The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-08-06 00:00:00

VARIETIES.

A quadrille was not danced—but swam in the river
Seine the other day, by a party of gentlemen, in one of
the large bathing establishments in Paris, There was a
splendid hand of music, and the swimmers acquitted
themselves with much ability.
DEAR PRAYER Book.—At the sale of the Duke of
Sussex's library, last week, one of the lot was a Common
Praier Booke, excessively sare, without date, but printed
in 1559, Jugge and Cawoode. The Psalms after the
translation of the Greate Bible, excessively rare, Jugge
and Cawoode, 1559, 2 vois. in one, exhuisitely beautiful
copies, in old red morocco. This volume sold for £lOl.
CHEAPNESS OF THE LAW TY CHINA.—In China no,
fees are paid for the administration of justice. The
judge, whose office costs him nothing, and who has his
salary stated, can require nothing of the parties at law,
which empowers every poor man to prosecute his own
rights, and frees him from being oppressed by theopu-
lence of his adversary, who cannot be brought to do justly
and reasonably because the other has not money.—
Captain Pidding's Chinese Olio.

LORD ELDON.—The emoluments of this lawyer, at the
bar, like those of most eminent men, appear to have been
overrated. In the fee-book of 1785, his total receipts are
set down at 5,766 guineas ; in 1786, 6,508 guineas ; is
1787, he made £7,600 ; in 1788, £8.419 ; in 1789, when
solicitor-genenal, £9,559; in 1790, £2,654; in 1791,
£10,213; in 1792, £9,080; in 1793, when attorney-gene-
ral, £10,330; in 1794, £11,592; in 1795, £11,149; in
1796, £12,140 ; in 1797, £10,881; and i❑ 1798, £10,557.
NAVAL RIDDLES.—When is a ship no sh'p I—When
she's a stern. When is she like snow ?—When she's
adrift. When like a painter?—When showing colours.
When like an auctioneer ?—When in full sail (sale.)
When like a mad bull ?—When foaming at the head.
When like a lady in distress I—When missing stays.
When like a lion I—When in full roar. When like a
bird I—When flying before the wind. When like a-tailor?
—When sheering off. When like a recruiting sergeant?
—When beating up. When like a floor ?—When boarded.

INCREASE OF LONDON.—The growth of London and
the increase of its population since the accession of the
Stuart family in 1604, have long been matters for marvel
and observation. " The growth of London," says David
Hume,. " has been prodigious. From 1600 it doubled
every forty years ; consequently, in 1650," he adds, " it
contained four times as many inhabitants as at the be-
ginning of the century." In 1601 London was said to
contain little more than 150,000 inhabitants. In 1619 the
average number of deaths per week was from 2 to 300;
the weekly average of deaths for the last five weeks has
been 900. The health of the metropolis has improved,
therefore, very materially, for the population of 1843 is
twenty times as great again as the population of 1619.--
Fraser's Magazine.
SIR CHARLES WETHERELL.—The absence as well as
the originality of this gentleman, is proverbial. Shortly
after the marriage of Sir Charles, he and his lady dined
with Serjeant Merewether, who lived at that time in
Chancery-lane. Wetherell then had great practice, and
instead of joining the ladies in the drawing-room after
dinner, he intimated that he must go across to his cham-
bers for an hour or two. No one wondered at his ab-
sence, or that he did not return, knowing the great ex-
tent of his practice. The hour becoming late, however,
all departed, and the carriage of Sir Charles was waiting
for him at the door. A servant was sent to remind him
of the hour, and that Lady Wetherell was waiting : the
servant returned, saying the outer door was fastened.—
Every one thought that Sir Charles had forgotten himself
and that he was at home, and home his lady drove. She
returned, however, in a short time to Chancery-lane, and
knocked up her friends to say that she was greatly alarmed,
not having found her husband at home. The barrister
himself went over to the chambers, knocked and knocked
again, but found no reply. A consultation was immedi-
ately held as to the propriety of breaking open the door.
The servant first began to belabour it with repeated
kicks, which, after t*hort time, drew forth a " Halloo
who is there?" frore'within. The door was opened, and
behold there stood Sir Charles in his night costume ! He
had left his briefs, which he had been consulting : and
forgetting that he was a married man had retired to bed.
CHINESE MODE OF TAKING WILD-FOWL—The Chi-
nese mode of taking wild-fowl, with which the neighbour-
hood of Canton abounds, is curious and somewhat un-
sportsmanlike. There is no missing fire—no powder
getting damp—no barrel bursting—no bother with dogs--
nothing but sport, and no " mistake." Whenever they'
see a quantity of ducks settled in any particular piece of
water, they send half-a-dozen gourds to float among them.
These gourds resemble the pumpkins in England; but
being hollowed out, they float on the surface of the water.
On large pools they leave 20 to 30 afloat. At first the
fowl are shy at coming near them, but by degrees they
get courage; and as all birds at length grow familiar with
a scarecrow, they soon gather round them, and amuse
themselves by "whetting their bill" against them. When
the birds get pretty familiar with them, they then prepare
to deceive them more effectually. A Chinese hollows out
a pumpkin which is pretty large, and after making holes
in it to see and breathe through, he claps it on his bead.
Thus accoutred he wades slowly into the water, keeping
his body under, and letting nothing be seen above the
surface but the pumpkin, in which is his head. In this
mariner he moves imperceptibly towards the fowls, which
suspect no danger. At last he fairly gets in amongst
m ; while they, having been long used to see gourds,
take not the least alarm, even when the enemy is in the
very midst of them ; who, whenever he approaches a fowl,
seizes it by the legs, and draws it with a sportsmanlike (?)
jerk under the water. He then fastens it to his girdle
and proceeds on to the next victim, till he has loaded
himself with as many
as he can fairly (?) walk off with.—
Captain Pidding's Chinese Olio.

LORD ELDON'S PRESENCE OF MIND.—The following
interesting anecdote, connected with the life of Hardy, is
taken from the life of Lord Eldon :—" He (Lord Eldon)
related to Mrs. Forester, and the Law Magazine of Au-
gust, 1838, gives the story a little more circumstantially,
that at the close of one of the days of this long trial,
as he was about to leave the Court, Mr. Garrow said to
him, Mr. Attorney, do not pass that tall man at the end.
of the table.' The man bad a suspicious appearance, and
had stationed himself for some time at the door with his
hat pulled over his brows. Why not pass him,' asked
Mr. Law ?' He has been here,' replied Mr. Garrow,
' during the whole trial, with his eyes constantly fixed oil
the Attorney-General.' I will pass him,' said Mr. Law.
And so will I,' said Sir John Scott. This was opposed.
by the Counsel and others round about, who added, that
they did not think the Attorney-General's life sale. He
answered, I tell you, gentlemen, I will not stay here;
for, happen what may, the King's Attorney-General must
not show a white feather.' What followed was thus re-
lated by him to Mrs. Forester : ' I went and left them,
but I will not say that I did not give a little look over my
shoulder at the man with the slouched hat, as I passed
him ; however, he did me no harm, and I proceeded for
some time unmolested. The mob kept thickeningaround
me, till 1 came to Fleet-street, one of the worst parts
of London that I had to pass through, and the cries began
to be rather threatening, ' Down with Now is the
time, lads,'—' Do for him,' and various others, horrible
enough. So I stood up, and spoke as loudly as I could,
' You may do for me, if you like, but remember, there
will be another Attorney-General before eight o'clock
to-morrow morning; the king wil not allow the trials to
be stopped.' Upon this one of the men shouted out,
' Say you so ? you are right to tell us. Let's give hiss
three cheers, lads.' Annddotohr.
at When they actually cheered me, and
hseeneinlgwealsosweatiotinmgetothhee
lletgoitn,salrefetlot amylittolwe queerish
identical man with the slouched hat ; and I believe I gave
him one or two rather suspicious looks, for he came for-
ward and said, Sir John, you need not be afraid of me,
every night since these trials commenced I have seen yott
safe home before I went to my own home, and I will con-
tinue to do so until they are over; good evening, sir.' I
had never seen the man before. I afterwards found out
who he was (I had some trouble in doing so, for he did not
make himself known), and took care he should feel my
gratitude.' This stranger's interest in Sir John Scott's
safety is accounted for in the Law Magazine of August,
1838, where it appears that Sir John Scott had once done
a great act of kindness to the man's father.'