The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-05-01 00:00:00

The history of our country was last night turned topsy
turyy. This is the especial glory of a FANCY BALL. People
may come there with.the most individual ideas in the world.
What matters it ! When there, as the black man says in
the play, " Who can controul his fate ?" The association,
and " mingle, mingle, mingle," derange every thing. No
sooner had the music struck up than Capulet danced with
Montague,—Whigs with Tory,—honourable Radicals with
outlawed brother Chartists. 'We saw Cavaliers of all coun-
tries shake hands with others of the same kidney. Followers
of the incapable Stuarts drank wine with the worldly parti-
zans of the piebald James.

Jacobins laughed at and with Bourbons and Bonapartists
The quadrilles did this, in " fours," " eights," " sixteens,''
and " thirty-twos."

In the dancing-room, after supper, the floor was full. The
Costumes could then be appreciated. Those in Greek dresses
were the most correct. One Highland fellow surprised every

one :

The tapers wink, the fiddlers shrink ;
A stranger " goes." Well ! amidst the crew

A form was seen in tartan ireer;:—
And the " form" astounded the assembled company. No
one could decipher him. A group conspicuously stationed
at the right hand entrance, from the audience part of the
vestibule, was appealed to. The fact was, it was " after
supper" and no honest men could make the eccentric out.
As a relief we thought of the lines of our Eton Chum
Byron :

The more intently the people gazed, the less
Could they distinguish whose the features were ;
Our " devil" himself, seemed puzzled even to guess ;
They varied like a dream, now here, now there ;
And several " people" swore from out THE PRESS
He was " their' father : upon which another
Was sure he was his mother's cousin's brother.

Ah ! that is the way that we and others are served—on
inquiry—at a ball. We note the thing, nevertheless, in ur
disturbed good humour as strikingly characteristic.
The Cavaliers were a gay set; they were their own adven-

turers. The Danish and Italian fellows had the best of it.
This reminds us of Dean Swift's remark, that each party
grows proud of that appellation which their adversaries first
intended as a reproach. Of this sort were the
Guelphs and Gibelines,
Huguenots and Cavaliers.
We noticed several handsome fellows, clean licnbedinen,
on whose persons the eye of a female judge could fall with
-pleasure. .

It was our intention to have noticed Groupes. But on
this occasion there were none of a classical character. The
Ball was equal to that of the Festival seven years since, but
in no way superior to it.

There were superfluous Hamlets with few Ophelias, and
therefore unnecessary Gravediggers. Perhaps four Laerteses
were the census of that fiery population. We saw an admi-
rable .Tack Sheppard (Mr. Atkins), who bowed to us after
affecting to pick a gentleman's pocket with whom we were
indulging in wine with a violent tea-totaller.
There were some fair Flora Macdonalds, and an admira-
ble " Moll Flagon, " with whom we drank spiced whiskey
on our way ont, obstructed by that characteristic " lady. "
The supper was excellent ; and the bands in full play. The
only defalcation was on the part of the committee of manage-
ment. It may have had individual exceptions ; but we wish
to confine our remarks to the general, which was most cen-
surable in its paltry proceedings towards the press. No
facilities were offered. The whole active work has been done
by two establishments, which produced what they could get up
this day ! and against time. This should have been otherwise.
Charity covers a multitude of sins, but next Charity Ball,
we wish irrespective of more years, to have men of business
on the Committee ! This ball with the above drawback, was
worthy of Liverpool.

P.S.—Let us not forget, else we should adjudge ourselves
worthy of nothing less than the fate of a rat-trap. One of
the best characters of the evening was of this pretension.

[t w•as exquisite :

" Sole guardian of a nation's cheese."

Miss Tobin, Miss Fayrer, the Lafone family, and a thou-
sand others left impressions behind them which the cause of
charity cannot efface. Nevertheless, bless the fair ladies
who graced with their presence this noble Ball!

The exact number of persons at the Ball was 1014.

PROTESTANT MEETING AT MANCHESTER.—A meeting
was held in the large room in Bywater's Hotel, Manchester,
on Tuesday night, for the purpose of adopting a petition
against any further grant to the Popish College at Maynooth.
The admission was by ticket. The Rev. Hugh Stowell oc-
cupied the chair, and the proceedings were of great length.
The chairman, in accounting for the absence of the Rev. H.
M`Neile, said that that gentleman was reserving his strength
for the intended meeting in Manchester, to petition for the
repeal of the Catholic relief bill. Several resolutions, ex-
pressive of disapprobation of the annual grant to the college
of Maynooth, and of the national education scheme, were
proposed and carried, and a petition founded on the resolu-
tions was adopted.
Lady Charlotte Greville, with the family of Lord and Lady
Francis Egerton, left rome on the 20th ult. and are expected
to arrive early in the ensuing week.
SLAVE TRADE.—A very pretty schooner, the Vixen, is
now lying in the Salthouse-dock. She measures 43 tons,
and when captured, no less than 320 slaves were found on
board.

ASCENSION OF NAPOLEON.—This striking exhibition took
place on the premises belonging to Mr. MTardy, Burlington-
street North, on Wednesday evening last, at seven o'clock,
and delighted thousands who witnessed the ascent. The
figure was of enormous size, inflated with hydrogen gas. It
rose very majestically and rapidly in an easterly direction,
giving the gentry of Evertor a splendid spectacle, being in
view for half an hour. We are given to understand that Mr.
Merridy has made several attempts previously, but has suc-
ceeded at last in avoiding the slightest disappointment. It
is his intention to send father and son up together early in
next month.
THE ART OF RIDING.—Many of our townsmen may be
at a loss for a riding-school, and an excellent teacher of the
" art equestrian." To such we can most cordially recom-
mend Mr. Smith's establishment. The fondness of our
gracious Queen for this fashionable exercise has, of late,
rendered its adoption almost universal. Perfection in it has
become a " polite accomplishment" upon which no ordinary
value is placed. We feel convinced that Mr. Smith's suc-
1, airy, and salubrious
cess as a teacher will secure for his school an increased mea-
s situationu re of uo bf
s schoolpatronage.
ls a
veryh great
The c e rit r arecommendation.—See
Advt.

BENNISON'S MAP OF LIVERPOOL.—We have just had an
opportunity of examining this splendid and unique map of the
! " good old town. It is most elaborately and beautifully
executed, and reflects the highest credit on the spirited pub.-
lisher, Mr. Bell, of Lord-street, and the talented engraver,
Mr. J. Dower, of London. It is on a large scale, 48 inches
by 32, but reduced in dimensions from Mr. Bennison's first
map. It embraces the whole of the town and suburbs, to-
gether with a large extent of the adjacent country. Every
street, public building, church or chapel, charitable institu-
tion, &c., is distinctly traced. The ward boundaries are also
marked, and each ward has its distinct colour. This map
embraces all the recent improvements in the town and neigh-
bourhood, including those now in progress. It ought to be
introduced into every public establishment, inn, and office in
the town, to each of which it would prove a decided orna-
ment ; the border, (four inches in width) which surround it,
presenting a succession of accurate and striking views of our
principal public buildings, churches, &c., which are alone,
we may say without any exaggeration, worth the price of the
map. The present only costs about one-third of the price of
the former. We may, perhaps, be allowed to suggest, that
this map would form a very acceptable present to distant
friends,
who may feel an interest in this town. As a proof
of our own appreciation of its merits, we have just had the
Standard-office fitted up with Mr. Bennison's map.—See
advt.

THE MAGISTRATE AND Tiff', Ass.—llenry IV. of France
passing through a small town perceived the corporation as-
sembled to congratulate him on his arrival. Just as the prin-
cipal magistrate had commenced a tedious oration, an ass
began to bray ; on which the king, turning towards the place
where the noisy animal was, said gravely, " Gentlemen, one
at a time, if you please."

THE ROOINIS AFTER NINE O'CLOCK*
As caterers to the public, we were amid the throng of
" characters" shortly after nine o'clock. The difference of
effect, referable to the lights, on what had been previously seen
during the day, struck even practised eyes with the surprise of
difference. It was a wondrous scene. Every observer seemed
delighted. Those who came early did not know how to occupy
themselves ; they seemed at a loss how to fill up their time. It
was otherwise with the ladies. All of them looked well, and
on the best possible terms with themselves and party.
Oh ! what a scene a genteel Fancy Ball is. How different
from vulgar masquerades, which, however, should be res-
pected, like Popery, inasmuch as being the herald of a wel-
come change of better manners, feelings, hopes, and promise !
There it is.

Last night, or rather this morning, motley was the only
wear. Those who have travelled with Puckler Muskau, or
sailed round the globe with Cook, Basil Hall, or the dream-
ers with Columbus, may possibly talk of the Havannah, or
of the piebald costume of New Orleans and Mexico, against
what glorious and ever-new Liverpool can produce. Their
attempts are abortive. Fortunately this was a fancy ball.
Strangers were among us ; and strangers who were no stran-
gers to manners or expectancy. All joined, as we do, in a
meed of praise to the female beauty of the scene. The
Lancashire, Cheshire, and Yorkshire " display" was such
as to keep up and to justify the female rivalry of those
splendid counties. Pressed for space and tied to time as we
are, we shall not be provoked to break away from this refer-
ence, without recording an agreeable justifier ; and it is this :
Liverpool has been true to itself. Its fancy-ball will take
rank in the history of all such fashionable displays as one of
the chief in Victoria's reign. The very genius of manly chi-
valry seems to have dawned on the susceptible counties of
England ; and matches, in embryo, from this auspicious night
we prophecy will eventually perpetuate the allied names of
Victoria and Albert.
Let us leave the general, to notice what we could of the
individual. We saw, on the way to supper, a Yorkshire
peasant treading on the heels of the peer. This was an illus-

tration of Shakspeare, and we looked for truth " turning up"
from the literal apostle of mankind ! This ball was without
a personal representative of the bard of Avon, but his genius
and his works were diffused, übiquitously, throughout a room
honourably dedicated to charity, and the kindly and human
feeling of which he was the manly, as well as the poetic re-
presentative,

We have just adverted to a representation of the state of
Yorkshire :it was Mr. Reay. Nobly did he sustain it. He
lives in the memory of ball frequenters, these four years.
Some one encroached upon him, and the best bustling
apology of the evening followed, with which our ears were
assailed. Such a look of grace from the fair creature who
hung on the arm of a very Turk, never emanated from the
" windows of the mind" of a Cleopatra or Hero, in their
most satisfied moods,