The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-12-05 00:00:00

Dec. 5, 1848

iEtteraturr.

VARIETIES.

Mrs. Somerville, in her Physical Geography, says that
the honey bee was introduced into America not many
years ago, and is now spread over that continent.
One hundred and forty unpublished letters, addressed
by King William 111. to Henry de Lorraine. Prince of
Vaudemont, were recently sold for something like 6s. 6d.

e- iece.
The Musical World has a curious letter from R. Schu-
man, from Leipsic, pointing out a canon attributed to
Mozart, which is note for note the same as Non nobis
Domine, said to be by Bird, asking if there be any evi-
dence in England proving the composition to be by Bird,
either from the date of publication or otherwise.
The awful results of war are not confined to the bloody
scenes of the battle-field ; but disease—slow, consuming
disease—more than any of the instruments of war, scat-
ters death among those engaged in the trying fatigues and
exposures of military duty. Of those who have died in
active service of Mexico, the proportion of those cut
down by disease to those who fell on the battle-field is
about five to one.—Gen. Taylor's Address.
RAFT LOAD OF MONKEYS.—We find the following
story in La Democratic Pacifique :—" A state corvette,
just returned from a cruise in the Indian seas, brims
news of a rather curious incident. At one of the islands
a dozen monkeys were caught and brought on board.
Their gambols were mightily relished by the crew. One
night, however, when the ship was out at sea, some of
the monkeys managed to get into the commandant's
cabin, scattering ink over official charts and papers, and
perpetrating other mischiefs, so that he ordered them all
to be flung into the sea. The sailors, however, were
much grieved at this, and on their remonstrance, the com-
mandant gave permission that a raft should be constructed
on which the poor animals might be left with some chance
of being drifted ashore. The sailors fitted the raft with a
small raft and a sail, which they set easterly in the direc-
tion of the land. They placed on the frail skiff a store of
biscuit and water, and then were obliged to abandon the
twelve prescripts to their fate. The crew, much moved,
waved their hats, wished them a bon voyage, and watched
them out of sight.
THE CHEVALIER PAUL JONES.—The following adver-
tisement in the Times brings back to popular recollections
the name and the deeds of a faithless son to his country
when the latter was so pressed by foreign foes as to need
the aid of every arm she could call her own :—•" The under-
signed, having been appointed deputy public administra-
tor of Admiral the Chevalier J. Paul Jones, the first com-
modore of the American navy, Member of the Order of
the Cincinnati, Chevalier of the French Military Order
of Merit, Knight of the Russian Order of St. Ann, &c.,
and`who died in Paris, in 1792, hereby gives notice to the
heirs of the said Chevalier Paul Jones to transmit their
claims for adjudication, that they may participate in the
late decision of Congress, and approved by the President
of the United States, granting 50,000 dollars to the heir,
of the said Chevalier Jones. The undersigned is also
authorised to receive the claims of the heirs of the officers,
&c., of the first American squadron of 1779, consisting of
the ships of war Bon Homme Richard, Alliance, and
Pallas, commanded by the said Chevalier Jones, that
they may particip to in the bill before Congress for
200,000 dollars, should that bill also become a law. All
claims, attested by documents, to be directed, prepaid, to
the undersigned, on or before March 1, 1849.
THE REMNANT OF THE " GRAND ARMEE.”—Did the
tears of exiles fertilise, Siberia would be a teeming land.
Since its first subjugation by Ivan the Terrible, how many
a Russian magnate, lord of thousands of serfs, owner of
millions of rubles, proud of his position, and confident
of imperial favour, has suddenly found himself travelling
eastward under escort, banished and a beggar. How
many mournful trains of minor offenders have plodded
their weary way across the Uralian chain, guarded by
barbarian Bashkirs, to labour in the mines of Nerchinsk,
or to lead a peasant's toilsome life on the margin
of the Frozen Sea. From those vast and :ce-bound re-
gions, escape can rarely be accomplished. But at inter-
vals, during the last five-and-thirty years, bearded and
toil-worn men of martial aspect have crossed the German
frontier, and astonished those they accosted by wild tales
of suffering, and ignorance of the most notorious events.
Some have inquired for Napoleon, and wept when they
learned he was a captive, or dead. Circumstances of cur-
rent history, known to each child and peasant, were to
them a mystery and a marvel. • These strange wanderers,
escaped from long bondage in Siberia, were amongst the
last survivors of that countless host led northwards by a
Corsican's ambition, and whose funeral pile was lighted in
Moscow's city.—Blackwood's Magazine.
MAN'S FOOD.—What do men really live upon ? The
answers will be various enough. The Guacho, who in the
wide pampas of Buenos Ayres, managing his half wild
horse with incredible dexterity, throws the lasso or bolas
to catch the ostrich, the guanaco, or the wild bull, con-
sumes daily from ten to twelve pounds of meat, and re-
gards it as a high feast day when in any hacienda he gains
a variety in the shape of a morsel of pumpkin. The word
bread does not exist in his vocabulary. The Irishman,
on the other hand, regales himself in careless mirth on
his " potatoes and point," after a day of painful labour,
he who cannot help making a joke even of the name he
gives to his scanty meal. Meat is a strange idea to him,
and he is happy indeed if four times a-year he can add a
herring to season the mealy tubers. The hunter of the
prairies lays low the buffalo with sure bullet ; and its
juicy, fat-streaked hump, roasted between two hot stones,
is to him the greatest of delicacies. Meanwhile, the in-
dustrious Chinese carries to market his carefully fattened
rats, delicately arranged upon white sticks, certain to find
a good customer among the epicures of Pekin ; and in his
• hot, smoky hut, fast buried beneath the snow and ice,
the Greenlander consumes his fat, which he has just car-
ved, rejoicing over the costly prize, from a stranded whale.
Here the black slave sucks the sugar-cane, and eats his
banana; there the African merchant fills his wallet with
sweet dates. his sole sustenance in the long desert jour-
ney •, and there the Siamese crams himself with a quanti-
ty of rice, from which an European would shrink appalled.
And wheresoever over the whole inhabited earth we ap-
proach and demand hospitality, in almost every little spot
a different kind of food is set before us, and the " daily
bread" offered in another form.—The Plant, a Biogra-
phy, by Schleiden.
PRINCE EDWARD'S ISLAND.—Prince Edward's Island,
situated on the, coast of It ova Scotia, contains about
1,300,000 acres, and a population of about 50,000. The
soil is generally fertile, light, easily worked, and adapted
for every agricultural purpose. It grows excellent crops
of grain and potatoes. The quality of wheat grown is
superior to that of New Brunswick. When the French
had the island, it was considered the granary a Quebec.
The oats grown are better than the averageroduce of
England. The island is long and narrow, and has many
fine harbours. No part of it is twelve miles from the
water, which is full of fish of various kinds. In many
places carts may be taken down to the water's edge, and
filled with lobsters; cod, mackerel, and herring abound
all round the coast. The climate is extremely healthy,
and the country beautiful ; but the long winter is an ob-
jection. There is, however, plenty of employment in
winter for labourers, in clearing land, procuring fuel,
fencing, and getting timber for shipbuilding. A good
deal of shipbuilding is going on ; 200 vessels were built
in 1847; in consequence of the long, narrow shape of the
island, and its numerous harbours, a man can always be
near enough to take wood to a shipping place. There is
sufficient water-power for corn and saw mills. The Le-
gislature provides schoolmasters in every district, and
good churches are open to all denominations of Chris-
tians. The wages of common labourers are 3s. a day.
Mr. Cunard, the contractor for the trans-Atlantic steam-
• boats, holds a large estate in this island, which IF Is-
, poses of in the following manner :—He extends roads
through his waste lands, and lays out lots of fifty acres
each along the sides of the roads, in such proportions as
to always have ready a good stock of these small farms
e. for sale or lease ; he is ready to let each of these farms
to any man of respectable character, on a lease of 999
et years, paying no rent for the first three years, then 3d.,
'8
then 6d., then 9d., and then ls. an acre, with a clay-
., enabling the tenant at any time to purchase the fre

at twenty years' purchase.
THE MADONNA IN ROME.—The veneration shown to
the Virgin by the lower classes is inconceivable. She oc-
cupies so prominent a place in their minds, that there is
no room for a just sentiment of the Deity or his works.
Where there is one knee bent to God, thousands bow to
her,—with them she is the ruler of the world. We con-
stantly find her picture at the corner of the streets, under
which a lamp is kept incessantly burning. There is not a
nook or recess anywhere in which some pious person has
not erected a tinsel altar under her figure, so that passers
by can kneel and say a prayer or two, and then move on.
In all mishaps and difficulties she is the refuge to which
they fly. Votive pictures, similar to what has been de-
scribed in the church of St. Augustine, are hung about
her, even in the streets—offerings for their hair-breadth
escapes. Effigies of the Virgin appear in every church,
but some are held in higher estimation than others. Oc-
casionally extraordinary miracles are reported to have
taken place—every one of which increases her popularity.
Lately it was currently believed that she had opened her
lips and held a short conversation with an old lady who
sought her aid. Thousands flocked to the church where
this took place, and continued to do so, till another mira-
cle equally wonderful drew their attention elsewhere.
The most certain way of gaining the favour of the Virgin
is by presenting her with some article of dress. In the
chapel near the Grotto Posillippo I noticed a richly em-
broidered pocket handkerchief which she held in her hand,
and learnt from the sacristan that it had lately been pre-
sen!-,ed to her. When Lady Drummond was in Naples
she was importuned by the priests for a donation towards
dressing up the Virgin for a festival. Her ladyship did
not choose to give any. money, but offered an old light
blue and silver court dress, which was gladly accepted.
After this the idol was paraded through the streets, to
the admiration of the people ; decked out as it was in the
cast-off finery of a heretic. A similar request was made
to the Duke of Saxony, who had just been married. He
said, " I have no money, but I can give you my wedding
coat, which I shall not use again, if that will answer your
purpose." My friend afterwards saw it adorning a saint
in the chapel of Loretto, and noticed that they had taken
off the jewels, and replaced them with sham ones.—
Sights in Italy.
SAGACITY OF A NEWFOUNDLAND DOG.—A few days
ago, a merchant of Newcastle-on-Tyne had occasion to
send his servant on horseback to Blenheim-street, accom-
pPnied by his master's dog. On arriving at his destina-
tion, he dismounted; but before going into the house
where he had been commissioned to go, he hung the bri-
dle of the horse on a small iron crook at the door. Im-
mediately after the horse shook the bridle off the crook,
and galloped away at full speed. The dog, however, fol-
lowed, and, on coming up to the animal, he seized one of
the stirrups, but being of a patent construction, it sud-
denly opened, and be lost his hold. The horse still con-
tinuing his course, the dog at length succeeded in seizing
the bridle, just as the horse reached the cattle market,
which fortunately brought him to a stand still ; and the
faithful dog could not be made to quit his hold until the
Aervant came to his assistance.--Newcastle Courant.