EN PASSANT.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 978, 28 November 1890, Page 18

EN PASSANT.

I know not what mighty issues may be at stake in the present elections, and so slight is my interest in such matters that were I possessed of a vote it is extremely doubtful whether it would bo recorded. Still, there are generally to be found certain phases in an electoral contest which attract the atteniion of the social philosopher. A case in point is the quarrel that has sprung up between two rival candidates for the Wellington seat, Messrs Fisher and Jellicoe. The latter having discovered that his opponent had stated publicly something to his discredit, immediately proceeded to contradict it in the advertising columns of the local papers. The charge, such as it is, seems to be that Mr Jellicoe had obtained certain money from Mr Fisher, as Italian Consul, for the defence, of the notorious Gasparini, which the late member for Wellington East considered he should not have paid out of his own pocket. The lawyer answers this by saying that all he obtained went to pay his Sydney agents, and that he has himself received nothing for his time and trouble expended over the case. Mr Fisher’s rejoinder is characteristic. He drops the “ Mrnter ” which by special enactment every attorney and barrister is entitled to, and states that Mr Jellicoe offered to take up the case for nothing, and avers that the Ll 5 came out of his (Mr Fisher’s) own pocket, the Government he represents having repudiated the expenditure. From this, I should say that both gentlemen have a grievance, but why it should be ventilated in public is not easy to see. In love, war, and politics, however, everything is held to be fair, and there may be a section of the public who appreciate this raking up of old stories, and no election would probably be complete without the importation of personalities into the contest. What bearing the affair has upon the political opinions of either of the parties, as Lord Dundreary used to say, “no fellah can understand.”

Although horseracing is the most popular of sports in this part of the world, it must be confessed that Wellington lags considerably behind in this respect as compared with other cities of During the carnival week in Christchurch, for example, the people make high holiday, and among the crowd at Riccarton are to be found many who know little and care less for the horses that compete. For my own part, I freely confess that I belong to the class contemptuously typified by a parodist of “ In Memoriam ” as— The plodding boor, Whose stupid, ignorant content Cares not if odds on an event

Are 2 to 1 or 10 to 4. My enjoyment of racing is therefore confined to the animals themselves, and provided the finishes are close, it i 3 a matter of supreme indifference whether the race has been sold, the favourite “nobbled,” or any other swindle carried out. In Wellington, however, the attendance appears to be principally confined to those who have a monetary interest in the affair, and the Club is no doubt satisfied when over LBOOO is put through the totalisator in the two days. Let moralists decide as to whether the “ machine ” ought to be legalised ; it is no business of mine. If persons choose to present the Club with ten per cent for the privilege of betting in this particular way it is to be presumed they have counted the cost, and, at any rate, it is entirely their own affair. Still, we should like to see more interest taken by the general public in horseracing in Wellington. No more exciting or exhilirating sight can be imagined, to my mind, than a big field of horses struggling for mastery, and I envy not the man who can only derive pleasure from the spectacle because he has money invested on the result. The old spelling bocks used to tell us that “ the horse is a noble animal, of great value to man,” but jn these days the aphorism would only be correct were the prefix “ betting ” added to the final word.

The dirge of lawn tennis has been sung in England, and as we are creatures of custom it may be taken for granted that

the days of the game are riumbertT? this Colony. As a form of popular amt 10 -raent the pastime has had a of*?*’ twelve years, which cannot be cons A*l - short .What, then, has caused tffi&F 4 fail of lawn tennis? It is "“i calls u»t° vigorous exercise qht most unportaut muscles of the hJf again,, SSSfi fashion), although it does not 12 the same facilities for mild flirtation Thi ! latter defect is probably th« phi** why the glory of ,h. gTo.oTJ d 'Sd“ and another reason given by a LS contemporary is that the ladies coK the style of dress necessary for ] awn tennis unbecoming. The truth faffi women do not like to feel hot and W? comfortable-or, what is worse look sowhile the less energetic of their sex are resplendent and cool in their new frock? The most enthusiastic players may d£ to excel in the game, but they will pay the penalty of banishment from thi w ? man ° ?v!" gdom - Ia the ear lier days when all that was required was to pat a ball over the net which involved little 0! no exertion the ladies were satisfied, bSt smee then things have altered considerably Lawn tennis has, in fact, entered upon its scientific stage, and no one will be more pleased that the ladies have retired from the field than the men them,.£ It is characteristic of an Englishman in regard to all kinds of sport that they should be cairied out in earnest. Playing at play is an abomination to his soul and the death of tennis as a popular amii Sß . ment between the two sexea is bv no means to be deplored. Silly and idiotic as croquet is, it is nevertheless far better suited to the purpose for which it was invented, aud I have no doubt that the new lease of life it has entered upon will be prolonged, much to the delectation of the innocent maiden and the mild curate.

Something will have been said in another part of this paper concerning the retirement of Sir George Grey from the political world, but I trust to be forgiven for adding my mite in the shape of a few words of regret. As to the politics of the Knight of Kawau there is no necessity to say anything here, except that though many people considered his ideas were impracticable, no one could doubt that he thoroughly believed in them himself. But when we cast aside all thoughts of him as a politician, and view him as a courteous and kindly gentleman, every man who has come in contact with him must joia in a chorus of admiration for his sterling qualities. Learned in literary lore, he ha 3 nothing of the pedant about him, and is always ready to impart information out of his yast store of knowledge to auybody who seeks it. There may be some who look upon Sir George Grey as a failure, because he has not been able to accomplish all he desired. To these I would quote those noble words of Browning:— This low man sees a little thing to do, _ Sees it, and does it; This high man, with a great thing to pursue. Dies ere he knows it.

This low man goes on adding one to one, # His hundred’s soon hit; This high man, grasping at a million, Misses an unit.

Sir George Grey is the very type of the “ high man.” He has aimed at the million (including the unborn), and if he has not succeeded in grasping it he has given an example of noble endeavour to the coming generation, which cannot fail to bear good fruit in the future. We could have more easily spared many more “practical” politicians than he, and he will be keenly missed from his seat in Parliament next session. L9t us hope that his enforced retirement will allow him to utilise his literary taleuts to more advantage than was possible to a busy politician. If this is so, what is the Cdlony’s los3 should prove to be the world’s gain,

The Roman poet has told us that it la a noble thing to die for one’s country. When patriotism is carried to that length it is doubtless to be admired, although for my part I am willing to leave the enjoyment of the virtue and its guerdons to my neighbours. Artemus Ward expressed himself willing to sacrifice all his relatives, both male and female, on the altar of his country, but even this is going farther than most people are inclined to go. The shape patriotism generally takes is that which comes from the lips outwards, and for one who is ready to fight for the land of his birth, there are thousands content to sing its praises or hear them sung by others. As evidence of this, take the song of “ The Englishman,” given recently by Mr Stockwell at the Marian Burton concerts. From a musical point of view the ballad is beneath criticism, but the greatest work composed by the greatest Master never evoked louder or more spontaneous applause. The gospel of self-glorification is the Alpha and Omega of the Englishmans creed. He may be a sceptic on many points, but he never wavers in the belief that his is the best country on the face of the uai?th, and that it produces all that is noblest and bravest in the world. B® quite loses sight of the fact that

By mere accident of birth . He might have been High-Priest to Mumoo Jumbo.

It is sufficient for him that he was born in Great Britain, and although the argument may not be very logical, it is, hkjj Epps’s cocoa, exceedingly “grateful ana

. *’ Long may the sentiment who,' however iddifferont his ' may he, may rely on such*' songs as TheTSnglishman ” to obtain him' an Maccabe used to toll us that ft I'rtWj l : “ ’igh note ”, that “ fetched but when you get the ’igh note” nfua a fine patriotic, if somewhat egotisti- • Bentiinent, you get all the heart can , possiblydesire, $ Everybody remembers Lord Byron’s '“f«mark. “ And Barrabas wa3 a pub- • Usher ” and certainly both bofora and t 'lince 'the author of “ Don Juan ” lived the gentlemen who enable authors to bring B their work 3 before the world have had to endure a good deal of abuse. The latest complaint has come lrom Archdeacon Farrar, who at a recent meeting of the .Church Congress made Borne strong remarks about the “sweating” publishers. The strictures were supposed, to refer to Messrs Oasssll, Potter and Galpin, who brought out Dr Farrar’s “Life of Christ,” as well as other books of his. The firm have replied in a -letter to the “Times,” and, in my humble opinion, make out a very good case. According to the figures given, the Archdeacon, then plain “Mister” and almost unknown in the literary world, has received the sum of L2OOO for his “Lifo of Christ,” and more than double that amount fora “Life of St Paul ” issued subsequently. When the fact is taken into account that these books do not show the learning and research of the works pf Renan and Strauss on the same subjects, but are simply compilations to suit the popular taste, f think it will be generally admitted that the Archdeacon has been remarkably well paid. Authors, however, have from time immemorial belonged to the “ genus irritabile,” and have always been wont to . over-estimate the value of their productions. Those who publish books certainly make more money than those who write them, but it should bo remembered that they run more ride. Aud after all a contract is a contract, and in making a bargain one side invariably gets the ad - vantage over the other. The truth is that never did good, and even second rate, literary work command a higher price than it does at the present day. Think of Oliver Goldsmith receiving sixty pounds for his masterpiece, “ The Vicar of Wakefield,” and compare with that sum the amounts received by such novelists as Walter Besant, James Payn, and even G. It. Sims. There may or may not be “sweating’’ publishers, but authore in these times are tolerably ’cute, and may bo trusted to defend their own interests, Dr Farrar’s remarks notwithstanding. In his case, at all events, he proved •, himself capable of making a good bargain, as he may thank his “Lifo of Christ” for having given him his archdeaconry.

According to the latest news, the New South Wales fasting man doo3 not appear to have succumbed as yet, although he is continuing his experiment against the advice of the medical men of Sydney. Ibbot has expressed himself confident as to his ability to remain without food for a period of forty days, and if one man managed to do it thero seems to be no reason why another should not. Common sense, however, negatives the belief that absleution from food for such a time is at all possible for any human being, and the cleverness of Sued probably consisted in deceiving the watchers, and if the Sydney mau is equally clever he will win a like renown. It might be fairly asked why such experiments are encouraged 1 Were it conceivable' that any person could exist without food for so long a time, it would simply prove exceptional powers in one particular individaal, and this would not assist scientific investigation in any way. The seemingly foolhardy feats of the “ Parachutist ” Baldwin, although they were undertaken for the purpose of making money, were valuable, as shewing that it was possible for a man to descend from a balloon in mid-air at a great height. The same thing, however, cannot be urged in favour of this fasting mania, which should be Btrongly discountenanced. If men like to starve themselves voluntarily, let them do so by all means, but why they should expect to be paid for making fools of themselves is a dark and wonderful mystery. A still greater mystery lies in the fact that there is a aection of the public who are willing to P a y for witnessing the progress of such a stupid operation. Egomet.