Star.
London, England, 1830-10-09 00:00:00

SCINTILLA.

How TO PUNISH AN ALDERMAN.—III Strype'S
vel. IL p. 238 is the following extract from the City Records s--" Ni.
cholas Wyiford, an Alderman, having to line his cloak, which
be ought to use in the re..th_m it is ad ju4ed by the court
that the Lord Mayor and Aldermen Avila brealcsst with him. This
penalty Is awarded on him as a punishment for his covetousness."
A WORD ON POPULATION.—It is curious to observe
the different proportion of inhabitants distributed to the different quer.
ten of the world. It is undoubtedly a general rule, that the mild
and temperate climates, bordering on the tropics, have a mon compact
then the of the world ; but the amass why countriesMitiin net
reesgsrated only by a mountain, or a river, or an imegiusly
lino of Work diMx so much in their comparative are
suss evaseseset, and must be sought in eiretunatanees wadaastrasti ap-
ple, niihNpoiNuat. Few minds are apple of detecting and demon-
strating limos aura; but, any one who will take the trouble to ohm.
late, may see that the following statement is correct, although almost
every one will be astonished at the disproportion between the spare pc,.
'Wake of Iceland, and the multitudes which throng the little island
of Mob&

Upon an equal space where one man subsists in Iceland, three men
subsist in Norway ; fourteen in Sweden, thirty-six in Turkey, fifly-two
lin Poland, sixty-three in Spain, uinety-nine in Ireland, one hundred
and fourteen in Switzerland, one hundred and twenty-seven in Germa-
ny, one hundred and Sfty-two in England, one hundred and ilfty-diree
in France, one hundred and seventy-two in Italy, one hundred anct
ninetLtuws:nitli Naples, two hundred and twenty-four in Holland, and
One t one hundred and three in Malta.

DRYDEN'S Vinott..—ln the ninth pastoral we meet
with the following couplet :
" Here, where the lab'rer's hands have fortn'd a bower
Of wreathing trees, in singing waste an hour."—ldne
Why Dryden represented Lycidas esitreadng Mods to " waste" an
hour in singing, it is difficult to conceive. Virgirsi Lycidas was not
guilty of this incivility. " Me, Mani, essainrs," can never mean,
" in singing wade an hour; and I should hardly have expected this
censure upon music from the author of " Alexander's Feast."
" Here rest thy weary limbs." This is doubtless to help out the
line, foe there is nothing answering to it in Virgil. See Eel. ix. L 60.
The whole of this passage is far more accurately tandexed by Ring:

" Here let us nit, and tune our vocal strains,
Whore leaves are scattered by the lab'ring swains.
Here rest awhile, and lay thy kkllings down,
We've day before us yet, to reach the town."

"We Day before us yet." This Is not Virgil, but Dryden.
" Qui Nomentum urbem, qui roses rum Velini." Alm b. 7. 1. 712.
Dryden at first gave " rosy fields." A prosodist perhaps corrected
him, by showing that the first syllable is long, and roses means dewy.
It is often printed as a proper name—Roses rura Velini.
Dryden no doubt deserved that encomium which Pope bestowed on
him, of producing—the most noble and spirited translation be knew
in any language. It was, however, a hurried performance; and, like
everything of Dryden's, it indicates a writer impatient of labour. Had
he pred In the work wit;ohromiter deliberation, his version might
have been more equal, but ly not more brilliant ; less deficient
in harmony, but more uniformly interesting. Though versification
since the time of Dryden has become more correct, yet he has scarcely
been surpassed as a poet. For all his faults he affords a recompense.
When he does not please the ear, he delights the imagination, and
captivates the mind.
A TRW WORDS ON STORKS.—The inhabitants of Fer
believe storks to be men from some distant islands, who at arum
seasons of the year assume the shape of these birds, that they may
visit Barbary, and return at a certain time to their own country, where
they resume their human form. In consequence of this belief, there is
a hospital at Fes, possessing large funds bequeathed for the eaptes4
purpose
of assisting and nursing sick storks, and of burying them when
dead. See the Travels of All Bm, 2 vols. Nos. 1816. These birds are
ve=t favourites with the Mahotnetans, in consequence of their de.
the locusts, which they do in
_great quantities. They visit
Ftajannually in vast numbers, about the middle of March, and
always in the night. Early in October they take their departure in the
same manner, so that no one can tell from whence they come, or
whither they go. See vol. i. p. 126, Maegill's Travels in Turkey ;
r64'
sawn% Ammon of Morocco ; pogo 411, quarto ed.
. Shaw's Travels ; and page 32 of Huselquist's Travels,
fee some curious particulars concerning storks. This bird has long
been remarkable for its love to its whom it never forsakes, but
tenderly 'feeds and cherishes when have become old, and unable to
provide far themselves. Boehart ( zeros, book ii. eh. sir. p. 82,
v. 3) has collected a veriety of passages from the ancients in confirms.
tion of this curious and pleasing zoological fact. Ira very name in lit.
brew signifies mercy or piety.

" The stork's an emblem of true piety ;
Because, when age has seised and made his dam
Unfit for flight, the grateful young one takes
His mother on his back, provides her food ;
Repaying thus her tender care of him,
Ere he was fit to fly." BIR&UNOW T.
PLUTARCH (p. 637, Holland's Translation), in enumerating the
benefits conferred on man by the stork, mentions, among other things,
that of its killing toads and serpents. Linnaeus, however, expressly
states, that though they eat frogs, they avoid toads. The same remark
is made by that eminent naturalist, Sir John Hill. See No. 171 of
the " Inspector."

At a meeting of the rate-payers of St. Clement Danes in
Vestry assembled, on Thunday evening, the Rev. W. Gurney, the
Rector, in the Chair, many heavy complaints were made against the
Zaand inefficiency of the new police; and a motion was made
cal;riad, amidst loud acclamations, that a Special Vestry Meeting
should be held at seven o'clock on Thursday evening next, for the pur-
pose of considering what would be the best means of erecting tit
abolition of that force.

PooLc—Considerable excitement still prevails amongst
the commonalty of this town, concerning the recovery of the elective
franchisee. A spirited address to the inhabitants was circulated last
week, In which those parts of the Charter distinctly conferring the pri-
vilege of voting for Representatives in Parliament to the Commonalty,
as well as the Corporate Body, were conspieuousl introduced. A meet-
ing is about to be held by several respectable to n and others, not
burgesses, for the the purpose of investigating their tights, and adopting
the most effectual measures to secure them.— Western Mirror.
LOUTH ELECTION.—We understand that a petition
against the return of Mr. M'Clintock will be instituted by the friends et
Mr. Shell, on the grounds of the former gentleman being incapacitated
by his office as Set jeant at Arms to the Irish House of Commons. By
the Act of Union, the Irish Parliament was not annihilated, but united
to and incorporated with the Imperial Legislature. Mr. 3l•Clintock is
still ltonaftde the officer of the House, and disqualified from being one
of its members. In case of his return being set aside, there would be a
new election. When a return is vitiated by a defect on the part of the
electors, the candidate who stood next on the poll is declared the sitting
Member; but in this case the defect is entirely on the part of the candi-
date, sad the freeholders who supported him are entitled to a new
election.

PEMBROKE Docx, OCT. 6.—On Saturday evening last,
at six o'clock, his Majesty's ship Stag was launched at this dock-yard,
and went off the stocks in fine style. She is a remarkably tine frigate
of 46 guns, and has a handsome round stern, on an improved plan.
As soon as she is rigged and coppered she wiU proceed round to
Plymouth, under the charge of Mr. Walker, the Master Attendant.
Sir Byam Martin, Comptroller of the Navy, during his late visit
here, gave orders for a 'plan or the dock-yard to be drawn up
and forwarded, to be laid before the King, by his express commands.
His Majesty, it appears, has taken great Interest in the establishment
here, since his visit in 1827, as Lord High Admiral: and there is now
every probability of this fine haven, hitherto so much neglected, grow-
ing into importance. It is also understood that his Majesty has signi-
lied his totendon of being present at the launch of the Royal William.
of 120 guns, which will take place at this dock-yard next year.
ILFRACOXBE.—The herring fishery has commenced here
'under very favourable prospects, some of the boats taking ten thousard
a night.—North Devon Journal.

BIRTHS.
Thursday last, In the Regent's-park, the lady of P. Ripley, Esq of
a daughter.—The 7th inst. at Dartford, the lady of J. Hayward, Es+
of a son—The 7th inst. at Clarence-terrace, Regenes.park, the lady 01
C. Marryat, Req. of a son.

MARRIED.
The 7th inst. at Islington, F. S. Smith. Esq. of Oundle, Northamp-
tonshire, to Mary Whinnell, eldest daughter of J. W. Scott, Esq. ot
Barnabury.peek.—The 6th inst. Mr. E. H. Martin, to Harriet, wond
daughter of Mr. R. H. Weston, of Shadwell.

DI k D.

The Bth hiss. at blaiverne-hall, the Rev. Charism Meysey MOW
Wigley.—The Bth inst. in the 71st year of his age, T. Om, Est sf
Hertford-street, May-Wt.—The Bth inst. at Churchyard-row. Nome-
ton-butts, klisabeth, relict of the late Mr. T. King. in the 82d year of
her sge.—lu Sept. lest, at Hurlford, near Kilmarnock. in Ayrshire.
Agnes, widow of the late J. Ayton (the first inhabitant of the abore-
named village,) la the 90th year of her age ; haring lost the use of her
right side and speech 40 years prior to her decease. through a paralytic
affection ; she bad been entirely confined to her bed for several yeas Past

LONDON : Painted sod rabliebed by Joust Manta, as the Sawa-
arm', Na 1, Pickett-place, Temple Bar.