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which he refers. If Mr. Robert Tweddell means to say, that he discovered among his father's papers an acknowledgement of his having received the effects of his late son, transmitted to this country by Lord Elgin, no clearer acquittal of his Lordship can be required; but if he only refers to one of Lord Elgin's own letters, in which he may have stated the fact of their transmission, this is no proof at all; it is only an assertion backed by the affirmation of the asserter; we expect, therefore, that this ambiguity will be cleared up.

Before we close this article, we cannot help acknowledging the great difficulty and hazard which attends the conveyance of all kinds of property in the Levant; and we are convinced, that few travellers have not experienced some inconvenience from the carelessness or roguery of the Levantine traders. We are very willing to believe, that the loss of the property in question is to be ascribed to some cause or other of this kind, rather than to any overt act of a British Nobleman and Royal Ambassador, from which the mind recoils with horror. Lord Elgin concludes his statement with the following observations:

"Let it then be supposed, that I am capable, upon any possible motive of conduct so degrading; it is fair to ask, what motive can be assigned for it?

"1. As sixteen years have now elapsed, and neither I nor any other member of the embassy have ever given, or intended to give, to the world, a Tour in Switzerland or in Greece; it may be inferred that I could not be influenced by a desire of profiting by the observations of Mr. Tweddell, or of suppressing the competition of a formidable rival.

2. My collections of drawings have been exhibited, both in Edinburgh and in London, for many years; and as not one of Mr. Tweddell's has ever appeared among them, nor any drawings coinciding in their subjects with his, there is not, I think, any ground for alleging that I have enriched my collections at his

expense.

3. Least of all shall I be suspected of having acted under the influence of persoual hostility to Mr. John Tweddell, whose friends (if his correspondence has done me justice) must know, that I invariably treated him with the greatest respect and kindness; and to whose remains I had the melancholy satisfaction, upon my return from Turkey, of preparing for them an appropriate monument in the temple of Theseus.

"I add but one consideration more. It is well known, that, previous to my arrival in Turkey, I had projected the formation of those collections of the precious remains of ancient art, which for so many years have been the object of my anxiety and exertion. What, then, could be so desirable to me, as any publi cation, by a person so eminently qualified as Mr. J. Tweddell, on

subjects

subjects so nearly connected with the objects of my endeavours, and so likely to interest the public in their success?

"While, therefore, not one rational motive can be even conjectured, in explanation of the conduct imputed to me, every motive existed which could possibly impel me to preserve to the world the fruits of Mr. Tweddell's learning, taste, and industry. P. 35.

The second pamphlet of Lord Elgin's which has appeared, is in the shape of an Appendix to his former letter, addressed to the Editor of the Edinburgh Review. This is written after he has had the perusal of what he calls Mr. Tweddell's enormous volume. As he finds the Review is but the condensed detail of Mr. R. Tweddell's charges, he deems his answer to the Reviewer a sufficient reply to the Editor of the work. His Lordship recapitulating his former defence, observes,

"The charge against me was, that the whole of Mr. J. Tweddell's papers were unwarrantably taken into my possession, and are still withheld by me. My defence, therefore, was naturally rested upon these three propositions: 1. That a part of these collections never was in my possession at all, having perished by various accidents; 2. That the remainder came into my possession without any improper interference on my part; and, 3. That, after having been for some time in my possession, it was transmitted by me to Mr. Tweddell's family, agreeably to their di

rections.

"These propositions receive much additional illustration from Mr. Tweddell's Appendix." P. 4.

We shall pass over the first and second articles of this defence, and see what additional proofs the noble Lord adduces on this third and fundamental proposition. First then he appeals, in his justification, to the very words of Mr. Carlyle, which the Reviewer had suppressed from motives of delicacy.

"Let me premise," says his Lordship, "that Mr. Carlyle appears to be a prejudiced witness. I was aware that the object of his Eastern journey had not been attained; and that, however unreasonably and unjustly, he visited his disappointment on me. But, till I read Mr. Losh's letters, I certainly had no idea of the extent of his animosity; indeed I am possessed of letters from himself, expressive of sentiments so opposite, that I am almost tempted to suspect some inaccuracy in Mr. Losh's recollection of his conversations with him. In the direct proportion, however, of Mr. Carlyle's hostility, he is to be believed, when he expresses any opinion, or states any fact, favourable to my vindication.

"What, then, are Mr. Carlyle's words? Mr. Losh describes him as saying, that he thought his Lordship would not take the property

property in question, because he did not see how he could convert it into money.' All that is material to this statement is, that he thought I would not take the property in question. This is the deliberate opinion of an enemy. The ground of that opinion gives me no uneasiness. Those who know my character, and especially those who know that I have seriously impaired my fortune in pursuits, which, from their very nature, could have no object of private advantage, will reject, as I do, with utter scorn, the insinuation put into the mouth of Mr. Carlyle.

"It is only necessary to add, that Mr. Carlyle expressly states, that he had seen packed such of Mr. Tweddell's papers as Lord Elgin thought proper;' a statement which corroborates his opinion, that I did not take the property in question,' especially when it is considered that, as the friend of Mr. Tweddell's family, the particular charge of these effects was entrusted to himself." P. 16.

His Lordship then, in very feeling terms, appeals to the candour of any unprejudiced person, whether in his correspondence with Mr. R. Tweddell, and his letter to the Reviewer, some allowance is not to be made for want of accuracy, when he is called upon to relate transactions which occurred at the distant period of twelve years, and when during the interval he had been suffering under accumulated and unexampled calamity? Under these circumstances his Lordship finds it not difficult to explain the mistake about the property having been transmitted in the Duncan. He find that precise instructions were sent by Mr. Tweddell, sen. with regard to the transmission of his son's property, and that, after taking the best advice, he recommends the property to be sent by a ship of war rather than a merchant ship. When his Lordship was first questioned concerning the transmission of the property, he recollected that he had sent home valuable effects in the Duncan, and an impression was on his mind, that Mr. Tweddell's MSS., &c. were among them, Now, upon seeing in the correspondence, that Mr. Tweddell, sen. had sent out these instructions, he is convinced that the impression on his mind was false, and he conceives it more probable that he put the effects on board the New Adventure, an armed transport, which was carrying some of his own relics to England, and which was unfortunately wrecked. Now we are not disposed to deny that this may really have been the case, or that a man who was involved in the anxieties of a diplo matic mission, harassed by a tedious imprisonment, and distracted. by domestic calamities, might have complied faithfully with directions for sending home the property of a private individual, and yet, after the lapse of twelve years, be unable to fix precisely the time, or point out the method by which the pro

perty

perty was conveyed. We heartily wish his Lordship success in the enquiries which (in a note, page 21) he says he has directed to be made abroad with regard to the fate of the transport that was lost, and from which he hopes to obtain further infor mation. We must, however, declare, that from the evidence already before us, his Lordship is fully entitled to an honourable acquittal, in which verdict we are assured that the public mind, unless evidence of a very different nature is brought before them, may safely acquiesce.

To return to Mr. Tweddell's work. It is his correspondence from Athens which will be read with most peculiar interest. This was the spot which was most congenial to his soul. The soft and varied outline of the Attic scenery, the sublime remains of art and grandeur, the sepulchres of the greatest heroes, poets, orators, and historians that ever existed, with the scenes celebrated by their pens and immortalized by their actions, will always render Athens the delight of every traveller of refiued taste and cultivated imagination.

The limits of our work will not allow us to make many extracts from this part of his correspondence, which we could willingly have laid before our readers; but we can safely refer them to the work itself, promising them ample recompense for the time they may bestow upon it.

ART. XIII. Paul's Letters to his Kinsfolk. 8vo. pp. 468.. 12s. Longman and Co. 1816.

WE have every reason to believe, that the public in ascribing this publication to their old friend Walter Scott, have not fallen very far short of their mark. That clearness of description, naiveté of remark, quaintness of style, and above all, that genuine feeling and high principle which mark the productions of this favourite author, are here to be found in unabated force. The volume is partly historical, and partly descriptive, as the author has given us not only the journal of a tour which he accomplished in the summer of 1815, but has added a narrative of those recent events which distinguished the places through which he passed. Early in the work we find a passage descriptive of an evening in Bergen-op-Zoom, which marks strongly the high-wrought feelings of a poetic mind.

"I did not, you may believe, fail to visit the unfortunate spot where Skerret, so celebrated for his gallantry in the peninsula,

Ff

Gower,

VOL. V. APRII, 1816.

Gower, Mercer, Carleton, Macdonald, and other officers of rank and distinction, fell upon this unfortunate occasion. It is said that General Skerret, after receiving a severe wound by which he was disabled, gave his watch and purse to a French soldier, requesting to be carried to the hospital; but the ruffian dragged him down from the banquette only to pierce him with his bayonet.

"Whilst I listened to the details of this unhappy affair, and walked slowly and sadly with my conductor from one bastion to another, admiring the strength of the defences which British valour had so nearly surmounted, and mourning over the evil fate which rendered that valour fruitless, the hour of the evening, gradually sinking from twilight into darkness, suited well with the melancholy subject of my enquiries. Broad flashes of lambent lightning illuminated, from time to time, the bastions which we traversed; and the figure of my companion, a tall, thin, elderly man, of a grave and interesting appearance, and who seemed, from his voice and manner, deeply impressed by recollection of the melancholy events which he detailed, was such as might appear to characterize their historian. A few broad and heavy drops of rain occasionally fell and ceased. And to aid the general effect, we heard from below the hollow roll of the drums announcing the setting of the watch, and the deep and sullen WER DA of the sentinels, as they challenged those who passed their station. I assure you this is no piece of imaginary scenery got up to adorn my letter, but the literal circumstances of my perambulation around the ramparts of Bergen-op-Zoom." P. 25.

The progress of the opinions, feelings, and events which led to the momentary restoration of Buonaparte, is described with all the clearness and acumen of a professed politician. Mr. Scott is a careful observer of nature in all her recesses, whether of mountains and torrents, or of men and manners. He is, therefore, enabled, in some instances, to present a more just solution of the great ænigma of human affairs, than those whose minds are in pursuit of higher game, and are more employed in commanding effects than in calculating causes.

A very long detail of the momentous struggle on the plains of Waterloo follows next in successión, and we are happy to congratulate our author on the success of his military dispatches. He appears to have been indefatigable in collecting those materials of information which could be most surely depended upon, and to have been equally happy in putting them together with clearness and precision. The whole account is no less conspicuous for its spirit than for for its accuracy, and presents to the mind of the reader a living picture of the tremendous fray. ́ ́As a specimen of our author's powers of description, we present our readers with the following extract.

In the meantime a brigade of horse-artillery, commanded by

the

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