The Express.
London, England, 1862-12-02 00:00:00

DEATH OP JAMBS SHERIDAN KNOWLES.

A telegram brings the news of the death, at Tor-
quay, in Devonshire, of James Sheridan Knowles.
Mr. Knowles was born in Cork in the year 1741, being
the eldest son of James Knowlee, Esq., the author cf
" Dictionary of the English Language," and a man of end.
nenoe both for talent and learning. He received the tethe
of Sheridan in consequence of his connexion a Ith
a family which has been rendered illustrioo, I,r
the high and varied talents both of its
and female branches. Mr. Knowles bad
ten, one of whom died some years ago in ;
the other survives, and is resident in its neighl.,.
hood, The father of Mr. Knowles removed to ,
as a more suitable field for the exercise of his profe,4ol. .s
▪ teacher, in the you 1792 ; at which time the
thilnotice was only eight year. of age. Whet, ..!,13,
twelve years old, his mind began to display its hit • rent
inclination for that sort of literature in which be afo
became so distinguished, having composed a play i-r a
company of juvenile performers, of whom he was the Ime:rr.
Soon afterwards he composed the libretto of an opera f oun lad
on the history of the Chevalier de Grillon. At 14 he srme
the ballad of the " Welsh Harper." It was about this tame
that he became acquainted with William Barbet, by w!.. as
advice and free but friendly criticisms he was aided in n,.,0),
of his earlier productions. By Ilarlitt be was intrirlu
to Charles Lamb ; and his qualities, both of heal
heart, were warmly appreciated.
Mr. Knowles made his first appearance as an actor oo
the boards of Crow-street Theatre, in Dublin, and he after.
wards performed in Waterford, Swansea, and various other
places. As an actor he never achieved much eminence.
He subsequently assisted his father at the Belfast Acade-
mical Institution. While in that city his first dramatis
efforts were submitted to the ordeal of public favour. 'rho
first of these pieces was Brian Boroihme, rather a
rifaccianunlo of a piece by another author than an origin.,l
play. The next was Caine Orardu, first performed io
Belfast on the 13th of February, 1815, and acted about
eight years afterwards in London with great success.
The third of Mr. Knowles's plays was Virgin ,e,
The plays of William Tell, The Beggar of Befhual Urfen,
The Hunchback, The Wife, The Daughter, The Lore
Woman's Wit, The Maid of Marieadorpt, Lore, Ohl M.*,
John of Proeida, The Rase of Arrarion, and The Seer,
followed in rapid succeasion. It is needless to dwell mon
the merits of pieces which have marked an era in the dra.
matic literature of England. In several of these plays Mr.
Knowles himself appeared ; in some of them he sustained
the leading characters. He also delivered courses of lec-
tures at various places, on elocution and kindred subjects.
America he visited twice.

Under the ministry of the late Sir Robert Peel a literary
pension of 20W. per annum was bestowed upon him as
an acknowledgment, by the crown, of his labours ix the
cause of literature and virtue. Mr. Knowles has also
written some novels and tales, and two works on subjects
of polemical theology, "The Rock of Rome," and "The
Idol demolished by its own Priests," both written in oppo.
sition to the tenets of the church of Rome.
Mr. Knowles was twice maned. By his first wife, Min
Charteris, whom he espoused while an actor in the south of
Ireland, he had a numerous family, of whom three 3001 and
three daughters reached maturity ; hie eldest daughter was
married to Dr. James D. Marshall, of Belfast ; all except
one son, Mr. K B. S. Knowles, of Louder), and one
daughter, Mrs. W. Dobbin, of Dublin, preceded their father
to the grave. His second wife—once cdebmted as as
actress--Miss Elphiostone, survives her husband.
The Northern Wig of Belfast says ;—" For many years
Mr. Knowles was • martyr to rheumatism, which almost
entirely robbed him of the use of his limbs. His sufferings
were severe, but were borne with exemplary patience ; and
his last moments, we are happy to learn, were tranquil and
resigned, supported by the hopes which he had often
laboured to impart to other minds. Those who differ most
widely from his religious views will rejoice that they brought
him peace and comfort ; and everyone who knew him will
acknowledge that a soul more genial or • heart snore warm
never resided in an eartly tenement than that which beat
in the bosom of James Sheridan Knowles."

THE CONSERVATIVE LAND SOCIETY.
ANNUAL dIEETING.—(THIS DAY.)

The annual meeting of the Conservative Lind
Society was held at Exeter Hall this day.
The annual report gives a tabular return from ewhi'
comparing the three first quarters with the corresponkt;
ones of the preceding year, we ficd en increase of
6221. Bs. ld. Making allowance for the sale of the ltoe•
hampton Mansion, which swelled the total of last year's. 3"-
count, the mush receipts for the financial year of 1864,;:i
render it one of the largest returns since the formation of
the society. The total withdrawals from September, 1:•",2,
to Michaelmas, 1862, were 179,541/. 18e. 3d. The whim,.
tions on shares during the year 1861-62 were Z 3,0751. 19. rd.,
and the cash received on deposit amounted to 11,211 J/. lie sit.
The subscriptions withdrawn In shares were' 3,0*.i1/.133.31.,
and on deposits, 11,9191. 17s. 10d. The total &moot
of subscritions on shares now in the society S
115.175/. 3sp. Bd., and toted deposits 18,043/. lls. 2d.
During the past year the sum of 7,062/. 15s. 4d. was trans-
ferred from the share account to pay for allotments of land,
and the repayments of loans on land were 18,443/. 124. 4d.
The amount advauoed in 1862 to allottem, who borrowed
sevens-eighths of the cost of their land, was 9,48 V. 2i. lid.
The total balance of advances to allottees on land amount
is 30,7411. ss. ld. The sale of land on the allotment of
1861-62. as per balance-sheet, was 6,0851. 3a. The sale of
the stock on hand (being land previously allotted), and by
private contract, daring the past year, was 8,7061. 18s.
The total sale of land in 1861-62, as per prime on the plait
was 14,7921. ls. 2d. The freehold building plots for sale
variom counties amount to 70,205/. 2s. 6d. The grand
totals of the sale of land to Michaelmas, 18.2, wore
314,6861. 12s. 10d. The repayment of advances foe
' building, lac., during the past year, were 8,430/. 13i. a
The amount advanced for building, be., in 1862 has 11..E4
13,1421. Os. 10d. The total Wanes of advances for build.
hag. &c., is 36,2021. 7s. 2d. The reserve fond is now
10,190 W. Os. Bd. The balance-sheet further shows that
after providing for the guaranteed interest of 5 per cent.
per annum on shares, and 4 per cent per annum on
deposit, there remains an available balance, oat
of which the board is enabled to declare a bonus of
five per cent. per annum for the financial year ending Sept.
30, 1862, on all subscriptions paid on existing uncompleted
shares, in respect of which plots on estates hays not been
taken. Such bonus of five per cent. per annum will le
added to the accounts of the several members in their pea.
books, as provided by the rules. Every payment into
the society on shares not in smear, and on the re•
gister at the annual meeting, will thus realise five ter
cent. per annum for the year ending 30th September, Isle.
Until farther notice, the rate of interest en completed
shares, and shares in progress paid a year in *draw and
upwards, will continue at 5 per cent. per annum, port le
half-yearly, up to Ladv-day and Michaelmas, the e'an'eu
for which will be issued on the lst of May and the Id
of November. The interest to be allowed for deposits, under
rule 45, will continue at 4 per cent. per annum, rayable in
warrants issued at the same dates as the interest on shore
The returns of houses built, and of buildings in pa
tves. ee
the various estates, are very satisfactory f a put
year. The allotments during the past financial year en*
the Queen's-road estate, London-read, Tuubridge
beinocgtobseporrt,
im
portion
tthehe
Beeltros:elebuhrymPealiar estate, o°
ethe,e
elt,eeth
of
Newark-upon-Trent, on the 12th of February, 18h2 the
second portion of the Reehampton estate. the
portion of the Brighton estate, besides freehold be..s
thereon, sod ground rents on the Homan-road estate, North
Bow, and Battersea estate, on the :40th of April ; and the
Putney Heath estate, and the first portion of the Nene,
reed, Colchester, on the 16th of August. The &hove
went, and additional sales, on the Roehatoptoil ateletlet
estates together with increased prices on sundry proleruni
have • t the year's transactions to a successful

The owners of cottage property in Blackburn
are beginning to feel severely the preuure of tLe fixes.
At Blackburn an address has been prepared moo; the
cottage owners, which states that many of them are in tl4l
financial strait that they scarcely know where to Moll
their food. They have " borne the burden of bad trade sti
the loss of rents for more than twelve mouths," and 11-.0;
ask the guardians to join with the other authoriti,
Blackburn in applying for a loan of 50,000/. from the Ott•
solidated Fund.
In addressing the grand jury at Mai.l:oo,,
yerterday, Mr. Justice Boles cited authorities from !,wil
River and from Queensland to show that some of our Mims
colonies are desirous to receive convicts. Mr. K eithek.
who was lately Governor of Swan River. the
Judge tells us, "entertains no doubt whal,"'•
afterlong aapprienre, that in that part of the world aim
there exists for any possible number of criminals the note
of niorming them, and effecting all the great ohjao
el
penal discipline." Queensland calla aloud for convictieb4
to construct her harbours and roads and railways.
CONBIIMPTION OF SPIRITS.—The Excise Pet
urs
for the first three quarters of the year have been Is
.te.
Th!
quantity of spirits retained for consuniption in the I at
is
Kingdom as beverage only has been 13,532,217 gallout
the first nine months of the present year. ln the
period of 1861 it was 13,950,988 PllOllll and ef
16,100,340 gallons.