Page 237 - Reading Mercury

anticipated) an admirable one. It was delivered quite extemporally, in that graceful
and expressive style for which Mrs. Balfour is so justly celebrated. Mrs. Balfour
commenced by noticing the prejudice which, in ancient times, existed so strongly as
to entirely exclude females from the throne, which rule being gradually relaxed was
the means of showing that the reins of government could be safely entrusted to female
keeping, and in some instances, as cited by the lecturer, countries had advanced more
rapidly in greatness and power whilst under the sovereignty of females than at any
other period. On this occasion Mrs. Balfour selected, as illustrations of her subject,
James I, of Naples, Isabella of Castile, Elizabeth of England, and Mary of Scotland,
giving a most interesting epitome of the principal events which marked the history of
each of them, neither screening their faults nor unduly lavishing praise upon them.
Mrs. B’s remarks proved that she had carefully studied her subject, and evinced,
throughout, much historical research. At the close of the lecture the President, J.L.
Roberts, Esq., stated that this lecture was deemed by Mrs. Balfour to be only the first
half of the subject, which she generally furnished in two lectures, whereupon the
Honorary Secretary, Mr. Garrett, announced the wish of the Committee that Mrs.
Balfour should favour the members of the institution, at her earliest convenience, with
the concluding part.—a proposition which was received with the greatest enthusiasm
by the audience, who are anxious to hear a continuance of such an interesting address.

st
Sat 21 Feb
PASSING A FORGED BANK NOTE
th
A man and a woman called at a grocer’s shop in this town on Thursday, the 17
instant, and purchased goods to the amount of £3 7s., in payment of which they gave a
Bank of England note for £5, receiving the change in money. The goods were sent to
the railway station, and the parties left by the south Eastern train at 6.15 in the
evening, in a first class carriage. The note, on being presented at a bank on the
following Saturday, was at once detected to be forged, and is now in the possession of
the Superintendent of Police here, who will be glad to hear any tidings of the
delinquents who passed it. The man is about 45 years of age, tall, pale thin face, small
dark whiskers, and agreeable in his manner. The woman wore a white straw bonnet,
with black veil.

th
Sat 18 April
ELECTION OF ALDERMAN
On Easter Wednesday, according to ancient custom, the members of the
Corporation attended divine service in our Parish Church, and then met in the
Council Chamber, to choose an Alderman chief magistrate for the ensuing year, in the
room of Mr. William Heelas, whose term of office expired on that day, when the
unanimous choice of the Council fell on Mr. E. Dalley, who was thereupon elected to
this honourable office.

TOWN SESSIONS
th
Our town sessions are appointed to be held on Friday next, the 24 inst., before
George Clive, Esq., M.P., recorder, and the town justices; but we are pleased to say
that at present the calendar is a blank, and therefore the business will be a mere
matter of routine.

FOWL MARKET

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