Star.
London, England, 1830-04-19 00:00:00

London, April 17.

The private accounts by the Brasil Mail state that the
exchange had risen from 22 to 24. A loan for half a
million had been contracted for at 65. The reports of
the mines are said to be favourable.

The leather duty in Ireland does not produce mote
than we conjectured several weeks ago. Its assent last
year was 46,4331. which was nearly 2,0001. less than it
was the year before.

LIBRARY• OF UNIrEIMAL KNOWLEDGE.

We have received th announcement of a new
serks of monthly volumes, to be entitled The li-
brary of Universal Knowledge." Perhaps no dresses
of modern publications have been so successful as those
that, within the last two or three Years, have appeared
in England and in Scotlaud with r the titles of " Con-
etable'e Miscellany," " The Family library," " Lard-
ncr's Cyclopedia," and " The Library of Useful Know-
ledge." Neatness and cheapness have been long the
order of the day, and, to administer to the wants of those
who required information upon a variety of points.
but whose limited means prevented it from being
of easy access, the long-headed and dear-sig,he,cl
booksellers of the north adopted a plan which at
once removed all difficulty. For a very amall 1•1113 a
volume, carefully, and judiciously, and ably written ar
compiled, was placed in the hands of the purchaser, by
which it was rendered unnecessary that he should wade
through dry tonnes of the olden time, or ponderous
quartos of more modern days, to render him acquainted
with any given subject. Messrs. Constable and Co. of
Edinbrrgh, however, did not long retain the r.bi t,,
themselves. Competitors soon started up in the British
inetropelis. Mr. Charles Knight, Mr. Matra.-.., and
Messrs Longman and Co. followed in the same track,
and with equal success. As is generally the case, how-
ever, each new candidate for public favour was bound to
make its appearance under advantages greater than
those of its predecessor. " The Library of Usefal Know-
ledge " was superior to " Constable's Miscellatty,"
" The Family Library," a yct higher improvement, and',
Mer.srs Longman and Co.—the last to enter the course—
gave to " The Cyclopedia," edited by Dr. Lardner,
attractions of a still more important character.
The publication to which we now desire to direct public
attention—" The Library of Useful Knowledge"—is
shortly to issue from the firm of Messrs. Colhurn and Bent-
ley—a firm that yields to no other in the kingdom for libe-
rality, '1
energy, and ability, to execute properly any judi-
ciously-devised plan. A great proportion of the most
able and popular authors of the aga are among the many
for whom they publish. They have, of COMM:, that ne-
cessary support—a large capital ; their ;runes stand high
in public estimation ; and we have daily, it might be
almost said hourly, proofs of the tasteful manner
in which their works are sent into the world.—
We have, therefore, no hesitation in concluding that
" The Library of Universal Knowledge" will be one of
the most agreeable and useful, and, consequently, suc-
cessful, of the pleasant and profitable family to which it
belongs. It will also have an advantage of no trifling
moment—the publication is to be placed under the super-
intendence of the Rev. G. R. Gleig, himself a distin-
guished writer, and, if we be correctly informed, a gen-
tleman of much learning, tact, and experience.
The prospectus, after alluding to the other branches of
the same family, proceeds to state that the projectors of
"The Library of Universal Knowledge" " have no de-
sign whatever of trenching upon the ground already oc
copied by others. As little is it their desire to decry the
exertions of those who labour in the same vineyard
and seek the same end with themselves. For these, on
the contrary, they entertain the highest respect; but the
field seems sufficiently wide for all parties, and there-
fore they enter it. They are willing to persuade them-
selves, moreover, that the circumstances under which
they approach their task are not unfavourable to its suc-
cess. Almost all our knowledge arises from experience ;
and hence, by imitating as far as can be, the excellencies
of their predecessors, no less than by avoiding their errors,
should such chance to have been committed, they hope
to produce a series of works which shall at once satisfy
the judgment, and suit the tastes of those who relish
amusement, the most when it comes united with instruc-
tion."

It is, therefore, with us a matter of little doubt that
these monthly volumes will prove an agreeable and im-
portant addition to our literary and scientific stock, and
under this impression the plan has our approval, and shall
have our best support. Of its execution we shall be here-
after called upon to speak. At present we can only ob-
serve, that the publishers and the editor are fully equal to
perform all that we look for at their hands, and that
we shall be more than disappointed if " The Library of
Universal Knowledge" will not have stronger claims on
public patronage than any work of a similar character.
Messrs. Colburn and Bentley will at once have the advan-
tages of their own ample means and connexions, and the
experience which those wbo have gone before them have
laboured hard to maintain.

The paper duties of Ireland are declining. They pro-
duced 24,2821. in 1828, but 1,5421. less in the last year.
At a late trial in Yorkshire, Mr. Justice Park asked
the witness, if he thought that a Clergyman of the
Church of England would administer the holy sacrament
to an insane person ?—Dr. Wake: (a physician) " I have
no doubt of it, my Lord."—His Lordship held up his
hands in incredulous astonishment !
Mr. PETTIGH w held his second conversazioni at his
house in Saville-street, on Wednesday evening, which
was well attended. The Prince CEMITELI I, the Presi-
dent of the Royal Academy, many of the members and
council of the Royal and Antiquarian Societies, most of
the eminent physicians, surgeons, and artists, and a great
number cf literary and scientific gentlemen were present.
the Duke of SussEx was bent in consequenec of his
recent domestic loss.

A theatrical wardrobe, belonging to s provineial actor
::arced Nlok TM: 1:, was sold on Friday. A very hand-
some black velvet dress, wu:n for Hamlet, Romeo, and
JaCer, which 11 raid to have originally cost 100!., was
Fircliaced by Mr. R xII Lt., of the Surrey Theatre; for
%/.; a splendid white satin tonic and petticoat, the regal
ef Macbeth, was knocked down to the same gentle-
ir a i at t/. 2r. tid. ; Sir FA!ward Mortimer's dress fetched
4/. 2i. Cd. ; a beautiful costume for Romeo went at 21.
155,; niaguificent robe for Richard the Third produced
6!. 15s. ; an old man's dress fetched only 3s. ; Paul Fry's
dress complete, 4s. tid. ; a tunic worn by the Stranger,
6s. ; Othelio's dress, ss. Cd.
On Sawrday, a musical performance took place at the
Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly, for the purpose of iotrod.!cing
to the notice of th 2. English public, the Prague Minstrels,
who have attained considerable proficiency in the per-
formance of wind instruments. These foreign musicians,
who were dressed in the costume of their country, exe-
cuted several pieces in a very effective style, especially
one called the " Hungarian Can," in which were intro-
duced some beautiful piano passages for the horns, which
were very ably managed by the performers. It would Lel
impossible to conceive a more perfect representation of
distant sound, than that produced by the horns, answer-
ing the other instruments. Prom the style in which these
Bohemians played some Austrian waltzes and a set of
quadrilles, we should think their performance peculiarly
'adapted to ball-room orchestras, especially as it may be
presumed they have brought with them a stock of those
beautiful waltzes so common in Germany, and so little
known among us, and to the perfect execution of wbieb
vriad instruments are indispensable.