cipally occupied with a translation of Herodotus, which he is said to have nearly completed. He left a wife (a daughter, we believe, of the late M. Clavier, a member of the Academy), and two children. It is singular, that the life of the father of Courier (Jean Paul Courier de Mere), who was also a man of acquirements and talents, was attempted by two assassins hired by a man of rank. He was attacked in Paris as he left the Opera. He defended himself; the assassins were arrested, condemned, and executed in the Place de Greve. LIBERALITY TO JUDGES.-The French Budget presents an increase of the salaries of the judges of the royal court of Rouen, in consideration of the increased price of provisions. These learned and dignified persons last year received a salary of only 3,600 francs (or 1447.), and are this year to be blessed with 4,200 francs (or 1687.). In the same year the secret expenses of the police amounted to 88,000l. COPENHAGEN.-Matthew Broemark, a learned Danish mathematician, has invented a new steam-carriage, which can be easily guided, and travel, it is said, 14 leagues in an hour. The first experiment was made 60 leagues from the capital. The carriage, loaded with passengers, set out at half an hour past 11 from the place where it was built, and arrived at the gates of Copenhagen at a quarter before 5. 20. MURDERS IN SWITZERLAND.During some months the inhabitants of parts of Switzerland have been in a state of alarm, from the crimes committed by a banditti, which defied all the researches of the police. A young girl, of fascinating manners, named Clara The Wardel, was, however, at last arrested at Berne, certain articles that had been stolen having been found in her possession. During several months' confinement she refused to give any account of herself, and denied all knowledge of the robbers; lately she suddenly altered her tone, and made an extraordinary confession of crimes committed by the banditti. She stated, that the band is composed of 34 persons, men, women, and children. two chiefs manage their inferiors, so that one robber is not acquainted with the other. The captain's name is Jean Wendel or Kruschans; Clara says he is her lover. He is 35 years of age, and seldom appears twice in the same dress; being from time to time clothed like à gipsey, a farmer, or an old woman, and even occasionally attired in the garb of a gentleman. Clara adds, that he has committed the most atrocious crimes since the age of 24, and that she had travelled with him into most of the countries of Europe. The Commission Criminelle Extraordinaire have offered to any person who will deliver him up to the police, a reward of three hundred francs, and a free pardon if an accomplice. AVALANCHE. An avalanche lately proved fatal to some persons in Savoy. Nine inhabitants of the village of Morsine were returning thither with merchandize from Monthey, through a path cut in the snow; when, on a sudden, as they were all walking close together, a huge mass of snow detached itself from the mountain above their heads, and, rushing down like a torrent, overwhelmed five of them beneath its weight. The other four extricated themselves, and fled to the village of Morsine for assistance, which was promptly afforded, but too late to be of use to the sufferers. Their lifeless bodies were found beneath the snow, in the very position in which they had been walking, and with their knapsacks on their backs. COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.A new tragedy entitled Orestes in Argos, has been produced at Covent-garden theatre, from the pen of a writer, now dead, of the name of Bailey. Mr. Peter Bailey was a man of considerable talent and literary acquirements, though he was known to the public only as the author of a poem called "Sketches in St. George's-fields." The story opens (as Mr. Bailey commences it) with a dialogue between Electra and Clytemnestra, in which the former, who has been made a slave by Ægisthus, upbraids her mother, and afterwards the usurper himself, with the murder of Agamemnon. In the second act, Orestes arrives with Pylades, both disguised as ambassadors from the king of Phocis; bearing an urn which purports to contain the ashes of Orestes, against whom Ægisthus has long been plotting, and who is represented as having been killed, by accident, in a chariot race. The the revenge to be taken upon Ægisthus-then proceeds. Orestes and Pylades are introduced into the palace. The former presents, as his credentials, the ring which had been the wedding gift of Clytemnestra to Agamemnon; and Ægisthus rejoices in the supposed destruction of his foe. In the midst, however, of his transports, a slave, arrived from Phocis, discovers the true character of the pretended messengers; Orestes then defies the murderer of his father; tells him, that the urn, over which he has been triumphing, contains the ashes of his own son Myrtillus, whom he, Orestes, has put to death; and, scorning all mediation by his mother or sisters, is borne, with Pylades, away to execution. An insurrection among the citizens of Argos breaks out at the place of Orestes' execution. The prisoner is liberated; and the mass of the people side with him. Ægisthus flies, and is pursued into the palace, where Orestes slays him with the very sword with which Agamemnon had been murdered. He then hears from Pylades, that, in the heat of the conflict without, he has struck and slain Clytemnestra: And the piece concludes with the incident, at which Æschylus, in his Eumenides, takes the story up with the despair of Orestes, and his imagined pursuit by the Furies. first scene in this act, where Electra meets the strangers at the tomb of Agamemnon, is written with great spirit. The command of the oracle of Delphos has been, that Orestes shall pursue his purpose at Argos without making himself known. After he discovers his sister, there23. SOCIETY OF PAINTERS IN fore, and even when he sees her in WATER-COLOURS. This year's agony for his supposed death, he exhibition of Painters in Waterforbears from disclosing himself; colours is at least equal to any of but when he hears that the daughter those which have preceded it. of Agamemnon is reduced by Ægis- Dewint has contributed several thus to the condition of a slave, his landscapes of great beauty. His indignation overcomes all prudence "Distant View of Ullswater," and and recollection, and his exclama- his "Patterdale," are finely drawn, tions against the tyrant terminate and coloured with great truth. in the avowal of his real character. G. F. Robson has a variety of The main business of the play scenes from nature: One of the finest of these is "The East End of Loch Katrine," a still and beautiful scene, perfectly suited to sir Walter Scott's description of the appearance of that romantic spot. Richter has one production in the exhibition worth fifty common-place efforts. This piece, which he calls "The School in Repose," represents the interior of a school-room, the mistress of which having fallen asleep, the children are occupied in every species of mischief. It is an animated pic ture: the groups are skilfully disposed; the lights are distributed so as to give the greatest possible effect to those which ought to be, the more prominent parts of the picture; and the general colouring is brilliant. The drapery, in particular, is distinguished by a deep richness, yet clearness of tone, scarcely possible to produce through the medium of water-colours. The only fault in it is, the want of variety in the faces of the children. They are all beautiful, and they are all alike. Stephanoff has two or three small pictures, touched off in a style, at once minute and showy. T. M. Wright has a few comic scenes, which possess a great deal of merit. Of these "Dennis Brulgruddery and his Wife," "Lance and his dog Crab," and "Peter and the Nurse," stand foremost. Cristall has some elaborate pictures: his large picture, "Welch Peasant Girls, with Cader Idris in the distance," is a clever work. C. Fielding has contributed no less than 42 pictures; many of which are worthy of praise. His "Marine View off Folkestone," is a masterly picture. Prout has a considerable number of architectural pictures, all of high merit; his two views of the "Ponte di Rialto," are very fine, and are worthy to be placed by the side of Canaletti. D. Cox's Distant View of Carthage," is a bold and well arranged composition. G. Barrett has some pleasant morning and evening scenes. EXECUTION OF ASSASSINS AT NAPLES. The assassins of Mr. and Mrs. Hunt have been executed. It appears, that immediately after committing the crime, the villains had kept themselves closely hidden, and by means of the wife of one of them, who denounced certain innocent individuals, misled for some time the pursuits of the police. At last, however, the mystery was cleared up, and the following individuals secured: Felice Solito, aged 32, a peasant; Biagio Manzo, 32, a colono (or little farmer); Liberato Letteriello di Vincenzo, aged 26, a peasant; Pietro Antonio di Pasquale, aged 28, a wine-seller, or tavernajo; Maria Vittoria Calabrese, aged 39, wife of Biagio Manzo; Marianna Cirmo, aged 30, wife of Liberato Letteriello; Raffaele Frasca, aged 30, a guardiano campestre (or man armed for taking care of country property); and Nicola Maria Petrelli, whose calling is not mentioned, aged 38. These persons were brought before the military commission of the province at Salerno, according to a decree of king Ferdinand, dated 3rd of October, 1822, which orders that all briganti, or companies of robbers, be tried by martial law, and executed immediately after conviction. The commission, at which colonel count Zimmermann, military commander of the province, presided, declared Solito, Manzo, Letteriello, and Di Pasquale, guilty, recommending, however, Solito to royal mercy, as his evidence had principally contributed to the conviction of the criminals. Of the other individuals accused of being privy to the projects of the assassins, and of having lent them arms and assistance, one, viz. Cirmo, was acquitted in toto, and the other three detained in prison for further examination. The three ordered for execution were carried down to Eboli and shot, at three o'clock in the afternoon. They moaned and shrieked, nor could all the consolations of religion give them strength to face their punishment. 25. NEWLY CREATED FRENCH PEERS. The Keeper of the Seals communicated to the Chamber of Peers the letters-patent of 11 new Peers, viz. : "Dukes-The duke de Blacas;. the duke de Brancas. "Marquises-The marquis de Rougé, and the count de Lally Tollendal. "Barons-Count Rutz; count de Kergolray; viscount Dubouchage; viscount Dode de la Brunerie." BRITISH SUBJECTS IN PARAGUAY.-The Buenos-Ayres papers state, that, through the intervention of our consul-general, Mr. Parish, permission had been obtained for the British subjects in Paraguay to leave it when they please. The governor or dictator of Paraguay, doctor Francia, has been in the habit of detaining all foreigners whom he found within his limits. He adopted this practice as a substitute for a non-intercourse law. In 1820 he laid hold of M. Bompland, the fellow-traveller of Humboldt, and still detains him as a savant and a surgeon. An English physician of the name of Powlet has likewise been arrested and detained. The following notice is from a Buenos-Ayres paper: April 5, 1825. LIST of BRITISH SUBJECTS released from PARAGUAY through the interference of the BRITISH CONSUL-GENERAL resident at BUENOSAYRES. arrobes of tobacco. The garandumba left Assumption the 14th of February. Two British subjects, John M'Farlane, and Alexander James, were preparing to leave, with about 600 tierces of hierba-mate and some tobacco. The smack St. Joseph, the property of Messrs. J. Parish, Robertson and Co., Joseph Martin, master, was waiting for a licence, and Robert Gibson, mariner, would leave in her. There would then remain no British subjects in Paraguay. (Signed) CONSTANTINE O'ROURKE. MAY. Horse Guards, May 2, 1825. His majesty having been graciously pleased to approve the accompanying regulations for the sale and purchase of commissions of unattached retired full and halfpay officers, they are now promulgated to the army, and his royal highness the commander-in-chief enjoins the strictest compliance therewith. Regulations for the sale of retired full-pay and half-pay Commissions, April 25, 1825. Half-pay officers, and those on retired full-pay, shall be permitted to dispose of their commissions as unattached half-pay commissions, in the manner and upon the terms hereinafter described. To include the officers actually serving in the veteran battalions who may be considered as belonging to both lists, but who cannot now sell; as also general officers, who may be in the receipt of the half-pay only of that regimental rank on which they retired. That the officers on the retired full-pay, and those serving in battalions, shall receive the prices for their commissions, established by his majesty's regulations in 1821. That the officers who were reduced to half-pay, having purchased or served twenty years, and the officers obliged to retire upon halfpay, in consequence of wounds, or health impaired by climate, shall also receive the same price for their commissions. That officers having retired on half-pay at their own request, not in consequence of wounds, or health impaired by climate, although they should have purchased, shall receive only the old price, as established by the regulation in force previously |