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    would be . We should then have judges and barristers suited to and equally respected in their , different departments , and the public would have its business fairly and regularly performed ; - To stem the tide of public odium now running against the Court of Chancery , its heads have put forth eighty-one new orders to reform its minor practice . But the evil lies not there . Let the judicial

    business be properly transacted , and the rest will follow . As it is , expediting the practice will onlv add to the number of causes not heard nor likely to be so . We see nothing in these orders which provides for cutting down the extortion of all the departments of the Court ; and

    it is singular that the second of them is one ( as we are told by our legal friends ) which nearly trebles the present expense of the first proceeding , for no earthly purpose which can be discovered , unless it be that of increasing the emoluments of the sinecure patentee , who happens to be one of the commissioners on whose " recommendatim" these orders are put forth .

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    Art . X . —Remarks on the Character of Napoleon Buonaparte , occasioned by the Publication of Scott ' s Life of Napoleon Buonaparte . By W . E . Charming , LLD ., Boston . London , 1828 . We must confess that , looking to practical utility , we are not prepared to join in the eulogiura . s lavished by some upon this elaborate tirade in the Christian

    Examiner against the personal character of Buonaparte , attributed to Dr . Changing , which it has been thought worth while to reprint , for the purpose , we conclude , of shewing us that despotism is a dishonest calling .

    The object of Sir Walter Scott / as of any other historian ) was av ought to have been the rational and proper one of estimating his hero ' s character and conduct , with referenee to his situation , and in comparison with others who had enjoyed equal political opportunities . It was not his business to inquire in the abstract whether a great conqueror was

    or is likely to be an honest or merciful man , or whether a despot is ever very scrupulous in his policy . But so far from Dr . Chanuuigfs most curious assertion being true , that Sir Walter Scott ' s work is , on the princip les on which he proceeds , " singularly free from prejudice and passion / ' and that " . it givoa more favourable impressions than truth iviU warrant . " instances may be pointed

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    out in every page in which acts are mercilessly condemned and misrepresented in Buonaparte , the counterparts of : which , in rival and more legitimate sovereigns ^ are palliated or applauded . Sir Walter Scott ' s view of the subject is a rational and historic one , but executed with a good deal of prejudice and partiality , though undoubtedly with less than might have been expected . But such an essay as Dr . Channiug ' s has a totally different view . Assuming ( and we shall not be suspected of disputing that he is right in so doing ) , that all conquerors are merciless , and ail despots lawless nuisances , Buonaparte is one text among many others to preach

    from ; but we hardly know why he in particular is to point the tale ; especially when it is notorious that , comparing him with any other conqueror - or despot whom the world ever ; knew , ( which is the only fair way of trying a character historically , ) his career is disgraced by less enormity than has characterized any other instance of similar power and

    action . We , as well as Dr . Channing , " cannot think with patience of one man fastening chains on a whole people and subjecting millions to | iis single will ;" but granting all this , ( however doubtful whether we shall persuade the world of monarchists to agree with us , ) we return to the real question which an historical inquirer must have before him ;

    namely , that of estimating the relative character of the individual in question , viewing him in his position and in his connexion with others similarly circumstanced . It would be ea * y to shew that Buonaparte ' s occupation was a bad one . It might have been more conducive to the interests of society and more honourable to his personal character , that he should have followed some better calling . We

    could find a vast variety of humble occupations which would better suit our ideas of utility , and we should think such an enumeration quite as well bestowed as the general axioms and truisms , for the illustration of which Dr . Channing has selected Buonaparte in preference to any other man of his caste , but which < are equally applicable to all the rest .

    The false effect , however , which is produced by selecting an individual for the purpose of dressing up his personal character with all the reprobations that belong to his position , while pretending to estimate his character as a soldier and monarch , is mischievous , aa it leads the orator who indulges in such a strain itito temptation to disparage even-the merits ,

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    Critical Notices .

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), May 2, 1828, page 340, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2560/page/52/