The Sun.
London, England, 1818-09-22 00:00:00

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TRAVELS IN NORTH AMERICA.
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TRAVELS in CANADA, and rh UNITED
STATES of AMER. A; in 1816 and 1817.
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ABEL'S JOURNEY IN CHINA.
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TVARRATIVE of a JOURNEY in the INTE-
-11.1011..0f CHINA, and of a Voyage to and from that
Country, in the Years t siti arid 1817. must Containing an Ac-
count of the interesting- Transactions of Lord Atuherst's
Embassy to the Court of Pekin, and Observations on the
Countries which it visited.
By CLARKE ABEL, F-F-S-
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anti Naturalist to the Embassy.
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This Day was published,

:n One Volume Ismo. price ss. in boards, the Second
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T"E TESTIMONY. of NATURAL THEO-
-1.,0(;y to CHRISTIANITY.
' By THOMAS GISBORNE; M. A.
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Of Whom may also he had, hr the same Author,
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Ekventh Edition, price Bs. in hoards.
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- R. A Familiar Exposition and Application of the Epistle o
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ripH E QUARTERLY REVIEW, Num bc r
XXXVIL will be published on SATURDAY, the 4Gth.
CONTENTS.
T. Evelyn.—Memoirs, illustrative of the Life and Writings
of John 'Evelyn, Esq. F.A.S. Author of the " Sylva.' Stale
of France and Italy in his time ; of England during the as-
cendancy of the Puritans; Funeral of Cromwell; Restora-
Lion of ('harks 11. ; Plague and Fire of London.
Birkbecles Notes on America. View of the Country,-
the People, their Manners and Habits, Emigration from Old
America, and Mode of settling in the Illinois.
Iniprorement of the People. I. Courteney on the Poor
Laws. 2. Myers's Remarks on Edueation.—Nicoll's View of
the Report of the Pour Laws, 3. Hon. H. G. Bennet's Let;
ter on the State of Newgate.
IV. Hon. Horace Walpole's Letters to Mr. Montagu—
Character of Walpole and his Works.—Aneedotes of Selwyn,
the Duke of Newcastle and Fielding—Funeral of George the
Second.•

V. Sir R. Wilson—Military and Political Power of Russia
in 1817. ,

, . •
VI. Nubia, Egypt, Pyramid of Cephrenes.---Travels in
Egypt, Nubia, &c. by Henry • Light, Capt. It. A.—Account
of Mr. Belzoui's opening of the Pyraoiid of Cephienes, and
of his Discovei irs at Thebes, &c.--Addendum un the Bones
fmind in tite Sarcophagus of the central Chamber of the Py-
ramid.
VII.• tndvrnion, by John Keats.
VI(I. 'Olkeilly's Voyage to Greenland, Baris's Strait, &c.
IX. Chiide Harold's Pilgrimage, Canto W.
X. Alemoirs on Turkey, by Robert WalpUle, MA. State
of the Mania; Inscription on Pumpey's Pillar ; • Coinage of
Attica.
Woman, a Poem.

Holy BilJle.-I.lellanly's Translation of the Bible.
Antiquity of the fild T. stamen:, Account of the Progre,s and
Ekecution of our Authorized le'ersiini EKaniiriation. of the
Septua4int, and Stateirout of the various "franslations, Greek
and Latin.

Printed for Joux.IIIuRHAY, Albemarle-street, London'; and
Wrt,t,tlin BLACKWOOD,
**. Nevt Editions of the former Numbers (lave been again
re-printed, and any miay now he bad separately, at Us.

HOSPlTAL—Yesterday being St. Mat-
thew, the Oration Day at this School, the Lord
Mayor and Sheriffs,in their state carriages, ac-
companied by several Aldermen in their carriages,
attended by the City Marshals On horseback,
Marshalmen, Sze. on foot, proceeded in state from
he Mansion House to Christ Obtirch, Newgate-
strett,.where they were met by I rie Governors of
the several Royal Hospitals. An excellent Ser.
mon Was, preached on the occasion by, the Rev.
John Roger; Pitttiltt.feA.,M After Divine Ser-
vice they repaired to the great hail of the Hospi.
tal, which was tilled 'vita .4 most numerous au-
dience.. The Latin Oration was delivered by Mr.
Frederick lliff, Senior Scholar of the Grammar
School, and that in English by Mr. George'
Brookes. The subject of both Orations being,
the saute, viz.—" Orr the Benefits of Public In-
stqutioos tor EdUCLIIIOII.I.' £be compituy (10tirted
highly bdti3lied.

coinpassion would ever incline tyre to talse'the side
of the unfortintate debtor, yet due consideration
shot& he to the claims of the creditors, or
the interests of society may be even wtook!ed
more by a too indulgent lenity, than 6y what
some way.soppose a too rigi4 severity. But
whatev;iv !L.), be necessary in such. Cases and cir-
etinrstancel for the interests of swiety,
lion may be laid down and received with the ge-
neral suffrage : that a spirit of humanity has
been the great distingtrishing characteristic•of the
British nation, and that the present Act has con-
ttibuted to evils which are daily increasing to a
most unprecedented extent.
On an impartial consideration, I must humbly
submit a complete revision of the present Act,
from a thorough conviction my mind feels for its
necessity, when it is .so obviously notorious that
numerous 'applications have been heretofore made
by debtors, in contemplation of the Insolvent Act
and its continuance, to assign over the debtor's
property previous to his or her going to prison,
to some nominal and fictitious person, for the pur-
pose of defrauding others to whom the prisoner is
actually indebted ; and this fraud has been prac-
tised from the operation of the present Act to an
incalculable extent, from the easy facility by which
the debtor obtains his discharge.
By the present law, the public. sustain an' in-
jury, by the loss of labour, genius, or 'talent,
which each individual might exert, or by the di-
minution of property in contributing to the sup-
port of indolence.
Every individual, of whatever profession, trade,
avocation, or calling, has some means of in-
creasing public utility by the industrious appliea-
Jion of his efforts, and when he wantonly de-
prives himself of-those efforts, by becoming a vo-
luntary prisoner, in preference to using land.,ble
exertions to Fay his debts, he thereby pluudert
his et editors and defrauds tile community.
If the presentmeasure affected the real end of
imprisonment, where solvency is _presumed, jus.;
tice would be attained, fraud would he suppress-
ed, and the insolvent's discivarge would be on
equitable conditions, by surrendering his present.
means, and applying his future 0142m/firs to com-
pensate former wrongs.
Every failure in the payment of debt is a breach
of trust, where the credit or confidence is obtain-
ed by .rnisrepresentation, or if the debtor is Whin-
tarily committed by the collusive claimant.
It has been argued, with something more than
a semblance of truth, that imprisonment for
debtors is in itself not wily nominal, under the
present Act, bin a shelter for fraud. Persons hav-
ing the rules of the Fleet and King's Bench may
avail themselves of four terms in the year to spe-
culate in fraudulent practices, and contract debts
which they are well-assured they cannot pay ; and
the credillons tradesman, when he seeks payment
or remedy, finds his debtor already a willing cap.-
tive under the abuses of the present Act, bidding
defiance to .his creditors, and, in return, tenders
them a wire Woven' schedule in payment of their
debts for all their just earnings, under the inte-
rested views and advice of men self-denominated
Insolvent Debtors' Agents, and who have them-
selves passed the ordeal of insolvency.
There is au anecdote fresh in the memory of
many living persons, which, although it may be
amusing to a Punster, is too contemptible for the
approbation of any honest man. g` A witness
was asked by the late Lord Ashburton, when a
Counsel, the reason of sheltering himself in the
rules of the King's Bench—his answer was, to
avoid the impertinence of Dunning"—and the same
answer may be expected in. modern times.
Imprisonment must, therefore, under such cir

cumstauces, appear but nominal in such cases.;
at least an encouragement to extravagance and a
prolection.to fraudulent pursuits.
Ou the. conviction of so many instances as
might be adduced to prove these averments, it may
be insisted that by frauds so designedly practised,
the debtor is its fact •chargeable with moral it not
legal crime, and if imprisonment is intended to
punish, his release ought not to be the first visi-
tation to such crime. He is a Peculator on the
Public, and public justice ought to be satisfied.
I must again repeat that the dread of uncertain
imprisonment would essentially operate to prevent
fraud as operative in terrore»z.
There are numberless instances of frauds and
imposition practised by debtots, as well within the
prisons as in the rules thereof, tor obtaining goods
amid other effects without the means of payment,
but with a premeditated intent to defraud holiest
and industrious tradesmen. . Privileged shop-
keepers iu the-prisons aml rules, dissipated cha-
raciers of,- bankrupt , fortune and reputation;
foreign adventures,.sui disant merchants anti
speculative adventurers, have presented them-
selves to unsuspicious people, and obtained pro-
perry to a considerable 81000111, under pretence
of being in affluent auto prosperous circumstances;
and with the produce of such goods so obtained,
have revelled in luxury, or low excess and infamy,
within the purlieus of a jail—ridiculing the cre-
dulity cif those Whom they have duped ;
tinder similar circumstances, have negociated bills
of Exchange to a considerable amount, without
the remotest possibility of meeting the demands
for which they have been issued. It an effectual
remedy was applied to'lliwe iniquitiva, the credit

of trade and commerce would be considerably
advanced, and the holiest man would be better
protected from the grovi:ing imposition or die
times. It cannot be denied that debtors hive
continued Vollittlt4y prisoners by 'memos of
site arrest for debt unduly sworn- to, and by teirson,
of fictitious detaintirs, and have thereby gteatly
increased the crowded State of the prisons (which
is au easy larility rtnth-tettlo them by ngtips of
the Insolvent Court, not responsible to any legal
Tributiai),to the demur-vitt of bOili file (Yre'dittP s,
and to the green In Co It venit•tice ort ityprisonerl
debto'r-s, and wt rich foist ccrotinue a pilot sucia
colltiFive facility is affottled.
It most he admitted that some restrictions are
highly necessary tti:srlefeitt the machinations
of ttis-
-I,onnt►table and frantkdeot debtors, and that the
present Act has given great scope IT. tiwir 14,1-
tencet!.., 'soul Val slabject "tif very., gtiirral
animadversion to the fair Tradur, on tic coont of
the nutnerous opportunities which ifr has a Mailer(
to profligate debtors in diSsiPating the fonds of
their creditors, winch the Attlias not furnished
adequate means of obtgining by any courpulsory
prfiCeS9.

Imprisonment for debt tl;e Writer -conceives has
no terror for fraudulent and depraved minds, and
the avoidance of payment to just-Aimd lawful cre-•
ditors frequently results from the operation of the
present Act, as giving such imwdinte
It is much to be fettled, that it its,4lldriltion is
prolonged, it will impose an encouragement tc.•
the practices of hand and swindling, w have.
too long remained a disgrace to credit aud emu-
, coerce, and also to the artifices heretofore resorted,
to-by persons dischat ged under Insolvent Acts, for
the purpose of obtaining fresh credit, and imposing
on the credulity Of mankind.
A gseat Law Lord (I,llenborough), whose au-
thority cannot be too often quoted; 'and who has
a mind as capable to conceive as be has to ex-•
press, . designated Ibe present Act as'a 14w to un-
settle all known and wholesome provisions relative •
to debtor and creditor, and objected to giving
the Bill his support even for going into a Com-
mittee, as his Lordship expiessed it was '' gouli
into a Committee of Licentious," and in familiar
language he said, he would " wash his hands of it
aliogether."

The
truth Of his Lordship's observations are to()
`appalent to need any comment, and it must bo
admitted, that even rude and uncultivated minds
will be struck with these short and weighty sen:.
traces front his Lotaship, which anticipate all
reasoning by PLAstiiNG UPON THE r4IND.
Andras a very able advocate- liireTy said .(hiltis'e-
ference to the liksnlyent Court), '' persons gothere of the Most'unbounded profligacy, Who have
spent thousands when they had not hundreds .of
their own, retire into luxurious captivity for a.
few months, and then go into Court secure of a
discharge, and deriding the hottest and indusiriotts
creditors, whose credulity they have aLosed, arta
whose property they have wasted."
From the great extent of evil add destruction

that credit and commerce have at present to con-
tend with, it is certainly desirable that the present
Act should be repealed, and the old law resorted to,
which would in a great measure check the pro-
gress of FRAUDOLEN't Debtors, or at least if it is
not permitted to run out, the current of its abuse

may be checked by the ‘vhole6otuu interpositimt
of Legislative Amendment.

SCRUTATOR.

Wine Office-court, Fleet-street, Sept. 21.

SIGNS IN THE SKIES —Letters from- Breteuil
(Oise) state, that on the night of the 5.11 or 6th
of. September, about twelve or one o'clock, a globe
of fire was seen, of the apparent size or tire moon,
which, according to
,the account of a traveller,
who was re! uruing from the fair of Beauvais, ap-
peared to rise from the plain of St. Denis, and to
take a northern- direction. This globe described
a curve from west to north, and sired so bright FL
light, that many, who were on the great road
from Beauvais to Bretenil, could easily perceivit
the neighbouring villages. It is stated even, that
a dealer in cattle, who was (hiving a number of
oxen, could hardly restrain the (righted animals
that fled into the plain. Ilk meteor illumined
the horizon a long time. Arrived to a cer-
tain point its the North it exploded, and pro-
(lured an intonation similar to a loud clap of
'thunder, diffusing arouud. a multitude. of ligbis,
the effect of which was agreeable to the eye. The
appearances of theie luminous bodies are very fre-
quent in t his plain, but particularly at the (clot of
the mouwain, caned Catalat. This:is, perhaps,
-what has contributed to give c:•edit to the popu-
lar not Sort, that a neighbouring wOod, the wood
of Colmont, is inhabited by spirits. There is
even in this canton a place called the Spirits' Pit.
The learned of the comary pretend, that upon this
spot a Druidical temple once existed, where ado-
ration was paid to a golden calf, which is buried
there.--Sear; ies have been made to discoyer it,
without elfert.

A most singular circumstance t.ook place lately
at Knightshridee Barracks :—(Jne of the first
troop of Life Guards observed, in cltAning iris
horse, that the animal seemed particulirly fond
of having Itis lace and head continually rubbed,
in doing which the soldier discovered something
mov'eahle as lie pressed the check of the horse --
lie actor litiuly communicated the same to :qr.
BLOxAM, the Veterinary Surieon to the troop,
who took considerable pins to examine it, a lir
having made every nects•ary preparation, lanced
it, in the hope of'discoveting the evinse, when, to
his surprise, he extracted a grape-shot, weighing.
nine ounces, from the horse's'head, which he re-
ceived at the Battle of Waterloo, Where the
wound was
.immediattiv dressed in the usual tn;ih.
tier, after the engagement, and was considered
ugly as a sword cut.--(:)turning Paper,)

LONDON .IOtJItNALS.

(FROM THE MORNING PAPERS OF THIS DAV.)

[Morning /Jerald.]
QUEEN.

Erv, LEA-ht o'Cock, Yight.

" The night before last, from seven to ten, her Majesty was
eNtiemely unwell, even more so than she lid been at any
time during the past w(eli, and, in consequence, the Prince
ltegent did not return to Carlton House, at eight o'clock, as
he intended. Between ei4ht and nine o'clock., Sir Ilenry
Milord returned from Windsor Castle, and had an immediate

irilvrview with the Prince, to conirmincate the state of the
Prance' Sophia, which, we are sorry to learn, is still very un-

fa~~,~nra,~le.

Sir Henry Ha'turd had also a long conference with Sir
Francis Milntim, on the state of her Majesty, when some al-
teration was again made in her medicines, and, at length,
towards ten o'clock, she had some sleep, and shortly after the
Prince Regent set out on his return to Carlton House. It is
feared, however, that her Majesty's sleep was cansed by mere
exhaustion, and the operation of opiates, as her pain and rest-
lessness throughout • the day had been excessive, and her
sleep was broken in short intervals, we understand, with a
considerable degree of fever.
"Towards eleven o'clock the more violent symptoms of her
Majesty's disorder abated vety materially, and she remained,
throughout the day, and up to half-past seven o'clock, appa-
rently free from pain, but most distressingly exhausted.
" la the forenoon, the Duke of York visited the Palace,
in his way front Oatiands to London, and passed several
boors with the Princesses and the Physicians. The Princesses
were also visited by the CoiTtess of Cardigan ; and they re-
sumed their walks in the Gardens, attended by Geo. Taylor.
Sir Henry Hal ford set out also to attend the Princesses in
their walk, but he was recalled by the arrival of Dr. Baillie
at the Palace, front Windsor. Dr. Baillie visited her Majesty
in company with the other Physicians, and they had after-
wards a consultation, which lasted a considerable time, and
be then returned to the Castle.

" About three o'clock the_ Duchess of York arrived frmu
Oatlands in her curricle, and a little before five the Prince
Regent from Carlton House..

" The Duchess was about to depart, and was entering her
enrricle, when the Prince drove into the court. Der Royal
Ilighness immediately re-alighted and remained till the de-
parture of the Prince, and at half-past six o'clock they de-
parted within a few minutes of each other ; the Prince to
return to Carlton House to dinner, a►ad her Royal Highness
to Oatlands.

" The Duke of Sussex was also at the Palace in the course
of the afternoon, and he alighted, as usual, at one of the
private doors of the Botanic Gardens. which open on to Kew
Green. His Royal Highness withdrew immediately on the
arrival of the Prince Regent.
" Sir Francis Allman tool; advantage of the slight improve-
ment in her Majesty's health to visit his house at Pinner. He
went about three o'clock, hut was expected back in the course
of the night."