The Statesman.
London, England, 1824-02-18 00:00:00

MASQUERADE.-ARGYLL ROOMS.

The company which assembled on Monday evening was
very numerous, and the characters of the usual stamp, as
to their appearance. There were inhabitants of all twined,
and dealers in every ware. The brave, the gay, the aged,
and the young, all appeared to be influenced by the same
wish—the amusement of each other ; and sometimes we had
occasion to shrink from the violence of contending parties,
and from the boisterous mirth of full-grown children, we
saw nothing beyond the fair frolics of the scene, in which
every man must be prepared to participate, and to bear
with forbearance, who makes one at a public masquerade.
There were many Lawyers, who had no cause to produce
effect. Pilgrims were sometimes, perhaps. induced to of-
fer up their adoration, to shrines of beautiful exterior, but
doubtful purity. The Spanish Bandits maintained their
characteristic ferocity, much to the alarm of our nerves.
We would recommend those gentry to carry less formida-
ble weapons, and to wield them with more discretion. A
Family of Laplanders huddled round the stove at their en-
trance, and shivered with becoming dexterity. We pre.
sume,however, they were soon warmed completely through,
for they speedily chose an airy cool situation, as if they
had been " souls made of fire, and children of the sun.'
The quadrille parties were less numerous than usual, but
by no means deficient in either grace or spirit. The com-
pany bad no cause to complain of the liberality and good
taste with which the supper was laid out, and if we may
judge by the readiness and dexterity of the attends, is and
managers, the providers of it were equally pleased with the
good taste with which it was taken in. It disappeared as
if by magic; the fowls immediately took flight. The
wines were, as usual, furnished by Wright, of the Oinsra
Colonnade, and were really most excellent.
At four o'clock in the morning we left a considerable
number, who did not evince any disposition to separate.

The critical day, nay the critical hour is fast approaching,
for within Ave minutes after the drawing commences 'Fa-Mor-
row, Two, out of the SEVEN, Prizes 0f90,0031. will be de.
Bided : this at all times would have been an interesting event,
but is now become doubly so by the certainty of Lotteries be.
log discontinued by Government. Mr. thyme leg? has cer-
tainly evinced sound judgment In taking tois last Contract, for
it was to be expected that few people would like to have to
reproach themselves with having omitted to embark some
trifling sum for advantages so great, now that the opportunity
of doing so Is literally expiring ; this accounts fo the present
extraordinary demand for Tickets and Shares.
Eittrrot.,Fxs. 16 -1 t was not without the utmost difficulty
culty that the mail from London reached this city on Satur-
day last. The passengers,whose first salutations were on the
peculiar mildness of the weather, were not a little surprised
at no very great distance from the metropolis, to find
the ground covered with snow to a conslderable depth.
--On proceeding further " the angry spirit of the
storm" seemed excite! to ungovernable fury, and
the increasing drifts presented considerable impedi-
ment; till, in crossing Marlborough Downs, the same
had increased to an extent that rendered the road undistio-
gnishable, and to any thing but the most undaunted con-
rage and persevering industry, utterly impassable. The
snow was in places drifted to a height of twelve or fourteen
feet; land howling of the wind, and the pelting of the
storm, presented to the passengers, who in a tnoment of
peril were obliged to alight, a scene of desolation calculi.,
tad to awake the most unpleasant sensations; it. this situa-
tion the first object that presented itself, was the Tree Blue
coach, which, unable to make its way, bad been abandoned.
a silent monument of the reeklesa fury of the storm. The
great are and intrepidity of the driver and guard of the
Mail, however, assisted by the physical energies of its ex-
cellent horses. surmounted every difficulty, with a delay of
little more than an hour: Oa arriving at Beth, the pow
Gangers unanimously signed a testimonial of the goad con-
duct of the driver and guard, without whose exertions it
would have been impossible for the Mail to have premien-
, fed its journey.
Gears Excnetects, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 1824.—The ar-
rivals of this week are. Wheat, 3,500; Barley, 3,600; Oats.
6,200 qr. ; Flour. 4,800 sacks; Wheat is not near so plenti-
ful as last week, and more money is demanded for pines
dry samples, bat as there is not much business de.ag to
day, prices may be reported the same as on Monday.--
Barley fully maintains the quotations of last day. Beans
and Peas are unaltered. Good Oats sell well, and fully
support the currency of Monday. In flour there is no
alteration. Raps seed is again dearer.