Esq., one of the principal merchants of our port, is his agent; his son, Mr. J. Collier, jun. waited on the General at his landing, and accompanied him in the carriage to the hotel.

On Monday evening General Mina went to the theatre. The house was crowded in almost every part. The performances were for the benefit of Mr. Harvey, the stage-manager, and were, by desire and under the patronage of the worthy Commander-in-Chief, Sir J. Cameron, K.C.B., who arrived at an early hour, and was greeted with most enthusiastic bursts of applause from all parts of the house. On General Mina's arrival, which was a considerable time after, the audience waved their hats and gave three cheers. As soon as the noise ceased, a person called out, "Englishmen, in showing your respect for foreigners, do not forget your King - let us have God save the King." The orchestra immediately commenced the national air, and performed it in grand style. Three hearty rounds of applause followed. Before the audience had time to seat themselves, some person in the boxes called for See the Conquering Hero comes! which the orchestra instantly played. Clapping of hands instantly followed, and the performance, which had been suspended all the time, was then resumed, and proceeded without further interruption to the conclusion, when Rule Britannia was called for and played, the audience standing uncovered, and joining in it the same as in God save the King. Mina seemed to take considerable interest in the performances throughout, which were Virginius and the Highland Reel; both were admirably performed. He was dressed in a plain suit of coloured clothes. He is rather a stout, dark-complexioned, elderly-looking man.

During the evening in the Theatre, a sailor, who sat in the pit, with that characteristic freedom, which British sailors are remarked for, held up his hat, which contained a quantity of nuts, to General Mina, with a wish that he would take some. The general put his hand into the hat, and took out a handful, at the same time remarking to a gentleman, who accompanied him-'I will keep these nuts as long as I live;

for I am certain, had they been guineas, he would have given them me.' Devonshire-Freeholder." The Times, Dec. 9, 1823.

"Ply

3. "General Mina. [From the West-Briton.] mouth-Dock, Dec. 10. Mina continues to receive the most marked attentions here from all ranks of society. On Sundaymorning last he attended divine service at the Roman Catholic Chapel, Stonehouse. The place was crowded, and after service he walked to Dock. He was attended by crowds, who continually augmented, and, as in reverential observance of the day no cheering took place, respect for the gallant Chief was shown by taking off the hat, bowing, etc., and all the officers of the Navy and Army, who met, shook hands most heartily with him. At the head of Stonehouse-hill the guard turned out, as he passed; Mina and his companions passing it uncovered. He proceeded through the streets of Dock, and, as it was the conclusion of divine service, the soldiers were marching home. He particularly noticed the Lancers, and the 3d Regiment of Guards. In the principal street of the Town the crowd augmented, and all ranks saluted him in the most cordial manner. It was impossible to observe the sympathy and enthusiasm of the people of all ranks without emotion. All party-spirit had vanished; there was a complete union of sentiment; all differences had merged into one general and warm manifestation in favour of the hero, who had fought for freedom, and the spectacle was as new, as it was impressive. The invitations to Mina to partake of dinner etc. are many and pressing; and some from the highest quarters. Once in the week he dines on board the flag-ship, the Britannia; and on Thursday at the mess of the Marine barracks. Money has been offered tohim; but he has declined receiving pecuniary assistance. One anecdote may suffice to show the spirit, that existed at Plymouth, when he landed. Just after his retiring to his room at the Royal Hotel, the president of a party of gentlemen who were dining, gave the health of General Mina, when the whole

party rose and gave nine astounding cheers, shaking the ceiling of the room above them, and in which the Chief was sitting. Mina walks slowly, and with the help of a stick, being lame from a wound, and from being frost-bitten. There is more of mildness than of any other quality in his countenance: good nature, good temper, affability, and a tendency even to jocularity seem to be imprinted on his features. He is dressed in the English fashion, but several of his suite wear Spanish uniforms. General Pampluna is among them. The Editor of the Plymouth Tournal having inserted some scurrilities respecting Mina and Si: Robert Wilson, the indignation here and at Plymouth is such, as I never before witnessed. The man, who could write such trash, must have a weak head and a bad heart. He will not, however, write much more here. His dismissal is demanded on all sides. The Paper is generally discontinued; pasquinades are published, and the general belief is that it cannot long exist. A copy of the Paper was publicly burnt on Thursday, and another on Monday, on the parade, amidst the execrations of a concourse of spectators. We noticed in our last that the Plymouth Journal was publicly burnt in our streets during the last week, for the infamous and false accounts it contained of the reception of General Mina. We have now to record that for the same cause it has been expelled from the Reading-room of Messrs Rowe by the Subscribers. Freeholder." The Times, Dec. 16, 1823.

Devon

4. As general Mina passed through Taunton, some of the most respectable inhabitants invited him to a public dinner, and he returned the following answer.-"General Mina has had the honour of receiving a letter from the Members of the Municipality of Taunton, inviting him in their own names, and in that of all the inhabitants, to a public feast on Thursday the 18th inst., or any other day he may appoint. The mental and bodily state of General Mina suit little with arrangements of this nature the ill state of his health obliges him to observe a very strict diet, and from the unfortunate circumstances. which

have brought him to England, and seeing the present lamentable and degraded state of his unhappy country, having left his wife, parents, brother, and friends still there-being, as he now is, on the soil of Constitutional liberty, and considering how many Spaniards have just lost it, the appropriate sentiments, in which he can indulge, are those of grief and mourning. These reasons have decided him to refuse any public demonstration of kindness; of which he scarcely dared to flatter himself worthy. Thus impressed, General Mina hopes the above Gentlemen will have the goodness to dispense with his acceptance of their invitation, which he appreciates as though he had been able to accept it; and assures them that the honour they have done him, the satisfactory expression of this kindness, and the distinction shewn him this day by the inhabitants of Taunton, will always be regarded with gratitude and live eternally in his memory. (Signed) Espoz Y Mina, Hatch-Court, Dec. 16, 1823. " The Courier, Dec. 18, 1823. "The proceedings of General Mina, reported in this day's Journal, and his reply to an invitation of the inhabitants of Taunton, who had invited him to a grand dinner, will for ever stamp his character, we should think, as a man of good sense. The General declines the friendly festival; but in such expressions, from such motives, and, we have no doubt, with such feelings, as will leave the Corporation better satisfied with the refusal than they could have been with the acceptation of the invitation. I am in ill health,' says the gallant man, an unfit guest for the rich repast; I am unhappy; I have left behind me an oppressed country; a wife and parents, a brother and friends are still there. These are no subjects for mirth and feasting.' Brave and wise man! Solomon says there is a time for all things; and we hope the time for mirth and feasting will yet come." The Times, Dee. 19, 1823.

IX.

The Plymouth and Plymouth-Dock Weekly Journal has contradicted (in the Courier, Dec. 29, 1823,) the statement res

pecting the disrepute and discontinuance of the Paper, and announces that the Times, Morning Chronicle and other Papers will be prosecuted for their libellous insinuations.

X. ORDEAL.

"The following mode of trial by ordeal prevails in the Burmah-Empire: A certain quantity of wax is weighed in two equal portions, and formed into two candles, which are lighted at the same instant: one is held by the plaintiff, the other by the defendant, and the holder of the candle, which first burns out, is adjudged to have sworn falsely, and of course to have lost the cause." The Courier, April 17, 1824.

XI. CHARLES DIBDIN.

The following particulars relative to the author of the justly celebrated Sea-songs, are extracted from a monthly musical Work, entitled the Harmonicon. Charles Dibdin was born at Southampton on March 15, 1745; his mother's father was a Clergyman of Bristol, of the name of Garth; his grandfather, on his father's side, was a considerable merchant, and founded a village near Southampton, which bears the name of Dibdin. Mr Dibdin was the 18th child, his mother being 50 at his birth! He had a brother 29 years older than himself, Thomas Dibdin, on whose death he wrote the beautiful ballad of Poor Tom Bowling. This gentleman was Captain of an East-Indiaman, and father of the present Rev. T. F. Dibdin. Charles Dibdin was educated at Winchester, with a view to the clerical function; his propensity for music, however, diverted his attention from everything else, and brought him to London at the early age of 15. He died on the 25th of July, 1814, aged 69, and was buried in St. Martin's burying-ground, on the northeast side of Camden-Town. On a slab placed over his remains by his wife and daughter are engraved the following lines from his pathetic song, Poor Tom, or the sailor's Epitaph. His form was of the manliest beauty;

His heart was kind and soft,