336 
scientific information among the industrious elasses 
of the community, was held at the Guildhall of 
Worcester, Feb. 9. A committee for the ensuing 
year having been appointed, thanks were voted to 
the mayor, for the use of the Guildhall, on the 
oceasion. The object of this establishment is to 
afford to the labouring classes, by means of useful 
books, philosophical apparatus, and occasional 
lectures, an opportunity of employing their leisure 
hours in an agreeable and profitable manner; 
thereby partially removing one cause of a disso- 
lute and immoral life, the want of an interestmg 
occupation when not employed in their business. 
SOMERSETSHIRE,.—A numerous meeting of 
officers belonglug to his Majesty’s navy and ma- 
rines was held, January 29, at Bath; when the 
report of the Bath Branch of the Royal Nayal 
Annuitant Society was read, and exhibited a very 
gratifying improvement in the funds, more par- 
ticularly in the general fund, which now amounts 
fo nolessthan £41,621. 15s.6d. Of officers en- 
rolled, the number is 1,936, showing an increase 
of members during the past year, amounting to 
266, and an augmentation of capital of £12,322! 
The report, after alluding to the investment of 
the capital inthe Bank of England, &c., con- 
-cludes by a congratulation from the committee 
to their friends for the eminent success which this 
institution has received. 
Last year’s expenses for this county (as pub- 
lished by the treasurer, and audited bythe ma- 
gistrates) amounted to nearly £18,000; upwards 
of £14,000 of which were paid for the dispensa- 
tion of criminal jurisprudence, and about £2,000, 
of the remainder, for building bridges, treasurer’s 
salary, &c. &c. 
WALES.—Thereis now living at Penboyr, Car- 
marthenshire, a female of the patriarchal age of 
108 years, in perfect possession of all her faculties, 
with the exception that her hearing is very 
slightly impaired. She frequently travels eight or 
even ten miles a day, generally barefooted, whilst 
her shoes and sandals are snugly lodged under 
her arm, until she approaches the precincts of a 
village, when her feelings of economy give way 
to her sense of propriety, and the aforesaid ha-~ 
biliments are transferred from under her arm to 
her feet. Two females died in that town within 
the last twelve months, whose united ages amount- 
éd to 208 years; and there are two women now 
living whose joint ages exceed 200 years.—WVorth- 
ampton Mercury. 
SCOTLAN D.—Wednesday, January 28, Burke, 
the monster of iniquity, whose offences are with- 
out parallel in the annals of human depravity, 
paid the last penalty ofthelaw. ‘The assemblage 
of spectators drawn together on this oceasion was 
immense, and far surpassed all former example. 
The hardened insensibility of the wretch continued 
unshaken, until his “dead-clothes” (a suit of 
sables furnished him at the expense of the city) 
were produced, when he shewed considerable 
emotion. On Tuesday evening, long before the 
erection of the gibbet commenced, many people 
had collected ; and crowds continued observing the 
progress of the operation until its completion ; and 
when it was effected, the crowd gave three loud 
cheers. At a very early hour on Wednesday 
morning, while the rain fell in torrents, the people 
began to assemble; and by eight o’clock one of 
the densest crowds had collected ever witnessed 
Provincial Occurrences : Somesetshire, Wales, &c. 
[ Marcu, 
in the streets of Edinburgh. Every window and 
housé-top from which a glimpse of the eriminal 
eould be obtained, was occupied. Burke walked 
to the scaffold with a firm step. As soon as the offi- 
cers by whom the culprit was preceded made their 
appearance at the head of Libberton’s W ynd, aloud 
and simultaneous shout was given by the crowd ; 
and as soon as the culprit appeared ascending 
the stair towards the platform, the yells of execra- 
tion were tremendous, and at the moment when he 
came full in view, they were redoubled, intermixed 
with maledictions. Arrived on the platform of 
the scaffold, the miserable wretch was apparently 
somewhat blenched by the appalling shouts and 
yells of execration with which he was assailed, and 
cast a look of fierce and even desperate defiance 
at the spectators, who reiterated their cries... At 
the time when he was observed to kneel, which he 
did with his back to the crowd, the shouts were 
repeated, with cries, to the persons on the scaf- 
fold, of “ Stand out of the way!” “Turn him 
round!” Signals were made to the crowd by the 
magistrates to intimate that Burke was engaged 
in his devotions ; but these were totally disregarded» 
and the clamour continued. The executioner then 
proceded to untie his neckcloth. At this moment 
the yells which had been almost uninterrupted, 
became more tremendous. When every thing 
was ready, and the assistants of the executioner 
had withdrawn, he at once gave the signal, and 
was instantly launched into eternity, and the fall- 
ing of the drop was accompanied with three sa- 
vage shouts. After being suspended, he gave 
several convulsive heaves, to each of which thé 
spectators responded by another shout of triumph ! 
IRELAND.—Carnouic Association Drs- 
SOLVED.—At a meeting of the Catholic Associa- 
tion in Dublin, Feb. 10, the predominant and almost 
universal feeling was in favourof its immediate dis- 
solution—a result much promoted bya speech from 
Mr, Shiel, who urged “the fatal folly of continu- 
ing a single hour In an attitude of defiance or dis- 
trust towards a government which has, of its own 
accord, held out the olive branch, and pledged 
itself to the work of Emancipation.” The disso- 
lution was, in substance, and amidst loud plaudits, 
adopted by the numerous meeting. It would have 
passed in form as well as substance, but for 
a letter from Mr. O’Connell to Mr. Dwyer, entreat- 
ing the Catholics not to dissolve until «complete 
and unconditional empancipation’ should have 
been actually carried. In another paragraph, 
Mr, O’Connell tells his countrymen, that there is 
‘* reason to apprehend DELUSION Or CONTRIV- 
ANCE ;”’ and, therefore, to be upon their guard. 
Mr. Maurice O’Connell, son of the M.P. for Clare, 
declared that his own mind bad been made up as to 
the necessity of dissolution, but requested that 
another meeting should take place, as he wished 
‘his father should have time, by another, letter to 
share the credit of that salutary sentiment which 
actuated every distinguished friend of the cause in 
England, and every sound Irishman, ineluding the 
Catholic bishops, to insist on a dissolution, frank, 
prompt, and final.” The meeting was held on 
Thursday, as follows :—* Dublin, Feb. 12, 1829.— 
Sir Thomas Esmonde, Bart, in the chair. Moved 
by Richard Shiel, Esq. Seconded by John Law- 
less, Esq,, and carried unanimously, ‘That the 
Catholic Association, at its rising this day, do 
stand totally dissolved.— Thomas Esmonde, chair 
man, Edward Dwyer, secretary. 4 
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