The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-05-10 00:00:00

SELECT EXTRACTS.

SIR W. SCOTT AND THE BLARNEY STONE. - Among
the pilgrims to the Blarney stone was Sir Walter Scott.
The editor remembers observing to Sir Walter, that the
good people -of Cork were not half pleased with him for
going to see an old and neglected ruin such as Blarney, in
preference to their noble harbour; of which the citizens are
so justly proud, that they have adopted " Statio bene fida
earinis, 'as the motto to the civic arms. Sir Walter Scott's
reply was highly characteristic of his temper. "If I had
known," said he, " what you tell me—that any one had a
wish on the subject of my proceedings, I would have gone
anywhere, or would have done anything in my power, to
please the good citizens of Cork ; although it would have
cost me a pang not to have visited—(here Sir Walter hum-
med)
' The Groves of Blarney, that are so charming,
All by the purling of sweet silent streams.'
_ _

Croker's Popular Songs of Ireland.
LIONS AND LIONIZERS.—The worship of popular authors
at the present time is an expression of the same thoughts
and feelings as were indicated by the crowning of Petrach,
and the greeting of Voltaire in the theatre, but with altera-
tions and additions according to the change in the times.
Literary lions have become a class,—an inconceivable idea
to the unreflecting in the time of Petrach, and even of Vol-
taire. This testifies to the vast spread of literature among
our people. How great a number of readers is required to
support, by purchase and by praise, a standing class of
original writers ! But the newest pretence of all is the class
is the class of " lionizers”—new, not because sordid selfish-
ness is new—not because social vanity is new—not because
an inhuman disregard of the feelings of the sensitive, the
foibles of the vain, the privileges of the' endowed, is new ;
but because it is somewhat new to see the place of cards,
music, masks, my lord's fool, and my lady's monkey, sup-
plied by authors in virtue of their authorship.—Westmin-
ster Review.
BYRON'S OPINIONS ON MUSIC.—I like music (said he)'
but do not know the least of it as a science ; indeed, I am
glad that I do not, for a perfect knowledge might rob it of
half of its charms. At present I only know that a plaintive
air softens, and a lively one cheers me. Martial music ren-
ders me brave, and voluptuous music disposes me to be
luxurious, even effeminate. Now, were I skilled in the
,science, I should become fastidious ; and, instead of yielding
to the fascination of sweet sounds, I should be analysing, or
criticising, or connoisseurshipising (to use a word of my own
making), instead of simply enjoying them as at present. In
the same way, I never would study botany. I don't want to
know why certain flowers please me ; enough for me that
they do, and I leave to those who have no better occupation,
the analysis of the sources of their pleasure, which I can
enjoy without the useless trouble. Byron (adds Lady Bles-
sington) has little taste for the fine arts ; and when they are
the subject of conversation, betrays an ignorance very sur-
prising in a man who has travelled so much. He says that
he feels art, while others prate about it ; but his neglect of
the beautiful specimens of it here goes far to prove the con-
trary.—Lady Rlessington's Idler in Italy.
THE LATE MR. IRVING'S APPEARANCE AND ORATORY.
—As a speaker, Mr. Irving excelled any man I have ever
heard in a pulpit. His voice was powerful and sonorous.
Some of its cadences were exceedingly musical, and he had a
perfect command over it. I can imagine that the mellifluous
accents of the reverend gentleman's voice are still greeting
my ear. His admirable elocution contributed much to dis-
play his voice to advantage. His utterance was singularly
well timed, while the manifest ease with which he spoke, the
originality of his matter, the beauties of his diction, and his
graceful though often vehement gestures, severally concurred
in giving effect to those attributes of his oratory which had
more of nature than of art in them. With what rapt atten-
tion did congregated thousands, consisting of all ranks and
classes of individuals, frequently hang, for more than an hour
and a half at a time, on the lips of Edward Irving ! No one
that had the gratification of hearing him in some of his hap-
piest moods, will ever forget either his eloquence or his per-
son. And here I should remark, that his personal appear-
ance was as striking, or as much out of the beaten track, as
his style of preaching. I never saw a more handsome man,
in so far as figure went. He was upwards of six feet two in
height, and proportionally formed. It is true that he had a
marked squint, in, if I remember, his right eye ; but his
features were otherwise regular ; while the expression of his
countenance had so much benevolence and placidity about it,
as to neutralize any unpleasant feeling which the squint in
his eye would have otherwise produced. His complexion
was swarthy, and his hair, which was long and of a jet-black
hue, was carefully parted in the middle of his fine lofty fore-
head, in a manner similar to that in which the other sex
usually arrange their hair. He wore large whiskers. His
face was of the oval shape, and had something about it which
often caused him to be taken for a foreigner when walking
in the streets.—The etropolitan Pulpit; by the Author of
" Random Recollections."
THE POPISH INQUISITION.—When the Inquisition was
thrown open in 1820, by order of the Cortes of Madrid,
twenty-one prisoners were found in it, not one of whom knew
the name of the city in which he was; some had been con-
fined three years and some a longer period, and not one of
them knew perfectly the nature of the crime of which he was
accused. One of those prisoners was condemned, and was
to have suffered on the following day. His punishment was
death by the pendulum. The victim is fastened in a groove
upon a table, suspended above him is a pendulum, the edge
of which is sharp, and so constructed as to become longer at
every movement. The wretched victim sees it swinging to
and fro from above, till it begins to cut, and it cuts on till

life as extinct. In the year 18720, by a court ecclesiastical;
constituted by papal authority, and directed by the priests 01

. ,
Rome, this dreadful engine of fiendish cruelty was employed
to destroy human beings for presuming to think for them-
selves ; and yet, within sixteen years, we are gravely told
that this is the most mild and tolerant of Christian commu-
nities, and we are deemed the most illiberal of men, because
we hesitate ere we acquiesce.—Church Magazine.
EXCESSIVE POLITENESS.-Mr. Rowland Hill was always
annoyed when there happened to be any noise in the chapel,
or when anything occurred to divert the attention of his
hearers from what he was saying. On one occasion, about
three years before his death, he was preaching to one of the
most crowded congregations that ever assembled to hear him.
In the middle of his discourse he observed a great commotion
in the gallery. For a time he took no notice of i-, but finding
it increasing, he paused in his sermon. and looking in the
direction in which the confusion prevailed, he exclaimed,
" What's the matter there? The devil seems to havelot in
among you! " A plain country looking man immediately
_ _

started to his feet, and addressing Mr. Hill, in reply, said,
" No, sir, it arrit the devil as is a doing on it"; it's a lady
root's fainted, and she's a very fat un, sir, as don't seem
likely to come to again in a hurry."—" Oh, that's it, is it,"
observed Mr, Hill, drawing his hand across his chin ; " then

I beg the lady's pardon—and the devil's too.—The' Metro-
politan Pulpit; by the Author of "Random Recollections."
THE CHURCH AND AGRICULTURE.—It must be borne in
mind, with the other considerations on the corh-law ques-
tion, that if the views of the corn law agitators should be
carried out, one of the consequences would be, the crippling
of the Established Church, by grievously damagir, its tem-
poral supports. This is a point which has not been suffi-
ciently kept in view in the discussions of this question; but
the country population will not fail to bear it in mind, because
their situation enables them to take a practical view of the
coneouenees which would result to the establishment, if
agriculture should be ruined; they can deeply feel that if
the foreigner is to undersell the British farmer, the parish
churches must be shut up; that the voice of congregational
prayer and praise must be silenced in a thousand vallies ;
and that the venerable fabrics whose services and attendant
ministrations have afforded the only real happiness, peace,
and consolation of life to the inhabitants of village and ham-
lc and lonely cot, must lie in desolation and r tin, because
of the impoverishment of those who were once able to render
to the church the support charged upon the lan.' ; but who
have been prevented, by their utter destitution, from sup-
plying the absence of the legal and ancient maintenance by
means of their personal and voluntary efforts.—Churchman.
A ZEALOUS PREACHER.—The Rev. Mr. Aitken's preach-
ing is not only attracting immense crowds of the lower
classes, but the carriages of several families of title are often
to be seen at the door of his chapel. He is, lam satisfied,
a truly good man ; while in point of zeal he exceeds any
minister, with whose name I am acquainted, of the present
day. He is ambitious of treading in the footsteps of White-
field and Wesley. I am only afraid that his constitution,
naturally robust though it be, will not be able long to bear
up under the physical exertions he is now making. It is
only surprising that the physical, combined with the mental,
energy he displays in the delivery of every sermon, does not
incapacitate him for months afterwards from again appearing
in the pulpit. Some idea may be formed of the extent to
which he exerts his lungs and physical powers generally,
when I mention, that even in the winter season the perspi-
ration is to be seen rolling down his face before he has got
to the middle of his discourse. Not very long ago, he worked
himself up to such a state of excitement, that he was obliged
to take off his shoes in the pulpit; his feet, which I should
remark are often made use of in the way of action, being so
much heated as to cause a very uncomfortable sensation.
He was about eight weeks ago so very ill from over-exertion,
that apprehensions were entertained that his constitution
had been thereby it recoverably injured. His physician sug-
gested the propriety of a visit to Scotland, his native coun-
try. He accordingly crossed the Tweed, and returned about
three weeks ago, quite recovered in health. Of all the ges-
ticulation I have ever seen in the pulpit or out of it, Mr.
Aitken's is immeasurably the most vehement.—The Metro-
politan Pulpit; by the Author of " Random Recollections."
PICTURE OF THE INTERIOR OF A COTTON FACTORY.—
The party entered the building, whence—as all know who
have done the like—every sight, every sound, every scent
that kind nature has fitted the organs of her children, so as
to render the mere unfettered use of them a delight, are
banished for ever and ever. The ceaseless whirring of a mil-
lion hissing wheels, seizes on the tortured ear ; and, while
threatening to destroy the delicate sense, seems bent on
proving first, with a sort of mocking mercy, of how much
suffering it can be the cause. The scents that reek around,
from oil, tainted water, and human filth, with that last worst
nausea, arising from the hot refuse of atmospheric air, left
by some hundred pairs of labouring lungs, render the act of
breathing a process of difficulty, disgust, and pain. All this
is terrible. But what the eye brings home to the heart of
those, who look around upon the horrid earthly hell, is
enough to make it all forgotten; for who can think of villan-
ous smells, or heed the suffering of ear-racking sounds, while
they look upon hundreds of helpless children, divested of
every trace of health, of joyousness, and even of youth !
Assuredly there is no exaggeration in this ; for except only
in their diminutive size, these suffering infants have no trace
of it. Lean and distorted limbs—sallow and sunken cheeks—
dim and hollow eyes, that speak unrest and most unnatural
carefulness, give to each tiny, trembling, and unelastic form,
a look of hideous premature old age. But in the room they
entered, the dirty, ragged, miserable crew, were all in active
performance of their various tasks ; the overlookers, strap in
hand, on the alert ; the whirling spindles urging the little
slaves who waited on them to movements as unceasing as
their own ; and the whole monstrous chamber, redolent of
all the various impurities that " by the perfction of our
manufacturing system," are converted into " gales of Araby"
for the rich, after passing, in the shape of certain poison,
through the lungs of the poor.—Life and adventures of
Michael Armstrong-, by Mrs. Trollope.
MINISTERIAL BOLDNESS.—The Rev. Mr. Dale, of St.
Bride's, is bold and uncompromising in his addresses to his
people. He rebukes with equal fidelity persons of all ranks ;
nor does he spare the more fashionable of the sex when be
thinks the occasion calls on him to direct his reproofs espe-
cially to them. I remember hearing him a few years ago
preach a sermon in aid of the funds of some charitable insti-
tion, in St. Sepulchre's, Snow Hill. The latter part of the
sermon, was altogether a close, and energetic and very elo-
quent appeal to the consciences of his hearers generally, on
the claims which the institution for which he that evening
pleaded had to their support ; but the observations he ad-
dressed in a peculiar manner to the ladies, were amongst the
most searching and forcible I ever heard from the pulpit ;
while they were delivered with a fervour and energy I have
rarely seen Mr. Dale display on any other occasion. lam
sorry that I cannot give the reverend gentleman's admoni-
tions and rebukes as they proceeded with a burning, or rather
I should say, with a withering eloquence from his lips. What
called forth the severe reproof was the fact, that he had as-
certained that on similar occasions some of the more fashion-
able and finely-dressed females in the audience, had gone out
of the 'church without depositing so much as a single sixpence
in the plates provided at the door to receive contributions.
Among other remarks which he made, that must have caused
many a conscience to play the part of a Nathan to its posses-
sor, was one to the following effect :—" I have no doubt there
is here to-night many a fashionable female whose bosom is
encased in the softiest silks or satins, while her heart is as
hard, when charitable appeals are made to her, as the very
stones of the pavement on which she treads when retiring
from the church."—The Metropolitan Pulpit ; by the Author
qt " Random Becollectiow."

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