GENERAL EXTRACTS.

Bush Advocate, Volume XI, Issue 863, 25 November 1893, Page 5

GENERAL EXTRACTS.

v John Ituskin, writing in 18G7 to hie* pupil. Ward, indited thosb strange sentences: — "You may write mo whatever you like to talk about, provided you write iarge and clear. You may trust to the truth of my sympathy, but you must Temember thaf. 1 am engaged, in the in„ vestigationofenormousreligious and moral questions in tho history of nations, and that your feelings, or my own, or anybody else's, at any particular moment, aro of very little interest to me — nob from want of sympathy, but from tho small proportion the individuality bearsto the whole subject of my inquiry. I have no affections, having had them, three timea over, torn out of me by tho roots — most fatally the last time, within the last year. I hope to be kind and just to al! persons, and of course I like ancl dislike, but my word 'affectionately' means only — that I should have loved people, if I were noif dead. As a matter of practical fact, yow may always trust to my kindness inti due proportion as you stand among other peoplo who require it, and to my under standing sympathy in proportion also. But I have no pleasure myself, now, i» any human relation. Knowing this, you will be ablo to understand a good deal in my ways of going on, otherwise inexplicable." Strictly defined (says " Music and th© Drama ") the ballet is properly a theatrical exhibition of tho art of dancing in ite highest pertect ; on, complying generally with the rules ot the drama as to its composition and form. It was in existence in Italy as far back as a.d. 1500 tho court of Turin in that daymaking especial use of it, and the royal family and nobles taking," part in it. The ballet was first introduced in France in the reign of Louis XIII., and both that monarch and Louis XIV. occasionally took part in ite dances. In its cailiest presentation the ballet appeared dexterously in combination with the other theatrical acts, and ia said to have "completed the chaotic medley exhibited in these spectacles, which, were at once mythological, allegorical, fantastic, warlike and pastoral." The reader will not be slow to observe that its development in the present day has not apparently lost sinht of these conditions. About the' year 1700 women made their first appearance in the ballet, which up to that time had been performed exclusively by men, as was the case also with plays and operas ; but no women ballet-dancer of any note appeared until 17' JO, or about a century ago. Deerstalking in the Eoyal forests hae begun. Later in the autumn (says th» "Pall Mall Gazette") there will be a series of drives for roe-deer in the exte»sive woods on the Abergeldie and Birkhall estates. Tho Queen has four forests, Balmoral, which forms a part of the original estate which was purchased by the late Prince Albert from the Fife trustees in 1852, extends to 10.000' acres ; Ballochbuio, which was bought by the Queen in 1878 from the late Colonel Farquharson, of luvercauld, covers 10,000---acres, and is famous for its ancient woods of Scoth fir; Abergeldie andWhitemouth,. whicb aro leised from Mr H. M. Gordon,, extend to about 9000 acres, and they contain the finest comes in the whole domain. The extensive woods in thesefour forests and the abundant and exceptionally sweet pastures m the carries*render them a favorite haunt for deer. Tho mountain of Lochnaggr (3250 ft) is ' included in tho royal forest, and the- ' ecenery of tbo whole domain is verygrand. Thero is a network of bridle paths, so that all parts of the forest eaa be easily reached from either Balmoral or* Abergeldie, and three rifles can be out a» the same time on separate beats. Abouf eighty Btags are killed each season, with a proportionate number of hinds An entertaining story of SirArthur Sullivan is related in Charles-' Willeby's new Masters oi English Music. When the composer was travelling by stage in a rather wild part of California and was about to stop in a mining camp for lunch, he >vas gratified to bear th&. driver say, "Tbey expect you here, Mr Sullivan." The announcement wae confirmed, when coming across - a knot of prominent citizens ac the whisky shop, the foremost of the grouj*came up to a burly bystnnder and inquired, " Aie you Mr Sullivan ?" " No," replied tho burly man, while he pointed', to the English traveller. The citizen., looked at the Btranger rather cpntemptuously. and said, " Why, how much do yoa weigh?" This seemed" a curious method of gauging thepowers of a composer, but he received ' the prompt answer, " About one hundred - and sixty-two poundß.'' " Well," returned the man. " that's odd to me, any- • how. Do you mean to say that you gavefits to JohnS. Blackmail in Kansas City?" " No, I did not tiivo him fits," was the reply. Conferring further, it proved that - the person expected was Sullivan the prize-iiqhter. It appeared, however, thaf tho musician's fame had nevertheless ma dim sort of way reached tbat remote settlement, forthis " prominent citizen," in an outburst of cordial hospitality, finally exclaimed. " Oh, Arthur Sullivan I What, are you the mau that put Pinafore- ; together : Although sneakers in the Houso of Commons are known to keep their eyeon the Press gallery, they do not forget • themselves so far as to address its occu- • pants. In theTransva.il Volksraad the other day, a member commenced his speech* in this fashion : — "Mr Chairman,' honorable gentlemen, and reporters." The last-named body were so flabbergasted .. at this unexpected notice that they forgot- ■ to report the remainder of the speech. The following anecdote concerning the Queen of tho Bel-sinns is relited in the* "Belgian Nows." It is said that a fevr days sinco her Majesty, accompanied by tha Princess Clementine, was driving from Spa to Cicignon, when, whilst stopping at Bom-.il, she noticed-' a poor man who saluted hor withit stentorian " Bonjour, Madame la Eeino." The Queen asked hii-' name, and inquired what was his occupation. Ho replied that his name was. Pierre Colard, that he was married, that' his wifo suffered from attacks of epilepsy, that his three children were dead. The Queen, pitying his sad case, slipped a •jouple of Napoleons into bis hand, adding that he would receive further assistance to enable his wife to be under ■ :he caro of a Brussels doctor, and . :earing a leaf from her pocket-book, gave iim tbe address of bur own medical atteniant. After expressing his gratitude by ■ ihouting out, "Vive le Roi !" with all his - night, ho returned home showing to - ■veryone he met two gold pieces and the - Queen's autograph. Major Chalmers, late of tho East India Company's service, Bengal, ha? died at Southend, under remarkable circum- • umstanceß. For some years past he • vas afflicted asthmatically, and sought elief in smoking tobacco steeping in* urpentinc. A London paper reports hat one day last month he filled a large >ipe with the saturated weed, and upon pplying a match an explosion occurred, lis beard was burned off and serious - njuries in tbe region of tbe chest wero ustaiued, with a fatal result.