The Sun. — London, England, 1837-04-25 00:00:00

adopted for the observance 'of the Sabbath ; also a petition from the same body against the system of National Educa tion in I re l and i ; and s evera l pet i t i ons from places in Stafford n fav our of Church -rates. _The Earl of ROSEBER Y presented a petition agairst Church -rates from the Lord Provost and Citizens of Ediliourgh. Lord TEYN HAM postponed his motion for returns re -1116 ve to the Poor Law till the 2d of May. MESSAGE FROM THE COMMONS. Mr. BROTHERTON and other Members of the Com :mons brought up the Dublin Police Bill. Lord CLON CURRY presented petitions from places an the County Co r k, t h e County Meath, and the Queen' s Count y , i n f avour of Irish Corporate Reform and the abo lition of tithes. Lord FITZGERALD presented a petition from the Queen's County ago'inst the Irish I ,,lunicipal Bill. CHURCH-RATES. Church- Lord It EDF_ , SDALE presented petitions in f avour o f rates 'from pl aces in Stafford and Northampton. The A rckibishop of YORK presented a number of peti tions frrAr, p to . laces i n hi s di ocese to t h e same e ff ect. ThoJ bish o p o f GLOUCESTER presented similar peti ..nr, from place s in Gloucester, Worcester, and Kent. foul At Bish op o f CH ESTER presented similar petitions fro 2 ,000 operat i ves i n Manchester, from Bolton, and pi other places. 6 The Bishop o f HEREFORD presented similar peti °fis from parishes in Herefordshire. , The Bi s h op of CARLISLE presented similar petitions ",,n l , Pa rich es i n C um b er l an d . the the Duke of WELLINGTON presented petitions to s ame effect. Ti,.e Bishop of LLA NDAFF said he had a number of petifions t o t h e same effect, which were signed by persons o 1 of who m th e nature o f t h e pet i t i on had been explained ; 44Tpringst them were one from Liandaff, one from Merthyr 1 )"dvill, and from a large number from parishes in Gla nWrganshire. Viscount DUNCANNON presented a petition in fa th'.. of Ch urc h- rates, an d l a i d on the table the Bth Report of rPost- o ffi ce C omm i ss i oners,theßeport of the Commissioners °4)pointed to inquire into the state of the Corporations England and Wales in reference to London, and the Report of the Commissioners on the boundaries of cor porate towns. LAND-TAX. Lord BROUGHAM said that a petition had been intrusted to him to present from the Lord Mayor, -Aldermen, and Council of the city of London, against th e unjust distribution of the land tax, which he felt great pleasure in presenting, as the Corporation did not to that Howse possess the right which they had in the other 'House of appearing by their Sheriffs and Ofßeer s a'e the bar, and presenting their petitions. The Noble Lew d then presented a petition from Lambeth against Church-rates ; also petitions to the same effect from Maid stone, we'd from parishes in Northampton, Durham, Somer set, Derby, Buckingham, and York ; from Brandon in Suf folk, &I'm a parish in Denbigh, from Plymouth, from a parish im 'Leeds, from parishes in Kent, from the Mayor and in habit:wets of Chesterbury, and from places in Denbigh and Carmarthen ; from Kettering, in Northampton ; from Paris•ries in Suffolk and Westmoreland ; from Newmarket ; fr ,°c ,l : the G u ild an d C orporat i on o f Perth. The No b le Lord ai s'o presented a petition from Bradford, and another place lorkshire, signed by, ho might say, thousands of persons, favour of the Irish Corporation Bill. Lord HOLLAND presented petitions against Church tates from a parish in Leeds, in Yorkshire ; from a congre gation of Dissenters in Bristol ; from Honiton, in Devon shire ; from the Wesleyans in Huddersfield, in Yorkshire ; from Hull ; from the East ern Di v i s i on o f D evon ; an d zone Cbetwynd, in Stafford. Lord RADNOR presented similar petitions from Highgate, Bradford, Brixton, and other places. Lord HARE WOOD presented a petition from a place to Yorkshire against the Poor-law Bill. viscount MELBOURNE presented petitions against C• r , urch-rates from Ramsey, and other places in Suffolk, &ten Stockport, Knaresborough, an d severa l ot h er p l aces i n 4 . - . 3 arrnarth en and Glamorganshires. The Earl of RODEN presented petitions from Dublin aghinst the Irish Municipal Bill ; also from parishes in the County Tyrone, to the same effect. IMPROVEMENT OF LANDS IN IRELAND BILL. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE, in moving the second reading of this Bill, said that it would 'be only necessary for him to make a few remarks on the subject. All the Reports of Commissioners were in favour of such a measure as the present—sever a l Bills having the same object in view had been proposed, but they had fallen to the ground, in consequence of the provisions leaving too much to the landowners --the provision s of this Bill were to the effect that Commissioners should be appointed by the Lord- Lieutenant in Council to examine and report how far, and where, works could be undertaken, and how far the lands should be chargeable on account of thorn. Some objections would, and indeed had, been niade to this Bill, on the ground that too much power was given by it to the Commissioners ; but he was not of this opinion, and lie had no dcust that many valuable works would be 'undertaken if the Bill became a law.--( Hear, hear.) The present measure was one relating to Ireland, which he thought might be discussed without reference to party feelings..._( Hear, hear.) The Bill might, in some degree, be said to be connected with another measure lately introduced into the other House. However, it appeared to him that Government and Parliament were determined that some decisive steps should be taken for the ame lioration of the poor of Ireland, and he thought that ofe appointment o f C omm i ss i oners to inquire into the state the poor was a wise step ; and when he considered the names of the Hon. and Right Hon. Gentlemen of which that Commission was composed he must say that the selec tion had been admirably made. That Commission had made three reports to Parliament, and those Reports were "w befor e the House. They were all refnarkahle docu nlents, more particularly the third Report ; and they were •all supported by a body of evidence, given at great length, a nti which had been characterised by one who differed from the e conclu t i on o f t h e C ommissioners as fair a body of evi ,, n ee as; was ever pres en t e d to P ar li ament. Th e t hi r d Re " Pile 'which was distinguished by a great deal of ability, was l l :D'ed by a friend of his, a man to whom Ireland was l"Ply ind e bt e d, b ecause h e h a d ta k en the most statesman !ke vi ew of her affa i rs, and had suggested the most efficient, ,"°Ligh not th e mos t os t en t a ti ous , measures for the good of V a t country.. He alluded to his Hon. F r i en d t h e Chi e f ' enl embrancer, Mr. Blake. In the first place, he would observe that the recommendations of the Commissioners Z e i r e too . widely d e p ar t e d f rom i n th e present Bill . He ° objected to the introduction of the workhouse system, and he would ask why was that system - , sueps e d ? His Nobl e F r i en d th e S ecre t ar y o f S tate tai d , and Mr. Nicholls said also, " when they decided, the questquestion was, how to apply the workhouse system and the ion of that system to Ireland ?" The nets,Commis lo in the third report, after reciting a great quantity jof ce, and going into a minute calculation, concluded stating that they could not recommend the adoption of 4'e workhouse system. Now, in this respect, which was a utter tte l . of it` detail, h e (th e M arqu i s of Cl anr i car d e ) thought s regard ought to have been had to the local circum "es of the country. Mr. Nicholl s , who had also male larste,Port on the subject, went to Ireland in the autumn of 01,,,,L e ar , when th e l eas t num b er o f peop l e were unem visilin"- : This g en tl eman travelled eight hundr e d m il es , inqui r f C e sixte en towns, and making all along personal th en, c," into th e state o f t h e country an d t h e peop l e. H e niter In the 1 5th of November, not quite three months able he S et out, produced his report—certainly a very Bibl e wPrk, but a report giving his opinion upon very pos . circumstance relating to Ireland, but withont an exa enination Ghent h into all those circumstances. In that docu e treated upon the geology, the the ethics, the physics, Pneumatics the religion • in short, on every subject, r ° lll th f •!.• . efertility of the soil to the chastity of the wo men that he o f " Hear, hear. " ) This gentleman said The wo uld assum e 1 per cent. to h e the amount of e rem _Pa,upers—that was 8 0,000 i n all. But i t wou ld b e enfien?bcred that the claim for relief was not to be age or e i ca r :n A itY, but destitution. This he (the Marquis of Clan de) say was a gratuitous assumption on the part of _: 1 • Nicholls, and one which he knew to be erroneous. W rl 71 the returns; on the subject it would be found that in 4 0 a nd in -door relief was administered to 21,000 paupers, of one relief to 169,000 ; that was, in the proportion Z°:1:fl to eight. Mr. Nicholls said that the Report of the eressloners uon exaggerated calculations, be ets, ,11! knew . the silencee on which it was founded. He "e Mar u i test e d u sof Clanricarde) knew that the evidence e eete , 1?on a census taken for purposes not at all con -I)._ la With the Commission. Mr. Nicholls, if he thought ,7:l):era!,..o___ea.a.lee such a statement, ought to have g i ven and the 'uns , nut he merely said, " take off ten per cent., Wo u l d Perhaps, you will find the real amount. That I ° o °eve 2 00,000 or 300,000 souls, and you might have , oin N s . ; Your workhouses in Ireland." Now the Com and on , the other hand, took as a basis the census, re p ten'eY_fooun.d .that the number of labourers out of employ p ersoes month s in the year was 585,000, and that these cal e A l .Possessed no land whatever. From an actual utation it appeared that the proportion of Irish la - a ll il i o r u e e r ! to English was as five to two, and, taking the tim es as of capital, to say nothing of skill, it showed fifteen es , tw o as innltuhetl• personal property or capital expended in the e fiv e . He (the Marquis of Clanricardc) would ,:32d-thba.t. would be impossible to relieve the distress of Ire intend "„unY system of workhouses. But it was not even _ en to build the hundred workhouses proposed at once. el eFt ° nIY were to be built at first. It was then said by the rnalent that they intended to follow this up by the emi tr4tinn and employment of the labourers. He (the Mar- quis of - Clanricarde) was glad to hear this ; but still he thought that few cases ever occurred in which it could he applied with benefit, yet he did think if ever such a case had or would occur it was in the present state of Ireland. But the Government had taken the wrong step first ; for the) held out by statute that the poor should be relieved ; and how could it be expected that, under such circumstances. they would be willing to go abroad ? He (the Marquis of Clanricarde) thought that the Government ought first to bring the country into that state of things in which the) could give relief before they established workhouses. The first step should be to relieve the impotent, the infirm, and the helpless. This, he thought, might be done by extend ing the dispensary system, and by establishing almshouses and houses of refuge. Mention had been made of the workhouse test. He (the Marquis of Clanricarde) held that phrase to imply—and it had now become fashionable —the putting the destitute poor upon that system of living by which it wasjust possible to keep body and soul together. He therefore hoped that the Government would be induced to attend to these suggestions, and make considerable al terations in the measure before the other House of Parlia ment.—( Hear, hear.) The Earl of LIMERICK trusted the latter part of the Noble Marquis's speech would have weight with the Noble Viscount opposite, to prevent this dangerous and mischiev ous mcaaure from 'passing into a law. He had been so long a Member of that House, that he could recollect the time when the project of a poor-law for Ireland was first mooted in Parliament. It was first suggested by a res pectable gentleman, but one of those visionaries who, not having much property of his own, employed himself in find ing out different projects. When it was first proposed it became the subject of much discussion. It was then said, were not the people of England groaning under Poor-laws, and had not Parliament been driven by their pressure to pass laws of great severity to mitigate the evils which had arisen from them ? In the present case the Commissioners had reported, but their reports not being satisfactory, what course was adopted. A gentleman from England, no doubt a gentleman of great ability, was sent out ; but that gentleman, he would take upon himself to say, was per fectly ignorant of the true state of society in that country ; and he would maintain, however distinguished men might be in all other respects, on that of Ireland the ignorance which generally prevailed in this country was excessive. In stead of a Poor-law benefitting Ireland, he thought it would have a contrary effect, and would produce the most mis chievous results. Besides, the people. of Ireland did not call for such a measure. The Earl of DEVON did not expect much good from the measure introduced by the Noble Marquis (Clanri carde), but he viewed it as one of a series of measures, from which great ultimate advantage might be expected. His Noble Friend objected to Poor-laws. The Govern ment had introduced a measure on this subject, which was one of great difficulty ; but that difficulty ought not, he thought, to prevent them from giving it their most serious consideration. The Report of the Commissioners, he would venture to say, bore upon its face marks of considerable talent and ability ; but he would beg to observe that, in his opinion, the state of Ireland was not known to those gen tlemen. With regard to the workhouse system, he bad been a zealous supporter of the alteration made in the Poor-laws for England ; and he thought that the applica tion of some such measure to Ireland would operate bene ficially ; but before the Bill passed into a law it would, of necessity, be much discussed, and then any necessary alte rations could be introduced ; but, upon the present occa sion, he had only risen to express his anxiety that some measure on the subject should be proceeded with. The Earl of WICKLOW was of opinion that opportu nities like the present should be taken of conveying to the country, and to the other House, the general opinion of their Lordships upon measures during their progress through that House.—(H ear , shear.) There had not ben, he must say, within his recollection, any measure of such vast im portance as the present, for on it depended the fate, whether for good or evil, of the country to which it related ; and it was highly important, therefore, that it should undergo the fullest and most attentive deliberation ; and it was the duty of his Majesty's Government, who had undertaken the responsibility of the measure, to render it as effectual as possible. He believed there had been no oppOsition to it in the other House ; and this had arisen from the preva lence of the convictio n that the time had come when some legal provision must be made for the poor in Ireland ; that the circumstances of that country were such that some system must be adopted to check the progress of misery and desolation which there abounded. Now, he perfectly agreed that his Majesty's Government, having determined to introduce some measure of the Kidd, had acted wisely and prudently in appointing a Commission to inquire into the state of the country in reference to the subject ; and lie would say further that they had appointed most proper persons to carry their wishes into effect. Those Commis sioners had given to this matter their most attentive and constant deliberation for two years, and they had forwarded to Parliament a report, in which they expressed the opinions at which they had arrived. He also admitted that his Majesty's Government were not called upon imme diately after receiving this Report to introduce a Bill founded upon its recommendations ; he thought further, that they had acted judiciously in sendiug another individual t o co ll ec t a ddi t i ona l an d more minute in formation, in order to guide them as to the details of their measure ; but when they came to see the great dis crepancy that existed between the opinions which had been founded on the experience of the former Commission and those which were founded on the experience of that indi vidual, he could not agree in thinking that they should at once have framed their Bill on the Report of this last Commission ; it was a very hasty and injudicious step. He would mention to their Lordships one of the discrepancies between the two Reports. The Commissioners stated that a poorhouse system .in Ireland would require an outlay of four millions for building, and of six millions for supporting, them ; but Mr. Nicholls had stated that 700,0001. would be necessary for the building, and 300,000/. for their main tenance. Now, when there appeared so total a variance as that, it was the duty of his Majesty's Government to have instituted still further investigation and inquiry before introducing such a Bill, which was not only at variance with the opinion of the first Commissioners, but also with those of many persons connected with the Mendicity Society of Dublin, who had considerable practical experience, and of many other persons whose opinions were entitled to some weight. The Bill at least ought to be well consi dered before it was passed into a law. If destitution were to be the only test for relief it would be impossible to see the extent of relief which would be required. If the system which was proposed were adopted what would be the consequence ? He had no hesitation in expressing his confident belief that in less than a week every one of the poor-houses would he completey filled. So convinced was he that a system of poor laws must be adopted—so con . - vinced was he of the clamour which would arise from any opposition being offered to such a system from the belief that an Irish Poor-law system would tend to give relief to this country, a most mistaken opinion, he believed, for lie had no doubt that, on the contrary, it would increase the num ber of able-bodied labourers that would come to this country —hut so convinced was he of the odium which would at tach to anyone that opposed the introduction of sonic system of the kind, that he was fully determined to give his sup- port to some measure on the subject. He should be un willing to take on himself the responsibility of opposing a measure of this kind, introduced on the authority and re sponsibility of the Governmnt. With regard to the Bill now more immediately before their Lordships, as far as he understood it, he thought it a beneficial measure, as it seemed to him to be fOunded on the principle of those remedial measures recommended by the Poor Law Com missioners. The only thing he lamented was that the Bill came forward on the responsibility of an individual and not of his Majesty's Ministers--( Hear)—especially as it gave a large power of taxation. When it went into Committee he would give his best consideration to its details—to its prin ciple he had no objection. Notwithstanding the difference of opinion which existed there were two points on which all were perfectly agreed, viz., that in the present state of Ire land a poorhouse system was not practicable, and, whatever relief was given, it should in the first instance be given only to the impotent, the infirm, the aged, and the helpless. The Earl of RODEN begged also to express his obliga tions to the Noble Earl for having called the attention of the House to this subject. The question of a system of poor laws for Ireland was always interesting, and it was a question in reference to which he, as a constant resident in that country, might be allowed to have some grounds for the opinions he might entertain, and he would say that only those who did reside there could enter into a complete and satisfactory investigation of the applicability of any system to the state and circumstances of that country. The Noble Earl had stated, with great ability, the difficulties which surrounded the question. As to the existence of those dif ficulties he agreed with the Noble Earl, but he could not but differ as to the conclusion at which he had arrived. He (Earl Roden) had witnessed frequently such wretched ness, without seeing any means of relief, that he anxiously wished to see some mode of relief established by the law of the land. Lord BROUGHAM thought that this subject might be considered to resolve itself into two questions—first, whe ther any system of Poor-laws ought to be introduced into Ireland ; and secondly, what that system should be. But those questions were dependent upon each other ; and it was useless to answer the first until some answer had been decided upon for the second. Now it appeared to him that they were in some sort committed in reference to the ques tion.—(Hear, hear.) The preliminary inquiry had been made, and it was now, he thought, too late to ask the ques tion whether there should or should not be Poor-laws for Ireland. He did not mean to say that he should have any hesitation in answering it in the affirmative, at least to a certain extent ; but he knew that there were others whose practical opinions, from their practical experience, were entitled to every attention, who had more than doubts on the subject ; and there were others inclined to give a positive negative to the question. But he considered that what had passed in the other House in the course of the present and the last Sessions of Par liament precluded them from ceercising their judg ment and enfbrcing their opinions on that point. It was not safe to come to a conclusion that there ought to be Poor-laws for Ireland until the subject had been very carefully and diligently examined, and eorne system had been definitely decided upon. Now, in August last, it had been stated by the Noble Lord the Secretary for Ireland in the House of Commons that his Majesty's Government had determined to introduce a measure respecting poor laws in Ireland in the course of the present session ; he was, there fore, exceedingly glad to find that such was the case, and never doubted that the plan, if not matured in all its details, had been at least very fully considered ; and accordingly he was in proportion disappointed and very greatly surprised when he discovered that instructions were given to another Commissioner, and that upon his recommendation—subse quent to the declaration of the Secretary for Ireland—the Pill was founded. He considered that the announcement having been made in August was tantamount to committing the Government to carry through some measure of the kind. Thus, then, they were placed in a very difficult position. The Noble Lord had told their Lordships that he was not a free agent in this matter—that he must support the plan, but that he should do all in his power to render it beneficial. Now, he (Lord Brougham) thought this matter ought to be recon sidered ; and notwithstanding that he felt the difficulty of the situation in which they were placed—fortunately but acci dentally, for he attributed blame to no one—he was sure they ought to enter upon the discussion of such a question as free and unfettered as possible, and endeavour to extricate themselves as far as they could from the difficulty of their position. He acknowledged the sound discretion which had dictated the appointment of the Commissioners, and he had read with admiration their exceedingly able Re port ; for he believed, whatever differences of opinion might exist as to the subject matter of it, no one had hesi tated to pronounce a very high opinion of the ability which it displayed ; and he hoped to God it might be possible to carry that plan, which had been recommended, into execu tion ; and if it was carried into execution he trusted it would produce, those good effects which were anticipated from it. He could not, however, conceal from himself the fact that there was a very material difference between the circumstances of the two countries, respecting the applica bility of the poor-house system. In England, undoubtedly, there were labourers, but experience had proved that there was also work ; in Ireland, according to the best informa tion, there appeared to be a want of labour, and a defi ciency of remuneration. Of that there was constant evi dence, for how frequently did they hear of men coming to villages and towns, and actually almost tearing to pieces any person who required the assistance of labour, in order that each might get his share ; they knew bow frequently such scenes gave rise even to breaches of the peace, and it was indeed the ordinary cry of the labourers there—" Secure us only 3s. per week, and we shall be contented and grateful to you." That was the picture of the state of Ireland in reference to this subject ; and this Bill, though it went only a little way, yet, being a measure which tended to bring capital to Ireland, it must go to the very root of the evil. Then he only hoped that this measure would re ceive a free and fair consideration, for he could sot help, feeling that the introduction of this system, and the intro duction of the hopes and expectations grounded on the pro mulgation of it—(Hear)—and the exaggerated hopes of relief to be given, night be detrimental ; for if those ex- LITERATURE. THE CL 0 CKMA KER. Bentley, London, 1837. aggerated notions got abroad, and were circulated amongst the Irish people, this measure would interfere with that sovereign remedy which he believed was to be found in a system of emigration. Viscount MELBOURNE was not disposed to make the slightest complaint' against the Noble Earl for having taken this opportunity of making some observations on the measure which had been the main subject of discussion that evening; nor was he disposed to disagree with the Noble Lord opposite, who had considered it advisable that the general opinion of this House on public questions of impor tance, should occasionally be stated during the progress of measures through the other House of Parliament ; 'and he could assure both those Noble Lords who had spoken on the matter, that all the observations and remarks which had been made, and all the difficulties which had been suggested, should receive from his Majesty's Government that conside ration which the importance of the subject deserved. It had been observed by a Noble and Learned Lord, who had reverted to what took place in August last, when his Noble Friend the Secretary for Ireland stated his intention of bringing in a Bill on this subject, that that was a very hasty step on the part of his Majesty's Ministers, inasmuch as it was evident that they had not made up their minds as to the actual measure which they intended to intro duce, because the Commission on which the present Bill was founded bore date subsequently to the intimation of his Noble Friend (Lord Morpeth) ; but he (Lord Mel bourne) must beg to remind the House that that was not the first intimation on the subject, for it had been recom mended to the attention of Parliament in the Speech from the Throne at the commencement of the session of 1836, and that recommendation had of course been responded to in the Address.—(Hear, hear.) The Government, how ever, had determined on the general principles of that mea- sure, founded on the Report of the Commissioners ; but they had nevertheless thought it advisable to have the opinion of a person as to the applicability of those general principles, and they accordingly did take the opinion of a person who, with every respect for the Commissioners, had more practical experience than any of them. He would not now go into any of the details of this measure ; but there were more objections which had been stated by his Noble Friend who opened the debate, to which he felt bound to ref2r. It did not in the first place, appear to him that a system of emi gration was inconsistent with relief at home. Such had not been found to be the case in this country ; for there was much emigration in England, and at the same time an extensive system for the purpose of affording relief to the poor and destitute who remained here. He was perfectly aware of the difficulties of this question ; every man perceived them ; and though perhaps the Noble Earl opposite exaggerated slightly when he characterized this as the most important measure which lied been brought before Parliament within his recollection, yet undoubtedly he (Lord Melbourne) knew of few that were superior to it in regard to its diffii• cuities, its dangers, its importance, or the impossibility of retracing a false step, if unfortunately they should make one. It appeared that the workhouse system might not be applicable to that country in consequence of the excessive amount of destitution, which it was intended to relieve ; but it was to remembered that precisely the same objection had been made upon its introduction in England with regard to those counties where poverty and destitution prevailed to a great extent ; then it was said " the system can never answer, it will only produce injurious effects, for the amount of destitution is so great that it will be impossible to find relief." But, somehow, it was ,found ; and he (Lord Melbourne) knew many persons who had expressed to him their surprise and astonishment at the beneficial manner in which it had operated in those counties L--and in Sussex, Kent, and Hampshire, where there had been the greatest depression and distress, labour had been found in much greater proportion, the rate of wages had been raised, and the people had become more active in finding employment— a result which was crowned with the utmost success. He did not, however, mean to say that such an effect could be relied on with the same degree of certainty in Ireland ; but he did hope that when they came to grapple with these difficulties they would not be found so insuperable 'as tb obviate all attempts to overcome them.---( Hear.) He en tirely agreed in the statement which had been made on all sides, that this was a subject which should be entered upon without anything like party feeling, and only with the view of finding a solution for the difficulties and a remedy for the evils which existed ; and he would again assure their Lordships that there was no disposition on the part of the Government but to render the measure as beneficial and as GENTLEMAN JAC'K. B Vols. Colburn, London, 1837. Norc. practicable as possible.—(Hear.) The Bill was then read a second time. The Trial by Jury (Scotland) Bill was read a third time, and passed. Their Lordships then adjourned. I .Ve arc able to state on information on which we can confidently rely, that a noble individual, connected by pro. perty with the manufacturing districts of the north of England, has, within the last few days, represented to Ministers the alarming state of these districts, and the peril which would result to the peace of the country from any attempt to bring the new Poor-law into operation among their impoverished and excited population. And we are happy to learn further that assurances were given in reply that it is not in contem plation to enforce in these districts at the present time the re gulations of the new Poor-law.—Morning Post. THE NEW NOVEL OF " GENTLEMAN JACK," by the Author of " Cavendish," has at length made its appear ance : and to the infinite amusement of the naval circles there is scarcely an old officer of any note or distinction who does not find in it something relating to, or connected with himself. At Leghorn thirty-four pupils of an academy have been imprisoned on a charge of participating in a treasonable conspiracy recently discovered there. " THE VICTIMS OF SOCIETY. " -This is the strikintr title of Lady Blessington's new work ; and a more fearless exposure of the evils arising from the present state of high life in England, has perhaps never before been presented to the public, as a picture which few eoelci give. The value of this work will be felt in its exclusiveness, and those who would see and draw useful lessons from the errors of those who possess the advantages of wealth and luxury, should read this work, as the report of one of our highest and most talented authoresses, from the near view which her privileged position, as a Peeress has enabled her to take of the subject. The price of hay in some of the midland counties is as high as 111, per ton. SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY, APRIL 25 1 _ 837 The hero of this narrative is Samuel Slick, a clock pedlar, who records minutely, and somewhat tediously, the opinions on men and things in America, which he has formed in the course of his various peregrinations. There is no want of shrewd observation and broad hu•nour in Slick's details of his adventures, but the language in which they are written is so uncouth—so barbarous—so full of transatlantic slang—as in many instances to be wholly unintelligible. The episode of the " Broken Heart," in particular —to quote the nar rator's own polished phraseology—has " tetotaciously exilunctified us." As specimens of Slick's humour we quote the following : " Politics take a deal of time, and g rind away a man ' s ho nesty near about as fast as c l ean i ng a knife with brick-d ust ." "Judge 13ecler—I dare say you have heard tell of him—is a funny fellow ; he put a notice over his factory gate at Lowel, " no cigars or Irishmen admitted within these walls,' for, said he, the one will set a flame going among my cottons, and the other among my girls." " Encourage timid women, be gentle and steady with frac tious ones, but lather the sulky ones like blazes. The female heart, as far as my experience goes, is just like a new Indian rubber shoe ; you may pull and pull at it, 'till it stretches out yard long, and then let go, and it will fly right back to its old shape. Women's hearts are made of stout leather—there's a plaguy sight of wear - in them." CURIOSITIES OF MEDICAL EXPERIENCE. 2 Vols. Bentley, London, 1837. The well-known " Curiosities of Literature," sug gested—as the author tells us in his preface—the idea of the present performance, which is a collection of curious facts and anecdotes strung loosely together; but all wore or less illustrative of the various pheno mena of the human frame. Dr. Milliiigen has certainly produced an amusing book; and this is about the highest praise we can accord him. His language throughout, espe cially in his preface, wants simplicity and condensation. It is verbose and ambitious, strutting along on stilts, when it should be walking in a sober, natural fashion. This is a pity, for there is much good sense, the une quivocal result of long medical experience, to he met with in the volumes—we allude, particularly to the chapters on " Insanity" and on the " Influence of Imagination," both of which are as valuable in matter, as they are deficient in manner. The lovers of startling incident will find a rare feast in Dr. Millingen's remarks and anecdotes on the subject of " Monsters," from which we select the following passage : . " The history of the double-headed infant of Oxford is cu rious. This creature had two heads diametrically opposite, four arms, one body, and two lower extremities. These heads were doubly baptized, one by the name of Martha, and the other, Mary. The features were different ; Mary's was smiling, Martha's dejected. The latter died two days after her birth, and Mary expired a quarter of an hour after. A curious monster of a similar description is recorded to have lived at the Court of James the Fourth of Scotland. It had been taught several languages and music. One head was in telligent, the other remarkably stupid. This creature lived twenty-eight years, when one of the individuals died. The other survived several days, but gradually drooped as the body of his late companion was decomposing." In this chapter Dr. Millingen shows a singular love of technical, and fine-sounding words. Thus, monsters he calls " monstruosities ;" defects, " defectuosities,” and theologians, " th.ologasters.” We regret to see an able man indulging in these puerile affectations. In nine cases out of ten, the simplest and most familiar word is the best. The more tawdry set phrase should be left to auction advertisers. The chapter on " Obesity" contains one or two capital anecdotes. " A story is told," says our author, " Of an Irish tallow-chandler who, during the invnsion of Cromwell's army, made candles with the fat of Englishmen, which were remarkable for their good quality ; but when the times became more tranquil, his goods were of an inferior kind; and when one of his customers complained cf his can dles falling off, be apologized by saying, lam sorry to tell you the times are so bad, that I have been short of Eng lishmen for a long time." Dr. Millingen seems to be of opinion that obesity is " a serious evil"—an hypothesis to which we beg to put in a demurrer, inasmuch as it is generally found accompanied by an easy, good humoured temper—the greatest blessing which can be conferred on any indi vidual. Fat men seldom anticipat e gr i e v ances , or run to meet them half-way. Surely, this is a strong argu ment in favour of obesity I To be sure, your Falstaffs are apt to melt somewhat severely in summer, but then your Don Quixotes are equally liable to be pinched and frozen in winter. In the East, we know, corpu lence is universally admired ; and the owners of Harems in Algiers always estimate their women by their size ; purchase them by the hundred-weight ; and trundle them home on a wheel-barrow ! So says Wash ington Irving, on the authority of his humorous Orien tal friend, Mustapha Rub-a-dub Kheli Khan. • If a quick succession of stirring incident can make a novel popular, t then this last new tale by the author of " Cavendish" will be sure to brime grist to the pub lisher's mill. " Gentleman Jack" is the history of an active, adventurous naval officer, who enters into the profession while yet in his teens, and ultimately, by dint of perseverance, and strict attention to discipline, attains the great object of his ambition—promot;on. The various scenes in which he is introduced, and the characters with whom he comes into contact, are sketched with boldness and freedom. Among these last, we have a sort of etching of " Black Jack," Lord Howe, which conveys a very good idea to our minds of the habits and peculiarities of the hero of the " fa mous first of June." But decidedly the best and most consistently maintained character in the tale is that of Pipes, a boatswain of the old school, rough and un couth as a Russian bear, but concealing under this unprepossessing exterior, a warm heart, and a disposi tion remarkable for frankness and generosity. This grim old tar, with his long yarns, and his queer say ings, and his whimsical crotchets, his affected saga city, yet his utter simplicity, and ignorance of the world, might redetm a far worse book than " Gentle man Jack." Pipes's lament that " I can't keep money, it melts very soon, and runs away in grog," is something more than a mere matter-of. fact .statement ; it borders closely on the pathetic. We should not omit to remark, that in this novel there are some cu rious details illustrative of that most remarkable event our naval annals—the mutiny at Spithead and the FAMILY LIBRARY. No. 63. . . • Tegg, London, 1837. The title of this work, " Sketches of Imposture, Deception and Credulity," will no doubt procure for it a fair share of success. It is, however, a record not a little humiliating to human nature ; for it shows how easily it is gulled, and how numerous, in all ages and in all countries, have been the &apes to designing ad venturers. We have here an account of the famous bottle conjuror, whose public advertisement, announc ing his intention, if duly patronised, of getting first into a quart bottle, and afterwards into a pint one, had the effect of filling the Haymarket to suffocation ; of the still more notorious Cock-lane Ghost, whi c h Johnson half-believed, and which Foote turned into such remorseless ridicule in his farce of the Orators; of the Princess Caraboo, whose feigned tale of ro mantic distress procured her the notice and the pro tection of Hannah Moore ; and, in fact, of all the various impostures, and their name is Legion, which have attracted public attention for the last two or three centuries. The volume is tersely written, and con tains an abundance of curious anecdote. PISO AND THE PRiEFECT ; OR, THE ANCIENTS OFF THEIR STILTS. IN THREE VOLUMES. Smith, Elder, and Co., London, 1837. This novel purports to be a picture of the domestic manners of the Romans before the final downfall of the empire. The characters were no doubt chosen to exhibit the classical acquirements of the author; but in his management of them, though he occasion ally shows a knowledge of the times of which he treats, he is yet, on the whole, deficient in tact and discre tion, Scribonius Mtnnmius, whom he represents as a dry caustic htnourist, has little conception of hu mour of any kind. Calpurnitra Piso, the Ict:ding hero of the tale, is little lens common-place than ohe of the characters that figure in the pages of a fashipnable novel. Clarence Harvey, in " Belinda," would furnish material.; for a dozen of such " nice voting ocn of good principles." Every tmiden aunt, pa s t a " certain a:;c," in the metropolis, has two or three le k :acy-e:cpecting nephews, each of whom would make a Pisoe The annals of ancient Greece and Rome supply materiels for the tragedian, the epic poet, the moralist, and Oaf juri.sconsult to fashion into works of imperishable excelfnce ; but they are wanting in all the familiar asociaticola without which none but men of the highest order of :intellect can produce a readable novel. SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES OF LONDON• Sunday being St. George's Day, ete Society of Antiquaries met yesterday at their apartments in .Somerset-place, in pur suance of their statutes and charter of I.ncorporation, to elect a President, Council, and officers of the Society for the year ensuing. Whereupon— George, Earl of Aberdeen, H. R. H. the Duke of Sussex, Thomas Amyot, Esq., Nichs. Carlisle, Esq., Sir Henry Ellis, Knt. John Gage, Esq. Eleven of the Council were r And George Henry, Bishop of Bath Rev. Philip Hunt, LL.D., and Wells, Sir Madden, Kt., John Bidwell, Esq., Spencer, iNfa, - quis of Northamp Henry Brandreth, Esq., ton, Decimus Burton, Esq., Sir G. T. St4ancon, Bart. C. P. Cooper, Esq., R. Westmacott, Ten of the other Members of the Society were cuosen of the new Council, and they were severally - declared to be the Council for the year ensuing. And, on a Report made of the officers of the Society, it appeared, that George, Earl o Aberdeen, K. T., was elected President. Thomas Amyot, Esq., Treasurer. John Gage, Esq., Director. Nicholas Carlisle, Esq., Secretary, and Sir Henry Ellis, Knt., Secretary, for the year ensuing. 'The Society afterwards dined together at the Free Masons Tavern, according to annual custom (Henryudson Gurney, Esq., I Hallam, Esq., W. R. Hamilton, Esq., ISydney Smirke, Esq., Rt. Hon. C. W. W. Wynn. chosen of the new Council Some of the Gentoos enter their dwellings by a hole in the roof, and any fat person who cannot get through it they consider as an excommunicated offender who has not been able to rid himself of his sins ' • and an eastern pri nce h a d an officer to . regulate the s iz e o f his subjects, who dieted the un wieldy ones to reduce them to a proper volume.—Millengen's Curiosity of Medical Experience. " Never, in the memory of the oldest inhabitant," observes a Coventry paper, " was distress more universal among the ribbon weavers of this city, than it is at the present time. We believe that we do not exaggerate when we say that full three-fourths of the thousands engaged in the ribbon trade are out of employ at the present moment, and what is still more appalling, the probability is that the next three months will be even worse than the last. --Coventry Herald. The genuine materials for the early history of St. Sepulchre's Church are, unfortunately, extremely scant and meagre ; in fact, even of the (late of its original foundation there does not appear to be any record. From the circum stance, however, that it was dedicated in commemoration of the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem, we may, perhaps, assign it to the commencement of the 12th century, when, as we know, thousands of persons were eagerly and quixotically adventuring their lives in a far country for the recovery of our Saviour's tomb from the infidels, and all who remained at home were emulative to evince the greatest respect and attachment to the sacred cause.—Godwin's Churches of London. MEMOIRS OF A PEERESS ; OR, THE DAYS OF Fox—This is an extraordinarily clever book, which does great credit to the authoress, as well as to Lady Charlotte Bury, by whom it is edited. The writer, who has a great talent for description and the sketching of chara(!ters, paints what she saw and participated in with sense and judgment. In the course of the work we are introduced to the private lives of Fox, Burke, Sheridan, Lord Grey, and all the illus trious characters of that memorable era, and we are equally familiarized with the galaxy of fashion when the Prince of Wales was considered tkc acme of grace and elegance. All that these interesting volumes say of Mr. Fox, redounds to the honour of that kind hearted, illustrious man. —Dispatch. The late inclement weather has not been alone de structive to the woolly part of the creation, but the feathered have suffered also. The grouse in the neighbourhoed of Al lendale (and we have no doubt equally so in all grouse dis tricts) have suffered to an immense extent. The shepherds report the finding of great numbers of the above-named birds dead from actual starvation. Our informant states that on Monday, the 10th instant, he, within a nide of his farm house, succeeded in taking four old birds, which he philan thropically set down amongst the poultry, and strange to say, they fed and roosted with their new companions for three days, after which they returned to their snowy wilderness. The following is the proposed diet table for the Lincoln Union \Vorkhouse BkaAKFAsT.—Each day—one pint Of porridge, composed of 2 ounces of oatmeal, half a pint of milk, and half a pint of water; six ounces of bread. DINNER.-Sunday : 5 oz. of cooked meat and 12 ounces of potatoes. Monday : ditto. Tuesday : 1i pint of broth and 6 oz. bread. Wednesday : 5 oz, of meat and 12 oz. of pota toes. Thursday : pint of broth and 6 075. of bread. Fri day : 5 oz. rne.f.t and 12 oz. potatoes. Saturday ; 14 oz. flour or yeast dumpling. F'PI'ER.— . EaC day : 6 oz. bread and half a pint of milk. TILE W'ELLING'TON STATUE.—The sum of 7,300/. has been contributed towards the erection of this statue in the city of London, and it is calculated by those who wish to see a splendid effort of art, and of course are de sirous that designs should be sent into the Committee, that about 2,000/. more will be necessary. Wednesday a move is likely to be made in the Committee on the subject. The Chaplain of the New Prison, Cicrkenwcll, in a circular letter, dated the 10th instant, addressed to the Mid dlesex Justices, says that within the last three months "no less than 200 boys have beer, committed to that prison, whose average stay . in it has been under a week ;" a stay just long enough to improve them in crime, and to produce no good effect whatever. As long as Courts of Justice and Committee rooms are open to the public, and as many persons as they will contain may hear what passes, it is not very easy to di vine why those who are absent may not read an account of the same proceedings ; yet this, and neither more nor less, is the nature of the attempt to convert the one into a breach of privi lege, while the other neither is nor can be prevented. From the long continuance of dry and cold weather, it is feared that much of the early sown barley will have pe rished in the ground. A gentleman narned'Fitchett, residing at Crcwkerne, Somersetshire, has had a considerable sum of money and va luable lands left to him by a gentleman of the same name, lately residing at Hull, who was personally unknown to him. The property was left merely on account of the name being similar to that of the deceased. PRIGS ATP GREENWICH FAIR.-At the Maid stone Quarter Sessions, which have just concluded, no less than 25 young thieves were tried, and convicted of picking pockets, and other petty larcenies during the late Greenwich fair. All of them were sentenced to transportation. The police sent to the fair were more numerous than usual, and a large proportion being in plain clothes, the thieves were taken quite by surprise, and in a few instances, mistaking the officers for gentlemen, actually tried to rob those who were watching their legerdemain tricks. LONDON AND GREENWICH RA ILWAY.—The number of persons who passed along the Greenwich Railway since the 14th of December, 1836, was 450,000, nearly one third of the whole population of London. STEAM BOAT NOVELTIES.—.A Company has announced an intention of establishing a steam-boat ferry from Hungerford Market to London-bridge. The boats to start hourly at first, but to every quarter of an hour whenever the spring season .may in reality commence. Fare only 4d. each person: The scheme seems plausible, and may please many, but unhappily it has two sides, one of which is painful. The steam competition has already reduced the jolly bluff waterrnen of the Thames, many to utter ruin, and nearly all to a state of abject slavery. The present project, if it suc ceed, it is to be feared, will complete what little of destruc tion remains undone to these poor fellows and their families. On Monday week a frightful accident occurred in a worsted factory called Meerclough Bottom Mill, near Hali frt. A young woman called Martha Ditching, whilst passing an upright iron shaft moving with a fearful velocity, and which from some cause had been left unprotected, was caught by her clothes, and her body mangled in a most shocking manner. What renders the accident more afflicting is the fact, that in a few days she was to have been married. An inquest was held on the body at the Old King Cross, and a verdict of " Acci dental death" returned, with a deodand of 6/. upon the ma chinery.—Leeds Times. The Ambassadors from Madagascar continue to visit the principal establishments of Paris, and inspect the in stitutions of learning, arts, and monuments, without expressing surprise. They appear mild in manners, their habitual calm ness approaching to something very much resembling ennui. The unseasonable state of the weather appears to inconveni ence them. On their guide asking them lately what they would wish to see the following day, they replied, " The sun, if possible." We learn from Frankfort that the house of Roths child proposes extending the circle of its commercial relations beyond the Atlantic. A branch of this house is about to be established at New York, to which effect a M. Belmonte has lately left Frankfort for that city, via London and Paris. Paris .Paper, . • . PORT UGAL. LISBON, APRIL B.—Tuesdav, the 4th inst., being - the 18th anniversary of the Queen'; birthday, the inorning.was ushered in by a Royal salute from the citadel and Portu guese ships of war in the Tagus, and which - Fakic was re peated at mid-d3y and sun-set, at dat one o'clock the Bri tish and French vessels of - war,l4 in nurrihter. n il spl en didly decorated with their various ilags. which had a most irripo- sing and animating effect, fired a Royal salute in honour of the day. The National Guards, with their Commandant, the Lafayette of Portugal, at their head, together with the few troops of the line, were present in this eitY, consisting of Lancers and Artillery, assembled in the Praca do Com / mereio, from whence they proceeded to the Royal Palace, at the centre balcony of which stood her Majesty and i:or lioyal consort ; hut owing to the incessant rain, incle mency of the weather, and the delicate state of the Sot e reign's health, they were only aisle to appear with the win dows sluif f , before which tae troops marched past is quick time. InumAiately after this ceremony the deputation of the Cortes lied the honour to be presented to her Majesty, and place at the foot of the Throne a congratulatory Ad dress, conveying their warmest expressions of respect, con sideration, and attachment to aer Majesty's person, his Royal Highness the Prince Ferdiinand, and the other mem bers of the Royal timaily. Of re:aich Address (presented by M. Castro Perreira), and her Majesty's answer thereto, the following is a translation : " Malam,--LThe genervl extraordinary and constituent Cortes of the Portuguese nation h dVC done me the honour to depute me to approach the Thr one on this happy occa sion of your Majesty's birth-day, fol the two-fold purpose of congratulating your Majesty on .*:he re-establishment of your valuable health, and the anniversary of your Majesty's natal day. " The Deputies of the 'Portuguese nation duly appre ciate your Majesty's constant zeal to promote the happi ness of the Portuguese people, and t74 e support wh i ch your Mijesty has deigned to give to the, measures adopted by the Cortes on behalf of the State. They therefore hope that the union which has hitherto existed between tha iepresentatives of the nation and th a constitutional throne will thereby be placed on a more solid basis. And they this day, in the presence of your :*Majesty, again p rom i se to use every means to consolidate r.,be said throne and its constitutional liberties. " And may the All Powerful grant to your Majesty a long life, and the hopeful succession we so anxiously look forward to to perpetuate among us tfse virtues of so many heroes, your Majesty's august ancet , tor.s, our, Kings. " And may it please your Majesty b enignantly to receive this public testimony of respect and loyalty of the Repre sentatives of the nation towards the ciered person of Your Majesty, together with the protestations of the highest consideration and esteem for the person of the Prince, the August Consort of your Majesty, as well as that of all the Royal Family." ANSWER. " Genti.emen,—l have heard with the greatest satisfae- tion the congratulations which you ha c e delivered in the name of the g -eneral and constituent Cortes of the Portu guese nation. I thank you for the lively interest the Cortes have evinced tom , rds my person, as well as that of my be loved husband, the Prince Don Ferdinraal. " You may assurc the representatives of the nation, that I will continue to do all that may ,depend upon me to secure the constitutional liberty and happiness of this good and excellent people. " Nothing henceforward can possibly destroy or diminish the sincere union which exists between the nation and the throne. Portugal and myself confide all to the prudence and wisdom of the General tortes, and I more particularly hope that by means of our limited efforts and by the help of Divine Providence this generous nation will shortly arrive at the highest degree of prosperity' and greatness." Then followed the levee, attended 1..)- the Ministers of State, corps diplonzatiquc, Vice-A cl.m;ral Sir William Gage, several of the British and French officers, and a numerous body of the nobility and gentry. It i 3 in contemplation to establish :t.n Ornithological Society in London, the objects of which .sx-e the exhibition of living birds, and the propagation and dis persion of new do mestic races, as also to establish a museum, library, lectures, and prize shows. An application is intesded to be made to Government for a locality for the museum and library, and, if successful, it is intended that the museum shall be freely open to the public. Two horrible murder cases are con - t'ing on for trial at Trichinopoly ; the one is that of a Pariah woman, who, with the help of her paramour, murdered liver husband, cut off his head, and disembowelling the body, sewed up the head in the place of the entrails. The other, that of a Braminy woman, who was surprised by her son, a boy of about ten years of age, with a gallant. The boy threatened to tell his father, and she threatened to murder him if he did. The boy returned to school in the fort, and told his schoolmaster what had taken place. A . ll hour or two after he was sent for home, before the usual time. The father of the lad, on his return, wonders that his son has not come hozre ; the mother pretends to wonder likewise; when, perceiving some drops of blood fall from a basket affixed to the ceiling, the father takes it down, and finds in it the poor child, with his throat cut. Whilst he is contemplating the piteous sight, in the extremity of misery, the wretched woman, rushing out into the ;street, exclaims that the father is murdering his child ! the mart was seized, but for tunately the schoolmaster cleared up the truth of the matter, and the mother, it is said, has made a confession of her guilt. —Madras Examiner, Nov. 16. FATAL ACCIDENT FROM THE UP SETTING OF A SAILING BOAT.-Last Sunday forenoon as tin ce men named 131ake, and George and William Finch, were pro.Tedhig down the river in a sailing boat of their own, and when off Barking, in the County of Essex, a sudden squall of wind came on, the boat was upset, and the men precipitated into the water. Some bargemen fortunately observed the accident from the opposite shore, and immediately rowed over in a skiff to their assiFunice, but we regret to say that one out of the three men, ne4ned Blake, being unable to swim, sank to rise no more. The boat drifted down the river, and notwithstanding the drags have been almost continually in use since the fatal accident hap pened, the body had not been found up to yesterday afternoon. The deceased and his companions are all married with wives and families. The two survivors remain in a very precarious state at their homes, so much so that their lives arc despaired of. We regret to say that Mr. Salloway, formerly of Powick, near this city, who has acquired considerable cele brity in riding steeple chases, has fallen a victim to this dan gerous amusement. He rode a horse called •‘ Wildgoose" at Abergavenny on Thursday week in one of these affairs, and towards the end had a fall, but was not apparently injured. fie continued unwell, and on Sunday morning, be was found in bed, but life was extinct.— Worcester Guardian. THE TEA TRADE, MONDAY.—The clearances last week were 440,3001b5. The imports from China are becoming large. The next private trade sales will amount to 95,000 packages. - - A petition very numerously signad, is about to he presented 'to the House of Lords, in favour of the Ministerial measure, for the abolition of Church -rates, from the Somers town district of the parish of St. Pancras. We are sorry to say that the trade of Nottingham continues in a very bad state, in every branch.—Doncastcr Gazelle. „ The St. Petersburgh papers contain the following account of the sentence pronounced against a Russian Noble man, who had shot his adversary in a duel. It is well that some steps should should be taken to check a piaclice so bar barous and absurd; and a hint might be furnished upon this head even from Russia. ” Baron Heickeren, Lieutenant in the regiment of Chevalier Guards of her Majesty the Em press, has been sentenced by a Court-martial, on account of his duel with the poet Alexander Puschkin, wbo died of the would he received in that duel, to the loss of his rank, and of the patient of Russian nobility which ho had acquired, and to serve as a common soldier." Such is the scarcity of fodder in this ntighhour hood, on account of the backward state of the grass crops, that the price of hay has advanced to Is. 4d. per stone in the vale of Todmorden. We understand that this commodity is selling at 101. a ton in the neighbourhood of Nottingham.— Halifax Express. On Monday, some fishermen caught in their net at the mouth of the Addcr, the foetus of a child, about for or five months formed. It was immediately interred.—Kelso Ckronicle. " JANUARY AND MAY."—Last week a man named Murrels, aged 81, residing at Pebmarsh, Essex, took to his chilling arms a second bride, bight Jane Cheveley, with all the bloom of the teens upon her . lip and its gay giddy laughter in her eye. The seasons are changed ! We have snow in April, and why n . )t love at 90 ? - A public meeting was held last Thursday at Devon port, where and when a petition in favour of the Ministerial measure for the abolition of Church-rates was adopted. The late Bishop of Salisbury has bequeathed to St. David's College, which owes its existence mainly to his perse verance and liberality while Bishop of St. David's, his valuable library, consisting of many thousand volumes, " with the excep tion only of such books as Mrs. Burgess may think proper, immediately after his decease, to select for her own use anti benefit." He has also left 3,000/. Three per Cent. Consuls upon trust, that out of the interest 401. per annum should be applied to'the maintenance of the Burton, Mrs. Martha Moore's, and the two Eidon scholarships in this College; the remainder of the interest to be paid to Mrs. Burgess during her life, and after her death to the use and benefit of the principal Profes sors and students. It is due also to . Mrs. Burgess to state, that the Bishop having expressed an intention of leaving 500/. to the College, to provide a suitable Loom for the reception of the books, and present it with a-copy of Owen's portrait of him self, in possession of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, though be bad not reduced his intention to a written injunction in his will, she has declared her purpose of fulfilling his Lordship's wishes in both these particulars. The ungenial nature of - the present season has been productive of serious losses to the graziers of this county. One of the principal tanners of this district states that he never re collects to have purchased so many skins taken from cattle sheep which have perished in consequence of inclement wea ther and scarcity of eatage. Hay has in some instances been sold as high as front 101. to 12/. per ton.—Leicester Chro nicle.