The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-10-22 00:00:00

MR. SPURGEON ON SHREWS, AND HOW TO

TAME THEM.

On Friday night • large audience, in %Lich the
gentle sex gre.tly predominated, maclubled ID Mr.
iipurgeou's Tabernacle, to hear • lecture delivered by
that gentleman on " Shrews, and llow to Tame
'Mtn."

At seven o'clock Mr. Spurgeon ascended the platform,
and, having offered up a brief prayer' commenced his
discourse by explainiug that he had been delivering
a series of lectures, in which the peculiarities of the ,
various orders of 11114111111111/ hal been descanted upon.
After some introductory remarks the rev, lecturer said
that on turning to Walker's Dictionary lie found that
the word " shrew " bore three interpretations: Snit,
" a mouse;" next, "a peevie`i, brae ling, turbulent,
vixenish woman "—(laughter)--and in the third instance
we, a derivation front a Saxon word, which he (the rev
gentleman) could spell, lint wee enable to pronounce.
On looking, however' into old dictionaries, he discovered
that the word shrew has a more extended meaning than
is ordinarily assigned to it, and that it applies to males
no less than females. (Roars of laughter.) Ile (the
lecturer) was very glad of this, for it afforded him an
opportunity of taking both sides of the question. The
number of elirewish woman recorded in history was very
small, and this was a tolerably good proof that many !
could not have existed, or otherwise the bietoriens who
were of the other sex would certainly have rerwirdial
the fact, lie would only particularise two, but lie
would first of all Mate his belief that there were no I
living specimens. The female shrew was extinct, or a
thing that "used to was." (Laughter.) The first
shrew mentioned in history was Xantippe, the wife of !
Socrates, the philosopher. Before marriage Socrates
was aware that his intended was ill-tempered, but
Ire said he wanted some one to teach him patience. It
was raid that u on one occasion Mrs. Socrates made a
great deal of noise at her husband, who thereupon went
outside the house and sat down upon a stool. The lady
wits exceedingly irate at this coolness, went upstairs,
and haring found something, emptied the contents Da
his head. (Rears of laughter.) The philosopher, how-
ever, was in no way disturbed, but quietly remarked, !
It has thundered so long that I was sore it would
rain." (Renewed laughter.) Socrates, however, gave
his wife a good character, and perhaps her failings had
been exaggerated. Ile said she might net have had the
heat of tempers, but still she hail such virtues as he
hardly hoped could be discovered in any other woman.
Having briefly alluded to Jesebel, the lecturer passed
on to the most renowned of modern. shrews. Mrs.
Weeley, of whom lie related several anecdotes, besides
reading • lengthy extract from • book respecting her
shrewish qualities. The lecturer then said that with
regard to male shrews lie could point to scores of in-
stances. He was a common object of the seashore, a
I common object of the ccuntry, and • common object in
the town. He was to be found in the police courts,
and also undergoing a pleasant course of two month's
imprisonment. (Laughter.) But it would perhaps be
as well to pass at once to the consideration of the ques-
tion, "How shrews, whether male or female, are to be
oared?" Mr. Spurgeon, in solving this problem re-
ferred to tffitakapeare's well-known play, from which he
read several passages. In nine cases out of ten the
reverend genntletnan was of opinion, where • husband
did not get on well with his wife, it was his own fault.
There was a clergymen once who had taken too each
to drink, when he was called upon to " sprinkle" •
child. He fumbled at his book, but could not find the
piece, whereupon he stammered out, " What • very
difficult child this is to baptise !" (Laughter.) It was
the clergyman himself who was in fault; and an it was
for the most part with husbands and wires. The rev.
gentleman then related a story of • good husband, who
received from his wife a ring. He at once took it to
a goldemith's and had some words engraved upon it,
'rile husband died, and on the wife's looking at the
ring she found them words, "I have loved thee on
earth, and I will inert thee in heaven." The rev.
gentleman trusted that many persons could utter the
same sentiment. To return however, to the taming
of shrews. The Rev. John Scott was once waited on
by amen who had a dreadfully bad wife, ard wanted
to know what he should do with her. Mr. Scott said,
. . . . . . .

" You must be very kind to her, indeed,- treat her.
with patience." The man said he had done so for
• log time, but it was no use, she was so passionate.
" Never mind." said Mr. Scott, " continue the
treatment." The man promised to do so, and on
the next iiaturday night took all his wages home,
and threw them into his wife's lap. She threw
the money at him, end got into a furious passion.
The man went again to Mr. Scott, and told him what
had occurred, but the reverend gentleman told him to
pendia. A 'third time, however, be came
with the same story, and added that he had been in-
formeol by a fr;eild that the only way to roubles a re-
fractory wife was by the free application of ahoreewhip,
but before adopting that esteems course, he would like
to know Mr. Scott's Opinion on the matter. Mr. Scott
renewed his former advice, and 101110 time afterwards
had the gratification of seeing the man and lois wife
reerneiled to each other. Mr. Spurgeon went on to
say there was an old proverb to the effect thatwomen
ought to have their wills whilst they were alive, for
they are not allowed to make them at their deaths.
(Laughter.) But,on the otherhand, it was wetted that
if they load their wins, they would soon die. Mr.
Spurgeon's mlvice to husbands with bad wives was
this: Keep your temper, for love mingled with good
temper will assuredly tame the most stubborn creatures.
Christian women have often much sorrow of heart be-
cause they were yoked to ungodly husbands. The rev.
lecturer then enuonerated several instances of men
having been converted through the instrumentality of
the patietme and forbearance exhibited by their wives.
Silence and patience worked a great deal of good,
though there was once • inert who was killed
by the silence of • minister whom he used
to annoy, by constantly minding Min abusive
letters. He mint them at first through the post,
but As no notice was taken of them he fancied they had
toot reached their destination. Accordingly lie waylaid
the miniater in the street, and banded him • letter.
The latter quietly put it into his pocket, and walked
unconcernedly on. This coontemptuuus treatment so
preyed upon the mind of the poor man, who imagined
he had a real grievance, that be died shortly afterwards.
The lecturer then made ot few remarks respecting him'
self. "When I first came to London," he said, "a
person gave one •by no means reputable character. I
met Dr. Feltcher in the street, and he said t,, one, "I
*ea they have put you in the papers. Are you going
to answer them ?' 'Never,' mill I ; ' I will never an-
swer anything." You are right,' he replied ; 'for their
ink will dry up en,l their pens be worn out some day or
other.' I think that advice was very einal. If dogs
bark, it is by no means a proper thing to reply by bark-
ing again. If • Christian Will meet wth abuse, I
may say with Old Quarles, ' If I had nutfreen a stranger
in this parish, the dogs would not have barked at me."
(Laughter.) Mr. Spurgeon, in conclusion, said that the
ir.oral of his lecture was, that all should strive, in their
family reletionshipii, to oortribute to the comfort of
others. They might rest assured that there was more
enjoyment in helping others to be happy than in always
looking to one's•self. It was raid that charity should
begin at home; but, in a higher sense, it would be
found that, to have true joy at home, one must begin
by sliediline that joy and peace on others. He would
exhort all to make their households Christian houses
Indite, and their families would then be brought to love
the Lord.
Mr. Spurgeon resumed his seat amid applause.

Till FIOIALC BLONDIN ON FIRE AT MAXCEIRSTZI.
The lady who crossed the river Thames on a single rope
two thousand feet long. in Angola last, and who was
then placed in somewhat perilonn position, from a defect
in the arrangement of the rope*, performed at Bellevue
Ganlens, Manchester, on iiiiturday evening, and met
with en accident which might have been fetal. A rope
was stretched across the lake which fronta the great
picture, and reached from the clock-tower to • pole
. meted on the opposite aide. It was 4011 feet long and
ral feet high. The performance was snoonimed to take
place at eight o'clock, and shortly after that tine the
Female Blondin was on the tower, prepared to wake
her hazardous trip. From the circumstances of the rope
having become slackened, considerable delay took plain,
and it was not until nearly nine that she ociunneticed.
The wind was blowing very strong from the mouth,
directly across the rope, thus adding to the perilousness
of the feat. The lady was dressed in the costume sup•
posed to impen.onate the heroic Juan of Arc; but before
starting she took off her helmet and plumes in cense-
. gnome of the wind being so high. With admirable
courage and apparent ease she walked over the rope
without the slightest fault or mishap. On arriving at
the other end, a serious misfortune occurred,
which must have added to the gratification of
1 those who Caine to be "agonised." The sparke from the
fireworks caught her dress, and burned her on the head
mud neck ; but, with admirable presence of mind, she,
unaided, soon put nut the flames and commenced ber
return journey. While on the rope, and near the
middle, she balanced herself on one leg, and went
through other inancouvres, which excited the admiration
and applause of the crowd assembled to witness the
performance. It had been arranged that she should go
over the rupee second time, amid a blase of fireworks ;
but in consNuence of the let :nos of the evening, and
the inenmentenin abs had sustained from the fire, this
was abandoned. . .

Ou FridaY afternoon • heavy thunderstorm passed
over Wakefield and its neighbourhood. At Wood-
Rion*, near Wakefield, on the farm of Yr. Waitron
Richardson, bowerst men' and hoYI Wen Idowildni•
When the storm same on, the men took sheiks' under •
hedge, and while they were there two hones, Yalu £OO,
were ottrak dada by the Whiling.