The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-03-20
Morning Star and Catholic Messenger.
NEW ORLEANS. SUNDAY. MARCH co. ls7v.
EXCERPTS.

fOnnd favor in the West, it was for some time
kOe, by his dissertation upon it's virtues, con-
tributed- not little to it's popularity among
his countrymen-the Dutch patronage of it
being, however, matter of calculation as we'll
as relsh-for Holland enjoyed an exclusive
commerce with Japan ut that time as regards
the favored herb; accordingly. the States
warded Bontekpe handsomely for his treatise
OF him and his adhercnts, Cabanis remarks
that they as much overrated the virtues oftea
rs the modern authorities have, he thinks, ex-
Cabanis, tea does not work the miracles that
were ascribed to it at its introduction by adj
mrers sincere affected; but neither docs it
produce all the ill consequences that have been
laid to its charge. Like warm water, tea
weakens the stomach, and consequently the
nervous system also, which shares rapidly
with the Impressions received by that organ
but then again the astringent eXtractive mat
ter which is strongly concentrated in it, con-
siderably modifes this effect. In countries
where the use Of it II general, we do not find
being equal, healthier than the rest. 1t would
appear that, in addition to the astringent mat
ter and the aromatic principle combined in
it's leaf, tea contains also some narcotic OF
sedative particles; and it is perhaps account
of this threefold combination that it acts
direct on some persons with tranquilizing eff
feet, while in others it produces agitated
anxious feelings precisely corresponding with
those which frequently result the of
OPIUM" The antagonists of tea denounced it
first as o poison and then as an extravagance.
As one of its modern apologists reminds us,
Goblet was furious against it and an Edn-
burgh Reviewer. when George Nv. was King,
was intolerant of it's nroads among the poor.
eve venture to assert that, when laborer
fancies himself refreshed with mess of this
stint, sweetened by the coarsest black sugar,
and with azureblue milk, it is only the warmth
of the water which soothes him for the mo-
ment; unless, perhaps the sweetness may be
palatable also" One by whom the Edinburgh
later, points out the danger of even quarterly
oracles venturing to assert" and cites Liebig
to the rescue-whicb renowned chemist de-
monstrates " that coffee and tea have become
necessaries of life to all nations, by the presence
of and the same substance in both
vegetables, which has peculiar effect upon
the animal system; that they were both
originally met with among nations whose diet
Is chiefly vegetable; and, by contributing to
the formation of bile their peculiar functions
have become substitute for animal food to a
large class of the population whose consump-
ton of meat is very limited and to another
large class who are unable to take regular ex-
ercise" Whoever the Edinburgh Reviewer
who ventnred to assertn may have been, it
could not have been its prime editor and
pretty constant contributor, Sydney Smith,
unless indeed, his taste underwent radical
change for we overheard him exclaimlng, as
he JOINS the ladies in the drawing. room, and
sits down to the tea-table Thank God for
tea! What would the world do9 how did it
existT l am glad was not born before tea. l
can drink any quantity when have not tasted
wine; otherwise am haunted by blue devils
by day, and dragons by night" Columns Ne,c
Hamming Birds.-Of humming birds, there
have been noted four, hundred Species all kept
perfectly distinct-not even Thy brid individual
to be found among them. The species vary
ornament. Some have long bills to explore
deep-avenued hectares, some short, for the
short-necked varieties, and for piercing the
base of the corolla when the ordinary passage
is too long. Some have beaks hooked DOWN
wards for insertion between the bark of palms
in quest of insects. Some have the bend up
arlo fNr wi, k,r.>u e
flowers. No humming birds are found out of
America and no other variety of the feathered
tribes use the same food or exhibit the same
habits of life. Those who have made them
peculiar study do not ascribe q common orig.n
TO the species. There was separate creation
for each, OF an extraordinary birth of pair of
birds differing in many respects from their
parents This, in fact would be equivalent to
separate creation.
ancient Manusc,ipts-Our forcfathers in the
middle ages claim our gratitude for the care
records of ancient wisdom, learning and art.
Instances are record, however, in which
valuable manuscripts were lost completely, or
saved only by mere chance and these are
painfully suggestive of numbers of priceless
parchments that may have fallen victims to the
Philistinisn, of the dark ages. There is, says
the tutor of a Marquis di Rouviile, having sent
to Saumur for some rackets, found upon the
parchment composing them the title of the
eighth, tenth and eleventh decades Of Livy;
on applying to the racket-maker, the latter
stated that pile of parchment volumes, some
of which contained the history of Livy, had
been procured from the Abbess of Fontevrault
and that out of these he had made a very
great number of rackets. And it is q we'll
known fact that Sir Robert Cotton rescued the
original Magma Charta from the hands of a
tailor, who was on the point of cutting it up
for measures.
Notre Dame de Paris.-This is beyond question
the most historic structure in Europe, before
which even the Tower of London pales into
comparative insignificance. From the time of
Pepin down to that of the first Revolution
there has been scarcely event in French
history that has not been identical with it, SO
much so that it has been the place where very
many OF the romance writers of our time found
sanctuary for their fiction, and drew from its
records some of the most startling incidents in
medieval times, and in the great events which
marked the close and the opening of the present
century. In fact the history of Notre Dame de
Paris Is to very great extent the history of
Europe for nearly thousand years. 1t is
closely associated with Charlemagne, Clovis
Pepin, Capet and all his descendant Bourbons
down to Bonaparte then two other Bourbons
then the son of Philip Egalite, and the present
Bonaparte, and it is by no means improb able
that in its perfectly restored state it will be
destined to gee out many dynasties.
Frederick the Gredt.-A corporal of the life
guards of Frederick the Great, who had a great
deal of vanity, but at the same time was q
brave fellow, wore a watch chain, to which he
affixed q musket-ball, instead of a watch
which he was unable to buy. The King, being
inclined one day to rally him, said " Apyopos
corporal, you must have been very frugal to
buy watch 1t it six o'clock by mine, tell me
what TITS by yours" The soldier, who guessed
the Kings intention, instantly drew the bullet
nd Gntl ,A~I.. al.