The Aberystwith Observer

OLD ABERYSTWYTH. PAPER No. 4. OUR LOCAL THEATRES. A lady from this neighbourhood who takes great interest in the history of our town has sent us an old play-bill of a dramatic perform- ance which was given at Aberystwyth in 1818. It is printed on a very fine piece of Sarenet, of salmon-pink colour-a very* different sort of thing from the ordinary play-bills of our own time. It is about a foot-and-a-half long and about six inches broad, and is in an excellent state of preservation. The printer has done his work in a most creditable manner, for the play-bill has been printed with .such neatness and artistic taste that it could barely be sur- passed by our Lest local printers at the present day. I give most of the old bill below, as well :i-: a brief history of the old plav-hOuses of our town. I cannot help expressing a sincere regret I hr.Ve been unable to give a fuller ac- count of these old theatres, where in times past our citizens have been apparently so very largely entertained. The actors were generally members of strolling companies, and were no doubt but very indifferent players. Good Peter Quince had on his scroll, the names of a set of play-actors who were rather un- cultured,—Nick Bottom, the weaver, Francis Flute, the bellows-mender, Robin Starveling, the tailor, Snug', the joiner, and Tom Snout, the tinker, as Shakespeare has in his own inimitable fashion drawn them; but these were perfection itself compared with many of the actors who have from time to time visited this town. Still there must have been some who were above mediocrity, and strained their utmost to hold the mirror up to nature." If there were players who bad "neither the accents of Christians nor the gait of a Christian," there were others who suited the action to the word and the word to the action," who showed scorn her own image and virtue her own feature. AN OLD PLAY-BILL OF 1818. Theatre, Aberystwyth. For the benefit of Mr Sanders, who avails himself of the opportunity, to return his most sincere acknowledgments for the very liberal support he has experienced during the season, from the ladies and gentlemen of Aberystwyth, its inhabitants in general, and those of its vicinity, and humbly solicits their kind patronage and support on this occasion, which will be gratefully treasured in his remem- brance. On Monday evening, September 14, 1818, Will be represented an entirely new Musical Drama, now performing at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, with unbounded applause, founded on the popular novel ROB Roy Or Auld Lang Syne\ (Then follow the dramatis personse, with the names of the actors, Clifford, Rivers, Bennett, Owen, Maitland, Sanders, Dormer, &c.) End of the play, a song by Mr Maitland a hornpipe in the character of a British Sailor by Mrs Diprose. To conclude with the Comic Entertainment of MODERN ANTIQUES Or The Merry Mourners. (As before, dramatis persons and actors' names.) Boxes, 3s; Pit, 2s; Gallery, Is; Half-price to the Boxes and Pit; no half-price to the gallery. Children half-price to the Boxes and Pit. Tickets to be bad of Mr Sanders, at Mr Cox's Library, and at the Principal Inns. Doors to be opened at 6, and begin at 7 o'clock. By permission—The Royal Cardiganshire Band will attend. S. Williams, Printer and Bookseller, Aberystwyth." NAMES KNOWN AND UNKNOWN. Nothing can now be ascertained regarding the actors whose names are mentioned in the advertisement. Not one of them is remem- bered by our oldest fellow-townsmen. We may safely conclude that the company was a strolling troupe, one of those troupes which at that distant date as now-a-days. visited our town, and remained here for some time. Some of these remained for several days, while others prolonged their visit and remained several weeks. Many of the itinerant companies were in ill repute amongst the townspeople, and were not always received with much kindliness and cordiality into their houses as lodgers. The players came down here, engaged rooms, stayed many weeks, lived luxuriously and in a right princely fashion, ran into debt, and absconded with the landlady's bill unpaid, and their account at the grocer's and the wine merchant's unsettled. Aberystwyth, seventy years ago as at the present day, depended on importation for actors and theatrical repre- sentations. No purely local company seems to have thriven in our town. Attempts have more than once been made, I believe, to form a dramatic club with a view of acclimatising the drama. None have succeeded, but all have signally failed. Mr Sanders' troupe was one of those vagrant companies, which in its itinerancies came into our town, remained for the whole of the summer season as the play bill states, and seemingly met with a large measure of support and success. Mr Sanders is not to be confounded with William Saunders, whose name is not unknown to the oldest men in Aberystwyth. William Saunders lived here about 1825. He was then a young man, in the prime of vigour-a Welsh poet of great promise, the friend and boon companion of Brutus (Rev David Owen), at that time editor of Lleuad yr Oes." Of William Saunders and Brutus, and the able, talented but rather bibulous" set" to which they belonged, I shall have hereafter much to say, in the course of these papers on Old Aberystwyth. Mr Cox, at whose library the tickets for admission to the performance of Rob Roy were to be got, was William Cox. He was a bookseller and stationer in Great Darkgate- street, and kept a circulating library. He also carried on the business of a hairdresser. His son was the late Mr John C'ox. who is well remembered by many of us as the proprietor of an excellent printing establishment, which turned out specimens of splendid workman- ship. To this I shall refer in a future paper. The history of the Printing offices of this town forms a long but very interesting chapter in the history of old Aberystwyth, which shall appear at the proper time. But I am con- strained to mention here a few facts about "S. Williams, Printer and Bookseller," who printed the old play bill of 1818. Mr Samuel Williams, like almost all the early Aber- ystwyth printers (Mr John Cox just referred to was the only exception) was a native of to was the only exception) was a native of Carmarthen—a town which at the beginning of this century might be reckoned as the Leipzig of the southern portion of the Princi- pality, the great Book Mart of South Wales. After his death, in 1820, the business was carried on by his widow, Esther Williams, and after her decease by their son, the late Alder- man Philip Williams. Samuel Williams was a deacon at the Tabernacle, and was regarded by all as a manwhoae godly piety ynd saintli- ness was spotless and unimpeachable. His wife was not inferior to her husband in these qualities: she was a simple-minded, thoroughly earnest, Christian woman. At a time later than the date of the old play bill of 1818 Mr Williams began to have scruples as to the propriety of printing play billa of theatrical performances. These performances began to be looked upon as satanic devices intended insidiously to lead men away from the stern realities of life, and to create in them an un- natural and morbid excitement for what was unreal and sensational and tragic. Mr Williams was led to believe that printing play bills for the theatre was inconsistent with his Christian profession and the diaconal office to which he had been called at the Tabernacle; so the time soon arrived when he refused to be (as he sincerely thought) an instrument in the hands of the devil to extend the kingdom of the prince of the power of the air. At that time Williams was the only printer in Aber- ystwyth. Play bills and posters were wanted, and what could not be done by fair maaiis was done by foul. The piintlug press was got at stealthily and in the person of George Cares- weil, watchmaker, Great Darkgate-street, the theatre men found one ready to work the press, a clever co-adjutor who was not troubled with such scruples. One more remark I ought to make. There is a reference in the play bill of 1818 to the Royal Cardiganshire band. Now, the militia as at present known to us was only estab- lished in our town about the year 1855, and it strikes us as strange when we hear of a militia and a military band in existence more than seventy years ago. Suffice it to say at present that it is common enough to read in old local accounts of gala days, &c. (as e.g. in reports of festivities of St. David's Day) of processions in which the processionists paraded our streets headed by the local military band. A fuller account here would be out of place-it must be reserved for some future paper in this series. [TO BE CONTINUED.]

OUR VARIABLE CLIMATE. The variable climate of our country often gives rise to a variety of ailments and complaints, which assuming at first the form of only a slight indisposi- tion, if neglected and unheeded may become the germ of serious diseases, which will undermine the con- stitution, and finally result in a long and lingering illness, and perhaps terminate fatally. The change- able and unseasonable weather of the past few months makes it incumbent on all persons to exercise wise and prudent precautions to counteract the evil effects which the variable weather we have lately experienced may have upon their health and comfort. Already we frequently hear such complaints as no appetite," these frequent headaches," this languid feeling," and a dozen other expressions which all point to the urgent need of some tonic. Several tonic mixtures are being offered to the public, but none which have been so uniformly successful as Gwilym Evans's Quinine Bitters. It has never been known to fail. Each tablespoonful of this preparation contains a full dose of Quinine and a suitable quantity of the active principles of the following well known medicine herbs :—Sarsaparilla, Gentian, Burdock, Saffron, Lavender and Dandelion, combined in most happy proportions, and concentrated in a pure state, as well as being scientifically prepared to be suitable to'all ages, at all seasons of the year, and forming Tonic Bitters positively unequalled. Above all, see that you get the right article with the name Gwilym Evans's Quinine Bitters are stamp label, and bottle, without which none is genuine. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and the wonderful virtne and unparalleled success of this Great Natural Remedy have caused many to try to imitate them, though without success. Quinine Bitters still hold their place and reputation as the best tonic prepared or ever discovered. Refuse all imitations and insist upon having nothing but Gwilym Evans's Quinine Bitters. Price 2s 9d, double size 4a 6d, cases of three large bottles 12s Gd. Sold by all chemists and vendors of Patent Medicines in the kingdom. Should any difficulty be found in procuring it, write to the proprietors, who will forward it at above prices free per return parcels post to own address. Proprietorll: QUININE BITTERS MANUFAC- TURING Co., LTD., LLA^ELLY, S. WALES.

DPNVIIIIIK'S OLD IRISH WHISKY is recommended by the medical profession in perference to French Brandy. They hold the largest stock ia the world- Supplied in casks and cases for home use and export- ation. Quotations on application to DUNVILLE & C*.| Limited, Royal Irish Distilleries, Belfast.

No notice can be taken of anonymous comm unications Whatever is inten led for insertion must he authen- ticated by the name and addiess of the writer, not necessarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.

LEGENDARY FESTIVALS. — A CORRECTION. TO THE EDITOR OF THE ABERYSTWYTH OBSERVER. Dear Sir,—Will you kindly allow me to correct a little misprint in my letter of last Saturday. In^tciu of water and wine," it should Vvaier and wino. -Yours truly, Nov. m,a, 1890. J. DAVIES.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE ABERYSTWYTH OBSERVER. Sir,-Your readers are aware that this correspond- ence arose in consequence of a letter to the Observer from Mr John Davies finding fault with the respected Vicar of St. Michael's and All Angels for having selected certain hymns from the ordinary hymnal of the church on Holy Cross Day—14th September, which happened to fall on Sunday. Your correspondent asserted that such hymns were highly improper and wrong," not on account of the hymns themselves but because they were applicable and appropriate to the celebration of what he calls a Popish festival." I took exception to this view by referring him to our calendar in the Prayer Book, where the day in question is inserted in characters denoting it as one of the minor festivals." In the absence of any intimation or directions to the con- trary in the prefaces or rubrics in the Prayer Book my contention was that these festivals are unquestion- ably included in the calendar for commemoration and for no other earthly use, because there they are in black and white; and yet your correspondent reiterate in his further letter that they are not only improper, but that it is "illegal and thoroughly illegal to keep them. My reply is That if it is illegal to commemorate them on the specially specified days set down opposite their dates, then that it is illegal and thoroughly illegal to insert them at all; but there they are to all intents and pur- poses, and it rests upon your correspondent to prove their illegality, which he has not yet attempted to do further than by a mere quotation from Wheatley. This author's lame apology for including these 67 Popish festivals is perfectly absurd to the under- standing of readers of history in the present day. Moreover Wheatley contradicts himself. Take for one instance his reference to the Transfiguration (6th Aug.), where he states that the festival of our Lord's transfiguration in the Mount is very ancient. In the Church of Rome indeed it is but of late standing, being instituted by Pope Calixtus in the year 1455." Now this day has been observed in the Greek, British and other apostolical churches for upwards of 1,400 years, and its institution had nothing to do with Popery. Why therefore call it a Popish festival ? St David's day has been cele- brated in Wales since 640, but it was some 600 years afterwards that he was adopted into the calendar of the Roman Church. St David's day was never adopted into our calendar for the sake of custom, but Welsh customs from immemorial ages have adapted themselves to St David's day because he was a Welshman and an honour to our nation as the most learned, eloquent, and celebrated saint who ever lived. Likewise St Crispin's day was not invented for the sake of shoemakers, but the shoe- makers adopted the brothers Crispinus and Crispinius as their patron saints ever since the time of their martyrdom, 308; long before Popery. And for what reason? Let Wheatley answer: "Because "while travelling in France about 303 in order to propagate the Christian faith they WQ-^U (like St Paul) not be chargeable to othero for their maintenance, but exercised the t:õ.èe of shoemakers." Popish festivals indeed.» Where was Popery then before the con- version of Constantine ? Time and space will not allow me to proceed to show that the other saints mentioned in oar calendar to be commemorated were not all Popish saints, and their festivals not Popish festivals. Some of them are the names of saints and martyrs to whom our Church is only less indebted than to the holy apostles themselves. With regard to the high festivals or red letter days, they are distinguished by special services, and are all in oelebration of the most important scriptural events, apostles, martyrs, saints and angels recorded ia the I >nv TIIM.. RT'-E put ex.-iotly on fhe same- 'T: tus as to sacredness as Sunday, and are thus to be k -pt holy. bemgo compulsory by canon law to be observed. But the minor festivals are not compulsory and accounted as holy days in the same sense, being merely commemorative, and as such it is as perfectly legal and highly commendable to keep them as it is to hold any special services, and I still await your correspondent's proof to the contrary. What would be the result, I ask, to the clergy of all the churches throughout the country that are dedicated to St. Albin, St. George, St. Clement, St. David, St. Catherine, &c., i their annual deoi.„»tion services on. the appointed days thoroughly illegal? Daily Services are appointed to be held in churches, and therefore the ordinary morning and evening prayers are directed to be paid. These days must of necessity include the saints' days which the calendar enumerates, and it does so on purpose to enable the worshippers to keep the events, martyrs, saints and their lives in mind during the prayers. That I must maintain until the calendar is abolished. We profess to believe in the "communion of saints," I should very much like to know what your correspondent means by that, and how on earth can he possibly explain and reconcile that most important and com-, forting doctrine with the assertion that it is highly improper, thoroughly illegal and Popish to hold suvk communion in the Church ? Your correspondent asks me why these minor festivals are wholly absent from the first and second Prayer Book of Edward VI ? My opinion from what I have read is That Henry VIII. having already robbed the poor of their patrimony, his successor's advisers and guardians who had received a srood. portion of the plunder proceeded to rob them oi their religion and the privileges attached to it. They commenced feeling their way by discarding the saints from the calendar, intending to proceed further by degrees. The peopie had already seen their monas- teries, their chief resources, ruthlessly destroyed and spoliated, and the country impoverished in every way. This they regarded with amazement and help- lessness. But when, after raining their temporal circumstances, the hand of the despoilers comm-nced to deprive them of their religion and future hopes, the people began to awake to th.- awful reality that surrounded them, and could not and would not suffer it. So commotions and insurrections arose in various parts of the kingdom. Peace w.is restored in the reign of Mary, and her successor Elizabeth was so wise and politic as to leave the people to enjoy as much of their religious privileges as the present Prayer Book and calendar disclose. With regard to the alleged Popish practices at St. Michael's what I meant aud did say was That I did not believe Mr Protheroe was so unwise as to pretend to perform a miracle when consecrating the boy communion. One thing is perfectly certain, that the elements are not viewed by Churchmen of any school as being the same in character after consecration as they were before. Whether that change of character involves a miracle or not I feel sure our Vicar does not assume to perform it. In this connection I can- not help quoting one of the most apposite and best siyings attributed rightly or wrongly to Queen Elizabeth: Christ was the Word and spake it, He took the bread and brake it, And what the Word did make t, That I believe and take it." Touching the objection raised to my using the word "altar" instead of "taMe," I consider it frivolous and a play upon words, because the surface of the altar and the bread and wine—the entertain- ment npon it is The Lord's Table." "Altar" is the place where the communion is held," The II Lord's table," altar," "altrtr table," and" com- munion table," are used interchangeably and as synonymous In the coronation service the word "altar" alone is used. The word "altar" is used by the writer of the Epistle to th- Hebrews, and by St. John in his book of Revelation. The word altar alone is used during the first four centuries., I leave aside your correspondent's disparaging reference to myself. They do not hurt or intimidate me in the least. I thank your fearless correspondent, British Catholic," for his favourable reference to my first attempt to vindicate the character of our calendar from the contempt attempted to be thrown upon it, and for taking up the consideration of the repulsive characters and friehtful acts of Henry VIII., Archbishop Cranmer, Queen Elizabeth, and their co-adjutors. We have been most agrcgiously misled from our youth up with regard to them, and it is high tima that we should be disillusioned, and Sylwedydd" as well. Him I would beg to remind that thoneh God may and does over-rule the bad actions of bad men towards His own good and infinite purposes, yet that does not justify us in admiring and exalting such actors. Theirs were not the Lives of great men to remind us We can make our lives sublime, And when parting leave behind us, Footprints on the sands of Time." —Yeurs respectfully, CHURCHMAN.

CURE OF ASTHMATIC COUGH, at the age of 85, by Dr LOCOCK'S PULMONIC WAFERS. —■ William Taylor, The Cape, Smethwick, aged 85, Bays he for many years suffered from a husky, asthmatical cough. To get rest at night was almost out of the question, although he tried many things; but for the last four years, since he commenoed taking the Wafers, he can insure a good night's rest, &c. Witness, R. Brown, Chemist, 55, Spring-hill, Bir- mingham." Dr Locock's wafers instantly relieve, and rapidly cure asthma, consumption, coughs, colds, bronchitis, rheumatism, all nervous complaints, and taste pleasantly. Sold by all druggists at Is lid and 2s 9d per box. N 'J.I!.?? I liCBING ECZEMA ^TOLERABLE ITCHING ECZEMA NTOLERABLE ITCH TNG ECZEMA I was ia a st:lte of misery, CJIHSCU by the intense itching which I had in my arms, legs, and feet. The irritation became unbearahie. I went to a doctor, who prescribed for me, and I remained under his care for months, but he made me no better. I felt per- fectly miserable, and my friends remarked on my dole- ful appearance. I procured the CPTICCRA REMEDIES, used them as directed, and immediately found myself far better. The CimcuitA aatjd in a most wonderful way upon my skin, stopping at once the intolerable itching from which I was Hulferiug, and made my skiu as smooth and soft as that of a little child in perfect health. At the present time I am a king to what I was before I took the OUTICUBA REMEDIES, and now take a pleasure in my work and hom" duties, which I could not feel while suffering from the painful itchinsr which the doctor said wa» ec/.ema. Th'us has now allgoae. E. G.\GE, Fowler Read, Korast Gate, s! J IMBS COVERED WITH. SOH128 L UIBS COVERED WITH SOL-S Last summer my little boy d by his hack breaking out all over in i.aachw. Tliey were very much inflamed, and irritated hi;n 1 :l:lt he CGuL! get no rest. Your OCTICTIKA MSMKOUSS entirely cured him in a very short cms, :10<1 he hi1s never been troubled since. 1 have 'Bdl the OUTICURA REME- DIES on a little boy who puffered v/ith eczema and had sores come on his L-g. which refused to heal by any remedy until I used the OUTICCUA REMEDIES, which speedily cured him. E. F. JTCFFERY Shsldwich I^ayershattu Every disease of the skin, and scalp, from infancy to age, wh-^uer itching, burning, bleeding, scaly, crusted, pimply, blotchy, or scrofulous, with loss o £ t.air, is speedily,permane.utly, atid economically tared by CUTICURA RKJIKDIES, consisting of CUTI- CURA, the great skin cure, CITTICUI-I SOAP, an ex- quisite skin beautifier, and OCTTK-TTJSA RESOLVENT, the greatest of humour remedies, vliea physicians, hos- pitals, and all other remedies fail. Sold by all chemists. Price: CCTICCKA, 2S. M.; RESOLVENT, 4s. M.; ;<>■; or riv. set, post free, for 7s. 9d., of F. NEWBKBY a Sons, 1, King Kdward-st., Newgate-st., London, E. C., depot for Potter Drug and Chemical Corporation. Seud for How to Cure Skin and Blood Diseases." 6! pages, fully illustrated. PIMPLES, blotches, hlackhcaciic<, red, rough, chapped, and oily skin, prevented by CVTICCKA SoAr. 0URED BY CUTICURA REMEDIES CURED BY CUTICURA REMEDIES CURED BY CUTICURA REMEDIES

THE STORM. THE LINNET, OF ABERAYRON. GALLANT RESCUE. DEATH FROM EXPOSURE. [By OUR LLANFAIRFECHAN CORRESPONDENT.] Since the loss of the Royal Charter, in the year 1859, nearMoelfre, scarcely have these parts been visited by a severer storm than that which prevailed on Thursday and Friday of last week, and the wrecks strewing the coast in all directions, together with the tales of suffering and sorrow consequent thereon testify, alas too faithfully to its intensity. Incited it is seldom our lot to listen to a more touching- and heart-rending account than that related by the surviving crew of one of the vessels wrecked. The smack Linnet, of Aberayron, commanded by Capt Abraham Thomas, with a general cargo, .bound from Liverpool to that port, was caught by the gale on Thursday, and encoun- tered a heavy sea. Besides the captain, thg crew consisted of the mate. Abraham John Lloyd, and Jerkin Jones, a lad of twelve years of age, all from Aberayron. Having reached Traethcooh Bay, not far from the scene of the wreck of the Royal Charter, all fceit g- in an exhausted state through cold and wet, they cast an anchor; but such was the force of the wind that the vessel broke loose and drifted towards Puffin Island. About eight o'clock on Friday morning she was seen from Llanfairfechan to be in distress, and distant about three miles, in the direction of Beaumaris. Immediately Captain Rice Hughes, bathing machine pro- proprietor, and P. C. Pugh, volunteered their services, and at once proceeded to the scene of the wreck. At about eleven they reacbed the smack Ina Lass, which had drifted also from the other side of Puffin Island, and had been there from two o'clock in the morning. The crew, consisting of two men, were in a most deplorable state, and offered their boat for the rescuers, but could render no assistance themselves. A channel ran between the two vessels, and after attempting to cross the same Hughes and Pugh had to return for the boat from the Ina Lass, and with the assistance of two other men succeeded in lowering it, and then had to push it against a tremendous sea for the distance of about 300 yards, until they got into deep water. Having pulled up for about 200 yards they were able to get a view of the vessel, which lay on its side with the water running over it. They discovered two jnen and a boy in the rigging. The former they found partly conscious, but the poor boy had succumbed to the cold and exposure of that dreadful night. The two men were con- veyed on board the Iria Lass, where restoratives were used, and subsequently they were taken to the Bulkeley Arms Hotel, Aber, where every possible attention was paid to them. Too much praise indeed cannot be ascribed to Mr and Mrs Davies for their kind treatment and general courtesy throughout. An inquest was held there on Saturday evening upon the body of Jenkin Jones, oefore Mr J. H. Roberts, coroner, and a jury, of which Mr D. Williams, agent, Madryn Farm, was the fore- man, when a verdict was returned in accord- ance with the above facts. In an interview that our correspondent had with the captain, he elicited the following additional particulars :—The storm raged with unabated fury from one o'clock in the morning for some hours, the sea washing over and threatening to sweep all before it. After some time after the boy was lashed to the rigging, and in about two hours, in response to his heartrending cries for help, and the storm having somewhat abated, he was released, and for an hour was carefully nursed by the mate. He was orce more lashed to the rigging, close to the mate, as being the only chance of saving his life, and his cries during that night of suffering were most pitiful until at about six o'clock they ceased, death having at last come to his relief. There is little doubt that had it not been for the timely rescue of the two men by Messrs Hughes and Pugh they also must have shared the fate of their young companion. It is to be hoped their services will not be allowed to go un- requited. The remains of the boy, who was the son of Capt Evan Jones, Victoria-street, Aberayron, were taken home, on Monday, via Aberystwyth, and were interred in Henfynyw churchyard. The Linnet belonged to Mr Francis Evans. The Ina Lass belongs to New Quay.

THE ELLEN BEATRICE ASHORE AT WORKINGTON. GALLANT RESCUE. 1 During Thursday afternoon of last week a heavy gale from the southward sprang up and towards evening freshened till it blew with hurricane fury. It was accompanied by torrents of rain, and the sea got up rapidly, breaking on the shore with terrific force. The Workington lifeboat crew and the rocket brigade were on the alert, and shortly after ■- five o'clock signals of distress were observed off the harbour. The crews of the lifeboat and the rocket apparatus were summoned, and preparations made for rescuing the crew r te a schooner which was driven ashore on the "orth Bank whilst making for the harbour. I -3 tug Rocklight went out to the assistance he vessel, but owing to the shallowness of water she could not get near enough to a, ler help. The lifeboat next went out and n-< e towards the stranded vessel. The breakers at the pier head were terrific, and after an attempt the boat was forced to return. The lifeboat was commanded by second cox- swain Harcus, and in conjunction with the steam tug a second effort was made to reach the ship, by means of a hawser from the tug, by the aid of which the lifeboat was to be towed away towards the distressed vessel. This expedient was found impracticable by reason of the terrific sea and the want of length of rope, and the lifeboat returned to the station. At this time the screams of the men for help could be distinctly heard, though the darkness was so intense that it was only by the use of a light that the whereabouts of the vessel could be seen. The huge seas were sweeping her from stem to stern, and the crew must have suffered greatly. With the return of the lifeboat from the fruitless errand some dissatisfaction was expressed. The rocket brigade then got ready for an attempt to rescue the men. The brigade mustered twelve members, under Captain Grice, Lieu- tenants Cowan and Larkin, and Mr Secretary iilackwell. Two rockets were discharged from the pier, the second of which fell over the vessel. No use was made of this line by those on board, and from subsequent enquiries this was owing to one of the crew who went forward with a torch to look for the line falling, and the torch being extinguished by the seas breaking on board, the line was not discovered, though it was lying across the bowsprit of the vessel. Seeing that more effective assistance could be rendered from the beach at the north side of the harbour, Captain Grice ordered the brigade to proceed thither. Horses, supplied by Mr Howieson of the Green Dragon Hotel, were in readiness, and the rocket cart and men were transported around by Workington Bridge, a distance of about three miles, to gain a place only a stone's throw from where the brigade were stationed on the south side of the river. On arriving at the north beach four rockets were ignited, and wreck lights burn^ but although a line was l >i'^ over the vessel no response CG'uiu be got from the crew, and for a time the rocket brigade were puzzled, not knowing what to do. It was thought that as the tide was receding the men found that they could hang on till the vessel was left dry, but after some delay the whip line was hauled on board and made fast. It was only the work of a few minutes then for the rocket brigade to fetch off the crew by means of the breeches buoy, though the labour and danger were considerable, Capt Grice, Lieuts. Cowan and Larkin, and Mr Blackwell and Mr Whitaker, of the Custom House, frequently being up to the middle in the surf hauling upon the lines. The captain of the vessel, two men-one of whom was nearly 70 years of age-and a boy were safely landed, but in L, I y a very exhausted condition. The men were taken charge of by Captain Vaughan, who made them comfortable till the tide would permit of their getting their clothes and belongings from the vessel. The men of the brigade and the public who were present all worked nobly in the face of one of the heaviest gales in their efforts to save life, and the brigade thank those who assisted for their help, which was of very material assistance, as the strain upon the ropes by the surf was very heavy. The schooner was the Ellen Beatrice, of Aberystwytb, Captain R. D. Jones, from Pembrey, 78 tons register, bound for Workington with a cargo of fire bricks. The line placed over the vessel from the pier by the rocket brigade was intended to assist the lifeboat in getting to the vessel, but it was not taken advantage of by the crew on the stranded ship. The crew were Capt William Owen, North- parade. owner, Capt R. D. Jones, Ship- builder's-row, his son-in-law, Mr Thomas Williams, Chalybeate-terrace, and Captain Jones' son, Thomas Oliver Jones, a lad. The vessel was got off the beach and taken into Workington harbour on Monday. The reamer Africa, from London to Naples, reports that nD October 28th, in 49 24 N., 3 45 W., she fell in with the brig Ceredig, of New Quay, port of Aberystwyth, on fire and abandoned. She was afterwards seen to founder. The Agnes Fraser, belonging to Mrs Doughton, Seaview-place, lost her anchors in the storm of Thursday week in Moelfre Bay, but was afterwards able to get into Beaumaris. The owner's son, Capt Evan Doughton, is the master. The Sabrina, owned by Mr David Rees, Bortb, but registered at Portmadoc, has been damaged in the Shannon.

TOTAL LOSS OF A BRITISH WARSHIP. LOSS OF 180 LIVES. The British Cruiser Serpent has been lost, with all hands except three, at Camarinas, on the Northwest coast of Spain. She was a new vessel, and only left Devonport, for the west coast of Africa, on Saturday. The vessel had been driven out of her course by the storm, and struck on outlying rocks in a fog.

CARDIGAN. MAYOR.—Mr David Davies, Bonded Siores, was on Monday elected to the civic chair of the ancient borough of Cardigan. LLANDOVERY. The new mayor of this town is Mr Jonah Watkins, banker, who is the son of the late Mr J. Watkins who carried on the business of draper in the town. Mr Watkins is also a brother of the late Rev W. Watkins, M.A„ who at one time was warden of the Llandovery College. MACHYNLLETH. THEARICAL.—Mr Rothbury Evans' talented com- pany played The World against her," and Judge Not," on Monday and Tuesday to appreciative audiences at the Town Hall. NEWTOWN; THEATRICAL.—Mr Hothbury Evans' excellent com- pany, who has been so successful in its tenr through this part of the principality, gave iperformances this week at Machynlleth and Dolgelley, and on Monday evening will commence a weeks' stay at Newtown.

PETER IT IS ALMOST BEDTIME." "Gentlemen. I am. ninety years old. In the course of nature I must soon depart Of late it has often seemed to me I could hear my mother's voice speaking as when I was a boy, and saying, Come, Peter, it is almost bedtime." At a dinner given in his honour a few weeks before his death, Peter Cooper, the great American philan- thropist, used the above touching words. Pain and suffering sometimes wring from human lips such cries as these Ob, how I wish I were dead I envy those who have got through with this world-and with all its sorrow and misery." Disease makes them talk so. Relieve the pain, cure the torturing ailment, and they enjoy life once more as God intended they should. Four or five years ago a Canadian woman said to her family, How I wish I might die." They recei, ed her remark in si'once, for they agreed that death alone could deliver her. We can do no more than to hint at what had brought her to this pass. It was the old story the great and mysterious change from high health to weakness and illness up to that date she bad been strong and robust. Life bad been pleasent to her, and the idea of losing it was replusive and repellent, as it is to all sound minds in sound bodies. Then came the vrintsr of her discontent. Her head got in the habit of aching a curious and nauseous taste came into her month; the clear white skin turned a yellow or copper-like hue, and she became dull, stupid, and careless about her home duties and affairs, She was often seized with spells of vomit- ing, and her bowels were costive and irregular. Hitherto this once vigorous woman hardly knew she possessed such an orgau as a heart, its beat was so steady, quiet, and true. Now, however, she became aware .of it in a way that frightened her. Her heart burned and palpitated at times so violently she could scarcely catch her breath. Her appetite failed, and the nerves broke down from want of nourishment. She grew so sensitive to sound and noise that she could not endure the ordinary talk of other members of the family. A few steps further on this road, and the patient usually reaches a condition bordering on insanity. But this was a sequence and symptom- not the disease itself. In attempting to walk. the poor lady would reel and stagger as though the floor of her room was the deck of a ship at sea. Her flesh withered away, and left her thin and emaciated. For months she obtained no sleep except under the influence of a narcotic. Her hands and feet were cold owing to the feeble circulation of the blood. The mind was, of course, affected by the state of the body, she was melancholy and low-spirited, and fears were in the way." Indeed the entire complex being—body and mind—was failing and wasting for the simplest and plainest of all possible reasons, she could not retain and digest her food. It is no more than fair to say that she had the benefit of the best medical attention that could be procured. In fact, we are by no means sure that any doctor or doctors in the world could have done more for this unhappy woman than was done by the professional gentlemen who from time to time had charge of the ease. Yet they themselves admitted that their labours were without avail. It seemed to them that, as the French cynic said, a long church- yard sleep" would be the only rest and remedy worth praying for or expecting. Matters were in this dismal shape — when she heard one day of a medicine that was said to have accomplished results quite as surprising as her own restoration to health would certainly be. Without saying a. word to her physician as to her intention, she sent to the nearest large town for a bottle, and began using it secretly. The effect followed so quickly after its use, that she could hardly credit her own sensations. The immediate good results were twofold—She could sleep without the help of drugs, and felt the return of a healthy natural appetite. The body at once felt the impulse of nourishment, as the food was no longer thrown up, but was accepted by the stomach and digested. This seemed to answer the question, What shall I do?" Feeling confident what the end would be, she notified her physican that she meant to treat her own case for a. while, at least, and then sent for several bottles more. She continued the new remedy throughout the whole of the succeeding winter, and with the return of spring, her health and strength returned. The birds sang not half so sweetly, among the blossoms as joy sang in this rescued woman's beart-Her complaint had been an obstinate attack of indigestion and dyspepsia, and the victorious medicine was Mother Seigel's Curative Syrup. We shall be glad to send this lady's name and address to any one who desires to verify this state- ment she is now about sixty-five years of age, and enjoys her life too much to wish to leave it before kindly nature's distant bedtime.

LEGENDARY FESTIVALS. TO THE EDJTOH OF THE ABERYSTWYTH OBSERVER. DEAR Sm,—If I shall not be trespassing too much ou your valuable space, might I be allowed to make a few remarks in reply to Mr J. Davies' last letter. In a most remarkable jumble of fact alid fiction Mr Davies asserts that Klizabeth was-not a usurper, and that the Bishops (mark the plural) did not refuse to crown her, &c. The facts are simply these. Henry VIII. was legally married to Catherine of Arragon, and was never legally divorced. Never- theless in a most tyrannical manner he put her aside and took Anne Boleyn to be a kind of Morganatic wife. She could not be his legal wife, as Catherine was living and undivorced. Now of necessity Anne's offspring, Elizabeth, was illegitimate, and according to English law she could not succeed to the throne legally, hence she was a usurper. Atter Henry grew tired of Anne Boleyn an act of Parliament was passed to cortfirni the illegality of her marriage, and to assert the illegitimacy of her child the Saintly Elizabeth, and, to crown all, Mr Davies' brave, manly, blessed" and Bible-printing Cranmer waited upon poor Ann- whom he had only a short time previously lauded to the skies, and whose mar- riage he had himself announced to be good and valid, and in her gloomy prison in the Tower announced to her himself that her marriage was now "nullai-.d void." So much for Elizabeth's claim to legitimacy, and so much too for Mr Davies' blessing in the hands -of Providence" Cranmer! It is true that Elizabeth ascended the throne amid the applause of the nation, but simply because there was no other lawful claimant old enough and near enough t,) eon- test it with her. Mary of Scotland was the real heiress, but she was at the time a mere child, and married to the Dauphin of France, so that it was quite out of the question to think of her. That Elizabeth was quite aware of the weakness of her own claim we know from the fact of her persistent jealousy and hatred of poor, unfortunate Mary, and she never felt herself secure upon the throne till she had dibbled her hands in Mary's life-blood. Again Mr Davies asserts that Elizabeth was acknowledged and crowned by the Bishops. This is simply untrue. For a long time all the Bishops refused to have any- thing to do with her coronation, till by bribes and threats one of them. Oglethrope, Bishop of Carlisle, was induced to perform the ceremony. The only in- stance I think in English history of any other than an Archbishop performing the coronation ceremony. Afterwards the whole Episcopol bench, with the solitary exception of the Bishop of Llandaff, refused the oath of supremacy, and were turned out of their sees. To show the true character of this reformation heroine, Elizabeth, we have but to consider for a moment that though fully intending to overthrow the old faith of the country, she yet swore a solemn oath at her coronation to defend and main; ain it, and for the first month or two of her reign heard mass and publicly attended all the services of that faith, till it served her purpose to desert and persecute that which she had solemnly promised before God to maintain. I earnestly ask Mr Davies if he can for a single moment think that providence, as he glibby asserts, bad anything to do with such men and women as Cranmer and Elizabeth. No. The great, pure, truth-loving God must hate and detest such infamy and double dealing as they were guilty of. No good can have come from such polluted sources. If it had been necessary for England's salvation that religion must be reformed and bibles printed God would have raised up a better and more fitting instrument than Cranmer. I cannot bear to think that anyone would so insult the great God's purity and goodness as to think that he could chpose such traitors and liars to work out any of his purposes. Mr Davies also alludes to the usurpation for a few days of the unwilling and innocent Lady Jane Gray. Instead of strengthening this weakens his cause, for if Lady Jane, or her partisans, contested Mary's claim, they in an equal manner passed over Elizabeth's claim as she was, as Mr Davies says, her sister. Edward VI gives as his reason for passing over his sisters, the fact that they were both illegitimate. As to the relative amount of cruelty in the reigns of Mary and Elizabeth, Mr Davies must remember that many of those put to death in the reign of Mary suffered as much for their politics as for their religion, and if we consider the frightful persecutions of the poor Jesuits and unoffending Catholics by Elizabeth, and her barbarous murder of her own cousin, Queen Mary of Scots, simply through jealousy, and the murder of her favourite Essex and others, w e must conclude, as I said ibefore, that in comparison with Elizabeth, "Mary was an angel of light." If no other good has come of this contro- versy it has evidently taught Mr Davies to speak with more charity and respect of his feilow Christians, as I find no snch virulent abuse of the Catholics as were to be read in his former letters.- Obediently yours, BRITISH CATHOLIC. N.B.—I see there is some reference to my remaks about Cranmer, in the Welsh notes by Sylwedydd," but I regret to say that I am not sufficiently a Welsh scholar to be able to understand it. [ This correspondence must now draw to a close.- Editor.j

MARRIAGE REJOICINGS TN MONTGOMERY- SHIRE. On Tuesday of last week, Lord Powis gave a banquet to the whole of his tenantry, numbering nearly 400, at the Town Hall, Welshpool, to celebrate the marriage of the heir to the title, Mr George C. Herbert, with the Hon. Violet Lane-Fox, which recently took place. Lord Powis presided at the luncheon, and there were present a large number of guests from Powis Castle in addition to the tenantry, ineluding Mr and Mrs George C. Herbert, the Dean of Hereford, Major-General W. H. Herbert, Major E. W. Herbert, Ac. Mr T. Farmer, of Winsbury, as the oldest tenant on the estate, presented Mr and Mrs Herbert with an address, a pair of silver candelabra, and a dozen and a half silver fish knives and forks, all bearing suitable inscriptions. The toast of Mr and Mrs Herbert's health was drank, and also that of the Earl of Powis.