The National Register.
London, England, 1817-05-05 00:00:00

MISCELLANEOUS.

LITER %RV FUND.—Thursday a dinner was given at
Freemasons' Tavern to the friend:; of this Society, the
object of which is well known to be the relief of authors
in distress. The Duke of Sussex presided. supported by
the Duke of Somers.,t, the Bishop of Durham, and
I,ord Bolton. In the course of the evening Mr. Fitzge.
r.thl, according to custom, recited a poetical address-for
the anniversary of the fund. The Secretary also made a
tratement of the present state of their finances ; by which
it appeared, that since the last anniversary, the aggre-
gAte balance of subscriptions was 1,3351. 3s. Bd. The
talowing, among other subscriptions, were also an-
nounced: the Prince Regent, patron of the Society, 2101.

the Duke of Sussex, 2.0 guineas.
The Scottish Corporation held their Spring Anniver-
. nary Dinner on Saturday last, at the Freemason's Ta-
vern ; when the Marquis of Huntly, as Chairman, con-
diteta the Meeting with such enlivening glee, and with
- such excellent address, that between 7 and 800 guineas
were subscribed in the room towards the support of this
excellent Institution.
At the Anniversary Dinner of the London Hospital,
on Wednesday last, at great many Jewish gentlemen
were present, who were highly flattered by a toast given
by the Bishop of Oxford (Dr. Legge), in these words,
" Success to the Hebrew nation."
Lard Byron, it seems, is really employed on a drama,
which he means to entitle Malfred. To prove the ver-
satility of his powers, and the activity of his mind, it is
said that he is also comprising an English and Armenian
grammar. There is an establishment of poor monks at
Venice, under whom his Lordship is improving himself
in•studying the Armenian Language.
The extraordinary splendour of the planet Venus
during the month of April, which she will likewise ex-
hibit in the month of June, has fixed the attention of
those who study the appearances of the heavenly bodies.
This planet displays the same brightness every nineteen
months: but she will this year present a phenomenon
much more rare and curious; for, from the 18th to the
223 off this instant (May), both days inclusive, she will
appear both as the morning and the evening star, rising
$ few minutes before the sun, and setting about the
same time after him.
Mrs. Hill, frem the Belfast Theatre, made her first
appearance in London, on Tuesday night, in the cha-
racter of Lady 3h,cheth. The lady has a strong, clear
voice, her articulation is perfect, and her eye expressive.
She is evidently no novice in the art, and we could al-
most wish that she had been less, as her faults are those
.o'habit rather than of Nature. With more simplicity
of utterance, less variety of tone, and less gesticulation,
she will display powers of no common value. In the sup-
per scene, her bye-play, in reconciliating the guests to
ifacbeth's estrangement was extremely good ; but, when
•she deseended.to address him, she forgot that it was to
himself only that she had to whisper her admonition,
not to make it known to all around. This she will uo
doubt correct.
The Admiralty Court 'Wednesday proceeded to the
ease of the Ville de Varsovie (Lord Cochrane's Prize-
money), when the Counsel was proceeding to read Lord
Cochrane's affidavit, the King's Advocate objected to its
being received, on the grounds of his Lordship's convict
*ion fora *fraud and conspiracy, on the 21st of June,
1814.--Arguments were heard on both sides, and at
half-past two o'clock the-Court postponed its judgment
until a future day.
By Dr. WoodAirde's report last week of the state of
the typhus feverin Ilchester gaol, we arc infinned, that
though the contagion is not extripated, vet it is equally
clear that its foree of malignity is greatly diminished ;
and that by puru sing the successful preventive sneasures,,
hitherto adopted, the disease will ere long be quite sub-i
duel. Tl.e total of the prisoners attacked with the fever •
up to that time is 29 ; of these 16 are recovered ; 4 con-
valescent ; 6 now ill and 3 dead.
Jack Ketch, who had officiated tunny years at the Old
iEirpiley, dial on Monday in the London Hospital aged
70.
Last Tuesday, linger O'Connor, Esq. a gentleman
of great notoriety in the county of Cork, was appre-
hended at Palace Anne, near Bandon, and is now in
custody in Cork, on a charge of "having been an ac-
complice in the robbery of the Galway Mail coach, in
the year 181:2, when it was attacked at Cappagh Hill,
femme of Kildare, and robbed of a considerable sum in
Bank Post Bills, and a gold repeating watch, the pro-
perty of Mr. Pcarsc, of Loughren. It appears that
the Magistrates of the Head Police Office, Dublin,
having received information of Mr. O'Connor, and his
son, Arthur O'Conner, having been concerned in the
above robbery, sent a .police officer who arrested the
latter while in a sick heti' and the Either was also after-
wards taken into custody. At the son's resii:nee was
found a pawnbroker's ticket for agOld repeating witch,
whet lie had pawned under • a fictitious name ; there
is yet, however, nu proof of its being the same as that,
evilVi was taken at the robbery of Galway Mal

coach.
At the Qoarnr-scs.,l ms fin. Wiltshire, a person sun--
siouel oac tw: Joi; one of his labouras tsl

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