Star.
London, England, 1825-10-13 00:00:00

LEET JURIES.

Yesterday the RECORDIM of London, as Steward of
the several Manors within the Borough of Southwark,'
together with the High Bailiff, attended by the several
officers, held three Courts Leet for the purpose of re-
ceiving presentments, and swearing in fresh Juties.
In the course of his charge to the Jury, the Its--
CORDER remarked, that an important part of their duty
was to inquire as to the offence of using fahe weights
and measures. He had observed, with great pain, that
in the three manors contained within the Borough of
Southwark, there were no less than 120 persons pre•
sented as having been guilty of that most serious
offence. He perceived that in many cases the amerce.
ments were but small; but he hoped in future, if the
offence were persisted in, that the Jury would regard
it with a severe eye, and inflict such penalties as uctild
prevent its being worth the patties' while to continue
the comm'ssion of it. He was glad to see that in one
instance they had gone as far in their amercements as
five pounds, and he would assure them that the offence
was not only presentable at the Leet, but was also in-
dictable at the Sessions, and punishable by fine or im-
prisonment, or both ; and he considered it his duty to
declare, that in the event of any case being brought
before the Borough Session, and found well proved by
a Jury, he, as Judge, was determined to-inflict a sen-
tence of both fine and imprisonment to a very consider-
able extent: for he felt,-that although t' tie rich and
opulent it might not be a matter of considerable im-
portance, yet to the poor man, the extent of whose
income did not amount to more than 10s. 15s. or 20s.
per week, and who had a large family to support, it
was a very serious evil. It was subjecting him to a'
tar by a party who had no right to levy it—a tax
against all law and humanity, and founded upon that
worst of passions which a human being can cherish—
an avaricious desire of gain, unmindful of the interests,
the welfare, or comfort of their neighbours

In the evening of Saturday sennight a man dressed
as a sailor, with red trowsers, decoyed two little boys
(the eldest about six years old), with the promise of
money and gingerbread, from the Quay, Bristol, to
the field on Kingsdown, leading from Cotham Lodge
to Redland Cowl, where lie stripped them a their
clothes, and left them entirely naked. Shame at their
nakedness prevented the poor little fellows from leaving
the spot, though at no great distance from Mr. Creed s
turnpike and milk-house ; and the eldest covered his
companion and himself for the night with the waste
fodder he could feel around them under a hedge. There
they were discovered on the Sunday morning.
STATE OP Cats ca.—lt is gratifying to record that the
Autumn Circuit of the Justiciary Court in Scotland, has
been altogether bloodless ; no csiminal having been sen.
tented to die. Their Lordships, in almost every instance,
congratulated the Sheriffs on the lightness of the calen-
dars. At Jedburgh there was only one case for trial ;at
Dumfries two; Ayr, six; Inverary, five; Inverness,
eight; Aberdeen, 10 ; Perth, 14; Stirling, 11 ; Glasgow,
42; Total, 99. A majority of the cases tried at Inve-
rary and Inverness were accusations of deforcement of
revenue officers; and, at all the Courts, a great propor-
tion of the crimes libelled were trivial assaults, ana
consequently visited with-lenient punishment. These
are conclusive proofs of the viAilance of the local Ma-
gistracy, and the general prosperity cl the country.
At the funeral ceremony performed a few days
back at Ruel, whither the remains of the Empress
JOSEPHINE had been transferred, and deposited in a
monument raised by her children, the following cir-
cumstance took placer—At the close of the ceremonies,
an ex-Officer of Cavalry. and a Knight of the Legion
of Honour, clad in deep mourning, advanced towards
the tomb, holding in his hand a copy of the Memoires
Historiques sur I' Imperatrice Josephine, splendidly
bound in white satin. Ile stated, that Mademoicelle
LENORMAND (the famous fortuneteller), the author of
the work, had charged him to place upon the monu-
ment the copy of the Ztlemoires, but that he had been
refused permission to do so by the Mayor of Ruel and
die Intendant ot Malmaison, these functionaries telling
him that they had bcen expressly commanded not to
allow anything to appear upon the monument but the
inscription contained in the Rayal Ordonnance.
The Church plate belonging 'o the parish of Gars-
don, near Malmesbury, and which consists of a silver
(gallon) flagon, two silver (quart) chalices, and a silver
salver, was for many years kept in a box deposited in a
lumber closet in an old mansion. There was an idle
tale told in the village, that a ghost had formerly been
laid in the box. This story was, perhaps, as useful as
a double lock, since a superstitious dread of disturbing
the ghost, effectually deterred many horn indulging
their curiosity, by scrutinizing the contents of die boa.
Having understood, from an old man, that many years
back it was reported there was some communion plate
at the great house, the Clergyman took an opportunity
to make inquiry about it. To the utter surprise of the
people of the house, on opening the lid of the box (for
the first time, perhaps, ior upwards of a century), in-'
stead of see lig a phost jump out, this valuable service
of tarnished plate presented itself ; and it was imme-
diately taken to the vicarage.hou.e.
SUDDEN DCATlL—Tuesday afternoon, a porter, in
the.employ of Mr. Grt.mo az. tea.dealer, in St Swithin's-
lane, Cannon-street, passing the end of Finch-lane,
Threadneedle-street, carrying a chest of tea, fell down,
and expired.
GannicK.—The following opinion of the histrionic
powers of GanfticK is extracted from the Letters of the
Hon. HORACE WALPuLE to Lord HERTFORD. It is an
amusing instance of the value of noble criticism. The
same noble critic saw no merit in the inimitable Ho-
SHAKSPEARE is not more admired for
writing his plays, than GARRICK for acting them. I
think him a very good and very various player, but
several have pleased me more, though I allow, not in
so many Farts. QUIN, in Falstiff, was as excellent as
GARRICK in Lear—Old JOHNSON far more natural
in everything he attempted, Mrs. PORTER and your
DUMESNIL surpassed him in passionate tragedy ; Cis me
and O'BrtzEss were what GARRICK could never reach—
coxcombs and men of fashion. Mrs. CLIVE is at least
as perfect in lo %, comedy ; and yet to me. Hanger was
the part that suited GARRICK the best of all he ever
performed. He was a poor Lothario, ridiculous Othello,
inferior to QUIN in Sir John Brute and Alacheih, and
to Claim in linos; and a woful Lord Hastings and
Lord i wonky. Ind:ed, hip Bayes was original, but
not tie true part. Cm= was the burlesque of a great
poet, as the part was designed, but GARRICK Male it
a garretteer. The town did not like him in Hotspur,
and yet I don't know whether he did not succeed in it
beyond all the rest. Sir CHARLES WILLIAMS and
Lord HOLLAND thoaght so too, and they were no bad
judges."