The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-01-21 00:00:00

FOREIGN MISCELLANY.

The Grand Duke of Tuscany has restored the law pro-
cesses in civil cases within his dominions to the same system
as prevailed when they were under the French empire, and
thejudges have assumed the same robes as those wornin the
French courts. _ .

Professor Nibi, the great antiquarian,. died suddenly at
Rome on the 31st ult. ; he has left many learned works. The
Archaeological Academy has sustained an irreparable loss.
It is said that he died extremely poor.—French paper.
POPISH INTRIGUES.—An establishment has been recently
formed near Geneva, to serve as an asylum for such Protes-
tants as are inclined to embrace Catholicism. The Pope has
contributed a small sum towards the first expenses, and
granted certain indulgences for such persons as may support
the institution. _ .

A letter from the canton of Uri states, that the road of the
Mount St. Gothard is so impeded by snow, which in differ-
ent places lies from 100 to 300 yards deep, that it is impas-
sable almost for foot passengers, as the frost has not been
sufficiently severe to harden the snow, and avalanches are
constantly falling.
The boring instrument now at work for the Artesian well
in the abattoir at Grenelle, has reached the depth of 508
metres, or 1,6661 feet. The earth brought up is still a
greenish clay. It requires 4 horses and 12 men to keep the
apparatus in action ; and it is daily hoped to see water burst
up. The temperature increases a degree in warmth for every
30 yards penetrated downwards.
An important discovery has been made by M. Didron, du-
ring his recent archaeological tour in Greece and Turkey, of a
Greek manuscript, about 200 years old, containing a com-
plete code of religious monumental paintings. This docu-
ment, found at Mount Athos, gives full instructions concern-
ing all the subjects and persons that ought to be painted in
churches, with the age, costume, and attributes that each
figure ought to have. A copy of this manuscript is making
at Mount Athos with the greatest care. Another manuscript,
containing a similar code on religious architecture. is be-
lieved by M. Didron to exist at Adrianople, and he has some
hopes of obtaining it.—French paper.
Madame Gans, a lady at Berlin, distinguished for her
talents, her large fortune, and her encouragement of litera-
ture and literary men, on returning home from the theatre
on the night of the 3d instant, found her house surrounded
by an immense crowd. Having, with great difficulty, made
her way in, and reached her chamber, she there saw a body
of armed police engaged with five robbers, who had broken
open the doors and got in, while a sixth was dying on the
sofa, the blood flowing from two wounds in his breast. The
shock of this horrible sight was so severe that Madame Gans,
who was in her 74th year, fell down in a fit of apoplexy, and
expired almost instantaneously.—Paris paper.
The old castle of the ancient Dukes of Coburg is considered

impregnable, and is the place where the Elector of Saxony.
hid " Luther" after the Papal bull was iipued ; in fact pro-
tection was first given to the Protestant cause by the house
of Coburg, whose members embraced the reformed faith and
who now are Protestants, and constantly attend the Lutheran
church. Upon the confirmation of the Princes Albert and
Einest, the Grand Duke ordered. a medal to be struck to
commemorate this event, which took place April 12, 1835 ;
on the obverse are the pOrtraits of the two young princes
encircled with this inscription—" Ernst and Albert Prinzen
Von S Coburg-Gotha." And on the reverse, encircled with
a wreath of oak, " Confirmt Den 12 April, 1835." In the
castle remain to this day the relics of Luther—his inkstand,
seat, and writing-table, and his portrait by Lucas Cranach,
which are preserved with religious veneration by the reign-
.

ing family.
The following extraordinary story is related by the Au-
dience:—" The town of Saint Germain l'Elerm, in the Pay
de Dome, and its neighbourhood," says this journal, " have
been thrown into consternation ; the communications are in-

terrupted, and the letter carriers have suspended their service.
An animal of great ferocity desolates the country, attacking
men and animals. Its victims are innumerable. It made
its first appearance in the commune of Fournois, where the
inhabitants of an entire village were horribly torn to pieces.
Far from being terrified at cries or numbers, it was in the
midst of groups that it showed the greatest fury. The com-
munes of Fournois, Chambon, Saint Germain-l'Herm, and
St. Bonnet, have been the theatre of its exploits. A great
number of persons were torn so horribly, that many of them
died, and others are in such a state that death would be pre-
ferable, for some have lost an arm, others a leg, and some
even had their skulls fractured." After this description of
the ravages of the animal, the correspondent of the Audience
favours us with that of the monster itself, as it is not to be
found in Buffon. "Itis of the size of an ordinary wolf, and
is striped like a tiger, black and white. Its hair stands up
like 'the quills of a porcupine, its skin is hard and scaly, '
(the Audience does not say how the terrified inhabitants suc-
ceeded in making such minute observations), " his feet are
armed with sharp claws, which leave their sanguinary mark
upon all that they touch. Our mountaineers say it is a hyena,
similar to that which once ravaged the department of the
Lozerel and they are therefore. in suoli. a state of alarm, thfit
'they will only venture out in.large bodies (en caravanes),
armed with pikes, hatchets, and scythes, and placing the
women in the centre, for it is upon them principally that this
ferocious beast vents its fury."
SWINDLING IN PARIS.—The police are still actively en-
gaged in putting down private gaming houses. The cercle
(club-house), in the Vivienne, has been suppressed, for the
present at least, and visits have been paid to several similar
establishments. Some English Chevaliers d'lndustrie, of
whom there are still a great number in Paris, have received
a polite intimation that their absence will be more agreeable
than their company; one of them the notorious Captain
—, of duelling notoriety, has been absent for some time in
consequence of such an intimation. The following story is
told of his departure. He was living in a first-rate hotel
with a lady, when he received notice to quit. He owed a
heavy account, but the I,lndlord was not uneasy, as he knew
that he and the lady had an abundant and splendid wardrobe.
Having taken places for himself and his chere amie, without,
of course, letting his landlord know of his intended depar-
ture, he invited nine or ten of his acquaintances to dinner,
and " to come in cloaks." After a splendid dinner the party
left, and the porter of the house, who had seen them enter
in cloaks, did not of course think it singular that they should
leave in the same manner. On the following morning the
captain called for his bill, and told the landlord he was going
to his banker's to get a draft cashed. He then went out with
the lady, and paid a visit to a friend, where all their ward-
robe and other effects, which had been conveyed away under
the cloaks of his guests, were waiting for him, with three or
four new trunks wich had been purchased. At three o'clock
in the afternoon he was on his way to Brussels. At night
the landlord, being surprised at his not returning, went into
his room and saw all the trunks safe, but fancied they were
very light. On the following morning a commissary of
police was called in, and the trunks were found to be empty.