The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1804-05-12 00:00:00

I TRUCHstsirIAN 4ALLEity. - We have given some account of a few of the y fine specimens of painting to be found in this .11e6lion. We lsegan with the German school, as Jog that which is least known in this country, . r producing artists of very high merit, and corn ning the great qualities of the Dutch, Flemish, ,d Italian schools; with a charaeter, notwithstand g, peculiar to itself.. We should have been glad have followed our objea, in first pointing out the reat masters of the German school (as found in Ins gallery), and then proceeding with the Dutch, lemisii. Italian, and French masters. Our ohjeet to - chew, that this Gallery contains a colleftion ioiens in these several schools, more perfea, wrming one entire school of the different man , ers of painting, than any thing before offered to .üblic inspeCtion in this country. In this course e were interrupted by the information given the nblic, that the Gallery is to be disposed of by a ale commencing on the I tith of this month. In that uterval we may not have opportunity to pursue our emarks farther ; uoi would they be of any moment, as they cannot be. broaght to the important co•iclu sioa or demonstrating the valise of this roltrthcn, os fording the ground-work of a great notional sehnid of ; n ai l :. As to the Gallery, therefore, we shall v ow only refer the sincere lovers of the art to their examination of its various specimens, while they have yet the opportunity to judge for them selves. But we must say a word or two of the misfortune to the arts, in this country, in the disper sion of this solleCtion. All well-informed and can did amateurs in this country acknowledge, that the art has not made that progress here, which might be expelled from the fine genius, and taste, and feeling, which distinguish ate nation in other re speas ; and from the liberal temper of the English, fearless of expence, and the ambition of their cha railer, emulous of all that has been great in all other parts of the world in all former times. Some theoretical critics of foreign nations have attributed this to the influence of our climate. But tae weak ness of this supposition is fully demonstrated by our poets, who have proved that neither the skies of Greece nor Italy have shone upon (we will not say engindered, in compliance with that superstition) finer, more vivid, rich, or beautiful proiudions of imagination, than those of our isle. The fad must be referred to moral causes, for the explanation of its existence. It is not for us, here, to trice those causes. Many, however, have long been obvious to every ecalods enquirer l and, among these, none more than the want of is "sake gallery, ever before the eyes of students in painting, to form their taste ; that is to say, at once to slew them what May de dont, and bow it has ken heretofore done; for that is the use of a comprehensive collettion of paintings, consisting not of one or two masters, but of masters of every school, and even of the less perfea, as well as finished performances of those several masters. This was found in the Trachsessian Gallery, in a very eminent, in a very great degree ; and we must Lament (and all will lament, who are proud of the English rivalry of other nations in all that is great), that neither the taste of private amateurs, nor public ambition, has been excited to save it froro dissolu tion. What personal, what little motives may have had their share in this national disgrace (for such we will call it), we will not pretend to develope. But woe be to him, who sacrifices his country's ho nour to - his petty self. We shall, if opportunity allows, aloft a very few specimens more (but generally) of the piaures of this Gallery before its sale. nrrrutetrzek. COURT OF RING', BENCH, WESTMINSTER, Mu 11. CORPORATION OF LIVERPOOL. THE RING v. WILLIAM HARPUR, The judgment of the Court in this cause was finally pronounced. Lord Er.teNIOROUGH observed, that as the whole of the arguments on both sides had been already gone through with so much clear ness and precision (the substance of which we have given in former papers), he did not think it neces sary to take up the time of the Court by any com ments upon them. The Defendant had been ele,ft ed Mayor while in the office of Bailiff and a Mem • ber of the Corporation of Liverpool. Toe Court were of opinion that louder the Chatter of Charles the First, the office of the one was incompatible with the other, they therefore gave judgment of water against the Defendant. BRIBERY AND CORRUPTI4)N. THE LINO V. ALEXANDER DAI/iDsON, Esq. JOHN y E PARso AND THOMAS HOPPING, GENTS. These three Gentlemen were brought up to re ceive the Judgment of the Court. The first is a gentleman of large property ; the second, a farmer and grazier, noted for the several improvements he has tirade in the breeding of cattle, and well known to all the agricultural societies in• this kingdom; and the third, Mr. Hopping, is an attorney : they were erns :ieted at the last assizes for Somersetshire before Mr. Baron Graham, on a criminal informa tion under the Bribery AR. The indiCtment charged them with conspiring together, corrupting and giv ing bribes in money to persons having a right to vote for Members of Parliament for the Borough of Ilehester. It appeared in evidence that they gave, or procured to be given, the suns of :hal. each, to 36 persons, among whom was one John Edwards, a witness for the crown on the trial below ; that Mr. Davidson, by the advice of Parsons, purchased a riece of ground, and thereon b.rilt several houses for pe p of carrying into effeet t:.eir intentions, as it appeared they were given to sev oral persons, with intent thereby to create voters—all which was con trary to the Al of Parliament. On the day on which they were first brodght up to receite judg ment (Monday last), Messrs. ER at ISE and ALLEN applied to the Court on behalf of Mr. Davidson, and, in a very feeling address, Mr. ERSKINE stated his long intimacy with die Defendant ; he has known him to be a man of the strictest principles— and, altho' he had been convicted of the crime of bribery, yet he knew him to be a man who had a high sense of his moral duty, both to himself and his country—that had he thought affidavits could have served him on the present occasion, they would have been procured from persons of rank and re spectability—among whom were several of the first Officers under the Crown ; but Mr. Davidson's elm rafter was too well-known in the first circles of fa shion, to requite any such ; his infirm state of health would be greatly encreesed, it not endangered , by long confinement ; and he this day came before the Court, full of contrition for the offence he had been guilty of, and ready to submit himself to the consi deration of the Court. • Mr. PARsoNS produced several affidavits, from William Dickinson, Esq. M.P. for Somersetshire; Dr. Parry, F.R.S. and several Members of Agricul tural Societies—all deposing to the social and moral habits of this Defendant, and of his great exertions in the improvement of Agriculture, by which he had greatly impaired his fortune. Mr JEKYLL, on the - art of this Defendant, made several observations on the affidavits produced in his behalf. He said, and so the affidavits produced proved, he was . a roan of most excellent private life, and of great public utility ; that. in the present case, it did not appear he had been aetuated to the commitment of the crime he was convicted of, by any mercenary motives whatever ; but the contrary appeared throughout. He therefore hoped what had been now offered to the Court in mitigation of his offence, and the large family which he had en tirely depending on his industry, would be taken in to c• iesideration by the Court. Mr. Hot PING did not produce any affidavits, not did any Caramel appear in his behalf. The ATTORNEY GENERAL then addressed the Court at great lengths, aid enlarged with great ability upon the crime which the Defendants had been convicted of: he observed they were not only chargeable u i:11 bribery, but conspiracy ; and in the instance of Mr. Hopping, with n t less than subor. nation of perjury : with rester& to Mr. Davidson, he allowed him all the liberaiity and acuteness of feeling he was cetitkd to, but presumed they were not so keen from his pest conduCt, as to make it probable the admonitions with which the sentence might he accompanied. would make any material part of his present suffering. With tespet to Mr: White Parsons, he did not wish to lessen the weight of those numerous and respeaeble affidavits rn his favour, but they were the less to be regarded as they seemed to misunderstand his chareeter ; he WAS a jobber in voters as well as in cattle, and while promoting the agriculture was sacrificing tire poli tical liberty and independence of his country. With these observations he submitted the .Defendants to the decision of the Court, and the justice of their country. Mr. justice G aost,in pronouncing the judgment of the C 0..• t, adverted to the evidence on t he t ri a l, a nd observed, that they were convieted upon plain and uncontrovertible truths of conspir Mg to return Mem bers to Parliament, of taking ground, and building houses, for the accommodation of those whose votes they could thereby iefluence ; of giving large sums of money by way of bribes ; of sots a system of corruption as was scarcely credible, cotopirin; to overturn one of the first polttical principles of the state ; and bribery to make them commit perjury: He would ask their inward monitor, which is the greatest sinner, Ire who, perhaps for his femily's sake, will accept the proffered bribe, and lulls his conscience to sle:p, or he vrho disseminates the poison? The one finds means to curt upt —the rest find objoets . 410 corrup i's, and deal out the medicine—the one the principal leader (Parsons), the tithe: s ready to an. As to him. Parsons, he was the chief actor ie the piece ; he recommended all to Davidson, the borough, the building the houses, &c. He WiS Said to be a man of humanity, a.id one whom no cceisideratioe wouhi tempt to ail tnorelly wrong, but wit , - has been a coaster:elate lire...tete. The Learned Judge then conciuded leg, .4 under the present circum.boices et ;:e e, the court maiden you all equally guilty, and through me now orders that you and each of you stand commit ted to the custody of the Marshal of the Marshal sea, for the space of twelve calendar months." THE KING D. WM. WALES HORNE. The Defendant in this case, who is a Dissenting Minister, was convi&ei at - the last assizes for Leicester before Mr. Justice Roonr, for having held a seditious conversation against the King, and the prosecution of the present war carried on against the French : the words in the indiament were. " Here is a health to our friends over the water," meaning thereby the French; and in a conversation with some of his neighbours, he said, " You might a; well pay 10,0001. a year to Bonaparte, as to the King." These words were clearly proved, and the Jury found a verdia, that they were seditiously spoken; he was this day brought up to receive the judgment of the Court, and taking into considera tion that he had not made use of those sentiments beyond the walls of his neighbour's house, and that he had conduaed him-elf with great propriety since his confinement, he was ordered to be committed to the common gaol of Leicester for the space of Three Months, to pay a fine to His Majesty of tool. and to be further confined till such sum should be paid. THE KING U. ARTHUR SALE. The Defendant in this case was a printer by trade, and conviEted of a similar offence, having printed and published certain seditious papers, with a view to endeavour to persuade His Majesty's subjeas not to resist the enemies of this country; he also was brought up to receive the judgment of the Ceurt. and was ordered to be imprisoned six calen dar months, to pay a fine of lord. to His Majesty, and to be further imprisoned till such flue should be paid. THE RING V. JONATHAN PANTHER. The Defendant was convifted of a similar offence, having written a seditious and offensive libel on the return which he WAS to have made to the Commis sioners for the Army of Reserve. Upon the Court's proceeding to pass judgment upon him, he asked eta.- mission to say a few words in mitigation of his punish ment: he then said, he did not mean any thin sedi tious in writing the libel in question; that his political principles were always for the good of his }sing and country ; that he might have spoken with violence against some certain persons, but never harboured a thought hostile to the King or Constitution. He had no less than six in family, one of whom aas blind far several years; they were hll dependent csa his industry, and were he to be long confined, his business must totally go to wreck; that since his imprisonment, his partner had taken an. unfair ad vantage of him, by which he was much injured ; he therefore, under all these circumstances, threw him self on the mercy of the Court. Mr. Justice Gauss had prepared to pass judg ment, but from the address ot the Defendant to the Court, we are inclined to believe the sentence was changed, as the Court, after some consultation, ordered that the Defendant should pay a fine of 1 001. and be imprisoned for three calendar months. COMMON PI.LAS, Wormholes. CHASIRERL AN O. PORTERS. Application baying been made for a new trial in this case, the question, Whether a note given on a receipt stamp was as g ood uif given on a note stamp ? was raserved for the consideration of the Court. Sir JANES MANSFIELD having referred to an ad of the 37th of His Majesty, which states that every note must be given upon a stamp of proper deno mination, if otherwise, or should a note be given on a stamp of equal value, but of a different descrip tion from the stamp necessary to be used, such mis take is to he'remedied by applying to the officer of stamps ; who, on receiving the fees, will alter the instrument to itsproper form. It was clear, he ob served, that the at considered all instruments goo.. for nothing unless on proper stamps ; theref we the commissioners of stamps were authorised to put tht proper marks on the fees being paid. The note in question was consequently considered of no use. The other Judges were of the same opinion.—Rule granted. Mr. Serjeant Best moved for a rule to shew cause why the sum of 2921. should not be delivered to a person named Bourne, against whom a writ of jieri facia* had been issued, and judgment entered upon a warrant of attorney, for 1701. The 2921. had been given by the Defendant in promissory notes, which are not yet due ; and the Plaintiff had ' proceeded to judgment, keeping the notes in his pos session.—Rule granted. - DAME AND OE3ERS V. EXECUTORS OE C svar.t. In this case, reserved for the opinion of the Court, the question arising was, Whether a bond entered into with the Royal Society of Musicians in the year 1790. by one of the colleilors, named Jesse nor wool, which imposed a penahy upon him, and his successors to the office of tulle:tor, who should not make an annual return of the different rims receiv- I led during the year from the subscribers to the caarity ; was not done away by the incorporation of the society, effefted by a charter some time since ? The anion was brought to recover the sum of Stitil. on the bond (daring the present term). It then ap peared that llorwood had died without making the yearly return, and doubts havlng occurred As to the obligation of the bond, a vet di :t for nominal damages was give.r. The Court, atter a long di.cussinn of the case, intimated an opinion that the contras en tered into by I lorwood was rendered nugatory by the incorporation of the society in the year 1800.— Another point remains to be argued arising out of this vase. PASSENGERS TO AND FROM IRELAND. SHr. AUCILLA/112. passengers from Dublin to Holyhead, May 7. Mn. and MIA Howell, Mr. Brounker, Mr. Hut, Mr and Mn. Archer, Mrs. Flonstnir, Mr. Bond, Mr Blake, Ca;.toro Daniel, Mr. frraydon, Mr. Risbrouke, Mr. and Mrs. Wood apatott, Pemorea from Holyhead to Dublin, May 7. Mrs Crofton, Mr. bl'Onotecb, Mr. Al!oway, Mr. Hum -S. At a late hour on Thursday night Lord RaWKES BUILT had an audience of His MAJUTY. Yesterday morning about eleven o'clock, Lord HAWKISBURY, and Messrs. Yonse and B; AG .e, bad audiences of His MAJtsr v. At ten o'clock His MAJESTY, accompanied by the Duke of Cs Nieuwe, took an airin? through Alarpla-bonne, by Islington and the neighbouting villages, entered the city by Whitechapel, through Cornhill and Cheapside, Fleet-street, and the Strand, and arrived at the Qi:een's House about three o'clock. His MAJESTY was detained a considerable time near the Royal Exchange and Ludgate-hill by a crowd of carriages, and it was not in the power of the party of Light Horse to clear the way. His MAJESTY was received with loud buzzas in several places. -- - - • In the course of the day His Majcsry signed several official papers. Yesterday, at ten o'clock. the RussrAT4 Ahlsaf• SADOR had an audience of Lord HAVIKU.su ay, at his office in Downing-street. Yesterday morning 250 Hanoverian troops p. , .sed through St. JaMes ' s Park on their way to Lymiug ton. The Duke of Divoxsmas gave a grand dinner vesteßiay to a large party. including Mr. Fox, Mr. (;acv, General FITZPATRICK, Generr.l WALPOLE, Lord Mortmlon.&c. The Duke of Noll/00C yesterday entertained at dinner a large party of Cumberland Gentlemen. Ths Archbishop of CANTLILIURY has collated the Rev. Mr. Moose, his third son, to the valuable Reaory of Litchengdon, in t:re County of Lssex. 'the Direaors of Greenwich Hospital have in creased the number of seamen's suns educated in t';e Hospital. lißq buys arc about to be admitted to the eft2blloll.lolt. STATE. Of THE ZETTING !OA EVl'4. &tun( 110,;7‘, V y 10 IIT ti a DI'RBV-7-T.! b fUll 0" T11:1:1K.:431 :a., NI Sts 1 Agit Mr. Wstar,'l W xy Colt. t o 1 ag3t Lon! 7217:•;.gton's 7 to 2 art las 4 Egret", olet 4no I .'.t Mr. Davao ll:pp.-411,1mm lot to 1 •g4t Mo. DIU f: . : Coil, by Gull :Uhl, la to 1 apt Sa r ,:e• • , Cult. For to. • Or's%ti —l., los run ou Fr,day. to !, Sjit at , GrAfroxis S to 1 .g.t LI , 9 TO , Vn's Slc Peter Fitly. ag•• u,y vl.3—. LISKEAR I) COM MUITEE. The Liskeard Committee, after 13 days sitting, and the most minute and attentive investigation cf the several Petitions referred to them respeetiug the right of Ele3ion for the Borough of Liskeard, in the County of Cornwall, about four o'clock on Thursday, came to several Resolutions ; the sub stance of which is as follows --- That the tight of election fin the said lomat/1i is not in the inh.b.tents ps,oo . 4 , 0. tiele torus, scot and los. That the r.gi , t of el.rtviii for this sad Butragh is in the Airo and Bo:_ •4•• • t'ln.z. , r 1 ;LA tticri g i:t f 1r the sum: Borough is not in the These Reutlutit we have been informal, were carried by :t lcay (....sider...bk majority. ?sly. Wi. , ..ihant, the Ciairman. will make `.iis Report to t.. 11..a.ie this day. SAICILOWA s .4ssit,; .- h ♦. • The Inn:fates, Capt. Lelyros, of 154 Ph* tad men, with naval stores from England for the Reet s caught fire in the hold ; the crew, unable to emits , . ' guiSli it, caulked the hatChways, and wefts able ts/ reach the Bay of Rosa*, where they. ran ashore; all of them except five are saved, but the vessel watt entirely consumed on the 2d of April : the J.. • fri gate then off here sailed down to embark the men. On the 7th came into this pert the British cutter, Sag), Captain Thomas Leake, of II guns, and 2g, men, prize to the L'E,pereere French privateer, oT • t guns, and 5h men, bound from England and Gib- • • raltar, with important dispatches on ..rd for Lord Nelson, which the French preser4ed from being , • thrown overboard, by killing the Captain. The cir cumstance of her capture is related as follows: The Steil? was steering off Palamas, on snorting, sr her way to the fleet, when a strange sail appeared na sight, and continued her course towards her. As she dr,w near, it was observed that the strange vessel v:as Latine-rigged, and had only three or four per.. . •;;)na deck ; from this circumstance, and the build ot 01: ship, it was not doubted by the Captain, or any on board, that she was a Spanish coaster; no ' further nritice, therefore, was taken of her, until she edged close up to the Swift, and laid herself along-. side of her, when upwards of 53 hands, who, till that time had kept below, rushed upon deck and boarded the cutter: the greatest part of her creel being then below, she could make no effatial re sistance, and accordingly surrendered. In the mein time,' however, Captain Leake, who was a pew ;raisin' , young man, ran below, for the purpose .4" throwing his dispatches over-board, which hving ob served by the French party, they followed him, aril cut him to pieces with their sabres, bore he could , accomplish his purpose. The first Frenchman who , boarded the Swift, was killed by an English saihir.' • . who, with others, were obliged to give way, find ing no assistance at hand, and the superior ;Washers of the enemy." CHt_LMSFoRD, .Me► Mr. Howard, butcher, of Moulsham, having haa his slaughter-house robbed on Sunday night, the 23t11 ult. and conceiving the like circumstance might again occur, determined upon discovering the digs he therefore said but little about the robbery, bat provided a brace of pistols, each of which he loaded with three balls, and watched several nights alone; , when, on Thursday night, the 33 insran:, he ob. served a soldier near the spot where the promises had been before entered. On Mr. Howard's dissevering himself, the soldier instantly drew his bayeati ; bet Mr. Howard, on presenting a pistol, and threaten ing to shoot him if he attempted violence, coss• peiled him to return the weapon to its scabbard, and insisted on his immediately *absolving to be taken a prisoner to the barracks. On their way thither, the soldier, who is a stout athletit mos I thinking to overpower Mr. Howard by as , stroa:;th again drew his bayonet, and a•sel ea. sued ; Mr. Howard having sprung upon hies, wish a design of suddenly wrenching the bayonet ost dr • his hand, unwilling to take away his life by :Irk*. In the attempt, however, his, pistol went oat fortunately th e balls did-se-Sokeerterelsiser , He then relecsel tha man, having had sallicieet op. portunity to identify his person, and proceeded s the barracks to lodge a complaint to hie oiipse• against him. About half an hour after the soldise (a corporal) arrived, and was Wren into caeliedg. A Court Martial was afterwards held upon Mar and he was sentenced to be severely flogged. TO THE EDITOR OF THE MULISH rms. ...—.......... • • • Si a —ln drawing up the strieures upon the eet tested charatier of the author of (keen, ' I was letl i .- i from the length of the article, to strike oat the words ~, if the aphorism in question, referring yottr reader to , the work itself, page 520, edition 1737. Its pew • f :lent import will not be properly applied by an es. • I efleaing laid new. For the sake of one, wit' sea; . , little more depth of inquiry may prompt to imasid4. 7 , , its Jue extent and consequence, be please& now so , insert it as it stands aptly quoted, at the Bth pig* 4 1 1 " The Plea for a private rathgresee 1 Girl: , "TO ..': make principles or fundamentals belongs not to ma% to nations, nor to human laws To build upon principles or fundamentals, as are apparently laid ~ God, in the inevitable necessity , or law of nausea, , ‘. that which appertains to man, to nations , and to Iri man laws. To make any other iundamentals..and t then to build upon them, is to build castles in the .• air." This maxim should be accurately throughout all its (unluckily we intricate{ tion, with those preceding and those coifing „ upon it. The distrwaing circumstances of the pe. • i riod, about the close of 0 du, r's oppressive miscalled '. Frac:aerate. drove the zealous frkod of legal go. • vernment to give them utterance. Contrast them vnib the temper of those verbulent times, and with what we sec exhibited in the versatile and crooked con- ._' duet of each double-minded Protegee of this day.— ' They will bring to a disgraceful test, the 4sotoriotta • obliquities of the several brawlers, " fit only to plea and dish mawrest counsels." Their truly pi. triode and loyal purport, requlated by the Law , o f God, of Natnre, of Etern.:l Justice, would invest , their virtuous adherent with an awful dignity :lad - glory, before which the inflammatory speechilyers. and ribald vritlings. though lost to shame, yet driven to utter infamy, must " bide their diminished tieads." i Both, Aprd 30. J—s D—C-11. , I The Awl land packet, (apt. 'Samoa ' sailed yes terday from Harwich, with the Mails of the Bth for *, Husum, and the Diana, STI.WAILD, for Gottenbugg. ' both without passengers. Yesterday morning the Marquis of Saussuar left London for Hatfield. • We understand that Friday the 18th instant is fixed fax the presentation of Colours to the several Regiments of Loyal 'London Volunteers, by the Corporation of London at Blackheath the LOU) M A VOK, Who is to present them in the name of the ; Corporation, will go Oy water, in the City to Greenwich ; and the River Fencibles, under I command of Commodore Lccss, will attend him. The Antrim yeoman infantry (commanded by t 1,2 Fail of MASSEILECHZ) have unsr.irnously les solved to serve in any part of the Globe, wherever • it may please His Maas 1v to send them. •