The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-07-05

one O'clock This was in the spring of 1870,
which he said was the only sensible spring be
remembered, as it was a real March of intellect
This was not the year in which he said, "there
was never such summer; water selling at
threepence pint; my cows drink beer, my
horses ale"
The second volume contains a continuous
correspondence of the comical Canon with all
the Great Guns Of the day, male and female
The dissertation between him and Lady Morley,
as to the nonentity of Young Quakers and the
mysterious development of Bue-eoat boys into
adolescent Friends, is altogether remarkable
performance. Sydney, in continuation of pre-
vious epistles, says to her ladyShip:
"Pray, understand me rightly; ] do not give
the Blue-coat theory as an established fact, but
as highly probable conjecture. Look at the
circumstances. At very early age, young
Quakers disappear; at very early age, Coat
boys are seen; at the age of seventeen or eigh-
teen, young Quakers are again seen; atthe same
age, the Coat-boys disappear. Who has ever
heard of Coat-man? The thing is utterly Ia
known in natural history. Upon what other ev-
idence does the migration OF the grub into the
aurelia rest? After certain number Of days,
the grub is no more seen, and the aureiia hut-
tiers over his relics. That such prominent fact
should have escaped our nstUraESts is truly a.
tonishing. | had long suspected 1t, but was
afraid to come out with speculation so bold
and now mention it as protected and sanctioned
by you.
"Dissection would throw great light upon the
question, and if our friend -- would receive
two boys into his house about the time of their
changing their coats, great service would be
| rendered TO the cause. Our friend Lord Grey,
not remarkable for his attention TO natural his
| tory, was good deal struck with the novelty
] 1rrr. Il
| tanned that the young Bue-coat infants are fed
with drab-coored pap, which looks very suspi-
| cious. More hereafter on this interesting sub
ject. Where real science IS to be promoted, l
will make no apology to your ladyship for this
intrusion
To this the Countess, who seems to have been
! something of a wag herself, rejoins:
"Had l received your letter two days since,
| should have said that your arguments and
! theory were perfectly convincing, and that the
most obstinate skeptic must have yielded to
them but | have come across a person in that
interval who gives me information which puts
us all at sea again. That the Blue-coat boy
should be the larva Of the Quaker in great Brit
ain is possible, and even probable; bat We must
take wider view OF the question: and here, /
confess, ! am bewildered by doubts and Difficult
ties. The Bluecoat is an indigenous animal
not so the Quaker; and now be so good as to
give your whole mind to the facts have to COM
municate.
81 have seen aud talked much with Sir r.
Kerr Porter, on this interesting subject. He has
travelled over the whole habitable globe, and
has penetrated with scientific and scrutinizing
eye into regions hitherto unexplored by civilized
man and yet he has never seen a Quaker baby.
He has lived for years in Philadelphia 1.-THE ma
tonal nest for Quakers j he has roamed up and
down, broadways and lengthways, in every nook
and corner of Pennsylvania, and yet he never
saw Quaker baby; and, what is new and most
striking, never did he see Quaker lady in IA
situation which gave hope that Quaker baby
might be seen hereafter
This is a stunning fact, and involving the
question in such impenetrabe mystery as will,
| fear, defy even your sagacity, acuteness, and
industry, to elucidate. But let US not be checked
and cast down; truth is the end and object OF
our research. Let us not bate one iot of heart
and hope, but still bear up and steer our course
right onward"