Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-07-29 00:00:00

AMUSEMENTS, &c.

CLAYTON HALL.---.31R. CUMMING'S ENTERTAINMENT.—
This pleasing, exciting, and varied entertainment lacks
nothing of its wonted attractions—indeed, if anything, its
popularity has increased, as it was only required to be
known to be duly appreciated by the public, Incidents of
travel are always interesting, but when the traveller en-
counters—for he goes out on that special mission—the
wildest fury of the wildest beasts in Southern Africa, thee,
indeed, the story becomes thrilling, and what we were
inclined to think in our boyish days was the invention of
some heated brain, turns out a reality. Mr. Cuelming is,
however, the first, and certainly the most success-
ful, of all travellers in that country—first, because
none before him dared to enter the trackless waste and
beard the lion in his lair. He has done more ; he con-
quered, not only the king of beasts, but all his subjects.
His narrative, the more one bears it the more it is admired,
and his pictures of forest life are true to nature. His
trophies are the proof of his abi it ies, and there, along with
the other portions of the entertainment, form the most
pleasing two hours' recreation we know of at present in
town

THE ZO3LOGICkL GARDENS.—We unlerstanl that the
unforseen accident which happened to the great balloon
has been thoroughly remedied, and that this evening it
may he expected to ascend, when one of the greatest galas
of the year will take place at these beautiful gardens.

SUDDEN DEATH—Mr. James Allen, for many years con-
nected with the Fish-market, was found dead in bed
yesterday, at his own residence 36, Warren-street. He
was a man of steady habits, and only complained of slight
illness the previous afternoon. The cause of death was so
apparent that an inquest was net necessary.
THE APPROACHING ARiIZES.—Up to the present time
there are no fewer than 117 cases entered for trial at the
ensuing Assizes, all of which are cases of great magnitude,
including burglary, robbery, bigamy, &c., and no less than
twelve cases iu wnich the prisoners are charged with the
crime of murder, and many with manslaughter. It is to
be feared, that before the the Assizes are commenced, that
the numbs, 117, will be considerably augmented.
RETIREMENT OF THE REV. JAMES MARPINEAU.—WO
understand that the Rev. James Martineau, the able and
much respected Minister of the Unitarian Congregation,
Hope-street, will preach his farewell sermon to his con.
gregatiun on Sunday morring next, previous to his
removal to London, where he is about to undertake the
duties of Theological Professor of Manchester New College.
It i; now twenty-five years since Mr. Martineau became the
minister of his present congregation.

VISIT TO A LT3/%1 Towims.—On Monday, a very numer-
ous party availed of Mr. Irving's excursion train to Alton,
to visit Alton Towers, the celebrated seat of the Shrews-
bury family, whose title and estates are now the object of
fierce litigation. The train left the Birkenhead station
at a quarter past seven, a m., and after a pleasant drive
through one of the finest districts in the North of England,
reached the
Hub. before eleven o'clock.
ti
due party Ran tA-1 inn us a long summer's day f-• in the
wondrous beauties of Alton Towers and demesne, the train
not leaving until seven, p.m. ; and after spending as
delightful and profitable a day as could be desired, in
rambling through the gardens—in themselves most worthy
of a visit—were landed safely at Birkenhead a little before
eleven, p.m. W,3 believe it is the intention of Mr. Irving
to ran another excursion train, at thesame moderate prices,
to Alton on next Monday, and those who would view a
baronial residence, the most magnificent in all England,
and scenery which nature and art have combined to render
beautiful, will be wise in not missing the opportunit3 of
visiting Alton Towers.

ARREST OP SIVINDLERS.—A few days since a man
named Allison, along with a female ceiling herself his wife,
came to Liverpool from Wolverhampton, and took pas-
sages for Australia in the ship South Carolina. They
stopped at an hotel on the Cheshire side of the river. It
was ascereained, after the party left Wolverhampton, that
Allison had passed several foeged fire pound notes (on the
bank of England) in that town. An officer and a person
from Wolverhampton, came to Liverpool in search of
Allison, and, in company with detective officer
Horn, they went to the hotel and arrested him and the
woman there. After they were brought away, Inspector
Murphy went to the hotel and found a leather case belong-
ing to the prisoners, which had been overlooked in the
previous search ; and in it he got a number of watches and
jewellery with three forged five pound notes, on the Bank
of England, fifteen sovereigns, and other things. It was
stated that Allison was a well known character, and con-
nected with a gang of swindlers, and he was, along with
the woman, sent to Wolverhampton, to answer the
charge preferred against him.
LIE FAMIONABLE FEMALE SHOP-METER AND PICK-
POCKET.-lii the early part of the present month, we pub-
lished in detail in our police intelligence, the circum-
stances attending the apprehension of a very fashionably
dressed female, of rather prepossessing appearance, who
give her name as Emily Wilson, and who was apprehended
with her paramour at lodgings in Bittern-street. She was
charged with picking the pocket of Miss Hodgson, but the
evidence being inconclusive she was acquitted. She was
next charged with stealing a very handsome black velvet
mantle, from the establishment of Messrs. Jeffery and
Moorish, and the case being deemed clear, she was com-
mitted for trial, and also.on another charge of picking the
pocket of Mrs. Ann Kellock. Her paramour, John
Wit on, was sent to gaol for three months, as a suspectedthieF, having in his posses don a large quantity of very
ingenious implements for housebreaking. Yesterday,
Emily Wilson was placed in the dock before the Recorder,
when all the evidence was gone into, but the result was
that *he jury acquitted her, as they also did on the charge
of picking pockets. She was ordered to be discharged,
and soon after left the court in great style.
TR% POVERTY OF LAWYERi —The number of barristers,
therefore, who raise fortunes or even competence, is
exceedingly small. T us, from 120 to 140 barristers
attend the circuit at L'verponl, and certainly not mere
than thirty of these ever hold a brief except by mere acci-
dent; and even a smaller proportion obtain practice on
other circuits; and there can be little doubt that out of
the 1,000 gentlemen bona fide practising as common-law
advocates, only 25 per cent. are living on the emoluments
of their profession. As this example may be taken
as a fair test of the whole profession (placing the
p-aeasing body of common-law advocates, as above s'atel,
at 1,000), 1 believe not more than 250 are profitably
employed in the practice of that branch of the la v. If
to these we add 250, as stceessful equity, lawyers, ems-
veyaneers, and advocates in Doe; es' Cnumons, it may
be fairly said that the country in its present condition
supports only 500 advocates. That number is daily
diminishing ; the sweeping away by legislative changes
of many avenues of practice has seriously diminished
their number, There are thus 1,500 unsuccessful advo-
cates, each anxious to rise, each contending for the next
opening to practise that may occur by the pronntion,
retirement, or death of any senior member. Amidst such
a crowd, disappointment of the cherished hopes of early
life is far more common than success: nor is the compe-
tition for the other class of legal prizes, namely, legal ap-
pointmerits, less keen. Hero the candidate has to contend
not only with the practising body, but vial the whole
mass of barristers. Standing and interest are nearly the
only qualification required in this struggle, and the contest
is carried on with great keenness ; very lately there vs:re
no less than forty candidates for the office of police magis-
trate to a provincial town, the annual salary being only
£BOO ; and the numbers would doubtless be much greater
were not the notification of vacancies occurring kept
tolerably quiet by the departments in whose hands the
appointments lie. Often the first notice of a vacancy is
learnt simultaneously with the appointment of the
Minister's friend, not seldom a gentleman unknown to the
courts, —Thompson's Choice of a Profession,"