Star.
London, England, 1824-04-27 00:00:00

ANTIENT MEXICAN SUPERSTITIONS.

Of the cruelties connected with the religious rites of
the heathens sonic idea may be formed by the practices
still prevalent in the East Indies; where the ignorant
votaries of an idol are induced, voluntarily, to throw
themselves under the wheels of his car to be crushed to
death ; where widows are burnt on the funeral pile, or
buried in the same grave with their husband; and where
the voice of humanity and of filial piety is so completely
stifled that parents, when they become infirm, are suf-
focated with mud—thrown on a dunghill to die of
hunger—or carried to the Ganges to be devoured by the
alligators.
Of the cruelties of the ancient Mexicans in their re-
ligious institutions some idea may be for med from the
very curious remains that have been recovered from in-
humation, and made the subject of an exhibition by that
very enterprizing individual, Mr. Bullock. We were
about to prepare a brief notice of a few of the particu-
lars, but have met with one already drawn up (in the
Somerset House Gazette) so much to our liking, that we
think we cannot do hettur than copy it :
The exhibition is divided into two parts—the first (in
the upper room, or Egyptian Hall) consists of many re•
Tics of Mexican Antiquities, in the attainment of which
filr. Bullock was assisted by the Government of that
country. The second (in an apartment on the ground-
floor), relates chiefly to matters of N aural History, and
to modern works by its native artists, who, from Mr.
Bullock's account, are exceedingly ingenious and rapid
in their labours.
"The antiquities, as might be expected, belong to
the. religious rites and ceremonies of the Mexicans, to
their wars and sepulture. In point of art, these bear
strong marks of Hindoo and Egyptian character, and
identify, ht the same manner as the early works of those
countries, the first efforts of design in sculpture, and the
rude, though nervous labours by which its progress was
commenced.
" The

and form of the stupendous pyra-
similar to those of Geeza,
altars and idols of the

(Mexicans are here brought before the public eye in all
the appearances of antiquity and truth; and many of
the ancient original works are here collected together.
" An ancient map of the City of Mexico is happily
• preserved, in which is represented that extraordinary as-
semblage of temples and dwellings as they existed be-
fore the despoiling hand of the invaders levelled it with
the dust, and out of its fragments erected the present
city. At first view the map appears to reprdent but a
city of moderate size, but as every square form, like the
chequers of a draught-board, of its subdivision is a dis-
tinct district, containing its numerous dwellings, and
its proper temple, it will appear to be rather a multi-
plication of many cities, in every part decorated with
magnificent edifices, besides those more sumptuous build 7
ings that adorn its suburbs beyond its tesselated limits.
" THE GREAT KALENDAR STONE" is a curious piece
of Mexican workmanship. It is formed out of a block
of basaltic rock, and weighs more than five tons.
" The Colossal Idol, or Great Rattle Snake, is nine feet
in circumfeience, and sixty feet long-.—a stupendous
monument of their religious superstition. It is coiled
up in an erect and irritated position, with the jaws ex-
tended, in the act of gorging an elegantly dressed fe-
male, who appears in the mouth of the enormous rep-
tile, crushed and lacerated.
" The Great Idol of the Goddess of War, is a lmaify-
ing monster, before which thousands.of human beings
were annually sacrificed. It is, with its pedestal, twelve
feet high, and four feet wide; sculptured out of one
solid piece of grey basalt. Its form is partly human,
and the rest composed of the rattle-snake, the tiger, &c.
From the neck, spreading over its deformed breast, is a
necklace of human hands, hearts, and sic..lls, fit em-
blems, as ."Jr. Bullock observes, of the sanguinary rites,
and daily immolations, performed to its honour. Before
this statue is placed the great sacqficial alone, or altar,
ornamented on the su: face with the representation of
the sun, and on the sides with numerous groups of
figures exhibiting the Mexican warriors chaggiiii..; their
prisoners to sacrifice;—this bas-relief is a ciii ions docu-
ment, and the mind of the arti,t is instinctively led to
view it as exhibiting the first step of the Genius of
Sculpture, in her essay towards the pc, fection of her
works, as they are contemplated in the admirable fi iezzs
and metopes of the Parthenon.
" On the top of the altar is a deep groove, made to
receive the blood, and marks the place where the vic-
tim was laid by the Priest—where the heart was torn
from the wretched captive, mixed with copal, and
slowly consumed. Above 30,000 human beings were
said to have suffered in this manner at the coronation
of the last Emperor."
Can we wonder—however much the miseries inflicted
on these idolaters by their merciless oppressors may ex-
cite our sympathy for human suffering—can we won-
der, we say, that such cruelties should at last have been
visited with Divine vengeance, in bringing to their ha-
bitations the arms of a foreign invader ?

JEW ARRANGEMEAT OF CITY POLICE.

A Committee for improving the Police of the City of
London has been sitting for some weeks, and the system
is about to be completely remodelled. By the returns
made to the Committee, it appears that the number of
persons apprehended by the ()ilk ers of the City Police!
Establishment, exceed the numbs t:iken into custody by
• the whole of the Ward officers and conqables of the
City. The inefficient officers will be discharged, aid the
most active will be placed under the new regulations.
It has been determined, notwithstanding the objections
advanced against it, that the City Police (in imitation'of
the Bow-street patio], or, more probably, the gees •
d'armes of Paris), shall wear a uniform ; viz. blue coats!
and trowsers, and yellow waistcoats, with buttons
having the City Arms thereon. Each member o:
this Police Corps" will have a station assigned to
him, where he w ill have to patrol ; and the chief!
ground fer this measure is, that it will prevent the corp.!
mission of crime: the thief having the officer in sight,
and knowing him, it is thought, will be deterred from
violating the law. The City will be divided into six
districts, in which police stations will be appointed.!
The first at the Mansion-house, the second ar London
Bridge, the third at Aldgate, the fourth in Fleet-street,,
the fifth in Bishopsgate•-street, and the sixth at the top
of Skinner-street. The patrol at each station will have
to give a report of the occurrences in their district every
hour, written in a book and signed; which book will be
in the care of a superior officer, whose duty it will be
to see that the reports are regularly entered and signed,
and that the patrol do their duty according to the re-
gulations. It is believed that this new system will not
only cause the detection of offenders, but will be the
means of preventing street-robberies, burglaries, &c.
which have latterly been so common in the City. A
plan is also in contemplation in the City to find youth
and destitute persons employment, by teaching them
trades on the principle of the Maison d'lndustrie inFrance.

At an early hour on Friday morning, a young Gen-
tleman connected with a well-known tavern in Fleet-
street (where the great moralist, Dr. Johnson; spent
many happy evenings), and a very accomplished and
beautiful young Lady, the daughter of a professional
Gentleman living within one hundred miles of Salis-
bury-square, started unperceived on a matrimonial ex-
cursion to Gretna-Green. The lovers bad not consulted
their respective parents as to their intention, and the
match being far from agreeable to them, they, on dis-
covering the flight of the votaries of Hymen, agreed
(for the first time in their lives) to follow them, Cockney-
like, to Richmond, expecting to find them at the Star
and Garter; but the lovers, true to their intention and
wishes, were at least 100 miles from town, towards that
country where inarriages are solemnized more promptly
than in this. The Lady is a ward in Chancery, and
from her father's profession, little doubt remains that'
the affair will afford some employment to the Gentle-
men of the long robe.
Fleet-street and the Inner Temple are to be consider-
ably improved and altered. At present there is not a good carriage
entrance to the Inner Temple, and those who reside in it are put
to much incnovenience, particularly: after the gates are closed in the
evening. The improvements contemplated are, the pulling down
the houses in 11Iitre-court, Fleet-street, and Ram-alley, adjoining
the west sick. of Serjeant's-inn, which will make a spacious and
handsome Nitrance to the Inner Temple from Fleet-street ; the dif-
ficulties in rni.king these improvements are, the proprietors of the
houses and grounds asking large sums for the sale of their property.
The licnchcrs of the Inner Temple also have it in contemplation to
throw open to the Public an uninterrupted view of the Temple
Church, which is celebrated for its ancient architecture, The difficul-
ties in accomplishing this object are, also, the purchase of the
chambers, and other buildings which surround the church, in addi-
tion to the value of some chambers belonging to a public body.
Tuesday last a sturgeon was exposed in the market at
Manchester, which was eight feet and one inch long,
and 1561b5. weight. It was taken in the stake nets at
Heysham, near Lancaster, and is the first fish of the
kind known to have been there.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE'.
BO W. ST Ft EST.
/ACK Gime. —The notorious Jack Gibson, alias Avery Jack,
alias Goalie John, alias Long fingers was brought before Sir RICIIAP.D
Bisiena yesterday, charged with picking the pocket of Mrs. Head,
the wife of Dlr. John Henry Head, of Craven-buildings, Drury-
lane.—Mrs. Head went to Machin and Debenham's auction-room,
in King-street, Covent-garden, yesterday morning, with the inten-
tion of making some purchases, and whilst she was attentively
watching the bidding., she felt somebody touch her pocket. It in-
stantly occurred to her that her purse was going, and when she put
down her hand to ascertain the fact, it was gone. At the same mo-
ment she saw this identical Slippery Jack sliding away front her
through the crowd towards the door, and following hint as fast as
she could, she cried out—" That gentleman has stolen my purse!"
The cry of " stop thief !" was raised in a moment ; and Slippery
Jack took to his heels, crying " stop thief!" as loud as the loudest
of his pursuers; but the ruse did not answer, for before he had run
half way along King-street, he was caught, and handed over to Nor-
ris, one of the patrol belonging to this Office. The case was strong
against him. One Witness saw hint lift the corner of Mrs. Head's
shawl, remove something from her person to his own pocket; and
another saw him throw away a purse at the moment he was
stopped, which purse was produced before the Magistrate, and
identified by Mrs. Head as her property.
Slippery Jack in his defence, said he found the purse laying on
the ground in the auction-rixim, and not knowing who it belonged
to, be put it in his pocket.
Sir RICIIARD asked him what business he 11251 in the auction-
room ? To which he replied that he went there promiscuously—as
any other Gentleman might do. He was then fully committed to
New-gate for trial—the whole of the adventure, front his first touch-
ing the purse to the signing of the commitment, not having occu-
pied more than twenty minutes. He has had a fine run upon
the pocket property of the King's lieges for more than six years last
past ; and his capture will be a serious loss to Bob Prendergast and
his corps--for on all important occasions he was second in com-
mand under Bob, and in his opinion, was as " fine a young thief "
as ever " mounted the mackarel for a wind-tr."
LAM BETH-STREET.

A young woman of tall, delicate figure, named Maria Townsend,
was brought before the Magistrate among the list of night charges.
In giving an account of herself, she said she was an Indian by birth,
and married at a very early age in that country, but was shortly
divorced, and her husband, who was Barrack-master at Fort Wil-
liam, was obliged to allow her a separate maintenance. She was after-
wards living in the garrison, when she was seized by order of the
Town Major, and forcibly put on board a ship, and vent to this coun-
try. She Ind no doubt that this was a plan of her husband's and
the Town Major to get her out of the way, lest the former should
allow her any support. The vessel in which she came to England
was the General Ilewitt, Captain Barrow, from which she landed
at Blackwall in July last. She had a trifle of money which she
earned by her needle on hoard, add she lived upon this for some
tinir ; subsequently she was obliged to make away with her clothes,
and afterwards applied to some friends of her husband's, who reside
in London, but they did nothing for her, and she was ultimately
necessitated to walk the streets for her support.—Mr. limenwicita
said he was acquainted with Captain Barrow, and ordered the
young woman to be taken care of in the Workhouse until the truth
of her statement could be inquired into.
MARLBOROUGH-STREET.
_ .

On Saturday evening Captain G—, of one of the Regiments of
Foot Guards, came to this office, and applied to Mr. DYER, the
presiding Magistrate, for a warrant against Captain F—, of the
Light Dragoons, wider the following circumstances :
stated that he had learned, with a considerable degree of sur-
prise, that Captain F— had expressed a determination to shout
him wherever he could meet with him, and that he cal rind a loaded
pistol about him for that purpose. Ile was much surpriaed, he said,
at being told this, as he had no acquaintance with Captain F—,
nor did he even know his person. The cause of his displeasure, he
understood, had related to a female. That morning he, Captain
' had occasion to call on Lord Spencer Churchill, at his
house, No. 24, Margaret-street, Cavendish-square, and while in the
act of knocking at the door, a person answering the description he
got of Captain F— came up to him, and in a confused manner
asked him if he was not Captain at the same time putting
his hand to his breast, as if to draw something from it—fortunately
he, Captain G—, had pre.ence of mind enough to answer in the
negative, or in all probability be would have been assaisinated.
'I he solicitor of Captain G--, who accompanied him with other
friends to this office, stated to Mr. Delta that the reason that induced
Captain G— to take this course, rather than resort to the usual
one upon such occasions was, that he Captain G— had been un-
fortunately engaged in a duel, in which lie shot his antagonist dead,
and that bis, Capt. G—'s friends, were in consequence bound over
in recognizance* to alarge amount for him to keep the peace.
Mr. l)raß immediately granted the warrant, and ordered chief
officer Plank to proceed forthwith in the execution of it. Plank lost
no time in doing so, arid, after some inquiry, discovered that Captain
1: was in custody of Thorowgood, the Sheriff's officer, for debt,
who, on Plank expressing a wish to be satisfied that such was the
fact, produced the writ, which of course put an end to Plank's corn-
mis,lon. Captain F—, however, said that he had every reason to
expect that he would be liberated that evening, and that on Monday
he woi.ld attend at the office. He was liberated according to hi 3
expectatioif, but immediately left town to join his Regiment, which
is on foreign service.
Between four and five o'clock on Sunday morning, Captain
accompanied by a friend of his, drove up to Plank's Muse, in a
chaise, and required of him to proceed with them to Portsmouth
to execute the warrant, as they told him they lead been informed
that Captain F—had gone there. Plank, however, having more
urgent business on his hands in town, declined to do so, but gave
the warrant to Captain G.'s friend, and they drove off with inten-
d:is to proceed to that port.

the construct►on ana corm
initial monuments. somewhat s
are well represented ; and the