Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, March 9, 1878, Page 9

LITERATURE. Lecky’s History of England in the Eighteenth Cen- tury. Life and Times of Thomas Becket =The Natural History of Atheism. Benjamin P. Taylor's Last Work--A Dictionary of Music and Musictans. YWhat the Dlind Can Do---Persons Who lave Risen to Eminence Despite of Loss of Sight. Savage Animala in the United States—The Lions and Panthors of Texas and Arkansas, LITERATURE, ENGLAND IN THFE EIGHTEENTIT CENTURY. OrF ENGLAND IN TIIR ElGNT- NTURY, iy Wittiax K Volumen 1.~1L, D. Appleton & Co. ley Mro [¥ I’rrr\'. . Mad Mr. Lecky simoply entitled this, his last great work, ** England in the Eighteenth Cen- tury," the possibility of misapprehending its character beeause of an Imperfect appellation would bave been avolded. By the term bistory the Idea Is ordinarily conveyed of a narrative of eveuts followlng with tolerable strictness the order of thefrsequence. Me. Lecky has notat- tempted to arrange the facts characterizing the period under consideration sfter this manner. e has not alneil ¢ven to present anything like the complete or detalled annals of the era, preferring to omit much pertaining to the military and political life of the nge which, In the cominon practice of the historian, micht have been expected, But he has fnstead, by means of a powerful and vivid delineation of the distinctive influences and circumstances of the time, given 8 most imopressive and stirring pleture of the soclal and intellectual condltion of “England tn the Eightcenth Century.' Thefine schiolarship of the author, his capacl- ty for massing leading facts and discerning the direction and extent of thelr emplre, his power for subtle and fmpartial reasoning and for Ingenious and philosophical Interpretation and {nquiry,are known to the publiche has address- ed In his historles of *Ratlonalism tn Europe,'’ sud of ** The Riso of European Morals.”” These distinguishing traits of the writer are apparent in thu present volutmes, and, added to the charm of aluminous and forcible style, exerclse an frre- slstivlo spell over the mind of the reader. It 1s a sacrifice to turn from the book until the end {s regchied, although fts length precludes the possibility of flnishing it without inter- ruption. The work fs divided Into nino scctions, or chapters. The firat succlnctly reviews the con- ditlon of the two great political parties of Engiand during the reign of Queen Anne; desicnates the relations of the Church to the Btate; amd discloses tho polnts of the greatest wtrengeth and weakness in the course taken by the Government. The second portrays the characteristica and tho privilezes of the arlstocracyy thestate of the commerclal classes aud of the Nonconlormists; and describes the relizious legisiation of the Whius, giving especial prominence to the position n‘; the Catholics. nnd to thesevero laws enacted against them, and exccuted with clreumstances of pe- cullar cruelty fn Ireland. The third chapter saccords o Jargzo spaca tothe ministry of Walpoles to forefizn truubles; and to the abuses of Par- liament. It also describes, with much_striking sud eraphie detaft, tho brutal vises which pre- Yailed among the people and degraded ‘the bigher orders of society the robberles, riots, and * outrazes of the most desperato surt that made the streets of London }mllmu by day and by night in the firt lnlt of the Elghteentli Century' the frightful prevalence of gin-drinking,—'* the master curse of English life, to which most ol thocrfme and an Imumense proportion of the misery of the mation may be sseribed”; the £ross seandal of tho Fleet-strect marriages; and the acts of legislation which reformed this and kindred abuses. Chanter fourth—one of, ver- haps, more geterul interest than aay other {n the category—denits the natfonal tastes and mauncrs ns thoy were displayed in town and country lie, The fitth chapter zives an accountof tho state of affairs in the Enelish Colonfes and in Scot- land, ‘Tho sixth and scyenth scctions—occupy- in the Jarger half of the second volunie, or 8i0 pages—relate tho terrible etory of the wrones and sulferings which Ircland en- dured in those years nt the hands of her merelless conqueror, The marrativo (s od- infrably temperate jn fts tone. It has Dous of the fervent and burning pas- ston which naturally kindles in the heart of an Irishman when repeating the tale ot his nation's AISTORY ERNTIL € anrroLx 1. 9, New Yorl & bitter wi Tho writer, with consummato con- trol of his personal feeling, deals with this portion of England's career in tha Elghteenth Century In tho calm, sobor spisit of the tralned luyestigator of the truths of historv, No bias or projudico is betrayed in the recitaly but there 18 a stern, fearleas, favorless arry of facts, and aquict, absolute delivery of judgment, which tell with tremeudous fored upon tho convietions of the reader. They produce u perfect nssent to thu statement of the author, that, *Of the wavy depressing influences I have notlced in the foregolng pawes, there is, perhaps, no ono that may wot be paralleled or uxcee-fi‘ o tha annals of ather countrics; but it would be difil. tult, In the whole compass of history, to find another festance in which such various and such powerful agencles concurred to degrade the tharacter and blast the prosperity of o nation, That the greater part of thein |&rlmx dircetly {rom the corrupt and scliish Government of Eueland 18 focontestable.” Mr. Lecky docs niot uvold a direct issus with Mr. Froudo at various poluts fu his account of freland's situation. For the most part he treats this distinguished writer with hmpertur- tuble dignity: yet occaslonutly a warm CXpress slon emphatically declures the leht esteem fn Wulclh e holds the latter fn the character of Distoriun, After discussing tha tenor of English legislation upon the question of inarriages in Ireland, he pauses to say: *J regret that this portiun of my narrative should uave as- sumed so polembcul u charscter, The less such u clement coters into history, the better; und 1ahould certainly not have intraduced it but for what appears, to'mo at least, 10 be & very unu- sualamount and malignity of misrepreseatation, o oo By selecting siniply such L8 us are useful for the purpose of blsckeniuge o uational charavter; by ‘omittlug all pallluting - Stauces; by suppressing Jarge classes of facts of & moro creditable d tion, which ieht seryve to Hehteu the picture; by Keeping carchully out of sight the exis s of corre- sbondinge 8 {u other countrles; by painting crimes Lhat were peculiar o the \vrl eat dls- tricts aud th most lawless class as if they were fominon to the whole country and to al) dasse B v ewnploylng all the artifices of a dramatic ¥riter to heighten, in_long, detalled, aud elab- urate pictures, the effect of the crmies commit- on one side, while thuse commlitted on the Other are cithicr wholly suppressed, or are dis- Rlssed In a few vazue, keoeral, und colorless Wiruses; by ussoclating cven the best acts and ¢haracters on one sido'with u running comment tiuvidious insinuation, while the doubtful or stiminal acts on the othier shle are manipulated Wth the dexterity of 1he practiced advocate,— ¥ these wcthwds, and by such us these, it is :m-lhle for a skillful writcr, even without the Mroduction of positive misstatement, 1o carry the art of historical misrepresentation to o bign weree of perfection.?” 5 I’Ir- Lecky opposcs the theory that race or cxhzmn aecounts fur the truits aud tendencies O tuc Irish claracter, In those portions of the Sountry which have played the chief pare (a risb bistors, the Sazon and Scotch elements o vo long Lad ‘an_ascendency over the Celtie, l"-lkl\ ks suffered uvjustly ju Lelus accused of elbcnmmuz the woret defects fu the uationut hn“m sud tastes. Toe influeucs of Catholichin o Howed to Lave been great, and still u‘r uo 'ununnrcu a3 that of the unmitiguted op- go =Alnlun of tho English Government. ‘Fbe fm- g sttion of the penal laws, which crushed the ot uaze and debased tha apirit of the Irish, aud H the comnercisl disabihitics, which destroyed l“eulmluu.ry of the country, far more b 0, &ccurdiug 1o Mr. Lecky's showing, with n;ldfi‘wluvmcfltol tho vices which talut the hm_?‘ull chwracter thau all otber tauscs coms Eugiand's coufiicts With Fra 4 uce,the Miolstry of e conquent of Miuduatas, and tho Gor- elebtl o pukus. furuish tue waterial for the hy thavter of the work; whils the utoth and devoted to au explanation of the fofiu- WHE CHICAGO 'I'RIBUNE: SBATURDAY. MARCH 9, 1878—TWELVE PAGESN. ences which lnlted the theology of England in the Elghteenth Century, It s the argument of the suthor that, by the rise of Methodism and 1ta wide spread among the masses, England wos preserved] from the revolt against Christianity which In Europe threatenea the very foundn- tions of soclety, and in France terminnted in nnnrch* and the fatal excesees of the Revolu- tlon. The movement Inaugnrated by Wesley and Whitefield Is, therefore. described with con- stderable minuteness, and Its effect upon the public intererts of the country, as also upon the me:::j\l condition of the people, is carctully traced, Mr, Lecky has enriched bis work throughout with the fruits of extensive research, and o mul- titude of facts, effectively chosen and of fm- pressive authority, are used at every step to [ive strength and color to his stntements. The absence of an Index Is o serlous detraction from the completencss and uscfulness of the book, and s cause for both surprise and regret. TIIOMAS BECKET, LIFE AND TIMES OF THOMAS BECKET. By Jaxra Axtionr Fuouve, M. A. Now York: Scritmer, Armatrong & (o, Chicago: Tladiey Tiros, & Co. 12mo., pp. 150, Price, $1.50. The recent publication of new materfals for the history of Thomas Becket, the first English- mau seated on the Throne of Canterhury, has incited Mr. Froude to the preparation of a biographical sketch of the haughty and con- tuinacious Prelate whose rebellion ngalnst the wuthority of Ilenry the Becuna ended in his nurder, at the age of 52, in the north transept of the cathedral over which he presided. The carly life of Tlecket Is surrounded with o cloud of ovscure legend, through which but few in- cidents can be descried with accuracy. Iis father, Gilbert Becket, waa a London merchant of some mecans, and his muther was a woman of devout plety according to the standard of the times, Thomas was born in 1117 or 1118, —the cxact date Is uncertain,—and be- cawne an orphan In lis childhood. He was lett, at his father's death, with scanty provision for his future; but a rich relative took charge of the lad and placed hin at school at Merton Abbey, and ofterward at Oxtord. Young Becket was engaging in appearance, having a tall, manly form, a handsome face, o spirited manner, and commanding abllitics. For three yeara he was connected with o busi- nesa-house in London, and then, happening to attract the notice of Theobald,—at that verlod the lncumbent of the 8ee of Canterbury,—he was sent, ot the expense of the Archblshop, to extend his education at tarls, aml fioally to complete it with a course of law at Bolugna, At the conclusion of his studles he wos em- ployed Ly Theobald in sceret wegotiations, In which lie' displaved so wmuch talent that e Archblsliop commended him to the favor of the King, In the second year of Henry's relgn Becket had risen so hizh Iy the sovercign's es- tecm 08 to be made Chancellor of England, He had now reachied the sz of 37, and, in hia new and exalted Imll.(nn. enjoyea tho power, the pomp, and the splendor which four cen- turies luter proved the abare and the ruin of the umbitious Wolsey, For seven years Becket adminlstered the oflice of Chancellors after whilch, at the entreaty of Jlenry, who desired to institute a reform in” the Church, and hoped to find In_his cx-Minlster an_effective ngent fn accomplishing s scheme, Becket acvepted the Archbrnhomlu of Canterbury, By the n- vestiture of this oflice Beeket was Mited into the place of the first Peer of tho realin,~ranking nexttoRoyalty itself,—and was Motropolltanand Primate of All England. An immedlate chango occurred in the demeanor of the man with uls poascasion of this great dignity, and, from belng the head of the State under the King, lie re- vealed the determination, by asseritng the supremacy of the Church. to becomne the head of buth tlieState and the King, Henry was not of a temper to endure so nrro- eant an attitude In one whom he richtfully re. earded os his subject, and on whoin he “had heaped honora without stint, and for cight vears a tlereo strugela for ascendency was carried on between the two men of equally bold and reso- lute will. In 1161 licnry confscated the goods of the Archbishov, and sequestered the revenues of his Seo; whercupon Becket fled to the Con- tinent,~there continuing his opposition to the King, and his totrigues with the Pope, until 1150. In this ycar o hollow reconcillation was effected between the two combataots, nnd Beeket reluctantly returned to England, [lis offensive manners were in no wise altered, how- ever: and, to rid the Kingdom of u troublesome and dangerous element of discord, four Kulghts in the service of the Kiow secretly left .tho Court, made thelr way futo the castlc of the Atclibishiop, and, after’ o stormy futerview, fol. Iowed him Into the nave of thgeathedral, and slew him on Lhe steps of the cholr. Becket had landed In En-land on the 1st of December, and bils death occurred at eventide of the 20th. A thirlll of horror ran through all Englnd when the murder of Becket becams known, for the sacrilege of taking the life of a high Prelute was {ntenslfled by the perpetration of the deed fu the sanctunry of the chul Henry himsell was fillcd with alarm, aud strove to avert the auger of tho Pope h{ ncts of extreme penancy and humiliotion. A host of miracies were ale leged by the superstitions to have been per- formed’ by the Instrumentality of the dead Archbishop, and, twe years after his deceasc, i was canontzed by Pope Alexunder, The history of Becket s related by Mr. Froudo with n deal of circumstantiality. The cor- ruption of the Churen {n his thne, and the de- based condition of tho vlerey, are sketched with un unsparing hand, The author tukes the part of King Heury fu his coptest with un ambitious and unscrupulous subject, and pictures Becket a8 o statesinan devold of futeerity, a pricst de- void of rellgion, whom it was imnossible to cons clllate save by the futal submission of the Btate to the despotlsm of the Churel, ATHEISM, TIE NATURAL UISTORY OF ATHEISM. By Bruant Brackik, Professor of Greek ot tho Univeraity of Edinburg, Now York: Scrib. ner, Armstrong & Co, Chicago: llndicy Bios. & Co, 1imo., pp. 26 Price, 81,00, Tho contents of Vrof, Blackie’s volume do not satisfactorily bear out the promise of the title. A perusal of the several portions into which it Is divided leads to an understanding that the author regards Athelsm as the most ridiculous nousense; that Polythelsm s, in comparison . with it, much morv rational and elevating lu its choracter; that, despite uppear- ances, the great majority of Chrlstendom do retain at heart asincere bellef in God; and that the prominence which materialistie views Lo pussess at the present moment is mere! g natural reaction from an oppusite excess of res ligious sentiment, ‘Tuat ¢ Every soclal state sooner or later be- fl.‘ll its contraricty,” {3 a propositiun which 'rof, Blackic lavs down as of universal validity, All action has a tendency to go to an extrone, oud extremes beget thelr opposltes; hence ft suay be sald, ho argues, that rlgid Urthiodoxy begeta Heterodoxy, and narrow, atern, despotic religlons are the” parents of frvellgion,: And likewise, on the same princlple, u lawless, frrev- ereat, ranpant Athelsim witl sonner or lator give Dirth to a purcr and loftier faith, tuat 1 in it turihave siceudency until it aways 1 be- yond the limlts of moderation and stubllity, In the carly part ol his yolume, Prof. Blackie haa the ale of 8 dozmatic theologlan who dedny 1t not worth his whila to treat the opiuions of Athelsts with serious argunient, but disuisses them, amid o vast purade of long and high- soundlnie words, s utterly vold of seue and reason. Iu the latter part of the treatise hia towe chauges sowewbat, and fo be- comes evhd that, though he bo a declared “Thelst, his fulth {8 far from Evangelleal. ‘Tuo doctrine of Evolutlon is plaly professed, while the dogmas of & por- sl Providence, of eternal punlshiment, and of the etllcacy of speclal prayer, are us clearly de- nied. As ncarly as his position Is fu thistrea. tisa detined, the author uppears tu lean toward Pantheisi, and to regurd the conception ol un external, mechavical, detached, and mtesfering Gaod, as u phantom “of whose existence o wauu Christian Thelat ever dreamed.” I thio course of all this dlscussion, the natu. ral history of Athelsin is not colierently set forth, ‘There {3 a preliudnary wtk upon Pre- sunmptions, followed by o dissertation un the reasunable ground of Thelsin, on the varlelles and cowmon rout of Atactsus, on Polytuclsm, Buddhism, and the Athetsm of reactivn; but, in the whole easay, the subject which we louk o ave eapeclally " claborated fa seautily und obscurely treated, —— BENJAMIN F. TAYLOR'S LAST WORtK. BETWEEN THE GATES. By Bexuawmn T, Tavios, Autbor of *‘Suage ele., etc. With Nlustrations. Griggs & Co. 12w, pu, 2023, The author of the book uamed above has earned reputc by his uncommon powers of imagivation, joined with a siugular afluence and beauty of cxpression. His fancy tecms with original und felicitous visions, which bo hus o rare faculty ol represestiug [u spposite sug picturesque lavguage. flis bature s essen- tlally poctical, and, thourh he way adopt a prose style, it is cmbellished with endless imagery, and 13 so yhytbmical that it falls regu- tarly into measure and cudence, und could with- out’ dittleulty bo chanted or wune. Thers fs dunger of it coylug, like the concentrated secctuess of bumey; but, when ot followed too long, there Is a beguillng wonder and charm in the pertectly-wedded conceit and diction. " Bietween the (intes” 1a a description of a Journcy across the Continent and o the famous boints of resort fu Californfa, It gives no freah information concerning the places visited, hut showa them fn the warm and clowing tight tn whlch a poel looks out on all the world, It is purely for the purpose of seetng how famillar gcenes tiay Le transforned {nto a marvelous and opulent panorama by the rllv of a vivid imagination, that the reader will e fnduced to peruse the volume. ovem entitled *The Overland Train " gracefullv performs the act of introduction, and gives a fair example of the graphic talent of the author. The first atanzas run in the follow. ing casy and exuberant strain: 1. From Ilel] Gate to Gold Gate And thie Sabhath nuhroken, A sweep continental And the Sason yel apnkent Hy seas with no tears In them, Fresh nnd aweet ar Spring ealng, Ry »cas with no fears in then, God's uarmiented plalne, Whera deaerts lie down in the prairie's broad caime, ‘Where lake lluke to lake like the music of psalma. 11 Meeting rivers bound East Like the shadows ni Chastng rivers boum! West 14k the beeak-of-day lizht, Crosang rivers hosd Routh From dead Winter (o Jo From the mardle-old enows Ta perennial noon— Cosmopalitan rivers, Miselseinpl, Miseonrl, That travel the planct like Jordan through' Jewry. 11, Throngh the kingdume af corn, Through the enplres of e, Throngh dominiona of forest Driven the thnndering frain— Throngh fields where God's eattle Afe turid unt 10 prose, And 1ils ponttry whirl up From the wheels as we pass: Throngh level horizons an atill as the moon, With the wilds fast aslcep and the winds n o swoon, MUSICAL DICTIONATLY. A DICTIONARY DF MUSIC AND MUSICIL (A. D, 1450—-1878), By Eminent Write! TR, Ene giixh and Farelen, With Hlustrations and Wooil- cu e dited by Grosoz Uuove. D, Twao V«:’lumen. , L, art b, London: Macmilian & 8vo. By ‘We have in this initial part of a Cyclopedia of Muslc the promise of n work of slgnal excel- fence, and one which has long been required to meet the detnands of those Interested fu the hietory and lterature of n popwlar art. A furge Mst of writers eminent In the practice and culture of Muale are engatted In the production of the worlks, and thelr initlals appear attachul tothe articles they contributs, to ussure both thelr klentity and responsibility. The portion of the Dictlonary now ready for distribution proceeds from the Ietter A to the term Dallad, Tne articles included in this range are carefully and conclsely written, and furnish statistics, gencral information, and cholee eriticism, The work will be completed, we understand, in twelye parts,—forming altogether two octavo volumes of about 600 pazes each. BOOKS RNECEIVED. NO-NAME SERIES, MIRAUE, 'fl{l the Author of “'Kismet." Dostun: Roberts Bros, Chica- [ Jansen, McClurg & Co. 10nio., pp. 340, ice, 81, BISTORY OF WIHITESIDE COUNTY, ILLI. NoIg, FROM 1TS FIRST RETTLEMENT To THE PRESENT TIME, Witn Nuxenovs Dio- GUAPIICAL AND FAMILY SKETC Lidited by Ciantes Bext, Editor of the tesiile Senti- fiel, of Motrison, Il Morrison, 11l $vo., pp. i, VICTORY DEANE: Ax Exousu Nover. Iy Chun Gmieritn. Doston: Loriug. Faper. Price, HO cente, LENA: Tux Sitexr Woxay. By the Aathor of ring. l'aper. King's Boaton: Price, 10 cents, g SUNSHINE OF 80NG: A Conirction or New Boxus, BALLADS, AND Bosas witi Cuonvs; WITIE AN ACCOMPARINENT row THE PIANoronte on Reep Onraay. Doston: Oliver Ditson & Co, 410., pp. 200, LRIODICALYS RECEIVED. v ch—April ty Cope,™ . 8§, Darnes & ¢+ Ttemintecency Thoee of Aloxander lernml. from Ucorgla, al lute Vice-Prostdent of the Bouthern Confederacy **Elements of Natlonal Wealth,*" I1,, by the 1lon, David A. Wolls, of Conuectleuts **The Mexico of tho Mexicans, by momber of Congress by Wil 1% Pritchard, F. It 8., F. A, 8, Lo, Mexlco; **Learned Women of Bologua,” by Madamo Villari, of Ttaly; **The Metnod of Etecting the I'resldent,™ by the llon, Thomas M, Cooley, Judye of the Bupremo Court of Michiuzan, and the Hon, Abram 8, Hewitt, mom- ber of Congress from New York: **Muodern Love," 1L, Bamuel Osgood, B, D., LL.D., of Ni *The Refativn of Morale Ity to Iteliton.” by Prof, A, I% Peabody, D.D.. ., of Harvard Collewe; **Silver I Art, by Edwin €, Taylor, of New York; **Imgerial Federalism In Germany,* 11., by Bare V't llolizendorfl, I'rofessor at the Munieh: **New York and Ita 1listory J. Watts Do Peyater, of New Yorl temporary Literature,! POTTEIRS AMEMICAS MONTHLY for March Wohn E, Potter & Co,, Philadelphia), Contentu: it iilozravhy of Popo Plue IXi*" 3 The Perils of fho Junglei” siAugeln and the Cardinal," by George lluncroft Griith; ** 'reme et Promo Ttemarkable Trun of Facts," in Thres Parts, Part 111, Ly James Hungerford; ** The Loved of the Kingw: Phiifp I, of France, and Hichai de Llon of England,™ by Mrs, 1, I, Dacr: Unrighteous Larguin, " ‘tn Two Parte, Part o B N, ** Bxperiences in Camp and Court, Col, Hoffmans **A Triumph of Art ¢ Threo Nuomics, and the Yosemite Valiey, " by M *An (1d Mald's Reverle,** by flver Linlag:™ ¢ Iiistory of the **A Plea for the Microscope, by I 3.0l Footprints, ‘and Voudou Witeneratt, ™ by, Mea, R T'ucblo Indlans,™ by Ma.’ L. *+Logends of “Shrave Tu o Mustani-Plant . d.3 UHaskine: * W. Powell, U, 5. Jav, " by Josla wtes and Querless™ ¢4 Current Meaio- run ** Literature and Art;" ‘i Acchanics;" Jossin and Note-Book. number tons, BUSINE: :\& S MAUAZINE for March (James I’ Seol leage MOBINSON'S KPITOME OF LITERATURE for March ik AV, RRobinson, Fhiladatphin), BAJ £) TONAL MONTHLY for March New York and Chicagoy, for March (E, 11, lames & AQE--Current numbers 8Ll & Gay, Bastan). Y] fl)lfll.\!M:’ ALMANAC FOR 1878 Weed, Parvons A, B, Darnes & G Llsl‘lfl(i)ln' WORLD E (compiled by Alexandor Mclirids & Loy, publishers, Alban, SPELLING REFORM,. Arthur Gitman in Atlantio Jnthly, Many personsure afrald to countenance the epelling reform Jest tho lstory of the derlvas tion of ur words bo forever lost, and not a few shudder at the thought of chauging the ortho- rrophic aress in which they have been accus- tomedtoread * Paradise Lost ' nnd the Bible. Let us examine cach phasc of the dififculty. It con be shown, In the first ph that -tho present spelling, in mony fnstances, does not {ndieate the reect derivation. “Boverelgn,' for cxample, has no connection With tho verb W relyn, and would becter show ts derle vation und meaning i spelt as Milton spelt it, sgovrun, " for (L {3 allied to the Nalian sorrano, Daland retains the o because of un imagined con- nection with thy Latin fnwswa, wheress it is really derfvea from the old Euglish ea, water, aud {und, land, Here fa a1t of Enelish words from words 1 French contalulng the vowels ou: Soup, tour, French spelling and pronuuclations Journal, eouple, French spelling und English ronunciation; seullry, court, same spetling, Buz a still different pronunclation: “mnv, move, French pronunctation, but a differ- et spellivg; govern, cover, the .su-lllm: and pronunciation changegd; nnerse, {/m lel, cullass, spelling chunzed to correspond with tie changed sound; sloop, poop, trovp, Freuch prouunclation Iudicated by’ English spelllng. It is vlan euough that these six vanations were not brougint intoour orthography by suy methodic- al procedure, but * grow’d,” with o more care than Topsy bad. On th int Prof. Max Muel- ler, of Uxford, suys: our spelling fullowed the provunclation of words, It would fn reulity be a greater elp to tho critical student ot lan- puage than the prescut uucertaio and unscien- title mode of writing,” As Jor the Bible oud standard suthors, wo must vot suppose for on fnstant ibat our enter- prising printers predent them to us now in the origival epelline. Noj they have changed all that, The lrcllmz ot our fathers passed out of their books long before their dollar burnt its way through vur pockets. Here arc some speci- meus: Shakspeare, 1023: Tuch, neece, yeeid, be- Jeeve, brest, thred, lims, harteshuast, ske, lmpathy, Wensday, doo, tel, els, greete, releeve, shoo, cheef, feend, frend, gon, Sute, wher, Luby, costn, spred, kild, doré, wil, ehl==geent. Milton, 1644: Parlament (why not, more cor- rectly, parlemcutl), usurpt, privat, pretens, trafud, stnat, don, punisht, cours, palat, for- 1wust, ript, bcleeve, fautasm, forelne, suttle= subtle, survay, tolvrat, dastt, leruing, wors, brest, mwlrA B cce, dure, llaud, Bible, ¢ Bel, hel, sayd, sicke, d 3 bridegrome, botteis, olde, “breake, belecue, countrey, qulll, deutt, foortb, hnuc,] scrippe, vonlesse, sbalbe, shal, cloatbing, uutlll, bene, beaule, heavy, prophaue, voyce, cull, euill, wiscdowe, wil, emptle, doe=do, sixtie, Afte fifth, sixvesizth, decpenesse, biu=beeo, mar- clant, dauvced, Loysterous, wendred, com- mnunded, skie, eies, uerily, nerely, commeth, torle, peny, penle, firge, stanes, darkned, farre, thoues, honie, ony, stoune, immediat)z, maried, oyle, veercs, sowen=sosn, Fronc-groan, un- {m;\wtn, ectied, powred=poured, battell, fourty, wise, A of this shows that In the days that Ehakspeare anit Milton wrote, and the transla- tors of King James worked, orthography had not attained {is present position among the false gods of Engtlsh-speaking peoples; and that In thow primitive and unsclentitic days philology was not made casy at the expensc of spelling, In fact the almost eeneelcss varfations of lgelllnz Indulzed {n by early authora, and the abturd orthography to which we now clinz with a ridiculous tenacity, almost incvitably breed o digzust for conventional correctuess io all who Took 1ito the subject with eare. FAMILIAR TALK. WIHAT TIIE HLIND CAN DO, “ The blind can (o cverything hut sec," was once eaid by a brizht, nctive pupit fiz the Phila. sletphila Institute for the Blind; and the truth of the remark is literally borne out in the his- tory of those who have cudured o lfe-long privation of sight, The career of luber, the Nwiis naturalist, first comes to mind as 1 strong Huatration tn support of the young student’s aflirmatlon, Huber was horn at Geneva In 3750, and inhicrited from Lis father o passionate fond- ness for Natural Ulistory. Ile applicd himsedl with such devotion to the study of hils favorito sulenees, tasking hils by lampdight, and even in the tim monnlizht, that, at the age of 13, lie was taken to Parta to learn from the mosy skillful ocullsts whetliee his weakened vislon could ever be restored. Remedies were advised, but the eradual darkening of the sight ¢ tnued until total blinduess closed {n uponhic south. -Hle had presiously plighted his troth with an amfavble sirl, Marle Atmee Lutin, the daughter of a Syndic of the Canton of Genevay and, when this terrible calamity avertook him, her father wished o anvul tho engage- ment, But the faithful Marle clig to her lover, and, when she had attuined her majority, married him without the consent of lier pareats, who afterward forgave her. While in the possession of his sight, Huber hind been encaged In studying the habita of bees: and, after its loss, hie resolved to continue his abservations. e trabicd bis eervant, Francis Iicrnan, 10 act as his assistant, aud, with the Tielp of his devoted wife, went on succesafally with the beloved pursuit. Under the direction of his master, Bernan Iovestizated cvery cir- cumstance connhected with the bistory of the bee, necurately noling Incidents and reporting the detuils of ‘his observation, By this man's agency, veritably tooking throngh Ma borrowed vyes, Hluber wade o multitude of dlscnveries reluting to the structure and economy of this Interesting huucl.—enrrunlug, probably, all that lias been learned before or since on the sub- c tirst record of s work was pablished w and additional reports were made ot futervals, [fuber was in. aftluent circumstances, and enjoyed much happiness fn life. s son Pieree tihivrited his love for Nate ural History, and became eminent through fm- portant investizations upon bumble-bees, ants, butterflles, cte, Hluber the clder died in 1831, at the age of 81, Another remarkable Instance of high achleve- ment under the disability of blindness is afford- ed futhe hfe ot Nicholas Saundgrson, who In 1711 was appointed Lucasian Professor of Math- cinaties In the University of Cumbridee, and filed tho position with distinizuisied honor. In P'rof, Saunderson’s case, blindness was produced by an attack of small-pox, in 1653, when he was but a year old, He recelved u classival educa- tion, and, cvinclng a strong predilection for .\mdmnntke, was Instructed fn the different branches by means of ingenfous mechanicul con- trivance When only 25, he pave_with great dpvlouse a course of lectures at Christ's Col- lee, Cambridize, fn the Newtonian phliosophy,— giving cspecial prominence to Newton's ticory of optica, e was allowed n chamber at the college and free use of the Morary; oud, four ~years later, by the recommendation of Newton, was mmstalled fnthe Cualr of Mathematles, In 1738 he wad created Doctor of Luws by (eorge IL, and 1n 1538 was admitted a Fellow of thu llu{'nl Soclety, 1lis deith ovettrred In 17095 and In the followlnwe year appeared a valuable treatlse by Algebra, and snother on Fluxions: A srion of the {lustrious Bacon family, Dr. Nlenolas Bucon, attalned eminence in the prae- tico of Lasw, although deprived of the advan. tage of mihit, His eyes were put out by an arrow fron u crossbow while ho was a child of 9 years, but this efiliction did not mcan to him the extinetion or obseurity of his Hle-career, He had been {ntended for the legal profession, and, after his blindness, he pursucd his studics, suys o straightforward writer, * just as thouzh nothiug liad huppened,—the stigle exception beanr, that books wers resd to blm tuatead his resding them himsel,” He stood i _his ciosses at school and col- lege, and m due time graduated in the Law Departtuent of the University of Brusscls, He practived as an advozate-in tho Connell of Brabant, and was exceptionally successful in ustablishing the cayses of s elients. Dr. Nich- olas was 8 contenparary of Sir Nicholas Bacon, flourisbine tn the Sixteenth Century, A sccund case that mav be cited of distinction galned at the Bar by one blind from childhonl 18 that of BirJohn Fielding, the half-brother of the _novelist, Henry Fleldtug, anl bis successor 10 1751 as Justico tor Migdiesex. Bo efllclent waa this uprizht and skiiiful practitioner tn the dutles of s poaltlon that fn 1761 he was ap- pointed Chiel Magistrate of the Kingdom and secorded the honor of Kulghtheod. His acute- ness and sagacity In detecthng and punlshing crime were so extraordfuary that he called S Bitnd Flelding, the Thief-Cateher,” ond, in ol ditlleuit cases presented in the Metropolis, was copsulted by lils brother-Justices. Sirdohn was an sctlve plitlanthropist, and {n 1758 found- e the Female Orphan Asylum, Westiminster Road, Lamuveth. 1o had uncommon glfts ns a conversationlst, siid was an nble und volumin- ous nuthor. His death In 1750 was mourned as a 1uss to the profession he adorned, and to the society in which e moved, At the s tlme that 8ir John Flelding was 80 capably oceunying the place of Clidef Magis- trate in Loudou, Dr, John Stanley was enjoying # corresponding. repute iu the profession of Musie, Thoe career of this noted organuwt aml composer estended fromn 171 to 1750, Blind- ness befell lm by an ucerdent when he was 3 cars old, and, with the simple {dea of furnich- g the child with umusement, he was put t the uudr of thoorgan at 7. At 11 years ol oge his proficiency adinitted of his appointwent us organlst at the Church ot All Hallows, Bread street; and at 18 Lo was eleeted organist of 8t, Andrew's, Holborn, ovor mauy competitors. At 41 he was chosen by thy benehers of the Hone ocuble Bodety of the Inner mrleu one of tueir orgauints, and to the cluse of his hife he retatned the position at the Temple Chnreh and also at 8t. Andrew's, lle was s skillful per- former on the flute nud violly, and for ten vo years conducted the vratorfos t Uarden Thoatre. He was Hkewlse for 3 aster of the King's Band. Btunley composed the oratorios of ¥ Jeph- " anl Y Zinrl," beshiva many infnor pleces, 118 performances on the orian attracted cager listeners; und it is said that o company of pro- tedstonal urganists, numbering thirty or forty, were nut scidous seen lugering to licar his clos- toe voluntary i one or the uther church whero Lo was regularly eogaged, L the midst ‘of tis own_brilliant career Dr. Stanley met and beeane deeply interested in Juarph Btrong, tian nincteen years his junior, amd, Hke himself, bereft of shght, vet abouude [ uncr‘gy and talent. Slnco the age of 4 Mr. Strong had been disatiled by binducss, amd thu misfortune hiad wot fu any degree been re- paired by caucation, 8till, by the fnspiration of wenlus, he bad in Wis boyhiood begun the mana- fucture ol wustcal fustruments, A vlolin, flute, barp, und hautboy were first cons structed, and then his oambition extended to the buildiog of un orgun. ‘The en- terprising youth managed, when he had grown to be 15, to get Jocked up one day alone {n the Carlisle Catbiedral, Ilo then found his woy to the organ, and began o thorough exsmination of its eutire structure, After Jearning I?' [ sensitive touch the wrragement of the interlor, he filled the lustrument with wind aud bezan to teat the stops, Tune had now passed on unti inidnfht, aud the sounds the youth muade in pressing the keys aroused and startled the neighborhved, Some pusbed thelr way fnto the cathedral, aud there found the blind boy beed- leds of all the world fn bis cager solution of the myatery of orgsu-makiog. 3o s gratilylne to kuow ihat the Deau of the Cathedral atlowed hiw thenceforth 1o vislt tho urgan whenever be wishied, aud the youth soon completed u winla- ture copyof the great instrument. After build- {ng severul orgsus, he manufactured u weaver's loum, with varlous othier futricute aud smoothly vperatiug machines, - Mr. Strunz was boru near Curlisle in 1732, aud thero apeut au active aud uaeful Hite, whicl lasted sixty-tive years, At b Parls Exposition of 1503, M. Montal, 8 late pupil of tho fustitution for the Blind, obtaioed a Grat-cluss i lorthe manuiacture of musleal jnatrumcnts. For his skill fo tbls vocation ke was appointed planoforte-wal to the Emperor Napoleon and to the Ewm- ror of Brazil, and was created o Chevalier of he Legiou of Hunor of Frauce, and of the Order of the Rose of Brazil, ‘The world owes to Ficld-Marsbal Count de Pazau tbe foundation of ths wmoderu sdeke of him on Forfificatfon, and also the earlicst suggestion of the ndvantaces of vertical firing, Thia dis- tinguisned seholar and soldler had long per- formed briitfant eervice fn the army of France, when, at the age of 33, he beeame totally bilnd, Cat off from an active coreer fn the finlg, he turned his attentlon to the sclence of Warfare, and In 1645 published a *Treatise on the Art of Fortlticatlon,” This was followed by *Geometrical Theoreme,” and by several importont worka on Astronomy, which proved that his acquisitions 1o the department of Math- ematics matched those in the provinee of En- cineering. Nelived tn be 61, terminating a eingularly estimable carcer fn 1065, Tut, inall the long Hat of uersons who have, by the exercse of their remaining powers, earned a signal triumnh over the misfortune of biindness, there fs no record more interesting than thatol Joseph Mctcatf, the English builder andcoutractor, * In this instance, loss of sight ensued upon anattack of sinall-pox when tie paticnt was 6 yearsold, The boy wasactive, self- rellant, and courageous, and in his vouth joined in the amuscinents and sports of Lifscompanlons as though slght were not inlesing, fle wolked and rode horsehack about the town and country alone, went birds-nesting, swlmming, and even hunting, with the same frecdom anid enjoyment as did other ladsot bis aze. lle learned to play the violin, and for a time relled upon his nec of the instrument for his support. Mo be- came, also, un excellent performer upon the haut- Doy, After hls marriaze be alopted several different callings In successlon.—pursuing cach with success, amd passing from one to another in accordancewith the demand of circumstances, Finally he took up the work of road-making and Dridge-budlding, which he executed with ruch sperlor rapldity, thoronghness, and skill, that hils seryices were constantly aud remuncratively eaployed. Mr, Metealf was setlvely envaged in husiness at the age ot 77, and died in his native County of Yorkshire in 1502, at the age of K5, A lew women have achicved more than aver- aue distinction although laboring under a priva- Hon of the gense of sleht, Of these want of space forblds mention ol inore than two or three. The name of Miss Willlams, the Welsh poet, and the friend, aud frequently the companlon, of Dr. Johusou, witl recur to every one. This lfted woman exbibited unusual desterity in the performance of the thousand-and-one little duttes beloneing 1o the olfice of the housewite, —excitiug the wander and praise of all who ob- served her. Mies Martha Brass, long a pupit in the Liverponl Blind Asylum, adopted, on leav. inu that sustitution, thy calling ol & nurse and that of a shampooer. When acting as nurse, elie was i the habit of watching with patients at night amd dispensing their medicine, and would move about o housc dofng whatever was required without difliculty, At ber death In 1808, nt the azeof 71, she Left to different chari- ties the sum of 810,000 which she had accumu- lated by ber talents and idustry, Out of the population of our'own country, it 1s estimated that there are about 20,00 blind. OF this number, but a small proportion receive systematic fustruction, although there are tiventy-seven [nstitutions, in asmany dtiTerent States, devoted to the education of this class of puplle. The annats of the hlind in Ameriea yield many examples of the ,)ru-ncrws pursuit of the trades and professlons. Mr. Walter Campbell, who has been blind shice he was 5, graduated at the Western Reserve College, at Lwdson, 0., In 1507, taking the second lionors of s cthss.' e alterward attended for two years the Law School ot Harvard, and there was nccotnted ong of the best students whose name had ever stood in the University-cutalozue, He now edits a uewspaper ot Younzstown, 0., and plays the orzan in one of the churches. ntioned that Mr. Cuinphell was one of tue delegates commissloned to revlse the Constitution of the State where he resides. 1n one of the New England States a bllnd man has established a thriving manufactory of whip- lashes. 1t 1s said that every Insh which goes out of the shiop has been first passed from end to end through the hands of the gmprluur. whose exquisite delieacy of touch determines whether tho article has been flulshed with the nleety required by the high stundard of work- manship malutofned fu the factory, 1u the Clty of Philadelphla, the scheme for the humane institution kndwn as the Pennsyle vania Home for the Biind was originated amd pushed to a successful concluslon by My, Hall, limself one of the class whom the lnatitution s meant to assist. Mr. Ilatl is the Superintend- ent of the Hotue, nud has by efhelent nianage- ment rendered the establishment self-support- inz. Itsuobject is to fustruct the blind in varl- ous Inaustrics, and to furnlsh work for those neediniz employment, From 100 to 150 are ac- commaoidated {n the Home, and many are nsslst- ed outside of the wstitution, In our own city, durine the vast week, the degreee of M, Dy accompanied with well-earned honors, was conlerred by the Cnicaro Medical Colleze upon a Wind student, Mr. Robert 11, Babreock, of Kalamazoo, Mich. This youny mun had previously taken the eclectie cotirse at the Unlversity at Ann Arbor, and now, ut the agre of 26, ranks high {n Intellectuul attalvments among his fellows. When it Is considered how the blind have, in a multitude of cases, folicl- tausly overcome the great obstacle fu the way of their uchievement of the comman ity und wvurposes of life,—not fnfrequently obtainings distinction In pursuits tasking the finest and strongest facultles of the hunian organization, will be coneeded that tie bind can, in truth, do evervthing but sce. Experlence con- tinually proves that, with eyes or without then, mankind can accotmplish annost any object, and rls: to alinost any hight, by sheer fndustey and resolutfon, Indeed, grant” the will and the asplration, and who will dare, under any cir- cuinstances, to ect the lmit to fodividual achievement? LITERARY ITEMS, The Life of Charlotte Cushman, by Miss Enuna Stebiblus, will be published at au early day by Messrs. Iloughton, Oszood & Co. Q. P, Putnam's Bons announce that, tn ac- cordance with tho fustructions of the owners of tho sterreotype plates, Mr, Frothingham's Life of Geerit Smith Will bo withdrawn from sale in March, Mr. Btanley's history of bis last expedition will be entitfed * Throuzh the Dark Continent ; the Bources of the Nile; Around the Great Lakes. and Down the Congo” 1t will have about 100 {llustratlons from photograplia and sketches, and will uppear in May. The lterary and pietorial contents of the Feb- runry number of Juduatrial Art quits cqual in merit amd {nterest those presented fn the Junu- ary publication. A useful and prosberois carcer must lie before o perlodieal so llllr ol dQueted, sud having few or no rivals {n fta sphere, SPARKS OF SCIENCE. SAVAQE A!\'ll\:‘.\l. IN THE UNITED AT ES, Tt is roticr startling to read of lious, tiger- cats, panthers, pecearles, and other beusts of tropleal ficrecness, as actual inhabitunts of what tnay be relatively termed near portlons of the United States. And et theso aulmals are in- cluled within the cxisting fauna of Arkansas ond Texas. ‘Theso-called Mexican low s fn reality the jaguar, a member of the sane cenus (Felis) as the African Hon, and a Janze sud for- midable beast, 1t cun both switn and cllmb with great facllity, oud is said to Lo uble tocarry a bullock without aificulty, 1t Is the most pow- erful and dangerous animal that roves the forests from Texas to Pataconla. The travelers who in 1877 rode “Two Thon- sand Miles in ‘fexns on Horseback" scverat thmes encountered the Jaguar. On one ocea- ston they withessed, In the region of the Conclio River, a deadly race bictween one of this species and the untelope. “They passed within thirty yurds of us," to quote frum the travelers, and neither uppearcd to notlee ts. Fho untelopy seemed nearly eabausted, while the animal in pursuit bounded alome without elfurt, as i€ con- sclous that the end was near, Tols was the Jazuar,—Fells onca,—more commonly called teau Jon, one of the most_feroclous o 4 cotor llzht-brown, budy five to six feet fn length, two aud one-half to three feet o height, atid @ beavy, theer-hke beald. Our first impulse waa to relleve the pretty ante lope by discharging o volley iuto the jaguar,” but we coucluded to wateh 10¢ resutt, ‘The untelope changed s course, running throurh o narcow pass In the monu- taius to our left, nuwl both disavpeured. Wi ful- Towed, and bad gone but & tew hundred yards when we saw the untelope comilng back in hbis tracks, the enu.'unr sUll in pursult and sliost at ks ek, When opposite us, about ity yards off, the Jazuar with an casy bound sprave (nto the ale, alkchtimg upon the antelove’s shoulders. 1 clusped bis fore-feet dosely around the su- telope's neck, sud buried Lls” bead under hils throut,—the pour unfmal in the meuntine bawl- ingr and crying viteously. Ho stageered under the welgzht of the carnivore, and, after a few steps, fell to the ground, the latter still cliug- fo;z W Lis throat.”” AL this poiut in the contest the travelers flew 1o the rewcue, and, when within Glteen paces, red upon the juruar, At tied to the cover, but the puor nuu:lngu was su badly Injured that death wus Incvitable. A lurge wound baa been torn at the basc of his throal, frous which it up- peared that tho jaguar had wctually been drnk- Jur his bloud during the last struzzle. Whlle in the extreme western portlon of Texas, the sauie travelers made the sequainl- ance of a sccond species of the eat tawily, which uléo bears the Jocal nawe of Uou, A chalu of mountaius ruus tbrough this reglon, aud tu their fastucsses whut iy called tho woyu- taln or Amerfcan lion makes its home. One of the tourirts had one day wandered off alone 1n zearch of minerats, and” unexpeetedly met with the chanee of ehuoting a decr, Leaving the tarcace where it felt, until e should return, the tourist went ou stHl further Into the wilds. Suwldenly he heard a quick, wuttural roar, which came from some objuct very mear him. Dropping intn a crevice in thie rocks sbout him, he cautlonsly lifted his head above the rin to take obscrvations, *“The roar was repeated two or three times In quick suc- cession, and Immedlately there scemed to ho several objects roaring all together. . . . Five eplenald anlmals leaped into the open ravine, about 200 yards above me, and walked lelsure- Iy along, smelling the ground, and then stood etill a momnent, thelr heads ercct, gazing to the front and right and left. One of them ovened with a roar, to which the others im- mediately responded inconcert. , . . They resumed thelr march down the rasine In open view, till, reaching a large rounded rock about eeventy-five yards from me, they leaped nimbly upun it, and there stood gazing In cvery direc- tlon. roaring at times fdeeply, aud lashing the alr with their tails, The roaring was Invariably hegun by one, to which the others Immediately responded, repeated by each several thmes In succession, + . . What magnificent and {mwcrlul beasts they were,—so precirely like fons that 1 could distinguish no important dif- frrence] ‘They were tawny llke the lon, but of a alighitly lighter color, and, though with locks longz enougl, the hicads of the males were less shaguy; the same biz head and stiff cara; the rame londly and leonine nspect; the same_long tafl with” the tult at the end. Their roar no one coulil distingulsh from that of the true llon. There were two males and three fe- males,—the Jatter with nomanc, and much more fussy anid restless than thelr lordly compaulons. While thelr loris stoud quletly looking aronnd, they were uncasily steppiyg hither and thither, as It inciting theni on, and earer for adventure d bluod. ~. . . Presently they leaped from ock and walked alowiy” down the ravine, When they reached the roint where I had cross- e 1L they stopped, smeliiog the ground, aml roared at a vrodigioun rate, with a maltitude of short, quick, deep grunts, at the same time lash- suer the uie with thelr tatls, . . . Alteramo. ment or two, they continued down the ravine, and disuppeared behind a ledee of stone,'" As suon as the beasts were opt of Ah‘M, the observer Imprisoned in the rocks made fils way 1 vamp, mnd with reinforeements started in pur- sult of the game, Ou reaching the spot where the deer had been left, nmi)' its lorns, hoofs, and a fuw bones reinafued to tell of the feast the liuns had enjoyed. The animals theinselves were not In view, ond oo trace was ofterwards seen of them. In the hilly rezion of the Cibolo, the path of the travelers was crossed by acouple of pan- thers, The country fs here desolate and wrim, with a scanty forest-growth standing In patches amone the rocks, While riding slowly along the solitary way, a sound like a mingled shriek and wall broke on the ear, Says the graphic tarrator of the scene, **Tfelt’ my halr rise, actually stand on end: but =till rode on toward a thicket on the right of the road, whenee the nofse geemed to come. As | anproached it, iy borge grew susplciuus, and pricked up his cars, aod shied away from that side of the road. + »+ o When immediately opposite the thiciet, evervthing was us still a3 a mouse; but sudden- Iy iny horse leaped to the left, nimost vausing me to fall from my saddie, and at the same moment two splenilid panthers bounded across the rond {mmedlately before me. 1 drow o breath of relief, and lauched ot tmyselt for the nogitatfon I had felt. . . The panthers disappearcd in the brush, but one of them leaped on o large stove not more than fitty yunls from me, tn full v nd stowd there Tong enough for me to have shot him had 1 been so disposed. But he looked so lglendfil that 1 did not hinve the heart todoit. He was ot n mouse color, a| n:"l,l{ about three feet bigh, long and sleuder, with a head for all the world like a munstrous cat’s,—a long, sweeplng tail, which rested partly on the rock, while the cml of It, curled upwards, slowly waved hither and thither, He was eizht or nlne feet In leneth, Presently he leaped gracofully from the reck und bounded out of sight,” BRIEI NOTES. A svedes of onfon has been lately discovered by A. Rezal In Central Asia, In the hills ucar Kenedscha, which proves to be the parent of thiat cultivated In our zardens, A correspondent bas stated in Tuz Triseng that the blue-birds appeared at Evanston Feb. 27, Their arrival was noted within the precincts of Chicago as carly as the 18th. The Portugucse expedition for the explora- tion of Africa. which started from Bengucila the 12th of November, 1877, was last heard from at Dombe, on the road to Cacondy und Bihe. About 00,000 pounda of sualls are dally sent to the Paris inarkets from the zardens of Polton, Bureundy, Chauipaien, and Provence, where they are specially reared for this purpose, Mr, H. M. Stanley has been clected an Hon- orary Member of the Berlin Georraphical 8o- clety, and invited to attead the ttitieth annlver- sary of that body, which will be celebrated on the 1st of May. It s stated that no fewer than 300 children are annually killed in Londun by accldental suffoentlon in bed. These deaths are not owine wholly to the drunkenncss or neglect of the parents, but quite as often to uver-klndness, Jtls expected that Prof. Alexander Agassiz, who hns been investigating the fauna of the Guif uf Mexico during the past winter, will cather results of great scientific value, Prof. Acassiz recelved permission to accompuny the Coast-Survey steamer Blake, which was detailed for seryice fn the Galf through the past scason. The male of the Burinum toaad carries lts pro- geny, while they are in the egw state, fu celly on fts Duck, A toad (Rhinaderma Darwinl) inhal- ftng the arld portions of Chill has s pouch ox. tending vver the under portion of the body and opemng at the neek. I this the cgrs are dee posited, and remain until the young are free from tha shell, Sir J. Lubbock recentlys read a paner ¢ On the Colurs of Britlah Butterfies," beforu the Lon- don Entomologieal Socicty, In woich he sus- tained the principle lald down by Darwin and otliers, that dutl-colored, green, and smooth- skinned eaterplliars are eaten \Jy birds, ete.; while spiry, hatey, awl brichtly-colored specics arorejected, The wuthor stated tiat it was shown by the stutistical method that no hairy caterpillurs are green, white a Jarge majority of black aml brightlvcolored species are hairy or othierwise protected, Mr. lsaman, of Bangor, Cal,, gives the fol- lowinz account of the process by which the Trichostemna lanceolatum, acommon Californtan annual, secures eross-fertllization by the agency of Insecis: ¥ The tube ol the eofalla §s” bent ftaelf when fu fta normal con- Ou fuserting & pin _or o small splint, the tube {s straichtered, aou tho sta. micns aud plstil are thrown forward, and strike very forelbly upun the back of any {ntruding {nséct. I have watched bees for hotrs, eather- ing huney from thess plants, snd have been very much amused by the performance,* In former years the Merrimace River abounded in satnton; but, sfuce tue construction of dams preventing the pussaze of these fish up the stream, it has been destitute of thew., lu 1872, 14,000 salinon fry were placed {n the unper waters of tho Merrimac, followed lu 1873 by 153,000, in 1875 by 230,000, aud In 1871 by 400,000, Fishways were {n the mesntime bullt to enable this and ather species to ascend the river for the purpose of depositing their spawn. In 1577 salmon to the number of several thou- U were observed to pass up the tishways, They were of adult size, welghing from elght to twelve and cven fifteen pounds. The upper stream aboundad in salmou through the sum- aer and autumn, snd it (s belleved that vast numbers of egies were deposited, One of the palr of chimpanzces at tha Aqua- rium i New York has recently died of cune suwiption, aud a number of the leading phvale clans of the ¢ity usalsted at its post-mortem ex- amiuation. The chimpanzee who ls left soll- tary by thisloss of her mate 18 quite dlscouso- late. and, save Korest and Stream, * would break her poor heart If not for the care sud af- fection hier keeper bestows on ber. If she had her own way, she never would leave her attend- ant, It i a welnd kind of Jook Turk grives you when you take ler dellcately-formed band, as she gazes ut you cravely with her soft brown Nothlug could separate ber from her Oue hamd she cives to the curious, with the other she holus tight to friecnd. In order to put her i her she must be cajoled by meuns of s bit of biseult, Wheu she v left slone, she throws hericll on the ground, sud crics lke a discon- solate child. Tuen, repressing Ler grief as with :‘n; cgu’{l. sbo looks with louglug cyes fur ber riend. WRITTEN FOR AN AUTOGRAPH-ALBUM, The lwpreeslon which theso lines woll make ‘Tue roughicr hand of furcs may oreak, O zealous thae, with slow Jdecay, M3y sl thelr traces wear away Liut neithics time nog force combiued eyes, Keeper, but W Which Maygle's many charois ba For, splte of time, sud force, and url, ‘Ley're sealed forever fu wy beart. Cuicavo, March 9, 1873 Ewxxav, His Apology Accepted. ‘The Dubuyue Times says that & gentleman coupected with the Bapthat Church fu that city, s sbure thwe sluce, through fyrgetluluies, left his umbrella In the buldlog. A few nights afterward, bethinking himself of it after a tem- lmnnm meeting was over, he took it away under s Arm. A crowd af rather rude boys on the sldewalk noticed the eircumstance, and a8 ho parsed, one of them remarked: *Look at the foul; he might know there would beno rain in weather like this." Wrathfully, the gentle- man turned upon them with: * Have you no brains, [dlots? Don't you suppose a man tnay be taking home an umbrella which he had forgot- ten?'” The por walved his hand with a rollck-, Ing gesture, and replied, ** Your apolowy s accepted, sir," GEN. BOYNTON ON HOWARD. Sehnrzand the Pharisecs=The Wall of an Old Ring—=A Religlous (?) Nowapaper Deerying Investigation—The Skeletan in Its Closet ~Will Schurz Discover It? Sccretary Schurz is ranning '* investigation *' into the ground. ~ Misled by capric and personal vrejudice, and stimalated to overhaste in try| ehow the country that he {s » ¢ reformer,” he treata some good men unjustly. He 14 a theatrie kind of statesman, fond of striking an attitude, Chirago Advance. WasiinaTox, D. C,, Feb., 1878.—To the Edit- or of the Cincinnati Gazette: The Advance Is classed as arclizious newspaper, and, unlesa the previous cxperlence and early religlous training of its editor are recalled, the condemnatlon vro- nouncesd upon Heeretary Schurz might have esome weight with the good men and women who may chance to read that jonrnal. ‘The virtue of this critlcism, however, will best appear when b Is remembered that the Investi- gation which has excited cither Its fear or its fre Isone that proposes to uncover a part of tho history and management of the Freedmen's Hos- pital of thiscity. But even thiswill not explaln, to any except those who are posted In regard to the forner history of this hospital, ihy n re- ligious Journal shiould attack a Secretary who {8 trying to ascertain whether sick freedmen, ina hospital under his charge, are rectiving humana treatment and decent food, aud whether tho public funds appropriated for their benent are expended as intended, or stolen or utherwise migappropriated by those in charge. There fs nothiog In this that should -disturh any fit editor of an orainary relizlous journal. Hut the present Adrance was founded, so to speak, upon the rufus of the first freedmen’s huspital, snd of many other shnflar rufus of the intercsts of the weak nnd defenscless in the District of Coltimbia. ‘Tils hospital was bullt orizinally as n means of using o certain patent and rotten brick, in whicn the cdlitor of the Adrance was intcreated. The building fell, nnd the venture cost the Government from 830,00 to $30,000. Rotfen brick were pald for after they were ascertaloed to be uunfit for any use.” Not only dld this bullding, erected of such traudalent “mnaterial, fall, but the end of one of the university dor miltorles crumbled down Into a mass ol sund, and the ain butlding, erected at enorin cost, was found too weak to support the welzht of thie rool and floors, and the public fund suf- fered to the extent of about $20,000 for iron, brick, and wood columns, lun‘clcnz to hold nearly the entire load of the bullding up from the walte, There never were bolder frauds perpatrated In the District. tuan those by which tho ring controlliniz the crection of tha umversity and the nospital enriched themselves. Nothing ex- cept the treatment of our Indlans approaches the atrocious frauds which, to make them Llacker, were perpetrated upon the freedmen's fund by those in churg of freedmen’s afalrs in thiscity, ‘The full extent and wickeduess of thesu things never cawe out. What did appear was in spite of an attempt on_the part of cer~ tain narrow Republicans fn Congress to white- wasl, which was in thorough keeping with tho black crimes perpetrated under the cloak ot philantbropy and religlon. From the Tounding of the nnaruul tothe pres. vnt time it has been cursed with tho staiu of trawd upon the jomates and upon the Governe ment. Several attempts to check these have beew made with partial success. But fts funds have been constantly diverted to Howard Uni- i uu{. and both have defrauded the Govern- ment In methods which would disgrace infliels, It s no wonier to those who know the oflicial transactions of the editor of the Advance in this ity, nud before he had saved sufliclent money to start a rellezious newspaper, that he now beging to fear Secretary Schurz wlll run this investiga- tlon of frecdmen’s affairs into the ground. It he does, he will tind that neither Howard bnlvenn{ nor the hospital property, by any moral or Yegal right, belongs to the private par- tles clalming Jurisdlction over thom, but that they are properly Government property, e wiil find that u ring of men, of whon the editor of the .tdeance was onc, were anong the worst. eneinles of the colored race and of the public Treasury, He will find that both the university and the hospital have been plundered h{ [ crowd of Pharisees, whote hands were fillch- lug public funds while their lips were shout- Ing pralses to the Lord on every available corner in \3ashington. He will flnd that a quar- ter of a million dollars were pald from the ap- propriations made by Congress {nto the treasury of u sectarlan society, of which Charles Howard was lonie u Sceretary, He will unravel the his- tory of real-cstate speculation, which would put the unconverted to blush, and which have pau. perized an institution which should be one of the most flourlsbing (v the countrv, And long before lis has tinlshed auy cxtended fovestiga- tion it will be guite apparent why the Chicazo Adeance thinks it necessary or prudent to dige credit Secretary Schurz, LV, B ———————— COST OF THE REGULAR ARMY. To the Editor of The Tribune, Cricado, March 1.—In the editorial columns of to-lay's Times appeared o shiort article from which I extract the following: ‘The cost per caplts of the enlisted men of the army of the United States is away beyond that of any other nallon. The cost per annum of the Swiss sufdier ia Other Enropean natious pay from $150 1o 8250 on account of cach enllsted man. En- 1and s st & cost of $187, whilo the United States ul for every blue-coat the enormous sum uf 834 per aunumn, 1t's time to cat down expeuses somewlicre, The cost of the United States soldler, ns above given, Is such an exaggeration that I can. not but think the writer of this article put on paper the first figures that came into his head, He could not possitly have fuvestigated the atter, aud, I he has done so, it Is unaccount- able how bie obtalned the amount of §1,854 as the cost of “cvery biue-co: To prove hls errar, I desira to say that, tho army belng com- posed of 45,000 men, by multiplying that nutme ber of men with the cost ($1,654) per wan, as given, we brine tle cost of the enllated men of thu mriny to the amount of $48,85),000, Tne appropriation of lnst Congress fur the supvort ol the wholo army establishment for the Hscal ear eudlng Juue 30 was $25,712,500, sud not ‘m,aw.un. ‘which, divided by the number uf meu in the army, would give the cost of each suldicr at $1,02%, a matter of $320 less per man than the writer of the Tima gives. But the cost as hers civen—§1,08 per mau-- 1s also wronz., A soldier costs the Goverument just g0 much as his pay, rations, clothing, fuet, und quarters amnount to, aud no more; sud this cost umounts to §3H0.41 per year, and ruther less than this amount natead of more, All other expenses incurred an keeplug up o military cs- tablishment cannot righttully be charged to his cost, The Army Appropriativn bill, before cited, includes the mauufucture, repalr, pure chase, aud the preserving of urdnauce stores; the expenses of the Siguul Corps (whick is ol vast benefit to commerce, sod very lttle in tino of peace to the army). It also Iucludes the vreservation of tho nutfoual vemeteries, aud many other items not cowing under the head of supplivs for the army, The army asks to be (nlr‘y represented, aud has nothing to hide from the public,—oeither Ita cost, itsmunngement,its |u~uc-um¢‘udnu poliey on the frontlers, or its Weak points, All it uske Is justice, wuich 1 aw sorry to say it scldom gets at thie hunds of those 1g pover. 1N JIMMY, 11aid a lillle bonch Of ruse-bluom on the shroudud breasty Aud 0! ] thought, (oo swift the jourueylng— Tho entesiug tuto rest, And yet 1 kuew not if My heart sbould be most glsd or sad For what was, aud what might bave been; and then 1 put the thought I bad Info (nis llu‘-a for thee, U cyes that all the long day weep! Be cowmfurted, for so He doth but give To His beloved—alecp, . . . . . . . Thou badst but grown (o kuow “Tlat roses were. Thy eager srm Sball never seach to break them from the hedge Aud clasp thein close aad warm, Thou shalsnoteverkaow | * 0 secrel Of & rose’s huart: 5u sbalt thou never fecl, through night asd day, ‘I'be pointea rose-Lhorn's amart. Nosmall, sweet bod may be sunh'n‘l\': w;fluxrxfl"y‘m ffigfl: hlu of tears, ¢ Yor blighted buds to blow. Never bath ll‘l{ time But Suwmmer clrcled thee around; Now shalt thou uevee gricve sud moara The bleak aud barces ground! LopuM W, | »