The National Register. — London, England, 1818-02-16 00:00:00

.11k. . FEB 16 FINE ARTS. )ram Vest, ks of fe ore t one first, s and , 1 shall a three lone to to tram - e is un. ICJ, if a iven the tbs, with coldness. Fa noble . ►hone hi k upon a in the 'ay: but aper-liu d looka 1, for the mditude ie air, or or of the ,vhich is. is not the .niroaticn 'he shape and one ible pail; Of .tion. dly bran right, he inster are threaten of light lark and , and his vrinkled, ling of a of vision ;learns in ,n on Ids a sable: stun the His gaze rent upon u lion in ivithering slng from tvl house, hip fl a; feet ; :t 1::* Lea.. Lnd Dr. Sir. Bel t manor tield knee of larly °la esterday 3.:tack to and after ter. oonce, ,f Learly tstata dt BRM;H INS TITUAWN. PALL MALL. Although many of the Pictures which are from time to time exhibited in the Gallery of the Institution, have previluely met the Public eye in the annual.exhibition at Somerset House, yet an interest is excited among the real lovers of the Art, by the former, greatly supe rior to what the latter ever produces. Several causes , contribute to create this feeling : The collection is more select than at the Royal Academy, the crowd of un meaning laces which annually disfigure its walls being excluded : many Artists of rising eminence, who, for reasons which we shall not now inquire into, decline contributing to the show at the Royal Academy, here submit their labours to the Public eye ; but above all, there is an appeal made, in this Exhibition s to our berality as . well as to our taste, and we feel that by giving it our countenance and support, we are giving life to Genius, and strength to enable him to 'Fun the race of glory. Among the Rnyal Aeademicans who are this year Exhibitors we notice Beechy, Bigg, Howard, Jack on, ghee, Ward, Wilkie and Westall. It is highly credit able to these Artists that they are superior to that petty prejudice which sets the Academy in opposition to the Institution, and that by their contributions they se • and the effor:s or the gentlemen who support this excellent cstabliAiment. Our limits will not permit us, this week, to enter into a licciew of the many excellent pictures with which the Exhibition abounds; but in our next we shall conience this egrecable task. ANnQUITIE i•—By a letter from a gen tleman now in Egypt, with a perusal of which we have been favoured, we learn the attempt to remove the colossal bust of bemoan from amidst the ruins of Thebes, made in the course of last year. had perfectly succeeded. It had been conveyed to Alexandria, where it was embarked for Mal:a, for the purpose of being brought to England, to be placed in the British Mu seum.—The bust is described in the letter as consisting of a single piece of granite, of a flesh colour from the top of the head to the neck, the rest being grey ; the weight is computed at 14 tons. The writer r f the letter made several excavations, and discovered a row of Sphinxes, of black marble, with the bodies of women and lions' heads, beautifully sculptured and several. of them quite perfect; and also a statue of Jupiter, of cream coloured marble. After reaching Alexandria with the best, he took a second journey to T! Bites, and re-commencing his excavations, he discoveretl a beauti ful colossal head of Osiris ; one of the arms was also found, which measured eleven feet; after working for twenty days, a temple was opened containing fourteen large chambeis, including a spacious hall, in which were found eight colossal statues thirty feet high, all stand ing and quite perfect. Four others were found in the sanctuary. The wails were covered with hieroglyphics. A raall statue of Jupiter, found in the great hall, and two lions with ox heads, were brought from thence, for the purpose of being also conveyed to England. On Tuesday last a General Assembly of the Acade micians was held at their apartments in Sonicrset house ; when F. L. Chantrey, Esq. war; elected an Aca demician of the Royal Academy of Arts, in the room of S. Woodforde, Esq. deceased. Neither the Ilanzburgh Corresponleni , nor the Borson hall Lisle, have any further account: from Genoa re specting the excesses at Algiers ; but they contain a letter from Trieste, of the 16th January, which states, that on the 9th of January it was officially announced that the Board of Health at Genoa bad addressed a letter dated,27th December to the Board of Health at Trieste, informing them, that on the 20th of December two Sardinian Captains arrived at Genoa from t lgiers, viz. Ginglingo, commanding the polacre La Bella Maria, and Captain N. Aliere. These two Captains confirmed the accounts before received, that the Algerine squadron returned fe:;al its cruise on the 13th November, and was laid no ; they say further, that it was not true that the said squadron had the plague on board, but that all the crews were in perfect health ; that though the rlague still continued at Algiers, it had however diminished, the number of deaths being now from 15 to 20 daily. The thllowing story is to be found id an evening paper of Saturday la►t :—lt is said that a late Peer was with his lady, and another lady who was under his protection, many years ailo in Paris, where both were de livered ut the same per:od, the first of 'a daughter and the latter of a son. It is said that a late celebrated Ac coacher attended both, and by the instigation of the mother of the Son was induced t. 4 &change the children, so that this son became the heir pf the family title and possessions. It. is said that the mother of the son has been lately seised with feelings of contrition, and has openly declared the , hale truth. If, therefore, her evi ( ence is admitted, the nominal hair will be deprived of :11 his honours and possessions. We cannot, of course, ouch for the truth of any part of this extraordinary report, which, indeed, seems to be incredible: but as a jublic journalist, which ought to show " the very age tnd body of the time, its form, and pressor. ,'• we Cepl ii to be our duty to present it to our readers." THE NATIONAL REGISTER. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, Feb. 13. -...1M....- CRIM. CON.—FRAxcis V. t IL[U. The plaintiff; who hOths a respectable situation in the General Post Office, brow i,lit his action against the defendant, a medical nem, to recover a compensation in damages for an injury sustained, in consegnence of Lav ing his wife debauched and carried away from his house. by the defendant. We are sorry to state, that this was ' a most distress ing instance of Profligacy. It appeared, from the statentent of Mt. Set leant Vau l Oan, as Weil as from the evidence, that Mrs. Fran .cis, a beautiful and accomplished woman, was married in 1807 to the plaintiff, a young Gentleman of respect able connections. It was a love match, and they con tinued to live happy together down to 1817, when the lamentable occurrence took place, which became the subject of this action. They had two children, and down to the time of his wife's elopement he was con sidered a kind, affectionate, indulgent, and atten dye husband, fOnd indeed, almost to excess, of his wife and children. Mrs. Francis, some time ago, became subject to lowness of spirits and a diseased mind, and the defendant, as a professional man, whose age and appearance could excite no suspicion in the most pru dent husband, pretended to prescribe for the lady sof fering under her mental disorder. He did prescribe, but his operation was observed by the plaintiff's family to have the effect of aggravating the calamity. His conduct appeared clearly to the plaintiff's brother-in law to be an attempt to tamper with her mind, in order to get possession of her affection and person. Hav ing communicated his suspicions, and some indecencies which had been noticed to the plaintiff, Mrs. Francis was removed to the e,miltry. She was then in a worse state of mind, and no doubt was entertained that the defmdant continued his endeavour clandestinely to im press upon her mental sensibility ideas favourable to his plan of carrying on an adulterous intercourse. Mrs. Francis was again conveyed to town, and very shortly after she eloped from her hush.ind's house, 49, Char lotte -street, Portland-place, and was seen walking in the street arm in arm with the defendant. Mr. Banks, of Tonbridge Wells, who married the plaintiffs sister, met the defendant, and seeing a brooch in his frill which he had given to Mr. Francis, he procured a constable, and charged him in custody lie was taken to Union Hsll for examination, and while under detention was arrested for 501. He then wrote a letter to Mre. Francis, addressed to a house in Join ers'-street, Blackfriars, in which be had taken lodgings for himself and the plaintiff's wife in the name of Mr. and Mrs Seymour. The letter and others were inter cepted. - It then appeared, by the evidence of a servant girl, that the defendant and the plaintiff's wife occupied the same bed, living together under the name of Sey mour, and in short the adultery was clearly proved. The letters were read in Court, in one of which he expressed that ;le was the happiest man living, in con sequence of his having been received into the plain tiff s family, which he described to be a most amiable family. In another letter the defendant said—" To morrow morning am I to see thee ? I wish you could Anna r Oh ! uiy dear, dearest Anna, get a meetini, from me heart. I don't know when I shall see you— will a few days' absence shake me from your remem brance ?" The defendant stated in other passages, that he •,vas in indigent circumstances, depending only on the uncertain supply f.e received from writings which he sent to the press. To conclude the ease, we have only to add, that the plaintiff, convinced that his wife had erred under mental infirmity, and that the defen dant alone had been ro4lly depraved, consented to re ceive her again, and brought his action to recover da damages commensurate to the injury lie had sustained. After the above statement had been proved. _ Mr. Andrews for the defendant, said he had to ad dress the Jury under great disadvantages. He 'lid not rise with a view to get rid of the evidence proving the adulterous intercourse, but to bring their mind to cool consideration of the Elm The plaintiff had prov ed, by receiving back his wife, that he had not marred that loss which a man would feel who was totally de prived of a wife. The defendant was a man totally withtiut property. The circumstance of having no means of subsistence, being then in a goal, would doubt less have great weiglit with the Jury in awarding da mages. It had been said if he could not pay with his purse he ought to pay in his person, but perhaps the Jury would consider it a severe visitation to confine the defendant for five years to a goal. He would not be discharged in the Insolvent Debtor's Court from a debt incurred by the verdict of the Jury, in such a case as this, within the space of five years. He stood in a pe culiar situation ; for the common subjects of the King there was a limited time for discharge. Net so with the defendant. If the Jury gave a verdict against him for large damages, fhe years he might remain in confinement to expiate the offe.nee. The Learned Counsel contended that the Jury ought to give light and temperate damages only. Mr. Justice Dallas recapitulated thir evidence, and the Jury found a verdict for the plaintiff—Diunsges. 5001. MURDERS AT GREENIVICH. ADJOURNED INQUEST —Friday afternoon, the Jury re-its..embled at the White Hart, Cirtentyieh, according to the appointment of Joseph Carttar, Esq. the Co roner, to further investigate the deaths of Mr. Geo7ge B:rd, and Mary Simmons, his housekeeper, the parti ctlats of which will be found in anot,her part of our :paper. ' The first evidence was Mary Harris, wife of Mr. .Haitris, of Limekiln-lane, Greenwich ; she said, that 'on Saturday night last, between seven and eight o'clock, she saw three men in Londen-street, between the pork-butcher's and Mr. Putter s, the butcher. They were not far distant from Mr. Bird's house. They had the appearance of countrymen ; they had light coats, One of them went into Mr. Thorntan's the baker ; she went home and saw no more of thetm. John Christopher Westlake of Bermondsey. sworn. On Sunday morning about twelve o'clock, he met a man in the Blue Anchor-road, near the Swan Turn pike, Rotherhithe, who was covered with blood, his hands and flue were cut and more bloody than any other part of his person. He spoke to him end said, " you are in u very deplorable condition. - He made lto reply ; be was dressed in a dark green coat cor duroy breeches, and gaiters. He parted with hint before he got to the gate, having to call :it th? house. When he passed through the gate a short a n'.2 after, be enquired of the keeper if such a man as :le had described had passed through the gate, and he was it formed that he had not, he therefore concluded that the man had turned back again. It was not later than half-past twelve when he saw the man. Mr. John Lynch, of Parker's. nw, Bermondsey, sworn,—On Sunday, about one o'clock at noon, he was returning from Deptford to London, and near Lilliput Hall turnpike, he met a man in every respect answer ing the description given by the preceding witness. Elizabeth Oldridge, servant to a Gentleman at Mill pond Bridge, near Bermondsey, met the same matt near China Hall John Metcalf, waterman, Queen's I - lead-alio', Exe cution Duck, sworn.—On Soti(bay morning he con veyed a man, in a bloody condition, answering the de scription of the man described by the above wit nesses, from Execution Dock to the Surrey side of the Thames. John Armstrong, officer of Worehip-street, appre hended the man at the Unicorn Public-house, Shore diteh, interrogated him about his appearance, and re marked that he had changed his apparel since Sunday ; the man replied that he had : he said his name was Mansfield ; he acknowledged that he was in the Greenwich-road, on Sunday morning, in the situation described by witnesses. lie accompanied Mansfield to a house in Shureditch, where he said he generally lodged, and there he found the clothes worn by him when wen on the Greenwich-road. The coat was green, and the pockets appeared to have been washed; there remained marks of blood upon it. Ile saw a pair of corduroy breeches and gaiters, and a glazed hat. He thought it was his duty to take the man to a Police Office; but he was so much exhausted and weak, that he put him into a coach, and took him before Mr. Dyer, Magistrate of Shadwell Police Office, and the prisoner was examined. He had lost two fin gers of his right hand, and the dress he wore was very daerent from that he wore on Sunday. He said that he was a Greenwich Pensioner, and had been down that way can Sunday last and got ill-treated when in a state of intoxication; lie accounted for the blorel dropping from his coat pocket by his fingers being badly cut on his left hand, which he put into his pocket as he walked along. He denied having any knowledge of the mur der, except by report. The Magistrateordered him to be taken to the House of Correction, and to be brought before the Magistrates at Worship-street, when they might think proper. Ho was to be examined yesterday. The Coroner ordered the Jury-room to be cleared, and during the absence of strangers, he stated to the Jury, that he could only lament that such unwearied labours as theirs had not been concluded more to their satisfaction. He despaired of evidence being brought. before them that night which would lead to their wishes —that of having the murderers in custody. He con ceived that they had done their duty It was a case of a most singular kind, and it was to their credit that they had used extraordinary attention to bring to light the finil actors of the most inhuman murders, which, in brutality, had never been exceeded. It was very natural that they who were neighbours of the unfor tunate sufferers should do ail in their power to ferret out the atrocious villains —He had no more evidence to lay before them, and they might leave the case with safety in the hands of the Police, who were indefati gable in their exertions, and that Power which never fails of bringing the *guilty to punishment. Verdict —Wilful Murder against some Person or Persons un known. Burkhadt, the intrepid African traveller, wile died at Grand rake, in October last, has left all 1)i able oriental MSS. to the University of Cambri,',;e, Lo be deposited in the public library .~.. - ^I. • Cu.)