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varied fortunes of Cavaignac, after this date of the 13th Vindémiaire. He belonged to the Conseil des Cinq Cents, but not later than 1797; he filled afterwards an humble post at the barrier, and another equally so in the administration of the lottery. Neglected and forgotten upon the fall of Barras, he got himself, after the peace of Amiens, named commissary for commercial affairs to Maskate in Arabia, where arriving when the war had broken out once more with England, her influence prevented his reception. Employed by Joseph Bonaparte at Naples; by his successor Murat; recalled by Napoleon in common with all French subjects abroad when the brothers-in-law quarrelled; he spent his time in obscurity, and sometimes in distress. His fortunes seemed to rise a little when Napoleon returned from Elba, for he was nominated to the post of préfet of the Somme: but his adherence to Napoleon's cause being proved, it is said by more than words, he was unable to profit by it. Louis XVIII.'s return prevented his taking possession of his préfecture. The law which exiled the Regicides obliged him to quit France in 1816, and he retired to Brussels, where he died in 1829. His son, Godefroy Cavaignac, when accused of joining in the conspiracy of 1831, in the course of his defence spoke of his father's banishment as a harsh measure; but he did not express himself proud of being the banished man's son. We would not be thought to cavil at the head of the executive without just cause; we are not of the temper nor belong to the country which finds theme for opposition in the one salutary word, "authority;" but we see reason for alarm should the chief of the Government temporize with men more dangerous as friends than as adversaries. We, in common with all persons to whom the three words Law, Order, Honesty, sound to the full as well as Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, hailed his coming in June. It startles us to hear even a whisper that the project, too unpopular for performance, of sending representatives into the departments as spies on the words and thoughts of their inhabitants, was entertained in order to satisfy him, above all things, of his own chance of being elected President of the Republic. He distrasts, it is said, the feeling of the south, and reposes no steady confidence in any one. Had he not taken, a few days since, a step in the way of law and order, by the appointment of Dufaure, and other moderate men, to seats in the Cabinet, we would not have

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given much for either his own chance of safety or for that of the Republic.

General Cavaignac's career, with a good deal to admire and approve in it, has yet been full of inconsistences. His conduct in regard to M. Ledru Rollin, Louis Blanc and Caussidière, is not to be accounted for. His reception of the first as a guest at his own table, after all that had occurred at the Home Department and in the provinces, excited as much painful surprise among the best of his own friends as congratulating the accused on a defence which did not exculpate him. In like manner, his policy was false aud pusillanimous, which, after the arrest of the two last had been determined upon, suffered them to profit by the pretended ignorance of the sharpest police-agents in Europe, although the delinquency of both was fully proved. They departed, the latter with menace on his lips such as suited well the coarse, untaught conspirator, who convoked market-porters to be his body-guard. Let General Cavaignac remember that the support of the Mountain can be secured only by the ascendency of principles which he has himself denounced, and the triumph of the very faction which he crushed behind the barricades. Hence the extreme peril of France; for while moderate men repose on the sense of their numbers-of little importance while they remain passivethe clubs of Paris, and Rouen, and Lyons, outdo their former violence; and the Socialists, voting as one man, elect their leader, Raspail, to the National Assembly, while he is yet prisoner at Vincennes on the charge of having aided to do it violence. Nor will it. do to be led away from a contemplation of these things by the boasts of designing or deceived men in regard to the revival of trade. There is no revival of trade, except in the case of articles which the people cannot exist without; while the amount of misery is everywhere on the increase. Six millions of francs have been voted for relief in the last three months, and the necessitous of the department of the Seine alone amount to two hundred and sixty-nine thousand souls. Men talk of the vaisseau de l'état, and the wisest mode of manning her; we wish her an experienced commander, and a pilot who knows the shoals: for, at the present moment, having thrown charts and compass overboard as things out of date and beneath their sagacity, all the crew are helping to steer, while they quarrel as to which shall be captain, and the wreckers on the shore rub their hands and value the cargo.

From Bentley's Miscellany

MEMOIR OF CAPTAIN MARRYAT, R.N., C.B.

BY CHARLES

WHITEHEAD

THE subject of the following brief memoir, Frederick, was the second son of the late Mr. Marryat, the eminent West India merchant, and was born July 10, 1792. Having acquired the rudiments of education at an academy in the immediate vicinity of the metropolis, he was sent to a classical school at Ponder's End, kept by a Mr. Freeman. It is to be hoped that the discipline of the school, described by the hero in his earliest novel, is no true picture of the treatment he experienced at Ponder's End; but the following anecdote suggests that, of whatever punishments were in course of infliction at that seat of learning, he was likely to have come in for his due share. The master, coming into the school one day, saw young Marryat standing upon his head. Surprised at this reversal of the ordinary practice of mortals, he inquired the reason of it, when the lad with audacious readiness replied, "I had been trying for three hours to learn my lesson on my feet, but I couldn't; so I thought I'd try whether I couldn't learn it on my head." There is no reason to doubt him when he says, "Superior in capacity to most of my schoolfellows, I seldom took the pains to learn my lessons previous to going up with my class. I was too proud not to keep pace with my equals, and too idle to do more." But he acknowledges that besides "a little Latin and less Greek," he made some proficiency in mathematics and algebra.

Withdrawn from this school, he was placed with a teacher of mathematics in London, under whose tuition he remained a year, and on the 23d of September, 1806, he entered the navy as a first-class boy, on board the Impérieuse, forty-four guns, commanded by the illustrious Lord Cochrane. During his service under this gallant officer, which lasted till the 18th October, 1809, he took part in more than fifty engagements, in which many ships of war and merchantmen were

cut out, off the coast of France and in the Mediterranean.

Having chased a ship into the Bay of Arcupon, which sought safety under a battery, Lord Cochrane resolved to cut her out, and young Marryat was one of the boarding party. He followed closely the first lieutenant who headed the expedition, and who at length, after his party had sustained a severe loss, succeeded in gaining the deck of the enemy. He had scarcely done so when, struck by thirteen musket balls, he fell back a corpse, knocking down his follower in his fall, who was trampled on and almost suffocated by his shipmates, who, burning to revenge their leader, rushed forward with impetuous bravery.

The vessel captured, an examination took place of the bodies of the killed and wounded. Marryat was numbered among the former, and being in a state of stupor was unable to deny the doom assigned to him. But soon arrived the surgeon and his assistants, and with them came a midshipman who bore no good-will to Marryat. This worthy youth, seeing the supposed lifeless body of his comrade, gave it a slight kick, saying, "Here is a young cock that has done crowing! Well, for a wonder, this chap has cheated the gallows!" This salutation, with its comment, revived the almost expiring energies of the other, who faintly exclaimed, "You are a liar!" a retort which, notwithstanding the melancholy scene around, produced a roar of laughter.

Shortly after this he was engaged in a rather "untoward" enterprise. His ship fell in with a vessel of a suspicious appearance. It was under French colors, which it soon hauled down, showing no others, and threatening to fire into the English ship if it attempted to board her. Upon this, she was boarded and taken, with a loss of twentysix killed and wounded on her side, and of

sixteen on ours; and not till then was it discovered that she was a Maltese privateer, and a friend, who had made a like mistake in supposing her opponent to be French. After this unfortunate mistake, the Impérieuse proceeded to Malta.

It was while lying in this harbor that one night, a midshipman-a son of the celebrated William Cobbett-fell overboard. Young Marryat jumped in after him, and held him up till a boat was lowered to their assistance. For this daring and humane act he received a certificate from Lord Cochrane.

The road from Barcelona to Gerona, which latter place was besieged by the French, had been completely commanded by them, for they had possession of the castle of Mongat. On the 31st July, 1808, Marryat had a hand in the reduction and levelling of that fortress. This proceeding greatly delayed the transmission of the enemy's stores and provisions which were designed for their operations in Catalonia; so much so, indeed, that on one occasion the French general was under the necessity of abandoning the whole of his artillery and field ammunition. During these operations he was twice wounded, and he a third time sustained injury in the defence of the castle of Rosas, under Lord Cochrane. On the arrival of the Impérieuse in the bay, she perceived that the castle of Trinidadthe maintaining of which was essential to the preservation of the main fortress-had been so hotly bombarded by the enemy, that the British portion of the garrison had withdrawn from it. Lord Cochrane, therefore, taking with him a party of officers and seamen, amongst whom was Mr. Marryat, went on shore, and defended the fortress for some days-indeed, until the main fortress was taken, notwithstanding that the castle, by this time a complete ruin, was attacked, sword in hand, by 1200 chosen men of the

enemy.

When Lord Cochrane proceeded against the boom constructed by the enemy, before he sent in the fireship to attack the French fleet in the Basque Roads, Mr. Marryat was in one of the explosion vessels, commanded by Captain Ury Johnson, which his lordship led for that purpose. For his gallantry on that occasion, he received a certificate from Captain Johnson, who brought his services under the notice of the Admiralty, and for his whole conduct in the Mediterranean he was recommended in Lord Cochrane's despatches.

The log of the Centaur, 74, flag-ship of Sir S. Hood, attests, that in September,

1810, he jumped overboard and saved the life of a seaman named John Mowbray, who had fallen from the main-top; and in 1811, when on his passage to join the Eolus, on the American station, he leaped overboard, and endeavored to save a seaman named John Walker, but did not succeed in doing so. But we must give this incident in his own words: "One of the fore-topmen, drawing water in the chains, fell overboard; the alarm was instantly given, and the ship hove to. I ran upon the poop, and, seeing that the man could not swim, jumped overboard to save him. The height from which I descended made me go very deep in the water, and when I arose, I could perceive one of the man's hands. I swam towards him; but, O God! what was my horror, when I found myself in the midst of his blood. I comprehended in a moment that a shark had taken him, and expected that every instant my own fate would be like his. I wonder I had not sunk with fear; I was nearly paralyzed. The ship, which had been going six or seven miles an hour, was at some distance, and I gave myself up for gone. I had scarcely the power of reflection, and was overwhelmed with the sudden, awful, and, as I thought, certain approach of death, in its most horrible shape. In a moment I recollected myself; and I believe the actions of five years crowded into my mind in as many minutes. I prayed most fervently, and vowed amendment, if it should please God to spare me. I was nearly a mile from the ship before I was picked up; and when the boat came alongside with me, three large sharks were under the stern. These had devoured the poor sailor, and, fortunately for me, had followed the ship for more prey, and thus left me to myself."

Whilst in the Eolus, he jumped overboard and saved the life of a boy, for which he received a certificate from Captain Lord James Townshend; nor was this the sole testimonial of approbation accorded to him by that gallant officer. He had previously been mainly instrumental in saving the frigate from shipwreck during a tremendous hurricane. The ship was on her beam-ends, and her top-masts and mizen-masts had been blown over the side, when the question arose, who would be found daring enough to venture aloft, and cut away the wreck of the maintopmost and the main-yard, "which was hanging up and down, with the weight of the topmast and topsail-yard resting upon it." We must let the captain tell how he conducted himself in this case of awful sus

pense and dismay: "Seizing a sharp tomahawk, I made signs to the captain that I would attempt to cut away the wreck, follow me who dared. I mounted the weatherrigging; five or six hardy seamen followed me; sailors will rarely refuse to follow when they find an officer to lead the way. The jerks of the rigging had nearly thrown us overboard, or jammed us with the wreck. We were forced to embrace the shrouds with arms and legs; and anxiously, and with breathless apprehension for our lives, did the captain, officers, and crew, gaze on us as we mounted, and cheered us at every stroke of the tomahawk. The danger seemed passed when we reached the catharpens, where we had foot-room. We divided our work, some took the lanyards of the topmast rigging, I, the slings of the main-yard. The lusty blows we dealt were answered by corresponding crashes, and at length, down fell the tremendous wreck over the larboard gunwale. The ship felt instant relief; she righted, and we descended amidst the cheers and the congratulations of most of our shipmates." For this heroic deed, Lord James Townshend gave him a certificate, and reported him to have " conducted himself with so much courage, intrepidity, and firmness, as to merit his warmest approbation."

When he belonged to the Spartan, he was put in command of a boat, and cut out the Morning Star and Polly, privateers, from Haycock's Harbor, and likewise a revenue cutter and two privateers in Little River.

Mr. Marryat obtained his promotion as lieutenant in 1812, and in the following year was appointed to l'Espeigle, Captain J. Taylor, in the West Indies. Whilst on service in this vessel, he once more risked his life, in an unsuccessful attempt to save the life of a sailor who had fallen overboard in a heavy sea. Lieutenant Marryat was picked up, utterly exhausted, more than a mile and a half from l'Espeigle. Having burst a bloodvessel, he was left behind in the West Indies, in sick-quarters, and after a time was sent home invalided.

In January, 1814, he joined the Newcastle, 58, Captain Lord George Stuart, and led an expedition which was dispatched to cut out four vessels off New Orleans. This he did with a loss of one officer and twelve men. He acquired his commander's rank in 1815, and in 1820, commanded the Beacon, sloop, at St. Helena, from which he exchanged into the Roserio, 18, in which vessel he brought home duplicate despatches, announcing the death of Napoleon. He was

now actively engaged in the Preventive Service, in which he effected thirteen seizures. Appointed to the Larne, 18, in March, 1823, he sailed to the East Indies, where, until the Burmese war in 1825, he was fully employed as senior officer of the naval forces, the order of Commodore Grant being, that none should interfere with or supersede him. Sir Archibald Campbell, the commander-in-chief, was received on board the Larne at Calcutta, and Commander Marryat led the attack at Rangoon. When Captain Chads, of the Arachne, relieved him in September, 1824, he had lost nearly the whole of his ship's company. He now proceeded to Penang and Calcutta, returning to Rangoon in December, 1824, and in the following February sailed with the late Sir Robert Sale, of glorious memory, on an expedition to reduce the territory of Bassein. On his return in April, having successfully performed his perilous duty, he was promoted to a death vacancy, and commanded the Tees, which, on her arrival in England, he paid off.

Captain Marryat commanded the Ariadne in the Channel and Western Islands, from November, 1828, to November, 1830. Twice thanked for his services in the Burmese war by the Governor-general of India, he received three letters of thanks from Sir Archibaid Campbell, commander-in-chief of the forces, and was five times recommended by him. He was likewise thanked for his expedition with Sir Robert Sale, and was three times recommended and thanked by Commodore Coe. In June, 1825, he received the decoration of C. B., and-an honor, a record of which must not be omitted-he was presented with a medal by that admirable institution, the Humane Society, for his daring and humane exertions to save the lives of so many men. That Society has not on its list a name so worthy of honor as that f Marryat.

In 1837 the captain published "A Code of Signals for the Use of Vessels employed in the Merchant Service." That admirable invention is now in use in the royal and mercantile service, not only of this country but of foreign nations. He twice received the thanks of the Ship Owners' Society for it, and the publication having been translated into French in 1840, was brought under the notice of Louis Philippe, from whom he received the gold cross of the Legion of Honor.

In connection with this last distinction, we have a story to relate which we are sorry to feel ourselves constrained to tell, because it presents our late king in a light in which

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Ship," "Snarley Yow; or, the Dog-Fiend, Percival Keene,” "Masterman Ready," "Poor Jack," "The Settlers," "Olla Podrida," "Diary in America," in Two Parts: "Monsieur Violet's Adventures," &c. All these works obtained a considerable popularity, and even gained the author a reputation which very few modern writers of fiction have succeeded in acquiring.

it is not pleasant, and has not been customary, to regard him. William IV. had read and had been delighted with "Peter Simple." It was likely that so true and striking a picture of naval life and manners would have captivated a sailor. He expressed a wish to see the author. The captain, standing in an ante-room, in his favorite attitude, the king came forth, and observing him, asked a gentleman in waiting who he was. The captain overheard the question, and said, addressing the gentleman," Tell his majesty I am Peter Simple." Upon this, the king came forward and received him graciously. Some time after this his majesty was waited upon by a distinguished member of the government, to request permission for the captain to wear the order conferred upon him by the King of the French, and to obtain, if not some further promotion, some higher distinction for one who had so long and ably served his country. The former request was granted as a matter of course; and as to the latter, the king said: "You best know his services; give him what you please." The minister was about to retire, when his majesty called him back. "Marryat! Marryat! by-the-plish, preserved him against the perpetration bye, is not that the man who wrote a book against the impressment of seamen ?" "The same, your majesty." "Then he shan't wear the order, and he shall have nothing," said his majesty.

Every reader will make his own comment upon this. The work in question had been written by a man who had the best interests and the honor of his profession at heart, who had done much to maintain them, and whom the Earl of Dundonald-best known as Lord Cochrane, the hero of Basque Road-in a letter recently written, has thus characterized: "He was brave, zealous, intelligent, and even thoughtful, yet active in the performance of his duties." It is painful to expose one act of injustice on the part of a sovereign whose nature, in the main, was manly, upright, and generous.

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In 1829, Captain Marryat turned his attention to authorship, and having published The Naval Officer; or, Frank Mildmay," the reception of which gave him encouragement, he set to work with an earnestness and a zeal which he brought to all his undertakings. "The King's Own," "Peter Simple," and "Jacob Faithful," followed each other in rapid succession. To these he added, in the course of a few years, "Japhet in search of a Father," "Newton Forster," Midshipman Easy,' "The Pacha of Many Tales," "The Poacher," The Phantom

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It would be unprofitable to dwell upon the genius of Marryat as a novelist. His merits lie upon the surface, and are obvious to every man, woman and child, who take up one of his works and find themselves unable to lay it down again. He tells plainly and straightforwardly a story, tolerably well constructed, of diversified incidents, alive with uncommon characters, and, as his experience was large and had been acquired over a wide expanse, he had always something to tell which would excite curiosity or rivet attention. He had one quality in common with great men, and in which men of finer genius than himself have been deficient, a thorough manliness of heart and soul, which, by clearly showing him what he was able to accom

of that sublime nonsense and drivelling cant which now-a-days often pass for fine writing and fine sentiment. "Peter Simple" has been pronounced his best novel; but we confess we like "Jacob Faithful" at least as well; although we think it would have been better if the Dominie had been mitigated, who is rather an extravagance than an original, and if that passage had been discarded in which the parish-boy tells us he read Tacitus and Horace at a charity-school.

His "Diary in America" gave great offence on the other side of the Atlantic. We do not know whether the captain ever regretted it, but it was an ill-advised publication, and was certain, from its tone as well as its matter, to wound deeply a gallant and sensitive people, who, say what some few of them may to the contrary, are anxious to stand well in the estimation of the mother-country. But that this work was written with malice prepense against the Americans we cannot believe, for the author's venerable mother is a native of the United States; and it may be pleasing to our brother Jonathan to know, what we are pretty certain is the fact, that from that lady he inherited the energy of will and the vigor of mind which he displayed in all the occurrences of his life.

Captain Marryat had been seriously ill for more than a year, from the bursting of a succession of blood-vessels, which forbade all

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