GENERAL INFORMATION.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 17, Issue 59, 27 July 1906, Page 2

GENERAL INFORMATION.

; —-i Paris has 115 inhabitants to the acre, while London has only fifty-one. — — British colonies are seventy times as large as the area of the United Kingdom. * If a cyclist were to ride round the coast of England and Wales he would cover a distance of nearly 2,500 miles. - *— The only two great European capitals that have never been occupied by a foreign foe are London and St. Petersburg. Two of the greatest literary productions of the. Chinese are a dictionary of 5,020 volumes and an encyclopaedia in 22,937 volumes. The common house-fly sounds the note P in flying. This means that its wings vibrate 335 times a second. The honey-bee sounds A, implying 440 vibrations to the second. In 1888, much to the astonishment of collectors, £4O was given for an autograph of Oliver Goldsmith s. Since then many, ..more have been found, and the price has fallen by more than one half. An English engineer has invented a new kind of railway, for which no locomotive engine or traction motor is required. It is called a ‘‘gravitation railway,” and the laws of gravitation govern its working. A • When Queen Victoria made her triumphal progress through London on Jubilee Day eighteen years ago, she was presented with a bouquet, 7ft. high, composed of 50,000 rare orchids, for which a sum of £1,200 would not have been considered excessive ; but, to crown floral extravagances, among the enormous sums spent on the Duke of Marlborough’s wedding to Miss Consuelo Vanderbilt was one of £25,000 for flowers alone. * The dome of St. Isaac’s Cathedral in St. Petersburg is the most conspicuous object in the city.,, It is covered with copper, overlaid * with pure gold: no less than £50,000 worth of gold being melted down for the purpose. Entering the cathedral by the magnificent bronze doors, 44ft. wide, and 30ft. high, said to be the largest in the world, the visitor is overwhelmed by its richness and massive splendour. The dome of the shrine is supported by, eight Corinthian pillars of malachite given by Prince Demidoff, and valued at £200,000. The total cost of this cathedral is «stim«tvd at £IO,OOO, ond i-*' l *

THE GOLDSMITH OF PADUA In the end of the fifteenth century, when the cities of Italy' were rendered rich by theit trades to the Indies, Padua was one of the most flourishing of its towns, and possessed a body of merchants, and particularly goldsmiths, jewellers, and dealers in silk, with whom Venice itself could scarcely bear a comparison. Amongst these goldsmiths and jewellers there was one more eminent than his brethren. His dwelling was upon the bridge, and Padua was scarcely more universally known in Italy than Jeronimo Vincente was known for one of its citizens. "It never rains but it pours,” says a northern proverb; "riches beget riches," says an Italian one. Jeronimo found the truth of both these sayings. He was already rich enough to satisfy a dozen merchants, and to make a score of German princes. Fortune, however, did not yet think that she had done enough for him'; every day some traveller was arriving at Padua, in the exchange of whose foreign-money for the coin of Padua he obtained some good bargains, and added to his overflowing coffers. Few died without relatives but that he was appointed their executor. Many paid tribute to his wealth and reputation by leaving him their heir. The city of Padua gave him all their public contracts: and he almost sunk under the weight of trusts, offices, etc., not merely offered, but obtruded and imposed upon him. Who would be more happy than Jeronimo Vincente? So he thought himself as he walked on the bridge of Paduaone beautiful summer’s evening. A coach of one of the nobles passed at the same moment: no one noticed it. On the other hand, every one who passed him saluted him.—" Such has been the effects of my industry, my dexterity of business, and my assiduous application Yes, Jeronimo, others have to thank thei) ancestors; you have to thank only yourself It is all your own merit .” And with these: reflections his stature, a! It were, increased some inches higher, and assuming a peculiar port, and a self-satisfied step, he walked in vanity, and almost in defiance of everything and every one to his own house. He fell asleep in the same mood, and dreamed that the ancient fable of Jupiter was repeated in his house, and that the heavens opened, and descended upon him a shower of ducats and pistoles. In all this soliloquy of Jeronimo, the reader will observe, there was not a word or thought of any one but himself; he did not attribute bis plenty to the blessing of God: he felt no gratitude to him who had showered down upon him his abundance; his mind, his spirit, and his vanity were that of Nebuchadnezzar ; and the fate of Nebuchadnezzar was nearer to him than he imagined. It is a part of the wise economy of Providence to vindicate the honour and duty which belong to him; it is a part of his mercy to humble those who in forgetting him are about to lose themselves. He sends them prosperity as a blessing; they abuse it, and convert it to a curse. He recalls the abused giit, and sends them adversity to bring them to their duty. Such was the course of divine government in the early ages of the world, such it is to the present day, and such did Jeronimo find it much sooner than he expected. On a sudden, without any apparent cause, be saw, to his astonishment, the universal respect to his wealth and reputation on a manifest decrease. Some who had before nearly kissed the ground of his presence, now looked erectly in his face, and kept their siraightforward course, without giving him the honourable side of the path; others kept their bonnets as if they were nailed to their heads; two or three recalled their trusts; others happening to call for accounts of such trusts, when he was not at home or busy, spoke in a peremptory tone, dropped hints of the laws ofthe country, and the duty of guardians. In plain words, he gradually discovered himself to be as much avoided as he had hitherto been sought. No one was punctual in their attendance but those to whom he paid their weekly or monthly pensions. If there could be any doubt that something extraordinary had happened, Jeronimo had at length sufficient proof; for having put himself in nomination for one of the offices of parochial intendant, and of the great church and treasury of Padua, a competitor was preferred, less wealthy than himself by some thousands. Jeronimo returned home much confounded at this unexpected defeat. Tn vain he examined himself and his situation for the cause.

"Am I not as rich as ever?" said he. " Have I defrauded any one ?—No. Have I suffered any one to demand their payment of me twice?—No. What then can be the cause of all this ?"

This was a question he could not answer, but the fact became daily and hourly so much more evident, that he shortly found himself as much avoided, and apparently condemned in every respectable company, as he had formerly been courted and honoured.

It is time, however, to give the reader some information as to the actual cause. A whisper was suddenly circulated that Jeronimo bad not acquired his wealth by honest means. It was reported, and gradually universally believed, that he was an utterer, if not a coiner, of base money. He had the reputation, as has been before said, of being the most able workman in Padua, in gold, silver, and lace. "And surely," said the gossips of Padua, " he does not wear his talent in a napkin. He employs his dexterity to some purpose," *' Are you not speaking too fast ?" said another neighbour: " I have always held Jeronimo to be an honest man." •—"And so have I hitherto," said the other "But do you see this ducat " Yes; and a very good one it is.”—"So I thought," said the other; " till I assayed it: this ducat I received from Jeronimo; let us prove it at your assay, and you will allow that I did not speak without some good foundation.” The proposal was accepted, the trial made, and the ducat found to be base in the proportion of one-third copper to two-thirds sttverA 1 - '■■■ * The name of this neighbour of Jeronimo, who had defended him, was Guiseppe Cognigero, a very worthy and honest man; not one of those who found a triumph in the downfall of another, though above him in wealth and honour. Guiseppe, as be had said, had always held Jeronimo to be a respectable worthy citizen. He had many dealings with him, and had always found him just and punctual to the lowest coin. " Is it possible," said he to himself, " that after such a long course oi honesty and reputation, he has so far forgotten himself as to become a common cheat ? 1 will not believe it. But this fact of the base ducat ? Well ; but my friend may be mistaken, he might not have received this ducat from Jeronimo. I am resolved I will make a trial of him myself, before I give in to the belief of these reports in the teeth of so fair a character for so many years. Guiseppe was a shrewd man, and never fixed on a purpose but when he had the ingenuity to find the of executing it. He went immediately to bis home, and taking a hundred ducats from his private store, went with them to the house of Jeronimo. " Signor Jeronimo," said he, "here are a hundred ducats which I wish to keep secret for a certain purpose. I have just embarked in a speculation of great extent, the result of which no one can foresee. I wish to keep this sum as a deposit, in the event of the failure of my hopes, if you will do me the favour to take the custody of it,” Jeronimo, ft confidence to which ho now vu

not much accustomed, very willii g f accepted the charge, and Guiseppe toc.t hi? ieave in the lull persuasion that the trial would correspond with his expectations, tyici that report would be proved to be false and malicious.

In the course of a few days, Guiseppe according to the plan concerted in his own aind, called suddenly on Jeronimo.—" M; ?.s»v friend,” said lie, “1 sincerely rejoice I have found you at home; a sudden demand has fallen upon me, and I have ar expected occasion for the hundred ducat which I deposited with you," "My good' friend,” said Jeronimo, " do not preface such a trifle with such a serious apology, The money is yours," And at the same time opening a private drawer: —" You see here it is, just as I deposited it. Take your money, my friend, and you may always have the same or any other service from me.’ Saying this, he gave Guiseppe the same bap in which he had brought the ducats to him Guiseppe hastened home, counted and examined the ducats. Thi} number was right, their appearance seemed good; ht sounded them singly. One sounded sus piciously, he assayed it, it was base, " Well,” said he, “ this may be an accident; I could almost swear, indeed, that every ducat 1 gave him was good; but (Wsl'might perhaps have overlooked." He sounded another, his suspicions increased; another—he was now determined to assay them all. He did so; and to his confusion (for tho honest man was truly grieved and confounded at the detection of his neighbour's dishonesty) he fcuud thirty bad ducats out of the hundred He how hastened back to Jeronimo.— " These are not the ducats, sir, I deposited with you; here are thirty bad ducats Out o( the hundred.” " Bad or good," replied Jeronimo, indignantly, " they are the same which you deposited; I took them from your hands, put them in the drawer, and they were not moved from thence till you re-de-manded them.” Guiseppe insisted, and at length severely reproached Jeronimo. Jeromino commanded him to leave his house, " Can you suspect me of such a pitiful fraud ?” said he. " Indeed, I never should," replied he, " unless upon this absolute evidence. But there must be a fraud somewhere. Either lam attempting to defraud you, or you to cheat me. It is incumbent upon both our reputations that this matter should be cleared up. I shall go to the Magistrates." "Go where you please," said Jeronimo; " but go without delay.’ Guiseppe immediately hastened to the president of justice. He demanded a summons for Jeronimo. It was granted. He complained, without reciting the particulars, that Jeronimo had paid him back a deposit, and, in a hundred ducats, had given him thirty bad, Jeronimo denied it, " I gave him back the same which he deposited with me." There was a law at Padua termed the " law of wager." The substance of this was, that the party accused had it in his option to clear himself by an oath of his innocence. "Will you take your wager?” said Guiseppe. "Yes," replied Jeronimo. The holy evangelists were accordingly presented to him, and Jeronimo swore upon them that he had not touched, still less :hanged, the ducats, since they were deposited with him. The president accordingly gave judgment in his favour, being compelled thereto by the laws of Padua. And Guiseppe, with horror at the united fraud and perjury of the man whom he had hitherto deemed honest and respectable, left the court and withdrew to his own house.

The trial excited a universal interest and rumour in Padua. The president of the law had acquitted Jeronimo; not so, however, public reputation. Guiseppe was a man of established character, Jeronimo’s fame had been long blemished. The previous reports, therefore, were now considered as fully confirmed into certainty. The magistrates accordingly deemed it necessary to point the attention of the police to him and to his future dealings; and Jeronimo (hereafter became a marked character. The police of Padua was administered with that discreet cunning for which Italians are celebrated. Some of its officers very shortly contrived, in the disguise of foreign merchants, to make a deposit of good and marked money with Jeronimo, and shortly after redeemed it back. The money was restored as required. It was immediately carried, as before, in the case of Guiseppe, to the public assay, and the result was, that the greatest part of the number of the coins was found to be base.

Jeronimo was next day arrested and thrown into prison. His house was searched in the same instant. The search most fully confirmed what indeed now required but little confirmation. In the secret drawers were found all the instruments of coining, as well as all the materials of adulteration. An immense quantity of base coin was likewise found in different parts of the house. All Padua was now in arms. They clamourously demanded justice on a man who had not the temptation of poverty to commit crimes ; here is a man, said they, who has raised his head above all of us, end lived in luxury and splendour, year after year, upon the fruit ol his crimes. He has even sat on the public bench of magistrates, and administered the laws of Padua; if justice be not made for the rich, if its object be the defence of all, let him now be brought to trial, and meet with the punishment which he so well merits. The magistrates, in obedience to this popular clamour, and at the same time acknowledgingits justice, somewhat hastened the trial of Jeronimo. He was brought forward, accused, and the witnesses examined; he had nothing to allege which could weigh a single grain against the mass of evidence produced against him. He was accordingly unanimously condemned. The trial was holden on the Monday ; he was found guilt y the same day, and ordered for execution ir the public square on Friday following; theinterval being granted for religious preparations.

Who was now so unhappy as Jeronimo dc Vincente, and what a vicissitude in hh fortune and reputation had a very short Hint produced! Within those few months he had been the wealthiest and most respected man in Padua. The noblest families sought his only daughter in marriage ; his wife war the pattern and exam pi at of all the ladies oi the city and neighbourhood ; his house w«u full of the richest furniture and paintings in Italy. Now the officers of justice were ir. possession of it, and performed the vile- 1 offices in the most magnificent chambers whilst, with the ordinary insolence of such ruffians, they scarcely allowed a corner <■ (he house to his unhappy wife and dam liter And where was Jeronimo himself? In tin public prison of the city; in a cell not iom feet square, and under orders for exccntiqi on the next following day. Whs not th; enough to reduce jetor.i no to his scitv.-.s * It was; he humbled himself before (huh ant implored his pity ; and it pleased the inhum Goodness to hear his prayers, and to sene 1 Ui : rchof where he least expected it. eronimo had a confidential c.ei n, , ;

managing man, of the name of J;r o On the dro' preceding that oHered r or »er's execution, tie was soing ups a,’vs tr iuiend some mrssat'C irum his 11 n.. .• t 1 misuc.s, v, lien ins ,001 ue .61 .Vmu the top to the hot! m I t-t •• ' bv the fa I *. ’t>d he died uttenne a word This nr sera hie mao ho--1 wrs m the last month 01 tier premiancv Uie uut;l i.uce of this ui.-a-ter beui„ car».ct to her, • .ioned an iuv ed'ihs lai .ur, an she was irononrrcd to he in the ’" , st :m minent danger. She repeatedly requested,

during the night, that Jeronimo's wife might be sent for to her, as she had something very heavy at her heart to communicate \a her. Jeronimo’s wife accordingly came w j early on the following morning. The unhappy woman, after having summoned up the small remnant of her strength, and requested Jeronimo’s wife to hear what she had to say, but not to interrupt her till she had concluded, thus addressed her" Yout husband is innocent, mine was guilty. Ply to the magistrates, inform them of this, and save my husband’s soul from adding to his other crimes the guilt of innocent blood. Thy husband ." She was about to proceed, but death arrested her words, Jeronimo's wife, thinking that her husbanp was now effectually saved, flew to the president of the magistracy, and demanded immediate admission, and related the comession she had just received. The president shook his head " Where is the woman that made the confession?” " She is dead.” “ Then where is the party accused instead or Jeronimo ?" ”He is dead likewise." " Have you any witnesses of the conversation of the dying woman?" "None; she requested every one. to leave the chamber, that she might communicate to me alone.” ”1 hen the confession, good woman, can avail you nothing; the law must have its couise. Jeronimo's wife could make no reply, she was carried senseless out of the court, and the president, from a due sense of humanity, ordered her to be taken to the house of one of his officers, and kept there till after the execution of her husband.

The finishing of this catastrophe was now at hand. Already the great bell of the city was tolling. The hour at length arrived, and Jeronimo was led forth. He was desired to add anything which he had to say, with ■ out loss of time. He satisfied himself with the declaration of his innocence, and was recommending his soul to his Maker, then knelt down to receive the destined blow; but scarcely was he on his knees before the whole crowd was thrown into motion, by some of the marshals of justice rushing forward and exclaiming to stop the execution. The marshal at length made his way to tne scaffold, and delivered a paper with wind he was charged, to the presiding officer. The officer, upon reading it, immediately stayed the further progress cl the execution, and Jeronimo was led back to Ins prison "What is all this?” exclaimed the crowd. "Have the friends of Jeronimo at length raised a sum of money winch our just judges have required oi them ; and is ms punishment thus bought oft?" Happy inhabitants of Padua, where to be rich is to be able to commit any crime with impunity.'' It is time, however, to inform the rc;v:;-n of the true cause. Jeronimo was scarcely led to execution when the confessor ol me prison demanded access to the pre.;ule .t, and immediately laid before hnn ilu cmfession of a prisoner who had died under a fever the preceding night, lire wretched malefactor hereupon acknowledged that he was one of a party of comers, who bad carried on the trade of making false money to a very great extent; that Jeronimo':; clerk was at the head of the gang Mha.i a!! the false money was delivered to tins r Icm;, who immediately exchanged it for good from his master’s coffers, to all of which he had private keys, and in which coffers, on tim apprehension of Jeronimo, he had dep-- sited the instruments of coining, lest they s'; .u'd be found in bis own possession. The con fession terminated with enumerating ;, r.h of the gang as were yet living, raid point in. out their places of asylum and comvahn.-.-m The execution of Jeronimo, an has h e : related, was in its actual operation. Min first step ofthe president, therefore, was v. hurry one of the officers to stop its rwogn o-, and in the same moment to send oil two m three detachments of the city guard wla the accused parties before they HcaT; icr.r from public report the death ol ihoirconnv/u.The guards executed their purpose success fully; the malefactors were all taken and. brought to the tribunal thesameevening. The result was, that one of them became evidence against his comrades, and thus confirmed the trutr; rj the confession, and the innocence of Jeronimo. The president, in order to make all possible atonement, ordered a public meeting ■of all the citizens of Padua to be summoned on the following clay. Jeronimo wan then produced, upon which the president, descending from his tribunal, tool: him by the hand, and led him up to a seat by ilia side of him, on the bench of jnst’ce; the eric, then proclaimed silence. Upon which t i.-c president rose, and read the confession <■ the malefactor who died in the prison. and the transactions of the others; cunolndinthe whole by declaring the iim' ce:; e < Jeronimo, and restoring him to Ids cwli. his fortune, and the good opi. iff ids fellow-citizens. Thus ended the misfortunes of a nun who had provoked the chastisement or Heaven by his vanity and self-glory. The course o ! Providence is uniform in all ages of the world ; when blessings are condemned, they are withdrawn—when the man unduly elevates himself, the moment of his humiliation is at hand. PRACTICAL PROVERBS. Ignorance never settles a question.— Disrali. Tijree removes are as bad as a fire.— Benjamin Franklin. He who knows most grieves most for wasted time.— Dante. Every man is the architect of his own fortunes. — Sallust. A pleasing countenance is a silent commendation.—Syrus. Whilst you seek new friendships, cultivate the old.— Hermes, WHATELY’S TABLE TALK. If you fight with a chimney sweeper, whether you or he are the victor, you are equally certain toget smutted. Never let any one force a secret on yon. If a communication is made to you, and the person afterwards adds, “Now, you won't tell this to any one," the right answer should be—" I shall act as I think best." If you want to know how to train children, ask a gamekeeper how he trains his dogs, and you will gain many good suggestions. Do not ask the same man how he trains his children, for ten to one he will act with them on a totally opposite plan. In England truth lies, as the proverb says, at the bottom of a well ; it is hard to reach, but when you do get at it, it is clear. In Ireland it lies at the bottom of a bog; when you get it to the light it is muddy and obscured. Archbishop Whately often introduced into later publications the same matter he had already given in the earlier ones, altering the form, or at least the wording a little, of the remarks. In so doing he compared himself to a renowned French cook, who, on finding his master had not liked some dish on which he had prided himself, exclaimed, "Milord does not know what is good! By gar, he shall eat it! I will make him !" And accordingly he produced the dish again and again, disguised with various seasonings, till the whole had b? en eaten by his master. "And so;" he said," I serve up a truth in different forms, and make the public swallow it one way or another."

Tm way to cure our prejudices is this—thievery man should let alone those that he complains of in others, and examine his awD .—Loclit,