A STUPENDOUS SELL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IV, Issue 205, 1 September 1869, Page 2

A STUPENDOUS SELL.

The Peripatetic Philosopher who writes for the Australasian makes the following remarks on the Armidale "diamond": — Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha ! So it wasn't a diamond after all ! As M. Hugo would probably say — sublime enthusiasm of human gullibility ! The Diamond " Sell " is worthy to take its place in history beside the Cock Lane G-host or the Moon Hoax. I am not sure but that it does not even excel those brilliant examples of popular delusion. The idiots who believed in the rapping spirit of Mary Parsons are paralleled in our day by Home (sweet home !)and his gathering of silly women with deranged nervous systems. The moon hoax was but a corollary to the glorious "sells" perpetrated by that prince of jesters and jester of princes, Theodore Hook, but the Big Diamond is a " sell " so gigantic, so vast, so pecuniary advantageous, that it top3 all the swindles of the age. To absolutely persuade the people that somebody had found a diamond 13 ozs. in weight, and to make them buy the thing on " spec "is magnificent, Ido not wish to go into the ethics of the business, for I am not much above member-of-Parliament standard myself, and rejoice to swindle, cheat, or defraud a friend when a safe opportunity occurs ; but I should imagine that such a proceeding as the one characterised in my hearing by a shareholder as "the Armidale caper" is not strictly in accordance with the rules of commercial honesty j but that does not detract from the magnificence of the hoax. It almost fulfilled the unpublished prophecy of Douglas Jerrold, who said that if the " Koh-i-noor was on sale to-morrow, some one would start a company to purchase ifc, and. let it out on hire at evening parties." The company has been formed, but the Koh-i-noor was not forthcoming. One million, two millions, three millions, four nrii-r-and only a piece of rock-crystal and not worth five shillings ! Dear fellow humans! excellent fools! admirable knaves ! Oh, forgive me if I laugh, but five thousand pounds for a piece of rock-crystal !!;It"is too much : — „ " Ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho ! ,

What may happen to a man in Victoria. — The following rumor is afloat relative to Major G. R. Bo wen, alias Brown, now awaiting his trial for obtaining money under false pretence. It is said that his name is George Richard Brown, ami that be is the son of the Hon. G. Brown, and nephew of Lord Kilmain. He joined the 88th Connaught Rangers as ensign in 1851,*embarked for Turkey in 1858, served at Alma and Inkerman, charged with the light cavalry at Balaclava, was in the trenches the whole of the first winter, and was at the taking of the Redan, where he had his arm shot off by a cannon ball, and was then invalided home. For this he was admitted into the Legion of Honour and a complimentary autograph letter from the Emperor of France, the Turkish medal, and the English medal with three bars. In June, ] 857, embarked on board the Surrey, with the head quarters of the 88th. for Calcuita, with the rank of captain. Landed iu India, November, 1857, and proceeded at once to the scene of the mutiny, where he again distinguished himself throughout the whole of the war. For this he received the India medal, and honorable mention, and was promoted to the rank of major. He then returned to England in 3 861, and from thence proceeded to Canada as Adjutant General of the Canadian Forces. Since then, through bad speculations, he was obliged to come out here, when, unfortunately for this brave and once esteemed officer, he could not better himself, and so has found himself in his present unfortunate position. The favorite young actress Miss Marion Dunn has been married to Mr. Marcus Clarke, the "Peripatetic Philosopher " of the Australasian.

llicti Water at Nelson. Morn. Afternoon. Wednesday Sept. 1' ... 425 5.8 *• Thursday „ 2 ... 5.50 6.21 Friday „ 3 ... 6.49 7.17 Saturday „ 4 ... 7.42 8.7 Sunday „ 5 ... *8 30 8.53 Monday „ 6 ... 9.16 9.39 Tuesday „ 7 ... 10.3 10.27