The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-02-14 00:00:00

THE POLAR STAR. THotT radiant star, That loolest down, with glance so calm and bright, From the pure azure depths of Heaven afar, Pouring thy gentle light. Thou'rt like a king, Sitting so high upon the vault of Heaven, And looking kindly down on everything— Thoaand the glorious seven. How bright art thou! To the lone sailor in the raging storm, When the fierce waves dash o'er his vessel's prow, And bathe his shrinking form. He lifts his eye To thee, thou gentle, kind, and faithful guide, And, coming from thy radiant throne on high, Peace gilds the raging tide. He blesses thee, When guided by the light he nears the shore, And when with beating heart he hbpes to see His well-beloved once more. In deserts wild, now gladly turns the traveller to thee— How often has the weary wanderer smiled Thy friendly light to see! non faithful guide! Where is the man whom thou bast led astray, Who in the desert or the foaming tide Inquired of thee the way? The evening star, That like the queen sits throned in the Nast, Shines with a light more fair and radiant far On the blue Heaven's breast. But her soft light Shelters itself behind the western hills ; Nor on the sable mantle of the night Her radiance she distills. But thou, like one of distress more memorable to himself and his parishioners than any " quale-quare-quiditive" case that had probably ever perplexed his learning. The latter portion of this volume abounds in anecdotes and sweet descriptive sketches to such an extent as makes us grumble sadly at the loss of space devoted to the opening scenes. Remarks on Malignant Cancer, and a Remedy for the Disease. By. J. Pattison, M.D. London : J. J. Guillaume. The small pamphlet, of which the above is the title, is one devoted, in some degree, to a con sideration of the means of curing cancer, and a host of other diseases usually classed under the name of cancerours and scrofulous maladies, without the use of the knife or of caustic applica tions. His treatment consists in the use of a vegetable remedy, the precise nature of which he does not indicate. He complains, however, appar ently not without cause, that the medical profession look coldly, or even adversely, upon his mode of practice, and throw obstacles in the way of his being allowed to introduce his remedy. In con solation for this unfriendliness, he has the reflection that the established practitionprs of the respective dates obstinately opposed Harvey, in his theory of sanguineous circulation—Jenner, in his discovery of the value of vaccination—Hunter's views on in flammatory action—and a host of other well known instances. He backs the efficacy of his remedy by a numerous list of cases in which its success has been complete ; and, on the strength of these, maintains his claim to a fair trial. The observa tions put forth by him are temperately written, and, from all we can see, little ground can exist for not granting him that trial which he so earnestly desires. Chambers' journal. London : Chambers. Placed on the watch by him he must obey, Dost never, till the appointed time is done, Refuie to watch and stay. After an unexampled success of more than twenty years, a career which has never been at tained by any periodical professing to be cheap, the long-known and well-appreciated Chambers' Edinburgh Journal has changed its title, by dropping the name of the city where it was ori ginally published, and, in some respects, changed its features. Retaining. those which were the most valued, it has the addition of a story, continued in successive numbers, the first being entitled " Weary-foot Common," by Leitch Ritchie, an author who, some years since, was far more before the public eye than he has been of late ; another new feature is a monthly article on science and the arts, and another on the library and studio. Some difference of opinion may exist as to whether the changes are improvements, but we should think the majority of readers would give their verdict in their favour. The part just published contains some interesting articles, of which we may men tion, "Music in Large Buildings," "There is Gold in England," " The Little People of our Great Towns," and " Relations not Acquaintances." Thou watchful star, For ever gazing from thy station high, While, Mounted each upon his silver car, The planets roam the sky; Thy changeless light Revives, directs, and blesses every soul That looks for guidance to thy radiance bright, When night surrounds the pole. REVIEWS OF BOOKS. Autobiographic Sketches. By Thomas de Quincey. Edinburgh: James Hogg. Few men of the present day, whose profession has been merely literary, have occupied so large a portion of the world's concern as Thomas de Quincey. ' It is many long years since the. " Con fessions of an English Opium Eater" gained for their author a notoriety almost equivalent to fame ; and more than a quarter of a century has elapsed since an alleged " puppyism" in his name provoked the excitable wrath of Dr. Macg inn to such an extent as to make De Quincey. the subject of a bitter invective. During all that period the author of these sketches 'has been plying his laborious vocation 'of penning essays for the ilurpose of making men wiser and better than they were before he took to teaching them. The success of these toilsome efforts has been variously estimated; some affirming that he has been eminently useful, others maintaining that his labours have been misdirected, and their results negative. Such is inevitably the fate of men who, departing from the common route, lay down a path for their own progress, and ask others to follow them in it. If, however, this be a portion of the penalty attached to noveAeaching, it has advantages of no ordinary order to counterpoise such drawbacks. Members of the intellectual aristocracy, by its means, become familiarised with a name which otherwise might never have reached their knowledge : such fami liarity becomes a passport in their realm, and thus the lucky Wight has secured for himself the chance of a reflected immortality at least. Far be it from ns to hint even that De Quincey owes any of his popularity to such an adventitious source as this. The opening pages of his autobiography are care fully arranged, to show that from early youth he 1 1 was habituated to what is called " good society," and through a large quantity of very dull reading we are instructed in what our author shows to be the usages of parties occupying an exalted station. It may indeed be true, that every one who has spoken with a lord has not been domiciled with a Lord and Lady Massey ; and every youth of sixteen has not had the inestimable luck to be a sort of hobble-de-hoy tutor to a lady of rank and title ; still, we confess our inability to see the real use of wasting sixty or seventy pages of well-printed paper, with an elaborate narrative of the absolute nothingnesses which passed current in that intel lectual (P) circle within whose charmed span our author found such inappreciable joy. Men who have occupied any apace in the literary sphere, must at some time have lived beyond the range of " Laxton 1-Tall," attractive though that residence may have been, and so has Mr. De Quincey. With ' feeling of no ordinary pleasure we bound over that park-wall, and find ourselves in company with Coleridge and Southey, with Wordsworth and with Wilson, albeit Thomas De Quincey is of the party. Where such intellectual giants are, babyism for the time being goes to sleep. Even twaddle about such men is very different twaddle from that which suffices to describe the trim and orderly array of Lord Carberry's stables, or the odd vagaries of an erratic Irish lord. Accordingly the latter por tion of Mr. De Quincey's book is infinitely superior to its opening. The author feels that he has something to do, and ex necessitate does it. Brief and disjointed memoranda of the great " Lake Poets" 'form the staple of the volume, apart from the introductory rubbish which has nearly choked it, and: these notanda are interesting in a high degree ; and although the narration is, indeed, a very tangled maze, beset with disquisition and digression, there are numerous passages of golden worth inwoven in its tissue. He dwells at consi derable length upon the fatal weakness which, in an evil hour, led Coleridge to the use of opium, and adduces numerous instances of its baneful operation in shattering the majestic mind of that great son of song. Only one illustration of this can we. find room for ; it is in reference to a series of lectures on Poetry and the Fine Arts, delivered by Coleridge at the Royal Institution, at which time, says De Quincey, his intellect was entirely prostrated by the use of the pernicious drug. COLERIDGE BOWED BUT NOT BROKEN. Generally speaking, the selections were as injudicious and as inappropriate as they were ill delivered ; for amongst Coleridge's accomplishments, good reading was not one; he had neither voice nor management of voice. However, this defect chiefly concerned immediate impres sion ; the most afflicting to a friend of Coleridge's was the entire absence of his own peculiar and majestic intellect ; no heart, no soul, was in anything he said ; no strength of feeling in recalling universal truths ; no power of originality or compass of moral relations in his novelties — all was a poor faint _reflection from jewels once scattered in the highway by himself, in the prodigality of his early opulence—a mendicant dependance on the alms dropped from his own overflowing treasury of happier times. Of Coleridge's father we have a picture of gro tesque fidelity. He is represented as a man of profound learning, great simplicity of character, and no small amount of oddity. Among other whims to which his good nature prompted him was an endeavour to simplify - the Latin Gramnnar,—a leading featureln which simplification was to do away with the unmeaning name of the accusative case,and substitute it by the more significant one of quale-quare-quiditive, an imjgrovement in the matter he was unable to effect, circumstance for which the first-form boys at our academies must be duly thankful. An illustration of the learned and rev. gentleman's simplicity (he was a clergy man) will be found in the following DINNER-TABLE INCIDENT. Dining in a large party, one day, the modest divine was suddenly shocked by perceiving some part, as he con ceived, of his own snowy shi r t emerging from a p art of his h a biliments, which we will suppose to have been his waist coat. It was not that; but for decorum we will so call it. The stray portion of his own supposed tunic was admo nished of its errors by a forcible thrust back into its pro per home; but still another limbus persisted to emerge, or Seemedito persist, and still another, until the learned gentleman absolutely perspired with the labour of re establishing order. And, after all, he saw with anguish that arrears of the snowy indecorum still remained to reduce into obedience. To this remnant of rebellion he was proceeding to apply himself—strangely confounded, however, at the obstinacY of the insurrection—when the mistress of the house, r ising to lead away the ladies from the table, and all parties naturally rising with her, it be came suddenly apparent to every eye that the worthy Orientalist had been most laboriously stowing away, into the capacious receptacles of his own habiliments—under the delusion that it was his own shirt—the snowy folds of a lady's gown belonging to his next neighbour; and so voluminously, that a very small portion of it, indeed, re mainedfor the lady's own .use; the natural conseq u e n c e o w hich was, of course, that the lady appeare d inextrica bly yoked to the learned theolo g ian, and could not in any way effect her release, until after certain opera tions upon the vicar's dress out of sno w y inazes , and a continued refunding and rolling upon snowy mazes, in quantities which at length proved too much for the gravity of the company. Inextinguishable laughter arose from all parties, except the erring and unhappy doctor, who, in dire PerplexitY, continued still ukht—Perspiring and refunding- - until begh:Arith.dall up the last arrears of his long debt, and thus put an end toacxse The Ulster Journal of .Archceology. Belfast : Archer - and Sons. This, which is the fifth number of the journal, includes a series of papers, creditable alike to the erudition and the industry of the contributors. It opens by lithographed fac-similies of the signa tures of- seventeen of the most remarkable Irish chieftains and English commanders who flourished in Ulster in and about the time of Elizabeth. The lithographed sheets containing their names are accompanied by interesting notes, descriptive of the lives, habits, and achievements of the men. This is followed by a text, copiously annotated, of two ballads on the battle of the Boyne. The bal lads, together with an introductory essay and critical remarks on their style and interest, have been contributed by our townsman, the Rev. Dr. Hume, and bear evidence of his philological acu men. Besides those named, there are other papers of great merit in the numbers, which, taken as a whole, is a highly creditable collection. Novels and Tales. by GOethe. Translated chiefly by R. D. Boylan. London : Henry G. Bohn. The present, which forms a volume of Bohn's Standard Library, consists of the minor works of the great German novelist and philosopher. Its contents are " Elective Affinities ;" " The Sorrows of Young Werther ;" " The Recreations of the German Emigrants ;" " A Fairy Tale ;" " The Good Women ;" and another tale. Among these the " Sorrows of Werther" is unquestionably the work best known in England, that mawkish and unwholesome romance having at one time attained an extensive popularity. The present is a new volume direct from the German, the one previously circulated in this country being only the transla tion of a French translation, and is superior, in being a more direct transcript of the original. The other tales possess much interest, and are finely illustrative of Goethe's peculiar metaphysics. The translations are well and vigorously executed ; and the volume forms a valuable addition to the excel lent collection published under the name of the Standard Library, a series at once combining sterling worth, copiousness, and cheapness. The Universal Library. Part 28. London Nathaniel Cooke. The twenty-eighth part of this handsome and comprehensive series is devoted to the poems and plays of Oliver Goldsmith, and beautifully got up it is. Notwithstanding its extreme cheapness, it is embellished with two highly-finished engravings, and is enriched by a condensed biographical me moir of Goldsmith. The Universal Library stands pre-eminent in even these days of cheap and ele gant reprints, for its general beauty and the low ness of its price. Orr's Circle of the Sciences. Part I. London and Liverpool : W. S. Orr. The first part of this really simple and instruc tive series of treatises is such as to convey an idea of the sterling excellence of the work. Commenc ing with a treatise introductory to natural science, it passes quickly to the subject of physiology, animal and vegetable, the leading facts and prin ciples of which are elucidated with judgment and perspicuity. The mathematical and chemical sci ences are also popularised to such an extent as we had scarcely deemed possible ; and all the subjects treated of are illustrated by well adapted and beau tifully executed diagrams. As a source of never failing interest to youthful readers, we have not met with its superior, and have seldom seen its equal. THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, AND GENERALCOMMERCIAL ADVERTISER. TELLING SPEECHES.—" That was a very good speech," said a friend to Charles James Fox, " but it won't read well " The best speeches seldom do," was the states- ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. man's reply. " People see their shallOwness when the veil of oratory is withdrawn." THE PROSPECTS OP THE BAB.—A briefless barrister is by no means uncommon ; an entire bar without a brief is not so often to be found. Such a circumstance, how ever, occurred at the recent Bath sessions, at which not a single prosecutor or prisoner engaged counsel! Thirteen gentlemen, in wig and gown arrayed, accordingly had nothing to do but to lament their uncheering prospects, or tie up calendars with pink tape to look like briefs.—Bath Journal. TO THE EDITOR OP THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, TIM following appeared as an advertisement in the Sta f fordshire Advertiser :—"MATRIMONY.—To a Lady's to a young Lady of a respectability wishes to change a single Life to a Married Life, young Lady age not over 35 and be welthea of about 500 or from that to 600 hundred pounds and a bout half ove it at the time of the young Lady she is Married, the advertiser is a respectability young Man aged 26 of a Light complexion with Genteel appearance amiable and agreeable disposition, wishes to unite himself to a Lady and he feels confident that he would not be an unacceptionable partner to a Lady desirous of entering upon a Married Life address with full particulars, to the post office Leek till called for, the strictest secrecy may be depended on." MILITARY REVOLITTIONS. — MiIitary treason, Praetorian revolt, even when supported at the time by the voice of a vast majority of the people, can never in the end termi nate in anything but destruction to the cause for which it is undertaken ; and for this plain reason, that being carried into effect by the strongest, it leaves society with out any safeguard against its excesses. This, accordingly, was what took place In Spain; it was the triumph of the revolutionists which, by destroying liberty, rendered in evitable their fall. The Royalist reaction, and desolating civil war to which it gave rise, preceded, not followed, the invasion of the French. It arose from the oppressive measures of the government appointed by the military chiefs who had been the leaders of the revolt. It was Riego, not the Duke d'Angordeme, who was the real murderer of liberty in Spain. It was the same in Eng land. No one supposes that either the Long Parliament or Cromwell were the founders of British Liberty ; what they induced was, the military tyranny which made all sigh for the Restoration. No cause was ever yet advanced by treachery and treason, least of all in the armed de fenders of law and order.—Alisorei History of Europe. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN F OZEIGN AND BRITISII REVO LVTIONISTS.—AIthough these revolutionary movements (the Hunt and Thistlewood movements) were obviously made in pursuance of a common design, and for a common purpose; the agents in them and the parties in each state to which their execution was intrested, were widely dif ferent- In Great Britain they were conducted by the very lowest classes of society ; and although they met with apologists and defenders more frequently than might have been expected in the House of 043111101 W, and from a portion of the press, yet no person of respectability or good education was actually implicate(' in' the' treasonable proceedings: The- whole respectable and influential clan es were ranged' on the other side. But the case - was widely different on the continent. The French revolutionists embraced a Inge portion of the talent, and. by far' the greater part of the- education of the country ;: and it was their concurrence; as the event afterwards proved, which. rendered any insurrectionary movement in that' country as extremely Birmillable. In Spain and Portugal the principal merchants in the seaport towns, the- most re , nowned generaki;. and almost the whole officers- my the' army, were engaged on the revolutionary side, and. their adhesion to its enemies-in the last struggle left thethrone without a defence: In Italy the ardent and generous. , youth, and nearly the-whole educated classes, were-deeply , imbued with liberal': ideas, and willing to run any hazard: to secure their establishment ; and nearly the whole-youth at the German Universities had embraced the same sentil ments, and longed for the period when the Fatherinnd was to take its place air. the first and greatest of represen tative governments. Such is the difference between the action of the revolutionary principle upon a constitutional. and a despotic monarchy r and such the security which the long enjoyment of freed4m, affords for the continuance-oft that blessing to future- times. —Alison's History of Europe. gIR WALTER SCOTT.—Siott had, like Moore, a frank; , - ness , and a freedom in his , . conversation which soared far above• the small jealousies;.-snarling criticisms, and faint praise; which are but too-often exhibited among authors; when speaking of each other. Scott, with a good, soundl understanding, had an open, hearty manner, and, where. his , politics did not interfere; a cordial warmth towards-. his fellbw-men. His chief merits in society were a cheer fur tone, an inexhaustible - memory, and a fund of anec dotes and stories, which he told with strong Scottish humour,.aided by a strong Scottish accent. But, in order to see. Walter Scott at his ease, it was necessary to see him at the head of his own.table, or, at least, in his own country-. When he came VI London, he was stiff and constrained, and seemed alimys apprehensive of remarks which. he should feel bound to-resent. The consequence was, that his London acquaintance were equally con strained with him. But puthim in his own house, sur round him with friends,.and there could not be a more jovial, a more agreeable, or a more unaffected member of society. Like Samuel Johnsen, he pretended to no fine sentiment,. or divine inspiration, which made him an author. Redid his work as , aiworkman, knew the merits and: defeats= of his writings,. and was contented to reap the reward of a , very popular-talent without overrating the intrinsic. value of the article he produced. This wholesome; genial, kind, and. manly disposition is as visible in it , letters as it wasin his intercourse with his neighbours,--Moore's Mentaira, by Lord john Russell. SCOTTI4II: LITERATURE.—At a public dinner, recently given to Sir. E. Bulwer Lyttoaiin Edinburgh, in reference] to the literature of Seotlankiaid :—lf I desired to convey to you some idea of its value. to the society it adorns, I would ask you to compare it for one moment with the contemporaneous literaturecf France. When in the last' century theehilling and comfortless influence of material philosophy'spread from the-French Encyclopedists to disc. organise one world and to get rid altogether of the other, shelteringitself under the , high authority of Locke, then arose that great school of Scotch metaphysicians which, whatever may be its faults and shortcomings, at least restored to. matter the. necessity of soul, and proved that ideas were-not merely flitting impressions upon perishable brains. When in France, poetry consisted only of frigid bombast er-of insipidimitation, then suddenly was heard " the bold. free" song of Burns calling poetry back to nature, and; later, the viscid romances of Sir Walter Scott restored to this great nineteenth century the generous sentiments and healthy vigour of chivalric youth. When, in France; history decked herself out in all the gewgaws of rhetorical artifice; in. Scotland she observed that exacti-_ tude without which she had better renounce the name of history, and call herself fiction at once ; so that, a.French man—as Frenchmen have owned to me—can hatter learn the later history of his country in the pages of Alison than in tlioseof Tillers. If you will look to that popular litera ture which, for the time being, most affects. the moral character of the people, and only compare the-healthy and manly interest of tho Waverley Novels with that glittering but corrupt series of fictions which Francehas produced, you: will not fail to see the immense supericcity of the former over the /utter, which only serve to:.show to what base uses genius can stoop. Ido not deny the extraordi nary brilliancy and fancy of French imaguiative literature at this period, but I do deny that it has, been attended by any salutary effect, and assert that it has.been attended by , deleterious effects to the happiness, to. the political free dom:, and, to the national virtues of tits French people ; while, on the other hand, this praise ailleast must be given to the literature of Scotland, that it- is cot more valuable on account of the delight which it administers than be cause of the lessons which it inculcates. Sr.Axisn LADIES.—I shall be accused of insensibility and want of taste, when I confess,that my first disappoint ment on landing in Spain was the ahnost total absence of beauty amongst the Spanish women.. Poets have sung of , Spain's " dark-glancing daughters," and travellers have. wandered through the country, with minds so deeply im pressed with the preconceived idea of the beauty of the women, that they have found them all their imaginations so fondly pictured, and their , works have fostered what I , cannot help maintaining is a mere delusion ; one of the many in which people stilt indulge when they think and dream of Spain. The women of Spain have magnificent eyes, beautiful hair, and generally fine teeth ; but more than that cannot be said by those who are content to, give an honest and candid opinion. I have rarely seen one whose features could b called strictly beautiful ; and that bewitching grace and fasination about their figures and their walk which they formerly possessed have disappeared with the high comb which supported the mantilla,. and the narrow basquina, which give a peculiar character• to, their walk. With the change in their costume those distinctive charms have vanished. The gaudy colours which now prevail have Cztroyed the elegance that always accom panies black, in which alone, some years since, a lady could appear in public. No further proof oftbis is required than to see the same people at church, where black is still considered indispensable, and on the Alameda, with red dresses and yellow shawls, or some colours equally gaudy, and combined with as little regard to taste. The men have also abandoned the cloak, and now appear in paletots and every variety of foreign invention; nor have they either gained by their sacrifices at the altar of French fashion. By no means distinguished in figure, none needed more the rich folds of the caps to lend them that air of grace and dignity which it peculiarly possesses.—Castile and Andalusia, by .Lady Lomisa Tenison. INDOLENCE OF THE LOWER ORDERS IN SYRIA.—In a country like Syria, where every creature-comfort or ne cessary is extremely cheap, the lower orders, who are generally of an indolent disposition, would much prefer remaining idle for one-half of the year to engaging in any occupation which might make it incumbent on them to go through a certain portion of daily labour ; and this they can afford to do, as their habits are frugal, and the amount gained in one day by a labourer will suffice to support himself and family for three days. This applies equally to the fellah or peasant employed in cultivation. His portion of the silk harvest is sufficient to maintain him till the wheat crop is gathered in, when he earns with his scythe a sufficiency to maintain him in idleness till the olive and grape harvests arrive, and then he is either paid in cash or allowed a certain quantity of wheat, oil, wine, aqua vita, dibs, raisins, &c., as recompense for his labour. Of this store he lays by a sufficiency for the winter; the silk and the surplus of the wheat, &c., he either sells or barters for other household requisites, such as clothing, butter, and charcoal. He brings his own fuel from the mountains, and, if he be at all a careful manager, can keep a mule of his own to carry goods and passengers to and from the nearest towns and villages. Thus, with a very small amount of labour, the peasant of Syria can afford to have an idle time of it, were he not in terror of Government taxes; for, although the system of taxation is fairly and justly arranged, and in reality the sums levied are small in proportion to the income, still there are understrappers, insides their own Christian Nazir and Sheikhs, who peculate to a large extent under the plea of moneys required for Government levies. This induces the peasant gladly to embrace any opportunity that may offer of entering into the service of a Frank ; for, from the hour Aims employment, he is the subject of ano th er power. Fre is exempt from taxation, and the Nazirs and Sheikhs durst not intrude themselves upon the privacy of his household, under penalty of boing at loggerheads with the consuls and pashas, and possibly of being exposed to the ignominy of the biustiml9.—The Thistle and the Cedar of Leban9ni of certain books, or rendering them from Latin and Greek into English, and vice versa. Have not the Scotch and German professors been hurling such like charges against Oxford and Cambridge for the last twenty years— since the time when Lord Jeffrey left Oxford in intense disgust at the idleness existing in it, and the little oppor tunity of learning to be had. Oh ! say the university reformers, the learning taught in Oxford is not a scientific knowledge of books, but a mere verbal one ; science, as science, has not been taught in it ; no endeavour was made to give the student a scientific knowledge of the books he was using, or to compare those books with others upon the same subject—no ; the simple demand was, what says your book, and the better able he was to repeat word for word what it said, the surer he was of getting his degree. Thus the rewards went to youths with a good memory, whether their judgment or reasoning powers were good or not. This has been thrown in the teeth of our university men over and over again. And so do the detractors of the negro race, when any display of mental powers is made by them, a mere effort of memory say they —a power which a parrot has in common with them, and could manifest equally as well. But the negro has a great eye for the beautiful, and a highly religious nature. These are two important things which render him capable of great improvement ; and that his home in the West Indies is one which appeals to the former of these susceptibilities nearly all who have written upon it (with one exception) declare. A gentleman, whose residence in the islands was only for a few months, could, when seated in Dominica, at even time, with a full view of the lovely Rousseau valley before him, give expression to his feelings and emotions in the following beautiful lines : EDUCATION FOR THE BRITISH COLONIES. LBTTER V. To show the extent of the ungranted lands in Trinidad, to the quantity granted, I beg now to call your attention to the evidence taken before a committee of the House of Assembly, for the year 1841. Martin Sorsano, Esq., a gentleman holding the situation of commissary of popula tion, and surveyor general of the island, a descendant of Contador et Exercito, under the Spanish Government, said, in his evidence before the committee, at Port of Spain, —" There are 180 sugar estates, of which 104 have distilleries : 21,710 acres are planted in canes ; 6,910 cocoa ; 1,095 coffee ; 6,313 provisions • 7,237 pasture : total in cultivation, 43,265. Acres granted in the colony, 208,379 ; ungranted, 1,079,30 L Total acres according to Captain Columbine, which Mr. Lorsano thought the cor rect one, 1,287,680: according to Captain Mallet, 1,536,000. From the immense number of ungranted acres of land in the island, it is evident that Trinidad is capable of sup porting a very much larger population than she has at present. What is remarkable is, that the population of some of the West India islands is much less now than it was two centuries ago. Barbadoes for instance is said to have had, in the year 1676, a population of 70,000 whites, and 80,000 blacks, making in all 150,000 souls. In 1666, the island had an effective military force of 20,000 infantry, and 3,000 cavalry, composed entirely of the colonists. The number, extent, and importance of our West India islands to England is little known to the general public of the country. With the exception of Jamaica, and one or two others, little is known of them : they might as well, nearly, so far as the public interest themselves in them, have no existence. Their interests are never cared for, and the progress of their people in science, morals, or re ligion, unheeded. When I say this, I speak, sir, of the nation at large. I know that, in some of them, indivi duals have long had their hands at the plough, and have not proved themselves unworthy of the Kingdom of Heaven by looking backward ; but what can a few indi viduals do in a matter which should be done by the na• tion at large Just to give your readers some idea of the number of little island paradises which rise from the blue waters of the Atlantic, and from the towers- which guard their towns our countrymen see,. as they sail, by on their way to other lands the old familiar flag of their country, waving in the hot breeze and bright sunshine, let me call your attention to that numerous constellation the Bermudas, or Somer Isles. These islands are more than 300 in number. The principal of . them are St. George's, Ireland, St. David's, Somerset, Paget, Lang bird, and amith'S. St. George's is the . main island ; Somerset and Ireland form a chain, with very little ex ception, of about thirty miles in length, though in.breadth they are not near so much, forming, as they do, some thing like a shepherd's crook. Groves of cedar trees are here and there detached on plains of rising ground, which, with the numerous basins formed by the islknds, give very much the appearance of lake scenery. Tbe'tbwn•of St. George, on theisland of the same name, staads-on , the south side of the eastern extremity of the island, in a sort of amphitheatre, lbw built,_ and with narrow streets. These islands have their'own legislature and council an d the inhabitants are distinguished for their industry,• good morals, and hospitality. Then, again, there are that-sin gular group of isles termed the Lucayes, or Bahamas, which extend in a creseent-lie form from the Matanilla Reef to Turk's Island r a•distance of about 600 miles. Nw Providence is consideretithe most important of the Lucaya Wands: on it is Nassaui• the seat of government for the and the head quarttra of the naval and military estaiftsbments. The mist important islands are Hog- Island, Rose island, Harbour Island, Turk's Island, and 2 'forth and South Biminia;;: these islands are well wooded t and; watered, having also• rapacious anchorage for large shipping. The streets of Nassau are well laid out, and the public buildings good.. How many of the public are theruthat know nothing of the groups of islands I have just named The Bermudis some may have heard of, hut' their notion of them iu,..that they are two or three insignificant spots ; while, of the Bahamas, I dare assert that thousands will acknowledge they did not know of their existence, though no less- than three hundred have been.enumerated as existing. I could advance some in tOrestingstatistical details in connection with the other Wands; but the immense ground to go over compels me tO hurry on with a racer's speed; or the ground will not be got orer.. Thus I must clost. at present, with a few general-reflections upon the negro'S character and condi tion in the Wands of the West Indies. Beautiful Islands I where the green Which nature wears was never seen 'Neath zone of Europe ;—where the hue Of sea and heaven is such a blue As England dreams not; where the night Is all irradiate with the light Of stars like moons, which hung on high, Breathe and quiver in the sky, Each its silver haze divine Flinging in a radiant line O'er gorgeous flower and mighty tree— On the soft and shadowy sea I Beautiful Islands I brief the time I dwelt beneath your awful clime; Yet oft I bee in noonday dream Your gorgeous stars with lunar beam; And oft before my sight arise lour sky-like seas and sea-like skies, Your green banana's giant leaves, Your golden canes in arrowy sheaves ; Your palms, which never die; but stand Immortal sea-marks on the strand. I am, your obedient servant, Liverpool, Feb-. 2, 1854, JANES LISTER. ECCLESIASTICAL INTELLIGENCE. PREFERMENTS AND APPOINTMVITS. Rev. J. Champney, to the Rectory of Ltpperstone, Nottinghamshire. Rev. F. H. Coldwelf r to the Stipendiary Curacy of the parish of Wigan. LancasNite, and to be a Surrogate for the Diocese of Chester. Rev. H. J. Cummins, M.A., Curate of St. George's,Slooms bury, to the Rectory of the United Parishes of Sti. Alba n Wood-street, and St. ()laye r Silver-street, London. Rev. D. W. Davies, M.A., to the Perpetual Curacy of Llatielltyd, Merionethshire. Rev. T. Fawsett, M.A., Curate of Chalfont St. Giles,- Ser rard7s Cross, Bucks, to the Vicarage of East Stoke,-with Coddington annexed, near Newark. Rev. W. Halton, M.A., to the Rectory of Branstone, near Melton Mowbray. Leicestershire- Rey. G. H. Hamilton, M.M. Chaplain to the Durham County Gaol, to the Vicarage ofßerwick-upon-Tweed. Rey. A. Jenour, to the Perpetual Curacy of St. John 4, Church, Blackpool. Rev. J. A. T. Lee, to the Assistant Curacy of Honiton. Rev. B. S. Malden, 8.A., to the Curacy. of Clayton-cum , - Reymer, Sussex. Rev..J. C. Miller, M.A. Rectorof St. Martin's, Birming. ham .to , be Chaplain to the High Sheriff of Warwickshire. ray. H. C. Mitchinson, M.A., Head Master of the East Retford Grammar School, to the Cdvaey of Louth. Rev. G. Philpot, BA., to the Stipendiary Curacy of St. Min% Manchester. Rev. E. Pizey, MA., Incumbent of Trinity Church, Trow bridge,.to be a Surrogate for the Diocese of Salisbury. Rev. W. Rawson, M.A., Senior Curate of Aylesbury, to be Diocesan Inspector of Schools for the Deanery of Wendover. Rey-. J. E. Riadore, to the Curacy of'St. Alkinund's ' Derby. ' Itev..W. Richardson, B.A. to the Ministry of theEcclesi mica' District formed out of the Parish of Miles Platting. Rey. J. B. Smith, M.A., to the Rectory of Dorsington, Gloucestershire.. Revs De _D.. Stewart, to the Perpetual'Curacy of Maidstone, lientt Rev.. VaMace, M.A., to the Reotory of Southchurch, Essex. In. their amusements, the • negroes display' a marked f6zidness for - the dance, and narratives partaking of the marvellous. The dance is now conducted by them with a great deal mare decorum than- %rmerly, when slavery existed among them. So fond i'of this amusement are they, that parties will not break :up. for three or four days when they meet to enjoy it. A wird mirth and jollity is manifested by them when engaged in it. So fond are they also, of narratives, that when they meet on a moon light night to listen to some tale • of African origin, they will'aemain the whole of the night. They have a great relish for this kind of amusement, and eagerly pick up any tale they eau hear, about their betters, which they -.- relate with greaia seeming pleasure.• The loud laughter with which such Vales are received , by the company show ' , their relish for them. Light-hearted gossip they have a relish for, and embrace every opportanity for indulging in it. Thus, when they gather together, at one of their cottage doors, when the full moon is, throwing its silvery light around them, and illumining the dark shades of night, tales of wander and romance-are related by those among them who-have the talent for oral narrative, while the rest hearken,with. the • most: intense interest. The goiit with which they relate, and the embellishment they give, to these tales, whether of romance or scandal, show ,'that they both enjoy it theinselve4 and that it is enjoyed also by their auditors.. Through: this avidity for narra tive, great hopes may be justly entertained of their im provement, if education be diffuse& among them, and the power to read a general acquirement. Evidently, they have a natural talent for history, and, were education pro • - moted among them, the great events in it would be the subjects of narrative,•to the moonlight parties, instead or wild tales or idle, gossip. The, achievements of Alexander and Tamerlane„inlius Clesar. and:Hannibal, Cceur-de-Lioni and Wellingtom.might form the subjects of narrative to them. History, would" be • an inexhaustable field of ina - formation and, interest for them ; and, if well educated, they would be able to cull, from its pages lessons of in, struction andwisdom. The. troublous epochs in history, when war raged from nation to nation with a terrNic fierceness ; these. eras which: rise from out the past like: • mountain ridges above • the level plains, or lofty rocks from amid the waters of the sea, would be estimated pra perly. Whatrheaefits .did, they confer upon the nations ? What progress was made in morals or science in conse quence ? -would ,be questions asked by them in connection with thoseperiods. Conquerors and armies waging battle, the victors returning iit triumph, laden and enriched with the rutiesi.pearls, and , gold of the vanquished, and with their banners of victory prendly waving above them; the pages of history which relate these things woul& not be those most loved: and, dwelt upon by the West Indians, howevenporopous the language, or brilliant the. rhetoric: employed by the historian, to depict them ; neither would they take.frombistory's pages her grand eras and!splendid epochsto,make with.their imaginations a glowing para dise, and to people it with the heroes of war • the magni- ficent epochs-which tower above the mists aLI glooms of time into the mental sunshine of the present, like the. domes, mosques,, minarets, and spires of religious temples intaAhe blue firmament above the towns a Europe and. Ortntal, countries, would still get their rightful weed of praise• and admiration, but nothing more. They would know how to value them. And when she unrolled• her-long pages of the past before them, and allowed them, togazein conception upon the great cities of the ancient world—Thebes and Memphis, Babylon and' Nineveh, Fair myra, and Persepolis, Balbec and Tyre, Carthage and Sidon, with all: the. hosts that follow in their train, an elevation. would be given to their character of whieh we little dream. Fancy a party of negroes met, on a beautiful moonlight night, at one of their cottage doors, Dominica, and with a full view of the Rousseau Valley, lighted up with, the• beams" of a full round moon ; and what must be. their emotions when traversing the streets and squares, of those magnificent cities in the, days of their pride- and greatness, when they were the glory of the- earth for their magnificence and splendour ? Clearly they would have emotions a hundred times more lofty than at the present time, when they have• to manufacturesome Africo —American romance, or tale of island gossip. Some there are, I know, who have condemned the negro as not capable of such emotions as I have ascribed to. him. One writer in particular has heaped the most unreserved abuse upon them as a low, cruel, selfish, and brutal race ; but evidently he has been troubled with the spleen during his stay among them ; even the islands presented little beauty to him, and, in fact, were it not, that once or twice, in the course of his two good sized volumes, he acknowledges having passed through scenery which was of surpassing beauty, one might be tempted to deny him the powers of imagination altogether. Some natures there are that can see no beauty in anything thing familiar to them; to detract and degrade seems their natural forte; they belong to the class among mankind called grumblers ; dissatisfied with themselves they are the same with all the world. The writer I am speaking of has belaboured a brother for describing scenes as beautiful, when his stay among them was only for a limited period. It does not require a law residence in any place to discover the beauties of its natural scenery. These rush upon the soul at the first view, and can be valued early. Some men, when they live any time in a place, verify the old saying that an "11l bird befouls its own nest." They are those who reverse the beautiful lines of the poet applied to the patriot, whose "First best country always is at home." Theirs, on the contrary, is everywhere but at home, which is the worst and bleakest in the world. Fatherland is a land of sorrows, dreary as the coast of Labrador. The greatest detractors from the beauty of the West Indies have not been able to deny to the views from Cayon in St. Kitt's, and from Monte Bruce, in Dominica, up the Rosseau Valley, the attribute of beauty. Nevis also is a place of great beauty ; so is the view from Fig Tree Hill in Antigua. St. Vincent also has scenes of great beauty. One of the least favourable witnesses which could be called up to give testimony in favour of the negroes, says: "I visit ed the Moravian settlement in Bermuda Valley, Antigua, when the children in the school were drawn out in a line, and questioned upon geography. Their answers, as efforts of memory, were most astonishing. The teacher, he says, asked them what country is that which lies in the north of Africa ? Egypt was the general answer immediately, given. by the whole of them. Its far famed river (the Nile), with its direction and the chief cities were all correctly gone through. The Mediterranean, with its islands, volcanoes, &c., were all gone over and named by the class. But in all that was given, the same person saw nothing but a mere effort of memory, the children repeat ing, parrot like, what they had been told before. In fact, the same party seems to think that negroes are very little in advance of monkeys, and what he saw in the Bermuda Valley, exhibited by negro boys, from seven to ten years of age, was nothing more than what parrots could be taught to do. But the same objections have been hurled at the English universities for years, namely, that the highest honours have been conferred upon men for repeat ing portions of Latin and Greek books, without any regard to a knowledge of the truth, or falsehood of the books themselves, or whether the views of science or morals which they inculcated were true or false. It was mere word icholarobip, repeating from memory the words Rev, R. Welker, M.A., to the Vicarageof !Winstead Helion, near Haverhill, Essex. Rev\ Warbwrton, M.A., of Queen' s- College, Oxford, to be DOmestic Chaplain to the arl of Ellesmere. Rev. G. F.. Whitaker, &A.. of Wadbaas College, to be a Sarrogate for the Diocese of Oxford. VARIETIES. TITE PAPER MILLS of the county of Edinburgh alone produce 160 miles of paper, five feet broad, every day. NOTHING is more terrible than active ignorance.- Goethe. SHE TILAT MA.nurEs a man because he is " a good match," must not be surprised if he turns out a " Lucifer." A WITTY FELLOW slipped down on an icy pavement. While sitting, he muttered, " I've no desire to see the city burned down, but I sincerely wish the streets were laid in ashes I" IT APPEARS that in London there is an organised band of perjurers ready to give any evidence required by a cab man in difficulties. These persons go by the name of "mounters." BED HAlR.—There is among Europeans genera lly a strong dislike to red hair ; but in Spain red hair is ad mired almost to adoration, and there is a story told of one of our naval commanders, who luxuriated in fiery locks, being idolised and caressed in consequence by the Spanish women, and looked upon as a perfect Adonis. Red hair is often considered a deformity ; but why it should be it is hard to say, since in all cases the hair and complexion suit each other admirably ; the " golden locks" and "sunny tresses" of the poets invariably accompanied the blonde, frank, and manly faces inherited from Saxon an cestors. We have heard of " villainous red hair," and "horrid red whiskers ;" but hair is only "villainous" and whiskers " horrible" when the first is dirty, and the last worn without regard to the kind of cheeks they surround. —Rowland on the Hair. THE NATIONAL DEBT.—Most of our readers will not require to be told how this debt, which William 111. left at £16,000,000 sterling, had, at the accession of William IV., reached the enormous amount of upwards of £800,000,000, the yearly charge on which for interest was double the amount of the original debt of the country. The fatal necessities of war had caused this aggravation of our expenditure. Of the £770,000,000 of stock created by loans between the years 1794 and 1817, nearly the whole had been the consequence of the hostile attitude of Francs, In one single year-1814, in which our greatest efforts against Napoleon had been made—not less than £93,000,000 was thus added to the funded debt of the country ; in the two following years au equally gigantic amount was added. During the early years of national loans 6 per cent. was the legal rate of interest ; although, in fact, much more was frequently given. We read that in 1692 the government offered 8 and 10 per cent. for a loan of £1,000,000, yet could obtain but three-fourths of the required amount. During the reign of Anne and George I. high rates of interest were given for the moneys required; and although such rates have long since ceased, a practice, amounting in effect to the same thing, was very common during the late wars. It was a customary pro ceeding for the government which needed a loan of £10,000,000 to issue stock to the lenders for £12,000,000 or £13,000,000, as an inducement for them to provide the money ; hence, although only 4 per cent. was the nominal interest allowed, it in fact amounted to 41, and sometimes to 5 per cent. on the sum actually raised. It is worthy of remembrance that in the year 1796, £18,000,000 sterling was subscribed in London by way of loan in 16 hours, with the view of enabling the government to prosecute the war with republican France,—Dickens's liouBool4 , Words. EX.PEBIXENTIL PnuosornY.—Asking a friend to lend you money. Moral philosophy—refusing to do it. NEW READING S.—A remarkably new reading was given to a line from the " Lady of Lyons," at a Boston (United States) theatre. Beauseant says, " Confusion ! it will be all over Lyons before sunset I" The aspiring emendator gave it, " Confusion !" it will be all over sunset before Lyons !" This reminds us of a passage from the melodrama of the "Forest Glades," where the baron exclaims, " Die ! traitor die !" In the heat of the moment the excited player vociferated, " Dry, tater, dry !" LIVING As ONE PLEASES. - It is a foolish thing that one can't only not live as one-pleases, but where and with whom one pleases without money. Swift somewhere says that money is liberty ; and I fear money is friendship too, and society, and almost every external friendship. It is a great, though ill-natured comfort, to see most of those who have it in plenty, without pleasure, without liberty, and without friends.—Letters of Gray. A WELL-31ATCHED PAIR.—In the RatcliffUnion Work house, a few days since, a basket-maker and his wife died, both' at the age of seventy-five years, the former of " natural decay," the latter of " natural decay." They had come from Shadwell market. The registrar relates a singular coincidence iu the lives of this aged couple. They were born in the same year and on the same day of the month, and died within half an hour of each other. — Weekly News. AN ENGLISH AUCTIONEER AT MANILLI.—ORS day I was much amused at an auction, where, as I walked past the open windows of the house, I heard the auctioneer pronouncing Spanish in the most extraordinary way, as, A dos raies," "A dos riales," " Grasias," &c., and, lookine , in, I found that the knight of the hammer was an Englishman from Sydney, who had set up here as an auctioneer, with the apparent disadvantage of knowing very little of the language. But he told me, on my speaking to him, that this had quite a contrary effect, observing, " They understands we well enough, and it makes 'em laugh, and then they bids."—Sketeher's Tour Round the World. THE CHASE ix NAPLES.—The party go out in great dignity, following a peasant and an owl. When the peasant comes to a place where there are numbers of little birds, he hoists up the pole and exposes the owl. The insane little fools immediately gather together from all quarters, to deride the owl. The sportsmen then let fly with all possible barrels, right and left, and blow the idiots to pieces, occasionally shattering the owl instead. If any piece of a bird large enough to cook is left hanging together—which is not often, it is subsequently dressed and eaten. The owl catches cold, I believe, and dies.— The Field. THE CLOCK AT STRABI3I7R6.—In the cathedral at Stras burg stands a clock of most curious workmanship : at every quarter of an hour, some puppet with an emblem of death appears—Time with his scythe, or Fate herself with the hour-glass ; but when midday strikes, all those figures which are emblematic of mortality, — puss in front of the dial-plate ; a child is seen in it. 4 nialier'S arms, there is a bridal party at the altar, and a new-made grave. Mean while, the day of the month, the month of the year, the movements of the planets, all are represented ; a clock, indeed, of most wondrous workmanship, but most re markable of all, that it is only wound up once' in half a century. A NOVEL CONDENSE/'.—Moonlight night; a shady grove ; two lovers ; eternal fidelity : young lady rich ; young man poor ; great obstacle; young man proud; very handsome; very smart, sure to make a fortune; young lady's father very angry ; won't consent ; mother inter cedes ; no go ; rich rival ; very ugly ; very hard: hearted ; lovers in a bad fix ; won't part ; die first ; moonfight again ; garret window opens ; rope ladder ; flight ; 'pur suit ; too late ; marriage ; old man in a rage; won't forgive them; disowns them; okt man gets sick; sends for his daughter ; all forgiven ; ail made up ; young man getting rich ; old man dies; young couple get all; the money ; lire in the old mansion ; quite comfortable ; ham little children; and much happiness.—Finis. GEOGRAPIrr A MILITA.EY SCIENCE.—An anecdote is' current whieh goes to show that the• examiners at Sara hurst are rather particular. A youth was lately pluc.ked; in geography- He did not know the precise situation: of Fernando Po. He mentioned the rad to his father, a baronet, mingling in the highest circles ; " Fernando Po," exclaimed the baronet, " stuff ! there's nosuch place, at least I never heard of it." This was. said' at the door of a club in St. James's- By and by, a general officer, more• than usually unacquainted with the scientific• branches of his profession, drove. by. " Hollo, ---," cries out the baronet to him, "where the deuce is FernandoPo ?—do tell us." " How the d-1 should I know ?" rejoined. the• general, and drove on.. The re,ader will lie reminded by this of the anecdote in oneof Bourcicault'S comedies. A general is told of the battle of Hastings, where the English were thrashed by the French. " The battle-of Hastings !" ejaculated the indignant soldier,. " therenever was such a battle ! It is not mentienedln the Army List."—United 'ervice Gazette. A SOUTH AMERICAN WATERING- PLACE.---Ladies and gentlemen all bathe together, and meet their acqpaint ances in the water as if it were at an evening - party. The usual time is between eight and nine a.m. andlour p.m. At these hours you will :see- all thelashionables walking leisurely down the steep cliff to the sea. At the-bottom of the cliff, close to the sea, are built a number - of small cane ranchos fer dressing- rooms, and towels and bathing dresses are provided by mem who wait upon• the-bathers. The ladies put on a very becoming costume; wide blue trousers, tied at the ankles, and a short blue-frock, both ornamented with two white hems, and a straw hat; but they have their hair done-as carefully as if'they were going to a ball. Round their waist - they wear a pair of gourds, and walk boldly into the sea; the gourds support them, and they float and swim about quite at their ease. The gentlemen wear a blue shirt and trousers, an& a. straw hat. Canvass shoes are• very necessary, as the shore is shingly. In the evening some • one or other generally gives a dance, to which all come without ceremony, the young ladies taking it - in turn at the pianoforte. —A Sketcher's Tour Rounttlie World. A YANKEE SILENCED. — One of the- last stories of Yankee inquisitiveness makes the victim give- his tor mentor a direct cut in telling him he wished to be asked no further questions. The inquisitor fell haat a moment to take breath and change his tactics.. The- half-sup pressed smile on the- faces of the other passengers soon roused him to further exertions ; and, summing- up more resolution, he began:—" Stranger, perhaps you are not aware how almighty hard it is for a Yankee•tocontrol his curiosity. You'll please excuse me, but I really would like to know your name, and residence, and the business you follow. I expect you ain't ashamed of'either of 'em. so now won't youlust obleedge me.?" This appeal brought out the traveller, who, rising up to the extremest height allowed by the coach, and throwing back his shoulders, replied::—" My name is Andrew General Washington ; I reside in the State•of Mississippi. lam a man of leisure, and I am glad' to say oFextensive means. I have heard much of New York, and am on my way to see it ; and if I like it as well as I am led to expect, I intend—to bur it." Then was heard a shout of stentorian laughter throughout the stage-coach; and this was the last of the conversation. CETErma. THINGS. — Let me put a spider into any lady's hand. She is aghast.. She. shrieks. The nasty ugly thing. Madam, the spider is perhaps shocked at your Brussels laces, and, although, you may be the most exquisite miniature painter living,. the spider has a right to laugh at your coarse daubs as she runs over them. Just show her your crotchet work when you shriek at her. "Have you spent half your &Ts," the spider, if she be spiteful, may remark, " have you spent half your days upon these clumsy anti-maeassars and these ottoman covers P My dear lady is that your web ? If I were big enough, I might with reason drop you and cry out at yea. Let me spend a day with you and bring my work. I have four little bags of thread—such little bags ! In every bag there are more than 1,000 holes—such tiny tiny holes ! Out of each hole thread runs, and all the threads—more than 4,000 threads—l spin together as they run, and when they are all spun they make but one thread of the web I weave. I have a member of my family who is herself no bigger than a grain of sand. Imagine what a slender web she makes, and of that, too, each thread is made of 4,000 or 5,000 threads that have passed out of her four bags through 4,000 or 5,000 little holes. Would you drop her, too, crying out about your delicacy ? A pretty thing, indeed, for you to plume yourselves on your delicacy, and scream at us." Having made such a speech, we may sup pose that the indignant creature fastens a rope round one of the rough points of the lady's hand, and lets herself down lightly to the floor. Coming down stairs is noisy, clumsy work, compared with such a way of locomotion. The creeping things we scorn are miracles of beauty. They are more delicate than any ormolu clock or any lady's watch made, for pleasure's sake, no bigger than a shilling. Lyonet counted 4,041 muscles in a single caterpillar, and these are a small part only of its works. Hooke found 14,000 mirrors in the eye of a bluebottle, and there are 13,300 separate bits that go to provide nothing but the act of breathing in a carp.—Dickens's Household Words. THE MISFORTUNES OF A. MOUSTACHE.—There has of late been a growing disposition in " young England to imitate the Frenchman in his moustache, and the Yankee in his peaked beard. The adoption of either the one or the other of these innovations is according to the idiosyncrasy of , the man. Sentimentalists wear elaborately curled moustaches and " go-a-heads " flourish beards of patri archal dimensions. John Bull—Old England—is full of scorn at these innovations. With the moustache is associated in his mind stories of well-dressed sharpers ; and, with the beard, the despised children of Abraham. He believes no man to be respectable who does not shave, every morning, chin and lip. He may use hot water or cold, that's a matter of taste, but shave he must. It is no use telling him that a century or two ago our athersroff cultivated moustaches and wagged their beards. It is no use telling him that health is preserved thereby. " Who , " he asks, " told you so ?" " The Doctors," is the answer. Sarcastically he repeats " The Doctors I" and adds, " and, perhaps, the razor manufacturers will join the doctors in cutting their own throats !" Say not one word in reply to this crushing argument and the English lion is roused. Truly that is a sight worth seeing, for he is becoming so very pious and peaceable. It is no wonder, therefore, that any one who dares to tread upon the toes of old English prejudice in this respect, should be a sufferer. Every hair in beard or moustache brings a curse. Here is the his tory of a moustache. A sentimental young man, a law yer's clerk, allowed nature to have her own way with his upper lip. One morning the rich lawyer heard his daugh ter say to the moustache, " How interesting !" Trouble number one followed quickly. The moustache got notice to quit instanter. He sought other employment, but the moustache was always in the way. Men looked at him askance, and hinted at the necessity of his giving large security for his honesty. Out at elbows, he at length was appointed poet to a Jew tailor. However, it was soon found out that because a man wore a moustache and combed his hair back, he was not necessarily a poet, and the moustache was rudely ejected from his high place. Even yet he might have saved himself, but, oh ! the vanity of young men ! He had an uncle, a razor manu facturer, who offered to befriend him if he would cut the moustache. No, his moustache and his rags were better than a shaved lip, clean linen, and good company. The uncle died soon afterwards, and instead of leaving all his wealth to his nephew, left him—nothing ! It was not for some time afterwards that his nephew knew how great had been his loss. After enduring hardships with a for titude that would have made him great in a better cause, he found a vocation in which he could cultivate his hairs in peace. He is now a supernwrary at a casino, Young men, beware TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1854. D/OCESE OF CHESTKEZ. PnsFanatEm.—The Rev. Robert Collins King has been licensed to , the stipendiary curacy of Saint George's Munk. Evertan,. in the county of Lancaster, on the nomination. of He Rev. W. W. Ewbanki...the incumbent. Ntw• BISITOYSIC FOR WESTERN AnsTEALIA.—The Bishop /of Adelaide has issued an appeal for assistance towards the endbwment of a. Bishopric eD 'Perth, Western Australia. THE ARCM: WILCOX or TAIINTON--We are geld to hear that tho- rase of Archdeacon Denison, recently brought before: the public by Bishop Spencer, is to be submitted to , the proper authorities for adjudication. We understand that in order to effect thii-a representation has been mat*. agreeably to the requisitiensof the Church Discipline Act, in the proper quarter,. by a highly-re spected incumbent of the diocese of Bath and Wells, and ,that the case will either be sent at once; hy the Bishop of 'Bath and Wells, to the Court of Arches or a commission be issued by & higher authority.—Recorat ST. DAvirw's..—Her Majesty in Council has been pleased to ratify a scheme proposed by the Eceietiastical Commis sioners, by which the annual average income of the future Deans of St. David's is fixed at £700 ; _and of each canon in the same cathedral at £350. The income of the dean and canons having been very fluctuating, it will be made up by the- Ecclesiastical Commissioners in the case of a deficiency. In the event, however, of its exceeding the above meant, the surplus will be raid over to the com missioners. PROPA.6-1.0210N SOCIETY.—We muierstand that, not withstanding the large sums which have been raised for particular colonial dioceses, especial], Capetown, and the new dioceses of South Africa, the general income of the Society for the Propagation of therGespel for the past year will show a considerable increase. This is doubtless owing, in a great measure, to an improved organisation, and the. more general diffusion oi/ information as to the societv's- operations. Its recent grants to Natal, Mel bournel New Zealand, and Borneo, entitle it to the warmest support of the Church attitome. Tue Rev. G. C. GOKUAM seems to have a salutary horror of imitating George Herbert's " Priest in his parish." A parishioner of Braeopford Speke gives the following sample of his parochial' administration :—" The tidies were due on the Ist of January. On the second he sent printed circulars, directing attention to the fact, and requesting payment on or before the 11th. Those who did - not comply were, on the aist, served with a notice of distress, unless payment was.-made within a few days." REBUILDING OF DoNcAmit Cannel:E.—The commit tee for rebuilding Doncaster' Church have accepted the. tender of Mr. Janson, of Northampton, for the stone work: of the new edifice, according to the plan of Mr. Gilbert Scott, the architect, for £21,000. The remainder of the work, exclusive of organ i .helb3, &c., is estimated at about £lO,OOO more. Mr. W.. H'. Foreman, of Pippbrok House s Dorking, has given directions for the construction, at his own cost, of a chapel onsthe south side of the charnel] in commemoration of his- ancestors. He is, besides, aoon tribrutor to the amount of £l,OOO to the restoratiantfundi The subscriptions received and promised amount to nearly £30,000. The foundation stone is to be laid on the .28th inst., the anniversary of the day on which the late.church was destroyed. Mucu MERRIAISNT was excited at the meeting of the board of guardians of Tewkesbury, last week, by the read ing of a petition, praying for relief on account of the peti tioners being brought to great distress through betting too much upon Mr. Holland, the Liberal candidate, at the late county election! PROGRESS IR IRON MANUFACTURR..-1.1, 1847, when Sir Robert Stephenson designed the Britannia-bridge, he wished to, procure for the bottom of that structure the largest plates of iron which the skill of this country could produce. He employed all the leading makers of plates in th 6 Staffordshire district, where that particular branch of the iron trade was then most successfully con ducted, and they put forth their best efforts to meet the views of an engineer whose undertaking promised to open out a new and wide field for the consumption of plate iron. The largest plates required were 12 feet long, 30 inches wide, 1 an inch thick,_ having a superficial area of 30 feet, and weighing 51 cwt. After the orders had been some months on hand, Sir Robert's agent wrote a note, saying, that, with one , exception, the makers were not prepared to supply such plates, and so difficult was the rolling and shearing fonisil, to be, with the machinery then in use, that he entertained great fears of, at least, con siderable delay. Five. years have not been idly spent by the iron trade. The Derwent company sent from their Consett works to the Great Exhibition of 1851, a plate measuring 17 feet long, 41 inches wide, 1 an inch thick, for which the juxy recommended the Council medal, as a proof of their opinion of its value to engineers en gaged in the construction of large works. Last week the indefatigable manager of Consett works, Mr. George Forster, produced a dozen of the largest plates ever yet rolled in any establishment—being no less than 17 feet 6 inches long, 60 inches wide, 11 inch thick, having a su perficial area of 871 feet, nearly three times larger than the largest plates produced in 1847, and weighing 36 cwt. These plates were rolled without the slightest mishap or accident, and, to an observer, as though the massive ma• chinery was but doing its ordinary work. The plates weighed over 2 tons when they left the rolls, and were then taken to the shears, where they were reduced to pro per form and size with equal May, though it may well excite wonder that any power could be so applied as to shear cold iron 11 inch thick. The commercial value of the discovery of iron-stone in Cleveland is now so clearly developed, that this district cannot fail to take a leading part in the iron trade. It is most important, however, that parties of capital and spirit are found who are resolved to prosecute this important branch of industry in all its higher branches. Scotland has for years produced a very large proportion of raw pig-iron, which has been sent to other districts for conversion, but she has not taken any important stand in the market as a producer of bar or plate iron. The vast works on the Clyde are chiefly supplied from Staffordshire or this district. The iron stone of Yorkshire and Durham, in combination with our invaluable coal, is capable, in the hands of powerful and skilful parties, of competing with any other part of the world in the very highest branches of manufactures, It is something to say that the county of Durham has pro duced the largest plates and the longest rails that ever Iwere made. We hope we are yet on ly beginning, and that another seven years may us he r is still s'rcater triumphs. —Sunderland Herald, CHESHIRE AND WALES. oI BIRKENHEAD FERRY RECEIPTS.—At the meeting the Birkenhead Commissioners, on Tuesday evenink l i , was stated that the ferry receipts for the past m olt ' in the (January) were £ 1,988 10s. 6d., against £1,899 17s. , corresponding month of last year. The receipts from 24th of April to the 31st of January last were £19,b 3 against £17,136 in the like period of last year. The penditure from the 24th April, 1853, to the 31st Jannews - - - 1854, was £16,909. SMOKE CONSIIMPTION BY FERRY STEAMERS. -- At t i e meeting of the Birkenhead Commissioners, on Tuesday, was stated that a letter had been received from the TOM clerk of Liverpool, stating that, at the expiration 0 .1 , 1 f month, the penalties for non-consumption of smoke W ow : be enforced. The committee had offered to apply Oni, apparatus the corporation might suggest, which would aeu injure the boilers, but no answer has been received. a MODEL YACHTS IN BIRKENHEAD.—The Birkenbell. Model Yacht Club, at their last monthly meeting, mously passed a resolution for the exclusion of the six- 10° , 4 models. Much sport is expected from the new class v a " two tonners," which are to be sailed on the float; 11 1. e there are also five or six new " eight tonners on d stocks. The club now numbers about 160 members , 611 has about 20 yachts, ranging from 3-1 to 8 tons. A . FRIGIITFEL QUARRY ACCIDENT.—A deplorable e f t has just happened at the Cloddfa'r Lou Quarry, near Pi celebrated Nantille Lakes, in North Wales. Two 01 9 1 : 1 ; not related, named Evan and Robert Jones, were, t some others, engaged in setting the water-balance righL s t the mouth of the quarry, when the former placed his foo d on a plank projecting some distance over the quarry , insecurely attached to the top of the incline. Feeling :5 board giving way under him, he instinctively grasped the person nearest him, Robert Jones, and both were P , cipitated, with fearful violence, into the chasm. The who had caused the accident, after descending a depn forty yards, fell upon a ledge of rock, and, though fri g fully injured, some faint hopes are entertained a recovery. His companion, however, fell to the bottoms the quarry, a depth of sixty yards, and was literally daa l ! , to pieces, the brains and portions of the skull besmearlo, the ground. CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAILWAY.—The tra eg e.v ,. the week ending sth February,. 1854„ was as follows • ; Passengers, parcels, &c., per railway, £2,037 4s. I_„A -steam-boats, £345 Bs. 2.; total, £2,38e 13s. 7d.: g° s , r £1 2 325 Ss. 2d.: total, including Carnarvon traffic, A. rait, £3,362 13s. ld. ; steam-boat, £345 Bs. 2d. `-),,‘ responding week last year, per rail, £2,947 16s. 9d. ; stew; boat, £199 10s. 10d. Increase, £560 13s. Bd. A e BIKKEITHEAD HOSPITAL AND DISPENEERT.--.. t .. th annual meeting of governors, held at the Towa-n, Birkenhead, William T. Hamilton and-Matthew Jenneli...," Escp;s:, formerly honorary surgeons to the institat io° , were dilly elected consulting medical oiabers, vice JerO w Smith and William Stevenson, Esqrs., deceased. FATAt.ACCIDENT TO A CHILD.-011 Weduesday,Vl Euston, aged four years, residing with. her parentsl. t Hope-terrace, Birkenhead, was left by herself for a 0 11° * - 4 time, when her clothes caught fire, and before the ti,., could be extinguished, she had received such severe 'l' juries that death ensued on the following day. WIREAT.FAMMEES' CLUB.—The ploughing match 0 1 exhibition of stock in connexion with this society ‘ 7 9 , take place ttomorrow at Hinderton, near Neston ; '" t dinner will be. held at the Rock Ferry Hotel. The 0 0 4 ; ings of this society are always interesting, antl , there generally a good; muster. ROBBERY 31 - 2 5- A SERVANT. — Jessie Blevin was mg t , before the magiitrates at Birkenhead, on Monday,•^ l stealing a purse;- containing £lO, a silk dress, and a eal, the property of Mrs. Fernihough, of the Tranmerallo te „ ' The prisoner was recently in the employ of the prose', trix, and on leaving her situation she abstracted' . tt, money and other - articles. She was apprehended in rl,te street, and on her box being searched, it was fount., contain the dress and cape. She was committed for VIP' ~...- LONDON AND BIRKENHEAD RAILWAY TRAFFI The Shrewsbury and: Birmingham Railway Company creised, for the first time, their running powers over t'„ Stour Valley line on- Saturday, under Mr. HawksY r c t ; award. The rent payable to the London and No ~,0 Western Company fur the use of the New-street stagers in Birmingham, is to be: £3OO per month for the first Y e l, £43+o per month in tie second year, and £5OO per moo afterwards. The tolta. payable to the same company sr per passenger—First class, 2d. per mile, or 2s. 2d, for v, si T e whole distance ; second class, ltd. per mile, or ls. 8)4.'0 the whole distance ; t_vird class, id. per mile, or lain". ' e t the whole distance. The present fares on the Stour % are—First class, 25., or-2d. under the tollage actually /Ai able ; second class, Isi- 3d., or 52d. under the t011,.4 third class, ls. or lid. over the tollage. The Shrews b n' and Birmingham Company looks to ulterior advantsg e A ; i. e., the conveyance through traffic between Line" and Birkenhead. WORKING MEN'S IIteTITITTE AT BIRKENHEAD . g g Wednesday, the second public meeting of this society j., held in the Friends' Meeting-house, Beckwith-street , A kenhead.f The object cr the institute, which was foro 3 i i, on the 24th ultimo, is to promote amongst working 0 ,.,4 self-improvement in theeprinciples of art and science , "" oe to obtain general knowledge and intellectual amuse e lde adapted to their sphere of life, and compatible with too, daily duties: All politiCal and religious topics are ro,, e , prohibited. There were several gentlemen present at ,y4 l , meeting - who had taken a , lively interest in the form m, of the society: Sir Georg e• Stephenson was called upe j aii preside, after which the rules, which had been prepay The, a committee of working -men, were read and passed. chairrnsalstated that he- had written to Prince Albert ‘ ,,vf obtain his-patronage, but the secretary of his Royal Ifig„ nesas had written to say - that, although the Prince thew,: warm interest in werhinw men's institutions, the Met character - of the - airkea m ia so ciety alone prevented le: from complying with therequest. The Marquis of WI; mister had 'also been written to, and he had at once 0:4" sented to , become a patron of the in s titution, and exprt4 his readiness to contribute towards its funds. -Alw n it.. the gentlemen who took a part in the meeting were-ivye, Hornblowerfilke honorary secretary ; Mr. Curry, the ry R. Wald. Mr. T..C. Arches-, Mr. Blake, Mr. M. Be e o f &c. The prospects •of the society were stated to be c_A encouraging; both as regards members and finances, several gentlemen. had promised to deliver lectere2,4 various scientific subjects. Thanks were vo ted to -IrP: 01 1 Albert and:the • Marquis of Westminster, and to se' o f persons•who had exerted thems e l ves i n th e forreatie° to the society, and the-same compliment having beelrl's l „fti, the chairnsan; Sir George Stephen replied at some 1ee 6 03 reviewing; the- extraordinary pr ogr e ss o f science sinceo boyhood, , ,and. predicted that before long the Fr id n e Meeting-house -would not be large enough to contain " et fourth of the society's members. It is the,intentiell the committee-to make preparations for the -holding of public-tea soiree intaonnexion with the institute. t ie EXTRAORDINARY AGRICULTURAL SALES. ---- E Vr ial l scription of stock, horses, and produce, is-realisiog prices-, Calving cows, from £ll to £lB, awording , o re breed,and size, and in some cases even £2O has bee: tainedl; calving heifers, from £8 to £l2; shirks, frelalb to Rill; the pair ; horses, of the fat kind„ are yen' ,o; ranging from £3L to £45; hacks and colts in propor' s o , fat cattle from Bi-d. to 7d.; sheep, 7d. to Bd. ; pigs% 0 to,erid:.; turnips, from 18s. 6d. to 225.. per ton ; ss. to £t 10s. ; straw, 30s. to 50s. • cheese,• from or,,iier o 75a.;. in one ease we have heard of SOs., and we. Dr, A it-is still reported to be on the advance. On ,Mo;'n-01, very large sale was held at the farm.. of the late 31r.; 0 01 litins, at Belgrave, near Eaton, at which it is sir 1 4,0, nearly five hundred persons were present, some PA from very great distances. The catalogue contailW,4o, lots an unprecedented number for one day. 31 ;10 elnirton, however, (who had the conduct of the 1 0 1.0 mustered all their force, the thrse members of their being present; and, by their united efforts, the s o o' managed with great spirit, will* was not suirered,te ofy the whole being sold in a little, under five laours,a t 01; high price-s. Calving cows realised from £l.l, to t' heifers upwards of £l5 each ;.stirks and calves irL.P".ie.g' tioh ; short-horned bulls, from £9 to £l7 ; wagon " e gli £35 to £44 each; a very old shandry mare reahsed s r id £2O; and we heard it frequently remarked. that Ifo,l were never known to be so,dear. Fat cattle realioc u picl 9 pigS, fully 6d. ; in-lamb ewes (small breed0,345..6c 1 ..;;0: The farming implements also met a ready sale. ' 4 0 9 nesday, a sale of the fat cattle b e l ong i ng . to the linl 6 of Westminster took place, at the Eaton farm yard tbO attendance of buyers was great, and priees very go?i 0 0 14 1 beef varying from Old. to 7d. A competent judge us that one fat cow realised fully 71d. The sale center of 52 lots, which were : sold in one hour•and three-qu'' —Chester Chronicle. - of GOODS Pooh LMEPOOL.--Al t the meeting - t it ' ? Birkenhead Comini signers, on Tuesday, Mr. Rae r ti, into an explanation ; of the ne w arrangemen t s w ith to the goods traffic of Woodside ferry, stating 3 " ei other (Liverpool) side, they bad now porters at the 'oil combe-slip, whose duties were to mist in puttiell board all goods; sent to the Woodside boats. The 1 11, Sv i il boats would cross as often as they could, and a P e s 9 named Thomas Jones, well known in Birkenhead AO, carrier, had undertaken to deliver the goods throa , ,,io the whole township at a fix e d sca l e o f c h arge s. nifl the Woodside ferry as the. point, they had made beg distances in the township. Th e fi rs t would conlP',3er`, all from the ferry to the old, Chester-road and TrO"a pool and Grange-lane almo s t. to the docks ; the secoe 1,410, tance would be measured by the course of Whetstell o c and Exmouth-street, with a line from there to the ?I' and the third would run along Orton-road, Ba ll ' °- 1 1, Slaty-Ilene, and Devonshire-place, along ShrewsboLV, to the docks. For each, of these distances a differe n _A of cartage would be charged. H e wou ld t a ke for a barrel of flour. The ferry toll was id., the e?Tri l/ t , delivering it within the first distance lid. ext%4o.!,t second and third distance 3d. Sacks of salt, flour , 011' 4 barley, oats, potatoes, or beans, would all be dol iBe oo from lid. to 3d., according to the distance; and s°,l, o t fj, other articles in a schedule which h a d bee n prePar e vi when approved of would be printed an d diet liee't Perhaps the most interesting part was the par cel .- or It was intended that any parcel, basket of fruit , oo p p not exceeding 201bs. in we ig ht, o r £lO In value' p eo be delivered in any one of the three distances for :iejA, in addition to one penny for the fer r y toll. The. 0 7 would take place each day from Woodside at 1 0 and four, p.m. frOf t , ll 0 THE INDUSTRY AND MORALITY or LARGE . .,,t ir d ti It may be admitted that a saving population In"",. Y,, n l industrious, a well-conditioned, and a moral ° ll i is4o working-man who has money in the savings' ba l) IP usually a patron of the dram-shop. The following prepared from official data, will speak for itself :--- I PROGRESS OF SAYINGS' BANES. f o ltl e Increase by Number of , c o' Savings' Banks. Deposits in Years in ''''' 0 0. 0 London—St. Mar- 't X 4,1853. Operation. tri 69 9, 4 i , d r tin's-place ...... 5 582 38 ad.. 00110, Liverpool 40,721 38 6 60 '69 Manchester 43,227 36 5 99 '67 / • Edinburgh 24,413 17i pre B , 9 3 t ilio tt , l Glasgow ... 50,744 17 7 Comparing the increase o f eac h b a nk with Itg 1,014 accumulation, it appears that during the past Ye:',, „ e t of,o has increased one-third per cent., Manchester 7619:1 Liverpool and Edinburgh 6} per cent. esell , f ali the,,,cl e V, 9 per cent. A compariso n of th e numbers ?„1 17nir tors gives similar results. London has gain", 9COO. tioilai depositors, Edinburgh 1,800, Liverpool +1 clutatta MOO, and Woe!. 3,32 Q, I