APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. 



277 



ed likewise in the charges of wick- 

 edness and malice). A greater or 

 heavier charge against a public 

 board could not well be imagined ; 

 yet the Ijbel did not rest there, but 

 represented those who appointed 

 the commissioners, as not only 

 conniving at the conduct of the 

 board, but pursuing a policy with 

 respect to their country, the only 

 motive of which was their private 

 interest. The obvious purport of 

 the libel, was not only to render the 

 French prisoners here discontent- 

 ed, but to hold out to the French 

 the justice of retaliation ; thus pro- 

 ducing misery to our own impri- 

 soned countrymen abroad, discon- 

 tent among the French prisoners 

 here, and disaffection in the minds 

 of all his Majesty's subjects. The 

 defendant's situation ought to have 

 made him acquainted with the 

 danger of intrusting his newspaper 

 to other conduct than his own ; 

 and he ought to have been the 

 more watchful in proportion as he 

 was imprisoned for a former of- 

 fence so near to the place of pub- 

 lication. The learned judge then 

 cotxmiented upon the inconsistency 

 of his affidavits in mitigation, and 

 attributed his neglect to his not 

 wishing to see the libel in question. 

 Why did he say to his printer, 

 " For God's sake take care not to 

 publish any thing libellous," and 

 yet take no heed against it him- 

 self.-' It was not now to be contro- 

 rertedthat he who derived the pro- 

 fit from a publication was answer- 

 able for its mischief. The Court 

 sentenced the defendant to pay a 

 fine to the King, of 5001. and to be 

 imprisoned in his Majesty's gaol of 

 Newgate for the space of one year 

 and a half, to be computed from 

 the expiration of his present term 



of imprisonment; and at the end 

 of the further term to find security 

 for his good behaviour, for three 

 years, himself in 1,000/. and two 

 sureties in 500Z. each, and to be fur- 

 ther imprisoned till that fine be 

 paid, and that security given. 



The King v. John and Leigh 



Hunt Court of King's-Bench, 



Dec. 9 This was a trial by spe- 

 cial jury, upon information, of the 

 proprietors of the Examiner for a 

 libel on the Prince Regent. 



In opening the pleadings, the 

 libel, which appeared on the 22nd 

 March, was read, as follows :-- 



" What person, unacquainted 

 with the true state of the case, 

 would imagine, in reading these 

 astounding eulogies, that this Glori/ 

 of the People was the subject of 

 millions of shrugs and reproaches ! 

 That this Protector of the Arts had 

 named a wretched foreigner his 

 historical painter, in disparage- 

 ment or in ignorance of the merits 

 of his own countrymen! That 

 this Meccenas of the Age patronized 

 not a single deserving writer! That 

 this Breather of Eloquence coM not 

 say a few decent, extempore words 

 — if we are to judge, at least, from 

 what he said to his regiment on its 

 embarkation for Portugal ! That 

 this Conqueror of Hearts was the 

 disappointer of hopes ! That thts 

 Exciter of Desire (bravo Messieurs 

 of the Post.' J— this Adonis in Love- 

 liness, was a corpulent gentleman 

 of fifty ! In short, that this de- 

 lightful, blissful, tvise, pleasur- 

 able, honourable, virtuous, truCt 

 and immortal Prince, was a violator 

 of his word, a libertine over head 

 and ears in debt and disgrace, a 

 despiser of domestic ties, the com- 

 panion of gamblers and demireps, 

 a man who has just closed halt a 



century 



