The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-07-15 00:00:00

SCOTCH NOTES.

It is rumoured that the Scottish hankers intend to with.
draw their supply of paper from their agents in the North
of England immediately, instead of waiting the termina-
tion of the three years allowed. Whether this operation
results from prudence or from pique we know not, nor is
it material to inquire. It is enough for us to know, that
a few individuals have it in their power, whenever it
consists either with their interest or their caprice, to rul-
vance or to reduce the money value of ail commodities;
and thus to make every species of revenue, whether na-
tional or individual, uncertain in its amount. And know-
ing this, it ought to be the desire of the public, as it is the
duty of the Legislature, speedily to change such a monstrous
system. Over the paper issues of private banks Govern-
ment can scarcely exercise any direct control ; but
we hesitate not to say, that the maximum and mini-
mum of the issues of the Bank of England ought
to be fixed by law. Of the propriety of this opinion
we think no person can entertain any doubt, who has
seen Mr. Mushet's table, exhibiting at various periods
the amount of Bank of England paper, and the prices
of the public securities. No doubt whatever can be
entertained that the Directors of the Bank may, if they
please, by the easy operation of increasing or diminishing
their average issues, by one or two millions, place them-
selves in a situation of absorbing any quantity of the pub-
he wealth, which they might choose to appropriate to them-
selves. All that they would have to do, would be for
them to become buyers or sellers of funds, land, or any
thing eke, according as they had predetermined to contract
or extend their issues. We do not say that the Directors
of the Bank avail themselves of such power; but ought
any body of men to be tempted wiih it? And all the
world knows—aye, all the world, for these Directors have
deranged the money affairs of all the world, and covered it
with bankruptcy—that in their ignorance they have dcne as
much mischij as it was possible for them to have pro-
duced corruptly.—Curlisie Journal.

LENGTH OF PAR, lAMENTS.-It appears that from the
accession of Henry Vlll. to the death of George 111., we
had sixty-five Parliaments, and that of these only four ex-
ceeded seven years in their duration, and only eight had a
duration of six years ; no more than six lasted above five
years ; two above four, two above three, and nine above
two years ; and the remaining thirty-four did not any of
them reach to the extent of two years. Taking one Par-
liament with another, the duration of each, including the
Long Parliament in the reign of Charles I. and the still
onger of Charles 11., did not exceed two years.
HORRID DESPAIR—ATTEMPT AT SUICIDE BY
A person named Ponthieu was tried at Nantes for arson.
The circumstances of this affair were interesting. The
prisoner was of highly respectable family and connexions,
but from various causes, among which was a law-suit, he
' was living in such extreme poverty as to be frequently
without food for two or three days together. On the 19th
of February last, his antagonist in the law-suit having ob-
tained a judgment against him, the gene d'arines were sent
to his house to execute it. They attempted to get an en-
trance quietly, representing that they had merely a let-
ter to eeliver ; but finding him resolved to keep the door
shut, they made preparation for bursting it open, and
were effecting an entrance, when the prisoner set fire to
some faggots which were in the house, and endeavoured
to burn that and himself. He was with great difficulty
rescued from the flames. The house being tnortgara,
the person who had advanced the money had the paisoar
indicted for " arson, with intent to defraud the mortgagee
of his interest." The Jury deliberated for some time, and
then acquitted the prisoner.

_ "treir
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PARTIES.
The Duke of Beaufort entertained • distinguished party at
dinner yesterday, at his house in Oroscenor-square.
The Dowager Marchioness of Salisbury had a grand assembly on
Thursday evening, at her house in Arlington-street, which was at-
tended by upwards of NO of the haat tux, among whom were, the
Duchesses of Wellington and Richmond ; the Marchionesses of lien-
old, Advisory, Winchester. Lothian, and Iluntly ; the Countess
dClare and Lady ibegibbon ; the Countesses of Essex and Lona-
dale ; the dlarchioncss of Palmella, Countess Ludolf, Baron
cetto, Count :Unlike, La Cesae Leon Rasounioffsky, Lady
Elizabeth and Miss Palk, Lady Mary and she two Misses Petre.
Lady Caroline and Miss Barham, Lord St. Helen's, Lady Elisa-
beth Monck, Lady De Clifford, Lady Eleanor Lowther, Lady
Caroline Paulet, Lady Deering, Lady Tancred, Lady Aleck,
Lady Lambert, Admiral and the two Misses Sotheby, Sir Wit-
liam Burroughs, Colonel Watley, Colonel Walpole, Colonel and
the two Misses Strutt, Dr. and Miss Wellesley, Mr. and Alm.
Panther, Mr. Mrs. and Miss Lloyd, Captain Estridge, Mr. and
Mrs. Dranshaw, 3lessrs. Odes, faylor, Dim-mond, Rowell,
Sebright, Trasdale, Sapte ; Mesdames Hoare, B. King,
Russell, &e.
The Earl of Mansfield entertained a large party at thinner yester-
day, at his seat. Caen Wood. In the evening her Ladyship had a
concert and petit simper.
Lord Berwick hail a grand party at dinner yesterday, at his house
in Bryanston-square.
Lord Carrington had a dinner party yesterday, at his house,
Whitehall.
O. (.7. Hopkinson, Esq. Regent-street, and C. 11. Cox, Esq.
Ormwenor-place, ha. yesterday grand dinner parties.

MOVEMENTS.
The Earl and Countess of Pembroke and family left town yes-
terday, for their scat, Wilton House, Wilts.
The Earl and Countess Cavan have left town, fur Cheltenham.
Lord Cranlcy has left town, for his seat in Surrey.
Lord and Lady Nugent have arrived at Stowe, Bucks, from C eir
seat, LiHeys.
Lady Arde i arrived yesterday at her house in St. James's-place,
from Caßretton Rectory. Stoney Stratford.
The Hon. Attar and Lady Georgina Ellis left town yesterday,
for the Earl of Essex's seat, ('aphiobury Park.
Mr. and BIM Dawson left town yesterday, for their seat, St.
Leo-uud's Hill, near Windsor.
Arrivals at the St. James's Hotel, Jermyn-strect :—The Earl of
Blihown, from Newmarket; Mrs. and Miss Ford Bowes, front
Barton Rectory, Bedfordshire.
Arrivals at the Burlington Hotel, Old Burlington and Cork-
streets.—The Rev. Mr. Scott, front Shropshire ; the Rev. Mr. Ser-
gimn, from Sussex.
Departures from the Brunswick Hotel, Jermyn-street. (late
Blake's): —The Earl and Countess of Kenmare and Miss Will-
num. for Worthing; be Chevalier Pederson, Mrs. and3liss Peder.
san, for the Cont:nl t.
Arrivals at the Royal Hotel. St. Jarnees-street:—Sir H. Askew
rum) a tour; J. Page, Esq. from Holly Hill ; Johnson, Esq.
from a tour. Deyarturest--Sir 11. Forte, for Southampton.

The Duke of York took an airing in his chariot on
Wednesday afternoon through St. dames's-park, where his
Royal Highness viewed the building erecting for his fu-
ture residence, &c. Sir Herbert Taylor, his Royal High-
nesi's Military Secretary, did not transact military business
with the Royal Duke yesterday, on account of Sir Herbert
having appointed to hold a levee at his office in the Horse
Guards.
On Thursday and yesterday the Duke of York rode out
on horseha ck.
The D• lee anal Duchess of Clarence removed on the
th inst. from Ens to Holstein.
The Duchess of Gloucester entertained the Princess
ugusta and a select party at dinner yesterday, at Glouces-
r House, Park-lane.
The Earl of Westmorland transacted business yesterday
at alie Foreign Office.
Yesterday the Bishop of London transacted business at
the Secretary of State's Office for the Home Department.
Thursday evening, about seven o'clock, Mr. Havilanal,
the King's Messenger, arrived at the Foreign Office, in
Downing-street, with despatches from Sir Henry Welles-
ley, the British Minister at Vienna. Some importance
was attached to the despatches, from their being sent off
by a special %melt er to Mr. Secretary Canning, at Mr.
Planta's house, at Fanlight, near Hastings.
Yesterday despatches were received at the Colonial Office,
from Quebec.
Lady Wellesley, the wife of the English Ambassador at
Vienna, and her suite, arrived at Brussels in the evening
of the sib July, from London.
Sta Wat.rse Score —The first delivery of M. Gasse-
lin's new edition of Sir Walter Scott's works, in 18mo. has
appeared in Paris, and does much credit to the French
editor. This delivery contains Tales of my Landlord, Tar e
Black Dwarf, and Old Mortality. It is accompanied by
a fac-simile of the following letter of Sir Walter Scott to
the translator, denying that he is the author.

T 0 Y. DiFAUCONPNET. LONDON.

Sri—l am favoured with your letter, which proceeds on the
erroneous supposition that I am the author of Waverley and the
other Novels and Tales which you have translated into French.
But as this proceeds on a mistake, though a very general one, I
have no title whatsoever either to become a party to any arrange-
ment in which that author or his works may be concerned. or to
accept the very handsome compliment which you design for him.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
Edinburgh, April 1S,182(1. WALTER SCOTT.
ITALIAN AND SCANISII lIRTUGREIL—.-WC are happy to
find that the destitute condition of these unfortunate re-
fugees is not forgotten, and that a fancy ball is to be given
for their benefit, on Thursday mitt, at Vauxhall Gardens.
The cause fur which they became expatriated is so much
the cause of England, that we have no doubt that the as-
smnblage will be at once numerous and splendid. The
preparations for the fete are on a most extensive and mag-
nificent scale. _ _

Sadler's Wells has brought Newmarket to London, and
will soon bring all London to Islington. The rational
amusements of the stage, including a correet representation,
founded on the melo.tlraine of Carl, and followed by a
romance called The Red Man and the Savage, and the bur-
letta of The Veterans (both from the pen of T. Dibdin), li
have been nightly honoured with most brilliant and un-
equivocal tokens of approval. Mrs. Fitzwilliam in Carl,
Campbell in Rohm°, Miss Healey in Vespina, almost
led us to suppose we were at Covent-garden ; while Ori-
maldi's fun in the Savage (who narrowly escaped death in
Wednesday's terrific combat with Payne), Lancaster,
Wyatt, Williams, and indeed all in the succeeding pieces,
t dmirably kept up the illusion. The races, which com-
mence the sports of the evening, have daily attracted
tke public: •
" As if 'amass of appetite
Had grown by what it fed en ;"
and as a grand Juvenile Fete is to be given on Wednes-
di y, and the King's Plate to be run for in honour of the
Coronation, with illuminations and brilliant fireworks, ;t
tray be easily anticipated that a still further display of
pt blie patronage will reward the liberal spirit of the pro-
p.ietors, in providing so expensively for the town's amuse-
wt

OUNTY OF MONAGHAN ELECTION.-Du Er. CETW CEN

CI L. MADDEN AND YR. WESTENRA.—There has been,
fen some time, a controversy carried on be twcen the leading
gentlemen of the two parties, Orange and Liberal, which
t:itide this county; it has originated in the publication of
con flicting statements of the circumstances attending the
riot which took place in Monaghan at the commencement of
the election. 'the result of this controversy has been a
end between Mr. Westenra, the newly-elected Member,
und Col. Madden. These gentlemen having met in the jury
room (they were both on the panel for the county grand
jury), an altercation occurred, which produced an imme-
tiate message. The parties fought on Monday. Mr. Wes-
tenra was attended by Edward Lucas, Esq. as his second ;
end Colonel Madden by Major Irwin. On the first fire,
Colonel Madden was grazed in the body by the ball of Mr.
Westenra • and Mr. Westenra was himself wounded, but
t seriously, in the lower part of the leg. It is much to
I e feared the affair will not terminate here.— Bub/im Morn-
ing Past.
John Blagrave, a distinguished mathematician, on leas.-'
in.! Oxford, lived chiefly at his mansion in Reading ; and
at his death, in 1611, amongst other charities, left the ful-
!owing one:-101. to be thus annually disposed of; on
good Friday, the churchwardens of each of the three pa-
ishes of Reading to send to the Town-hall " one virtuous
maid, who has lived five years with her master ; there in
the presence of the Magistrates, the three to throw dice for
the 11,1. The losers are returned with a fresh one the year
following, and again the third year, till each has had three
chances for 101.'.