remarked that it was curious Mr. Aspleen had passed over wholly unnoticed the long series of kings, queens, and princesses, who came first in his way after the great Marlborough. "Oh! as for them," said Aspleen, the series is too long by far. Common-placed character, be assured, gentlemen, is as rife in palaces as elsewhere; and nothing could be more absurd than to suppose that every one, in a royal line, is entitled to rank with individuals known to fame for something more than hereditary importance. Yet there are a few among them whose signatures are as characteristic as any I have yet noticed. Could the bloody persecutor, Mary, have possibly written in a style more stiff, precise, and determined? Or the bold and subtle Elizabeth, in one more marked by double purposes, and intricate windings; yet, in its general effect, so majestically clear and impressive? James the First we all know to have been a swaggerer and a coward; and what else do we see in his signature ? He begins with an I distinct and tremendous; but ends with something so flustering and confused, that, unless you knew the royal R ought to have been there, you never could have guessed it. The signature of the first Charles is, in its general design, extremely fair and pleasant; but you may observe some cross and awkward turns, and one or two long stretches very feebly executed. Could you expect less from that vein of character which lost this amiable prince his throne and his life? Compare again the signatures of his two sons. Can any one be at a moment's loss to determine which was the careless, roving, generous Rowley, and which the royal monk who abdicated a throne to flog himself in the monastery of La Trappe, for his sins? William, the hero of our glorious Revolution, writes in a manner which shews remarkably to what great lengths some men will go; and yet there is a feebleness, and want of management about it, which may convince you that had he not been an instrument in the hands of far abler men, he never could have seated himself on his father-in law's throne. In the signatures of all the Georges, the same family features are predominant-determination, courage, perseverance, consistency. That of his present majesty, however, seems to indicate that we are getting into times, when shewy qualities are more thought of than sturdy ones. Nothing could be in stronger contrast with the short rapier style of his great-grandfather than the long peacock tails, which ornament the signature of George the Fourth." Aye! Aye!" observed the Adjutant, "all this, Mr. Aspleen, may be vastly fine and ingenious; but let me tell you, that shewy, as you pronounce the taste of the present reign to be, it has brought more solid and lasting glory to the British arms than the reigns of all the other Georges together. For what are your Fontenoys, and Dettingens, and Mindens, to Waterloo? So much, Mr. Aspleen, for your peacock tails." And so much, thought I, as I rose to take my departure, may be true; fops may be brave, and men in ball dresses beat men in armour. NATIONAL DEFENCE. WHEN the gigantic power of France, under Buonaparte, had enabled him to overrun and humiliate every continental state, and even to threaten Great Britain, the spirit of this country was roused to exertion by a sense of the danger, and by the fervour of patriotism. The government neglected no means to keep this spirit alive in the nation; and his late majesty conceiving the situation of his dominions to resemble, in many respects, that which terminated so fortunately for England, in the days of queen Elizabeth, directed proper researches to be made for ascertaining the principles and preparations adopted at that period. The records of the Tower were accordingly consulted; and a selection of papers, apparently of the greatest consequence, was formed and printed, but not published. This work, which contained 420 pages in octavo, was entitled "A Report of the Arrangements which were made for the internal Defence of these Kingdoms, when Spain, by its Armada, projected the Invasion and Conquest of England; and Application of the wise Proceedings of our Ancestors to the present Crisis of Public Safety." The papers, in this work, are classed in the order of external alliance, internal defence, military arrangements, and naval equipments. They are preceded by a statement of facts, in the History of Europe, at the period of the Spanish Armada; and a sketch of events, shewing the effects of the queen's measures, at home and abroad. As a collection of historical documents, narrating an important event in British history, this work is valuable; and, as shewing the relative strength of this country in population and other resources, in the sixteenth century, it is curious and interesting. The force of the Armada, and the means taken to oppose it, are minutely stated. The former consisted of 166 vessels, including 40 great hulks, which were manned by 27,128 men. In the 376 same Armada were 1493 pieces of artillery. To meet this formidable armament we had Men. 34 of Her Majestie's shippes, great and small.. 6264 ward. 2394 29 shippes and bargues paid by the citie of London.. 2140 31 shippes and bargues, which are victuallers, 19 coasters, greate and small, under the lord .... 1561 943 1093 939 Such was then the naval power of England; of the military force, we have an abstract of the men furnished by the council, bishops, lords, and several records, amounting, in all, to 3684 horse, and 31,055 foot. In that important article which the French very significantly denominate ammunition de bouche, these documents are equally minute. were allowed, by the day, each one pound and a half of bread, The footmen two quarts of beer, one quart of wine, two pounds and a half of beef, half a pound of butter, one pound of cheese, and one pound of biscuit; but the ration of a horseman, besides a proportionate augmentation of other viands, was increased to three pounds and a half of beef, which seems to justify the sarcastic remark which Shakespeare puts in the mouth of the constable of France, in the play of King Henry V., that "the men do sympathize with their mastiffs, in robustious and rough coming on; and they give them great meals of beef, and iron and steel, and they will eat like wolves, and fight like devils." When each soldier was supplied so bountifully, it will not excite surprise that there should be some difficulty in procuring the rations; but it will scarcely be expected that, in order to victual ten thousand men, twenty-nine counties should be laid under contribution, including six hundred oxen from the "butchery of London." The quantity for each county to furnish was fixed. sand quarters of wheat, and six hundred quarters of malt; Kent was to supply one thouwhile Surry was only to furnish two hundred quarters of wheat. The grain was principally collected from the home counties; while Staffordshire, Leicestershire, Warwickshire, Lincolnshire, Worcestershire, &c. were to supply the oxen. It is curious to contrast the force furnished by the counties at that time, and the voluntary levies they raised in 1803; for instance, Cornwall, in the reign of Elizabeth, yielded only 575 foot; but, in 1803, it enrolled 16,996 effective men. Essex was estimated to furnish 57 horsemen; in 1803, it numbered 1251. London, however, was stated to have contained "20,696 able householders, servaunts of our nation, within the wardes; 933 strangers, able men for service; and 36 personnes suspected in religion." The letters and statements of the naval commanders and others who could give information relative to the defeat of the Armada, are very interesting. There is one from sir Francis Drake, which will remind the reader of heroes of a later date; and will shew that British sailors have ever been the same. The following is an extract from Drake's letter to sir E. Walsingham. "We have the army of Spayne before us; and mind, with the grace of God, to wrestle or fall with them. There was never any thing pleased me better than the seeing the enemie flying, with a south wind, to the northwards. God grant they have a good eye to the duke of Parma; for, with the grace of God, if we live, I doubt it not but, ere it be long, so to handle the matter with the duke of Sidonia,* as he shall wish himself at St. Maria, among his orange trees. God give us grace to depend upon him, so we shall not doubt victory; for our cause is good. Humbly taking my leave, this last of July, 1588. "Your honour's faithfully to be co'manded ever, "P. S. I crave pardon of your honour for my haste; for that I had to watch this last night upon the enemy. "Your's ever, "FRA. DRAKE." In the sentiments of Drake we discover the very reasonings of the immortal Nelson. The force with which the British admiral was so anxious to wrestle, is minutely stated * The general of the Armada was the duke de Medina Sidonia. in the following document. The difference in size, between the Spanish and English vessels, is very striking : "The Substaunce of certaine Maryners' Report touching the Spanysh Fleete. "Certain maryners, of this countrie, to the number of nineteen, which have bene in the Spanysh fleet ever since they first putt to sea; and are now fledd awaie from them, having made sailes, for their cock-boats, with their shirtes, do report and say that all the fleete, being 150 saile, did set forth out of Lisborne, the 20th of May; and, commyng neere England, were driven back again by contrarie winds: that in all, the whole number of them was but 20,000 men; whereof, 10,000 good soldiers, the rest common men; and that theie were victualled for three months; and for any great sickness, there was none, as it was reported; neither did theie land any more sick persons at the Groyne than 300; from whence they putt to sea the 22a of July, and came to the Land's End by the 28th of the same; and 'till they came over to Plymouth, they met with no man, where 40 of her ma'ty's ships did skirmish with them, and one galleasse was taken, and then sett on fire; by reason the captaine falling into a rage with the gunner, and threatening to kill him if he shot no righter, the gunner cast fire into the powder-barrell, and threw himself overboard. In this ship, theie say, was the treasure, and five ensigns of the Spanyards. After this againe, at Portland and the Isle of Wight, her ma'ty's navie set upon them, but no great hurt done; but, betweene Cales and the Blackness, most furiouslie, where a great galiasse was taken, and three other greet shippes, with one thousand men apiece, sunk downe right about the Goodwins; besides, another Italian ship, which they take to be sunk also, because they made signs for helpe, but none made towards them; that there about Cales theie were forced to cut their cabels, by the ships of fire, which came upon them, out of her ma'ty's fleete, and sae from thence fledd awaie with all speede; that theie were driven thus above Dunkerke, and thereabout Blanckenburgh, one of their greate shippes was grounded on the wheelings, and taken by them of Flushing, wherein were five hundred Spaniards, of whom one hundred and fifty are come to Rotterdam, the rest cast overboard. That, before their fight, about Cales, which was on the Sundaye, the duke of Parma sent them word he would assist them the next daie; but for that he kept not promise, theie generallie crie out against |