The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. II., No. 11, October, 1836Various
History
The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. II., No. 11, October, 1836
Various
American literature -- 19th century -- Periodicals
The “Memoirs of My Own Time” were published in 1815. They excited the
greatest commotion, and if we are to believe the Baronet, no literary
work ever procured for its author “a more numerous list of powerful
and inveterate enemies.” The queen, the regent, and the princesses of
the royal family disliked the portrait drawn of George the Third,
which every reasonable person will allow to be by no means a
caricature. They disapproved too, of the somewhat free comments on the
peace of 1763, and were highly incensed at certain _personal_
disclosures in regard to the king. The first Lord of the Treasury, son
of Charles Jenkinson, was offended at the “just and impartial”
character given his father. The partisans, respectively, of Pitt and
Fox, arose in arms at what they considered the gross abuse of their
leaders. The relatives of Lord North were enraged at the account of
his junction with Fox in 1783, notwithstanding the Baronet himself
considers that “he had done justice to that most accomplished and
amiable nobleman.” But this was not all. The Earl of Bute would not be
appeased. The Marquis of Lansdowne spoke of a prosecution in the court
of King's Bench on account of the reflections (unavoidable, we are
told) made on the resignation of the Earl of Shelburne. The “Quarterly
Review” in an article written, we are assured, by “men” in official
situations, held the “Memoirs” up to general reprobation as an
“imbecile and immoral work,” while the “Edinburg” joined in the hue
and cry with still greater virulence, and even more disgusting
personal abuse. Lastly, and much more than all to the purpose, Count
Woronzow, in consequence of the mention made of him by the Baronet, in
his relation of the circumstances connected with the marriage of the
Princess Royal to the late Duke of Wirtemberg, instituted a
prosecution, in order to vindicate his own official diplomatic
conduct. Garrow, then Attorney-General, was retained for the
prosecution, and it is to be observed that, passing over in few words
the particular passage for which the suit was commenced, he dwelt with
the greatest severity against the “Memoirs” at large. The disposition
of the government towards the defendant may, however, be fully
estimated by the fact, that although the court repeatedly disclaimed
having authorized the Attorney-General to call for a _vindictive_
judgment, declaring his sole object to be the clearing up of his own
character; and although the Baronet, for an offence which he declared
to be unintentional, made at once the most ample, prompt and public
apology, still the vindictive judgment of six months imprisonment, and
a fine of five hundred pounds, was ordered into execution, a part of
the imprisonment actually carried into effect, and the fine remitted
only through the most energetic and persevering exertions of Woronzow
himself. “Such,” says the author of the Memoirs, “was the combination
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