Star.
London, England, 1826-05-17 00:00:00

PROPOSED REFORMS.

GENERAL ELECTION.

....m.......
TO THE EDITOR OF THE STAR.

Netbumberlasd. Wedmorelaid, awl Sussex, van be severely
et...A_

Sift,-A recent writer, a contemporary of your's,
after alluding to the late alteration of the weights and
measures used in commerce, proceeds to make some
humourous proposals for extending Parliamentary regu-
lation to other matters, which, he said, "called loudly
for amendment." I am, like him, a philanthropist, and
beg leave to follow up his plus by a few miscellaneous
suggestions of my own. I propose, then,
i
1. As a general election v soon to take place, the
consciences of borough electors should be carefully
guaged—if too capacious, reduced, and all restamped,
aftrr being made of just measure. The price of sl4ts
in P4rliament, too, has been hitherto rather unceitain,
and should be fixed.

9 Lord Jame, Stuart intends opposing W. Lewis, Esq. the Member
fur Cardiff, and it is expected the struggle will be very severe.
Mr. Liddell's reception at North Shields, on Monday last, was
quite enthusiastic. The Hoe. Gentleman addressed the freeholders
at the George Inn, at great length, chiefly with a view to. explain
his intentionsand views with regard to the Catholics.
Lord Howick is now finishing his canvass for Northumberland :
his Lordship arrived there a few days ago. Ills friends speak
sanguinely df kis suseess.
Sir C. Cole, the Member for the County of Glamorgan, will, it
is expected, be returned without opposition.
On the 1 lth inst. Colonel Torrent made a public eistrie into
Ipswich. and addressed a large body of voters from a stage hooded
by some waggons, which were prepared for the occasion, in a
speech, in which he again *veered the rationally liberal principles on
which be claimed their support, and proceeded to canvass *a town
with great success.
It is said that Lord Francis Leveson Gower will be chosen the
Representative for the C..unty of Sutherland.
William James, Esq: has dgnifted his intention to withdraw
I himself from the representation of the City of Carlisle.
Saturday sennight, Colonel Talbot, the senior Member for the
County, arrived in Dublin. On the Monday he proceeded to the
Hall of the Four Courts, and from thence to the Commercial
Coffee Ilimm and Royal Exchange: in that city.
General Grosvenor and George Wilbraham, Esq. of Defamer.
House, Cheshire, made a most successful canvass last week of the
electors of Stockbridge. No other Candidates have yet been named,
or made their appearance there.
Innnmerable conflicting opinions have reached us, foreboding a
partial change in the representation of Plymouth. Many respectable
persons assert, that a large body of the electors have just invited
that active County Magistrate, William Langmead, Esq. of Efford-
leigh I louse,to offer himself, assuring him of support and Anal success.
Tauttroo—lklr. Baring and Mr. Warm retire; Mr. Seymour,
General ?cache'', and Mr. Cresswell, we understand, are eau
didates. Mr. Seymour's election is spoken of as certain.
CA LLINGTOMIIiII. Will, it is understood, will be returned for
this place.
Pdameow—Mr. Leonard offers himself for this borough.
Baaurrares—The Candidates are Sir F. Ommanney and Mr.
Hodgson (the present Members); Mr. Henry Alexander, and Mr.
Alderman Atkins.

2. The Popkft Parliament in Dublin (1 mean the
Catholic Association) having now proposed to itself a
shortened sederunt, the two, great orators, O'Connell
and Shiell, ought to be restricted in the length of their
speeches, in conformity to this new order of things.
The utterance of siz hours' nonsense each, at a breath,
gives no opportunity to 'pouters of inferior note to say
their say, which is cruelly hard.
_ _ _ _ _

3. The number of Ladies and Gentlemen allowed to
ab•ent themselves from Ireland should be diminished,
as also the amount of murders in that 44 fine country,"
in all times coming.
4. Apothecaries' charges are said to be a crying evil.
Five hundred per cent profit is proposed as a fair sub-
si•ting (though, of course, greatly reduced) profit on
their wares. Undertakers merciless charges had better
.be reformed also. Their bills are usually read through
a veil of tears, which dim the vision; and scrutiny is
'baffled there upon the rogue's escape. Should these
Gentlemen prove restive, from having been pampered
so long, it may become a question of prudence, whether
we ought not to let the dead bury themselves ?.
5. Porters cart ying burdens on the narrow footways
of London, and hackney-coachnsea in the carriage ways,
are very unreasonable people: the first claim the privi-
lege of knocking" your head about," the others of
running you over, and cursing you'aftervrards. I say
they ought not to possess this double power, and should
be made to give op part of it : for it is very-unpleasant
to hear one's sweet soul d—d, or your blessed eye-sight
bl—d, after experiencing great personal damage.
6. Ladies and Gentlemen ought to be reminded how
much the street•sweeprrs contribute to comfortable
walking. Very seldom do I see these industrious people
get any thing for the pains they take pro bons public°.
7. Smokers of cigars are now to be met with in all
our public walks. This is a nuisance which u has in-
creased, is increasing, and ought to be diminished."
Some people do like the odour with which these gentle-
men taint the air withal, certainly; but I (and many
besides) am very near-sighted, and hate the idea of
having these fragrant little flambeaux poked in my face.
They are generally to be seen in the mouths of fierce-
looking fellows, not very safe to quarrel with, whose
faces are fenced•in *ith flourishing hedge-row whiskers,
and hirsute thickets gracing (or rather disgracing) their
lips. Good mine, they say, needs no bush; and surely
a true English Gentleman may be recognized without
the aid of these foreign abominations. I mean the
moustaches : with regard to the. whiskers, I say no more
of them, cot wishing tp disoblige the ladies; whom, by-
the-bye, (my hand being in) I implore to discontinue
those ugly munches en gigot—in plain English, leg-o'-
31;113[1On ll:eves—but which bring to mind rather bloom
sip oar It is in vain, that nature gives them shapely
arms, and which are actually meant to be smaller than
their waists, if the.e dresses declare the direct contrary.
What perverseness !
8. Writers should be enjoined to keep their tempers
in controversy. Most of them, indeed, pretend to abhor
and eschew asperity, and promise great things in the
way of moderation, so long as there is no adversary in
the way ; but no sooner does one appear, than their
promises are either never remembered, or soon forgotten.
'S. A formal caveat should be entered against literary
hacks tallting so much about drinking 4 champagne"
and IA burgundy" after dinner. Every little scribbler
now (although his mouth may often water in vain for a
plain chop and porter) talks quite familiarly of dishes
the most expensive, and wines the most recherchis, and
as if they were things of daily consumption with them:
e• our" this, and ig out" that. Bak lof all kinds of
'humbug, this is the most sickening.
10. The metres of Poets should be conformed to a
correctly-graduated scale; and irregular styles, such
as the Pindaric, 'ought to be discontinued. The nar-
rative couplet of iambic feet is proposed as the legiti-
mate vehicle of narrative poetry ; that of five, ditto, for
the heroic ; and all hop, skip, and jump measures, such
as Southey's hexameters, should be cried down. As for
blank verse, being (in a sense) neither poetry not prose,
neither land nor water, but like mud, a mixture of
both, it is difficult to bring it within a standard, either
wet or dry.

PEKITI4-11ePresent Members, Mr. Grenfell and Mr. Stanton
retire; the candidates art Mr. Barclay, Mr. Weeding, Mr. Fresh-
field, and Lord Perceval.

11. A notion having by some means or other got:
abroad (though no doubt awry iN founded) that Re-
v ie.vers mete out unrighteous measure to the public
and to authors, and praise or dispraise books just as
patty-spirit, private envy, or the booksellers &hew,
without any regard to their intrinsic value; the public,
I say, having this notion in its bead, ought not these,
Gentlemen to have the weights sad measures with
which they are wont to try literary works- called in
and scrupulously adjusted P
I. I close with a humble request to those whom it
may toners, for reformation in alpsuticular which in-
terests every loyel heart. So seldom does the Sun of
Royalty shiue upon us, that I (and multitudes can say
as much) have been six 'wilts the metropolis without
once seeing his Majesty. In adjuring him to come
oftener among us, I think olthewords addressed by the
Hebrew Patriarch to his beloved son : " Draw near to
me, that I may bless thee!"
In the anxious hope that I have not intruded too
long on the reader's patience, or on year space by these
" Proposed Reforms," I subscribe myself,
The Public's very humble servals,
A. B.

• r.

The county of Somerset win be contested. • Mr. Henry Hunt
having offered himself as a candidate, entered on his canvass, and
is said to have pre-engaged all the inns at Ilebester against the day
of election, in opposition to Sir 1 homes Lethbridge.
Ease fterroas.—Mr. William DIMS retires; Mr. Madocks
and Sir Roger Greaaley have been spoken of as the new candidates;
the latter, however, it is said, goes to Benham.
Tasserr.—Dr. 14isbington and Mr. Brougham, junior (the
brother of the Banister) are candidates, on the interest of Lard
Darlington. Mr. Cordon and Mr. M'Kellop on the opposing
interest.

Wm.t.a.—The present Members, Mr. Taylor and Mr. Tudway,
are opposed by Mr. Williams, it incolnshire, and Mr. Edwards,
die late Member for Glamorise.
Settaiteese—Mr. guidon oars himself a candidate to succeed.
Ceded Dorf, in opposition to the Norfolk interest. •
Baneswason, we bear. will nut be contested, as reported.
The respective friends of Lord James Stuart and Wyndham
Lewis, Esq. the present Members for the Glamociasublre Boroughs
have been sethrdy engaged in canvassing the burgesses of Swansea
and Loughar.
Mr. Guest, a great iron founder of Wales, comes In for lionkon,
without optibeation, instead of Mr. Cust, who retires from age.
S. R. Whin too, Esq. commenced canvassing his constituents at
Canterbury, on Tuesday, with the best prospects of success.
Lord Clifton commenced his canvass at Canterbury yesterday.
Reading is likely to be severely contested at the approaching
election ; Mr. Maack and Mr. Palmer, the Sitting Members, ea
the one hand; and Mr. Spence and Mr. Wakefirkl, ou the other;,
professing equalcoondence of success.

HIBERNIAN JOINT STCCIC COMPAWY.A Meeting of
the Hibernian Joint Stock Company took place yester-
day, when a Resolution (after some discussion) was
unanimously passed. that it was expedient to dissolve
the Company, and that a Deputation should be sent to.
Ireland to consult the Proprietary there on the subject.
A serious accident happened on the 7th inst. to a party
of theatricals near Cockermouth. The manager hay-
ing engaged Miss F. H. Kelly w perform for a few even..
lags, the Theatre was opened for that purpose. The
scenery in that neighbourhood being highly romantic,
a party, consisting, of Mr. Munro, the manager; Miss
Cleaver, of Cockermourh ; Mrs. and Miss Kelly; hired
a jaunting car for an excursion to the beautiful water-
fall of Scaleforce, near the Cruamock Lake. They took
the carriage as far as Buttermere, whepce they pro-
ceeded through the meadows to the Lake, across which
they sailed to view the fall. and-returned to Buttermere
to dine. At six the car Was ordered for the return to
Cockermoutb. In descending the steep hill, near But-'
termere, the horse started at a most furious pace, broke
part of the traces, and the driver having lost all control
over the animal, and the Lake being immediately be-
fore them, Balled to the party to jump out, to prevent
being precipitated into it. This, however, Mr. Munro
prevented; by assuring them that the only chance they
bad of escaping, was to sit as firmly as possible. The
driver, by pulling the only trace then left, succeeded in
turning the horse aside, and drove the car with great
force against the rock by the road side. The concussion
threw the whole party out, and the driver b:ing seated
most forward, was thrown over the ledge of the rock
into an adjoining wood, his leg dreadfully shattered,
and otherwise so seriously injured, that there is little
chance of his surviving. Mr. Munro was likewise se-
verely cut is the head. The ladies escaped with some
severe bruises, and the fright consequent on such an
accident. Another horse and vehicle was procured, in
which the party (with the exception of the pour driver,
who was borne .on a litter), returned to Cocker Mouth,
and Mr. Munro to whose presence of mind the whole
party are mud: indebted, notwithstanding the injuries
he had received. led the horse the whole way, to rre-
vent a rtclrrence of the kind. The following evening
the- entertainments were for the benefit of Miss F. H.
Kelly, who bad receiered sufficiently to perfnrm ; and
such was the feeling excited, that had the Theatre been
much larger, it would have filled. Miss Kelly, who bad
previously ed the manager to gives,. (pr the use
of the driverre,creerstsbare of the previous nights of her en-
gagement, instantly added to it the whole receipts of
her benefit, thus alleviating as much as possible the si-
mules of the unfortunate man.

Wednesday, the notorious Tom Hynes was brought
before E. LCCILYIII, Esq. on the complaint of George
Gidgeon, Inspector of Hawkers' Licence% for hawking,
paste hilaekiag, not having a licence: TonshwAs fined
10i• which not being able to pay. -the Magistrate said;
.4Tom, I must, I am entry to say. commit you once
Owe." "Thank yoo, Air. (said Tom) I have not had
la Ms @me time." He was, on the following day, con-
veyed to the tread•mill.--Devoaport Telegraph.
The Election of Coroner for the N irthern district
'of Staffordshire has excited a moq extraordinary interest in that
Ostinty. The bud numbers being.
For Mr. Dent •
Hr. Hyatt .

Nsw PVILICATIONB.—Tbe following in erecting
Works Wl!the publishes& in a few days by Ile. Co!born, New Bur.
lingten-street, viz. The Life and Time. pf Frederick Reynolds, by
himself, two teals. Gaston de Illundeville, a Romance, by Anne
Radcliffe, four vols. The Life and Correspondence of Major Cut.
wright, by his Niece, two vols. Captain Maid-sod', Narrative of
the Surettider of Ilsionaparte, and of his residence on board the
Bellerophon, one vol. The German Novelists, with Critical sad
Biogr.phical Notlaca. by Thomas Roscoe, Bag. 'war-voles Miller's
Biographical Sketch?, of British Characters deceased, eliscoshe Ac-
cession of George, IV. two vols. Rejected Articles! one volonw. Majority . Olt
Landor's Tmaginsty Conversations of Literary Men and Stougtosen ; lipmeb4p, Tito, noindts, rejoicings, canvassing+, chairings, ex-roast-
Second Falitiun, two vole. And the Life of the Right Honourable ion arf. other *protestation of a Parliamentary Election, took
Francis North, Boron Guildford, Lord Keeper orthe Glest Seal, place in this miner specimen of electioneering. It is the more 's-
under King Chark-1 11. and King James IL Ike.' h 4 the Hou, imeedinary,as no political, II ow patent feeling, appears to hate
Roger K-erazerio, _ • - gabled to Zoe cotton. -

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