The Sun. — London, England, 1829-03-02 00:00:00

ti~~{~ !i J?' CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY. BITC3I INC HAM, FEB. 27, 1829.—A very large and most respectable meeting to petition Parliament in favour of the Roman Catholics took place here to-day, and has just con cluded. Richard Spooner, Esq., a magistrate of the county in:the Chair. This gentleman is brother to the Chairman of the Anti-Catholic meeting which was held here on Wednesday, and of course quite opposed to him on the subject of Catholic concessions. Among the gen tlemen present were the principal magistrates, bankers, merchants, and manufacturers, of this large and populous town. Tl:e resolutions were firm and temperate, and it was the unanimous opinion of this meeting that Ministers should he supported in the measures about to be brought forward by all friends of Civil and Religious Liberty. Samuel Tertius Galton, Esq. (who has been recently no minated high-sheriff for the county of Warwick) spoke in favour of the objects of the meeting. The Rev. J.A. J:mes (Dio4enting Clergyman) spoke at some length, and with much eloquence, to the same effect. He particularly alluded to the inflammatory plaeards addressed to the Protestants which covered the walls of the public streets. Indeed both parties have employed these walls as a medium for communicating their sentiments. " Na Popery," " Eman cipate the Catholics," " Peel betrayed us," " Wellington for ever," and many such pithy epithetical eNpresaions are chalked all over the town. It was stated at this meeting that children were sigakag the Anti-Catholic petition, and that !Afore the petition was engrossed, they signed the parchment to which no petitions were affixed. It was proposed to call a town's meeting on the subject of the Ca tholic Clairo..., the excitement here is so great that the intention has most wisely been laid aside. The Petitions a topted to day are to be entrusted to Lord Calthorpe in the Upper, and tht .founty Member in the Lower House fur Presentation. SURRENDER ALL THINGS ! FOR GOD !-FOR RELIGION! !-AND FOR _ _ . OUR LAWS ! !! The Public are most respectfully and affectionately en treated not to enintain turbulent spirits,—such as tvould set themselves in array, in battle array, against the "Powers that be,"--hut to " Be subject to the Higher Powers; for the Pow Ens THAT BE are ordained cf Goo ! !" present does appear to he an awful crisis ; and would it not be safes; and best for_ some, quietly and peaceably to retrace their steps, as from the brink of a precipice,--a tremendous precipice,—lest their further progress should hurl them to destruction God save the King ! J. Read, Printer, Har,lingden. Feb. 23, 18i9. TO THE EDITOR OF THE: SUN. Slit—Above you have the copy of a placard, printed on a yellow-coloured paper, which has been posted on the walls in Manchester. Pray, Mr. Editor, can you tell us whether the mysterious writer wishes to quiet his nijesty's subjects or to excite them to rebellion ? We are all puzzled here to know what was his object. If the former, he must be mad ; if the latter, and ithe intended to cover a threat to the Powers that be, would it not he prudent to confine him for a few weeks, till the dreaded storm be overpast? You have a few persons of the same genus as the writer of the above hand-bill in and about London, to whom it would be as well to limit to the perusal of what has been written, and to - deny them pen, ink, and paper, for a short time. AIANCUNIENSIS. :Manchester, Feb. 21, 1829. NEWARK. The contest for this hitherto close borough is likely td ! be severe. Michael Thomas Saddler, Esq. of Leeds, has been for some days in the - field, under the guardian ship of a certain Noble Duke not far from Newcastle, and although actively canvassing has met with but doubtful success. Fear and doubt was entertained by the independent electors that no candidate would dare to dispute the above influence; Saturday however removed all doubt by the arrival of the agents of Thomas Wilde, Esq., the eminent and learned King's Sergeant, who published by large placards the in tention of the learned Sergeant being at Newark at three o'clock. Shortly after an animated address from the Learned Sergeant announced Lis determination to abide a contest, and that the delay of him decision was to be attributed to the sudden and unexpected re signation of their late Representative, and not to any want of respect on hie part. The town now became all bustle, the Blues assembled in thronging numbers opposite the Castle and Falcon Hotel, engaged by the Sergeant, waiting with anxiety the hour of his arrival among them. Before two o'clock the road towards London was lined with electors to meet him, and on his approach his horses were taken from his carriage, arid he was drawn into the borough amid the deafening cheers of all description of I perions—not least in their we lcome were the ladies. On his return to the hotel the Learned Sergeant was intro dueed to the electors by Mr. Pearson, and then he pro. seeded to address them from the window. His speech re tained all the usual power of the Learned Sergeant, and was received with long and loud cheering. The Mayor has signified his determination to give effect to fair play, rather unusual in this borough, and has conducted himself with much courtesy to the Learned Sergeant ; and no doubt seems entertained as to the sec- eessful This morning (yesterday) the Mayor sent his compli ments, and stated he had given orders to the proper officers to attend the Learned Sergeant to Church, and that his official pew was at his service, which was as politely ac cepted by Mr. Wilde, and lie was attended by a large as semblage of well dressed electors and their ladies. CoNscirwrious BaNKEßS.—Previous to Mr. Sergeant Wilde leaving London, he placed in the hands of Barclay and Co. bankers, London, 5,000/, to advise their cor respondents, Messrs. Godfrey and Batton, of at Newark On the advice being received, they politely sent a note to Mr. Wilde declining receiving the amount, not having be fore had the honour of opening an account with him.— Query. Are they not stewards or agents to a Noble Duke? Doubtless 5,0001. more will be shortly placed in their hands by him, in consideration of their conscientious conduct. The effects of suitors in Chancery for 1828 nmBunted to near 40 millions. The thermometer, in a sheltered situation, fell on Saturday night to 28, being four degrees below the freezing pint. KIRRIEMUIR.—CATHOLIC ENI ANCIPA- Tlol 4.—We have seen the copy of a petition, in the course of signing, which is to be presented to the King and both Houses of Parliament, sent here by that great Anti- Catholic of Dundee. The petitions we at once denounced as the effusions of a madman. They are the most ludi crous we have s e es of all the bigoted intolerant Anti - Catholic petitiu.r, ; and we have too much confidence iu our townsmen to be afraid of their patronizing any peti tioning to Parliament ag ainst Emancipation. The great fanatic wrices with his circular that he hopes the rams' horns of Scotland will sound from every corner; no doubt thinking, ghat, if the horns were sounded, the cause of Emancipation would fall as the wails of Jericho did of old. —Dundee Advertiser. MEASURES IN PROGRESS FOR THE RE STORATION OF YORK Mixstea.—lt is with great plea sure we call the attention of our readers to an advertise anent, in another column, requesting the attendance of the Nobility and Gentry, at a meeting is be held in the Fes tival Concert Room, on Thursday next, in order to take their opinion upon the best means to be adopted to restore the Cathedral to its former stated An eminent architect from the Metropolis (R. Smirke, Esq., R.A.) has been consulted by the Dean and Chapter, and was engaged the greater part of last week in surveying the edifice, prepa ratory to laying before the meeting alluded to the neces sary plans and e stimates for its restoration in the most complete manner. The Lord Lieutenant of the West Riding has offered to attend the meeting, and the at tendance of the Lord Lieutenants of ttila other Ridings may be hoped for, in case they should b 2. in the county at the time. There is reason to believe that the meeting will be numerously attended from all parts of the county, by the nobility, clergy, gentry; by the mer chants and manufacturers ; in short, by every rJass of the inhabitants ; and that it will not separate without taking measures for rendering the subscription fully adequate to the object. On Mon da y morning, worknien commenced removing those parts of the pinnacles whieh, from their situation, were found to be so materially injured p to re quire to be taken down. Others are employed in ret..-ov ing the rubbish loose stones above the window, of the choir, and we trust after the meeting on Thursday, that no time will he lost in..proceeding to the necessary repara tion of the building. The subscriptions for the restora tion of the Minster are advertised in another column. The arn.unt already subscribed is upwards of 11,000/.-1s Ilatifax the subscription already amp:Kits to 330/. ; and in Bradford to about loot. ; in Leeds, 'Wakefield, and most .f the other parishes of the county the opening of the sub scription is deferred till Mr. Smirke has made his report to the General 'Meeting to be held at York next Thursday. ....Leeds Paper. MAGAZINE DAY. NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE. " Wellington and Emancipation" contains in its first page the following animated allusions to Lord Eldon and Lord Wellington, which we extract as a fair sample of its manner and matter : " Glory be-to Wellington ! He has raised himself to a pinnacle of fame far more lofty than his military triumphs ever afforded. He has shown himself the friend of human freedom. The triumph of the mere soldier is soon for gotten; that of the benefactor of mankind is eternal. In dependent as we are, and will be, in our opinions, we shall never prejudge, in future, the acts of this Minister, let circumstances be ever so strong against him ; we shall wait his defence, and grant even to the mistakes of his honest manliness of character that indulgence of the pen, which the sophistical assuming every-day statesman shall never command. " The silence of the Duke of Wellington, which was eansi.lered a triumph by the foes of civil freedom, appears to have laen a wise precaution. It freed him from a vast deal of harassing intrigue, from the bullying of the Cum berland Brunswiekers, and the grey-bearded iteration of Lord Eldon's musty predications. This Nobleman once joined Lord Kenyon hi his recorded opinion respecting the coronation oath being no obstacle to concession ! He was the foe of the repeal of the Test Act, and of the Protestant Dissenters, as he is the enemy of Catholic Emancipation, and of the kingdom's best interests. He supported the slave-trade to its last hour. He is hostile to freedom every where—the self-congratulator, even at this day, on the part he took against the members of the Corresponding Slo aiety (now, when the eyes of mankind are opened to the conduct of certain individuals at that peras), while'the world is rapidly advancing under the aus p ices of the prin ciples which he then, as now, would go any length to dr at:oy. lie is one whom time makes not wiser by expe rience, and who obstinately and doggedly opposes every step to human improvement. He is the Antteus of his faction ; opposes his Majesty's Ministers step by step, and, with his followers, presents a more obstinate resistance, in proportion as it becomes move misehievous. Does this Nobleman desire that the only recollection of him that will survive his grey hairs, shall increase the distaste of survivors to his memory as years roll on ? We conjure him to afford to the pleasure of retracting our opinions of bins : and not ours alone, but those of the country. A death-bed peni tent is entitled to indulgenee. Alas !we fear his Lordship w ill coutinue the same to the surd. " gut's) &us volt per d ere prius dementat We must abanaloo him to Lord Holland and the Duke of Wellington, during the remainder of his political career ; and pray for a prodigality of charity, if it be our lot to chronicle him hereafter. " The character of the Duke of Wellington as a states man is no longer in doubt. The s traight-forwardness of his conduct haa restored confidence to the country. We repeat it, the clouds of uncertainty have cleared away. Ireland will be pacified, and six millions of population re stored to civil freedom, England will no longer exhibit the brand of intolerance nn ber fair forehead. AU her people will be linked i n invineibi onion." " Mr. Leslie Foster" is a graphic, hu morous, and grotesque sketch of this gentleman, from the pen of Mr. Shed. It is worthy of his powers of sarcasm and caricature. The Great Agitator" is an admirably drawn portrait of Mr. O'Connell, introduced in a very striliing and dramatic manner. It does justice to his unri , valled powers of addressing a mob—an Irish one, be it observed—to his strength of expression and activity of manner ; but unhesitatingly asserts that, on the floor of the House of Commons, li would, if not altogether fail, at least sink into a second-rate orator. Other powers are there requisite than those which can electrify the Association, or quicken the pulses of seven millions of excited Catholics. English oratory is cool, decided, dispassionate ; it has little e4u beranee of action, little display, and is frigid in manner, though full of matter. Irish oratory is diametrically the reverse ; it appeals not to the head, but to the heart ; and whether in action, style, humour, pathos, description, or argument, is sure to be redundant and over-done. Mr. Shell's speeches are very fair specimens of the highest order of modern Irish eloquence. " Tea and Music" is chatty and agreeable ; it wants strength, however, and point and freshness... , — " Walks in Rome and its Environs" are full of condensed information ; but are somewhat dry reading. The remarks, however, on Italian Landscape Gardening, it is but fair to add, are neatly and elegantly penned. " The Opera Box" is lively and colloquial, and " John Bulliem" a smart satirical collection of national a pothegms, illustrative of honest John's character and habits. We regret that we cannot afford room for making extracts from this last article, but our very contracted limits compel us at once to conclude. BLACKWOOD'S MAGAZINE. The present number of this periodical is, as might have been anticipated, filled with politics. These consist, for the most part, of violent un compromising diatribes against the Catholics, virulent in argument, virulent in expression, virulent in a fixed boastful hostility to every measure, no matter whether qualified with se curities or not, that tends to favour, even in the remotest degree, Catholic ErnaliCi pation. Christopher North seems literally horror-struck at such a catastrophe, and if bluster were any proof of argument, or threats of influence, would prove himself no contemptible foe to administration. But the days of intole rance are we sincerely, earnestly trust gone for ever. They sleep, we hope, with ages beyond the flood, to be remembered only for their folly. The first article in the present number is headed " The Assembling of Parliament." Its chief object seems to combat the idea that th e majority hitherto gained in the House of Com mons over the opponents of concession, are majorities to be at all feared, and to prove at the same time that the sense of the country is strongly and unequivocally opposed to the introduction of Papists (even with rigid, secu rities) into either House of Parliament. Thc.> folly of these two positions are so self-evident — except where the judgment is warped by preju dice—that we shall not waste time in attempting to refute them. To state them merely is at once to show their utter fallacy. " Cuttioge" is another humorous letter by the same supposed Frenchman, who wrote a former article entitled " Boxes ;" it points out with happy irony, and with a rrench idiom, neatly preserved through out, the folly of .applying the word " cut" to at leant a hundred opposite meanings. We re commend it to the notice of our readers. " The Duke of Wellington and Mr. Peel" is indeed a most bitter rancorous tirade against the epos , tacy,so the scribe in " Blackwood" phrases it— of the hate? G=ent. His late disinterested con duct is termed sycophancy ; his conversion, 0 wish to preserve place, and sc on, through some nine or ten pages of heavy lumbering coarse in vective. " First and Last" is a powerfully writ ten tale, penned, however, in an excited and a morbid spirit, by Mr. Mudford, late Editor of the Courier. It will well repay ,pe - cuial, and teems with point and incident. " Sketches of Italy and the Italians" is a dull disjointed article on a dull worn-out subject. The remarks on Ra phael, in particular, though not ill-expressed, are common- place ; nor is there a single critical opinion put forward on this unsurpassed painter which we have not heard a hundred times. " The Two Emilies" is a sketchy feeble tale about love and a thunder storm ; it has evident traces of a female pen. " railors" is an into lerably prosing essay on that peculiarly poetic fraternity ; the leading idea is stolen from a hint furnished by the second or third chapter—we cannot now remember which—in Swift's Tale of a Tub. " The Grave of the Broken Heart " improves considerably on acquaintance, there is much natural feeling and unpretending descrip tive power in the way in which the incidents, trite in themselves and threadbare, are brought about. It is not yet, we perceive, concluded. " Twelve Years of Military Adventure " is a dashing, off-hand, spirited notice of a book, which we reviewed under the same head some weeks since in Me Sun ; it is amusing and clever, without aspiring to wit, a:nl very easy and entertaining in its egotism. " The Man -Mountain " is a dream well sustained by that amusing Journalist, " The Modern Pythagorean ;" it is, however, too much an echo of his former productions in " Blackwood." The public is sick of dreams, and reveries, and allego ries. The following is a specimen of the amus ing caricature of this author. He is desciibing the entrance of a fat man into a room where he was sitting with two ladies : ‘‘ scarcely had our surprise time to subside, than we heard the outer door opened by the servant—then it closed—then heavy footsteps, one, two, and three, avert audible in the lobby—then the dining-rosin door was opened ; and a form which filled the whole of its ample aperture, from top to bottom, from right to left, !wide its appearance. It was the figure of a man, but language would sink under his immensity. Never in heaven, or earth, or air, or ocean, was such a man seen. He was hugeness itself—bulk personified—the beau ideal of am, plitude. When\ the dining-room was first opened, the glare of the well-lighted lobby gleamed in upon us, illu minating our whole apartment with increase of lustre; but no sooner did he set his foot upon the threshold, than the lobby light behind him was shut out, He filled the whole gorge of the door like an enormous shade. Thu door itself seemed to stand aghast at such a stupendous substitute, and its yawning apetture shrunk with apprehension lest its jaws should be torn asunder by the entrance of so great a mass of animated materials. " Onward, clothed in black, came the moving moun tain, and a very pleasing monster he was. A neche like that of a rhinoceros sat piled between his Atlautean shoL:lders,' awl bore up , .‘n its tower-like and sturdy stem, a countenance prepossts , ing from its good-humour, and amazing for its plumpness and rubicundity. His cheeks were swollen out into billows of fat,--.liis eyes over-hung with turgid and most majestic lids, and hit ebin double, triple, aye quadruple. As for his mouth-,,- " It was enough to win a lady's heart - I , 'r :tlt its bewitching smile.' " Onward eagle the i;lpyip b rr mountain—shaking the flaor beneath his tread, filling a tithe of the. room with his bulk, and blackening every object with his portentous shadow. " I was amazed--I was confounded—l was horrified. Not so Julia and her aunt, who, far from participating in my perturbed emotions, got up from their seats, smiled with a welcoming not i l, and requested him to sit clown. " Clad to see, you, Mr. Tims,' raid Julia. " Glad to see iou, Mr. Titus,' said her aunt. " Mr. Tints Gracioqs heavens, and was this the name of the mighty entrant? Tims ! Titus Tims ! the thing was impossible. A Man With stich 4 pa f aa sho.dd be able to go into a nutshell ; and lieu was one that the womb of a mountain could scarcely contain ! Had be been called Sir Bullion O'Dunder, Sir Theodosius M`Turk, Sir Rugantino gagnifieus, Sir Blunderbuss Blar ney, or some other hi g h-sounding :;aglv, I should have been perfectly satisfied, But to be called Tons I Urn my honour, I was shocked to hear it„ The very first prin, ciples of unity were outraged, and idea rimst atrocious dist, cord substituted in their place." The " Noctes" are distinguished, as ig their wont," by a vein of coarse and, in some respects, offensive humour. It is impossible to deny their power, but it is power of a per:eat...al cha racter ; power calculated not to impose, but to re, pel. The best parts about them are those re ferring to the " West Port Murders,"_ from which graphic and spirited description we extract he following, with which we must close our notice N aaa n—What did you think, James, of the praceed• ings of these two Irish gentlemen ? " SitEritEßD—That they were too monotonous to bit press the imagination. First ae drunk auld wife, arid then anither drunk auid wife—and then a third drunk acid wife --and then a drunk auld or sick man or twa, The coufeeaion gat unco monotonous—the Lights and Shadows o' Scottish Death want relief --though , to be sure, poor Peggy Paterson, that Unfortunate, broke in a little on the uniformity ; and sae did Daft Jeanie ; for whilk last murder, without ony impiety, ane may van tore to say, the Devil is at this moment !Wein' that Burke of u' hell fire wi' a three-prong'd fork, and then in wi' him again, through the ribs—and then stirring up the coals 7 . e that eternal poker—aud then wi' the great bellows blawin' pp the furnace, till, like an Etna, or Mount Vesuvius, it vomits the murderer out again far ower into the very middle o' the floor t/ the iplernal regions. 4' Tic K LER —Wit isli t—witialit—Jarnes SuprirEno—Nae system o' divinity shuts ;portal mouths ;pi:lst such enormous monsters. I ant but a worm. We are al; worms. But we crawl in the licht o' heaven ; and God has given us voices to be lifted up from the dust, when horrid guilt loosens our tongues; and the moral sense, roused by religion, than denounces, without misgivings, the curse o' heaven on the hell dootn'd soul o' the Atheistic murderer. What forbids? " Nrcria—Base blind superstition, in the crimes of the crea.ture forgetful of the laws of the Creator. Nothing else. " SHEfIiEV-D—Was he penitent? If sae, I ablaur my words. " Nolaii—lmpatirat es a snake-remorseless as a tiger. I studied, in his cell, his bard, crue l e y es, from whose lids had never dropped the tear That sacred pity had engender'd*— his hardened lips, which ruth never touched nor moved from their cunning compression—his voice rather seft and calm, but steeped in hypocrisy and deceit—his collected and guarded demeanour, full of danger and guile—all, all betrayed, as lie lay in his shackles, the aa,ol, calculating , callous, and unrelenting villain. As the day of executiop drew near, his anxiety was often—l am told by those who caw him, and marked him well—manifest in his dim or darkened countenance—for the felon's throat felt: in imagination tLe utrocating halter ; but when that dream passed off, he would ainjle—nay laugh—and inly exult in his series of murders, f 0 tang teecessfully per petrated—and the bodies of the slaughtered still ca, led to a ready market—prompt payment without iliscounte-,:eig. l 4 or ten pounds for a corpse , and whisk y chea p !—so that murderers, and time about to be murdered, might all get speedily fuddled, and drunk together—and th e n the hand on the mouth and throar,,,a few gasp 14; 4 convulsions —and then corpse aftee corpse hud d led ip or beneath chat:-beds, or into iterrihg- barrels,..-then aeaachests—and off to the most unsuspicious aol generous of stage:me that ever gave a bounty on the dead for the benefit of the li.a a ag. t D —Was he ; strong fallow, Burke? " Nonau—No, a neat little Ina; of about five feet Eve, Well proportioned, especially in Ilia legs soil 2Q1 ,1 1) &1)0,14A but narrow-chested—arms rather thin— small wrists, am! a moderate-sized hand—no mass of muscle any where about his limbs or frame—but vigor oust), necked—with hard forehead and cheek-bones --a very active, but not a powerful man—and 4.ligniled by nature for a daneing-inaster. Indeed he danced well —candling in the Irish jig—and when working about Peebles and Inaerleithen he was very fond of that recreation. In that neighbourhood he was reckoned a good specimen of the Irish character —not quarrelsome—expert with the spade —and a pleasant enough companion over a jug of toddy. Nothing repulsive about him, to ordinary observers at least--and certainly not deficient in intelligence. But he 'had that within which passeth shew there was a laughing devil in his eye,' James—and in his cell he ap. plied in my hearing over and over again the words hu mane man,' to those who had visited him, laying the em phasis on humane, with a hypocritical tone, as I thought, that chewed he bad not attached its appropriate meaning to the word, but used it by rote like a parrot— " SHEPHERD-Safe us ! what like was Hare ? N oRTH —The most brutal man ever subjected to my sight—and at first look seemingly an idiot. His dull, dead blackish eyes, wide apart, one rather higher up than the other, his large, thick, or rather coarse-lipped mouth—his high, broad cheek-bones, and sunken cheeks, each of which when he laughed—which he did often—collapsed into a perpendicular k,llow, shooting up ghastlily from chin to cheek-bone—ill steeped in a aullenness and squalor not born of the gaol, but native to the almost deformed face of the leering miscreant—inspired not fear, for the aspect was scarcely f e rocious, but dis.,;ust and abhorrence—so utterly loathsome was the whole look of the reptile ! He 4io pot look so much like a murderer as a resurrectionist brute that would gropa in the grave for the dead rather than stifle the living,--though, t; , he sure, that re. quired about an equal degree of the same kind of cournge as stifling old drunk women, and hedrid.len old men, and helpless idiots—tor Daft Jamie was a weak creature in body, n!3cl though he might in sore affright have tumbled himself and his murderer off the bed won the floor, was incapable of making any effort deserving the name of re sistance." LONDON AI.k.GAZINr. We are pleased to learn that this able and practical periodical keeps up its circulation, and that in enemy and enterprize it is far from being either tamed or worn out. The article "On the Currency" is :well and even powerfully written it is, however, too long, and has about it an appearance of mystery and abstruseness which we could wish to see more simplified.— Universal Biographies" is a partial review— not, however, undeservedly so—of the French o Biographic Uniyerselle," in the coure of which we have the following cursory notice of the in dustrious " Bibliotheca Britannica:"— c‘ One most important department of a general Dic tionary of Biography is its bibliographical (i_tails. By a right method in the dispensing of this sort of information, it may be rendered almost an index of universal literature, a work in itself much wanted. The nearest approach to any thing of the kind that we vet have, is that wonderful compilation, ' Watt's Bibliotheca. Britannica'—wonderful at all events when we consider it in connection with its history. It is the work of a single individual, the late Dr. Robert Watt of Glasgow, whom it occupied for twenty years of life, Yet he lived only to car: y a few sheets of it through the press. It consists of four closely printed quarto volumes, in the two first of which we have a list of the works of no fewer than 40,000 authors, arranged ac cording to the alphabetical order of the authors' names, and the dates Of publication ; the whole forming, perhaps, the most extensive and minutely particular catalogue that was ever compiled. In the two other volumes, all these works are distributed and arranged according to the sub jects to which they relate ; so that the book gives us, in this way, an =punt of whatever line been written on any subject, and by whom it has been discussed, at least in so far 113 concerns the productions of the very large number of writers comprehended in its scheme. The publication of the Bibliotheca Britannica' commenced iu 1819, and it was completed in 1821. Unfortunately it has suffered in point of fulness and accuracy, in regard especially to its latter references, from n ot haying been carried through the preFo by the author himself. It contain* too a good many mis-atatements, occasioned partly by oversights, scarcely avoidable iu the case of to large a work conducted and composed by a single individual ; and partly by the im perfect sources of information on which the author, in his l'emotri situation, had been frequently obliged to depend. There are some 'defects too in the plan of work, which, for one thing, wants completeness ; and had better, per bap, have either been confined to British publications uiereiy, or el,:tended so as to embrace the whole of Euro pean literature. With all these Lledtictipns from its utility however, it is still a valuable and highly seryicei,ble work ; and as an effort of individual zeal, ingenuity, learning, tr,4 industry, quite a stupendous performance, and well en titling iits author to oi4 gratitude of every student." E' The Inconyenhmee of baying an Elder Bro, tiler" is an entertaining sketchy fragment, and the little poem, entitled 't Schgol and ! School, fellows," remarkable for its elegance and correct? ness. f 5 Life and Writings of Dr. Thomas Brown," the late well-known metaphysician and even 1)00 of Edinburgh, is from the pen of a writer well acquainted with the rairpaiq of his subject, but whose zeal iii the cause of his idol —who most assuredly was not, " the most acute inetaphpician of his time"—outstrips,we conceive, his discretion. Stili the analysis possesses matter well worth referring to. " Modern French Poetry" is a dull subject, dully handled ; Victor Hugo is the subject of the notiPe, " philosophy of Statistics" is an article the very name of which .s sufficient to give a headache. We have scannftd the sentence in awful reverence, but have not ventured to proceed further, The more spirited reader must therefore judge for himself. " The Journal of Facts" is a good idea, and one happily in accordance with the literary pcles, sities of the day ; it is a record of all the leading practical remarks and discoveries that have oc , enrred during the month. " Diary for February" is passably amusing, MONTHLY MAGAZINg. The Catholic Question seems now to have fairly set all parties together by the ears. We nw,et witli it at every step—we hear it in every party—we E4e it p4cerded in the streets—para graphed in the newspapers,.,d/sr34ls.sed in the magazines—prosed over at the club houi - ie&,,-aua, thematised in the pulpit—cheered in the tap rocarr.7,l--canvassed in the police offices---and alter nately extolled and vilified in either House of Parliament. Go where we will, it followli 14s, awful as a Familiar, * constant ac our sliadow, 1 If we take the box seat of the Dover coach, it get 2 up beside us—if we book an inside birth, it instantly books another in the shape of a fat elderly asthmatic gentlewoman, fond of Scotch snuff, and addicted to ham sandwiches. In the coffee-room of the Dover Hotel it puts on the white apron, with a napkin tucked under his arm, of' a. mart LI - ring waiter ; it invades us in the guise of Boots,—wbat an Lislorious morphosis !—and even when, as a last resource, we fly for refuge to France, it crosses the Chan pel in our company, exaggerates the moments of sickness, atta.:l,3 vs on the Calais quay, pre cedes the custom-house inquiries, 4nd, like Cicero's literature, lies down with us at night, i$ peyriptat!4r, rusticatur nobiscum." On the characters pt ppl4ip men iP'; eflects have been equally linpressive. It has conyerte4 Mr. Peel into a statesman abstracted the ideas of Lord Newcastle—lent energy to those of Lord Grey—enlightened Dr. Philpotts—bewitched the Dublin:Corporation— paralyzed poor Alderman Birch—immortalized the Duke of Wellington—made a lion of O'Connell—an ass of Cobbett—and politicians of universal Europe. Moreover, it has cast all re cent events into the same indiscriminate impartial oblivion. The West Port murders are for- e Vide Middleten's Witehee. gotten—Rowland Stephenson, like his debts, is at a discount—York Minster is neglected, and Martin lies unnoticed in gaol. Such have been, and such still are, the effects of this all engross ing question, this cormorant of monopoly, which as respects ourselves individually—and we have no doubt there are thousands in the same pre dicament—has kept us awake for the last three weeks, in spite of Glasgow punch and the perusal of the Morning Journal. In the Maga zine which we now proceed to notice, the Question again comes before us in the shape of a formidable leading article, written cer tainly with vigour, ingenuity, and point, but at the same time in a spirit of the mpst fierce and intolerant bigotry. The writer is literally mad, " clean daft," as the Scotch say, His wrath knows No bounds. He abuses• Dr. Phillpotts—he abuses Mr. Goulburn—he abuses Mr. Peel—and lays about him on all sides with a pen like a bludgeon, and with an earnestness which we have rarely seen equalled. Of course vs , o shall not attempt to answer such a diatribe ; it is quite enough to describe it. " The Theatres" is a respectable analysis of the pro ceedings of the last and present season, both at Covent,garden and Drury.lane, from which we extract the following just observations as regards Mr. Harris, the late well-known Manager of Covent-garden ; "111 looking over the memoirs that have been within these few years published by actors and dramatic authors, we see perpetamd panegyrics on the generosity, and honour, the personal good sense, and the public activity of the elder 1-f in is. We allude to him now, merely as a model which every modern manager ought to have before his eyes. With this intelligent man, the author was the first object. It was a axed principle, to cultivate the intimacy of clever men and turn their powers to the stage. When once they had exhibited decided ability for the drama, they might look upon themselves as secure of the manager's services for life. It was Harris's rule, to have at least four come dies in pi eparation at the commencement of every season, and to bring them out in succession, but not till the actors were most thoroughly prepared, and the mast favourable junctures had occurred. For those labours he allowed the most liberal remuneration. He drove none of those harsh bargains that so often make it a humiliation for a gentle man to have any thing to do will the stage. If the per formance merited the public approbation, there was no vulgar limit to its reward. Coleman has for one play re ceived 1,0001., and probably more in other instances.— Cherry received for The Will, 1,300/. Lloleroft received 1,1001. and 1,300/. Morton received 1,0001. for Town and Country, even before it was played. In one instance, O'Keefe hail produced an opera in extreme haste at Har ris's suggestion, who was in want of an immediate perform ance. The sum to be paid was six hundred guineas,— The opera failed totally, and at once. O'Keefe, a nervous mar t , overwhelmed with its ruin. which seemed to him to involve his own with the manager, fled from the theatre, and threw himself upon his bed in despair. He was roused by Ilarris'n arrival shortly after, who cheered him, talked of the disaster as a mere accident owing to the haste with which his production was urged, and ended by pouring cu: the six hundred guineas on the table, " The man who email tip this, deserved to have the best ability of able men at his command, and he had it. The theatre never was in so flourishing a state since the days of Garrick. Covent-garden, with its cornedea, and a comic company (though that W4d first-rate), fought and conquered the grand dramatic army of Drnry-lane, with the Kembles and Siddons at its head, and with only, at lest, the name of Sheridan to make it the centre of fashion and the centre of wit together. Still Harris vigorously feught his battle, and when he retired from the management through age, be reti-ed with 80,0001. " Ilut there was in his conduct more than the mere eff i cial drudgery of a manager. tie cultivated society at home : he felt that lie might take rank among his fellow pies by his personal merits, and his house received with honourable and accomplished hospitality a large entvessiun of individnals fitted to give diatineton to atly rank. He thus at once made his profession popular, and'acquired for himself the active civilities and polished intercourse of the learned, the witty, and the influential. Sir Joshua Rey nolds had done this before Blip, anal fpppdj its advantages in the beet sense of the word, in the eadciyation of his own understanding, in the pleasant opportunity of bringing ig telligent and valuable men together, lyim bet tar that Laausf intercourse might never have met, and in the added information and personal pleasure to he found in manly and highly instructed minds." ft Mine Host's Last Story" is a pretty simple tale, written with much simplicity and strength of feeling, We recommend it to the attention of our fair readers, " Memoirs of John Shipp" is a spirited review of one of the most entertain ing pi eces o f military gossip and biography that has ever fallen under our notice. The extracts in this critique are peculiarly well selected. ff .Evonoi of a recent Journey in South America" are tolerably entertaining, the subject being itself of so extremely threadbare a nature that it is Next to impossible to impart to it any paramonnt interest. f‘ Notes on the Month" are replete with pungency and sarcasm ; they are, however, (.)0 political, being full, ttsylte aq mpocom, of staunch anti-Catholic diatribes. Altogether the present number is remarkable for its spirit and freedom of thought, though we could certainly wish that that thought were directed into a healthier and more becoming channel. THE UNITED SERVICE JOURNAL. W e have merely space left tq s a y o f this WY amusing periodical that its present ;lumber is thp. best we have yet seen, abounding in variety As well of an entertaining as an instructive qua lity, J 4 day or two we may speak more at length upon the subject. The following is agreeable specimen of the poetry : SONG OF ARCHIE. ROVER. Lindlen's Chron. p. 3.) The li,-ttitt may rein his braw braw steed, May don his mailed hiope t In marshalled list, on tented plain, ro win his ladye love But what 'a the brave knight's belted trim, The landsman's gear to me? My war-steed is mine own good ship, battle-plz.:ip the sea To horse the merry hugle-call May bid the bold dragoon, And hackbut men at tuck of drum Unsling their musketoon ; But nought for tuck of drum reek I, Dior tr,oper!s trumps' Mreors'Otp Whistle shriii, My drum, the war hurra! By lir.tke and scaur, all rent and torn, The landsman's curse must lie; Foul pathway for the hoof of horse, And red artillery ; 1 , :ot tint rtde . e'a tr3;:tp shall wound not me, Ner the 'roll of the rattling gun ; For a thousand, I wren, in the deep sea wave May sleep as sound as one. 111-,. EDWARDS' BOTANICAL, REGISTER ; or MINA.. MENTAL, FLOWER GARDEN 4nd SHRUBBERY. Continued by Jowl LINDLEY, Esq. Professor of Botany to the University of London.—No 1 of Vol. 2, New Series for March. Coloured Plates. The subjects in the present faseiculi arp all handsome and interesting; but we would point out the second article as worthy both of the British agriculturist and philanthrophist. We allude to " tristenax" (Tough-threaded Iris). The plant is quite hardy, grows readily, might soon be increased considerably, and being a perennial, would be cultivated at little expense. It blooms .in April and May, the stems are about a foot high, and flowers a fine purple. LI North California (its native country), it grows in abundance in the dry soils and open parts of woods, and along the coast of New Georgia• The native tribes about Aguilar River, in Cali fornia, find this plant very serviceable for many purposes ; from the veins of the leaves fine cord is made, which is converted into fishing nets ; and from its buoyancy, great strength, and durability, it suits this purpose admirably. It is also made into snares for deer and bears, and $ good idea may be formed of its strength, when.s snare not thicker than a sixteen-thread rope, is sufficient to strangle " Cervus Alces" (the great stag of California), one of the most powerful animals of its tribe. The cordage is also manu factured into bags and other articles. That the plant might be cultivated profitably in the waste lands in this country for hemp, we entertain no doubt ; and certainly prove far more advantageous than the celebrated New Zealand flax, of the success of which in this climate there is now, we presume, no probability, " Lupinus Plu mosus" (Feathery perennial Lupine), is a beauti ful addition to our gardens. It is a hardy pereu nial, growing freely in any common soil, but, perhaps, preferring peat borders. It produces raceme of large blue flowers, exceeding a foot in length, on stems from two to four feet ; blooms through June and July ; is found near the blue mountains of North-west America. We lament our apace will permit us to do no more than specify the rest of the contents. " Amaryllis Coronica"(Pale Corana Amaryllis), ./Enothers Viminca" (Long-branched 2Enothera), Eno thera Decutnbens" (Decumbent purple zEno there), " Spiraaa Chamcedrifolia" (Germander leaved Spircea), and " Tupistra Nntans" (Nod ding Tupistra). LA BELLE ASSEMBLEE. Were it only fof the exquisite beauty of the portrait of the Hon. Mrs. Lyndsay, which ig finished with an ease, a sprightliness, a grace worthy of the present advanced state of English Art—were it only for this elegant engraving the present number would be worthy of our highest praise ; but the contents also deserve considera tion and are light and amusingly miscellaneous- 1 FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. FRENCH PAPERS. (From the Moniteur of Friday.) PsRIS, FEB. 26.—1 n a first voyage to the Vanniecl. Islands, Capt. Peter Dillon, Commander of an Enlist' ship, found on those islands some remains of the shipwreck of La Perouse ; and in a second voyage, undertaken , the expence of the English East India Company, the Capts44 procured several other articles which evidently be1e:4441 so. the vessels of that celebrated navigator. Tha details o' these two voyages have been published is this .loornal. The King, on the proposal of hia Excellency the 141i' !lister of the Marine, has heep pleased to authorise Dillon to present to him the fruit of these two voyages. By producing these articles this Captain has proved ths t , he is entitled to the reward promised by the Decree 01 Feb. 28, 1791, to the navigator, whether Frenchman of foreigner, should first discover traces of the glair wrest; of Ls Perouse. As it was to be expected front ti ° East India Company, it has renoutmg all claimstlel this subject, notwithstanding tha expense which it b*", been put to for this e4peditioax, And thus the entire roam& belongs to captain King, by An Ordinance) of the 2241 instant, con' t ferred on this foreigner the dignity of Knight of the X O l 5 Order of the Legion of Honour; and h; , l Majesty, by ad e cision of the same day, conformaltlo to the D ecree of Fob' 28th, 1791, has besides fp-411W 10 Captain Dillon o n in' demnity of 10,0R0 fvancs for his personal expences daring the voyage, AACI air annual pension of 4,000 francs. In his second voyage to the Vannicolo Islands, Captf 3l Dillon was accompanied by one Frenchman, Cbaktiow, Ex-Consular Agent of France, wb was at ChandeTnalrl when the Captain sail k ,A, ottere4 to accompany hint Y.': this perilous expedition. The Icing has rewarded Chaigneati by creating him a Knight of the Legion Honour, (From the Messager des Chauthres of Fri,(10)".) PAgia, FEB. 26.—A Journal, among a wrie4d completely erroneous, which w; itmlicrliately contradict!" had stated that the army in the Mores was going to be e' pr:eased to 25,000 men. Another Journal observes to" ii that our article does not apply to this assertion, whence infers that it is true. We are formally authorised t 9. tradict this statement, as well as all tile Teo l , FeENc" VEINPN) P 4 1 ,44, FEil. 27.—Rentes, Five r Cepts., 11C1f. l r sc. ; Three per Cents., 76f. 70c. 6° 4 ; 1 Bank Actions, 1,81'7f. 50c. ; Neapolitan Rentes, Cert. 61f. 20c. 10e. ; Sicilian Bonds, 00* ; Royal Spay Loan, ; Interminable Spaniali !Annuities, 481 ; 14 ; # tiara h2Ol. OXFORD ELECTION.—We are the almost unparalleled exertion§ of the proprietors of TA: ,S'w4, for an ananunt of the commencement of the 03;01! election. Nothing can be inferred, as to the final rear:, ‘ from what had taken place when the expresses lef t Oxfot° but it is evident that the struggle will be of the wn -, et 6 01 . 11+,3 description.— L eeds 114rfari, Q4.Foin Ef.l9TiqN,,--.7-Wp should be of Rtuch injustice to the spirited Editor of The $ 14 " 11 we failed in acknowledging his exertions in putting th public in possession of the interesting intelligence o'i t i: l l to the Oxford contest, with extraord;nar 'l4n of Thurlday eycpipg, 77: tat4 . paitii;n u p to nib' (AlQC)i—cgritailiiiig all the Election proceedings at 03:f° 1 1 up to half-past four, reached our office about eight o'nle c , yesterday morning ! The annals of typography present co similar instance of dispatch and industry.—Birrain9 46 Journal. ,te4 - . Such have been the extraordinary exertions vitt' The Sun Evening Newspaper, during the Oxford that their expresses have left Oxford at - - t i e o( in the afternoon of each d ,tart4 pouG eecO s ; ' o a f e het:ft printed in the paper and published in London% „4/4f-post o.9kt the same same ev en i ng . A s i t wou ld 0/1 at least one lisur to set the intelligence received from ()%,, ford in type, the express must have been only thre 11° " in accomplishing a journey of upwards of,tifty.lfour mrl sit tl}e rate 91 eigi!yeen 'odes an hour. The Sun 11 0 ! -- t long time surpassed all the other Evening Papers in P , curing early intelligence,,sparing no expense in sec ° Its object—but this Oxford example of dilig ir° o , was never equalled in the annals of Newspaper publicati° The News. At Doncaster the Mayor has called a p,14,b; 1 . C -,i, Meeting, on the requisition of the Vicar and thirty-4 ne . 0 (1 the inhabitants, to take into EGusideration the propriOld petitioning parlitnent against the C.itholie ; in the same town, a meeting is called by eighty gentl ej :it of the 4 ! st consideration, at the head of whom stand Win. Cooke, Bart. Sir F. L. Wood, Bart. Sir 3. Cq e p , Bart. and Sir J. Radcliffe, Bart. to petition the Lee ture in favour of the Catholic Claims. The Nottingham petition in favour of the r i moval of the Catholic disabilities hag, in op; 1 4 C1 td nearly, not quite, 4000 wignaiurce ; that piestfii, by the Duke of Newcastle against concession, which we know not how many weeks at the County ball, (10 receive more than half that number. After tl r ia tiw l) , lj of Newcastle will pgrhaps be silent about the East fort petition speaking the sense, either of the nation or tounty.—Nottinvham Review. C