The New York Herald Newspaper, February 21, 1875, Page 6

| . G “LITERATURE: Three Eighteenth Century Men of Mark. AVILKES--SHERIDAN--FOX. ‘A Strange World—Social Pressure—The Law and the Lady. CHATS ABOUT BOOKS. Wiikey, SHERIDAN, Fox. By W. F, Rae. preton & Co. This 8 avery readable, interesting and chatty poo, The style is conversatioual, as becomes fhe subjects Weated, and it ts just the volume to ‘ake up after a hard day’s work, as one sits in his jeasy chair, half dozing before a winter fire. OL wourse, every one Is thoroughiy acquainted with tthe life of Joun Wilkes. Not only tue scholar, but ‘also the man of ordinary reading, especialiy whe lover of the literature of free speech, has followed ‘the Somewhat eccentric career of a man who was of importance becanse of the circumstances by ‘which he was surrounded rather than because of ‘any marked geuius or ability, The name of *Wilkes is inseparably connected with the struggle for treedom in Great Britain, That struggle was Jong, full of acerbity, occasionally lighted up by certain comic elements, which seem to be closely aled to the sternest tragedies, and at last vic- torious, Jonn Wilkes was & man with rather a Tare combination of faculties, De- termined to have his own way and to criti eise the institutions under which he lived with a tongue which had all the expletives of tne lan- guage at its tip, 111s not remarkable that he soon set the King, the Ministry, the Parliament and the people themselves by the ears. Public opinion ran wigh apd purty spirit Was at the bouimg point for gears. He was apprehended and took reiuge in Might; his house was ransacked, he was shot at and he engaged in duels, He was expelled (rom the House of Commons and afterward returned, mend belore he died had the supreme satisfaction of seeing @ healthier public opinion throughout mhe nation. 1, was a long ight, and not a blood- Jess one, in which the King and his conservatives, ‘who were not inclined to have thelr secrets wruited over the kingdom, resorted to measures which smacked of despotism, but it resulted in axueir complete discumfiture and in the right of | every citizen to say what he pleased of every measure ol royalty and of the representatives of ahe people. Wilkes married because his father wanted him 0, not from any inclination of hisown. His wile ‘was a bigoted dissenter, and he himself was a strong churchman. From the wedding day the couple saw their mistake, and, aiter a while, quietiy separated. Their union was ‘a sacrifice @o Plutus, not to Venus,” It must be confessed, too, that Wilkes resem- ‘bled some of the politicans of our own day a little ‘too closely. Wuen, in 1754, he appeared as a can- didate to represent Berwick-upon-Tweed, he said to the electors:—*"I come here uncorrupting, and I promise youl shall ever be uncorrupted. AsI', mever will take a bribe, so I never will offer one.’ | This was certainly a good beginning; but the end Qjng was hardly commeasarate, it we credit what Mr. Almon says, that, ‘notwithstanding Mr. ‘Wilkes’ fine speech avont virtue and patriotism, ‘thia experiment cost him between £3,000 and £4,000." It must be confessed that he was not ex. actly a pattern alter which it would be weil for our youth to model. He was intimate with Sir Francis Dasuwood, which was of itself enough to blast a man’s Character throughout the kingdom. | ‘When be was released trom theirksome bondage of | Matrimony by the full and glad cousent of his wife, ‘who was as rejoiced in her freedom as he was Dimeelf, he rashed into ail sorts of avsurdities, sowing his wild oats in rich abundance, Still he ‘was a fair representative of a period that was re- markabie for its culture and scholarship and its Jooseness Of Morais. He made friends easily by ‘Dis generosity and his wit and good bumor, and many are the stories toid of his readiness at repar- tee. Ata banquet a little wit may go a great way, ‘Dut it was certainly very clever wien Mr. Alder- aman Burnell was Gishing out a soft pudding very clumsijy with a spoon, for Wilkes, who remem- ‘Dered in that unhappy moment that the stately Alderman had once been a Mason, to say, ‘My dear sir, would it not be better to use a trowel?’ In achophouse a rude-mannered customer an- moyed every one by clamorously demanding nis steak. When it was brought at iength and set ‘before him Wilkes quietly remarked, “Usually 4he bear is brought to the stake, here the steuk is brought to the bear.” It is very pleasant to be carried back to these old days when the “North Briton No. 45” was caus- ing @ whole bation to boil and bubble, It is a deligh} to look in on its author, John Wilkes, when he was tatking in impassioned strains to Gibbon, who listened phlegmaticully and was pleased; or when he was chatting with Charles Butler, who says he waa a delightful companion; or when he was supping With tne clegant Samuel Rogers, or when he was cuarmemg away the prejudices of .gtufl Dr. Jobuson, For @ fall score of years he ‘kept tue House of Lords and the Commons of Eng- Jand in 4 state of turvnlence, ana when he died he wanted iis biogvapiy written in short on his tombstone m the words, “Tue Friend of Libert).” ~ Next follows a ver) delightiul account of Richard Briusley Sieridan, the man who persisted in being poor to the end of his days, who spent nis lie in one continuous siruggie ior money, who charmed nis friends aud sent iis enemies toa premature grave with a javelin thrust ol keem sarcasm. Ever @ince our scnooi days we have lingered over this brillant iife, and followed its wanderings with mingied admiration and pity. He began bis career by ecloping with Miss Linley. Not that he was over foud of her in the beginning, though in after years he learned to love her with @ generous devotion, but because he saw plainly enough that Captain Mathews was exerting bim- self to bis utmost toundo her. She was one of the loveliest and most popular of public singers, and had @ train of admirefs at her Jeet ail the time. Mr. Long, @ somewhat antiquated but ‘weulthy gentleman, wanted to marry her, put she used such tact in extricating herself from the difficulty that the oid gentleman not only ceased ‘40 importune her, but settled on ner the sum of £5,000. When Captain Mathews laid siege to her ‘person Sheridan easily persuaded her that her only hope was in fight with him. When tiey Teached Calais the awkwardness of the situation ‘was seen by both parties, and the Gordian knot cut by a pricat who made ‘bem one. The neces- e@ary expenses of housekeeping pressed him | sorely, and he began his career as a ‘writer, but without success. He wrote a play, which Was accepted and put on the stage, ut the audience hissed tt, and Sheridan’ went home disconsolate. Then he wrote “The Rivais,”’ but on ite first representation the house was so issatisfied that he had to promise to revise and mend it before they would iet him retire. It afterward met with a better fate, when Mr, de 't popular In despair Sheridan pro- which! were hardly by his superb acting. duced one or two farces, Worthy of bis genius. One of them, which ts lighted up by # few of those peculiar scintiliations ‘Which afterward made Sheridan famous, opens ps follows :— mn + Soldier—‘‘l say you are wrong; we should | speak together, each for himself, and ail at once, that we may be beard the better,” ; Second Soidier—“Rignt, Jack; we'll argue in ‘platoons,” , Third Soldier—“Ay, Brievances In a volley.” On the eventng of May 8, 1776, “The School for Bcandai” was produced. Garrick read it in manu- peript, ang was greatly impressed by it. It was @n immense success, Charies Lamb said it was ‘some compensation for growing old to have seen Scnooi for Scandal’ in tts giory.” Gheridan’s Gra paslamentary appearence was ay, let him have our D. Ap- . NEW YURK WERALD, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1875—QUADRUPLE SHEET. Dot promisin the tide of battie, he paid him back in Kis own coin, With a pitnt- ness and wit, which muat have produced a terri- bie effect, he said, after his old enemy had de- livered an offensive speeoh, “If the degree of | offence which speeches gave was to be considered | as the criterion of eloquence the right honorable gentleman must de looked up to as the bLemos- thenes of that assembly,’’ | He won high ofMfice, ana used tt generousiy. | Still, such was his carelessness iu pecuniary mat- ters that he died poor. A tomb in Westminster was declared to be his due. ‘The chief officers of State, princes of the blood royai, dukes and earls, formed & procession in bis honor after death, AB | the author of this volume quaintly remarks, “They pompousiy helped to bury whom they ” helped to starv: The last biography is that of Charlies James Fox, who began life under the impreasive motto which his father gave him, “Never do to-day what you can possibly put off till to-morrow, nor ever do yourself what youcan get any one else to doior you.” He was generous, hot-tempered and un- restrained by any high mora! principle. Early in | public life, when ne was Junior Lord of the | Admiralty, he was noted for addiction to play. | Along with some other young men, wno belongea | toaset of graceless (fashionably called im the , Slang of the time) Maccaronis, which being tn- | terpreted signifies swells of the first water, he | founded a club at Almack’s, where the stakes were | rouleaux of £50 each, and where as much as £10,000 | were on the taole at one time. These dandies mate | aregular business of gaming. They began by pulling off their embroidered clothes and putting on iriez® overcoats, or turned their coats inside outwards for luck. Theyput on pieces of leatuer to save their lace ruilles, and tu guard their eyes from the light and to prevent tumbling their hair wore high-crowned straw hats with broad brims; | they also Wore masks, to conceal their emotions | When they played at quinze. Fox was wonderfully ready in debate, and moore than once excited the admiration and envy of the House by the fluency of his speech and the strength of his argument, He was a thoroughly independent member, now enraging the King and now the liberals by his plain criticisms and bisin- cisive utterances. He managed, however, to maintain his position as the (rtend of the people, and so persistently Opposed all bilis which pro- posed what seemed to be an unnecessary tax that the following couplet was always recetved with rapturous applause at every public gather- ing: Whenever a tax in the House was projec’ Great Fox he rose up and always objected. With bis opposition vo the American war, his am ition #8 @ Minister, his Opposition to the vari- ous measures of George IIL, his power of ora- | tory, all students are acquainted. The rivalry between Fox and Pitt is an historical episode on which the poet as well as the philosopher delights to dwell. Sometimes it grew to a degree of bitterness which made the kingdom tremble, but the two opponents were nobie-heartea war- riors. One night, after Fox had been speaking, @ | noble iord, coming out of the House with Pitt, began to abuse Fox's specci. ‘Don’t disparage It,’? said Pitt, ‘nobody could have made it but himseli.”’ On the other band, Rogers, in bia “Table Talk,” tells us tnat “During the debates on the war with France I heard Fox characterize a speech of Pitt as ‘one that would have excited , the admiration and envy of Demosthenes.’" After Fox’s death, when malice and hatred | were alike vain, the King, being softened, said to Lord Sidmouth, “Little did I think that I should | ever live to regret Mr. Fox's death.” The book is readable and worthy of a conspica- ous place on the saell of the student and tne gene- ral reader. CHATS ABOUT BOOKS. “SOCIAL PRESSURE.” “This is what I look forward to ali day,’ said the Doctor, as the family gathered around the library fire after leaving the dinner tabie, “I don't wonder that men grow eloquent on the subject of defending their own firesides if they are all as attractive as this. And here comes the Professor to add the charm of his genial countenance to our family circle.” ‘the Morarr—Professor, you are welcome, and after you have “shaken hands all round" Fred will wheel up the “Sieepy Holiow” for you to settle down In for the evening. We have a most delight- ful book under discussioz, “social Pressure’? (Roberts Brothers), a sort of continuation of the “Friends in Council.” I see by the appreciative twinkle im your eye that you nave read the book, there\ore we look to you for some valuable opinions on the subject. The Proresson—You do me too much honor, madame, I have sead the book, as you have strewd!ly surmised, and have enjoyed it, as Ido all of its gifted author's writings. Sir Arthur Heips is one of the few writers of the present day who draws whoily from the “well of Engitsn undefiled.” It 18 @ pleasure to read anything coming {rom his pen. The Docror—In the present volume he has a crack, #0 to speak, at the sanitary condition of London, in an essay, entitied “Towns May Be Too Large,” read by Milverton, who, by the way, is the one among the “Friends'’ who usually express the views of Sir Arthur himself, I imagine. FELICIA—It is @ Very clever idea of Sir Arthar’s to air bis hobbies in this jorm. What he has to say reaches an audience that would turn in hor- rorfrom @ pamphiet, but which reads ali the “Friends’” discussions with avidity. 1, for one, would give @ pampmiet on the same subject to James to light the fire with, while an essay on “The Condition of Engiand,”’ presented in this appetizing Manner, is eagerly devoured, Miss RACHEL—The sprinkling of lighter subjects, such as “The Art of Leaving Od," *“Chaffing,” &c., make delightful side dishes to accompany the more solid food, Frep—I can’t say that I altogether like the idea of these discussions, for after ail one cannot He was accused of bribery, and Sir Arthur Helps’ | plied, “but your prayer was too long by hi parson; better.” “Try me and see.” let you make the closing prayer this evening.” into the pulpit and began the prayer, and such 6 prayer! The congregation got restless, tne fire died out and the church became cold; finally patience ceased to be a virtue, and before the young layman showed any signs of stopping there was not a person left in the house, After all had and told him that he “should avoid such long- ‘winded exhortations.” 1 was ready to stop half an hour ago,” he replied. angrily, “but didn’t ; know how to finish the darned thing off 1"? The ProrKsson~That is the truth with the ma- | jority of people; they can never let well enough | alone. . The MormkR—Ellesmere very truly says that the | men and women who lead sodfety are those Who | look up to themselves. {don’tagree with him in | what he says abont letters from unknown persons | being disagreeable to pubic characters. FRED—No, nor I either; for I have heard distin- gnished actors, authors and singers speak of the great pleasure they had derived trom kind and sympatnizing letters irom unknown persons. | FeLicra—That talk about hospitality, making ! your guests feel so perfectly at home, &c., is all | very well; but what if they are acif-iuvited? I | think that I have seen trunks driven up to this | door that we have wished tm the bottom of the sea, Does Sir Arthur Helps mean to say that we should receive the owner of those trunks with open arms? Under such circumstances my arms hang like weights at my side and my tongue re- | fuses to frame words of welcome. The MorHkR—I fear that Felicia does not inherit her mother’s amtability. Frep—Milverton knew what he was talking | about when he said that England’s beautiful wo- | men were not among the aristocracy. | The Docror—Sir Arthur is gracious enough to | see some advantages in our form of government | over his own country’s. The Proressor—You will find the best thought | put in a very forcibie manner in this book. Sir Arthue Helps 1s @ bold writer as well as e@ bold thinker, and where he strikes & blow it teils. When he treats an old subject, as he does in sev- ; eral instances, tt 18 with 80 much freshness and originality that it bas all the effect of being new. He is always clever and always interesting. j A BATCH OF GOOD sTORIES, | “Lam very fond of Wiliam Biack’s stories,’’ said | Felicia, holding before her face @ copy of the | «Maid of Kileena and Otner Stories” (Harper & Brothers), 80 a8 to shut out the flerce heat of the fire. Miss Racug. (from her rocking chair by the window)—So am L. It ig areal pleasure to get | hold of a book nowadays that you might give to | the vertest cnild without fear of harm, Mr. Black does not think it necessary to season his stories with the doings of rakish men and fastish women, He takes it for granted that the taste of the novel | reading pobdlic has not become altogether cor- | | rupted by the trash that finds its way into print, and that good men and women are not averse to reuding about their good brothers and sisters in | the world of fiction, | Fxvicia—That sounds as though he might be a | trifle mawkisb, Miss RacneL—He 18 never that; only he avoids ; the indeiicate. His men and women are jolly and | fun-loving to adegree, and his humor 18 always | delightful. FrLicia—Althoagh hits stories are never excit- | ing, they are so interesting-that I cannot bear to | lay them down. They are so bomelige and satia- fying. Miss RACHEL —As a rue [ prefer his short storie: to bis novels. There isa sparkle about his tales, particularly those in this volume, that 1s irresisti- ble. FELICIa—t did not like bis “Princess of Thule” as well as “Lhe Strange Adventures of a Phaeton.” | Miss KACHEI—I1 imagine that the excitement | j over the rormer book was more owing to the dis- nounced Tulé, Tuie or Thule, than from any supe- riority over some of his other novela. it seemed | to me like s very tnconsistent story. FEeLicla—The story of “The Maid of Killeena” ts very charming and pretty, but Ido not lke Mr. | Biac&’s Scotch as well as George Macdonald’s. It sounds too mucd like broken German. | Miss RacHEL—It 18 just the difference in the lo. caifties, Biack’s is Nortnern and Macdonaid’s | Southern Scotch. Fe.icta—That delightful Queen Tita, whom we | enjoyed so much in the “Strange Adventures of | a Phaeton,” runs through these stories, And she | is just as jotly, just as funny and just as charming asever. “A Fight for a Wife’ is one of the best | of this collection, The plot is very simple, but it is very natural and amusing. The bad feeling be- tween the rival suitors i3 very well depicted, and so is their mutnal chagrin when they find out that | the beautitul American ts already engaged. | Miss Racuzt—‘“The True Legend of a Billiard } Club” is extremely sunny. How I did enjoy the uis- comforts of those five men and the triumph of their | wives! And the story of “The Man Wno Was Like Shakespeare” ts not without a moral, besides be- | ing very Gumorous, WORTH READING. “Kilbourne Tompkins 18 a missionary in dis | guise,” said Fred, throwing a package of what appeared to be pamphiets upon the library table, | | “He is sowing seed by the wayside thas is bound to bear good ‘ruit. Now, just glance over this bundle of essays. Here are selections from the best writings of the best writers, both aneient and modern—Goldsmith, Lamb, Swift—and from cur- rent periodicals. And selections from the best | poetsa—Tennyson, Byron, Burns, Schiller, Brown- ing and a host of others—and ail for ten cents a volume. | FeLicia—How beautifully they are gotten up! | as well am the insiae of books, What could be | more refined looking than these covers? And olergyman asked his friend what he thought of Rigby, @ vetergn Office-holder, thought to crush | him in the pulpit. “I liked your sermon,’ he re- the young aspirant at a single blow; but Fox, always generous, came to the rescue and turned He never forgot this attack of Rigby, and im after years, when occasion offered, + you should avoid auch iong-windead exhortations.” “That is easier said than done,” answered the “f don’t believe that you could do a bit “Very well, 1 will The time came and the friend walked bolaly up gone the parson put his hand upon his shoulder | cussion a8 to whether its name should be pro- | ered in the ninth chapter 1s ratl then Miss Braddon is @ novel writer, Feuicta—Don’t do that again, Rachel, dear; it’s not like you. Miss RACHEL (without noticing the tnterrup- tlon)—Cburehil! PenwyD was a model murderer and his wife @ modei murderer's wife. To think ofa woman veing reconciled to such @ crime in her husoand because he argued thatone crime committed for @ purpose, aud that purpose to en- able him to marry her, did not make him a bad | man. She would have beeu less than human if she had not died, though I was sorry to lose & | character with her many charms. FeLic1a—How conveniently the different char- acters aie all through the book, by the way; itis very thoughtful of them! Didn’t you think it was unnatural in Mrs, Tre- vanard not to believe her daughter when she told her that she was married? The girl had never done anything wrong in her life. What is a blameless character good for if not to stand by one in the hour of need ? Miss RAcHEL—That Is all very true; but If she had believed her thore would have been no story to toll, The whole book hinged on that episode. FrLicta—The faut of the story to me is that | | nature is so often distorted to make an exciting | situation, Now the most natural thing ta the | ‘world would nave been for Churchill Penwyn to | have released the old gypsy’s son at first, as he | had to at last. The risk run in keeping him | under arrest Was too great for any man to have | dared. Miss RACHEL—Hampbrey Clissold is the regula- tion man, who goes about the world setting | wrongs right and making verses on the sly. He | figures in every book, and the amount of family history and law he has at his tongue’s end is enough to turn the head of an ordinary man, Fe.icia—The ending of the Yook is rather com- monplace. Justiva should have ended her days in single blessedness. The circumstances of her first lover's death were so tragic that it was a wonder that she ever recovered from the shock, Whatever faults, however, one may find with Miss Braddon’s literary style, tt is impossible not to acknowledge that she has a certain power, and she unquestionably has a wide circle of readers, Miss RaCHEL—Among average people, you shouid add. Dovel; but THE LAW AND THE LADY. “Wilkie Coliias has never done anything equal | tothe ‘Woman in White,’ ” said the Doctor, stand- in his favorite position on the rug before the library fire. 1 | “And the best of the ‘Woman in White’ was | | Count Fosco,’’ replied the mother. The Docror—In his last book, ‘The Law and the | Lady” (Harper & Lrothers), he has a unique, not to say grotesque. creation in Miserrimus Dexter, | but he 1s such a thoroughly impossible character | that ne lacks the strength of Count Fosco, Even for a hali-mad monstrosity he is overdrawn. Miss RacHEL—Wiikie Collins 1s too fond of | writing lis novels in the first person. Ido not like it, as 1 have had occasion to remark before. Valeria Macallan may have done herself but sim- ple justice in her description, but, nevertheless, it sounds vain and conceited. FELIcCIA—Don’t men’s descriptions of women’s dress amuse you? They always make their hero- ines wear “tunics,” and either the plainest or the gayest clothes, They seem to have no ideaof good taste in dress. Miss RacnERL—I wish that Wilkie Collins would | sometimes draw a good, strong, human woman. Even Valeria, with all her pluck and determina- tion, is very weak as @ character. Feticia—However weak she was, ber husband was weaker. I think Eustace Macallan is a per- fect milksop. I cannot understand any woman wasting 80 much time and energy upon him. He | was spoonéy and often maudlin. To see a man | cry is to me one of the most affecting sights in the world, but his tears were so near the surface that he could shed them at the shortest notice; they disgusted me. Miss RacuEL—Valerta’s mistrust of her huaband | in the first instance was not unnatural, consider- ing upon what short acquaintance she married. | After years of courtship people know ove another slightly enough, in all conscience. | PELIcIa—If I nad loved my husband as Valeria | Seemed to love Eustace Ishould have taken his | word that all was right, and not have made the | search which forms this story. Miss RacHEL—I rather think that Valeria was Tight, though I doubt if 1 should have had her pluck, Fevicta—There are two morals to this tale, one | | partment of American progress will be abundantly | crease of applications which has marked the last | necessary information, and the latter, in the | gay that we have reached bottom, and that this | Manufacturers, Toeir subscription was made ata three months before the work is published tn book form. One object seems to be to prove that Sbakespeare was never betrayed “tuto a singte aspiration in favor of human liberty." The opon- ing chapters refer to the subject recently dis- cussed in the HERALD as to the true authorship of the plays, but do not indicate on which side the ultimate judgment will be rendered. The known ability of Mr. Wilkes as forcible and brilliant writer and the novelty of nis principal topic will make this inquiry of particular interest to Shake- spearian scholars, THE CENTENNIAL. BUSINESS MEN EXPECT THAT IT WILL BEVIVE BUSINESS—LIBERALITY OF THE WHITE LEAD MANUFACTURERS IN AIDING THE ENTERPRISE— GOLD PENS AT THE EXHIBITION. There is @ movement among the farmers of Westcnester county looking to a thorough repre- sentation of its agricultural interests at the Cen- tennial, and there is no doubt that New York: State at large will have one of the Gnest displays of horses, cattle, poultry, &c., at the stock yard of the agricultural buiiaing a8 well as of the products of the soil at the building itself, The farmers of this State promise to earnestly take hold of the object in order to prevent New York State from being eclipsed by any sister States. The agricul- turalinterests of this country are so vast that if the farmers exert themselves but Little the display will certainly not be inferior to that at any pre- vious world’s fair that has been held. Apropos of the stock yard connected with the agricuitural building it seems probabie that all of our cele- brated $25,000 and $30,000 cows will grace the oc- cCasion by their presence, THE LITHOGRAPHIC SHOW. A prominent lithographer called a few days ago upon the financial agent of the Centennial Com- mission, at the St. Nicholas Hotel, and inquired whether he would be granted sufficient space to make a dispiay of the entire lithographic process in allits phases and in all stages of its progress, The answer was necessarily a qualified one, as the Director General, in Philadelphia, ts the only au- thority who can make the final allotments of space ; but as such an exhibition of the wonders of mod- ern lithography would be of surpassing intercet there is no doubt that his request will be complied With as jar as practicable. Other lithographers are also preparing a similar display, 80 that this de- illustrated. Their demand lor space, nowever, will probavly have to be reducea, ior the constant in- two weeks render it highly probable that the Direc- tor General wili be chary with the room at bis com- mand, THE GOLD PEN MANUFACTURERS will be handsomely represented at the Exhibition, Yesterday one of the principal manufacturers | called at the office of the financial agent, who, however, had previously left for Philadeiphia, and Wii provably not return until Tuesday next. The Secretary, Mr. Butler, gave the applicant all the course of the conversavion, Made some significant remarks, which tend to show in what light the Centennial 1s viewed by our business men. “We look forward to the Centennial with great hope,’’ this gentleman observed, ‘tor we teel that the Teer 1876 is to mark a complete revolution in the usiness of the country, We in the gold pen trade are affected by the hard times just as much as larger brancnes of industry, but it seems to us that the Ventennial must naturally have the effect of reviving trade and stimulating manufactures to an uncommon degree. This view ta shared by nine-tenths of the business men in this cily with | whom I have conversed om the subject. ‘They ail Centennial year will be the begiuning of a better period,” THE SUBSCRIPTIONS yesterday could not be ascertained owing to the absence of Governor Bigier in Puiladelphia, Ret- erence was made yesterday to the large sums Which must have been already realized in this city. Itcan now be stated with certainty that One of the branches of trade which has been most liberal in its donations is that of the white lead Meeung of all the prominent representatives of the trade, and not as individuals. Tne result in this case is an emphatic proof that Mr. Bigler’s system of appealing more to trades as bodies than to the individuals composing them is one founded on a just perception of the motives by which men are guided in questions like this. When appeals are made to individuals each one is apt to suy:— “Dll wait till 1 see what the others will do,” but when a whole trade is represented at a meeting a handsome sum can be raised at once by each mem- ber agreeing to take his share of the financial burden. Experience has proved that this mode of appeal adopted by the financial agent of the Centennial Commission is the one best calculated to lmsure success. THE PAINT AND OTL TRADE. ‘The entire paint and oll trade is active in its efforts to secure a full display 0: this and kindred branches of American acuvity at the Exhibition. The committee, a8 appointed by tne Centennial Board, 18 composed oi Messrs, J.-W. Tremaio, K. L. of which is that the most innocent person can be | Molineux, J. Seaver Page, Franklin Bell, Joon W. | Mr. Tompkins displays great taste in the outside | find out exactly what Str Arthur Heips’ opinions | here are pictures, too, and pretty ones at that, are. And it is opinions tat we want—for what ne | What a beautiful voiume a dozen of them would gives out as hisown is sure to be vainabie. Jno | make bound together! sooner say to myself, “That's as irue as preach- | #RED—They are issued every fortnight, and the ing,” to something Ellesmere says, than ‘long comes Milverton with his broadsword or Maulev- | large sale among the laboring classes—whica goes | erer with his rapier and lets the wind into tue beautiful theory. The Dooron—sir Arthur Helps ts a reformer in the best sense of that term, and whatever he has to say on the eubject of social abuses is worth iisten- ing to, whether he puts it in one man’s mouth or another's, and if you keep your wits about you you will see that he allows no thrusting at his pet theories, He isclever enough to let the different newsdealers teil me that they have a surprising to prove that working mea of the present day are | mot satisfied with the yellow-covered literature of past years. Feiicia—What’s in this other package, Frea? Frep—Oh, that’s the work of another missione ary, F. B. Patterson, who has recently issued port- folios containing a dozen photographic copies of Hendschei’s sketches, with @ portrait of the artist. | Are these not clever? Just look at this “Pretty questions be discussed in their several bearings®, Waiter Girl” Ii she should indulge in the iuxury for tne sake of making them interesting to tue | general reader. ‘ The Proresson—Englishmen are, of course, more interested than we are in the government reforms of their own country, though the savject is not uninteresting in America, He complains of the want of permanence in the udministration and cleverly says:—‘The statesman is worse off than the circus rider, for he must leap throug® his hoop whenever tt is offered him.” The Docton—If we once begin to quote the good things said by the “Friends” we can go on for the | whole evening. For instance, what could be truer than thia it is only the busy and over- worked men upon whom you can throw any extra work with some chance of it# being welcomed?” Frep—in minded of the way the Professor used to treat my youthiul mapuscript, If | ever prided myself upon @ sentence he was sure to draw his penci! through it, So that when he was not here to run a friendly | eye over my ‘copy’ I made it a rule to cut auy- thing ip it that particularly pleased me. The Doctor—You don’t live up to that rule now- | adays, I imagine ? | Prep—One cannot be so careful, with a room futl of hungry prinvers cailing for ‘‘copy.”” The Docron—Speaking of the “Art of Leaving Off,” calia to mind a story my father used to tell with a great deal of gusto:—A young clergyman invited @ worldly friend to spend a Sunday with him, Tbe invitation was accepted and she two Went tO GhErch tomether, Alter wa gorvice the “The Art of Leaving OF I am re-— of a chignon one couid not blame her, Pa.icta—How fanny this old naturalist ts, and this innocent young rascal who has just thrown | the snowbail! FRED- Patterson is going to issue before | long a ‘Pictorial History of Ulu New York,” which | will be entirely without reading matter. It will | consist of tac-similes of maps, old newspapers, etchings, woodcuts of old buildings, streets, &c. | They wiil be arranged chronoiogically and wii tell | their own tale. Miss RacueL-—It seems to me that there is a growing taste for oid things—bistories, recoiiec- | tions and the like. We bave only just begun to | have an antiquity in this country. Everything hae been done tor the new, but now that we are richer and have more leisure we are beginning to look | @iver the old, bd “4 STRANGE WORLD.” Prurcia—Miss Braddon is nerseif again! After reading ‘Lost for Love’ I thought sne had quite tamed down, but here comes “A Strange Woria” (Harper & Brothers), which 18 up to her usual piten, and | cannot say that it is any the less interesting | for that. | Miss RacheL—There 18 no lack of the sensational in this volume—love, murder, plot and counter- piot foliow each other in rapid succession, | Feiicia~t do not know wheter the title ap- | plies to tne fact that the heroine was of the stage or whether the singular occurrences chronicied Give it the name. Misa RACKRL—TDE idge Of having tue here mnt: | proved gutity on circumstantial evidence; andthe ; Masury and S. Newman for the paint and color other is, don’t keep letters or don’t keep a diary. Miss Racukgi—Follow Talieyrand’s advice, and | “never write a letter, or never burn one.” Feticta—It 16 bad enough in @ school girl to ; | keep a diary, but I think there is a screw loose | | about a man who indulges in that pastime. Such | | abominable trash as Eustace wrote was enough to | convict him. I can’t see now but that he was jnst as bad as any man who loves another woman ‘| better than his wile, His diary was an outrageous | production. Miss RacHEL—I don’t believe that it is possible for a person to write out their honest thoughts and | feelings in a diary. It wil! certainly be seen, sooner | or later, and knowing that one is apt to put in the | grandtloquent. | FPrEp—I jook upon Eustace as a madman or a “new kind ot idiot,” as Mark Twain says. Fewicita—Valeria’s disgust at the Lord Advo- | cate’s speech and admiration for that of the Dean | | of the Facvity reminds one of tne partiality shown by Colone) Sellers at the memorable trial of Laura | Hawkins. Miss Racnet—If Eustace only proke off with the pretty Mrs. Beanly because she knew all about | his trial, why did he not still love her? Frep—That is one of the many inconsistencies in the book, of which Mrs. Macallan’s conduct in the first part is another sample. Miss Racukt—I do not think it was half as bad | that the first Mrs. Eustace should have been a | suicide as that her husband should be suspected of having poisoned her, How like a man it was in | | Eustace to want Valeria to trust him, but to be | | dreadfully hurt when she wanted himtotrust her! | The Docror—Wilkie Collins knows how to tell a | | good story ; he never for a moment lets the read- | er’s interest fag. I didu’t go to bed Jast night | ‘until L had finished this vook, though 1 don’t alto- I think it leaves @ bad taste in the | mouth. The plot is very bewildering. There are three different times when you think you have fatbomed it and find your mistake. | Fruicta—It was impossible for me to lay the book down until I had finished it also. gether like it. LITERARY, CHIT-CHAT. Ex-President Walker, of Harvard College, has | bequeathed his library, valued at $15,000, to the college. M. H. Taine’s bright and witty sketches of | Paris life, translated by Johu Austin Stevens, Jr., Will be published by H. Holt & Co. Mr. Alexander J. Sheldon, of Buffalo, has com- | pleted an historical book relating to Niagara, which | | will make a splendid quarto volume of avout 900 | pages. Mr. Isaac Butts, of the Rochester Democrat, | completed a work on “Protection and Free Trade” before his death, whicn the Putnams will soon publish. The strikingly-written stories of Mr. Henry James, Jr., will be gathered into a volume, en- | titied “The Passionate Pilgrim and other Stories,” to be printed by Osgood. AM important article on the public debi of France, its origin and development, and the | | means of its extinction, appears in the Revue des | | Deux Mondes for December 15. A capital book on the great musical composers | | ts Mr. ¥. Crowest’s #The Great Tone Poets,” in which we have the story of Bach, Haydn, Rossini, | Mozart, Schuberth and Beethoven, The latest historical choke pear to appear will | be Mr. Charles G. Leland’s book entitied ‘“Fu- | | Sang; or, The Discovery of America by Chinese | | Buddhist Priests in the Fifth Oenvary.”” | | | Under the titie of “Shakespeare from an Ameri- can Point of View, with the Baconian Théory Von- sidered,” Mr. George Wilkes has begun in the | Sptris of the Times » veries of critical chapters, Fidigh Will grovawy cma jaroyR, that Reger for | $850,000, this metropolis, toat spends so many | space have already yone from the trade; Edward Austen, S. Goodwin, S. R. Bradiey and S. Manning for the white lead and zinc oxide branch; Peter Cooper, glue; William Tilden Biodgett, varnishes; G. B. Arcuer, gums; J. M. U, Martin and W. B. Burtnett, brushes, and G. 0, ‘Tompkins, E. A. Fisher and William um phreys. pig lead. Now, there is no doabt that “there's millions” in glue, gums, &c., and as these gentie- men appreciate the advantages o1 buing engaged in a business that 1s certainly almost as lucrative as Colonel Sellers’ speculations would have proved to be if they had only been successfully carried out they will endeavor to make the very best display of the articles by which 80 many fortunes have been made in this country. Their contribu- tions to the Centennial fund redect creait upon the entire trade. NEW YORK’S CONTRIBUTIONS, On Monday the office of the financial agent at | the St. Nicholas Hotel will be closed in honor of Washington’s Birthday, but on Tuesday it is ex- pected that Messrs. Bigler and sutler will plunge wiresh into the financial work. The growing in- terest with which the commercial community now views the patriotic undertaking renaers it almost certain that the quota of this clty will soon be made up. The quota of the State being about millions in ove year on champagne, diamonds, and other luxuries, should certainly raise at least haif this amount. Itis proper to add that these expectations are likely to be realized before long, despite the stringeucy of the money market, which has tied the purse strings of many a New York patriot. The list of New York subscriptions will be published 1n Juli before long. THE CHILIAN EXHIBITION. New York, Feb. 19, 1875. To THE EpIToR OF THE HEKALD:— Your article of this date, beaded “The Cen tennial,” is of exceptional interest to Americans, Its remarks relative to the Chillan Exhibition, which opens nearly ten months and closes six months before the opening of the American Cen- tennial, are in many respects true and timely; but tnere are other facts connected with tne Chilian Exposittcn of still more importance to our peopie. It 18 doubtful if a failure of the United States to make a fine exhibition at this Jair will influence Chili in her exhinttion at the Centen- nisi, The fixed poltcy of that Republic—to con- tribute her due quota to the advancement of sci- ence, arts and commerce—will in any case lead her to a full representation at tue Oentenntal Ex- inition; 80 that on that point we need not feel anxious, Our people, however, have @ much greater interest in a iull representation at the Cnilan Exposition, to open Septem- ber 16, 18% On such @ representation depends an indefinitely large increase os American commerce and iofuence in South America. Ivis entirely proper jor us to submit our own glory at our own Cenvenntal, and to get as many ol the nations of tue earth to witness it a@spossivie. Bul a negiect of the people oi the United states to well represent their inventions FRANCE, Versailles Voted the Capital of the Nation— Paris Disfranchised as the Metropolis. THR GREAT PARTIES BALANCED, Political Fortune Smiling on the Bonapartists. PARis. Feb. 5, 1876, T expressed a doubt in my last letter as to whether much significance could be attached te the implied acknowledgment of the Kepublic by a majority of one, in the Assembly on the 30th ef January, Certain itis that four days later—that 18, on the 8d inst.—the royalists triumphed over their adversaries on the great question of the capital, the Chamber deciding by 332 to 327 thas the seat of government and of the Legislature should be Versailies, thus, as it were, rendering the disfranchisement of Paris a part of the const tution, The importance of this division, however, lies in the fact thacit reveals such an evenly bal- anced state of parties in tne Assembly, victory incuining ever sosiightly, now to one side ana now to the other, that no solid or durable work can be expected to result from its discussions. Far, ther, every day that the provisional state of things lasts, and that neither the conserva- tive Republic nor constitutional Monarchy seem to be possible, the Bonapartist cause is gaining, and even honest liberals sigh for the material prosperity of the Empire and a termination of these sterile party intrigues. The organization of Prince Louisa Napoleon’s adherents is discovered to be far more formidable than would have been imagined. They form A VAST SECRET SOCIETY, extending through every department of France and every class of the population. The soctety is, in fact, a sham administration, with sham suvor- dinate officials, a sham police, and so forth. “Every legitimate employé of the Republic has his coun- terpart Iu the ranks of the Imperialist faction. If MacMahon is President, Louis Napoleon is Em peror with these men. If General de Cissey ts the Marshal’s Prime Minister, M. Rouher is the chief of another phantom Cabinet, which yet ex- ercises @& great deal of real authority. An invisible Minister “of the Interior - commanas cighty-seven invisible prefects, and these in their turn give orders to invisible sub- prefects and mayors. Even the parish beadle, acknowledged by the Republic, ts replaged in the secret Empire by a beadle capable of appreciating the Napoleonic idea, and who is to emerge from obscurity as soon as France shall have displayed a like capacity. puch a discipiine of the Imperialtst forces may possibly defeat its own end; for, by disposing of every scrap of patronage beforehand, Uhe young Pretender has nothing more to offer to others, and it is aifficult to recruit active parti- Sans Without a tangible inducement. His retain- ers may get to be considered as a sect apart from which the rest of the nation 1s shut out, and which has nothing in view but a few selfish ends ofitsown. The Bonapartists are already in pop- ular estimation the Jesuits of politics, from the unscrupulousness supposed to be common to the faction and to the famous order. The exclusive- ness of the one and the other would be another point of similarity. But IF THE INTERREGNUM SHOULD CONTINUE , M. Rouher and those who act with him (ncluding Marshal Canrobert and no one can tell how many generals besides) may profit by the apparent im- potence of the Legislature and the Executive to give the signal for another dark night’s work, and in a moment tne Empire may spring forth completely armed trom the head of the arch-con- spirator, Already Marshal MacMahon has been goaded into a treat of resignation, and should be offer once more to abdicate his powers, and should the Assembly take him at bis word, a8 it did Thiers When the ex-President least expected it, the anarchy which would then be imminent would be the golden opportunity of the Bonapartists, MACMAHON’S THREAT was uttered in this wise. M. Barthe had pro- posed an amendment to the constitutional laws providing that the President should dispose of the armed iorces of the nation but should never com- Mund them in person. Most sincere liberals would have supported the Cluuse, wirich contained an excellent precaution jor the discouragement of would-be Cwsars, But General de Chabaud La- tour, Secretary of the Interior, rendered its adop- tion impossible by ascending tae tribune and declaring, with extraordinary vehemence, that he ‘was authorized to say that il the Marshal-Presi- dent were torbidden to draw his sword in deleace of nis country he would resign within twenty-four | hours, Yet, though a sceptical observer will | scarcely see much tbat 1s hopeful in the present | situation of French affairs, it ts fair to ada that the republicans are elated beyond measure at the sudden brightening of their prospects. ‘hey lancy they have achance for founding the Republic by means of the present Assembly, and that once it becomes the definitive form of government the mass of Frenchmen will rally to 1t as they unquestionably do rally to the established order of things, whatever it may be, The future of France depends for the hour on the action of the Right Centre, or THE YOUNG ORLEANISTS, as the section of conservatives who helped to swell the republican majority of the 30th of Janu- ary is called, If a score Of them continue to vote steadily with the Left the Republic may indeed be constituted. The old Orleanisis will inerge into the legivimists and the two together form an tnsig- Niflcaut band oj theorists. The result of tne geu- eral election must, however, be awaited before the permanency of the new constitution can be tested. Bonapartism, as I nave pointed out, grows apace, but its progress will be arrested by aothing su eflectually as a legal government whose tile is beyond cavil and which can presenta definite system and policy for the rural population to sup- ort, ‘The peasant farmer would prefer the Smpire, but he may be persuaded to accept the Republic should its proclamation haply coincide with @ good harvest. The Septennate, personal or impersonal, he canuot abide or understand. It is new-langied, and, U it means anytitag, means the perpetual alarm of revolution. Above all, he wishes to be quiet and nates a change. RECRUITING FOR THE ARMY. An Interesting report has been taid before the Chamber on the subject of recruiting for the arm: during the year 1874 under the law of compul- sory military service. Out of 393,510 young men inscribed on the lists 30,483 were exempted for different reasons, about halt on whe ground that they were suffering | from various diseases which rendered them | unfit for military service. ‘The diseases were | classed as follows:—Skin diseases, 705; , blindness, 120; iossof an eye, 1,525; squinting, 125; short sight, 527; various diseases of tne eye, |,879; deaf- ness, 691; 1088 Of teeth, 315; statvering, 529; wens, 416; scrofula. 1,536; heart disease, 735; consump- tion, hernia, 1,942; loss of the use of an arm or jeg, ; Mutilation of fingers, 1,038; varicose veins, 318. TUB GERMAN EMBASSY FETE. A more cheerful subject is the grand reception at the Germau Embassy last Wednesday, when all Parts ked to the residence of Priuce Hoben- lobe, tu the Rue de Lile, The Orieans Princes were especially remarked, and so was Queen [sa- bella, of Spain, who was more or less the guest of the evening. The deference shown her by the German Ambassador was only natural; out gos- sips have already set afloat rumors of a scoret un- derstanding between the Courts oi Berlin aod Madrid. hag the underatanding is about it mignt be hard to explain. A ROMANTIC STORY. and manulactures at (nis South American fair means an avandoament by us of very much of the commerce of that iinmense Continent to Luropean enterprise. Our be: formed South American shippers tong since the proper course to meec tt, Pacilic sia and Panama Railroa couraging our people, by offering to transport articles destined to that Jair at merely nomial rates, and such shippers as Mi 3. Fabbri & Chauncey offering so carry them, via Cape Horn, at rates iar beioW tie ruling ones of trade. ‘Tne Chilian government has aone every reasonable thing to secure the appropriate attendance of our people and exhibition of our products. Her ocean steamers carry everytuing we send, from Panama to Valparaiso, gratuitously, and on the same terms the naiional railway transports them thence to Santiago, the place of exiioiiion. I nave the pleasure o! informing the readers oi the HERALD that t! those who have made application for space at this lair do not fail to forward their articies we shall have no cause to feel as! a of our appearance tere. So far as I ha tained considers diy more than 200 applications for nited State: about 150 rom this city, The aggregate space r quired oy these applications will amount to about one-tenth of all the space thus far provided at the fair, The HERALD haa, therefore, simply to en- courage our applican:s ‘for space to send on thelr articles in order to represent as Teun G and to secure the resulting benelits. Lt will give me gest pleasure to furnish the HERALD all required etails about the Onan Exposition or any infor. mation it may ‘oink aie rr’ abt 1 5 ROGERS, Conaul for Chili and President of the New, York _ Commission i¢r the Expoal Wows ‘Thirty-one years ago a littie boy, four years old, the son of Daniel Hutcuins, of Burlington, N. J., while playing outside the door of the home of bis parents, was kidnapped by two men ana taken te Philadelphia on board of a steamboat. From that city the boy was soon afterward taken to the West, where he grew up under the charge o/ his captors. Upon arriving at the age of manhood he started out in life for himself, and travelled over nearly every part of the civilized worid. /At the time of bis disappearance from home his parents became almost frantic with rief because of his loss, and bad the Delaware Kiver and ite tributaries, to- | gether with the surrounding country, sesrched for his whereabouts, dead or alive, but ali iu vain. | The people of Burlington showed the deepess | sympathy for the sorrow-stricken parents and | large rewards were offered ior the recovery of tne | lost one, nowwitastanding which the event re- | mained shrouded in mystery for the iong space of tiirty-one years, When the lost one appeared at the scenes Of 118 Childuood In queas of his parente. | In the meantime toe father and mother dicd, It supposed, from pare grief, thinking that their boy must be dead. After fighting the battles of the world and making for himselt @ snug compe- tence, the young man became convinced that he was not the cuild of the men with whom he had been living, and he determined to find hia parenee. e entertained 4 slight recoliection of 18 old home, and he finally ascertained that ne could find tidings of his ee in New Jersey, and, aided by inquiry, he fixed apon Burlington Gs the piace, arcrivins Oniy tad bis parents dead,