Star.
London, England, 1808-10-04 00:00:00

- nth troeiiricit Oliost

The Woolwich Gboit, the nightly ippearanCe bf
which in the Church-yard, just as the dock struck
ten, hai caused so much general consternation of late
ainong the inhabitants, and even the military, hat at
length disappeared, in consequence of the vigilance of
the Magistrates. They caused the door of the church-
yard to be locked, and the bellttian td proclaim, that
any person who came to view the fanciful phcenbine-
non would be dealt with according to law.. It has
been supposed that the light which was considered as
supernatural, was occasioned by the reflection of the
Planet Jupiter oh the window from the river; but
the following letter presents a complete solution of
this phenomenon :

TO THE EDITOR OF THE STAR.
" Cditurtiationies 01111 Ce, Wdolwlch Dock-Yard,
SepteMber ao, 1808.
41 In order to do away the impression which the
paragraph in Oar Paper of List evening, respectingthe appearance of a Ghost in the Riggini4-Honse In
this Yard, is calculated to make on the minds of the
credulous, I am directed by the Cotnmilsionet to :.ay;
that it has been clearly ascertained to arise rroin the
reflection of a light upon the windows from an apple-
stall, on the rising ground opposite, called Parson's-
hill, a little to the Eastward of the Church-yard : and
the, cause, (as stated in your Paper) of sofhe-
times appearing at one window and sometimes at the
other,' was owing to the customers stopping to pur-
chase fruit, who, during that time, took up different
positions, so as sometimes to impede the light, and
at others to adinit of it freely reflecting upon tlio
windows.

" The statement; of the centinel leaving his post,
and of their having been doubled is altogether false ;
the disposal of the ceritinels in the Dock-yard rests
exclusively with the Commissioner, who has neither
heard of the fears of any one, nor had an application
to alter the strength of the gnard, ih order to arrest
the Ghost !!" (Signed) 4' J. REED."

We understand his Majesty has given his gt7cious
consent that Sir SAMUEL HOOD should accept and
bear the Grand Cross of the Order of the Sword ;
and alsd that Captain MARTIN and Captain TROMP..
SON should accept and bear the knighthood of that
order • conferred on them by his Swedish Majesty, in
consideration of the skill and gallantry displayed by
them in the late engagement between two British
ships of the line and the Russian fleet of nine. His
Swedish Majesty has also presented a handsome gold
box to Captain Titompsos, on the occasion of his being
the bearer of the colours of the captured Russian ship
Sewelod, sent to his Swedish Majesty by Sir SAMUEL
HOOD, and transmitted by his Swedish Majesty to our
gracious Sovereign, as the person to whom this tro-
phy most properly belongs.
_ _

Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of WALES and
Duke of SUSSEX arrived at Ombersley-court, the seat
of the Marshioness of DOWNSHIRP, on Friday last,
about one o'clock, whei e they were met by the Mar-
chioness of HERTFORD, Lord and Lady SEPTON, Lord
and Lady CARLETON, and other distinguished persons.
The Dukes of YORK and Camaatnoe, and the Earl
of CHATHAM, have returned to town from a visit to
his Grace the Duke of RUTLAND, at Cheveley-park,
Cambridgeshire.

Captain DE CursvA, Who brought dispatches from
Oporto to the Portuguese Ambassador in London,
about a fortnight ago, left town at a late hour on Sun-
day night, with the answer to his former dispatches.
OPERA-HOUSE.—The Tragedy of Macbeth attracted
a crowded and brilliant audience last night. KEMBLE
and Mrs. Sinnout were equal to their former greatness
as the representatives of the hero and heroine ; and
all the other parts were respectably supported.
It was in contemplation to expend 4,0001: in im-
proving and beautifying the late Theatre Royal Co-
vent-Garden. This sum may therefore be said to
have been saved out of thejrc.
Saturday the anniversary of the birth of THOMSON
was celebrated at Ednam, as usual, by the, Gentle-
men who meet annually for that purpose. The day
was passed with much harmony and good humour,
and the grand national song of Rule Britannia, the
production of our admired Bard, was sung from the
Chair, the company joining in the chorus. The sub-
scription for a monument to THOMSON, in so far as
returns have been received, amounts to upwards of
two hundred guineas.
MR. PROIESSOE PORSON.—Yesterday the remainsl
of this most distinguished scholar were removed, at
eleven o'clock, from the house of the London Insti-
tution, in the 0:d Jewry, in °oder to be deposited in
the Chapel of Trinity College, Cambridge, near those
of the illustrious Dr. BENTLEY, since whose death,
ancient literature has not sustained so severe a loss.
This consideration has induced the Board of Seniority
of Mr. PoasoN's College, by an unanimous vote, to
desife to pay this most bonourable tribute of respect
to his memory:
The following is the manner in Which the death of
the Professor is announced in the place where he was
best known. It is extracted from the Canibridge Chro-
nick of Saturday the Ist of October :
_ .

Died on Sunday night, at his apartments in the Old Jewry,
Richard Porson, M.A. of Trinity College, the Greek Professor.
—To the departed names of Bentidy, Dawes, Markiand, whose
classical acquirements so eminently maintained the reputation of
this University, we must now add, with heartfelt regret, the
name of this admirable fehelar. In variety of Information, in
depth of learning, he fully equalled his great master Bentley ;
while in critical acumen be far outstripped him. In the heppiness
and sagscit y of his conjectural emendations/ the Professor had no
equal. His letters to Archdeacon Travis display the keenness
and accuracy of his researches and were cons'dered by aft able
judge as the first critical productions since the metnerable contro-
versy concerning the Epistle of Phalaris. Considering his great
acquirements, it may perhaps be said that he has not left much
by which posterity may judge him; but what Was raid of Cole!
is equally true of the Professor: " Pauca quidem—sed egregia,
sed admirands !" Every lover of Grecian literature, every real
scholar, will appreciate the labours of Parses/ not by their num-
ber but by their magnitude. In the few plays of Euripides, which
he edited, they will feel and acknowledge the uneilaken excel-
lences of the canons be has introduced; they will perceive what
is necessary to the formation of a true and genuine critic; and
they will unite in deploring, that a better portion of vigorous
health was not allotted to one, from whom alone they could ex-
pect a solution of every difficulty in the progress of their classical
researches.

Yesterday morning three women following the 68th
regiment of foot, were thrown from a baggage cart,
by the falling of the shaft horse, in Blackfriars-road.
The child of one of them had its arm broke, and the
women were much bruized.