Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-08-24 00:00:00

THE MOORS.

In all our experience we have never known a shooting season open
with so varied and chequered a result, and this has arisen not from
the scarcity of grouse, but from their strength and conscq.ent wild-
ness, this being increased by the state of the weather. Wherever a
fair breeding stock existed the birds are plentiful, a: :c1 bags have been
small, not from the:searcity of game, but from their wiliness. Not-
withstanding, sone:good bags have been made. In this county, and
in•the shires of Renfrew, Lanerk, Dumbarton, Stirling, and Argyle,
the sport has boon quite np to the average. On the 12th, on the
Kilkerran moo s, in Stream pariah, two parties k lied 28 brace and
181 ; in Barr parish. one gun killed 18 braze. On the 13th, one
party in Straiton killed 12, and one in Daley parish 8 brace. Oa the
15th, in Cohnonel, one party killed 191 brace and two snipes, and one
in Ballantrae 19.1 and 1 snipe.
A. Buchanan, Esq. of Barskimmiog, killed 27 brare to his own gun
on Dalblair. On the same moor, Mr. Barnett and two friends, on the
same day, killed 24 brace. Geo. Cunningham, Esq. of Skeldan, killed
on Boghead moor 22 brace. Lord Eglinton and the Duke of Montrose
tiled 20 brace on a small moor of about 100 acres in West Kilbricle.
n Blairquhan moors, E. H. Blair, Esq. of Dunakey, and R. Vans
Agnew, Esq. of Bsrnbarrow, killed 23 brace and 4 hares.
Oa Knockshinnock, In Ayr county, Mr. Peter Buchanan killed 16
race on 12th and 13th, shooting only a few hours inch day.
Mr. D. Lade killed 22 brace and 2 hares on Mr. Crawford of drosble
Castle's moor. This is far above an average. On a small mar near
Barba!, one gun, on the 12th, killed exactly double the number of
any previous bag known on that day. On Kingswells, Mr. J. C.
Foulds killed 12, and, on Glenowther, three guns 29 brace; on
Eaglesham, the best bag was 17 brace. Mr. A. Grah tm, of Capellie,
killed 10i braze in a few hours on the small moor of Fereneze. •

In Argyllshire, the sport has been unequal. The ranges round
Inverary are fairly stocked on the lower ground?. Mr. Edmiston, the
Duke's head gemekeeper, killed 9 brace before nine o'clock in the
morning, in time for dispatch to London by the steamer leaving at
ten. Mr. John Reid, o: Port Glasgow, on Achnagoll, killed respec-
tively 27,} and 12 bran on the 12th and 13th. On Mr. J. D. Dongall's
crack moor of Ardchylline opposite to levorary, the grouse are wen-
iarly abundant, and Count Plater, of Wi:na, a young Ru than noble-
man, and Mr. Pottsr, had excellent sport. But we have heard
nothing from this coantry to equal the doings of Mr. Joseph R.
Fisher, who, on a moor near Campbelltowa, killed in two hours 12
brace on the 12th, and In the same time o the 14th, 13 brace and 5
snipe.

Black game shooting opens on Thursday, and all reports agree as to
their abundance.—Ayr Observer.
BANFFSHIRL—Wednesday last opened :the grouse shootings.
Sportsmen had for the most part arrived previously at their season's
quarters, and many of them were on tiptoe to get out at dawn on the
12th. The day was fine, and generally speaking fair sport was got.
The weather since, however, has beets vary wet, and little has been
done since the opening day. Birds have in every case been found
healthy and strong, but In many instances they we scarce—some
gentlemen'a success being so small that they are unwilling it should
be published; while as regards tie bags on one or two important
ranges of hills, thsy are reported as the worst for many years. In
order to prevent fu'ure scarcity from tha stock of game being too
much shot down, as was the case last year, v .rlons more have been
let under restrictions that only a certain quantity of game will be
killed—some conditioning that not more than so many brace shall be
taken daily, others that only a specified number shall be sly t in the
whole.—Banff Journal.

Lo c inn.— Grouse shooting had a high:y auspicious commencement
in this district on " the twelfth "—the result. so far as they have
reached us, being as under : —invermark—Lsri Panmnre barged 60
brace of grouse, 1 hare, 1 rabbit, and 1 duck, being the highest in this
quarter. Oleneffo,k—Col. Dandas and the Earl of Scarborough
bagged 44 brace of grouse between them. Ilauthill—The Earl of Sef•
ton and party, having thres guns, bagged 61& brace of grouse.
Milden —Henry Magnaic, Esq., and party, being only out for an hour
or two, bagged 11 brace. Gannochy—Captain Peareth killed 40 brace
of grouse and 5 hares with his own gun, and Captain Briscoe and C.
Pack, Esq.. 29 brace of grouse 4 hares, 1 snipe, the other gentlemen
not gong out till one o'clock. On the 13th Capt. Peareth bagged 20
brace of grouse In four hours, and the other two gentlemen 17i brace
of grouse and 5 hares in the same time. Captaiu Young, who arrived
at Invermark on Thursday last, bagged 41 brace of grouse on St tur-
day. Colonel Dandas and the Earl of Sc arborough had 32 brace of
grouse on the 13th, and the Earl of Sefton and Mr. Granfoil hod
about 40 brace on Saturday. Mr. Da'ziell, Edzell Lodge, bagged 9f
brace of grouse on the 12th.

Trn ROBBZRY OP BANK NOTIM—At the Manchester
City Police Court, on Friday, John Smethurst, William
H,Avard, and Ann Malloy who had been remanded on
charges of being concerned in the robbery of Bir.k of &-
gland notes to the amount of £l,OOO from Mr. Thomas
Taylor, were brought up again to:: further examination.
Mr. A. D. Fawkes appeared for the male prisoners, and
called witnesses to chancter. There being no further evi-
dence against them, they were discharged. The case
against, the woman was of a much more suspicions charac-
ter. Two of the mis,ing n,ltes were traced to her possession
on the very day of the robbery, and she was proved to have
changed both of them in the neighbourhood of Shudehill
on the same day. The only explanation she could give of
the matter was, that the notes came into her possession,
she could not tell how, when she was in a state o`..- intex-
cation. In opposition to this statement it was tatown that
the woman was in full possessioa of her senses when she
changed the notes. She was remanded. -until 'tuesday. It
was stated in court that a man was in 'custody in London
on a charge of passing one of the stole', notses, and that the
metropolitan authorities refused to IV And the prisoner over
to the Manchester police.

POPULAR EDUCATION.

TO TUB EDITOR OF TIM NoRTHIERI TIMES.
Each might his servi'e province wall command.
Would a 1 bat stoop to what they understand."

Sir,—Like your esteemed correspondent J. 0. N., who
in early youth fell deeply in love with the moral conveyed
in the following couplet—

r et all the foreign tongues alone,
'Tilly ou can spell and write y our own ; "
and, according to his own assertion—which I have no
cause to dispute—upon w:lich he has hitherto most
scrupulously acted. I also, at an early age, happened to
read the couplet heading this epistle. It made an
impression—a lasting one in the store-house of memory.
I became an easy proselyte to the doctrine which is so
laconically, but forcibly conveyed. Ido not mean to say
that I have not, in common with others, frequently
transgressed against, not only the letter, but against the
very essence of the couplet.
With this frankly honest avowal at your bar, as an
impartial judge, you will allow me to plead precedence
at least, as an- apology. But, perhaps, the writers of
epistles, not intended for the information or edification
of private friends, but for the public weal, do not
generally fall into greater error, in naturally expecting
that all their:readers should behold their darling creature
" child " with the same affectionate fondling eye as they
themselves behold and admire it, than do their readers in
vainly imagining that authors write expressly for the
purpose of pandering to the peculiar taste, appetite, or
caprice of any individual, or individual class of
readers. Thus, in a country, free as the air we
breathe, with a press legitimately unfettered as the
wings of the morning lark, I cannot see any reason
why an interchange of ideas and sentiments bearing upon
any subject should not be tolerated, not only so but
encouraged, without entailing upon the devoted head of
the hapless adventurer the relentless vengeance and
anathemas of a well-trained squad, whose field of action
is papyrus, and whose offensive weapons are quills
saturated with the poison of galls and oxides. Slavish
timidity, however, ill becomes the chief of a formidable
clan inured to toil and penury, therefore the puerile
attacks of your educational correspondent, J. 0. N , fall
as callously and innocuously upon myself as a ml.dge
disporting itself on a rhinoceros.

Your enrrespondent is pleased to stela mo a learned
critic." I beg to assure him that I feel highly compli.
mented, for he generously concedes a deal more than I
bargained for in this respect, but in other respects con-
siderably less than I contend for. Concession, however,
is not conq test ; consequently, I treat this gratuitous
compliment much in the same spirit as did the Trojan of
old, the votive Wooden Horse—" I hate the Greeks and
the offerings they bring."
But pardon me, Mr. Editor, I have almost forgot that
"Popular Education" is the theme. The term is fraught
with meaning; the interests of my clan are as much
involved as those of-the proudest peer in the realm. hence
the cause of my tackling "Tyros," not " heroes," in the
arena of discussion.

I opine that the term education may, without extraordi-
nary sketching, be resolved into its component elements
for the sake of affording greater facility in discussing the
subject calmly and rationally.
My subdivisions of the subject stand thus, subject, of
course, to the approval or rejectio❑ of your great normal
educationalist, J.O.N. :—Physical, mental, and moral
training.

Some, I admit, perhaps more sanguine than discreet,
insist upon the element of religious creed being included.
These, I have no hestitation in saying, have done more of
late years to mar the cause of a really sound and useful
education ; and, I believe I may add, of Christianity, than
all the machinations and combinations of the enemies
of the latter together.
It requires only a small amount of reflection to readily
perceive that the first natural wants of a child, the fit
subject of the educationalist, are entirely of a physical
character. T:-,e tender frame must be carefully nourished,
protected in its helplessness, and watched over with all
the solicitude of maternal sympathy and loving care, until
in process of time glimmerings of intelligence and mind
are seen to radiate on the infant brow. Nor here does
the fond parent's anxious care terminate ; every opportu-
nity is eagerly watched and embraced to minister in aiding
to cherish and strengthen the tender mental aspirations
of the yet but budding child. A few more years having
rolled over the round little cheek, due pains are taken to
instil into the mind the desirability of respect to whom
due, whether from age or position—moral rectitude in all
future transactions of life, with a good understanding as
to the law, or golden rule. relating to melon et teem, &c.
It is now mete that this darling promising boy should
associate and mingle with his own equals, coevals, and
with those with whom he may be naturally expected to
come in freqnent contact, in a business point of view,
during the remaining portion of his earthly pilgrimage. He
must now quit the nursery, and forget indulgent Old Betty
and her nursery rhymes. He must be further educated—
the where becomes to the solicitous parents a subject of
deep consideratien.
Institution after institution is named, and an unfavour-
able decision arrived at in reference thereto, in
consequence of the religious tenets inculcated therein.
Here rests the bone of contention, the guestio vexata,
which has puzzled, puzzle, and will puzzle, not only my
impotent, though loyal clan, but statesmen, clergymen,
and bishops themselves. That such be the ease is cause
of regret to all; but what use to lament what we cannot
prevent. Our duty is clearly to succumb to circum-
stances which we can neither alter, subvert, nor direct.
how much, solver, we may feel aggrieved by the
oppressive burdens imposed upon us, or obstrnctive
barriers placed in our desired path by our superiors.
The importance of the subject, however, admonishes
me of my incapacity to grapple with it, but in this
dilemma, I regret to say that I stand not singular. I
except, of course, our doctissimus omnium friend J. 0. N.,
whose sole aim appears to be occupied in endeavouring to
devise and then divulge a national scheme of education,
which, like the long predicted, but as long waited for
millennium, shduld embrace within its pale all sects and
creeds with a simultaneous burst of universal accepta-
bility,
In the present day, and state of mind, such a scheme
might legitimately be styled the philosopher's true
gem.
But your correspondent not having endeavoured to
propound any suel► scheme, I cannot see any reason
wherefore I ought to permit him, lion-like, to pounce, in
the fury of forest rage, upon my humb!e, and, I hope,
modestly expressed, ideas as to education whetier,
national, sectional, or popular.
In reference to my letter of the 13th ult. in your columns,
I regret that your correspondent "J 0. N." should wil-
fully, for otherwise impossible, misconstrue my meaning
for some, to me unknown, sinster end.

if his desire has been to reader me obnoxious in the
sight or estimation of the members of the Corporation of
Liverpool, he might have adopted some other more panly
straightforward means to accomplish his end, than indi-
rect misrepresentation or construction of my ideas
indelibly expressed as to education generally, and, with
special reference to his ideas, to the Corporation Schools
of Liverpool particularly.
I have never received a favour nor a fi^own from any
member of the corporate representatives'of Liverpool, and
for a good reason—l have never asked the one, nor, to
my knowledge, merited the other. And in proof of
this latter assertion, I beg to request any member
of that intelligent body who may have read J. 0. N.'s stric-
tures on my reply to him, to refer to that reply, and that
member will soon be satisfied that my object was not to
impugn the admirable management and disection of the
Corporation Schools. The amount of benefit they are cal.
culated to confer, and undeniably do confer, upon the large
portion of the youth of this town. Neither have I attempted
to disrate the talented teachers of those schools ; and,
further, I deny having in said letter, called the praise-
worthy exertions of the Liverpool Corporation in the
cause of education, " doubtful or questionable experi-
ments." But what I did say in import, I here again
assert, that I did then, and now do. question the propriety
of his officious intermeddling with institutions, which he
himself, in common with all others, admits to be
admirably conducted. Were it not as prudent to let well
alone? _ _ _

J. 0. N. tries to hit me very hard, when he tells myself,
and your other irtelligent readers, that I know nothing of
what has led to the greatness of my native country. I
beg his pardon; it is not only possible, but very probable,
that my knowledge is more circumscribed than his.
Nevertheless, be may allow me to have a faint glimmer-
ing notion at least of what have, ex magma parte, if not
entirely contributed to the present enviable position of
England in the scale of nations. And I believe that I will
get many seconders if I say in two significant words, its
constitution and institutions moulding and regulating the
habits and morals of its people, and nought else besides,
further than we must acknowledge the resulting effect in
shape of harvest produce upon which neither your
valuable space nor my own valueless time would justify
me in tracing through its varied and various ramifications
from root to branch.

Every person who pretends to have given even mediocre
consideration to the subject will readily comprehend my
idea, and if others there be I write not at present for
them.

Some of my former remarks roir correspondent denies
in toto—this little W 0/. d advises me, in terms of his favou-
rite couplet, t hat he bas, at least, mastered the Orthography
and Syntax of his mother's tongue, which feat, by insinua-
tion, he would hare your readers believe, I have not yet
performed.
What pains he may have taken to ascertain that I can
neither spell nor write my native LANGUAGE, I have had
no means of kniowing. Of one thing, I can honestly assure
him that the tongue in which I now address him is as
much foreign to, and borrowed by. me as any other quo-
tation whic-r. I may have used, and which may, to him, be
" dead" languages. L do not assert this, but I state openly,
and I defy your talented correspondent to contradict my
statenter_lt—that the people, whose refined language I
quoted, to the annoyance of your correspondent, called
his gr andsires, as well as mine, " Barbarians ;" and, con-
sidex:ing that he could not " squeeze the ghost of an idea
Out, of whole paragraphs" written by me in a tongue
fc,reign to myself, and of which I do not pretend to be
'master, to suit his. convenience, I now regret that
I did not more largely draw upon the refined
sentiments and true philosophy of the ancients—
instead of murdering the English tongue in my weak en-
deavours to mangle yogi correspondent's ideas of popular

education, which, I am hopeful, are peculiar to himself,
and I would fain believe that he courts popularity through
singularity.
But perhaps I had better draw it mild. Your paper of
his morning is just put into my hands, by which I see
that his lordship, Baron Watson, has come to town, and
has, in his address to the grand jury, strongly expressed
his sentiments upon the subject ; and had I known this
earlier, I should not run the risk of being pulled up before
him for murdering a subject which I do not pretend to
know, and mangling a system of which I do not approve.
Were it not, Mr. Editor, that I have already
trespassed too far upon your space, and, I am certain,
upon your patience, I would feel disposed to add a
few more :paragraphs, to convince "J. 0. N." that
there ' are rare spots in the United Kingdom where
greater facilities are afforded to my clan to obtain a sound
and liberal education than in Liverpool, although he
asserts the contrary.
And I still adhere to my reluctance to allow the Corno -
ration Schools of Liverpool being converted into training
seminaries for teachers, to educate the rest of the people
of England, and simply for the reason assigned in my
letter of the 13th ult., and which I need here again repeat ;
and, finally, I deny having said that low education
eminated from talented teachers—what I called low was
the range of education there taught, but certainly the
most suitable for the class attending.
As to the fault found with my having said that not one
in ten is qualified by tact and talent to teach, I repeat
this again, but it will surely require much straining to
make the assertion refer to the talented teacher, or to
any teacher engaged in the responsible and arduous duty
of training youth.
As I started by a quotation, allow me to end by another—
. "Tho e heals, like stomachs, are not sr.re the best,
Whi 3h nansiate all, but nothing can digest."
I are, &c., THE CHIEF OF THE FRIENDLRSS POOR.
Liverpool. 11th August, 1857.