385 
LON 
tie and refined a politician as Bonaparte (liquid incur 
the hazard of exciting indignati6n, and a fpirit of refin¬ 
ance to his aggreffions, in all catholic countries, by the 
fpoliation and imprifonment of the pope. But Bona¬ 
parte’s power had by this time rifen to lo enormous a 
pitch, that he did not think it neceifary to keep any terms 
with the opinions and prejudices of men or nations. His 
general plan was, to arm and direct one half of the world 
againft the other, and to make every thing bend under 
the weight of military defpotifm. It is a maxim of Ma- 
chiavel’s, that, when a prince wants to eltablilh his power 
on changes, he ftiould leave nothing of the old 1} item, 
but make all things new. Bonaparte, no doubt well ac¬ 
quainted with tii ^Italian politician, appears not to ha ve con- 
fidered himfelf as (ecure until all the venerable' inltitutions 
of fociety had been trodden under foot. The founda¬ 
tion of Bonaparte’s empire was military force and inge¬ 
nious combination ; the fpoils of proprietors dillributed 
among military adventurers ; and the efforts of dates and 
kingdoms againlt one another, dextroufly turned to the 
deftruction of the whole. But this career of deftrudfion- 
feems to be calculated, by its very nature, to come, at no 
great didance of time, to a termination ; if indeed it be 
not terminated at the moment we are writing. 
The altar indeed was reftored, in dome falhion, by the 
concordat, but not religion. Lucien Bonaparte and Por- 
tfdis, recommending the concordat to the aflembly, laid, 
that “ Religion was an.ufeful inftrument in the hands of 
government, as well as a confolation to zveak minds and 
timorous cpnfcicnces .” Can fuch a nation as the French 
venerate a fyftern of pomp and ceremony, avowedly 
adapted merely to fuch purpofes, and confidered by the 
legiflature itfelf as mere mummery ? But the Roman- 
catholic clergy have been vilified and brought into con¬ 
tempt ; not by the ruling powers of France, but by 
thernfelves 5 by (wearing, abjuring, and (wearing again, 
according to circumftances, and by the blnfphemous adu¬ 
lation of Co many bilhops and archbifhops, who in their 
paltoral letters, as well as their fermons on public occa¬ 
sions, did not helitate to call Bonaparte “ a new Cyrus 
whom God has choien and fupports for the accomplifli- 
ment of his impenetrable defigns—whom God brought 
back from Egypt, in order to make him the man of his 
right-hand. This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvel¬ 
lous in our eyes.” 
A few dorneftic occurrences of this year remain to be 
noticed.—On the 7th of January, a fire broke out at the 
printing-ofnceof MelTrs. Nichols, in Red-Lion Paflage, near 
Fleet-ftreet. It is (uppofed to have begun from a liVuff 
of a candle having been dropped in the ware-room. The 
whole of that very extenfive concern was confumed, and 
valuable works that had been accumulating for many 
years (particularly a large (lock of the Gentleman’s Ma¬ 
gazine,) were entirely loll. Mefl’rs. Nichols and fon were 
infured to the amount of i2,oool. but that fum was by 
no means equal to cover their lofs. The Red-Lion pub- 
lic-houle, Mr. Edwards’s printing-office, the Scottiib Hof-' 
pital, and fome other adjacent places, fullained partial in¬ 
jury. 
On the aoth of September, about four o’clock in the 
morning, Covent-Garden theatre was difeovered to be in 
flames ; and fo fierce and rapid was the fire, that no exer¬ 
tions couid flop its courfe. Within lefs than three hours 
the whole of the interior was deftroyed : nearly all the 
lcenery, wardrobe, muficn! and dramatic libraries, and 
properties of all kinds, .were a heap of (nicking-- ruins. 
The books of accounts, deeds, and the receipts of the 
preceding night’s performance, were fortunately preferred. 
A confiderabie number of engines promptly attended ; 
but there was a total want of water for fome time, the 
main pipe having been cut off with the intention of lay¬ 
ing down a new one; and above an hour elapfed before 
fome of the engines could be fupplied. During the time 
that there was no fupply of water, the moft effential af- 
VOL. XIII. No. 859. 
DON. 
fiftance for the neighbours was derived from the pumps of 
the Bedford coffee-houfe. The engines afterwards played 
with the utmoft effefl for upwards of an hour, when the 
roof of the theatre fell in with a dreadful cralh, and thus 
announced the dellruflion of the interior of this elegant 
building. The fire raged with moll violence at the up¬ 
per end of Bow-flreet 5 on the we (fern fide of which, the 
boufes No. 9—35 were completely deftroyed ; and Nos. 
16 and 17 ferioufly damaged, though not entirely icon- 
fumed. In Hart-ltreet, the flames communicated to the 
boufes oppofite the theatre, and four caught- fire at the 
fame moment; but, by the great activity of the firemen, 
they (uffered little more damage than a fevere fcorching. 
As to the theatre itfelf, it was totally confumed ; and, 
on the Hart-ft refit fide, not even the walls were left (landing. 
The mod painful part of this dreadful event remains to 
be deferibed. At an early (lage of the fire, a party of 
firemen broke open the great door under the Piazza ; and, 
having introduced an engine belonging to the Phoenix fire- 
office into the paliage, they directed it towards the gal¬ 
leries, where the fire appeared to burn mod fiercely ; when, 
dreadful to relate, the burning roof of the paliage fell in 
and buried them, with feveral others who had ruffed in. 
along with them, in the ruins. It was a confide: able time 
before the rubbifli, which now blocked up the door, could 
be cleared away. When it was effected, a (inferable fpec- 
tacle prefenled itfelf; the mangled bodies of dead and 
dying appearing through the rubbifli, or difeovered in each 
advance to remove it. Eleven dead bodies were carried 
into the church-yard of St. Paul, Covent-Garden. Some 
were fent to St. Bartholomew’s, and others to the Mid- 
dlefex Hofpjtal, miferably mangled, with broken limbs 
and dreadful bruifes. 
The infnrances on the theatre fcarceiy exceeded 60,000!. 
and the Cavings from the premifes amounted to 3500L more, 
which, upon the whole, was not more than one-fourth 
part of the fum requifite to replace the lofs. Belldes the 
ufual flock of feenery, there was qn additional quantity 
for a new melo-drama. Which was ftiortly to have been 
brought forward. Of the originals of the mnfic of Han¬ 
del, Arne, and many other eminent compofers, there are 
no copies ; and of many other pieces of mufic, only an 
outline had been given. Some excellent dramatic pro- 
duftiolis, the property of the theatre, have alfo been for 
ever loft. It is fuppofed, w ith tome probability, that the 
calamity was occalioned by the wadding of the gun fired 
during the performance of Pizarro, having lodged in one 
of the ficenes. The Bedford and Piazza coffee-boufes 
efcaped the flames, owing to a wall which had been erefted 
by the proprietors of the theatre, a fliort time before, to 
inlulatethe theatre from the back of tbofe premifes. Too 
much praife cannot be bellowed on the prompt attend¬ 
ance and aftive exertions of the volunteer corps, which 
prevented many depredations ; who were afterwards re¬ 
lieved by parties of the life and foot guards.—The or¬ 
gan, left by Handel as a legacy to the theatre, dated to 
be w'orth upwards of xoool. and which was played only 
during the Oratorios, was confumed.—The beef-lfeak club 
alfo, which held its meetings at the top of the theatre, (in 
addition to their flock of wines, valued at 1500I.) had to 
regret the lofs of the table-fervice and dinner-implements. 
Mr. Ware, the leader of the band, loft a violin of 300k 
value, which he had left behind him that night for the 
firft time in two years; Mr. Munden, his wardrobe, 
which could not be replaced under 300I. Mifs Bolton, 
her jewels ; and the other performers property, ,in the ag¬ 
gregate, to a confiderabie amount.— It is almolt too pain¬ 
ful to deferibe the fituation of thole perfons who were 
dug out of the ruins alive; they were, in general, fo 
dreadfully burned as fcarceiy to be recognifed by their 
nearefl, relations; and their flefli, in feveral inltances, li¬ 
terally peeled from off the bone. The dead bodies taken 
from the fame place were nearly fhapelefs trunks.—Ano¬ 
ther accident happened the next day by the, falling of a 
