The Sun.
London, England, 1839-04-08 00:00:00

HAMBURG PAPERS.

HANOVRR, MARCH 30.—Since yesterday, alarming re-
ports have been in circulation respecting the health of the
reigning► Duke of Brunswick, which to-day even give rut-
son to expect the worst. The disorder under which he
has been suffering (a nervous fever) is said to have assumed
the most alarming character.
GOTTINGEN, MARCIE 25.—The landowners of Gruben-
hagen and Cubenburg hare chosen a Deputy, not, however,
their Deputy who signed the Protest of the 27 ; IVI. Luder,
son of M. Luder of Urende, who has so much influence in
this part of the country.
HANOVER, MARCH 21i1.—It is said that his Majesty in-
tertains serious thoughts of residing for a time at Celle
but that her Majesty the Queen and the Crown Prince
will remain at Hanover. Orders have been given to pre-
pare the Palace at Celle for his Majesty's reception with-
out delay.
ST. PETERSBURG, MARCH 23.—The Commercial Gazelle
has the following article :
The Hamburg Borsenkalle copies from the Franconian
Mercury, an article from Berlin, which pretends that the
Russian Government has obtained there a loan of six mil-
lions of dollars, and that the Russian carriers from Eng-
land, constantly bring gold bars. It is amusing to read
the references of the pretended financier, that Russia is
embarrassed about the trifling sum of six millions of dollars.
It is sufficient to say that there is not a word of truth re-
spixting this affair of a loan, but great quantities of gold
are really brought to Russia by couriers, not, however for
the Government, but for private persons; because, in con-
sequence •f the great exportation last year, and the high
rate of exchange, the balance must be paid by foreign coun-
tries in ready money.
The Emperor, by advice of the Ministerial Committee,
has prohibited all landowners in the Transcaucasian pro-
vinces from sending Russian peai.ants to settle as colonists
in those countries, and from from selling the serfs and pea,
gents till the definitive organization of those provinces.
General Count Witte has obtained leave to go abroad
for four months.for the benefit of his health.—Hamburg
Papers, April 2.
HAMBURG BORSEN HALLE, APRIL 2.

Bills. Money.
Austrian 5 per Cents.
Bank Snares
An 10-llussian Lean 107}4 107%
Russian 5 per Cent. Ist series, Certificate
Russian 5 per Cent. Hop. and to. &I and 4th
Se i:s 99
Ditto in Certificates
Dutch ....ctual Debt, 254 pe Cent Si 14 54
Ditto 5 per Cent 99% OW
Polish Bondi
New icket
Anglo." ,anish Lean, 3 per Cent 72% 72
Norwegian Lean, 4 per Cent...
EXCHANGES ON Lt-, DON.
li•metTac, Aram 4.-13. 6.—Two months, 13. 4J54.
sTecaptotm, -MARCH 26.—Seventy-five i4ays, 11. 43.
CHRISTIANIA, MA RCII 23.—Three months, 5 0.
bisitixt. MARCH ITI • nthß, 6. 20%.
PITERSRUIRM, MARCH i 2. —11 W.

SWITZERLAND. —M. Baumgartner, of St.
Gall. called home by various matters, has resigned into
the hands of the vorort his situltion of federal commis-
sioner. M. E de la Harpc, president of the council of
the canton de Vaud, has been nominated to his place, in
order to terminate, in concert with M. Schaller the work
of mediation in the canton of Vala;s

THE LAST WITCHES EXECUTED IN THESE
KINGDOMS.—There is no account of witches, in the sense
we understand the term, before the year 1400. The
Hebrew term translated witch, means literally poisoner;
and magician, primitively signifying a wise man, so witch
properly signified a skilful woman, and was applied to
simples and medicines. The following brief notice of the
last persons who suffered for witchcraft in these kingdoms
is curious :—ln 1698, a girl, nineteen years of age, in
the town of Antrim, having eaten a loaf of sorrel, which
she got from a woman reputed to be a witch, fell into con-
vulsions and vomiting. She is said to have vomited horse-
dung, needles, pins, feathers, bottoms of thread, pieces
of glass, nails, an iron knife, abave a span in length, egg-
shells, &c. The accused was immediately committed to
the county prison, and at the Assizes held soon after, was
hanged and burned ! In 1716, Mrs. Hi.:ks and her (laugh-
ter, only nine years of age, were hanged at Huntingdon,
for selling their souls to the Dcvii, tormenting and de-
stroying their neighbours, by making them vomit pins, and
raising a storm 1 In 1722, at Dornoch, Sutherland, an old
worn in was accused of b,..ing a witch. I-1 .7r crime was
tran=,f,rming her daughter into a p,.n:„ and getting her
shod by the Devil ; of which crime she was found guilty
and burned I The Act against witchcraft was repealed in
England and Scotland about 1750 ; but not in Ireland
until 1821 1 . _ _