The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-03-26 00:00:00

BANKRUPTCY EXTRAORDINARY.

[The usual reporters were unfortunately absent when this
case was heard. The following report from Punch may,
however, be relied on :—]
The bankrupt, Felix Cool, was opposed by a learned
barrister on behalf of several creditors. The debts were
very unimportant to every one but the creditors, amount-
ing only to a few thousand pounds ; still the assets were
of that nature that the time of the assignees would not
be wasted in collecting them.
Sir C. F. Williams said this was so far favourable to
the bankrupt, for he had evidently set an example of
punctuality in receiving all he earned, though, in paying
all he owed, the same business-like exactitude had, un-
fortunately, not been exhibited. There was one thing,
however, that he (Sir C. F. Williams) would take the
liberty of asking the bankrupt—namely, how he came to
get so much into debt in so short a period P
The bankrupt replied, that he had gone on as fair a
system as he could. Foi instance, he wanted goods, and
asked for them, and got them. The tradesmen then
wanted the money, and asked for it, and did not get it ;
that was all the difference. (Laughter, in which the
Commissioner joined.)
Sir C. F. Williams admitted that there was a good
deal of truth in that, but he saw that the bankrupt had
been to Margate with a very large sum of money—what
had become of that ?

The Bankrupt.—That's exactly what I want to know.
(A laugh.) All I know is, that I went, and the money
went. I came back again, and I should be very glad to
see the money come back again also. (Laughter.)
Sir C. F. Williams.—That seems to me a fair and
straightforward wish on the part of the bankrupt. He
would like to see the money back again—probably to di-
vide it amongst his creditors. I really don't see what
more he could do, if he had the money now in his pocket.
My only wish is to see justice done.
A Creditor.— Yes, that's all very fine; but we are
done as wee as justice. (Cries of " 'Hear.")
Sir C. Williams.—Silence ! I sit here as a judge, and
if those interruptions are to take place, I will have the
court cleared. (To the bankrupt.)—Here are some items
I cannot understand. What became of all the money
you earned in the last year P
The Bankrupt.—That's what puzzles me. Some of
it went this way, and some that way, and some the other.
A Creditor.—None of it seems to have come this way.
(A laugh.)
Sir C. F. Williams.—That laughter is very indecent,
and I will certainly protect the feelings of the bankrupt
as well as my own dignity. (To the bankrupt )—I see
an item for keeping a carriage. Pray can you favour us
with an explanation of that?
The Bankrupt. —ln the first place a carriage is
cheaper. It takes you where you like, when you like,
and bow you like. It puts you down, takes you up,
drives you on, carries you off, whisks you round, and
brings you home in no time.
Sir C. F. Williams.—That's very true. But how is it
cheaper than a cab or an omnibus P
The Bankrupt.—Why, clearly, it must be cheaper. If
you get into a cab or an omnibus, you must dip into your
ready money. You exhaust your capital, you cripple
your means, and empty your pockets ; so that the pockets
of your creditors naturally suffer in the end. But if you
have a private carriage, your account, as well as your car-
riage, will keep running on. (A laugh.)
Sir C. F. Williams (smiling).—That is true to a certain
extent. But what do you propose to do now P
The Bankrupt.—My income has hitherto been so much
—say so much in round numbers. Suppose it to he as
much again as half. I have no objection to pay over to
my creditors that portion of it which I can do without—
say the half, and I will keep the as much again, that is
to say; it shall be proportioned into two. I will take the
as much again as half, and the remainder my creditors
are welcome to. _ .

Sir C. F. Wilhams.—This seems very fair. (To the
bankrupt)—l don't think you can do more.
The Bankrupt. —We have been doing all we could for
some time, I can assure you. We only want to be set
upon our legs again. It is really bad enough to owe the
money, and not to have it; but to be lectured about it
into the bargain is rather too hard.
Sir C. F. Williams.—But why did you go away from
your creditors ?

The Bankrupt.—What was the use o staying with
them ? We are blamed for going to our creditors at all ;
and now- we are blamed for not going to them, when we
really could do them no good—for we, of course, could
not pay them. So we went to Margate, intending to
settle with everybody.
Sir C. F. Williams.—A very good intention. But pray
how was it to be carried out ?
The Bankrupt.—We had not time to think of .that. I
told one of my principal creditors, some months ago, that
I would if I could, but I couldn't. If I could, it is possi-
ble now I should ; and hereafter I will if I can—but that
depends on circumstances. I mean, of course. my own
circumstances.
Sir C. F. Williams hoped it would be so. He (Sir
C. F. Williams) would be glad to see the bankrupt begin
the world again.
A Creditor. --Hadn't he better begin at the other end ?
for if be begins in the old way, there will be little good
result from it. (A laugh.)
Sir C. F. Williams thought this a very unfair observa-
tion ; and, after a few encouraging remarks to the bank-
rupt, the inquiry terminated.

ANECDOTE OF THE LATE MR. CONSTABLE.—John
Varley offered him a little drawing for sale. "He told
me," says Constable, " how to do landscape, and was so
kind as to point out all my defects; the price of the
drawing was a guinea and a half to a gentleman, and a
guinea only to an artist, but I insisted on his taking the
larger sum, as he had clearly proved to me I was no
artist 7"
CHINA A TIIOUSUND YEARS AGO.French journal
states, that " there has lately been plat in the princi-
ple gallery of the collection of MMS. at Paris an in-
scription in the Chinese and Syriac languages, of the date
of 781. showing the arrival of Syriac missionaries, and
the propagation of Christianity in China in the seventh
and eighth centuries. The inscription was found in 1825
in a city of China."
STOICISM.—Heaven forbid that any process of philoso-
phy were capable so to sever and indurate our feelings that
nothing should agitate them but what arose instantly and
immediately out of our selfish interests ! I would as soon
wish my hand to be as callous as horn, that it might escape
an occasional cut or scratch, as I would be ambitious of
the stoicism which should render my heart like a piece of
the nether millstone.—Sir Walter Scott.

MEMORY OF BEES.—I was living in a town where I
knew some few bees were kept, and I chanced to have
some coarse comb, from which thehoney had been drained;
so, instead of being greedy, and squeezing out all I could
I determined to give a feed all round to such bees as chose
to accept my invitation to dinner. This invitation I gave
by opening the window, and setting the honey on the sill.
In about half an hour some foragers found it out ; they
helped themselves, and carried back the good news to the
sisters in the hive. In the course of the morning my
room literally swarmed with bees, and I need not tell you,
as they are grateful creatures, that they did not meddle
with me, but, as I sat at my books, repaid me for my treat
with their sweet music. In the afternoon they were sat-
isfied, at least for the day', and dropped off, one by one,
without committing any excess. There is nothing strange
in all this ; but now comes the wonderful part of the
story : I, myself, got up next morning, some time before
bees are usually stirring, and, as I went to my window
(it was in September) to see the first rays of the sun in
the eastern sky, I was much surprised, and not a little
delighted, to see a number of bees, who had remembered
and been grateful for their dinner the day before, waiting
for me to let them into a similar breakfast. As some of
the honey was left, you cannot doubt but that I complied
with their wish, which was clear enough to me, though
they had no tongue to express it. I opened the window ;
the room was soon filled; they cleared the combs of
honey, and then went orderly away. They haunted my
windows for several mornings after, though I had no
more honey to give them. This, I think, is a pretty strong
instance of memory in bees.—Cotton's Bee-Book.
THE ROYAL FAMILY AT THE CORTES.—Shortly after
twelve o'clock the peers and commoners, mustering in
tolerably large numbers, took their seats, a solitary bishop
occupying one of the back benches ; and two deputations
one to receive the queen, and the other the infanta—left
the house. In a few moments-the latter deputation again
made their appearance in the house ; and the Infanta
Dona Maria Louisa Fernanda was seen in front of the
tribune prepared for her royal highness, robed in white
and gold, and beaming with beauty and innocence. The
hum of conversation was hushed as her presence was an-
nounced, and an involuntary murmur of admiration fol-
lowed. She appeared as it were to realise those images
of beauty and splendour with which the imagination of
youth peoples the realms of fairy land. Although then
little more than eleven years of age, she seemed to be
moulded in beauty's fairest form ' • and, with the grace.
fulness and simplicity of childhood, she smiled familiarly
on all she knew around her, curtseying with exquisite
grace, and looking eagerly from time to time towards the
tribune over her head, where her attendants were, to ex-
change a friendly smile. The curiosity to see the princess
was scarcely gratified, before the young queen herself, ac-
companied by the regent Espartero, and followed by the
officers of the household, made her appearance. She is by
no means so beautiful as the infanta, but is much fairer ;
her figure is also good, and her neck and arms worthy of
a sculptor's study ; and, although at that time no more
twelve years and six months old, she seemed already to
have sprung into womannoon. She was robed in white
satin, waved with flowers of delicate tints, and wore a
diadem of silver richly spangled with diamonds—the great
golden crown having been placed on a table near the
throne. Her train, which was of deep green velvet,
lined with ermine, was borne by an officer of the house-
hold ; and Madame Mina, the royal camarera and gover-
nance, walked behind her majesty, dressed in the plain
costume of a Spanish lady. It was pleasing to see the
fair young queen, as soon as she entered, look earnestly
around for her sister, whom perhaps the preparations for
the ceremony had prevented her seeing before on that day:
she was the only relative of all her royal race that was
there : and, as soon as their eyes met, the undisguised
pleasure of children and of sisters could be observed in
both. " How lovely the two royal orphans are !" ob-
served a lady who sat near me. The queen walked with
dignity to the throne ; but the manner in which she ac-
knowledged the salutations of the peers was neither
graceful nor corteous ; and, in general, the abruptness
and impatience displayed in her movements contrast
strongly with the natural grace of the young infanta.—
Haverty's 'Wanderings in Spain.