The Sun.
London, England, 1850-10-01 00:00:00

LEAMIN GTON SPA, ITS MINERA L
SVIIINGS AND PUBLIJ AMUSEMENTS.
A few -evenings since a limited number of profes-
sional and trading residents of Leamington, dined to-
gether at the Regent's Hotel, under the presidencypf J.
Hitchman, Esq., who was supported on the occasion
by Drsjea ffreson, R. Jones. E-q., A. S. Field, Esq ,H.
Summerfield, Eeq , J. B. Hanhury, Esq , &c. The
vice chair was occupied by Mr. E 'Woodhouse. The
dinner originated in the desire entertained by many
active promoters of the public attractions of
Leamington, to assemble for the purpose of glancing
prospectively at the manner in which several schemes
for the furtherance of local celebrity might be ad-
vanced, and retrospectively at those which the liberal
encouragement under which the town committee
had prosecuted their labours for some months past,
had enabled that enterprising body of individuals to
bring to a successful issue. The propriety of such a
convivial entertainment, where neighbours and
townsmen could interchange their ideas upon a
variety of topics of parr mount inter( st and importance
to them, was cheer fully admitted ; and about forty
persons sat down to a repast provided in that style of
elegance and taste for which tLe lessee of
the Regent has so long been proverbial.
The N‘i:hdrawsl of the cloth was fol-
lowed by the proposition of the usual loyal and
many other toasts, which elicited the v% arrwst expres-
sions of approval and goodwill, esp. &rally such as
appealed strongly to local feelingi and attachments.
Among these we were glad to notice the enthusiastic
reception which marked "the health of that invaluable
and eminent benefactor of the Spa—Dr. Jephson "
whom, it was stated, had lately been sojourning at
Ramsgate, in general good health, and whose return
home might be antioipated at an early period. The
assurance that the Doctor, although prevented by a
most deplorable visitation, from taking an active part
in town affairs, was animated by' the same earnest
desire which he had ever manifested to promote its
'permanent interests, was received wiih well-merited
applause. The speeches delivered throughout the
evening, and they were both many and' excellent,
were illustrative of the peculiarly attractive character
and growing requirements of Leamington,' as a town
possessing within itself, and its immediate vicinity, all
those rich resources which elicited the eulogy of one
of our native poets—Drayton—when he pronounced
Warwickshire to be "Britain's midmost region." In
fact, the different speakers appeared to bear in mind
the great object of their assembling together by the
anxiety with which they impressed upon their
fellow-townsmen, that not only must the popular
attractions of the Spa be zealously and gratefully
cherished, but liberally and judiciously enhanced ;
that avoiding those conflicts of party which, in other
towns of like pretensions, were unhappily breaking
down the barriers which a wise sense of unanimity
has erected against the inroads of party contention,
the great work here must ever consist in the ad
vancement of a self-protective policy, in regard to
public amusements, which, it was urged, would give
increased vigour to local wants, and, assuredly, from
the very soundness of such a policy, increased pros-
perity to local enterprise.. Year after year, it was
contended, had this great truth been forcibly pre-
senting itself to the minds of our fellow-workers in
the field of local activity, awakening their anxiety
and convincing their judgments ; and as all must be
aware that the future necessarily called for &large
amount of individual exertion, it was hoped that all
would be ready to do their part in a work from
which, it was asserted, none could consistently
withhold their aid. A variety of suggestions were
made, from which many practical beneficial results
will, doubtless, ensue, in their wider promulgation of
the all-powerful pretensions of Leamington, as one of
the most salubrious resorts in the kingdom, inde-
pendently of its claims to fashionable pre-
ference from the ample fund of recreation which its
inhabitants are incessantly providing for their summer
and winter visitors. The prospects of the forthcom-
ing season were described to be most cheering, and
the spirited manner in which Mr. Barnard, the Mas-
ter of the Hounds, had responded to the liberality of_
the town committee, in effecting such arrangements
.
as would enable him to take the field six days a week,
was looked upon but as an additional stimulant to
exertion among the residents, to promote the general
amusements and popular attractions of the town. We
are glad to record that the toast of " The Medical
Profession" elicited from the eminent practitioners
who responded to it a declaration of their undimi-
nished faith in the efficacy of the Leamington waters,
and their strong determination to test the properties
of the aqua mineralie, in every case where their
nature and virtues justified' their application. It
was stated that our springs had ever been pecu-
liarly efficacious in chronic disorders, and as dis-
eases of that kind were more common with persons
of a high intellectual temperament, the peculiar aspect
of the present enlightened times might reasonably in-
duce the belief that there would be an increased ne-
cessity for resorting to the remedial agency of the
Leamington waters. It is gratifying to us to be as-
sured that we shall thus tar experience the valuable
assistance and advocacy of our medical townsmen ; for
we have ever thought that if we take our stand upon
what nature has so richly done for us, we may stand
against the world ; and now that the world is so spee-
dily to be brought to one rallying point in our great
metropolis, under the prestige of royal ingenuity and
princely inspirations, we believe that Leamington will
not in that " good time coming,"—the expected com-
mercial Millennium of 'sl,—be behind any competitor;
but that, when thousands upon thousands of continental
tourists have left the more immediate scene of the won-
drous exhibition which has attracted thetn to our shores,
and have, as their next though', paid their intellectual
soul-homageat theshrine of William Shakspere,—there
will be no circumstance more indelibly stamped upon
their recollection, in connexion with the " great Ex-
position, " than that the toil of the skilful artisan—
the enterprise of the manufacturer—the researches of
the man of science—and the labours of the philoso-
pher, could find, amidst the wide range of universal
skill upon which their eyes have rested, no prouder
exposition than that which Leamington itself afforded
them in the contemplation of its own speedy rise to
prosperity, and its close proximity to those classic re-
liques which are so well calculated to elevate the
thoughts of man and to awaken his imagination.
This glorious exposition of nature's own greatness
will not be the less interesting to the enlightened fo-
reigners who will flock hither on their Shaksperian
pilgrimage, nor the less advantageous to local fame,
when, from the sterling labours of many a past topo-
grapher, as well as from the grateful efforts of the
present generation of townspeople, they ascertain the
pride with which we still declare, that
A pearl lies in our waters
Of richer, prouder wealth,
Than Cleopatra mallowed—
The precious pearl of Health 1"
—From the Leamington Spa Courier.

UNISHMENT OF DEATH BY
BURNING.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SIR,--A paragraph in your piper of the 27th inst.,
relative to the above punishinent, is correct as to main
facts, but ss'l am one of the few persons still living
that was preient at the above horrible execution, I
will state some additional circumstances which oc-
curred at the time not noticed by " Senex." It is
true that, after the execution of the malefactors on
the " new drop" that morning, a woman having been
convicted and sentenced to be burned for what was
then called by the law " petty treason," the sentence
wascarried into effect as stated ; but she was
fastened to or upon a hurdle, with a rope round her
neck, in the Press-yard of Newgate, and drawn by a
horse from thence to the spot on which the gibbet was
erected, which was part of the sentence. That spot
was near the place where the pump now stands.
When brought to the place of execution she was
removed from the hurdle, placed with her back
against the gibbet, and drawn up to the top or arm
by the rope; strangulation took instant effect. The
moment that was done, being only a few yards from
the scene, I saw a soldier take a knife from his pocket
and cut one of her fingers off, declaring, with an oath,
that she should not all be burned.

The result attending so disgraceful an exhibition is
worthy of record. The Morning it took place, I
remember well, was rather stormy, the wind setting
directly up. Newgate-street ; the smoke of the fire and
the stench so disgusted the inhabitants that strong
representations and petitions were for warded to the
Government, expressive of abhorrence at the con-
tinuance of so barbarous a custom. The law was soon
after repealed, and, as it was generally believed, at
the earnest entreaty of the Queen.
I am, Sir, respectfully yours,
SG, Birchin-lane, Sept. 30. R. LLOYD.
P.S.—l,4f course, was very young at the time,
but I believt I have stated pretty accurately all that
took place.

DIiCOVERT OF ROMAN REMAINS.--Last week a
Roman tesselated pavement was discovered at a locality
called the Churchyard, Holcombe Farm, two miles from
Lyme, and a little distance from Musbury Castle, a cele-
brated and very fire earthwork east of the valley of the Axe.
The villa at this spot must have been a Roman station. The
fact of this interesting discovery had hardly become known
to the neighbourhood when a determination to cover up the
pavement was resolved upon by the owner of the estate,
which was done ON Saturday last. The Rev. George Tucker
made a drawing, as did two pupils of Air. Roberts, of Lyme
Regis. The latter gentleman states that the teaser:et are of
blue-white liar, and red tessera; of a substance and colour
resembling brick. The area, so far as explored, equals that
of a moderately large sized room ; but only a small part was
cleared. The tiles or slates of the roof were composed of
white lias; they are found in considerable quantities —Poole
Herald.

A DESPERATE LEAP.—On Saturday a half-intoxi-
cated madman, named Willi imson, threw himself from the
roadway of the High Level Bridge into the river Tyne, a
height of 86 feet, and, strange to relate, he swam about ap-
parently unhurt until picked up by a boat which put off to
his rescue. How he managed to undress, and unnoticed
accomplish the stupid feat, appears very singular, as the
bridge is generally thronged foot, paseengers.--New-
castic Chronicle.