on Rock} 98,431 11 4

purchased.

Rock, of which the debt confifts are Ireland, to the reduction of the na.. as follows:

tional debe, on the 5th of January, Parale in Dublin. Capital. 1807. 3 per cent. ann. £.5,668,472 17 i Onginal fund 67,635 84 4 per cent. am. 174,600,00 Expired annuities, 1727, 2,250 00 5 per cent. ann. 11,625,450 Ti 3 One per cent. on loans 136,337 2 9 Payable in London.

Intereft on ftock 3 per cent.'cons.

$ 23,480,333 6 8 ann. 3 per cent. red: f15,847,812 10 0

Sinking fund in Irelandt: 304,654 2 5

O . 6 per cent. deferred

150,854 34

The progress made in the redemp

tion of that part of the public debt of 4 per cent. cons.

325,000 oo Ireland, which is funded in Great ann.

Britain, will appear from the follow5 per cent. cons.

390,600 0oing flatement : ani).

Stock purchased by the commiffi. Sper cent, brilla

2,058,833 6 8 oners to the ift of February, 1807. ann.

Consols 3 per cent. an

nuities
Total 4.64;721,356 15 o Reduced 5 per cent.

1,759,890 annuities

1,961,451 When the measure was adopted of railing money in England for the use

Total 6-3,721,341 of Ireland, it was very properly attended with an arrangement fimilar to that for the reduction of the debt of stock was £2,240,863 9s. 7d.

The fum paid for the above amount of Great Britain. An act was passed by the parliament of Ireland, in reduction of the public debt of Ire

Total.annual sum applicabic to the 1797, for vesting a certain fum in land, funded in Great Britain, on coromiffioners at the end of every the ift of February, 1807. quarter, to be by them applied to the One per cent. on jeduction of the national debt, and to

425,318 19 3 direct the application of additional Interest on stock

capitals created funds, in case of future loans, to the

111,640 4 7

purchased like purposes

. The fund thus efta- sinking fund in blished for the reduction of the then

Great Britain S £.536,959 3 10 exifting debts, was 100,000l. per annum, of which 32,3641. 118. 84. was appropriated to the reduction of the debt created by the money borrowed IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT: . for Ireland in Great Britain in the

House of Lords. -Thursday, Jan. 21. year 1797: and 67,6351, 8s. 4d. with 2250l. expired annuities, to the

HIS MAJESTY'S SPEECH. Jemainder of the debt due by Ireland,

THIS day the selfon of parliaprior to the year 1797, without any ment was opened, by commiffior, reference to the amount. On the with the following speech : Jubsequent loans, a fund of one per

My lords and gentlemen, ceni. has been appropriated, as on • We have received his majesty's those raised in Great Britain.

commands to affure you, that in callTotal annual fum applicable to ing you together at this important

6

conjuncture of affairs. he entertains more congenial to his majesty's feelthe most perfect conviction that he ings. The timely and unreferved fhall find in you the fame determina- communication by the court of Liftion with which his majefty himself bon of the demands and defigns of is animated, to uphold the honour of France, while it confirmed to his mahis crown, and the juft rights and in- jefty the authenticity of the advices terefs of his people. which he had received from other quarters, entitled that court to his majefty's confidence in the fincerity of the affurance by which the communication was accompanied.

We are commanded by his majefty to inform you, that no fooner had the refult of the negotiations at Tillit, confirmed the influence and control of France over the powers of the continent, than his majefty was apprised of the intentions of the enemy to combine thofe powers in one general confederacy, to be directed either to the entire fubjugation of this kingdom, or to the impofing upon his majefty an infecure and ignominious peace.

That for this purpofe it was determined to force into hoftility against his majesty, states which had hitherto been allowed by France to maintain or to purchase their neutrality; and to bring to bear againft different points of his majefty's dominions, the whole of the naval force of Europe, and especially the fleets of Portugal and Denmark. -To place thofe fleets out of the power of fuch a confederacy, became therefore the indifpenfible duty of his majefty.

In the execution of this duty, fo far as related to the Danish fleet, his majefly has commanded us to affure you, that it was with the deepest reluctance that his majefty found himfelf compelled, after his carneft eudeavours to open a negotiation with the Danish government had failed, to authorife his commanders to refort to the extremity of force; but that he has the greatest fatisfaction in congratulating you upon the fuccefsful execution of this painful, but neceflary fervice..

We are further commanded to acquaint you, that the courfe which his majefty had to purfue with refpect to Portugal, was happily of a nature

The fleet of Portugal was deftined by France to be employed as an inftrument of vengeance againft Great Britain. That fleet has been fecured from the grasp of France, and is now employed in conveying to the American dominions the hopes and fortunes of the Portuguese monarchy, Ilis majefty implores the protection of Divine Providence upon that enterprife, rejoicing in the prefervation of a power fo long the friend and ally of Great Britain; and in the profpect of its eftablishment in the new world with augmented ftrength and fplendor.

We have it in command from his majefty to inform you, that the determination of the enemy to excite hoftilities between his majesty and his late allies, the emperors of Ruffia and Auftria, and the king of Pruffia, has been but too fuccessful; and that the minifters from those powers have demanded and received their paff poits.

This measure, on the part of. Ruffia, has been attempted to be justified by a statement of wrongs and grievances which have no real foundation. The emperor of Ruffia had indeed proffered his mediation between his majetty and France. His majefty did not refufe that mediation, but he is confident you will feel the propriety of its not having been accepted until his majefty fhould have been enabled to afcertain that Ruffia was in a condition to mediate impartially, and until the principles of the baha

parliament to give them complete and effectual operation.

"

·

His majefty has directed copies of the orders which he has iffued with the advice of his privy council upon this fubject to be laid before you, and he commands us to recommend them to your early attention.' Gentlemen of the house of commons, His majefty has directed the eftimates for the enfuing year to be laid before you, in the fulleft confidence that your loyalty and public fpirit will induce you to make fuch provifions for the public fervice, as the urgency of affairs may require.

His majefty has great fatisfaction in informing you, that, notwithstand ing the difficulties which the enemy endeavoured to impose upon the com merce of his fubjects, and upon their intercourfe with other nations, the refources of the country have continued in the last year to be fo abun

Criticifm.

dant, as to have produced, both Nulli negabimus, nulli differemus jufti

·

tiam,'

from the permanent and temporary revenue, a receipt confiderably larger than that of the preceding year.

The fatisfaction which his majefty feels affured you will derive, in common with his majefty, from this proof of the folidity of thefe refourccs, cannot but be greatly increased, if, as his majefly confidently hopes it fhall be found poffible to raife the neceffary fupplies for the prefent year without any material addition to the public burthens.'

6

If, as his majesty confidently trufs, you difplay in this crifis of the the fate of the country the characteriftic fpirit of the British nation, and face unappalled the unnatural combination which is gathered around us, his majesty bids us to affure you of his firm perfuation, that under the bleffing of Divine Providence, the ftruggle will prove fuccefsful and glorious to Great Britain.

6

• My lords and gentlemen, We are especially commanded to fay to you, in the name of his majefty, that if ever there was a juft and national war, it is that which his majelly is now compelled to profecute This war is in its principle purely defenfive, his majefty looks but to the attainment of a fecure and honourable peace; but fuch a peace can only be negociated upon a footing of perfect equality.

The eyes of Europe and of the world are fixed upon the British parlament.

We are laftly commanded to affure you that in this awful and momentuous contest, you may rely on the firmnefs of his majefty, who has no caufe but that of his people, and that his majesty reciprocally relics on the wifdom the conftancy, and the affectionate fupport of his parlia ment.'

Patriotic Sketches of Ireland, writ ten in Connaught. By Mifs Owenfen. 2 vols. 1807.

MISS OWENSON is advantageoufly known to the public, from a late publication called The Wild Irish Girl;' a work which has many beauties and many faults; faults and beauties pretty fimilar to what are to be found in the volumes before us.

It is impoffible to applaud too much the fpirit of this work: an intention more laudable never occupied the pen of any, nor perhaps, upon the whole, could it be accomplithed by any, with more grace and vigour. To vindicate her countrymen, to fhew their oppreffed ftate, to fuggeft partial measures of relief, to hope for amelioration, and to excite pity for their wrongs, are the prominent objećts of mils Owenson's labours; and he must be a ftern critic indeed who would

6

6

would not fee' with pleafure, youth which my fenfes received from every and (our gallantry bids us prefume) object around me, I fat down on the beauty pleading the caufe of mifery tomb of the royal O'Connor, and and oppreffion. Let it not, however, plucked the weed or blew away the be fuppofed that it will be neceffary thifle that waved there, its lonely to ufe more than ordinary lenity on head.' The fun was fetting in gloo account of the merit of intention: my fplendour, and the lofty angles of mifs Owenfon is an interefting and the abbey-tower alone caught the refervid writer; her ftyle is bold and flection of his dying beams, trom the glowing, and its greateft fault is that fummits of the mountains where they it is not fufficiently chafle. The fill lingered: the horizon betrayed a warmth of her imagination hurries beautiful gradation of tint, which inher forward too precipitately, and the fenfibly foftened into the referved fometimes heaps an unmeaning mafs colouring of twilight, while broken of words together; but this is an error hues, and irregular maffes of light which her matured judgment will and fhadow, flung through the pillars eafily correct. Another fault which of the cloifters, or from the highwe noticed, and of a lefs venial na- arched portals of the chapel, harture, is an arbitrary creation of words, monifed the general outline of the which we can affure miss Owenfon ruins, and flied around fuch aerial disfigures her pagés very much: for and indiftin&t forms, as fancy woos example, the repeatedly fays, Eliza- to aid the vifion of her wildest dream. bethian times, which is a moit un- Nor did the now refufe to give to couth adjective; we have also im- airy nothing a local habitation and modified illiteracy,' curious tracery' a name. Along each mouldering of Gothic arches, political vampy- afe, and gloomy coifter, her crearifm,' &c. &c. Had mifs Owenton tive eye ftill purfued the clofe-cowled been careful to expunge thefe excref- monk; the haughty abbot, pacing cences, and to have repreffed fome in all the folemn pomp of holy mediwhat the florid luxuriancy of her tation the damp and checquered paveflyle, her forceful manner of expref- ment; or caught the pious chieftain's fion would have had a' more power- warrior form, as he made his fumpful effect upon the reader. tuous offering at the altar's foot, followed by the credulous and peniten tial crowd which the artful policy of John had lured thither, to expiate the paft, and purchafe the remiffion of future fins. While the fingular and ftriking ceremonies of a religion, fo confonant to the livelieft powers of imagination, once fplendidly celebrated in the now gloomy and ruinous chapel, the brilliant illuminations of tapers, the folemn proceffion of greyheaded friars, or clofe-veiled nuns; the meretricious ornaments which the vitiated tafte of fuperftition flings over the pure and fimple forms of true religion, and the fwelling chaunt of midnight devotion or matins-piety, feemed even now, fomething more than the bafelefs fabric of a vifion.'

F

Mifs

"

We were much delighted with many of her Sketches; but more particularly fo with thofe that delineate the fofter paffions of the mind, and thofe melancholy but fweet thoughts that fo accordantly poffels a feeling heart, when affected by the fight of ruins, folemn fcenery, or the fancied recollection of paft fcenes.The following extract from Sketch II.' will authorife this praife. It was written amid the ruins of the abbey of Sligo.

Difpofed by a certain tone of mind to behold with a touching intereft, a scene never to be viewed with indifference, while a pre-exifting train of ideas were refreshed and affociated by the corresponding impreffions January, 1808.