1827.] Letter on Affairs in general. 295 



Oriental languages, at the India house. Lunacy 4. The people staid to 

 hear him. But I must not continue this article : the subject is too fruit- 

 ful, and would lead me to too great a length. 



IMPORTANT." Brighton, Feb. 12th. The King is perfectly well, and 

 highly pleased with the Pavilion, His majesty says it looks just as it did 

 when he was last here ; and, speaking of the music room the other day, he 

 declared there was no room like it ! The Baroness de Robeck, whose 

 elopement with Lord Sussex Lennox has made so much noise in the 

 fashionable world, was very recently one of the gayest among the gay 

 circles of Brighton. His lordship was staying at an hotel here at the same 

 time ; and the flirtations of the amorous pair were even then the subject 

 of much conversation and scandal. His lordship paid the Baroness great 

 attention, and was always to be seen at her side, whether on the Steine, 

 at Almack's, the theatre, or concerts." (Whose side the Baron was to be 

 " seen at " does not appear.) " The Prince Pucklerchuscan has left his 

 name in the Palace book." (I am sure, if he has, it must have taken up 

 a whole page of it.) His Majesty's Chapel will in all probability be shortly 

 opened for the celebration of Divine service; it has hitherto been deferred, 

 on account of the cold weather. The Duchess of Clarence, as well as the 

 Duke, will, it is expected, pay a visit to the King shortly at the Pavilion ; 

 but their Royal Highnesses have not received an invitation yet ! Colonel 

 Camac (who was swindled out of 1,500, a short time ago, in trying to 

 obtain a ' seat in Parliament) was in the theatre last night," &c. &c. 

 " Fashionable Intelligence " from the Globe. - 



The quantity of tobacco consumed in France has, of late years, increased 

 considerably. In 1 8 1 2 the whole amount of tobacco smoked was 4,800,000 

 francs about 192,000; Fast year, the amount was 11,000,000 francs 

 or 440,000. Tobacco must be on the increase considerably with us, too. 

 " Divans " are making progress in all quarters. And as I passed along the 

 Quadrant the other evening, even in " shop hours," I saw something at a 

 linen-draper's door that looked as if it had a cigar in its mouth. Puns 

 for the month " How my corns shoot this cold weather !" said a gentle- 

 man at a public dinner, at the Free-Mason's Tavern the other day. " Do 

 you find that they kill any thing ?" asked Dr. Kitchener who sat opposite. 

 That was not bad of the Doctor. I noticed a little way back, that 

 bears for the purpose of baiting had at one period of English history 

 been subject to impressment. Bear-baiting was then esteemed the highest 

 sport in the country ; and bears obtained great personal notoriety when 

 they exhibited peculiar strength or prowess. One animal, named " George 

 Stone," flourished in James the First's time; and was known for "the 

 single combat," from Hockley in the Hole to the Land's End. Shakspeare, 

 in his Merry Wives of Windsor, mentions another, whom he calls '" Sac- 

 kerson," no doubt a person of reputation in his time. And, as late as the 

 day of James the Second, a third, known as " Young Blackface," who 

 belonged to an Irishman named O'Snllivan, fought the extraordinary num- 

 ber of twenty-two " single and double*' combats, in one day, against the 

 best dogs in the country. This excellent champion was killed at last, by 

 being fought against three dogs at once, without his " protection," as the iron 

 collar was called, which he wore ; and which, as he always fought 

 muzzled, formed a very efficient part of his defence. And a song, cele- 

 brating his virtues, was written upon his death, part of which is to be 

 found in a collection of old ballads, most of them imperfect, in the British 

 Museum. The title of the poem is " O'Sullivan's Bear." And it begins 



