Star.
London, England, 1827-04-27 00:00:00

EVENING PARTIES.

I bad not long returned from Cambridge, where 1
took my degree, with some credit, before I received a
card for an evening party. My life bad been so en-
tirely devoted to literary pursuits, that society had few
charms for me, and I would at any • time prefer a
,torte-a-tete with Aristophanes or Newton, to the most
brilliant galaxy of a ball-room ; but as 'could now go
M sleep, without dreaming of wooden spooes,* or of
being pluckedt ; and as I could sing
• Pon tot mitre& tone eau
Baccalsarou ordeal;
I felt no hesitation in returning an answer, inthe affir-
mative. I was not (pike ignorant of College etiquette,
bat I found that Alma-matei was very different from
that which is exacted elsewhere. Often have I cursed
lir morning calls I Many a tide when my oak has
been sported (i. e. my outer door shut) and I have beta
drawing at the deep cup of mathernitics, has some
noisy gay acquaintance thundered at it with vocal heel,
and compelled me to Open. Often have I been dragged
from Euripides to blister my hands with rowing on the
Cam, or literally hauled out to go to a twelve o'clock
breakfast, aid gorge Myself with rump-steaks and
champagne, and lay in a stock of sick head-aches for a
week. Such ire morning calls at Grants! Now, in
visiting; If Mr. Johnson, of Trinity, wanted to leave
his card with Mr. Dobson, of St. John's, he would not
use one with 4, M F • Jobnion.Trlnit b"priiikd on it,but one
with " Jehnlion, Min.* written on it ; soil be wanted a
friend to take wine with him, he would leave his card
with I, wine" pencilled'on it. So much for college rules.
With the rules of politesse in London I confess myself
shamefully ignorant. The evening appointed for my
debit duly arrived, and about a quarter to ten I
knocked at my friend's door. My arrival was announced
with the customary ceremonial and nomenclaturial
vociferation ; but I perceived that it canted DO other
effect than a general stare towards me as I made stay
eat4e. I made my bow, but no one returned it. My
hostess was at the other end of the room; she nodded,
and I bowed again. As I did not immediately perceive
i seat, and no one thought of offering me one, I was
left standing, a complete obstacle in the door-way-4
regular human Sylla for endangering loaded footmen
and waiters, Noir did I jump aside to get out of the
way ofone flunky, and in so doing run bolt up against
another; and now was I left dogging about between
powdered fellows in liveries, trays, and clffee-cops,
till I thought I should have fainted. At lecgth I was
fortunate enough to find a chair, and I then indulged
in the visionary hopes of a cup of tea. I saw a tray
approach—tea grenade, thought L I shall at last have
some refreshment after my hair-breadth escapes, and
likewise it will give me something to do. I had been
at least twenty minutes without opening my mouth. I
had twisted my white cambric into innumerable figures,
and bad nearly twisted my watch key off its swivel.
But how was I disappointed. when I took abut be bad
the impudence to call tea. What it might have been
before I came I know not; but it was no more like
what I call tea than a cat is like a case of pistols. I:
was tasteless apri colOurless, which I believe are two
spropetttes that belong to water . eel,. And then
the bread and butter--a quartern loaf cut in that
way would have covered an acre, it was in consistence
just like a sheet of writing-paper, the whole plate of it
would scarcely have made a mouthful. Edquette,
however, required that I should take only one piece at
a time and, for etiquette requited that I should make
that piece last a tolerable period, that I should make
4, two bites of a cherry," to drink another cup of such
stuff was impossible, and to eat without drinking would
seem to indicate that I was hungry, which I understood
was a very vulgar propensity. I now ventured to make
a survey of the room, which really had a very regular
appearance, the company totaled a pretty correct cir-
cle round it—the Ladies and Gentlemen tolerably al-
ternated. like the black and white keys upon a piano-
forte. The bustle of souchong was now over, and the
'silence was truly edifying ; sometimes indeed you could
I bear ~ very fine weather for the time of year,",, dread
'Jul thunderstorm." N Mr. Kean," 1, Madame Vestris."
but even such scraps as these were only occasional,
" like Angels visits few and far between; all the con-
venation that there was, was carried on in a sotto ma,
as if the confabulating parties were talking.treason: at
Jength said out hostess, $4 shocking thing Mr. M—'s
, death--left a large family, when was he buried r The
I time and place of that ceremonial being duly aster.

- :
vaisrd.-iaosee aglin retained has eeiijd The um-
versation died with-Mr. lkt—'s funnel. Card tables were
theninnounced to be ready int)* neat room, and the
eider part Of the" company "reviler order,
Lady and Gentleman. and Lady, 'and so
oh. Seeing the younger part remain, I theight
'my age sequined that I should stay too.. though
I did not-know bow we were to amuse oftielves,
but I staid because the others did. I presently saw
a young man clearing his throat, adjusting a 104 e,
and evidently making preparations to speak at length,
afver many laudable efforts, he succeeded in requesting
Miss Gibbs to favour us with a song. Miss Gibbs so•
study declared she could not—some one u positively
asserted that she could; and there arose a general
squabble. Miss Gibbs asseverated that she bad never
sung a song in her life,—fifty others asserted thak, she
had sung a thousand; at length she was prevailed upon.
She was handed to the seat with the customary for-
• ; the book was arranged; the stool was
to its proper adjustment; and down she sat to
• gigantic Italian bravura, twelve pages in length,
aid which she commenced with a confidence which
iihamtbought right highly laudable in a first attempt.
prevailed the introductory symphony; but no
*seeß did she begin to sing, than a general converse-
uessubm^—' -4mpluon set tones, and she set

tongues in motion. Not a note could be heard • but
when she ceased. there was general shoots of—" Beau.
tiful".r." Much obliged to you," kc. atc. though I am
confident you might as well have listened for the music
of the Spheres as for Miss Gibbs. Several young Ladies
then favoured us with a similar effort, which was at.
tended with similar effects, and, the conversation was
continued as long as there was any o se to play. aln
the middle of a long sonata of Cora' s, supper was an.
aounced. The Lady who was operating upon the
piano was immediately deserted, rad could not help
thinking of the old proverb:, Le veasre tetrad sea pied
'fireffies. As for myself. Ido confess chat I exerted a
ktle Mien animal strength, in endeavouring Kiel a sight
of the table than was strictly decent ; but. howeve;
Wes this was' unavailing. Here were Gentles.a
limiting for jellies for Ladies. all the while int*.
leg and meaning to demolish the said jellissidtula.
selves; champagne drank out of wine glaisee.'aind
punch out of tumblers; but as for obtaining anything
solid, a piece of anything eatable, you , might as
'have asked for an ice in the Sirloin empue. An ice,
however, after an immensity of trouble I succeeded in
obtaining;this I greedily demolished, heatedond empty.
stomached as I was, and you may imagine the come-
quences-4 went homein an absqlute state of stervittion,
sick and shivering, duly impressed with a proper idea of
the comforts and luxuries of evening Fames. ..Literary
Chromicie: DRUM

• Tbe last of die Wranglers is called Golden Spoon ; the bat ii
the Senior Optbnes, la called Silver Spoons; and last of the Junior
Option, is called Wooden Spoons.
t USW plucked, is equivalent to belni told that you don't UM
quite enough just yet, bit tnay try nest year.

FATAL, ACCIDIDIT AT GozasTivwx.-11. few days
since a paragraph appeared in most of the Horning
Parts, descriptive of a mos; distressing accident, by
which H. H. BIRAT, Esq. a Gentleman of fortune, re-
-siding in Bryanston-street,' Portman•sqUare. lost his
life. The fasts were these:—The unforttinateGeatTe-
man being down at Deptford spending a few days with
his friend Lord Haasonovon, on board his pleasure
yacht, at present lying off that depot, was invited to
dine. and spend the evening of Tuesday %seek, w Cr the
Officers on board the Grampus, at present on 'ha 41-
tion. Shortly before twelve o'clock he left his friends
to proceed to his Lordship's vessel, and while 'earl ig the
boat to go on board the yacht his foot slipped, and losing
his balance. he fell into the water. The night being very
dark, the waterman lost sight of him, but his calls fpr
assistance soon brought a number of boatmen to his
aid. The grappling-woes 'and
in half an hour he was picked op,' and irnmediatlie
taken on board the tirampus, where the Medi..
Gentlemen used all means in their 1 ower to restore
animation, but without success. Wedne.day evenirg
the body was placed in a shell, and removed to the
Ship Tavern, Greenwich, where Mr. CAITAR, the Co.
toner, and a most respectable Jury, a•sesnbled to take
the inquest, and after hearing evidence explanatory of
the above facts, they returned a verdic. of 46 Accidental
Death." During the investigation several of the ;ar-
senal friends of the deceased, among whom was
Lord Hmtiostouen, were in the hcuse. Thursday
morning the remains of the deceas d were removed to
his former re.idence, preparatory to the it interment.
Surat), APRIL 24.—Saturday, i koalas
.Craut was
executed in front of our New Jail. for burglary com-
mitted in the house of Mark Rowlett. This outrage
was committed with circumstances of great, violence.
Crane was sworn to as being one of the men who tied
Rowlett's wife's hands and placed her on the fire; he
rated, on the scaffold, that he had been present at many
outrages and robberies, but declared to the very last
that he was innocent of the crime for which be was
about to suffer.

Ciliiiloo4 APRIL Q7.—Yesterday, at one o'clock,
Joseph ladles was conducted to the place of execution ;
on his way he appeared to be internally praying, and
kept his eyes steadfastly fixed on the heavens. He at.
carded dm platform with a firm and dttermined step,
followed by the Chaplain, with whom be continued for
some time in prayer, and on getting ap, he shook hands
with Mr. G. The Rev. Gentleman then left the plat-
form; when the ezecuzioner proceeded to perform the
last sad offices, not a neive of the prisoner appeared to
move, nor did he speak. On the executioner withdraw-
ing Irons the platform. he thew the bolt, and the un-
happy.wretch was launched into eternity in pretence, it
is supposed, of not less than ten thousand pert The
body, after hanging the usual time, was cut crown and
given to his friends, who were wailing to receive it.
The four others. via. William Beck, John Badge, James
Badge, and Williams Effingham, received a reprieve on
Monday marning.—Censbridge Chronicle.
Duncan Clark. late writer in Perth, convicted of
child murder, died on board the hulks, about the middle
of last month.

CORN EXCHANGE, MARE-LANE, Aran. 0..
Our market is in a complete state of stagnation, scarcely a sale
has been erected, and the way ruse assigned Is the favourable
change that has taken place in the weather t the few Mks made is
all descriptions of Grain were eertatoty ender the prices of last
Monday; and bad any disposition to purchase manifested itself
'moos the buyers, lower priors still would have been accepted-
SMITHFIELD MARILItT, Arms. Sr.
Veal and Mutton are rather lower, the former shoat id. per
*test and the latter about ad. from idooday's prices: Is 2•44 the
cascades may be gives al as last
apply to Perk. Lamb. Gam Wind
failleasbk prico,tbe quotation this
Railes.4oll ; Sheep, SAN; Pip,
*NA pet Item, 4s. to is. 4d.
le Is. 14 Perk. 4s. ve is. ed. Leath.
813 Is. to iff lie. Meer, 44

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oat Modals prkes. la war, ma
tat atiattet.day ; and the tam will
Ing mon abundant, is ortdift to a
Oa day being la. to 79. per stono.--
1,120; Column!.
. Mutton, to. to la. 10d. V.
Lomb. Gs. to 7..—110ys pot lo•fl,
tos. so It 10t.
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