FRENCH MINISTRY.-The following changes in the French ministry have been recently announced in the Moniteur: The Baron Pasquier, to be minister of foreign affairs; the Marquis de Latour Maubourg (minister at the court of London), to be minister at war; M. Roy, to be minister of the finances; and Comte de Cazes, minister of the in:terior, to be president of the ministry. The marshal St Cyr, General Desolles, and M. Louis quit their places.

NEW SOUTH WALES,-The advices received from Port Jackson, by the Foxhound, to the 13th of June, contain information very important to the interests of this advancing territory. It was some time since announced, that a passage had been effected across the Blue Mountains, and a most desirable country discovered to the west of those towering heights; and we have now the additional gratification of stating, that a communication has been opened to it of easy access, running through lands of the first description. The colonists are indebted for this acquisition to their resources to the exertions of C. Throsby, Esq. a large land and stock-holder, many years resident in New South Wales, who, after two preceding attempts, succeeded in May last, with the assistance of two native guides, Coockoogonn, chief of the Burrah-burrah tribe, and Dual, in passing from the Cow-pastures direct for Bathurst, having encountered only those difficulties inseparably attendant on the first explorers of the forests of a new country. Mr Throsby was, on the whole, occupied fifteen days on the expedition, his progress being protracted from some of his party falling ill, and bad weather; but by the delay he had greater opportunity of examining

the country on each side of his route; and in his letter to the gentleman from whom we have the information, he says, "I have no hesitation in stating, we have a country fit for every and any purpose, where fine-woolled sheep may be increased to any amount, in a climate peculiarly congenial to them; ere long you will hear of a route being continued to the southward, as far Twofold-bay, and so on further in succession through a country as much more beautiful and superior to the Cow-pastures, as that now enviable district is to the land contiguous to Sydney, and where our herds, our flocks, and our cultivation may unlimitedly increase, at an inconsiderable distance from the great and grand essential in a young colony-water carriage."

5. RE-INTERMENT OF THE BODY OF KING ROBERT BRUCE AT DUNFERMLINE. This day the grave of Robert Bruce was re-opened, and inspected, in the presence of the Right Honourable the Lord Chief Baron, the Honourable Baron Clerk Rattray, Henry Jardine, Esq. King's Remembrancer, and other gentle

men

of distinction, attracted by curiosity to the scene, together with the Provost and Magistrates of the burgh, many of the Heritors, the Ministers of the parish, and a numerous assemblage of inhabitants of town and country. Considerable alterations were observed to have taken place since the first inspection in February 1818; the ribs of the body, which were then in their natural position, having collapsed, and most of the shroud with which the body was enwrapped being consumed. A point, on which much diversity of opinion had been entertained since the first opening of the grave, was now settled; that the shroud was above, not under the

lead; sanctioning the supposition that the body may have lain in state previous to interment, when this rich covering, consisting of fine damask cloth, interwoven with gold, would be exhibited; as also, that it had been inclosed in a wooden coffin, when laid in the tomb, of which some vestiges, as formerly noticed, remained. It was clearly ascertain ed that the body had been embalmed, agreeably to historical record, for part of the sternum, or breast-bone, was found, that had been separated to facilitate the removal of the heart, which was further confirmed by the discovery near the grave of an oblong leaden box, which, in all likelihood, contained the entrails. The lead that inclosed the body was laid open, so as to expose to full view the whole skeleton, of the length of which, as well as of the several parts, exact measurements were taken. The body was five feet ten inches in length, which, when in life, might have been upwards of six. The head attracted particular notice. It was disjoined from the body, and held up to the admiring gaze of the spectators, during which it was pleasing to observe a solemn stillness prevail, betokening the feelings of reverential awe, awakened by the recollection of the noble spirit that once animated it, contrasted with the present humiliation of its mortal tenement. The scull was quite entire, and perfectly firm. The teeth on the under jaw were all remaining, but a few on the upper jaw were wanting. It was properly cleaned, and two excellent casts taken from it, which will afford materials for the craniological inquirer, as well as gratify the curiosity of thousands who had not an opportunity of seeing the lifeless original. The medical gentlemen were particular

ly struck with finding the angles of the lower maxillary or chaff bones remarkably acute. They also noticed with surprise the small and delicate bone, hyoides, which supports the tongue, in a state of great preservation. The cartilages, too, belonging to the larynx, on the top of the wind-pipe, as well as some of those of the sternum, still existed. Every necessary inspection being made, and the head replaced, the body was raised from the spot on which it had reposed undisturbed for nearly five centuries, and, together with the box before alluded to, and some of the newspapers and coins of the day, inclosed in lead, put into a new leaden coffin, prepared for the purpose, which was returned to its original position. The coffin was then completely filled with hot pitch, to exclude the air, and to promote more effectually the preservation of the bones. This precaution, however, was considered by many as unne cessary, while it was abhorrent to the feelings of almost all. On the lid of the coffin was this simple inscription;-" ROBERT BRUCE, 1329, 1819."

6. RECOLLECTIONS OF SCOTLAND.

There lives at present in the parish of Sorby, Wigtonshire, Alexander Creadie, 105 years old. In his early years butcher's meat was within the reach of the most indigent, as the land in that quarter was generally kept in a state of pasture, and there was then no demand for our Scottish stock in the English market; but circumstances are now chang ed. For twenty years he has hardly tasted animal food, and his usual dinner now consists of oat-cake and water from the spring. He has seen seven successive ministers in his native parish, of whom Mr Campbell, who baptized him, was the first, and

was ordained immediately on the final establishment of Presbyterianism in the reign of William and Mary. In his youth, the school of Wigton was the only regular parochial establishment of that kind within his knowledge; but he seems to think that the people, though less learned, were then more virtuous and pious; that fraud and dishonesty were scarcely known; that the public ordinances of religion were more faithfully and zealously attended to, and that family worship was a duty that all discharged, and in which all delighted. Whether this opinion be absolutely correct or not, I shall not wait to inquire. The state of society within these last ninety years is materially changed. Old Creadie remembers when there was not a glass window in all the parish of Kirkinner, except in the manse, the house of Barnbarroch, and the Castle of Baldoon, and when the name of watch or clock was hardly known in his neighbourhood. Hats were worn only by the ministers and lairds. Mr Rome, in Stewartson, was the first farmer in this district who laid aside the bonnet. "Wee wheels," though common in other parts of Scotland, had not then been introduced into Wigtonshire. Spinning was effected by a tedious and fatiguing process; the rock (distaff) being attached to the left side of the body below the arm, the thread was drawn by the left hand, while the right upheld the spindle and "whorl," and kept them in motion. To Ireland we are indebted for the "Wee wheel," and the art of managing it. So important an accomplishment was this art then reckoned, that to acquire it many of the most notable housewives of that day sent their daughters to the north of Ireland, who, after a noviciate of six or eight months, returned thoroughly in

structed, and were thus enabled to teach their families and neighbours the knowledge which they themselves had derived from strangers. At the same period a manservant's half yearly wages were five or six shillings, besides a shirt, a pair of shoes, or some other article of dress of nearly the same value. Nor was this a sum of trifling importance. The highest price of a bottle of the best rum was sixpence, sheep brought from a shilling to twenty pence a-head; the usual price of a good cow and calf was eighteen shillings, hardly ever a guinea; and old Creadie himself has often bought oatmeal at sevenpence the "auchlet," a measure' which usually contained two pounds more than the present stone denotes. It is only about forty years since the Scottish measures, the auchlet, forpet, &c. were superseded.

10. COUNTY OF EDINBURgh.— This day, pursuant to public advertisement, a numerous meeting was held in the Justice-room of the new County-buildings, of the nobility, freeholders, and Justices of the Peace, &c., of the county of Edinburgh, for the purpose of voting an address to the Prince Regent on the present state of the country. The Marquis of Lothian, Lord Lieutenant of the county, was called to the chair. The Earl of Morton then rose, and said, that very few words would be necessary in introducing the resolutions and address which he should have the honour to propose for the adoption of the meeting. They were not assembled for the purpose of debating any party question. The essential question which they were now called upon to consider was, whether any vestige was to remain of the British constitution, of that constitution which we inherited from our forefathers,

which had raised the country to such a high station among the nations of Europe, and which he felt confident they were all ready to maintain with heart and hand. The country was placed in a peculiar situation. We had been engaged in a war which, for extent, duration, and the inveteracy of the enemy with whom we had contended, was perfectly unexampled. In the course of this contest our efforts had been great, and the effects were such as might have been expected. Great part of the population had in this arduous struggle been drawn into the army and navy; and our commerce had also thriven beyond all expectation and example, so that a greater proportion of our people had been thrown into the manufacturing line; all which causes contributed to aggravate the effects uniformly produced by a transition from war to peace. He believed the people were naturally loyal and well-disposed; but that the disposition to sedition, which had broken out more than twenty years ago, was not totally extinct, and that designing men had taken advantage of the pressure of the times to disseminate impracticable schemes of reform, and to poison the minds of the lower classes, already too ripe for mischief. There was one peculiarity attending the present spirit totally unexampled. In all our former political disputes, religion till now had never been attacked, but blasphemy and impiety were now openly disseminated; and there was not a man present who did not owe it to his God as well as his country to repress and counteract the mischievous effects of these atheistical principles. In this county happily, if such a spirit did exist, it had not dared to show itself. It was peculiarly incumbent on this meeting to set a strong example, by

expressing their decided abhorrence of these impious doctrines. He trusted that on this point they were all agreed; and also that this was the proper time to make a public declaration of their attachment to the constitution, if they wished longer to enjoy its blessings. The resolutions, seconded by Sir John Hope, were then put and carried unanimously. On the question being put for agreeing to the address,

Mr Jeffrey said, he agreed in every sentiment expressed in the address; and he was even, if possible, more anxious for the success of the objects to which it pointed than the noble mover. In this spirit, he would humbly submit to their consideration, not an amendment, not an objection, but an addition to the address, every word of which he warmly approved of. It was fitting and proper that such sentiments should be expressed; there could not be a more proper time or occasion for expressing them; and he felt as strongly impressed as any one as to the necessity of making a declaration to this effect even in stronger terms. But at the same time it was not the only proper object of this meeting to inform their Sovereign of their feelings of loyalty and attachment. Their object in meeting was not alone the transmission of these sentiments to the ear of the Prince Regent, which any individual might transmit in a private letter to the Secretary of State. They met for the sake of the public: they met in the face of day, to proclaim aloud, in peril and in public anxiety, their attachment to the constitution, to encourage the loyal and well-disposed, and to deter and intimidate designing and malicious persons, by showing them that the well-affected were at their posts. Their great object was to repel those associations of

wickedness and of crime, which they all deprecated. This must be the sentiment of all present-to encourage the well affected, and to repress the factious and the turbulent. To effect this object he would humbly submit, that something more was required than the words of the address. It could not have escaped observation that there was abroad a spirit of discontent and disaffection to the Government, and to those establishments which form part of our political system. But it would be rash to suppose that all those who attended the late meetings were the decided enemies of the constitution. He was convinced that out of the disaffected population, 99 in 100 were misled by lies and delusions: they were inflamed, instigated, and goaded on to a momentary and unnatural state of irritation; and it was a most important part of our duty to conciliate and reclaim the deluded, to intimidate the designing, and to guard ourselves against their dangerous emissaries. With this view something should be added to the address to show that the higher classes were not indifferent to the distresses of the people, but that they really felt for their sufferings. Their great object ought to be, to strengthen themselves against the really disaffected. It was their most imperative duty, by gentleness, to detach from the enemy all their unnatural allies; to strengthen their own ranks, by reclaiming those who were se duced from them; and if they were to fight against the reformers, if the strength of the two parties was ever to be brought into actual collision, it was their duty, by gentle treatment, to thin the ranks of the enemy, before they advanced to the conflict. Every one must see that the country was in a state of great danger, and it was to assist in warding it off, that

he had been induced to leave his private sphere of action, and to lift up his voice at this meeting in defence of the sacred interests of the constitution. He would propose an addition to the address in this spirit, and he thought this more especially necessary, on account of certain measures that had been adopted, and certain steps that had been taken, by persons in authority, as to the merits of which he deprecated all discussion at present. Certain it was, however, that these transactions had given rise to dissension; they had divided those who ought to be united, and had given a handle to the enemies of the constitution. They appeared to offer encouragement to rash and dangerous measures, and indicated a disposition to deal beyond the law, and to discountenance the subject in the exercise of his constitutional rights. The addition he proposed to make cautiously avoided any reference to these points; nor had he, in the want of sufficient evidence, formed any decided opinion as to these transactions, although they were differently viewed by persons of unquestioned loyalty. Mr Jeffrey then proceeded to read the addition he proposed to the address. The amendment expressed the sympathy of the meeting for the distresses of the lower orders; and while it urged the necessity of counteracting the designs of the evil-disposed, who took advantage of these distresses to drive the people to measures only calculated to increase their miseries, expressed a hope that, in so doing, every degree of conciliation should be employed; that there would be no unnecessary use of force; and that every practicable retrenchment should be adopted, in order to lighten the burdens of the working classes. The meeting would judge