The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-04-24 00:00:00

FASHIONABLE INTELLIGENCE.

Lord and Lady Cwydyr had a dinner party yesterday at their
house in Piccadilly.
The thichcas a Northumberland has issued cards of invitation
for her first grand rout on Thursday, the 6th May, at Northuruber.
lam! House.

Mrs. Wm. Fremantle will give a rout on the 30th inst., at her
house in Stanhope-street, May-fair.
The lion. Wm. Booth Grey entertained a distinguished party
at dinner yesterday, at his house in Grosvenor-street.
The Earl of Arran had a select dinner party yesterday at his
house in Dover-street; in the evening her Ladyship had a card
party.
The Duchess of Gloucester had a large party of fashionable, on
Thursday evening, at Gloucester !louse, Park.lane.
The Igarquis of Bundy arrived on Thursday at his new resi-
dence in Lower Grosvcnor-street. from Kimbolton Castle; her
Ladyship and fatally are expected in a few days.
Countess de Grey arrived yesterday at her house in St. James's-
square, from her scat, l'ultency licath.
Sir Charles and Lady Long have left town for their scat, Brom-
ley-hill. Kent.
Lord Francis Osborne has arrived in town from his scat, Maids
Morton, Bucks.
Capt. D'Actli, R.N. left B'arren's Hotel, Regent-street, yes-
tenlay, for Kent.
Mrs. Fitzlierbert has arrived at her house in Tilney-street, from
Brighton.
Rev. Mr. Crewe has arrived at his house in Park-street, from
Cl.eshire.

f.nnl Sidney has left town, for his seat, Frognall, Kent.
The Earl and Countess of Scarborough and family have arrived
at their house in Portman-square, from their seat in Yorkshire.
Capt. Hutchinson left town yesterday for Itelvoir Castle.
Arrivals at the Royal Hotel, St. James's-street:—Mr. and Mrs.
Garnett and family, from Manchester; the Hon. S. Barnwell,
from Paris; Robert Stewart, Esq. from Oxford; J. Page, Esq.
f his seat, Kent ; (apt. Stewart, 15th hussars, from Lord Grant-
ley's seat, Weiner's!), Surrey. Departures:—The Hon. P. Twisle-
ton, for Ramsgate ; Robert Noel, Esq. for his seat in Surrey ; D.
Barclay, Esq. for his scat in Surrey ; Mr. and Mrs. Williamson
and family, for Paris; and A. Newton, Esq. for Southampton.
Departures from Read's lintel, bower Grosvenor-street :—Capt.
and Mrs. Hc,tir, for Bath ; James Maule, 1:n. fur Paris; and
Capt. Platt, B.N. for Piirstilouth.

P.IRI S.

Irnom OUR CO-RMESPONDENT.I

PARIS, APRIL 20.

The bold measure of the Finance Minister, in reducing
lea rents one-filth, has excited a strong sensation here, and
occupies the public mind to the exclusion of every other
subject. You will perceive by the French papers the
manner in which this measure was received by certain
Members of the Chambers: it confirms the discontent of
many, and creates the resentment of more; but the 1,/tm
party is too strong for any Opposition to raise its voice
with any hope. No Ministers could ever wish to be sup-
ported by a party of more devoted and submissive ad-
herents then the present. The majority receive the law
from their leaders with a docility that is quite delightful ;
they seem to have no property in their own ideas, but
void them just as they receive them, as children do
cherry-stones.
We are told by!' I.A en, that " When a %clife man resolves.
on any measure, be does not consider whether it be followed
by life or death, but whether it bejad." But a eri.re man
is a very different sort of being in our time, and is made up
of very different materials from those which compounded
him in the days of Plato. Mankind have greatly improved
since this Athenian philosopher was on the stage ; two
thousand years have gone over their heads; this is a ton:e
interval for edification, and we have made the most of it.
The result is, that we of this age are far wiser in oer genera-
tion than the children of light. A prurient minister, in
France at least, never concerns himself whether a measure
be.juit, nor whether it be followed by life or death : so long
as it is followed by a mojorita it is enough. If his legions
are properly seated a la rustle, he may carry any proposition,
no matter what; and a stronger phalanx of worshippers
than at present never blessed the dynasty of the Bourbons.
The weather has again brightened—the hue of Spring is
deepening—the wardrobes are made to give up their lightest
and liveliest dresses,—and the Parisians appear for the
moment, as far as outward seeming goes, to have forgotten
that there ever were such things as clouds or cares in the
world. To form an opinion, however, of the French cha-
racter from that of the Parieians, would be to Conn it upon
a very defective basis ; the outward decorums of society are
better observed) here than in London—l mean in the
streets: disease and drunkenness are not so conspicuous,
and these are great drawbacks itpon
.710111* character for re-
finement. I always defend Old England with all the
warmth of prejudice which 1 feel for my native land,
whenever its habits and manners are attacked ; but an un-
welcome whisper of conscience tells me—and I am cum-
strained to admit the fact—that in our great metropolis, 1,
vice forces itself more carelessly, and inure constantly, on
public observation than it does here; and Bees e is, I
think, quite right, when he affirms that " vice itself loses
half its evil, by losing all its grossnese."
The lower classes here are certainly more literary than
with you, or at least have a greater fondness for reading ;
many of them can relish the classic beauties of Fontaine
and Fenelou, and devote their intervals of leisure to sub-
jects of local and natio:nil history. But knowledge is
everywhere making rapid strides uts late years. In ;LT-
many, at Frederickfeld, near Berlin. the school established
by Monsieur L. Ds Esnow, and called Eeele de Cant-
rogue., prospers well, and may be productive of great good
effect. It was avowedly instituted for the education of
destitute and orphan children, and furnishings them with
such a share of instruction as would qualify them to be-
come useful members of society. It is !linned en the be-
nevoli ut precerlott of the numerous charitable foundations
in England. The term country school—r.soh• dr cam-
/vague—was adopted in prokrence to charity school, to
avoid any humiliating association being coma:end with
their origin in after-life. At Liabon an elementary t sta-
blisliment has been founded, under the superintendence of
L Crete, who was previously sent by the For-
tuguese Government to Paris, to qualify liimeelf for
the charge. This establ:shinent is suffieb nt to r, ceive
400 orphans, and to initiate them in the rudiments of use-
ful science. Whether these seminaries, with the many
others that are set on foot in the different nations of the
Continent, are to be viewed with approbation or alarm, is
to me doubtful. If the )(milt el the nation are through
these means to be trained to habits of active industi.v, and
fitted to become intelligent and serviceable members of
society, in this case all is well, and their utility cannot be
over-rated. But if, on the other hand. they are to be made
a leading part of the system by which it is intended to
restore the dominion of the Priesthoial ; and if the Priests
theinselves—the drill-sereeants of despotism—are to recruit
their ranks from the trained bawls of the rising generation,
then arc they full of peril to the interests of religion, to the
cause of frtedom, and to the happiness of mankind.

A Dublin paper of IVetlnesday says Lord Norbury ban
not given iu his resignation.