1831,] Affairs in General. 657 



ties till " the demon of discord/' in the shape of a contested election, 

 stirred up blood between them. The thought must throw the whole 

 community into convulsions. 



Europe has lost another crowned head. And the newspapers mention 

 the epochs of this illustrious personage's life, as 



" Strange Coincidences. All the particular events of the late King of Sar- 

 dinia's life occurred in the month of April. He was born on the 6th of April, 

 married on the 6th of April, ascended the throne on the 19th of April, and 

 died on the 27th of April." 



So much for the grand events of a king's life ; he was born, married 

 and died ! The same might be said of any cobbler in his majesty's do- 

 minions. But why, among so many memorable days of his favourite 

 month, did the historian omit the day that threw its influence over his 

 whole reign, thejirst of April ? 



The Literary Gazette says, that Decimus Burton is appointed perma- 

 nent architect to the Zoological Society, with a salary of 150 a year. 



The Age asks, " What in the world has a society for the propagation 

 and support of foreign and domestic birds, beasts, fishes, and insects, to 

 do with a permanent architect and what can that permanent architect 

 have to do to merit 150 per annum !" We answer, that an architect is 

 evidently wanting for the purpose. Lions and tigers, boa constrictors, 

 and blue-rumped baboons, though long-lived, are not immortal, and who 

 but a regular architect could make any resemblance of them sufficient to 

 satisfy the eyes of the nursery-maids through the bars of a cage ; while in 

 those matters a practised hand can do wonders. When Sheridan carried 

 Johnson, the monster-manufacturer of Drury Lane, to Exeter Change, to 

 treat for the hire of the elephant there for Bluebeard ; the monster- 

 man's memorable answer, full of the offended dignity of his art, was, 

 " Mr. Sheridan, you may cut me down to half salary, if I don't make 

 you a better elephant than this brute." We have no doubt that the new 

 architect will accomplish the point, and as the show is every thing, he 

 will more than repay his salary by the saving in forage ; a wooden tiger, 

 or a lion of cradle-work and straw, will answer the purpose of the cockney 

 naturalists, full as well as if he had come roaring from the deserts of the 

 Great Zahara, while the expenditure of beef and bones may be diverted to 

 more valuable purposes. Besides, it must be obvious to every person of 

 taste, that the making of the cages themselves, the twisting of so many 

 bundles of wires, the peeling of so many faggots of osier, and the juxta- 

 position of so many planks of deal, or as the great Lexicographer says, 

 " the reticulation and decussation of the ligneous fabric with interstices 

 between the intersections," must all require an architect of the first 

 dimensions, and one whose services would be wretchedly underpaid by 

 150 a year; no more than the salary of three curates. 



A Character." He is a very surprising person take his military services 

 his consistent policy his official activity his universal knowledge his 

 general readiness the quickness of his conception, and the clearness of his 

 understanding take them altogether, I say and and you may put them 

 all into his duchess's thimble !" 



Who on earth can this distinguished person be ? He must be known 

 among the memorables of a country rich in statesmen, both heroes and 



M.M. New Scries. VOL. XI. No. 66. 4 P 



