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fashioned" sound in the Gaelic; and the preaching had a more homely sense in his mother-speech. It might have been the sombre throng, the anguish of the earnest faces, the moorland blackening in the noontide, that gave a pitiful cadence to the voices; but an unknown tongue was moving us as the softer English seldom has done.

One of the preachers rose to speak; he was a tail, thin. wiry man, with high features and a black beard cut in the American style. His voice, loud and full, rung far across the moor. His discourse had more of a spiritual nature" than the others we were to listen to. The Gaelic words for "grace" and "love" were frequently repeated. Towards the close his voice rose wildly, it might be emphatically; he chanted his sentences with a not unmusical rhythm. The congregation listened with a stricken calm; some of the people were swaying themselves gently to the pastor's cadences.

Another preacher spoke, a little man with grey wavy hair; his voice was thin, and had grown hoarse through much preaching in the open air. His speech was forced and unequal. He spoke in one tone, and seemed to answer in another, suggesting irreverent recollections of ventriloquial efforts; but his exhortations were earnest, and drew his audience near to him. He had some gift of eloquence missed among most speakers of the Saxon tongue. A farmer-looking, hearty man closed the service. He had a homely way, and had homely advices to give. He spoke a sentence to the right and another to the left, pausing to consider before speaking again. He closed almost every pause with "aqus," and folded his hands to think over the rest of the sentence. When he was nearing the last of his homilies, he regretted that some came there with brazen faces, who believed in arts that were neither of this world nor were sanctioned by heaven, but came from the devil. Then followed an appeal to the congregation to remember the collection, which the elders were attending to on the outskirts of the corrie. The clergyman reminded his hearers that Christ had noticed the widow's mite.

The singing of the hymns was spiritless; the line read by the precentor was chanted by the congregation with a slight knowledge of the tune; but the winds softened the sound, and wafted it away into the

heavens.

We walked along the way towards Durinish, loitering till the sun was going down behind the violet wall of Raasay,

with the peak of Duncane blackening in the glow like a pyre. We returned by the sanctuary, where some old men and women were loitering in the gloaming, feeling seeming comfort in the hushed words they spoke. They lingered as they might have done in the sunshine; there might still be a glow about the sanctified place that kindled the hearts of the worshippers. On the way to Plockton old people walked dcently home to rest and prepare for the morrow.

The crowd had vanished somewhere, leaving many boats upon the beach. In Plockton, as elsewhere through the Highlands at these seasons, the doors had been opened to the strangers, to kinsmen, to friends, to those without any claim at all; for there is the belief among the poorest that Providence will somehow provide for the entertainment of the guests who come from far distances to these solemnities. To Loch Carron had come pilgrims from Torridon, Shieldag, and Diobag; from the Gairloch, from Loch Ewe, from Skye, from Raasay, from Loch Alsh, from Dornie, and Loch Duich. Among these were doubtful Christians, pious "sorners," who wander from "preaching" to preaching, and still find food and shelter; but the congregation were mainly sincere and simple-hearted folk, to whom the season was a time of meditation on better things.

In the narrows of Loch Carron, among the "Sqeirs" of Loch Kishorn, we could see brown sails fading before the west wind. Those who were within reach were going homeward to return on the morrow. Country folks were climbing like goats along the crags towards Loch Alsh; a trail of wayfarers hurried across the ebbed flats at the head of the harbour. Everywhere. pictures of a simple life were filling the eye, and the heart was calmed with the humble looks of an earnest people.

From The Examiner.

JUAREZ.

THE death of Benito Juarez, the Cromwell of Mexico, deprives the country which he governed with so much energy and ability of the only strong and thoroughly resolute statesman that the Mexican Republic has produced of late years. It is probable that Juarez was the greatest Mexican statesman since the declaration of Mexican independence. Santa Anna himself did not exceed him in stern vigour and indomitable courage, while Sinta

Anna was much his inferior in those qual-compatriots.

On the other hand, the

ities of political leadership which are of Spanish faction, the descendants of the the first importance to any one who essays Europeans, hated him with a hate that to hold the helm of a State. As is known, was only inferior to their fear. Juarez was of unmingled Indian blood. We have already, in an article upon the No cross with the long dominant Spaniard outbreak of the civil war, which was still impaired the purity of his descent from raging at the moment of the death of the the ancient races of Mexico. He was a President, although all the chances were Red Man of the Red Men, and the extra-showing themselves to be in favour of the ordinary capacity he displayed throughout Juarists, commented upon some of the his stormy and difficult career may serve principal features in the internal policy of to illustrate the civic and politic ability the deceased statesman. It is now fourof those imperial peoples whom Cortez teen years since Juarez first obtained the found in the possession of power and the Presidential dignity, and during this long enjoyment of no inconsiderable civiliza- period it is undeniable that he has kept his tion, when first the foot of the invincible reputation conspicuously free from the acEuropean pressed the soil of the Mexican cusations of embezzlement which were continent. The readers of the narrative only too well deserved by many of his of the Spanish conquest of Mexico can predecessors. But though Juarez was easily call to mind the astonishing ex-personally incorruptible, there can be no amples of indigenous culture and progress doubt that both the cupidity of his followwhich were exemplified in the Tlascalan republic and the Aztec empire; and it will require the reflection that with the throne of Montezuma fell the most terrible and sanguinary superstition that ever desolated a nation, in order to stifle the regret that must be felt at the destruction of a primitive civilization so remarkable and so flourishing. Nor can even this reflection stifle the regret. The blood-stained altars of the Aztec War God, that were annually drenched by the blood of a hundred thousand human captives, only made way for not less frightful sacrifices to the demon of Spanish cupidity. After the lapse of generations, the demand for retribution is to be heard in the expressions of bitter hate with which two-thirds of the present population of Mexico are accustomed to salute every reference to the by-gone period of Spanish conquest and enslavement. To the same retributive feeling is to be traced no small part of the ascendency which Benito Juarez exercised among his countrymen.

ers and his own affection towards his friends led to abuses which seriously militated against the respect in which the Government was held. At the same time the extreme duration of the Juarist administration tended to provoke opposition through the mere fact of its duration. There is something contrary to Republicanism in pushing the principle of reelection too far in a Republic. This objection is found to weigh in the United States against the choice of General Grant for another Presidential term. A President who succeeds in obtaining a perpetual renewal of his term of office is not far from Cæsarism, even though he is himself utterly innocent of any eonscious desire to subvert Republican institutions. A President who has been President for life too often prepares the way for another President for life to follow him. Hereditary Presidency is the next step, and what is Hereditary Presidency but a Napoleonic Empire with all its attendant train of sham-legitimisms of every description? The resolution of It has been pretended that Juarez was Juarez last year to become President of not merely an Indian, but a Montezuma. Mexico for a fourth time was the reason It is not impossible that this may have why Porfirio Diaz rose in rebellion. There been the case. The blood of the Peruvian is no doubt that Juarez believed himself Incas flows in the veins of the Castilian to be, as he really was, the ablest ruler of house of De la Vega, nor is it intrinsically the country. This is, however, a dangerimprobable that some members of the an- ous conviction to encourage in the trustee cient imperial caste may have perpetuated of practically sovereign powers. To the themselves, and that their descendants may have continued to be recognized in secret and in apprehension by fragments of the great nation that obeyed their ancestors. It is at least certain that, in some unaccountable way, Juarez, from the very outset of his career, possessed an extraordinary amount of influence over his Indian

last, Juarez was the determined opponent of the clerical party. He had never hesitated to help his administration out of the goods of the clergy, and, as the plea of public necessity seldom reconciles people to their own impoverishment, the clergy never failed to pursue Juarez with their hostility. The conduct of some lead

ing Juarists, who were known to have ap-, the consideration whether the punishment plied the Church property to the aid of the of the criminal was in the highest degree State by the simple process of putting the likely to prevent the imitation of his proceeds in their own pockets, or by be- crime. Now we are of opinion that it will coming masters of huge estates at a nom- be a long time before another, European, inal sum, seriously embarrassed the Pres- Asiatic, or African princeling, whose edident. The clericals themselves must, ucation is sufficiently advanced to let him however, give to Juarez the praise of an know the punishment of Maximilian, will earnest desire for extending education and be found to risk another Queretaro. Benand for increasing commercial facilities ito Juarez had the future of the Mexican throughout the country. Republic to defend, and, under the circumstances, the great Aztec had no option.

From The Pall Mall Gazette.

LOAN.

The execution of Maximillian is pronounced by a good many journals to be a damning blot on the memory of the Mexican President. Englishmen even, who, if an invading army of Russians or Germans had succeeded in thrusting some Romanov or Hohenzollern on the throne THE POLITICAL ASPECT OF THE FRENCH of England, would be the first to denounce allegiance to the usuper as treason to the In ordinary cases the success of a State nation, profess themselves to be unable to loan is interesting rather to financiers than pardon the indignant repudiation of Napo- to politicians. But the circumstances leon's nominee by the manhood and patri- under which the French loan has been efotism of Mexico. As for the specific act of fected and the extraordinary popularity the shooting of Maximilian, putting aside which it has turned out to possess lift the the personal amiability of that reckless matter altogether above the region of pure and unfortunate adventurer, it is to be re- finance, and give it a political importance membered that Maximilian had previously of the highest order. No doubt the event sanctioned the decree of Bazaine by which of Sunday and Monday suggests some inevery Mexican soldier taken in arms teresting speculations even in pure finance, against the French was to be shot on the but its political aspect takes precedence of spot. A leader of foreign cut-throats, for these. With the fact before us that the the French in Mexico were no more, who loan has been covered twelve times over, sanctioned the practice of deliberately that, 140 millions sterling being wanted, slaughtering the native prisoners of war, more than 1,600 millions sterling-twice could have no right to complain of being the amount of the English national debt called to an account for the atrocities he - have been offered, we cannot stop to had approved. The excuse that Maximil-consider how the money market will be efian was really the mere agent of Bazaine fected, or whether the buyers have investis no excuse. Maximilian could have re- ment or speculation most in view. Two fused to be the agent of Bazaine, and we things claim to be noticed before any have yet to learn that the fact of compli- time can be spent in working out these city removes the guilt of complicity. It latter problems, serious as they are in is probable, indeed, that the Hapsburg themselves: What does the success of prince, like the Napoleonic mercenary, had the loan indicate? What is likely to be far too slight an idea of the claims of Re- its effect on the French people? publicans to the ordinary justice of hu- It is almost too obvious to say that it manity, to hesitate about hanging or indicates the immense and almost unshooting them in cold blood and to any touched wealth of the nation. That extent. The Mexican Republicans may, Frenchmen should be able when the counhowever, be pardoned for not being able try needs it to come forward with someto share this order of sentiments. In thing like the whole amount of the indem brief, there can be no doubt that Maximil-nity constitutes a sort of apotheosis of ian, with all his personal amiability as frugality. One is tempted for a moment aforesaid, had deserved death at the hands to rate the virtue of saving money above of the enemies to whom he had behaved, all other graces of citizenship. Further, not as an ordinary enemy, but as a pirate it indicates very considerable confidence who makes his captives walk the plank. in the existing order of things. Some alThe only question that can arise is, lowance must of course be made for exwhether it was expedient to exact strict cited and emotional patriotism of a somejustice from such a criminal; and this what cheap order. A shrewd man might question can only be rightly answered by 'calculate that he was not likely to get all

he applied for; that even if he got more the game in his own hands, and they than he wanted he would be able to sell have nothing to do but to leave him at no very great loss, and that it was to play it out. The effect of this convicworth running this amount of risk to be tion on their parts will be good in two able to talk of his devotion to France and ways. It will take away much of their his readiness to sacrifice his substance in strength, and it will make them more modher service. But a feeling such as this erate in the use of such strength as they can never account for any really great re- retain. Hitherto the real power of the sult. The mass of the French subscribers, Right has been its alliance with the genwe may be sure, were sober men who have eral conservative feeling of the country. made some rough estimate of the stability Frenchmen are not as a rule keen poliof the existing Government, and have ticians; in some respects it would be betthought it sufficiently proved to invest ter for them if they were more So. money on the faith of it. It does not They are only too ready to put up much matter whether their idea of the ex- with even a bad Government if it secures isting Government includes the Republic them in the possession of their property, or goes no further than the President. and lets them make money in peace. A Even on the latter theory it is certain that Government that can borrow a 140 milthey have so much confidence in M. lions sterling with such unprecedented Thiers as to make them content with what- ease has gone far to establish its title to ever Government he thinks best for them, their favour. After all, what is it that and his own obvious inclinations and in- they hoped to find under the Empire, and tentions make it clear that the Govern- were wondering a year ago whether they ment he thinks best for them will be the should find under a Legitimist or an OrRepublic. The success of the loan leaves leanist restoration? That very security no doubt on these two points that which the Republic has shown that it can France is very rich, and that Frenchmen give them. Events have proved that M. have confidence enough in a Republican M. Thiers was right when he christened Government to lend their money to it. The healing of the great schism between Republicanism and the Conservative force of the country has begun.

the Republic the Government which divides Frenchmen least. What better guarantee of union can there be than union in lending money to the State? The primary result of this success will And if this union exists, why should any be to intensify the causes to which it is one go farther in search of the order and mainly due. The nation has lent money tranquility which union brings with it? to the Thiers Government because it The secessions from the Monarchical party, thinks it strong, and the Thiers Govern- large as they have been already, will now ment will be all the stronger because the be larger. In point of fact, it will cease nation has lent it money. As regards M. to be a party, and will become only a knot Thiers, even the shadow of the loan has of partizans. Upon realizing this fact the enabled him to do pretty much as he likes. Extreme Right will have no option but to The Right are powerless against him. A mend their manners. They cannot hope month or two ago they could at all events to win by a coup d'état in the face of such talk big. They could hint at broken vows a plebiscitum as the loan constitutes. and violated compacts, at Conservative They must become prudent and constitupromise falsified by Radical performance, tional in spite of themselves. They will at the waning confidence of the Assembly not be able to help seeing that the country and the possible deposition of the Presi- is not with them, and that only time and dent. Now they are quietly going home argument and patient waiting on events and leaving the country to the uncon- can possibly bring it over to them. That trolled administration of the man their dis- the proof which has been given this week trust in whom they have till lately never of the extraordinary wealth of the counbeen tired of proclaiming. We may be try may make them more anxious than sure that they have not changed. If they ever to bring it over to their side is likely disliked M. Thiers when he was setting enough, but this is a more remote conup the Republic against heavy odds, they tingency which need not be considered are not likely to dislike him the less now now. Nor will the success of the loan be that he is setting up the Republic with without a similar moderating influence on this marvellous triumph at his back. But the Republicans. They have declared to they see that it is useless to kick against win with the Conservative horse, and the the pricks. Fortune has been too much greatness of the victory will naturally for them, and they submit. M. Thiers has dispose them to prefer it to any horse in

their stable. Conservatism has brought its reward, and their gratitude will properly take the shape of a sense of favours to come from the same quarter.

might lead them to do something desperate to reinstate themselves in the good opinion of other nations. It is more likely, however, that the evidence of confidence in the solvency of France afforded by the applications which have come in from foreign countries will be taken as almost the equivalent of a general offer of alliance. Europe, Frenchmen will argue, has seen what France has been able to do after a crushing defeat, and the spectacle has evidently convinced it that this defeat was only a "surprise of fortune," and that it is the part of true wisdom to be on the side

All this would be true if the loan had been entirely subscribed in France. Its extraordinary success in foreign countries introduces another class of considerations. We may see the effect it will have on the minds of the French people foreshadowed in the speech of M. Goulard. He treats the foreign subscriptions as proving not only "the vitality of our beloved France," but also "the place she holds among other nations, the just idea of her incomparable of France in the time to come. It is hard, solvency, and the confidence she inspires of course, to say how this belief will disin Europe." If this is the way in which pose those impressed by it, but we can the loan strikes a Finance Minister, how hardly think that it will dispose them to it is likely to strike more impressionable accept the supremacy of Germany on the people? The encouragement Frenchmen Continent as a thing ordained of heaven. will derive from it is incalculable. They And the evidence which Germany will will almost forget that they have had to have of the strength that yet remains to pay a heavy indemnity in contemplating the nation she thought she had crushed the readiness with which all Europe has will hardly lead her to put off the watchlent them the money to pay it. În one ful and menacing attitude which, though it respect this sense of encouragement may is meant to guard against a renewal of be a general benefit. It was always con- the war, may also be instrumental in proceivable that the very despondency in voking it. which the war had left the French people |

STRUCTURE AND SOURCE OF THE WAX OF PLANTS.-Prof. de Bary publishes a paper on this subject in the Botanische Zeitung, thence abstracted in Nature. The wax does not appear to be a simple coating on the surface, and to form a continuous layer, as though laid on with a brush. It is found to be a dense forest of minute hairs of wax, each having one end on the epidermis, the other either rising straight up or rolled and curled amongst its neighbours. This matting of the waxen hairs is often sufficiently dense to give the surface, when viewed by the microscope, the appearance of a continuous layer, though a good section of the leaf or skin of the fruit indicates its true structure. The question as to what part of the epidermis or subepidermal tissue forms the source of the wax is most beautifully and clearly answered. Prof. de Bary states that it is impossible to discover the slightest trace of wax in the cell contents, or to entertain the theory that chlorophyll is partly made of wax. The locality in which the wax can first be detected is the cuticle and the cuticularized elements of the epidermis cells.

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THE GREAT PUBLIC AQUARIUM AT NAPLES.An account of this immense undertaking is given by a contemporary, and is of sufficient interest to have a place in our columns. The building, which is under the direction of M. Anton Dohru, is rectangular, measuring 100 ft. by 70 ft., with a height of 40 ft., and is 100 ft. from the sea. The lower part is to be occupied by the tanks of the great aquarium, to be opened to the public; and the upper will contain 24 rooms for laboratories, a library and collections, with lodging rooms for three or four zoologists. There will be 53 tanks in the lower story, one of them 32 ft. long, 10 broad and 3 1-2 deep, another, 26 ft. long, and twenty-six 3 ft. by 3 1-2 ft. The tanks throughout are furnished with a continuous current of sea-water. Upstairs, the library room is large enough to hold 25,000 volumes. The principal laboratory room will contain 20 to 30 tanks of different sizes; and besides there are private laboratories for the chief zoologist and the first assistant, and other small laboratory rooms, and rooms for collections.

Popular Science Review.

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