MISCELLANEOUS.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume I, Issue 28, 5 August 1863, Page 6

MISCELLANEOUS.

Judge Therry's Reminiscences.—The following extract is from the " Reminiscences of Thirty Years' Residence in New South Wales and Victoria," written by Mr. Justice Therry, and apparently a popular workm England, where it has been publishedOn the first of my three days' ride to Maitland, I arrived at the house of Solomon Wiseman, a well-known Government contractor, whose comfortable residence occupied a beautiful spot on the river Hawkesbury, commanding a fine view of the mountain ranges and the gently-flowing Macdonald River in the distance. At the time I visited Solomon Wiseman, he was surrounded by all the substantial comforts that a farmer with a like home enjoys in England. His household consisted of his wife, an amiable Englishwoman, and four sons, remarkably fine youths, varying from thirteen to eightei n years of age. Being inquisitive how these youths were brought up, and how he provided for their education, I found his notion on the subject of education curious and original. He said education was a point on which he was not very particular, and asked me what was the good of it ?—adding the observation, that the acquisition of wealth was the main lesson of life. I told him that amongst other things, "education aided in the acquirement of property." " Oh," said he, " my views are quite different. I have four sons ; and I say to Richard, ' There's a herd of cattle for you,' and to Tom, ' There's a flock of sheep—look after them ;' so in five years' time they become rich, each the owner of large herds of cattle and flocks of sheep. Now, that's what I call education, for by it they acquire means to live." It was idle to reason with mine host on the advantage of the observance of duties and the restraints that education was designed to confer. He looked only to the one point of .material gain, and discarded every other consideration. These four fine young men pursued the car:er their parent unwisely marked out for them ; and before I left the colony, from improvident courses, they failed of success in life, and became insolvents. In literary attainments of any kind old Solomon was sadly deficient, and took unmerciful liberties with the English language and English history. He condoled with General Darling, who paid a visit to his beautiful place, by informing him frankly that his Evcelleney, by his measures, had lost all his population (meaning popularity) in the district. On inquiring from him the nathe of a curious bird that attracted Archbishop Polding's attention, Solomon replied—"Your Grace, we call that the laughing jackass in this country, but I don't know the botanical name of the bird." The climax of his intelligence was, however, crowned by another reply he made to Dr. Polding. Solomon attached this meaning to the words, "Protestants and Romanises," —that the former were Englishmen, and the latter either denizens of Rome or descendants from Romans who had early emigrated to England. With this impression, and in the belief that the Catholic Archbishop was a Ro. Lan, he said—"l am very sorry to tell your Grace that there's a great down upon the Romans in this country." "I don't think so," said his Grace (thinking, of course, that Solomon meant the Roman Catholic portion of the community). "I have received great kindness," his Grace added, from persons of all denominations herp." " Oh, my Lord, 'tis a fact, I assure you. There's a great down upon the Romans." " And why should there be ?" inquired his Grace. "Because, my Lord, the English people never will forgive Julius Caesar and the Romans for invading their country." After this answer the Archbishop was dumbfoundered, and quite incapable of further discussing the topic with so erudite a critic of historical events.

Russian Cruelty—A Pole was sentenced at Warsaw to receive 500 blows of a stick, and then to be shot. He accordingly passed through he ranks of 500 soldiers, who beat him. At the conclusion of this part of his sentence he had to rest against a wall, being enveloped in a large cloak. He was so much disfigured that his mother failed to recognise him. Taking him for a stranger she asked him which way she must go in order to see her son. He responded by opening his cloak and showing his lacerated body. Two hours afterwards he was shot.— English Paper.

Army Shoes.— il Yes," says the chap, mournfully, " them air shoes has demoralised company 3, which is advancing back to Paris at doublequick. Them shoes," says the chap, " which was furnished to the sons of the revolutionary forefathers by a contractor, at only twenty-five dollars a pair for the sake of the Union, has caused a fatal mistake. They got so ragged with being exposed to the wind that when company 3 hastily put them on for an advance on Richmond they got the heels in front, and have been going in the wrong direction ever since."—The Orpheus C. Kerr Papers.