Star.
London, England, 1825-08-29 00:00:00

CURIOUS CASE OF LUNACY.

An Inquisition was last week held at the White Hart
Inn, Salisbury, to inquire whether a Gentleman of pro-
perty, *named Sackville Burroughs, Esq. was, or was
not a lunatic ?

Mr. Sackville Burroughs (the lunatic) stated, that the
people in the house had been using coercive measures
with him ; that they wished to take away his property;
that he bad a large sum of money, from 200 to 300,0001.
in. Paris, sent there by Mr. Coutts, in case he should be
arrested while on the Continent ; that he had been in
Parliament for Preston, in Lancashire, and had been
voted a Peer of the realm.

Dr. Finch, in describing the incoherent notions of Mr.
Burroughs, said, among other things, when he first came
to me, the Duke of Wellington was an object of his re-
venge. He said be had been persecuted by him on ac-
count of his having greater influence in the country
than the Duke, and on account of his promotion. He
then changed the object from the Duke to Lord Liver-
pool, and said, if he had an opportunity he would kick
them, and shoot them, and be revenged of them. About
a fortnight ago Lord Radnor and Lord Folkestone were
objects of lus revenge. He believes in supernatural
agency, and fancies that the secrets of the Cabinet art
conveyed to him thereby. He says, that the Ministers
have given 50001. each to Lord Folkestone and others
to rat. He told me he had been examining Dr. Rees'.
Cyclopedia, and found that nine things in ten were
wrong. He said Dr. Rees called a ship a machine; but
he called it a piece of a machine, made up of sympathy.
I asked him how an inanimate thing could be capable
of sympathy ? He answered, in the same manner as the
wool of a coat sympathised with the sheep from which
it was taken. He fancies himself a Peer of the realm,
and has with his peerage from 100 to 500,000/.
Dr. Grove examined—l had some conversation with
him about the Cabinet Ministers. He said Lotd Liver-
pool and Lord Grey, under the sanction of the King,
had murdered Mr. Perceval. I asked him how he knew?
He said he had secret -intelligence that a man at Mr.
Warburton's hod provided the pistol. He said all his
meat was drugged—it had a great effect upon his con-
stitution, and made him as rampant as a bull. He said
he had a large sum of money left him by the will of
Mr. Coutts ; that he was in the possession of Fonthill,
wh•ch he intended to sell. He talked of starting a
stage-coach from London to Fonthlll, and said he knew
I,e should lose 20001. a-year by it, but still he would
start it. He also said he was a Peer of the realm, and
sat in the House of Commons; that he had a privilege
of sitting in either House. He abused Rees's Cyclope-
dia, and said he could write a better in a few weeks '
He also abused Lord Pembroke. He told me he was
not mad, but was confined by Government, on account
of opposition to Ministers. He also told me many othet
things, but so incoherently that I could not follow him.
The medical men were decidedly of opinion that Mr. Burroughs
was insane; and the Jury pronounced accordingly.

The Governor of the State Of Rhode Island has a sa-
lary of only 400 dollars a-year, and the Lieutenant-Go-
, vernor receives only 200 dollars.
RECEIPTS OP THE FRENCH THEATRES.—Niuch interest
has been excited in Paris by the fi:e at Satins, which
was of a most ruinous nature; and among other means
-devised to raise funds to relieve the sufferer!, benefits
on thtir behalf were given at some of the principal
Theatres. The receipts, which are as follow, may serve
as a fir specimen of the money taken it ;he French
houses:—

Theatre de !4 Gaite • • . 2,900 f. or 4•100.
.---. de Madame • . 4,700 f. or 3ki57;
.--- de L'Ambigu Comique . or £96.
- Porte Sr. Martin . . 5,900 f. or £:0t).
- layal de L'Olcon . . S,Ofgt. or 4200.

DEATI •OF AN F.CCEN TRW CHARACTER.
Died, at Easterfernie, We, latelik, Andrew Birrel, an old man of
rather eccentric habits. He was native Black, Tankard. and
is said to have been a smuggler In isis younger days: he had cep .
tainly acquired all the hardiness and indifference of that intractable
class, though, contrary to their custom, he was a very careful man
of his money. On some quarrel with his relations, concerning the
division of a trifling property, be quitted his home and original
oc-
cupation about thirty years ago, and commenced working soberly
with a spade and pickaxe in this quarter. His home was a mi-
serable hovel without a window—his only bed a frame of sticks.
He was of quiet habits, and seldom moved to anger, except by the
offer of female assistance in the arrangement of his household con-
cerns—a circumstance which (from whatever cause) never failed to
infiamq his choler. Though a laborious and regular workman, he
never took more than one meal a day ; and this he bad prepared
for him at breakfast time (along with a single glass of whisky) by
the landlady it the Bow-of-Fife. At other meal-times he took his
seat quietly on a stone while his comrades ate, or perhaps indulged
himself in a draiight of water, but was never known to taste food.
One morning, some years ago, while sitting at his single meal, a
stranger catre in whom Andrew Immediately recognized as the
brother who had offended him. The stranger seated himself on the
opposite side of the fire, and, calling for a bottle of ale, said to the
landlady, " Do ye ken ony body o' the num: o' Birrel hereabouts?
his name is Andrew—l lea ana seen him for this five an' twenty
year, and I would like weel to find him." Mrs. Wanton, who did
not know wh it reason oar customer might have f)r remaining con-
cealed, gave little answer; and Andrew continued quietly to mas-
ticate his breakfast ; at last, having finished his eatables, he took up
his glass of whisky, and nodding to the stranger, drank it off, saying.
" flue's to you, I'm thinking there's twa Birrei's in the house i' the
now," and taking his hat, he went away without another word. He
died worth five pounds, which were very willingly expended by
the neighbours, according to his directions, in providing a liberal
d raig :Herald.