The National Register. — London, England, 1808-05-22 00:00:00

MAY .i 2. 'y ~.•r•.:.:. regularly taught to box as they formerly were taught to fence) to the occurrence of contests, the spirit, energy, and bodily vi gour of the people is greatly promoted athletic sports have been, in all ages, the characteristics of courageous nations : an early familiarity with danger, and a knowledge of those means by which danger may be most effectually obviated, give in great emergencies a confidence, an ease, and a presence of mind, which cannot hut be productive of great comfort and advantage to the individuals who possess them, and consequently to that country of which those individuals are natives, and in whose service their energies are called forth. When every other quality of the mind, from memory up to genius, increases in strength and improves in conduct, by the frequency with which it is exer e.:•ed, why should it be believed that courage is incapable of cultivation; or that a human being, whose progress toward ex • celleuce, by the laws of nature, is destined to be gradual and tardy, can in one moment, without the habitual excitations of a natural enthusiasm, without any of the coolness which custom alone can bestow, start up a hero at the exact instant when his heroism is wanted ? The capability of great actions, the first principle of courag e, is not perhaps to be created by training; but we conceive that it is to be rendered infinitely more tracta ble, useful, and disposable, by exercise and drilling, than it can have been formed by simple nature ! and while manly contests can be kept up, as at present they appear to be, with little ill will between the combatants or partisans, and with little bodily mischief beyond a bloody nose or a cracked rib, we cannot consent to join in the general outcry against a sport, which we must think so useful to the strength and spirit of the country, and consequently so creditable to the national character. • The vanquist44! Gregson arrived at Highgate on Saturday _ se'nnight, at which place he has taken up a temporary abode. lie was visited by a vast number of Noblemen and Gentlemen .Ainatcurs of the fist, several of whom made the fallen hero some handsome presents, the example having been set by the Mar tinis of T.—Gregson received a beating much more severe than that administered to him at Newmarket, and his face exhibited hideous marks of his adversary's death-like hits. He spoke in trims of entinisiatic praise of his conqueror's perfections in box ing, and said, that lie never during the battle recovered the tremendous right-handed hit in the left jaw in the first round, which produced an efl'usion of blood, loosened his teeth, black ed his eye, and disordered his head in every part. The report that Gregson was neglected at Market-street, after the battle, is untrue. Several gentlemen called on him and left him presents, amongst whom was Capt. B. Gully's backer, who gave him live guineas. A considerable sum was also subscribed in the ring, u hich he immediately received. Gregson, it is said, will be matched against Crib. The following are other matches about to he made : Jem Belcher and Horton Young Belcher and Crople, and Dutch Sam and Nichols, the latter of whom boat Crib two years ago at Black water. The Game Chicken will again exhibit in a short time with any first-rate professor. THE NATIONAL REGISTER MARittl:l). 235 waiter at the Bedford coffee-house, Southampton-row, Blooms-. bury. On the evening he left the coffee-house, about eleven o'clock, immediately after a Mr. B. a merchant in the city. This gentleman was somewhat inebriated, and the waiter suspected that he was gone to an infamous house in Phoenix-street, which being in his road home, he heard great rioting and confusion as he passed it. Impressed with an idea that the gentleman had got into this brothel, and it being his wish to give hint his pro tection, be waited a few seconds and peeped through the front parlour window to ascertain whether he was there or not. The son, who is chiefly employed in looking after and protecting the prostitutes of the brothel, rushed out of the house with his mo ther, knocked the prosecutor down, and treated him in a most outrageous manner. Surrounded by the ruffians of St. Giles's. the prosecutor sought mercy in vain, and after the hostess of the bagnio and her son had done with their harsh treatment, she gave the young man in charge of a watchman, and whilst in custody he found that he had lost his money, amounting to 21. 7s. The Magistrate did not think the evidence was sufficient to establish a highway robbery, but the assault was of a most unprovoked and outrageous nature. Two witnesses for the defendants, in giving an account of the transaction, strengthened the prosecu tor's case, and the brothel-keeper and her son were held - in sub stant i a l bail to answer the complaint at the Sessions. . • ACCIDENTS, OFFENCES, &e. About ten o'clock on Friday morning a fire was discovered in the two-pair-of-stairs of Mr. Faulkner s, in Maielesfield-street, Soho. The alarm was so great, that some of the lodgers threw their furniture out of the windows in the upper part of the house into the street, and by that means there was almost as touch injury done to the different articles of furniture as if the force of the destructive element had overwhelmed them. There were some fire-escapes made use of, and a number of engines at tended, so that upon the whole there was very little damage sustained by the tire. It was extinguished by eleven o'clock. A young lady, 16 years of age, of the name of Marsden, niece to Mrs. Broker, of Brompton-road, was run over on Tuesday morning, at Knightsbridge, by one of the Bath coaches, and much injured that her life is despaired of. She was in com pany with another young woman and a child three years old, and the former had run across the road at the moment the coach was passing at a moderate rate, and on Miss Marsden attempting - to do the same, she was knocked down by the wheel horse. The coachman stopped his horses as quick as pos‘ibie, and no blame could be attached to him. The yolow lady had a leg broken, besides being bruised with the forewleel of the coach passing over her. Wednesday morning, between four and five o'clock, the street door of Mr. Dignam, of Newcastle-street, was forced open, af terwards the bar door, and then the tills, one of Which, contain ing a quantity of copper, was taken away, with what else of value they could get. It is to be regretted that the watchmen go oft' duty, in St. Clement's parish, between three and four o'clock. The thieves had nearly broke into the Bunch of Grapes public-house, in Houghton-street, just adjoining, at the sime hour ; but the landlord was a!armed and routed them. A child about four months old was left at the door of Mrs. Mansel, in Mary-le-bone New Rciad, on Monday night, wrap ped tip in a flannel shirt, and deposited in a clothes basket. Ti:e family were retired to rest, and were disturbed by the cries oi the infant at about one o'clock on TueAay morning, w hen it was taken into the house and put to bed. The unnatural mother has not Net been discovered, but suspicion has fell on a late ser vant of Mrs. Mausers, who has not beenToued. • Ftiday, at St. Mary-le-bone Church, Lard Vi,:eount Prim rose, eldest sou of the Earl of Itosebery, to Miss Harriet Boa vcrie, second daughter of the Hon. - Bartholomew liouvetie. bun. On Monday last, at her house in filoucester-place, at an'ad vanced age, Mrs. Elizabeth Cocks,.sister to the late, and aunt to Vie present Lord Somers. On the I•ith instant, of a violent inflammatory fever, aged 39, the Rev. Thomas Percy, LL. 1). Fellow of St. John's College, Oxford, and nephew to the Bishop of .Dromore. Friday morniag, after a !cog and painful illness, at Streatham, in Surrv, Mr. Hector Mackay. At Littkbourn,.a few days inc&e, .Mrs.. Mary . Appleton, in her 100th yi:or, who, to the very retained her faculii: and died ‘eithout a wrinkle in her face. POLICE. PUBLIC-OFFICE, BOW-STREET. On Sunday evening, about half past seven o'clock, William Bacon, who has the care of Kensington Gardens, to keep out improper persons, received information that a young man gen teelly dressed in black, was behaving in a very disorderly man ner close to the Palace. In consequence of Misinformation, Lscou went there and found a young man acting as he had been informed ; he had thrown away his shoes and gaiters, had got a very black eye, and wanted to gain admittance into the Palace. -- Bacon asked him what he wanted at the Palace ? He made no answer. Bacon asked him if he wanted any of the Royal Family? ro which he replied, he wanted to see the Queen, as he had been very much injured, and her Majesty could see him righted. Bacon then took him to the nearest public-house, searched him, and found in both his coat pockets a quantity of stone'. Ile appeared in a melancholy state, and from his behaviour, Bacon suspected bins to be insane, and took him to St. Paul's, t ent-garden watch-house, where he procured him a bed. ?ilmt,lay he was taken betare Mr. Read. lie appeared in a very low slate. Ile said his name was Michael Smith, and that he wac a Clergyman of Rochester. He proves to be the son of the l : tte Dr. Smith, Curate of the Temple Church, and Lecturer of . 3t. Margaret's Church, Westminster. MARLBOROUGH-STREET. DARING OUTRAGE.—On Thursday, Margaret Carrot and her son were charged with au outrageous assault and highway reAbery on Sunday evening. The prosecutor, Fosscy, is a