DE OMNIBUS REBUS.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 95, 19 September 1874, Page 3

DE OMNIBUS REBUS.

We hear (says Public Opinion) that Mr Peter Bayne—who is the author of those studies of historical characters, statesmen, and poets of the middle of the seventeenth century, which have been appearing from time to time in the Contemporary and Fraser —is now engaged upon an etude of Charles 1., which will shortly app ;>r. Bos well once asked J.n.nsou if there was no possible circumstance under which suicide would be justifiable. ' No,' said Johnson. 'Well,' said Boswell, 'suppose a man had been guilty of fraud, and that he was certain to be found out. ' Why, then,' was the reply, 'in that case let him go to some country where he is not known, and not to the devil, where he is known.'

Mr Post, a Wisconsin Christian, went to church the other morning, and found Mrs Schlimgen in his pew. Mr Post did not follow the plan of most weak-kneed Christians —take another seat and scowl at the woman through the sermon ; he took Mrs SehHmgen by the ear and yanked her out of that seat so quick it made every hairpin in her chignon tremble.

The Galveston, Texas, Civilian has a critic who mixes up things very curiously. In a recent and sober notice of the appearance of Miss Ahce Kingsbury in that city, he says—- " This elfin star (Miss Kingsbury) twinkled in the theatrical firmament last night, and had many worshippers. In speaking of ' Fanchon,' which she played, we will omit reference to the whole of the third and the latter portion of the fourth act 9, being at that time engaged at the prayer meeting." The Athenceum, in an article on amateur actors, says : —" The Dublin audiences were more free and easy in their criticisms and comments than the more dignified personages in front of the Kilkenny stage—'that Irish Versailles.' As an instance may be adduced the circumstance of an amateur actor who, on coming down to the foot-lights, was seen to have an undesirable rent in a portion of his costume. His cousin was sitting on the front bench in the pit, and he immediately rose, and, in a stage whisper, sent over the orchestra and heard by all the house, he exclaimed, ' Larry ! Larry ! there's the laste taste in life of yer linen tp be" seen 1' " An international congress of persons interested in geographical science is announced as to be held in Paris early next year. All the French ambassadors and consuls have been directed to promote its objects, and endeavor to secure the attendance of as many foreign geographers as possible. The congress is to be divided into six sections, as follows :1, Mathematical Geography, Hydrography, and Maritime Geography ; 2, Physical Geography; 3, Historical Geography and History of Geography ; 4, Economic and Physical Geography ; 5, Instruction in, and diffusion of, Geography ; 6. Exploration and Travels.

When Carter, the Lion King, was exhibiting with Ducrow at Astley's, a manager with whom Carter had made and broken an engagement issued a writ against him. The bailiffs came to the stage door, and asked for Carter. " Show the gentlemen upstairs," said Ducrow; When they reached the stage, there sat Carter composedly in the great cage, with an enormous lion on each side of him. " There's Mr Carter waiting for you, gentlemen," said Ducrow; "go in and take him. Carter, my boy, open the door." Uar'er proceeded to obey, at the same time eliciting, by private signal, a tremendous roar from his companions. The bailiffs staggered back in terror, and rolled over each other as they rushed down stairs. A rather delicate business, requiring a considerable amount of tact in its management, has just taken place at Brattleboro, Vermont, in the United States. In the cemetery of that place a magnificent monument has been erected to the memory of the late Mr James Fisk, who fell by the hand of Mr Stokes. This monument was solemnly " dedicated " on Saturday the 30th ult, in the presence of a large number of the deceased gentleman's friends and admirers, by a Universalist Minister, the Rev Mr Harris, whose services had been secured for the occasion. Mr Harris seems to have performed the ceremony with remarkable judgment and good feeling. In delivering a solemn prayer suited to the occasion, he displayed, it is stated, extreme caution, more especially thanking Providence fur giving mankind in general " so broad ideas with regard to human character." His remarks, with regard to the late Mr Fisk himself,were not voluminous, and he confined himself tosayiDg that "hewas not acquainted with our brother, but he had reason to believe he had a great and good heart." On the history and significance of funereal art, Mr Harris allowed himself greater freedom of speech ; indeed, his address was mainly composed of instructive observations on this subject. The monument appears to be a striking work of art : at each corner of it is a life-size female figure, representing the pursuits in which Mr Fisk achieved such fame and success—namely, '• Navigation," the " Drama," " Railroads," and "Commerce."

The report telegraphed from Berlin the other day of a movement towards constitutional government in Russia, though new to many persons here, had been discussed for some, time previous on the Continent. Indeed, it is now two months since the first announcement on the subject appeared in a somewhat vague form in the Goloss of St Petersburg. The same journal, with other Russian papers, now enters into details on the subject, the Huss7ii Mir going so far as to name next January as the meeting time fixed for the first attempt at any representative body assembled for legislative]purposes in the Empire of the Czar. According to one report it is decided in the highest quarter that there are to be chambers representing respectively the mobility, the commercial community, the agricultural and the artisan classes, ;the members being partly elected, partly nominated, by the provincial authorities ; and these chambers are to be summoned periodically to St Petersburg for deliberations, which will be presided over by Government commissioners. Whether there is any notion of ultimately welding the four separate bodies thus to be created into one or two does not distinctly appear. It is not to be supposed that any modern reformer, Imperial or other, would willingly imitate the clumsy Scandinavian constitutions of three or four separate chambers, which are continually checking one another; and yet to amalgamate the new bodies would plainly be a long step towards a real Parliament. It is probable, therefore, that all will be simply consultative, and each employed only on those subjects which specially concern its own constituents. We observe that it is already announced semiofficially that only really important general measures will be laid before the representatives.

It is well known, says a contemporary, that the announcements of births and deaths are often given in German newspapers in a form which sounds strange in English ears* Every one knows, too, that engagements are published as well, and in much the same form as marriages. In the second sheet, for instance, of the Cologne Gazette these announcements of engagements may be found throughout the whole year. When, engagements are broken off, this is also at times published by one or both of the parties concerned. But it is very seldom that an announcement such as the following is found, which is quoted in the Cologne Gazette of the 17th June, from the Drcsdener Journal :—" With respect to the announcement by which I, at the end of last November, gave notice of my being engaged to the Dowager Baroness Zoe von Kotzebue, I am now obliged to state that this relationship has, at her desire and to my great regret, been broken off, because she did not find in my deportment that gravity which she had a right to expect.— Count Luckner."