The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-10-15 00:00:00

SELECT EXTRACTS.

ART or PRESCRIBING.—The late Dr. Sutherland, of Bath,
when at Paris, attended L' Hospital de la Charite'. One
day he accompanied the physician running through one of
the wards to visit the patients, a friar trotting after him with
his book in hand, to minute down the prescriptions : the
French doctor stops at a bed, and calls out to the patient
in it, with the utmost precipitation, Toussez vouz ? then suet
vous 1 allez Dons ala Selle ? then turning round instantly to
the friar, "Purgez le." "Monsieur, it est mart!" replied
the friar. " Diable! allons !" said the doctor, and galloped
on to the next patient with rapidity."—Physic 8r Physicians.
NEW GRASS PLOTS.—Now is a good time to lay down
new lawns. Let the ground be prepared by digging, level-
_ ling, and thoroughly clearing of all root weeds, and sow with
a combination of the permanent lawn grass seeds, mixed in
proper proportions to suit the soil, at the rate of four bushels
per acre. Rake the seeds in evenly, and cover slightly with
fine mould, and well roll, to render the surface as compact
as possible. A lawn laid down in this way will be found to
be greatly superior in every respect, and formed at a less cost
than by the usual mode of turfing. Lawns have been thus
produced, which, in six months after sowing, far surpass in
beauty any of the very best one-year-old turfed lawns.—
Farmers' Magazine.
The SPONGE FISHERY.—When at the island of Rhodes, I
went to the sponge fishery, which is curious and interesting.
It is a laborious and dangerous employment, but so lucrative,
that five or six successful days afford those engaged in it the
means of support for an entire year. The sponge is attached
to rocks at the bottom of the sea, serving as a retreat to
myriads of small crustaceous animals, which occupy its cavi-
ties. The fishermen dive for it to the depth of even a hundred
feet, and sometimes continue for five or six minutes under
the water, unless the quantity of sponge they may have col-
lected becomes' inconvenient or unmanageable, when they
are hauled to the surface by the crew of the boat to which
they belong. The divers occasionally fall victims to sharks
that attack them under water. The sponge is prepared for
the market by being pressed to dislodge the animalculre it
contains, and afterwards washed in lye to deprive it of muci-
laginous matter.—Marshal Marmont.
A YANKEE DIALOGUE.—" Well,-now, I'll tell you. You
know Marble Head ?" " Guess I do." " Well, then, you
know Sally Hackett ?" " No, indeed." " 'Well, that's
considerable odd. Now, I'll tell you; Ephrim Bagg, he that
has the farm three miles from Marble Head—just as—but
now, are you sure you don't know Sally Hackett ?" " No,
indeed." " Well, he's a pretty substantial man, and no
mistake. He has got a heart as big as an ox, and every
thing else in proportion, I've a notion. He loves Sal, the
worst kind ; and if she gets up there, she'll think she's got
to Palestine (Paradise) ; aren't she a screamer? I -were
thinking of Sal myself, for I feel lonesome • and when I am
thrown into my store promiscuous alone, I can tell you I
have the blues, the worst kind, no mistake—l can tell you
that. I always feels a kind o' queer when 1 sees Sal ; but
when 1 meet any of the other gals, I am as calm and as cool
as the milk way."—Captain Marryatt.
NEW SOURCE OF LIGHT.—M. Seguin has communicated
to the Academie des Sciences, at Paris, a memoir on the dis-
tillation of animal substances, in which he states, that he has
reduced the process to such a degree of simplicity as to ren-
der it profitable for the sale of the products of the distillation.
Thus, from the carcase of a horse he obtained, by destruC-
tive distillation, 700 cubic feet of gas, suitable for purposes
of illumination, 241bs. of sal ammoniac, and 331bs. of animal
black. The gas obtained was found to be composed of one
part of olefiant gas, and four of carburetted hydrogen, and
might be preserved for months in contact with water without
being in any way injured, or its brilliancy, as a combustible,
impaired. M. Leguin found that 3,234 cubic inches of this
gas, when burnt for one hour, gave twice and a half as much
light as a Carcel lamp.—Athenwum.
MODERN PERFUMES.—The most costly perfume of the
present day is perhaps atar or otto of roses. It is constantly
used in the audiences of the great in India, and imparts a
most delightful fragrance, being superior, both in power and
sweetness, to the essential oil of roses. The oils of nume-
rous fragrant woods, as well as the woods themselves, are in
great requisition as perfumes. The spices, likewise, yield
their aromatic odour ;' and fruits and flowers (the former by
expression from the peel, the latter by distillation of the
blossoms) supply their sweets for the gratification of our
sense of smell. Odorous animal substances are likewise em-
ployed for the same purpose, but they are generally found
to be too powerful when used alone. Musk, civet, and
ambergris, all obtained from animals, are scarcely endurable
in their pure unmixed state ; though, when united with ve-
getable perfumes , and used in small quantities, they yield an
exquisite scent.

LONDON IN OCTOBER.—Who has not remarked that the
month of October, in London is ever dismal. That the
deserted street—the closed houses—the shops en deshabille—
the solitary carriage—in short, that everything proclaims that
the season of pleasure and business is over. A universal
dullness is spread over the vast city. Even the hackney
coach horses, surfeited with leisure, have time to doze upon
their stand. The porters and link-boys starve, or grow fat
with inactivity ; and indeed, from the highest to the lowest,
all feel the miseries of inaction. To be alone in a wilderness
of houses, the view of heaven obstructed from our gaze, the
very atmosphere we breathe loaded with the corrupted air of
a large city, is a refinement on melancholy. If we are to be
alone, let it at least be with nature, where we may breathe
the pure air of heaven, and survey the beauties of creation ;
where every instant some sense of enjoyment may be ex-
perienced alone. Solitude is never so irksome as in those
haunts which we have at other times seen filled with the
tumult of diversion or business.—The Duke, a new Novel.
AWAKENED CLERGYMEN.—About this time, several cler-
gymen who 'were awakened by the preaching of the Messrs.
Wesley, Mr. Whitefield, and their zealous coadjutors, boldly
came forth, and according to the measure of light dawning
on their minds, bore a faithful testimony to the atonement
and grace of the Redeemer. Of these, the Rev. John Hodges,
Rector of Wenvo ; Rev. Henry Piers, Vicar of Bexley, Kent;
Rev. Samuel Taylor, Vicar of Quintin, Gloucestershire ;
Rev. Charles Manning, Vicar of Hayes ; Rev. Vincent Per-
ronet. Vicar of Shoreham, Sussex; and the Rev. John Mer-
riton, from the Isle of Man, joined the Methodist Society,
attended several of the Conference meetings, and laboured
zealously to promote the cause of God our Saviour, where-
ever they itinerated, as well as in their respective parishes.
To these was added the Rev. Thomas Bateman, a man of
high birth and great natural endowments. He was Rector
of St. Bartholomew the Great, London, and also held a living
in Wales, where he was awakened under the powerful minis-
try of the Rev. llowel Davies.—Countess of Huntinydon's
Life and Times, 9 Vols.
DUPUYTREN'S MODE OF OBTAINING Ins FEES.—The
celebrated Dupuytren was more successful in obtaining his
fees than Dr. Gregory. He was often cheated by his patients,
until he had recourse to the following ingenious device :—He
had a faithful servant, who was stationed at the door of the
hall. Dupuytren had two bells fixed over the porter's head,
communicating with his consulting room. On bowing the
patient out, Dupuytren rung one of the two bells. If the fee
was paid, one particular bell was rung, and the servant un-
derstood that all was right, and the patient was allowed to
depart without any interruption. if the patient forgot the
baron's fee, the "no pa7y" bell was tingled, and the servant
understanding the signal, addressed the patient very politely
in the following manner :—Mille pardons, Monsieur, I think
you have forgotten to give the baron his fee." " Mon Dieu 1"
exclaims the patient, "quelle negligence! le void av'ec mine
apologies au baron." Zlotwithstanding Dupuytren's immense
wealth, he lived in quite a different way from what persons of
his rank do in this country. He occupied only one suit of
apartments—a floor as we call it—and it was owing to this
circumstance that he had it not in his power to prevent a ball
from taking place in the room immediately over his head, a
night or two before he died ; and which, it is said, greatly
disturbed his dying moments."--Physic and Physicians.
MATTHEWS AND SIR WALTER SCOTT.—III a letter from
Edinburgh, Matthews says—" I know too many people here
to study undisturbed ; therefore am obliged to hide myself in
the private walks, when the weather will permit. * * I
have had two nights, the first £BO, for they would not be
persuaded that I was myself, in consequence of the disturb-
ance Irish Matthews occasioned there. But belieNing from
ocular demonstation that I was 1, my second amounted to
£132, which, to appreciate, you must be acquainted with cir-
cumstances too tedious, &c. When I tell you that the boxes
will only hold £55, you may suppose what it was. Sir Wal-
ter, the magician of the north, and all his family were there.
They huzzaed when he came in, and I never played with such
spirit, I was so proud of his presence. Coming out I saw
him in the lobby, and very quietly shook his hand,—`How
d'ye do, Sir Walter hoo are ye? wall, how have you
been entertained? (I perceived he did not know me.)—
`Why, sir, I don't think quite so well as the rest of the
people.'—' Why not? I have been delighted. Its quite
wonderful hoo the deevil he gets through it all.'—(Whisper-
ing in his ear)—' I am surprised too ; but I did it all myself.'
Lockhart, Lady Scott, and the children, quickly perceived
the equivoque, and laughed aloud, which drew all eyes upon
me :—an invitation for tomorrow followed, which I accepted
joyfully. I doubt if the players in Shakspeare's time appre-
ciated his invite as I do an attention from the man who in my
mind is second only to him."—Malthews's Memoirs.
THE KNIGHTS OF MALTA PROPRIETORS OF FOUR OF
THE WEST INDIA ISLANDS.—PauI Lascaris Castelard,Gran d-
master of the Knights of Malta, in 1650, through the agency
of the Chevalier de Poiney, Commandant of Saint Christo-
phers in the West Indies, acting as representative of a com-
pany of French merchants who held large grants there, under
the French Crown ; was induced to make a purchase, not
only of that Island, but of the neighbouring islands of Saint
Bartholomew, Saint Martin, and Saint Croix, to which he
would have added Guadaloupe and Martinico had it been
practicable. The fee-simple of these possessions, with all
the plantations, slaves and stores upon them, was purchased
for 120,000 livres, about £SCOO. sterling ; but the Grand-
master, engaged besides, to liquidate the debts due by the
former proprietors to the inhabitants. The transaction, how-
ever, completely disappointed his expectations, and on the
death of De Poiney, it was discovered that he had, from selfish
motives, betrayed the Order into a most unprofitable specu-
lation. Twelve years afterwards, in the Grandmastership of
Nicholas Cotoner, these transatlantic dependencies were re-
sold to other French merchants ; and such is the marvellous
change which industry and commercial enterprise can pro-
duce, that little more than a century subsequent to the date
of these transferences, English proprietors were to be found
in the same islands, who, from one year's revenue of a single
plantation, could have paid the whole purchase money which
the Maltese Knights had given for them.
MR. MATHEWS'S IMITATION OF CHILDREN, AND PAR-
TIALITY TO THEll.—Like Goldsmith, his behaviour with
children was that of a most simple child. He generally ad-
dressed them in the tones and manner of childhood, always
making himself the age of those to yvhom he talked. At
first the little creatures would look surprised, sometimes

. ,
frightened ; but this effect soon wore off as he persevered,
and it always ended in his being accepted as a playmate. The
first wonder over, ever after he was considered by them as a
boy, for such was his voice and manner. I remember our
travelling into Suffolk once, with Mrs. Richard Wilson, on
a Christmas visit, and stopping at a village inn for refresh-
ment while her horses baited. Soon after, we saw my hus-
band near the door, with half a dozen boys of about eight
years old. playing at marbles, bawling and wrangling about
the game, in their childish and rude manner, and every one
of his companiOns as grave and earnest with him as if they
were all of the same age, and had been used to him all their
lives. There he was squabbling. " You, Bill Atkins ! I
say, you've no right to that taw—" I have," said

" I Say you ha;ent't !"—" I say I have !"—" Ah ! you
cheat ! 1 won't play with you no more." And thus even-
tually he picked a quarrel with one of them, and taking off
his coat, offered to fight. He was met with spirit by the boy
in question, and, finding this, he resumed his good humour,
and made a present to his adversary of the marbles he had
won, and left them all pleased with the " large boy." We
inquired how he became so regularly installed among these
urchins in so short a time, He told us that he went up to
them as they were playing, and, assuming the tone and words
suited to their age, and the occasion, inquired if he might
play with them. They all looked up with something like
alarm mixed with wonder, and stared at him in silence for a
minute. lie reiterated his wish to join them, and they all
looked gravely and sheepishly at each other. He still urged
them, till at last, after some demur, the smallest of the party
boldly cried, " Let him play ; what harm ?"—" Very well,"
said another, encouraged by his friend's example ; " very
well ; but has he got any marbles ?"—" No," said the new
comer; " but I've a penny."—" Well,
then, let him buy
some of yours, Tom ; you've got plenty to sell." The bar-
gain was completed, and he knuckled down,—soon learned
several of their names, and thus we found him with them.
It was most diverting to observe how completely the boys
had ceased to regard him as anything but what he repre-
sented ; no giggling, no confusion, but a thorough confidence
at last in the reality of his being a child, though of " larger
growth" than themselves.--Memoirs of Charles Mathews.

Obfpping Inttrfigtna,

FRIDAY, OCT. 11.—Wind E.S.E,

ARRIVED—Renard, from Bordeaux—Greenhorst, Olief,
from Kiel—Catherine, Kohler, from Amsterdam—Viscergis, Biker,
from Hambro'—Perii —, from Deota—Detenig, Orleef, from
Altona—Plata, , from Monte Video
OFF—Napier, —, from Philadelphia
SAlLED—Elenora and Henriette, Dencken, for Porto Rico—
Richard Anderson, Lucas, for New York—Alliance, Avellar, for
Lisbon—Elizabeth, Minnett, for Hambro'—Apollo, Jackson, for
Cayenne—Guayama, Andros, for Wilmington, A .S.—Zephir, Cauvin,
for Senegal—Auckland, Gibson, for Hambro'—Leo, Kendall, for
Demerara—Grace, Reid, for Charleston—Eleanor, M'Pherson, and
Tamenend, Borland, for New Orleans—City of Poonah, Wilson, for
Bombay—Arethusa, Christian, for Arica—Beccles, Manthorpe, for
Odessa

Phcenix, Hartley, hence at Antigua
Helene, Astrope, from Odessa at Constantinople, and sailed 13th
Sept. for this port
Atalanta, Clerk, sailed from Marseilles, for this port, on the 3rd
instant
Jane, Walker, hence at Danzig

Henrietta, Devoordt, hence at Antweip
Liverpool, (steamer) hence to New York, was spoken 29th Sept,
long. 29
'Trafalgar, —, from Quebec for Lancaster, off this port

SATURDAY, 12rn OcronEn.:—Wind E. to S. fresh.
ARRIVED—FeneIIa, Wakeham, and Belle, Shapcote, from Malaga

A severe gale was experienced on the coast of Nova Scotia, 13th
September
Lady Rowena, Clayton, from Llanelly, for Bombay, at Milford
Lavinia. --, from Liverpool for Quebec, was spoken Ist Oct.
in lat. 45 24, long. 3g 47
Henry Wood, M'Ferran, hence at St. John's, N.B.
Isabella, Moses, hence at Pictou
Rowena, Johnston, hence at Halifax
Achille, Cacace, Messina
Thomas Jones, Gibbon's; Horatio, Crosby, and Elizabeth and
Mary, Patterson, hence at St. Petersburgh
Hannah Grayson, for Jamaica at Kingstown

Napier, Sandford, from Philadelphia at this-port. On the 21st
September in lat 39 long. 70, spoke the Niagara, from Liverpool for
Philadelphia, all well, out 87 days
ELSINORE, 3d Oct.—Fairfield, —, from Liverpool for St.
Petersburgh, arrived here yesterday, and was ordered to Kanso, to
perform quarantine, but was this day released, in consequence of
the receipt of a certificate from Liverpool, respecting the cotton
and has proceeded to St. Petersburgh

SUNDAY, I3th OCTOBER.—Wind S.S.E. moderate.

ARRIVED—Superb, Boult. from Pernambucco—Leopold I, Garling,
from Antwerp—Augusta, Kirkhoven, and Eugene, Perre, Ostend
Solan um, Gibb, from St. Martin—Cornhill, Dowsey, from Newfound-
land—Orwell, , from Dantzic

St. George, Lunnun, for Halifax, has put back very leaky
John Black, , from St. Petersburgh, for Liverpool, at Pent
land Frith

Liverpool Packet, , from Liverpool for Bahia, was spoken
Bth Oct. in lat. 49 40, long. 23 21
Lady Campbell, Johnson, from St. Andrew at Demerara
Cheshire Witch, Davidson, and Victoria, Goulaw, at Barbadoes
Traveller, Harvey, hence at Trinidad
Agnes Primrose, -, hence at Antigua
Eliza Killick, Waugh hence at St. Thomas
Alexander, Stewart; Jamaica, Gibson; Governor, James. and
Thomas, Leman, hence at Jamaica
Henry, M`Phee, hence at Miramichi
Alwerstin, Smith, hence at Copenhagen
Peterel, (Packet) from Falmouth at Barbadoes •