The Sun.
London, England, 1841-12-27 00:00:00

CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES.

The Duke and Duchess of Northumberland are en-
tertaining a select circle at Alnwick Castle, Northum-
berland. The Noble Duke and Duchess last week
caused their annual bounty of blankets, clothing, and
coals to be given to the poor families in the neighbour-
hood of their princely mansion, and also a liberal supply
of beef, &c., that the necessitous and deserving poor
might enjoy this festive season of the year.
Tile Duke of Wellington is surrounded by a select
party at Strathfieldsaye. The Marquis and Marchioness
of Douro, the Earl and Countess of Wilton are there,
and a large party will assemble this week.
The Duke and Duchess of Montrose have a small
party at Selby Hall, the Noble Duke's hunting box, in
Northamptonshire.
BADMINTON.—The Duke and Duchess of Beaufort
receive a succession of visitors at this hospitable seat
during the present week. Open house was kept here on
Christmas•day.
The Duke of Rutland returned to Belvoir Castle on
Thursday, and a family circie was to meet there on the
following day.

The 15uke and Duchess of Bedford are dispensing
their splendid hospitalities at Woburn Abbey to a highly
distinguished party. His Royal Highness the Duke of
Sussex and Duchess of Inverness have arrived, and a
numerous circle has been invited by the noble host and
hostess to meet their Royal visitor.
The Marquis and Marchioness of Londonderry have
invited a large party to Wynyard Park for the holidays.
The Marquis of Salisbury gives a splendid ball to-
night at Hatfield House to the nobility and gentry of
the county of Herts, for which preparations have been in
progress for some days past.

The Marquis and- Marchioness of Anglesey are en-
tertaining a numerous circle at Beaudesert, Staffordshire.

The Earl and Countess of Eldon are passing the
Christmas at Shirley Park, Surrey, where a family party
is assembled.

The Marquis and Marchioness of Lansdowne are en-
tertaing his Excellency Count St. Aulaire, Lord and
Lady John Russell, tady Elizabeth Fielding, Lord
Crewe, and a large party, at Bowood Park, Wilts.
The Earl and Countess of Chesterfield's party, at
Bretby, comprises Count and Countess Creptowitch,
Countess of Charieville, Hon. Colonel and Mrs. Anson,
Hon. Cecil Forester. &c.

•
The Earl and Countess of Orford have a party at
Wollerton Park, Norfolk. Lord and Lady Walpole and
Sir Fleetwood and Lady Pellew are visiting the Noble
Earl and Countes'.:.

The Right Hon. Francis and Lady Arabella Baring
and a select party are visiting Sir Thomas and Lady
Baring, at Stratton Park, Hants.
_

Lieiii.-General Sir Edward lierrison, Bart., M.P., and
Lady K.trrison, receive company during the week, at
Oakley Park, near Eye, Suffolk, and on Thursday her
Ladyship has a grand ball.
Lord Bagot is entertaining a succession of visitors at
Blithfield Hall, his seat near Stafford. His Lordship
gives grand dinners and balls on Wednesday next and
the two following days.

Sir Charles Morgan, Bart., has a large party at Tre-
degar, Wales, Lord and Lady Rodney, and Lady Letitia
Browne, being of the party.

Lord and Lady Hitherton are entertaining the Earl
and Countess of beverley and Lady Louisa Percy, the
Hon. E. and Lady Margaret Littleton, and a select circle
of friends, at Teddesley Park, near Penkridge.
Lord and Lady Willoughby D'Eresby purpose seeing
company, throughout the week, at Grimsthorpe, Lin-
colnshire. _

The Earl and Countess of Zetland's seat, Aske Hall,
near Richmond, Yorkshire, is full of visitors.
Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston have a party at
Broadlands, Hants.
Viscount and Viscountuss Barrington entertain a
large party at Beckett House this week, and her Lady-
ship has a ball on Wednesday next.
Lord and Lady Maryborough have a small party at
Deal Castle, Kent.
The Earl and Countess of Verulam are surrounded by
a family circle at Gorhambury, Herts. The Earl and
Countess of Clarendon, Earl and Countess Craven, and
the llon. F. Craven, aro among the guests of the Noble
Earl and Countess.

AFFRAY WITH SMUGGLERS.
On Sunday morning last an affray with smugglers
took place to the westward of our harbour, that brings
to our mind the olden time when this illicit traffic was
in the hey-day of its prosperity. It appears that, at the
dead of the night, between Saturday and Sunday, a party
of " bold smugglers," who had brought over a cargo of
contraband spirits (92 tubs) in a large galley, were
taken by a preventive boat while nearing the beach,
and ere they could hand it over to a band of la-
in
of the goods, laid hold of
bourers, engaged for the occasion, who were in readiness to
receive it, and carry it off into the interior of the country.
These individuals having
order to cover the landing ustered in strong force, in
a coast-guard/non on duty near the spot, and attempted
to pinion and disarm him.
'life man, however, made an
alarm, and Lieutenant Pearson came to his rescue. A des-
a, and one of the smugglers, named
perate struggle ensue_
Bayley, was shot through
the jaw by a pistol bullet.
remained on the field, and was taken
he
secured. Thus disabled,
The boat's crew were also into custody.
I:::,Eovery,
Pro-
ceedings connected with the transaction took place before
Wednesday, when the prisoners
the Mavistrates
rescow, Ham, and Cullen) pleaded
( C
guiltyook
chargel:Frost o:
of being in the boat with the goods,
and „erethseeverally committed for the offence to gaol
for six calendar montns, with hard labour. Henry Bay-
ley, jo.h_e man who was shot by the• Lieutenant during the
struggle between Wallack and the smugglers, was re-
II the 30th instant, in order to give time for
man ti
and to ascertain the mode in which the
Board of Customs may choose to proceed against him.

THE FAMILY OF SIR WALTER SCOTT.--
How vain are often our most cherished hopes and ambi-
tion ! Sir Walter Scott expected and toiled to found a
family which he hoped would rival any of those of the
border chiefs in the olden times. It seems now certain
that the direct succession will not continue beyond the
present generation. His eldest son has no family, the
second has died in a foreign country without issue, and
both his daughters are dead. Misfortune and death have
lowered the crest of Abbotsford, and the halls which Sir
Walter took such pride in rearing
only
will scarcely
again be trod by one of his children. The
---y survivor
is now in India. ever

A VETERAN LABOURER.--There jo now
living at the Yorkshire-row, Gathurst-bridge, near
Wigan, a veteran named John Thomas, over whose head
ninety winters have passed, and summers' suns have
shone, yet the old man continues his labour at hi.; ad-
vanced age, and earns six shillings per week, without
losing a day in a year.—Blackburne Standard.
MELANCHOLY OCCURRENCE..._ A woman
named Mary Stuart, or Peebles, residing in the Wal-
lace Fens, was found lying lifeless in bed, betwixt her
two children, on the morning of
Thursday week.
It is thought that she died from utter starvation,
her husband, James Peebles, a labourer, having
deserted her without making the smallest provi-
sion for her or her family. She had become sickly, •
and had received a small sum for her support
from the Kirk-Session ; but the man returned, and the
:poor woman's pittance was withdrawn. In this helpless
condition; with increasing sickness, the cold-hearted
villain agairtinbandoned her ; and, after disposing of the
whole of her liottnhold effects, she had to have recourse
to the cold hand OPAivrity, which, in her distressed con-
dition, she found it inipbSsible to do.—Dundee Advertiser.