The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1825-03-21 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE. 1101:SE OF THIS DAY. ORDERS ON THE DAY. Game Laws Bill—('am Leal Tax Amataaments Immittee. County Treasurers (Ireland) hill—Committee. Juries Bill—Further consideration of Report. Arrests fur Debt Bill—Second reading. American and West Indian Trade--Committee thereupon. Supply—Report (18th March). Sapplv—Comniittee. Sheri Courts Fees Bill—Committee. Supply —Report (11th Match). Wine Duties Bill—Committee. Creditors (Scotland) Bill—Report. Ways and Means—Committee. Impounding Distresses (Ireland) Bill—Commitrec Caledonian Canal Rill—Committee. Salaries to Police Magistrates--Committee thereupon. Consolidated Fund Bill—Second reading. NOTICES OF MOTIONS. Mr. Iluskisson—Resolutions respecting Colonial Trade, and for affording incristsed facilities to our Commerce and Navigation. Mr. Estcourt—Bill to empower Magistrates. in certain cases, to borrow money on Mortgage of the County Rates. Mr. Secretary Peel—To more Resolutions in Committee on Police Act. Mr. klervies—Civil Contingencies and Miscellaneous Services. (In Committee of Supply.) last day for reeding Private Bills the first time. ----- FASHIONABLE INTELLIGENCE. Mrs. Philips lias a grand musical party on Thursday at her house in Mount-street. Grosvenor-square. Lord King has a grar.d dinner party on Thursday at his house in Devsr-sueet. The Countess of St. Antonio gives a concert on Friday next at her house in 1 I anot er-square. The Marquis of Cholmondley entertained a distinguished party of noblemen to dinner yesterday at his house in Piccadilly. The Dowager Marchioness of Salisbury has an assembly this evening at her house in Arlington-street. The Countess of Arran entertained an elegant circle of fashion shies on Saturday evening at her house in Dover-street. The Duke of Gloucester has issued cards of invitativ for a grand dinner party on Tuesday the '2llth instant. Sir William Burrows, Bart., has a grand dinner party to-morrow. The Marquis of Hertford gives a grand dinner party on Wed- I nesday at his house in Piccadilly. Arrivals at Kirkhara's Hotel', Lower Brook-street :—Mr. and Lady Johnson, from Scotland. Departures:—Captain and Mrs. Shadwell, for Bath ; J. Stuart, Esq., for Brighton. Departure front NVarren's Hotel, Regent-street:—Hon. Mr. and Slits Coventry, for their seat, in Hants. Departure from the Pul:eney Hotel, Albemarle-street :—Mr. and Mrs. Livesey, fur their seat, BorAested Park, Seven Oaks, Kent. Arrived at lilivart's Hotel, Lower Drook.street :—John Pou lett, Esq., front Scotland; J. Saville Lumley, Esq., from Brigh ton ; St. George Caulfield, Esq. ' from iiVarwlckshire. Departures: .-.Sir Edward 11 1 ostyn, Bart., for Leicestershire; Lady IV - arrest, for Derbyshire. Arrivals at Blake's Hotel, Jerrnytratreet :—Lionel Harvey, Esq , his Majesty's Commissioner. and Dr. Mears, from Mexico; the Rev. Dr. Kelly, from Ireland; Mrs. and Miss Stag, from Cheltenham. Departure :—Bight Honourable Lord Killeen, for Ireland. Arrivals at Fladong's Hotel, Oxford-street :—Sir Robert and Lady Wilmot and family, from Brighton ; llertze, Esq. from the Continent ; G. G. Gilbert Esq., from a tour ; Captain Banner, from a tour; Phillips, Esq., from a tour. Departures:— S. S. Prime, Esq., to llama ; Dymcck, Esq. on a tour. His Majesty is expected to arrive this week at Carlton Palace from Windsor. Yesterday the Duke of York, the Chancellor of the Ex chequer, and a select party, dined with Emily Marchio ness of Londonderry, at her house in St. Jamess-square. The Duke of York is about to remove in a few days, it bring determined to pull down his present residence, and erect another upon the same spot for his Royal Highness upon a much larger and improved scale. The new house is to be built with all possible speed, and is said to be con tracted for to be completed in less than twelve months. Hie. Ro l l Highness in the mean time removes to the house is South Audley-street lately occupied by the Dowager Lady Ellenborough, and previous to that by Queen Caro line, it having been purchased for the Queen from the Luis of Cambridge, when his Royal Highness left Eng land to reside at Hanover. On Saturday the Princess Augusta visited the Duchess of Gloucester. Yesterday the Princess Augusta attended divine service in the Chapel Royal. Yesterday the Princess Augusta took an airing in her carriage, after attending divine service at the Chapel Royal. On Saturday the Princess Sophia visited the Duke of York. On Thursday evening Prince Leiningen, the son of the Duchess of Kent, arrived in London from Germany. His Serene Highness was attended by Baron Stockmar from Brussels : whence the Prince travelled to Calais, and there embarked on board a packet for Dover. Yesterday divine service was performed at his Majesty's Palace in Pall-maU, by the Rev. Dr. Blomberg, to his Ma jesty's Household. Oa Saturday the Chancellor of the Exchequer had a numerous dinner party. Yesterday, at three o'clock, a Cabinet Council was hel at the Foreign Office, Downing-street, which was attended by all the Cabinet Ministers except Mr. Huskisoan. Mr. Canning came from Gloucester Lodge to attend the meet ing of the Cabinet Ministers, for the first time since his removal to that place from the Foreign Office for the change of air, in consequence of his indisposition. The Cabinet continued their deliberations until a quarter before a's o'clock. The Duke of Bedford, Sir Gerard Noel, Bart. M.P., J. G. Lambton, Esq. M.P. have recently given a donation of 100 guineas each to the Society of British Artists. Mr. Starkie has resigned the office of Chairman of the Salford Quarter Sessions. lit our report of Mr. Sykes's speech on Friday night, it should have been stated that the West India Proprietors made one million a year by drawbacks on sugar ; not on wines. In noticing this clerical error, we may as well take the opportunity of remarking, that the NVest India Proprietors make by the drawbacks on sugar little more than a tithe of what the Honourable Member asserts, the amount never reaching 120,000/. per annum. Lieutenant Sewell, of the Madras Horse Artillery, was, we are informed, only wounded (not killed) in the affair at Kittoo. KNOWLEDGE iv POW ER.—I knew at London (says Voltaire) a physician of the name of Brown, who practised at Barbadoes. He had a sugar-work and tiegroes; and having been robbed of a considerable sum, he called toge ther his slaves. "My Friends," said he, " the Great Ser pent appeared to me during the night, and told me that the person who stole my money should at this instant have a parrot's feather at the point of his nose." 'The thief im- ' mediately put his hand ap to his nose. "It is you," cried the master, "that robbed me, the Great Serpent has just now told me so." By this device the physician recovered his money. PAUIPLESSION•L CONTIDENCE. — There is no profes sion, perhaps, whom it more concerns to remember Cicero's observation than that of merli‘ine--Arihil tans eereri gum Ise dabitari aliqua de re rides enter ; that they should fear nothing so much as to appear to doubt about any thing. 'There stands upon record an honest apothecary, whose wis iorn in this respect may claim notice. Ile knew the mis chievous consequences at seeming at a loss in any thing. When his boy therefore sent away a customer nmerved, who ingitired for plantain -water, with an excuse that they had none, "Sizrah," said he, " though you could Rue no aqua pia' tariais in the shop, you might have found aqua Resopu glair euough in the yard, and that would have done just as well." The lard-Lieutenant and Council lost no time in w eeding to the tardy request of the Magistrates to relieve this county from the odium and burthtli of the Insurrection Act. Their Memorial, with a prayer to that effect. went up on Sunday, and his excellency's Proclamation for our deliverance from the worse than Curfew Law we's yebterilsy r.eeivtd by the Clerk of the Peaw.— Leindr, Journal. It is now filially determined that the Militia are to be called out in the beginning of May, for twenty-eight dayi training and exercise. The Lords Lieutenant, however, Are allowed to exercise their own discretion, so that the as sembling of the Militia may not be prejudicial to agriculture. It is, therefirre. most probable, that they will not assemble :n Ail the ctiuutiea at the same period. It a Meeting r.t Leeds, on Wednesday, a petition was s t rata to for a version of the Corn Laws. ITALIAN OPERA HOUSE, HAYMARKET. A considerable prejudice has always existed (except in the very best society) against the introduction of the Italian Opera into this country. Our moralists denounced the vicious tendency of catgut, and deplored the degrada tion and effeminacy to which the national character was to be reduced by means of shakes and quavers. Now this was all very well for the days of good Queen Anne ; and, as our wish is that every one should enjoy his hobby and his hypothesis in peace and quietness even in the grave, if 'it so p!ease him, we shall respect even the ghost of a hobby horse, as long as it does not " walk a-nights "—we mean, on opera-nights—to the disturbance of other people. But there is a prejudice coexistent with the former, which seems to have originated in the exertions of Swift and his brother wags to decry the foreign musicians of their day; and as it has in it an appearance of John Bullism, it has thriven accord ingly, and is at present to be met with in company rather more respectable than tailors or chimney-sweepers. They talk (tasteful souls !) of the unnaturalness of the Italian Opera :—firstly, because they speak Welch,or Cel tic, orlrish, As the case may be; and like Mrs. Burton Danvers, in the First Series of " Sayings and Doings," find some difficulty " in making it out :"—secondly, because they do not sing, and the expression of passion and sentiment throuAli the me dium of musical intonation is therefore out of nature. We will undertake to bury this objection in the tomb of all the Capulets, in less time than that in which the Danish Grave-digger pulls off his forty-five waistcoats. The Italian Opera unnatural ! so are a boiled turkey ,and a pair of breeches, and a thousand other conveniences ! How can those who tolerate blank verse in a tragedy, enunciated, generally speaking, in the most stiff and ridiculously-af fected manner, talk of the departure from nature ex hibited in the rhyme and musical expression of an ' Italian Opera—particularly when we consider how the performers in the latter instance sing and act 1 That English Opera (which was set up by the natural school in opposition to the alleged absurdities of the Italian) is a highly unnatural, and, to us, tiresome species of exhibition, we are ready to admit. We say this with out meaning any offence to the few very excellent singers and composers we can boast ; but it is unnatural, and so would be a Welsh, a Russian, or a Dutch Opera precisely on the same grounds—the absence of a musical genius iu the language and the people of those countries. With us music is, strictly speaking, a science—an accomplishment to be acquired by great labour and expense—an artificial ornament necessary to be worn in certain circles by every one pretending to high taste—a thing which we put on and off like a court dress, as the occasion may require—it is all extraneous, and forms no part and parse of our nature. Therefore is it that English Opera is deserving of the Ile al4rnation of' unnatural, because we are not a musical periale, and do not possess a language capable of being easily or advantageously adapted to musical purposes. IVith the Italians it is different, from the influence of a variety of causes—climate, natural productions, temperament, politi cal situation past and present. The bulk and body of the people arc early imbued with a practical taste for the meat exquisite harmony. We inoculate for this ; they take it naturally : it becomes woven into the web of their natant, and the principle, aided by a language singularly harmo nious, developes itself in the spontaneous verse of the Improvisature, and the passionate attachment of the very lowest classes to vocal and instrumental melody. It is absurd to say the opera of*such a people can be unnatural. With all our respect for the mighty masters of the mind, we will say, there is nothing more unnatural per se in the opera of the Italians titan in the graver stage exhibitions of more meditative nations; each is calculated for the dif ferent genius of the people. Of course we are talking of the principle of the thing, and not instituting any compari son between the details of the several performances. But " somewhat too much of this." We have not—as far as we knon —any Italian blood in our veins; and yet " Fra cosi ameni %weft', Panni the s'apra l'snima A dolci, e cart afreti." On Saturday, after the performance of the first act of II Barbiere de Se Diglia, in which Madame Centauri under took the character of Rosina, instead of Madame Vestris, who was prevented from appearing by indisposition, an Opera semi-seria, in one act, called .4de/inn, was produced at this theatre. The plot of this little production is slight, and in its principal feature not unlike that which is al- , ready so well known to the town as the ground-work of a favourite opera at Covent-garden, Clari, or the Maid of Milan. Adelina (Madame de Begnis) has privately, and unknown to her father, contracted a marriage with a young soldier, named Erneville (Signior Garcia), who after some time unaccountably absents himself from her. A daughter is the fruit of the union, which is supposed to have taken place about IS months prior to the period chosen for the opening of the piece, at the residence of Adelina's uncle, with whom she has been living for the last three years. The scene is laid in a little village near Zurich. Ade lina is seen returning to her father's house disconso lately, accompanied by her infant child, who, for a baby of nine months old (we refer to the old—pshaw ! we mean the middle-aged ladies, if that ought not to be its age), is asto nishingly well able to run about. Varner (Signor Remo rini) is indignant at the discovery of his daughter's impru dence, and commands her to quit his sight for ever ; but is finally appeased by the exertions of Don S'ionone (De Beg nis), the schoolmaster of the village, and the opportune re appearance of Erneville. The piece concludes consequently with a chorus, and general satisfaction. Madame De Beg nis was very successful in the character allotted to her, and gave the opening cavatina, " Dolce won," with great sweet ness and effect. We have Len Garcia to more advantage than in the character of'Ernevilk: however, he delighted us several times during the performance with his fine and tasteful execution. Carlotta, a sister of the heroine, though a minor part, was executed with great beauty of expression and considerable effect, by Madame Caradori, who stept out of her place to faciiitate the production of the opera, and contribute to its success. The schoolmaster, who is a poet, very fond of bad Latin and a good dinner, did not strike us as a very happy or original sketch, but our old favourite De Begins did all that good singing and grotesque acting could effect in its favour. We have reserved the cha racter of Varner as the last on our list, for this reason, that there was both in the singing and acting of Sig. Remoritti something that affected us very powerfully indeed—it was true natural pathos throughout. IVe refer particularly to the 7th scene, where the meeting between him and Adelina takes place. The subject of the scene is almost identical with one in the opera to which we have already referred (Clan), and the effect of the united exertions of the composer and the performers is the most intensely pathetic that can be conceived, to which the audience accrued most freely dis posed to add the testimony of' their approbation. In this situation Remorini's performance remindel us strongly of Fawcett, and many will think this a very sufficient praise. With regard to the music, the composer, Sig. Generali, must be content with moderate praise. However, if he has failed to produce any very striking effects except in the instance we have already pointed out, he is entitled to commendation for a correct and unambitious style throughout, though not often illuminated with the bursts of genius which delight us in other composers. The opera would suffer no injury from a little judicious curtailment. We think the scene between Ernerille and Adelina, in which occurs the duetto " Vsmie, in preela a quel destino," might be shortened with advantage to the general effect of the opera. The ballet La Coquette Simonise concluded the 'tie evening. L _ enteriaimnents of thl PAOSPERlTY.—Prosperity "inciitfni has the same effect on a Christian, that a calm alma bath on a Dutch mariner, who frequently, it is said, in those circumstances, tics up the rudder, gets drunk, and goes to sleep. The new Swedish Tariff is generally favourable to the commercial intercourse between this country and Sweden. Many articles of British manufacture, which were before prohibited, are now admitted on payment of a moderate duty. T:. Are Or EGYPT.—An accurate printed list of the VeF eels that srtived at Alexandria, and sidled from that port in 1824, is a very interesting document. The arrivals in 1524 were 1,290 (in 1823 only 933); sailed 1,199; so that 91 remained in the port on the Ist January, 18125.—Ainung the ships arrived were 100 Austrian, including 42 Tuscan, under the Austrian flag (in 1823 only 331); 111 French (in 1823, 52); 251 English (including lonian and Ameri can); 100 Russian (in 1893 only S 9) ; 77 Sardinian ; 70 Spanish; 47 Swedish; 14 Neapolitan; 13 Dat,ish; But:h ; 2 from tl:e Papal Stales. • THE BRITISH PRESS. DIORA MA. We believe we have seen moat of the sights of London, from the Elgin Mat bles and the Raphael Tapestries down to the ingenious artist who cuts you out a very ill-favoured likeness of yourself in the space of eleven seconds with a pair of scissors, and Bonaparte's Tambour Major, who takes sixteen times the trouble that ever drummer took before, for the purpose of playing sixteen times worse than any utht r drummer in creation. As we said we have seen most of the sights of London, and have found many of them little better than vanity and vexation of spirit. We sometimes think of giving the world a selection or . fasciculus of our experience in this way in the shape of a neat pocket volume, to be entitled, " Hoaxiana ; or, the Sight Saer's Fade Mecum." Be that as it may, the public are scarcely aware of the obligation they arc under to us who take the trouble of catering for their amusement, by acting as prceguytateres of every visual and intellectual banquet, and inform ing them beforehand what is safely seeable, and what is a bore. We set off on one of those preliminary ex peditions last Saturday, for the purpose of having what is called a private view of the new picture which is to be exhibited to public gaze to-day at the Diorama. We were really disappointed. " Order the Coachman to drive to the Park--shan't go to the Dioratna."—" Wait a little, fair Madam ; there are two ways of being disappointed." " IVell, but isn't it bad ?" Yost shall hear. We did expect to find a picture of Holyrood Chapel, and we were disappointed, for we found what we were at the first glance almost disposed to think the ancient and venerable ruin itself. We advise none of the deputation from the Sister Island to visit this exhibition, lest they should be tempted to step into,the picture to say their prayers. There is a truth, a reality in the perspective, which, added to the me chanical contrivances of the flickering lamp on the old mo nument—the actual twinkling stars--the neutimi of the full moon, and the low strain of music stealing through the air, makes the scene almost the Thing which it pretends to re present. This Chapel, which we believe originally formed a portion of the Abbey of Sainte Croix, built by David I. of Scotland, suffered considerable dilapielationa at the period of the Reformation, and subsequently at the Revolution. It underwent some repairs so late as the year 1816, and is considered a very beautiful specimen of Gothic architec ture. We should observe that M. Daguerre, the very clever artist who has produced 'this picture, has bad the good taste to represent the ruins as they appeared before the repairs of 1816, and by this means secured a more picturesque and interesting effect to his performance. At the moment the view u disclosed, a female figure is perceived standing in a pensive and contemplative attitude before a dilapidated altar, on which is placed the lamp already mentioned ; the flame of the lamp is so contrived as to throw an intermitting light over the figure, which produces a very pleasing effect. The disk of the moon is observed just clearing the gable wall of the chapel, till at length the whole orb becomes visible, and casts a flood of light over one side of the broken arches. As the moon rises it becomes partially covered with vapoury clouds; its orb appears enlarged (as in nature), and gives out that peculiar blurred and watery light, tinged with constantly changing hues, which is observable in the autumn and winter months. On the whole, we look upon this new view as one likely to become as great a favourite with the public as the best of the old ones in this very interesting Exhibition, which produces some of the best and grandest effects of old De Louther bourg's Eidaphusikon, but on an infinitely enlarged and therefore improved scale. For our own part we were go much gratified by the first view, that it is highly probably we shall become converts to the Scottish doctrine of second sight, and at some future opportunity pay another visit to the Ruins of Ilolyrood. " John, do drive to the Diorama !" TO THE EDITOR OF THE BRITISH PRESS. Stu,—An opinion has lately prevailed, that we should hear no more of Colonel Trench's brilliant and, as we were induced to con eeive, chimerical plan for the embellishment( the norskeen bank of the Thames; but 1 find we are mistaken, and that instead of its having been abandoned, he has been quietly, but as we under stand effectually, pursuing his object, and that he is absolutely likely to produce it in a form that will attract the serious attention of Parliament, and perhaps lead to the accomplishment of a pro ject, which I am ready to admit is one of the most useful, as well as splendid and magnificent projects which has been for many years brought before the public. , It has ',mg been the disgrace of this great metropolis, that its magnificent river has been made to contribute so little to conveni ence or beauty ; and though I did not consider myself competent to offer any opinion of my own upon a plan, with the details of which I am unacquainted, yet I confess the general outline appears to me to promise the most beneficial effects, by connecting the two extremities of the town, and affording that facility of communica tion which the greet increase of population has made a matter of almost absolute necessity. With these sentiments, therefore, I for one most sincerely wish him the fullest success; and I have no doubt, that, if he should eventually succeed, he will entitle himself to the 'hanks of every individual in this great metropolis. I am, Sir, Your most obedient Servant, A FRIEND TO NATIONAL 111PROVEMENT. SHIP CANAL. " Pray who is that Gentleman with a white head ?—That is the person who used formerly to be called the Calculating Boy. Oh, oh ! says Topham, damme puzzle him. I say, old one,— if one pound of cheese cost two pounds of soap, what will a cartload of paving-stones come to ? Did he tell you ?-1' ea ; 3a. and ed. What an astonishing boy !" Vide Mathews' Trip to America. TO THE EDITOR OF THE BRITISH PRESS. This is indeed a new era, Mr. Editor : TELFORD refuted by a Mathematician and Almanack-maker of Langport. Why we all recollect that when the Boat Canal was in contemplation, these Langport Gentlemen were as violent in their opposition as they ap. pear now ;_equally hostile to what they were pleased to call the `• insignificance" of that, as they now are to the splendid magnifi cence of the present. This cannot succeed, because it is too large ; that would not answer, betattise it was too small. How difficult some gentlemen are to please ! I am happy, however, to see that the opponents of this great work have at length " screwed their courage to the sticking.place," and come before the pubic in a tangible shape. I doubt not the fallacies contained in the state ment sent forth will soon be exposed by an abler pen than mine. The calculation as to the value of the land upon the line, and espe cially the quantity to be purchased, is so grossly exaggerated that the veriest Tyro may refute it. To my mind, a sufficient answer to the whole statement, and abundant encouragement to the projectors of and subscribers to this majestic undertaking, is afforded by the alarm produced in the quarter from which this production emanated. It seems to say, I feel the Canal will succeed, and if it does, " Othellu*s occupa tion's gone." The old cry, too, of the destruction of the nursery for seamen, is again set up. Why what mad fools the projectors of the ('anal for dividing the Isthmus of Darien must be! (although it has occupied the attention and received the sane ion of every maritime state in Europe for the last century); surely this must destroy a splendid nursery for seamen, who, but fur this silly and pernicious project. may be rocked and cr adled in the everlasting storms that surround Cape Horn. I know and firmly believe, that it is to theunshaken courage and steady loyalty of this brave race of men I owe it that I have now the happiness of wielding a free pen and addressing a free prep ; but really, Sir, some Gentlemen seem to think that a British sailor can only be reared by being cradled in the lap of Vesuvius, and fed with lava from Etna. Has it never occurred to these Gentlemen, that this Canal will add (I had almost said a sea line, hut) a water line of nearly ninety miles to the em pire; and that along its banks a brave and hardy peasantry will be daily and hourly trained, so as to render them at all times efficient to the naval strength and protection of the empire ? In fact, Sir, I euntider this Canal a nursery for seamen. 1 rulmit the respectability of the Landowners who met at Chard ; I know there were Gentle men present whose mimes and characters would confer dignity on any assemble, and I cannot but lament to see them adding the weight of their names and influence to a mean and selfish opposition. If they cannot distinguish, the good sense of the country can and will distinguish, the Monopolist from the Land. holder, and draw au iiderence not very favourable to the indepen dence of the latter. Whether this undertaking may or may not pay the subscribers, is not a matter for my consideration ; with that I have nothing to do ; I see amongst then gentlemen whose clear heads and sound understandings require little infitenation from me, or front any one. They have made their own calculations, and are ready to stake their money on the result—may Heaven prosper the goal cause ! 1 ant nut a subscriber. I look . at it only as an Eng lishman—l view it as one of those mighty undertakings which exalt my country above all the nations of the earth-1 contemplate it as a work that shall tell to future ages the grandeur, the wealth, and the power of this mighty empire. Great as she stands in arms— proud as l am, and may sell be, that the heroes of Trafalgar and Waterloo are my countrytnen--still, Sir, I cannot forget that it is the peaceful arts that confer real splendour on a country, and eter nice her name. The aqueducts of Rome amid the temples of Athens will be viewed with wonder and delight, when the victories achieved by the hands that reared them are buried in oblivion; and in some distant age, long, very long may it be, a now nameless people, *tending on the margin of this noble work, may my—beheld the splendid remains of Imperial Britabv—patrouesa of arts—arbitrees of bmiuns—soyertign mistress of the,sess A LANDHOLDER. Chard, lath Match, DM. PH REA' OLOG r. [We were prevented on Saturday from giving insertion to the following report, by the late arrival and heavy pressure of the Assize intelligence. We had intended to unite this With the lecture of Saturday evening, but as the present article is long, we defer the other till to morrow.] On Thursday evening Doctor Spurzheitn delivered his second lecture on the science of Phrenology. Having recapitulated briefly the topics of his former lecture, he stated tlitt the object of the present would be to prove that difl'erenr parts co .the cerebral mass were appropriated to difi'erent powers of the mind. All who re flected on the nature of the mental lieulties must be convinced that there were several distinct powers in the tided. No individual was competent to excel in every kind of intellectual excellence. The most eminent man in one respect would be in some respect inferior t.; men of leasgeneral capacity. This was a truth which could not be doubted. Every day's experience confirmed it. Sometimes the mind was deprived of some of its powers, while the others remained in as perfect a state as ever. This was the case peculiarly with insane people. So with persons as they advanced in life—they complained of the decay of their memory, while other faculties continued in companoirely an unimpaired state. The great dif ficulty was how to ascertain what particular part of the brain was appropriated to a particular function of the mind. Anatomy alone could not show the manifestations or functions of any particular put; neither could anatomy alone explain the purposes to which particular muscles were appropriated. For that purpose; anatomy, physiology, and pathology must be combined. Anatomy was of great importance to physical knowledge, but it was not alone suf ficient to diaiover the functions to which any separate and par ticular pre of the body or brain was applied. Without anatomy, however, no advance could be made. In some hydrocephalous cases, the brain was found to be distended like a bladder. By anatomy, we learned that the brain might exist in this state without having any of its functions destroyed: By patient obeerration only could facts be ascertained ; and when anatomical, phemolo• real, and pathological concurred, we might presume that we were nut mistaken in th e i n f erences we drew front the facts ascertained with respect to the brain. All these sciences agreed in pruning that the brain was the organ of the mind.— Whether we attended to the general structure of the body in p healthy state, or the particular disorganisation of the parts in 'bide diseased state, every known fact tended to confirm this propotitioo. The question then was to ascertain how the nutniferdations of the brain were connected with the functions of the mind. This actual size of the brain, it had been before remarked, proved nothing. Persons but little skilled in phrenological knowledge were apt er roneously to draw inferences as to the amount of intellectual capa city front the proportion between the size of the head and that et the body. No measurement of that kind could lead to any true or useful result. Nor was the comparative largeness of the forehead as to the face any indication of the talent possessed by the indivi- dual. He had digressed to allude to these errors, in order chat the science of Phrenology might not be prejudiced by the mistakes of those who were not thoroughly versed in its principle& With respect to the different parts of the brain allotted to the different faculties of the mind, no knowledge had been gained by the expe riments of mutilation practised on the Continent. Parts of the cerebral mass had been removed, but no faculty had been destroyed, except that of voluntary motion. In some instances the corpora alrisla had been removed t in others the cerebellum; but no specific result had ensued, except that in the latter case the animal had lost all power of voluntary motion. What inference could be drawn from these experiments? Certainly not that voluntary motion was the only faculty dependent on the brain. No one would arrive at such a conclusion. The probability was, that the experiments had not been properly made. The cerebral parts were all doublet and therefore, unless both were removed, the (Acuity would no more be destroyed than the power of vision was annihilated by the loss of one eye. Ile doubted whether experiments of this nature could, tinder any circumstances, be successfully conducted. It was cer tain that as far as they had been carried, they had led to the acquisition of no knowledge. That doctrine of the plurality of the powers of the mind was very ancient. All the Schools of Philosophy had admitted that several powers were necessary to explain the phenomena of the mind. The distinction between the understanding and the will was recognised by all the writers on the subject. They spoke also of memory, judgment, imagination, wit. The doctrine of the plurality of the powers of the mind was as old as physiology itself. But no determinate power was attached to any individual part of the cerebral mass. This was the object of Phrenology ; though in the works of some ancient physiological authors there were representations of the head, with divisions marked upon it for the superior powers of the mind. The Phrenologists, however, carried their observations further: they considered that the brain was not only essential to the intellectual faculties, but to the manifestation of the feelings, sentiments, and passions by which the conduct of men was go verned. To prove this position, it was necessary to attend with great care to the facts that had been ascertained ; and again begging tee auditory, in the course of his remarks, to distinguish between the facts he elated and the inferences he deduced front them, he proceeded to the means adopted to know the particular parts proper to the several determinate powers of the mind. In the first place, he would have recourse to the fact, that every head was in point of size and shape widely different from every other head. In objecting to Phrenology, even anatomists had been known to assert that every head was alike. But no proposition could be more unfounded. If we were accustomed to observe the size and shape of heads as much as we did the features of the face, every individual would be as easily distinguished as at present. Of this fact, the auditory would have no doubt, when he pointed out from the casts before him the great difference that ex isted, and they might afterwards make their own observations on the heads of the persons they met with in private life. They would find each head differing from another in a degree that would be perfectly surprising to them. But here again he must caution them against hasty inferences from the facts to which he should call their attention. All he meant thee to do was, to show that each head was different. In discovering facts in phrenological science, it would be necessary, not only to consider the size of the organ of each particular faculty, but the Influence in its development from the exercise of that faculty. The mere size of the or gan was not sufficient to determine the power of the function : the influence of habit must be taken into consideration. So it was with respect to other parts of the body : much depended on the exercise given by the individual to the powers he possessed. The Lecturer then exhibited several casts and real skulls of singular variety in their construction and development. Dividing the head by a line drawn from the ear to the centre or crown of the head, it would be found that the anterior or frontal part was much larger in some than the posterior or occipital part. By drawing milli front the ear to the upper edge of the head, it would be seen that the developroent of particular parts was very different in some in dividuals front others. Another mode was by drawing a hal sontal line round the head from the level of the middle of the forehead. In some skulls the bases or lower part of the cerebral masa would be found to be larger than the upper, and in others smaller. By observations of this kind, which each individual could perform at his leisure for himself, the fact of difference would be established beyond all doubt. It was amazing, indeed, how so' palpable a fact could ever have been denied. In other respects the difference was equally observable ; in some heads the breadth ex ceeded the height, in others the reverse. But another objection was raised to which he would then reply. It was said that ad mitting the fact of the exterior difference of the skull, no inference could be drawn as to the size of the brain. By examination and observation, however, it would be found that the size and shape of the brain corresponded to the size and shape of the skull. He then exhibited several cams of the skull and brain of particular heads, from which it resulted that the brain conformed to the skull : where the latter was fully developed, the former was so too. He did nut deny that in some cases of disease and extreme old age, there might not be sonic difference, but these were not fit subjects of phreno logical inquiry. In all sound and healthy persons in the vigour of life, the cotiformity was perfect. All the investigation this fact had received had confirmed it. The skull was like all the other bones, increased in size and thickness by the advance of age, and in a few instances he had met with skulls of surprising thick ness. He exhibited one of a very aged woman who had died in a state of idiocey, more than an inch thick, and others in which frost disease the thickness had increased considerably. In infants the skull was thin, and gradually increased with the progress of ossifica tion in the other parts of the body. Sometimes the plates of the cranium separated themselves, and the interstices were filled with osseous matter. The brain too in a similar manner wasted with age, and was eonietimes found to be greatly diminished. But these particular cases did not invalidate the general fact that the brain in a healthy person, in the vigour of his life, corresponded in develop ment with the exterior surface of tine skull. Allowance was of course to be made for small osseous elevations and depressions, which arose from accidental causes, arid did not in the slightest degree affect the interior surface, which was always perfectly smooth. lie repeated, that Joking the head in a sound and healthy state, the brain would be found to correspond with it in size and shape. There was, however, another limitauon to this proposition, to which he begged their attention. In some persons the integument' were thickee than in others; the muscles were fatter and larger; and in these instances it was necessary to ascert..in by the touch what allowance should be made fur the integuments. Subject to these diversities, the size and shape of the head were cer teinly indicative of the size and shape of the skull, which also in dicated the else and shape of the brain. It had been said that the size anti shape of the head might b: altered by artificial means. This lie doubted, though he wished indeed that it were true. The Calibs, of whom the Lecturer exhibited a skull remarkably de • pressed in the forehead, had been represented as obtaining that pe , culler development from pressure arthicielly applied by the mothers in their infancy. But how could there be this sort of preseute without counter pressure? and in examining the skulls of these people no counter pressure appeared. Round the basin the cerebrum was fully developed, and the head bore all the appear ance of unchecked natural growth. He concluded, therefore, that artificial causes were wrongly assigned for this Formliar develop ment Undoubtedly parts of the head might be more or less de veloped by the exercise of the powers to which they were related but he disbelieved that exterior pressure could have produced the peculiar conforniation belonging to seine races of men. Having established the fact of the difference existing between the sizes and I shapes of different heads, and the general conformity of the size Ned shape of the brain with the exterior surface of the Ault, he in . oisedeil in has next Lecture to proceed to consider the determinate I powers (tithe 'Mod more cloetiy, with the view of ascertaining their Mellon to the brain. The audience was more numerous than at the preceding Lec tor.. arid their eatisfaetioa was evinced by a deco:ovum man festation of theit applause. , - „.... CATHOLIC ASSOCIATION'. • On Wednesday the Catholisociation met (for the lot time) at the Great Room of the Corn Eichange, Dublin—Major &tar in the Chair. Several letters were read containing(g, remittances of Catholic Rat. Ale. CoxtraY read a letter from Clonmel, signed John Lett and enclosing IDOL u Catholic Rent. including the sum of 61. from several ladies, and also the subscription of an infant nateed B'Bliam Cantwell. who was only Wee dile old ! It was moved and carried unanimously that Master W4M Cantwell should be admitted a Member of the Assuistion. During the reading of these ktters Mr. Shell entered the /Ws and was received with loud and continued cheers. The following letter was read from the Right Rev. Dr. Pisti‘ett. the Roman Catholic Bishop of Meath i " Dear Sir—l beg leave to enclose to you, in the absence . 114 very esteemed friend Mr. O'Connell. my subscription to tits - lie Association for the year 1821. Within tws days of the 1,. ation of the time perMitted to me by las, I am anxious to makrt by this act my sentiments respecting the services of that most *Mu , ' able bialy. " I Sin now in the illth year of my age, and - in the 47th I ..- episcopacy, and 1 little imagined that 1 wouhl lire to witis i ca those days of promising liberality, the Hs-enactment of a new law against us. Rut I pray that our people will bear its in with the resignatlun w hith immortalised our forefathers, end that hit result wril be but of sheet duration. " I have the honour io be, my ddar Sir, " Your most faithful and very humble berrait, "J. PLUNKETT, R-C.II. Moak: " Chapel liidge, Nevelt, March ISch, I=3. " To Edgard Dna, Esq." Several other letters cOntaimag remittances having been midi Mr. CoNWAT read the Addreas of the Association to the emboli.. People of Ireland, which he moved should be adopted by the Asso ciation. Mr. Sifeit rose to address the meeting. After giving as at • count of the reception which the Catholic deputation had met with in England, he proceeded to allude to the measures which west in contemplation towards Catholic emancipation. The first, he said, was relative to the forty-shilltng freeholders ; the second was, a provision fob the Catholic clergy. With respect to the first, hat would say that, for the attainment of the freedom of the country, fee the attainment of tire incalculable benefit that would be de rived from Catholic emancipation,- in one word, fur the attainment of liberty, be would dot nay that that ceneession ought to be made. but he would say that some concession ought not to be refused. Every man in England now concurred in the opinion that the veto could not be required. (Hear.) That point was yielded. Means Those among their opponents, who considered it its the price AN which the liberty of the country might be granted, were now of opinion that it ought not to be required, and that, if it were re. spired. it would mar the beneficial effects of Catholic emancipation The Roman Catholics of Ireland ought to enter into a contract with the Legislature, as far as they could consistent aids high and honourable principles. The public mind of this country hav ing formed a junction with the public mind of England, was a cir cumstance likely to be productive of the happiest result. With respect to the provision for the Catholic clergy, he, as a layman, should not lay profane hands upon it. If that question were left to the consideration of the Catholic hierarchy, and to the great body of the Catholic clergy, he trusted that they would faithfully and conscientiously discharge their duty to themselves, to their country, and to their God. fie(Jlr. Shiel) might now par. haps be permitted to say a ;'ew words relative to his own exami nation ; he would not say in whit place • he would not leave it to the Meeting to conjecture what piste that examination was held in. He should not call it an examination, but a conversation that be (Mr. Shed) had with Mr. Peel. He was asked, would a provision for the Catholic clergy be accepted, without making emancipation a preliminary question ? He OIL Sheil) said, that Catholic emancipation must be its precursor, and that in no other way wduld it be accepted. lie said also that if the Govern ment attempted to select the individuals, as well as to allocate the stipend, there would be an end to the purity of the Catholic church, and to the confidence of the Catholic people in their clergy. (Hear, he-.r.) It world be coosidered as a great moral evil, if the provision was made, not for the man btu for the minister if Government had no share in the situation of the man or the allo cation of the stipend, but that the prieit should be paid by the people themselves out of the taxes paid by the people, he thought. that the same ground of objection would not exist; but be con ceived that the Catholic people never would consent to have the,: clergy appointed at the caprice or pleasure of Government. 3 , 11%. Shiel then proceeded to vindicate biniaell from some misrepresents- Lions which had gone abroad, and, returning to the Catholic Que.- tion, said, as far as he had opportunities of ascertaining it, he con ceived that the public mind of England min decidedly in their favour. It was a matter of astonishment to him that it had beets urged as an argument against them, that the people of England were hostile to their claims. If so, tire tide of public opinion must have charged considerably in the shun space of three weeks in England, for it was now running an impetuous tide in their coccus. It would be well, however, to be prepored for disappointment; they should not let their expectation be raised too high, for if they were still to meet disappointment, their fall would be in proportion to the height from which they should be Rung. They had a gr eat majority In their favour in the House of Commo ns; b ut if„ a fter all, their emancipation should not be achieved—if they should fait in the House of Lords--what part would it befit them to perform'? Let them remain united. (Hear, hear.) He conjured them, ire the name of Heaven, hr the name of their country, not to be di-. vide:- Their opponents were but few, but they were marshalled with vigilance. The Catholics were six millions ; let them retrain united. If they would is themselves' be true s ft followed, as doe did the night, they could not be false to a m mart. Mr. FOGART Y read a letter liom Mr. OGorman, dated Londac. and inclosing the sum of ten pounds British, as Catholic Hen.- Five pounds of this sum was forwarded from Paris to Mr. O'Gur - man, by Henry Edward Lynch, Esq. of Clog her House, in the county of Mayo; the other tire pounds was the donation of are English gentleman, a Protestant, Peter Middleton, Esq. of Stock well House, Yorkshire. Mr. Coen wort, in a spemsh of considerable length and truth eloquence, moved the thanks of the Association to the Membe sot . both Houses of Parliament who stood forward to oppose the Penal Bill. Mr. RUSSEL L seconded this resolution, which was carried by ac clamation. It was then moved and carried, that the Meeting, at its rising, should adjourn to Friday. It was moved and carried, that Mr. Costello should be re. quested to act as Pro-Secretary on the next day of meeting ' in con. sequence of Messrs. Fogarty and Coppinger being obliged to leave town. Mr. Mautticx 0 - Coxxtt.t. then proceeded to read ties list of the several sums received as Catholic Rent for the late week. The amount was 1,1144/. 10s. 2d. Mr. SHELL was then called to the chair, when the thanks of the Meeting were voted by acclamation to Major Bryan for his very proper and dignified conduct in the chair. The Meeting then adjourned. Extract of a letter from Calcutta, dated the pith of Tip— 'ember :—" So great have the desertions been front all corps moving down to the Eastern frontier, that Go vernment have issued an order,, offering ten rupees for every deserter, and it is now difficult to get recruits. With regard to the Burmese war. little has taken place since I last wrote to you (Oct. 18). Our troops remain at Rangoon, and are very sickly ; su much so, that I under stand the strongest European regiment could not turn out above 300 men, and, to mend matters, they have got the scurvy. The last returns chewed that we have lost fifteen hundred Europeans at Rangoon by war anti disease. Ali the killed and wounded who fell into the bands of the Burmese in the late affair were crucified.—The upper provinces of India are in a restless state. Hum ana is said to be overrun by plundering parties. Au officer, who was on his way through that country to join his corps, was lately stopped, and told that lie had better return while he could, as the Company Rel fLiji (Corn pany's Rule) was over in Hintiostan. Troops hare also been ordered to march immediately to Barully. In short, the natives in the upper provinces believe that we have been well threshed by the Burmese, and seem inclined to try our strength." EARTIICVIAILE A r SIIIIRA Z.—A late account from Persia informs us that another destructive earthquake had takes/ place at Shiraz about a month subsequent to the one de scribed in a former paper. By this last visitation, the part of the city which had been hitherto preserved, yeas com pletely levelled, and our informant, to give effect to h'.% description, states, that a person et one of the gays may now discern another at the most distant one, the view which had been intercepted by lofty buildings, not one of which remains. A few days previous to the lest carastrerhc, several persons had commenced rebuilding their licuses, but the walls of these were also shaken to the ground, and the wretched inhabitants were residing in tents and huts in the gardens, at some distance from the waits of the city. The greatest distress and alarm prevailed amongst all classes, and in addition to their misfortunes from the lbw of their homes, &disease has broken out, soinewha t allied to Cholera, which was carrying off number. The complaint is described as producing vomiting, which is followed by a (tininess, and death almost inon,•diately ensues, but it is not accompanied by any violent spasmoc affection. as its the common Cholera.—Calci.m; Governmene Goastre, Or sober Sip. A diabolical plot was lately formed to set fire to the town of St. Thomas, in the island of that name, which, bow ever, was happily discovered in time to prevent the wifkea design from being carried into execution. We are requesnvl to state that the account, under the head of " Guildhall," in our paper of Saturday, of a Solicitor of eminence iii the City hivlrrg been ehtrgad with obtainiat money under f:lse pretef:i, is altOgt:Lha tutc of foundation. ~ ~ a AM..* • 1 ~ ij