The Sun.
London, England, 1868-12-26 00:00:00

71$1111-11VAL NAMES.

9FIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.
_ The researches of modern scholars, gilded by a know•

nrothing, says the Saturday Review, could better illus
ledge of Sanskrit, have placed us in possession of the
trate the total uselessness of the constitutional rule which original meaning of most mythical names. Fox
requires Ministers of the Crown to be re-elected than the example, they have found that Adonis, Apollo, Her-
elections which have taken place this week. No opposi cules, (Edipus, Orpheus; Perseus, and Theseus are so many.
ion has anywhere been offered. Most of the Minister:
names for the sun ; that Aphrodite, Athens, Danae,
hold seats too secure to be attacked, but even where a
Daphne, Eurydice, Erinnys, are designations of the dawn ;
contest might have promised a possibility of success, it has
the Paris and Helen meant originally nothing but light and
not been attempted. As to explaining the general policy
darkness and that Zeus, the supreme deity, is simply a
of the Ministry on the occasion of a re-election; that is
name for the bright shining sky. Take any myth as re-
impossible. Either the whole Government is new, as or
fated by a poet or historian, reduce it to its simplest form,
the present occasion, and then each member of the
translate the proper words which occur in it, and you
Government tells his constituents that as nothing has beer
arrive at a representation of some ordinary fact of nature.
decided there can be nothing to reveal, or the particular
To understand how, out of phrases expressive of such
member isnew, and then he says that he cannot commit hie
simple phenomena as sunrise, or night, a mythical story
colleagues, whose circle he has only just joined.
sould have been constructed, it is only necessary to recur
and with whose views he is necessarily but very
to the peculiarities which mark the speech of any little
imperfectly acquainted. It is not, however, to be
supposed that all the speeches that have been
child, for mythology was formed in an age when the
suppo
speech of the framers was infantile. The language of
made this week by different Ministers have beer
children is eminently sensuous; their whole style of thought
totally devoid of all interest and meaning. Nothing
and expression is anthropomorphic ; every word svhi h
in them was, or could have been, worth the trouble of a
expresses passion rather than action, states of being rather
re-election; but naturally there were things said which.
than visible deeds and motions, is applied to and used for
in one way or another, were not mere platitudes. In the
the former onlyby obvious and ill-concealed metaphor from
first place, it was especially observable that all the
the latter. Every inanimate object is invested by them,
Ministers chiefly concerned spoke their minds freely about
both in thought and in speech, with the emotions and the
retrenchment. They said that the little—and it certainly
powers which belong to humanity. Just so it was with
was very little—of what they had seen of office only con.
the early Indo-Europeans. Instead of saying " Night
firmed their previous impressions, and convinced them
is succeeded by the sun," they would say, " Night
that retrenchment was possible. They are now committed
,fives birth to (or begets) the sun ;" and the two
to a reduction of the estimates for the army and navy;
stood to them in the relation of parent and child. So while
and it must be said, to their credit, that they have not
we might say "Night ceases when the sun rises," our
sheltered themselves behind the usual official platitudes.
sicestors would have said " The sun kills the night ; and
They have not talked darkly about the troubled state of
n this short sentence we may read the origin of that
Eastern Europe, and endeavoured to raise the impression
that, but for events which no one could have foreseen, they ',errific feature, common to so many Greek legends, of the
would infallibly have reduced the estimates to the satis- son being compelled, by blind and irresistible destiny, to
him to whom ho owed his birth. Again, we
faction of the most sanguine. They have boldly promised lestroy
night say " The dawn precedes the sun, and passes away
that the estimates shall be reduced.
when the sun rises ; " but a Greek would have said " The
The Spectator thinks that the importance of the judg-
suu
pursues the dawn, who dies when he reaches her;"
meat of the Privy Council, which, having been delivered and this sentence, we know, is the foundation of the
Joy a Conservative en-Lord Chancellor (Lord Cairns), and
story of Apollo and Daphne.— Corraill Magazine.
agreed to by the Archbishop of York, Lord Chelmsford
(another Conservative ex-Chancellor), Sir W. Erle, and
Sir J. Colvile, is not at all likely to be called in question
by any party in the Church, can scarcely be exaggerated.
Taken in connection with the decisions of the same court
pn questions of doctrine, its tendency will be this—to cut I
off all those escape-valves for the transubstantiationist •
vein of thought in the Church, which—what we should
call—superstitious gestures, rites, and attitudes, have
hitherto afforded. The celebrant of the Eucharist in the
English Church is now forbidden to kneel, except as all
the communicants kneel, when he himself receives the
elements ; be is forbidden to prostrate himself before the
bread and wine ; he is forbidden to raise the chalice and
the paten to his head in token of adoration ; he is for-
bidden
to light candles on the altar by way of symbolising
that the " light of the world " is present on the altar ; he
is forbidden to mingle water with the wine in token of
the mingling of the water and blood which flowed
from the side of Christ; he is forbidden to " cense "
the vessels used for the consecration ; he would he,
we imagine, forbidden to change his vestments during
the service, with special reference to any view of the
character of the acts in progress ; in a word, he is forbidden
to express his feelings about the " real presence" by any
act or word not prescribed in the Rubric ; and as no act
or word is prescribed in the Rubric which ordinary Pro-
testants think inconsistent with the purely spiritual inter-
pretation of the service, this is, in fact, equivalent to
saying that the celebrant of the Eucharist in the Church
of England is forbidden to mark any strong divergence of
belief on this head, of which he maybe conscious, fiom the
ordinary Protestant belief, by any sort of outward sign.
We for our parts shall regret that, so far as the great
towns are concerned where churches of all sorts are open
to believers of all sorts, it will now be illegal for some
excellent persons who have hitherto sincerely believed
themselves Anglicans to gratify their religious tastes and
devotional feelings as they liked best ; and we shall still
more regret this if it compels them to submit themselves
to a still more rigid, a much more despotic, and, as we
hold, a much more dangerous system of ecclesiastical
government, by joining the Roman Catholics. But it is
very difficult to devise any system of comprehension ;
which shall include extremes of faith so wide, and yet
shall not be a great practical injury to the average Eng-
lish congregations in rural parishes, which have no choice
except either to submit to the vagaries of a clergyman by
whom they are revolted as by a Papist in disguise, or to be
driven out of their church altogether. This, as we have
often maintained, is a mischief so grave and threatening
as to menace the very existence of our Church.
As to the first point, the prostration before the sacred
elements, the majority of Churchmen, says the John Bull,
will probably be disposed to accept with equanimity, if
not with satisfaction, the decision of the court (although
we do not think Sir R. Phillimore's view, that it is a subject
for the bishop's discretion, the least shaken) ; but the pro-
hibition of the use of lights will be received with sorrow
by many who have never used them. We shall hear, no
doubt, a good deal of tall talk about not obeying the
judgment ; some few very weak brethren may go over to
Rome ; but, insignificant as: is the party which will thus
talk and act, there is a very large body of devout
Churchmen who will view with feelings of profound regret
the prohibition of a use which is Primitive and Evangeli-
cal, as well as Catholic. And they will feel this the more
acutely because they know that this cruel blow is the
handiwork of those calling themselves High Churchmen.
We unfeignedly deplore the judgment as to lighted
candles, though we are not surprised at it. But it may
be productive of much benefit if it opens the eyes of
Churchmen to the very unsatisfactory nature of the
tribunal itself. In deciding matters of fact, such as those
involved in the case of Rugg v. the Bishop of Winchester,
it would be impossible to devise or conceive a more
admirable tribunal ;but when doctrine is really, though not
technically concerned, no one will contend that a court
composed like the present is or can be a satisactory one.
We should be sorry to see a purely spiritual tribunal
but the court should have some spiritual persons to whom
it should refer on matters other than those of simple law—
end the expediency or otherwise of allowing lighted candles
was surely oue of these—so that Churchmen might have
confidence in the tribunal.
In its last number the Imperial Review reviews the
question of the Ballot. In the first place the system of
canvassing before an election will go on under the Ballot
regime just the same as before. In constituencies of a
moderate size every elector will be personally solicited,
and nine-tenths of them will give an answer, affirmatively
or negatively. Even where the constituencies are too
large to be individually canvassed, they will be addressed
collectively, as now, at various district meetings, and each
meeting will pledge itself, as now, to support or oppose the
particular candidate; and each elector present,unless express-
ing his dissent in the usual manner, will regardthat pledge as
binding him individually. Now what we maintain is,
that because Englishmen may possibly in the future record
their votes at the poll in a novel manner, their natures
will not on that account be changed. The habit of an
Englishman is, as a general rule, to keep his promise.
Especially among the working classes is it happily
true that an Englishman's word is his bond. Ordi-
nary Englishmen are hardly, as yet, advanced enough
in sophistry to appropriate to themselves the maxim of
Euripides about the tongue swearing while the heart
remains unpledged. They may promise reluctantly, and
in some cases their promises may be obtained by the
exercise of undue influence ; but they prefer keeping
their word, albeit, with some grumbling and dissatisfac-
tion, to breaking it. They fully understand that two
wrongs do not make one right. If their superiors have
improperly coerced them, and extorted from them an
unwilling pledge, the more shame for their superiors ; but
a deliberate act of falsehood on their own part is not the
method by which such unjustifiable interference should be
counteracted. Again, it is said that as soon as the Ballot
is introduces' a large number of electors will decline to
make any promises at all ; that they will give their votes
secretly on the day of election ; and that it will never be
known for whom they have voted. People who build
their hopes on any theory such as this, entertain, we con-
ceive, a radically wrong idea of the English character.
Is it likely that the working man, who always says what-
ever is on the tip of his tongue, in the plainest language
and without the slightest ceremony, will suddenly become
so reserved on the subject of the exercise of Isis political
trust, that lie will sit in the taproom on the night after an
election, without letting out what part he took in it him-
self, or that he will go home in a state of hilarity, and yet
never open his lips to his wife and family about the great
cv nt of the day ? And is it likely that he will all at
once acquire such astuteness as to be able to parry
all the questions, and remain indifferent to all the hints,
allusions, and inuendoes of his boon companions, of his
cicrgyman, of his employer, of his landlord ? People who
Lelieve that all these results will follr,w from the adoption
of the Ballot must have faiths in it as the mnst astonishing
iu~lrilneut ever yet devised for revolutionising the lnunan

PROFESSOR EWALD'S TRIAL.

--.2.--

A correspondent of the Daily News, writing from Got-
tingen by date Dec. 19, says :—" The case of Professor
Ewald came on for trial this morning, before the Presi-
dent, Herr Etienne, and the judges, Herren Twell and
Wedekind. Herr Advocate Shaer appeared for the
Crown, and Herr Advocate Dr. Benfey for Professor
Ewald. The court was crowded to excess, stair-
cases and doors were packed. The charge is that
of high treason. The ground of the charge is
certain expressions in Professor Ewald's pamphlet
'Lob des Konigs and des Volkes,' that is, ' Praise of
the King (of Hanover) and his People." What is
high treason, and when is the crime committed against
the King ? The crime is intentional violation of the
reverence due to the King. The crime is committed
against a King when his acts, as declaration of war, con-
clusion of treaties, are represented in an irreverent man-
ner. Professor Ewald has said Prussia broke up wickedly
the German Confederation, began an infamous war, sated
the hatred of two centuries against Austria, robbed, plun-
dered, and caused untold misery. Further, Professor
Ewald has spoken ironically, it. is said, in reference to
some words which the King of Prussia uttered at
arious times to different d- putations received by him.
For these alleged violations of the reverence due to the
King, the Crown-Advocate of Prussia asks that the pro-
lessor be punished with six months' imprisonment and the
' 9ayment of the costs of his prosecution. Dr. Benfey,
Professor Ewald's advocate, objected to the Crown-
A.dvocate's definition of high treason. He (Dr. Benfey)
iefined the crime as injuria, in the legal sense, and
Wjuria against the person of the King only. He
could not admit that by criticism of the acts of
the Government the crime could be committed.
I'russia, he said, is a constitutional monarchy, and the
King can do nothing without the counsel and consent of
iris Ministers. The Ministers are responsible, and not

;lie King. The expressions of the pamphlet, therefore, do
at touch the King, but at most his Government. He
len pointed out the terrible consequences to liberty if the
acts of a Government should be raised above criticism. He
kirther shewed that no expression in the pamphlet could be
taken as defamatory of any organ of the Government.
ife finally called the attention of the bench to the fact
hat no proof had been brought of the intention
`.O defame. Herr Schaer reiterated his former arg,u-
rents, and refused to acknowledge the force of Dr.
g,:enfey's references to England, since the Prussian Consti-
ution is different from the English. Professor Ewald was
;hen permitted to speak. Ile said that his advocate-had
maid all that was needful, and he would only add that he
:ertainly had no design to malign the King, as he certainly
ad not done, but only to express his mind as to the facts.
Ire further denied that he had spoken ironically of the
King's words, as had been said in the charge. 'The
:ourt adjourned, judgment being deferred until the
?.'.)th of the month. The accused . will be no doubt
.ccinitted.”

Mexican bandits now not only rob stage passen-
,,ers of valuables, but strip all the clothes off them.

An intoxicated reveller lay down by the side of
hedge in Ohio, and was shot by a sportsman for a

A person who was recently called into court for
.40 purpose of proving the correctness of a doctor's bill,
was asked by the lawyer whether the doctor did not make
several visits after the patient was out of danger. " No,"
replied the witness ; " I considered the patient in danger
is long as the doctor continued his visits."

JURY TRlAL.—Governor Wells, of Virginia, nas
ecently pardoned a prisoner who was convizted by the
.nryunder the plan of arriving at a verdict by drawing lots.
qallots were placed in a hat, and seven papers containing
;he word " guilty " having been drawn, the defendant was
convicted. The jury originally stood eight for acquittal,
;wo for conviction, and two for a compromise verdict, and
aad been deliberating for two days when the lottery
method was adopted.
THE DANGER OF SMOKING IN BED. A
nelancholy case of death by burning was reported to the
authorities at Hamilton a few days ago. An old man,
lamed Robert Crosbie, a weaver, resided alone in a small
rarret. Ho had thrown himself down on the bed with his
clothes on, and it is supposed he had afterwards struck a
natch, lit his pipe, and fallen asleep, when his clothes
somehow caught fire. A neighbour named Wilson was
aroused by Crosbie's cries, and went to his assistance, but
;he poor man was so severely burnt that he died the next
norning. He was 68 years of age.
LECTURES TO LADIES BY PROFESSORS OF T.INI-
;ERSITY COLLEGE, LONDON. We understand that
!everal Professors of University College have expressed
.heir willingness to gives courses of lectures to ladies, on
.he plan which has been carried out with such success at
Edinburgh, Manchester, Clifton, and other towns. The
ectures will be given under the auspices of an association,
ncluding many influential names, which is at present
3eing formed. It is proposed to commence in February
vith two courses, a literary and a scientific ; but the
scheme may be greatly extended next winter. As soon as
;he arrangements are completed they will be publicly
announced.

Ile Government of Indiahas sanctioned an annual
;rant of £2,400 for the cataloguing of Sanskrit manu•
scripts in India, under such competent editors as Dr.
Buhler, of Bombay; Mr. Burnell, of Madras; and Baloo
Rajondra Lal Nutta, of Bengal. The catalogues are to
)e submitted to scholars in Europe for their suggestions
is to the manuscripts which should be purchased or
Tanscribed. All scholars, whether in Europe or India,
ire invited to send lists of desiderata to the Government
)f India—the former through the Secretary of State.
competent scholars are to be sent on tours annually
throughout India to examine manuscripts and seek new
)nes.

A PIANO KEY WARMER. Some ingenious
person has invented and patented a piano and organ key
warmer, the design of which is to keep the keys of the
'nstrument from chilling the fingers of the player. I can
:ell him of a piano and organ key warmer which is very
simple and effective, though I am not aware that it has
ever been patented.. It consists in a roasted potato. For
aaany winters past I have known it to be used by many
'.tidies 'in divers places. The roasted potato, wrapped
to a bit of flannel, iataken to church in a small bag, from
whence it is brought out when needed to be held in the
hands of the fair lady who acts as the unpaid organist
harmonium player. Fingering the icy keys of an
)rgan in a cold church on a winter's :day is certainly
9, chilling performance : and there are some who read
this who may thank me for the hint of the roasted potato.
It wil retain its heat during• the service. One trial will
prove the fact. a 3 the advertising graters say.—Once a
Week.

chances of a CoLf,rence on the Eastern

The earthquakes of last year in the West India
seas were followed by a change in the Gulf streams of the
Atlantic, which regulate the distribution of heat. Seamen
found the warm current from the Gulf of Mexico'loo miles
farther east than formerly, and a corresponding change
must have occurred in the course of the cold strea ns re-
turning from the Polar seas.
LUXUP.IANT AND BEAUTIFUL TIAIR. Rg. S. A.
ALLEN'S WORLD'S Hap; RESTORER OR DRESSING never fails to
quickly restore Grey or Faded Hair to its youthful colour and
beauty, and with the flrat application a beautiful gloss and de
lightful fragrance is given to the Hair. It stops the Hair from
falling off. It prevents baldness. It promotes luxuriant growth;
t causes the Hair to grow thick and strong. It removes all
dandruff. It contains neither oil nor dye. In large Bottles
Price Six Shillings. Sold by most Chemists and serf tuners
Depot, 288, High Rolinrn

Question, the SataY.:l(v _Review says tir3t effort of
all concernA will naturally be to stop the impending war
without compromising the indepencknce of either c,on-
bataut. li this prove to be impossible, the English
Government can hardly go far wrong in assenting to such
action as can be jointly undertaken by the Great Powers.
Both sides of the dispute may be said to be represented,
the one by Russia, and the other by Austria, and an
exercise of authority which commends itself to both these
Governments is not likely to press with undue weight upon
either Turkey or Greece. If no such general agreement
can ho arrived at, the difficulty of the situation will be
greatly. increased ; and it will thew become a question
whether the efforts of the Western Powers ought not to
be strictly limited to the exclusion of any third Power from
the field 9f battle,