The National Register. — London, England, 1819-05-16 00:00:00

MAV .1 QU,ILIA'Y SCIJOL.4II AND Oil.ilVlt. I called upon my friend, the young Member, one morning, for a frank. 1 found him en robe de ehambre, surrounded with charts, globes, papers, and books, amongst which were proceedings orboth houses of parliament, law books, history, and clas sics. Something written in short-hand lay before him, and a runnor to one of the Editors of a news paper was receiving his orders and a parcel. Many franks Were uround him, and he seemed exhausted with study, All this struck me as rather new. At Oxfiird he was thought a gay, dissipated young man ; yet on one occasion he wrote a splendid thesis, and was second best ut the prize Latin oration. " You are over hurried, Charles," said 1, " and can have no franks to spare; so I will cull another time " ' Not at all, may dear friend,' said lie ; I'll date the frank for to-morrow ; and if you will sit down, I will be with you immediately. lam indeed fatigued to death. Letters from my con stituents pour in like hail-stones ; and I have been planning something very beneficial to the state. By the by, come down to the house to-day, and you will hear what will please you.' Ile now left me for a whole hour to my medita tions, during which time a servant fetched a number of books of reference, and I overheard my beardless senatorial friend declaiming in the next,room. My first reflection was, that, elute with his green parlia memory honours, he had given more than his num ber of franks for a week to come, and that mine would not go free. It fell out exactly so; mine. with a dozen others, paid postage. I now turned to the books. What a list !—Ci eero, Demosthenes, Pluto, Horace, Juvenal, Burke on the Sublime and Beautiful, Shakspeare and Ju nius ! besides Montesquieu and Des Cartes, Bacon, Sir Isaac Newton, and a jest book ! what a con trast ! That my friend was nu Greeh scholar, I knew of old ; but in the Greek author,, slips of paper containing an English transl ition were inserted. The other authors had their kares dog's-eared, as we called it at school, and had lines made with red ink under difkrent striking pa.:.inges. "No bad plan," thought I, "to assist memory." On the maps which lay open on the table, pins were placed in rows, in order to point out the tract of country alluded to. After kicking my heels during this long hour, my friend apreared, with a very Mae and confident air. lie apoliOsed for his delay, talked of the pressure of business, looked important, cast a lin gering glance at his looking-glass as we left the room, and we proez.eded to the house together. As he went along he read over some notes, conversed in parliamentary language, such as, Disposing of the previous question. The simultaneous move ment of continental powers, The order of the day, Existing circumstances, Imperious necessity, Fun damental features, etcetera, until we at last arrived. He smiled content when he was accosted as one of the House. He took his seat with as mach ease as if he bad bud a septennial lease of it, nodded to his friends, cast an eye up to the gallery, looked anxious, and at last rose to speak. I now perceived a significant look given and returned by a gentleman in black near me. The honoura'de Member spoke at some ledgth, but did nut excite general interest. A few friends, however, shouted u supporting " Hear, hear," not undisturbed by coughing. The gentleman in black looked anxious; he drew near me;—" He makes a good appearance, fur so young a man." Yes, in deed,' replied 1. " A good deal of classic know- ledge," rejoined he, "fruly, indeed,' said I. " Much general reading," added he again. ' And a very laboured speech,' replied 1. " Humph !" quoth the clergyman; fir I now found him such. " A young man who has read a great deal," observed be. My friend now made a quotation which 1 re membered in his Thesis. I mentioned it to the clergyman, who said in answer, " He was a man of early promise." He now quoted Juvenal. " Bravo," exultingly said t h w friend, his face all beaming with hope. I thought that I had seen the countenance some where, aad I asked if he was a relation; to which he answt.ed in tha negative, adding, " but I am more, I um a very early and sincere friend of his.' The speaker now made a geographical blunder. " Pish !'' cried his friend. But none of the house observed it. The attention of the majority wasnot engaged,-1 mean the majority, nut in politics, but in numbers; the other Irarned,members did, not per ceef.: it; the Clergyman looked consoled. He made a blunder in a quotation , his friend blushed, and bit his lip. f lowever, the speech now dome to a close and our Week coat withdrew. Doctor. Pulylugue I your most obedient, said a brother black coat as he vassal him I now recul- THE NATIONAL REGISTER. lected my man. He had besot private tutor to my friend at college, and hail travelled with for which he has an annuity. He a 1..) got u living from the young esember's nude. 'l' tie whole secret Was now unravelled recogniL.cl the hand writing of the Greek translatium:: and pc ceived that the tutor had just been giving his lesson to Lis pupil previous o his going down to tie- house.— The short-hand writer had been employed to note down the speech, and the Editor s runner called to take the materials fur a puff. The Reverent leas great hopes of his patron's shining, and stall greater expectations of getting promotion through um im mense property and extensive interest us the family and its connexion.. When the 'Aube made a blunder, it was natural Cu- the tutor to look con fused ; just as it was nothing surpi ism.; tti see Lira exult in the expertness of hit young tyro. Although t..e privilege of proxy beluog alone to the upper house, yet the practice way thus be indi rectly applied to the lower one. We have many authors and senators behind the curtain, who lend out their abilities to riches and to power ; and thus, in more instances than the present one, is the racier of eloquence acquired, nod ;Le uu Glues wit:4th is worn by h tat who never earned it. Uur tutored members, however, seldom or ever speak in reply ; and our nominal authors rarely allow themselves to be drawn into oral argument; whilst the secret hand may aspire, at a future period, to lawn sleeve , and to taking his seat quietly in the upper house. Ileaurr IN LONDON. ABSFNCE OF MIND.—Toa.. justly celebrated Les sing was frequently very 'Justin Itsving missed money at different times without being able to tbs. cover to ho took it, he determined to put tirf honesty of his servant to a trial, and left a hundiul of gold on his table. "Of course you counted it ?" said nue of his thends. ` Lounted it ?' said Lcssing, ra ther embarrassed, ' no; I tUrgot that.'—The fol lowing is a similar trait. In a public sale there was a.booh ‘t hich Leasing was very desirous of possess ing.- tle gave three of his friends, at different times, a commissimi to buy it at any price. They accord ingly bid against each other till they had got us tar us 90 crowns ; there having been nu other bidder after ten crowns. happily one of them thought it best to speak to the others, when it appeared tout they had all been bidding for Leasing, whose forget ' fulness in this instance cost him 80 crowns. --- - An old German Knight, in the fust half of the I ith century, when etionnout goblets were among the chief ornaments of the rooms and tables of the nobles, sat once at table next to his young wife in a numerous company, where the bottle went continu ally round, and a large goblet was to be emptied each time, on pain of being contemned as a false brother by tile guests, who were used to be very strict in this point. The wife, who hid received a more polished education, whispered to her husband, when it again came to his turn.to empty an enor mous glass, to pour the wine secretly under the ta ble. •l lbe others will see it," raid he.. His wife, therefore, -just as lie was rid ing the glass to hht mouth, snuffed out the candle, ana rei:cated her re quest. Instead of complying, he said with a kind. of solemnity, " God sees it," and emptied his goblet. I)RIAD,FUL Fuss AND erreesive Rosseetes.--Oto Friday &about two o'clock, a most alarming tire broke out in the house of Mr. Short, surgeon. No. 13, Dover -street, Piccadillv.witich threw the neighbourhood intogreat conlusion. The Watchman on going his mods discovered smoke issuing from tne lower windows, ansl on looking through discovered the place all in a blaze. lie made an alarm, and the family arose, bet their pas., sage was prevented by the immense body of flames rush ing up die suitcase I. they returned to tile sleeping roam MI the second floor, and Air. Short got out (lithe %% in flow and slid down the waier-sporit by the side of the house, and so made his escape with trifling injury. Lt the mean time toe other persons at the tipper part of the house got on the tiles, and made their way through Mr. Stevens's house in their night dre•iws ; one of Me servants leaped from the list-flour %viiidow, (having no oilier means of escape) and was very much bruiwil. lir a short time several engines arrived oil the spot, but there was a great scarcity of water Ihr about am nom, durinz which period the house was burning with great rapidity, and did great tjanuage to the home of Mr. Kitching, gold smith and jeweller, and likewise to that of Mr. Stevens, who lost much property. Mr. Short, Ike. tot.k refuge at a friend's house iii the neighbourhood. By six o'clock the house of Mr: Short was burned to the ground, with the property which isconsiderable. Mr. Snort is insured. Dnnu the couflagramoil, a foruiiilabe gait: of notorious serious depredalions whit impunity. They su.rou..ilcil the house of Mr. Fergirsoo, No. I I, Dover.street, shortly alte r the fire c 11 11 l meucc o,,atal under 1 40.i -tier of :darning Me family, and to assist lii r •• ing their goads, they forced open the parlour wirulow sito.ters, bili.Oiall tile WildOws, and entered the noose. T. Lundy got sip and ran uuti thinkiric theishoose was ou die. The thieves availed themselves of the contusion aad bmke open a large chest of drawers, and stole ltrOt. t 59 in hank notes, 60 guineas in gold, sovereigns, &e• sills drceas, and other valuable properly, with winch they got clear off Several other holier* were tobbeil by per a los woo met •ilded to a•sist it, satire late property, Jthl aeterll tierboits had their l ocket. picked. Cot °sties I NQUE3T..—AII 11.q.ii.ltioit was taken fel Friday latent at elate( o'clock, to tore ~,,, as Shelton, Erg. Coroner, at toe 111.tre Tat M :re.cour‘, sore', on body of Mr. Ti.oiliAb Hoe. G ego'''. a gen tleman of ellatisitlerarde Inc r ,ry aI., wit° put an end to his esibieitte On IV'el.o'MMl.'y Ii t lam, by cutmee hits r. Jolla. Cole, S o r A erm, 1til4•1:1 . 1- 141eCI,C,,vent.g .rden,s.ateil that he v tatted lite th erased On Wednesday lan II , C Hire T a vern, he was to 3 slate of ar..at del.iliit, lie told him that he Lad been drinking tor several days la Kevot !IC eh*, and 111411 ll.Onliiett was so had that food ovoid eim stay opon it; his need was hurtling ;he gave I some mein*, but his niaorder was so great, that his tffons were ineffecAtal. Mn 'V. ceistit was very deliriotb, and lie recristimentled a mem to return% with nine wider the idea that lee wi; inn do iiitneelf some injury; he ceittel to see him oei the relay niornitig,aod was sold he was dead. Nary Mills, of Lamb-court, Fleet-street, stalest .thea sheltie eneattid to bit up with the dr CellfekißfalhAtin sit4y night; he insi.ted tiro] her leaving rice room : she ill :wined the latirriarly, wito told her to go home, and come in the morning. The deceased did hot appear right his head or Wednesday night.—John Perkin, wailer at the Mitre, stated, that die deceased camels) lodge at that braise on Tuesday; he had herd there 'hire weeks, about six weeks ago, and his letters were directed - there from his friends in the country. he assisted the deceased into bed, on Weduerelair night; tie talked in. conerently, and fancied persons were in the room nano him violence, At a hale after le, lie (wines') went to his apartment, to give him his medicine, aril }mind hint on the'ffisor, with his legs under him. his throat cut whit email desert knife, which wet in his right hand, bloody —he was vile dead ; Dr. Anderson was milt d in.— Nit. Henry Gregsoti, the deceased's brother, was ex amined. Ile said the deoeased had been melancholy her two years, and sonic time ago was confined in a strait waistcoat; he was thirty years of age.—Verdict—" Cut his throat its a state of insanity." Toutselay, in inquest was takes at Act', in Norfolk, before John P.lgnite Gent. Coroner, out the body-of Francis Ewelb, who was killed the preceding day in cousegnence of his falling from the Shafts of a waggon. on %%Melt he uas riding, and the wheel* pitmans Veer his head. It appeared. in ec idenee.that this if man, who was servath to Mr. Miles, of Burlitigisuin,-Lue a. short time since paid the for eitlenti, theshafts of his master's waggon, and has twine 'allele rroll4 eaca time the wheels passing over him, but the waggon being empty, he did not receive nitwit injury.—Verdict, Accidental Death. An inquisition was taken on Saturday before Thos. Stirling, h.q. COraner, at the One 'fun, Old Brentford, on the body .1 Mrs Catherine Wright, who wes found dead is) her bed en Thursday morning, after hat ing gone to bed in good health the preceding main; there were no marks of violence on the body, and n appeared, from the evidence, that the deceased was subject to spasms iii the sunpaeh. Verdict—Died by the V isua of God. On Tuesday morning, ahont one o'clock, an alarm of fire was ejects through . Bstrs. and it was iltscqvcred that the workshops at the biek of Mrs. Foner're house, situate in Si. Andrew's -sheet, were in flames. No ~,, was lost In summoning the fireiniii, and five engines were speedily on the spot. At this time the conflagration was terrible, anti had extended to the warehouse of Mr. Fenton, broker, such to a staide belonging to Mr. Bird. Little hopes were entertained of sating tke long range of adjoining premises, inn fortunately the night was calm, and by the Most Meri torious exertions a - cottage was polled down, to break off the CO ~,,,, ustication on one stile, and a t:(411 SaIPVIY of water to the engines checked the poieress at The lire was by this means confined to the three kid& itupi, which, however, were burin to the enion.:•before four o'clock, when the rava L ws of the frightful element ceased. A tinetilrer of gent/emen misused in the labours of the scene, and many females of respectability carried their utmost diligence obtaittilig Water. Must of the property destroyed was insured. On Wednesday morning, at half.raPt seven o'clock an• accident occurred at Craven Place, Baysweter, which provtil fatal to a young man about yi.ar4 of age, named West, who was thrown from a haise cart. The deceased, accompanied by another man, the proprietor of the cart, a Mr. Blunts, were •proe ceeding to town, but on their arrival'near the above mentioned place the hors.: bcsiltae restive uolttilo veritable, amp ran away, but becoming clime/1101 in the reins, the cart was overturned, and the tinforta nate young man was precipitukd upon a batik by al.: road side, and lilt .hued coming in contact a stone, he NA:Lived a.contusion, which termiwited his existence ist a few minutes. His companion W.A dangerously Mart. DONNA:LAY- AND OLP/ED.—Tuesday being the day appointed for a deposit tot• Donnelly and ()livc.r, the was observed over a good waisting, or, in other words, u dinner, at Oliver's. match was made for 200 guineas, and to light t7tit July, a stawl-up fight, in a '4 feet rop,:d square. Carter. the pugilist, seems to have a strange fincy to have himself well twat. lie oth2red to Sight Spring again, who so lardy pimishol aka. Spring very properly tleelinc.l, becausc vistory...o.:ll lz•ftu Lonna..