The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-07-16 00:00:00

SELECTIONS.

CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE.—I have heirtl some
very extraordinary c4s-es of murder tried. I remember.
in one where I wai counsel, for a long time the evidence
did not appear to touch the prisoner at all, and be look,d
about with the most perfect unconcern, seeming to think
himself quite safd. At last the surgeon was called, who
stated deceased had been killed by a shot, a gun-shot, in
the head, and he produced the matted hair and stuff cut
from and taken out of the wound. It was all hart:tenet'
with bloo 1. A basin o"! warm water was brought into
court, and, as the blood was gradually softened, a piece
of printed paper appeared—tne wadding of the sun,
which proved to be half of a ballad. The other half had
been found in the man's pocket when he was taken. lie
was hang A.—Lord Edon's Note Book.

ANTIQUITIES OF DAMASCUS.—Damascus possesses
fewer authentic antiquities than might he expected in one
of the ear:iest cities mentioned in the Bible: the most an-
cient remains are some of the lower portions of the walls,
built with squo.re stones, and in •-ome instances of blocks,
of which the h-izht eNceeds the breadth. Some of the
blocks measure from six to eight or ten feet, by fAir, six,
or eight. They are united without cement ; and many
have Arabic and Saracenic inscriptions on them. This
style of building is one belonging to a very ancient period.
The castle, like every place of strength in this country,
bas been destroyed, rebuilt, and altered at various pe-
riods. The oldest Dart, near the foundation, is formed of
stones of a very great size; and the broad ditch which
surrounds it is built in the rustic masonry of the Romans.
Its extent is considerable. Erected before the invention
of gunpowder, it could offer but little resistance to artil-
lery ; but, being, constr acted with large diamond-cut
stones, and including eleven bastions within its circuit,
some of them mounted with cannon, and all supplied with
a guard, it is still capable of overawing the factious inha-
bitants of the town.—Library qf Travel.
LORD ELDON AS A Boy.—Lord Eldon, late in life, told
his niece, Mrs. Foster, that " no boy was ever so much
thrashed as he was," and to Lady Eldon's nephew lie once
said :—" Mr. Surtees, when your father and I were boys,
and that is now a long time ago, I remember our stealing
down the Side, and along the S.nd-Hill, and creeping
into every shop, where we blew out the candles. We
crept along the counter, then popped our heads up, out
rioe!'t,;be candles. and away went we. We escaped detec-
n On another occasion Lord Eldon said to Mrs.
Forster:," I .remember 'my father coming to my bedside
to accuse Harry and me of having robbed an orchard ;
some one had come to complain. Now, my coat was
lying by my bed withits pockets full of apples, and I had
hid some more under the bed-cloths, when I heard my
father on the stairs, and
tlhowsaes_at that moment suffering
intolerable tortute from
were
eaten ; yet I had the
audacity to deny the fact. Wei
eertice flogged for it.
Ido not know how it was, but w. always considered rob-
bing an orchard as an honourable exploit. I remember
once being carr'ed before a magistrate for robbing an
as we called it. There were
orchard --'boxing the f ix, '
three of us. liowet Johnson, another boy, and myself.
The niagiArate acted upon what I think va, is rather
curious law ; for he fined our Fathers each 30s. for our
offence. We did not care for that, lut they did ;so
thy
a message to Moi,e,, and
father flogg, thennt
Moises fl wgeil me aLa.n. We were very good bo,s, very
gond indeed; we never did any thing worse twin a robbery."
.--Life of Lord Eldon.

MORAL COURAGE OF THE EMPEROR OF RUSSIA.—
The [nor,' an-I physical courage of the emperor ha- hero
treqiiently displayed. At the period of the c:•o!era. wheit
the ignlrant and infatuated people were tug
medic men because they could not stop the ravages of
that fearful disease, the emperor in person appeared
amongst them, shoved his n-rdding plumes. and com-
manded them to kneel with him en the earth and ask the
pardon of heaven for such enormities. He was obeyed ;
he offered up an extemporaneous and eloquent prayer,
arid 'he carriage ceased. His moral courage on all ti yi.ig
occasions has not been less marvellous, arid although tried
by great events and fearful complicat ons he has ever held
high his head, preserved a calm and dignified mind, and
kept in abeyance all passions opposed to the triumph of
reason. Nicholas wr.tes decidedly the best hand of all
the Russian emperors. It is call graphically irreproach-
able, and as he begins with an arc rug stroke of the pen
his name stands as beneath a roof. The emperor passes
the greater part of his days in the open air, at reviews or
in rapid journeys. Hence his late vis't to England was
by no m-ans rapid in his eyes, nor wearisome to hi., frame.
During summer the shade of his military hat draws across
his forehead an oblique line, which marks the action of the
sun upon the skin. The figure of the empress, when less
oppressed by suffering, was very elegant. There was an
indefinable grace about her whole person. Her mein, far
from being haughty, was expressive of habitual resigna-
tion. One of her daughters, the Grind Duoess of Olga,
is the most beautiful woman in the whole empire—perhaps
in the world. The imperial family is one of the happiest
upon earth, for their views, tastes, occupations, destres,
are all similar, and none are not in harmony with virtue
and religion.— Fraser.

DAMASCENE BARBERS.—Among the shopkeepers we
must not forget the barbers, those dear old friends with
whom the Arabian Nights have put us on so cordial a
footing of intimacy. With that ease and suavity for
which their fraternity is renowned all the world over, they
invite the passers by to enter and submit their heads and
faces to their beautifying fingers. Their shops are always
full of customers. They are long oar ow room., with
benches on each side, on which a dozen Turks may some-
times be seen squatting in a line, with tin it bare heads,
already shaved, poked out in the most patient manner,
to be kneaded between the hands of the barber, who rolls
them about as if they were balls. quite unconnected with
the shoulders they belong to. The barbers of Damascus
are celebrated for taste and skill in all the myst, ries of
the toilette, including the art of imparting to the beard
and mustachios that dark glo-sy hue so anxiously and
universally coveted. The important affair of arranging
the turban is their daly business, and the 19:Towing
variety displayed in the disposition of the turbans worn
by the gallants of the city, does infinite honour to these
meritorious artists. It is pleasant to know that such torn
continue to enjoy a clue share of consideration in the
East, arid that their tal-nts often raise them to affluence.
When Mr. Carne's party wished to hire a seperate resi-
dence in Damasrus, they were recommended to a barber
who had become a sort of capitalist, and was possessed of
some houses. The old gentleman, extremely well dressed,
with a goodly length of beard, was always found seated
at his ease, smoking or chatting with some of his friends.
He wished the Englishman to take a luxurious apartment
of his, situated on a terraced roof : it was profusely
gilded ; the cushions of the deewan were as white as snow ;
and it commanded a superb view of the mountains. But
the barber's wife was by far the more zealous part of
himself, and protested with loud clamour, that infidels
should never sully t, e purity and beauty of her deewan,
and after a warm dispute the good man was forced reluc-
tantly to give way.—The Library of TI avel.
AN ENTHUSIASTIC NATURALIST.—One of my first
movements in Nashville was a walk to the College to see
Professor Troot, who is a great enthusiast in geology. It
is to be mentioned, to the honour of the State of Tennes-
see, that it has been one of the first Amer can States to
patronise science, by allowing him 500 dollars a-year as
geologist to the state, in addition to his at pointment at
the College as Professor of Chemis'ry and Natural His-
tory, to which a salary of 1.000 dmlars a-year is attached;
so that the worthy professor is thus enabled to enjoy all
the comforts of life and to make himself perfectly happy
as the distributor of these stems; for, like all philosophic
enthusia-t+, he places no value on money, and willingly
gives any of the country people 20 do lays to bring him a
live rattle-snake, or anything new or curious in natural
history. Everything of the serpent kind he has a peculiar
fancy for, and has always a number of them that he has
tamed in his pockets or under his waistcoat. To 101 l back
in his rocking.cliair, to talk about geology, and pat the
head of a large snake, when twitting itself about his neck,
is to him supreme feicity. Every year in the vacation he
makes all excursion to the hills ; arid I was told that upon
one of these occasionQ, being taken up by the stage-coach,
which had several members of Congress in it going to
Washington, the learned doctor took his seat on the top,
with a large basket, the lid of which was not over and
above well secured. Near to this basket sat a baptist
preacher, on his way to a great public immersion. His
reverence, awakening from a reverie he had fallen into,
beheld, to his lulu' terable horror, two rattle-snakes raise
their fearful heads, and immediately precipitated himself
upon the driver, who, almost knocked off his seat, no
sooner became apprized of the character of his ophidian
outside passengers, than he jumped upon the ground with
the reins in his hands, and was followed instanter by the
preacher. The insides, as soon as they learned what was
going on, immediately became outsides, and nobody was
left but the doctor and his rattle. snakes on the top. But
the doctor, not entering into the general alarm, quietly
placed his great coat over the basket and tied it down with
his handkerchief,. which when he had done, he said,
" Gentlemen, only don't let dese poor dings pine you, and
dey won't hoort you."—Peutherstonhaugh's Excursions
through the Slave Slates.

SINGULAR NAVAL OPERATION.—The line of piles
which had been driven in across the river was not less than
20 feet wide, or rather it was a double line, tilled up be-
tween the two with large sunken junks laden with stones.
Great labour and perseverance were required to get up
sufficient of there piles to clear a passage broad enough
r the steinter to pass. This was only accomplished alter
four hours' hard work, in which, oddly enough, the Chi-
nese peasantry bore an active part, voluntarily co ring
forward to assist, and even venturing to come on hoard
the strainer itself. This was undoubtedly one of the good
results of not having inflicted any injury upon the country
people or inhabitants of the villages through which the
little expedition had passed. Inquiry has often been made
what method was adopted in order to open a passage
through obstacles such as I have described. It may,
therefore be here remarked, that several modes were at
different times resorted ti, according to circumstances.
Where the stakes were not driven in very firmly, it was
easy, by f istmling a hawser round the top of them, and
making it fi-t to the steamer, to back her out, and pull
them one be one away; but, as this was a tedious process,
a hawser was ,ometirnee festered retied ten or a dozen of
them in a line across the lever, and carded (loin one to
the other, but fastened to each of them in such a way as
to leave about a few fathoms of slack rope between each
pair. The end of the hawser was made fast to the steamer
with a tolerable length of line out, and site was then
backed at full speed. The momentum thus acquired was
s• on sufficient to drag the first pile away with a jerk; and
this one being already fastened to the next, as before de-
ecrib •d, with a fathom or two of slack line between them,
the force of the steamer, which still continued to back
astern. was sufficient to jerk that one away also; and thus
proceeding at fill speed backwards the steamer pulled
them all away one after another, still remaining fastened
toge her by the hawser; but the power of the jerk was
only amdiedto one at. a time. In cases where the sakes .
were driven to some depth, or where the bed of the
river was tenacious, it was m-cessary to pull them fairly
out perividietilail,, by lull tackle led up to the tnast
head. The pil a were gradually loosened a little. by bring-
pulled to and fro; for which purpose chain slings were
passed round the head of the pile, and a hawse. being then
made fast. were lai I aft along the deck ; thus, by being
pulled in verious directions., sometimes one way and seme-
tim-s mother, the pile was at length drawn fa!rly out,
something like drawing a tooth. Tee bows of the steamer
wee run neatly r 1 ise up to the piles during this operatien,
and she was steedted by a hawser run out from the quarter
to the banks of the river.—Voydge of Ike Nemesis.
WASHING DAY AT THR PALACE.—We are indebled to
a lady fir the tollowiegoriginel anecdote of King William
IV. :—A great deal has lately been said of the re'entive
memory of the Emperor of Ii uss;a, hut his late majesty
William the Fourth was not far behind him in this re-
spect. When he was a young man, serving on board
11.11.5. Pegasus, he was for some tame on the North
American station ; and at one time while lying in the har-
bour of Sr. John's, Newfoundland, he gave a ball on
board, to the elite of the town, which gave general satis-
faction to those who were fortunate enough to receive in-
vitations. One gentleman, who had been particularly de-
lighted at the novelty of the scene. on leaving the ship
thanked the prince for the honour paid to him and his fa-
roily, and slid he would be happy to see him at his house,
at any time that he found himself disengaged on shore..
Accordingly, Prince William Henry, as be was then
called, determined to avail himself of the invitation, and a
few days afterwards presented himself at the door of his
worthy friend, by whom he was most graciously received,
and hospitably entertained. The lady of the house not
making her appearance, the prince most politely inquired
for her health, and hoped he was to have the pleasure of
seeing her. Mr. H—. replied she was quite well ; but
he must ask his
tr
royal highness to excuse her, as it was
washing day at Apple-ee Lane. The prince, bearing
which appeared to be of ch importance
that a business
was going on, rose to take leave, and, while doing so, told
Mr. It-- if he should at any time visit London, he
hoped he would find him out and call on him, telling him
he had only to send in his card, and he would be most
happy to see him. It was not for many years after that
Mr. ti— visited England; but when he did, he re-
membered the invitation of the prince (at this time William
the Fourth) ; so one fine morning he hired. a cab, and
drove off to the palace, but was very mucadisappoitited to
find that " cabs" were not admitted within the palace
gates—he was obliged to get out and go in on foot ; but
what was his indignation when he found he could gain no
admittance to his majesty ! He remained expostulating
servants he
for some time with the servants, telling themthat he was
specially invited by the king to call upon !rim,
, and
was a personal friend of his majesty.
length consented to take in his card, which, on its being
presented to his majesty, be immediately remembered the
name and address, and desired the attendants to show him
in, and received him with that frank and easy manner for
which he was at all times distinguished, which the simple.
hearted man taking advantage of, he ventured to express
a hope that her majesty was well, and that he should have
the honour of paying his re-pects to her. His majesty,in-
stantly recollecting the circumstances attending his call
at Apple-tree Lane, replied with much acuteness, that he
was happy to inform Mr. El— that her majesty was
quote welt, but he must ask Mr. H---- to excuse her
making her appearance that morning, it aS it wax washing
day at the palace." It is tieedless to add thtt the hint
was taken by the unsoplii•ticattd son of Terra Nova, who
very soon backed himself out horn the presence of roy-
alty.—Greenock Adverti.er.