Star. — London, England, 1830-12-29 00:00:00

( DELT EN HA 51, DEc. 27. Whilst the disastrous experience of every day confirms l Abe estimate but too justly formed of the positive and scarcely remediable injuries inflicted upon this country by the effects of absenteeism, it is not too much to hope that the agitated appearance of the Continent—from north to south, and from east to west—may at length impose some restraint upon that unpatriotic spirit which has led but too many of our landed proprietors to squander in the pursuit of foreign follies that wealth which, as it was derived from English soil, we are justified in saying should be rendered conducive to the ge neral prosperity, or available to the general exigencies of England. The charm of novelty can no longer be pleaded in extenuation of that total abandonment of home and coun try, which, we are free to confess, we should the less lament or deprecate if the gratification of such anti-national feelings did nut also involve a prodigal and inexcusable waste of the resources of the land. But want of security will work out that cure,which neither patriotism nor prudence could before have achieved. " Amid the wreck of matter," and as it were, " the crash of worlds," England alone maintains the calm untroubled aspect of tranquillity and peace ; for, how ever atrocious may seem the acts of a peasantry driven almost to desperation, by the blindness or insensibility of an Administration, that has providentially been hurled from power, none bat a revolutionary fanatic could persuade him self, or endeavour to persuade others, that the established 'lnstitutions of this land of constitutional freedom were in the slightest degree shaken or disturbed. The mania of absenteeism, therefore, we look upon as having already been exposed to such rigorous treatment as must even tually work out its cure ; and we rejoice on this ac count that those who have been so far the victims of its infatuation, as to prefer continental gew-gaws and frip pery to substantial comfort and happiness at home, have derived from experience a lesson too bitter and too im pressive to be easily eradicated from their memory. We rejoice still further, that the riches hitherto squandered in the vain pursuit of pleasures that were never enjoyed, and of fancies that were never realized, must henceforth be expended in the more becoming duties of every Englishman, be his station in life or his means of usefulness what they may : and we rejoice above all, in reflecting, that amongst the many be neficial consequences which must result from such &change, the local and incidental advantages so peculiar to Chelten ham, must become better understood, and more justly appre ciated even by those who whilst wandering under foreign skies in pursuit of health and pleasure, seem to have forgotten the attractions with which both health and pleasure are sur rounded in this delightful spot. Is the intercourse of the most distinguished and the most refined society the object of the Absentee ? In Cheltenham that society may not only be found in the serenity and the privacy of domestic life, but in its fitting station, giving the tone and spirit of its own cha racter to all the elegancies, the pleasures, and the amusements of the circle of fashion. Is economy the order of the day ? In no part of the kingdom, and we might also say in no part of Europe, could its arrangements be more happily combined with the enjoyment of all the charms and fascinations that society possesses, than in Cheltenham. In short, the very luxuries of life may here be said to be within the reach even of moderate incomes, whilst health, the grand inducement which alone renders us capable of enjoying all others, may be more certainly attained in this town than in any other quarter of the globe. To enter into any detail of the extent or style of the general accommodations which the town now affords, to families or to individuals—to the votaries of pleasure or to invalids, were little less than a work of supe rerogation. Its pre-eminence amongst watering-places, and its unrivalled estimation in public opinion, furnish the surest criterion of its intrinsic merits—the ba t guarantee of its unabating estimation.— Cheltenham Journal. In the New Town, Edinburgh, the master and mistress of a house went, about a fortnight ago, to see the performances at Ducrow's Amphitheatre, leaving their daughter, a little girl, at home, along with the maid servant. The latter indi vidual, thinking it would be a good opportunity to have an interview with her sweetheart, endeavoured to put the child out of the way, by doses of spirits and laudanum, which she induced or forced her to swallow. When the parents re turned, they found their daughter in a state of insensibility. A surgeon was called, and the contents of the stomach were found to have the smell of ardent spirits and laudanum. The unfortunate child, after lingering in great pain for several days, died on Saturday last. The servant, we understand, had been in the meanwhile discharged.--Caledonian Mer cury. A melancholy accident occurred at Lock Katrina, a few nights ago. Donald Stewart, Stroin, and Geo. Macfarlane, Conklin, had been in Callender that day, _paying their rents ; and on their return home stopped at Trosach Ina. After they left the inn, Stewart gave Macfarlane his horse. About the end of Loch Katrine, the horse stopped at a burn to drink, and Stewart went on; and as his companion did not come up, he sat down by the roadside, and fell asleep, In the interval the horse arrived at Stroin without a rider, and the saddle turned beneath his belly. Next morning search for the unfortunate man was made, and his body was found in the lake. The plase from whi ch he had fallen is frightful and dangerous. The road is cut out of the aide of an almost perpendicular rock, at the height of 30 feet from the surface of the Loch, and is so narrow, as scarcely to admit of a man walking by the side of a cart, and is without a parapet or any safeguard.—Glasgow Chronicle. A disturbance took place on Sunday night amongst the German sugar-boilers, &c. in Goodman's-fields. It appears that they had some kind of antipathy against the foreman of Messrs. Cotton' end Tellison's factory, in Leman-street. About eight o'clock they numerously assembled at their gates, and tried to force an entrance. A considerable force of po lice of H division were soon in attendance, and a general rencontre ensued : ultimately the assailants were over powered, and one or two of the most refractory were se cured. No mischief was done, with the exception that the outer gates of Messrs. Cotton and Tellison's sugar bake house were partly broken, and battered about with brickbats and . , o ones. A' though we cannot readily concur with those of our Lon don contemporaries who seem desirous of exonerating the Duke of Wellington, from all participation in the factious and virulent, though ineffectual opposition which such per sons as Mr. Gee. Robert Dawson, and John Wilson Croker, think fit to offer to the popular administration of Earl Grey, yet it affords us sincere satisfaction to state that hopes are yet entertained in the best informed political cireles, that " the hero of a hundred fights"—the greatest soldier of mo dern times, may be induced to resume that distinguished station at the head of the British army, for which he is pre-eminently qualified, and from which we have never ceased to regret that ministerial ambition ever for a moment allured him. As Commander-in-chief, the Duke of Wellington may yet confer the most important services on his country, he may, in a career of great public utility in his own legitimate sphere of duty—efface the reeolleetion of his untoward ministry—and eventually retrieve all that po pularity which he sacrificed for the pursuit of senatorial fame and the attainment of a station to the duties of which' as he once magnanimously avowed, he was unaccustomed,' in which be was not wanted, and for which he was not qua lified. Hie Grace, since his retirement from office, has been actively engaged in the discharge of his duties as Lord ' Lieutenant of Hampshire.— Cheltenham Journal. SPECIAL COMMISSION. BEHKiHIRF. The proceedings under the Special Commission issued for the trial of prisoners in the county of Berke, commenced on Monday at Reading. The High Sheriff, attended by a nu merous cavalcade of the gentry of the county, met the Judges at Soninglane, and escorted them to the Town-hall shortly before twelve o'clock, when the Commission was opened, and the Court immediately adjourned, in order that the Cum —' ' might attend divine Allan Park, Sir Wil- Sir J service. The Judges are dames _ bir • Ham Bolland, and Sir John Patteson ; and the other Com missioners are the Earl of Abingdon and Mr. Chas. Dundas. The Commissioners returned from church at two o'clock, when business was proceeded with. In addition to the two lay Commissioners, the Marquis of Downshire, C. F. Pal mer, Esq. member for Reading, R. Palmer, Esq. member for the county, and a great number of the magistracy were present. The usual proclamation against vice, profaneness, and im morality having been read, Mr. Justice PARK proceeded to charge the Grand Jury, after which the Grand Jury retired, and returned in a few minutes with a true bill against Charles Simmonds, for rape. The prisoner was brought into Court in a state of the most fearful and outrageous madness. He was put upon his trial pro forma ; a Jury was hastily sworn, who without hesitation returned a verdict of insanity, and the unhappy prisoner was conveyed out of Court as speedily as possible. Mr. Justice PARK then dismissed the petty jurymen, ob serving that he should try no case to day, but requiring their attendance punctually at nine o'clock to-morrow. The calendar contains the names of 138 prisoners, the majority of whom are charged with riotously assembling and destroying thrashing machines, and other species of property. In several cases these outrages which appear to have been committed principally in the course of the week between Nov. 18 and 24, were accompanied by robbe ries of money, and in a fewer number of instances provisions were forcibly demanded and obtained. There is only one com mitment for arson, and one for sending a threatening letter. It is worthy of observation, that of the total number of prisoners, only 25 (less than one in five) can read and write ; 37 (about ono in four) can read only ; the remainder, who can neither read nor write, being 76. There are but 18 of the 138 prisoners whose ages amount to or exceed 40; the rest are generally from 17 to 35 years old. Mr. Gurney, who has come down specially to conduct the prosecution, was in Court during the day. Mr. Camp bell is also specially retained on the part of the Crown, but was not present. BANKRUPTS' COURT, BASINGHALL-STREET. ? PRION • S COMMISSION. Yesterday the Commission spinet William Prior attracted a great deal of curiosity. The bankrupt, as has already been stated, was a partner in the eminent brewery of Henry Bleu: and Co, and (limp. peered a short time ago. Mr. Richard Latham, and another of the partners in the house of Meux and Co, were present during the proof of debts. Sir William Curtis, a creditor to a considerable amount, was one of those who proved. The Chief Commissioner, while the creditors were pouring in, asked whether the bankrupt was present ? Mr. Colley Smith, (of Lincoln's Inn), Solicitor to the Commission, replied in the negative. Commissioner.—Do you expect Mr. Prior ? Mr. Smith.—No; I have not beard that he means to be here. Commissioner.—What ! Then has he absconded ? _ _ Mr. Smith—lt is said that he has absconded ; but I mast say whether ha has or not. Some say that it is believed he went Om I. don to Dover, but where he went from Dover is not mendons9. It is I believe all conjecture. A Creditor—A magistrate's warrant was issued against him, but it was soon afterwards withdrawr, and pollee officers are looking r him. In a conversation in an undertone . liar. Smith stated that, alth the debts of Mr. Prior were numerous, and contracted most imp , there had been nothing stated to him calculated to justify the fuse a warrant—nothing likely to subject the bankrupt to a criminal prow =ion. The murmuring amongst some of the creditors was very great, Ose every one of those who proved had paid down his hard cash for the bask. rupt's bills or bonds, and to not one of those was added the security et another person. ... The following debts were proved : Wi9iam Samuel .... .... .... £484 4 0 Thonms Anne .... . •••• d••• 409 1 11 Thomas Rowley —...—. MN. ••••• 4243 0 9 Roberts, Curtis, and Co. (bankers) 01•11• ... 4524 7 II George Ball James Smith ••••• ••••• .... ••••• _ 903 10 0 •••• epos 508 0 0 Samuel Adams - Robert Heaketh George Russell 41•00 - ... 2683 0 0 •••••• :.0• 1 40 0000 .11100 •••••• .11E1 AMMON 500 0 0 700 0 0 Franiis Valentine ..... .... ... ..: ioo 0 0 Edward Galin - - _ .... al. ... Om* 000 0 0 F. W. Cooper F. G. Nub .... .e.• dealt .. 416 4 4 _. IM. -. 4348 5 0 - w* .... .... ... - 200 0 0 Howellind Randall 500 0 0 I ••••• OM. Ammo Robert Moreeoek .... ...... 1000 0 0 Chrndale and Co 527 0 0 J. VAlkinson J. Usborna ADM ••la, IMMO • • • • • •01. .. a; la 0 516 17 0 The total amount proved yesterday wu 32,7201. 18s. 3d. There wu some little warmth exhibited amongst the creditors on the subject of the choice of assignees ; but Mr. Young, who proved on the first day for 5001. Mr. Morecroft, and Mr. Howell, were finally appointed. There was one peculiarly bard cue, which was much talked of, that of Samuel, the first creditor on the list. The poor man has been foe some time employed in some low situation about the brewery, and was left 4801. by a relation. The bankrupt having heard Samuel say that he did not know what to do with the money, as all he could get by an invest ment was three per cent. said to him, " Well, I'll tell you what you'll do, Samuel. Leave it with me, and you shall have 4k per cent." Samuel thought his money was u safe in Prior's bands as in the Bank of England, and accordingly handed it over to the bank rupt, who handed a piece of paper u security, of which the following is a copy ; " Brewery, Islington, Oct. 8, IMO. " Twelvemonths after date I promise to pay Kr. Samuel, or order, the sum of 4801, with interest at 41 per cent. " WM. PRIOR•" Amelia Opie is at Paris, and a constant visitor at the soirees of General Lafayette, where this celebrated female always appears in the simple garb of a rigid Quakeress, forming a striking contrast to the gay attire of the Parisian ladies. It is said to have been the appearance of a large shark which has driven so large a portion of the minor fry from Fishmongers' Hall.—Herald. An awful instance of the evil effects of excessive drinking occurred on Sunday night, on board a ship off the No. 3 Quay, in the London Docks. Mr. Cosgrove, a tide-waiter, of the Customs, joined a party in a vessel, nd during the evening drank more than a quart of strong Schiedan gin. and became much intoxicated. He was about to fill a glass of liquor„when the goblet fell from his hand, he uttered a heavy groan, suddenly fell backwards in his chair, and al most immediately expired. The deceased was in his 35th year, and previously in the enjoyment of excellent health. LOVE AND SUICIDI.—On Saturday last, a young woman, residing at Bangor, in Flintshire, who bad been' " crossed in love," swallowed a quantity of poison. For several hours afterwards her life was despaired of; but she was finally restored by the aid of the stomach-pump . On Monday morning, another instance, arising from the same cause, which proved fatal, took place :—Jane Lee, about 20 years of age, the daughter of a fishmonger, residing in that town, deliberately came down stairs about seven o'clock, got her father's reser, and after sharpening it, returned up stain again, lay down in bed, and cut her 'throat in the most horrid manner, nearly separating the bead frank the trunk. She was found a short time aftdnvards Iftbnity bathed in gore, and quite dead.—Cherter Chroni'ct b. POLICE REPORTS. GUILDHALL.-Mr. Robert Al a wine -merchant, who had been in custody since Christmas-eve, sou brought before Mr. Alderman Kelly yesterday, when the Coroner reported to the Magistrate that the evidence given npoo the inquest on t he of the Somers Town car. net, who was killed b the wheel of his own cart, in Newgate.strect, on Friday evening, did not particularly affect Mr. Atkinson, who had been detained on suspicion of being the individual who knocked the deceased down. He had undertaken to attend at the adjourned Inquest that evening, and meet the inquiry, or give evidence, as might be de sired, and his further detention seemed unnecessary. Mr. Alderman KELLY remarked, that the fact of his running away weighed against Mr. Atkinson; but then, it sou true, he had con siderable property about him. ?dr. Atkinson said he had; but it was not merely the recollection of the property, but a momentary apprehension that he might be detained from h 1 family all night. He did not strike the man, and was walk ing with a friend a little in advance of their companions, but on per ceiving-the man had fallen under the wheel, he involuntarily ran away, although he bad done nothing, and was secured because he ran. The Alderman then discharged him. MAILIIOIOI7OIII-STRIZT.—UNDIER THE MlSTLETOE.—Yester day, a man named Clarke a sawyer Clarke, by trade, was brought before Mr. Conant, the sitting Magis tr ate , charged with a desperate assault com mitted by him on a young man named Duncan, under the following circumstances. The complainant, whose head and face were severely bruised, stated that he was sitting the evening before, with several others, including the defendant, at a public-house in Oxford -street, and some of those who were present with the defendant took it into their heads to inflict a fine of a pint of gin on him. the complainant, and insisted that he should pay it, which he refused to do, and because he did not submit to this extortionate demand, the defendant waited outside the door until be went out, and the moment he did so, the defendant struck him a tre mendous blow on the face, and knocked him down, and be bled so pro fusely from the mouth and nose, that his person was in an instant co vered with blood. In reply to the charge, the defendant said, that it was very true he had struck the defendant as described, but then the provocation he re ceived was of a nature to perfectly justify it. The fact, he said, was, that he and his wife, and some other persons, were enjoying themselves a little this Christmas time at a public house, where the complainant, and some friends of his, were also present. He, the defendant, hap pened to have occasion to be absent a few minutes from the room, leav ing his wife behind him, sitting when there was a piece of mistletoe just over her head, and when he returned, the company told him that the complainant had kissed his wife under the mistletoe. " Now, your worship," continued the defendant, " I didn't mind his kissing her a bit, because such a thing is the custom this time of the year; but, your i Worship, he kissed her with his hat on, end that, your Worship knows, is not the fashion for any gentleman to do. I would' be ashamed of myself if I kissed any lady under the mistletoe with my hat on, be cause it is " unregular." We all then held a consultation, your Wor ship. how Mr. Duncan was to be punished for not kissing my wife pro perly, and it was agreed that he should be fined a pint of gin, which he refused to pay very unhandsomely, and he took off his coat to fight any one in the room, but no one would fight with hint then; but when we pt out I told bim he had taken a great liberty with my wife, as a stranger, to kiss her with his hat on, and I certainly knocked him down; which, I considered, I was justified in doing." The defendant denied altogether that he had kissed the defendant's wife ; he never would have done such a thing as to kiss any lady under the misletoe with his hat on, because he knew it was irregular, and bad he done it he would have paid the fine; but the fact was it was another man who kissed her, and the company thought proper to saddle it on him in order to get a pint of gin out of him. The defendant said he could prove that it was the complainant who kissed his wife, for, besides that she herself had told him so, he had s witness who saw him kiss her. A witness was then called forward who swore positively that it was the complainant, and no one else, who kissed the defendant's wife, and that he had his hat on ai the time. The complainant again most positively denied that he kissed the lad ilie defendant said, that surely his wife must know best who it was that had kissed her, and she told him it was Mr. Duncan, and every one in the room said so beam Two other wit:hems Ahead their voluntary testimony, that it was the complainant who kissed die lady with his hat on. . Mr. Duncan, almost Sande at this positive evidence of his having done what he seemed censtious he had not done, spin declared his en tire innocence of the kiss, and once more appealed to the man, the real kisser ; and the latter renewed his assurance to the 11 yo to that it was he himself, and not Mr. Duncan, who had kissed the y, and in his hurry, before her husband should return, he forgot to take off his hat, which he admitted was wrong. The Magistrate said, he really did not know what the etiquette was in such matters, but it was clear that a very violent assault had been committed on the complainant ; and as the defendant did not seem to feel that It would be any offence to kiss his wife under the mistletoe' without a hat, the fact of having worn a hat in such a ceremony could not warrant such an assault, and he therefore fined the defendant 10s. which was immediately paid. Maar.nonouou-srazyr.—A man, named Thanes Welsh, was brought before Mr. Rog, charged with being drunk and disorderly. Police constable 124 C, saidite was sent foe on Friday night to the Blue Posts, Rupert-street, where the prisoner was in a most beastly state of intoxication. On searching him, bsl. was found upon his person, which witness took, with the prisoner, to the station-house. The Magistrate, after commenting upon the man's stupidity, in car rying so much money about him, and telling him he ought to think himself very lucky in falling into the hands of the police, ordered him to be discharged, on payment of the usual fee. Tames. Pouc2.—Mr. Thomas .11 4 Cau1 was charged with as. saulting John Hull, a police constable, by knocking him down several times while endeavouring to remove him from the Bell public-house, in Bowfin Highway. Wonertim-srazzi.--Bdward Born" formerly a sink to Messrs. Steward and Co. was committed for trial, charged with stealing Bum's Justice, and some other books, which he pledged, while in their employ. Mary Risher& was remanded, charged with robbing Wm. Wells, at the Grapes public.house, in Old.street; of 21. lbs. One of the sore. reigns she swallowed. Since the disclosures which have taken place during the late trial of the French Ministers a very general wish, we believe, has arisen, that the ex-Bourbons would take up their abode in any other country than this. Recruiting appears to be the briskest business at present in the kingdom. The private instructions to the recruiting parties are unusually explicit, not only regarding the height, age, and health, but also respecting the character of the re cruits ; and, consequently, recruiting is likely to last for several months. The following additional parties are ordered for Scotland :—Scots Greys, Edinburgh and Dunse ; 2d Dra goon Guards, Glasgow ; 15th Foot, Hamilton ; 17th do. Glasgow; 22d do. Ayr; 25th do. Edinburgh; 25th do. Aberdeen ; 25th do. Berwick ; 42d do. Edinburgh ; 47th do. Edinburgh ; 59th do. Inverness ; 64th do. Edinburgh ; 79th do. Aberdeen ; 79th do. Dundee ; 79th do Stirling ; 82d do. Hawiek ; 90th do. Glasgow ; 90th do. Inverness ; 90th do. Perth ; 91st do. Edinburgh ; 94th do. Wick; 94th do. Glasgow; 94th do. Perth; Rifle Brigade, (two hatts.) Berwick. From the above statement, it will be seen that in a short time there will be no less than ten recruiting parties for regiments of the line in Edinburgh, besides Foot Guards, Artillery, Royal Sappers and Miners, and the Marines.— Agreeably to orders issued yesterday, the recruiting parties are walking about to-day with splendid cockades in their caps.--Scotsman. The Northern lights were remarkably brilliant on Satur day evening, from 1111“12 to half-past eight o'clock, presenting a bright arch from North to West. To the North of the arch was a beautiful red tint, which extended over a very wide surface of the beavens.—Portsetouth Herald. REMARKABLE PARLI•MENTAAT FACTS.—Mr. T. Wyse, jun. the member for the county of Tipperary, is ne phew-in-law of Napoleon, his marriage with the daughter of Lucien Bonaparte entitling him to that degree of rela tionship—Mr. O'Connor, er as he is styled in Ireland, the O'Connor Don,' is a lineal descendant of Roderick O'Con nor, the last native King of. Connaught ; and Mr. Kava nagh, one of the members for the county of Carlow, is a lineal descendant of the kings of the province of Leinster, and possesses at the family residence, in that county, the identical crown worn by the last monarch of his family. EXECUTION OE THIBEI INCENDIARIES AT MAID STONE.—John Dyke, otherwise Field, and William and Hoary Perlman, brothers, were executed on Penenden heath, on Friday. The first had protested his innocence cf being concerned in the fires ; but the two latter, who are .quits boys, confessed their guilt. A bu, of Scotch Greys .attended for fear dais any disturbance should take place. HstufPaclanan addressed the crowd, and accused Bishop, who gave evidence spinet hint, of having instigated him to burs the ricks, &c. No disturbance took place. SCIIIITILLAI. AN ODE TO THE NEW YEAR, Thou art gone, Old Year, to thy fathers, In the stormy time of snow, In the endless vaults of Eternity, Thy coffin's last of, the row, And some will pledge thy memory, Till eyes and cups run o'er ; But ne'er a drop would I waste on thee, Had'st thou died six months before ! Sad cause have I to remember The hour thou shewd'st thy face, That time the red gold lined my pouch, My credit was in good case ; Now my purse is a feather—sad credit Is sped of a quick decline, 0 ! it breaks my heart when, perforce, / pus Mine old host's jolly sign ! I had a dear love and a winsome love, Broad acres were her own. We kiss'd an all-hail ! to thy natal morn, But she, even she, is flown ! I had a friend of the rarest, We welcomed it merrily ; Now our hearts are as far asunder As the Kars and the rolling sea. Thou hut tolayd the churl with me, dead Year I And shalt thou be forgiven ? No--by the . prayer of beadsmen young, When erring maid is shriven ! Be thy name no more remembered, For the ill deeds thou bast done, To a friendless, loveless, pennylesi man, Whose hopes are in thy son ! GENERAL FAST. At an early period of the French war the following epigram appears upon the above subject :-- First General Brunswick made a sad campaign ; Then General Coburg took the field in vain ; Next General Warmser bid the troops advance; Then General York deelar'd he'd conquer France. All the vain efforts of these Generals past, We rest our hope forlorn on GENERAL FAST . NEWSPAPERS IN GREAT BRITAIN.—The total num ber of Newspapers printed in Great Britain amounts to 2:4 : of they. 72 are printed in London only, 13 of which arc daily, and 24 vedtly; in Liverpool 9, and Manchester 7. BaysstLs..—On the spot where stood the house of the obnoxious Minister, Felix van Maanen, which was burnt to th e ground by the inf uriated populace, a monument has been erected. bearing the laconic inscription, " Felix Infelix." These are extraor dinary times ; and among the signs of the times, not the least entrain.. dietary is this burst of irony from a named !_Spectator. SPANISH ARCHITECTURE.—Don Juan Alfonso Ber mudez, the well-known Spanish antiquarian, who has been for several years engaged in writing a History of Spanish Architecture," has, at ength, produced his first part, which was recently published at Nladrid. It is a splendid work, and will be completed in four parts. The au. thor has been presented, by the King, with 5000 dollars, towards co. Tering the expenses of the work, which is truly of a national kind. TRUE POLlTlNESS.—Ceremonies are different in every country, but true politeness is every where the same. Ceremonies, which take up so much of our attention, are only artificial helps, which ignorance assumes in order to imitate politeness, which is the result of good sense and good nature. A person possessed of these qualities, though he had never seen a Court, is truly agreeable ; and if without them, would continue a down, though he had been all his life a gen. Heenan usher.—Gadiesick PROVOKING CARKFULNRss.—Linnseus, the celebrated botanist, conceived the idea of propagating the cochineal insect in Eu rope ; and, after many fruitless efforts, he at length succeeded in obtain ing, through the medium of one of his pupils, who was in Mexico, f e s t = (a species of fig.tree on which the insect is bred) covered with llas. The pleat arrived at Upsal, at a moment when he was bu sily engaged; but his gardener immediately planted it, and cleaned it so effectually of what he imagined to be vermin, that when Linnets• hastened to view this rare acquisition he did not find a single ins.c: alive.—History of Ancient Institutions, le. Tllll FIVE VowlLs.—On the gate of the ancient Impe rial Palace at Vienna, ars inscribed the five vowels a, Z, I. 0 0, which many travellers have been punted to interpret. This singu lar inscrip tion was originally an initial of a bombastic vaunt in honour of the House of Austria. " Austrfeeortne est impostre orbi universo." Then there are the poor people who sellfruit out ofdoors, and the playbills. They work so hard, and get buffetted by such cruel bleak winds, that they must surely look to have their solace on Christ. mas night. We asked one of them the other evenieg, who was standing against a corner of the theatre, bopping on either foot, and wraminl e a bit of a cloak about her whether she was not cold 11 " Sir," looking us earnestly in the face, " I am downright cold." Her man ner said as much as her simple words. She felt too much to rate. How these people stand it we can hardly think,—but especially the old watchmen, who must feel the cold pierce their bones through and through. They must get into bed (when they do get) like withered bits of ice. And Christmas night, to them, is no Christmas ! Thaw them, dear readers, with a cup of your best.—Taffor The following is an amusing instance of the tenacity with which the Highlanders hold to the houours and antiquity of their kin dred. A dispute arose between Campbell and M'Lean upon this never? ending subject. 11‘Lean would not allow that the Campbells had any right to rank with the Pil‘Leans in antiquity, who, he insisted, were in existence as s clan from the beginning of the world. Campbell had a little more biblical lore than his antagonist, and asked hint if the clan M'Lean was before the flood' " Flood I what flood ?" said M'Lean. ' " The flood that you know drowned all the world but Noah and his fa , mlly and his flocks," said Campbell. " Pooh you and your flood," said knew, "my elm was afore to flood." " I have not read in my Bible," said Campbell, "of the name of id`Lean going into Ncah'e ark." " Noah's ark !" retorted 111‘Lean in contempt, " who ever beard of a M'Lean tat had not a boat of his own !"—Glespoes Courier. REASONS FOR TILE SUPPRESSION OF KNOWLEDOZ.—. A, Fable; by Thaddeus Bulgaria, Editor of the Severnaya Piaci.: ( Northern Bee) of St. Petersburgh For what end do you Kt a-going academies and schools, and disseminate the sciences ?" said the Vizier Moosafer to the Caliph Heroin al Raachid. " Do you not think that the people, when once they are instructed , will more easily get the better of you ?" " Certainly,' .replied the Caliph, " the instructed people will be better able to judge of the justice of my laws and the purity of my intentions." " But will they pay the taxes better?'-- " Certainly; they will find more means in their enlightened state to ac quire riches, and will, besides, comprehend that I do not ask more than what is absolutely necessary." " Will they fight your battles ?" " Much better, when they comprehend that the happiness of ever family depends upon the welfare and glory of their country ; and, bes ides, thcY will fight more successfully under the guidance of able commandero." " But will not your wise men—your philosophers—think of meddling in the affairs of government ? Will they not venture to notice ti:c errors of your administration ?"—" Let them seek for them. find them. and tell me of them ; I will then be upon my guard In the future, and govern them all the bean." " How . would you—ob, light of the world !—allow these wiseacres to speak out boldly every thing which may come into their heads ?" "If I did not, they could not enlighten ' us." " But cannot the wisest man fall into mistakes? May they net set up error for truth P" " One will fall into a mistake, and another will perceive it and correct it." "My Lord I I must at last warn yes of the consequences of all this. As soon as your people are insuuctal, some daring spirits will venture to criticise the of your ser vants, and of those who enjoy your confidence; and. wi of tot -. even of me, myself !" " I understand you," said the Caliph, and left the room. BIRTHS. Tuesday last, in Bolton.street,lb;esdilly, the lady of Sir George Haropson, Bart. of a son.—The 24th instant, at Hannetwood.lodge. the lady of John Dorrien blagens, Rag. of a son.—Tbs 26th imam, at Stratfotd.green, Bases, Mrs. Robert Whalley, of a daughter• MARRIED. The 27th inst. at Monk's Risborough, Bucks, Frederick Ganniti. Esq. barrister-at-law, to Math, third daughter of the Rev. Zachary Brooke..—The 27th last, at St. Margaret's, Leicester, by the Rev. An• drew Irvine, Mr. W. Wansiall, to Sophia, eldest daughter of Mr. John Ilunabastone.road, Leicesta.—Tbe 27th lost. at Paddington Church, the Rev. William Taylor Birds, rector of Preston, Salop, re Lydia, only daughter of the late Daniel Dagley, Seq. of Connaught . square. DIED. The 22d inst. W. Busby, Esq. late Civil Service, Bengal, aged 7f —Dee. 9, at Mason Verte, Si. Germain en Lay; General Ge l Viscano Obeft—On the 18th inst. at St. Margaret's, Isieworth, Mn. Richard Brooke.—The 234 inst. at Beech.hill,Richard Lee, Req. aged 88.—Tbe 28th inst. at the house of her brother, Mr. Simpson, inikimdagbals . place, after a abort but severe illness, Mn. Harriet Graham, widow of the late James Graham, .et Richardby, near Carlisle, Cumber-. land..... The 24th inst. at • aged 27, Anna, third daughter of Mr. Robert Mann, late of Westminster. —Tho 2 5 th last. at Darleith.hosse, Dembeeteemblie, Mee YuMe, late of Bedford. taut. at Darleleb.hosee, Dombeetioddie, N Yuuie, ism ot Riau,- lirrWiTlA AVi Lt3NDONIIIIDGE77- 101 E r R. is. w. w• 1 M tII II I Ahem= g St D ic w riata - int ruigfifiarby Jinni liATxt, at X trAl 1 . ( him, No. 1, reteetidier, Temple:Bar. 1