The Cardiff Times

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WORKMEN'S TOPICS. BY W. ABRAHAM, M.P. (MABON). ftlE DAWN OFBftlGHTER DAYS. 101'176 Adam Smith wrote as follows with I "Hfrrd to the practice of fixing wages by law :— I shall conclude with observing that though gently it was used to rate wages first by general extending over the whole kingdom, and alter"ards by particular orders of justices of the in every particular county, both those have now gone entirely into disuse, heuever the Legislature attempts to regulate "6 difference between masters and workmen, its ^Oaellers are always the masters." It is probable that the higher class of workmen, Well as their employers, bad, even in the early Part; of last centurYJ found it of no advantage to 5** any regard to the justices' assessment, ^though it appears from the report of the k^aeymen tailors of Cambridge that; in the 1726 the wages of journeymen tailors had fixed at 2s a day, and in the year 1742 **ton, in his "County Justice," recommends the Constable Sessions, which were held for purposes of appointing the rates of wages '°* the yaar under the statute should be better tended by workmen as well as employers, even 111 1811 certain journeymen millers in Kent pre- I petition to the justices of the quarter -ions stating that their wages were too low, ,d requesting them to exercise the powers them by the fifteenth section of Elizabeth, atld make a rate of wages. The justices refused to hear the petition, and the legality of their tafusal was discussed on a motion of a writ of lbandamua. Lord Ellenborough decided that although the power of rating wages given by the ltatute of Elizabeth bad only been acted "Pon with regard to labourers in husbandry, yet that the justices were empowered to fix the wages of any workman by virtue of the 1st James I., 6 16th. cap. 1., c. 4., and accordingly granted rule absolute for a writ of mandamus to compel the justices to hear the petition, but to exercise their own discretion as to making a rate. It ap- pears that the justices afterwards. beard the htition, but refused to make a rate. Hence, while this system of rating wages con- tinued to be part of the statute law, ^bile employers were liable to ten days' lJIaPrisonment for giving wages above the legal rate, and while all workmen were commanded to accept employment when offered them, ac- cording to the regulations of the statute no 'trike could take place either for an advance of *»gea or for any other purpose without a direct Violation of the statute law, and any agreement °r combination among workmen to control their "Bployors in the conduct of their trade might I be regarded as a conspiracy to obstruct or oppose the operation of this statute and other statutes -hich were passed for the purpose of regulating tbeemploYDlent of labour in particular trades. ^has for about two centuries and a half the "nglish law and those who administered the same "ere engaged in grinding down the workman to lowest pittance, in stamping out every expres- or act which indicated any organised dis- content, and in multiplying penalties upon him -hen he thought of his nataral rights. One must fcotjbe deceived by the hypocrisy which the preamble of Marions acta of Parliament habitually contain, *&d the assertions which are so habitually contra- dicted by the details of the measure. The act of Elizabeth declares that the wages of labourers were too small and not answerable to those times, and *ko spoke of the grief and burden of the poor labourer and hired man, and thereupon enacted a I.. which virtually made the wages smaller, and "Altiplied the labourer's grief and burden by lowing those who were interested to keep him Poor to fix the wages on' which he was to exist, atld exacting a testimonial—the discharge note of the time being—from his first employer and the overseers or churchwardens when be quitted service, which he bad to show before be entered another. By re-constructing the Jaw the offence of I the conspiracy was extended to workmen's ^"ociations, whose purpose it was to taule the rate of wages by combination, although that offence originally was the effect of combination to bring false evidence against I others, or for the subsequent purpose of com- mitting a crime. The whole basis of this practice, •tt my opinion, can fairly be inferred from the statute of Edward VI. already referred to, under *hich penalties were inflicted on those who com- bined not to work except for a certain price and for a certain time, and for implied violations of the 18th, 19tb, and 20th clauses of the Apprentices Act, which bad to be forced in order to bear such a Construction. Moreover, during the last century the manufacturing trades began, to assume a *ety different character from that which they bore at the time of the statute of Elizabeth and previ- 01181y. Instead of a master and a few apprentices altà journeymen standing in an intimate relation to each other, an establishment now began to consist of a capitalist and a vast number of work- IDeo, connected with each other by short hirings, ?**d opposed to each other by many conflicting Crests. This atate of things induced and enabled Workmen more than ever to associate together for the purpose of protecting or advancing their interests against those of their employers, which at the same time an advance in knowledge and intelligence rendered them more capable of Ascertaining. And it appears that when the combinations of workmen became more frequent and more important, whatever power the criminal Court might already possess to deal with such Proceedings, it was thought to be either too Uncertain or too dilatory for the nature of the tuhiect; and accordingly, as strikes occurred in Particular trades, the legislature was called upon to apply some more effectual remedy. And thus many statutes were passed daring the last Century for the protection of the employers in different trades. These statutes, generally called the "Combination Laws," prohibited all com- binations, agreements, or associations of work- men for the purpose of advancing wages or con- trolling their masters in the management and regulation of their business, and empowered the Magistrates to convict summarily and punish "ith imprisonment for two or three months any Workman who should take part in them. In the second section of the statute by Which all those old Combination Laws were repealed they are enumerated. They only differed from each other in a little more than the denomination of workmen against whom they "ere directed. And from this piecemeal legisla- tion it may be inferred that combination was a much greater offence in some trades than in others, and in some trades no offence at all, and by the end of the eighteenth century an act Was passed which declared all contracts, except be- tween employers and workmen, for obtaining an advance of wages, altering the usual time of working, decreasing the quantity of work, and any such-like proceeding, illegal. And workmen who entered into any such illegal combinations Were punishahlo by imprisonment. Similar punishment was inflicted on those who entered into combinations to procure an advance in Wages, or seek to prevent other workmen from hiring themselves, or procuring them to quit their employment. Meetings and combinations for effecting such purposes were punishable in the like manner, and offenders who informed against their associates were to be indemnified. More- over, this act was passed when wheat was at famine price, ranging from £ 5 to £7 lOa a quarter, and the magistrates, fair play to them, Were then beginning to confess the atrocious cruelty of the quarter sessions assessment of Wages by adopting the system of poor-law allowance, and it has been recorded that the imaginary offences which employers and lawyers invented for the purpose of keeping wages down were on a par with the crime of witchcraft. The old days of cheapness and abundance were then over, and dear times bad in all reality suc- ceeded them. In 1744 and 1745, when the advanced wage movement commenced, wheat was between 21s and 22a a quarter; but after 1780 it was rarely below 50s, and towards the end of the century it rose to double the price. The deficiency in the English harvest bad created a scarcity of food, Which became chronic for a quarter of a century. It was developed in the minds of the farmer and Iandowner-and.1 am afraid, to some extent, it is still kept alive,that the best profit which they Could make and hope for lay in the calamities, t, the miseries, the misfortune and impoverishment of their fellow-workmen. Thanks to tbe efforts of those who established free trade in food, the day of scanty harvests, bringing enormous gains to the agriculturist and the receiver of rents, are Uow gone for ever.

Current Notes on Agriculture. By a Practical Farmer. THE TITHE AND LAND QUESTIONS. The leaders of the tithe agitation are having a good share, and a little over measure, of obloquy from our Church friends for their recent efforts in securing funds to assist those farmers who mau- fully, and in a practical shape, protest against paying the tithe rent towards maintaining what is to them a foreign establishment. The leaders are characterised, amongst other terms, as robbers, this, indeed, being one of the mildest of those applied. Members of Parliament, they say, go to London to make laws, and come back to Wales and encourage its inhabitants to break those laws. Fortunately, these torrents of abuse will do very little harm to those against whom they are directed. It is no wonder the friends of the Establishment get a little excited over the late events, and it is evident why they are so thin-skined on the subject of agitation. Agitation, or indeed publicity of any kind, does not suit them, as they well know that by this means the real voice of the country will be heard and its wishes ascertained—and both, it is well known, will prove contrary to their own. Therefore, instead of facing the question fairly, they turn to abuse their opponents. With them a favourite stand is to charge the leaders of the tithe agitation with having some ulterior purposes of their own, and of setting sect against sect; of course all blame rests with NonconformlElts-no blame can be attached to themselves, as they only defend the right, &c. This is an old cry which has for years answered different purposes. This cry or charge that the reformers are setting class against class is the one which the landlords aud supporters have been yelling out for years against land reformers. On this subject there appeared some years ago in the North British Agriculturist a very able article, which gives a somewhat different colour to this charge of setting class against class, and mnch of it would be also applicable to the present tithe question. Class Against Class, Where Does the Blame Lie P Farmers, above all other men, naturally desire to live on good terms with their landlords, and to speak respectfully of their feliowmen. It may be that landlords have come in for a little abuse at land law reforming meetings that some do not think they deserve. Well, we frankly own to have no sympathy with wholesale railings against proprietors as a class. That, however, is not indulged in by any considerable number of speakers at agricultural or even political meetings in Britain. In this connection it is of the utmost importance to keep in view a few material facts. The first is that a very large proportion of the British tenantry have satisfied themselves that several laws under which they prosecute their profession are very unfair to tbem in so far as their tendency is to confiscate what is practically the property of the tenant to another party. That that party happens to be the landlord is cer- tainly no fault of the tenant. The land- lord's connection, not only with the framing of those very one-sided and unjust laws, but with their retention to this time of day ou the statute book, is not a matter admitting of doubt. Every one who has given any attention to the subject knows it. Who, we make bold to ask, can blame the farmers for insisting, as many of them do, on a re-adjustment or reform of those Acts of Parliament which bear on their business, and are notoriously one-sided and against the tenant? Every sensible man knows, or at any rate ought to know, that the farmers and reformers ask no more than that the laws hitherto so unfair between owner and occupier should be straightened—that no ondue preference should _be_ Jfiven to their class. But when the farmers ankect that, not a few of the landlords aud their agents buckled on their armour at once. Class may thus be set against class, but whose fault is that ? Is it the fault of the class who are at length kicking hard against what has been termed legalised robbery, or is it the fault of the class who have hitherto profited by the unjust pre- sumption of the law assailed, and still resist alteration or thorough revision of the laws in the light of equity and justice! The answer should be pretty obvious. It would, however, be very unfair to suppose that all, or nearly all, landlords have latterly resisted the tenants' demands for the reform of the laws affecting land tenancy. That has not been so but the attentive readers of newspapers are perfectly well aware that a j considerable number of landowners and lawyers in Parliament and out of it, even to this day, oppose any substantial change in the land tenancy laws. Not merely so, but they characterise the efforts in favour of such reform as attempts to set class against class. Is that description war- ranted ? The reply from any rational, honest tribunal cannot be doubtful. We should be the last to rejoice in a combat between two classes of the three which substantially compose the agri- cultural community. Nay,more, we should do our best to avert it; but if, as some recent speakers would almost have us believe, escape from the charge of setting class against class can only be secured by leaving the land laws, more especially the laws bearing on land tenure, substantially as they are, then we protest as emphatically as pen can do. If the good graces of proprietors can only be secured to tenants by leaving the present very absurd laws as they are, our advice to farmers is, let graces and feudal feelings go to ;the winds, and fight for the legal rights which in common honesty belong to your position. The game is certainly not worth the candle if one were to measure the good feeling of tenants towards their land proprietors by the farmer's indifference, or otherwise, in the matter of those long-neglected reforms; calculated to give the occupiers of the soil the ordinary rights of property, to what is indisputably theirs. A tenant who urges the legislature to give him legal protection for what is his own—to prevent another party from appropriating it—should not be open to the charge of setting class against class. If any collision occurs ia this praiseworthy endeavour of the farmer, any impartial, honest bench would accuse the party who resisted such a feasible and equitable claim, and not the party who moved for bis just right. As, however, farmers desire only a fair field and no favour, the setting of class against class has no application whatever to the general body of British farmers or land law reformers. Even agitation has been decried, and in some instances by those who know very well that great and substantial reforms are not accomplished without a good deal of agitation. Without agita- tion the real voice of the country is not easily ascertained. Agitatifcn, however, we all know, does not suit everybody. It is essential that there should be no misunderstanding in the matter which we have been discussing. We there- fore repeat that farmers will not abate their endeavours to get the British land laws equitably reformed, on account of any senti- mental obstacle, such as engendering the good feeling that has hitherto subsisted between owner and occupier of land. For one thing, there is a consensus of opinion that if that feeling can only be maintained by an adherence to the present laws and customs, especially laws, it, good as it is in some respects, is too dearly bought, and cannot longer be entertained. But if we do not sadly mistake the great majority of the owners of land in this country, they will not make a determined fight for the retention of the land laws as they are. They have more sense; they know that the tenant is entitled to all that most of the British farmers have insisted on they know that the days of class monopoly, in so far at least as it is secured by artificial laws, are, if not wholly past, certainly numbered. Those, therefore, who have for some time been in the habit of attributing to land-law reformers or agitators attempts to set class against class, and thereby do mischief, have not been doing the tenantry as a body justice, and we question if they have been representing in a fair light eveii the owners of land. j Occasional Notes. IS IT NECESSARY TO SHOJI: HORSES? I notice in the reports of the Cambridgeshire that the winner ran without shoes, or plates, as they are termed. This, I believe, is the Australian practice, where the ground, I presume, is usually as hard as a turnpike-road. I have always been of the opinion that the majority of horses would be far better without shoes, but I never bad sufficient opportunity to thoroughly test the idea. I tried it with a cart mare which I bred, and when I sold her at five years old she bad never known what it was to be shod. But although occasionally she was worked very bard on the land, especially in the spring, when it is baked by the sun, she was never used much on macadam. This was not from fear, but because she was seldom required for this purpose. How- ever, the three years' experience was distinctly in favour of the experiment. Her hoofs were never pared, nor did they ever get tender. More- over, on a frosty day she could stand where the other horses, even though roughed, could not, and drawing a heavy waggon into a barn with a brick floor, her bind legs did not fly from under her as every other animal's. Whether her feet would have stood constant road work I cannot say judging from the tests imposed, I am inclined to think they would. Her after history I never could learn, for I left that part of the country and! lost sight of her. The Weather and the Orops. The Mark-lane Express of Monday says :— The thrashing of corn is going on with great rapidity, and the genera: opinion is that the 1869 crop will prove a full average one, but no more. The price of English wheat has not varied greatly during the past week, but large deliveries, together with very mild weather, has had a cer- tain effect upon the value which, where sales are pressed, may be quoted 6d lower from our last review. The London market, however, is au exception to this remark, for a superior quality of grain has recently been attracted thither, owing to the comparative dearness of good grain. The flour trade has been unfavourably affected, both by damp weather and by the news of largely increased shipments from the United States. Prices, however, are not quotably lower than a week ago. The foreign wheat trade has been sub- ject to about sixpence per quarter decline. Spring corn has been firm at most markets, with a very fair sale of maize, barley, aad oats, but only small inquiry after beans, peas, or rye. Maize has advanced sixpence per quarter for round, and threepence for flat. Corn and oats have been threepence dearer at several markets.

'DRESS. From a Medical Point of View. BY DR. RHYS GRIFFITHS, CARDIFF. Sixth Article. FOOT GOVERllNGS.—ANOTHER ABUSE. Another much-abused and occasionally fearfully tortured portion of the human mechanism is the foot. I am glad to find on looking about me that there are hopeful signs of a coming period of grace to these hitherto great sufferers. I should ill-discharge my obligations to these long-suffer- ing individuals, the assistant caterers of so much pleasure to their possessors, without entering a strong protest against the abuses to which they so frequently are subjected. The human foot is composed of twenty-six bones, held together by a number of strong ligaments. These bones are so arranged that great stability is given to the foot, great elasticity and the power of modifying the effects of shocks transmitted to the oody. The foot has two arches, one in the long axis of the foot and the other transversely across. The binder part of the long arch consists of only two bones, whilst the front part of the arch consists of a number of small bones. Observe the Wise Purpose of Nature, The hidner part of the arch give stability and the front part of the arch the great elasticity to the foot. In walking you are all pro- bably aware of the important part played by the great toe, and of the bones and joints at the "tread of the foot." If the movements at these joints be hampered, as, for example, by an un- bending sole to the boot, graceful walking is quite impossible. Place two properly developed feet side by side, aud the two great toes will be found parallel to one another, and they will touch along their whole length. Now, the boot of the period terminates in a point in front and gradually be- comes broader towards the heel. It is impossible often to tell which boot belongs to the right foot and which to the left. Place the two boots side by side and you will find a wide divergence be- tween the inner sides of the two boots in front. The fashionable shoe is made as if the human foot had a great toe in the middle, and a little toe at each side, like the foot of a goose." Now what happens to the unfortunate foot thus encased ? The toes get jammed one upon the other to such an extent sometimes that they look like a matted clump. The great toe is made to diverge outwards. The joints are stiffened from want of use, the muscles and ligaments atrophy, the toes are decorated with corns, bunions, and ugly and deformed toe-nails, which sometimes prow into the flesh. This is bad enough, but it is not ail the stability of the foot is impaired, its graceful outline is lost, the foot becomes hideous to look at, the circulation is hampered, graceful and easy carriage ia absolutely impossible. So great is the mischief produced that I have on more than one occasion seen a toe amputated in order to enable the owner to walk with some degree of comfort. Indeed, it is now almost impossible to meet with an example of the classical foot. Dress Materials. Having spoken at considerable length oo the most striking evils resulting from some modern modes of dress, let us proceed to examine the materials generally employed in the manufacture of the ordinary articles of dress. The materials in most general use for clothing are wool, flannel, alpaca, silk, cotton, calico, muslin, and linen. In discussing the comparative value of these materials as articles of clothing, I cannot, without dragging out this paper to an inordinate length, go into the subject of cost of materials and their adaptability for decoration. Let me draw your attention to certain properties which concern us closely as seekers after health. First, let us consider the WARMTH OF MATERIALS OR U GARKENTS," We mean by a warm garment one that readily retains the beat of the body, and by a cool garment one not only that allows the heat to escape readily from the surface of the body, but also one that reflects a large amount of heat derived from sources outside the body. The heat of the body is the result of the many and various chemical processes which are going on inside it—every organ in the body is a little furnace. It is essential for the maintenance of health that we should have a uniform tempera- ture. This is about 98 6 degrees F. Now, when- ever a constant supply of anything is required, whether light, water, food, or beat, a regulating agent must bo found. This office in the human body principally falls to the lot of the skin. Heat is conducted away from the surface of the body first by radiation, secondly by conduction, and thirdly by evaporation of moisture from the surface in the form of perspira- tion. Take a hot potato in your band, and hold it near your face. A portion of the heat qf the Potato is given to your hand by oonduction, part is given to your face by radiation, and the re- mainder evaporates in the steam which rises from it. Without entering into further details, this loss of heat from the surface of the body will necessarily vary in the different seasons of the year. Those materials will be the best for the purposes of clothing which are non-conductors of heat, because in cold weather they do not permit the heat of the body escapt readily, and in hot weather they do not allow the external heat to be carried to the skin. Woollen goods,furs,and down are in the first rank of non-conductors, silk and cotton come next, whilst the best conductor, and consequently tbe one least adapted for dress, is linen. (TD be continued).

HE WAS CONSOLED. A New Yorker who met a Kansas man at one of the hotels the other day heaved a sigh as he said: "I was in your town about two years ago and that piece of property west of the railroad station was offered to me for 30,000 dollars." Yes." 3 I hear that it was sold last year for 75,000 dollars." "It was." ''What short-sighted people some of us are! Had I bought »t at 80,000 dollars I could now pro- bably sell for 200,000 dollars. Think of that." My dear friend, let me console you. That piece of property can be bought to-day tor 15,000 dollars. The boom has passed."

By Lloffwr. My note of last week containing Mr David Jenkins's opinion on the reporting of adjudica- tions at eisteddvodau has elicited a reply from a Welsh reporter. In order to do him justice, I give my correspondent's views in full WELSH REPORTING. [BY CKLTIOUS.] I As one who bus had a little experience in re- porting musical adjudications delivered in Welsh and English, perhaps a few words or comments from my pen upon this interesting subject will not be considered out of place. From what I am able to glean, it is misrepresentations or in- accuracies in various reports of the kind that Mr Jenkins complains of, and he attributes the in- correctness, as a rule. to the ignorance of teperters or shorthand writers respecting musical terms, and to their inability to chronicle or take notes of the adjudication in Welsh shorthand or phonography. Mr Jenkins, therefore, points out that owing to this alleged incompetency there is "a rich field open for Welsh reporters if they only prepare themselves properly." If Mr Jenkins knew of some of the complications of a system of shorthand-especially Welsh shorthand—I am certain be would not have remarked that "it would be a work of compara- tive ease for Welsh youths' to translate into English as the speaker proceeds." Let us for a moment consider the various mental and physical operations which a shorthand writer has to per- form almost simultaneously when taking down in English a speech or an adjudication delivered in Welsh. The words fall upon the ears of the writer and are communicated to the brain. The brain then has to find the synonyms in English and almost simultaneously to recall or form shorthand characters to represent those expressions and transmit them to the band, which by the instru- mentality of a pencil or pen communicates the same to his note-book or paper. Now, all these operations must be accomplished in less than half a second before one can take down or record a verbatim report of a speech. But there is a good deal more to be considered. One must not ignore the disadvantages or the inconvenience experienoed by the shorthand writer whilst chronicling the proceedings, and particularly adjudications, at eisteddvodau. I will furnish aa an illustration an account of my own experience at an eisteddvod which took place about two years ago. The chief choral competition commenced about five o'clock in the evening, and several choirs contested for the prizes offered. The temporary structure was literally packed even the entrances were blocked by persons eager to hear the competitors. Every- thing went on very smoothly, and when the singing of each choir was being performed the audience was absolutely silent. No preparations had been made for lighting the interior of the establishment after dusk, and not a candle or a lamp was available unless one bad brought some there for one's own purpose. It was getting on close towards eight o'clock when a cry went forth for the adjudication. The adjudicators were seated at the time on a platform situated in the centre of the building. The members of the press were some distance away and in the dark. Two composite candles were banded up to the adjudi- cators and one for the reporters. I was prepared for receiving the adjudication, and had opened my note book and sharpened my pencil. The proceedings were about terminating, for the audience were only waiting the result of the con- test. A large portion of the congregation bad left their seats, and were tramping about heedless of the comfort of others and those in the front part or reserved places. I obtained a candle just before the adjudicator rose to announce the details of the award. Two or three other phonographers elbowed on close to me. Our ricketty seats and desks had been smashed by the crowd that gathered around us or in front of the platform. I engaged a boy to hold the candle whilst I took a note of the adjudication. The crowd were noisy, or at all events they now and again broke forth with enthusiasm, clapping their hands and shouting. The last few words just before the interruption were invariably inaudible to me and my confreres. Is it any wonder, there- fore, that adjudications of some eisteddvodau are imperfectly reported But the vast audience are generally able to infer which is the successful competitor or choir before the adjudicator delivers the final details of his award, and the consequence is a tremendous outburst af entbu- susm and rushing and hustling and shouting at the top of their voices and waving of hats and cap?. The tail end of the adjudication is therefore lost, for the reporters must hear pretty distinctly, else they cannot record the actual expressions of the speaker. The reporters are invariably knocked about by the excited crowd, and occasionally they are obliged to close their note books and trust to their memories respecting the latter portion of the announcement. But I have not finished pointing out the diffi- culties which the pressmen or shorthand writers have to encounter. Say, for instance, that a journalist is chronicling an adjudication delivered in Welsh. I have tried the experiment often- time, and can therefore speak from experience upon the matter. I took it down or translated the words to English as I proceeded, or, at least, I endeavoured to do so. It was a difficult job, and the difficulty was enhanced owing to the impurity of the language of the speaker. Welsh, as she is spoken," it was, and not real.Welsh. It was a perfect jargon. If Mr Jenkins really means that "Welsh" adjudications should be re- ported verbatim, or precisely as they are generally delivered to the audiences, I am certain he would alter his mind upon the subject in less than a month after perusing the reports provided they were perfect representations of those that were delivered. Sometimes the musical terms were in Welsh, sometimes in English, and sometimes in neither Welsh nor English, but a mixture of both. As an instance, commando, classifyo, conducto, dodi gormcd o force ar y second part," and so on, is a specimen of most of the Welsh musical ad- judications. Now, there is no system of short- hand, so far as I know, adapted for recording such an apparently unintelligible jargon as that. But, assuming that a speuker expresses himself in pure Welsh, there would still be another difficulty which, I dare say, Mr Jenkins is not aware of. Let Mr Jenkins try the experiment of learninv shorthand, say Pitman's phonography. Pitman himself, in his little work called The Reporter's Companion," states that it would take on an average about two years, by devoting two hours per day, to attain a speed of 120 words per minute. But it is well known that many speakers speak at the rate of 160 words per minute. It is very easy to say "learn Welsh shorthand," but I have tried it and given it up in disgust. Here is the difficulty; the Welsh language differs from the English in one very importand respect as far as adapting it successfully to shorthand is con- cerned. Take the word "tad." This changes into dad if the word or the pronoun dy precedes it, and into "nhad" when "fy" is prefixed to it, the mutation taking place for the sake of euphony. This forms a my great impediment. Therefore, for that one word or one phonographic character in English there are practically three different ones in Welsh. There are no such declensions in English, so that when once you learn the charac- ter representing a certain word in this tongue, it never varies. The author of a certain shorthand manual says that a writer of Welsh shorthand might either write Duw invariably and ignore the declensions, or change according to the muta- I bility of the words. I have tried both, and I found myself in a somewhat similar predicament to some persons in ancient times when erecting a certain tower to reach the heavens. Then, sum- ming up all these difficulties, I ask most respect fully of Mr Jenkins to take them into serious consideration before further recommending young aspirants to pursue a path which I am almost positive would prove disastrous to their welfare. Now Mr Jenkins is well enough able to defend himself and the position he has taken Uf), and I will not therefore interfere, so far as the particular point he has raised is con- cerned. !■ But my correspondent Celticus" has raised other questions which I think deserve further notice. The charge against Welsh shorthand is certainly unfounded. Every phono- grapber should know that it is easier tor a Welsh- man to learn phonography than it would be for an Englishman, for tbe simple reason that the Welsh language is phonetic, and that, consequently, words are spelt the same in shorthand as in long- band in Welsh. This is not the case in English, and one of the first, and in a sense one of the greatest difficulties a student of phonography has to overcome is the tendency to write 'come' instead of 'kum' for eome, and 'couarh instead of 'kof' for cough, and the like. This diffi- culty is only met with in Welsh with regard to one other letter, viz., y, and that only in cases j where its sound changes as iu dyn, dynion. The mutation of initial consonants would present a difficulty, and a serioos one, to an English student of Welsh, but not to a Welsh student of phonography. Thus the sign I for Duw,' in Welsh, would be read as easily *ffuw," or "Dduw," when needed, as the sign would be read a" or an in English. For, as no good Englisman would say "a apple" or "an table," so no good Welsdman would read "dy Duw" or "iy Duw." A remarkable proof of the comparative ease with which Welsh pbonographymay be acquired has recently been afforded. Tlrt editor of the Welsh family magazme "Cyvaill yr Aelwjd" in the last volume devoted a page or two monthly during the year to lessons in Welsh shorthand. The students liad, in the great majority of instances, absolutely no assistance other than that of these lessons and the Welsh phonographic text book Phono- graphia." At the conclusion of the course they underwent an examination, conducted indepen- dently by the Rev R. H. Morgan, M.A., of Menai Bridge, with the result that a large number of certificates of competency were issued, a very good proportion being first class, and highly complimented by the examiner. Some of the best of these were the exercises of a working collier in Glamorganshire, a slate quarryman at Ffestiniog, Merionethshire, and the daughter of a small farmer in one of the most remote corners of Breconsbire. • • • It is indeed a standing disgrace to journalism in Wales that while an English address, however poor, is often given at length, a speech superior in merit, greater in interest, and delivered by a man of far more importance, is dismissed by such a phrase, "Mr So-and-so then addressed the meeting in Welsh!" It is enough to make a Welshman's blood boil to see this kind of supercilious contempt for things Welsh on the part of monoglot Saxon reporters, and it is indeed high time that some- thing should be done to improve this state of things. Whether this is to be done by getting Welsh youths to app'y themselves to the profes sion of journalism, or by inducing English reporters to qualify themselves by giving at least the substance of Welsh speeches, is a matter I need not enter into. What I, as a Welshmen, would insist upon is that a speech delivered i. Welsh, or a meeting at which the proceedings are entirely Welsh, should have precisely the same impor- tance attached to it in an Eaglisli report as if it had been originally delivered in English. I shal be glad to devote a portion of this column to the expression of opinions on this imi \ut question.

WELSH NOTES. LORD TREDKQAB AT BALACLAVA. Friday was the anniversary of the Balaclava charge. It needed not the pen of Tanuyson to make it immortal. Whatever harsh words were said about Lord Cardigan, who luxuriously lived on his yacht, while his troopers were starving on the inclement heights, he proved, thirty-five years yesterday, that bis courage was equal to that of any Spartan of old. At the head of his brigade lie rode the white-heeled chestnut at a hand canter into the Valley of Death. Whenever the men behind him, longing to escape the bail of bullets by a mad rusb, got up to his quarters, ha sternly ordered them to keep to their places. You could have understood a man galloping as hard as he could into such hell, but bis heart must have been of iron to coolly face the situation alone and in front at such a pace. All the time was ringing in bis ears the whiz of the bullets and the constant command of "close up on your centre as the riders fell out, mostly for ever. There are two well-known men who survived that charge—Sir George Womb well and Lord Tredegar. The former early had bis horse shot under him, but caught another and went on. As for Lord Tredegar, Colonel John Shakespear, of the Royal Artillery, who was on the heights, furnishes the Standard with this account At this time Lord Cardigan reined up and told me what had happened, at the same time point- ing to a long reut in his cherry overalls made by a Cossack Lancer, who bad otherwise missed his aim. Others rode or ran up to the guns. Amongst the last was Captain Godfrey Morgan, 17th Lancers, now Lord Tredegar, whose horse bad been killed and his helmet lost. However, he came to me, sword in band, and, speaking as cool as he would on parade, said, "Is not this an awful basiness, Sbakespear ? What shall I do ?" My reply was, Quick j jump on a gun- limber, and go to the rear with us, or to the front if we go iuto action, when you may help fight a gun." PRESENT CELEBRITIES OF THB WELSH PULPIT. PRESENT CELEBRITIES OF THB WELSH PULPIT. I see that the Rev John Jones, Blaenilecban, perseveres with his vernacular shilling parts of his picture gallery of Welsh preachers. I mistake, though, for the last one issued has developed into 18 pennyworth. First and foremost in the last, but not the least number of these biographical productions and selection, we have Dr Herber Evans, Carnarvon, followed by the Rev Charles Davies, Cardiff, aud other shining ones of con- siderable magnitude and magnetism. Dr Evans is weighed in the balances, and instead of being found wanting, be is found to be a man weighing upwards of two hundred pounds, each pound containing fully sixteen ounces of good nature. The biographer devotes most of the space at bis command to the pulpit ministrations of Dr Evans, but he does not by any means ignore the eminent social and political services rendered by him to his countrymen. Nor has he forgotten the then much talked of event in London when the impassioned Cymro, tiuding tue English tongue inadequate to give full expression to the sentiments which animated bua, burst forth in burning Wilsh, and set, not exactly the Thames, but Exetefr Hall on fire, and Mr Spurgeon confessed it was a serious thing to follow a man that bad two tongues, one of them especially being a tongue of fire, The drawback, I fear, is that it is the preachers themselves that chiefly read these highly interesting and edifying emanatious of the Welsh press, and not those who could learn from tbw»b°w Precious is the time of the most hard-working ministers, who not only feel, but also feel practil*"y a deep interest in all that concerns the welfare of their fellow-men. How many, I wonder, have known tohat we are told in these sketches of the Rev Joseph Cook having bis study up somewhere in a by no means easily accessible high garret, Dr Cuyler and others having their studies at their ^places of worship- that visitors calling might be told they were not at home, and the late Thomas Jones, of Swansea, on his removal to London, making it a law that no one calhng during the weejk should see him after Thursday evening. Tho: other well-known stars, shining in the vaulted sky of Welsh Non. conformity, and representing various denomina- tions, depicted in this stall, or instalment of what I have ventured to style a picture gallery, are the Revs R. Thomas, Glandwr, Swarisea o. Davies, Caernarfon R. S, Williams, Dowlais; E. C. Evans, Hirwain; and Dr J«hn Hugbes, Caer- narfon, £

1'1 "Sonny, bow can I get to the railway station from here I" "Have you got a carriage I" «« No. my little lad." Oh,,then you'll have to walk I" (Disappears whistling a very popular melody.)

ORCHESTRAL MUSIC IN WALES. BY DR JOSEPH PARRY, Lecturer on Music, Cardiff University College. ORCHESTRAL CZNTRES IN WALKS. Having dealt with this subject in our principal districts throughout South Wales some time ago, we now resume this opportune and highly In- teresting subject for some of the remaining districts in North Wales. History clearly demonstrates to us that instrumental music has pioneered the musical growth and development of those nations which have in the past, and which are now in our own time, distin- guishing themselves as leaders of our art in the musical world at large. So, too, in order that the rich and abundant musical talent of our own dear little Wales may be nursed into those higher and varied parts of our musical garden, we must emulate other nations by infusing a greater love within Wales for instrumental music, and therefore diversify our love and labours from the one groove of choral music, noble though that be. A CARNARVON ORCHESTRAL CENTRE. Here is a fine centre far an orchestral union, which could cover the ground from Carnarvon, in- cluding Llanberis, and down the north coast to meet that of Mr John Roberts's, at Port- madoc, which has done and is still doing so much good. Much of the musical elements within the brass bands of those districts, especially the few reed instruments, horns, trombones, and euphoniums could easily and very advantageously be transferred into the more delicate and beautiful of orchestra, which is the union and instrumental chorus of all instruments. It is within the string department, therefore, the chief difficulty will be found, but here again a sufficient number of those who are brass bass players could, within reason able time, be prepared to play the string double bass, as reed instrumentalists could be supplied from some of our military bands, also cornetists. The proper musician for this centre at Carnarvon is, without doubt, Mr John (Johnny) Williams, in whom will be found an enthusiastic young musician who could rapidly grow in experience with the orchestra itself. A BANGOR CENTRE. Dr Rogers' name at once comes before us as the musical head and soul of a centre here. His field for selection of players would be along his side of the coast as far as Rhyl, where no doubt he would fiud ample materials, and the instru- mentalists acattered throughout his district would do well to utilise the abilities of this erentleman, one ot the ablest musicians within our country. A DENBIGH ORCHESTRAL UNION. Mr Watkins, of St. Asapu, would be the man to collect the scattered and isolated musical frag- ments of this district, and a snug little orchestral nursery could be formulated there. A LLANGOLLEN DISTRICT. Bere, again, is a musical field, from Ruabon, through Llangollen, Corwen, and Llandderfel, as far as Bala, which is full of musical enthusiasm and ability, where surely a good young man may be found. It is strange how young men are created and found by circumstances. A DOLGELLY ORCHESTRAL CENTRE. This, like the Portmadoc centre, is one that has made a mark by its record in good deeds, in its annual performances of standard classical works, and that for a number of years. It comes second to Portmadoc for the fine works performed in North Wales, and Mr O. O. Roberts' name as the conductor of the Dolgelly Choral Society comes next in order to the little musical giant of Port- madoc, these two districts having done much to pioneer high musical art within their respective districts. But we must give the palm to Port- madoc for its efforts in behalf of Welsh music, oc musical works by our native composers, who, we would repeat, have been far more faithful to the cause of Wehk home music than our home choirs and choral societies. THE ABERYSTWYTH AND NSWTOWN CENTRES. By the united efforts of Mr David Jenkins, of Abeiystwyth, and some other good man at the Newtown end, a promising little orchestra could be nourished to perform light overtures, selec- tions, &c., &c. A WREXHAM CENTRE. Mr Pritchard, the organist, at once is the musi- cian to wield the baton for a district orchestral union hero. He would soon gather around him a baud of enthusiastic instrumentalists, and his district could furnish him with excellent materials for high-class performances of able works by our orchestral masters. CONCLUDING REMARKS, To those who may be unbelievers in such development and musical reforms, or those who may be faint-hearted, we 'would tender the following suggestions, upon the lines, which we think and believe, might proves to bethobsstto bring about these very desirable changes and progress in the instrumental department which is so sadly needed within tho musical circle of Welsh amateur musicians., and for that which we one and all long to see. We would suggest that each centre should secure the services of an able young instrumental teacher, say a violinist, to visit them weekly as their leader, aud that the district should furnish him with a sufficient number of pupils upon the various string instruments for a good day's teach- ing. A good Liverpool musican could be: induced to give a day per week for lessons and to-lead the rehearsals the same evening. Or, better still, all the districts combined could supp jrfc a good man by his devoting a day per week for each district. As most of these districts are within travelling distances, and there are plenty of such teachers to be bad, such, or a similar, arrangement could be adopted. A visiting teacher for each district is t.he only and sure germ of success. For the concert series we would suggest the engaging of some good professional players from Liverpool, Wrexbam, or, still better and more encouraging, to engage the services of a few of the best men out of each other's districts, which might prove, perhaps, more economical and serve to create healthy and noble emulation and even competition between those district orcbeatral centres. For our part, we should be proud to see the matured period at hand, when our Welsh districts shall have their orchestral competitions as gene- rally as they now have their choral contests. And, if our eistedvodic competitions will turn out the same good results with our Welsh na- tional district orchestral competitions, as it has done in the choral productions of such district, then, the sooner the better we have these orches- tral contests at all eisteddvodau. As the -subject of instrumental music in Wales is the great one of our country and time, we shall now for some time yet to come cling to this subject in this musical column, so as to endeavour to contribute our influence for good in the future, as we have in the past, for the promotion of instrumental music in Wales.

A COMPREHENSIVE HIT. I SHE Did you bear of rutty isenham g elope- ment ? Very sad, wasn't it ? Hz I heard it mentioned, I believe. Ran away with a count, didn't she SHE Yea bank account and coachman both. Her papa's about ruined.

Little girl: You ask if it is proper for a gentle- man to kiss a little girl who is teD years old,going on eleven. Yes, it is proper; battt is hardly worth while. -J .¡ oJ.¡'

Colliery Explosions. HOW THEY ARE CAUSED. Reminiscences of South Wales Disasters. [BY CELTICUS. J THE PENYGRAIG STBnn\-HOW JUSTIFIED. Take, for instance, the strike of colliers at Peny- graig Collieries—theNaval'Sfceam Coal Collieries- some years ago, when the whole body of workmen refused positively to resume their operations unless some of tbe officials of the works were summarily dismissed. The men, it appaared, bad been for some time dissatisfied with the condition of the workings; they alleged that tbe ventilation should be improved, or that some better system j should be adopted to improve the state of the 1 mine. The mines were registered each morning as being safe for the workmen to enter and toil therein throughout the day. But what was the actual state of things? The man held mass meet- ings and appointed a deputation to examine the workings and report to the next meeting. The result was that they found thousands of cubic feet of accumulated gas, sufficient in miners' colloquial pheaseology to "blow the old pit to atoms." Now, this is an incontrovertible fact—a fact that Mr Wales, the late mines inspector, did not even question when be himself examined the mine some daya after, or when matters had been improved. Mr Wales condemned the manner of carrying on the workings and suggested a better method in order to improve the ventilation. He said that judging from what he himself had observed he had no reason to dispute the allegations of the men who had struck work. The matter was considered by the miners' association and they, after a lengthy deliberation and careful enquiry into the reports submitted to them, approved of the action of tbe workmen in striking or refusing to resume operations under the officials complained of. The men were idle for about three weeks, so you see how serious they considered the matter. COLLIERY BOOKS DESCRIBED AS PERFECT FAROE, Mr Randall, deputy mines inspector, received one morning some years ago an anonymous letter from a workman employed in the Tylacocb Coiliery, Treorky, suggesting that the mines inspector should pay a visit to the mine aud that he would find there a condition of things that would surprise him. He did so, and what was the consequence? It was this. The deputy mines inspector discovered, vety large accumulations of gas far in the interior of the mine, and inside the dangerous part he found workmen toiling hard. He at once ordered the men to retreat as the place was utterly unfit for any man to work there. He then examined the place above his head and, indeed, found the allegations in the anonymous communication absolutely true. Every word was verified; in fact the matter had been underesti- mated. The management was prosecuted and a fine of JB80 was imposed. His Honour Judge Gwilym Williams, the present learned stipen- diary's predecessor characterised the books kept by the management to record the state of the mine as "perfect f.irce." He threw the accounts aside with indigDlation indignation aroused obviously by the thought that such wilful mis- representation had been made notwithstanding the fact that hundreds of men were daily employed in the works. I could add to this strauge but true story somewhat, similar details — detaiis indeed far mora spricup, because they portray heartrending scenes. NOW HERK IS THE FOIST TO BE CONSIDERED. Suppose an explosion ii.id occurred at either of these collieries I have jaifc named, causing the death of hundreds of the nien employed therein, what would have been said about the conduct of the officials? Nothing. The officials would not have been accused of any carelessness, or reckless- ness, or negligence. Certainly not. There would be no charge against them, for the mines were in a good .working border and quite free from gas." Well, by "quite free" is generally under- stood no accumulation, nothing worth speaking of, for no steam coal colliery is quite free from gas or explosive mixture. Thou ot course we should hear of "spoutaneous combustion, "a reduction in the atmospheric pressure causing an increase in the natural discharge of gas," the probability of a heavy fall having occurred or the sudden outburst of a strong blower" and so on, no end to the theories and speculations. Then to cap all we should have ou the inquest twelve jurymen constituted of cobblers and costermougers, or men absolutely unacquainted with colliery underground affairs, to enquire into the cause- of the disaster. That is the truth about the matter. Some expert would explain to the "select body of intellectualists" the theory respecting the ignition of coal dust and its consequence in mines, or the natural spontaneous combustion theory, and eventually a verdict goes to the world caused by spontaneous combustion." Therefore, as dead men tell no tales there would be an end of the affair. Now I have not the slightest doubt that more disastrous calamities have occurred in this country through the carelessness of coiliery officials than tbe negligence or recklessness of the men or tbe miners tbemselves.- IGNORANCK OF MINERS AND IMPORTANT INFORMA- TION FOR THEM. I have just given an instance of the recklessness of colliery managers and other officials. Let me now show how careful miners should be when employed in stalls or headings containing large accumulations of explosive mixture or gas. Take the collieries I have just alluded to, or the working places where the large quantities of gas were found. There were a number of workmen engaged there busily toiling through the greater part of the day. Their lamps were shielded, or let us assume they were, which apparently afforded greater protection to life and limb. A lamp is suddenly discovered enveloped in gas aud the explosive element dancing within the gauze. What would a miner naturally do under the cir- cumstances ? He would rush at it, seize it off tbe nail to which it hung, and convey it hurriedly away to some place of safety. The gaoze would be hot, and the better it would be, the greater would be the probability of an external explosion ensuing. Because it is obvious that a lamp con- taining ignited gas snatched away furiously, is equal to a current rushing at the lamp with a like velocity. And when a lamp imperfectly shielded or even when "properly shielded" is moved rapidly when in a state of internal explosion the danger is an external explosion immediately, for the ignited gas might be driven through the gauze by the force of the current. So therefore, it is important for the workmen to know what to do when they should find themselves in such a pre- dicament. I say it is important to inform them because there are thousands of practical colliers ignorant of the fact that a lamp—a shielded lamp such as is now generally adopted in the steam coal colleries throughout South Wales—in such a dangerous state as I have described shonld be very carefully moved—very slowly moved I should have indeed said, in order to avoid creating a current. It is still more important when wo consider that there are thousands of employes underground in our steam coal collieries who never saw or beard of safety lamps until they recently arrived in the mining fields. All practical miners as weli should be drilled into these matters. In the majority of cases, I daresay an immigrant from the turnip fields would blow at tbe gauZ3 as hard as he could upon finding it full of ignited g-as or fire. The recent explosion at Woodend Colliery, near Manchester was caused by such foolnardiness or ignorance. So when we have evidence of reckless colliery officials and reckless colliers as well, the wonder is that colliery calamities are not still more numerous. These notes are getting lengthy, otherwise I should say something about mines inspection <'r periodical examinations by the men themselves. Now I think the rtwder will agree with me that to find a satisfactory solution to a colliery explosion is in a good many cases a task extremely difficnlt and sometimes a matter ot impossibility. But I believe many of these catastrophes are preventible, Some inexplicable natural cause, or the negligence of some miner or other is too often, in my opinion advanced ar, tbe reason for serious catastrophes, where a more .regular and thorough inspection of the actual state\of the mine would have afforded necessary warning,

.4 Dashwood: I am going to do something noble and get my name in the papers. Morrit: If that's what you're after, you'll have to do something bad. PECULIAR ABSENT MINDEDNESS. U Police! police Here is a pickpocket exclaimed a gentleman in a crowd, seizing a man bv the arm "I'm no pickpocket," retorted the anspected party. What Are you doing with your hands in my pants pocket, then ?" I'm so absent-minded, I thought I was putting my hand in my own pocket. I ve got pair of Pauts at bome tnadejuet liP ÜtOlO. II

By Maelgwyn, REPORTING ADJUDICATIONS, I am nxtremely obliged to Lloffwr for giving me an opportunity of knowing what the Cerddor has to say on the subject of musical adjudication reporting. The publishers, editors, managers, or whatsoever other names they go by, are very tbin-ekinned, and since some time I hap- pened to hue ILD opinion of my own which; di not agree with theirs, they have kindly stopped sending me the magazine. One sentence in the CenMorreads, "Idonotrememberasingle occasion when an adjudication has been reported correctly." I can describe this as nothing else but a libel upon the profession of journalism. I hold no brief for the defence of the reporters of South Wales, but the gentlemen who took the Brecon Eisredd- vod adjudication both for the South Wales Daily New and the Western Mail are skilled note- takers. The gentleman who took down the adju- dication are quite as eminent in their profession as the Cerddtr people are in theirs. Why this cowardiy attack upon gentlemen whose ability is admitted all over Wales? MEBTHYR ORPHEUS SOCIETY. I have been asked by some friends at Merthyr to correct a slight error into which I fell in my notice of the above society a few weeks ago. The society was not established by Mr Tom Price, A.C., as therein stated, but by Mr W. H. Powell, who is not by any means a strangdr to the musical world of Wales. Mr Poweil gut together the singers nearly four years ago, and worked as assiduously and as enthusiastically as only a Welsh choir-leader can work. The choir was as enthusiastic as the leader, and tbe result was that ere long tbe singers had attained a high state of efficiency. They gave numerous benefit and other concerts in Mertbyr and the district, and many a disabled workman felt the kindness of the society in a substantial manner. Mr Powell ted the choir at the London National Eisteddvod, when, although unsuccessful, they were very highly commended. Twice did the choir journey to Swindon for the purpose of fulfilling concert engagements, and on each occasion tbey acquitted themselves most successfully. The performances were declared to bave been the best ever held in the town. Indeed, it is due to Mr W. H. Powell to say that to him and his choir belongs the honour of introducing Welsh music and Welsh musicians to that part of England. The praise of the choir was in everybody's mouth for months afterwards. Besides ordinary miscellaneous concerts, the choir learned Blodwen, which was performed both at Merthyr aud Newport. On the latter occasion Dr Parry's son congratulated Mr Powell on one of the best performances of his father's opera that he bad ever witnessed. About four months ago Mr Powell was compelled, by the imperative orders of the doctors, to resign his post of conductor, and, as previously stated, Mr Tom Price is now leader of tbe choir. The "Twelfth Mass" of Mozart will be performed in a few weeks. In addition to his success as a choir leader, Mr Powell has achieved distinction in another branch of the eisteddvod. He has won several pr zas for essays, mostly written 111 Welsh. At the Aberdare Eisteddvod in 1885 he secured the first prize for the essay upon Leisure hours," being very highly spoken of by D^vydd Mor- ganwg and Dyved. Altogether Mr. Poweil is what would be called a good all- round man. It is to be sincerely hoped that ere long he will be sufficiently recovered to get up a large choir at Merthyr for the purpose of competing at future eisteddvodau. With such men as Mr Powell and Mr Price,Merthyr ought to do well in the musical world. ANOTHER MERTHYR ITEM. Mertbyr has at last followed the example of most of the large towns iu England by giving sacred concerts on Sundays. The celebrated Cyvarthva Brass Band has just Commenced a series of concertsat fchft-DriU-haJI. 'At jthe first concert the hail was densely packed by an t audience consisting for the m>>st part of working men, whose behaviopr throughout was most exemplary, and such as fuily warranted the pro moters of the concert in believing that the people of the district would appreciate the efforts put forward for their entertainment. The music played included selections from Handel, Mendelssohn, and Mozart, as well as less widely known pieces by Vincent Novello, Frederic Cowen, and others. The con- cert was highly successful from every point cf view, and, encouraged by its success, it is pro- bable that the number of concerts will be in- creased. Everybody knows the Cyvartbva Band to be one of the finest in the kingdom, and it is to be regretted that the membars do not seek to try conclusions wIth some of the bands whose names are now household words. Cyvarthva competed once after its victory at the Merthyr Eisteddvod. NEXT YEAR'S EISTEDDFOD, It is as yet too eariy to speak with any degree or certainty as to the success or failure of next year's National Eiateddvod. The prize in the chief choral competition is only £130-4 sum which is not likely to attract many choirs from South Waley, Up to the present I have heard of only one choir from this part of the country that seems inclined to enter the lists, namely, the Dowlais Choral Society. I hear also that the Birkenbead Cambrian Choral Society will begin tbe rehearsal of the pieces immediately their season is over. If the fight only lay between tbese two choirs, it would not be a difficult task to say which would win, but there is almost a certainty of other choirs entering.

Answers to Correspondents. Silo.—-Certainly it is the same Michel ADgeloj any work on art or any biographical dictionary will give you all the information you want. S. M. F.—Florid counterpoint is a mixture of I the other species. Your first example is correct, but in the second the quavers in the fourth bar have not been approached by conjunct movement, and you also use the skip of the augmented fourth. Read what Cherubini says on the point, Dato.—1 am sorry I cannot give here the ques- tions set in the theory competion at Brecon. They contained musical notation which cannot be reproduced here. One question was to form a three-part harmony to a given melody, which modulated into about a doten different keys. "A Lady Friend of Society," "Swindon," and others.—Yua will see that tbe error to which you have kindiy called attention has been corrected above.

iSOCRATES IN PAPER AND IN MARBLE. It is stated that Professor Roberts, of the Cardiff Umversity, is to read a paper upon Socrates. In Italy you will in your journey through the art galleries pass by miles of busts. They all seem ill bulk to possess such a remark- able similarity that it is a very great question if at the end of your travels you can safely swear to the identification of any particular one unless it happen to beCicaro with the mole on bis left cheek, or Socrates. The Grecian sage is readily recognised. He is far from what you would imagine him to be. His prevailing feature is his noso. This is tquat, with very wide nostrils, and, moreover, it decidedly turns up it spreads across the countenance. The face is that of come- dian, not a philosopher. The brow, if broad, is cer- tainly not massive, and the length from the top of his forehead to the tip of his nose is rather short. But it is a pleasant face. despite its plainness, and appears to ripple over with good humour. If you bad told me that it belonged to Democritus, who always laughed at everything, I could quite have believed you, but the austere, ascetic Socrates, never. But there is no doubt that it is a likeness, and a good one too, for all bis basts which have been found preserve the individuality. Perhaps it is printed on the memory from the fact that it is unconventional, and so different trom the acres of regular features which one encounters.

AN AMERICAN TERRA INCOGNITA. — There is a terra incognita outside of America and that is Lab- rador. The Nascapee Indians, who live on table- lands of that country,have long told of an immense waterfall, to which they refused to guide the whites, for fear of the vengeance of a god that lived under the fall. During the past season an Iroquois Indian, who was a God-fearing savage, found a fall two thousand feet high, carrying an immense volume of water, and undoubtedly the greatest in the world. Niagara is only one hun- dred and sixty-four feet, and the falls of tbe Yosemite and along the Columbia are of small streams. These Labrador falls are on the Petchi- kopoo River,

Samuel's Sentiments. Samuel in the "Charge-office." TOLD you last week, sir, some- thing of my expe- rience in a magis- trates' clerk** office, and I lM.'frht as well supplement that by just passing you along a cor- ridor or t wo, down a flight steps or so, that portion of the police depart- ment known as the charge-office. Here it is where the prisoner on first being brought in is told the charge against him, numerous entries regarding his own description and the belongings found upon him at the time of his arrest being made whilst he is kept waiting prior to his being conducted to his lonely oell. Opposite a long oak counter, in front of which the prisoner with bis captor usually stands, is a lean-to mahogany desk, at which several clerks, all in uniform, sit making entries in ponderous tomes, this duty going on night and day the year through. Let us suppose that we are standing idly chatting (there is very little of idle chat, though, iu that office) there. Suddenly a confused noise of scuffl ng is beard, a dull murmur of voices sounds from withoat, the door it banged rather than pushed in, and there is hurried in by ',wo stalwart but somewhat breathless policemen a male human object with dishevelled hair, a scared-looking white face, tremulous limbs, and manacled hands. He is shoved up to the long ollok counter, both officars keeping their hands Ion him. One of the clerks and the officer in charge leave the mahogany desk and step to the counter. Then one of the polioe- men states tbe charge upon which tbe prisoner is locked up the prisoner is asked to give an account of himself (bis name, address, &c., being entered in one of the huge volumes), his pockets are searched, the miscellaneous collection extracted from them is laid upon the counter, and then, entries having been made of each separate article, be is hurried off to a small gate doorway, which closes behind him with aa ominous snap (at though it were some animal taking within itc hungry jaws a toothsome human being) all be if led away to the cells. To the student of human natnre the Gbarge- office is chiefly valuable as showing those who are in durance vile in perhaps their most unguarded moment. In the dock a man often raises hit courage to the sticking places, puts on a bold front, and completely deceives the general observet as to his state of mind and feeling there be can be absolutely stolid or comparatively flippant. It is not so in the Charge-office. Here he has, since his capture, scarcely had time to recover his breath. I say recover his breath, because I never knew any man, however criminal, cool, or bar- deneJ) who did not catch" his breath and gaspa bit when first the iron clutch of the law descends upon his shoulder and grips bim. In the Charge-office he has scarcely begun to realise that he is a prisoner, and tha.t the game is up; then is the hunted look in the man's eyes, though, ia ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, and how- ever indifferent he may try to appear, bis arrest has evidently acted as a species of shock and utterly unnerved him. Those manacled hands are vibrating with excitement, and some- times with passion, and in many cases it would go bard with the officer could they get at bit throat. Perhaps the men who seem to soffer most aM embcEZiiog clerks and men of a eixaUar class who have been arrested under warrant. They have usually known of the existence of this wurraut and have beeu biding away, racked by terrible anxieties and seeing an avenging officer in every man they meet. You can see that by the seams in their faces, the black half circle under their eyes, and the restless look in the latter. In most cases they have been drinking to drown care, and their perceptions are as yet deadened the terrible awakening in the cold and lonely cell has yet to come-the time when they must look ruin and social desolation straight in the face, unbuoyed up by artificial stimulants. No wonder that some men never duriug a lifetime quite recover their elasticity of mind after that awakening. No wonder that being locked up in the middle of a debauch so frequently brings oa delirium tremens. The drunkard who is brought in is oftentimes a most amusing object-if the aspect of a drunken man ever can be wholly amusing. Generally he is profoundly indifferent to being locteed up, and says, Locksh me up, an' welcome; make it warm for you. Shober ash judgsii. No marrer, five bob and costsh have a drink in morniu', oie m-iu" (this to the officer in charge) *'breakfastin' wi' the maciatratesh, hurrah, I haven't been home sinsh mornin', and since I got me pay," fee., &c., Sometimes, of course, be comes in with blood stained face, and froths at the mouth, and generally demeans himself like a maniac-but he is soon taught that that Bort of thing will not do. Amongst the amusing drunkards I have seen some most curious objects brought in, including an organ grinder with a faithful monkey (which positively seemed to feel the disgrace of their position more than its master aid), a busking nigger, with his face all corked and with a very dilapidated banjo (carried by one of the policemen), a man wbo had been the victim of a practical joke, and who had been sprinkled with powder blue all over, and then left helplessly drunk by companions only one whit less tight than himself, and several men dreased in women's clothes. One of the most amusing, and at the same time pleasantly pathetic, sights that I know of in con- nection with the Cii&rge-L'ffice is that afforded by the lost children who are brought in. An officer finds one wandering about, with its knuckles twisted into its eyes, dismally looking for its n mammy," and be very gently and sootbincriy (being maybap a family man himself) leads it to the police-station, where, by a most careful, ingenious, and painstaking course of pumping, the officer in charge endeavours to get its name and address. As a general rule its sole descrip- tion of itself is that its name is Tomm, éæ- sidence very uncertain indeed), and that it wants its "Dada." But these children are soon molli- fied, for most of the officers are married men, and exercise infinite patience with them; and, indeed, expend not a few coppers for spice and cake for them to render them happy till they are restored to their frantic mothers and anxious fathers. Let fathers and mothers who temporarily lose children please remember how kind the officers usually ars. I warrant me that when most children are claimed they are found at the police-station as contentedly playing as though they were at home. Children, of a truth, soon adapt themeelves to circumstances. Very cut ions indeed are many of the artietet found upon prisoners when they are arrested, and, singular to say, it is very often the cam that drunks have upon them when ran in pounds of steak, cow-heels, and other similar dainties. To see these drunks, by-the-way. foggily considering what fictitious name they shall give, iv i than, having given it. trying to remember it aeain, is infinitely funny. SAMUEL: His SENTUHKIB.

HER REASON WHY. MB SXTMMEB Do yon not admire dialect stories, Miss Flitter? MISS FLITTER I can't say that I do. When I skip a page or so in a book, I like to do it from inclination, not necessity.

Books, like friends, should be few and well chosen. Like friends, too, we should return to them again and again-for, like true friends. they will never fail us-never cease to instruct-never cloy. As that which bath a fitness to promote the wel. fare of man, considered a, a sensitive being, is styled natural good, so that which hatb a fitness to promote the welfare of man as a rational, 90100- tary and free agent is styled moral good: and the ontrary to it moral wU.