Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-04-28
I.aWn.EcAniN.

From the London Standard.
Football is too rough, cricket is too skilful a
game for everybody to aspire to its honors and
delights. But lawn-tonnIs is within the reach
of almost any man. and of any woman under
forty. A distinguished statesman could be
named. the leader of a great party. and, pace
MIR. Chamberlain. an indefatigable tOler, who
not unirequently is carried by his boys down to
the lawn-teDnis ground. where he acqults him
self with Zeal. if not with dexterity. There are
many hard working professional men who if
pursued to their suburban retreats, would be
found exhibiting as much eagerness to send
deadly service" as il thew were still school
boys, and had nothing else to think Of but the
triumphs of muscles and sinews No clergyman
need fear to be seen handling q racquet; and if
the dream OF some refOrmers is to become re-
ality, and Sunday afternoon is ever to see re-
vived the antique glories of the village green,
surely i is by lawn-tennis that the tempting
goal will be reached. As yet the game has not
permeated all classes of the community: nor
will its lasting character be assured until this is
achieved. What has conferred continuous vi
tally upon cricket and football is that they are
''understanded Of the people" It may be said
that, in comparison with the number of persons
who can play at one time In one court, lawn
tennis Is an expensive game, and that this
must operate as barrier to its adoption by the
people at large. But this is an obstacle of any,
thing but an insuperable character 1t would
be easy enough to reduce the cost. and In
country districts there is rarely any difficulty in
raising subscriptions for the support of clubs
whose object is the promotion Of sports.
game that is the game of only one-cass or at
most of only one section of the community, can
never excite the enthusiasm or acquire the
national dignity enjoyed by one where, by q
touch OF nature, prince. peer. and peasant are
made kin. Lawn-tenns is exactly calculated to
be game Of the latter sort. 1t Is fit for old
and young. for men and women, for the strong
and the weak; 1t expands the lungs, strengthens
the muscles, improves the condition, and takes
off weight as surely as Turkish BATH and
more wholesomely. Such q game ought to be
national in the best sense Of the word.
There is q genial, social aspect about lawn
tennis that has. no doubt. largely ministered to
the growth of Its popularity. 1t possesses no
mysteries like the ancient and classic game
whose name it has borrowed. and whose cham
pions look down upon the intruder as rather q
sorry sort OF parvenu. person who cannot
be made to understand that the advance at q
bound from Fifteen" to thirty is a perfectly
natural numerical progression. that thirty as a
matter of course leaps at once to forty, and
that deuce" is the parent of vantage" must
be singularly Grass. Moreover. lawn-tenns may
be watched with delight and interest. even by
those whose inteects are below-or above
mastering such elementary propositions as
these. The skill of tine player may be appre-
ciated by people who have not a conception
what is the score; and the neatness with which
ball is placed. or the rapidity with which it
Is ''volleyed," need not be missed because the
spectator is utterly at sea as to which side of the
net is getting the best of it.
The Sale Of Patent Medicines.
From the English Pharmaceutical Gazette.
In respect to the sale of patent medicines, we
might advantageousy take lesson from the
japanese. We learn from the first report of the
central sanitary bureau Of Japan. just issued,
that they have established public laboratory
for the analysis of chemicals and patent medi-
cines- The propretors of patent medicines are
bound to present a sample. with the names and
proportion of the ingredients, directions for its
use. and explanations Of its supposed efficacy.
During the year there were no fewer than II .9O4
applicants for license to prepare and sell las, O91
patent and secret medicines. Permission for the
preparation and sale Of 5S;63S different kinds
was granted, 1852 were prohibited, 991S were
ordered to be discountenanced, and 7o.943 re-
manned still to be reported on. The majortysf
those which were authorized to be sold were of
no efficacy, and but few were really remedial
agents. But the sale of these was not prohib-
tied. as they were not dangerous to the health
of the people. II similar regulations were put
In force in this country. it is probable that the
sale of several patent medicines would be put
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