LITERATURE.
X>«rotl»T WovdowortU, imrt Ettcy Tour
Tt&rontfli aootlnmi with JUor. Brother
amt CcJnridjrc.
RECOLLECTIONS OP A TOUR MADE IN SCOT
LAND, A. D, 1803, By Doiintny Wounnwoutu,
Edited by J. 0. Bimini, LL. B„ Principal of tho
United College of 81. Salvator and St.' Leonard, Bt,
Andrew's. Elmo.,pp. Dl 7. Now York; G. V, Put
nam'o Sons.
When William Wordsworth wan 8, nnd Ida only
sister,. Dorothy, 0, yonra old, .they and their
three brothers wore loft motherless. Five yonra
nfior, thoir father died, their homo .at
Cockormoutli woo broken up, and tho orphans
wero ocatlorod, William, and bis older broth
er woro put to eohool, and Porolhy was
placed with a cousin lu Halifax. For five
yoaro thereafter, William and Dorothy did
not moot; but, in his flrot college-vacation,
in iho auinmor of 1783, . tho brother and sister
were for a llmo reunited, and tho happluosa they
enjoyed in each other's eocioty liaa boon com
memorated in well-known Unco in tbo u Pre
lude.” Seven yearn longer, however, tho brother
and sister lived separate, whllo Wordsworth
was concluding his collegiate term and traveling
on tho Oontiuout. Then it was time for tho
young man, now past 2i, to choooo some calling
which should settle what Colorldgo style# ,tho.
broad-and-buttcr question.
Ho bad already published a volume of poems,
containing “ Descriptive Sketches, and an Even
ing Walk but,tho world was not yot prepared
to acknowledge him as a poet. At this critical
juncture, when fate Boomed ready to docldo
that ho should roeort to London and tako up tho
trade of journalist, hip (lying friend, Baialcy
Calvert, divining what was in him and how ho
best could bo helped, bequeathed him ft legacy of
£'JOO., Wordsworth put aside all thought of
work while ho nursed this loving friend at Pen
rith, ond, when death'released him from tho sad
duty, early iu 1705, ho was loft with what to his,
simple tastes was. a competence sufllcionfc to
enable him. to pursue tho vocation of dreamer
and poet, which Qod had undeniably marked out
for him.
In tbo autumn of 1705, tho brother and sister
mode a humble homo together, and for seven
years lived in quiet and content on the income of
£IOO whlchhis legacy, together with £IOO brought
by tho 44 Lyrical Ballads," yielded him. Dorothy
was a woman of talent and refinement, and had
boon gently bred. In tho family of her uncle,
Dr. Cookcon, who ,was a Canon of Windsor and a
favorite at Court, bUo had spent much time, during
which she mingled with, people of culture and
high station. But, when nor brother offered her
the sanctuary of his humble homo and tbo de
light a of his companionship, she shrank from no
sacrifice tho situation involved, and became at
onco his porvout, helpmeet, and friend. She
Eorfbnncd tho domestic work of this little house
old unassisted, wrote all his poems at his dicta
tion;—for Wordsworth hated tho trouble of put
ting bis versos on paper,—road to him
when that occupation was agreeable, ac
companied him in his long daily rambles,
and. morp than all, snggcstcdto him many topics
for bis poetry, an well as images .with which to
adorn it. For Dorothy herself had the eye and
the " imagination of a poet, although, with tho
true instinct of a woman,she chose to devote both
to tbo service of one whom she loved better than
coif, whoso fame was dearer to her tliau her
own earthly immortality could ho.
Thus tho brother and slater shared life togoth*.
er until 1802, whoa Wordsworth married Doro-*
thy’s Jong-timo friend, Mary Hutchinson. Tho
only change which this event mtdo in Dorothy's
condition won, that sho took up tho burden of
serving two instead of one. As children gath
ered about iho hearth, sho became to them
what she had . boon to Iheir father and mother.
Tbo fondest ties united her with tho family,
and the love and labor sho gave without stint
woro returned to her In tho form. of love and
gratitude. But, in 1329, Dorothy gave way
under tho strain of her self-imposed tasks, and,
at the ago of 58, sho was laid apon a sick bod, '
from which sho rose shattered in body ami mind.
Bho lived until siio had completed her 63d year,
eurviviug Wordsworth five years; but it was
merely os tho wreck of horformorsolf,—an imago
to sadden tho hearts of friends. It was said that
Wordsworth could never speak of horwithout
hia voico dropping to a low, mournful touo; and
certain days of tlio year, peculiarly associated
with their past, were kept by him os solemn an
niversaries.
Do Quincoy has drawn a portrait of Dorothy as
nho appeared to him on their first acquaintance,
in 1607, which wo boro copy. After sketching
Mrs. Wordsworth, be writes:
Immediately behind her moved a lady, shorter,
Blighter, and perhaps, in all' other respects, as differ
ent from her In personal characteristics as could have
been wished for; tho most effective contrast. “Her
face woo of Epyptnln brown ; ” rarely, In a woman of
English birth, had I seen a moro determinate Gypsy
torn). Her eyes were not soft, os Mrs. Wordsworth’s,
nor were they fierce or hold; hut they woro mild and
©tattling, end harried in their motion. Her manner
waawnrm, and oven ardent; her sensibility roomed
constitutionally deep: and eomo subtle flro of im
passioned Intellect apparently burned within her,
which—'being, alternately pushed forward Into n con
ppjcious expression by tho Irresistible' instincts of :
her tempermont, and then immediately checked
in obedience to tho decorum of her sex, and aoe, and
maidenly condition—gave to her whole demeanor, and
to her conversation, an air of embarrassment, and
even solf-confllct, that, was almost distressing to wit
ness.' Even her very utterance and enunciation often
suffered, la point of clearness and steadiness, from
(ho agitation of her excessive organic sensibility. At
times tho Bclf-cmmlcraclion and sclf-bnffllng of her
feellngß caused her oven to stammer. But the greatest
deductions frqjn Miss Wordsworth's attractions, and
from (ho exceeding interest which surrounded her, in
right of her character, her history, and of (ho relation
which eho fulfilled towards her b: other, were tho
glancing quickness of'her motions, and other circum
stances In hor deportment (such as her stooping atti
tude when walking), which gave an ungraceful charac
ter to her appearance when out of doors.
In 1603, shortly after tho birth of Words
worth’s eldest son,— Coleridge, himself, and
Dorothy, mado a tour through Scotland. They
traveled In thoir own conveyance,— 44 an out
landish Irish car,” drawn by a single horse,
which was an ill-willed Rosinante, or else tho
poets did not know how to manage him. Tho
gentlemen attempted to hold tho reins between
them, but generally one or tho other was load
ing the stood by tho head, mid often both wore
engaged dragging him out of some ditch into
which ho had upset tho entire establishment.
The travelers themselves woro attired for a
rough jaunt, in coarse clothes suited to hard ser
vice. Heavy shoos, adopted to tramping through
bogs and ovor monntahis, shod the
whole party; while garments that would
endure rain, and stain, and harsh
contact with rocks end bushes, enveloped tho
three. Tho tout-ousemhlo of the equipage and
its passengers it would ho impossible to parallel
in this country, certainly among touristy of re
spectability.
• Miss Wordsworth has written on amusing de
scription of thoir appearance while on tho road,
and of the effect it produced upon spectators:
■ Binod [she cays], and left Glasgow at about 3 o’clock
Jo a heavy min. Wo were obliged to ride through th,
streets to kfcep our feet dry, ami, in spite of the mine
©very person as wo went along stayed Ida,
©tops to look at ub ; indeed, wo bud tho
pleaanro of spreading smiles from ouo cud
of Glasgow to the other,—for wo traveled tho whole
length of the town. A sot of schoolboys,—perhaps
(hero might bo eight,—with satchels ovor (heir shoul
ders, and, except one or two, without shoos aud stock
ings, yol very well dressed in jackets and trousers,
like gentlemen's children, followed us iu groat delight,
admiring tho car and longing to jump up. At last,
though wo woro seated, they mado several attempts to
get ou boUlnd; and they looked so pretty and wild, and
at tho saino time so modest, that wo wished to give
thorn ft rido, ami, thcro being a little hill near Urn end
of tho (own, wo got off, nnd four of them who still re
mained—tho rest having dropped into thtlr homes by
'tho way—took our places; and indeed I would havo
.walked two miles willingly to havo had tho pleasure of
ccclngthom so happy. When thoy woro to rldono
lunger, thov scampered away, laughing and rejoicing,
i Imagine a couplo of, the foremost poets of
America, with a lady-companion, going through
a econo lilto this, ami, with childlike simplicity,
heartily relishing IU
It wan this tour, conducted under tho oh-cum
etiinccs wo have mentioned, that Miss Words
worth describes in her journal, which fa now for
the first tlmo published. Tho journey, begun
flunday, Aug. 11, and ended Sunday, Sent. 23,
haled juut uix wocka, Thoco wore no railroads,
aud scarcely a stage-coach, in all Scotland, at
that day, while tho highways woro sparse,' nnd
generally In a wretched condition. Our tourists
scorn tokavo directed thoir routo according to
tho pointing o! circumstances, and traveled at
tbo rate of 15 or 20 miles a day, or upwnrdof
100 miles a week. No weather delayed them,
or was permitted to Interfere with any project.
Tho journey wuo In good part pedestrian, an
many scenes tho travelers wished to visit.lny off
tho carriago-road, and they mado nothing of a
walk of 0. 0. mid oven JO mlio:), on a stretch,
through driving talus aud over tho roughest
pathways.
Coleridge, who hod boon ailing from Urn be
ginning, woo compelled to leave tho Worths orths
at Loon Lomond, in tho second week, and turn
back homeward, ou account of his health. As
Mies Wordsworth notes with simple pathos:
44 Left Arrochor at about •! o'clock iu tho after
noon. Coleridgo accompanied, us a little way.
Wo portioned out tho contents of our pmeu
before parting | and, after wo hod lost sight of
Wm. drove heavily »\Io«h.”
The Journal of Miss Wordsworth was written,
tia mtcb works usually are, without auy attempt
atolcganco or ornament: but the account of
each oay’ii experience 1h fully Jotted down, mid
all that was striking in Beanery ns well as in
cident ia faithfully übrlravod. The journal is
puvltoularly intoroatlug Cor tho Insight It nlvoa
ua Into the simple hablta of tbo Wordsworths
mid into the nido life of the Scotch peasantry hi
Iho early part of the present century. Although
wo have already copied ao freely, wo must give
iilnco to a single picture of a cottage in the
hlghlanda, on Loch Kettoriuo t
Coloridgochosp to wilk. Wo look tho samcnhloof
tho lakona before, nml had much delight la vlsliinn
thebayanrer again; but iho evening began lo darken,
and It rained bo heavily bofoco wo had gone 2 mile#
that wo were completely wot. It wm dark when wo
landed, and, on entering Iho house, I was aide with'
•Tho good woman had provided, according to her
promlßo. a belter Uro than wo had found in tho morn
ing; and Indeed, When I nat down iu tho chimney
corner of her nmoky biggin’, I thought I had never
been more comfortable fn all my life. ! Colorldgo had
neon there long enough to hare a pan of coffee boiling
for no, and, having put our clothwi in tho way of dry
ing, wo nil oat down, thankful for a nlicltcr. Wo
couldnot prevail upon the man of thohoueo to draw
near tho fire, though ho ay, is cold and wot, or to Buffer
t. . him dry clothon (111 ebo had aerved no,
which she did, though , moat willingly, not very oxito
}*jtlouflly. ♦, , Ho did not, however, refuso lo let
wife bring out tho wbUky-bottto nt our request.
Sho keeps a dram,” ao tho phrano la ; lndco<t, I bo-
Bovo there 1« acnrccly n lonely houeo by tho wayaldo in
Scotland Avhcro travelcra may not'ho accommodated
with a dram. Wo nnkod for sugar, butter, bnrlcy
broau, and milk; nnd, with a amlio and n stare, more
of kindness than wonder, sho replied, ll Yo’ll got that,”
•—hrluglug each article separately.
Wo caroused over cups of coffoo, laughing like
chlUron at'tho strango ntmosphoro in which wo wero.
Tho smoko camo in gnats, and spread along the walls
nnd above our heads in tho chimney, where tlio hens
wero roosting, HUo tight clouds in tho sky. Wo
laughed and longhod again. In 1 spite of tho smart
ing of our eyes; yet had a quiet pleasure
in observing tho beauty of tho beams and
rafters gloaming between tho clouds of smoko.
They had beuu crusted over and varnished by many
winters, till, when tho ftrollght fell ujion them, they
woro as glossy as block rocks on a sunny day incased
Jn tco. When wo had colon our supper, wo But nbout
half an hour, and I think I had uover foil so deeply
tho blessing of a hospitable welcome and n warm Arc.
Tho wails of tho whole house woro of atono unpinn
tered. It consisted of three apartments,—tho • cow
house at ono cud, tlio kitchen or house in tbo middle,
and tho sncnco at tho other end. ThoTooms wore di
vided, not up to tho rigging, hut only to tho beginning
of tho roof, so there wua a free passage for light and air
from ono end of tho house to tho other.
Coleridgo and Wordsworth slept in the barn on
tho hay, and Miss Wordsworthon abed of chaff
in one end of tho sponco, while tho man, hia
■\vifo and child, occupied tboir bod at tbo other
oml.
In tho rural districts, of Scotland, inns wore
scarce, and poor, ami squalid; and many wore
tho discomforts to which onr tourists woro sub
jected. Often they could find no entertainment
in tho public houeo, and were obliged to ask hos
pitality of tho cottagers, who never refused it.
At tbo end of thoir journey, which was full of
rough experiences as well as puro pleasures.
Wordsworth ami hio sister reached thoir homo,
Sunday, Sopt. 25, "between 8 and 0 o’clock,
whore wo found Mary in perfect health, Joanna
Hutchinson with her, and little John asleep In
tho olothcs-boskot by tho fire.”
BpocliH of Jiiiiitory.
THE ERA OF THE PROTESTANT REVOLUTION:
By Fuedruio Bkedohm, Author of “Tho Oxford
Roformoru—Colot, Erasmus, and More.” Iflmo., pp.
242. Now York: Scribner, Armstrong k Co. Price
$1.23.
THE CRUSADES. By OKOBOtt W. Cox, M. A.,
Author of “History of Greece,” etc. ICmo., pp.
224. Now York: Scribner, Armstrong k Co. Price
$1.25. ‘ '
Those volumoß are tho initial numbers of a
historical series entitled “Epochs of History,”
and edited by Edward E. Morris, M. A., of Lin
coln College, Oxford. They are intended to
moot tho wants of that largo class, of
readers who, in this busy ago, have
but limited leisure to dovoto to literary studios.
Ihoy will, therefore, whito endeavoring
to bring out into tho clearest light the salient
features and incidents of each epoch, compress
them within tho smallest possible compass. A
main object will also, ho to exhibit in every
period tho lifo of tho people, thoir literature,
manners, and state of knowledge, os well as tho
policy of thoir rulers. In a word, it is tho intent
of tho editor to do for history what popular
writers aro doing for science : make it readily
accessible and perfectly .intelligible, to tho gen
eral public.
Judging from tho first hook in tho list, tho
editors aim will ho splendidly carried out. Tho
work is simply a model of its kind. No history
extant has succeeded in placing tbo ora of
tho Protestant revolution so vividly and cou
prohousivoly before tho reader. - It is as If Iho
whole'of Christendom, during tho period of tho
Bonaissanco and tho. Reformation, woro spread
out beneath bis vision, and bo saw with tho
actual bye Nations and individuals in their trao
relations to each other and to their timo. It
would seem that tho writer must have, iu addi
tion to a thorough knowledge, of his subject,
long training in iho art of imparting it, so lumin
ous does ho render every incident, and so perfect
tho chain that binds thorn all together. A child
could comprehend tho whole of his story, and
yet the mature mind will find grateful instruc
tion in it. An abundance of ingenious maps il
lustrate tho toxt, while eido-noUs, full indexes
of tho chapters, and a final iudox, add every
convenient adjunct.
The Study of Composition.
ELEMENTS OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE: Xu
INTRODUCTION TO T«U STUDY OK GIUMMAU AUD
Composition, Fur Common School**. By Beunard
Biosur, Uni. Oxou., Superintendent Public Schools.
Port Huron, etc., etc. liimo., pp. 155. Boston;
Olun Brothers.
Wo are glad to see tho multiplication of text
books xrhoao purpose is to teach tho art of com
position, or of putting words together properly
which in tho clearest manner convoy tho cou
tcmplatcd idea. The art has boon, up to a late
period, so badly taught, when not altogether neg
lected, that the thing which a pupil could do
least well was to express hia thought plainly
and correctly in writtou language. Aud yet
tho art should ho easy of acquisition. 1 It should
ho as simple aud natural an act for a child to
talk fluently and grammatically with tho pen as
with tho tongue. The trouble is, that heretofore
the affair, by wrong methods of practice, has
boon made a bugbear, and, puzzled and discour
aged by a multitude of unintelligible rules,’tbo
pupil has made a difficult and disagreeable task
of what should bo a pleasant end successful one.
The first step to bo taken iu teaching compo
sition is to convince a child, by a few easy exor
cises, that it is no harder, though a little slower,
to write well than It is to talk well,' Lot htmeay
tho simplest things ou paper, Just as ho would
speak them. Thou show him that, whatovorfaults
ho has commuted in tho construction of
sentences, are no worse in writing than they
would bo iu talking, aud that, iu either cane, thoy
are to bo avoided, aud tbo exorcise will soon ho
diyested of the false dread that generally makes
it tho scholars horror. There is no reason why
a chiju should not write with tho same readiness
that it talks, aud, in tho continued practice of
tho art, grow up without ovor discovering that
moro effort or talent is required iu the one ac
complishment than in the other.
Tho book which baa elicited those remarks wo
commend to tho examination of teachers It
i» written by an experienced educator, and la
commanded by others whoso long yearn iu the
school-room havo fitted them to judge of its
merits.
RcolcU fiotigiu
SCOTTISH SONG: A Selection ok tub Choicest
Lvniorf or bcorLAun. CorupUea aud Arranged, with
Brief Notes, by MahyOaih,ylr iVixia.s. lOum nn
003. Now xork: MacmlUau ft Co, * P *
Nearly 200 sortga are comprised hi this collec
tion, , representing seventy different writers
Thoy are arranged In four parts, tho firut of whioli
includes songs of tho affections; tho second
social'and drinking-songs; tho third, lovo-songs)
admitting a jovial olomont; and tho fourth, Jac
obite and war songs. Tho writer lias carefully
eliminated from tho older songs all traces of tho
indelicacy which marked thoir ago, and in every
respect has striven to present a compilation
which, while it excludes no sougu that aro dear
to tho hearts of the Scottish people, includes no
liuou whoso rudouonu at this day would no
offensive. Tho volume is supplied with a
glossary, ami indexes of writers, titles, acd first
lines.
Bontca Ktcoolvoit.
THE COLUMBIAN ’ SPEAKER; CoMmoTlMi or
CuotcK auu Animated IT ecus rou I)b<u.amatu>m
and ItcAumo. Sdootud and Adapted by Loomis
■I. oami'oeeL and Oiien Boor, Jit., lOmo., pp. 2io.
Bofllou ; J.eo ft Shepard. '
PATTERSON'S OOMMON-HCIIOOL SPELLER: Oon-
TAINIMUA (JjUUOKHCEEOXIONOL' WOUDS KOll I’llAOn-
CAL ExcnOLlEJ is Skcllino, Bekinino, Puo.suhoi
atjo.n, Dictation, and BisriNouDmimi Bvnont&ia,
Arranged to Fadlltutu Written Exi ivlhos In Spell
ing,«ud Aceonipttiiioil by an Kxorclmj-Bouk. Kimo.,
pp. iro. Now York: Sheldon ft Co.
THE HIDDEN SIN: A Sequel to » Tm; Pi>
Htamuni, 14 By Eliza A. Duitjv, Author
of Tbo OJj ay's ViVnmig,'* tie,, tin. IJino,, pp,
;i.)7, ! T, B. i'otoriinn ft Brothtirii.
TUN HEADING CLUIJ AND HANDY SPEAKER;
jiruuo In I’umm ahd Toktiiv, Seuioco
i Aii.'ctio, rAxmorio, .iNuDiuiuuo,
irua IluAPir.ua a.vu lUatTAXionii, Edited by Gaonon
THE CHICAGO DAILY TRIBUNE: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 36, 1874.
M. UARim, No. 1, lOrao., pp. 03. Boston : 800 It
Sliflimrd.
A JOURNEY TO THE CENTRE OF TUB EAXITK.
Translated from tlio French of Jm.ns Viuinr, An-'
thorof " From Iho Earth to flm Moon,” do., oto.
13m0., pp. 413. Now York: Scribner, Annotrcug ti
00.
HOW TO CONDUCT A DEBATE: A SicntEfl op
COMrUtTK DOATKfI, OUTLINBft OP' 3JKIUTEB, AND
Qurstiono rou DiKOOPmoN. With References to tho
Boot Bonrcon of InfortnAlion on each I’arllmilor
Topic. By FneoKmoit Bowtok. American Edition,
Bovlned by W. Tailon. 10mo„ pp. 103, Now York:
Dick k FRagcrald.
BOEMO OF TWENTY YEAIIB. By Lauiu WlNrmior
Johnson. 12m0., pp. 143, Now Y'ork: Do Witt 0.
Ixmt*
TUB CONFESSIONS OF A MINISTER: Bsino
liKATKfI pnosi TUB DIAUT OP THR KIIV. JOBBI’IIUS
Luonhakut, D. D. 12mu„ pp., 133. Philadelphia:
11, Peterson ft Co,
LEISURE-HOUR SERIES. T«R NotAnt’s Nosr. By
E. Anonr, 10mo., pp, 240. Now Yorks Jlcnry
Holt A 00.
SPUING FLOODS ; AND ‘A LEAH OP THE
STEPPE. By Ivan TonorfUEPP. lomo., pp. £l9.
Now York : ilcnry Holt !c Co.
ATIIHItHTONE PiUOUY. By L. N. Oqntn, Author
of “ Slice, a Talc,” Itfmo., pp, 317, Boston: Edco
ft I/iurlat.
NOT IN TJIEIII SET: on. In DrFFEnnNT Cingt.ns
or Hooinv. From tuo Oonnnn of Maiur Lbnzcn,
12mo„ pp. 373. Boston: Lou to Shepard.
WOMAN AND TUB DIVINE BEPUBLIO. By Lno
Mn.t.i:n. 12m0., pp. 213. jluffalo j Hiun ft NausrL'
THE BIBLE ItEOAINED, AND THE QOD OF THE
BIBLE aims; on, Tins BvsTKit op Rnuoioun
Truth in Outlinb. By Samuel Lkb. 10mo,, pp,
235. Bouton: Leo & Shepard,
LIVES OF THE CTHEF-JUSTICES OP ENGLAND.
By Lord OASirnuLL, Author or “The Lives of Iho
Lord-Olioncollors or England,” In four volumes.
Vul. HI. Bvo,, pp. 493. Boston: listen k Lauriat,
A*orloilicals ftccolvcct.
Atlantia Monthly f6r October (11. 0. Houghton
<k Co., Ddston). Tito contents embrace: Fiction
—Mr. Howells’ now novel, “ A Foregone Con
clusion,” X.-XH.; IT. Jamoa Jr.’a “ Eunouo
I'lckoriugMiss Wadsworth’s “ Marty’s Various
Morelos.” Personal Skotchoa —” Somo Groat
Contemporary MusiciansGoorgo Cary Eggles
ton's "A* llobol’a llocolloctiona —this thno of
Gen. J, E. B. Stuart. Philosophy—Tho llov.
.lamesFrooman Clarko’a u Have Animals Sonia ?”
Poetry—Bret ‘ Harlo’a “ llamon Mr. Trow
bridgo’o “I’routing;” Mrs. Thaxter’a **Favc
wollMr. llayuo’a '• Tito Woodlajid,” ami other
poems, Crlliciam—Miss Preston’s' “Thoodoro
Aubanol, a Modem Provencal PootMr. Porry’a
“Bcrthold Auerbach.”
Old and New for October (Roberts Brothers,
Boston). Principal articles : “Tho'Lost Pal
ace,” by E. E. Jlalo; “Our Sketching Club,”
X., by iho Ilov. 31. St. John Tynvhitt; “The
Way Wo Live Now.” XLI.—XLV., by Anthony
Trollope; “King-Making in tbo Sandwich Isl
ande,” by J. Bishop Putnam; "Tho Relations
of the National and State Governments to Ad
vanced 'Education;” “Pilchards," by Mary J.
Ponwyn.
Catholic World for October (Catholic Puhlica
, tion House, Now York)- Contents:" “Matter.”
■HI.; “Tho Veil Withdrawn,” XVI.—XXI.;
“ Tho Present State of Anglicanism;” “ Alitor
and Zara,” VI., by Aubrey do Vero; “ Assunta
Howard,” III.; “ A Discussion with nn Infidel,”
XL—XIII.; “A Legend of Alsaco;” “Fac
similes of Irish National Manuscripts;” “ Con
gress©! tho Catholic Germans l at Mayonco:”
“Switzerland in 1873,”—etc., etc.
LippincoH's 'Magazine for October (J. B. Liu
pincott A Co., Philadelphia). “ThoNowUvpo
riqn t ”by£dwardStrahan : “Three Feathers, by
William 'Black; and “Malcolm,” by George
Macdonald, aro continued. “A Visit to tho
Dolomites” is concluded. Other noticeable
acts are: “Tho British) Peerage,” by Rogi
-1 Wynford; 44 Grouse-Shooting iu Galloway,”
by Robert Somers, Jr.; and “Miss Filch,”by
Lucy Ellen Guernsey. T’Hua Munson Goan,
MaJcom Maccnon, Maty 13. Dodgo, and F. A.
Hillard, aro tbo pools of tho number.
Scribner's Monthly for October (Scribner &
Co., Now York). u Tho Groat South," by Ed
ward King, and “Tho Mysterious' Island,” by
Jules Verno, nro continued; *• KatborlnoEarlo,”
by Adeline Trafton, and “Ordronnnux,” by
Harriot Prescott Spoffonl, aro concluded.
Other articles; 44 ’Tito Poulotto/' by George W,
Cable; “Tho Literary and tho Ethical Quality
of Qoorgo Eliot’s Novels,” by W. C. Wilkinson:
“Two Visits to Oxford," by E. S. Nndal,—etc.,
otc. Poetry by H. H. f Charlotte F. Bales, Ben
jamin F. Taylor, R. T., and Colia Tliaxtor.
Warper's Maqazim for October (Harper &
Brothers, Now York). I’rincipal papers : “Dec
orative Art and Agriculture in England," 1., by
Moncato D. Conway; “An Old Town by tho
Soa,” by J. B. Aldrich ; “ Huntsmen of the
Sea,” by William 11. Ridllng ; “ The Isles ot
Shoals, by John W, Chadwick ; “llapoof tho
Gamp,” V.-YI1I.; ** Soma Talks of nn Astrono
mer.” 1., by Prof. Simon Newcomb : “ The Re
publican Movement In Europe,” XII., by
Emilio Caslolar. There are three short stories ;
and poems aro furnished by J, T. Trowbridge,
It. H. Stoddard, Margaret E. Sangstbr, and John
G. Saxo. •
Tlio Galaxy for October (Sheldon it Co.. No*
York). “Linloy' Rockford,” by Justin JlcC’ar
tby, ia continued. “Lifo on tho Plains,” by
Gen. Custer, and “Marshal Mac.Mahon,” by E.
Rectus. aro concluded. Rose Tony baa a story,
“Caught by Kuhloborn,” and J. T. McKay an
other, “ Moutoroy.” Other articles are; “Sours
of Society,” by.’F. Braudor Matthews,* “Fig-
Leaves and French Dresses.” by Lucy 11.
Hooper j “Tho Loadstone of Love,” by Junius
11. Browne*, “ Communism and tho Commune,"
by Joao do Armaa Ccapedeoj and “Popular
Pie,” by Richard Grant White, Poetry by Con
stance Fenimoro Woolaou, F. W. D., Joel Ben
ton, and Nora Perry.
Blackwood's Magazine for September (tho
Leonard Scott PnbUßhing Company, Now York)
baa continuations of “ Alice Lorraine,” “ Tho
Story of Valentino and Ilia Brother,” and “Inter
national Vanities.” It also has* tv “ Review of
tho Session," “Tho Greek Fool,” “Pilchards
and Pilchard-Catchers,” W. W. Story’a poem ou
Charles Sumner, and “Tho Ancient Classics."
Penn Monthly for October (Philadelphia), haa
articles on tho “ Economic Wronga of Ireland,”
“Our Public Schools,” “Romance of Artiat-
Xjifo.” “Duohrlug’o National Economy,” aud
“ Alice and Phtubo Cary.”
St. Nicholas for October (Scribner & Co., Now
York). Beautifully illustrated.
Sanitarian for October (A. N. 8011, Now
York).
Dritlan's Quarterly Journal to r July (Stand
ard Spiritual Library Association, Now York).
Day of West for September (Alexander Strahan,
London: WUmcr & ' Bogota Nows Company,
Now York),
Saturday Journal for September (Alexander
Strahan, London; WUmcr A Rogers Nows Com
pany, New York).
American Dec Journal for September (Ameri
can Publishing Company, Chicago, ill., aud Ce
dar Rapids, la,).
Phrenological Journal for October (Samuel 3L
Wells, Now York),
African Depository tor September (American
Colonization Society. Washington).
American Naturalist for September (Peabody
Academy of Science. Salem. Maas.).
Medical Investigator for September (Chicago),
DemoresVs Monthly for October (Now York).
Current numbers of Littcll'a Living Ago (Llt
toll & Gay, Boston) ; Decry Saturday (11. O.
Houghton it Co., Boston); and Applctons* Jour
nal (D. Appleton & Co., Now York).
Literary llciiw.
Stuart Mill’s posthumous work on religion
will be issued from tiio press next month.
Among tho hooks to bo looked for soon is Mr.
Macronuy’a autobiography, edited by Sir Fred
erick Pollock.
Miss Alcott iu at work on a juvenile of some
length, after tho utylo of 44 Littlo Women," It
will run through St, Nicholas boloro appearing
in hook form.
Mr. Swinburne Is reported engaged on a
critical essay on tho Lifo and Works of Ooorgo
Chapman, to bo prefixed to tho second volume of
the complete edition of his works.
Tho following now works are in coureo of pub
lication by D. Appleton & Co., Now York s
Iho Science of Law,” by Prof, Sheldon Amos, of
I, . Un * Ver,{t r» “Animal Mechanism, ■* by
1 rof. 0, J. Marey, Collegeof l^ranco; “History of tho
,ct i| olwcc u Religion aul Science," by J)r. John
\VlUiam Draper, author of “ The lutollectiml Duvolop
mePT.,°»urotHs; ' 1 “The Chemical Effects of Light
and I holography. In Their Application to Art, Science,
and Industry," by Dr. Hormaun Vogel, Polytechnic
Academy of Jkrlln 5 “Tho Theory of Descent—Dar
winism," by I‘rof. Oscar Bohmldt, Unlvorolly of Stras
bourg; Ol'ticii,’' by Prof. Lomucl, University of
LrJnuscn, A llrlef lllnlory of Culture," by John
S'Ji Ut wJA « f0 Columbus," by A. Goodrich;
“The Native JUcoßof tho Paciflo Slates of North
America, 1 by 11. 11. Bancroft. Vol. 1., \SM Tribes;
Hie Principles of Sociology," by Jlurbort Hpcuccr, to
bobisuoa In niimhora until completed; «Descriptive
Boclolouj, lurt 111,, by Herbert Speucor; “Chapters
bj Political Economy," by Albert S. Holies: “My
Story.” by Mrs, Macqnold, author of “Patty “Tho
Theology of tho Lnglljih Poets," W the Huv. fclonford
A. Hrooko; “ B.imncl Lover t LtConud Unpublished
ttorks, 1 by Boyle ilertjnrd; “Jlerodllv: a Psychologi
st Sltbly 011 Ilil Phenomena. Its Lawn. Its Cutinpe, and
°l!5 CQ iJ l f C 1 by n ,, V l ”* wl » '* Thß Natural life
tory of Man,' by 1 rof, Quatrofageo, translated
by Miss \onmans; “A School-History of Gcr-
W’/ 1 ky Hojmd laylor; “Youmana* Ohcm
wiry, now edition, entirely tawi*li[iiti •
Il f II R IOI n H foiu tUQ Middle AgS ami
0r.. 1 . 110 i orlo<l of i*‘“ ) " by Paul Lucrolx ;
“Iho Amazon and Madeira Jtlvcra; Sketches ami
Peacrlptlons from the Noto-Hook of on lUplor«r," by
i-ranh holler: “Whispers from ValryLimd" 6y jf.
L lumtcUhul -UimcHfleu j “ Knuitd Orlact's l-'nnuy
riilnroliimltK, Hold only by subscription ; “Thu
Llfo of Samuel iMJ. (>y s. Irotilw
i. D. 5 “J'crHiiiwJ Horn uh-ocueea, Anccdotcm and Lot
tors of Gen. ItolKi th, Wby ih« Utv. J. WUllum
Jouos, 11, D. | “ Iholurißijua Europe,” uniform with
“ricluriwquo America; ” Tho Amerlam Cydonuidla "
eighth volume Just Luucd, puhllthed at tho rate of one
volume every two mouths.
SPARKS OF SCIENCE.
AOntCDLTCUAIi AKTO.
Such mnrvoloun stories aro told 9/ the eagacl
ly of ants that ono 1b prepared to bear alxnoat
ouythiug concerning their Intellectual achieve
ments | but, when wo aro told that thoro Is a
epcoios living down In Texas, that actually sows,
reaps, and hives grain for its winter use, the
statement is almost; too much for human credu
lity. However, wo have it on tho authority of
Dr. Gideon Llncccmn, a student of science whoso
observations ore accepted by the savants os
careful and trustworthy.' In a recent paper
communicated by him to tho Smithsonian In
stitute, and published, by permission of I’rnf.
Henry, in tbo Naturalist, thoro aro many in
teresting particulars of this singular ant, which,
from Uo devotion to husbandry, is termed the
Agricultural ant. Its feciontifio name is il/yr
mica molefacicns.
This ant lives in populous communities, builds
paved cities, constructs roads, mid sustains largo
military forces 1 For tho first year and a half
after n colony is fouuded. its operations aro con
ducted underground., Tho ants then begin to
appear above tho surface, and begin to build
their public works and cultivate their estates.
All grass, herbage, and other obstructions aro
cleared nwny to thodistauco of 3 or-i feet around
tho outrauco to their city; and a circular pave
ment, consistiug of a pretty hard crust,about half
an Inch thick, is constructed of coarse sand and
grit. This pavement is sometimes 15 feet in di
ameter. To avoid tho inundation which would bo
likely to overflow this pavement in the rainy sea
son, “ at least six mouths previous to tho coming
of tho rain ” they commence tho erection of a
mouudor pyramid, which rises a foot or more
from the centre of tho pavement.
■ Tbo mouud Is occupied with noatly-constmct
od colls, in which tho “oggu, young ones, mid
tholr stores of grain, aro carried in tlmo of rainy
seasons.” Tho pavement in kept clear of every
growing herb, except a grain-hearing grass, tho
Arlsiida stricla.' when rlpo, this grain is bar
vested, tho chaff removed, and thou it is stored
In tho dry cells. ■ Tho “ grain from several other
species of graus, ns well as seeds from' vorious
kinds of herbaceous plants,” is also gathered
and garnered. Hr. Liucecutn declares tuat tho
ants oven bow tho grain of the Ariatlda stricla,
which ho calls ant-rico, Despite tholr precau
tions. hoaayoßomolimos, duringraloyseasons, tho
ground about tholr city becomes saturated, and
tho water penetrates Into their granaries and
sots tholr seeds to sprouting. Then there is a
turmoil in tbo colony. All the damaged grain is
brought out tho first lino day, and exposed to
tho sun. When night icomoa, every seed that
has not actually sprouted is taken In again. Dr.
Lincocum states that ono day ho saw those nuts
*• have out on d flat rock as much as a gallon of
wheat, sunning.’' 110 watched tho operation of
Us return to the colls again, which the - nuts ac
complished at nightfall in'just five minutes.
Wlioa Dr. lilucccuni' first wont, in 1818. to
Long Point, Tex..—tho place where ho has
studied these auto, —thoro was hut ono of
their cities within' a mile of the town. This
was situated on tho summit of a nearly barren
knoll, where thoro was but scanty vegetation to
interfere with the peculiar industry of tho littlo
agriculturists. Their plantations of ant-rioo
wove flourishing in a regular circlo inside tho
pavement, and thoro wore “patches of the same
grass scattered around 4n a littlo glade, which
had doubtless been planted thoro by some ex
perienced ant, for it had neatly been cleared of
nil other vegetables.” Tho country surrounding
Long Point was everywhere, but in this single
spot, covered with a rich black soil, which boro a
heavy turf of grass, through which tho ants
could not travel, and they wore therefore con
fined to their single city. But when, in tho
course of a couple of years, a path passing
near their pavement had got woll trodden, they
wero able to run over U, And erect now cities 011
its borders. Throe years dftor, their cities wore
scon rising ot Intervals of 80 yards, for tho dis
tance of a mile along this path.
As wo have said, for tho first eighteen months
after a city is begun, its builders keep them
selves hid from their enemies. At tho cud of
that time they have gained sufiiclont strength to
sustain themselves in the struggle for existence
with other tribes of their race, and dare an
nounce tholr intentions in tho world above.
When tho ants wish to send off a now colony,
thoy asuomblo in swarms from tho surrounding
cities, and celebrate a grand marriage-festival,
which continues for throe or four hours. Tho
Queen of tho colony thcif spreads her wings, ■
and flies with tho wind until oho is tired,
or is thrown to the ground by a counter-current. •
She now runs about in oagor hasto to se
lect a proper location whore to lay tho
foundations of tho city. This she docs by dig
ging a Biriall hole, from which, after it has readi
ed a certain depth, aho withdraws, and delib
erately bites off herwiugs with her sharp mondi
blcs. She thou renews her digging until she has
made an excavation C or 7 inches deep, with a
small coll at tho bottom, in which she onscoucoo
herself, cloaca tho aperture, ami deposits twenty
or thirty eggs. Tho inmates of those eggs aro
all workers, aud, wbou they Imvo reached matu
rity, they sot about tbo labors of tholr lives.
The Queen keeps them constantly employed,
while she adds to their numbers. When her
colony is numerous enough, they commence
their outer fortifications and tho cultivation of
tholr fields of grain.
Dr. Lincocum dosoribea ono of tho marriage
fcßtlvala of the Agricultural auta which lie wit
nessed in 1853. A space of ground, 107 yards in
length and 10 yards m width, was covered with
tho tiny creatures. Those carousals aro so dis
solute and exhausting as to prove fatal to tho
mule outs, aud thoy ore always loft dead on tho
field. Ou visiting tho place tho morning alter
tho debauch in question, Dr. Lincocum found
that tho wind had driven tho dead bodies of tho
revelers into tho littlo gulling iu.tho road, and
altogether “ thoro could not have boon lees than
a bushel of them.” Not a female, dead or living,
was to bo seen ou tho ground. Thoy had made
their escape, and countlcea littlo black plica of
earth iu the vicinity showed how busy thoy had
boon during tho night, making excavations for
their accommodation. Did tho Queens all sur
vive, tho earth would soon bo overrun with their
progeny. And Nature takes caro to prevent
this. Many of them die in their colls, from hav
ing packed tbo dirt over them too tightly ; many
fall a pvoy to nuts ot other spocioa, which hunt
thorn out and assassinate them ; while mauy are
devoured by birds, to whom thoy prove a de
licious morsel.
man living.
Tho highest apot on tlio globo inhabited by
human beings is tho Buddhist olqistor of Ilanlo,
in Thibet, whoro twcnty-ono priests live at on
altitude of IG,OOO feet. Tho monks of Bt. Ber
nard, whoso monnotcry Is 8,117 foot high, aro
oliged to descend frequently to tho valleys bo
low in order to obtain relief from tho asthma
induced by tho rarity of tho atmosphere about
their mounlaln-oytio. At tho end of ton years’
servico in tho monastery, they oro compelled to
change their exalted abode for a permanent resi
dence at tho ordinary level. When tho brothers
Bchlagiuawoll explored the glaciers of tho Ibl-
Oamiu, in Thibot, they onco oiicampcd at 21,QU0
foot,—tho highest altitude at which a Kuropoau
over paused tho night. At tho top of Alt. Blanc,
15,781 feet above tho level of tho sea, Prof. Tyn
dall spent a night, and with loss discomfort than
his guide, who found it very unpleasant.
lu July. 1872, Air. Glmahor unci Air. Coxwoll
ascended in a balloon to tho enormous height of
88.000 foot. Before starting, Mr. Olniuhor’s
pulse boat 70 stroked nor minute, and Air. Cas
well's 74. At 17,000 foot, Air. Qlaishor’s pulse
had increased to 8-1, and Air. Coxvroll’fl to 100,
At 10,000 foot, tho hands and lips of the aero
nauts turned quite blue. At 20,000 feet, Air.
Glaiuhor could hear his heart beat, and his
breathing became oppressed. At 20,000 foot, he
bccamo senseless; notwithstanding which ho
asuondod still another 8,000 foot, when his hands
wore paralyzed, and ho had to open tho vulvo
with his teeth. In tho Alps, at tho height of
18.000 foot, climbers suitor from thoratUy of tho
air; yet, in the Andes, persons can dwell, as at
Polos), at u height of from 18,000 to 15,000 foot,
without inconvenience. *
amis.
M, Gllcon has recently concluded a fournoy
round tho world, which ho made for (ho purpose
of ascertaining tho condition of tho trade in
goroo, In an article In tho Bt. Petersburg
UazcLlc ho states tho results of his investiga
tions. Diamonds ho found nt u lower rate than
they havo reached in ten years past. Pearls
and emeralds are, on tho other baud, at a pre
mium. An opal tho elzo of an average olivo
would bring hi Now Vork, nt tho present tiino,
about SIBO ; a sapphire of the same size would
bring $>1,850 } an emerald, £7,500 } a diamond,
613,500 ; and a ruby, £37,500. In liurono
Uioao gom\» would rank somowlmt uif
forontly, opals and sapphires rating hlglior and
emeralds lower. Pearls are now brought from
Central America, California, and tho Persian
Gulf, but none of thorn rival those of iho Hast
Indies. About $5,'d50,()00 worth of diamonds
two annually imported from Month America into
Duvopo, amt tho sumo into America. Many of
those uro uf good size, and moat havo a yollow
lah tinge. Iu conaoqucnco of this heavy im
portation, diamonds uf tho samo hue have fallen
Yo per cent In tho market. They would havo
fallen etUI lower wore it not Hint tho enormous
fortunes realized in America through petroleum
ami military contractu havo cioalod'an excessive
demand. But thin effect upon llio value of the
otonoß may bo considered moroly temporary. A
Hlmllnr depreciation in their price occurred at
the discovery of tho diamond-mines in Brazil, —
Oolconda having previously supplied tho mar
hot,—but they coon regained their value.
BKNUJ)i;?a A COU.STT.y OF ITS TJUiCfI.
Tho Khauato of Bokhara affords a signal Illus
tration of tbo damage done by denuding a coun
try of Us forests. Thirty-years ago, tho Khanate
woo ono of tho most fertile provinces of Central
Asia, and, woll woodod and watered, woa regard
ed aa an earthly paradise. Five years thereafter,
a mania for forest-clearing broke out among tho
inhabitants, and continued to rage as long as
there remained timber on which to vout itself.
Whot trees woro spared by rulers and people
woro afterwards utterly consumed during a civil
war. Tho consequence of this ruthless destruc
tion of tbo forost-growlh is now painfully
manifest in immense dry and arid wastes.
Tho wator-couruos havo become empty channels,
and tho system of canals -constructed
for artificial irrigation, ond supplied from tho
living ntreamo, has boon rendered useless, Tho
moving sands of tbo dosort, no longer restrained
by forest-barriers, nro gradually advancing arid
drifting over the land. Thoy will continue tholr
noiseless invasion until tho whole Khanate will
become a dreary desert, as barren os tho wilder
ness separating it from Khiva, ft is not sup
posed that tho Khan baa suClciout energy or the
means at his command to arrest tho desolation
that threatens to spread over his territories. Tho
oxamplo is ono to stimulate enlightened govern
ments to avoid a similar catastrophe, by pre
serving a duo proportion of forost-lamlu in tholr
domains, and by restoring thoso which have boon
Improvldoutly laid bare. "
UVOnAULIO JIINIKQ.
In tho system of, hydraulic mining which pre
vails extensively in California, thoro woro em
ployed, iu 1807, 6,000 miles of artificial water
courses. Prof, llaymoud states, in ono of his
reports on mines west of tho Bricky Mountains,
that tbo flumes' of thoso canals aro pftou of
shoot-iron, and in soma places aro carried con
siderable distances at a height of 250 foot abovo
tho ground. Largo volumes of .water aro con
ducted in this way, and directed against hills and
masses.of earth under a hydrostatic pressure
that will, if needed, cut away solid rook almost
as readily as the compact soil. Groat damage is
done to extensive tracts of country by thus di
recting streams from their natural channels, and
spreading earth, sand, gravel, and pebbles, that
havo boon washed down by their currents, over
fertile aud cultivated lands. Ono orchard val
ued at 660,000, aud another at $200,000, havo
boon so destroyed. 1 A report from the Agnsul
tural Bureau at Washington estimates the’an
nual damage done by this mode of mining at
$12,000,000.
oxuxrpEß,
lloccnt noto has been made of tho arrival at
tho Garden of Acclimation, in Paris, of elx gi
raffes, the oldest of which is 3 yearn of ago. Tho
giraffe is a native of Africa, and'mod to inhabit
tbo country from Nubia to tbo Capo of Good
Hope, but it lo said now to bo restricted to a
small canton of Abyssinia. All attempts at
domesticating tho ariimul have failed In Africa,
yet it is easily lamed in Europe. In Us native
haunts it roams iu herds of from five to ftftv,
browaiug on the leaves aud small branches of
trees. It is inoffensive, and nooks to osoapo
danger by flight 5 yot, if bard pressed, will fight
stoutly, discharging a storm of kicks with its
hind lego that will oven heat off tho lion. Its
running pace is swifter than that of a fleet
horse, and it moves over uneven ground with
great advantage. Tho llcah of tho giraffe is
called palatable, and its morrow is a favorite Af
rican delicacy.
JIOUTALITV AS AITEOTED JUT WKATSIEII.
An interesting paper ou the relations between
human mortality ami tho seasons of tho year,
which was road before tho Scottish Meteorologi
cal Society by Dr, Arthur Mitchell and Mr.
Alexander Buchan, gives, in brief, (he informa
tion that the death-rate from bronchitis, pneu
monia, asthma, and kindred diseases, is highest
in cold, weather from hraiu-diseaso, convul
sions, ami whooping-cough, it is highest in cold
arid dry weather ; from suicides ana oraall-pox,
in worm and,dry weather; from diarrhea, dysen
tery, and cholera, in warm and moist weather;
and from rheumatism, beart-disenso, diphtheria,
scarlatina, measles, and croup, iu cold and moist
weather.
nyroDEiuno injection or chlouai..
The hypodermic injection of chloral has lately
boon accomplished with favorable results. A
report of tho experiment slates that an csthc
cia was produced by injecting’ twenty-two
grammes of a solution of chloral,-Kino part in
tiiroo of water,—by a capillary puncture, into
ono of tho' radia veins. At tho end of, ten
minutes, an eathc'sla was complete.—tho patient
falling into a profound sloop, which continued
for twenty minutes, during which a painful ope
ration was successfully performed; Tho patient
was roused by tbo passage of a rapidly-intermit
ting current of electricity between tho left aide
of the nock dud tho epigastrium.
“ CORN ,iS KING OF THE WEST.”
800 I loft ami right of us,
Fivr out of Bight of us,
His mighty battalions
Aro marshaled to-day J
Standing up, one by ono,
IHfeh In tho gleaming aim,
Sco tho Hues stretching
Away and away I
No gnus or canuonado
Marshaled on dress-pamdo,—
Only tho gloatnlng-blado:
Mars you that gleaming bhdo
Artisan never made,—
Emerald uniform,
Tassels of gold,
Banners of silken sheen;
Deop their bright folds between
A cornucopia.
Each soldier's hands hold.
Lons since tboir mnroh begun;
Ne’er will their march bo done
*TU,:*noath the netting mm,
How their beads, one i>y one,- <
How iu tbe sunshine,
Tho Ocean to greet:
Know'nclthcr pause nor rest,
Never till gleams their creat
O'er all thomighty West,
And the waves of Ocean
IloU at tbelr Joel.
•
Prairies grow green with them I
Kce you tho sheen of them,—'
Ijlho upon Hue of them
•Stretching away?
Jlauks upon ranks of them,
J’mcrrdd banka of them,
Who will outnumber
These legloha to-day ?
Kinga upon ancient thrones,
UulUlcil on human hones;
’Neath whoso foundation-stones
Hear we » nation's groans,
Merit your armies
K'cu Fame’s transient breath?
Out on’tlie'wholo of them I,
Utot out the roll of them I
What lo (heir merit.
Save bloodshed mid death 7
And hall to our glorious
Armies victorious 1
Hear yo tho cheers for them?
Where are tho peers of them,
Conquering poverty,
Blessing the earth.
And bidding defiance
To ogres uud giants
Ttuj,t haunt tho Old World,—
Uauut Famine and Heath 7
These aro *• owr cotmlry’n prldo,”
Beaching out far and wide,
Fur to the sotting sun
Gleaming their crest:
All through Its vast regions
Long may tho fair Jcgloua
Of Plenty ami I'eaco
Htamt guard o’er the Weal,
—Lottie if, Jioee in (he Prairie Partner,
Vanquished l>y a On*.
.r t Frmn the Kiwiton (Can.) irAto.
Mr. btobblnu Poor, tho funambulist or rope
walker, who has a cablo stretched across tho
Niagara llivcr, just below tho now suspension
bmlKO, ami gives exhibitions of his skill In rouo
walUirig, cftiuo near mooting with an ucoidont
tho.othor day, which, but for his agility, would
undoubtedly, havo ondod bis oaroor ns a rono
walkor. JIo conceived tho brilliant idea of tak
ing a cat on tho ropo, and starting it on ahead of
him, in order to havo two Boueatloua at the somo
tlnio, when about DO foot from tho shore ho sot
the cat on tho ropo, expecting, of course, that
tho foliuo would show how tho thing was
douo wi well as ho could do it himself.
Hut tho cat was not at nil anxious for
■ funambulism, end, instead of making a boo-.
Una. across, turned ,upon Pqor, climbed upon
him, and fastened his tooth In his shoulder. In
his efforts to disengage the oat ho missed his
footing, ami hud to drop his balance-pole, which
foil on tho rocks bolow, and was broken. I'cor
himself scrambled along tho ropo back to tho
shoro tho best way bo could, 110 succeeded in
reaching terra lltina, but tho exhibition of tho
day was brought to a close, nu a funambulist
withqut u balance-polo is of littlo account. Tho
polo won subsequently recovered aud spliced.
I'cor will walk again, but will not bo likely to
take any cats along.
FAMILIAR TALK.
OliD KNQTiIHII M.AVS.
Tlio legitimate English drama was divided at
Itii birth into tho two groat deportments of
Tragedy mid Comody. Tho earliest apoclmoa
now oxlant of the latter species of composition
waa wrltlou In 1051, by Nicholas Udall, who gavo
it tho title of M Ralph Royster Doystor.” Ita
author was a celebrated master of Eton College,
and was in tlio habit of composing playa, chlolly
In Latin, for the ainuscmcut of his ccholars,
"who porfonnod them on festival occasions, and
especially during tho Christmas holidays. Tho
scone of this firat comody, which has become
famous purely from tho accident of Ua dale, is
laid In London, and Ua dramatis porsonro
include thirteen characters. Tho borolno
of the play Is a rich young widow, whoso
lover has deserted her and nmiortakon
a long Journey in a momentary plqno. During
bis absence, bis mistress is besieged with suit
ors, chief among whom Is Ralph Royster Doc
tor. This silly youth baa just Inherited n largo
fortune, and is surrounded with intriguers and
eycophonts, who lead him Into all sorts of ridic
ulous and humiliating adventures. The pioco ia
brought to a happy ftnalo by tho return of tho
favored lover. Tho play prosonta o lively pic
ture of tbo maimers of tho middle class of tho
period. It ia written in loose and irregular
rhyme, tho plot is Ingeniously contrived, nmi the
dialogue is animated.
About fourteen years after tbo production of
“Ralph Royster Doystor,” John Still, who was
Duccesslvoly Master of Bt. John’s and Trinity
Colleges. Cambridge, ‘Vice-Chancellor of tho
University there, and Bishop of Bath and Wells,
wrote “ Oalnmor Gorton's Noodle,”—Uio second
oldest comedy that has como down to ns. Tho
charactora iu this drama aro all taken from low
life, and aro rough and coarso beyond descrip
tion. The action turns upon tho loss of Gam
mer Gurton’o only needle, which eho last used
in mending her man Uodgo’s inexpressibles.
Not only her own household, but tho wholo
neighborhood, is cot in commotion by tho dis
consolate dame, whoso grief over her calamity
is Ucrco and uncontrollable. Search is institut
ed everywhere, and everybody within roach ja
called upon for sympathy, or accused of stealing
tho missing implement. Divers oorioua quarrels,
and ono sovoro hami-to-hnud light, between
Gammer and .a follow-gossip, grow out
of tho affair, while tbo vilest epithets
accessible fly from ono to another
with a freedom and fluency that are startling.
In the end, whilo parson, and apothecary, and
justice, aro endeavoring to settle tho difficulty
between tho two bellicose crones, Hodge dis
covers—by a savage prick it gives him—tho
lost uocdlo in tho patch which Gammer Gurton
had set in his pantaloons. The loss of a noodlo
seems a most insignificant incident on which to
base tho onllro intrigue of a play, and wo can
only Infer, from tho circumstauco’bolng elevated
to such importance, that, iu tho middle of tho
sixteenth century, a noedio was a rare and costly
article, and. among tho poorer classes, to bo
guarded au a precious treasure. Tho play ia
crowded with gross iudocouclou in language and
situation, which All ono with surprise tnat it
could have boon written by an educated ecclesi
astic, and oven relished by respectable English
audiences. It wna probably first acted at Christ’s
College, Cambridge.
Tho second act of tho comedy opens with a
drinking song, which Wnrton pronounces tho
first convivial ballad of any merit that appeared
m tbo English language. It reels off in an easy,
rollicking stylo, aptly expressive of tho spirit
that moves ft. As a sample of tho literature of
a rude ago, wo copy it entire: ,
I cannot oat but liltlo moat,
My Btomach is not pood;
But sure I think that I cun drink
With him that wears a hood.
Though I go hare, take yo no care.
I nothing urn a-cohlo;
1 elude my akin bo full wilhlu,
Of Joly goods ale and aide.
JJaeke and tide po bare,
Jloothfoot ami hand po cohle;
tint, belli /, God teiul thee pood ale inoughe.
Whether ti be new or olde l
I love no rost, hut a uut-browuo losto,
And a crab laid in tho flro;
A little bread RhnU do me stead,
Mocho broad I uoght desire.
No frost, no snow, no winde, I trowe,
Can hurt mo if I woldo,
1 ani no wrapt, and throwly lapt,
Of Joly pood nlo and olde.
Uachc ami tide, etc ,
And Tib, my wife, (hat rs her life
Lorctb well good alo to neeko,
Pull oft drlultes shco till yo may wo
The (cares run downo hor chcoko.
Then doth oho trowlo to mo tho howla
Kven mi 0 mault-worm aholdo *
Ami Pidlli, “ Sweet heart, I tuoko my part
Of this joly good nlo and olde.
h’asfcc and sub, etc*
Now lei them drlnko till they nod jmd whiUe,
liven ns good follows should do;
They ahnll not mtHse to havo the bllast
Good do doth briupo turn to.
And all good Bonlcs that have fleoured howlc-*.
Or have them lustoly treble,
God nave tho lives of them ami tholr wives,
Whetherthoyboyoug oroide,
liacke and side, etc.
To Thomas Backvillo, afterwards Bari of Dor
set, tbo most accomplished nobleman at tho
Court of Queen Elizabeth, and his associate,
Thomas Morton, belongs tbo honor of bavins
written tbo first woll-dofinod tragedy in tbo
English language. It was composed when
oacUvillo was a youth, and a member of one of
tbo Inns of Court, and was first exhibited in
tho great Hall of tbo Inuor Temple, by tbo stu
dents of that society, during a C'btintmaa
entertainment. It was afterwards played
before Queen Elizabeth., at Whitehall,
Jan. 13, ISGI. The llrst exact edi
tion. printed in 1871, iu black letter,
is entitled “Tbo TIUGJDIE OB FEIUtEX AND
FORREX, sot forth without addition or altera
tion, but altogether as tbo samo was showed on
siago before tbo quoonca Majoatio about nine
ycaro past, viz. Tho xviij day of Jannnrio,
15G1, By tho gentlemen of tho Inner Tomplo,
otc.” Tho play is divided into five acts, ami
each act is closed by a “chorus From Ancient
and Sago men of Britain,” who. iu an ode of
loug-liued stanzas, review tho post of tho story
that has just transpired, and call attention to
tbo moral that it contains. Each act is also pre
faced, ao was tho custom in old plays, with
a spectacle called tho Dumb Show, in
widen the, matter immediately following was
shadowed forth. Tbo directions for the manage
ment of this piece of machinery winch
preceded,the fourth act aro as, follows; “First,
tho music of howoboios began to plalo. Duringo
wliicho, tboro camo forth from under tbo stage,
as tbongbo out of boll, throo Furies, ALECTJ3.
ILEGIRA, and iCTESIPJIONE, clad in blaclt
garments sprinkled with blond and llamcß, their
bodies girt with shakos, their hods spread with
serpents instead of hours, tho ono hearing in
her haudo a snake, tbo other a whip, and tho
thlrdo a burning firobrando; echo dimyngo be
fore them a kyugo and a quoono, which inoued
by Furies unnaturally bad slaino their owno
children. Tho names of tho hinges and ancones
woro those, TANTALUS. MEDeX, ATIIAAIAS,
INO, CAMBISEB, ALTHEA. After that tho
Furies, and those, had passed abouto tbo stage
thrico, they departed, and then tbo musiuko
ceased.. Hereby was signified tbo unnatural!
murders to followothat In to saio, Forres slaino
by hls.owpo mother, And of king Gordolmo and
queouo Yiden killed by tboir owno subjects.”
The subject of this play vraa taken from tbo
old, half-mythological Chronicles of Britain, and
repeats the story of King Gordobuo, who, 000
years before Christ, divided bis Kingdom, during
bis llfo-timo, between his two sons, Forrox and
Forrox. Within Jlvo years tbo Princes woro in
volved in a civil war, in which the younger slow
tho older. Tho mother, Yidon, avenged tho
death of her favorite son by murdering his
brother in his sloop. Tho citizens thou revolted,
and killed both Yidon audQordobuo; tbo nubil
ity in turn massacred tho citizens; and tho
slaughter continued on all sides until tbo
whole Kingdom was reduced to a miserable
desolation. Hero aro bloody deeds enough to
color a tragedy, in tho deepest dyes of gloom.
But, singularly enough, not ono Is perpetrated
on tho stage. The account of them is simply
related by tho players, and the spectator has no
opportunity to feast his oven on tho horrors of
murder and tho agonies of death.
Tbo tragedy is written in blank verso,—Sack
viilo being tbo third English author who cm
ployed this mode of versification. Tho .stylo is
highly commended for its purity and perspicaci
ty ; and Bir Philip Sydney, in bio “ Dofonco of
rotate.” applauds tho play for Us notable momt
il»o. Bull the ploco was not popular in Us day
for tho speeches aro tediously long and prosy,
amltboro iw a total abaonoo of patbotio or excit
ing incident, aud of dramatic effect. The student
of tho present ago will bo led to road it simply
from motives of curiosity,.
tub immsii arusEuar.
Tloturus from tho Drltlsh Museum for 18711
nnuounco that 103,1)71 readers and 1,315 students
in tho Manuscripts Department have visited that
Institution within tho year. Tho visitors to tho
groat circular reading-room numbered 1,000 less
thou during 1H72. Tho doily nveiago through
1873 has boon 350, and the. number of volumes
daily consulted by oach reader, 13.
Tho additions to the . precious stores of tho
Museum havo been vast ami costly iu tho timo
in’-Inn'’;, ,l°, I,lo VoVMlmmtotVrimo,! Booia,
10j,r>U7 articles, comprlulng volumes, parts of
volumes, pamphlets, newspapers, suoeta of
mualo, etc., havo boon received. 000 of tho
moat valuable acquisitions noted la “ a copy, bo
ilovca to bo unique, of tho original edition
of t Exposition of tho fyreto
opistlo of Hoynt Jhon,’printed abroad and Ib
sued In September, 1531, white Tyndalo wan at
Antwerp. Ihiti work was alriotly prohibited In
England, and In the following year was do-
Vrti't ~co? I*7 Sir Thomas Kora In thoao terras i
‘ Ihon bavo wo fro Tvndnlo tho fyiuto pyntlo of
wajnto John In suclio wyso oxpownod, that I
daro say that blessed apostle rather limn Ids
holy wordcß woro In euchoa sense hylovod of all
cryoton people, Jiaddo lovor Ida pystlo never bnn
put in wrytingo. 1 Tho reprint of tho work by
tho Parker Hocloty was made from a Intor edi
tion.”
Tho number of volumoa bound for tho Mu
seum library In tho conrso of the year amount
od to 11.128; tbo number of pamphlota bound
was 531), and tho volumoa repaired, 4C2,i In
tho Department of Maps, tho most interesting
accession of tho year is “aphotographic fac slm-
Ho, the exact size of tho original, of the Buperb
Mappomonde mado at Vooiao in 1187-’C9, at tho
instance of Prlnco Honry tho Navigator, and . at
tho expense of bis undo. King Alfonso V., by
Fra Moure, of tho Camalaaloso Convent of San
Michele dl Mnrauo, on account of which a medal
was struck iu bin honor by tho Republic, describ
ing him as Cosmographns iucomparftbills. M
io tbo Department of Manuscripts baa been
added “avery rlchly-llluniinalcd .book of tho
* of tho Virgin, 1 written In Franco •at tho
beginning or tho fifteenth conlury. The borders
aro of arabesque work, with birds, and insects,
ami grotesque figures. The Calendar is illus
trated ; and thcro aro fourteen largo miniatures,
painted apparently by an Italian artist, or by
ono showing strong Italian influence, who ban
also added to tho ornamentation throughout tho
volume. 1 Tho Oriental collection. has boon iu
croaacd by 03 manuscript volumes. Chief
among thoBOwro: “A Poetical, Account of tho
CUincso Conquest of Nopawl In 1790 A. D.,
written by the Emperor of Chino,—a folio vot
time, inclosed in curiously-carved woodon covora
from tho Summer Palaco, near Poking; tho on*
tiro text Is embroidered in rod silk onblno
gronnd.it is said by tho ladies of tho Imperial
family; and “A History of tho Mikados in
Japanese.—thirteen volumes, inclosed iu a box
of lacquered wood. This work, it la sold, wna
written for private uso, and has novorbooa
punted,”
„, 1 l¥ ] '?;f llr , 0 J', l ; 3 . |,ro30nl ‘ :<llolho,il)r;lr y ll >o'ooor«i
of M. W. Balto'a openw, in bis “nutomjph "
Cm forty volumes); end Mrs. Qroto baa given
tho note-book and collections of her lato hus
band, connected with hla “History of Greece ”
together with “ Political and Other Easaya," in
twenty volumoa.
a ncatAmcADLE book.
A. remarkable book from the library of tho lato
Sir B. Frederick, Bart., was recently aold at auc
tion. It was a copy of tho “ ScalaPcrfocdonis ”
of WaUor Hylton. printed by Wynpyn do Words
in 1401, with Caxton's amall device. Tho book
was quite perfect, and had an tnocription at the
end of tbo “Capitnla prime partis” ia tho fol
lowing words: This Boko belonged! to Dame
Jhouo Sowell Lyotor in Lyon, Pfossod tho ycre
off onro Saluation a thousand and ayxo (fyvo?)
hundrotb; ” also, her autograph, and sundry
prayora in her handwriting. It appears to
bavo belonged subsequently to Shore Chartct
House. It was sdld for .£IOO.
THE OU{LOOK.
To the Editor of The Chicago Tribune-.
Sin: At tho close of tho lato 'War, Qod.
Grant was a representative man. Ho had been
successful in putting down ono of tho moat
formidable rebellions that modern times havo
over witnessed* and, had ho been contented wilfc
his career os General and retired to private life,
bis namo would havo pone down to posterity
orownod with honors, ana ho would always havo
retained his place % tho hero-worshiping senti
ment of tho people. But with this ho was not
satisfied. Tho country at largo, in its worship
of him and its gratitude toward him, was not
willing to stop short of conferring upon him tho
highest oilico in tho Republic, and ho, not yot
satiated with ambition, was willing to accopt it.
110 has boon President for six years 5 and, look
ing over tho state of affairs to-day, what is tho
record of his statcsmaunbip ?
It is not only In Louisiana that a disaf
fected feeling prevails, but a general complaint
against tho Government has extended from
Maino to California, and from Minnesota to
Mexico. Our Legislatures and onr Municipal
Governments aro tho hotbeds of corruption,
which aro sending their poisonous influences
through every portion of tho body politic, until
our nation is becoming bo contaminated with
disease that it must bo spoodily cured, or disso
lution will bo tho result.
Tbo Government must bo uphold; but sup
poao jfc is not worth upholding. Then it must bo
made worth}* of support. Hut tbo question Is, lie w
can this bo accomplished ? To which tbo answer
naturally comoo, By selecting wise and good
mou as officers. It is a very easy matter to say
how it can bo done; it is something liko tho la
bor question.—an oasy thing to talk ami writo
about; but, whoa it comoa to tho practical solu
tion of tho problem, who is equal to tho task?
The lifo of a farmer is comparatively monot
onous, peaceful, and quiet, aud exposed to few
temptations. jV. tiller of tuo soil may bo a good
man, possessed of all tho virtues infioront in
human uaturo, and ho may oxort a largo amount
of iuUuouco among his brothor-farmora, and iu
tho community In which ho resides; and, for bit
excellent qualities, iio may bo selected to repre
sent bis district in tbo legislative balls,—bis con
stituents having full faith in him to bcliovo he
will conscientiously perform bis duty. But, re*
moved from his quiet avocation, and placed
among shrewd politicians, greedy for place aud
power, somo faculties iu tbo man which
lay dormant within him while he
was an agriculturist, aro now call*
od into play. lio succumbs to temptation,
and becomes tho wiliest politician of thorn all.
Tho same may bo said of all tho different avoca
tions of lifo. It is impossible to toll what course
a man will tako iu a certain position, until bo baa
boon placed tboro and had a fair trial.
“ Ro-oloct everybody,” io tho watchword of tho
party in power. Why ro-eloot everybody? Xu it
to cover up some corruption which is too glaring
to bo submitted to tbo public ? Or is it to per
petuate tbo present party, who aro eager fox
more spoils ?
If ihopooplo aro wise, they, will ro-olcct only,
tboao who havo proved themselves to bo Incor
ruptible and truo to tho interests of their coim--
try, while they will elect now men. and give
them a trial, am! then ro-olcct them if they havo
manhood sufficient to withstand tbo strain that
will bo brought to boar upon thorn to induce
them to soil themselves for gold.
Aloro men will attend the polls at tho next
election than havo done so for years before ;
they are waking up to tho responsibility of vot
ing, with tho duties it involves, and tho neces
sity of guarding tho ballot-box ; and those who
havo not voted for a long time will. do so now,
and, at tbo same lime, watch closely to sco that
no surreptitious votes are deposited. Tbo people
are rousing to a souse of danger. Tbo .troubles
of Louisiana may spread to other States. Fi
nancial difficulties, stagnation of trado, lack of
employment for tbo poor, and tho general em
barrassment of tho affairs of tbo rich, make tin
outlook a gloomy ono.
Tbo preliminary mootings ought to bo hold at
somo other placo beside a saloon. It can- hnrdh
bo expected tho nominee of drinking mou will he
well calculated to administer tho affairs of the
nation with honesty and dignity. If men will
do tboir duty, first at tbo caucus, thou at tbo
polls, and not bo hoodwinked by political douia.
goguos, brighter days may await no.
Mas. M. D. Wvskoor.
TUB OLD, OLD STORY.
On blooming valo »nd upland swell
The hazy light of evening foil,
Ami on tho dim woods’ autumn-crown,
With silent lapse, a flood camo down
Of sunset-light.
Two lovers watched (ho day’s slow flight,
Aud tho swift coming of tho night :
But, hand In hand,'they lingered still
To boo tho moon riso o’er the hill,
Dispelling gloom.
And. ’ncalb that pale orb's witching spell,
That mon aud maidens know so well, 1
In whispered accents there was told
That story, bony, and yet so old, .
Of Love’s owcot dream. 0, If. i?.
Farming* under DlfflcnlUesi
Prom the Golden (Col.) Trameriat,
The formers in tlio vicinity are having a picas
nut time notv. At daylight they got np and ex
amine tho lioloa around tho corn-hllla for cut
worms} thou smash coddling moth larva) with a
lioo-hamllo until breakfast. Tho forenoon Ui
devoted to watering tho potato-bugo with a so
lullon of Taris green, end, oftor dinner, all
hands tun) out to chase with flail and broom tho
festive grasshopper. In tho evening a favorite
occupation is silting on tho fence figuring hmv
much they would havo made hud it not boon for
tho bugs { and, after a brief season of devotion
at the uhrluo of tho idnlft-fiylng cloopioia.nl)
tho folks roliro ami sloop soumlly till Aurora
xuddoim tho oast and tho grasshoppers Holds
against tho window-panes, mid summon thorn tc
tho labors of another day.
9