The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-02 00:00:00

LITTLE JOHN STAKES.

Vision
La Mechante . 2
Blackbird . :3
Ten ran.
HURDLE RACE.
_ _

Lincoln
David Ann
WELTER CUP.

- - -
Darnasotut
Seraley
Eight ran.

LATEST BETTING.
THE LIVERPOOL GRAND NATIONAL.
14 to 1 aget Jerusalem (taken)
20 to 1 aget Sinking Fund (offered)

LORD PALMERSTONLIk THE HOUSE.

Lord Palmeraton has just come in, walking
rather stiff in the limbs, but planting his feet firmly
OR the ground and looking like an honest, sturdy
Englishman, as he is,who would make a fight of it,
if necessary, even at seventy.eight. On sitting
down he pulls his hat well over his yes, folds his
arms, and waits to be spoken to. oresently some
member asks a not particularly bright question
upon foreign policy. The Premier is on his legs in
a moment, with hat in hand, and says with perfect
gravity half a dozen words which make the Hon se
laugh immoderately. But there is seldom any sting
in what he says. His good-humour and un willir g-
ness to offend are taken for granted, so the member
who has been put off with an evasive answer, or
with no answer at all, at last joins in the merrithent
as heartily as anybody. The answer to the next
question on foreign policy is, perhaps, entrusted to
Mr. Layard, who is " bearded like a pard," and
speaks with a brusqueness, and with something of
aggressiveness and almost of defiance in his ton e,
which sometimes conduce to anything but mild df '-
bates. However, the Under-Secretary can hold hits
own well, and with that lion-front of his, and a
confidence which Easteru travel may have givens
him, but which more probably came to him by
nature, ha is always a formidable debater.
Now Lord Palmerston rises again, and the ilou 5e
listens at once in rapt attention. It is a question
of great importance—a fighting question, in feet.
This time his lordship, in pregnant statesman-like
language, enters somewhat fully into the subject,
and his voice can be heard distinctly in the remote et
corner. Now ho resumes his seat, and, from the)
look of the notice paper, his work for the nigh.%
seems to be at an end, the subjects which will no w
be " on" resting in the hands of the Ministers, wl io
can take care of them thoroughly. You suppc so
that the veteran statesman takes the opportunity of
going home quietly to dinner, and getting to 'bed
by eleven at latest ? Not at all. You see he is
fixed in his old attitude, and there be will remain
until the house adjourns, no matter what time that
may be, shaming all the young members of the, Go-
vernment into regular attendance, but after they
have done their best, being the most regular and
most indefatigable sitter in the Government.. One
most valuable habit he possesses is the power of
inducing sleep at any moment. This is a power
whieh requires great concentration of thought, and
is possessed by but few people. The late Duke of
Wellington had it, and the Premier, by the aid of
his hat drawn well down over his brow, nods from
hour to hour, and yet always seems to know when
he is wanted, and always seems to be sleeping, like
a certain reputed very sharp animal, with one eye
open. If there is a hitch, he will be sure to come
to the rescue. If an angry member has to be calmed
down, or a disagreeable motion to be got rid of, he
is the man to do it. And then, having seen the
night over, and the business ended, he takes Mr.
Cowper's arm, and walks with him, as often as
not, to Cambridge House, without troubling cab or
carriage.—" Parliament Sketched" by a Correspon-
dent of the Court Journal.

PHOSPHORUS AND CIVILISATION.—Consider for
a moment; every adult human being requires lit
least four pounds of phosphates to build up his bony Iran re-
work, quite apart from the quantities used up in his sol:ter
parts. This amount is sequestrated from the earth, and
never returns to it. Yet the earth without phosphates re-
fuses to grow plants. Think of the millions upon millions
of pounds which are drawn away from the primitive stock,
and you will understand why vast stretches of Asia Minor
aro barren, why parts of Sicily, Palestine, Arabia
Felix (once so fertile), and the plains of Babylon, are
deserts. These lands have been robbed of their phosphates.
If Egypt still preserves her ancient fertility, it is because
the annual inundation of the Nile renews the precious phos-
phates, Philosophy considers this, as requested, and straight-.
way begins to theorise upon it. She bide us remark the law'
of history (she is fond of such " laws"), that nations after
emerging from barbarism into civilisation, after growirg is
wealth, skill, luxury, and populousness, are al ways submerged
by some fresh wave of barbarism. The puny citizen, ener-
vated by luxury, cannot withstand the stalwart barbaria a.
So it has been—so it will over be. All the skill and all tl to
appliances which make men formidiblo to boasts, fail t o
make men formidable to barbarians. With knowledge an d
wealth has come the corruption of luxury. It is that which
has destroyed the rude and manly wirluer of an aier
time; it is that which makes man dissolu.te,
selfish, timid, without fervour, without patriotism.
Are you quite sure of this, 0 philosopher ? Is Luxur y
so universal in civilised communities that nations
less than individuals aro onfooblod by it ? nave the ruiElione
been accustomed to Capuan indulgoncee ? Let us aba:ado
rhetoric for a moment, and see whether the enfeebleint3nt c
nations may not be traced less to the excess of civilitatio
than to the deficiency of phosphorus. It is a paradox I
set before you, no doubt ; but it is not less likely bo a
oft paradox. Did the barbarians always c‘mquer
because
truth because it contradicts your opinions—which is the
meaning
were ignorant? No ; because they were strong.
They truly the " sons of the soil," and of a soil not
were
the y
robbed of its phosphates, like the soil of old and crowdod
nations. The civilised Roman trembled at the presence
of the gigantic Gaul ; but the descendant of thi it
Gaul is so little of a giant that he now boasts of 1118
stature when ho is four feet six I It was remarked by Plin y
that the km-liana were rapidly degenerating in stature, an d
that sons were rarely so tall as their fathers; but he attri:-
bated this degeneration to the exhaustion of the vital sap,
not knowing that a Liebig would come to proclaim tho ex-
haustion of precious phosphorus.—tornl,lll .11agazinc
March.