robbers, however, left an agricultural
tool behind him, which led to the discovery of two of the thieves, who
are committed for trial. This is a perfect newspaper gem.

The fifth column has terror in its first line "Law Report," and
commences with an action in the Court of King's Bench, against the
late Sheriffs of London for an illegal seizure--one of the glorious
delights of office. The next portion relates to an illustrious
foreigner, who stated that he professed to swallow fire and molten
lead, "but he only put them into his mouth, and took them out again
in a sly manner, for they were too hot to eat." (Much laughter.) He
could swallow prussic acid without experiencing any ill effects from
it; that was what he called _pyrotechny_; "he had no property except
a wife and child, &c."

Next are the Police Reports, sometimes affording admirable studies of
men and manners. The first is a case of a man being locked up for the
night in a watch-house, "on suspicion of ringing a bell"--and brings
to light a most outrageous abuse of petty power. In another case, a
gang of robbers pursued by one set of watchmen, were suffered to
escape by another set, who would not stir a foot beyond their own
boundary line! Neither Shakspeare, Fielding, nor Sheridan have given
us a better standing jest than this incident affords. It reminds us
of the fellow who refused to take off Tom Ashe's coat, because it
was felony to strip an _ash;_ or the tanner who would not help the
exciseman out of his pit without twelve hours' notice.

The Births, Marriages, and Deaths--and the Markets, and Price of
Stocks, in small type, which well bespeaks their crowded interest,
wind up the sheet. Yet what thrilling sensations does this small
portion of our sheet often impart. What hopes and expectations for
heirs and legacy hunters--people who want the "quotation" of Mark Lane
and the Coal Market--and others whose daily tone and temper depends
on the little cramped fractions in the "Stocks" and "Funds." Another
catches a fine frenzy from the "Shares," and regulates his day's
movements "the very air o' the time" by their import--and hence he
dreams of gold and gossamer, or sits torturing his imagination with
writs and executions that await adverse fortune.

Such are but a few of the pleasures and pains of a newspaper.
Shenstone says the first part which an ill-natured man examines, is
the list of bankrupts, and the bills of mortality; but, to prove that
our o