Star.
London, England, 1824-05-24 00:00:00

of the first pressing, and part of the second, continued
white; the other pressings grew reddish, and were not
mixed with the best. As fast as the wine ran from the
press into a large receiver, it was put into the hogs-
heads and closely bunged up. In a few hcurs one could
hear the fermentation begin, which would soon burst
the casks, if not guarded against, by !looping them
strongly with iron, and securing them in strong wooden
frames, and the heads with wedges; in the height of
the fermentation, I have frequently seen the n ine oozing
through the pores of the staves.
4' These hogsheads were left all the depth' of winter
in the cool barn, to reap the benefit of the frosts. Whet
toe fermentation was over, which was easily di,covered
by the cessation of noise and oozing ; but to be more
certain, by pegging the cask, when it would be quite
clear ; then it was racked off into clean hogsheads, and
carried to the vaults, before any warmth of weather
could raise a second fermentation. In March the hogs-
heads wer e examined ; if any were not quite fine, they
were fined down with common fish glue, in the usual
manner: those that were fine of themselves were not
fined down, and all were bottled about the end of March,
and in about six weeks more would be in perfect order
for drinking, and would be in their prime for above one
year; but the second year the flavour and sweetness
would abate, and would gradually decline, till at last
it lost all flavour and sweetness ; and some that I kept
sixteen years became so like old hock, that it might pass
for such to one who was not a perfect connoisseur. The
only art I ever used to it was putting three Founds of
white sugar candy to some of the hogsheads when the
wine was first tunnel from the press, in order to con-
form to a rage that prevailed, to drink none but the
very sweet champagne.
" < I ant convinced much good wine might be made
in many parts of the south of England. Many parts
are south of Painsliiil, many soils may yet be fitter for
it, and many situations must be so; for mine was much
exposed to the south-west wind (the worst of all for
vines), and the declivity was rather too steep; yet with
these disadvantages it succeeded many years. Indeed,
the uncertainty of our climate is against it, and many
hne crops have been spoiled by May frosts and wet
summers; but one good year balances many disap-
pointment;."'
We cannot close our notice of this tasteful volume
without mentioning the engravings, which at once il-
lustrate and embellish the work. They are executed on
wood, in the first stile, by Mr. Harvey, and are highly
creditable to the artist.
SIR THOMAS LAWRENCE,

" In Sir Thomas we behold a memorable instance
of mighty talent, after many aberrations from good
taste, after many flights of fancy beyond the boundaries
of truth, after sweeping on fantastic wings the dazzling
regions of fiction, returning with new ardour to that
path which can only lead to fame. When we behold
this moral phenomenon, we are disposed to rejoice, as
on the return of some loved prodigal, who having seen
his error, shines the more brightly, as he proceeds to
eclipse his former self. At the period of which we speak,
this great painter had indulged in a specious, though
brilliant style of painting, which had so much of ge-
nius to rescue k from censure, that it was tolerated, and
bailed for a time with such eclat, that it went nigh to
corrupt the English school. With no competitor to keep
pace with him in his career, we feared that prosper ity
would have spoiled him; but that superior taste which
enabled him early in life to do that which called forth
the admiration of Sir Joshua Reynolds, has left its wan-
derings, and with all the subsequent experience of thirty
years of active exertion, has renovated and resolved it-
self into a course of study that is no less complimen-
' tary to his judgment, than hoqourable to modem art.
We have regarded the recent improvement of the Pre-
sident with peculiar satisfaction, having in common
with those who honour genius, felt that by not doing
entire justice to his own rare talent, the country would be
frustrated in the proud hope of seeing a contemporary
whom 'posterity should regard, as we regard, a Rey-
nolds or Vandyck. Of this we now have nought to
fear. The portrait of the daughter of our late vene-
rated Sovereign (by Sir Thomas), is a work that would
have gi aced the highest school of old. It is finely drawn,
admirable in colour, unaffected in style, and expressive
of that benignity of countenance, and dignity of mien,
that adorns the Royal prototype—a Lady whose virtues
are truly worthy of her Royal parentage."—Somerset
House Gazette.

CEMETERY OF PARE LA CHAISE.-1 went, says a re-
cent visitor to Paris, to the Pere la Chaise, where, amid
an infinity of flowers, the singing of birds, and the finest
views of Paris and the country, are deposited the re-
mains of most of the Parisians; they :ire arranged in
parallelograms of about eight feet by four, surrounded
with railing, the interior forming a garden; on the
points of the head-stone are hung garlands, and some
have vases in glass cases, filled with the bloom of the
orange. There are also very beautiful monuments in
marble, and vaults of considerable magnitude belong-
ing to families ; in short, it was one of the most inte-
resting objects that I have seen.
When a once celebrated actress made her entri' as
Lady Townley, some years since in Dublin, three high-
bred women of fashion, in the stage-box, grossly an-
noyed her by talking loud, coughing, &c. The actress,
greatly distressed, stopped, burst into tears, and retired. '
The Ladies, unabashed, for a moment enjoyed their
triumph, when a great uproar ensued, and 44 Go on, go
on," was heard from all parts of the house. At length
a young collegian jumped on one of the benches in the
n.iddle of the pit, and exclaimed to the audience," My
friends who sit about me are determined that the play
shall not go on till those three drunken Gonknten in
women's clothes leave the stage-box." This address
was universally applauded, and the Amazonians retired
in the utmost confusion, amidst the shouts and hisses of
the spectators.
PUNISHMENTS IN FRANCE.—A traveller thus de-
set ibes the mode of punishment for misdemeanours in
France: .6 On my return from Vincennes, I saw An ex-
hibition of the mode in which the French punish cri-
minals for misdemeanours: before the Palais de Justice,
a scaffold was erected, upon which nine criminals were
placed ; it is called Le Catcall ; it is a square. upon
tin ee sides of which were stationed three of the sufferers,
their backs were supported by a board, on which was
an inset ipuon, describing their names, their ages, their
their punishment, and pat titular act that in-
curred this penalty there was one for lot gery, lie was
condemned to be exposed one hour de Caican, and his
:ight shoulder branded with the letter F ; another, a
)outh of sixteen, who seemed deeply affected by his
situation, to an hour of Cattail, and five years of se-
(fusion, that
he might be withdrawn from his asso-
ciates, and eventually restored a more wort!ty member
of society."