THE KING'S HEALTH -The newspaper reports on this subject have been

so contradictory, as to warrant the censure that some of them write they know not what. Sir Henry Halford has been twice quoted as havine° de- clared that the King's health was improving; and at the dinner given by the East India Company, the Chairman, in the midst of the Ministers of the Crown, distinctly declared that his Majesty "was now nearly restored to perfect health,"-an intimation which as to time, place, and the company before whom it was given, was considered as official. The Court Circular of westerday says that his Majesty took an airing on the previous afternoon. Summonses had been issued for a Council to assemble at Windsor on Monday ; but these have been withdrawn, and others substituted for Monday week. The Standard of to-night contends that this postponement has not arisen from any "unfavourable change" in his Majesty's health, but "for the purpose of promoting the mutual convenience of the distinguished parties, and the better furtherance of public business."

The Morning Journal of Tuesday announces that the Duke of Clarence was in a " desponding and perilous state" from spasmodic attacks increasing in their severity and danger. The Times has subsequently announced, that the Duke is "gradually -recovering strength." He took a long walk on Tuesday, in Bushy Park, and has,also been riding on horseback.

The Duchess of Kent and the Princess Victoria have been slightly indis- poied with cold. The Princess Augusta completed her sixtieth year on Saturday. The Court mourning, for the late Queen Dowager of Wurtemberg, changes to-morrow. The Court go out of mourning on the 30th.

It is presumed that most of our readers are aware that the general mourn- ing for the Queen of Wurtemberg terminates on Sunday. The last regulations

for public mountings wisely provided, that the period of a six weeks' mourning should commence from the day of decease. We observe many familiesare already out of mourning, and the people are resuming their gay winter colours. Its injurious effects have been very generally felt in Coventry, Spitalfields, and Macclesfield.-Morning Chronicle. FASHIONABLE MOVEMENTS -The Duke and Duchess of Northumberland, the Duke and Duchess of Portland, and the Marquis and Marchioness of Stafford, with the extensive suite attached to these noble families, are all at present in London.

Mr. Huskisson arrived in London on Monday from Paris.

The Duke of Wellington gave a dinner, on Thursday, at his residence in Downing street, to his colleagues in office. Viscount Melville, the only Cabinet Minister absent, has not arrived in town from Scotland.

The Lord Mayor gives a ball at Guildhall, on Wednesday, in place of a second dinner. Tickets are to be issued to about twelve hundred.

The Directors of the East India Company, on Wednesday, gave a grand dinner to his Majesty's Ministers, and several noblemen and gentlemen of distinction.

James Parke, Esq., of the Northern Circuit, is to be the new judge of the Court of King's Bench, an appointment which has given universal satisfac- tion to the Bar.-Courier, Friday.

The King has sent a present of 101. to the debtors of Horsham Gaol.

Loan MAYOR'S Day.-The civic exhibition which marks the annual return of this day, took place on Monday ; and was got up at a greater expense

than usual. The procession started from Guildhall a few minutes past eleven ; and the line was so long, that the embarkation in their barges at the Tower-stairs, was not effected till near one o'clock. At two the procession reached Westminster ; where the Lord Mayor was sworn in, in the Exche- quer Court. His Lordship then, according to custom, visited the different courts, and invited the Judges to the banquet. The Lord Mayor returned in

his barge to Blackfriars Bridge, and arrived at Guildhall about five. The hall was fitted up in a gorgeous style: one of the cut glass lustres is valued at 80001. The dinner equalled the grandest City notions of hospitality; and was attended by seven or eight hundred persons, among whom were most of the Ministers, the Judges, several Members of Parliament, and military offi- cers. The turn-out of fine-dressed ladies was also very numerous. The speeches at the festive board were purely complimentary to the distinguished individuals whose healths were given. The ball was opened about ten o'clock, and dancing was kept up till an early hour next morning. We may form some idea of the dresses from the description of the Lad.), Mayoress's dress, which is said to have been " an elegant pattern of the rest." She appeared in full court costume, which was black, on account of the general mourning. " The dress consisted of black tulle over a rich satin petticoat, with a very full garniture of the same, richly wreathed with black beads, and finished with superb bead tassels, flowers, and flounces of Chantilly blond; a manteau of rich black velvet, which was wreathed round with a tulle garniture, and clasped with beads to correspond with the dress. Her Ladyship wore a superb coronet of feathers and black blond lappets, and a very magnificent suit of diamonds. Her appearance was altogether handsome and interesting." EAST INDIA PATRONAGE.-AI a late meeting of the East India Directors, the Chairman is reported to have called upon the Court " to empower him to fulfil a pledge given by his predecessor, of bestowing a writership upon some person who, without that bribe, would not have come forward to give his evidence upon a late trial !" The trial is understood to be that of Mr. Prescott and others, for acceptine° of valuable considerations in the bestowal of patron- age. There were only fourteen Directors present ; and in deference to the Chair, few observations were made on the nature of this singular proposition. The vote was put, and it was negatived by ten to four. A laugh from the victorious party followed the declaration of the votes.

THE ME RCI FKL BANKERS AND THE BANKERS' SOCIETY -We formerly mentioned, on the authority of the Times, that a banking-house in the City had been defrauded of a large sum of money-not less perhaps than 50001.- by a series of forged bills or acceptances; • that the bankers had sufficient evidence to convict the culprit, whom they had under temporary restraint in their house while they were investigating the matter ; but that, being of the Society of Friends, rather than be instrumental in bringing a fellow man to an ignominious death, chose to suffer in their fortunes, and connived at his escape. The Society of Bankers, it appears from the Times of 'Wednesday, have taken offence at this merciful dealing on the part of a house which is not of their combination ; and it is reported that they have determined to prosecute the establishment alluded to for a compounding of felony. New SHERIFFS .-Wednesday being the morrow of St. Martin, the Lords of the Privy Council and the Judges met in Westminster Hall, to nominate persons to serve in the office of sheriffs for each county. Various excuses were offered by some of the gentlemen nominated : one pleaded that he was a dissenter, and another that he had fifteen children.

MIDDLESEX GRAND JURY.--In the police report of the SPECTATOR, of the 4th of October, page' 14. there is a notice of the apprehension of some indi- viduals on suspicion of having stolen a valuable box of jewellery from on hoard of an Indianian preparing for an outward-bound voyage. The evi- dence ultimately appeared so strong aeainst one man, that the Magistrate at the Thames police-office, committed °him for trial. The Middlesex Grand Jury however ignored the bill of indictment, and he was set at liberty. Some days ago the, the ship's agent applied at the police-office to have the jewels found in the possession of the man and his wife returned to them; but the Magistrate refused to comply with the request and expressed his conviction that the Grand Jury had not paid sufficient attention to the case, and declared his determination to have the whole matter again inquired into. This has given offence to Mr.J. South, of Kensington, as impeaching the integrity of the Jury in the discharge of their solemn duty. He was refused a list of‘the Grand Jury at the sheriff's office ; and he has therefore called a meeting of his fellow jurors by advertisement, "to take such steps as may seem neces- sarry to exonerate themselves from the charge of neglect of duty apparently made against them." MEDICO-BOTANICAL SOCIETY.—A meeting of the fellows of this Society was held on Wednesday evening, at the apartments of the Association, in Sackville-street, Earl Stanhope in the chair. Mr. A. B. Lambert, Vice- President of the Linnean Society, and Dr. Babington, were introduced, and took their seats as fellows. The Chairman congra!ulated the Society on the admission of these gentlemen—the former one of the most skillful botanists of the day, and the other equally eminent as a physician. Among the papers read, was one on the Cyehorium Jutibus, which is much used, and has been recently introduced into Persia, as a substitute for tea.

Berms{ INSTITUTION.—This gallery was opened on Wednesday for a pri- vate view as it was intended, of the copies made by students from the pic- tures lately exhibited there. The weather, however, effectually thwarted the object of the Governors. The exhibition was private enough, but the fog totally prevented a view of the pictures. They are very numerous.

SILK TRADE.—A meeting of silk-weavers lately passed resolutions de- claratory of the distress by which the trade was afflicted, in consequence of the measures of Mr. Huskisson, who substituted (for the previous prohibition) an enormous protecting duty against foreign manufactured silks. A memo- rial, stating their distresses, was laid before the Board of Trade ; but after having considered their case, the Board last week told a deputation from Spital-fields, that it was impossible to do anything for their relief. This de- cision has given rise to an elaborate discussion in the daily papers. The Morning Journal, in pursuance of its peculiar line of politics, contends that the measures of Government for the encouragement of "free trade" hare ruined the silk trade, and injured .every other branch of manufactures to which this theory has been applied. As to the Spital-fields' silk-weavers, the Journal says that they " are reduced to such a depth of distress, that if measures be not immediately adopted to protect and relieve them, it is be- yond all question that nearly a hundred thousand persons will be thrown upon the charity of the public before the end of the winter." The Globe and the Tim's, on the other hand, show that the evil is not of such magnitude, nor altogether attributable to the little length that " free-trade " in silk has been carried ; while it is certain that competition with foreigners has given the consumer a better and a cheaper article, and the "giant smuggler" has not the same temptation to defraud the revenue.

SPIRIT TRADE.—A letter has appeared in the Times recommending a law for permitting the British distiller " to produce spirits for exportation, duty

free, provided the material he molasses or fmeign grain. Another form in which the purpose might be effected is that of a drawback on the export of the spirit, equivalent, or nearly so, to the duty on the import of the corn or molasses which produced it. It seems that, notwithstanding the enormous amount of spirits distilled in the United Kingdom, there is little or none ex- ported."

SPANISH REFUCEES.—The Times again appeals to the public in behalf of these unfortunate men, who during this inclement season are enduring

severe privations. Some of the ladies forming the Committee for distributing among them the subscriptions raised for their relief, have recently made a tour of inspection, " which has brought to light scenes of misery past all imagination dreadful ;" and they have appealed to the sympathies of the Duke of Wellington in their behalf. The Committee have only about 50/. to divide among three hundred or more families.

PORTUGUESE REFUGEES.—The expense of maintaining the refugees at Ply- mouth exceeds 5,0001. a month. The expenditure of the individuals not con- nected with the army is 2,000/. a month. The Plymouth Herald asserts that some of the London journals, who are loud in the defence of Miguel and lavish of their abuse of the Constitutionalists, "are paid by the agents of Miguel to advocate his treacherous cause." One Sunday paper is hinted at as having recently received 4001. for its labours in this way, " from an Englishman, one of Miguel's agents." The Plymouth Herald describes the conduct of these expatriated foreigners, even of the lower grades of rank, as being remarkably correct and inoffensive.

PRA CTIC A I. REFORM OF CLOSE Bo. nouoos.—It is rumoured in Dorsetshire, that Lords Calthorpe and Grosvenor have resolved on reforming the boroughs of Hindon and Shaftesbury—their absolute property. That the premium of twenty guineas paid to voters is no longer to he allowed ; and the houses now occupied by very poor persons are to be improved and let to respectable tenants, who are to be allowed to vote according to the dictates of their consciences ! To instruct the freemen in political science, the Times and the Globe are sent by their Lordships to the principal inn.

SEATS IN PARLIAMENT FOR COBBETT AND Hoar.—The late Lord Radnor, during many years, gave the sole nomination of the members for the borough of Downton to Sir W. Scott, now Lord Stowell, without consideration or reserve. At the next general election the right will again revert to the pre- sent Lord Radnor, who has the entire property of the Borough ; and who, if report speaks true, means to send Mr. Cobbett and Mr. Hunt into Parliament as its representatives.

WINDSOR CASTLE.—The foundations have been laid for raising the Round Tower, at Windsor Castle. The present Tower will be surrounded by out- ward walls, which are to extend upwards of twenty feet beyond the eleva- tion as it now stands.