Star.
London, England, 1821-12-26 00:00:00

CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES.

The Duke and Duchess Of BEDFORD entertained a
large party of fashionables yesterday at their seat,
Woburn Abbey.
Lord HOLLAND entertainei a select party at dinner
yesterday, at his house in Old Burlington-street.
CHARLES Garrftrat, Esq. gave a grand dinner
on Saturday to Count and Countess Letvax, Vis-
count and Viscountess GRANVILLE, and a distin-
guished party, at his house in George-street, Hano-
ver-square.
The Earl and Countess of HARRINGTON had a
dinner party yesterday, at their house in the Stable-
yard, St. James's.
Sir CHARLES and Lady Lowe entertained a select
patty of friends yesterday at their seat, Bromley
Hill, Kent.
The Marquis and Marchioness of BUCKINGHAM
entertained a large party of fashionables yesterday at
their seat, Stowe, Bucks.
The Earl and Countess of SEFTON are entertaining
a large party of distinguished fashionables at their
seat, Croxteth Hall, near Liverpool.
Lord and Lady GAGE are entertaining a distin-
guished party at their seat, rule, Sussex.
The Earl of BRIDGEWATER entertained a large
party 'of distinction yesterday at his seat, Ash-
ridge, Herts.
Sir WILLIAM and Lady Hourrox are entertaining
a select party of distinguished visitomat their seat,
Avisford, Sussex.
Sir JACOB ASTLEY keeps open house during the
Christmas holidays, at his seat in Norfolk.
Lord and Lady BURGIIERSH left the Brunswick
House Hotel, Hanover-square, yesterday morning, on
a visit to Lord and Lady MARTROROUGH, at their
seat, Abingdon, Cambridgeshire, for a few days, on
their way to their fathers (the Earl of WESTMOR-
LAND) seat, Apthorp, Northamptonshire.
Yesterday, a benevolent friend to the Irish poor,
most plentifully supplied the children of the St.Giles's
Irish Free Schools (between 200 and 300 in number),
with a dinner of good old English fare, roast beef
and pluni-pudding, at their school-house. in George-
street, St. Giles's. It was pleasing to see the joy and
gratitudeexpressed in the countenances of these happy
little ones whilst partaking of their welcome meal,
on witnessing the attention paid to them by their
kind friends and supporters, by personally waiting
on them.

Yesterday morning, pursuant to public advertise-
ment, a Grand Pontifical High Mass was celebrated
by the Rev. Dr. POYNTER, the Catholic Metropolitan
Bishop. At an early hour the avenues leading to the
Chapel were completely crowded, and before seven
o'clock there was not even standing room; there must,
at least, have been 4,000 persons present. A few
minutes after eleven the choir commenced the service,
which consisted of the most celebrated compositions
of HATDN, MOZART, and other eminent composers ;
there were also performed a grand Credo adeste
fideks, and Gloria in Excelsis, composed expressly
for the occasion, and given in the most exquisite
style, by a very numerous choir. A Sermon was
delivered by the Rev. Mr. Doreatux, from the
Gospel of St. Luke, beginning at the words, Glory
be to GOD on high, and peace on earth," Brc. from
which the Rev. Gentleman delivered a discourse ;
after which a liberal collection was made for the sup-
port of the establishment.

The new church of Berkenllead, near Liverpool,
was consecrated, on Monday last, by the Bishop of
Cii Man.

About six o'clock on Friday morning, a stack of
chimnies (nearly fifteen feet in height), on a house in
Bath-street, Bristol, occupiej by Mr. PEARCE, sta-
tioner, yielded to the force of the tempest, and fell
on the adjoining house, occupied by Mr. HILL. The
latter and his wife slept on the second floor, and their
three daughters in the attic. Upon hearing the crash,
Mrs. HILL jumped out of bed, crying out that her
children were lost ! and rushing up stairs, found that
the whole roof had been beaten in, and that the three
girls had been buried in the ruins. The screams of
the family soon brought several of the neighbours to
their assistance, and on removing some of the rubbish
the girls were extricated, two of them without any
other injury than what they. sustained by the fright,
and the third with a few severe contusions. It ap-
pears that part of the roof, immediately over the
beds, sustained the weight 'of the falling materials,
and thus saved the lives of the girls ! A post of one
of the beds was forced through the floor of the room,
and some of the bricks were driven into the room on
the second floor. The weight of the chimnies pro-
bably exceeded two tons.

The Correctional Tribunal of Marseilles, on the
11th instant, tried Captain Quota tam, accused by the
Public Prosecutor of having trafficked in Negroes.
He was condemned to the confiscation of his ship
and cargo.
Extract from a letter from Rio Janeiro, dated Oc-
tober 24, 1821 r—gg The MORGIANA, Captain FIN..
LArsorr, has had her detained slaver, the Amelia
schooner, with 815 slaves, belonging to Bahia, con-
demned to her. The MORGIANA has sailed to-day
for Pernambuco. The squadron on this station, under
Sir T. HARDY, ate all round Cape Horn, except the
SLANRY and BEAVER, which are in the River Plate,
the Donis, at Pernambuco, and the AURORA frigate,
Captain Paucorr, C.B. which is here: these ships
are lying fur the protection of the British interests at
these respective places. Pornamisuco is at present
in rather an unsettled state. A Portuguese frigate
uiled hence last week, to take on board the Gover-
nor, and convey him to Lisbon, to account for his
conduct before the Cortes. Prince Don PEDRO'S
birth-day was celebrated here on the 12th inst. with
very distinguished splendour—the good people of
Rio like him very much. The English and French
ships fired a Royal salute on the occasion. The
French squadron here consists of the Jean Bart, 84;
Clorinde frigate, 50 guns; Antigone, 46 guns. The
Clorinde proceeds to Valparaiso as soon as refitted..—
Sir T. HARDY sailed from Valparaiso for Lima, at
the latter end of July.; the OWEN GLENDOWER was
to remain until relieved by the CONWAY, when she
was to proceed to this place and England. The ship
Alesander, in sixty days from Guernsey, and the
Nightingale, of Greenock, in sixty-nine dal s from
Liverpool, arrived here oa the 16th imt."

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

CAPTAIN smiTirs: MATCH. .

This match, for 200 guineas, to ride ten horses a hundred
miles in tight hours, took place on Monday, over a ten-mile
piece of ground, at Zearsley, Hants. The Captain rode about
twelve stone, and had trained for the match, which was done as
follows : Hours. Min. Sec.
First ten miles - 42 18
2d ditto - - 39 27
34 ditto - - •••••• 44 20
4th ditto - - 48 22
sth ditto - - 52 18
Bth ditto - - —. 35 10
7th ditto - - 57 8
Bth ditto - - 42 12
9th ditto - . 44 14
10th ditto -.- 47 20

7 12 39
The Captain bad taken 100 guineas to SO that he did the distance
in seven hours, but his third horse wanted the whip and spur,
sad the fourth fell down, or he wield no doubt have won both
the bits.

THE SIXTY-TWO MILES A DAY MATCH FOR TEN

DAYS.
Mr. Wes?, the Pedestrian, completed his sixth day's labour
on Monday night, in the neighbourhood of Wefis,Somersetshire ;
and, notwithstanding the wetness of the season, he is fresh, and
backed at 6t04 to win. He went the first day. to Winchester,
and from thence to Exeter, traversing a day's Journey towards
London, from thence to I ioniton, Devon, and across the country
into Somersetshire. While travelling, he does five miles an

hour with ease to himself, and at Intel:a—al, fakes a swinging lunge
50 or 100 yards. Ile purposes finishing near London.

PIGEON SHOOTING.
A Pigeon Match, at eleven birds each, took place on Monday,
an amthall Flat, between Messrs. TATI and Haunts, from Suf-
folk, againit Messrs. Dove and Ilaaatson, from Ilerts, for fifty
guineas a-side. The following was the result :—T.sva killed 10,
and his coadjutor seven. Dove killed nine, and his partner eight,
which made it a tye.
A second match took place, instead of drawing the stakes,
when Hatton killed nine and Tsar eight. The opposing party
killed eight each, and lost the match by one.—Tare challenged
Haws to shoot at 15 birds each, for half the winning money,
which was accepted. HAZZJIS killed twelve birds, and his ad-
versary tea.

As Lord BINGHAM was riding on horseback on
Monday down Bond-street, his horse fell nearly op•
posite Burlington Gardens, and was near rolling over
him. His Lordship was covered with mud, but for-
tunately escaped with only a few slight bruises.
There is now in the garden of Mr. TURNER, of
Park Hall, chrysantheums, carnations, pinks, and
roses, in full bloom.

Monday noon, a beautiful rainbow was seen ex-
tending its brilliant arch over the west of the metro-
poliF. This appearance, so unusual on the eve of
Christmas, excited great attention.
Shortly before Earl Bavuunsfs last audit day at
Cirencester, his Lordship wrote to his steward, de-
siring him to communicate to the tenants that he did
not wish them, in the present depressed state of the
Agricultural nterest, to force their produce into the
market, and that he was willing to postpone the re-
ceipt of his rents till the ensuing spring.
In consequence of the present depressed state of
agriculture, the Rev. Mr. Msvatcx, Rector of Urch-
fort,Wilts, has liberally reduced his tithes 10 per cent.
being 22i per cent. within three years. Sir T.B.LETH•
BRIDGE, Bart. has made considerable reductions in the
rents of his tenants in the western part of Somerset-
shire since 1815, and, with other Gentlemen, is about
to make a further reduction.

Mr. BASTARD, M.P. has reduced one of his Devon-
shire farms from an annual rent of £270 to .C 1.50;
and Mr. Boum( has reduced one of hisestates in the
same County from a rental of £5OO to L.. 100.
Saturday, was distributed at Eton, tickets to nine
hundred persons, including all the working classes,
entitling each to a pound of beef, the fourth of a
quartern loaf, and a pint of beer, for Christmas din-
ner, furnished from a reserved part of the Coronation
subscription.
The celebrated Braml,er Agricultural Association,
of which Sir C. M. BURRELL was the President, is
declared to be at an end, owing to the depression
which pervades the agricultural interest.
A' private letter from Madrid, dated Dec. 10, says,
" By the advice of his Council, the King and Royal
Family will this day go to the Prado, a Royal resi-
dence two leagues distant from Madrid ; all rational
people approve of this precaution."
The father of the present Supreme Director of the
Government of Chili (Don.parnard O'Higgins) was a
native of the County of Sligo. He was obliged to enter
the Spanish service in 1767, from the restrictions then
placed on persons of his religious persuasion inlreland.

A singular mistake occurred at Park a few days
ago, which highly amuses the upper circles of society.
MATTHIEU DE MONTMORENCY is a great bigot--
or, as they say, very religious, and goes generally to
the Church of Foreign -Missions (Jesuits), Missions
Etrangeres. On being appointed Minister, and going
to take possession of the Hotel of Foreign Affairs, he
ordered his coachman to driveauz Ai:sires Etrangeres:
the coachman, being no politician, fancied`it a mis-
take of the footman, and drove his Excellency direct
to the Church of Foreign Missions.
ANIMAL INSTINCT.—A Medical Gentleman, in the
neighbourhood of Worcester, in the beginning of
the present shooting season, borrowed the favourite
pointer of a particular friend,: who was about to visit
the Continent, for the Months of September and Oc-
tober. One day, in sporting, the dog, in endeavour-
ing to disentangle himself from a hurdle, broke his
leg, which the immediate and constant attention of
the worthy surgeon in a short time cured, so that, at
his friend's return, the dog was delivered to him as
sound as before; but the kindness of his careful nurse
was not to be forgotten by the faithful animal, who
repeatedly paid him a visit. One morning, however,
thesentlemen was dist ut bed:in his study, by a scratch-
ing and whining at the door ; on opening which, he
discovered his old patient, and a friend with Mn,
(anotherdog), which had broken his leg, and gazed
in the humane surgeon's face with•that powerful look
of entreaty, which is sometimes so much more pet:-
suasive than words, and which, it is needless to say,
obtained the ready attendance of his medical friend.
ELEGANT GLASSES, FURNITURE, &c.—The
No-
bility and Gentry are invited to inspect the INare-
roomsof COOPER and Sox, 93, llishopsgate-street
Within, where is exhibited an assortment of new and
second-hand Plate Glasses, admirably suited to every
description of drawing or dining-roams. In the fur-'
niture department is comprised every new and ele-
gant article of upholstery, cabinet, and chair-work,
the prices of which are reOuced to such a scale of
economy as to attract and ca sure the patronage of
rank and fashion.