The Sun.
London, England, 1829-12-18 00:00:00

WA VERLEY NOVELS-ROB ROY.

The introduction to this novel enters at length
into a history of this famous Highland non-
descript, half-chieftain, half-brigand, which will
probably be perused as eagerly, as even the
matchless tale itself. The volume is embellished
by a spirited sketch (by Kidd), of the detection
of Rob Roy in the Tolbooth, by the wary
Baillie Nichol Janie, which is admirable in
every respect, but that the outlaw's countenance
is of too vulgar, too common-place a character.
Mr. Kidd, we suspect, when he set down to his

task, had not read Sir Walter's peraonal descrip-
tion of his hero. The Baillie is a personage
just in Mr. Kidd's way, and has been hit off
with infinite spirit. As a specimen of the in-
troductory matter, we give the following account
of Rob Roy's last exploit and his death-bed :

" In the I ,st years of Rob Roy's life his clan was in-
' i volved in a dispute with one more powerful than them-
selves. Stewart of Appin, a chief of the tribe so named,
was proprietor of a hill-farm in the Braes of Balquhidder,
called Invernenty. The MacGregor. of Rob Roy's tribe
claimed a right to it by ancient occupancy, and declared
they would oppose to the uttermost the settlement of any
person upon the farm not being of their own name. The
Stewarts came down with two hundred men, well armed,
to do themselves justice by main force. The MacGregors
took the field, but were unable to muster an equal
strength. Rob Roy, finding himself the weaker party,
asked a parley, in which he represented that both clans
were friends to the King, and that he was unwilling they
should be weakened by mutual conflict; and thus made a
merit of surrendering to Appin the disputed territory of
Invernenty. Appin, accordingly, settled as tenants there,
at an easy quit-rent, the MacLarens, a family dependent on
the Stewart., and from whose character for strength and
bravery it was expected they would make their right good if
annoyed by the MacGregor.. When all this had been ami-
cably adjusted in presence of the two clans drawn up in
arms near the Kirk of Balquhidder, Rob Roy, apparently
fearing his tribe might be thought to have conceded too
much upon the occasion, stepped forward and said, that
where so many gallant men were met in arms, it would be
shameful to part without a trial of skill, and therefore he
took the freedom to invite any gentleman of the Stewarts
to exchange a few blows with him for the honour of their
respective clans. The brother-in-law of Appin, and second
chieftain of the clan, Alister Stewart of Invernahyle, ac-
cepted the challenge, and they encountered with broad
sword and target before their respective kinsmen. The
combat lasted till Rob Roy received a slight wound in the
arm, which was the usual termination of such a combat
when fought in honour only, and not with a mortal purpose.
Rob Roy dropped his point, and congratulated his adversary
on having been the first man who ever drew blood from
him. The victor generally acknowledged, that without
the advantage of youth, and the agility accompanying it,
he probably could not have come off with advantage.
" This was probably one of Rob Rey's last exploits in
arms. The time of his death is not known with certainty,
but he i■ generally said to have survived 1738, and to
have died an aged man. When he found himself approach-
ing his final change, he expressed some contrition for par-
ticular parts of his life. His wile laughed at these scruples
of conscience, and exhorted him to die like a man, as he
lived. In reply he rebuked her for her violent passions,
and the counsels she had given him. You have put
strife,' he said, betwixt me and the best men of the
country, and now you would place enmity between me and
my God.'

" There is a tradition, no way inconsistent with the
former, if the character of Rob Roy be justly consi-
dered, that, while on his death-bed, he learned that a
person with whom he was at enmity proposed to visit
him. Raise me from my bed,' said the invalid,
' throw my plaid around me, and bring me my clay-
more, dirk, and pistols—it shall never be said that
a foeman saw Rob Roy MacGregor defenceless and un-
armed.' His foeman, conjectured to be one of the Mac-
Larens before and aftermentioned, entered and paid his
compliments to his formidable neighbour. Rob Roy
maintained a cold haughty civility during this short con-
ference, and so soon as he bad left the house, Now,' he
said, ' all is over—let the piper play Ha til nsi tuditle
(We return no more), and he is said to have expired before
the dirge was finished.

' This singular man died in bed in his own house, in
the parish of lialquhidder. Ire was buried in the church-
yard of the said parish, where his tombstone is only distin-
guished by the rude attempt at the figure of a broadsword.'

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

TATTERSALL'S.

The changes this week are somewhat important. The
Cressida and Mouse colts, who came up so strongly on
Monday, having got into still higher favour yesterday, they
are both in great demand. Brother to Grampus and Zu-
charelli (Landscape, colt) are also getting up. Sir M.
Wood's two are declining, 8 to 1 agst Mummer, and 12 to 1
agst. Cetus being currently offered. Mahmoud, Sal and
Wat Tyler are also going backwards. The following were
the closing prices:—

DERBY.
8 to 1 agst Sir Ma*rk Wood's The Mummer
10 to 1 agst Mr. Petre's Brunswicker
12 to 1 agst Sir M. Wood's Cetus
13 to 1 agst Mr. Chifney's Cressida coltl(taken)
16 to 1 agst Lord Cavendish's Mouse ma (taken)
17 to 1 agst Lord Exeter's Mahmoud
20 to 1 agst Lord Cleveland's Wat Tyler
20 to 1 agst Lord Sefton's Sal colt
20 to I agst Lord Tavistock's Custard colt
25 to 1 agst Mr. Petre's The Malor
25 to 1 agst Lord Sefton's Captain Arthur
25 to 1 agst Lord Sefton's Mouche
25 to 1 agst Lord Egremont's brother to Grampus
25 to 1 agst Lord Sligo's Brine
25 to 1 agst Lord Lowther's Zucharelli
30 to 1 agst Mr. Roberts's Sister to Sailor
40 to 1 agst Lord Anson's Miniature colt

Lord MELVILLE left town yesterday for
Brighton.

THE EXCLUSIVES.—This novel is exciting
the most extraordinary interest in the fashionable world.
Among the characters who figure conspicuously will be
found the Princess Lady J
Lady
Lady E--a—n, the Hon. W. P., and several others of
the first celebrity in the great world

COVENT-GARDEN THE A TRE.--....Mr5. Cow.
LEY'S comedy of Which is the Alan, was last
night revived
at tins Theatre. Miss FooTE played the heroine, Lady
Bell Bloomer with much spirit and archness. The house
was tolerably well filled,

POI.I C 2 INTELLIGENCE.

BOW-STREET.

Yesterday a young man, named Henry Rowley
the shopman of Mr. Greaves, cheesemonger, of
New-street, Coy, rit-garden, was charged before Sii
R. BIRNIE with having interfered with a police con-
stable, in the execution of his duty, under the fol-
lowing circumstances :
The constable, it appeared, was on his duty ir
New-street, Covent-garden, on Wednesday even-
ing, when he observed a suspicious looking fello‘l
carrying the half of a ham under his arm. The con•
stable stopped him, and finding that he gave a rather
confused account of himself, he took the ham from
him, and was about to convey him to the police sta-
tion, when the defendaut came running up, ant
snatching the ham from the constable, ran away
with it to his master's shop.
The young man, in explanation of his conduct,
conceived he was fullyjustified in seizing his master's
property wherever he could find it.
Sir R. BIRNIE, in holding him to bail for the
offence, had no doubt that the Police Commissioners
would direct him to be prosecuted. The charge of
interfering with a constable, and thereby frustrating
the ends of justice, was one that could not be lightly
passed over.

The defendant found the required sureties, and
was discharged.
A young fellow, very respectably dressed, Was
charged with having attempted to pick the pocket
of Mr. Samuel Hopson, on the evening of Monday,
the 14th instant, in the pit passage of Drury-lane
Theatre. The prisoner gave the name of J. W.
6a:coigne._

Dodd, the gaoler, declared that he knew the pri-
soner to be a thief, having frequently seen him
with " the swell mob" in the crowded thoroughfares
of the city, and elsewhere.

Waddington, of Hatton-garden, and other officers,
gave similar evidence, and Sir R. BIRNIE committed
him for trial at the next Westminster Sessions, for
having been found in the pit of the theatre with in-
tent to commit a robbery. He was subsequently,
however, admitted to bail ; and upon being liberated,
asked the Magistrate if he might not have his watch
which the constable had taken from him.

Joseph Fryer, the constable, produced the watch,
the inside case of which was engraved with the name
of the prisoner. The constable pointed the Magis•
trate's attention to what he conceived was a very
suspicious circumstance—namely, that the part of
the plate which bore the name of the prisoner, was
considerably thinner than any other part, which cir-
cumstance warranted the conclusion that another name
had been erased to make way for that of the prisoner.
Sir R. BIRNIE observed, that the constable de-
served great credit for the discovery of a circum-
stance which might prove very important. The
prisoner should certainly not have the watch at
present.

A man named Per•rynaan, who drives one of the
Fulham coaches, was convicted in the penalty of 51.,
for having plied for fare in the streets of the metro-
polis. The information was laid by two hackney-
coachmen.