The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 14, No. 384, August 8, 1829

In Short

This issue of The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction, dated August 8, 1829, is an eclectic miscellany of popular nineteenth-century British non-fiction and poetry. Serving up a mixture of historical sketches, literary gossip, scientific observations, and cultural commentary, the issue moves briskly across a vast landscape of human interest. Readers explore the grounds of Voltaire’s home in Ferney, examine the tragic Tudor politics surrounding Lady Jane Grey, witness the execution of King Murat of Naples, and read reflections on everything from coastal blockades to American corn crops. It endures as a vivid snapshot of Regency-era popular intellect and taste.

The Story

The issue opens with a retrospective on Voltaire, contemplating how his public effigy sits alongside Rousseau on European mantelpieces, before taking the reader on a quiet tour of his retreat at Ferney near Geneva. The text lingers over the house’s preserved ground-floor rooms and the formal geometrical gardens once quartered by Austrian troops, offering a glimpse into the late philosopher's secluded life.

From eighteenth-century Switzerland, the focus shifts to Tudor London and the tragic machinations surrounding Lady Jane Grey. The narrative details how the ambitious Earl of Northumberland arranged her marriage to his son, Lord Guilford Dudley, in May 1553. Northumberland’s scheme to bypass the statutory claims of the Princesses Mary and Elizabeth is exposed as a desperate attempt to secure his own preeminence before the sickly Edward VI dies. This historical reflection expands into an architectural history of Durham House, tracking its evolution from a royal gift to Elizabeth, to its transformation into the New Exchange under James I, and ultimately to its demolition by the Adam brothers to construct the Adelphi.

Dramatic history gives way to romantic tragedy in a poem detailing the last moments of Joachim Murat, the deposed King of Naples. After a storm scatters his small fleet along the Calabrian coast, Murat lands only to be surrounded by enemies. He proudly proclaims his royal identity, fights valiantly, and eventually faces a firing squad with unflinching courage, holding a cornelian seal bearing his wife's image.

The issue then shifts to contemporary Britain and the shifting landscapes of public order. A vivid sketch of the Coast Blockade Men highlights the tense, violent midnight clashes between preventive officers and smugglers along the cliffs of Dover. The piece contrasts the rugged solitude of western posts with the circular brick towers east of Dover, where officers in blue jackets and white hats garrison against illegal trade.

Scientific curiosity and agrarian innovation take over in the middle section. The periodical reviews a new, lavishly illustrated work on the Zoological Society's gardens, tracing how accessible publishing rendered zoology fashionable. Minor notes detail the clever instinct of a Leipzig spider that suspended a small pebble to anchor its web. This is followed by an extensive summary of William Cobbett's experiments with American corn, explaining the processes of topping, harvesting, and preparing dishes like mush, homany, and samp, alongside instructions for baking corn-cakes over open embers.

The closing pages offer satirical verse and literary gossip. A humorous poem laments the establishment of the New Police, mourning the disappearance of the old night-watchmen, or "Charleys." Sir Walter Scott contributes a detailed note on the Highland folk tale that originally inspired Guy Mannering, including the true story of the real-life prototype for Dominie Sampson. Finally, Lady Morgan recounts an embarrassing encounter at a London party where actor John Kemble drunkenly grabbed her hair, mistaking it for a theatrical wig. The issue closes with short miscellany, including Burmese petroleum wells, Russian longevity statistics, and publisher advertisements.

How It Unfolds

Voltaire at Ferney The issue opens by contrasting the ubiquitous household busts of Voltaire and Rousseau with a physical description of Voltaire’s quiet estate near Geneva. The text recounts his final return to Paris in 1778 and describes the neglected state of his residence around 1800.

The Doom of Lady Jane Grey The narrative examines the political maneuvers of the Earl of Northumberland, who orchestrated the marriage of Lady Jane Grey to his son in 1553 to capture the English crown. The account traces how this high-stakes conspiracy unfolded at Durham House just months before Edward VI's death.

The Rise and Fall of Durham House The historical focus expands to the physical site of Durham House itself, tracing its ownership from Princess Elizabeth and Sir Walter Raleigh to the Bishop of Durham. It outlines the eventual demolition of its stables to build the New Exchange in 1608 and the eventual erection of the Adelphi by the Adam brothers.

The Execution of Murat A dramatic poem depicts the desperate landing of the exiled King of Naples on the Calabrian coast. Surrounded and outnumbered, Murat refuses to flee, fighting bravely until he is captured and executed by a firing squad while gazing at a portrait seal of his queen.

Guarding the Coast An evocative essay describes the daily lives and dangerous duties of the Coast Blockade Men near Dover. It details the violent night skirmishes with smugglers and portrays the circular brick towers where the officers live and watch the sea.

Innovations in Nature and Agriculture The text reviews new illustrated periodicals on zoology and highlights a scientific report of a spider using a pebble to balance its web. It then features an extensive guide to William Cobbett's cultivation of American corn, detailing harvesting techniques and traditional frontier cooking methods.

Social Satire and Literary Gossip The closing section features lighthearted verse mourning the replacement of old night-watchmen by the New Police. Sir Walter Scott reflects on the real-life origins of Guy Mannering, followed by a humorous anecdote detailing John Kemble’s drunken blunder at a London salon.

The People

• Voltaire: The celebrated French philosopher and poet whose omnipresent plaster busts symbolize his enduring fame. He spends twenty years living in princely, quiet retirement at Ferney before returning to Paris at age eighty-four for a final brief triumph prior to his death.
• The Earl of Northumberland: A wealthy, ambitious Tudor nobleman who orchestrates the political marriage between his son and Lady Jane Grey. Driven by a desire to consolidate power before the sickly King Edward VI dies, he attempts to overrule the royal succession to prevent Princess Mary from stripping him of his influence.
• Lady Jane Grey: The young Tudor noblewoman who becomes a pawn in Northumberland's dangerous bid for the crown. Married before her seventeenth year at Durham House, her forced rise to prominence forms the centerpiece of a fatal royal tragedy.
• Joachim Murat: The former King of Naples and brother-in-law to Napoleon who attempts a desperate return to his lost kingdom. He lands on the Calabrian coast after a storm, refuses to hide his royal identity, and faces his executioners with steadfast courage.
• William Cobbett: An energetic, opinionated agrarian writer who passionately champions the cultivation and use of American corn in Great Britain. He conducts hands-on farming experiments and zealously details the nutritional and economic benefits of corn meal, mush, and rustic bread-making.
• John Kemble: A famous, dramatic actor who creates an embarrassing scene at a London blue-stocking party. Highly intoxicated, he fixates on Lady Morgan's short, curly hair and grabs her locks, mistaking her natural hair for a fine theatrical wig.
• Lady Morgan (Miss Owenson): A popular Irish novelist and social figure who finds herself the target of Kemble's unintended antics. She watches in shock as the actor clutches her hair, only to be rescued by Lord Erskine amidst the amusement of the room.

In Its Own Voice

"The apartments of the ground-floor of the house are in the same state as during Voltaire's lifetime. In the dining-hall is a picture, representing demons horsewhipping Fréron: such was Voltaire's mode of perpetuating his antagonists."

This description of Ferney reveals how Voltaire's sharp, vengeful wit extended even into the home decor of his private dining room.

"A well painted picture of them, when surrounding their little castles, a fresh breeze stirring the sea into a rage, and a horizontal sun gilding their rugged features, would fairly rival Salvator Rosa's brigands in the Abruzzi Mountains."

The author paints a romantic, dramatic portrait of the rugged preventive officers stationed along the bleak, wind-swept British coast.

"Succeeding at last in his feline and fixed purpose, he actually struck his claws in my locks, and addressing me in the deepest sepulchral tones, asked--'Little girl, where did you buy your wig?'"

Lady Morgan recalls the hilarious, awkward moment an intoxicated John Kemble mistook her natural curls for a theater prop.

What It's Really About

Beneath its fragmented miscellany, this issue explores the tension between historical ambition and personal mortality. Whether recounting the fallen fortunes of French philosophers, executed kings, or betrayed Tudor maidens, the collection repeatedly highlights how quickly human glory fades. The Earl of Northumberland’s calculated political marriages and Murat’s desperate battle on the Calabrian beach both end in catastrophe, reinforcing the fragile nature of earthly power.

Simultaneously, the issue reflects an era of rapid modernization and intellectual curiosity. Articles on the New Police replacing ancient watchmen show a society transitioning into modern civic order, while pieces on Cobbett’s corn and public menageries illustrate an appetite for practical science and useful knowledge. Ultimately, the collection examines how history is preserved—through preserved bedrooms, physical monuments, folk traditions, and lighthearted anecdotes.

Why Read It Today

This issue offers a charming, authentic portal into the reading habits and popular culture of Regency Britain. Rather than presenting a polished, single-author narrative, it gives readers a raw, broad cross-section of what educated readers in 1829 found amusing, instructive, or moving. The prose is clear, energetic, and completely unpretentious, capturing the genuine curiosity of an era on the cusp of the Victorian age.

Readers who enjoy historical oddities, literary history, and period journalism will find much to admire. The issue balances high tragedy—such as the fall of Murat—with lighthearted social commentary and practical rustic guides.

The primary challenge for a modern reader lies in its fragmented, magazine-style format. The text jumps abruptly from Tudor political history to poetry, maritime law, agricultural manuals, and urban gossip without transitional narrative. Some historical allusions, archaic spellings, and specialized terms require a patient eye. However, for those who appreciate browsing through authentic historical artifacts, this issue provides an entertaining, deeply evocative morning's read.