THE SOUTHERN MONTHLY MAGAZINE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1251, 18 June 1864, Page 3

THE SOUTHERN MONTHLY MAGAZINE.

The sixteenth number of this magazine for the current month is before us. It has the usual variety of articles, but we cannot say that it is equal in ability or interest to the previous number. _ The story called Once and Again attains to its sixth chanter We took occasion last month to °fter a gentle criticism upon the style of this story, and this month we are disposed to repeat the same remarks Ser more forcibly. We cannot say that 1 0,ce ani Aaain will be an uninteresting story to read, for that wM depend upon plot and incident yet undeveloped. "But any access which the story may achieve will be in spite of a flimsy humour, forced pathos and general flatness of description, which distinguish the style of \he earlier chapters. All that is told in the present number is that ayoungman, coming home on an unknown errand, has a meeting with his mother which is rendered pathetic by some hidden cause, and mixes in frivolous society with a mysterious motive. The doings of the dark young man and his frivolous companions are told in English not always correct, and seldom forcible. think An article on " Panama and Suez is, we think, unfortunate enough to cut the ground from under the Government on all but the least tenable points. Thc writer thinks the Ministry wrong in repudiating the contract because of Mr. Ward's overstepping lm powers or because of the great expense to the i Pniuuiifi service; or because of tiny But he believe, that the Panama service is unequal to that by buez and cheapness, ami that this « the true and sufficient reason ivhy tlm Govfrimimt rtisa torf MttettS wmSm. founded altogether on error; forgetting that by adopting the former we do not at a°l shut ourselves out from the io»*av lino "Nor can we speak very highly ot tne irtSle instructive in public morality. The writer SaksT" lie evils which may accrue to the Siv's credit in England from the repudiation-for sS how the action taken can appear very

'UIC lor X'eiUisj'ivttiiiu i ±n ad, o»vwiwvvw V o notice that in treating of the details, the writer of he article is free from provincial jealousies, and naiutains the colonial character of the magazine in which he writes. , He is a disciple of the 4 broad' school of medicine ivho gives us a chapter on 4 Doctors and Quacks.' The quackery in systems old and new is scourged with 10 light hand, while the systems themselves are spared ;o the reason and intelligence of patients. Allopathy, Honfteopathy, Mesmerism, Hydropathy or Chronohermalism are openly argued by their professors, uid rest each upon the basis of a statement of facta md deductions upon which reason may b* exercised. There is no quackery in any of these, though there nay be in Professor Puffington's panacea, which iffects no system at all, and of which nothing is exilained. Quackery exists also among the professors if systems. We are told "that within the jale of the profession there is to be fpund no imall amount of quackery, more difficult to detect ind more objectionable and dangerous than the ml gar specimens which have been mentioned. We leed not here attempt to point out all the thousand nodes in which an unscrupulous man may impose upon those who trust their health in his hands, but there is one kind, of quack within the profession who deserves a passing notice. This is the quack of routine. He is in general satisfied with the knowledge which he brought from his almamater, or which lie finds in -bis books. He thinks when lie has learned the name of the disease and applied the treatment recommended in the books, he has done all that could be expected of him, and if the patient does not get better, at all events he ought to. In short, he treats the name of the disease, instead of the disease itself; Eorgetful that no two diseases, any more than two patients, can present exactly similar features. This is, perhaps, quackery of the worst kind, because it is ione under the sanction of the schools, or with the mthority of a diploma. And the essence of the thing is of the same nature as that of all quackery; it consists of falling back upon some easy formula jr rule, instead of conscientiously endeavouring to 3tudy each case upon its own merits. Another peculiarity in this kind of quackery is that it can hardly be detected by any but very shrewd and intelligent patients ; the greater number not beins competent to distinguish between true and spurious medical learning. There is no danger in a sick chamber so great as a mere routine practitioner. He has been the butt of wits and poets in all ages. Satire perhaps culminated in the physician who, being obliged to leave for two days the hospital which was under his charge, gave the following iirections to hia assistant " Bleed all the north ward to-day and blister all the south ward, and, to-morrow, blister all the north ward and bleed all the south ward.' It is difficult to advise a patient how best to ietect the routine quack, but as a general rule we should say, if he hints at very violent measures or jives very large doses of very nasty medicines, distrust him." -mThe conclusion contains good advice —" Werecomnend no particular school or system of medicine ; 3ut we advise all who entrust their life and health ;o the hands of another, to satisfy themselves that he las had the opportunity of studying the thing that ie undertakes—that he has used that opportunity, md that his general intelligence is such as to render t probable that he will not be the slave of an igno•ant routine. Such men are to be found in all icliools and systems, from which the public may safely take their choice according to their bias or jpiniou." . . . " The War in Auckland, No. III." is the next article [t is valuable rather as furnishing materials for history. f true, than for its present interest. The following motation may, however, be useful in indicating the ;ommon opinion of intelligent men in Auckland as ;o"a point of some importance" Politically this battle (Rangiriri) had great effect. The natives reared to the neighbourhood of Rangiawhia, after an neffectual attempt to bring about a peace, vrhich ff ould have restored the status quo ante bellum. But juch a wholesome dread did it inspire in their minds ;hat they would not risk an engagement in _Taupin 'orge, where they might have inflicted serious loss lpon us with comparative impunity, when the ad~ ranee on Ngaruawahia was made. The rebels ittempted to make terms for the peaceful occupation >f the Maori capital, which in reality they were unible to defend, owing to the unfinished state of their works. The advance from Rangiriri was so rapid, ;hat only a single redoubt , was finished and a single ine of rifle pits opened. These were parts of a iystem of intricate defences, the drawings of which "ell into the hands of General Cameron, who took leaceful possession of Ngaruawahia on the 9th of December." .. , "Notes about nothing in Particular isa title wliicn lisarms criticism. A translation from Horace roeasy rerse, apparently original, and a short piece from the ierman, represent the poetry of the number, which •oncludes with the usual monthly review of books.

REPORT Of the Committee appointed at a public meeting of the inhabitants of Christchurch, held on the 9th of June, 1864, to take steps for the extension of the Fire Brigade:— . . The Committee have met on several occasions, ana have taken such steps as seemed best calculated to attain the object desired by the meeting which apP °The Committee, however, observe that at another nublic meeting, held on the 15th instant, the following resolution was carried:—" That this meeting has unlimited confidence in the constitution, character and energy of the present officers and members of the Christchurch Volunteer Fire Brigade, and whilst wishing to see its present efficiency extended to meet the growing necessities of the city, tnis meeting repudiates the idea of extending the present brigade by any other means than by an increase of • its members, subject in all respects to approbation of its present managing committee. And they are of opinion that, even though the second meeeting, which was called for a different purpose, may have no power to discharge the committee appointed by a former meeting, it is desirable that no steps should be taken which would bring about a *jj®J the supporters of the existing Volunteer Fire Brigade and the rest of the public. As the existing Brigade has definitely refused its co-operation, it remains now onJy for the Committee to stay their proceedings altogether, until the public shall give them freshinstructions. They therefore resign the trust committed to them into the hands o t the public Chairman. Christchurch, 16th June, 1864.