The Sun.
London, England, 1865-06-09 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

The Lords of the Admiralty, in consideration of
the expeditious manner in which the ironclad frigate
Lord Warden, 34, 1,000 horsepower,was constructed,
and the successful way in which she was launched
from Chatham Dockyard, have awarded Mr. Thorn-
ton, principal master shipbuilder at that establish-
ment, a gratuity of £5O. Their lordships have also
awarded the annual gratuity of £5O to Mr. Willing,
of ChathamDockyard, who was the foreman employed
in the construction of the ironclad frigate Bellero-
phon, 14, 1,000 horse-power, launched a few weeks
since at that establishment.

The War Department transports Bomarsund and
Petrel left the ordnance wharf, Chatham, yesterday
for the Nore, to receive the powder and shell rro►u
the screw corvette Orestes, 21, 200 horse power,
Capt. A. G. Gardner, on her arrival at the Nore,
from the Cape of Good Hope, to be put out of
commission.

The Charybdis, 21, 400 horse power, Capt. E.W.
Tumour, from the Pacific station, having been dis-
mantled, will be put out of commission, and placed
in the Chatham steam reserve to-morrow.

The iron screw steamship Achilles, 20, Captain
Edward W. Vansittart, was placed yesterday in the
south basin at Keyham steam-yard, to undergo

repairs.

The paddlewheel steam sloop Sphinx, 6, from
Pembroke, arrived on Wednesday evening at Ply-
mouth, having in tow the new steam sloop Amazon,
4, under charge of Commander Paul. Yesterday
the Amazon was towed into Hamoaze and placed
alongside the jetty in Devonport dockyard, to be
dismantled and completed for the first division of
the steam reserve.

Major-Gen. A. B. Stransham, Inspector-General
of Royal Marines, accompanied by Capt. J. C.
Travers, aide-de-camp, terminated his summer in-
spection of the Chatham division of Royal Marines
Light Infantry on Wednesday. On the previous
day the Inspector-General had a small battalion,
selected from the companies at headquarters, on
Chatham Lines, where they went through various
battalion movements, in which they acquitted them-
selves in a highly satisfactory manner. At 6 o'clock
yesterday morning a brigade field-day of the entire
forces quartered in the Chatham district, including
the division of Royal Marines, was held on the
Great Lines, by Major-Gen. Sir Robert Walpole,
K.C.8., at which Major-Gen. Stransham was pre-
sent, for the purpose of witnessing the manner in
which the Royal Marines acquitted themselves when
engaged in complicated movements in combination
with other troops. At the close of the field-day,
which, in consequence of the hot weather, was pur-
posely fixed for the early hour named, Major-Gen.
Stransham brought his inspection to a termination,
and after the transaction of official business at the
divisional headquarters, quitted the garrison.

THE SOUTHERN PLANTATIONS.—The question of
the probability of an early resumption of labour in
the Southern States is now actively discussed in all the
American papers. The Ne2cYork Journal of Commerce ex-
presses the following view :—" In former times, and in
other places, the substitution of a now labour system for
an old has not been immediately successful. The living
generation seldom sees the result of such a substitution
successfully realised. It takes a long time to teach
negroes to work on a contract for their own wages. We
are inclined to think that the people of the North have been
generally misled in their idea of the amount of wages here-
tofore paid for Southern labour. Taken as a whole that
amount to each labourer was the equivalent of support,
food, and clothing in sickness and health, from the cradle
to the grave. None of the rates of wages heretofore esta-
blished on Government plantations have approximated to
this ; nor is it possible to approximate to it until some
public provision is made for the poor, the aged, the infirm,
and the sick. In short, the new labour system must involve
the provision by a public charge for that deficiency be-
tween the price paid for labour and the amount neces-
sary to support labourers and their families in all the con-
tingencies of life. The common idea seems to be that
the negroes may at once contract with their masters for hire.
But this, all accounts from all parts of the South agree in
saying, they decline to do. The plantations are at uresent
nearly deserted. Nor is it likely that immigration will im-
mediately supply the deficiency in labour. As a generil
rule, white men do not go into the Southern States to work.
They select more fruitful fields of labour when they expect
to use their own hands. Time, therefore, must be patiently
allowed before the South can again become prosperous and
productive, and the time will, in all probability, be marked
by great distress among all classes, and great poverty, suf-
fering, and want, especially among the negroes. The latter;
are now flocking to the large cities and crowding them to
excess. They generally imagine that their working days
are over. Liberty has been somehow or other mixed up
in• their minds with rest from labour, and they seem to
think it synonym ous with freedom to do nothing."

The Government has at length, it appears, listened
to reason, and has determined to avail itself of the
many advantages offered by the Trafalgar-square
site of the National Gallery for the new and im-
proved buildings. There are so many arguments
in favour of this course that it is only wonderful
that its adoption should have been so long a matter
of doubt and uncertainty. The open opposition of
the Commons, supported by the general sense and
feelings of the public, prevented the emigration of
the national stores to the far IVest, but there
has been so much reluctance in head-quarters to
abandon the favourite official scheme that no ad-
vance was made in an opposite direction. The
Government seemed to hope that they might suc-
ceed in wearying out the opposition of the House,
or else they thought that some favourable occasion
would present itself for the recommendation of the
adverse vote. But the Fates are against them, and
they have at length acceded to the often-repeated
demand for estimates of the proposed enlargement.
Last evening, on the vote for the completion of the
sum necessary for the expenses of the National
Gallery, Mr. A. SMITH asked whether it was the
intention of Government the submit the proposed
plan to the committee. Mr. COWPER, in answer,
said that he hoped to lay the estimates on the table
in a few day, and we hope he will be kept up to
this mark. We have had delays and evasions
enough in all consience, and since the House is
prepared and willing to vote the money, there need
surely be no loss of time in submitting the esti-
mate and the plan. The rest of Mr COWPER'S
explanation was equally satisfactory, and will, we
trust, be adhered to. It was proposed, he said, to
purchase the ground in the rear of the present
building, which is at present occupied by the paro-
chial schools, St. Martin's Workhouse, and Arch-
bishop TENISON'S school. The parochial authorities
are not inclined to stand in the way of so rea-
sonable and beneficial a change. They have ex-
pressed their willingness to dispose of the work-
house and schools to the Government upon the
very reasonable condition of receiving the amount
requisite for building another workhouse in the
suburbs, and for providing within the parish a
casual ward and a parochial office. Arrangements
are also to be made on suitable terms with the
trustees of the schools, and therefore Mr. COWPER
will be able to submit to the House a proposal for
the purchase of all this property, which has so long
stood in the way of one of the greatest of the
metropolitan improvements. We hope there will
be no more of those underhand delays of which
we have already had so many. If the Govern-
ment are really in earnest about the matter, there
are no obstacles in the way, for the House is quite
prepared to be sufficiently liberal in its grants to
Compensate the present owners of the property. No
mean and temporary measures must be tolerated in
such an undertaking, but it should be carried out
in a manner worthy of the wealth and dignity of
the nation, the liberality and intelligence of the people,
and theimportance of the object in view. It is really
a national undertaking, one which is to last for
centuries to come. We have already had one
National Gallery which has been our own mortifi-
cation and the ridicule of foreigners—do not let us
repeat the experiment ; neither let some favoured
architect give us another edition of the Brompton
boilers ; but let the work be really one of which
Englishmen need not be ashamed. There is some-
thing very unsatisfactory about the manner in which
the large sums annually voted for our National
Galleries are expended; and when we hear of £3,000
being spent in the purchase of pictures, and £B,OOO
for the travelling expenses of agents, we have some
grounds for thinking that the expenses might be
more judiciously distributed. The Royal Academy
seems at present to be inclined to stop the way,
but since they have been offered the use of Burling-
ton House, a very convenient and central site,
they must not be allowed to monopolise the Tra-
falgar-square galleries. In one point the directors
of the National Gallery might very well profit by
their ezample—a-d that is, the opening of the
rooms at night. It seems from the statement of

The Greenwich Hospital Bill was proceeded with
last night, and Mr. AYRTON very properly brought
forward the claims of the merchant-seamen to parti-
cipate in the benefits of Greenwich Hospital. He
said that no one could dispute that any man who
was wounded or disabled in service in the presence
of an enemy, or in defending his ship against pirates,
was entitled to the benefits of this Hospital. The
hon. member would also have advocated the cause
of the widows of such men, but the Junior Lord
of the Admiralty, Mr. CHILDERS, was averse to
recognising their claims in this respect. Mr.
CHILDERS so far acquiesced in the wishes of the
House as to insert in this clause the words, " and
seamen of the merchant service for the time
being entitled to the benefits of Greenwich
Hospital." This is a very satisfactory arrangement,
but the credit of it is not due to the Admiralty. It
is very certain that these deserving members of the
profession would have been passed over had not
their rights been vindicated and their claims advo-
cated by private members of the house. It is often
thus that the working out of these official measures
is characterised by injustice through the perversity
of officials, and the real purposes for which so much
public money is spent are left unfulfilled. At any
rate it is fortunate that a change has come over the
spirit of the dream of the Lords of the Admiralty,
and that they have consented, though at the eleventh
hour, to render justice to those who required it.
Mr. CAVE made an admirable suggestion, to the
effect that the wing of Greenwich Hospital which
is about to be vacated should be devoted to the
purposes of the Dreadnought Hospital, instead of
incurring the large expense of £60,000 in building
a new Dreadnought. It is surprising what sums
might be saved the country if a little more fore-
thought and judgment were exercised by those who
manage, or rather who mismanage, these affairs.
They appear to take very little heed to their
ways in this respect, but go on in a very
reckless fashion in squandering public money which
might be applied to a better purpose. On the clause
which referred to the Governor of the Hospital, Sir
J. HAY proposed that this functionary should be
retained ; but Lord C. PAGET explained that the
question at issue really resolved itself into whether
the governorship should be abolished and pensions
of £l5O a-year be granted to ten flag officers, or
whether it be continued and the ten pensions done
away with it. The amendment was negatived,
which was as well, because it is always more desir-
able to spread sums in several directions than to
create a sort of monopoly for only one individual.
Favouritism so much oftener rules the choice of
these officials than individual merit, or the require-
ments of the service, that the more checks that are
interposed the better. It is also a matter of satis-
faction that clause nine has been retained, which
provides that pensions be voted by Parliament. It
was proposed to regulate this, but the committee
wisely overruled the amendment. The more all
that relates to these institutions is under the super-
vision of the House of Commons the better. It is
to be hoped that those hon. members who take an
active part in the discussion of the debates on this
subject will still be on the alert, and watch narrowly
the manner in which the Admiralty fulfil the task
intrusted to them. Greenwich Hospital should be
so conducted that it answers the purpose for which
it was originally intended ; and it will be a lasting
reproach to the authorities of our time, if they fall
short of their duty, and neglect the administration
of an institution of which our forefathers were justly
proud.

Mr. DAVID KEANE, Q.C., has issued an address
to the Liberal electors of Beverley. In this the
learned gentleman expresses himself in a very
fair and straightforward manner, and advocates
opinions that must meet with the favour and secure
the sympathy of all real Liberals and independent
electors. Mr. KEANE actually does not mince the
matter, but goes straight to the point at once, and
allows those whose suffrages he solicits to form a
very accurate idea of his intentions. In this
candid confession of political faith he presents a
striking contrast to some of those who are endea-
vouring to get into Parliament and leave their
constituents in a very vague state respecting their
tenets. Lord AMBERLET was a notable instance
of this in his memorable indecision, and Mr.
GLADSTONE in canvassing the electors of Chester
did not give one very precise ideas as to his
future course. Mr. KEANE, on the contrary, is
most explicit, and in some points he affords a clear
insight into his views. Thus, he declares that he
means by " Liberal opinions " the belief that the
unrepresented classes are worthy of being repre-
sented. "I am for a large extension of the fran-
chise, for vote by ballot, and religious equality."
This sounds something in earnest, and pre-
sents an example to other candidates, which
they will do well and wisely to follow. Mr. KEAI,ZE
is well qualified to have a seat in Parliament, and it
is to be trusted that his frank expressions and
explicit avowals of opinion may so impress
the electors that success may attend his efforts, and
that he may be returned as one of the members for
Beverley. In the concluding passage of his address
we find that he is a disciple of progress, and desires
it to be continuous and uninterrupted, in fact such
as only an extended and free suffrage can secure,
and common sense accords with the justice of this
observation. " I fail wholly to understand why the
men of thirty years ago had a right to fix the
franchise of the people of England." If we had
more members of the style of Mr. KEANE in Parlia-
ment, ministers would not find it so easy to give
the go-by to Reform and other questions of im-
portance. It is through the lukewarmness of soi-
disant Liberals that so little is done, and the sooner
these apologies for representatives make room for
real Reformers the better it will be for the country,
aundnetihveles and real
nearer will
dbveantcheeml
aeit.
dvent of enlightened
v

The public must keep a very sharp watch over
their few remaining open spaces if they hope to
preserve any glimpses of rural life. Two of the
most favourite and best known retreats from the
smoke and noise of London are Hampstead-heath
and rpping Forest ; and surely it is not too much
to expect that some active steps shall be promptly

" This machine is constructed so as to present to the eye
an endless succession of musical combinations, or of sen-
tences in grammatical and idiomatic form. These are
produced by interchanges of the words or the bars, which
have been previously selected and arranged according to a
certain formula, and then written upon the faces of the
little cubes. The peculiar characteristic of the apparatus
is a contrivance which prevents the faces of the cubes
from presenting themselves in regular succession. An ir-
regular movet.4ent being secured, a different variation of
the words or bars necessarily results from each revolution
of the machine on its axis. A complete sentence appears
at the windows on each occasion, and all the rest of the
words or the bars is excluded from sight. The working
of the machine exemplifies the process whereby children,
when taken abroad, reproduce foreign sentences in idiomatic
form. It shows that the intellect works mechanically in the
colloquial attainment of foreign languages ; particularly in
relation to the idiomatic arrangement of the words. The
machine was devised to illustrate the method set forth in
Mr. Prendergast's work on the " Mastery of Languages."
The beginner commits to memory two foreign sentences
very perfectly. The English translations are inserted into
the machine, and whenever it revolves a different variation
of the words appears at the windows. The system requires
that the learner shall go on translating these variations
until he shall have obtained the " mastery" of them. Then
he may undertake another sentence ; but he must recapi-
tulate them in every lesson in order to prevent their escap-
ing from his memory. The exclusion from sight of all
words except those with which the learner is actually deal-
ing at the moment is of great importance, because it re-
moves all uncertainty and obviates the difficulty of retain-
ing in the memory the latter words of a spoken sentence,
while he is employing that faculty in recalling the foreign
words required for the beginning of it. A machine with
t;.:77-ows affords an additional exercise, for if the foreign
words are placed in one row, and the English in the other,
each revolution will give an opportunity for practising
double translation. The machine will soon recommend
itself by the rapidity and the economy with which it
works. To write out the variations of the sentences on
paper would be a very tedious operation, and to make them
riva voce from two written sentences would be perplexing
and unsatisfactory. Tho apparatus is a sort of dumb-
waiter, from which the beginner helps himself without
bothering or being bothered by a talking one. One promi-
nent feature of the scheme is that it bars the beginner from
attempting to manufacture a sentence in a foreign language.
The sentence muss be selected from books, or else received
from a native. No man, however learned he may be, can
make an idiomatic sentence in a foreign tongue until he
knows something about it ; and it is very irrational to
attempt it."
The apparatus is a novel application of the kaleidoscope
principle, and almost realises Swift's descriptiori of the art
of book-making in Laputa. The words are put into the
machine, and they are varied to form sentence after sentence
at the pleasure of the operator. Its adaptation to musical
composition was aptly illustrated by Dr. Gilbert on the
pianoforte. A number of the cubes, upon each of the sides
of which was written a different bar, which, read together,
harmonised into a regular theme or melody, were placed in
the machine, and varied at pleasure by turning the handle,
the same arrangement or tune as rarely recurring as the same
combination of pattern and colour in the kaleidoscope.
Mr. Samuel Morley, Mr. Prendergast, and other gentle-
men, put questions to the inventor as to the applicability
of the machine to instruction in languages and other pur
poses, all of which were satisfactorily answered, and two
ladies present stated that they used the invention in edu-
cational establishments with very great success.

DEATH OF SIR JOHN RICHARDSON, C. 8., F.R.S.
—We have to record the death of Sir John Richardson,
C. 8., F.R.S., who eipirad at Lancrig, Grasmere, on the
sth inst. The decoased gentleman, who had attained the
age of 77 years, was son of tho late Gabriel Richardson,
Esq., provost of Dumfries.

NEW ACT ON CRIMINAL TRIALS.—On the let of
July a section in a new act of Parliament (the 28th
Victoria, cap. 18) will take effect in the law and practice on
criminal trials. It is recited to be expedient that the law
of evidence and practice on trials for felony and misde-
meanour and other proceedings in courts of criminal judi-
cature should be more nearly assimilated to that on trials
at Nisi Prius. The following provision is to apply to every
trial for felony and misdemeanour commenced on or after
the Ist of July next :—" If any prisoner or prisoners, de-
fendant or defendants, shall be defended by counsel, but
not otherwise, it shall be the duty of the presiding Judge
at the close of the case for the prosecution to ask the
counsel for each prisoner or defendant so defended by
counsel whether he or they intend to adduce evidence,
and in the event of none of them thereupon announcing
his intention to adduce evidence, the counsel for the pro-
secution shall be allowed to address the jury a second time
in support of the case, for the purpose of summing up the
evidence against such prisoner or prisoners, or defendant
or defendants, and upon every trial for felony and mis-
demeanour, whether the prisoners or defendants, or any of
them shall bo defended by counsel, each and every such
prisoner or defendant or his or their counsel respectively
shall be allowed, if he or they shall think fit, to open his
or their case or cases respectively, and after the conclusion
of such opening, or of all such openings, if more than one
such prisoner or prisoners, or defendant or defendants, or
their counsel shall be entitled to examine such witnesses
as he or they may think fit, and when all the evidence is
concluded, to sum up the evidence respectively, and the
right of reply and practice and course of proceedings, save
as hereby altered, shall be as at present." The sections
from 3 to 1 inclusive are to apply to all courts of judica-
ture, as well criminal as all others, and to all persons
having by law or by consent of parties authority to hear,
receive, and examine evidence. The provisions men-
tioned have reference to the discrediting of witnesses
and the cross-examination as to a previous statement
in writing, and how a previous correction of a witness
is to be given in evidence. A comparison of disputed
writing is allowed. The act is not to apply to Scotland.
SWIMMING.—It appears by a Parliamentary return
issued yesterday that 27 non-commissioned officers
and soldiers of her Majesty's land forces were drowned at
the various military stations of the United Kingdom during
the year 1864. On the 27th of March last a circular gene-
ral order was issued on the subject of gymnastic instruc-
tion for the army, which directs, among other things, that
swimming is to bo taught as a military duty at all stations
where facilities for it exist, and a variety of details are
given, but it appears that " as regards swimming, arrange-
ments have not yet been matured for carrying the above
circular into effect."

PARIS, JUICE 8.
The following is the text of the Proclamation of
the Emperor to the French Army in Africa :
" Soldiers of the Army of Africa,—

" I wish, before returning to France, to thank
you for your labours and fatigues. In visiting all
these spots, now so peaceful, but which for the last
35 years have witnessed heroic struggles, I have ex-
perienced feelings of lively emotion upon this soil,
conquered by your predecessors and yourselves, upon
which were formed those illustrious general and in-
trepid soldiers who have borne our glorious eagles
into all parts of the world. Africa has been a great
school for the education of the soldier. He has here
acquired those manly virtues which are the glory of
arms, and the most solid support of an empire, learn-
ing to face danger, to suffer privations, to place
honour and duty above all material enjoyments.
He has felt his soul expand to every noble senti-
ment. Therefore it is that in your ranks anger has
never outlived the conflict. Among you there has
been no hatred to the conquered foe—no desire to
enrich yourselves with their spoils. You are the
first to extend to the erring Arabs a friendly hand,
and to wish that they should be treated with justice
and generosity, as forming thenceforth part of the
great French family.
" Honour, therefore, to those who have shed their
blood upon this soil, the possession of which has
been disputed by so many different races !
" Soldiers of Staoueli, Mouzai, Constantine,
Mazagran, Isly, and Zaatcha—and you also who
have been fighting in the arid plains of the desert or
upon the almost inaccessible peaks of the Kalzla,
you have deserved well of your country, and you
have, through me, the thanks of France.
" Done at Constantine, the 6th June, 1865.
" NAPOLEON."

BOURSE, June B.—The market has been exceed-
ingly inactive since the commencement of business
to-day, and a general though slight falling off has
taken place in nearly all the departments. Spanish
Stock of every description has been considerably
affected, in consequence of rumours having been
circulated in monetary quarters that the North of
Spain Railway Company was not in a position to pay
the interest becoming due on its obligations, and
the Spanish Mobilier Company, which are extensive
holders, are expected to be seriously victimised
French Thres per Cents have been done at 67f. 40c.,
and the shares of the Credit Mobilier at 772 f. 50c.
Italian Fives are at 66fr. 85c. Affairs have shown
no improvement since two o'clock, the last quota-
tions being as follows :

per Cents 95 50
Do. end month
3 per Cents. 67 45
Do. end month 67 421
Credit Mobilier
Do. end month
Bank Shares 3675
Credit Fonder 1285
Italian Loan ~. 66 85
Do. and month 66 90
RAIL'

Ditto Threes —
New Mexican
Do. Bonds 330
Russian 9O 50
Austrian
Spanish Threes
Home Debt
Deferred
Roman

'AYR.
Cash. Acct.
822 50
Orleans
Northern lO6B 75 ... 1070
Lyons and Mediterranean 847 50 ... 845
Southern 595 --... 595
Western 526 50 ... 527 50
Eastern
Sardinian
Austrian
Lombard 5OO --... 500
North of Spain 2lO ... 212 50
Saragossa 313 75 ... 312 50
Ditto to Barcelona 162 50 ... 157 50

AN UNDISCOVERED OPERA BY CAVALLI.—An in-
teresting discovery of an unpublished opera by
Cavalli has just been made at the imperial library. M. Go-
vaert, the well-known composer, was looking over a num-
ber of scores of ancient operas, when among them he found
one bearing simply the words in Italian, " Drama without
a title." On examining it more closely he saw from certain
indications that the music could not have been composed
earlier than 1650 nor later than 1660, also that the author
seemed to be a Venetian, and might have been Cavalli,
who lived about that time. Several of the airs were headed
" Artemise," and M. Gevaert having referred to F6tis'
" Biographies des Musiciens," found mentioned among
other works by that master an Artemisia in 1656, which
had thus apparently been never printed. The Imperial
library purchased this original, unaware of its value, in a
sale a few years back, for the modest sum of 12f. Cavalli
was invited to France by Cardinal Mazarin, and au opera
by him, entitled " Verses," was performed at the Louvre
on the occasion of the marriage of Louis XIY.

She was admitted at once, and shown into the library
where the clergyman sat in the red dusky glow of the
firelight, sipping a glass of wine, and looking very much
like an ox-animal chewing the cud; for the meditation in
which the good man indulged over his wine was seldom
worthy of being characterised otherwise than as mental
rumination.

" Well, Annie, my dear, come away," said he, " I am glad
to see you. How does the boat get on ?"
Deeply touched by a kindness which fell like dew upon
the parching misery of the day, Annie burst into tears.
Mr. Cowie was greatly distressed. Ho drew her between
his knees, laid his cheek against hers, as was his way
with children, and said with soothing tenderness—
" Walawa,! what's tho matter with my dawtio ?"

After some vain attempts at speeeh, Annie succeeded in
giving the following account of the matter, much inter-
rupted with sobs and freeh outbursts of weeping.
"Ye see, sir, I gaed last nicht to the missionar kirk to
hear Mr. Broon. And ho preached a gran' sermon, sir. But
I haenn been able to bide mysel' sin' syne. For I doobt
I'am ane o' the wicked 'at God hates, and I'll never win'
to haven at a' for I canna help forgettin' whiles. An'
the wicked 'll be turned into hell, and a' the nations
that forget God. That was his text, sir. And I canna
bide it."
In the bosom of the good man rose a gentle indignation
against tho schismatics who had thus terrified and bewil-
dered that sacred being, a maid-child. But what could he
say. He thought for a moment, and betook himself, in his
perplexity, to his common sense.
"You haven't forgotten your father, have you, Annie?"
said he.

" I think aboot him maist ilka day," answered Annie.

" But there comes a day now and then when you don't
think much about him, does there not ?
"Yes, sir."
"Do you think he would be angry with his child
because she was so much taken up with her books or
her play—"
" I never play at onything, sir."

" Well—with learning songs to say to Alec Forbes and
Willie Macwha—do you think he would be angry that
you didn't think about him that day, especially when you
can't see him 2"

"'Deed no, sir. He wadna. be sae sair upo' me as

that."

" What would he say, do you think ?"
" Gin Mr. Bruce war to cast it up till me, he wad say,
Lat alane the lassie. She 'll think about me the morn—
time eneuch."
" Well, don't you think your Father in heaven would
say the same ?"
"Maybe he micht, sir. But ye see my father was my
ain father, and would mak' the best o' me."
"And is not God kinder than your father ?"
"He canna weel be that, sir. And there's the Scrip-
ter !"

"But ho sent his only Son to die for us."
" Ay—for the Week, sir," returned the little theolo-
gian.

Now this was more than Mr. Cowie was well prepared
to meet, for certainly this terrible doctrine was perfectly
developed in the creed of the Scotch Church—the assembly
of divines having sat upon the Scripture egg till they had
hatched it in their own likeness. Poor Mr. Cowie ! There
were the girl-eyes, blue, and hazy with tearful question,
looking up at him hungrily. 0 starving little brothers
and sisters ! God does love you, and all shall be, and
therefore is, well. But the minister could not say this,
gladly as he would have said it if he could ; and the
only result of his efforts to find a suitable reply was that
he lost his temper—not with Annie, but with the doctrine
of election.

"Gang ye hame, Annie, my bairn," said he, talking
Scotch now, "and dinna trouble yer heid aboot election,
and a' that. It's no' a canny doctrine. No mortal man
could ever win at the boddon o' I'm thinkin' we haena
muckle to do wi"t. Gang hame, dawtie, and say yer
prayers to be preserved frae the wiles o' Sawtan. There's
a sixpence to ye." _ .

His kind heart was sorely grieved that all it could give
was money. Sho had asked for bread, and he had but a
stone, as he thought, to give her. So he gave her it with
shame. He might, however, have reversed the words of
St. Peter, saying, " Spiritual aid I have none, but such as
I have give I thee ;" and so offered her the sixpence. But,
for my part, I think the sixpence had more of bread in it
than any theology he might have been expected to have at
hand; for, so given, it was the symbol and the sign of love,
which is the heart of the Divine theology.

Annie, however, had a certain Scotchness in her which
made her draw back from the offer.

"Na, thank ye, sir," she said, " I dinna want it."
" Will ye no tak' it to please an auld man, bairn ?"
" Deed will I, sir. I wad do a hantle mair nor that to
please you."
And again the tears filled her blue eyes as she held out
her hand--receiving in it a shilling which Mr. Cowie, for
more relief to his own burdened heart, had substituted for
the sixpence.
" It's a shillin,' sir !" she said, looking up at him with
the coin lying on her open palm.
" Weal, what for no ? Is a shillin' no a sa,xpence ?"

" Ay, sir. It's twa."
" Wee], Annie," said the old man, suddenly elevated
into prophecy for the child's need—for he had preme-
ditated nothing of the sort--" maybe Shan god o:fers

"Ye scorner ! Ile cam hame last nicht bleedin' at tho
heid, and i' the han's o' the watchman. Puir man ! ho cud
hardly win up the stair. I canna think hoo he cam' to fa'
sae sair ; for they say there's a special Providence watches
owes drunk men and bairns. lie was an awfu' sicht, honest
man ! A terrible mister o' reid and white."

" What said he about it ?" asked Alec, trembling.
"Ow, naething. He had naething till say. Ye maunna
gang near him ; for I left him fast asleep. Gang awa benn
to yer ain room, and I'll be in wi' yer brakfsst in ten mi-
nutes. Eh ! but ye wad be a fine lad gin ye wad only gie
up the drink and the ill company."
Alec obeyed, ashamed and full of remorse. The only
thing he could do was to attend to Mr. Cupples's business
in the library, where he worked at the catalogue till the
afternoon lccture was over.

Nobody had seen Beauchamp, and the blinds of Kate's
windows were drawn down.

All day his heart was full of Mr. Cupple3 ; and as he
went home ho recalled everything with perfect distinct-
ness, and felt that his conduct had been as vile as it was
possible for conduct to be. Because a girl could not love
him, he had ceased to love his mother, and had given him-
self up to Satan, and had returned the devotion of his
friend with a murderous blow. Because he could not have
a bed of roses, he had thrown himself downin the pig-stye.
He rushed into a public-house, and swallowed two glasses
of whisky. That done, he ran straight home, and ran up
to Mr. Cupples's room.
Mr. Cupples was sitting before the fire, with his hands
on his knees and his head bound in white, bloodstained.
He turned a ghastly face, and tried to smile. Alec's heart
gave way utterly. He knelt at Mr. Cupples's feet, laid his
head on his knee, and burst into very un-Saxon but most
gracious tears. Mr. Cupples laid a small trembling hand on
the boy's head, saying,
"Eh! bantam, bantam !" and could say no more.
"Mr. Cupples," sobbed Alec, "forgive me. I'll cut my
throat, gin ye like."
" Ye wad do better to cut the deevil's throat."
"Hoo could Ido that ? Tell me, and I'll do 't."

" Wi' the brokon whisky-bottle man. That's at the root
o' a' the mischeef. It's no you. It's the drink. And eh !
Alec, we micht be richt happy thegither efter that. I wad
mak' a scholar o' ye."
" Weel, Mr. Cupples, ye hae a richt to demand o' me what
ye like ; for henceforth ye hae the pooer o' life or deith
ower me. But gin I try to brak throu the drinkin', I maun
hand oot ower frae the smell o't ; an' I dooht," added Alec
slyly, "ye wadna hae the chance o' makin' muckle o' a
scholar o' me in that case."

And now the dark roots of thought and feeling blossomed
into the fair flower of resolution.

"Bantam," said Mr. Cupples solemnly, "I sweir to God,
gin ye'll gie ower the drink and the lave o' yer ill gaits,
I'll gie ower the drink as weel. I hae naething ither to gie
ower. But that winna be easy," he added with a sigh,
stretching his hand towards his glass.
From a sudden influx of energy, Alec stretched his hand
likewise towards the same glass, and laying hold on it as
Mr. Cupples was raising it to his lips, cried—
" I sweir to God likewise.—And noo," he added, leaving
his hold of the glass, "ye daurna drink it."
Mr. Cupples threw glass and all into the fire.
" That's my fareweel libation to the infernal Bacchus,"
he said. " Let it gang to swall the low o' Phlegethon.
But eh ! it's a terrible undertakin'. It's mair nor Hercules
himsel' could hae made anything o'. Bantam ! I hae saicri-
feesed mysel' to you. Haud to your pairt, or I canna hand
to mine."

It was indeed a terrible undertaking. I doubt whether
either of them would have had courage for it, had ho not
been under those same exciting influences—which, under-
mining all power of manly action, yet give for the moment
a certain amount of energy to expand. But the limits are
narrow within which, by wasting his capital, a man secures
a supply of pocket-money. And for them the tug of war
was to come.

And here at this crisis we take leave of Alec Forbes,
commending his history /ery heartily to our readers.
They will find in it, as the above examples testify,
vigorous writing and genuine feeling. The charac-
ters, in their weaknesses and waywardness, in their
faults and frailties, are true to nature, to poor
human nature ; but the silver lining as well as the
cloud is revealed, and the divine aspirations which
ennoble the weakness and efface the failings are
felicitously interwoven by the appreciative care of
one who to the tender sympathy of the poet unites
the vital faith of the Christian. All who thought-
fully peruse Alec Forbes will corroborate this
eulogium, and unite with as in cordial congratu-
lations to its author.

THE BISHOP OF DURHAM AND THE SCOTTISH
CLERGY.-At a recent meeting of the clergy of the rural
deanery of Belford, it was agreed to ask the Bishop of
Durham how far they might go in occasionally availing
themselves of the assistance of clerical friends ordained in
Scotland without troubling his lordship with special appli-
cation for leave. In his reply Bishop Baring said :—"With
reference to your question respecting clergy of the Episcopal
communion in Scotland, I beg to inform you that I do not
allow any clergyman to officiate in my diocese who is not
ordained by some bishop of the United Church of England
and Ireland."

Yesterday there was a performance at the
Hanover-square Rooms of the above new oratorio
in aid of the Royal Infirmary for Chest Diseases,
City-road. The solo singers were Madame Lew-
mens-Sherrington, Madame Laura Baxter, AliSs
Cecilia Westbrook, Mr. W. 11. Cummings, Mr.
Wallace Wells, and Mr. Renwick. The chorus and
instrumental band were numerous and complete.
The room was very full, and the performance, n°
doubt, has been advantageous to the charitable in-
stitution for whose benefit it was given. " Paradise
Lost" is a work of great magnitude. It is divided
into four parts—" The Garden of Eden," " Pande:,
monium," " The Entrance of Satan into Paradise,
and " The Expulsion of Adam and Eve." Id'
Ellerton's music is full of talent, and displayed
great learning and skill but there appeared to be
a lack of originality essential to the success of A
great work of art. The oratorio, however, does
.
its author great honour as a sound and accompliihe°
musician. The performance on the whole was
cellent.