Miscellaneous.

Colonist, Issue 29, 29 January 1858, Page 4

Miscellaneous.

STATISTICS OF HUMAN LIFE. The following table, recently prepared by order'of the Legislature of' Massachusetts,is very instructive —showing, as it does, the comparative healthfulness of various employments, by a statistical statement of the average ages which those that follow them attain to:— . Agriculturists 63.98 Manufacturers .... 43.23 Bankers 43.45 Masons 47.73 Bank Officers 68.76 Mechanics 43.45 Blacksmiths 51.441 Merchants ..51.71 Butchers ..^.......50.00 Musicians 39.86 Calico Printers ... .51.33 Operatives 32.93 Carpenters1 49.39 Painters' 42.68 Clerks 34.32 | Physicians .■. 54.94 .Clergymen....-,....56.72 Printers 38.01 - Coopers ~.. 58.37 Public Officers .... 56.84 Editors 40.00 Rope Makers 54.40 Gentlemen 58.19 Shipwrights 55.27 Hatters 54.17 Shoemakers 43.12 Jewjellers 44.06 Tailors 44.35 Judges and Justices 65.00 Teachers 34.46 Lawyers 54.43 Traders 46.35 Machinists ........36.41 It appears that editors and printers are among the low figures, there being, but five occupatiors less wearing upon, the health. As the mystery has always been how editors lived at all, we are devoutly thankful to know that they survive until they are forty. Banker?, it appears, are, as short-rlived'as their credits, and at' aMiscount at forty- : three; while bank offieers^b'eing only "pas'sengers, and not fearing a break-down or burst-up, last to a'good old age.' " Public Officers " are enabled to serve the- State until nearly fifty-seven, while " Teachers," having perhaps exhausted the information of this world'at thirty-four, go in the prime of manhood to that undiscovered country which gives them eternal knowledge. Inspectors of public schools are not enumerated in the catalogue, but if they will insist on introducing Kriow-Nothing books of instruction they no doubt die young. * Jane's carminative, intended for their infant years, should not save them. Judges sit upon the bench' till sixty-five, a corisolihg fact for the U. S. District C6iirt; but as clerksrelinquish their^lives and fees at thirty-four, there is one we wot of we would advise to repent or resijgn. 11 Gentlemen'' it seems have;full liberty, to frequent free luncheons to-the ; advanced | period of fifty-eighti /giving not the slightest show to either B.rand P. or the Bank Ex-: change. ■ . Jewellers run down at 44.06 and take no note of time afterwards.

Caifpenters enter their long and harrow dwelling-house at: forty-nine, and rope^makers come to the end of their line at ■50:40. ' : ;■■-•■■. -.^■■: ;•■; - >. V : .

Musicians lose their wind at thirty-nine, and masons cease to be " bricks" at forty-

seven.

Calico-printers are to stand their colors" until fifty-one;; and shoemakers part with their souls at 43.12.

Hatters leave their " spring styles" for an immortal crowiif at 54.37; and coopers sing their last stave:,.at fifty-eight. r Butchers end their ow6 lives at fifty; and tailors, although considered an infinitesimal portion of the human' race; fcaye 1 forty-four years allotted to eacK ninth-part of man's organization.-— American Paper.

New Explosive Metal- SHELJL;-^-The Select Committee of Woolwich Arsenal, accompanied by some naval officers of experience and a number of the Royal Artillery garrison, assembled in the.Plunistead Marshes for the purpose of; witnessing a filial experiment with Martin's; shells. These shells: were brought under the consideration of Government on the Ist of April, 1856, and have since undergone four experimental trials. The present trial was conducted by the inventor himself, who is a manufacturing founder residing at Blackwall. The shell employed on the different occasions have been of various dimensions, so as to contain from 28 lbs. to 48 lbs. of fluid metal. The butt was an old 36-gun frigate, fitted out with upper and orlop decks, as used on former trials, which, having been renovated, and the upper deck covered and strengthened with a number of gun-carriages, looked really like a ship at sea. The gun, a 68-pounder of 8-ihch calibre, fired five shots filled with the burning liquid at a distance of 900 yards from the object, .two of which penetrated the broadside facing the sun. The result, was perceptible immediately after the first* shot was fired, as smoke was observed issuing from the t port-holes on either side. The third shot fell slightly short of the mark, burst, and cast its contents with fearful effect on the ship, and the other two shots were embedded in the ground without striking the target. A powerful engine from the Royal Arsenal, already in attendance, was then- iMer&d to pour a stream of water over the burning ship, but this appeared only to revive the flames, which burst forth with rabid fury, notwithstanding the heavy rain* which had completely saturated-the timbers, and which even then partially continued. After the utmost ex- . ertions on the part of the firemen to subdue the progress of the flames, the pumps were ordered to. be withdrawn, and the ship's timbers were reduced to a few blackened, and charred planks. ' '

A New Cereal.—A new cereal has been discovered in San Joaquin county, California. The editor of the Jiepubltcan has been shown a head of the ripened grain, but has not seen the stalk, nor learned anything 6f s its origin, but promises further information regarding it hereafter! We quote the description'as given:—lt appeared to be the fruit of rank grass, stronger and larger than wheat, but more light and fragile than Indian corn. The ear or cluster of grains, formed on the summit of the stalk, was about three and a half inches in length, about four inches in circumference, and of an irregular oblong shape.. The grains, of which there were several hundred' in the cluster, resembled in size and form the grain of the common broom corn;- were compactly set, without all1 outer or general covering, each grain having a

view.

delicate husk covering about half, its- biilk. The grain was harder than wheat, rather ; brittle, and when broken gave a taste undistinguishable from that of Indian corru From the limited knowledge of the nature • and habits of the plant to be gathered from a cursory examination of this isolated specimen, we incline to the opinion that it may < become a prolific and valuable article in agriculture. The head or ciusteHhat we; saw will yield about aB much in weight an<J, volume as fifteen or twenty ordinary heads ■ of wheat.— American Paper.

How' our- Ancestors Bjribed.—There, is a variety most creditable toEnglishinvention in the -way in which our ancestors' adini-i nistered their bribes. At one place 1 a mysterious person used to-arrive, with the cash, known as the * Man in the ; moon,' who approached at nightfall, and was at once met with 'What news from the^mOdn-?* -> f This' was a poetic form. Then1 there", was"; the humorous form. 'I'll lay. you,'five . guineas,'said a canvasser in Fox's contest-; of 1784,, 'and stake the money in your hands- <-. that, you will not vote for Mr.* Fox.' 'Done'!* says the free and independent, and wins'his bet—and bribe. Another playful planl wa's' v , -to"buy the elector's canary at a price that that would be handsome for a bird of paras dise—a very pretty.ltind of bird-fancying1? Sometimes men showed perfect -gehius^m, availing themselves $f professional - i tages; —thus a military gentleman employed > in the recruiting Service Once stood for ( Great Grimbsby, and enlisted a majority -." -* of the voters for soldiers with a liberal

bounty! Such anecdotes a^these'ponstitUte; f the literature of electioneering j knd; there'is;; probable not a town orrcounty '-. in England, , q where there is not an elderly gentleman!! with a small- batch of them. In a cbntes^ a good Jmany years ago in'i^prtH'^n^Slji..} one of the parties had strong reason to sus- r pect a particular voter of having ttaken- -.■'»].:■ bribe—^a considerable bribe too^fof votes

were valuable. A sharp enemy resolved . to make an. attempt on him. Accordingly* , as the man entered to poll, he whispered in' his ear rapidly, * they're making a-fule'of ye, Jock-—they're a' bad!' 'Thescoundrels,' exclaimed his dupe; and down on the table , he flung a batch of notes. They were impounded at once by the authorities, and the. man's suffrage invalidated.'— Qudrttrfo IU-

Roger Giles, Surgeon, Parish; Clark,; and Skulemaster, reforms' ladys ■ and gentlemen that he draas teeth without waiting a moment—blisters on the lowest tarms' . and fiziks vor a penny a peace., He zells": Godfathers Oordel kuts korns and under-. . takes to keep everybodys nayles by the year or so on. Young ladys and gentlemen lamed their morals and spellin, also sarni zinging teaching the barze fial, and all sorts of phancy work. Cod-drills, fashingable poker and all other contrary dances tort at hoam and abroad to perfekshiun. Perfumery and snuff in all its branches., As Times be cruel bad, he begs to tell he is just begun to tell all sorts of stashunary wares, blacking bawls, hurd herrings, and Coles," skrubbin brushes, trakel, mousetraps, brik dust, and all sorts of sweet-? , meats, inkluding taters, sasages, and other gearden stuff—also phrute, hats, .songs, hoyle, lattice, buckets, and other eatables, korn and bunyan zarve, and all hard, wares.. He also performs, fleabottomeny on the shortest notice, and Farthermore in particular he has laid in a large sortment of type,, chain-e, dogs meet, lollypops, and pixels,, . such as carrots, hoysters, wihdzur zoap, &c. Old rags bort and zold ear and noplace helse and new laid eggs every dayb}' me Mrl Ejoger Giles: P.S.—I teeches ioggrify,Rumaticks, and all them outlandish things. N'.B.—A bawl on Wensdaes, when our, Mariar will perform on the Pi-annar. A great cricket match of Irish against. English gentlemen has taken* place in Bub^ - ( lin. From the firs,t the Irish players h'eki the superiority, and in the end they'were, . the victors.

A shopkeeper of lately put' up in the window a notice declaring that " tHe proprietor of the establishment wished- to enter into the marriage'state with a wellconducted young woman or a young widow." Since then, some of the local journals state, "it is quite inconceivable what a number of woman of every age enter the shop to make purchases, but the wbuldbe Benedict has not yet made his choice."

Never enquire thou of the printer'for: the news; forbeholditis his duty at the appointed time to give it unto thee without asking. Do not' make a practice of borrowing thy" neighbour's paper's —it is neither honest nor independent. When thou dost enter intp a printing office* have care to thyself that thou touch not the types, for thou iriayst cause the printer much trouble. Look not at the copy which isin the \bandsof the compos sitor, for that is'not' meetin the sight of the printer. Neither peep over the outside while it is being struck off, or lookoveKttieshoulders of the editor while he is reading , a proof. Prefer the town paper to any other—subscribe immediately for it, and pay in advance.— American Paper.