The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-02 00:00:00

would protect them in action, and be a vast saving.
We require ships all over the world;
and lighter vessels might be built for
speed, with guns of long range. These would be
found very effectual upon emergency. But our
present navy is capable of being turned to account,
and no doubt the Admiralty is looking to the
subject, for we see they are getting rid of many
vessels deemed unfit for service. This course had
been recommended years ago, but to little purpose.
The "system" would keep them lying in ordinary
to rot, till time settled the question. Mr. STANS-
FELD must have seen much of our dockyards during
his recent inquiries, bat we fear that his labours
will not produce any beneficial result for some time
to come. The Dockyard management requires a
complete change, and now, as the system is to be
altered from wood to iron, there will be a double
advantage gained without doing any injustice to
the workmen, who will become gradually reconciled
to the change. We have no doubt that great im-
provements will be introduced, founded on the
scrutiny instituted in consequence of the dissatis-
faction manifested during the last session, and the
promises made by Government to carry out every
possible economy compatible with the exigencies of
the service. But the question arises, how was the
matter suffered to be overlooked, or unheeded, so
long ? That is a question for one party to answer
as well as another ; but, as it concerned neither
while in office, it was more convenient to leave it to
their successors, while the country was none the

wiser.

Thackeray's Noble Christmas Carol,

Gloria in excelsis Deo, et
_in terra pax hominibus bones

voluntatis.

[The verses emphasised below in italics, but
espedially the line here printed in small capitals,
will be found to hare a most pathetic application
to the lamented Author of this exquisite little carol,
a song so tenderly and so reverently echoing the
Angel's Chorus heard by the shepherds on the night
of the first Christmas.]
Amen I whatever fate be sent,
Pray God the heart may kindly glow,
Although the head with cares be bent,
And whitened with the winter snow.
Come wealth or want—come good or ill,
Let young and old accept their part ;
And bow before the awful will,
And bear it with an honest heart.

Who misses or vho wins the prize.
Go I lose or conquer as you can ;
But if you fail or if you rise,
B 3 each, pray God, a gentleman.
A gentleman, or old or young I
(Bear kindly Kith my humble lays) ;
The sacred chow first was sung
Upon the first of Christmas days.
The shepherds hoard it overhead—
The joyful angels raised it then ;
Glory to Heaven on high it said,
And peace on earth to gentle men.
My song save this is little worth ;
I LAY TEE WEARY PEN ASIDE,
And wish you health, and love and mirth,
As fits the solemn Christmas tide.
As fits the holy Christmas birth,
Be this, good friends, our carol still
Be peace on aura, be peace on earth
To men of gentle will.

A YANKEE jEAMES,

An unmistakeable Jeames gives an account of the Massa-
chusetts part of the Royal journey, in a little book pub-
lished some time since in Boston. The writer, it will be
observed, discusses the Prince and the member of his suite,
as if they belonged to some curious and little known class
in natural history, and, whilst affecting to despise it all,
dwells upon their titles, and brings in the high-sounding
names as often as possible with true republican relish.

"The Prince's titles are—Prince of Wales, of, &c., &c.
He is not yet 19 years of age, and has done nothing which
would distinguish anybody, though this is not at all to his
discredit, of course He is a good-natured, pleasant,
affable, and rather interesting young man, with nothing
about him by which he would be marked were he not to be
King of England at some future period It is said that
he employs the major part of his leisure time in reading
and smoking, and that mild Habano.s' are his particular
weakness."

Jeames, however, ascertains that " the story that he
is allowed only five cigars a day is a fabrication," and:that
on the whole he is " an excellent enample to American
gentlemen." Of the Duke of Newcastle we learn the fol-
lowing facts, which we hope are satisfactory to his Grace :
—" His personal appearance is unusual—a large, strong,
and rather obese body, and a full bold face, covered with a
red beard—this face does not indicate intrigue, it does in-
dicate that he is able, designing, sagacious, and calculat-
ing." The Earl of St. Germans is more to Jeames's mind.
" He is a prodigiously well-preserved gentleman of a fine
tall figure. He wears unexceptionable linen and irre-
proachable coats and troweers, which were the envy of
New York swells." Coming to Major Teesdale and the
Hon.,Mr Eliot we have types of the " haughty aristocrat."
The latter gentleman we find is very tall, and his face is
not unlike his father's (the Earl of St. Germans). Mr.
Eliot's manners are very proud and reserved, and repel
rather than attract the public. He is a member of "
crack London corps of the British army," and is
distinguished, when, in uniform, by an immense
bearskin cap,!which makes his stature appear super-
human." Major Teesdale, again, "is handsome, having
a face of the Teutonic type, and light curly
hair and moustache which he wears very pecu-
liarly. Ho is,haughty in his manners, but nevertheless a
favourite among the ladies. The member of the suite who
dances with the handsomest ladies is sure to be Major
Teesdale, and his peculiarly aristocratic appearance, aided
by his rich uniform, always attracts attention and remark."
Dr. Acland, "the Prince's Professor at Oxford," is tall and
stoutly built, and has heavy light-coloured side whiskers
and high forehead; and Lord Lyons is
"a middle-aged
man, of attractive personal appearance and manners," But
Jeames's favourites as approachable aristocrats are Lord
Hinchinbrooke and Captain Grey. The formar he even
condescends to speak of as "my Lord,"
He tells us "Lord
Hinchinbrooke is short, by no means handsome, very good
natured, affable, and anything but aristocratic in his ap-
pearance. He has often been mistaken for the Prince,
whom he resembles in nothing but his small size, and is
greatly sought after by those who are anxious to see a real
specimen of a live young Lord." To fipish the list of por-
traits, which we have sadly cut down as to details from the
original descriptions, "Captain Gray is tall, stoops slightly
forward, and is distinguished by his closely cropped hair,
his long heavy side whiskers, his brilliant dark eyes, fine
complexion, and high colour, The Captain is very affable
in his manner, has no aristocratic hauteur, and greets the
officers of the United States army as brothers."—Bury Poet
and Suffolk Herald.

WALKER!—The physicians of antiquity founded
often the choice of their remedies on resemblances
of forms, or sympathise, which they thought they observed
between the diseased organs of the body and plants, ani-
mals and vegetable. These pretended sympathies, which
had With them the force of law, have given birth to the most
incredible follies. We offer some examples. Theophrastue
and Dioscorides assure us that the great and little snake
root are very efficacious against the bites of serpents, be-
cause they are covered With spots—red, grey, yellow, and
blue— like the skin of serpents ; that the same is
the case with garlic, orchanet, and viperine, the
seeds of which resemble the head of a viper.
Various species of marbles, whose veins present the
aspect of a serpent's skin, can serve the like purpose.
Many admirable remedies are proposed by Pliny. To cure
headache, it suffices to place on the head a small linen bag
containing grass that has been gathered on the head of a
statue. Red ranunculus is a sovereign -emedy for a feeble
or failing voice, inasmuch as a small chirping insect is
found on the stalk of that plant. Many minerals of a milky
appearance increase the milk in the females of different
animals. The veins of agates offer to the eye the most varied
landscapes. We discover therein, by the aid of the imagi-
nation, rich harvests, trees laden with fruit, and so on. To
realise all these productions of the Golden Age it suffices
to reduce agate to powder, and to throw the powder
round the h6rns of oxen which are at work. An actor who
wants to make his voice powerful must furnish himself
with a stone which is as sonorous as brass—the phonolite
probably. Hematite stone, pounded into small powder, is
as red as blood ; thus it is exceedingly efficacious
against hismorrages. If a very pacific man wishes to
render himself bold, and even quarrelsome and impudent,
helmust wear a lion's:skin, If wedcsire to make a silent per-
son an interminable babbler we must make him eat a ragout
of the tongues of frogs, of ducks, or of wild geese. But if
we cannot get him to fall into this snare, we must put
under his pillow a little bag filled with these tongues ; he
will then speak even in his sleep, and reveal all his secrets

AIRS. ESTHER Flu's, wife of Mr. Thomas Fillis•
(Clown) died last Wednesday at Cardiff. She was only iu
her 30th year, and leaves four children to mourn her loss.