Star.
London, England, 1831-03-29 00:00:00

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No. 13,744.

printing them is supererogatory. The miscellaneous part of the maga-
zine is excellent, and we recommend it to the amateurs of the arts, as a
useful medium of communication on all that is interesting to the
painter, sculptor, architect, and engraver.
Panorama of Hobart Town.

We were invited last week to a private view of Mr. Burford's new
panorama of Hobart Town, and were by it both instructed and de.
lighted. We have now in our mind's eye an accurate notion of the
character of that distant hind, much more accurate than any to be con-
veyed by description. No discovery ill the Arts equals, we think, for
instruction, that of panoramic and dioramic painting. What a magical
power, to bring into this metropolis all the great cities, not only in
Europe, but over the globe !
The Voice of Hussanity : for the Communication and Discussion of
all Subjects relative to the Conduct stf Man, towards the Inferior
Animal Creation, Published Quarterly. By J. NISBET.
In not noticing works kindly placed before us for remark,
we are sometimes guilty of negligence ; but in delaying to
notice the " Voice of Humanity," we consider ourselves
guilty of a sin—a serious sin of omission.
This quarterly Periodical is intended " for the communi-
cation and discussion of all subjects, relative to the conduct
of man towards the inferior Animal Creation ;" and the
work is carried on by the pecuniary subscription of
such humane individuals who in their active beneficence,
include the protection of the animal creation. It is well
known, that a society exists in this metropolis, to render
this species of beneficence efficient by co-operation ; and the
exertions of Mr. LEWIS GOMPERTZ, and others of this
praiseworthy association, have been of essential service in
checking the brutality of drovers, coachmen, and carters, as
well as checking the perpetration of barbarities of various
other kinds. We are sincere well-wishers to this society ;
and if this meet the eye of any of its managers, we wish
them to understand, that the columns of the STAR shall al-
ways be open to the assistance of their object.
The first paper in this number is on the ".abominable
nuisance" of Smithfield, as it was properly designated
by the City Remembrancer.
How strangely—how perversely slow, is sometimes the
progress of improvement. It appears, that for no less than
ten successive years, have attempts been made in Parlia-
ment to remove Smithfield, and all have proved unsuccessful.
Nothing can be more absurd, and, as is proved here, pro-
ductive of cruelty, extravagant waste, and every species of
inconvenience, than driving all the cattle required for the
supply of this immense carnivorous population, to ONR
small spot to be again re-driven to be slaughtered and tor-
tured in all parts of the town, without regulation as to the
mode of depriving the poor animals of life. The advantages
of different well-arranged extensive markets, of which the
one lately formed at Bristol might be an excellent model ;
and near to these markets having establishments for slaugh-
tering similar to the Continental Abbattoirs, is so great and
palpable, that we blush for such men as Aldermen WAITII-
31AN and WOOD, in being so governed by local interests
and prejudice, as to take an active part in opposition to so
evident an improvement. It was courting popularity at the
expense of humanity—in other words selling themselves to
the Devil.

We always admired the late Lord Erskine, but for no-
thing more than the directing the energies of his great
mind, to legislate for the protection of the animal creation.
He was unsuccessful ; but a law has since been made,
through the exertion of a less important, but well-meaning
Senator. Its provisions are imperfect, and an improved bill
is proposed in this number. The following extracts from a
paper "on National tastes respecting animal food" we think
will amuse our readers.

NATIONAL TASTES RESPECTING ANIMAL FooD.—Rvcry thing
that moves in earth, air, or sea, is devoured by man. In some valleys
of the Alps (kingdom of Wurtemberg), and in particular that called
Lawherelt, the rearing of snails has been carried to a large scale.—
Towards the end of June they are gathered from fields and forests by
children and poor people, and sold by the hundred to the snailmongers
for from four to five cruzers (five to seven farthings). They are then
put into large grass gardens, and fed in rainy weather with cabbage.
leaves and other vegetables. When they shut themselves in the month
of ,September, they arc sent down the Danube to Vienna and Hungary.
Many of the snailmongers carry more than eighty thousand with them,
which, In winter, are sold for two or three florins the hundred, as an nr-
ticle of luxuriant food. In South America nothing in the shape of life
comes wrong to them—they eat serpents, lizards, and ounces ; and
Humboldt has s,:en children drag enormous centipedes out of their
holes, and cranch them up. At Einerahli their delicate morceau is a
roasted monkey. Puppies on the Missouri and Mississippi, are choice
food. Horse flesh in Arabia ; elephants' flesh in India; camels' fie.h
in F,gypt. The Pariahs of Hindostan contend for putrid carrion with
dogs, vultures, and kites. The Chinese devour cats, dogs, rats, and
serpents ; bears' paws, birds' nests, and sat shy, arc dainty bits. The
inhabitants of Cochin China prefer rotten eggs to fresh. The Tonqui.
ncse and inhabitants of Madagascar prefer locusts :to the finest fish.—
In Australia a good fat gull would be preferred to every thing else ;
and in the West Indics a large caterpillar found on the palm is esteemed
a luxury, while the edible nests of the Java swallow are so rich a dainty
that the ingredients of the dish will cost fifteen pounds. The quantity
of frogs seen in the markets of the Continent is immense. At Terra.-
eina the host asks his guest whether he prefers the eel of the hedge or
that of the river. The astronomer De la Lande was remarkably fond
of spiders. (treat Britain ever transcends her continental neighbour,.
The " !nasty" of Scotland is putrid mutton, the *limp having died of
the rot ; game and venison is seldom relished till it is " high," or, in
honest language, till it is a mass of putrefaction, disengaging in abun-
dance one of the most septic poisons the chymist knows of, is numerous
cases it is a mass of life and motion, the offspring of putridity. Pigs
are still whipped to death ; lobsters are boiled alive ; cod are crimped ;
eels arc skinned, writhing in agony ; hares are hunted to death, and
white veal is the greatest luxury.
Attached to this little collection of facts, on national
tastes, are sixteen reasons for renouncing animal food, which
we recognise to be from the " Social Philosophy" of Sir
RICHARD PHILLIPS—a work which contains more prac-
tical good sense, than any which has for some years issued
from the press.