The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-20 00:00:00

ADVERTISEMENTS INSERTED in ALL THE THREE PAPERS, Morning Noon, and Night, thereby insuring a TOWN and COUNTRY CIRCULATION, at ONE CHARGE.

NATIONAL ANTI-CORS-LAW LEAGUE,

THE WEEKLY MEETING of the LEAGUE
will be held in the THEATRE ROYAL COVENT-GARDEN,
on WEDNESDAY EVENING NEXT, May 22. •
The Chair will be taken precisely at HALF-PAST SEVEN O'CLOCK.
The meeting will be addressed by Mark Phillips, Esq., M.P. ;
George Thompson, Esq. ; and other gentlemen.
Cards of admission may be had on application at the Offices of the
League, on Monday and Tuesday, between the hours of eleven and
four o'clock. _ _

Applications for Private Boxes to be made personally or by letter
on Monday.
The cards of registered Members will admit, as heretofore, to Pit
and Galleries.

DOORS TO LIE OPENED AT SEVEN O'CLOCK.

ci TAR PACKET S.—GRAVESEND and
LONDON,
By.way of the BLACKWALL RAILWAY.
EIGHTPENCE THROUGHOUT.
BOAT AND RAIL INCLUDED.
From the Terrace Pier, Gravesend, Morning, Seven, Half-past
Nine, and Half-past Twelve ; Afternoon, Two, Four, Six, and Seven.
Brunswick Wharf, Blackwall, Morning, Ten, Eleven, and Twelve;
Afternoon, Three, Four, Six, and Half-past Seven.
Sunday's from Gravesend, Morning, Seven, and Half-past Nine ;
Afternoon, Four, Six, and Seven.
From Blackwall, Morning, Tees and Eleven ; Afternoon, Three,
Six, and Half-past Seven.
From the Old Shades Pier, above London-bridge, Daily at Nine.
Star Office, Gravesend, May 17, 1844.

LONDON TO PARIS, via BOULOGNE.
THE NEW COMMERCIAL COMPANY'S
superior packets CITY of BOULOGNE or EMERALD, will
run every SUNDAY, TUESDAY, and FRIDAY, (weather permit-
ting), from London-bridge Wharf, as under :—Saloon, 15s. ; Fore-
cabin, 108. ; Children half-price.
Sunday, May 19th....11 morning.
Tuesday „ 21st •. • • 1 „
Friday „ 24th 3 „
Sunday „ 26th 5 „
Tuesday „ 28th .. •• 7 ~
Friday „ 31st .... 9 „
The advantages to the Public by a direct communication between
London and Boulogne are the great saving of expenses, particularly
families having luggage, &c., which is at once put on board the vessel
(free of wharfage) and landed at its destination without being liable
to loss or damage from removals by trains or otherwise, and the ac-
commodation afforded to Passengers in the above vessels, by having
private cabins for ladies, as well as excellent sleeping berths. The
distance from port to port is frequently done within ten and seldom
exceeds twelve hours.

Offices, Fish-Street-hill ; 12, Water-lane, Lower Thames-street, and
Chaplin's Universal office, Regent-circus.

MUSIC OF FRANCE.
Without Extra Charge to the Public, at the
ROYAL POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION.
The Directors have engaged Mr. C. E. HORN, to deliver
A SERIES of LECTURES on the MUSIC of EIGHT different
NATIONS. The MUSIC of FRANCE commences on the 20th
instant, and will be continued during the week, on Monday, Wednes-
day, and Friday Evenings, at Eight o'clock ; and on Tuesday, Thurs-
day, and Saturday, at Three o'clock, with VOCAL and INSTRU-
MENTAL ILLUSTRATIONS. All the other LECTURES and
EXHIBITIONS as usual. LONGIIOTTOM'S PHYSIOSCOPE and
OPAQUE MICROSCOPE. NEW DISSOLVING VIEWS, ARM-
STRONG'S HYDRO-ELECTRIC MACHINE, dcc., dcc.
Admission, Is.; Schools, Half-price.

GENERAL TOM THUMB (for a few days
longer), the American Dwarf, under the especial patronage
of her Majesty and the Royal Family, exhibiting every Day and
Evening, previous to visiting Paris, in CATLIN'S spacious INDIAN
GALLERY, EGYPTIAN HALL, Piccadilly, from Eleven to One,
Half-past Two to Five, and from Seven to Niue o'Clock, giving
illustrations of Napoleon, the Grecian Statues, Singing, Dancing, &c.
This wonderful man in miniature weighs only FIFTEEN POUNDS,
and is smaller than any infant that ever walked alone. The elegant
presents from her Majesty and the Queen Dowager may be also seen.
The General wears his Court Dress daily at Half-past Twelve.
The General continues to wait on the Nobility and Gentry on due
notice.

Admission One Shilling.
The General has never appeared on the stage of the llaymarAet
Theatre as has been represented.

NATIONAL MERCA
ANTE SOCIETY, Arthu.
(Establishe4
DI REC
CHAIRMAN--Rob
Edward Baker, Esq.
Jasper Capper, Esq.
Thomas Dakeyne, Esq.
Giles Redmayne, Esq.
James Spicer, Esq.
Henry Sterry, Esq.

NTILE LIFE ASSUIt-
u-street, West, London-bridge.
xl in 1837.)
CTOIIB.
Bert Currey, l'Aq.
Thomas Bax, Esq.
Joseph Cooper, Esq.
Russell Jeffrey, Esq.
William R. Spicer, Esq.
Joseph Starry, jun., Esq.
Robert Moms', Esq.

BANKERS.
Messrs. Prescott, Grote, and Co.
ADVANTAGES.

A BONUS of Two-thirds Cf iii;ProfftiTallotted to the Assured.
LOWER RATES of PREMIUM charged for, Assurances without
Prolits. _ .

PREMIUMS Payable Annually, Half-yearly, or Quarterly.
ASSURANCES of EVERY DESCRIPTION may be effected.
Among others, the important one, originated by this Society, of se-
ceiling a sum to the ♦ssured himself on his attaining any gives age,
or to his family in the event of his earlier death.
A POCKET DIARY, containing detailed particulars, may be had
of application at the Office, or of the Society's Agents.
JENKIN JONES, Actuary and Secretary.

I MPERIAL RUSSIAN- POLISH LOAN of
150,000,000 Florins (of 1835), IMPERIAL AUSTRIAN LOAN
of 30,000,000 Florins (of 1839), guaranteed by their Majesties the
Emperor of Austria and the Emperor of Russia.
GRAND DISTRIBUTIONS AT WARSAW AND VIENNA.

In the Russian-Polish Loan the following Dividends will he re-lm-
bnrsed:—One of 1,000,00011., one of 300,00011 , two of 150,0001 L, six of
25,00011., eight of 14,00011., &c., together 7,000 dividends, gaining
7,970,00011. Smallest dividend Mil., largest 1,000,00011.
. . .

—ln 'the Austrian Loan 700 bonds will obtain 701,7000 , in lots of
230,00011., 50,0000., 15,0000., 10,00011., &c. Smallest dividend 5000.
If florins are equal to 11. sterling, a trifle more or less, as per day's
exchange. The prices are— •
1 Russian-Polish Scrip for £2 10 I 1 Austrian Scrip for £3 0
4 do. do. do. 10 0 6 do. do. 15 0

PETER WILLIAMS, at present and for
Ja.., seven months past, residing at 5, Drury-lane, in the parish
of St. Giles, in the county of Middlesex, journeyman shoemaker
late residing at 13, King-street, Hammersmith, boot and shoe-
maker, for one year and upwards, do hereby give notice that I
intend to present a petition to the Court of Bankruptcy,
Basinghall-street, London, praying to be examined touching my
debts, estate, and effects, and to be protected from all process upon
making a full disclosure and surrender of such estate and effects for
payment of my just and lawful debts ; and I hereby thrther give
notice that the time when the matter of the said petition shall be
keard is to be advertised in the London Gazette and in the Morning
stin Newspaper one month at the least after the date hereof; as
witness my hand, this 16th day of May, in the year of our Lord, 1844.
PETER WILLIAMS.
Witness, John J. Spiller, 33, Camomile-street, Bishopsgate, attorney
for the said Peter Williams.

IMPORTANT to FAMILIES FURNISHING.
—A considerable saving can be effected in the purchase of
Furnishing Ironmongery, by visiting the PANKLIBANON IRON
WORKS, st, Baker-street, Portman-square, where may be in-
spected the most extensive STOCK of IRONMONGERY GOODS in
the Kingdom, consisting of kitchen cooking utensils, German silver
wares, drawing-room stoves, shower and vapour baths, ornamental
iron work, garden implements, japanned water cans and toilette pails,
heist Sheffield plate, kitchen ranges, fenders and fire-irons, tea trays,
ornamental wirework, flower stands, table cutlery, &c. Every article
being marked in plain figures, at the lowest possible price, will fully
convince purchasers at this establishment of the great advantage re-
sulting from Cash payments, as the proprietors warrant every article
of the very best manufacture, at a saving of at least 30 per cent.—
THORPE, FALLOWS, and Co., 58, Baker-street, Portman-square.
—A liberal allowance to merchants and captains.

SILVER SUPERSEDED, and those corrosive
and injurious metals called Nickel and German Silver sup-
planted by the introduction of a new and perfectly matchless ALBATA
PLATE.

-
C. WATSON, 41 and 42, BARBICAN, and 16, NORTON-FOL-
GATE, aided by a person of science in the amalgamation of metals,
has succeeded in bringing to public notice the most beautiful article
ever yet offered; possessing all the richneis of Silver in appearance
—with all its durability and hardness—with its perfect sweetness in
use—undergoing, as it does, a chemical process, by which all that is
nauseous in mixed metals is entirely extracted--resisting all acids—
may be cleaned as silver, and is manufactured into every article for
the Table and Sideboard. _ _ .

Fiddle. Threaded. King's.
Table Spoons and Forks, per doz.. 16s. 6d. .. 30s. Od. .. 355. ed,
Deissert ditto, per doz.
Tea Spoons, per doz. ...... ••• • • • ss. 6d. 12s. 6d. •• 13s. 6d,

Sugar Tongs, each ••
Salt and Mustard Spoons, each
Communion Services, &c.

C. Watson begs the. Public will understand that this metal is pecu-
liarly his own, and that Silver is not more different from Gold, than
his metal is from all others; on its intrinsic merit alone he wishes it
to be tested, and from the daily increasing eulogiams he receives, he
is convinced that nothing can prevent its becoming an article of uni-
versal wear.

C. Watson's handsomely Illustrated Catalogue and Price Current
is just published, and families who regard economy and elegance,
should possess themselves of this useful book, wkick may be had
gratis, and post free, from the above address.
Ivory Table-knives, lls. per dozen, Dessert, 9s. ; Carvers, 3s. 6d.
per pair.

TABLE. DESSEZT. CABTEES.
doz. doz. pair.
31-In. handsome balance handle ...• 18s. Od. 140. Od. 6s. 6d.
4-in. balance handle, largost and best
made ••••••• • • • • • • • ...... ••• • • • 20s. Od. 16s. Od. 75. 6d.
Ditto with Watson's Albata Plato
kandlee, equal to silver.. •• • . •• • 225. 6d. 18s. Od. 86. Od.
Forks half the above price.

Paper Tea-trays, Ms. the Set of Three; very richly ornaments
50e. the Set of Three.
A Five Quart London made Bronze Tea-urn 355. up to 51.
A Set of Six London made Dish Covers 18s. 6d. ; Imperial Raised
Patent, 355. 6d. the Set of Six.
WATSON'S, 41 and 42, BARBICAN, and 16, NORTON FOLGATE.
These houses have for Fifty Years ranked pre-emincat fer their
Cutlery, which is always exchanged, if not approved.
Sena for his Catalogue.

SCIIIVEPPE'S SODA and POTA SS WATERS,
constantly used at the Royal Palaces at Windsor and London,
as well as by the principal Nobility and Gentry of the United King.
dom, and recommended by el the leading medical profession, con-
tinue to be mannfactured with the utmost care by J. S. and Co.,
aided by their powerful machinery, and the valuable experience of
half a century. Every bottle has its due proportion of alkali, which
is rarely, if ever, the case with the inferior waters. To prevent
imposition, a red label, with their signature, is fixed en the cork,
without which none is genuine.
SCHWEPPE'S LIQUII) MAGNESIA, to supersede the use of
Magnesia in its solid form, is attaining a high reputation, and is
generally recommended by the faculty as a most valuab'e anti-acid.
Sold by all respectable chymists and patent medicine vendors, in
bottles at Is., 2s. Cd., 4s. Cd and Ifs each. Every genuine bottle is
distinguished by a Berner' s street, London, and also at
their breach manufactories atliverpool, Bristol, and Derby.

ETTERS of CREDIT on BOMBAY.—The
UNION BANK of LONDON having been appointed AGENTS
for the BANK of WESTERN INDIA, are authorised to receive
sums not exceeding 5001., to be accounted for la Bombay, in rupees
at the exchange of the day.
By order of the Directors, •
W. W. SCRIMGEOUR, Manager.
Union Bank of London, No. 8, Moorgate-street.

MONEY.—GRAND DISTRIBUTION of
70,1701. sterling, authorised by his Imperial Majesty, and the
Government of Austria, on the Ist JUNE Nirr, at Vienna. Highest
Prize, 23,000/. ; Lowest 50/. ; 700 Prizos.
Apply for Prospectuses, to Messrs. F. E. Full and Co., bankers and
receivers-general, Frankfort ; or, to save postage, at 26, Bonverie-
street, London, by letter only. Office hours from Twelve to Three.

TO PAPER-STAINERS.
WANTED, in the Country, a PAPER-
STAINER. One who thoroughly understands his business in
all its branches, and of strictly temperate habits, will meet with con-
stant employment.
Letters (post paid) stating terms, &c., addressed Post-office,
Carlisle, Cumberland, will be attended to.

BENEVOLENT AN-
Relief of Poor, Aged, and Infirm
iuita.nts to reside where they please.
ig of this Charity, held at Free-
he 17th day of May, 1844,

ROYAL MASONIC
FUND, for the. 1
FREEMASONS, allowing the Anni
At the Annual General Meethil
masons' Hall, London, on Friday, t
.The Right Hon. the Earl of ZET.
After the general business was dill
scribers proceeded to the ELECTH
and the following was the result of
*Sharp Maxfield • • • • 4,644
*William Bridle .• .• • • • • 3,889
*William Raby . 1,721
*John Martin-- • • • • • • 1,547
*John Cook .. ...... 1,493
*John James Bird •••• . • • • 1,468
*James Chcetham • • . • • • 1,366
*William S. Swendell •• • • 1,325
*John Morris...—. • • • • • • 1,315
*Joseph Williamson.... • • 992
*John Cook • • • • • • • • 867
*Robert Maddock • • • • • • • • 762
Richard Maryon
George Broughton . • • • • • 646
James Swiman...... •
Richard Clark • • •• • • • • • • 578
John Durnford ..
Thomas Spenceley • • • • 573
Robert Hutton . • • . 452
Richard Howell . . • . 449
Those marked thus (*) were declar
WILL

'LAND, M.W.G.M., in the chair,
posed of, the Governors and Sub-
ON of TWELVE ANNUITANTS,
the Poll, viz. :
William Horrocks •• • 446
Matthew Naylor . • • • 432
Thomas Hobson • 430
William Riding.. • . • •
Thomas Miller • • • . • •
William Yates ••••• • • • • • 350
Peter Dirmond .. • • • •
John Clegg 316
Edward Lamton . • • •
James Seddon . • •• •
Phineas Elton . ... • • •
Robert Stuart
Saltine' Hunter .. •••• . • • • 71
James Crampton • • • • • 69
Edmund Edmundson •
James Harrold . • • . • • 56
Mark Noble
Johinfiketchley.. • • ...... 38

John Ilogg

Thomas Robertson ...... 22
red to be the saccessfhl Candidates.
FARNFIELD, Secretary.

EXTRAORDINARY DISCOVERIES
IN THE MOON.
THE MONSTER TELESCOPE.
(From Hood's Magazine for May.)
[We feel infinite pride and gratification in being able to
present the following letter exclusively to our subscribers ; who
will thus be in possession of discoveries, which for some days,
probably some weeks, will not appear in the scientific
journals. The astronomical reader will readily recognise the
stupendous instrument referred to by our Correspondent, as
the one constructed at the expense and under the direction
of a nobleman of distinguished mechanical genius, and de-
voted to the sublime study of the stars. Its dimensions may
be estimated from the fact that it is twice as long (eighty
feet) as the famous telescope erected by Sir William Her-
schell at Slough. The diameter of the speculum is two yards !
—EDITOR.] Dublin, April 21, 1844.
My dear ****—Since my last, an event has occurred here
of unusual interest to the scientific world, and the astrono-
mers in particular :—nothing less than the testing of the
monster telescope !—with results so extraordinary and of
such thrilling interest, that, jaded as I am with fatigue and
excitement, I cannot resist sitting down to give some ac-
count of our discoveries.
It was my good fortune, you will remember, to be present
at the casting of the great speculum, when his Lordship so
signally exhibited his skill, energy, and presence of mind :
and on Friday last I was agreeably surprised by receiving a
courteous invitation to assist, as the French say, at an ex-
perimental trial of the powers of the stupendous machine, at
last happily completed after the expenditure of so much
time, labour, andmoney. Finding that my friend Macluie,
the well-known author of a " Treatise on the Differential
Calculus," had received a similar card, we hired a chaise and
proceeded together to the appointed rendezvous, his Lord-
ship's country seat. To prevent interruption, or intrusion,
the affair was a profound secret, except to the initiated—in
all about a score of persons, several of whom had come over
expressly from England, and one or two from the Continent.
According to Maclure, there was even a Professor from the
Swedish University of Upsala.
The company being all mustered, we repaired in a body,
led by our noble host, to the grounds, where we found the
telescope, erected pro tempore on a gentle eminence in the
park; the abundant brass work glittering brightly in the
moonbeams, and the huge frame, throwing a complicated
skeleton-like shadow across the smooth grass. Seen against
the dark blue sky by the dubious lunar light, its dimensions
seemed even greater than they really were. Altogether it
looked more like some gigantic engine of war—a " hollow
tube" of that artillery described by Milton as pointed by the
rebellious angels against the host of Heaven, than a machine
intended to aid in the peaceful achievements of science—a
quiet victory over space.
Some minutes were spent in walking round the telescope,
watching its singular appearance in different aspects, and
then in testing and admiring the simplicity of its construc-
tion and the facility of the movements. The workmanship
was perfect. Not a screw was loose ; not a hinge was stiff;
every joint and pivot moved as easily and as silently as
those of the human frame. So delicate was the adjustment,
so nice the poise. A child could have turned the enormous
tube, at will, in any direction. No vibration, no oscillation.
None but the operatives of our country and our own times
could have produced such a result. It was verily the triumph
of modern mechanic art !
At last, we all congregated in a group round the inferior
end of the machine. The huge brass cap over the larger
disc had been removed : the covering of the smaller lens was
now withdrawn, and the tube stood ready to disclose its
wondrous visions to the human eye. Expectation was on
tiptoe—curiosity wound up to the highest pitch—anxiety on
the rack—but nobody stirred or spoke. There was a dead,
solemn pause of wonder, and I might say awe, for who
knew what sublime revelations might be in store for us !
sights invisible to the mortal organ since the creation of
the world! What perplexing problems were perhaps about
to be solved ! What long-cherished theories confirmed or
overturned for ever!
In the meantime the glass was carefully levelled at one
" bright particular star," and through the intense silence
came an emphatic whisper distinctly audible to us all.
"Now, then, gentlemen, for the first look through the
virgin instrument." This honour was assigned to a person-
age who stood beside me :—the Astronomer Royal, probably,
or Sir John Herschel; but my old infirmity prevented me
from catching the name, and I am acquainted, personally,
with very few of our seavans. Possibly you will recognise
him from my description—a large square-built man, very
bald, with a bland countenance, and a peculiar hitch in his
speech. He trembled visibly as he applied his eye to the
glass, and to judge by myself we all quivered more or less
with the same nervous excitement. By a stop-watch, his
gaze would perhaps have occupied some forty or fifty
seconds : but to my feeling, and doubtless to that of the rest
of the company, the long, long look endured for several
minutes. Nevertheless, nobody hurried to take his place
when he turned away from the glass : every eye was in-
tently riveted on his face as if to guess by its expression
the nature and amount of his emotions. But to all our
glances and inquiries he only answered by the exclamation
—" Look ! look ;" with a gesture of his arm towards the
telescope.
The noble proprietor was now urged to take the turn ; and
after a very hasty peep, resigned his place to a foreigner,
whom I should have guessed to be Mons. Arago, who cer-
tainly ought to have been there, if he had borne the least
resemblance to the portraits of that distinguished philosopher.
But he wanted the commanding figure, as well as the marked
features, of the French astronomer. However, he wore the
star of some, foreign order on his bosom ; and another of his
attributes was a prodigious gold snuff-box, from which he
drew and inhaled an intolerably long-drawn pinch before he
settled to the glass. Like his Lordship, his politeness did not
allow him to engross the sight for more than a few seconds;
but they sufficed to convince him, that the spectacle was
" superbe ! magnifique!" as he continued to ejaculate, between
each prise from his tabatiare.
We now stood rather less ceremoniously on the order of
our peeping. One after another hurried eagerly to the glass,
curiosity sometimes taking precedence of good breeding; but
the expressive faces of those of us who had looked, their
excited gestures and vehement expressions of surprise and
admiration, had worked impatience into a fever. These rap-
tures, however, owed a portion of their intensity to some gra-
tification vouchsafed only to the scientific : for, when my-
own turn came, my first feeling was one of disappointment.
The two brilliant stars that I beheld, magnified almost into
moons, were indeed beautiful objects—their discs sharply de-
fined, and without any prismatic halo, or diffused light from
scratches on the speculum,—defects which had been appre-
hended as likely to occur with lenses and a mirror of such
enormous size. But that. was all. I was not aware till after-
wards of the true value of the phenomenon—that up to the
hour, those twin orbs had been supposed to be one.
The company having warmly congratulated the noble pro-
prietor on the signal success of his enterprise, the Gigantic-
Telescope was turned towards another quarter of the heavens,
by this time studded with stars. The Frenchman now took
the lead : and whatever he saw, the spectacle was too much
for his equanimity. He hastily seized on his nearest neigh-
bour, whom, with a " Mon Dieu !" he literally dragged to the
glass—still exhorting every one about him to regarder, as if
they could all have looked simultaneously through the tube.
His successor was also a foreigner, possibly the Swedish Pro-
fessor, for lie had the same cast of face, with the long light
hair flowing over his shoulders, as our old friend Jorgenson of
Stockholm. He was also strongly excited, as was a very
venerable white-haired gentleman, who followed him in turn ;
the last indeed, by the glistening of his eyes, was even in
tears. And really there was cause for such strong emotion,
considering the singular beauty of the spectacle, and the
interesting nature of the discovery which I shall endeavour
to describe.
In common with many others, I have often wondered at the
little resemblance between the constellations and the objects
after which they are named. With trifling exceptions, they
suggest no figures at all, certainly not the monsters, real or
fabulous, that sprawl on our celestial maps. For example, it
would require a very courtier's imagination to detect in the
stars of Taurus any similarity to a bull, or in Cetus anything
" very like a whale." As to the Bear, lie much more re-
sembles his vulgar alias, the Plough. But we did injustice to
the Chaldean seers, and the patriarchal shepherds, or who-
ever recognised the ancient signs in heaven, and bestowed on
them their names. In the course of ages, many of the stars
belonging to the Constellations have receded, and disap-
peared, like the remarkable one missed from its place by
Hipparchus of Rhodes, about 160 years before the Christian
era. These lost stars, till now invisible to modern eyes, were
however plainly discernible through the Monster Telescope;
and it was obvious, that when they occupied their original
places, the Constellations to which they belonged must have
presented a striking, not to say startling, resemblance to the
figures with which they were associated. For instance, Leo,
which was as well defined in its outline by its stars, as our
Royal Crowns, &c., in illumination lamps
The excitement produced by this brilliant discovery it
would be difficult to describe. One little brisk personage ac-
tually capered with delight ; while the Frenchman threw
himself, after the national fashion, upon his Lordship, whom
he overwhelmed with his embraces and his voluble felicita-
tions. Another, a tall, large man, walking rapidly to and fro,
rubbing his hands vehemently, and muttering to himself,
"It beats the solar eclipse at Pisa!"* In the meantime some
of the more composed of the party took occasional peeps
through the telescope, and from their successive reports, be-
held not only double, triple, and quadruple stars of various
colours—blue, red, green, and purple, but absolute swarms of
comets ; not less than sixty-four being counted within the
same field of view—some with a single tail, others with two,
and one projecting from its nucleus three distinct trains of
light, diverging from each other at angles of about twenty
degrees!
Judge of our state of enthusiasm and rapture at these
thronging novelties! Every body seemed more or less in a
state of delirium For my own part, I can only compare
my teeing to the exaltation which I once experienced after
inhaling the laughing gas. I seemed literally lifted
Above the earth
And possessed joys not promised at my birth.
Nothing but the dread of alarming the neighbourhood, and
attracting a concourse of the peasantry, prevented our join-
ing in a general shout.
As yet nobody had positively mentioned the Moon ; bant
sundry glances at the planet had shown that she was neoctmbe
sent from our thoughts. These significant looks now became
more frequent ; and her name even began to be uttered
amongst us, in spite of a previous understanding that she
was to be left to the last, by way of a bonne bouche. But
the wonders we had already seen had excited our appetite
for the marvellous to a ravenous pitch ; and of all the
celes-
tial bodies the moon, the nearest to the earth—our own satel-
lite with her map-like face—her dark and bright spots—her
prodigious mountains, valleys, and active
human speculation.
has_ ever
been a subject of supreme interest in speculation.
These conjectural fancies the Monster Telescope, with its im-
mense powers, now promised to set at rest, together with the
romantic theory of Fontenelle, of a plurality of worlds, each
inhabited like our own.
Inspired by these hopes, and eager to realise ithem, there
sprang up among us a sort of agitation, carried on by mur-
murs and gestures which finally led to the investigation of
the Moon, in preference to Jupiter and his satellites, Saturn
and his ring, the Nebulae, or the Milky Way. The venerable
gentleman already alluded to was the first to look, and after
a while actually staggered away from the glass with an
ejaculation, which, though natural under the circumstances,
would seem profane if deliberately committed. to paper.
* Probably Mr. Bailey, the aetronomer.—En.

However, it sufficed, with his look of concern, if not horror,
to drive us from our propriety. There was a general rush
towards the glass, each individual who succeeded in turn,
having to endure the entreaties, remonstrances, and even re-
proaches, from the more impatient of the throng. In this
unsatisfactory way I obtained a hurried glimpse ; but it
served to. show me such a scene of desolation as I had never
contemplated even in a dream. Wide dreary wastes of white
sand, bounded by barren rocks, enclosing gloomy valleys
dark as that of the Shadow of Death ! Vegetation there
was none; but one immense shady tract proved to be a vast
forest—literally a Black Forest—of charred trees. In its
shape I seemed to recognise one of those dark patches on
the surface of the full moon,* which are visible to the naked
eye. Dismal as these features were, there were others of
quite as melancholy a character. Thus the bright spot named
after Kepler by the astronomers, was made out by the
Swedish professor to be a great conical hill of bones bleached
to a dazzling whiteness. To what class of animals they be-
longed it was impossible to determine ; but none of them
resembled the bones of the human species.
From these indications we at first entertained sanguine
hopes of seeing some living creatures ; but not the least sign
or stir of life could be detected in any part of the planet.
But the most astounding discovery was yet to come.
Amongst the dark patches on the face of the moon, dis-
cernible by the naked eye, is a remarkable one, supposed
to be a valley- or cavity, which has been estimated by some
astronomers as fifty miles broad, and nearly three miles in
depth. It is called after Tycho Brahe, I believe, by the
learned. In the midst of this huge hollow, there appears a
bright spot, 'formerly the object of much speculation and
controversy, but now ascertained, by the extraordinary
powers of the new telescope, to be the skeleton of a gigantic
animal—of dimensions .so enormous as to surpass the mam-
moth or mastodon as much as they, exceed in size our ordinary
awn I
The skeleton wa4,4ying on its side ; and most of thq bones.
retaining their places, afforded a very good notion of its
figure. According to the Frenchman, who professed to have
studied osteology under Cuvier, the structure was very pecu-
liar, and unlike that of any known terrestrial animal, living
or fossil. From the valley where it lay there ran a long
narrow ravine, which you may trace by referring to a map
of the moon. It was strewed with detached bones, and was
doubtless the, passage by which the monster issued and re-
turned from his foragings.
The total absence of life, and the conical mound of bleached
bones, were now accounted for; the monster, after ravaging
all around, had at last perished by famine ; but there is some-
thing bewildering in the idea of a creature of such magni-
tude inhabiting a planet not so large by two-thirds as our
own.
To give you any idea of the effect produced on us by so
unexpected, and, I may say, so appalling a spectacle, is im-
Wsuedsdtoenodlay anwdalkooenkeedd
from a sound sleep. Could it be real? Was it not all a
dream? And that, then, was the Moon, the favourite haunt
of romantic and poetical love fancies—one of the retreats of
e aother,s absolutely
faces stunning.
like
men
the fairies! Well might the Frenchman shrug his shoulders
silently in lth
wase
and exclaim that it was " triste—vraiment afiligeante r Nor
did it much surprise me to see the old white-haired gentle-
man, sitting on the grass, weeping like a child. In reality
there was something depressing and shocking in the horrible
desolation we had witnessed; yet withal so strangely fasci-
nating, that we returned to it again and again. But we
made no new discovery; except of the crater of an extinct
volcano, in the vicinity of the charred forest already de-
scribed.
At this point the party broke up, and Maclure and myself
took leave. But there are mysterious whisperings afloat of
subsequent explorations by a " select few;" and in par-
ticular of some supposed ethereal or angelic beings discovered
in Vesta. Their shape, it is said, cannot be distinguished;
nor are they visible whilst within the disc of the planet,
which is a very bright one; but when beyond its edge they
are discernible, against the dark sky, hovering about with a
soft greenish light, like that of the fire flies one sees on the
banks of the Rhine. As soon as I can obtain any authentic
particulars you , hear from me again. In the meantime,
adieu.—Yours
CHARLES MAITLAND KILGOUR.

I omitted to mention that, observing how everybody
rubbed theit eyes after looking through the telescope, I de-
termined to watch my own sensations, and detected a slight
drawing or shooting pain in the organ ; of course from the
immense power of the lenses overstraining the optic nerves.
I have just learned that several of the party are suffering
from the same cause ; one of them with a temporary blind-
ness of the right eye.
* Perhaps the one called Cleomedes.—En.

[We have extracted the above from Hood's excellent Ma-
gazine, but we entertain grave doubts of its authenticity.
It is a very bonnie subject for a Commission of Lunacy.—En.
Sun.]

THE WILL FORGERS.
CONFESSION OF MRS. DOREY.

On the first indictment against the prisoners Barber
and Fletcher, the confession of Mrs. Dorey was put
in evidence, but upon objection being taken by the
counsel for the prisoners, only that portion of it was
read which applied to the case of Stewart. We are
now enabled to lay before our readers the remainder
of this extraordinary statement, in which Mrs.
Dorey details all the particulars connected with these
enormous frauds, but it is thought better that certain
names mentioned should be omitted, as inquires are
still going on, and their publication might tend to
defeat the ends of justice. After detailing the parti-
culars connected with the Stewart case, Mrs. Dorey
proceeds as follows :—" About this time I went with
Fletcher and his wife to the Bank of England.
Fletcher went there to see his friend, and while we
were in the Rotunda Mr. Chritinas passed us, and
stopped to speak to Fletcher a moment. Fletcher
left us to go and have some conversation with him,
and after Fletcher returned to us, he said that
Mr. Christmas and himself avoided as much as
possible being seen conversing together. I asked
him why. He replied, he did not wish persons em-
ployed in the Bank of England to know from whom
he got information. Soon after this Fletcher said,
from the information he had received from his friend
he thought he could do some good for me, provided I
would do as he instructed me. After some conversa-
tion with him, I said I would do so. Soon after this
I was living in Dean-street. He brought to me a
will of Eliza Burchard, of Westminster, and several
other places, written by himself, and wished me to
copy it.' I did so. There was only one name written
on it. He told me to disguise my hand, and write
closer than usual, or I should not have room. lie
brought some ink of a peculiar description, in a small
phial, to write it with, and also a strip of paper, with
the name Eliza Burchard written upon it. Fletcher
said he had received it that same morning from his
friend in the Bank of England, and that he (the clerk)
had copied it from the original handwriting of the de-
ceased in the bank books, and to which it bore as
close a resemblance as possible. After I had copied
the will, Fletcher, in my presence, made a fac
simile of the same handwriting as that sent to him
on the slip of paper by the Bank clerk, at the foot of
the will, observing it was what he should do
to the will that would render it useful, and not what I
had done. In thinking deeply on the past occurrences
since I related them to my solicitor, I perfectly recol-
lect that Fletcher made an impression on the will,
with, I think, red wax, and probably with my seal, at
the same time he wrote the names of Eliza Burchard,
and William Saunders. He took it away with him
and would not stop to dine with me, because he
wished to be in time to show it to Barber the same
day. I expostulated with Fletcher for writing the
name of William Saunders, that being the name of
my brother-in-law. He assured me nothing could
ever come of it, and said he intended to'see William
Saunders and talk to him, for he was quite sure that
he could do better for him than ever he would be able
to do in his own business. Fletcher said I must take
a lodging, and told me what I should say to the land-
lady in case she required a reference. I was to say
my name was Eliza Burchard, and that I had come
from the country to stay a short time in London, and
that if she pleased I would pay her rent in advance.
I was also to say that as I had friends liv-
ing a short distance out of town, perhaps I
should not sleep often at the lodging, but if any let-
ters were brought she was to be particular in taking
care of them. I accordingly took a lodging in
breaackt
Russell-street, Bloomsbury, consisting of one
room on the first floor, for which I paid eight or ten
' shillings per week. I only slept there one night. I
was disguised when I took the lodging, therefore I
do not think the person I took it from would be able
to identify me. It was Fletcher's wish that I should
disguise myself. He said he had a particular reason
for my so doing, which hd would hereafter make me
acquainted with; for the present I was to leave it to
him. lie bought me a pair of spectacles, and desired
me to wear a light hair front, with curls, so as to con-
ceal my face as much as possible, and to represent an
old maid ; and I did in all things as he directed. Some
few days after I had taken the lodging I went to Flet-
cher's house, in Southampton-place. My mother was at
this time alarmingly ill. I was in a dreadful fright about
fulfilling the promise I had made to him, and I was very
uneasy inconsequence of having to disguise myself. On
expressing my alarm to Fletcher, and my anxiety
to do nothing more in the matter, he assured me all
was right; that he had heard from his friend in the
Bank. He showed me a note he had received from
him, on which there was a good deal of figuring. I
saw the name of Xmas' written on the foot of
the note. Fletcher also showed me an unclaimed
dividend book, in which several names were written
against in the margin; he said his friend in the Bank
had marked them as dead' cases.. I asked him
what that meant. He replied, ' They are dead in
law, and arethe cases we seek (here he mentioned the
names of— and —), who he said transacted
business at theßank in the same way he did.' Fletcher
said there .was no law to prevent individuals having
the money if they knew bow to proceed to get it ;
' and that if any obstacle was thrown in his way I
t should see that he would immediately carry it into the