The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1825-11-18 00:00:00

LITERARY GLEANINGS. No. I,Xf. ON INSTINCT. Th e re are certain actions, and trains of actions, occa ,..lle t o be met with among mankind, but more fre "—gfe and more strikingly among otber animals, wi ly ce um te' the employmen t of definite means to obtain able- , 4 0, without the intervention of that chain of thought co nstitutes reason ; and which have, hence, b ee n whic hibed to listinct instinctp. rinciple, that has been distingui s h e d Au asc r a he the ow e of ' t he different species of birds, in constructing their rots , not only adhere to a peculiar plan, but whenever o rs can obtain them, a peculiar kind of materials. Yet, it i h o : materials cannot be procured, the accommo isti,g 'rawer of the instinctive principle directs them ot hers, and suggests the best substitutes. Thus, redbreast uniformly prefers oak-leaves as a lining t h e h er nest, whenever she can acquire them ; but, if dte for be not to be bath, she supplies their place by , moss sodiliate. so, where the bird of any kind, about to lay her P• isof small size, and the eggs are more than commonly el „ on erous, the nest is always made proportionably warm, that the nestlings may all equally partake of the vivifying b e g. Thus the wren, which lays from ten to eighteen „ Fs , constructs her little edifice with the greatest care, and of the warmest materials ; while the plover and the eagle, w h ine eggs are so few that the body of the mother may easily cover them, build with little solicitude, and some times content themselves with the naked cleft of a rock. A .,d t hus, too, in very cold winters in Lapland, the fond wster.fowl will occasionally strip the down off its breast, to line its nest and protect its progeny. wh e ai a warp, in attempting to transport a dead com ion from the nest, finds the load too heavy, he cuts off tubes], snd carries it out in two portions. Such is the accommodating power of the instinctive prin ciple in a nimals, when directed to a particular purpose. Nor are the examples of it fewer or less striking in the ve getable world. It i s obvious that the influence of instinct runs equally t hrough the whole range of vegetable as well as of animal life ; and consequently its powers or principles, whatever they consist in, are essentially different from those of per cepiion sod sensation. Instinct is the common property of organised life in all its forms; but lift itself is not neees wily connected either with reason or sensation: and it is of no small consequence that we attend to this curious and extraordinary fact, the proofs of which are abundantly in our possession. Mr. Jon sr II eNTia has sufficiently shown o r hiond to be alive, though a fluid, and to have all the " ta me propertiesof life, as irritability, contractility, anti g power of maintaining its natural scale of heat, whatever be the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere. It is, weed, perpetually evincing its attachment to life, by a doe and discretionary exercise of these properties, with a view of preserving life, and consequently by a clear maul ftetation of an instinctive faculty. It resists equally every excess of cold or of heat that may be injurious to it ; and hence sometimes raises the thermometer, and sometimes depresses it, so as to maintain a healthy equilibrium. It contracts itself, like the muscular fibre, upon the applica tion of an appropriate stimulus, sad conveys the principle of life, and powerfully assists in applying that stimulus, to puts in which the vital action is languid, or has altogether awl. There is no part of the living system that displays in amore eminent degree the faculty of self-preservation, alf-production, of attachment to life, or of resistance to wbatcver is injurious, than the blood ; and yet every one trust perceive that this faculty is pure monist instinct, equally destitute of feeling or intelligence. I have said, however, that the same principle appears to exist in the fluids or plants; and Mr. KNIOUT appears to have established this by facts, which are equally surprising and satisfactory ; for he has shown that the sap of potatoe and of mint leaves, and that of the team and shoots of the vine, when plunged into a moist and warm soil, are disposed, like the blood, to give rise to vascular or organic forms, and to produce bulbs or roots, more or less perfect ; and give evident proofs of an effort to preserve and extend life, and consequently of an instinctive power,--of that power which consists in every instance, accordantly with the definition of instinct already given,---in a simple opera es of the principle of organised life, by the exercise of certain natural powers directed to the present or future gaol o the individual. Is I:ke manner, the bones, the cartilages, the cellular steribrane, and even the cuticle, are alive; but, in a state of health, they are as destitute of sensation, as well as of intelitgence, as the blood ; and, whether in a state of health aof disease, are always destitute of the latter ; though, by 'variety of morbid actions, the former is often produced is all of them. So, in the new-laid egg, we have an equal proof an instinctive principle,—of the same faculty of self presetration, of the same attachment to life, and resistance tt delruction. For, like the blood of a healthy individual, the sew-laid egg, whose vessels are merely in a nascent sere, and which can scarcely be regarded otherwise than u a fluid, is capable of equally counteracting cold, heat, and putrefaction; and does forcibly counteract them for a considerable period longer than egg that has been frozen, or in any other way deprived of its vital and instinctive tower. - Sensation and perception, so far as we are capable of wit less*, can only exist in appropriate organs, as the nerves, or modifications of nerves, which are the only known seat of the one; and the brain, or some modification of the 111 it. 'Mich is the only known seat of the other; and hem, whsrever these organs, or either of them, be dis coverable, it is consistent with right reason to infer that th e faculty also exists to which they respectively give rise. Eat, on the contrary, when neither of these organs exist, as in plants, and a multitude of the lowest tribes of animals, ✓P bare the same reason for inferring, that though life is levant, and indeed in many instances, peculiarly tenacious ml vigorous, there is neither intelligence nor sensation ; and that the whole of their vital functions and operations are Performed by the common law of instinct, which, acting in different ways in iliKrent organs and beings of different !immures, appertains to living matter of every kind, which is equally independ en t of nerves and brain, of sensation and perception; which requires no tuition or discipline, admits neither of intensity or dulness ; but is perfect and mature from the first, and uniform in its mode of action from infancy to old age. In plants, we meet with examples equally marvellous. sills, the stalk of the convolvulus twines from the east to the weft, the face being towards the south ; the kidney bean panes the sam e co . urse ; while the honee-suckle and the 40 . L, take a p er f ect l y reverse direction ; the same sun, the sew soil, the same atmosphere, operating on all of them at the mine time. The instinctive power is obvious, in la also the absence of both sensation and reason. But who will rcve t t to us the cause of this difference ? In the following instances the cause is-obvious: it pro f els from the peculiar structure and powers of the dif- I, reit animal, ro which they relate : and it would, per hlN• be as obviotts to us in the preceding, were we as in l'"'otiv acquainted with the nature of plants as of ani- NI , . The I.ietierel, the lield-manse, and the very curious ird ca :m1 the nut-hat( 1 , lice equally on hazle-nuts, as i• 'resit delicious food ; but each of them opetes the reel in a very 'Efferent: manner. The squirrel, after off the small end, splits the shell in two with his fore-te th, as a mgrs does with his knife. The Phi l'" nibhke a hole with his teeth, as regularly u if drilled Iva a wimble, and yet so small that it is wonderful how he kernel can he extracted through it ; while the elite 40 i A picks an irregular hole with his bill; but, as tbis art ' has . 1 10 paws with which to hold the nut while lie Perces it, like an adroit workman he fixes it in some cleft of 'tree or in some crevice, which answers the purpose of a when, standing over it, he readily perforates the t art, shell, and, while at work, makes a rapping noise, 'at cosy be hea r d at a considerable distance. l et take, as an example, the very common instance of r w m l Of Young ducks brought up under a hen, and, con lo all the instincts and feelings of a foster-mother, t h P,^R soddenly into the water, while she herself ta w piteously on the brink of the pond, not daring to v " "d, expecting every moment to see them drowned. 1 !hat kind of experience or observation,—by what train i:tvlnacought or reasoning, has the scarcely fledged brood a ble to discern that a web-foot fits them for swim 41bd that a Enured foot would render them imps- A knowledge that mankind have only acquired by long and repeated contemplation, and which has never been fully explained to this hour. Habit, imitation, and instruction, would all concur in teaching them to flee from the water, as a source of inevitable destruction : and yet, in opposition to all these influences and premonitions, we see them rush into it, and hat mlessly : we see them obey ing an irresistible impulse, which directs them to what is fitting, and which is stampt in the interior of their little frames, and an impulse equally remote from the laws of mind and of mechanism. Iu like manner, by what process of imitation, educa tion, or reasoning, does the nut-tvecvil, whose little larve, or maggot, is familiar to all of us, from its being found so frequently i n the kernel of the hazel-t ree , see k out exclusively, and with the nicest knowledge of the plant, the green hazel in the month of August. while its nut-shell is yet soft and easily penetrable ? What past experience or course of argument instructs her that this is the fruit best adapted, or perhaps only adapted, to the di gestive powers of its future progeny ? With a finished knowledge of her art, as soon as she is sufficiently pregnant to deposit her eggs, she singles out a nut, pierces it with her proboscis, and then, turning round with an accurate adjustment, drops an egg into the minute perforation ; hav ing accomplished which, she passes on, pierces another nut, drops another egg, and so continues until she has ex hausted her entire stock. The young nut, not essentially injured, continues to grow. The egg is soon hatched ; the young larve, or maggot, finds its food already ripened and in waiting for it ; and, about the time of its full growth, falls, with the mature nut, to the ground, and at length creeps out by gnawing a circular hole in its side. It then burrows under the surface of the ground, where it conti nues dormant for eight months ; at the termination of which time it casts its skin, commences a chrysalis of the general shape and appearance of the beetle kind, and, in the beginning of August, throws off the chrysalid in vestment, creeps to the surface of the ground, finds itself accommodated with wings, becomes an inhabitant of the air, and instantly pursues the very same train of actions to provide for a new progeny which had been pursued by the parent-insect of the year before. The instances are innumerable: let us, however, confine ourselves to one more. The sphex, or ichneumon wasp, in its perfect state, feeds on the nectary of flowers • but, as soon as she is fitt e d to d e p os i t h er eggs, she becomes actuated by an appetite of another kind. She first bores a small cylindrical hole in a sandy soil, into which, by ac• curately turning round and adjusting herself like the nut. weevil, she also drops an egg. She next seeks out a small green caterpillar inhabiting the leaves of the cabbage plant, which she punctures with her sting, vet to slightly and delicately as not to kill it ; she then rolls it up into a circle, and places it in the sandy nest, immediately over the egg. She continues the same labour till she has counted twelve, and deposited twelve caterpillars, one over ano ther ; and thus repeats the process of ovation and supply, till she has exhausted herself of her entire stock of eggs. She immediately closes the hole, and dies ; intrusting her eggs to the fostering heat of the sun. The egg in each separate cell or aperture is soon hatched, and the young larve finds, in the superincumbent green caterpillar, its food duly prepared and in waiting for it, and incapable, from its enfeebled state, of resisting its attack ; though preserved from putrefaction by the little life that yet re mains to it. It feeds progressively on the twelve caterpil lars, and, by the time it has exh a u s t e d t h em , b ecomes fitted for, and is converted into a chrysalis. In the proper season it awakes from its dormancy, works its way to the surface of the earth, throws off its chrysalid clothing, em ploys its fresh wings with dexterity, rises into the new element of the atmosphere, feeds on the honey of plants instead of on maggots; and at length pursues the very same train of actions to provide itself with a progeny, which was pursued by the parent-insect that gave it a being. -- • (To be concluded in our next) YELLOW FEVER IN THE WEST INDIES. The following details of the fatal sickness which pre vailed on board his Majesty's frigate Scylla, in the roads of Carthagena, will be read with painful interest: they are extracted from a private letter:— " The progress of the sickness has been lamentable, particularly in the death of seine officers of great merit, who had won the • golden opinions' of all men. amongst whom I deeply regret to have to number Captain Rus se ll t one o f t h e Bedford family), corn. mending the ship, who was highly esteemed by all who knew him, and adored by his officers and men, to whom he was a father and a friend. Indeed, his devotion to them, with his strong sense of duty, seem greatly to have accelerated, if not caused his death. No remonstrance or entreaty could induce him to quit the ship—he re mained, amidst death and horrors, constantly visiting the berths of his sick o ffi cers and m en , h our ly a d m i n i stering to their co:nforts, and satisfying himself with his own eyes that they wanted fur no. thing in the least conducive to their recovery. In fact, he was suf fering under fatigue. anxiety, Ltd sleepless nights, before attacked by the fatal disease (which was a long time in catching him), and the consequence was, that on the second day of his illness he had the black vomit, and expired on the morning of the third , day. So rapid and so powerful was the progress of this poisonous disease in his system, that no medicine, nu protisaional skill, could for a moment master it ; he had throughout the a'txious attendance of Dr. Byrne, who, by his treatment of this terrible fever on board the Scylla. has added much to his already high professional reputation, as well as to his character as a man, regardless of danger or self in. terest, when duty and humanity call for his services. " The first Lieutenant Elkins is also dead. It appears he was greatly beloved, and to the last he exhibited extraordinary self-pos. session and composure. When he saw he had the black vomit, he said calmly—. So, the black vomit, that don't look so well, but we shall see.' He then spoke quite collected on indifferent subjects. On the following day he was attacked with a severe hiccup—' So,' said he, the black vomit yesterday, the hiccup to-day; I believe it is time to see what I have to do!—place my writing desk on that table.' He then rose, opened his desk, sat down calmly and firmly, wrote a letter to his wife, had it witnessed, retired to his berth, and lo two hours was co more. " The death of Elkins caused great and general lamentation in the ship, and I have It also from an eye-witness, that when the lowering of the flags announced the death of Captain Russell, lan guage could not describe the burst of grief from all on board, and from the convalescents on chore, who had been all the moming watching, with intense anxiety, f or news res p ect i ng their beloved Commander—a dry eye could not be seen—tears rolled silently down the cheeks of those just recovering front the grave, whilst others retired to their quarters wringing their hands in agony. Such a tribute from rough hardy seamen is, perhaps, the most glo rious that could be paid to the memory of a departed officer. " Among the medical gentlemen in attendance the disease has been more than usually fatal. In my last I mentioned that the first who died was the burgeon of the Scylla (Quin). At that time the British ship of war Jasper arrived from England, and Surgeon Brown was removed from her to the Scylla ; he died. Doctor M'Cann (an Irishman, recently arrived in the Venezuela, from New York, intending to join the Colombian service), then volunteered his services ; he died. Thus three medical men out of five have fallen victims to the disease. Dr. Aline! (a young gentleman from Washington City, who volunteered his services on the death of M'Csnn), and Dr. Byrne, remain so far free from fever, and as it now assumes a !Miser form, there is every hope that they will continue so. Indeed, the escape of Dr. Byrne, under all the circumstances, appears extraordinary as well as most providential. From the moment Surgeon Quin, who was the first attacked, sunk under the fever, twenty.hve days since, Dr. Byrne's attendance—l may with truth say, his labour—has been Incessant. For, having extensive practice in the city, he has had to pass frequently a considerable distance, under a burning sun, to the ship, there to remain for hours, not only prescribing out administering medicines, &c. to the sick, sometimes sleeping on board amidst the pestilence, as his assistants sunk so rapidly that unless he remained nothing eflectaally could be done for numbers calling for his aid. Latterly he remains below with the ship altogether. Some days previous to his death, Captain Russell moved the Scylla down the Bay about three miles, opposite to Bocco Grand, where she could have the full benefit of the sea-breeze, and the Intendente and General Montilla having liberally offered a military post at that place for the accommodation of the cones !emcees, they were landed; and there, on the beach, Dr. Byrne pitched a tent, where he sleeps and has a hospitable table for the convalescent officers and others, dividing his valuable time between the recovering men on shore and the sick on board. A letter from him, written yesterday, announced that In the three preceding days there were only five new cases, sad that, with the exception of one, the fever seemed to assume a much milder form; that one man who was ill fourteen days with black vomit severely watt recovering, and that the pcoipect altogether seemed to he more consoling. Though the deaths on board the Sylla are truly lamentable, they are, in amount, considerably below the number recovered. The account stands thus:— " Captain Russell. Lieutenant Elkine, Surgeons Quin and Brown, Dr. M' o Midshipmen ( Miller, and another whose name I forget), the 'n's Clerk (Barnes), and fifteen men dead. " Captain Bombard (of the Life Guards', and Aide.de.Camp to General Sir John Kean), Actinic Lieutenant Dixon, the Ounner, the Boatswain, and upwards of fifty men convalescent." We hope that an experiment, tried at the late Assizes for the county of Berke, will become general throughout the United Kingdom, and also at the Quarter Sessions— we mean the distinguishing in the cab ndars the prisoners who cannot read nor write, from those who can. THE BRITISH PRESS. COURT OF ASSIZES, PARIS. TRIAL FOR POISONING. Denis Plessis, a cooper, 29 years of age, war: accused of having, from hatred and jealouvy, endeavoured to poison a yellow-workman named Bachelet, who was employed with him in the service of the widow Berthe. Bachelet was the junior of the two, but had never thelevs been chosen to till the post of foreman, to the prejudice of the Accused. On the 15th July last, Bachelet and Plessis sat down to table after having worked the whole day together ; whilst eating the soup that 31adame Berthe had served hint with, B.tchelet tasted in it a moat detestable flavour; he however continued to eat it, on the assurance of Madame Berthe that there was nothing the matter with it except that the egg-shells might htve got into it. He, how. ever, felt seriously indisposed, but was relieved by the skill of Dr. Perronneau. It became suspected that thesoup contained arsenic, and it was remembered that, on July li preceding, Plessis had noticed, whilst working in the cellar of M. Guillet, a druggist, two barrels, which were broken, full of that poison, and that he had taken a small quantity of it. Traces of a white powder were found in his pocket, and even in the loft he slept in, which, upon being analysed, proved to be arsenic. Plessis was not, however, immediately ar rested, and the prosecution he at present suffers is merely owing to the imprudence he was guilty of in going to a Commissary of the Police, and laying a complaint of defamation before him concern. ing the bad reports that were spread by Mad. Bertha and Dr. Perronneau, concerning him. This trial was to have been brought on in October. but the ab. Knee of witnesses prevented it. It occupied the Court the whole of to-day, under the Presidence of M. the Counsel Haranguier de Quincerot, whose late family misfortune (the loss of his father at 91 years of age) has not prevented his attendance on this trying oc casion. Denis Plash' wail examined by the PRESIDENT, and answered with great precision and calmness. Ile confessed to having swept away what Bachelet had vomited, but denied having drawu water from the well In order to wash away all traces of it. The Pamiss: xv—On the same evening you washed your trousers, and eight days afterwards there were some grains of arsenic found In your pocket, which had remaned there In spite of the washing.—lf there was arsenic in my trousers, it can only be the wife of Mendet who put it there, or perhaps Madame Berthe. You would suppose, then, that Bachelet's wife would have poisoned her husband ? It was dnne to ruin me, which may be proved by the fact of their having told the persons sent to examine into the matter, to look into my trousers. The Juge d'lnstrucion* made the examination in person, and that Magistrate has expressly stated the fact in his proms verbal. When he asked what clothes you had on on the day in question, and learning you had on a pair of grey trousers, he had them examined, and when the tight pocket was unsewed the re. mains of arsenic were found in the seam. It was on this discovery that he visited your loft. Who was it that took arsenic there also? The same persons that put it into my trousers. If the accusation has any foundation, it was in the loft that you ground the poison ? I have never touched, nor ground, nor carried an arsenic into my chamber. . lou took some at M. Online's, the druggist, a few days before ? • Answer—Not at all ;it was the dr u ggi st ' s s h o p -b o y w h o too k a small quantity ; it was Impossible to take any without his seeing, as he was there to look after us. AVIto could have come into the shop in order to poison Bachelet ? —I cannot tell ; it was possible to slip in the back way whilst we were washing our hands. They cantrived too to put arsenic into my trousers. Who are those persons ?—Madame Berthe and Madame Bache let, who was on very bad terms with her husband. They had been upon bad teems for seven years ; they have even been separated. A year ago Bachelet was at Versailles, and he asked me to fetch hint a porter to carry off his effects. For three or four months Bachelet's wife has returned to her husband, and dined with him at Madame Berthe'a. She has endeavoured to poison her husband, but not succeeding, she has done all she can to throw it upon me. She did not, however, denounce you ; and at first there was not even an application to justice?—lt is clear she hates me, for she has made false declarations against me, and has persuaded Madame Berate that I am the poisoner. Five days after the event, Dr. Perronneau took me aside, and told me that I was suspected, and I was going to be arrested ; and that if he might advise me, it would be to obtain a passport for the country, and leave the house. I answered hitn that 1 had nothing to fear, and that I should remain. On the eve preceding the day in question, you slept with a man named Lechene, a nd h ear i ng Josephine Berthe, whose father had died six months before, sing, you said that it was not right, and that next day some misfortune would happen said that it was unlucky. You also said to Lechene, after the event. that if Bachelet died, as exerution would be the conquence. You therefore knew he was poisoned said that on account of something his wife had said : on the Monday she said, that if her husband died, his body would be opened, and that every body in the house would be examined. Madame Berthe, the first witness, was then called, but she only deposed to facts already known. Bachelet then came forward, and gave his evidence ; he sup ported himself in great pain by a stick, without which he could not walk. Be stated that since he had been poisoned he bad ex perienced great pain and weakness in ail is limbs. Pars [DENT—Has not your fellow workman, Plonk, sometimes taken articles from the cellars where he was employed ? Bachelet—l have often seen him, when he was behind me, take bottles of wine, or spirits. I used not to like it, and I threatened to inform Madame Berth. of him. But sooner than come to that point I should have preferred having my share. Ylessis.—l have n ever ta k en any bottle ; it was, on the contrary, you who brought wine to our house, either in bottles or pails. Madame Berthe never boys wine, but yet she always drinks, wben at home, two bottles per day. How it can be done, I can't say. The Pa ES IDE xx--Some bottles have been found in your box, which are known to have been taken from M. Poulain's ? Plessis—lt was Bachelet that gave them to me Bachelet—lt wan that sort of bottles that he usually carried awry. M. 111 OR ET, Counsel—Bas not the witness had some disputes with his wife? Batchelet—Yes, Sir, in 1818, but we have not sepanted. We could not agree together, because she is too quick and fiery, end that lam not. She took a room, and I went to service. After the the death of Monsieur Berthe she was asked by Madame Berthe to come and work in the house. M. MOHET—Eight days before the day in question, did you not vomit after having dined with your wife? Bachelet—l did not vomit, I merely had a pain in the side ' • my wife wanted me to ha ve l eec h es , b ut I did not t hi n k i t would be of any use. pr. Perronneau stated that he saw from the first there had been poison administered. The PRESIDE NT—Why did you not inform the Police of it ? Perronneau—l was ignorant whether it was the consequence of a crime or of suicide. ou went further; you advised 'lnnis to take flight ?—lt was according to the advice of Madame Berthe, who was alarmed by the threats of Phasic who said that if any consequences resulted front the affair, he should kill her too. I confess I acted rather thought lessly, but still not from my own opinion; 1 had the advice of two other persona. M. BAYEUX, Avocat-General—You had only to consult the law, which enjoins you to declare the matter immediately, under a penalty of 300 francs. The PnICSIDENT—It is thus that the blameable weakness of many physicians often prevents justice from following up the traces of crime► that have been committed. M. Orfila, Professor of Medicine, and/M. Bartuel, a &mist. were the persons who analysed the arsenic found in the pockets and chamber of Plessia. They stated that the quantity that must have been put into the soup was sufficient to poison several people. Dr. Marc gave evidence to the same effect. The depositions of Bachelet's wife did not excite so much inter est as was expected. Newts did not renew hit charges before her. She deposed that Plesgis had offered to watch her husband at night when be was ill, but that she had refused to let hint, from a kind of t.resentiment Napoleon Lechene repeated the conversation which had passed between him and Plash, the evening before the event in question. The prisoner still denied the correctness oftite statement, and endeavoured to explain that conversation. Madame Mercier, a pork-butcher. then gave evidence to a very important fact that had not lieftee bees noticed. I was said she, at Madame Berate's, who is my neighbour, when the notices were brought for the witnesses to attend the Court. 111. Louis Bachelet said to me—" my God, neighbour, if it had been in powder I should have been a lost man." flow ? said I ; was you not poisoned with a powder ? Bachelet replied, that the arie nic, as the physicians had told Aron, was not enough broken. It was that then, cried 1, that he was breaking just before my depar ture for the country ! In fact, I remember very well that on the 7th July, about five or six o'clock in the morning, whilst at my window, which looks upon the little court opposite the loft where Pleats slept, I saw him crushing something upon a little table. Plessis—lt is false ; I have crushed nothing. Madame Mercier—l don't know what you were crushing, but it snapped under the instrument you used. I only tell the truth. I am sorry to have to give evidence here. Mons:T—Flow has the witness been called before the Court ? The PRESIDENT-4 only received notice of it yesterday. The Avocat-General immediately had the witness summoned, and I sent to the Commissaire of the Police to take a description of the place. N. BAYEUX—M. Berthe, immediately after the conversation with Madame Mercier, conducted her to the J Juke d'lnstructicm. This Magistrate found it WaS too late for him to receive her decla ration, but haßtened to give me notice of it. Madame Mercier--I did not wish to leave ety business, but Madame Berthe told me that it was absolutely necessary that it should be known, for that It was said it was her or Piesais who had poisoned Baehr! t. N. MoaET—This is very strange on the part of Nladam Berthe. bladame Berthe—l certainly did say that ; but knowing that it wax not myself, I meant that it must he Plessis. Madame Mercier—M. Bachelet also told me that Plessis ac tutted his wife with having poisoned him. I then said I should go. The PRESIDENT—The Gentlemen of the Jury will take nutice that it was on the 6th of July that Pleads was in the cellar of the druggist, where he might have got the poison. It ix on the (110111. in g of the 7th, the following day, that be was seen to crush some- Cling hard. Several witnesses were called for the prisoner. 111. Duchene deposed that it was him who ' , Nixed Plessis to go • An Officer who examines into all tact., and upon whose report the whole proceedings in a case are founded. and complain to the Commissary of Police of the reports which Dr. Perronneau and Madame flerthe spread abroad concerning him. The other witnesses were called as to the prisoner's moral cha meter, &e. AI. Bay EU x, A vocat-General, said that it wan with great grief that he saw himself obliged to sustain an accusation strengthened by such irresistable evidetce. In this evening's audience, M. Moret will enter upon the pri loner's defence. The verdict will be given in the night. P.S.—Quarter past eleven.—The Jury have found a verdict of Guilty, by a majority of seven voices to five. The Court concurred with the majority of the Jury,gand Plessis waa in consequence con clewed to death. th TI re. pint tire ? V eil iodic ty. 1 111 ' 1 ' whi• • stet es I • Ora nee the! 11 it data loot P ter• the maw f oe 1 !" ekes sod tn. that beat ra • a ft 1 ofd h; who In& esel and root I•a s wan to nee ult u its tc q . • but tip like Na in. get Baas sod thn ka- life the+. c are cep: wing err Per- sue off extr alt our Nil Lle :11 a c'te ever I Pt ", bell • Lk" arq doe fr tiew ['Net fast ORt tut it eh dept COlll 3 t riot af I w w pad ity t Cat net as cite tc orr t 3 en one fire( cgs feet OR aim ry no hay noir and son and skin the I • die rd i for urt ane vet life, t Pee fi e . the not tors eat ea 6 1 * i~r Ii wa sal orts of Intel is ar ien a ea 'f io io a T 1 221 V C Pre' hen toil dm: the urn tin :a u / and :or Cut It y or i f pow 8 Ire 10 l uie. Oe I uct of 0. bra n's, het • Cu' thy w 82 P l2 ' al i tali Ir. y ate ye a 4113 and the 010'1 pe r but f' difl loft it! S this is PE la ant le; "I Or Ina FUL. fro t oss TI moor th be and t tin resin. tho then tht Enid] as wk inks , •ht . to e A I k eel ha I'ra tin dd. ino :b. f bit the irn awe ru ilk nu io n e ct Bite' av, le at h e 'he • 44 he I. is Ida Pie rch, ae nu he the Na pie tie a nd th ab r ' tea nor tit the 8y ' of keel host •ses. THE COMBINATIONS IN SCOTLAND. An apprentice of Mr. Andrew Liddell, brass-founder, having for some time past conducted himself in a disorderly manner in the workshop, and having latterly refused to work as desired by his master, was, on Fnday last, apprehended for examination, under a complaint founded on the late act for enlarging the power of justices in reference to such cases. In the course of examination it appeared that his misconduct and refusal to work, originated in a cause which Mr. Liddell knew had no existence in any other department of his work, and which he did not believe to exist even among the brass founders, viz. that system of combination which has of late produced such disastrous consequences in almost every de partment of business. One of his journeymen brass founders was recently dismissed for gross misconduct, and another employed in his place. The other servants in this department being of opinion that Mr. Liddell ought to have borne with the former, and that the latter was not regularly bred to the trade, would have struck had they not been all under written engagements. In these circutn stances the young man stated that lie resolved not to work with the nob, although lie denied that he had come to this resolution at the request of the combined brass-founders. The Magistrate, being of opinion that the severest punish ment ought to be inflicted in every case in which workmen attempted to control their masters either in the employ ment of their servantsor in the management of their work, would have adjudged the apprentice to three months' hard labour in Bridewell, but for the intercession of Mr. Lid dell, at whose request the term of confinement was re stricted to thirty days. Between twelve and one o'clock on Saturday morning a cotton spinner of the name of Peter APAuley went to the door of Mr. James Napier, power loom tenter, Hutcheson town, and in a rude and imperious manner demanded in stant admittance. Alarmed by the noise. Mr. Napier sprang from his bed, and declared that he would not open his door at such an untimeous hour till he knew who his visiter was, and the nature of his business. " Open the door in a mo ment," said the fellow, " I know well enough who you are; you are one of Todd's- nobs; I would like to get a day's shooting at you like a parcel of fowls, and if you do not instantly open the door, I will break it open and rip you up." Mr. Napier ordered the delinquent to go about his business immediately, or if lie did not he would make him feel the weight of a pair of excellent tongs that were in the house. On hearing this, M'Auley repeat edly snapped a large clasp knife, and declared that lie had a good pistol to protect himself, and with horrid threats and imprecations he drove his knife several times into the door, and redoubled his exertions to burst it open. Find ing him so determined, Mr. Napier called on his neigh bours in the flat under him, and three men came up and secured him while he was endeavouring to force his way into Mr. Napier's house. While on the way to the police office he dropt his knife ; but he was observed, and it was instantly picked up. The details of the outrage being clearly proved in a Justice of Peace Court, held on Satur day, M`Auley was sentenced to be confined in Bridewell, and kept at hard labour for 60 days, and afterwards till he find security to keep the peace for twelve months from the date of his bond. When it is considered what sort of characters generally begin and carry on combinations, it can excite no surprise that in direct contradiction to their pretensions, they should practically mar the interest of the deluded bodies whose prosperity they pretend to promote. When the work, in whole, was obviously too little for the weavers, no one but a knave, or a person whose sanity might be questioned, would soberly maintain, that it would become more plenti ful by putting some of the moat extensive manufacturers out of the trade. Strange and unaccountable as it may seem, a meeting of weavers was held some time since, at which it was resolved, that none should work to specified houses, till they, in paying their work, conducted them selves agreeably to the wishes of the sapient leaders of the organization. Determined apparently to enforce this extra vagant resolution at all hazards. a weaver, who resides near Ruthcrglen, on the evening of Friday se'nnight got a large atone thrown threw his window, which materially injured his web and terrified him so, that next day he returned the work to the proscribed warehouse. A atarcher in Hutche sontown, who continued to work to his usual customers, was repeatedly threatened with serious consequences if he continued to finish the work of certain manufacturers. Among other threatening letters, he received the fol lowing:— " ROAM TiAR—I ken ye stark till a Boole i the Toon L & R Gin ye tlinna drop it ye may depen upont that muckle harm will come toe ye Baith in person and properti the place ye wark in wull be brunt abune yer Head. Mind this and a that wark to that house as ye are cluing Take tent for I am one o' a club wha are determine toe punish a wha wark to that Hoos as ye are duin. Min this warning. " JOHN SPITFIRE." This was by no means an idle threat, for on Thursday night his starching-house was set on fire by some incen diaries, and had it not been for the prompt arrival of the engines, it would have been burned to the ground. On Saturday the minds of Mr. Barr and family were greatly relieved by receiving a letter from the formidable " John Spitfire," informing him that he was in perfect safety, provided he did no work for certain houses named. These facts but ill agree with the audacious assertion in the ad dress of the Associated Trades of this city presented to Mr. Heine, that the abrogation of the Coutbination Laws had caused a "great decrease in moral turpitude."—Glas gow Chronicle. We are glad to perceive, by the Isle of Man papers, that the disturbances amongst the peasantry in that island are at an end. It appears that the discontent originated in the belief that tithe would be taken from the poor tenants of the island. The Bishop's proclamation, however, disclaim ing such an intention, will, we trust, have the effect of completely restoring tranquillity. The Manchester Journal says " it was stated by a Manchester paper last week, that a reduction had taken place in the prices of weaving. We have made some in quiry on the subject, and cannot find that any general re- I duction has taken place. It is true that the weaving of some articles, which are not in demand till the summer, is somewhat less ; but goods which are preparing for the spring demand cannot be got out at lass than they have for some time been wove for, and in some instances even an ad vanced price has been given." . . Notw . ithstanding theThumerous salt works lately erected, such has been the increased consumption in consequence of the abolition of duty, that within these few days salt has advanced in price 3s. or about 13 per cent. The price then given upon it was 33/. per ton, now it is not as many shillings. _ . . A COmpany has been formed in New-York to raise the British frigate Hussar, sunk at Hurl Gate during the Re volutionary war. PRI:SERVING FISH BY SUGAR.—Sugar, according to Dr. Macculloch, is a very powerful antiseptic, and though sparingly employed in the curing of hams, it is one of the most active substances in their preservation. Fish may be preserved in a dry state, and perfectly fresh, by means of sugar alone, and even by a very small quantity. He has thus kept salmon, whitings, and cod, for an indefinite time, and with the best effect. Fresh fish may also be kept in that state for several days, and when boiled are the same as if newly caught. If dried and kept free from mould, there seems no limit to their preservation, and they are much better than when salted, the sugar giving them no disagreeable taste. This process is particularly valuably in making kippered salmon, those preserved in this way being far superior in quality and flavour to those which are salted or smoked. In the preparation, it is merely neces sary to open the fish and apply the sugar to the muscular part, and keep it in a horizontal position to allow it to pe netrate, after which it may be dried, being occasionally wiped and ventilated to prevent mouldiness. A table spoonful of sugar is sufficient for a salmon of five or six pounds in weight. LAW NOTICES. COURT OF CHANCERY. APPEALS BEFORE THE LOAD CHANCELLOR THIS DAY. PART HEARD.—Detaynes and Bating v. Noble; Devayncs, Baring, and Garrett, v. Noble. Magdalen College v. Sibthorpe 1 30nut Prown v. Brown M Chard v. Eat on ( o per V. ove PATENT PETITION—In re 's I-. BANKRUPT PETITI ws. Exparte Geller and Leyland v. I R chard‘on v. Const 4 Hinde Wbite V. Pullan King and Alexander y. Tills BEFORE THE VI C E-CHANCELLOR. Motions only this day. COURT OF RING'S BENCH. There will be no second sitting in Middlesex on Saturday. *fn. 19th instant, but there will be a sitting in Middlesex on the 2,:h inst. for undefended causes. COURT OF COMMON PEAS. There will be no sittings till Wedn L esday nes;the 211 d Inst. COURT OF EXCHEQUER. No causes will be heard till Monday next, the 21at iflllt. LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF CHANCERY, THURSDAY, Nov. 17. MANNINO AND ANDERTON V. RULE. The facts of this case are as follow :—ln the yeur 1811, it was agreed between the plainuths, who then possessed an estate in the island of St. Vincent, and a Mr. Alexander, the owner of an estate in Trinidad. to make an exchange of their estates. The agreement contained clauses, that possessions should be taken immediately upon signing the agreement ; that the possessions should be held without prejudice to any question until good titles were made; that arbitrators should be appointed to value the estates, and whatever the value of the one estate should be reported to be more than the other, those in possession of the beat estate should pay the difference over to the possessor of the inferior estate ; and that Mr. Alexander should procure a good title to the plaintiff., both as against a Mr. Rule, and all the world. The reason of this last clause having been inserted was, that Mr. Rule was at that time in partnership with Mr. Alexander, which partnership was about to be dissolved, and accounts taken ; and upon this being done, it was expected to be found, that Mr. Rule would be greatly indebted to Mr. Alexander, and that as he had purchased a moiety of Mr. Alexander's estate in Trinidad, it was thought lie would at once re-convey that moiety to Mr. Alexander, rather than pay the money he was indebted. Ur. Alexander died soon afterwards, and the defendant is his personal representative. In the Year 1021, the plaintiffs tiled their bill for the Ppeci6e performance of the agreement. It was then found that the defendant was quite unable to make a good title; that Mr. Rule had retained his legal claim on the estate, and that he had actually instituted proceedings in the Weld Indies respecting the estate, making the present plaintiff's co-defendants. The plaintiff's had laid out many thousand pounds on the estates they now hold ; and, beyond all this, the defendant had entered into a new agreement to sell the St. Vincent estate fur about the sum of 11.0001., to a gen tleman of the name of Symons, which agreement the plaintiffs had sanctioned ; but then they considered themselves entitled to the purchase-money. In the year 11324, another suit was instituted by the defendant, stating that, agreeable to the arbitration alluded to above, the estate the plaintiffs took possession of was worth 4,000:. more than the estate they had parted with, and praying that they might be decreed to pay that money. A reference upon the point of title was made to the Master in the original cause. That refer ence was attended by all parties ; and just before the report was made, Mr. Hart moved for the defendant In both ca•lses to have the 4,0001. paid into Court, with six per cent. interest. Mr. Home, for the plaintiffs, contended that the order ought never to have been made. His clients had always been ready to make a good title, as soon as, on the other hand, a good title was tendered to them. If Mr. Rule succeeded in his suit in the %Vest Indies, the detendant never could call for the 4,0001., on die con trary it would belong to the plaintiff's, who would also have a de mand upon the defendant for what they had laid out in improve ments on the estate, and likewise for the purchase money paid by Mr. Symons. Mr. HART did not intend to answer the observations of his Learned Friend. He was in possession of the order directing the money to be paid into Court, where it would be in safety tor whoever might ultimately be adjudged entitled to it. The LORD CHANCELLOR perfectly well recollected making the order, but upon reading the papers again, in the course of the long vacation, he found a paper which led him to doubt exceed ingly whether, under the circunistatlces of this case, looking at the contract and covenants between., and the conduct of the parties, the Court was right in making that order ; the result was, that he would look into all the papers again. and state, on Saturday moth ing, what occured to him as best to be done. VICE-CHANCELLOR'S COURT, THURSDAY, Nov. 17. APPLICATION FOR AN INJUNCTIDN TO RESTRAIN PIRA r y. His Honour the Vice-Chancellor having taken his seat, Mr. 131.10 u intimated his desire to move the Court for a Special Injunction to restrain the publication of a pirated edition of a work, the sale of which was now proceeding, to the manifest injury of thu legal possessor of the copy right. The VICEXHANCELLOR—Have you given notice of your in tended motion to the opposite party ? Mr. BLIGH—No your Honour; but there is an urgent necessity for thepplication, as the sale is going on. The VICE.CII•NCELLOR—ThAI miy be; but the evil is not irremediable. The Court cannot entertain your application with out previous notice. Give notice to the other party, and make your motion on Saturday. The nature of the publication, or the names of the parties did tot transpire. MARSH V. CLOUGH. During the remainder of the day, the Court was occupied with this case, which was one of no public interest. COURT OF KING'S BENCH, WESSKINSTIR, THURSDAY, N0v.17. ARTICLES OF TILE PEACE. TLIt MARQUIS OF HERTFORD AND TAR HON. AUGUSTUS STAN HOPE. As soon as the Judges had taken their places, The ATTORNEYAENERAL rose on behalf of the Marquis of Hertford, to exhibid articles of the peace against the lion. Augustus Stanhope. The Marquis of Hertford, who sat on the Bench, having verified the affidavit on which the Learned Counsel moved, it wan then read. The affidavit set forth, that in the course of the year 1016 the Noble exhibitant received information that his son, Lord Beauchamp, at that time a youth of about 16 years of age, had been invited to the quarters of the Hon. Augustus Stanhope, at Paris, and that he had there lost in a few hours 16,000 f. at play. On the receipt of this inform a ti on t h e N o bl e ex hibi tant laid the circumstances before the Conimander.in.Chief, who or dered an investigation of the affair. The Hon. A ugustne Stanhope was tried by a court-martial at Cambray, and found guilty or hav ing entered into a conspiracy to defloud Lord Beauchainp. The Court sentenced him to be deprived of his military rank, and to be dismissed from the army. From that time the noble exhibitant had had no intercourse with the Hon. Mr. Stanhope till after the death of the late Marquis of Hertford. Shortly after that event, the noble exhibitant, in the month of July 1814, while riding in Hyde. park, was personally insulted by a person, whom at the time he did not know, but who he has since learned was the Hon. Au gustus Stanhope. In consequence of this insult, lie applied for re dress to Sir K. Birnie at Bow-street. Upon this, he gave Sir R. Birnie his word of honour that he would not again annoy the Marquis of Hertford during the lifeof his father (Lord Harrington), to whom he had promised not to repeat this insult, which promise was far more binding on him than any bond could be. In cense. quence of this pledge no farther proceedings were taken. After aft interval, however, of several months, he again resumed his spirits of insult and annoyance. On the 12d of last August, the Hon_ Aug. Stanhope came up to the noble exhibitant's carriage, in Grub venor-square, and pushed his stick into the window, with the inter of doing the noble exhibitant some bodily harm, or of provoking hint to commit a breach of the peace by fighting a duel. Upon this he made another application to Sir IL Birnie. who thereupon else the Hon. Mr. Stanhope again. Ile said to Sir R. Birnie that he thought he had not passed the line which he had prescribed us himself; that during the life of his father (Lord Harrington) be did not mean to do any thing which would subject himself to magiste rial interference, but that he should never cease, by every possible means short of this, to irritate the feelings of the Marquis ofslleci ford, until he should compel him to exert his influence in restoring to him his military rank, or should pay him a large some of money or procure him some profitable official situation. The affidavit stated, in conclusion, that the noble exhibitant was actuated by no motixes of malice toward the Hon. Aug Stanhope, sad that he made this application only from his conviction that the Hun. Aug. Stanhope entertained towards him the most rancorous feeling, and from his apprehension of the consequences which might ensue. The LORD Cuter-JUSTICE—Are you aware of any instance in which the Court has interposed to grant articles of the peace upon the information of a third person, that third person making to affidavit of the facts ? The ATTORNEY•GENENAL—I am not aware of any such ease but I have only to call your Lordship's attention to the conduct ut the Hon. Mr. Stanhope. In July 1624 be grossly insults the Mai quis of Hertford ; he gives his word of honour not to repeat the in. suit, and yet, in the August of the fdlossial, year, there is a repeti tion of the insult. We are late in making our application, but this insult happening in vacation, there was no opportunity of applying to the Court before. The LOUD Cut tr-Jurrict —Still where so long an %serval has elapsed, that would be a reason why the Court might not in. ter fere. The ATTORNET-GENEBAL-But the Marquis of Hertford swears, that in consequence of that attack he has a •ell grounded reason to apprehend harm iroll3 the lionourat4 Augus tus Stanhope. The LORD CHIEF JIIBTICI—UOII.IIII you are vrepsted with a case in point it would be more satisfactory in the administration oP justice that we should have the affidavit of Sir Riclard Millie, st some reason why he does not make one. `i I