The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-01-27

Senator Stewart, Boss Shepherds cas-
tie, Grant Row, Van Ness Mausoleum,
Monuments of Stanton and Reno, etc.,
etc, We should have liked to find in the
collection the residence built by the
British government for the use of the
British Minister.
The article considers the present sta
tus of the colored population of the Cap
ital and gives a portrait Of Frederick
Douglass.
Every experiment of the continent has been
tested in the inoffensive District which en-
shrines the government. Here slavery and
freedom began the overture of the forever
memorable contest which, in the triumph Of
the black mans fortune, has added Africa to
the kindergarten of Christendom, and made an
lneffaceable element OF the American type
these voting children of Ham, to compete with
us, perhaps, in every field, social, missionary,
and heroic. The capital city is also the capi-
tai of the African race Here they are rela-
lively stronger in population, influence, and
property than anywhere among the Caucasian
races They are Of all religions, Catholic as well
as Protestant. Their university at Washing
ton is an exalted and striking feature in the
landscape. They are employed in almost ev-
cry department, and sit in Congress, and up
to this time there has never been public
scandal associated with O negro. The tenacity
with which they cling to public property is one
of the most remarkable manifestations in hui
man development, and although graded, un-
derpinned, taxed and tempted, they hold to
their lots and shanties in the fashionable West
End of the city with a prescience and rcsolu-
tion as notable as that of the poor old woman
who gave testimony before the ku-klux Com
mittee, saying: 'Dey took me out an beat
me tree times in dat one night wild hickory
swathes, an put de rope aroun' my neck, an
said dey was a-guIne fur to hang me onless
moved of Mr.. is farm: but, gen'rmcn, l
wouldn't gIb up my property. ANY thing,
says |, 'ef can keep my land
Here it may be added thai the statesmen OF
the African race are nearly all residents in
Washington, OF In frequent council there
headed, Of course, by one Of the first literary
y inds which Maryland has produced: Imean
Frederick Douglass, native OF Caroline Couisv
ty, on the Eastern Shore, whose years have
been spared to realize the EXTREMIST transfor-
slave, with an African mother, he tempted the
alphabet, letter by letter, fom boys Who
played around the ship-yarh where was me-
chanic; next, the pioneer negro on the Eng
lish huStings to plead for American emancfpa-
tion, and bought and redeemed by the audi
ences he addressed; finally, the guest OF an
American ship of war, and the editor of II
newspaper in W Washington: and, perhaps great
er than ali, so self-respectlng as to prefer the
post OF private duty rather than move into a
Southern state for the sake of Il Scnatorship.
"The French Institute and Acad-
emies" is also an interesting contribu-
ton. A picture OF the Institute is given,
also portraits of Monsieur Thiers and
other French notables.
A sketch of Prof. Fawcett, the blind
member Of Parliament, and his distin-
guished wife, is given, accompanied by
| their portraits. In the article, "Chris-
| tian Missions" alIusion is made to the
Zenana mission in India, where Miss
Britain is laDoring and which she so
vividly described in recent visit to this
city.
miss Angel" the serial by Miss
| Thackeray, is commenced in this mum
| ber. The editorial department has the
customary variety.
POPULAR SCIENCE.
After the annoyance of cutting leaves
of several magazines tits arelief, posi-
tive pleasure to take up one where al
are cut and smoothly trimmed ready fol
reading. Publishers may think this q
minor matter, but it is not, and the Gus
tom should be adopted by all.
| Rowland Hazard contributes to the
number before us an article entitled
''Animals not Automata" in opposition
to Prof. Huxley's conclusion that all ami
mails, man included, are but "conscious
| aulomata."
Nearly twenty pages are devoted te
"Tyndalps Reply to his Critics." The
article "New Results in Animal Move
| ments," founded on IDEAS in Prot. May
er's new publication, is very interesting
and is accompanied by diagrams to make
| all clear to the reader.
| The contribution by DR.. Van De War
ker on the ''Relations of Women to the
Professions" is not fit reading fol
u household magazine. 1t Nigh
do in a medical journal, de
voted to the interests OF that pro1es
sion, but no tirst-class medical worl
4 would start with such data as does DR.
| Warker from which to draw his conclu
sions. His observations are evidently
drawn from perversions OF true woman
hood, and not from the genuine. His
conclusions are erroneous in every
particular save one, viz, THAT womeI
are retarded in their advancement tt
professional work by public opinion
Masculine physicians may theorizt
! forever about the nature, the du
{, ties, the possibilities OF woman, bu
,they know nothing at all about it
their studied theories are set at naught
| by facts. While man is telling what she
can't do. She marches right on and does
lit. If DR.. Warker could transmigrate
into an elevated type of womanhood he
would stand aghast at the false position
he has assumed in making the sex mere
animals. The contribution should have
been rejected as too debatiehlng .y.r the
columns OF the Popular Science Monthly
Some good things are found in "Rea
sou in the Study of Language"
| Grammar indicates, only in a limited way
the received usage. there are many idiomati'
eX pressions concerning which it is no help.
does not explain the value of words, nor thei
proper use, and adds little to our vocabulary
4 though an abundance of words is indispensa
Bile to correct speaking and writing. 1t teache
neither pronunciation nor accent, nor the ortho
graphy of the variable parts of words, nor thei
diverse meanings, nor the difference Of signili
! CATION between words Improperly. called syn.
onyms, nor the propriety of hguraiive language
nor any of those deicacies OF expression whicl
constitute tie genius of language, and char
aGtetize clear, elegant, and correct stvle. S,
grammarans, who devote their lives 10 tn,
| rules of language, are scarcely famous TO
their style. l do not know Of one VIII,
has ever distinguished himself as an orator
writer. On the contrary, the greatest writers
| such as Cornellle, Pascal. Moliere, La Fon
tame, aud Others, owe nothing TO grammar; i
did not exist in their time. The same is true o
Homer, Thueydides. Virgil, Cicero, Dante
Petracch, Milton, and Shakespeare. Gram
| mar, then, is not the art of speaKing and writ
ing correctly, and still less Is it the art OF read
ing, ny which we ought to commence the stud,
of language. 81 should he glad" said Locke
''if coulu be shown the language that coult
be learned by the rules of grammar" "a cen
tury of theory" said Lemare, ''wlll not ad
vance us step in the knowie ige of language
1T is the giossest mistake" said Condillac
| HtO commence with ruips- ~