The Sun.
London, England, 1841-07-08 00:00:00

TIM SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY, JULY 8, lB4l.

MADAME CAT A. LANI.
—My soul like an enchanted boat
Floats on the silver waves of thy sweet singing ;
While thine doth, like an angel, sit,
Beside the helm conducting it,
While all the winds with melody are ringing.
PARIS, JULY s.—Angelica Catalini, then, is dead !
The Sultana of song lies silent and tuneless. She died
on Sunday, the last 20th of June—when the curtains of
a starry Sabbath fell around her everlasting sleep.
Those who are accustomed to the cathedrals of the
Continent know well that dim and desolate emotion
which sweeps through the avenues of the soul, when in
the midst of a stately service, the majestic Jubilate is
suddenly hushed, leaving blank and monotonous silence.
Such was precisely the feeling which came over my
mind when I heard the rumour, as it travelled into
Paris from Italy, that Catalani had departed. It seemed
to me as if the world had lost its only fine harmonic—
as if its proudest music were broke off—and the only
trumpet-tones that kept this creation festal were fled and
vanished for ever.
Let it not be thought that I indulge in hyperbole. I
speak from what I have personally felt, and that feeling
arises from the remembrance of what Catalani was when
she sang in the palmy past. Past, truly ; but the page
in my memory, whereon those recollections are in-
scribed, is impressed with such rich fresh music-notes,
and in my fancy's ear there still abides so high and
golden a warble, of what I first heard from Catalani's
lips, that obliterated neither of them can be. At the
time of which I speak I was in the habit of attending
the English Opera on the arm of Lady E—, and I re-
member well the magnificent night on which, for the
first time, I saw Catalani. Let me look back. Let me
revisit the brilliant past. Open thy door, 0 memory !
touch the enchanted springs, and disclose the marvels of that
wondrous night, more ravishing than a thousand Arabian.
It was a night on which Semiramide, that master-tragedy
of the Italian stage was announced for the leading text-
piece. Catalani, with her brow all diamonded from
foreign favour, was to appear for the first time in this
our BabelOnian London. The party of which I formed
one intended to have been present as soon as Oroe begins
his " Si—Gran Nume—t'intesi ;" but what with the i
toilets of the Ladies E—, the perfumings of the old
Lord, and the non-agility of the full-fed footmen, we
arrived villainously late. But the scene, nevertheless, as
we were seating, burst upon. us like a torrent. Catalani
as Semiramide stood foremost on the stage. She was
always handsome, and at this moment her noble cast of
features, under the excitement of her part, were lit up
with peculiar majesty : her form, too, tall and command-
ing, though less muscular, was almost like that of our
own Siddons ; and the whole blazing theatre, with its
thousand eyes, was fixed upon her there. Her voice at
first was grave and beautiful--a rich and tuneable so-
prano—laden with noble Italian words. Gradually the
inspirations of her breath grew deeper—she seemed pre-
paring for some great effort. Suddenly a splendour lit
upon her lip ; and at the words " Son Regina," her
soul, as if fired at the thoughts of her regality, at the
glory on her brow, and the grandeur at her feet, poured
out a peal of rapture so majestical—shook the whole
house with so towering a larmony—that the walls
seemed absolutely to act as a constraint, and the roof
as a confinement to her powers. Never before, and never
after, have Iheard its second or its like.
It was well said, and said by no mean connoisseur,
when putting in comparison the three best singers of his
age, that " Grassini was all grace, Banti all feeling, but
Catalani all fire." Edgcumbe was right, and I cordially
agree with his Lordship. I have heard them all in turn.
Grassini won you, and stole upon you with her melodious
song, like the voice of girl choirs from an old Attic
temple, sweet-murmuring their hymns to vestal Dian.
She abounded in exquisite sweetnesses of tone, and classi-
cal unisons. Banti was, on the other hand, adorable and
loving of voice, as was a very seraph. Her soul seemed
warmed with as pure an ardour ; her lips o'erflowed
with the same sky-tuned hymn. But if Banti laid claim
to seraphicism of song, what place in the celestial
scale can be assigned to Catalani ? The rabbins allow
but the Ophanim above the seraphim, or at highest the
flaming, archangel. Then boldly write her down that
highest—call her a vocal archangel—all fire, rapture,
and astounding song.
But dropping from metaphor and the seventh heaven,
let us inquire, with the simple inquisitiveness of a child,
into the first history of this Queen of song. Catalani, if
her lips had not been clay-cold now, would have related
to you the circumstances of her early life in almost these
words, which I have heard her times out of mind repeat
herself. She would speak with a beautiful simplicity
when she spoke on these things. " I was born," she
would say, " at Sinigaglia, which lies, you know, in the
dominions of our triple-crowned father the Pope, in the
year 1785. My father, blessed be he, was a rich jew-
eller ; and when I was only fourteen years old he placed
me in a convent along with my dear elder sister. I
used at first to sing in the choirs of the convent ; and
my sisters in the convent used to say that my voice,
which was higher than theirs, used to crown the choirs
like the spire of a Christian church which had a chime
of silver bells, and rings merrily up in the air. A great
many people used to come and hear me, till the convent
used to be filled to hear the sin,ing ; and it was feared
that I might fall into sin, and become vain, and, to pre-
vent vanity, they interdicted me from singing. But my
father at last took me from the convent, when he came
from the wars in Italy. He was, as I told you, very
rich at first, but he had immense losses, and he decided,
in 1802, that I should make my debut at the first theatre
in Rome, which you know is called Argentina. I was
then only sixteen."
I wish I could pursue the narrative in her own simple
words, but here her reminiscences usually ceased ; we
must therefore continue it from our own notes and me-
mory. Her success at Rome was prodigious. She was
then in the bloom of her surpassing beauty, and her
vocal powers were reaching maturity. Her form was a
model of symmetry, and her countenance, which beamed
with intelligence and animation, was capable of every
shade and variety of expression. The natural gifts of
her mind were not unworthy those of her person. She
possessed energy and spirit, blended with great sensi-
bility, sweetness of temper, and exquisite affection.
These qualities gave an irresistible charm to her man-
ners, and it was impossible to be in her society without
being fascinated by her unaffected good humour, and ex-
uberant, yet perfectly delicate vivacity.
Her next appearances were in Portugal, where she
took her station on the Italian Theatre at Lisbon. She
there appeared with Crescentini, who was the director,
and with Signora Gaffarini, to whom nature had given
as much of the pathetic power as she had given to Cata-
lani, of the kind called la bravoure. When Catalani
quitted Portugal, the Princess-Regent gave her a letter
to the Queen of Spain, who retained her for some
time at Madrid, and loaded her with marks of favour
and distinction.

In 1806 she went to Paris for the first time. She
there confined herself chiefly to the concerts, and made
herself admired by the grandiose manner in which she
sang Italian passages, particularly those in the Semira-
mide. She was really the Queen of Song. Equalled she
never was in the execution of difficult and intricate pas-
sages. By the rapidity, flexibility, and incredible ten-
sion of her voice she astonished France, as she after-
wards did Europe. It was an extraordinary supple and
well-exercised instrument, most mighty in its music, and
of which the clavier was immense. As regards low or
plaintively sweet expression, she was decidedly at a loss ;
but her voice, entirely instrumental, executed with
amazing facility the most involved and vehement diffi-
culties—those chromatic and enharmonic gamuts—those
arpeggiaturas—those trills, interminable and astounding,
that drew out in Magic links the subtlest soul of har-
mony—those organic tones which embraced three and
four octaves in their modulations—in these was Catalani
unsurpassed, nay, was unsurpassable.
Quitting France in 1806 she went to London, where
she made the brilliant debut which we have described as
witnessing, and which laid for her the foundation of an
immense fortune. Her gains were about 3,0001. sterling,
and two benefits which she had brought her almost
1,5001. The following year these profits amounted to
4,0001. sterling, and from concerts and journeys in dif-
ferent parts of the provinces in Scotland and Ireland, she
at last had amassed a fortune of 80,000/. sterling, gained
by a sojourn of eight years in the three kingdoms.
But amid all the splendour of foreign courts—the
rapturous applauses of lords and potentates—the heart
of Catalam was still amid the purple vines of
belle Italia, and it is but justice to say that the
first purpose to which her magnificent gains were
put, was the succouring and assisting her father
and mother, who, when she left Italy, had con-
tinued their residence at Rome.* On the return of the
Bourbons she returned to Paris, and obtained leave of
M. le Comte de Blacas to transfer the Opera Buffa to the
Salle Favart, with the privilege of having it under her
own direction. But on the return of Bonaparte, in 1815,
she was obliged to leave it, and she withdrew into 13e1-
gium, till the Bourbons came again into power. Ma-
dame Catalani now married M. de Vallabrepe, a
Frenchman, but still preserved the name by which she
was known to the world. On the 22d of October, in
the same year, she took under her management the
Opera Buffa, and became sole proprietress of it,
sole manager, and almost sole actress. She on
this occasion turned out all the other actresses of
the theatre, preserving only the mediocre ones, and, for
a very palpable purpose, that she might only have a
shadow to the singly bright picture of herself. But one
singer does not constitute an opera, though her husband,
M. Vallabregue, was of a different opinion, and is re-
ported to have said, " Ma femme, et quatre ou cinq
poupees, viola tout ce qu'il faut."
Lord Edgcumbe thus speaks of her at this period :
" Assuming latterly the place of first buffa, she suc-
ceeded admirably in that line. Indeed she gave me
more pleasure in the comic than the serious opera, as
she sung with greater simplicity and ease. In both her
acting was excellent ; in the one, majestic, forcible, ex-
pressive ; in the other, natural, playful, genteel. Her
face and figure were suited to both, for she is very hand-
some, with a countenance peculiarly fine on the stage,
and capable of great expression. Though the outline of
her feaures are decidedly tragic, yet she could relax
them into the most charming smile, and assume not
merely the character of gaiety, but even of niaiserie, and
of arch simplicity, so that her versatile powers fitted
her for every style."
The year 1813 was the last season of Catalani's re-
gular engagement on the Opera stage. Tito and Figaro
continued to be performed, but Catalani returned to the
show -pieces of her favourite composers, entertaining the
public, by way of novelty, with variations, composed for
the violin, on popular airs, " God save the King," " Rule
Britannia," &c., and other English songs, which were
received by the public with the most extravagant marks
of astonishment and delight. Towards the beginning of
the season she failed to make her appearance one even-
ing on which she had been announced to perform.
Another opera was substituted, and played in the midst
of symptoms of irritation on the part of the audience,
which, on the following evening (on which she was still
absent) broke into a violent uproar. The Queen of
Song was not there, and without her the theatric throne
was empty. Chandeliers were broken, musical instru-
ments destroyed, and the house shut up for a week from

damage. Her husband had induced her to offer this
want of respect to the public, in consequence of her
salary having fallen somewhat in arrear ; nor till it was
absolutely put to right would the proud heroine return
to the theatre.

At the end of this season Catalani may be said to have
abandoned the dramatic part of her profession, and en-
tered upon a wandering life, in the course of which she
visited all parts of Europe, exhibiting herself as a concert
singer, and wherever she went astonishing the world by
her amazing displays of vocal power. As soon as she
had in one place exhausted her slender stock of things,
got up for exhibition, she removed to another ; and
wherever she went she was received with unexampled
distinction. Persons of the highest rank vied with each
other in --their attentions to the wonder of the age.
Princesses treated her as companion, and crowned heads
attended her with obsequious gallantry. The enormous
sums which she received were augmented by the costly
presents showered upon her by the great and wealthy
of the land she sojourned in. In the midst, too, of the
most trying circumstances in which a beautiful and fas-
cinating woman could be placed, surrounded with all the
siren dangers and golden temptations of such a flood of
prosperity, she pursued her course immaculate and un-
stained. Her conduct, like Dian's, soared above sus-
picion, and not the faintest breath of calumny sullies the
fair crystal of her fame.
In 1816, 'she again travelled through the chief towns
pf Europet, and excited renewed admiration every-
where. The magnificent images of La Vestale,
Mitri-
date, Elfrida, La Clemenza di Tito, Semiramide, and
Susanna were from time to time reproduced by her,
and were received with raptures everywhere.
The same nobleman, quoted above, saw her again in
1828, at the grand musical festival at York, and he thus
speaks of her last appearance in this country :—" It
may seem strange that in her latter years she should
please me more thaii in the most brilliant part of her
career. But so it was : and now I found out, that, al-
though at that time I liked her less than some of her
predecessors, I now liked her better than most of her
successors. The last notes I ever heard from her were
in my own house, accompanying herself on the piano-
forte in some beautiful little Italian canzoncts. In per-
son she is grown large, but'still very handsome, with
all her fine expression of countenance, and few or no
marks of age. She had with her a daughter, now mar-
ried, who sang a little, but inherited neither her mo-
ther's voice nor talents. I have since heard of her from
Florence, near which town she resides, and I hope will
long do so, in health and happiness."
Thus it was. 1831 could speak of her in this flatter-
ing way, while 1841 finds her folded in death, past hu-
man favour or wishes. Nevertheless,'regret it as we
will, it is permitted to few to die like Catalani,—to die
after the horizon of her destiny has long been gilded
with all the rich and variegated colours that bestow
beauty and happiness upon human existence,—to die
when the riches of the earth had flung around her
all imaginable beatitude, and the smiles of the Kings
and magnates of the world had fallen on her, and
their hands had crowned her with fame's roses. After
all, it was beautiful to die like Catalani--by the lovely
waters of her own blue lake, in the bosom of her own
home : the sweet light of glory swimming round her
brow, and the world doing her homage from afar.

'' Of the generosity of Madame Catalani's disposition many
instances are remembered. When she performed for the
benefit of musicians, she frequently returned the whole, or a
large portion of the sum for which she was engaged; and she
often acted in the same way towards public charities. When a
great musical performance took place for the benefit of West-
minster Hcspital, in 1821, she transmitted to the Committee
the result of her own concert, amounting to about 3001.
Kelly, in his " Reminiscences," writes thus charmingly of her
goodness and affability I could relate numberless traits of
her goodness ; no woman was ever more charitable or kind.
hearted, and as for the quality of her mind, I never knew
more perfect child of nature. At Bangor she heard the
Welsh harp for the first time. The old blind helper of the
house was in the kitchen ; thither she went, and seemed de-
lighted with the wild and plaintive music which he played.
But when he struck up a Welsh jig, she started up before all
the servants in the kitchen; and danced as if she were wild.
I thought she never would have ceased. At length, however,
she finished ; and on quitting the kitchen gave the harper two
guineas."
fi Catalani was almost entirely uneducated, even in music.
Her want of literary attainments, joined to her vivacity in
conversation; sometimes produced ludicrous scenes. When at
the Court of Weimar she was placed, at a dinner party, by the
side of Goethe, as a mark of respect to her on the part of her
Royal host. The lady knew nothing of Goethe, but, being
struck by his :najestic appearance, and the great attention of
which he was the object, she inquired of the gentleman on the
other side what was his name. " The celebrated Goethe,
Madame," was the answer. "Pray on what instrument does
he play ?" was the next question. "He is no performer,
Madame—he is the author of Werter.' " 0 yes, yes, I re-
member," said Catalani, and turning to the venerable poet,
she addressed him, " Ala, Sir, what an admirer lam of
Werter !' " A low bow was the acknowledgment for so flat-
tering a compliment. " 1 never," continue 3 the lively lady,
" I never read anything half so laughable in my life. What a
capital farce it is, Sir!" " Madame," said the poet, looking
aghast, " the Sorrows of Werter' a farce?" " 0, yes, never
was anything so exquisitely ridiculous !" rejoined Catalani,
laughing heartily as she enjoyed the remembrance. And it
turned out that she had been talking all the while of a ridicu-
lous parody of " Werter." which had been performed at one of
the minor theatres of Paris, and in which the sentimentality
of Goethe's tale had been unmercifully ridiculed. The poet
did not get over his mortification the whole evening; and the
fair singer's credit at the Court of Weimar was sadly impaired
by this display of her ignorance of the illustrious Goethe and
the " Sorrows of Werter."

THE NEW YORK CUSTOM-HOUSE

PRETENDED FRAUDS.

There are few of our commercial readers, and still
fewer in the manufacturing districts of Yorkshire and
Lancashire, who will not remember that immense sei-
zures of British manufactures (principally woollens)
have been made in the New York Custom-house, during
the last two or three years, on the alleged ground of
attempts on the part of the importers to defraud the
American Government by false statements of their
value and quality. These seizures have been in the
whole to an immense amount, and the effect of them
has been to produce an unfavourable impression in the
United States, with regard to the character and con-
duct of the British merchants and manufacturers. It
now appears, however, from the evidence given at an
investigation which has been going on for some in New
York, before Governor Poindexter and the other members
of a Commission appointed to inquire into certain al-
leged frauds in the Cu tom-house in that city, that
most of these charges were founded in falsehood. The
whole of the evidence has not yet been published ; but
it will be seen from the following statement, signed by
the three principal appraisers to the Custom-house at
New York, that no mis-description of goods has been
practised by British importers of woollen goods, and
that the charge of false valuation was made by persons
who were not the legal appraisers of the Custom-house,
and whose valuations they pronounce to be false. The
following is the Report of the legal appraisers of the
Custom-house on this matter :
To the Hon. the Investicrating Commissioners, now
sitting at the City Hotel.
Gentlemen,—The undersigned, late principal ap-
praisers of the Customs, for the port and district of
New York, beg leave to submit the followinc, Report,
and respectfully solicit that it may be considered as a
part of their testimony, viz.:—
From
long and careful observations and examinations
of merchandize at the Custom-house, they are fully satis-
fied that there have been no frauds of any consequence
practised on the ri4venue in the under-valuation of cloth
and cassimeres at their entry.
Because there has been in all English fabrics of that
kind a great uniformity in value, on the invoice prices,
when of similar quality, whether imported by American
or foreign merchants.
Because most of the woollens, particularly the mid-
dling and lower qualities, have not been subjected to
duties according to invoice value ; but have in most cases
been subjected to increased duties through prejudice,
caprice, or false valuation by those acting as appraisers,
who were not the legal appraisers in the New York Cus-
tom-house.

Because there has been no motive to undervalue the
goods, on invoice, since it was not taken as the criterion
of value on which the duties were to be computed, and
consequently the merchant on the other side of the water,
could not consider his invoice as a guide to the duties to
be imposed here.
Because neither in our official capacity, or otherwise,
have complaints ever been made of any instances of sus-
pected undervaluation, either by importers, or by per-
sons engaged in the manufacture of domestic goods, and
had there been any such undervaluation, the vigilance of
rivalry and promptings of interest would have made the
facts known.

Because in the sales of cloths and cassimeres, when
they have been made after seizures, by consent of parties
and without prejudice, thq have rarely brought the in-
voice cost and charges, even when made under the most
favourable circumstances, and in a large majority of the
cases they have not brought to exceed two-thirds of the
Custom-house valuation.
That there were frauds by smuggling committed dur-
ing the last term of Swartwout's incumbency there can-
not be a doubt ; but these were brought about by collu-
sion of officers of the Customs with certain importers,
and whether by undervaluation or otherwise, the under-
signed not having seen the goods, are.unable to say.
We have confined these remarks to cloths and cassi-
meres solely, because no allegations of frauds in any
other descriptions of merchant ize or manufactures have
ever been made by the American manufacturers to our
knowledge ; but it is due to the public to state, and we
do it with great deference and respect, that among the
numerous cases of evasions and frauds that came under
our observation, when acting as appraisers of the Cus-
toms, whether by falseinvoices or undervaluation, or
otherwise, much the greatest proportion, both in num-
bers and amount, were others than those in which wool
w.ls a component part.
(Signed)

JEROMUS JOHNSON,
A. B. VANDERPOOL,
A. B. MEAD.

Nothing more thoroughly infamous than this has
ever come before the public, and we do trust that the
severest punishment will be inflictetl on all the parties
concerned in this vile conspiracy against the property
and characters of the manufacturers and merchants of
England.—Liverpool Times.

the pennies, the Clipper and Sun pass for neutral, and
the Argus advocates the opposition party.
Of all the sixpennics, the Americuu is the oldest, most
quiet, respectable, best edited, and best supported ; and,
unlike the other political papers here and elsewhere, it
treats politics and its opponents with a calmness and mo-
deration that is quite praiseworthy ; it is free from all the
brawling, bragging, and lying style of political papers ge-
nerally. It was established beore the,last war' and though
it has often changed its proprietors, yet it has lost none
of that popularity and confidence which was bestoxed
upon it when it first started. It was strictly neutral,
until about an hour since, it " defined its position," by
declaring itself Whig, and though a large number
of its subscribers were opposed to the principles it began
to advocate, yet they did not relinquish their support on
that account ; for they were doubtless well aware that
' if they did, they could not find a substitute on their own
side that was as available. The mercantile community find
it to be just such a journal as they require, and by them
it is generally supported. Its editors are Messrs. l'dur-
phy, Dobbin, and Bose, who are talented and gentle-
manly individuals. Mr. Bose is the gentleman who re-
cently enlightened our citizens on the public works and
resources of Pennsylvania, for which task he is as com-
petent as any other person that the Committee could
have selected. I should suppose that the American cir-
culated four thousand copies.
The Patriot is a paper that is popular with the Whigs,
and it goes snore into politics than the American. The
Opposition have named it the " Pipelayer's Organ,"
but it does not deserve that cognomen as well as does
another paper that is published here ; it is an old paper
also. In the time of the last war, it was edited by its
Present editor, Colonel Isaac Munroe, who was among
this city's gallant defenders at the bombardment of Fort
APllenry. He has been its editor ever since, and has
battled long and ardently for the cause he advocates,
and I am glad to learn that he has profited by his ardu-
ous occupations, and has now become wealthy. He de-
serves some further remuneration from his party, for
his indefatigable and successful exertions in their cause
for a long period, and more particularly last year, when,
in addition to the Patriot, he published the famous Log
Cabin Advocate. I should suppose the Patriot circu-
lates three thousand copies.
The Republican is the next and last of the six-
pennies. It is a red-hot, rabid, rough shod " Loco
Foco " print, and has been established some years. It
was the leading Van Buren organ in the State. It ha.,
changed hands some four or five times in the last five
years, but the whole Democratic party own it ; it is open
to them all, now that the patronage of the Government
has been taken from it. It is probable it will go down
altogether. Messrs. Harker and Busk are the ostensible
editors. I expect the Republican circulates about 2,000
copies.
_ . . .

So much for the " respectable sixpennies."
Of the penny papers, the Sun was the first established,
in 1837, by the proprietors of the Philadelphia Ledger,
who were already making money in Philadelphia, and,
as the penny system was a new thing here, the Sun,
aided by the Ledger, rapidly increased its circulation.
The Clipper was established in September, 1839, by J.
H. Hewitt, under whose auspices it flourished until he
withdrew, which was about three months since. He was
witty, as well as otherwise talented. The proprietors
are Messrs. Bull and Tuttle. The present editors arc
James Barnes and John W. Wills, Esquires, who are
competent, and are making exertions to render the Clipper
the best penny paper in the country.
The Argus is a small, but well conducted and spirited
paper. It was established last year ; its editor is a youm.:,
gentleman, who is talented, and is a sterling advocatt
of temperance. The Argus circulates about two thousand
copies.—New York Herald.
BORROWING.—We have received a letter, says the
Boston (American) Post, from a correspondent, in whirl,
lie speaks in strong term of reprobation of borrowing
general, and book borrowing in particular. He talks
like a man who has suffered some. He says he lived a.
one time on the banks of the Mississippi, and gives the
following as a specimen of the extent to which tin
practice is carried :—" Will you lend me your axe ? yor
won't want to use it I reckon."—" Why, yes I'll let yen
take it, seein' you want it." In about two months the
owner does want to use his axe, and he applies to the
borrower of it, but he has not got it ; " the last he sect,
on't, Mr. Fletcher had it to cut sonic roots with." The
poor owner then goes to Mr. Fletcher—" Stranger have
you seen my axe I lent to Mr. Bent t'other day ?"
" Why, yes, I reckon Mr. Bower's got it ; he said In
wanted to chop some firewood, so I lent it him. You'c
best ask him for it."—lle goes—" Mornin', Mr. Bowel
—how's your wife ?"—"Lively I reckon—how's yourn ?"
—"About right, I reckon—have you a hold of my
axe ?"—" I reckon I have. I have smashed the hand(
—it was a powerful weak one—but you can mend it ;
and when you have done it I'd like to borrow it agin.
'cause I have a smart chance of wood to cut and want b
use it 'specially."

VIRTUE OF COLD WATER.—Mr. John J. Van Vorst.
of the city of Schenectady, was one hundred years oh.
on the 19th of January last. He served his country ia
the "French " and " Revolutionary" wars, but " never
wet his lips with alcoholic drinks." Very many of hi:
companions not only drank their rations of liquor, but
spent all their pay for the poison. Nearly all of these
have long since died drunkards. Mr. V. V. has never
squandered his property. He has lived in cheerful com-
petence, and has seen his children's children to the
fourth generation.
The police of New Orleans is formed of a cutious set
of fellows. One named Pinchem is now held to bail for
killing a man, and three others have been hauled up for
an attempt at burglary.
A TERRIBLE FELLOW.—The Mr. Brown, who took a
cow-hiding a short time since for exposing some boobies,
that make it their business to insult ladies, now carries
a dirk-cane. It is hung on his left arm, both by night
and by day. So you gentlemen-loafers look out how
you insult his dignity.—American Paper.
FANNY ELSSLEII.—The divine danseuse appears on
Monday, at the Park. She has not made an engage-
ment at Philadelphia. She asked 1500 per night, but
Pratt said " No, I'll give you half the house and a place
in heaven." " I can't take him," said Fanny, " I can-
not take less dan five hundred dollars, and a seat in de
oder place."—New York Herald.
OIL TRADE.—There have arrived during the month of
May, at various ports of the United States, thirty-four
whalers, comprising twenty-one ships, eight barks, four
brigs, and one schooner. By these arrivals the country
has been enriched, within the short space of a single
month, to at least the amount of one and a half million
of dollars. Our report presents one feature somewhat
the reverse of former statements, in the fact that, of the
two sorts of oil imported, the greater quantity has been
spermaceti. There have been brought in, mostly from
beyond Cape Horn, no less than 1,041,862 gallons of
sperm oil, and in the same period, from elsewhere,
880,740 gallons of right whale oil. Upwards of one-
third of the quantity of sperm oil, imported into the
country in the month of May, was brought by vessels
belonging to this port.—Nantucket Inquirer.
Those who are in the habit of expressing their wonder
at what the British aristocracy "do with their own,"
will, perhaps, learn how the nobility of this country ex-
pend their incomes. To prove this we extract the fol-
lowing particulars of the
Consumption of wine and ale, wax-lights, &c., at Bel-
voir Castle, the seat of the Noble Duke of Rutland,
from December, 1839, to April, 1840, or about eight
weeks.
Wine 200 dozen, ale 70 hhds. ; wax-lights, 2,330 ;
sperm oil, 630 gallons.
Dined at his Grace's table, 1,997 persons ; at the
steward's room, 2,421 ; in the servants' hall, nursery,
and .kitchen department, including colliers and goers,
11,312 persons.
Of loaves of bread there were consumed 8,333 ; of
meat, 22,963 lbs. ; exclusive of game.—p. 329.
The money value of the meat, poultry, eggs, and every
kind of provision except stores, consumed during this
period, amounted to 1,329/. 7s. 114 d.
The quantity of game killed by his Grace and friends,
and consumed at Belvoir Castle alone, was 2,589 head.
Supposed value, 1931. 13s. Gd.
The total quantity of game killed during the season.
over all his Grace's manors, is thus stated :-
1,733 hares, 987 pheasants, 2,101 partridges, 23 wild
ducks, 108 woodcocks, 135 snipes, 947 rabbits, 776
grouse, 23 black game, and 6 teal.
The particulars are given in a History of BAvoir
Castle, recently published.