The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1808-04-19 00:00:00

SINGIiLAR

EXTRACT /ROM A LETTtia• rno NI ma. L. TO Da.
KELLY, LEITII.
(Frei' The Motored sod soirkoi Alava.)
Some time ago I met with Mr. isiligham, sur-
geon, of Uxbrid4e, at Iver, who politely invited
use to accompany him on a visit to a family in that
village, assuring me, that my curiosity would he
amply gratified. He was not mistaken.
Mr. Bingham introduced me to the mother and
two of her childrea: the rest had gone out. Itn
examiuing their hands, the thumbs only appeared
perfett; instead of fingers, they had only the first
phalanx of each finger, and the first and second of
the ring-finger of the left Muni. The fingers hail
no aids. Such, the good woman assured us, was
ulso the condition of the rest of Vie family, and
had been (with slight variations) titit of - nu-
inerous generations of her immediate ancestors.
She informed us, that it was the women wily
who had the misfortune of entailing this defect nu
their otlipting; that 'sometimes they had a child
wit's perfect fiugers, but not often. She o!iserved,
that they were uo sensible of any great inconveni-
ence from the want of so Mainy rints, for they had
never experienced the adviutti.se, of perfect fingers.
She told US the following prAty story coliceming
the origin of this strange defect, which may de-
serve e place hunting the legends of the nursery, if.
not in your Journal :
A Clergyman, who had taken great delight in
the cultivation of fruit-trees, had long suffered
keen disappointment, in consequence of the harreu-
nese of a favourite thee, which he expected would
yield au uncommonly fine kind of fruit. At lust
some appeared, and they were approaching to that
state of maturity which would enable been to de-
termine the all-important point, when, notwith-
standing a strict charge which he had given to his
Eerde'm.r, to allow no person to enter the garden,
the 'applei disappeared. Enni-ed, he taxed the
gardener with the theft, which he stoutly denied.
(is reply to a charge of disobedience of orders, he
affirmed that he could not have supposed that these
were meant to exclude his mistress.

The Parson's lady was then in a state of preg-
nancy. Her husband inquired softly, whether her
longing had tempted her, like uur original mother,
to take the strictly forbidden fruit? She said nu.
The gardener was now accused with the utmost
violence ; and the cool assertion of his innocence
only contributed to the transformation of the divine
into a demon. In that state he rushed into his
wife's prisence, and, with dreadful rashness, wished,
that if she was guilty, the child which she was
then with might lie born without fingers!—Poor
woman ! she had indeed taken the fruit; and thus
became the grand progenitris of a fingerless race,
unto (even non) the tenth generation.

114VilL INTELLIGENCE.

P—iniTsMOCTII. APRIL 17.

Arrived two-E.aat indiamen: Cantulit, Doane;
Ann, Mayne; Auna, Marne; Leviathan, Jackson;
anti several other outward-bound venbels, from the
Downs.

Sailed last night His Majesty's ships .Venie.tis and
Fisk with a convoy for Quebec snot llaliiax.
This day the fleet for the West Indies 4ot under
weigh, but brought-to again at .ISt. Helen's by
contrary winds.

The fleetfor the Brazils still remains here, and
exteeted to sail in about tire dupl.—Wind
W.N.W.

PLYMOUTH. APR 11.46.

Arrived yesterday the Peacock stoop of war, with
Moe light transports from the Eastward; Cherety
guai-brig, from Torbay ; JcrsepA natter, andinakk
from Falmouth.

Sailed I: Arhille. 74, Captain King, to jinn
the Channel fleet ;' the Chanspson, Crane, and Or
pclin schooners, to the westward.
Came in, this day, the Deptford transport, from
the eastward. _ _

Remain in Cawsand Bay—Cie Gibraltar, 74
guns ; Brmisroirk, 74; and Brilernphone. in the
Sound—die Ak.radria, PAcrogiz, Champiuni
and COMMA.

litting in Ilanamse--The Defiance, 74, Virgi-
nia, Alcmene. Alitaieft, Amason, end Unicorn fri-
gates; Snapper, Capelia, Cuckoo, Erebus,
Comet, Tkais, is Pada, Sauna" Egera Iced
ityrtfe.
• TORBAY, APIII. 16.
Arrived Ilia IVlajcay's brig Hardy from a rrniee.
Roiled the Nisitred and Betsey cutters fur the
Aft t off Brest.

ARRRRNTRII. APRIL 17.
SWIM Ilis Majer.ty's ship* Kite and .Starling.
with a koovoy for Gotteabargh.—Wind N. W.

DEAL. APRIL 17.
Remain. in the Dolma a large fleet of Alpe of
war and traosporta.—Wind

FROM LLOYD'S LIST.

Clt••csr.vb, APAIL 1;l-Passed by the Aldfreru. WU-
'isms from Garrote, ; Movidener, Junes, from ;
31ereitists, Vise, from the 141-bitits ; :thetas. r, Collin ; mist
Ntestimlina (prises), from Portsmouth. Sailed the Lord
Roth, for the Smile • Ceor;re, Nestor*, for Gibral
tnr ; Vestnt, Barber, for Lon;loarlert, ; Rinse, Cluistoffer •
A RTIM, MOM' ; Jaw. Equity, Horruutt, sod IlseThetis, Limiisreeo, fur Cuttt