The Sun. — London, England, 1824-02-26 00:00:00

LITERARY NOTICE. ENCYCLOPEDIA of ANTIQUITIES and ELEMENTS of ARCILEOLOGY, Classical and Mcdiaval. By the Rev. T. D. FositßoKE, M.A. F.A.S. Author of the " British Monachism," History of Gloucestershire, &c. &c. In our last Notice of the " Eneyclopedia of Antiquities.," we aNserted that " the utility of such a work was beyond dispute." We are now more confirmed in our opinion, on a re-perusal ; and we think that this dictum will be readily con ceded to us, by every attenthe reader of M r. Fos broke's volume. The study of the history and man ners of former times is both commendable and use ful ; not only as it-tends to improve our minds, but also to excite us to virtuous and noble actions. The general inquirer will find this work to con tain much iiiforrirttion of the utmost utility ; and . to the Student in the Science of Antiquities and Archwology in particular, it cannot fail to he a most accurate instructor, and an important guide, as it refers, on all subjects, to works of the first character, where more detailed information may be obtained.—lt will give us sincere pleasure to - find that illr. Fosbroke is called upon by the public, for a second edition of the work ; with a view to which we hope he will continue his researces with the same ability that he has dis played in the present volume.—We shall now ,proceed to lay before our readers, a few amusing extracts, interspersed with one or two occasional remarks. BED.—The day-bed, says Steevens, was a lazy fashion of Shakspeare's mra. It was the meridian (or sleep at noon) of the Romans, and the whole Middle Age. In our old bed rooms were two beds, one the truckle-bed. Here anciently lay a harper or musician, to relieve them while awake, or to pro cure sleep; in ancient Greece and modern Russia, a person who read them to repose ; sometimes the wife ; sometimes a meniel servant ; sometimes the chamberlain or burtheyn. Very long prayers were said before retiring, sometimes curious ones in verse. Mass was said in the chamber, befors rising. The beds cf man and wife were creditably fitted up. The sword both among the Greeks and ourselves was suspended at the bed's head. We find even ladies of a Lord's bed-chamber.— The attendants, as , in Pliny's time, waited upon their Lord to his room, and often slept outside near the door. Both Romans -and English sometimes slept - in the dark, sometimes with a light; sometimes the light was kept on account of saying the canonical hours, which light was under the care of the Chamberlain. The Romans, even women, appear upon marbles, stark naked in bed. The night or chamber gown, the Anglo-Saxons called nihtes rag!, and lig ragl ; and in this they possibly slept, or in the Mandrel um before-mentioned, for as women wore shifts in the Norman mra, and men, their night_ garments when in bed. Strutt might possibly mistake the close sitting of the blanchetunz, when he affirms, that till the reign of Henry VIII. both sexes slept naked. Under the pillow were put their valuables, as now breeches. When just in bed, they took their wine of repose. Rush lights were known to the ' Romans, and were used to burn about corpses, while they lay above ground. Bed-making among the Romans was a great art. 'They shook the clothes at rising, from superstition. St. Ives made his own bed, as did the Monks just after rising. At Buxton, about a hundred years ago, the visitors of the Baths slept in one long :room ; the upper part being allotted to the ladies, the lower to the gentlemen, both being separated only by a curtain."—pp. 228, 9. Boors.—The mode of publishing a book was by borrowing, or even hiring, a place to read it in to an assembly of friends and others; in doing which, if it was an accessible portico, they were much annoyed by wags and boys. Giraltius Cam hrecsis used the same mode of making his writings known.— Publicly burning had books ; fictitious names in titles ; selling poer works for waste paper ; reading on journies ; using com mon-place books ; are ancient customs. It was deemed an af fectation of' superior ability to send books to women as well as men ; and literary men by profession carried their books and provisions in a scrip. In the middle ages, we find books wrapt in cloths called Camino Librurunz. From the classical law books, because the titles were in red letters, being called Libri Rutsticati, whence their French denomination " Les Ru bripes," came our Rubrics, applied to prayer-books. Books in chapters were called Capita/aria. We meet with leaden books, with leaden covers ; some written by the finger only. Feliciter, instead of fink, at the end—marginal ornaments called Lateralie—L'lack books called Libel Ni e ei, relating to necromancy ; coloured with a particular blackness ; the letters believed to be effigies of animals—Potteptica, books of public acts, or private accounts of the goods and property of indivi duals—no paper books earlier than the tenth century, accord ing to Mabillon—Extraneous works written on the covers of others—Bulls, acts of general chapters, &c. entered by the monks in extraneous works—Omissions in the text, noted in the margin. Knighton mentions books with wooden leaves. The earliest instance of a printed title-page is about 1495 ; of figures under the title 1505." p. 235. CoaonEs.—Taylor the water-poet states the following con sequences of the introduction of coaches : " house-keeping never decayed till coaches came to England ; till which time those were accounted the best men, who had most followers and retainers ; their land about or near London was thought dear enough at a noble the acre yearly, and a ten-pound house-rent now was scarce twenty shillings then. But the witch-craft of the coach quickly mounted the price of all things (except poor men's labour), and withal transtbrmed, in some places 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 00, or 100 proper serving-men into three or two ani vials ; ( videlicet ) a butterfly-page, a trotting footman, a stiff drinking coachman, a cook, or clerk, a steward and a butler." p. 246. A very excellent account of all kinds of wheel-car riages are given. OU R-0 L ASS.—On a bas-relief of the Matter-palace, of the marriage of Thetis and Peleus, Morpheus holds an hour-glass, or erepsydra, like the modern, and from Athenmus it appeers, that persons carried it about them as we do watches. In a wood -cut, in Ilawkin's Music the frame is more solid, and the glass probably slitsped in and out. There is another cut (alone in Boissard, held by death, precisely of the modern form. Preaching by the hour-glass was put an end to by the Puritans, p. 275. A correspondent in the Gentleman's Magazine for 1804, p. 201, says they were made use ty' in the Puritanical time: (21' Cromwell, by the preachers, who on first getting into the pul pit, and naming the text, turned up the glass ; and if the ser mon did not last till the glass was out, it was said by the con grega!ion that the preacher was lazy; if he continued much longer, they would yawn and stretch, anti by these signs signify that they began to be weary of his discourse,' and wanted to be dismissed. Butler thus alludes to them as in the Puritanical times : " As gifted brethren preaching by " A carnal hour-glass do imply." 11 n. Part I. Canto 111. v. 1061. Mr. Denne in his " Addendo to the History of Lambeth" says—" Some have imagined that the ancient fat:iers preached, as.the old Greek and Roman orators declaimed, by an ho4r glass ; on the contrary, it has been remarked that the sermons of several of them wcre not of this length ; and it is particu- Lirly said, that there are many sermons in St. Austin's tenth volume, which a man might deliver with distinctness and pro priety in tight minutes, and some in almost half that time. If a judgment may be formed from Dr. Featley's Clavis Mystica, the running of the sand was not in general sufficient fora single turn of his mystic key. But he had the mortification of ob serving, that even when in St. Mary's pulpit, Oxford, notwith standing the piety, learning, and ingenuity displayed in his sermons, embellished likewise with quaint and nearly ludicrous conceits, adapted to excite curiosity, he was not able to com mand the attention of his audience for so long a period : and in his Act Sermon, July 12, 1313, he indirectly reproved them for not listening to him. The text was 2 Sam. vii. 2.; the .übject, the ark between the curtains; and this is the paragraph al luded to I might enlarge and spread my medita tions to the full length of the curtail:es in my text ; but, be cause I see the time will outstrip me, if I make not the more haste, and because I see many composing themselves to thei7 rest, and sonic first already, I will begin to draw the eartaincs, and shut up all that has been delivered with a brief application to ourselves." Unless, however, the Doctor was rapid in his delivery, his brief application must have lasted half an hour." P. In -L We think it is most probable that the use of hour glasses were discontinued efter the puritanical times of Cromwell. Hogarth, in his " Sleeping Congregation," has introduced an nour glass, and Mr. Ireland in his description of this Plate relates an anecdote of Daniel Burgess "of whimsical memory" who never preached without one, " and he frequently saw it out three times during one sermon." At one time he was preach ing against drunkenness at the Conventicle in Russell court, " some of his hearers began to yawn at the end of the second glass." He was not to be silenced by a yawn ; but " turned his time-keeper, and altering the tone of his voice, desired they would be patient a while longer for he had much more to say upon the sin of drunkenness ; therefore,' added he, `my friends and brethren, we will have another glass,—and then !' " An hour glass exists in the present day in the church of St. Alban, Wood-street; and is represented in the Gentleman's Magazine for SepterrNl 1323. PULPIT.—The ancient ambo or first pulpit, was an elevated tribunal, ascended by two flights of stairs. On the higher was read the Gospel, on the lower the Epistle; in the ambo were read the lessons, and not only these, but every thing which was to be recited to the people, and also prayers and ser mons. So early as 1483, we find a clock ordered to be placed over it. Stone pulpits are frequent. A very fine one, stand ing on a slender column, occurs at South Molton church, De von. Some pulpits.; ancient also, were portable. Scarlet pul pit cloths are antique. Lecturers' pulpits have had an hour glass on one side, and a bottle on the other. p. 307. A curious grotesque pulpit exists in St. Catherine's Church, near the Tower, erected subsequently to the time of Mary- It is covered with figures ; and each pannel, with represen tations of some temple, curch, or castle in ?inhibits. Dr. Ducarel published some engravings of it, in his " History of St. Catherine's." WHIPPING POST.—Tying to a pillar, stake, &c. was a classical punishment, mentioned in the New Testament, and well known. The whipping post of Isidore and Papias was placed in a ditch. The Capitulanies of Charlemagne ordered a person of servile condition to be whipped naked at a post, in presence of all the people. In 1095 the - Post was called Statua. p. 350. Butler thus describes the Whipping Post in his incompa rable- Iludibras. Part I. Can. 11. v. 1150, &c.:— " At th' outwarding wall, near which there stands A bastile built l'imprison hands. By strange enchantment made to fetter The lesser parts and free the greater, For tho' the body may creep through The hands in grate are fast enough, And when a circle 'bout the wrist Is made by beadle Exorcist. The body feels the spur and switch, As if 'twere ridden post by 'Witch. At twenty miles an hour's pace, And yet ne'er stir out of the place." BAYONNE INTELLIGENCE. 11.tyoNNE, Fin. 17.—We have news from i•ladrid of the 12th. The Decree of Amnesty has at length appeared; the following are the Articles : . -• - - " 1. Pardon is granted to all persons who have taken part in the Revolution. ( t m e the d of Authors corun and n a.Chiefs r o f n t a h rn e e R s a e r v e o l r u u t b i o l n i s h i the n 1 2 s1 e E o x f he i a b u al t , h A or l s ex o a f nd th er e oc,orlsopninrae.ly, the Deputies who voted at Ocana, particularly Ce(ol.u)ntlA' bs in favour of the Regency of Seville, as I, Regency. His Majesty reserving well as the Members of CI, gtohimself to exclude from this class some persons who have rendered him services in the recovery of his liberty, and the authors of the Memorials and writings composed for the purpose of taking the Crown from the King and having him brought to trial, as well as the Infants ; those who in Secret Societies made proposals of the same tendency, and those who since the abolition of the Consti tutional system have attended, or shall attend Secret Societies, or others that may be established ; the authors and editors of books or writings against religion and the throne, the Judges and Officers who were charged with the trials of Elio and. Goffieu, the promoters and participators in the assassina tions at Grenada and Corunna, those who, having had an active shiire in the Constitutional Government, have gone to America to disturb that country; and those who, having fled to foreign countries, write and conspire against his Majesty's Government. " 3. All those comprehended in these exceptions shall be tried according to the laws. "4. All others shall enjoy individual liberty and safety : those who are in prison shall be released, and their property, if sequestrated, shall be restored to them. " 5. This pardon does not authorise the restitution of em ployments, even those which were allowed before the 7th of 41i arch. On this head, as well as r e lative to the purifications, a special decree shall be issued. " 6. Those who are not included in any of the exemptions, and those included in the capitulations with the French Gene rals, shall submit to the Tribunals as stated in Article 3. " 7. All the Decrees and Ordinances issued up to this day, relative to the persons who have adhered to the Constitutional system, are hereby revoked." This Decree has not been published officially. It has be come known during the day, that the French Ambassador has prevailed to get it withdrawn, because it was drawn up in a manner not agreeable to the instructions from his Court. Letters from Cadiz say, that two Spanish merchant vessels have just been taken, but it is not known by what nation. The cause of the aggression of the Algerines is said to be, that after a war between the two powers, Charles 3d agreed to pay to the Dey an annual tribute. Since 1803 no payment has been made, and the Dey, taking advantage of the weakness of Spain, or moved by other reasons, claims the arrears. The Govern ment is certainly uneasy, and orders have been given to put the. coasts in a state of defence. Resources and money are wanting ; but boats are being armed, and artillery is placed in some points. An order has been issued for the French Guards to remain with his Catholic Majesty. It is said that a Treaty between France and Spill is on the point of being signed. IRELAND. REWARD OF IM EnlT. Let no man say that Lord WELLESLEY is not generous. We understand it is the intention to establish a new " Court of Appeals," and that a celebrated " Roman Catholic Barrister," the confidential ad viser and private friend of the Noble Marquess, and who now holds a high official situation, is to be appointed the Judge of this new Court. Rumour also adds, that another " Roman Catholic Barrister," of less celebrity than the former, but also the confidential adviser and private friend of the Noble Mar quess, is to have the office becoming vacant. How very consi derate it is that whet; the laws exclude persons of a certain class from certain situations, places are made for them, and yet " Roman Catholic Banisters" presume to complain ; but there is no satisfying some people.—(Dublin A PROTESTANT CrOVERNMENT.-" The Government of Berne has just issued two remarkable ordinances. By one the exercise of the Catholic religion is authorised in the city of Berne, so long as there shall not result from it any abuses or disagreeable consequences ; but at the same time, as well as the Ecclesiastics of that religion as all other Catholics, are strictly enjoined to refrain from all kinds of attempts, direct or indirect, to induce Protestants to change their religion. Every contravention will be considered as a formal infraction of the laws of the country, and as a violation of the religious peace, and severely punished."—( Freeman's Journal.) This is as it should be, and is an example worthy the imita tion of the British Government. Switzerland, like England and Ireland, is a Protestant country, and like the latter had often been the scene of Popish massacre and outrage. No two countries are, in many respects, more alike than Switzerland and Ireland, and in none more than the persecutions which, from time to time, the Protestants have endured, and in the attempts made and still making by Jesuits to work upon the feelings of the ignoble vulgus, anti again to give Po pish bigotry and intolerance the mastery in both coun tries. The government of Berne has bought its experi ence at a dear rate ; so have the Irish Protestants, though me mory, with some of our Legislators, seems to have lost its seat The Jesuits are at work in Switzerland—but Government has placed its finger upon their operations; they are unceasing in their labours in Britain, but have contrived to throw a veil over the eyes of those who should be the Guardians of our re ,' Fgion and our peace. This veil must speedily be withdrawn._ ( Dublin Antidote.) , 4(o‘, MASONIC NOTICES FOR NEXT WEEK. ENGLAND. Monday, March I, LONDON. Nos. 5, 10, 27, 39,119, 218, 240, 289. Committee Boy's School, at 7. COUNTRY. Nos. 20, 64, 72, 102, 148, 191, 202, 219, 267, 311, 368, 369, 372, 398, 423, 493, 502, 503, 509, 632, 638, 644. -2, Lownow. Nos. 9, 122, 281, 287, 381, 399. COUNTRY. Nos. 21, 127, 167, 170, 180, 184, 196, 204, 387, 476, 507, 512, 432, 544, 551, 557, 639. Wednesday, -3, LONDON. Nos. 35, 75, 220. Quar terly Communication. COUNTRY. Nos. 64, 95, 124, 139, 146, 207, 229, 339, 465, 487, 491, 505, 513, 526, 529, 681, 585, 656, 711, 713, 725. -4, LONDON. Nos. 61, 239, 277, 325, 409. COUNTRY. Nos. 113, 171, 182, 234, 416, 451, 453, 466, 469, 555, 561, 599, 627. -5, LONDON. No. 210. COUNTRY. Nos. 13, 28, 30, 55, 58, 470, 538. -6, LONDON. No. 173. COUNTRY. * IRELAND. Monday, March 1, Cosa. No. 347. Tuesday, -2, Coux. No. 95. Wednesday, -3, Coux. Nos. 1,3, 41. Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, * * HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE TO-MORROW. Morning, 20 minutes after 0. I Evening, 44 minutes after 0. PARLIAMENTARY PROCR EDINGS. HOUSE OF COMMONS. Mercurii, 25° die Februurii,lB24. INoLosun ES —Tarrant Hinton (Dorset)—Petition for Bill re ported ; Report to lie on the table. ROADS—Appleby and Kiikby Kendal. Ambleside and Kirkby in -Kendal, Kingsbridge, and Shepley and Barnsley—Bills ordered to be brought in. Arundel, and Broadway and Meekleton—Bills read a first time. Worcester and Broms grova—Petition of John Phillips, Esq., against, referred to the Committee on the Bill. Cerne Abbas—Petition for Bill referred to former Committee. City--Petition for Bill re ported, Report to lie on the table. GAS LionT a—Manchester—Petitions from Proprietors of the Manchester and Salford Waterworks, and of Commissioners ' for improvement of Manchester and Salford, against, re. ferred to the Committee on the Bill; Petition of Inhabitants of Ardwick, against, to lie on the table. Hereford—Peti tion for Bill reported ; Report to lie on the table. FEMAILL ORPHANS' AsYLum—Bill read a second time, and committed. WATERWORKS —Canterbury_Petition for Bill reported, Re port to lie on the table. PAVlNG—Ashford and Rudlow COMPAN Y—Lieneral Gat Light Bills ordered to be brought MARKET —Bilston in. MILE-Ex') OLD TOWN RATES HlGHvrAYs—Wedmore HIDES AND SKINS REGULATIONI Bills rend a first ti m e. CANAL-H ertford Union ImrßovENEENT—lslington—Re-committed Report on Peti. tion for Bill to lie on the table. Doc K—St. Katherine's—Petition of Leaseholders, Inhabitants, and others interested in property in St. Katherine's, against; to lie on the table. Bill ordered to be brought in. SHEEP DOGS—Petition of Owners and Occupiers of Farms in Brackenthwaite, &c. Cumberland, against the Duties there on ; to lie on the table. COAL DUTlES_Petitions against the Duties on Coals, from Aldingham, Itoydon ' and Ashburton—to lie on th e t a bl e . SlLK—Petition of Silk Alen, itc. against the proposed reduc tion of the Duties on Foreign Silks ; to lie on the table. PUBLlCANS—Petitions of Licensed Innkeepers and Victuallers Beverley, &C., and Agbrig, for theo N r e e w p c e a a s l t o le f - t tul i e n r u - r l gs m ed e ' Duties on Licences ; to lie on the table. GLASGOW AND PORTPATTLIC K ROADS—Select Committee appointed, To take into further consideration the state of the lines of Road leading from the City of Glasgow to Ayr, and from their revenue, debt, and expenditure ; and to consider how far ascertain and consider the state of to tile puuoc interest TO CON'SOLI it thencew would u l d t o be l' o advantageousr tr ick t ) 1 ~ , : DATE t h e revenue, expenditure, and debts, affecting the whole or any of such lines of co mmunication from Scotland to Ire land ; to consider the best means of their improvement, to take such measures as may seem to them expedient, and to report , their O p inion thereupon to th e H ouse : "—M n Kennedy, Mr. Berries Sir William Maxw e ll , M r . G eorge D awson, Mr. Maxwell, Lord James Stuart, Lord Arthur Hill, Lord Ar chibald Hamilton, Marquis of Titchtield, General Dunlop, A Sir Arthur Chichester, L.. Archibald Campbell, Earl of Mount-Charles, Mr. 'Fred arick C a mpbell, Mr. Forde, Mr. Macpherson Grant, M r. Frankland Lewis, General Montgo merie, Mr. Charles Grant, Sir Robert Shaw, Sir Henry Par nell, Sir Ronald Ferguson, Mr. Spring Rice, and Mr. Wil liam Stewart : —Power to send f or persons, papers, and re cords ; Five to be the quorum. NOTICES OF MOTIONS FOR THIS DAY. 1. Mr. Ah erc romhy—Bill for the more effectual Representa tion of the City of Edinburgh in Parliament. 2. Mr. Hume—ln Committee on Postage Rates, to move that Newspapers may be sent free to the Colonies. 3. Mr. Martin (of Galway)—Select Committee to inquire whe ther the practice of Bear-baiting, and other cruel sports, has a mischievous effect on the morals of the people. ade Ireland. by 6. Mr. Hume—copy Contractors for 4. Mr. Goulburn—Bill to a mend Act 4 Geo. 4, c. 86, relative to the Collection ofo'fChureh Propos a l s Kates m in payment under the C onve ntion with Austria. 7. Mr. Hume—Return of number of yards of Linen under 7d. per yard exported, and the Bounty paid thereon during the last year. ORDERS OF THE DAY FOR THIS DAY. 1. Postage Rates—Committee thereupon. 2. Bankrupt Laws Amen dment Bill — Committee. 3. Marine Mutiny Bill —Second Reading. NOTICE GIVEN YESTERDAY. Tuesday, March 9. Mr. Maberly—Motion on the Laws relating to Beer and Malt. PRICE 0 TIM DAY AT F STOCKS TWO O'CLOCK Bank Stock .238 A 3 per Cent. Red. 3 per Cent. Cons. 91 34 per Cent 1° 4 per Cent. ()hi t New lO7 5 per Cents. 1797 Bank Long Ann. 22 11-IGths Imp. 3 per Cents. India Stock . 277 India Bonds 783. 004. South Sea Stock Old Annuities Ex. Bills 45 42 Ditto Small Bank for Act. India for Con. Acct. Cons. for Act. PRICE or FOREIGN STOCKS IN LONDON, FE8.26, AT ONE O'CLOCK. Five per Cents. 99k. Scrip, I 1 pm. Six per Cents. 00. Fire per Cents. (Metallic) 87. Ditto New 94k. Fire per Cent. Bonds, 861. Scrip, 10 prem. Five per Cent. Bonds, 1820, 00. Ditto 1821, 24,i. Ditto 1823, 19. Five per Cent. Bonds, 96. Ditto New, 93A. Danish}Five per Cent. Bonds, 99. Portuguese 93/. Peruvian Scrip, 78. Chili Colombian Six per Cent. Bonds, 66). Mexican Scrip, 74 prem. Poyais f 00. 1 New, 00. Hullett's, par. Mexican Mines A nglo, 8 pair.. Greek 3 prem. Bank Shares £2325. Gd. Seven per Cent. 95. Six per Cent. 94-102. Five per Cent. 100-102. Three per Cent. 76:i• French u ian Neapolitan A ustrian Spanish Prussian American THE SUN. SOLEM QUIS DICERE FALSUM AUDEAT LONDON, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1824. The remainder of the Paris Papers of Monday have arrived. The Decree of Amnesty circulated in the Journals of the South of Fiance, (see Bayonne Inteiligence), is declared by the Journal (les llibats to be void of authenticity, while at the same time it asserts that the real Decree of Amnesty will be short ly published by FERDINAND. FRENCH FUNDS closed in Paris on Monday at 100. 30.; Scrip, 12 prem. ; Spanish 25. ; Neapolitan, 86. ; Bank Stock, 1735. Exchange, one month, 25. 40. ; three months, 25. 30. Crrr, Melva o'Clocic.—Consols opened at 911 for the Account, and 92 next Account, and up to this hour they are 911, and for April 994. This being Account day, a good deal of business was doing, particularly in settling the accounts. The fluctuation in this Account has been about 6 per cent, Consols having done as low as 86, and as high as 92. Ido not hear as yet of any failures having taken place. It is thought that it is a Bear Account. At present I believe no Expresses have arrived from Paris, nor is there any news in the City. Foltitax MARKET.—Very little is doing in the above Market this morning, and all Foreign Funds remain stationary. Half-past Twelve.—Consols have improved, and are now 91,i. We closed our remarks yesterday on the Fi nancial Expose of the CHANCELLOR of the Ex- CHEQUER, by stating that Mr. STUART WORTLEY had already decidedly objected to the proposition for permitting the exportation of British Wool. Those of our Readers who are not well versed in the nature of the Woollen Manufacture, will be able to appreciate the dangerous character of such a measure, when we state to them that the long wool of this country is peculiar to the breed of E ng li s h s h ee p,—and that by its mixture in cer tain proportio ns with the shor t fine wools of Saxony Sp ain, Scc., and of our ow n fi ner fl eeces, the British manufacturer is enabled to produce a peculiar fabric, of superior texture to any that can be formed at the same cost of material by his foreign competitors. Of so much importance has the preservation of this exclusive advantage to the staple manufacture of the country been hitherto considered, that the laws for preventing the exportation both of British wool and of our native breed of sheep have been most rigorously and suc cessfully executed. It is true that several attempts have been made by the Agricultural Interest to obtain the repeal of these laws ; but even when their arguments were enforced by the cry of distress, Parliament had the wisdom to re ject their entreaties, and to hold fast by laws which form a part of that great system of commerce and navigation to which the British Empire unquestionably owes its prospe rity and power. Lord MILTON, the colleague of Mr. STUART WORTLEY in the representation for the County of York, supported the proposi tion of the Landed Interest the last time it was brought forward ; but such is the sense of the clothing districts upon this (to them) vital ques tion, that not withstanding the weight of the vrtt.r.fAm interest in Yorkshire, and the support given to his Lordship by the Whigs and Agriculturists of the East and North Ridings, his return to Parliament was endangered at the last General Election. It seems to us to have been at the least very imprudent on the part of the CHANCELLOR. of the EXCHEQUUR 7 to renew the agitation of this very serious, irritat ing, and dangerous question, at a time when the Agricultural Interest themselves appear to have abandoned their pretensions and expecta tions respecting it, and when the plea of their distress cannot be advanced in justification of attempting a speculative experiment which every practical man knows to be fraught with the most mischievous consequences to one of the great branches of the national industry. We trust that Ministers, if they persevere in this measure, will not, at least, suffer themselves to be so far carried away by the mania for free trade, as to permit the exportation of our native breed of sheep, as well as that of their fleeces. However difficult or even impossible they may hereafter find it to retrace some of their steps in the new and illusory course on which they have been persuaded by the spurious theorists in Po litical Economy to embark, they may reserve to themselves the power of replacing the woollen manufacture on its old basis, after they shall have felt and bitterly deplored the consequences of venturing upon rash, because merely specu lative, innovations, if they have only the wisdom to continue the prohibition against the exportation of the sheep. If, on the con trary, they permit the breed to he transplant ed to foreign soils, the future re-enactment of the prohibition against the exportation of Wool will be unavailing, since we shall have enabled our manufacturing rivals to grow for themselves that quality of wool which is now exclusively pos sessed by the English Clothier.—Pasing from this lamentable instance of the unsolicited eagerness with which the present Cll A NCELLO of the ExcurguEn seems disposed to hazard the best understood • interests of the country, for the sake of offering- up a sacrifice at the shrine of speculative liberalism and of spurious and vi sionary Political Economy, we come now to notice his next proposition (also unsolicited and unex pected by, and most repugnant to, the parties immediately interested), we mean the proposal to remit 462,0001. of the duties now, paid on the importation of raw silks. In the measure affect ing the Silk Trade, as in that affecting thr woollen manufacture, it is necessary that we should state that our objections are not to the taking off the duties on the importation of the raw materials, but to the rash and in jurious projects by which the propositions to take off those duties are accompanied. Of that which so seriously threatens the woollen manufacture we have already treated ; and we shall only briefly advert to the threatened dan ger which impends over the Silk manufacture, by' the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER'S proposal to take off the prohibition against the importation of foreign manufactured Silk goods, arfd to admit them into the British market on the payment of duties, which, even at the very commencement of this new system, shall barely give some trifling " advantage, if any, to the British subject" over his foreign competitors ! We have said that we do not object to the taking off of the duty on the importation of the unmanufactured silk.-- We must, however, be understood to ha% e made this admission, on the general principle, —for we, also, have our general principles,—and one of them is this, that the, importation of raw materials of every kind, unless they can be produced at home, should be entirely unfettered by imposts. Except on the general principle, how ever, we certainly think that so large a remission of taxation as nearly half a million, now proposed to be taken off an article of mere luxury,—Silk,-- - might have been directed t objects which would have afforded both real and substantial and exten sive relief to the community at large,—and perhaps in no more beneficial way than by reducing the cost of coals, en article not only of prime necessity to the comfort and well-being of the people, but which my also be considered as a raw material, enter ing largely into the composition of all our manu- factures,—and an unrestrained, unfettered, un barthened, and free trade, in which, within the limits of our or. shores, it might have been ex' pectad would be as grateful to the favourite ideas of the advocates for free trade with the rest of the world, as it would be really, in this particular instance, both sound in principle, and most salutary and beneficial in Its prat, tical results. A measure of this kind would indeed have been gratifying to the just wishes and. expectations of the country, beneficent in its SC' tual tendency and in its immediate and ultimate fruits, and well calculated to sustain that popu larity which Ministers had by their past con.. duct obtained, —instead of their unexpected and extraordinary speculation on the silk manufac sure, and the proposition to relinquish the revenue which it now yields, a proposition in which the bulk of the people are in no way interested, and against which the silk manufacturers themselves have already strongly remonstrated, in their pe titions to Parliament. We shall resume our remarks to-morrow„ un der the hope that the fair and temperate dis cussion of the CHANCELLOR of the ExcliDat:rll .4 plans may even yet induce him seriously to r"- consider them, and perhaps to return to sounder, safer, and more generally beneficial views. ~~~~ We conceive that Mr. WEEDING'S proposition at the India House, yesterday, is not calCulated . to be of advantage to the Student, nor, conse quently, beneficial to the service. The Honour able Gentleman proposed, that, after the Stu dents had attained " a sufficient proficiency is the Persian and Ilindostanee languages, they might be allowed to go to either of the Univer sities to finish their course, and then return to undergo the test of a public examination as to their qualifications in every branch of learning requisite for the proper discharge of those office which they might be afterwards called upon to fill."—Now is it not probable that many of thou, when free from the restraint of Haileybury Col lege, might be tempted to indulge in other studies that would impair, if not wholly efface, the