Worcester daily spy., 1871-08-15
Gb nap spg a0lurtcsr, GuesOap Mumng Sugust l5 1871

| that of his personal appearance ana his house
and furniture
Amongst the various fantastic fashions for
ladies' dresses, Dolly Vardens have received less
notice than they deserve. They have been worn to
some extent in England for carriage and walk
ing dresses, and a few have been seen at our
fashionable watering places. They are very
much like the dresses worn by our great grand
mothers, but of palmer material. The under
skirt is short, of dark satin, quilted in a pat
| tern: the overdress is of cretonpe 1.-THE large
figured kind made for furniture covering) with
high neck waist, and skirt looped up all
round in very full puffs; becoming style of
dress for young, fresh, slight girl, but if all
ages and sizes adopt it, as they do other new
fashions, what astonishing objects we shall meet
on the street by and byI
BenOni Blake, N, d., stands by itself in the
crowd Of novels that are pressed upon public
attention. 1t is the quietest of Scotch stories,
and loving analysis of the character of the
hero. 1t is well written, and shows what
mighty power religion is among the Scotch, and
how it is wrought into the daily thoughts and
lives of the young men and women, holding even
their most ardent passions in its control. 1t is
strangely unlike other recent novels in its pur-
ty and its morality, and in its belief in the salts
faction that is to be found in a useful, loving,
obscure life, even when the man who lives this
life has great power and rare gifts, and has de-
liberately turned aside from the paths of ambi-
tion and probable fame, that he might make
Others happy. 1t is sweet sound story, and
very charming besides.
Mr.. William Bassett Walker has just publish
ed book in London, New York, Calcutta,
Bombay and Melbourne, called Cyclicdl Deluges.
1t contains new theory on the true geological
formation of carboniferous mineral, and gives
definite information in regard to past and future
deluges. Noah's food was disruption of the
northern sea to the south pole, leaving the land
Of the northern continent dry, and submerging
the southern. In about sixty-three centuries
there will be food in the opposite direction,
and the southern oceans will take repossession
of their former beds. They "will be suddenly
poured across the equator and submerge the
northern hemisphere; the high grounds rising
above the level of the southern ocean will form
the archipelago of new Polynesia. Australia,
by the Great Barrier Reef being laid
dry, will be Joined to New Guinea,
and thus acquire new eastern sea
board twelve thousand miles long, between
which and the present Australian coast will be
a wide valley, now the navigable channel for
ships bound northwards, which would soon be
covered with cOcoa-nut, palms, and other beau
tiful fora of the southern hemisphere; whilst
the greater part of England, Scotland
and Ireland will become what they
were before the last catastrophe. Un-
known continents will emerge from the
ocean-abyss of the south The Pacific islands
will become huge mountains, raising their sum-
mits TO the clouds, soon to be covered with
eternal snow'-that is, eternal until the next
oceanic revolution"
Well, there is nothing like definite knowledgel
Yet while perfectly confident about the fact of
the deuge, and about the details of its effects,
Mr.. Walker is not so sure about the time. He
afterwards qualities his period of 6S centuries,
by doubt whether the terrible change may not
be precipitated by some Imminent igneous
agency"