The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-09-12 00:00:00

SELECTIONS

FAMINES IN INDIA.—The Rev. Robert Everest, in a
paper published in the Staiietical Journal, has adduced
some facts to shew that the unfavourable seasons in India
recur periodically,—a discovery which, if established, will
afford an opportunity of providing against one of the most
afflicting evils in that country. In examining the lists of
prices of grain at Chinsurab, in Bengal, he found that
the principal minima, or periods of scarcity, were in the
years 1752, 1770, 1788, 1807, 1826, spewing an average
interval of 184 years, so nearly the same as that of the
lunar cycle, as to lead to the idea that the atmospheric
changes were dependent upon it. But to be certain that
these equidistant recurrences were not merely fortuitous,
resulting from local circumstances, he procured lists from
most of the principal cities to the west and north-west of
Calcutta, for a distance of 1,000 miles. The results ob-
tained were—great irregularity in any one list, but the
more numerous the lists were, the greater was the ap-
proximation to a regular ascending and cl,.scending series,
with recurrences at about eight or ten years' distance,
leading to the belief that, if we could obtain a correct
measure of the average atmospheric changes over a con-
siderable surface, we should observe something like regu-
lar intervals in the seasons.—Asiatic Journal.
WIT OF LAFAYETTE. Last week La Fayette had
a quarrel with a battalion of the National Guard on the
subject of drill; they considering the manual exercise as
an infringement of the rights of man. The general being
of the contrary opinion, a deputation of corporals, for
any thing higher would have looked too aristocratic,
waited on him at the quarters of his staff in the Place
Vendome, to demand—his immediate resignation. On
further enquiry, he ascertained that all the battalions,
amounting to thirty thousand men, were precisely of the
same sentiments. Next morning happened to have been
appointed for a general review of the National Guard. La
Fayette appeared on the ground as commandant at the
head of his staff, and after a gallop along the line, sud-
denly alighted from his horse, and taking a musket on
his shoulder, to the utter astonishment of every body
walked direct into the centre of the line, and took post in
the ranks. Of course all the field-officers flew up to learn
the reason. " Gentlemen," said he, "I am tired of re.
ceiving orders as commander-in-chief, and that I may
give them, I have become a private, as you see." The
announcement was received with a shout of merriment;
and, as in France a pleasantry would privilege a man to
set fire to a church, the general was cheered on all sides,
was remounted, and the citizen army, suspending the
" rights of man" for the day, proceeded to march and
manoeuvre according to the drill framed by despots and
kings."—Marston, or Memoirs of a Statesman, in
Blackwood's Magazine.

THE PRINCE OF WALES AT BRIGHTON.—But simple
as was the exterior of the cottage, all within was costli-
ness, so far as it can be united with elegance. Later days
somewhat impaired the taste of this accomplished man,
and he sought in splendour what was only to be found in
grace. But here, every decoration, from the ceiling to
the floor, exhibited the simplicity of refinement. A few
busts of his public friends, a few statues of the patriots of
antiquity, and a few pictures of the great political ge-
niuses of Europe—among which the broad forehead and
powerful eye of Machiavel were conspicuous—showed at
a glance that we were under the root of a political per-
sonage. Even the figures in chased silver on the table
were characteristic of this taste. A Timoleon, a Brutus,
and a Themistocles, incomparably classic, stood on the
plateau ; and a rapier which had belonged to Doria, and a
sabre which had been worn by Castruccio, hung on either
side of the mantelpiece.) IThe whole had a republican ten-
dency, but it was republicanismin gold and silver--
mother-of-pearl republicanism—the Whig principle em.
balmed in Cellini chalices and porcelain of Frederic le
Grand. Fortunately the conversation did not turn upon
home politics. It wandered lightly through all the plea_
santer topics of the day ; slight ventilations of public cha-
racter, dexterous allusions to anecdotes which none but
the initiated could understand ; and the general easy in-
tercourse of well-bred men who met under the roof of
another well-bred man to spend a few hours as agreeably
as they could. The prince took his full share in the
gaiety of the evening; and I was surprised to find at once
so remarkable a familiarity with the classics, whose sound
was scarcely out of my college ears; and with those habits
of the humbler ranks, which could have so seldom come
to his personal knowledge. To his exterior, nature had
been singularly favourable. His figure, though full, still
retained all the activity and grace of youth ; his features,
though by no means regular, had a general look of manly
beauty, and his smile was cordiality itself. I have often
since heard him praised for supreme elegance; but his
manner was rather that of a man of great natural good-
humour, who yet felt his own place in society, and of that
degree of intelligence which qualified him to enjoy the wit
and talents of others, without suffering a sense of infe-
riority. Among those at table were C******* and ll***
names well known in the circles of Devonshire House;
Sir Is**** F*******, who struck me at first sight by his
penetrating physiognomy, and who was even then sus-
pected of being the author of that most brilliant of all
libels, Junius ; W******, then in the flower of life, and
whose subtlety and whim might be seen in the fine fore-
head and volatile eyes ; some others, whose names I did
not know, and among them one of low stature, but of sin-
gularly animated features. He was evidently a military
man, and of the sister isle, a prime favourite with the
prince and every body ; and I think a secretary in the
prince's household. He had just returned from Paris ;
and as French news was then the universal topic, be took
an ample share in the conversation.—Marston, or Memoirs
of a Statesman, in Blackwood's Magazine.