At Bangor, there is a large School on the plan of Dr. Bell, and the master, Mr. Tubb, is zealous in the discharge of his duty. It is to be lamented that some of the great proprietors of land near this place do not follow the munificent example of Lord Bulkeley, and build a good school-room. The attention of the Rev. Mr. Cotton, senior Vicar of Bangor, to this School, well entitles him to the praise of every visitor.

Mr. URBAN,

A

Сн.

Dec. 1.

Ta time when public Meetings of a hundred thousand persons are held, in which assuredly not as many clean shirts were ever observable, I take the liberty, as a person who is cruelly deprived, by Family Tyranny, of the indulgence of that refreshing article-to state to you my peculiar grievances, as those which require Parliamentary Interference. I am more ill-used by the Boroughmongers than any of the complainants whatever, since there is not a single town in this kingdom, where I am not in famously deprived of my birth-right. Only one of my brothers can dare to say that his time is his own; and though the others at the days of an election, and Christmas and Whitsuntide, do contrive to squeeze their insignificant noses into jolly and hos pitable circles, it is only by the compassion of a few gentlemen, that any indulgence is ever shown to me. Manufacturers and artizans treat me, though nobly born, as tracing my pedigree up to the Sun, as if I was a donkey, an animal to whom oats are never given.

I am the youngest of seven children. My eldest brother, I am sorry to say, is a person who professes a great degree of Religion, and yet most certainly does connive at various improper pleasures. He professes to be a kind of religious philosopher, devoting all his time to reading good books, and instructing his poorer neighbours, and setting good examples; yet, notwithstanding he is the only gentleman in the family-indeed a privileged man, being exempted by law from arrest; yet he will not permit to us, his legitimate brethren, any thing like English community of freedom; but, while he passes his whole time in idleness, consigns to us no

thing but work; whereas, by the will of our common ancestors, we can prove that his pretended claim to idleness is really no more, did he do his duty, than an exemption, that he might be the means of supporting in us a due sense of piety and morals, by enforcing attendance at Church, and confining his own actions to works of necessity, piety, and charity. I assure you, Mr. Urban, that, taking his conduct in the whole, he is a lazy, visiting, gossiping, jaunting fellow, conceiving that he supports his character only because he never sings any thing but psalms, and lends his encouragement to all kinds of preaching.

My second brother goes by the nickname of Saint, because he is thought, however unjustly, to second the pleasurable indulgences connived at by our first-born. I do not think that it is, on his part, an affair of princip'e, because he is much subject to head-aches. Of this at least I am sure, that he is repeatedly scolded by his wife; and, though he frequently sins, always repents. In some parts of the year, he is a man of conse quence, superintending the election of various public officers; but in all other respects he is only noted by a trick of tippling at such periods.

My third brother is a character, of whom I can scarcely give any account. He is neither one thing nor the other. All I can say of him is, that he gives a grand treat of a very excellent kind of cakes once a year, but for which he would most certainly lapse into oblivion. I believe that he is a Roman Catholick at the bottom of his heart, but he fritters every thing serious away in a kind of hospitable chit-chat pleasantry.

My fourth brother is a man of very grave aspect, and very fond of taking pot-luck at my elder brother's table, and officiating sometimes as Vice-Præs. in a salt-fish treat on fastdays. He is a regular beau to old maids in their weekly attendances at church; and, some time ago, had a knack of persuading people to fast; but this is a favour or mark of respect which they now only show him once in a year, and then only in a formal sort of way.

My fifth brother is a Will Wimble. The rest of the family scarcely know

him by name. He delights in going about to the different schools in the kingdom, and setting the boys at liberty for some hours. I know little else of him, except that he is hated by all farmers who have orchards.

My sixth brother is deemed a very grave companion and inseparable from my third brother. They certainly are very alike in character. He is once in the year styled Good, and has singular marks of attention then paid to him; but the family all know that

it is owing to a circumstance in which

be himself, had only an accidental concern. He happened to be the mere undertaker of the funeral of an Illustrious Person; and, conducting himself on that occasion with a proper degree of solemnity and decency, he obtained the title just alluded to.

Last of all comes myself, the seventh unfortunate brother. I am the porter, the drudge, the slave, the hack of the whole family, so far as their indolence prompts, and, com monly speaking, they are a most lazy set. If they have any thing to do, it is always consigned to me; and they allow me no time for rest, scarcely for meals. They make me tell all kind of lies, saying, that persons may rely upon having what they require by me, though they very well know that it is utterly impossible for me to do it. They do not even allow me liberty to wash my hands and face, or tie up my stockings; and I am denied all decent clothing. How ever well occasionally my other brothers may fare, nothing but orts, bubble and squeak, and small beer, are reserved for me; even late at night, when I have been hard at work all day, I am often compelled to carry out parcels; in short, every body knows that, though I am neither deformed, nor a bad character, perhaps the most free from criminal indul gences of all my brothers, yet nothing is more true than that though I earn more than any of the family, I am rarely permitted to have a farthing in my pocket; and am obliged to take up my dinner on credit.

Though my eldest brother is legitimately a Saint, it is hard that I should thus be made one by compulsion, without the credit. I have as many natural propensities for the ale-house as themselves, but I seldom

see any thing but the sign; and why am I to be cruelly forced out of that dear indulgence, Idleness?

I have now only to tell you who I am. I am the unfortunate last child of a person named WEEK; but as I dare not use my surname without a misnomer, I am compelled to subscribe myself humbly, like servants, by a single appellation, SATURDAY!

Mr. URBAN,

MA

Dec. 4. ANY of your Readers will be glad to hear that Mr. Kean's merits, as an Actor, have been acknowledged in a very flattering manner by his friends at Edinburgh; they have presented him with "a Sword of State," to be worn when he appears in the Tragedy of Macbeth, as the King of Scotland. It was accompanied by a Letter from the Right Hon. Sir J. Sinclair, which, from the various information it contaius, w.ll be read with pleasure:

་

"Sir,Some of your friends in this city became extremely desirous of presenting you with a mark of the high estimation which they entertain for your talents as an actor, more especially having witnessed the very superior manner in which you performed the character of Macbeth. After considering the subject, it was at last resolved to present you with a Sword of State,' to be worn when you appear upon the stage in that tragedy, as the crowned King of Scotland.' I have much pleasure in sending you the Sword, which is prepared by some of our ablest artists, for the purpose of being transmitted to you. It is of the true Highland make,' and ornamented with some of the most valuable precious stones that Scotland produces. Macbeth is, on the whole, the greatest effort of dramatic genius the world has yet produced; and none has hitherto attempted to represent the Scottish Tyrant who has done, or could possibly do, more justice to the character than the Gentleman to whom I have now the honour of addressing myself.

"The presentation of this Sword reminds me of two particulars :—

"1. The swords, in ancient times, were large and weighty, and the scabbards broad at the points. Hence, in Shakspeare,

Shakspeare, Hotspur describes himself (Part I. Henry IV. Act 1, scene 5), leaning upon his sword; that is to say, resting upon it in the scabbard. The sword, also, was not carried in belts attached to the person (which, with a large and heavy sword, would have been too cumbersome), but was either held in the right hand, or carried on the left arm, the elbow being bent for that purpose. In battle, when the sword was drawn, the scabbard was thrown away, to imply, as that phrase denotes, that the combat was to terminate with the death of the parties.-2. There is reason to believe, that Shakspeare collected inaterials for the Tragedy of Macbeth, on the spot where many of the transactions took place. It is recorded in Guthrie's History of Scotland, that Queen Elizabeth sent some English actors to the Court of her successor James, which was then held at Perth; and it is supposed that Shakspeare was one of that number. This idea receives strong confirmation by the following striking circumstance: The Castle of Dunsinane is situated about seven or eight miles from Perth. When I examined, some years ago, the remains of that Castle, and the scenes in its neighbourhood, I found, that the traditions of the country people were identically the same as the story represented in Shakspeare. There was but one exception. The tradition is, that Macbeth endeavoured to escape, when he found the Castle no longer tenable. Being pursued by Macduff, he ran up an adjoining hill, but, instead of being slain in single combat by Macduff (which Shakspeare preferred, as being a more interesting dramatic incident), the country people said, that, in despair, he threw himself over a precipice, at the bottom of which there still remains the Giant's Grave,' where it is supposed that Macbeth was buried. When you next visit Scotland, it would be interesting to take an early opportunity of examining these classic scenes.

With my best wishes that you may long continue an ornament to the British Theatre.-I remain, Sir, your very obedient servant,

વર્ષ

JOHN SINCLAIR. 133, George-street, Edinburgh, Nov. 16, 1819."

'Macbeth,

King of Scotland,'
November 1819."

MR. KEAN'S ANSWER.

"Sir, I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Letter, announcing the transmission of a valuable Sword, which you teach me to receive as a token of the flattering estimation, in which my professional exertions in the Northern capital, are held by yourself, and a portion of that Publick, to whose fostering indulgence I am already bound in lasting gratitude.

"To those unknown patrons, in whose names you have been pleased in such gratifying terms to address me, I beg you will convey the assurance that their kindness has not been lavished where it is not truly appreciated and deeply felt.

"I am happy in the conviction, that I shall only do justice to their intentions in receiving this Sword, as at once a record of national liberality and a pledge of Scottish patronage of the Stage. May I not recognize in this their object, by the selection of the distinguished pen, which has honoured me with this commendation, as well as in the costume of the present itself, which you are pleased to inform me, is strictly national, both in its character and in its ornaments?

"Permit me to add, Sir, that my own feelings could know no higher gratification than to be instructed to the belief, that I may have been the fortunate instrument of increasing the number of the patrons of our Art, the difficulties of which may, in some measure, be appreciated by the rarity and instability of success, and in which we but too sensibly feel, how necessary is public protection to encourage

encourage and sustain us even in our least chequered and unclouded career. "I have the honour to be, Sir, with grateful respect, your very obliged servant, E. KEAN. "To Right Hon. Sir J. Siuclair."

Mr. URBAN,

THE

Dec. 23.

HE enactment of the recent Restriction Bills appears to be confined to a specific purpose, beyond which they cannot in propriety extend. It is probable, however, that much good would result to the na tion by removing one cause of sedition, distress, and to the inhabitants of the manufacturing districts by diminishing the poor's rates.

The improvidence of the Poor is proverbial; and they pour such numbers of the population into particular tracks of employ, that the master cannot extend his capital to meet the daily increasing demand for work.

It has been stated (but the writer of this has no means of referring to documents) that the total number of adult males in the kingdom amounts only to three millions. Of this much too large a proportion is devoted to

the weavers in the silk, cloth, and cotton manufactories.

In the two departments of the silk and cotton branches, we perpetually hear of distress. The Spitalfields weavers, the stocking weavers, and the cotton weavers, are almost the only brauches of employ by which we are periodically reminded (let the times be in other respects what they may), that there is a stagnation of trade, through which they are thrown out of bread. All trades fluctuate; but the weavers, being far too numerous, suffer excessively.

The constitutions of persons in this line of employ are so enfeebled, that they are not capable of husbandry work, at least for continuance. They have a squallid aspect, and a tendency to asthma and phthisis.

It is well known that, during the

last harvest, men could not be ob.

tained in sufficient numbers, in the agricultural counties, to get in the crops as fast as they were ready; and it is equally certain, that the work houses contain no able-bodied men. It is too pretty clear that country carpenters are never in want of work, unless through personal misconduct.

May it not then be inferred, that

there is an excess of the population employed in manufactures? and would it not be eligible in the masters, to institute some rule which would limit the number of Apprentices? Legisla tion on such a subject would be deemed an unjustifiable infringement of the liberty of the subject; but the manufacturers themselves could check excess by a very simple means;—raising the premium of apprenticeship, when there is excess; and lowering it in opposite circumstances. They might also encourage their workmen to become members of Saving-Banks and Friendly Societies.-In short, it appears plain, that some sort of rules might take place, by agreement between masters and workmen, which would considerably augment the comfort of the former, and diminish the possible evils of the latter. As to weaving, and similar trades, a preference ought to be given to females, because another income is thus added to the wages of the husband or father. C. D.

Mr.URBAN, Stoke Newington, Dec.20. XPERIENCE has proved to all

EXPE

lovers of Botany and Gardening,

how uncertain their expectations of success generally are in raising plants from seeds collected in foreign climes. I have frequently experienced this disappointment, though I have felt assured the seeds I possessed had been selected and packed with every pos sible degree of care. I have now in my possession some which were collected far in the interior of Van Dieman's Island in the autumn of 1817, a part of which were sown last spring, and almost entirely failed. My object in writing is to request your scientific Readers to oblige the Publick by communicating any knowledge they may possess, as to the best mode of producing germination_in exotic seeds. C. L.

ABOLITION OF THE SLAVE TRADE. have been favoured with a

Wrect minute of the proceedings which not long ago took place in the Court of Vice-Admiralty of Jamaica, relative to an attempted violation of the Abolition Laws, wi which had been detected upon a part of the Coast of that Island, and the whole of those proceedings are of a nature so satisfactory, that we have plea

sure

sure in communicating them to our readers.

Among the papers laid before Parliament in the course of the last Session, will be found the particulars of proceedings under an Act recently passed by the Legislature of Jamaica, evincing the promptitude with which all classes of its Inhabitants have concurred to prosecute any case of illicit importation which may come within the reach of their own Colonial Regulations *; and the statement we now present will show a like ready zeal to enforce the provisions of the British Acts of Parliament which have been directed to the same object.

The prisoners in the present case were indicted upon the first section of the 51 Geo. III. cap. 23 (the Slave Felony Act,) and they were tried under a Commission issued by virtue of the 46 Geo. III. cap. 54, and which Commission is expressly declared by the 58 Geo. III. cap. 98, to embrace all offences made felonies or misdemeanors by the 51 Geo. III.

The evidence given on the trial clearly proved that the most secret applications which were made by the prisoner Hudson, for the Sale of the Slaves, and especially at Anotta Bay, were immediately rejected; and we bave authority for saying that nothing could exceed the promptitude

and earnestness with which the Magistrates in that part of the country Conducted themselves to bring the offenders to trial. The result of the trial, viz. the transportation of Hudson for seven years, and of Jones for three years, certainly affords one of the strongest answers (if further answer were necessary) to those who have called in question the good faith of the Inhabitants of our largest West India Colony.

There was another Indictment against a Seaman on-board the same vessel, named John Johnson, for a misdemeanor under the second section of the 51 Geo. III.; but he was acquitted, in consequence of the Crown

not being able to prove that he was a British subject.

MONDAY, JULY 26, 1819.

Judges - His Honour Henry Conran, esq. Lieutenant-governor, President; the Hon. Wm. Roden Rennalls, Judge of the Vice-admiralty Court; the Hon. Thomas Witter Jackson, Chief-justice of the Island; Sir Home Popham, K. C. B. Commander in Chief of the Naval Forces at the station; Captain Henry Hart, of his Majesty's ship Sapphire; Captain Thomas Wren Carter, of his Majesty's ship Wasp.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 28.

THE KING V. JOHN HUDSON AND JOHN JONES.

The Court having been opened, the names of the parties bound to appear were called over, and the Grand Jury his Honour the presiding Judge delivered the following charge:-" Gentlemen of the Grand Jury,We are as sembled by virtue of his Majesty's letters

sworn,

patent, for the purpose of trying offences committed on the bigh seas. It appears by the calendar, that your attention will be principally called to the investigation of a charge preferred against two persons, for a violation of the Acts of Parliament

passed in the 47th and 51st years of his present Majesty, for the Abolition of the Slave Trade. By the first of those Acts this species of traffic was declared to be illegal, was abolished, and for ever prohibited among British subjects, under the cond this crime was declared to be a fe pain of pecuniary penalties. By the se

lony, not, however, of a capital nature, but subjecting the offender to transporta tion or confinement. [His Excellency here recited the words of the Act, which declared the punishment for the offences under consideration to be transportation beyond seas for a term not exceeding 14 years; or imprisonment and hard labour, for a term not exceeding five, nor less than three years.]-Gentlemen, many years have elapsed since the wisdom of the Imperial Legislature, after a long and assiduous deliberation, declared itself upon this interesting and important subject. Whatever might have been the doubts and difficulties incidental to the measure in its progress (from the real or sup posed interest of these colonies), all speculation on the question has long ago been

at