The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-11-23
Correspondence of the Republic.
BosroN, November 20, 1919.

IL is curious fact that among the other ''notions'
which find nurture and encouragement in our in
dulgent SOIL the old exploded science of astroogy
has taken root in the prosperous establishment and
spread" of one Mr.. Lister Professor of the Astro-
logical art. An Englishman by birth, and the son
of astrologer, after counting fortune in several
of our American cities, he at last fixed himself in
Boston, and here his genius finds full scope and
liberal reward. Among his daily visiters are many
from the wealthy and intelligent classes, some OF
whom go from mere curiosity, others from half
way credulty, and others from full faith in his
powers OF divnaton, with the aid of his astronomi-
cal and arithmetical processes. The bulk of his
customers are, believe, however, from the igno-
rant, or those who seem to have n natural pro-
clivity TO being duped. At any rate Mr. Lister is
driving capital business astrologer and sup
ports handsome establishment from the proceeds
of his horoscopes.
And why not astrology well other ologies not
half so rationale Does it not require, for example,
bigger bump of marvellousness to stand some OF
the Unions political gaggery, than to believe that
the planets, which smiled or frowned on our ma
tivity, influence our fate through life Is it not
easier to believe that Professor Lister can cypher out
destinies from the stars, than that President Tay
lors Cabinet are the representatives of party seek
ing to transform our republic into monarchy
Does astrology demand larger amount of credu-
lily than Locofocosm? Not at all
Dr. Lister has recently cast the horoscope of DR..
Coolidge, the Maine murderer, (supposed to have
| been hung and he pronounced him alive in the
flesh beyond all pcradventure AS if to counte-
nance this assertion, the editor of the american
Union OF this city, "a gentleman far above the sus-
picion of fraud says he has received a letter,
written by former resident of Maine, dated
"Short Bar, thirty miles from Columa, September
3D. in which he finds the following extraordinary
paragraph:
yesterday morning, there came up here three
strangers from Sacramento city, one Of whom !
recognised as the notorious DIR. Valorous p. Coo
Hdge, formerly of Waterville, Me-, the alleged
murderer of Edward Matthews, Could be mis-
taken? How came he heres Has he escaped hang
ing? l knew Coolidge well, at Waterville-andi if
this is not him, then never the man. His
beard very thin and scattered over his thin
narrow face, but it had grown out two or three
inches in length. He passed here by the name of
Wilkes, or Wilkins. His eye could not mistake.
He appeared well but in no other way altered save
that he was meanly dressed, and looked little
harder than usual. told my belief to W., and the
next morning Coolidge was gone. Where he has
wandered cannot guess-but feel sure that it was
him. If you ever write, tell me what this can
mean. Or am deceived"'
LOWELL LECTURES.
The lectures before the Lowell Institute of this
city, the present season. to be by Professor Har
vey, botanist, of Trinity College, Dublin; Alonzo
Potter, bishop of the diocese of Pennsylvania Pro-
fessor Edward Lassell of Williams College; George
It. Curtis, lawyer of Boston; and Professor F. w.
Johnston, the distinguished chemist of England.
MALcoNTENT cALIFoRNIANs.
Letters from New England immigrants in Cali
fornia continue to appear in all our daily and
weekly newspapers. In the aggregate they are
decidedly unfavorable. They represent the disap-
pointment of adventures as very great. The pub
lshed accounts of success at the mines are said to
be greatly exaggerated, and written by persons
who are interested in keeping up the excitement
Hundreds coming home, and hundreds, who
remain, do 30 merely to acquire the means of re-
turning Occasionally, however, we have contra
dictory reports. For instance Bangor. man
writes: "Those who GO TO the mines, and work
steady and save their gold, arc the ones that make
the money. There is large number of young
men from the States gone TO the mines, who arc
no fit for it than old tpomen are TO go into
the logging s,oanp. Such get discouraged, and tell
frightu stories" doubt not this is the true state
of the case. Lunlbermen and others, accustomed
to exposure, and fever and ague climates, can
doubtless do well if they temperate, ndustri-
Gus, and free from the besetting vices which life
so unrestrained tempts men to give way to-
LITERARY NOVELTIES.
Some conversation has been excited in our lite
rary circles by the appearance of the first number
Of Z" The Inedited Works of Lord Byron" profess
ing to be published in New York, and edited by
Major G. G. Byron, natural son Of the poet.
Whatever dispute there may be as to the propriety
of the publication, think there is intrinsic cv-
dence of genuineness in the documents and letters
that have thus far appeared. How they came into
the possession of Mr.. Byron is another question.
The book is elegantly printed, and is embellished
with engraved representation Of Thorwalsden s
statue of Lord Byron.
One of the most noteworthy works that have
issued from the Boston press during the week is a
volume Of Winckelman's History Of Art, trans
lated from the German, by Dr. G. II. Lodge, of this
city, and published in very elegant style. This
volume treats Of Greek art, and the appearance of
the work is a remarkable manifestation Of the pro-
gress Of taste for the higher processes and pro.
auctions Of art in this country.
The novel Of 4" Shirley" by Currcr Bell, author
Of Jane Eyre" is looked for with no little into
rest by our novel readers. The latest report in re-
gard TO this unaccountablc writer is that Currcr Bell
is real name, and the name Of lady so says a
correspondent Of tho Manchester (England) Guar