other's falls, but proceeded to make a report of the case at Apsley-house. This is, Sir, a full and true account of this transaction, and will, I hope, be satisfactory to the public, and put down all the idle tales at present in circulation. I am, Sir, your obedient Servant, EPIGRAM. Bart. Courier, Dec. 15, 1812. "SIR ARTHUR'S* military fame, "I think," quoth VETUS," with submission, "Your Lordship honestly may claim, "Because you bought his first Commission!"" * Vetus had claimed for Lord Wellesley the merit of having advanced his brother in the army. So when an eloquent Divine Was loudly praised for preaching well, "Hold! not so fast, the merit's mine," Quoth Sexton Tom-" I rang the bell!" STATE PAPER. THE manner in which the most confidential papers have of late been betrayed to the public, will lessen the surprise of our readers at our having so early obtained a copy of the following letter from a Gentilhomme Anglais now in London, to his friend the Duke of Bassano at Paris: though it purports to be a private letter, our readers will perceive that it is in fact a most important State Paper, and well worthy public attention. "TO HIS EXCELLENCY, MONSEIGNEUR, DUKE OF BASSANO, &c. &c. AT PARIS. THE London, April 28, 1815. "MY DEAR DUKE.-At last, after a most vexatious delay, the plan of the Constitution has reached England, and I hasten to give you, for his Majesty's information, some account of the sensation it has produced here. "I grieve to be obliged to say, that it has not so completely succeeded as we had promised ourselves, and I fear the absurd prejudices of this besotted nation as to the bad faith of the EMPEROR are not likely to give way even to this document, though no pains have been spared to prepare their minds for the proposed change of character which he assumes: indeed I regret to state to you, that he is almost as unpopular in London as at Paris, and I doubt whether your badauds can have regarded the Con stitution with more profound contempt than our Cockneys. say "The chief cause of ridicule against our Constitution is, that it is a mere experimental machine, which the EMPEROR never intends to put in force, and which, if he were sincere, could not act for want of practised workmen (if I may use the expression) to put it into motion you have Houses of Lords and Commons-Liberty of the Pressresponsible Ministers-rights of petitioning,' they, 'all upon paper; but you have not the materials to make Lords, Commons, political writers, or independent petitioners.' This objection, we know, has no real force, because it is far from his MAJESTY'S intention that the Constitution should ever be called into effect, unless indeed it be, like the machine of MARLY, once or twice a-year, to amuse the Parisians on a holiday; but as in appearance, it has some weight, and as I know his Majesty attaches so much importance to any colour of approbation which can be obtained from this country, I have thought of a scheme which may remedy the inconvenience, and which I trust you will submit to his MAJESTY'S consideration. "As the machine itself is purely English, I propose that English artificers (to continue my metaphor) should be engaged to set it in motion; in other words, I propose to his MAJESTY to place some English gentlemen in the conduct of his affairs, and in the places made by the new Constitution. This may be done with perfect propriety on both sides, if, as I hope, we should succeed in maintaining peace between our countries. "I dare not promise as to the persons I might be able to obtain for this purpose, as without his MAJESTY'S sanction, I have not dared to open myself at large to any person on so delicate a subject; but I have no hesitation in saying, that I think his MAJESTY would find that his opinions of certain individuals would not be deceived. Be that, |