The Sun.
London, England, 1825-01-20 00:00:00

DUELLING.

DUBLIN, JAN. 16.—Yesterday (Friday), about the hour of
half-past two o'clock. James R—s and Henry 0-11, 'Emirs.
again met with their respective friends, in the neighbourhood
of Clontarf, for the purpose of deciding an affair of honour.
Peace Officers Macartney and Lynch, of the Head Office of
Police, having got intelligence of the intention of the Gentle-
men, appeared on the ground, and took them into custody.
They were brought before the Magistrates of the Head Office
of Police, where they were each, personally, bound in the sum
of 5001. to keep the peace. We understand that an amicable
adjustment had taken place on the ground between the parties,
before the arrival of the Peace Officers. The parties were, on
this as on the 'former occasion, attended by their Surgeons,
Messrs. Roney and Duigan.

ROYAL SOClETY.—Thursday last the Royal I
Society resumed its sittings after the Christmas Holidays. A
very interesting paper was read by Capt. Kater, on a new col-
linieter, an instrument for ascertaining correctly the line of eel-
lination, or the true level of a telescope, and which promises to
be of great utility in practical astronomy. The Fellows heard
with pleasure, that the accounts of the failure of a practical ap-
plication of science, announced in some of the Papers, was
without foundation; and were informed by their President, and
by Fellows who had seen, or were acquainted with the state
of the Semarang, that the results were of the most satis-
factory kind. M. Thenard's name was read as a foreign
member of the Society ; and Mr. Bell and Mr. Scoresby
admitted as Fellows. It is well known that, at the request
of the Royal Society, Government had consented to have
an are of the meridian measured in New South Wales.
It is to be hoped, that no changes which may take place in the
government of that Colony, will interfere with this important
measure, which is a very great scientific object, not merely
from its relation to the charts and limits of territory in Aus-
tralatia, but likewise from its connection with the figure of the
earth. As we are superior to every other nation. in warlike and
commercial pursuits, surely we ought not to be outdone by
hem in philosophical enterprise.
ST. ButoE's.—The following description of
this elegant Chinch, one of the master-pieces of Sir Cnuts-
TOPIIE It WREN, is extracted from Elme's Biographical Me-
moirs of that great man :—" The Parish Church of St. Bridget,
or St. Bride, on the south side of Fleet-street, was finished this
year, 1679, and further embellished in 1699. This church is a
fabric of great strength and beauty, and is one of the most
striking features of the metropolis. Its interior is at once
spacious, commodious, and elegant; is one hundred and
eleven feet in length, fifty-seven feet in breadth, and forty-
one in height, composed of a lofty nave, covered with an arch-
ed ceiling, and two aisles separated below by solid pedestals,
supporting coupled Doric columns, which support the arches
of the nave and galleries. The altar is handsomely carved in
oak of the Corinthian order ; the pulpit, reading-desk and pew-
ing of the church are in a grand and handsome style. The pe-
culiar ornament of this church is its beautiful tower, and well-
proportioned spire : it is only second to that of Bow in beauty,
and fully its equal in scientific construction. On a lofty tower,
which forms a base higher than the neighbouring houses,
crowned with a well-proportioned cornice, rises a stybolate or
continued plinth, which supports a cubical tower of the Co-
rinthian order, covered with circular headed pediments, and
finished with a blocking course, a balustrade, and a well-pro-
portioned vase on each angle. Between these, commences the
spire, which is octagonal, each face containing an aperture, co.
vered with a semicircular-headed arch ; a series of these, set-
ting off in just proportion, reduces the upper to a size sufficient
to commence the lofty and well-proportioned spire, which is
terminated by a golden ball and weathercock. The entire height
of this fine piece of architecture, before it was lowered a few
feet by the late Sir William Staines, was 234 feet, which is 32
feet higher than the Doric column on Fish-street-hill."
THE DUKE or BUCKINGIIAN4.-011 a late visit
at Dunvegan-castle, the seat of Macleod of Macleod, his Grace,
being informed that a daughter of Flora Macdonald was pre-
sent, desired to be introduced to her; he walked across the
room and kissed, in a very respectful manner, this venerable
old lady, now nearly 70 years of age. During an entertain-
ment in the castle, his Grace treated her with marked attention
—invited her to a fete on board his yacht, and attended her on
shore. At parting, he took from his pocket a beautiful snuff-
box and, throwing out the contents, placed within it a white
rose,(the well-known emblem of Prince Charles), and presented
the box to the daughter of Flora..—( Morning Paper.)
EFFECTS OF THE SOUTH SEA Bunnr.E.—Gay, in
that disastrous year, had a present of some South Sea Stock
from young Craggs, and once supposed himself to be nias-
ter of 20,000/. His friends advised him to sell his share ;
but he dreamed of dignity and splendour, and could not bear
to obstruct his own fortune. He was then importuned to sell
as much as would purchase bins a hundred a year for life,
" which," says Fenton, " will make you sure of a clean
shirt and a shoulder of mutton every day." This counsel was
rejected. The profit and principal were lost, and Gay sunk
under the calamity so low that his life became in danger.
Samuel Chandler, the learned non-conformist divine, lost his
whole fortune in the South Sea bubble, so that he was under
the necessity of opening a bookseller's shop in the Poultry, i
which he kept two or three years, whilst he continued to dis-
charge his duty as a Minister.
Mit. MAT HEWS.—(From the Liverpool Advertiser of
Tuesday.)—Mr. Mathews has been quite "at home" in
Liverpool for three nights already, and each of his perform-
ances have been attended by a crowded house. His Trip
to America is planned and executed with all the extraordi-
nary genius and talent of the performer. He has noticed
the peculiarities of our trans-atlantic friends, and with great
good nature brings them before us, as lie has done those of
our own countrymen. NVe know that the field of eccentri-
city and fun in the United States is not so extensive as in
Old England ; and we are surprised to find that Mr.
Matthews has gleaned so much there. We consider several
of his representations peculiarly happy, particularly the
American Landlord, Jonathan W. Doubikin, the Ken-
tuckian, the German Charge to the Grand Jury, and the
genuine patriotic feeling of Mr. Pennington. The French-
man at the Post-office is a very pathetic interesting tale.
The rapid changes of character in the third part of the en-
tertainment are a most extraordinary display of Mr. Ma-
thews' peculiar powers. We observe that the Trip to America
is to be repeated to-morrow evening for the last time. We con-
gratulate Mr. Mathews on his success at Liverpool, and hope
to find him "at home on some future occasion.

DAVID HUME, to induce a young lady, who
was very fond of reading novels, to read history,
told her that there was no great difference be-
tween them, in point of falsehood, one being in
general almost as true as the other.