Oct. 29. About five o'clock this morning, an alarming fire broke out at the Benedictine Convent at Hammersmith, which was attended with loss of life. The fire appears to have broken out in a room occupied by Miss Margaret Bosville, an aged lady, who had resided there for years as a boarder. After the fire had been subdued, the body of the old lady was found burnt in a most shocking manner, nothing remaining of her but the head, the upper part of her body from the chest, and the bone of her left leg, from the knee downward." The Convent of English Benedictines at Hammersmith was first established in the reign of Charles II., and took its rise from the following circumstance: In the year 1669, Mrs. Bedingfield, a relation of the first Baronet of that family, in conjunction with another lady, set up a boarding-school at Hammersmith for young ladies of the Roman Catholic persuasion. This school had been previously established in St. Martin's-lane, and was removed to Hammersmith on account of the retired situation and salubrity of the air. There are 40 young ladies educated here. Soon after its institution, the governesses and teachers having voluntarily obliged themselves to the observance of monastic rules, it obtained the name of a nunnery, which it still keeps up, many devotees having from time to time taken the veil, and doomed themselves to voluntary seclusion. The convent is of considerable magnitude, and is approached from the entrance by an arcade, in imitation of cloisters. In a small room are portraits of Mrs. Bedingfield and a lady, the first foundresses. At the eastern extremity is the chapel, which was rebuilt in the year 1811, at the expense of 1,600. which was defrayed by voluntary subscriptions. It is a handsome edifice, about 50 feet long and 24 feet wide; there are eight windows bordered with stained glass, which produce a good effect. There is a large garden behind, the upper part of which is parted off for a burialground, the stones of which are laid flat on the turf. At the east end of the burial-ground stands an ancient wooden cross, about five feet high, on which is represented, in 24 compartments, the passion of our Saviour. This relic was brought from France, and is held in great veneration by the inmates."

Oct. 30. A meeting of the parishioners of St. Martin's in the Fields, was held to adopt measures towards the presentation of a memento to Dr. Richards, on his retiring from the parish as Vicar. Several of the speakers enumerated the acts of benevolence rendered by Dr. Richards to

the parish. He had saved 12,000l. to the parish, by preventing the erection of another church. He had extricated the National School from debt, himself subscribing 100%. He had out of his private funds purchased of the Duke of Bedford the freehold of the Broad-street Chapel for 20001. and had laid out 3000. on the Vicarage-house. He visited the sick, relieved their wants, and befriended the distressed. It was agreed to present the Doctor with a handsome piece of plate.

Nov. 4. The Central Criminal Court, established by Act of Parliament, was opened by the Lord Chancellor, the Judges, and City Officers. Mr. Woodthorpe, Town Clerk, read the proclamation of the King, authorizing the opening of the new Court. The Lord Mayor then nominated Mr. John Clark to be Clerk of the Court, who then read a paper, intimating that the Court would sit for the next 12 months, for the trial of all offences within its jurisdiction, on the following Mondays:-Nov. 24; Dec. 22; Jan. 15; March 2; April 6; May 11; June 15; July 16; Aug. 19; Sept. 21; and Oct. 26. The Clerk also intimated that there would be no winter circuits in the places within the jurisdiction of the Court, but that all the prisoners now in custody would be removed to London to take their trials at the November session.

Nov. 15. To the surprise of the whole country, the dissolution of Lord Melbourne's Administration was announced in this morning's papers. Though some change was generally anticipated, owing to the accession of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the Peerage, an entire breaking-up of the Whig cabinet was totally unexpected. It appears that on the morning of the 13th Lord Melbourne proceeded to Brighton to submit to his Majesty his arrangements on the elevation of Lord Althorp to the Peerage, consequent on the death of Earl Spencer. The next day the Noble Viscount returned to town, to announce to his colleagues, not that their resignations had been accepted, for they had not offered to resign, but that his Majesty had no longer occasion for their services. The following day his Majesty entrusted to the Duke of Wellington the formation of a new ministry; on the 18th his Grace was gazetted as one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, and on the 21st Lord Lyndhurst also appeared as the new Lord Chancellor.

The Lords of the Privy Council appointed to investigate the causes of destruction of the Houses of Parliament have made their Report, and come to the

CIVIL PREFERMENTS.

G. E. Eyre, esq. to be Recorder of Romsey.
Rev. G. J. Dupuis, Lower Mas. of Eton Gram. Sc.
Rev. J. Fernie, Head Mast. of Devonport Gram.
. School.

Rev. W. Hewson, Mas. of Sherburn Gram. Sch.
Rev. S. Prosser, Head Mast. Blackheath Pro. Sc.
Rev. J. L. Weldon, Sen. Mas. of Oakham School.

BIRTHS.

Oct. 11. The wife of Capt. Wm. H. Hollis, a son.-16. At Salisbury, the wife of the Rev. T. Leach Tovey, a dau.--At Dover, the wife of W. P. Williams Freeman, esq. of Fawley-court, a son and heir.-18. At Brighton. Lady Jane Laurence Peel, a dau.-19. In York-terrace, Regent's park, the wife of the Rev. Wm. Dodsworth, a dau.-20. At Broomfield-house, Middlesex, the wife of H. P. Powys, esq. a dau.At Oxford, the wife of Dr. Bishop, a son-21. At Stellenberg, Tunbridge Wells, the wife of Col. Christ. Hodgson, a dau.-22. At the rectory, Hartshorne, Derbyshire, Mrs. Henry Buckley, a dau 25. At Spye Park Lodge, Wilts, the wife of Cuthbert Johnson, esq. a dau.-27. At Acworth Park, the wife of John Gully, esq. M.P. a son.-28. In Torrington-sq. the lady of Sir Harris Nicolas, K.C.M.G. a son. At Barford House, Warwick, the wife of Capt. Rattray, R.N., a son.-29. The wife of Major Fotheringham, York-gate, Regent's-park, a son―31. In Belgrave-st. the Rt. Hon. the Countess of Munster, a dau.

Lately. At Grimsby, the wife of Capt. Hudson, R.N. a son.- -At Vienna, the Princess Metternich, a son.- -The wife of the Rev. S. Lysons, Rector of Rodmarton, Gloucestershire, a dau. At Wilton-pl. Belgrave-sq. the wife of Geo. Raymond, esq. a dau.

Nov. 3. In Montagu-sq. the wife of Capt. R. H. Fuller, R.N, a dau.-At Chesterfield-house, the Countess of Chesterfield, a dau.-8. At Leyton, Essex, the wife of Wm. Taylor Copeland, esq. M.P. and Alderman, a dau.

Nov. 9. At Lambeth, the wife of Wm. Henry Black, esq. a dau. named Mildred.

MARRIAGES.

Sept. 16. At. St. Giles, Camberwell, Peter Taylor Poussett, esq. of Great Winchester st., to Martha, 4th dau. of Thomas Courthope, esq. of Peckham Grove.

Oct. 9 At Blair Drummond, Perthshire, John Smith, esq. M.D., to Catharine, eldest dau. of J. B. Tuke, esq. late of Westow-hall, near Malton.-15. At St. George's, Queen-sq., Col. Pereira, of the Madras Army, to Charlotte, eldest dau. of the late W. Duff, esq., of Red Lion-sq., Bloomsbury. At Christchurch, Hants, the Rev. Fred. Waldo, to Jane, dau. of the late Joseph Olive, esq.-16. At Norton, in Worcestershire, Wm. M. Thiselton, esq. Great Russell-st. Bloomsbury, to Mary, dau. of the late P. Tabois, esq. of Great Ealing, Middlesex.-At Croydon, Mr. J. Taylor, of Norwood, to Mary, second dau. of Thos. Tegg, esq. of Norwood-lodge;-same time, the Rev. Ed. Thompson, to Frances, sister of Mr. John Taylor. At St. Andrew's, Holborn, Wm. H. Whittaker, esq. of Bampton, co. Oxford, to Maria, dau. of the late Wm. Humfrey, esq. of the Holt-house, Wokingham, Berks.At Fulham, the Rev. Hilman Stuart, to Ann, widow of A. T. Sampayo, esq, of Peterborough-house, Fulham.- -21. At Dorking, Surrey, the Rev. R. S. Ellis, to Caroline, third dau. of the Rev. G. Feachem. At Hedington, Wilts, the Rev. J. Blennerhassett, Rector of Ryme Intrinsica, Dorset, to Eliz. dau. of the late F. Houssemayne Du Boulay, esq. of Walthamstow, Essex.At St. George, Bloomsbury, C. J. C. Johnstone, esq. to GENT. MAG. VOL. II.

Mary Ann, only dau. of the late J. Anoree, esq. M.D.-At St. George's, Hanover-sq. the Lord George Augustus Hill, youngest son of the Marchioness of Downshire, to Cassandra Jane, youngest dau. of Edw. Knight. esq. of Godmersham-park, Kent.-23. At Walmer, Mr. L. Daniel, esq. of Ramsgate, to Eliz. Lucy, third dau. of Capt. P. Fisher, R.N.-At St. George's, R. Shute, esq. of Mecklenburgh-sq., to Mrs. Cox, of Hunter-street, Bloomsbury. -25. At Trinity Church, St. Marylebone, W. Anthony Greatorex, esq. of Upper Norton-st. Portland-pla. to Eliz. Sarah, eldest dau. of T. Vaughan, esq. of Great Portland-st.- -27. At Tor, Devon, the Rev. G. M. Braune, B.A., to Emma Mary, dau. of Adm. Sir L. W. Halsted, K.C.B.-At Yarmouth, Edw. Fennell, esq. to Eliz. Winifred Leathes, relict of the Rev. Chaloner Stanley Leathes, late rector of Ellesborough, Bucks.-At Waltham Abbey, Lewis Alexander, of Hopwood hall, near Halifax, esq., to Jane, dau. of Geo. Moody, of Saugh Heads, near Longtown, Cumberland, esq., niece to Lieut.-Col. Moody. -28. At Hillingdon, Middx. the Rev. Russell Skinner, A.M., to Violetta, eldest dau. of Tho. Williams, esq., of Cowley-green, near Uxbridge.-The Rev. A. B. Mesham, to Moncrieffe, third dau. of Col. Paterson, of Cunnoquhie, in Fife, N.B.- -At Twining, the Rev. W. Wilton Mutlow, Rector of Rudford, Glou., to Miss Steight.-At Birkin, the Rev. G. Thomas, of Tarleton-grove, Lancashire, to Eliz., dau. of the late T. W. Davison, esq., of Haddlesey-house, near Ferrybridge.

-At Nuneaton, John Bond, jun. M.D., to Harriet, dau. of Tho. Hincks, esq.-At Bagton, Cha. Wickstead, esq. only son of Geo. Tollet, esq. of Betley-hall, Staffordshire, to Mary Char. Meysey Wigley, dau. of the late Edward Meysey Wigley, esq., of Shakenhurst, Worcestershire. At Middleton, the Rev. D. R. Fearon, to Frances Jane, dau. of the late Rev. Cha, Andrews, Rector of Flempton cum Hengrave, Suffolk. -29. At Dawlish, Herman Merivale, esq. to Caroline, dau. of the late Rev. W. Villiers Robinson, Rector of Grafton Underwood, co. Northampton.- -At Streatley, Berks, Henshaw Skinner Russell, esq., of Duke-street, Portland-pl., London, to Sarah, third dau. of the late W. Church, esq. of Abingdon, Berks At Upper Deal, Geo. Lee H. Bazely, R.N., third son of the late Vice-Adm. Bazely, to Cath. Mary, only dau. of the late J. Cannon, esq.-30. At St. George's, Hanover sq. Sir Tho. Howland Roberts, Bart.. to Eliza Caroline, second dau. of the late John Maitland, esq. of Eccles, Dumfries.- -At St. Marylebone, Fred. A. Knight, esq., of Welbeck-st. to Louisa, youngest dau. of the Rev. Dr. Moseley, of Clapham.

Lately. At Nuneham, Lord Norreys, M.P. for Oxfordshire, and heir-apparent to the earldom of Abingdon, to Miss Harcourt, only child of G. V. Harcourt, esq. of Nuneham Park, M.P.

Nov. 4. At St. James's, Alfred Brodie, esq., of Eastbourne, Sussex, to Mary Anne, eldest dau. of the late S. Fenning, of St. James's-sq. esq.At Brighton, Tho. Spry Byass, esq., son of Lovel Byass, esq., Cuckfield, to Mary, second dau. of the late H. Bowles, esq., of Cuckfield.-6. At St. Luke's, London, Lieut.-Col. Wm. Miles, of Cheshunt, to Miss Ann Hurd, third dau. of J. Barrett, esq. of King-sq.At Woolwich, Henry Tyser, esq. M.D., of Stamford-hill, to Charlotte Mary, widow of the late Thos. Boultbee Parkyns, esq., of Rudlington, co. Nottingham.-At Lewisham, R.M. Poulden, esq. R. Art., to Sophia Eliz., only dau. of the Right Hon. Lady Sophia Foy, and of the late Lieut.-Col. Foy, R. Art.

11. At Chelmsford, the Rev. H. Gibson, Rector of Fyfield, Essex, to Sarah, third dau. of the late Rev. Tho. Mills, Vicar of Bumpstead Hellon ;- -Cha. Meredith, esq. of Lincoln's-inn, to Fanny, fourth dau. of the above late Rev. Tho. Mills.

4 M

DOM PEDRO. Sept. 21. At the palace of Queluz, Lisbon, in his 36th year, Dom Pedro d'Alcantara, Duke of Braganza, Regent of Portugal, and ex-Emperor of the Brazils.

Dom Pedro was born in the palace of Queluz, Oct. 12, 1798, the second son of King John the Sixth, and Carlotta Joachima, daughter of Charles the Fourth of Spain; but, by the early death of his brother Anthonio, he became heir-presumptive to the throne. In his youth he showed a weakness of constitution; yet at the same time displayed much of that activity and vivacity which distinguished him in after life. His first tutor was the Padre Antonio d'Arrhabida, afterwards Bishop of Annumuria, who instructed him in Latin and music, and in the latter he became a proficient, both as a player and composer.

When ten years of age, he accompanied his father to the Brazils; and on his arrival there, his education was confided to the accomplished John Radamak, who had been Ambassador from Portugal to Denmark; but he soon died, and the Prince was afterwards permitted to educate himself. Left alone, in an uninformed state of society, where no indulgence was considered too gross, no action too immoral, there was little hope, whatever his natural disposition might be, that his acquired habits would not form him into every thing that was bad. Fortunately for him and for the people, there were two or three strong and harmless propensities, which in some measure diverted his mind from worse pursuits. He was fond of mechanics, and many specimens of his boyish ingenuity are still preserved; the chase also removed him from the enervating capital to the exercises of the Brazilian forests; but, above all, his taste for music tended to withdraw him from less innocent amusements. He composed several pieces of music for his father's chapel, and also attempted poetry, and some of his rondos and madrigals are still played in Brazil.

At an early age, his father resolved to have him married, as well to form a political connexion, as to draw him from that low sensuality, which both he and his brother Miguel began to indulge at an immature age, and with the meanest objects. A princess of the house of Austria was selected for him, and Leopoldina, daughter of the Emperor Francis I., and sister to the wife of Napoleon, was married to him on the 13th of May, 1817,

before he was nineteen years of age. The princess was of an amiable and affectionate disposition; but she was not handsome, and was unusually careless in her dress and habits, which disgusted Pedro, and his unkindness led to her premature death. She left five children.

The revolutionary spirit had now infected Brazil; and, after King John had returned to Portugal, Pedro, who was left as Regent, thought it politic to put himself at the head of the movement. His conduct was severely censured at Lisbon, and the Cortes issued a peremptory order that he should return to Europe in four months. When he received this decree, Dom Pedro read it with deep emotion; but, after a few minutes' reflection, being well convinced of the sentiments of those about him, he exclaimed, "Independence or Death!" This was repeated with enthusiasm on all sides, and soon spread over all parts of the country. The independence of Brazil was proclaimed, and Pedro declared the Emperor of the new nation; this took place on his birth-day, in the year 1825. He was crowned on the 1st of December, because that was the day on which the Portuguese had delivered themselves from the yoke of the Spaniards, as he had delivered the Brazilians from the yoke of the Portuguese. A national assembly, which he convoked in the following May, he dissolved after a few days by military violence; and he himself drew up the Constitution, to which no one dared to object. The sum of two millions was paid to Portugal for her acknowledgement of the independence of Brazil; and Pedro was established at the head of a magnificent empire.

In 1826 King John died at Lisbon; and Pedro in consequence succeeded to the throne of Portugal; but, knowing how unpalatable the reunion of the Crowns would be to his new subjects, he acted with a promptness and decision consonant to his character. He immediately drew up a Constitution for the Portuguese, which took him just one week to compose, and then abdicated in favour of his daughter, Dona Maria da Gloria. It had previously been her father's intention to unite her to her uncle, Dom Miguel; and the legal part of the ceremony had actually been performed at Vienna; to Dom Miguel therefore, he committed full powers to act as Regent of Portugal on behalf of his niece and bride. That Prince accordingly set out from Vienna, where he then was, and having passed

through England, proceeded to assume the sovereignty of Portugal, where he in a very short time altered his title of Regent to that of King.

It has been often remarked, that it is difficult to decide which of the brothers deserves the highest character for dishonesty and bad faith. Dom Pedro had scarcely sworn to his father to remain faithful to him and the Portuguese nation, than he accepted the sovereignty of Brazil; Dom Miguel had scarcely sworn fealty to his niece, than he assumed the crown of Portugal.

When the news of this unexpected perfidy, of which he had himself set the example, arrived in Brazil, and the Emperor saw himself deceived by his brother, he could not repress his passion. He tore his brother's portrait to pieces, and kicked the fragments about the palace. Nor did he delay the prosecution of less impotent measures of reprisal; he addressed a proclamation to the Portuguese nation, and sent his daughter to Europe, to be ready to avail herself of any movement in her favour. He could not, however, induce the Brazilians to espouse his personal quarrel, and he was disappointed in the aid he anticipated from England; at the same time that he utterly refused the reconciliation with Miguel, proposed to be negociated in the tedious embassy of Lord Strangford.

At this period, Pedro seemed disposed to forget his public mortifications in private indulgences. He sought the society of the Duchess of Goyas more than ever, and feeling his home desolate without his wife or favourite daughter, he determined to marry his concubine, and placed her on the throne. The Bishop of Rio, who had been for some time in disgrace for not conniving at the excesses of the court, was now conciliated, and every pains taken to reconcile him to the measure. The real friends of Dom Pedro now took serious alarm; and therefore seriously set about counteracting this project, which could only be done by seeking for him another wife. In this object some difficulty was experienced, for his treatment of the first had alarmed the young ladies of the different courts; however, after several fruitless applications, he was accepted by a very amiable and excellent person, Augusta, daughter of Eugene Duke of Leuchtenberg, who, to the great joy of his friends, arrived at Rio in August, 1829, and the nuptials were celebrated with great splendour.

But the mortal struggle was now approaching between Pedro's absolute power and the authority of his Chambers. The occupation of his mind in his daughter's

cause contributed to estrange him from the affections of the Brazilians, and they dreaded he would again attempt to destroy their legislative authority. When the struggle came, Pedro was deserted by the army; and left indeed without any support. With his characteristic precipitation, he immediately embarked on board an English frigate, and abdicated in favour of his son, Dom Pedro d'Alcantara, then eight years old.

The affairs of his daughter were at this time in a desperate state; the abortive attempts of the patriots of Oporto had altogether failed, and the reign of Dom Miguel was established with the apparent consent of the people so firmly, that little hope remained of shaking it. A gleam had appeared in the unexpected capture and submission of Terceira; but the possession of a small and remote island in the Atlantic would afford but a dim prospect. It proved, however, the harbinger of success. An expedition from thence landed at Oporto, where the arrival of Don Pedro at this critical time infused fresh hopes, as it seemed to give himself fresh energies. The contest at that town and its vicinity was tedious; but at length, after considerable perseverance and energy, Pedro succeeded in reaching Lisbon on the 28th of July, 1833, established himself there as Regent to his daughter, and on the 22nd of September she also arrived, and was formally acknowledged as Constitutional Queen of Portugal. Thus in the records of history, Dom Pedro will be remembered as a man who, in a brief but extraordinary career, not only abdicated sovereignty twice, but actually (besides once inheriting it) acquired it three times, first for himself, next for his son, and lastly for his daughter.

Scarcely had he, during a twelvemonth of busy thought and anxious exertions, completed the establishment of his daughter's throne, when he has been suddenly removed by death; his fatal malady is supposed to have been water in the chest. In contemplating his character, all must acknowledge his energy and sagacity; at the same time that they cannot overlook his sensuality, caprice, and violence, and occasional cruelty. In person he was inelegant, low in stature, with limbs rather coarse and robust; his countenance had little intelligence; his face was broad, pitted, and blotched, and covered with enormous whiskers, which he required every military man to imitate. He generally dressed in a splendid uniform, and his private clothes were always new and fashionable. His funeral occupied the greatest part of the night between the 27th and 28th of September, though, by