The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-02-02 00:00:00

THE BRITISH PRESS.

only able to obtain evasive and dilatory answers, he demanded his
passports, winch were retitaed him under Viti..U4 pretences It was
not till the 2filtli of June they were awn him from Thorn, an arti-
fice, the ohjeet of which was to allow Napoleon. time to cross the
Niemen with all his forces, in order to surprise his august adver-
sary at %Vilna, before he could receive the least intelligence from
his Ambassador.
" The die was mat t the Niemen MN crowed by six hundred
thousand men, by the finest and most formidable army ever assem-
bled by any conqueror of the earth. We will now leave Napoleon
—we will leave this illustrious niadnian to rush on to his ruin it
is not his military history I am relating."

TO TILE EDITOR OF TIIE BRITISff PRESS.
Ste,--By inserting the fallowing extract from an article
in the London Medical Repository, on the Piracy of Surgi-
cal Lectures, you would render a service to a profession to
which every individual of the community is more or leas
indebted. Your., &c.
C. A.
" It is not to be expected, that a profession crowded like ours
should be without many needy and unprincipled men, who, wanting
the qualities requisite for success in the ordinary duties of it, too
impatient for wealth, and too careless of character :o toil up the
painful paths which lead to honourable distincion, and untaught In
any reputable trade, are compelled to be traitors to a profession on
which they have unhappily intruded, and to try to live by sacra.
firing its interests to the CMS appetite of an ever-gaping and cre-
dulous multitude. This is to be expected, anti must be left fee re-
formation to the gradual improvement of eivilizzd communities.
But that men of any estimation in the world, and of any reputation
in an hottest neighbourlioid, should patr.mise, in the slightest way,
directly or indirectly, such writers and their works, because they
think themselves gainers by thieni,is a thing calculated more than any
other circumstance to degrade its altogether in the eyes of the pub-
' lie; tb make vuspected of, being without any lave of profes-
sional honour, or any tie but that of interest ; so foster and vindicate
the prevailing spirit of quackery ; and to tender the profession of
physic and surgery unlit tor any man with the feelings of a gentle-
man, nod to 110421 any other liberal path of life is open.
" This is an objection to the sixpenny publications of lectures,
which, I wish very par:Mt:lady to press upon students anti young
practitioners, because I know that these gentlemen, more especi-
ally, imagine that they are really benefited by such works, that their
acquirement of profOssional knowledge is facilitated, and their ad.
vaneement hastened by them. In this respect they are unqu?s-
tionably mistaken. IS e can find an excuse for the man who, not
having been fortunate enough to attend the lectures of Sir Astley
Cooper or Ale Abernethy, has been fora moment led astray by the
desire of possessing even an illegitimate copy of them. 'note
eminent individuals are the proud ornaments of a noble profession.
Distinguished by their science, by their industry, by their liberality,
and the highest feelings of independence, they have also long been,
as teachers of surgery, thought each in a different style, quite unri-
valled. This country can never appreciate the full extent of the
advantage's it owes to thein. But it is worthy consideration,
whether, if the first lecture's of these truly eminent men had been
published, and read at breakfast-tables, they would have been at all
fashioned as they have been; whether the one would have indulged
in an originality which all who have heard him know was so happily
and so closely connected with the most important parts of practical
instruction as never to be forgotten, and always to be remembered
with advantage: whether the ether would have been remarkable fur
the warmth and generosity of manner which converted the teacher
into the friend, and, whilst it made him adored by his pupils, se-
cured their deepest attention to his lessons of unaffected wisdom.
It is my deliberate opinion, that, undersitelt circumstances, lectures
of this exalted character would never hare been produced. A man
who lectures to a crowd of students, respecting Itim as their teacher
and dwelling upon his weeds, and who at the same tints feels how
important a duty he is performing, and what a serious influence all
he says ntay have on those who are listening to hint on their lives
and actions as well as on their opinions, and still looks beyond that
to creating a name among men of science arid learning like himself,
speaks in a very different situation, and under very different circum.
stances, from him who is actually lecturing to the whole unlettered
City of London, to every man who has eyes wherewith to read, and
sixpence wherewith to buy. The former will be communicative,
confidential, original : sometimes impressive and eloquent ; always
plain and perspicuous ; sometimes, for the sake of forcible illustra-
tion, even humorous: the latter will aim at an appearance of
precise and plausible profundity ; all he says will be moulded
after forms which exclude originality ; he wil! sport in the shallows
of science, and never put off into the deep, out of sight of the com-
mon crowd who stand upon the shore : Ins plainness will be mean-
ness and nakednetut; his eloquence 'sounding btass,' his illustrations
`tinkling cymbals.' His art will be unallied to wisdom, and his
gravity will be the gravity of a cheat. Ile will elaborate each lec-
ture to be worth • as much as it will bring,' and, unless he is an
absolute fool, he will avoid being confidential when his confidence
will be imparted in a sixpenny number to all the world the next
morning.
" Such will be the effect of piratical editions of lectures, and the
students of inedieine and surgery will soon discover the uselessness
of attending lectures at all. In this view, then, this cheap know.
ledge wiil be less detrimental to the interests titan degrading to the
character ofphysic and surgery."

..TO E .EDITQR OF TIIS BRITISIII PRESS.
Saw-omi consideration of the question inthieen me to think
that very light weights may be transported with superiot despatch on
a Rail Hood. It is reported that the gentlemen, delegates from Man.
cheater, Liverpool, and Birmingham, to the number of twelve,
travelled very pleasantly on the platform of the engine at Killing_
worth colliery the other day, at the rate of twelve miles per hour.
If we set down these gentlemen as weighing on the average tea
stone each, we shall find that the engine of eight horse power car-
ried upon that occasion about newt. (of not indeed useful) loading
at the rate of twelve miles per hoar. Here then, Sir, you observe
the weights being very, very light, and the power et •y, very greet,
the despatch obtained was censidetable. The case and uniformity
of the motion also point out the Rail Road as furnishing a desire.
ble mode of transit in some special cases. Now, Sir, I propose
that every central infirmary, lunatic asylum, and lying-in-hospital,
be provided forthwith with sets of rail Roads, traversing the
country in every direction in their neighbourhood. The life, or
death, of a patient is often determined by the speed of the doctor,
and his lancer. Though it matters very little to a sane man, that
the roll of fustian, from which he intends to cut nut a new jacket,
should arrive ever-night, provided he has It in good time to set to
work on the following morning, yet, Sir, it is very material a
:trail jaehet should be to be had as se-n as it is wanted. Be-
sides, consider the irritation produced by the joltiv of a carriage on
a common turnpike road. 1 his cause of aggravation will be ob-
viated on the Rail Road, in case of needful removal to the asylum ;
and the current of fresh air generated by the rapidity of the motion,
may tend to restore the balance of the system. The doctor, and
the patient, with every &c. will not weigh more than 3cwt. anti
this weight, barring accidents by explosion and upsets, may be
carried by an engine of eight-horse power, at the rate of Li miles
per hour.
This road, which I would call the Via Sacra, might, under
the management of physicians, surgeons, and midwives, &c. be a
good thing, though not in the shape of a dividend. The malady
regiog at present is plainly owing to a plethora; a few millions
laid out in this speculation would certainly abate the disorder.
The country would reap the benefit of the outlay ' • and if, unhap-
pily, the subscriber should become a patient, he would fully
parucipate in the fruits of his own benevolence and public spirit.
I am, Sir.
DE3I OCRITCS, Junior.

Monday evening the Musical Society called the Choral
Fund had their annual benefit concert at the English
Opera House, which attracted a very crowded and elegant
audience. The performance began with Attwootl's Corona-
tion Anthem, in honour of their patron, and of the day, it
being the anniversary of his Majesty's accession to the throne.
Miss Stephens apologized for not being able to give her
assistance, by saying she had two previous engagements
on the saute evening. Miss Tree was ill, and was pre-
vented from attending. Mira I'evey, Miss Hamtnetsley,
Miss Graddon, Miss Brandon, Mrs. Scott (her first ap-
pearance), and Miss Lore; Messrs. Vaughan, Bellamy,
Pearinan, Gaulden, Atkins, and Sinclair, were present, and
were much applauded in the several songs given by them.
There were no less than four concertos by eminent perfor-
mers. Mr. Nicholson on the flute; Mr. Towel, violon-
cello; Mr. E. Martin, piano-forte; and Mr. Oliver Davis,
harp.
Thursday night the first of a aeries of six assemblies
took place in George-street Rooms, Edinburgh. It was in
honour of his Majesty's accession to the throne, and was
attended by a brilliant company. There were between 600
and ;00 present, atnong whom were—
Countess of Morton. Countess of l'alhourle. lady Rae, Lady
Sinclair, Lady Men Hall, Lady Scott, Lady Shaw Stewart, Earl
of Fife, Lord Advocate, Lord Robert Ker, Sir John Hoye, Sir
Michael 'haw Stewart, Sir James Hall, Sir Walter Scott, a great
number of naval and military officers, itc.
The Rev. Dr. Parr lies dangerously ill at the Parsonage
House at Hatton. Ile was attacked with a shivering fit in
the evening of Sunday sennight, bring the return of a
disorder which threatened serious consequences about four
years ago.
It is said that a most respectable City Attorney is in
custody on a charge of forging a deed, apd a receipt there-
on, for 3901. No public a xamination has yet taken place,
but in a few days the case is expected to be fully in-
vestigates!.
We understand that the receipts of the IVesleyan Mis-
sionary Society, for the year ending December 31, 1824,
amount to the sum of 38,046!. 9s. 7t1., being an increase
above the amount of the preceding year of more than
2,200!., exclusive of the munificent benefaction of the late
Rev. W. Dodweil, of 10,0001. The expenditure of the
year 1N24 has exceeded that of 18i3 by the amount of
nearly 3,0001.—Hu1l Advertiser.

I
bIICCAN PRIZE-MONET.
--.E.---
Some statements have recently appeared in the public
papers upon the subject of the Deccan Prize-money, which
have indnced us to make inquiries in a quarter where the
truth of the matter was likely to be obtained.
The result of these inquiries is, that that property, Con-
sisting of specie, jewels, guns, stores, grain, &c. exceeded
in value five millions of pounds sterling, was either cap-
tured by the brave army of the Deccan in the year 1817,
and beginning of 1818, at the point of the bit.yonet, and de-
livered over by it to the civil servants of the East India
Company, or left ih possession of there servants by the
army, on its captnre, when the army was obliged to pro-
ceed to ulterior operations without waiting for the realiza-
tion of that booty.
The army submitted its claim, as usual, for the value of
the property or booty so taken, to its govereign, whd was
graciously pleased to grant the whole to the captors, and
to appoint Trustees for carrying the same into eft'ect ; but,•
notwithstanding the exertions made by those Trustees to
realize the property in question, we are informed that the
Company has its yet only admitted a small portion of tlx
claim, and paid no part of it; which delay has led to the
unpleasant consequences alluded to in the statements
before-mentioned, and which must ifentinue to increa.e
until the payment takes place. When, however, we con-
sider the gallant and important services rendered by the
army of the Deccan to their King and country, and, more
especially, to the East India Company, who are now reap-
ing an annual revenue of upwards of one million sterling
from the additional territory cotiquered, and secured to
them- by their prowess and exertions, we cannot but
hope. that they will soon act fairly and promptly, by
' paying over, without further loss of time, the full amount
to which the captors are justly entitled, including ink-,
rest, &c. It is estimated that one-third of these
brave men are already dead ; and, it is known that
great discontent prevails among the Sepoys of tl-e 1
Madras army entitled to participate, which would in all
probability have led to most unpleasant and serious conse-
quences, had they not been informed that the Duke ofl
Wellington (who is adored by the Madras artily, and un-'
der whose victorious banners many of the men in question,
and their fathers, had served) had condescended to be their
Trustee, owing to which, their spirits and confidence were
revived, and they were induced to volunteer cheerfully
against the Burmese in the present war, relying that,
through him, they would speedily receive their prize-mo-
ney for the campaign of 1817 and 1818; and it will be'
wise on the part of the Directors of the East India Com-
pany to cause their expectation to be speedily realised.
We understand that most of the King's regiments en-
titled to share in this prize-money, have returned to Eng-
land, and been in part disbanded, and that men, woinm,
and children, entitled to receive more titan half of the
whole prize-money, are already in England, most anxi-
ously, and, in many cases, most distressingly, waiting for
it.—Courier.