A Hundred Years Ago
"THE SPECTATOR," FEBRUARY 15Tir, 1834.
Symptoms of reformation are at length visible in the proceedings of the Reformed Parliament. There is an evident improvement in tho tone of the Ministry, corresponding with a similar improve- ment in that of the House of Commons. The speeches delivered have been loss flashy and more to the purpose in hand. Instead of angry declamation, spun out into wearisome harangues of two or three hours' length;-the speeches have been for the most part brief. and free from irritating matter. Even those subjects which might have been expected to have elicited strong personalities, have been discussed with a laudable degree of good sense and good teinper. Our Representatiiiies seem awakened to the necessity of doing something to improve the working of the machinery of the House ; and with this view, a Committee has been appointed to ascertain better mode of taking the divisions, than the clumsy and imperfect one now in use. * * * *
A MAN-Fox CLIA5E.-011 Saturday, John Crofts was tried before the Surrey Magistrates, on a charge of breaking into the cottage of a widow woman at Cheddingford, and stealing every thing he could carry off. The woman, who had been at a neighbouring village, saw the man coming out of her cottage, with a bundle as she was on her return home. The thief made off to a thicket close by ; and the woman began to cry in great distress, but did not attempt to follow him. Just at this time, Colonels Wyndham and Vandeleur came up with the hounds in full cry after a fox ; but stopped to inquire the cause of the woman's grief. Having ascertained it, Colonel Vandeleur with two whippers-in entered the thickot• while his brother huntsmen kept watch on the outskirts. The thief was soon discovered, and dragged out amidst the cheers of t he sportsmen. Colonel Vandeleur searched him, and recovered a wedding-ring to which the poor woman attached much value. Both the gallant officers appeared and gave evidence on the trial ; and the prisoner was found guilty, and sentenced to transportation for Life,
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