xxxix.

sion of persons and parties, a ministry was created his descendant has made against the fierce which lasted for nearly two years."-pp. xxxvii- onslaught of Junius. If we do not misread the signs of the times, there is a tendency amongst our political writers to depreciate unduly this most marvellous of anonymous assailants. Indiscriminate eulogy was formerly fashionable, and we are now in danof going to an opposite extreme. Admit all that can fairly be urged—and we confess that it is much-and the letters of

The same course of intrigue was continued under the administration of Mr. Grenville, which led the Duke of Bedford to seek an audience with the king, in order to remonstrate against the system that was pursued. His conduct on this occasion has been variously represented, but we are bound to say that the defence of Lord John is substantially satisfactory:

·

"no reason to doubt,

“There appears,” he says, that from the commencement of the reign there was a party called the King's friends,' who at tempted to exercise all real power, while the show of it was only left to the responsible ministers; that on them all favor was bestowed, and by them the measures of the court were directed: that while such was their influence, they kept in the back-ground, occupying permanently lucrative subordinate places, and leaving the labor and the risk of political affairs in the ostensible rulers of the country that at a signal from the court, any minister was at once removed; and a subservient House of Commons were directed to transfer their votes to some other puppet, destined to hold a rank equally powerless, by a tenure equally preca

rious.

"If there be truth in these delineations, it was surely the duty of an old counsellor of the Crown to warn the sovereign of his danger; to implore him to permit his authority and his favor to go together; and either to invest his ministers with the influence belonging to his royal station, or to produce in open daylight the secret depositaries of his confidence. By such conduct the Duke of Bedford showed that he well knew the eternal difference between a true and sworn friend of the monarchy, and a slippery sycophant of the court. "The king, having resolved to keep his favor for his private friends and the Bute party, told the chancellor that he considered the Duke of Bedford's remonstrance as a resignation; nor could it the alternative had been put to him, that he should take his choice of the course he preferred. He was resolved not to govern as George the First and George the Second had governed, by means of open parliamentary ministers."-pp. xliv-xlvi.

be considered unhandsome to his ministers, after

ger

Junius will yet remain amongst the most lucid, condensed, vigorous, and withering specimens of political writing in our lanAt a time when men feared to guage.

write their thoughts, and the nation was refused a report of the debates of its representatives, this masked champion entered the lists, and by his undaunted bearing and weight of metal, bore down every opponent. That he was unscrupulous, we admit. The floating rumor of the day was adopted, private vices were dragged to light; even natural deformities, as with fiendish exultation, were dilated on, and where other materials were wanting, invention was permitted to enlarge, to aggravate, and to blacken, the follies or the misdeeds of those whom he sought to overwhelm with public infamy. The moral of Junius was inferior to the mental. His character, however, cannot be duly estimated, without regard being had to the circumstances and spirit of his age. The more healthy modes of expressing public opinion were suppressed. Men were forbidden to speak and write as they felt, while the sacredness of the constitution was violated, and public liberty openly assailed. It is not for the advocates of such a policy to censure the vices of Junius. They were the growth of their own measures, the stealthy, unscrupulous, and revengeful indignation with which an outraged people gave utterance to their male

dictions.

We would his letters had been free from these vices, but as the atrocities of the French revolution were the natural fruit of the heartless tyranny and sensualism of the ruling classes of that country, so the untruths, the slanders, the bitter malevo

The Grenville administration is known in English history by one of the most im-lence of Junius, find their cause and explapolitic and mischievous pieces of legislation nation in the political condition of his ever perpetrated. The resolutions which times. One thing he accomplished, and it carried for imposing stamp duties on for this we shall never withhold our gratiAmerica, led to the revolt of the colonies, tude. He had great faults; but he won and ultimately to their independence. for the people the right of free speech. He But we cannot enter on this theme. Our often penned untruths, and for this he is. business is with the Duke of Bedford, and to be censured; but he established the before closing our notice of his Correspon- claim of Englishmen to utter within the dence, we must advert to the defence which | hearing of their rulers, the indignant re

bukes of an insulted people. At the com- crimes charged upon him. No candid reamencement of his career his printer, Wood-der of the Introduction to this volume will fall, dared not publish, without considerable fail to acquit him, whatever estimate may alterations, a report which he had furnished of one of Burke's speeches; but within two years that same printer published his celebrated "Letter to the King." The nation had found a champion, and they nobly sustained him.

Lord Russell has successfully defended his ancestor from the attacks of Junius. This is simple justice. Though not above the morality of his day, the Duke of Bedford did not fall below it. He was not guilty in the special matters alleged by Junius. He was probably incapable of the

be formed of his patriotism or ability. The Introduction itself forms an appropriate comment on the period to which the Letters refer. It is characterized by good sense and clearness of style, and may be read with advantage by the historical student. The noble author is, of course, somewhat partial to the memory of his ancestor. It would have been strange had it been otherwise. His partiality, however, is seen, not so much in any exaggerated estimate of his worth, as in the denunciation of his merciless assailant.

From Tait's Magazine.

CATALINA DE ERAUSO, THE NAUTICO-MILITARY NUN OF SPAIN.

BY THOMAS DE QUINCEY.

contemporary chronicles, and from several official sources scattered in and out of Spain, some of them ecclesiastical, the amplest proofs have been drawn, and may yet be greatly extended, of the extraordinary events here recorded. M. de Ferrer, a Spaniard of much research, and originally incredulous as to the facts, published about seventeen years ago a selection from the leading documents, accompanied by his palinode as to their accuracy. His materials have been since used for the basis of more than one narrative, not inaccurate, in French, German, and Spanish journals of high authority. It is seldom the case that French

WHY is it that Adventures are so generally repulsive to people of meditative minds? It is for the same reason that any other want of law, that any other anarchy, is repulsive. Floating passively from action to action, as a withered leaf surrendered to the breath of winds, the human spirit (out of which comes all grandeur of human motions) is exhibited in mere Adventures as either entirely laid asleep, or as acting only by lower organs that regulate the means, whilst the ends are derived from alien sources, and are imperiously predetermined. It is a case of exception, however, when even amongst such adventures the agent reacts upon his own difficulties and necessities by a temper of writers err by prolixity. They have done extraordinary courage, and a mind of pre- so in this case. The present narrative, mature decision. Further strength arises to which contains no sentence derived from such an exception, if the very moulding ac- any foreign one, has the great advantage of cidents of the life, if the very external co- close compression; my own pages, after ercions are themselves unusually romantic equating the size, being as 1 to 3 of the They may thus gain a separate interest of shortest continental form. In the mode of their own. And, lastly, the whole is locked narration, I am vain enough to flatter myinto validity of interest, even for the psy-self that the reader will find little reason to chological philosopher, by complete authenti- hesitate between us. Mine will, at least, cation of its truth. In the case now brought weary nobody; which is more than can be before him, the reader must not doubt; for always said for the continental versions. no memoir exists, or personal biography, that is so trebly authenticated by proofs and attestations direct and collateral. From the archives of the Royal Marine at Seville, from the autobiography of the heroine, from

On a night in the year 1592 (but which night is a secret liable to 365 answers), a Spanish" son of somebody,"* in the fortified i. e., "Hidalgo."

town of St. Sebastian, received the disa- which," said the malicious old fellow," my greeable intelligence from a nurse, that his pussy will never find her way out to a thorny wife had just presented him with a daugh- and dangerous world." Won't she? I suster. No present that the poor misjudg-pect, son of somebody, that the next time ing lady could possibly have made him you see "pussy," which may happen to be was so entirely useless for any purpose of his. also the last, will not be in a convent of any He had three daughters already, which hap- kind. At present, whilst this general renpened to be more by 2+1 than his reckon- dering of thanks was going on, one person ing assumed a reasonable allowance of only took no part in them. That person daughters. A supernumerary son might be was "pussy," whose little figure lay quietly stowed away; but daughters in excess were stretched out in the arms of a smiling young the very nuisance of Spain. He did, there- nun, with eyes nearly shut, yet peering a fore, what in such cases every proud and little at the candles. Pussy said nothing. lazy Spanish gentleman was apt to do-he It's of no great use to say much, when all wrapped the new little daughter, odious to the world is against you. But, if St. Sebashis paternal eyes, in a pocket handkerchief; tian had enabled her to speak out the whole and then, wrapping up his own throat with truth, pussy would have said :-" So, Mr. a good deal more care, off he bolted to the Hidalgo, you have been engaging lodgings neighboring convent of St. Sebastian; not for me; lodgings for life. Wait a little. merely of that city, but also (amongst seve- We'll try that question when my claws are ral convents) the one dedicated to that grown a little longer." saint. It is well that in this quarrelsome Disappointment, therefore, was gathering world we quarrel furiously about tastes; a-head. But for the present there was nosince agreeing too closely about the objects thing of the kind. That noble old crocoto be liked and appropriated would breed dile, papa, was not in the least disappointed much more fighting than is bred by disa- as regarded his expectation of having no greeing. That little human tadpole, which anxiety to waste, and no money to pay, on the old toad of a father would not suffer to account of his youngest daughter. He instay ten minutes in his house, proved as sisted on his right to forget her; and in a welcome at the nunnery of St. Sebastian as week had forgotten her, never to think of she was odious elsewhere. The superior her again but once. The lady superior, as of the convent was aunt, by the mother's regarded her demands, was equally content, side, to the new-born stranger. She, there- and through a course of several years; for, fore, kissed and blessed the little lady. as often as she asked pussy if she would The poor nuns, who were never to have any be a saint, pussy replied that she would, if babies of their own, and were languishing for saints were allowed plenty of sweetmeats. some amusement, perfectly doated on this But least of all were the nuns disappointed. prospect of a wee pet. The superior thank- Everything that they had fancied possible ed the hidalgo for his very splendid present. in a human plaything fell short of what The nuns thanked him each and all; until pussy realized in racketing, racing, and eterthe old crocodile actually began to cry and nal plots against the peace of the elder nuns. whimper sentimentally at what he now perceived to be excess of munificence in himself. Munificence, indeed, he remarked, was his foible next after parental tender

ness.

No fox ever kept a hen-roost in such alarm as pussy kept the dormitory of the senior sisters; whilst the younger ladies were run off their legs by the eternal wiles, and had their chapel gravity discomposed, even in chapel, by the eternal antics, of this privileged little kitten.

What a luxury it is sometimes to a cynic that there go two words to a bargain. In the convent of St. Sebastian all was grati- The kitten had long ago received a bap tude; gratitude (as aforesaid) to the hidal- tismal name, which was Kitty; that is, Cago from all the convent for his present, un- tharine, or Kate, or Hispanice Catalina. It til, at last, the hidalgo began to express was a good name, as it recalled her original gratitude to them for their gratitude to him. name of pussy. And, by the way, she had Then came a rolling fire of thanks to St. also an ancient and honorable surname, viz. Sebastian; from the superior, for sending a De Erauso, which is to this day a name future saint; from the nuns, for sending rooted in Biscay. Her father, the hidalgo, such a love of a plaything; and, finally, was a military officer in the Spanish service, from papa, for sending such substantial and had little care whether his kitten should board and well-bolted lodgings, "from turn out a wolf or a lamb, having made over

found that Kate, with a sabre in hand, and well mounted, was but too serious a fact.

As

Kate went

the fee simple of his own interest in the little Kate to St. Sebastian, "to have and to hold," so long as Kate should keep her hold The day is come-the evening is comeof this present life. Kate had no apparent when our poor Kate, that had for fifteen intention to let slip that hold, for she was years been so tenderly rocked in the arms of blooming as a rose-bush in June, tall and St. Sebastian and his daughters, and that strong as a young cedar. Yet, notwith- henceforth shall hardly find a breathing standing this robust health and the strength space betweeen eternal storms, must see her of the convent walls, the time was drawing peaceful cell, must see the holy chapel, for near when St. Sebastian's lease in Kate the last time. It was at vespers, it was durmust, in legal phrase, "determine;" and ing the chanting of the vesper service, that any chateaux en Espagne, that the Saint she finally read the secret signal for her demight have built on the cloistral fidelity of parture, which long she had been looking his pet Catalina, must suddenly give way in for. It happened that her aunt, the lady one hour, like many other vanities in our Principal, had forgotten her breviary. days of Spanith bonds and promises. After this was in a private 'scrutoire, she did not reaching her tenth year, Catalina became choose to send a servant for it, but gave the thoughtful, and not very docile At times key to her niece. The niece, on opening she was even headstrong and turbulent, so the 'scrutoire, saw, with that rapidity of that the gentle sisterhood of St. Sebastian, | eye-glance for the one thing needed in any who had no other pet or plaything in the great emergency which ever attended her world, began to weep in secret-fearing through life, that now was the moment for that they might have been rearing by mis- an attempt which, if neglected, might never take some future tigress-for as to infancy, return. There lay the total keys, in one that, you know, is playful and innocent even massive trousseau, of that fortress impregnain the cubs of a tigress. But there the ladies ble even to armies from without. Saint Sewere going too far. Catalina was impetu-bastian! do you see what your pet is ous and aspiring, but not cruel. She was going to do? And do it she will, as sure as gentle, if people would let her be so. But your name is St. Sebastian. woe to those who took liberties with her! back to her aunt with the breviary and the A female servant of the convent, in some key; but taking good care to leave that authority, one day, in passing up the aisle awful door, on whose hinge revolved her to matins wilfully gave Kate a push; and in whole life, unlocked. Delivering the two return, Kate, who never left her debts in articles to the Superior, she complained of arrear, gave the servant for a keep-sake aa head-ache-[Ah, Kate! what did you look which that servant carried with her in fearful remembrance to her grave. It seemed as if Kate had tropic blood in her veins, that continually called her away to the tropics. It was all the fault of that "blue rejoicing sky," of those purple Biscayan mountains, of that tumultuous ocean, which she beheld daily from the nunnery gardens. Or, if only half of it was their fault, the other half lay in those golden tales, streaming upwards even into the sanctuaries of convents, like morning mists touched by earliest sunlight, of kingdoms overshadowing a new world which had been founded by her kinsmen with the simple aid of a horse and a lance. The reader is to remember that this is no romance, or at least no fiction, that he is reading; and it is proper to remind the reader of real romances in Ariosto or our own Spenser, that such martial ladies as the Marfisa, or Bradamant of the first, and Britomart of the other, were really not the improbabilities that modern society imagines. Many a stout man, as you will soon see,

know of head-aches, except now and then afterwards from a stray bullet or so?]— upon which her aunt, kissing her forehead, dismissed her to bed. Now, then, through three-fourths of an hour Kate will have free elbow-room for unanchoring her boat, for unshipping her oars, and for pulling ahead right out of St. Sebastian's cove into the main ocean of life.

Catalina, the reader is to understand, does not belong to the class of persons in whom chiefly I pretend to an interest. But everywhere one loves energy and indomitable courage. I, for my part, admire not, by preference, anything that points to this world. It is the child of reverie and profounder sensibility who turns away from the world as hateful and insufficient, that engages my interest: whereas Catalina was the very model of the class fitted for facing this world, and who express their love to it by fighting with it and kicking it from year to year. But, always what is best in its kind one admires, even though the kind be

disagreeable. Kate's advantages for her stood upon a scaffold, under sentence of rôle in this life lay in four things, viz. in a death (but, understand, on the evidence well-built person, and a particularly strong of false witnesses). Jack Ketch was absowrist; 2d, in a heart that nothing could lutely tying the knot under her ear, and appal; 3d, in a sagacious head, never the shameful man of ropes fumbled so dedrawn aside from the hoc age [from the in-plorably, that Kate (who by much nautical stant question of life] by any weakness of experience had learned from another sort imagination; 4th, in a tolerably thick skin, of" Jack" how a knot should be tied in not literally, for she was fair and blooming, this world), lost all patience with the conand decidedly handsome, having such a skin temptible artist, told him she was ashamed as became a young woman of family in nor- of him, took the rope out of his hand, and thernmost Spain. But her sensibilities tied the knot irreproachably herself. The were obtuse as regarded some modes of de- crowd saluted her with a festal roll, long licacy, some modes of equity, some modes of and loud, of vivas; and this word viva of the world's opinion, and all modes what- good augury-but stop: let me not anticiever of personal hardship. Lay a stress on pate.

that word some-for, as to delicacy, she From this sketch of Catalina's character, never lost sight of the kind which peculiarly the reader is prepared to understand the concerns her sex. Long afterwards she decision of her present proceeding. She told the Pope himself, when confessing had no time to lose: the twilight favored without disguise her sad and infinite wan- her; but she must get under hiding before derings to the paternal old man (and I feel pursuit commenced. Consequently she lost convinced of her veracity) that in this res- not one of her 45 minutes in picking and pect, even then, at middle age, she was as choosing. No shilly-shally in Kate. She pure as is a child. And, as to equity, it saw with the eyeball of an eagle what was was only that she substituted the equity of indispensable. Some little money perhaps camps for the polished (but often more ini- to pay the first toll-bar of life: so, out of quitous) equity of courts and towns. As four shillings in Aunty's purse, she took to the third item-the world's opinion-I one. You can't say that was exorbitant. don't know that you need lay a stress on Which of us wouldn't subscribe a shilling some; for, generally speaking, all that the for poor Katy to put into the first trouser world did, said, or thought, was alike con- pockets that ever she will wear? I rememtemptible in her eyes, in which, perhaps, ber even yet, as a personal experience, that she was not so very far wrong. I must add, when first arrayed, at four years old, in nanthough at the cost of interrupting the story keen trousers, though still so far retaining by two or three more sentences, that Cata- hermaphrodite relations of dress as to lina had also a fifth advantage, which wear a petticoat above my trousers, all my sounds humbly, but is really of use in a female friends (because they pitied me, as world, where even to fold and seal a letter one that had suffered from years of ague) adroitly is not the least of accomplishments. filled my pockets with half-crowns, of She was a handy girl. She could turn her which I can render no account at this day. hand to anything, of which I will give you But what were my poor pretensions by the two memorable instances. Was there ever side of Kate's? Kate was a fine blooming a girl in this world but herself that cheated girl of 15, with no touch of ague, and, beand snapped her hands at that awful Inqui- fore the next sun rises, Kate shall draw on sition, which brooded over the convents of her first trousers, and made by her own Spain, that did this without collusion from hand; and, that she may do so, of all the outside, trusting to nobody, but to herself, valuables in Aunty's repository she takes and what? to one needle, two hanks of nothing beside the shilling, quantum sufficit thread, and a very inferior pair of scissors? of thread, one stout needle, and (as I told For, that the scissors were bad, though you before, if you would please to rememKate does not say so in her memoirs, Iber things) one bad pair of scissors. Now know by an a priori argument, viz. because she was ready; ready to cast off St. Sebasall scissors were bad in the year 1607. tian's towing rope; ready to cut and run Now, say all decent logicians, from a uni- for port anywhere. The finishing touch versal to a particular valet consequentia, all of her preparations was to pick out the proscissors were bad ergo, some scissors were per keys: even there she showed the same bad. The second instance of her handiness discretion. She did no gratuitous miswill surprise you even more: She once chief. She did not take the wine-cellar