whatever in public affairs, nor does he seem to know anything or care anything whatever about them.

Unhappily for the people of Oude, the second Burmese war, which then broke out, deferred for a time their emancipation from such heart-crushing tyranny. Lord Dalhousie, indeed, was well aware that the overthrow of the royal dynasty could be effected by the simple withdrawal of the British contingent. But his lordship naturally shrank from a course which would have brought upon Oude all the horrors of revolutionary warfare. Every powerful talookdar would have sought to establish an independent state of his own, and the inevitable result would have been an internecine war of the barons," and unutterable misery to the helpless cultivators of the soil. He, therefore, abided his time, and was at length rewarded for his longanimity by closing his useful and distinguished career as GovernorGeneral by the annexation of 24,000 square miles of territory to the British empire, and the liberation of four millions of human beings from a condition worse than under a Dutch or Spanish colonial government.

On the morning of the 4th of February, 1856, the British Resident, Major-General Outram, proceeded to the palace to urge his majesty to accept a new treaty, resigning to the East India Company the exclusive government of his territories, and receiving in return an ample provision for the dignity, affluence, and honour of himself and family. The interview was most affecting, and must have wrung the heart of the "Bayard of India." After carefully perusing the draft of the proposed treaty, his majesty gave way to a passionate burst of grief, exclaiming :

"Treaties are necessary between equals only; who am I, now, that the British government should enter into treaties with? For a hundred years this dynasty has flourished in Oude. It has ever received the favour, the support, and protection of the British government. It has ever attempted faithfully and fully to perform its duties to the British government. The kingdom is a creation of the British, who are able to make and to unmake, to promote and to degrade. It has merely to

issue its commands to ensure their fulfilment; not the slightest attempt will be made to oppose the views and wishes of the British government; myself and subjects are its

servants.'

Finally, his majesty "recapitulated the favours which his ancestors had received at the hands of the British government, and pathetically dwelt upon his helpless position. Uncovering himself, he placed his turban in the hands of the resident, declaring that now his titles, rank, and position were all gone, it was not for him to sign a treaty, or to enter into any negotiation. He was in the hands of the British government, which had seated his majesty's grandfather on the throne, and could at its pleasure consign him to obscurity." As no arguments availed to induce Wajid Ali to sign the treaty, the resident had no alternative but to inform his majesty that his instructions were to assume the government at the expiration of three days. When that period had elapsed, the resident issued a proclamation announcing to the inhabitants of Oude that they must henceforth consider themselves as subjects of the British government, and calling upon them to submit to its authority without murmur or dispute. In only one instance was the slightest resistance offered. The Toolseepore Rajah, finding that he could no longer gratify his rapacity and cruelty as he had hitherto done, refused to acknowledge the new régime. An armed force was, therefore, despatched against him, but he prudently declined the arbitration of the sword, and fled into the jungles. The Oude army was disbanded without the slightest tumult. The best soldiers were draughted into the company's service, and liberal arrangements were made for the others, as well as for all meritorious civil servants of the crown. The system of government introduced was founded on that which had been found to answer so well in the Punjab, and Major-General Outram was appointed the first chief commissioner. A fair and equitable assessment has already been made, justice is administered without fear or favour, confidence is restored to the agriculturists, every man possesses his own without dread of mo

lestation, and, saving the Royal Family and their favorites, none regret a change which secures to them life and property, and the enjoyment of the domestic ties. The King himself would have proved more docile had he not fallen into the hands of interested counsellors. The chief of these was an individual named Brandon, the proprietor of a retail shop or store at the station of Cawnpore. In consequence of his restless intriguing propensities, this person had twice been expelled from Lucknow, but was at last enabled to establish a newspaper at the former place, called theCentral Star," for the avowed purpose of advocating the King's pretensions. His Majesty was assured that the home government might be prevailed upon to restore him to the throne, Mr. Brandon at the same time volunteering his own valuable services to effect the desired consummation.

More strange and marvellous is it to find that a gentleman formerly in the military service of the East India Company, and at one time actually assistant to the Resident at Lucknow, has also identified himself with the cause of the deposed monarch. The public would scarcely have been more scandalised to hear that Mr. Petre had renounced the service of his Sovereign, and declared himself the "guide, counsellor, and friend" of his Neapolitan Majesty. Acting on the representations of these and such-like advisers, the Queen Dowager-humorously described as 66 the only man in the family"--has travelled to this country, attended with a numerous but tawdry suite, and provided with an ample treasure. The many-coloured retinue are intended to impress the British public with a due sense of the divinity that hedges in monarchs; while the barbaric pearls and gold are to teach British senators the wisdom of second thoughts, and to purchase commiseration for a King who has abused his "ticket-of-leave." We believe that all hope of obtaining his Majesty's restoration to the throne has been laid aside. A humbler prize is now aimed at. The cares of royalty can be dispensed with-not so the enjoyment of royal pleasures. The

responsibilities of the kingly office are whistled down the wind--but the craving for vicious indulgences still continues, and can only be fully gratified by the possession of Aladdin's lamp. In the absence of that

valuable article of household furniture, his Majesty has been led to deem himself ill-used because his annual income has been limited to £120,000. Had Wajid Ali Shah turned a deaf ear to his evil counsellors and accepted the treaty, he would have received an additional sum of £30,000 a-year for his body-guard. However, the experience furnished by the conduct of other native princes leaves no cause to regret that a larger amount of money is not to be squandered in frivolous and base pursuits. His Majesty further enjoys the use of a palace at Lucknow, and of two spacious parks in the neighbourhood, in which he possesses exclusive jurisdiction, but without the power of inflicting capital punishment. At his decease his descendants and other members of the Royal Family will continue in receipt of his splendid income, which they will probably employ in no more worthy manner than that which has rendered the King of Delhi, the Nawab of the Carnatic, and so many other native princes a curse to their dependents, a nuisance to their neighbourhoods, a scandal to the British government, and a disgrace to humanity. The titular dignity, however, expires with the present holder of the shadow. In former times the ruler of Oude had, on trying emergencies, advanced considerable sums of money to the governor-general of the day, the whole of which have since been returned, with the exception of about two millions sterling. This the King was induced to claim as his private property, but the Court of Directors have wisely decided that as it was originally advanced from the public revenues of Oude, it must again be applied to public purposes. It will, therefore, be expended in meeting the liabilities of the late government, in paying the arrears due to the soldiery and the stipendiaries, and in acquitting the debts incurred by a reckless and unprincipled monarch.

FEW periods of European History are so unattractive to the great mass of readers, as the two centuries immediately subsequent to the death of Charlemagne. The reign of that monarch himself fixes the attention of even superficial observers, by the pre-eminent greatness of the achievements of the premier Emperor of Western Christendom, and by the brilliancy which grave chroniclers and gay romancers have combined to throw around his personal character. Afterwards, when we reach the times of chivalrous Crusaders; of the proud Chiefs of the Papacy, who made sceptres and crowns grovel before the crozier and the tiara; of the freedom, the factions, the splendours, the sins, and the sufferings of the Italian Republics, History sparkles again before the common reader's eyes. He finds in it lines of action, which require but little trouble to trace and comprehend; and it recompenses that trouble by its richness in striking scenes and interesting personages. As for the interval, it is generally thought enough to bear in mind that Louis-le-Débonnaire, who succeeded Charlemagne, was a meek weak prince, with disorderly nobles, aspiring ecclesiastics, and rebellious sons: that, after his death, VOL. XLXI.-NO. CCXC.

those sons quarrelled one with another, and dismembered the Carlovingian Empire; that part of it became modern France, and part of it modern Germany: that the title of Emperor was retained among the Germans, while the rulers of France. were content with that of King; that some ill-defined and precarious connexion subsisted between Italy and Germany, which caused perpetual disputes between the German Emperors on the one side, and the Popes and the Lombard and Tuscan cities on the other. Add to this. a knowledge, that the piratical fleets. of Norway and Denmark grievously vexed all Western Christendom for many years after Charlemagne's death; and that a large province in the north of France was ceded to the Scandinavian corsairs, who, when grafted there, became the civilized and christianized chivalry of Normandy. Add also a much more vague idea of ravages committed by Pagan Hungarians, until some of the early German Emperors defeated them, and their own King, St. Stephen, converted them. This extent of information is by many thought sufficient, respecting the events and the men of some two hundred and fifty years of what are commonly desig

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