Star.
London, England, 1821-10-09 00:00:00

LINES, •
ON THE GENERAL. CRY THAT FAIR WEATHER 13
ONLY WANTING TO ENSURE THE BLESSINGS OF A
PLENTIFUL HARVEST.

'Ts said, to banish all despair,
To make want, fear, and puling tare,

Pack off at once together;
We need one thing to glad our eyes,
Burst like an Angel from the skies—.
We only want fair weather !
But ah ! I fear one othi'r thing
Is needful, bilis like this to brings--
I fear, ill-omen'd feeling !
That we shall want what's yet more rare
Than smiling skies and weather fair,
I mean, of course fair dealing !

A GOODMAN'S GOSSIP.

THOMSON—RAMSAY-1 THE GENTLE SHEPHERD.'
TO THE EDITOR OF THE EDINBURGH STAR.
Sin—Observing in your Paper, lately, a description
of Allan Ramsay, the Scottish poet, and the uncer-
tainty of public opinion as to the author of that famed
Comedy, The Gentle Shepherd, so give you what in-
formation I can, and which satisfies me.
About thirty years ago there was a respectable old
man of the name of John Steel, who was well ac-
quainted with Allan Ramsay ; and be told John Steel
himself, that when Mr. Thomson, the author of The
Seasons, was in his shop in Edinburgh, getting himself
shaven, Ramsay was repeating some of his. Poems.
Mr. Thomson says to him, "I have something to emit
to the world, but Ido not wish to father it." Ram-
say asks what would he give him, and he would father
it. Mr. Thomson replied, all the profit that arose from ,
the publication. " A bargain be it," said Ramsay.
So Mr. Thomson delivered him the manuscript.
So, from what is said above, Mr. Thomson, the
author of The Seasons, is the author of The Grade
Shepherd, and Allan Ramsay is the father of it, This
I believe is a truth.—l am, Sir,
AN OLD SHEPHERD PROS' LOGANHOUSR, G.D.
October 2, 1821.

It was recently noticed, as an extraordinary oc-
currence, the circumstance of a parrot having laid an
egg in this country : a Lady, residing at a village in
Wiltshire, corroborates the fact—she having had in
her possession, for about six years, a parrot which
?lad laid eggs every year, and this year laid twenty/
There is a family in Montreal the father of which
is a Frenchman, the mother a Russian, the eldest
child a Maltese, the second a Sicilian, the third a
Spaniard, and the fourth a Canadian.
In France, in the I4,th century, the Clergy bad for-
bidden newly-married couples to sleep together fnr
the three first nights of their marriage, under a con-
siderable fine ! This impudent prohibition existed for
some time, and was only at length abolished by the
interference of Parliament.

Some person asked the late CHARLES Fox what
was the meaning of that passage in the Psalms, " He
clothed himself with cursing, like as with a garment."
" The meaning," said he, " I think is clear enough ;
the man had a habit of sweating I"
The enlargement of the Parish Church of New
Fi,hbourne, by the addition of a north aisle, is in ra-
pid progress. A stone, bearing the following inscrip-
tion, perfectly legible, will not be disturbed :
NW 'ACE! Jinn. WELLS 4IWODEA
DE SLASSUSGS alt COW. SOOTHE, GEST.
strums a Dia /ewe 1394.
A Humans Cnan-ant.—(From the Report of the French So-1
dety for Ameliorating Prison Discipline. They," the Society,
propose to the example of Chaplains, the Pere Jousemee, who,
rant by the Consul at Algiers to minister to the slaves, fixed
himself in the prison with them, and, during 30 years, never
quitted his post. Being compelled to return for a short time to
France, he went again to the prison, and gave up his hie in the
Midst of those slaves, who were dearer to him than his life.
Wutmascat COINTILESUTICA benevolent Quaker was lately
applied to by a respectable Gentleman, one of the Society of
Wesleyan% for the purpose of soliciting a subscription towards
enabling them to complete a new Chapel, built upon the scite of
an old one, but which could not be finished for want of funds.
Obadiah heard hint very attentively ; at length breaking silence
with a deep groan, he began thus—" I tell thee what, friend, my
purse is always open to succour the distressed, and to do good to
all our own sect : but, friend, my religion, thou knowest, differs
front that of thine; we do not think thee right, and it is against
our religion to help others to build up Chapels, therefore, friend,
thou seest, I cannot assist thee." The Methodist was about de-
parting, and was nearly out of the room. when the Quaker called
him back ; " Harkye, friend, how much bast thou liid out ?' The
Methodist replied, " £1600." And how much more dost thou
want to complete it?" " About £l4OO more." " Well, friend,
(said the Quaker) here is £lOO to defray the expenses of palling
down Me old Chapel."
Anneooxx lane REAL Pt Reverend popular Preacher,
well known to the literary circles of the Metropolis, was cbn-
stantly received, with warm hospitality, at the table of the late
acid Lady Ruzisarro WUTTSRIAIL His conversational ta-
lents had recommended him likewise to the favour and protec-
tion of Lady AUGUSTA MUSLAT, better known, perhaps, to
gent de condition, by the title of " Duchess of Sussex." at the
bottom of whose table he was usually requested to take his
chair. This Priest of nice discriminatioa had engaged himself
to dinner with his early patroness, Lady &means Wan-
stood, and in the forenoon of the appointed day was ho-
noured with a summons for immediate attendance in his cus-
tomary place at the " chequered" board of the Royal Duchess.
It did not take him much time to decide between the falderal
o( aristocracy and less flattering station with an unpretend-
ing beurseds. " Obliviscent" (to use one of his own oratori-
cal terms) of his duties in Dover-street, he sat down at his
iceisoire de table, and indited (au grand Salop) the two follow-
ing notes, and, by " a sleight of hand," was sufficiently forte-
nice to transmit the " billets" (cross-purposed) exactly for the
parties for whom they were " NOT" destined :-Ist. " Dear Du-
cheas—A thousand thanks for your most delightful invitation. I
must' I will accept it—though to do so, I am compelled to put
off the brewer and his wife -"—addressed, par accident, to I.4dy
FIZASATII WHITIRICAD, Dover-street. ed. " The Rev. H.
present% his respectful compliments to Lady Eusassen Wine-
'SEAS, and regrets that the sudden- indisposition of his aunt,
from whom he has great expectations, will prevent him from in-
dulging himself in the high honour of waiting upon the
to dinner this evening in Dover-street;"--addressed (patnl
prise) to the Duchess of Sussex. Horrored, staggered, chagrined,l
and confounded upon discovering too late the slip of hand, which ,
%ad thus laid bare the aristocrat lurking amid the folds of his ,
priestly garment, he wrote off to his neglected patroness a cr•
press-wise letter, doling out miserable deprecations of wrath, and
urging more miserable entreaties still of forgiveness; concluding
with the assurance, "that his soul would be exposed to suffer
all the torments of purgatory, while for this one error banished,
as he felt that he merited, from the paradise of her patronage."
bless for the repose of his disturbed soul was executed, en
utichante rtfponte, in the following terms :—" Lady &MADE=
WHITIRIAT presents her compliments to the Rev. Mt. H. and
doubts not but that, when fatigued with the society of Dukes
and I)uchesses, he would kindly condescend to put up with the
humble fare of a brewer and his wife. At the same time, the
Reverend applicant fur pardon mast dearly understand, that
Lady SLUASSTE Wurraazatt can never admit blasphemous isus
suage at an apology for impale:manly conduct: