The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-12-12 00:00:00

Till LIVIIRPOOL

twitted itself to him, and placed him in a position to feel
more acutely his intellectual superiority and his physical
wants, without at the same time enabling him clearly to
distinguish the causes of the latter; and it was on a po-
pulation thus half instructed that evil men attempted to
work their mischievous designs, and to sever those bonds
by which society could alone exist in cordial union. They
had tried to persuade them that a general feeling existed
amongst the rich to act towards them as oppressors, and
that an organic change in our laws was the only preserva-
tive against a condition of absolute slavery. One of the
means employed by these men to promote their designs was
the calling together their unfortunate du?es, in order, as
they said, to discuss their grievances, but really to enforce
upon them the necessity of an entire change in our several
systems, and the acquisition of certain political rights,
which were to redress all wrongs and to render them
again comfortable and happy. The inculcation of such
doctrines would however, always be attended with its legiti-
mate fruits; and, from the experience of other nations, he
felt justified in saying they would aggravate and not dimi-
nish the privation they were called upon to sustain, and
the distress they were unhappily suffering. The learned
judge then, in order to show that the possession of politi-
cal rights was no indication or guarantee for the posses-
sion of physical comforts, referred to certain documents
which had been published in Paris, demonstrating that
during the French monarchy, previously to the revolution
of 1789, the physical comforts possessed by the poor
greatly exceeded those possessed by them subsequent to
that event. It had been assumed, on very competent
authority, that the physical comforts of the poor might
be safely judged of by the quantity of meat consumed by
the population ; and, taking this as the criterion, the sta-
tistics of Paris gave the following result :—ln 1789, du-
ring the period of the old monarchy, the quantity of
meat consumed was 1471 b. per man : in 1817, after the
Bourbon dynasty had been restored to the throne, sub-
sequent to the revolution, it was 1101 b. 2oz. per man ;
and in 1827, the medium period between the restoration
of the Bourbons and the present time, the average was
still about 110Ib. ; while, after the revolution of 1830,
it fell to 981 b. lloz., and at this period it was in all pro-
bability still less. These statistics at least showed that
prosperity and political rights on the part of the poor slid
not always exist together, and this was the truth he
wished to make clear, and not that political rights in
themselves were not to be desired or enjoyed It
might sometimes be desirable to acquire political rights,
even at the expense of suffering ; but all he would
urge on his poorer friends was, that before they disturbed
the peace of the country they should sit down and inquire
what would be the cost to themselves—whether the intro-
duction of confusion and anarchy into our complicated
social system for the sake of a doubtful good would not
render them less happy and comfortable in their circum-
stances than they had previously been. He believed that
no rational man acquainted with the circumstances of the
country would hesitate as to what course he ought to pur-
sue, but would see it to be his interest as well as his duty
to remain quiet, and seek such changes as he might deem
desirable, not by physical force, but by an appeal to con-
stitutional means only. This brought him to the second
point on which he felt it his duty to address them, viz., how
to provide a remedy for the evils to which he had alluded,
and the effect of which he had briefly attempted to de-
scribe. Now, he believed that our safety lay in education
—education rightly directed. We must teach the people
not only their duty to God but also to their neighbours,
and, if we did this., we need not fear for our future
tranquillity. But how was this to be done ? Why, much
in the same way as a good father would teach his
own children. We must do it uniformly in a kind and
affectionate manner, in such a manner as to convince them
that we love them, and that we are seeking their good,
and not our own. This was the mode in which a father
instructed his children, and this was the way in which the
poor must also be instructed; for, having convinced them
that we loved them, it would be comparatively easy to
communicate those lessons of wisdom which it was of im-
portance they should learn. The manufacturer must
thus teach his workmen, the tradesman must thus teach
his apprentice, and the clergy, in their more extended
sphere, would inculcate the same lessons on their respec-
tive flocks. Being thus prepared, he thought the people
would readily be brought to understand that the mcumu-
lation of capital in the manufacturing districts was a
blessing to the workmen, by providing a fund, like that
of Joseph in Egypt, out of which years of scarcity
might be provided for, and the workmen saved in
some measure from deprivation of work, even when
trade itself was prejudiced by the fluctuation to which
it was subjected. Then also would the poor more
readily learn that the possession of large estates,
not used merely for the purposes of luxury and pri-
vate gratification, was a blessing to the poor, in pro-
moting the establishment of schools, churches, and
other institutions calculated to ameliorate our social
condition ; and, on the other hand, they would learn that
the subdivision of land, as practised in France, where there
was no law of primogeniture, was one of the greatest
sources of misery that could possibly exist. (His Lord-
ship here referred to the evils occurring to France from
the constant subdivision of land, and the constant addition
to its proprietors—creating, according to French authors,
millions of distinct properties, the effects of which, in im-
poverishing the national resources, he detailed at consi-
derable length.) He would only add one word more on
this part of the subject. They had winter before them,
and distress at the present season of the year, and under
present circumstances, it largely prevailed. He need not,
therefore urge on them (the grand jury) the importance
of sympathising with the poor, and embracing every op-
poi-I.unit) of miLigating lliciL privation, For affording au
opportunity of exercising virtue in this manner might be
one reason why Providence permitted so much suffering;
but, by availing themselves of such means of doing good,
we might realize the truth of the poet's sentiment,—
.

" The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower."

--..•.---
THE SIGN OF " THE FLOWER-POT."

(From the Life of Theodore Hook.)

There resided at Sunbury, in a large house, an elderly
gentleman, a bachelor, of somewhat eccentric disposition,
whose ruling passion was for his garden. This, albeit
prodigality was by no means a besetting sin of the pro-
prietor, was kept in the most admirable order, and deco-
rated, regardless of expense, with a profusion of orna-
ments in the very height of su Durban fashion—leaden
cupids, slate sun-dials, grottoes of oyster shells and look-
ing-glass, heaps of flint and over-burned bricks, denomi-
nated rock-work ; and beyond all, and above all, with a
magnificent vase filled with a flaming cluster of fuschias,
geraniums, and a number of plants with brilliant blossoms
and unntterable names, which faced the entrance. Here,
one fine afternoon, when the flowers had reached their
achme of refulgence, Mr. Theodore Hook pulled up his
dennet. A powerful tug at the bell brought a sort of
half-gardener, half-groom to the gate in double-quick
time. _ _ _

" Take the mare round to the stable, put her in a loose
box, and rub her down well. I'll come and see her fed
myself in a few minutes : none of you rascals are to be
trusted I"
So saying, the young gentleman threw the reins to the
domestic, marched leisurely along the broad, brown sugar
looking walk, dexterously cutting off here and there an
overgrown carnation with the lash of his driving whip,
and entered the hall. Giving another tremendous jerk to
the bell-wire in passing, he walked into the dining-room,
the door of which happened to be open, took up a maga-
zine, and threw himself at full length upon the sofa. A
tidily-dressed maid-servant appeared at the summons.
" Bring me a glass of brandy-and-water, my dear, and
send Boots.' "
Boots,' and brandy-and-water,'---La, sir !" ex-
claimed the astonished girl.
" You may fe,ch me a pair of slippers yourself, if you
like ; so make haste, and you shall have a kiss when you
come back."

Duped by the authoritative air assumed by the visiter,
it would be indecorous to suppose another motive, the
attendant disappeared, and speedily returning with the
slippers, observed,
" If you please, sir, I have brought you a pair, but they
are master's, and he is rather particular."
" Particular : Nonsense ! where's the brandy-and-wa-

" He never leaves out the spirits, sir; he always keeps
the key himself, sir, in his own pocket."
" He must be a deuced odd sort of fellow, then : send.
him here immediately."
" Master is dressing, sir; he will be down directly,"
was the reply ; and accordingly, after the lapse of a few
minutes, Mr. - made his appearance, in full evening
costume.
" My good friend," commenced Hook, without raising
his eyes from the paper, " allow me to observe, that the
rules of your establishment are a little inconvenient to
travellers : I have been here above a quarter of an hour,
and have not been able to get so much as a glass of
brandy-and-water—bring one immediately—hot ; and let
me know what you have got for dinner."
" I really beg your pardon," said old Mr. —, as soon
as he could find words; " I really beg your pardon, but
I am at a loss—"
"Soaml, my good man—for a glass of brandy-and-
water—bring that, and another for yourself, and. then I
shall be happy to hear whatever you have to say."
" But. air, you must permit me to state—"
" I was never in such a detestable house in my life,"
exclaimed Hook, starting up ; " what do you stand chat-
tering there for, instead of attending to my order ? am I
to be kept here starving all night ?. Bring the brandy-
and-water, d'ye hear."
The old gentleman was struck positively speechless ;
his face purpled, he seemed in imminent peril of choking
with the sudden conflux of ire, indignation, and astonish-
ment.
" Why, the fellow's drunk !" pursued Theodore ;
" disgracefully drunk, at this time of day ! and in his
own parlour, too ! I shall feel it my duty, sir, to lay a
statement of this inexcusable conduct before the bench."
Mr. -- sprang to the bell. " John—Thomas—turn
this impudent scoundrel out of the house 1"
The arrival of the servants necessarily led to a 4 explan-
ation. Nothing could exceed Mr. Hook's regret ; what
could be done ? What apology could be made ? He was
a perfect stranger to Sunbury ; had been directed to the
" Flower-pot 'as the inn affording the best accommoda-
tion ; and on seeing what he imagined to be a gigantic
representation of the sign in question at the garden gate,
he had naturally entered, and acted upon that erroneous
impression. This was the unkindest cut of all. To find
a stranger reclining in full possession of his sofa and slip..
pers was bad enough; to be treated as a dilatory innkeeper
was worse ; and to be taxed with insolence and intoxica-
tion was still more trying to a gentleman of respectable
character and excitable nerves ; but to hear the highest
achievements of art he possessed—the admiration of him-
self and friends, and the envy of all Sunbury, his darling
vase, compared with which the " Warwick" and the
" Barberim " were as common wash-pots—to hear this
likened to an alehouse sign, was a humiliatjon which
dwarfed into insignificance all preceding insults. Bat as
to whether Hook contrived to sooth the anger ho had pro.