In our latest edition last week, we had the Royal
Petticoat- trimmer quietly gathered to that goodly cOtiamunity of which QUEVEDO was indulged with a peep, in his visit to the lower world; and speculation was on the stretch as to the effects, good or evil, Which the event might produce on the affairs of the Peninsula. No one dreamt of questioning its truth. Indeed, it was set forth with a minuteness of detail that defied scepticism. Who; could. imagine tint so particular an account as the following was not as true as it was particular?— 'THE LAST MOMENTS OF FERDINAND THE SEVENTH.
"Madrid, September 10.—At ten o'clock this morning, an express arrived here from St. Ildefonse with the news of .the death of .King ,Ferdinand. • M. Costello, his chief physician, had for two days declared that there was no hope ,urreCovety. . The Infanteiand Infanta, as well as the whole Olthe diplomatic "°°379h1151 been since yesterday morning at St. Ildefonio. It seems that front e evening of the 13th the King had been a prey to the most horrible sufferings. Aviolent- delirium seized the patient several times, and excessive convulsions
always preceded the loss of his reason. The Queen, idthougli mournful and in. disposed, did not leave her husband's bedside an instant. Marks of the mo.t af-
fectionate tenderness were given to her by Ferdinand When his unequalled suf- ferings were somewhat es,maged. Ile desired several times to see his daughter ; and when slimes brought to him, his eyes overflowed with tears, though he was unable to utter a word. His e and emotion were more expressive than all he could have said. Before lie drew his last -breath, Ferdinand desired to speak to Don Carlos without any one hieing in the room. In fact, a long con- versation took plave between the two brothers; and it is said that the King strongly recommended to his brother to serve ilS a father to bis daughter, and not to give any uneasiuNg to his Cousttrt, n-hatever policy Spain might adopt after hitsdeath. ' You know,' said he to him, that my wife is pregnant ; and in her state and feeble as she is, the slight,t accident might carry her to tie. grave.' Such at leuea is the language which these who listened allirin that they heard. It- ig aibkd, that Don Carlos was moiled to tears when be beard the reco:n- mendatinn of his brother, and promised that he would never abandon either his wife or his daughter. After this conversation, Ferdinand fell into a state of complete insensibility. The Queea and 'loyal Family, as well as the physicians and M. da Ilavneval, returned into the chamber. A cold sweat came over all the limbs of the King, and for the space of /wally a quarter of au hour. he showed no sign of life. However, through the succours of art, be came to himself; but hit eyes were dill, awl sunk in their orbits. The Confessor approached his Majesty ; ami, after having perfiirmed his religious duties, Ferdinand took a pen and wrote a few lines, which he gave to lloa Carlos. Some moments after, - pressing tightly his Consort's hand, Ferdinand cast a look on those Ivho sur- rounded him ; a violent cramp seized him, and he drew his last gasp, amidst frightful convulsions, at thrtv-five minutes past two o'clut-k this morniztg. At noon, the Infant Don Carlos .and the Ministers came to 3 ladrid. The members of the Council, as vell as the Ambassadors, had audiences granted them by Don Carlos, and extraordinary couriers were sent off in all directions. The Ambas- sador of Naples alone remained with the Queen at St. Ildefonso. After these audiences, Don Carlos and 51. Calmnarde returned to St. Ildefonso ; and orders were given to the garrison that the public tranquillity might not be disturbed. Madrid is in a state of extreme agitation."
And yet, despite of delirium, convulsions, complete insensibility, and every mortal symptom, FERDINAND was not dead. This is stated in a letter from Madrid dated the 19th: and a despatch from St. Ildefenso, dated the 20th. repeats the intelligence. People will naturally inquire, how came the report to be so confidently spread abroad? How came the letter of the 16th to be written? For the letter we can say nothing,—the penny-a-line-men of Madrid must answer for it ; but for the report, its origin is at- tempted to be explained ill a way which says more for the zeal than the judgment of the French resident.
" Ionnediatefr on the demise of the Crown in Spain, al intercoarse by every person; with any foreign countr v whatever, is prohibited and suspended; and so remains until all the necessary forms have been gone through, and all arrange- ments made for the formal and official announcement and publication of the event. The illness of King. Ferdinand being serious, M. de Rayneval, the French Ambassador to the Court of Spain, was in almost constant attendance at the Palace of St. Ildefonso. In a paroxysm of pain, on the 16th instant, the King fainted, and remained so long insensible that it was believed he was no more. Inipres.sed with this conv ictitin, fully aware of the practice above men- tioned, in such circumstances, and naturally anxious to communicate to his own Government an event of such importance, M. Rayneval instantly despatched a courier to Paris, with instructions, however, to have the intelligence conveyed . from Bayonne by telegraph."
And from the telegraphic notice in the Moniteur, came the re- port which reached London on Saturday afternoon. What will be the consequence to M. RAXNEVAL we do not know : had he been a Spaniard, we must suppose he would have suffered the penalties of high treason for imagining the death of the Monarch.
