The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-10-03 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD

Sia,—l have heard say that there is in some countries
an insect whose bite is curable only by music. Can you
inform me whether such a wonder has been imported into
Liverpool lately, as it appears that even grave folks are
so musically disposed as to attend and encourage perfor-
mances where the most solemn and sacred pieces are sung
promiscuously with others of a light and trifling charac-
ter? It is true the latter (lest they should startle the
scrupulous, no doubt) are entitled .secular. Ours is an
ingenious age, and we are an ingenious people : a less in-
genious would have called them profane.
I attended a meeting lately, in the Amphitheatre, of
the above sort ; but I hope I shall not soon attend such
another serio-comic affair. I could conceive nothing
more likely to bring sacred music into contempt than
such an amalgamation ; and I have seen some of its work-
ings. I know some people plead for it that "it will be
the means of withdrawing persons from the public house,
by enabling them to amuse themselves at their own fire-
side." But is it not as likely that the public-houses will
be made the rendezvous of those trifling warblers whose
only motive is to amuse, and will also decoy after them
others who would otherwise never have inclined to such
haunts? It is a pity to see such a system receiving such
respectable support; while, at the same time, said system
is lending its aid to Popery. It seems an excellent coun-
terpart to teetotalism.
When I see such expediency adopted by churchmen, it
reminds me of a comparison used by a worthy clergyman
not a hundred miles from Kirkdale, in reference to
worldly conformity. "It is the church coming down
the hill to meet the world," instead of keeping her place
at the top.
I have thrown out this spark in hope that it may, by
influential hands, be blown into a flame that will exter-
minate these (religious ?) comedies!
A LOVER OF MUSIC.

Crown-street, 19th September, 1843.
P.S.—Of akin to the above is the system of engaging
persons to lead the singing in churches, whose only qua-
lification is a musical one, and who alternately lead the
sacred and profane. Is it to be wondered at, if, under
such a system, congregations are not over-forward to join
(the praise)?
[We have the assurance of our correspondent, that his
remarks are only directed against the junction of sacred
pieces with profane or trifling, and that he has no wish to
say one word in disparagement of any of the class systems
of singing per se.]

x---~

,r < r ~,..

The Moderator followed in a strain commendatory of the
said speakers ; and von, sir, who were ihe next speaker,
so far from saying they had spoken irreverently of your
favourite (?) church, followed in a strain not unlike theirs.
(Prov. xxix. 24.) If von have forgot your words, I have
not, as they are now beh)re me, and am able to prove all
I say. Another speaker of a simi:ar sort was Dr. Bu-
chanan : indeed, the enmity was so palpable throughout
the convocation, that it almost seems a work of superero-
gation to prove it. Before the decision in the civil court,
the non-intrusionists threatened, in the event of the de-
cision being given against them, to cross the border and
disturb the English church. It were well if the execu-
tion of this threat were a fair sample of their faithfulness.
They have done what they could.

As another instance of your feeling towards our church,
I may mention, that, at the first non-intrusion meeting
held in the Music-hall in this town, the author of the
" Harp on the Willows," in opening the meeting with
prayer, prayed " that God would bless the churches esta-
blish,d in this place," but instantly retracted the word
established, and for it subsituted planted, evidently shew-
ing that he did not wish a blessing upon the established
church.

I must now conclude my second letter on this unplea-
sant subject, not anxious for, but not afraid of, a third,
should I see that necessary. I have not said so much as
materials enable me, though I hope I have said enough to
convey to the minds of those who may read this letter
something like a correct idea of the relative positions of
the Church of England and the non-intrusion party, and
also to show you that the questions which form the sub-
ject of this letter are not yet answered.
I remain, rev. sir, yours very respectfully,
WILLIAM TATLOCK.
Liverpool, Sept. 27, 1843.

COLLISION ON THE RIVER.—On Thursday last a
colision took place on the Mersey. The Flambeau,
steamer, left the George's Pierhead for the Menai Bridge,
and, in shaping her course down the river, she drifted
across the bows of the King Orrey, steamer, carrying
away the foretopmast of the latter, and doing herself
serious injury : her bulwarks, maintopmast, mizenmast,
and stern-boat were swept away by the bowsprit of the
King Orrey, and her stern-frame separated from the deck
plank. Her steering apparatus being crippled it was with
difficulty she could be steamed to the Coburg Dock,
where she is now undergoing the necessary repairs.
ROBBERIES.—On Tuesday last Amelia Wade was
charged, before Mr. Rushton, with having robbed Robert
Anderson, a Swede, of six sovereigns. The prisoner so-
licited charity from Mr. Anderson, as he was leaving the
Amphitheatre. He refused, when the woman put her
hand into his pocket, and two men coming up, he was
struck, and the woman ran off with the purse. She was
pursued and taken be the policeman. She was committed
for trial.—Margaret West was also committed for robbing
Daniel Walters of a pocket-book, containing a £2O note,
a £lO note, and two £5 notes, at a public-house, in Leigh-
street, kept by a person named Holden.
CAUTION TO MARINE STORE DEALERS.—On Thurs-
day John Phillips, of Henderson-street, was summoned
before Mr. Rushton, for carrying on the business of a
marine store dealer without procuring a license. The de-
fendant's wife said they had only been in the business 15
days, and they were trying to see how it would answer be-
fore they got out a license. Mr. Rushton said he would
not allow such proceedings . Parties so acting were liable
to a fine of £2O, and the defendant must pay 40s. and
costs. Mr. Rushton further stated, that the defendant
was liable to a fine of £5 for every day he carried on the
business without a license, in addition to the £2O, and
added, that he would inflict that penalty, if the case was
brought before him again.
LICENSE TO THE QUEEN'S THEATRE.—ME. Brether-
ton, appeared before Mr. Rushton, on Wednesday, and
said he wished to give notice, which, he believed, was re-
quired under the Act of Parliament, that Mr. Holloway
intended to apply for a license for the Queen's Theatre.
Mr. Rushton said the notice must be countersigned by
two justices. Mr. Bretherton said he was aware of that,
but he merely attended now to give the preliminary notice.
Mr. Rushton asked for the written notice. Mr. Brether-
ton said it was prepared, but it was at his office. He
would get it countersigned as required. Mr. Rushton
said he would call the justices together to consider it in a
body. The course would be to lodge the paper. As soon
as that was done he should cause the justices to be called
together to consider whether the paper should be counter-
signed or not. After this the application could be made.
Mr. Bretherton acquiesced and left the court. The course,
in future, as regards similar applications, will, we under-
stand, be as above laid down. In the case of the appli-
plication for the Liver Theatre Mr. Norris made an ap-
plication at once, with the document countersigned by
two justices, and the application was granted on the under-
standing that the stipulations of the statute should be
complied with. The magistrates, have, however, we be-
lieve, determined not to countenance what have been cal-
led " penny theatres." It is deemed expedient, there-
fore, that, in future, they shall consider in a body ere any
of them countersign an application.
LADY HAMlLTON.—Lieutenant Parsons has addressed
the following letter to the Mercury:—" I am this morn-
ing favoured with a copy of the kind and able critique on
my humble effort in literature, which you inform me is to
appear in to-morrow's paper. I not only most freely ac-
cord my consent, but heartily thank you for the honour
done me. The late unfortunate Neapolitan admiral,
Prince Caraccioli, was doomed to death by his own coun-
trymen, officers of high rank and station, Lord Nelson,
as Viceroy, alone sanctioned the sentence. The she-wolf,
as you are pleased to term her, I depict as I knew her in
the palmy days of her beauty and her might, when her
smiles were eagerly courted by heroes, and grave sedate
statesmen not only respectfully listened to her advice, but
adopted her talented, strong, and energetic measures—
when her favour was the highroad to p.m:notion, and her
masculine mind governed kingdoms. It would ill become
me, gentlemen, to lend an ear to the scandal that has
blackened her fame, and clean-blotted from memory her
great services. Thus are our virtues written in water,
our vices eneraven on brass. Not to trespass further on
your paper at this late hour, I shall conclude by stating,
that when I knew this unfortunate lady, she was the ob-
served of all observers, the honoured and idolised wife of
Sir William Hamilton, Bart., not only one of the most
learned men of his day, but universally beloved as great
and good. Not mentioning Lady Hamilton in Nelsonian
reminiscences (as recommended by you), would, it strikes
me, be on the same principle as omitting the character of
Hamlet, in the tragedy of that name."

DISAPPEARANCE OF MR. DYCE SOMBRE.—SOPOe spe-
culation, mingled with alarm, has been excited by the
sudden disappearance from the Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool,
of Mr. Dyce Sombre, a native of the East Indies, who
married the daughter of Lord St. Vincent, and was lately
pronounced insane by a Court de lunatico inquirendo.
About ten days ago Mr. Sombre arrived in Liverpool from
London, accompanied by a physician and three servants,
and put up at the Adelphi Hotel. The object of his visit
to Liverpool was change of air and scene. It was in.
tended to purchase a pleasure yacht, in which Mr. Som-
bre was to take pleasure trips on the Mersey. Occasion-
ally he walked about the streets of the town, and con-
versed with several individuals on the docks, shipping,
&c., in a very rational manner. His attire, when he thus
went abroad, was magnificent. On the night of Wed.
nesday last a servant, as was his wont, went several times
into the bed-room of his master. His last visit was at
twelve o'clock, and he then found the gentleman asleep.
It appears, however, that about four o'clock on Thursday
morning he came down stairs in his night dress, opened
the hall door, which had a very peculiar latch, and went
out. He has not since been heard of. Persons have
been despatched through all parts of the town in search
of him, and on Friday last one of them went to the Adel.
phi, " breathless with haste, and fiery hot with speed,"
to announce that the lost one had been found, and was
approaching in the care of a constable. The anxious
friends of the gentleman rushed to the door, and saw a
tall black man coming towards the hotel in the custody of
an officer ; but the captive turned out to be the steward
of a vessel in the King's Dock, who had been captured
because, like the East India gentleman, he was a tall and
handsome man of colour. It is supposed that the missing
stranger took with him a considerable sum of money, and
that he has fallen into the hands of crimps, who are keep-
ing him locked up until his gold shall have been exhausted.
INQUESTS.—On Friday last, there were six inquests
held before the borough coroner. The first was on the
body of Esther Emery, a child three months old. Anne
Emery, the wife of James Emery, who lives in Mary's-
place, Gildart's-gardens, deposed that the deceased was
her daughter, and that, on Wednesday evening last, as
the latter was troubled with a cough, which she had had
for three or four days, she asked a little girl of the name
of Ellen Shaw, whose parents lived in the neighbourhood,
to go for a pennyworth of paregoric. Shaw having
brought back a bottle of dark fluid, which was about
three parts full, witness poured some of it into a tea-
spoon, mixed it with some warm water and sugar, and
administered it to the deceased, who, in about a quarter
of an hour after, became seriously indisposed, and worked
as in a fit. A neighbour having about this time come in,
and. smelled at the bottle, pronounced the liquid to be
laudanum. Inquiry was immediately instituted. It was
soon found that the mixture had been purchased at the
shop of Mr. Sheldon, druggist, Vauxhall-road ; and he,
upon being questioned, stated that the girl had asked for
laudanum, and that she had been constantly in the habit
of coming and purchasing that article. The bottle which
was sent, and which was the property of a Mrs. Foyles,
bad a label on it marked " laudanum—poison." The
deceased died at eight o'clock the same evening. Ellen
Shaw distinctly deposed that she asked Mr. Sheldon for
paregoric, and not laudanum, and stated that it was 12
months ago since she had got any laudanum at his shop.
Mr. Cockburn, surgeon, made a post mortem examina-
tion. In his opinion the deceased died from an overdose
of laudanum, a teaspoonful of which, mixed with warm
water and sugar, would be quite sufficient to cause death
in so young a child. Sarah Foyles, the owner of the bot-
tle, stated that she had repeatedly purchased laudanum
from Mr. Sheldon, and that she bad requested of him to
send laudanum to her whenever the bottle was taken to
the shop. A verdict of " chance medley" was returned.
—The second inquest was held on the body of John Fin-
layson, a carter, who was accidentally crushed to death
between two carts at the Salthouse Dock, on Wednesday
last.—The third was on the body of Jane Gerard, a ser-
vant, in Gloucester-street, who, while putting clothes on
a line in the cellar kitchen, slipped and fell against the
dresser, by reason of which she was mortally wounded in
the stomach.—The fourth was on the body of Stephen
Morecroft, a child five years of age, who overbalanced
himself at the edge of a pit in Great Howard-street, and
was drowned.—The fifth was on the body of Edgar
Waugh, another child five years of age, whose clothes
came in contact with a lighted candle in the pantry of his
father's house in Roscommon-street, and caused death.—
The sixth and last inquest was on the body of James
Tumblety, a child of twc years old, who was burned to
death in a house in Crosby-street.—Verdicts of " acci-
dental death " were returned in the five last cases.

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD