to hypocritical and untrue affidavits," (the material one, he himself had confirmed by his letter of the 27th of April, 1814,) "black melancholy hovers around my footsteps, and all my prospects are enveloped in the mildew of distress, sorrow, and disgrace." p. 118. Pity for the situation of the Cochranes, and gratitude without bounds, (but for what does not appear,) influenced him, as he perpetually tells us, to any deed the most abhorred, even to one that would sully his fair fame, to serve them. There must have been witchcraft in all this. Let us see what won him to their purpose. Speaking of his first interview with Lord Cochrane, he expresses horrible disappointment, in the contemplation of "his features, attitude, and delivery." But these were his benevolent reflections-" What of his looks? He must be an hero, brave and noble. And therefore here again is an instance of Lavater's fallacy; for, according to that philo sopher, that eye is not penetrating, but cunning and ava riciously crafty; that mien is not noble, but daring only in cases of success, or desperation; that soft, but also sepulchral voice does not denote the gentleness of true courage, which is founded on a clear conscience; but its semblance is that of hypocrisy's hollow echo, unsuccessfully seeking to imitate affability," p. 4. Now for the admired Mr. Cochrane Johnstone's picture, which is given thus at full length in little. "I considered Mr. Johnstone in the light of a person, who from a love of mischief experienced a gratification in the contemplation of such a scheme," i. e. to cheat or swindle. This was the pity and gratitude, these the adamantine links that rivetted their sympathetic souls together-“ sus sui pulcher." Mr. Butt, the fourth of the party, he depicts as a man of their full colour, and, as a quartetto is the perfection of music, so does this quartett appear to have been the perfection of roguery. The Baron has yet another friend-one, whom he describes as "most honourable and faithful," p. 83. -this friend still remains to cheer and comfort him in his retreat. His character is so pure, that he will never tell his name, and it is a public injury, for who would not wish to know such a man! This was the service done to the Baron by his "most honourable" friend :-To further the imposture and rob the unsuspecting, a letter was sent to Admiral Foley, at Deal; and Mr. Lavie, the attorney, swore that it was the hand-writing of De Berenger; but it was. written by this precious friend.

The apology is succeeded by an introduction, "the perusal of which is earnestly solicited." Here he has all sorts of critics at a dead lock-as thus: all difference with him, he sets down as arising from "the prejudices of the weak, who, either from unfair partiality or from reasoning faculties that are circumscribed, may shut their eyes to conviction," p. xi. The Baron shall have no reason to complain of us-all our prejudices are with him, as he covers the whole gang with one mantle. His reasons for consenting to become a cheat are of the most novel and forcible kind." It was enough that so distinguished a public character-a naval officer (Lord Cochrane)-urged its immediate execution," p. xiii. Then it was only a hoax, often practised before (and so has 'burglary) with impunity-and above all considerations, he assures us, that though his character might suffer, he thought his person was safe! If others have escaped, we rejoice to find that the adage is not always true, which says that "laws are like cobwebs-little flies are caught, but the great ones break through."

With the main story, spun out most intolerably, we shall not make ourselves very troublesome. The facts have been before the public over and over again; and we shall therefore touch on them very slightly, where we think they may interest curiosity. It always appeared to us impossible that De Berenger, after the execution of his dirty work, should come reeking from it to the house of Lord Cochrane, unless. they had been both cognizant of the imposture. He here declares that "his lordship insisted that I should drive to his residence on my arrival from Dover," p. 74. The Baron, whose wits were armed at all points in the management of such an affair, thought it dangerous; but he struck his flag to the "naval officer.'

As settling day approached, he was frequently sounded by Mr. C. Johnstone, touching the plan afterwards adopted. At last, reluctantly, and merely for the purpose of raising the favourable opinion entertained of his "penetration and ingenuity," he drew up a plan* "fully detailing every

It seems very clear that De Berenger was a needy adventurer, who, like the gentleman in the black wig in Macbeth, was

"So weary with disasters, tugg'd with Fortune,
That he would set his life on any chance,
To mend it, or be rid on't:"

concomitant operation necessary;" but he did not produce it till he found he had a deficit to pay on 10 or 20,000l. stock, purchased for him by his generous friends. This innocent sport of the imagination was then put into practice -Lord Cochrane "was the first to part with his money," p. 67. these sinews for the journey-and he departs.

Now, describing his whole proceedings, with a minuteness quite edifying, he makes long fascinating dissertations on his personal character, the powers of his mind, and his merits. In tracing him, at the trial, some difficulty arose, because says he, Lord Ellenborough could find "no proof where I had dined." It seems, however, that he took no dinner→ which is all very well. But what will Lord Ellenborough say to this maxim of the Baron's? "From my infancy, I' have been taught to consider the time employed at meals as a tax upon the understanding," p. 90. We are sure that it goes sadly against our stomach. Added to this gastric excellence, he vaunts much of his mental perception and dis crimination. He talks largely of his knowledge of human nature, and with that large portion, the roguish, he is certainly not unacquainted, but even here there is a deficiency in his high cultivation, when he complains of being aban doned by his confederates, for he ought to have know that regues detected rarely hang together-except for the good of the public.

His progress to Dover and at Dover, his hair-breadth escapes and contrivances, are on a par with any chapter in the ENGLISH or the SPANISH ROGUE. We wish he would add to these novels a Prussian, instead of the second volume,

and he, with the ability to do mischief, found three others ready to employ it. His expectation of sharing the profit was clearly his sole motive for undertaking such a dangerous and laborious fraud. He receives £400, p. 276, but his rage is ungovernable when he perceives that he is not to have a just share of the spoil, or, as he terms it, a reciprocal and equal advantage, p. 266.

As to the Stock Exchange, nobody pities them-several of this herd of bulls and bears have declared that they would have taken advantage of the hoax, had they known it to be one and therefore we presume to add, would have committed it, had they had the skill and courage-" quocunque modo rem." The Baron honours them with the following note to p. 139. Speaking of Mercury, occasions me to remark, that the Stock Exchange is ornamented on the Key-stone with a head of Mercury: as he is the god and protector alike of merchandise and theft, it seems extraordinary that the wits of Capel-court should have chosen him, particularly as their house is not a repository for merchandise."

66

which he suspends over us, and which is to contain "adventures tragic and comic," p. 296. As a very amusing as well as convincing specimen of his ability to produce such a work, we give the following extract. Dressed for the part, "in the costume of his crime," he quits his abode in the suburbs of Dover, some two hours before he was to pretend he had just landed:

"At some little distance from the house, I took the sword from under my coat, as it greatly incommoded me, and as from its being in a list case, and owing to the darkness of the night, it could not be much noticed; thus wandering about a variety of by-places, such as were certainly very inviting to persons inclined to rob me. Sincerely do I lament that I was not robbed, for the loss of my money would have given me the only solid grounds under which I could have returned to town, that is, without performing what I had promised, and furnished the only reasons which must have been accepted by my confederates. Tired, and shivering with cold, every minute was counted, and for such reasons I determined to execute my plan somewhat sooner than one o'clock;-to the shore I traced my steps; but behold, every where to find men of some description, either soldiers or custom-house officers, some of them, perhaps, smugglers; several eyed me with suspicion, or, suspicious myself, perhaps I fancied it, by the indifferent glare of an occasional light; some called out to me in terms which gave me strong reason to think them revenue-officers: the idea of a personal search from these I now began to dread, and it required no little aid of ingenuity, sharp-shooter-like, to avoid them on grounds so little known to me; here my reconnoitering proved how valuable the maxim is, 'not to neglect even trifles.' I patroled on, with many a solemn pause between,' and under much uneasiness, occasioned by my inability of approaching the sea to take a soaking, so little to be desired at any time, but especially in a frosty night, and only to be reconciled by motives of prudence. No where could I succeed without the imminent risk of being apprehended, perhaps, even in an act which seemed unnatural; and al most sure I was of being observed, and from suspicion watched. I unavoidably met several persons two and two; they looked hard at me, and I think they were revenue-officers, to whose respect for a military greatCoat I may be indebted for not having been examined: it was worth an hundred cloaks in every respect; for I must do justice to the people employed about Dover, in saying, that they were vigilant in the discharge of their duty, and the appearance of a military great-coat may have satisfied them better than I could have done. Some sentinels challenged me, who, from their accent, it seems were Irish. Good care was taken to approach no further, though one of them told me, that most likely the serjeant of the guard would let me pass, if I wished, in a direction I had enquired about. I knew better than to face a serjeant, whose punctual discharge of bis duty might claim my respect, even to my sorrow. This threw me out; and shortly after I explored a spot which my former reconnoissance had not embraced; thus I found myself perplexed, and completely at a loss which way to bend my course. Pensively I stood, listening for more than ten minutes to the rolling murmurs of the sea, relieved only by the hissing of retiring waves, for otherwise all was silence. Influenced by a mixture of delight at the only and imposing sounds, and the gloomy pain occasioned

by the uncertainty of what to do, which was greatly increased by extreme darkness, I gave way to a variety of thoughts, when suddenly the sound of footsteps broke upon my ear; many were the feet that caused them, and regular were their steps; soon did I discover, that, although military men, they were not riflemen, for they talked, and loudly, otherwise, owing to a sudden turn, they would have been upon me before I could have evaded the observation of either sight or hearing; there was no time for debating, for presence of mind said, they must be grand or other rounds:' down on the ground instantly I laid myself, coiled up into a shapeless lump, and my grey coat well suited, as the ground was rough; almost as instantly they marched past, even very near to me.

"When out of sight, I rose, ejaculating, thanks to my stars that you are not sharp-shooters, for nothing else could have saved me from sleeping in your guard-room, to amuse the Governor next morning with silly and unsuccessful stories, such as no one could have believed; for what plausible tale could I have uttered, that would have satisfied even a corporal who had found me, an unknown aid-de-camp, decorated with stars and badges certainly, but without a visible reason for being there, and without any reference to where he came from? Enough;-I must quit this military beat, being as unlikely as unwilling to impose on a profession, the idol of my youth, and the pride and respect of my native country. Not a frown from his officer, much less punishment, would I occasion to any of these men, so indispensably necessary to the defence of their country: No, not even if my stay here was void of risk to myself! I turned my back to the direction in which the men had marched: the sea being now on my left, I found a precarious way towards the town on my right, which, with considerable difficulty and some obstruction, I explored, dark and hazy as it was: it was now, perhaps, about fifteen or twenty minutes after midnight. Additionally convinced as I was of the importance which the wetting of my clothes would prove to me, on account of greater plausibility in appearance, I tried some pump going along, disappointed as I was in procuring sea-water:-it was dry, and made a horrid screaking noise; quickly did I leave it, and recollecting to have seen one in the marketplace, thither to hurry, and most joyfully was the handle siezed, when the same instant, a snore close to me arrested my attention; after looking in vain for a by-stander, whose mirth I thought myself the object of, I at last discovered a guardian of the night in a watch-box, not before observed, though almost close to me. Shall I be doubted when I declare, that it was not regard for his peaceful slumbers which prevented my disturbing him? The street in which the inn I stopped at is situated was next explored; for I recollected, that, arriving by the coach in my way to it, we had passed some waggon or public-house with a water trough, and accordingly hastened there, greatly exhausted by exertion and uneasiness-found it was full of water too, but frozen so hard, that I could not break the surface. I now began to despair of obtaining a supply from that element which was considered so essential an appendage to my character and dress; my memory however, instead of failing me in the moments of keen disappointment and perplexity, suddenly reminded me that at a considerable distance from Dover we had passed a water-mill on the left-hand going in ; it was far, very far-it was some distance from the road; hedges, ditches, and fields, lay between this mill and the high-way. All this is very true, I said; but no matter, difficulties must be overcome when any thing is determined on, and still more so, if to neglect would be a breach of faith,