2 NOVEMBER 1929, Page 21

A Hundred Years Ago

THE SPECTATOR, Ocroslia 31, 1829.

Ow BAILEY SESSIONS.

Two boys, Lane and Clayton, were indicted for stealing two fowls, which they had proceeded to match against each other hi a fight. They seemed respectable boys, who had committed the misdemeanour from a love of mischief. The Jury expressed their disgust at such a case being brought before them, and requested that it might be withdrawn.

A number of applications by the masters of taverns to have licences for the performance of music in their houses were refused in the most peremptory manner. The owner of the Southampton Arms, Camden Town, was more fortunate than his brethren, Colonel Bird, one of the Magistrates, being in the habit of dropping in, and having no objection to enjoy in his own person the "concord of sweet sounds," while he deprecated their demoralizing influence on the humbler classes of society.

FITZROY SQUARE.

A pianoforte-player, named Elliot, was killed last week by running against an iron railing in Fitzroy Square whilst engaged in a race.

THE THREE NATION'S.

To sum up this view of English, Scotch, and Irish character, I may observe that sincerity and independence distinguish the English ; intelligence and sagacity the Scotch ; and a gay and gallant spirit the Irish. The best qualities, however, are apt to associate with bad ones. The independence of the English some- times degenerates into coarseness and brutality ; the sagacity of the Scotch into cunning and time-serving ; and the gaiety of the Irish into fickleness and faithlessness. Could we combine the independence of the English with the sagacity of the Scotch and the gallantry of the Irish, we should form almost a god. Could we, on the contrary, unite the brutality of the first with the cunning of the second and with the faithlessness of the third, we should form a demon.