The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-06-21 00:00:00

LETTER FROM MR. FiUMl'ilifEY NIX6Y, DE
OMNIBLIS REBUS ET QUIBUSDAM ALfiS.

Prot' the Loadow Alagwrine.l
Stit,-Mrs. Gale, woman, who fives up by the church,
and keeps a port of suntl-shop, whereby I mean that she deals in
strings, stone-blue, IlVitish-lace, ?Myer of mustard, Tins. single
Gloster, soap, and the unlike, isitind enough to say, that she will
see to the delivery of this letter scot-free (a curious fact'.:-Its I did
not know that the Scotch could send their letters free), by the
which she intends., as I opine, to inclose it in a letter to Messrs.
North, Hoare, Manson, and Simpson, the great grocers of your
city, London, in her next remittance for teas and the similar. We
are all hereabout greatly astounded, that so many men should be
grocers in one house, and we cannot but think they must hinder
each other sadly.-Howbeit, Minis their look out, and not ours.
No doubt their counters are merit. As this letter will not distort,
much of the money in the till (tor I suppose you keep a till, like
Mrs. Gale and all other respectable tradespeople) I shall, without I
stint or measure, pour fourth my mind on a subject which has
caused much commotion in these our parts,-whereby I mean,
in Topsham, Lympstone, Exmouth, and the little town of Star-
MIN, whichvillage oppodte .1-that on the other side of I
the water,-the water of the river Ex, whereby it is named Ex-
moeth,--othergates, the mouth of the Ex.
Yon must know, Sir, that I borrowed your book from Mies I
Langford'', library, being a subscriber thereto for the sake of the
new novels (though they are mostly old, and not altogether in awn- I
plete icts)-you may guess my surprise, which, to say the least of I
it, was considerable, when I read, in the number for December
last, your account of the wrestling match, written, certainly, as I
opine, whin you have been here fir your herith, if you have no
health ; a romplaint which authors are subject to, as I hear. We
none °fuses!) settle where you lived, or what you are like,-hut we
all surmise In our own particular: though I cannot say that I know
what to think. Mrs. (iale says, you are a stout pensive gentleman,
with a short straPpish wife, and two little children down with the
mearles. But be that as it may, I don't quite get Into Mrs. Gale's
opinion. Nevertheless she is a worthy judicious woman, and does
not give it up. My sister, Alba Nixon, (a maiden lady, and un-
married), wanderfill into divers and many conjectures. all myste-
rious and unsatisfectory,-but she is sure that you bathed periodi-
cally, that is, now and then (a word you gentlemen understand),
and that early in the morning, as she used to meet you, when she
went to the fish market, running along, with a white great coat on,
like • lapwing. I mytelf am not these ways minded ;-I incline
to the notion, that you lived at Manchester-house (a charming
lone)y, and extreme windy spot, but strongly built, and maintaitd
by cleanly and civil people)-I hold to having seen you looking
through a telescope ; which leadeth me to conjecture, that you
must be either an asmonome a.• an author, • the former of which 'I
was not favoured by its being day-light when you peeped-when it
is of little use star-gazing. Nevertheless; I like to have my guess,
though it may run a little untoward. Mrs. Gale does not think
with me-but she is a good deal busied in the shop, and chandlery I
does not conduce to just conclusions. I should not omit to men-
don that toy daughter, by a first wife-and indeed I may say, myj
last,..-for I have had none since,-though not last in the sense of
precluding myself from marrying again-which mould be wrong,
and against the law,-Parthemssa Nixon (a name given to her by
an old maiden aunt, who promised to leave her well, but who un-
handsomely died, bequeathing her little all to the Rev. Mr.
a gentleman of the Evangelical persuasion. Ah, persuasion, in.
deed !--u the facetious James Johnson the eldet very wittily
turned one evening, with little or no forethought, In the double
sense of alluding to his power of persuasion over the lady, and the
phrase as used for ell-my daughter Parthendsa-
for short, called Parthi-decbtres that you are young, ind some.
thing not amiss from I. itzaubin, in one of Miss Langford's books.
Howbeit, thil I cannot say, because to my open knowledge I have
not seen you, and certainly I never penned the book. Newman.
less, you may be like, and she be right-which would be an odd co-
incidence-but on this I cannot decide.
However, whoever, and whatever you may have been. it does
not belong to me to be ettrious inquiring,--though this is not
Mrs. Gale's way, as she midi a particular interest in people, and
the more so if she has no knowledge of them,-which is liberal,
you'll say, and disinterested-though a disintrrested interest seems
• contradiction. Howbeit, the cause of my addressing this letter to
you must not longer be kept from you, and It is to make known •
few observations of our little circle of gossips %bison several of none I
observations, which truly appear to some of us not altogether im.
partial-not that we mean to accuse you of &cooling any one in
particular, because we cannot give in to the belief that )"ou gentle-
men who write at sight, as one might say (for my style ill clean the
contrary, being extreme slow and open to remark), have MI pre-
judices or bickering*, or partialities,--or the like, or the unlike,
being above the failings and sinkings of other illiterate potpie.
Our being on the spot, and familiar with the wrestling
good deal
and
the village,-and your book having been talked over a deal df ,
an evening before the rubber, or after a pool at quadrille (I held
but week a superb hand,-played in hearts.--Alone ! to the great
detriment of Mrs. Gale's temper,-though she is mild in general,
and loses her fish like another woman-but, perhaps, I should ex-
plain that we used shells for fish, which is a curious coincidence, as
I Ash are said to build and inhabit shells, as man does • house or
costar, or the like)-Well. as I was haying (before I was inter-
rupted by my parenthesis) your book liming occasioned much per-
tinent and lively observation, particularly in Mrs. Gale, who reads
• good deal in the back parlour, with one eye to the boa, and an-
other through a little window covered with white muslib, that com-
mands an extensive prospect of canisters, and so forth-I was
begged to convey to you !that is to express to you, for Mts. Gale
has promised to convey my letter to you, through Mr. Nuncio, but
I have seen the word used for express) divers and several remarks
on the subject, touching what you have discussed.
You speak of Exmouth with the eye of • correct observer. Mrs
Gale only. takes exception to the passage " the village is sealed, as
its name intimates, at the mouth of the fiver Kit," she says she
has been used all her life to say, that "it stands at the entrance of
the river," and she does not see why
.a stranger should alter its po-
aition.-But you must not mind this in Mrs. Gale-learned trifling
it may be called-only Mra. Gale is not learned-and certainly no
trifler. The warts as you say, ay. extfnmely to the point. Bet
I did not know that ours were better than those of other people.
Rut all places ate ceiebated for something in particular-Devon-
shire for its cream-Cheshire for its cheese-Dorset for its butter,
and Exmouth for its sunsets. The other evening we had one as
ruddy as though the sky were one garden of crimson eatnatioos. I
stood on the quay (near Manchester House)-tbe water Ina out-
far off-in the nod! a black fishing-boat, with one mast, lay side-
ways on the clay shore. The light *as reflected in long krew streaks
on the wet and flat and extended bank.-All seemed one intense
scene (is this right ?) of lateness, stillness, and light. The melan-
choly of glory !-The pomp of evening !--The poetry of the sun.
Mr.-- the curate,t who stood with me, made these remarks
as Dearly. as I can recollect them, and they seemed to me so jest
and pertinent, that I intended to send them to your Magazine.
I know the very house yo
es u allude to. You complain of the wind
justly ;-1n;-1nthat part it blows, through a "-- ing tzumpet.
But touching your purchase of a basket forte shells, and
walks, and enjoyments by the sea, I do not altogether min
your meaning. How you should buy a shilling basket, and enly fee'
shells, surpnzes me, in a gentleman of your erudition t-And than
to pick n' shells afterwards (you dill it call, but I do not hold to
the word, as we are not speaking of flowers) is most weak. As to
your great delight in watching the waves-tint may be. But weep
you not always walking with the whist elderly lady, who toil
-Mrs. Gale that she seamed when she was is the water' end ear
qualmish when she was es it-and who only came to be miserable
at the sea-side, because it Was healthy. If this was the VW. haw'
could you delight to see the waves weave their untumultuous
fringe of silver foam," (feces by the bye is not silver.) Tell me
this, Mrs. G. says that the old lady and the sea were two, owing to
some damage doge toe pens-erects slipper, by a wave that curled about
the kid, and walked off with the colour. People talk of the beauty of
the ocean, but if you saw it as often as !do, you would find a good
deal of sameness in it. It is all Very useful to the ;ships ; and the
bathing machines are, perhaps, waisted by it-bat Ido not go the
lengths that you writers do; in thinking it the grandest thing in
I, nature. It is flat, as James Johnson, the elder (heretofore al.
I luded to as a Wit), has said-and you knelt it is flat, in reference
to its surface.
I now come to the part of your papa referring to the Wrestlers,
which is ingenious in portions, but not altogether kind and just
I (Mrs. Gale knows " the little Coast Hercules," as yen call him).
remember the day yon mention. I know the very spot of ground',
think I see it now !-I think so, because I do. The meaning
j was indeed wet ; it was wet through ! I was there; and I stood
near Mr. Roe (kind Mr. Roe, you may call him, fat he is 'tg
man and a skilful medical!) Mr. Simpson, and one or two others,
were also there, under the awning and near the Canna.
I must say a word or two about the men of the Moors. Mr. —,
the curate, has looked in Squire —'s library, and has found the
book on wrestling which you quote, and I and Mrs. Gale, and Mr.
Norris, and Miss Knowles, have thoroughly read it (the old quarto
book with wood prints, and a powerful retort of the Baronet) to
the end that we might discuss your remarks the better, end comment
upon them in return. And so without mare ado I proceed with
my letter.
It is not in Mr power, neither is it in Mrs. Gale's, to talk of the
early wrestler* of this country, except to rejoice in the laudable
pert which the primitive Lord Mayors and Magistrates took in
supporting the sports of the poor. It gratifies us all to know, that
the men of Devon have been celebreaed, time out of mind, for their
skill in throwing their neighbours. And I see, by an extract from
Robin Hood, the poet, that the Mnutientent it of great antiquity :
foe by the language, I g'mess Robin to be an old writer. Mrs.
Gale protests that Miid Hood, near the Post-office, is a grand-
daughter of Mr. Robin the bard.-but she only surmise*, and
from no very potent point& It may be so. Heaven only knows !-
I do net think Mrs. Gale does.
You have described the Cams very favourably. We were aot
aware that they were half such fine men as you say they ate,--not
that we do not believe it now, fur they are Devon-Dom, like Mrs.
, Gale and myself-and therefore they may he well grown. (him
I Gale is • tali woman of her size, and I am hard on the heels of dye
feet nine inches, which, as men go, is not diminutive.-In proof ofl
this, When I was young, the grenadier company in the militia, I
panted to possess me.-But I was not warlike--1 could never fight
at school. A musket gives me a turn et all times, heir I have my'
mother's idea that "it may go off") Well.-The Canto are very
respectable young men,--fanners on their own land. They come
to the holiday meetings to increase the fame of the family, and to
gladden the eyes of the country girls (nay servant Sukcy inclines to
the youngest,-but Mrs. Gales Elizabeth leans towards die second
one with dark hair). I do not wish to take from the reputation you

• We do not see exactly how a telescope denotes a man to bra a*
author. Mr. Humphrey Nixon should have explained this.
Mr. - said that the wonder before us was an (* on
Erraing by Apollo himself. But this was extravagant, and as
Ale. Collins, of Chitties:et, had written on the ascot subject first
so Mrs. Oak says), Apollo would hardly follow.

. .
hare given them, but I like fair play. And guestioti
your treatment of the men of the Moors.
What had Widdleomb of the Moen done, to &mtt your dark
representatio4 (Mr. . the curate, says thus much)—was he
not tin—manly. well.al.aped powerful ana.couragee&s 7—Had he
the feeling if thrxtrol with tom 7—Was he mein gt ignoble to
his ploy, We iCe.l Low that hc and all the rik..7f the Moors
are silent but sensitive.-.rude. but honest. awl I.l7ave' , and good
men (li'iddicomh purchased a trifle at Mrs. Gale's slinp).—Do not.
Sir, therefore, because the popular voice was wlth the Calms. Mr.
sake the men of the 310 Ors. trin not sreatt my own lahguage here,
for I do not write after this fashion, nor indeed. slier any fashion,
for fashion in writing Seems a couttmdietion.—l quoit the words of
Mr. the curate, Oho wrote to me, in a letter, his feelings
on the subject. And Mrs. Gale and the rest think iv' much. Cams
was thrown :—Remember that. Widdicestib %liar. "rustle with
Cann for three guineas—a great rum you'll my, anti torreAly—any
day through the summer and the money is really at the Dolphin.
We do not very well understand SirThomto Parlixns, inasmuch
as he writes in a way not very well to he undeis•ood; his style
being aged, mysterious, and not altogether k;ngliiit--but cern-
poundetrof Geeek, lAtin, and, dare py, Welsh, At env rate,
he is ton fond of uttering wortls whtdt we not most intelligible to
me. being of languages out of my sphere. That te may *peek to
the purpose, Ido not deny; but the is beeps! me. Mrs.
Gale thinks his book a joke upon wrestling—but Mr. Norris holds
to its having been written for political purposes. They both may
be right—there's no saying.
The length of my • ?tier surprises me, and the more particularly
' as I have written it all since December Last; which you will own in
easy writing. I trust you will not dislike this first ynbb • attempt.
which conveys the sentiments of otbers besides myself. Mr. Norms
tsays, the style is nut amiss: and Mrs. Gale, clause name I have
Menioned to you before, thinks that I hive written to the point.
1 am. Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
DUMPS MET NIXON..

P.S.--Circumstances may prevent me from writing to you again
very 'weedily— I am going to change my condition. Mrs. Gala
will in a few days be Mrs. Nizon. Von are down r cake.

NAVAL EL. LitiliNCF.•..
C.aptain H. Price Is eitioint t-1•1171n.--o
the service of relying men fo
his Alajesty'a fleet at Liverpool%
The Orestes. Captain Liichlield, was coinmistloned at Ports-
mouth on Tuesday last.
The Newcastle, 60, is intended to be 'employed as • lazarretto
is Milroy', Haven, for which purpose the Is fitting at Portsmouth,-
and will shortly pyoceed to that Rlace,
The Asp tend. :r arrived at Portsmouth on Snrday, with mu..
and sailed, on her return to Chatnam, the following day.
The Viper tender arrived at Ptirtaindith on 31onday, from a
cruise.
On Wednesday the Arrow cutter sailed from Portsmouth on a
cruise.
The Princess Royal will lila from Portsmouth rest week for
Liverpool. where she receives troops for Halifax ; thence proceeds
on to IBarbadoes to bring back troops to Portsindutli. The Cattle
transport, Lieutenant Burdwood, Agent, is also ordered to perform
the lame service.
Ships at Spitheed :—lnfernal and Calliope. In harbour:—Vic-
tory, Bulwark, Wellesley, Albion. Royal George, Serintapatam,
Niemen, Medina, Champion, Herald, Britinnart, Linnet, hcorpion,
and ViPer.
Mr. W. Kimber is appointed to the Britortirr, as Purser, in
the room of Mr. Jermain, whose appointment to that sloop has
been cancelled.
11 Telegraphic diaifittehis given in ,tile lifewitettr, announce that
the Trident, of 71 gun's, Captain Moil*: anti the Vestal frigate,
of 21 guns, Captain Simonet. arrived on the 11th Mat. at Brest,
Ifrom the Antilles. On the same day the La Pruden*, a ciliate,
dispatched from Bahia, in Brasil, on the let May, commanded by
'Captain Lesaulnier de la Get*, cast anchor at Brest.
The disastrous intelligence of the defeat of Mittniops under Sir
C. M'Carthy, on the Gold Coast, has, we ate sorry to learn.
received itit confirmation by, the arrival of two vessels from Cape
Coast Castle, during the pelt week, at Portsmobth, The Hope
schooner erith.the official accounts of these trandictinns, sailed as
long bacirkas February last; the Borodino transport left the same
place en t e March. The following are the Naval Promotions
in that quarter:--Captain W. Coortenity. to the Owen Glendower.
acting; W. Woolethnbe, to the Bann; Mr. C. H. Binstead to
Sr
Lieutenant of the Owen GlendoWnr, vice Torrane t C. G. Lloyd,
from the Blnn, Acting Lieutenant in the Owen Glendower ; Piddle,
'Midshipman of the Owen Glendower Lieutenant of the Bann. vice
Wilson—The Bann had tailed foe Siars Leone; the Owen Glen-
dower and Swinger were at Cape Coast Castle.

NAVAL APPOINTMENTS.
Captain Fits Studdert has commissioned the Champion. Cvtain
Ilenyy Litchfield the C and I:spaLin Francis Fad the
Pylades. new experimental sloops of war.—Captain Gamma
Vernon has commissioned the Bntomart. Pi, at this port. Captain
E. F. Scott is appointed Inspector of the Coast Blockade, at
Whitby lYticitshirei Captain Scott to raise seamen at Livapooi.
Lieutenant W. Nevin to the 'maw.
111 The folloWing appointments have taken place lately :—Liatts
C. H. Seale, R. Maiarty, Lysettt H. Stroud, F. Al. Williams,
and W. H. Brady, to the Ramillies, for the service of the coast
blockade. Lieuts. R. F. Gambier, the Hon. H. H. Talbot, and
Mr. J. Brown Ca) Purser, to the Blonde Mi. S. I. Butcher, Put.
set, to Ike Jaseur ; Lieut. W. Tucker (bi to the Pylades.

SNIPPING I'NT'ELLIGENCE.
CUSTOM-MOUSE. iuxi 19.
_ ENTERED INNERDS.

Devi*, Wells (Blifteeley,broker), from Gibraltar.
Stared Life, Butcher (Hadopel, from Cephalonia.
!Longwell. Spawn (Hawkins), from Hambro'.
George, Betts (31'CuthY), from Cadiz.
William Niles, Beadle (Brinlky), from Bengal.
Hero of 31olown, Garrick Olszett), front ditto.
Coburg,. t arms (facksin), from Trieste.
Thetis, Otto (Rordanz), from Mini&
Caledonia, Brown (Castendeick), from Stettin.
William and Henry, Hatfield (Drolenyaux), from /timbre.
Cam, Becker (Benham), from Memel.
Arend, Elbring (Ds Die), from Antwerp.
Juntina /deforms, Groen (lowden), from Rotterdam.
Heretiles, Ererling (C neck), from IllemeL
Regenten. Ostiberg (Valfyyl, from Gefle.
Twee Afwesgie, limners Boa.(Simon), from Amiterdaor.
Hector, Howlett (Hardman), from Jamaica.
Susan, Bibbins (Jackson), from Gallipoli.
Three Sisters, Frost (Ayres), from Rotterdam.
Nautilus, !topper (Bentley). from Memel.
Sarah Alargaret, Sbeader (lholeoraux), from Hambro'.
‘Villiam, Noble (Dennison), from Memel.
Elisabeth, Lurigridge (laingridge), from Smyrna.
Two Sisters, Hayes (iliiclueion), from 13anuic.
FRO3I LLOYD'S LIST.

Facmoven, Judd 17.—Arrived the General Phipps, from
Bahia, in GJ days. Off the Yon, the Thomas, Naylor, from Bahia t
Alice, —, hem Van Diemsn's Land • Colonist, Smith, from
Barbadoid t and Calliope, from New York. The Duke a
Bedford, Cunningham, from London for India. wait spoken with,
all well, on the 4th of April in lat. 4. S. long. 23. W.
PORTSMOUTH. JUN* tik—Arrived the four Brothers. DID.
lop; and Hope, Scott, from Dant:ie. Sailed his Majesty's ship
Jupiter, for Halifax.
Dort's, JUNE 18.—John Brown, a seaman, belonging to the
Phenix, of Oreenock, Lindsay master, from London to Carthego-
na, is landed here from the Swedish ship Pelee, from Lisbon to
Stockholm. and reports that the Muria ran on board the Pelee on
the 3d indent, had her bows stove in, and it is supposed foundered.
Brown states, that be was forward clearing the wreck, and got cn.
tan_gled in a.rope, by which he was dragged on board the Pelee.
DEat, Jbus 18.—Came down front the River and sailed, the
Antelope, Aim, Scotia, Symmetry, Liverpool Packet, Hope, Sufi
folk, and Cosmopolite. Arrived the anda, Head, from St.
Domingo; Orion, from the East Indies; Royal Oeorge, Key.
nolds, from ditto.
Lir E n root., JUNE 17.—Arrived the Charlotte, Sim, from
Charleston; Vine, Jay. from Leghorn; Nancy, Candler. from
Catania ; and Robert, 31.51iillen, from Rigs.
BELTAST, JUNE 16.—The Duke of Richmond, frcm MIT! for
Liverpool, took fire, and was run on shore in the Bay of C..• en.
dak on the 14th,
Arrived off Dever. the London, Turner, from Jersaica
: Elisa-
beth, Rosa, from Trieste; and Union —, from Messina.
About fifty sail of homeward.bound vessels are hi sight, besting
up Channel.
Off Portsmouth, the Harrington Canny, from Jamaica.
Off Brighton, the Cambridge. Mason, from Jamaica.
Off Penzance; the Waterloo, Wilkinson, from Jamaica.
The Harrington, Canoe'', arrived oft' Portsmouth, sailed Cron
Jamaica about 43ii ult. in company with the Louisa, Frederick.
Nancy, and Britannia. for London, under convoy of his 3$ 's
ship Thracian, and parted company 16th ult. off Cape Florins.
On the 20th. in lat. 39. long. 52., spoke the Wellesley, from Ja-
maica for London ; on 11th inst. in lat. 45. long. 25. spoke two
*fps from the East Indies to London, out six weeks from St.
Helena.
Vie Lotus, Field, arrived off Holyhead from Bengal, gives the
following shipping intelligence :--Sailed from the Sand-Heado
I 14th February, and. St. llelena, ApriL The Rockingham.
Beach, from Bengal. was daily expected at St. Helena. bromic
been left to the eastward of the blaurmus at the end of a burn..
cane. The Minerva, Prohyn, was expected to leave Bengal about
the 20th February. The Elias, Johnson, and Lady Campbell.
tit• ham. were expected to sail in two or three days after the
Lotus. The Commodore Hayti, Manuel ; and Mary, Aodlie„
it. was expected would sail the Ist March. On the Ist cost. off the
Western Islands, exchanged colours. with a French linoof.hattlei
drip, and a frigate, standing to the northward and Eastward ; and
on the 10th spoke the Nile, Davidson, ftion Bristol to Quebes.
The Oscar, from Newfoundland, arrived at Oporto, spoke the for.
low's g vessels, on the 14th RM., TH. :,—Frances,mrld Harriet, of
Shields (having on board the crew of the Hyperion. from St..
Andrews. New BlllllllriCh, which vessel f at seal, and
Emerald, of Shields, for Pictou, with loss of topmasts.
The following whalevarrem in the Bay of Tslanda, nth Decent..
ber• 1823, viz Harriet, Angleton, 600 barrels of oil ; Van..
*Wart, Bacon, 68 don ; Asp, mind, 1,280 ditto; Fanny, Rule.
1,000 ditto; Rochester. Worth, 366 ditto; Fmacia, Boot, end
Saracen, Dunn, clean.
It was repeated at Rio Janeiro, the Ar
from theme. to Buenos Ayres, had got
Bank, shoe* the 241 of APni.
The (ompetitor, Arcough, from New .
posed co be arrived off Portsmouth ; letters
matted by ha.

I i
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a on the Ohm
w Swath Wales, is sup-
tiers bare been rust/sad
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