The Sun.
London, England, 1850-08-02 00:00:00

BIRTHS IN THE WEEK.

bides ... ... ... ... ... 664
Females ... ... ... ... ... 680

Total ...

-.1,344

*ln this number are included 23 by Scarlatina, 35
by Typhus Fever, 104 by Diarrhoea, and 13 by Cholera.

MRS. FANNY KEMBLE'S READ-

INGS OF SHAKSPERE.

This celebrated lady has been engaged by Mr. Mit-
chell fir six readings of Shakspere, at the St. James':
Theatre, and last evening she read the Midsummer
Night's Dream. It was a delightful entertainment, and
gave us a keener feeling of the beauties of this exqui-
site play than we have ever been able to derive either
from its private perusal or its representation on the
stage. Mrs. Kemble's reading, indeed, is perfect; quite
free from the heaviness and monotony to which this kind
of entertainment is liable, and on the contrary full of
grace, animation, and variety. Shakspere's charming
poetry derived fresh charms from the finely modulated
tones of her mellow voice, and she showed a most
intellectual comprehension of the author, bringing
out many delicate beauties and traits of meaning, which,
to us at least, had the effect of novelty. Her discri-
mination of the characters was a Imirable. The timid,
gentle Helena, and the impetuous Islermin' could not
have been better distinguished had they stood before us
in two separate persons. The scenes of Bottom and his
fellow clowns, without being in the least overcharged,
were lively and amusit. Bottom's way of making him-
:elf at home with Titania and the fairies was irresistibly
ludicrous. In truth, her reading of these scenes showed
a richness of comic humour which we had never observed
in her acting. Mrs. Kemble looked exceedingly well,
and seemed to be in excellent health and spirits. No-
thing cold be warmer than her reception by a large and
fashionable audience. Bursts of applause followed the
most remarkable passages; and, after she had retired,
the long continued plaudits brought her forward again
to make her acknowledgments. The remaining plays which
she is to read are the Merry Wives of Windsor, Mea-
sure for Measure, Much Ado about Noth!ng, and the
Merchant of Venice. There could not be a better se-
lection.

SINGULAR FULFILMENT OF A DREAM.—OD Friday
evening last a young man, named Joseph Piston, aged 22,
was bathing in the river Collin, near to Ashley-mill, when he
was unhappily drowned. It appears that the deceased had
been working in a hay-field throughout the day, and, being
hot, determined to bathe, although particularly cautioned
not to do so by his relations at the mill, whin whom he lived.
Their reason for so cautioning him was that on the three
previous nights he had dreamed that he was drowning in
the river. Each morning he had related his dream to the
family, and in joke told them who should have his clothing,
ecc., if it happened, and mentioned a young woman who was
to have his watch. On the night in question he had been
swimming down the river. He left the water, and told the
parties who were with him that lie would have a dive in a
years. of age,
ftybeurtai atinmeexscealnlednttrisew4
deep part of the river. So saying he ran on the bank, sprang
in headforemost, and never was seen afterwards. An alarm
intohd
himt. he
was given, and Mr. Davenport, who is upwards of sixty
river, swimmer,
here,
edumped
but without succ-ss. It ton'was an hour and a half before Pis-
ton's body could be found.._:Flanchester Guardian.
INCUMZER
. ED ESTATES IN InELAND —Yesterday
a Parliamentary paper was issued,
containing some observa-
tions by the Commissioners upon
the subject their distil,-
button of the funds arising from
intobered .es-
tates in Ireland and the transfer of any parto thereof
Court of Chancery. It appears that the Commissioners
i the
road more than half a million's worth of property,and of 'tat: ‘a.at
sum they hope to distribute the entire in their court with
the exception of 25,0001., which may be transferred to the
Court of Chancery. About 100,0001. has been already dis-
tributed. The Commissioners hope without any assistance
from any other court to distribute 200,000/. before vacation
and 200,0001. more in the month of October; they add
" that there is no part of their practice which gives the
public such satisfaction as the readiness with which pay-
ments are made when the rights of parties are correctly as-
certained. •

---------
ImroaTATIoN OF BRANDY.—A vessel which has
just arrived in the docks from Charmte, has brought an elz-
traordinary large cargo of brandy, comprising 70 puncheon s,
700 hogsheads, 367 smaller casks, and 1,048 cases of the
spirit, the produce of France. ' The value of this cargo, with
reference to the high duty leviable on the article, DLitt halve
been very large.