The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-01-20 00:00:00

THE SWINISH RACE.

There is no pot of the animal creation that has
more cause to complain of the general prejudices
of loan than the domestic pig. This nufortunate
animal is al 1111 l tit proverbially spoken of as unclean
awl stupid ; Noel yet, strange as the toms may
seem to ninny of our readers, the creature es really
sagacious. and naturally disposed to cleanliness.—
The following notice of its habits and powers of
etiscrii 1111 l ati so, is taken from the sth cumber of
The ltdinbeirgh 43Inathly Magazine :
We sore apt to conceive the domestic pig to be
much more milelteate and sordid thou it really is;
for it selects at least the plants on which it feeds
with equal sagacity and niceness. rejecting more
siwcies than most of the phytog it tttttt s quadrupeds ;
is never poisoned, like some other animals, by mitt.
taking noxious. for wholesome food ; and prefers the
delicate truffle to all other vegetable production..
Its ',sage of vegetable diet is more circumscribed
by its scruples than that of other animists ; for it
appears, boon the reticulations in the Pint StleCtat,
that alien the ox eats g 76. sod rejects '2lB species
of photo, the hog eats only 72. and refuses 171.
,t motig the grasser, it prefers the most succulent,
mad tllll4lllg roots the must nourishing, as those of
the will carrot, gosts'-heterel. virsuip, potato, &e.
In rouse Port" of Italy swine are even trained to
hunt for truffles; and NI r. llingley, w Lis " Me-
moirs qf British Quadrupeds," records an instance
of an individual id this calumniatt-d species, be-
letrigitig to the late Sir 11. I'. St. John Milelintqe
which was taught to point game with perfect regu-
larity, to the great umusement of sportsmen.
These creatures are also capable of acquiring
various other habits. and of performing feats,
winch prove that they are by no means deficient in
understandirtg; rir, though their ordioaty destiny is
to breed, and to he fattened for the market, and
the cultivation of their talents, if we may he allow-
ed the expression, is, in course, almost umformly
neglected, yet learned pigs have been exhibited in
almost every town of Europe. We may notice,
too, the circumstance of their being ftequeittly ob-
served to collect straw with their mouths, in order
to form a warm hed, when the wind blows keenly,
rind to call their companions, by repeated cries,
to assist in the work. Their extreme sensibility to
wind, winch has, probably, given rise to the po-
pular expression, that they see it, denotes, at ail
e vents, a more delicate organization than is usually
ascribed to them ; and though they generally pass
for dirty anitnals, it has been remarked. that where
they have liberty, their sleeping places are kept
more free from tilt h than those of most quadrupeds.
A new-littered pig instinctively deposits its dung
apart from the spot on which it lies, and this at-
tention to cleanliness grows with age, insomuch
that if kept dirty; it becomes restless and discon-
tented, and never thrives. The reputation of the
race for filthiness, has, probably, orignated in their
addiction to roll in the mud, or in freshly thrown
up -nil—a habit wind' is by no means peculiar
to them, and which only betrays their eagerness
to remove the itchy sensations produced by insects.
The sanie uneasy feelings appear to he induced be-
fore rain, whet), like poultry, these animals rub
themselves in the dust. Let us recollect, that,
when compelled to exert themselves, they evince
the most determined courage, as well as the most
marked sympathy with those of their own species;
for the moment that one of them utters a signal of
distress, all within hearing will tun to its assistance.
Of the numerous instances which have been quoted
in proof cf this assertion, the ensuing is nut the least
remarkable:—

" The Steur Brue haying, in rain, lied recourse
to every experimetit for softening the ferocious dis-
position of a tiger, which he had reared at Fort
tit. Louis, no the western coast of Africa, was
curious to know how a hog' would defend himself
against so herge and powerful a beast. Ile, conse-
quently, citased one to be detached from a herd,
and the rest to be conveyed to rower distance. As
soon as the tiger was loosened the hog retired into
an angle in the wall of the tort, where, fur a very
considerable time, it kept the tiger at bay : at
lellgth. when closely pressed, it uttered a furious
scream, mill, in an instant, the whole drove advanced
to its relief, and so resolutely asserted the tiger, that,
in order to save himself, he was compelled to spring
out or their reach into the ditch of the fort. 3
herd of ►wine have been known to gather mood a
dog which teased them, and to kill Into on the
spot : and if a male and female of this species be
put tutu a ►tye when young, the female will de-
cline from the moment that her comommin is re-
moved, and will probably die of a broken heart."

The indictment (mind against Mr. MANN, radical
bookseller, of Leeds, at the last Quarter Sessions,
has been removed by a writ of certiorari into the
Court of King's h itch, and it will, of course, he
sent down to be tried at the next Assizes fur the
county.

Youx BOOK SOCIETY.—At the annual meeting
of the York Book Society, on hist, the poo-
positiou for the destruction of Paine's Age of
Beason was put to the balkt, and carried with only
one dissentient ball, and that supposed to he a
mistake of an individual. The hook was itume.
distely burnt by the librarian, in the presence of
the members.

Would the ladies as much as possible encourage
the manufacture of pillow bee in their vartour
articles of dress they would do a greater act of
humanity than they are aware of, for it is un ohs°.
lute fact that there are at this titre no: less than two
hundred thousand poor women and children de.
pooling for suppose ill its con.iiiispiims, and
whose earnings ut reseal do not exceed tad. per
day.
On Moodily last Caine on the election of an Al.
dement fin the Giro 111yiiirr Warn, Norwich, in
the room of the late lioumt r lIARYFY. I:•tl. when
Mi. WILLIAM FoaTER was elected. The tiring of
St. Peter's bells aum«nrced thy- event, soil parlics of
freemen paraded the sheets, preceded by Nutria of
music. During the election for the above Ward,
Lord Ctiolerengli passed through the city on his
way to Illickhog Ilall, on a visit to Losil Suffield ;
whilst changing horses at the Angel Inn, the popu-
lace greeted him with a mixture of groans and
applause', which ceutinued till his departure.—
(Aurwieli Paper.)

THE SEARCHING OF THE RIVER TIMER
1,011
REMAINS OF ANTIQUITY.

[From "Tiss London Magazhse," published by 13aId•hs,
Craduck, mud Joy.]

(Concluded from our Paper e Tuerday last)

These proposals not having been fon..d 'rite
sati‘factory, an explanation was afserwards pub-
lished ; iu the course of which it ws. declared,
that the silli,cribers were to he coi.sidered regular
a•sortatrs to the enterprise, wish some ennditions
favour of Signor Nero, not very necessary to be
herr detailed.

The enterprise, while in • wavering state, re-
ceived afterwards both money and encouragetnetit
from England, the Kreart fosterer of schemes of all
descriptions. An article appeared in the L)iariu di
!Coma of March go, 1814. where the writer, after
speaking of the envy and detraction which all good
projects meet with, informs the public that the
director hail received subscriptions for forty shares
froin Loudon. accompanied with a wish bons the
same munificent sulperiber, to retain all the re.
!mining shares. A very glowing complement is
paid to the English 11411011 in consequence. The
writer hints, that ►he scheme originated in else en.
coursgement held out to the projector by the
Duchess of Devonshire : lie concludes...." May the
monarch flood who has for so many ages glided
through the moat magnificent city of the moverse,
be Num' to teem with interesting objects, and
abundantly satisfy those who respect the memory
of the ancients 1"

The next official account we have of this scheme
is not quite so satisfactory. In the Diaria di Koma
of July 31, 1819, we have a pompous account of
the launch of the vessel with the machines, celled
the Medusa, on July the 49th. The Circe (a boat)
with two other small craft, we are informed, were
launched a few days sooner. The labours being
thus likely to begin about two months after the
promised time, the " Council of Administration"
proceed to explain, that an agent from Loodun
having_ contracted for forty shares, and ex-
pressed • wish to retain all the others that
remained, the contract war concluded for the
forty, and he was told that the others to the
number of eighty were at his disposal. Some mis-
understanding arose, and the " Administration"
had the mortification to learn, that Mr. Baring, the
banker, who was employed to cover the slim, hail
presented the bills without effect. The machines
were already in an advanced state, when this heavy
defalcation seemed to threaten the whole affair with
the delay at least of many months. The Directors
take great credit to themselves for following up their
object under these discouraging circumstances.
They declare that the subscriptions amount to 9,000
crowns only, and that the expenses of the under-
taking far exceed that sum. They are therefore of
opinion, that they have already inure than fulfilled
their obligations to the public, boot are determined
to follow up the operations notwithstanding these
disasters. The name of the English sobseillwr has
not been published, and it is fortunate for Inon that
there is a strung party in Rome mgamst the under-
taking, who congratulate the gentleman, whoever
he is, on hatjug escaped an impolotion.—lt is for
him to consider, whether lie actually bought the
sharer; and, if so, why lie declined to make good
lots elogugement. It is to be hoped, for the honour
of the nation, that these are questions which cuu be
satisfactorily as,swerril.

NVltatesei the Directors may say of their vigour
and perseverance, the actual operations have been
conducted in a trifling, negligent iuminer. It was
found that the vessel could only stork close to the
shore ; the smallest increase of water rendered even
this impracticable, and occasionally the divers
would complain of cold. Their Jinn acquisition
was made in a very inauspicious snootier.
Having !lewd of the existence of a monument on
the shore, aurae miles s.p the Tyber, a boat was
dispatched to bring it ; noel it was found to be u
cii.pus of white nimble, with an inscription to a
female of the Coruelien faintly, and a portrait. It
appease, however, that it Nov private property ; fur
soon after its Requirement the officers of justice took
It V/ /13' front the " Administration: The latter were
going to lay their hands on route fiugmenta near the
church of St. Paul, but the monks interfered here
ap,uni. What they have actually found in the river
consists of blocks of stone and marble of little va-
lue. A daily account or the operations was pub-
lished, and a specimen of these journals will serve
to spew the zeal and g.od order of the " Council of
Administration." The following is a successful
day. " August 23, 1819, at 101 o'clock (Italian
time), after having called over the men's names,
it was decided that. the Captain with eight men,
should go to the Company's dock, in order to
launch the third boat belonging to the Medusa.
Arrived at the place, after the necessary prepara-
tions the boat was latillelled at half-past eleven
o'clock, in presence of the Director ! flaviug
then caused the cippus of Cornelia to be carried to
the magazine, the key was delivered to the keeper
Giacomo Menicucci. The smaller implement* boil
embarked, the ship's company returned to the 31e-
dusa, and auchortd near the ancient port of Marino-
rata. The cylinder having begun to work, it was
found that several amiable. were at the bottom. to
raise which it was necessary to prepare some chains
a diver was sent under water to fastest one with iron-
(Tampa, prepared b'r that purpose. After having
proceeded in the operation, end give!' the necessary
rest to the men, the work was recommenced at
'2O o'clock. and the windlasses belie; hired to the
corneal ding lopes iis presence of all the under-
signed, of Signor (liiiseppe Buto, official account-
ant, and of an immense crowd which hued both
banks, the piece was dragged to the ristance of 15
palms from the shore, at the depth of fourteen from
the surface of the water, and it was then raised and
embarked in one of the boats, where it was found
to be a curious piece of Pentelick marble, with
red and yellow veiny. It was four palms long.
three iu width, and two in thickness. Having
caused a piece to be broken off, it was given
to the Duchess of Devonshire, who was also
present at the operation. The guard having
been set far the night. the men were dismiss-
ed at 231 o'clock. The present rotes ver-
bal was dune and cloeed on bond the Medusa, on
the day and year aforesaid, in the presence of the

undersigned."—Mere follow the signatures of " the
Administration.")
Some of the journals are much shorter, because
there is nothing to soy. Th. operations have been
lung suapended, sod the Director talks of re.
commencing them in 1820. After all. Cftroliiiatl
Polignac's method would be the beet ; hut the dais
of enterprieing Pontiffs •ud Crodoial% are p....
Notwithstanding repented Imiliirell. 'here Cali he
DO doubt the bed of the T} her coot sins a quail-
tity of valuable relic% : how far these may 1. ire
descended with the striate', and Low (h.„,,
they may be buried in the mud, is mothe-n
The present machine seems too small he exedra,.•
the bottom, though' it may have the luck to pick
up whatever is oil the surface of the mud.