guards against an official mandate which he issued for disembodying them, in order that they might form an additional force to other regiments, served to increase his unpopularity. The Queen Dowager, together with her adherents, availing themselves of this opportunity for superseding the ministerial authority, after a state ball, under pretence of rescuing the King from insurrectionary danger, inveigled the military officers who were about the palace, into their service, and persuaded one of the pages to open the door of his Majesty's apartment. The sovereign being suddenly alarmed, was forced to sign certain papers; upon which Struensee was taken into custody, and Count Brandt, his unfortunate ally through the whole course of these ambitious proceed ings, was likewise seized and sent to prison. The youthful Queen Matilda in consternation and grief was also arrested, with her infant daughter, and imprisoned in the castle of Cronenburg. The monarch was carried through the city in pageantry, and the streets were illuminated as a popular token of approbation that the government was totally changed. Sir Robert Murray Keith, then British ambassador at Copenhagen, remonstrated against any ill-treatment of the Queen, who was conveyed afterwards in a British frigate to Strade, where she maintained the semblance of a court, and finally died at Zell in 1775, in the 24th year of her age. Struensee and Brandt were convicted, the former of adultery, and both of high treason, and were condemned to suffer death. It is to be lamented that the extremity of the Danish penal law should have been executed with all its revolting accompaniments in these instances; though Struensee did justly deserve capital punishment, and in the case of Brandt a pardon in legal strictness neither could nor should have been granted. At all events both parties should have been spared the barbarity attendant upon the mode of its execution, which must shock and wound the feelings of those who live in an age where, notwithstanding it is a public injustice that crime sometimes should go unpunished, yet the liberty of the subject, the claims of humanity, the rights of conscience, and above all, the duties and privileges of Christianity, are generally better understood and practised. The subjoined is the sentence upon Count Brandt. "It appears from Count Brandt's own confession, as well as from the declaration of the late prime minister, John Frederic Struensee, and from other circumstances, that Count Enevold Brandt was not only Struensee's very good friend, but even his intimate, whom he entrusted with his greatest secrets. Therefore, in consideration of the royal favour and intimacy which he enjoyed, it would have been his duty to endeavour by all means to remove those things of which he, according to his own declaration in his trial, disapproved in the conduct, sentiments, and transactions of Struensee, and which he must have found foolish, audacious, and detrimental both to the king, the administration, and the whole empire. Instead of this he as a criminal subject and servant of the king, unworthy of his trust, bas acted in concert with Struensee, and has not left off to be his intimate, and to assist him. He suffered himself to be employed by Struensee to keep everybody from speaking to the king, lest his majesty should be informed of what was blameable in Struensee's conduct, in which he himself was so deeply concerned. He has behaved not only in private, but even publicly, to the great concern of his fellow-subjects, insolently and without any respect towards his king. He has not shewn that reverence to his majesty which every good subject thinks his duty, and expresses readily from his heart, on all occasions, in his words and actions: he rather has opposed the king, that he might gain a hope of Struensee's favour, to obtain an extravagant fortune, and serve his own private interest. His memoir, which is a kind of correspondence between him and Struensee, is a proof of his absurd pretensions, and that he acknowledged his blameable behaviour towards the king. Therefore he should have altered and CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 25. M amended his conduct, and rather have quitted a post that he held, which he disliked, and for which he was not qualified. But no, he would not act contrary to the will of his benefactor and protector Struensee, who wanted him, for his own purposes, to be about the king's person; and Count Brandt, on his part, expected to be rewarded by his friend with greater honours and riches. He, in his department, as directeur des spectacles, has assisted Struensee to bring about a misunderstanding in the royal family, by assigning to Prince Frederic a separate box in the play-house, lest his royal highness should have an opportunity, by being in the same box with the king, to acquaint him with Count Brandt's and his intimate friend's most blameable conduct. He has prevailed upon Struensee to make him, within a short time, presents out of the king's treasury to the amount of 60,000 rix dollars, though he was convinced he neither for his services nor for his conduct deserved such reward. When he returned his thanks to his majesty for these great presents, he did not mention the sum, because he was conscious that he was undeserving of it, and because Struensee had desired him not to mention it, lest the king should get an insight into that which the approved of extracts of accounts have since clearly shewn to his majesty and every one who inspects them. All these criminal actions are perpetrated by Count Brandt and his conscience must also tell him, every moment, that he acted as a faithless subject, and particularly against his duty and obligations on account of the especial favour and confidence his majesty honoured him with: and besides all this, he was earnestly and sensibly put in mind of his duty in two anonymous letters which were found in his pocket-book, and wherein he was advised concerning what he ought to have done, if he wished to preserve his head from the scaffold. He was ruled and guided by nothing but insolence, ambition, and avarice. Criminal as all these mentioned things are, yet they are nothing in comparison to what Count Enevold Brandt has himself confessed clearly and plainly before the king's commission, and what is proved and confirmed by several witnesses, that he has laid hands on the sacred person of his majesty. For it may be considered as if he had attempted to kill his majesty, because it cannot be foretold what the issue of such an assault might be, and an unlucky blow on a tender part has frequently been the cause of death. He was angry at the king, and wanted satisfaction of his royal master, whose well-deserved admonition he should have received with repentance of his former behaviour towards him, and should have avoided coming into his presence, lest he should offend him again. Instead of this he planned, with his friend Struensee, how and when he could best assault his majesty, and considered by himself what weapons he was to use, which he kept in readiness, though upon second consideration he did not make use of them. Being told by Struensee that the king was by himself, and that it was now time to put his design into execution, he considerately, and with full intention to revenge himself went to the king; turned the two pages that were in waiting out of the room; bolted the door, lest any body should come in to oppose him, and to prevent his design; and forced his majesty by words, and by an assault, to make resistance. He wounded the king in this scuffle on the neck, and abused his benefactor and his king with words and expressions so shocking and rebellious that every body must forbear repeating them; though Count Brandt had said in his defence that his majesty had forgiven him this, yet, suppose it were so, it cannot be understood otherwise than that his majesty would forbear punishing so great a crime for a while. His indulgence does not justify him, and his majesty must know best how far it should extend itself. This detestable and traitorous action of Count Brandt cannot be considered otherwise than as an open attempt upon the king's person, and cannot fall under any other denomination than that of high treason, which deserves the punishment fixed upon such a crime in the Danish code of laws, book 6, chap. 4, article 1. We therefore, judging accordingly, think it to be just and right that Count Enevold Brandt shall have forfeited his honour, his life, and his estates; and that he shall be degraded from his dignity as Count, and all other dignities which have been conferred upon him. His coat of arms which he had as Count shall be broken by the executioner on the scaffold; likewise, shall Count Enevold Brandt's right hand and afterwards his head be cut off when alive, his body shall be quartered and laid upon the wheel, and his head and his hand shall be stuck upon a pole. "Given by the king's commission at the castle of Christiansburg, April the 25th, 1772." [Here follow the signatures and seals.] The royal approval was given according the undermentioned form; We hereby approve in all points of the sentence pronounced by the Commis sion of Inquiry, which we had appointed at our castle of Christiansburg, against Enevold Brandt, on account of his detestable and traitorous design and assault upon our own person, that he shall have forfeited his honour, life, and estate; shall be deprived of his dignity as Count, and all other dignities which have been conferred upon him; his coat of arms shall be broken by the executioner on the scaffold; that his right hand, and afterwards his head, shall be cut off when alive; his body shall be quartered and laid upon the wheel, and his head and his hand shall be stuck upon a pole. Whereupon those whom it concerns we command to act accordingly. "Given at our castle of Christiansburg, the 27th of April, 1772. I have consulted Gorton's and Chalmers's Biographical Dictionaries, as well as a voluminous French work of the same description; but I have not been able to learn from them, nor from any other literary source, the place or date of Count Brandt's birth, nor indeed any other information respecting his early life, except that he had received an excellent education in his youth, and at times had been impressed with some transient sense of religion, which had become effaced by voluptuousness. Dr. Kee was commissioned by the king to confer with the unhappy criminal in the hope of preparing him for death. Upon reminding him of his past sins, and the afflictions of his pious mother in consequence of his public conduct, he burst into tears, and he earnestly implored the forgiveness of God through Christ his Saviour. Gibson's Pastoral Letters, being argumentative writings in proof of the truth of Christianity, some of Doddridge's and Hervey's more spiritual compositions, together with Newton on the Prophecies, were lent to him, and were read by him with eagerness, together with a Bible, from which were selected the 53rd chapter of Isaiah, 13th Luke, and some of the Psalms peculiarly appropriate to his circumstances. He would often take up and kiss his very chains; observing at the same time, "When I believed myself to be free, I was a miserable slave to my passions; but now, since I have become a prisoner, truth and grace have set me at liberty." He mentioned having, when upon his travels, spent four days with that old infidel Voltaire, and that his conversation during the time was constantly employed in defiling the issues of the heart, and in subverting the morality of the life. Brandt, it appears, had spoken several times to Struensee on the subject of religion during their intimacy; but the latter had always turned a deaf ear to it, and was a complete materialist, having imbibed his false principles from a work of De la Mettrie, entitled "L'Homme Machine," in which the author considers the soul to reside in the brain ; and from another called "Traité de la Vie Heureuse," which is an apology for sensual pleasure. Struensee now desired that Brandt might be informed that, by divine grace and through the perusal of the Scriptures, he had changed his opinions; to which the other replied, "Tell Struensee, on my part, that my own experience has now taught me that true ease of mind is no where to be found but in Christ crucified;" which communication much gratified the former Count. Brandt stated that during the last summer, when thrown from his horse, he was taken up for dead, and was unable to speak for twenty-four hours. "Consider," said he, "where my poor soul would have gone, if death had snatched me away in the condition in which I then was; for I was dead in sins; but God spared me in this condition that my soul might be saved." One evening, after fervent prayer, he experienced much mental peace and comfort. Being inwardly assured of divine pardon, he reproached himself in these terms, "What have I deserved before God but eternal wrath!" In regard to the preservation of his life, he prayed after the manner of his Saviour, "Not my will, but thine, be done." After his sentence had received the royal confirmation, he took a copy of it out of the table-drawer, which was near him, in order that it might be read: he then asked on what day his execution would take place, and heard the decision with composure. As evil and erroneous reports had been spread of him since his imprisonment, he was advised to make a public declaration of his sentiments in the presence of four officers, who were permitted by the commander of the castle to act as witnesses upon this occasion, who were all affected by his behaviour; and subsequently the sacrament was administered to him. On the morning of the day before his execution, he said that "he was very well, and had rested well." He then prayed for the Church of Christ, the king and nation, and all who were irreligious among them; returned thanks for his mercies, and interceded for the minister who was then with him. He then read and expounded the Lord's prayer with much presence of mind; and when he uttered "Thy kingdom come," added, "Yes it is coming." When he read, "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us,' he exclaimed, "Thou, O God, and my Redeemer, who knowest my heart, and that of all men, thou knowest how far I am freed from hatred and malice against any person whatever, and that I wish well to every body in this and the future world." Having concluded his prayers, his chains, which were fixed in the wall, were removed, and he put on the clothes which he was afterwards to wear upon the scaffold. He then drank some coffee, and ate a little food, walking up and down the room, and asking some questions respecting the proceedings of his execution. When the prison door was opened, in order that he might be conveyed thence, Dr. Kee entered a coach, which preceded him to the fatal spot, after recommending him to the mercy and power of God, and having taken a most affectionate leave of each other. Upon his arrival there, the same person remarked to him, that Christ would not leave him; to which he answered, "He has been with me all the way hither." They then mounted the scaffold, and he expressed his deliverance from the fear of death. On quoting the words, "Son, be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee," he said, "Yes, they are all cast into the depths of the sea." After acknowledging the equity of his sentence, he prayed again that God would bless the king, and the whole land, for Christ's sake. After the minister had offered up prayers, and given his blessing, he was consigned over to secular justice. He quickly stripped himself of his clothes, laid his head down, and being reminded of Jesus falling upon his face in Gethsemane in prayer, he said, "The blood of Christ intercedeth for me." After his sentence was read, and his coat of arms was broken, while the minister was saying, “ O Christ, in thee I live, in thee I die! O thou Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world, be merciful," he poured out his blood upon the same block, which immediately afterwards reeked afresh with the blood of Struensee. F.S. CAPACITY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. To the Editor of the Christian Observer. I AM One of the old-fashioned sticklers for the capacity of the English language as an adequate vehicle of human intercourse; and I always regret to see it interlarded with scraps of Latin, French, or Italian. I am much indebted to the translator of the lively and interesting "Fortnight in England," in your last Number; but I am sorry to find that he has not always fulfilled his office; but has occasionally given the original where a translation would have answered every purpose. I abhor piebald composition. Why would not "holiday style" do as well as "jour de fête style?" and excise-officer, or custom-house officer, or revenue officer, as well as "douanier ?" and milliner, or dressmaker, or haberdasher, as well as "modiste ?" and curl papers as "papillotes ?" And have we not many idiomatical phrases which sufficiently express the sense of "sac-de-nuit," and "a propos ;" and "making her toilette;" and "empressement and;" "menage," and pêle-mêle. This last word has been vernacularly anglicised in pronunciation and spelling; but not so strangely as its opposite capà-pie" order; the "pie" being pronounced as in English, not French, and the whole converted into "apple pie" order; just as the sign of the Bacchanals degenerated into the " Bag-of-nails; or a house of call for carpenters. Even the technical phrase coup-de-grace which your correspondent leaves untranslated, might, if one wished for a correspondent English idiomatic phrase to express a light matter by a revolting allusion, be rendered, "putting the poor thing out of its misery;" but it is better to give a general expression where a phrase, which is so customary in one language as to make persons forget its origin, would in another be too vivid. When there is a play of words, or a local or conventional reference, a phrase must often be quoted not translated; but in other cases let us have either English or French; and not a Je-ne-sais-quoi style (I here imitate my betters, otherwise I might have said in English a magpie coloured style) which is neither. I am glad to see your correspondent, in his note at page 18, contending patriotically for the honour of the English tongue; and I therefore the more regret that a writer who can wield it so cleverly as he generally does in his translation, had not taken the trouble to shew his French friend that he could do without verbal aid altogether in conveying his thoughts to British eyes and ears. Poetry is in general better given as an extract than translated. I however hastily versified, as follows, the pretty Rondel which he quotes at page 17. I have purposely assumed an antique air. SPRING-TIDE. Time bath laid aside his vest Of wind and cold and rain; Shaggy lair and tuneful nest Accordant blend the strain, |