six hundred fathoms from the earth, and heard the barking of dogs. A quarter of an hour afterwards, I lost sight of all the lights on the earth, grew extremely cold, and could no longer perceive the stars, doubtless on account of the clouds.

At one in the morning, the cold still continuing, I was carried to a higher elevation; the hydrogen gas again expanded. About two, I perceived the stars, and saw several meteors dancing about the balloon, but at such a distance as not to give me any alarm.

At half after two, the day began to dawn with me, and having again desconded, I perceived the earth which I had not before seen since my departure.

At a quarter to three, I heard country people speak, and remark ing the illumination of my balloon. Having asked them, they informed me that I was over the department of L'Aisne.

The sun gradually approaching, afforded me, at half past three, the magnificent spectacle of his rising above an ocean of clouds. The warmth of his rays acting on the balloon, the hydrogen gas again ex, panded; the atmospheric air be came more rarified, while there was nothing to add to the quantity of the counterbalancing weight. The consequence was a new ascension, during which I was tossed about between Rheims and Chalons, and carried at four o'clock to an elevation of more than 8000 fathoms; where, under a magnificent sky and resplendent sun, I experienced a cold of ten degrees. The balloon dilated much more considerably than it had yet done. The temperature was insupportable; tormented by cold, hunger, and a disposi

tion to sleep, I resolved to descend in an oblique direction, which brought me to the ground in the commune of Courmelois, near the banks of the Vesle, five leagues from Rheims, not far from Loges, and 45 leagues from Paris, after a voyage of seven hours and a half.

carried at four

The air collected forty minutes after my departure in a cloud, in which the lights lost their brilliancy, and seemed on the point of going out, presented, on analysis, no remarkable difference from the air taken on the surface of the earth. There was only a very small addi. tional portion of carbonic acid, but not sufficient to produce any change in the state of my lights. It was nothing but the density of the clouds, ready to be converted into rain, that diminished their brilliancy. Though I was o'clock to the height of more than three thousand fathoms, my head was not so swollen but that I could put on my hat; on the contrary, I felt such a pressure upon the temples and jaws, as to produce pain. The sun, at that elevation, lost none of his resplendence; I never beheld that luminary so brilliant, and the loadstone lost none of its magnetic virtues. Thus falls the system invented by M. Robertson, a few years since, and already discredited by reason. Thus the story of swollen heads, of air without oxygen, collected by a living being; of the sun without resplendence; of the loadstone without virtue; of matter without gravity; of the moon, the colour of blood; and of all the wonderful things invented by the same aëronaut, can, in future, find a place only in the wretched rhapsodies of the celebrated Kotzebue,

21. At the Old Bailey, Edward Gilson was tried on a capital indictment, for having wilfully, maliciously, and feloniously set fire to his house, in Boswell-court, St. Clement Danes, in order to consume the same, and with intent to defraud the London Assurance company of 6204. The indictment contained four other counts, charging an intention to.defraud his landlord, and the owner of the house; to all which the prisoner pleaded not guilty.

The circumstances of the case, as stated for the prosecution by counsel lor Fielding, and afterwards suppor ted in evidence, were as follow:About half past three o'clock, on the morning of the 5th of August, an alarm of fire was given, ei. ther in Clement's-lane, or Boswell. court, said to proceed from the house occupied by the prisoner, who kept a victualling shop; the front of which was in Boswell-court, and the rear in Clement's-lane. The alarm was given by a milk. woman, accidentally passing at the time. Mr. Backley, a publican, whose house adjoins, immediately knock. ed loud at the prisoner's door, and endeavoured, but in vain, to gain admittance. He then called a watch man they looked through the key. bole, and saw the house within on fire, and the flames rapidly advancing they procured an axe, and cut their way through the door, procured water, and speedily got the flames under. They then proceeded to examine the probable source of the fire; and on coming to the coal-cellar, they found a lighted candle stuck in a potatoe, and laid at the top of the coal-beap, immediately in contact with the ceiling. Two other canles had been placed in a similar manner against other

parts of the loft, but they were burnt out a hole was burnt quite through the floor, into the room above, and the beams and joists were still on fire. At another part of the ceiling, near the stairs, they found the plaster had been torn away, and its place supplied by tallow, apparently plastered there on purpose. On their entrance, they made the loudest alarm in the house, and repeatedly and loudly called for the prisoner; but he never appeared until ten minutes afterwards, when the flames were put ont. He at length came down stairs, completely attired in his usual working dress, with his apron girt on; seemed a good deal agitated, and wanted to go down to the cellar, but was prevented.→ Shortly afterwards he left the house with a sack on his back, and a trunk under his arm; and the next day, in consequence of the commu nication of these circumstances to his landlord, and the London Assurance company, he was taken be fore the Bow-street magistrates, by whom he was ultimately committed. The house had been inhabited only by the prisoner, his wife, and two female servants; and on the day preceding the fire he contrived to send his wife out of the house, on pretence of visiting a friend. At half past eleven on that night he ordered his two servants to bed. One of them had occasion. to go to the coal.cellar before she went to bed; there were then no candles in the cellar. About three in the morning both were roused by their master, who thundered at their door, told them the house was on fire, and advised them to make their escape: they rushed into the passage, where they found their master drest, as usual, with his apren on, just as

when

when they saw him on going to bed; and he persuaded them to escape by the dormant window to the leads of the house, where they went and put on their clothes; and in about ten minutes their master came there too, carrying with him the trunk and sack already mentioned. This trunk was examined at Bow-street, and found to contain the policy of insurance, some other papers, and some money. The prisoner, before he came to live in Boswell-court, had kept a public-house in Woodstreet, Cheapside. In May, 1806, be insured at the London Assurance office for 3001. apparel, 300l. household furniture, and 20. glass and china. In the September following he removed, and gave notice at the office. The policy would have expired on the 24th of June last, but the insurance was renewed by a subsequent premium of 14s. 6d; and on the property in the house being appraised, the day after the fire, the amount was under 40%. On that morning the prisoner's wife return ed, and gave the trunk, containing the policy of insurance, to a Mr. Ford.

These facts were severally sustained by the testimonies of Mr. W. Buckley, Mr. Crawford, Mr. Dredge, Eleanor Shepherd, and Martha Davis, the prisoner's two servants, and a Mrs. Rose; and the insurance proved by Mr. John Bickerstaff, clerk in the London Assurance office, dated June 11, 1807, to end. June 24, 1808, for which the premium of 14s. 6d. was paid, and indorsed on the policy.

The prisoner's counsel objected, that this insurance could not legal. ly bind the company to any risk, as it was not stamped as by law required; and consequently the pri

soner could have no interest, nor the company sustain any fraud, in the event of the fire.

Mr. Koapp also contended, that the original policy had expired on the 24th of June, 1807, and could not be revived without a renewal of the premium under a legal stamp.

Mr. justice Le Blanc thought the objection not valid; as the premium demanded and paid was but 14s. 6d. and no stamp was required for

any sum under forty shillings; nor would such a plea avail any thing to the parties contracting, as they had engaged to stand responsible for any loss by fire, and it was therefore only necessary to prove the fraudulent intent of the prisoner. However, his lordship promised, in case of conviction, to reserve the point in behalf of the prisoner.

The fact of the prisoner's renting the house, and paying the last halfyear, was then proved.

The prisoner, in his defence, said, his motive for continuing so high an insurance upon his new house was, that the landlord told him he must insure the walls, or be answerable for any damage by fire to the building.

Several witnesses appeared to give the prisoner an excellent character for a series of years.

Mr. justice Heath summed up the evidence for the jury, who, after a short deliberation, found the pri soner guilty on the first countDeath. [Heafterwards died in Newgate.]

A few days since a serious accident happened to a flock of sheep, the property of Mr. Cooper, of Hailston Hall, near Stowmarket, who had intrusted them to the care of a boy for that day, in the ab

sence

tion of the eye. The poor girl, unable to pursue her work, walked home to Whitstable, where she died in two days afterwards, frantic with tor. ture.

22. James Bullock was indicted, that being a trader, and duly decla red a bankrupt, he did not make a full disclosure of his estate and effects; but that, on the contrary, he secreted and embezzled two bank. potes, one of the value of 500l. and one of 300l. with intent to cheat and defraud his creditors.

clared a bankrupt on the 14th day of May 1807...

1.

Joshua Garth, solicitor to the commission, stated, that when the prisoner was brought before the commissioners, he at first objected to be examined; at last, when he gave an account of his property, there appeared to be a deficiency of 12001. He afterwards said, that he had paid 1050. to Mr. Griffith Jones, for money which he had borrowed of him; and that he had paid other sums to a Mrs. Jones, who had also accommodated him with the loan of money. The prisoner fur ther stated, that he banked with Prescott and Grote, but not with any other banker.

Mr. Griffith Jones was called, who stated that he had known the prisoner for some years; but that he had never lent him any money, nor had ever received the sum of 10501. from him. The prisoner about May last wished him to say, if any enquiry was made, that he, the wit ness, had lent the prisoner 10501. and that the prisoner had repaid him.

Andrew Smith, clerk to Martin', Stone, and co. proved, that he paid into the hands of the prisoner, on the 6th of May, a bank note for 3001. No. 698, dated 21st April, 1807. This note was paid him in part exchange for a checque of Mr. Thomas Wylde's, with whom he had deposited the bills of lading of a cargo of brandy from Bourdeaux.

Francis Kelly proved, that the prisoner also kept a cash account with the bank of England, and that The also drew his last checque on the 8th of May, which was for the sum of 5011. He was paid in one bank. note of the amount of 500l, dated

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