New-York tribune., 1906-06-17

x ''1of
proven simply means that the jury think that
the prisoner is guilty, but that being of onin-
4Ih' or holding in Difference TO the opinion of
.LIe presiding judge dhough they are not bound
10 follow his view Of the facts) that the evil
uence is not sufficient. they will not take the
css .oi5sionty s ty OF oonvicting. But why, in that
~ 20 they not md the prisoner mot guilty?
me me verdict would seem to be used by iuries in
UIuer TO relieve their consciences and preserve
haeis S eI-respect' or perhaps as a convenient
n,.; | Iof compromise. They will not find the
prisoner guilty, and they will not find him not
6iane ;,,5a1eg sLeg acqut him, no doubt. but they
pace lhdehbly on record their view that in their
oIlIioh the innocence OF the accused is ex-
Temeiy doubtful. Now. If prisoner is innocent
lhls is an unfair verdict; but whether a nris
oner is is not innocent he should he PIE,
a verdict of mot guilty if the prosecu1o1 has
p,ne IGlIe9 TO prove his case.-Lord Moncreifr in
biackwood's Magazine.
SOME LONDON BIRDS
We nave It on record that during the reign
% Henry VIII the spoonbills bred in the Bisho6s
Park. at Fulham, still an open snace for 7 o
99oners. 9. That quaint bird has now completely
disappeared from our shores as a breeding
tPeCIes ana those few wanderers which at odd
Irnes still find their way here paw for their
Lechiessness at the hand of the needless gunner
ne reTnorseless collector. In the sixteenth
tIIouIy mere was also a well established
heronry in the same park at Fulharl and even
no" we have the consolation of knowing that
we need not go far out Of the nletropolis to find
lhe bird nesting, for there are heronries in Rich
mona and Wanstead parks in both of which
piaces they are vigorously protected 1t was
sLlot on the Lambeth Marshes. and no doubt
me RED shank and many another marsh loving
p.u haunted the place. which is now built over
Like the heron, the snipe is still 10 he found ON
lne outskirts, and only last wear I found three
nests with eggs within fifteen miles Of the city
aho WITHIN two hundred yards Of one of the
main roads from London
Ihough these birds have been driven away
bY the encroachments Of a great expanding cIty
1t is a comfort to the bird lover TO ses that
Wlthln recent years other species have arrived
70 70 tahe their place. The moor hens or moat
ia
their Wanderings found our London parks emil
nently suited to their taste and have spread TO
almost every suitable lake within our borders
tIIat possesses the attractions of reeds
hanging underground. They may be seen AT all
seasons OF the year making their way quietly
across the water with curious jerks of the head
and tail, exposing the pure white feathers below
Often, TOO, they may be seen wandering in
search Of food the grassy banks in cornnanv
with the other waterfowl and it is amusing 70
watch them strutting about with the same pc
cuIlar Jerky movement and showing extreme
resentment if too closely approached bv their
companions The bird is Crepuscular in habits
and delights TO croall and wander about in the
twilight II is possible that in consequence of its
fondness for the hours of dusk the white OF
the under part OF the tail may play an important
part in revealing its presence to its mate, in
Inuch the same manner that rabbit is often
only seen in the dark II scuttles along by
the CLINT Of its white tail A still more inter-
esting bird has taken up its abode in similar
quarters. This is the little grebe or dabchick
which only thirty years ago almost
known TO our parks.-F. H, Carruthers- Gould,
ABUSING THE FRANKING PRIVILEGE.
The great postal reformer Sir Rowland HILL,
not only took part in the franking Of newspapers
apparently without authority, but actually used
thtn in very ingenious manner TO deprive-1
shaII not say defraud-the postofflce Of some
Of its legitimate revenue! The matter is thus
referred 10 in his Life (Vol. l. page 239): In
the year 1923 taking a holiday excursion
through the Lake District to Scotland and wish
ing to keep my family informed as 10 my move
nents and my health (then in a depressed state).
i g VIII ma bar of
and in forwarding them according to the use
less form then required, while left the post
mark with its date TO show the place, I ndi-
| Gated my state Of health by selecting names ac-
cording TO previous arrangement, the more Lib
eral members being taken to indicate that I was
Detter while Tories were TO show that l was
falling oack-Sir Francis Burdett was to imply
that I was in vigorous health. while probably
Lord Eldon would have brought one Of my
brothers after me in anxiety and alarm" There
is the following note with reference to the fore
going: In 'Postofice Reform Iby Sir Rowland
Hill this anecdote is given of a friend, but
in truth, was my own hero. 1t must not be
supposed that in franking these newspapers I
papers, unless franked at least IN appearance.
We're charged as letters. But any at
Of the House Of Commons without his consent"
R S. Snlyth in Chambers's Journal.
THACKERAY AND THE SOCIETY NOVEL"
With Thackeray began a new process of decay.
It was he who established the modern society
novel OF the West End OF London. The object
Of society being admittedly mutual entertain
ment, genuine high tragedy had TO be sup
pressed. Within his own sphere of life he was
too comprehensive a master 10 exclude the ia
talities of sin and accident. and he INDUCED
freely in pathos Of the gentler kind but yet in
books like Vanity Fair and "Pendennis" we
are an measurable distance away from the
moral sublinlity Of the "Antigone,'' of Hamlet"
or even of the strongest scenes in Dickens With
Thackeray began the literary fashion Of making
a telegraphic announcement of the catastrophe
and then closing the door upon the victims. AS
a new device this often produced powerful
In hot hVia
a chapter Of mixed narrative, hunlor' action ana
pain:
Darkness came down on the field and city; and
Amelia was praying for George, who was lying
on his face dead with a bullet through his hearc'
And yet even In this instance the effect is only
romentary A humorous chapter follows. In
Thackerav's hands the novel reached the ex-
trerne Of compleXity. Characters, eInotlohS
scenes press upon one another so fast LIlat eVei
The thrilling announcement of George Osporne's S
fa+a does not trouble long. Tragedy DID de-
cline even though It had some splendid ngnts
of sunset With Thackerays successors preVIcy tIc
ard reserve lost the force Of freshness ana pc
ca,oe a mere literary fashion. until at the pres
emf time the full meaning OF the chanee mas
Ior1a evident The novel had reduced tragic
. e,ro a climax TO an episode; the society
novel suppressed its utterance or lnIust - %.
~ eight II became not merely lhcluell'aI' - ~
rnornentary.-Edith Scare OIosS4''aiii4' '- ~
Contemporary Review
AFFORESTATION
r,,.ery now and again plea appears IN PrlIl;
- arfores1ation OF some OF the waste Ial!u
=; ,hJs country. but il does not receive me- tiie a.
.+tcn - which the subject deserves tIoIeS9ot
rtIsoh ~ oxford. recently wrote a leller 10
..5-.e,, ,1r-eing the desirabty or giving
labor 10 the unemployed in me p4dl5'l&Hs & u -
r.3 naming out that in England alone t tle.
- over 100000 acres OF IhouLlaii! eI4't III ~.
- a,aiIaIle for the purpose, Whlle thefe
a~rrher million In Wales more sun III l9idat ia Il
an an 80 ereater areas in Scotland. In the eag'
4frv ono *