The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-07-30 00:00:00

SELECT EXTRACTS.

HINTS TO LADY BATHERS.—From the moment the blood
; ceases to come to the surface, and the skin feels cold, there
is danger in remaining in the water, and mischief has already
been done by too long an immersion. The best and most
; healthy cold baths are those which do not exceed five minutes,
and the skin, after leaving the water, feels warm, and has a
tendency to redness, a red colour being instantaneously de-
veloped on the application of-the dry towel. In some in-
: dividuals of very fair complexion and thin cuticle, the skin
becomes immediately red by the reflux of blood, and may
therefore serve to indicate, without the aid of sensation,
whether further immersion may be indulged in or not. Ladies
fond of sea bathing as a luxury, and a pleasant bracer of the
whole animal economy, should never exceed a couple of good
dips. Rubbing the whole surface of the skin during several
minutes, should immediately succeed in the bathing machine,
and be followed by a brisk walk home'
THE DINNER PARTY OF A GLASGOW MERCHANT.—
Scarcely had they knocked at the door, when it was opened
by a footman, while a genteel-looking butler, in black, and
two more of the party-coloured tribe, essayed to take their
hats. The old gentleman's was delivered up, as a matter of
course, to the servant ; but, when he came to Solomon,—
" Thank you," said he, " I'll just put it down here myself!'
A second servant asked their names. They were given ; and
the third one, already half way up stairs, called down to them,
" This way, gentlemen, if you please." Upon this, Solomon
said to the old gentleman, in a whisper, as they followed to
the drawing-room, " This way, sir, and, if you please,' "
' " They are not so impudent as they look." As the names
of the two strangers were announced, they were started by
the dazzling display offered to their view. The first thing
that arrested them, especially the old gentleman, was the
great blaze of light in the apartments. The next thing that
riveted their attention was the finery, the prodigious finery,
of the ladies. The old gentleman thought, that a whole
warehouse must have been emptied to furnish it ; and
Solomon was sure it would have stocked every haberdasher's
shop in the town of Dullborough, or Llangollen for a month.
The ladies all sat silent, which upset the theories of the old
gentleman on female loquacity ; and they appeared stiff,
which he accounted for, on the score of a prudential fear
that too much motion might crumple their gauze dresses, or
bring down a knot of ribbon from its conspicuous position
on a full-mooned muslin tiara. The gowns were so decorously
long, that he could only observe one or two rather large feet,
and not very slender ankles, as supporters of the female
form. The gentlemen were grouped in the middle of the
room, all scrupulously dressed in shoes and silk stockings.
They had inexpressibles tied at the knees, exhibiting brawny
calves ; and their caravats made a considerable display of
white muslin, tied in not a very precise fashion under their
chins. But guess, if you can, the astonishment of both
guests (for there was no great sympathy between the old
gentleman and young Solomon,) when setting themselves to
listen to the whispering hum of the conversation, they found
that, with the simple substitution of Scotch accent for
English dialect, they might as well have been in the midst
of their " travelling" companions at the George. " Ruins
is up—Muscovadoes is down. Yarns is a shade higher, and
calicoes a bawbee longer ; ginghams is rather lookin' better,
and' jacconots is a little fawn—our frien' the baillie's
bandanas is a perfect drug." These, and such remarks as
these, in succession, too quick to be copied, even by a writer
of short-hand, made up the conversation of the Glasgow
gentlemen. " Have you heard," said the Lord Provost,
" o' the arrival o' the Demerara frae Demerara, wi' a cargo
o' sugars ? 'Od, they say they're the bonniest sugars that's
been in the market this mony o-day. I've gotten some real
fine limes by her ; and by our friend Douglas's first ship frae
Jamaica, I'm promised some nice auld rum. By the way,
Neebor Norace, our joint speck in pullicats has turned out
but a pair concern. They'll no pay costs and charges."
Here his lordship's discourse was interrupted by the an-
nouncement that dinner was ready ; and after much rustling
of silks, and ceremonious advance of successive gentlemen
to offer their arms to the ladies, the whole party moved in
couplets out of the room, leaving Solomon and another youth
to bring up the rear.—Sobertson's Solomon Seesaw.
THE CONSUMPTION OF OPIUM IN CHINA.—It iS as-
sumed that in China there are 300,000,000 people, and that
33,320,000 taels of the smokeable extract are imported yearly,
making of " victimized smokers," 912,000, at the rate of 365
taels each, or 301 pounds-weight per annum, 24 pounds per
month, t; of an ounce per day, or 11 ounce per head for each
and all of the immense population of China, from the remotest
part of Tartary and Bokh6ra to the sea; besides the native
poison grown in the country, which is supposed to be not
inconsiderable. Of the 300,000,000 in China, &c., more than
one-half may safely be put down as children and youth ; of
the remainder, one-half may be women ; leaving probably,
not (much) more than fifty millions of men ; thus supposing
that all the men in China could, and would use the drug, the
number of the victimized, 1 in 912, is brought to 1 in 150 ;
and from this enormous deduction must be made for the
aged, sick, and poor, and for those too far removed from the
head quarters of the importers and sea-board to be able to
obtain it at even enormous prices. It is, in fact, unlikely
that it can as yet penetrate in large quantities much beyond
the maritime provinces : and if only their population is taken,
it will be seen that the ration of " victimized smokers" will
be prodigious ; though even allowing the validity of the argu-
ment, I can scarcely admire a defence resting solely on the
fact that only a share has been contaminated, and not all !
If a mace weight (nearly one drachm) would fill twelve pipes
(which may be allowed to be " a tolerably good allowance"
for each day,) and if it be further observed that (according
to some accounts) the mace weight which has served a luxuri-
ous smoker to-day will supply the pipe of a more wretched
slave to this habit to-morrow ; then will 34,000 chests (the
amount imported during the last year to which my informa-
tion extends) be abundantly sufficient to ruin the health and
shorten the days of no less than 2,980,000 individuals. And,
if he who begins to use this baneful drug at twenty years of
age can never expect to reach his fortieth year, then what
must be the average number per annum, of those who are
cut off prematurely by the use of opium. The ordinary calcu-
lation is, unless my memory fails me, that of sixty persons
living and in health at the age of twenty, one may be ex-
pected to die every year. That is to say, the above-mentioned
2,980,000 persons who are living and in health at the age of
twenty, would not, in the ordinary course of nature, be all
dead in less than sixty years. If, on the contrary, in conse-
quence of the use of opium, they all die in twenty years, the
rate of mortality is triple ! and thus within the space of twenty
years, not less than 1,996,000 are murdered by the use of this
pernicious drug ;or 29,300 every year ! I confine myself, in
this calculation, to the effects of imported opium. At whose
hands will the blood of all these victims to opium-smoking
be required ?—lniquities of the Opium trade.
INDIANS OF HUDSON'S BAY TERRITORY.—The Indians
throughout the wooded countries east of the Rocky Moun-
tains are employed in hunting the rich-furred animals, for
the purpose of selling them to the Hudson's Bay Company.
A considerable number of their young men are constantly
employed in conveying the provisions and stores by water to
the different forts and bringing back the furs there collected.
At the beginning of winter, the season when the skins are in
the best condition, they receive a supply of provisions, guns,
and other necessary articles ; and in spring bring to the seve-
ral stations the produce of their chase. The British seldom
hunt, unless for sport, or to supply the table. The natives,
in a great measure, are supported by the company : and when
at the forts, for traffic or other purposes, they live at free
quarters, sometimes during three months at a time. The
aliment procured by themselves is chiefly fish, found abun-
dantly in the numerous lakes and rivers. Deer, though pur-
sued with activity, form a precarious resource, rendered more
so by thatimprovidence which makes the hunter never think
of laying up any store of food. A party have been known,
after spearing a vast number of these animals in their spring
and autumn excursions, merely to cut out the tongues, and
allow the carcases to float down the nearest river ; though
they knew that, two or three months after, they would be ex-
posed to the utmost extremities of famine. Every company's
post serves as an hospital, to which they resort during sick-
ness. and are supplied with food and medicine. When winter
arrives, the diseased and infirm are frequently left there,
while the lest are employed in hunting. The directors have
made great efforts to introduce vaccination, though it has
been hitherto opposed by strong prejudices ; but fresh instruc-
tions have been sent out on this subject, in consequence of the
vio ence with which the small-pox is raging on the border
territory. This people, since the use of spirits and incentives
to quarrelling have been witheld, are become peaceable, have
made some progress in civilisation, and their numbers are
increasing. The company have made the most laudable efforts
to instruct and civilise them, employing, at great expense,
teachers and missionaries ; and notwithstanding the obstables
opposed by their wandering life and rude habits, some suc-
cess has been attained. The whole number in the territory
east of the Rocky Mountains is estimated at 150,000.—Edin-
burgh Cabinet Library, No. XXVlL—Historical and
Descriptive Account of British America, Vol. 111.

Many singular anecdotes are recorded of Sir S. Garth.
On one occasion, when he met the members of the celebrated
Kit-kat Club, he declared that he must soon be gone, having
many patients to attend ; but on some excellent wine being
placed on the table, and the conversation becoming interest-
ing and animated, the doctor soon forgot his professional
engagements. His friend Sir Richard Steel, however, thought
it his duty to remind the doctor of his poor patients. Garth
immediately pulled out his list upon which were fifteen
names. "Itis no great matter whether I see them to-night
or not," said he, " for nine of them have such bad constitu-
tions, that all the physicians in the world can't save them ;
and the other six have such good constitutions that all the
physicians in the world can't kill them."—Physic and
Physicians.

A young city fop, in company with some belles of fashion,
was riding into the country a pleasuring, when they saw a
poor rustic-looking country lad at work by the roadside.
Thinking it a fine chance to show his wit to the damsels by
sporting with the poor boy's ignorance, he thus accosted him :
" Can you tell me, Mr. Zebedee, how far it is to where I am
going, and which is the most direct road ?" Poor Zebby, not
at all daunted, with the most sober and composed counte-
nance, replied, " If you are going to the gallows it is but a
short distance ; if to the gaol, it stands a few rods this side ;
but if only to poverty and disgrace, you are approaching your
journey's end. As for the most direct road, you are now in
it, and cannot miss the way." Dandy dropped his head and
rode on.—New York paper.
NIAGARA FALLs.—When the Indian first looked upon the
Falls, he declared them to be the dwelling of the Great Spirit.
The garage could not imagine that the Great Spirit dwelt also
in the leaf which he bruised in his hand ; but here it appealed
to his sense in thunder and awful majesty, and he was com-
pelled to acknowledge it. The effects which the contempla-
tion of these glorious waters produce are of course very dif-
ferent, according to one's temperament and disposition. As
I stood on the brink above the Falls, continuing for a consi-
derable time to watch the great mass of water tumbling,
dancing, capering, and rushing wildly along, as if in a hurry
to take the leap and delighted at it, I could not help wishing
that I too had been made of such stuff as would have enabled
me to have joined it ; with it to have rushed inoccuously
down the precipice, to have rolled uninjured into the deep
unfathomable gulf below, or to have gamboled in the atmos-
phere of spray which rose again in a dense cloud from its re-
cesses. For about half an hour more, I continued to watch
the rolling waters, and then I felt a slight dizziness, and a
creeping sensation came over me— that sensation arising from
strong excitement, and the same, probably, that occasions
the bird to fall into the jaws of the snake. This is a feeling
which, if too long indulged in, becomes irresistible, and oc-
casions a craving desire to leap into the flood of rushing
waters. It increased upon me every minute ; and, retreating
from the brink, I turned my eyes to the surrounding foliage,
until the effect of the excitement had passed away. I looked
upon the waters a second time ; and then my thoughts were
directed into a different channel. I wished myself a magician,
that I might transport the Falls to Italy, andpour their whole
volume of waters into the crater of Mount Vesuvius—witness
the terrible conflict between the contending elements—and
create the largest steam-boiler that ever entered into the ima-
gination of man.—Capt. Marryat'e Diary in America.
SHORT GowNs.—" Dear Bennett,—Do pray blow up
those lovely women who have cut their dresses off above
their knees, for the purpose of showing their pretty petti-
coats,—And oblige yours, &c." Blow up the lovely women !
We will do no such barbarous piece of work. We don't care
how high they cut their dresses, or if they choose to show
the whole of their pretty petticoats. Several beautiful young
ladies have appeared in Broadway in these short dresses, and
the very novelty of their taste increases the interest they
naturally excite, as well as gives them a dialogue; air. We
are in favour of all gradual change of drapery. An invariable
fashion in everything is the mark of imbecility of mind.
Everything is changing around us ; the beauty and delight of
day, night, summer, winter, autumn, spring, all consist in
change. The charms of the wild woods and the beauteous
vales spring from their gradual colour, complexion, and
drapery. Why should not the ladies follow the great prin-
ciple of nature—the very essence of the divinity who has
given the principle of change to every species of creature ?
Blow up the lovely women indeed l Catch us at that if you
can,—New York Herald,