Star.
London, England, 1826-01-19 00:00:00

MORNING CALLS.

?ROM Tug LITERARY MAGNET.
In conclusion from the Sven of yesterday.

Availing myself of the stage privilege, I beg my
Readers to consider the blank line drawn above as equi.
valent to a drop scene; and then, without further pre-
liminary, I shall open this second ace, and introduce
my performers sitting in Mrs. Finch's library, in the
full flow of morning-call talk, the matrons apart from
the young people, and Mrs. Sharpley playing diploma.
tic. s My dear Mts. Finch, I do assure you that this
receipt has quite weighed upon my conscience, and I
have said to my girls, at least a dozen times, do one of
you copy out that receipt for Scotch marmalade for
Mrs. Finch's aunt—what a delightful old Lady she
is—so chatty and cheerful; do tell her, Mrs. Finch,
sl.e must come amongst us this winter ; there is nothing
so good for an old person as a social rubber ; what a
ch arming acquisition you have . made to our S— so-
ciety ; but, indeed, as I say to our girls, whenever you
make an increase, it is always an acquisition. What a
lovely young woman Miss Dashford lois, and bow ex-
ceealingly like her brother.' 4 And he,' interrupted
Mrs. Finch,' is (I say it with confidence) the mildest,
most easy tempered creature in the world, you may do
anything with him ; his own master, and full three
thousand a year, I assure you, Mrs. Sharpley.' I hope
we may be able to make 5 pleasant to him,' replied
Mrs. Shapley, earnestly. g Now, my dear Mrs. Finch,
I do beg and entreat you will not stand upon cere-
mony with us ; your time will be occupied, aid we
know young people like young people; let my daugh-
ters Lionize Miss Dashford and her broffer, when you
are engaged.; we must plan some rural excursions—
what a pity it is not winter; but we must do the best
we can. Meantime, out of compliment to the dis-
tinguished visitors, the Miss Sharpie's had discoursed
i a manner very supetior to the general wont of
morning-call conversation at S—. Servants' wedding
reports, vrlgar topics of every kind, were banished, but
we will give the Reader a specimen. They discovered
then, that V ere were many pleasant walks in the
neighbourhood; that riding was a very agreeable. pact.-
cise ; that green was likely to be a very fashionable
colour; that Ivanhoe was iu quite a different style from
‘tiaverley ; that S— was very dull in summer; that
it was much gayer in winter; that quadrilles were far
snore elegant than country dances; that it must be
very delightful to travel abroad ; that the Book Soc;ety
was not will supported in S--; that they hoped to
see much of the strangers during their visit, &c. &c.—
Conversation rippled on in this style for about au hour,at
the end of which time the morning callers departed,
and proceeded to the Oddleys, who were all at homes
and in mote than readiness to receive information on all
subjects : a glance at the sitting-room would alone have
sufficed to convince a stranger as to the character and
customs of its inhabitants—it was three-cornered,and full
of three-cornered things. The table was octagonal, and
the flower-stand triangular, the e crutoire carved, the
carpet of a zigzag pattern, and the fire-place set round
said) Witch tiles. The ornaments %sere a superannuated
parrot and a stuffed owl, an asthmatic poodle dog and
a tortoise-shell tabby, fat as a p irpoise and grave as a
judge; two embroidered angels hanging over the chim-
ney-piece, and two china haymaktvs, two ditto shep-
herdesses, ditto of porcelain candlesticks, ditto of sea-
shells, and a pair el glass Le:lows upon the mantle-shelf;
who would not have known this to be the tenement of
old maids ;such, in truth, were the three Miss o.ldleys;
but they did honour to the species; simpie-hearted,
straight-forward women ; prone, as Miss Caroline said,
to beg patterns, and invite to tea in a friendly .way, but
thoroughly good-natured; good-natured even iu their
gossip, no spiteful version of a fact ever originated with
the Miss Oddleys; and if their heads resembled their,
sitting-room, in being ornamented with lumber, their
hearts did not. for they contained nothing three-cor-
nered. This has been a long digression from the main
subject; but, if one exhibits the worse parts of human
n 4111.4 it is but common justice to pourtray its wor-
thier. Well. Ladies,' commenced their matron visitor,
here I arn, with all my tribe—rio leaving them behind
when we are to call on the Miss Oddleys—well,and how
have you been this age since I saw you. I said to Anne or
Julia, I don't know which, as we were dressing my
dear, said I, we will go and call on the Miss Oddleys
this morning come what will, and here we are, and here
7011 are, snug and comfortable as ever. Ali, as I often
soy to my girls, the Miss Oddleys life for happiness; by
the way we have brought you a newspaper.aud the pat-
tern of a morning cap, Miss Letty, which, take my
word, will become you amazingly ; we are on our way
to the fashions; I suppose you don't countenance such
Vanities) Kiwi Feather. • My pocket does not,' replied

the spinster With a good-bumoured smile,,but we alw ty!-
see them, nevertheless; we contrive to want a yard o•
two of riband, or a bit of Persian, when Mrs. Taffery
exhibits. But have you seen our strangers? Certainly
the Finches must be doing uncommonly well:
" I prophecy Sir John will lose his heart while he
is here—young Ladies, mark my word. But what do
you think of him my dears?' The young Ladies smiled
and bridled, and declared they had not formed any
opinion on the subject, that from the very transient
notice they had taken of hied, Sir John appeared a
rather pleasant, somewhat good-looking young man;
then to make amends for their decorous reserve as to
the brother, one and all were rapturous in their en-
comiums on the sister.
" But to proceed in this elaborate question and an-
sieer-like manner, will protract our Morning Calls till
dooms-day, we shall venture therefore to make a
ondtum in pave of all the uceftil and interesting, re-
ceived and imparted during I this present sitting 01
the gossips Parliament.' That four parties only were
in projection throughout S ; that parties were
not half so pleasant in summer as in winter; that
people's dresses never appeared half so nice; that Mrs.
Jones's Governess was going to leave; that it was sus-
pected she was going to marry the eldest son ; that the
match between Emma Leicester and her cousin was
broken off; that it was not supposed there was any
fault on either side; that poor Mrs Merton had had
the tooth-ache a whole week ; that the new Cul ate
played the best rubber of any Gentleman in the place,
and preached moreover most excellent sermons ;
that it was a great comfort to have a good Clergyman;
that Doctor Dawdle had been called out of Church
last Sunday; that Mr. Clare had increased his business,
and Mrs. Thompson was likely to increase her family;
that the Waley s had just gone into mourning; that
the Morris's were just gene out; that mourning was
very disagreeable an summer; that it was very con-
venient when it so happened that people could, put it
on in winter, &c. &c. &c.
"This is but a brief abstract of what transpired; at the
end of half an hour, Mrs. Sharpley and her daughters
rose, for time was precious to them ; they felt that news
like knowledge was not to be hoarded, and if, like
Dr. Watts Busy Bee, they gathered honey all the day
from every opening flower,' they were,to do them justice,
neither idle nor selfish recipients, Ike the same Busy Bee;
they stored it up for the use and pleasure of others;
what they gathered in one place they deposited else-
where, in a new and improved form. Mrs. Morrie,*
WAS the next place for which our party made, and
having there unloaded the cargo of intelligence taken
in at the Oddleys, they proceeded to take in fresh sup-
plies of such articles as Mrs. Morris could furnish,
which most unfortunately consisted chiefly of contradic-
tions; from her they learned that Sir John Dash ford
had only two thousand a year. That the Finches were
exceedingly censured for keeping so much company
(Mrs. Morris had not beets included in their last party),
that Mr. Clare was likely to be gazetted soon—that
the new Curate did not preach his own sermons—
that the Waleys wete going into black, not into nioutn-
ing—that there were ve:y unpleasant reports abroad
concerning young Jones—that servants were the ninety-
oine plagues of Babylon—that five ladies wanted
cooks, and as many housemaids—thaf Mrs. Walsy's
new gown was a dyed one—that Emma Leicester was
nit likely to get over her disappointment, &c. Ike.
addition to all this important intelligence, our Morning
Callers further increased their stock of useful know-
ledge by one or two culinary det tits and imaginary
discoveries, which we purpo.e to impart to Dr. Kit-
chiner, for the benefit of his nest edi ion of the Cook's
Oracle' and the' Footman's Directory: How shameful
that them should be so many contradictory te,ass ts
about the same thing,' said M:s. Sh irp'ey as she left
Mt s. Mut cis's, but, as we have many places yet to call at,
I dare say we shall get at the truth by and bye.' In
this hope she proceeded, with her daughters, to the
Joneses, the Walkers, the Waleys, and the Mertons, at
all these places excepting the last, (poor Mrs. Merton as
usual knew nothing) the same peal of subjects was rung,.
and at each with changes; poor Sir John's two thousand
dwindled down to five hundred, his other good qualities
were plucked from him in like manner, and li s over-
throw was crowned by the certain intelligence, Irons
unquestionable authlrity (there never was yet a piece
of scandal that did not plead unquestionable autho-
rity') that he was on the point of marriage! At each
reduction of his income, Mrs. Sharpley's eulogies waxed
fainter and fainter, and at the last piece of intelligence,
she determined in her own mind to forego her new
turban, and let the girls wait till Chi ismas for their
new frocks. How the matter ended we cannot at pre-
sent explain; all we dare venture to declare is, that our
Morning Callers returned home, weary with walking,
perplexed with contradictions, comforted only by re
flec.in4 how much business they had got through in
one morning. M. J. J.

According to intelligence Goer the different parts of
Russia, the public opinion is strongly pronounced in
favour of the G. eeks. At the celebration of the last
fete of St. Alexander Newsky, it is said, that at the mo-
ment when the Archimanditte, a Prela-e upwards of an
hundred years old, was uing to pronounce the bene-
diction, he fixed his eyes upon the Emperor A LEXANDER,
who was present, and lifting up nis hand towards the
Cross, exclaimed in a tore of reproach, 44 It is trodden
under foot by ilfidels, and finds no avengers." These
words seemed deeply to affect ALEXANDER; they pro•
duced an astonishing effect upon the auditory, and were
repeated throughout the empire. It was a few days
after this that the Extrutoa set out on his journey.
Accounts from Quebec state, that the navigation of
the St. Lawrence has this year been open for a longer
season than usual; upwards of 31 weeks have elapsed
between the arrival of the first ships, on the 24th April,
and the departure of the last (the Thetis) on the Ist of
December. At that period no ice was to be seen, and
the Laprarie steam boat had arrived from Montreal,
without encoutveting any impediment in her passage.
Letters from Penang, dated 29th August, state that
an embassy, under Captain BURNEY, had bean lent off
to the capital of Siam, for the pur pose, it is said, of
obtaining further assurance 'of the friendly disposition
of the Siamese, and to ascertain whether the report of
armaments had any foundation. By the way of Penang,
we have intelligence from the seat of war, (dated early
in August), it confirms the previous accounts of the
uehealthiness of the British troops. The whole country
from home to the Burmese capital was sb deluged
with rain, that according to one letter, " it was a com-
plete mire." It was confidently stated at Rangoon that
the Burmese had refused to enter into negociation.
The bedy of the Rev. E. JONES, curate at Treddyn,
near Wrexham, has been found in the river at Shrews-
bury, under rather mysterious circumstances.

INSOLVENT DEBT.OILS' COURT'.

John Jones, late of Finsbury market, grocer, was
brought up to receive the judgment of the Court, and
remanded for six months, and confined within the walls
of the prison.
Thomas Sharp, of Golden-lane. general dealer, was
brought up for judgment.
Tote principal feature of this case was that the ins 1.
vent had violated his agreement, which was that for
301. worth of goods, for which he way to pay 101. cash,
and give a bill on Mr. Byhorn for 201. The goods were
delivered to the amount of 231. and the 101. p ,id ; but
the insolvent having obtained the articles, refused to
give up the bill. The defence was, that until the oppos;ng
creditors had completed their order. the insolvent had
no right to perform his part of the contract.
The Court held that he ought to have returned the
goods, or have given a bill for the difference, and or-
dered him to be remanded, and confined within the
walls of the prison for three calendar months.