The Sun.
London, England, 1825-10-19 00:00:00

HOME MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

The Clerkenwell Auxiliary Branch of the In-
stitution, held their sixth Annual Meeting in the Countess of
HuntingtiOn's Chapel,- Spafields, last night, for the purpose of
receiving the report of the past year, electing officers, &c.—the
Rev. G. C. SMITH, of Penzance, in the Chair.

The Rev. CHAIRMAN, in opening the business of the Meet-
ing, said that there was much cause for congratulation, and still
more to lament, because, though a great deal of good had
been done, a great deal yet remained undone. The grossest
ignorance might be found in the different hamlets and villages
throughout England ; and though the Parent Society had
Leen enabled to send forth forty Missionaries, yet he regretted
to say that the number of labourers was much too limited for
so wide a field. However warmly he felt for the success of
Foreign Missions, he loved his country too well not to wish to
see something more done at home. Whether considered in a
moral, religious, or political point of view, it could not be de-
nied that some powerful exertion was necessary to act as a
counterpoise to the insidious machinations of infidelity, and se-
ditious machinations so dangerously levelled ; that if not averted
must tend to the overthrow and destruction of all that is good
and virtuous, all that is pious or worthy of preservation in
society.
The Rev. Chairman then alluded to an Advertisement which
appearo in the public prints a few days since, which had, he
said, so attractive a character, that it caught the attention of a
very worthy friend of his who attended the Meeting. The sub-
ject proposed for consideration was no less a one than " The
Evidences of Christianity ;" but what was that gentleman's
surprise, when he found that this was only a deceptive bait, for
the purpose of sowing infidelity. The Evidences that have
h:,herto formed the Christian's „round of hope, were either
de pied or ridiculed, and the whole system of religion attacked.
However, for his (the Chairman's) own part, he did not think
but that out of this evil great good might arise, as it should
stimulate every friend to mankind—every 'one who valued
Christianity, to stand forward and fight in its defence.
The Secretary then read the Report, which described the pro-
ceedings of the Society for the past year, in very favourable
terms, both as regarded its operations and funds.
The Rev. J. COBBIN, Secretary to the Parent Society, moved
its adoption, and gave an animated sketch of the Missionary
labours throughout England.
Mr. FITT seconded the motion in a short speech.
The Reverend Mr. DtJNNE, of Pimlico, Mr. SPENSER,
and several other gentlemen, addressed the Meeting. A num-
ber of routine resolutions were passed, and a tolerable sub-
scription being made at the door, the Meeting, which was more
numerous than any of the kind we have witnessed, dispersed.

THE FASTING WOMAN OF SAVOY.

The death of Anne Moore, the celebrated im-
postor at Tutbury, having been announced in the last Bir-
mingham Journal, our readers may perhaps be entertained by
a short account of a similar impostor in Savoy, whose delusions
terminated at the same period, after having been carried on
during the space of fourteen years. Of this female impos-
tor, whose name was Josette Perrolaz, we believe no account
has hitherto been published ; we are indebted for our in-
formation to a Savoyard gentleman who resided in the coun-
try at the time of her death, which took place in 1803.
At present her name is seldom mentioned ; we have passed
the place of her residence twice without learning any thing
respecting her ; the partizans of the delusion, or the suf-
ferers by it, are ashamed to recur to events which prove their
folly or their fraud. Whoever has passed from Geneva to
Chamouny, can.searcely fail to recollect the village and nar-
row defile of Alaghlans, a few miles beyond the town of Cluse.
In this defile, the rocks, which are of limestone, rise from
each side of the river Arne to an amazing height, and are
nearly perpendicular. In one part there are the highest water-
falls in Europe, the water descending, in one unbroken line,
about nine hundred feet. There are also caverns of vast
size in some of the rocks, which tradition has, from time imme-
morial, tenanted with fearful beings of the lower world. In
such a situation, and' among a people both ignorant and
extremely superstitious, we cannot wonder that the following
acts of imposture were long practised before they were detected.
—Josette Perrolaz, the daughter of a small farmer or peasant,
about the age of 20, having been obliged by sickness to keep
her bed for some time, during which she had little inclination for
food, her long fasting began to be regarded as something extraor-
dinary ; and in Catholic countries, where so much merit and
sanctity is attached to the act of fasting, it is not surprising that
Josette was soon considered a great favourite of the Holy Virgin.
Her parents and she perceived the advantage they might derive
from her numerous visitors, and they gave out that, she had
ceased from food altogether, and was favoured with visions and
spiritual trances in which she held conferences with the saints ,
and with souls in purgatory. Persons from all parts of Savoy
now resorted to her, to obtain her prayers and intercessions for
the sick, or for their departed relatives, to hasten their escape
from their state of painful purgation. The benefits of her inter-
cession were to be obtained by bountiful alms, giyen to her for
the poor, of which we may be assured the greatest part was
pocketed by the family of Josette. The frequency of liar trances
and the length of her devotions, were pleaded as reasons why
she could only be visited at certain hours. The cure or parish
priest of Maghlans,'and his curate, had the folly to be themselves
deceived, and added to the deception of others by their own faith
in the miraculous powers of Josette. Numerous instances of the
most gross imposture, might be related, but the following may
suffice, both to show her own artifice and the ignorance of same
of the priests :—The Cure of Evian, a town in Savoy, situate/1 on
the Lake of Geneva, about 40 miles from Maghlans, after the
death of his mother, became very uneasy respecting the state
of her soul ; he went to Josette, and had several conferences with
her : at length she told him that nothing could be done for his
mother, for instead of remaining in purgatory, she was so
wicked that she was carried directly into Hell. Tho cure re-
turned to Evian quite disconsolate ; but reflecting on the power
of prayers to draw souls out of purgatory, he conceived the idea
that the intercessions of such an extraordinary saint as Josette
Perrolaz might even bring his mother out of Hell, he again vi-
sited her, and most earnestly entreated her to make the attempt.
—At first she declined the task as too perilous, but at length she
believed it might be done, if assisted by masses and prayers of
the cure, and by one hundred Napoleons which the cure was to
give her, for alms to be distributed to the poor. It was impossible
for the care to raise so large a sum, and, after some bargaining,
she agreed to make the attempt for fifty Napoleons, which he
raised amongst his friends, and once more visited Maghlans.
Josette now informed him that he was not to return to Maghlans,
but to come to her at a certain hour on the following morning,
and learn the result of her endeavours. At the appointed hour
he entered her chamher,and found her apparently almost frantic,
foaming at the mouth, with her hair dishevelled, and in violent
convulsions. When these subsilled she informed the cure of the
long and terrible struggle she had with the devil, and all the
powers of darkness, but she had conquered at last, and brought
his poor mother out of hell. With this joyous intelligence the
cure returned to his parish, abundantly consoled by the pious
duty he had rendered to his parent. This contemptible farce
was carried on 14 years, during which period it was asserted
she had never tasted food of any kind, or risen from her bed. At
length another curate was appointed to assist in the parish, who
being a sensible honest man, was determined to detect and ex-
pose the imposture. For this purpose he availed himself of the
privilege of a priest to visit Jsiette when he pleased ; his design
was discovered, and an attempt was made to poison him : he did
not however desist ftom his endeavours to discover the cheat.—
One summer morning lie entered the house at five o'cloCk, and
heard the noise of feet upon the floor; he rushed into the cham-
ber, and beheld every thing in great confusion, and perceived
a strong smell of roast meat in the room; the print of her feet
was also visible in the dust on the floor. He charged her with
having meat in the bed, which she solemnly denied. On this
he seized her by the shoulders and drew her out of bed. Her
screams brought in two women, to whose care he committed her,
and in the bed he found a supply of meat and wine, as he had
expected. The cheat being fully exposed, the miserableJosette
Perrolaz, unable to submit to the disgrace, destroyed herself by
poison ; and the old parish priest, who had so long been her dupe
died soon afterwards broken hearted. At the time when this de-
lusion was carrying on, France and Savoy were closed to Eng-
land, which may account for the fame of Josette Perrolaz never
having reached this country, where she would have been a meet
companion for Ann Moore and Johanna Southcote.

SHOCKING ACCIDENT.—An accident of a dread-
ful and momentary nature happened this morning
in Holborn. A poor man, whose name was then
unknown, was standing on the edge of the foot-
way pavement, off which he was jostled by the
throng of passengers and fell to the ground, and
at the moment a waggon, laden with sugar, com-
ing by, the wheels passed over both legs close to
the knee, and they were crushed in a horrible
manner. The poor man
gave one piercing shriek,
and became insensible, and in a state of stupor
was removed in this pitiable condition to the
Hospital.

No French or other Foreign Papers have been
received this morning.

Charleston Papers have come to hand to the
Otli September, but have not any article in them
worth taking.

The question of the admission or non-admission
of manufactured silks from France seems to be at
issue between the Government and the Silk Manu-
facturers of England, and it is thought not unlikely
that the prohibition upon the importation of such
goods will be continued for a further term. This
question, indeed, is one of some importance to
the country, as, if the opinion of the Silk Manu-
facturers is correct, the proposed admission must
tend to the complete annihilation of this Branch
of the National Industry.

The advocates for the admission of foreign
manufactured Silks, rest their arguments upon
the ground that the higher the duty the greater
the temptation to smuggle, and that no Govern-
ment has a right to compel its people by fiscal
or other regulations, to take a bad commodity
when a better one may be had for less money,
although supplied by a foreign hand. Taken
abstractedly these propositions, are strictly
correct; but taken with reference to their appli-
cation to any particular country, it is clear they
must admit of great modifications, and that in
exact proportion, as the system of commerce car-
ried on in the country in which it is proposed to
apply them is more or less artificial. If the
prosperous condition of the trade of any
state is the result of a certain set of prin.
ciples adopted upon good consideration, and
followed up with unceasing vigilance and
activity, rather than the natural consequences
of its natural position, and the unassisted ef-
efforts of its inhabitants to enrich themselves in-
dividually by trade, a partial or total abandon.
merit of those principles must be detrimental,
however sound the abstract reasoning may be
upon which this departure is recommended.
It is, however, quite certain, this last is the

best and surest foundation upon which to
national prosperity ; but it is a Plant ild
-°
of verbslow growth, liable to great interruption, 311,
to be effectually destroyed by the rivalry
another nation in adopting an artificial system,
bounties'
and forcing a trade by the means o( t°
and drawbacks, and regulations favourable
this or that particular branch of Corornerce•
if, ther ore, it is wise to encourage a
f e t
cular branch of industry at home, it follow 6 tha,
it will be right to exclude foreign productions
the same nature from the Home Market, and tija
either by prohibitory acts or high duties.
Ilereto
In this situation this country stands•
fore, and till very lately, its commercial and
manufacturing system was artificial, and el"
nowpa
parts
s ptohritsi ss t
eomf thhaast
failed,sy stem t em
but t i
in
trheema 13whole
has been eminently successful for to it we '3'lB
,
N are
the prosperous condition in which vre no,:
our rank amongst nations, our political streneu
and that wealth which has enabled us to noin.
lain them ; and more than that, the capa."
tf
of sustaining the shock and the loss consolnells
more 1144
upon a return to a less restricted and
tural Commerce. • of
Applying there observations to the questl°-

admission or non-admission of foreign silks ID;
this country, the state of the silk manufacture
enc°
the first instance, and the propriety of 9i,
raging it in the second, become objects of c°
the
deration, for it appears to us the decisiou 49( t
point now at issue depends upon the fact 'cl'ether
Ait
the silk manufacture of England is in a ccin-- ion
°r,
to bear the competition of France; or, if 'of
whether it is a branch of national in"stri, 00
sufficient importance to justify a departure it
those principles which the encouragement °
must necessarily occasion.

•
MR. SIIERIDAN.—Th e Life of this Gentle°l,3o7,
by
Mr. MOORE, though an expensive i,vork, II 0
we understand, been sought with such eager°
that the whole of the first edition in titlaril'hr
al most immediately sold on its publication. to,
extraordinary success of this work is a dtlei the
ut ior, and to the intrinsic merit of
:te to departed genius, to the popularity
the 0011'14
lion. An octavo edition is said to be Prel),,t'„rrti-
lth great rapidity. The historical part, i° eti;eo..
cular,. may be said to comprize all 01'. in
tic statement of the events of the ,tiVatieS
question, and fully developes the 111-9.--'
trirec.,
of Party and the vacillations of Politicie
One circumstance, however, it is right t° cs;rorlct
It may he inferred, from a passage in the which
that during the illness of Mr. SIIERIDOI/ 00.0
terminated in his death, an indifference t°,,,
his fate was shewn at Carlton Palace.. 14.0(00ie
have authority to say, that his (gate
PRINCE ItEccriT) gave special orders t° t°
Colonel McMAnort to make daily hiqpir,ge",orr
the state of Mr.SHERIDAN, and this fact 15 -00
borate(' by the pecuniary mission from the Pit yi(t
entrusted to the late Mr. TAYLOR -Oval:rd
mentioned in the Work, but which soli repo of
unnecessary by the kind and liberaleit'tl
Mrs. SHERIDAN'S family.

- —....._
M [ls. BELZONT.—We have the pleasor%finutheil
nounce, that the Lords of the Treasury have come. 1t,,0,0 t'p
few days, to the determination of allowing Mrs. Bf'''' worlp
sum of 200/., which that affectionate wife and desering,,4corio.„
had, in August, 1823, remitted from England to the:olt.
Minister at Fez, with a request that ,it might be ft3sed i„,t
await her husband's arrival at Timbuctoo, had it P--- the rjt
vidence to spare him. This is an act of kindness. onredit,
to
of the Treasury, anti ought to be recorded to ther‘efor it cat,
may also, we trust, be considered as the beginning t ate P lic
be nothing more) of better days for the unfortal ~ isPea
whose case we have recently ventured to recormilentosticito
sympathy, and perhaps as the harbinger of son er to Or bet
effective plan, towards combining a durable provs,_,l an
widow of the renowned and lamented Traveller, sv:iifo,, co,reo
object, which would have been second only to his t colleepril.
fort in Mr. Belzoni 's heart—we mean the permannt, Ana heir
of those servicesi which attest the magnittic_ at
liancy of his in the cause of historical science4ie pritiTs,
complete security against the risk of removal fronroop, el; f'
capital, or against that of accidental injury, aigrofidottisit
turbance. It affords us pleasure to state, thatLieed ,piti,
much personal worth and respectability have r_: due v_iie
readiness to undertake whatever scheme map atte'occe goi
deration, be suggested for the advancement of thei_nceis it
rows and public-spirited ends, and that a correspnajO:if g00a..: to
i.n progress upon the subject, the result of wiiiicl.lttficatioiitti,
shall be our business, as it will be our sincere br!`_.,,biaea ess!
lay before the public. Such a work of charity% c0...1;p sa.cc.re ;I
usefulness, wants but a beginning to ensure lino it, tnoV
and if Government cannot with propriety embart pee .00
yet a taste for knowledge, and a spirit of benevorose, ot
Englishman, sufficient to execute their OM Pu 13
the patronage of office.,—( Times.)

rrievarellifit
err
oedme packets
H ra z i l ; aret
the
e di
sa itlhye e
jelgLiitaerdytg°lll,je:
1 first
that left Rio de. Janeiro about the 19th "ur of
to touch at Bahia and Pernambuco oti hewiticil
home, and the others are two extra ottes,atebest
left Falmouth, unexpeCtedly, with clisP,ooll,
Rio the 17th: of the saale ""
and are now expectede home direct. pot oil
A correspondent informs us, that it /5
.13g,geP
as stated, that the Baron of Renfrelv is ►(",.,, boi
10010 4
to take the Duke of BUCIONGOAN tO A n, off/
that she had been previously chartered .L,u 040'
to Port Jackson, New South Wales, 1110,1 11, zl,
Directors of Stock.jobbing, Companies_ of th.
not exactly recollect what has beconlw
fool
Slwreholders' deposits, and are anxious In , ie./
their quarters to some less in
cl4l/3
(ri'
(Tinzes.) other e
It is expected at Portsmouth that al.v_ ther .
gate from the Brazils will shortly a.rri gs loci
but the object of whose ertra
00(fl olise °roe
wrapped in obscurity as that
which brought home Lord CocligANE,:f.,l 10101,11
A curiously constructed and bea.encLeir
ved attn:
figure, modelled in wax, bas beet!!,lo inteodeu,4
Custom-house frotn Paris ; and "' 1 the 0,
to OPP 1 fth
cisusituyppoofseodb,tialinsinogrneree:tel
Vuklic lecturers. aSSUtlibrjeeCti) by one °