around the heart; the simple dignity of deportment, with the easy carriage and free address, attest alike your Majesty's royal descent and fitness to rule the British nation; while the chaste elegance of dress displays to their greatest and best advantage, in all their loveliness, the charms which Nature has so liberally bestowed on the person of England's Queen!

Your Majesty has had the good fortune to be educated under the eye of a devoted Mother, possessed of an excellent understanding and of a most amiable disposition. Deeply sensible of the importance of the task which the nation entrusted to her care, she has fulfilled the hopes and expectations of the people; she has prepared the ground for cultivation; she has sown the good seed; she has seen the goodly plant thrive; she has marked its firm root-its gradual growth-its opening bloom-and its displayed effulgence:-her fond heart has cherished no other object than this, her fervent orisons have had no other aspiration-that her daughter might be found worthy of the nation's fame-worthy of the people's love-and worthy of the spirit of the age.

Your Majesty exhibits the truth of the beautiful Aristotelian adage in Diogenes Laertius, that, if the root of learning be bitter, the fruit is sweet; your Majesty was, by the soft persuasiveness and the tender care of your Mother, "conducted to a hill-side, laborious indeed at the first ascent, but else so smooth-so green-so full of goodly prospects and melodious sounds on every side, that the harp of Orpheus is not more enchanting." Your Majesty has well studied the history of that country whose destinies are to be wielded by you-the principles of that constitution under which it has risen to unexampled prosperity, influence, and power-and the object, tendency, and effect of those laws which secure to one of the first people under the firmament of heaven, the blessings of civil and religious liberty. But while your Majesty has been treading the more solid paths of learning and science, the lighter accomplishments which sweeten the toils and lessen the cares, while they increase the enjoyments of life, have not been over-looked, as your Majesty's proficiency in the elegant science of music sufficiently demonstrates.

Your Majesty has paid particular regard to whatever concerns the maritime interests of Great Britain, the glories of its naval achievements, and the personal history of its greatest heroes; and undoubtedly whatever relates to the preservation and efficiency of the Royal Navy-the right arm of British power-will receive the most prompt and cordial attention of your Majesty. In traversing the pages of the history of the World, your Majesty could not fail to observe the most important truth which should be deeply imprinted on the mind, the soul, and the heart of every patriotic Briton, that the stability of the Empire is far

more allied to naval than to military power. The histories of Tyre, of Sidon, and of Athens, or of Venice and of Holland, attest the fact, which is equally proclaimed by the entire, and, in some instances, sudden dissolution of power, based on military triumphs, of which history supplies pertinent examples. Your Majesty must be well aware of this further truth, that a Royal Navy cannot be maintained in full efficiency without the aid of extensive commerce, as the ships of British merchants are the nurseries of able seamen for the Royal Navy.

Your Majesty, as a grave and intent reader of British History, could not fail to dwell with particular satisfaction on the illustrious reigns of Elizabeth and Anne. But the maturer judgment of your Majesty would only confirm the judicious opinion of your early youth, that the virtues of Elizabeth were not in exact proportion to her talents :-your Majesty would over one melancholy part of her reign heave a generous sigh for human nature, drop the sympathetic tear, and feel a magnanimous burst of indignation ;-and if your Majesty should happily display in the administration of the affairs of this great Empire, the active habits of business, the intelligence,—if not the learning,—the acuteness, discrimination, and judgment, the energy and fortitude of Elizabeth, with so much of her natural abilities and acquired talent, the British nation will still want no striking parallel to that glorious reign, except for the moral excellencies, of which your Majesty has already given the brightest promise, and in which respect the comparison is not, we think, destined to hold with posterity.

Your Majesty succeeds to the throne of your royal ancestors at a period deeply interesting to practical science. The principle of railroads is coming into general operation, and we are daily witnessing an extension of the principle of steam to practical purposes. As the late and lamented Mr. Huskisson, in a prophetic spirit-(and he was a far-sighted man)-observed, when the Manchester and Liverpool railroad was first opened, "A new power has been introduced among men, and no individual living can tell to what extent that power will be carried."

By the united principles the distant parts of the British Empire seem to be themselves united, giving and receiving from the rapidity of traffic and intercourse the most important advantages; and to Ireland in particular we look as likely to derive, in the march of civilization, much greater proportionate advantages, while, with her own internal improvement, will be connected a proportionate improvement in the Irish revenue. The extension of the commercial interests of the country, or of any portion of the empire, is a general good; and the more your Majesty shall be graciously inclined to patronise the practical sciences, the greater benefit will your Majesty confer on the nation at large.

Among the objects, which will be entitled to the serious consideration of your Majesty, is the necessity of devising further means to prevent the bill for the Abolition of Slavery in the West Indies from being infringed alike by chicanery and fraud, or by violence and outrage. That most beneficent act must not be permitted to remain a dead letter, nor to be perverted into an engine of legalized wrong. The cruisers of your Majesty on the African coast, and in the West Indies, will, under the most positive instructions of your Majesty, continue to exercise extreme vigilance in effectually stopping the secret importation of slaves to the West Indian Islands and dependencies. Whatever diplomacy can accomplish, your Majesty will, through the medium of the British Ambassadors, press on the earnest attention of those Foreign Courts, which have not yet fallen into the views of the British Parliament; and whatever can be effected through the Colonial Legislatures to ameliorate the present condition, to brighten the future prospects, and to hasten the final emancipation of the slaves, the Governors, appointed by your Majesty, will use their most strenuous endeavours to consummate. Your Majesty will see the great propriety of quickening the march of emancipation by increased energy in the establishment of schools, and by uncommon care in selecting intelligent, discreet, and diligent schoolmasters, as well as most able magistrates, who will dispense impartial justice with tender mercy, and alike conciliate the respect and the esteem of the grasping planter, and the offending negro. Among the benevolent views, which your Majesty may be disposed to entertain on this most interesting and important subject, will be the consideration in what way the well-being of the Creole population can be provided for, their rights protected, their prosperity promoted, and their intellectual and moral improvement advanced. To our humble judgment it appears-and your Majesty may reasonably be expected to ac quiesce in the adoption of any measure that is based on wisdom;

that the most important step, which can, in the present circumstances, be taken with respect to the West Indies, is the establishment of two universities with most liberal endowments; for without such liberal endowments, men of intellectual energy and of literary or scientific attainments will not be induced to abandon good-but perhaps somewhat uncertain-prospects in this country for the sake of any certain income in the West Indies. unless the income be liberal and holding out a species of temptation commensurate with the dangers to be encountered in a strange land and unhealthy climate. As it is allowed on all sides that the clergy are most necessary instruments in the education of the people, it is of supreme importance that they should be men of learning and discretion, of piety and of zeal--of such zeal as kindles without inflaming, warms without consuming, and

converts the torch of civil discord into the calumet of Christian peace. The promotion of MECHANICS' INSTITUTES, under judicious management and liberal patronage, will no doubt occur to your Majesty as great subsidia for the attainment of the grand object in view. We are also of opinion that the formation of public Libraries and Museums in those towns where the Governors, appointed by your Majesty, reside, and under the personal superintendence of the Governors themselves, with public Levées on particular days, would be attended with most beneficial results in collecting and diffusing information, in rousing dormant energies, in fanning the intellectual flame, and in inspiring generous emulation.

Your Majesty cannot fail to perceive the incalculable advantages of ruling the East Indian possessions on similar principles of humane legislation. If we desire permanently to attach to the interests of Great Britain the immense population of India, these are the arts by the employment of which your Majesty will not fail of fulfilling your benevolent and politic purpose. But the increasing population of the half-caste order requires the especial care of your Majesty :-the promotion of their intellectual and moral improvement by Schools, Universities, Libraries, Museums, will be the most enlightened policy which your Majesty can pursue. Their rights should be amply protected by legislative enactments, and their privileges fixed beyond doubt, and their condition ameliorated in every possible respect. The Petitions already presented to Parliament show the propriety of cultivating their minds, and ensuring their attachment to the British throne, as well as to the sacred person of your Majesty.

Your Majesty is stated, towards the close of the last Parliament, to have eagerly inquired whether the bill for the "Abolition of Imprisonment for Debt" was likely to pass before the Parliament was dissolved; and when your Majesty was informed that it would not pass, to have expressed deep regret, declaring such Imprisonment to be contrary to the letter and spirit of Magna Charta. The declaration was worthy of all that generosity of sentiment which so well becomes a youthful heart, and for which we had previously given full credit to your Majesty. The declaration, moreover, implies that your Majesty had meditated on the subject, and was ever ready to press forward a measure which would reflect honour on the humanity of the age-which was required by the spirit of the times-for which benevolent and patriotic men had so long contended both in Parliament and in the republic of letters. We entreat your Majesty to continue your magnanimous efforts to carry the proposed measure into effect, subject to such modifications as the wisdom of Parliament may, in the course of further discussion, suggest, and con

taining clauses calculated to inflict exemplary punition on fraudulent bankupts, swindlers, and dishonest insolvents. Your Majesty will then convey to the hearts of the many thousands of your subjects who now pine in dungeons, prisons, and gaols, deprived of homes, of comforts, of wives, of parents, of children, of light, of liberty, and of the means of support, "tidings of great joy;" -then will your Majesty be, in the language of Lord Chatham, "enthroned in the hearts of the wise and of the good."

Your Majesty is perhaps already aware that the political turmoils of foreign countries have expatriated many noble advocates of freedom, and banished them as refugees to the shores of Britain. Numbers of these unfortunate individuals have settled themselves in the English metropolis. Here, by their talents or literary acquirements, they endeavour to obtain an honourable livelihood, but too often receive but a miserable pittance. When we consider their former rank, the influence they have had in society, there ought to be "a time to forgive as well as a time to banish." In France there are a variety of institutions established for the encouragement of learning, and empowered, both by the laws and by the aid of liberal endowments, to reward the intelligent author or the persevering man of letters. But in London no inducement, no assistance of this kind is offered to ameliorate the condition of the needy litterateur; and the unhappy refugee, without patrons, without friends, and without resources, is frequently at a loss to dispose of his lucubrations and procure a recompence for his literary labours. Perhaps some means might suggest themselves to your Majesty for the alleviation of the distresses of foreign refugees; or your Majesty's Ambassadors to the different Courts of Europe might intercede for amnesty in some cases, and conditional pardon in others.

Your Majesty has traversed, in company with your illustrious Mother, a considerable part of the British Empire, and has become acquainted with the trade, commerce, and manufactures of the country. Your Majesty has doubtless persuaded yourself of the propriety of loosening the springs of industry, wherever they are still too much pressed by severe taxation. We are satisfied that your Majesty will, by every means in your power, encourage the consumption of British manufactures, more especially the silk manufactured by the ingenious and meritorious operatives of Spitalfields. If your Majesty would have the kindness to command the ladies who frequent the Levées at your Court to appear always and only in dresses of British manufacture, the effect on the trade itself would be considerable, and the good incalculable by the reaction on other branches of trade. A solitary order on a particular occasion is of course highly beneficial to the manufacturing interest at the moment; but your Majesty, by a permanent command, may produce a permanent