A circumstance of a most singular nature was last week brought to public view at the quarter-sessions held at Kingston, for the county of Surrey. A select party of gentlemen and ladies, amongst whom were a pair of Benedict’s and their spouses, some little time since paid a visit to a certain town in the county, and they proposed spending the evening, and taking up their abode all night at the inn at which they had put up, it was necessary to secure beds. It so happened that the company could not be accommodated without making use of a two bedded room, and in this room the married gentlemen and ladies agreed to repose themselves. After a joyous supper the glass flew merrily round, and the ladies withdrew to their apartment with the door unlocked, no doubt in expectation of their beloved partners. The gentlemen kept it up, and whilst they were quaffing and carousing, one of the company, a wag of the first class, no doubt on’t, took an opportunity to slip into the ladies room, who had resigned themselves into the arms of sleep, and very dexterously interchanged the wearing apparel from one of the beds to the other. The gentlemen, upon their approach to their respective beds, each of them seeing his wife’s habiliments, and being unwilling to disturb her, immediately jumped into bed; and in this situation they actually continued all night; and it was not until the usual time of getting up in the morning that the mistake was discovered. The confusion that ensued is infinitely easier to be conceived than described. The ladies were transfused into blushes, and the gentlemen had no other resource but the brandy bottle, whilst the wag had decamped, and the rest of the company, the family, and attendants were seen laughing and tittering in every sly corner of the house. In order to obtain some revenge for this most extraordinary trick, a bill of indictment was preferred against the party for a misdemeanour; but here again fortune favoured this blade of refined fun and humour; for the Grand Jury threw out the bill.

For politeness and innocent mirth, few towns in the west of England can vie with Andover. At the balls there on Monday and Wednesday there was a very numerous assemblage, particularly many persons of distinction, and most of the genteel families in the neighbourhood. Minuets were danced each night, and the country dances were kept up with Great Spirit till two in the morning. Sixty couples stood up on Monday, and about forty on Wednesday evening. A large subscription is already raised for the support of the winter assemblies, which, from the happy specimens presented last week, when beauty, good humour, elegance of dress, and decorum, were most conspicuous, will be doubtless continued with great eclat.

The following is a literal transcript of a letter received a few days ago, at the public office in Bow-street, from the Mayor of a corporate town in the county of W--------;

To the publickest Officer in all Bow-street, London.

SUR,

This is to let you know that I have taken up by virtue of my powr and sovreity, three parsons on a terrible suspision of being bagobones- Two of em I myself have seen lightering about our church intending to commit a burglary- the other we believe has been guilty of bigomy, or some other bloody crime, he having a very ill look with him. If you will let me know what they am, or who they am, I will persecute em according to law and the axe of parlement in that case made and provided.

T--B--, MARE

N.B. Sur,

Another broke loose and run away, He is marked with the small pox in his face, wears his own hare tyed behind, and I never, seed a more worser looking young youth with my two eyes.- He was boted and spurrd.- If he be in your town take him up by order of me.

Cooking without Fire

An experiment of cooking a rump steak without fire is satisfactorily conducted every day at the Gallery of Practical Science, by Mr. Mangham, the Chemical Lecturer. The process, which is very simple, is as follows;

A square tin apparatus was constructed, with a tin drawer in the centre, above and below which were spaces into which to put the fuel. This fuel is simply lime dropped into water, instantly deposited in the place made for its reception. By the time the apparatus was closed, the slaking of the lime had commenced, and the heat evolved by this process was found sufficient to cook the steak in about fifteen minutes. When taken out, the beef had more than the appearance of being boiled than roasted, but it had in flavour all the richness of a broiled rump steak. A large number of persons assembled to witness the experiments, and expressed great satisfaction at the perfect success with which it was conducted; many present partook of the steak, which was cut up in small pieces, and handed round for the gratification of the curious.

London

There are two or three monkeys now in the Zoological Gardens in the Regents Park whose passion for snuff affords much amusement to the visitors. They seem to rub it zealously into their eyes and ears, as well as their nostrils, and after some minuets of triumphant sneezing and snorting, to enjoy the narcotic influence of the Nicotine weed with the calm contentment of an old fashioned philosopher.

That highly respected nobleman, the Earl of Aylesbury, is we are sorry to learn, still seriously indisposed, and confined to his bed. His daughter, Lady Frances Wilson, has lately had a valuable estate left her in this county under very extraordinary circumstances, by a Mr. Wright, who died in an obscure lodging house in Pimlico, on the 14th. ult. On her ladyship being informed of the legacy, she observed that it must be a mistake, as she said she did not know any gentleman of that name; Archdeacon Potts, however, assured her of the fact. The person of the deceased was fully described to her Ladyship, when she recollected, that it answered that a man who was a constant frequenter of the Opera, and who there annoyed her extremely by constantly staring at her. To satisfy herself, she went to the lodgings, and saw the body, when she recollected the features to be those of the same person. She had never, to her knowledge, seen him upon any other occasion, nor did she know his name, or who he was. The deceased was a constant attendant at St. Martin’s Church; and in his will he left a legacy of £1000. to Archdeacon Potts, as a mark of his appreciation of a sermon he heard him preach there. The Archdeacon had no knowledge of Mr. Wright. He also left the following legarcies £1000.to the Lord Chancellor, £4000.to the congress of Rosslyn, and £4000. to the Speaker of the House of Commons. He had no more knowledge of either of these distinguished characters, than he had of Lady Frances Wilson; it is supposed, however, that he was enamoured of her before her present union With Sir Henry Wilson, of Chelsea Park. Lady Frances has become possessed of all the deceased’s personal property and estates, deer park, fisheries, etc. The estates are said to be of an enormous amount. Her Ladyship intends putting all her family into mourning, out of respect.

A Female Sailor

A few days ago a tide waiter, who was doing duty on board a vessel called the Belfast, from Belfast, lying at Fresh-Warf, near Billingsgate, saw a sailor strike another of the crew who appeared to be a mere lad, a violent blow, without cause. The lad who was called James, began to cry, and the tide waiter, after calling the assailant a cowardly rascal, for beating a boy, turned around and said to the latter “Don’t cry—why you are like a great girl”, “Girl” roared out the seaman you may say that; she is a girl, the d—d--, and blow me, if she makes any fuss, “I’ll make everybody know about it,” The tide-waiter did not delay enquiry, and he soon learned that the charge was correct, and the captain of the vessel finding that general interest was excited, invited some Gentlemen to see this phenomenon fly up the shrouds. Amongst those who went to witness the exhibition were two Gentlemen, who perceiving the reluctance with which the order of the Captain was complied with, and judging that such a master was not the sort of person under who’s guidance a child of misfortune was likely to be benefited asked the object of their interest to accompany them ashore, and let them know the history of so strange metamorphosis, and point out to them in what manner they could render service. The girl, who was at this time dressed in a red worsted jacket and duck trousers, consented to leave the vessel, although she appeared very anxious to receive five months pay, which was due to her at the rate of £2.10s.per month. Having stated her name, she said that some years ago her father left Gloucestershire for Ireland where in a northern county he carried on the business of a Corn factor, and lived respectfully upwards of three years ago she became acquainted with, and soon after attached to, the captain of a vessel which traded to the next port. The attachment was mutual, the captain was however, obliged to sail for America, and thither, after having waited in vain for his return or intelligence about him, she determined to go. She then formed the extraordinary resolution of laying in a stock of sailor’s clothes, as well as female apparel, that she might, in the event of any emergency, adapt herself to it without the hazard of delay. Arrived in America, she proceeded to the place in which she hoped to hear some tidings of the man for whom she had made such a sacrifice; but he had expired a few days before her arrival. The event she apprehended and had prepared for had now arrived. She resolved to be a sailor herself and succeeded in obtaining the situation of cook and steward on board a vessel sailing for the Mediterranean. Her dark complexion favoured the deception, and for nearly two years she had been tossed about by sea and land, know human being ever having suspected, during that time that she was other than what she appeared to be, with her cropped poll and jacket and trousers. About six months ago she engaged at Lisbon with the captain of the Belfast, as cook and steward, at £2.10s. Per month, and she sailed to many ports with him. The discovery of her sex was made as they were coming up channel, and she had been since very rudely treated by the crew. The Gentleman to whom these circumstances were recited would not permit her to return to the vessel. The poor girl, who is in her 17th. Year, is a native of Donegal, her real name is Ann Jane Thornton.

 The Captain of the Belfast Capt. Mc Intrie who has paid the enterprising young woman the money due as wages, is acknowledged to have behaved kindly to her, she is said to have performed the arduous duties of a common seaman with admirable ability, running up the rigging in all sorts of weather, and bearing every hardship common to the life of a sailor with exemplary patience and resignation. She was strictly virtuous, having firmly withstood all attempts to undermine her integrity, her father has been written to by the Lord Mayor, and there is every hope that this extraordinary female will be again received with the kindness by her parent.

Nationalities-

“A Frenchman is more cheerful than an Englishman- That is, in company, for a Frenchman appears to be miserable when left alone. On this point the Englishman has certainly the advantage, as he is not dependent upon others for enjoyment. Nevertheless, the sociality of the Frenchman appears the more amiable; give him salad, soup, and a chatter, and he wants nothing more to fill up the day. The Frenchman makes a parade of his feelings; the Englishman studies to conceal them. The one affects the enthusiast, and the other the stoic. A Frenchman does not forget that the world is looking on him even a L’article de mort. How many smart sayings were prepared for utterance at the last moment by those who fell by the guillotine during the reign of terror! A Frenchman is everything in a crowd, he is nothing alone; only persuade him that tout le monde will do this or that, and he is ripe for it at once. Under this excitement there is no excess, good or bad, of which he is not capable. But Sauvé qui peut is a sound that puts his self-possession to flight. Look at a French crew in a shipwreck; what panic, insubordination, blind precipitancy, confusion, and despair!. How different, from the cool presence of mind which an English sailor preserves in the same circumstances!. It is here that the individual is everything. How many a British ship has foundered at sea, and gone down with every man at his post! ”.

Coroner’s Report. Westmeon.-

Richard Privett, who hung himself to a bar in his chamber window, deceased was a man of good character, but very poor, willing to work even beyond his strength, but so severely afflicted with rheumatism, that he was not equal to much hard labour, thus compelled to seek parochial relief, he was in the habit of receiving 5s. Every Saturday, towards the support of himself and his wife and his daughter. But the pittance was doled out to him so unfeeling a manner, that the poor fellow could not bear to apply for it, and declared on the Friday preceding his death “that his life was a misery to him”. At length, on Friday last dreading the approaching day, he committed the fatal act. Which terminated his existence, on the following morning, his widow applied for the usual allowance, which was paid to her, with a notice, that in future she was to expect half that sum, and if she applied to the parish to bury her husband, her goods would be seized to defray the expenses! Verdict Insanity.

On Monday last as Mr. William Kersley of Basingstoke, was returning from Preston Candover, he accidentally fell from the vehicle in which he was riding, the wheel of which passing directly over his chest, injured him so seriously that his life is despaired of. (One of the most common forms of accidents reported in newspapers.) (Kevin Holdway)