, 1873-05-21

To THE EDITOR OF THE "ST, CRox AVIS"
Dear Sir;
Having enjoyed the privilege of attend
ing the series OF lectures recently delivered
in St, Johns School Room, permit me to
make some reference to them in your
columns. 1t is to be regretted that they
were not more numer0uslV attended.
Efforts like these are calculated to interest
and elevate the mind. The last three of
the course Were descriptive Of those beau
tltul objects, Astounding about us on the
and and In the sea, but SO often passed by
unnoticed and unknown. Studies in these
subjects afford innocent and instructive re-
taxation from the sterner duties of life,
They induce out door rambles by the sea-
side giving healthy and invig0rating exer-
else to the enervated frame. And disclos-
ing to US in their varied forms, purposes
and arrangements, the goodness, wisdom,
and power Of that Being, of whom it may
truly be said 90 Lord how manifold are
thy works, in wisdom hast thou made
them all the earth is full of thv riches so
is this great and wide sea wherein are things
creeping innumerable."
A brief sketch of the different lectures
may be of interest to those of your readers
who were not able to attend them.
The first was, as its title indicated, an
account and ventilation Of some of the
popular superstitions of the West Indies
Concerning births, sickness, death and
funerals birds, fishes and insects of i'll
omen-presents, dreams &C., sc. The
origin, and aOsurdity Of many of these curl
Gus beliefs were shown, but, as the lecturer
SAID, without much expectation of Destroy
ing them. The Second, on the travels of
DR.. Livingstone, described some of the
most prominent events, discoveries and adj
ventures of that celebrated travellers ear
lier journeys across the African Continent.
A subject in which great interest has lately
been excited by the report of the gallant
Stanley Of his being yet alive and hard at
work exploring the central basin of south
Africa, Those Interested in the work OF this
veteran traveller will be glad to know that
he expects soon to return to England after
which he will no doubt publish a full ac-
count of his recent explorations.
The third lecture entitled can Unstable
Geography gave, in the first place, an ac-
count of the great Geological changes
quietly but continually going on in our
globe by which lands are made and un-
made.
The lecturer then entered into a most
interesting description Of the formation Of
this island, Illustrating it by specimens
and explanations Of the different rocks to
be found in various parts of the country.
In the next "Life by a West Indian sea
shore" we had a vivid description of the
mingled pleasures and dangers to be found
in rambling on the shores, bathing in the
waters, or examining the curious treasures
of the great deep-with hints on the form
alton OF aquariums-manufacture Of she'll
work &c.
The last of the series, "The sand of the
s~ea-shore". After describing the sands on
the Coast of England, especially the beau
tiful parts about the Isle of Wight, Beachy
head and the Cliffs of Dover; gave us an
explanation of the different substances,
animal and vegetable which compose the
sand of our own bays.-Tt was most inter
estipg to learn that the fine grains of sand
on which the pillows dash and plav were