Star.
London, England, 1828-07-09 00:00:00

,GOLFING.

jatpty, a Gentleman of the law performed the extraordinary
feat of.driirloa a ball, the tee bring a barrel stave, over the summit
of •allonument, front the gravel walk in the' inthwed
around of St. atadreves•oquare, Edinburgh.

_ _ - T

EDINBURGH, Jui..Y

Saturday evening a respite, during: VA. N.!ajesty's
pleasure, was received by the Lord Pit:most f reter
Henderson, under sentence of death here. to, abs•rac .
ing Money from letters. This wilrome
WAS communicated to the witoltuntte man yesteid.iy
.by his Lordship.
Saturday the silver c:uh given by tie Cit.. of Eli,.
burgh was played for on brim and won by John
Taylor. Esq. of the Exchequer.
The new stone wall which enclo‘ es ,he Obt.cmitn‘y
on the east and south is now nearly finished, and,
its two massive porches, is evidently a great improve-
ment. Mr. Playfaies monument occupies precisely the
angle, and by its position forms a counterpart to the
old bbilding, which stands at the other tstremi:y of the
south wall. The new Ohservatery is now• finely ex.
posed, especially en the east sik!e, !itt it will not he
seen to lull advantage till the ground is levelled on the

amide. • •
The weather still continues warm, and the crops ate
coming fast forward under itigenial influence, although
the rains that have fallen have been tint:pourable to the
cut hay. All kinds of crop present a most luxuriant
appearance, and there it every prospect of a most
abundant harvest.
THE VIRGINAL.--A rare and beautiful, relic of the
olden time has just been presented to the Museum cf
the Northern Institution, by William Mackintosh, Esq.
of Millbank—an ancient virginal, the favourite mu-
' sical instrument, with keys, which was in use among
our ancestors prior to the invention of the spinnet
and harpsichord. .Mary,Qgetn of Scots, who de-
lighted' in, music, in her,snosneots of 6. joyetisitye," as
John Knox phrases it, used to play. finely on , the
virginal; and her, more fortunate rival, Queen Eliza-
beth, was so exquisite a• performer on the same instiu-
rnent, that Melville says, on hearing her once play in her
chamber, he was irresistibly drawn into the room. The
.virginal now deposited in our Mesuem, formerly be-
, longed to a noble family in this neighbourhood* and is
considered to be almost the only one remaining in
Scotland. It is made of oak, inlaid with cedar, and
richly ornamented with gold. The cover and sides are
beautifully painted with figures of birds, fl•swers, and
leaves, the colours of which are still comparatively
fresh and undecayed. On one part of the lid is a grapd
Rrocession of warriors, satiom a bevy r•f fair dames are
,propitiating by piesetits or offerings of wile and fruits.
'Altogether, the virginal may he regarded as aline
srofsimen °feat% and is doubly interesting as a meow-
rud of times long gone by.—lnverness Courier.
• ..An.alteoition is now making in the Kelso Road,
which aril) be of much advantage to earls and stags.
GOS,Ehel. Jt is a new cut extending from a mile and
half on this side of 131acksheils to half a mile beyond it.
It runson the west side of the old road, indfat (tom
aiganoe.fipm it, but it will be rather
.stkone.f.yharifin
present line, and will enable, vehicles to avoid the stop
.and dangerous acclivities which occur iit''Fala Dam.
It is expected to be finished in about a year. '• •
Coups* ANGUS.—A 'party of the third dragoon
,guards arrived hire on Friday last. The same • party
'were in this place five years ago, when two of Odd
married. Their spouses came home some time ago,
and,reported that their husbands were dead. They
were afterwards married again is two individuals-of
this place. Their first mates, however, returned with
the party, and went in search of their wise'. They
soon discovered What had happened; . but the lair
ones and their last possessors have since absconded.
An unfortunate maniac, named William Cameron,
who was lately liberated from the Inverness Lunatic
Asylum, was on Monday last committed prisoner to
the jail of Nairn, charged with the crime of murder and
assault.

An Oporto letter, of a highly confidential character,
end written by one of the parties who Went oat in ttle
Belfast steam packet, mentions that Count de VILLA
FLoa had been appointed to command the centre, Gea•
SALDANHA the right, and General Srunas the let sing
of the Army of Operations. about to advance against
Lisbon. The Junta had also been re-organized, 314
Count da TAIPA appointed President. Several of the
previous members had requested permission to join the
artny, in the character of Colonels, the rank which 114
before held: One of the first resolutions.entereJ into
by the Junta was, not to accept the services of any I,'•
Feigner whatsoever, the cause in which they were en•
gaged being essentially Portuguese. Further letters
from Oporto are hr urly expected, as a vessel sailed fer
London on the lame day as the one which, after ants'
tremely quick passage,brought the last advices toDublin.

_
MARRIED.
forme!
At Wilco( Church, Wilts, the Rev. Wm: Bleed', B.A. forrne, te
of Magdalen. Hall, Oxford, to Charlotte, youngest daughter °it
late John Goodman, Esq. of Oare souse, Wilts.
___,.

DIED.
At Hedon, the Rev. John Dixon, upwards of forty-Eitel°
Minister of Preston and Hedon.
At Martin Bainham, the Rev. John Norris, B.A. of Caius Collett'
Cambridge, third son of the Bet. George Norris, of Wood Nona,
Nortulk, aged
July 5, at Hampstead, Major D. IL Parker, formerly of the ittl
Light Dragoons.
Saturday caviling, the sth instant, the Infant son of ifi,coso
Duricanm.n, Caveildish.square.
At liiraimillock, the Key. William Graham, of the Vollei
iece,sion Church.

1 H- 447 ATE at LONDON...BRIDGE TO ,1101( HOW.
Morning ' YL minutes atter 1
• Afternoon • • • 41 ettnuees.ato

lA):.s,tori: Printed +La! utrAsurti .11wrxq the
..t tie STAR Orrice, Nu. 1, I'icket•tlrc*y Twee Bar.