The Sun.
London, England, 1825-03-22 00:00:00

THE LATE DR. PARR.

ts)ior.tly Th
0 curious library of the late Dr. PAltlt will
be
tensive, Etna brought to the hammer. It will be found very cx-
peculiarly rich in Latin Classics, especially the
almost numberless editions of Homer. In some of the early
numbers of the British Critic, our readers will remember an
elaborate and most minute examination of the splendid edi-
tion of Homer, by the lat.! Dr. Coombe, of Bloomsbury-square,
father of one of the present curators
of the British Museum,
which was written by Dr. Parr. The article in question
had the effect, for a time, of depressing the value of Dr.
Coombe's literary labours, •
and nearly destroying the sale
of his book. It has, however, since recovered, and is
now considered scarce and valuable. The bitter character
of this criticism, backed by its accuracy, occasioned a long cor-
respondona between the editor of Homer, and the " Occasional
Writer in' the British Critic," whose biting satire," after
niaby 44 hard hits" on both sides, eventually triumphed.

• F'
truNERAL OF TUE REV. Dit. PARR AT HAT-
Tom.—Dr. PARR gave, previously to his illness, minute di-
rections respecting his funeral. His remains were attended on
foot by nearly forty gentlemen in mourning, consisting of the
clergy of the surrounding parishes, &c. Agreeably to his ex-
press direction, the burial service was read by the Rev. Rann
Kennedy, Minister of St. Paul's Chapel, in Birmingham; a
.sermon was also preached by the Rev. Dr. Butler, Vicar of
Kenilworth, and Mead Master of Shrewsbury School.

EXECUTION.

WilicliEsTEß,lauctr 19.—This morning the extreme
sentence of the law was carried into execution, at the new drop
behind the county jail, on John Smith, aged 26 ; Jas. Dawes,
aged 30; and Wm. Dawes, aged 22. Smith, whose real name
Was Hughes, and who had been convicted of horse-stealing, was
a gipsey, and had always led a wandering life. He professed to
be a rat-catcher and basket-maker, but subsisted chiefly on plun-
der ; his depredations were not confined to one county, or to
any single species of property. lie acknowledged the offence
for which he suffered, and the justice of his sentence. J. and
W. Dawes were brothers, and convicted of burglary, attended
with considerable personal violence. They, were labourers, and
resided at Buriton, in this county. Both acknowledged their
guilt, and stated that the offence was planned and committed
by themselves alone, and that a letter found on the premises
was written by J. Dawes, and left there for the purpose of ex-
butgap against another person, whose name was on it,
who, they declared, had not the least knowledge of the
transaction. torn the time of their cpndenination, all the above
unhappy men conducted themselves in a manner becoming their
Melancholy situation. They paid the greatest attention to the
instructions of the Chaplain, deeply bewailing their past trans-
, gressions and earnestly, seeking forgiveness,. for the sake of
their Redeemer. The chief causes of their ruin were Sabbath-
breaking and poaching, and the elder Dawes mote than once
observed, that although he had frequently made large sums of
Money by the latter practice, it never did him any good, it was
always got rid of, he knew not how. The worthy Chaplain
was with the prisoners at an early hour, and they were engaged
from that time till their death, in fervent devotion. All
three received the Sacrament, and having, as far as their
awful situation permitted, made their peace with heaven,
awaited their doom with penitence and resignation to the last.
A few minutes after eight o'clock, the prison bell began to
toll, and the procession moved towards the scaffold. While
the necessary preparations were making by the executioner, the
Chaplain read prayers, and the unfortunate criminals, espe-
, 'daily Smith, continued their devotions in the most earnest and
affecting manner. While they were thus engaged, the drop
fell, and this world was closed on them for ever. Owing to
the excellent arrangements, their bodily sufferings were
of short duration. The younger Dawes fell without a
struggle, Smith next ceased to move, and the elder Dawes,
who was the longest convulsed, soon after rendered up his
life.
_No sooner had their stuggles ceased, than between twenty
and thirty persons, chiefly women and children, crowded round
the bodies, eager to be rubbed by the yet quivering hand of
96 dead men, as an antidote against various diseases. Such,
in the ..nineteenth century, is the power of superstition ! An
()equally absurd custom, in which royalty itself was the medium
credulity, has, in tree remembrance of many, been abolished—
tha°t however,
for want of devotees ; nor can it but be expected
, while to ready an assent is given to the present practice,
Pie* oftkitided people will we found to keep the indecent custom.

As three men were widening the road in Hang-
tone-lane, near Abingdon, they dug up (about four inches
(rota the surface) 761 Roman silver coins of the reign of VA-
"N."); Of which were of the superfices of a shilling, but
not so thick, a feN that of sixpence, and the remainder that of
-n-crown...