MISCELLANEA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume III, Issue 115, 19 March 1853, Page 11

MISCELLANEA.

Chinese Emigration."—Not the least notable feature of these go-a-head days is the extraordinary influx of Chinese into California. Verily there must be an upheavement of social ideas when the folloAVers of Confucius thus leave their native land. According to recent accounts from St. Francisco, upAvard of thirty thousand had already arrived, and they Avere still pouring in by thousands; so that by the close of last year it was expected that fully fifty thousand would be in California. Chinese villages—Pekin, Canton, Hong-kong—-Avere springing up ; and some of these contained fifteen hundred persons. At the celebration of American independence, they formed a leading part in the

procession that Brother Jonathan always gets, up on that day; and. their gay silk costumes and caudal appendages attracted much notice.

Friendship.—Friendship is a sincere, fervent, and permanent union of minds; formed by mutual affection and esteem, founded on real worth, and cemented by mutual acquaintance, frequent intercourse, exchange of good offices, and similitudes of taste, temper, and manners. It is inseparably attended Avith perfect candour, and unreserved openness of heart; interests itself with a quick feeling and strong sensibility in the pleasure and pains of its object ; is raised above all suspicion and jealousy, above c\ 7ery mean, selfish view; sheds indulgence upon infirmities and imperfections, and Avith the greatest tenderness, and delicacy of affection, unites the interest of those whom it connects, and makes their joys and soitoavs common.

Stammering.—During the act of speaking, air must be passing out or passing into the lungs, or, at all events, out or into the mouththat is, during expiration or inspiration. Most people (who have a perfect command over the organs of speech) can articulate imperfectly and with difficulty during inspiration ; but not so the stammerer. In attempting to speak while drawing in the air, or while the lungs are empty or nearly so, he will not be able to articulate at all; and not knowing the cause of this inability, he will make repeated, and convulsive efforts, accompanied with more or less of those hideous distortions of the countenance so characteristic of stammering, until by accident, or rather by design, he draws in a full breath, and effects the utterance of his words, Avhile the air is flowing naturally from the lungs. I repeat it, that stammering arises from an attempt to speak when the lungs are empty, or Avhen the stammerer is drawing in his breath. This habit having been once contracted, generally becomes aggravated by time; and I need not say that thousands of individuals are almost cut off from social intercourse and rendered miserable by the said impediment. From these premises, Avhich I know to be correct, the method of cure will be easily understood. It consists in making the stammerer (if a child, for an adult can do it himself,) take in a deep inspiration, and repeat, with the whole force of the expiration, the different letters of the alphabet, numerals, monosyllables,.one by one. This may be prefaced or not by several hours' practice of .sloav and deep breathing. As for the repetition of monosyllabic pronunciation it must be continued for hours, days, or weeks, according to the condition of the patient, such as his age, capacity, strength of lungs, or inveteracy of the impediment. The stammerer must next proceed to the utterance of polysyllables, during an expiration; then short sentences; and, lastly, long sentences: thus reversing, in fact, the evil habit, until at length a new habit is acquired, and the cure effected. In some cases, this desirable object will require months. In general, a feAV days, or at most weeks, will be sufficient.— Dr. M'Cormack.

Anecdote op the President Louis Napoleon.—Several groups had assembled one day in the Avenue de Marigny, not far from the iron railing of the Elysee, and Avere watching three persons who Avere Avalking hastily away from the palace. These persons were General ——, M. Bocciocchi, and the President of the Republic. The president Avas crossing the road Avhen he perceived an old man disabled of one arm, seated on a heap of stones, and, Avho, Avhen he saAV three persons leaving the garden of the Elysee, rose precipitately, holding in his remaining hand a large letter. " What are you Avaiting for, mon brave ?" asked the uepheAv of -the Emperor. " For the prince, sir: I Avas told lie was coming out, and I have been Avaiting here since noon." (It Avas then 5' o'clock.) " Give me your paper, and go home tranquilly, but take a glass of Avine on your road, as'that will revive your spirits." The President at the same time took the letter, and put a Napoleon into the man's hand. At this moment a corporal's guard passed on its Ayay to relieve a post, and presented arms to the president. The old man instantly exclaimed, « s , ? it is the President!" On this exclamation, the President put his fingers to his lips and said " chut." " Bah !" said the old man, I don't .care for his chut. Vive Napoleon Vive le President ■;" but, before he could continue, the President and his friends had disappeared laughing heartily.— La Patrie.

Age op Gemerals. —It Avas the opinion of Montaigne, that the greatest deeds recorded in history bad been done by men that had not passed the third decade of their .existence, and he quotes Scipio . and Hannibal in proof of his position. To lay down a rule in such matters would seem impossible. Mental development and activity in some men make their appearance earlier than in others. The Emperor Charles V., as the historian Ranke has remarked, led the life of a sluggish youth up to the age of 30 ; his heroic son, Don John of Austria, broke the sceptre of the Turkish sway in.the Mediterranean, when, at the age of 25, he destroyed the Ottoman fleet off Lepanto. Gaston de Foix conquered at Ravenna, and Conde at Roneroy, when but 22 ; Gustavus Adolphus Avas 38, and the Duke of Saxe Weimar tAvo years younger, Avhen they routed Wallenstein at Lutzen ; Cortes took Mexico at 31 ; Caesar and Napoleon Avere but 25 Avhen they severally subjugated Italy. On the other hand, Marshal Villars had the snoAv of 81 winters on his head Avhen he gained the victory of Denain; and Blucher Avas no younger Avhen triumphantly he galloped his war horse along the Parisian boulevards in that famous 1815. Radetzky was the same age when he thrashed Young Italy on the historical field of Novara ; and our OAvn Admiral Duncan fought his greatest battle at threescore years and ten. Parmenio Avas, when 79, accounted the ablest lieutenant Macedonia's madman could count on; and Philopcemen, the last of the Greeks, added greatly to his laurels when 82. Out own great General commanded in the trenches of Seringapatam at 29; at 31 defeated the Mahrattas on the plains of Assaye, gained his first Peninsular victory at Roleia Avhen 39, and his last at Toulouse Avhen 45. After Waterloo, that "battle of giants," he was, then but 46, consigned to a life, in a military sense, of tranquillity and repose. Appropriate Names. —The Literary World, in a chapter on names, observes, " Shoemakers" spouses should be Peggies; gamblers' ladies, Bets; and Sue Avould be just the wife for an attorney; Sophies should be of a sedative disposition, and confectioners' wives should he called Pattie. Sometimes a name will excite remark. All the papers copied the marriage of Henry Apple and Sarah Apple, but Aye could see no impropriety in the making of two apples into one pair.

Broad Hint,—During the late sessions a' man was brought up by a farmer, and accused of stealing some ducks. The farmer said he would knoAV them any Avhere, and Avent on to describe their peculiarity. " Why " said the counsel for.the prisoner, " they can't be such a very rare breed—l have some like them in my yard." 'That's very likely, sir,' said-the farmer, " these are not the only ducks of the sort I have bad stolen lately."

A Floating City.—The city of Bangkok, the capital of Siam, consists of a long, double, and in some parts treble, row of neatly and tastefully wooden cabins, floating on thick bamboo rafts, and linked to , each other, in parcels of six or seven houses, by chains, Avhich were driven into the bed of the river. The whole city rose at once like a magic picture to our admiring gaze. . . . If the air of the " Fleet Street" of Siam does not agree Avith Mrs. Yowchowfow and her children, or they Avish to obtain a more aristocratic footing by being domiciled higher and nearer up to the king's palace, all. they have to do is to wait till the tide serves, and loosing from their moorings,, float gently iip towards the spot they Avish to occupy. Bangkok, the modern capital of Siam, and the seat of the Siamese government, was computed, at the period of my residence there, to consist of 70,000 floating houses or shops; and each shop, taking one Avith another, to contain five individuals, including men, women, and children ; making the population amount to 350,000 souls, of Avhich number 70,000 are Chinese, 20,000 Burmese, 20,000 Arabs and Indians; the remainder, or about 240,000, being Siamese. This Avas the best census we could take, and I believe it to be nearly accurate. The situation is exceedingly picturesque. I was told that, when the Siamese relinquished the ancient capital of Yuthia, and first established the throne at Bangkok, the houses Avere built upon the banks of the river itself; but the frequent recurrence of the cholera induced one of the kings to insist upon the inhabitants living upon the water, on the supposition that their dwellings Avould be more cleanly, and, consequently, the inmates less subjected to the baneful effects of that scourge of the East. — JFeales Residence in Siam,