The Sun.
London, England, 1817-12-24 00:00:00

THE THEATRE.

The Shakspearean Compilation, brought forward
on Monday at Drurv•Lane Theatre, under the
title of Richard Duke of York,. was represented
ng.tin last night. It has undergone much re-
trenchment, and was somewhat more effective in.
its general operation. The character of King
Henry, as it appears in the stage play of Richard
the Third, appears so meekly amiable that
we regret to see him placed in a more humi-
liating and submissive point of view in this
compiled tragedy. There is, indeed, a kind
of meanness :bout him, compared with the heroic
qualities of Queen Margaret, that is apt to throw
its representative into a kind of abjectness. In
justice, however, to Maywoon, it must be ac-
knowledged, that he displayed a kind of composed
dignity and feeling that
.softened this effect. KEAN
made as much of Richard as the part admitted,
and was at times powerfully energetic. We
have seldom seen better acting, seldom, indeed,
so good, as that of POPE in the dying moments
of Cardinal Beaufort. There was an expression of
horror, agony, and wild despair in his manner,
that was most forcibly impressive. The previous
part of the character he sustained well, but it is
nothing in comparison with the last _scene in
which the character appears, and it is impossible
for that scene to be represented' with • a more
faithful and affecting adherence to the author.—
Mrs.Gt.ovita Is one of the very best comic actresses
on the Stage, and it is greatly to her credit that she
is able to appear to somuch advantage in a part so
diffetent from her-usual style of acting as that of
Queen Margaret. Styfolk was well performed by
RAE, who gave the curses with strong and (Milking
effect.—WALLACK's Word was spirited, but we
conceive that the passage importing his having
killed an unoffew'ing Child should be omitted, as
it reduce. the Hero to a Savage. We were
glad to find that the reforming topics of Jock
Cade and his followers excited the laugh of 'con-
tempt rather than of approbation last night.
There was a numerous, -but by no means a
crowded audience, a.id the play was again well re,
ceived.

RETIREMENT OF WM. GRANT.

ROLLS-COURT, DEC. 23.

His Honour came into Court at 3 o'clock,
and was occupied for nearly two hours in hearing
petitions. He gave judgment in one case. As
soon as he had finished, the Gentlemen of the
bar bowed respectfully, they then all rose up, and
Sir ARTHUR PIGGOTT, the father of the Chancery-
bar, thus addressed his honour :

" Upon your retirement, Sir, from that seat of
justice upon which for more than sixteen years
you have presided, the Gentlemen of the bar at-
tending this Court are desirous of expressing
the sentiments with which they are impress,d
neon an event of great regret .and concern to
them, and upon which they are desirous of.
expressing the unfeigned respect which you
abundantly merited, and to which you are so
justly entitled. The promptitude and wisdom of
your dicisions have been as highly conducive to
Lie benefit of suitors as they were eminently pro-
ductive of the general- administration. of equity.
In the practice of your important and arduous
duties you have exhibited an uninterrupted equa-
nimity, and displayed a temper never disturbed,
and a patience near wearied. You have evinced
a uniform and impartial attention to those engag-
ed in the discharge of their professional dirties
here, and who had the opportunity, and en-
joyed the advantage, of observing that eon-
duct in the dispensation of justice, which has been
ccitspicuouslycalculatedto excite emulation, and to
form an illustrious example for imitation. Accept,
Sir, the cordial and sincere wishes of those wr-om
you leave devoted to the labour of this place, that,
with the gratifying reflection which will be the
merited reward of so considerable a portion of your
life, so meritoriously -and exemplarily emplOyed,
you may enjoy health and happiness in repose,
on your secession from the business and labour,
from the toil and anxiety of a painful judicial sta-
tion, to the importance and eminence of which
you have, in so great a degree, and in so. distin-
guished a manner, contributed, and on which you
have cast additional lustre."

His Honour rose, was visibly agitated, and re-
plied to this effect :

" It is impossible that I should rot be deeply
affected by the sentiments expressed towards me
by the Gentlemen of the bar. The favourable
view they have taken of my conduct, and the kind
wishes with which they regard my retirement, ex-
cite my warmest gratitude. The attention I have
shown to them could not be greater than their
own merits claimed. I have uniformly found
the Gentlemen who attend this Court equally
distinguished for learning in their profession,
and fur the honour and liberality with which they
practised it. The kindness, attention, and respect
which I have always experienced from them affect
me sensibly, arid call for my most cordial thanks.
Their conduct towards me since I had the honour
to preside in this Court, and the sentiments they
now express on my retirement, I shall ever re-
member with gratitude, and cherish the remem-
brance as the sweetest solace of the remainder of
my life. Gentlemen, farewell ! My best wishes
shall ever attend you."
While pronouncing the last sentence, his
voice faltered, and he hurried immediately out of
Court, struggling to repress his tears. The Gen-
Heinen of t::e bar seemed greatly affected. The
Court was quite crowded. All the King's Coun-
sel (except Mr. Leach), and the other Chancery
Lawyers, were present. 'They were heard re-
marking as they retired, " We shall never again
see such a Master of the Rolls."

Letters from the Irish coasts state that great
loss was occasioned by the storm on the 7th and
Sal inst;tht. Last Sunday night, and on Monday,
there was another storm ; and the Agent to
Lloyd's at Poole represents it as most tremen-
dous. It was accompanied with the most awful
thunder and lig-btain.

FOR THE SUN;

67, Old Bailey, 23d Dec. o'olockf

MR. EDlTOR,—lnformation has this moment
been given me, that bills have been posted to-
day, announcing the re-publication of the Paro-
dies upon which I have been tried. Permit me t.a
assure the Public, through the medium of pm.
Paper, that I am much disgusted, and that I may,
perhaps, be muehinjured in public estimation by
this procedure. I have no intention of re-pub-
lishing those works in any other shape than in the
Report of my Trials, which I am .preparing for
the press, and wherein their appearance is indis-
pensible, as constituting. the ground of the prose-
cutions upon which 1 was acrinitted. I disclaim
all knowledge whatever. of those bills; and I de-
sire to add, that if I did not think it necessary
that the Reportkof my Trials should he upon re-
cord, I would not re-publish the Parodies at all.
I shall never write any work of the-sarne tendency
again ; and when I come to publish that Report,
I shall feel it my duty most earnestly to exhort all
my fellow-citizens to abstain from,narodying any
part of the Holy Writ or the Service of the
Church of England.
3 am, Sir, with great respect,
Your obedient Servant,
W. HONE.

*** We readily insert the above letter, because
it `shows a disposition in the Writer to respect the
proper interests of Society, in a due regard for
Religion, but the good sense which he displayed
on his trials ought .to convince him, that Paro-
dies on HOLY IVRIT, however intended to be
merely political, have a tendency to bring ridi-
cule upon the forms of devotion, if not Upon Re-
ligion itself, and we confess that we see no inqis-
pensible necessity for his republication of the .Pa-
rodies, as his arguments would have an equal ope-
ration upon the judgment if they were on►itterl,
and then there would be no danger of inducing
vulgar minds to treat sacred matters with levity,
if not contempt.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

COURT OF CHANCERY, DEC. '23.

OPERA-HOUSE.---.WATERS V. TAYLOR.

The SOLICITOR•GENRRAL—My Lord, I have
to request your Lordship, that a motion in • this
case, which is placed in the Vice-Chancellor's
paper, may be transferred to your Lordship's
paper. When I-harne'llie case, I ant sure your
Lordship and the :Gentlemen around me are fa-
miliar with it, from the rereated hearings which
it has received. It' is, my -Lord, the case of
Waters and Taylor, and my request is, thar this
motion for the Receiver passing his accounts may
he transferred to your Lordship's paper, and be
heard to-morrow.

The Logi) CHANCELLOR.-0, it is the Opera-,
bouse. Really, Mr..SolieitOr-General, when such
a case comes on the dose of the Sittings, when
will it end ? If one gets into the Opera•huuse on
the last day of the Sittings, don't'scehow we
Can get out.

The SoLICITOR-GENERAL,—I should think, my
Lord, it won't occupy much time • to-morrow ;
and I should tonglly hope your Lordship will order
it to be put on the paper.
The LORD CHANCELLOR.-111 hear it if I can
but it 1 were to promise you absolutely, I should
make a very foolish promise, for I bdieve the
motions specially fixed for to-morrow would
occupy at least three days. I know well the dif-
ficulty of getting rid of the Opera-house case
w4en I. once hear it. But take your motion—l
shall bear it it I can.

DEED OF SEPARATION.

DURAND V. TITLEY.

This was an application for an injunction to
restrain the defendant trout executing a judgment
cbtaiued by him in an action of covenant tried in
the Court of Exchequer, for giving validity to a
deed of separation between the plaintiff and his
wife. By the deed which was executed in the
ye ,r 1809, the plaintiff engaged to pay his wife
5001. a-year in the event of a separation, no dit-
fcrences beoveen them then exisiing, and the se-
paration not having taken place till eight years
afterwards. -A temporary separation had indeed
taken !dace during the interval, but the parties
had been reconciled, and had several children
subsequently. The present defendant,
,who was
plaintiff ill the snit at lair, was the trustee to the
deed, and now sought to enforce it on behalf of
the wife, as she bad with tint wit from her hus-
band's residence, in consequence of his alleged
infidelity. It was contended, that the judgment
of the Court of Exchequer was erroneous ; that
the deed was illegal and void ; and that it was
the province of a Court of Equity to relieve
against it.
The LORD CHANCELLOR was strongly inclined
to think that several of the decisions of Courts of
Law, with regard to deeds of this nature, were
wrong, and inconsistnt with the general policy
of the law. He cotiid see no difference between a
deed of separation agreed to unt'er such circum-
stances as the present, and one agreed to the first
moment after the parties had left the altar at which
their marriage was celebrated. These prospec-
tive instruments were calculated to produce dif-
ferences, and to cause the separation fur which
they provided. The objection was less where the
trustee covenanted to indemnify the husband, as
in the case of the late Mr. ;Whitbread and Lord
St. John, with. the determination of which, how-
ever, he could not agree ; for, by establishing
the deed in that case, it operated to make Mr.
Whitbread, of whom he was always disposed to
speak with respect, the supreme Ecclesiastical
Judge between the parties. Still, as a judgment
at law had been obtained, it was too late to apply
for equitable relief, and the plaintiff must result
to his suit of error.

A boat with five persons Went out from Rot•
tingdean to weigh anchor on the 17th inst. vbcn
bile swamped, and all on board perisbcd.

Crtfhi CON.

JURY COURT, EDINBURGH, Dec. 15.

KIRK V. GUTHRIE.
This was the first action for Grim. Con. that
-ver came before a Scottish Jury, and therefore it

created a good deal of interest.
Mr. SANDFORD opened the case as junior Coun-
sel for the pursuer. He stated that his client,
who sued it: forma pattperis, was a private soldier
in the Royal Ariilery, stationed at Leith Fort,
and the defender was a Mr. Wm. Guthrie, a writer
(attorney) in 1-a'Atlinbuvgh, the year IRV, the
pursuer, then a private in the Dumfries Militia,wes
married to a girl named Elizabeth Cairns, who bore
to him ttvo children. Having s (du:livered into the
Artillery, he removed to Woolwich,- taking his
wife with him, where they resided together hap-
pily and affectionately for some time, when lie hav-
ing been ordered on the expedition to Walcheren,
and nu woman having been permit Led to accompany
the troops, his wife returned home to her parents
in Scotland. After the return of the troops front
Walcheren, the pursuer was stationed in different
places in England ; during which period he and
his wife corresponded In the most affectionate
manner. and, in evidence of that, a letter of hers
bad been produced, written in the year 1814, when
the pursuer expected to have been sent on foreign
service, and which was couched in the most af-
fectionate terms. In the beginning Of the year
1816, the pursuer was ordered to Scotland, where
he !mind his wife in the service of the defender ;
but he soon also found that her affevions. were
totally alienated from bin:. In a short time,
from the information he received, he had no doubt
that a criminal intercourse subsisted bet tveen her
and the defender. She was in the practice of dining
at the sametable,and ac,companving him to the thea-
tre--;.thi»gs totally incompatible, with the distance
which ought to be observed between a master antl
servant ; nay, he had been Observed to dine with
her in'her bed-chamber; and upon One occasion,
had' been seen lying in her bed. Upon another
occasion, the door ofhis bed- room was found in the
morning locked ; and, upon being opened shortly
afterwards, the pursuer's Wife was observed to
come out thinly dressed ; and evidence would be
laid before the-Jury to give every reason to sus-
pect that she, in the latter end of the year 1816,
had borne a child. Here was an injury committed
by the defender, who was perfectly aware that
this woman was the wife of the pursuer. But
not satisfied with thus deeply hurting him in the,
nicest feelings, he added another injury : the pur-
suer's wife having been denied to hint, he went
one day to the defender's houe to demand access
to her, when the defender came out, and, after
knocking him down stairs,' added still a third
injury, by writing a most false and calumnious
letter to the pursuer's Commanding Officer. It
was for these injuries that the pursuer now asked
reparation at the hands of a jitry of his country.
The issues sent by the Court of Session to be
tried by the Jury were three :-Ist, whether in
the course of the years 1814, 15, 16, and part
of 17, the defender did seduce and maintain an
adulterous connexion, and commit adultery, with
the pursuer's wife ; 2d, whether the defender,
being in the knowledge that the pursuer was the
husband of Elizabeth Cairns, did violently assault
and beat him, and deny him access to his said
wife, then living in adultery with the defender ;
and 3d, whether the defender did write the letter
to the pursuer's Commanding Officer.
The counsel tor the pursuer now proceeded to
call, lst, witnesses to prove the marriage;• 2dly,
that the part=ies, lived happily together; 3dly,
that the putstietwas a steady, sober, peaceable,
and inoffensive man. One of the most material
witne•ses for the prosecution was the brother of
the defender.himself. He gave evidence to the de-
fender being seen lying in Mrs. Kirk's bed, in
which he was corroborated by the defender's ap-
prentice ; and he also gave evidence to the par-
' suer's wile having been found early one morning
in the defender's bed-room, with the door locked,
the defender being in a.state of nudity Wt the time,
except his morning-gown. A mmorr of other
witnesses, some of then: females tAho had resided
iu the defender's house, were called to prose that
an improper connexion subsisted betwixt him and
the pursurei's wife, which closed the case fur the
prost•cution.

Mr. jr.FFREY, with his usual flow of eloquence
and ingennil, stated the case for tl,e defender,
and commented upon the evidence which had been
let!. Mr. Jeffrey impressed upon the Wilins of the
Jury the improper conduct of tl e pursuer in leav-
ing his wife for a period of between 4 and 5 years,
unprotected, with a family of two children; and
if she had ;;one astray, he was solely the cause
of it, lie contended, however, that the evidence
was entirely circumstantial, and of. the worst
kind ; there was no proof of the adultery having
been committed. lie proceeded to call the de-
fender's witnesses.
These consisted chiefly of the mother and sisters
of the pursuer's wile, who swore that the pursuer
had behaved badly to her before they left Scot.
land ; and that since his return he had threatened
the life of the defender. An attempt was al :o
made ro prove that the defender did not know that
the pursuer's wife was a married woman.
Mr. J. P. GRANT, M. P. senior Counsel for the
pursuer, replied to the arguments of Mr. Jeffrey.
At l 1 o'clock at night, the LORD CHIEF COM.
RIISIONER (Baron ADAM) proceeded to sum up.---
His went over the evidence at very con-
siderable length.
The Jury having retired out of Court for about
20 minutes, returned with a verdict for the pur-
suer.—Damages, ;01.-,-The • trial lasted fifteen
hours.

SHQCKING SUICIpE-Tucsilay an Inquisition
was taken at the ‘Vorkbouse. at Tooting, iu
Surrey, before CHARLES JENMETT, Esq. Coroner
for the County, on view of the body of Patin`' e
Gunner, an eldetly Woman, between sixty end
seventy years of age, who destroyed herself by fines
ieting a wound or. her right side with a razor.-
Verdict, " The deceased destroyed herself in a
state of insanity.

M. LAS CASAS.

LETTERS FROM LAS CAS AS.

1.-,-TO LORD ODMOUVFI.

" MY 1,01113,--1 atn extremely sorry that'l have
the lion'ottr.to ‘vrite to your Lordship, and know

'for certain that I shall not remain here long

ruough to'reccive your answer, which wodid,

perhaps, tulfil all my Wishes.
"•For these four flays I have been In the hands
of your State. Messenger, who, on his arrival here.,
entriwed to toe toy papers which had been pre-
vion,ly staled tip, with the declaration that I
Pli;;Ht .do with tlrem what I thought proper. Af-
ter this he saw me constantly writing, and even
encouraged are to do so, and waited till the very,
moment of departure, to take trout me, as 1 was
.on the point of setting sail, all my papers, even
the most trifling, in your name. This. is a trap.
my Lord, which I cannot find it in my heart to
ascribe to any higher person than the man who
laid it tor me: This Messenger ouderstood no-

'thing bid English.. Lie hail an assistant with
erlii) pretended to nntler,tand French ; and
desired to read the papers one alter the other, and
loss notwithstanding kept thew all. lie would
Lave enough to do to read them all in a week,
and 1 did not think that an iudi‘idual hml such a

tight over me. Every thing has been taken from
me, letters, notes, my son's writing-books, deeds
of property, domestic secrets, official documents
Of Sir linuson Lowe and 1-_,trtl Charles Soin ►set,
my journals, and even a letter to the Frenen Mi-
Disler of Police, and another to my wife, which
being more at leisure I had already dic ated, that
it might be forwarded as .soon as 1 landed at Os,
tend. They have been taken Iron; me without
making all inventory of then►, or numbering them,
and they,declared it was done by your Lordship's
-orders. It; the First moment of indignition,
Ptotested against such violence, and inquired for
a Magistrate, that I ini4lit make my comp!aint to
him. I will not here repeat ,the answer which I
received.

" As there is nothing I so much _dislike as to
have my name mentioned in public discussions,
and considering that it was impossible you could
have prescribed such conduct, w hick is opposed
to all toe-legal rules.in -the world, by which pub-
lic officers must guard themselves against
who in such a case might affirm that some papers
bail been taken away, or others substituted; con-
sideriog this, 1 contented myself, when I reco-
vered my temper, with trying, by all possible means
and all possible arguments, to induce the messen-
ger, who disposed of my fate, to delay my 'voy-
age till l could write to your Lordship and receive.
from you.the confirmation of his rigorous orders.
ThiS man, who detained me ee (lays on the
most trifling pretext, was not to he moved in re-
spect to .this affair, though it was so important.
Notwithstanding ail my representations, that
had not the smallest object too to have all my
papers looked over by cootidential persons, ap-
pointed by your Lordship for the purpose, and
that your Lordship must yourself desire that cer-
tain torm+ilities were observed in respect to the ;
that in the examination of my foyers, my presence
would be very useful, if not ahsoltitely necessary,
to give explanations respecting things that would
nut star he understood Avithont me ; that he sent me
in person to the Continent, and kept my papers iu
London ; that it was to be feared that there was
a .misunderstanding, and that in' 24 hours all
would he cleared op, lie answered me coldly, that
I need not, be uneasy respecting my.return from
the Continent if it should be necessary, since yOu
woidd ray all the expencts.
" To what bands, my Lord, have you deliver-
ed+ me? Ow another o'ccasion; toy Lord, which
WAS certainly against your instructions, I was ob-
liged to impose silence upon the man who guarded
me, on account of his gross abuse of the-august
person whom I honour above every thing in the
world. In one word, my Lord, since I have
touched your coast, I an, treated as a malefactor..
And in what does my clime consist ? Th.at 1, as
-perhaps is believed, have a Wfferent political opi-
nion, an& went voluntarily into inquisonment at
Longwood ! But is not the last the most noble
and excellent actin(( that is known, . and so ho-
nourable, •that every one would rejoice in hiS
heart to have given this example ? My Lord, the
natural mildness and :ostice which are attliboted
to you, cannot possibly have• approved all that
has been dune to we.

" I have rrceived permissmn, and have has-
tened to sell the papers taken from me, not to
protect myself against your Lordship, but, on the
contrary, tor your interest to supply the deficiency
in the torn), which might" perhaps have cum-
prOmised your agents.
" I beg your 'Lordship again to turn your at-
tention to ,my affairs, and to decide nothing re-.
spec-tini; 'my papers' till }Ton have received'. ,from
me- the information which you may desire, and
which-you shall have to' your entire Stoisfaetion.
assure ypti beforehand, that, however different
tire opinions and-leeliitga may be 'tivat.will be
found in then), thel'e-is'u6t one retTect.ing which
examinations or amicable nrgociations
could take plar.e. • • Nwhing* lider:.sting will be.,
tumid* in thr-in rsia tire .0 affairs of , ate, Nor any'
Political secret... have never had. any thing of
the kind ; andif it had I)t.;..it trite Cass', -.should',
lot;g vsitiee hove not wanted an opportunity ,to
make rise of it.-
" perhaps lit byre ilk place, My Lori,
to 'mention to yon-e-'Lorlirit) the )topers wirkh
were taken trio) pet. ht-, tit. ftefena, as Well as
many other thitygi-, res'pe'cting which I shall "hav,
to speak with your.,Lords,hip, or 'With Lord Ba-
thurst. But-the'r i.r, motnehts have4sft, and
the -eonflisiodi. itslithrtglilril,h44lWhich blich sudden.
and unex.tittitVt-t,Ven.t.s•.O`Ccaston;tlblige me to put
it off • • '•
w-ait•with impatiencelorywri Lord-
ship's ~,afrs%.;.er, wher.e,.l kilo iV trot, perhaps at
Brits Ms. if I obtain permission to stop- tbe:rey•
balre 'the honour, .&c.
ei liorer,- Nay. 22, 1817— .. • - .
" This copy is made from memory, and some