The Sun. — London, England, 1819-01-14 00:00:00

LITERARY REVIEW. POETICAL and LITERARY ANECDOTES of HIS OWN TIMES. By Dr. WILLIAM KING, Principal of St. :Vary Hal!, Oxon. We have seldom read a more amusing, and, indeed, instructive work, than the present. It is the production of a man of an admirable under standing, a sound scholar, and an acute observer of life. The Author was connected with the first People in this Country in his day, and he has drawn with an accurate pencil most of the persons who distinguished themselves, not only within his circle of action, but on information from various sources. The work is, indeed, a proper Valle Mecum for all who wish to know mankind, and to possess themselves of curious and interest ing anecdotes. His characters are touched with ease and spirit, as well as with the pencil of truth, and his remarks are profound as well as animated and striking. We shall at present copy a curious story for the entertainment of our Readers, and take an early opportunity of renewing our at tention to this very pleasant little volume. " OHitusgue menruin, o'olivisce is the sincere desire of many me. :holy heads tt, &hi; ; nod therefore I have often wished, that when we reformed from popery a few convents had been exempted from the general pillage, in which men of severe morals, or of a melancholy cast and turn' of mind, might have found a retreat. But I have observed, what is perhaps peculiar to this island, that there are men wholly free from the spleen, or a lowness of spirits, in good health and good trrctonstances, and only actuated by some whim sical considerations, seek a retreat where they may forget their friends and relations, and be forgotten by them. About the year 1706, I knew one Mr. Howe, a sensible well-natured mitt, possessed of an estate of 7001. or 8001. per annum : he manied a young lady of a good family in the west of England ; her maiden name was Mallet ; she was agreeable in her person and manners, and proved a very good wife. Seven or eight years after they had been married, he rose one morning very early, and told his wife he was obliged to go to the Tower to transact some particular busi ness : the saute day, at noon, his wife recuiscd note from him, in which be informed her that he was under a necessity of going to Holland, and should probably be absent three weeks or a month. He was absent from her 17 years, during which time she neither heard front him, or of him. The evening before he returned, whilst she was at slipper, and with her some of her friends and relations, particularly one Dr. Hose *, a physician, who bad married her sister, a billet, without any name subscribed,• was delivered to her, in which the writer requested the favour of her to give him a meeting the next evening in the Birdcage Walk, in St. James's Park. When she had read her billet, she tossed it to Dr. Rose, and laughing, P 'Von see, brother,' said she, as old as I am, 1 have got a gallant.' Rose, who pe rused the note with more attention, declared it to be Mr. Howe's hand-writing : this surprised all the company, and so notch affected Mrs. Howe, that she fainted away ; however, she soon reco veied, when it was agreed that Dr. Bose and his wife, with the other gentleman and ladies who were then at supper, should attend Mrs. Howe the next evening to the Birdcage Walk : they bad not been there more titan five or six minutes. when Mr. Howe came to them, and after saluting his friends, and embracing his wife, walked home with her, and they lived together iu great har mony from that time to the day of his death. But the most curious part of my tale remains to be re lated j-. When Howe left his wife, they lived in house in Jertnyn•street, near St.James's Church; he went no farther titan to a little street in %Vest minster, where he took a room, for which he paid five or six shillings a week, and changing Iris nair,e, and disguising himself by wearing a black wig (for he was a fair man), he remained in this habitation during the whole time of his absence. He had had two children by his wife when he de parted from her, who were both living at that time : but they both died young in a few years after. However, during their lives, the second or third year after their father disappeared, Mrs. Howe was obliged to apply for an Act of Parlia ment to procure a proper settlement of her husband's estate, and a provision for herself out of it during his absence, as it was uncertain whether he was alive or dead : this act he suffered to be solicited and passed, and enjoyed the pleasure of reading the progress of it in the votes, in a little coffee-house, near his lodging, which he fre quented. Upon his quitting his house and family iu the manner I have mentioned, Mrs. Howe at first imagined, as she could not conceive any other cause for such an abrupt elopement, that he had contracted a large debt unknown to her, and by that means involved himself in difficulties which he could not easily surmount ; and for some days she lip, rl iu continual apprehensions of demands from creditors, of seizures, executions, &c. But nothing; of this kind happened ; on the contrary, he did not only leave his estate quite free and un encumbered, but he paid the bills of every trades man with whom he had any dealings ; and upon examining his papers, in due time atter he was gone, proper receipts and discharges were found from all persons, whether tradesmen or others, with whom he had any manner of transactions or money concerns. Mrs. Howe, after the death of her children, thought proper to lessen her family of servants, and the expences of her boasekeep iug ; and therefore removed from her house in Jetmyn-street to a little house in Brewer-street, • I was very well acquainted with Dr. Rose ; he was of a French family. I often met him at King's Coffee-house, near Golden-square, and hr frequently entertained me with this remarkat►le story. t London is the only place in all Europe where a man can find a secure retreat, or remain, if he pleases, many years un known. If he pays constantly for his lodging, for his provi sions, and fur whatsoever else he wants, nuhodr will ask a question concerning him, or inquire whence he conies, whi- E'er he guts, Sec. near Golden-square. Just over against her lived, one Salt *, a corn-chandler. About ten years after Howe's abdication, hecontrived to make an acquaintance with Salt, and was at length in such a degree of intimacy with him, that he usually dined with Salt once or twice a week. From the room in which they eat, it was not difficult to look into Mrs. Howe's dining•rootn, where she gene rally sate and received her company ; and Salt, who believed Howe to be a bachelor, frequently recommended his own wife to him as a suitable match. During the last seven years of this Gen tleman's absence, he went every Sunday to St. James's Church, and used to sit in Mr. Salt's seat, where he had a view of his wife, ibut could not easily be seen by her. After he returned home, he never would confess, even to his most intimate friends, what was the real cause of such a singular conduct : apparently, there was none : but what ever it was, he was certainly ashamed to own it. Dr. Rose has ofte❑ said to - me, that he believed his brother Howe t would never have returned to his wife, if the money which he took with him, which was supposed to have been 10001. or 20001. had not been all spent : and he must have been a good economist, and frugal in his manner of living, otherwise his money would scarce have held out for I imagine be had his whole fortune by him, I mean what he carried away with him in money or Bank bills, and daily took out of his bag, like the Spaniard in Gil Bias, what was suffi cient for his expenses." • I knew Salt, whom I often met at a Coffee-house called King's Coffee-huuse,, near Golden-square. He related to we the particulars which 1 have here mentioned, and many others, which have escaped my memory. And yet I have seen him after his return addressing his wife in the language of a young bridegroom. And I have been assured by some of his most intimate friends, that he trmsted her during the rest of their lives with the greatest kindness and affection. LONDON JOURNALS. FROM THE MORNING PAPERS OF THIS DAT, [The Times.] If, in speaking of the affairs of Spain, we have cautioned our Readers against rashly harbouring the belief that any general system of insurrection was formed and organized, by which the Sovereign would be deposed, we did not mean to doubt ur deny that there was great confusion in the inte rim- of that kingdom—a confusion naturally con sequent upon the events which have taken place there within the last nine years. For this how ever, the Government is rather negatively than po. sitively to blame. It does not possess sufficient force to control irregularities and bring back order. We do not mean by this, that it should exer cise severities, but rather that it should possess a character that might - .command the respect of its subjects—should exert a power that might direct their energies into legitimate channels. —The face of the country, particularly in the vicinity of the mountainous fastnesses, is over run with Guerilla parties, termed banditti. The majority of these are not rebellions through choice, neither is it tl►eir united aim to overthrow the State : they are without any other trade than that of war, without any other property but their arms and courage, and unfortunately there is now no other enemy within their reach but their peaceable countrymen. [Morning Post.] THE KING'S APARTNENTS---We esierted some time bgo that the suite of rooms occupied by the King were in a very dilapidated state, owing to the want of gepairs in due time. We steed that these apartments were shored up; statiolding poles have since been introduced, and every other necessary precaution has been taken. SBPARATION IN HIGH LIFE.—The separation in High Life, which took place last week, between a certain Baronet and his Lady, does not arise from any impropriety of conduct on either side. The parties have been married many years, but have not lived together on very cordial terms.— (Ibid.) A TOPIC IN HIGH LIFE.—A discovery, in volving in itself the most important consequences, has been made in a great family within these few days. The son of a Noble Lord, of great wealth and consequence, has entered into a matri monial union with a female against whom strong objections have been urged by the Noble Family. The parties concerned are thrown into the greatest affliction, as great expectations were entertained that the youth would have been an ornament to the Senate. Several consultations have been held, and by legal advisers a determination is taken to cult off the entail.—(lbid.) THE DROPPED CHILD. HATTON-GARDEN.—On Tuesday evening John Limbrick, of this office, apprehended Mrs. Mar garet Preston Lythhee, Ji widow Lady, residing in Hummer-street, City-road, the mother of the child dropped in Tash-street, (on whom a Coro ner's Inquest has since been held in the work house, iu Little Gray's-inn-lane, where it died,) against whom, and Ann Symons, the midwife, a true hill was found on Monday at the Clerkenwell Ses ions. Limbrick, the officer, accommodated the mos Cher that night in his own house, she being ordered to give 24 hours' notice of bail. Last night the was brought to the office, where she gave b a il, herself in '2OOl. and two sureties in 1001. each.— The case was managed with so much secrecy, that no person in the office knew any thing of the matter; the Gentlemen who were accepted as bail having first come in, and given their names and address to the clerk, returned again with the Lady, who, the better to conceal herself, was dressed rather below her usual style. She wore black, with a thin thread-bare red cloak thrown over her ; a white straw bonnet, with ribands, and a bunch of artificial flowers, with a thick black veil. She stepped up with her two bail to the clerk, and in a low tone of voice merely con sented to the terms of bail read in a very low voice by the clerk, and then left the office unno ticed. She never raised her veil, or looked ; but from a passing glimpse, her face appeared pleasing—her age about 32. FOR THE SUN Ma. EDITOR,-1 address myself to you, because I conceive you have always taken the most lively interest in our Colonial Concerns. I trust, that in the Commercial Treaty which is now negociating with America, the Ministers who carried the Country so triumphantly through its difficulties, will neither be brow-beaten or seduced into an abandonment of the Policy heretofore acted upon, namely, by admitting a direct trade with the Bri tish West India Islands, or the right of Fishery on the coast of Newfoundland and Nova Scotia ; it would he tantamount to making them a present of ale Colonies, and they have nothing equiva lent to grant in return. Let it never be forgotten by Britons, that whilst England was engaged in a mighty contest for the freedom of Europe, and the Wotld, America basely attacked her with a hope (vain hope) of crushing the land which had the misfortune to give birth to such unnatural children. Short-sighted mortals ! BUONAPARTE, it is well known, bad a thorough contempt for them, and would not have suffered their indepen dence a moment after our fall. The objects I have mentioned I know are dear to the Americans ; they have generally boasted (but it is constitu tional) of beating us in the Cabinet as well as the Field. That they may at least be deceived this time, is the most devout prayer and ardent wish of ALBION FOR THE SUN. REDUCTION OF POOR RATES. MR. EDITOR,-It has long been the subject of lamentation, that the poor have been within the last 30 or 40 years nearly expatriated from the soil, by the custom which has prevailed of land holders throwing small farms into large, and en groising every spot of land on which they can lay their hands. They have looked with an envious eye upon the cottage garden or paddock, and the lease of a cow ' or a horse in the common or commonable fields. They have always taken care to make the compen sation in money, which, when once dissipated, has left the ci-devant possessors of a little lauded pro perty in a far worse state than it found them in. It has perhaps proved rather a curse than a bles sing ; they find their wants increasing, and their habits of industry relaxed. Should work begin to fail, the family naturally cast their eyes to the parish for relief, and the first relief granted must he that of paying their rent. The poor rates continue to accumulate in proportion to the claims of pauperism, and, in the event of a severe win ter or an unfavourable harvest, they become al most, if not altogether dependent upon the parochial funds, and in their collected weight threaten to drag down their supporters into the same vortex of ruin into which they themselves are sinking. By such a procedure, we are abolishing the peasantry, countenancing crime, and creating a race of mendicants, which will drain the vitals of our country, and render it what our enemies would wish " a land not worth living in." — War has for years since taken off the overflow of the rural the s wor d being Dow pro ypospheualatthie7l,; it will eas ily pour into the channel of emigration. The over-crowded hives must cast out their swarms, and if those want scope tor agricultural exertion, they will first take their flight to " Cities, and the haunts of men," where, if from habit or want of friends they should he unable to find employment, they will probably become the dupes or the pupils of the wretches whose crimes people our prisons, and disgrace human nature. If they escape this snare, evil-minded men, taking advantage of their forlorn condition, will ever be ready to blow up the coals of discontent, enlist them into the ranks of faction, or stimulate them to quit a country which they are taught to abhor, and by that means strengthen the hands of foreign na tions, or perhaps enrich them by the introduction or improvement of mechanical or handicraft arts, in which we excel, and they may shortly be come our rivals. It is painful to dwell on the evils resulting from the present state of things. The obviation of them is by no means so visionary or difficult as some may imagine. Let no one be alarmed ! we do not call for innovation or revolution ; we take our model from those times " when every rood of ground maintained its man," and to restore those times, under certain modifications, adapted to modern circumstances, is not impracticihle; as long as there is an acre of land uncultivated or unoccupied, we cannot want the means of re dress. Let not the landholder told up his arms, and coldly enquire what is to be done ) Is there not a nook of ground on all his estate which he ' could let to a poor man at a very low rent, to run up a mud cottage, and cultivate potatoes on ? Every grant of this kind will he an alleviation of the public !mitten, however small. The con stant deduction of grains of sand will diminish a mountain ; drops of water exhaust an ocean.— " Let patience and perseverance have their perfect work"—Let all persons of influence and property put their hands to the plough*—the effects will shortly appear, of seeing the objects of their so licitude happily realized. They will reap the advantage of their labours in their own " day and generation," and will have their names inscribed on the tablets of posterity, as the benefactors of mankind, and the best friends of their native country. PHILO RUSTICUS. • It will be gratifying to the friends of humanity to learn, that a Committee has been formed in this Metropolis, under the Patronage of many distinguished Noblemen and other Patriotic Characters, in order to carry the benevolent design into effect. THEATRICAL REGISTER. Performed I.erst Night. ,ATRe ROYAL, DALY RT-LAME.—(I9t6 time), p • THr cius Junius, Mr. Kelm ; ' larquinia, Mrs. W. West. At e r which, The Silver Arrow. , c ht: 1 4 1ATRII: ROTA 1., COVENT-GA RIM:I.—The Twelfth .I.gis, Sir Andrew Aguecheek, Mr. W. Farren; Vi° l ''' . Brunton. After which, Harlequi ❑ Nlunchausen. Brutus: •.a For PROVINCIAL JOURNALS, See the Firit P „ ye. F STOCKS 'virELvE o'co.oc4c. I Bank L. Ann.... 90 34 6 6 ' P l 6 India Bonds ..... .84s. Os. I : Exch. Bills, 'id... os. 2 7Y"i %ii Cons. fur Account. ..•. PRICE 0 THIS DAY AT r S per Cent. Red 7 Biiii 3 per Cent. Cons..7Bi 77i 78 31 per Cent 88 4 - per Cents. 9f; S per Cent. NuryAnn.. 1064 it MAILS. Amalvet,-1 Du blin, Waterfurd, 1 France I 1 ‘ 13 ,. /ts ls BUJi-1 Guernsey and Jersey, 4 Sweden, 'Han"".' 1 li,dimid. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE TO•MO lit°l7. f" Morning, 44 minutes after 4. I Evening, 9 minutes after 1 P übl " C( f t , ncti, t ! I n Divisi Il erst o . 110 • Direct tq l the , I lltelli l !rites !h otel 11 1 t t c il l 0 _ in] fr onl 414di en 1 104 011 F 144 1 1 tr e fc biete, A; Itt e l ic Dart of lll orro THE SUN. SOLEM QUIS DICERE FALSUM AUDEAT LONDON, THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 181 g. SECOND EDITION. OPENING OF PARLIAMENT. This being the day appointed for the g eet`fi ' of Parliam en t, severa l P eers assem bled in the House of L or d s , and a number of Member' ( the House of Commons took the oaths, d r tended in the Hou s e of Commo r s. S 0" kifte ei I two o'clock, t h e E a rl of LIV ERPOO L R00 01 " /C- ti in the House of Lords, that Letters Patent " been issued under the Gre a t Seal, bPP° intin , s Chief Baron RICHARDS to s it in the plac e of t`. LORD CHANCELLOR, in the absence of the latter . Shortly afterward s , t h e L or ds Commsss wets for Opening the Parliament, viz. The LORD SIDENT (Earl of H ARRown y), the LORD r ail SEAL (Earl of WESTNIORLAND) the Duke of ICE f" LINGTON, the Earls of SHAFTESBURY and LlVOlta' er o r o f Aa POOL, Black r ltooktackR o d v their ,a seats was sentan tl the to o des i re Gentleman the II: ance of the H ouse o f C ommons . of number of Members of the House Commons shortly afterwards came to the far, t when th e Commission for opening the Parliament having been read, the LORD PRESIDENT sot' that in obedience to the commands of his Boyo Highness the PRINCE REGENT, acting in the na ° and on the behalf of his MAJESTY, he vvos ft : an nounc e to them, that as soon as a sittlicien number of Membe rs shoul d be sworn, (1.1, causes for calling the Parliament vvoo id communicated ; and that in the me an tin le t ; they were to return to their o wn H o use, t in s p e r n o t c e e t e i c a l t to the ct il th a s r e :f S t p h e e a H ke o r :lse to. morrow who was to he Pr for the Royal Approbation. The Commons retired to their own 11°11 : e : the Lords pres ent were sworn in, an d those als o who came in till four o'clock. o c er There is no do u bt t h at t h e l ate w orthy SP e r. , of the Hou se o f C ommons, the Right 1-1"°j• able CHA RLES M ANNERS SUTTON, win be (°I. i) re-elected without opposition. Extract of a IetterPLAGUE A T from t he o TUNIS. Agent at LW a da ted Malta, Dec. 15 I have to advise of the arrival here on the lOth inst. of a vesse l from Tunis. under Neapolitan colours, called t 9 San Michell L'Arcangelo, I. TITONE , Aißster ; which place he l e f t on the sth of this month , it which time the plague raged with great violenc e' from 2 to 300 persons dying daily. This ves.sei was ordered off from hence immediately , and sailt oli again the same d a y. A report bad previot reached us from Tripoli, of the death of our Coo' sill at Tunis, of the plague ; but I am happy to inform you that he was alive and well when the above vessel sailed." We received this m orning the Paris papers Of Monday last. The following are extracts PAIUS, JAN. 1 I.—The Court goes into mourn' ing for 21 days, commencing to-morrow, on 0 6 , count of the death of the Princess Elizabeth of Saxony, eleven days in black, and ( e n in white " The King yesterday received the Ministers. Marshals, Cardinals, Members of the Two Chad' bens, and General Officers. " The Duke de Richelieu had a private and l ' s ence of his Majesty on Saturday evening. I t 16 thought that the Duke is on the point of under taking a journey. " Besides the comets discovered in the cons" l ' lations of Pegasus and Hydra, a third has been dil l ' covered at the observatory of Konigsberg. T his last is in the constellation of the Swan ; it IS n Clt visible to the naked eye. " Numerous robberies of every species ha ve been lately committed on the banks of the Reuss' towards the frontiers of Zurich, Lucerne, Z"g' and Argovia, by a banditti 400 strong. " The Chamber of Deputies is summoned for 'j ail f tie Itil ( 1 . 1