Star.
London, England, 1823-10-06 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

THE MAIMESCRIPT or 1814. A History of Events which led to the
Abdication of Napoleon, written at the command of the Emperor.
By Baron Fain, Secretary of the Cabinet at that Epoch. With
Maps, Autograpb, &c. Yvo. London, 1883.
If the conduct and character of Bonaparte are not
now pretty well known, it is not for want of materials
by which they may be estimated, for within the last
twelve months those materials have been numerous and
valuable. The Journal of Las Cases, and the Memoirs
of Napoleon, by Generals Gourgaud and blontholon, have
furnished the most ample details of the political and mi-
litary life of Napoleon, from his rise, at the siege of Tou-
lon, to his fall, at the battle of Waterloo. They also
contain his opinions on a variety of subjects—his esti-
mate of public men, &c. The tvork of Baron Fain con-
fines itself to a limited period—but that one of the most
eventful periods in the life of Bonaparte, when. the tide
of his fortune was rapidly ebbing, and when he, who
carried the torch of war into so many countries, saw it
lighted in his own empire. Tlie Baron gives a plain
straight-forward narrative of the battles, marches, and
negociations during the spring of 1814, up to the occu-
pation of Paris, and the abdication of Napoleon at Fon-
tainbleau. Of the interest of these details it is unneces-'
sary to speak, since they constitute a valuable portion
of the history of a most important age.

NETZOSOLOGICAL ESSAYS •ND OSSZIMATIONS. By J. Frederic Da.
niell, F.R.S. With Engravings of Instruments, Diagrams, and
Lunar Tables. Sao. London, 1825. - . _

Though every person may not be weathepwise, yet
there are few persons who are not almost daily called
upon to exercise their judgment on the subject. It is,
however, singular, that on a subject of every-day occur-
rence with everybody, so little has been dose towards
forming a theory of the weather, or ascertaining positive
data on which its changes may be calculated. To be
sure, the world has net been without weather conjurors,
whose sage prophecies and calculations have, however,
done nothing for science, except going pretty far to tiling
it into ridicule.

Mr. Daniell, on the contrary, advances no extravagant
theories, no rash speculation, but reasons soberly and
acutel yon the meteorological datawhichare authenticated,
and on the observations he has made, and hence his in-
ferences on the deductions of science and experiment.
Mr. Daniel passes over two grand principles, which
have great power in modifying the atmospheric changes—
electricity and lunar influence, as their operation at
present is too obscure; he thinks, however, the moon
exerts a considerable influence on the changes of the
atmosphere, and suggests the reason why that in-
fluence has not hitherto been properly estimated,
" from the effect of the atmospheric tide being sought
for and measured on the surface of the earth at the base
of the column, where it must be the leant; for the weight
of the perpendicular column would not be so much af-
fected as that of its horizontal sections," and " the
amount of lunar influence should be sought in the va-
riations of the differences of density, between some high
elevation and the level of the sea."
Mr. Daniell's work we consider as a valuable scienti-
fic publication, calculated to do more towards obtain-
ing a theory of the weather than all the writers toge-
ther that have preceded him.

The Radicals are said to be making o•reat progress
in some of thOcounties. We hear that Mr. BROUGHAM
will be returned fbr Westmoreland on the first oppor-
tunity.—Morning Paper.
FIRES.— Between seven and eight o'clock, on Tuesday
evening, a fire broke out in a large hop oast, belong-
ing to John Miller, Esq. at Bow-hill, situated in an
orchard at the back of the premises, which in a short
time consumed the building, together with about .500
bushels of hops drying on the kilns. The engines were
dispatched from Maidstone with all possible haste, but
they arrived too late to be of any service, the greater'
part of the roof having previously fallen in. The wind
providentially blew in a contrary direction to the rest
of the buildings, which, consequently, escaped destruc-
tion. The fire, we hear, originated from the bursting
of one of the cockles. The damage is estimated to be
from seven to 8001. The property was insured.
About twelve o'clock, on the night of Sunday se'n-
nilit, a large barn, belonging to Mr. Henry Robert
Coulter, situate near Doddington Church, was disco-
vered to be on. fire, and before any assistance could be
afforded, the whole of the building, which was filled
with corn, wad entirely destroyed, as also a stable ad-
joining, and two valuable core stacks. It was with
great difficulty the horses were removed from the
stable, and they had been taken out bin a few moments,
before the root fell in with a tremendous crash. The
amount of property destroyed is computed at 20001.
none of which was insured.

Saturday morning, between one and two o'clock, a
most alarming fire broke out at the house of Mr. Tho-
mas Floyd, in Pilgrim-lane, Chelsea. It was fist disco-
vered by a neighbour, who had remained up rather late,
and observing frons his window a most extraordinary
quantity of smoke issuing from the lower part, he went
to the door, and alarmed the family, who bad retired to
bed about two hours before ; but before they got up,
the smoke increased, and the door was forced in, when,
upon getting the vent of air, the staircase and all the
lower part instantly burst into flames. It was impossible
to enter, and happily the family was got safe out at the
upper windows, by means of ladders. Some of them
were in a state of nudity, end nearly suffocated. In-
formation being sent to the different stations of the fire-
enginut several were soon upon the spot, and having
ob a good supply of water, the firemen com-
niqqced playing with the greatest alacrity ; in about
half an hour they succeeded in checking the further
pr sof the devouring element, and at four o'clock
the frames ;mere entirely got tinder. Considerable pro-
perty has been destroyed, but it is not known bow the
4te originated. Thehosta was eampliately guttad.

THE LATE MR. WELCH, OF PLYMOUTH.

27, Sr. AUSIII-STILM, Psratours-Docr, OCT. 2, 1119.5.

Ste—Having been a constant reader of the Seus Paper between
twenty and thirty years, a paragraph met my eyes this morning, in
your Paper of Tuesday, just received, respecting the accident of
Mr. Welch, of tide town ; the latter part of which is sn incorrectly
stated, that, in justice to the Gentleman, Mr. Keratin, whose pr,
tient he was, as well as to several of the most respectable Sorrow

and Physicians of this town and Plymouth, who, together with
myself, attended hint, I have to request you will pill& the real
state of the facts. The accident, as you have stated, happened in a
boat in Plymouth Sound : he was landed under the Hoe, at Ply-
mouth, and imthediately visited by Dr. Stewart and Mr. John
Fuge, who found hint in a state nearly dying, without any percep-
tible pulse. He was brought to Dock on a litter, and Mr. Kepi-
will saw 4im within twenty minutes after be was in his house. By
accident, I met Mr. KerswiU within It few yards of Mr. Welch's
house, and went with him. He was !tin extremely languid, and
hardly capable of answering our questions; no bleeding from the
wound bad recurred from the time he was visited by Dr. Stewart
and Mr. Fuge, nor did any return afterwards, up to the time of his
death., Being undressed and placed in a warm bed, and proper cor•
dials, .due. given him, be began to rally towards night ; and, with
the aloof an opiate, passed it more comfortably than could have
been expected. On Sunday morning considerable re-action had
.come on, and a moderate bleeding from the arm was judged ne-
cessary, which he bore with evident advantage. The wound by
the gun-shot was not attended with any bad symptoms. Things
went on thus favourable until the following day, about one o'clock,
r.sr. when he complained of sudden and most severe cramp in the calf
of the injured limh,which continued nearly two hours, and then totally
subsided. It was folio ed (as I saw him at the expiration of that
time), by a swelling Of the leg to within two inches and a half of
the knee, of a peculiar hardness, not receiving any impression Wont
the linger, accompanied with a faint purplish blush of the akin, de-
fined by a well-marked circle around it. On our visiting the patient
about six hours after, the discolouration bad assumed a deeper hue,
and the foot and lower part of the limb lost its temperature and
warmth. Mortification went on rapidly from this time, but never
extended beyond the defined circle mentioned above. The wounu
never partook in the slightest degree of it, but continued perfectly
healthy up to the time when the amputation took place. He was
daily visited by the Surgeons and Physicianswho first law him; and
in consultation, the time for the operation was fixed without a single
difference of opinion. He bore the operation well, and did not lose
two ounces of blood under it.

In the paragraph in your Paper. it is said, « he Was brought on
shore, and the violent hemorrhage stopped."
It woo not stopped by any surgical aid, for it had ceased of itself,
from faintness, and the extreme shock which the constitution had
suffered. Your account further says, " mortification was expected
to come on." Now, by the above recited account, you will find it
had come on, not in the wound, but in the calf of the leg below ;
an event as unlocked for as possible, in that part, but very likely to
have taken place in the thigh, in which was lodged the whole load,
or charge of large shot.

As the account in your Paper must have been given by some per-
son, through misrepresentation, either intentional or without the
necessary information of the case, you will be only doing an act of
justice to those under whose care Mr. Welch was placed, to give it
correctly. I am, Sir, your most obedient servant,
D. LITTLE, S'irgeon.

P.S. He survived the operation nearly twelve hours ; and, until
two hours before he died, appeared to be in a fair way of doing weU.
(The paragraph complained of we copied from a Morning Paper.]

The new Danish Consul-General has been received
by the Dey of TRIPOLI with great distinction. He seems
to be greatly pleased with the Consul's manners, and
his ability to converse in several languages.
The harvest in East Prussia has been very productive,
and the warm weather favourable for getting it in.
Pease alone have here and there failed, and nothing is
wanting to relieve the farmer but good corn prices,
those which he now obtains being barely sufficient to
cover the expenses of cultivation.

The grand autumn reviews at Berlin are now ended,
having continued nearly three weeks. His Majesty the
King of PRUSSIA, has signified his satisfaction to all the
Commanders of corps and regiments.
In the year 1822, the pi oduce of the mines in Siberia
was, gold, 74 poods five pounds; in coin a sum of
4,035,532 rubles in gold; silver 1,225 poods, or 4,702,000
silver rubles.

The late destructive fever at Sierra Leone and the
western coast of Africa has greatly lessened its ravages ;
the remaining Europeans on the coast, and the squadron
employed there for the suppression of the Slave Trade,
by the latest accounts were healthy. His Majesty's ship
Cyrene was lying in Sierra Leone river, and her crew
bad greatly recovered from the effects of fever.
In order to prorsote the practice of Vaccination in the
Netherlands, the Minister of the Interior has signified
to the provincial administrations, that it is his Majesty's'
express desire, that all schoolmasters and school-
mistresses already established, or who shall be estab
lished in future, shall engage not to receive any pupil
who is not provided with a regular certificate of having
been vaccinated or had the small pox.—Brussels Paper.

THE GERMAN DIET.—It appears that at the ap-
proaching opening of the German Diet, Hanover will
continue to be at the head of tl4 opposition which has
been formed it) that Assembly since the declaration
made by the Ministers of Austria and Prussia, in conse-
quence of the decisions of the Congress of Vienna. Thu
opinion is strengthened by the important news which
we have received, that according to instructions trans-
mitted from London, the Hanoverian Government has
taken the resolution not to send any more a Commis.
sioner to Mayence to form a part of the Central Com-
mission of Inquiry, sitting in that town. This resolu-
tion is of a nature to cause a great sensation among the
Members of the Germanic Diet.--Jaunt. de Bruxelles.

MISSION TO AFRICA FOR THE DISCOVERY OP THE
COURSE OF THE NIGER.—We have the greatest satisfac-
tion in announcing that our three enterprising country-
men, Dr. OUDENAY, Major DENHAM, and Lieut.
CLAPPERTON, who left London on the above interesting
and hazardous expedition, under the authority of
Government, in 1821, arrived at Bornou, in the centre of
the continent of Africa, in February last, and were ex-
ceedingly well received by the Sultan of that kingdom.
The Doctor is to remain at Bornou as British Vice-
Consul, while the other parties pursue their inquiries as
to the course of this long sought river. The fol-
lowing extract of a Letter from Tripoli, dated Au-
gust 1, and relating to the same subject, appears in
one of the Brussels papers received this morning:—" A
Courier has arrived here' from Bornou, in the interior
of Africa, with the news of the arrival in that town of
the intrepid English travellers. It is to be hoped that
their adventutous undertaking to travel into those
countries, will be more fortunat* than those of. their
predecessors.