but receiving no answer, he pushed it hard, and found it was unlocked, but kept shut by something being placed against it on the inside: he forced open the door so far as to admit his head, and looking in saw the deceased lying against the door with her throat cut, and the floor covered with blood; he turned away horror-struck. He made the circumstance known to his master, who sent for Mr Barrow, a surgeon. Dr Hodgson, Mr Barrow, and several of the domestics, proceeded to the hayloft. The deceased was quite dead, with her throat cut from ear to ear, and an open razor was ly. ing by her side, and at her feet was the body of a new-born male infant, also dead, with a silk handerchief tied round its neck, and the body wrapped up in a hay-band. No particular acts of insanity, on the part of the deceased, were laid before the jury: but it appeared that her having the razor in her possession might be accounted for, as it was necessary for a woman to have a sharp instrument for the purpose of delivery, that she might so have it without any idea of committing suicide, and that her pains and the want of proper assistance at the time might have brought on a momentary derangement. On the body of the infant there appeared no particular marks of violence, and the jury were led to suppose that the cause of the handkerchief being tied round the child's neck was for the purpose of delivering herself. The enquiry was long and minute; at length the jury, under the direction of the coroner, returned a verdict of Lunacy; they gave a verdict of Found Dead on the body of the child. The deceased was 36 years of age, and had lived between seven and eight years in the family.

The French papers contain the details of the discovery and disinterment of the remains of Louis XVI. and his queen, which took place on the 18th

and 19th.-The queen's were found first under a thick layer of lime. The coffin was for the most part consumed, but within the impression of the coffin upon the layer of lime underneath were found a great number of bones, and the head entire, placed in such a situation as to shew beyond a doubt that it had been detached from the trunk. Some fragments of clothes, and two elastic garters in tolerable preservation, were also found. On the next day, below the tomb of the queen, were found in the midst of lime and earth the bones of Louis XVI. most of which were corroded and ready to crumble to dust; the head was covered with lime, and was found between the two legs; by previous accounts it had been stated to have been so placed when the body was consigned to the coffin on the 21st of January, 1793, immediately after the ill-fated monarch's execution. The remains of the two illustrious personages were placed in coffins prepared for them, and conveyed in solemn funeral pomp to the ancient burial place of the kings of France, the abbey of St Denis.

28th.

SCOTLand..-Murder.-.A horrid murder was on Wednesday committed on James Murdoch, a shopkeeper at Langrig, a small village near Whitburn. The following are the circumstances :-This poor man was visited about eight days ago by an old acquaintance, of the same name, who was a soldier, and lately discharged. This person had been hospitably entertained by the deceased, who kept house by himself in that lonely part of the country. The neighbours were surprised that the shop was not opened on Wednesday as usual, and in the afternoon several of them assembled and forced open the door, when, to their astonishment, they found the vi sitor and pretended friend, of whom they enquired what was become of the deceased, and they were answered, that

he had gone to Whitburn, whence he would return in the evening. This answer raised their suspicion. They rushed forward, when they were presented with the awful spectacle of the murdered body! The man attempted to make his escape, but was quickly overtaken and secured. The weapon with which this barbarous act was perpetrated, was a carpenter's adze, which had nearly divided the head of the deceased. The man when taken into custody had the watch of the deceased and some bank notes concealed in his clothes, and some silver in his stockings. He was immediately conveyed to Linlithgow jail, and has since been hanged, confessing his guilt.

AGRIGULTURal report.

The weather during the last three months, has not been more unfavour able to agricultural labour, than was to be expected for the season of the year; and ploughing, and other fieldwork, appear to be in as forward a staté as usual. The young plants of wheat and clover are at present secured by a covering of snow, against any danger from frost. Turnips, which continued growing without any check, till near the end of November, have turned out, in the consumption, a much better crop than was at one time expected, and have hitherto escaped injury. Hay and straw, both of them very deficient articles, threaten to become scarce in some districts, if the spring months be not unusually mild; but, in general, no great apprehensions seem to be entertained of a want of fodder.

Fat cattle and sheep bring fair prices, though not so much as about a month ago. Wool has been rising, and, if the treaty of peace with America be ratified, is likely to rise still higher. In lean stock, little business is done, during the winter months, in this part of the island.

Of the last crop of corn the accounts are various. Throughout Scotland, though the quality is not so good, in general, as in favourable seasons, the quantity does not appear to be much, if at all, below that of an average crop. But from most parts of England, the wheat crop in particular is represented to have been very deficient both in quantity and quality.

Until the last fortnight, prices of all sorts of grain have been sinking more and more every week For the week ending the 21st January, the average of all England and Wales, was, for wheat, 60s. 8d. per quarter; and that of Scotland, for the four weeks ending 15th January, 51s. 4d. For the first time since the law of 1804, the general returns of prices begin to excite some attention; and expectations are entertained, that the average price for the six weeks preceding the 15th February, will be below 63s. and thus subject foreign wheat to the high duty of 24s. 3d. for three months thereafter, which may be held equivalent to a prohibition. But, in so far as yet appears, these hopes will not be realized; and perhaps the trifling advance of late may be produced by some management on the part of the importers, to guard against such an event. It is not improbable that they may have thought it for their interest to feed the market sparingly for a few weeks at this critical period. But they cannot be charged with baving acted long on such views; for, in three months, there has been brought into the port of London alone, 260,000 quarters of wheat; and in the week ending the 5th November, no less than 52,000 quarters; the greater part of it from France, and paid for, not in manufactures, but in specie.

The eyes of every corn-grower in Britain are now anxiously directed to the meeting of Parliament. This august body will then have to determine

the fate of a very large proportion of the people of the United Kingdom. Should it be decided that the capital now vested in agriculture must either be annihilated or transferred to manufactures and commerce, those nations who have long looked with jealousy on the power and prosperity of this country, will have reason to apply to us the well-known adage-Quem Deus vult perdere, prius dementit.-Farmer's Magazine.

FEBRUARY.

1st.-Duel between Mr O'Connell, and Mr D'Esterre-The Freeman's Journal contains the following account of this duel:

"A difference was adjusted yesterday at Bishop's Court, county of Kildare, which had agitated this city for several days.

"At the meeting at Capel-street, on the Saturday previous to the late Aggregate Assembly, Mr O'Connell attended, and in illustrating some matter which he was anxious to enforce, he alluded in a contemptuous manner to the Corporation of Dublin. The beggarly Corporation of Dublin,' was, it seems, one of the epithets of scorn used in reprobation of this act. Mr D'Esterre is a member of the Corporation, and having seen this phrase, he addressed a letter on the 25th, to Mr O'Connell, requiring to know whether he was fairly reported. On the day after Mr O'C. sent an answer, in which he said that he would not avow nor disavow what had been reported in the newspapers; but he added, that if Mr D'Esterre wrote to him to know his opinion of the Common Council of Dublin as a body, he could easily satisfy him, by saying, that no expression which language could furnish was sufficient to convey the sen.

timents of contempt he had for that body. Mr O'C. besides requested that Mr D'Esterre should consider his answer as forming the close of the epistolary corespondence on this topic. On Friday a letter was left at Merrion-square, for Mr O'C. during his absence at the Courts. Its direction was different from the former one which came from Mr D'Esterre, and Mr James O'Connell, who had instructions to open any communications that were directed to his brother in his absence, ascertained the quarter from whence it came. He sought merely for the signature, and on perceiving it to be Mr D'Esterre's, he immediately closed the letter, and stated in a note to Mr D'Esterre the circumstances under which he opened it. He said he was ignorant of its contents, not wishing, after the request his brother had made on the day previous, to know any thing more of Mr D'Esterre's epistolary messages. He added, that his brother did not expect to hear a second time from Mr D. through the medium of a letter. Things remained in this condition until Sunday. On this day Mr James O'Connell received a note from Mr D'Esterre, containing disrespectful observations on himself and his brother. Immediately after the receipt of it, he sent his friend Captain O'Mullan to Mr D. to say, that after he had adjusted his affairs with his brother, he would bring him to account for his conduct to himself peculiarly. Captain O'Mullan at the same time intimated that Counsellor O'C. was astonished at his not hearing in what he conceived the proper way from Mr D'Esterre. Nothing further happened until Tuesday; when, it seems, Mr D'Esterre was met on one of the quays by Mr Richard O'Gorman, who remonstrated with him, by stating that he conceived he was pursuing a very unusual sort of conduct. This occurred about three o'clock,

but no challenge followed. About four it was understood that Mr D'. Esterre was on the streets, and Mr O'Connell paraded about with one or two friends, but did not come across his antagonist. A multitude soon collected about him, among whom there could not be less than five hundred gentlemen of respectability, and Mr O'Connell, then, had no other resource left than to take refuge in a house in Exchequer-street. In a short time Judge Day entered in his magisterial capacity to put him under arrest. The Hon. Justice said, he would be satisfied if he had the guarantee of Mr O'Connell's honour, that he would proceed no further in the business. "It is not my duty, Mr Justice," said Mr O'Connell, to be the aggressor. I will, therefore pledge my honour that I will not be the aggres sor-further, however, I must tell you, that no human consideration will induce me to go." The Hon. Judge then retired, and Mr O'Connell shortly after repaired to Merrion-square. No challenge of any kind grew out of Tuesday's proceedings.

66

"On Wednesday morning, however, it was intimated to Mr O'Connell that Mr D'Esterre intended to call upon him for a meeting. Twelve o'clock was fixed upon for the nomination of hour and place. There was some overture made to enlarge the time, but Mr O'Connell's friend would not consent. This friend was Major McNamara, of Doolen, in the county of Clare, a protestant gentleman attached to no party, and of the highest respectability. The friend of Mr D'Esterre was Sir Edward Stanley. After some discussion the parties fixed upon the ground. The hour appointed was half-past three o'clock.

"At three o'clock Mr O'Connell, attended by his friend, Surgeon Macklin, and a number of friends, was on the ground. About four Mr D'Es

terre, attended by Surgeon Peele, Sir Edward Stanley, Mr Piers, and a Mr D'Esterre, of Limerick, appeared.There was some conversation between the seconds as to position, mode of fire, &c. which, added to other sources of delay, occupied forty minutes. During this interval, Mr D'Esterre took occasion to say, that his quarrel with Mr O'Connell was not of a religious nature-to the catholics or their leaders, he said he had no animosity whatsoever. At forty minutes past four the combatants were on the ground. They both displayed the greatest coolness and courage. The friends of both parties retired, and the combatants having a pistol in each hand, with directions to discharge them at their discretion, prepared to fire. They levelledand before the lapse of a second both shots were heard. Mr D'Esterre's was first, and missed-Mr O'Connell's followed instantaneously, and took effect in the thigh of his antagonist, about an inch below the hip. Mr D'Esterre fell, and both the surgeons hastened to him. They found that the ball had traversed the hip, and could not be found. There was an immense effusion of blood. All parties prepared to move together towards home, and arrived in town before eight o'clock.

Mr D'Esterre died at five o'clock on the 3d.

2d.-CORK.-A robbery of a very serious nature was committed last night or this morning at the Post-office. It must have taken place between the hours of twelve at night, when the persons employed there left it, and five this morning, when they resumed their occupation. In the mean time the lock of the outside door leading into the delivery-office was most dexterously picked, as well as the locks of the different drawers and boxes inside. The loss amounts, as we learn, to near 300l. of which 100l. was in silver. The depredators took away

but two letters, supposed to contain bank-notes, but this is only conjecture. The most diligent search has been making, so as to lead to a discovery, but as yet without success.

THE KING'S HEALTH.-On Saturday Lord St Helens and Gen. Camp bell, as lord and groom in waiting, attended at St James's Palace, when the following report of the state of the king, during the last month, was exhibited :

"Windsor Castle, Feb. 4. "The king continues in good health; but since the last report his majesty has been less uniformly tranquil than he was during some preceding months."

6th.-EDINBURGH.-A very numerous meeting of the Pitt Club of Scotland, at which the Earl of Glasgow presided, took place on Saturday in the Assembly Rooms. Nearly 400 gentlemen sat down to dinner, and the pleasures of the evening were considerably enhanced by the performances of Messrs Elliotts, King, and Evans, who sung a number of beautiful glees. The music was under the direction of Mr Gow, the entertainment was served up by Fortune.

7th.-The Duke of Wellington reached Vienna on the night between the 1st and 2d instant. He was received with the highest distinction. The Emperor Alexander anticipated the visit of our general, and remained at his hotel an hour and a half. He had audiences of the Emperor Francis and the other sovereigns on the 2d; dined in company with several ministers on the same day; and in the evening appeared at a masquerade, accompanied by Lord Stewart and a lady in mask, supposed to be Lady Castlereagh.

8th.-LONDON.-Yesterday morning his Grace the Duke of St Albans, accompanied by his solicitor, bailiff, and other agents, attended before Mr Birnie, for the investigation of a bur

glary in his grace's house, at Hanworth Park, against John Lindsay, his own gardener, when it appeared, that on the night of the 18th January, his grace's house was broken open at Hanworth Park, when the housekeeper's desk was stolen, containing a number of bank notes, which had been given to her to pay certain bills; bank-notes belonging to the housekeeper, and various other articles of property; three pair of sheets, and other property. The grounds of suspicion were, that he was out from his lodging at an unseasonable hour of the night of the robbery, and had absconded from his lodging. Since his confinement, his lodging has been searched by Humphreys and Adfield, and part of an old knife found, which, on being compared with the part of the shutter which was forced open, it was found to fit it exactly, and some pearl buttons which resembled some stolen out of the duke's house. The prisoner was fully committed for trial.

A most daring and barbarous murder was committed at Dagnall, in Buckinghamshire, on the body of Mrs Mary Hall, who was found murdered in her house about twelve o'clock on the above day. There is every reason to believe that the horrid deed was perpetrated between the time of the body being found and nine o'clock of the same morning, as she was seen for the last time by her neighbours about that time. The wounds appeared to have been inflicted by a bill-hook, as one was found close to the body in a very bloody state. A chest was found broken open, and cash and notes to the amount of about 350l. stolen, and a variety of other articles of property discovered to have been carried off. On the discovery of the murder and robbery, a general alarm took place in the neighbourhood, which spread through that part of the country, and a number of persons went in pursuit of the