, 1874-05-30
i FAMILIAR TALK.


... TIE SPECULATIVE aO01ETY."
w. Law yer Abroad, by N. Henry Day, pro-
sonts An interesting nkotoh Of "T1o speou1a-
tive Hooety connected with tho University Of
Edinburgh. Tho sooloty was founded In 17o4.
Its moubors woro at 0rst limited to eix, but at-
terward thotr number was extended to twenty
flvo lta object Was tho cultivation Of literature,
oioquonce, and aoionco; and It's exercises con-
siHtod OF oral discussions md tho reading Of o.
says. Among tho distinguished men Of Great
britain, whoao namos have been enrolled In tho
catalogue OF this Society, ARC Dugald Stewart,
Waltor Scott, ohnrloaJ jeffrey, Thomaa Ad1ie EN-
mot, sir Jamea Macintosh, Lord John Russell,
Lord Droughan, Lord Erskino, Prof. playfair,
Sir William Hamilton, Kit North, Thomas Cnr-
!ylo, LooKha1t' and host Of othorn, doad and
living.
Sir Walter Scott WAS soorotary Of tho soolety
from l7ol to 1795. Ho recorded The minutes
With great caro- and precision, in round, olosr,
bold handwriting, but With q singular diarouart,
Of the rules Of orthography, a. wItness: "Tcus-
day, Nov, 90, 1923. seooioty mot at tho usla,
hour. Boyle paid mp tho balance duo on Lis
nate; pr3eaont5ofroy, Aluirhosd, &o scooioty
Scott waH also Librarian and Treasurer Of the
Society. -. !" His constant good nature aoftened
tho aBporittoa Of dobhto, while hia multtiarious
loro and quiet good humor onlivened its dia-
play" Lord Joffroy eaya: !" 10 was struck tho
1rAt night llo apont at tho Speculative sooiosy
with tho singular appearance Of tho Becrotary,
who sat gravoly at the bottom OF tho tablo,
In a hugo woolen night-cap; and, whom tho
President took tho ohair, ploaded a bud tooth
ache as hia apology for coming into that wor-
ehipfu| assambIyin such portontonB nnchine.'n
Scott read an essay on ''Ballads" that night,
which 30 interoeted jeffrey that he begged an In
troduution, and tho no1t svoning called upon tho
Secretary, whom he found in small don on tho
HHAA ~ f%2L 4xN
Square, surrounded with dingy books. From
this interviow began tho warm and lifelong
friendship that united two Of tho most aistin-
guiafloa literary mon Of thoir tino.
Lord Drougham WAS admitted to tho Society in
1907. OF him Lord Jofrroy remarks: II recall
to my recollection tho effect which tho carly
Appoarancos Of Lord Droughau 1lad upon thia
Society tho admiration oxoitcd by the vcrsa-
tl1ity OF hfB talonta. his fort1o and exhaustlosa
fancy, his power Of illustration, his intropidity,
aud oven apparont rashnoHa, In enoountering all
Bub1octg, which proved In tho end to bc but the
insttnotiye consciousness Of power, and that
ardent and somewhat forocious oloquonco with
Thiei It M hs a scoafG,hed !, and blasted M snd ovorthron
Tho frat oAsay road by Dugald Stewart in tho
Speculative sooiety was on Il Dreaming" Thia
esBaT contains tho germs Of his future work on
tho Philosophy OF tho Human Mind" In
not noso to tho l'rss volume no says: ' Tho obsor-
apoct to, 1t (droaminel, excepting q worry fow
paragraphs alnce added, wore writtcn at
tho age OF IS, and formed part Of tho first ptilo-
sophical onany which I rcco}lect to have at-
tomnted:, Whom was afterwasd, professionally,
same ntudios, this short manuscript WAS almost
tho only memorial had prcAoryel Of these
favorlto studies Of my early youth; and from
tho views which It recalled to mo inscnsibly
Of orr intellectual faculties in general"
~ The first aneoeh in tho Speculative Society, by
sr James Mackintosh, was against tho slavo-
trade; and hia frat oaaay. on tho religion Of
Ossinn. This We .ace that tho attention
to questions 70 which they wcro destined
afterward to dovoto tho full strength
Of their natyro powers. Among tho
sub]eots discussed IN tho Society BY Scott wero.
t9rgn Of tho Fsuaal syste% Authono3 Of
vim Mythology. Among thoBo treated by Lord
Droug!lam wore, Political Ro1narks on tho Union,
the Balance Of Power, Indirect Influence OF the
People, and Influenced Of National Opinions on
Nobility, Authority Of tho poen1s Of osslan
Metrlcal Harmony, etc., eto., and Prof. plavfair
read dissertation Oh tho Geuiua Of Sir Isaac
Newton.
In 1863 tho speoulstiyo Society hold It's con-
tonuial, at which Earl Russell presided. In his
speech. on the occasion, Lord Droughnm re-
markod: II can novor forgot tho happy md
useful hours that passed. In the Speculative
Society FOR mnny yoarB, and with many SUCCESS
oions Of persons; ought to add, in praise Of
oatr opinions III these dnya, tho testimony OF my
eloquent and excellent friend, Mr.. Gladstone
Mo came to me tho other day quite delighted
that l.e had obtained q history Of this Society,
and gave It % his opinion that it was perfectly
astonishing how fnrr forward our momborh wero
beforo all oshora In those days in the lending
truths Of political SCIENCE"
FERMENTATION AT COURT.
A London correspondent Of tho Now York
Times relates with doloroua detail the fatigue
and annoyancos to which fino ladies are subject
who would enjoy tho distinction OF being pre-
sonted at Court In the first place. greater loss
Number Of houra-it is impossible to conjecture
with anything like assurance how many
must be spent at the toilette. under tho hands Of
tho hair-tresser and tho tiring-maid. The cur
riage Is ordered before noon to insure punctuality
in arriving at tho Drawing-noom. An hour or
two is consumed III tile drive TO tho palace, as
tho endleBH procession Of carrlagos, headed In
1l' 11e same n direction. move, Per forco, slowly.
in fuldress Of rich silk or velvet, with no ondof
rnffe, md ruffles, aud houncos thnt must not be
1ammed and with pyramid Of curls and pu1s,
and braida, and feathers, aud f1owors. on the
arrangement, the poor lady is constrained to ait
bolt upright from onu to ond Of the journey.
Atlast, after weary interval, tho palaco-aoor-
way is 6ained but the Throuo-Room is still q
tiresome pilgrimage distant. a number Of in
teresting rooms must bs traversed, and, as theao
are de.taoly crowded, progress is necessarily
painfully retarded. When the august progonco
is finally reached. the fair lebutante is roady to
sink with fatigue |; her costly and elegant d1oss,
on which Nh endless amount Of Thought and
money has been layished, is crushed and drag
gled; and her hair ID, very likely, loose and
blowsy. A quick glance at stout tlorid-faced
lady, III a black iresn and whito crapo can.
standing surrounded by blAze Of uniforms npi
silks and natins, md It is time 10
bend in low reverence and take up her line Of
departure for tho room, giving room for tho
eagor dobutantos bohind her.
but this docs not conclude the penance. The
corridors leading to the door where tho carriages
take up their inmates ara packed with pooplo
waiting to got away. There aro no Boats no re-
froshneuts Of any kind attanabIe and tho
nrotohed victim Of social ambition IL la truly
pitable condition. PorhapB another hour or 80 ID
passed before tho comparative comfort OF ro- on
torug one's carriage Ii possible. Thon tho drive
home, and tho ceremony OF presentation to tho |