The Sun. — London, England, 1844-08-10 00:00:00

as if they had been won by our ancestors.—(Renewed applause.) And I say there is not in this great assembly one person who is not proud to look on Spenser, and Shakspeare, and Milton, and Wordsworth, as belonging to the list of glorious Engliahmen who have shed a lustre on English poetry more bright and enduring than that which illuminates the living literature of any land. There is, I think, in the history of the progress of the human intellect nothing more surprising than the sudden birth of letters and history in England, and its advance ment to a healthy growth. No sooner had tranquillity been restored after the long civil wars of the Roses—no sooner had men's minds been set free to enter the fields of speculation, opened up by the Reformation— than in the sh ort space of the life of one man— tle space of seventy years, there arose such men as Spenser, and Milton, and Shakspeare, and Sydney, and Raleigh, and Bacon, and Hobbes, and a whole phalank of great men—(Great cheering)—though inferior to them in the brightness of original genius. —(Applause.) How glorious must have been the soil which could bring to maturity a harvest of such teeming abundance ! There are probably many among us who can even now remember with gratificatien when the first ray of light was cast on their minds from the g enius of Spenser— when it came to them as the first glaming of day comes to him whose sealed eyes are opened to the light of heaven; and if, in our maturer years, we return with him to the grand reg ions of fancy w hi c h entrance d our spirits, and find t hat the illusions are broken for ever, we still discover in:every stanza beauties which arreit us by their rich play of fancy, like the eastern fountaini, whose spring descends in pearls and in gems.—(Ap plause.) But when we look upon him with mature feelings and eyes, we can appreciate that lofty strain of godly philosophy of which he is the father, which he has bequeathed, and which has been followed by his suc cessors. When we call to mind the influence produced on a people by the poetry of a nation, when we call to mind that whatever is desired to be inculcated, whether for good or for evil, the power of poetry has been em plo) ed to advance it, even from the times of the monarch of Israel—when we thus think of these things, we may learn how much of gratitude is due to the man on whose head has been poured the precious ointment of poetic lore, and who, in his own person, has shown that poet and prophet were the same. Such men are Spenser. Milton, and Wordsworth. Of Milton I shall not venture to speak. He stands alone in his sanctuary, which I would not profane, even by imperfect praise. But it is my duty to speak of Wordsworth. Dwelling in his high and lofty philosophy, he finds nothing that God has made common or unclean—he finds nothing in human aocietytoo humble—nothing in external nature too lowly— to be made the fit exponents of the bounty of the good ness of the Most High. It may be that the lofty position of such a mind has much that is obscure to every infe rior intelligence. It may be that its vast expanse can only be but dimly visible—it may be that the clouds of intense splendour' from the.altar.may veil, from common eyes, some portion of the stately temple they perfume ; but we pity the man who can turn from the sublimity of the edifice he has been invited to survey, which has been reared by the might of creative genius, for there he will find " sermon s i n s t ones , b oo k s in the running brooks, and good in everything." Sir John then proposed a bumper to Wordsworth and the poets of England, which was enthusiastically honoured. HENRY GLASSFORD BELL. Esq., said—My Lord, I feel it to be a great distinction and privilege to have been requested to take a part in the proceedings of this day. It is a day which will not soon pass from the recollection of those who have partaken in its admirably-conducted festivities. In assembling to do honour to the memory of Burns in no idle or frivolous spirit, but impressed with those elevated emotions which have so plainly ani mated the whole of this mighty gathering, we have a right to feel that we do honour to ourselves as indivi duals, and as a nation. Our assembling has been prompted by a love of all that is purest and best in our national genius, as represented by our national poet.—(Cheers.) It has been prompted, too, by that indomitable love of our native land which Burns felt and sung—a love founded on admiration which grows with our growth, and streng:hens with our strength; of all that external na ture here presents to us, on profound respect for our in • estimable and time-hallowed institutions ; and in never dying delight in all that kindred spirits have here shared with us—in all that higher spirits have here achieved for 11 9. — (Cheers.) No poet ever possessed greater influence in disseminating and strengthening such sentiment s th an B urns . M y Lord, it has been well said that wherever an humble artisan, in the crowded haunts of labour or of trade, feels a conscious ness of his own dignity—is stirred with a desire for the beautiful, or haunted with a dream of knowledge, or learns to appreciate the distinction between the " guinea's stamp " and the " gowd," there the loyal and gentle spirit of Robert Burns—lion-like in its boldness, and dove like in its tenderness—still glows, elevates, and in spires.—(Cheers.) This spirit is also here, and has been evidenced in many ways ; perhaps in nole more than in this, that in d ting honour to the genius of Burns, we are irresistibly led to acknowledge, and speak of the debts we owe to the intellectual achievements of other great minds, not in Scotland only, but in the sister countries. We have just heard from the eloquent lips of Sir John M'Neill, the well-deserved praises of the English bards. Wilt this meeting refuse a similar cup of welcome, and of thaaks, to the poets of Green Erin ? Will this meeting, where so many bright eyes rain influence, and manly hearts beat high, not hail with simultaneous delight the name of one who shines conspicuous as the very poet of youth, of love, and of beauty—the pact, with deference be it spoken, of better things than even beauty—of gentle thoughts and exqui site associations, that give additional sweetness to the twilight hour, and to the enjoyments of home a more enduring loveliness—the poet too of his own high-souled country, through whose harp the common breeze of Ire land changes, as it passes, into articulate melody—a harp that will never be permitted to hang mute on Tara s walls, as long as " Erin ! the tear and the smile in thine eye Blend like the rainbow that shines in thy sky !" —(Applause.) How many voices have to-day mur mured a wish that he were here ; but the echo of the acclaim with which we greet the name of Moore will reach him in his solitude, and he will feel, what Burns died to young to feel, that it is something worth living for to have gained a nation's gratitude.—(Cheers.) Of Maturin and others now dead, I must not pause to speak. But let me be privileged to ex press, in the name of this meeting, our respect and ad miration for the best of , the living dramatists—one deeply imblied with the spirit of the Elizabethan age—one who has rescued our stage from the re proach which seemed ready to.fall upon it—one to whose exuberant poetical fertility, and bold originality of thought, we are indebted for such beautiful creations as Virginius and William Tell. The Hunchback and the Lore Chase—our valued friend, James Sheridan Knowles. —(lmmense cheering.) And I might have stopped here, had it not been that I have to-day seen that not the gifted sons alone, but also some of the gifted daughters of Ireland, have come as pilgririss to the shrine of Burns —that one in particular—one of the most distinguished of that fair sisterhood who give, by their genius, addi tional lustre to the genius vf the present day, has paid her first visit to Scotland, that she iniqht be present on this occasion, and who m I h a v e m y se lf seen moved even to tears by the glory of the gathering. She is one who has lately thrown additional light on the antiquities, manners, scenery, and beautiful traditions of Ireland— one, whose graceful and truly feminine works are known to us all, and whom we are proud to see among us— Mrs. S. C. H a ll.—(G reat c h eer i ng. ) M y Lord, feebly and briefly as I have spoken of these g reat names, I must not trespass long er on your t i me, but beg to propose the health of " Moore and the Irish poets."—(Cheers.) Song—" The harp that once through Tara's Halls," by Mr. Templeton. AnewenaeD ALISON, Esq., Sheriff-Depute of Lanark shire, spoke as follows':—W e have listened with adnii ration to the eloquent strains in which the first in rank and the first in genius have proposed the Memory of the Immortal Bard whose genius we are this day assembled to celebrate ; but I know not whether the toast which I have now to propose has not equal claims to our enthu siasm.—(Applause.) Your kindness and that of the Committee has entrusted to me the memory of three il lustrious men—the far-famed successors of Burns, who have drank deep at the fountains of his genius, and proved themselves the worthy inheritors of his inspira tion.—(Applause.) And Scotland, I rejoice to say, can claim them all as her own. For if the Tweed has been immortalized by the grave of . Scott, the Clyde can boast the birth-place of Campbell, anti the mountains of the Dee first inspired the muse of Byron.—,(Lout cheers.) I rejoice at that burst of patriotic feeling ; I hail it as a presage that as Ayrshire has raised a fitting monument to Borns, and Edinburgh has erected a fitting structure to the Author of Waverley, so Glasgow will, ere long, raise a worthy monument to the bard whose name will never die while hope pours its balm through the human heart ; and Aberdeen will worthily commemorate the far-famed traveller who first inhaled the inspiration of nature amidst the clouds of Lochnagar, and afterwards poured the light of his genius over those lands of the sun Where his descending orb set-- "Not as in northern climes obscurely bright, But one clouded blaze of living light." &otland, my Lord, may well be proud of such men, but she can no longer call these exclusively her own ; their names have become houiehold words in every land. Mankind claims them as the common inheritance of the human race. Look around us, and we shall see on every side decisive proof how far and wide admiration for their genius has sunk in the hearts of men.—(Cheers.) What is it that attracts strangers from every part of the world, into this distant land, and has more than com penseted a remote situation, and a churlish soil, and given our own northern isle a splendo ur un k nown to the regions of the sun ? What is it which has brought together this mighty assemblage, and united the ardent and the generous from every part of the world, from the Ural mountains to the banks of the Mississippi, on the shores of an island on the Atlantic ?—(Cheers.) My Lord, it is neither the magnificence of our cities, nor the feeauty of our vallies, the animation of our harbours, or the stillness of our mountains; it is neither our sounding cataracts nor our spreading likes; neither the wilds of nature we have subdued so strenuously, nor the blue hills we have loved so well.—(Cheers.) Those beauties, great as they have been, are equalled in other lands; these marvels, wondrous though they be, have parallels in other climes. It is the genius of her sons which has given Scotland her proud pre-eminence; this it is more even than the shades of Bruce, of Wallace, and of . Mary, which has rendered her scenes classic ground: to the whole of the civilised world, and now brings NEI .0. - , a e the most distant part of the earth, (R 3 sis .. ' • y, to worship at the shrine of genius— do ir . ee Alb ! yet the praise be thine, ee s ,4:ak ib ' ....I- 7' Verge with story to combine; I,;:.!ift- lit likl'ese im who by Roslin strays, ei . ~,..„, , 1-eel e r 3he laef other days.- . V a l Ao ) brace; 5! . 4 . .A.a ..,,,,_,.......5 e. ;k 7 1 Ai", le css tv ftl .lay ; . ie ,ttity r r a:_ h s :h t m li i e nenry sho d w al e e st ; the cave, fr.,j .... it r ock a storied.tale, 14 fl S THE SUN, LO DON, SATURDAY EVENING, AUGUST 10, 1844 Knitting, as with a moral band, Thy story to thy native land ; Combining thus the interest high, Which genius lends to beauty's eye I" —(Cheers.) But, my Lord, the poet who conceived these beautiful lines, has himself done more than all our ancestors' valour to immortalise the land of his birth : for he has united the interest of truth with the charms of fiction, and peopled the realm not only with the sha dows of time, but the creations of genius. In those bril liant creations, as in the glassy wave, we behold mir rored the lights, the shadows. the forms of reality : and yet • " So pure, so fair, the mirror gave, As if there lay beneath the wave, Secure from trouble, toil, and care, A world than earthly world more fair." —(Cheers.) Years have rolled on, but they have taken nothing, they have added much, to the fame of those illustriOus men— " Time but the impression deeper makes, As streams their channels deeper wear." The voice of ages has spoken : it has given Campbell and Byron the highest place with Burns in lyric poetry, and destined Scott " To rival all but Shakespeare's name below." (Cheers.) Their names now shine in unapproachable splendour, far removed like the fixed stars from the clouds, and the rivalry of a lower world. To the end of time they will maintain their exalted station. Never will the cultivated traveller traverse the sea of the Archipelago, that the "Isles of Greece, the Isles of Greece," will not recur to his recollection ; never will he approach the shores of Loch Katrine, that the image of Ellen Douglas will not be present to his memory ; never will he gaze on the cliffs of Britain that he will not thrill at the exploits of the " Mariners of England who guard our native seas."—(Cheers) Whence has arisen this great, this universally-acknowledged cele brity ? . My Lord, it is hard to say whether we have most to admire, the brilliancy of their fancy, or the creations of their genius, the beauty of their verses, or the magic of their language, the elevation of their thoughts, or the pathos of their conceptions. But there is one whose recent death we all deplore, but who has lighted " his torch of Hope at nature's funeral pile," who has gained a yet higher inspiration. In Campbell, it is the moral purposes to which he has directed his mighty powers, which is the real secret of his success, the lofty objects to which he has devoted his life, which have proved his passport to immortality. It is because he has unceasingly contended for the best interests of humanity, because he has ever asserted the dignity of the human soul, because he has never forgotten that, amidst all the distinctions of time, "The rank is but the guinea stamp, The man's the goud for a' that." (Cheers.) Because he has regarded himself as the high-priest of nature, and the world in which we inhabit as the abode merely of human care and human joys, but as the temple of the living God, in which praise is due, and whose service is to be performed.—(Cheers.) Air—" Land of the Leal." Band. Mr. W. E. ArTotrx, Advocate, said—We are met here to-day, not only to pay due honour to the memory of that bard whose genius has consecrated this spot and the scenes around it as classic ground for ever, but perhaps for a wider purpose. I look upon this assemblage as a great national gathering—a meeting not only of the Highlands and the Lowlands of Scotland, but of kindly strangers also, to testify our reverence and affection for the living lights of fame that still are burning amongst us, and our undying gratitude and exultation for those that have already passed away.—(Cheers.) Thus, though they belong to the sister countries, we have paid due homage to the venerable name of Worsworth and to the sparkling genius of Moore. Thu s , th e h ear t o f every one that hars me burned within him—am I not right?—when we saw our own noble Wilson rise amidst us, and heard him with an eloquence the most pure— for it flowed spontaneously from his soul—speak, as per haps no other man could speak, of the genius of the im mortal dead. Thus, too, we have heard the tribute so touchingly paid to Campbell, who now sleeps among the sages, and the warriors, and the poets of famous Eng land ; and to him who has a happier and a holier sepul ture still—for he lies within the bosom of his own dear native land—to Scott, the master-spirit of the age, for whom we may well mourn, since we dare not hope to look upon his like again. I have now, in a few words, to entreat your patience while I speak of two other Scottish poets, whose memory is yet green amongst us—both reared, like Robert Burns, at the lowly hearth of the pe rant—both pursuing, like him, through every disconragement and difficulty, the pathway towards honourable renown—and both the authors of strains which bear the stamp of immortality. And first, let me allude to one of them whom I knew and dearly loved— who is there that has not heard of the Ettrick Shep herd ?—(Cheers.) I have seen him many a time by the hanks of his own romantic Yarrow; I have sat with him in the calm and sunny weather by the margin of Saint Mary's lake; I have seen his eye sparkle and his cheek flush as he spoke out some old heroic ballad of the days of the Douglas and the Grmme; and I have felt, as I lis tened to the accents of his manly voice, that whilst Scot land could produce amongst her children such men as him beside me, her ancient spirit had not departed from her, nor the star of her glory grown pale. For he was a man indeed cast in nature's happiest mould. True hearted, and brave, and generous, and sincere, alive to eve.-y kindly impulse, and fresh at the core to the last, he lived amongst his native hills the blameless life of the shepherd and the poet--(Cheers)—and on the day when he was laid beneath the sod in the lonely kirk-yard of Ettrick, there was not one dry eye amongst the hundreds that lingered round his grave. Of the other sweet singer, too—of Allan Cunningham, the leal-hearted and kindly Allan, I ini4ht say much, but why detain you further? Does not his name alone recal to your recollection many a sweet song that has stirred the bosom of the village maiden with an emotion that a princess need not blush to own? Proud, indeed, may be the district that can claim within herself the birth-places of Burns and of Cunningham; and proud may we all be—and we are proud, from yourself, my Lord, to the humblest indivi• dual here—that we have the opportunity of testifying our respect to the genius thatwill defy the encroachment of time; and which has stood, and will continue to stand, a splendour and a glory around the land that we love so well.—(Great cheering.) Air—" Roslin Castle.", Band. Sir D. FL BL AIR, Bart., of Blairquhan, said—l rise to propose a toast which I wish had fallen into abler hands. It is a toast, however, well calculated to call forth even more impassioned bursts of eloquence than those we have yet heard to-day.--(Cheers.) On that account I feel totally inadequate to do justice to its merits, but I trust entirely te'the acclamation with which it will be received by this immense assemblage. We all remember the words of our immortal bard, when addressing the great Author of Nature— " Her 'prentice han' she tried on man, And then she made the lasses Or —(Great applause.) I am sure every man in this as sembly will join me in pledging an enthusiastic bumper to the " Countess of Eglinton and the other ladies who have graced this meeting with their presence." Mr. Wilson, the vocalist, was here loudly called upon for a song ; but an excuse was made for him that he was suffering from severe cold. The Glee Club then sang with much applause, " Here's a health to all Good Lasses." Colon. I MITRE, of Caldwell, said—ln obedience to the order of our Noble Chairman, I have to request a ' bumper to the peasantry of Scotland. In order justly to appreciate the claims of this most estimable class of our fellow-citizens upon our sympathies, I mu,t remind you that to it pre-eminently belongs the honour of having given birth to the remarkable man whose memory we are this day met to celebrate. I :oust remind you that while the fact of Burns having raised himself from the rank of a Scottish ploughman, by the inna'e force of heaven-born genius, to the level of the greatest and most original poets of any age or country, is the noblest feature Lf his history, the peasan tryof Scotland, in- their turn, may be entitled to feel pride, even in the presence of the proudest nobles of their land; when they remember that from them, and not from the privileged orders of society, our greatest na tional genius was destined to rise —(Cheers)—and, in fact, the most striking, and perhaps the most valuable feature in the poetical character of Burns, is the marked ascendancy which the spirit and habits of the peasant, the genius of the man, as it were, continue to exercise on the genius of the poet even during the most brilliant period of his subsequent career. Even amid that rich variety of subjects,, in the treatment of which his in stinctive refinement and delicacy of taste enabled to coin bine, with all the higher powers of the man, the courtly ;races of the gentleman and scholar—still his happiest effort, the master-piece of his genius, in which his own mind is displayed in th e mos t agreeable light, and his in spirations breathes forth with the greatest brilliancy and beauty will be found to be dictated by the associations of his early rustic days.—(Cheers.) When I reflect, therefore, how copious, how graphic, how true, are his own- descriptions of the character of the Scottish pea santry, in all its varieties of grave, or of gay, of light, or of shadow, I connot but feel it is a sort of presumtion to offer in a company, who must all be so familiar with these descriptions, any crude remark of my own on the more interesting features of those to which they refer. I shall, however, do my best to season the few dry comments which I am in some degree bound to offer on the subject allotted to me, by taking the poet's works as my text-book. Were I called upon, therefore, to name the virtues of our peasantry, which chiefly claim our respect and admiration, I should point first to their industry, frugality, and contentment, as those which prominently adorn their own class of society above all others, and also to their piety and their patriotism, as shared, I would fain hope, equally, or at least largely, by the, mass of our fellow-citizens.----(Cheers.) Where, then, shall we find a more spirited picture of the influ ence and effects of,the three former qualities—above all, of that most inestimable blessing, contentment—than in the brilliant little poem which bears the humble title of the " Twa Dogs," where, after so graphically . describing the honest toils, often the severe hardships, inseparable from the peasant's lot, he goes on to say, that yet " They're nae sae wretched's ane wad think, Though constantly on poortith's brink ; They's sae accustomed wi' the sight, The view of it gi'es little fright ; -And how it comes I ne'er kent yet, They're maistly wonderfu' contented ; And buirdly chiels and clever hizzies Are bred in such a way as this is." (Cheers.) And if any additional motive were required to enable us to appreciate this most excellent feature of their character, it would be to reflect on the fatal effects of its absence in the case of another, and, in many re spects, equ-illy noble peasants—that of our sister king &on, in some of the fairest provinces of which we see at this moment the demon of discontent—of too often vague, causeless, undefined discontent —arming the hands of her Victims with the torch of the incendiary, and blindly directing them into those very quarters to which they ought to look for an alleviation of their real or ima ginary evils.—(Cheers.) Such scenes never have been, and,-I trust and believe, never will be, enacted in Scot land, so long, at least, as the'gnius and the memory of the peasant Burns continue to be cherished among his fellow-peasants, as they are this day.—(Cheers.) But where are we, after all, to look for the source of this beautiful attribute of contentment? Is it not in the still more admirable one of their piety? It was here almost superfluous to make any close appeal to our poet's au thority—to that most sublime description, so familiar to you all, where the old peasant on the Saturday night collects his scattered family, at the close of the long week's labour, around his humble but happy cottage fireside, and, after a few sweet but hard-earned hours of social enjoyment, instils, before retiring to repose, from the open Word of God, into their minds those lessons of Divine wisdom which were to guide them during the next week, and through life, in the paths of religion and virtue.—(Cheers.) Are not such scenes to this day common in our cottages, still as of old, I firmly believe, the favourite abodes of the genuine spirit of simple Scottish piety.—(Cheers.) Then as to the last, if not the least, in the above list of the virtues of our peasants—their patriotism. To whom, I would ask, but to the peasantry of Scotland does our poet so beautifully appeal as having bled with Wal lace ? To whom but, to our peasantry did our national hero look—and never look in vain for support in his gallant effort to restore the fallen fortunes of his country ; at the period when our d nighty knights and nobles (happily but for a sesson) had been reduced by the intrigues or intimidation of our powerful enemy, to crouch submissive beneath the throne of his usurps tion.—(Loud cheer's.) And ,eln we doubt that this proud spirit of patriotisin still - burns as warm in their hearts as then, if no longer by God's blessing so fear fully or to desperately called into action ; or that when after, as our poet again has it— " They lay aside their private cares To mind the kirk and State affairs; They'll talk of patronage and priests, `Vi' kindling fury in their breasts, Or tell what new taxation's coining, And ferlie at the folks in Lunnan." —(Cheers.) But I have already detained you too long —if not longer than the interest of the subject —at least than my power of cluing justice to it, entitles me. I shall therefore conclude by pronouncint , a grace over our bumper, alio supplied from the stores of the poet, and in the sentiments of which every one here present, I am sure, will cordially sympathise— " 0, Scotia! my dear, my native soil, For whom my warmest wish to Heaven is sent, Long may thy hardy sons of rustic toil, Be blest with health, and peace, and sweet content." —(Great cheering.) Song by Mr• Templeton, "Behind yon hills." Sir JAMES CAMPBELL, of Glasgow, said—ln pro posing the toast with which I have been entrusted, I shall content myself by simply expressing my deep regret that, under any circumstances, I could so in adequately express my own sentiments and feelings of admiration—in all the acceptation of that word—of " the Land of Burns."—(Applause). lam aware, however, that I have the honour of addressing an assemblage who can appreciate, who do appreciate, and who, by their appearance here, and the interest so many of them have taken in the proceedings and associations of this day, give ample proof of their high estimation of, and attach ment to, " the Land of Burns." lam aware also that I have the honour to address not a few of those who have, with the pencil or with the pen, done homage to the classical, patriotic, landscape, and poetical claims of that hind. I feel satisfied, indeed, that there is not an indi vidual in this must interesting and splendid assemblage who does not greatly praise and admire the fertile soil and landscape beauty of that land; whose bosom glows not with an honest pride in the intelligence, enterprise, and patriotism of the men of that land; and, above all, who does not honour and admire the beauty and accom plishments of the ladies of that land.—(Cheers.) And therefore is it, my Lord, that without further preface, I would call upon this assembly to dedicate a bamper to " The Land of Burns."—(Cheers.) Band—" Their groves of Sweet Myrtle." Lord EGLINTON, who was received with much ap plauie, said—Ladies and Gentlemen except the toast which I have had the honour and happiness of bringing before you to-day, there is no toast which gives me greater pleasure to see committed to my charge than the one which I am now about to bring before your notice—. I mean, the " Provost and Magi, trates of Ayr ;" and along with it, though not down on the card, my feelings will not allow me to leave out the interests of Ayr.—(Loud cheers.) On such an occasion as this. and so late in the day, I will not occupy your time by dilating on the in terest which I feel in that town, or of the knowledge which I have of the provost and of some of the magis trates. From that knowledge I feel convinced that the interests of Ayr could not be placed in more worthy halds.—(Cheers.) In addition to the interest which I feel towards the magistrates of the county town, we must also feel gratitude for the assi-tance and support they have given on this occasion. lam sure if it were not for the feelings you entertain towards the town and the magistrates, you would also drink their health for the kind assistance they have given us in assisting to get up this banquet.—(The toast was cordially responded to.) Provost MILLER said—Permit me to return my best thanks for my colleagues and myself, for the flattering compliment which has just been paid to them. The manner in which the toast was introduced by the Noble Lord was particularly gratifying to me ; and I am sure it will be appreciated by the entire corporation.— (Cheers.) I beg to assure the Noble Lord that the re cognition of the " auld town," at a meeting so pecu liarly interesting as the present, and combining so much a,s it does of the rank, talent, and worth of the laud, will be highly appreciated by the " honest men and bonnie lasses' whom the immortal bard declared were not to be surpassed.—(Great applause.) The LORD JUSTICE-GENERAL rose amidst much ap plause. He said—Ladies and Gentlemen, after the un common success which has attended every part of the proceedings at this meeting to-day, lam confident that I will anticipat, the unanimous concurrence of this great assembly I have now the honour to address, when I state that there appears one additional to the main toast, drunk with so much enthusiasm—one remains as a debt of gratitude due by this assembly. I consider it a most fortunate circumstance attending this meeting, that we have been presided over by the Noble Lord in the chair.—(Great applause.) lam sure that the most enthusiastic admirer of Burns must be gratified in think ing that the proceedings of this day have been conducted by my Noble Friend in so admirable a manner.—(Loud cheers.) Every person must be satisfied that it was impossible the proceedings of this day could have been commenced in a happier strain.--(Great applause.) Without further comment, I beg leave to propose that we drink the health and success of the worthy Chairman.— (The toast was received with loud and prolonged cheers, and waving of hats and handkerchiefs.) Lord EOLINTON, in reply, said—My Lord Justice, and Ladies and Gentlemen, I assure you I feel most deeply grateful to you for the honour you have paid me, as I always ought to be, when my health is proposed and drunk at a meeting of Scotchmen.—(Cheers.) But I assure you I never felt more deeply grateful or more highly sensible of that honour, than I do at the present moment, when my health is proposed by such a man as the Lord Justice-General, and when it has been received —and lam proud to say enthusiastically received—by an assemblage met for such a purpose as to do honour to the memory of our greatest poet; but, gentlemen, I will not, at this late hour of the day, and in a temple, as it were, dedicated to the Muses—l will not occupy your time by raturning thanks for drinking the health of one who has no merit.—(Loud cries of " No, no," and applause.) But before we part, there is a toast which claims our especial consideration, and which I have no doubt those who have left will regret having missed, and in regard to which those who have remained will rejoice that they have notbeen so hasty in leaving. When I say that the . toast is " The health of Professor Wilson"—(Great ap plause) —you will, I am sure, agree with me in thinking that not only is it a toast which we ought to drink, but that, if it had not been for the modesty of the Professor, it ought to have been proposed at a much earlier part of the evening.—(Cheers.) On such an occasion as this, when we have met, from ail parts of Scotland, to do ho nour to the memory of the greatest genius Scotland ever knew, it surely is not only proper, but our bounden duty, to drink the health of the greatest genius which Scot land possesses now.—(Great cheering.) The memories of others have been drank to-night, and have been re ceived with that deep feeling which Scotchman feel to wards the memory of genius, but the toast which I am now proposing is one which has the additional merit, that the subject of it is alive and hearty (Great applause)—and able to continue, as you have heard to-day, in the line with which he has hitherto so much delighted his countrymen.—(Cheers.) In the presence of Professor Wilson I cannot dilate, as I could wish to do, on the character of that-gentleman. I will only ask you to drink with me his health in a way that Will show that you can pay honour to genius alive, as you can do honour to departed worth.—(Great applause —the company rising and waving their hats and hand kerchiefs.) The Professor, although called upon, did not respond, but left the meeting. This brought the proceedings to a close. The field continued crowded for a considerable time. By three o'clock, however, it was well cleared—the various bodies who formed the procession having gone away singly, one after another, while parties were scat tered in all directions, viewing the scenes and objects connected with the poetry of Barns. Alloway Kirk yard was thronged the whole of the day. The weather kept well, notwithstanding the threatening appearance of the clouds in the morning. Only a slight shower w.ls experienced, and the sun burst out cheeringly in the afternoon. It began, however, to rain about five o'clock, by which period few of the out-door company remained. , SLATE QUARRIES.—In these times, when it is so difficult to find safe employment for capital, there stands out conspicuously in our own columns, two slate quarries, of immense extent and capability, with a present and prospective view that is most encou raging. 'When the great leading banks in the me tropolis give reluctantly one per cent., it is not a little refreshing to direct public attention to solid secu rities, where capital and industry are alone required to insure twenty per cent. upon their outlay. The public have been so often duped by lending their 'money and their names to speculations minus any solid basis, that it may not be so easy to provoke one in the present case, where everything is as secure as the Bank dividends. .A spirited individual, possessin g a brain farm, would soon form a company with a few leading and enterprising merchants at the head ; this would be accomplished in one week, and the shares would very speedily be at a considerable pre mium. We refer our readers to the announcement, which enters more fully into their merits. Previous to the year 1443, there were no bakers' shops in London ; before that date the inhabitants of Stratford were bakers for the whole city, and they sold their bread every day. except Sundays and great festi vals, which was brought in carts; and they were ordered to stand—three in. Cheapside, two in Cornhill, and one in Gracechurcla-street.—CheNgford Chronicle. NEW HISTORICAL ROMANCE. Just ready, In three vols. post Svo. AR THUR ARUNDEL A Tale of Um English Revolution. BY HORACE SMITH, ESQ., Author of " Brambletye House," &c. Henry Colburn, Publisher, 13, Great Marlborough-street HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE. THIS EVENING, AUG. 10, Will be presented (for the first time in this country)) Ricci's New Opera, en itled CORRADO D'ALTAM URA. D.lizia Merle. Grisi ; Isabella Madame Sellini ; Margarita, Madame bas Fiori ; Ponello, Md 11... Favanti ; Roggero, Sig. Mario; Cancelliere, Sig. Dai Fiori ; Gifted°, Sig. A. Giubilei ; Corrado, Sig roasari. To conclude with the revived admired Ballet, arranged by Mdlle Cerito, LE LAC DES FEES The prinlpal Characters by Mdlle. Gerito, Mdlleg. Ferdinand, Batville, Madame Copere, M. Gosselin, and M. St. Leon. A pplicatlons for Boxes, Stalls, and Tickets to be made at the Box ffice, Opera Colonnade. HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE. LAST' NIGHT BUT ONE OF THE SEASON. Madame PERSIAN! respectfully informs the Nobility, Subscriber, to the Opera, his Friends, and the Public, that HIS BENEk IT will take place ON THUR'DAY NEXT, AUG. 15, When will be performed Mozart's chef d'auvre IL DON GIOVANNI, by Madame Grisi, Mdlle. Favanti and Madame Persians; Signori F-miasari, Lablache, F. Lablache, Gaqi, and Mario. In the course of the Evening, Selections from a Favourite Opera, in which Sig Moriani will a pear. And other Entertainments ' in which Mdlle. Fanny Elssier, Mdlle. Cerito, MM. Perrot and St. Leon yvill appear. Applications for Boxes, Stalls, and Tickets to he made at the Box ntfic. , Opera-colonnade. Doors open at Seven; the Opera will com mence at Half-past Seven. 'IHEATRE ROYAL LYCEUM, LATE ENGLISH OPERA. HOUSE Under the Management of Mts. KEELEY. Success, Brilliant and triumphant ! The '. Adventures of .. Martin Chitzzlewit" having, on each repre sentation, 'ieeti received with every possible mark of public appro. bation by the most fashionable and crowded audiences, and having been pron mimed by the unanimous voice of the publie press to be one ofthyrnwit interesting Dramas ever produced from the works 'of the relebrited Author, a repetition of its performanco will take place every evening till further n.tice. THIS EVENING, AUG. 10, .Will be repeated a New Drama, entitled MARTIN CHUZZLE. WIT. Principal characters by Messrs R. Younge, F. Vining, Emery, F. lathews, A. Wigan, Meadows, Kinloch, Turner, Stantilm, J. W. Collier, Yarnold, Sanders, and Keeley ; Miss For tescue, Miss Wooloar, Mrs. A. Wigan, Mrs. Woollidge, Miss Groves, Mrs. Usher. Milks 1 urner, and Mrs. Keeley. To conclude with an entirely Original, and much better than New, Grand Operatic, Romantic, Melo.Dramatic, Burlesque Extra vaganza, founded on the celebrated Eastern rale, in the Arabi in Nights' Entertainment, entitled ALADDIN AND THE WON DERFUL LAMP; or, New Lamps for .Old Ores. With very extensive Ne , Scenery, Machinery, Dresses, &c. Principal cha t acters by Mrs. Keeley, Messrs. F. Matthews, Turner, A. Wigan, J. W. collier, and Keeley; Mis; Woolgar. Mrs. Woolli ige, Miss E. Chaplin, Mrs A. Wigan, Miss Turner, Mt s James, Miss Carson, Mi•s Mint, Miss Reede, &c., &C. PRICES OF ADMlt;slON.—Balcony Boxes. 4:.; Upper Boxes, 341.; PA, 2s. • Gallery, 6d. Second Pricy—Balcony B o xes, 2s. ; Upper Boxes, Is 61.; I'it, Is. Private Boxes on the ttiirviny Tier (holding eight persons). Tao Guineas. Private Boxes on the Second Tier (holding eight persons),l One Guinea and a-Half. Private Boxes on the lit Tier (holding six persons), One Gulf es The Box- 'dice is open from Ten to Four o'Clock, under the di ree— tion of Mr. Grogan, late of Covent-garden Theatre. Continued Attractions and Overflows at ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHIIHEATRE OF ARTS. Proprietor and Manager, Mr. BATTY. THIS EVENING, AUG. 10, Will be repeated an entire new Eluestrian, Military and Naval Spectacle, entitled THE CHINESE•WA 1: • or, The Conquests of Amoy by British Arms. New Scenery, Dresses, Appointments. kc., realise the r , cent triumphs of England's Army and Navy. Feast of 250 Lanterns. New Scenes in the Circle by the Unequalled Corps of British and }orcign Equestrians—the Anti ,odesn Profesmrs. To conclude with THE GREAT STEEPLE-CHASE; or, Esq. land's H ►rvest Home. Acting and stage.minager, Mr. W 13 Broadfoot. Box-office open from Eleven till Five. Lessons in the Art of Riding by Mr. R. Smith. Last Thirteen Nights of the Grand Opera Compa n y —Firs t W e ek D AVT IME'S ROYAL SURREY THEAT RE. of Cimierella. and an entirely New Piece. THIS EVENING, AUG. 10. Will be performed Rossini's Fai'y Opera of CINDERELLA ; or, The Little Glast Slipper. Supported by Aliss Romer, Miss Betts, Mies E. Terry, Miss Pearson, Meisrs. D. W. King, Leffler, E. L. Hlme, S. Cowe'l, R. Honner, &c. Conductor, Mr. G. Stansbury, with double Band and Chorus. To conclude with an entirely New Drama, entitled GRAM A CH REE MOLLY. Embracing the whole strength of the Company. Places and Private Boxes to oe had of Mr. Kerschner, at the Box. office, from Eleven to Four. ROYAL SURREY ZOOLOGICAL (GARDENS. MODELS of VENICE and LONDON in the OLDEN TIME, Painted by Danson and Telbin. The sensation caused by this unrivalled production is beyond all former in ecedent ; the artist, the amateur, the casual observer are all struck with its extraerdinay beauty and fidelity of delinea tion,: re unanimous in preliouncing it the most wonderflil ex. hibition ever witnessed. To view it only as a vehicle thr the terrific disway at thisk is unjust; it should be seen. A the calm stillness of the quiet Evening, with its Towers and Steeples reflected in the spa.. Mous Lake, be fully appreciated. The Evening PROMENADE ONCERTS on Mon tays, Tues. days, Wednesdays, awl Thursdays conoucted try Mr. Godfrey, are up n u scale of more than usual excellence; , di: words fail In doingjustice to the awful representation of THE GIIE/kr FIRE OF L"NDON. Its fearful ;:haracteristics are truthfully Pourtrayed, but at the same time so ueantitUlly blended with the Wonders of the Pyrotechnic Art, Tnlr delisht is - predominant over terror: and the Thousands who nightly crowd the Gardens hail it with acclaniations, and admit that :_ziatiday, lhe Unrivalled Pyrotechnist has achieved a matchless triumph. The •krdens and Zoological Collection are in the most perfect state, mid combining so many and interesting features, are by far the most at; raltive lounge in or near the 'retro soli Feeding of tine Animala at Five—Concert at Six—Conflagration at Dusk. AtimAtance, One Shilling. UNPARALLELLED IN THE ANNALS OF EXHIBITION! IN HONOUR OF lIER MAJESTY THE QUEEN DOWAGER'; BIRTH-DAY. ROYAL SURREY ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS. On MONDAY and TUESDAY, August 13th and 14th, 1844, a GRAND FETE and FANCY SALE, for the BENEFIT of th , , SAINT ANN'S SOCIETY SCHOOL, will take place in thee, Gardens. The unequalled Menagerie ; Grand Modelled View of London in the Olden Time ; celebrated Russian Family Kantrowitz, from St. Petersburgh, in characteristic costume, will sing a selection of their national airs. The FANCY SALE, arranged in a beautiful Marquee, at whiet several Ladies of Distinction will preside. Blight's admired brass band. Herr Meyer, the Magic Sinieur, wil , go through his wonderful performances. The :beautiful Model' of Venice. The Promenade Concerts, with a msst unique selection. The whole to conclude with the unrivalled representation of the Fir of London, with additional and. electrifying effects. Doors open at One o'clock, ihnotinced by a 'Rose Salute, and th: National Anthem. Kantrowitx Family, Three Herr Meyer. at intervals. Promenade Concerts, at Six. Conflagration, at Dusk. Admission, 'One Shilling. 10WAY INDIANS. UNPARALLELED EXHIBITION EACH DAY OF THIS WEEK The party of Fourteen 10WAY INDIANS, with their Interpreter. from the Upper Missouri, near the Rocky Mountains, in America, having arrived in London, are giving their NATIVE DANCES. Songs, Games, &e., in CATLIN'S INDIAN COLLECTION, Egyptia Hall, Piccadilly. Their modes and their history fully explained Mr. Catlin, from the platform. Thls is the party which has beer. drawing such vast crowds to see them while in New York, and the;, are accompanied by the Head Chief of the Tribe," The White Cloud.' The party consists of every grade of Chiefs, Medicine Men, Warriors Women, and Children, in splendid costumes, the youngest of whici: is only six months old, and carried upon its mother's back in th-- cradle. The public will easily decide that these are by far Hi.. wildest and best representations of the Red Men of America ever seen in England ; and their stay in London at present must be limited to a very short time, as they are on their way to the Continent. Each day of this week, the hours from half-past Two to Four lu the day, and from Half-past Eight to . Ten evening. Doors open half an hour previous.—Admission, One Shilling. EGYPTIAN HALL, PICCADILLY. IMPORTANT NOTICE. SHILLING Admission to TUE NAPOLEON MU •EUM, the most magnificent and extensive Collection of Histo rical Cliuricisitie.s and Works of Art ever known to have been formed by One Person, during Twenty-five years of elaborate research, at a cost of 60,000 guineas, and to completely illustrate, in the most in structive and interesting manner, the most important part of Euro pean history, viz.--CHA-RLES 1., OLIVER CROMWELL, and LIU'S XIV., to the deaths o f G EORGE ILL, and the EMPEROR r m uc u t l i ti v t e ude , -I'.. v l; e rlk l iP l n i ° f ig t o rt'llEe n °l , NBs t . h ! e n rFidBo2rpelr.igie3leTnhtisyearby the Royal Family, the Duke of unique Museum as been visited often, Princes, Ambassadors, and their Ladles. siso, many thousands of the Nobility and Public; awl the Pro ,,rietor has recently been able to increase, by several very fine pictures, his previous almost incredible number and variety of ( valuable Relict and other curiosities, thiS most tiss., Works of Art, and .l and. as hundreds have said it o•ight V) be,. e. Nations' M iscurn• thousand have inspected it. aid THIRTY PRINCIYAL EDITORS of the PUBLIC PRESS tve stated !tilt it cugh to be seen by every oae. The price of admis ion is reduced to ONE SHELLING, The NAPOLEON MUSEUM is tuie seen only at the" Egyptian tail," Piccadilly. daily h om Tea till Lusk, THE WEATIEER.7:Sum OFFICE, AUG. 10. THERMOMETER, Lowest, SD; Highest, 69; Noon, 65. BAROMETER, 2 9.7.—W1ND, W. NOTE.—The number 32 on the Thermometer denotes thk 'ree7ing point, and 55 temperate. In Barometers fair is Fu ally placed opposite 30, and rain at 29. HIGJI WATER AT LONDON-BRIDGE TUTS DAY. I Evening 4 minutes after 11 ... 6 minutes after 11 --i.... , t.... ,---.,,, , .. 4- ‘ 4e • 1 , 0 Z., I ' 0 (MP dir ',‘Nl. , ,i, ~.s -:.-^ar e ,::''• ad .. ,.Ari, :4 4,1 11 ":„,4 t ic tii :.• ite g l i iiesn'!.:" . 7 .4 thlt o --' - r. • : - . „... , w- > , A •:. • ,;-; z:,..,, SECOND EDITION. itenin ---.6 * -- 111A; ff. LONDON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 1844. Last evening the business of the Session was brought to a conclusion. The Royal Assent was given to a vast number of Bills in the Lords, and three which stood fora second or third reading were very summarily discussed. On the motion of Lord WUARNCLIFFE, the House adjourned till the 2d of September. _ _ I In the Commons, Sir ROBERT PEEL moved the adjournment of. the House till Thursday, the sth of September. This unusual motion, of course, gave rise to a debate. Mr. SHELL brought forward the State of Ireland. Lord Jour( RussaLL, with out pretending to give a summary of the business transacted during the session, and, indeed, protesting against the system of Lord LYNDHURST, who, for some years, had made a stirring speech to his partisans and the country at the close of the session, took a general view of the most important events which had taken place. He alluded particularly to the trial of Mr. O'CoNNELL and his colleagues, to the state of foreign affairs, and to the great inconvenience of protracting the session to such a late period. Sir R. PEEL praised the moderation of the Noble Lord, concurred with him on almost every point, then followed the example of' Lord LYNDHURST, though in a different strain, and gave a most glowing account of the wonders which had been performed, not only during the session, but during the three years in which he had been in office• The motion for the adjournment of the House till the sth of September was agreed to. The speeches made by Lord JOHN RUSSELL and Sir ROBERT PEEL will be read with interest. They chimed so wonder fully together, that the public will not be able to dis cover which is Whig and which is Tory. After some routine business, the House adjourned at a Quarter past Eight. At the dinner given to her MAJESTY s Ministers by he Clothworkers' Company, the Master proposed " Prosperity to Ireland," which was responded to with loud cheers. Lord ELIOT, as the official repre sentative of the Sister Isle, returned thanks, and ex pressed his conviction that the time was not far dis tant when the people of Ireland would learn to value the motives and intentions of Sir ROBERT PEEL. We trust the people of Ireland will not be disappointed. Hitherto they have only known the motives and in tentions of Tory Governments by acts of the most cruel tyranny, by glaring suspicions of their loyalty without reason, and by a system of one-sided justice, which ever screened and promoted Orangemen, and trampled upon the native inhabitants. A new era, then, has commenced. The golden age, if it no where else exists, is to shine forth with all its splen dour in the land of " half-hanging and flame," and the glory is left to the Conservatives of reconciling that im portant portion of the empire to British rule. We care not by whom this great work is accomplished, whether by Sir ROBERT PEEL or Lord JouN Rus seLL—whether by the Whigs, or the Tories, or the Radicals—if the work is only done quickly. If the Iron Duke, who, is a native of the country, and the Prime Minister, who knows the Irish well, should have the magnanimity to do jus tice at last to an injured, a brave, and a grateful people, the one would add an additional lustre, and , ale still more glorious to his deeds in arms, and the other would sanctify the desertion of his party in ;ranting the Catholic claims. Never had men such a noble field for legislation. One-third of the inha -I)itants of the empire are alienated, because they are .mot treated as British subjects; on that ground 'done a cry has been raised for repeal, and rhat cry, and that marked alienation from Bri tish interests may be put down in six months IT a straightforward, upright, just, and manly policy. [s this not an honour worth contending for ? And what a people they have to deal with ! No nation is more patient under sufferings, no people are more grateful for kindness, and no portion of the British tmpire would be more attached to the Imperial Go vernment, if they were only treated with common justice. Even in their utmost humiliation—when the olost savage penal laws were in existence against them, when they were treated on the plea of religion as outcasts, when the able leaders of the Catholics and the whole nation, except renegades and the descen dants of foreign settlers, were excluded from every office of trust and honour—they still clung to England, they fought her battles, though enslaved, and in the utmost extremity of our difficulties, neither the Eng lish nor the Scotch troops surpassed the Irish, in the zlorious cause of defending their common country. When the fate of Waterloo hung on a thread, when the formidable attack was made on the British centre, when a PONSONBT fell, the Enniskillen Dragoons vied with the Scotch Greys, and the best cavalry of Eng land, in completing the most illustrious achievement of that terrible day. They have ever been faithful to us, yet they have been treated as aliens. They have risen against oppression, but they have lever sold themselves to the enemy. Their iearts are with England, yet England has never responded to their claims but on compulsion. Let us hope that the bigotry of the dark ages of Pro estantism is past, that Catholics are to be placed on :he same footing with Presbyterians, and that at last ve are to have, not in name, but in reality, an United Kingdom. This is the only way to put down repeal ind disappoint the hopes of our bitterest enemies ; and '1 the present Government carry into effect what hey now promise, they would gain for themselves a :lame which would be rendered only more glorious by - he rabid attacks of a broken faction. When a Prime Minister of Great Britain; in the thirtieth year of a profound peace, is compelled to supplement the vast revenue of the country, amount ng, on an average, to some 48,000,0001. per annum— !iy the continued infliction of so intolerable an impost Ls the income-tax, producing between five and six millions a year additional, the unfortunates who en voy the distinction of being mulcted 7d. in the pound •n their respective incomes, in addition to their pro iortionate contributions, in all manner of taxes, to the :eneral annual revenue in question—have some prima facie reason to complain. All Sir IL PEEL'S Aausibility will not overcome the reluctant conviction ‘,tthose who are to be mesmerised out of their seven ilences for the satisfaction of this cross-bred property And income- tax—that the superfluous cash, of which he •eould so blandly relieve them, would be better in heir own pockets than in the Treasury coffers. ['here is, in natural philosophy, no principle of' re adsion so strong as that which is excited in a tax payer by the contact of a tax-collector. In the mvhole range of chemistry, no affinity has yet been detected so active, universal, or tenacious, as that which directs the fingers of the Government to the Toney of the governed. In practical finance the -xtinction of a profitable tax, whose produc:iveness :ms once been tested and realised, is a result more hopeless than, in human pathology —the extirpation of a cancer that has once established and rooted itself in the system. These, or some such reflections, operate with your tax-payers, when they demand how it hap pens that with a rapidly growing trade—on which the Minister dilates with the view of eulogising his own Government ;—with a largely accumulating pub lic income, on which he expatiates in order to decry that of his predecessors ;—with an economised expen diture, on which he relies for inducing the Parliament to grant his estimates ;—the greatest and surest branch of permanent revenue should have, for the last seven or eight years, exhibited an almost uninterrupted tendency to decline ? Does the Government, which demands a cool addendum of six millions, to the vast product of Customs, Excise, Stamps, and Post office Duty, Land-tax and Assessed Taxes, hereditary and miscellaneous heads of revenue, sufficiently watch and examine into its receipts in these various departments ? The recent investigations into the unbounded and audacious frauds practised at the Cus tom-house give a general negative to the last ques tion—founded on a particular case, which will well repay the cost, the trouble, or inconvenience of the most searching and protracted scrutiny that can be applied to it. If there be one man in the empire who, at this time of day, is prepared to concur in the ex pectation, avowed with a simplicity, which we might almost term effrontery some twelve months since, on the part of the Board of Customs, that, bad as the case was, "the public had been by that time apprised of the utmost extent to which the re venue had been plundered in the department of her Majesty's Customs ;" we take it his credulity will be dissipated by the most cursory perusal of the last Report (supplementary to that of 22d May last) of the Commissioners of Revenue Inquiry —ordered by the House of Commons to be printed on the 17th ult. From this report we have no space at present for making any quotations ; but in the course of next week we shall feel it our duty to submit large ex tracts to our readers, for their better insight into a system of wholesale fraud, conspiracy, and robbery, such as, perhaps, was never before practised to an equal extent on the revenue of any State. From such an expose of utter demoralisation in so many liberally paid servants of the Crown—of participated guilt common to lower and higher classes of officers, each, and all of them, charged with responsible duties, that they have most scandalously violated—of imbecility, neglect of duty, and in conceivable inefficiency, in the superior authorities of the department ;—we rise with feelings of mingled astonishment and indignation. Not one member of the Board of Customs—of the Commissioners them selves—ought to be exempted from the most rigorous examination by this Commission of In quiry, as to the grounds upon which he proposes to excuse the culpable, the slumbering, incompetency of the body, in its collective and in his own individual capacity, pending the long existence and practice of these delinquencies. Not only do the most alarming circumstances, when brought to their notice, appear to have awakened but a very slight or absolutely no suspicion of misconduct ; not only do discreditable acts and general conduct, notorious through all other branches of their office, appear to have been profound and sealed mysteries to them, and to them alone ; but their demeanour in reference to proceedings ultimately adopted, in some few cases, seems to have been still marked by the same incapacity. Officers were suspended, only, by them against whom they had ample evidence to justify a sentence of immediate dismissal ; or, after being reported, were not even in terfered with at all --. until their later offences, or the subsequent examination of confederates, compelled the Board to steps of tardy punish anent. Nor does our accusation against the Comi--- missioners of Customs themselves stop here. We I concur with the Commission of Revenue Inquiry on reprobating the mode in which they delegated the examination of offenders, whom they should have in terrogated themselves, to authorities more or less im mediately subordinate, whose conduct in managing such inquiries was exactly conformable to the antici pations that might have been formed from the impro priety of their selection. In the case of WYCHERLEY. a weigher, it is abundantly evident that inferior officers having most important testimony—afterwards fully es tablishedi to tender against the malfeasance of the func tionaries next above them, were so discouraged, se' manifestly intimidated, by the apprehension of se riously prejudicial consequences to themselves from coming forward with such information, that they either withhold it or gave it in a form much more meagre than they would have done. In the affair of Mr. LONG (a landing waiter since dismissed, his malversation having bean unquestionably proved on a" subsequent investigation), the Board remitted the case for examination to Mr. Ross the Surveyor- General (an officer whose own conduct is shown to be open to much animadversion in - another part of the Re port). " Mr. Ross (Report p. 3) did so ; and recom mended the acquittal of Mr. LANG, and reported un favourable of WrcruarAr. The Board coincided in his view of the case, and continued to place confidence in LANG, but removed WYCHERLEY from where he wits a check upon LANG. and sent him to the docks ; a removal which was, in fact, tantamount to a punishment." The Commission , add—" We found from the admission of Mr. Knox, the landing surveyor, that when before the inquiry the story was mentioned to him, WYCHERLEY was sent for, and cautioned as to his proceedings, and told that such a course would cause his dismissal from the service, by making charges which he could not prove." Again—" There was evidently a predetermined impression that W - rcuertLEr was sure to be wrong; indeed, the whole of the proceed ings bear more the character of the trial of WYCHER. LEY for misconduct and drunkenness, than an investi gation into the conduct of LANG for being concerned in defrauding the revenue." We only add, at pre sent, that this accusation was substantiated. What must we think of the whole system on which the Customs' Department has for years been conducted ? We have received Madrid papers of the 2d inst., but they bring no fresh intelligence. The capital was tranquil. The Three per Cents. were done at 27k, at 60 days; the Coupons at 24i, for the 13th of September ; and the Floating Debt at 59, at 40 days. A cowardly article in an Evening Paper, which has pretensions to official information relative to the arrest and expulsion of Mr. PRITCHARI4 from Ota heite, has induced the war party in France to believe that the English Government have yielde.d to the French, and that no reparation will be demanded for the " gross outrage, accompanied by gross indignity." Even the French Government papers, though they ought to be better informed, infer that the affair is all but settled. These are the words of the Journal des Debats :—" The English journal admits, and it is what we have said from the commencement, that the English residents, after having protested against French occupation, were bound to wait for instruc tions from their Government; that if they have thought proper to resist by their own strength, they have done so at their own risk and peril, and without having a right to claim in any way the protection, or engage the responsibility of, their Government, which they had not consulted. It admits that, in the case where Mr. PRITCHARD had commenced by his own actions a private war against the Government at Otaheite, the English Government was not bound to follow in that path one of its subjects, who was acting without its authority; and that the French authori ties considering themselves legitimately in possession of the sovereignty, it was not only their right, but their duty, to deport Mr. PRITCHARD. The ques tion, it will thus be seen, is much simplified, and we are persuaded will be promptly and honourably ar ranged." We believe that the statements referred to are entirely destitute of foundation, and that the Eng lish Government have in no way altered their views of the subject. Sir ROBERT PEEL, the Duke of WELLINGTON, and Lord ABERDEEN, have all ex pressed their sentiments in language not 'to be mis understood, and though the outrage has been repeat edly referred to in both Houses, they have never made an admission, or anything resembling an admission, that they would yield in this manner, and throw Mr. PRITCIIARD overboard. Such random statements do immense mischief. Far from satisfying the war party in France, they only make them rise in their demands, and heap additional abuse on England. The Courrier Francais, and, indeed, most of the Op position journals, have songs of triumph on the oc casion. The accounts in these papers from Morocco, though they add little to the previous intelligence, are, on the whole, of a peaceable character. According to the Presse, the French and Belgian Governments have entered into new commercial ar rangements for a mutual reduction of duty on certain articles of import. The following are said to be the proposed modifications:— - France is willing to lower the duty on raw hides, imported from Belgium and of Belgian origin, from lf. 20c. per 100 kilogrammes to 50c. per 100 kilogrammes. On dry hides the duty will be lowered from sf. to 2f. 50c. The present duty on rough marble is 21. 70c.; it will be reduced to If. The duty on hops would be lowered from 65f. 50c. to 45f. And the duty on pit coal will be also lowered from 10c. per 100 kilo grammes to sc. per 100 kilogrammes. Belgium, which has hitherto exacted a duty of 83c. on French pit coal, will reduce it to sc. The manufacturers of Ghent having to complain of the opposition they meet with in the printed cottons of England, the Belgian Government has resolved to raise by 50 per cent. the duties exacted at present on English printed cottons at their frontiers. It offers to France to except it from the ordinance upon that subject, and, as far as regards France alone, to maintain the present duties. Lastly. The resolution of the 14th of July, 1843, which raised the duties on woollen thread and cloths, and upon fancy articles and artificial flowers, will be withdrawn, as far as the provisions regard France ; or, in other words, the resolution will hold good in regard to all other countries, but will be withdrawn as regards France. TEE BOURSE—TuunspAy, AUGUST S. First Highest Lowest Last Prioe. Price. Prise. Price. French Five perCints— •••• 121 .. 121 40 .. 121 .. 121 15 Four-and-a• Half..•• 113 .. 113 .. 113 .. 113 Four per Cents IN .. 106 .. 106 .. 106 Three per Cents.— Bank of France •••. 3105 ..3110 —3105 ..3110 Latlitte Bank. 5,000 f Skaresso7s • •5075 • • 507.5 —5075 Belgian Bank. ••.• 675 .. 675 675 675 _ _ Eelgian Fives,lB4o • ..... • • 108 • • 1051 .. 105 lOb} 1842 •...••. 1081 •• 108/ .. 108/ 1081 Spanish Threes Passive . . bf 51 .. 5f .. 51 Portuguese Five per Centa•. .43 .. 43 .. 42f .. 42f Neapolitan..• ••••• •• • • • .. 98 55 .. 98 55 .. 98 55 .. 98 55 Roman • RAILWAY SHARES. Versailles,R.B.•• •••• •• •••• 380 .. 380 .. 378 75 .. 378 75 L.B . 238 75 .. 238 75 .. 237 50 .. 237 50 R0uen.............•.•.... 982 50 •• 982 50 .. 982 SO •• 982 50 Rouen to Barre•.•. Orleans .• ••••••• ••••• 977 50 .. 977 50 .. 977 SO .• 977 50 Strasburg to 8a1e...". •• •• 238 75 .. 238 75 .. 237 50 .. 237 50 Avignon to Marseilles 765 .. 76$ . 765 .. 765 RAILWAY SHARES FOR THE ACCOUNT, lint OF AUGUST. St. Germain .. •• •• •• •••• 887 50 .. 887 50 .. 867 50 .• 887 50 Versailles, ... 380 • • 380 .. 380 .. 280 L.B • • • • • • • • • • • • 240 • • 240 .• 240 240 Rouen • • • • 980 .. 982 50 .. 977 50 .. 977 50 Rouen to Havre. •.. •• • • •• • • 752 50 .. 757 50 .. 752 60 .. 755 Orleans .• • • • • • • • • • • . • . 980 • • 980 .. 975 • • 975 - Strasburg to Bale•. •• •••• .. 238 75 .. 238 75 .. 238 75 . 238 75 Avignon to Marseilles.-- 766 2, 766 25 .. 765 .. 765 MEDICAL WITNESSES AT CORONERS' INQUESTS.-- Mr. Wakley, M.P., held an inquest yesterday on the body of Mr. Edward Mottram, engraver, Little Britain, Aldersgate street, at that gentleman's country residence, Muswell-hill, Highgate. The deceased, who was seventy years of age, got up as usual on Wednesday morning, and was preparing to leave his country seat for London, when he was seized with an apoplectic fit, which terminated fatally, notwithstanding the immediate attendance of medical aid. Evidence of the above having been given, Mr. Wakley inquired if the jury desired the medical gentleman who attended deceased to be examined, observing, at the same time, that it would only entail unnecessary expense on the parish. The jury having expressed their desire that the medical gentleman should be examined, Mr. Wheterall, surgeon, Highgate, was called in, who stated, without having made a post mortem examination, that in his opinion deceased died of apoplexy. Mr. Wakley (addressing Mr. Wheterall) asked him if he had added any testimony to what they had already received ? Mr. Whet erall admitted that he had not. Mr. Wakley was satisfied that Mr. Wheterall would; give that answer, " for what," continued. Mr. Wakley, "further information could he give when he had not opened the body ? He was most anxious that in every case that came before him a post mortem exa mination should be made ; but when that was not deemed necessary he had no idea of making the parish pay for a medical witness, as he was resolved not to fool away the pub lic money." . Mr. Wakley concluded his observations with an encomium upon Mr. Wheterall's treatment of deceased. Mr. Wheterall assured him that he had merely attended from a desire to prove that everything that was possible was done fur deceased. Verdict—" Apoplexy." Last week, there was sent to London, from Doe Park, near Wooiton, a rye straw, measuring nino feet. 'rho rye in the field from which it was taken is higher than has ever been seen in this country, the lowest straw being at least six feet. EXTRAORDINARY Low TIDES.--Yesterday after noon, shortly after two o'clock, . the . tide was exceedingly low, owing to the high winds which have prevailed during these last few days. The steam-boats were unable to land passengers at Blackfriars-pier for some time. At Waterloo bridge the water was not thirty feet across, and could easily be leaded through. THIS DAY'S NEWS. THE QUEEN AND THE INFANT PRINCE. The following bulletin of the Queen's health wag issued this morning:— " Windsor Castle, August 10, 1844, " Eight, A.M. " Her Majesty goes on favourably. " The infant Prince continues well. (Signed) " JAMES CLARK, M.D. " CHARLES LOCOCK. M.D. " ROBERT FERGUSON, M.D." SOUTHAMPTON, AUG. 10.—The Pacha, Captain Wilson, arrived here this morning ; she left Gibral tar, Aug. 2, Cadiz 3, Lisbon 5, Oporto 6, and Vigo 7. At Gibraltar were her Majesty's ships Formidable .ind Caledonia, the Danish frigate Gifior and the Thetis. At Tangier her Majesty's ships Albion, Warspite, and lleela ; an American frigate, a Danish frigates a Swedish frigate, a Spanish frigate, corvette, brig/ and steamer. French—Three ships of the line, one erigate, and three steamers. At Cadiz—The French brig of war Volage. At Lisbon—No foreign vessels of war. At Vigo—Nil. Spoke on the 6th, at 7 r.m., aff Viana—The Montrose. The Lord Chancellor has been pleased to appoint Daniel Higley Richardson, Esq., to the important office of Master of the Court of Bankruptcy. MARKET NE WS.-(T HIS DAY.) COVENT-GAR.DEIT. The imports of foreign fruit for our market, during the ..resent week, have been very extensive, hence the supply • .vas large, while of fruit and vegetables of home produce the -applies were west. The trade, however, was comparatively steady on the following terms :—Potatoes, from 4s to 6s 6d per ..wt ; Onions, is 6d to 23 6d ; Turnips, 2s 3d to 3s 6d ; and Carrots, 4s 6d to 6s per dozen bunches ; Walnuts, for pickling, is 9d to 3s ; Spinach, 6d to Is ; Gooseberries, is 6d to 3s 34; Jurrants, 2s to 4s ; Orchard Plums, 2s to 4s ; Orleans titto, 4s to 6s; Greengage., 5s to 6s; Broad Beans, Is to Is 9d; Peas, is 6d to 3s 6d; Apples and Pears, 21 to 3s 6d ; and French Beans, - Is 6d to 3s per half sieve ; ()ranges and Lemons, 8s to 14s per 100; Pine Apples. (English) 4s to 7s ; Hot-ho use G ra p es , i s 6d to s s; and Cherries, 2d to 6d per Ib ; Pine Apples (Foreign apd Colonist) Id to 4s ; and Melons, 2s to 5s each ; Peaches and Nee' tarines, 6s to 12s ; and Cabbages, 6d to is per dozen ; Raspberries, 4d to 8d per pottle ; Cucumbers, 2d to Sd per '.race. Horse-radish, 2s to Os per bundle ; Small Salad, Id ; and Mushrooms, 9d to is per punnet; Radishes, 4d to 8d per dozen hands ; Cos Lettuces, is 2d to is 6d per score. NEW GATE AND LEADENITAiI. The supply of meat being tolerably extensive, and the attendance of buyers not so large as on some previous mar ket days, the trade ruled heavy, on the following terms:-- Beef, from 2s 4d to 3s 4d; Mutton, 2s 6d to 3s 8d; Lamb, 3s 8d to 4s 8d; Veal, 3s 4d to 48 4d ; and Pork, 25 4d to 3s 10d per 81bs by the carcase. Although the supplies of Poultry were scanty, the demand was in a very sluggish state, and prices were not supported. HIINGEILFOSID. We had rather extensive supplies of most kinds of pro" duce, while the demand was throughout heavy, and priuM were not supported. NEWPORT. Prime Mutton was in demand at full prices. In other kinds of meat very little was doing. Beef from 2s 6d to 3 1 6d ; Mutton, 2s 8d to 3s 8d ' • Lamb, 38 10d to 4s 10d; Veil, 38 4d to 4s 4d; and Pork, 2s 8d to 4s per 81bs. BILLINGSGATE. Salmon was in abundant supply, and met a steady sale at from 6d to 8d per lb. Oysters were in brisk inquiry at 36s to 62s per bushel. In other kinds of Fish very little was doing at late rates. vnirrEcHAPEl6. For each kind of prime meat the sale was active, at full prices, while the value of other kinds was supported. Beef , from 2s 4d to 3s 4d ; Mutton, 2s 6d to 3s &l ; Lamb, 3s 8d to 4s 8d ; Veal, 3s 4d to 4s 4d ; and Pork, 2s 6d to 3s 10d per Sibs. HIDE MAIMET. Raw Hides, at per stone of 141bs—Best steers and heifer* 5s 4d to 5s 10d; middling hides, 4s 8d to 5s ; inferior ditto, 4s 4d to 4s Bd. Sheep and Calf Skins, at per skin—Market Calf, 6s 6d to 8s ; shearlings, is 2d to is 6d ; Arid Lamb skint, Is fid to 2s 3d each. The prices of Wheaten ßßEAD Bread in the metropolis are frori from 7id to 8d ; of household ditto, 6d to 7d per 41b loaf. RAY MAEZETS. SMITIMIELD.—Coarse Meadow Hay, 31 lOs to 4/ 45; nee- ful ditto, 41 6s to 4/ 128; fine Upland ditto, 4/ 14s to 51; Clover Hay, 5/ to 6/ 6s; Oat Straw, I/ 6s to I/ Ss / Wheat Straw, 1/ 8s to 11 lOs per load. The best Meadow Hay sold readily at improved rates, while in Clover Hay and Straw a fair business was doing at full prices. CUMBERLAND.—Coarse bleadox Hay, 31 18i to 4164 ; O." ful ditto, 41 85 to 4/ 16s ; fine Uplarid ditto, 4/ 17s to 51 5 x; Clover Hay, 4/15s to 6l ; Oat Straw, 1/ 6s to 1/ 8s ; Wheat straw, 1/ fis to 1/ 12s per load. Both Hay and Straw sold readily, and prices had an upward tendency. WHITECHAPEL.—Coarse Meadow Hay,3/ Iss to 4/ 4s; nee' ful ditto, 4l 5s to 4/ 12s; fine Upland ditto, 4/ 141 to 51 ; Clover Hay, 4/ 16 s t o 6/ 10s ; Oat Straw, 11 6s to 1/ BS; Wheat Straw, 11 9s to 1/ 12 a per load. Supply mode' rately good, and trade rather brisk. New Meadow Hay produced from 31 to 4/ 4s; and New Clover 4/ to 515 s per load. WAKEFIELD CORN MARKET.—FaID&T. We have a small arrival of Grain to this day's market' Wheat met a fair sale at an advance of is to 2s per quarter from the rates of thi s d a y se'nnight. Beans must be not Is per quarter higher. In O a t s , B ar l ey , an d other arxiclefr v alteration. Per gr. of 601 b. to the bushel. EXTZA. N. w 11 1: Wneat Suffolk, Essex. and Rent R ed ...... ^to 51 49 '- 4 Ditto ditto ..... White... —57 5 2 : 4 Norfolk. .... .................... Red ...... 30 47 1 Ditto ditto .... White... &I 4 9 : 4 Lincolnshire and Cambrid ge.... Red..... 49 VS , Ditto ditto ....... Whi , .e... . 52 49 li Yorkshire.... ...... ..... ........ Red..... 50 4 7 : I Ditto ditto White... 31 49 I. FOTO IP ri••...... .......... no — 49 45 '' Ditto ditto White... 54 45 1 Per quay :r bnPerls Barley. Norfolk and Suffolk ..... ..... . ..... ...... 34 :31 Yorkshire a. d Linconishirt......... ...... ... 34 ..O 9:1 Criodini 9! in . _ant ••••••• •••••••••••• 0000000000000 ••••••••••••• ".. .47 DL Foreig :. .......... ....... ....... ........ ....... 31 30 /leans. Snug n . .trer ... qr. , f 631_13. w ri. th, 3,btl 161' Tic's .... 36 54 $ i , Foreign. •-• Oats, l'..tat, a d rola d s .. ... s. Mealing..... Ild to 12% d , Fcr t i g n —d t o —d. pet Ston'• Sholling l.6t. to -..1 04. per Los& Milt ...... ..... ............ ...... 404 fine 43W. per 1 , c 1 4 Ryes:ed.... ..... mo. ewe LLOYD'S SHIPPING.-(THIS DAY•) LONDON, Atm. 10.—Wind S.W. light breeze and - fine. DEAL, Arc. 9.—Wind to W.g.W., moderate. S.W. bi W., fresh.—Sld., Switzerland, .Jarvey, and Sir Isaac Newtor!! New York. WV Al• PORTSMOUTH, AUG. 9.—Wind W.N.W.—Acrd. Fairliey Roskell, China, sailed from St. Helena June 22 ; John Pea t ' London for Bermuda. Sld. Sarah Scott, Sydney; llermayoat China. TORBAY, AuG. 9.—Arrd. Elizabeth, London, with sai ls .split. Sld. Stephen, St. Andrews, New Brunswick ; Tagu s ' Miramichi; Fanny, Newfoundland. OFF NEW ROMNEY, AUG. 9.—Adelaide, Launcestal , sailed April 1. PLYMOUTH, AUG. 9.—Wind, S.W.—Arrd. Lochlibo, Tar lor, Quebec, in 23 days. Sid. Ann, Tweed, and Priscilla, Quebec. The smack Good Intent, ashore on Drake's Island/ has broken up, cargo saved. FALMOUTU, AUG. 9.—Wind, moderate.—Arrd. Sea, AS wood, Paraiba, sailed June 25. Sld. Swift packet, Brazila , Vesta, Ichaboe. BRISTOL, AuG. 9.—Arrd. Eleanor, Rees, Barbadoes Thomas Thane, Miramichi. Two ships, bottom up, we te seen on the west side of Lundy Island on the 7th i nstal' Much wreck has been picked up there, including a handopikt marked "Lord Ariel." The French brig Courier was at ancho r there, dismasted. YARMOUTH, AUG. B.—The Providence Goodwill, has been got up the beach, and will come into the harbour ne st tide. SAMISH TYREE, JULY 31.—Some wreck, supposed from papers picked up to belong to the George P onso nby, fr ° ,; ll Arklow to Newcastle, which foundered off Coli n s e y, 23d tu"' has come ashore here. HARWICH, AUG. 9.—Arrd. Mary Dick, Stettin, for Lund °r4 with cargo shifted and pumps choked. LrvEarooL, AUG. 9.—Wind N.W., fresh.—Arrd. MI; Reardon, Demerara ; Grace, Rine, Antigua; Osenard, SI C Campbell, and Normantum, New Orleans ; Adams, G I ." Charleston •, Lonesta, Medcalf, New York. Irr CLYDE, Auo. 6.—Sid. Roger Stewart, for Demerara; dustry, Cape and Valparaiso ; Clansman, ditto and ?dauritiu ARBROATH, AUG. 7.—The Union, of Alloa, from St. Peter; burgh. in running for the harbour, last night, struck on 111, East Reef, arid went ashore behind the East Protection vv where she lies with part of her bottom out, and five feet wate r in her hold ; part of her cargo lauded, with trifling darnak; CARNARVON, AUG. 7.—lt blew a heavy gale yesterdlu. from S. to W.S.W., and continued till fi ve P . M . The Armed nia, of Pwllheli, grounded on th e san d b an k s , b u t sustalp no damage. BELFAST, AUG. 6.—Sld. Sir Henry Pottinger, St. '"" New Brunswick. GRANGEMOUTH, AUG. 6.—Arrd. Arethusa, Miramichl. PENTLAND FRITII, AUG. 3.—Acrd. Emperor, Quebec. LIMERICK, AUG. B.—Arrd. Memley, Glower, Barbadoell:_„ Hum., AUG. 9.—Wind W., strong breeze —Arrd. Hum Hopkinson, Miramichi. DUBLIN, AUG. 7.—Arrd. Lady Lilford, Carter, Princa d. ward's Island. Sid. Lady Bassett, Antigua. NEWS FROM PORTUGAL. . LISBON, AUG. s.—On the 31st ult., the anniversary r tb tb o first promulgation of the constituti o nal c harter in 1842°' b e Queen held a levee at the Ajuda Palace, and at night / le to the Opera in grand state. On the following d,O, for Majesty returned to Cintra, where the Court is star tl e' the summer. The French frigate Adour, brig Volage, and steaill -v r t he left this port some days ago, for the Mediterranean , a n t " An y Tagus. is now without a single foreign vessel a war 01 0 . nation, a circumstance which has not occurred before for veral years. the The heat of the weather, which was if:dente during bu t second half of July, has now moderated in some degr e : ti the thermometer still rises every day to 80 and 82 ie shade. . or The _Mario of this day contains a " Carta Refi ts ' an' o royal letter from th e Queen to the Patriaren, euo . flouncing to him that the Pope has, by a bull, ean se d ing " Quamvis tequo apostolic.% solicitudinis , " the extinction of the old cathedral establishirtelt'uod the formation of a new one in its stead. To this o f etThigh a list of the several appointments, consisting n si— u ters• dignitaries, 18 canons, 18 hen efi ciares, and 15 cul,oo The expense of this new establishment amounts to milrees. autbrand - ------ 0 1 CtlCKET.—Yesterday a match of cricket was p 105., at Garratt's ground, Copenhagen-house, between eleven g r- ' o f - N tle e m w en L o i f nc O ol l n d Lincoln's Inn, against eleven gen tlernen - ---4 among the leg ' a s l profession, and attended ; after some excellent play on both sides the al io anindatthclat grocrueantdedwasmunciihniienroteuisTil, terminated infavour of Old Lincoln's Inn winning by tvf rung. e ss Of BERLIN, JULY 28.--The Prince an d Princ Ivy Prussia will go by way of Hamburgh to . no t Engl and re will first go through London without stoppiPg, a nd s pecia l turn till after the delivery of the Queen. It is at the u spe,-___ invitation of the Queen that their Royal Highne4"-60 and invitation take this journey. Several persons of the finite wit windy we accompany their Royal llighnesses to London ara tO I)glancl the moment they receive oilie to that iffect* SU We W tit c h . e Du. en W„l' t 44 g. ;