1799. WILLIAM SEWARD, an English antiquary, died. He was the son of a brewer, and being possessed of a competency devoted himself to literature. He published 7 volumes of anecdotes and notices of distinguished characters, compiled from scarce and curious books. 1799. PETER AUGUSTIN CARON DE BEAUMARCHAIS, a French dramatist, died. He was a watchmaker, and made some improvement in the escapement of a watch. His dramas are numerous, and some of them still popular. 1814. The British army took the city of Washington by surprise, and burnt the public buildings. The library of congress consisting of 3000 volumes of rare books was destroyed. 1824. RICHARD PAYNE, died at London; an eminent Greek scholar and antiquary. 1841. GEORGE BAXTER, one of the most eminent of Presbyterian ministers, died at his residence in Virginia, aged 77. 1856. The sheriff of Kansas, who had been engaged in arresting some Free State men, as they were termed, was shot while sitting in his tent. APRIL 25. 68. Saint MARK, the evangelist, died at Alexandria. 1199. JOHN, the 6th son of Henry II of England, seized the treasures of his late father, preparatory to taking possession of his throne and dukedom. 1284. EDWARD II born at Caernarvon, and styled the _prince of Wales_, the first who received that appellation. 1342. BENEDICT XII (James de Nouveau, _the baker_), died. When elected, unanimously, by the cardinals, pope of Rome, he had so little confidence in himself that he told them they had chosen an ass. His conduct, however, was firm and dignified, and gained him universal respect. 1513. EDWARD HOWARD, an English admiral, celebrated for his bravery, killed in an action with a French ship. 1520. FERDINAND MAGELLAN, the Portuguese navigator killed in one of the Phillipine islands, fighting for the king of the country, who had become his ally. Of all his fleet, only one ship and 18 men returned to Spain, from whence the expedition sailed. 1536. Conflagration of mount Ætna, which overwhelmed the church of St. Leon, and the physician Piazzi. 1576. Treaty between Holland and Zealand, being the two first provinces that united for their liberty. William of Nassau, prince of Orange, drew up the treaty, and may be considered as the founder of the United Provinces. 1595. TORQUATO TASSO, an illustrious Italian poet, died. He was excellent in every kind of composition, but the _Jerusalem Delivered_ procured him the offer of the laurel crown. He expired on the day appointed for the coronation. 1636. JAMES HAY, earl of Carlisle, died. He was the first Scotchman raised to the English peerage, and was employed by James I in various embassies. 1660. HENRY HAMMOND, an English divine, died. He published a commentary on the New Testament; and began a paraphrase and commentary on the Old Testament, which he did not live to finish. 1671. The city of Oxford, England, nearly destroyed by a great fire.