The Sun.
London, England, 1822-09-10 00:00:00

PRESTON GUILD.

( From the Freston Chronicle.)
THIRD DAY.—WEDNESDAY.
THE Races.—Every description of vehicle was
in requisition this morning to convey the influx of visitors to
the Races. The town had filled prodigiously on the preceding
day,and during the forenoon the crowds of 'rdestrians that lined
the road all in active motion for the course, a distance of two miles
from Preston, was immense. By two o'clock, the time when the
horses started, there was a grand display of splendid equipages,
many of them with she horses, and all arrayed in new liveries,
glittering in the sun like a birth-day meeting at St. James's.
Among the most elegant carriages with six horses, was the
Earl and Countess of Derby, Lord Stamford, the Earl of
Wilton, Mr. Trafford, of Trafford, and an innumerable list of
distinguished persons.
The weather was most unfavourable to the sport,—a heavy
rain continued almost from the commencement of the first race,.
and many a holiday-suit bore evident marks of the lengthened
way and dirty road, on their return home.
THE MAYOR'S BALL—on Wednesday evening, was at-
tended by a most unprecedented display of fashion, particularly
of the female world. The rooms were crowded to excess ; to
promenade was impossible, yet was the squeeze most delight-
ful, from the continued recurrence of beautiful faces, which,
gliding by in sylphic groups, struck the astonished beaux with
rapture and delight. Upwards of 800 persons, of the very first
rank and respectability in the county and neighbourhood, were
present. The company began to thin about two o'clock, but
the gray tint of streaky morn had spread her cheering light in
the horizon before the sons and daughters of Terpsichore had
ceased to trip around the magic circle of her sphere.

FOURTH DAY—THURSDAY.
THE RACES.—The highest expectations had been excited of
this day's sport, and an immense number of persons poured in
the town from the adjacent parts of the country, to attend the
amusements. The weather was most unpropitious ; from ten
o'clock till four there was an unceasing rain, which prevented
many from enjoying their anticipated pleasures. A very large
number were, however, determined for the sport ; and not all
the warring of the elements, the unpleasant state of the road, or
the lengthened way, could deter a numerous assemblage of all
ranks of persons from meeting on the ground. It was really
pitiable to perceive the poor drenched souls on their return,
covered with clay and deluged with wet. The odds had been
very high in favour of Mr. )I'. 0. Powlatt's Jack Spigot; pre-
vious to the race, and before, it was nearly ten to one. Doctor
Syntax was thought to be worn out in the service, and Mr.
Pierse's Reveller stood second on the list: only these three
started for the old gold cup ; and the race was won easy by
Reveller, to the astonishment of the sporting world, the Doctor
coming in second. Mr. Simpson's Bonny Bess won the second
race on the same day, 701., the gift of the Earl of Derby. The
course was in a very bad state from the incessant rains, and but
few fashionables present.
THE THEATRE.—The Mayoress' bespeak this evening was
attended by all the fashionables in town ; and we had again the
inexpressible delight of witnessing an assemblage of beautiful
females arrayed in all the varieties of elegant costume. The
magic circle was complete. 'We never felt a more enchanting
pleasure than the gratification we experienced from observing
the highly animated and elegant persons who surrounded us.—
The stage boxes were fitted up in a very tasteful style right and
left ; the former was occupied by the Earl of Wilton and his
lovely Countess, with the Derby family ; and on the opposite,
the Mayoress' party appeared to great advantage. The per-
formance was Ivanhbe, and The Critic.

FIFTH DAY.—FRIDAY.
THE RACES.—The Course wt,s not well attended this day,
principally owing to the doubtful state of the weather, and many
of the visitors having been completely drenched with rain the
fotroer day. Contrary to expectation it continued fair; there
was not, however, much sport. Sir W. Wynne's Belmont, own
brother to Cymro, and Mr. Clifton's bay colt, by Orville, only
started for the Sweepstakes; the former won easy. In the second
race fee 701., the Member's gift, Bonny Bess bore off the prize,
the only one opposed to her being Mr. Newsham's black mare ;
there was very little betting, and but few Ladies present, all the
female world being in the highest state of active preparation for
the Fancy Ball this evening.
THE FANCY BA L L.—Of all the entertainments of polished
life, this is certainly the most enchanting; the splendour of the
dresses, the variety of the costume, the grotesque appearance of
the Company, and the animated scene they present, renders
this species of amusement at once bewitching and delightful.
Anticipation had raised a most unusual excitement foi• the ar-
rival of the Fancy Ball. Every mnrchande e mode in the
county had been for some weeks actively employed in pre-
paring dresses for this occasion ; ingenuity had strained her
utmost to giVe a fashion and superiority to the elegant assem-
blage. The ball took place at the New Exchange Rooms. Every
arrangement for the convenience and comfort of the Com-
pany had been studiously attended to. About nine o'clock,
the company began to arrive. Every person present seemed to
enter into the spirit of the scene—the taste and splendour of
the dresses exceeded every thing we had anticipated. We left
the company at a very late, or rather early hour, with every
appearance of the merry scene lasting until breakfast time.

ANECDOTE OF FENCING.—(From KENDRICK'S
lONIAN IsLANDS.)—The operas' and comedies performed at
this theatre are sometimes relieved by an exhibition of fence
ing, to which the Corfuoites are highly partial. I have wit-
nessed several of these " assaultsdes times;" but the one which
afforded me the greatest pleasure happened in the year 1817.
A French captain of cavalry, after the battle of Waterloo, paid
Corfu a visit on his way to Albania, where he hoped to meet
with a situation under Ali Pacha. Learning the temper of the
Corfuoites, and being himself an admirable fencer, he caused
bills to be circulated throughout the town, challenging both
British and natives to a public trial of skill : the latter only ac-
cepted it, to the number of eight. At an early hour the theatre
was crowded to excess by all ranks, anxious to witness the
Captain's performance. The curtain drew up, and a trifling
display of fencing took place until the Frenchman's appear-
ance on the stage: he was greeted very cordially by the au-
dience; and his tall martial figure almost placed the odds in
his favour. • The usual ceremony took place of presenting foils,
and the Frenchman succeeded in hitting all his opponents suc-
cessively. The dexterity he showed in the management of
the foil was wonderful; and the mortified candidates retired in
disappointment. The Frenchman came forward amidst thun-
ders of applause and stated his willingness to meet any other
gentliman. This produced a ninth competitor, who started
forth to the surprise of all, and Challenged the victor. He was
a Neapolitan, of a middling height, firmly made, and was a
left-handed fencer, which the captain noticing, stood in a more
attentive posture. The audience waited in anxiety for the re-
sult, although each one felt positive of the Frenchman's suc-
cess ; but after five passes, the Neapolitan fairly bent his foil
on the Frenchman's side. The applause that followed was
tremendous, and became redoubled when it was discovered that
the victor was no other than the governor's principal cook!—
The Prenchman boasted no more ; nor was he to be enticed to
another trial of skill.

POETRY.

TO THE MEMORY OF THE GREEK CHIEF,
WHO HAS RECENTLY GIVEN GREECE THE EXAMPLE oe

A SECOND LEONIDAS.
" The foe is before ye," young BOZAIITS cried,
As he led his bold ranks up ThermopylEe's side—
" The foe is before ye, and, sleeping beneath,
" Are the heroes of Sparta who triumphed in death.

" Like them let us wait -for the tyrant's array,
" Their shades bid us welcome to glory to-day;
" Let us fall as they fell, and thus dying, to save,
" The trophies of Freedom shall bloom on our grave."

lie spoke—and the torrent of foemen was stayed,
Like Persia when cloven by Sparta's red blade;
And the heath of the mountain, the rock of the dell,
Were strew'd with the tyrants who rush'd on and fell.

And Greece, too, shall mourn o'er the heroes that died,
But her cypress is mix'd with the laurel's green pride ;
For it was not in vain that young BOZARTS shed
His life on that spot where LEONIDAS bled.

Young Greek, thou wert worthy to share in his fame,
Like his was your cause, and your virtue the same ;
lie died a crown'd mattyr at Liberty's shrine,
And as holy and grand was that proud death of thine !

And the matrons of Greece have arrayed thy cold clay
With garlands whose fragrance shall not die away ;
And they ask the Great Being, while gracing thy tomb,
That their sons may have virtue to envy thy doom.

Tho' the lyre of thy country for ages has hung
On the laurel of Delphi, all mute and unstrung,
Yet again it shall wake with the tire of the free,
And pour the wild requiem sweetly o'er thee.

And the mountain that nurses the eagle shall form
Thy awful memorial, through sun-shine and storm ;
And whether it wears Heaven's brightness or gloom,
Oh, who would not wish for so glorious a tomb !

FOR THE SUN.

ENGLISH ACTORS INSULTED IN FRANCE.

MR. EDITOR-4 am sorry to see in your Paper
of this day an attempt to palliate the disgusting conduct of a
French audience on a late occasion by the production of, in
itself, perhaps, a parellel case as to conduct in an English au-
dience, but, the one not warranted by any just principle what-
ever, while the other had many considerations to extenu-
ate it. For most assuredly the relative situations of this
country and France now, and the state of society, manners,
and civilization in tote , are not to be compared with the year
1766, or any period like it. It is unnecessary for me to give
a summary of that period in History, which would be very
tedious, since it is sufficient to observe, that were not then 40,
30, 20, or even ten thousand French in this capital at that
time. It had never been the object of French mercy or magni-
mity, and it was indebted to France in no way whatever ;
on the contrary, it had every thing to dread from France,
since it was at all times the fertile hot-bed of ambitious,
treacherous, and iniquitous projects. Besides, there were secret
jealousies existing between the rival countries, and political stra-
tagems were in operation in every disguised shape they could
possibly assume. At this time, surely it cannot be said any thing
of the kind exists in France relative to the English, or that she has
any thing to fear from the introduction of British sentiments
on her Stage. Indeed one would have thought that a nation
who owes the preservation of its capital to the mercy of
the Allied Armies, among which the English were conspi-
cuous, who are on terms of the strictest peace with this nation,
would, with a liberal and honourable feeling, have overcome
the rancour, malignity, and resentment of a dastard Faction,
and treated on a generous and manly principle the fellow coun-
trymen of those to whom, many a Frenchman who was at the
theatre on the occasion alluded to, is indebted, in all probability,
for the present home in which he dwells.
September 7. JOHN BULL.

The elegant Cross, presented to his MAJESTY
by the Ladies of Edinburgh, was the work of Mrs. SEENE, of
Rubislaw, daughter of the late Sir NV2$l. FORBES, Bart. His
MAJESTY wore it in his hat on all state occasions.
Twenty-five couples who were married in the
Isle of Wight, on the 31st ult., proceeded in one party to
Southampton, to celebrate their nuptials, attended by a band
of music.

ISLE or WIGHT, SEPT. 7.—On Friday, the
anniversary meeting of the Isle of Wight Ladies Branch
Bible Society was held at the Green Dragon Inn, in t. is
town, Joseph Buttery/Ord], Esq. M.P. in the Chair. The
Rev. Alexander Clarke read a gratifying report of the increase
of Sunday School, and the good effect produced by the formation
the present excellent Institution. Dr. Steinkopff addressed the
meeting, which was very respectable and numerous, with much
animation and eloquence. The Rev. L. Richmond also addressed
the company in support of the Institution. It is pleasing to know
that their exists among the poor of this Island the greatest de-
sire to profit by this excellent institution, applications for ad-
mission having greatly increased.
PETERSBUItGH (UNITED STATES), A 1745. 9.—" We at-
tended a novel exhibition on Tuesday last. An individual,
named Neal, has succeeded in domesticating two rattle.snaltes
(male and female), which he exhibits as curiosities worthy
the countenance f the public. The complete docility of
the reptiles—their playfulness—the harmless manner in which
they caress their keeper--are astonishing; not mole so, how-
ever, than the freedom he takes with them, handling them in
every possible shape, thrusting his fingers in their very mouths,
and exposing to view their fangs, around which is concealed
their deadly poison with which this venomous race is arm-
ed. To demonstrate that the poison in these snakes was as
active anti powerful as ever, a live rat was produced, which the
male snake almost instantly attacked. In about 20 minutes after
the rat died, violently convulsed. So soon as the rat ceased to
breathe, the snake prepared to swallow him, which he did
in al out 15 minutes. It may be worthy of remark, that the snake
made only one stroke at the rat, instinct assuring him that one
war sufficient. Another rat was produced, which'he attacked and
gave it only one stroke, as in the first instance.

STEPPING :~~ILL.-t1 new plan for punishing
rogues, which has been successfully tried in England, will soon
be put in operation in the Penitentiary in New 'York. It is well
calculated to afford employment to those who are too lazy
to work and earn their own livelihood, and to give them an op-
portunity of overcoming their sluggish and vicious habits. At
a recent meeting of the Common Council of New York the
Mayor remarked, that he had visited the Penitentiary, for the
purpose of witnessing the operation of the mill, one wheel cf
which has been completed, and justified the expectations of these
who had wren it.
WONDERFUL -VEGETATION.-Mr. Barrow, of
Holker, in Cartmel, planted some early frame pease in the
spring. From these he derived a plentiful crop. The glean-
ings he suffered to ripen, and then sowed them on the same
ground. This Itcand crop is now ready for the dish, well
filled, and extremely luxuriant. Strange as this fact may ap-
pear, we have it well authenticated by a gentleman of Kendal,
who himself witnessed them.—( Westmorland Gazette,,)
It gives us great pain to record a detestable in-
stance of cruelty to animals, which lately occurred in this
neighbourhood. A person travelling from Maidenhead to
Marlow, saw lying in a ditch on the edge of a common, about
two miles from the former place, a bull, cruelly beaten about
the head, and a fire blazing under him. The flames made
the wretched animal move, otherwise the observer would have
considered him dead. The
.person who opened a gate close by,
said, in answer to the inquiries made of him, that the
bull was obstinate, and that the drover was rousing him
up ! Our informant communicates the name of the drover and
of his employer, but we forbear to publish them, in the hope
that such atrocious practices may be corrected without a more
particular exposure.—( Windroe 2:rircst.)