The Sun. — 1864-02-29 (London, England)

PHOSFR OXUS AND CIVILISATION.—Consider for a moment; every adult human being requires at least four pounds of phosphates to build up his bony framework, quite apart from the quantities used up in his softer parts. This amount is sequestrated from the earth, and never returns to it, Yet the earth without phosphates refuses to grow plants. Think of the millions upon millions of pounds which are drawn away from the primitive stock, and you will understand why vast stretches of Asia Minor are barren, why parts of Sicily, Palestine, Arabia Felix (once so fertile), and the plains of Babylon, are deserts. These lands have been robbed of their phosphates. If Egypt still preserves her ancient fertility, it is because the annual inundation of the Nile renews the precious phosphates, Philosophy considers this, asrequested, and straightway begins to theorise upon it, She bids us remark the law of history (she is fond of such " laws"), that nations after emerging from barbarism into civilisation, after growirg in wealth, skill, luxury, and populousness, are always submerged by come fresh wave of barbarism. The puny citizen, enervated by luxury, cannot withstand the stalwart barbarian. So it has been—so it will ever be. All the skill and all the appliances which make nren formidible to beasts, fail to make men formidable to barbarians, With knowledge and wealth has come the corruption of luxury. It is that which has destroyed the rude and manly virtues of an elder time; it is that which makes Man dissolute, selfish, timid, without fervour, without patriotism. Are you quite sure of this, 0 philosopher ? Is Luxury so universal in civilised communities that nations no lass than individuals are enfeebled by it ? Have the millions been accustomed to Capuan indulgences ? Let us abandon rhetoric for a moment, and see whether the enfeeblement of nations may not be traced less to the excess of civilization than to the deficiency of phosphorus. It is a paradox I set before you, no doubt; but it is not less likely to be a truth because it contradicts your opinions—ewhiah is the meaning of a paradox. Did the barbarians always conquer because they were ignorant ? No ; because they were strong. They were truly the "sons of the soil," and of a soil not robbed of its phosphates, like the soil of old and crowded nations. The civilised Roman trembled at the presence of the gigantic Gaul; but the descendant of that Gaul is so little of a giant that he now boasts of his stature when he is four feet six I It was remarked by Pliny that the Romans wore rapidly degenerating in stature, and that sons were rarely so tall as their fathers; but he attri• bated this degeneration to the exhaustion of the vital sap, not knowing that a Liebig would come to proclaim the exhaustion of precious phosphorus.—CornhiU Magazine for March.  MURDER AT FELSITAM,--All adjourned inquest was held at Feisham, near Bury St. Edmund's, on Saturday, respecting the death of Frederick Browne, aged three years, the illegitimate son of Julia Browne, a single woman about 20 years of age. It appears that Browne lived at service in Brettenham, a village two miles from Felsham, and that she went on the previous Wednesday week to the latter village to see her child, who resided there with its grandmother. On the Thursday morning, before leaving, she went into the child's roam to bid him goodbye. Seen after, the boy was found to be very sick, and a doctor was sent for, but the child get rapidly worse, and died the same afternoon. Mr. W. E. Image gave evidence to the effect that death was caused by the administration of sulphuric acid. The dress which the woman wore on the day the child died was produced, and the front of it showed that oil of vitriol had been spilled down it. The jury returned a verdict of " Wiful murder" against Julia Brawne, and she stands committed for trial, A NEW BRIDGE is to be built over the Thames At Hampton Court.