Star.
London, England, 1808-08-27 00:00:00

CHELTENHAM, AUGUST 25.

We are all gaiety and every thing that is pleasant
at this delightful spot. The influx of company, and
that of the very first order, so very conspicuous be-
yond all former precedents, has again set our specu-
lators and builders hard at work. This week the
foundations have been laid for no less than eleven ca-
pital houses, which, by contract, are to be habitable
by next spring. The Duke of GLOUCESTER is so
charmed w►th the place, and the rides in its vicinity,
that his stay is to be prolonged another week or two.
His Highness commands the play on Tuesday next,
on which occasion the audience will, no doubt, be
numerous and brilliant. Our latest arrivals are--

Lord and Lady Dundas, Lady Oakley and Miss Oakieys, Lord
Harburton, Major and Mrs. Hay, Sir William and Lady Barker,
Mr. Mrs. and Miss Amphietts, Rev. Mr. Blomberg, Mr. Dun-
bar, Lieutenant-Colonel Youngson, Major-General Meyrick,
Mr. Godsal, Mr. Stuart, General Nicholson, Mr. Meely, act &c.

A Jewish soldier, named Joseph Sampson, belong-
ing to the garrison of Copenhagen, lately professed
himself a convert to the Christian Faith. He was
solemnly baptized by the name of Fr.2clerick Bauman.
His Danish Majesty, Prince CHRISTIAN, and Prince
FREDERICK cif Hesse, were among his sponsors, the
King being represented by a Major BROOK.
Yesterday afternoon a severe battle was fought
near the Asylum, St. George's-fields, between a Gen-
tleman's eoaclunan and a drayman. The contest was
desperate on both sides, for nearly half an hour, the
odds then became in favour of the former, who, in ten
minutes, completely beat his antagonist.

Saturday last the Manchester mail was overturned
at the toll-gate, two miles from Penkridge, on the
Birmingham side. The gate being swung open with
violence, it rebounded, and met the coach at the mo-
ment of,passing. One of the passengers, Mr. EVANS,
taylor, of Birmingham,was severely hurt, and another,
a Gentleman from Manchester, dangerously, the
coach having fallen upon him.
As Mr. BELL, clerk to Mr. THORPE, of Bourn, in
Lincolnshire, on Tuesday morning last, was on his
way from thence to Sleaford, on horseback, he was
attacked by two men, mounted, who demanded his
money, which he refused, and made a spirited resist-
ance. The ruffians fired two pistols at him, but for-
tunately they did no mischief; and after having stoler
his watch, they cut the girth of-his saddle, and rode
off with great speed across the country.

On the night of Thursday an elegantly furnished
house (but which was not occupied) in Upper Gros-
venor-street, belonging to Mr. VILLIERS, was broke
open by means of an iron crow. The villains were
very cool in their depredations, for it is conjectured
that they must have remained at least four hours in
the house. They carried away undiscovered several
large mirrors, and a variety of other valuable articles.
EXTRAORDINARY LEAP.—On Sunday, the 31st of
July, as the Rev. C. COOKE (tutor to the two sons of
the Hon. H. VERNON, of Wentworth-house, York-
shire) was riding an high-spirited hunter in the park,
some of the deer crossed him, and caused the horse
to run away with him. In vain his rider endeavoured
to stop him ; the beast ran at his fullest speed at the
park (an iron) gate, which is 7 feet 9 inches high, and
with very large spikes on the top ; above the gate is a
fine arch of Portland stone, and about three feet above
the top of the spikes. The horse nevertheless endea-
voured to cover the gate, but in the exertion broke
the two cross bars of heavy massy iron, and by the
Shock wrenched the lower hinge from the post ; by
this means the gate hung obliquely, when, frantic
with the pain, to the surprise of every beholder, he
directly staunch leaped the gate, and carried his rider
lover perfectly safe, who had some difficulty to stop
him afterwards from running away. So great was
the concussion, that the bone, from the forehead to
the nose, was fractured completely into two parts.—
The horse struck his rider a most violent blow-in his
right eye, immediately before covering his leap, which
has nearly deprived him of the sight of it. The horse
is expected to recover.
QUEEN OF THE BEES.—The following facts she!'
that death itself does not destroy the attachment of
bees to their female monarchs. On the 29th of July,
two hives swarmed at the same time, in a garden be-
longing to HENRY HAIWRAVE, Esq. near Norwood,
and fixed themselves on one bush. One of the gar-
deners in-the family immediately placed a large hive
above them, into which, in a short time, the greatest
part crept. Great commotion was soon discovered
amongst them, and a large detachment suffered them-
selves to drop on the ground, where they remained
for a considerable time in a motionless state. Mr. H.
desirous of exploring the cause, roused them up with
a small stick : when all were on the wing, a bee was
found quite dead, which appeared to be much less
than the drone bee, and less than the working bee,
whose wings were short and of variegated colours,
which appeared to have been the object of attraction ;
for no sooner did he withdraw, than the dispersed
fraternity alighted and clung to it as before. This
experiment was repeated several times with the same
result. Convinced that this was one of the queens,
he took her and placed her in a small box, and to try
• the loyalty and attachment of her former subjects,
frequently exposes her in the height of the day in dif-
ferent parts of the garden, where she is soon
vered by the prying insects, which never fail to alight
around her in large clustres, bev:A:ling the
loss of theii female raft ,rch.