The Sun.
London, England, 1845-11-18 00:00:00

THE ANNUALS.
THE FORGET-ME-NOT.

MESMERISM.

ture, Mr. H. met, and to my surprise addressed, me ; after some
conversation, in which I candidly declared my belief in the
deceit of the boys and the fallacy of the experiments, he
defied me or any one to disprove the truth of this experi-
ment, to which I replied that I would come upon the plat-
form the next evening, and disprove the experiment, or
rather the trick. As I stipulated for a forfeit of 201. from
which ever party failed, however, Mr. Hall declined, and
that experiment was no more exhibited. Though I had
never seen the trick before, reasons drawn from anatomy
and physiology at once explained it. I gave this explana-
tion to Mr. Hall, and will be glad to " test" the "fact" on
the above conditions at any time.
Such little facts as have been stated will fully account. for
Mr. Hall's wrath against me; no man, however accustomed
to exposure, likes to have the process repeated. Meantime,
notwithstanding his false accusations and vulgar abuse, I
wish him no harm ; I observe that his aim is now to convert
himself into a mesmeric practitioner in disease, and as in
-this line he will always meet with patients, and need scarcely
fear detection, I expect to hear of his doing well. And,
indeed, looking on the mesmeric as more innocent than some
other popular forms of quackery, I cannot, in conscience,
wish him ill in his career. One of the graatest writers of
the present day, Thomas Carlyle, in his " Past and Present,"
has the following sentence on a similar subject:—" Quack
ar.d dupe, as we must ever keep in mind, are upper-side and
under of the selfsame substance ; convertible personages ;
turn up your dupe into the proper fostering element, and he
himself can become a quack; there is in him the -clue pru-
rient insincerity, open voracity for profit, and closed sense
for truth, whereof quacks, too, in all their kinds, are made."
In his lectures here, Mr. Hall has actually brought forward
no evidence whatever of the truth of any one portion of mes-
merism. No, not even of the sleep and simple phenomena,
which are really capable of exhibition. He failed entirely in
what he promised to effect, and the proceeds, according to his
engagement, really, therefore, belong to the hospital. In-
stead of giving experiments, as his placard intimated, in the
" whole range of mesmeric practice," he has, night after
night, bean obliged to confine himself to the tiresome tricke-
ries of two trained boys.
Mr. Hall mentions the names of some few distinguished
people as proofs of the truth of mesmerism. So far as autho-
rity goes, it is at least 1,000 to 1 against the mesmerists.
One professor in Edinburgh, a partial believer, all the other
professors adverse ;—one distinguished physician in London,
au ex-professor, Dr. Elliotson, an advocate for it—every other
professor, and distinguished physician and philosopher,
against it, or silent,—the argument of authority, surely, is
worse than useless.

TO THE EDITOR OF TILE LEAMINGTON SPA COURIER.

No maxim of wisdom is m ore true than that brief say-
ing, "Time flies." What is there can compare to it in
swiftness ? Slowly and quietly it approaches, we think
we grasp it, and it is gone ! It seems but the other day
that we, hailed the advent of '45, and anxiously awaited
its coming pleasures, and now already the fading leaf and
deepening twilight warn us. that it is near its close.
" Coming events cast their shadows befote ;" the ar-
rival of the swallows anteiunce the sunshine, and the
cold frosts of winter have likewise their harbingers. The
Annuals for 1846 have already appeared. When all is
drear and desolate, th ase bright volumes come forward
as emblems of the kirdly feelings which the season can-
not chill, and offer themselves as appropriate gifts of
friendship stud affection, Of these the "Forget-me-Not"
deserves peculiar notice, having been the first of all the
annuals ; it has survived many of its ancient companions,
and bids fair to flourish till its race becomes extinct.
This year it appears in gayer plumage than usual ; its cus-
tomary suit of brown is exchanged for a binding of pale
green morocco, ornamentea with a beautiful wreath of
flowers in gold. The engravings form the principal at-
traction in a work of this sort, and they will not be found
wanting. The greater number illustrate scenes in the
different tales. There are no landscapes, and this is a
great improvement, the size of the book being too small
to do them justice. As it is, the illustrations are clear
and distinct. One of the best is a "Sketch from Nature,"
painted by Herring ; the countenance is expressive and
full of softness. The frontispiece represents a lady in
" A Reverie ;" she is leaning over a balcony, her atti-
tude is easy and graceful, her face expresses serious re-
flection, but the hands are not worthy of the rest—the
fingers are long and stiff. The literary department is
full of variety both in prose and verse. It opens with a
poem by Mrs. Sigourney, " The Royal Guest," in cele-
bration of Queen Victoria's visit to Eu. Then follows a
dramatic scene by the late lamented Thomas Hood.
Charles Swain has eontribnted many interesting pieces,
and Eliza Cock's "Farewell to her Hound" is full of
mournful simplicity. It is hardly necessary to enumerate
the prose tales ; they are of every variety, ancient and
modern, extravagr,,nt and homely, adapted to every taste.
They must ind-,,ed be hard to please who are not satis-
fied with the "Forget-me-Not" of 1846.

Sir,—On Thursday night last, Mr. Spencer T. Hall, at the
close of the lecture, made, I understand, a very violent and
vulgar attack upon me during my absence. The cause of this
attack was, that I had publicly exposed the hollowness of
some of his pretensions to Mesmerism, and that I called in
question the honesty of the two boys who itinerate with him,
and perform at his exhibitions. As it was only towards the
close of his philippic, about eleven o'clock, that I returned to
the room, I had not the pleasure of hearing the more furious
portion of his address; what I did hear, however, seemed to
me rather the spasmodic violence of a weak mind, convulsed
by rage and shame, than the indignant utterance of an honest
man, who has been traduced. I have no personal dispute
with Mr. Hall, nor with any man of his character and mode
of life. I have no objection to. Mesmerism, fairly inquired
into, whatever; that there are certain phenomena belonging
to the art well worthy of the attention of men of science, is an
opinion I have long entertained and expressed; but the im-
posture by which the art is surrounded—and by which it is
retarded far more than by the apathy and opposition of
medical men—this I felt compelled to condemn. My only
object in interfering in this business at, all was to advance
truth, or rather to retard error, by exposing imposture; and
it is, in further pursuance of the same object that I now
address you.
Though I had said nothing discourteous of Mr. Hall, I
could not be surprised at his vehemence and venom. He had
come here looking for fame and fortune, and found, instead,
detection and disgrace. It was his intention, I am told, to
pursue his mesmeric practice here for some period ; but the
reception he has met with will, I venture to predict, ma-
terially shorten his stay. Had these lectures been permitted
to pass uncriticised, there would have been numbers of pa-
tients belonging to the town sent to sleep before the public,
and we should have been once more deluged with mesme-
risees ; whereas, it seems now impossible to procure one.
Had Mr. 11., whom I have heard called the Eagle among
mesmeric fowls, not been marked down at first, he would
have soared aloft in triumph over us during the whole winter ;
but he finds his wings clipped now, and, as that noble bird
is said sometimes to do, is insanely dashing off his beak
against his cage.
The chief of his charges against me on Tuesday evening; I
have been informed, was that the means I had used to in-
duce the four boys exhibited at Mr. Donovan's Lecture on
Mesmerism, in March last, to confess their trickery, were
unfair. Now there were gentlemen of high revectability
present who will vouch for the fairness and candour with
which the whole was conducted; you, Sir, the editor of this
paper, were present taking a report, and know that there
was no doubt whatever of the guilt of the boys; and they
are, moreover, still in the town, and adhere to their confes-
sion. It is quite absurd to say, that because these boys con-
fessed for fear of justice, therefore their confessions are in-
valid. Supposing that Mr. Hall himself were, either from
conscientious fears, or fears of justice, to confess that he had
been long imposing on the public—that he had, at first, been
himself deceived, and at last ended by deceiving others,
does he think any one would doubt the sincerity of his con-
fession ? Perhaps " little Henry" and his companion might
doubt him, and declare that this was all done from "fear of
the policeman," but no one, whose xirtue had not been ex-
alted and purified by mesmeric innenees, would have any
doubt of it whatever.

Then Mr. H. says there are 500 persons in this country
who have exhibited, in their own cases, mesmeric pheno •
mena. How many of these were gentlemen? Was there
one man or woman of science and character, known to the
world as such, amongst the whole? Miss Martineau, Pro-
fessor Agassiz, Dr. Elliotson, and others, of known probity,
never exhibited any but the simple, nay, the simplest phe-
nomena. The whole mesmeric squadron, if real, of 500, is
chiefly made up of barber's boys, errand boys, servant girls,
with a few hysterical young ladies scattered here and there
in the confused motley mass. I am afraid there is little help
for us here either.

It is no slight thing that Mr. Hall and his mesmeric sup-
porters ask us to do. To give up our belief in some of the
most extraordinary and important phenomena relating to life.
I say, this is no trifling matter, nor to be yielded without
the clearest, strongest, and moat irrefragable proof. I would
rather a man would steal the money out of my purse, and
fill it with worthless ashes, than steal truth from my mind and
place error there. Wjiat proof have we, then, of these marvels?
The respectability of a barber's boy is the sole proof afforded !
We are to give up the evidence of our senses, our reason, our
experience, to that afforded by a Flibbertigibbet like this. Mr.
Hall's own evidence is, of course, inadmissible. Taking the
most charitable view of the matter, he is a mistaken enthu-
siast, the whole of whose interests, pecuniary and otherwise,
are interested in keeping up this " enthusiasm." Would any
one have taken the evidence of Irving about " unknown
tongues," or Johanna Southcote respecting the Shiloh?
Granting, then, for the sake of illustration, that Mr. Hall is
as sincere as were these dupes in their delusions, his evidence
is yet inadmissible. There remains, then, no evidence what-
ever of the truth of all these marvels, except the respect-
ability of a barber's boy, who has, for two years, been en-
gaged like .
" Caterfelto, with his hair on end
At his own wonders, wondering for his bread ! "
. .

The other charge against me that I have taken away
the character of these boys. I confers I think it would be
very difficult to take away their good character; I am aware
it has often been attempted in varioatowns, but as, ex niltilo
nilzil fit, uniformly without success:, The time, I have no
doubt, will shortly come, when they will be much obligedlo
any one who will take away their
,present character. Mr.
Hall's mesmeric predecessor in Leamington, Mr. Donovan,
urged the same argument in the case of his four young
friends, and the public sympathised with the whole five until
the deception was discovered. Mr. Donovan had the mo-
dest), to decamp without attempting explanation or defence,
and I think it would have been quite as sound policy had
Mr. Hall followed his example. Mr. Hall, I hear, talks, or
talked of an action at law to be brought against me on ac-
count of "little Henry." It would be amusing to learn
what damages twelve Englishmen would award "for loss of
wages as a public somnambulist," or "for injury done his
character as a clairvoyant."
Only one Scotch professor; and one distinguished English
physician, are believers in mesmerism—and these are consi-
dered authority sufficient to ;weigh Aeigh Own all other professors
and physicians • but, ,adortnnately;', there is no mesmeric
judge, so that physicians;
it will be prudent to defer the action
until " the science" is further:Advanced.

To make any further comment on this, is, I think, quite
unnecessary. lam ashamed, Mr. Editor, of having occupied
so much of your time and that of your readers with this con-
temptible affair. I feel the disgrace of having my name con-
nected with the subject at all, but, unfortunately, was not
able, at Mr. Hall's first lecture, to sit patiently and see gross
deceit practised before my fellow-townsmen in the name of
science.—l am, Sir, your most obedient servant,
D. R. LIETCH.
Leamington, Oct. 23, 1845.

The reasons why I, and many others besides myself, look
upon the whole of the condnet of these boys as trick are the
following :-Ist. Many 'itinerant mesmerisers and platform
boys have already been discovered to be imposters ;—so
much so that Dr. Elliotson, Miss Martineau, and the more
respectable believers, will not recognise in any way these
wandering advocates of the science. To suspect them from
the first, therefore, is reasonable. 2d. They exhibit nothing
but what any boys awake could easily show. The rigidity of
the muscles, as shown by the little boy, is easily learnt, and
any common posture boy, or dancing girl, performs much
more difficult feats than those boasted of as wonders by Mr.
H. Yet it is upon the fact that these feats are beyond the
power of a boy in his natural condition, that we are asked
to believe in them. 3d. The exaggerations of the per-
formance. These boys have in Leamington for three nights
successively, and elsewhere innumerable times, gone
through these manoeuvres—thrown themselves into the
same tableaux vivants, grasped each others' hands in good
fellowship at " Auld Lang Syne," and exhibited the same
ridiculous grimacing and fiddling at " Such a getting up
stairs." Whatever was thought of the more serious portions
of the performance, this part was always looked upon as mere
trick and absurdity even by most believers. Any one who
has read an article on " Natural Somnambulism," which the
mesmeric is asserted to simulate, can scarcely be deceived, but
will at once perceive that the dramatic grouping, and the
reiteration, night after night, of the same figures and fool-
eries, is totally inconsistent with any other belief than one of
previous arrangement and trick.
The playing at chess, under the pretence of their eyes being
closed, was too ridiculous even for comment. It was felt
even by a mesmeric audience to be "too bad." And this
brings me to notice other reasons for feeling convinced that
there is error and deception in the whole affair, and as one
consequence, among others, that the boys are deceiving the
public. Mr. Hall said he did not bring these boys forward
as cases of clairvoyance. But as it was understood distinctly
by the audience and by those gentlemen who peered
" scrutinisingly " under their eyelids,—who, in newspaper
phrase, " carefully tested the experiments," that the eyes
were closed, and that they were playing by mesmeric
means alone,—what was the case, if not one of clair-
voyance ? Either the eyes of the boys were open, and they
saw what they were doing, or if—as the audience
was induced to believe—their eyes were shut, then it was
clairvoyance. This led to an inquiry as to Mr. Hall's
present assertions respecting clairvoyance, and to an offer
that he should have 100/. if he could prove what he and all
other mesmeric writers assert to be the fact, viz., that clair-
voyants can be had who can read without the aid of vision.
How Mr. H. shrank from this test the public is aware ; and
when we find a man thus practically proving his want cif
belief in one of his most confident assertions—hew can we do
otherwise than doubt him in others ? In his book, "Mes-
meric Experience"—and which, by-the-by, is the weakest
and most contemptible book of some eighteen or twenty
which I have read on the subject, done in the true Morrison 's
Pill style of literature—he says, speaking of Clairvoyance,
p. 87 :
" It must not, however, be inferred, that because so few ex-
amples of this or any other class of phenomena have been
introduced. that such cases are rare. On the contrary, great
numbers of them have occurred under my immediate obser-
vation." Then again of "little Henry," the second day that
he was mesmerised'," he was perfectly lucid, and described the
internal structure and economy of the human frame, and the
diseases of several strange parties with whom he was brought
into proximity, as clearly and correctly as could have been
done by a regular professor of anatomy," &c. ; and further
on, of the same boy, he says, " he can read and run about,
and occasionally give the prognosis of a disease when in the
sleep ;" of course if the " reading" means anything here at all,
it is "reading" as he read the "internal structure" and
" diseases," by some power independent of vision ; in short,
clairvoyance. Again, at p. 17, he mentions the case of a
phreno-mesmeric patient who' became " more susceptible and
clear as the experiments proceeded, until he distinctly read
the papers as they were handed past the back of his head,
and soon afterwards gave with intense effect the natural
language of any organ my coadjutor thought of, even before
he had time to write the name of it !"
Clairvoyant patients, then, according to Mr. Hall, are
quite common, and so says almost every other mesmeric
writer; but what can we consider their statements worth,
when they shrink from public proof, even with the prospect
of receiving a premium on their veracity?
One more quotation from Mr. Hall, though not from the
same book :—,
"J. F., on being thrown into the mesmeric trance at
Liverpool, as we sat side by side, described to us, as accu-
rately as any eye-witness could have done, what was then
transacting in a particular room in Sheffield, though he had
never been in it, not a leading question being put to him.
At Wolverhampton he described anything held behind his
head as accurately as though he had observed it with his
eyes ; and, late on Saturday evening, read verbatim two let-
ters then coming to him by post, one from London, and the
other from Sheffield, which were not delivered to him till the
following day at Walsall."
Mr. Hall tells us he kept the post-office of his native town.
Should he ever return to that department, I trust that Sir
James Graham will engage him and "J. F." in hiS own
private office, by which means he may arrive at the contents
of letters without breaking their seals or creating national
discontents.

SUBSTITUTE FOR THE POTATO.
At the meeting of the Academy of Sciences in Paris on
the 3d Nov., M. Boussingault read to the Academy a com-
munication from M. Goudout relative to an umbelliferous
plant, indigenous in New Granada, particularly in the most
temperate parts of the continent, where the average tempe-
rature is from 15 to 25 deg. R. The arracacha is generally
three feet in height, its radical leaves twelve or fifteen inches
in length, numerous, biternate, doubly incised, dentate, on
long fistular petioles. The caulinar leaves are smaller than
the radical, which they resemble in every other respect.
The flower is a violet-coloured umbel; the petals oval, acu-
minated, and inflexed ; five stamens and two styles arising
from a disc of the same colour as the flower. The fruit is an
oblong carpel marked with five ribs. The blooming season,
October. The root is the part which is used as an article of
food in the country; according to M. Boussingault, it par-
ticipates of the nature of the carrot and potato, being a kind
of intermediate substance between them. Each plant
furnishes from three to four pounds of nutritious matter, one
hectare yielding no less than 82,500 pounds of wholesome
food. The disease actually existing amongst the potatoes
induces M. Boussingault and M. Brongniart to attempt the
introduction of this valuable plant into Europe, when it
might be advantageously employed as a substitute for the
potato.—Medical Times.

THE NEW BRIDGE NEAR NORWICH.—This bridge
(erected from a design of Mr. Bidder), below Carrow, was
swung across the river for the first time on Friday morning
last, at eleven o'clock, in the presence of Captain Lawrence,
H. Holingbroke, Esq., W. Rackham, Esq., and a number of
ladies and gentlemen. The immense weight of iron, yearly
130 tons, was swung round with the greatest (ase. It is
expected that the trains will pass over it in a fortnight. The
company contemplate making a basin close to the bridge for
the landing of goods. In a short time the electric telegraph
will be established between Norwich and Trowse. The station
at Thorpe has been greatly extended, and the platforms
lengthened for the increase of traffic.—Noifolk Chronicle.
THE MILITARY RIOT AT WU:MSGR.—Since the
occurrence took place, the privates belonging to the 2d Regi-
ment of Life Guards have received orders not to be in the
town after dark. They are now, however, permitted to
leave their barracks after their stable duties are over, at
seven o'clock; but they remain at Spital, and in the neigh-
bourhood, until the hour (ten o'clock) for their being in
quarters. A sergeant in the Grenadier Guards, named Gale,
who was sergeant of the guard at the Castle on Saturday
evening ; and who, in consequence of having called out the
guard, upon the request of one of the magistrates, in the
absence of his officer, who was at mess, at the Infantry-
barracks, in Sheet-street, was put under arrest, upon the
guard being relieved and returning to the barracks the next
morning—was released in the course of Wednesday last. It
was expected he would have been tried before a Court-
martial, but such a step was not resorted to.
COACH ACCIDENTS.—On Wednesday last, as the
Highland mail was on its way north, near Dalwhinnie, one
of the horses shied and leaped over the pole. The other
leader was thrown down and the coach upset. Some of the
passengers were hurt, and had to be conveyed to Inverness
in a post chaise. We learn that no blame whatever can be
attached to the driver. On Saturday the mail was again
upset near Craggie, owing to some of the traces giving way
from the bad state of the harness. The coach was quite full
at the time, and very fortunately none of the passengers were
hurt, with the exception of a gentleman who got his shoulder
slightly bruised. The driver, James Forrest, is reckoned one
of the steadiest on the road, and is wholly free from blame.--
Internees Courier.

ANTIQUARIAN DISCOVERIES AT LEWES PRIORY.-
The discovery of interesting • relics in the ruins of Lewes
Priory, by the railway workmen, still proceeds ; and every
care is taken to preserve them with as little injury as pas-
sible.. On Monday the workmen came to another grave,
formed, like those previously found, of large stones placed
one on another; but in this instance chalk had been used
instead of Caen stone. On Tuesday afternoon the grave was
opened and found to contain the bones of a full-sized human
body, without any appearance of a coffin or any other ma-
terial. On the same day, in another spot, the workmen met
with an obstruction which, on examination, was found to be
a pavement of Roman tile. The clearing. of this occupied
more than a day. Its centre is plain ; but there appears to
have been a border of enamelled tiles, some of which are in
a very fair state of preservation, and are ornamented with
the De Warren arms. In the course of clearing this pave-
ment, a doorway was found, which proved to be that of a
steno cell. The side stones are perfect, and there is also a
good stone foundation, which the workmen are still following.
These foundations are most interesting to the antiquarian, as
they develop the site of some of the most important portions
of this once-magnificent building, concerning which much
doubt has always existed. On Thursday afternoon the ca-
pital of a column was found, which is in a good state of pre-
servation, and very beautifully ornamented.—Brighton
Herald. _

Believing, after much inquiry and reading on the subject,
that clairvoyance is a mere delusion, I shall leave the pro-
posal I made to Mr. Hall open to all mesmerists (viz. to give
100/.), and promise to fulfil my portion of the engagement,
if any clairvoyant,' from any country, can be found to read a
line of written or printed words shut up in the commonest
way from the usual organs of vision, provided the candidate
will suffer the forfeit if he fail.

CuELmsronn FAlR.—This fair took place on Wed-
nesday last, and was well supplied with stock. Of beasts
there were about 1,200, the largest number ever shown in the
fair chiefly consisting of Herefords and North and South
Wales, the latter including several lots forward in condi-
tion, part of which realised upwards of 15/. each. The
Herefords, which were not in so forward a condition, sold at
from 9/. to 131. ss. The supply of cows was moderate, but
what there were went off readily at high prices. Lean beasts,
Welch heifers, &c., were much in demand, and were nearly
all sold at an advance upon the rates at the late fairs.
Messrs. Pollett, of Stapleford Hall, showed a useful lot of
South Wales beasts, for which 121. per head was refused, and
they were sent on to Epping fair: The show of sheep was
not so large as on some former occasions, there being about
7,000 penned; the quality was very good, but the high prices
asked operated materially against the sale; and about one-
third were turned out unsold. The following are the prices
of the day :—Down ewes, 265. to 355. ; lambs, 20s. to 325. 6d. ;
wethers, 325. to 425. Amongst the purchasers were the fol-
lowing :—Mr. B. Revett, of Kelvedon, a lot of South Wales
beasts, of Mr. Crooks, at 15/. 15s. ; Mr. Lithgow, of Stanway,
a lot of Herefords to Mr. Stock, at 13/. ss. ; Mr. Stannard, a
good lot of down lambs, of Mr. C. Packinan, at 325, 6d. ; Mr.
K. Vial, a lot of Hampshirel ewe lambs, of good quality, of
Mr. T. Crooks, at 31s. 6d. ; Mr. Perry, of Weathersfield, a lot
of polled Somerset ewes, of Mr. Crooks, at 375. ; Mr. Tweed,
part of the same, at the same price ; and Mr. Stock, of Mark's
Hall, 100 superior down ewes, allowed to be the best in the
fair; Mr. Ransome, 100 good Hampshire ewes, of Messrs.
Howard and Simmons, at 325. ; Mr. W. Webb, of Bently, a
very superior lot of half-bred Leicester lambs, of Mr. Wake-
ling, at 325. ; Mr. J. Addy, of Rolstons, eighty forward down
ewes, of Mr. Crooks, at 31s. Amongst the sheep were twenty
very superior Devonshire ewes, very forward in lamh, for
which Mr. Crooks refused an offer from Mr. J. Wenden, sales-
man, of Colchester, of 50s. per head. Of nag horses the show
was moderate, if we except a beautiful grey hunter, the con-
dition cf which was much admired, shown by Mr. S. Adams,
of Waltham, and sold to Mr. P. Dowsatt, of Pleshey. food
cart colts and horses met with a ready sale.— aelinsford
Chronicle. • _ _

When Mr. Hall excused himself from showing clairvoy-
ance on account of the " atmosphere of incredulity," he
illustrated his incapacity to perform these feats before scep-
tical persons, by drawing a parallel between himself and our
Saviour, when in "his own country," the apostle Matthew
says, and Mr. H. quoted, as applicable to himself, " And he
did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief."
When this allusion was condemned by me, it was asserted by
Mr. H. that he had made the reference in no improper spirit.
I imagine that no allusion whatever can be made to this sub-
ject in connexion with mesmerism, except one which is
impious.
Many mesmerists assert that the miracles of our Saviour
were performed by means of mesmerism, and his healing dis •
eases, and changing water into wine, have their parallels in
mesmeric practice. Mr. Hall himself, more cautious, says,
"he does not deny" (p. 26) that our Saviour worked by
means of mesmerism, and sent forth his apostles to heal dis-
eases by means of the same agent. Now, the argument for
the truth of Christianity, drawn from the Scripture miracles,
is of too great importance to permit it to be insidiously
sapped in this manner. If there be any force in the argu-
ment drawn from the miracles of our Saviour at all, it must
be because the works done were proofs of superhuman power.
The divinity of His character and mission are asserted on
the grounds that the miracles could only.be performed by one
of divine origin and nature. If our Saviour used a power
which science has unfolded to us, His works are no longer
miraculous in the sense conveyed by Scripture, and the argu-
ment fails. _

When Captain Cook foretold an eclipse of the sun, and
thus awed the minds of the savages of the South Sea Islands,
he to them performed a miracle. Now to say that our
Saviour merely wrought his miraculous works by the agency
of a science unknown to the Jews, is to place him precisely.
in the relation of Captain Cook to the savages--a man of
science among barbarians—not a Divine Being among men.
Any interpretation, then, of these miracles which takes away
their superhuman character saps and destroys the evidence
they afford of the truth of Christiany, and any allusion
whatever to them in connexion with mesmerism is to be
condemned.

PREVALENCE OF FEVER.—In consequence of the
prevalence of this fearful epidemic among the poor of our
city, and in order to provide a proper convalescent fund to
prevent relapses, the Mayor, it will be seen, in compliance
with a most respectable requisition, convenes a public meet-
ing at the Commercial-building, for Tuesday next. The
safety of the citizens at large depends on. sustaining this
relief fund, and thereby prevent the spread of the con-
tagion. Over 6,000 fever patients have been admited into
the fever hospital during the past season. To insure public
safety, the convalescent fund must be kept up,--Limerick
Reporter.

Another reason fir my conviction that there was error and
imposture in these ,experiments, was that .one of a very
Striking nature, which took great hold of the public mind,
was omitted every night after the first—l allude to the young
man being enabled to "swing round" two of the strongest
men in the room by bending his arm in obedience to the mes-
meric traction of the lecturer, On the morning after the first lee-

THE SUN, LONDON, TITESDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 18, 1845,

AMERICAN STATES RAILWAYS

AND TRAFFIC.

The following information on the above has been addressed
by Mr. Buckerfield to Sir R. Broun, and was received by the
last mail :—.

" Westmoreland, near Amherst, N.S., Oct. 15, 1845.
"I shall devote this letter principally to giving you as
much information as possible with regard to the railroads in
the American States; especially in that of Massachusetts,
which I have derived from the reports of each road laid be-
fore the Legislature, and which may, therefore, be relied upon
as authentic.

" The most important is the Western Railroad, forming a
Roe between Boston and Albany, a total distance of about
238 miles, of which the Boston and Worcester is 44, the
Western, 156, and the Albany and Stockbridge 38; they are
all under the same direction, and form, with branches, the
same line of internal communication. A single track only
has been laid, with the necessary turnouts and depot tracks
at the stations.

"On these roads the T edge rail pattern has been used,
except on a few recent side branches, weighing 504 pounds
to the lineal yard, supported by wooden sleepers, principally
of chesnut, seven feet long and seven inches through, at dis-
tances of three feet from centre to centre. The sleepers rest
on lorgitudinal sills of planks eight inches by three, with a
short p►ece of the same under the sleepers at the joints of the
iron rails. On some parts the number of the sleepers and
their lengths are greater, so as to increase the bearing sur-
face. The greater part of the road has been graded, levelled,
and formed to a width of 20 feet in the cuts and 16 feet on the
embankments for a single track. The deep cuts and high
embankments generally have been graded to a width of 120
feet in the cuts and 16 feet on the embankments for a double
track. The heaviest rock cuts are of double width ;so is the
masonry, except the Connecticut river bridge and a few of the
smaller structures. A great part of the Albany road is graded
for two tracks, from 26 to 34 feet in the cuts, and 22 to 26
feet on the embankments; the remaiader 20 to 34 feet in the
cuts, and 16 to 20 feet on the embankments. The masonry
and rock cuts are all for two tracks.

" The bridges east of Connecticut River are constructed
of truss-frames (Long's patent) for two tracks. The Con.
necticut River Bridge, and those westward, are of truss-
frames (Howe's patent), and for one track only. The truss-
frames of all are covered in on the sides and top, and tho-
roughly whitewashed. The entire flooring of the Connec-
ticut River Bridge is covered with tin, painted of a dark
colour. This bridge is 1,264 feet long, of seven spans 180
feet each. The whole length of bridges is about 6,000 feet,
and they are 48 in number. On the Albany road they are
17 in number ,and in length 1,474 feet, 14 feet in width for a
single track ; they are all on Howe's patent, and covered in
and whitewashed. There are on both roads 15 stone bridges,
besides culverts, and a tunnel 548 feet long, exclusive of the
rock cuts at each end, 26 feet wide and 19 high, the sides
and arches being of the natural rock ; the cost of the excava-
tion was 35,000 dols. The least width of land taken for the
road was 5 rods, and increased, as occasion required, to 18%
rods. The road has had to cross the hills between the
sea and the Hudson River, and one division, of about 13%
miles, has cost-more than 70,000 dols. a mile; there was also
a very expensive embankment at Richmond, and the Con-
necticut Bridge cost 131,612 dols.
"This road does not appear, at the time to which the
report comes, to have attained its full trade; and no divi-
dend had then been made. Its total cost exceeds 7,000,000
dols. The income of the road open was—for a fraction of
the road open in 1839, 3,288 dols. 51c.; and for 1841,
50,275 dols. 67c.; from the Ist of January to the Ist of
December, 1842, the receipts were 512,688 dole. 30c., and
the expenditure for the same period 266,619 dols. 30c.
In that year there were sent from Greenbusb, eastward,
170,615 barrels of flour, weighing 18,341 tons, and of
other merchandise 12,347 tons. Westward there passed
5,624 tons. The Directors call this year one of experi-
ment. It does not appear that the expenses of transporta-
tion are greater during the winter than in the summer.
There is only one item for clearing snow, about 3,000 dole.,
and there are a few inconsiderable charges for repairs of
ploughs and scrapers. The traffic is greater during July,
August, September, October, and November, including goods
and freight. The total number of passengers are as fol-
lows :

Ist Class. 2d Class. Ist Class. 2d Class.
Jan....... 11,425
Feb 11,78314...... 9814 Aug....... 18,7984-- 3,023
March
April ... 13,133
May ... 13,378 2,081 N0v...... 12,0464 2,517
June ... 14,204 2,119 Dec. 8,474
" The Berkshire Railway was, at that time, unfinished,
though open and in use. Its length is 21 miles 11 chains,
and the amount expended 205,000 dols. The width of the
road-bed in excavation is 16 feet, on embankment 14 feet.
The manner in which the rail* is supported is as follows:
There are undersills of chestnut and oak 7 by 7 inches, on
which are placed cross ties 74 feet long, with notches sawed
in to secure the rail, which is 6 by 6 inches, and secured with
oak keys. On this rail is placed the flat iron car 24 wide
by % of an inch thick, weighing 22 tons per mile. The
undersills are covered with dust and gravel. The width
of the track is 4 feet 84 inches. Nothing is said as to
difficulties or expenses in winter, and no account is given
of passengers.
" The Boston and Lowell Railway is 26 miles in length,
and its capital 1,800,000 dols , upon which is 'paid, in the year
.1842, two dividends of four per cent. each. The rail first
laid was 361 b. to the yard, which has been found insufficient,
and one of the T pattern, of 561 b., has been substituted. No
mention is made of any interruption from winter. The
amount received was 278,310 dels. 68c.; and the expenditure
(exclusive of relaying) 131,012 dots. 78c.
" The Boston and Maine Railroad is only partly In Massa-
chusetts ; its entire length from Boston to Portland is 109
miles. It was then only partially completed, and has some
extensive earth excavations and tunnels. It will form, with
other roads, one of the most entensive lines in New England.
The amount then paid was 1,242,598 dols. 88c., and the re-
ceipts 155,881 dols. 69c.
" The Roston and Providence Railroad is 414 miles, and
the capital 1,834,100 dols. The then income from passen-
gers was 163,787 dols. 95c., and from merchandise, mails,
&c., 72,679 dols. 96c., or thereabouts; the whole expendi-
ture, including rent of another road, ferry, &c., 112,214
dols. 63c., and two dividends were made, 1842, of 3 per
cent. each. _ _ _ .

" The Boston and Worcester Railroad is 44 miles in
length, and its capital 2,700,000 dole, The Directors state,
referring to a part of the work, that ' some inconvenience
has resulted from a prosecution of a portion of this work at
an inclement season of the year; but this advantage has
been countervailed by the greater cheapness of wages at this
season. The regular passenger trains have bean run during
the year, without the loss of any trip from storms or other
causes.' The total cost was 2,764,396 dols. 4c. ; gross receipts,
362,283 dole. 82 c. ; current expenses, 168,509 dole. Mc. ; and
two half-yearly dividends, one of four and the other of three
per cent., have been made.
"The Eastern Railroad from Boston to Portland (lower
road), 105 miles, is stated to have been in use during 1842,
without injury to a single passenger, or any interruption to
its regular traffic. The flat rail now in use on the Marble-
head branch being found inadequate to the constant use and
speed required for the public convenience, the Directors have
determined to replace it with the chair-rail similar to the
main track. The receipts during the then past year were
269,168 dole. 72c. ; and the number of passengers 468,703.
The expenditure was 144,039 dols. 71c. ; and a dividend of
6 per cent. was paid on a capital of 2,100,000 dols. •
" The Norwich and Worcester Railroad is 103 miles in
length; its cost 2,163,561 dole. Receipts in 1842, 137,358 dols.
57c. ; expenditure, 122,130 dols. 32c.. There is a very trifling
charge in January, February, April, and December, for clear-
ing the road. The earnings, are greatest in September and
October, and least in January and February.
"The Nashua and Lowell Railroad returns its capital,
380,000 dols. ; earnings, 131,188 dols. 91c. ; expenses, 91,577
dole. 53c. ; and two dividends of four per cent. each have
been made. The number of passengers was 92,943.
" The new Bedford Railway is 20 miles long ; its capital
400,000 dols. Gross receipts, 55,575 dole., and expenses,
23,354 dole. 27c. Two dividends of three per cent. each were
this year declared.
"The Taunton Branch Railroad is, in length, 11 miles ;
has a capital of 250,000 dols. ; the total annual expenditure,
57,777 dols. 58c. ; and the income, 77,170 dols. 59c. ; and two
dividends of four per cent. each were declared within the
year.
"The Fitchburg Railroad was then unfinished.
"The Portland, Saco, and Portsmouth Railroad give their
number of passengers for six months, ending Nov. 30, 1844,
108,7431,4 ; and for six' months, ending May 31, 1845,
42,5351A—t0ta1, 150,279. Their total income for that period,
131,404 dols. 18c. ; expenditure, 51,822 dols. 26c. ' • and they
make a net profit a little above 7 dols. per share. They state
the average expense of transit per mile run to be 43c. and a
fraction, and make no mention of any expense of clearing
snow, &c. I have, in fact, mentioned every instance where
any such costs, or anything that might be supposed to in-
clude it, appears in the account as a distinct item.
"I have also obtained the following account of the cost of
the motive power and receipts per mile travelled on some
other of the great roads : G.
Cost per mile. Receipts per mile.
Georgia...
South Carolina
id. 72c.

Central Georgia
Western 62c.

Boston and Lowell 106 c.

The foregoing particulars may be useful to you and to
the committee in forming your calculations. In the state of
Massachusetts land would have to be purchased at a higher
price than Boston and the towns; indeed, quite as dear as it
is in England."

FERMOY PETTY SESSIONS.

A valued and respected correspondent has put us into pos-
session of a circumstance which occurred at Fermoy Petty
Sessions, that, in our opinion, deserves public notice, and calls
for explanation. A poor man, named Michael Leary, kiln
labourer, at Clondillane, was summoned last week to the ses-
aions by Edward K. Carey, Esq., as a trespasser, because in a
moment of exhaustion he entered his field to take a drink of
water at a running stream. This gentleman is, we under-
stand,,himself a magistrate, and sat on the bench while the
case was being adjudicated. The poor man was fined in the
mitigated penalty of one shilling for his eup of cold water !
and in addition to this he had to pay costs amounting to one
shilling and sixpence.
Now, we can understand that to protect himself from the
injury and annoyance of a general system of trespass, Mr.
Carey may have been obliged to seek the interposition of the
law, though in that view of the case there is reason to regret
he selected a poor man, who, instead of resorting to the beer-
house, went to enjoy the cheap—no--but, as it proved, very
extravagant, luxury of a drink of water. But, whatever
may have been the practice formerly, when the mild and mer-
ciful genius of British law was illustrated by its Irish admi-
nistration, we do not understand how a magistrate could
venture now-a-days to be both complainant and judge in his
own case. This requires explanation, and, doubtless, it will
be demanded by a big-wigged personage, whose demand must
be complied with. Another matter which calls for investi-
gation is the question of costs. One shilling and sixpence
for a complaint summons before a bench of unpaid magis-
trates! Why in the days of our old corporation—when jus-
tice was paid for—the schedule of charges did not reach so
high a figure.

After all, let us have equal justice for rich and poor. It
may be quite right to prevent trespass on the part. of the
humble. It is equally so that the poor man's potato garden
and corn field should be protected from the wealthy and the
powerful. Mr. Carey keeps a sporting pack of hounds well
fed and humanely cared for. Does he, his hounds, his horses,
and his friends ever commit a trespass en the rack-rented
tenant? Are not his ditches broken down, his corn injured,
his potato -beds trampled, and his farm fowl destroyed ? Yet
we read of no trespass case at Petty Sessions. The sports-
man escapes the meshes of the law. The poor man cannot
adjudicate in his own case; and when it is POVERTY versus
WEALTH, he has but a poor chance in the rich man's court.
He remains away, and silently endures, year after year, a
trespass far more serious than that committed by the poor
water-drinker. This is what gives the people a distaste for the
administration of justice in this country, and brings it into
disrepute. We think the teetotallers of Fermoy ought to
pay poor Leary's fine and costs, and give him a suitable pre-
sent in the bargain.—Cork Southern Reporter.

THE WEATHER AND SHIP-
WRECKS AT STORNOWAY, &c.

STORNOWAY, Nov. 6.—As the mail packet has been so
irregular in her trips from this island to the mainland of late,
the following news of the late gale on our coast have not
found their way into any of the papers. The gale of the 20th
ultimo was one of the most severe ever felt by the inha-
bitants of this place. All the vessels lying in the harbour
were safe, except a small sloop, named the Maria, which
parted from her anchor and received a little damage. At
the Butt of the Lewis, a large brig, hull up, came on shore;
the cargo, consisting of deals and poles, have been all saved ;
the hull is broken up—crew drowned. A ship named the
Notalas, of Sunderland, three masts cut away, came into
Lochresort, laden with deals from Archangel—crew saved.
The hull of a large vessel, supposed to be a Prussian, laden
with timber from Memel, came on shore at Uig—crew
drowned. A Spanish schooner, named the Annette, of Bilboa,
laden with fish, from North Bergen, came on shore at Barra
—crew partly saved. A large foreign barque, timber laden,
struck on a rock at Valamors, near the mouth of Lochshell,
is bilged, but.will be got off. A brig and schooner were lost
near Cape Wrath, and only two individuals of the crew were
saved. The harvest is about finished in this quarter. I am
glad to say the potato crops are entirely free of the disease
said to be so prevalent in other parts of the country.—Scotch
Reformers' Gazette.

WESTERN BANK OF SCOTLAND.—A special general
meeting of this flourishing establishment was held in the
Tontine Hotel, on the 7th inst., T. D. Douglas, Esq., of
Dunlop, Deputy-Governor, in the chair, when resolutions
were unanimously agreed to, empowering the Company to
create 30,000 new shares of 501. each. This resolution gave
much satisfaction to the numerous shareholders present.—
Scotch Reformers' Gazette.
INSECURITY OF THE SUBURBS.—The inhabitants
of the suburban districts of Hackney and Clapton have been
recently subjected to some uneasiness, in consequence of a
caution on the part of the police, to the effect that a gang of
thieves and burglars are on the alert in that parish.
Hitherto no robbery has been committed, but a gentleman
was assaulted a few nights ago, near the Victoria-park, by
a ruffian, who felled him to the ground by a bludgeon, but
was alarmed bythe sound of footsteps -before he had rifled
his victim, and gotAwa.y.
We understand: 'on go:Ca authoriqN-that an accre-
dited agent of the 'Government lias been ilialeing liberal offers
to the shipwrightSsa-tha-Parious dockyards, of this city, to
induce them to trifistler their 'Services to ie Government
arsenals. The termirwe aii-informed, are ss. per day wages,
free passage to theport wgere they are to be employed, and
a promise of a penern after a servitude of a certain term.—
Cork Examiner. • •,.

-„„. ..... -
FIRST SCOTTISH BIBLE.—The first edition of the
whole Bible ever printed in Scotland was printed by collec-
tions of parishes, ordered by the Church. It was dedicated
to the King in 1579; and it was required by Act of Parlia-
ment, under a penalty of 10/., that every family should have
a Bible and a Psalm-book, and searchers were appointed to
see that the Act was carried into effect.

PATE OF THE APOSTLES.—St. Matthew, the apostle
and evangelist, is supposed to have suffered martyrdom, or
to have been slain with a sword at a city in Ethiopia. St.
Mark was dragged through the streets of Alexandria, in
Egypt, until he expired. St. Luke was hanged upon an
olive tree in Greece. St. John was put into a cauldron of
boiling oil and escaped death ; he afterwards died a natural
death at Ephesus. St. Peter was crucified at Rome, his
head downwards, at his own request, thinking himseif un-
worthy to die in the same posture and manner as his blessed
Master. St. James the Great was beheaded at Jerusalem.
St. James the Less was thrown from a pinnacle or tower
wing of the Temple, and then beaten to death with a fuller's
club. St. Philip was hanged up against a pillar at fliers-
polis, a city of Phrygia. St. Bartholomew was flayed alive
by command of a barbarous king. St. Andrew was bound
to a cross, whence he preached to the people, until he ex-
pired. St. Thomas was run through the body with a lance
at Coromandel, in the East Indies. St. Jude was shot to
death with arrows. St. Simon Zelotes was crucified in
Persia. St. Matthias was first stoned and then beheaded.
St. Barnabas of the Gentiles was stoned to death by the
Jews at Salonica. St. Paul was beheaded at Rome by the
tyrant Nero.
THE LAW OF DEBTOR AND CREDITOR IN PRUSSIA
WITH REGARD TO PUBLIC FUNCTIONARIES AND GOVERN-
MENT EMPLOYES.—We read in a letter from Berlin, Oct. 27,
published by the Gazette des Tribunaux :—" For some time
past the Prussian Government had adopted the principle that
all public functionaries and persons employed by the State
should be free from debt. The Ministers of Justice, Interior,
Finances, and Public Instruction, informed their subordi-
nates that if they got into debt they must expect to be dis-
missed, and this menace has been more than once carried
into effect. The Minister of Justice even Went further, for in
order to prevent for the future the admission into the judi-
cial order of persons not sufficiently- well off to render
it unnecessary for them to incur debts, he issued a
notice that no person should be appointed to a judicial
post, or even to any office connected with it, without
having previously proved that he could command for ten
years an annual revenue of 400 thalers (641.), ten years
being taken as the possible period during which he will
have to climb up the ladder of promotion until he can
receive a sufficient salary for his support. The Minister of
War, who had taken no step of this kind, has just acted in
a diametrically opposite way from that of his colleagues.
He has reserved all his rigour for the creditor. He pro-
cured a list of the debts of the officers under age (under
twenty-five) of the garrison of Berlin, which at present
consists of 40,000 men, almost all corps d'elite, or royal
guards, whose officers are necessarily compelled to a more
expensive mode of living and display than those orthe army
generally, and brought before the tribunals all the creditors
who had lent money to the minors, or supplied them with
articles of luxury, in order that they might be punished
according to article 1,310 of the penal code, which
says Every individual lending money to a minor, or
giving him illicit credit (for other objects than those of
necessity), shall be punished with a fine equal to the amount
of the debt, which shall, independently of this fine, be re-
garded as null.' In consequence of this denunciation, 730
tradesmen—amongst whom coachmakers, saddlers, hatters,
coffee-house keepers, horse-dealers, wine and spirit merchants,
and tobacco dealers, are in the majority—appeared before the
Criminal Chamber of the Tribunal of First Instance of Berlin,
and were condemned to fines, amounting together to more
than 112,000 thalers (17,920/.). Some of them have ap-
pealed to the Royal Court ; others have implored the royal
clemency. It is reported that the King intends to remit one-
third of the fine."

DARING FORGERY.—Merthyr has hitherto been
celebrated for its noisy and fighting scenes; but a daring and
successful forgery, perpetrated during the past week, forms
quite an era in the history of the town. It is, we believe,
the first attempt of the kind ; and, as a wag remarked,
" affords an undeniable proof that the march of civilisation
has extended even to these Cyclopian regions." A pale
young man presented at the Brecon Bank a cheque for 240/.,
purporting to have been given by a Mr. Morgan Thomas, a
coal merchant, living about seven miles from Cardiff, at a
place called the Upper Boat. Feeling a little surprised at
this unusual mode of raising the monthly pay of the
Vnysgan colliers, Mr. Evans required the youth to find some
one in the town who knew him. He went away, and shortly
returned in company with Mrs. Harman, of the Gwaelody-
garth Arms. Upon her assurance of the respectability of the
youth, who appeared in the garb of, and professed to be a
preacher, the money was paid. Mrs. Harman was intimately
acquainted with Mr. Thomas, and spared no pains to enter-
tain his professed agent. The young man parted from her
that evening at the railway station, and took his ticket for
Llandaff; but, instead of going to Llandaff, he alighted at
Treedythiw, three miles from Merthyr, and it is strongly
suspected that the pseudo reverend is a well-known female!
The kept mistress of an insolvent publican has been taken up
on suspicion—she lately deposited 2001. in the West of Eng-
land Bank, whereas a few days before she had applied for
parish relief !—Cambrian.
SINGULAR PHENOMENON ON LAKE ONTARIO.—Pn
Saturday last a most extraordinary occurrence Was noticed
in the lake at this place. Shortly before noon,
.somte geni
tlemen who were walking on the wharf, happening
struckocas
their eves upon the water between the piers, were
with the very unusual appearance of a strongt current or
tide, as it were, setting directly out to sea. I seemed as
if the whole lake were going bodily away. In a few mi-
nutes nearly a third part of the inner harbour, with a t
d
cor-
responding portion of the shore on either side, was le ft
en-
tirely bare, when suddenly thetid e turned and came as
rapidly back again, filling the harbour at least two feet
higher than it was before. This extraordinary action of
the lake was continued at regular intervals of every eight
or ten minutes till after dark—the highest tide noticed being
a little before six in the evening, when the water rose seven
inches higher than it was last spring, and just two feet and
an inch above its present level. We understand the same
occurrence was noticed at other places on the lake, and hear
that at Port Hope the effect was so great that the steam-
boat Princess Royal could not get into the harbour at all;
running hard aground when more than her length outside
the entrance to the piers. The cause of so extraordinary a
phenomenon is at present a matter of various conjecture, but
the general opinion seems to be that it could only have been
produced by a violent earthquake in some part of the conti-
nent, which we shall probably soon hear of.—.Coburg Star.
AFRICAN CANDOUR." Did you attend church to-
day, as I charged you ?" inquired an old Indian planter of
one of his slaves, as he returned to his dwelling. " Sartin,
massa," was Cudjo's reply—" an what two mighty big stories
dat preacher did tell !" " Hush ! Cudjo, you mustn't talk
that way; what stories were they?" "Why, he tell de
people no man can serve two massas ; now dis is de fuss
story, 'case you see ole Cudjo serves you, my ole massa, and
also young massa John. Den de preacher says, 'he will lub
de one and hate de other'--while do Lord knows, I hate you
boff