The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-07-27 00:00:00

JOHN BULL IN PARIS.

The following is an extract of a private letter from an
Englishman in Paris, dated July 19 :
" Yesterday evening the Parisians were regaled with a
rich treat, in the fields lying to the south of the city, by a
large party of thorough-bred John Bulls, wlus had paid us
a visit from the Weald of Kent. However laudable
the endeavour may be to transplant to the capital of
France the rustic amusements cf the English, it is, 1 ar.
ticipate, a measure which will never meet with even
a tolerable degree of success. The sports were of a
nature never before exhibited in Paris, and entirely new
to the eyes of a Frenchman, who had not visited England.
Jumping in sacks for a fine Holland chemise was finely
contested by half a dozen rosy-checked wenches, half Eng-
lish and half French. This was not so much a trial of skill
as of strength ; for a stout lusty wench, who boasted of being
born at Sn arden, in Kent, distanced the three French girls,
and beat those of her own country by 20 yards. It evidently
appeared that it was not the first time she had jumped in a
sack. The next feat which engaged the attention of the
wondering Parisians was a gingling match for a new hat and
a pair of boots. In this, as in the former instance, the can-
didates for the prizes (16 in number) were of both nations—
French and English. As nimbleness and agility were the
only accomplishments necessary to insure success, both
parties appeared to be equally well matched; for neither, in
the space of 20 minutes (the time allowed to decide the
match), could catch the man with the bell, who was
.picked out as one of the most agile Frenchmen of the day,
being, by profession, a mountebank dancer. What evi-
dently amused the assembled tbrong more than any of the
preceding exhibitions, were six old women drinking scalding
tot tea fora new gown, and five Frenchmen, underl9 years
of age, smoking the strongest tobacco fur a new pair of shoes
and a silver watch ; the old ladies scalding their mouths,
—their shrieks, end the wry faces they made on the occa-
sion—the distorted countenances of the half-dead smokers,
caused by the operatiouof the " best Virginia" upon the
delicate stomachs of these youthful smokers, were enjoyed
I esti rich treat] by the delighted crowd of Frenchmen, who
testified their joy by the moat rapturous applause. The
evening's entertainments concluded with four men crawling
up a smooth pole, well greased, twenty feet high, for 21
francs, which were in a bag, tied at the top; and four
boys, with their hands tied behind them, and their legs in
a sack, dipping their heads into a broad tub of treacle far'
12 oranges, with a franc in each. All these amusements
terminated without the slightest accident, or disposition
to create riot and confusion; and the delighted mob of
French and English disperstl, all equally gratified with
the amusements which had been afforded them by a party
of thorough-bred Joint Bulls front the Weald of Kent."

EFFECTS OP DESTROYING M•CHIWERY.—WC under-
stand that there were not less than twenty actions against
the different hundreds of this county, to recover compen•
sation for the damages sustained by the destruction of
power-looms, &c. in April last. Most of these will be
merely inquiries before the Sheriff, to assess the amount of
damages; but several cases, we believe, will be defended,
though, on what gtounds, we are not informed.—Nan-
cheater Mercury.
DEATH PROM WAXT.—On Thursday last, an inquisi-
tion was taken by John ‘Wayman, Gent. Coroner fur the
Liberty at Dayton, on the body of a poor man, who stated
his name to be William Ilill, who, having been found in
a field adjoining the high road to Woo!pit, in a state of
great exhaustion, was removed to the Rear Inn, at Dayton.
where he shortly afterwards died. lie declared that he
had not had any refreshment since the previous Sunday,
and that he bad been unable, from weakness, to remove
himself. He said he had sister living at Stepney, and a
brother in America, and that he had formerly been in good
circumstances. It appeared, in confirmation of his state-
ment, that he bad been seen on the previous Sunday near
the spon where he was found on the Thursday morning,
Verdict" Died from watd."---Butll Gazelle.

THE

'NH PRESS.