Star.
London, England, 1829-12-03 00:00:00

APPEALS TO THE PRIVY COUNCIL.

The Lords of his Majesty's Most Hon. Privy Council
had a Meeting yesterday morning in the Council Chamber, to re-
sume the bearing of Appeals, one of which had been opened the
day preceding; the Lords present were the same as on Tuesday,
Lord Wynford presiding. The Paymaster of the Forces joined
their Lordships during a short period of the Sitting.
Mr. Bosons addressed their Lordships at considerable length
for the respondents, in the appeal et Wlsat v. Porutber, which had
occupied the Court the whole of the day preceding. Mr. Burgess,
and the Counsel by whom he was supported, argued, that as to
the plea that the mortgagres had been in possession of the estate
for such a number of years as to constitute their, a legal title, and
consequently preclude the respondents from making proof of claim
incumbrances, which they maintained existed prior to that of
the mortgagees, some of the parties in the case were infants ; and
could not, therefore, have commenced proceedings before.
Mr. 'taupe% for the appellants, replied, and stated, that if the
other parties had any such plea as was now pt forward in the bill
filed by them in 1821, it ought to hive been explicitly stated, so
that issues might have been joined. De also commented on the
hardship of that part of the Decree which ordered them to produce
the accounts and vouchers of the expend' s of the estate, which,
front the complicated nature of the establishments on such estates,
and the distance of time to which the Decree referred, could not
be done.
The case having concluded, their Lordships intimated that they
would make known their derision at a future period.
The next: Appeal, Simpson versos Forrester, from Demerara,
was opened by Dr. Lushington, in support of the appellants ; he
was followed on the same side by Mr. Telford.
Mr. Adam addressed their Lordships for the respondents, and
was replied to by Dr. Lushington.
Lord Wynroan. on the part of their Lordships stated, that in
deciding the case, they were guided by the practice of the Dutch
[ Civil Law. A sum of money was left tn3one of the parties by her
. husband, and as far as the intention of the testator could be steer-
, tained, the wife was to have the benefit of the property during her
lifetime by enjoying the dividends of the funds in which it was or-
' dered to be invested. with power at her death to dispose of the
principal ; should she net dispose of it as directed, it became liable
to the creditors of her husband.
The Judgment of the Colonial Court was confirmed, and the ap-
peal dismissed, but without taste.
The Meeting then atii"urtiett.
DESTRUCTION OF RAMSUATE THEATRE.

ILA MSG ATH, Dm 1.
Last night, at a late hour, this town was thrown into
dismay by the announcement of a fire, which bad broken out in
the theatre a short time after the performances had closed. In
an instant the bells on the pier were set tinging, and the en-
gines put
,in motion, and, in a short time, the inhabitants had
congregated near the scene to the amount of many hundreds. •
—Unfortunately, ftoin the confined situation of the premises,
there was a seamy supply of water, and it was feared that the
houses proximate would fall a prey to the devastating element.
However, by a judicious application Of the quantity that could be
obtained, the fire was confined to the indicting, though it raged,
from the combustible nature of the interior, with appalling and
destructive force. The roof very soon gave way, owing to the
rafters having igeited through the agency of the burning scenery,
which consumed like wild fire; and notwithstanding the exertions
of the inhabitants, who seemed to vie with each other in activity,
no human aid could subdue the terrific influence of the element,
and long before day-light the whole of this fine property, with all
the scenery, dresses, decorations, &c. were consumed.
The theatre is the property of Mr. Fawcett Salvi 1. whose com-
pany of comedians have lately been performing with great success.
The house, we understand, is insured, but not to au amount
sufficient to co►er the loss.
The fire is supposed to have originated from a candle having
been incautiously left burning, and a spark flying frum it commu-
nicating to some of the scenery. 'fbe.,poor comedians are left in a
woful plight.

LORD KINGSTON and Mr. .MACDON N ELL.—Mr.
'Franks, the law agent of the Earl of Kingston, received
a letter from his Lordship, intimating his:wish that if the
punishment awarded against Mr. J. M. Macdonnell should
be light, that Counsel would address the Court to have it
altogether remitted, but stating that if the punishment
should be of a serious nature, he would himself personally
apply to Government for its remission. Mr. M'Donnell,
for a libel on the Noble Lord, was sentenced to pay a fine
of 50/. to the King, be imprisoned six months in the gaol
of Kilmainham, and give security to be of the peace for
seven years, himself in 5001. and two securities in 250/.
each.
ME POST Or Flc E.---Rumours have been prevalent
through town for some days past, relative to the detec-
tion of certain clerks in the General Post-office in the
commission of frauds, and their consequent dismissal.
On inquiry, we learned that no fraud had been disco-
vered, and that no dismissal had taken place ; but some
clerks have been suspended from duty, pending an inves-
tigation which had been instituted respecting the conduct
of the officers whose business it was to lodge the monies
reeved from the country offices in the Bank of Ireland.
=Dublin Morning Register. •
su•
bletting act ' We believe a draft of an amended suble act has
been already prepared, at the instance of theltivernment,
and that it will be one of the first measures submitted
after the opening of Parliament.—Morning Register.
EXTREME DISTRESS.--In order to form seine idea of
the situation of our fellow-creatures struggling for a
bare existence in the Liberty, it is enough to know that
the Distress Committee at the Mansion House have been
compelled to cOnSfie their relief to a sum averaging one
penny per diem for each individual. Even under this
limited plan the funds now in hand will not carry the
operations of the -Committee far beyond. the ensuing
'Christmas;' and' neither clothes nor bedding have been,
.nor can be; distributed to those who are `sleeping upon
straw withaut a'blanket to cover them. It is apprehend-
ed that 400 cotton weavers in the Liberty will be thrown
out of employment next week, and east upon the Com-
mittee:—Dublin Morning Register.
The Waterford Chronicle of Saturday says—" For
the satisfaction of the friends of the county of Water-
ford, we shall simply say, that the independent ilterest
are taking their measures in the most effectual m inner ;
and-that the Beresford party will find their temporary
hopes dispelled and dissipated into air.
The information from Liverpool this morning of the
30th November, states—" We continue to experience a
fair inquiry for British Plantation Sugar, and the sales
of this week amount to 800 hhds. at steady prices ; be-
sides 1200 bags of good Brown, at 475. 6d. to 535. per
cwt.- There was also a steady demand for Cotton : the
sales were during the week, 14,350 bags. The demand
for Tobacco rather limited, sad the prices keep steady."

SMITHFIELD MARKET,' Dia. 0.
cams As aassas.. :•:•.4-. •
Iloasts•• U4 !Cobras •••vsdup•trm•—•••••• 334
Instep sad lAwabsPip ...trogt,4o *.s,, r
stralt 110
ISsef ....mils 44 ts 4s 041 Vat:. —. ~.* . ail to 4s 641
Mlatt;; •••• •••11. 'ld 4s 44 Posifflati.Ar` Id 44 04
• •As •• Od Or Od 4 Okbilr•=- I
•
• Hay per load, 40 II& to 44 10ssr..alottP41 &to Ad"
-Al 104. to 41 las. .,...,..,•: .
- .- .

THE SONNETS OF SHAKSPEARE.

NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE FOR DEr.:EMfER.
HENRY COLIUBIC San *SEWARD BENTLEY.
I am frequ,... y obliged to decline conintontc..tions transmit:eel
to this periodical; (lone their contain:llg par idoxical epit.ions win, la
I have no desire to promul,ate. It is no: always, how,vct . 'Cl-
out reluctance, that. I take my leave of :Mee whoitable vendee -
lions. In sense of them there is Such an amusing vein of ;set v. r rid
ingenuity, th.t but for my aversion to be relsonsible tor other
men's eceent: :cotes, I at; uld be moved to publi-h them.
A piper comithorly answering to this description bas teen lately
supplied to me by a friee.d, who is lucid on every subject is the -
world excepting one, but on that one, which is Snakspeate, the
zeal of Gone house has eaten him up. My friend has discovered.
as he imagines, iu Shakspeare's sonnets, a clue to the entire history
of the poet's life; and be hails these poems as a rich nom of in.
formation, which, by a folly little abort of fatality, has bee,.
hithetto neglected by all the poet's hiograph-ra. Happy di.ettsery,
could he only make good his words ! How blessedly i world save
us from repeating the stale truth, ao.l lamenting the tee •me (liable
misfortune, that we know so little of our Shakspeare'a titivate
history. For who can pardon the Genius of Biography tiers she
neglected the poet in his own days, and cnnsigned not his .i3Ong
picture to her o:lets—that she has told us every thing about 01 fi-
nery men, and almost nothing about the prodigy of nature—J:lqt
she has embalmed so in.ny dwarfs of our literature, and buried i .
Colossus in oblivion ?
But to return to my sanguine friend,—after he has lustily bela-
boured George Steevens, fur daring to say that the strtmgest Act
of rarliameot oasolei not he sr: g ermigh tJ chrome the MILIIt
reading of Sh..aspere'.. sonnets, rod .est: be-towed some e :gclls-
don on Mr. Malone for having at) weakly defended them, Le I 1-t-
-ete& to dig up, att.!. in his own words, to exit :oat the dist:owed
mine of Shakspeariaa biography. Alas! it i. a poor
and very easily exhausted ; geed his golden hopes turn out ;the the
generality of modern mining speculations. I was les. surptioal,
however, that my friend should have fallen into a fit of ringer. via.
on any subject connected with Sli kveare, than that this erroneous
over-estimate of the light derivable from then: poems re-peen:.:
the poet's history, should have apparently origimtrd ai:h w.c of
the most brilliatit and acute si,irtts of the age,—l mean Anta,t
Wilhelm Schlegel : be is an cxcrllert and eloquent critic. In.:
with all my respect tor &Vega. I cannot le-1p thinking that he
bad not exactly wri,tfird the forte of his wor.'s, when he made the
following remade to his dramatic lectures. "It b.- rayed" la.-
says, "no ordinary tie lief, icy of critical acumen in the conunta.-
talon of Shakspeare, 'het 1.0 one of them has ever thought of elm::
ing himself of his sonnet, for tracing the List.lry of Lis life. Theo:
sonnets paint, most on qtavo ally, the actual situation and Wit;
mews of the poet, and they eisaltle, us to become acquainted with
the passions of the ni in. They even coot.in :lie most remarkable
confession of his youthful errors."
Now, if Shakspeares commentators were to in the new .li.cove-
ries in the poet's biography, it most have been it. one of tam way.—
either by the facts sad traditions otherwise existing reap. c:mg Is .
life, receiving illustrations from the contents of the .ormets, r .
from additional intrinsic facts being f tool in eh tie poems the:::.
selves. Looking at either or both of tease mode, of investigati..g
Shak.peare's life, I can see no glaring proof of tl-ficient acumen in
cornnientaturs on their failing to hiographise bias ley the help of
his sonnets; and I should have pixie l Schlegel himself if he had
been condemned, with all these poems about him, as reflecting
te-
lescopes, to make the history of Shakspeare importantly mote dia.
duct. What were the commentators to discover in these sonnets ?
—I mean, what clear and circumstantial facts—fut it is too bad to
blame biographers for not tracing the history of a man's life by the
aid of documents that furnish only conjectures and 'surmises. I
venture to say that the facts attested by the sonnets can be held in
a nutshell—that they do not unequivocally paint the ac:ual situa-
tion of the poet, or in all instances give us a draught of his senti-
ments that is to be literally interpreted—that they do not make us
acquainted with his passions, so as to throw any new light upon his
history which can be called,-in the slightest degree, important nr
satisfactory—and, that they do not contain any confession of the
most remarkable errors of his youthful years.
To begin with the last uf these points, the only part of the
sonnets that can be pretended to contain any specific confession on
the part of Shakspeare of his own immorality, are those which are
dedicated to an apparently trail female ; and the error to which he
there alludes, assuming his gallantry m have been real and criminal,
was not an affair of his youth, but of a period of his life
" When age in love loves not to have years to:dr'
for he speaks of himself in Sonnet 138—
" Thus vainly thinking that she thinks me young,
Although she knows my days are past the best."
I may be reminded, Lofted. that the discovery of a frailty in a
great nsan's life, unpleasant as it may be, is not diminished in im-
portance by its appearing to have been es. error of his graver
years : and I must own, that if we are to interpret this love-affair
by the letter of his own confession, we shall be obliged to acknow-
ledge that our insmortal bard bad not always the fears of Doctors'
Commons before his eyes. But my present object is nei-
ther to advocate nor to impeach the immaculate morality of Stith-
speare, so that I waive discussing the possibility of the whole affair
having been lintited to paper and poetry. The simple point on
which I insist is this, that magnify this discovery as much as you
please into the broadest shade on Slakspeares conjugal character, it
throws no light on his biography beyond a solitary, insulated, and
most obscure incident, illustrating, at the worst, without name of.
or accompanying circumstasces, the mighty truth that Shakspeare's
virtue was nut infahible. Having promised not to visit the reader
with any special argumentation on the possible chance of the
-poet having, in these sonnets to his lady mistress, exaggerated the
nature of then intercourse, I will keep my wo d with hint ; for
it is difficult to prove a negative, and try to dwell on matter
of pule conjecture, though I may leave a mere hint to
his charity nut to lose all sight of such a possibility. Doctor
Drake. I know, is by no means so iedifferent on this subject, as to
trust the above hypothesis in the post's favour to fortuitous
candour, but flies to smog:hen the defensive pass wish a host of
arguments, tending to prove that .Shakspeare, having been then a
father and a married man, the amour must base been all coterie
and chimera. Tue Doctor, at the same time, laments that the
sonnets ever made their appearance. Bat if we treat the whole
matter as imaginary, why lament the testimonies of a verbal
amour? and if the fact was others/ix, I e.ri see no great benefit
that cou:d result to the world from believing any one man that
ever existed to have been more immaculate than be really was
But Dr. Dtake goes farther, and. not very consistently with his
oven system, abuses the lady, calling bar profligate, and the worst
woman (we must suppose Juvenars heroines included) that was
ever described by the pea of a poet. Tiber* i. reason in roasting
eggs, Dr. Drake ; and let there be reason also before you seer& to
blackness the memory of a poor female. If the affair was unreal,
where was the guilt of this anonyoutis lady? and if it was not
unreal, Shakspeare. in as far as they were both concerned, must
have been as profligate as herself, and, apparently, less excusable,
since he was, according to Ms own account, as elderly personage,
who ought to Ita“'edilleskand not assailed her with his" sugared"
sonnets. As to his accusations of her, they go, with me, far isoildni
on either supposition. In the caw of the matter hiving born Mere
coquetry. we know not what the lady might have bad to say for
herself ; or supposing she bad nothing to say, her offence was venial.
•If k was otherwise. Shakspeare, with reverence be it splice, yes.
the wet Sharpen., 'man, only in the light of a kiss-and-tell
who, Weed,
.bielisgrAlogs is warning that be a
est shirrs to bS believed. Aulielil tiitdtiMabet be says—
• 'l.l‘
• 'Mill tiamlifeyebAn LW:
Now skis illwrouleg beirtile Own is bag,
Mad deedevere by teed can believed be."

If