Miscellaneous.

Colonist, Issue 7, 13 November 1857, Page 3

Miscellaneous.

A BLESSED PROVIDENCE FOR OUR CONTINENTAL NEIGHBOURS. In a late number of a Scotch journal is the following:— A foreign gentleman remarked to the Rev. Dr. Guthrie, of Edinburgh, "What a blessed Providence! you Anglo-Saxons are a drunken race!" He explained his meaning to be, that such was the outrivaling energy and industry of the Anglo-Saxon people, in England, America, everywhere, that but for this happy drawback, no foreigners had a chance in competition with them. The reverend gentleman declares that he felt the remark to be " very snell." It might be a jest, but there is many a true word so spoken, and we fear this is of the number. Perhaps no man has had more opportunities of studying the condition of the lower, class of people in our large cities than this same Dr. Guthrie; and he declares that, in all his efforts amongst them in Edinburgh, he has met the vice of drunkenness at every step as a difficulty in the way of every reformation: it destroys more men and .women, body and soul, breaks more hearts, ruins more families, than all other vices put together. In his visitations, nothing struck him more than to find more than half of the families in the churchyard. Numberless children, he says, are carried off, wholly in consequence of the drunken habits of their parents. The teetotallers seem to prove too much. They are fond of adducing Mr. Porter's calculation, that fifty millions are spent annually on drink in.the United Kingdom. One is.at a loss to understand whence the money comes. Yet some of the separate facts are startling enough. In Musselburgh, a town near Edinburgh, containing 7000 inhabitants, fishermen, net-makers, &c, the number of public-houses and spiritshops is 57, being one for every 120 people, or we may assume, for every 25 adult males. In Dundee, a town of 80,000 people, the spirit-shops and taverns are 364 —a more moderate, but still large proportion. In Edinburgh, wherever the poorer class of people dwell, places for the sale of liquor abound. In the central street of the Old town, less than a mile long, there are 97; and in each, of twenty-one of these, the amount of whisky dispensed, chiefly among the very poor, in a quarter of a,year, was found to be 400 gallons. Wherever a poor street is interjected in the better districts of the city, it is found to be thickly planted with spirit shops, most of which, in their handsome, goodly style of furnishing, speak strongly of what they do in the way of draining the pockets of the humbler classes. The writer had the curiosity, one day* to count those in a short street near his own residence, and found them nine in number, being a greater number than all the other shops put together. In a section of another street, about ] 50 yards in length, he found five. We are also informed of a district of the town, containing 500 families, where the number of licensed spirit-shops is 19. What a strange spectacle it forms in a land assumedly civilised, rational, and Christian —so much permitted temptation in the way

of the poor, all looking so gay and so goodly, sanctioned by law, beyond even remonstrance from philantrophy, and yet mani- ' festly leading multitudes to destruction, and forming a frightful counterpoise to every influence for good that the spirit of modem civilization can supply ! It may be foolish to suppose, as some do, that a direct extinction of the evil is practicable; but when we think of what the evil is, what appalling calamities in the forms of poverty, crime, and infectious disease it produces, we rather wonder that the political system of our country can bear its further existence for a day, than that a few enthusiasts have dreamed of its forcible suppfegsiorii Our Southern neighbors have strongly proclaimed their disinclination to have ariy; shortening of' the hours of public-houses, oil' Sundays or otherwise. In Scotland, an act imposing certain restrictions of this nature has been submitted to with comparative resignation. In. Scotland, however, we must remember, the evil is of a direr kind, in consequence of the more demoralising character of the favorite drink. There was here a greater call upon the middle classes ito endure certain inconveniences for the sake of their humbler brethren. It is a kind of measure which no lover of individual liberty can approve of; yet it has in this instance done some good, as far as the diminution of c:ises of people taken up as drunk arid disorderly is concerned. Of that diminution, indeed, doubts have been expressed, but, we believe, without just foundation. It is the one comforting circumstance in a wide-spread scene of degradation and woe.

, The renowned Lola Montes is now spending a few days at Niagara Falls. She has appeared at the Buffalo Theatre as a sort of interlude to her season" of pleasure. One morning Lola took the train for Buffalo, arid; without advice from any source, she seated herself in the baggage car to quietly puff lier cigarette. While' thus cosily throwing off from her lips the curling smoke, she was discovered by the conductor, and informed that passengers were riot permitted to ride in the baggage car. She paid rio attention to the intimation, but continued to smoke as if no one had addressed her1. Assistant-Superintendent Collamer was at the station, arid was informed what Lola Was doirig. He said she must do as other passengers did, and that she could not be permitted to ride in the baggage car. The conductor called upon her, and politely told her that she must take a seat hi one of the cars designed for passengers. Lola drew herself up into an attitude of defiarice, and told the conductor that she had travelled all over the1 world, and had always rode where she had a mind to, arid proposed to do so in this case. The conductor further expostulated with her, and assured her that he was but executing the orders of the superintendent arid the rules of the Company. Lola replied that she had "horsewhipped bigger men than he." This settled the matter. The conductor withdrew and Lola Wasnotagairi disturbed* She rode to Buffalo in the baggage car and had no occasion to use the whip. The railroad men did not care to further disturb the tigress*— -Rome News, August 17. Good Temper.—-Only the nation which invented ' comfort' was capable of conceiving 'good temper,' for 'good temper' is to the moral what ' comfort' is to the physical man. It is the most donterited and comfortable state of the soul; the greatest happiness both for those who possess it, and for those who feel its influence. With 'gentleness' in his own character,' comfort' in his house, and ' good temper'in his wife, the earthly felicity of man is complete. Niagara Falls.—From the " Own Correspondent " of the New York Tribune: —Niagara Falls, June 1,1857. . You and I aye altogether two old stagers to expect one another to go into rhapsodies of admiration, to write verses upon, or to attempt to describe, Niagara. We have seen the thing tried many and many a time, and as often have witnessed ignominious failures. Indeed, more than once we have had to bear the burden of those failures ourselves; for. when some unfledged coi'respondent, upon his maiden flight, stopped here, chanted versicles, and esteemed them both melodious and sublime, and fully equal to the demands of the subject, your columns, my dear old Traveller, have had the burden to bear, even though the inconsiderate world should wink.ills eye and whisper of dotage. Well, you have renewed your youth, but have joined to its vivacity and power the mafcurer wisdom of ripened years, and so there is no more danger of anything of the kind. .We may expect sage reflections from you in the mariner of the poem that ends— Labitur et labetur in omne volubilis tzvum ; but nothing like this which follows will ever again disfigure your fair proportions :— 0 Grate Catterackt.. I feel ■ ; Awful as I gaz onto you. 'Wat an 'Mazin site uf mil-privylidges iriite ' . Thow creeate, if thow only hadst a mind. To; There aint no water-cuve in our Gloreeous country that begins to have Such swashing shower-bath"?. You kepe. A-fallin all- t'lie time 0 grate Catterackt, And bein goin a pretty smart while arcady, Furzino yule" keep tumblin. To everlastiii. Tleast I xpect so.. Sposin the comit hit you right in Goat Island. Howd. you feel then. Would you go at . Him. To thee old Seeza alloodaa saying 0 what a fall was there my countryman, 1 feel as if I hadn't got much more to say To thee this morning. Darn your.old spray! Yure a hard-shell Baptist, you are,—: . ~ Wettin pepld's clothes all over. Ant you ■ Shamed. Taut Sunday. Praps you think ■ ■•• " Yoore in church. Dry up grate Catterackt. . Dont be afeared. You wont be mist. , . You aint. got much karadtter. You get Over the banks too much. • Gess you no wat That means. My pliancy wont sore .....;. This morning. I kepe thingkin of the 50 cte It cost me to ride to tliec when I mite Just as well waukd. Goodbye. But you • Needn't rore so. Farewell. When you , ... Get tired, dry up, Grate Catterackt. An Indian Historian.—There is a calm, sedate, intelligent Indian, Muththew, who is pursuing his studies and researches in the State Library, intruding on no one, disturbing no one. He ia preparing a history of his own tribe, the Mohicans, and those annals, which have been so painted, and imagined, and invented, by gentlemen who found it easier to call on fiction than to consult history, will be here illustrated by one who thoroughly understands who the Mohicans were. They were the River men. There are very few of them now. They lost severely in the Avar of the revolution, when they broke league with the Mohawks, arid took the side of the republic. There are now but 400. The senior of the tribe, Metoxen, resides at Stockbridge, Wis.^ and remembers the part taken by his. kindred in Me war.— New York paper.

Extraordinary Poweiis ix Mental Arithmetic. —At the examination of Mr. Curries school, in George-street, Edinburgh, lately, hefore the prizes were distributed, and before the scholars attending the school- liad presented their teacher with a testimonial of their esteem and respect, in the shape of a handsomely-bound edition of J eremy Taylor's works, Mr. Currie called up a girl named Margaret Brown Clelland, and put the following questions, which were answered by her without the use of the slate in the remarkably short time specified after each question:—Q,tieen Victoria ascended the throne on the 20th of July, 1837, this is the 9th of July, 1857 ; how many seconds has she reigned ?—Answered in 63 seconds.] 632,780,160. The distance between Edinburgh and London by the road is 400J miles; how many inches is that?— Answered in 41 seconds,1 25,375,630. How many are 13 times 13 times 13 times 13 ?■—Answered in 28 seconds, 28,561; What is the square of '017 !—Answered in 11 seconds, -0028S). What is the square root of 20,736 ? —Answered in 9 seconds, 144* Add 1-2, 1-4, 1-7, 1-14,1-22? Answered1 hi-2*3. seconds,.!, the reservoir on the Castle-hill is 100 feet long, 100 feet broad, and 34 feet deep; how itiany gallons of Water will it contain ?-—Answered hi 49 seconds, 2,125^000, (the pupil was previously informed by Mr. Currie that there were about Q\ gallons to the" cubic foot.) What is the difference between 89 times 80 and 99 times 99? —Answered in 17 seconds, 1880. How many are 101 times 101 tinles 101 ?—-Answered in 7 seconds, 10,201.— Scottish Press. Prediction of Mutiny in the Indian Armt.—Olil Indians say, "There is no respect for yon in India without mutfiiificence and show." A greater fallacy do-s . not exist Trumpery and humbug are our enemies in India,' as they were and rire the enemies of hiirbaric' Princes. Such folly ruinedthom, ami will ruin' us," for. if we continue -to., imitate the Eastern style our officers will deteriorate, and The native,joftir.ers will lak« the empire from*-us. A Tudicsil reform of the fnditn urmy, anil an increaße of European office™ is ahso'utely necessary. Some years hence, for they will not increase'the officers, my word wii] prove prophetic. The Sepoy now has'no European officers to look to—no captain I mean ; he is devoted to us as yet, but we take no pains to preserve hia attachment. It is no concern of mine,*! Hhall he dead before what I foresee will take place, but it will' take place. I would give this opinion in writing if it; would; do the company any good; but it will not, for everything I say or do is looked upon as war against them, and I will not play Cassandra for the directors to; j.*er and lau^h.— Sir Chas. Napier's Life. ■A Long Lost Son.—During the late exeitrsio'ii of Saiil PaSha to Crete, on reaching Ganea.the kiaia or in-. lentlant bf the viceroy, inquired about a Greek family which liad inhabited a village liear the town. An old man of the village; then .residing at Oanoa, was sent for, who, in reply to the questions of,the kiafa, said that he had known the family, several Of the children of which had been seized and carried off to Tmkev during the Grecian war. •Did you know these children ?' asked the kiaia. 'I have seen them * 'And is the family now extinct.' ' No.' The persons present at this colloquy were surprised at the interest which the kiaitt appeared to take in apoor/Greek family, and Uieeiriotion which he evinced ,at the last rep yof the old man.. ' Who of the family are ys^ alive ?' asked the kiaia 'The father, mother, snd several of the children,'replied the other. : The kiaia still more excited, called fdr horses, placed the old man on one of them, and told the ohl man to lead the way to the village. The temporary guide wad astonished, on coming to the village; to hear the kiaia mention the names of persons who had resided in certain houses;, but who had been long; since dead. The liiaiay extending his hand, sttiM, 'There is the housa of the family 1 inquired abdufc.' 'You'are acquainted with them, then ?' said the od man. 'Itis my own,'. was the reply. . '-1.-was one of the children carried away.' The kiaia jumped from his horse, rushed into.the .House, and threw himself into the arms of his mother. The surprise and joy of the old woman and of the family may he rea.Ji y conceived, anil all the inhabitants of the viV .!«ur© soon assembled to see the high functionary who had come among them. The kiaia brought back his family, to Caner, wfcere they were loaded with presents by Said Pasha, and Vely Pasha, the Governor of Crete.— Fresse d'Orient: ':'..■.. To Keep Ants from Fruit.—lf a horizontal line of g&s tar be made near the ground on the wall, and one round the stem of the tree, it will prevent ants from ascending.— -Cottage Gardener. Conversion of Iron into Steel.—This has been effected by the Abbe Pauve'rt, a French clergyman. He cftn produce steel of a very superior quality from the most ordinary cast arid puddled iron; and pieces of iron in any sUte, at a great reduction in price. This has been satisfactorily proved by recent experiments in the dockyard at Woolwich. .M. Pauvert haa secured his invention by a patent from the British Government. ' .•'•.;■"■'■ ■Bar Practice.—During n trial in tlie Court of Queen's Bench, Mr. Menzies having been examined by Mr. Denman, for the plaintiff, Mr. Bovill, who had just come into court, proceeded, to crossiexatnine him, and asked, ' What are yon?' Mr; Justice Cresswell—'Mr. Bovill, if Yon had been here' before, you' would have heard what, he was,'" Mr."*Bqyill— *It is really very difficult to know what to do; here are six courts sitting, and it is inipossible to be in all of them.' MX Justice Cressweil—' There is neither hardship tior difficulty in; the matter; the course to be pursued is very simple. I have observed a very unsatisfactory state of things since I have sat here, and I regret it.' Mr. Bovill—• I reaily do not know what is to be done ; it is unavoidable.' Mr. Justice Cresswell—« When I was. at the bar, I never took a brief, which I could not attend to.' Mr. Bovill—' Neither do I, my lord.' ' Mr. Justice Cresswell —' Well, the course before counsel is very simple.: We won't discuss the matter.. Go on.'— Home News. Happy Families.—Ajcorrespondent says .—' Another of the London nuisances has made its first appearance in Sydney. ; In passiug,through the 'Market, yesterday, I was vexed to see, ; for the first time in. our good city of Sydney, one of those horrid exhibitions that are so freqiientiy seen in the streets of London miscalled ' Happy Fanijiies.' Now, Sir, it is notorious that the greatest cruelty is resorted to to subdue the natures.(some, of course, ferocious, according to the laws of nature) of these 'poor'animals, before they can be persuaded to live in such wretched happiness. ' I appeal, then, to you, Mr. Editor, as a consistent and humane opponent to cruelty to brute creatures, to spare a small space in your valuable journal for one of your humane and herculean grasps; to nip in the bud this growing, evil,^aiidyouwill-, by so doinu, pacify the minds of many, a* well as that of your obedient servant.'— Sydney Herald. ' '~.'.'■