The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 13, No. 368, May 2, 1829

In Short

This issue of The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction (Vol. 13, No. 368) is a typical British weekly miscellany from May 2, 1829. Designed for an increasingly literate middle class, it blends architectural history, poetic tributes, non-fiction summaries, and lighthearted anecdotes. The issue explores London landmarks like Clarendon House and Westminster Abbey, provides an analytical breakdown of The Times newspaper, details official regulations for settling Australia's Swan River, and offers brief tidbits on local lore, historical figures, and foreign customs. It remains an illuminating snapshot of Regency-era popular tastes, civic anxieties, and imperial curiosities.

The Story

The volume opens with a historic overview of Clarendon House in Piccadilly, tracing its construction by the Earl of Clarendon using stone intended for St. Paul's Cathedral. The piece details how public resentment over military failures and the sale of Dunkirk led to the mansion being mockingly named "Dunkirk House." It recounts the house's massive £50,000 cost, its eventual sale to the Duke of Albemarle, and a dramatic 1670 incident where the Duke of Ormond was dragged from his coach by the infamous Colonel Blood.

Moving from domestic history to solemn reflection, a poetic tour of Westminster Abbey follows. The speaker muses upon the silence of the tombs, observing how royal rivals, celebrated statesmen like Pitt and Fox, and tragic figures such as Mary, Queen of Scots, and Queen Elizabeth lie immobilized in cold marble side by side, their former political feuds rendered meaningless by death.

The narrative lens then shifts to a structured analysis of a recent issue of The Times newspaper. The contributor examines the broadsheet's layout as a reflection of societal contrasts, likening the newspaper editor to the artist William Hogarth. Advertisements for ships bound for the newly formed Swan River settlement sit alongside notices for French luxury goods, Chancery creditors, and sales of family graves, showcasing the stark interplay between necessity, speculation, and indulgence in daily London life.

Following this media commentary, the publication presents a series of short historical and ethnographic dispatches. A brief note presents "The Cuccu" as the oldest song in the English language. This is paired with an account of Highland customs regarding the sun, followed by a harsh, biased report on the indigenous peoples of Van Dieman's Land (Tasmania). The text details their physical appearance, lack of European attire, desperate struggles for sustenance due to settler encroachment, and susceptibility to skin diseases, alongside a stark account of an ill native man executed for spearing a settler's worker.

Historical anecdotes follow, detailing the origins of public auctions under Elihu Yale, the astrological predictions of William Lilly regarding the 1665 Plague and 1666 Fire of London, and an account of John Bunyan's twelve-year imprisonment in Bedford Gaol. This section highlights Bunyan's earthenware syllabub cup and his sharp-witted response to a visiting Quaker.

The issue culminates in a extensive summary of the official Colonial Office regulations for the new settlement on the Swan River in Western Australia. It details Lieutenant Governor Captain Stirling's geographical findings, the fertile soil near the Swan and Canning rivers described by botanist Mr. Fraser, and the land allocation rules for emigrants. The volume closes with lighthearted entries in "The Gatherer," featuring a Persian ode to youth, satirical commentary on regulating duels by rank, a note on Continental drinking habits in Brussels, and classic epigrams.

How It Unfolds

Echoes of Piccadilly The issue opens with an architectural sketch and historical account of Clarendon House, detailing its excessive construction costs, public backlash, and the near-fatal assault on the Duke of Ormond by the notorious criminal Blood.

Voices from the Abbey A poetic walk through Westminster Abbey meditates on mortality, describing how fierce historical rivalries between monarchs and politicians dissolve into silent, cold marble monuments.

The Mirror of the Press An essay breaks down an issue of The Times, mapping out how advertisements for foreign trade, luxury items, financial ruins, and cheap sawmills reflect the jarring social divides of early nineteenth-century Britain.

Colonial Horizons and Historical Oddities Brief entries survey ancient English songs and Scottish sun rituals, alongside a colonial report detailing the grim conditions and displacement of the indigenous population in Van Dieman's Land.

Prophets, Relics, and Regulations The text reviews the predictions of astrologer William Lilly, recounts John Bunyan's imprisonment through his surviving syllabub cup, and details official government terms for prospective emigrants moving to Australia's Swan River.

Convivial Parting Words The issue concludes with "The Gatherer," a collection of light verses, Persian love poetry, satirical proposals for a duelling code, and observations comparing English drinking houses to Belgian cafes.

The People

• Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon: The Lord Chancellor whose grand mansion facing St. James's Street drew public envy and financial embarrassment. He regrets the imprudent extravagance that made his home a target for public scorn during a period of national hardship.
• James, Duke of Ormond: A nobleman residing at Clarendon House who narrowly survives a violent kidnapping attempt by the criminal Blood and his accomplices while traveling home in his carriage.
• John Bunyan: The famed author of The Pilgrim's Progress and Anabaptist preacher. Imprisoned for twelve years in Bedford Gaol for holding unlawful meetings, he is portrayed as a sharp wit who uses his intellect to survive long years of confinement.
• William Lilly: A seventeenth-century astrologer whose remarkably accurate prediction of the Great Plague and Fire of London led to his interrogation by a Parliamentary committee suspicious of his involvement.
• Captain Stirling: The royal navy officer appointed Lieutenant Governor of the new Swan River settlement. He explores the Australian coastline, reports on its harbors, and promotes its agricultural potential to prospective British emigrants.
• Mr. Fraser: A government botanical surveyor who travels with Captain Stirling. He evaluates the soil along the Swan River, enthusiastically rating it superior to land in New South Wales.

In Its Own Voice

"He purchased the materials, but a nation soured with an unsuccessful war, with fire, and with pestilence, imputed everything as a crime to this great and envied character..."

— Pennant's account of Lord Clarendon's troubled building project in Piccadilly.

"Ye royal rivals of a former day, / How has your love and hatred pass'd away! / To future times how faint the voice of fame..."

— The speaker reflecting on the silent tombs of Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth in Westminster Abbey.

"If the Lord had sent you, you need not have taken so much pains, for the Lord knows that I have been a prisoner in Bedford Gaol for these twelve years past."

— John Bunyan's witty response to a Quaker claiming to have searched half the prisons in England to deliver a message from the Lord.

What It's Really About

Beneath its fragmented format, this issue reflects the anxieties and ambitions of a rapidly expanding British society in 1829. The text grapples with the fleeting nature of wealth and power, drawing parallels between fallen historic ministers, silent monarchs in Westminster Abbey, and the sudden ruin of bankrupts listed in newspaper advert columns.

At the same time, it captures a society looking outward toward empire and industrial progress. The detailed accounts of Australian colonization present a drive for resource extraction, land ownership, and emigration, framed by a clear indifference to the displacement and suffering of native populations. The compilation balances human mortality with the relentless engine of commerce, showcasing how news, entertainment, and social change were consumed by the reading public.

Why Read It Today

Modern readers interested in nineteenth-century media, social history, and the mechanics of public information will find this issue fascinating. It offers an unvarnished look at what educated readers in 1829 found entertaining, instruction-worthy, or humorously absurd.

Reading this period miscellany feels like flipping through a historic newsfeed. It moves rapidly from solemn verse to colonial policy, interspersed with light satire and local gossip. The writing is direct, accessible, and energetic, though modern audiences must navigate period-typical prejudices—most notably in the colonial observer's dismissive, dehumanizing language regarding the indigenous people of Van Dieman's Land.

Despite these stark historical attitudes, the work remains an engaging artifact. It captures the everyday rhythm of Regency-era London, showing how readers weighed the monumental weight of history against the practicalities of a changing world.