The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-08-29 00:00:00

MIDNIGHT AT SEA

(From the Illuminated .3lagazine for July )
Alone with God upin the boundless sea,
No spot of e,rth i❑ view. no sombre cloud,
The glittering stars and gentle moon to shroud;
On rides the bark in calm tranquillity—
Quiet the autumn breeze, while in the lee
The hill. ws part without a sign of life.
Silent the mighty ocean vast and free
Seeming to het alit S me portentous strife.
Alone with God ! how limited the powt r
Of man t e creature here to shield or save,
For ew the hounds that part the yawning grave ;
Most awful thoughts at this most solemn hour.
Al ne with God ! alone to worship Slim
Before whose throne ail worldly thoughts grow dim.

HINTS FOR PEDESTRIANS, PRACTICAL

AND ,‘IEDICAL.

(From an unpublished Manuscript, by a Physician of

Liverpooli

BY EDIC US.

(CONTINU,. D FROM OUR LAST

62. Sleep.np.:, or taking, as it is called, a nap, after
dinner, is a habit good or bad according to age and cir-
cumstances. Elderly people seem generally to get into
it, and to reap no great harm from it. After a hearty
meal, it interferes, like exercise, with the usual powers
of dizestion, and it tends to replete the system tao much,
which Boileau has pithily alluded to, describing some
Friar Tuck, thus :

" Muni d'un dejetmer
Dormant d'un Leger somme. attendait le diner—
La j. unesse en sa fleur hrille sur son visage,
Son menton sur son sein descend a triple a age,
Et son corps ramasse dans sa courte g, aisseur
Fait ge it les coussins sous sa molleepaisseur."

We can only offer a literal translation to the reader
who may have forgotten his French :

Fortified with his broken fast,
Catching a" gentle nap." waited his dinner:
Youth in her flowery charms sparkled his face;
Pis chin on his breast falls in triple-tier'd grace ;
And his body, rolled up in its fat dumpy fold,
Makes the cushions beneath his weight grumble and scold,

For young people, however, the napping propensity
ought to be undoubtedly discouraged and resisted. As
a rule, sleep ought to be wooed with an empty stomach ;
for the wasted energies of the body are recruited in one
of two ways—either by food or sleep : the conjunction
of both is a work of supererogation and error ; witness
late suppers, which are now much discarded, owing to
the fulminations of the faculty of physic against the
baneful old custom.

An authority we often take pleasure in bringing be-
fore our reader,* says :—" In tropical climates, where
a burning sun quickly exhausts the sensibility of those
actively employed, and to the extremely aged, who are
subject to a like rapid dissipation of nervous force from
the diminished rate at which it is generated, a brief
interval of repose may be permitted in the course of the
day —the siesta of southern countries; a practice scarcely
allowable, except in the circumstances enumerated. It
should always be adopted with caution, aild only pur-
sued for the purpose of a slight refreshment ; otherwise
it readily degenerates into a habit very prejudicial to
health."

63. Those who are in the habit of " fuming the light
eigar," will feel disposed to exercise their gift, at this
period of their proceedings, as a kind of reward for
hard work, and " of course by way of helping the di-
gestion of their dinner." This supererogatory amuse-
ment has its advocates as well as its enemies, both in
and out of the medical profession. Those who do smoke
generally relish the luxury after dinner, and, if they
avoid smoking in the earlier part of the day, they can't
do themselves much harm if habituated to it ' • but they
should use the privilege in great moderation, because it
has an effect on the nervous system decidedly prejudicial
when pushed to a constant habit of excess. In the morn-
ing part of the day, when you are doing the main stroke
of your day's task, there is a real objection to be urged
against smoking, because it narcotises, that is, depresses
the system, when, in fact, you require all the " steam"
you can muster. Towards the close of the day, we have
ourselves sometimes taken a mild cigar by way of in-
dulging and promoting good humour, alone or in coin-
.. y ; it is a very obsequious " compagnon de voyage."
; owever, we are bound to state that many have seri-
ously injured their health by smoking and snuffing. The
heart may be affected by the active principle-of the to-
bacco, called nicotianin, to so great an extent, as to for-
bid the practice of smoking;—
e• If the nicotianin he in large quantities, and the individual
unaccustomed to its use. it may paralyze the heart, and render
it totally unfit to persevere iu its functions.--Such has been
tie case where smoking has been indulged to excess. 'As he
smokers,' says Deslandes. makes a chimney of his mouth, his
teeth become black, and fuliginous ; his breath acquires a de-
testable odor Hence cleanliness, and the preservation of the
teeth require, that the month should be washed after smoking.'
—bunglinson's Elements of Hygiene. p. 385.
Raving so far smiled at the ornamental crown of the
day's labour, as an innocuous accomplishment under re-
stricted practice, we fancy we hear the gentle tap of the
risiff-box, as it has been chasing in mimic sport the
decanter round the table ; and the next who opens its
fragrant treasury will not be behindhand with some
little poetic commendatory, and, before discharging his
pinch at his own olfactory battery, quotes off by heart—
" A delicate pinch ! oh. how it tingles up
Th titillated nose. and fills the eyes
And breast. till in ne ennsfr.••••..• • ^
pleasure bursts at last I"

We now shall beat the drum for mustering to the last
part of the day's march, when the hill-tops smile in a
glowing sunset, and the renewed song of birds pipes
gaily to the waning glories of the god of day. Across
that meadowed plain, and towards yon skirting wood,
rtes a mile or two of agreeable walk. Away, then !
64. After a little progress, the grateful breeze dies
away, the oppressive heat of noon returns, and clouds
come on apace, betokening the approach of a thunder-
storm, ere half the broad meadow is traversed, and the
sheltering wood, a mile off yet, is impossible to reach.
How suddenly the fair face of heaven can change ! In
the " Recreations of Christopher North," the subjoined
description drenches us with wet in the very reading, of
" A Storm, closing a Pleasure Excursion.— Well, that
is very extraordinary.—Rain—rain—rain ! All the eyes
of heaven were bright as bright might be—the sky was
blue as violets--that braided whiteness, that here and
there floated like a veil on the brow of night, was all
that recalled the memory of clouds—and as for the moon,
no faintest halo yellowed round her orb, that seemed
indeed one perfect chrysolite' ; yet, while all the
winds seemed laid asleep till morn, and beauty to have
chained all the elements into peace, overcast in a mo-
ment is the firmament—an evanishing has left it black
as mist - there is a fast, thick pattering on the woods—
yea, rain, rain, rain and ere we reach Bowness, the
party *ill be wet through to their skins. Nay, matters
are getting still more serious --for there was lightning—
yea lightning ! Ten seconds! and hark, very respec-
table thunder ! With all our wisdom we have not been
weather-wise, or we should have known, when we saw
it, an electrical sunset. Only look now towards the
west. There floats Noah's ark—a magnificent specta-
cle,; and now fur the flood. That far-off, sullen sound
proclaims cataracts. And what means that sighing and
moaning and muttering up among the cliffs ? See—see
how the sheet lightning shows the long lake shore* all
tumbling wi•li foaming breakers. A strong wind is
there—but here there is not a breath. But the woods
across the lake are bowing their heads to the blast.
Windermere is in a tumult the storm comes flying on
wings all abroad—and now we are in the very heart of
the hurricane. See, in Bowness is hurrying many a
light—for the people fear we may be on the lake ; and
litithful Billy, depend on't, is launching his lifeboat to
go to our assistance. Well, this is an adventure But
soft—what ails our argand lamp ? Our study is in such
darkness that we cannot see our paper—in the midst of
a thunder-storm we conclude, and retire to bed by a flash
• lightning."
'ander the presumption that our friends are involved
in this common drenching and fearful calamity; we pic-
ture to on:salves their precipitation and eagerness to
escape part of the desperate wetting, which hurries
them to seek the only shelter that a solitary tree near
at hand seems to invi'e them to run to; where, in com-
mon with the feathered fowl and lowing cattle, they
may betake themselves in breathless haste and anxious
alarm. The forked flash and instant crash repeat their
awful visits with terrific rapidity, whilst the whole plain
around is deluged with the pouring rain! The party
must surely be young and inexperienced in the common
hrinciples of Nature's wondrous laws, or they would
ave avoided the very shelter so kindly near. ' A wet-
ting was all that they could commonly'have experienced
f,y " standing out to sea" in the open meadow : on the
contrary, danger imminent and great awaits them under
the tree ; and hurry away they must, and that instantly,
ere the next flash succeeds the dazzling one just gone !
Why so ? Because the electric fluid always, if suffi-
ciently near— that is, if in what is technically called
" striking distance," will follow the best conducting
means towards the earth ; and anybody in close neigh-
bourhood or contact with such conductor, generally
shares the effects of such transmitted agency. Metallic
substances, particularly if bright, and moisture in every
shape, are amongst the first conducting powers. The
very rain itself, therefore, is a conducting medium of
the lightning most favourable because most diffused ;
yet things of a more solid and projecting form will be
rather chosen by the lightning in its course, by their
attracting it and concentrating it upon themselves :
when such is the case, the object is either frequently
damaged in itself, or wherever the conducting medium
IN Cut off from the ground by some other thing inter-
posed between the latter and itself, upon such the elec-
tric fluid spends its force—shattering, injuring, scorch-
ing as the case may be; and then the object is said to
have been " struck" by the electric current. Trees,
buildings, and tall objects in general, especially when
wet, attract the lightning; and, the less perfect their
conduction may be, the more injury they are likely to

* Mr. Davis, Manual of Health, p. 415.

sustain, as e ill also objects close Leside them : hence,
when trees are struck, being shivered and buint, cattle
or men sheltering under them frequently lose their lives
at the same time, sharing in the fate of the conducting
tree. In the creature world, the endowment of a ner-
vous system seems to render them peculiarly susceptible
to electric changes, in addition to their common physical
qualities : thus a man may be " struck," because he is
conductor in common with inanimate things around,
but the sitar/ endowments he possesses are also involved
in the ~at erial changes, and they can be annihilated,
thus, either as dependent upon or superadded to their
material basis : hence the sacrifice often of life, caused
by the superior conducting power of his material frame.
One step farther, and our explanation is finished, in
words as simple as we can find, supposing that we are
writing for the non-initiated or only partially informed.
But, the human body when heated, and its nervous sys-
tem. when agitated with fear, appear to be more than
ordinarila susceptible of attracting the lightning; hence
the double source of dangers to us when we place our-
selves in such circumstances, as that, around us as well
as within ourselves, such favourable conducting means
are brought into a fearful locus. Many valuable lives
have been sacrificed to the want of knowing these sim-
ple facts of such easy recollection. The writer lost an
old friend in this regretful way ; and if he appear to
some tedious on this subject— now, happily, commonly
understood, in part at least—yet some one individual
reading these pages may happily be cautioned off,
thereby, from possible danger ; and the already well-
informed reader would be selfish indeed if he begrudged
a moment's patience over a passage which the author
begrudged no trouble to indite—seeing that thereby, as
before said, some one case may possibly occur where a
party may be so exposed, and where no other means of
gathering the necessary instructions, for instant adop-
tion, may be within reach. Never, in all the course of
his life, would the humble author feel more happy, than
if permitted, only for once, to warn off another success-
fully from danger, by anticipation of the fact, in the
compilation of a little manual for the purpose of pointing
out to the pedestrian his wisest and best course in gene-
ral, and in such special, cases ; being got up as it is in
the most portable and cheapest manner. Away ! then,
from the possibly fatal shelter, my friends; and prefer
to Nee before the storm rather than to harbour in decep-
tive security ! When you have left that tree, the next
flash may prostrate both the shelter and the sheltering
cattle to the ground—monuments of the scathing fury
of the thunder-storm.

With no other ill effects than a good wet jacket, our
friends, after some patient putting in practice the motto
that " ills which can't be cured must be endured," at
last emerge from their unpleasant drenching, having
pushed along under as " tight a reefing, and making all
as snug as they can," as the sailors would term it.
Perhaps there may be one mariner in the company, who
has hardily just condescended to button his coat, and
declares that the shower is nothing compared with a
" sea breaking over the decks" in the midst of the
tossing ocean ; and so, by comparing less with greater
evils, wins contentment, and practically sets forth wisdom.
Supposing that endurance wins its own reward for
our heroes, the witty repartee and laughing pleasantry
bear up, by their volley after volley, the spirits of the
party, which otherwise would flag under the late dis-
comfiture of pelting wet. The clouds have exhausted
their " dread artillery," and the landscape again begins
, to smile, as the blue mountain ridges stand forth in their
variously chiselled outlines; whilst the sun gathers after
him his attendant retinue of fleecy clouds, and, as he
sinks finally beneath the visible horizon, flings back his
parting mantle of glory upon his earthborn,_ yet aerial
servants. Our party reach the brown woodside, and,
tracing its primrose borders, regale themselves with the
fragrance of its flowery people, as it rises upward on the
evening exhalations, and is quickened with the humid
atmosphere around. The " bonny moon" lights up the
calm heaven as she ascends her sun-born truck, and the
hamlet on the skirt of the wood sends upward its " grace-
fully curled" wreath of smoke from its low chimney top,
to telegraph to our soaked travellers the welcome hospi-
talities which blaze within its jessamined walls.
65. Our slippers, a hasty change of all wet garments,
a cheerful fire quickly kindled by eager hands, and a
cup of tea as quickly prepared, all form a series of shift-
ing scenes in our little drama of the " rural," such as
all lovers of the " natural" must remember often to
have seen enacted in the course of their devotional pil-
grimage to the shrine of the " picturesque." If the
said tea-drinking to close upon the "hours" of rest,
and if the article be brewed, as frequently is the case
on such occasions, into " veritable stingo "—travellers
thinking they cannot have too much of a good thing—
then it probably will be found to interfere with the
crown of the pedestrian's labours, " balmy sleep."
It is not unlikely, however, that after tea an hour
may be devoted to the honour of the crackling hearth,
during which the scenes of the day's changeful experi-
ence may be recounted over with sundry emendations
and humorous colourings ; and, whilst discussing in di-
vers tones the varied themes of general and absorbing
interest, the plans for the following day must be allowed
to "go into committee of the whole house." Whilst
some, perhaps, from a notion of warding off any chances
of rheumatic twinges from the late drenching, as well
as conceiving that, whilst following a comparatively
Indian hunting qe, the pipe of peace is requisite, some-
how or other, to constitute a Council of Deliberative
Proceedings, in all its unblemished integrity of forms,
will dare again to light the fascinating weed of India's
growth. Our friends have much endured, perhaps much
forborne, at our respectful remonstrances, it may be :
they must who ('lion..e. eliet, claims
to some of the credit of Indian warriorship on the seve-
ral grounds of that endurance, forbearance, equanimity,
high-souled resolve, and, lastly, as a make-weight re-
semblance, re-kindle even the little witchery of the social
sacryice ! But we are forgetting, all this whila, we
mean to put in one more claim to be heard, though not
until the council has broken up, and the votes been col-
lected in the bowl of some one's exhausted pipe-head.
If it is not too late, or the party not too sleepy, some of
the scraps further alluding to pedestrian or valetudina-
rian matters, either in instructive prose or pleasing
poetry, as found in the following supplementary chapter,
may be read, pro bono public°, and discussed profitably,
either now or at some future leisure of walking or halt-
ing. We have chosen no order in it, as it is to be a
dish of fragments of all sorts to suit all.
66. Finally, then, whether our pedestrian group—of
whom we are about now with regret to take our leave,
and to conclude, in the regular part of the story, our
labours in their behalf—chuse or not to wind up with a
nightcap of negus, it is not our business to play the spy.
Early rising deserves, because it earns, the grateful
meed of early rest: when the day is properly filled up
with work and good humour. We shall just once more
play the travelling physician to our respected group, and
chew them all good and faithful service to the last, be-
tore we can feel satisfied to make our parting how. It
lies in the matter of an useful hint, touching that hideous
region to a tired tourist, which has not for ever been to
ourselves, unfortunately, a " terra incognita," viz., a
damp bed. It is possible that some such mischance may
await some one of our company, the bare supposition of
which makes our teeth chatter with memory of a by-
gone tour. If there is any suspicion of such being the
case, from the smell or feel of damp, cold sheets, &c.,
or if any one, without reason particularly to apprehend
it, yet wishes to establish the negative to a demonstra-
tion, we know no better or easier method than to request
the servant to take up a warming pan of coals, (warming
pans are not used in Ireland, perhaps not in Scotland—
we don't remember—a great nuisance ftir travellers
there, not to get so useful a test any way,) and to warm
the bed as usual for a few minutes ; then take a glass
tumbler, wipe it very dry with a silk handkerchief,
within and without, and put it upside down, mouth
downwards that is, in the middle of the bed, between
the sheets ; take it out in a minute or two, and f the
bed is damp, there will be a dew formed on the sides of
the tumbler inside, of course ; in which case, we need
scarcely add, it would be imprudent to sleep in the bed,
at least in those sheets. Where, from the use of this
test, or from any other evidence, the sheets appear damp,
get them dried. Often it is that they are not suitably
aired at the fire, but just removed carelessly at once
from the linen-press, or worse from the mangle, where,
in order to mangle them well, they were previously
sprinkled, and never subsequently dried. In whatever
way, if the sheets are cold, and stick to the hand, it is
better to send them again to the kitchen fire as a pre-
caution ; or in case, for instance, all in the house have
reti,•ed to rest, and this is impracticable ,—perhaps your
candle has been put out, and yourself undressed,P beforeour
you make this discovery last, which ought to have been
verified earlier,— then your only way is to throw the
sheets comp'et, ly off the bed, and to get in between the
blankets ; for, however unpleasant this may be espe-
cially in summer, yet it is better to put up with this than
to risk taking a cold, which proves seldom anything hut
a formidable a•tack of fever, along with some inflamma-
tory seizure, as in the chest, &c., &c.
We believe we have now completed our day's under-
taking, leaving our little attempt in the hands of the
charitable folks for whose benefit, combined with amuse-
ment, we have endeavoured thus to cater after our best
fashion. Now, we shall beg leave, then, to discharge
the very last act of our willing service, viz., to bring the
bed-candlestick, and attend the best-humoured of the
party to his charming little bedroom, with modest old-
fashioned oriel window, it may he, through whose crys-
tal* panes, mayhap, come streaming in the bonnie smi-
ling beams of the bright harvest moon, and, as they
seem to straggle across the neatly carpeted floor, just
reach the snug little white bed with dimity hangings, in
the middle of the room, there to fall upon the dazzling
snow-white counterpane, with a spell only felt in the
country on a "stilly night" ! If one single ray, the
furthest flung of all the pencilled host, stray onwards to
the bed's head, and there enable him to spell the grate-
ful invitation of the downy pillow, we will take the part-
ing liberty of reading aloud, for the gentle reader's be-
nefit and closing sympathy, the lines under which he has
already fallen fast asleep—
-

" To ail and each a fair good night,
And rosy dreams, and slumbers light 1"
Bram

* Query—" shaped "?—Printer 'a Devil,