The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-12-29 00:00:00

advocate for matrimony : pray, why have yon not
taken unto thyself a wife ? 1)0 not reenii>4 ins of
my MusfortUile, Madatel,-Itaid I : it was never my
happiness to engage the eifections of any Logy of
suitable rpialineatinu4. Well, mid she, tumor men
have strange luck : [leaven he praised that women
are tiai well off, in the way of Orris, th it they an-
on! jueldiest its snipping every adventurer. Stu- then
bridled up, shook her heed sigMlicatitly, which event
to say, e. have refused noire that; elle." 111011411
110ulat If she ever had a lair legitimate proposal in
life. %Vet loaid Mow Caroline Matilda, the yonageirt
of the opiarleflo, who might be shout 40, I hare an
exalted oritinu of Nino' Rosebud's mind and aeciiins
plishments, though, to he stir-, she (lora read stitch
trash of novels, and will dibble in poetry : rod tulip
plays delightfully on the piano, said ; dint
then Bishop has been instructing tier for On yelre,
and her practice has hero wooderbel. She has
• charming complexion, observed illiss Budget ;
hut the other day 1 saw her maid buying some
India paper, covered with carmine ; it trig a little
suspicious. hut, Lilies, said I, to the graces of
the permit' put lose sight of her virtue., lire dui-
ray. her amiable. temper. Ilow often litter I met
her ell a cold frosty •iistig, when the drizzling
siert had tiumb'd her feattirer, making 1... r way
to the abode of misery amt wretch-ttoris—s&.ding
succour and consolation to the lawr aoll helpless—
protecting the widow and cherishing the orpliair---
and performing such deeds of charity and useful-
ness as 'outwit, Itippilie,s here and immortality
hereafter; and sheds, over a leorrly CI, 1111 l rounce,
ray yet more lovely owl beneficent. U. ye., I ad-
mit, said Miss Badger, she is very charitilde--she
belongs to the Soup Muetety and the Orphan Asy-
lum—she is very active ; but, bless you, she never
gives a 'billing out of her own pocket. I rose
from my seat, and found that I could "mike 110-
Item; of these old maid--sit 1 entreated thr yetlitg
tubas to play " Love's Young Uremia," fur their
ainelenteid.

Moine will Fay, that it it not charitable to ridicule
Old maids. 'rhea,. in all prolltiltihiy, their avuotioti
a the re.ttlt of Lite or fortutir—liot it 1r0.14 to too
opt conclusions, or rather suggestion., winch are,
to marry when o oecorion irre.eht, without
waiting for bttler prospects ; au,l if it should so
lioppris that luny c liana in hre rrntauss an.
changed, bear it with !,aurae.. Anil Wither, u!il
maids should be iircoli4rly
spleortic " rinhigtions KivloKs
out," or trtorethle fretilige, In-c.itise, its all ebiell
carer. It is stir:holed to IA riortOrii f I bury.
winch' is ‘oppubc.4l to product inulier,
oud 'cond.!. floWsou.

11,. 11 PIO N
PRESENTED TO THE HOUme OF COMMONg.

PErliiON TPIII Str. or BRItTOL.
AGAINSC TID ULASPHKVIOUS 1.111E1.% BILL

A Petition of several Booksellers anal Printers of
the City of Brietid, was preseirterf, and read ;
tug forth, that the Petitioners hese beheld with the
greatest grief rod COLeerll the extensive cereal itiaii
of Seditious nod ibissp.irinows I. 6,14, alai that they
tiot.ripite that Partiltneitt in its a' whom -di
Ter a 'rowdy for the ; yet they ate under Pe-
rmits alarm and appreliesi. at the provisions ul
Bill now under cue.iderai ion of the !louse, tutitulrd,
" An Act for the more 'Arrow,' preveistiiiii and
pwistslititeir of iflasidiemous aria Seitiollar
SU fir all It it proposed that it should lie theirhiy
enacted, that if any person dial!, alter the
of dist Act, be legitily Convicted of li.tring coos-
twsed, printed, or published Hoy Blasphemous Li-
bel, or any sod> Seditious 1..bel :is therrW ini•issioaw
ed, and shall, after being co convicted, wireisil as
second tithe, and be thereof leg illy convicted,
such person way, out a secoi.d ad-
judged, at the discretion of the Court, eit!or to
stiffer such punislioneeit as may nose by taw Ise iii-
fbeird its cases of high pinolettirunutp. or to hr
banished front the. United Kingdom and tall tither
parts of Ins Ilajest)'s doeni tttttt is, for euch ti-riti as
the Court, iii which such contiction shall *Ae
place, sh.tll taller ; sat to be trampurted to such
place as Ile appointed la lit Alvjeszy for the
traityportatiois of off;aideis, lair soy tern' suit ex-
cretliiig yews; sad that it iihoulit
be further enacted, that if ally tares:der, who sti.sli
br to ordered by MI such C t as aforerivid,
to be banished or transported in moonier aforreatil.
ehall be afterwards at large within any part of
the United Kingdom, or sissy other part of his
Majesty's dote. without Point lawful cause,
belore the expiration of the term for which sod, of-
fender shail hare been so ordered to be banished or
traiisporttd as aforesaid, evesy such offender being
so at large as aforesaid, being therefore lawfolly
convicted, shell ouffer death, as in caves of felony,
arisionst benefit of clergy. Now the Petitioners
humbly mehavit to the Hume, that the pool-Inured
it traitsportatiou and of death are punieliments
applicable only to frimites and offences so specific
and certain in their stature at to exclude the coin-
astissmo thereof throogii ignorance or inadvertroce,
and necessarily to include the evil intent tat the fe-
lonious or illegal act ; butt that the offence of
libel is nut specific and certain, nod is incapable
of being rendered previously certain by any spe-
cific definition ; and that Libels, inay br. and
frryuctilly are published by persons having no
community of intention with the authors or t 0111.
posers thereof, and being, front the iisture of '
their bissisiess, necessarily unacquainted with
the contents or probable effect ul the same;
and that questions of Libel, bath in law awl
fact. are determined by a Jtaiy on the present.
lion thereof, aid that the verdict of -a Jury upon a
trial is the sole criterion of judgment us to the legal
or illegal nature and effect of is publication ;
and that such verdicts depending owno individual
opinion air always uncertain, Nod fretpicidly con-
tradictory„ in so far flint the authors and compose's,
mud first publishers of political and other publica-
tions. have in some instances been acquitted upon
',martian's, for Libel, and imiasequent venders, no
way concerned in the printing or first publishing
thereof, hate been convicted by different Juries for
the publication of the same Libels, and puestobed
upou mach conviction by filie and imprisoneneut ;
and that a verdict of acquittal on a psosecutioso for
Libel, whereby the publication coniplaiued of is
declared, is the spoon of the Jury, to be ni-
ne:lees, does not legitimist. the continued sole
thereof, but that the Sense defeudatit is subject to
peasecution fee inehraelueepaetit act of publication