The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1804-07-27 00:00:00

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against Litr inelination mails* These parties
never thought proper to bring this matter before the
Spiritual Court, to which it more properly belonged ;
arid it 'was ludic'rous to think that such a circum-
stance of mere family dispute should take up the
time of that Court. Charges of irreligion and ja-
cobinisin were brought against the Respondent,
which were totally groundless. There was some-
thing of uneasiness and nereousniks natural to the
female sex, of which this lady appeared to have a
tolerable share. But as to Mr. Manneville, it was
admittofbe was a man of politeness and social ha-
bits. I'O be sure, every man, even in the highest
stations in life, even where his Lordship. then sat,
might, from fatigue of business, weariness, or some
similar cause, have expressed at times a peevishness
sir ill temper, which, in his cooler moments of re-
ileation, he might regret. There was something in
the mind of man, in human nature, prone to
this disposition; best no part of Mr. De Mantle-
vine's conduit was improper in ahy serious degree.
He expressed his sentiments istpli great anxiety
and feeling upon this subject in his affidavit. It was
stipulated on their marriage, that he was not to
carry her out of the kingdom ; he most positively
swore he never had any such intention. Mrs.
Crompon's frequent visits caused much uneasiness,
and made him very unhappy it upon consulting
With his friends, he was advised to remove to
Borne distance from her, and accordingly took a place
in Berkshire, whence he proposed to remove his
wife. Exp.:ding ate would.go along with him, he
brought a cairiae for th it purpose, but she refused,
and preferred living with her neither. l le, at that
time, oilimitted to !ler wishes, although the law gives
a husband an undoubted right to take his wife with
ham any where within the kingdom. M. De Man-
needle was an emigrant loyalist, who had fought
for his King and country ; but, in the general
wreck of that unhappy country, was obliged to
avail himself of that hospitality which the govern-
ment of this (annul y granted to emigrants. Since
his arrival in this kingdom, lie had exercised
the business of a painter, by which he obtained
en honourable and upright livelihood. His father
was a man of noble birth in France, and had saved
some little from the wreck of his fortune, which
enabled him to allow his san about 5001. per annum,
he also had 601. a-year as an emigrant. Mrs. De
Manner iile's family, previous to the marriage, had
the precaution to send to France, and enquire the
charailer and circumstances of his family, with
which they were so well satisfied, that they ex-
pressed their delight, and spoke with the
utmost pleasure of the approaching nuptials.
—As to his treatment of her when pregnant,
and afterwards when suckling her child ; when it
is asserted, he said, her milk would poison the in-
fant, it was scarcely possible to believe that a person
of his gentlemanly manners, great family, good
• lucation and accomplishments, all which he was
admitted to possess in the greatest degree, could be
guilty of such inhuman barbarity. The assertion
was as monstrous and diabolical, as it was ground-
less ; and this he most positively swore, and,
from the whole history of his life, the truth of
his testimony could not be doubted. He swore in
the most positive manner that he never threatened
nor intended to carry the child into France. He cer-
tainly did go to France twice since his marriage
but the learned Counsel would ask, was that a rea-
son that the Court should interfere ? The opposite
patty had used every exertion to excite jealousy be-
tween him and his wife, they even asserted that he
was jealous ; the fad was, that while he and his
wife were a, Buxton, an elderly clergyman, Mr.
Hughes, had raid great attention to Mrs. De Man-
*ovine ; he was a most respeetable gentleman with
a wife and family, and had been an old friend of
her father. They had all been at the Great Rooms
at Buxton, where it was the custom for every gen-
tleman to secure his seat at supper next to his wife.
When Mr. De Manneville, who had been playing at
cards in an adjoining room, came to take his seat,
be fouiid it pre-occupied by the old clergyman; and,
upon expressing some little dissatifaftion at this, she,
in a contemptuous manner, desired he might go about
•his business. Somewhat chagrined at this, he went
•hotrie to bed, and die soon after followed. It was also
asserted, that he was jealous of a young, rough, un-
couth, unpolished Norman, whom he had brought
over to this country, in order to his improvement.—
} e declared by his affidavit, in the most solemn
manner, he never had the least jealousy towards the
one or the other ; nor entertained the slightest doubt
of the virtue of his wife, but quite the contrary.
lie certainly swore he was not jealous of any per-
son but one, and that was her mother, Mrs. Cromp-
ton, who was the leading feature in this cause, and
the whole source of all uneasiness and disagreement
laaween them. When he went to reside at Cherley,
fir the purpose of being at a distance from Mrs.
Crompton, she did not allow him to be long there
in quiet, but took the next house to him, and con-
atrived to break a door, so as to communicate with
both houses. He was a very early man, and his
occupation required much attendance abroad ; the
servants were instruted to watch his departure and
return, and, during his absence, the mother and
wife were continually together, and the latter ac-
tually lived with the former. On his return to
dinner, the wife always complained of a head
ache ; she was ill or had no appetite, when
in truth, she had dined with her mother, and left
him to cat alone. He went early to bed, and she
returned to her mother, so that she only gave
him her company during the short hour of
dinner, as she always breakfasted in bed. The
charge of irreligion could only be founded on his
desire of having his child christened at home
instead of at church; and although he professed
the Roman catholic religion, the ceremony was
performed by a Ckrgman according to the rites
and ceremonies of the Church of England, in con-
sequence of the mother's wish. He had been ac-
cused of treating holy books with ridicule and irony,
and that he was a downright atheist ; but the testi-
riony of a most respenable Clergyman proved the
contrary: he stated he had khown him to attend di-
vine service constantly, and that he believed him to
be a true Christian. Mrs. De Manneville bad writ-
ten two letters to him during his absence from Lon-
don, the former of whic4 was air affection and love,
but the latter all coldness and apathy ; he could not
in any way account for this alteration in her cor-
respondence, and deferred answering her for some
time, in order that he might not be obliged to refer
to the last letter. Attar this ski left Ms house, and

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