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versally but the shrugging, monkey-looking Canton of "The Clandestine Marriage," or the Monsieur Morbleu of "Monsieur Tonson," dished up over and over again, with no difference in essentials, though thrown, it may be, into situations varied in some little degree. See one stage-Frenchman, and you see all. Is nature thus limited in her power of varying character, with a great nation to work upon! Surely the mirror is not held up to her here.

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when the more intelligent classes lose their liking and respect for the drama, others must soon adopt the same views. Shakspeare and Jonson ranged human nature in search of new, proper, and varied subjects for the stage. Modern dramatists seem to have but a set number of puppet figures, which they shake together, as it were, in a bag, and present in the slightly-varied positions assumed by them, without changing, however, one iota of their aspect or attire, much less of their intrinsic characters.

ING POPULATION.

SECOND ARTICLE.

the powers of each individual performer. But though
he may thus far have acted prudently, as histrionic
matters at present stand, the end of this entire system
is, that our dramatic pieces have become, more and
more completely, but a hashing up of the same
things over again. We find in them endless old admi-
rals (performed by the old-men-obstinate), who speak
like barking dogs, quarrel with everybody, and always
have nephews or nieces whom they want to marry to
some hateful or hated person or another. As all must
end well at last, we find these ancient blockheads
usually wheeling round at the last moment, without SANATORY CONDITION OF THE LABOUR-
the shadow of a reason, and giving their consent to
the identical match which they have all along opposed.
Such a personage uniformly concludes with a Well,
you young dog, I suppose you must have her. So, take
my blessing"-and hereupon he pulls out his white
handkerchief, and snivels considerably. There are, so
far as we have observed, no beings in human nature
resembling these old-obstinates. As great a libel upon
youthful humanity is the lover-gentleman of such
pieces, who can do little else than exclaim, "Adorable
Julia !" and cane his servant (the knowing valet)-for
which latter act, by the way, the valet in real life
would assuredly either knock his master down, or
summon him before the police-magistrate, or perhaps
do both. The "adorable Julias" of the light modern
drama, again, are intolerable pieces of insipidity, with-
out enough of intellect to sew the A B C upon a samp-
ler. They can but lisp perpetually "Pa" and "Ma,"
and "Dear Charles," and they speak of elopements
for life as they would do of taking a morning walk.
Can anybody feel a rational interest in the fate of
such bib-and-tucker heroines as these, or have any
wish but to see them well chastised by their gover-
nesses, and sent to bed supperless?

Classes of men have the same kind of conventional
representatives on the stage as nations have. See one
sailor, and you see all that the modern drama ever
shows to you of that class. When a tar is promised
to you in any piece, you may feel assured of beholding
a man with blue jacket, white trousers, straw hat, pig-
tail, and buckles, who dances a hornpipe, chews to
THE fourth section of Mr Chadwick's remarkable
bacco, mouths a host of boisterous sentences relative
work adverts to the "comparative chances of life in
to the honour of old England, bans the French, and
different classes of the community." This is a subject
garnishes his dialogue with a most multitudinous
which has already been investigated, to very curious
amount of "avasts," "lubbers," "swabs," "what
results, by M. Villermé of Paris. Inquiries amongst
cheers," and good set phrases of the like kidney. Now,
ourselves come to precisely the same effect, namely,
though all the sailors that ever sailed the salt seas
that the severity of the pressure of disease and mor-
were marked by these features of exterior and manners,
tality is generally in proportion to the poorness of cir-
surely the drama should present something more than
cumstances. The difference is much greater than
mere outward forms, in order to hold up the mirror
could well be believed, except upon the most powerful
to nature, and show vice and virtue their own image.
evidence. Mr Chadwick states, that in some districts
As things are managed at present, dramatic authors
of a city the deaths are only 1 for every 57 of the
seem to hold that they accomplish all when they give
population annually, while in other districts of the
little more than externals, according with the set rules
same city they are 1 for every 28, being more than
and practices of the stage established by their prede-
twice the former amount. He has with great industry
cessors. Variety of character is never dreamed of,
collected a series of returns from different manufac-
apparently; though, being men, sailors must vary in
turing towns and districts in England, showing the
a thousand respects like other men. Even as regards
average age of the individuals deceased within a cer-
their characteristic manners, it is absurd to suppose
tain time of three classes of society, namely—1.
that they are all as much alike as peas or pigeons'
Gentry and professional persons; 2. Tradesmen and
eggs. Nor can every Jack be disposed to dance horn-
their families; and 3. Labourers, mechanics, and ser-
pipes everlastingly, in season and out of season.
We must not dwell too long on these points, how- vants; from which it invariably appears that the
Sailors form but a specimen of the sort of class-con-ever, and must trust it to the reader himself to make average age of the first class is much above that of
ventionalisms to which we allude. If a lawyer, a a more extended application of the preceding hints. the two others, and that the average age of the second
country squire, a barber, an auctioneer, a village- But there is one other point to which we would ad- class is much above that of the third. In Truro, for
mayor, or almost any professional or official person vert before closing these observations on dramatic the three classes respectively, it is 40, 33, and 25
whatever, appear in the list of personages in a modern matters. While following not, or incapable of follow-years; in Leeds, 44, 27, and 19; in Liverpool, 35, 22,
drama, any one who has the slightest acquaintance ing, our elder dramatists in their vivid and varied de- and 15; in Whitechapel, 45, 27, and 22; in Kensing-
with such matters may prognosticate with certainty picting of actual, living, breathing human nature, many ton, 44, 29, and 26-the two last exhibiting, it will be
what the dress, manners, mode of speech, and other modern dramatists seem to think that they attain to observed, a more favourable average to the third class
peculiarities, will be in every individual case. They the style, at least, of the Augustan age of the English in a city district occupied by the upper ranks, than
will all be found in accordance with the conven- drama, by interlarding their attempts plentifully with in a mean district-an effect probably, in part, of the
tional stage rules, in each instance specially laid such phrases as "i' faith," "marry," "my masters," good condition in which the servants of the upper
down and provided. And to augment the sameness and the like. These things have accordingly become classes are kept. When we go into a simply rural
resulting from this state of things, the actual repre- a part of the laughable conventionalisms of the stage. district, where the third class is mainly composed of
senters of character upon the stage have become We may perhaps best make the reader understand us agricultural labourers, we find the return for that
moulded and modelled, upon similar principles, into here by throwing a few of these stereotype phrases class much more favourable than in dense manufac-
certain forms, unchanging and unchangeable. His-into a sort of speech for the nonce. Suppose a gentle- turing cities. For instance, in Rutlandshire, the
trionic companies, now-a-days, are for the most part
numbers respectively are 52, 41, and 38-the last
composed of individuals who have trained themselves,
class thus showing better chance of life than the
not to the personation of such varied characters as
second does in any of the places above mentioned.
nature presents, but to perform each a stated species
This is a very instructive fact, particularly when we
of character, out of which they cannot step for the
bear in mind that the wages of the agricultural la-
lives of them. In every company, for example, there
bourers of Rutlandshire average barely one-half of the
is a performer who plays the dandy or puppy parts, (To the other).
wages of the third class in the large manufacturing
and can play nothing else. There is your enacter of
towns. Mr Chadwick has had maps of Leeds and of
mysterious bandits and Blue-beard counts. There is
Bethnal Green parish constructed, to show, by com-
your old-man-obstinate performer, or one who repre-
parative depth of colouring, the liability of various
sents hot-headed admirals and hard-hearted fathers.
districts to contagious disease and cholera; and the
There is your old-man-virtuous, or he who plays dis-
deep colours are invariably upon the dense mean dis-
tressed merchants and ancient faithful servitors; your
tricts occupied by the humbler classes. He requested
knowing valet; your comic Irishman; and so on. So
from the medical authorities of Aberdeen a similar
completely does an actor belong to one part, and one
map of that city, desiring at the same time that they
part to him, that it is common to say such an actor
would distinguish the streets occupied by the differ-
is a "capital villain," a "first-rate scoundrel." The
ent grades of society. "They returned a map so
lady-performers are arranged in like manner into the
marked as to disease, but stated that it had been
old-woman-tragic and old-woman-comic; the young-
thought unnecessary to distinguish the streets inha-
woman-sentimental, and young-woman-chambermaid-
bited by the different orders of society, as that was
ish; and so on. The confinement of performers thus
done with sufficient accuracy by the different tints
to one walk, though it may have been originally
representing the degrees of intensity of the prevalence
caused by the adherence of dramatic writers to set
of fever."
conventional rules, reacts upon the efforts of these in
turn, and increases the mischief. Seeing the manner
in which histrionic companies are usually arranged,
the modern dramatist looks not to nature for his con-
ceptions. He draws every character and arranges
every phrase exactly as he thinks they will best suit
the people who are to represent and utter them. He
writes a part for the puppy-performer, a part for old-valence of these dramatic conventionalisms a partial
obstinate, a part for old-virtuous, a part for knowing-
valet, parts for miss-sentimental, miss-chambermaid-
ish, old-woman-comic, and the rest, the thread of a
plot which ties the whole together being a matter of
extremely little moment in his eyes.

The dramatist is certain of some measure of success, by taking this direct and secure way of bringing out

man, or say nobleman, to behold another approaching,
into whose eyes he wishes to throw a little pulverulent
matter. He will then probably speak-on the stage
of course-after the following sort. The stock phrases
are in italics :-

"Ha! can I trust mine eyes? No!-yes! "Tis he!
Now must I smooth my tongue.-But hush! he comes.
Ha! by the mass, it glads me to the core, sir,
To note how excellent well thou bear'st thine years.
Marry, my good lord, i' th' olden days,

I do remember me, thou look'dst it bravely;
And yet, i' faith, methinks old grandsire Time
That comes me rudely in to pluck men's beards,
And plant you white hairs where your black have been,
Hath scarcely touched thy honourable visage.
Nay, never shake thy head-gentle, my lord.
Go to, man; by this light, I say, 'tis so.
My masters, judge ye, an I speak not truly.
Note well this, worthy sir! By'r lady, friends,
He is my junior but by some few years,
And mark the difference between us now.
S'blood, that same wielder o' the crooked scythe
Hath used me vilely. A' brought us to the light
A'most at once; and lo! you here, my masters,
How plain his marks on me, while on my friend
His hand hath fall'n as soft as even dew.
Well, there be some well used, and others not.
Afore me, an it go not nigh to anger one.

And so on. Such phrases as these, with a broken line
now and then, with breaches in rhythm, and a few
words thickly consonanted (such as "foul-mouth'dst"
and the like), plentifully bestrew the more ambitious
dramas of the present day. The constructors of them
think not of the quality of the metal; the antique
setting seems to be all in all.

In conclusion-is there not to be found in the pre

reason, at least, for the declension of the stage from
its high position in past days? Educated spectators,
and they are now numerous, cannot but distinguish
the artificial and unnatural cast of the scenes and
characters presented to them, and therefore fail to take
that interest in the spectacle, or in the fates of the per-
sonages represented, which it is essential to excite; and

"An impression is often prevalent," says Mr Chadwick, "that a heavy mortality is an unavoidable condition of all large towns, and of a town population in general. It has, however, been shown that groups of cottages on a high hill, exposed to the most salubrious breezes, when cleanliness is neglected, are often the nests of fever and disease as intense as the most crowded districts. The mortuary returns of particular districts prove that a high degree of mortality does not invariably belong to the population of all towns, and probably not necessarily to any, even where the population is engaged in manufactures. The proportion of deaths appears in some of the suburbs of the metropolis (as at Hackney), and of Manchester and Leeds, to be lower than amongst the highest

the care of a pupil of the master who had charge of the children from the wynds. After a trial for a sufficient time, the more experienced master acknowhis inability to keep them up to the pace of the better ledged the comparative inferiority of his pupils, and bodily conditioned children.

The facts indicated will suffice to show the importance of the moral and political considerations, namely, and bodily condition of the population, and act as obthat the noxious physical agencies depress the health stacles to education and to moral culture; that in abridging the duration of the adult life of the working-classes, they check the growth of productive skill, and abridge the amount of social experience and steady moral habits in the community; that they substitute struction and is steadily progressive, a population that for a population that accumulates and preserves inis young, inexperienced, ignorant, credulous, irritable, passionate, and dangerous, having a perpetual tendency to moral as well as physical deterioration."

It is necessary to guard against an impression very apt to be formed from the fact of the higher chances of life being found amongst the upper classes, namely, This is by no means the case. The probability rather that expensive modes of living are essential to health. is, that the higher classes are comparatively healthy, not in consequence, but in spite of, expensive modes of living, which too often involve indulgence in what is positively deleterious. The working classes in the great seats of manufactures have far more rich, varied, and stimulating diet than the rural labourers, yet they have been shown to be much less healthy. The diet observation amongst the medical persons superintendin prisons is very light; yet it is matter of common ing them, that the health of the inmates is generally much higher than that of almost any part of the surrounding population. "Notwithstanding the depressing influence of imprisonment, the effect of cleanliness, dryness, better ventilation, temperance, and simple food, is almost sufficient to prevent disease arising within the prison, and to put the prisoners in a better working condition at the termination than at

classes in two of the agricultural counties." It is also | population of the borough were only 19 years; whilst to be remarked that, in some generally unhealthy dis- in the county of Wilts, where the labourer's family tricts of towns, there are streets of a better class, and would not receive much more than half that amount of vice versa; and it has been found, when minute in-worth in money and produce together, we find the avewages in money, and perhaps not two-thirds of money's quiry was made, that these exceptions showed the rage chances of life to the labouring classes 32 years?" respective differences of mortality which were to be The population of Guanaxuato, in Mexico, where the expected. Mr Elwin, reporting from Bath, says, deaths are 1 in 20 annually, and the births 1 in 16, is "The average [age] among the labourers was greatly ceives that it resembles "the wretched population of sunk in filth, vice, and misery. Mr Chadwick condiminished by the returns from some notorious courts, the worst parts of Glasgow, Edinburgh, London, and and raised again to a still higher proportion by dis- Bath, and the lodging-houses throughout the country." tricts which appertained rather to the country than He adds-"Seeing that the banana (with the plantain the town." This gentleman found the average for a or maize) is the chief food of the inferior Mexican good district depressed by a colony of shoemakers. populace, their degraded condition has been ascribed "My attention," he says, "was called to this circum- large proportion of our population has been ascribed to the fertility of that plant, as the degradation of a stance by the clerk incidentally remarking that more to the use of the potato; whereas a closer examinashoemakers were married at his office, and were uni- tion would have shown the fact of large classes living formly more dirty and ill-dressed, than any other industriously and virtuously chiefly on simple food, class of persons. The proneness to marriage or con- and preferring saving money to better living; and cubinage in proportion to the degradation of the that, if a high and various meat diet were the cause parties is notorious, and I anticipated from the fact of health, industry, and morality, those virtues should an abundant offspring, afterwards to be carried off by houses, for more meat and varied food is consumed in stand highest amongst the population of the lodgingpremature disease. Accordingly, I went with this those abodes of pestilence than amongst the industriview through several of the registers, and the result ous population of the village. In Manchester, where was, that, while the average of death amongst the we have seen that the chances of life are only 17 families of labourers and artisans in general was years, the proportions and varieties of meat consumed [I in] 24 and 25, that of shoemakers was [1 in] 14." by the labouring classes are as their greater amount of It would be a very erroneous inference from the wages, compared with the meat consumed by the laabove facts, that, of equal numbers of grown persons of bouring classes in Rutlandshire, whose mean chances the three classes, the chance of life was in the propor-rior health in Rutlandshire is as little ascribable to of life are 38 years. But I apprehend that the supetions indicated. It is upon the young and infantine their simpler food, as the greater amount of disease that the weight of adverse physical circumstances amidst the town population is ascribable to the greater chiefly falls. In Manchester, of 1000 children born, proportion of meat which is there consumed. It is 570 die before they complete the fifth year of their probable, indeed, that the standard of vitality in Rutage. In 1840, of the children in their first year, landshire might be raised still higher by improve23 per cent., or nearly a fourth, perished. It ap- ments in the quality of their food. There are abunpears as a general fact, that more than half of the dant reasons to render it desirable that the food of the population should be varied; but it is shown children of the working classes die before they are five years old, and only one-fourth of the children of that banishing the potato, or discouraging its use, or the commencement of their imprisonment. At the introducing any other food, will not banish disease." Glasgow bridewell, the prisoners are weighed at the gentry. Such seems to be the case wherever The fifth section of the report is on the "pecuniary their entry and at their discharge, and it is found that, there is a large mortality; and it is also found as in- burdens created by the neglect of sanatory measures; on the average, they gain in weight by their imprisonvariably that, where there is a large mortality, there but it has a somewhat wider application. It must be ment." Mr Chadwick might have added, what we is a still greater fecundity, always keeping up society at sufficiently obvious as a general fact, that it is better, ascertained and stated in this paper a few years ago,* its full number, or even increasing it. In Manchester, other circumstances being equal, to have a population that the mortality in the Edinburgh Charity Workwhere the deaths are 1 in 28 annually, the births are in which there is a just and natural proportion of all house, where the diet is light, was strikingly less than 1 to 26: in Rutlandshire, where the deaths are only ages, than one containing a great proportion of the in the Manchester workhouse, where it is comparayoung and unproductive classes, or of widows, orphans, tively rich and substantial. Indeed, it appears plain, 1 in 52, the births are 1 to 33. Even marriages are and other dependants on the bounty of the rest, which from an ample variety of facts collected in modern more numerous where the deaths are greatest. The is the kind of population inevitably resulting where times, that the medical authorities which preach city of Geneva has had an accurate system of regis- there is a great mortality, and its attendant, a rapid slenderness of diet as best for health are in the right; tration for three centuries. In that time, it has reproduction. Mr Chadwick enters into a variety of and that what is strictly called want, the evil so much slowly increased its population from 13,000 to 27,000. statements showing the actual burden thrown on the held up to dread and pity by the poets, should in reality To persons not accustomed to inquiries of this kind, poor-rates in England in consequence of the prema- be assigned but a secondary rank amongst the ills it would appear rather strange, that, although the ture deaths of working men. The evidence is of a which afflict human kind. It may be that Mr Chadstriking nature; but we cannot well follow it in all its wick ascribes too much importance to the physical population of Geneva has always been increasing more and more rapidly, the proportions of marriages and tion will be of less interest than another which he ad--we incline to believe that he does--but it seems imintricacies. To many the pecuniary part of the ques-conditions on which his report throws so much light births have been constantly decreasing. The fact is, verts to in this section. Much is represented by the possible to doubt that to a very great extent, to an that the population has increased, not by a greater single remark, that in the ten registration districts of extent far beyond what would be supposed at all pronumber of births, but by a smaller number of deaths: Leeds, while the mortality prevalent in them varies bable even by those who have their eyes open to such the expectation of life of a child at birth is now 45 coincidently with their physical condition, "the reck-investigations, the comfort and happiness of our comyears; but in the seventeenth century it was only 13. lessness and immorality, as shown in the proportion of ille-munity are affected unfavourably by mere misarrangeMr Chadwick remarks-" An impression of an un- gitimate births, increases in a greater proportion than the ments as to health which are capable of remedy. How the remedy is to be applied, we shall see in a defined optimism is frequently entertained by persons mortality." After giving some tables, showing the who are aware of the wretched condition of a large healthy population, he goes on to remark to what an proportion of men of experience and staid habits in a subsequent article. portion of the labouring population; and this impres-extent the young predominate in Manchester and sion is more frequently entertained than expressed, some other physically unfavourable districts. It was as the ground of inaction for the relief of the preva- found, on some occasions of turbulence in that town, lent misery from disease, that its ravages form the that the turbulent were the young exclusively: the natural or positive check, or, as Dr Short terms it, mature were peaceable, and disposed to repress the a terrible corrective,' to the pressure of population turbulent, but they were a feeble minority, in conon the means of subsistence. In the most crowded sequence of the thinning of their numbers by premature deaths. In strikes, the young generally lead, districts which have been the subject of the present overbearing all the social influence of their seniors. In inquiry, the facts do not justify this impression; they London mobs, it is also observed that the great majoshow that the theory is inapplicable to the present rity are young. circumstances of the population. How erroneous the inferences are in their unrestrained generality, which assume that the poverty or the privation which is sometimes the consequence is always the cause of the disease, will have been seen from such evidence as that adduced from Glasgow and Spitalfields, proving that the greater proportion of those attacked by disease are in full work at the time; and the evidence from the fever hospitals, that the greatest proportion of the patients are received in high bodily condition. If wages be taken as the test of the means of subsistence, it may be asked, how are such facts to be reconciled as these, that at a time when wages in Manchester were 10s. per head weekly on all employed in the manufactories, including children or young persons in the average, so that, if three or four members of a family were employed, the wages of a family would be 30s. or 40s. weekly, the average chances of life to all of the labouring classes were only 17 years; whilst in the whole of Rutlandshire, where the wages were certainly not one-half that amount, we find the mean chances of life to every individual of the lowest class were 38 years? Or, to take another instance, that whilst in Leeds, where, according to Mr Baker's report, the wages of the families of the worst-conditioned workers were upwards of L.1, 1s. per week, and the chances of life amongst the whole labouring

It has been found that, in recruiting in one of the physically depressed districts, a smaller proportion of those who enlist proves fit for service. In the metropolitan police, of the candidates who come forward for admission, it is rare that one from Whitechapel or Spitalfields is found suitable. The criminal classes are generally stunted in stature and of inferior strength. "I might adduce," says Mr Chadwick, "the evidence of the teachers of the pauper children at Norwood, to show that a deteriorated physical condition does in fact greatly increase the difficulty of moral and intellectual cultivation. The intellects of the children of such inferior physical organisation are torpid; it is comparatively difficult to gain their attention, or to sustain it; it requires much labour to irradiate the countenance with intelligence, and the irradiation is apt to be transient. As a class, they are comparatively irritable and bad tempered. The most experienced and zealous teachers are gladdened by the sight of well-grown healthy children, which presents to them better promise that their labours will be less difficult and more lasting and successful. On one occasion a comparison was made between the progress of two sets of children in Glasgow, the one set taken from the wynds, and placed under the care of one of the most skilful and successful infant schoolmasters, the other a set of children from a more healthy town district, and of a better physical condition, placed under

AN INCIDENT AT BOULOGNE. THE custom which our fashionable Englishmen have of flying to the coast of France, when debts and the like mishaps render their own country somewhat too hot to hold them comfortably, causes Boulogne and other towns forming the chief places of rendezvous on such occasions, to present, for the most part, a strangely assorted society, and to witness, at times, very curious scenes. We do not precisely ask our readers to believe the following romantic story in all its details. though there is nothing very improbable in any part of them.

Sir George Tindal was a young baronet of good English family, who came to Boulogne a few years ago, under rather peculiar circumstances. He had been left very young with command of a good patrimonial estate, but had given way so far to the fashionable follies of the young in high life, as to allow nearly the whole of it to fly away on the turf as fast as race-horses could carry it. He had still good expectations, however. A maternal relative, a merchant, and one of the richest in the metropolis, was likely, in the due course of things, to leave Sir George his fortune, as his nearest heir. He was fond of the young man, but had been greatly and perilously alienated by the conduct and reverses of the latter, It was while meditating on this subject that an idea struck the nearly ruined baronet. "How successful," thought he, "my uncle has been by his speculations in the funds! Might not I have a chance that way, also? Might not I cast in my poor remnant of means into that great lottery, and pull out a prize? I may as well try it: all that I have now is scarcely worth thinking twice about. I shall try at least." Poor Sir George! He forgot that though some

* Inquiries respecting Food, Nos. 366 and 368.

seas may be deep, there are others which cannot be sounded at all; that however deep one may be in the mire, there is a chance of getting deeper. He did venture his all in the stocks. He was successful once, and even twice. Getting inspirited by his good fortune, he thought he had but to venture further and win more. Alas! he was a novice, merely, in the hands of veteran gamblers. Some of the very worst members of the body who speculate in these matters got him into their hands; and knowing well what his expectations were, and where they lay, they led him on by a nibble or two, until, by a series of ruses, considered not infamous only on such a field of transactions, they at length got him placed under a load of debt which even all his uncle's means would with difficulty lighten. Holding him bound by signatures and bonds, they then waited coolly for his accession to his prospective inheritance, knowing well that the same prospect would keep their victim also within reach of their grasp at any time.

gallant major, and a certain warlike colonel, to per- | him at Boulogne; had contrived the overturn at his mit them to bear me company, and I think I must door, and made his acquaintance. She had only really consent some day." How could a lover forbear thought of the fishing scheme through a spice of to intreat permission to occupy the place of these romance in her temperament, and that she might get rival suitors? Sir George could not. He begged him to England, where she might have his debts paid. and sued, and the fair lady gave her consent that he They wedded, and lived happily, like all lovers in should accompany her next morning on one of her stories; and we wish all were as true as the present odd excursions to sea.

The day proved beautiful, and the pair went aboard
at sunrise. They sailed, however, far out to sea, and
along the coast, ere any desire for fishing was shown
by the lady. The water was not favourable, she said,
at one place, and then she declared that she had no
fancy, on this morning, for the exercise. Sir George
was rather pleased with this disinclination, which was
owing, he flattered himself, to her being absorbed by
his own conversation; and she, on her part, seemed
only to think of charming him by sweet discourse.
At length a slight shower fell, and the baroness
asked her lover to enter a small rude cabin, where a
glass of wine and cake were offered to him. Here
the pair sat, hour after hour, the lady enchanting
her lover with talk that caused him to forget all but
her present self. At length, he pulled out his watch
and started up. "What!" cried he, "the day is far
advanced, and I don't think they have ever put
about!" The wind, too, was blowing nearly direct
from the coast. "Come, madam, if you fish at all to-
day, it is surely time to begin."
"I have

The answer startled the poor baronet.
angled," said she quietly; " and, what is more, I have
caught my fish." "What mean you?" cried Sir George.
"What fish have you caught?"
pounds," answered the lady, with coolness. Sir George
"Twenty thousand
grew pale, and stept hurriedly on deck. "Distrac-
tion!" cried he, as soon as he had looked around.
"Put about instantly, pilot; that is Margate!-we
are off England!" Exactly so, Sir George," said
the lady at his back. He turned round and looked
at her. "Your purpose, then, is to take me"
"To London, Sir George," said the lady, interrupting
him with calmness, though a gratified flush was on her
cheek. Sir George turned to the sailors. "My purse!"
said he; "twenty-five louis for you, if you put about
for Boulogne !" "Twenty-five louis!" said the lady,
disdainfully, "when twenty thousand pounds are in
the other scale!" "Barbarous, treacherous woman!"
cried the infuriated baronet, as he looked around,
with an eye that threatened peril to all, if he had but
had the means to inflict it; but the baroness gave a
signal, and in an instant his arms were pinned to his
struggled, but in vain; a cord was produced, and he
side by two pair of brawny arms. The baronet
was only saved from the ignominy of being bound, by
giving his assurance that be would remain in quiet
durance in the cabin. It seemed to him that he had
nothing for it but to submit.

Sir George wandered about town for some months after these mishaps, like a man with a rope around his neck. During that time he had many reasonings with himself on an important point. This point affected his whole prospective fortunes. The young baronet was naturally possessed of good sense; he was well educated, and it may be said that his heart was good, and his intentions fair towards all men, under ordinary circumstances; but his course of life, and the associations he had formed, had relaxed his moral principles. This acquired defect came now into play. The point which he canvassed with himself was, whether or not, after having most distinctly ascertained that he had been the dupe of his creditors, his engagements with them were binding upon him. His good sense said yes, for they had acted within the law; his sense of honour said the same, for they had his bonds; "but then," said other internal arguers, "they got these by base means, and they have not lost a shilling by me. The article experience was what my folly bought from them at the price of a fair fortune, and with it came no penny out of their pockets. Besides, if I pay these harpies, I shall be beggared." The end of the whole was, that the uncle of Sir George died; the young baronet was left heir; and within a few hours almost after being put in possession of his fortune, which was the portable one of an old monied hoarder, the young baronet was on his way with it to Boulogne. The creditors stormed and vowed revenge; but they at first knew not whither he might fly, and there are great difficulties attending the recovery of money from creditors on the continent in any case. Sir George fixed himself in a small country house near Boulogne. He had been able to carry thither a sufficiency for permanent maintenance-above twenty thousand pounds, nearly the amount of his funded embarrassments, after what he called "fair debts" were privately settled. He lived for some time in great seclusion, only occasionally appearing in pub-indignation at his captor. She had checked the lic. The society which he then met was not of a character to trouble itself much about what he had done, or was doing, or was about to do, so long as he maintained a fashionable appearance and a gentlemanly" You loved me !" deportment. So Sir George led a very quiet and undisturbed existence for a time, always excepting some little twinges from a sense of violated honour, until love, the universal busy-body, came in the way to overthrow the runaway's repose. A lady made her appearance in Boulogne, bearing the name and style of the Baroness d'Estival. Report said that she was an English woman by birth, and the widow of a foreign noble; and she was young, beautiful, and reputed rich. Ere long, such attractions brought all the danglers of dangling Boulogne into subjection to the baroness; and among the rest, our baronet saw and admired the lady. For a time, however, he was undistinguished by her, nor did he make any marked advances on his own part. An accident brought round an eclaircissement. By a peculiar piece of awkwardness, as it seemed, on the part of her servant, the caleche of the baroness was nearly overturned near Sir George's door. The young baronet sprung out; and the lady appearing faint and terrified, he intreated her to alight for a few moments. She complied. It was the hour of lunch, and they lunched together. Sir George begged her to view his garden, and they walked together. When the lady was at last about to depart, Sir George begged leave to take the reins out of the hands of the awkward servant, and escort her home in person. The result of all was, that the baronet became an established visitant of the baroness; and having declared his passion, received an answer which left him much to hope, while at the same time it promised nothing positive.

Sir George, reduced to this condition, looked with
sailors for harshness in their usage of him; but other
wise she expressed no visible emotion. "Betrayed by
you!" said the captive," you whom I loved so much!"
66 Yes;
well you knew it!" an-
swered Sir George. "Since you are an adventuress,
cruel woman, would not my whole fortune, with my
hand, have better paid you than a miserable hire
The lady spoke not in reply, and Sir George also held
a scornful silence from that moment, until he landed
in the Thames. He was here put into the hands of
the sailors, and conducted to an hotel, on giving his
solemn promise that he would not attempt to escape.
Believing all to be lost in any case, he was glad to
be relieved from the confinement of a jail, though it
might be but till his creditors were warned of his
capture.

one..

DEPLORATIONS ON A DOMESTIC EVIL.

THE world has been torn by the contending claims of rival razor-strops; why has British genius never been applied to the production of some equally ready and sure means of sharpening carving-knives? The happiness of domestic life depends to a degree, far beyond what could have been previously supposed, on the good serviceable condition of this article of conveniency. That famous conjunction of grievances, a smoky house and a scolding wife, is not complete without a blunt carving-knife. It is an evil which every one possessing that important essential, meat to carve, must have felt to be among the most frequently occurring, and in quality one of the most vexing, which he has ever known.

In a state of collapse from hunger, you hear the announcement of dinner. You pass with ill-maintained deliberation to the table where the viands are but, lo! you find your carving-knife totally disquaspread. You think to be satisfied without delay; lified for its duty. You have to wait ten minutes in an agony of appetite and vexation till some hurried and imperfect remedy has been applied, after which you once more try to carve, and perhaps now partially succeed. But the thwarting and delay have put you out of humour with yourself, your dinner, and your wife; and that food which was designed to comfort and sustain you, is deprived of one-half of its value. Ten to one you don't get into a tolerable conceit with the general frame of things in this world for the whole evening.

Or I shall suppose you entertaining a choice selection of your friends at dinner. The broad sirloin is before you. Almost everybody eats beef, for the veal demand is incessant. You are told that Mrs S. will has been discovered to be a little underdone. The trouble you; that Miss D. wishes a slice rather rare ; that Mr T. is waiting; and much more to the like them. The knife is in its usually inept condition. purpose. But it seems that wait they must, all of Your attempts to penetrate the crisp cartilage at the top prove all in vain. You toil, you struggle, you groan in secret. You try a common knife, without in the least improving the case. A steel is brought, and you hastily endeavour to give a tithe of that sharpness which ought to have been deliberately conferred by the powers of the scullery in the course of the morning. But you have been disconcerted and heated, and your hand has become unsteady. The consequence is, that the slices which you send away are rude and ungainly masses, quite unworthy of your skill and experience as a carver; and the dinner is eaten half cold, which might have been eaten warm. All the time, you are compelled, by the tyrannical laws of society, to maintain a smiling and cheerful front, while secretly mortified to the last degree.

It was night when this landing in the Thames took place. Sir George spent a wretched night, moaning over that fate which his conscience told him was not unmerited. In the morning he drew up an act, briefly A blunt carving-knife is sufficient to give a fatal giving up all to his creditors. He had scarcely finished turn to the whole current of a life. An amiable this when a visiter was announced. It was his be- youth, of retiring manners, loved a young lady who trayer, the baroness. you?" said he sternly. "Wretched woman, what seek was thought to be pretty equally balanced between "Is not your task done? I him and a rival somewhat his senior. One day it was have now to do with others." 66 said the lady in a low voice, and with a timidity of next the fair damsel at dinner. He was asked to With none but me," contrived by a benevolent hostess that he was placed manner most unlike her previous deportment. "What do you mean, madam ?" asked Sir George. "I am carve a fowl opposite to him, and amongst those whom your sole creditor," said the lady; and she placed in he had to help was his mistress. He tried to show his hands some papers, which he at once saw to be his his skill, of which he really had some portion, by own redeemed bonds. He looked up in amazement. carving the fowl in an easy, genteel fashion; but "You had a cousin once, Sir George," said the lady, either some supernal power, unfavourable to his suit, with her eyes on the floor. "I had-Anne Fulton," said Sir George; "we were playmates in childhood." blunt through mere ordinary use, and had not been had previously blunted the knife, or it had become "She went abroad, when a child, with her family?" sharpened when it ought. He drew the dish nearer; Sir George could not be long acquainted with the continued the lady, "She did," said the baronet; he began to look anxiously for joints; he strained, fair baroness without discovering that she had one re- "and, I have heard, was married to a very wealthy he perspired, he became excited. Still, he was baffled markable and somewhat eccentric taste. She was planter in the island where they settled. It pained me distractedly fond of angling, a perfect female Walton. to hear it, for we loved each other even when infants." in all his endeavours. Meanwhile, he felt that the She had hired for the season a large yawl, something "She wedded against her will," continued the lady; eyes of Emmeline were upon him, and that to have between a fishing-boat and a yacht, and every morn- "for she, too, remembered old days. She is now a wi-detached the wing which she wanted, and laid it upon ing, when the weather was good, she rose with the dow." A light had been gradually breaking upon Sir her plate, would have been worth untold gold. Alas! sun to amuse herself off the coast with the rod. "I George's mind. He started hastily forward, and took in one last, desperate effort, he caused the whole fowl cannot comprehend the pleasure you take in this oc- hold of the lady's hand, almost throwing himself at to fly into her lap! Reader, only think what must cupation," said Sir George to her one day. "It is a her feet. "You are" charming recreation," answered she gaily; "and, be- said the lady. "I am your cousin Anne," have been the feelings of this unfortunate youth, as sides, my physicians have recommended to me to take as much air and exercise at sea as possible. I acIt is needless to carry our tale beyond the point he forked up the errant hen from the lap of his lady. when the imagination of the reader can do all that re- love, while all eyes were bent upon him and her, and quired the taste through this cause. It is sometimes mains to be done. The lady had returned to England waiting-maids were flying in all directions to give the dull, to be sure, for the sailors and my servants are a rich widow; had learned the situation and embar- assistance that was altogether in vain for the great no company. But I have been pressed by a certain rassments of her well-remembered cousin; had seen object. Is it to be wondered at that Emmeline pre

ferred the rival, and that our youth was three months after on his way to bury his grief and shame in the back settlements of Australia ?

Blunt knives go deeper into the physiology of common existence than could be supposed from their

character. Unable, without a great struggle, to cut your meat into sufficiently small pieces, you trust to your teeth instead. But perhaps your teeth are bad, or a natural hastiness disqualifies you for going through the process of mastication deliberately. You consequently swallow your food in a state not nearly so well prepared as it ought to be for the process of digestion, and thus injure your health.

Ladies, if you wish your husbands to preserve their temper, or their health; if you wish to save young men from disgrace in the eyes of their lady loves, have your knives well sharpened. It is a sacred duty, which you cannot neglect without the most serious evils ensuing.

Perhaps our whole system of carving meat at table is bad. A free-born Roman gentleman could never have submitted to the drudgery of cutting flesh and fowl to pieces for a set of hungry guests, whilst himself was as hungrily waiting for his own share of the feast. He had all this service performed by slaves. Juvenal describes these fellows standing at a sidetable, dissecting the dishes, and handing the pieces to the guests as they were wanted :

"Meantime, to put thy partner to the test,
Lo, the spruce carver, to his task address'd,
Skips like a harlequin from place to place,
And waves his knife with pantomimic grace,
Till every dish be ranged, and every joint
Dissected by just rules from point to point.
Thou think'st this folly-'tis a vulgar thought;
To such perfection now is carving brought,
That different gestures by our carving men,
Are used for different dishes, hare and hen," &c.
-Gifford's Translation.

It also appears that appropriate music played all the time. There is nothing to hinder us from having a class of supplementaries for these duties, such as is customary on the continent. It would be a new and splendid feature at our dinner-parties, to see a spruce carver flourishing away at a side-table.

ENGLISH FARMERS' CLUBS. SOME time ago, we mentioned the gratifying fact of the institution of farmers' clubs in various parts of England, at whose meetings, conducted on strictly temperance principles, much good is likely to be done by conversations and discussions on topics connected with agriculture and practical science. As a specimen of the kind of entertainment at these rural assemblies, we are furnished with the following notes taken at a meeting in February in the present year. The subject for discussion referred to climate, and the probable means of its melioration.

The chairman for the night having been appointed, and all preliminaries arranged, the person whose duty it was to open the subject, commenced by observing that England, as well as many other countries in the same latitude, had a much lower temperature now than in former times; and, in comparatively late years, the climate had been much deteriorated. From its insular position, he continued, it must ever, to a certain extent, experience a variable atmosphere; and it was allowed by many who have had ample opportunities of judging, that it was the most variable of any on the globe. Its great defects, undoubtedly, are the dry cold easterly winds prevalent in spring, and the frequent rain and cloudy skies common to our summer months. Within the experience of the last forty years, how apparent was the deterioration of our climate to every one! He recollected that, when a boy, a bunch of grapes grown in the open air was as common as a bunch of cherries. It was in vain, however, to look for the maturity of the vine for these many seasons past. The increasing humidity of the atmosphere and deficiency of sun was unquestionably the cause of that change; and to the same cause, added he, is without doubt to be attributed the failure of our wheat crops.

leaves, is a fact of which any one may satisfy himself by placing a leaf, without detaching it from the stem, under an inverted glass, and exposing it to the sun's rays; the dew collected on the inside of the glass is occasioned by the leaf's evaporation.

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have been the liquors spoken of, these being evidently
of modern invention, from the circumstance of there
not being a word in the Latin language to signify
either; and it was not till the time of Henry VIII.
that the apple and the pear began to be generally
cultivated in this country.
That some vegetable substances possess this pro-
A foreign author, speaking of the climate of Eng-perty in a remarkable degree, was shown by a series
land, has with much point observed, that we had July of experiments above a century ago by Dr Hales, and
weather in April, and November weather in May; which he communicated to the Royal Society; one
and the opinion is generally received, that our sum- of the most remarkable of which related to the eva-
mers are more wet, and consequently colder than porating property of the sun-flower, which the doctor
they formerly were a fact which the experience of exposed to the influence of the sun and air in a gar-
den-pot, on a fine day in the month of July. The
the last twenty-six years goes far to corroborate.
The conversation now shifted to the hands of ano- plant he selected for experiment weighed about 3
ther member, who observed, that wheat was almost pounds, and during the day's exposure perspired
the only sufferer from this humidity; that neither about 30 ounces. By removing the leaves, and so
barley, oats, nor green crops are much injured by wet; diminishing the perspiring surface, the power of ex-
and that in the table just exhibited, it was wheat that haling moisture nearly ceased, as it now, instead of
was generally understood as the failure.
30, exhaled only 1 ounce in the same time. A great
variety of ingenious experiments may be found in the
same paper, all demonstrating the evaporating power
of plants, especially those of foreign derivation.

In the course of conversation, it was admitted that, from its superior value, wheat was an object of primary interest to the agriculturist of this country; its price being, on an average, more by two-thirds than that of oats, and by one-third than that of barley. It was also remarked, that of the 12,000,000 of acres in cultivation in England, 3,800,000 are appropriated to wheat; while in Scotland, where the principal grain reared is oats, the wheat crops cover but 140,000 acres. A member here observed, that this very humidity which was so unfavourable to wheat was not prejudicial to other crops, but even favourable. The green appearance of England, and its luxuriant foliage, the consequence of its humid climate, never fail to strike every stranger with wonder. If wheat did not thrive, barley might be said to luxuriate; for where was that grain to be found equal to our English barley?

A well-read elderly gentleman, whose opinion seemed entitled to respect, in the course of many valuable remarks, said, that barley differed from wheat in many material points. That it thrives well near the sea, whereas wheat is averse to the sea-breeze; that barley is grown in high northern latitudes, as in Finland, Siberia, and Kamschatka; while wheat did not thrive beyond the 53d degree of north latitude.

The observations of this gentleman went also to prove, that the growth of wheat did not suffer from this excess of humidity, the drawback of our climate; on the contrary, the crops were often deficient, though seemingly luxuriant to the eye; and if there was at the proper time sufficient sun to mature them, the produce would be equally satisfactory with the appearance. Under the circumstances of this drawback, the "grains which fill the bushel," as an ingenious author has remarked, "are generally deficient. In the case of wheat, particularly," he observed, "it would appear that a certain duration of steady sunshine is absolutely necessary for the formation and development of gluten, the most valuable portion of vegetable substance."

The result of his reflection on the causes of the deterioration of our climate, and the probable means of its amelioration, he would endeavour to deliver to the meeting with as much brevity as possible. Without drawing on astronomical causes for the increased humidity of our climate, it will, he observed, be as well to confine ourselves to what is apparent to our senses, to those which daily present themselves to our view. It was an undoubted fact, that of late the evaporation from the earth's surface was much increased, and in his opinion the causes resolved themselves into the following:

1. The numerous bodies of nearly stagnant water in the numerous canals, which have of late years been cut. 2. The numerous plantations, more especially of foreign trees, and of such whose exhaling or evaporating power is prodigiously great. 3. To the multifarious intersections of the surface by fences, especially of hawthorn. 4. To the conducting property of vegetable points abstracting the electricity of the atmosphere, and consequently the descent of rain.

I shall, continued our spokesman, consider these heads in the order I have given them; and as canals come first in order, I shall commence with them and their property in rendering the atmosphere humid.

Recurring to the subject of the former geniality of The canals of Great Britain amount in number to our climate, he referred to the writings of William of 180, and extend to the amazing length of 2682 miles; Malmesbury, whose luxuriant picture of certain tracts an immense watery surface, considering the limited is well worth perusal. His description of the vale of area of our island. These must necessarily give out Gloucester in those times refers an enchanting fer- a prodigious quantity of vapour, more, in short, than tility to the spot. This author even spoke of the the same extent of sea-water would the evaporating exportation of wine to other countries; and that property of liquids being in the direct ratio of their England was at that period celebrated for the culti-boiling-point; that of fresh water being 212, while vation of the grape, is proved by certain localities in that of sea-water is 223 degrees. the southern districts of England bearing the name of vineyards. These occurred more particularly in the counties of Hereford, Somerset, Hampshire, Kent, Essex, and Cambridge; and it should also be added, that at the time of the Norman Conquest, the Isle of Ely was characteristically called the Isle of Vines.

A member, who seemed rather sceptical as to the capability of the climate to produce the vine, here interposed, and observed that the wines here noticed by the learned monk and others might perhaps have been perry and cider-a construction which seemed to afford much amusement to many of the members. The previous speaker, on resuming, continued at some length to prove the stability of his position, and adduced as evidence that cider and perry could not

Whatever may have been, added he, the necessity of these means of internal conveyance in past times, that necessity is now removed by the more speedy transit of the railway; so that, in the course of a few years, it is to be hoped that there will be much less evaporating surface of this kind than now exists.

Fish-ponds and artificial pieces of water had also their effect, too, in rendering the atmosphere more humid; but, as the speaker jocularly remarked, there was not much chance of our getting soon rid of these sources of humidity; as it would be a very difficult matter, indeed, to persuade our gentry to dispense with these ornamental appendages to their demesnes. He next noticed the

The multifarious intersections of the land by fences.Experiments have been made with a view to ascertain whether the exhalation of our fences might not be lessened by substituting other shrubs or plants for those now generally used. Accordingly, he found a sprig of hawthorn exhaled 7 grains out of 16, while a similar sprig of evergreen lost only 3 grains out of 16. The next experiment was the hawthorn and holly, each weighing 48 grains. The hawthorn lost 19, the holly only two grains. The loss of the furze was only half a grain in 17 grains, and the Scotch fir 2 grains in 74 grains. On comparing the results of other experiments, he adds, I found the exhalations always least from the indigenous trees; the native crab and pear being less than the cultivated variety, that of the sloe and bullace being less than that of the Orlean and green-gage plum.

The gentleman having sat down amid some applause, the chairman here observed, that a very important conclusion might naturally be drawn from these interesting experiments. It occurred to him, as he made no doubt it did to every other gentleman who was present, that exotic vegetables cultivated in this climate still retain the original functions which were given them by their Creator, who no doubt formed trees and plants of various qualities, but suited to the various climates in which he was pleased to place them; that men have incautiously removed such vegetable productions, still retaining their habits, into situations where the sun's influence is insufficient to dispel the vaporous atmosphere they continually generate.

Besides producing humidity in the atmosphere by evaporation, observed a gentleman who seemed to have given his subject much attention, vegetable substances, as had been observed by the last speaker but one, cause moisture by abstracting from the atmosphere its electricity, which held in solution the vapour exhaled from vegetable and other sources. The fact is known and acknowledged, that heat and electricity (modifications no doubt of the same agent) have the property of holding vapour, not merely in suspension, but in that fine state of division called solution, the consequence of which is transparency. This electricity abstracted, or its affinity for water overcome on a proper conductor being presented, a decomposition takes place somewhat similar to the precipitation of lead on metallic zinc.*

At this stage of the conversation, the chairman addressed himself to a person who had the reputation of having given some attention to chemistry, and asked whether that science, which was now becoming so general in its application, might not be called into requisition to counteract some of those drawbacks under which our climate suffered.

The gentleman so called on, with much promptness rose and observed, that he had of late given the subject much attention, and had come to the conclusion, that the aids which chemistry could lend to agricul ture were chiefly limited to the examination of soils, that of vegetable and animal matter, and of appropriating the manure to the crop to be raised. These no doubt were very important points, but were not at all equivalent to the extensive benefit that Liebig proclaimed, when he asserted that agriculture might be equally benefited, as manufactures heretofore have been, by this powerful alliance.

It occurred to him (the speaker) that there was this great drawback on the part of the agriculturist, that almost destroyed all analogy between them. In all his operations, the manufacturer could go to work within doors, consequently could regulate his temperature at will; in short, form his own atmosphere. But the agriculturist was at all times and in all seasons subjected to every variation of temperature which this variable climate presented. As far

* [We consider that this mode of accounting for the humidity of modern summers, affords a fine instance of reasoning from local views and prejudices. The learned gentleman apparently knew or thought of no other country than England. We wonder how he would apply his theory to Scotland, where the fences are

chiefly of stone, where there are few exotic plants, scarcely any canals, and above all, a system of universal drainage, which leaves no pools or moisture on the surface, yet where the summers have become as cloudy and humid as they are in the southern division of Britain. Absurd as are the views of this expounder of natural science, they will not be lost, if the present notice narrow a basis of facts.-ED. C. E. J.]

Evaporation from vegetable surfaces.-That vegetable substances evaporate from the under surface of their points out the danger of drawing sweeping conclusions from too

the world rarely exemplify, some progress has been
made in civilising and Christianising them; and there
are instances of more than usually ferocious chiefs
being converted into gentle and benevolent beings by
these means.

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at each succeeding leap succeeding notes of the softest music vibrated on the ear from beneath. Recourse was had instantly to exhumation. The mysterious musician was soon brought to light. It proved to be Mrs Albrecht's piano-forte, which she had taken with her from London, and which was the first ever conveyed into the Transgariepine regions. Being too cumbrous to be taken in a hasty flight, it had been buried in a soil where, from the entire absence of moisture, it might, but for this circumstance, have remained unscathed. Africaner, whose martial spirit made him a fitter associate for Mars than for the Muses, allowed the instrument to be dissected, parts of which I have seen, from which those fingers now silent in the grave had called forth divine harmony."

as the application of manures was concerned, the chemist could do much, from his knowledge of the ultimate elements of the manure, and the ultimate elements of the plant to be raised; and his skill may be most advantageously directed in artificially supplying to the soil what has been abstracted by the last crop. One of these extraordinary converts was a man The ability afforded by chemistry of making artifi- named Africaner, a chief among the Bechuanas. cial manures is also undoubtedly great; nothing, Having been exasperated by the aggressions of the however, as yet has been done in this way, except Dutch settlers, he had proved a complete scourge to clumsy attempts by speculating men, who are taking them; and distinguished himself by such a series of advantage of the present agricultural enthusiasm; murders and other outrages, that the Cape governand it will remain a point worthy of the considera- ment put a price of 1000 dollars upon his head. tion of the ingenious chemist, whether he can pre- Strange to say, this lion of the desert was tamed by sent something to the world comprehensive in its the missionaries, and became an excellent man, and principles and concentrated in its bulk. After all, the means of advancing their objects, to no small exadded the gentleman, I much question whether we are tent, among his countrymen. Mr Moffat gives an As an illustration of the miseries incidental to not egregiously wrong in not imitating nature in her affecting account of a visit he paid to Cape-Town, savage life" Among the poorer classes it is, indeed, operations-in allowing, according to her example, no with Africaner in his company. The chief had some struggling for existence; and when the aged become loss to take place in any of her various departments. difficulty in making up his mind to this step, for he too weak to provide for themselves, and are a burden Wherever we turn our eyes, change, continued change, was still an outlaw; but he at length consented to to those whom they brought forth and reared to manis sure to meet our view; but then that change, al- put on a semi-English dress and take his chance. In hood, they are not unfrequently abandoned by their though apparently it may not "leave a wreck behind" their intercourse with the Dutch boors, they often own children, with a meal of victuals and a cruise of of the original substance, yet it is by no means de- heard the most dreadful accounts of the savage doings water, to perish in the desert; and I have seen a struction. In nature, all is economy, nothing being of Africaner, and, when Mr Moffat stated that that small circle of stakes fastened in the ground, within destroyed or allowed to run to waste, yet our na- person was now so much changed, they could hardly which were still lying the bones of a parent bleached tional delicacy permits the very best species of manure believe him. One honest farmer said, "Well, if what in the sun, who had been thus abandoned. In one thus to escape; as the Thames, and other rivers run- you assert be true respecting that man, I have only instance I observed a small broken earthenware vessel, ning through large towns, carry along with them to one wish, and that is, to see him before I die; and, in which the last draught of water had been left. the ocean the most valuable aid which our soil could when you return, as sure as the sun is over our heads, What is this? I said, pointing to the stakes, address receive. The Chinese, the best gardeners in the world, I will go with you to see him, though he killed my ing Africaner. His reply was, "This is heathenism; might perhaps be able to give us a lesson on this sub- own uncle." Mr Moffat had not before known this and then described this parricidal custom. A day or ject. But there was no encountering deep-rooted fact; yet he ventured to say, pointing to his companion, two after, a circumstance occurred which corroborated prejudices; innovations, though ultimately improve-"This is Africaner!" The astonishment of the ho- his statements. We had travelled all day over a sandy ments, must be gradually introduced; and time, nest boor was extreme. "On arriving at Cape-Town," plain, and passed a sleepless night from extreme thirst with her mellowing hand, must soften down many says Mr Moffat, "I waited on his excellency the Go- and fatigue. Rising early in the morning, and leaving repugnancies which have no foundation in nature, but vernor, Lord Charles Somerset, who appeared to re- the people to get the waggon ready to follow, I went often only borrow their authority from blind and un-ceive, with considerable scepticism, my testimony that forward with one of our number, in order to see if we meaning usage. Here the conversation turned on the I had brought the far-famed Africaner on a visit to could not perceive some indications of water by the subject of manures in general, and particularly on his excellency. The following day was appointed for foot-marks of game, for it was in a part of the country these two recently introduced to public notice-guano, an interview, when the chief was received by Lord where we could not expect the traces of man. After and that of Mr Daniel of Bath; the one a natural pro- Charles with great affability and kindness; and he passing a ridge of hills, and advancing a considerable duct, being the deposit of a sea-fowl frequenting the expressed his pleasure at seeing thus before him one way on the plain, we discovered, at a distance, a little shores of the southern coast of America, the other an who had formerly been the scourge of the country, smoke rising amidst a few bushes, which seemed to artificial compound. But we shall not follow the and the terror of the border colonists. His excellency skirt a ravine. Animated with the prospect, we hasspeakers; and conclude by observing that, at a certain was evidently much struck with this result of mis- tened forward, eagerly anticipating a delicious draught hour, the chairman having considered it time for any sionary enterprise, the benefit of which he had some- of water, no matter what the quality might be. When resolutions to be put and passed, the following resolu- times doubted. Whatever he might think of his we had arrived within a few hundred yards of the tion was accordingly put and carried unanimously:- former views, his excellency was now convinced that spot, we stood still, startled at the fresh marks of "That as a probable means of ameliorating our a most important point had been gained; and, as a lions, which appeared to have been there only an hour climate, and rendering it less humid, we consider an testimony of his good feeling, he presented Africaner before us. We had no guns, being too tired to carry extended and efficient system of draining to be highly with an excellent waggon, value eighty pounds ster- them, and we hesitated for a moment whether to beneficial, a removal of all unnecessary exhaling sur- ling. A short time previous to my visit to the Cape, proceed or return. The waggon was yet distant, and faces and vegetable conductors of electricity, great a deputation from the London Missionary Society, thirst impelled us to go on, but it was with caution, caution in the choice of trees, and a judicious selec- consisting of the Reverends J. Campbell and Dr keeping a sharp look-out at every bush we passed. tion of vegetables in the formation of fences." Philip, arrived for the purpose of examining the state On reaching the spot, we beheld an object of heartof our African missions, and to them Africaner's visit rending distress. It was a venerable-looking old was a subject of deep interest. It appeared to be one woman, a living skeleton, sitting, with her head leanof the happiest moments of Mr Campbell's life to holding on her knees. She appeared terrified at our preconverse with this man, at whose very name, on his sence, and especially at me. She tried to rise, but, first visit to Namaqua-land, he had trembled, but on trembling with weakness, sunk again to the earth. I MOFFAT ON SOUTH AFRICA. whom, in answer to many prayers, he now looked as addressed her by the name which sounds sweet in MR ROBERT MOFFAT, who lately returned from South a brother beloved. Africaner's appearance in Cape- every clime, and charms even the savage ear, My Africa, after having acted for twenty-three years as Town excited considerable attention, as his name and mother, fear not; we are friends, and will do you no agent for the London Missionary Society in that coexploits had been familiar to many of its inhabitants harm. I put several questions to her, but she aplony, has published an account of his residence and for more than twenty years. Many were struck with peared either speechless or afraid to open her lips. I adventures there in a somewhat bulky octavo,* emthe unexpected mildness and gentleness of his demea- again repeated, Pray, mother, who are you, and how bellished with drawings of various characteristic ob- nour, and others with his piety and accurate know- do you come to be in this situation? to which she jects and scenes. Making some allowance for certain ledge of the Scriptures. His New Testament was an replied, I am a woman; I have been here four days class peculiarities of style and thought, it is a valuable interesting object of attention, it was so completely my children have left me here to die' addition to our means of forming an acquaintance thumbed and worn by use. His answers to a number children!' I interrupted. Yes,' raising her hand to with a very remarkable part of the earth, for it throws of questions put to him by the friends in Cape-Town, her shrivelled bosom; my own children, three sons considerable light on the physical as well as moral and at a public meeting at the Paarl, exhibited his and two daughters. They are gone,' pointing with features of the Cape colony and its neighbourhood. diligence as a student in the doctrines of the gospel, her finger, to yonder blue mountain, and have left There is also much interest in the narratives of Mr especially when it is remembered that Africaner never me to die. And, pray, why did they leave you? Moffat's exertions for the enlightenment of the hea- saw a catechism in his life, but obtained all his I inquired. Spreading out her hands I am old, then, the fearfully difficult and dangerous journeys knowledge on theological subjects from a careful per- you see, and I am no longer able to serve them; which he undertook, the great hardships which he atusal of the Scriptures and the verbal instructions of when they kill game, I am too feeble to help in all times endured, and the almost ceaseless perils in the missionary." carrying home the flesh; I am not able to gather which he stood from those whom he was endeavouring It is not possible for us, in our narrow space, to pre- wood to make fire; and I cannot carry their children to benefit. Such a tale of self-sacrifice for the sake of sent any thing like an outline of Mr Moffat's exertions on my back, as I used to do." This last sent sentence was more than I could bear; and though my tongue was fellow-creatures is fit to touch those who are most in- amongst the tribes of the Cape. We must content ourdifferent to the peculiar objects which missionaries selves with adverting to a few of the more curious and cleaving to the roof of my mouth for want of water, have in view; and if any one has contracted the opi- striking passages in his volume. One of these refers to this reply opened a fountain of tears. I remarked, nion that men always act from selfish motives, we a very odd though somewhat trivial occurrence in the that I was surprised that she had escaped the lions, would only request him to read this book, and be conlife of Africaner before he was civilised. While sacking which seemed to abound, and to have approached vinced of the contrary. a place where a Dutch missionary, named Albrecht, had very near the spot where she was. She took hold of The country, upwards of a hundred miles inland formerly been stationed," one of the chieftain's atten- the skin of her left arm with her fingers, and raising from the Cape of Good Hope, is full of vast sandy and dants strayed into the burying-ground, where already it up as one would do a loose linen, she added, I hear rocky tracts, with here and there fertile patches along waste as the place of the dead. Stepping over what eat; I have no flesh on me for them to scent. At a few mounds distinguished it from the surrounding the lions; but there is nothing on me that they would the banks of rivers. Afflicted by long-continued droughts, it is in general ill adapted for cultivation, he supposed a newly-closed grave, he heard, to his this moment the waggon drew near, which greatly and no life could well be more miserable than that of surprise, soft notes of music vibrate beneath. He alarmed her, for she supposed that it was an animal. the barbarous tribes who occupy it. These people are stood motionless, gazing over his shoulder, with mouth Assuring her that it would do her no harm, I said for the most part very meanly endowed by nature, and and eyes dilated, hesitating whether to stand still and that, as I could not stay, I would put her into the their whole attention is absorbed in the business of see the dead arise, which he had heard the missionaries waggon and take her with me. At this remark she finding a bare sufficiency of food, of one kind or anpreach about, or take to his heels. After no little became convulsed with terror. Others addressed her, other, to keep soul and body together. They are fre- palpitation of heart, in order to assure himself, he but all to no effect. She replied, that if we took her, quently at war with each other, which adds greatly he had heard had died away. His second leap again the same thing again. It is our custom; only do died away. His I am nea to the difficulty of maintaining missionary stations nearly amongst them. Their country is also infested by lions, roused the sepulchral harp, which now fell in soft but dead; I do not want to die again. The sun was now hyænas, hippopotami, and other beasts of prey. To awful cadence on his ear. Without casting an eye piercingly hot; the oxen were raging in the yoke, and obtain a serious and intelligent attention from such a to dis to arly delicious, linding it impossible people to the instructions offered to them, must have amazement, announced to Africaner the startling dis- to influence the woman to move, without running the been a task as difficult as it was to travel through their covery he had made of life and music in the grave. risk of her dying convulsed in our hands, we collected scorching plains without water, without provision, The appearance of the man convinced Africaner that a quantity of fuel, gave her a good supply of dry meat, and with wild animals ever howling around. Yet, by he was in earnest, for reason seldom reels in that some tobacco, and a knife, with some other articles; dint of a perseverance which the common affairs of country. The chief, fearless of the living or the dead, telling her we should return in two days, and stop the was not to be scared even by the supposed spectre of night, when she would be able to go with us, only she * "Missionary Labours and Scenes in Southern Africa." By the tomb-arose, and ordered his men to follow him must keep up a good fire at night, as the lions would to the spot. One jumped and another jumped, and smell the dried Hesh, if they did not scent her. We

Thus passed the evening, in a manner, it must be allowed, rather different from what characterised the farmers' parties some half a century ago.

Robert Moffat. London: Snow. 1842.

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