Star.
London, England, 1820-06-24 00:00:00

SIR JACOB AND LADY ASTLErs BALL.

A splendid Fancy Ball was given at the Argyle
Booms, on Thuisday evening, by the above leaders
in fashionable life, to nearly twelve hundred persons.
The preparations corresponded with the occasion.—
Every apartment represepted an alcove, inconse-
quence of the profusion of evergreens and flowers in
every recess. Four waggon loads were distributed
in the hall, around the balustrades of the staircase„
and in the ball-rooms, saloon, and supper-rooms.—
Tie stage of the French Theatre was formed into
gravel-walks, interspersed among real trees of large
growth, 'displaying all the luxuriance of the present
prolific season. The brilliancy of the gas-lights, the
splendour of the Ladies and Gentlemen s dresses,- the
superb decorations in drapery, and the prodigious
number of fanciful ornaments appropriate to the
scene, gave the whole an effect indescribably beauti-
ful So anxious were the slay world' to approach
this Elysium, that the carriages formed a line nearly
to Park-street, at eleven o'clock. The pillars of the
ball-rooms were entwined with flowers; and the sup-
per-rooms were adorned in a similar manner. The
supper-tables were extremely tasteful ; the banquet
consisted of the most delicious viands and wines;
among the latter, slllery champagne in abundance.
• The Ladies wore dresses of gold and silver larpa,
with majestic plumes of ostrich feathers. The Gen-
tlemen, in Court dresses, or military uniforms, glit-
tering with the most exquisite embroidery.
There were.also motley Turks,
of Spanish Gran-
dees and their Donnas; TUrks, Persians, and Chi-
nese Mandarins ; Highland Chieftains, and Captains
of Banditti; Swiss Peasants, and Flower Girls. Lady
GAGE wore the richest dress ever seen, bordered by
dowers in painted velvet.—Miss LANGSTON, a Po-
onaise robe, embroidered in :blue arid pink, most taste-
fully ornamented with pearls.—Miss H. LANGSTON,
2 fancy dress in white satin, ornamented with wreaths
of different flowers 'richly trimmed ; headdress to
correspond.—Mrs. TREHAWKE REKEWICII, a most
superb Roman robe, richly embroidered in green and
gold, worn over a pink satin coat, embroidered to
correspond ; gold. lama turban, most superbly orna-
mented with precious stones, and a profusion of or-
naments.—Lady LouisA LYooN, a most superb fancy
dress of blue and silver, a Persian sash most tastefully ,
looped on the shoulder with pearls, and a proftision of
costly ornaments—There were a few coloured die.'
minor, and many obsolete Court dresses as far
as the reign of HENRY the SEVENTH. It was
Na
rich in jewellery beyond example ; and the i mite 7
number of gold neck-chains (Maltese) surprised every,
beholder—many Ladies wearing fifteen or eighteen I
rows,-The -crowded rooms produced heat; many
world have fainted, had it not been for a speedy ap-
proximation to a cooler air. Many attempts to dance
tailed, from the want of room ; and although qua-
drilles were attempted, they could not be given with
effect. The supper was ready at two o'clock ; the
party broke up at five. •
• The Duke of GLOUCESTER and the Foreign Minis-
tens were of the party. Many Gentlemen came from
the House of Commons at three o'clock.

~~~-~~

The Duchess of Ittrrt.awn was safely delivered of
a son on Thursday last, at his Grace's residence in!
Arlington-street. The Duchess, and the infant heir;
of the House of Ruthuni, are as well as could possi-
bly
be expected.
•

_ ~.:'

LAW INTELLICIENCE;
COURT OF KING'S BENCH, JUNE ss.

RHODES U. lIIATOR. •
This was an action of trespass. -The plaintiff is an
opulent cow-keeper, at Hampstead; the defendant,
an itinerant trader in mutton•pies, gooseberries, gilt
gingerbread, &c. and the action was brought to try
the right of reading pies and other savoury Commo-
dities, on Primrose-hill.
Mr. SCARLETT, after stating that his client was
lessee of the hill in question, adverted to the almost
classical celebrity of the spot. Equally the resort of
the duellist and of the dog,fighter, that delicious
eminence had,- time out of mind, on Saturdays and
Sundays, witnessed the freaks of the milk-maids of
Mary-la-bonne. Far was it from the wish of Mr.
Rhodes to shut out the Public from the pleasures of
that promenade; but the practices of this pie-man
were the destruction of his peace. In the lease of the
plaintiff, the Learned Counsel then said, there was a
clause which prohibited the sale of beer or liquors
upon his farm. The defendant, however, notwith-
standing the repeated cautions bestowed upon him,
was in the habit, on certain days, of setting tip a stall
upon Primrose-hill, from which magazine he distri-
buted, in very considerable quantities, porter, spruce-
beer, and other commodities of a like calibre, thereby
attracting an hilarious crowd, pernicious alike to the
morals of the people, and to the meadows of the
plaintiff! The object of the present proceeding was
not to recover damages ; but the Jury would perceive"
that the defendant's conduct was not only calculated
to injure Mr. Rhodes's property, but actually to en-
danger his lease.
Witnesses were then called to prove the trespasses
.committed by the Rieman, whose übiquity they de-
scribed as altogether extraordinary. Ever since the
summer of 1818 attempts had in vain been made to
.dislodge him. Lightly equipped with a stool and a
hand-basket, and favoured always by the sympathy
of his multitudinous customers, he flew from place to
place, baffling the pursuit of the plaintiff's servants.
Even in the course of these rapid evolutions he trans-
acted business as he ran ; and, when hard pressed,
retreated into the neutral territories of the proprietor
of Chalk Farm.

Mr. Mato,: possibly from a dislike to legal pro-
ceedings, made no defence ; and the Jury found for
the plaintiff—Damages, One Shilling—Costs, 40s.
JUNE 23.-ROLAN BELL.

This was an action -to recover damages from the
publisher of the 'Mimi newspaper, for having libelled
the plaintiff's character in a Police 'Upon, contained
in a Number of that Paper, in September, 1818. The
defendant pleaded justification undef theseneral issue.
The SOLICITOR-GENERA!., for the plaintiff, stated
the case to the Jury. He professed himself friendly
to the publicity given to proceedings in Courts of
Justice, by publication in the Newspapers, provided
it was fairly and impartially done. Such publicity,
be was convinced, was productive of the greatestad-
vantages ; but whether so much could be said for the
publication of Police Reports, he would not now stop
tto inquire. The publication in question would be
.-now read to-the Court, and he was certain that he
was justified in chaiacterizing it as one of the most
infamous libels which had ever been published. He
would make no observations on the character of the'
Paper in which the libel was first published, and from
thence copied into other Papers. He was not aware
that the Editor of the Times was in the habit of
making unfounded reflections on ,the characters of
individuals ; but if in this instance he had lent him-
self to the malice of another, he must be made to pay
in damages fOr the injury done to the character of
his client. What those damages ought to be, 'he
would leave to the Jury to decide, and put it to them
what they would consider a sufficient compensation
for such an injury?
A person from the Stamp Office proved Mr. Bell
to be the publisher of the Times Newspaper.
The Officer of the Court read the Reports which
was as fellows:
" MARLIIOIIOUOZOII,I22,.-DANIYLIBK
mud Rolan, a person of low stature, tightly laced, and decked
with a terrific pair of mustachios, preferred a complaint of as-
sault against James Palmer, of gigantic height, and superior
strength. The complainant stated, tide Mr. Palmer came to
his bilging% being No. 8, Queen-street, Edgeware-road, and
accused him of being the author of an*unsigned letter. Upon
complainant's denying it, Palmer knocked him down, and fleeted
Alamein ungenelessimly *coaxer. The defendant said the com-
plainant, a mere millet's son, had insolently sent him in unsigded
letter, Upbraiding him with living upon his parents, stating that
they were domestics in Lord Soesers's house, and ' up* my
honour, Sir, this is too much for a Gentleman to bear, the ease
must be investigated.' Some aberration followed between she
two Gentlemen, and the result was, that one I,:nt the of see a
shilling
ip !is pay the jailor's fees. They left the Office in seeming
friendsh"
William Staple, a clerk from Marlborough-street
Office, proved from a minute in his book, that the
parties were up before the Magistrate on the thy in
question..He was cross-examined by Mr. ScaaLarr.
Q. What do you know of these parties /—A. Nothing more#
than having seen them at the Police-once.
Q. Did yen see Roland give Palmer a shilling on. that occa-
sion to pay his fees?—.A. I saw no mousy given. I rather think
the fees were not paid at all.
Q. What sort of man is this said • Mr. Rohm ?-r-A. Rather

111111PECUIll•
Q. Wears he mustachios, I pray you ?—A. He did then, but.
when I saw him to-day, he had taken them off.
Q. Is Mr. Palmer of gigantic height?—A. Not very.
Q. Standing by Mr. Holy; how did he look ?—A. Ile
seemed to be about double h height.
Q. Wu there any oddness of dress about thetas?—A. They
were not suck persons u I generally see in the Office.
they not have their neckcloths very arge, and their
up to their eyes ?=.4. They appeared a little ex-

what idea hare you of the meaning of the weed
" Did they come up to what you would calla Bendy?
es; I think they did.
Q. Wm their appearance altogether Indkrous?—A. There
u some laughing in the Office at their expense.
Mr. SCARI.Err now said, that, independent of the
support his client's case had received from the cross-
examination of the last witness, he hoped to put the
plaintiff out of Court on-other grounds. If his Lord-
ship would but observe, Mr. Palmer was called in
some count's of the declaration by the name of James,
and in others by that of Samuel. This must be fatal
to the case.--The Cnisit Juane; seeing that the
fact was so, ordeerd a nonsuit to be entered.
WESTMINSTER SESSIONS, JUNE 13.

- ---
I Sir ROBZRT BAKER resigned the office of Chair-
man this morning, arid F. CONS?, Esq. was imme-
diately elected to the vacant chair.—Several
unin-
teresting trials for assaults took place. William Frith
I was sentenced to seven days imprisonment, for an
assault on Wesbrook and Limbrick, two Boar-street
`Officers, while on duty at the King's Mews..