The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-05-05 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE BRITISH PRESS.

0, Queen-square, Westminster, 31sy 1.
great fears are entertained for the safety of our
eawielleat Governor Sir Charles M'Carthyl and u it may be
mug consolation to his friends in this country (among
siletn I em proud to consider myself one not the least in-
ttrtsted), to learn that there arc still hopes of his being in
existence, permit me to offer the following observations
tipon this subject :---.
Although it cannot be disputed that the Asbantees are a
tpriarouenatton, yet, as I have been among them, and wit-
nessed their humanity to prisoners which they captured in
their late wars with the Buntakoos, I can, of course, speak
With eonfidence upon this subject; and if the same King
(lay Tootoo Quainina) who was alive when I was at
Ceoniassie, is still in existence, I can pledge myself for
the safety of Sir Charles 111‘Carthy, being well
with his sable Majesty's disposition, and bass,
nig' the utmost confidence in his humanity. The follow-
lug ?canons also induce me to think Sir Charles's life will
11., preserved :-
Ist. When I was at COOTIMIge. in 18$30, I saw one of
the chiefs of the Buntakoos, who had been taken prisoner
ty the Ashantees. walking ;bout with his attendants, en-
j42,-inir his pherty, and every attentiot: and respect.
pd. After the battle of Benda, where the Famous were
i:eftated by the .%ahantees, one of their chiefs, named Ate,
was taken prisoner and sent to Coomassie, where he was
set at liberty, and &fared to be restored to the Fantees
upon the payment of Atol., which was demanded for his
ansom.

• 911. It is not by any means a case without precedent for
the oladoantees to Lave a European Governor in their pas-
iessiGn, as a Flamm, and treating him kindly ; as they
fllliCe years ago eaptur..ll a Governor Finds and kept him
for fire mouths, during which time he was treated with
the greatest humanity and respect ; after which he was
nuitomed for 4001.

"Upon all these occasions, Apokoo, the General in Chief
of the Ashantecs, commanded, and as there is little doubt
slit he is with the anny who have captured Sir Charles,
there is nonion to hope that as he saved the lives of others,
he will also spare that of Sir Charles M'Carthy. Sincerely
wishing that this may be the case,

I am, Sir,
Your obedient humble Servant,
WILLIAM HUTTON.

'We regret to announce the death of the Bishop of Chi-
chester, which took place on Friday last at Chichester Pa-
lo', The venerable Prelate has been in a declining state
aflpdth for some months. Ile was, we believe, snarly 90
saws of age.
We are sorry to bear that the accounts from Malta rela-
tive to the health of Mr. Justice Richanlson' are not be
e':eluniglng as the friands of that distinguishetllawyer and
uphiab!e person could wish.—Mornini,- Poper.
hister Term begins to-day. The Lord Chief Justice
finished the sitdaga at Nisi Prig's on Monday.
At Sheriff Lamprey's dinner, on Tuesday last, at Mor-
rison's Hotel, lflrsbhn, that °Seer proposed the well-
kro'ivn party toast of—" The Glorious. Pious, and lm-
!aortal Memory of die Great and Gruoil King William,"
which was received (rays the Irish Times) with the greatest
enthusiasm

The following is another proof of the veer great expe-
tbn of steam navigation. The James Watt, Captain
started from Blackwell early on Wednesday morning,
and arrived at Edinburgh on Thursday evening, snaking
the passage in forty-three hours.
Caynot.sc BUZIALII. The Protestant Curates of
Youghal refused permission, during this week, to allow the
Basima Catholic clergymen to attend the funeral of a
r Itossayne, who died there lately. In consequence of
ibis; denial, the friends of the deceased were compiled to
bury him in the Catholic burial place, although his family
from time immemorial had been interted in the Protestant
Chronick.
'lty the smack Delight, just arrived, we are sorry to learn
that•the Comet, from Londonit:te.:,ik had got on lore
ua Saturday morning, abouc milts to the north-
vosSehof Yarmouth, m thick Weather ; but when the De-
bat pawed her, the wind lottohiti itte westward, and the
sMng tides 'coming to had, the, Captain of the I)elight
eapected she would soon be got Sr. Paiengers and crew
well.—Calcd9niaalifercary of Thursday.

,PARYS.

ITIOSI OVA coausrosrosxr.l
PARIS, MAY I.

A brilliant ball and supper was given last week at FEES-
!
CATE'S. La conclusion de ce chapitre was expensive to
several young Englishmen here, who have more money
than wit, though not overburdened with either. Lord
NI" "n is re ported to have won upwards of 200,000
. francs at the Solon Etrangeres, besides a large sum at
Freacate's. More than six hundred persons were present
at the above supper, which was served up on silver; the
whole was in a style of splendor suited to the occasion ;
lall was thoughtlessness nod festivity,
And not a single sign of sorrow
The woes predicted of to-morrow.
But to-morrow brought Repentance in its train ; hut, alas!
the visit to many, as often happens in such cases, was a
day too late.
When we talk politics at all, we talk of the reduction of
the rentes ; but the Ministry are omnipotent at present;
corruption is working up all her raw trurtcrials for the ser-
vice of Government, and the finished manufacture is in
great request. AI szeass the celebrated French histo-
rian, who lived two hundred years ago, speaking of the
ancient Parliaments of France, and of the want of pa-
triotism that prevailed amongst the Members, concludes by
telling us that—" fn the Assemblie s of the States there
were always some old spirits who reminded their colleagues
of the ancient and natural rights of the people, against
which there lies no prescription." Sa, likewise, in the
Chambers of the present day, there are some spirits of a
higher order, who would set limits to servility, and recall
their associate Representatives to the recollection of what
is demanded of them by their country ; but they are deafl
as adders to every voice but that which chimes in with
their own views; and not all the labours of all the Mis-
sionaries could)nake a single convert to Christian morals,
or to political honesty. Indeed it fared but ill, we may
remember, with the little of native integrity which his pen-
sion hod left to ME7Enny, for the Minister of Louis XIV.
Mons. COLNERT, ordered Penult, of the French Aca-
demy, to tell the historian, in his name, that " the King
had not given him a pension of 4,000 litres to write in so
free a manner." Upon this hint, Meseray promised to
retouch this offensive passage, together with some others,
in his " Abridgement of the history of l'eance," which
had been objected against, and he did to in the new edi-
tion of 1674, but be softened them down so slightly that
his amendments produced no other effect than offsnd-
ing the pulite, who were displeased to see the truth dis-
guised, liftmen satisfying the Midister, who retrenched
hall kis pensaw. The heneit historian complained to
Cu hert of this deprivation as unjust and unreasonable, but
the manly language cif his remonstrance was so little sooth-
ing to the pride of the Minister that he took airily the othe,
half. This was the mode in which they rewarded any ap-
pearance of patriotism in tke reign of Louis XIV. !
'llia practice of Courts is extremely monotonous. The
Ministers of Louis XVIII. would award to it just the
same compensation.
At two o'clock to-day a great tumult was occasioned at
the Bourse, in eossequence of the projected new low to
Spain. Those capitalists who had engaged in the loan
made to the Cortes, and which has not been ratified by
his Spanish Majesty, made loud outcries against entering
into a second, while the fate of the first was in jeopardy.
They insisted that the one already advanced ought pre-
viously to be recognised. The uproar became so violent,
that the Commissary of Police threatened to call in the
armed force; in fact, several of the gendarmes amembled,
and for a short time all was confusion, but peace was re-
stored upon the Commissary's prcluiaing to make an im-
mediate communication to the. Minister of Finance on the
subject.
I was present the other evening at the annual meeting of
die Societe If Encouragement for the perfectibility of Me-
Antics in France, which was assembled in the Rue de
Bac, for the distribution of medals to those artists whose
discoveries and inventions, were considered by the Com-
mittee to be of sufficient public utility to merit a particular
testimony of their approbation and encouragement. The
Duke de Rochefoucault Liancuert read a Report at great
Jnegth, relative to improvements in the meshanic arts since
the last meeting, and expatiatedon the great advantages re-
' salting from the industry of the several artists, whose in-
genuity and exertions had advanced the manufactures of
France to a degree of perfection, which enabled them on
many occasions to rival the finest productions of British in-
dustry ; to which, however, he paid a tribute due to its
merit. In a chamber adjoining the committee-room were
exhibited several new inventions, for which patents had
lately been granted : among them was one remarkable as
well for its ingenuity as for the simplicity of its construc-
tion ; this was a music-desk, with a pedal, la 'wan+ of
which a performer on any instrument is enabled with his
foot to torn overthe leaves of a music-book, one by one,
with remarkable rapidity. The shape of this desk is light,
end elegant ; a column rests on these feet, upon which the
book-frame is placed, which can be raised or lowered at
pleasure ; in the centre of this frame are united, on a ,
pivot, ten or twelve pieces of steel, about a foot long, at
the extremity of which is a sort of tweezer, into which the '
leaf of music is inserted ; these are placed to the right of
the desk, and by means of a spring impelled by the pres-
sure of the foot on the pedal the leaves are thrown over
successively to the left hand, as occasion requires, without
the least inconvenience to the performer. The meeting was
numerously attended. In the same apartment, Rue de
Bac, the annual meeting of the Asiatic Society tuokFlace,
The Baron St tvERTaz DE Lacs presided, and the Counts
DE LASTEYRIC and D'HAUTERIVE sat as Vice-Presidents ;
among the Members of the Couocil were the Baron de
Moubret, the Marquis de Clermont-Tonnerre, Messrs. '
Amedei Jaubert, Reicaud, and Saint Martin. The room
was filled before the hour announced for the opening of the
aittirur • several elegant females graced the assemblage.
The President opened the proceedings by reading a letter
front the Duke of Oates ISS, in which he expressed his
regret at being unable to assist at this year's ineetiag, but
swum! the Society of his strenuous support aid his best
wiels'a for their success, in propagating the knowledge of i
the Chinese, tiiudoo, Venn/writ, and other Asiatic tongues
in the Colleges in France. The Secretary then proceeded
to read a bang Report on the success of those engaged in the
discovery of Asiatic mennscripts. and the progress made in
perfecting types for printing those already received in
Swope. lie entered largely on the obstacles to be en-
countered in procuring copies, as the originals were gene-
rally deposited in the archives of the churches in Asia, and
strictly guarded by the Bramins, whose prejudices it was
difficult to vanquish. Many manuscripts have already
been translated into Latin during the present year, among
which is one by Monsieur STANISLAUb JULIEN, who, in
little more than a year, has madeincredible progress in the
knowledge of the Asiatic languages. I send you a pro-
speetus of Meng-tseu, translated by that author into Latin.
The Secretary proceeded to compliment some of our own
countrymen whose researches had been partially successful,
and to acknowledge the favours the Society had received from
the literati of Germany, and other countries, in aid of
their laudable exertions in introducing into Europe the
,
uterateure of those countries which gave birth to liter-
ature and the arts.

You have probably not yet heard of the singular,
though shocking instance of fanaticism, which took place'
lately at Geneva, in the Canton of Zurich. A young te-
male peasant, whew. morass had been exceptionable, took
it into her it. ad (it was arar•lnced to her by an inspired
revelation of the will of Ged) that she should expiate the
sins of 2;1 mankind by the sacrifice of herself upon the
truss ; and she so tar imbued the mind of our of her
sisters with the same infatuation, that she also resolved
to follow the same example. flaring asaembled the other,
members of her family, and several neighbours, she
Mika to them her solemn resolution to obey .the heavenly
summons; and both the sisters entreated their relatives to
put them to death, and afterwards to fix their Win on a
cress, declaring to them that on the third day they should
rise from the dead. They then proceeded to deliver the
weapons of death to the persons assembled ; who, horrid
to relate ! made them expire under their reiterated blows;
and afterwards, as previously directed, suspended them on
a crucifix, from whence these barbarous fanatics expected
they would descend as they had prmlicted ! The affair,
however, was made known to the local authorities, and the
executioners, to the number of &yen, were seised ; among
when, were the father, mother, brother sad sisters of the
victims, and, the lovei of the principal heroine! The par-
ties hafe been tried and condemned, some to perpetual la-
bour, others for a uunibcr of years, it: proportion as they

were more or less inculpated in this unnatural thinsacre.
r I The house where thlt barbarous act was committed has
been razed to the ground by piddle authority. It is said,
that although at Geneva they do not apprehend the repe-
tition of such melancholy effects of fanaticism, yet the
daily increase of religious societies, and the fanatical doc-
trines of Missionaries in the Swim Cantons, gain ground
ground daily among the higher classes, and examples
of religious melenelmly, and even of madness, become
every year mate 1 cent.
--vfves..—•••=l. •
THE EXHIBITION of the ROYAL ACADF:MY.

This is the fill y-si.rfh year that the " cupiditas glori:e"
has stimulated the students of this school of art, and we
hate no reason, considering the host of candidates, to be
dissatisfied with the result: _ _ _

" The field of glory is a field of all."
We might, perhaps, wish sometimes that there were leas
jostling in the race, but where the prize is valuable, and the
competitors follow cloudy at each others' heels, wg must
ale human nature as we find it, and not look for much
display of high and generous feeling in the contest.
The character of the present Exhibition is, upon the
whole, favourable to the reputation of the artists, and must,
we think, as far as profit is concerned, be favourable to their
intereuts. Portraits predominate ; but the British school
has made not merely great proficiency, but such strides to-
wards perfection in this branch of the art, and it is, in it-
self so interwoven with the best feelings of our nature in
the intercourse of private life, that we cannot wonder that
it should receive such distinguished encouragement.
No. & Portrait of Lady Elizabeth Belgtave, by ricer RSO ILL,
is excaßant. This artist has all the energy of genius without its
eeeentliSitlell be has a correct eye, ands firm hand, and be follows
nature with both. These totaliues, corn Lined with perpetual study
and ceaseless perseverance, have made him what he is, and lie Is
behind Sir Thomas Lawrence—and but jag behind him. The atti-
tude of this portrait is easy and wmral ; the dash is well coloured ;
and,—which ins moderate portrait is the rarest of all rare things,—
Ore hawk are well painted. How much of the power of Vandyke
is displayed in the aNt/aMitiaa of his figures ! When that cele-
brated painter Ortx was eine of the hangers at the A cakniy, in the
year 1709, his companion in that offios endeavoured, but in vain,
to make him adinire the pictures of a certain young artist. At last,
wearied out with the fruitless task, he exclaimed—" Why now,
()pie. leak at that hand ! Yam never painted such a hand as that
In your No," replied Mr. Opie archly, you have_
flxemy such." This ihrewl retort is applicable to very many be-
side the Individual to whom it was addressed ; for, infer the greater
number of pictures in which hands and feet chance to 'reintroduced,
they bear no resemblance to any limbs of corporeal clay. In this
portrait of Lady Beigrave, the transparency of the sleeves which
displeys the arm, is managed with great judgment.
0. Falstaff and his Page—.OIXOI.ETON, IS tumid out of hand
with very little attention so the finishing s the round belly of the
honest Knight has all the stiffness of a horsehair pillow ; it has
neither shape nor make, sad it is only its being placed where it is,
could lead us to guess that it was meant for the middle regions of
the " plump Jack Faistaff." The subject is good, but it is spoilt
in thebmndlmg.
12. Stirling Castle.—W. CoLtaxs, R. A.—There is great bril.
limey of tone, and beauty of effect, in all the pictures of this artist;
but their value would be greatly increased were he to finish them
with more attention to the reality of nature. The Castle, which we
must presume is intended to be the leading object of the picture, as
it gives the name to it, is hazy and indistinct, and becomes on that
account the least important of the subject. The shadows which
are made to proceed from the living objects are much too strong,
and this excess rs the MOM striking as the sun is behind a cloud.
We prefer this picture, however, to its companion, No. 20, The
Cherry-Sella, • scene at Taney, Bedfordshire ; for although the
genets' effect is good, it mans that finish without which there can
be no sterling viduen ranyTtetiire.
in. VIM{ with Cupid, mended by the GUM. T. STOTIIMID,
R.A.--The empire of Wig grace: is universal, but our Royal Aca-
demician has certainly gins no Tory flattering delineation of this
trio of divinities. They ego placed before us 3n all the primitive
simplicity of our first pasepts. They are " naked and arc sot
ashamed,'. which really, in an crowded an exhibition of bt44 sexes,
we think they ought to be. There was no necessity that we know
of, either moral or classical, to strip them so unsparingly. PAU-
SAIIIAS, an historian with whom Mr. Stothard cannot be unac-
quainted. teaches us that the early sculptors and painters always re.
presented them as CLlthed j and he enumerates several statues and
pictures by flupalus, Apelles, and other great masters, in proof of
this. Ile even expresses himself at a loss to ascertain when the
custom of assigniag them diaper, ceased. Even Yawns herself,
as she is exhibited here, would be as well in her met-ant; for Da
form is by no means wall shaped, nor her limbs well proportioned.
As to such a goddess as this contending with Juno and Minerva
fur the palm of beauty, Pears, so far from deciding in her favour, '
ought nut to have admitted bet into the lists. Mr. Stothard Is an
excellent artist, but he owashis fame to works of far higher value
than this.
10. Portrait of Lord Viscount Relgrave, W. Ptcrienacitz4.,
A.—The character and countenance is hate very happily bit oft,
and the portrait is in all its parts, put well tomethar. -The features
all correspond in their expression—which is a merit not quite so
Mrair.on as may be imagined. The countenance of this portrait Is
extremely favourable fur an artist; it Is intellectual, and bit efforts
are consequently not thrown away upon it, which is the cam where
mature,u it sometimes happens, has given a face no mare expels.
aim than s bulled muffin.

21. A Meuse. :dim SnAiteLes--When we ow this tide In
the Catalogue, we were prepared to expect a portrait of our little
domestic enemy, sitting ie whiskered state upon &cheese. or 110433 e
throne equally appropriate : but behold ! we found a whole family
pert, thrown into a state of tenor, seeking the heights of chairs
and sofas for safety ; one feral& pale and in a swoon ; the Captain
about to draw his rapier--and all this bemuse a mouse is naming
es the Soon Truly, Much Ado Await Nothirturaoriuld have bean
a Mater designation of this performance. Miss ' les has, how-
ever, • considerable talent in its esecution an arrangement,
and has shown herself capable of making a much stronger clan
upon our sympathies, when she shall thosse a more appropriate
subject.
We shall visit the Exhibition again in a day or two, till
when we must postpone our further remarks.