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I 0tl-SKETCHES of EMINENT…
0 tl- SKETCHES of EMINENT WELSH CLERGYMEN. I By J. Kiisby Jones. EXTRACTS FROM 1HE WELSHMEN'S CANDLE. Turing the interval between the death of Julm Peury in 1593 and the year 1620, when roth a.nd Erbury began to preach, we have lio reliable information about the social, ideational, and religious condition of the ^Velsh people, except what is obtainable, i 1 part from the biography of Vavasour Powel. but principally from the poems ( Vicar Frichard. Happily the latter's eVacter was so high for every Christian virtue that his testimony is worthy fA all acceptation. We have, therefore, no hesitation in putting him in the witness-box, because, among other reasons, he was a Conservative clergyman; and surely a man has a right to describe the condition of his own household of faith. When impelled to say aught disparaging to an established church, we shall fortify our position by pro- ducing the testimony of one of her C, own sons and when we have occa- sion to animadvert on either the principles or proceedings of any one of the numerous sects which have seceded from the State Church, we shall accept no evi- dence save that of some well-known member d the particular sect brought before the bar of public opinion. Among blind people the one-eyed man 1s king; and in the depth of a winter's Uight, in a lone homestead in the heart of a mountainous district, seven or eight miles from town or village, should one of the inmates be taken suddenly ill, and there happened to be but one slim candle and three matches in the house, how inestimable would these become. Suppose the first match missed tire, and likewise the second, leaving only one, which is laid hold of with a trembling hand, and with the very nar- donable prayer of Gcd Mess the match" and in answer to it there is light in the toatch, and from it the slim, ill-fed candle— that modest luminary has acquired a value &ot attainable under other circumstances. The vicar might (as Salesbury had done in his translation of the New Testament into ^elah, or William Middleton in his me- scal version of the Psalms) have composed his poems in what our Welsh lords would *11 classical Welsh, whatever that may mean. nut the vicar willingly sacrificed what repu- Nation he might have acquired <1.8 a poet to his desire to benefit his ignorant ILIld degraded countrymen, by using common folk-words, though distigured by attempts to Assimilate them to the vernacular. To be Understood was the point at which he aimed, -'and not classic purity of diction. Here is his own account of the matter in his H epistle to the reader The glory of the Loid my country'* gain- J^he suit of friends—the poor's affecting strain— Caus'd me to print tbis little work of mine or my compatriots of the Cambrian line. because they take in sermons no delight, ut idle songs with eagerness recite I, for their good, have thus employ'd my time, And put the doctrines that ensue in rhyme. For as I saw fam'd Sal'slry's labour'd stile Neglected by the unlearned of our isle, 1, therefore, took a metre short and plain, Easy to read and easy to retain. A.nd tbis my book, the Welshmen's Candle nam'd, because therein I've most sincerely aim'd *?ach ignorant and darklir.g mind to light, And taught him how to serve his God aright. ?° give the unletter'd an assisting hand, at the best, but little understand, These poems I compos'd with pleasing care The rest, I ween, have better pastors far t God grant the Welsh sufficient light to know, And eerve him whilst they sojourn here below Goq grant this Candle, as it was design'd, May give unerring light e'en to the blind. The first use we shall make of the Welshmen's Candle" is to look at its author as a theologian and though the light is only that of a domestic luminary, it is bright enough to enable the self- appointed heresy-hunter to find any flaw in the views which the Vicar held on Faith-the ^□t-point of the apostles Paul and James, 13alieve in Christ, for thy protector cry £ *°d offers Him to all, both far and nigh, Receive the gracious offer, and don't fail, Or else thou shalt the loss of Him bewail. The man who Christ with heart sincere receives, And with a lively faith in Him believes, Christ will on him His saving grace bestow, To live like blest saints whilst here below. Christ shall to him His holy spirit give, That he, new-born, may a new creature live Christ shall quite change and mould the man anew ¡-rom a rash rebel to a subject true. le gives His grace our gloomy minds to light- jjfe gives His Word to make us walk aright; ?o rule us He His holy spirit grant?, 5a gives himself to make up all our wants. 811 that no soul in Christ can well believe Whoshall not grace and strength from Him receive To emulate the conduct of the just, If right his faith, and confident his trust. The grace of God, and a supernal power, Faitb plucks from heav'n to make a man give o'er, And thoroughly abhor his evil ways, And lead a life of virtue all his days. Unless thy faith extorts this trrace divine, And makes the renovated creature shine. It is in vain-it answers to no end Unless it serves thine errors to amend. A lively faith does grace from Christ attract, And stiength to put thy theory in act: All its old sins it utterly forsakes, And of th' whole man a renovation makes. Howe'er corrupt the nature that's in thee, However weak thine intellect may be, Relieve in Christ, invoke His hoiy name, And when He pleases He can change the same. Although the jailer was a sinful soul, Though Paul was once as siuful, on the whole, And though Manasses was still worse again, Yttt they, through Christ, were made quite different meu. S:O can He make of thee, thou sinful soul, Although by reprobate and foui, A perfect saint—if thou in Him wilt place Thy trust—thereby to get His aid and grace. Christ that great persecutor, Paul, reform'd, And to a gloriuus preacher soon transform'd; The woman, too, of badreport and fame, From a mere raven a white dove became. Believe in Christ with heart sincerely true, And He'll thy mind and manners form anew Christians He'jl¡.-rake out of a fiend-like race, And of the foe of God a child of racO. Presume not then that thy belief is right If Christ thy nature has not alter'd qu'te. ■For Christ a total change of manners gives To each that faithfuliy ill Him believes. Behold Z iccheus, Magdalene, and Paul, You soon shall see that Christ will change them all; Their morals all at once are strictly just As soon as they in Jesus put their trust. Though, in the morning, Saul did all he could, Like a tierce wolf, to shed the Christian's blood, Yet, «oon as he believ'd, this wolf became By noon that very day a perfect lamb. Before Zaccheus was a. Christian made, To rob the needy was his daily trade But, when he once believM, he gave the poor The greatest part of what lie gain'd before. Though Magdalene was once a reprobate £ nd sinu'it, ere she believ'd, at any rate, *et afterwards a virtuous life she led And was declared a saint when she was dead. o shait thou every vicious habit leave When thou shalt once unto thy Saviour cleave, *■, till there is this reformation wrought, Thy faith can only a mere whim be thought. 1faith, unacompanied by works, is dead- A formless faitii-a trunk without a liead- A faith that blindlO-a false, fallacious faith- A faith thaf loads the ready way to death. ^here is no fire without attending beat— •im re's "° water but it must be wet— jkhere's no good vine but is witli clusters crown'd— lively faith without its fruits is found. Si ~>uld any one affirm that he believes, I yet repent? nut—he hinvlf deceives; 4J1 faith is m/ught but fr-)tli-i,r at the most, his belief is but an idle boast. I I There i" no true believer can do less Thm maud his ni >rals, ;md his lusts suppress, Because that Cdiist to all believers gives His holy spirit to amend tiieir lives. lie not (ieceiv'ii, tliou sinner most obscene Where tiiere is faith, there holy lives are seen, if thy faith is worthy to be known By its good works, jet it be plaiuly shown. If in the iaidl tiiere does no life appear, If it no grace in word or work does bear, ".ris but the name of fair.h upon the whole— A faith that never can (Iresene thy soul. We shall make use of the Welshmen's Caudle" only once more but even then we shall not put the extinguisher on it, but let it burn itself out as a mark of respect and gratitude fur much saving service during the darkness of the past.
Musical and Eisteddfod Notes.
Musical and Eisteddfod Notes. By Maeigwyn. Our friends in the North are doing their best to instil a love of instrumental music into the masses, although as yet our eisteddfod committees have studiously ignored the claims of solo instruments like the cornet, clarionet, oboe, horns, &c. But it is not by means of eisteddfod competitions that the North men are seeking to bring about a wider knowledge of instrumental music, but by the ell- gagement of large and very expensive orchestras at the eisteddfod meetings. There was a f plendid orchestra at the Portmadoc Eisteddfod, and the committee of the eisteddfod held at Llandudno have carried on the good work. M. Riviere's oichestra played several classical selections at the eisteddfod, and the applause on each occasion was loud and continued—thus showing that Welsh people are ardent lovsrs of instrumental music, althoughtheirkuowiedgeof itmay be limited. But the good seed sown at those eisteddfodan will most assuredly bear fruit, and it behoves all eistedd- fod committees who have other ideas than those of money-making to do all in their power to foster the love of instrumental music. I am almost afraid to say that the great eistedd- fod held at Llandudno was a success, after the disappointing intelligence from Portmadoc. But taking for granted the supposition that there was no mismanagement, the affair must have been as great a success from a financial point of view as it certainly was from a literary and musical standpoint. In the great choral competition for a prize of £ 70, the following five choirs competed, viz., Holy- head, Llangollen, Tauygrisiau (Festiniog), Llyn-y- Pandy, and Gyrn Castle. The test pieces were "Duw sydd Noddfa," by J. H. Roberts (Pencerdd Gwynedd), and Gounod's I. Come unto Him." The contest was very close, especially between the Llangollen and Festiniog choirs, and in the end the former won. Sir Theodore Martin is the president of this splendid body of singers, and on hearing of the result of the contest he wired his congratulat ions. In the literary section of the eisteddfod a prize of 10 guineas was offered for the best history of Wales in the time of Charles I., the Commonwealth, and Charles II., and the prize was divided between Mr D. Griffith, of Dolgeliy, and Mr Griffith Jones, of Llanfair- fechan. If the work done is really good and use- ful, the eisteddfod committee are to be congratu- lated on having bought it so cheaply. At the end of July a grand jubilee musical festival was held in the town-hall at Durban, in South Africa. The Durban Philharmonic Society rendered a number of choral pieces, including the Hallelujah chorus and Handel's Coronation Authem, Zadok the Priest." Dr Stainer's jubilea madrigal, "The Triumph of Victoria," was also given, and at the close, "God save the Queen was sung by the whole audience. The choir was assisted by a full orchestra—so we are informed by the papers published in that remote part of the world. At last there seems a prospect of a choir being established on a firm basis at Dowlais. A few weeks ago the Dowlais Glee and Madrigal Society was formed, the ciiculars calling the singers together being signed by Mr Morgan L. Walters, the secretary pro tem, and by Mr William Hubes, A.C., the conductor. The response was very satisfactory, and at the present moment the choir n umbers many of the best singers in the town. The secretary is con- fident that th e choir will be a permanent one, and it will be str engthened by the admission of new members from time to time. If the officials" succeed in their task they will deserve the thanks of all music lovers in Wales. In no other place will you find better voices than at Dowlais. The Dowlais Male Voice Choral Society is still alive," and a conversazione of the members and friends is announced for an early date. I complained some time ago of the sameness which characterizes our miscellaneous concerts, owing to singers persisting in the practice of singing the songs which some of the stars" have made their own. I said then that Messrs Hughes and Son, of Wrexham, had offered to lend me their powerful aid in bringing new songs before the notice of the public. I have received from Messrs Hughes a parcel of Welsh songs suitable for soprano singers, and as the songs are all published at the modest figure of 61, they are within the reach of ail. "Llawenydd Ma r is, of course, the song of the Virgin-¡;he M..gu¡ncat-which has been capitally set to music by Mr D. W. Lewis, of Brynamman. It is suitable for sacred concerts or Sunday services. Mae pigyn dan fy mrou ("The pain within my breast") is very sweet and very sad, but we see in it the faith which looks up to the land where there is no pain. "Neges y Blodeuyn is a pretty little love song—the song which gained the prize at the Liverpool Eisteddfod. Can yr eneth yu marw is another sweet and pathetic song, which will be worth all the trouble that may be taken to learn it. When I say that" Y r Egid ar y Traeth is the work of Gwilym Gwent, and that « Yr Amwisg Fechan "is a song by R. S. Hughes, I have said enough to recommend them. "Blinais yn disgwyl is easy, and there is plenty of melody in it. "Y plentyn a'r Gwlith, in the hands of a g,)od singer, would doubtless prove very successful, but I cannot re- commend it to those who have had no training. This concludes the list of songs for the present. Tenors, I shall have some- thing in your line very shortly. The Dowlais Company and Mr M. Hirst are to be congratulated on having engaged snch an accomplished musician as Mr A. Douglas Sleigh as one of the masters at the Dowlais Schools. I have received four dashing military songs which Mr Sleigh has published. They are respectively "The Sentry" (compass C to F), The Challenge (C to F), "Duty" (C to F), and "The Bold Hussars (B below the stave to G above). Owing to the frequent change of key none of these songs are easy to sing at sight, but that is their only drawback. Tuey are all fine, vigorous songs, with a touch of pathos here and there. Their swinging melodies ate bound to make them popular with all who like a good soldier.' song. (2s each.) I may mention that Sleigh has spent several years in-Burmah. From Mt T. J. Davies (Swansea) comes Cambria's Song of Ireedom," a fine chorus for male voices, and Night," a very pretty serenade. Mr Serb P. Jones, of Peuclawdd, sends a pleasing eoug for tenors, entitled Hen Ffrindiau." It will doubtless find many ad- mirers. Mr Jones's compositions enjoy great popularity, and the present song is, perhaps, as good as any he has written.
TALK OF THE TOWN. o-----
TALK OF THE TOWN. o MICHAEL3f4ii THK !'i¡;W LORD MAYOR—THB ANXOAI. KLKOtiON— A BELGIAN LOW) MAYOR— a vc U.11. KLI. r, LOLI t AY THE Pr:O!'l.E' PALACE ITS WONT.SUS THE KIVAL YACITTS-,NT R f'£LKY IN "THK DOCTOf. UK WILSON LARKKTT'S KtCW LOCATION THE STRAND'S V0TAKI8S -YOUL- KHAN—THB NANA AGAT-A OCKEK CHASlC — MANS. SrOKTS ;0\ EKLGIAN SWQKU Al,D A YARMOUTH BLGATCK — MRS CKAWfOUD IN A NEW LICJKT-A ROYAL DILEMMA -= MOVHEB-TK-LAW. Michaeluaas Day saw the annual ceremony of electing an alderman to fill the shoes of the out- going Lord Mayor ,f London in November. Tile dayN.Ir i)-poaliarly cold aud east windy, but the civic.guil j turned out in its war )),irt, and Cheap- side and its immediate vicinity were crowded with eager sight-seers. The Lord Mayor, sheriffs, recorder, and aldermen looked imposing in the r blacfe court suits and scarlet gowns the Lord Mayor, and the aldermen who haveal. eady p&>\$ed.t,he chair wore their hoods and chains, the chains glittering against the b.ack velvet. The aldermen next in turn for the chair were in full dresr. with lace frill. As they passed, a nosegay was presented to each by the hall, keeper. Iu this guise, the imposing procession walked from the Guildhall to St. Lawrence's Church (a sombre time-old building), conducted by the dignifted city marshal. Dr Baker, the head master of the Merchant Taylors' School, preaci*ed the sermon, giving for his text. Tuu sword of the Lord and of Gideon." On returning, the procession drow up in the Guildhall, where a Common hall of the liveries was formed, aud the well-known electing ceremony wat pr oceeded with. The two names selected were read out. AUlERifA.V rOLYDOUE DE KEX&E £ the senior alderman, who was loudly cheered, and Alderman Whitehead, who was alto well received. But only a few hands were held up for the latter, and Alderman- de Keyser was enthusiastically elected. Then followed the usu4 speechifying, and in the evening there was the inevitable banquet at the Mansion House. Oar new chief magistrate« Belgian by birth and blood but, of course, he is now a naturalised linxlirhman, and he has an English wife. Be owns the Royal Hotel, Blackfriare, and has bald ssveral public positions in the city. He is an ) Officer a-ad Knight of the Order of Leopold-a dignity conferred on him by the King of the Belgians. Sir Ricuard Hanson has, however, a unique honour by which to ma.ke his jubilee year-of office memorable he was the first Lord Mayxir who ever entertained the Sovereign in the Mansion House. Her Majesty set foot 1U that building for the first time thie the 50th year of her reign. The "People's Pltlace is now opened to real work, uid Mr Walter Besant's practical .expres- sion wi* soon be judged by results. The building will be reserved for members after 5 p.m. Tue necr.*ii>ti,y$jx>rno!is comprise a library, a, reading- room, a. refreshment room, billiard-room, a gymnasium, a eo&al and games room. Then there will b$Jtecatee^twcerU, aad entertain- ment*, the eftrtranfc nadney xm which wilt bfc merefy-- nom¡41." The teading-rdftm and the library will be free, praotioa 'ily-t"t is, the only charge will be atpenuy per volume-—and they will be open from 9 ra. to 5 p.m. Workshops have been fitted ul4 and all the various schools of instruction wili b"J available for the people and it would seem, from the elaborate attention these mediums of the higher education have received, that the trustees are ambitious of making the Palace a great educational centre—a Universiiy for the people, in fae;. Every craft will be represented in full detail. There are, in addition, in pzoc66s of formation, footbaH, harriep, chess, and draughts clubs, choral and orshffttral societies, military and drum and-fife bands, a sick club, and a savings bank. A poultry aliow and a chrysanthemum show will bhortly take place, and what they will see there will be a. revelation to hundreds to whom the lovely things of earth are unfamiliar or unknown objects. I give to-d .y, from the most accurate source at my coramand-good photographs—a sketch of TRz RIVAL YACKTSj I the Volunteer aod the Thistle, which have lately competed at New York. Before this journal is in the hands of the reading pub: ic the result cf the ace will be a stale story, and the race itself, in its d fferent phases, will have been discussed and run over again and again. It requires a high degree of chivalric feeling to show no sivn of mortification when beattn and chivalry, now- adays, seldom Shows itself outside fiction or on the melodramatic stage. Mr F. C. Burntrd's play, "The Doctor," holds the boards merrily. My artist has chosen the scene where ) G_ s Jut PKNXJEY 16 CAUGHT wrta THE BOTTLSS. I The comic and almost hapless expression of "caught" on the artist's countenance literally convulses the house. I hear that Mr Wilson Barrett has taken the Globe Theatre, and will there produce a new- play by Mr G. R. Sims. The house is a small one for Mr Barrett's ambi- tions. Mr Terry's new abode will soon be opened^ and will be one of the very prettiest playhouses in the strand. No one who does nut go to the theatre in that vicinity by omnibus or playhouses in the strand. No one who does nut go to the theatre in that vicinity by omnibus or tettiag hwjfla, electing to walktibwn the Stood after the play is over, for a. ",u(lk.. and cuat before again taking his teat !• his pubi>c con- veyance, cau have auy l ieu of whit a burly buily that street presents at the midnight hour. It is a na.rrow roadway for the vast crowd that ai all bours throngs it but after the play it 1- t said, a confusing hurly-burly. The veblclc. ot alL sorts are in lines four deep, crossing each other swifiiy as if running races. Then the footpath I It often strikes me with wonder how any respect- aWe female can appear in the light of day in golden locks and ornate cloaks. The Lord Chamberlain is trying to expurgate this street of itb objectionable damsels and Lli-sir c,-I,ieu cur)" and satin and velvet garbs, but he findti it difficult to disturb a right-of-way. Theatre mana- Ii garti tell me that the terrible Exeter disaster of fire and scate lias injured them greatly, and their i, receipts have fallen so Considerably it is m >rethan probable that uiey will not recover this season. I Cannot but think the temporary scare ii,-t- 4ft-a fortunate at th;s season, as scarlet fever is ..tilt very general, aud as it is or an exceptionally mild type, people are by no means so careful as they1 might be: persons from infected houses going iuw public almost teckiessly. Oitiziabu-e4- and theatres are chief factors in spreading infection. The daoue the arch rttbei, ATOLB ICR AS, is giving his pursuers seems Meely to be a pretty long one. It reminds me -if the deiuive chase after the Nana, an infinately greater scoundrel, a monster in human form. Ayoub, it is said, will soon be heard of near Ca.ndabar, which once more „ may sore some triumphs in the art of troubling the Government. Tile real fate of the Nana is 1 still a mysLery-I daresay he died decently in Li* bed. Ayoub Khan's physiognomy speaks of < decided cunning and cruelty. He has a large body of believing adherents. One who knew him well states that be has great suavity of manner, and a wonderful power of conversation-Lhat he is gentle and chivalrous. Perhaps he is a pure patriot, after all! Speaking of chasing reminds me of a scene th" took place last week in sporting Ciieshire. The story as I tell it comes from one whn was there. There was a cub- hunting meet at U klp.ts Old H.U; the park was Sir Watkin WyaiiV, Three foxes suddenly showed their brushes iu a potato field. One. a little fellow, was prematurely forced to give up the ghost, while a. tough old wary dodger was run to tha rectory below, where he bounded iuto the drawing-room, an 1 made his imraediate exit by another door, when the whole of the bounds dashed after him, into the room and out again. The consternation of the ladies WM intense. I remember once coming in for :t some- what similar adventure. I was in a grape-house ia a fancy garden in a iarge demesne, w lieu sua deny and noisily a pour terrified deer bounded .vor J a hedge, and to.k refuge beside me—only for a second the hounds and the whole bunt wexe close at hand. With a violent shudder the poor creature made a dash out, and disappeared. The dogs came into the grapery pell æ"\l¡, aud w position, and that of a iady with me, migh-, have y wilti iua, mi been critical 4ad a-st the whip 6*Ued o$, and, quite as frightened as the au*cgy, w« at The deer had escaped, and the hunt went after another draw. In about ttito hours I uw the deer stealthity creep out of a ditch full of water, the boundary of a grazinz fiel,l-the wattor had broken the scent. The bitter feeling between the English and the Belgian fishermen is by no means aliayed. Why not let ,L- i".1.1"'6v r..I-¿ THE RIVAL TRAWLK&a fight it out as they vvi] ? It was a sound senti- ment, that of Jeauuette w. the old song, when she said- Let tho-e that ma" the quarrels Be tbe only ones that n^h.. t But I suppose it wouid never do for the Belgian and English Governments to ignore the matter. The Belgians seem to be the aggressors, and the Belgium authorities are anxious to repress the bellicose spirit of their trawling men. I Mrs Crawford, of the sorry D ike scantiale., wts in London shortly i-efore the House was pr6- ■ rogued, and, wisiiing io attend a meeting, her sister, Mrs Ashton D Ike, asked a friend ro pro- cute two seats ior bar behind the ladies' itt Tuis geutieman, knowing that Mr Crawford had balloted and got two setts he was not going to use, requested tuat gentleman to pass them on to him, which he did, and the order was givea to Mrs Diik. who had not told her frifnd that she intended tc take her sister with her. On the night arranged she appeared with Mrs Crawford^ and the two ladi«s took their seats. Tne gentle* man went up to the Ladies' Gailfery to see Mrs Dilke, and was by no means pleasant y surprised to see who her companion was, a .th >a<iies thought it a capital joke that the order "houid have come from 1.Ir Crawford. 0,1 returning to bis place in the Houoe, the gentleman met Mr Crawford ,)ill up to the gallery to. see a^friehd, and turned him back, ssyTng; "There is someone there you will scarcely iik* to .06" .t' ptaries D a constant ø)nlin tq tlA'Viai iv pre-i,. aui- to periodic^ i^teEaUfte; H- writes anonymously. Mr Eustace Smith is in Algiers. I have been told that the whole ugly story is in conrse of construction iuto a realistio novel. It is becoming very much the custom to draw oar sensational novels irom social scandals. It gives a perhaps worthless book a certain pruri- out inierest. A book a good io,i re.ti by a in class lateiv, published by V zetelly," Dc Phillips by title, has an interet;t in this direction, the UefM of the volume being a pretty well kn >wu literary —or rattier j >urnalistic—medico, to whose domes- tic history some very suspicious circumstances are attached. Mr F'tzsrerald Molloy brings out this we-k a new novel with similar current facts as chief interest. Tnis graphic writer wintered in Algiers, wheu lie became the subject of some occult mani- festations, which iu a veiry strange manner effected some leading members of London socie.y. Ut Molloy lias made such good use of his mater al, so strangely acquired, that his book is safe to be ia great request. An earnest discussion is going on in the Royal family circle. The Duchess of Connaught wishes to take back with her to India all her little ones. Her augant M,)ther-in-law oi)jectx. "Oher paople take their children, and I dou't see why we should not take oure," her Rcyal Highuew sayr.. We can send them to the hills in the hot weather, as ctheredo." But her M iJ^sty does not wish iter grandohildran to be arranged like othor folk's bairns. I opine, howevet, that the yua-t4r mother wllviattM-Oati ZiXtfX
A BATHER'S DILEMMA.
A BATHER'S DILEMMA. I BAD HIS CLOO. j
[No title]
The odour of camel s hair is a relief from I insomnia..
WORKMEN'S TOPICS.I t
WORKMEN'S TOPICS. t BY W. Abraham, M.P., Mabon. ç- THE NEW MINES ACT AND BLASTING. The provisions for shot-firing in the new act are greatly varied in expression and substance from those of previous measures. It is affirmed that these provisions are also founded on the elaborate researches of the Royal Commission as to the danger of blasting Mid the modes of pro- viding against it. And doubtless they fairiy meet the requirements. The danger depends, according to the commission, on the nature of the ex- plosive used—gunpowder, dynamite, &c., or the mode in which it is used, whether with or without special precautions, such as the use of a water cartridge or tumping; and ou the atmosphere in which it is used, according as the air is charged with gas or coal dust, or both. Hence the object of the rules should be to impose such restrictions as wouid be necessary to guard against the dangers arising from the above- mentioned conditions. And to do that they should graduate accordinv to the danger to be appre- hended from gas, from dust, or from both com- bined. The proposals, as they first appeared from the Government mill, were hopeless but it is only fair to admit that in their present form they not only stitmlate what is required, but they do it in a most practical manner, without unnecessarily impeding the working of the col- lieries and, in my opinion, they only lack in one precaution. The general principle observed is, that unless explosives are used with such special precautions as to preclude danger, workmen must be removed from the sphere of danger. In mines not dry and dusty, and where naked lights only are in use, none but the general precautions are enforced —viz., (a) Explosives not to be stored in the mines (b) not to be taken in except in cartridges (c) workmen not to have more than one canister in use containing more than five pounds in such cartridges in the same place at once. In mines not dry and dusty, where safety lamps are required to be used, it is to be assumed by these rules that there may be danger from gas in any ventilating district where gas has been found within either of the four inspections under Rule 4, which may mean one or two days, accord- ing to the number of shifts worked. Hence, in such mines, under such conditions, no shot must be fired unless the place where such gas has been examined and reported to be clear, and theie is not at or near that place sufficient gas issuing or accumulated to render it unsafe to tire the shot, or unless the explosive employed in tiring the shot is used with water or some other contrivance so as to prevent it from inflaming gas, or is of such a nature that it cannot inflame gas. If the place where a shot is to be fired is dry and dusty, other conditions are imposed. (1) The place and all contiguous accessible places within a radius of 20 yards tbereftom are at the time of firing in a wet state from thorough watering or other treatment equivalent to watering, in all parts where dust is lodged or (2 the explosive must be used with water or other contrivance so as to prevent it from inflaming gas or dust, ir is of such a nature that it cannot inflame gas or dust. In the two foregoing clauses and under their provisions the sphere of danger is taken to be the ventilation district, which stands as a part of the mine, separately ventilated under the bill of 1872. But in the next clause the greatest of all dangers is apprehended to be in the main haulage roads of dry and dusty miues, in which case the seam is substituted for the ventilating district. Main haulage roads, as a rule, are places where the accumulation of dust is greater, and, as recent examples have shown, explosions originating there are apt to spread throughout the seam, irrespective of the ventilating districts, whereas the working places have a less quantity of duat, damper dast, and the expiosi on, there- fore, ia more likely to be limited to the immediate locality. That 'being so, the main haulage needs a safer rule, entailing more stringent pre- cautions, to prevent, as far as possible, the possibility of accidents from shot-firing. Conse- quently it is stipulated that a shot cannot be fired in a main haulage road of a dry and dusty mine unless both the conditions already described have been observed. Or, if one only of those conditions is observed, then, and in addition, the workmen must be removed from the seam in which the shot is to be fired, and trom all seams communicating with the shaft on the same level, except the ireu engaged in firing the shot and such other persons, not exceeding 10, as are necessarily employed in attending to the ventilating appara- tus, furnaces, steam boilers, engines, machinery, winding apparatus, signals, or horses, or in inspecting the mine. This provision evidently shows great forethought and care in its prepara- tion. Under all these conditions, where locked safety lamps are in use, no shot is to be fired except by or under the direction of a competent person appointed by the owner, agent, or manager, and that person shall not fire the shot nor allow it to be fixed until he personally has examined the place where the shot is to be fired, and all con- tiguous accessible places of the seam within the radius of twenty yards, and has found such place safe for firing. The old, inexpedient three months' time-test,after gas bad been found in any given place before a hot could be fired, has been substituted by the more practical test of the four inspections under rule four, which may be, as I have already stated, one or two days, according to the number of shifts worked in the mine. But in addition, the good and practical old blue cap test or the presence of noxious and inflammable gas has been also abolished, and ncthiug definite has been sub- sisted instead. This, from my standpoint, has weakened the rules considerably. True, the in- spections specified under rule 4, which are to be made before and during the shifts, are to be made with a locked safety lamp, except in mines where gas has not been found in the preceding twelve months. Therefore, it is to be assumed that inspectors will still bear in mind the blue cap, and act on the hint it gives. But it will only be in their minds' eye, and not in the rules. Hence so much will depend on the individual making these inspections. And what may be a proper precaution in the hands of one man may scarcely preclude the place from danger in the hands of another. Under ordinary circum- stances this weak ruie will doubtless be safe in the hands of all experienced, practical, and careful men. But there are times when, in order to save tilitafto prevent the necessity of walking from one point to another, to prevent the im- peding the working in that or some other district. To enable a person or persons not to be late for the pit, all or any of these might give an excuse for a very lenient view, io the absence of the usual, definite test. Yet such leniency might result in a most appalling disaster. Should a calamity occur iu consequence of the laxity I have indicated, no one could be held responsible, for, in the absence of a definite test, no offence could be urged against the shot-firer except that he had erred in judgment. And an error of judgment is not punishable before a jury. The man who had so erred in judgment would have a most able and willing advocate and defender in the gentleman who proposed the rule. Therefore, seeing that in this matter so much depends on the action of one man, no colliery manager will properly do his duty in the interests of the owners in saving their property from destruction, and in protecting the lives and limbs of his workmen, unless he thorougMy satisfies himself that his firemen and shot-firers are the experienced, practical, and most careful of men.
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One of the simplest of barometers is a spider's weo. When there is a prospect of rain or wind the bpider shortens the filaments from which its web is suspended. If the insect elongates its threads it is a sign of fine, calm weather. If the ispider remains inactive it is a sign of rain, but if, on the contrary, it keeps at work during the rain, the latter will not last long. When the fair utilitariau and political econo- mist, Harriet Martineau, published her book against marriage, it was sent to Dr Maginn to review, his critique ran ttitis A book against wedlock, oh, oi2! And written by Miss Nlartineau! But this I well know, She wouldn't say No" To a handsome young beau, Just six feet or so— Fie, fie, Harriet Martineau I
IWELSH GLEANINGS. .
WELSH GLEANINGS. (By Lloffwr.) For once in a way I am going to perform my gleaning operations entirely with a scissors and a glue-pot. Many do this without having the honesty to acknowledge it. I, however, never wish to mislead my readers. My column this week will be made up entirely from clippings from other papers, and I think they will prove very interesting. The North Wales Observer and Express has a column of letters written by Luke Sharp, who looks very sharp indeed after the doings of Welshmen in North Wales. The following letter, referring to a very popular Cardiff minister, will be iatere,:tiijg To the Rev. E. Herber Evans, D.D. Rev. Sir,—I had the pleasure of attending your chapel last Monday night. 'Pon my honour, Alun Roberts is a during spirit. But how did you enjoy his sermon? Telling you the truth, I felt glad that I was certain the "Government reporter" was abroad, and that the rev. gentleman has escaped running a course of three months in one of her Majesty's (I beg pardon, the taxpayers') buildings. I wonder if some of our Tory friends were present; if so—how did they relish it ? I should like to kriow. Possibly tfl,.y'il charge you with permitting doubtful doctrines to be advo- cated from your pulpit. What matters it? there was a good ring of sound common sense in the sermon. And what is still of greater importance —it drew forth a good collection.—Yours faith- fully, LUKE SH-titr. < • Going from the extreme north to the extreme south, I pick up the following :-A Welsh Cen- tenarian.—An inmate of the Swansea Workhouse, a Mrs Jones, reached her 105th year on Saturday last. Mrs Jones is said to be the oldest woman resident in the United Kingdom, and is now in robust health. Crossing the channel to Ireland, I notice that the Celtic Times deals with the Celtic tongue. It says:—" The Celtic tongue is not dying. The Gaelic Journal, which was launched in 1882 by the Gaelic Union for the Preservation and Cultivation of the Irish Language, has reappeared in a new hat. Its editor, John Fleming-the grand old man of the Celtic toligus-is still fresh, vehement, and true. His latest contribution is the freshest and, in its contents, the most varied of his long series of a half-a-century's contributions to the language of our sires. In spite of those who grabbed and tried to crush the Irish language re- vival movement, the old guard stubbornly contests every inch of ground, and yields not one iota to any foe. The Gaelic Journal will for the present be published quarterly. Haif-a-crown a year is the extravagant price. Is there halt a-crown's worth of genuine nationality to be found in Ireland annually ? If there is, buy the Gaelic Journal, An ocean voyage to visit our American cousins gives the following from the Cincinnati Commercial Gazette, which says" Dr Jones, of Lawrence- street Church, is truly a sage and a native of old Gwalia—Wales. He is now upwards of three score and four, but still he holds his own wonder- fully well. On many a Sunday he, it seems, feels as a man half his years. The most of his life went by while going from place to place over and between the hills of his beloved wild Walia, henca knows well when he talks in that particular line what he is talking of, Last Sunday the venerable sage took for. his text Psalm xvi, and 6th versa thereof: 'The liner. are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodlv heritage.' While applauding American freedom, he said: It is not so in my beloved old Wales to-day, for many farmers in North Wales have lately bÁ'en arrested and carried to London (!) to be tried there, because the magistrate of London said that there could not be found, in all of Wales, 12 men honest enough to try the prisoners. The otfence was the refusal to pay some tithes that the farmers wanted a discount on, as the times were so hard on them, which made it to them a matter of impossi- bility for the time being. The venerable sage commended the Irish for their boldness and bravery, and said that the time had come to the Welsh to stand for their rights, and recommended the American Welsh to help the oppressed now in North Wales as the Irish do, morally and ma- terially. And after the sermon one of the old men made a motion to appoint a committee to solicit material aid, comprised of Dr. Jones, Richard Rowlands, and John Evans, ot coying- ton, Ky. The motion was carried. Now, look for a Welsh League. That means a fight even with the great Johnnie Bul1." It will interest may of my readers to know that the Dr Jones referred to above is Jones Hermon," or Jones GJantowy," as be was known in the Vale of Towy 20 years ago. The tone of the English press in Wales is be coming almost as pronounced on Welsh questions as that of the vernacular organs of public opinion. The The Cambrian News gives the following: "The Welsh National movement has taken another step onward. The policy of ignoring Wales, and of pretending that Wales is no more different from the rest of England thap Yorkshire or Somerset- shire, is now abandoned. The Times, that arch foe of frpedom, has discovered that Wales has a vernacular press not understood in England, but largely read by the working people ot the princi- pality. The Times has also discovered that in Wales there is a Church question and a Land question, and that although the Church question is put first, the Land question is the more impor- tant. The Times has made a third discovery- that the Government may find in Wales a Second Ireland." It goes on thus :—" At present Wales is fight. ing for Home Rule for Ireland, but Wales intends to have Home Rule for berself also. Sometimes Wales is reminded that she is small and does not possess a large population. She replies that England compared to Canada is small, and compared with the millions of India does not possess a large population. Wales is determined, however, to have the things she demands, and refuses to be either measured or counted as a test of her power. Let England try to coerce Wales. Let England try to collect tithes in Wales. Let England try to suppress tbb national life of Wales, and England will nnd-that Wales is large enough to absorb her largest armies and to fill her most capacious prisons. There is a Wales in America, just as there is anTIreland in America, and there are newspapers printed in the Welsh language in America. There is a Wales in London far more powerful than the Times has any notion of. There is a Wales in provincial England-in Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh. There is a Wales that reads and writes and speaks the English language, and wherever Wales is found it is true to itself, and is ot one mind in demanding redress of Welsh grievances. It may be interesting to the Times to know that the men who edit Welsh newspapers are not youths fresh from college, but men grown grey in the fight for national life—men quite ready to take all the consequences of their words and deeds, and who cannot be intimidated or made to swerve from the line of conduct they have marked out for themselves." ♦ In another column the same paper gives utter- ance to a demand which is daily becoming louder- It says The most difficult heroism in the present day is to work in obscurity for those who are never reminded that any debt of gratitude is due from them. The great need of Wales is leaders. There are pleuty of ambitious young Welshmen, who have never done any work for Wales,, who are quite willing to represent her in Parliament. A great battle for Wales has to be fought in Wales, and we trust the time is coming when Welsh representatives will be sought for amongst those who have done good work in Wales. At present would-be members of Parlia- ment think they are qualified tor the highest posts of honour simply because they are youug, poor, capable, ;,ud were horn in Wales There are thousands upon thousands who p'}b¡;eSS all these very common qualifications who are utterly unfit to represent Wales in Parliament. Those who serve Wales best out of Parliament ;,re most likely to serve her in it. Wales stands greatly in need of two or three hundred capable men who want nothing whatever for themselves, and who can work steadily for a few years without praise or recognition of any sort. The real saviours of countries are men who are as ready to go to prison as to Parliament, and who find favour with the electors because they have learnt the painful lessons of sacrifice. The Carnarvon and Denbigh Herald gives the following:—Sympathy begets sympathy, and hence the growing fellow-feeling between the Irish and the Welsh at the present time., Speaking at Llandrillo on Wednesday, Mr Thomas E. Ellis, M.P., said that since he had been in Parliament he bad learnt tbat the cause of Ireland was the cause of Wales, and that the enemies of Ireland were the enemies of Wales; so the Welsh members had thrown themselves on the side of the Irish members, and when the Welsh mem- bers wanted help the Irish members were the first to give it. Mr Ellis addressed his constituents at Gwyddelwern on Thursday evening, when a startling announcement was made by one of the "Llangwm men." Referring to the fact that their trial was conducted "In English at Ruthin, he said that only six out of the thirty- one defendants knew any English at all." Of course, the magistrates who sat to hear the case were all English-speaking men. Could -& greater travesty of justice have been conceived anti resorted to ?" This seems to be on par, if it does not actually exceed, the noted Llanwrtyd Welsh tongue tax trial The North Wales Observer and Express treats of Celtic pride, and says:—" If there is any stronger evidence than another of the former greatness of the Celtic family, it is the pride and dignity which still linger amidst the poverty into which it has been reduced. Its members, whereever found, evince the same independence of spirit, the same thirst for self-government, the same inveterate love of freedom, and the saire untameable hatred towards their conquerors-from C«.doc to Wm. O'Brien. Possibly the characteristic hasty temper of the Celt is the natural outcome of this dignified independence of spirit." The following remarks deserve earnest con- sideration But somehow or other public posts and positions of emoluments are so coveted, and small mercies are thought SO much of in Wales, that it is doubtful whether there are many who could not be bought with them. Many a good man has been ruined by being placed on the magisterial bench, and he might as well have been transferred over the border of the principality. Examining a mitre has so tickled many a one's fingers that the remainder of his life goes to try to prove he is not a. Welshman. How many about our doors every day cheaply sell their national birthright for a mess of pottage. What is the reason that the Carnarvon Boroughs are misrepresented iu the British Parliament by a Conservative gentleman? Why? Let us learn a lesson from Ireland and let their noble answer raise to our face a blush of pride for the Celtic race, but a blush of shame for our own servility. If we cannot enj y subordinate positions under our 5on lords without ceasing to be Welshmen, then we can afford to do without such positions until we be- come lords ourselves as the Irish people do."
WELSH MUSIC AND MUSICIANS."
WELSH MUSIC AND MUSICIANS. By Dr. Joseph Parry, principal of the Musical College of Wales, Swansea. No. 18.-WELSH NATIONS MUSIC. We Welsh people are very ftmd of. and intensely devotional in, the congregational singing portion of our public worship, and in this form of musical composition our national passion, expressional warmth, devotion, and peculiar characteristics assert themselves more distinctly and forcibly than in any other musical department. There is, beyond doubt, a germ budding from the heart of the people. We find pathos, vigour of expression, and devo- tion, purely Welsh, which it is our sacred duty as a nation to preserve, nourish, and fully develop. The musical character of all nations is undoubt- edly moulded by social, intellectual, and religious influences at work in each particular country. It is best for the national musical plant to remain in its own climate, where it can best flourish, and it would be well for us to bear in mind that no foreign musical plant or flower can thrive as well in the climate of our piaces of worship, or better decorate the musical Eden of Cambria. I am giving expression to impressions received, and impressions which have long ago formed themselves into firm convictions. The point is one that it would be well for Welsh singers and Welsh composers to meditate upon in order to better succeed in reaching the hearts of our people. Whilst admitting that the Ian- guage of music, like that of painting, is uni. versal, yet there are national schools, or styles of music as there are of painting. Our exhibitions and museums afford ample proof in regard to the latter, whilst the Frenell, Italians, Germans, Bohemians, Hungarians, and other nationalities may be quoted for the distinctly national charac- ter of their music. I fully believe in the existence of a purely Welsh musical germ, or plant, and I also firmly believe that in order to maintain it in Its infancy, it must be nurtured xin its own climate. But the national musical bud is often damaged by being placed in a musical climate foreign to itself. This is a subject which has attracted my attention for many years, and the noq-suceess of some of our Welsh singers and compDsers has proved to me that though, when entering London for musical study, they were full of expressional individuality and national I characteristics, yet they came home having to a sad extent lost the national spark. The result has been that they lacked all indi viduality of style, whereas the musical identity or personality of each musician should be so marked as to be recognisable in his work. I believe there would be far greater prospects of national musical identity if Welsh students were educated under musicians of the same musical sphere and country. Then the national musical garden of the future would bring forth results far superior to those of the past, resulting ultimately in the production of a school and groups of music and musicians as dis- tinctly Welsh in character as that of the Hun- garians and the other nationalities. Being a staunch beliver in the nationality of inusic, I heartily rejoice in the present resurrec- tion of the Welsh spirit and tin Cymroig, and people will begin to feel that after all it is not such a dreadful and shameful thing to be Welsh. Afs Welsh musicians, we shall be surer of progress and success than if we ape the style of any other country. This subject has borne me away in my. musical ramblings, but it leads me to purely Welsh music. The Welsh heart rejoices in nothing more than the hwyl" in Welsh congregational singing. In my opinion there is no place so important as the sanctuary for keeping alive the Welsh sacred musical flame, and as the Welsh congregational tune is of the utmost value, I hope to devote some of my future letters to the subject of Welsh Congregational Tunes and Singing."
THE KSSEXCE OF IT.
Do that which is assigned to you, and you cannot dare too much. If some folks had their way about this world how few people would live comfortably in it. THK MOUERN PROCRUSTIES. -Irate Customer: "See here, that bed you sent me is so short I can't lie in it-feet stick way out beyond the foot. board. Omaha Dealer: "By Jinks! That new clerk of mine sent you the wrong bedstead. That was not intended for the Omaha trade at all. Well, what under the canopy are such beds made for ?" They are for the summer rtteort hotel trade; made to fit the rooms, you know." THE KSSEXCE OF IT. "Stillness," said N I IUrod to hie son, Is what I firmly wish To bint as the essential thing If you would wisely fish." Inheritor of this advice No modern angler will Go fishing uow-a-days withoub Some product of the still Yonkrs thWk. I
Ill.---WATER.
By a Member of the Coilege of Surgeons. Ill.WATER. After air the. next essential to our existence is a good supply of pure water. Our primitive ances. tors realised this fact, for whenever they formed a camp or erected their rude huts, they selected a portion near a river, because they had no means Of-, I ecting or storingup by any artificial method ajpfficient quantity of water for their u.e, and also because a river afforded them the most Efficient method of transit. In these day,, when a man wallder,ng over some lonely hilis tinds a bit of iron ore, immediately a Cleveland springs up a hunter ciimbing the mountain-side discovers a stream of quicksilver or a vast coal field, like that of the Rhondda, is struck, and opened up. The population at once increases, firming a large ceatre of industry, and artificial methods have to be found for meet ing the requisites of life. Of these necessaries the water supply occupies a foremost place, as we have seen to our cost in some places during the recent hot summer. We can realise che imprrtance of having a sufficient supply of pure water when we think that it forms 68 per cut, of our bo lies, and enters into the formation of a great number of substances, while it is estimated that it constitutes two-thirds of the globe. If we are deprived of a sufficient quantity of water, or if thi water we drink con- tains impurities, our health inevitably suffers. In sanitary investigations the water is critically examined, for it has been found that the water drunk by a community has often been a prolific source of disease. Water was looked upon as a simple substance, as an element, until the year 1781, when the great chemist, Henry Cavendish, showed that pure water consisted of two gases, one being oxygen (which I said something about in the previous article on air), and the other hydrogen. Hydrogen is the lightest substance known, and ou that account is used for inflating balloons. It is about fifteen times lighter than air. Cavendish has proved that water consists of these two gases. He mixed a quantity of them together in a glass vessel be then passed an electric current through the gases, an explosion occurred, and considerable moisture was deposited on the surface of the glass. The the interior of vessel was found to be a vaccum, so that there could be no doubt but that the whole of the gases bad been used up to form the moisture, and on weighing the vessel before and after the experi- ment,it was proved to weigh exactly the same. It is known that two parts of hydrogen unite with one of oxygen to create water. We are familiar with water in three forms: if the temperature be below 32'F. as ice, if betwaen 33 and 212* as water, and if above 212', as steam. Pure water and ice, when seen iu large masses, are observed to possess a blue colour. This is noticeable in the glaciers and lakes of Switzerland, and the distant Rocky Mountains. The purest natural water we get is in the form of rain. The rain is disposed of in several ways some runs over the surface, gravitates to the rivers, and finaliy the sea part sinks through the porous parts of the earth, or through fissures in rocks. This re- appears as springs and wells. A quantity of the rain evaporates soon after it is deposited on the earth's surface, and some is ntilised by entering into the formation of mineral, animal, and vegetable substances. The water as it flows over the snrface of the land dissolves a considerable amount of saline matter, so that by the time it reaches the sea it has become sidt. One thousand parts of salt water contain 35 parts of solid matter, 28 of which are common salt. If the rain wati;r is uncon- taminated by the surface on which it falls, it is fit for drinking purposes; it is pure, but contains a large quantity of air which it has dissolved in the process of falling. Usually, however, the rain water-is polluted through having dissolved organic mgtter from the surface on which it has {alien, and it is, therefore, unwise to use it for any other purpose than that of washing. In Venice, and some other conti- nental cities, the rain is collected in large under' ground reservoirs for the use of the people. Water from springs contains a quantity of solid matter which has been dissolved in it during its downward progress through the earth, and the character of these impurities depends upon the nature of the soil. Sometimes these impuri- ties," or substances, are useful, and advantage its taken of this fact to utilise the spring water at certain watering-places. The water oissolves a certain quantity of mineral matter—some contain iron, others sulphur, or purgative salts, and patients suffering from diseases fur which these drugs are a remedy naturally flock to such places, and very frequency with good results. Water is said to be soft and hard. Rain water, as it falls, is soft, and becomes hard through dissolving small quantities of salts of lime. Some of theae can be got rid of by boiling, and so hard water can be made much softer. The worst impurity with which we have to contend is organic matter—pollution from sewage. Thrs pollution takes place most frequently in shallow wells. and hones occurs in small towns and country places, where pumps are common. Tile sewage being thrown on the lan l near the wells, soaks through the ground into the water. The dis&ases which are spread in this way are typhoid or enteric fever, diphtheria, scariet fever, diarrhoe i, and the English form of cholera. A short time ago an outbreak of typhoid fever w discovered tc be due to some impure water with which a dishonest railk.iellor adulterated his miik. This was proved by the disease originating only in the families which this man supplied, and finally he confessed to diluting his milk with water obtained from a source which turned out to be polluted. Many microscopic plants and animair., with portions of woody fibres, &c., are found iu water • one public analyst in a large town states that there are thirty-nine sorts of little beasts contained in the water supplied to the community. Fortunately these do no barm, and one very successful surgeon has publicly stated that he does not hesitate to clean the wounds of his patients with this same water. Water sometimes contains dissolved in it a quantity of poisonous mineral matter, such as lead. Tue water obtains the lead through standing in lead cisterns and pipes. Hence it is a wise precaution, if lead pipes must be used, to let the water run for a short time before drinking any, so as to get rid of that which has been standing in the pipe for a length of time. If lead be dissolved in the water the peop e using t will get lead-poisoning," A short time ago I treated a wnole family suffering from this COlli- plaint. Oa inquiry I found that no other people in the district had been troubled with the disease. The water and beer drank by the patients were examined, hut no traces of lead were found. Finally the patients stated that they had been drinking cider, which cme from Devonshire. 011 ,pnp; iire. investigation this was discovered to contaiu lead in considerable quantities, and it w aiicer. tained that the cider had been stored in leaden vessels. Ice and snow-water are usually regarded as unwholesome, and unfit for drinking purposes, and in 1832 an attack of cholera in 'iussia was traced to consuming ice and snow. Water from springs and deep wells may usually be regarded as good. but all w ater from shallow wells, rivers in or near towns, lakes, and stored rain water should be looked upon with a suspicious eye. The characteristics of good water—that is, water fit for drinking—are perfect clearness, freedom from odour or taste, coolness, and some degree of softness. If water which is too hard be drunk, it induces stomach disorders. The methods of purifying impure water are boiling, filtering, and distilling. Boiling gets rid of some of the salts of lime, and thus makes the water softer. Filtering purifies it from the solid matter which may be suspended in it. Charcoal is used as the filtering agent in a good many filters, but it has the disadvantage that after a time it becomes Choked up so that it requires cleaning. By distillation water is rendered absolutely pure. In this process the water to be distilled is placed in a vessel and boiled the steam is then carried through a tube into another vessel, which is kept cold by a stream of iced water running on the out. side of it. The steam, on coming into contact with the walls of the cold vessel, condenses into water again, and if the receiving vessel is clean, this distilled water is absolutely pare, the im, purities remaining behind in the first vessel. Such pore water in only used in chemical processes and tor dispensing certain medicines, ou account of the expense attending the process of aistiliatiou. The average quamiiy of water necessary for fact. individual is roughly computed at 50 gallons per day. This appears to be surprisingly large, but it is utili-ed thus: -10 gallons tor domestic, 10 for municipal, and 10 for trade purposes. In Glasgow the quantity allowed is 50 gallons. F r druiking purposes an adult man requires from 3, to 5 pints each day, and of this quantity, 1 to I, pint are contained in the solid food he eats. About half to one gallon per head is daily used for cooking, and then large quantities have to be allowed for washing clothes, cooking utensils, and baths. The local authorities need a good deal for watering the streets, clean-ing sewers, extinguishing hres, and for public fountains and baths. Unfortunately, less water per individual seemsto be required as one descends the social scale, aud the people aro less cleanly. Thus, the amount used in the poorer districts of London is found to be five gallons for each individual daily, and iu some country districts three gallons only. Yet a person who takes a daily bath uses from thirty to sixty gallons for that purpose alone. In Calcutta the allowance for Europeans is thirty gal- lons, and for nativerfi-teeii only. The water supply cannot be well limited to less than four gallons per day, and then no baths are allowed, while the supply of clean clothes most be painfully scanty. In ancient Rome the supply per hea.C1 every day was 300 gallons, hat that was on account of the large public baths-the finest the world has ever seen. In hospitals, the allowance for each patient varies from 40 to 50 gallons daily. So large an averag is necessary owing to the fact that cold and warm baths and cold water packs" are much, used in the treatment of disease of various kinds.
WHY THE HORSE SMILED,
WHY THE HORSE SMILED, Johu, the coachman,has gone on all errand, the gentlemen are all in town, and the ladies are bound to have a drive. Miss Elsa—" This-er —b >diee must go on this part of him, K ite, aud tha — well—er-corsage was certainly meant to attach th->—h'm—stays to the piece of the wagon* in front, aad now we're ail right, for I'm sure these are the reins."
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I ON THE ROAD. Miss Kate-" It rper- to me, Folia, that th* tighter ycuhold the eins the better we get along."
----TWO ARTISTS.
TWO ARTISTS. Two artists once met at lunch, It w&" indeed very thoughtful of Boniface to make u^ acquainted with each other," said one. "I am a portrait painter, and I understand you are in the same line. Notexacly," responded t.he second, although I have made a special study of the luiman coun- tenance, and the tone and chaste of my work are aidmired by all. My colouring is highly "xt61!d by some of the greatest connoisseurs." "Strange I haven't met you before Where is your turl io," I have none." "N> studio? H,,w?" "I am a barber."
-------LUCKY FOR THE BURGLAR.
LUCKY FOR THE BURGLAR. Ir Pools: "Where is that burglar, Maria? Where is hp.? Wbpr,¡ the villain gone?" Mrs Pupts Gone to the station-house. Oh, dear, I'm' so distracted. A policema.n e-me ami took him. Oh, John, why did you leave me all alone when the alarm rang, and run into the garret ?" Why did I run into the garret? I keep my arms in the garret, that's why." But you've been gone an hour." "Took "Over an hour to oil up my gun and itrind my hatchet. But it's lucky for the burglar that my arms were not in order."
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An old maid could never be persuaded to culti- vate dates. Famjxt P&ide is A Great Thikg.—Lincon boy: Aly father's been laiii up siok ior a week." —" That's iiawt-hin; my dad's been laid up two weeks."—" My farher has a felon on his finger a bill u attiiilmble.(A patit;e.)-" That's nawthin'; my father has a carbuncle on his neck bigger'n a goose(Another pause.)-" The doct .r says my if that won't be able to work for a month. "And the doctor (triumphantly) be say. my dad'll likely die 1" y