A Hundred Years Ago
THE SPECTATOR, NOVEMBER 8TH, 1828.
Peron! Accourrrs.
Mr. Minshull and Mr. Halls held a special sessions at Bow Street, on Saturday, for the purpose of examining the accounts of the overseers of the poor, St. Paul's, Covent Garden, for the year ending at Easter last. Mr. Corder, Vestry Clerk, the auditors appointed by the parish, and a great number of the parishioners were present. Mr. Corder first objected to the sum of £18 charged by the overseers, churchwardens, and others on their annual visit to the establishment for pauper children at Norwood. There was £6 for dinners, £3 188. for coach hire, and the remainder was for wine and waiters, except £1 18s. allowed to the nurses and attendants at the establishment. It was contended that this expenditure of the parish funds was extravagant, since, on Friday, three gentlemen performed the duty at an expense of 17s. 10d., and "fared comfortably." The Magistrates refused to pass the account. Several other items were in like manner objected to ; and after a stormy discussion, the Magistrates adjourned the sessions till a Vestry was called, and a report made to them.
OLD BAILEY.
Sentence of death was then passed upon Hunton, and also the following prisoners :—James Abbott and George Edwards, for cutting and maiming, with intent to murder ; William Ford, William Lewis Johnson. and Robert Archer, for stealing in dwelling. houses to the amount of upwards of £5; John Smith, Henry Mansfield, George Beynolds, Thomas Harris, and Richard Crosier, for robberies on the person ; William Willis, for uttering a forged order ; and Edward Cooper, alias Hollingsby, for uttering a forged receipt for money ; Thomas Lupton, George Thompson, John James, William Watts, Joseph Mahoney, John Morris, and Richard Jedkins, for housebreaking and larceny ; Richard Ryan, Charles Ledge, Thomas Moore, and John Crisp, for burglaries ; John Johnson, alias Saxon, alias Wright, for being at large before the expiration of a term of transportation to which he had been sentenced.
POLICE OF LONDON.
An apprentice came to Guildhall, on Monday, and complained to Alderman Atkins of ill-usage from his master. On this occasion, the Magistrate stated that a master has a "right to correct with a horsewhip not only his apprentices, but his footmen and other men-servants." This piece of information gave rise to some observations in a newspaper, which seems to have excited the Alderman's indignation ; for on entering the justice-room on Wednesday, he observed to the reporters, that if he could not talk to an apprentice without having his words put in the news- papers and animadverted upon, he would turn all the reporters out of the justice-room, as he had the power to do so.
Mr. Cook came to Union-hall office, on Wednesday, to ask how he could regain possession of a runaway daughter, who is only sixteen years of age. She had eloped with a man with whom she was now living in the Dover-road ; but the individual refused to deliver her up, or to allow him an interview with her. As Mr. Cook had no reason to believe that the parties were married, he was afraid that she was detained against her inclination. "The man," said the applicant, "keeps the door closed, and refuses to open it for me. How am I to get in ? " Mr. Chambers--"I'll tell you how to get in : take a sledgehammer and knock away at the door until you force it open ; you seem to be big and strong enough . for the work : if you do not consider yourself competent to the task, get somebody to assist you, and P11 send one of the officers with . you to preserve the peace on both sides—that is, to see that no blows or violence takes place in the recovery of your (laughter." The father and an officer accordingly went to act upon this advice ; but when the inmates were made aware that an officer was present, they opened the door. The young woman handed her father a certificate of her marriage ; her husband entered the apartment ; both solicited his forgiveness ; and a reconciliation took place.
MISS BYFIELD IN ROSTRA.
. How delightful it is to get back to an honest old opera ! With the venerable patriarchs of English composition, a simple story begat simple melodies' Colin sat with Daphne upon a flowery bank, under "the broad beech's shade," both equally enviable, • amiable, straw-hatted, lazy, and loving. Happy times they were for- composition, when an event at once so pastoral and insipid -could inspire a good air ; for since the stage composers have excited their imaginations with banditti, and such mustachio'd ferocities, melody has been gradually quitting the scene, and now in many 'a new piece not once shows her face. England has never produced a composer of a more melodious vein than Shield. He may be said more truly to have given a character to English songs than any other musician, from the quantity as well as quality of what he has written. Shield sought to embody in the air itself the senti- ment which he wished to express ; and therefore his accompani- ments scarcely ever share attention with the voice, but are mere supports to it. The great excellence of his composition was, that he could go on with it succession of unbroken melodies—varying each so happily, that at the end of his opera the hearer was tan- fatigued. Our theatrical composers have now a dexterous manner of filling up a vacancy of thought with a bit of trombone, or horn —or some very queer harmony, which is always at hand to puzzle the hearer. This resource is however, the abuse of what is in itself a great advantage to the musician. God forbid that such writers as Weber or Spohr, who have melodies at will, should go back to the simplicity of Shield. In Rosina we are contented with pure nature, and that of a kind which when we cease to like we shall have little love left for art.
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