The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-06-18 00:00:00

PORTLAND.

PORTLAND PRU4ON. —We commonly lore the
marvellous, hence we seldom form a cornet opinion
of a locality the first time we visit it. The foes
of the strange, curious, and wonderful, is fed from
the budget unfolded fur our um by every looal
"guide;" the facts and circumstances in connexion
with the place, are unnoticed, while the poen.
liarities of persons and things are magnified or
diminished according as they best promote the
object of the "guide in contributing to the mar.
yellow.. Mr. Hunt has evidently suffered from a
combination of those circumstances, during his
recent visit to this nei4hbeeriood, if we judge from
his description of Portland Prison DI the lest number
of Cornhill. He profeswilly came to make the beet of
what be saw, and lie listened with atteation to all
be board, he therefore laid himself open to great
imposition, and his guide took advantage of his
credulity. Edmund Burke considered that depth
was more sublime than eithee height or length. For
this reason, perhaps, Mr. ITeet has increased the
depth of the Vern Ibteli well nigh fourfold. II
is a matterof doubt, however, whether he adopted the
principles of that great authority in judging of the
sublime and beautiful. er he would not apply such
terms as "beautifully ,:onstructed" to a building
that cannot be consitli red small, is by no means
.mood,, hae no variety in the direction of its parts,
is more remarkable for strength, than for delicacy
of frame, and therefore has the very opposite
qoalities to those— in the opinion of Burke
—nermeasary to the expression of beauty.
Whatever were the rrinciples upon which
Mr. Hunt founded his judgment, it is manifest
be intended to satisfy the most inquisitive and
curious. He has found out ,id holdsup for admiration
the obscure but "able" official, who saves at the
rate of £20,000 a-year. Alas ! alas! that we have
not more such in our public departments, then the
income-tax imposition, and the tea duty burden
would be numbered with the east. But strange, there
was discovered only one "genius at bricklaying."
Sayers complimenting Heenan at the close of their
combat called him in P.R. parlance "a Brick," he
afterwards hinted that he was himself a bricklayer,
in this sense no doubt there are many " genius's at
bricklaying" in the cenviat establishment at Port-
land. Mr. Hunt's opinion of the work produced by
free labour is anything but complimentary, however
the weight of his opinion in contrasting the pro.
ductive labour of con victa and freemen, is considerably
lessened by the desire displayed here and elsewhere
to praise the former, and his evident inability to dis-
passionately judge the other.—Conimenicaleil.
THIR MACKIRRL Sessos.—The catch of mackerel
during the pae4 ...el, has been considerable, but
the fish generally were small. Although the &mem
has, according to ordinary calculations, but just
commenced, such has been the success which has
attended the fishermen this year that one party, the
proprietor of two boats and a " jim," has, we under-
stand, radioed nearly £lOO already by the catch of
mackerel this year.