The Sun. — London, England, 1829-12-31 00:00:00

, tba etr , A Lil ER ATURE. l id I . tio 4 OW leg '- old Auld Old J. OA, ______ 7 Q 5 1° 4 gin.NO I. . 6d, 4 6 4 __.., '„t s 7bl' i 1136 WESTMINSTER REVIEW, No. XXIII. LONDON, 1829. VI EW OF THE COURT OF CHANCERY. LONDON 1829. If experien ce makes a man wise—if an ex tensive practical acquaintance with certain griev ances qualifies the sufferer for writing on the SUb j ec t of such grievances—then are the stric turea of Mr. Long Wellesley on the forms, Processes, and embarrassing expences of the Court of Chancery entitled to very grave con ideration. R evers i ng t h e o ld a d age , th a t " a burnt child d rea d s t h e fi re ," this gentleman re turns- to the subject of his latter annoyances w ith a heartiness and perseverance, not to ga Y a freshness of zeal, which we have Seldom, if ever, seen equalled. Difficulties "ern to rise up, one after another, in his path, 7 1 . 1 y for th e purpose o f s h ow i n g with what ree- I ntim he can brush them away " like dew - drops f n 3 Tn. the lion's mane." This indomitable perse- I sranee -argues a very high, and what is greater r e aise still, a very rare order of mind ; for how *---how very few, after having lost in four Yesra Upwards o f 20 , 0001., b es id e s having been deprived of their paternal rights by successive l aw -Suits and decrees of the Court of Chancery, wn uld have sufficient energies left to grapple si ngle-handed with the hundred-headed Hydra o f their difficulties ! But Mr. Wellesley, like his uncle, is not. a man to be dispirited, as his P r esent Tre a tise every where evinces. The work b ears unequivocal marks of legal research, and P,roves also that its author, besides being well- Skilled in the " sermones utriusque lingua," is Perfectly at home with the modern French and Italian literati. On the infelicitous —to give it the most courteous term—system of the Court of Chancery, he descants at length, and with much pertinent sagacity, following in the lame- track, though diverging here and there from the main path, that Mr. M. A. Taylor and others have trode before him. We need not add, that Mr. Wellesley makes out a strong case ; that he exposes the weak, defenceless, untenable points of the Chancery system, and lay s tlle lash upon that system with as much scientific dexterity as the late Dr. Parr, (greatly to his credit) used to evince in the flagellations of a refractory Harrovian. His episodical sketch of Lord Eldon is sternly but forcibly painted; nothing was ever more true, few things more po litely caustic. We subjoin a specimen : " Lord Eldon is an avowed disciple of Mr. Pitt. Look , at the declaration of that statesman in early life, as to the necessity of reform ; his sweeping reform in the Irish re presentative system ; the Union between Ireland and England ; his dissolution of the Irish Parliament, &el. I cannot help thinking that the man who now marks himself out as adverse to all reform, must either have forgotten or mistaken the principles he professes to uphold, whea he professes himself a supreme Pittite. I have already said, that that which might have been con sidered yesterday as destruction, may be to-day salvation ; and this, I contend, was Mr. Pitt's frequent policy. Ile, then, is not to be stigmatised as an anti-Pittite, Or as infected with revolutionary principles, who now demands to see effected those wholesome and necessary reforms which the particular exigencies of the times caused once to be held in disrepute. The indemnity we formerly required for the past has b ee n obtained ; and the security which we want for the future is now within our grasp. I think I have a right to say his Lordship's conduct upon a recent occasion in Parlia ment justifies my original opinion. Time has made Lord Eldon unequal to himself. He either does not feel the change of circumstances, or, tenacious of the political in fluence he has obtained, has resolved to use it for the pur poses of his own aggrandisement. l'Untrer 'his Lordship's auspices a report, it is true, has come forth with regard to the evils of the Court of Chan cery; but so overloaded with technicalities that it is un intelligible to all but a privileged few. No man has been hardy enough to venture to expound its meaning to that part of the community who are unlettered in equity juris prudence. Notwithstanding this, the vices of the Court Are beginning to be understood, and the public call aloud for remedy. " His Lordship evinces none of those qualifications which are the essentials to magnanimity. Pitt ! Pitt ! Pitt! no reform ; no abandonment of ancient rights—the throne—the law, and the clergy ; the dignity of high station; the power of the executive, as it was found ne cessary to maintain it in all times, when at our doors were anarchy and confusion. These are:the watch-words and symbols of Lord Eldon's political principles. He cannot be brought to conceive that these views do not belong to the present times, and that they cannot he carded into effect now that there are no grounds for apprehending sudden disorders from rebellion ; when there is no enemy at our gates, seeking the extinction of our liberties, or the destruction of our political power." In closing our necessarily brief account of this spirited treatise, we cannot help expressing our regret, that in certain passages a feeling of exa cerbation, rather too warm and personal, has been suffered to obtrude itself. This is not, perhaps, to be wondered at ; but Mr. 'Wellesley should remember, that the cause of truth is to be forwarded, not by rancour or personality, but by the tempered weapons of a calm, unbiassed judgment, which, in its zeal to promote the public good, merges the recollection (however difficult) of private wrongs. The review of Coleridge's Works, whic forms the opening article of this periodical, seems to have been put forth for the purpose of show ing that the Westminster Reviewers, so far from misunderstanding the nature and uses of poetry, or holding it in abhorrence, are in reality equally at home on subjects of feeling and imagination as on those of a more homely, practical, and mecha nical nature. If this be their intention, we can only say that in the present instance it is a failure ; for the poetical intellect of Coleridge, so far from being, what the Reviewer hints throughout that it is, of a healthy, logical, and consistent character, is dreamy, wild, incongruous, and obscure to a de gree seldom or never surpassed among poets of any age or nation. We need not go far for proofs of this assertion, they abound in every page of Coleridge's works. " The Remorse," notwithstanding its many transcendant beauties both of thought and expression, is full of them. So also is Christabel, Kubla-Khan, the Rime of the Anciente Marinere, and the majority of those metaphysical—or, as the author lcves to call them—" meditative" poems, which a few years since were collected and published toge ther, in one volume, under the title of " Sibyl line Leaves." Yet this is the man that the Benthamites stoutly assert, is " one of us !" This is the author who, though in many respects a first-rate poet, is at the same time vague, ramb ling, incoherent, and m ysterious, and whose imagination is here lauded to the skies, for its logical and continuous character ! We can conceive no severer calamity befall- ing an ttrrgittsttve writer, than his 'being petted by a Westminster 'Reviewer. .:What should the catechisers on the Corn Law's have in common with the creator of. that " psycholo- gical curiosity" Christabel ? What possible con nection can exist between the reasoners on the " True Theory of Rent" and the wild unfettered poet who conjured up the daring sublimities and diable . rie of the Ancient Mariner ? When the Westminster Reviewers take up a question of commerce, or plain practical utility : when they discuss Mr. Ricardo's Theories of Rent—Mr. Bentham's Notions of Jurispru- dente—Mr. Sadler's Political Tenets—the West India Sugar Question—the Thames Water Question—or that strange compound of adroitness and foppery, the Greatest Happiness Principle—when they discuss these or similar questions, they invariably bring ingenuity, vigour, and research to their task. But beyond this they can effect little or nothing. Their essays on Poetry—Romance—and the Fine Arts, are miserably trite and jejune, and as they set out in their literary career with a profound contempt for the Classics, it is not to be ex pected that any very striking felicities of thought or expression should flow from their pens. They commence their notice of Coleridge by an asser tion that all first-rate poets are sound reasoners, forgetting the authors of the " Fairy Queen," the " Faithful Shepherdess," and a host of others of the same stamp, with whose fancy logic had not the most distant acquaintance—and then proceed to apply this theory to Coleridge, whose genius it fits about as well as a lady's lace-cap would fit the elephant at the Adelphi. There are various other critical misapprehensions in this article, which, however, we cannot here stay to enumerate, so must pass on to something more agreeable. " The Thames Water Ques tion" is an ably drawn-up paper, full of spirit and sagacity, in which occurs the following sin gular remarks respecting the healthiness and utility of the river mud and aninzakulce : " There is, however, a directly purifying cause which has not been noticed, never noticed, while, singularly enough, it is one of the greatest grievances complained of. This is the mud of the river itself. We use the vulgar and prejudiced term : speaking chemically, we mean the clay, a mixture, properly, of finely divided silica and alumina chiefly. This is a precipitant to the matters in solution ; it combines with them, especially with that obscure mucilaginous or extractive matter, which cor rupts or injures that water which is notorious for bad ness, and carries it to the bottom, where its decomposi tion is afterwards completed ; sometimes, however, not very quickly. So it is, that there may be pure water lying upon offensive mu d.o Thus the very clay of the Thames, which renders it so disagreeable to the eye, i, one of the causes of its purification and its purity. Muddy water is doubtless an evil, but it is at least innocent ; and it is seldom very difficult to purify. And if it is the visible evil of the Thames water, let us at least console ourselves with reflecting that it produces a balance of good, and is a curable disease. " Our limits compel us to be very brief; but we cannot pass over those formidable shrimps which have been the source of so much absurd alarm and bad language. It may surprise an ignorant man, to be told that they are also purifiers of water, yet such is the fact. We need not eat them, raw or boiled ; but even if we did, they are as good eating as any other shrimps. Their office in water is good and useful ; and, as in so much more of Nature's doings, they were probably intended to be useful to us, or others, as well as to themselves. When water, stagnating water of course, is corrupt, through animal, and often also through vegetable matter, these animals are small or in visible, and their abundance is often such as to render it absolutely thick ; a sort of soup. These swarms are the prey and food of larger ones, and of this very terrific shrimp among the rest ; and it is quite sufficient to intro duce a few of these into such water, to purify it in a few days. They devour the evil ; and the harm which they may do in return is not diseoverable. Nay, there is not a boor peasant in England who does not know, that, if he wants to keep a covered spring or well pure for use, he must put a frog into it if he does not find one there. The blockhead who should set forth to kill his frogs would soon find his spring-water worthy of a real committee of doctors at Almack's; and vety probably the doctors and the committee would pass a vote of censure and anathema on the tadpoles. Such are the advantages of learning in chemistry and natural history." " History and Doctrine of Buddhism" enters at some length, and in an animated manner, into the nature of that system of religion which has for •so many centuries exercised an un bounded influence over the East. It is well worth an attentive perusal, especially that por tion of it which enters into a minute detail of the doctrines of the founder, Buddha. " Pro vincial Newspaper Press," is a homely un adorned account of the different Irish, Scotch, and English provincial Journals, their merits, circulation, and a variety of other et ceteras con nected with them. The returns of the stamps of many of these Newspapers are curious to those interested in periodical literature. " Head's North American Forest Scenes" is entertaining, but with little novelty or information to lend it importance. Its best recommendations are, that it is divested of superciliousness—the too com mon fault of the Westminster Reviewers—and assumption. On Monday, the 4th of January next, will be published a New Weekly Journal, Tim COUNTRY TuiEs, and Agricultural and Commercial Advertiser, price only Sevenpence, which will contain fuller and more accurate Tables of all the Markets in the Kingdom for Corn, Cattle and Merchandise of every description, than is contained in any other Newspaper, and give the fullest intelligence on all Foreign and Domestic subjects. THE COUNTRY Ties will contain thirty-two closely-printed columns in eight pages, the subjects so arranged and classified as to enable the reader to turn at once to any particular article. It will also be so formed, that it may be separated into two complete sheets, each having its own department of in formation, and therefore capable of accommodating two readers at once, and, in fact, answering the purpose of two Newspapers. An Index and Title-page will be an nually published ; thus enabling the subscribers to bind up their papers, which will form, at the close of the year, a volume of peculiar interest, from the great variety of topics embraced in its pages. Orders received by all Booksellers, News Agents, Postmasters, and the Office, 139, Fleet-street, London. - - The fall of snow has been heavier this seam than for the last 14 years. The high wind which pre vailed the whole of Christmas-day, caused it to drift to the glut difficylty of travelling, many vans and coaches having been dug out within the last few days. New Dover road, the valley near the turnpike was so corn pletely choked, that labourers were employed to cut a road through the snow, which lay heaped together to the depth of six or seven feet. THE MURDER OF JOAN TURNER, NEAR CHARD —JOHN RUSSELL, a man engaged at one of the factories in Chard, after having undergone several examina tions before the Magistrates in that town, was, on Satur day last, committed for trial, on suspicion of having perpe trated the above offence. RUSSELL had been taken up and examined immediately after the murder ; but the circum stances 'against him were not deemed sufficient to warrant his committal, and he was accordingly cischarged ; he re mained at large until the early part of last week, when fur ther evidence having been obtained, he was again appre hended, and the result has been that we have above men mentioned. The prisoner was lodged in Ilcbester gaol on Monday.—Cheltenlianz Chronicle. FASHIONS FOR JANUARY. (Frem La Belle Apientlike.), WALKING DRESS.---A peliise of fawn-coloured Bros de Naples, delicately embroidered in blackout- line down each side of the front where it closes, as far as to a very broad border of black velvet, which surrounds the skirt next the feet, neatly as high as to the knee; at the head of which is a trimming of light sable, or some other valuable light-coloured fur. The slaves are dla Donna Maria, and they 'ire trimmed up the outside of the arm, where the sleeve tightens at the cuff, with fur. Round the waist, which is made plain, is a black velvet zone, clasped with a gold brooch. The collar of the pe lisse turns back, and is surmounted by a French double ruff of lace. The bonnet. is of black velvet, trimmed with a bow of the same, and three aigrettes ' of blue corn flowers and ears:of corn; the aigrette in front larger than those on each side. A Chantilly lace veil is worn with this bonnet, which ties under the chin on the right side, with a bow of black satin riband. A boa tippet of marten-skin is added to this appropriate winter pelisse. The half-boots are of fawn-coloured kid, tipped at the toe with black. EVENING DRESS.—A dress of pink satin ; the border trimmed en jabots, with the same material, each one bordered by a broad, rich, white blond: these ornaments ascend from the hem next the feet, as high as to the knee. The corsage is made quite plain, with a very broad fulling tucker of blond. Over short sleeves'af pink satin fall long ones of blond, entirely d Imbecile, without any confine ment. A dress hat of pink satin forms the coiffure: this is turned up in front, and lightly ornamented with small white ostrich feathers. A superb veil of white blond falls carelessly over each side, and at the back of the hat. The jewellery ornaments worn with this dress are either pink topazes, or Ceylon rubies, set a l'antique, in fillagree gold. The shoes are pink satin, tied en sandales. (From the World of Fashion.) EVENING Mass.—A dress of gold or silver tissue over white satin, with a very broad flounce of blond. The corsage made tight to the shape, with a falling tucker of blond. Mandarin sleeves of blond, over short ones of white satin. The head-dress consists of stiffened fan ornaments of broad blond ; and, across the front of the hair, just above the fore head, is a diadem of white and gold enamel, be neath which, across the forehead, is a golden ser pent, which, entwining among the full-clustered curls that surround the face, terminates in snaky folds at the back of the head. The ear-pendants are of wrought gold, en girandole ; and the neck lace in beautiful festooned rows of the same mate rial, of exquisite delicacy. Between each festoon is a drop, en girandole. The gloves worn with this dress are tight to the arm, yet they reach no higher than just below the elbow. On the right arm are two bracelets; that next the hand of light blue velvet, clasped by a cameo set in gold; and one above it of turquoise stones, jointed and set in gold points. The single bracelet, on the left wrist, is broad, and of gold, fastened by a cameo. WALKING DRESS.—A pelisse of changeable silk, pomegranate-red shot with white, with a very broad border of chinchilla fur next the feet,and faced down with the same skin, where the pelisse closes, down the front from the throat; whence a broad collar of chinchilla turns back, and is surmounted by a full, but rather narrow ruff of lace. The cor sage is made plain, with the sleeves ti Anzadis ; the gauntlet-cuff finished at the wrist by a band of chinchilla. Bonnet of striped gros de Naples, barbel-blue on white, the stripes very broad, and trimmed with bows of ribbon to correspond. Half boots of white doe leather, tipped with black. CARRIAGE BONNET —A bonnet of black velvet, lined with celestial blue satin. Beneath the brim, at the extremity, and near the front, is a rosette, formed of blue and black satin ribbons. A plume formed of feather-fringe, divided by silk net, falls over the front of the crown; this is of celestial blue; and, over the left side a long feather waives gracefully of the same colour. FASHIONABLE HEAD-DRESSES.—A hat of pensee coloured velvet, trimmed with large stiffened puffs of the same, edged with net-work and feather fringe ; on the right side a feather d la Minerve de pending, formed of the same kind of fringe; in front, two fan ornaments of rich white blond. ' A ball head-dress, in hair, ornamented with pink and white hyacinths, with ends of ribbon. A white crape dress-hat, ornamented by two birds of Paradise. GENERAL OBSERVATION. The most admired colours are myrtle-green, pink, slate-colour, scarlet, amber, pewee, and vermillion. Froze the Gentleman's Magazine of Fashions, arc. EVENING DRESS.--A light superfine blue coat to fit the waist, and not cut longer or shorter than the natural waist; five gilt buttons up the breast; the skirts narrow and long, terminating at the bottom to about three inches; pocket-flaps about two and a half inches deep. If the person be small about the hips the skirts should be wadded. The collar is narrower than last month, and shows riot only the seam behind, but about three rows of the stitching. Waistcoat of velvet or silk, high in the neck, with small and short collar, cut so as to show an under waistcoat, which is cut with a rolling collar. Black kerseymere trowsers to fit the waist tight, rather easy at the knee, and of moderate width at the bottom; the length is to the ancle bone, which will admit of the stocking being shewn ; the trowser is left loose and not fastened with a strap. The dress cloak is made of olive-brown superfine cloth, with a large cape ; both cloak and cape are lined through with crimson silk, serge, or velvet. The collar is made nine inches deep, and turns over, fastening in the neck with a clasp; the collar should be of sable or Chinchilla fur. The grey lamb skin is not now worn by gentlemen of fashion. A MORNING-DRESS.—A blue morning lappelled coat, to button close across the breast to the neck; the collar, which is of velvet, is very short and about a inch in height, stands up in front N% hen the coat is buttoned. The collar ends do net meet by three inches, which is the breadth of the lappel. The sleeves are wide at the top, and full, but tight at the wrist and rounded off. ADDITIONAL NOVELTIES IN GENTLEMEN'S DRESSES. Some dandies have introduced the wearing great coats of celestial blue with a black velvet collar; these "great coats are made double-breasted, are but toned up to the throat, and ate a kind of frock -coat, coming very little lower than the knee. Plaid cloaks have sleeves and a cape descending as low as the elbows. They have generally collars lined with blue plush, and are trimmed with some material of the same colour. Some fashionables wear, when in a carriage, and keep them on when they get out to walk, cloaks made entirely of plush, of some very dark colour, resembling fur in its shaggy appearance; thus metamorphosing an ele gant man of fashion into a Russian boyard. The umbrella of a man of fashion is of myrtle green gros-de-Naples, without uny kind of border at the edge ; the handle is of a Chinese laurel, with out any head; a simple plate of gold only finishing the superior part. Some fashionable gentlemen wear the crowns of their hats higher on one side than the other. The boots are pointed at the toes. The shoes for the ball-room are highly varnished; they have neither strap nor rosette on the instep. The colour of glazed leather gloves are canary 'ellow. :n the Despatches for the Earl of ABERDEEN from Mr. DA wuNs, the Consul-General in Greece, were brought to the Foteign-office yesterday, forwarded by route of An cona, by a messenger sent from that port with despatches from Sir FREDERICK ADAM, the Lord High Commissioner of the lonian Islands, for the Colonial- o ffice. BIEDERMANN, who had resided in this country for a number of years as Charge d'Affaires of the King of SA xolvt, has lately left town o n his return to Saxony. Lord MELVILLE has left town for Brighton. • • • COURT OF REQUESTS. THE CASE.OF THE SAGE-GREEN BREE ES. • 1313. 0 )W N V. GREEN. Mr. Christopher Green appeared upon su coons to show cause why he should not be coMpe ed t( pay the suni of it. 175., alleged to be due fro him to . Mr. Benjamin Brown' for work done and per. formed. To which summons Mr. Christopher Green pleaded " error i' th' bill ;"—and thereupon issue was joined. Mr. Benjamin Brown then—in the first p)ace— tucked his hat between his knees ; secondly, he put on his spectacles ; thirdly, he unrolled a copy of his bill, as delivered to the defendant ; and, fourthly, stretching it out to its full length, of half a yard, of thereabout, he held it up before his spectacles, and read from it us follows " Imprimis—To fine-drawing the sleeve of your best black coat, where it was torn by the nail in Mrs. Jenkins's chair-back, as I were credible in formed, sixpence." " Good,"—said Mr. Christoper Green;—" I con fess to the fine-drawing of the sleeve. Go on." " Item—To lengthening the legs of a pair of second-handed bine trousers, and taking in the shuperfluity of the hind parts of the same,—three and nine-pence ; including a new flannel fob, in re gard of your saying you thought flannel wore your watch brighter nor cotton." did so;" said Mr. Christopher Green.—" Go " Item—To taking a tuck in the skirts of your wife's puce pelisse, and letting out the buzzum of the same, in regard she was getting too jolly for it; five and sixpence, and three-pence ha'penny exter for hooks and eyes." " Good ;" said Mr. Christopher Green, " but that was a job for which I gave no orders; and you ought not to have gone into it without first consult ing me. However, go on." " Item.—To repairing a shute of clothes for your biggest little boy ; and putting a patch on the knee of his every-day corduroys,—two shillings." " Granted ;" said Mr. Christopher Green. " Dem.—To seating your sage-green breeches"— " Ah, there it is !" said Mr. Christopher Green.— " There lies the error !—I deny that I ever had a pair of sage-green breeches." " Gracious me!" cried Mr. Benjamin Brown, taking off his spectacles.—" Surely, Mr. Green, yeu won't go for to deny your sage-green breeches?" Indeed but I will though !" replied Mr. Green. —" I never had a pair of sage-green breeches. I hate sage-green breeches; and nothing on earth should prevail upon me to put on sage-green breeches. —l'd scorn the action !" " And why so, Mr. Green ?" demanded the Court. " That is a question which I do not see any ne cessity for my answering. It is sufficient that I utterly detest and deny them ;" replied Mr. Green. " Oh, dear me !" exclaimed Mr. Brown, " Only think that a gentleman—standing before this here honourable Court—should go for to deny them ere sage greens 1" Here Mr. Green lost what little patience he had, and literally "---" the sage greens. But, in the altercation which ensued thereupon, the cause of his mortal antipathy to sage greens was in some degree ascertained. They were the personal pro perty of a lodger of his, who wore them with such a grace as did repeatedly call forth encomiums from Mrs. Green, to the exceeding great annoyance of Mr. Green; who repeatedly admonished Mrs. Green not to mention them; and, finding his ad monitions were of non-effect, he expelled the sage green-breeches'd lodger from his premises. Where upon, the lodger,— either in revenge for the said expulsion, or from an innate propensity to evil, or from a lack of the root of all evil, did surreptitiously send those identical sage greens to be seated in Mr. Green's name. Evidence of ull this having been adduced to the satisfaction of the Court, the obnoxious sage-greens were struck out of Mr. Brown's bill, and Mr. Green paid the residue thereof instanter. on." BRAZILIAN SLAVE TRADE. EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM AN ENGLISH OFFICER, DATED MAY 29, 1829. During the afternoon► a large ship passed into the harbour, loaded with a cargo of 580 slaves, and ano ther with 348 had previously arrived during the week. This latter vessel I passed close alongside on Saturday morning, and saw the long boat slung be tween the two masts, crowded with children from seven to twelve years of age. They were naked, and apparently in good health and spirits. The deaths during the voyage in the large vessel amounted to 40, and in the smaller to 10. The p r ice of a newly-arrived slave, in good condition, here is about 501. sterling—a high price, occasioned by the demand arising from the stipulated termina tion of the trade in February, 1830, according to a treaty made with England. The Emperor, how ever, who derives a considerable portion of his reve nues from a duty on the importations, amounting to about .5/. per head, is making great efforts to obtain an extension of the period. The number of slaves imported into this town (Rio) last year was 40,000, and doubtless the misery inflicted must have been great. I am, how ever,, of opinion that this traffic is carried on in a system as mild (if such a term can be applicable to it) as its horrid nature permits. The condition of the slaves here does not appear to be a peculiarly hard one—they are not, apparently, overworked. They seem to be generally well made, their naked shoulders, well-expressed muscular form, and fine polished skins, often put one in mind of an antique bronze statue. On the 19th, a gentleman, whom I had met at -, kindly conducted me to the street inhabited principally by the slave-merchants. We entered seven or.eight magazines, and saw probably nearly 1,000 exposed for sale. Four-fifths are children, of all ages, from five to fourteen, they being preferred on account of their greater docility than the full grown men or women. The wretched creatures in one magazine were in a dreadfully emaciated state, some being merely living skeletons. The contents of the others were generally well-conditioned. Of course, I attributed their difference of condition to the comparatively mild or cruel treatment to which they had been subjected during their transmission here. They wear a narrow piece of blue striped calico round the loins, and some of the females a handkerchief over the bosom and another on the head. They appeared generally pleased if noticed, their eyes glistening when ordered to stand up fur examination. One purchase was made in my pre sence, of five female and four male children. The purchaser walks round the different groups who were standing, sitting on benches, or squatting on their hams, and having seen one which he thinks will answer, beckons, and the slave is removed to a cor ner of the apartment. The number being completed, they are brought in a line to the light, when they are thoroughly examined, beginning with the teeth, then the beard, if a male, nostrils, eyes, arms, legs, and all over; the flesh is felt and kneaded, in order to judge of its muscular texture. If approved, they are generally clad with new garments, and marched away. A little girl of eight or nine was examined, for my curiosity, by my guide. She was asked by a slave, who performed the part of interpreter, if she would like me for a master, and, I believe, answered in the affirmative; and whilst undergoing the exami nation, the agitation of the bosom and change of the colour of her face (the flush of blood being dis tinctly visible) showed intense feeling; and I pleased myself with the idea that more of hope than fear prevaled. I sincerely wish the poor little wretch good master. The price asked for the child above . mentioned was 440 milreas, equal to about ay. sterling. Sir GEORGE MURRAY was expected to leave the residence of the Marquis and Marchioness of SALIS BURY, at Hatfield, Herts, yesterday afternoon, on his re turn to town. SPIRIT The political state of the Netherlands has lately attracted a good deal-Of . attcntion in this country from the declared ►nisunclerstauding existing be tween the Government of the King and the Le gislative Chambers of the kingdom. We rather doubt, however, whether the scanty details sup plied by the English Press of their hostile atti tude, are sufficient to enable the public generally to comprehend the precise nature of the points at issue, or to appreciate the probable results of the contest. Though, therefore, we have alluded to the topic once or twice before, we shall make no apology for again entering into some further explanations on the subject. The great cause of the dissatisfaction and agitation which now exist in the Netherlands is not of recent origin, though it has only recently displayed itself in proceedings and discussions calculated to ex cite an interest or alarm beyond the limits of that kingdom. The southern and northern pro vinces of which it is composed speak a different language, profess a different religion, and are ac tuated by rival commercial interests. The junc tion of Belgium to Holland was effected by the Congress of Vienna, for the supposed security of Europe, rather than for the promotion of their own mutual advantage : the banns were pro claimed without the consent of the par ties, and, like most forced matches, the union has hitherto been neither cordial nor happy. The King, as a Protestant and a Dutchman, is Viewed with jealousy by the Bel gic Catholics : the attachment of the latter can with more difficulty be secured, as it had previ ously been pledged to France. By their union with Holland, the Belgians have lost the French markets, without deriving a proportional advan tage from those of their new connexion. The fundamental laws of the kingdom declared the inhabitants of the northern and southern pro vinces equally eligible to all public offices ; but the favours of the King are alleged to be re served chiefly for his old subjects. All colonial establishments and sources of commercial gain are by law equally opened to all ; but the Dutch interest predominates in the restored foreign possessions of the Crown, and Dutch enterprise or capital has engrossed the most of its foreign trade. The taxes levied on both portions of the union are nominally the same ; but the budget is alleged by the Belgians to impose burdens upon them which Holland ought exclusively to have borne. From paying the debt of the latter in particular they pleaded an exemption, as they had derived no advantage from the use of the loans by which it was created. The impolitic expenditure incurred for the reten tion and pacification of Java (which has not enjoyed an hour's peace since its restoration to its old masters) appears equally foreign to Belgic interests. The manner, too, in which the ne cessary revenue is raised, by affecting differently the provinces devoted chiefly to trade, to agricul ture, or to manufacturing industry, has main tained a source of jealousy which every discus. sion of the annual budget tends to exasperate. The land-tax seems oppressive to the Belgians, who participate little in foreign trade, while they allege that Dutch commerce does not contribute its due assistance to the public necessities. Hol land, during its most prosperous times, was al ways so heavily taxed, that its most distinguished writer tells us nothing was exempted from fiscal rapacity—agri, cedes, annonce, vestes, capita, nihil immune; and by the larger establishments rendered necessary for the protection of a more extended frontier, Belgium, which was formerly very lightly taxed, comes in for its full share of imposts, beyond even those formerly levied .on its rival. Add to these causes of dislike, the wounded pride of the Belgians, in being subjected to the sway of a sovereign sprung, from the inferior section of the king dom, instead of being allowed to make part of the " Great Nation," and their religious repugnance to the professors of a different creed, and we shall make out a tolerable cata logue of grievances, real or imaginary, which the southern provinces have accumulated against their Dutch rulers. This state of dissatisfac tion, which existed. from the formation of the kingdom, has been subsequently aggravated by several acts of oppression or impolicy. As the feeling of the Belgians has always run strongly in favour of a French connection, for which they are fitted by the general use of the French tongue, to counteract this tendency, and to unite the different sections of the kingdom by the na tional tie of a common language, the Dutch Administration issued a decree in 1819, which it renewed in 1822, ordering the employment of the national language only (that is, Dutch or Flemish) in all the acts of the authorities, in all legal proceedings, and by all persons in office. By this decree it was enacted, that after the commencement of the year 1823 no man was to receive employment in any branch of administra tion who did not or could not speak the national language,—in other words, Dutch or its Flemish cognate dialect. The Dutch are fond of mono polies, and the monopoly of language thus esta blished in their favour soon became a monopoly of place and emolument. In two or three years afterwards came the dispute between the Crown and the Catholic Church about the manner of regulating ecclesiastical education, and the inter course of the Belgic Prelates with the Court of Rome. An important ordinance was issued on the former of these subjects in 1825, which declared lecessary the authority of the civil magistrate to he erection of all institutions of education,— which established a philosophical college at Louvain, compelling all persons intended for the church to attend it before they could be admitted into the Bishops' seminaries,—and which pronounced ineligible to livings in Bel gium ecclesiastics who went abroad to pursue their theological studies. The Archbishop . of Mantles, joined by a great body of the Ultra clergy, protested against this interference with their mode of educating candidates for hoh orders, and appealed to the See of Rome for directions how to act on the emergency. It is needless to say, that the Holy See advised pas sive acquiescence in the obnoxious order. The Episcopal preparatory seminaries were therefore Phut up, the Philosophical College at Louvain was established, and threats were denounced against foreign education ; but the ferment created by these innovations was so great, that the Government college was not attended. The scheme failed. In this contest with the Belgic church, however, though the great body of the clergy and a considerable portion of the lower orders were hostile to the Government, the liberal party, the public press, the directors of public opinion, and nearly all the enlightened members of the States-General, lent it their countenance and support. It was a merit in the eyes of the latter, that the King had curbed the ultramontane tendencies of the clergy,—had resisted the parti pr&re,—had banished the missionaries, and ex- I S ili the frontiers, they •saw a bigotted Administration introducing and • cherishing those sacred nui sances, and they bleised their stars that they lived under a more enlightened Prince, though a Pro testant and Dutchman. Hence, during the whole of the administration of M. de Villele, we hear so few complaints of the sufferings of Belgium. The desire of a union with France having ceased while France was under the Jesuits and the Con gregation, the Belgians endured without mur muring their compulsory alliance with Holland. The budget was annually voted without much opposition ; internal improvements were pro jected and executed, at the common charge ; the Chambers were making rapid progress in the completim. of their code of laws, and in the adaptation of their institutions to their charter ; the periodical press, which enjoyed perfect free dom to abuse the Jesuits, found employment enough in echoing the invectives of its liberal friends in Paris against priestcraft and arbitrary power; multitudes of publications, disp!aying a freedom of political or religious discussion which could not be tolerated under the Bour bons, appeared in Brussels, and the latter city, instead of being oppressed, as now re presented, by the traders of Amsterdam, was considered one of the first as well as the 'tics; enlightened capitals of Europe. This pleasing and promising scene changed with the change of Administration in France. The Be'gians, seeing that their southern neighbours were now free, seem again to have been remind ed, that they themselves were enslaved.— Grievances which were formerly undiscover ed or unheeded, now started into promi nence, and were declared intolerable. They demanded laws for ministerial respo►►sibility ; the Liberals, who found the ordinances of 1825 perfect wisdom, now declared that their religion was oppressed ; the laws of the press, the system of education, the regulations of trade, and the distribution of imposts, were all wrong. — The Dutch majority in the States-General, under the title of Ministeriels, were denounced as more hateful to freedom and more dangerous to knowledge than the Jesuits. The legislative session of last year was extremely stormy. Some imprudent prosecutions and arbitrary proceedings on the part of the Ministry increased the tempest. Two Frenchmen, called Billet and Jador, having published what was declared a libel, were sentenced to imprisonment for a year ; and, having solicited their pardon from the King received it on condition of leaving the kingdom. This act of clemency was called an ag2ravation of the penalty, and excited great rage among their countrymen resident in Brussels and the friends of a French connexion. A puhlie writer, M. Ducpeteaux, having published a pamphlet strongly impugning the legislative proceedings respecting some articles of the Criminal Code, was likewise sentenced to a long imprisonment, and was consequently exalted into a political martyr. But the prosecution which ex cited the greatest and the mod excusable in dignation was that directed against M. de Potter, well known to many of our readers as an indefatigable and able writer on eccle siastical history—the author of the Life of Scipio de Ricci, and other valuable works. This gen tleman was sentenced to an imprisonment of 18 months, for calling, in the Courier des Pays Bas, the majority of the Second Chamber the ministoialists. The circumstance which aggra vates the injustice of these various judicial de cisions is, that they were passed—not under a law sanctioned by the legislature, but under two royal ordinances, issued in 1815 and 1818, of which the repeal was last year urgently demanded and which were actually repealed a few months after M. de Potter had been consigned to a dungeon under their au:hority. In consequence of these acts—of the alleged partiality of the Ministers towards the northern division of the kingdom—of the difficulties said to be thrown in the way of a reasonable concordat with the See of Rome—and, in short, of the general unpopularity of the Administration, tl,e Belgic members of the Second Chamber of the States- General resisted both last year and this the passing of the budget. In the present session, the laws of finance proposed by the Ministry were of more consequence than on any of the late sessions, because by the charter this is the year for discussing and continuing, or modify ing the decennial budget. In other words, the fundamental law, published in 1815, has, in one of its articles, declared that a certain por tion of the permanent establishments and per manent revenue shall be voted only every tenth year, an annual budget being passed to meet ex traordinary circumstances or temporary neces sities. On the 19th inst., the States-General having previously agreed to the estimates of expenditure, or to the supplies for this de cennial budget, thought proper in their wisdom to reject the proposition of the ways and means. The Government was, in consequence, driven to the necessity of proposing, on the 21st instant, a temporary arrangement for meeting both what are called the an nual and decennial charges. How the new project of law on the press, which is more oppressive than even the late legislation by ordinance, and the new propositions for regu lating the system of education, will be treated in the present temper of the Lower Chamber, and amid the indignation excited by the imprudent conduct of the Ministers, it would be needless now to speculate. In the legislative conflicts respecting the financial policy of the Nether lands, both now and formerly, the most striking and most ominous fact is, that we find the re presentative of the two nations who compose the Chamber nationally arrayed against each other. They have not a ministerial and oppo• , sition side of the House, a right or a left side, as in England or France, but a Dutch and Belgic side. Each national section is nearly unanimous, opposed to its unanimous national antagonises. There is no fusion of parties, no desertion of sides, no change of place by the prevalence of private interest over provincial predilections. The Members even speak their separate languages, Dutch or French, to make their national votes wear their national colours. As their numbers are nearly equal, so is often their suffrages. " In supposing," said M. Reyphius, a Belgian, in 1822, " that the affirmative vote's prove that all the population c f the old United Provinces (Holland) desires the new system of imports, the same proof of the aversion of the Belgian provinces results from the unanimity of our negative votes. If there had been any amalgamation, the majority, how ever feeble, would have presented a force in favour of the triumphant opinion, hut a schism so complete allows us only to see on one side an imperious will, always formidable for those who exercise it ; on the otl e a boundless submission of which we give the first example." The IJw :o which he alludes passed by a majority o to 51; only two of the former being Belgians,