Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-06-12

Il visionary o ffiy gears agos-A London
paper gives the following paragraph;
In the Life of Garrick by Thomas Davies, the
bookseller, who figures so frequently in BoswelPs
Johnson, published in 1880, the worthy man,
speaking of several plans which had been pro-
posed for the establishment OF a theatrical fund,
says" Various plans have been formed, some of
| Which have been reduced to practice, others were
nusatory or visionary. Mr.. Pritchard, an hon
est, GOOD natured man, the husband OF the great
actress, had laid out a scheme to relieve inhrm
players: but little hopes could be expected from
a protector who proposes to build a ship waich
,oould more on the wafer without either SAILS or
wind!!M!!r"
That which was considered as the greatest proof
of imbecility Of mind fifty years ago, within less
than 80 years was realized in a country which
at the aforementioned period was but an obscure
colony struggling into existence almost against
hope, when the odds in the contest are taken into
consideration. How would the writer be asto-
nished could he now witness the triumphs OF
steam in this country. and the immense changes
which have been introduced. and the benefits
which have followed, its adoption in Navigation,
IN every part of the world. When we reflect
upon them, we are almost induced to surrender
our better Judgment, and to put faith in some OF
the projects of the day in appearance most VI
sionary and Observation-Disclosures Georgian.
&segs3sn
Hereditary decent of Mental alents.-From
a number of facts. a few of which we shall select
for the purpose of illustration, it will appear re-
markably striking, that such an Inheritance Is
more generally derived from the maternal than
the %paternal side. In the examples to be adduced,
a selection has been made with a view to the diff
fcrent varieties of mental superiority, and the fol-
lowing comprebends philosophers, poets, histo-
rlans and orators:-
Lord Bacon.-His mother was daughter to
sir Anthony Cooke; she was skilled in many Ian
guages, and translated and wrote several works,
which displayed learning, %acutenes and taste.
Hume the historian mentions his mother, daueh-
ter of Sir u. Falconer, President of the College
of Justice, as a woman of ''sIngular merit and
who, although in the prime of life, devoted her
self entirely to his education.
Il. b. &eridn.-Mrs. Francis Sheridan was
a woman of considerable abilities. 1t was wri-
ting a pamphlet in his defence. that first intro
duced her to Mr.. Sheridan, afterwards her hus-
band. She also wrote a novel highly praised by
Johnson.
Schiller, the German Poet.-His mother was
an amiable wOman-she had a strong relish for
the beauties of nature and was passionately fond
of music and poetry. Schiller was her favorite
child.
HiRia,n Pih.-Son of the great Lord Chat
ham.
Gothic thus speaks of his parents:-I inherited
from my father a certain sort of eloquence, cal.
culated to enforce my doctrines to my auditors;
from my mother l derived the faculty of repre-
senting all that the imagination can conceive with
energy and vivacity."
Lord Erskine's mother was'a woman of superi.
or talent and discernment; by her advice her'son
betook himself to the bar.
Thompson the Poet.-Mrs. Thompson was a
woman of uncommon natural ~endowments, pos
sessed of every social and domestic virtue, with
a warmth and vivacity of imagination scarcely
inferior to her son.
Bocrhaare's mother acquired a knowledge of
medicine not often found in females.
Sir Walter ScoH.-His mother, Elizabeth,
daughter of d. Rutherford. w. s. was a woman
of great accomplishments and virtue. She had a
good taste for. and wrote poetry, which appeared
in print in 1889.
Great Pigeon Mooting-Mdryiand beaten By
! NeW York.-The American Turf Register con-
tains the following letter:
NEW YoRx, May 90, 1880.
Mr.. Edior.-Having read in your Register,
to which ! am a Subscriber, an account of a pi-
geon match, shat near Baltimore. as we'll as the
republication of the exploits in this way of the
famous Red House Club, | am induced to say
to YOU, we can here in the North las Southern
folks say do something in these matters as well
as our neighborS.
On the Dist last April, at me half way house,
(Rayner's) between Brooklyn and Jamaica, Long
Island, Mr.. Henry NJ. Boughton, won a wager
on which there was a considerable amount de-
pending, viz:-"That he whouid kill IS pigeons
out of 100 shots in 4 hours-tEe trap to be 1a
yards distant, and the birds to be picked up dead
within 60 yards" BY some error in measure
ment the trap was placed 1913 yards off, and &c
birds were killed within the bounds, before the
error was discovered. Of the 100 pigeons shot
at 90 were killed within the sixty yards-three
Others fell within the bounds, but subsequently
futtered out end there died-6 fell dead within
80 yards-and on one bird escaped, apparent
ly untouched, which occurred at the Sd or 4th
shot, if remember rightly. The gun used was
a double barrel, Wesley Richards-percussion
lenoth of barrel Oft. 6inches-caljbre 3-8 inches