THE COLONIST. NELSON, FRIDAY, MARCH 19, 1858.

Colonist, Issue 43, 19 March 1858, Page 2

THE COLONIST. NELSON, FRIDAY , MARCH 19, 1858.

" As truth is truth, . . • And, told by halves, may, from k simple thing By misconstruction to a monster grow, ' • A I'll tell the whole truth.". ■ ■

Sheridan Knowi.es,

It is useful at times to compare the utilities of rivalries on the shore and on the. sea.—The Olympic games were admirably suited to the encouragement and. improvement of physical strength in order to the. formation of perfect warriors and war horses. The modern chase and racecourse are not improper schools of experience of a similar kind, although unattended by the impressive rites" and sanctions of the ancient Circus and Hippodrome. They have no religious solemnities'to intensify the feelings and stimulate the energies of competitors. The different tribes and States of Greece measured their relative ability amidst those imposing and magnificent gatherings at what were regarded as sacred periods and places, when and where all was guarded by prudence, temperance, and public virtue. We owe the grand models of beauty and vigour that have been immortalized, by the painters and statuaries of antiquity teethe-august; occasions of gymnastic prowess. "And to-some-' •thing of the same kind do we owe the strong,, handsome, fleet, and.almost matchless horses Of the English. But as.the Christians, unlike the Jews and Greeks, cannot, associate the sanctities.of piety and devotion with the' popular pleasures of life, the stirring pastimes of collective healthy youth, and hilarity, their' friendly contests f6r amusement or victory, are neither so hallowed nor so dignified as were those of olden and truly classic ages,—-times when the perfection of man and horse was achieved by arts peculiar to the wisest systems of training. But confessedly inferior to the ancients as we are in the production of matchless men, our English horses are amongst the most symetrical of any nation or era. Whether they possess the spirit and game of some of historic renown is more than doubtful; but their average merits are probably .above all comparison. . We conceive this excellency to be attributable to the delight which the British take in the more exciting and refreshing hunt combined with the race. It is the union of the two recreations that has perfected the best breeds of horses in Great Britain. Until we can have, such..... a joint interest in the horses of New Zealand, we may justly fear, notwithstanding our favourable climate, our breed of horses will not long eqiial-the genuine English breed. The hunting horse is the horse most suited, in our opinion, to this country, for crosses with the breeds for the team, for stock purposes, and for excursions of pleasure. The chief value of our racers will be most felt when required to impart more fleetnes to the stouter hunters. ' On this account we consider it as a matter' of : importance that our gentlemen, who exult in. such matters with good old English: patriotism, should endeavour to connect the emulation of the chase with that of the turf. Nevertheless, we should deplore it, .if such a connection .were to aggravate the intemperance arid vice so often in closest-attendance with our sportsj We need stewards and warders for promoting: temperance in our efforts to win prizes. Drunkenness was unknown in or about the Circi of the States of Greece! .Why. not so with those humbler ori^s of, Englishmen? We improve our beasts: why hi so doing deteriorate our own species? It. is only by being "temperate in all things," as Pindar sings, no less than Paul, that we can expect to strive "for mastery" in entire human excellence, with reasonable success. Temperance will do much to finish improvement of the landsmen. ..;■•.■: :■ '.

And the same may be said of the progress towards perfection in our maritime enterprises. Temperance is the best finisher of the clever seaman. We count on noble benefits resulting from Regattas. They, from time to time, declare advancement in the artof boat-building and of sailing, and are well contrived to evince the value of ihews, muscles, and skill in the management of the smaller craft especially ; but, without temperance, we shall be cheated by folly of that which would be a blessing. There is not at this moment a more important theme for our divines, legislators, and philanthropists than this. If they would have a worthy rivalry of endeavour on sea and on shore, let them do their utmost, like the ancients,.for Temperance. Our best guardian ■of health is sobriety ; and we cannot have a safer guarantee of revenue. If England "peril its greatness by one evil more than another, it is its tremendous drunkenness, and its consequent - crime. The world never saw more degrading thrall, more

ruinous calamity. The nation of money-wor-shippers, is anationof sots ; on this account, grand and; mighty as it is, its tyrant is its crime, and .that tyrant, without speedy reform, will destroy its power. Russian wars and Indian massaci'es have been dreadful things ; but our worst wars ai'e waged by the evils we swallow in daily.intemperance. - ■'■■■; In close alliance with this evil, and often one of its consequences, we might notice the unlawful, dangerous, and stupid habit of riding And driving rapidly along the shore, where the road is so narrow, while children.and females, in going and coming, are frequently in. terrified groups obliged to scramble out of the Not only every gentleman, but also every man of sense, should avoid causing,nuisances of this kind. They ought not to be tolerated for another day. The approaches to Nelson are greatly pestered in this way by silly people who pride themselves in their equestrian novelties.

By a reference to a recent leader we perceive that instead of stating " one quarter," we should have said one half-quarter of a million as the amount of customs, and twenty pounds, not " forty pounds per family," as the sum contributed by the colonists. ■■;.'.■; ■".', ':■..-