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the greatest daily heat is only half a degree more; and that the actual temperature at 10 a. m. is even lower this year than last. The thermometer last year stood once at 73, and once at 72, during the month of June; this year it stood once at 76, once at 73, once at 72, once at 71, and once at 70°. During June 1817, the temperature rose 18 times to 60 and upwards; but during the same month 1816, it rose in the same way 22 times. From various other circumstances that might be stated, we suspect that the present year has appeared warmer, only because there has been more sunshine, which has of course produced an astonishing difference in the appearance of the crops. The moist state of the atmosphere, too, might perhaps prevent evaporation at night, to the same extent as prevailed last year, which would of course prevent also the same depression of temperature. This conjecture is confirmed by two facts. In the first place, the average height of the hygrometer, at 10 p. m. for June last year, was 144-this year it is only 10; and in the second place, the difference between the mean temperatures of the two years is almost wholly owing to the difference between the temperatures of the nights.

METEOROLOGICAL TABLE, extracted from the Register kept on the Banks of the Tay, four miles east from Perth, Latitude 56° 25′, Elevation 185 feet.

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Evaporation in ditto,

10.500

17.366

Lowest ditto, 28th,

5.000

4.345

Highest, 10 P. M. 7th,
Lowest ditto,

22.000

19th,

2.000

2.050

Fair days 12; rainy days 18. Wind west of meridian, including North, 14; East of meridian,

including South, 16.

METEOROLOGICAL TABLE, extracted from the Register kept at Edinburgh, in the Observatory, Calton-hill.

N.B. The Observations are made twice every day, at eight o'clock in the morning, and eight o'clock in the evening.

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BIRTHS, MARRIAGES, AND DEATHS.

BIRTHS.

May 28. At Hale Hall, the lady of John Ireland Blackburn, Esq. M. P. a son and heir.-31. At Stappleton Park, the Right Hon. Lady Sophia Witchcote, a son.

Lately-At Balgray, parish of Cannobie, the wife of Edward Irving, of twins, mak. ing four children in eleven months.-At London, the lady of Colonel Carmichael Smith, R. E. a son. The lady of Robert Michaelson, Esq. of the Isle of Barra, a daughter. The Right Hon. Lady Rivers, a daughter.

June 1.-At Parkhouse, the lady of Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon, a son.-At 24, Queen-street, Edinburgh, Mrs. J. S. Robertson, a son.-2. The lady of James Ker, Esq. younger of Blackshiels, a son.At Pennycuick-house, the lady of Sir George Clerk, Bart. a daughter.-3. At Knowel-farm, Sussex, the wife of MajorGeneral Beatson, a son.-4. At Musselburgh, the lady of Major Dodds, late of the Royal Scots, a son. At the Chateau de Neuilly, the Duchess of Orleans, a daughter. -5. At Whitehouse, Mrs L. Horner, a

daughter.-10. At St Omers, the lady of

Captain Bonnycastle, royal engineers, a daughter.-11. At Edinburgh, Mrs Molle of Mains, a daughter.-At London, Lady Elizabeth Campbell, the lady of the Right Hon. J. F. Campbell, a son and heir.-16. The lady of Sir Robert Dick of Preston field, Bart. a daughter.-17. At Rosebankhouse, the lady of Kenneth Macleay, Esq. of Newmore, a son.-18. Lady Flint, a son. -20. At Brignall Vicarage, near Gretabridge, the Hon. Mrs Kilvington, a son.21. At Ruchill, the lady of William Baillie, Esq. of Polkemmet, a son.-26. At Dalhousie-castle, the Right Hon. Lady Robert Ker, a daughter.At Rotterdam, Mrs William Jay, a son.-27. At Findrack, Mrs Fraser, a son. -28. In Hanover-street, Edinburgh, the lady of Dr Irving, deputyinspector of hospitals, a son.-29. At Crawfurdland-castle, the lady of William Howison Crawford, Esq. a daughter.-30. At Inverness, the lady of Andrew McFarlane, Esq. a son.

MARRIAGES.

May 15. Henry Blount, Esq. son of Michael Blount. Esq. of Mapledurham, Oxon, to Eliza, fourth daughter of the late Lord Petre.Colonel Macmahon of Thomond, French consul at Cork, and knight of the order of St Louis, to Mary, third daughter of Thomas Austin, Esq. of Waterfall, co. Cork.19. Francis Whitmarsh, Esq. of Lincoln's-inn, to Caroline Winston,

daughter of the late Rear-Admiral Scott of Springhill, Southampton.-22. Osmond Ri cardo, Esq. eldest son of David Ricardo, riet, youngest daughter of Robert H. MalEsq. of Gatcombe-park, Gloucester, to Harlory, Esq. Woodcote, co. Warwick.-24. Edmund Phelps, Esq. to Anne Catherine, Countess of Antrim.-29. Captain R. H. Snead, Bengal cavalry, to Jane, youngest daughter of the late William Dumber, Esq.

Lately The Right Hon. Lord George William Russell, second son of the Duke of Bedford, to Miss Elizabeth Anne Rawdon, only child of the late Hon. John Raw don, and niece to the Marquis of Hastings.

Mr Milbank, to Lady Augusta Vane, second daughter of the Earl of Darlington.

June 2. At Stratforth, near Barnardcastle, Mr C. Addison, to Miss F. Bowman. This lady had been long detained a prisoner in the seraglio of the Dey of Algiers, from which she lately made her escape.-3. At London, Sigismund, Marquis de Nadaillac, son of the Duke d'Escars, Charles'-street, Berkley-square.. to C. Maria, daughter of Mr Mitchell, 4. At Edinburgh, Mr Adam Black, bookseller, to Isabella, only daughter of James Tait, Erskine, son of J. F. Erskine, Esq. of Marr, Esq.At Warkworth, the Rev. Thomas to Charlotte, daughter of the late Major Watson, 61st regiment.-5. At Broughtonpark, Edinburgh, Capt. Robert Clephane, R. N. to Anne, daughter of the late ArchiWilliam Scott, Esq. stockbroker, London, bald Borthwick, Esq.-At Pittenweem, to Miss Anne E. Nairne, youngest daughter of the Rev. Dr Nairne of Clermont.-6. Margaret Smith.-7. At Drummuie, Lieut.At Edinburgh, Mr John Easton, to Miss Col. J. G. Ross, 2d West India regiment, to Barbara, second daughter of the late Rev. Dr Bethune of Dornock.-9. At Lisbon, William Traill, Esq. of Woodwick, Orkney, to Miss Sarle, daughter of Charles Sarle, Esq. of Lisbon.-10. At Howden, Alexander Cleghorn, Esq. inspector-general of imports and exports for ScotFarquharson, Esq. of Howden.-14. At land, to Margaret, eldest daughter of Thos Montrose, the Right Hon. the Earl of Kintore, to Miss Juliet Renny, third daughter of the late Robert Renny, Esq. of Borrowfield. 16. At the Manse of Anstrutherwester, Lieutenant Charles Gray of the royal marines, to Jessie, daughter of the late Thomas Carstairs, Esq. of King's Barns-At Largnean, George Whitehorn Lawrence, Esq. to Jane Fordyce, eldest daughter of the late Lieut.-Col. Wight of Chapelearne.-17. At Greenock, Mr William Carrick, merchant, Glasgow, to Mary, second daughter of Mr Daniel M'Lachlan,

merchant, Greenock.-20. At Edinburgh, Count Flahault, to the Hon. Miss Mercer Elphinstone of Aldie.-21. At London, Charles Pasley, Esq. major in the service of the Hon. East India Company, and late charge-d'affaires at the Court of Persia, on the part of the Supreme Government of India, to Mary, eldest daughter of the late Simon M'Tavish of Montreal, Canada, and Dunadry, N. B.-23. At Lancaster, Captain Wilson, R. N. son of the late Judge Wilson of Howe, to Dorothea, daughter of Charles Gibson, Esq. of Quermore Park, Lancashire.-24. At London, Charles Shaw Lefevre, jun. eldest son of Charles Shaw Lefevre, Esq. M. P. of Heckfield, Southamptonshire, to Emma Laura, youngest daughter of the Right Hon. Lady Eliza beth Whitbread.-30. The Rev. Henry Wastell of Newborough, Northumberland, to Anne, second daughter of Thomas Hen. derson, Esq. chamberlain of Edinburgh.

DEATHS.

March 13. At Sydney, Mr Walter Lang, merchant, Van Diemen's Land, son of the deceased Walter Lang, Esq. late one of the magistrates of Glasgow.

April 10. At Montreal, Lower Canada, Rev. J. Mountain, D. D. brother of the Bishop of Quebec, rector of Montreal and of Peldon, Essex.-25. At Paris, W. Augustus Miles, Esq. formerly private secretary to the late Right Hon. William Pitt. -26. At Vanceville, Virginia, John Pollock, Esq. of Logie Green, W. S.-28. At the Peace and Unity Hospital, Durham, aged 101, Mrs Anne Dinsdale, who had been a widow 66 years. When 99, she had the misfortune to have her thigh bone broken, of which she was cured in the infirmary; and about six weeks previous to her death, she had her shoulder dislocated, of which she had also recovered.

the restoration of the Pope, his funeral was attended by all the Cardinals. His riches are left to a brother, who is in the church, and resident in France.-14. At London, Joseph Alder, Esq. of the firm of Hazard, Burne, and Co. Royal Exchange.-16. At Barley Wood, Mrs Sarah More, sister of the celebrated Mrs Hannah More.At Brighton, in her 22d year, Right Hon. Lady Frances Browne, sister of the Earl of Kenmore.-16. Off Cape Finisterre, Captain Robert Foulis Preston of the Euphrates frigate, aged 33.-At Bath, the Countess of Newcommon.-23. At Gort, co. Galway, in his 76th year, the Right Hon. John Pendergast Smyth, Viscount Gort, governor of the county of Galway.At Pittodrie, Aberdeenshire, the wife of Lieut.-Col. Erskine of Pittodrie.-26. In the 82d year of his age, Thomas Salt, Esq. of Litchfield, father of Henry Salt, Esq. his Majesty's consul-general for Egypt.-28. At Dundee, aged 60, Ebenezer Anderson, Esq. late agent for the Bank of Scotland there.

June 2. At the advanced age of 108, Catherine Prescott of George Leigh Street, Manchester. She retained her faculties in a wonderful degree, having learned to read her Bible, without the aid of spectacles, partly in the Lancasterian School, and partly in the St Clement's Sunday School in that town, since she was 100 years of age. -At Brompton, J. Adams, Esq. late of Peterwell, Cardiganshire, and formerly M.P. for Carmathen, aged 71.-4. At Brucefield House, Clackmannanshire, Mrs Elizabeth Johnstone, wife of Lieut.-Col. Dalgleish of Dalbeath, aged 44.-5. At Bath, in the 88th year of her age, Lady Riddell, widow of the late Sir James Riddell, Bart. of Ardnamurchan and Sunart, Argyllshire.—At Myrehead, Maj. Gen. George Dyer of the royal marines.-8. The Rev. Alexander Macadam, minister of Nigg, Ross-shire, in the 69th year of his age.-9. At Brechin, in the 80th year of his age, Joseph Lowe, M.D-12. At Larkfield, Robert Jamieson, Esq. one of the magistrates of Glasgow.At Kilwinning, the Rev. Robert Smith, late minister of the gospel at Auchinleck, in the 84th year of his age, and 57th of his ministry.-13. At Edgeworthstown, Ireland, Richard Lovell Edgeworth, Esq. father of the celebrated Miss Edgeworth.-15. At Roseneath, in the 83d year of his age, Mr James M'Ewan, late one of the magistrates of Glasgow.-At Chateau de la Challière, near Lausanne, Mrs Stratford Canning, wife of his Majesty's envoy-extraordinary, and minister plenipotentiary to the Swiss cantons.-18. In Buccleuch Place, Edinburgh, Mrs Jane Moodie, wife of Mr Chas. Moodie of the Exchequer.-19. At Piershill Barracks, Edinburgh, the lady of Major Charles Irvine of the 6th dragoon guards.

May 10. In the House of Industry, Chester, aged 39, Mr James Lewis, late of the Chester, Glasgow, Haymarket Theatres, &c. Improving the characteristic of his profession hastened his death. He was an actor of considerable reputation.-At Antigua, aged 76, John Otto Bayer, Esq. a member of council in that island, and formerly in the 82d regiment.-At Rome, the celebrated Cardinal Maury, who was in some measure under Bonaparte, and during the captivity of the Pope, the head of the catholic church. He fancied he saw a change of colour in his lips, that denoted his having swallowed poison; and by taking counterpoisons he killed himself. He lived the life of a miser, and persuaded himself that he was conspired against by all mankind. He was born at Vaurias, near Avignon, 26th June 1746, and had been created a Cardinal by Pius VI. 21st-20. While the tragedy of Jane Shore was February 1792. Although rather in dis- performing at the Leeds Theatre, in the grace since the downfall of his master and part of Dumont, Mr Cummins, that highly

respected veteran, had just repeated the be nedictory words,

"Be witness for me, ye celestial hosts, Such mercy, and such pardon, as my soul Accords to thee, and begs of Heaven to shew thee;

May such befall me, at my latest hour-" when he fell down on the stage, and instantly expired. The performance, of course, immediately closed. For some time, Mr Cummins (the circumstances of whose death so nearly resemble those of Mr Palmer) had laboured under that alarming malady designated by the name of ossification of the heart, or a change from the membraneous into a boney substance; and to this circumstance, added to the strength of his feelings in the mimic scene, his death is to be attributed.-21. George Leith, Esq. of Overhall, co. Aberdeen, and Bladud's Buildings, Bath. He was paying a morning visit at the house of Robert Aberdein, Esq. when he fell from his chair and instantly expired.-23. At Edinburgh, Patrick Orr, Esq. of Bridgeston.-At London, the Right Hon. Dowager Viscountess Here ford. At London, Mr Samuel Horracks of Bread Street, aged 35.-24. At Edinburgh, Mrs Jean Sommerville, relict of William Donald, Esq. late merchant in Greenock.25. At Ayr, Mrs Campbell, wife of Dugald Campbell, Esq. of Skerrington, and daugh. ter of the late Hon. William Baillie of Polkemmet.-26. At West Calder, Mrs Muckersy, wife of the Rev. John Muckersy, minister of that parish.-27. At Deal, Mr Alexander Henry Hamilton of his Majesty's ship Severn, eldest son of Daniel Hamilton, Esq. of Gilkerscleugh.- 30. At Inveresk House, Dame Henrietta Johnstone, wife of Sir James Gardiner Baird of Saughtonhall, Bart. At Flemington Mill, James Murray, Esq. of Craigend.

Lately-At Clifton, Lady Cosby, wife of Lt. Gen. Sir H. Cosby of Barnesville Park, Gloucestershire, daughter of the late S. Elliot, Esq. of Antigua, and eldest sister of the late Countess of Errol, the present Lady Le Despenser, and Mrs Cambden Cope. At Brookehill, Woolwich, (at the house of his brother, Captain Napier, R. A.) Vernon Napier, Esq. youngest son of the late J. Napier, Esq. of Tintonhall, Somerset.Mary, the wife of Gen. J. Leveson Gower, second daughter of the late P. Broke of Broke's Hall in Nacton, and sister to Sir P. B. V. Broke, Bart. captain of the Shannon. In York Place, Baker Street, in his 73d year, William Lewis, Esq. formerly of the East India company's civil ser vice, and member of the Council at Bombay. At Brancepath Castle, Durham, in his 83d year, W. Russel, Esq. whose mild and amiable qualities had not less endeared him to his family and friends, than his genuine benevolence and public spirit had entitled him to universal respect and es

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teem. Among the many instances of his well-directed munificence and patriotism, may be mentioned an hospital, which he founded and liberally endowed some years ago in the county of Durham, for a considerable number of aged persons, with a school attached for a large establishment of boys and girls. In 1795, Mr Russel was prominently instrumental in raising a large body of infantry in the county of Durham, to the expense of which he mainly contributed; and subsequently, at the cost of several thousand pounds, entirely borne by himself, he raised and equipped a numerous corps of sharp-shooters, esteemed one of the most complete in the kingdom. During the late distresses, and up to the moment of his death, he received and maintained the poor, coming from all quarters, in barracks constructed for the purpose, where every requisite comfort and accommodation was provided for them, while he kept alive their habits of industry, by employing such as were able in various works upon his extensive estates." In short, it appeared that the chief gratification arising to him from the immense possessions which the honourable application of his talents had accumulated, was the power they bestowed of more completely discharging the duties of a good subject and a practical Christian. He has left a widow, the daughter of the late Admiral Milbanke; one son, Mat. Russel, Esq. M. P. for Saltash; and two daughters, one of whom is married to Lieut. Col. Banbury, and the other to LieutGen. Sir Gordon Drummond, G. C. B. In St Giles's Workhouse, Thomas Wicham Kent, a very interesting old man, whose hard fate has for several years past excited the commiseration of many persons connected with the arts, from believing him to be the natural son of a Peer, the grandfather of a Duke. He used to say he was born at Bradwell, near Tideswell in Derbyshire, in 1744; had a good education given him; and at a proper age was articled to Mr Joseph Wilton, a celebrated statuary of the day; and having acquired proficiency in this art, went to Rome to complete his studies. For many years afterwards he was employed in the shops of several of our first artists; but this employment somewhat failing him, and being a proficient in music, about the year 1795 he entered into the band of the 101st regiment, in which he remained till about 1800; after which, for a short time, he kept a plaster figure shop in Whetstone Park, near Holborn. About a year ago he became too infirm to make his accustomed calls on the private benefactors, by whom he has for some years been chiefly supported, and some of whom are believed to have tried every effort to get him provided for in a more appropriate way than in the common workhouse; but at last starvation drove him thereto.

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Oliver & Boyd, Printers, Edinburgh.

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OBSERVATIONS ON

Macbeth and King Richard III. an Essay, in answer to Remarks on some of the characters of Shakspeare; by J. P. Kemble.

MR EDITOR,

THOUGH arrived at that time of life when men are supposed partial to past times, I will fairly own the superior powers of my countrymen, of the present times, in writing and composition. Yet I may be allowed to remark, that the confidence of publication is at least equal to the abilities, in point of writing, possessed by the present generation. Authorship, formerly a rare and envied distinction, is now so common as to lift a man (I should say a person, for it is now as much a female as a male quality) but little above the mass of men around him; and if we cannot say, with quite as much justice as formerly, "Scribimus indoctidoctique," for I will own there is more literature among us than our fathers and mothers possessed,-we may at least say, that every thing is published which is written, whether altogether worthy of publication or

not.

I am sorry that, in my opinion, the present volume may be classed among those which it might be held unnecessary to publish, because our respect for the author would incline us to wish, that nothing should come from his

pen which the public should think unworthy of him. It is indeed an answer to another book or pamphlet of Mr Whately, sanctioned by an editor of eminence, Mr Steevens. But if

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I am aware, however, that on the subject of which this little volume treats, a book may claim the attention of the public on slighter grounds than on any other topic. SHAKSPEARE IS so much the god of British idolatry, that every work relating to him is popular. Hence the numberless critics and commentators who have been read with avidity, not from their own merits, either of learning or of taste, but merely because they criticised or commented on Shakspeare, and, like the scholiasts on Homer, have borrowed an importance from their illustrious subject, with little intrinsic value in their own productions. The works of Shakspeare are, not to speak it profanely," the Bible of the drama to us. Their commentators, like those of that sacred book, are received with an interest which their subject only could confer on sometimes very dull and frivolous productions. One author of considerable eminence produced an Essay, very similar to Mr Kemble's,, to prove the valour of Falstaff. Mr Kemble enters now, for the first time, the field of authorship, to vindicate the personal courage of Macbeth,-to controvert the degrading distinction which Mr Whately had supposed between that personage and Richard III. The first, according to that critic, "having not intrepidity, like Richard, but merely resolution, proceeding from exertion, not from nature,-betraying, in enterprise, a degree of fear,

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