The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-08-26 00:00:00

TO rizz storm' OP THE RAMS!! PRESS.

•
THE BRIDE-CAKE HOAX!
•
iltst—As the story of two Ladies having WO poisoned by
eating bride rah has bees copied into nearly all the Pobtie
Juaroals, and•ita result promises to subvert the good old
mourn of young Ladies applying to that sere► awing
oraelle which is generally ronsoltert beneath their pillows—
snit, as it •laothreateos to diminish the revenue of many a
dionly pastry-rook, so, in my dpi ,an account 4.f it.
ortgin,from an umpire *a the het whirls it was intended to
&ride. will mot only be worth a place in your columns, on
its own merit, hut also on the arrogant of conveying peace
to the minds of s large sod meet-living class of his Mojesly's
well disposed subjcets--ei Mk which you are ever ready to
perform:—
A few evenings ago, a party of young Templar' and
Authors asiwashled, as I. nasal with them, is a I , not
many paces from Temple bur Their conversation com-
menced on the recent melancholy ear of Mr. and MIL Stent.
The general sympathy it ha■ created gave an opportunity
for a yousig Antiquary to enter into an elaborate and lump.
sou. discussion mall view of the slate of pubbely-expressed
sympathy un event. that weenrr.d at iliffereot periods of
Euglish history. He rommeticed with the death of King
lVilliant Halos, ilwoorgh the agency of hi• dear friend, Sir
Walter Tyrell, which, in•teaol of creating' sympathy, 4K-
essioned joy amuoq the people, who considered it a Judg-
ment from Heaven upon the von of that father, who, to
promote transitory pleaonres fur Aomori', deprived of their
means of sutsiotence and poverty, a great portion of loot
soot+ eta, by plantiwg the New Forest. in Hampshire, where
his son was killed. He theo hri.ily showed at the feelings
of the Londoners on the murders of the pow( Princes is
the Tower; thee. descended iu the time of Lidy Jrlll4. Grey;
thence to that of Mary Quern of Scuts, of Sir Welter Rs-
trick of Lord Strafford. King Charles. bird Russell, thence
to the tits/sof General mar, am! Lard N. Noes, Itlfesdono Pitt
mid Fos; and, lastly, ill the sympathy e:•ilyd by the steal.
int of Me Horsley 's child, from which. and that of the case
in question, he clearly pros ed that Willem! of .I.irenersting
from the virtues of our anceotors and of the Wee time, we
had, on the contrary, cuiesiderahly improved in every thing
that is great, noble, and humane. He also gave it as his
sincere opinion, that had the wofortimale Mrs Strut never
seen *died that immoral and truly uo•F.n=liah play a Ihe
Strager," she m ver woold have presumed to appear berme
the u happy husband whom she hail so grously dloshooododoyd,
mid whose peace of mind she had eternally destroyed
la conclusion lie 'rued to say. that British sympathy in
the present stale of natmital reinetnesit, was su alive to
every rave that appeared awful in its origin, or fatal in its
end, that it was more apt to he imposed opm by fsloricatcol
tales of woe, than that of any people under the
foci of this olyervation, however, vials opoestidored by
one of the company, who remarked, that thosisKlt John
fluff was liberal in his sympathy, yet, in general. ht. discri-
mination was so nice, that he was tint easily impos. d Hoots.
Here assenting voice* redrelmed the opinion of the last
speak. r, in wmanorr the least grateful to tender head*. After
addressing his compatriot's in the wi.rds of Horace—

imp-urn
Lenite elamiorem, modeles.
Et cubit., moan'', press', !"
list Antiquary (not Walter Scotia one) replied. that, on the
contrary, Jahn Mull was one of the most pellitele animals
in the world ! that any story, from that of she wits hes in
Macbeth, to the spirits in the Tennnst. and in Joanna
Soul hest., or from the horning of London. and the advance
of the Manchester Blasokeloere to Centre the Prince lies
Pude or from the twee probable report, which derlarra
that the Rural cabinet maker* have received joists nciions
to make a chair for the new Member for Birmingham. to
be placed oppooite to the Sp esker's in the House .r Com-
mon', that he may he less exposed to the horooeh contanii-
nation of Whir sud Tories—it is all the same! John al-
lows the draught with the avidity with wheels a country
bumpkin gages at the statues its ikistg the hell of St. Duo-
stan's clock. To prove this, len propuard to bet, that its
twenty 'Monte' he could compose a tale that would fly from
nue part of the empire to another, sod create sympathy as
it passed along. A satirical gentleman, who adno.red the
author's writings, but knew they hail not crestril mooch
public sympathy, or bees very favourably received by those
to whom the Antiquary seemed anxious again to appeal,
offered to bet a doosien of wine for the good of the company,
that he could not succeed in doing an. The bet was in.
stonily agreed to, and the author of a celebrated tragedy
{unsuited to the taste of King Rickard, lane wintrr), and
myto If, were appointed to receive and prove the originality
of the production, and forward it to one of the Morotug
Papers.
Such, Sir, is a true and brief account of the origin of the
story of the bride-cake, which has made so much noise.
It was written is the short apace of time specified in the
bet, hot I cannot entry further into the detail, knowing that
yogi, Paper is filled with more important matter than it
would furnish. I have, however, to observe, that in con-
sequence t f the great publicity of the fabric it ion, the bill is
not mily won by the ingenious Author, but it has also giros
him snore real celebrity, although out, the uff-prinz of a
dartened fancy operating upon the Mks' passion—re-
army., than did his moral and elegant Poem of COCO hues,
whirls only (for the honour of bemoan stature) treats of the
sunshine of yonthfol love, and the religiously grounded joys
of a calm domestic life—a clear proof that the enrol
explorer of the depraved portions of the human heart—
whether it he a Shaltspeareor • Byron—will at all times be
receive-el by the mass of mankind with a more cortltal wel-
come than will be the gristle and more korona followers of
a Waller or of a Cowper.
I am, Sir, your. respectfully.
A CONSTANT READER.

Mr. Campbell, F A.S. Author of " The Countess of Far
rick," ■nd discoverer of the Battlefields of Fingal, in
Ireland, it the Aniline of the story of " The Carnally Bride-
cake," and winner of the bet.
Nolo by Ike Editor—Mr. C. deserves to be seat to
Coventry fur his horrible ingenuity.

In the course of Monday Dr. WATSON ad-
dressed two letters. one to Lord SthsiouTn. the
other to the LORD MAYOR. The former was in
these terms :

" MT LORD—Io the event of the absence of Fleury Hfl rd.
Est sad Sir Charles bow the Netting inteaded
to be held is Smithfield, or Wednesday Next, brine inyarlf
int ited In the Chair, I son desirous to be informed from yppor
Lordship, whether it is the intetetion of his Majesty's Mi.
ulster/I to iiiirrrispt the peaceable amemblinit of the peiyle
on that day; and from motives of humanity, whether they
will be allowed 'peaceably to separate without any military
attack on their persons'
" 1 am, my Lard, your obedient Servant,
"JAMES WATSON.
" Three..Kinp Court, fleet-sired, Aug. 111, 1819.'•
To this letter. we understood, uo suswer was re-
turuetl.

Last morning, at nine o'clock. the 3d bsttslion
of the Grenadier Guards marched into town hum
Chatham, with their colours flyingsnd drums beat-
ing; to relieve the 2d battalion of the Col.l.treana
Guards, who are to tale the Westminster duty, but
whose route Uom the Tower was dela;,ed until this
dayt in colisequence of the Meeting at Smithfield
yeaterday.