The Sun.
London, England, 1827-02-23 00:00:00

RIDDLE

10 to 1 ages
Those marked tin

The case of the distress of some children who
were in consequence of their desolate condition adopted by a
butcher named French, who resides in Quebec-street, at-
tracted much attention some weeks ago. Sir Francis Burdett
was struck with the singular humanity of the butcher, who
has a number of children of his own, and directed that inquiry
should he made into the circumstances of so unostentatious an act
of charity. Finding that the facts were correctly stated, the
worthy Baronet sent a present of 100 guineas on Tuesday morning
to the butcher.

A few evenings ago some villains stole twenty-one
sheep from a field belonging to Mr. Wight, at Long Ditton, in
Surrey : although information has been given at the different
police-offices, and a large reward offered, the offenders have con-
trived to elude the officers.

CHARACTER OS SUVAROFF.—AS at the very
outset of his glorious career he became an object of the most
active jealousy to several courtiers and favourites, who were power-
ful enough to obstruct his advancement, he formed the strange
design of concealing his transcendent merit under the bizarre
guise of folly. Nothing could be more luminous than his plans,
more profound than his conceptions, more rapid than his actions;
but in familiar intercourse and in public, his countenance, his
gestures, his words, bore such an impress, not only of originality,
but extravagance, that those who were at first inclined to oppose
him, now ceased to dread him ; looking upon him merely as an
instrument fit to be made use of by others, but totally in-
capable of disputing with them the attainment of honours,
credit, or power. Thus, by a singular coincidence, this hero
of despotism borrowed, in order to raise himself into
consideration, the same mask behind which the hero of liberty,
Brutus, concealed himself under the reign of Tarquin. Suvaroff,
respectful towards his chiefs, affable with his soldiers, was unpo-
lite, haughty, and insolent towards his equals. Ile astonished
those Who did not know him, by the multiplicity and rapid Con-
cession of the questions that be put to them, as if it was his duty
to make them answer certain interrogatories. This was his man-
ner of knoWing a man at the first view. He had noropinion of
those whom he embarrassed, but conceived an immediate esteem
for those who answered him without hesitation and to the point.
Of this I had myself a proof at St. Petersburg!' ; my laconic
answers pleased him, and during his short stay in the capital, he
often came to dine with me. I recollect that I once asked him li
if it was true that when with the army, he scarcely ever slept,
if he lay upon straw, and never took off his boots and
spurs ?---" Yes," said he, ‘ I hate idleness, and for fear of sleep-
ing too long, I have always in my tent a cock to awake me fre-
quently by his crowing ; •when, but very rarely, I wish to indulge
in a little indolence, and sleep commodiously, I take off one of my
spurs." When he was named Marshal of the Empire, he in-
vented a new and most singular installation for himself,
and which be performed in presence of his soldiers.
Having had placed at each side of the aisle of a church
two rows of chairs, equal in number to the general offi-
cers of an older standing than himself, he entered the
church with his coat off, ..n,l jumped over each chair in the same
manner that boys play at leap-frog. After this symbolical ex-
ample of the manner in which lie got over the heads of his rivals,
be put on his full uniform of Marshal, covered himself with the
numerous crosses and orders that had been so profusely bestowed
upon him, and then gravely requested the priests to conclude the
ceremony by singing Te Deum. It is said, that en receiving from
the Emperor of Austria one of his most honourable orders, he
knighted himself, and put on the badge before a large mirror,
with the most bizarre ceremonies, and in presence of a great
number of persons. It is well known that in Switzerland,'
when, in consequence of the faults of Korsakoff, he was forced
to retreat, he ordered a ditch to he dug, and placing himself
in it, cried out to his soldiers, that they must trample him
under foot, and cover him with earth, if they wanted to fly
instead of facing the enemy. The first day that he met Mr.
Alexandre de Lameth, whose defect was not a too great flexibility
of character, their interview appeared to me sufficiently original to
merit notice here. " What countryman are you ?" said the Ge-
neral abruptly,—,‘ A Frenchman." " What profession ?"
" Military." " What rank?"—" Colonel." " Your name?"—
" Alexandre de Lameth." c, Good !" M. de Laineth, a little
piqued at this abrupt manner of interrogation, addressed in his
turn Suvaroff, and fixing his eyes upon him, said, " What coun-
tryman are you ?"._-_« A Russian, apparently." "What pro-
fession ?"--" " What rank ?"—" General."--
Goad !" They both then
" What name?"__" Suvaroff."
burst out laughing, and from that moment were on very good
te ram SeV ur's Memoirs.

ST. KATHARINE'S DOCK COMPANY.

Yesterday morning a General Meeting of the Shareholders in
the above undertaking was held in the City of London Tavern,
for the purpose of receiving the report of the Directors as to the
state of the Company's affairs. Mr. Tooke was. in the Chair.
The CHAIRMAN was happy to perceive so numerous a Meeting
of the Proprietors, as this was the first meeting since the Com-
pany had been formed. The various contracts, and other pro-
ceedings relative to the formation of the Docks, had rendered it
improper in the Directors not to have called a meeting. The Di-
rectors had now completed three-fourths of the purchases of ground,
buildings, &c. With respect to the other one-fourth, it would
be unwise at present to give any statement, as the arrangements
which were now in progress for the ground, &c., he trusted would
prove beneficial. Contracts had been entered into for the ma-
terials for forming the Docks. The Chairman said, the Directors,
from all the information they had obtained from past transactions,
conceived that the expenditure would come under 1,500,0001.,
the sum originally proposed, which included contingencies, law
expences, interest on instalments, &c.