The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-10-22 00:00:00

LITERARY NOTICES.

3. The liewnit in Edinburgh ; or, Sketches of Mennen nod rag
Characters and Scenes in the Drains of Life. In duet raL
fgt. _ .

This work far exceeds the other Hermits of the day, io.
r.smuch as real 'diameters and actual scenes in the &milk
capital fill its pages. It is a common opinion, that it is
continuation of former c !chesty] publications by the Ms.
deers Spectator, whilst it is positively asserts by some
that the witty satirist starts here for the 'lrst time io tEe
field of criticism. Whoever he be, the work is a tog
amusing publication ; its satire gliding on the swift Ring'
of light wit and good humour, lashing without personality.
and exciting mirth without malice. li'hat adds greath
the interest of the work, is its embracing a lapse of twes'
years up to the present day, and depicting all the diyesayi
characters and scenes during that period, the dramatis pep.
sorra. being not only the fixtures of the city, but the Va.
and gayer births of passage, who have visited the Seetti:
metropolis during that space of time. The King's visit to
Scotland is a prominent and very capital feature in it.

11. The Beauties of Modern Literature. in Verse and Prom re
which is prefixed. a preliminary View of the Literature or the
Age, 1:y M. 3l•Dermot, Faq. Author of a Critical Dieser.),
tion on Taste. In one volume Cvo. 14a.

This work comprehends the spirit of English literarom
throughout the year Ira; its contents, comprising* iv
ricty of interesting and very diversified sulljtets, .‘ from
grave to gay, from lively to severe," accompanied with
critical remarks by the Editor. As a parlour window aroy
post-chaise companion, calculated to improve and expand
the mind, it will be found Most excellently well adapted.
The preliminary essay, which extends through a hundred
pages, is evidently, the production of a mind of very can.
siderahle talent and acquirements, and fully illustrative of
the writer's proposition, that there is no 'reject which a
writer of genius takes up, on which he cannot exercise ell
the genius of which he is master. The remarks en met.
position, as well as on the literature of the age, are very
pertinent and judicious.

111. Wolsey the Cardinal, and his Times, Courtly, Political. ad
EeclesiasticaL By George Howard, Esq. Author of Icci
Jane Grey and her Times. Illustsated with a Portrait ad
Autograph of the Canlinal, and numerous Cuts. 164.

The subject of this volume is a memorable instance of
the instability of human grandeur. Mr. Howard's object
has been to compile such a life of Wolsey as should rein
principally to personal biography, and to the peculiar cus-
toms and manners of the times.

Under this view of the subject, the pomp and splendor
of the Cardinal's establishment; his insolence in prosperitr
and his pusillanimity in adversity, u matters of historitil
interest, are well detailed, and furnish much curious Mil-
mation. ‘Vorks of the kind before us (it is well observed
in the last number of the Gentleman's Allahm:ine) are ex-
cellently fitted to supply the defects in history, where s
leading personage may not hive his proper share of distinc-
tion, and the result he much the same as spoiling a drama
by curtailing the acts and speeches of the principal charac-
ter. Another contemporary (the Critical Gazette) says,
" Mr. Howard has depicted Wolsey exactly as we think
he was. In the several stages of his progress, and onward
to his decline, fall, and death, the heart and mind of this
singular 111311 arc figured to us in perhaps the best of ail
pouible ways—in his demeanour and actions." There is
another particular also, in which this work has an essential
value; namely, in reconciling some chronological discre-
pancies, arising from the difh.rent modes of notation trail
by the earlier antialits.
. .

Of the splendor of %Volsey's establishment sonde ids
will be formed, as well as of the state of the times, idt
the fact that his " cht ine roll" comprised upwards of eight
hundred persons, of all ranks, including nine or ten pens,
or sons of peers, fifteen knights, and forty esquires; he
then it must be stated that these latter were not considered
as domestics, but as friends who resided in his family r:tier
for education and knowledge of the world, or for state NS'
poses, merely adding to tide show on days of ceresoay.
Three boards were daily spread in his hall, wherever he
might be resident : at the head of the first sate a priest, i
the office of a steward ; at the head of the second a knight,
as treasurer; and at the third an esquire, who was alswyt
comptroller of the household.
The volume, sludge:her, possesses much interest.

ROBBERY OF THE MAIDSTONE BANE PARCEL.

This robbery is a strong proof of the want of vigilanceupon the
part of those who transmit property of this description to &frets=
places.
It appears that five thieves, who are well known in London to
he adepts in the lower order of dishonesty, to ha stealers of Ina-
boxes, watches, and pocket-handkerchiefs, without using violence,
went down to a fair somewhere in the neighbourhnod of 3laidstone,
to shake the countrymen. After having done a little business
amongst the flats of Kent, they took places on the outside of the
coach which was to leave 3laidatone on Tuesday morning at lies
o'clock. As is customary upon occasions of travelling amooge
thieves, they formed different parties. and appeared to be strangers w
each other. The coach was filled iaside with gentlemen of Maid-
stone, of well-known respectability. Just before the time of de-
parture, which was accidentally protracted for half an hour, a gen-
tleman who was in the coach-office observed the parcel of Mown
Edmonds and Co. on the counter, and remarked to others in the off:*
that it was an instance of extraordinary negligence to leave sack
valuable property as bank notes exposed to passers by, and that
if any of the London thieves were near, they were supplied with a
most tempting opportunity to enrich themselves. It stappened that
some of the London thieves were present at the moment, and they
took the unintended hint. The thing was to be done in a moment et
not at all. They were sip ditions and dec'sive inaheir measures.
Three of them got upon the coach, and *pretended quarrel about the
!teats took place, which threatened something serious. The book-
keeper (the only person belonging to the office near the pareti)vil
loudly called upon to decide the dispute. He ran out to the gets
tleman with his book in his hand, leaving behind him on the coats
ter the very thing which was the object of the disputants. die
terference speedily settled the difference, but he did it at tiled*
pence of the parcel, for upon his return to the office the back-notes
and securities had disappeared, and with them one at the gentle•
men who had engaged the outside seats. A noise of course was tm•
mediately made about the robbery, and one of the gang was search-
ed, but the scheme was too judincusly laid, for he who undo-
went the search had coerced the retreat of his companion who had
the parcel. In the confusion of the business suspicion fell urn s
gentleman, who immediately itabenitted to he searched. The vs-
trisance was so well executed that the man who got hold of the
swag was not suspected until his seat was thund to be vacant.
We are happy to state that the stolen parcel, should it be ir-
recoverably gone. will not (although the notes and securities amuust
to between 13,0011. and 14,000/4 be a very serious loss to the
bank. There are, we are given to understand, no more than thief
or four hundred pounds in the wholes, which can be convertible to
the use of the thieves. The numl•ers of most of the Bank of Esc-
land notes are known, end it is rawer a difficult matter to weed
upon the f (oft s to purchase swig of this kind, on account of the
great activity of the police, and the length of time which it is
necessary to keep stolen notes beihra an attempt can be safely tusk
to send them into circulation.
A well-known fence was taken in some time ago, imosedissel!
after the robbery of the banker's porter. from whose pocket a pant,
containing 2,91101., was cut at the corner of Shoe-lane. Fleet-atm'
Those stolen notes were hawked shout the fewer market fee some
time, and offered for 2,000/. The hiesit sum bid for sterol
days was 1,•200/. but the noise about them giving place to °the,
subjects, the offers began to improve. At last 1,8001. was ottilti
and accepted. The thieves, of whom there are siz in the gall•
divided this sum, which Am alter* been tossed away in delhi'
tion amongst them, and the intivilaser is already tired of his is.
gain, for the notes are, msny of them, of a large amount. and IN
difficulty of circulating them securely Is of course consitlea!
greater than if they were small notes.

BIRTH.
At Stratford-green, Essex, on the 19th instant, the )ady.e
Wilma] Jones, Esq., of liellygynan, in Denbighshire. et
daughter.

MARRIED
On Saturday last. at Kingston, Hampshire, William E. Gm,.
land, Esq. of the Excise Office, Broad-stree,, to Elizabeth Hamer,
daughter of William Jenkins, Etl. of the Navy Pay-office, Purr.
mouth.
On the 19th inst. at Stroud. Joseph Cripps, Esq. of Stratton, in
the County of Gloucester, eldest son of Jostlth Cripps, Esq.
to Elizabeth Anne, onlf daughter of Richard Cooke, Esq. of Loaf'
more, in the same County.
At the Mauritius, on the 16th of June last, Captain Alarshall,d
the 321 Regiment, to Mary, daughter of James Harvey, Evil.
Ardwick.grecn, near Manchester.

DIED.
On the 19th instant, at Wimbledon, Elizabeth, second dull&
ter of the late Thomas Dervey, Esq. of Belmont, nears.
Barnet.
On the lath inst. the Rev. John Currey, Vicar of Dartford•
Kent, aged W. _

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