The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-12-11 00:00:00

DR. THORBURf4'4 LECTURE ON BOTANY.

(in Wednesday evening Dr. Thorburn—at the request of the
committee—delivered in the large lecture-room Of the Royal
Inititution, to the members of the literary,` scientific, and com-
mercial institution, the first of a course of lectures "On the
Ohjecti, AdYantages, and Pleasures derivable front a know-
ledge o Botany, with some of its applications to the arts,
sciences, and purposes of life." A numerous and itighq, re-
spectable assemblage of visitors and members of the Royal
Institution, in addition to the subscribers to the St. Anne-
street institution were ptesent.
Dr. Thorburn first drew the attention of his audience to the
necessity for observing a general plan in the exposition of the
various and complicated subjects, which the philosophy of
botany, in the extended acceptation of the term, embraced.
He next gave reasons for describing rather than prematurely
attempting to define the ideas and scope of the term "Botany;"
and successfully showed by his illustrations how limited were
the notions entertained of the nature of a science whose rela-
tioni are in reality boundless. The progress of scientific botany,
from its infancy in Egypt,—Pythagoras's volumes upon plants,
&c. Ste. were traced and adverted to, and the views of one of
Aristotle's pupils—Theophrastes,' the divine s4ieaker;-4ere
compared with those entertained by one of the most modern
and able of British botanists. The essential agreement of those
views was striking, and the more deserving of remark, inasmuch
as the true objects of the science were appreciated fully two
thousand years before the birth of Christ.
The lecturer then explained the value of sound botanical
theory in guiding colonists in their enterprises. After a series
of practical examples of the recent applications of vegetable
physiology in advancing the progress of agriculture and coin-
fierce, the lecture was concluded by an interesting account of
the enterprise of the celebrated engineer Bremontier in teclaim-
ing from sterility the shifting sand-hills along the sea coasts, by
planting vegetables having peculiar roots, duly availed of for
the purpose in view. The results of Bremontier's plan has
proved so successful as to have supplied the materials for an ex-
tensive manufacture of rssin and tar.

The applications of the philosophy of vegetable physiology to
other sciences, and to the practical purposes of life, were pointed
out' during the evening in a most satisfactory manner. Dr.
Thdrburn's lecture was listened to with matlted attention. This
must have been as gratifying to himself as to the comMitie of
'the" institution:

We regret to have to announce the death of the Honourable
Chas. _Robert-Lindsay, of the Bengal • civil service, second son
of the late Earl of Baleactas. He dted at Singapore on the 4th
July'last.

MY DAUGHTER'S BOOK.—One of the most valuable little
presents which can be made at this season of the year is a hand-
somely got up publication, which has already gone through three
editions, called .I.y Daughter's Bouk. We refer our readers for
further particulars to an advertisement of this publication in our
paper of to-day, by which they will perceive, that it is highly
recommended by a respectable portion of the press.
CONSERVATIVE LECTURE.-011 Wednesday evening Mr.
Lloyd, according to previous announcement, delivered a lecture,
on conservative principles in the large room at the Golden Lion.
Shortly after seven o'clock, the tune announced for the coin-
meneement of the lecture, there were in the room from 100 to
200 gentlemen. Mr. Lloyd, on entering, was received with
loud cheering.
THE IRISH CLERGY.—A meeting was held
.at Whitchnrch,
Salop, on Thursday last, for the relief of the distressed Irish
clergy, Lord Combermere in the chair. The sum of £291 was
collected in the course of the flay.
CAUTION TO PUIILICANS AND BEER-SHOP KEEPERS.—Three
men are going about the outskirts of the town, committing va-
rious depredat►ons at the beer-shops and public-houses. They
paid a visit to Mrs. Dewley, at the Jawbone, Bootle, on Wed-
nesday evening; and while two of them engaged the landlady
in conversatiou, the other contrived tii find his way up stairs,
and snake preparations for a removal of everything portable.—
One is a tall man, with light-coloured hair; the other two are
sharp set—one has bushy black whiskers, and is about 30 years
of age.
AccroENr BY FlRE.—Early on Sunday morning, the inhabi-
tants of a lodging-house, in Preston-street, were awoke by the,
screams of a negro girl, whose clothes had accidentally caught'
fire. Buckets of water were thrown upon her, but the whole.of
her clothes were reduced to tinder before the flames were ex-
tinguished. She was immediately conveyed to the Northern
Hospital, where she still continues in a very dangerous state.—
Her legs, arms, and body were dreadfully scorched. It appears
she was sitting by the fire, having no bed to go to.

DETAINING SAILOR'S CLOTHES.—Yesterday, before the
Mayor, Anson charged Isaac Tennison, the person with
whom he had been lodging, with refusing to give him up his
clothes. He acknowledged owing his landlord a balance of 12s.
for lodgings, which he had offered to pay if he would give him
up his clothes, but which had been refused. Tennison put in a
bill for £3 125., in which he charged for seven weeks nursing at
a Shilling a day. Anson said he had tendered the money, 125.,
provided his landlord would give him his clothes, and had paid
all just demands against him. This had been refused till he
would pay the bill put into court, which he knew nothing about,
and he "brought defendant up" in order to compel him to
"bear a hand" its " discharging ' his clothes. The Mayor said
he doubted whether they could interfere, the debt not . being .a
"pretended debt." Complainant had admitted that he owed
something for-his lodgings, and therefore the case did not come
within the words of the act "pretended debt," and they must
settle it between them. His, worship, however, went into the
particulars of the bill, when it appeared, as well as it could be
gathered from the: conflicting statements, that Anson had al-
ready paid more than waS'due. The case was adjourned in or-
der to allow each party time to produce their bills and receipts.
BALL AT WARRINGTON.—The attendance at the ball given
its Warrington last -ivetl4-lOr the-henefirof-the Dispensary' and
Infirmary, was both numerous and fashionable; nearly three
hundred persons were present. Amongst the company, we ob-
served Lord de Tablev, the Hon. Mr. and Mrs. Talbot, Sir
John and Lady Gerard, Sir Richard and Miss Brooke. Sir H.
Mainwaring, Sohn Ireland Blackburne, Esq., M.P., Mrs. and
Miss Blackburue, Mrs. and Miss Trafford, J. H. Leigh, Esq.,
and Mrs. J, fl. Leigh, Mrs. Corbett, H. A. W.-Aston, Esq.,
George Eaton, Esq., Egerton Leigh, Esq., Miss Leigh, Rev.
T. Blackburne, Rev. Peter Legh, Rev. R. E. Warburton, Mrs.
Egerton Warburton, Miss. E. Stanley, Miss Dixon, Major
Pratt and other officers of the 17th Liiiicers, James Stanton,
Esq , Thomas Lyon, Esq., Mrs. Lyon, William Peel, Esq.,
John Fitchett, Esq., Joseph Wagstaff, Esq., Mrs. Wagstaff,
John Clare, Esq., A. Peel, Esq., —. Davidson, Esq., —.
Woodcock, Esq., Halliburton, Esq., Dr. Kendricks, Mrs.
and Miss Kendricks, Josheph Stubs, Esq , Mrs. Stubs,. P.
Nicholson, Esq., &c. &c. Several other families were un-
avoidably prevented from partaking of the festivities of.the
evening through the lamented death of Sir Henry Hoghton.
Dancing was kept up to a late hour.-

DEATH OF LORD VERNON.—This nobleman died at Gibral-
tar on the 18th ult., in which garrison he had settied Lady
Vernon for the winter in consequence of the delicate state of
her health. His lordship's death was occasioned by a sudden
attack of dysentery. Lord Vernon is in his 56th year, and is
succeeded in his titles by his son, the Hon. George John, now
Lord Vernon. A. Portsmouth paper states that the Harlequin
yacht had arrived here with the remains of Lord Vernon on,
board last week. The Harlequin has not yet arrived, but is
expected every day.

' SIRTRANCIS BCRDETT AND THE WESTMINSTER RADICALS.
—A, great meeting of the Westminster radicals took place on
Tuesday evening, at the British Coffee House, Cockspur street,
Charing-cross, to take into consideration the letter of Sir F.
Burdett to the committee of‘Eirookes's Club•house, and to con-
sider the expediency of inviting 'Mr. O'Con.rie4to stand for that
city in the room of Sir Francis, who it was ejected would re-
sign whenever requested by his enlightened constituents so to
do. At half-past seven o'clock there were ten electors and
seven reporters present. At eight, with about forty electors as-
sembled, the business commenced. A Mr. Prout thought that
Sir Francis had written the letter for the purpose of breaking up
the ministerial majority in the House of Commons. Resolu-
tions condemnatory of the conduct of the Hon. Baronet were
passed by the enlightened forty, who, of comae, are " The
Electors of Westminster.",

ORGANIZED BANDS OF ROBBERS.-It is stated in a London
Morning Paper, that Farnham, Salisbury, Devizes, Basing-
stoke, and other large towns in the south of England, are in-,
Tested with orgaeized gangs of thieves, who not only corninit:
nightly depredations upon the inhabitants, but have :also com-
mitted highway robberies to a considerable number and of
alarming extent.
GREECE.—The French ministerial journals continue to ac-.
cuse Russia of fomenting the troubles in Greece. They insinu-
ate that England and France are seriously meditating an ex—
pedition to maintain the authority of the Bavarian prince.

THE LATE CALAMITY AT GREENOCK .—Sir James Shaw.
Bart. Chamberlain of the city of London, has remitted a bank.
post-bill for twenty pounds to Provost Nlacfie, of Greenock, for
the relief of the sufferers from the late afflicting accident which
occurred in that town. Hugh Matthie, Esq., of this town has
remitted ten pounds to the same gentleman fur the same pur-
pose, aid William Lindsay, Esq., fifty pounds collected in Li-
verpool on the 27th and 28th ult. ,
, Tut?. ST. JAMES'S TM EATRE.—A new Theatre, bearing this
,designation, has been erected in the almost incredible short
space of thirteen weeks, on the site of Nerot's Hotel, ring-
street, St. James's-square, London, and will be opened in a
few days. Mr. Braharn having obtained a licence from the
King, purchased the freehold ground on which the Theatre
stands at an expense of eight thousand pounds. This specula-
tion would argue a total change in Brahmin's opinions respect-
ing theatrical property. When on his examination before a
committee of the House of Commons, on the state of the Drama,
he said, in answer to the question " Are you the proprietor of
arty theatre?"—"No, Sir; I thank God, no part of my pro-
perty is invested in any theatre, and I intend that it never shall
be so invested." Theatres are now almost as numerous as gin
palaces in London. Whether they stand in the relationto each
other of cause and effect, and their effects acting in combina-
tion upon the morals of the people are questions that the guar-
dians of public morals may do well to take into consideration.
AN AR A N ANECDOTE.—God gave a king a son, who was
extremely cunning. 'l'he king placed him under a tutor, to
learn knowledge. The child said to his preceptor, "My dear
master,.l see no end.to study; life itself is not long enough to
ac'..iire all the sciences; teach me one that can be speedily ac-
quired, and which will afford me happiness in this world and in
the next." "Then practise silence,.' said the tutor. The
youth from this moment became mute. His father was in
great distress. Supposing the taciturnity of his son to he the
effect of disease, he had recourse to physicians and enchanters;
all was in vain. The king one day went out hunting, and took
his ton with him. A heath-cock uttered a cry, and was taken.
"If this bird had been mute," observed the prince, "he would
not have been caught." Some one told the king his sot had
spoken. The king sent for his som..but could not gei.a word
from him. The king was wroth, and beat his son; whereupon
the latter exclaimed, " My master bad good ream to inculcate
silence ; if I had held my peace I should hate escaped these
blows. The prophet was right in saying; He that holds his
tongue is safe.' "—Asiatic Journal.
POPUL A TION OF NEW YORK.—In 1830, 202.589; in 1835,
26-1,0(X). Increase in five years, -61,411, or 12,282 per year, for
whom, allowing 12 persons to a family, it requires 1,023 new
houses to be built every year, the quarter part of which are
always wanted for moderate and for low rents. —Journal of Cam-
.
merce.

WEBER .AND LAnt,AcnE.—tablache was originally a double
bass plaNer, and, by the accident of a celebrated singer's sud-
den indisposition, was induced to attempt a character. Of
course his success rendered his return to the orchestra unad-

vi;ahle. When Weber first heard him sing, he said, alluding
to his immense power, " Mein God! he is a double bass still.'
—Records a Sage Veteran.—New Monthly Magazine.

.0
- 3_ A

CAk OF GOOD HOPE.

Papers tare been received on Wednesday ifternoon front
the Cape of Goof Hope to the 4th Octoher.. They cornmuni4
erste, intelligence of some moment, peace having been concluded
between his excellency the lieutenant-governor and
,the Caffree
chiefs, who, 'without, exception, . have irreid. to terms. The
treaty Was signed on the 17th September last; at 'Fort Wilt. -
shire. It consists of thirteen articles, in the first of which the
chiefs and representatives of the.diderent tribes bind them.
selves to bear true . allegiance, .and be, good. subjects of his
majesty. and to treat Isis enemies. as their eneMies..
By art.. 2, the chiefs,, their tribes, and farnilies, sigree to be.
come amenable to the British colonies,• laws,., and to their
penalties, , even to those punished with death, and that such'
penalties shall he equally incurred if committed by any of the
members .of the tribes or families against each other. The'
Fingee nation are also to be regarded as, fellow subjects of
England.. All. proceedings against the :nretended crime of
witehcraft are peremptorily; forbidden by th; laws.
By art. 3, the chiefs engage to send immediate orders for the
recall of the depredators in the colony.
By art. 4, they engage to deliver up all their muskets in their
possession.
By art. 5, the governor promises to. afford all the chiefs and
tribes protection fur the support and maintenance of their rights
and property.
By art. 6, the governor ,agrees to allow locations of land to
the various tribes, the etteut to be determined by commis-
sioners, and states the tracts so to be given.
Art. 7 states that each chief, in token of fealty, shlrcleliver
to officers duly appointed on behalf of his majesty, one fat ox
yearly, or, in failure thereof, forfeit his lands, unless granted
anew .by the governor.
Art. 8 states that ministers of the gospel, schoolmasters, and,
when necessary, English magistrates will be appointed within
the above locations, and the chiefs and heads of families are to
act as magistrates when so required by the governor, each in
his location.

Art., 9, states that the chiefs and, others shalt not fail to,mako
kboicn 0,0 danger they may be aware threateuslbe
,ccilotiy.
Art. 10 states the chiefs awl others must, so far as they can,
prevent depredations against cattle, &C.
Art. 11 appoints she commissions for dividing the lands among
the various families.

Art. 12 states that when the arrangements are complete, et
agent will be appointed to reside on or near the location, with
whom the chiefs may communicate.. J. t
Art. 13 states that, until the governor shall deem it sate eta
beueticial, none of the new subjects can be allowed to cross the
Chuznie or the Keikanuna river below its confluence with the
former, or by any other wav to enter the old colonial border
without a pass front one of the commissioners, on pain of being
shot.' -

The ratification of the treaty appears to have given great
satisfactruo.

. •
THE UNITED STATES AND FRANCE:—We have just seen a
letter from a highly respectable gentleman, win, had very re-
cently some conversation with the President of the trnited
States, in which he informs his correspondent here that Gene-
ral Jackson expressed himself very strongly on.the subject of
the difference between France and America;, andthat, if no-
thing more satisfactory be, received from France in the interim,
the President's Messdft'e will be a " fiery one." But, he add:,
the making of war does not rrst with him ; and from all that he
can-learn the Senate will pursue a prudent course, and not suf.'
fer the Union to be involved in a dispute Wit would he so dins.;
trous. The gentleman referred to, and who has the best access
to information, has no idea that there Will be any war, though
the affair, as it stands, is a check to foreign commerce, which
may continue till after Congress meets, when it will be taken up
and disposed of in some way.—Oiuricr,

Berri.Es.—lt is sotnewhai extraordinary that the legislature
in enacting laws relative to weights and measures should have
excluded any particular size for bottles. The public are daily
defrauded, and that to a considerable extent, by wine and other
liquors being sold in picked bottles, six ti) the gallon imperial
measure. A respectable housekeeper, the other day, purchased
a gallon of spirits, which was sent home to him in six bottles.
The bottles were emptied in one gallon, imperial measure, and
a deficiency of one pint was discovered. This species of fraud
and loss will he practised until a legislative enactment be passed,
enforcing bottles of every description to be in uniformity with
other standard measures.

THE WEATHER.—It is curious that while the wenifiericrin-
tinues so mild, perhaps unseasonably mild here, great com-
plaints are made of its severity in those places abroad which
have acquired a celebrity for their bland temperature. In Italy,
so severe is the cold that the people say their climate must
have been changed; In Paris the cold has been intense; arid
upon the Rhine, where, during the " season," an unclouded
sky is generally observed, no inconsiderable degree of Inconve-
nience appears to be felt from the weather. its ettetiordinnry
severity is noticed in accounts from Drarnstadt ; and at Cob-.
lentz the number of wolves is complained of. They are said to,
perambulate the fields unmolested in broad day-light, and it is
very lucky that the city has walls, otherwise they.wo-uld certain- ,
ly ravage it. No doubt it will come to us in our turn.
SUBSTITUTE FOR STEAM,—Mr. Galt hai addyesseda letter to
the Greenock Advertiser on the subject of his discovery, in which
he deprecates comments nn that part of his discovery which he
considers "best in the first instance to coMmunicate." Mr.
Galt thinks the discovery the most important that has seen
made in hydrostatic science, and an nnmeaiureable means of
application. " I will develope it," says Mr. Galt, "so that
every one may as easily try it as boil a kettle; for, like all trutbs,
it is very plain, and. rests on a law of nature as simple as attrac-
tion. It is indeed a seeming cause of it, and may he essential
to it. I only beg a short tune's indulgence till I collect may evi-
dence together." .

ICE WINDOWS.—Sit John Ross, in. the appendix to his Work
on the Arctic regions. describes the following ingenious contriv-
ance among the Esquimaux to obtain windows to their snow
huts. " Fur this purpose (says he) a seal-skin is laid on the
snow, so managed at the edges that it may contain two inches of
water in depth, procured by thawing snow before the lamp.
This is immediately frozen into a transparent plate; and such,
I presume, is the esteemed value of the fuel used for this pur-
pose, that these windows are always removed and carried with
them in their migrations."

AMERICAN ORATORS.—In peeping in upon the proceedings
of retired courts of justice, or listening 'to the harangues deli-
vered right and-Jett for political purposes by the public men of
the United States, whether in the stump or in • the senatei-the
Englishman cannot but be struck with the general diffusion of
throughout the United States of that gift usually called • the
gift of the. gab." • Nothing can be more provoking thaq the
fluence of the country •lawyers, in spite of theirtshabbytt!dat4
and to one who Would be inclined to consider quantity tathee
than quality, their unhesitating delivery, command of language.
and long-windedness, might indeed be a subject of envy. But
a little attention will show him that sound and sense are not al-
ways companions. Me will detect, innutnerable expletives;
Sentences without legitimate beginning or end ; deductions from
nothing; big words meaning little, and •out of place, leading to'
the most astounding examples of pathos; digressions without
end; and, after all, that to extract sense and- facts from that
wholesale production of words, he must patiently sit down, like.
a searcher after.gold-dust. and sift budiel after bushel of sand to
find the ore.. lid will dud even in the style of eloquence in
vogue among the majority of the niembers of the supreme courts
of the country. the same sacrifice of dignity and simplicity evi-
dent.— Latrobe's Rambler in North Attirried

The late Sir James Mackintosh. in one of his letters rime
Bombay, 'mentions the arrival of a Persian Ambassador, who,
" among other remarkable pieces of state, was attended by foiir
hanginen, with their axes on their shoulders, on his visit of ce-
remony to the Governor, and on his ieceiiifig the.latter at his
house.'
INDIAN NoRsEMANSHIP.—There is nothing upon which the
Indians pride themselves more than their horsemanship. • Al-
most living in the saddle, they are as much at ease when mount-
ed as When sitting upon the floor of their own lodge. Many e
time I have seen two or three urchins beset some unfortunate
horse while quietly dozing or ruminating upon the inairie.
After sundry coaxiugs and efforts, they .would succeed in
mounting upon its back, and then, without saddle or bridle, and
with .a whoop and yell that terrified the sttutliug steed iuto.
full gallop; they would scamper madly along, clinking to his
mane and to each other with a tenacity which would have asto-
nished any one but an Indian.—The junior Irriny's Indian
Sketches.

SAINT NICHOLAS'S DAY.—Sunclav last was St. Nicholas's
Day. Camden tells us that St. Nicholas was the patron of
scholars, " beying a learned bishop; but more particularly .of
schole boles, as he was remarkable for verie eailie pieties"
Chaucer:—
" But as', when I remember on thys matere,
Saynt Nicholas slant ever in ins presence.
For he to CHRIST so' dvd reverence."
On his day, in some cathedrals, a boy-bishop was chosen, who;
continued in office until Innocents' Day (Dec. 28.) Strvpesayi
that "the memory of St. Nicholas' was solemnised by a child,,
the better to remembere the holy man. The popish festival.
save ' that while he lay in his cradle he fasted Wednesday: and
Fridays, sucithog but once a-day on those days; and his meek -
nessand simplicity, the proper virtues of children. he maintained
from his childhood as long as he lived,' and therefore,' says'
the festival, 'children did him vorship before all othersaints.'"
A Rum Svonv.—Mr. Hunt, of North Cartilina, said at a tem-
perance meeting at New York some time since. that the lovers.
of rum are distinguished for inventing modes to dhtain it. In
illustration, he said, a man in Orange County, North Carolina,
came home with 41 keg of rutu, but was immediatelysiiinnioned,
to w.tend court as a juror, and lie was greatly puzzled to knOw
what to do with his runt, for his wife, beiug hn intemperate w-n-
man, would find it, though he should hide it. He 'finally lasbed
a strap round it, and suspended it from it beam above the good
wife's reach, and she being lame and infirm, wati•striiposed
un-
able to get at the rum. r-he sy,is gone she placed the sVaili-
ing-tub underneath, and tt.lf,k a gun loaded with a bullet, held
it underneath, and ptilled'ihe trigger. The ball pierced the
keg, and let down the contents into the tub. . '•,'
.
SQUINTING.—ChiIdrn, when they first begin' fri..perceive,••
always turn an%ieutily to the light--besides the agreeable sen-
sation, the 'tibia is strengthened by the action of rays.
Whenever, therefore, care is not taken so ai to place the in-
fant that the light may strike both eyes equally, one generally
becomes stronger than the other, and It is. not stillieienti):
known to parents and nurses, that one primary cause of " ocular
indecision" (as squinting has been sometimes styled) is an ine-
quality in the strength 9f the eyes.
--- • •

A LITVRATIY CURIOSITY.—TayIor, the water-poet, who lived
in the time or Charles the F4st;gave the fellow* line as re-ad.;
ing backwards and- forwardi the same
Lewd did live—evil 1 did owel."
•
And adds, " I will give aril man five shillings' fin' as Mane asi
he can make in English." We do not know that the prize 'wag
ever claimed.'

A recent hislOrian, alluding to the powerful effect of., Sheri-
dan's eloquence, sayi that he on one .occasion so delighted ind
electrified the House, that had he irrooediately gone up to the
speaker and pulled off his wig., they could not • have brought
thcinielies to testify any displeasure.
CeSURCH PsALsionv.—lt would be well if all our parochial
el/Caches would imitate the example tet in a portion of those in
this city, with respect to the performance of what ought to be
the most inspiriting and delightful pail of public worship, unit-
ing in the vocal Praises of God. The invitation of the clerk—
" Let as sing to the praise and glory of Ge,d"—is in the gene-
rality a merely empty form of words. The, congregation in--
deft'. stand up, but, as to joining in the Melody; that is no• part,
of their business, and the clerk is left to quaver unsupported
through a solo of five or six stantas,.Ontil that winch should
awaken the most sublime feelings nufortenately tau often
produces,jt ludicrous effect. What is it that gives to the dissent-,
Int* congregations its fulness of flow and its soul-euttortong
effect?—the united harmony of the congregation. Eut in,sonio
of those churches to which we allude, it en arcompanyingtulte
of praise, from any pew, should accidentally. thingte itself with
the clerk's feeble tenor, the congregation will turn round and
fix a look upon the poor vocalist, as much as to say, "1 wootiee'
. who that person is, who is so rulyor.as to sing." We are.glad
that in. some of our churches a better spirit prevails ; it is. to be
regretted, however, that it is not general:— nrk Cesitrcsvit.
SUSPENSION OP A FRENCH Con'EletAt.--•-The exectitiotter o
Orleans has been suspended from his functions for fifteen days,
in consequence of his awkwardness at the late esecotiva at
Blois.—The Natitittak (French paper.) •