prized, while vanity assumes the garb of intelligence, malignity of satire, and amusing extracts of criticism. Out of the threescore and ten periodical publications which illumine the literary hemisphere of Britain, were it practicable, valuable materials for a single miscellany might from time to time be selected; but what human being could have the patience, even to glance at the thousands of pages of insignificant and halfhatched ideas, which constitute the principal part of these new and interesting publications? The art of printing, which has so long promoted the interests by facilitating the deceptions of empiricism in all its varieties, has also received a new impulse from quack news-writers, and quack mechanicians. A German projector, eager like the rest of his countrymen, to catch part of the golden shower of English munificence, has substantiated his claims to patronage by inventing a rotatory printing-machine, for working off newspapers with a celerity hitherto unknown. One or two of the diurnal prints are, it seems, produced by this expeditious medium, and thus political falsehoods can be multiplied and circulated with a velocity, which reminds us of the famous structure dedicated to the Goddess of Lies: the "With rapid motion turn'd the mansion round; peace and war, health, sickness, death, and life; From these cursory observations on the use of pen and the press, a youthful student in the art of satire, may be taught caution in the employment of such powerful auxiliaries; let me now request his attention to a subject which has for ages been the theme of censure with all patriotic individuals, who thought they evinced their public spirit by abusing the Government of the country. That subject is a GENERAL ELECTION, which though periodical, affords striking illustrations of manners among the different classes of this great community, when an opportunity is presented for the undisguised profession of popular opinion. Of the moderation, decency, and manliness of the populace of Westminster, unequivocal proofs were evinced during the last struggle of parties, when a ferocious mob actually pelted Sir Murray Maxwell, while that gentleman addressed them from the hustings in Covent Garden. Yes, the boasted magnanimity of Britons was nobly shewn indeed, by driving a gentleman from his place, wounded, and disfigured with mire, to make way for a demagogue! The modest and disinterested Henry Hunt, Esq. also offered himself as the representative of Westminster in Parliament, and obtained the votes of two or three hundred freemen! I shall now describe the grand exhibition of electors in a certain county. A GENERAL ELECTION; OR, JOHN BULL IN HIS GLORY. That periodical jubilee of freemen, a General Election in this happy isle, may justly be considered a temporary revival of the golden age. During sixteen days allowed by the act for polling, the most uncontrolled liberty which a romantic advocate for freewill could desire, universally prevails. Human nature now appears in all its pristine dignity, proclaiming with sound of trumpet, and beat of drum, its disposition to make a noise in the world. No mercenary soldier is permitted to appear in the consecrated district appropriated to the worship of national Liberty, where her votaries riot at willin the sunshine of her cheering influence. There: N the liberty of the tongue, and the liberty of the press are employed to some purpose, and the characters of the great, the brave, and the fair, are vilified without fear or remorse by the partisans of the different candidates for popular favour. During this grand festival of patriotism, the order of society is subverted. Superiors solicit the favour of their inferiors, and with flexible neck, and extended hand, earnestly request the honour of the free and independent elector's suffrage; while he, "good easy man," crammed to the throat at an adjacent tavern, generously complies with an air of consequence sufficiently ludicrous. His female friends are also emulous to share with him, the enviable distinction of wearing the colours of the happy candidate for legislative honours. On this felicitous occasion, Boniface taps his best home-brewed ale, which by its invigorating energy, fortifies the throat for the sonorous repetition of" Church and King!" "The Majesty of the People!" "Freedom of Election without Bribery and Corruption!" and similar exclamations expressive of party, or individual sentiment, Inspirited by the vivifying influence of Sir John Barleycorn, the eye beams with renovated brilliancy, and alternately surveys the banners of the favourite candidate with a complacent smile, and that of his opponent with an indignant glåre. During an election all the senses of the happy voters are gratified, and in this grand entertainment music is a powerful auxiliary to mirth and civic animation. What delightful harmony fills the air! The clangour of cymbals, the ear-straining bounce on the great drum, and the various sounds of the clarion, the clarinet, and the bassoon, arouse the animal spirits to a degree of extatic elevation. In every county-town and borough, the utmost activity prevails; every nerve is braced to the highest tone of patriotic expectation, and every eye brightens on the approach of that happy moment when the golden-no, the bank noteshower scattered from the portfolio of the smiling candidates for popularity, shall reward the toils of electors, and their assistants. As a preparative, the baker, the butcher, the brewer, and the distiller, send in their best productions, as incitements to good fellowship and constitutional fraternity.: the milliner collects ribbons of the favourite colours of the candidates, and exhibits them in her window in the most attractive point of view; while the simpering wives and daughters of the electors, await with palpitating hearts, the blissful moment when they shall be honoured with a chaste kiss by an expectant legislator! |