The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-06-24
COMMENTS ON MEN AND
 MATTERS OF THE WORLD.

clan. has issued a scientific book entitled ''Biographio Clinics" He attempts to prove that the i'll health of DeQuincy, Carlyle, Browning Darwin and Huxley was due to the strain. Each of the famous men endured life of suffering and no cause or cure could be found for their ailments Tn the case of DeQuincy Dr. Gould finds that his illness was due te the effects of opium on the pupils of his eyes. The drug caused them to contract, and thus weakened their power Carlyle was not troubled by any organic disease. but every day the strain of reading. writ ing and other literary work on his eyes was so great that the evening found him completely exhausted. If DeQuincy had not used opium and if Carlyle had had strong eyes there might have been a radical difference in their writings
 Few people know that one of the Psalms Is known as the Sailors Psalm. The name was recently used at the open ing of the Jacks Palace by the Prince of Wales In East London. The Psalm is the one numbered TOT, and runs: They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters-these see the works of the Lord and His wonders in the deep" The Psalm is read as a part of the simple service which takes place on board ship on Sunday morning.
 
 The project of railway through Thibet has been again revived. Action Is being taken by the government of India which is likely to have far-reaching results. A company of Madras sappers and the Thirty-second pioneers have been sent out to rebuild the road by the Teesa val- ley to the frontier. railway from sili- guri, the present terminus of the North ern Bengal State railroad to the Teesa valley has already been surveyed. The distance is about eleven miles. From this point the Teesa valley route issues out into the plains of India. When this road is completed 1t will open wonderful possi- bilities to the traveller, as less is known of far-away Thibet than perhaps any other accessible country on the globe.
 The sweep of the club idea through the world of woman has developed a remark able propensity for pilfering In London, especially it is said that not a day passes without the disappearance of many arti- cles of value lifted" by the fashionable ladies who frequent the clubs. In fact 1t Is reported that the condition of affairs Is such that 1t Is not safe to leave a tempting cape or other article of cloth ing lying around where the club mem- bers are for 1t is almost sure to be missing when the owner returns. As a result of this tendency to pinch" every thing in sight one may see the ladies walking about laden down with wraps and other feminine possessions which they prefer to carry themselves rather than run the risk of having them stolen.
 A Frenchman has contributed to the lit- eratrre of the day discourse on the ethics of lying which is at least interest ing, although 1t may not meet with the approval of strict moralists. He reasons that a lie is under many circumstances a most admirable invention for getting people out of trouble and is especially justifable in keeping a secret or in self defense. But there Is a drawback to the Frenchmans scheme. There are no limi- tations and once a person gets started to prevaricating there is no telling where he will stop. In fact he may finally reach a point where artistic lying is his whole stock in trade, and he will not hesitate to abuse the confidence of his friends on any subject, be 1t business or pleasure. On this account the enthusiastic commenda- tion of the French writer for the time honored lie Is not generally accepted as fixed creed Many people are too prone to lie anyway, without having good excuse to back the falsehood.