The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1805-04-23 00:00:00

SIGNOR ROSSIGNOG

Who died lately at Staiths, near Whitby, appeared
in London about tssenty-five years ago, at the cele-
brated Breslaw's, in Cockspur street, opposite the
Haymarket. London. His exhibition consisted of
tutored Birds. A number of little birds, to the
amount (we believe) of twelve or fourteen, being
taken from different cages, were placed upon a
table, in the presence of the spedators, and there
they formed themselves into ranks, like a company
of soldiers. Small c"ne of paper, bearing some re-
semblance to grena.lie s' caps, were put upon their
heads, and diminutive imitations of muskets, made
of wood, secured under their left wings. Thus
eqnipped. they marched to and fro several times,
when a single bird was brought forward, supposed
to he a Deserter, and set between six of the mus-
queteers, three in a row, whocondueed him from
the top to the bottom of the table ; on the middle of
which, a small brass cannon, charged with a little
gun-powder, had been previously placed ; and the
deserter was situated in the front of the cannon.—
His guards then divided ; three retiring on one side,
and three on the other, and he was left standing by
himself. Annther bird was immediately produced ;
and a lighted match bring put into one of his claws,
he hopped boldly on the other to the tail of the
cannon, and, applying the ma:ch to the priming,
discharged the piece without the least appearance of
fear or agitation. The moment the explosion took
place, the deserter fell down, and lay apparently
motionless, like a dead bird ; but, at the command
of his tutor, he rose again. The cages being brought,
the feathered soldiers were stripped of their orna-
ments, and returned into them in perfeß order.
After he had quitted lireslaw, his next perform-
ance consisted in counterfeiting the notes of all kinds
of singing birds. When he assumed the name of
Rossignol (Angl. Nightingale), and appeared on the
stage at Covent-garden i hen,re, where, in addition
to his imitation of the birds, he eeecuted a Concerto
on a fiddle without strings ; that is, he ma :e the
notes in a wonderful manner with hi. voice, and re-
presented the bowing by drawing a small truncheon
haeksvards and• forwards over a stringless violin.
His performance was received with great applause,
and the success he met with produced many com-
petitors, but none of them equalled him. It was,
however, discovered, that the sounds were pro-
duced by an instrument, concealed in the mouth;
and then the trick lost all its reputation.

THE M 4 lIKE7S.

C(IRS•EXCIIANGi., Arai.

Our fresh imports of Whoa t wr•day are rasher nuatemus ;
awil with tie many remaining samples. forte a good
svppli, and iv... Aiming with so few purchasers, create a
further resluelion of full Ave shillings per Quarter, on
b gnalite, and more on others Wider in gnat supply, rV•-
mnitn
..th very little %dr, sod is cheaper, a, are Malt and
Kenna. We hare many Oats at hand, and this trade is like-
wise extremely doll, and at the per pi ices. Flour comes in
plenty, and is no,uiaally quot,d at inert than our cuireacy,
but full Ave shilliags per lack lower than last week.

CUIRENT PRIcF. OF GRAIN.
VSI htat.. .62+ 72 116.. Been. 40. 454 04.
24* 04 Tick Ream .....35.. 40e. 04.
sc.. . SO. 26. 04. Oats 20.. 1/2, 2/4 04.
Batley .. 3.54. 40.. 04. Polarpls. ..... ...271. 284. 04.
Man.. 21s. 76s 04. I Rape 5eed....... 501. 551. 04.
Vlielte Pea. 0.. 47.. Od Fine Flout .... 75.. 80..04.
Grey Pen 31. 41: (1,1. 65 75 t I

BIRTHS.

On Sone' is evening, at his Lordship's house, in Cavaulish-
squara, the Lady of the Bi,hop of Clogiter, of a still born

On the 14th irtst. at Edinburgh, the Hon. Mrs. Doodass of
hfetrille, of a daughter.

MARRIAGES.
On Thursday LF.t. lit North Aston, Oxfordshire, lay the
Rev. Ralph Fleur, Brandhog, Willem Holbech, jun. Esq. n(
F.irmbreougli, Major in the Warwickshire Regiment of Mi-
litia, to Miss Lucy Bowles, daughter of Oldirld Bowles, Eq.
of North Aston

On Tialia:l last, at Queen's,square Chapel, bath,
Stephinisnii, Fig to Miss Maria Rivers, second daughter of
the late Rev. Sir Peter Rivers Gay, Sart.
On Tuesday, at Catherington, Hants, Capt. Mason, of the
Navy, to Miss Selina Hood, second daughter of the Hun. Col.

Dit Morolas se'rtnight, at Spamon, by the Rev. William
Yorke,.l,ooph Draper, of North Down, in the county of So-
merset, Esti. to Miss Las inia Pottle, of Stovrey.

DEATHS.

Lately, et Penge Cottage, Surer, in the prime of Ilfe,
after a long midmost painful illness, the amiable and scr:orti•
hsheJ Lid! of John Gifford, Esq. Pollee Mag,t•itte,
thstaiguishert in both the Literary sod po; flee., Word.
thi the •Xttli ult, Mrs Edaionds, srik of P,aric.s
Esq. of Wers'irougli, in Yorkshire, and orss of the
and coheiresses of the late Joseph (Miley, Esq. of Norton Dell,
Derby:hire
Yesterday selinight,st Andover. Mrs flu'ton, widow of the
late Dotty Hulton F.sq eldestdaughter of the late Israc Pres
ton, Esq. rat Beaton Hall, Merfulk, sister and co. heiress of the
Ist- Jacob Pr,,ton, Lot of the ,uue place.
At !Vibrates's, c..inity of Wicklow, agtl 87, the Rev Wm.
Porter, fter, tir ..f Doilvwood, in the Diocese of Dublin, and of
Ceeclotie, in the Increase of Le ighlin.
fit Dublin, James Johnston, E. Engineer to the city of
Dublin.

_
tin Snort se'nnight, at the hmis. of Arnait,
in G, ‘itoil.,treet, Dublin, Mrs. Ty4l, only sister to the lila
Sir JolatTy.td, Bait.