The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1803-04-16 00:00:00

.1 i 1 V v 4 , .• 4•••• •• • L • •41t 4 -. To the EDITOR of the BRITISH PRESS. SIR, With a most " perturbed spirit," and a mind, al most racked to slistraftion with apprehension, I sit down to address you a few words respeaing the late (to me alarming) effeas, publicly produced by the power of Galvanism. I may say with Terence, AVani eat riquidens ter erre. It is all over with me, if those things are true which you asserted in the Press of Wednesday the tith inst. about the expe-i -ments made with such success in the Galvanic Lec tures. Alla Salim! cries Cicero; and so may I, if indeed there he M salt; wilt a dead tons : but in fait, this terrific Professor, by the mere appli cation of a piece of Galvanic metal to his head and tad, connefting them together by means sf wire, can set a dead horse kicking, so that two men can't hold him ! What is to become of the old pin verb, Add men t.ll no :der ? Why, if this discovery is suffered to proceed, dead n.en will i.hortly be seen to rise, pursue, and appre'lend their own assas sins, and entirely supersede every necessity of that hitherto useful body of men called Suw-street run ners. This, it is true, is nGt much to be deprecated, nor is the evil of a Jead horse's kicking so dreadful ; indeed some good may . oe derived from it. What do you think of a pair of spars made of the Galva nic metal, and applied to a living nag ? But what, alas I are these disadvantages and advantages to me, when I contemplate the consequences I have to fear f.om scient.e ?-11riefly, Mr. Editor—it was my fate, for my sins, to be visited by Heaven (N all matches are made in heaven "1 with a wife ; her name was Mary ; she is nszra- dead-.4Phaiever is, rig!:!it Being myself a dabbler in chemistry, it was my dear Mary's anxious wish, before :he died,that I should premise topreserve her body. Upon such a critical oc casion as this, I did not hesitate a moment to expe dite her happy transit to a better world, by a sptedy and solemn promise to perform her desire ; and I now have my MARE isiortuinn, in a vase, as fresh as when I first courted her, and called her my biol.*.s atgve fatalism. My fear.. are then apparent—What if this Profes sor, or any of his disciples, should come into our quarter, and, touching her with his metal, once more make her my MA Rt; makruar, and overwhelm me again in a sea of trouits ! This is no trifling ap prehension,—frvm experience I spas. And, however great the utility likely to spring from Galvanism to mankind, I can never rejoice in it, until I rest as sured, that its vivifying powers will not be extended to my dead stock. Sir, my wife has not less feeling than a dead horse ! Suppose l►e should set her i-kicking again ? Mink of that ! and, if you are vonrself a husband, you have a soul to pity me, and ill, if possible, endeavour to tranquilize my ter rors and alarms. 0. N. Preaforel, April I'. THRATRR.ROrAL, DR(IRr-L tots Exim.nyv; will l. s rrirented a New Comedy ca lla THE MARRIAGF. PROMISE. The Charoculs by Mr t'. li. inble. Mr. DllVier, Mr. DOW. Mr. %lr. BAJUIi4e4;IIII. Mr Palmer, Mr P.p.., Mr. Mr Purszr. Mr. FA•ills. Ml 4. P„wr:l, Me. 14.11, %les Mrs Szwit4, Mrs. Mwitiel P..4.4gisi• 4t tse spoien by Mr. DII/”T, the Epilogue by Mio To whs.% Sin fi. arkletl. HIGH LIFE BELOW 6T.IIRS. 'rift: ITR F-Rorll., CO I'ENT-GARDEN. TULS he ,rerfirrnied a New Ceasedy ruled .101 IN Ill'LL; Of, AN FNIA.INIIM %%:'4 FIRE-SIDE. Thu piing spal Clue%trier4 br %yr, Lout., Mr. Croke. Mr. Fawcett. Mr. Jirliriawair. Mr II Jortisorow, Mr. Liam lharl, %Ir. I..sterv, Mr. %V.i4tl). Mrs. (INN Airs. 11%rwel, 40.1 Mi.. %Latium Tlre Prillogue to hr voleti br %Ir. L With a Lyrical Fpilque by Mr. Jr.htistona. T4I which will he uhlrar THE INTRIGUING CHAMBERMAID. A V.w %1 esl Mitt-?swot is w preparation s tailed The t air Fuit:ves. THE BRITISH PRESS. LONDON, SATURDAY, Aram I 'The rands continue to rise. They left off yes. triliy at 641. We may fairly infer from this insproretncnt, nnder the present circumstances of the Market, that thc apprehensions of a war arc wear. int away. W. arc not aware of Any particular fad re.ently tran , pired of sufficient importance to be a satisfad , ry re.u.un tur t'ais change in the public mind. We are therefore si.sposedtoattribute it to a ge reral view of our present situation, and of the proceed alp thaLled to it. Von:he firit warlike symptoms ma ignited on our put, there was a danger that France, t &ken by surplice, /night commit herself in adual ' some *lent and precipitate measure by. Th ilAtigcr has, howerer,.passed Away, and both hive had full mete neigh the consequences in a topture. They have also obtained the advice o f a u ‘i 4 , Atn.triA, And Prussia, who have been con sulted ► bett► parties upon tl.e stilijea of their pre sent difescnas I acid it is genera, u•tderctood that 'neither p.irty !us received much encourv i ,Ternent to renew their quarrel- This 4. a state of things in it.; nature pacitu, because i affords time for caiol ward ....: _ _ Jo- , _ deliberate refitttidn ; and the mote the Vlik‘T CAN .set. rethati, the...more lie Must be cUI YUlceJ that 'this is not the moment to go to war with England. It is testy in relation rothis state of the political re lations between the two countries, that the report of Mr. PITT'S return to office could have been sup posed to have produced the effen of raising the funds. Although the FlRsr Comsto. may' not wish for war, yet he may expes.ct to extort much from the present Minister, without bringing matters to that extremity. The character of Mr. Purr does not hold out that promise, and as the FIRST CoNst would probably abate his demands in the es'ent of such a change—the apprehension of such a consequence cannot fail to influence his con do& ; and hence the return of Mr. PITT to office, or even the dread of it by France, if France he not prepared and ripe for war, is a pacific symptom. No foreign intelligence had arrived when this Paper went to press. - - A King's Messenger set oft List night with Go vernment dispatches for Mr. JAc Kstv, the Consul at Berlin. His Royal l lighness the Duke of rsr, was er. peaed to sail from Gibulter on the 2d inst. hi the .lmazoa frigate. Yesterday morning his NI A./FAT V, accompanied by the Princesses SurntA and AMELIA, attended by (;acrals Ow VNNE. and I-Nile:nett T, Sir WI a s and Lads' PITT, took an airing on horseback in the la)ngWalk, and inspeaed the improvements carrying on in the Great Park. Her MAJESTY - , accompaniid by the 'Princesses Ai . ousTa and ELIZARtTII, attended by the Mar chioness of BA TO and daughter, took an airing in a sociable by Cranhourn Lodge, and honoured the Honourable Mrs. 11 ARCOURT with a morning visit. The Princess MARY, attended by Lady Cl{ ANLEY, took an airing to Frogniore. On Thursday the 11th regiment of Light Dra goons had a grand field day on Ashford Common. At a full meeting of the officers of the East Mid dlesex Militia, held at the head-quarters, (Edmon ton), yesterday, Colonel Woo' in the Chair, an elegant gold-mounted sword was unanimously voted to he presented to their late Colonel the Earl of Mat...sr irto, as a token of their esteem. The religious veneration lately revived in France, under the auspices of HonAP ART e, seems to be as ex travagant as any of the other transitions in that Country. It appears by one of Mr. Kiwi's letters from France Lately published, that the people in sonic of the small towns on the road arc now ac customed to kneel and prostrate themselves on the appearance of a 13 isiz or ! Prince WILLIAM of Grovererra departed from Copenhagen the 4th of April, on his way to Ham burgh, There he is et:pefted to arrive on Sunday the 10th. He has received from his DaNisii MAJ rsr v a present of a gold snuff-box, worth six thousand rix dollars, and in which is his Ma./scry's pintire. Prince's attendants also received presents from the King. The Prince gave the Chief Marshal, HA UC a ling worth five hundred rix-dollars; and a breast pin, of the same value to Couut VON Ho Ls real, gentlemen of the bed-chamber. By a vessel arrived at Plvmouth on Wednesday, in forty-aeven days from Demerara, we learn that a great mortality prevails among the I)ntch troops that have taken posension of that settlement, as well as on board their ships of war, nut less than from fifty to a hundred dying daily. The death of the Earl of Destretts causes a va cancy in the Scotch Representative Peerage, of which his Lordship was one. In the year 17811, on a va cancy which then occurred, the Earl was set up by Opposition against the Candidate (Lord Ck T ti- C ART) supported by the Administration which caused one of the severest struggles ever known on such an occasion; the last mentioned Peer carrying his elec.!' Lion by a majority of only three. The Prti Nee, 34 Duke of RovusAv, voted for Lord De MIFRIES. Amidst all the rumoured changes not an evq seems to have been direaed by the ministers to thi old opposition. In this cabinet dance the late and! the present ministers set to, change sides, right hand and left, and cast off, but they appear invariably determined never to seek for partners from the other side of the I-louse. Nothing can more strongly evince the deep-rooted detestation entertained by the inhabitants of the petty cantons of Switzerland for the French partisans in that country, than the following melancholy cir cumstance :—On the '22d of last month, about sixty of the inhabitants of the Canton of Underwaiden, who are all roman Catholics, set out to join in a pro cession which was to take place in honour of St. Nicholas. It was necessary on their way to cross u lake. On arriving at Sarnen, a village on the banks of the lake, they found only one boat clkengaged, which could not, with safety, convey more than forty.—There was another boat, which had only an individual passenger, who was a clergyman. This person offered to accommodate a part of the pil grim% wish a passage along with him. But he had taken an aftive part in those measures which bad led to the ruin and subjugation• of their country; •and not a man of the •ilty peasants could he found to pojlute himself so far as to cross the lake in his - company. Animated with religious zeal, none of them would.stay behind. All of them crowded in to one boat, which had scarcely put off from the bank, when she went down ; and the passengers, with the exception of a very small number, instantly pe rished. The survivors are stated. to have owcd'their rescue principally wile atqive exertions of the clergy man. Alluding to this circumstance, the Editor of the Gazette di France, in a style of unfeeling ri dicule, expresses his surprize, " that they did not immediately plunge again into the lake, on being informed who had saved them." In this country, thank God, this brief narrative will be perused with far different feelings. Vhile we regret the indis cretion which hurried the sufferers to their fate, we cannot but applaud the heroic contempt which they manifested for one of the instruments of their op pression. Freemen, Englishmen, will sympathise in the sentiments which animate the brave peasants of Underwahlen. To both the " love of liberty with life is given," and long we hope will both consider life itself" as " the interior gift of Heaven." • - . • • .- ,_,_ .. r ♦r. Sitc::l 4 milatakitatr:Z: .; ACr.ll. tituOr." The deer which was wised out for the ertion on Tuesday, is'a great favourite NI Ali • v. At starting from °Ascot Heath with great swiftness towards Bagshot, making a dauhle to the right, crossing the front by Czsar's Camp and Southal Park, and through East Hamp stead Park ; and what is very remarkable, to the plate where he had twice bef o re been taken after a very long chace. The sportsmen expected he would have halted there, but he ran with greater speed if possible, leavin Bracknell to the right, through the mclosure, by Vi avell and . Winkfield church, crossing the plain 'through the woods, by Genera/ HA u covices, St. Leonard's-hill, and made his way to El wcr, at which place he ran into the Mill River, where he remained some time, but being closely pur sued, he escaped out of the river, and the chace was renewed. The deer then took his course towards the river Thames, to the left of Winthor, and crossed the Thames. The huntsmen were then obliged to come through Windsor and Eton, and their appear ance attraOed the attention of the inhabitants. His MAJ EST Y and attendants then gave up the chace and returned to the Queen's Lodge after a pursuit of upwards of three hours. The chace was renewed by the remaining sportsmen, who were very numerous. The deer took to the left of Eaton, and made much ground before a double back to the left, where he plunged into the Thames near Surley-hall. By the heat of the day, and the length of the chace, he now became quite exhausted, and two of the foremost hounds pursued him into the water, where they seized him, and would have drowned him in a few minutes, but for the assistance of a man in a large boat, who went to the deer's assistance, took the dogs oir, and brought the deer safe to Windsor Bridge, where he was put into a stable, and taken proper care of. T HE AT R E. DETJR V-L AN E. The interesting Comedy of Deaf and Dumb, and the re-appearance of that inimitable actress Miss De CAMP, in the charader of 7ulio, drew a most crouded and elegant audienee last night. Miss De;CAMe was received with reiterated plaudits on her entri. Her fire and expressive countenance pourtrayed her feelings in the strongest terms ; never did she endow the eharaOer with so much interest as last night, and it is but justice to say the sensibility of the house was in unison with hers. Mr. Barreilv, for the first time, performed the part of Fromm!. It does not afford scope for any great exertions, but we consider this Gentleman an acqui sition to the Theatre. Mr. WeoI'GHTON put forth all his powers in the charader in which he was so well known to excel, of De 4rlemont. Never was the horrors and agitation of a guilty mind more forcibly expressed. Mr. POPE was an excellent re presentative of the philanthropic 4111: P.Etie. Mrs. MiAiNTAIN introduced a beautiful song in Mari ann., the composition of Mr. KELLY, which she gave in her best stile, and was rewarded with an estate. She gave the part all the interest of which it is capable. Miss Poet.. and Mr. Poweee played with their usual excellence. Miss De Ca:ste spoke the original Epilogue. It was followed by the En tertainment The Children in the Wood. Mr. B AN eisrEn, junior, in Waller, and Mrs. BLAND in jo zepbine, received their accustomed tribute of apply bation. is di his CiPT,ll.l' 3141CN41.114P1r. Yesterday, at two o'clock, Sir RICHARD FORD attended at Blake'. Hotel in Jermyn-street, in order that the examinations of the several persons taken before him respeciing the late fatal duel, in which Colonel Montgomery was killed, should be read over and sw:ora to in the presence of Captain Mac namara ; which being done accordingly, the parties were bound over to give evidence upon the trial ; and a commitment to Newgate, for the murder, was made out for Capt. Macnamara. Mr_ Andrews, Mr. Cline, and two other eminent Surgeons who at tended the Captain were then sworn, and deposed, that he could not at present be removed without en danrrin:' his life, in consequence of an inflamma tion h. -ing taken place in the wound, which they said w: , • ~ casioned by a part of the clothes driven in by t:. tl, and still remaining in the body. The infla,riirtion, they added, had produced a consider able degree of flrer. The warrant of committal to Newgat,., therefore, was not executed, and the Cap tain w. s left in the care of Mr. Townshend and three othe; Bow-street Officers, who are stationed at the rit.!l4 until he may be removed with safety to Ncwgat 1 1 ...1r. Erskine and Mr. Knowles attended on the pat 0: Captain Macnatnara, but they did not think it r. , .:cess - try to interfere, or to make any application for hi, admittance to bail in the present stage of the business, and on account of the near approach of the Sessions. Mr. Macnamara, the t.aptain's brother, and two sons, were present upon the u.;ca,ion. In a most curious produaion which has been lately published at Paris, by a French Author, who styles himself Professor of Languages, and entitles his Book 4 ' An Eng'ithman's Judgement on Bona parte ;"—" Ou Bonaparte japs par un ;"—we read the following modest expressions, which, no doubt, will be felt in Lonion as highly descriptive of the sentiments of John Bull. • Les Empires diront to jeur. It verite, • Lt transnsettrunt ton non a!a posterit,i I" •• Empires are Ti le g rophs to s p read thy name? " •' Pritriirrim—the Guardian achy fame." Upon these lines we shall only remark that the FIRS' . CONSUL'S Telegrap.tis arc going so fast ors of order front overworking, particularly his Durcu and his Swiss Te/egraphs ti:::: i'osterity—the Guar dian,"—is likely to have b,,on--•-ki sinecure employ ment ! ! ! To compare his hero to,Juiius Casar was also a natural twit enough, amt hr has accordingly availed himself of his classic parallel in theie lira : " Lursque pp a eclia,ip auk hurreuers de Dl'murt, A Neptune en fureur C:e7.7.tr L't wit son sort: •• II fendatt (rune main Its v o gues 1..: in&Alret, " Et de l'autre II tenai - . Ceinisstntaires.” " Casar, on Egypt's shores his life to ore, . F thw peas burr.rs of a waery pave, co:whits hictortutie to the ve.vrei ;. Amid whilst onwhand the haiseerous bjtuvre braves, .fe from tlic exitge,s.tha; aOanal hip waft, • The records of htsfame the other tuft ." This is rather A o ti;:un yppy‘lll4sicet. The eight Of BONAPAkIs ISsypt WOUld S k ZatCC bear a Com ineodarj. , P. D-1*144 ATTACK. 4 ligsterday afternoon, :4 five o'clock, as Mr. Spell ear-Townsend, a Gentleman of great respeaability, Who holds a high situation in the Navy-Office, So. merset-I louse, was returning from the Office to his house in Cleveland-Court, St. James's, he was stop ped within a fi w yards of his own dcw,r by a Gentle , man of the name of Grant, lately, we understand, a merchant in Lawrence Potmtney-lane, with a pi,. nil in each hand, who approached,and thus addressee! him :—" You d—d v —n, you are, the cause of des troying the sappiness oy mind,-„take one of these pistols, and you shall instantly shoot me, or I shall shoot you." Mr. Townsend, perceiving Mr. Grant assuming an attitude, which indicated a resolption to carry his desperate purpose into immediate exe cution, made an attempt to rush suddenly by and gain his own door, when Grant who stood in his way, turning round as it were with intent to follow him, discharged one of the pistols at him. The pistol was loaded with swan shot, but the pantie were so close at the time of the fire, the charge probably passed him liLe a single ball, and Mi. Townsend fortunately escaped unhurt by it ; a con sequence that could scarce have happened, had there been distance betweenlfor the shot to scatter. Mr. Townsend, however, wtis nut thus freed front danger, for in the sudden spring to gain his own door his foot slipped, and - he fell upon the pave ment, and Grant, seizing the opportunity, folios.- ed up his diabolical intent, by discharging the con tents of the second pistol at him, while he lay pros trate upon the round. The:contents of the pistol passed through Mr. Townsend's coat, and slightly wounded one of his knees, and the wadding lodged in the skirt of his coat, an set fire to it. Mr. Townsend, however, made a sudden exertion, and recovered his feet. The report of the two pistols brought several of the neighbouring people, sothe of whom saw the whole transaction from their ..W•indows. The popu laceli immediately collected around Mr. Grant: he was secured, and immedisiftly conveyed to Bow street, where he underwent a long examination be fore Mr. Bond and Sir William Parsons; after which he was committed for further examination. Upon inquiry we learned that Mr. 'Townsend has been used for a considerable time past to receive anonymous threatening lekr i ers, but from whom he was not able to form any conjecture. The last of this description which he received was in the follow ing words You have heard the fate of Colonel Montgomery it shall be yiittrs one of these days." This letter, and several others of the same class, and in the same hand-writing, are forthcoming. Mr. Grant, we understand, appears to be insane, and the cause of his melancholy state, as well as of the crime which he attempted, is supposed to be this,. Some time ago he paid his addresses to a daughter of the late Lord Dudley and Ward, who was be• queathed by the will of her father a sum of 40001. Mr. Townsend was one of the Trustees in the will. in whom the above sum was vested for the use of the young Lads, in case she should marry with the consent of her friends. This consent Mr. Grant was unable to obtain ; and Mr. Townsend, as an honour able, faithful, and just trustee, adhered to the will. This disappointment is supposed to have preyed. upon the mind of Mr. Grant, and to have produced that alienation of understanding, under the influence of which he made such a desperate attack upon the life of a most respectable and worthy man. Yesterday afternoon, the Attorney of Surgeon HEA VISIDF., went to the htiuse of Lord EL LEN so aocf.ll, fur the. purpose If applying for a writ of. Habear Corpus, to bring t 4 the 14iy of his client from Newgate, in order thitt he might be admitted to bail. Counsellor Wooeo-attende on the part of Surgeon HEAVISIDE, in or r, if accessary, to ieen force the application, an answer any objeaions that might be made. His Lordship, however, was not at home, and Mr. WOOD being obliged to g' away before his Lordship's return, the merits of the question Nvere not gone into, and' the applicaticAo stands over. ~ Most of the accounts of the proceedings on the case of Mr. ASTLETT of the Bank, since that gen tleman was taken into custody, are very erroneous. All die examinations have taken place at the Bank, and he has not yet been at the Mansion-house. lc has been said, that he refused to answer any ques dons put to him ; but we understand, this is not the Ea, and that he has, on the contrary, communi cated upon the subjed freely.—llia final examina tion is expeded to take place this day. In a late number of an Am'ilxican paper, Tir Wilmington Mirror, apt extraordinary publication has appeared under the signature of , s T. 'IC/ONE v," stating, most peremptorily, that the celebrated Major-General Lr e, of the American army, was the real anther of the Letters of J ctsius. B'JNAPARTE is reported to have explainel to Mr. las' is csTus r., the American Minister at Paris, thtt, the interruption the subjeds of the United States met with on the Mississippi, was the effed of a rifts.. take, and that the navigation of that river should be free to them as formerly. Should this be true, Mr. MONROE, the American Envoy Extraordinary, who is just arrived at Havre umhe United States, and was expeted at Paris on th 11 th instant, finding the objet of his .mission fulfilled before his arrival, - may the sooner come to LOndon to succeed Mr. KINV, the station to thigh he is ultimately des tined. Pr:.vate letters from hlaris contain the following intelligence :—After th4First Consul had received, on the 29th of March 7. a Courier from Gencr.:l Andreossi, an Extrao4rary Council of State s held, and the important, question of Peace or War again debated. It Is understood that tile votes were not adverse to the maintenance of Peace, and a Cou rier was sent off to General Andreossi at London, with the ultimatum of the French Government. England, it is said, is to evacuate Malta, and a Treatrof Commerce to be negociated between the two nations. Should war, however, ensue, it will not be declared by the Chief Consul, but a Sena:44A Consuhum will be passed, which will render it a. na tional transadion. This document, it is said, is already prepared and printed. The preparations made for the journey of the Flitst CoNsui. to Belgium are of the most expel:, sive nature. He is,availing himself of the popula rity, in the mean time, which he has borrowed from the establishment of the Concordat. He attends high mass every Sunday, and•on the two last days of the holy week a most rigorous Fast was inflicted on all , those who are domesticated in the Palace of the 'ktt .l aeries. • " 'iP r I I r ~~ I :. • 1; P. ' "Op