ceval knowing that Mr. Canning had lately lived on French dishes. Lord Castlereagh was complimented with an Irish stew and asparagus; but he declined the latter, observing, that he could not bear the smell of it since the accident that befel him chez Madame Catalani. Lord Mulgrave was treated with a sea pie, a dish of Marengo, and a plate of Trafalgar, but seemed to have little appetite for either. A rhubarb tart was placed before Lord Sidmouth, who, not relishing it, took a glass of wine, but could not refrain from discharging it on the floor, exclaiming, with a proper emphasis, "Throw physic to the dogs.' A ralf's head, with its decoraments, happened to be placed before Lord Hawkesbury, who seemed to be quite at home. He kindly asked the Duke of Portland if he should send His Grace a little brains; on which the Duke replied, and quite a-propos, that he suspected His Lordship had little to spare!-this occasioned a hearty laugh. Sir Vicary Gibbs was indulged with a neat's tongue, which was found to be very dry; and Georgy Rose, for the first time in his life, was required to be satisfied with a trifle! Sir James Pulteney asked the Premier to send him a sword-fish; but when helped, he found himself cheated, with a gudgeon!-he, however, sustained his disappointment with becoming meekness, helped himself to lamb, and asked the First Lord of the Treasury to supply him with mint-sauce, in return offering His Grace some spin-age. We cannot particularize the other dishes, except that a fine plump goose, well stuffed, was placed before Mr. S. Bourne, large enough for himself and friends. Mr. Perceval remarking the distorted faces of several of his friends, and certain significant telegraphic signals made by Lord Mulgrave, apologized for the quality of his wine; it had been laid in, he said, subsequently to his appointment to office, and, like himself, had scarcely taken to the bottle; but if the Administration should last a sufficient time, he pledged himself to give his friends as good wine as had been broached in the famous tête-à-tête of Mr. Pitt and Lord Melville. ན་ When Mr. Perceval had concluded his speech, which was kindly cheered with- Hear! hear! hear!" he was luckily reminded by his butler, that the cellar contained a few bottles of an excellent wine which Mr. Perceval had been accustomed to give as a bonne bouche to the most respectable attornies at his professional dinners, and which the butler observed would not be required again for the like purpose. The wine was accordingly brought in, and several excellent toasts succeeded-The King and Church"-" No Popery""The three P's-Pledges, Places, and Pensions" "Success to the Blocks" and "The worthy and zealous Electors of Bristol and Liverpool,"-were received and drank with enthusiasm. After a few minutes, the table became cheered with returning hilarity-the bottle passed freely-several good songs were given-and Mr. Secretary Canning recited an Ode, which he had composed for the occasion, "On the Downfal and Despair of the Fallen Angels." It was considered particularly happy in its allusions, and he was recommended to send it immediately to Stockdale. About eleven o'clock the company became rather turbulent. Mr. Canning having seriously differed with Sir William Grant, respecting the accurate pronunciation of the French word paroissial, which Mr. Canning insisted should be uttered like parasol. Sir William becoming very warm in debate, the Duke of P "shook his am brosial curls and gave the nod," which was understood to prohibit the discussion of parish business.— Lord Castlereagh then (in a voice wonderfully improved by Madame Catalani) gave "Erin go bragh,' in his happiest style; but harmony was soon destroyed by Mr. Sturges Bourne, who began to sing "Old Rose, and burn the Bellows." The company then. broke up-some found it convenient to go in their carriages-others "Reel'd home, save those the watchmen got," &c. &c. June 16. ON THE WISE EXPEDITION TO ALEXANDRIA. [From the Morning Post.]. "TIS IS said that Will Wm begins to have fears, He must alter his note tow'rds our brave Volunteers; Must allow them not wanting in courage or skill, To defend our dear isle, or a Frenchman to kill; Must now surely allow them in tactics well train'd, Since our Reg'lars to Egypt he sends-to be brain'd! SMALL LAMENTABLE EFFECTS OF THE TALENTS." [From the same.] O longer now, on Egypt's sands, No Do Britain's brave and patriot bands But, doom'd to barbarous hordes to yield, Disgrace those rulers shall pursue, Too well the pride of times we 're taught, Oh! Oh! days of glory pass'd away, Times proud as those may still return, June 13. IN ADVERTISEMENT EXTRAORDINARY! [From the same.] N a few days will be published, by Subscription, two large Engravings, after the grand Original Compositions in the Collections of the Lord Grenville, and the Viscount Howick, and dedicated to the Right Honourable` Thomas Grenville, and the Right Hon. William Windham; the one representing the brilliant Affair before the Seraglio of the Grand Signior, after the passing of the Dardanelles; and the other, the desperate Attempt upon Rosetta, made for the purpose of relieving the British force in Alexandria from approaching famine. These Engravings are upon the same scale as those of Lord Nelson's Victory at Aboukir, of Sir Ralph Abercromby's Victory of the 21st of April, and of Sir Sidney Smith's Defence of Acre, and form an uninterrupted series of British triumphs. N. B. Subscriptions received by the above-mentioned illustrious Personages, whose characters derive so much lustre from the heroic achievements which they planned, and which in these engravings are rendered immortal. Further particulars in future advertisements. June 18. THE WE THE ARTS. [From the same.] E congratulate the country upon its late acquisitions in the fine arts, being surpassed only by those in its naval and military prowess; and it is with pride we have to observe, that while His Majesty had Ministers lately in his service, capable of planning such illustrious enterprises, as those against the Seraglio: of the Grand Seignor, and against Alexandria without Rosetta, or Rosetta without Alexandria, the Royal Academy can produce artists with genius to record, and to immortalize such events. We are led to these reflections by a careful examination of the two Engravings announced for publication, commemorating the triumphs of the Dardanelles, and of Egypt; and as many persons may not yet have gained access to those invaluable efforts of genius, we trust that a critique upon their merits may prove generally acceptable. No. 1. The situation of the batteries and forts of: Constantinople is not accurately represented; and the six sail of the British line, which were to take possession of the whole Turkish Navy, or demolish the: whole capital of the Turkish Empire, are too much in the distance, to produce the intended effect; for which the Artists, who united in the design, are deeply responsible, as they should have been aware, that no stretch of canvass could bring those ships into the proper position. The mortification, so unnecessarily im. posed upon our brave British Commander, and upon all our British Sailors, after a succession of triumphs, which had impressed them with a sort of conviction that they were invincible, is finely and naturally expressed; whilst the wild tumult of joy, and the sarcastic grin of contempt, on the part of the Turks, at their unexpected success, and our precarious retreat are given with equal effect. |