Star.
London, England, 1828-04-21 00:00:00

EDINBURGH, APatL 17.

litunemer...Tnesday morning a young man, a journeyman limber'
those to indulge hi some practical jokes at the expense of an old
caddie of the name of Juba Kirk, whom he repeatedly annoyed by
throwing at him pieces of skin, meat, and other missiles. The
caddie bore it for some time, till being hit rather hard by one of I
these projectiles, he became enraged beyond measure, and seizing a
butcher's knife threw it with great violence at his persecutor and
- the point being unhappily directed towards the Beater's body, it
struck him on the left side near the spine, and entering between
two of the ribs, penetrated nearly seven inches into his body,
wounding part of the lungs, the stomach, and the liver in its course.
On meriving the fatal stroke, the young man instantly dropped
down, the blood Bowing ptofuiely from the wound, and was im.
mediately eactied to the Infirmary, where he languished till the
evening, when be expired, we understand, from internal bleeding,
which of course it was found impossible to stop. Kirk is in custody.

LI ISRATURE.

SIR WALTER scotrs LETTER RESPECTING BURNS.

(From the " Life of Burns," by blr..Lockitart, just published in

Constable i

* As for Burns I may truly say, Viegitisim viditaithms. I was'
a lad of 15 in 1786-7, when he came first to Edinburgh, but had
sense and feeling enough to be mach • interested in his poetry, and
smitld have given the world to know him; but I had very little
acquaintance with literary people, and still less with the Gentry of
she west country, the two sets that he most frequented. Mr.
Thomas Grierson was at that time a clerk of my father's. Be
knew Burns and teromised to ask hint to his lodgings to dinner,
bat bad no opportunity to keep his word ; otherwise I might have
seen more of ibis distinguished man. As it was, I saw hint one
slay at the late venerable Professor Fergussones, where there were
several Gentlemen of literary reputation, among whom I remember
ac celebrated Mr. Dugald Stewart. Of course we youngsters sat
eiteet, looked, and liuened. The only think I remember which
was eemarkable in Burnes manner, was the effect produced upon
him by a print of Bunbtayes, representing a soldier lying dead on
the snow, his dog sitting in misery on one side—in the other, his
widow, with a child in bet arms. Thaw lines were written beneath ;
• " Cold on Canadian hills er Minden es plain,
Perhaps that. parent wept bee soldier
Bent o'er her babe, her eye dissolved in dew,
The big drops, mingling with the milk be drew,
. Gave the sad presage of his future year,
The child of misery baptised in tears."
" Berns seemed much affected by the print, or rather the ideas
'which it suggested to his mind. Ile ectually shed tears. Ile a.ked
whose the lines were? and it chanced that nobody but myself re-
menthered that they occur in a half-forgotten poem•of Laughomees,
called by the unpromising title of The Justice of Peace. I whis.
pered my information to a friend present, who mentioned. ii to
Burns, who rewarded me with a look and a word, which, though
sof mere civility, I then received, and still recollect, with very great
pleasure.

" His person was strong and robust; his, manners rustic—not
clownish; a sort of dignified plainness and simplicity, which re-
ceivcd pan of its effect, perhaps, from one's knowledge of kis Cana-
ordinary talents. His features are represented an Mr. Iklasmytb's
picture ; but to me it conveys file-idea that they are diminished. as.
if seen in perspective. I think his countenance was more massive
than it looks In any of the portraits. I would have taken the poet,
had I not known what he was, fur a very sagacious country farmer
of the old Scots school, i. c none of your modern agriculturists, who
keep labour's* fur their drudgery, but the doweegudeetan who held
his own plough. There was a strong ceps eftioll of sense and shrewd.
rtes. in all his lineaments/ the eye alone, I thank, indicated. the pew-
tical character and temperansant. It was Lute, and of a dark
east, which glowed (I say literally glowed) when he spoke with
feeling or interest. I never saw such another eye in a human
bead, though I have seen the man distinguished men of my time.
His conversation expressed perfect self-eoulidence, without the
slightest presumption. Among the men who were most teamed of
their time and country; he repressed himself with perfect firmness,
bu: without the least intrusive forwardness ; and when be differed
in opinien, he did obi. hesitate to express it &wily, yet at the same
time with mods sty. Ido not renumber any part of his cowers&
Rion d4tinetir enongh to be timed, nor did I ever me him again,
except in the street, where he did not recognize me,..as I could not
etpen It should: He was murh-caressed in Edinburgh, but (em-
ollient% what literary emoluments have been since his slay) the
efforts made for his relief were extremely
a' I remember eel this *Canon I mention, I thought Burn's ac-
quaintance with English poetry_ teas rather limited, and also. that
having twenty tenses the abilities of Allan %assay and of Fergea.
. son, le naked of them with too meth humility ashis models; theft
was, doubtless, national redirection In his militate.
This is all I can tell yon about Burns. 'saliently to add,
that hie dress corterpontled with his manner. Ile was like a farmer
dressed in his hest to dine with the laird. I do not speak in simians'
parses, when I say I never saw a man in company with his sure-
riots in station and information, Incite perfectly free front either the
reality ow the affectation of embarrassment.. I was told, hut did
. not observe it, that his address to feinaks was extremely deferen-
t/A and always with a turn ciao rto the pathetic or Inamourons,
which engaged their attention particularly. I hare heard the late
Duchess of Gordon remark tbist —I do not know any thing I can
add to these recollections of forty years since.**
We recollect having met with a passage in Burns's Letters, to
which iretsamsot at present refer,strikingly illustrating this remark,
It was to this effect—dm on tecoming familiar with the higher
ranks of life, he sate nothing amen the saw that par.kularly die-
tiOgulibedthem from men elfish own class ; but them/mew appeared
quite a new ne&-quite different from what his experience had led
IsfOrto andcipate.—ED.
•

Thursday the house of
_Mr. W. A. Johnson, Nelson-
' squate, Blackfriars road, was broken open, and a quan-
tity of plate and other articles stolen. The thieves also
attempted the house of Mr. Hannah, in the same square,
and broke the iron bar from the back kitchen window,l
but were unable to effect at) entrance.
The University of Bonn Was restored by Edict of the
King of Prussia, dated 18th October, 1818, and its
utility may be estimated by the tact that there are nowi
1.020 students; a surprising proof of the wants of the
neighbourhood, and of the attraction of its eminent
Professors. Ttle students exceed half the numbs'r of
the whole of those at the six Netherlands Universities.'
The tact is, that the latter are on too small a wale,
- their image numbers being only 300 each, and with
education for 2,000 out of a population of six millions.
the Netherlands ate not much better off than England,
which reckons about 5.000 at Oxford and Cambridge,
out of 12 millions of inhabitants. The cheapness of
• Bonn is also no small recommendation. For 4ni. a
year to the University and Professors fees, and 401.
• more for lod4ing and necessaries 1.4 all kinds, One may
have here a first rate education. The characteristics of
Bnstn, as distinguished from Oxford, air, Ist, Its limi.eJ
meow; 2d, The earnestness shown by the student. in
tie prosecution of their studies; and, idly, that it is
uosortne.lsee with any p4rticulda form of religion.—
Metifßy Mermino.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

COURT OF. ZING'S 111INCii, Aran. to.
!MATSU v. Wart., •
The plaintiffs are Manchester drarehotisemen, in King-
street, Cheapside, and bra ught this action to recover
the amount of a bill of exchange for 451. against the
defendant. The bill was drawn by a Mr. Darby, nlso
sent his brother with it to the Seven Dials, to get it
discanted, and be lost it on his way back. Notice
was immediately given to the acceptor to strip the
payment of it, and the less was advertised in four
or five days afterwards., In about six weeks sub-
sequent to this a person, •who said his name was
Symes, and that he was a tailor living at Taunton,
and about to set up in business on his own account,
called and said he was recommended by a respectable
person, named Coombs, of West Hatch, near Taunton.
whom the plaintiff knew very well, he being a good
customer of theirs. He selected goods to the amount of
561. and then asked whether they had any ohjeciion to
take a bill for 451. in part of payment. He exhibited
the bill, and the plaintiff sent cut to big-lire about the
character of the acceptor, which being unexceptionable,
the plaintiffs agreed to take it in payment, and the
stranger having paid the remainder of the•s6l..in cash,
the goods were sent to the Rose and French Horn, in
Wood-street, according to Sy mesi difecti..n. When the
poster got to the public-house, be was rather surprised
to find it was not a booking house, but he found the
rerson calling himself Symes there, with another person,
to whom he delivered the goods, which were conveyed
from the house in a few minutes after. 'When the;bill
became due, payment was of course refused, and on
inquiry at Taunton, it was. discovered that no such
person as Symes was known there.
The defence to the action was, thit the plaintiffs had
not taken proper precaution, in omitting at .the time to
make inquiry whether Symes was the person he repre-
sented himself to be. • • •
The Lben Cuter .J.nsiiet charged the Jury, that if
they thought the plaintiffs had net given suCcient con-
sideration for,the bill, or if they had taken it out of the
common course of-business; and under circumstances
that ought to have excited suspicion, they would find a
.verdict for the defendant, but ptherwise for,tbe
The. Jury retired for a quirt4..of •in.bout;4ll4 then
returned a verdict for the defendant..
The witnesses from the public-house having -uni-
formly called Symes " the gentleman."' Lord 'Yentas
den took occasion to observe to Mr. aiongliaro, during
the absence of the Jury, that he once,had to. try's
woman at Taunton for a petty theft, committed in •a•
public-house, and that the publican in his evidence
never spoke of the prisoner, who appeared to be in a
most destitute condition, except "as .the lady at the
bar." (A laugh ) . . .
Mr. BROUGHAM said., he believed that by a gentleman
always meant a good•customer, • •
LEWIS U. TYSON AND ANOTHER.
This action was brought by the plaintiff, who carries
on the millinery business in the west end of the MAN
to recover the -valueof• a parcel, which did not. MOT
the place of destination in due time. The defendants
are common carriers, and keep a booking .office in
Piccadilly. The parcel, concaving sime mourning,
was delivered at the office, to be conveyed by the coach
to a family in Norfolk.. The porter whotook the parcel
irquited shearer it would go by the coach ? and was
answered in the affirmative. Instead-of sending.it by
the torch; it was conveyed by the waggon, which ar-
rived too late for the parties who wanted.the mourning.
The plaintiff, in the meantime, was. obliged to se d
another suit of mourning ; and as the delay had been
occasioned by the defendants, they were called op.m.to,
pay the loss..
The Jury found for the plaintiff—Damages a •
LATHEURY V. EAST.
This was an action of assault.
Mr. GURNEY stated the plaintiff's case. The defendant
kept a public house in Thames-meet; and while the
plaintiff was quietly sitting in the tip r om eating his
lunchetin, the defendant,, in consequence of some trick
having been played upon him by some of the comp lay.
in which he took it into his head That the plaintiff W4i
concerned, took up a kettle of hot water, in which a fish
had just Leentoiled, and threw it over the plaintiff, by
which the back part of his head was much scalded.
John Cowdry said, he was at East's one day in N.
weather, and Lathbury was there eating a lunch—he
"did not see hino do nothing." East took up. a pot,
and threw some boiling water over Lathbury, which
blistered his car.
.Crossieicaminedhy Mr. BROUGHAM —Saw Lathbury
with some beer—there wasmuth joking going on. They
were never inticular there as to throwing a hat or so
about.
Steadrnan.-4 was at East's on the day in ques
tion—l did not see Lathbury do any thing-1 believe.
I was the aggressor—there was a fish on the sink on a
strainer, and I put Lathhury's hat on the edge of the
pot—the 'indict(' took the hat, and put it on the bar
fine—l said, Jemmy, says I, they've made a chimneys
;rot of your hat—there's all the smoke going up through
it. Then somehow the fills got off the strainer into
the sink, and then it got into the kettle again—then the
landlord took up the kettle of water, and threw it over
us all—l had imbue of the fish for my luncheon.—(A
loud laugh.)
Lord Taarenosn heie interpoled; and asked Mr.
GURNEY.% balsa he expected a shilling damages.
The parties consented to withdraw *Juror, by which
each pays his own costs.

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