proach. I have heard, that the only modification of my sentence which I ventured to request-the change of strangling into decapitation-is refused me; his royal highness's ministers here declaring, that I cannot be sent off the premises without a bill. It matters little, Mr. Bull, but I must say it is not what I expected. Publish my letter, that my prince may see how he is beloved and respected, and by whom. He has been at Rome, but never thought of me or mine; perhaps he never heard of the story which connects us with that once mighty city. Adieu. One of my sisters has already suffered :—would I were a swan, I would sing my own elegy-they come nearer-they have seized my pens-I can only give-what we occasionally have here—a great quack, and subscribe myself,

Your affectionate gander,

BILLY.

P. S. No anser will reach me; but in making any further inquiries about me, be cautious, as there is a much greater goose than myself, of my name, living at Bagshot, which being in this neighbourhood, might cause some confusion.

ON MR. SHELLEY'S POEM, "PROMETHEUS
UNBOUND."

SHELLEY styles his new poem " Prometheus Unbound,"
And 'tis like to remain so while time circles round;

For surely an age would be spent in the finding
A reader so weak as to pay for the binding.

VOL. II.

M

SPECIMEN OF A WELL-CONDUCTED MODERN

NEWSPAPER.

"By letters from Paris, received exclusively by us, we find that there was a considerable tumult in Madrid on the 21st and 22nd ult. Our correspondent judiciously remarks, that it is impossible when popular insurrection once commences to ascertain precisely where it will stop. Things had assumed a serious aspect. Rumours indeed are afloat respecting the peculiar situation of the King, which, as we are exclusively in possession of them, we do not feel authorised to publish at present."

"From Rome, we are sorry to hear that his Holiness the Pope has been afflicted with a flying gout. The disorder having at last settled in his Holiness's toe, he has been unable to give audiences for the last week or ten days. Our letters inform us that there are a great many English wintering in the immortal city. Provisions are exceedingly cheap, which has induced Lord George Cavendish, and several other English persons of the same class, to avail themselves of an opportunity of residing there during the present depreciation of property in England."

We lay the following important communication before our readers, without vouching for its authenticity, although we have seldom been led astray by the information of the wellinformed gentleman from whom we have received it :

AIX-LA-CHAPELLE.-A letter, it is said, has, by some negligence on the part of a certain person, been seen by several persons here, written it is supposed by a member of the British Ministry to a person high in their confidence, stating facts, which when they come to be known will

startle those thick and thin gentlemen, who think ministers can do no wrong. With the precise nature of the letter we are as yet unacquainted, but we have heard more than we dare venture to communicate at this moment. Our readers may rely upon it we shall sift the business to the bottom, and suffer no feelings of false delicacy to interfere with our first duties to the British nation.

GIBRALTAR.-The greatest secresy is observed here with respect to the communications between the G- and the of the interior; and it is rumoured that H- is likely to be sent upon a confidential embassy to Sir

་་་་

at

in consequence of the last accounts received from You will use your own discretion in giving to the public such parts of this important communication as may be politic in the present stage of the business; but of this you may be assured, the ministers at home are not aware, that is dispatched in a bye-boat to positions respecting the, which consequences which none of us can foresee.

to make certain pro

may eventually lead to

A private letter from Tours, dated Jan. 21, mentions, as a positive fact, that Col. -, after a very successful night's play at écarte with Mr. in which he had won upwards of fifteen thousand pounds, was detected in unfair practices, which being plainly charged upon him by the latter, it produced a meeting on the 19th, when, after exchanging two shots each, the Colonel received his antagonist's ball in hist shoulder, and the seconds interfered. Mr. to Col., and Major of the

was second attended Mr.

Dr. and Surgeon were in readiness, and the ball was very safely extracted upon the ground.

It is impossible not to perceive, in the present state of affairs, that some decisive measures must be taken in Spain. It is true that the situation of France is a very peculiar one, nor is Spain much less delicately placed. It is, of course,

impossible for us to hazard a direct opinion upon the subject; but from all we can collect from those who (and we have no sort of hesitation in saying it) are fully competent to judge, we are very much inclined to agree with Hume, who observes, that "an abrupt and violent dissolution naturally excites discontents among the people, who usually put entire confidence in their representatives, and expect from them the redress of all their grievances."

FASHIONABLE ARRIVALS.

Lord Liverpool, from Coombe Wood, at Fife House.Col. Thompson, Mrs. Thompson, and Miss E. Thompson, at Kirkham's Hotel, from Cheltenham.-Dr. Dixon, at ditto, from Bath.-Major Smith, from his sister's in Yorkshire, at Stevens's, Bond Street.-Sir W. Elliot, Bart. from Stobs.Lady Montgomery, from Scotland.-Sir T. D. Acland, Bart. -Capt. Cobb.-Mr. Evans.-General Smith.—Mrs. Moneypenny and daughters, at Mivart's, Brook Street.--Mr. Hammond Knife, from Gloucestershire.-Col. O'Callaghan, from, Cork, at the Tavistock Hotel.

DEPARTURES.

Lady Mumford, for Paris. —Mr. Curry, to Cheltenham.— Miss Law, and Miss E. Law, to their Aunt's, Mrs. Tweedel's, in Buckinghamshire.-Dr. Short, from Long's Hotel to Tadcaster.—Mr. and Mrs. Whitmarsh, to Brighton.

On Thursday last Mr. Canning gave an elegant entertainment at Gloucester Lodge.

Lord Lauderdale has arrived in town.

No less than six different persons are employed in dramatizing "Peveril of the Peak.'

A new tragedy is forthcoming at Covent Garden by Miss Mitford. Green-room report speaks highly of it.

The faux pas of Lady - with Mr.

is quite the sub

ject of conversation; it will probably afford matter of employment for the gentlemen of the Long Robe.

Mrs. Thompson, of Grosvenor-square, will, early in the spring, open her house to a large party of fashionables.

The Bishop of Norwich gave a dinner last week at his palace to several of the Clergy of his Diocese; among the company we noticed his son, the Venerable Archdeacon Bathurst.

A great number of Members of both Houses have arrived in town during the week.

The weather was intensely cold on Thursday, and there was a considerable fall of snow in many parts of the country.

A very singular accident happened last week in the neighbourhood of Newbury, in Berkshire; a poor woman having, in consequence of the distress of the times, been compelled to seek her livelihood by going out to wash for families, shut up her house early on Tuesday morning, and proceeded to her laborious but honourable employment; upon returning home at nine at night, she discovered that her cottage had been broken into, stripped of every article of furniture. She at first concluded by thieves, but she soon discovered that it was not by human depredators she had been thus piteously despoiled. A large hog, which the poor woman had kept for several weeks to fatten upon the remnants and broken victuals she received from her neighbours, had broken loose, and, strange to say, in the ferocity of its appetite, had eaten up not only a large armed-chair which stood by the fire, but a feather bed which was in the room, and had actually devoured two of the bed-posts, when, overcome by fatigue, it is supposed the animal dropped down in a state of stupor. Some of the property has since been recovered