The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-28 00:00:00

THURSDAY MORNING-, JAN-VARY 28, 1847

CONSEQUENCE OF A FRANCO-

THE PARSEES ; aR FIRE-WOR-
SHIPPERS 01? INDIA.
(From the " Camp and Barrack-Room.")
The supposition is natural to the mind of man in
whfceeer position he may be placed, that a Being
exists, superior to himself, who watches over and in-
fluences his destinies either for gocd or evil. While in
his rude and primitive state, he hesitates with what at-
tributes end powers to clothe this mysterious one; he is
necessarily sensible that the sun is the source of light
and heat, and that summer, whose genial warmth gives
verdure to the earth, is the consequence of its protracted
appearance. On the other hand, as winter approaches,
he sees the flowers wither away, and the trees shorn of
their leaves; he feels the cold and storms of the season;
and therefore wishes for the return of that time of light
and beauty which presents so many pleasing objects to
his senses, and which alike enables him to preside for
present wants and future necessities. Thus sensible of
tl.e great benefits resulting from the emanations of the
un, it cannot be a matter of surprise that this glorious
luminary is associated in his mind with all that is good
and powerful; and that a feeling of gratitude is en-
rendered a Lich gradually merges into adoratiou.
'Hence, mankind, in alines every age and every coun-
try, in the absence of revealed religion, have wor-
shipped the sun and firs. as its protetype, under different
features. In the new world the nations of the South
adored it, and hailed the Spaniards ns its children, it
circumstance which considerably facilitated their con-
quest by the latter; and there is every reason to suppose
that the practice existed amongst them from a very re
mute period. PI rebus, the light of life, as as the fa-
vourite god of the Greeks, as well from his being
sovereign of the sun, as from other qualifications suited
to the inclinations of a p dished people. The sacred
fire of the Romans, guarded and kept alive by the vestal
virgins, was never to be extinguished; such an occur-
rence being considered as portentous of dire calamity
to the empire. Anterior, however, to the era of
Latin supremacy, lire-worship was almost universal in
Persia, and had already been reduced to an established
form several hundred years before the birth of Christ.
Thus, if great antiquity of origin, as some say, stamps
to a certain extent the tenets of a creed with truth, that
of the Parsees has strong claims upon our belief.
Fire•worship is said by some writers to have been in-
troduc: d into Persia by Zoroaster or Zerdisht, an emi-
nent philosopher, whom they affirm to have flourished in
the sixth century before Christ. Others maintain that
fire-worship existed long before that period (having been
first instituted by another Zoroaster, a king of Bactria,
who is supposed to have lived some time before the
Trojan war, and who, like Pythagoras, admitted no
visible object of devotion except fire, which he considered
the most proper emblem of a supreme being), and that
Zerdisbt only reduced the practice to systematic order.
The followers of Zoroaster aver that extraordinary
and miraculous occurrences preceded his birth, which
event took place under most unusual circumstances ;
while his life was like that of all other celebrated law-
givers, a tissue of marvels. For example, some of the
old Persian writers say that he was induced, from mo-
tives of wisdom and virtue, to lead a solitary life upon a
mountain, which he found one day in a flame of celestial
fire, out of which he came unharmed, having been en-
gaged on certain sacrifices to God, whom he declared had
appeared to him. According to many of his followers,
Zoroaster did not die a natural death, but was taken up
into heaven.
The new, or revised doctrine, as it may have been, was
first taught by Zoroaster in the province of Aderbijan,
and spread rapidly from thence over the whole empire.
Gushtasp, who was then sovereign of Persia, is said to
have been converted by his son Isfundear, and to have
subsequently built temples in every part of his kingdom,
ordering at the same time 12,000 cow-herds to be finely
tanned, that the precepts of the prophet might be written
on them, and when this was done, carefully placing them
in a vault at Persepolis.
A war with Arjasp, King of Tartary, was the result of
this change of religion on the part of Gushtasp, which
was prosecuted with the exterminating fury of fanati-
cism during its continuance. Balkh, then the capital of
Persia, was taken and sacked, and all the priests and fol-
lowers of Zoroaster there put to the sword. The Tartars
likewise captured the sacred standard of Persia, the
apron of the blacksmith Kawap ; but in another engage-
ment, Isfundear totally defeated them, slew their king
Roweendeb, and re-captured the national banner.
Under the dynasties of the Seleucidee and Parthiane,
the religion of Zoroaster was neglected, and conse-
quently became con upted. Ardisher Babigan, how-
ever, a military adventurer, who rose from a low rank
to the sovereignty of Persia, and who assumed the title
of Shaken Shah, or king of kings, after overthrowing
Arduan or Artabanus, the last of the Parthian mo-
narchs, about the year 229 of the Christian era, re-
stored the religion of the Guebres to its primitive
purity.
From the reign of Ardisher Babigan, until that of
Chosroes, the contemporary of Justinian, a period of
about 300 years,t he doctrines of Zoroaster were main-
faired in their primeval purity, and continued to be
the established religion of the State. Mahomet new
appeared before the world; and while still little better
than an obsure adventurer, sent a formal requisition to
Chosroes, then in the zenith of his power, to renounce
the religion of his fathers; this he received with the
utmost contempt, tearing the letter of the prophet to
pieces; an act deemed sacrilegious b) the Mahometans,
and to which they ascribe all that monarch's subsequent
misfortunes. The next attempt to subvert the ancient
religion of Persia was made by the Caliph Omar, who
effected a passage across the Euphrates with a strong
body of Arabs, and although repulsed in several engage-
ments, at length won an important victory, which paved
the way for Mahometan ascendancy.
Y. zdijurd 111., on his accession to the throne, found
his kingdom seriously threatened by the Arabs, and
immediately dispatched an envoy to their general, Sand,
to effect, if possible, an amicable adjustment with him
of mutual differences. Sand communicated with the
caliph, and a deputation was sent by the latter to the
Persian monarch, to whom the terms proposed were that
his people should become converts to the Moslem faith,upon
which no Arab should enter his territory without permis-
sion. If they did not choose to do this, they should pay
the taxes levied upon infidels ; and if both these condi
tions were refused, they might prepare for war. Yezdi
jiird rejected these proposals with disdain, and prepared
for hostilities.
In the first general engagement, the Persian monarch
was defeated, and his army all but annihilated, the sa-
cred standard falling into the hands of the enemy. After
the battle Yezdijiird fled to Ilulwar, with all the property
he could carry, and continued the war for a few years ;
but his defeat at Nahavund decided the fate of Persia ;
its monarch, a fugitive in his own dominions, dragged
out a miserable existence for ten years, when he was
murdered, and the religion of Zoroaster terminated in
Persia.
From the death of Yezdijiird, historians generally date
the era of the modern Guebres. Shortly after that oc•
currence, the persecutions of their fanatical conquerors
induced many of them to emigrate into Khorassan,where
they remained for about 100 years ; and some modern
travellers suppose that the Siaposh Kaffirs, or black clad
infidels, inhabiting a mountainous district near the Kama,
are the descendants of these refugees ; both from their
manners and customs, different from those of their
Affghan neighbours, and the remains of pyrathraa to be
seen in their country. Certainly, from Khorassan a large
portion of the Guebres withdrew to the island of Ormuz,
in the Persian Gulf, where they staid for a period of
fifteen years ; when not finding it a residence suited to
their wishes, they sailed for India, and landed at Diu.
But on consulting their written oracles they ascer-
tained a protracted stay here would not be auspi-
cious ; and again embarking on board their ships, they
put to sea, and reached a fertile
art
tempest,
ptheaet,cowasbtieobf
Guzerat, after encountering a
severep
seriously 'damaged their fleet. The prince of this terri-
tory received them favourably; but as they were
numerous and well armed, he bound them to the ob-
servance of five conditions, ere he allowed them to land;
That they should explain the mystery of their faith, lay
aside their arms, and speak the language of the country,
that their women should appear unveiled, and that their
be
i tisolemnisedconditions,
of
teai
oGt
nnas i,egbhr te. s
whichA t h
forbadeet.e as
w tbneoitrhainegee
marriages, according to the customs of his people, should
in the
they gladly consented, and were per-
mitted to land.
The Indians, discovering something analogous be-
tween many of the strangers' principles and their own,
treated them kindly, and gave them land to build a town
on, which they called Sanjan; and shortly after, obtain-
ing another grant of land, they erected a fire temple, in
pursuance of a vow they had made should they escape
tyre tempest which had assailed them. At this place
they remained together for about three centuries, when
they dispersed to Baum* Surat, and other places
along the coast; and in the lapse of time Sanjan gradu-
ally became depopulated. They were, however, recalled
by the Sovereign of Guzerat, on his being threatened
with invasion by the celebrated inconoclast Mahmood of
Ghuzni, in order to assist in the defence of his terri-
tory, when 1,400 of them were found capable of bear-
ing arms.
A large number of Gaebres fell in an engagement
with the Affghans, and the survivors fled, leaving their
city to be pillaged; and carrying their sacred fire along
with theta, they proceeded in quest of another settle-
ment. Thus they continued to wander from place to
place along the coast for several centuries, as though
they were never destined to obtain a permanent resi-
dence, until at last they found a secure asylum in Surat,
Bombay, and a few other places, where they are per-
mitted to enjoy the free and undisturbed exercise of their
religion.
Such of the Guebres as remained in Persia without
becoming proselytes to Mahometanism, were treated
with the greatest rigour, and their number gradually
decreased. At Yczed, however, distinguished by the
appellation of the Darub Abaduct, or seat of religion,
reliiigion,
the Guebres ate still permitted to haveanA
town,
or fire-temple, in their own quarter of
since the which
the
h
they assert has had the sacred fire in itdaysof
Zoroaster. But for this indulgence they are indebted to
the avarice, not the tolerance, of the Government, which
for the taunts and
r
essat the followers of a
levies on them a capitation tax
dof twenty-five rupees, be-
sides leaving them without re
indignities ever levelled by fanatics
despised faith.
purity ; their tenets having become
exist in its original
with
those of the Christians and Ma-
gradually mixed up
The religion of these Guebres does not
they have practised their worship undisturbed, and hommetans. The contrary is the case in India, where
pre-
served some of their religious books, in a peculiar cha-
racter, to the present time.
created light, water, fire, Hormuz d,
H d
to eternity, d
The Parsecs maintain that an co: iginal principle,. ana-
logousthe source of all plot
c, and Ariman, the author of evil ;
was effected. Hormuzd is adored
beings and matter
reation, for by it the formation of
speech preceding .a
belief thus far closely re-
for his malevolence. T co-
oos
for his beneficence, andb .Ariman held in detestation
Shiva, the de-
deities are
Brahma, the creating power;
Vishnu, the preserving. Many of the
sembles that of the Hind , whose three greatest
greying; and

RUSSIAN ALLIANCE.
Our readers are aware that ever since the rupture of
the entente cordiute between England and France, it has
been the persevering endeavour of a ,mall section of
politicians in the latter country, to bring about an old-
ance between France and Russia. La Presse, always
known in Paris as a Russian organ, has recently advo-
cated the Franco-Russian alliance, the impolicy of which
was shown, in an admirable series of articles which have
appeared within the last few days in Le Conimarce.
The object of the first of the series, was to prove
that Russia had never desired, and did not
now desire to form any intimate alliance with France;
of the second, to show that, even admitting the good
faith of the Emperor Nicholas, such an alliance would
compromise the very existence of the Government of
.July; and of the third, that the formation of a Franco-
Russian alliance would be the signal for the breaking
out of an European war. As the two first propositions
concern solely the French people themselves, we do not
think it necessary to reproduce the arguments by which
they are supporte I, The third prep: siting, however,
intimately concerns us, in common with every other
Eutoperin nation, and we therefore offer no apology for
presenting our readers with the following translation of
the principal portions of an admirable article which ap-
peared in le C'onaneree of Sunday last:
" It remains then for us, in order to complete our ex-
amination of what would be the probable results of an
alliance betwi en the Cabinet of the Tuilleries and that
of St. Petershurgh, to dcvelope the third of our proposi-
tiens, which certainly is not the least important. • The
day after an alliance shall have been entered into be•
tween France and Russia, there will be an European
war.' And do not let it be said, in making this asser-
tion, we are exaggerating the consequence of those new
international relations of which a Paris journal, well-
known for the practical spirit in which it has treated
a multidude of other questions. has made itself
almost the official organ -- * A', Whenever
great questions arise concerning the balance
of power in Europe, and the mutual relations
tion of states to each other, we should closely study all
that is passing among our neighbours ; we should make
ourselves acquainted with their public opinion—with
their sentiments—with their political views—with their
fears, and with their hopes ; we should be less absorbed
in personal considerations, and we should find it to be
so. To take no account of Germany in considering the
effect of a Franco• Russian alliance, would be to expose
ourselves immediately to the results of a terrible mis-
calculation. We have read with attention all the con-
troversies that the articles of the Press have raised on
the other side of the Rhine, and the perusal of these
has contributed materially to strengthen our conviction
that such a system under existing circumstances could
not fail to excite an European war. As it is impossible
to find room for numerous extracts from all the German
papers, we will only cite some fragments from two of the
principal of these organs, the Gazette of Cologne and
the Gazette of Weser. We read in the first of these
journals, "If it is true that it is the intention of France
to form a Franco Russian alliance, we find in this fact
an evident sign of' the decadence of that nation, and a
proof of madness on the part of the statesmen who
govern it. It would be curious to see those,
who for fifteen years have sacrificed their prin-
ciples and natural friends to the preservation of
general peace entering into an alliance of interests
which, the moment that it was concluded, would become
the signal for a war of extermination. In truth, what-
ever might be the basis of a Franco Russian alliance,
such an alliance must necessarily bring on a war. We
leave to others the dream of Poland re-established by
Russia—we, Germans, who know the price that
must be paid for Russian friendship, laugh with
contemptuous pity when we hear of such chimeras.
Besides, to re-establish Poland, the consent of
Prussia and Austria is necessary, and this
quadruple alliance is simply impossible, unless,
indeed, Prussia and Austria, convinced by the argu-
ments of the Press, should become infected with a sud-
den love for constitutional liberty, of which, however,
we very much doubt. But that of which we are con-
vinced is, that Germany would lose nothing by a union
between Paris and St. Petersburgh, even should she be
obliged to fight at the same time against Russia and
against France. The day on which this alliance, formed
at our expense should be concluded, we should be obliged
to have recourse to arms, and for this reason :
Russia weighs heavy upon us ; her influence
in our affairs is fatal to progress and to liberty,
and we should desire nothing better than to
see Russian barbarism advance to be struck
down at Constantinople. But immediately England and
Austria would oppose such advance, and the question of
the East would be decided, as it always has been, on the
banks of the Rhine and of the Vistula. Germany,
therefore, wought have to fight for her own nationality,
for to become French would be to become Russian.
There would no longer be any parties in Germany ;
women and children would take arms against both
France and Russia ; and we should again sing our
patriotic chorus • wherever German is spoken
there is our country."' We have preserved in this
fragment from the German journal, its impassioned
form, its patriotic incoherence. It is a national cry, it
is a war cry. In these burst of passion the heart is
everything, and the style reflects its feverish agitation.
Here is the passage from the Gazette of Weser, more
calm, but to the full as significant The restoration
thought seriously of a Franco •Russian alliance ; many
diplomatic dispatches which have been since published
prove this fact. The restoration, by this alliance, had
no doubt, in view, a; its ultimate object, the esta-
bllehment of absolutism. It would, moreover,
have been a continental alliance against England. At
present the appearance of Europe is changed. Not
only has France a dynasty born of a revolution, but
even Prussia tends towards a new order of things.
Russia alone does not accept accomplished facts. She
remains the symbol of autocratic unity, both in political
and in religious interests. We doubt whether Russia
could have established herself at Constantinople, for
how could the Ottomans be governed in accordance
thatrdance
with the fixed idea of Nicholas, who wills
every Russian subject shall profess the Greek
religion. Besides, England would never consent to
such a displacement of the balance of power in
Europe. Now what interest can France have in con-
tracting an alliance with Russia—would she siege the
frontier of the Rhine in the name of the Czar?
would risk Alsace by the attempt, for PrussiawldShe
be
revolutionized, and we know the maxim of an to_
• It is only countries in a state of revolution whichca!'
make conquests.' Does she propose to re-est
ablis h
Poland? Admit that Russia would consent to it, what I
would Austria say? Admit even that it would. be possi-
ble to do without Austria, what compensation
n could
be given to Prussia?--Germany, perhaps- But Ger-
manys must be willing to give herself to 1 rus,a ,
and she would never consent to such a bargain except
on condition of gaining liberty and political guarantees
Russia would become, then, the protectress of the cause
of liberty and progress. This is simply absurd, fit only
for the poetic readers of La Presse.
instant a Franco-Russian alliance should be enterehd!,,neo.,, 1
The fact is that. thet )
Austria, England, and the Porte, would be o !lewd_
in self-defence, to coalesce against these tePowers. 'What Germany might do
pre-
dict, but the fact that the French Governmentuehan
we cannot
has, for a single moment, contemplated
alliance, proves that it no longer understandss the
moral sense of its mission, and that thereAsisno longer
anything to hope or to fear from France.
p ion of will
go the lowest peasant in Germany . for Russia,
go to Damstadt, to Berlin, to Stutghaisrdo,-
aidnndthey
learn what Germany thinks of Russia, an o
rue
ee
p
why it
tion she would give the Cossacks. Inquire
also,.
is that the Emperor Nicholas always
ce with Berlin, notwithstanding his intimate alliance with
be
a.voids the city
Prus-
sia. To sum up all, a Franco-Russian alliance w
the destruction of France; but to
every German
for such an alliance with all our heart, and
." These are
speak frankly, we wish
who loves his country, will be of our op
argument,
the quotations. The most moderate of inthloe two journals
that which seems to found its opinion uponof
our alliance
terminates its reflections on the results t the French
with Russia, by an imprecation agains
Government, which, as yet, has been
guilty
hav-
ing thought such an alliance possible. What then would
only of
be the cry of public opinion on the other bide of the
should -
Rhine, if that nation, who has hithertobeen consi
ddefiniered
as the Pharos of progress and civilization,o_
one
empire,
which
Lively unite its destinies to those
the ec of walks in the darkness of barbarissole objt m and of des-
potism ; of one empire,to
be to extend that
whose mission e
darkness over the resste
seems
be thefsEurope We have thus proved
that a European war would necessary consequence
France and Russia. Is there no
of an alliance
and the Gazette of Weser? For six
other conclusiobnettwoeebee drawn from these articles of the
Gazette of Cologne
resented a
miserable spectacle to
years France has
eaten, so frittered aWa Europe;. liberal andPconstitutional principles have during
y, so dena-
that period been
which once secured to us
deplsoorable Ministry, that we have lost the
turalised by
whose nationality was depressed
greater part of that p,ert•selYe
for emancipation. Secondary
the attachment of those
and who were thirsting
have ceased to consider us
states, as we s
as their guide—as their hope ;
and except on t
as their support—he
natingheyroufsorecoondoi
ftionarmosf u:0-
p
un-
dertaking a propaga expect to formthose
national for a long
which were were possible for
national alliances
evolution of July. us im-
mediatelyrf strengthing in her Franceowncounntorwy
after our
herself stands in need
She has
to accomplish, and
the principles of constitutional government"
great national r!forne the only fit-
nation. It is not by
fit-
ting ally for
herself that she is reduced -
her is a constitutional •
the fault of France to the
necessity of having still
some lab ours to undertake in
the cause of public
liberty and representative regime;
after sixteen years of a Government founded solely on
the triumph of that regime and of those liberties.

ISLE OF ELY.—
CORN I\l ARKET.—Prida
last, was the openingy
day for establishing' a corn market at
March. Notwithstanding the unfavourable state of the
weather, there was a full attendance of farmers, and several
merchants from a distance, and others of the neighbourhood.
Considerable
tubesquan of grain were shown, viz. :—Wheat,
oats, q Beans, 172 qrs.; Barley, 35 qrs.
1,169 qrs.;
A slight check to the transactions of business occurred at
starting, owing to the farmers endeavouring to establish the
practice of not allowing discount on the purchases; ulti
mately, however, the farmers gave Way, when a fair pro-
portion of grain changed hands. We are authorised to
say,
that in future the farmers attending this market will concede
the discount on all purchases by the nterchant.—Cambridge
.Adrortiscr.
ROYAL NAVAL ScitooL.—Tuesday special ad-
journed meeting of the supporters of this institution was held
at the School, situate near New-cross, Deptford, for the pur-
pose of electing a president in the room of Admiral Sir
Charles Ogle. Lord Prudhoe had, it was understood, suf-
fered himself to be put in nomination, but when the time
for the election came his Lordship communicated his inten-
tion of declining the honour and duties of the office. In
p
consequence no election took place, and the meeting again
adjourned.

I traditions of the Guebres relating to the early condition ROYAL POLYTECHNIC INSTITTJ of the world, like those of the Greeks and Latins, are • TION.
assimilated to Scripture truths, although barely dis- To our mind there are few plans better calculated to
L • cernible through the mists of fable which obscure them. impart instruction and amusement to all clesses tbaa
• With respect to fire, the Guebres place its fountain
head in the sun, called by them Mithras, or Mihir, and this establishment, The principal lectures which are
being delivered at this well-conducted institution are
to which they pay the greatest reverence, as well in upon Schonbein's gun-cotton and the electric teleraph;
gratitude for the various benefits resulting from its the former by Doctor Ryan, and the latter by Doctor
ministerial omniscience, as from the belief that the Backhoffner. As we have already given a notice of
throne of the author of all good is placed in that lumi- Dr. Ryan's admirable lecture on the gun-cotton, we
nary. But they do not confound the creature with the need not repeat it, but as the latter has not appeared,
creator. They view the sun simply as a passive instru- we with pleasure give a short notice for the advantage of
ment, controlled by the power of the deity, and as pos- our readers. The learned doctor particularly pointed
sesscd of no qualities of sense or reason; while at the out in the commencement of his discourse the peculiar
same time they only give it a secondary place among application of electricity to the purposes of the electric
the works of creation, the first being occupied by the
telegraph. In addition to the usual lucid explanations
mind of man. According to their sacred books, the of the principles of magnetism, and an historical notice
holy fire should be found in every town and settlement; of the application of the invention to railway and pub-
and if necessitated to move, it should be carried with lie purposes, Doctor Backhoffner entered into a length-
them. The Guebres allege that the holy fire, Behram, cued illustration of the practicability of the mode of
is the guardian of their abodes and destinies; that it is communication by the index upon the new principle
the extract of 1,001 fires, taken from fifteen other fires; secured by patent to Messrs. Nott and Gamble. It is
and that it must always le preserved unextinguithed in
)ortned befor but just to observe, in a passing notice of the various
absolute purity. Many 810r:flees are Pei insti uments invented for the purpose of facilitating the
it, either hy priests in this teuieles, or by transmission of message:,, &e., in such eases the new
in private. Li the temples the fire burns on a vase, patent of the above-it:ailed fsentleznan is fir superior to
within a grating, which none may approach but the any that Las preceded it. The simplicity of the index,
priests who keep it alive, ad watch perpetual:3, over it and the direct cc,aunniii:Altirm established by the electric
day and Light; the light of the sun, from its snperier current, the ringing of the bell to the most distant
brilliancy, being carefully excluded. Should any person station on any line of to legraph, appear mighty strides
of another sect approach within the temple, the priests towards the necessary siznplit;,lation of this most im-
consider themselves defiled, and have to undergo a cure portant, but at present not sufficiently appreciated agent.
mob), of purification, during the course of which they alma admirable practical exemplifications of the applica-
are suspended from the performance of their sacerdotal bility of the invention were given during the lecture, by
duties. As to these priests, the Guebres hold them in conveying messages from one side of the stage to the
the greatest reverence, as has been the case in every other from two beautiful working models on the princi-
age ; and Gibbon, when speaking of their tenets, says— pie of Messrs. Nott and Gamble. The lecture was fully
"If the destours, or priests, be satisfied, your soul will attended by a highly respectable audience, who ap-
escape hell's tortures ; you will have praise in this world peered to appreciate the learned doctor's discourse.
and happiness in the next ; for the destours are teachers
of religion, they know all things, and deliver all men."
Independent of their sacred fire, the Guebres have the
greatest veneration for that element in general, and when
once kindled. they deem it sacrilege to extinguish it un-
less by a particular method. A candle must either burn
out to the end, or if they wish to save a portion of it, the
part next the wick is cut off, and being carried to the
hearth, is left to burn out. A light is blown out with
the wind of a fan or the hand, but never with the mouth,
for that would be impure ; and should their houses take
fire, they will not permit the flame to be extinguished by
water in the usual way, but pull down the surrounding
parts, that it may expire of itself when it has
nothing to feed upon ; their principle being to
let fire die away, without any endeavour on their
part to abbreviate its duration. They will allow no
person to meddle even with their shop-lights ; and
a European can scarcely insult them more grossly
than by attempting to light a cigar or pipe with them.
One of their traditions touching fire is very poetical ;
it says, that when a child of a great prophet was
thrown into a large fire by order of Nimrod, the flame
instantly turned into a bed of roses, where the infant
sweetly reposed.
The festival days of the Guebres are very numerous,
but their principal festival is celebrated on the last ten
days of the year, when they believe that the souls of
the just descend within three bow-shots of the earth.
They likewise carefully observe their birthdays, and
those of their children, towards whom their conduct is
affectionate and indulgent in the extreme. But in no
respect are these people more singular or distinct from
other sects than in the treatment of their dead. The
The corpse is placed in a round tower, or circular edi-
fice, open at the top, on a stone floor, elevated from the
ground, and sloping to the centre, where there is a deep
well or sink, into which the bones aro gathered after
decomposition, by means of an iron rake, subterra-
neous passages beneath communicating with the sink
and preventing it from being filled up. Exposed to the
birds of prey in this way, the bodies of the dead pre-
sent a most revolting appearance. Yet the Parsees,
from habit, look on with indifference, and even draw
omens of good or evil as regards the stage of the de-
parted spirit, from the eye which is first plucked out by
the hawk or vulture.
Marriage is a favourite condition among this people,
while sterility is, on the contrary, a reproach. Polygamy
is not allowed amongst them; yet if a man has no off-
spring by his wife, he may, with her consent, take an-
other, she still continuing to live with him. When a
young woman attains maturity, she may demand that
her parents provide a husband for her, and if they dis-
regard her request, it is considered a culpable negligence
on their part; but if she, on the other hand, declines
the married state, and dies a virgin at eighteen, her soul
is believed to descend to hell, where it remains until the
end of the world. The marriages of the wealthy are
celebrated with great pomp, and as I witnessed this cere-
mony while at Bombay, I will endeavour to describe it
to the reader.

FALL OF THE MONSTER CHIMNEY AT WIGAN.
On Thursday afternoon last, shortly after four o'clock, tkia
very imposing fabric fell to the ground with a loud crash.
The chimney, which has been completed for only a few
months, was commenced by Mr. Dobb nearly four years
ago, close to the lands of the Leeds and Liverpool
Canal, at the termination of his extensive chemical
works. Its progress since that time has been gradual
during the summer months, but has necessarily
been stayed for several months of each winter,
when its part completion gave indications of its future
greatness. Its completion was effected a few months ago,
when it had reached the great height of upwards 0(
400 feet or about 134 yards, and the event was duly cele-
brated. Shortly, however, after this was done an indentation
of one side near the top was observed, and which was
watched daily, when, after a further lapse of time, a very
apparent deviation from the perpeadicular had taken place,
and the base slightly parted from one side of the excava-
tios. A further inclination being observed, the advice of
Mr. Fairbairn, civil engineer, of Manchester, was obtained,
and we believe he recommended a portion of the top being
taken down, and the work was consequently commenced,
and continued until the day of its fall, when we believe a
person was up the building; at this time about 28 yards had
been taken otf. For some time-past a further sinking of the
base has been observed, and greater fears were entertained
for its safety, and a series of stays were being constructed to
place round it. But all the measures were without avail.
It fell on Thursday afternoon across the canal, and extends
for the length of a field beyond it. The passage of boats on
the canal is stopped until it can be cleared, and active mea-
sures are now being carried on for the purpose. We believe
this is the third chimney which has fallen on Mr. Dobbs'
premises.—Manchester Courier.

Happening to proceed to Fort George on business, I
found the street it was necessary I should pass through
literally blocked up with carriages, palanqueens, and
people, and on inquiring the cause of this unusual con
course, I learned that a Parsee marriage was about to be
celebrated. The wedding guests or friends of the par-
ties,
to the number of about 500, were seated on forms
placed at each side of the street, in front of the bride-
groom's house, and these, clad in their costume of spot-
less white and singular hats, all exactly alike, presented
a strikingly characteristic and unique appearance. Pre-
sently the bridegroom, a boy of about fourteen years of
age, descended the steps leading from the door of his
house to the street, his dress being completely covered
over with gold leaf, and mounting a horse richly
caparisoned, and having long garlands of flowers trailing
from his trappings, one of his relations took an egg and
cocoa- nut, as the emblems of plenty, from a basket filled
with them, and after holding these above his head for a
moment, dashed them against the ground, when the pro-
cession already marshalled moved onwards.
First came several carriages filled with children, from
three to eight years of age, their little caps closely fitted
to the head, glistening with ornaments of gold, and in
many instances with precious stones, the rest of their
dresses being formed of the richest stuffs. After the
carriages were borne palanqueens filled with the chil-
dren of such as had no equipages. Next in the procession
came several boys and girls on horseback, the former
dressed like English generals and staff officers, and the
latter like English women, their horses being led by
servants. A sepoy band in full uniform succeeded to
these, which endeavoured to wake as much noise as pos-
sible; being immediately followed by the wedding
guests en masse, another sr poy band coming after them.
Behind the band came between twenty and thirty low
caste Hindoos, who exhibited a mock fight with short
sticks, and after these were a crowd of native musi-
cians, the noise of whose tom-toms, brass trumpets,
six or eight feet long, &c., &c., was absolutely deafen-
ing. The bridegroom now appeared, his horse led by
his nearest relative, while several servants fanned bim.
He held a folded handkerchief in his hand, which he
every moment pressed gracefully to his forehead as he
salaamed the numerous spectators ranged along the
streets. He was followed by about a hundred women,
one of whom carried a silver lotah and a representation
of a sugar-loaf in a line with her shoulder, as emble-
matic of the commencement of housekeeping. These
were simply, yet richly dressed in a gown and spencer,
with large shawls of the choicest fabric thrown over
their heads, which fell in loose and graceful folds around
them, exhibiting to the best advantage their deep
borders of gold and silver lace: their stockingless feet,
in many instances beautifully white, were encased in
tiny kid slippers, peaked and turned up at the toes.
Although the Parsee women are not, generally speak-
ing, handsome, some of these, despite features of an
olive cast, were so, and possessed those large melting
eves peculiar to Orientals, while their pencilled brows
and glossy hair were both as dark as the wing of the
raven.

MR. WILSON'S NIGHT FOR THE lIIGHLANDERS.--•
The Princess's Concert Room was on Wednesday night
crowded, and many persons were reluctantly compelled. to
leave the doors without being able to procure admission. Mr.
Wilson's generous act was therefore well seconded by the
public, and he may well be proud of the crowd that his talent
drew round him in so praiseworthy a cause. He was most
enthusiastically cheered when he made his appearance, as
much as to say, "We honour you for the noble example your
have set to all other performers." Mr. Wilson gave his en-
tertainment on the melodies of the Highlands, than which
there could have been nothing more appropriate for the oc-
casion. He introduced a beautiful song, written by Me.
James Ballantine, of Edinburgh, entitled "The Highlanders'
Farewell to Home," which seemed to touch the hearts of the
audience. He was in capital voice, and gave all the songs
with his accustomed excellence. Before Mr. Wilson com-
mences his campaign for the season in London, he is to visit
Edinburgh, Glasgow, and also Paris, where he is to sing in
March. He has our best wishes for his continued success.
CURIOUS STORY.—Many years ago the late Earl
of Stair. when Mr. Dalrymple, fell in love with a beautiful
young lady, a Miss Gordon. He eloped with her and mar-
ried her. In a short time they became unhappy, and Mr.
Dalrymple made an attempt to get rid of his wife, which
failed, his lady obtaining a decree for the restitution of con-
jugal rights. Mr. Dalrymple, however, who was co-habiting
with a foreign lady, having determined' on a separation, took
the following extraordinary step :—He requested a certain
gentleman to pay attentions to Mrs. Dalrymple, and if pos-
sible, win her affections, so that he might be in a condition
to sue for a divorce. In the event of success Mr. Dalrymple
bound himself to pay the gentleman a large sum of money.
The gentleman succeeded in gaining the affections of Mrs.
Dalrymple, but she, instead of yielding so far as to give her
husband the desired opportunity, herself sued for a divorce,
on the ground of adultery, and obtained it. The gentleman,
who had promised to marry her, now refused to perform that
promise; which had such an effect upon the mind of the lady
that she immediately lost her senses, and has ever since been
confined in a lunatic asylum. She is now 75 years of age,
and it is stated that she has entirely recovered the use of her
reason. A petition was brought before the Lord Chancellor,
on Friday, to supersede the commission, which was issued
in 1820. Several medical gentlemen testified that she was
entirely restored to reason. The Lord Chancellor decided.
that the petition should stand over, and that Lady Stair
should appear before the Master by her solicitor.—Liverpool

NEW 'HOUSES Or PARLIAMENT.—The following
report by Mr. Barry, the architect, appears in the Report of
the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, just issued, show-
ing the state of the works of the New houses of Parliament
on the 30th ofJune last :—" The shell or carcase of the river
in et portion of the building is completed. The whole of the
north and south flanks are now roofed in, and the carcase of
the building completed, with the exception of a small por-
tion of the cresting on the ridges of the roofs. The Victoria
tower is 70 feet in height, and the groined roof over the state
entrance within it is in hand. The clock tower is 73 feet
high, and is now above the adjacent roofs. The central
tower is from 55 to 60 feet high, and the corridor portions of
the building to north, south, and east of it, as well as a por-
tion of St. Stephen's Hall, are at the same height. The
whole of the low roofs over the corridor, and rooms surround-
ing the various courts, are completed. The Royal gallery is
roofed in, the windows glazed, and the wood ceiling is nearly
completed. The roof of the House of Commons is being fixed,
and the New Palace-yard portion of the building is ready
for its roof, which will be fixad forthwith. The brick arches
forming all the floors in this part of the building have been
completed. The various brick arches forming the floors in
other portions of the building are completed, and the stone
groins and vaults required in various parts of the building
are far advanced. The work at the crypt of St. Stephen's
Chapel, and contiguous portions of the building, and also the
vaults under the central hall, are at a stand, owing to diffi-
culties in respect of warming and ventilating 'arrangements.
The decorations of the walls and ceiling of the House of
Lords are completed. In the house of Lords, and in the ad-
joining lobbies and corridors, the carpenters and joiners are
jroceeding with the fixing of the oak finishing,. The
oiners' work of the libraries, committee rooms, refreshment
rooms, and corridors of access thereto, of the Houses of Lords
and Commons, are for the most part prepared; but the fix-
ing of those finishings, and the preparations of the joiners'
works for other portions of the building, cannot with pro-
priety be proceeded with, until a decision is come to in re-
spect of difficulties connected with warming and ventilating
arrangements. There are 1,186 men engaged on the works,
of which number 774 are employed at the building, 83 at the
quarries, 202 at the Government workshops, at Thames
Bank, upon the joiners' works, and 127 men upon miscella-
neous works connected with the new Palace, both at the
building and elsewhere."
WINDSOR, TUESDAY EVENING.—There have been
no arrivals :at the Castle to-day. Count Alexander Mens-
dorf, the Earl of Aberdeen, and Earl Fortescue remain, and
will be among the guests at the royal dinner table this even-
ing. The health of the Duchess of Kent is much improved.
Her Majesty and the Prince Consort have confined their out-
door exercise to-day to walking in the grounds immediately
surrounding the Castle. I-ler Majesty suffered much anxiety
yesterday in consequence of the delayed arrival of the visi-
tors expected to join the royal dinner party that evening,
Count Mensdorf, the Earl of Aberdeen, and the Lord Steward,
Earl Fortescue. Count Mensdorf, who has just returned
from a special mission to the Queen of Portugal, had signified
his intention of leaving London by the four o'clock train of
the Great Western Railway that afternoon ; and one of the
royal carriages was sent to the Slough station to meet him ;
but several hours passed and the Count did not arrive. A
messenger was sent to Slough to learn the cause. In a short
time he returned with a general statement that the four
o'clock train had been delayed by an accident. This state-
ment naturally occasioned much anxiety; and at her Ma-
jesty's request, Lord Alfred Paget instantly repaired to
Slough, and had the good fortune to meet the royal carriage
returning with Count Mensdorf. The Count had been de-
layed by the accident alluded to, by which two persons were
killed, and many others seriously hurt, but he himself re-
mained uninjured.. It was nearly eight o'clock when the
Count reached the Castle. The Earl of Aberdeen and Earl
Fortescue had been delayed by the accident in question, but
they arrived at the Castle an hour or two earlier.
iVINDSOR.—A marriage took place in St. George's
Chapel, Windsor Castle, Tuesday, which excited much in-
in-
terest, not only on account of the station of the parties.but
because of the fact that no ceremony of thrtieeidgil,teydiehserT.
solemnized in St. George's Chapel for morefthe
Dean of Windsor
than
The bridal pair were the younger son_ o
Ordnance-office.
balnisose-801l
ltacokowo,ortedDauegahntieirt
O poferDa
EIAN MATCII Mr.
FBodilaecika‘t%eodo.
GREAT PEDESTRIAN
late of the
ONE HUNDRIED
POUNDS.—On Monday one of
time been contested c h
has for some
Oe greatestameoff fnooeatrrathceespwnlice,hs
Head Inn, at Bedfont. The competitors were
nnsJosontna,gSw.mhEninthtihs,
ng ent
under-str et ehte Pet,cognomen an dof Charlesthe EJoenndkni
acquired great celebrity, and were considered the
riabileitaant alias
charmpions aeolmv'e.p ions of the present day—the former claiming
superiority over all his competitors for a short distance, and
the latter maintaining a position unequalled for a half-mile
race' and the present match was made to test the compara-
tive merits of the men over a distance of 400 yards, being an
intermediate length between their respective choico of dis-
tances. The " Stag," up to the time of starting, was the
favourite at 6 to 5, and many thousand pounds were pending
the result. The men came to the starting mark full of con-
fis
starting,
the menandaftersome dexterous efforts for an advantage at
opponent kept close ugpotoff
till NS, yards of the goal, when
ittliiieinPleoot taking the lead. His
the Pet made a rush—his adversary immediately imitated
him, and after em. of the most splitting races ever witnessed
Smith came in .he winner, amidst the loudest cheers of his
backers. The 400 yards of road were covered in the unpre-
cedentedly short time of 43 seconds.
ACCIDENT ON THE BRIGHTON RAlLWAY.—Tues-
day, about noon, a very shocking accident happened on
the Brighton Railway, near the Stoat's Nest Station, a
few miles beyond Croydon. It appears that the signalsort
an
each side of the line are attendod to by one man, d
signalledhpearinvinagnoltway to
an
nthuep oppositetra
inliseidperotcoeesdicgdnaltothcerosesle\t,leine
o'clock mail train from London, which he saw approaching.
The unfortunate man, however, it evident, must have
miscalculated the distance, for ere hiewciotuhldfoncrlefnl
clear the rails,
the buffers of the engine struck him
and hurled him some distance.
ve _ _
con-
veyed to Guy's Hospitil. I.sasntoetvile was immediately
eexnipnegetehde •ato-assuirnvi the
a very
dangerous condition, and wnigulrletd.. His skull is fractured, and his body otherwise much
nj

The women closed the procession, which proceeded
through various streets of the fort, returning at length
to where it had started from ; that quarter being now
lit up by innumerable small lamps, disposed in clusters,
which produced a brilliant effect.
The Parsees of Bombay number most probably between
ten and eleven thousand, and although it may be styled
their head-quarters, a much larger portion 3f them are
scattered through the various towns along the coast, so
that on the whole the amount of this people in India
cannot be much short of thirty-five or forty thousand.
Many of them are very wealthy, and may be classed
among the princely merchants of the earth ; and taking
them altogether, they are an industrious, enterprising
people, among whom the extreme of individual poverty
is unknown, as the rich invariably assist the poorer
when required. They may be said to monopolise the
trade of Western India, displaying in commerce the
energy and acuteness of the British merchant, along with
the craft and latent duplicity characteristic of Asiatics
in general. The Parsees of Bombay have branch es-
tablishments in all the principal towns and military
stations of the presidency, and in Lower and Upper
Scinde ; while their vessels trade to the several ports in
the East and to England. In many instances, they
have become extensive landholders by purchase, and
their country seats are mostly elegantly fitted up in the
English fashion, whom they love to copy in everything,
with the exception of religion and dress. Their equi-
pages are the most beautiful in Bombay; they use Eng-
lish saddles, and are good horsemen; and continuing
the analogy, like many of our countrymen they will
stop at nothing to acquire money, and have their
prodigals to squander it again. Like the generality of
Asiatics they are sensualists in their pleasures, and
lascivious in their conversation, and many of them keep
European mistresses. They resemble the Irish for
sociability of manners, and have houses in the country,
the property of the whole fraternity, where they
tase-
semble for convivial purposes. On these occasions the
bon vivants frequently quarrel in their cups; generally,.
however, at an advanced period of the night, when rows
ensue which would rival those of Ireland.
In all the Government and public offices, Parsees will
be met with, either in posts of trust, or as clerki s. duties
which are ever fulfilled with honesty and ability; in-
deed, as a people, they justly merit the indulgent light
in which they are looked upon by the authorities of the
Presidency, being equally susceptible of polish and re-
finement with the European, although closely wedded
to their ancient mode of dress and to their religion. A
Parsee convert to Christianity is among the phenomena
of the East.

---
TILE LATE FLEET PRISON.--it appears from the
report of the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, just pub-
lished as a Parliamentary blue book, that nine tenders were
made for the purchase of the Fleet Prison, in sums Tarrying
from 8,200/. to 18,0001. As, however, the highest of the
offers was considerably below the minimum price which, by
the advice of their architects, the Commissioners had been
advised, previously to opening the tenders, to accept, viz.,
25 0001., they were all declined. Subsequently the Corpora-
tion of London treated for the nurchase of the'property, with
the view of converting it into a house of correction in lieu of
Giltspur• street Compter, and the Commissioners asked the
sum of 25,000/. The City offered 22,8004, as its full value,
which was refused, and the sum of 25,000/. was agreed to bed
paid on a conveyance of the freehold to the City ; to, be pal
free and clear of and from the expense of the conve3auce.