REMARKABLE ANTICIPATIONS.
ABOUT two years and a half ago, Mr. BUCKINGHAM began a paper called the Argus; which lived, we believe, an entire month, and then sunk to rest in the arms of the Globe, where more than one candidate for immortality had previously given up the ghost. It was the intention of Mr. BUCKINGHAM, in his magnificent way, to distribute 50,000 copies of the first number, both as an adver- tisement and as a specimen of the coming work : but the Commis- sioners of Stamps; who have more eyes than even Argus, stepped in to prevent the accomplishment of the design, by declaring that though Mr. BUCKINGHAM might give away five hundred thousand newspapers if he liked, the Treasury must have fourpence a piece for them. In this dilemma, the editor had recourse to the expe- dient of a mock specirhen number,—anticipating the march of Time by an undefined number of years, and describing many things as having actually occurred, which some had talked of, some had dreamed of, and some had wished, and many things that had never been talked of, dreamed of, or wished. The specimen Argus was full of anachronisms ; and in making up its various parts, co- herence and consistency seem to have been very little thought of: still, many of the guesses then made at random have received, in the brief period that has since elapsed, a very remarkable fulfil- ment. A copy of the paper was lately pointed out to us ; and it will amuse our readers to note a few of the curious coincidences. Be it remembered, the specimen Argus appeared about the begin- ning of July 1828. The following are among the notices.
" Lord Brougham, the Lord High Chaneellor, has conferred the living of
Middle-coat on the Rev. Sidney Smith." • •
" The Right Honourable Francis Jefrey, Lord Advocate, has already, we hear, secured his election for the county." [Of Edinburgh.]
In the event of an entire change of Ministers, these two appoint- ments were certainly to be looked for ; but as certainly, the pros- pects of an entire change of Ministry were exceedingly faint in June 1828. Some of the guesses are even more remarkable- " It is proposed, we understand, soon after the rising of Parliament, to give a dinner in the Assembly Rooms [Edinburgh], in commemoration of the late abolition in this city of the close system."—Edinburgh Journal.
This is still future, of course—Parliament is not yet risen. Shall we fix the 5th of July next, the anniversary of another great Scotch victory, the battle of Bannockburn ?
"Since the elective franchise was transferred from the ancient (and therefore rotten) borough of Ripon to the flourishing town of Leeds, the ma- nufactures of the place have taken a fresh spring."—Leeds Mercury. " Charles X., the Ex-King of France, continues to reside at Presburg. in Lower Hungary."
" FaaNcs.—At noon a salute announced the arrival of the President of the Republic, the venerable Lafayette, attended by General Gerard, Minis- ter of War ; M. C. Dupin, Minister of the Interior ; M. Lafitte, of Finance."
There is not very much wrong in this last extract ; perhaps, however, the most extraordinary of the whole is the following.
." It is confidently hoped, that the united efforts of these Powers [Great Britain, France, and Austria] to put an end to the five years' war, will be finally successful, and will end by the acknowledgment by the Emperor Ni- cholas of the independence of the Crown of Warsaw ! "
We had some mind, when we began, to try our skill at guessing in imitation of Mr. BUCKINGHAM; but so many dark clouds at present cover up the face of our political sty—there is so fearful a moaning in the air—there are so terrible signs of .commotion on the earth—that we are fain to shut our eyes to the prophetic vision that flits before them; and humbly trust to bide the tempest, when it comes, by aid superior to ouK own !
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