The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-12-29
Foreign Items.


Foreign Items.
Whilst a squabble is still raging in the |
French Academy of Sciences as to the right OF |
NJ Pasteur to his patent for improving wines by |
heating them to a certain degree another pro- |
phet turns up who recommends electricity. The |
new man was first awakened to the eminent !
services which may be rendered to Bacchus by |
the voltaic pile by having his own cellar broken
open by flash of lightning, which converted |
his inferior wines into valuable liquor. Elec- |
tricity applied to cask OF bad Moselle entirely |
changed its character, and experiments with
other wines, at least so DIR. Scoutetten assured
the Academy, had similar result. The doctor
explains for the benefit of persons anxious to |
try the operation that the wires of the voltaic |
pile should be tipped with platinum, to which
must be attached electrodes of the same metal
Dip both into the liquid and you will preclpitate
it, and produce premature age.
After full ten years labor Professor Hubner
has just issued, under the auspices of the Ber-
lin Academy of Sciences, the volume of the
"Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum' devoted to
Spain and Portugal This volume, in the com
piletion of which Professor Mommsen has had
no small share, comprises about 800 folio pages,
and does, indeed, form the first trustworthy
basis for the ancient history of the Peninsula.
It's value is further enhanced by two maps by
Kiepert wherein the latest results Of geOgra-
phical and historical investigations find due
recognition, while many n time-honored alb
surdity is quietly-and forever, we hope
thrown overheard. German thoroughness and
industry, combined with rare scholarship have
apparently not so utterly died out yet as we are
told sometimes
The director of French theatre, La Gazette
has introduced curious theatrical innovation.
In the "Bibliotheque lmperale" there exists an
interesting collection of engraVings representing
the actors and actresses of the last two centu-
ries in the costumes originally worn by them in
their respective parts, and the experiment has
now been made at the Gaite of restoring the ori-
lk,Nscn nf nIn nT
AndrOmdque, which is now given exactly as it
was performed before the Grand Monarque
The well-known dramatic critic, M. de Sarcey,
in q recent conference, strongly advocated the
propriety of this revival According to him
hero of Racines tragedies, while wearing the
costume as well as speaking the language OF the
French Court, is, though conventional, at
least a consistent type. His thoughts and eX-
pressionS are those of a French gentleman, in
spite of his Greek or Roman pseudonym; and
the polite and courtly phrases which he employs,
even under the most trying circumstances, must
always more or less shock the spectators sense
of the fitness of things when uttered by man
in o toga and sandals. There is, undoubtedly,
much truth in this view of the case; still 1t will
be difficult to reconcile oneself to Camilla curs-
ing Rome in hoop and patches, or to julius
Caesar expiring in wig and lace rutfles.
in the new number of Baily's Magazine
there is an article on the late Lord Derby as a
sportsman, from which we CLEAN some interest
ing traits. AS partridge shot he was, we are
assured, 'bad to beat" keeping his pointers in
the days of long stubbles and walking well after
them, but exchanging pointers for spaniels
when modern farming and closely shaven fields
came into fashion. Even when gout kept him
al home he took keen interest," If there were
guests with him, in each days sport. He
had the record of the bags brought to him after
dinner and read 1t out aloud, with running
commentary of pleasant banter. He was an ex-
cellent walker, and once made a journey on foot
from London to Knowsley, or at least to Liver
pool. 1t happened in this wise-Lady Derby
was in too delicate state of health to travel by
the usual means either of rail or road. Her hus
band therefore fitted mp barge for her accom-
mediation, and she was taken by canal, Lord
Derby himself walking the whole way along the
towing-path. After a time however, gout sadly
interfered with his pedestrian propensities. He
cherished the traditional devotion of his party
for good old port. Once wine merchant sen
him some Amontillado to try, with the recon
menda,Ion that if he drank nothing else hi
would never be troubled with the gout. ~ have
tasted Your sherry" wrote Lord Derby in reply
''and prefer the gout."
An English paper says:-The Gcumenics
Council would do us a service if they would pro
pound and answer the question, "Why is it tina
christianity And civilization have failed to giv
us the mannels of gentlemen 2" On reading tn
account of they inauguration of the Suez Cana
by the Times correspondent, it is impossible no
to be struck with the superiority of the Ara
over the EngishInan in this respect. We rea
that the Arabs make way for stranger wit
promptness and courtesy, never stare or aftec
the ill-Dred ease, or lndulge IN tne Vulga
chatting of far better dressed mobs in land
nearer home. On the other hand, we read o
the ridiculous and unreasonable grumbling O
the Christian guests of the Viceroy and of
gentleman demanding an audience Of his High
ness for the purpose OF complaining that he ha
been put to sleep in doube-bedded room. Thi
is not as it should be. Good as the manners c
the children of the desert are, should b
as superior to theirs our relative pos
tion in the great society of nations. Gu
very vestrymen should by rights be more grace
full, more courteous, more composed than th
mast highly cultivated among these worshppel
of the Prophet; then why is it that England ha
so often to blush for the conduct of her chi
dren, who behave not only at home, but abroad
as though tact and good taste form no part of
Christians outfit? They are always standin
upon what they conceive to be their right
utterly forgetting that even II they have an
rights, self denial is one of the first duties of
civilized being, and by occasionally waiVin
their rights they will inspire far more respe
than by attempting to obtain them by bluste
which makes them either odious or contempt
BILE. Perhaps the secret lies in our eating al
drinking SO much; if we exercised a little mo
self-denial in our appetites, we might brlr
that virtue to bear upon our general behaVio
IT, in return for the missions the faithful send
such numbers to the inhdel, the latter won
send us few missionaries TO teach us goo
manners we should be under an obligation