good to relieve him even of the burden he ought to bear, in consideration of our inability to relieve him of that which he ought not to bear. Ireland is in so desperate a state, with her crowded millions in the lowest state of human existence, that no change for the better can be hoped for, unless the peasant be relieved, and a desire for a more decent mode of living be excited in him. The sum total of the payment to the Catholic clergy will not exceed 200,000l. or 300,000l. a year; and by bestowing this sum, the British people will relieve the Catholic peasant of a heavy burden, will take away a temptation on the part of the priest to encourage the increase of a too abundant population (the fees on marriages, baptisms, &c. forming a considerable portion of his income) and will moreover save the country ten times the sum expended, if by this means an obstacle be removed to that amelioration which would render needless the enormous civil and military establishment now employed to keep down the malcontent Catholic population." It is impossible to say, that these arguments have not a good deal of force. At the same time, we are not sure that the proposed measure would have the effect anticipated. The state of things in Ireland is such, that the cultivator of the soil cannot obtain more than a bare sufficiency of bad food to keep body and soul together. If he be relieved of the payment to his priest, his landlord will perhaps take in rent what is thus saved; and with regard to improvident marriages, that is the consequence of an utter recklessness of the future, which renders all other motives insignificant. While therefore the benefits of the proposed payment are doubtful, the violations of justice and principle involved in it are gross and palpable; and it becomes a question, whether it is not better to wait a little for some real and honest remedy which the dreadful state of things in Ireland will soon compel government to adopt, than to sanction a crooked and doubtful expedient which leaves untouched the master-grievance of the wronged Catholics. THE WISHING-CAP. No. XXVI. A NOVEL PARTY. -Hic ingentem comitum affluxisse novorum Invenio admirans numerum.-VIRGIL. O the pleasure that attends Such flowings in of novel friends! WHEN people speak of the creations of poets and novelists, they are accustomed to think that they are only using a form of speech. We fancy that nothing can be created which is not visible;-that a being must be as palpable as Dick or Thomas, before we can take him for granted; and that nobody really exists, who will not die like the rest of us, and be forgotten. But as we have no other certainty of the existence of the grossest bodies, but by their power to resist or act upon us, as all which Jenkins has to shew for his entity is his power to consume a barrel of oysters, and the only proof which Tomkins can bring of his not being a figment is his capacity of receiving a punch in the stomach, I beg leave to ask the candid reader, how he can prove to me that all the heroes and heroines that have made him hope, fear, admire, hate, love, shed tears, and laugh till his sides were ready to burst, in novels and poems, are not in possession of as perfect credentials of their existence as the fattest of us? Common physical palpability is only a proof of mortality. The particles that crowd and club together to form such obvious compounds as Wilson and Jackson, and to be able to resist death for a little while, are fretted away by a law of their very resistance; but the immortal people in Pope and Fielding, the deathless generation in Chaucer, Shakspeare, and Richardson, acquaintances and friends who remain for ever the same, whom we meet at a thousand turns, and know as well as we do our own kindred, though we never set gross corporeal eyes in them, what is the amount of the actual effective existence of millions of Wilsons and Tomkinses compared with theirs? Are we as intimate, I wish to know, with our Aunt, as we are with Miss Western? Could we not speak to the character of Tom Jones in any court in Christendom? Are not scores of clergyman continually passing away in this transitory world, gone and forgotten, while Parson Adams remains as stout and hearty as ever? But why need I waste my time in asking questions? I have lately had the pleasure of seeing a whole party of these immortal acquaintances of ours assembled at once. It was on the 15th of February in the present year. I was sitting by my fire-side; and being in the humour to have more company than I could procure, I put on my WISHING-CAP, and found myself in a new little world that hovers about England, like the Flying Island of Gulliver. The place immediately about me resembled a common drawing-room at the West end of the town, and a pretty large evening party were already assembled, waiting for more arrivals. A stranger would have taken them for masqueraders. Some of the gentlemen wore toupees, others only powder, others their own plain head of hair: some had swords by their sides, others none: here were beaux in the modern coat and waistcoat, or habiliments little different; there, stood coats stuck out with buckram, and legs with stockings above the knees. The appearance of the ladies presented an equal variety. Some wore hoops, others plain petticoats. The heads of many were built up with prodigious edifices of hair and ribbon; others had their curls flowing down their necks; some were in common shoes; others in a kind of slippered stilts. In short, not to keep the reader any longer upon trifles, the company consisted of the immortal though familiar creatures I speak of, the generation of the wonderful persons who have lived among us, called Novelists. Judge of my delight when I found myself among a set of old acquaintances, whom I had never expected to see in this manner. Conceive how I felt, when I' discovered that the gentleman and lady I was sitting next to, were Captain and Mrs. Booth; and that another couple on my left, very brilliant and decorous, were no less people than Sir Charles and my Lady Grandison! In the circle were Mr. and Mrs. Roderick Random; Lieutenant Thomas Bowling, of the Royal Navy; Mr. Morgan, a Welch gentlemen; Mr. and Mrs. Peregrine Pickle; Mr. Fathom, a methodist (a very ill-looking fellow)-Sir George Paradyne, and Mr. Hermsprong; Mr. Desmond, with his friend Waverley (a relation of the Waverley at present upon earth) a young gentleman whose Christian name was Henry-(I forget the other, but Mr. Cumberland knows) and Mr., formerly Serjeant Atkinson, with his wife, who both sat next to Captain and Mrs Booth. There were also some lords whose names I cannot immediately call to mind; a lady of rank, who had once been a Beggar-Girl; and other persons too numerous to mention. In a corner, very modest and pleasing, sat lady Harold, better known as Miss Louisa Mildmay, with her husband Sir Robert. From the mixed nature of the company, a spectator might have concluded that these immortal ladies and gentlemen were free from the ordinary passions of created beings; but I soon observed it was otherwise. I found that some of the persons already assembled had arrived at this plebeian hour out of an ostentation of humility; and that the others, who came later, were influenced by the usual variety of causes. The next arrival (conceive how my heart expanded at the sight) -consisted of the Rev. Dr. Primrose, Vicar of Wakefield, with his family, and the Miss Flamboroughs; the latter red and staring with delight. The Doctor apologized for not being sooner; but Mrs. Primrose said, she was sure the gentlefolks would excuse him, knowing that people accustomed to good society were never in a flurry on such occasions. Her husband would have made some remark on this; but seeing that she was prepared to appeal to her "son the Squire," who flattered and made her his butt, and that Sir William Thornhill and both the young married ladies would be in pain, he forbore. The Vicar made haste to pay his respects to Sir Charles and Lady Grandison, who treated him with great distinction, Sir Charles taking him by the hand, and calling him his "good and worthy friend." I observed that Mr. Moses Primrose had acquired something of a collected and cautious look, as if determined never to be cheated again. He happened to seat himself next to Peregrine Pickle, who informed him, to his equal surprise and delight, that Captain Booth had written a refutation of Materialism. He added, that the Captain did not chuse at present to be openly talked of as the author, though he did not mind being complimented upon it in an obscure and ingenious way. I noticed, after this, that a game of cross purposes was going on between Booth and Moses, which often forced a blush from the Captain's lady. It was with much curiosity I recog nized the defect in the latter's nose. I did not find it at all in the way, when I looked at her mouth. It appeared to me even to excite a kind of pity, by no means injurious to the most physical admiration; but I did not say this to Lady Grandison, who asked my opinion on the subject. Booth was a fine strapping fellow; though he had not much in his face. When Mr. and Mrs. Booby (the famous Pamela) afterwards came in, he attracted so much attention from the latter, that upon her asking me, with a sort of pitying smile, what I thought of him, I ventured to say, in a pun, that I looked upon him as a very good "Booth for the Fair;" upon which, to my astonishment, she blushed as red as scarlet, and told me that her dear Mr. B. did not approve of such speeches. My pun was a mere pun, and meant little, certainly nothing to the disadvantage of the sentimental part of the sex, for whom I thought him by no means a finished companion; but there is no knowing these precise people. But I anticipate the order of the arrivals. The Primroses were followed by Sir Launcelot Greaves and his lady, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Jones, Mr. and Miss Western, and my Lady Bellaston. Then came Miss Monimia (I forget her name) who married out of the Old Manor House; then Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey Clinker (I believe I should rather say Bramble) with old Matthew himself, and Mrs. Lismahago; and then a whole world of Aunt Selbys, and Grandmama Selbys, and Miss Howes, and Mr. Harlowes, though I observed neither Clarissa Dor Lovelace. I made some enquiries about them afterwards, which the reader shall hear. Enter Mr. John Buncle, escorting five ladies whom he had been taking to an evening lecture. Tom Gallogher was behind them, very merry. Then came my Lord and Lady Orville (Evelina), Mr. and Mrs. Delville (Cecilia), Camilla (I forget her surname) with a large party of Mandleberts, Clarendels, Arlberys, Orkbornes, Marglands, and Dubsters, not omitting the eternal Mrs. Mitten. Mrs. Booby and husband came last, accompanied by my Lady Booby, Mr. Joseph Andrews and bride, and the Reverend Mr. Adams, for whom Mrs. B. made a sort of apology, by informing us that there was no necessity to make any,—Mr. Adams being an honour to the cloth. Fanny seated herself by Sophia Western (that was) with whom I found she was intimate; and a lovelier pair of blooming unaffected creatures, whose goodnature stood them instead of wit, I never beheld. But I must discuss the beauties of the several ladies by and bye. An excuse was sent by Mr. Tristram Shandy and his uncle Tobias, saying that they were confined at home and unfit for company. Corporal Trim brought it, a very honest pathetic fellow, who dropped a tear. He also gave a kiss, as he went out, to one of the maidservants. The Reverend Mr. Yorick, friend of the Shandy family, sent his servant La Fleur to wait on us; a brisk active lad, who naturalised himself among us by adoring the ladies all round. The poor lad manifested his admiration by various involuntary grimaces, that forced the Miss Flamboroughs to stuff their handkerchiefs in their mouths. Our other attendants were Strap, Tom Pipes, Partridge, and two or three more, some of them in livery, and others not, as became their respective ranks. The refreshments were under the care of Mrs. Slipslop; but underwent as they came up a jealous revision from Mrs. Lismahago and Mrs. Humphry Clinker, who, luckily for ber, differed considerably with one another, or none would have been worth eating. (To be concluded next week.) THEATRICAL EXAMINER. KING'S-THEATRE. Tats theatre has adopted the plan of producing Operas apportioned to the size of the house, and has accordingly produced two, each of one act, depending more upon acting than upon scenic or musical effect. The first is called L'Adelina, a sort of sentimental production, founded on a story much resembling that of Clari, which gives Madame RoNzI a fine opportunity of displaying that force of passion and feeling, in which she excels as much as in the playful walks of Comedy. The strong emotions which such subjects require, are, we think, unfavourable to musical description; for with all the latitude we are disposed to allow, we cannot reconcile curselves to persons in the excess of grief and agitation venting their sufferings in song. The meeting between the seduced but contrite Adelina and her enraged father, is too violent for this, and after the start and shudder which the sight of her produces, there appears something revolting to nature to find him measuring out his distraction in a set melody. Music must be in the hands of a very great master to render such attempts anything but ridiculous, and not by such authors as GENERALL, who never ascends beyond the pretty. Some of his melodies are not without pleasing ideas, but there is a poverty in working them up, and a want of richness in the accompaniments, that remind us too much of the taste that prevailed before the genius of Germany made those advances that have rendered the compositions that preceded comparatively insipid and feeble. The other novelty is the Opera of L'Italiana in Algieri, by ROSSINI, which is in his usual light and playful style, but depending much more on the acting, which is in the extreme of the burlesque, than on the musical effect. Madame RoNzı, Signor DE BEGNIS, and Signor REMORINI, did their best to add to the whimsicality of the music by their mode of executing it, and though from beginning to end extremely extravagant, it passed off pleasantly enough. X. ORATORIOS. (Omitted last Week). As the season has drawn towards a close, these entertainments have been attended at either house by audiences increasing in numbers nightly. So judicious indeed has been the intermixture of different styles, so various the selections from known and approved works, combined with a large proportion of delightful music, hitherto almost unknown to English ears, they could hardly fail of attraction; although we think it has not been adequate to the merits either of the music or the performers, nor indeed to the laborious exertions made to insure With so large a field at command, the difficulty to the conductors has doubtless often been in rejection; and accordingly we have, as usual, to complain of the evenings' amusements being-only, however, in one sense-overcharged. With much of WEBER's which has recently been introduced, of course the public will soon be well acquainted. Preciosa, however delayed because the aid of her charms is not yet required, is forthcoming at Covent-garden; and Abon Hassan is announced at the other house. To these we should have been glad to see Der Behrrscher der Gheister, the overture to which approaches nearest to the most admired effort of the author. We had some hesitation in printing this title; but in the hope that the rest of the music may be worthy of what we have already heard, we may anticipate that, after the example of Der Freyschutz, which has become familiar as a household word, this also "rugged name will to our like mouths grow sleek." We would also give our suffrage for the production, in this country, of Faust. The overture by SPOR, which was performed at Covent-garden on Wednesday, promises great things. The composer seems to have caught the mantle of GOETHE. It is replete with energy and enthusiasm; a torrent of wild and tumultuous passion at intervals reflecting gleams of exquisite pathos and tenderness; the whole bearing an impress of that indefinable and next to incommunicable feeling of the preternatural, which it belongs to great genius alone to originate or impart. SPOHR seems indeed the only man capable of competing with his countryman upon his own ground. We now gratify ourselves with a few words on the cantata Natur und Liebe, the last of the many new works of WEBER which have yet appeared on this side of the German Ocean. Fortunately, it appears with unobscured charms to our approbation, some poetry being appended, we may literally say, adapted to it, by Mr. HAMPDEN NAPIER, which leaves the rumbling, ricketty vehicles for music we have elsewhere made complaint of, far behind. This delectable composition is a subject on which we could long dwell with pleasure. Not that we bring anything away but a general impression of its value; an observation which, incongruous as it may seem, applies as well to a continuity of intense delight, as to a succession of insipidity and ennui. Indeed we suspect that its particular beauties, even on repeated hearing, would be hard to specify. We consider it as claiming an amaranthine wreath for the composer, likely to outvie the chaplets already heaped upon him. Widely different in character from his other works, it is yet of the first order in the primitive dominion of music, whose chief and most lovely province is to calm, to soothe, and humanize. Formed to elevate, it never surprises the mind; we felt its effects without thinking of the cause. In short, it must be such "sweet concent" as poets mean when they are most eloquent on the kindred theme: it will assuredly make its way into every bosom and every family where harmony and the gentle charities find a home. The last words recal to our mind that the oratorio of Job, by the late estimable and highly respected. Organist of the Foundling Hospital, WILLIAM RUSSELL, is about to be published by subscription; and we call upon all who desire to enrich their musical libraries with a production of native growth worthy of the English school-for such, we boldly affirm, we have-to ensure an "early" copy. This work, selections from which afforded evident gratification to the audience on Wednesday, is forthcoming for the benefit of his Widow and Family; and we again urge the lovers of harmony, and, what is better, the practisers of gentle charity, to illustrate their love and practice in befriending the fatherless and the widow! * Be it known, we also keep a " Memorandum Book." Now therefore that the Metropolis, being the sink of iniquity, the very head and front of all offending in the empire, is, in capital consistency, performing the part of scape-goat-general, while her supererogatory penance, if any, is taken advantage of by the provinces, we shall employ this blessed Monday evening in looking over our unworked-up materials-our" Memoires pour servir," and see what thoughts are fit to breathe and what burn. We take them therefore as they come, and do not affect concatenation. Imprimis: Among our advancing vocal aspirants, Miss HAMMERSLEY is entitled to a prominent rank. She is by no means what we might wish; but to say she is not what we expect, is much in her favour. She is exuberant and enthusiastichas much gusto, but undisciplined taste; often out of time-which time, in her instance, will reform; has genius and originality, and is consequently adventurous. She was lately encored in The Soldier Tir'd, but let her not therefore suppose she sings it well; a far inferior attempt in that showy but easy song would have met as much applause. Generally speaking, she wants point and articulation. She must not confound slovenliness with facility. Mr. PEARMAN has twice sung a song about "Somebody," which made everybody yawn. Mr. BRAHAM persists in grieving the judicious at the expense even of his own judgment. He sacrifices to what some people denominxes. He ought to know better; and, what aggravates the outrage, graces, but what are, in sooth, tawdry, meritricious, worn-out minate Not altogether so, as will be seen by a pleasant letter from Taunton, which we shall give in our next, belongs to the great manner, it strikes the mind more forcibly; as martial music, which is intended to rouse the noble passions, has its effect from the sudden and strongly marked transitions from one note to another." For the point to be established, is not what is pleasing for most other subjects, but what is best in this, which being a very extraordinary and ideal one, may surely demand an unusual treatment. The test of its truth is not to be drawn from previous rules so much as from its power in affecting the imagination, and this it does immensely. All critics, we believe, will be agreed as to the grandeur in the design of this picture, but many differ from us as to its colour. We therefore give these sentiments more hypothetically than confidently. he does know better. It may be also true, as himself says, "the" louder he bawls, the louder the applause;" but surely he might by this time have learnt to discriminate between quantity and quality. Why should he, among other sins of the same illegitimate origin, fritter away, for the sake of a Cadenza, the word "Pardoned," in the opening of the Messiah?—thus: "her iniquity is pa-a-a-is pardoned?" This is unpardonable; it is mangling the king's prerogative and the people's English. After all, BRAHAM is the singer, when poetry, and that too of the highest character, is to be expressed; when its etherial spirit is to be transmitted, he is, even unto this day, unapproached either in the intensity or the delicacy of his expression. The best still-life pictures we have ever yet seen from British bands, Miss CookE, a very young lady, daughter of T. Cooke, made her and which indeed come in direct competition with the fine Dutch works first appearance at Drury-lane. It is observable, we think, that of that description, are, 204, Christmas Cheer, by G. LANCE; and 64 and musical genius, more than any other, is hereditary. We do not go and high and spirited finishing in small; the former for its surprising 100, Dead Game, by B. BLAKE; the latter for its beautiful arrangement so far as the facetious Dr. KENRICK, in his "Travels of Joel Collier, approach to the real look of nature, its finishing, and its noble breadth Licentiate in Music," and say, that the progeny of musicians "sneeze and brilliancy of colour, so as to leave nothing to wish for. It is in the and hiccup in tune," or that they cut their meat" timed to a metro-largest size of the objects, and has an importance of style belonging to it nome." Some necessarily are more apt than others; but all are apt of which we could scarcely suppose it was capable. It would be a very to imbibe music from the cradle; the very air they breathe is redolent suitable ornament to a large collection.—There is vigour in the Head of of melody. In point of acquirement, Miss CookE is everything that Achilles, by Mr. J. HENNING, jun. ; but it is wanting in the heroic of might be expected of a child and pupil of her accomplished parent; HOMER. (To be continued). her voice is gentle and soft-an excellent thing in woman; but, in compass, capable of executing without obvious effort what she undertakes. She reminded us, with pleasure, of RONZI DE BEGNIS. On her second appearance, she surprised the audience in "Di Piacer," and seemed astonished at her own success. She has also acquitted herself, in some of WEBER'S concerted pieces, with a precision and self-possession, which, being clearly native, entitle her, &c. FINE ARTS. EXHIBITION OF THE SOCIETY OF BRITISH ARTISTS. ၁. VIEWS IN PROVENCE AND ON THE RHONE, ENGRAVED BY W. B. COOKE, who among those of Lyons, and the more open and sunny scenes. Every feeling has its archetype and nourisher in the boundless diversities of natural scenery, and Nature sympathises with Man. G. COOKE, AND J. C. ALLEY.-These Views are illustrative to an Itinerary of the Rhone by Mr. HUGHES. They are from Drawings by Mr. DEWINT, after Sketches by Mr. HUGHES. Most Views are more or less executed from Sketches, but then they are from Sketches of the finishing Artists themselves, a circumstance more favourable to fidelity. But the union here of the talents of the respective Artists could not fail with attention to produce beautiful Views, and so much so are these, that we regret that the room appropriated to the miscellany of a newspaper will not allow us to go more into their detail. Mr. DEWINT is not a painter of the minuter markings of Nature. We are therefore agreeably surprized to find most of the sixteen Plates, in the four Nos. published, so abounding in this beauty, THE subject of 226, The Creation, by Mr. MARTIN, is of a high poetical though they so much vary in the degree of it as to be in parts feeble. But stamp, as may be seen from the biblical statement from which it is Mr. DEWINT is a master of chiaroscuro, colour, and composition, so that taken:" And the earth was without form and void, and darkness was the least finished of these Views touch the mental palate pleasantly, while upon the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the rest, which are the great majority of the plates, have in them a good the waters. And God made two great lights, the greater light to rule seasoning of the above-named article. Among the richest are the Castles the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also." of Beaucaire and Tendie, with their sparkling lights and boldly deter It indeed contains so much of what is above Painting to represent, depict-mined fore grounds, by Mr. W. B. COOKE-Lyon's Cathedral, Lyons and ing, as it does, Deity in an act of omnipotence, that the Artist has resorted the Rhone, and the Aqueduct of Pont du Gard, with their clear solar light to the conventional mode of representing God in the similitude of a veneand careful finishing, by Mr. G. CookE-Avignon and Cannes (where rable man; but this he has done in a new and better way than hitherto the night of his landing from Elba) shew the clear atmosphere of France, MURAT sheltered when he fled from Naples, and NAPOLEON remained shrouding the impalpable Divinity in intervening vapour and air. This shadowy unobtrusiveness keeps the spectator's mind from the idea of the that elixir to the spirits of her cheerful people, together with a nicety of impossibility and gross familiarity of visual contact with the Divine pre-execution recommendatory of the graver of Mr. J. C. ALLEN. Taste, as sence, and better conveys the idea in the text,-the Spirit of God.-With connected with the heart in sentiment and feeling, is here also happily the help of this venerating distance of approach, the mind assents to the awakened. The reflecting or the grief-struck man would like to cherish representation; and with the intensity of light upon and about the sha- them among such scenes as The Maritime Alps, and the cheerful man, dowed God, thrown out as it is by the deep darkness of encompassing "Wrinkled care derides,"waters and cloud, and struck with the idea of immensity conveyed by the foot of the sacred object touching the moon, while his hand is near the sun, and stars twinkling in the azure expanse, and lightning flashing as in honour of the present God,-a reflective and lofty influence fills the breast of the spectator, and lifts him above the comparatively little diurnal scenes" and ideas which had been previously communicated by the surrounding objects. Mr. MARTIN'S colouring has been condemned as repulsively harsh, especially in its direct contrast of cold and warm. The floating unearthly form, and the broad central light in which God is here represented, present a proportion of vivid blue greater by far than we ever recollect in any other master. Its predominance over the other colours in the picture is the reverse of the practice of distinguished colourists, with the Venetians at their head, who made it little more than subservient to the setting-off and bringing out the yellows, reds, and browns; so that had TITIAN and TINTORETTO painted this subject, they would as surely have adopted that plan of warmth, as that RAFFAELLE and MICHAEL ANGELO would have made the Supreme Being a palpable old man. But the question ought to be not one of prescription, but of Reason and Truth. Now these and Nature inform us, that blue is the colour of distance and of space, so that objects which recede become more tinged with the air through which they are seen, till they finish in the distant horizon with positive blue. Hence the clear sky is a blue profound. Could Mr. MARTIN, therefore, have adopted a colour so well suited to the purpose of cliaracterising that immense space, and that idea of infinity, which are the prime qualities of his subject? REYNOLDS, one of the best colourists of modern times, and an invariable follower of the warm and harmonious style, says, that "the distinct blue, red, and yellow colours, which are seen in the draperies of the Roman and Florentine schools, though they have not that kind of harmony which is produced by a variety of broken and transparent colours, have that effect of grandeur which was intended." Perhaps these distinct colours strike the mind more forcibly from there not being any great union between them. Is not, then, the "effect of grandeur" better obtained in this subject of The Creation by such a distinctness of colours? But the blue, it may be said, is out of all proportion predominant. Not, we answer, if it best gives the idea of immense space, and if, from its ensity, and that "severity of style in colour," which, REYNOLDS says, There is much beauty of tooling, and the pencilling of Sir T. LawRENCE in his Little Red Riding Hood, engraved by Mr. LANE, especially in the Landscape part, but the flesh though delicate is less characteristic. The Portrait of the Duke of York, from LAWRENCE's fascinating pencil is published from the graver of Mr. Doo, a new name in Engraving, but so estimable that we would need little more as advice to Student Engravers than to have it constantly as an example, and to say to them "Go thou and do likewise." His ROYAL HIGHNESS and Sir THOMAS must be much pleased to see themselves so completely in Print. SINGULAR ACCURACY.-In the British Museum are twelve small and rare Etchings of Figures by REMBRANDT, which Mr. W. J. SMITH has so precisely copied, as to defy the detection of a difference; a pleasing result of skill and painstaking; for by Mr. W. B. COOKE being permitted to publish them, they will come into the possession of many who would perhaps have never seen the originals, and become equally valuable with those except in money. Errata last week.-Insert the word Exhibition after the first seven lines, and leave out the eighth and ninth; also the line after Mr. MARTIN'S name. Insert the word Pictures instead of Prints in the last line but oue in the notice of the Large Print of Rotterdam. UNITED PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS. R. H. The Bishop of GLOUCESTER presented a Petition from the Clergy of his Diocese against the Claims of the Catholics; when Lord KING remarked upon the forwardness of the Clergy in giving advice upon political questions, and told a story of a French Ambassador at Madrid, who asked the Spanish Minister why his Catholic Majesty was so fond of taking the advice of his Confessor. The Minister replied, "Surely your master does the same."-"O yes," retorted the French Ambassador; "and for that very reason it is that our affairs are so badly managed." This story, Lord King added, might be applied to many countries; for no one could be well governed where the Clergy interfered with public affairs.-The Bishop of GLOUCESTER said, that notwithstanding the Noble Lord's sneers and sarcasms, the Clergy would still continue to petition when they thought it their duty. Tuesday, March 29. A petition was presented from the parish of St. Paul, Covent Garden, against the Equitable Loan Bill; and one in its favour from Clerkenwell parish, in which the petitioners said that they had suffered deplorably by conflagrations at various pawnbrokers, and by the charge of 200 per cent. on the articles they had deposited with them. They were ordered to lie on the table. Lord GROSVENOR presented a petition praying that measures should be adopted to prevent cruelty to animals, whether practiced by surgeons or others. Laid on the table. Wednesday, March 30. Earl GROSVENOR presented petitions from Lambeth, Richmond, and Twickenham, and several other places, against cruelty to animals. One from the butchers, licenced drovers and bullock-drivers of Smithfieldmarket, prayed that the Act for protecting cattle might be extended to other animals. One from Tynemouth and Dulwich was withdrawn, because it was printed. HOUSE OF COMMONS. Mr. DAWSON did not see how the Protestants were to be conciliated by the taking away their elective franchise, though the Catholics might obtain a boon. In many parts of Ireland, the elective rights were as purely exercised by the 40s. freeholders as they were in England. Mr. LITTLETON said he never contemplated interfering with the real rights of the 40s. freeholders. Mr. S. WORTLEY presented a petition praying for a revision of the Corn Laws, and gave it as his opinion, that when they were proposing to take off prohibition duties, the first step ought to be the repeal of the duties on corn. (Hear!) SUPPLY-PUBLIC BUILDINGS. In a Committee of Supply, a conversation arose respecting the official buildings at the Treasury, &c. when the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER observed, that the new pile was designed to be a uniform one; and that in regard to the official residences of the higher Officers of Government, who were compelled as such to entertain a great variety of company, it might be found beneficial to find them suitable houses. Mr. LOCKHART observed, that he was decidedly hostile to any change in this matter, as it would increase the public burthens without producing any public advantage. The second reading of the London Brick Company Bill was opposed by way, owing to this scandalous breach of contract. Means were taking to Mr. CALCRAFT, and the bill was negatived without a division. CORN LAWS. In reply to a question respecting the injury sustained at the Customhouse, the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that the Architect employed there was unfortunately not under the controul of the Board of Works, and he had employed a Contractor, who erected the building. The builder was to have constructed a certain part upon nine solid piles; instead of which, only four and a half were used, so that the Long Room had given recover the money which the public must expend to remedy this defect, though he could not yet say how the case would turn out. Mr. CURWEN presented a petition from certain traders in Corn in London Mr. Alderman WOOD said, he knew Mr. Peto the builder, and be thought respecting the Corn Laws, in which they urged the inexpediency of allow-such charges ought not to be made, unless upon distinct grounds. The ing the ports to be opened for foreign wheat without a protecting duty of work had been constructed by different persous. 20s. a quarter for wheat, 10s. for barley, and 6s for oats-in which opinion Mr. Curwen concurred.-Mr. ELLICE said, he should oppose any such regulations. Mr. HUSKISSON deprecated all discussion at present on this most important topic; but he was nevertheless happy to find, that the Hon. Member (Mr. Curwen) had relaxed in his opposition to the admission of foreign corn into this country, and now thought it might come in on certain conditions.-Mr Huskisson added, that Government had no communication with Mr. Whitmore respecting his intended motion on this subject, which was shortly to be made; but he (Mr. H.) should then deliver bis sentiments, on this grave and important question. (Hear, hear!) CATHOLIC QUESTION. Mr. S. RICE presented a petition from a number of gentlemen of property in Ireland, praying that the House would concede the claims of the Catholics, and particularly approving of the rumoured measures respecting the 40s. freeholders and the payment of the Catholic Clergy, in which opinion, Mr. S. Rice said he altogether concurred. Mr. LITTLETON gave notice of a motion, after Easter, respecting these 40s. freeholders; which would not, he said, touch upon existing privileges. Mr. M. A. TAYLOR said he should oppose any abridgment of popular rights, and, though he was a friend to Catholic Emancipation, he should object to it, if it could not be carried without a curtailment of the right of voting, and without calling upon the people of England to pay the Roman Catholic Clergy, who ought to be paid out of the funds of the Irish Church. Sir J. NEWPORT was of opinion, that the measures opposed by the Hon. Member were most salutary, and would have a powerful effect in promoting the peace and prosperity of Ireland. Mr. S. WORTLEY hoped that no difference of opinion upon minor matters would be allowed to weaken the call for Catholic Emancipation. Sir R. WILSON had no objection to the doing away abuses, but he hoped there would be no attempt to deprive the electors of their legal votes. Lord J. RUSSELL said, he was ready to make considerable sacrifices in order to carry the great question of Emancipation; but he saw no objection to the payment of the Catholic Clergy. Sir F. BURDETT agreed with the Noble Lord; but still, in making concessions, the clearest testimony as to their necessity should be exhibited ; and, at all events, he was not implicated in the fate of the propositions alluded to-Catholic Emancipation was the sole measure to which he was pledged, and he would not consent to mingle less significant details with that question. Sir Francis then alluded to the share which Mr. O'Connell had in drawing the draft of the proposed bill, and stated, that that gentleman had been requested to make a rough sketch of the bill, which he had done; but when some objections had been started to that proceeding, the draft had been thrown aside, so that the bill introduced was not framed by Mr. O'Connell, nor had he been consulted upon it, although his statement to the Irish people was nevertheless perfectly consistent with truth. Mr. PEEL announced, that notwithstanding the measures proposed, he must oppose the bill. Mr. TIERNEY remarked, that if the measures alluded to would be likely to lessen the opposition to Catholic Emancipation, it would strongly bias his mind in their favour. Mr. BROWNLOW said, that the adoption of those measures would materially diminish the alarm which would accompany the carrying the question of Emancipation. Mr. C. GRANT was sure that the Catholics deserved all that could be done for them, and that the abuse of the elective franchise by the 40s. freebolds called for redress. When the sum of 40,000l. was granted for the British Museum, it was urged by Mr. R. COLBORNE, that the intended National Gallery of Pictures should be in a central situation, and not at the British Museum.-Sir C. LONG did not see how they were to erect a building in another part of the town for a national gallery, without separating the duties that would be connected with that establishment from those which were attached to the British Museum-Mr. PEET. thought that the present arrangement was the best, and so did Sir G. Beaumont, who had presented his Pictures to the British Museum.-Mr. HOBHOUSE argued that so many valuable works of Nature and Art ought not to be accumulated under one roof, for fear of fire.Mr. CROKER Would advise the erection of a National Gallery in a more central spot, and a place easily accessible, which was the only way to raise a great School of Painting-The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER made some remarks, in which he spoke of the limited and inconvenient rooms now devoted to the Exhibition of the Royal Academy, and hoped that a better place would be found, when the Royal Society, now cramped for room, might possess the apartments alluded to in Somerset-house. He also intimated, that Mr. Smirke had received orders to prepare plans for the completion of the East Wing of that building. Tuesday, March 29. The second reading of the West India Company's Bill was opposed by Mr. F. BUXTON and Mr. W. SMITH, who said that its object was to deal in men.-It was supported by Mr. ROBERTSON and Mr. HUME, who contended that the Company would do much good to the West Indies.-The second reading was carried without a division. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL observed, that if the Petitioner could point out any of the books which could be sold without subjecting the Sheriff's to a prosecution for blasphemy, he had no doubt those books would be immediately exposed to sale; but their conduct had been pronounced by the King's Bench Court to have been correct. Mr. PEEL said, that the release of a prisoner who could not pay the fine imposed, depended on circumstances his general character, &c. Now nothing could be more improper than the course adopted by Mr. Carlile. His sister, who could not pay her fine, had been released, because her conduct had been the reverse of her brother. Mr. Carlile's violence was such, that he had written a letter to him (Mr. Peel) giving notice, that after a certain day, he should consider himself illegally detained, and should feel himself justified in murdering any Governor that might be appointed to guard him. Besides this, he had corrupted many persons in Had he the neighbourhood, and had gloried in his violations of the law. pursued a different course, he (Mr. P.) might have consented to his discharge; but before he consented to his liberation, he was bound to take his violent conduct into consideration. Mr HUME repeated, that he thought the Petitioner's case a very hard oue.-The petition was ordered to lie on the table. On the motion of Mr. HUME, various papers were ordered relating to the Burmese war. JOINT STOCK COMPANIES. Mr. P. MOORE moved for leave to bring in a bill to repeal the Bubble Act, the terrors of which, he said, impeded various speculations which would be highly beneficial to the country. Mr. GRENFELL thought that something ought to be done to satisfy the public mind on this point, for many of the new schemes would unquestionably be of public service. What (he asked) must the world think of the law, when they saw a Prince of the blood at the head of one Joint Stock Company, and the Archbishop of Canterbury at the bead of another, joined by the whole of the Right Reverend Bench of Bishops? Yet, if the common apprehension of the law were good, those personages had incurred the penalties of a præmunire! Mr. ELLICE observed, that some alteration of the law was absolutely necessary. While Ministers were encouraging commercial speculation on the one hand, alarms were sounded from the Chancery Bench on the other, so that the public knew not what to be about. Mr. PEEL said, that the Hon. Member for Coventry had quite mistaken the provisions of the Bubble Act, to which his motion seemed to have little reference. Mr. HUME contended that Government should take up and decide the question, and not leave it to the Chancellor to go on doubting from Session to Session. Mr. P. MOORE said he should withdraw his motion for the present, and make another soon after the holidays. COMBINATION LAWS. Mr. HCSKISSON rose to move for the appointment of a Select Committee to inquire into the effect of the act of the 5th Geo. IV. in respect to the conduct of workmen and others in different parts of the United Kingdom; and to report to this House their opinion as to how far it may be neces sary to repeal or amend the provisions of the said act. (Hear!) He called the attention of the House to the proceedings of last Session, and to the conduct of the workmen in various parts of the country since the repeal of the Combination Laws. He regretted that in too many instances their behaviour was such as, if suffered to proceed, would be productive of great public mischief. They combined, raised funds, organized a system of delegation, warned the masters of what should be done, dictated to the workmen, and exercised a most mischievous tyranny over such employers as happened to be within their controul. Men were not allowed to work unless they first subscribed 5. to the associating bodies, and even boys were compelled to pay. The law recently passed was not adequate to the prevention of the evils he complained of, and other measures were necessary. The workmen were misguided, but they must be deterred from a course which would destroy the property of their employers and dry up the sources of employment for themselves. He had no intention to visit any class with severity or punishment. He was not going to propose new penal laws. What he wished was, to draw the attention of the committee to those laws which regulated the situation between inasters and workmen. He was anxious to save from the consequences of their own delusion even those who had acted a culpable part. (Hear!) It was really as the friend, not as the enemy of the workmen, as well as of the masters, that he proposed this inquiry. He considered this as a question entirely disconnected with party-feeling; as one with which the best interests of the country were intimately connected; and he thought those interests would be placed on a surer and better footing, if the existing law were revised and altered. (Hear!) Mr. HUME admitted that the workmen had much misconducted themselves, but the House must consider that the men were frequently placed in a much worse situation than the masters. At Glasgow, because Mr. Dunlop's men declined to work, the manufacturers resolved, that they would discharge all their workmen unless they returned to their labour. They did discharge 12,000 men, and though the workmen resisted, they were obliged at last to submit. Was this just? Was it not punishing the innocent for the guilty? In Manchester, if an individual refused to work, his name was sent out to prevent his getting employment elsewhere. Was not this an odious combination? He approved of no such proceedings, whether of masters or men, and both parties had acted improperly. All such acts should be punished, and if the new enactments were impartial, they would do good; but violent measures would not cure the evil, and much would depend on the conduct of the masters, who ought always to comply with the reasonable demands of their workmen. be an exemption from the bonds of civilized society, when ten innocent Mr. BENETT presented a petition from Robert Gourlay, complaining of QUARANTINE LAWS BILL. Mr. C. GRANT, in moving that this bill be read a second time, offered several observations to the House, not one of which was audible in the gallery. Mr. JOHN SMITH expressed his regret that the Board of Trade had not still further altered the Quarantine Laws, after the proofs which Dr. Maclean had adduced of their inutility and mischievousness. That gentleman, who had had better opportunities than any man living, had declared that the plague was not a contagious disease, and that the question was one of fact, which any man of sense was competent to decide upon. It had been proved, that the contagion of fever had never been conveyed by clothing or goods of any kind. Holland traded largely with those parts of the world from whence it was supposed the plague was imported, and yet in that country there were no quarantine laws, and ships from diseased places discharged their cargoes in three or four days without any bad consequences. At Marseilles, a port crowded with vessels from the plague countries, there was not an instance of an expurgator (the person who examined the goods imported from such plague countries)-having taken the plague. At Constantinople, the clothes of the thousands who had died of the plague were regularly sold in the public market, and purchased by persons who never were affected by it. From Aleppo, a place frequently visited by the plague, caravans were constantly proceeding to various countries, and yet the plague was never communicated by them. The plague of London, in 1665, was caused by the mode of living and the general filth. When the palace of Queen Elizabeth was strewed with rushes, and the diet of the ladies of her court was salt-fish, hungbeef, &c. it was easy to conjecture what the habits and food of the people at large were; which, coupled with close air, want of cleanliness, and want of room, would readily account for the prevalence and spread of a fever having the appearance of plague. Where the plague now usually raged, the same disregard of wholesome diet and cleanly habits prevailed as it did in London in 1665, and sufficiently explained why the disease prevailed in such countries. Indeed, if the plague did not depend on such causes, and was actually contagious, it must ere this have depopulated the whole globe. A Committee in 1811 had decided that the plague was contagious, principally on the opinions of the physicians examined, though they most miraculously differed with each other as to its nature, symptoms, and causes! The law of quarantine could only be justified by necessity, for it was prejudicial to the best interests of the country; it obstructed commerce; it impeded science; it was injurious to those who had travelled either for business or for pleasure; it was connected with many superstitious feelings; and in regard to the increasing commerce we were now carrying on with Egypt, it would be utterly dostroyed if some alterations were not made in our regulations. The system was capable of further improvement. Since 1819, the number of medical men who had changed their opinion on the doctrine of contagion was very great indeed. Dr. Maclean had made many converts, notwithstanding the professional jealousy by which he was assailed. To confute the extraordinary delusions which were aboad, he referred to some statements he had received from Dr. Armstrong of Russell square, who was more conversant with cases of fever than any other physician in the metropolis. Dr. Armstrong stated, that not a year elapsed in which he did not visit some hundred cases of typhus fever, that the symptoms of it were the same as those of the plague in Egypt as described by Assereti, and yet that in no instance had he ever suffered by the contagion. It was the knowledge of these facts that led him to express his sorrow that Government had not gone further in their improvement of the quarantine system than it had done. The Hon. Gentleman concluded by calling upon the House to review its former inquiry, either by praying the Crown to appoint a commission, by forming a Select Committee, or by some other similar measure. Mr. WALLACE admitted that many medical men had of late changed their opinions on the subject of contagion; bat still there were difficulties to be overcome before the quarantine laws could be wholly removed, as a false step would be attended with irreparable mjury. Mr. PEEL said that the basty repeal of all the former laws on this subject had done harm, though some of them were injudicious. The system of delegation had led to great mischief, and tended to create a maximum of wages, which would be most injurious even to the men themselves. (Hear!) The able, active, and intelligent workman had, unquestionably, a right to receive more than he who was old and incompetent. But the plan on which the workmen had lately proceeded, placed old and young, skilful and incompetent, on the same level. If the workmen were suffered to carry this practice into effect, nothing worse for their own interest could possibly be established. There must be a rational system of legislation Mr. H. GURNEY said, that no climate under heaven was unsnsceptible both for masters and men. If the masters behaved ill, let there be a law of the ravages of the plague; and that an unqualified repeal of the qua which should apply to them; and if the men conducted themselves im-rantine laws would produce greater danger than the most mischievous properly, let them be amenable. In short, let the legislature adopt some law on which the parties might safely proceed. (Hear!) It appeared that in the course of the last three years, no less than ten lives were lost in Dublin, in consequence of transactions connected with the combination of tradesue is; and Rohingle person concerned in those murders had been brought to judice. (Hear!) It really appeared that there must insanity. Mr HOBHOUSE held a very different opinion. The celebrated American physician, Dr Rush, who was once a staunch supporter of the doctrine of contagion, had recanted his opinion on further experience, aud lamented, his former error. Dr. Assalini bad inoculated himself for the plague without taking the infection, and Napoleon had repeatedly touched the |