SOME HISTORIC ' BAD SHOTS."

Evening Post, Volume LII, Issue 161, 28 November 1896, Page 2

SOME HISTORIC ' BAD SHOTS."

In these times of cheap vaticination and short-dated prophecies, it may not be atnias (says the St. James's Gazette) to cast :\ retrospective glance on a few of the most monumental mistakes ever achieved in this line. Here are a few of these famous contributions to the history of human error ■ - (1) Aristotle said that slavery would last for ever, or would cease only when the shuttle would weave of its own accord. A double mistake this ; for slavery is all but abolished, and, thanks to invention, -.he shuttle may be said to work of its own accord. (2) "Before fifty years are over all Europe will be Republican or Cossack," prophesied the exile of St. Helena in the first decades of this century. We are nearing now its fag-end, but " old Yurrup ' ' is less Republican than ever, and is still some way from universal Cosaackery (3) "Italy is but a geographical expression, and will never be anything else," opined Prince Motternich, and just before his death he saw what he considered Utopia on the point of becoming a reality. 1 (4) •'The railways will never be of any use for the transport of goods," sang out M Thiors, leading a chorus of sententious economists. (5) "Thke is no morrow for Universal Suffrage," exclaimed M. Guizot on the eve of the very revolution which sent him into exile and promulguted universal suffrage as sovereign law. (6) " Never," was M. Rouher's pnswer to those asking after Montana when Rome would become tho capital of Italy. A very short time after the trick was done. (7) *' The United States of Europe,' was the prophecy of all ardent Democrats from Victor Hugo to Carlo Cattaneo. and its fulfilment wns to take place immediately after the downfall of the Napoleonic Empire. It is twenty-five years now since that eventful moment, but the States of Europe are, if anything, more disunited and more aggressive than ever. Most {medical men consider that a cold bath every morning is apt to do more harm than good to any but persons of a very vigorous constitution. The sensible thing to do is to see that the temperature of the water in cold weather is not lower than that of the air. A daily bath is most healthful, but it should not be 10 cold as to five a •hook to the ivitem.