this than in former ones, proceeded, nevertheless, to obey the positive injunctions of H. I. м. when the whole of them (the noblemen; &c.) making a last effort in rubbing, &c. the EMPEROR had, at length, the inexpressible satisfaction of seeing the blood make its appearance, accompanied by a slight groan.

"The emotions of his imperial Majesty, on this occasion, the doctor informed me, are not to be described

and, in the plenitude of his joy, he exclaimed in French,

"Good God! this is the brightest day

of my life!"

and the tears, which instantaneously sprang into his eyes, indicated that these words came from the heart.

It is useless to say, my dear Sir, that their exertions were, as you may suppose, redoubled, and finally crowned with complete success; but I must not forget to add (as in justice to H. I. M. no trait, however trifling, ought to be omitted, which reflects such honour on his feelings as a man), that, on Dr. WEILLY'S looking about for something to stop the blood with, and tie up his arm, the EMPEROR, without any hesitation, instantly took out his handkerchief, tore it in pieces, and with his own hands bound the poor fellow's arm with it (whose gratitude and astonishment, when informed to whom he was indebted for his life, you may easily conceive); and remained with him till he saw him quite recovered, and conveyed to a place where proper care would be taken of him; besides ordering him a considerable present of money, and having since otherwise provided for him and his family.

The accompanying snuff-box, on which this interesting event is faithfully, though roughly delineated (the poor inhabitants of that part of POLAND being no great artists), was sketched at a neighbouring town, for the purpose of commemorating his restoration; and is one of four presented, on the occasion, to the principal actors in it, namely, H. I. M. and the three gentlemen above mentioned, who are (though not very correctly, it is true) represented on it.

Knowing my attachment to every thing in the least connected with that truly amiable aud good Prince, or his actions, Dr. WEILLY was kind enough, at my request, to present me with it; and although I would not part with it on any other account, I think it cannot be better disposed of, than by taking the liberty of offering it to you, Sir, to the end, that so striking an example of humanity, perseverance, and philanthropy, in so exalted a character, may not be entirely lost to the world, and to posterity.

Requesting you to excuse the hasty, imperfect way in which I have endeavoured to narrate this very affecting

totally incompetent to dó adequate justice), allow me to assure you, Sir, of the sentiments of respect and esteem with which I beg leave to subscribe myself, dear Sir, yours most faithfully,

"JAMES GRANGE.".

On a motion, in the society, made, and seconded by the REV. GEORGE GREGORY, D. D. it was

Resolved unanimously,

That it be recommended to the managers of this society, that the gold medal be voted to, and that H. I. M. ALEXANDER, Emperor of all the Russias, be humbly requested graciously to accept the same, being the highest tribute in its power to offer, in testimony of the sincere respect entertained by the R. H. S. for the character of H. I. M. by whose noble, unwearied, and persevering efforts, life was, under divine Providence, restored to one of his subjects, who, otherwise, would have been prematurely consigned to the grave!

The gold medal was accordingly voted, and has been presented to his Imperial Majesty at Petersburgh, by the British Ambassador. The receipt of it has since been acknowledged in a letter, in the French language, by the Emperor's own hand, of which the following is an exact translation. "To the President of the Royal Humane Society of Great Britain.

"MR. PRESIDENT,

"The Marquis of Douglas and Clydesdale, his Britannic Majesty's ambassador at my court, has conveyed to me the very flattering mpliment paid by your society to an avion, the notice of which must appear unimportant among the records you preserve of the highest services rendered to humanity. Yet, while I cannot consider so simple an action as entitling me to what you have conferred, I accept the distinction with pleasure and gratitude. It is impossible to deny myself the satisfaction of being enrolled among the members of a society, of which the objects and the zeal are so interesting to hu humanity, and so congenial to the dearest feelings of my heart. I beg you will express to the society the sincere regard and interest I take in its prosperity; and accept the esteem with which I am,

Mr. President,

Your most affectionate,

ALEXANDER,

!

VESTIGES,

* Guicciardin, who died 1540, has, in his History of the Netherlands, given a summary view of the commerce of Antwerp, which, though brief, considering the magnitude of the subject, is much too long to quote: perhaps our extraction of what may be termed his summing up may be sufficient for our present purpose, which is to give a general idea of the opulence of our ill-fated rival. "The port of Armuyden, on the island of Walcheren, was" (in the days of our historiau) "the place of rendezvous for the ship ping of ANTWERP, where" (says he) "there have been often seen 500 large ships together, bound to or returning from distant parts of the world." He adds, "that it was usual for 500 ships to come and go in one day, and 400 to come up the Scheldt in one tide; that 10,000 carts were constantly employed in çarrying merchandize to and from the neighbouring countries, besides many hundred of waggons daily coming and going with passengers, and 500 coaches used by people of distinction; that in Antwerp there are 169 bakers, 78 butchers, † 92 fishmongers, 110

+ It has been suggested, and indeed with some appearance of reason, that the number of bakers and butchers is too small for a city that receives 400 ships in a tide; by the same rule we might observe, that the number of master tailors seems too large: but with respect to both the historian was probably correct. If we could ascertain the number of bakers and butchers in London at any given period of the sixteenth century, it would, perhaps, appear as disproportionate, to the population, for this reason: the estimate would be taken from those that had fixed residences within the walls of the city, and all those of both trades who frequented Nie markets or had stalls in the suburbs would be left out of the calculation, because these, who were only, perhaps, occasional or hebdoEurop. Mag. Vol. LII. July 1807.

The sacking of ANTWERP was an event, from the record of which the human mind recoils with horror and indignation; yet it was an event that, while it depopulated the finest city in BRABANT, was not only highly advantageous to AMSTERDAM, whither the refugees who fled with their riches transferred also their arts, industry, and spirit of mercantile adventure, but to LonDON, who, in the fall of her opulent rival, would probably have rejoiced, had not the generosity of her sons risen superior to selfish considerations, and in

barbers and surgeons, 594 tailors, 124 goldsmiths (besides a great number of lapidaries and jewellers), 300 master painters, gravers, and carvers, mercers (i. e. retailers and pedlers), &c. without number; that the city contains 13,500 houses; that lodgings are so extravagantly dear, as (except Lisbon) to surpass any city of Europe; insomuch, that a set of lodgings with a hall and garrets do not let for less than 200 crowns yearly, and the greater lodgings and smaller houses usually at 500 crowns and upwards: lastly, that by the great concourse of strangers at Antwerp, advice of all that passes in every other part of the world is brought thither." If we consider how money has decreased in value since the early part of the sixteenth century, the prices of houses and lodgings at Antwerp inust astonish us: much as rents have within these last ten years risen in this metropolis, they bear no proportion to those of that city two centuries and a halfago; and if we compare them with those of London at that period, the difference is, upon an average, more than twelve to one. there was that disproportion in the commerce of the two cities we do not pretend to conjecture.

Whether

madal visitors, were termed foreigners, and, from underselling the citizens, were the continual of jeets of their jealousy, and of civic restrictions. It was no doubt the same in Antwerp, which being the port of the most plentiful country in Europe, unquestionably attracted to her markets all the dealers in the first necessaries of hie from the surrounding villages, and consequently received her provisions trom the bakers and butchers suuated in her vicinity, as well as from those absolutely resident. With respect to tailors, probably the reverse of this practice operated, and the fashions of a city as much fan ed for elegance as commerce might be in request by the opulent of Flanders and Brabant. This was at one period the case in LONDON, where the tailors were a great company when the bakers and butchers were comparatively small

C

duced them to receive the distressed Burghers with open arms, at the same time that their abhorrence of the Spanish system of barbarity operated upon their minds, and stimulated them with a zeal and alacrity not very frequently to be paralleled in history, to offer, both with their purses and persons, the means to avenge the'r wrongs.

The fall of ANTWERP contributed, with other circumstances which we have before noted, to the rise of LONDON, in almost the same degree that the decline OF VENICE, which, 517 years ago, was a great and flourishing city, had affected ANTWERP; or as the removal of ORIENTAL commerce from its emporium, ALEXANDRIA, had been the precursor of Italian opulence.

In revolving upon the causes from which cities have derived their wealth, and its concomitants, splendor and extension, we find them to be two: the first, from their being the residence of arbitrary monarchs, and consequently of courts composed of nobles, guards, &c. who, by circulating the revenues derived from landed estates, may produce luxury and magnificence without much export trade. This, leaving the cities of the ancient world out of the question, was, from the middle ages, the case with PARIS under the old government, and is to this hour to be observed with respect to PETERSBURGH, CONSTANTINOPLE, ISPAHAN, &c. The second cause of the greatness of cities is commerce. Both of these, in the reign of Elizabeth, formed in England a happy combination, and began to operate to that extension of the metropolis, which, as we have observed, fostered and encouraged by the union of the two crowns, the union of the two

kingdoms, aud, lastly, the union with Ireland, has formed so regular and long continued a system of improvement, that it is impossible to foresee, or even to conjecture, where extension is likely to stop.

Respecting the comparative greatness of cities, Giovanni Botero, an eminent Italian author, who, about A.D. 1599, wrote a small treatise on the sub. ject, states, that "PARIS is the largest metropolis in Christendom, containing about 450,000 people." He says, LonDON, NAPLES, LISBON, PRAGUE, MILAN, and GAUNT, have each of them, more or less, 160,000 inhabitants. "But Lisbon is indeed somewhat larger than the rest, by means of the commerce

easiness of access and carriage, and fruitfulness of the neighbouring soil. Thus Piedmont hath plenty of corn, cattle, wines, and excellent fruits, yet hath not one great city; and the like in England, London excepted; for although it abounds in plenty of all good things, yet there is not another city in it that deserves to be called great; as may also be said of France, Paris excepted." The Italian author is certainly incorrect with respect to England; for York, Bristol, Norwich, Exeter, Ipswich, Newcastle, Hull, &c were then places of very considerable commercial importance: they were all represented in the company called "The Mer chant Adventurers."

↑ It is a curious speculation to trace the adoption of a variety of articles and things for trade, provision, or pleasure, that, during the course of the sixteenth century, were brought into the country, and have long been naturalized, Saffron was first brought into England by a pilgrim; woud originally from Thoulouse in Languedoc, (though this was surely known to the ancient Britons); the damask rose was introduced by Dr. Linacre, physician to HENRY the VIIth; turkey fouls about the year 1522; the artichoke in the reign of HENRY the VIIIth; and of later times, the musk rose, and several sorts of

pluinbs, by Lord CROMWELL out of Italy; the opricht by King HENRY the VIIIth's French gardener (peaches and nectarines were brought from France at a subsequent period). About the year 1574 were brought to England, from Vienna, in Austria, divers kinds of flowers called tulipas, and those and others procured there a little before from Constantinople. And it is said, that since we traded to Zante, the plant that beareth the coren (currant) is also brought into this realm; and although it brings not fruit to perfection, yet it may serve for pleasure and for use. Archbishop Grindal brought the tamarisk plant from Germany. In fact, from the labours of our ancestors, we may be really, as well as metaphorically, said to enjoy the produce of the world.