e writer's portrait of Prince Potemwill be interesting to others beside who wish to form a judgement of an commanders. y joined the most accurate judge- frequently to obtain further information; It, with the most thorough knowledge assuming the most savage or the most amiable e world: and who in the midst of countenance; affecting the most disgusting us knew how to flatter without degra- or the most pleasing manners; in short rehimself, and to speak the truth, with-sembling alternately the proudest satrap of the fending the delicate ears of majesty. XIV: excessively harsh according to exterior East, or the most polished courtier of Lonis following extracts display the true appearances, but really mild and gentle in cter of the Prince de Ligne's work; his heart; fanciful as to his hours, his meals, therefore we shall introduce them, his rest and his amusements; wishing for at further preliminaries. every thing like a child, yet knowing how to support all kinds of privations like a great man; temperate with all the appearance of a glutton; biting his nails or munching apples or turnips; scolding or laughing, mimicking or cursing, gamboling or praying, singing or meditating; calling to him, sending away from him, calling again twenty aids-de-camp without giving them any orders; supporting heat better than any one, yet always solicitous to procure the most voluptuous baths; despising cold, yet apparently unable to exist without furs; either in his shirt, not retaining even drawers, or in regimentals laced down all the seams: either bare-footed, or wearing slippers embroidered with gold spangles, without either a cap or a hat; (in that equipage I saw him once in an engagement,) sometimes clad in a sable night gown, sometimes in a magnificent tunic, with his three stars, his ribbons, and diamonds as large as one's thumb, round the picture of the empress these diamonds seem intended there to attract the balls: bent in two, and huddled head to heels when at home; he is tall, erect, haughty, beautiful, noble, majestic or enchanting when he appears at the head of his army, like Agamemnon surrounded by the kings of Greece. told a general-in-chief, who seems lazy, smind is incessantly occupied; who has A but his knees, and no comb but his !: always stretched at full length, ng neither day nor night, because he is n a continual state of agitation, by his or the service of his sovereign whom he ips as a deity, and because he starts at ing of a gun not aimed against himself, the idea that it may cost the life of some soldiers. Fearful for others, yet expo. is own person; stopping under the hot re of a battery to give orders, yet having of Ulysses than of Achilles; uneasy at resight of any kind of dangers, gay in idst of them; sad when surrounded leasures: mi-erable by too much hap, bennmbed in all his powers of percepeasily wearied, sullen, inconstant, a hilosopher, an able minister, a sublime ian, or a child of ten years old; in no vindictive, apologizing for the slightest e has given, eager to repair an injusbelieving that he loves God, fearing the whom he conceits to be greater still ulkier than a Prince Potemkin; kissing and to the women he likes, crossing If with the other. Folding his arms on east at the foot of a Madona, entwining round the alabaster-neck of his mistress; ing innumerable favours from his great ign, sharing them immediately after; ing lands from the empress, returning immediately, or paying her debts withquainting her; selling, then buying , immense estates, to erect a colonade, int an English garden; then parting with again; gambling incessantly, or not at more inclined to give away his money, to pay his debts; immensely rich, or yless; alternately full of suspicions, or of dent good-nature, of jealousy or of gratiof spleen or of joke; easily prejudiced against, changing his mind with equal ty; entertaining his generals with theoand his archbishops with military $; averse to reading, but watching ly in conversation, and contradicting In what then consists his magic art? in his genius; certainly in his genius;-and again in his genius. He has, besides, a great share of natural wit, an excellent memory, an excellent mind. He is keen without malice; and artful without cunning: by the happy mixture of his whims, he gains every heart. When he happens to be in the benevolent mood, his generosity is unbounded; he is graceful and just in the distribution of rewards; he possesses a great perspicacity; the talent of guessing at what he does not know: with a thorough understanding of mankind. To shew how the Prince de Ligne contrived to manage this extraordinary character, while acting as a commissary of the Emperor of Austria, at the Russian army before Oczakow, we translate the following passage from one of his letters addressed to the Emperor Joseph II. from the camp before that town. I am here absolutely like a nursery maid: but my child is tall, strong, and very frow that ard. Yesterday again, he asked me, " do ters. Writing to his sovereign from you believe that you came here to lead me by camp before Oczakow in October 12 the nose?"-"Do you believe," said I, he says, (Vol. I. p. 193)" the m I would have come had I not expected it? of September will repair the misfort Lazy and without experience, what can you of the Bannat, and the want of succes do better, my dear prince, than to trust a man anxiously zealous for your glory, and that of Bosnia. Could any one have belie the two empires? So very little is wanting to that this shattered Mussulman em make you a model of perfection! But what should have reduced Russia to so mort can your genius do, if unassisted by trustying a situation?" Again in a letter friendship?" Marshal de Lazy, December 1789, ( I. p. 226 ) Nothing can be though at St. Petersburgh, until peace is m with Constantinople. The day the n arrived there that Bulgakoff had been to the Seven Towers, the empress almost sorry for it." The reason of the we think, explained by details which Prince de Ligne gives on the Tur mode of warfare, &c. We shall ext some of these passim. The Prince told me :-" make your EmpeFor cross the Save, and I will cross the Bog.' 1 "How can you ?" said I," stand upon ceremonies, as if you were at the door of a drawing-room? My emperor gives you up all claims to precedency; there is a Turkish army acting against him; there is none opposed to you."- “Do you think ’ said he, that he would give us crosses of Maria Theresa, and accept crosses of St. George for those who should distinguish themselves in our two armies?" I saw what he was at. He is mad for Orders: he has only twelve of them, and I assured him that Oczakow was well worth our grand cross; and that if he should facilitate to your majesty, the taking of Belgrade, he might pretend to the Order of St. Stephen. I beg, sir, you may be pleased to confirm those hopes I have given him; and if our Roman-catholicity could bend a little in his favour, and promise him the Golden Fleece, he would be entirely our own. I see Turks (Vol. II. p. 13, letter to Segur) who pass for being void even of c mon sense in war, yet carry it on wi kind of method; who scatter themselve prevent the fire of our artillery and of our talions from being directed against the aiming perfectly, and firing always at col ed objects; by that sharpshooting, hi their own kind of manœuvres ; lurkin every cleft, in every hollow, or on trees else advancing, in number 40 or 50, wi place forward to gain ground. The standard, which they carry, running kneel on the ground to fire, they then back to reload, and so on in succession ti another race, in advance, they carry whirlwind, and their standard farther. T standards are intended to mark the line so the head of none of these little troops sh outpass that of another. Imagine the dreadful yells, the cries of allah! enco ting off of heads, and the whole is, I th among the Christians; add to that, the terrific enough. How in the name of w der, could my father and three uncles, fought against the Turks, say, that their o of march resembled the flight of geese, it was shaped like a pig's head, or like cuneus of the ancients? thus Every one knows, that this Turkish war, the result of the interview of the two sovereigns, on the banks of the Boristhenes, disappointed the interested views of both parties, equally eager for the spoil; but by no means agreed as to their respective share of it. "What the d- 1 shall we do with Constantinople?" Joseph used to say. (Vol. I. p. 96) in the unreserved familiarity which prevailed among the il-ging the Mussulmen, and causing dis lustrious travellers and their suite, during the whole of their extraordinary journey; yet this apparent friendship covered the heart-burnings of jealousy, which even courtly dissimulation, itself, could not prevent from breaking out at times. This disposition of the two courts, which was indeed to be expected, may account in some measure for the disasters of Austria and the inactivity of Russia, in the first campaign; but from the publication before us (and we need no better authority) there is abundant reason to believe, that the Turks are a much more formidable enemy to the two empires, than is generally supposed. The Prince de Ligne fairly owns as much in several of his let 1 A I have seen nothing which could ing the idea that the like ever existed among th In the next letter addressed to the sa gentleman, also dated from Oczakow, September 1788, the Prince de Li enters into some further details on the me subject; to which he adds his sentiments on the means of enabling the Christians to fight the Infidels on better terms. This last part has been a good deal abridged by the editor, through fear of mistakes: and we shall omit it altogether, when not intimately connected with ar object, which is to convey information in the mode of Turkish warfare. They run, they climb, they leap, because they are lightly clad, and lightly armed; the wight carried by the stupid Christians, reces them to the bare power of moving. I been told that the Turks fought with their s naked, to have a free use of them, to cut off heads more dexterously. But may be more naturally accounted for; hey wear neither shirts nor stockings; they e often, even, without shoes, and except a mall waistcoat, and large drawers, they are ite naked; no doubt to be more active in warm countries, where they carry on far. Nevertheless, as they are not famous of foresight, they are not otherwise clad in be coldest weather, when they are shut up their towns, or during a winter campaign. Let us have tents as well contrived as those f the Mussulmen; the same faith if possible predestination; and let us try to give the ine tools to cavalry, which moving faster han infantry, erects intrenchments, which e last has only to mah in occupying its amp. Let it be forbidden in the army to proounce the word Neboissé which incans do t be afraid; and which the Turks, who are y no means jocose, pronounce in cutting off a ad. I have remarked, that this word has n astonishing effect on Christians. Let the oldier be told before hand of the yells of the nfidels, of their ridiculous prancing, which i useless against us, and hurtful to them; with my regulations, we might easily suffer orselves to be surrounded by those clouds of pubis [horse soldiers] who buzz about like wasps. Coolness is necessary when in presence of ng troops in the world; but more especially when before these people; for when the head of an opponent is morally gone, it is soon physically gone also. Whatever has been said of their opium, and of the fury it excites, is in idle tale. Officers may perhaps use it, ometimes, but it is too dear for the common Tork; and I have never seen one who had taken any. the world; dangerous, when they attack contemptible, when they are anticipated. On heights, and in woods, they have had, till now, the advantage over us; because they that we have none ourselves when we are run to the attack with confidence, knowing thus situated. They have two excellent customs: one is, to get the intrenchments of their camps raised by the spahis, as I mentioned before; and the other is, to dig holes, in the ground, or within an intrenchment, to shelter themselves from cannon-balls. Every man has his hole, where he remains till the firing is over. infantry, and which is cavalry. The spahi It is impossible to say positively, which is who has lost his horse, runs and mixes with the infantry; and the foot soldier who has either won, or taken, or bought a horse, finds his rank among the spahis. In consequence, these last are excellent marksmen ; and whenever they can fire with effect, they use their musquets a great deal but they do not set about it like our Christian cavalry, which is always in the wrong, when it has recourse to that weapon. The Spahi alights nimbly from his horse, fires his piece and springs again on horseback with great agility. heroic bravery from the Mussulman, is, beThe reason why we often witness deeds of cause he never fights, but when he has a mind to it. It is ouly when in good healh, in good humour, and after having taken his coffee, that he prepares his arms for battle. He even waits often for a fine day, and for a vivifying sun. In the beginning of the siege I used to get up at break of day; which, in our European armies is often the time choseu for enterprizes. Now, I rest at my ease. The fashionables, easily distinguished by their beautiful horses and the striking colours of their dresses, never issue out before ten, 10 engage in battle. During the whole siege, the Turks only undertook one trifling operation by night; and then, probably, because they wanted a general's head, which they accordingly took from M. Maximovitz. Their artillery, in sieges, is worked by the first soldiers who get up, and who go, and fire their pieces, by way of amusement. The Turks, owing to their instinct, which is often preferable to the boasted systematic sense of the Christians, are extremely handy, and capable of performing the operations of war in all its branches; but, the first impulse only is in their favour, they are not susceptible of a second thought. And after that lucid moment, of which they make a tolerably fair and proper use, they become a compound of childhood and madness. The mien and dress of the haughty Ottoman are more dignified than the aukward air, and Their religious phrenzy increases in provery often hang dog looks of Christians. The portion to danger. Their cries of Hechter Turks are, at the same time, the most dange-Allah! [that is, one only God!] augment fous, and the most contemptible enemy in daily, and the besiegers are sure not to be heard, whatever noise they make in opening the trenches. They are never disturbed the first night, which surely is the most inteteresting The Prince de Ligne had afterwards the command of an army against these very Turks, which he had so accurately observed and he had a considerable share in retrieving the honour of the Austrian arms, and in conquering Belgrade. His correspondence during that campaign, contains some curious specimens of official communications, between the commanders of the hostile armies during a kind of armistice: which did not prevent the Turks from now and then cutting off a few heads in the Austrian lines, attacking the boats on the Danube, and celebrating their festivals by firing their great guns with balls, which reached the Austrian camp. The Prince de Ligne was not behind hand in this kind of merriment, which was considered by the Turks as a matter of course; and the death of a few spectators killed in these delightful feux de joie, did not occasion the smallest complaint. that extent to which some have thou The work opens with an account the island, its division into counties, We could have wished to have presented our readers with some delineations of the moral character of the Turks drawn. by the same able hand; and with some of the lively anecdotes contained in this pub-parishes.-Its soil, climate, seasons, Kication, but our article has already been protracted to an unusual length. For this, the peculiar situation of Turkey, as the ob. ject of political envy, and Tilsit distributation, must plead our excuse. The authority of this noble soldier supports opinions we have ventured in favour of the Ottomans. But we must dismiss the work, however reluctantly, recommending the perusal of it, as one of the most entertaining collections we have lately vernment, civil and ecclesiastical, its co merce, and military establishment foll The natural history of the island, routine of cultivation, the time and m ner of travelling; the ranks of culti tors, as-planters and proprietors, ov seers, book-keepers, &c. medical m &c. the distinctions of population, whi creoles, negroes, &c. domestic and c vivial arrangements, the general dissolu ness of manners, irreligion, slavery, w its effects on the slave holders as w as on the slaves; are treated on, nearly the order in which we have placed them Such a variety of subjects afford am opportunity to a man of mind to comp a volume. We allow the author talen although, as we guess, it has not been voured by access to the very first autho ties of the island, or by a general quaintance with the whole of it. Wh strikes us most powerfully on perusing t volume is, the most lamentable want religious principles, religious rites, a religious preponderance. The outwa attentions of sacred service are not pra tised: where then is the internal prin When public ordinances are forsaken, thope have we of the personal particiof individuals in its blessings? appily, we know the writer's account accurate: we know too the dissoess that prevails under the name of viality: the prostitution for which nience is pleaded: and which cerif fashion, authority, and general liance may sanction it, is sanctioned highest degree. The writer gives to his account, as if formerly these s were more flagrant: he speaks of the sufferings endured by the as if they were formerly more in1, than they are at present. We we could enjoy that pleasure which aded by this information, without In our opinion there is abundant for moral improvement on the island aica, and that must take place before be, as it might be, a satisfactory, say a happy residence. Most tly do we wish that the benevolent ts of our pious metropolitan may ried into effect; and that those who ate themselves as the superior part inhabitants, would manifest their arity in correctness of conduct, and ety of demeanor. For the sake of who have nobly offered to establish , and support schoolmasters, among &c. we shall urge this remark no er mentioning the too profitable palaces, which this island affords, our rinforms us, that, if there was no want of a circulating medium, and the merchants and shopkeepers, &c. were to dispose of their goods at a little more reasonable rate (for at present they have the times three hundred per cent. for them) for extreme modesty to demand two, and somecash or other equivalent paid down, the people of this country (that is, of the description here alluded to) would be more economical, more punctual, more honest and independent than they now are, and would not have half the recourse to law which they now have. But when people get involved in a variety of expenses, and incumber themselves, in consequence, with debts which their finances, and even properties, are at length inadequate to discharge, they are too apt to fall on low stratagems and base subterfuges, which a generous and honourable mind would spurn at; but which cunning suggests, and necessity dictates, to those who can overcome their scruples. Hence the securing of property, by prior deeds of gifts, beyond the reach of the creditor, the making temporary conveyances, in order to avail themselves of the lenity of the laws of insolvency, and other paltry shifts of dishonesty. It is melancholy to reflect how a benevolent law is thus abused and perverted; how it is made the foundation on which to build the most dishonourable dealing; how it is converted into a door for the fraudulent and unprincipled to escape through. Yet nothing is more common in this country. Instances often oc eluding the payment of their creditors, by cur of men, who have got deeply into debi, either making over their properties to their families, or getting them secured by a fictitious or nominal deed of gift, and then taking the benefit of the act. Cannot this shameful practice be remedied or prevented? The only precaution the creditor can take to guard himself against this species of fraud, is to search the office, and ascertain whether, in as been supposed, that the lawyers of ty speck on the terrestial globe receive s than half a million of money annudefending the properties of their fel- the first place, the property which his wouldtizens against legal or illegal invasion, whether there are prior judgements against be creditor holds, is his own or not, or make use of language still more mili-him to the amount of that property; and, if for entrenching those properties within ines of circumvallation, and fortifying not, to secure himself by taking early judgewith bonds, contracts, deeds of gift, who thus defrauds, or keeps his creditors at ment on his account or obligation. The man ents and quibbles. It is really astonish-bay, generally shields himself from censure see the number of actions that are conin this little spot. It is doubtful to say, er this be altogether owing to a natural usness of disposition in the inhabitants, sit may in a much greater measure of R to a propensity in them to heedless exchiefly arising from the long, and imes indefinite, credits that are given art of the scarcity of specie. At least ompare Panorama, Vol. III. p. 1129, and V. p.797, where they are stated at large. is able; and so many examples of this mode by professions of an intention to pay when he of dealing exist, that those who are guilty of it do not appear to feel abashed at the thought, neither are they (wonderful to relate) treated with much less respect than they otherwise had any dealings in the courts can speak most would have been. Most of the people who have knowingly on the subject of law, and make it a sort of study to become acquainted with all its mysteries and manoeuvres. We hope these worthies do not boast of |
