Star.
London, England, 1830-10-12 00:00:00

FERRARI.

In the year 1805, Ferrari, the composer, received an invitation fri,
Ledy Hamilton to visit Merton, where she then resided with her hu,
band. She wished me (he says) to compose an Italian cantata in pr.,.
of the famous Battle of the Nile, and I had the honour to meet ti
celebrated Nelson at dinner. During the dessert her Ladyship suo
several English airs, most of which were in praiseof the Duke of Mont,
but the music of the fair syren was lost on his Grace, who sat doting i.
the most ungallant manner, and required frequent taps on the should.
to keep him awake. After dinner I drew near Lady Hamilton, and can
didly told her that I thought Lord Nelson had little or no ear for music .
and, besides, as he did not understand Italian, it would be better t.
have the words of the cantata in English, and that, for this purpose. I
would apply to my friend Peter Pinder. She approved of my idea/
and requested me to invite this celebrated poet to peas some days
Merton, together with Viganoni and C. Bovedino, performers as tr,
Italian Opera. We all met there, and Peter Pinder wrote the follow ir,
vetoes, which I set to music :

Pleased would 1 strike the lyre to love,
But vain the wish, the labour vain ;
For lo ! the chords rebellious prove,
And pour to war alone the strain.
Chance as I will the rebel strinp,
The harp of martial glory sings !

Yet who, alas ! can blame the lyre,
That pours a sound to Britons dear ?
The song shall future heroes fire,
And bid them kindle u they hear ;
Through dangers seek the wreath of Exile,
And bleed to gain a Nelson's name.—llar;:tonaeon.

Szcomp SutsiT.—We extract from the India Gazdt,,
published at Calcutta on the 3d of March last, the following very
curious ph :—" Reports are in town of a very important tutus
but we paragraph
been able to trace them to any certain authority. It 1•
said that the king of England is dead, and that a revolution hr•
taken plate b Francc. We shall look with anxiety for further pa;-
tirades.* The fatal illness of his We Majesty was not publicly an-
nounced in London until the lath of April; and when the mail, *hirl.
arrived in India on the ad of March, left England, it was not est'
whispered that his health was affected. The news of the Revolution 1:
France cannot reach Calcutta for two or three mouths to come. IV,
can easily imagine the surprise of the Calcutta editor to find the rturt:v,
which reached him so long ago, so surprisingly confirmed in both r,r-
ileum. Campbell speaks of coming events casting their shadows b.
fore them, but a shadow of four or five months is an extraordinary OTW."'"
to be sure it had to travel from Paris to Bengal. What will Sir Waled
Scott say to the Calcutta rumour ? Will be lapse into his old belief
Spectator.

BIRTHS.

The oth inst. the wife of Mr. J. Powell, Aylesbury-street, Cie:kJ:-
well, of a daughter.—The 10th inst. in Portman-square, the lady u
Major Dickson. of a son.

AFFAIR OF HONOUR BETWEEN LORD BINGHAM AND

MAJOR FITZGERALD.

The • Court Journal" has published the correspondence connected
with the meeting which lately took place between Lord Bingham and
Major Fitzgerald. near Brussels, by which it appears that Lord B.
when &candidate for the representation of the county of Mayo, in Ire.
.and. in the year 1826, made Major Fitzgerald a promise of getting
huh a comfortable appointment; and the Major asserts in his letters to
his Lordehip, that his Lordship having accepted of what interest he
possesned, and his own !Amoral exertions, after the full explanatke
that took place between them, gave a decided promise to provide for
luta. For four years after, his Lordship's letters to him have been filled'
with hope. expectation, and regret ; anti in his letter to his Lordship,
slated 17th June, 1830 (the first in the published correspondence), he
etatts that he is ready to receive either a good military or civil situation
Ter Any healthy climate; hut would not any longer submit to be trilled
with. Lord Bingham did not deny the engagement he had entered
into to get Major Fitzgerald a comfortable appointment, to do which
he had exerted himself, and, if the Major's objectionable letters were
withdrawn, was willing to renew his exertions. Friends had been now
appointed—Colonel Freemantie on the part of Lord Bingham; and
Lieut. Breedon, R.N. Major Fitzgerald's brother-in-law, on his behalf.
A long correspondence took place, in the course of which the lilajoe's
objectionable letters were withdrawn, but too late to prevent the parties
going to Ostend, for the purpose of a hostile meeting, the polies in
London having become acquainted with the negoclation. Lord Bier
ham was on this occasion accompanied by Captain Lyon, between wheat
and Lieutenant Breedon it was agreed that the parties should mesa a
•ykile trom Ostend, on the Brussels road. Captain Lyon sod Lad Biugl.
ham went to the place appointed by the forma; but Lieutenant Ikea.'
don and Major Fitzgerald having gone on another Bnwesis road, sane
delay took place in Major Fitzgerald's caning on the ground, which he
did, accompanied by Mr. Hailsham, Mr. Breedon not having dia.-
Toed the mistake of the road. Mr. Habitant went io quest of Ji.
Breeden' and returned with him, when Mr. Breedon placed a paw a
the hands of Captain Lyon, signed by himself on the part ;of Meijer
Fitzgerald, stating that, having acted under a misconstruction of the
promise made by Lord Bingham, and having ascertained that his Los&
ship was using his endeavours to serve him, he was anxious to wfdiassw,
all his objectionable letters on the subject—relying on the honour end
generosity of his Lordship for the ultimate fulfilment of the same. Thus
the matter terminated at Ostend, and rested till the newspaper accounts
of the affair in Kngland caused Major Fitzgerald to call for explanation,
which has produced the publication tithe whole correspondence.