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TO ERIN
TO ERIN »wt^ean dear isle of my birth, ^h«wjbounds light in the gladness of mirth ^here sun»Sine and shadows alternately blend, ^*onnd the high soul that no bondage can bend! What rapture awakes in my home-smitten breast, As j mount thy blue hills, looking wide o'er the West! Vhila the mantle of Beauty falls lovely and bright O'er all thy green bosom, soft swelling in sight. Sow calmly thy mountains look down on the sea, hon»e of the gifted, the generous, and free Where the pure breath of heaven wafts health to thy shore, And the spirit that loves thee could dwell evermore Where still o'er the stream of thy sorrow and wrong, *he heart of thy minstrel beats fearless and strong, **• he turns to thy star, rising bright o'er the brine, ^»d links every hope of his bosom to thine. land 'midst the beauties that gladden the heart, man taught the tears of thy children to start the torch that illumines the path of the free ~l*8od bright o'er the world, but looked dimly on e 7*° Liberty's spirit awakes from her sleep, moves in her might o'er the land and the ae p S-»d piercing the shadows of far distant years, ^ooka down on thy shores like an angel in tear Oh, pure be her light as the blush of the Mom, J< the Whings of Hope from thy Aliens are borne A-4 light b. her footsteps on mountain and glen, calmly she smiles on the dwellings of men Jhen the bard, and the patriot, whose spirits of fire Burn on through the clouds of detraction and ire, blend the bright flame of their love o er thy path, And light thee toglory from darkness and wrath.
VARIETIES.
VARIETIES. More light!" wera the last words of Goethe. The tun shone brilliantly into the room where Humboldt died, it is reported that his last words addressed to his jj|6ce, were—" Wie herrlich diese Strahlen sie scheinen Erde sum Bimmel zu rufen [How grand these ft)l they seem to beckon earth to heaven.] IIOOKS. Above yon group of elms, the rooks are caw- 2* in a dreamy sort of way now wheeling in a circular jfylt about their nests, to which they appear to be P"Uing the finishing touches, and now dartmg off in •ift flight on some sudden impulse, and now as sud- '•Oly returning with some sort of intelligence, com- municated by pronouncing a caw" in three syllabes, •* only a rook can do it. For so large a number of nests, there seem at this moment to be very few birds the i**w>n is, that most of them are out foraging for food. Paring the building time they have fed rather scantily, l^t taking what fell in their way while they hurried on Jith their work now they are making up for it: if you down in the valley to the right, where Ned Carter ploughing, you will see a hundred and fifty of them ♦v leas* following the share, and pecking away as fast as heads can wag up and down at the worms^, grubs, *"d Snails turned up by the iron. They don t care a traw for Ned or his boy, whom they seem to consider, 'fid probably do consider, as working for their special they hop about under the horses' legs, they **it the opening of the furrow, keeping pace with the as it parts the soil, and, plunging their beaks into Jhe chasm as fast as it is made, gobble up their victims V thousands. In this way they decimate the slugs and Attain of the fields to a most extraordinary extent, and repay to the iarmer the loss they occasion him by abstraction of sec? from the ground, when they take ttf'y"iarimiccv WB.-AS Peri wAs the great parliamentary mid- ^•*an, Mudie is the great literary middleman. The 1titteworld of authors and the wide world of readers &like regard him with '1 we; nay, even the sacred of ^Wishers have been known to kiss the he_m of his gar- ««*nt8 and to invoke bis favour. He^ is the mighty of books that are good enough to be rea^ b "ot good enough or not cheap enough to be bought. He the Apollo of the circulating library. He is the tenth Muse—the Muse of the three-volume novel. He is the tutocrat of literature. Week by week and month by 1bonth he announces in various journals and magazines all the books which ought to be read and authors run over the list with trembling to see whether Mr. Mudie their volumes worthy of mention, an P ^ased 2,500 copies or only 200. There are cases Wdeed, in which a publisher, before he will condescend to treat with the author, must first take counsel wuh ^fudie, whose bookshelves are a kind of literary baro- teeter, showing the class of works that have been suc- Oeftful, the class that gluts the market, the class that Nobody reads, and the class that everybody devours. To tO unknown to Mudie is to be unknown to fame; to baak in the smiles of Mudie is to put on immortality, Ind. feel all the future in the instant.-Times. HUMBOLDT.—The peculiarities of mind which made a courtier have not been without very sensible wa believe, incalculably useful effects upon science, intellectual progress, and even morals. In the actual lelni-barbarou8 state of the world, it is not to be denied that Humboldt's acceptance in the class of society con- templated by the Almanac de Gotha has materially Msisted in giving currency to his ideas; but that is the tojallest effect of his position. It is absurd to treat Hum- boldt as a timeserver; he is altogether a man so singular tint he belongs to a class of exceptional. He stood •lone, not only in combining the faculties of detail and generalization, or the offices of philosopher and chamber- in, but in some other things. He not only died un- urried, but he is amongst the very small list of those Inent men who are supposed never to have formed, in shape or kind, what is called "an attachment;" as ^liam Pitt is only suspected of such a thing; and it is °ttrious coincidence that Newton belonged to the same fUss. Total devotion to the work in hand appears to animated Humboldt, whether m Court notes or in the pursuit of Court m wrlt* log notes of Tartarean steppes and South American titers, or pursuing the etiquette of the Kosmos. But Combined with these gigantio powers of observation, of dejoripUo^d,hdeUS„°ieT»*, til. conctoll* lo it. warrant which be cooMi.ed biro.elf to hl jL worked out. Hence, probably, that omission of ftw. i M^.nnhv which caused a smile in the circles." j?_ Pml080P one ]arKe negative characteristic of his Shue, no double their circulation and adoption S™, f k„a more po.iti.o deductions would the P»ti« P°rti™ »f "ri,i°S ««Te prerented. But tne ? sive complete, and re- onl^ had the more great example of in- P*oduoU*e acceptance while j Kfluence in choking {•llectual abnegation has had US d na. ^tolerant dogmatism on «« sides, do*-an example Uwn Of the sceptic as well as of the 0^ Thig regult *U the more powerful for not standings10" hts already had the most marked and healthy effect m Relieving scientific enquiry and discussion oi fcrmidable obstruction which had hitherto burtnenea their progress. — Spectator. SASCPEX. JOHMOW'S HAUNTS—He had lived in Wnodstock-street, Hanover-square, far away from prin- ters and taverns in the Strand, at the Black Bov oppo- site the Adelphi; in Fetter-lane, that grir? defile* • ^the Golden Anohor, Holborn-bars at Staple Inn at Grav>s Si and at number seven, JohnsDn s-court ln Sp,ace Which did not derive its name from him. iived doctor, with blind Miss Williams on the ground Mr Levett his pensioner, in the garret, and below C'joh^on's i'tudyfand untidy, ill-bound, but we„ *Hd, folios, Here he read, and wrote, and P wi,h ^ote light and air than previously in the Temple. Hera, often paced up Boswell, bis staring eyebrows Tohed. his mouth protruding, his double chin swaying. Often, indeed, by day and night I fancy I see in thedn- tance that burly and sturdy ghost. In Covent-garden, ♦here on «»ne occasion he strolled with some rakes wno k»d knocked him up in the Temple for a morning frolic, and astonished the nurserymen by helping them to un- pack their cabbages; in Leicester-square, where he used to visit Reynolds; in Clerkenwell, where he went to see the Editor of the Gentleman's Magazine, at St. John's- Sateway in Salisbury-square, where he used to visit Aiohardson, the printer and novelist, and where Hogarth, ^earing him denounce the cruelty with which the Jacobites were treated, and judging from his rolling eyes and frothing moutb, took him for a madman. There is 110 name, indeed, more deeply associated with the streets 0{ London than that of Dr. Samuel Johnson, who has bean wandering to-night, like a tax-collector's ghost toing the rounds,Dicken", "ÂlI th tYear Round," BIRDS, INSECTS, AND FLOWERS IN MAT. Many^ of the later birds ot passage now arrive. During the first week the swift appears, the largest and latest of the swal- low tribe, and on almost every sunny evening may be seen, sweeping in circles through the air with miraculous fleetness, and uttering its wild shrill cry, the sure har- binger of fine weather. About the same period appears the landrail, that curious bird which is continual!y giving forth his harsh Crake, crake," in the long grass of meadows. The habits of this bird are very interesting. During the month of May the nightingale is in full song. Much has been said, but not too much, of it. In power, variety, and sweetness of tone, it is unrivalled. The nightingale is certainly the Jenny Lind of the bird-world of song. In Surrey, Berkshire, and several other coun- ties, the woods ring nightly with their notes northward they are rarely heard. The rich voice of the garden warbler, the mellifluous warble of the blackbird, the clear, loud polyglot of the blackcap are now heard. Hedgerows, green and vigorous, are now enlivened with many a note. The wren and the chaninchpipe their merry lays, and over their branches the whitethroat jerks hither and thither in zig-zag flight, or from Some twig's-end borne, Pours hymns to freedom and the rising-morn. About the 20th of the month appears our latest migrant, the spotted flycatcher-a small, quiet, unobtrusive bird, which frequents orchards, gardens, and homesteads. He stations himself upon a post, rail, or other object, and as a fly passes by him he darts off, captures it, and again returns to his watching-post. These actions are repeated every few minutes. Several curious or choice insects now come forth, and add much interest to our daily walks by their appearance and manners. The little glowworm lights her lamp for the first time in the mea- dows-the delicate May-fly rests lightly upon some sunny stream-the dragon-fly flits over the still pool, and the orange-winged butterfly flies from field to field. Everything seems flushed with life. Frequent as are our rambles in field and woodland, on each occasion we discover an old friend with a new face. The fallows which, a short time ago, were brown and berbless, are now greened over by up-springing corn; and the mea- dows wherever « laid" tor mowing, will soon be ankle- deep in wildflowers. Field daisies still make a showy appearance on the banks of slreams-not sprinkled or sown sparingly over the sod, but in many parts literally snowed over it. And bow sweetly stands the cowslip at intervalls in the grass, hanging its head in pensive atti- tude, as if ashamed to meet the bold glance of the gazing sun. Many other plants covet notice at this period. The orchis pushes up its curious flowers in the mea- dows—the germander shows its vest of blue upon the banks- and the yellow crowfoot, in many pastures, makes the ground a-glow with gold. In some districts that ele- gant little favourite, the lily of the valley, peeps modestly from shady nooks, or from the banks of pools. The chesnut puts fonh its wax-like clusters. Now, also, bloom the mouse-ear, the field-rush, the white star of Bethelehem, saxifrage, thrift, creeping crowfoot, monks- hood, and numerous other wildlings. The woodbine is a charming object, trailing its elegant festoons over the branches of hedgerows, or the bushes in wood. In hilly and mountainous districts the broom—" the lang yellow broom" of Burns—lets fall its hair over rock and heather; and By the meadow trenches blow The faint sweet cuckoo-flowers. — Mr. J. Briggs, in the Field.
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WHERE NEXT?—A short time ago a torn tit com- menced building its nest in the letter-box at the sub post-office at Ilorstead Keynes, a village near East Grin- stead. The post-mistress soon ejected this intruder, and removed the nest materials from the box, but the coura- geous bird was not to be put aside from its purpose, for it again entered by the aperture, and again began to build. Its perseverance this time was rewarded, for it was determined that, provided this resolute tenant did not mind the annoyances it would be subjected to in such an abode, it might be allowed to carry on its work. Well, the nest is completed, and three eggs have already been deposited. What makej this novelty still more novel is the fact that the letter-box is not fixed in the window cs is usual, but is attached to the office door, so that the box, nest, and all is swung to and fro every time tbe door is open. DEATH OF COMMISSIONER YEll. — The celebrated Mal,d,rin, Yeb, ditd in Calcutta on the evening of the 9th ult. During the last three weeks he had been ailing, snd has become subject to sudden relapses, from which he, however, was easily restored, nor did he complain of anything in particular, so that it was impossible to guess what may have betn the cause o Jdeatb. "He was jolly to the last (says the Hurkaru) and retained his genuine Cnrtse type of stoicism. So far lioni suflenng from ion.junction of conscience, for having at the veiy lowest computation beheaded 100,000 lellou-creatures, bis i>i.ly regret seems to have been his inability to taka the liyeft of aU the rebels and their kindred..
MUSIC, LITERATURE, AND ART.
MUSIC, LITERATURE, AND ART. There has been an endeavour made by Mr. E. T. Smith to get up a testimonial to Kean, which he wi3ely n'rttoo ratner uf fessional to the other, and Mr. Kean well knows that the public in general have a greater respect and a higher appreciation of his talents than can be put into a claret j"g- Among the literary announcements, one has just ap- peared which is sufficiently novel to deserve a passing word of notice. It is an illustrated volume of accounts of pedestrian excursions in Switzerland, by members of The Alpine Club." What is the Alpine Club? It is an association in London, chiefly composed of lawyers, clergymen, literary men, and the like, whose occupations are usually sedentary, and who have chosen Switzerland as the scene of their annual recreation. Do not think you can get admission among them by a trip to the Rigi, or a saunter over the Gemmi." No; their title is not a mere sham, The Travellers." You must be able to show that you have done some good work amongst glaciers and over high Alp passes before the robust fra- ternity will have anything to do with you. Year after year they throw away the pen, break off the article, dash down the brief, to explore, at the risk of their lives, the most perilous portions of the Alpine country. Air. M. W. Balfe has composed music to the lines Riflemen, form," by Alfred Tennyson. The Emperor Napoleon has ordered a statue of Alex- ander Von Humboldt to be erected in the gallery of Versailles. The New York musical journals report that tne Mendelssohn Union had performed twice, the Oratorio Eli, music by Michael Costa; and achieved with the work quite a success." We hear from Boston that Professor Agassiz required 500 subscribers to secure the publication of his work on the Physical Description of North America, of which each copy will cost 120 dollars. After a very short time 3,000 subscribers were found, so that from this side no obstacle stands in the way of this eagerly-expectod publication. The monument for the late Queen of Belgium, which the town of Oatend has offered to her memory, has al- ready been erected in the Church, and is shortly to be solemnly uncovered. The group is executed by M. Franklin, and consists of three figures the Queen lying on her death-bed, the crown gliding from her hand an Angel reaching the palm to her; and a female figure kneeling at her feet, representing mournful Belgium. The figures are more than life-size. GIBSON THE SCULPTOR AT ROME.-As we pass Gibson's studio let us look in. The English sculptor never grows older—there is the vigour of youth still in all that the earnest and simple-minded lover of Art says and does. His beloved Venus is at last packed up and sent to the owner, with the condition that it shall never be sent to that dirty hole the Royal Academy." Another copy, just finished for the Marquis of Sligo, is to remain a year in the studio. A graceful nymph holding a child high in her arms is now under the modeller's hands; also an excellent likeness of the Maharajah Dhuleep Singh. Our young Prince, whose kind and courteous acts will long be remembered in Rome, one day mentioned to Mr. Gib- Son that he WitS going to be photographed. May I express a wish to your Royal Highness to have a copy ?" asked the sculptor. Is there one of you?" said the Prince in reply, "we will make an exchange; I will give you my likeness for one of yourself." The collec- tion in the various rooms reminds one of a gallery of antiques, so truly classic are the bas-reliefs which estab- lish the artist's claim to be regarded as one of the greatest since the Greeks. Mr Gibson has lately received a tri- bute from the King of Bavaria, which is gratifying to his country as well as to himself. King Louis is perhaps the best judge and the greatest lover of Art among the patrons of it now living. During his visits to Rome for a period of forty years, he has never failed to ask two artists every day to dine with him—Wyatt, Penry Williams, and Tibson have all been honoured in their turn, and their t dios regularly visited. Three years ago the King k d Gibson, when in his studio, for his bust, saying that ? A it for a special purpose, and he had a cast he wanted 11 t/M(jnichi Last Monday Professor en and „t)on the sculptor, and told him he was d T » to gi» bio, hi. kbd regard- ? J ujm that he had erected a marble statue ofSi\n {he GWptolhek- Thorwaldsen, Tenerani, and Raueh are his companions, and the niche on the opposite aide are reserved for the statues of the sculptors of antiquity. Thf}J evidence3 of esteem for the disciples of Art aro as honourable to these princely and enlight- ened patrons as they are gratifying to the artists who receive them.- D e gra f tLe Athenmum. Oorrespondent 0 ,,(1.
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A PUZZLE. We ( Carnarvon Ilerald) find the follow- ing extraordinary announcement in the Bangor paper of last week.- Every paper we sell at 4.ld. costs us 8d." The North Wales public, especially the Tory section of it, cannot fail most highly to appreciate this self-imposed martyrdom (or Martindom) of this patriotic and benevo- lent journalist. Can any of our juvenile readers, versed in rule of three tell us how much he sacrifices an- nually for the good of his species
SHOCKING MURDER AND ROBBERY.
6 DESTRUCTIVE STORM IN THE RED SEA.-The follow- ing is an extract of a letter from Captain Caldbeek, of the Peninsular and Oriental Company, dated 4th May A terrific storm of thunder, lightning, and rain, burst upon Aden on the night of the 30th April and morning of 1st May. It lasted in its full strength three hours. There are 187 stone houses in ruins, nearly all the cis- terns destroyed, great portions of the roads swept into the valleys by slipping off the mountain sides, up to this date no communication between Point and Camp by wheeled carriages, and enormous quantities of grain and food swept into the sea. Our debash, Cowasjee Dimshay, had a stone house over a mile from the sea, containing 145 sheep in the morning not a vestige was to be seen. Between 20 and 30 persons were drowned in places where it was thought the waters could never reach. The damage is estimated at between £20,000 and £ 30,000 sterling. The company's property is unharmed." EXTRAORDINARY ESCAPE.-One of the most remark- able instances of preservation in imminent peril that has ever occurred in the North of England, took place at the Keld Head Lead Mine last week. It appears that the "inspector" had occasion to enter cne of the mines and descended two or three shafts. Having completed his survey, he started on his return to the mouth of the mine, but was somewhat surprised at not perceiving any of the workmen he had passed on his way to the interio,. This surprise deepened into alarm when he arrived at one of the shafts where he had usually been drawn up, and found that it, too, was deserted. He continued, how- ever, to scramble up to the next higher level. Arrived there, to his horror and consternation, he saw at a short distance from him a train of gunpowder laid for the pur- pose of blasting the very spot on which he stood. The match was lit, and the insidious spark was rapidly scin- tillating towards the powder, which would in another moment have scattered the ore into a thousand atoms and hurried every one within the mine into eternity. Happily, however, his presence of mind did not forsake him, and seizing the fatal match he cast it far beneath just in time to save his life, for bad he been a moment later he would most iuevitahly have been killed. The workmen were, of course, not aware of his being in the mine, and, after tiring the train, had left it to avoid the effects of the explosion. VALUABLE BIBLICAL MANUSCRIPT.—The Bulletin of the 30th of April contained an account of the very im- portant discovery made by Professor Tichendorf in a convent at Cairo of an ancient Greek Bible manuscript. We have since received from a friend at Berlin some further particulars, supplied by a letter written by Tich- endorf himself, on this most interesting subject. The convent in which the literary treasure was found is situated at the foot of Mount Moses, and the Professor states that it is quite as interesting as the celebrated manuscript in the Vatican, on account of its antiquity, its extent, and its handwriting. Nay, it possesses qualities which must give it a still higher rank and a still greater importance in Biblical literature. It contains in the first place, very considerable portions of the Old Teatament-namely, the principal part of the greater and minor prophets, the Psalter, the Book of Job, that of Jesus Sirach, the Wisdom of Solomon, and several others of the so-called apocryphal books. After these come the whole of the New Testament, followed by the Epistle of Barnabas and the first portion of the Shepherd of Hennas —a writing of the second century, of doubtful Apostolical authority, the Greek text of which was till lately supposed to be lost. Tichendrof has caused a careful and revised copy of 132,000 lines of the manuscript to be made. lie concludes his notice of the discovery with tire foHowine words:—"The Vatican manuscript tiaa uueu nuowli *nui—juO years Derore tfte long oTierisnea desire for its publication was satisfied. Instead of so many centuries, it will, perhaps, require only as many years to enrich our Christian literature with this newly discovered and most valuable treasure." PREPARATIONS IN AMERICA FOR THE RECEPTION OF MR. MOllPHY.-Present indications prove that, what ever route Mr. Morphy shall choose to pursue, from New York to New Orleans, a continued succession of ovations awaits him. The New York Club give him a banquet and a set of gold and silver chess-men, accompanied by a board of corresponding beauty and costliness. The njgn represent tWo armies, exquisitely carved and chased in the most precious of metals. The board is a solid piece of ebony, the white squares inlaid with pearl the arms of the city, the inscription, and other ornaments, inlaid with silver. Among the subscribers to the fund are the names of the most prominent citizens of the commercial metropolis while a few of his personal friends, in the same place, have provided for him a valuable gold watch, of which the dial and case are elegant specimens of American art, and are covered with appropriate emblems of the game, in the practice of which he has achieved such high and deserved honours. Beyond, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Cincinnati are already taking steps, we understand, to welcome Paul Morphy home. It is probable that he will remain some two or three weeks in New York before starting for the South. —New York Chess Monthly. M. KOSSUTH ON THE TREATIES OF 1815.-These last forty-four years of Italian life, with their groans, with their ever-growing hatred and discontent, with their ever recurring commotions, conspiracies, revolts, revolution, with their scaffolds soaked in the blood of patriots with their horrors of Spielberg and Mantua, and with the chafing with which the words Out with the Austrian" tremble on the lips of every Italian—the forty-four years are recorded in history as a standing protest against those impious treaties. The robbed protested loudly enough against the compact of the robbers. Yet, forsooth, we are still told the treaties of 1815 are inviolable! Why, I have heard it reported that England rang with a merry peal when the stern inward judge, conscience, led the hand of Castlereagh to suicide; and shall we, 1859, be o ered the sight of England plunging into the incalcu- lable ca amities of a great war for no better purpose than to uphold the accursed work of the Castlereaghs, and from no better motive than to keep the accursed house of Austria safe? Inviolable treaties, indeed! Why the tort}-lour years that have since passed have cribbled those treaties like a sieve. The Bourbons, whom they restored to the throne of France, have vanished, and the Buonapartes, whom they proscribed, are restored. Two changes-the transformation of Switzerland from a con- federation of states into a confederated state, and the in- dependence of Belgium have been accomplished in spite of those treaties, to the profit of liberty; but for the rest, the distinctive feature of the cribbing process through which those treaties have passed is this, that every poor plant of freedom which they had spared has been up- rooted by the unsparing band of despotism. From the republic of Cracow, poor remnant of Poland, svallowed by Austria, down to the freedom of the press, guaranteed to Germany, but reduced to such a condition ttat in the native land of Guttenburg not one poor square yard of soil is left to set a free press upon everything that was not of evil in those inviolable treaties has been trampled down to the profit of depotism, of concordats, of Jesuits, and of benighting darkness. All these violaticns of the inviolable treaties were accomplished without England once shaking her mighty trident to forbid it; and shall it Le recorded in history that when the object is to drive Austria out of Italy, when the natural logic o: this un- dertaking might present my own native lanl with a chance of that deliverance to which England bade God speed with a mighty outcry of sympathy rolling like thunder from John o'Groats to the Land's End-that de- liverance for which prayers have ascended anl are still ascending to the Father of mankind from millions of British hearts-shall it be recorded in history tint at such a time, that under such circumstances, Englanl plunged into the horrors and calamities of war-nay, that she took upon herself to make this war long and universal, lor the mere purpose of upholding the invio ability of rotten treaties, those highwaymen compacts, in favour of despotic, priest-ridden, bankrupt Austria, good fcr nothing on earth, except to spread darkness and to ferpetuate servitude}—Speech at London Tavern. IMPROVED REVOLVER.—Messrs. Deane and Son have lately submitted for the approval of the milittry autho- rities a jnuch improved revolver, the internal neehanism o w ich lessens the intricacy of the action, and by a very simple arrangement locks the hammer and cylinder in such a manner when not in use as to do away with the chance of accident. The improvement is termed the Deane and Harding patent, and among other valuable simp I cations, has one by which almost instantly the cylinder and barrel can be separated from the stock for the purpose of cleaning. A powerful lever ramrod acting yertically on the bullet, in also addod. THE TOMB OF A CELTIC CHIEFTAIN.—A very inteI- esting discovery has been recently made at the very galeS of Paris-viz., the tomb of a Celtic chieftain, interred more than 25 centuries ago, with the remains of his wife, his horse, and his armour, in the peninsula of St. Maur- les-Fosses. The spot is now called La Varenne-Saiut Tilaire, and other discoveries lately made there seems to reveal the existence of Celtic city of some importance in former times. This tomb, placed at a depth of barely 30 centimetres below the surface of the vegetable soil, which extends to the depth of more than a metre in this place, consists of two very distinct portions, the cromlech or consecrated enclosure, and the tumulus or tomb, placed in the interior, and enclosing the two human bodies and that of the horse. Near this part of the tumulus is en- closed two skeletons, in a very tolerable state of preserva- tion, lying on their faces, the heads being slightly turned towards the south-east. That on the left side, the body of the warrior, was placed in a very regular position, the head resting between the two hands; the jaws were furnished with nearly all the teeth, 25, of a beautiful whiteness, with the enamel preserved. Near to him was found an arrow-head of bone, also a lance formed ot deer's horn part of a handle in oak, or fragment of a shaft, which by age had lost all weight, and had the appearance of cork. At the left of the interior of the cromlech, on several stones, placed no doubt for the purpose, were found the other arms of the chieftain, com- prising a hatchet, or tomahawk, of polished flint, with a circular sharp edge, and a hole through it for a handle an arrow or javelin head a broken knife, which, all of white flint, had lost their transparency owingtothe effects of violent heat. Some fragments of pottery were also discovered, half burnt, and presenting all the characteris- tics of the earthenware of the same period which has been found in many other places. At the right of the warrior, and in contact lay the skeleton of his wife, in very much the same position, but still with some slight difference as to posture. Younger than the former, she must have been consigned to the tomb after a violent death. This curious monument has been presented by M. Legay, the architect who discovered it and made the exravations, to the Minister of State, to be placed in the Museum des Thermes in the Hdtel Cluny.-The Builder. DISCOVERING WATER BY THE DIVINING ROD.—A correspondent of the held writes as folio vs .—Some years since this subject engaged more of public attention than now, and some years back it fell in my way to be present at several experiments for discovering water by means of the divining rod. The instruments used for the purpose are either a forked hazel-twig or a steel spring a common watch spring has been adopted in the cases under my observation. The modus operandi is as follows, but it should be premised that the individual operating is chosen for reputation of success, for, after all, as will appear presently, the very essence of the work is in some hidden property of the operator himself, which he eannot explain or communicate to others :-All being ready, the operator surveys the ground and produces his mystic wand, which is a slip of hazel, cut close to a fork of two branches, c,ch branch about twelve inches long; an end is grasped firmly in each hand, the hands baing held with the knuckles under, the forked point of the twig projecting horizontally forward. The operator walks slowly onwards, varying his course to theright of left, under the influence, as itappears, of some hidden impulse. Thecompany follow, the eyes of all attentively watching the twig, which appears to be held firm and immoveable. Suddenly the point of the fork deflects, becomes violently agitated, and dips to the earth, in spite of the apparent endeavours of the operator to resist the movement. He then stops, cails attetition:to the irresistible action of the twig, and says, Here is water." The spot is forthwith marked, and the investigation goes on, with similar occurrences, i" other places, all of which duly marked as tb. «oMrfla of Ja rjv autTrrrnCgXTl f MrmT rc fa fur me party beneficially interested to choose the situation most convenient for his purposes to commence works for bringing this hidden spring of water to light. The experiment took place on the estate of a gentleman, where other business had called me. During luncheon the subject of discovering water by means of the divining rod was started, and the wonderful effects and vast benefits which had accrued to the country around dwelt on. Seeing my incredulity on the subject, an immediate ex- pedition for the removal of my doubts was determined upon, and the individual possessing the property was sent for, and forthwith he attended, and I was introduced to a very respectable farmer, whose appearance alone was sufficient to dispel any idea of deception and having declared himself ready for the experiment, all present issued forth. The farmer produced a steel watch-spring in coil, which extending, he held an end in each hand, in a similar manner as already explained with the hazel twig, drawing his hands together so as to force the middle part of the spring forward, and form a bow. As the operator moved onwards the same effects took place, the projecting or bowed part of the spring becoming violently agitated as with the hazel twig. 1 held the spring my- self in the same way the operator did; others present did the same but it was perfectly still and impassive in all our hands. There were several individuals present not more likely than myself to be influenced by any super- stitious feeling. It was suggested by one gentleman present as not improbable that some electrical or other subtle property existed in the individual. CAUTIO.V TO SHIPOWNERS AND SHIPMASTERS.—The French Government have notified, in reply to Iler Majesty's Government, on the application of the Com- mittee of Lloyd's, that Austrian vessels leaving ports of call will be liable to seizure:—"Foreign Office, Mav 19th, 1852.-Sir,-I am directed by the Earl of Malmcs- bury to state to you that Her Majesty's Government have received the answer of the French Government to the inquiries which, as you were informed in my letter of the 10th instant, had been put to them by Her Majesty's Ambassador at Paris, respecting the extent to which Austrian vessels are liable to capture by French and Sardinian cruisers. The first inquiry which Earl Cowley was instructed to make was whether Austrian vessels arriving at ports of call would be allowed to leave such ports for their destination without being liable to capture the second, whether Austrian vessels which have sailed for Austrian or for neutral ports prior to the declaration of war will be liable to capture. The French Government have stated in reply, that as far as France is concerned it cannot be doubted that Austrian vessels would in the cases specified be subject to capture and condemnation in virtue of the general principle of the law of nations, acted upon in England as well as in France, according to which every ship belonging to an enemy met with at sea after the declaration of war is a good prize. It is assumed that the question relates to neutral ports called at for orders, fjince if an Austrian vessel, in ignorance of war having broken out, should enter a French port, she would be protected by the spe- cial decision of the Emperor, dated May 3, which grants safe conduct not only to the vessels of the enemy actually in French ports, but to those also which shall enter such ports in ignorance of the state of war. I am, Sir, your most obedient humble servant, E. HAMMOND. Capt. G. Halsted, R.N., Secretary, Lloyd's." THE LABOUR MARKET IN VICTORIA.-There has been no improvement of late in the demand for either skilled or unskilled labour. The dull season his fairly set in as far as the prospects of those seeking employment. are concerned, and unless the renewed activity oll tl),, different gold-fields creates a demand for labour un- wonted at this time of the year, the difficulty of meeting with engagements will be daily increasing. The neces- sity for new buildings and the other improvements re- quisite where many people flock together, creates a good deal of work for mechanics and tradesmen, and there being now several most attractive localities throughout the country where the miners are likely to settle down in large numbers, and to be well rewarded at their parti- cular business for a considerable time, we may expect that both directly and indirectly the present movements on the gold-fields will have the effect of increasing the work for all classes throughout the winter. This, how- ever, is only a hope as yet, for in the principal towns and throughout most of the interior, we have the same statements constantly repeated, that tradesmen and me chanics are only employed on an everago half their time, frequently, in cases where they are unfettered by trade rules at much less than current rates. There are also many ordinary labourers out of work, including the extra hands employed during the harvest season by the farmers. The usual complaint of a want of servants fit for agricultural work is not even heard. Good country labourers and ploughmen are offering in abundance, and there is no demand except for a few men of the latter class. Experienced house servants, with good refertnees as to character, form the only exception. i best readilj find situations at high wages; even new arrivals if ap- parently fitted for the woik they propose to undertake, ar t quickly engaged,—Melbourne Argus, SHOCKING MURDER AND ROBBERY. We gave last week a few particulars of a most atroci- ous murder and robbery which had been discovered at Ledbury. The vic im was a respectable widow, named Harriet Baker, whose husband died only a few weeks ago, and who since his death has for most of the time been the s Je occupant of a house, part of which is used as offices by Mr. Masefield, solicitor, in the town. On Tuesday night a female friend visited Mrs. Baker and left her a few minutes before 10 o'clock, when she was preparing to retire for the night. She had fastened the doors as usual, and hunjj a bell on the inside of each door to create an alarm if anyone should gain entrance to the house. About 8 o'clock on Wednesday morning the neighbours observed that she was not stirring at the usual time, and threw stones and peas at the window of her sleeping room, which was in the upper part of the house. Failing to arouse her by these and similar means, they became alarmed, and were about to force a way into the house, when one of Mr. Masefield's clerks, named Jones, who lodges next door, produced the key of the back-door, which he said he had just picked up under the office window, having found it lying on the gravel path. Jones was the first to enter the house, and was followed by several other persons. In the sitting- room occupied by Mrs. Baker was a round table on which were a white cloth, a jug with water, a knife, two empty glasses ( which appeared from the smell to have con- tained spirits and water), a candlestick, with candle nearly whole, and some other articles. None of these things were about when the deceased's friend ( Miss Jackson) left, and when the widow expressed her inten- tion of at once going to bed. A silver watch still hung on its accustomed nail over the mantelpiece, and a widow's cap was on the carpet, which was much disturbed, as though there had been a scuffle upon it. On proceeding through the hoase Jones discovered that the upstairs offices ( Mr. Masefield's private room and that of his head clerk) were open, though they had been locked at closing time on the previous evening, and the keys taken, as usual, to Mr. Masefield's house. On pushing open the door of the private room Jopes saw the body of Mrs. Baker lying on the floor, stiaight oil her back, with her feet about a yard from the door. The room was about half filled with a heavy smoke, which did not ascend, but hung in a body together. Some more people came in on hearing the alarm, and a closer inspec- tion showed that a most foul murder had been committed. There was a contused wound on the forehead, from which no blood escaped. The marks of strangulation were plainly observable round the neck, and there was a deeper and broader mark under the right ear, as though caused by a knot. A cord with a running noose and slipknot was found partially under the body. The dark brown liair of the victim was thrown back in wild dis- hevelment; her face was of livid purple, and her eye- balls protruding, but both eyes and lips were closed. The whole of the middle part of the body was charred by fire. The arms were dreadfully burnt, and only the ex- tremities of the feet and the face remained uninjured by the fire. The body had been set on fire after it was laid on the floor, and a piece of newspaper found in the room corresponded with another piece found in the clerks' office downstairs. The office floor was covered with cocoa-nut fibre matting, and this and the boards were burnt through in two large places. The fire was still smouldering when the discovery was made, and creating a horrible stench. From the appearance of the body and its position, which was one in which it could not have fallen naturally, it is presumed that the poor woman was first murdered, then carried into Mr. Mase- field's office and set fire to, in the hope that a conflagra- tion would destroy the evidence of guilt. The mui- dtrier, whoever lie may be. waa evideutiy 'quaiotsil with fir?TiotiseTmcL aTI Its internal arangements, and chose the night after Mr. Masefield had gone to LOIl- don for carrying out his hellish design. He must have been concealed in the house before it was finally closed for the night, for no violence was done to either of the outer doors, and from the backdoor, by which the escape was made, the warning bell was removed and placed in the lower office. It was ascertained that robbery as well as murder had been committed. A drawer in Mr. Masefield's room had been forced, and a desk in the adjoining room. These were the places where money was generally kept. The money stolen amounted to about £ 47 in all. There was a check for £ 11 14s., drawn by Mr. W. Maile on the National Provincial Hank a check for £ 15, drawn by Mr. C. Smith on Webb and Co., Ledbury two Bank of England E5 notes, and X6 or S7 in gold and silver. The secrecy and quietude with which the whole plan was consummated may be imagined from the fact that the people in the next house heard not the slightest noise, and a little girl eight years old, who had been put to bed by Mrs. Baker in her own room about 8 o'clock, slept on unconcious of the horrid business going on but a few yards beneath her. The deceased woman had not been to bed at all that night. She was wholly dressed, and her side of the bed had not been occupied. A post mortem examination wits made on Thursday previous to the opening of the inquest. The medical gentlemen who made the post morlom ex- amination, Mr. Griffin and Mr. Wood, gave their evidence at considerable length. They found the features much swollen and congested, the tongue swollen and protru- ding between the teeth. Strangulation was the cause of death. The blow on the forehead might have produced insensibility, but not death. There were no marks of the body having been violated.
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THE REPORTERS' GALLERY.—There is a piece of good news for Parliamentary reporters. The Reporters' Gal- lery in the llouse of Commons has been fi r some time past inconveniently crowded. This has arisen mainly from the increase in the number of the London daily papers, each of which is, of course, obliged to have a staff of reporters. But, besides this, some of the most impor- tant weekly papers have obtained permission for repre- sentatives there, and on busy nights the pressure in the Reporters' Gallery has been for a year or two past very great. To remedy this evil, the gallery has been length- ened by taking in at each end a bit of the Members' Gal- lery. The Reporters' Gallery, it will be remembered, did not go from end to end of the House, or rather from side to side, but stopped at the Members' Gallery. Now it extends from wall to wall. Of course this extension will shorten the Members' Galleries; but this will not be of much consequence, as the parts taken into the Reporters' Gallery were seldom used by the members, excepting as sleeping berths. These additions willluake room for ten more reporters.-lllustrated Times SOUTH-AFRICAN ANIMALS IN VICTORIA.—Sir George Grey, Governor of the Cape of Good Hope, has offered to present to the Government of this colony, or any pub- he body willing to receive them, a collection of animals now domesticated in his garden at Cape Town. Sir tieorge Grey enumerates the ostrich, eland, koodoo, quagga, bouiebuk, blesbok, wildebest, or gnoo, rheebok, and dwyker, as best adapted for Australia.—Australian and New Zealand Gazette. SUICIDE OF AN OFFICER OF THE ROTALS.—Cornet SUICIDE OF AN OFFICER OF THE ROTALS.—Cornet Augustus John Bourke Fellows committed suicide on Wednesday under very melancholy circumstances. It ap- pears that on the 7th of April a warrant was issued against deceased in a judgment at the suit of Messrs. George and James Duncan, of Edinburgh, debt and costs amounting to R-14. The sheriffs officer, Mr. Saunders, in whose hand the warrant was placed, after several applications, entered into an arrangement by which the deceased paid R5 of the debt, and the sheriffs officer paid the remainder, trusting to Mr. Fellows's honour for payment. This morning Saunders called, by appoint- ment, for repayment of the balance. Mr. Fellowes was then at carbine practice. On his return, about 12 o'clock, he told the sheriff's officer, who met him at the gate, that the money was all right. He then went to the rooms of a brother officer, Mr. Fraser, where he was soon afterwards found on the bed by Mr. Fraser's servant quite dead, with a discharged carbine lying on the floor between his legs. The unfortunate deceased bad shot himself through the head.-Charles Rattery, assisiant- surgeon, Cavalry Depdt, deposed to being called into Mr. Eraser s room, where he found Mr. Fellows lying on the bed with a gunshot wound in the mouth, the anterior part of the sKull being shot away. Witness saw the de- ceased the previous day. when he came into his room and went away again without speaking. He seemed in low spirits, and witness was aware that there were circum- stances which might have induced such a state of mind. The paper produced was i~ his handwriting, and was found by witness in the room. '1 he paper contained the following words rufer, 1 am going to shout myself. I can Lear it no longer. lIe minute, and all is over God bless you. Poor Fan."—Comet iraser said the cit- cumstances likely to depiess deceased, leferred to a lauj to whom he wag engaged.—Veiuict; Temporary insanity;
THE ALLEGED WIFE POISONING…
THE ALLEGED WIFE POISONING AT RICHMOND. At the petty sessions held at the Court-house, Rich- mond, on Friday morning, Thomas Smethurst, described as a surgeon, was again examined, charged with the wilful murder of Isabella Bankea, by administering small doses of arsenic. Mr. Serjeant Ballantine again appeared for the prose- cution, and observed that after the prisoner was appre- hended a large number of bottles found in the houae were taken away and forwarded to Professor Taylor. Among the bottles was one which Professor Taylor found to contain a quantity of chloride of potash, a most des- tructive salt of a highly inflammable nature, and which was used more or less in the manufacture of lucifer matches. 1 ne effect of this substance taken internally would be to act upon the kidneys, produce nausea &c. On further search Professor Taylor found the small bottle, which he (Serjeant Ballantine) held in his hand. I he bottle was one which had been sent to the deceased by Dr. Julius, containing quinine mixture. It now con- tained a perfectly colourless liquor, and on complete analysis, Professor Taylor deduced this fearful result: — fIe removed the chloride of potash by means of warm water, and this having been done, he was able to elimi. nate arsenic from that which was left. This mixture of chloride of potash and arsenic would be pleasant to the taste, and appear similar to a saline mixture, but the effect would be to lodge the arsenic most certainly and fatally upon the coats of the stomach, and the poison would the more quickly become introduced into the system. Dr. Taylor had also minutely examined the stomach and other organs, but he did not find arsenic, nor did he expect to find any after making the discovery of the mixture of arsenic and chloride of potash. It was the opinion of Dr. Taylor that the whole of the symp- toms and details hitherto investigated were those of the administration of poison in regular and continued doses, not immediately acting on the system, but producing sickness, irritation, inflammation, and ultimate mortifi- cation and death. Dr. Julius was next examined at length, and repeated his former evidence. Dr. Bird was then called, and, his depositions pre- viously given having been read over, said he had been 25 years in practice, and had considerable experience in bowel complaints. He was at a loss to account for the symptoms exhibited. It was not dysentery. In casea ef dysentery he should expect to find fever, though there might be a case without it. The deceased was suffering from gastro. enteritis. The symptoms were such as would be caused by taking irritating poisons. Arsenic or antimony would cause them. The deceased made a complaint about her throat in the prisoner's presence. She complained of an uneasy sensation in her throat- she said that it was like a ball in her throat. He had formed the opinion from all he had witnessed that she died from the effects of irritant poison. From the diseases from which she was suffering, neither arsenic nor antimony could with propriety be given in any form whatever. It might be done on the homoeopathic prin- ciple but, in his opinion, it ought not to be given. To the best of his belief, Dr. Smethurst said the deceased had been very much excited on seeing her sister, and he said, "Very well, then she had better not see her." He never afterwards told him the sister must not see her. Professor Taylor said.-I have tested a portion of the contents of the bottle No. 2. I sought for arsenic and antimony, and it exhibited the presence of arsenic. Some bottles were delivered to me by Inspector M'lntyre on the 5ih and 7th of May, amounting to 37, including some packets of medicine. I have exclaimed the whole of them fnr arsiiue and antimony, and (or their general con- I found no arsenic or antimony in any of them except one and the homoeopathic medicine, That one was the bottle marked 21. A bottle marked No. 5 con- tained 355 grains of the chlorate of potash. It is a sort used by chymists for making lucifer matches, percussion caps, and for other detonative purposes. It is occasionally used in dysentery, diarrhoea, cholera, scarlet fever, and other biliary complaints. It is by itself an innocent sort of medicine. When taken in harmless doses its pro- perties are diuretic, and forces itself rapidly into the kid- neys, and would therefore tend to purify the system from all noxious matter. I think if mineral poison were ad- ministered in a mixture of this kind that the surplus would be carried off rapidly. I have never in the whole course of my experience met it in solution with poisons' or heard of poisons being mixed with it. It would dissolve in cold water, but it dissolves more rapidly in warm. I found in the bottle chlorate of potash seven grains to the ounce, which was 1 and 6-10ihs per cent., and there was a grain of arsenic to every ounce. I ex- amined the other bottles of medicine, and found they contained sulphate of quinine, sulphuric acid, prussio acid, chloric ether, and infusion of gentian, and not any one of these substances was in the bottle No. 21. I found that the taste of this bottle was such that no one would be likely to suspect that the mixture contained arsenic, more particularly as the quantity of arsenic was so small that the liquid might be mixed with any kind of food and swallowed without the person being aware of it. W ithout reference to the opinion of medical men, I be- lieve the tffect of giving small doses of this mixture from time to time would be to produce nausea, vomiting, pain in the bowels with purging, and if the doses were con- tinued it would produce chronic inflammation and ulcera- tion of the bowels and stomach, and that the discharges would contain blood and mucous. If these doses were continued the effect would be to slowly lead to death by exhaustion. Dr. Robert B. Todd, of King's College Hospital, said, —I saw Mrs. Smethurst on the last Thursday in April, about 10 o'clock at night. I found her apparently suffering from a great deal of pain, with a very anxious expression of countenance, looking with a terrified look —a very peculiar terrified look, as if she was under some strong influence, and apparently very greatly emaciated. I I examined the abdomen, and found a remarkably con- tracted condition of the abdominal muscles, which ap- peared to me to indicate extreme irritation in the intestines. If I made the slightest pressure on the belly, I found that she resisted immediately with considerable force, which increased the rigid or contracted state of the muscles. She had a very small quick pulse, and evident indications of exhaustion and debility. When I retired from the bedroom I told Dr. Julius, without hearing his suspicions, that it was a case of arsenical or some mineral poison given in small doses. These symptoms were not absolutely inconsistent with the disease described to me but I should say there was some irritant introduced into the system to prevent the diarrhoea yielding to the remedies. Dr. Taylor.-Having heard the evidence, I have no doubt that the cause of death is inflammation, caused by irritating poisons. Taking all the matters into considera- tion, I can only account for death by supposing that it had been the result of antimony and arsenic administered in small doses, and at intervals. The Chairman called on the prisoner to know whether he had anything to say in answer to the charge. Mr. Giffard said, if the opinion of the bench was that his client would be committed for trial, he would reserve his defence. The prisoner was then formally committed for trial,