The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1803-05-02 00:00:00

120 ri Ac4Dzmr.
This National institution of the Polite Arts will
open its thirty-gat annual Exhibition at twelve
o'clock this day. Continlnahle to a long-established
custom the Royal Family visited the Society's
Rooms, on I:riday last, for the purpose of examin-
ing the paintings, &c. previous to their public exhi-
bition; and, after staying about two hours, returned
to the Palace, accomparaed with the congratulatory
applause: of a numerous assemblage ofpei cons, who
accumulated round the doors. 1
/iering seemed
much gratified with ma-ay of the performances, and
viewesUthem with that delight And exultation which.
must ever arise in the liberal mind, that observes
meritorious execution emanate from discriminating
patronage. Many fastidious critics have contended
that his Majesty has neither fostered nor encouraged
the Arts. If we believed that any candid person has
been deceived by the sophistry of such critics, we
could easily corresl his judgment hr van isms to is
r gating to the history of Painting, Architecture, and
S ulpture, during this /stomach's rcign. But this
we most wave for the present, and biivtly notice a
i'w particulars relating to the Acadeno:. After the
Itoyal Visitors had aithdrawa, many of the Acade-
micians and Associates were admitted into the
ronnie to see the arranged pianres. A bye-law ei
tl,e Academy srec:ties that no persons but those of
the Council, shall be allowed to examine the pic-
tures before their Majesties have attended, which is
generally two Jars previous to the public exhibition.
On Saturday the Anniversary I)inner of the Aca-
demicians, was given at their rooms, when they
all attended with the associate ISletubers, and many
ei,itors, to enjoy
'The Lost of swot), and the flow of 'Qui."

This mode of associating and uniting with one
another, and with many of-the English and foreign
nobility and gentry, originated with the late learned
and scientific President, who thought it might tend
to promote the Arts, anJ unite the Artists with the
hati petr classes of society. 'the plan was judiciously
ed, and has been f.r.taised every year to the
present time. English Artists only want a liberal
and fair patronage, to make them equal, or excel
the best produf.hons of the Continent ; and if the
noble sentiments expressed by the Duke of Norfolk
and the Lord Mayor on Saturday hit, he properly
exemplified, we may expeft to see this effetled. Re-
side the Academicians and associates, the meeting
consisted of the principal dignitaries in Church and
e,tate, with most of the Foreign Ambassadors and
other Geirknien of distinguished learning and ta-
lents. The President took the chair about six
o'clock, and after an elegant dinner he gave the fol-
inning toasts ; cacti of which was accompanied by
roiniate airs'and glees :-
1 The King, rear Founder and Patron --God sate the
The Prince of Wates."—Heil Smr ftriresirirk.
a..." The linerts Jilt' Royal Family."--0 Nohay, are.
The Lord Mayor and City ui Landau."—the Wooden
Las.
The City Magistrate made a handsome acknow-
ledgment to the President and Society, and express-
ed a wish that the English Arts would obtain that
distinguished patronage and proteaion which they
demanded from an enlightened and polished nation.
His reply and sentiments were highly applauded.
3.-." The :fahlenten and Gentlemen who have this day
kuituurvd the kuyal Ac.riemy %with their presence."
Whin, leers they time us morrov Urge employ
11•6111 torgegul re filoss, Ka, c' red JeV-
r—" May Peace bless, arid the eleg.ir.t Arts ad nn this
Country.".—Discord %mu
7.—" S,r Juh:plt Beaks, and the Royal Society."—Te Lore
I blase.
B.—" Lord Leicester, and the Society of Antiquaries."-
11 hot 11...u1s b,i.it ult.
9 --" The Deka et Vorfoik, and the Seeley for the enenu-
nr of Arts, Manufaa um, and Commerce"—flee Mighty
Catagative.
After this mast, the Duke returned thanks for the
honour done to him, and in an elegant and concise
reech, paid a very handsome compliment to the
Royal Academy, which excited a burst of unieei sal
approbati•in and applause.
10.—" The Panes' ui the .%rt.."—lesp:re es Genitor a the
Dee.
l'AtrenAge in this Country promote the is: gain
Etta tu that s'ar•ati.sts Mr) h..d Att4i.aftt
Tit Gw4 / I, 4r. •
•
After drinking the healths of the Foreign Am-
bassadors, General Andreossi rose to return thanks,
two not being fluent in the English lan.iniage, Lord
Auckland very politely and handsomely explained
the sentiments of the tench A mbossador.
In our sah4equent papers we propose to continue
this article, with remarks on the British School, and
descriptions and observations on the principal Pic-
tures, Drawings. and Sculpture of the present Exhi-
bition.

On &was,' a Messener WI) dispatched to his
11.sas r ‘Vintlsor, x. ids the contents of the
liantburgh Mails.

Saturday morning, I:er MA JEST Y and the
Patscssass, attended by I.ady C• t c lio ay ts took an
airing to Frogniore.
'The Duke of Ccyr,Eßr. iNn arrived at Windsor
on Saturday afternoon, on a visit to their MAJr% rit s.
Foal STASHOeL has lately employed the greater
part of his time in bzinging to pertedion an improv-
ed mod: of printing. I lig invention, though in some
respells simikir to the French stereotype, is said to
be very sopevior to it, with regard to neatness, ac-
curacy, and cheapness.
Mr. Moots, the elegant translator of " Ana-
erton," will speedily publish a poem, entitled,
" The Philosophy of Pleasure."
A transtaion from the Portuguese of CA moms
will speed:ly appear from the pen of Lord STItAMAr

The Knights r.l the Ruh are a:lively preparin?,
for the approaching Installation, which is to t.►ke
place on the I,th of next month, which is the Birth-
dty of the Qt•aty. It is expeited to be a ceremony
of great splendor and magnificence, so many of the
present Knights of the Bath having not yet been in-
stalled. Their Ball, which is intended to be most
splendid, will be given at Ranelagh on the ZI of
June.
The Bill for the better provision of schoolmasters
in Scotland art :nds to the interests of Iherature in
a manner singularly.seral and dsoijed. Each
schoolmaster ►s to have a salary out k:: than the
annual wages of a day labourer, and not ex,:eeding
the wages of Iwo Jay labourers ! We believe it ►s
somewhat novt I to estimate the rewards of karnul
by the Produce ut :he God or the how::

• • •6111,

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LAW lATELLIGENCE.

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COURT OF KING'. BF.NC.f, Waurietnitaa, Aram O.
ASTLEY, BART. V. ii.sitwooti, Esq.
Mr. GURNEY moved the Court for a rule for a
rew trial, in a cause in which Sir Jacob Astley,
;)art. WAS Plaintiff, and W. T. Harwood, Esq. De-
fendant. It ..vas an action of slander tried before
Mr. Justice Grose at the last assizes for the county
of Norfolk ; and the declaration stated, that in the
last Parliainent Sir Jacob Astley had been knight ot
the Shire for tie county ot NortOlk, and was, at the
time the words were spoken, a candidate to repre-
sent the county at the eleflion which.was then ap-
proaching ; and that the Defendant, contriving and
maliciously intending to cause and procure it to be
suspc&ed, thought. and believed that the Plaintill
was an assassin and a murderer ; and moreover,
that he had been guilty of the most horrible crime ot
murdering his own father, and as much as in him
lay, to suojecl him to the pains and penalties pro-
vided by tbc laws of this realm against such a horri-
ble crime, spoke these fast, malicious, and defama-
tory swords--x Sir Jacob Astley is a scoundrel, a
coward, a liar, an .ass;Ls4in, and a murderer ; he
murdered his own father."

On the part of the Plaintiff's case a witness had
been called, who proved the register of the burial of
Sir Edward Astley, and that -his death was come
months prior to the time of uttering the word..
Another witness had stated he was present at a ball,
given at Norwich on the election of Members for the
city, and a week before the eleftion for the county
took place ; and that at that ball the witness uttered
the words stated in the declaration. The witness
added, that as soon as those words were spoken by
the Defendant there was a general hissing, and he
was pulled off from the table. The cause did not
turn upon the question whether the words were or
not uttered by the Defendant ; but whether They
were uttered with the intent and meaning charged
in the declaration, to impute to the Plaintiff the
commission of the crime of murder in the legal sense
and acceptation of the term ; or whether they-were
meant to impute that whieh, however injurious to
the charaCter of the Plaintiff, could not be made the
subjeCt of an aetion, he meant the shortening his
father's life by unkind and undutiful conduel. It
did not appear that the death of Sit Edward Astley
was sudden or suspicious, or that there ever existed
in the mind of any man a doubt as to his having
died a natural death, or an idea that Sir Jacob
Astley could be criminally responsible fur his father's
deuth.
On therart of the Defendant, Mr. GeRNEY said
he had ofiered to prove, by persons who were pre-
sent, When the words were ntteted; and who heard
teem, that they understood ihemin the latter sense ;
namely, not as imputing to the Plaintiff the murder
of his fa!her by violence, but imputint; unkindness
and mindful condua towards 'his father,' which
had hastened his death.
When the question was put to the, witness for the
Plaintiff, who proved the wtirdi, it had been ob-
jeCted to by Mr. Erskine, and the Learned Judge al-
lowed the objeftion.
Lord E,. I. EN NOVOUGII asked what were the terms
&- the ques:ion ?
Mr. GuaKEV said, the terms of the question were,
" Whether the witness understood the Defendant
meant to impute-to the Plaintiff the murder of his
father by violence ;" and this question had been ob-
jeCted to by Mr. Erskine. The objeCtion was sus.
taincd, but the witness intimating a wish to answer
the question, Mr. Erskine withdrew his objedion,
and the question was put by the Learned Judge.
The answer was, " That he was struck with so much
horror, that he put no interpretation on the words
at all."

On the part of the Defendant three witnesses had
been called to prove, that subsequent to speaking the
words, by the intervention of others, a reconciliation
had been effeded between the Plaintiff and Defend-
ant ; the evidence was liable to this observation,
that it was root accompanied by any apology from
the Defendant, but it was attended with this circum-
stance—that at the time it took place the Plaintiff
' was in the midst of the county elation. which was
severely contested ; that Colonel Harwood had
voted against the Plaintiff, and was, at that momeut,
;at naive partisan in the interest of his adversary,
which, upon this reconciliation, he ceased to be.
The Learned Counsel sail he had also tendered
the evidence of persons who were present at the
meeting when the words were spoken, in order to
prove the sense in which they understood them, but
Erskine was not disposed to wave his objection
as before : he had objefted to the witnesses being
asked what their opinions were as to tile sense and
meaning with which the words had been tittered.
The Learned Judge being of opinion the objetion
was a good one, he ....as depr;ved of that evi-
. deuce. He had other witnesses who would have
proved, tt:at there was not one person in the assem-
bly, in which the words were uttered, who under-
stood them in the sense.charged in the declaration,
and in which it was necessary they should have hceu
' spoken, in order to support the action. lie there-
' fore humbly submitted to the Court, that their evi-
dence ought to have been received. The injury
which a party in an aSion of this kind came to com-
plain of, was, the malice with which the words wen
spoken, and the bixic in which they were meant to
be understood. There was no context to explain
these words; fcr immediately after they were tit-
tered the Defendant was pulled down, and one of
the witnesses for the Ddendant had said, that the
Defendant appeared to be about to explain them
when he was pulled off the table. He had conse-
quently no °ppm tunity of adding that context which
would have explained their meaning. lithe witnesses
he had <Aired had born examined, it would have
appeared, that however actionable the words in
themselves were, they were uttered in a sense which
made them not aCtionable.

Lord El.l.l:Nwortorou" Was it sworn, that at
the Defendant was pulled down from the table be
was about to explain the words ?"

Mr. Gummy said he would give his Lordship
the witnesses words : Mr. Ward said, " that the
Defendant was interrupted and pulled off the table,
and that 11:, appeared to be going to explain ;" and
therefore, that where a party had uttered actionable
words, and all possibility of explaining them was
dvii;ed him, he ought to be allowed to gote evidence
of the sense in which they had been understood by
the persons present. The words were uttered in a
net extremely fit for such a subjs.& to be men-
tioned ; and therefore whatever the persons present
intht thiuk of the words, and of their truth, they

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