The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-08-02 00:00:00

A REAL BLESSING TO MOTHERS.

THERE is not, perhaps, in the whole Malaria Mosßea
any one remedy which so effectually relieve• the pain of a
suffering patient as the AMERICAN SOOTHING SYRUP.
Who can watch the writhing tortures into which a lovely infant is
often convulsed during the period of dentition without feeling
sympathy for its sufferings ? And who would hesitate to procure a
remedy, when a remedy can be found, which is obvious by the ef.
fectual relief afforded in so many distressing cases which ure daily
coming to the notice of Mrs. JOHNSON ? Therefore. Mothers
ought never to be without the AMERICAN SOOTHING
SYRUP in the Nursery ; for if a child awakes in the night with
pain, by only rubbing the gums with a few drops of the Syrup, it
will immediately open the pores, heal the gums, and thereby
prevent fevers and convulsions ; for should it come in compe-
tition with any other disorder, it often destroys the mother's
brightest hopes.

To be had, wholesale and retail, of JOHNSON snd Co. 28,
York-place, City-road ; and, by their appointment, of all prin-
cipal Medicine Venders in town and country, at 2t. 9d. per bottle.
N.B. None are genuine, unless signed on the Stamp with Mrs.
Johnson's own hand-writing, as there are several spurious sorts.

CinINIPSON'S ROYAL ELIXIR OF LlFE—This
1,3 Medicine, from its balsamic and restorative qualities, fully
merits the above name. It was originally prepared by a Physician
of the French Court for a late King of France.and the recipe having
been twrehaseel by the present Proprietor, is most faithfully adhered
to. For flatulence, Spasms, or Gout in the Stomach, its beneficial
effects are unrivalled, as it gives immediate relief in such cases ;
and no persons subject to those alarming complaints aught to be
without it. It promotes appetite, and gradually restores digestion
in cases of nervous debility, whether occasioned by a long resi-
dence in tropical climates, natural deficiency of energy in the
system, or from a too luxuriates mode of life; this Elixir will be
found (on a sufficient trial) a nester-failing restorative to tone and
vigour. Gentlemen who occasionally exceed the strict bounds of
temperance will, by taking a dose of this Elixir on retiring to rest,
exempt themselves from the usual uhydeasant effects of such t xceas
the following day. Thss medicines also used by distinguished
orators of the Senate, the Pulpit, and the Bar, as it revives the'!
frame and re..tores the voice when painful exhaustion is produced
by long declamation ; and at the same time is so perfectly innoceon,
that the most delicate females and chtleirermay take it without fear
or alteration of their accustomed habits.
It is se&a in Bottles at Us. each. including stamp, by J. V.
Simpson (acting proprietor),' No. 23, ILmr.etta-street, Covent-
garden, London ; at the Libraries rat most faattionable watering-
places and towns of public resort pd
: and by the principal naiciae
Venders throughout the United Kingdom.

lili7§oatcrroa-Owtetwa,L rose, but the noise occasioned by
' the carriages in the street wriest) great that his voice could scarcely
be heard. lie said he had the honour to appear before them in
support of the Commission which they had just heard read ; if he
I was compelled to raise his voice beyond the ordinary level, he
trusted that tl:ey would attribute it to necessity arising from the
noise which they then' heard; be did hope to have obtained the use
of Gray's-Inn Hall for their convenience, and he trusted that by
to-morrow he should be able to do so; they had heard what it
would be their duty to inquire into was, first, whether the Rev.
Ed.'Franks was of sound mind and understanding, (ir whether of
unsound mind and incapable of managing his own affairs ; and if
they found the latter, to state the time he became so; the latter
part of the inquiry, however, he (the Solicitor-General) thought
would be in the present ease totally immaterial, although his friend
3lr. Knight seemed to think that It was, because the period of time
would not at alt affect any question of tide, the verdict of that jury
could not make void any tieed of transfer of property by the lunatic.
Mr. 13110E011AM beef interrupted the Learned Solicitor, ob.
nerving, that by a recent. decision, the verdict of a jury under a
Commission of Lunacy bad been given in evidence, in order to in-
validate the transfer of property by a lunatic.
Mr. SOLICITOR-GENERAL resumed—He admitted that feet,
Gut of the propriety of such new law he would say nothing : and it
only extended to receiving the verdict of the Jury in support of the
presumption of the lunacy, and not as conclusive evidence of it.'
In order to their understanding of this case, it would be necessary
for him to go through a great portion of the-history of the life of the
gentleman, the State of whose mind was the unfortunate subject of,
their inquiry. but he would first trouble them with a few observe.
tions upon the law of the case. It is not necessary that in their.
verdict they should use the word lunatic : this was decided in the
case of a Mr. Cranmore, a gentleman In Essex. It was only ne-
cessary that they should come to a conclusion that the person of
whom they were to inquire was of unsound mind, and • unlit to.
manage his own affairs. In Mr. Cranmore's case, it was proved'
that lie was unlit to manage his own affairs, in consequence of an'
infirmness of mind arising from his advanced age, and that was
decided to be a sufficient case of lunacy. It was so held both
by Lords Erskine and Eldon, who were high authorities on this
subject. 'He (Mr. Solicitor. General) was Counsel in the case,
and he knew that it was carefully discussed by Lord Erskine,
who approached the subject with the skill of a lawyer and the
science of a metaphysician. What the law said, as applied to what
constituted a lunatic, was non con:por molar—lt least so it was
laid down in Coke, Littleton, and Blackstone. fie should relieve
them from any metaphysical discussion, or the claasification of cases,
and general opinion of medical men, and merely prove that this
individual was of such a state of mind as to be totally unable to
manage his own affairs. He would now briefly proceed to lay be.
fore them the materials whisk were to form his case. The Rev.
Mr. Franks was a clergyman of the Church of England, and was
descended from a very enema and respectable family in the
county of York ; he was possessed of a family property of 8,000/.
per annum, anti be had two lilies% one let Nods* and soother
its Suffolk, which were worth about 2001 per year, and he had a
large family, the cidestof which was Mr. Bacon Franks, for whom
Mr. Knight appeared—and when he hail related to the Jury
the facts, and the manner in which this Rev. Gentleman had con-
ducted both himself and his affairs, it would be for the Jury to say,
whether a gentleman, a clergyman, and a father of a family, could,
if in his senses, have so conducted himself. In the year 1800,
whilst a minor, lie married a Miss Sowerby ; and in the year 1812,
he :became possessed of his family estate. lie, in the interim,
chiefly resided at one of his vicansge houses at Shelton, in Norfolk ;
but in the year 1314, set up, by the desire of his wile, an establish-
ment in Yorkshire, he himself principally residing in Norfolk. In
the year 1815, the wife of Mr. Franks being then at York,
there appeared a wonderful performer, a man capable, he be-
lieved, of performing any character in any drama ; this gentle.
man's name was J. Dickinsou, but he was now called Dr. Dick.
bison ; where, however, he was diploroatised with his Doctorship,
be knew not—but such things were to be purchased, and probably
it had been so purchased with the mosey of the Rev. Mr. Franks
but a Doctor he certainly now was. About the year 1815, an ad.
vertisement appeared in the Doneastc*, Nottingham, and Lincoln.
hire Gazette' inserted by this Doctor Dickinson, in which he pro-
mised to cure all sorts of ruptures to which the human frame was
liable, and he offered his services to the nobility and gentry of the
neighbourhood. (The Learned Solicitor here read the advertise-
Ment, the reading of which excited some laughter.) Now it fre-
quently happened that those who undertook to cure ruptures, were
called in to cure persons who had no ruptures at all, except those
brought upon them by those who pretended to cute them ; whether
this was or was not the, case with Dr. Dickinson, however, he (the
Solicitor-General) did not know. The advertisement was dated
April, 1615, and this rupture Doctor was called in by the lady.
Whether she had a rupture or not he could not say, but two of the
children, Rodolphus and Aspinall, the youngest twelve years of
age, had a rupture, and tke Doctor was celled in to Campsel Hall
to cure them. Whether he got his degree of Doctor at Oxford or
Cambridge he could not say, but he would say who this man was
' ',hotted got complete possession of Mr. Franks, his wife, children,
and property. The woman was abandoned beyond all doubt. The
Doctor got into the house, and she wrote to her nueband at Shelton,
in Norfolk, several letters, praising and recommending the Doctor
in the strongest terms. She described him as a man who for 401. a
year had performed the medical duties of the family. In another
letter she wrote that he lived with her in Camped Hall, where she
was quite raptured with him, And there the most barefaced adultery
was practised. In 1817, kir. Franks being ill in Norfolk, she went
with the rupture Doctor to attend him, and there die adulterous
iutercource watcontinued. She afterwards wrote letters of the most
obsccee description to her husband, and the Jury might have
these if they thought proper. She wrote one letter to her husband,
inviting him to commit fornication. " As for Maria, I dare say
you work her plsguily hard, but pay her liberally." This was in
1815, while she is carrying on an adulterous intercourse in York.
shire. Ile would not say, that because a man was was profligate
he was mad, but lie would ask them what they thought of the mind
of a man who would receive such letters from his wife ? The case
of Lord Audley, in the reign of Charles 11, was one in point as to
the character of profligacy being distinct from madness, for there
the grossest abominations were practised from a mere spirit of
wickedness ; but where they found a man carrying on, as the Rev.
Gentleman had done, and had suffered others to practise on him—
a man who conducted himself unbecoming the character of a
Christian—a clergyman, or any other man—ht was impossible that
they could not sec the real state of his mind. He never saw letters
like them, and it was impossible that a woman writing such could
believe him to be in his senses. In 1616, Mr. Franks was, beyond
all doubt, as confirmed a madman as any one confined in St.
Luke's. The fringe of a petticoat or (tonnes—the mere colour was
enough to take his fancy—nay, be would think that the lawn
sleeves of Dr. Bathurst• in the Cathedral church at Norwich,
were those of a lady. In 1817, lie made a deed of separation,
and parted with his wife, and wrote a letter to a friend saving,
that he would never live with her again. Hut in 1821, he
lived with her again; and to complete the disgrace tenfold, he
consented, in the year 1825, to continue the Doctor as a friend
and insimate member in the family. In 1617 Mr. Franks as-
sumed the tone of reason, and settled some property on his
family and in 1818 he wrote to his sister `' that his wife was themoet
abandoned woman in the world, living with that most impudent,
swearing, low-lifed fellow Dr. Dickinson ;" but in the year 1821 he
went to live with her. What would they say of the intellect of wit'
a man ? Wu he sane for one moment. After 1821, he want;
to Wintitorpe. near Newark, where he lived In a cottage with
her and the doctor. There she put on a white sheet--a robe
of purity, and looked ;he Fair Penitent, but not in penance, al-
though her husband forgave her ; and he lived in an inn, while
she and the Doctor lived in the cottage, pigging together.
Mt. Bao voltam here wished the witnesses might retire ; which
was agreed to.
The Cum' Coat anactosea said that no member of tbe fa-
mily had occasion to retire.
Mr. BROUGIIAK—Of course no member of the family could to
here to bear their mother called

The Cu ter Co at 1:19S1 Eg—Mr. Franks himself may remain.
Bnouotutse--Oh, itia lopossible that he can be nem—
qui te impossible.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL then continued to ,at tail othrr cir-
cumonnees of a similar nature.

Adjcuntd to this

Mr. Sparkes, the husband of the lady against whom the corr.
plaint was made, here stepped forward and said, that he appealed
with Miss Smith to substantiate the charge against his wife.
The Magistrate expressed his surprise that a husband should at-
tend against his wife for that purpose. It was not a little extraw-
dinary, he said, that Mr. Sparkes, a married man, should ttst-ott a
maiden lady about to prayer meetings in preference to bit wile.
Mr. Sparkes assured the Magistrate that Nothing of a nor -rat
nature had ever taken place between him and Miss Smith, although
his wife and some of the ill.natured neighbours had propagated 4„.
report that such had been the case. He had suffered severely tr•
consequence of attending Miss Smith to Meeting, for Letwas at.
tacked by a number of persons some days ago, after leaving chapel:
hustled off on their shoulders, thrown into a horse pond, :orl at.
terwarda dragged through it until he was half dead. He was con.
vinced the outrage was planned by hie wife, in one of her toad tts,
for the purpose of being revenged upon him, for attending tte
young lady to chapel who Dow applied for a warrant. Mr. Sparkes
added, that he new attended in order to give evidence at to his
having seen Miss Smith assaulted by Mrs. Sparkes, as well :s to
give an account of his having been flung into the horse.pand.
The Magistrate advised Miss Smith not to take the warrant cat
on account of the exposure that would be likely to take place in a
public office, particularly if the wife was charged by her hpsbeco.
Ma Sparkes.---But what am Ito do ? I ■hall get thrown ic :a
the horse.pond again if something is not done to pret.tent at..
Msoisrunce—Take your wife, instead of Miss Smith. to
Meeting, and I'll be bound you'll not be ducked.
Mr. Sparkes said, that he thought it a very hard case that he
could not take whom he pleased to chapel without running-the Lite,
of the borae.nond.
Miss Smith also thought it extremely hard that the should nos
accompany whom she pleased to chapel, or clttewhete. without-hav-
ing the clothes torn off her back ; indeed she cosh! nut thick of
allowing such conduct to pan with impunity.
The Magistrate perceiving Miss Smith, and her alms, Mr.
Sparkes determined on bringing the whole of it befire the public,
granted a warrant against the wife of the latter.
Mr. Snakes and Miss Smith then withdrew. evidently weld
pleased with the success of their application.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCr.

TATTERsALL'S—MoxnAy, Ate. 1.

The attendance of beavy betters was very good, 4:11 business
was done to a large amount. Altisidora and Cleveland have cha, sect
places, the former being backed against the latter at 6to 5. I 1
D. betted 1.700 to 100 against Cleveland, two cr three t.met. * X
thing was done on the Derby or Oaks.

51`. LSOIR.
3to 1 agst Memnon 2a. to o I agst 11:1'..ntitss
7 to 1 agst Alderman 25 to 1 apt llcniti
8 to 1 agst Redgauntlet 30 to 1 apt Partime.
16 to 1 agst Altisidora 30 to 1 apt Trincu•ci
16i to 1 apt Cleveland 33 to 1 apt Mownltidt
IR to I apt Adt:y 30 to I apt Brigani.. . '
23 to 1 apt Whisker
The great trotting match of 10 miles between Capt.in .3,!'w.i!c: 'is
gr. ni. Philip, and Mr. It. U. Osbaldeston's famous rim ,se Pope.
took place at day-break yoterday morning, over Ashlea Ilia's, 0.,
two miles, for a stake et' 300 sovereigns. Pope is the krse thaz
trotted three miles in three minutes and three second?, ti::: 100:.. •
short time since ; and he was bucked to win this catch at 5 to 4.
Allison, Esq. of Royston, was umpire for both; i.i d the icatcra
was done as follows, with six stone on the back of t..,.,..--
m. 5.

Pope, ht mlle -
2d
_ _ -

- 330 The blare
3 42 -
-♦ 2 -
. 4SO -
4 1 -

AU IS

Last five miles - ?S 4U •

3.

4 14
414
si

7444
23 H

Total - 42 65 ' '43 44
This was as fine a race sever was run, and rlt-, harm broke 1010
a gallop once each.
---.--

root e, Jct.v '2S.—On Saturday, a very a Dew ti",:g,
the James Itylev, was launched from the yard of Wil;s,
Cherrett, and Wills. At the same time way -istunchtd,
froth the docks of R. Slade, Req., the' lelegnAchsa,
which has been lately repaired, anti arolderabry
eyed.