'How in the name of nature!" exclaimed old Boxall promise with his eyes open-for who would believe him?which has so nearly defied the researches and the reasonin utter amazement, "How in the name of nature Besides, every body knew him to be his only son, and ings of the astronomer. Aside from these bodies, if such could they?" though he did not value him at twenty thousand dollars, they may be called, the greater and the lesser lights have "Ah! how could they find it out?" echoed the Doctor, every body would say he ought to value him as high as been subjected to rigorous weight and measure, and the with a knowing chuckle. "But they can find such things this: public opinion would force him to pay it. Such solar system is emphatically the beaten way of the asout and they will find them out. There's no help for it. were the comfortable reflections of old Boxall, as he tronomer. Comets, however, have presented difficulties Mr. Boxall got rid of the Doctor as well as he could, brooded over this brimming addition to his cup of calam- so insuperable, that in latter times the subject seems to and made his way home, where he wrote instantly a note ities. There was indeed one consoling possibility:have been nearly abandoned in despair; and armed as to the President of the Bachelor's Orphan Association, dared he name it to himself?-his son might be dead! the present age may be against the horrors of superstidemanding an explanation. His increased astonishment Whether the worthy old gentleman really did console tion, a cometary appearance as imposing as that of 16-0, can only be imagined at receiving an answer from that himself with the hope, I will not pretend to say. He or even of the less threatening aspect of that of 1744, high functionary, thanking him in the politest manner for certainly did think of it, and just as he was most deeply would create no small degree of uneasiness in some his liberal donation, and regretting most profoundly that in thought, he heard a voice of some one coming up the hearts of the stoutest mould. When Dr. Olbers announany publicity should have been given to the affair. "But stairs, exclaiming, "I've found him? I've found him! ced that a portion of the earth's orbit would be involved since the newspapers have got hold of it, "he added, here he is!" Old Boxall gave a most tremendous jump in the nebulous atmosphere of Biela's comet in 1832, "Mr. Boxall must, notwithstanding his modesty, recon- upon his heels at this sound-but whether from joy, one half at least of the civilized world quaked with fear. cile himself to the circumstance of seeing his noble deeds surprise, or despair I will not pretend to judge. The Notwithstanding the alluring promise held out to the blazoned before the eyes of a grateful world," &c. &c. door flew open, and a young lady entered, leading Mr. modern student by the glories of sidereal astronomy, noJoseph Boxall by the hand. Here is your lost child, thing can justify a neglect of phenomena, which, by a Nothing could surpass the perplexity of Mr. Boxall at Mr. Boxall," she exclaimed, " 'tis I who have found him. close investigation, might result in contributing so much these singular proceedings. People up and down town Heaven be praised for his safe return!" to the tranquillity of the world. Impressed forcibly in were talking of them too, as if they were matters of The old miser stood aghast, but Joe understood his my youth by the beautiful appearance of the comet of public notoriety. “Am I awake or asleep?" said he to part, and threw himself at his father's knees. The young 1807, and, at a riper age, with those of 1811, 1819, 1825, himself:—and then he called to mind that he had been lady wept. She was handsome and interesting, so that and 1835, visible to the naked eye, and with others, seen known to walk in his sleep! "Merciful powers!" he Joe could not help weeping too. What was strange, at various periods by telescopic aid, I have been led fre exclaimed—“ have I really given away all this money in they seemed to know each other's ways well-they sympa- quently to reflect on the probable nature and physical my sleep?" thized so naturally! Two such interesting persons could properties of these erratic objects, and especially on that &c. the Notwithstand A train of the most startling thoughts now rushed not help melting the heart of the old miser, albeit unused distinguishing appendage, which by common consent is through his brain as he called to mind all the fearful to the melting mood: he actually rubbed his eyes. denominated the tail. In looking over the history of anecdotes of sleep-walking, which he had read in the However, we must bear in mind he was a father. The comets, and noting the explanation of the trains (with newspapers. Such strange things as people had been truth is, he was taken by surprise, and either did feel which they are for the most part attended,) as given by known to do in their sleep! A story too, came to his moved, or could not avoid appearing so. many distinguished astronomers, at periods very remote memory, which he had heard from his aunt Judy Keturah, "And now for the reward!" said the lady, with a from each other, I am constrained to acknowledge, high a maiden lady of unimpeachable veracity, how she got look of as much innocence as if she had no hand in the as the authority unquestionably is, that no one has affordup in her sleep one Sunday night in the middle of Janu- plot. ed to my mind the slightest satisfaction. ing the great number of writers on this subject, and the diversity of opinions that have been promulgated, there I'll appears to have been only two prevailing theories. The more ancient of these supposed the tails to be formed by the lighter parts being thrown off by the resistance of the ether through which the comet passed. The modern and the more generally prevailing theory is, that these particles are driven off by the impulsive force of the sun's rays. In each of these theories, the tails are "Honor bright, Mr. Boxall, I did find him." ary, and did all her washing-eighteen pair of sheets, "Ugh! ugh!" exclaimed old Boxall" what, four table cloths, twenty-seven shirts, nineteen pair of twen-really you don't mean❞— stockings, not to mention handkerchiefs, towels, caps, &c. without number-and went to bed again without once opening her eyes! Nothing could exceed the alarm swear to it. There's no getting off." which fell upon Mr.Boxall as he thought of this veracious "What, twenty thousand dollars! What a monstrous narrative. "It is too true!" he exclaimed, "I certainly sum! only think. Really, I am very thankful to you, do walk in my sleep: it runs in the family: 'tis a hered- young lady, for restoring me my son-but twenty thouitary disease. I must send for the doctor and get cured." sand dollars-consider what a loss for me!" Two or three days pondering upon the matter some- "Loss!" exclaimed his son. "Now I've just thought supposed to consist of matter. With regard to the forwhat reconciled him to the loss of five hundred and fifty of a way to save the whole of it!" dollars; for he had dismal suspicions that the money was mer theory, the simple fact that the tail precedes the "How!" cried old Boxall eagerly, and his eyes comet in its course through a portion of its elliptical jourgone. Alas! on the fourth day, he received official in- sparkling at the thought of saving twenty thousand formation that he had presented the enormous sum of dollars. won't One Thousand Dollars to the fund for the Lazybone Lec- "Suppose I marry the lady, and then the money ney, is a sufficient refutation; and to afford weight or plausibility to the latter, it is necessary to assume that the sun " blows heat and cold with the same breath"-in other words, that it attracts and repels with the same modus operandi. If we have no evidence of a repulsive force in the sun, to say nothing of a force suflicient to rethe head of the comet, equal to and sometimes excecding a hundred millions of miles, this theory, to say the "Prithee, father," said Joe, " only hand me over the least of it, is labored and unsatisfactory. money, and I'll agree to quiet the claimant.” " Thousand Dollars to the Society for the Diffusion of young lady, who was blushing like sunset. It's worth pel the lighter particles of these bodies to a distance from Useless Knowledge! Mr. Boxall fell down in a swoon saving," said he;" and if a bargain could be made on at this honor; and when brought to himself, vowed he fair terms, considering that the demand"was an incurable sleep-walker, and ruined forever. The length of It is needless to describe other acts of princely genethese trains is far from being exaggerated. Referring to rosity, the honors of which came thick and fast upon "Well, there it is; but won't she discount something?" him. At last one morning while reading the newspaper, “Yes-with my note of hand, and myself as collateral." y minutes of the late return of Halley's comet, I find that, at one period, the tail, by direct vision, subtended after breakfast, he was observed suddenly to drop the I have only to add that the wedding followed as soon an angle of twenty degrees, and on some occasions, by sheet on the floor, clasp his hands together, and roll up as possible, and Mr. Boxall paid over the twenty thou- oblique vision, more than forty degrees. The tail of the his eyes with a look of utter despair. The servant picked sand with some grumbling. However, they all insisted comet of 1689, is said to exceed sixty-eight degrees, and up the paper and read the following article among the it was as good as saved, and I imagine the old miser half that of the comet of 1680, ninety degrees. Making a prop. advertisements: thought so. Whether he ever found out the trick which er allowance for the faintness of the extremity of the tail, the young couple practiced upon him with the newspa- and the obstruction of the view by the atmosphere of Whereas, my son Joseph Boxall, left his home on the pers and the societies, I cannot say. But he has not the earth, it is by no means unsafe to conclude that many first day of April last, and not since been heard of, I been known to walk in his sleep since, much less to give of them extend some hundreds of millions of miles from hereby offer a reward of Twenty Thousand Dollars to away money. any person who will return him to me, or give such intelligence as will lead to his discovery. 66 INFORMATION WANTED. BENJAMIN BOXALL. "No. 9 Squeezebone Alley, Boston." This was a thunderstroke! Twenty thousand dollars From Silliman's Journal. ON THE TAILS OF COMETS. the nucleus of the comet. In view, then, of the last mentioned theory, it is by no means a matter of surprise that Newton, and with him La Place and Sir J. Herschel, should entertain the opinion that the more remote particles could never be recall -and he must pay it, for he had certainly done all this There is perhaps no department of astronomical sci-ed by the gravitation of the nucleus, and that portions of in his sleep, and could not get clear of the obligation. ence, connected with the solar system, of a nattire more the tails were at each revolution scattered in space, and ›Twould be of no avail to say that he never made the interesting than that of Comets, and certainly no one hence that comets were continually wasting, T 20 SUPPLEMENT TO THE COURANT. Arago, in speaking of the then anticipated return of ed no method, however circuitous, no kind of verifica- to be so well explained by this theory, that I cannot Halley's comet in 1835, makes the following remark;―tion, in order to reach the truth, so far as it lay in my doubt its truth, although nothing like demonstration ac "It appears probable, that in describing their immense power; I cannot consider it otherwise than completely companies it. There are, indeed, optical difficulties orbits, comets, at each revolution, dissipate in space all established, that an extraordinary connection is necessa- which I have been unable to overcome; no one, howev the matter, which, when they are near the perihelion, is ry for Pon's* comet, and equally certain that the princi-er, which may not be fairly attributed to our ignorance detached from the envelop forming the tail; it is there- pal part of it consists in the increase of the mean motion of the particular physical constitution of these bodies. fore very possible that in time, some of them may be en- proportionate to the time." Professor Airy, in an ap- It is no small confirmation of the truth of this explanatirely dissipated." But these views were not confirmed pendix to a translation of Encke's memoir, adds-" I can- tion of the tails of comets, that there is not the slightest by the appearance of Halley's comet in 1835, and Arago not but express my belief, that the principal part of the evidence, worthy of confidence, that the earth which has with a very becoming candor acknowledged this fact. theory, namely, an effect exactly similar to that which a we inhabit has ever been sensibly affected by a visita"If the reader," says he," will take the trouble to com- resisting medium would produce, is perfectly established tion from these enormous appendages, while the chance pare what I record of the comet of 1835, with the circum- by the reasoning of Professor Encke." Arago, in speak- of collision between the earth and the nucleus of a stances of its former apparition, he certainly will not finding of the discrepancy between the result of calculation comet, properly so called, is exceedingly small; yet, in this collection of phenomena, the proof that Halley's and observation on the period of the Encke comet, states when we reflect upon the number of comets belonging comet is gradually diminishing. I will even say that if, that the cause "can be nothing but the resistance of the to our system, the hundreds that range within the earth's in a matter so delicate, observations made at very dif- ether." And Dr. Bowditch, distinguished as he was for orbit, that their paths have every possible inclination to ferent periods of the year, will authorize any positive cautiousness, fully recognized the effect of an ethereal the elliptic, that these immensely extended trains, pro deduction, that which would most distinctly result from medium, in the translation of the Mecanicque Celeste. jected in a direction from the sun, describe an inconceiva. the two passages of 1759 and 1835, would be that the The fact, however, that Halley's comet, at its late return, ble sweep when they are encompassing the sun in the comet had increased in size during that interval. I ought reached its perihelion later rather than earlier than the region of their perihelion ;—I say, in view of these cirto seize with more eagerness, this occasion to combat an calculated time, independent of an allowance for a resist- cumstances, it is difficult to avoid the conjecture, nay, it error extensively accredited, (a belief in the constant ing medium, seems to have created some doubts in ref is exceedingly probable that these appendages, in very wasting away of comets,) because I believe I have some-erence to the doctrine of resistance; but of the three many instances, have brushed across the surface of our what contributed to its dissemination." The truth is, as I apprehend, that the data on which la and Encke only can be relied upon as indicating recomets whose periods are certainly known, those of Bie- planet, harmlessly and unperceived. this conjecture was based, are probably false, and the sistance, inasmuch as that of Halley has its aphelion in a name) to the consideration of the scientific, having no tails of comets, if the subject is properly investigated, region beyond the scan of human power, and the in-point to gain, no wish to gratify, but the promotion of sciI submit this theory (if, indeed, it is entitled to that will not be found to consist of matter at all that has the fluence of planetary bodies which may exist there, is ence and the progress of truth, and if insuperable objecleast connection with the comet, but formed by the sun's now, and will perhaps forever remain unknown to us. tions to it are raised, and my reasoning should prove falrays slightly refracted by the nucleus in traversing the en- These facts, then, and the concurring opinions of the lacious, there will be at least one valuable result, that of velop of the comet, and uniting in an infinite number of high authority above quoted, render it nearly unques- showing what the tails of comets are not; moreover, it points beyond it, throwing a stronger than ordinary light on tionable that there is diffused through the celestial re- may be the humble means of exciting further inquiry on the ethereal medium, near to or more remote from the comet, gions, an ethereal and exceedingly elastic medium; nor this interesting topic. as the ray from its relative position and direction is more or would it be unreasonable to suppose that this very medium constitutes the solar atmosphere, of which the zodi Nantucket, 10th mo., 1st, 1839. From the N. Y. Mirror. BY LAURIE TODD. less refracted. It is not important to the truth of this hypothesis whe-acal light may be a denser region, ther the nucleus be a solid mass or not, so that it be more dense than the surrounding nebulosity, nor yet that the remote from the sun, it is generally found to be unacWhen an opportunity is offered to observe a comet tail be projected in an exact line with the radius vector companied with a tail; but as it approaches, the tail beof the sun and comet, so that it be nearly so. It is, how-gins to appear, and its length and brilliancy increase, ever, important to its truth, that an ethereal medium till it reaches the perihelion of its orbit, and by an illu- coal) was glowing in the Franklin. Thinks I, how much should exist, otherwise the reflection of these points of sion, sometimes beyond this point. Although there is better it is to pay twenty-five cents for such a comfortable It was nine, P. M., a fine bed of hickory (not Lehigh light would be impossible; also, that the comet should some degree of diversity in the form of the tails of differ- fire, than to pay one dollar for a box ticket. assume the tail as it approaches the sun, and that it should ent comets, yet they generally consist of two streams of progressively increase in length and brilliancy, the light light, not absolutely distinct from each other. In other one playhouse in the city, and that was a small, shabbyof the sun increasing in the proportion of the square words, the borders of the tail are brightest, plainly indi- looking article, held together by old nails and pine-boards. This idea carried me back to1794, when there was only of the diminution of distance ;-again, that the tail should cating a hollowness-the line of vision necessarily meet-It stood back in a yard, near number eleven John street, have a cylindrical and hollow appearance, the rays of ing with the greater number of luminous points on the where Flora now holds her court. light being at least partially obstructed by the nucleus; edges than through the middle. Can any explanation used to act the Devil to pay, to the astonishment of a hunmoreover, that the tail should be curved, by the necessa- of this hollowness be given, more simple and philoso- dred and fifty simple men and silly women; for, in those ry effect of aberation. I apprehend it will be acknowl-phical, than that the ray's of the sun's light are more ob-days, the folks thought twice before they spent a dollar There Hodgkinson edged that the weight of testimony is decidedly favorable structed by the denser than the rarer portions of the to the fact that the nuclei of comets, though they gener-comet? ally resemble planets in form and brilliancy, may not be once. There was a shed, covered with boards, from solid or opaque, inasmuch as some are unquestionably rable length, a slight curve, concave to that portion of when a carriage of any sort approached its entrance. That there is, in these tails, which acquire a consideJohn street, leading to the playhouse door. There were transparent, and the quantity of matter in all is exceed the orbit which the orbit has left, there is ample testimo-One play-night, a fire broke out in the neighborhood. no hacks in those days! and it was a rare sight indeed, ingly inconsiderable. Professor Struve saw a star of the eleventh magnitude must elapse while the rays of light are passing from the fire was quickly put out. ny. Now as the light is progressive, a portion of time The people rushed out, without waiting for checks. The through the Encke comet; Sir William Herschel noticed head of the comet to their point of union, and during I was curious to see what they were about, having never one of the sixth magnitude through the centre of the the period the comet moves onward in its course, and seen a play. I had heard it was a school for morality. The people returned en masse. comet of 1795; and his illustrious son, in a memoir com- the result necessarily is a gentle or slight curve in the Sol went in with the crowd. At the time I entered, municated to the Royal Astronomical Society, mentions tail, the effect being greater or less in proportion as the there was a man on the stage, dressed like a Scotch that he saw a cluster of stars of the sixteenth magnitude union of the rays is more or less distant from the comet. ploughinan, going to and fro, and whistling Maggie Lowvery near the centre of Biela's comet. Notwithstanding It is manifest that if a ray of light could be traced through ther. He gave a smart crack with a whip; then there this tenuity, an increased density may always be noticed its entire course from the sun to a planet, it would pre- was such clapping of hands, stamping of feet, and shouttoward the centre of the head, except in a few small sent a similar phenomenon, equal in degree if the motion ing encore, till at last the thing settied down with a long comets unaccompanied with trains. Astronomers of all ages seem to have been inclined to of Biela and Encke have no tails, nor is there, strictly were laughing at, but could see nothing but the man and of a planet were swift as that of a comet. The coniets and loud horse-laugh. I stared all round, to see what they a belief in an ethereal medium, and the present one has speaking, a nucleus in either. That of Encke, during the whip. Thinks I to myself, I must either lack brains, afforded a conclusive evidence of its existence, in its the long period in 1828, when its position was so favoeffect upon duration of the revolution of the Encke rable to observation, had the appearance of a mere film or these people wits; for I saw nothing worth laughing comet. Professor Encke, in a dissertation on this sub- of vapor, nearly circular, but not well defined, and no field of corn, with woods and waters, and every thing as ject, after giving the minutiae of his observations, very central, stellar point could be detected with the tele-natural as life. Presently a whole lot of singing men at, when the uproar ceased. There next appeared a fine modestly remarks" If I may be permitted to express scopic power which I employed on that occasion. In and dancing women came running out of the woods: my opinion on a subject which for twelve years has fact, all the phenomena of the tails of comets appear they danced, sang, and cut all sorts of capers for nearly incessantly pecupied me, in treating whiph I have avoid "Called by others Encke's somer, half an hour. This, I thought, was well enough, only the lasses wore their frocks shorter than the fashion; and easily supplied; our imaginary wants, none; now our are led to seek out the truth-to love the knowledge the ladies had no shawls on their necks, although it was real wants are just as few; but the world and all its which has excited our research, and to gain for ourselves winter. When I came out, thinks I, this is no school for stores cannot supply our imaginary ones. In those days, an intelligent and intellectual character. And this idea morality, and no place for young men to sit; so I never men got married at night, and went forth to work in applies itself particularly to our scheme of public lecthe morning, with all the sober realities of life on their tures, which, within a few years, has become so deservAt this time (1794) I don't think there were six piana- backs; now they get married in the morning, and start edly popular, and will form, perhaps, at some future day, fortes in the city: now, I suppose, there may be ten off spending money, as if the wedding-day would last an epoch in our system of national literature. thousand. The lasses were all better employed: then they through life. went back. I A peculiar objection to public lectures has been alleged were the true yokefellows, always drawing equal, help- Much has been said and sung about the improvements to be the superficial information which the short space ing and cheering their good-men as they trudged along of the age, going to Albany in ten hours, and to England of time allotted to their delivery must necessarily impart with the cares and burthens of life. The mother and in twelve days, etc. It may be so; but what then? I know to their hearers. This may be true; but we do not degirls made all the clothes in the family. No merchant the folks were happier when we took three days in going pend on these lectures for the accumulation of knowltailors and their five hundred dollar bills in those days; to Newburgh, eight to Albany, and twelve weeks to edge; if we did so, our store would be indeed scanty, no notes lying over. In fact, for the first fifteen years Europe. Then people had time to live and to enjoy life: and our minds but little improved. But, can we not in lived in New York, I never heard of a protested note: when the wind came ahead, we furled our sails, or drop-one evening's lecture, gather some idea, some historic hence I infer, that the pressure in the money market is ped anchor; when the tide turned we floated up; with fact, some problematic question, or some philosophical all owing to the increase of playhouses and piano-fortes: ten or twelve passengers we had no lack of amusement, conclusion, which, shall lead us to seek other sources, by because the solitary, little playhouse, at that time, I don't Then we had no harrowing thoughts about home: our wives which to carry out the thought, towards a corollary, of think would hold over three hundred people; but now kept the keys of the money-drawer, and sat in the store which the nucleus has been previously furnished? And, we have seven or eight playhouses, and those so large as knitting or sewing, to see that the shop-boy made the is not this the impulse to the dissemination of pure learnprobably to hold three thousand each. I have heard that entries and behaved well to the customers. The goodsing? Is it not the very best impetus that could possibly thirty thousand dollars a week won't support the play- and furniture were insured, and we had no notes to take be given, to an eager search for those valuable fountains, houses. Now, only think how many butchers' and up. Now, to be sure, you may go to bed in New York those ever-living springs of mental illumination, which bakers' bills might be paid with this money! I heard of and wake up in Albany; run round, collect money, and are to be found in the standard productions of the old a man living in a five-story house, who one day, while be home in time to take up your note; but all the time writers? Would our young people be led towards book at dinner, had the baker's bill, amounting to seven-fifty, you are worried; for, if detained butan hour by accident, knowledge without such an incentive? would their minds brought up to him: he took out his pocket book; his your note may be protested. Well, you get home, five be less superficially cultivated, should the whole lecture wife looks across the table-See, my dear, that you hundred short; you go from house to house, and at three system be immediately abandoned? leave money enough to buy the tickets;" ten dollars were P. M. the note is taken up. It is too late for the family We think not. There would instantly arise some other way to "kill" the to arouse the spark of intellect, or to be the means of wanted for the tickets-there were but fifteen in the dinner; you take a cup of coffee and a cold cut, plod Passing hour, neither so innocent, nor so well calculated book; so the baker had to call again, and the play got away to your office, turn over the leaves in search of the ten dollars. Next morning they had nothing for their means to return the five hundred to-morrow,and get ready fanning it into a steady flame. It is not a small matter, that our lecturers have put of learning, which they benevolently prepare to dissemi to benefit mankind, by the gradual but certain development of their intellectual advantages. The plastic mind money but waking dreams. Now, how many thousand for another note, which is payable on Saturday. You supernumerary door-keepers and stage-sweepers, men are home at seven P. M., sore, fatigued, and jaded, both forth their best intellectual energies to grasp the treasures singers and women singers, lamp-lighters and fiddlers, in body and mind. For fifty long hours your wife has not are killing time in those concerns! If all the men were seen your face; she hears your foot; she meets you at the nate; nor is it a less honorable aspiration that leads them felling trees and hoeing corn, and all the women making door with one of her sweetest smiles. Your mind is sure in Wall street, and the baker would not need to return, nor half an hour to sing a song to the baby; you cloth and knitting stockings, there would be no high pres-soured; you can scarcely find a kind word to give her in call again for his bill. When Washington was president, his wife knit stock- and in thirty minutes your head is on the pillow, where drop on a chair, fling your hat to the winds; you are tired, ings in Philadelphia, and the mothers and daughters in you dream of bank bills and brokers till daylight in the New York made all the dough-nuts and cakes between morning. These men breathe; they don't live. Before Christmas and New Year's :-now the married ladies are too proud to make dough nuts; besides, they don' journey; now it's most emphatically a race, and most was got up, man's life was compared to a know how; so they e'en send to Madame Pompadour, unhappy is he who is foremost. mech rtable only bby. rds. eet, son or some other French cake-maker, and buy sponge-cake or lady-fingers for three dollars a pound. In those days, New York was full of substantial comforts; now it is steam From the Boston Transcript. THE LECTURE SYSTEM. adapts itself, at once, to the noble enthusiasm of the man of learning, and becomes anxious for the acquisition of such a depth and variety of information, as shall enable it to sympathise with the giant intellects of the olden time-and to elevate its own comprehension to a level with the spirit of the age. This surely is no mean endeavor-and, if it be inspired by the lecturer, his desire is gained; he has led the young mind towards the attainment of superior excellence, both intellectual and moral; he has guarded it by his own example from mere superficial knowledge, and he has led it by sure gradations, immeasurably beyond first impulse, to a perfect full of splendid misery; then there were no gray-headed spinsters, (unless they were very ugly indeed,) for a man Much has been said, and much has been written, in re- understanding of the supremacy of mind. The subjects could get married for a dollar, and begin house-keeping lation to the present fashionable system of public lec- of our lectures are various and extensive. They are for twenty; and in washing his clothes and cooking his tures; and it is not long, since the columns of one of our not confined to one range of thought, or to any epoch victuals, the wife saved him more money than it took to weekly papers contained a satirical article upon the sub- of history; they may embrace the researches of philososupport her. Now I have known a minister lately to ject; an article which is skimmed over the surface of phy, which go back to past ages, or reach forward to fuget five hundred dollars for buckling a couple; then wine, their utility, to generalize upon the probable motives turity; they may include the mathematics, science, and cake, and other et ceteras, five hundred more; wedding which induced the attendance of many of the audience. the useful arts; they may consider our present moral clothes and jewels, a thousand; six or seven hundred in The writer seems to have reduced it to a certainty, that condition, and the means of attaining higher efforts todriving to the Springs, or some desert mountain; then a amongst the younger part of the audience, very little is wards human perfectibility. Nor, can we fail to gather house must be got for eight hundred per annum, and fur- remembered of the lecture, and that on their return home, from these available sources, much that may interest and nished at an expense of two or three thousand; and the subject, even, has escaped their recollection; so that gratify, even if we refuse to bestow on thein that close when all is done, his pretty wife can neither make a cake to meet together for chit-chat and scandal, he argues, is attention which awakens our faculties of thinking, and nor put an apple in a dumpling. Then a cook must be the inducement of a great proportion of this class, to at- furnishes the exhaustless benefits of a well-directed freegot at ten dollars per month; a chamber-maid, laun- tend those public assemblies where useful knowledge is dom of mind. dress, and seamstress, at seven dollars each; and as the dispensed. How weak and trifling is this argument! Dr. Watts, in his valuable work on the "Improvement fashionable folly of the day has banished the mistress All minds are not constituted alike; and the buoyant and of the Mind," has laid down five methods for this profrom the kitchen, those blessed helps aforesaid reign su- elastic spirit of youth naturally directs itself towards gressive intellectual attainment; observation, reading, preme; and while master and mistress are playing cards those systems and plans, whether of improvement or instruction by lectures, conversation, and study; and, he in the parlor, the servants are playing the devil in the pleasure, which receive the general sanction. And here states that these means of improvement should go handkitchen: thus, fighting the candle at both ends, it soon we observe the power of example, and its usefulness in in-hand, or our knowledge will be circumscribed and burns out. Poverty comes in at the door and drives leading the young towards the attainment of mental cul- narrow. He advocates the lecture-system on several Love out at the window. It is this stupid and expensive ture, and a reflective power. This maxim has a positive principles; and adds, that "in 'natural philosophy or nonsense which deters so many unhappy bachelors from effect, and it embraces, also, the doctrine, that our moral mathematical learning, the living instructor can make entering the state of blessedness: hence you find more nature may be moulded according to the system of our experiments before our eyes; can describe figures and deaths than marriages in the papers. education. It is mind that educates mind, and it is by diagrams, point to lines and angles, and make out the deForty-five years ago, our real wants were few, and the dissemination of the thoughts of the mind, that we monstration in a more intelligible manner, by sensible TEACHING CHILDREN TO LIE. error in a portion of the American women.-Lady Bles means, which cannot so well be done by mere reading, even though we should have the same figures lying in a My nearest neighbor when I resided in Connecticut, sington, in one of her delightful works, very truly obbook before our eyes. Even where the subject of dis-was a man moving in the ordinary walks of life, and serves: "I turn with disgust from that affected prudery, course is moral, logical, historical, or rhetorical, and was a prudent, careful, honest and industrious husband- arising, if not from a participation, at least from a knowlwhich does not come directly under the notice of our man. Being at a certain time on some occasion at his edge of evil, which induces certain ladies to cast down senses, a living teacher may explain his ideas by such fa- son in-law's, one of the boys of the family wished to go their eyes, look grave, and show the extent of their knowlmiliar examples, and plain or simple similitudes, as sel- home with his grandfather; it not being convenient at edge, or the pruriency of their imaginations, by discodom find place in books and writings." And, continues that time, the grandfather told the boy that he could not vering in a harmless jest nothing to alarm their experithe learned Divine, "he that confines himself merely to very well carry him at that time, but added, "Next time enced feelings. I respect that woman whose innate purity his closet, and his own narrow observation of things, grandpa comes he'll carry you home with him." The prevents those around her from uttering aught that can without instruction by lectures, reading, or free conver-boy was pacified. The old gentleman not thinking any arouse it, much more than her whose sensitive prudesation, will be in danger of having a vain conceit of him- more, (as, alas! many careless and faulty parents do,) of ry continually reminds one, that she is au fait of every self, and a limited and imperfect knowledge of human what he had said to the boy, was several times at the possible interpretation which a word of doubtful meannature." We see, therefore, that great minds of past house without fulfilling his engagement; and, perhaps, ing admits.” time, advocated the system of information conveyed by without once having it come again into his mind. But The remarks of Miss Martineau upon the women of public teachings, as a valuable aid, to the acquirement of the boy was not so forgetful. He recollected well the America are all very ungracious, and some of them very superior wisdom, and the enlargement of the reasoning promise of his grandpa. In process of time the grand- unjust. That she met with affectation and folly in Amepowers. It was said by one of the greatest men of our father took the boy behind him on his horse, and was con- rica is very probable-where do you not?-There is no country, in an address delivered before the Literary So- veying him to his parental abode. On the way the boy occasion to go to the United States to witness it. As for cieties of Amherst College, that "it is unquestionably began to remonstrate with his granfather on the subject, the charge of carrying in their hands seventy-dollar one of the happiest laws of intellectual progress, that the by saying, "When grandpa was at our house one time, pocket handkerchiefs, I am afraid it is but too true; but judicious labors, the profound reasonings, the sublime he said the next time he came he would carry me home-when there is little distinction, except by dress, ladies will discoveries, the generous sentiments of great intellects, and grandpa did not." "Why," says the old gentleman, be very expensive. and creative." ANECDOTE. "But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them."-Acts xi. 4. rapidly work their way into the common channel of pub-" you don't think your grandpa would lie do you?" "I This is the fact; and as the wealth of America increalic opinion." By the dissemination of knowledge, "a don't know," says the boy, "What does grandpa call it ?" ses every day, so will those who possess it swarm off as constant circulation, like that of the life-blood, is taking This confounded the old gentleman, and he knew not fast as they can to other countries, if there is not a change place in the intellectual world. Truth travels down from what reply to make.-This anecdote has convinced me in the present society, and a return to something like orthe heights of philosophy, to the humblest walks of life, more than almost any thing I ever heard, of the import-der and rank. Who would remain in a country where and, at every stage of its progress, it is genial, luminous, ance of regarding strictly and conscientiously what we there is no freedom of thought or action, and where you say to children. Especially it has shown me the evil of cannot even spend your money as you please? Mr. We know not that we should apply the above passage trifling with children, and making them unmeaning pro- Butler the other day built a house at Philadelphia with a to the information acquired by our public lectures. It mises or declarations which have attached to them no porte cochere, and the consequence was that they called seems rather to be intended, as a good idea, for every truth or signification. And it is my deliberate and fixed him an aristocrat, and would not vote for him. In short, department of human knowledge, though we have ven- opinion, that oftentimes parents, by disregarding, forget- will enlightened and refined people live to be dictated to tured to use it for our own purpose. If we are led to- ting, and neglecting to fulfil what they declare unto chil- by a savage and ignorant majority, who will neither alwards the truth by a sagacious and original idea embodi- dren in promising or threatenings, are chargeable with low your character nor your domestic privacy to be safe. ed in the course of a lecture, so much is gained; and, the pernicious evil of teaching their children to lie; and the humblest intellect rises slowly but surely to a nearer then perhaps inflicting punishment upon them for the approximation to the suggestive and mighty mind of the crime. This is hard-this is cruel-this is an evil of a true philosopher. monstrous size, prevelent and triumphant to an alarming It is a weak prejudice, then, to suppose, that our natu- degree, and which ought speedily and effectually to be ral advance towards the "heights of learning" has been corrected. Watch then, and remember to make good retarded by the modern system of improvement, furnish- what you say to children. Do not threaten them with ed for the diffusion of knowledge by public lectures. what you have no business to execute-such as cutting To condemn this system, seems to doubt the wisdom of off ears, taking off skin, &c. In this way you weaken the present age-and, to say that it produces a superfi- your own hands; render the truth doubtful, and train up cial information, is to make a declaration as unwise as it your child for falsehood and crime. Whatever else you is untrue. That there are minds who are never benefit- neglect, yet by no means neglect to teach them by pre ted by the means of knowledge coming within their cept and example, an inviolable regard for the truth. grasp, or, who at best, make but a limited progress toward intellectual vigor, is a fact-no less true, than that such minds will continue in being to the end of time.No advancement in literature can prevent it; and, no discovery in science can illuminate the obscurity of a mind thus physically constructed. Youth's Journal. FROM MARRYATT'S DIARY. SECOND SERIES. That the American women have their peculiarities, and in some respects they might be improved, is certain. Let us, then, be thankful for the facilities which are Their principal fault in society is, that they do not suffigiven us for the wide-spreading increase of our several ciently modulate their voices. Those faults arising from societies for the diffusion of useful knowledge; and for associations, and to which both sexes are equally prone, the benign influence which they are calculated to exert are a total indifference to or rather a love of change, upon the religion and morals of a free people And," shifting right away," without the least regret, from one whilst we catch enthusiasm from the man of learning, portion of the Union to another; a remarkable apathy as and with him search diligently for "I don't know," said a gentlemen to the late Rev. Andrew Fuller, "how it is that I can remember your sermons better than those of any other minister, but such is the fact." "I cannot tell," replied Mr. Fuller, "unless it be owning to simplicity of arrangement; I pay particular attention to this part of composition, always placing things together which are related to each other, and that naturally follow each other in succession. For instance," added he, 'suppose I were to say to my servant, Betty, you must go and buy some butter, and starch, and cream, and soap, and tea, and blue, and sugar, and cakes;' Betty would be apt to say, 'Master, I shall never be able to remember all these.' But suppose I were to say, Betty, you know your mistress is going to have friends to tea to-morrow, and that you are going to wash the day following; and that for the tea-party, you will want tea, and sugar, and cream, and cakes, and butter; blue;' Betty would instantly reply, Yes, master, I can and for the washing you will want soap, and starch, and now remember them all very well.'" WHITFIELD'S ELOQUENCE.-An officer in Glasgow. to the sufferings of others, as indifference to the loss of who had heard Mr. Whitfield preach, laid a wager with "Such jewels as the exploring mind life, a fondness for politics, all of which are unfeminine; another, that at a certain charity sermon, though he went Brings from the cave of knowledge," and lastly, a passion for dress, carried to too great an ex. with prejudice, he would be compelled to give somelet us not forget that "centering in the eternal," the hu- tent, but this latter is easily accounted for, and is insepa- thing. The other to make sure, laid all the money out man mind " encircles all intelligent existence," and, with rable from a society where all would be equal. But, on of his pockets; but before he left the church, he was glad a higher and holier aim than the empty honors of this the other hand, the American women have a virtue which to borrow some, and lose his bet. On another occasion, world, it binds its ethereal essence to the throne of God. the men have not, which is moral courage, and one also Mr. Whitfield preached in behalf of an obscure village which is not common with the sex, physical eourage. in Germany, which had been burnt down, and collected PROPAGATION OF FRUIT TREES. Take the Scion for The independence and spirit of an American woman, if for it six hundred pounds. After the sermon, Whitfield grafting, after the 1st of February, and until the buds left a widow without resources, is immediately shown; said, "We shall sing a hymn, during which, those who begin to grow considerably, dip each end of the shoot in she does not sit and lament, but applies herself to some did not choose to give their mite on this awful occasion, melted pitch, wax, or tallow, and bury it in the ground, employment, so that she may maintain herself and her the buds uppermost, the body in a horizontal position children, and seldom fails in so doing. Here are faults pulpit, and ordered all the doors to be shut, but one, at may speak off." No one stirred: he got down from the and at the depth of two or three inches. Trees thus obtained, yield fruit in three or four years. Shoemaker's which he held the plate himself, and collected the above was will answer.—Alexandria Gazette. and virtues, both proceeding from the same origin. I have already in my Diary referred to another great sum S en.-Lady Ble , very truly ffected prader Et from a know es to cast dom of their knew ations, by d m their expe se innate par aught that a Sensitive p au fait of re doubtful m place in Ireland, seems to be taken by storm. gards the spread of temperance the next month, may BITE OF A LIZARD. We find in the last number of RICHARD Allen. REMEDY FOR SCALDS. BY A PHYSICIAN OF PHILADELPHIA. Dear Friend,-Truly, we live in an age of wonders. "On the 31st of Aug., 1836, I was called to see a little girl, The days of weakness are past; what was a little taper, 13 years of age, the daughter of Capt. Joseph G. Rowe, kept alive by the greatest care of a few, has now burst of Georgetown, about nine miles from my residence in into a mighty flame. The principles of total abstinence Boothbay, Me. Thirteen days previous to my visit, this are now spreading with a rapidity which their warmest little girl, as she was gathering an armful of sticks, felt friends never dared to hope for. The weekly Royal Exsomething pricking severely the inside of the sole of the change meeting in Dublin has been so immensely crowdleft foot. On looking down she discovered a large, green ed, that it has been found necessary to make a double I have so often seen remedies for human ill given to spotted lizard fastened to her naked foot, which she excharge for admission. But it is in the south that wonder- the newspapers, and at once consigned to oblivion, that tracted with a fold of her gown, and with it that portion ful progress is making under the labors of the Rev. I have for a great while hesitated to present this remedy of skin on which it had seized. The next day she comTheobald Matthew, a Roman Catholic clergyman. Here to the public. For fourteen years I have prescribed it, plained of numbness in the foot, as though it had been the people are joining by thousands, (9000 in two days and witnessed its effects. I deliberately say from four-deprived of sensation by cording the ankle, and that oclately;) Cork, Yonsel, Limerick, Clommel, Dungarvon, teen years experience, that no disease or injury to the casional "prickling" that occurs on the return of circulaseem to vie with each other in the extent and vigor of human system has a more certain remedy than this for tion. The numbness continued extending upward-the their movements. In Limerick alone, 10,000 have taken the most distressing of all injuries, that of scalda and whole limb became severely swollen, and the most excruthe pledge. Dungarvon, recently the most drunken burns. The relief is almost instantaneous; from a ciating pain on the slightest motion followed; and over minute to half an hour; will usually find full relief from the direction of the lymphatics, I observed the inflammaA thousand and more have signed the pledge. In Droghela are pain. No matter what the extent of the burn, even if tory blush. The muscles of the neck and jaw of that a thousand teetotallers, and during a space of nine all the skin is removed from the body. side were rigid and tender to the touch; much difficulty months, since the reform commenced, there were two The first knowledge I had of it was the almost miracu- of swallowing; occasional delirium, particularly the first special, two quarter, and nineteen petty sessions; there lous cure of a little boy, who fell into a half hogshead of week, and a wonderfully increased mental acumen during was not a single person before it for any misdemeanor. boiling water, prepared for scalding bristles from swine. her intervals of reason. The whole left side continued In Belfast are 5000 members. Here workmen have The entire person and limbs of the boy passed under the paralyzed, and the pain unabated. A short time before formed themselves into anti-usage associations, with ex-water up to the chin, so as to scald the whole neck. On death, the limb became spotted. She lingered along in cellent effect. All the Dublin associations are in an act-removing his clothes, nearly all the skin followed from great agony until the 21st day of the bite, when death ive state, and in Culow, Acklow, Westford, Ennerserthy, his neck, hands, arms, back, abdomen, and almost every terminated her sufferings. Shillelagh, good societies are active in their operations ; bit of skin from his lower extremities! In this deplora- Owing to my distance from the patient, I had not op70,000 have been added to us. "Till liberty has been ble condition, literally flayed alive with scalding water, portunity for an autopsy, or to examine whether a filagiven to Sir E. Blakery, commander of the force in Ire-the remedy was promptly applied, as a momentary appli- ment of the internal plantar nerve might not have been land, to hold temperance meetings in the barracks, up-cation until the physicians should arrive. Two eminent wounded; but there were so many symptoms of the inwards of 2,000 soldiers have been addressed; the meet- physicians soon came, and on learning the extent of the troduction of a morbid septic poison into the system, that ings are to be held fortnightly. scald, pronounced it a certainly fatal case, and directed I carefully recorded them at the time, more particularly We have now, for a few weeks, been assiduously feed- the boy to remain with the remedy over him until he as these symptoms, it is well known, bear a close analogy ing the press with small and valuable documents. In our should die. In six weeks he was reported quite well, to tetanus. I have excluded the treatment in this case; leading Dublin paper, (daily) the News Letter, we have with scarcely a scar on any part of his person or limbs. 1st, owing to the time that elapsed previous to my visit ; had temperance matter five days out of six, and many The remedy increases in value from the fact that under 2d, because the sole object of this communication is to others, both Dublin and provincial, have copied our arti- almost all circumstances it may be obtained. It is as ascertain, through your Journal, whether the lizard tribe cles. But a great and powerful ally has lately joined in are venomous (which has been doubted), and whether in the Dublin Evening Post, the Irish government organ, the Take soot from a chimney where wood is burned, rub tetanus, the paralysis, great tumefaction, and spotted livid editor and proprietor of which has fully entered into the it fine, and mix one part soot to three parts, or nearly appearance, before, and gangrenous, after, death, are cause, and states that he will leave no stone unturned, so, of hog's lard, fresh butter, or any kind of fresh grease, symptoms that ever occur." until he carries this great reformation through the that is not salted, spread this on linen or muslin, or any length and breadth of the land. You may judge of the cotton cloth for easier or more perfect adaptation. If ONE HUNDRED HOUSES SWEPT AWAY.-The Rev. Mr. influence this new ally is likely to exert, when I inform in very extensive burns or scalds, the cloth should be Coan, of the Sandwich islands, in a letter to his brother, you that it numbers 300 Roman Catholic clergymen torn into strips before putting over the scald. Let the published in the Evangelist, describes a scene of terror, amongst its subscribers; that it incessantly calls on them remedy be freely and fully applied, so as to perfectly witnessed one evening at Hilo, during the progress of a to follow in the footsteps of Father Matthew; and that cover all the burned part. No other application is re- protracted meeting, held there in November, as follows: every paper, (tri-weekly,) has from one to two columns quired until the patient is well, except to apply fresh ap- "I opened the meeting with a sermon from the text, of temperance matter. plications of the soot and lard, &c. 'prepare ye the way of the Lord.' God wrought for us. In steamboat explosions, this remedy can in nearly all Hundreds gave evidence of conversion. On the second cases be at once applied, and if done, many valuable day, at evening God came in terror! The sea rose suddenlives will be saved, and a vast amount of suffering alle-ly to the perpendicular height of 15 or 20 feet, and fell in one mountain wave on the shore, sweeping away near follows: The morning press has last week sent an intimation that its columns were open to temperance; so that, with one exception, all the Dublin press is with us. The Roman Catholic clergy of Dublin, with Doctor viated. 'Murray the Archbishop, at their head, held a meeting If you and the corps editorial, will hand this remedy ly 100 houses, their tenants and effects. All was sudden this week, for the purpose of taking up the question of around our country, and invite attention to it, and that as a peal of thunder. No premonitons were given. temperance. There was some difference respecting the also those who use it may give their testimony for or giving pledges and medals, free of charge. Theobald against it, I feel assured that in a few months, this most Matthew is doing wonders. From all accounts he is a efficacious and almost unfailing remedy will be every noble character. Of his worth, and the simplicity and where known and used in the United States. openness, of his measures, I have this day, a very strong testimony, borne by the Church of England clergymen. Two Dublin Roman Catholic clergymen, Mr. O'Connel, and Dr. Yole, Vicar-General, have taken a very active U. S. Gazette. September, 1654, General Court of Connecticut. This Court grants power to Mayor Mason to call the part. The latter, recently got one hundred members at Train bands together, once in two years, to exercise in a meeting. Our former opponents now repeat to us our General Training, on the first or second week in Separguments in favor of temperance. It is undoubtedly tember. owing to the Roman Catholic clergy having taken up the NOTE. This was the first act of the Assembly delegacause, that it prospers so greatly. Truly we live in an ting the power to an individual to assemble the Militia by age of wonders, and we know not what effects, as re- Regiments, for exercise and review. In None had time to flee. There was no earthquake, and no visible cause of the phenomena. The scene was awful. a moment, hundreds were engulphed. The roar of the raging sea was deafening, and the loud, piercing cries of distress were heartrending. Only eleven were drowned: but five have died since, by injuries received in the water. Had the catastrophe been at midnight, and had the people been less amphibious, hundreds must have perished.To drown a native of these islands is almost like drowning a whale; so much are they at home in the water." A SHEEP STORY.-We see it stated that a living sheep was taken from a snow bank in Stamford, Conn., which had been buried for seventeen days, and that too without a morsal to eat. |