The Carmarthen Journal and South Wales Weekly Advertiser

1- NEW YEAR'S DAY CUSTOMS. CFrom the Every Day Book.) Ringing out the old and ringing in the new year, with a merry new year! a happy new year to you 1" ou new year's day, were greetings that moved sceptered pride, and hum- ble labour, to smiles and kind feelings in former times; and whv should they be unfa-hionafole in our own ? Dr. Drake observes, in Shakspeare and his Times," that the ushering in of the new year, or new yaar's tide, with rejoicings, presents and good wishes, was a custom ob- served, during the 16th century, with great regularity and parade, and was as cordially celebrated in the court of the prince as in the cottage of the peasant. The Rev. T. D. Foshroke, in his valuable Encyclope- dia of Antiquities," adduces various authorities to show that congratulations, presents, and visits were made by the Ro- mans on this day. The origin, he says, is ascribed to Ro- mulus and Tatius, and that the usual presents were figs and dates, covered with leaf-gold, and sent by clients to patrons accompanied with a piece of money, which was expended to purchase thestatutes of deities. He mentions an amphora, (a jar) which still exists, with an inscription denoting that it was a new year's present from the potter's to their pa- troness. He also instances from Count Ceylus a piece of Roman pottery, with an inscription wishing a happy new year to you; another where a person wishes it to himself and his son and three inedalions, with the laurel leaf, fig, and date; one, of Commodus; another of Victory: and a third, Janus, standing in a temple, with an inscription, wishiij,, a Ihappy new year to the Emperor. New year's gifts were continued under the Roman Emperors until (iiey were prohibited by Claudius. Yet in the early ages of the Church the Christian emperors received them nor did they wholly cease, although condemned by ecclesiastical coun- cils on account of the pagan ceremonies at their presenta- tion. The Druids were accustomed on certain days to cut the sacred misletoe with a golden knife, in a forest dedicated to the gods, and to distribute its branches with much cere. mony as a new year's gift among the people. The late Rev. John Brand, in his Popular Antiquities edited bv Mr. Ellis, observes from Bishop Stillinglfeet, that among the Saxons of the North, the feslival of the new year was observed with more than ordinary jollity and feasting, and by sending new year's gifts to one another. Mr. Fosbroke notices the continuation of the Roman prac- tice during the middle ages; and that our kings, and the nobility especially, interchanged presents. Mr. Ellis quotes Mathew Paris, who appears to show that Henry 111. ex- torted new year's gifts and he cites from MS. of the pub. lie revenue, anno qEdward VI. an entry of "rewards given on new year's day to the king's officers and servants in ordinary, £1555s., and to their servants that present the king's majestie with new year's gifts." An orange stuck with cloves seems, by reference to Mr. Foshroke and our early authors, to have been a popular new year's gift. Mr. Ellis suggests, that the use of this present may be ascertained from a remark by old Lupton, that the flavour of wine has improved, and the wine itself preserved from mouldinest, by an orange orlemon stuck with cloves being hung within the ve,sel so as not to touch the liquor. Thomas Naogeorgus, in "The Popish Kingdome," a Latin poem written in 1553, and Englished by Barnabe Googe after remarking on days of the old year, urges this recollec tion: The next to this is Newe yeares day whereon to every frende, They costly presents in do bring, and Newe yeares giftes do sende. These giftes the husband gives his wife, and father eke the childe, And maister on his men beslowe8 the like with favourmilde. Honest old Latimer, instead of preventing Henry VIIT. with a purse of gold, as was customary, for a new year's gift, put into the king's hand a New Testament, with a leaf conspicuously doubled down at Hebrews xiii. 4. which oil reference, will be found to have been worthy of all accep- tation, though not perhaps well accepted. Dr. Drake is of opinion that the wardrobe and jewellery of Queen Eliza- beth were principally supported bv these annual contribu- tions on new year's day. He cites lists of the new year's gifts presented to her, from the original rolls published in ner Progresses by Mr. Nichols; and from these it appears that he greatest part, if not all the peers and peeresses of the realm, all the bishops, the chief officers of the state, and several of the Queen's household servants, even down to her apothecaries, master cook, Serjeant of the pastry, &c, gave new year's gifts to her majesty consisting, in general, either of a sum of money, or jewels, trinkets, wearing ap- fiarel, &c. The largest sura given by any of the temporal ords was £ I0; but the Archbishop of Canteibury gave .£4.0, the Archbishop of York ^30; and the other spiritual lorfis £ 20 and -e]O; many of the temporal lords and great officers, and most of the peeresses, gave rich gowns, petti- coats, shifts, silk stock ngs, garters, sweet bags, doublets, mantles embroidered with precious stones, looking-glasses, fans, bracelets, caskets studded with jewels, and other costly trinkets. Sir Gilbert Dethick, garter king at arms, gave a book of the States in William the Conqueror's time Absolon, the master of the Savoy, gave a Bible covered with cloth of gold, garnished with silver gilt, and plates of the royal arms; the Queen's physician presented her with a box of foreign sweetmeats another physician presented a pot of green ginger, and a pot of orange flowers; her apothecaries gave her a box of lozenges, a box of ginger candy, a box of green ginger, and pots of other conserves. Mrs. Blanch a Parry gave her majesty a little gold comlit- box and spoon Mrs. Morgan gave a box of cherries, and one of apricots. The queen's master cook and her serjeant of the pastry presented her with various confectionary and preserves. Putrino, an Italian, gave her two pictures; Amorose Lupo gave her a box of lute-strings and a glass of sweet water each of three other Italians presented her with a pair of sweet gloves; a cutler gave hera meat-knife having a fan haft of bone, with a conceit in it; Jeremy Bas- sano gave two drinking glasses and Smith, the dustman, presented her majesty with two bolts of cambrick. Dr. Drake says, that though Elizabeth made returns to the new year's gifts, in plate and other articles, yet she took sufficient care that the balance should be in her own favour. No. 4982, in the Catalogue for 1824, of Mr. Rodd of Great Newport-street, is a roll of vellum, ten feet long, containing the new year's gifts from James I. to the per- tons whose names are therein mentioned on the 1st of Jan- uary 1605, with the new year's gifts that his majesty re- ceived the same day; the roll is signed by James himself and certain officers of his household. Pins were acceptable new year's gifts to the ladies, in stead of wooden skewers which they used till the end of the fifteenth century. Sometimes they received a composition in money and hence allowances for their separate use is still denominated pin-money." Gloves were customary new year's gifts. They were more expensive than in our times and occasionally a money present was tendered instead; this was called 16 glove- money." Sir Thomas More, ai lord chancellor, decreed in favour of a Mrs. Croaker againt the Lord Arundel. On the following new year's day, in token of her gratitude, she presented Sir Thomas with a pair of gloves, containing forty angels. "It would he against good manners," said the Chancellor, to forsake a gentlewoman's new year's gift, and I accept the gloves; their lining you will be pleased otherwise to bestow." Mr. Brand relates from a curious MS. in the British Mu- setim, of the date of 1569, that the boys of Eton school u-ed on this dav to play for little new year's gifts before and after supper; and also to make verses, which they pre- sented to the provost and masters, and to each other: new year's gifts of veises, however, were not pecul ar to school bovs. A poet, the beauties of whose poetry re justly re marked to be" of a kind which time has a tendency rathe' to hallow than to injure," Robert Herrick, presents us, in his Hesperides, with "a New Year's Gift sent to Sir Simon Steward." Mr. Ellis, ill a note on Brand, introduces a poetical new year's gift in Latin, from the stern Buchanan to the unhappy Marv of Scotland. New year's gifts." *avs Dr. Dr?«ke, "were given and received, with tilt* muteal expression of good wishes, and particularly thai of a happy new year. The compliment was sometimes paid at each other's doors in .the form of a song; but more generally, especially in the north of Eng- land and Scotland, the house wa, entered verv early in the I morning, by some young nsen and maidens selected for the j he pnrpoie, who presented the vpiced bowl, •& hailed you I with the jrrntulations of the season." To this may bead- tied, thit it was formerly the custom in Scotland it) send new N eai, s oil new yeir's eve ind on new year's day to wish each other a happy new veal', and ask for a new year's gift. There is a citation in Brand, from the Statistical Ac- count of Scotland," concerning new year's gifts to servant maids by their masters; and it mentions that "there is a large stone, about nine or ten feet high, and four broad, placed upright in a plain, fin the (Orkney) isle of Nortli Ronaldshav; hut no tradition is preserved concerning it. whether erected in memory of any signal event, or for the purpose or administering justice, or for religious worship. The writer of this (the parish priest) has seen Ut:y of the in- habitants assembled there, on the first day of the year, dancing by moonlight, w ith no music but their ow n singing." In Mr. Stewart's Popular Superstitions of the High- lands," there is some account of the Candlemas bull, or new year's eve, as introductory to the new year. The term Candlemas, applied to this season, is supposed to have ori- ginated in some old religious ceremonies performed by can- dlelight. Thr bull is a passing cloud, which Highland ima- gination perverts into the form of that animal as it rises or falls or takes peculiar directions, of great significancy to the seers, so does it prognosticate good or bad weather. The more northern nations anciently assigned portentous qualities to the winds of new year's eve. One of their own legends in Brand may be thus versified-the last line eking out the verse If New-Year's eve night-wind blow south It betokeneth warmth and growth; If west, much milk, ind fish in the sea; Ifnorth, much cold, and storinsthere shall be If east, the trees will bear much fruit; It north-east, flee it man and brute. Riding-stang, a custom that will be observed on hereafter, prevails in some parts of England on new year's day to the present hour. The stang" is a cowl-staff, which is a stout pole whereon the vessel hangs. Where's the cowl-staff? cries Ford's wife, when she purposes to get Falstaff into a large buck-basket, with two handles; the cowl-staff, or "stang," is produced, and, being passed through the han- dles, the fat knight is borne off by two of Ford's men. A writer in the Gentleman's Magazine, 1791, says, that in Westmoreland and Cumberland, on the 1st of January, multitudes assemble early in the morning with baskets and 11 stangs," and whoever does not join them, whether inhabi- tant or stranger, is immediately mounted across the "stan," carried, shoulder height, to the next public house, where sixpenceliberates the prisoner. Women are seized in this way, and carried in baskets—the sex being privileged from riding "stang," in compliment, perhaps, to the use of side saddles. In the same part of (h- country, no one is allowed to work a little only, for luck's sake, that they might have constant businass all the year after. to work a little only, for luck's sake, that they might have constant businass all the year after. In Paris on new year's day, which is called lejour <Tet- rennes, parents bestow portions on their children, brothers on their sisters, aud husbands make presents to their wives. Carriages may be seen rolling through the streets with car- goes of bon-bons, souvenirs and the variety of et ceteras with which little children and grown-up children are bribed iuto good humour; and here and there pastry-cooks are met with, carrying upon boards enormous temples, pagodas, churches, playhouses, made of fine flour and sug-jr, and the embellishments which render French pastry so inviting. But there is one street in Paris to which a new year's day is a whole year's fortune-this is the Rue des Lombards, where the wholesale confectioners reside for in Parss every trade and profession has its peculiar quarter. For several days preceding the 1st of January, this street is completely blocked up by carls and waggons laden with cases of sweet. meats for the provinces. These are of every form and description which the most singular fancy could imagine; bunches of carrots, green peas, boots and shoes, lobsters and crabs, hats. books, musical instruments, gridirons, fry- ing-pans, and saucepans; all made of sugar, and coloured to intimate reality, and all made with a hollow within to hold the bon-bons. The most prevailing device is what is called a cornet, that is, a little cone ornamented in different ways, with a bag to draw over the large end, and close it up. In these thiugs, the prices of which vary from one franc (tenpence) to fifty, the bon-bons are presented by those who choose not to be at such expence, and by those who do not, they are only wrapped in a piece of pa- per; but bon-bons in some way or the other must be pre- sented. It would not, perhaps, be an exaggeration to state that the amount expended for presents on the new year's day in Paris, for sweetmeats alone, exceeds 500,000f. or 3^20,000 sterling. Jewellery is also sold to a very large amount, and the fancy articles exported in the first week in the year to England and other countries, is computed at one-fonrth of the sale during the twelve months. In Paris it is by no means uncommon for a man of 8000 or 10,000 francs a year to make presents on new year's day whieh cost him a fifteenth part of his income. No person able to give must on this day pay a visit empty-handed. Everybo- dy accepts, and every man gives according to the means be possesses. Females alone are excepted from the charge ot giving. A pretty woman respectably connected, may reckon her new year's presents at something considerable. Gowns, jewellery, gloves, stockings, and artificial flowers, fill her drawing-room for in Paris it is a custom to display all the gifts, in order to excite emulation, and to obtain as much as possible. At the palace the new year's day is a complete jour defele. Every branch of the royal family is then expected to make handsome presents to the king. For the six months preceding January 1824, the female branches were busily occupied in preparing presents of their own manufacture, which would fill at least two common-sized waggons. The Duchess de Berry painted an entire room of japanned pannels, to be set up in the palace; and the Duchess of Orleans prepared an elegant screen. An Eng- lish gentleman who was admitted suddenly into the pre- sence of the Duchess de Berry two months before, found her, and three of her maids of honour, lying on the carpet, painting the edges of a set of chairs which were intended to be presented to the king. The day commences with the Parisians, at an early hour, by the interchange of their visits and bon-bons. The nearest relations are visited first, until the furthest in blood have had their calls; then friends. and acquaintances. The conflict to anticipate each other's call occasions the most agreeable and whimsical seene5 among these proficients in polite attentions. In these visits and in gossiping at the confectioners' shops, which are the great lounge for the occasion, the morning of the new year's day is passed; a dinner is given by some member of the family to all the rest, and the evening concludes, like Christmas day, with cards, dancing, or any other amuse- ment that may be preferred. One of the chief attractions to a foreigner in Paris is the exhibition, which opens on a new year's day, of the finest specimens of the Sevres china manufactured at the royal establishment in the neighbour- hood of Versailles during the preceding vear. New year's day in London is not observed by any public festivity; but littlesocial dining pnrtiesare frequently for- med amongst friends; and conviviai persons may be found at taverns, and in publicans' parlours, regaling on the occa- sion. Dr. Forster relates, in his 41 Perennial Calendar," that many people make a point to wear some new clothes on this day, and esteem the omission as unlucky the prac- tice, however, from such motives, must obviously be confined to the uninformed. The only open demonstration of joy in the metropolis, is the ringing of merry peals from the belfries of the numerous steeples, late on the eve of the new year, and until after the chimes of the clock have sounded its last hour.

PIRACY PUNISHED.-On the 10th of Sept. the brig Comet of Yarmouth, Capt. Rivett. sailed from Smyrna, in company with eleven more vessels, under convoy of the United States' schooner Porpoise. On the evening of the 19th, the convoy bcintr becalmed off the island of Andros. and the Comet lieing outside, about five miles from the shore, Capt. Rivett, about eight o'clock, observed three mysticos, or large row-boats, full of Greeks, pulling up towards her. The Porpoise was about a quarter of a mile distant, and Captain Rivett, towering his jolly boat with his mate and a boy, order- ed them to make their way to her for assistance. As the pirates neared him, Capt. Rivett hailed, desiring them to keep off, which was answered with a volley of musketry,—one young man on board the Comet recei- ved a ball in his head, which caused his death. They then boarded the brig to the number of about forty, who instantly fell to plundering, ill-treating Captain Rivett and the crew, whom they stripped of their clothes, taking every portable article out of the cabin and ransacking the cargo their boats in the meantime t, L, taking the brig in tow, and making the best of their way with her towards the island. While they were thus engaged, three boats from the Porpoise, manned and armed, pulled up, and opened upon the myslicos a fire of Musketry; upon which the latter instantly cast off the tow-ropes, and abandoning their comrades on board the Comet to their fate, they plied their oars with such vigour as quickly to distance theirjpursuers. The latter then returned to the brig, firing upon the Greeks on board as they approached, with a determination to give them no quarter. Vainly hoping to escape destruction, and gain their boats by swimming, the greater part of the pirates plunged overboard as soon as the Americans boarded the Comet and Capt. Rivett reports that, of ihe whole number left on board the brig when the xiysticos took to flight, not one escaped death, either Tom shot, the sword, or drowning.—Liverpool Com- iterciul Chronicle. b It is calculated, that 10,000 steam engines are at work now in Great Britain, performing the labour of more than equal to 200,000 horses, which, fe-d in the ordinary way, would require above one million of acres of land for subsistence, which are capable of supplying the necessaries of life to more than 1,500,000 human beings. But, when the casualities to the breeders, and the number of extra horses necessary to supply acci- dents, are taken into consideration, which may be stated at 1 in 10, the number will then be, the work of 220,000 horses saved, by which 1,100,000 acres are liberated for the support of 1,650,000 men, or nearly one iifth of the population of the kingdom besides enabling us to produce in foreign market, articles of a very superior description, and at a very mnch cheaper rate, without which we could not go into the market at all, and the millions of people em- ployed on them must starve. A correspondent in the Farmer's Journal adduces a variety of arguments to prove that the use of steam engines in agriculture will prove beneficial to the farmer. The matter (he says) is decided that they can be so supplied, and the only question in stocking a farm will be, as to the size and power of engines; but this may be easily regulated by the number of horses heretofore kept on the farm. For instance, where five ploughs have been employed, a five-plough power may be adopted. It may be argued that steam engines make no manure, and are, therefore, in this respect, inferior to horses. This, however, may be easily ob- viated. Horses consume the straw, stubble, &c. of a farm, by sonverting it into manure. Fire will con- sume as well as animals; the straw, stubble, &c. may be used for feeding the engine fire the spare steam may be used in a way as novel as it is beneficial, name- ly to fertilize, by its warmth and moisture, the plants over which it passes, and this fertilizing power will be wonderfully increased by the addition of a little salt to ¡ the water. Slugs, snails, and wire-worms, would soon be blown away; and the safety of the turnip crop (the basis of all good husbandry) would be henceforth en- sured. Objections will be started to these ideas of mine but what improvement (however obvious) has not encountered opposition? 1 have no doubt that the plough was once as great an object of horror, lest it supersede the use of spades; and that the flail was deemed, at its introduction, little less than a violation of the Scriptures, which had assigned to the ox the task of treading- out corn." As the workmen of Mr. Atkinson, cabinet-maker, Ranelagh-street, Liverpool, were lately sawing up a log of zebra-wood, from Rio Janeiro, they found, in the very centre, a large insect, alive and active. The wood was ten feet long, eighteen inches wide, and five inches thick. The insect, which is still lively, resem- bles a huge caterpillar, divested of hair. It is upwards of two inches long, and as thick as an ordinary man's finger; it is of a dull cream colour, has nine joints, or 7 articulations, with a coloured spot on each side of every division it has sharp teeth, or mandibles, with which it will seize firmly hold of a piece of paper, or other substance, brought into coutact with its jaws. It is now bedded in the saw-dust of the wood in which it was found, and it appears likely enough to live for Z, weeks or months SAVINGS BANKS.—A Bill for cosolidating and amending the Acts for the management of Savings Banks, is to be brought forward in the next Sessions of Parliament. The most important of its enactments are, the clauses which limit the interest to be paid over to the Commissioners for the Reduction of the Natio nal Debt; thus depriving the depositors of the bonus which former Acts granted to them every ten years. The surplus in hands, up to the time the operation of the New Act commences, is, however, still to he divi- ded as before. This measure might have been anticipa- ted, from the jealousy lately evinced by Government as to the amount of the sums deposited, and the restriction lately enforced for their limitation nor can it be ex- pected to have any effect on the prosperity of these Banks, as they still continue the safest, and, therefore the most advantageous mode within the reach of the industrious classes, for the investment of their sa- vings. TOWN OF MOBILE DESTROYED BY VipE.-Tije city of Mobile is literally in ashes. Where stood formerly the three principal hotels of our city, the extensive warehouses, and the cotton presses, are now a heap of broken bricks and ashes. Perhaps there never was a more dreadful conflagration-there never was, certain- ly, within the short space of time, so great a propor- tion of so promising a city destroyed by fire. The number of front buildings destroyed, amounts to 169, exclusive of warehouses nd other back tenements not enumerated. The amount of the property destroyed is variously estimated at from 300,000 to 1,000,000 dollars probably a medium between the sums will not be far out of the way, a considerable portion of which is insured. Of nearly 200 houses burnt at Mobile, on 21st October all except two or three were wood.— Mobile Advertiser. Grotius was sentenced to be imprisoned for life in the Castle of Louvenstein. After having been confined there for about a year, his wife contrived and executed the means of his escape. Perceiving that the guards were not so strict as they had been in examining the chest which was made use of to carry books and linen to and from the prison, she persuaded her husband to get into it, and remain there as long as it would require to go from Louvenstein to Gorcum. Finding that he could endure the confinement when holes were made in the chest to breathe through, Madame Grotius determin- ed to seize the first opportunity of effecting her design. Accordingly, when the Governor went to Heusden to raise recruits, she waited upon his lady, and told her that she was anxious to send away her husband's books; too great an application to which, she said, injured his health. Having thus prepared the commandant's wife, and at the same time spread abroad a general report that her husband was ill, on March the twenty-first, 1621, she with the help of her maid, shut him up in the chest. Two Soldiers earned it, and one of them find- ing it heavier than usual observed, There must be an Arminian in it;" to which Madame Grotius coolly re- plied, Indeed there are some Arminian books in it." The chest was then brought down on a ladder with great difficulty, and the extraordinary care which was taken in conveying it made one of the soldiers suspi- cious. He demanded the key, and upon its being re- fused, he went to the commandant's lady, who repri- manded him, saying there were only books in the chest, and that they might carry it to the "boat. While they were carrying it along, a soldier's wife said there was more than one instance of prisoners making their escape in boxes. However the chest was placed in the boat- and the maid accompanied it to Dorcum, where it was taken to the house of M. Dazelear, a friend of Grotius and when every one was gone, the servant unlocked the chest, and let her master out, who had suffered but little inconvenience, though the length was not above three feet and a half. Being thus free, he dressed himself like a mason, with a trowel and rule in his hand, and going out at Dazelear's backdoor, went to Valvie, in Brabant, and from thence to Antwerp. In the mean time. while it was believed at Louvenstein that he was ill, and to give him time to get clear off, his wife report- ed that his disorder was dangerous but as soon as she learnt from her maid that he was sate, she acknowledg- ed the fact. The commandant, in a great rage, put her under a rigid confinement; but on presenting* a petition to the States General, they were ashamed of acting severelv to a woman who had conducted herself with so much magnanimity, and ordered her to be set at liberty. ,r A gentleman who resides near Methven has three male and three female servants in his establishment.- During the last fortnight the three couple have become united in wedlock to one another.—Perth Courier. The King bits presented the Birmingham Musical i Committee, with a copy of I)r. Arnold's valuable edi- tion of Handel's works, in 43 folio volumes. j Boor LEGS.—F learn from an eminent leather dealer. that boot-legs are imported from France so cheap, that after paying 25 sp cent. duty and all charges of freight and insurance, &c., this foreign article, so imported, can, after all, be sold from 15 to 20 1P' cent, cheaper here than London boot-legs, an(l.are, besides, incompa- rably better in quality, which is ascribed to the habit the tanners in the Borough have got into of tanning their leather, by chemical progress, in ten days or a fornight; whereas this operation formerly required about three months; so that what is gained in dispatch is lost in durability and goodness of quality, in conse- quence of which large orders have been sent to France, to import considerable quantities for the supply of the trit(le.-Cori,espondent of a Morning Paper. THE THAMES Tu.N-Nipi,We ars sorrv to hear that this meritorious undertaking is likely to be abandoned for want of sufficient funds to complete the excavation. The unforeseen accident of the eruption and clearing out of the water, it is understood, has cost the company upwards of < £ '12,000 but as they still ivaiit £ 13,000 beyond the original estimate to complete the undertak- ing, there appears to be some gross blunder or misma- nagement in this, as in many other of our public works, either in making the original estimates, or in the ad- ministration of the funds. W« believe the Hamersmith Bridge is the only work of the kind which has been completed within the original estimate of the sur- veyors. YOUNG NAPOLEON.—Of all the members of the Em- peror of Austria's family, the Duke of Roichstudt expe- riences the most marked tenderness. It seems as if he wished to obliterate the wrong he had inflicted on the fa. therby his double dealing. He is, indeed, an interesting youth, beautifully formed, with the countenance and the line cut lips of his father, and the blue eves of his mother. One cannot see this blooming youth, with his inexpressible tint of melancholy and thought-fulness,! without a deep emotion. He has not that marked plain and familiar case of the Austrian princes, who seem to be every where at home; but his demeanor is more dignified, and noble in the extreme. Two Prussian officers arrived with us ai Shoenbrumi. his residence, and wished to be introduced to him. His Lord Cham- berlain was just refusing their indelicate demand, in rather an animadverting manner, when the Prince stept out from his apartments, and advanced towards the grand staircase before the palace, to take a ride with his governor. He stopped awhile before the two officers, his eyes fixed; describing at the same time figures on the ground. At last, casting a significant glance at the u), I Dcv P-i-tiisicut Y' demanded he; and turning gracefully aside, hi-went down to mount his horse. It is an Arabian steed, a present from his grandfather, and he strides it with a nobleness which gives the pro- mise of as good horsemanship as that for which his fa- ther was so celehreted. We saw bit-n some time after at the head of his squadron, who almost adore him; I and he commanded with a precision and military eye, which prognosticate a future general. He is, by virtue of an Imperial decree, proprietor of the eight domains I of the Grand-duke of Toskana, in Bohemia, with an income of aboveX24),000 sterling; a greater revenue than is enjoyed by any of the Imperial princes, the Archduke Charles excepted. His title is Duke of lleichstadt. He is addressed. Etter Durckla itch, (Vo. tre Altesse.) His rank is immediately after that of the princes of the reigning house, the Austrian family of Este and loskaua. His court establishment is the same with the Imperial princes! he \\&a\$Obevsthofmeistee, his Lord ^Chamberlain, aids-de-camp, and correspond- ing inferior household. In possession, as he is, of a a large fortune, his destination will depend on his ta- lents and on his inclination.—Austria us it ¡8. SURCHARGES.'—i'he universal topic of conversation- al Liverpool is the conduct of Mr. Hyde, the new Sur voyor of Taxes. He is dreaded as much as a pestilence He will take a district in the town, and will leave a surcharge at every house. He has taken up quite a new set of doctrine-new to Liverpool at least. The pill mostdifficlllt to swallow, is that administered to the great American merchants, who are in the habit of employing labourers who ply for hire. to assist in mov- ing and sampling cotton, See. If Mr. Bvdc takes it into his head that any merchant in any one day em- ployed 100 men, he sends him a surcharge for 11 100 occasional porters," at a tax of twenty shillings per head. The same porter may, perhaps, have a different employer every week, and thus one vnan may contribute 52 times per annum to the tax, which is more than the earnings of the man for himself and family. But the stretch of his authority is, where a merchant in Liver- pool consigns goods for sale to a factor in another town, s he charges such factor as a traveller. We know from L, official sources, that up to the 17th ult. there had been registered at the tax office 1733 charges for supple- mentary assessments," besides an immense list of 11 in- creased charges en houses and windows." Surely Government will abate this public nuisance. It is fair to reckon thp.t on the day of appeal there will be at least six thousand persons assembled to claim redress; and, as not above one-sixth will have the patience to wait their Curn, Mr. Hyde will most probably pocket his proportion 6f the surcharge on five thousand indivi- duals. We trust he will be disappointed of the rich har vest which he doubtless anticipates; that the town will send up a remonstrance to the Treasury, or hold a pub- lic meeting to petition for his removal; and, above all, that on the day of appeal, the respectable Commisioners, many of whom are magistrates, will to a man join in transmitting to Government their refusal to act upon such an oppressive syrstem.-Liverpool Commercial Chronicle. On Friday week, a blacksmith at Coaltown of Bal- gome, after attempting to cut his throat, leaped into a coal pit, nearly eighty feet deep. When got out, he was alive, and though dreadfully mangled, lingered until Sunday evening, when he expired.-Edinburgh Paper, 0 1 ,^EAV F0R BUILDINGS.—A patent has been lately obtained for making a fire-proof roofing of thin east-tron plates so as to lock into each other, and effec- tnally carry oft. the water. It is said the cost of this roofing will not exceed one-third that of lead, and be equally durabled. It is also less weight per 100 square feet than a roof of the best thick slating, and much less table to damage from violent gales of wind; it must therefore be peculiarly adapted to buildings of the lar- ger class, both in safety and economy, and we think it another gratifying proof of the triumph of the useful arts 1ll this country to the present period. ANECDOTE OP BUCKHARDT, THE TRAVELLER.-The K-0 J W °^aC • as,»,,1^es 'n the desolate mountains of Nu- 1a iave tvised a singular, mode of extorting presents 10m e ravller. fhey first beg a present; if refused they collect a, heap of sand, and placing a stone at each extremity of it, they apprise the traveller that his tomb is made. Mr. Buckhardt had a practical proof of this custom having refused to give any thing to one of these grave-diggers, the man set about making his sand "cap. Upon this Burckhardt's remounted his horse, the disappointed Arab exclaimed froo the Ko. ran, J\o_ mortal knows the spot upon earth where his grave shall be digged."

BANKRUPTS. W. Addisnn and J. Wren, Manchester, drapers: J. B. Taylor and J. B. Taylor, Stockport, iron founders J. Bof 7y or, tc Weakev, Yorkshire, clothier: W. Kendrick, Da- ventry,^Northamptonshire,grocer T. Haspelf, Manchester, cnrdwainer: W. Poynter, Lamb's Conduit-street, coach maker W. Warcup, Dartford, Kent, patent washing ma- chine maker: J. Itandall, Kentish Town, auctioneer: J. Horslev, and E.G. flill, Stocliwelf-plice, SiockwHl, merchants: W. Maul-ill, Water-lane, brandy merchant: R. Parry, Ruthin, Denbighshire, linen drape) I. Haley, Leeds woollen cloth manufacturer: S. Thoinp- TDi«t ?'lton Bedfordi-hire, dealer in straw plat: J. IVlonkhou8,», Camberwell, tavern keeper: R. Hod-.ou, Cobourg place, Borough-road, glaas aud chiuam'-n.

MAtKETS. MARK-LANE, DEC. 31. IV, weather having becine more moderate, had occa- sion", a large infhtx of from the coist, willi all de- i-cnpt0ns of grain, and II immense quantity of Flour, ia 1 WHSE of the precdill'eek, and on this day's market. In Whr, unless of superi- quality, the trade was exces- stveh,»qd what vvasdispoid of scarcely i-ezilist-d last Mon- day s citations the infer,rsorts are very diiffcult to tind purchaser for. Flour reGus our fOlmel prices. Inline nothing dv;Mg of any conscience. Barley, fit for mailing, has furthet(jec|jned |s> per uai ier, as have also middling and ordinary kinds. Malt ( reduced in »alue from Is. to to 2s. per ^uiner. Beai with Pease of every sort, are without rnuc\t jf any, varia0n. The Oat trade, alihough not by any weans lively, laintain the terms of this day se nnight, la^eds there is tile alteration. not by any weans lively, laintain the terms of this day se nnight, la^eds there is tile alteration. CUlent Prices Grain per quarter. )f,leat •*54s to 62* polands 25s to 28 Kye 30, to Peas, boiling 45s to 47s °a,;ley ^)» to 32; grey 38s to 40s to 62s Horse Beans. 38s to 41a ^ats to 24s I old 56s to 58r ^ICE OfFLOUIt. Per Sack if p(ve ushels, or I Solbs. Fine English Flour 46st0 50s Second 42s. to 45e,, American Flour 2^ to 5: per barrel of ii cwt. -r- Price of Htys > the Borough, POCKETS C. s. X- s. BAGS £ S. X. s: Farnham 6 0 to 8 8 pnt 3 10 to 5 & Kent- 4 0 to 6 2 W 0 0 to 0 (? Sussex 3 10 to 4 8 -arlings 2 15 to 3 Essex 0 0 to 0 0 ditto 0 0 to 0 0 ) SSTHFIELD, DEC. 31. This day's market having beeniort of beast, and in other respects, but moderately supplit each kind of meat met with a tolerably ready sale. Jitton at about 2d. Beefr Yeal, and Pork,4d. per stone band Friday's prices. Price of Meat, exclusive of thoffat, per Stone ofSlbs. AT SMITUFIID. Beef 8s 4d to 4s 8c Ve 4s 4d to 5s 8d Mutton 4s 0d to 5s Od j P01 3a 8d to 6s Od Lamb. O. od to Os Od Price of Tallow in Indon. s. d. s. d. Whitechapel Market 2 6 £ Town \ilow per cwt.4T 6 St. James's Market 2 8 Russia LUO (Candle) 40 0 Clare Market « » 2 0 White dt\0 0 0 Soap ditt 0 0 Melted Stkf 360 Rough ditt 21 0 Average 2 0 Greaves 20 O Good Dr gs 50 Curd Soap 860 Mottled 82 0 Yellow ditto 16 0 Tallow Chandlers' Hall. Price of Caudles Ts. Ud.ptrdoz. Moulds 8s. 6d.perdoz. Price of Leather at Leadenhall per lb. d. 4. Butts 50 to 561 bs. each 20 to ??/ I)t-essing Bides 17 to 19 Fine Coach Bides to I Crop Hides, 35 to 40lbs. for Cutting 14 to i&i Crop Hides, 45 to 501 bs. Calf Skins 36 to 401bs. 18 to 4 Ditto 56 to T01 bs." 23 to26 Ditto 70 to 801 bs. -21 to28 Tanned Horse Hides 14 to^\ Small Seals (Greenland) 19 Large ditto per lb. 0tt 0 BRISTOL PRICE CURRENT. Dsc. 31^ MU9C. Sugar, very brown.. 628. 4<» ——Dry Brown. 64s. to Lumps 86s. to 90s. Tillers and Loaves 98s. to 110s. Double 80s. tol40s. ™ Bastard iSs. to 64s. Fine Coffee lAs. to 95s. » Bum, Jamaica 3s.10d.to4s. 8d. per Qtir Leeward Isle 2 t to 3 0 Logwood, Jamaica a66 6s to £ 1 Os. pel hu Fustic. £ 7 10u to.e8 Os. PRICES of LEATHER at the B4CK-HALL. Heavy Crops,.per lb trd. to 19d. Light and Middling 1L to 16 Best Saddler's Hides 18 to 20 Common Ditto 15 to IT Welsh Ditto 15 to 16 Bull Ditto 14 t) 15 Butfaloes 13 tt IT Close Butts 20 to 24: Ilorse IH[ides, English 13 to 16 Spanish IS to W- Best Pattern Skins 26 to S8. Common Ditto- 22 to 24 Heavy Skins. 18 to 20 Welsh Ditto 16 to IT Heavy Ditto 19 to 21 Irish Ditto 16 t& IT HIGH WATER AT THE FOLLOWING PLACES, TOTS THE ENSUING WEEK. 1 • < 1828- £ *• ««§ Sag Sa2 | 325**8*55 s DATS. 2 u d a | « ° JAN. H. v.H. M. H. M. H. W.'H. sr. Sat. 5 8 10 129 12 8 4210 42 JAN. H. v.H. M. H. M. H. W.'H. sr. Sat. 5 8 10 129 12 8 4210 42 Sun. 6 9 1511 0 10 09 SOU 30 Mon. 7 10 3 |11 4810 48 10 2812 18 Tues. 8 10 5112 3611 36 J1 161 6 Wed. 9 11 39 1 2412 24;11 54jl 54 Thurs. 1012 2T2 30 1 12,12 42 2 42 Fri. 11 jl 153 02 0;i 30|3 30-. I PRINTED and POBLISHED at CARMARTHEN, by JOHN EVANS, JUN. To whom, it is requested that all Communications be addressed, and AT WHOSE OFFICE EVERY BRANCH OP J Letter-press and Copper-plate PRINTING » Is neatly executed. Advertisements and Orders received by Mes's. Newto and Co. (late Tayler & Newton) No. 5, Wanvlck-s nurl" Newgate-Street; Mr. Rich. Barker,(late White^ street; Mr. George Reynell,Gazette Advertis«^ei)t 42, Chancery-lane; Mr. W. Gurney, Peele s Sffee-Houtf and Family Hotel, Nos. ITT and 178, Meet-st LondoHr and J. K. Johnston & Co. Dublin; at whicnplaceg Paper is regularly filed. Ahn\ by the following Agents. Af.HBYSTWITB— Mr.L. 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