LETTER TO THE EDITORS.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 6, Issue 322, 18 December 1862, Page 3

LETTER TO THE EDITORS.

Wanganui, December’ 19, 1882. Sir, —Tlie application of a surgeon’s lancet to a long-negleoted ulcer frequently gives more pain than the disease itself, and perhaps makes the patient [briefly angry . with the ..operator; Arguing from analogy, I am.riot surprised to find that my letters of the last two weeks have occasioned a little feeling of annoyance among some of those to whom they apply. When the surgeon’s lapcet has made the necessary wound, hia next care is to mollify it and heal it. This is a far pleasanter part of the process of Cure; Last week Basked questions oii which to form a diagnosis ; now, by your permission,. I willattempt, with all modesty, to prescribe.* :; - First, then. It is not a want of musical taste or musical,ear which causes confusion in.chanting the'’ Ointicles. There is material in the church for really good congregational singing.. 1 have visited the . churches in nearly all the, towns of New Zealand, and in none have I observed the people to. join the responses and singing more generally ' than is the case here. Blit willingness will not insure time-keeping.-A properly recognised system of pointing will; “But how are the point books to be paid for ?” . is of course the first difficulty. Well, there are two or three ways. The best .would beforeach member of the congregation to contribute a shilling—-for which trifle every one might be provided, with “pointed books” -with tunes attached. It would, of course,* take,five or six months to procure them. Or, let some com-; patent person or persons be selected to decide the pointings—(as there are several VerSeS in:* the Canticles which, may be taken more ways than then four or five score of ordi-, 'nary prayer books can be neatly matked in a fortnight. But, supposing tlie “pointed books” obtained, the next thing is, how to make use of them. This can be acquired by any person, without previous knowledge of music, in half an hour’s practice. Of course it takes more than that to make them go perfectly smoothly. I see no reason why a very good choir may not be formed here. Ido not mean a choir to sing to the congregation, or for them. .The proper duty of a parish choir is to lead, not to monopolize the singing. This does not suit everybody. Some'singers like to be prominent, and some people like to have pretty music sung to them, without regard to whether it is devotional or not. I would have the whole of the music so simple that a child might sing every note. But this simplicity is not approved-by those who— . “to church repair, “ Not for the doctrine, but the music there.” I have heard a chorister urge upon a precentor, “Oh, don’t have that tune; everybody knows it, and they drown our voices.”.That’s.,.the, very thing I want,” was the reply. When the musical portions of the service are properly carried out, the voices of the choir are merged in the flood of harmony rising from the genei’al congregation. In order to gain this effect, it is most important that all difficult tunes, as well as all light arid secular ones, be. kept out of the church. As a rule, all tunes with repeats, or which contain strings of crotchets and quavers in the melody, are inappropriate. Thus— Careys, Devizes, Helmsley, Portuguese, Anniversary, aud the parody of Tallis, used here for the Evening Hymn, are to be condemned. I have seen “ Life let us cherish,” aud “ Batti, batti, be! Mazetto,” set as Hymn tunes. Indeed, I was once very strongly pressed to introduce the latter, but refused, except Upon condition that the fair proposer sang it as a solo with proper operatic action. There are at least fifty good solid church tunes, by the best composers, such as Tallis, the,Purcells, ItavenscroftpWlieall, Howard, and Blow, without descending to such as these. I * have been asked, with reference to < my letters, “ Why did you not mention the alleged defects to some of us in private? We can’t deny that there is much that might be improved, but there was no occasion to publish our faults to the world.” I reply that, as a reform of the kind I suggest is a matter for the whole congregation, it would not answer the purpose to appeal only to a few. If the defects I have indicated be generally admitted, then let us, for the honour aud glory of God, set about remedying them, without minding what outsiders may say or think. I am, sir, your obdt. servant, George Fred. Allen.

P.S.—There is one little clerical or typographical error in my first letter. 1 appear to have said, “ Why do we not stand during the Epistle and the Offertory ?” The words in italics should be omitted. -

Wanganui, Dee. 13, 1862. Slß,—Your last and previous issue contained two remarkable productions in the shape of letters signed “Geo. Fred. Allen.” Pray, have the goodness to inform an inquisitive ignoramus who this Mr. Geo. Fred.' Allen is. 1 would like much to obtain a biographical sketch of the daring man who so unceremoniously pokes his nose into church concerns, snuffing up the unsavoury matters therein. Is 'Mr. G. F. A. a scion of the house of Junius, who wrote such stirring letters of old ? or doth he claim kindred with the Paul Pry family ? It speaks well for the minister that no fault has been found with his discourse —generally the part of service most criticised in all churches; but, likely enough, the surveyor was so intent upon noting other matters that he heard little, if anything, of the sermon. What startling 'discoveries do those letters make ! 1 Mr. Allen’s surveillance was not confined to the English church, but extended up Victoria-avenue as far as the Roman Catholic church. lie is surprised at the liberality of the Roman Catholic donations, forgetting that men will pay liberally to escape purgatory, or to release some departed friend therefrom. “ Independent stranger ”is doubt--less aware that there is another church for him to visit, farther up the Avenue. Look, out then, 0 Presbyterian Church, lest this censor witness against thee ; and be watchful, O Wesleyans, lest this lynx-eyed Argus cause • groanings. See to it that there be more than one shilling, and five sixpences in the plate when it reaches the last seat but one. Sing hearty, 0 Presbyterians, else you will catch it. “ If there’s a hole in a’ your coats, I ] ede you. tent it; A chiefs amang you taking notes, And, faith, he’ll prent it.” “Independent stranger” may suppose' that I am a member of . the church whose real or fancied imperfections he so ably exposes ; but 1 am not, and so far am as “disinterested ” as be is. If, however, things are as Geo. Fred. Allen describes, they are not, in some particulars, what even 1 think might, could, or should be. Rut if the people attending the church are satisfied, why. should an “independent stranger” not leave them alone? Contentment is happiness, and innovations often create unpleasantness. Neither am I a musician, barely knowing that a crotchet is a black mark with a tail, in music, a,nd that some men have many crotchets in their, .heads. Nevertheless, I do know that the minister of the English church (Mr. N.) is 1 a musician, and in my humble opinion as clever a one as any man in Wanganui, excepting perhaps Geo. Fred. Allen; that he'(Mr. N.) has laboured for years, in the face of much discouragement, to obtain that desideratum in the Church of England, a good choir, &c. ; and I feel persuaded that if, as is stated by the “totally impartial and disinterested bystander,” the choir is so inefficient, it is not the result of either want of talent or will on the part of the minister, but of listlessness aud apathy on the part of the congi-egation. Being a bashful man, I decline giving my real name, but, under a nom de plume, I remain, yours, &c. Mat. Val.

■ AUCKLAND. By-the Heron we have papers lip to lOblrinst.

"• The Harrier andtfthe A von arrived on the 2-7 ; th nit., at Manukau. The Avon's •decks. '{ire being ...protected with a bulletproof roo£.:. " The' r, n i ii'}it{iry arg, .still at Otal rub u>and in. Auckland. ksSftme-. .them • are ..prac--their- rifles at point Chevalier, a" few smiles north of Auckland. Some, are in front working on the road to the Waikato.-

Wirt. Naylor- has offered to sell to the Government 50,000 acres of land on the left -bank of the Waitetuna. Mr. Robt. Grab am has been el ected Superintendent by a majority of above 300. The state .of-the poll was to be declared (on the 11th inst.

LieutAOeneral Cameron left Manukau on the 9th, by the Harrier, to visit the garrisons in the south, and inspect the troops; • 1" . . (The gold exported from Ist April 1857 to 30th Decs 1862 is mentioned in the Gazette of 6th inst., as follows :—:Auckland, 615 pz., worth *£%, Kelson, 50,766 oz", f otago,' ’478,179 .pz., -yaljae';“Jr,Bß7,Bl9,—in all 538,560 oz.y vaiSe (£2,086,9211. - - : -

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE PEFSBY- , TEEIAN CHURCH IK T NEW ZEALAND.

Delegates : from the Sessions and Presbyteries throughout New Zealand met in St. Andrew’s Church, Auckland on the 25th November. The Rev. JohnMacky of Otahuhu. delivered a discourse from Ephes. i. 22. At the close of divine service it was moved by the Rev. D. Bruce, of Auckland, seconded by the Rev. W. Will, of Otago, and unanimously agreed to as follows:—That the ministers and elders now assembled, in accordance with the resolution of convocation at its meeting on the 21st of November, 1862, and on the basis of union adopted by said convocation, do now in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ the head of the Church, constitute them--selves-.th e-first general assembly of the Presbyterian church of New Zealand, and appoint the Rev. John Macky to be their Moderator. \ The Moderator then delivered an opening address.: Thereafter the Basis of Union as agreed to at Dunedin last year' was read. Some business of a formal nature was next transacted. In the evening the communion;was partaken of, after which drafts of Address to her Majesty and the Governor were read and approved of, and various committees appointed. On Wednesday the 26th, it was resolved to hold a meeting .annually—at Dunedin,' Wellington and Auckland by turns, the next meeting to be at Wellington. Rev. D. Bruce was appointed to visit the Hutt, Motueka, Amuri, Marlborough, Kaiapoi and Timaru, while means are beingmsed to obtain "ministers' for these places. . Rev. Mr. Thom was appointed to begin a* station at Taranaki. It was resolved to have a church extension fund for assisting weak congi’egations. The Hebrides were adopted as a sphere for Missionary operations, and the attention .of the Church ; was recommended to the educating of the. Maori youth in the English language. J. M. Clarke Esq. was appointed Treasurer for all the schemes of the Church.

On Thursday the 27th, Members were requested tq ascertain the sentiments of their congregations as to the introduction of hymns. Instrumental -music was declared allowable in congregations that wished it Rev. Mr. Will who is going home from the' Otago Presbytery was appointed to represent the New Zealand Church at tjhe Pfesbyterian Assemblies and Synods there. On Friday ; the.2Bth, resolutions were come to as to advancing young men for the ministry, the establishment of a widows’ fund, the publication of a periodical, preparing trust deeds and a manual of church forms.

The proceedings were then brought to a close by devotional exercises.

FROM POTATAU’S GAZETTE

The following extracts are taken from a translation of the Gazette dated Ngaruawahia, June 15th, 1862. The issue was delayed by want of type and of a good printer. In the year 1834 came a Pakelia to measure from Meremere, from the side above the puaha of Whangamarino from Waikato. - . •• ,

•V- ffolinstbri arid the chiefs of Manukau Now when ' all: the chiefs of Waikato heard that a pakelia had come to Meremere, they said let ns go and send him away ; for it is right to hold the land for the generations to come after ; for food came forth from the earth, man also came from woman, now both these are good. They then went to send away that pakeha, and said, to him, friend, the laud for which money lias been received without authority, must be given up. Simon, that land shall not be given up ; the boundary for you, for the pakelia, must stop at Mangatawiri. We, the people of place, are op posed to the principle of this selling land : you have got that large portion of couritry, and now your coming further this way to buy, is not right.

1. The commencement of the Kins: movement, was with Matine te Wliiwhi. He was a j chief- of Ngatiraukawa, of Ngati Toa,. of Ngati ’ Whakaue. The idea of that man was that lie hirriself should be King for this island. And that Chief went to Taupo to the principal chiefs of that place, that they might consent to liis being King, but they did not approve. That chief then went to the chief of Rotorua, that they might consent to him for a King, but they did not approve. Mr. Smith the Government interpreter. was present at that meeting. Two poles were > erected ; a Maori garment was upon one pole, and a European garment upon the other. The

one for the King was a poor ai tide, that' for the Queen •a' rich 'one. Te ..Hbuheii then said, Pofatau I 'shall be King in the midst ■ of this; flsTand lan d" r of- the tribea also.'

The gazette then goes on to describe other seven meetings; held at Mohoanui ■ 5 (1700 present], Taupo • (1.700 present)', ..hlaxihgatawhiriy ’" Ra’ngiaohia;' iPaetai] where all Waikato was: assembled, Ilium-; ata-Oj • Ayh'ich: Bishop; Selwyn attended, 1 “ and preached the word of God,’ ’ and at Ngaruawahia where all the chiefs attended from a distance; and the name of King was fixed on for the head chief. Mr. Burrows preached to that assembly. Then all the chiefs from various parts of the country came up to do honor to, and to make great the King to put all their lands under his authority. Some' of the lands were handed over to him by letter. ' -

OTAGO. The escort arrived on Friday, the 27th nit. withfl9,6o9. oz., of which 13,000 oz. were from Dunstan. A digger of the name of Eox and his party have got 330 ozs. in three weeks near the Wakatip"Take, ‘wh ere a - large field is said to exist. At Dunstan the Diggers are doing well. A new.rush lias taken place to a gully running from the Umbrella mo.uutai.ns, and about thirty miles from the Moa . flat. No. particulars have transpired. Fratson’s sentence has been commuted by the Governor to penal servitude for life. TARANAKI. . The Herald of the 13th gives the letter of the Government in answer to the questions put to Mr. Domett. It contains little, and that not .satisfactory. 500 immigrants are to be introduced from Europe. A 25,000 is now to he given of the 1'200,000. No opportunity will be lost of restoringr the settlement. It is not prudent to say more..

Effect of the American War. —The following different view from that generally taken of the effects of this war on the relations of England with America is taken from Macmillan’s magazine for September:— It is, so .1 am told, unpatriotic to desire tlie success of die North, because the continuance of the war causes such bitter misery in Lancashire, and because the restoration of the Union would lead inevitably to a war between-the United States and England. W ith regard to the first of these ob ections, I feel its force strongly. . Every Englishman must care more about his own countrymen than lie does about either Yankees or negroes. I could not wish tlie distress in Laucashire to beTerno ved" at Ufe - pfice of a great national sin ; and such in my judgment would be the interference of England to establish a slave power in order to procure cotton. But if die war could he terminated without any action on our part, I own I should regret, what 1 consider a misfortune to humanity, less acutely if I thought it would bring permanent- relief to our industrious poor. But I do not thiuk so. If the Confederacy were established now, there would be., no chance of cotton being obtained elsewhere ; the supremacy of Southern slave-grown cotton would be re-established all tlie more firmly for the sufferings we have undergone ; and England would be virtually dependent on the South., entangled in her alliances, involved in her wars, and liable for her embarrassments. Moreover, it is a delusion to suppose that the South would prove a good customer to English manufactures. '] he South can never be a maritime power. For years to come she must be afraid of Northern invasion. For the interests, therefore, of her own safety, she cannot rely upon England to supply her with maim- • factures, and must encourage manufactures of her own. The only way to do this in a poor, lialf-civilised country like the South, is by.a high prohibitive tariff; and such a timlf will certainly be adopted by tlie South, whenever liev independence is established. By the establishment, therefore, of the Southern confederacy, our manufacturing districts would purchase exemption from present distress, at the price of much heavier and more permanent loss in future.

• As.to the danger of war, it is idle to. deny its existence.- There is a state of feeling on both sides of the Atlantic, which is only too likely to lead to war. Both nations believe that they are entirely in the right, that they have given no cause of offence. Ulrich is most right or the most wrong there is no good in discussing now. It is enough that a feeling of hostility exists. But the danger of war is far greater in the event of the failure of the North than in the event of its success. If the North should subjugate, the South, a-generation must pass away before the South is really re-united to the North ; and until the South is re-united, the Union cannot make war upon any foreign power. The necessity of keeping down insuiTection in the South would render impossible aggression in the North. But take the other alternative. The North will be for a time a.homogeneous, powerful, and prosperous nation of twenty millions of white freemen. As a nation it will be burning under a sense of disgrace and defear. The net essity of cementing together ivliat remains of the Union will render a foreign war politically desirable. No war will'be so gratifying to the national pride as a war with England. The neutrality of the Southern confederacy will, be purchased easily by acquiescence in its designs on Cuba and Mexico ; and a war with England for the Canadas will be the inevitable result of a divided Union. Those who wish for peace, then, must desire the success of the North.

McCOEMICK’S REAPING MACHINE.

This]machine,' ms made by;Burgess‘and ' Key,'--hagtbeqh:;.Tm.Tjich• used" iji England.—Upwards of 3000 have beenJijade bj'.f I^cm--; J - *■- foil England, and as inaiiy - for the con- :. tinent. It-ris believed- that : 40,000 have ' been made' in the-United States;.. Theb ipatent in America expired 'lately, and as the patentee could not get’ it renewed', he - : set about making an-iinproyed machine,- • of the working of which the: following bb account is given in the Timer: — •

The new .machine is entirely founded ■>, upon McCormick’s old machine as made by Burgess and Key, the new. patent con- • : sisting simply in the introduction of an automaton'rake, which, at regular inter-’ ';., vals, by one rapid sweep, draws the corn on the platfofim together, and, with a quick turn, throws it aside in a loose, sheaf oat of the way of the machine. The . mechanism by which ..this is '.effected is . . .. simple in the extreme, though, from its very simplicity, it is difficult togive r a. clear idea of it to the general reader. . Putting it in its briefest form, we may say that the . wheels .on which the . old machine "was drawn along the grpnnch set iii motion a v mechanism by wliiclfthe corn ;d was biit close offratUmgrouiid, and at the . same time revolved a light four-armed wooden fan or gleaner, which as fast as the coni fell pushed it on to the platform. This, in substance, is the old machine.

The new one consists in the addition of the automaton rake, which,lias two actions. During one part of the revolution: of the gathering fans it acts with and as one of them till its wooden teeth are level with the platform where the cut corn lies. It then ceases to revolve, and by a most ingenious piece ot mechanism , makes- a sudden horizontal movement, throwing aside on to the ground the entire sheaf, and instantly after resuming'its;: motion as one of the revolving fans. The machine has been tried once before in England among some of the heavy Essex crops, when its performances exceeded p the most sanguine ekjiectatibns. Ycstor-' , day it was publicly tried again, in the presence of a number of gentlemen faruA; ers, on Mr. -Dixon’s farm’, about three;. . miles beyond Hemel Hempstead. This.::■; trial was made under the most unfavourable circumstances ; in fact j under cir- . cumstances which the farmers present contended should have prevented the'machine being tried at all. The night and morning had been very wet, and the rain was still falling sharply when the ma- : chine, drawn by two horses, and wielding its fans and rake in the most aggressive manner, was brought to a field of 21 'acres, covered with a very heavy crop of red lammas wheat, completely ;saturatedand bent down by the. rain; Along the edge of this field, where the ground was very lough, and the corn straggling and beaten down, the machine was turned. - Much misgiving was expressed before stavting as to the power of the rake to act on such ground against wind and rain, and to remove the soddened crop from tlie . platform into regular sheaves. A very few moments, however, sufficed to put these fears at rest. The reaper’ went to its work at the rate of about three miles ‘ an hour, making a clear cut broad track of 5 ft 6 in. wide, aud turning out neat and remarkably large loose sheaves at in ■ *• tervals of about 15 feet apart. The ; movements of the reaper were exact and ; ' perfectly noiseless, and it was easilyturned in any, direction. An ordinary agricultural labourer at first drove it. Afterwards Mr. Dixon took the place of drixer ; but the results were ThA same in both cases. The bunches were well laid, the’ cut was clean and close to the earth, '■ and the spacing between the sheaves as clear and accurate as if every foot, had been measured. At* pile part the corn was tangled and badly flattened,-—badly enough to have offered difficulties to the ordinary reaper ; but the machine went • through it with the same ease andregu-laritv-as through all the rest. The horses were then turned direct into and across ■ the thickest pait of the crop from corner- - to corner of the field, and though, as a matter of course, the passage of the animals drawing the machine trampled down a large portion of the stalks before its track, the reaper still worked as cleanly and efficiently as ever. First came one of the fans pushing its quantum, when cut, ■ on to the platform : then a second, third, and fourth, when the rake swept round in a semi-curve -and turned -the- whole mass out in a thick sheaf on to the ground. The, horses appear , to, draw it .... easily—more easily, in fact, than the old machine, while, from the strength and' simplicity of the improved mechanism, it was evident that, even hr the most inexperienced hands, nothing but '’wilful damage could derange its slight but strong

machinery. Yesterday the trial was brought to - a premature close by perfect floods of rain, which, though in no way • interfering with the perfect action'of the reaper, had, at least, an effect on the - gentlemen who assembled to witness its performances. It is estimated that the new reaper can reap and stack in sheaves from 16 to-18 acres of wheat per day, at . a cost, including wear and tear of plant-, . food of horses, &c„ of Is 6d per acre. Manual labour costs from 7s 6d to 10s per acre,-and a good reaper only averages from half to a little over halfan acre a " day. The new machine.-,.effects a saving s of at least one-third of the manual labour

that' ‘-was ' stlil~rietfessaiy wltlr bhc -oH reaper, and the pi ice at which Messrs. Burgess and Key will be able to sell it ' will be lower than that which has hitherto been given. The price will probably be £34 for the new machine, as against £36 and £3B for the old.

A person boasting of being able to sing alto, tenor, or bass, Tom Cooke turned on his heel arid said, “ Yes, I know you can sing very high, very low, arid, very n iidliug.”

IMPROVEMENTS IN SHEEP-BREEDING. [From the “ Melbourne Economist."'] The lengthened discussion which we . have extracted from the columns of the -~—£*tlngfi 'M6rnin(r Herald on the true principles of breeding has hatufivtly~excite<l much interest in. the minds of our pastoral farmers.. Now; when the disposal of the lands, public and private, has been settled, by the Land Act and by the Transfer of Lands Act, better known as Torrens’ Bill, the improvement of our flocks may indeed be considered the most important question of the .day in Australia, There are now. considerably above twenty millions of sheep shorn annually in these colonies, and an increase in the average weight of their fleeces of one pound, would at Is. 6. per lb./consequently increase the annual income of the pastoral interest by more than a million and a half sterling. That the weight of the fleeces of the majority of flocks might be increased at least a pound, by care in the selection of both ram 9 and ewes, will scarcely be disputed. In the course of the discussion we learn .that Mr James Maoarthur raised the average weight of his fleeces from 1 £ lbs. to 2| lbs. in three years ; and that from eweS of the same flock,.whose wool averaged 2J lbs. Mr James? Wright bred ewes in numbers which averaged 4 lbs. 2 ozs. of fine wool. Mr. Macarthur obtained his increase in weight, 3olely by careful weeding and selection in his own flock ; Mr "Wright by crossing -with firstclass imported rams. Mr. Wright argues in support of Mr. Bayly’s view, that permanent improvement can only be achieved by means of constant renewals of first class rams, from the celebrated stud flooks of Spain or Germany. Mr. Macarthur, on the other hand supports Mr. Shaw’s opinion, that by putting the best ■ rams only to the best ewes of the flock, it is quite possible to improve the wool bcar- • ing capabilities of sheep-in Australia, without any influx of new blood. Mr. M’Dougall judging from his experience as a breeder of shorthorns, in our last wbek’s issue strongly advocates the view taken by Messrs. Shaw and Macarthur with the reservation that the flock in question is of the right sort to begin with. He, in fact, goes much farther than these ‘ gentlemen ; he says that when a breeder ' is once in possession of a flock of the desired stamp, lie cannot improve, but he may impair, by introducing even the very best animals from another stud. .As confirmatory of this view it is well known that the Messrs Collings, after they established their herd, never had recourse to any new blood. The same course , has been since followed by Messrs Booth and Bates, the most celebrated' successors of the Collings’. It has been stated, and no doubt truly, that Mr Joseph Weeb, after liis flock of Southdowus was fairly established, never, on any one occasion, used the service of a sheep not bred by himself. We learn, from the communication of Baron Daurier, which originally appeared in this journal, that the whole' of the flocks of Merinoes under liis charge at Bambouillet, are the descendants of Spanish flocks, imported towards the close of the reign of Louis XVI., and again duriug the Consulate. Since the latter importation, the flocks have been entirely self-supporting; and the improvement -that lias been established, both, in the wool and the carcase, has been the result of extreme care in the continuous selection of rams and .ewes possessed of the qualities which it was desired to establish. . By all these breeders, , breeding in-and-in has ' : been practised, most extensively, for the purpose of rendering the type more fixed and permanent. It has beefi objected to ' this practice; that the inevitable result is a deterioration of the constitutional vigour ’ of the progeny of animals nearly allied in blood. Oh the other hand, the advocates 'of-in-and-in breeding point to the herds and flocks of the most successful; breeders and ask—where healthier and more robust animals are to be found than those- bred by such men as Booth, Bates, Jonas Webb or Baron Daurier % Indiscriminate in and-in breeding is admitted by them to be as hurtful as the opponents of the practice ■ in toto assert it to be ; It is asserted, however/ and, we believe, with truth, that • there is no other means by which we can with any certainty, rear herds or flocks all the members of which are of the same character. It must be admitted, however that it is the gift only of a few, to be able to select with certainty animals fitted to produce the desired qualities without risk-st-ing the consequence.of inchscriminate’rnix-' ture. As in every other trade, however. ■ the division of labour enables those less qualified to take advantage of the skill' of those who are gifted with the requisite judgment and accuracy of observation. ' Ttjhas long given increased .productiveness ■ to the labors of the manufacturing and trading classes, and there can he no doubt . that the more extensively it is .practised - ■ by farmers, both arable and pastoral, the ; more valuable will be the products of their - industry. - .'.

'.Strange if true. —An army letter from the camp before Richmond says - “ Two rather singular cases of lemarkabie escape from a living burial are related as having occu.red. subsequent to the battle of fair Oaks. The body of a colonel was found, on the field and brought : in. Arrangements were made for embalming it... The process includes the use of galvanism. The shock, was given.. To rihe astonishment' r 'of‘all the colonel rose ..walked ; forth The other case was also that of a colonel who wasj found ainong the dead on the field. .In deference ito his rank he was brought to the hospital and laid among the dead. His friends prepared to give him a decent burial, and were about carrying the body out when the colonel rolled over and, in tones more Jike those of a man drunk than dead, called-out, “Ben, John, where is my Whisky flask!” —Alta California.

ANTIQUE AND MODERN TALK.

[Frorrt tho “ Roundabout Papers ’* in the “ Comhill ” for September.] ■ v • iUe,,. A dear old sentimental friend, with whom I discoursed on the subject of novola yesterday. said that her favourite hero was • Lord OrvTle,~iti “ Evelina ’’—that novel which Doctor Johnston loved so, I took down the hook from a dusty old crypt at a club, where Mrs. Barbauld’s novelists repose ; and this is the kind of thing, ladies and gentlemen, in which your ancestors found pleasure : “ And here, whilst I was looking for the books, I Was followed by Lord Orville. He shut the door after he came in, and, approaching me with a look of anxiety, said, < Is this true, Miss Anville—are you :i going ?’ . . / “‘ I believe so, my Lord/ said I, still looking for the; books. “ ‘ So suddenly, so unexpectedly ; must I lose you 1* “‘ No great loss, my Lord,’ said I, endeavouring to speak cheerfully. “* Is it possible,’ said he, gravely, Miss Anville can doubt my sincerity ? ’ “ ‘ I can’t imagine,’ cried I, ‘what Mrs. Selwyn has done with those hooks.’ “ ‘ Would to heaven/ continued he, * I fnight flatter myself you would allow me to prove it! ’ v “ ‘ I must run Upstairs/ cried I greatly confused ‘ and ask what she has done with them.’

“ ‘ You are then,’ cried he, taking my hand, ‘ and ytm give me not the smallest hope of any return ! Will you not, my too lovely fri&nd, will you not teach me, with fortitude like your own to support your absence ? * “‘My Lord/ cried I, endeavouring to disengage my hand, ‘ pray let me go ! ’ “ ‘ I will/ cried he, to my inexpressible confusion, dropping on one knee, ‘ if you wish me to leave you.’ “ ‘ Oh, my Lord/ exolaimed I, ‘ rise, I beseech you rise. Surely your Lordship is not so cruel as to mock me.’

“ ‘Mock you ! ’ repeated he earnestly, ‘ no, I revere you. I esteem and admire you above all human beings ! You are the friend to whom my soul is attached, as to its better half. You are the most amiable, the most perfect of women ; and you are dearer to me than language has the power of telling.’ “ I attempt not to describe my sensation at that moment; I scarce breathed ; I doubted if I existed ; the blood forsook my cheeks, and my feet refused to sustain me. Lord Orville hastly rising supported me to a chair upon which I sank almost lifeless. : , I cannot write the scene that followed though every’ word is engraven on my heart; but liis protestations, his expressions, were too flattering. for repetition ; nor would he, in spite of my repeated efforts to leave him, suffer me to escape ; in short my dear ; 'sir, I was not proof against his solicitations, and he drew from mo the most sacred secret of my heart!” Contrast this old perfumed, powdered D’Arblay conversation with the present modern talk. If the two young people wished to hide their emotions nowadays, and express themselves in modest language the story would run : “ Whilst I was looking for the hooks, Lord Orville oame in. He looked uncommonly down, in the mouth, as he said, ‘ls this-true,'Miss Anville; are you going to cut ?’ “ ‘ To absquatulate, Lord Orville/ said I, still pretending that I was looking for the books.

‘“You’re very quick about it/ said he..

. “ ‘ Guess it’s no great loss/ I remarked, as cheerfully as I could.

“ ‘You don’t think I’m chaffing ?’ said Orville, with much emotion.

“ ‘ What has Mrs Selwyn done with the books f I went on.

“ ‘ What, going V said he, ‘ and going for good 1 I wish 1 was such a good-pluck-ed one as you, Miss Anville/ ” <fec. The conversation, you perceive, might be easily written down to this key ; and if the hero and heroine were modern, they would not be suffered to go through their dialogue on stilts, but would converse in the natural graceful way at present customary. By the way, what a strange custom that is in modern lady novelists to make the men bully the women ! In the time of bliss Porter and Madame D’Arblay, we have respect, profound bows and curtsies, graceful courtesy from men to women. In the time of Miss Bfonte, ab&'olute. rudeness. Is it true, mesdames, that you like rudeness, and are pleased at being ill-used by men ? 1 could point to more than one lady novelist who so represents you.

Philadelphia iw a New Dress.— “ How do you spell Feladelphy V asked a small city grocer of his partner one day, as he was sprinkling sand upon a letter which he was about to despatch to the city of Brotherly Love. “ Why, F-e-l-a, Fela, d-e-1, Feladel, f-y, Feladelfy.” “Then I’ve got it right,” said the partner (in ignorance as well as in business), “ I thought I might have made a mistake.”

Fifty Years ago.—There was less netting and snaring of game than now, and more shooting. This was part of the temptation. It is now the great temp tation to the slaughter of small birds of which we are complaining under our present plague of slugs, caterpillars, and wire-worms. Not only boys but men like the excuse for popping off* guns; and hence tho extirpation of many useful birds which we may never see restored. If the village butts and universal archery of old England had existed now, or if we now had the general practice with weapons which another generation will see, bur small birds would at this moment have been devouring the moderate quantity of caterpillars which would have made their appearance.— -Once a Week.

A Confirmed Grumbler:— Some time ago there lived in Edinburgh a wellknown grumbler, named Sandy Black, whose often-reourrihg fits of spleen or indigestion produced some amusing scenes of senseless irritability, which were highly relished by all, except the brute’s good, patientilittle wife. One morning' Sandy rose bent on a quarrel; the and eggs were excellent, done to a turn, and had been ordered by himself the previous evening ; and breakfast passed, without the looked-for cause of complaint. “What will you have for dinner, Sandy ?” said Mrs. Black. “ A chicken, madam/’ said the husband. “ Roast or boiled ? ” asked the wife. “ Confound it, madam, if you .had been a good and considerate wife, you’d have known before this what I liked,” Sandy growled out, and, j;flamming the door behind him, left the House. It was in spring, and a friend who was present heard the little wife say, “ Sandy’s bent on a disturbance to-day ; I shall not. please him, do what l ean.” The dinner time came, and Sandy anp his friend sat down to dinner ; the fish was eaten rinrsilen ce, t>, and on raising the cover of the dish before;him,v ine a towering passion., he called chicken ! I hate it, madam. .A chicken boiled is a ,chicken spoiled. ately the cov6r was ; raised "for Another chicken roasted to a turn. “ Madam I won’t' eat rbart chicken,” roared Sandy, “you know how it should Have been cooked !’*■' A-ttlie same instant a-broiled chicken, with mushrooms, was placed on the table. “ WithoutJ green peas ! ” roared the grumbler. “Here they are, dear,” said Mrs. Black. “ How dare you spend my money in that way ?” “ They were a present,” said the wife, -interrupting. Rising from his chair, and rushing from the room, amidst a roar of laughter from his friend, he clenched his fist, and shouted, “ How dare you receive a present without my leave ! ” — Pamily Herald .

The French Ministry of Agriculture has just made public the latest agricultural statistics collected in results from the extremely interesting data afforded, that the, ordinary wheat production of France is now estimated 35,000,000 qrs as compared with 26,000, 000 qrs in 1840. The department of the Seine in which Paris is situated, although cultivating to a small extent, attained the greatest average fertility established in any department of the empire, but the most fertile district is shown to be the arrondissement of Valenciennes in the department of the Nord, which produced wheat at the rate of 5 qrs 5 bushels per acre. The smallest production occurred in the arrondissement of Castellane in the Basses Alpes, which, only showed a return of 1 qr 2 bushels per-acre. There is, therefore, a great variation in the fertility of various parts of France. The area under . cultivation with wheat was returned by the latest reports at 13,970, 000 acres, as compared with 11,170,000 acres in 1840, the average yield exhibiting an increase of about If bushels per acre now as compared with 1840. The department which had the largest area of land under wheat cultivations appears to have been the Maine-et-Loire, which had 327,766 acres cropped, while the Cantal had only 11,172 acres under crop. Anecdote of Sheridan.— A curious anecdote is related of the great Sheridan It is well known that when hard up for cash he used to make his wits earn the means for subsistence, and he could accomplish this in no better way than by laying wagers with his thick-pated friend the Prince Regent. A discussion arose as to the respective walking capabilities of turkeys and geese, and the wit b'xpressed himself very incredulous of the assertion that turkeys would walk- twice as far as geese in a given space of time. He affected to believe that geese could be driven as fast on the road as turkeys, and the thing appeai’ed so very absurd that the Prince instantly laid him a heavy wager that such was not the case. Sheridan, however,, knowing the “ .early-to-bed” habits of turkeys, took care to arrange a long distance to be traversed, and to fix the period of trial to be late in the afternoon. The consequence was that evening set in before the rival flocks had anything like arrived at their destination, and although die turkeys outstripped the geese at first,, as the shades of night fell they refused to be driven i forward and got flying up bn the branches of the frees at the road side. The? geese.- however, were driven steadily‘forward ning point, and -.the: .Prince, Regent, as usual, lost-his : wager; - \

The New Franklin Expedition.—A letter from St. John’s, Newfoundland, dated August 22, says “ The barque George Henry, of New London, Captain Budinglon, from Fio isher’a Bay, has arrived here short of provisions, and with Mr. Hall, of the new Sir John Franklin expedition, on board. The expedition lost one man the first winter out—he froze to death. Mr. Hall reports that in consequence of the loss of some of thecraft he was ; unable to prosecute liis mission .to the exr tent of its purpose. The expedition had probably determined the fate of two-; boats’ crews of Sir JobnjFranklin’s expedition, who perished in endeavouring to return. Mr. Hall learned: the fate of five men captured from Frobisher on his first voyage, ■. and / identified-* .the exact, places of their landing. ;..-Mr.i Hall explored over 1000 miles .oLthe . coast including the so called which pi'ove to be a deep bay,, terminating in lat. 63 .48, long. 70. W. Mr. Hall also discovered a great and mountain of fossils between Hudson’s Straits and Frobisher’s Bay.. -The George Henry was about to start for the States in October 1861, but was prevented doing so by ice until the 9tli inst. The ship’s company subsisted through last winter by the hospitality of the Esquimaux.”

Garibaldi and Turtle Soup.-t-A Tough Yarn.-—M. Henri.de Pene tells the following, story in his “Causerie,” in the new journal La Franoe:—“ About thirty years ago, when the sect of St. Simonians/ridiculed, and almost persecuted in Paris, emigrated in groups to the East, Felicien David (author of opera “ Lalla Rookh,” which was successfully brought out the other day at the Opera Comique) found himself ploughing the blue waters of the Mediterranean on board the Clorinde, a rakish little merchantman, hound for Constantinople. Among his fellow passengers were several young men poor and despised like himself, but who, also like himself, have since in their several vocations risen to the pinnacle of fortune and fame. One warm evening as the vessel, neared the coast of Africa, Felicien David was pacing the deck in close conversation with the second mate of the Clorinde, an athletic, bold looking and withal modest and thoughtful young man, who had sought the acquaintance of these French dreamers, and informed them that he was an Italian patriot; something of a Carbonaro, but for the moment the course of events had weaned him from politics. ‘ What is thatsuddenly exclaimed the composer) at the same rtjnuT pointing but to the sharper eyes of his sailor companion a black spot floating at a; considerable distance from the ship. ‘ That is a turtle, and one of the largest kind. The English say they make famous soup. They are -very scarce kereabouts. What can that one be doing so far from the coast ? There look how it springs out of the water to breathe !’ ‘ Y/e got no turtle soup at Menilmontano/ said Felicien David with a sigh ( thinking of the short commons of the St. Simonian Club), and I should not be sony to know what it is like ? How do they catch that fish?’ ‘At sea they are harpooned like whales ; but the simplest and belt way is to look out for them when they come in shoals to the coast to lay their eggs, and then take them in strong nets. There is a third manner, but that is seldom resorted to, for it is dangerous.’ * Well, what is this third way ? This living soup, this floating delicacy, is not, then, harmless 1 ‘ Oh! by no means. You might as well have your leg or your arm between two Sheffield razors as within a turtle’s beak.’ ‘Oh dear ! Well, but about the third way of catching them.’ * I will show it you/ quietly replied the second mate of the Clorinde, and at the word he plunged into the sea, ‘accoutred as he was.’ A few minutes afterwards he reappeared upon deck, streaming like a fountain, somewhat bloody, but holding his prey in his hands— ‘ You shall have your turtle soup/ lie said to Felicien David. ‘ What rashness!’ said the latter. ‘Oh !’ said the Officer of the Clorinde, shrugging his shoulders, * a little sooner, a little plater—what matters !‘—and he wentfto his cabin to change bis clothes. I forgot to mention that the name of the second mate of the Clorinde was Joseph Garibaldi.” Hereditary Features?—A thickness of the under lip has been hereditary to the Imperial House of Hapsburg ever since the marriage, some centuries ago, with the Polish family of Jagellon, whence it came. In our own Royal Family, a certain fulness of the lower and lateral parts of the face is conspicuous in the portraits of the whole series of sovereigns, from George I. to Victoria, and has been equally marked in other members of the family Th e females of the ducal house of Gordon have long been remarkable for thepeculiarly elegant conformation of the neck. The Clackmananshire Bruces, who are descended from a common stock with the famous Robert Bruce, of Scotland, are said to have that strongly marked form of the cheek-bones and jaws which appears on the coins of that heroic monarch, as it did in his actual face when his bones were disinterred at Dunfermline, about 30 years ago.. The prevalent tallness of th e inhabitants of Postdam, many of whom are descended from the gigantic guaids of Frederick I. ; the Spanish features observable in the people of the count y Gal-, way, in which, some centuries ago, several Spanish settlements were made ; and the hereditary beauty of the women of Prague ■—are well known facts which have frequently attracted the attention of chronologists. The Jewish physiognomies portrayed upon the sepulchral monuments of Egypt are identical with those which may be observed among modern Jews in the streets of any of our great cities.

The New Nicaragua Line. —-The New -Jersey 'Legi&l'4tnrfij_having : granted the charter to the “ Central American Transit .Company,”—which places its docks at Jersey City to save the enormous costs of wharfage at New York—the new line will be immediately pushed to completion, and will be in operation, it is supposed, by the middle of July or first of August. The transit from ocean to ocean will be made in twenty-four, hours, and the whole passage accom plished in seventeen days. Two of the finest of the old Collins’ Liverpool Line will be among the vessels first put on the route. The grant authorises a capital of 3,000,0.00 dols, with the privilege of rincreasing to 5,0 }O,OOO dols, if occasion should warrant. The public accomodation demands such a line, and it will be immediately successful—-to last how long, who shall predict ? The best'of Nicaraguan companies have been short lived, and we have as yet no guarantee that this will prove more enduring than 1 the others. There can be no doubt, however, that there is room for two lines of steamers at fair prices. There will soon be many thousands of persons at'the East thrown out of employment or business by the closure of the war, and most of those will seek our shores, provided they may do so at a cost within reach of their purses. . The steamers will all come crowded this summer. —San Francisco Herald.

Knavery and folly have often the same symptoms,

The Swimmlvg-School fob Womex at Paris.—A& many parents are -wishing to know how: girls can be iaught|theuse of their limbs in the water,, it may be.interesting to them to- hear, how the art is taught at Paris. The water is that of the Seine. .This is the least agreeable circumstand'e'in the case, as- the water in the Seine is [quite as - unfragrant in tfiesummer months as that of theiThameSii Whether it is purified on entering the baths Ido not know. Let us hope it is.,. The bath is moored in the.river, space occupied by water i* 12(jkfe«tin length ; a course long enough to 'afford room for all the exercises ? connected; with swimming. A wooden platform three or tour feet under water reaches to '.about the middle of the bath ; and this is. for the use of children and mere bathersiwho do not swim. The other half is. of a con-' , siderable depth in the middle, admitting of practice in genuine diving. The. dress is excellent for the purpose. It is made of a light wollen fabric, which does not absorb much water, The trousers are loose, and fastened at the ancles. The upper dress, also loose,! extends to the knee, and is belted round the waist and closed at the neck. It is just as decent a ~dress~as”Englislriaclies used to wear when Bath was called “the Bath,” and when wigged gentlemen and powdered ladies used to wade about in full trim and chat in the water. The first step in the process of teaching is; to make the pupil unclerstand how to keep ontlie surface and how to sink to the bottom. Most people know that to spread out the limbs is to float, and to double one’s self up is to sink; but it is not everybody who knows that the quickest way of going to the bottom is to raise thei arms above the head. This is precisely wliat women do when they fall out of a boat, or find themselves overboard in a shipwreck. ITp go their arms in their terror, and down they go to the bottom like a shot. This is the action used by divers who want to reach their point by the shortest way. From the ceiling of the Paris bath hangs a rope which travels along on a sort of crane. Where this rope touches the water a broad belt is attached to it. Thef belt is fastened easily about the pupil’s waist, supporting her in the water, and-leaving her at liberty to learn the action of r he limbs in swimming. She is) made perfect in these, and must then try - her powers without support. 1 o render her safe and preclude fear, the instructor, (who is a master and not a mistress) walks along the edge, just before her, holding a pole within her reach, which she can grasp in an instant if fatigued or alarmed. It does not follow tfca: we must have swimming masters in England. The art is taught all along the rivers of and invariably by women-in-tho-'mniremir baths; — Tn~ that case the dress is less elaborate, and there is more freedom and simplicity in the practice. It is a remarkable sight when the master is followed by 10 or 20 pupils, his pole reminding one of the magnet which brings swans or fishes to the bread in a basin of water, in the old-fashioned toy which astonishes children. The second pupil has a hand on the shoulder of the first, and swims with the other three limbs ; the third on the shoulder of the second, and so on—looking like a shoal of mermaids. When so thoroughly at ease as to amuse themselves for a long, time in the water, the ladies sometimes grow hungry ; and then is seen another remarkable sight—not quite so pretty. They rush from the bath to a confectioner’s shop which opens upon it, and may*be seen presently swimming with one hand, and with the other eating their lunch completely at ease. After learning the art in fresh water, : it is mighty easy to swim in the sea, from the density of the water, and scarcely' possible to sink. A woman who knows how to float is safe for many hours m the sea, as far as keep-: ing on the surface is concerned. Among breakers or sharks, or in extreme cold, the peril is not of drowning simply. The simple peril of drowning might be reduced to something small if everybody could swim.—Oner a Week. The Pope.— The Vienna Wanderer states that the Pope’s health is not very satisfactory. He lately remarked to an ecclesiastical dignitary— ‘ The hand of Providence has already written for me the “ Mene, Mene, Tekel, Tlpharsin.” My days, are numbered, my acts are weighed in the balance of Divine justice, and I hope they, will hot be found to far wanting ; my empire is filling into secular hands. Will it be for long ? Who knows Record. “ Scrupulous tempers make few people good,” said Dr. Johnson, “and many people miserable.”