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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/15481-8.txt b/15481-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..087cdf4 --- /dev/null +++ b/15481-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2464 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Chambers' Edinburgh Journal, by Various + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Chambers' Edinburgh Journal + Volume XVII., No 423, New Series. February 7th, 1852 + +Author: Various + +Editor: William Chambers and Robert Chambers + +Release Date: March 27, 2005 [EBook #15481] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHAMBERS' EDINBURGH JOURNAL *** + + + + +Produced by Malcolm Farmer, Richard J. Schiffer and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + + + + + + + CHAMBERS' EDINBURGH JOURNAL + + + CONDUCTED BY WILLIAM AND ROBERT CHAMBERS, EDITORS OF 'CHAMBERS'S + INFORMATION FOR THE PEOPLE,' 'CHAMBERS'S EDUCATIONAL COURSE,' &c. + + + No. 423. NEW SERIES. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1852. PRICE 1-1/2 _d._ + + + + +UP THE INDUS. + + +Three years ago, I received orders to proceed from Kurāchee to Roree +by the river route, for the purpose of joining the siege-train then +assembling for the reduction of Mooltan. Subsequent events caused my +final destination to be changed to Sukkur. Although my journey was +thus not so long as I had both expected and wished, yet I had an +opportunity of seeing some three or four hundred miles of a river that +the records of the past, and the anticipations of the future, alike +combine to render interesting, and which in itself differs in many +respects from the other rivers of India. My position in life--that of +a non-commissioned officer of the ordnance department--has prevented +me from gleaning information on the subject, either from books or +official sources; but it may be that a narration of what I merely +_saw_, will not prove altogether without interest for those who must +run while they read--who have neither time, nor perhaps inclination, +to acquire any more than a superficial knowledge of distant countries. + +Having been provided with a passage in one of the steamers of the +Indus flotilla, and informed that the vessel was to start at daybreak +on the following morning, I hastened to procure the necessary +documents to authorise my obtaining ten days' sea-rations from the +commissariat department. The following was the proportion of food for +each day, and I may remark, that I received it from government gratis, +with the exception of the spirits, as I was proceeding on +field-service:--1 lb. of biscuits, 1 lb. of salt beef or pork, 1-4th +of 1 lb. of rice, 1 oz. and 2-7ths of sugar, 5-7ths of 1 oz. of tea, +and 2 drams, or about 1-4th of a bottle of arrack, 24 degrees under +proof. Having secured the provant, my mind was now perfectly at ease, +and I leisurely set about completing my arrangements for the voyage. +These consisted mainly in locking my only box, and tying up in a +cotton quilt a blanket and the thick sheet of goat's-hair-felt that +served me for a bed. It was dark before I left camp; and as I was +detained a considerable time at the _bunder_ or landing-place, waiting +for a boat to take me off to the steamer, it was late in the night +when I got on board. + +The steam-boat was about the size of the largest of those that ply +above bridge on the Thames. When I had scrambled on deck, I found that +the forepart of the vessel was crowded with the bodies of natives, +every one of whom was testifying the soundness of his repose by notes +both loud and deep. Having selected the only spot where there was room +even to sit down, I began, in a somewhat high key, to warble a lively +strain calculated to cheer the drooping spirits of such of my +neighbours as had that evening undergone the pang of parting from +their friends. This proceeding soon had the effect of drawing all eyes +upon me, and, indeed, not a few of the tongues also; for the now +thoroughly awakened sleepers--with great want of taste--growled out, +at the expense both of myself and of my performance, sundry +maledictions, with a fervency peculiar to the country, until at length +I may say I was clad with curses as with a garment. At this juncture, +I took out of my provision-bag a remarkably fine piece of pork, and +began to contemplate it by the light of the moon with the critical eye +of a connoisseur. The reader is no doubt aware, that among the natives +of India the popular prejudice does not run in favour of this +wholesome article of food; and perhaps to this fact I must attribute +it that the surrounding Mussulmans and Hindoos became wondrously +polite all on a sudden, and left a wide circle vacant around me, so +that I had ample room to make down my bed; nor was I disturbed from a +hearty sleep till the morning. + +At daybreak, I was aroused by the crew getting up the anchor: in a few +minutes, the head of the 'fire-boat,' as my dusky neighbours termed +it, was turned down the coast, and on we went, steaming, smoking, and +splashing, after the most orthodox fashion of fire-boats in general. I +had now time and opportunity to look around me. Every available spot +of the deck and paddle-boxes of the small, flat-bottomed iron steamer, +was crowded with as motley a set of passengers as ever sailed since +the days of Captain Noah. Sepoys returning from furlough to join their +regiments; lascars, or enlisted workmen belonging to the different +civil branches of the army; and camp-followers in all their varieties, +were everywhere squatted on their haunches, and although muffled up to +their eyes in wrappers of cotton-cloth, were all looking miserably +cold from the sharpness of the morning breeze. The crew consisted of +about twenty sailors--half of whom were Europeans, and evidently +picked hands. Under the influence of good pay, fresh provisions +without stint, sleeping all night in their hammocks, and constant +change of scene, they were as healthy-looking and good-humoured a lot +of seamen as I had ever met with. Their principal employment seemed to +be to take their turn at the wheel; and as the natives performed most +of the little work that was to be done in a vessel of this +description, carrying no sails, I presume they were entertained only +with the view of manning the two small howitzers and half-a-dozen +swivel-guns, in case our little craft should find it necessary to shew +her teeth. The remaining portion of the men were even finer specimens +of humanity than the Europeans. With the exception of two tall, bony +Scindians, they were all Seedies, or negroes, and there was not one +among them that might not have served as a model for a Hercules. Their +huge bodies presented an appearance of massiveness and immense +strength; and the enormous muscles had even more than the prominence +we find in some statues, but so seldom meet with in men of these +effeminate times. These particulars were the more easily noted, as +their style of costume, in the daytime at least, approached very +closely to nudity. But their size was as nothing to their appetites; +and deep and vasty as their internal accommodations must have been, it +remains a matter of perplexity to me to this day to determine by what +mysterious process they managed to stow away one-half of what they +devoured. I have repeatedly watched one of these overgrown animals +seat himself before a wooden trencher, some three-quarters of a yard +broad, and clear from it, as if by magic, a mess piled up to the +greatest capacity of the vessel, and consisting of rice, garnished at +the top with a couple of pounds or so of curried meat or fish; after +which, glaring around him in a hungry and dissatisfied manner, +calculated to raise unpleasant sensations in a nervous bystander, he +would sullenly catch hold of the hookah common to the party, and seek +to deaden his appetite by swallowing down long and repeated draughts +of tobacco-smoke, until the tears came into his eyes, and he was +forced to desist by a paroxysm of coughing. + +Among the passengers, there were two or three persons of my own +standing, and on the quarter-deck a small group of officers, one of +whom was accompanied by his wife. The lady had certainly no reason to +grumble at the inattention of her companions. The fair sex, although +much more plentiful at the time I speak of than ten years ago, was +still rather scarce in these parts, ladies being few and far between +in the stations beyond Kurāchee. With a praiseworthy desire to make +the most of the honour, the skipper was bustling about, giving all +sorts of orders that might in any way conduce to the comfort of his +fair passenger, and apparently in a state of mental agony when a +momentary turn of the vessel would render the awning and screens +ineffectual in preserving her from a chance ray of the sun. Two young +subalterns were tumbling over one another in the anxious endeavour to +be the first to bring a footstool; a couple of their seniors were +standing by, rubbing their hands and smiling blandly, to keep their +minds in a fit state for the perpetration of a compliment on the first +possible occasion; while even the grim old major was trying very hard +to unbend: not that it was a part of his principles to be particularly +gallant to the ladies, but as he was going to a place where he might +not have the advantage of seeing any of them for some years, and would +thus run the chance of growing rusty, he thought he might as well keep +his hand in while he had the opportunity. + +After running down the coast till the sun became so uncomfortably hot +as to render an awning over the whole vessel an indispensable +necessary, we suddenly struck into one of the many creeks with which +the Delta of the Indus is everywhere interlaced. The vessel did not +answer her helm well; and as the breadth of the stream did not much +exceed her length, we were for some time running ashore, first on one +bank, and then on the opposite one. However, as the banks were steep, +and composed of a mixture of sand and mud, we were not so much delayed +by these accidents as might have been expected; for after grounding +with a shock sufficient to floor any one unused to the navigation of +the Indus, the tough little craft would slide back of her own accord +into her proper element, and go ahead again as if nothing had +happened. The first time this took place, I was sent on my beam-ends, +and was not a little alarmed into the bargain; but the crew seemed to +take it as a matter of course, and in reply to my anxious inquiries as +to the extent of damage that had been occasioned, they informed me +that she had only brushed the cobwebs off her keel. On entering the +creek, we startled large flocks of wild geese and ducks; and here and +there a pair of pelicans, after gazing at us for a few seconds, would +slowly wing their way to some more sequestered stream, unprofaned by +noisy, smoky civilisation. + +As we continued on our course, the landscape--a level plain, that +stretched away for miles till it met the horizon--was covered with +camels grazing upon tamarisk-bushes, which, with a few mangostans, an +occasional specimen of acanthus, and a coarse and scanty herbage, were +the only specimens of the vegetable kingdom that met our gaze. The +scene during the remainder of the afternoon was the same, the monotony +being relieved only when we stopped for half an hour to take a supply +of wood from a large pile collected on the bank for this purpose, and +thus had an opportunity of stretching our legs on _terra firma_. At +dusk, the steam-boat was run ashore, the steam blown off, and here we +were to remain for the night. The natives immediately rushed on shore, +and began preparing fires to cook their provisions. The ship's cook +had already supplied me with a cup, or rather a tin pot of tea; but as +the growing coolness of the evening, and the example of my neighbours, +rather encouraged my appetite, I resolved to make a second edition of +my evening meal, and accordingly took under my arm the copper canteen +which formed the sum-total of my culinary apparatus--the lid being my +only plate or dish--and furnished with a supply of tea, sugar, cold +meat, and biscuit, made my way to a spot a short distance off, where I +might take my food on the solitary system, according to the custom +that we Englishmen most delight in. When I had lighted the fire, and +put the water on to boil, I cast myself on the ground, and +complacently puffing away at my pipe, gazed at the wild but +picturesque scene before me. The position of the river was marked out +by a semicircle of some fifty or sixty fires, before which dark and +ill-defined figures were ever and anon flitting like phantoms; while, +in the midst, the funnel of the steam-boat loomed tall and black above +the veil of smoke that hung around--like some dark and horrid object +Of heathen idolatry surrounded by its sacrificial fires. The sounds +that met my ear, however, dispelled this somewhat fanciful idea; for +in the stillness of the night voices grow distinct, while forms are +indebted to the imagination for filling up their outlines. + +The native passengers, who had remained, silent and dull, in a +constrained position during the whole of the day, felt a load taken +off their spirits as soon as they set foot on dry land; and in a trice +the silence that had hitherto reigned was broken by a very Babel of +tongues, among which could be distinguished the guttural jargon of the +Scindian, the bastard dialect of Mahratti, of the Hindoo from the +Deccan, and the ungrammatical _patois_ of Hindostani, which--although, +when exclusively used, it marked out the Mussulman--was yet the +_lingua franca_ of the whole party; but amidst the unceasing torrent +of words, little could be distinguished, save when the ear was saluted +with an outburst of nature's universal and unvaried language in the +shape of a light-hearted laugh. By and by, my attention became +directed, by an occasional shout of merriment, to a group of Seedies +clustered round a fire near me. Negroes in this country are much the +same as in other parts of the World--a happy, easily-contented race, +forgetful of the past, and careless of the future. After keeping up +their noisy confabulation for some time, they removed to a level spot +close to where I was lying: one of them squatted down on the ground, +and commenced singing to the music of a sort of tambourine, that he +beat with the flat of his hand; and the others at once formed a +circle, and commenced a rude dance, which had probably been brought +by themselves or their fathers from the shores of Eastern Africa. The +air was at first low and monotonous, the time seeming to be more +studied than any variation of the tune; but after some minutes a few +notes in a higher key were occasionally introduced, giving the music a +strangely wild and melancholy character. The dance consisted +principally of low jumps, each foot being alternately advanced in +strict time with the music. Sometimes the dancers joined hands; again +they would pass into one another's places, until they had made the +circuit of the ring; and every now and then, in going through these +movements, they would leap completely round, apparently without an +effort, but as a natural consequence of the momentum produced by the +celerity of their motions, and the weight of their huge bodies. The +whole affair was gone through in a serious and business-like manner, +unusual in the negro. How long I watched them I cannot say; but it +seemed to me as if they went on for hours without slackening the pace, +or moving one muscle of their countenances, until my eyes became heavy +with looking at them. At length, the figures appeared to grow dim, and +among them I thought I recognised faces of friends then many thousands +of miles from me, and forms that the earth had long before covered +over. A death-like chill came over me: by a sudden impulse, I rushed +forward, and awoke. With bewildered feelings, I rose on my elbow, and +gazed around. The moon had risen; her cold, clear light making every +object near me either startlingly distinct, or else a mass of dark +shade, while a deep and solemn silence reigned around. All had +vanished--the singer and the dancers--the flaming, sparkling, roaring +fires, and the noisy groups around them; and I might have imagined +that I had awaked to find myself in another world, had it not been for +the heap of black ashes beside me, and the dark outline of the +steam-boat in the distance. I arose, stiff, cold, and drowsy, and +tucking my kitchen under my arm, slowly wended my way on board. + +However, there must be an end to all things; and on the third day, we +emerged from the dreary net-work of creeks, and entered into the open +Indus. The scenery still remained much the same. Here and there, +beacons were erected, but they were only of temporary use, for the +channel of the river alters almost every year. The breadth of the +stream varies with the rise of the water consequent on the melting of +the snow on the distant mountains, among which it takes its source. At +Sukkur, it is as broad as the Thames at Blackwall; and nearly two +hundred miles lower down, it is sometimes found of no greater breadth; +while in other spots it spreads into a lake some two or three miles +across, depending upon the level of the surrounding country and the +rise of the river. Scinde has been called Young Egypt, from the +general resemblance of the physical features of the two countries, and +the fact, that the existence of an only river in each is the sole +cause of an immense tract of territory being prevented from becoming +throughout a parched and unprofitable desert. In Upper Scinde, there +are very rarely more than three or four showers in the year, and the +cultivator has to depend entirely upon the overflow of the river for +the growth of his crops, in the same way as the fellah of Egypt is +saved from famine by the annual inundation of the Nile. In Fort +Bukkur, there is a gauge on which the height of the river is +registered, in a similar manner to that of the celebrated one in +Egypt; and the news of the rise or fall of a few inches, is received +by the Scindians with an eager interest, not a little strange to those +who are unaware that such petty fluctuations determine whether a +nation shall feast or starve for the next twelve months. It is +pleasing to add, that there are hopes of a change for the better in +this state of uncertainty of obtaining the necessities of life, which, +in a case like this, where so little depends upon the energy of single +members of the community, acts as a sure check upon the progress of +civilisation. Canals, excavated at a time when all India was one vast +empire, but since choked up and fallen into ruins, have been cleaned +and repaired, and new ones projected. A late order of government has +led the way to the Indus being constituted, instead of the Ganges, the +highway from Europe to the fertile and important provinces of +North-Western Hindostan. Commerce, in the pride of her prosperity, +grows nice about her roads, and she will soon take the Indus in hand, +and put a stop to its little irregularities. Mere art, perhaps, could +do but little to remove the impediments to the navigation of this +immense river. This end could only be obtained by taking advantage of +the natural causes which have made a deep channel in one part and a +shoal out a few yards lower down. Dame Nature, like dames in general, +may be easily led if we can only persuade her that she is acting of +her own accord. + +On we went, steaming, and smoking, and splashing more than ever, +buffeting against the muddy-looking stream, which, however, was +sometimes too much for us, so that we were fain to take advantage of +the still waters or back-current near the banks. The river being low +at this season, we ran aground, in spite of all the care of our +Scindian pilot and the Seedic leadsman, often enough to have wrecked a +moderately-sized navy. The leadsman was a rather pompous individual, +duly impressed with the importance of his position, in having charge +of the deep-sea line, which was something short of two fathoms in +length. He was stationed at the bows, and ever and anon proclaimed +aloud the depth of water in language that he fondly believed to be +English. As we dashed along in one fathom water, he seemed perfectly +at his ease, and drew the small lead from the river, and again tossed +it before him with a studied grace, turning round occasionally, with +an air of affected indifference, to read admiration in our eyes. As +the water shoaled to four feet, his brow contracted and his motions +were quickened; when it became three feet, he hurled the lead into the +water, as the gambler dashes down his last dice; and at last, as we +grazed on the tail of a hank, it was almost with a shriek that he +yelled out, _'Doo foots_!' But our hour had not yet come; and as the +water deepened to beyond the four yards that formed the extent of his +line, he assumed his former dignified ease, and leisurely made known +that there was 'No bot-t-a-a-m!'--an announcement which, although +gratifying in one respect, was yet somewhat startling. + +But we did not always escape in this manner. Not to speak of minor +mischances, on one occasion we stuck hard and fast for twenty-four +hours, in spite of every attempt to extricate ourselves. Here was a +predicament for the captain! He had received instructions to make the +greatest speed on his trip; his passengers were all burning with +impatience lest they should be too late to acquire glory and +prize-money--the prize-money at all events; the military stores on +board were urgently required at Mooltan; and, worse than all, the lady +began to pout! This was the climax of his misfortune; and the skipper, +growing desperate, swore a mighty oath that if the obstinate little +craft would not swim through the water, she should walk over the land, +and we should see who would get tired of it first. Accordingly, an +anchor was carried forward to a spot some forty yards off, where the +water was deeper; the greater part of the passengers were made to jump +overboard, without even going through the formality of walking the +plank; while the remainder manned the capstan-bars. The chain-cable +tightened, the capstan creaked, and the paddles dashed round; but we +did not stir an inch till the natives, who had been so unceremoniously +turned overboard, began to apply the pressure from without, when, +amidst shouts and yells, and curses in a dozen different languages, we +slid along the surface of the bank until we reached a deeper channel. +The outside passengers then scrambled on board, and again we darted +on; while the captain took snuff with the triumphant air of a man who +was not to be trifled with, and informed the lady confidentially that +she (the steam-boat) was not a bad little craft after all, but it did +not do to let her have her own way altogether. + +Let it now suffice to say, that the amphibious steam-boat carried us +to Sukkur in rather less than three weeks--our voyage in some respects +resembling the midnight journey of the demon horseman-- + + 'Tramp, tramp across the land we ride; + Splash, splash across the sea!' + +Glad we were when a bend of the river shewed us the island and +picturesque fort of Bukkur, apparently blocking up all further +progress; the left bank being studded with the white bungalows of +Sukkur, half-hidden in clumps of date-trees; while the right was +clothed to the water's edge with the bright green foliage of the +gardens of Roree. + + + + +HELPS'S ESSAYS. + + +In an age of many books, there must needs be some, highly worthy of +attention, with which the general reading-public will be but +imperfectly acquainted. Though probably known to many of our readers, +we think it likely that the writings of Mr Helps are yet unknown to +many others, who might profit by the study of them, and more or less +appreciate their excellence. Under this conviction, it is proposed to +notice them in the present pages; and we have little doubt of being +able to substantiate their claims to consideration. To readers who +require of a book something more than mere amusement, or a passing +satisfaction to their curiosity; who have any regard or relish for +independent thinking--for an enlarged observation of human life--for +the results of study and experience--for practical sense and wisdom, +and a general understanding and appreciation of the varied motives, +ways, and interests of men and of society--these volumes cannot fail +to prove delightful and profitable reading. + +All Mr Helps's writings have been published anonymously; and it is +only within the last two years that he has become known, out of his +own circle, to be the author. His earliest publications were, _Essays +written in the Intervals of Business_, and _An Essay on the Duties of +the Employers to the Employed_, otherwise entitled _The Claims of +Labour_. He has also published a work in two volumes under the title +of _The Conquerors of the New World and their Bondsmen_; a historical +narrative of the principal events which led to negro slavery in the +West Indies and America. But the books from his pen with which we are +best acquainted, and which have obtained the largest measure of public +attention, are a series of essays intermixed with dialogues, called +_Friends in Council_, and a supplementary volume, somewhat different +in plan, which he calls _Companions of my Solitude_.[1] As the whole +of his characteristics as an essayist are displayed with a more +perfect effect in these two latter works than in the others, and as +they will afford us as much extract as we shall have space for, we +propose to confine our remarks to them exclusively. Matter enough, and +even more than enough, will be found in them for illustrating whatever +we may find to say respecting the author's powers and attainments. + +The _Friends in Council_ purports to be edited by a clergyman named +Dunsford, who was so obliging and laborious as to set down the +conversations in which he, Ellesmere (the great lawyer), and Milverton +(the author), had engaged on various occasions, when the last read to +his companions a number of short essays which he was writing. We have +a page or two of introduction, informing us of this circumstance, and +of a few other particulars needful to be mentioned; and then, after a +little talk among the friends, an essay is read, followed by the +interlocutors' comments, and a discussion of its merits. These +conversations form a very agreeable portion of the work, and exhibit a +fine mastery of dialogue. They are exactly like the discourse of +intelligent and accomplished men, and therefore very much unlike the +ordinary run of book-reported talk. A few sentences may be not unfitly +quoted, by way of exhibiting their quality. We take the following, on +so common a matter as friendship; not because it is the best we might +select, but because it seems one of the passages which is most readily +extractable:-- + +'_Ellesmere._ I suppose all of us have, at one time or other, had a +huge longing after friendship. If one could get it, it would be much +safer than that other thing. + +'_Milverton._ Well, I wonder whether love--for I imagine you mean +love--was ever so described before, "that other thing!" + +'_Elles._ When the world was younger, perhaps there was more of this +friendship. David and Jonathan!--How does their friendship begin? I +know it is very beautiful; but I have forgotten the words. Dunsford +will tell us. + +'_Dunsford._ "And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young +man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the +Bethlehemite. And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking +unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, +and Jonathan loved him as his own soul." + +'_Elles._ Now that men are more complex, they would require so much. +For instance, if I were to have a friend, he must be an +uncommunicative man: that limits me to about thirteen or fourteen +people in the world. It is only with a man of perfect reticence that +you can speak completely without reserve. We talk together far more +openly than most people; but there is a skilful fencing even in our +talk. We are not inclined to say the whole of what we think. + +'_Mil._. What I should need in a friend would be a certain breadth of +nature: I have no sympathy with people who can disturb themselves +about small things; who crave the world's good opinion; are anxious to +prove themselves always in the right; can be immersed in personal talk +or devoted to self-advancement; who seem to have grown up entirely +from the _earth_, whereas even the plants draw most of their +sustenance from the air of heaven. + +'_Elles._ That is a high flight. I am not prepared to say all that. I +do not object to a little earthiness. What I should fear in friendship +is the comment, and interference, and talebearing, I often see +connected with it. + +'_Mil._ That does not particularly belong to friendship, but comes +under the general head of injudicious comment on the part of those who +live with us. Divines often remind us, that in forming our ideas of +the government of Providence, we should recollect that we see only a +fragment. The same observation, in its degree, is true too as regards +human conduct. We see a little bit here and there, and assume the +nature of the whole. Even a very silly man's actions are often more to +the purpose than his friend's comments upon them. + +'_Elles._ True! Then I should not like to have a man for a friend who +would bind me down to be consistent, who would form a minute theory of +me which was not to be contradicted. + +'_Mil._ If he loved you as his own soul, and his soul were knit with +yours--to use the words of Scripture--he would not demand this +consistency, because each man must know and feel his own immeasurable +vacillation and inconsistency; and if he had complete sympathy with +another, he would not be greatly surprised or vexed at that other's +inconsistencies. + +'_Duns._ There always seems to me a want of tenderness in what are +called friendships in the present day. Now, for instance, I don't +understand a man ridiculing his friend. The joking of intimates often +appears to me coarse and harsh. You will laugh at this in me, and +think it rather effeminate, I am afraid. + +'_Mil._ No; I do not. I think a great deal of jocose raillery may pass +between intimates without the requisite tenderness being infringed +upon. If any friend had been in a painful and ludicrous position (such +as when Cardinal Balue in full dress is run away with on horseback, +which Scott comments upon as one of a class of situations combining +"pain, peril, and absurdity"), I would not remind him of it. Why +should I bring back a disagreeable impression to his mind? Besides, it +would be more painful than ludicrous to me. I should enter into his +feelings rather than into those of the ordinary spectator. + +'_Duns._ I am glad we are of the same mind in this. + +'_Mil._ I have also a notion that, even in the common friendships of +the world, we should be very stanch defenders of our absent friends. +Supposing that our friend's character or conduct is justly attacked in +our hearing upon some point, we should be careful to let the light and +worth of the rest of his character in upon the company, so that they +should go away with something of the impression that we have of him; +instead of suffering them to dwell only upon this fault or foible that +was commented upon, which was as nothing against him in our +hearts--mere fringe to the character, which we were accustomed to, and +rather liked than otherwise, if the truth must be told. + +'_Elles._ I declare we have made out amongst us an essay on +friendship, without the fuss of writing one. I always told you our +talk was better than your writing, Milverton. Now, we only want a +beginning and ending to this peripatetic essay. What would you say to +this as a beginning?--it is to be a stately, pompous plunge into the +subject, after the Milverton fashion:--"Friendship and the Phoenix, +taking into due account the fire-office of that name, have been found +upon the earth in not unsimilar abundance." I flatter myself that "not +unsimilar abundance" is eminently Milvertonian. + +'_Mil._ Now observe, Dunsford, you were speaking sometime ago about +the joking of intimates being frequently unkind. This is just an +instance to the contrary. Ellesmere, who is not a bad fellow--at least +not so bad as he seems--knows that he can say anything he pleases +about my style of writing without much annoying me. I am not very +vulnerable on these points; but all the while there is a titillating +pleasure to him in being all but impertinent and vexatious to a +friend. And he enjoys that. So do I.' + +This certainly reads like free and natural conversation, besides being +noteworthy for the suggestions it contains. + +Mr Helps is strictly an original writer, in the sense of thinking for +himself; but at the same time, one of his excellences consists in an +adroit and novel use of commonplaces. There is, indeed, as much +originality in putting a new face upon old verities, as in producing +new ones from the mint of one's invention. As Emerson has remarked, +valuable originality does not consist in mere novelty or unlikeness to +other men, but in range and extent of grasp and insight. This is a +fact, too, which Mr Helps has noted. 'A suggestion,' says he, 'may be +ever so old; but it is not exhausted until it is acted upon, or +rejected on sufficient reason.' He has, therefore, no fastidious dread +of saying anything which has been said before, but readily welcomes +wise thoughts from all directions, often reproducing them with such +felicity of expression, as to give them new effect. Thus, in all the +elements of a profitable originality, he is rich and generous; and +from few books of modern times could so large a store of aphorisms, +fine sayings, and admirable observations be selected. We have marked a +great many more than can be incorporated in the present paper; but +some few may be, nevertheless, presented. Here, for instance, is a +fine remark on time--next to love, the most hackneyed subject in the +world:--'Men seldom feel as if they were bounded as to time: they +think they can afford to throw away a great deal of that commodity; +_thus shewing unconsciously in their trifling the sense that they have +of their immortality_.' On another familiar topic--human progress--he +writes thus:--'The progress of mankind is like the incoming of the +tide, which, from any given moment, is almost as much of a retreat as +an advance, but still the tide moves on.' Emerson has used the same +figure, but in a passage which ought not to be regarded as impairing +our author's originality. + +On the vexed and perplexing question of _Evil_, Mr Helps has said many +acute and consolatory things, from among which we have culled the +following sentences:--'The man who is satisfied with any given state +of things that we are likely to see on earth, must have a creeping +imagination: on the other hand, he who is oppressed by the evils +around him so as to stand gaping at them in horror, has a feeble will +and a want of practical power, and allows his fancy to come in, like +too much wavering light upon his work, so that he does not see to go +on with it. A man of sagacity, while he apprehends a great deal of the +evil around him, resolves what part of it he will be blind to for the +present, in order to deal best with what he has in hand; and as to men +of any genius, they are not imprisoned or rendered partial even by +their own experience of evil, much less are their attacks upon it +paralysed by their full consciousness of its large presence.' +Here, in the next place, is an aphorism worth pondering and +remembrance:--'Vague injurious reports are no men's lies, but all +men's carelessness.' And by the side of it we may place a pleasant +sarcasm attributed to Ellesmere, and apparently intended as a reminder +for stump-orators: 'How exactly proportioned to a man's ignorance of +the subject is the noise he makes about it at a public meeting.' Not +altogether out of connection here may be this brief sentence:--'Next +to the folly of doing a bad thing, is that of fearing to undo it.' In +the following, we have a brief sufficient argument against the +indulgence of unavailing sorrow or anxiety:--'It has always appeared +to me, that there is so much to be done in this world, that all +self-inflicted suffering which cannot be turned to good account for +others, is a loss--a loss, if you may so express it, to the spiritual +world.' There is plain truth, too, in the next, though it is not +likely to be much remembered by those who are most in need of it:--'An +ill-tempered man often has everything his own way, and seems very +triumphant; but the demon he cherishes, tears him as well as awes +other people.' In another place, and from another point of view, he +indicates the admirable benefits of human, sympathy. 'Often,' says he, +'all that a man wants in order to accomplish something that is good +for him to do, is the encouragement of another man's sympathy. What +Bacon says the voice of the man is to the dog--the encouragement of a +higher nature--each man can in a lesser degree afford his neighbour; +for a man receives the suggestions of another mind with somewhat of +the respect and courtesy with which he would greet a higher nature.' +Speaking with reference to the pursuits of men of literary and +artistic genius, it is written: 'Almost any worldly state in which a +man can be placed is a hinderance to him, if he have other than mere +worldly things to do. Poverty, wealth, many duties, or many affairs, +distract and confuse him.' One sentence more is all that can be added +here; and if it seems to be suggested by an aphorism of Bacon, it is +equal to it in pith and penetration:--'Every _felicity_, as well as +wife and children, is a hostage to fortune.' + +These sentences have been gathered chiefly from _Friends in Council_, +though a few of them are taken from _Companions of my Solitude_. The +two books are informed with the same spirit; and to a meditative +person, one could not recommend a choicer store of reading. Those, +however, to whom the works are as yet unknown, may wish to see some +longer and more connected extract. It is difficult to decide upon what +ought to be presented, where almost everything is exquisite; yet as a +choice must be made, we will take some sentences from an essay on +'Despair,' wherein the writer offers a few remedial suggestions +against the burden of remorse:-- + +'To have erred in one branch of our duties, does not unfit us for the +performance of all the rest, unless we suffer the dark spot to spread +over our whole nature, which may happen almost unobserved in the +torpor of despair. This kind of despair is chiefly grounded on a +foolish belief that individual words or actions constitute the whole +life of man; whereas they are often not fair representatives of +portions even of that life. The fragments of rock in a mountain stream +may tell much of its history, are, in fact, results of its doings, but +they are not the stream. They were brought down when it was turbid; it +may now be clear: they are as much the result of other circumstances +as of the action of the stream: their history is fitful: they give us +no sure intelligence of the future course of the stream, or of the +nature of its waters; and may scarcely shew more than that it has not +been always as it is. The actions of men are often but little better +indications of the men themselves.... + +'There is frequently much selfishness about remorse. Put what has been +done at the worst. Let a man see his own evil word or deed in full +light, and own it to be black as hell itself. He is still here. He +cannot be isolated. There still remain for him cares and duties; and +therefore hopes. Let him not in imagination link all creation to his +fate. Let him yet live in the welfare of others, and, if it may be so, +work out his own in this way; if not, be content with theirs. The +saddest cause of remorseful despair is when a man does something +expressly contrary to his character--when an honourable man, for +instance, slides into some dishonourable action; or a tender-hearted +man falls into cruelty from carelessness; or, as often happens, a +sensitive nature continues to give the greatest pain to others' from +temper, feeling all the time perhaps more deeply than the persons +aggrieved. All these cases may be summed up in the words, "That which +I would not, that I do"--the saddest of all human confessions, made +by one of the greatest men. However, the evil cannot be mended by +despair. Hope and humility are the only supports under this burden.' + +As our space presses, the passages we give must necessarily be short. +The beauty of the few sentences following will not be disputed. They +are taken from a 'Chapter of Consolations' in _Companions of my +Solitude_, and will serve to exhibit our author's style under one of +its more animated aspects:-- + +'Lastly, there is to be said of all suffering--that it is experience. +I have forgotten in whose life it is to be found, but there is some +man who went out of his way to provide himself with every form of +human misery which he could get at. I do not myself see any occasion +for any man's going out of the way to provide misfortune for himself. +Like an eminent physician, he might stay at home, and find almost +every form of human misery knocking at his door. But still I +understand what this chivalrous inquirer meant, who sought to taste +all suffering for the sake of the experience it would give him. + +'There is this admirable commonplace, too, which, from long habit of +being introduced in such discourses, wishes to come in before I +conclude--namely, that infelicities of various kinds belong to the +state here below. Who are we that we should not take our share? See +the slight amount of personal happiness requisite to go on with. In +noisome dungeons, subject to studied tortures, in abject and shifty +poverty, after consummate shame, upon tremendous change of fortune, in +the profoundest desolation of mind and soul, in forced companionship +with all that is unlovely and uncongenial--men, persevering nobly, +live on, and live through all. The mind, like water, passes through +all states, till it shall be united to what it is ever seeking. The +very loneliness of man here is the greatest proof, to my mind, of a +God.' + +One of the things that strikes us most in these essays, is the +author's wise moderation of statement, his habit of looking at all +phases of a question, and of saying something appropriate on each. We +believe he makes Ellesmere observe somewhere, that moral essays +commonly require another essay from the opposite point of view to +temper and qualify their meaning. This requirement has been closely +kept in mind. There is no undue vehemence, no straining of favourite +points, no clap-trap rhetoric or elaborate phrase-makings; but +everything is clear, judicious, well considered, and conscientiously +set forth. The man does not write for the sake of writing, but because +his soul is full of thoughts, and his remembrances charged with the +wholesome lessons of experience. The thoughts generally are less +remarkable for their depth than for their _breadth_--a free and +unembarrassed all-sidedness, which is, perhaps, one of the most +difficult of all attainments in the way of writing. There is a mild +meditative wisdom in his utterances which can have been derived only +through a large acquaintance with life and society; with the manifold +diversities of motive and aspiration by which men are actuated; with +everything, in short, that interests, degrades, or elevates humanity. +Only from an extensive quarry of experience could this strong and +graceful pillar of wit, sagacity, and judgment, have been built up. +From this, too, has been acquired that broad liberality of opinion +which must be welcome to every candid mind--the enlarged tolerance, +and generous appreciation of all degrees of difference in men's ways +of thinking and of acting, which is one of the most pleasing and most +distinctive characteristics of these writings. Often, in reading, we +are inclined to say, here is one of the best-balanced souls in +England--a finely-gifted and highly-cultivated man, to whom the pains +and difficulties, the joys, the sorrows, the ambitions, and +shortcomings of his race, are all familiar; who has felt them all, +seen the good and evil of them all, and, with a calm deliberation, can +testify at last, that the great Power of the Universe has so +constrained and ordered the uncertainties and perils of our lot, as +not only to reconcile all its apparent contradictions with the ends of +moral discipline and benefit, but to make even the darkness of +calamity flash rays of brightness and of hope. Thus, along with an +enlarged knowledge of men and things, he gives us the wisest counsel +about our conduct and proceedings in the world, and also the most +encouraging conclusions with regard to our final destiny and +prospects. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[1] 1. _Friends in Council: a Series of Headings and Discourse +thereon_. New Edition. Two vols. 2. _Companions of my Solitude_. +Pickering. London: 1851. + + + + +JELLY-FISHES. + + +We inscribe at the head of this paper the popular name of a class of +beings, which, though simple in their organisation, are full of +interest to the zoologist, and attractive to the common observer from +the singularity or beauty of their forms, and, in many cases, the +brilliancy of their colouring. The ocean, throughout its wide extent, +swarms with myriads of gelatinous creatures--some microscopic, some of +large dimensions--which deck it with the gayest colours by day, and at +night light up its dreary waste with 'mimic fires,' and make it glow +and sparkle as if, like the heavens, it had its galaxies and +constellations. These are the jelly-fishes, or sea-nettles +(_Acalephę_), as they are often called, from the stinging properties +with which some of them are endowed. The commoner forms are well +known, for the beach is often strewn with the carcasses of the larger +species. On fine days in summer and autumn, whole fleets of these +strange voyagers appear off our coasts. Their umbrella-shaped, +transparent disks float gracefully through the calm water, and their +long fishing-lines trail after them as they move onward. At times, +multitudes, almost invisible to the naked eye, tenant every wave, and +give it by night a crest of flame; while other kinds measure as much +as a yard in diameter. The _Acalephę_ present the greatest variety of +form and colour, as well as of size, but they are all of the most +delicate structure, frail, gelatinous, transparent. Some are so +perfectly colourless, that their presence can with difficulty be +detected in the water. + +The following description, by Professor E. Forbes, applies to a large +proportion of the species:--'They are active in their habits, graceful +in their motions, gay in their colouring, delicate as the finest +membrane, transparent as the purest crystal.' The poet Crabbe has +characterised them well in the following passage:-- + + 'Those living jellies which the flesh inflame, + Fierce as a nettle, and from that the name; + Some in huge masses, some that you might bring + In the small compass of a lady's ring; + Figured by hand divine--there's not a gem + Wrought by man's art to be compared to them; + Soft, brilliant, tender, through the wave they glow, + And make the moonbeam brighter where they flow.' + +The first thing that arrests our attention in these creatures is the +extreme delicacy and tenuity of their substance. The jelly-fish is +chiefly made up of fluid. A quantity of water and a thin membranaceous +film, these are its chief component parts. Professor Owen has +ascertained that a large individual, weighing two pounds, when removed +from the sea, will be represented, when the fluid which it contains is +drained off, 'by a thin film of membrane not exceeding thirty grams in +weight.' Naturalists have commonly described the jelly-fish as being +little more than 'coagulated water' and the description is correct. + +And yet these masses of film and fluid, floating at the mercy of wind +and wave, possess powers which we should hardly associate with so +simple a structure, and can accomplish works of which we should little +suspect them. Delicate and defenceless as they appear, they can +capture fishes of large size, and digest them with ease and rapidity. +Some of them are in truth formidable monsters. Professor E. Forbes +gives the following humorous description of the destructive +propensities of some medusę which he had captured in the Zetland +seas:--'Being kept,' he says, 'in a jar of salt-water with small +crustacea, they devoured these animals, so much more highly organised +than themselves, voraciously; apparently enjoying the destruction of +the unfortunate members of the upper classes with a truly democratic +relish. One of them even attacked and commenced the swallowing of a +_Lizzia octopunctata_, quite as good a medusa as itself. An animal +which can pout out its mouth twice the length of its body, and stretch +its stomach to corresponding dimensions, must indeed be "a triton +among the minnows;" and a very terrific one too. Yet is this ferocious +creature one of the most delicate and graceful of the inhabitants of +the ocean--a very model of tenderness and elegance.' + +The jelly-fishes are all, in their adult state, locomotive beings. +They float freely and incessantly through the ocean, either impelled +by their own efforts, or driven by storm and billow. They for the most +part frequent the open seas, and shun the shore, their delicate frames +being endangered by the perennial strife between land and water. Being +designed for constant motion, for the navigation of the great waters, +their entire organisation is adapted to such a mode of life. We find +amongst those ocean-floaters the greatest perfection and variety of +locomotive apparatus; and they have been divided into sections, +according to the modifications of this portion of structure which they +exhibit. We shall endeavour to give a popular account of the leading +peculiarities of each, and note the most interesting points in the +history of the tribe. + +In the first section, the animals are furnished with a disk or +umbrella of varying shape, which serves as a float, beneath which hang +certain processes connected with the functions of prehension and +digestion. In this division are included some of the best-known forms. +The creature, in this case, propels itself by the alternate +contraction and expansion of its disk, thus striking the water, and +driving itself forward. These movements take place at regular +intervals, and serve a double purpose. They not only propel, but at +the same time drive the water over the lower surface of the disk. Here +is situated a complicated net-work of vessels, and the fluids of the +body are thus exposed to the influence of oxygen, and receive the +needed aeration. The stroke of the disk, therefore, is not only a +locomotive, but also a respiratory act. The jelly-fishes of this +section move as they breathe, and breathe as they move. Hence the name +which has been given them--_Pulmonigrades_. We find the same admirable +economy of resources amongst the lower animalcules. The cilia which +propel them secure the aeration of the system. + +It is evident that the motive apparatus in this section of the +_Acalephę_ is but a feeble one. It only avails in calm weather. When +the sea is agitated, the jelly-fish is driven helplessly along. It +cannot choose its path. As its food, however, is everywhere abundant +around it, and it has no business that should lead it in one direction +more than another, there is no great hardship in this. + +In this section are included some of the most beautiful, as well as +common of the tribe. The forms of the umbrella are often most lovely, +and present an astonishing variety. As an example of the beauty which +they sometimes display, we may refer to a species which resembles an +exquisitely formed glass-shade, ornamented with a waved and tinted +fringe. The most perfect grace of form, the transparency of the +crystal, and colour as delicate as that of the flower, combine to +render this frail being one of the loveliest of living things. + +In another section, locomotion is effected by a modification of +ciliary apparatus. We have a familiar example in the _Beroe_ of our +own seas, a most attractive little being, and a prime favourite with +naturalists, who have described its habits and celebrated its beauty +with enthusiasm. We shall not soon forget the delight with which we +first made acquaintance with this graceful little rover. While +rambling along the shore in quest of marine animals, our attention was +arrested by a drop of the clearest jelly, as it seemed to be, lying on +a mass of rock, from which the tide had but just receded. On +transferring it to a phial of sea-water, its true nature was at once +revealed to us. A globular body floated gracefully in the vessel, +scarcely less transparent than the fluid which filled it. Presently it +began to move up and down within its prison-house, and the paddles by +means of which the beroe dances along its ocean-path were distinctly +visible. These paddles are nothing more or less than cilia of a +peculiar kind, ranged in eight bands upon the surface of the body. +They are set in motion at the will of the animal, and their incessant +strokes propel it swiftly through the water. By stopping some of its +paddles, and keeping others in play, the beroe can change its course +at pleasure, and so wander 'at its own sweet will,' through the +trackless waste. Beauty waits upon the course of this little crystal +globe. The grace and sprightliness of its movements must strike the +commonest observer. As the sunlight falls upon its cilia, they are +'tinted with the most lovely iridescent colours;' and at night they +flash forth phosphoric light, as though the little creature were +giving a saucy challenge to the stars. + +The beroe is a most active being, its habits conforming to the +organisation with which it is endowed. Such an array of paddles +prophesies of a mercurial temperament and an energetic character. It +can, however, anchor itself and lie by when occasion offers. It is +provided with two long cables, prettily set with spiral filaments or +tendrils, by means of which it can make fast to any point. When not in +use, it can retract them, and stow them away in two _sacs_ or pouches +within the body, where they may be seen coiled up, through the +transparent walls. The mouth is a simple opening at one pole of the +globular body. No arms are needed. The beroe is spared the labour and +uncertainty of the chase. As it dances gaily along, streams of water, +bearing nutritive particles, pass through the orifice into its +stomach. + +In this creature, as in many of the lower animals, there is a +remarkable power of retaining vitality after the most serious +injuries; nay, in portions actually severed from the body, it will +continue for some time. Mr Patterson, in his excellent _Introduction +to Zoology_, mentions that on one occasion he divided a fragment of +the body of a beroe, lately taken from the shore and shattered by a +storm, 'into portions so minute that one piece of skin had but two +cilia attached to it, yet the vibration of these organs continued for +nearly a couple of days afterwards!' But we must leave the beroe, +charmer though it be. + +Another member of this section--the _Ciliograde acalephę_, as they are +called--is the Girdle of Venus, which resembles a ribbon in form, and +is sometimes five or six feet in length, covered with cilia, and +brilliantly phosphorescent. This must be one of the most beautiful of +the _fireworks_ of the ocean. + +The jelly-fishes of another section are furnished with one or more +air-bags, which assist them in swimming, and hence bear the name of +_hydrostatic acalephę_. In the Portuguese man-of-war (_Physalia_), the +bag is large, and floats conspicuously on the surface of the water. +From the top of it rises a purple crest, which acts as a sail, and by +its aid the little voyager scuds gaily before the wind. But should +danger threaten--should some hungry, piratical monster in quest of a +dinner heave in sight, or the blast grow furious--the float is at once +compressed, through two minute orifices at the extremities a portion +of the air escapes, and down goes the little craft to the tranquil +depths, leaving the storm or the pirate behind. In one species +(_Cuvieria_), the floats are numerous and prettily ranged round the +margin of the body. Resting on these, the creature casts about its +long fishing-lines, and arrests the passing prey. + +One more section remains to be noticed. The jelly-fishes which belong +to it have a rudimentary skeleton--a plate which supports the soft, +circular body. From the lower part of the body hang numerous tentacles +(_cirri_), amidst which the mouth is placed. Probably these +multitudinous arms assist in locomotion; and, hence the name of the +family, _Cirrigrades_. Amongst the creatures of this division we meet +with some very interesting locomotive apparatus. There are some of +them by no means obliged to trust to their oars alone--they have also +sails. The _Velella_, large fleets of which visit our seas at times, +has a plate (the mast) rising from its bluish disk or deck, covered +with a delicate membrane (the sail) of snowy whiteness, by means of +which it traverses the ocean. This sail, it has been noticed, 'is set +at the same angle as the lateen-sail' of the Malays. We cannot doubt +that it is admirably suited to its purpose, and the Malays may be +proud of having nature as a voucher for their contrivance. + +We find in another species a still more perfect rigging. In it +(_Rataria_) the crest is supplied with muscular bands, by means of +which the sail can be lowered or raised at pleasure. These adaptations +of structure are full of interest. Nothing can be more admirable than +the sailing-gear of these little creatures. They have to traverse the +surface of the ocean amidst all diversities of weather. Paddles alone +would not suffice for them. They must be enabled to take advantage of +the winds. Sails, therefore, are added, and the mightiest agents in +nature are commissioned to speed the little voyagers on their way. + +We have already mentioned that some of the jelly-fishes possess the +power of stinging. Only a few of the larger species, however, seem to +be thus endowed; and the name sea-nettle is by no means applicable to +the class as a whole. The poisonous fluid which produces the +irritating effect on the skin, and no doubt paralyses the creatures +upon which the jelly-fish feeds, is secreted by the arms. By means of +its poison-bearing tentacles, the soft, gelatinous medusa is more than +a match for the armed crustacean and the scale-clad fish. We take from +Professor Forbes the following graphic description of one of the +stinging species:--'The _Cyanęa capillata_ of our seas is a most +formidable creature, and the terror of tender-skinned bathers. With +its broad, tawny, festooned, and scalloped disk, often a full foot or +more across, it flaps its way through the yielding waters, and drags +after it a long train of ribbon-like arms, and seemingly interminable +tails, marking its course when its body is far away from us. Once +tangled in its trailing "hair," the unfortunate who has recklessly +ventured across the graceful monster's path too soon writhes in +prickly torture. Every struggle but binds the poisonous threads more +firmly round his body, and then there is no escape; for when the +winder of the fatal net finds his course impeded by the terrified +human wrestling in its coils, he, seeking no contest with the mightier +biped, casts loose his envenomed arms, and swims away. The amputated +weapons severed from their parent body vent vengeance on the cause of +their destruction, and sting as fiercely as if their original +proprietor itself gave the word of attack.' + +We now approach the most extraordinary portion of the history of +these creatures. Recent investigations have brought to light the most +interesting facts respecting their reproduction and development. It is +now known that the young jelly-fish passes through a series of +transformations before reaching its perfect state. + +At certain seasons, eggs are produced within the body of the parent in +appropriate ovaries, where they are retained for a time. They are then +transferred to a kind of marsupial pouch, analogous to that of the +kangaroo, where their development proceeds. After passing through +certain changes here, the egg issues from the maternal pouch as an +oval body, clothed with cilia--an animalcule in external aspect, and +as unlike its parent as can well be imagined. For awhile the little +creature dances freely through the water, and leads a gay, roving +life; but at last it prepares to 'settle;' selects a fitting locality; +applies one extremity of its body to the surface of stone or weed, and +becomes attached. And now another change passes over it. The cilia, no +longer needed, disappear. A mouth is developed at the upper extremity +of the body, furnished with a number of arms. Gradually this number +increases, and the jelly-fish now appears in the disguise of a polype, +which feeds voraciously on the members of the class from which it has +itself so lately emerged. At this point there is a halt. The medusa +remains in its polype state for some months. At the expiration of this +term, a strange alteration in its appearance begins to take place. +Rings are formed round its body, from ten to fifteen in number. These +gradually deepen, until at length it is literally cut up into a number +of segments, which rest one upon the other--their upper margins +becoming elevated, and divided into eight lobes. It is, in fact, a +pile of cup-shaped pieces, very loosely connected together. A little +later, these pieces free themselves successively, and the sedate +polype disappears in a company of sprightly young medusę. These +beings, indeed, still differ in some respects from the adult animal; +but the differences gradually vanish, and we have the perfect +jelly-fish as the final result of this extraordinary series of +transformations. + +Similar observations have been made respecting other tribes amongst +the lower animals, and some interesting generalisations have been +founded upon them, into which, however, it is not our present purpose +to enter. + +The _Acalephę_ are the principal agents concerned in the production of +the beautiful phenomena of phosphorescence. The minute species--mere +gelatinous specks--swarm at times by countless myriads in the waters +of the ocean, and make its surface glow with 'vitalised fire.' The +waves, as they curl and break, sparkle and flash forth light, and the +track of the moving ship is marked by a lustrous line. 'In the torrid +zones between the tropics,' says Humboldt, 'the ocean simultaneously +develops light over a space of many thousand square miles. Here the +magical effect of light is owing to the forces of organic nature. +Foaming with light, the eddying waves flash in phosphorent sparks over +the wide expanse of waters, where every scintillation is the vital +manifestation of an invisible animal world.' Beneath the surface +larger forms are seen, brilliantly illuminated, and lighting up the +mystic depths of the sea. Fiery balls and flaming ribbons shoot past; +and submarine moons shine with a soft and steady light amidst the +crowds of meteors. 'While sailing a little south of the Plata on one +very dark night,' says Mr Darwin, 'the sea presented a wonderful and +most beautiful spectacle. There was a fresh breeze; and every part of +the surface, which during the day is seen as foam, now glowed with a +pale light. The vessel drove before her bows two billows of liquid +phosphorus, and in her wake she was followed by a milky train. As far +as the eye reached, the crest of every wave was bright; and the sky +above the, horizon, from the reflected glare of these livid flames, +was not so utterly obscure as over the vault of the heavens.' Even in +our own seas very beautiful displays of phosphorescence may be +witnessed. On fine summer nights, a soft, tender light plays round the +boat as it moves onward, and the oars drop liquid fire. For how much +of beauty are we indebted to these living specks of jelly? + +Of the extreme minuteness of some of the species, an idea may be +formed from the fact, that 110,000 might be contained in a cubic foot +of water. We can say nothing with certainty as to the cause of the +phosphorescence of the medusę, and shall not trouble our readers with +mere speculations. + +The jelly-fishes furnish us with a striking illustration of the +profusion of life in the ocean. Provision has indeed been made for +securing in all the realms of our globe the largest possible amount of +sentient being, and consequently of happiness. And to each tribe a +definite part is assigned--a special mission is intrusted. None can be +spared from the economy of nature. The shoals of microscopic medusę +store up in their own tissues the minute portions of nutritious matter +diffused through the waters, and supply food for the support of higher +organisms. All the tribes of animated beings are dependent one upon +another. That the greatest may enjoy its existence and fulfil its +work, the least must hold its place and discharge its function. They +co-operate unconsciously to secure the unity and harmony of a system +which is designed to promote alike the interests of each and all of +them. + + + + +STEEPLE-JACK'S SECRET. + + +You want me to tell you how it comes to pass that I am able to glide +up a steeple like a spider, get astride upon the cross, and pull off +my cap to the crowd below, like a gentleman on horseback saluting his +acquaintances.[2] You want me to explain on what principle, as you +call it, I do this. Well: principle, I suppose, means the rule or law +by which a man does what he ought to do; and if so, it is a very good +word to use. I will oblige you by explaining my principle, for I am as +affable as any man that creeps to his dying day upon the surface of +the earth; and I will tell you how it chanced that I found it out: at +least I will try, for I am no scholar; and if you wish to understand +me, you must have your ears open, and catch a meaning when you can. +And this will do you good, whether you make anything out or not. I +know fellows that go to the lectures, and come back as empty as they +went. But what of that? They think they understand, and thought breeds +thought; and when a man's mind is fairly astir, it is odds but +something good turns up. + +You must know, then, I began the world as a sailor; and I marvel to +this day how I ever became anything else. Sailors are the stupidest +set in creation. They are mere animals, except in the gift of speech; +good, honest, docile animals, perhaps, but dull and narrow. They go +round the small circle of their duties like a blind horse in a mill. +Their faculties are rocked by the waves and lulled by the winds; and +when they come ashore, they can see and understand nothing for the +swimming of their heads. Drink makes them feel as if at sea again; and +when the tankard is out, they return on board, and exchange one state +of stupefaction for another. Well, I _was_ a sailor, and the dullest +of the tribe. No wonder, for I was at it when a young boy. I was never +startled by the sights or sounds of the sea. The moaning of the wind, +the rush of the waves, the silence of the calm, were parts of my own +existence; and in the wildest storm, my mind never took a wider tack +than just to think what the poor devils on shore would do now. + +I was a handy lad, however. I could go aloft with any man on board, +and never troubled the shrouds in coming down when a rope was within +springing distance. But this was instinct or habit: thought was not +concerned in it--I had not found the principle. One day, it blew what +sailors call great guns; our bulwarks were stove in pieces, and the +sea swept the deck, crashing and roaring like a whole herd of tigers. +There was something to do at the mast-head; and when the order came +through the speaking-trumpet, seeing the men hesitate, I jumped upon +the shrouds without thinking twice. But at that moment the ship gave a +lurch, and, holding on like grim death, I was buried deep in the +waves. Although still clutching the ropes, I had at first an idea that +they had parted, and that we were on our way to the bottom together. +This could not have lasted above a minute or so; but it seemed to me +like a year. I heard every voice that had ever sounded in my ear since +childhood; I saw every apparition that had ever glided before my +fancy: the Sea-Serpent twisted his folds round my neck, and the keel +of the Flying Dutchman grated along my back. When the vessel rose at +last, and I rose with her, the waters gurgling in my throat and +hissing in my ears, I did not attempt to spring up the shrouds. I +looked round in horror for the objects of my excited thoughts; and as +I saw another enormous wave advancing till it overhung me, instead of +getting out of its reach, which I could easily have done, I kept +staring at it as it broke into what seemed innumerable goblin faces +and yelling voices over my head. I was down again. My leading thought +now was that I would strike out and swim for my life. But when I had +just made up my mind to this--which the sailors would have called +being washed away--I rose once more to the surface--and struck _up_ +like a good one! I was at the cross-trees in a breath, and once in +safety there, I looked back both with shame and indignation. + +When my job was finished, I went higher up in a sort of dogged humour. +I went higher, and higher, and higher than I ever ventured before, +till I felt the mast bending and quivering in the gale like the point +of a fishing-rod; and then I looked down upon the sea. And what, think +you, I found there? Why, the goblin faces were small white specks of +foam that I could hardly see; and their yelling voices were a smooth, +round, swelling tone, that rolled like music through the rigging. The +mountain-waves were like a flock of sheep in a meadow, running and +gamboling, and lying down and rising up; and in the expanse beyond the +neighbourhood of the ship, they were all lying down together, or +wandering like shadows over a smooth surface. I felt grand then, I +assure you. I looked down, and around, and above, till thoughts that +were not the instincts of an animal, came dancing up in my mind, like +bubbles upon the face of the sea. And as I returned slowly to the +deck, these thoughts grew and multiplied, and began to arrange +themselves into a form which I am not scholar enough to describe. But +through this new medium, I saw things as they are, not as habit and +prejudice make them. I did not fear the waves, and I did not despise +them. I humoured the sea as I got down towards the bulwarks, which +were still buried every now and then; and so I reached my quarters in +safety. + +And what has all this to do with it? I will tell you. With the means +of doing a thing, nothing is difficult, if you only understand +thoroughly the nature of the thing. The obstacles that commonly deter +you are not in the thing, but in you; and until you understand this, +you will keep gaping and shrinking, and saying, 'It is impossible.' +Some folk, when looking out of a three or four storey window, feel as +if they were going to fall. This is their own fault, not the fault of +the window, for that is just like a parlour window, where they have no +sensation of the sort. A man sits peaceably enough on the top of a +tall, three-legged stool, and could hitch himself round and round, and +then get up and stand upon it erect for half a day, without any risk +of falling. Now, a steeple is much more securely fixed than a stool; +its top is as broad as a table; and there is nothing to prevent +anybody from standing upon it as long as he pleases, if he only will +not think he is going to fall. You go up half-a-dozen steps of a +ladder without fear, and then persuade yourself you can go no farther; +but there is nothing more dangerous in the next half-dozen, so far as +they are themselves concerned; nor in the next hundred, nor the next +thousand, for that matter. My secret consists in my _knowing_ all +this, although I feel that I have only described when, not how the +knowledge came. Perhaps you, who are book-learned, may be able to make +it out, and shew how it is that, when anything occurs to awaken the +mind, and enable one to work from knowledge, not habit, he is ten +times the man he was. Without this, I should have climbed a mast all +my life; but with it, I took to leaping up steeples by means of a +kite, in a way that makes many ignorant persons report that I manage +it by holding on by the tail. + +But a man who goes up a steeple must take care how he behaves, for the +eyes of the world are upon him. He is not lost in a crowd, where he is +seen only by his next neighbours. That man must pull off his cap and +be affable; but he must not do even that to extravagance. When the +Queen was passing up the Clyde, an American seaman got on the +topgallant, and stood on his head. What was that for, I should be glad +to know? Suppose her Majesty was coming along Princes Street, just to +take the air like a lady, and look into the shop-windows, and I was to +go right up to her, and stand on my head--what would she say? I +surmise, that she would turn round to her Lord Gold Stick, and order +him to give me a knock on the shins. I know she would, for she is a +regular trump, and knows how people in every station should behave. I +am ashamed of that American: he is a Yankee Noodle! + +It may be said, that the Queen has the same advantage as myself--that +she is up the steeple; but so is every ordinary bricklayer or emperor. +The thing is to be able to look and understand when you _are_ up. I +once saw a curious sight as I sat with the swallows flying far under +my feet. The people did not wander about the street here and there as +usual, but hundreds after hundreds of small objects came on in regular +array. Then I could see long lines of Lilliputian soldiers marching in +the procession, with their tiny bayonets glancing in the sun; and +every now and then came up a soft swell of music, feeble but sweet. +'What is all this about?' thought I. 'Are they going to set one of +these little creatures over them for a bailie or a king?' And one did +march in the middle with a small space round him; 'but perhaps,' +thought I again, 'he is only a trumpeter.' Howbeit, the procession at +last halted, and gathered, and closed, and stood still for a time; and +there was another small swell of the instruments, with a feeble shout +from the throng, and then they all stirred, and broke, and dispersed, +and disappeared. This was just like the view from the mast-head: it +made me feel grand. But when I came down, I had not replaced one +prejudice with another. I did not despise the creatures I came among; +for they were then of the same size as myself. I pulled off my cap to +them, and was affable; only it did give me a queer thought--not a +merry one--when I heard that the official they had made that day, on +going home to his house, out of the grandeur and the din, was heard to +commune with himself, saying: 'And me but a mortal man after all!' + +Poetry? No, sirs, I have learned no poetry. I had poetry enough of my +own without learning it, and so has everybody else. I once knew a +fellow who wrote very good poetry; but few of us understood it. That +man lost his labour. It is nature that _makes_ poetry; the poet has +merely found out the art of stirring it in the hearts of men, where it +lies ready-made, like the perfume of a flower. A poet who is not +understood only makes a noise; and he is the greatest poet who makes +the greatest number of human hearts to leap and tingle. But the fellow +I mean piqued himself on not being understood. Like the Yankee Noodle, +he cut capers that had no intelligible meaning in them, just to make +people stare. As for my own share of poetry, I will tell you when I +feel it stirring most. You must know that in the view from a steeple +the form of objects is changed only in one direction--that is +downwards. The small houses, the narrow streets, the little creatures +creeping along them, and the feeble sounds they send up, make me feel +grand. But when I turn my eyes to the heavens, I see no shadow of +change. The clouds look awful, as if despising my poor attempt at +approach; and they glide, and break, and fade, and build themselves up +again--all in deep silence--in a way that makes me feel mean. Now this +mean feeling is real poetry. The meaner I feel, the grander are they; +and when I look long at them, and think long, and then begin to +descend to the earth, to mingle with the little creatures who are my +fellows, I tremble--but not with fear. + +A philosopher, do you say? Fie! don't call names: I am a bricklayer. I +know that such distance as human beings can climb to is but a small +matter. I see things as they are. I do not fancy that it is more +difficult to stand on a steeple than on a stool, or that it is more +difficult to hold on by a rope at one height than at another. I +observe that men and their affairs, when viewed from a steeple, are +very insignificant; but the same insight into things teaches me, when +I am among them myself, to pull off my cap and be affable. I know that +the things of earth change according to distance, but that the things +of heaven are unchangeable. And all I have got further to say is, that +I am quite sensible that although when up in the air I am a sign and a +marvel to the people below, when down among themselves I am but plain. + + STEEPLE JACK. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[2] See article, 'A Child's Toy,' in No. 418. + + + + +FOOD OF THE ARCTIC REGIONS--FRANKLIN'S EXPEDITION. + + +A certain class of reasoners have argued themselves into the belief +that, setting all other considerations aside, Sir John Franklin and +his companions must have necessarily perished ere now from _lack of +food_. When the four years, or so, of provisions he took out with him +for the large crews of the vessels were all consumed, how, say they, +would it be possible for so great a number of men to obtain food +sufficient to support life in those awfully desolate regions? Let us +examine the question a little. + +Men in very cold climates certainly require a much larger amount of +gross animal food than in southern latitudes--varying, of course, with +their particular physical constitutions. Now, let us grant--though we +do not positively admit it--that, however the provisions taken from +England may have been economised, they have, nevertheless, all been +consumed a couple of years ago, with the exception of a small quantity +of preserved meats, vegetables, lemon-juice, &c. kept in reserve for +the sick, or as a resource in the last extremity. As to spirits, we +have the testimony of all arctic explorers, that their regular +supply and use, so far from being beneficial, is directly the +reverse--weakening the constitution, and predisposing it to scurvy and +other diseases; and that, consequently, spirits should not be given at +all, except on extraordinary occasions, or as a medicine. Sir John +Ross, in his search of the North-West Passage in 1829, and following +years, early stopped the issue of spirits to his men, and with a most +beneficial result. Therefore, the entire consumption of the stock of +spirits on board Sir John Franklin's ships must not be regarded as a +deficiency of any serious moment. + +We shall then presume, that for upwards of two years the adventurers +have been wholly dependent on wild animals, birds, and fish for their +support. Here it becomes an essential element of consideration to form +some approximate idea of the particular locality in which the missing +expedition is probably frozen. Captain Penny tracked it up Wellington +Strait and thence into Victoria Channel--a newly-discovered lake or +sea of unknown extent, which reaches, for anything that can be +demonstrated to the contrary, to the pole. It has long been noticed, +that the mere latitude in the arctic regions is far from being a +certain indication of the degree of cold which might naturally be +expected from a nearer approach to the pole. For instance, cold is +more intense in some parts of latitude 60 degrees than in 70 or 77 +degrees; but this varies very much in different districts of the +coast, and in different seasons; and we may remark in passing, that +whenever there is a particularly mild winter in Britain, it is the +reverse in the arctic regions; and so _vice versā_. The astonishment +of Captain Penny on discovering the new polar sea in question was +heightened by the fact, that it possessed a much warmer climate than +more southern latitudes, and that it swarmed with fish, while its +shores were enlivened with animals and flocks of birds. Moreover, +_trees_ were actually floating about: how they got there, and whence +they came, is a mysterious and deeply-interesting problem. Somewhere +in this sea Sir John Franklin's ships are undoubtedly at this moment. +We say the ships are; for we do not for one moment believe that they +have been sunk or annihilated. It is not very likely that any icebergs +of great magnitude would be tossing about this inland sea in the +summer season--in winter its waters would be frozen--and in navigating +it, the ships would, under their experienced and judicious commander, +pursue their unknown way with extreme caution and prudence. It is more +probable that they were at length fast frozen up in some inlet, or +that small floating fields of ice have conglomerated around them, and +bound them in icy fetters to the mainland. Or it may be that Franklin +sailed slowly along this mystic polar sea, until he reached its +extremity and could get no farther; and that extremity would actually +seem to be towards the Siberian coasts. One thing is quite +certain--namely, that so far as Captain Penny's people were able to +penetrate the channel--several hundred miles--there was no indication +whatever that up to that point Franklin had met with any serious +calamity, or that he had suffered from a fatal deficiency of the +necessaries of life. + +Wherever his exact position may be, there is every reason to suppose +that the country around him produces a supply of food at least equal +to any other part of the arctic regions; and probably much more than +equal, owing to the greater mildness of the climate. But we will only +base our opinion on the fair average supply of food obtainable in the +arctic regions generally; and now let us see what result we shall +fairly arrive at. + +The first consideration that strikes us, is the fact that all over +these icy regions isolated tribes of natives are to be met with; and +they do not exist in a starved and almost famished condition, like the +miserable dwellers in Terra del Fuego, but in absolute abundance--such +as it is. When Sir John Ross's ship was frozen up during the +remarkably severe winter of 1829-30, in latitude 69 degrees 58 +minutes, and longitude 90 degrees, he made the following remarks +concerning a tribe of Esquimaux in his vicinity, which we quote as +being peculiarly applicable to our view of the subject:--'It was for +philosophers to interest themselves in speculating on a horde so +small and so secluded, occupying so apparently hopeless a country--so +barren, so wild, and so repulsive, and yet enjoying the most perfect +vigour, the most _well-fed health_, and all else that here constitutes +not merely wealth, but the opulence of luxury, since they were as +amply furnished with provisions as with every other thing that could +be here necessary to their wants.' + +'Yes,' exclaims our friend the reasoner, 'but the constitution of an +Esquimaux is peculiarly adapted to the climate and food: what he +enjoys would poison a European; and he also possesses skill to capture +wild animals and fish, which the civilised man cannot exercise.' Is +this true? We answer to the first objection: only partially true; and +the second, we utterly deny. The constitution of vigorous men--and all +Franklin's crew were fine, picked young fellows--has a marvellous +adaptability. It is incredible how soon a man becomes reconciled to, +and healthful under, a totally different diet from that to which he +has been all his life accustomed, so long as that change is suitable +to his new home. We ourselves have personally experienced this to some +extent, and were quite amazed at the rapid and easy way in which +nature enabled us to enjoy and thrive on food at which our stomach +would have revolted in England or any southern land. In every country +in the world, 'from Indus to the pole,' the food eaten by the natives +is that which is incomparably best suited to the climate. In the +frozen regions, and every cold country, the best of all nourishment is +that which contains a large proportion of fat and oil. In Britain, we +read with disgust of the Greenlander eagerly swallowing whale-oil and +blubber; but in his country, it is precisely what is best adapted to +sustain vital energy. Europeans in the position of Franklin's crew +would become acclimatised, and gradually accustomed to the food of the +natives, even before their own provisions were exhausted; and after +that, we may be very sure their appetites would lose all delicacy, and +they would necessarily and easily conform to the usages, as regards +food, of the natives around them. We may strengthen our opinion by the +direct and decisive testimony of Sir John Boss himself, who says: 'I +have little doubt, indeed, that many of the unhappy men who have +perished from wintering in these climates, and whose histories are +well known, might have been saved had they conformed, as is so +generally prudent, to the usages and the experience of the natives.' +Undoubtedly they might! + +Secondly, as to the Europeans being unable to capture the beasts, +birds, and fishes so dexterously as the natives, we have reason to +know that the reverse is the case. It is true that the latter know the +habits and haunts of wild creatures by long experience, and also know +the best way to capture some of them; but a very little communication +with natives enables the European to learn the secret; and he soon far +excels his simple instructors in the art, being aided by vastly +superior reasoning faculties, and also by incomparably better +appliances for the chase. Firearms for shooting beasts and birds, and +seines for catching fish, render the Esquimaux spears, and arrows, and +traps mere children's toys in comparison. Moreover, a ship is never +frozen up many weeks, before some wandering tribe is sure to visit it; +and all navigators have found the natives a mild, friendly, grateful +people, with fewer vices than almost any other savages in the World. +They will thankfully barter as many salmon as will feed a ship's crew +one day for a file or two, or needles, or a tin-canister, or piece of +old iron-hoop, or any trifling article of hardware; and so long as the +vessel remains, they and other tribes of their kindred will frequently +visit it, and bring animals and fish to barter for what is literally +almost valueless to European adventurers. + +An important consideration, is the _variety_ of food obtainable in the +arctic regions. We need not particularly classify the creatures found +in the two seasons of summer and winter, but may enumerate the +principal together. Of animals fit for food are musk-oxen, bears, +reindeer, hares, foxes, &c. Of fish, there is considerable variety, +salmon and trout being the chief and never-failing supply. Of birds, +there are ducks, geese, cranes, ptarmigan, grouse, plovers, +partridges, sand-larks, shear-waters, gannets, gulls, mollemokes, +dovekies, and a score of other species. We personally know that the +flesh of bears, reindeer, and some of the other animals, is most +excellent: we have partaken of them with hearty relish. As to foxes, +Ross informs us that, although his men did not like them at first, +they eventually preferred fox-flesh to any other meat! And as to such +birds as gannets and shear-waters, which are generally condemned as +unpalatable, on account of their fishy taste, we would observe that +the rancid flavour exists only in the fat. Separate it, and, as we +ourselves can testify, the flesh of these birds is little inferior to +that of the domestic pigeon, when either boiled or roasted. The +majority of the creatures named may be captured in considerable +numbers, in their several seasons, with only ordinary skill. But +necessity sharpens the faculties of men to an inconceivable degree; +and when the life of a crew depends on their success in the chase, +they will speedily become expert hunters. It is true that the wild +animals habitually existing in a small tract of country may soon be +thinned, if not altogether exterminated; but bears, foxes, &c. +continue to visit it with little average diminution in numbers. The +fish never fail. The quantity of salmon is said to be immense, and +they can be preserved in stock a very long period by being simply +buried in snow-pits. The birds also regularly make their periodical +appearance. Besides, parties of hunters would be despatched to scour +the country at considerable distances, and their skill and success +would improve with each coming season. In regard to fuel, the +Esquimaux plan of burning the oil and blubber of seals, the fat of +bears, &c. would be quite effective. In the brief but fervid summer +season, every inch of ground is covered with intensely green verdure, +and even with flowers; and there is a great variety of wild plants, +including abundance of Angelica, sorrel, and scurvy-grass, also +lichens and mosses, all of antiscorbutic qualities. We have ourselves +seen the Laplanders eat great quantities of the sorrel-grass; and the +Nordlanders told us that they boiled it in lieu of greens at table. +These vegetables might be gathered each summer, and preserved for +winter use. + +We repeat, that since the poor, ignorant natives live in rude +abundance, and lack nothing for mere animal enjoyment of life, it is +impossible to doubt that Europeans, who in intelligence and resources +are a superior race of beings, can fail to participate equally in all +things which the Creator has provided for the support of man in this +extremity of the habitable globe; also let it be borne in mind, that +half-a-dozen Esquimaux devour almost as much food every day as will +suffice for a ship's crew. Sir John Ross declares, that if they only +ate moderately, any given district would support 'double their number, +and with scarcely the hazard of want.' He says that an Esquimaux eats +twenty pounds of flesh and oil a day, and, in fact, never ceases from +devouring until compelled to desist from sheer repletion. Speaking +of one meal taken in their company, we have this edifying +observation:--'While we found that one salmon and half of another were +more than enough for all us English, these voracious animals (the +Esquimaux) had devoured two each. At this rate of feeding, it is not +wonderful that their whole time is occupied in procuring food: each +man had eaten fourteen pounds of this raw salmon, and it was probably +but a luncheon after all, of a superfluous meal for the sake of our +society!.... The glutton bear--scandalised as it may be by its +name--might even be deemed a creature of moderate appetite in +comparison: with their human reason in addition, these people, could +they always command the means, would doubtless outrival a glutton and +a boa-constrictor together.' + +Finally, we expressly deny that the Esquimaux can or do bear extreme +cold and privations better than Englishmen who have been a season or +two in their country. Arctic explorers testify that the natives always +appeared to suffer from cold quite as much as Europeans; and what +little we have ourselves seen of northern countries, induces us to +give ample credence to this. + +The conclusion, then, at which we arrive is this: that under such +experienced and energetic leaders as Sir John Franklin and his chief +officers, the gallant crews of the missing expedition have _not_ +perished for lack of food, and will be enabled, if God so wills, to +support life for years to come. Great, indeed, their sufferings must +be; for civilised men do not merely eat to sleep, and sleep to eat, +like the Esquimaux; but they will be upheld under every suffering by a +firm conviction that their countrymen are making almost superhuman +exertions to rescue them from their fearful isolation. What the final +issue will be, is known only to Him who tempers the wind to the shorn +lamb, and can, if He deems meet, provide a way of deliverance when +hope itself has died in every breast. Our individual opinion is, that +it is not improbable the lost crews will, sooner or later, achieve +their own deliverance by arriving at some coast whence they may be +taken off, even as Ross was, after sojourning during four years of +unparalleled severity. But it is the bounden duty of our country never +to relax its efforts to save Franklin, until there is an absolute +certainty that all further human exertions are in vain. + +[We give the above as a paper on the food of the arctic regions, and +can only hope that our correspondent's cheering views as to the fate +of the missing expedition may prove to be correct.--ED.] + + + + +THE ARTIST'S SACRIFICE. + + +On a cold evening in January--one of those dark and gloomy evenings +which fill one with sadness--there sat watching by the bed of a sick +man, in a little room on the fifth floor, a woman of about forty, and +two pretty children--a boy of twelve and a little girl of eight. The +exquisite neatness of the room almost concealed its wretchedness: +everything announced order and economy, but at the same time great +poverty. A painted wooden bedstead, covered with coarse but clean +calico sheets, blue calico curtains, four chairs, a straw arm-chair, a +high desk of dark wood, with a few books and boxes placed on shelves, +composed the entire furniture of the room. And yet the man who lay on +that wretched bed, whose pallid cheek, and harsh, incessant cough, +foretold the approach of death, was one of the brightest ornaments of +our literature. His historical works had won for him a European +celebrity, his writings having been translated into all the modern +languages; yet he had always remained poor, because his devotion to +science had prevented him from devoting a sufficient portion of his +time to productive labour. + +An unfinished piece of costly embroidery thrown on a little stand near +the bed, another piece of a less costly kind, but yet too luxurious to +be intended for the use of this poor family, shewed that his wife and +daughter--this gentle child whose large dark eyes were so full of +sadness--endeavoured by the work of their hands to make up for the +unproductiveness of his efforts. The sick man slept, and the mother, +taking away the lamp and the pieces of embroidery, went with her +children into the adjoining room, which served both as antechamber and +dining-room: she seated herself at the table, and took up her work +with a sad and abstracted air; then observing her little daughter +doing the same thing cheerfully, and her son industriously colouring +some prints destined for a book of fashions, she embraced them; and +raising her tearful eyes towards heaven, she seemed to be thanking the +Almighty, and in the midst of her affliction, to be filled with +gratitude to Him who had blessed her with such children. + +Soon after, a gentle ring was heard at the door, and M. Raymond, a +young doctor, with a frank, pleasing countenance, entered and inquired +for the invalid. 'Just the same, doctor,' said Mme G----. + +The young man went into the next room, and gazed for some moments +attentively on the sleeper, whilst the poor wife fixed her eyes on the +doctor's countenance, and seemed there to read her fate. + +'Is there no hope, doctor?' she asked in a choking voice, as she +conducted him to the other room. The doctor was silent, and the +afflicted mother embraced her children and wept. After a pause she +said: 'There is one idea which haunts me continually: I should wish so +much to have my husband's likeness. Do you know of any generous and +clever artist, doctor? Oh, how much this would add to the many +obligations you have already laid me under!' + +'Unfortunately, I am not acquainted with a single artist,' replied the +young doctor. + +'I must then renounce this desire,' said Mme G---- sighing. + +The next morning Henry--so the little boy was called--having assisted +his mother and his sister Marie in their household labours, dressed +himself carefully, and, as it was a holiday, asked leave to go out. + +'Go, my child,' said his mother; 'go and breathe a little fresh air: +your continual work is injurious to you.' + +The boy kissed his father's wasted hand, embraced his mother and +sister, and went out, at once sad and pleased. When he reached the +street he hesitated for a moment, then directed his steps towards the +drawing-school where he attended every day: he entered, and rung at +the door of the apartment belonging to the professor who directed this +academy. A servant opened the door, and conducted him into an +elegantly-furnished breakfast-room; for the professor was one of the +richest and most distinguished painters of the day. He was +breakfasting alone with his wife, when Henry entered. + +'There, my dear,' He said to her, as he perceived Henry; 'there is the +cleverest pupil in the academy. This little fellow really promises to +do me great credit one day. Well, my little friend, what do you wish +to say to me?' + +'Sir, my father is very ill--the doctor fears that he may die: poor +mamma, who is very fond of papa, wishes to have his portrait. Would +you, sir, be kind enough to take it? O do not, pray, sir, do not +refuse me!' said Henry, whose tearful eyes were fixed imploringly on +the artist. + +'Impossible, Henry--impossible!' replied the painter. 'I am paid three +thousand francs for every portrait I paint, and I have five or six at +present to finish.' + +'But, my dear,' interposed his wife, 'it seems to me that this +portrait would take you but little time: think of the poor mother, +whose husband will so soon be lost to her for ever.' + +'It grieves me to refuse you, my dear; but you know that my +battle-piece, which is destined for Versailles, must be sent to the +Louvre in a fortnight, for I cannot miss the Exposition this year. But +stay, my little friend, I will give you the address of several of my +pupils: tell them I sent you, and you will certainly find some one of +them who will do what you wish. Good-morning, Henry!' + +'Good-by, my little friend,' added the lady. 'I hope you may be +successful.' The boy took his leave with a bursting heart. + +Henry wandered through the gardens of the Luxembourg, debating with +himself if he should apply to the young artists whose addresses he +held in his hand. Fearing that his new efforts might be equally +unsuccessful, he was trying to nerve himself to encounter fresh +refusals, when he was accosted by a boy of his own age, his +fellow-student at the drawing-school. Jules proposed that they should +walk together; then observing Henry's sadness, he asked him the cause. +Henry told him of his mother's desire; their master's refusal to take +the portrait; and of his own dislike to apply to those young artists, +who were strangers to him. + +'Come with me,' cried Jules, when his friend had ceased speaking. 'My +sister is also an artist: she has always taken care of me, for our +father and mother died when we were both very young. She is so kind +and so fond of me that I am very sure she will not refuse.' + +The two boys traversed the Avenue de l'Observatoire, the merry, joyous +face of the one contrasting with the sadness and anxiety of the other. +When they got to the end of the avenue they entered the Rue de +l'Ouest, and went into a quiet-looking house, up to the fourth storey +of which Jules mounted with rapid steps, dragging poor Henry with him. +He tapped gaily at a little door, which a young servant opened: he +passed through the antechamber, and the two boys found themselves in +the presence of Emily d'Orbe, the sister of Jules. + +She appeared to be about twenty-five: she was not tall, and her face +was rather pleasing than handsome; yet her whole appearance indicated +cultivation and amiability. Her dress was simple, but exquisitely +neat; her gown of brown stuff fitted well to her graceful figure; her +linen cuffs and collar were of a snowy whiteness; her hair was parted +in front, and fastened up behind _ą l'antique_: but she wore no +ribbon, no ornament--nothing but what was necessary. The furniture of +the room, which served at the same time as a sitting-room and studio, +was equally simple: a little divan, some chairs and two arm-chairs +covered with gray cloth, a round table, a black marble time-piece of +the simplest form; two engravings, the 'Spasimo di Sicilia' and the +'Three Maries,' alone ornamented the walls; green blinds were placed +over the windows, not for ornament, but to moderate the light, +according to the desire of the artist; finally, three easels, on which +rested some unfinished portraits, and a large painting representing +Anna Boleyn embracing her daughter before going to execution. + +When he entered, little Jules went first to embrace his sister; she +tenderly returned his caresses, then said to him in a gentle voice, as +she returned to her easel: 'Now, my dear child, let me go on with my +painting;' not, however, without addressing a friendly 'Good-morning' +to Henry, who she thought had come to play with Jules. + +Henry had been looking at the unfinished pictures with a sort of +terror, because they appeared to him as obstacles between him and his +request. He dared not speak, fearing to hear again the terrible word +'impossible!' and he was going away, when Jules took him by the hand +and drew him towards Emily. 'Sister,' he said, 'I have brought my +friend Henry to see you; he wishes to ask you something; do speak to +him.' + +'Jules,' she replied, 'let me paint; you know I have very little time. +You are playing the spoiled child: you abuse my indulgence.' + +'Indeed, Emily, I am not jesting; you must really speak to Henry. If +you knew how unhappy he is!' + +Mlle d'Orbe, raising her eyes to the boy, was struck with his pale +and anxious face, and said to him in a kind voice, as she continued +her painting: 'Forgive my rudeness, my little friend; this picture is +to be sent to the Exposition, and I have not a moment to lose, +because, both for my brother's sake and my own, I wish it to do me +credit. But speak, my child; speak without fear, and be assured that I +will not refuse you anything that is in the power of a poor artist.' + +Henry, regaining a little courage, told her what he desired: then +Jules having related his friend's visit to their master, Henry added: +'But I see very well, mademoiselle, that you cannot do this portrait +either, and I am sorry to have disturbed you.' + +In the meantime little Jules had been kissing his sister, and +caressing her soft hair, entreating her not to refuse his little +friend's request. Mlle d'Orbe was painting Anna Boleyn: she stopped +her work; a struggle seemed to arise in the depth of her heart, while +she looked affectionately on the children. She, however, soon laid +aside her pallett, and casting one glance of regret on her picture: 'I +will take your father's portrait,' she said to Henry--'that man of +sorrow, and of genius. Your mother's wish shall be fulfilled.' + +She had scarcely uttered these words when a lady entered the room. She +was young, pretty, and richly dressed. Having announced her name, she +asked Mlle d'Orbe to take her portrait, on the express condition that +it should be finished in time to be placed in the Exposition. + +'It is impossible for me to have this honour, madame,' replied the +artist: 'I have a picture to finish, and I have just promised to do a +portrait to which I must give all my spare time.' + +'You would have been well paid for my portrait, and my name in the +catalogue would have made yours known,' added the young countess. + +Mlle d'Orbe only replied by a bow; and the lady had scarcely +withdrawn, when taking her bonnet and shawl, the young artist embraced +her brother, took Henry by the hand, and said to him: 'Bring me to +your mother, my child.' + +Henry flew rather than walked; Mlle d'Orbe could with difficulty keep +up with him. Both ascended to the fifth storey in the house in the Rue +Descartes, where this poor family lived. When they reached the door, +Henry tapped softly at it. Mme G---- opened it. + +'Mamma,' said the boy, trembling with emotion, 'this lady is an +artist: she is come to take papa's portrait.' The poor woman, who had +not hoped for such an unexpected happiness, wept as she pressed to her +lips the hands of Mlle d'Orbe, and could not find words to express +her gratitude. + +The portrait was commenced at once; and the young artist worked with +zeal and devotion, for her admiration of the gifted and unfortunate +man was intense. She resolved to make the piece valuable as a work of +art, for posterity might one day demand the portrait of this gifted +man, and her duty as a painter was to represent him in his noblest +aspect. + +Long sittings fatigued the invalid; so it was resolved to take two +each day, and the young artist came regularly twice every day. As by +degrees the strength of the sick man declined, the portrait advanced. +At length, at the end of twelve days, it was finished: this was about +a week before the death of M. G----. + +At the same time that she was painting this portrait, Mlle d'Orbe +worked with ardour on her large painting, always hoping to have it +ready in time. This hope did not fail her until some days before the +1st of February. There was but a week longer to work: and this year +she must abandon the idea of sending to the Exposition. + +Some artists who had seen her picture had encouraged her very much; +she could count, in their opinion, on brilliant success. This she +desired with all her heart: first, from that noble thirst of glory +which God has implanted in the souls of artists; and, secondly, from +the influence it would have on the prospects of her little Jules, whom +she loved with a mother's tenderness, and whom she wished to be able +to endow with all the treasures of education. This disappointment, +these long hours of toil, rendered so vain at the very moment when +she looked forward to receive her reward, so depressed the young +artist, that she became dangerously ill. + +Mlle d'Orbe had very few friends, as she was an orphan, and lived in +great retirement; she found herself therefore completely left to the +care of her young attendant. When Jules met Henry at the +drawing-school he told him of his sister's illness: Henry informed his +mother, and Mme G---- immediately hastened to Mlle d'Orbe, whom she +found in the delirium of a fever from which she had been suffering for +some days. The servant said that her mistress had refused to send for +a doctor, pretending that her illness did not signify. Mme G----, +terrified at the state of her young friend, went out and soon returned +with Dr Raymond. + +The invalid was delirious: she unceasingly repeated the +words--'portrait,' 'Anna Boleyn,' 'exposition,' 'fortune,' +'disappointed hopes;' which plainly indicated the cause of her +illness, and brought tears into the eyes of Mme G----. 'Alas!' she +said, 'it is on my account she suffers: I am the cause of her not +finishing her picture. Doctor, I am very unfortunate.' + +'All may be repaired,' replied the doctor: 'if you will promise to +nurse the invalid, I will answer for her recovery.' + +In fact, Mme G---- never left the sick-bed of Mlle d'Orbe. The +doctor visited her twice in the day, and their united care soon +restored the health of the interesting artist. + +Mademoiselle was scarcely convalescent when she went to the Exposition +of paintings at the Louvre, of which she had heard nothing--the doctor +and Mme G---- having, as she thought, avoided touching on a subject +which might pain her. She passed alone through the galleries, crowded +with distinguished artists and elegantly-dressed ladies, saying to +herself that perhaps her picture would have been as good as many which +attracted the admiration of the crowd. She was thus walking sadly on, +looking at the spot where she had hoped to have seen her Anna Boleyn, +when she found herself stopped by a group of artists. They were +unanimous in their praises. 'This is the best portrait in the +Exposition,' said one. 'A celebrated engraver is about to buy from the +artist the right to engrave this portrait for the new edition of the +author's works,' said another. 'We are very fortunate in having so +faithful a likeness of so distinguished a writer as M. G----.' + +At this name Mlle d'Orbe raised her eyes, and recognised her own +work! Pale, trembling with emotion, the young artist was obliged to +lean on the rail for support; then opening the catalogue, she read her +name as if in a dream, and remained for some time to enjoy the +pleasure of hearing the praises of her genius. + +When the Exposition closed she hastened to Mme G----, and heard that +it was Dr Raymond who had conceived the happy idea of sending the +portrait to the Louvre. 'My only merit is the separating myself for a +time from a picture which is my greatest consolation,' added Mme +G----. + +From this day the young artist became the friend of the poor widow, +whose prospects soon brightened. Through the influence of some of the +friends of her lost husband, she obtained a pension from government--a +merited but tardy reward! The two ladies lived near each other, and +spent their evenings together. Henry and Jules played and studied +together. Marie read aloud, while her mother and Mlle d'Orbe worked. +Dr Raymond sometimes shared in this pleasant intercourse. He had loved +the young artist from the day he had seen her renounce so much to do a +generous action; but, an orphan like herself, and with no fortune but +his profession, he feared to be rejected if he offered her his hand. +It was therefore Mme G---- who charged herself with pleading his suit +with the young artist. + +Mlle d'Orbe felt a lively gratitude towards the young doctor for the +care and solicitude he had shewn during her illness, and for sending +her portrait to the Exposition. Thanks to him, she had become known; +commissions arrived in numbers, a brilliant future opened before her +and Jules. Mme G---- had, then, a favourable answer to give to her +young friend, who soon became the husband of the interesting artist +whose generous sacrifice had been the foundation of her happiness. + + + + +ACCIDENTS AT SEA. + + +On this subject an interesting return to an order of the House of +Commons was lately made by the management of Lloyd's, and has caused +some discussion in the public prints. The return applies to the four +years ending December 1850; and during this period, it appears that +the number of collisions, wrecks, and other accidents at sea, was +13,510; being at the rate of 3377 per annum, 9 per diem, or 1 for +every 2-3/4 hours. Commenting on these details, the _Times_ observes, +that 'it must not be understood that every accident implies a total +wreck, with the loss of all hands. If a ship carries away any of her +important spars, or, on entering her port, strikes heavily against a +pier, whereby serious damage is occasioned, the accident is duly +registered in this pithy chronicle of Lloyd's. Nevertheless, as we +glance up and down the columns, it is no exaggeration to say, that +two-thirds of the accidents recorded are of the most serious +description. We are unable to say to what degree this register of +Lloyd's can be accepted as a fair index to the tragedies which are of +such hourly occurrence upon the surface of the ocean. If all were +known, we fear that this average of accident or wreck every 2-3/4 +hours would be fearfully increased. The truth must he told. The +incapacity of too many of the masters in the British mercantile marine +has been the pregnant cause of loss to their owners and death to their +crews. Men scarcely competent to take the responsibility of an +ordinary day's work, or, if competent, of notoriously intemperate +habits, were placed in command of sea-going ships through the +parsimony or nepotism of the owners. The result of the educational +clauses in the Mercantile Marine Bill of last session, will no doubt +be to provide a much larger body of well-trained men, from among whom +our shipowners can select the most competent persons for command.' + +These observations called forth a reply from the President of the +Seaman's Association, vindicating mariners from the charges so brought +against them. A few passages from the letter of this respondent are +worth noticing. 'Are British sailors,' he asks, 'really so bad as you +represent? If so, then you condemn by implication the seamen of the +United States, for they are also Anglo-Saxon. Let me direct your +attention to a few facts bearing out this assertion. The desertions +from the royal navy in 1846 (see Parliamentary Returns) were 2382; +this is about 1 out of every 14 seamen annually. Nearly the whole of +these men keep to the United States' service. Again, the desertions +from Quebec in consequence of three things--first, low wages; +secondly, register-tickets; thirdly, the payment of 1s., exacted from +every man on shipment and discharge, to a shipping office, to uphold +the Mercantile Marine Act, for which the men receive no value--were +upwards of 1400 this season; and about 4000 from all other ports. From +American statistics, it is proved that two-thirds of the seamen +sailing in ships of the United States are British subjects; and if +American ships are preferred to British, it must be because they are +manned by our fine spirited tars. A large proportion of their ships +are commanded by Englishmen.' + +An effort, as is well known, has lately been made to elevate the +character of British seamen, by means of registries under the +Mercantile Marine Act, and the issuing of tickets, which must be +produced by sailors. Our belief is, that much of the legislation on +this subject has been injurious; as any law must be which attempts to +regulate the bargains of employers and employed. It may be proper for +master-mariners to be subjected to some kind of test of ability, but +it appears to us that it would be equally beneficial to encourage +young men to enter the profession. To pay well is, after all, the true +way to get good servants. Why do British sailors desert to the +American service? Because they are better paid. And having so +deserted, they unfortunately cannot again procure employment under the +British flag without producing a register-ticket, which, of course, +they cannot do. Thus, picked men are permanently lost to the British +navy. Besides offering higher wages, it might have proved extremely +advantageous to open nautical schools for youths desirous of going to +sea. According to existing arrangements, the sailor--like the French +workman with his _livret_--is considered to be a child not fit to take +care of himself; and the law interposes to say he shall do this, and +do that, under a penalty for neglect of its provisions. This is to +keep sailors in a state of perpetual tutelage; and being at variance +with the principles of civil liberty, it is to be feared that the +practice can lead to nothing but mischief. + +As to wrecks, the cause of the chief disasters seems as often to be +imperfect construction of vessels and imperfect stowage, as anything +else; while loss of life for the greater part arises from a deficiency +of boats, and the means of readily unshipping them. As victims of +ill-made, badly-found, and rotten vessels, not to speak of land-sharks +and sea-sharks--as the sufferers in life and limb when shippers and +brokers may be actually benefiting from casualties--sailors, as a +class, merit public sympathy instead of reproach or discouragement. + + + + +'VISIT TO AN ENGLISH MONASTERY.' + + +We have received a letter from the Abbot of Mount St Bernard's, +pointing out, in courteous terms, several inaccuracies in the article +which appeared with the above title in No. 413 of this Journal. Meat, +it seems, is only 'strictly prohibited' to the healthy: it is allowed +to the sick and infirm when prescribed by the doctor. Every night +before compline the brethren meet to hear some pious lecture read, not +to confess their thoughts to the superior. Instead of one meal a day, +as stated by our correspondent, the lay-brethren, who are employed +chiefly in manual labour, have at least two meals every day during the +whole year, excepting fast-days; and the choir-brethren two meals a +day during the summer, and one during the winter. To the latter, when +they are of a weakly constitution, a collation is allowed in addition. +The greatest error of all, however, appears to us to exist in the +estimate formed of the abbot, who, judging by his correspondence, is +evidently as informed and intelligent a person as is usually met with +out of the monastic circle. + + + + +AMERICAN HOMAGE TO SHAKSPEARE AND MRS COWDEN CLARKE. + + +There is a work to which many of our readers are probably strangers, +but which has roused the enthusiasm of the New World. It is a work of +immense labour, which in writing and correcting proofs occupied its +author sixteen years. This author is a lady, and the production on +which she bestowed so much unwearied patience and perseverance, during +a space of time equivalent in most cases to an entire literary life, +is a Concordance to Shakspeare. 'Her work,' says Mr Webster, the +American Secretary of State, 'is a perfect wonder, surprisingly full +and accurate, and exhibiting proof of unexampled labour and patience. +She has treasured up every word of Shakspeare, as if he were her +lover, and she were his.' But Mr Webster and his countrymen were not +satisfied even with such generous praise: they determined to present +Mrs Clarke with an enduring testimonial of their gratitude and +respect; and, accordingly, the ceremony has recently been performed by +Mr Abbot Laurence, the American minister. The list of subscribers, we +are told, 'contains names from Maine to Mexico. Even the far, far +west, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Illinois, have contributed; whilst +Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, +Pennsylvania, Ohio, and South Carolina, swell the list of the most +distinguished American literati, embracing a fair sprinkling of fair +ladies. There is even a subscriber from the shores of the Pacific.' +The testimonial is an elaborately carved library chair, bearing on the +top rail a mask of Shakspeare, copied in ivory from the Stratford +bust, wreathed with oak-leaves and laurel, and shaded by the wings of +two of 'Avon's swans.' Although an elegant and costly gift, however, +in itself, there is attached to this testimonial a meaning and a value +which we trust will make its due impression in the native land of +Shakspeare--in that mother-country to which the eyes of her western +descendants are thus turned in the lofty sympathy which binds together +throughout the whole world the children and worshippers of genius. + + + + +TO WORDSWORTH. + + + The voice of Nature in her changeful moods + Breathes o'er the solemn waters as they flow, + And 'mid the wavings of the ancient woods + Murmurs, now filled with joy, now sad and low. + Thou gentle poet, she hath tuned thy mind + To deep accordance with the harmony + That floats above the mountain summits free-- + A concert of Creation on the wind. + And thy calm strains are breathed as though the dove + And nightingale had given thee for thy dower + The soul of music and the heart of love; + And with a holy, tranquillising power + They fall upon the spirit, like a gleam + Of quiet star-light on a troubled stream. + M.A. HOARE. + + + + +INTELLECT DEVELOPED BY LABOUR. + + +Are labour and self-culture irreconcilable to each other? In the first +place, we have seen that a man, in the midst of labour, may and ought +to give himself to the most important improvements, that he may +cultivate his sense of justice, his benevolence, and the desire of +perfection. Toil is the school for these high principles; and we have +here a strong presumption that, in other respects, it does not +necessarily blight the soul. Next, we have seen that the most fruitful +sources of truth and wisdom are not books, precious as they are, but +experience and observation; and these belong to all conditions. It is +another important consideration, that almost all labour demands +intellectual activity, and is best carried on by those who invigorate +their minds; so that the two interests, toil and self-culture, are +friends to each other. It is mind, after all, which does the work of +the world, so that the more there is of mind, the more work will be +accomplished. A man, in proportion as he is intelligent, makes a given +force accomplish a greater task; makes skill take the place of muscle, +and with less labour, gives a better product. Make men intelligent, +and they become inventive; they find shorter processes. Their +knowledge of nature helps them to turn its laws to account, to +understand the substances on which they work, and to seize on useful +hints, which experience continually furnishes. It is among workmen +that some of the most useful machines have been contrived. Spread +education, and as the history of this country shews, there will be no +bounds to useful invention.--_Channing._ + + * * * * * + +Printed and Published by W. and K. CHAMBERS, High Street, Edinburgh. +Also sold by W.S. ORR, Amen Corner, London; D.N. CHAMBERS, 55 West +Nile Street, Glasgow; and J. M'GLASHAN, 50 Upper Sackville Street, +Dublin.--Advertisements for Monthly Parts are requested to be sent to +MAXWELL & Co., 31 Nicholas Lane, Lombard Street, London, to whom all +applications respecting their insertion must be made. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Chambers' Edinburgh Journal, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHAMBERS' EDINBURGH JOURNAL *** + +***** This file should be named 15481-8.txt or 15481-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/4/8/15481/ + +Produced by Malcolm Farmer, Richard J. 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February 7, 1852 + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + /*<![CDATA[*/ + + <!-- + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; + max-width: 40em;} + .poem span.i15 {display: block; margin-left: 15em;} + p {text-align: justify;} + p.center {text-align: center;} + p.date {text-align:right; margin-right: 10%} + p.author, p.author-up {text-align: right; + font-variant: small-caps; + margin-right: 10%;} + p.author-up {margin-top: -1.0em;} + blockquote {text-align: justify; font-size: 0.9em;} + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 {text-align: center;} + pre {font-size: 0.7em;} + .returnTOC {text-align: right; font-size: 70%;} + hr {text-align: center; width: 50%;} + html>body hr {margin-right: 25%; margin-left: 25%; width: 50%;} + hr.full {width: 100%;} + html>body hr.full {margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 0%; width: 100%;} + hr.short {text-align: center; width: 20%;} + html>body hr.short {margin-right: 40%; margin-left: 40%; width: 20%;} + .sc {font-variant: small-caps;} + .sup {font-size: smaller; vertical-align: 2px;} + .note + {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + span.pagenum {position: absolute; left: 1%; right: 91%; font-size: 8pt;} + .fnanchor { + font-size: smaller; /* discreet [X] */ + vertical-align: 2px; /* bumped up a trace from baseline */ + } + .contents + {margin-left:15%; margin-right:0%; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left;} + .poem + {margin-left:20%; margin-right:10%; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem p {margin: 0; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem p.i2 {margin-left: 1em;} + .poem p.i4 {margin-left: 2em;} + .poem p.i6 {margin-left: 3em;} + .poem p.i8 {margin-left: 4em;} + .poem p.i20 {margin-left: 10em;} + // --> + /*]]>*/ + </style> +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Chambers' Edinburgh Journal, by Various + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Chambers' Edinburgh Journal + Volume XVII., No 423, New Series. February 7th, 1852 + +Author: Various + +Editor: William Chambers and Robert Chambers + +Release Date: March 27, 2005 [EBook #15481] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHAMBERS' EDINBURGH JOURNAL *** + + + + +Produced by Malcolm Farmer, Richard J. Schiffer and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<h1>CHAMBERS' EDINBURGH JOURNAL</h1> + +<h2><a name="Contents" id="Contents">CONTENTS</a></h2> + +<div class="contents"> + +<!-- Autogenerated TOC. Modify or delete as required. --> +<p> + <a href="#UP_THE_INDUS"><b>UP THE INDUS.</b></a><br /> + <a href="#HELPSS_ESSAYS"><b>HELPS'S ESSAYS.</b></a><br /> + <a href="#JELLY_FISHES"><b>JELLY-FISHES.</b></a><br /> + <a href="#STEEPLE_JACKS_SECRET"><b>STEEPLE-JACK'S SECRET.</b></a><br /> + <a href="#FOOD_OF_THE_ARCTIC_REGIONS_FRANKLINS_EXPEDITION"><b>FOOD OF THE ARCTIC REGIONS—FRANKLIN'S EXPEDITION.</b></a><br /> + <a href="#THE_ARTISTS_SACRIFICE"><b>THE ARTIST'S SACRIFICE.</b></a><br /> + <a href="#ACCIDENTS_AT_SEA"><b>ACCIDENTS AT SEA.</b></a><br /> + <a href="#VISIT_TO_AN_ENGLISH_MONASTERY"><b>'VISIT TO AN ENGLISH MONASTERY.'</b></a><br /> + <a href="#AMERICAN_HOMAGE_TO_SHAKSPEARE_AND_MRS_COWDEN_CLARKE"><b>AMERICAN HOMAGE TO SHAKSPEARE AND MRS COWDEN CLARKE.</b></a><br /> + <a href="#TO_WORDSWORTH"><b>TO WORDSWORTH.</b></a><br /> + <a href="#INTELLECT_DEVELOPED_BY_LABOUR"><b>INTELLECT DEVELOPED BY LABOUR.</b></a><br /> + </p> +<!-- End Autogenerated TOC. --> +</div> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page81" id="page81"></a>[pg 81]</span> + +<img src="images/banner.png" + width="100%" + alt="Banner: Chambers' Edinburgh Journal" /> + +<h4>CONDUCTED BY WILLIAM AND ROBERT CHAMBERS, EDITORS OF 'CHAMBERS'S +INFORMATION FOR THE PEOPLE,' 'CHAMBERS'S EDUCATIONAL COURSE,' &c.</h4> + +<hr class="full" /> + +<table width="100%" + summary="Volume, Date and Price"> +<tr> +<td align="left"><b>No. 423. NEW SERIES.</b></td> +<td align="left"><b>SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1852.</b></td> +<td align="right"><b>PRICE 1½<i>d</i>.</b></td> +</tr> +</table> + +<hr class="full" /> + +<h2><a name="UP_THE_INDUS" id="UP_THE_INDUS" />UP THE INDUS.</h2> + +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of + Contents</a></p> + +<p><span class="sc">Three</span> years ago, I received orders to proceed from Kurâchee to Roree +by the river route, for the purpose of joining the siege-train then +assembling for the reduction of Mooltan. Subsequent events caused my +final destination to be changed to Sukkur. Although my journey was +thus not so long as I had both expected and wished, yet I had an +opportunity of seeing some three or four hundred miles of a river that +the records of the past, and the anticipations of the future, alike +combine to render interesting, and which in itself differs in many +respects from the other rivers of India. My position in life—that of +a non-commissioned officer of the ordnance department—has prevented +me from gleaning information on the subject, either from books or +official sources; but it may be that a narration of what I merely +<i>saw</i>, will not prove altogether without interest for those who must +run while they read—who have neither time, nor perhaps inclination, +to acquire any more than a superficial knowledge of distant countries.</p> + +<p>Having been provided with a passage in one of the steamers of the +Indus flotilla, and informed that the vessel was to start at daybreak +on the following morning, I hastened to procure the necessary +documents to authorise my obtaining ten days' sea-rations from the +commissariat department. The following was the proportion of food for +each day, and I may remark, that I received it from government gratis, +with the exception of the spirits, as I was proceeding on +field-service:—1 lb. of biscuits, 1 lb. of salt beef or pork, 1-4th +of 1 lb. of rice, 1 oz. and 2-7ths of sugar, 5-7ths of 1 oz. of tea, +and 2 drams, or about 1-4th of a bottle of arrack, 24 degrees under +proof. Having secured the provant, my mind was now perfectly at ease, +and I leisurely set about completing my arrangements for the voyage. +These consisted mainly in locking my only box, and tying up in a +cotton quilt a blanket and the thick sheet of goat's-hair-felt that +served me for a bed. It was dark before I left camp; and as I was +detained a considerable time at the <i>bunder</i> or landing-place, waiting +for a boat to take me off to the steamer, it was late in the night +when I got on board.</p> + +<p>The steam-boat was about the size of the largest of those that ply +above bridge on the Thames. When I had scrambled on deck, I found that +the forepart of the vessel was crowded with the bodies of natives, +every one of whom was testifying the soundness of his repose by notes +both loud and deep. Having selected the only spot where there was room +even to sit down, I began, in a somewhat high key, to warble a lively +strain calculated to cheer the drooping spirits of such of my +neighbours as had that evening undergone the pang of parting from +their friends. This proceeding soon had the effect of drawing all eyes +upon me, and, indeed, not a few of the tongues also; for the now +thoroughly awakened sleepers—with great want of taste—growled out, +at the expense both of myself and of my performance, sundry +maledictions, with a fervency peculiar to the country, until at length +I may say I was clad with curses as with a garment. At this juncture, +I took out of my provision-bag a remarkably fine piece of pork, and +began to contemplate it by the light of the moon with the critical eye +of a connoisseur. The reader is no doubt aware, that among the natives +of India the popular prejudice does not run in favour of this +wholesome article of food; and perhaps to this fact I must attribute +it that the surrounding Mussulmans and Hindoos became wondrously +polite all on a sudden, and left a wide circle vacant around me, so +that I had ample room to make down my bed; nor was I disturbed from a +hearty sleep till the morning.</p> + +<p>At daybreak, I was aroused by the crew getting up the anchor: in a few +minutes, the head of the 'fire-boat,' as my dusky neighbours termed +it, was turned down the coast, and on we went, steaming, smoking, and +splashing, after the most orthodox fashion of fire-boats in general. I +had now time and opportunity to look around me. Every available spot +of the deck and paddle-boxes of the small, flat-bottomed iron steamer, +was crowded with as motley a set of passengers as ever sailed since +the days of Captain Noah. Sepoys returning from furlough to join their +regiments; lascars, or enlisted workmen belonging to the different +civil branches of the army; and camp-followers in all their varieties, +were everywhere squatted on their haunches, and although muffled up to +their eyes in wrappers of cotton-cloth, were all looking miserably +cold from the sharpness of the morning breeze. The crew consisted of +about twenty sailors—half of whom were Europeans, and evidently +picked hands. Under the influence of good pay, fresh provisions +without stint, sleeping all night in their hammocks, and constant +change of scene, they were as healthy-looking and good-humoured a lot +of seamen as I had ever met with. Their principal employment seemed to +be to take their turn at the wheel; and as the natives performed most +of the little work that was to be done in a vessel of this +description, carrying no sails, I presume they were entertained only +with the view of manning the two small howitzers and half-a-dozen +swivel-guns, in case our little craft should find it necessary to shew +her teeth. The remaining portion of the men were even finer specimens +of humanity than the Europeans. With the exception of two tall, bony +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page82" id="page82"></a>[pg 82]</span> + +Scindians, they were all Seedies, or negroes, and there was not one +among them that might not have served as a model for a Hercules. Their +huge bodies presented an appearance of massiveness and immense +strength; and the enormous muscles had even more than the prominence +we find in some statues, but so seldom meet with in men of these +effeminate times. These particulars were the more easily noted, as +their style of costume, in the daytime at least, approached very +closely to nudity. But their size was as nothing to their appetites; +and deep and vasty as their internal accommodations must have been, it +remains a matter of perplexity to me to this day to determine by what +mysterious process they managed to stow away one-half of what they +devoured. I have repeatedly watched one of these overgrown animals +seat himself before a wooden trencher, some three-quarters of a yard +broad, and clear from it, as if by magic, a mess piled up to the +greatest capacity of the vessel, and consisting of rice, garnished at +the top with a couple of pounds or so of curried meat or fish; after +which, glaring around him in a hungry and dissatisfied manner, +calculated to raise unpleasant sensations in a nervous bystander, he +would sullenly catch hold of the hookah common to the party, and seek +to deaden his appetite by swallowing down long and repeated draughts +of tobacco-smoke, until the tears came into his eyes, and he was +forced to desist by a paroxysm of coughing.</p> + +<p>Among the passengers, there were two or three persons of my own +standing, and on the quarter-deck a small group of officers, one of +whom was accompanied by his wife. The lady had certainly no reason to +grumble at the inattention of her companions. The fair sex, although +much more plentiful at the time I speak of than ten years ago, was +still rather scarce in these parts, ladies being few and far between +in the stations beyond Kurâchee. With a praiseworthy desire to make +the most of the honour, the skipper was bustling about, giving all +sorts of orders that might in any way conduce to the comfort of his +fair passenger, and apparently in a state of mental agony when a +momentary turn of the vessel would render the awning and screens +ineffectual in preserving her from a chance ray of the sun. Two young +subalterns were tumbling over one another in the anxious endeavour to +be the first to bring a footstool; a couple of their seniors were +standing by, rubbing their hands and smiling blandly, to keep their +minds in a fit state for the perpetration of a compliment on the first +possible occasion; while even the grim old major was trying very hard +to unbend: not that it was a part of his principles to be particularly +gallant to the ladies, but as he was going to a place where he might +not have the advantage of seeing any of them for some years, and would +thus run the chance of growing rusty, he thought he might as well keep +his hand in while he had the opportunity.</p> + +<p>After running down the coast till the sun became so uncomfortably hot +as to render an awning over the whole vessel an indispensable +necessary, we suddenly struck into one of the many creeks with which +the Delta of the Indus is everywhere interlaced. The vessel did not +answer her helm well; and as the breadth of the stream did not much +exceed her length, we were for some time running ashore, first on one +bank, and then on the opposite one. However, as the banks were steep, +and composed of a mixture of sand and mud, we were not so much delayed +by these accidents as might have been expected; for after grounding +with a shock sufficient to floor any one unused to the navigation of +the Indus, the tough little craft would slide back of her own accord +into her proper element, and go ahead again as if nothing had +happened. The first time this took place, I was sent on my beam-ends, +and was not a little alarmed into the bargain; but the crew seemed to +take it as a matter of course, and in reply to my anxious inquiries as +to the extent of damage that had been occasioned, they informed me +that she had only brushed the cobwebs off her keel. On entering the +creek, we startled large flocks of wild geese and ducks; and here and +there a pair of pelicans, after gazing at us for a few seconds, would +slowly wing their way to some more sequestered stream, unprofaned by +noisy, smoky civilisation.</p> + +<p>As we continued on our course, the landscape—a level plain, that +stretched away for miles till it met the horizon—was covered with +camels grazing upon tamarisk-bushes, which, with a few mangostans, an +occasional specimen of acanthus, and a coarse and scanty herbage, were +the only specimens of the vegetable kingdom that met our gaze. The +scene during the remainder of the afternoon was the same, the monotony +being relieved only when we stopped for half an hour to take a supply +of wood from a large pile collected on the bank for this purpose, and +thus had an opportunity of stretching our legs on <i>terra firma</i>. At +dusk, the steam-boat was run ashore, the steam blown off, and here we +were to remain for the night. The natives immediately rushed on shore, +and began preparing fires to cook their provisions. The ship's cook +had already supplied me with a cup, or rather a tin pot of tea; but as +the growing coolness of the evening, and the example of my neighbours, +rather encouraged my appetite, I resolved to make a second edition of +my evening meal, and accordingly took under my arm the copper canteen +which formed the sum-total of my culinary apparatus—the lid being my +only plate or dish—and furnished with a supply of tea, sugar, cold +meat, and biscuit, made my way to a spot a short distance off, where I +might take my food on the solitary system, according to the custom +that we Englishmen most delight in. When I had lighted the fire, and +put the water on to boil, I cast myself on the ground, and +complacently puffing away at my pipe, gazed at the wild but +picturesque scene before me. The position of the river was marked out +by a semicircle of some fifty or sixty fires, before which dark and +ill-defined figures were ever and anon flitting like phantoms; while, +in the midst, the funnel of the steam-boat loomed tall and black above +the veil of smoke that hung around—like some dark and horrid object +Of heathen idolatry surrounded by its sacrificial fires. The sounds +that met my ear, however, dispelled this somewhat fanciful idea; for +in the stillness of the night voices grow distinct, while forms are +indebted to the imagination for filling up their outlines.</p> + +<p>The native passengers, who had remained, silent and dull, in a +constrained position during the whole of the day, felt a load taken +off their spirits as soon as they set foot on dry land; and in a trice +the silence that had hitherto reigned was broken by a very Babel of +tongues, among which could be distinguished the guttural jargon of the +Scindian, the bastard dialect of Mahratti, of the Hindoo from the +Deccan, and the ungrammatical <i>patois</i> of Hindostani, which—although, +when exclusively used, it marked out the Mussulman—was yet the +<i>lingua franca</i> of the whole party; but amidst the unceasing torrent +of words, little could be distinguished, save when the ear was saluted +with an outburst of nature's universal and unvaried language in the +shape of a light-hearted laugh. By and by, my attention became +directed, by an occasional shout of merriment, to a group of Seedies +clustered round a fire near me. Negroes in this country are much the +same as in other parts of the World—a happy, easily-contented race, +forgetful of the past, and careless of the future. After keeping up +their noisy confabulation for some time, they removed to a level spot +close to where I was lying: one of them squatted down on the ground, +and commenced singing to the music of a sort of tambourine, that he +beat with the flat of his hand; and the others at once formed a +circle, and commenced a rude dance, which had probably been brought + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page83" id="page83"></a>[pg 83]</span> +by themselves or their fathers from the shores of Eastern Africa. The +air was at first low and monotonous, the time seeming to be more +studied than any variation of the tune; but after some minutes a few +notes in a higher key were occasionally introduced, giving the music a +strangely wild and melancholy character. The dance consisted +principally of low jumps, each foot being alternately advanced in +strict time with the music. Sometimes the dancers joined hands; again +they would pass into one another's places, until they had made the +circuit of the ring; and every now and then, in going through these +movements, they would leap completely round, apparently without an +effort, but as a natural consequence of the momentum produced by the +celerity of their motions, and the weight of their huge bodies. The +whole affair was gone through in a serious and business-like manner, +unusual in the negro. How long I watched them I cannot say; but it +seemed to me as if they went on for hours without slackening the pace, +or moving one muscle of their countenances, until my eyes became heavy +with looking at them. At length, the figures appeared to grow dim, and +among them I thought I recognised faces of friends then many thousands +of miles from me, and forms that the earth had long before covered +over. A death-like chill came over me: by a sudden impulse, I rushed +forward, and awoke. With bewildered feelings, I rose on my elbow, and +gazed around. The moon had risen; her cold, clear light making every +object near me either startlingly distinct, or else a mass of dark +shade, while a deep and solemn silence reigned around. All had +vanished—the singer and the dancers—the flaming, sparkling, roaring +fires, and the noisy groups around them; and I might have imagined +that I had awaked to find myself in another world, had it not been for +the heap of black ashes beside me, and the dark outline of the +steam-boat in the distance. I arose, stiff, cold, and drowsy, and +tucking my kitchen under my arm, slowly wended my way on board.</p> + +<p>However, there must be an end to all things; and on the third day, we +emerged from the dreary net-work of creeks, and entered into the open +Indus. The scenery still remained much the same. Here and there, +beacons were erected, but they were only of temporary use, for the +channel of the river alters almost every year. The breadth of the +stream varies with the rise of the water consequent on the melting of +the snow on the distant mountains, among which it takes its source. At +Sukkur, it is as broad as the Thames at Blackwall; and nearly two +hundred miles lower down, it is sometimes found of no greater breadth; +while in other spots it spreads into a lake some two or three miles +across, depending upon the level of the surrounding country and the +rise of the river. Scinde has been called Young Egypt, from the +general resemblance of the physical features of the two countries, and +the fact, that the existence of an only river in each is the sole +cause of an immense tract of territory being prevented from becoming +throughout a parched and unprofitable desert. In Upper Scinde, there +are very rarely more than three or four showers in the year, and the +cultivator has to depend entirely upon the overflow of the river for +the growth of his crops, in the same way as the fellah of Egypt is +saved from famine by the annual inundation of the Nile. In Fort +Bukkur, there is a gauge on which the height of the river is +registered, in a similar manner to that of the celebrated one in +Egypt; and the news of the rise or fall of a few inches, is received +by the Scindians with an eager interest, not a little strange to those +who are unaware that such petty fluctuations determine whether a +nation shall feast or starve for the next twelve months. It is +pleasing to add, that there are hopes of a change for the better in +this state of uncertainty of obtaining the necessities of life, which, +in a case like this, where so little depends upon the energy of single +members of the community, acts as a sure check upon the progress of +civilisation. Canals, excavated at a time when all India was one vast +empire, but since choked up and fallen into ruins, have been cleaned +and repaired, and new ones projected. A late order of government has +led the way to the Indus being constituted, instead of the Ganges, the +highway from Europe to the fertile and important provinces of +North-Western Hindostan. Commerce, in the pride of her prosperity, +grows nice about her roads, and she will soon take the Indus in hand, +and put a stop to its little irregularities. Mere art, perhaps, could +do but little to remove the impediments to the navigation of this +immense river. This end could only be obtained by taking advantage of +the natural causes which have made a deep channel in one part and a +shoal out a few yards lower down. Dame Nature, like dames in general, +may be easily led if we can only persuade her that she is acting of +her own accord.</p> + +<p>On we went, steaming, and smoking, and splashing more than ever, +buffeting against the muddy-looking stream, which, however, was +sometimes too much for us, so that we were fain to take advantage of +the still waters or back-current near the banks. The river being low +at this season, we ran aground, in spite of all the care of our +Scindian pilot and the Seedic leadsman, often enough to have wrecked a +moderately-sized navy. The leadsman was a rather pompous individual, +duly impressed with the importance of his position, in having charge +of the deep-sea line, which was something short of two fathoms in +length. He was stationed at the bows, and ever and anon proclaimed +aloud the depth of water in language that he fondly believed to be +English. As we dashed along in one fathom water, he seemed perfectly +at his ease, and drew the small lead from the river, and again tossed +it before him with a studied grace, turning round occasionally, with +an air of affected indifference, to read admiration in our eyes. As +the water shoaled to four feet, his brow contracted and his motions +were quickened; when it became three feet, he hurled the lead into the +water, as the gambler dashes down his last dice; and at last, as we +grazed on the tail of a hank, it was almost with a shriek that he +yelled out, <i>'Doo foots</i>!' But our hour had not yet come; and as the +water deepened to beyond the four yards that formed the extent of his +line, he assumed his former dignified ease, and leisurely made known +that there was 'No bot-t-a-a-m!'—an announcement which, although +gratifying in one respect, was yet somewhat startling.</p> + +<p>But we did not always escape in this manner. Not to speak of minor +mischances, on one occasion we stuck hard and fast for twenty-four +hours, in spite of every attempt to extricate ourselves. Here was a +predicament for the captain! He had received instructions to make the +greatest speed on his trip; his passengers were all burning with +impatience lest they should be too late to acquire glory and +prize-money—the prize-money at all events; the military stores on +board were urgently required at Mooltan; and, worse than all, the lady +began to pout! This was the climax of his misfortune; and the skipper, +growing desperate, swore a mighty oath that if the obstinate little +craft would not swim through the water, she should walk over the land, +and we should see who would get tired of it first. Accordingly, an +anchor was carried forward to a spot some forty yards off, where the +water was deeper; the greater part of the passengers were made to jump +overboard, without even going through the formality of walking the +plank; while the remainder manned the capstan-bars. The chain-cable +tightened, the capstan creaked, and the paddles dashed round; but we +did not stir an inch till the natives, who had been so unceremoniously +turned overboard, began to apply the pressure from without, when, +amidst shouts and yells, and curses in a dozen different languages, we +slid along the surface of the bank until we reached a deeper channel. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page84" id="page84"></a>[pg 84]</span> + +The outside passengers then scrambled on board, and again we darted +on; while the captain took snuff with the triumphant air of a man who +was not to be trifled with, and informed the lady confidentially that +she (the steam-boat) was not a bad little craft after all, but it did +not do to let her have her own way altogether.</p> + +<p>Let it now suffice to say, that the amphibious steam-boat carried us +to Sukkur in rather less than three weeks—our voyage in some respects +resembling the midnight journey of the demon horseman—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>'Tramp, tramp across the land we ride;<br /></span> +<span>Splash, splash across the sea!'<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Glad we were when a bend of the river shewed us the island and +picturesque fort of Bukkur, apparently blocking up all further +progress; the left bank being studded with the white bungalows of +Sukkur, half-hidden in clumps of date-trees; while the right was +clothed to the water's edge with the bright green foliage of the +gardens of Roree.</p> + + + +<br /> +<hr /> +<h2><a name="HELPSS_ESSAYS" id="HELPSS_ESSAYS" />HELPS'S ESSAYS.</h2> + +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of + Contents</a></p> + +<p><span class="sc">In</span> an age of many books, there must needs be some, highly worthy of +attention, with which the general reading-public will be but +imperfectly acquainted. Though probably known to many of our readers, +we think it likely that the writings of Mr Helps are yet unknown to +many others, who might profit by the study of them, and more or less +appreciate their excellence. Under this conviction, it is proposed to +notice them in the present pages; and we have little doubt of being +able to substantiate their claims to consideration. To readers who +require of a book something more than mere amusement, or a passing +satisfaction to their curiosity; who have any regard or relish for +independent thinking—for an enlarged observation of human life—for +the results of study and experience—for practical sense and wisdom, +and a general understanding and appreciation of the varied motives, +ways, and interests of men and of society—these volumes cannot fail +to prove delightful and profitable reading.</p> + +<p>All Mr Helps's writings have been published anonymously; and it is +only within the last two years that he has become known, out of his +own circle, to be the author. His earliest publications were, <i>Essays +written in the Intervals of Business</i>, and <i>An Essay on the Duties of +the Employers to the Employed</i>, otherwise entitled <i>The Claims of +Labour</i>. He has also published a work in two volumes under the title +of <i>The Conquerors of the New World and their Bondsmen</i>; a historical +narrative of the principal events which led to negro slavery in the +West Indies and America. But the books from his pen with which we are +best acquainted, and which have obtained the largest measure of public +attention, are a series of essays intermixed with dialogues, called +<i>Friends in Council</i>, and a supplementary volume, somewhat different +in plan, which he calls <i>Companions of my Solitude</i>.<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> As the whole +of his characteristics as an essayist are displayed with a more +perfect effect in these two latter works than in the others, and as +they will afford us as much extract as we shall have space for, we +propose to confine our remarks to them exclusively. Matter enough, and +even more than enough, will be found in them for illustrating whatever +we may find to say respecting the author's powers and attainments.</p> + +<p>The <i>Friends in Council</i> purports to be edited by a clergyman named +Dunsford, who was so obliging and laborious as to set down the +conversations in which he, Ellesmere (the great lawyer), and Milverton +(the author), had engaged on various occasions, when the last read to +his companions a number of short essays which he was writing. We have +a page or two of introduction, informing us of this circumstance, and +of a few other particulars needful to be mentioned; and then, after a +little talk among the friends, an essay is read, followed by the +interlocutors' comments, and a discussion of its merits. These +conversations form a very agreeable portion of the work, and exhibit a +fine mastery of dialogue. They are exactly like the discourse of +intelligent and accomplished men, and therefore very much unlike the +ordinary run of book-reported talk. A few sentences may be not unfitly +quoted, by way of exhibiting their quality. We take the following, on +so common a matter as friendship; not because it is the best we might +select, but because it seems one of the passages which is most readily +extractable:—</p> + +<p>'<i>Ellesmere.</i> I suppose all of us have, at one time or other, had a +huge longing after friendship. If one could get it, it would be much +safer than that other thing.</p> + +<p>'<i>Milverton.</i> Well, I wonder whether love—for I imagine you mean +love—was ever so described before, "that other thing!"</p> + +<p>'<i>Elles.</i> When the world was younger, perhaps there was more of this +friendship. David and Jonathan!—How does their friendship begin? I +know it is very beautiful; but I have forgotten the words. Dunsford +will tell us.</p> + +<p>'<i>Dunsford.</i> "And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young +man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the +Bethlehemite. And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking +unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, +and Jonathan loved him as his own soul."</p> + +<p>'<i>Elles.</i> Now that men are more complex, they would require so much. +For instance, if I were to have a friend, he must be an +uncommunicative man: that limits me to about thirteen or fourteen +people in the world. It is only with a man of perfect reticence that +you can speak completely without reserve. We talk together far more +openly than most people; but there is a skilful fencing even in our +talk. We are not inclined to say the whole of what we think.</p> + +<p>'<i>Mil.</i>. What I should need in a friend would be a certain breadth of +nature: I have no sympathy with people who can disturb themselves +about small things; who crave the world's good opinion; are anxious to +prove themselves always in the right; can be immersed in personal talk +or devoted to self-advancement; who seem to have grown up entirely +from the <i>earth</i>, whereas even the plants draw most of their +sustenance from the air of heaven.</p> + +<p>'<i>Elles.</i> That is a high flight. I am not prepared to say all that. I +do not object to a little earthiness. What I should fear in friendship +is the comment, and interference, and talebearing, I often see +connected with it.</p> + +<p>'<i>Mil.</i> That does not particularly belong to friendship, but comes +under the general head of injudicious comment on the part of those who +live with us. Divines often remind us, that in forming our ideas of +the government of Providence, we should recollect that we see only a +fragment. The same observation, in its degree, is true too as regards +human conduct. We see a little bit here and there, and assume the +nature of the whole. Even a very silly man's actions are often more to +the purpose than his friend's comments upon them.</p> + +<p>'<i>Elles.</i> True! Then I should not like to have a man for a friend who +would bind me down to be consistent, who would form a minute theory of +me which was not to be contradicted.</p> + +<p>'<i>Mil.</i> If he loved you as his own soul, and his soul were knit with +yours—to use the words of Scripture—he would not demand this +consistency, because each man must know and feel his own immeasurable + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page85" id="page85"></a>[pg 85]</span> +vacillation and inconsistency; and if he had complete sympathy with +another, he would not be greatly surprised or vexed at that other's +inconsistencies.</p> + +<p>'<i>Duns.</i> There always seems to me a want of tenderness in what are +called friendships in the present day. Now, for instance, I don't +understand a man ridiculing his friend. The joking of intimates often +appears to me coarse and harsh. You will laugh at this in me, and +think it rather effeminate, I am afraid.</p> + +<p>'<i>Mil.</i> No; I do not. I think a great deal of jocose raillery may pass +between intimates without the requisite tenderness being infringed +upon. If any friend had been in a painful and ludicrous position (such +as when Cardinal Balue in full dress is run away with on horseback, +which Scott comments upon as one of a class of situations combining +"pain, peril, and absurdity"), I would not remind him of it. Why +should I bring back a disagreeable impression to his mind? Besides, it +would be more painful than ludicrous to me. I should enter into his +feelings rather than into those of the ordinary spectator.</p> + +<p>'<i>Duns.</i> I am glad we are of the same mind in this.</p> + +<p>'<i>Mil.</i> I have also a notion that, even in the common friendships of +the world, we should be very stanch defenders of our absent friends. +Supposing that our friend's character or conduct is justly attacked in +our hearing upon some point, we should be careful to let the light and +worth of the rest of his character in upon the company, so that they +should go away with something of the impression that we have of him; +instead of suffering them to dwell only upon this fault or foible that +was commented upon, which was as nothing against him in our +hearts—mere fringe to the character, which we were accustomed to, and +rather liked than otherwise, if the truth must be told.</p> + +<p>'<i>Elles.</i> I declare we have made out amongst us an essay on +friendship, without the fuss of writing one. I always told you our +talk was better than your writing, Milverton. Now, we only want a +beginning and ending to this peripatetic essay. What would you say to +this as a beginning?—it is to be a stately, pompous plunge into the +subject, after the Milverton fashion:—"Friendship and the Phoenix, +taking into due account the fire-office of that name, have been found +upon the earth in not unsimilar abundance." I flatter myself that "not +unsimilar abundance" is eminently Milvertonian.</p> + +<p>'<i>Mil.</i> Now observe, Dunsford, you were speaking sometime ago about +the joking of intimates being frequently unkind. This is just an +instance to the contrary. Ellesmere, who is not a bad fellow—at least +not so bad as he seems—knows that he can say anything he pleases +about my style of writing without much annoying me. I am not very +vulnerable on these points; but all the while there is a titillating +pleasure to him in being all but impertinent and vexatious to a +friend. And he enjoys that. So do I.'</p> + +<p>This certainly reads like free and natural conversation, besides being +noteworthy for the suggestions it contains.</p> + +<p>Mr Helps is strictly an original writer, in the sense of thinking for +himself; but at the same time, one of his excellences consists in an +adroit and novel use of commonplaces. There is, indeed, as much +originality in putting a new face upon old verities, as in producing +new ones from the mint of one's invention. As Emerson has remarked, +valuable originality does not consist in mere novelty or unlikeness to +other men, but in range and extent of grasp and insight. This is a +fact, too, which Mr Helps has noted. 'A suggestion,' says he, 'may be +ever so old; but it is not exhausted until it is acted upon, or +rejected on sufficient reason.' He has, therefore, no fastidious dread +of saying anything which has been said before, but readily welcomes +wise thoughts from all directions, often reproducing them with such +felicity of expression, as to give them new effect. Thus, in all the +elements of a profitable originality, he is rich and generous; and +from few books of modern times could so large a store of aphorisms, +fine sayings, and admirable observations be selected. We have marked a +great many more than can be incorporated in the present paper; but +some few may be, nevertheless, presented. Here, for instance, is a +fine remark on time—next to love, the most hackneyed subject in the +world:—'Men seldom feel as if they were bounded as to time: they +think they can afford to throw away a great deal of that commodity; +<i>thus shewing unconsciously in their trifling the sense that they have +of their immortality</i>.' On another familiar topic—human progress—he +writes thus:—'The progress of mankind is like the incoming of the +tide, which, from any given moment, is almost as much of a retreat as +an advance, but still the tide moves on.' Emerson has used the same +figure, but in a passage which ought not to be regarded as impairing +our author's originality.</p> + +<p>On the vexed and perplexing question of <i>Evil</i>, Mr Helps has said many +acute and consolatory things, from among which we have culled the +following sentences:—'The man who is satisfied with any given state +of things that we are likely to see on earth, must have a creeping +imagination: on the other hand, he who is oppressed by the evils +around him so as to stand gaping at them in horror, has a feeble will +and a want of practical power, and allows his fancy to come in, like +too much wavering light upon his work, so that he does not see to go +on with it. A man of sagacity, while he apprehends a great deal of the +evil around him, resolves what part of it he will be blind to for the +present, in order to deal best with what he has in hand; and as to men +of any genius, they are not imprisoned or rendered partial even by +their own experience of evil, much less are their attacks upon it +paralysed by their full consciousness of its large presence.' +Here, in the next place, is an aphorism worth pondering and +remembrance:—'Vague injurious reports are no men's lies, but all +men's carelessness.' And by the side of it we may place a pleasant +sarcasm attributed to Ellesmere, and apparently intended as a reminder +for stump-orators: 'How exactly proportioned to a man's ignorance of +the subject is the noise he makes about it at a public meeting.' Not +altogether out of connection here may be this brief sentence:—'Next +to the folly of doing a bad thing, is that of fearing to undo it.' In +the following, we have a brief sufficient argument against the +indulgence of unavailing sorrow or anxiety:—'It has always appeared +to me, that there is so much to be done in this world, that all +self-inflicted suffering which cannot be turned to good account for +others, is a loss—a loss, if you may so express it, to the spiritual +world.' There is plain truth, too, in the next, though it is not +likely to be much remembered by those who are most in need of it:—'An +ill-tempered man often has everything his own way, and seems very +triumphant; but the demon he cherishes, tears him as well as awes +other people.' In another place, and from another point of view, he +indicates the admirable benefits of human, sympathy. 'Often,' says he, +'all that a man wants in order to accomplish something that is good +for him to do, is the encouragement of another man's sympathy. What +Bacon says the voice of the man is to the dog—the encouragement of a +higher nature—each man can in a lesser degree afford his neighbour; +for a man receives the suggestions of another mind with somewhat of +the respect and courtesy with which he would greet a higher nature.' +Speaking with reference to the pursuits of men of literary and +artistic genius, it is written: 'Almost any worldly state in which a +man can be placed is a hinderance to him, if he have other than mere +worldly things to do. Poverty, wealth, many duties, or many affairs, +distract and confuse him.' One sentence more is all that can be added +here; and if it seems to be suggested by an aphorism of Bacon, it is +equal to it in pith and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page86" id="page86"></a>[pg 86]</span> +penetration:—'Every <i>felicity</i>, as well as +wife and children, is a hostage to fortune.'</p> + +<p>These sentences have been gathered chiefly from <i>Friends in Council</i>, +though a few of them are taken from <i>Companions of my Solitude</i>. The +two books are informed with the same spirit; and to a meditative +person, one could not recommend a choicer store of reading. Those, +however, to whom the works are as yet unknown, may wish to see some +longer and more connected extract. It is difficult to decide upon what +ought to be presented, where almost everything is exquisite; yet as a +choice must be made, we will take some sentences from an essay on +'Despair,' wherein the writer offers a few remedial suggestions +against the burden of remorse:—</p> + +<p>'To have erred in one branch of our duties, does not unfit us for the +performance of all the rest, unless we suffer the dark spot to spread +over our whole nature, which may happen almost unobserved in the +torpor of despair. This kind of despair is chiefly grounded on a +foolish belief that individual words or actions constitute the whole +life of man; whereas they are often not fair representatives of +portions even of that life. The fragments of rock in a mountain stream +may tell much of its history, are, in fact, results of its doings, but +they are not the stream. They were brought down when it was turbid; it +may now be clear: they are as much the result of other circumstances +as of the action of the stream: their history is fitful: they give us +no sure intelligence of the future course of the stream, or of the +nature of its waters; and may scarcely shew more than that it has not +been always as it is. The actions of men are often but little better +indications of the men themselves....</p> + +<p>'There is frequently much selfishness about remorse. Put what has been +done at the worst. Let a man see his own evil word or deed in full +light, and own it to be black as hell itself. He is still here. He +cannot be isolated. There still remain for him cares and duties; and +therefore hopes. Let him not in imagination link all creation to his +fate. Let him yet live in the welfare of others, and, if it may be so, +work out his own in this way; if not, be content with theirs. The +saddest cause of remorseful despair is when a man does something +expressly contrary to his character—when an honourable man, for +instance, slides into some dishonourable action; or a tender-hearted +man falls into cruelty from carelessness; or, as often happens, a +sensitive nature continues to give the greatest pain to others' from +temper, feeling all the time perhaps more deeply than the persons +aggrieved. All these cases may be summed up in the words, "That which +I would not, that I do"—the saddest of all human confessions, made +by one of the greatest men. However, the evil cannot be mended by +despair. Hope and humility are the only supports under this burden.'</p> + +<p>As our space presses, the passages we give must necessarily be short. +The beauty of the few sentences following will not be disputed. They +are taken from a 'Chapter of Consolations' in <i>Companions of my +Solitude</i>, and will serve to exhibit our author's style under one of +its more animated aspects:—</p> + +<p>'Lastly, there is to be said of all suffering—that it is experience. +I have forgotten in whose life it is to be found, but there is some +man who went out of his way to provide himself with every form of +human misery which he could get at. I do not myself see any occasion +for any man's going out of the way to provide misfortune for himself. +Like an eminent physician, he might stay at home, and find almost +every form of human misery knocking at his door. But still I +understand what this chivalrous inquirer meant, who sought to taste +all suffering for the sake of the experience it would give him.</p> + +<p>'There is this admirable commonplace, too, which, from long habit of +being introduced in such discourses, wishes to come in before I +conclude—namely, that infelicities of various kinds belong to the +state here below. Who are we that we should not take our share? See +the slight amount of personal happiness requisite to go on with. In +noisome dungeons, subject to studied tortures, in abject and shifty +poverty, after consummate shame, upon tremendous change of fortune, in +the profoundest desolation of mind and soul, in forced companionship +with all that is unlovely and uncongenial—men, persevering nobly, +live on, and live through all. The mind, like water, passes through +all states, till it shall be united to what it is ever seeking. The +very loneliness of man here is the greatest proof, to my mind, of a +God.'</p> + +<p>One of the things that strikes us most in these essays, is the +author's wise moderation of statement, his habit of looking at all +phases of a question, and of saying something appropriate on each. We +believe he makes Ellesmere observe somewhere, that moral essays +commonly require another essay from the opposite point of view to +temper and qualify their meaning. This requirement has been closely +kept in mind. There is no undue vehemence, no straining of favourite +points, no clap-trap rhetoric or elaborate phrase-makings; but +everything is clear, judicious, well considered, and conscientiously +set forth. The man does not write for the sake of writing, but because +his soul is full of thoughts, and his remembrances charged with the +wholesome lessons of experience. The thoughts generally are less +remarkable for their depth than for their <i>breadth</i>—a free and +unembarrassed all-sidedness, which is, perhaps, one of the most +difficult of all attainments in the way of writing. There is a mild +meditative wisdom in his utterances which can have been derived only +through a large acquaintance with life and society; with the manifold +diversities of motive and aspiration by which men are actuated; with +everything, in short, that interests, degrades, or elevates humanity. +Only from an extensive quarry of experience could this strong and +graceful pillar of wit, sagacity, and judgment, have been built up. +From this, too, has been acquired that broad liberality of opinion +which must be welcome to every candid mind—the enlarged tolerance, +and generous appreciation of all degrees of difference in men's ways +of thinking and of acting, which is one of the most pleasing and most +distinctive characteristics of these writings. Often, in reading, we +are inclined to say, here is one of the best-balanced souls in +England—a finely-gifted and highly-cultivated man, to whom the pains +and difficulties, the joys, the sorrows, the ambitions, and +shortcomings of his race, are all familiar; who has felt them all, +seen the good and evil of them all, and, with a calm deliberation, can +testify at last, that the great Power of the Universe has so +constrained and ordered the uncertainties and perils of our lot, as +not only to reconcile all its apparent contradictions with the ends of +moral discipline and benefit, but to make even the darkness of +calamity flash rays of brightness and of hope. Thus, along with an +enlarged knowledge of men and things, he gives us the wisest counsel +about our conduct and proceedings in the world, and also the most +encouraging conclusions with regard to our final destiny and +prospects. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page87" id="page87"></a>[pg 87]</span> +</p> + + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> 1. <i>Friends in Council: a Series of Headings and +Discourse thereon</i>. New Edition. Two vols. 2. <i>Companions of my +Solitude</i>. Pickering. London: 1851.</p></div> +</div> + + +<br /> +<hr /> +<h2><a name="JELLY_FISHES" id="JELLY_FISHES" />JELLY-FISHES.</h2> + +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of + Contents</a></p> + +<p><span class="sc">We</span> inscribe at the head of this paper the popular name of a class of +beings, which, though simple in their organisation, are full of +interest to the zoologist, and attractive to the common observer from +the singularity or beauty of their forms, and, in many cases, the +brilliancy of their colouring. The ocean, throughout its wide extent, +swarms with myriads of gelatinous creatures—some microscopic, some of +large dimensions—which deck it with the gayest colours by day, and at +night light up its dreary waste with 'mimic fires,' and make it glow +and sparkle as if, like the heavens, it had its galaxies and +constellations. These are the jelly-fishes, or sea-nettles +(<i>Acalephæ</i>), as they are often called, from the stinging properties +with which some of them are endowed. The commoner forms are well +known, for the beach is often strewn with the carcasses of the larger +species. On fine days in summer and autumn, whole fleets of these +strange voyagers appear off our coasts. Their umbrella-shaped, +transparent disks float gracefully through the calm water, and their +long fishing-lines trail after them as they move onward. At times, +multitudes, almost invisible to the naked eye, tenant every wave, and +give it by night a crest of flame; while other kinds measure as much +as a yard in diameter. The <i>Acalephæ</i> present the greatest variety of +form and colour, as well as of size, but they are all of the most +delicate structure, frail, gelatinous, transparent. Some are so +perfectly colourless, that their presence can with difficulty be +detected in the water.</p> + +<p>The following description, by Professor E. Forbes, applies to a large +proportion of the species:—'They are active in their habits, graceful +in their motions, gay in their colouring, delicate as the finest +membrane, transparent as the purest crystal.' The poet Crabbe has +characterised them well in the following passage:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span>'Those living jellies which the flesh inflame,<br /></span> +<span>Fierce as a nettle, and from that the name;<br /></span> +<span>Some in huge masses, some that you might bring<br /></span> +<span>In the small compass of a lady's ring;<br /></span> +<span>Figured by hand divine—there's not a gem<br /></span> +<span>Wrought by man's art to be compared to them;<br /></span> +<span>Soft, brilliant, tender, through the wave they glow,<br /></span> +<span>And make the moonbeam brighter where they flow.'<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>The first thing that arrests our attention in these creatures is the +extreme delicacy and tenuity of their substance. The jelly-fish is +chiefly made up of fluid. A quantity of water and a thin membranaceous +film, these are its chief component parts. Professor Owen has +ascertained that a large individual, weighing two pounds, when removed +from the sea, will be represented, when the fluid which it contains is +drained off, 'by a thin film of membrane not exceeding thirty grams in +weight.' Naturalists have commonly described the jelly-fish as being +little more than 'coagulated water' and the description is correct.</p> + +<p>And yet these masses of film and fluid, floating at the mercy of wind +and wave, possess powers which we should hardly associate with so +simple a structure, and can accomplish works of which we should little +suspect them. Delicate and defenceless as they appear, they can +capture fishes of large size, and digest them with ease and rapidity. +Some of them are in truth formidable monsters. Professor E. Forbes +gives the following humorous description of the destructive +propensities of some medusæ which he had captured in the Zetland +seas:—'Being kept,' he says, 'in a jar of salt-water with small +crustacea, they devoured these animals, so much more highly organised +than themselves, voraciously; apparently enjoying the destruction of +the unfortunate members of the upper classes with a truly democratic +relish. One of them even attacked and commenced the swallowing of a +<i>Lizzia octopunctata</i>, quite as good a medusa as itself. An animal +which can pout out its mouth twice the length of its body, and stretch +its stomach to corresponding dimensions, must indeed be "a triton +among the minnows;" and a very terrific one too. Yet is this ferocious +creature one of the most delicate and graceful of the inhabitants of +the ocean—a very model of tenderness and elegance.'</p> + +<p>The jelly-fishes are all, in their adult state, locomotive beings. +They float freely and incessantly through the ocean, either impelled +by their own efforts, or driven by storm and billow. They for the most +part frequent the open seas, and shun the shore, their delicate frames +being endangered by the perennial strife between land and water. Being +designed for constant motion, for the navigation of the great waters, +their entire organisation is adapted to such a mode of life. We find +amongst those ocean-floaters the greatest perfection and variety of +locomotive apparatus; and they have been divided into sections, +according to the modifications of this portion of structure which they +exhibit. We shall endeavour to give a popular account of the leading +peculiarities of each, and note the most interesting points in the +history of the tribe.</p> + +<p>In the first section, the animals are furnished with a disk or +umbrella of varying shape, which serves as a float, beneath which hang +certain processes connected with the functions of prehension and +digestion. In this division are included some of the best-known forms. +The creature, in this case, propels itself by the alternate +contraction and expansion of its disk, thus striking the water, and +driving itself forward. These movements take place at regular +intervals, and serve a double purpose. They not only propel, but at +the same time drive the water over the lower surface of the disk. Here +is situated a complicated net-work of vessels, and the fluids of the +body are thus exposed to the influence of oxygen, and receive the +needed aeration. The stroke of the disk, therefore, is not only a +locomotive, but also a respiratory act. The jelly-fishes of this +section move as they breathe, and breathe as they move. Hence the name +which has been given them—<i>Pulmonigrades</i>. We find the same admirable +economy of resources amongst the lower animalcules. The cilia which +propel them secure the aeration of the system.</p> + +<p>It is evident that the motive apparatus in this section of the +<i>Acalephæ</i> is but a feeble one. It only avails in calm weather. When +the sea is agitated, the jelly-fish is driven helplessly along. It +cannot choose its path. As its food, however, is everywhere abundant +around it, and it has no business that should lead it in one direction +more than another, there is no great hardship in this.</p> + +<p>In this section are included some of the most beautiful, as well as +common of the tribe. The forms of the umbrella are often most lovely, +and present an astonishing variety. As an example of the beauty which +they sometimes display, we may refer to a species which resembles an +exquisitely formed glass-shade, ornamented with a waved and tinted +fringe. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page88" id="page88"></a>[pg 88]</span> + The most perfect grace of form, the transparency of the +crystal, and colour as delicate as that of the flower, combine to +render this frail being one of the loveliest of living things.</p> + +<p>In another section, locomotion is effected by a modification of +ciliary apparatus. We have a familiar example in the <i>Beroe</i> of our +own seas, a most attractive little being, and a prime favourite with +naturalists, who have described its habits and celebrated its beauty +with enthusiasm. We shall not soon forget the delight with which we +first made acquaintance with this graceful little rover. While +rambling along the shore in quest of marine animals, our attention was +arrested by a drop of the clearest jelly, as it seemed to be, lying on +a mass of rock, from which the tide had but just receded. On +transferring it to a phial of sea-water, its true nature was at once +revealed to us. A globular body floated gracefully in the vessel, +scarcely less transparent than the fluid which filled it. Presently it +began to move up and down within its prison-house, and the paddles by +means of which the beroe dances along its ocean-path were distinctly +visible. These paddles are nothing more or less than cilia of a +peculiar kind, ranged in eight bands upon the surface of the body. +They are set in motion at the will of the animal, and their incessant +strokes propel it swiftly through the water. By stopping some of its +paddles, and keeping others in play, the beroe can change its course +at pleasure, and so wander 'at its own sweet will,' through the +trackless waste. Beauty waits upon the course of this little crystal +globe. The grace and sprightliness of its movements must strike the +commonest observer. As the sunlight falls upon its cilia, they are +'tinted with the most lovely iridescent colours;' and at night they +flash forth phosphoric light, as though the little creature were +giving a saucy challenge to the stars.</p> + +<p>The beroe is a most active being, its habits conforming to the +organisation with which it is endowed. Such an array of paddles +prophesies of a mercurial temperament and an energetic character. It +can, however, anchor itself and lie by when occasion offers. It is +provided with two long cables, prettily set with spiral filaments or +tendrils, by means of which it can make fast to any point. When not in +use, it can retract them, and stow them away in two <i>sacs</i> or pouches +within the body, where they may be seen coiled up, through the +transparent walls. The mouth is a simple opening at one pole of the +globular body. No arms are needed. The beroe is spared the labour and +uncertainty of the chase. As it dances gaily along, streams of water, +bearing nutritive particles, pass through the orifice into its +stomach.</p> + +<p>In this creature, as in many of the lower animals, there is a +remarkable power of retaining vitality after the most serious +injuries; nay, in portions actually severed from the body, it will +continue for some time. Mr Patterson, in his excellent <i>Introduction +to Zoology</i>, mentions that on one occasion he divided a fragment of +the body of a beroe, lately taken from the shore and shattered by a +storm, 'into portions so minute that one piece of skin had but two +cilia attached to it, yet the vibration of these organs continued for +nearly a couple of days afterwards!' But we must leave the beroe, +charmer though it be.</p> + +<p>Another member of this section—the <i>Ciliograde acalephæ</i>, as they are +called—is the Girdle of Venus, which resembles a ribbon in form, and +is sometimes five or six feet in length, covered with cilia, and +brilliantly phosphorescent. This must be one of the most beautiful of +the <i>fireworks</i> of the ocean.</p> + +<p>The jelly-fishes of another section are furnished with one or more +air-bags, which assist them in swimming, and hence bear the name of +<i>hydrostatic acalephæ</i>. In the Portuguese man-of-war (<i>Physalia</i>), the +bag is large, and floats conspicuously on the surface of the water. +From the top of it rises a purple crest, which acts as a sail, and by +its aid the little voyager scuds gaily before the wind. But should +danger threaten—should some hungry, piratical monster in quest of a +dinner heave in sight, or the blast grow furious—the float is at once +compressed, through two minute orifices at the extremities a portion +of the air escapes, and down goes the little craft to the tranquil +depths, leaving the storm or the pirate behind. In one species +(<i>Cuvieria</i>), the floats are numerous and prettily ranged round the +margin of the body. Resting on these, the creature casts about its +long fishing-lines, and arrests the passing prey.</p> + +<p>One more section remains to be noticed. The jelly-fishes which belong +to it have a rudimentary skeleton—a plate which supports the soft, +circular body. From the lower part of the body hang numerous tentacles +(<i>cirri</i>), amidst which the mouth is placed. Probably these +multitudinous arms assist in locomotion; and, hence the name of the +family, <i>Cirrigrades</i>. Amongst the creatures of this division we meet +with some very interesting locomotive apparatus. There are some of +them by no means obliged to trust to their oars alone—they have also +sails. The <i>Velella</i>, large fleets of which visit our seas at times, +has a plate (the mast) rising from its bluish disk or deck, covered +with a delicate membrane (the sail) of snowy whiteness, by means of +which it traverses the ocean. This sail, it has been noticed, 'is set +at the same angle as the lateen-sail' of the Malays. We cannot doubt +that it is admirably suited to its purpose, and the Malays may be +proud of having nature as a voucher for their contrivance.</p> + +<p>We find in another species a still more perfect rigging. In it +(<i>Rataria</i>) the crest is supplied with muscular bands, by means of +which the sail can be lowered or raised at pleasure. These adaptations +of structure are full of interest. Nothing can be more admirable than +the sailing-gear of these little creatures. They have to traverse the +surface of the ocean amidst all diversities of weather. Paddles alone +would not suffice for them. They must be enabled to take advantage of +the winds. Sails, therefore, are added, and the mightiest agents in +nature are commissioned to speed the little voyagers on their way.</p> + +<p>We have already mentioned that some of the jelly-fishes possess the +power of stinging. Only a few of the larger species, however, seem to +be thus endowed; and the name sea-nettle is by no means applicable to +the class as a whole. The poisonous fluid which produces the +irritating effect on the skin, and no doubt paralyses the creatures +upon which the jelly-fish feeds, is secreted by the arms. By means of +its poison-bearing tentacles, the soft, gelatinous medusa is more than +a match for the armed crustacean and the scale-clad fish. We take from +Professor Forbes the following graphic description of one of the +stinging species:—'The <i>Cyanæa capillata</i> of our seas is a most +formidable creature, and the terror of tender-skinned bathers. With +its broad, tawny, festooned, and scalloped disk, often a full foot or +more across, it flaps its way through the yielding waters, and drags +after it a long train of ribbon-like arms, and seemingly interminable +tails, marking its course when its body is far away from us. Once +tangled in its trailing "hair," the unfortunate who has recklessly +ventured across the graceful monster's path too soon writhes in +prickly torture. Every struggle but binds the poisonous threads more +firmly round his body, and then there is no escape; for when the +winder of the fatal net finds his course impeded by the terrified +human wrestling in its coils, he, seeking no contest with the mightier +biped, casts loose his envenomed arms, and swims away. The amputated +weapons severed from their parent body vent vengeance on the cause of +their destruction, and sting as fiercely as if their original +proprietor itself gave the word of attack.'</p> + +<p>We now approach the most extraordinary portion +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page89" id="page89"></a>[pg 89]</span> +of the history of +these creatures. Recent investigations have brought to light the most +interesting facts respecting their reproduction and development. It is +now known that the young jelly-fish passes through a series of +transformations before reaching its perfect state.</p> + +<p>At certain seasons, eggs are produced within the body of the parent in +appropriate ovaries, where they are retained for a time. They are then +transferred to a kind of marsupial pouch, analogous to that of the +kangaroo, where their development proceeds. After passing through +certain changes here, the egg issues from the maternal pouch as an +oval body, clothed with cilia—an animalcule in external aspect, and +as unlike its parent as can well be imagined. For awhile the little +creature dances freely through the water, and leads a gay, roving +life; but at last it prepares to 'settle;' selects a fitting locality; +applies one extremity of its body to the surface of stone or weed, and +becomes attached. And now another change passes over it. The cilia, no +longer needed, disappear. A mouth is developed at the upper extremity +of the body, furnished with a number of arms. Gradually this number +increases, and the jelly-fish now appears in the disguise of a polype, +which feeds voraciously on the members of the class from which it has +itself so lately emerged. At this point there is a halt. The medusa +remains in its polype state for some months. At the expiration of this +term, a strange alteration in its appearance begins to take place. +Rings are formed round its body, from ten to fifteen in number. These +gradually deepen, until at length it is literally cut up into a number +of segments, which rest one upon the other—their upper margins +becoming elevated, and divided into eight lobes. It is, in fact, a +pile of cup-shaped pieces, very loosely connected together. A little +later, these pieces free themselves successively, and the sedate +polype disappears in a company of sprightly young medusæ. These +beings, indeed, still differ in some respects from the adult animal; +but the differences gradually vanish, and we have the perfect +jelly-fish as the final result of this extraordinary series of +transformations.</p> + +<p>Similar observations have been made respecting other tribes amongst +the lower animals, and some interesting generalisations have been +founded upon them, into which, however, it is not our present purpose +to enter.</p> + +<p>The <i>Acalephæ</i> are the principal agents concerned in the production of +the beautiful phenomena of phosphorescence. The minute species—mere +gelatinous specks—swarm at times by countless myriads in the waters +of the ocean, and make its surface glow with 'vitalised fire.' The +waves, as they curl and break, sparkle and flash forth light, and the +track of the moving ship is marked by a lustrous line. 'In the torrid +zones between the tropics,' says Humboldt, 'the ocean simultaneously +develops light over a space of many thousand square miles. Here the +magical effect of light is owing to the forces of organic nature. +Foaming with light, the eddying waves flash in phosphorent sparks over +the wide expanse of waters, where every scintillation is the vital +manifestation of an invisible animal world.' Beneath the surface +larger forms are seen, brilliantly illuminated, and lighting up the +mystic depths of the sea. Fiery balls and flaming ribbons shoot past; +and submarine moons shine with a soft and steady light amidst the +crowds of meteors. 'While sailing a little south of the Plata on one +very dark night,' says Mr Darwin, 'the sea presented a wonderful and +most beautiful spectacle. There was a fresh breeze; and every part of +the surface, which during the day is seen as foam, now glowed with a +pale light. The vessel drove before her bows two billows of liquid +phosphorus, and in her wake she was followed by a milky train. As far +as the eye reached, the crest of every wave was bright; and the sky +above the, horizon, from the reflected glare of these livid flames, +was not so utterly obscure as over the vault of the heavens.' Even in +our own seas very beautiful displays of phosphorescence may be +witnessed. On fine summer nights, a soft, tender light plays round the +boat as it moves onward, and the oars drop liquid fire. For how much +of beauty are we indebted to these living specks of jelly?</p> + +<p>Of the extreme minuteness of some of the species, an idea may be +formed from the fact, that 110,000 might be contained in a cubic foot +of water. We can say nothing with certainty as to the cause of the +phosphorescence of the medusæ, and shall not trouble our readers with +mere speculations.</p> + +<p>The jelly-fishes furnish us with a striking illustration of the +profusion of life in the ocean. Provision has indeed been made for +securing in all the realms of our globe the largest possible amount of +sentient being, and consequently of happiness. And to each tribe a +definite part is assigned—a special mission is intrusted. None can be +spared from the economy of nature. The shoals of microscopic medusæ +store up in their own tissues the minute portions of nutritious matter +diffused through the waters, and supply food for the support of higher +organisms. All the tribes of animated beings are dependent one upon +another. That the greatest may enjoy its existence and fulfil its +work, the least must hold its place and discharge its function. They +co-operate unconsciously to secure the unity and harmony of a system +which is designed to promote alike the interests of each and all of +them.</p> + + + +<br /> +<hr /> +<h2><a name="STEEPLE_JACKS_SECRET" id="STEEPLE_JACKS_SECRET" />STEEPLE-JACK'S SECRET.</h2> + +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of + Contents</a></p> + +<p><span class="sc">You</span> want me to tell you how it comes to pass that I am able to glide +up a steeple like a spider, get astride upon the cross, and pull off +my cap to the crowd below, like a gentleman on horseback saluting his +acquaintances.<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a> You want me to explain on what principle, as you +call it, I do this. Well: principle, I suppose, means the rule or law +by which a man does what he ought to do; and if so, it is a very good +word to use. I will oblige you by explaining my principle, for I am as +affable as any man that creeps to his dying day upon the surface of +the earth; and I will tell you how it chanced that I found it out: at +least I will try, for I am no scholar; and if you wish to understand +me, you must have your ears open, and catch a meaning when you can. +And this will do you good, whether you make anything out or not. I +know fellows that go to the lectures, and come back as empty as they +went. But what of that? They think they understand, and thought breeds +thought; and when a man's mind is fairly astir, it is odds but +something good turns up.</p> + +<p>You must know, then, I began the world as a sailor; and I marvel to +this day how I ever became anything else. Sailors are the stupidest +set in creation. They are mere animals, except in the gift of speech; +good, honest, docile animals, perhaps, but dull and narrow. They go +round the small circle of their duties like a blind horse in a mill. +Their faculties are rocked by the waves and lulled by the winds; and +when they come ashore, they can see and understand nothing for the +swimming of their heads. Drink makes them feel as if at sea again; and +when the tankard is out, they return on board, and exchange one state +of stupefaction for another. Well, I <i>was</i> a sailor, and the dullest +of the tribe. No wonder, for I was at it when a young boy. I was never +startled by the sights or sounds of the sea. The moaning of the wind, +the rush of the waves, the silence of the calm, were parts of my own +existence; and in the wildest storm, my mind never took a wider tack +than just to think what the poor devils on shore would do now.</p> + +<p>I was a handy lad, however. I could go aloft with any man on board, +and never troubled the shrouds in +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page90" id="page90"></a>[pg 90]</span> +coming down when a rope was within +springing distance. But this was instinct or habit: thought was not +concerned in it—I had not found the principle. One day, it blew what +sailors call great guns; our bulwarks were stove in pieces, and the +sea swept the deck, crashing and roaring like a whole herd of tigers. +There was something to do at the mast-head; and when the order came +through the speaking-trumpet, seeing the men hesitate, I jumped upon +the shrouds without thinking twice. But at that moment the ship gave a +lurch, and, holding on like grim death, I was buried deep in the +waves. Although still clutching the ropes, I had at first an idea that +they had parted, and that we were on our way to the bottom together. +This could not have lasted above a minute or so; but it seemed to me +like a year. I heard every voice that had ever sounded in my ear since +childhood; I saw every apparition that had ever glided before my +fancy: the Sea-Serpent twisted his folds round my neck, and the keel +of the Flying Dutchman grated along my back. When the vessel rose at +last, and I rose with her, the waters gurgling in my throat and +hissing in my ears, I did not attempt to spring up the shrouds. I +looked round in horror for the objects of my excited thoughts; and as +I saw another enormous wave advancing till it overhung me, instead of +getting out of its reach, which I could easily have done, I kept +staring at it as it broke into what seemed innumerable goblin faces +and yelling voices over my head. I was down again. My leading thought +now was that I would strike out and swim for my life. But when I had +just made up my mind to this—which the sailors would have called +being washed away—I rose once more to the surface—and struck <i>up</i> +like a good one! I was at the cross-trees in a breath, and once in +safety there, I looked back both with shame and indignation.</p> + +<p>When my job was finished, I went higher up in a sort of dogged humour. +I went higher, and higher, and higher than I ever ventured before, +till I felt the mast bending and quivering in the gale like the point +of a fishing-rod; and then I looked down upon the sea. And what, think +you, I found there? Why, the goblin faces were small white specks of +foam that I could hardly see; and their yelling voices were a smooth, +round, swelling tone, that rolled like music through the rigging. The +mountain-waves were like a flock of sheep in a meadow, running and +gamboling, and lying down and rising up; and in the expanse beyond the +neighbourhood of the ship, they were all lying down together, or +wandering like shadows over a smooth surface. I felt grand then, I +assure you. I looked down, and around, and above, till thoughts that +were not the instincts of an animal, came dancing up in my mind, like +bubbles upon the face of the sea. And as I returned slowly to the +deck, these thoughts grew and multiplied, and began to arrange +themselves into a form which I am not scholar enough to describe. But +through this new medium, I saw things as they are, not as habit and +prejudice make them. I did not fear the waves, and I did not despise +them. I humoured the sea as I got down towards the bulwarks, which +were still buried every now and then; and so I reached my quarters in +safety.</p> + +<p>And what has all this to do with it? I will tell you. With the means +of doing a thing, nothing is difficult, if you only understand +thoroughly the nature of the thing. The obstacles that commonly deter +you are not in the thing, but in you; and until you understand this, +you will keep gaping and shrinking, and saying, 'It is impossible.' +Some folk, when looking out of a three or four storey window, feel as +if they were going to fall. This is their own fault, not the fault of +the window, for that is just like a parlour window, where they have no +sensation of the sort. A man sits peaceably enough on the top of a +tall, three-legged stool, and could hitch himself round and round, and +then get up and stand upon it erect for half a day, without any risk +of falling. Now, a steeple is much more securely fixed than a stool; +its top is as broad as a table; and there is nothing to prevent +anybody from standing upon it as long as he pleases, if he only will +not think he is going to fall. You go up half-a-dozen steps of a +ladder without fear, and then persuade yourself you can go no farther; +but there is nothing more dangerous in the next half-dozen, so far as +they are themselves concerned; nor in the next hundred, nor the next +thousand, for that matter. My secret consists in my <i>knowing</i> all +this, although I feel that I have only described when, not how the +knowledge came. Perhaps you, who are book-learned, may be able to make +it out, and shew how it is that, when anything occurs to awaken the +mind, and enable one to work from knowledge, not habit, he is ten +times the man he was. Without this, I should have climbed a mast all +my life; but with it, I took to leaping up steeples by means of a +kite, in a way that makes many ignorant persons report that I manage +it by holding on by the tail.</p> + +<p>But a man who goes up a steeple must take care how he behaves, for the +eyes of the world are upon him. He is not lost in a crowd, where he is +seen only by his next neighbours. That man must pull off his cap and +be affable; but he must not do even that to extravagance. When the +Queen was passing up the Clyde, an American seaman got on the +topgallant, and stood on his head. What was that for, I should be glad +to know? Suppose her Majesty was coming along Princes Street, just to +take the air like a lady, and look into the shop-windows, and I was to +go right up to her, and stand on my head—what would she say? I +surmise, that she would turn round to her Lord Gold Stick, and order +him to give me a knock on the shins. I know she would, for she is a +regular trump, and knows how people in every station should behave. I +am ashamed of that American: he is a Yankee Noodle!</p> + +<p>It may be said, that the Queen has the same advantage as myself—that +she is up the steeple; but so is every ordinary bricklayer or emperor. +The thing is to be able to look and understand when you <i>are</i> up. I +once saw a curious sight as I sat with the swallows flying far under +my feet. The people did not wander about the street here and there as +usual, but hundreds after hundreds of small objects came on in regular +array. Then I could see long lines of Lilliputian soldiers marching in +the procession, with their tiny bayonets glancing in the sun; and +every now and then came up a soft swell of music, feeble but sweet. +'What is all this about?' thought I. 'Are they going to set one of +these little creatures over them for a bailie or a king?' And one did +march in the middle with a small space round him; 'but perhaps,' +thought I again, 'he is only a trumpeter.' Howbeit, the procession at +last halted, and gathered, and closed, and stood still for a time; and +there was another small swell of the instruments, with a feeble shout +from the throng, and then they all stirred, and broke, and dispersed, +and disappeared. This was just like the view from the mast-head: it +made me feel grand. But when I came down, I had not replaced one +prejudice with another. I did not despise the creatures I came among; +for they were then of the same size as myself. I pulled off my cap to +them, and was affable; only it did give me a queer thought—not a +merry one—when I heard that the official they had made that day, on +going home to his house, out of the grandeur and the din, was heard to +commune with himself, saying: 'And me but a mortal man after all!'</p> + +<p>Poetry? No, sirs, I have learned no poetry. I had poetry enough of my +own without learning it, and so has everybody else. I once knew a +fellow who wrote very good poetry; but few of us understood it. That + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page91" id="page91"></a>[pg 91]</span> +man lost his labour. It is nature that <i>makes</i> poetry; the poet has +merely found out the art of stirring it in the hearts of men, where it +lies ready-made, like the perfume of a flower. A poet who is not +understood only makes a noise; and he is the greatest poet who makes +the greatest number of human hearts to leap and tingle. But the fellow +I mean piqued himself on not being understood. Like the Yankee Noodle, +he cut capers that had no intelligible meaning in them, just to make +people stare. As for my own share of poetry, I will tell you when I +feel it stirring most. You must know that in the view from a steeple +the form of objects is changed only in one direction—that is +downwards. The small houses, the narrow streets, the little creatures +creeping along them, and the feeble sounds they send up, make me feel +grand. But when I turn my eyes to the heavens, I see no shadow of +change. The clouds look awful, as if despising my poor attempt at +approach; and they glide, and break, and fade, and build themselves up +again—all in deep silence—in a way that makes me feel mean. Now this +mean feeling is real poetry. The meaner I feel, the grander are they; +and when I look long at them, and think long, and then begin to +descend to the earth, to mingle with the little creatures who are my +fellows, I tremble—but not with fear.</p> + +<p>A philosopher, do you say? Fie! don't call names: I am a bricklayer. I +know that such distance as human beings can climb to is but a small +matter. I see things as they are. I do not fancy that it is more +difficult to stand on a steeple than on a stool, or that it is more +difficult to hold on by a rope at one height than at another. I +observe that men and their affairs, when viewed from a steeple, are +very insignificant; but the same insight into things teaches me, when +I am among them myself, to pull off my cap and be affable. I know that +the things of earth change according to distance, but that the things +of heaven are unchangeable. And all I have got further to say is, that +I am quite sensible that although when up in the air I am a sign and a +marvel to the people below, when down among themselves I am but plain.</p> + +<p class="author">STEEPLE JACK.</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> See article, 'A Child's Toy,' in No. 418.</p></div> +</div> + + +<br /> +<hr /> +<h2><a name="FOOD_OF_THE_ARCTIC_REGIONS_FRANKLINS_EXPEDITION" id="FOOD_OF_THE_ARCTIC_REGIONS_FRANKLINS_EXPEDITION" />FOOD OF THE ARCTIC REGIONS—FRANKLIN'S EXPEDITION.</h2> + +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of + Contents</a></p> + +<p><span class="sc">A certain</span> class of reasoners have argued themselves into the belief +that, setting all other considerations aside, Sir John Franklin and +his companions must have necessarily perished ere now from <i>lack of +food</i>. When the four years, or so, of provisions he took out with him +for the large crews of the vessels were all consumed, how, say they, +would it be possible for so great a number of men to obtain food +sufficient to support life in those awfully desolate regions? Let us +examine the question a little.</p> + +<p>Men in very cold climates certainly require a much larger amount of +gross animal food than in southern latitudes—varying, of course, with +their particular physical constitutions. Now, let us grant—though we +do not positively admit it—that, however the provisions taken from +England may have been economised, they have, nevertheless, all been +consumed a couple of years ago, with the exception of a small quantity +of preserved meats, vegetables, lemon-juice, &c. kept in reserve for +the sick, or as a resource in the last extremity. As to spirits, we +have the testimony of all arctic explorers, that their regular +supply and use, so far from being beneficial, is directly the +reverse—weakening the constitution, and predisposing it to scurvy and +other diseases; and that, consequently, spirits should not be given at +all, except on extraordinary occasions, or as a medicine. Sir John +Ross, in his search of the North-West Passage in 1829, and following +years, early stopped the issue of spirits to his men, and with a most +beneficial result. Therefore, the entire consumption of the stock of +spirits on board Sir John Franklin's ships must not be regarded as a +deficiency of any serious moment.</p> + +<p>We shall then presume, that for upwards of two years the adventurers +have been wholly dependent on wild animals, birds, and fish for their +support. Here it becomes an essential element of consideration to form +some approximate idea of the particular locality in which the missing +expedition is probably frozen. Captain Penny tracked it up Wellington +Strait and thence into Victoria Channel—a newly-discovered lake or +sea of unknown extent, which reaches, for anything that can be +demonstrated to the contrary, to the pole. It has long been noticed, +that the mere latitude in the arctic regions is far from being a +certain indication of the degree of cold which might naturally be +expected from a nearer approach to the pole. For instance, cold is +more intense in some parts of latitude 60 degrees than in 70 or 77 +degrees; but this varies very much in different districts of the +coast, and in different seasons; and we may remark in passing, that +whenever there is a particularly mild winter in Britain, it is the +reverse in the arctic regions; and so <i>vice versâ</i>. The astonishment +of Captain Penny on discovering the new polar sea in question was +heightened by the fact, that it possessed a much warmer climate than +more southern latitudes, and that it swarmed with fish, while its +shores were enlivened with animals and flocks of birds. Moreover, +<i>trees</i> were actually floating about: how they got there, and whence +they came, is a mysterious and deeply-interesting problem. Somewhere +in this sea Sir John Franklin's ships are undoubtedly at this moment. +We say the ships are; for we do not for one moment believe that they +have been sunk or annihilated. It is not very likely that any icebergs +of great magnitude would be tossing about this inland sea in the +summer season—in winter its waters would be frozen—and in navigating +it, the ships would, under their experienced and judicious commander, +pursue their unknown way with extreme caution and prudence. It is more +probable that they were at length fast frozen up in some inlet, or +that small floating fields of ice have conglomerated around them, and +bound them in icy fetters to the mainland. Or it may be that Franklin +sailed slowly along this mystic polar sea, until he reached its +extremity and could get no farther; and that extremity would actually +seem to be towards the Siberian coasts. One thing is quite +certain—namely, that so far as Captain Penny's people were able to +penetrate the channel—several hundred miles—there was no indication +whatever that up to that point Franklin had met with any serious +calamity, or that he had suffered from a fatal deficiency of the +necessaries of life.</p> + +<p>Wherever his exact position may be, there is every reason to suppose +that the country around him produces a supply of food at least equal +to any other part of the arctic regions; and probably much more than +equal, owing to the greater mildness of the climate. But we will only +base our opinion on the fair average supply of food obtainable in the +arctic regions generally; and now let us see what result we shall +fairly arrive at.</p> + +<p>The first consideration that strikes us, is the fact that all over +these icy regions isolated tribes of natives are to be met with; and +they do not exist in a starved and almost famished condition, like the +miserable dwellers in Terra del Fuego, but in absolute abundance—such +as it is. When Sir John Ross's ship was frozen up during the +remarkably severe winter of 1829-30, in latitude 69 degrees 58 +minutes, and longitude 90 degrees, he made the following remarks +concerning a tribe of Esquimaux in his vicinity, which we quote as +being peculiarly applicable to our view of the subject:—'It was for +philosophers to interest +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page92" id="page92"></a>[pg 92]</span> +themselves in speculating on a horde so +small and so secluded, occupying so apparently hopeless a country—so +barren, so wild, and so repulsive, and yet enjoying the most perfect +vigour, the most <i>well-fed health</i>, and all else that here constitutes +not merely wealth, but the opulence of luxury, since they were as +amply furnished with provisions as with every other thing that could +be here necessary to their wants.'</p> + +<p>'Yes,' exclaims our friend the reasoner, 'but the constitution of an +Esquimaux is peculiarly adapted to the climate and food: what he +enjoys would poison a European; and he also possesses skill to capture +wild animals and fish, which the civilised man cannot exercise.' Is +this true? We answer to the first objection: only partially true; and +the second, we utterly deny. The constitution of vigorous men—and all +Franklin's crew were fine, picked young fellows—has a marvellous +adaptability. It is incredible how soon a man becomes reconciled to, +and healthful under, a totally different diet from that to which he +has been all his life accustomed, so long as that change is suitable +to his new home. We ourselves have personally experienced this to some +extent, and were quite amazed at the rapid and easy way in which +nature enabled us to enjoy and thrive on food at which our stomach +would have revolted in England or any southern land. In every country +in the world, 'from Indus to the pole,' the food eaten by the natives +is that which is incomparably best suited to the climate. In the +frozen regions, and every cold country, the best of all nourishment is +that which contains a large proportion of fat and oil. In Britain, we +read with disgust of the Greenlander eagerly swallowing whale-oil and +blubber; but in his country, it is precisely what is best adapted to +sustain vital energy. Europeans in the position of Franklin's crew +would become acclimatised, and gradually accustomed to the food of the +natives, even before their own provisions were exhausted; and after +that, we may be very sure their appetites would lose all delicacy, and +they would necessarily and easily conform to the usages, as regards +food, of the natives around them. We may strengthen our opinion by the +direct and decisive testimony of Sir John Boss himself, who says: 'I +have little doubt, indeed, that many of the unhappy men who have +perished from wintering in these climates, and whose histories are +well known, might have been saved had they conformed, as is so +generally prudent, to the usages and the experience of the natives.' +Undoubtedly they might!</p> + +<p>Secondly, as to the Europeans being unable to capture the beasts, +birds, and fishes so dexterously as the natives, we have reason to +know that the reverse is the case. It is true that the latter know the +habits and haunts of wild creatures by long experience, and also know +the best way to capture some of them; but a very little communication +with natives enables the European to learn the secret; and he soon far +excels his simple instructors in the art, being aided by vastly +superior reasoning faculties, and also by incomparably better +appliances for the chase. Firearms for shooting beasts and birds, and +seines for catching fish, render the Esquimaux spears, and arrows, and +traps mere children's toys in comparison. Moreover, a ship is never +frozen up many weeks, before some wandering tribe is sure to visit it; +and all navigators have found the natives a mild, friendly, grateful +people, with fewer vices than almost any other savages in the World. +They will thankfully barter as many salmon as will feed a ship's crew +one day for a file or two, or needles, or a tin-canister, or piece of +old iron-hoop, or any trifling article of hardware; and so long as the +vessel remains, they and other tribes of their kindred will frequently +visit it, and bring animals and fish to barter for what is literally +almost valueless to European adventurers.</p> + +<p>An important consideration, is the <i>variety</i> of food obtainable in the +arctic regions. We need not particularly classify the creatures found +in the two seasons of summer and winter, but may enumerate the +principal together. Of animals fit for food are musk-oxen, bears, +reindeer, hares, foxes, &c. Of fish, there is considerable variety, +salmon and trout being the chief and never-failing supply. Of birds, +there are ducks, geese, cranes, ptarmigan, grouse, plovers, +partridges, sand-larks, shear-waters, gannets, gulls, mollemokes, +dovekies, and a score of other species. We personally know that the +flesh of bears, reindeer, and some of the other animals, is most +excellent: we have partaken of them with hearty relish. As to foxes, +Ross informs us that, although his men did not like them at first, +they eventually preferred fox-flesh to any other meat! And as to such +birds as gannets and shear-waters, which are generally condemned as +unpalatable, on account of their fishy taste, we would observe that +the rancid flavour exists only in the fat. Separate it, and, as we +ourselves can testify, the flesh of these birds is little inferior to +that of the domestic pigeon, when either boiled or roasted. The +majority of the creatures named may be captured in considerable +numbers, in their several seasons, with only ordinary skill. But +necessity sharpens the faculties of men to an inconceivable degree; +and when the life of a crew depends on their success in the chase, +they will speedily become expert hunters. It is true that the wild +animals habitually existing in a small tract of country may soon be +thinned, if not altogether exterminated; but bears, foxes, &c. +continue to visit it with little average diminution in numbers. The +fish never fail. The quantity of salmon is said to be immense, and +they can be preserved in stock a very long period by being simply +buried in snow-pits. The birds also regularly make their periodical +appearance. Besides, parties of hunters would be despatched to scour +the country at considerable distances, and their skill and success +would improve with each coming season. In regard to fuel, the +Esquimaux plan of burning the oil and blubber of seals, the fat of +bears, &c. would be quite effective. In the brief but fervid summer +season, every inch of ground is covered with intensely green verdure, +and even with flowers; and there is a great variety of wild plants, +including abundance of Angelica, sorrel, and scurvy-grass, also +lichens and mosses, all of antiscorbutic qualities. We have ourselves +seen the Laplanders eat great quantities of the sorrel-grass; and the +Nordlanders told us that they boiled it in lieu of greens at table. +These vegetables might be gathered each summer, and preserved for +winter use.</p> + +<p>We repeat, that since the poor, ignorant natives live in rude +abundance, and lack nothing for mere animal enjoyment of life, it is +impossible to doubt that Europeans, who in intelligence and resources +are a superior race of beings, can fail to participate equally in all +things which the Creator has provided for the support of man in this +extremity of the habitable globe; also let it be borne in mind, that +half-a-dozen Esquimaux devour almost as much food every day as will +suffice for a ship's crew. Sir John Ross declares, that if they only +ate moderately, any given district would support 'double their number, +and with scarcely the hazard of want.' He says that an Esquimaux eats +twenty pounds of flesh and oil a day, and, in fact, never ceases from +devouring until compelled to desist from sheer repletion. Speaking +of one meal taken in their company, we have this edifying +observation:—'While we found that one salmon and half of another were +more than enough for all us English, these voracious animals (the +Esquimaux) had devoured two each. At this rate of feeding, it is not +wonderful that their whole time is occupied in procuring food: each +man had eaten fourteen pounds of this raw salmon, and it was probably +but a luncheon after all, of a superfluous meal for the sake of our +society!.... The glutton bear—scandalised as +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page93" id="page93"></a>[pg 93]</span> +it may be by its +name—might even be deemed a creature of moderate appetite in +comparison: with their human reason in addition, these people, could +they always command the means, would doubtless outrival a glutton and +a boa-constrictor together.'</p> + +<p>Finally, we expressly deny that the Esquimaux can or do bear extreme +cold and privations better than Englishmen who have been a season or +two in their country. Arctic explorers testify that the natives always +appeared to suffer from cold quite as much as Europeans; and what +little we have ourselves seen of northern countries, induces us to +give ample credence to this.</p> + +<p>The conclusion, then, at which we arrive is this: that under such +experienced and energetic leaders as Sir John Franklin and his chief +officers, the gallant crews of the missing expedition have <i>not</i> +perished for lack of food, and will be enabled, if God so wills, to +support life for years to come. Great, indeed, their sufferings must +be; for civilised men do not merely eat to sleep, and sleep to eat, +like the Esquimaux; but they will be upheld under every suffering by a +firm conviction that their countrymen are making almost superhuman +exertions to rescue them from their fearful isolation. What the final +issue will be, is known only to Him who tempers the wind to the shorn +lamb, and can, if He deems meet, provide a way of deliverance when +hope itself has died in every breast. Our individual opinion is, that +it is not improbable the lost crews will, sooner or later, achieve +their own deliverance by arriving at some coast whence they may be +taken off, even as Ross was, after sojourning during four years of +unparalleled severity. But it is the bounden duty of our country never +to relax its efforts to save Franklin, until there is an absolute +certainty that all further human exertions are in vain.</p> + +<p>[We give the above as a paper on the food of the arctic regions, and +can only hope that our correspondent's cheering views as to the fate +of the missing expedition may prove to be correct.—ED.]</p> + + + +<br /> +<hr /> +<h2><a name="THE_ARTISTS_SACRIFICE" id="THE_ARTISTS_SACRIFICE" />THE ARTIST'S SACRIFICE.</h2> + +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of + Contents</a></p> + +<p><span class="sc">On</span> a cold evening in January—one of those dark and gloomy evenings +which fill one with sadness—there sat watching by the bed of a sick +man, in a little room on the fifth floor, a woman of about forty, and +two pretty children—a boy of twelve and a little girl of eight. The +exquisite neatness of the room almost concealed its wretchedness: +everything announced order and economy, but at the same time great +poverty. A painted wooden bedstead, covered with coarse but clean +calico sheets, blue calico curtains, four chairs, a straw arm-chair, a +high desk of dark wood, with a few books and boxes placed on shelves, +composed the entire furniture of the room. And yet the man who lay on +that wretched bed, whose pallid cheek, and harsh, incessant cough, +foretold the approach of death, was one of the brightest ornaments of +our literature. His historical works had won for him a European +celebrity, his writings having been translated into all the modern +languages; yet he had always remained poor, because his devotion to +science had prevented him from devoting a sufficient portion of his +time to productive labour.</p> + +<p>An unfinished piece of costly embroidery thrown on a little stand near +the bed, another piece of a less costly kind, but yet too luxurious to +be intended for the use of this poor family, shewed that his wife and +daughter—this gentle child whose large dark eyes were so full of +sadness—endeavoured by the work of their hands to make up for the +unproductiveness of his efforts. The sick man slept, and the mother, +taking away the lamp and the pieces of embroidery, went with her +children into the adjoining room, which served both as antechamber and +dining-room: she seated herself at the table, and took up her work +with a sad and abstracted air; then observing her little daughter +doing the same thing cheerfully, and her son industriously colouring +some prints destined for a book of fashions, she embraced them; and +raising her tearful eyes towards heaven, she seemed to be thanking the +Almighty, and in the midst of her affliction, to be filled with +gratitude to Him who had blessed her with such children.</p> + +<p>Soon after, a gentle ring was heard at the door, and M. Raymond, a +young doctor, with a frank, pleasing countenance, entered and inquired +for the invalid. 'Just the same, doctor,' said M<span class="sup">me</span> G——.</p> + +<p>The young man went into the next room, and gazed for some moments +attentively on the sleeper, whilst the poor wife fixed her eyes on the +doctor's countenance, and seemed there to read her fate.</p> + +<p>'Is there no hope, doctor?' she asked in a choking voice, as she +conducted him to the other room. The doctor was silent, and the +afflicted mother embraced her children and wept. After a pause she +said: 'There is one idea which haunts me continually: I should wish so +much to have my husband's likeness. Do you know of any generous and +clever artist, doctor? Oh, how much this would add to the many +obligations you have already laid me under!'</p> + +<p>'Unfortunately, I am not acquainted with a single artist,' replied the +young doctor.</p> + +<p>'I must then renounce this desire,' said M<span class="sup">me</span> G—— sighing.</p> + +<p>The next morning Henry—so the little boy was called—having assisted +his mother and his sister Marie in their household labours, dressed +himself carefully, and, as it was a holiday, asked leave to go out.</p> + +<p>'Go, my child,' said his mother; 'go and breathe a little fresh air: +your continual work is injurious to you.'</p> + +<p>The boy kissed his father's wasted hand, embraced his mother and +sister, and went out, at once sad and pleased. When he reached the +street he hesitated for a moment, then directed his steps towards the +drawing-school where he attended every day: he entered, and rung at +the door of the apartment belonging to the professor who directed this +academy. A servant opened the door, and conducted him into an +elegantly-furnished breakfast-room; for the professor was one of the +richest and most distinguished painters of the day. He was +breakfasting alone with his wife, when Henry entered.</p> + +<p>'There, my dear,' He said to her, as he perceived Henry; 'there is the +cleverest pupil in the academy. This little fellow really promises to +do me great credit one day. Well, my little friend, what do you wish +to say to me?'</p> + +<p>'Sir, my father is very ill—the doctor fears that he may die: poor +mamma, who is very fond of papa, wishes to have his portrait. Would +you, sir, be kind enough to take it? O do not, pray, sir, do not +refuse me!' said Henry, whose tearful eyes were fixed imploringly on +the artist.</p> + +<p>'Impossible, Henry—impossible!' replied the painter. 'I am paid three +thousand francs for every portrait I paint, and I have five or six at +present to finish.'</p> + +<p>'But, my dear,' interposed his wife, 'it seems to me that this +portrait would take you but little time: think of the poor mother, +whose husband will so soon be lost to her for ever.'</p> + +<p>'It grieves me to refuse you, my dear; but you know that my +battle-piece, which is destined for Versailles, must be sent to the +Louvre in a fortnight, for I cannot miss the Exposition this year. But +stay, my little friend, I will give you the address of several of my +pupils: tell them I sent you, and you will certainly find some one of +them who will do what you wish. Good-morning, Henry!'</p> + +<p>'Good-by, my little friend,' added the lady. 'I hope you may be +successful.' The boy took his leave with a bursting heart. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page94" id="page94"></a>[pg 94]</span> +</p> + +<p>Henry wandered through the gardens of the Luxembourg, debating with +himself if he should apply to the young artists whose addresses he +held in his hand. Fearing that his new efforts might be equally +unsuccessful, he was trying to nerve himself to encounter fresh +refusals, when he was accosted by a boy of his own age, his +fellow-student at the drawing-school. Jules proposed that they should +walk together; then observing Henry's sadness, he asked him the cause. +Henry told him of his mother's desire; their master's refusal to take +the portrait; and of his own dislike to apply to those young artists, +who were strangers to him.</p> + +<p>'Come with me,' cried Jules, when his friend had ceased speaking. 'My +sister is also an artist: she has always taken care of me, for our +father and mother died when we were both very young. She is so kind +and so fond of me that I am very sure she will not refuse.'</p> + +<p>The two boys traversed the Avenue de l'Observatoire, the merry, joyous +face of the one contrasting with the sadness and anxiety of the other. +When they got to the end of the avenue they entered the Rue de +l'Ouest, and went into a quiet-looking house, up to the fourth storey +of which Jules mounted with rapid steps, dragging poor Henry with him. +He tapped gaily at a little door, which a young servant opened: he +passed through the antechamber, and the two boys found themselves in +the presence of Emily d'Orbe, the sister of Jules.</p> + +<p>She appeared to be about twenty-five: she was not tall, and her face +was rather pleasing than handsome; yet her whole appearance indicated +cultivation and amiability. Her dress was simple, but exquisitely +neat; her gown of brown stuff fitted well to her graceful figure; her +linen cuffs and collar were of a snowy whiteness; her hair was parted +in front, and fastened up behind <i>à l'antique</i>: but she wore no +ribbon, no ornament—nothing but what was necessary. The furniture of +the room, which served at the same time as a sitting-room and studio, +was equally simple: a little divan, some chairs and two arm-chairs +covered with gray cloth, a round table, a black marble time-piece of +the simplest form; two engravings, the 'Spasimo di Sicilia' and the +'Three Maries,' alone ornamented the walls; green blinds were placed +over the windows, not for ornament, but to moderate the light, +according to the desire of the artist; finally, three easels, on which +rested some unfinished portraits, and a large painting representing +Anna Boleyn embracing her daughter before going to execution.</p> + +<p>When he entered, little Jules went first to embrace his sister; she +tenderly returned his caresses, then said to him in a gentle voice, as +she returned to her easel: 'Now, my dear child, let me go on with my +painting;' not, however, without addressing a friendly 'Good-morning' +to Henry, who she thought had come to play with Jules.</p> + +<p>Henry had been looking at the unfinished pictures with a sort of +terror, because they appeared to him as obstacles between him and his +request. He dared not speak, fearing to hear again the terrible word +'impossible!' and he was going away, when Jules took him by the hand +and drew him towards Emily. 'Sister,' he said, 'I have brought my +friend Henry to see you; he wishes to ask you something; do speak to +him.'</p> + +<p>'Jules,' she replied, 'let me paint; you know I have very little time. +You are playing the spoiled child: you abuse my indulgence.'</p> + +<p>'Indeed, Emily, I am not jesting; you must really speak to Henry. If +you knew how unhappy he is!'</p> + +<p>M<span class="sup">lle</span> d'Orbe, raising her eyes to the boy, was struck with his pale +and anxious face, and said to him in a kind voice, as she continued +her painting: 'Forgive my rudeness, my little friend; this picture is +to be sent to the Exposition, and I have not a moment to lose, +because, both for my brother's sake and my own, I wish it to do me +credit. But speak, my child; speak without fear, and be assured that I +will not refuse you anything that is in the power of a poor artist.'</p> + +<p>Henry, regaining a little courage, told her what he desired: then +Jules having related his friend's visit to their master, Henry added: +'But I see very well, mademoiselle, that you cannot do this portrait +either, and I am sorry to have disturbed you.'</p> + +<p>In the meantime little Jules had been kissing his sister, and +caressing her soft hair, entreating her not to refuse his little +friend's request. M<span class="sup">lle</span> d'Orbe was painting Anna Boleyn: she stopped +her work; a struggle seemed to arise in the depth of her heart, while +she looked affectionately on the children. She, however, soon laid +aside her pallett, and casting one glance of regret on her picture: 'I +will take your father's portrait,' she said to Henry—'that man of +sorrow, and of genius. Your mother's wish shall be fulfilled.'</p> + +<p>She had scarcely uttered these words when a lady entered the room. She +was young, pretty, and richly dressed. Having announced her name, she +asked M<span class="sup">lle</span> d'Orbe to take her portrait, on the express condition that +it should be finished in time to be placed in the Exposition.</p> + +<p>'It is impossible for me to have this honour, madame,' replied the +artist: 'I have a picture to finish, and I have just promised to do a +portrait to which I must give all my spare time.'</p> + +<p>'You would have been well paid for my portrait, and my name in the +catalogue would have made yours known,' added the young countess.</p> + +<p>M<span class="sup">lle</span> d'Orbe only replied by a bow; and the lady had scarcely +withdrawn, when taking her bonnet and shawl, the young artist embraced +her brother, took Henry by the hand, and said to him: 'Bring me to +your mother, my child.'</p> + +<p>Henry flew rather than walked; M<span class="sup">lle</span> d'Orbe could with difficulty keep +up with him. Both ascended to the fifth storey in the house in the Rue +Descartes, where this poor family lived. When they reached the door, +Henry tapped softly at it. M<span class="sup">me</span> G—— opened it.</p> + +<p>'Mamma,' said the boy, trembling with emotion, 'this lady is an +artist: she is come to take papa's portrait.' The poor woman, who had +not hoped for such an unexpected happiness, wept as she pressed to her +lips the hands of M<span class="sup">lle</span> d'Orbe, and could not find words to express +her gratitude.</p> + +<p>The portrait was commenced at once; and the young artist worked with +zeal and devotion, for her admiration of the gifted and unfortunate +man was intense. She resolved to make the piece valuable as a work of +art, for posterity might one day demand the portrait of this gifted +man, and her duty as a painter was to represent him in his noblest +aspect.</p> + +<p>Long sittings fatigued the invalid; so it was resolved to take two +each day, and the young artist came regularly twice every day. As by +degrees the strength of the sick man declined, the portrait advanced. +At length, at the end of twelve days, it was finished: this was about +a week before the death of M. G——.</p> + +<p>At the same time that she was painting this portrait, M<span class="sup">lle</span> d'Orbe +worked with ardour on her large painting, always hoping to have it +ready in time. This hope did not fail her until some days before the +1st of February. There was but a week longer to work: and this year +she must abandon the idea of sending to the Exposition.</p> + +<p>Some artists who had seen her picture had encouraged her very much; +she could count, in their opinion, on brilliant success. This she +desired with all her heart: first, from that noble thirst of glory +which God has implanted in the souls of artists; and, secondly, from +the influence it would have on the prospects of her little Jules, whom +she loved with a mother's tenderness, and whom she wished to be able +to endow with all the treasures of education. This disappointment, +these long hours of toil, rendered so vain at the very moment when + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page95" id="page95"></a>[pg 95]</span> +she looked forward to receive her reward, so depressed the young +artist, that she became dangerously ill.</p> + +<p>M<span class="sup">lle</span> d'Orbe had very few friends, as she was an orphan, and lived in +great retirement; she found herself therefore completely left to the +care of her young attendant. When Jules met Henry at the +drawing-school he told him of his sister's illness: Henry informed his +mother, and M<span class="sup">me</span> G—— immediately hastened to M<span class="sup">lle</span> d'Orbe, whom she +found in the delirium of a fever from which she had been suffering for +some days. The servant said that her mistress had refused to send for +a doctor, pretending that her illness did not signify. M<span class="sup">me</span> G——, +terrified at the state of her young friend, went out and soon returned +with Dr Raymond.</p> + +<p>The invalid was delirious: she unceasingly repeated the +words—'portrait,' 'Anna Boleyn,' 'exposition,' 'fortune,' +'disappointed hopes;' which plainly indicated the cause of her +illness, and brought tears into the eyes of M<span class="sup">me</span> G——. 'Alas!' she +said, 'it is on my account she suffers: I am the cause of her not +finishing her picture. Doctor, I am very unfortunate.'</p> + +<p>'All may be repaired,' replied the doctor: 'if you will promise to +nurse the invalid, I will answer for her recovery.'</p> + +<p>In fact, M<span class="sup">me</span> G—— never left the sick-bed of M<span class="sup">lle</span> d'Orbe. The +doctor visited her twice in the day, and their united care soon +restored the health of the interesting artist.</p> + +<p>Mademoiselle was scarcely convalescent when she went to the Exposition +of paintings at the Louvre, of which she had heard nothing—the doctor +and M<span class="sup">me</span> G—— having, as she thought, avoided touching on a subject +which might pain her. She passed alone through the galleries, crowded +with distinguished artists and elegantly-dressed ladies, saying to +herself that perhaps her picture would have been as good as many which +attracted the admiration of the crowd. She was thus walking sadly on, +looking at the spot where she had hoped to have seen her Anna Boleyn, +when she found herself stopped by a group of artists. They were +unanimous in their praises. 'This is the best portrait in the +Exposition,' said one. 'A celebrated engraver is about to buy from the +artist the right to engrave this portrait for the new edition of the +author's works,' said another. 'We are very fortunate in having so +faithful a likeness of so distinguished a writer as M. G——.'</p> + +<p>At this name M<span class="sup">lle</span> d'Orbe raised her eyes, and recognised her own +work! Pale, trembling with emotion, the young artist was obliged to +lean on the rail for support; then opening the catalogue, she read her +name as if in a dream, and remained for some time to enjoy the +pleasure of hearing the praises of her genius.</p> + +<p>When the Exposition closed she hastened to M<span class="sup">me</span> G——, and heard that +it was Dr Raymond who had conceived the happy idea of sending the +portrait to the Louvre. 'My only merit is the separating myself for a +time from a picture which is my greatest consolation,' added M<span class="sup">me</span> +G——.</p> + +<p>From this day the young artist became the friend of the poor widow, +whose prospects soon brightened. Through the influence of some of the +friends of her lost husband, she obtained a pension from government—a +merited but tardy reward! The two ladies lived near each other, and +spent their evenings together. Henry and Jules played and studied +together. Marie read aloud, while her mother and M<span class="sup">lle</span> d'Orbe worked. +Dr Raymond sometimes shared in this pleasant intercourse. He had loved +the young artist from the day he had seen her renounce so much to do a +generous action; but, an orphan like herself, and with no fortune but +his profession, he feared to be rejected if he offered her his hand. +It was therefore M<span class="sup">me</span> G—— who charged herself with pleading his suit +with the young artist.</p> + +<p>M<span class="sup">lle</span> d'Orbe felt a lively gratitude towards the young doctor for the +care and solicitude he had shewn during her illness, and for sending +her portrait to the Exposition. Thanks to him, she had become known; +commissions arrived in numbers, a brilliant future opened before her +and Jules. M<span class="sup">me</span> G—— had, then, a favourable answer to give to her +young friend, who soon became the husband of the interesting artist +whose generous sacrifice had been the foundation of her happiness.</p> + + + +<br /> +<hr /> +<h2><a name="ACCIDENTS_AT_SEA" id="ACCIDENTS_AT_SEA" />ACCIDENTS AT SEA.</h2> + +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of + Contents</a></p> + +<p><span class="sc">On</span> this subject an interesting return to an order of the House of +Commons was lately made by the management of Lloyd's, and has caused +some discussion in the public prints. The return applies to the four +years ending December 1850; and during this period, it appears that +the number of collisions, wrecks, and other accidents at sea, was +13,510; being at the rate of 3377 per annum, 9 per diem, or 1 for +every 2¾ hours. Commenting on these details, the <i>Times</i> observes, +that 'it must not be understood that every accident implies a total +wreck, with the loss of all hands. If a ship carries away any of her +important spars, or, on entering her port, strikes heavily against a +pier, whereby serious damage is occasioned, the accident is duly +registered in this pithy chronicle of Lloyd's. Nevertheless, as we +glance up and down the columns, it is no exaggeration to say, that +two-thirds of the accidents recorded are of the most serious +description. We are unable to say to what degree this register of +Lloyd's can be accepted as a fair index to the tragedies which are of +such hourly occurrence upon the surface of the ocean. If all were +known, we fear that this average of accident or wreck every 2¾ +hours would be fearfully increased. The truth must he told. The +incapacity of too many of the masters in the British mercantile marine +has been the pregnant cause of loss to their owners and death to their +crews. Men scarcely competent to take the responsibility of an +ordinary day's work, or, if competent, of notoriously intemperate +habits, were placed in command of sea-going ships through the +parsimony or nepotism of the owners. The result of the educational +clauses in the Mercantile Marine Bill of last session, will no doubt +be to provide a much larger body of well-trained men, from among whom +our shipowners can select the most competent persons for command.'</p> + +<p>These observations called forth a reply from the President of the +Seaman's Association, vindicating mariners from the charges so brought +against them. A few passages from the letter of this respondent are +worth noticing. 'Are British sailors,' he asks, 'really so bad as you +represent? If so, then you condemn by implication the seamen of the +United States, for they are also Anglo-Saxon. Let me direct your +attention to a few facts bearing out this assertion. The desertions +from the royal navy in 1846 (see Parliamentary Returns) were 2382; +this is about 1 out of every 14 seamen annually. Nearly the whole of +these men keep to the United States' service. Again, the desertions +from Quebec in consequence of three things—first, low wages; +secondly, register-tickets; thirdly, the payment of 1s., exacted from +every man on shipment and discharge, to a shipping office, to uphold +the Mercantile Marine Act, for which the men receive no value—were +upwards of 1400 this season; and about 4000 from all other ports. From +American statistics, it is proved that two-thirds of the seamen +sailing in ships of the United States are British subjects; and if +American ships are preferred to British, it must be because they are +manned by our fine spirited tars. A large proportion of their ships +are commanded by Englishmen.'</p> + +<p>An effort, as is well known, has lately been made to elevate the +character of British seamen, by means of registries under the +Mercantile Marine Act, and the issuing of tickets, which must be +produced by sailors. Our belief is, that much of the legislation on +this subject +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page96" id="page96"></a>[pg 96]</span> +has been injurious; as any law must be which attempts to +regulate the bargains of employers and employed. It may be proper for +master-mariners to be subjected to some kind of test of ability, but +it appears to us that it would be equally beneficial to encourage +young men to enter the profession. To pay well is, after all, the true +way to get good servants. Why do British sailors desert to the +American service? Because they are better paid. And having so +deserted, they unfortunately cannot again procure employment under the +British flag without producing a register-ticket, which, of course, +they cannot do. Thus, picked men are permanently lost to the British +navy. Besides offering higher wages, it might have proved extremely +advantageous to open nautical schools for youths desirous of going to +sea. According to existing arrangements, the sailor—like the French +workman with his <i>livret</i>—is considered to be a child not fit to take +care of himself; and the law interposes to say he shall do this, and +do that, under a penalty for neglect of its provisions. This is to +keep sailors in a state of perpetual tutelage; and being at variance +with the principles of civil liberty, it is to be feared that the +practice can lead to nothing but mischief.</p> + +<p>As to wrecks, the cause of the chief disasters seems as often to be +imperfect construction of vessels and imperfect stowage, as anything +else; while loss of life for the greater part arises from a deficiency +of boats, and the means of readily unshipping them. As victims of +ill-made, badly-found, and rotten vessels, not to speak of land-sharks +and sea-sharks—as the sufferers in life and limb when shippers and +brokers may be actually benefiting from casualties—sailors, as a +class, merit public sympathy instead of reproach or discouragement.</p> + + + +<br /> +<hr /> +<h2><a name="VISIT_TO_AN_ENGLISH_MONASTERY" id="VISIT_TO_AN_ENGLISH_MONASTERY" />'VISIT TO AN ENGLISH MONASTERY.'</h2> + +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of + Contents</a></p> + +<p>We have received a letter from the Abbot of Mount St Bernard's, +pointing out, in courteous terms, several inaccuracies in the article +which appeared with the above title in No. 413 of this Journal. Meat, +it seems, is only 'strictly prohibited' to the healthy: it is allowed +to the sick and infirm when prescribed by the doctor. Every night +before compline the brethren meet to hear some pious lecture read, not +to confess their thoughts to the superior. Instead of one meal a day, +as stated by our correspondent, the lay-brethren, who are employed +chiefly in manual labour, have at least two meals every day during the +whole year, excepting fast-days; and the choir-brethren two meals a +day during the summer, and one during the winter. To the latter, when +they are of a weakly constitution, a collation is allowed in addition. +The greatest error of all, however, appears to us to exist in the +estimate formed of the abbot, who, judging by his correspondence, is +evidently as informed and intelligent a person as is usually met with +out of the monastic circle.</p> + + + +<br /> +<hr /> +<h2><a name="AMERICAN_HOMAGE_TO_SHAKSPEARE_AND_MRS_COWDEN_CLARKE" id="AMERICAN_HOMAGE_TO_SHAKSPEARE_AND_MRS_COWDEN_CLARKE" />AMERICAN HOMAGE TO SHAKSPEARE AND MRS COWDEN CLARKE.</h2> + +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of + Contents</a></p> + +<p>There is a work to which many of our readers are probably strangers, +but which has roused the enthusiasm of the New World. It is a work of +immense labour, which in writing and correcting proofs occupied its +author sixteen years. This author is a lady, and the production on +which she bestowed so much unwearied patience and perseverance, during +a space of time equivalent in most cases to an entire literary life, +is a Concordance to Shakspeare. 'Her work,' says Mr Webster, the +American Secretary of State, 'is a perfect wonder, surprisingly full +and accurate, and exhibiting proof of unexampled labour and patience. +She has treasured up every word of Shakspeare, as if he were her +lover, and she were his.' But Mr Webster and his countrymen were not +satisfied even with such generous praise: they determined to present +Mrs Clarke with an enduring testimonial of their gratitude and +respect; and, accordingly, the ceremony has recently been performed by +Mr Abbot Laurence, the American minister. The list of subscribers, we +are told, 'contains names from Maine to Mexico. Even the far, far +west, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Illinois, have contributed; whilst +Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, +Pennsylvania, Ohio, and South Carolina, swell the list of the most +distinguished American literati, embracing a fair sprinkling of fair +ladies. There is even a subscriber from the shores of the Pacific.' +The testimonial is an elaborately carved library chair, bearing on the +top rail a mask of Shakspeare, copied in ivory from the Stratford +bust, wreathed with oak-leaves and laurel, and shaded by the wings of +two of 'Avon's swans.' Although an elegant and costly gift, however, +in itself, there is attached to this testimonial a meaning and a value +which we trust will make its due impression in the native land of +Shakspeare—in that mother-country to which the eyes of her western +descendants are thus turned in the lofty sympathy which binds together +throughout the whole world the children and worshippers of genius.</p> + + + +<br /> +<hr /> +<h2><a name="TO_WORDSWORTH" id="TO_WORDSWORTH" />TO WORDSWORTH.</h2> + +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of + Contents</a></p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span><span class="sc">The</span> voice of Nature in her changeful moods<br /></span> +<span>Breathes o'er the solemn waters as they flow,<br /></span> +<span>And 'mid the wavings of the ancient woods<br /></span> +<span>Murmurs, now filled with joy, now sad and low.<br /></span> +<span>Thou gentle poet, she hath tuned thy mind<br /></span> +<span>To deep accordance with the harmony<br /></span> +<span>That floats above the mountain summits free—<br /></span> +<span>A concert of Creation on the wind.<br /></span> +<span>And thy calm strains are breathed as though the dove<br /></span> +<span>And nightingale had given thee for thy dower<br /></span> +<span>The soul of music and the heart of love;<br /></span> +<span>And with a holy, tranquillising power<br /></span> +<span>They fall upon the spirit, like a gleam<br /></span> +<span>Of quiet star-light on a troubled stream.<br /></span> +<span class="i15"><span class="sc">M.A. Hoare</span>.</span> +</div></div> + +<br /> +<hr /> +<h2><a name="INTELLECT_DEVELOPED_BY_LABOUR" id="INTELLECT_DEVELOPED_BY_LABOUR" />INTELLECT DEVELOPED BY LABOUR.</h2> + +<p class="returnTOC"><a href="#Contents">Return to Table of + Contents</a></p> + +<p>Are labour and self-culture irreconcilable to each other? In the first +place, we have seen that a man, in the midst of labour, may and ought +to give himself to the most important improvements, that he may +cultivate his sense of justice, his benevolence, and the desire of +perfection. Toil is the school for these high principles; and we have +here a strong presumption that, in other respects, it does not +necessarily blight the soul. Next, we have seen that the most fruitful +sources of truth and wisdom are not books, precious as they are, but +experience and observation; and these belong to all conditions. It is +another important consideration, that almost all labour demands +intellectual activity, and is best carried on by those who invigorate +their minds; so that the two interests, toil and self-culture, are +friends to each other. It is mind, after all, which does the work of +the world, so that the more there is of mind, the more work will be +accomplished. A man, in proportion as he is intelligent, makes a given +force accomplish a greater task; makes skill take the place of muscle, +and with less labour, gives a better product. Make men intelligent, +and they become inventive; they find shorter processes. Their +knowledge of nature helps them to turn its laws to account, to +understand the substances on which they work, and to seize on useful +hints, which experience continually furnishes. It is among workmen +that some of the most useful machines have been contrived. Spread +education, and as the history of this country shews, there will be no +bounds to useful invention.—<i>Channing.</i></p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Printed and Published by W. and K. <span class="sc">Chambers</span>, High Street, Edinburgh. +Also sold by W.S. <span class="sc">Orr,</span> Amen Corner, London; D.N. <span class="sc">Chambers</span>, 55 West +Nile Street, Glasgow; and J. <span class="sc">M'Glashan</span>, 50 Upper Sackville Street, +Dublin.—Advertisements for Monthly Parts are requested to be sent to +<span class="sc">Maxwell</span> & Co., 31 Nicholas Lane, Lombard Street, London, to whom all +applications respecting their insertion must be made.</p> + +<hr class="full" /> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Chambers' Edinburgh Journal, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHAMBERS' EDINBURGH JOURNAL *** + +***** This file should be named 15481-h.htm or 15481-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/4/8/15481/ + +Produced by Malcolm Farmer, Richard J. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Chambers' Edinburgh Journal + Volume XVII., No 423, New Series. February 7th, 1852 + +Author: Various + +Editor: William Chambers and Robert Chambers + +Release Date: March 27, 2005 [EBook #15481] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHAMBERS' EDINBURGH JOURNAL *** + + + + +Produced by Malcolm Farmer, Richard J. Schiffer and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + + + + + + + CHAMBERS' EDINBURGH JOURNAL + + + CONDUCTED BY WILLIAM AND ROBERT CHAMBERS, EDITORS OF 'CHAMBERS'S + INFORMATION FOR THE PEOPLE,' 'CHAMBERS'S EDUCATIONAL COURSE,' &c. + + + No. 423. NEW SERIES. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1852. PRICE 1-1/2 _d._ + + + + +UP THE INDUS. + + +Three years ago, I received orders to proceed from Kurachee to Roree +by the river route, for the purpose of joining the siege-train then +assembling for the reduction of Mooltan. Subsequent events caused my +final destination to be changed to Sukkur. Although my journey was +thus not so long as I had both expected and wished, yet I had an +opportunity of seeing some three or four hundred miles of a river that +the records of the past, and the anticipations of the future, alike +combine to render interesting, and which in itself differs in many +respects from the other rivers of India. My position in life--that of +a non-commissioned officer of the ordnance department--has prevented +me from gleaning information on the subject, either from books or +official sources; but it may be that a narration of what I merely +_saw_, will not prove altogether without interest for those who must +run while they read--who have neither time, nor perhaps inclination, +to acquire any more than a superficial knowledge of distant countries. + +Having been provided with a passage in one of the steamers of the +Indus flotilla, and informed that the vessel was to start at daybreak +on the following morning, I hastened to procure the necessary +documents to authorise my obtaining ten days' sea-rations from the +commissariat department. The following was the proportion of food for +each day, and I may remark, that I received it from government gratis, +with the exception of the spirits, as I was proceeding on +field-service:--1 lb. of biscuits, 1 lb. of salt beef or pork, 1-4th +of 1 lb. of rice, 1 oz. and 2-7ths of sugar, 5-7ths of 1 oz. of tea, +and 2 drams, or about 1-4th of a bottle of arrack, 24 degrees under +proof. Having secured the provant, my mind was now perfectly at ease, +and I leisurely set about completing my arrangements for the voyage. +These consisted mainly in locking my only box, and tying up in a +cotton quilt a blanket and the thick sheet of goat's-hair-felt that +served me for a bed. It was dark before I left camp; and as I was +detained a considerable time at the _bunder_ or landing-place, waiting +for a boat to take me off to the steamer, it was late in the night +when I got on board. + +The steam-boat was about the size of the largest of those that ply +above bridge on the Thames. When I had scrambled on deck, I found that +the forepart of the vessel was crowded with the bodies of natives, +every one of whom was testifying the soundness of his repose by notes +both loud and deep. Having selected the only spot where there was room +even to sit down, I began, in a somewhat high key, to warble a lively +strain calculated to cheer the drooping spirits of such of my +neighbours as had that evening undergone the pang of parting from +their friends. This proceeding soon had the effect of drawing all eyes +upon me, and, indeed, not a few of the tongues also; for the now +thoroughly awakened sleepers--with great want of taste--growled out, +at the expense both of myself and of my performance, sundry +maledictions, with a fervency peculiar to the country, until at length +I may say I was clad with curses as with a garment. At this juncture, +I took out of my provision-bag a remarkably fine piece of pork, and +began to contemplate it by the light of the moon with the critical eye +of a connoisseur. The reader is no doubt aware, that among the natives +of India the popular prejudice does not run in favour of this +wholesome article of food; and perhaps to this fact I must attribute +it that the surrounding Mussulmans and Hindoos became wondrously +polite all on a sudden, and left a wide circle vacant around me, so +that I had ample room to make down my bed; nor was I disturbed from a +hearty sleep till the morning. + +At daybreak, I was aroused by the crew getting up the anchor: in a few +minutes, the head of the 'fire-boat,' as my dusky neighbours termed +it, was turned down the coast, and on we went, steaming, smoking, and +splashing, after the most orthodox fashion of fire-boats in general. I +had now time and opportunity to look around me. Every available spot +of the deck and paddle-boxes of the small, flat-bottomed iron steamer, +was crowded with as motley a set of passengers as ever sailed since +the days of Captain Noah. Sepoys returning from furlough to join their +regiments; lascars, or enlisted workmen belonging to the different +civil branches of the army; and camp-followers in all their varieties, +were everywhere squatted on their haunches, and although muffled up to +their eyes in wrappers of cotton-cloth, were all looking miserably +cold from the sharpness of the morning breeze. The crew consisted of +about twenty sailors--half of whom were Europeans, and evidently +picked hands. Under the influence of good pay, fresh provisions +without stint, sleeping all night in their hammocks, and constant +change of scene, they were as healthy-looking and good-humoured a lot +of seamen as I had ever met with. Their principal employment seemed to +be to take their turn at the wheel; and as the natives performed most +of the little work that was to be done in a vessel of this +description, carrying no sails, I presume they were entertained only +with the view of manning the two small howitzers and half-a-dozen +swivel-guns, in case our little craft should find it necessary to shew +her teeth. The remaining portion of the men were even finer specimens +of humanity than the Europeans. With the exception of two tall, bony +Scindians, they were all Seedies, or negroes, and there was not one +among them that might not have served as a model for a Hercules. Their +huge bodies presented an appearance of massiveness and immense +strength; and the enormous muscles had even more than the prominence +we find in some statues, but so seldom meet with in men of these +effeminate times. These particulars were the more easily noted, as +their style of costume, in the daytime at least, approached very +closely to nudity. But their size was as nothing to their appetites; +and deep and vasty as their internal accommodations must have been, it +remains a matter of perplexity to me to this day to determine by what +mysterious process they managed to stow away one-half of what they +devoured. I have repeatedly watched one of these overgrown animals +seat himself before a wooden trencher, some three-quarters of a yard +broad, and clear from it, as if by magic, a mess piled up to the +greatest capacity of the vessel, and consisting of rice, garnished at +the top with a couple of pounds or so of curried meat or fish; after +which, glaring around him in a hungry and dissatisfied manner, +calculated to raise unpleasant sensations in a nervous bystander, he +would sullenly catch hold of the hookah common to the party, and seek +to deaden his appetite by swallowing down long and repeated draughts +of tobacco-smoke, until the tears came into his eyes, and he was +forced to desist by a paroxysm of coughing. + +Among the passengers, there were two or three persons of my own +standing, and on the quarter-deck a small group of officers, one of +whom was accompanied by his wife. The lady had certainly no reason to +grumble at the inattention of her companions. The fair sex, although +much more plentiful at the time I speak of than ten years ago, was +still rather scarce in these parts, ladies being few and far between +in the stations beyond Kurachee. With a praiseworthy desire to make +the most of the honour, the skipper was bustling about, giving all +sorts of orders that might in any way conduce to the comfort of his +fair passenger, and apparently in a state of mental agony when a +momentary turn of the vessel would render the awning and screens +ineffectual in preserving her from a chance ray of the sun. Two young +subalterns were tumbling over one another in the anxious endeavour to +be the first to bring a footstool; a couple of their seniors were +standing by, rubbing their hands and smiling blandly, to keep their +minds in a fit state for the perpetration of a compliment on the first +possible occasion; while even the grim old major was trying very hard +to unbend: not that it was a part of his principles to be particularly +gallant to the ladies, but as he was going to a place where he might +not have the advantage of seeing any of them for some years, and would +thus run the chance of growing rusty, he thought he might as well keep +his hand in while he had the opportunity. + +After running down the coast till the sun became so uncomfortably hot +as to render an awning over the whole vessel an indispensable +necessary, we suddenly struck into one of the many creeks with which +the Delta of the Indus is everywhere interlaced. The vessel did not +answer her helm well; and as the breadth of the stream did not much +exceed her length, we were for some time running ashore, first on one +bank, and then on the opposite one. However, as the banks were steep, +and composed of a mixture of sand and mud, we were not so much delayed +by these accidents as might have been expected; for after grounding +with a shock sufficient to floor any one unused to the navigation of +the Indus, the tough little craft would slide back of her own accord +into her proper element, and go ahead again as if nothing had +happened. The first time this took place, I was sent on my beam-ends, +and was not a little alarmed into the bargain; but the crew seemed to +take it as a matter of course, and in reply to my anxious inquiries as +to the extent of damage that had been occasioned, they informed me +that she had only brushed the cobwebs off her keel. On entering the +creek, we startled large flocks of wild geese and ducks; and here and +there a pair of pelicans, after gazing at us for a few seconds, would +slowly wing their way to some more sequestered stream, unprofaned by +noisy, smoky civilisation. + +As we continued on our course, the landscape--a level plain, that +stretched away for miles till it met the horizon--was covered with +camels grazing upon tamarisk-bushes, which, with a few mangostans, an +occasional specimen of acanthus, and a coarse and scanty herbage, were +the only specimens of the vegetable kingdom that met our gaze. The +scene during the remainder of the afternoon was the same, the monotony +being relieved only when we stopped for half an hour to take a supply +of wood from a large pile collected on the bank for this purpose, and +thus had an opportunity of stretching our legs on _terra firma_. At +dusk, the steam-boat was run ashore, the steam blown off, and here we +were to remain for the night. The natives immediately rushed on shore, +and began preparing fires to cook their provisions. The ship's cook +had already supplied me with a cup, or rather a tin pot of tea; but as +the growing coolness of the evening, and the example of my neighbours, +rather encouraged my appetite, I resolved to make a second edition of +my evening meal, and accordingly took under my arm the copper canteen +which formed the sum-total of my culinary apparatus--the lid being my +only plate or dish--and furnished with a supply of tea, sugar, cold +meat, and biscuit, made my way to a spot a short distance off, where I +might take my food on the solitary system, according to the custom +that we Englishmen most delight in. When I had lighted the fire, and +put the water on to boil, I cast myself on the ground, and +complacently puffing away at my pipe, gazed at the wild but +picturesque scene before me. The position of the river was marked out +by a semicircle of some fifty or sixty fires, before which dark and +ill-defined figures were ever and anon flitting like phantoms; while, +in the midst, the funnel of the steam-boat loomed tall and black above +the veil of smoke that hung around--like some dark and horrid object +Of heathen idolatry surrounded by its sacrificial fires. The sounds +that met my ear, however, dispelled this somewhat fanciful idea; for +in the stillness of the night voices grow distinct, while forms are +indebted to the imagination for filling up their outlines. + +The native passengers, who had remained, silent and dull, in a +constrained position during the whole of the day, felt a load taken +off their spirits as soon as they set foot on dry land; and in a trice +the silence that had hitherto reigned was broken by a very Babel of +tongues, among which could be distinguished the guttural jargon of the +Scindian, the bastard dialect of Mahratti, of the Hindoo from the +Deccan, and the ungrammatical _patois_ of Hindostani, which--although, +when exclusively used, it marked out the Mussulman--was yet the +_lingua franca_ of the whole party; but amidst the unceasing torrent +of words, little could be distinguished, save when the ear was saluted +with an outburst of nature's universal and unvaried language in the +shape of a light-hearted laugh. By and by, my attention became +directed, by an occasional shout of merriment, to a group of Seedies +clustered round a fire near me. Negroes in this country are much the +same as in other parts of the World--a happy, easily-contented race, +forgetful of the past, and careless of the future. After keeping up +their noisy confabulation for some time, they removed to a level spot +close to where I was lying: one of them squatted down on the ground, +and commenced singing to the music of a sort of tambourine, that he +beat with the flat of his hand; and the others at once formed a +circle, and commenced a rude dance, which had probably been brought +by themselves or their fathers from the shores of Eastern Africa. The +air was at first low and monotonous, the time seeming to be more +studied than any variation of the tune; but after some minutes a few +notes in a higher key were occasionally introduced, giving the music a +strangely wild and melancholy character. The dance consisted +principally of low jumps, each foot being alternately advanced in +strict time with the music. Sometimes the dancers joined hands; again +they would pass into one another's places, until they had made the +circuit of the ring; and every now and then, in going through these +movements, they would leap completely round, apparently without an +effort, but as a natural consequence of the momentum produced by the +celerity of their motions, and the weight of their huge bodies. The +whole affair was gone through in a serious and business-like manner, +unusual in the negro. How long I watched them I cannot say; but it +seemed to me as if they went on for hours without slackening the pace, +or moving one muscle of their countenances, until my eyes became heavy +with looking at them. At length, the figures appeared to grow dim, and +among them I thought I recognised faces of friends then many thousands +of miles from me, and forms that the earth had long before covered +over. A death-like chill came over me: by a sudden impulse, I rushed +forward, and awoke. With bewildered feelings, I rose on my elbow, and +gazed around. The moon had risen; her cold, clear light making every +object near me either startlingly distinct, or else a mass of dark +shade, while a deep and solemn silence reigned around. All had +vanished--the singer and the dancers--the flaming, sparkling, roaring +fires, and the noisy groups around them; and I might have imagined +that I had awaked to find myself in another world, had it not been for +the heap of black ashes beside me, and the dark outline of the +steam-boat in the distance. I arose, stiff, cold, and drowsy, and +tucking my kitchen under my arm, slowly wended my way on board. + +However, there must be an end to all things; and on the third day, we +emerged from the dreary net-work of creeks, and entered into the open +Indus. The scenery still remained much the same. Here and there, +beacons were erected, but they were only of temporary use, for the +channel of the river alters almost every year. The breadth of the +stream varies with the rise of the water consequent on the melting of +the snow on the distant mountains, among which it takes its source. At +Sukkur, it is as broad as the Thames at Blackwall; and nearly two +hundred miles lower down, it is sometimes found of no greater breadth; +while in other spots it spreads into a lake some two or three miles +across, depending upon the level of the surrounding country and the +rise of the river. Scinde has been called Young Egypt, from the +general resemblance of the physical features of the two countries, and +the fact, that the existence of an only river in each is the sole +cause of an immense tract of territory being prevented from becoming +throughout a parched and unprofitable desert. In Upper Scinde, there +are very rarely more than three or four showers in the year, and the +cultivator has to depend entirely upon the overflow of the river for +the growth of his crops, in the same way as the fellah of Egypt is +saved from famine by the annual inundation of the Nile. In Fort +Bukkur, there is a gauge on which the height of the river is +registered, in a similar manner to that of the celebrated one in +Egypt; and the news of the rise or fall of a few inches, is received +by the Scindians with an eager interest, not a little strange to those +who are unaware that such petty fluctuations determine whether a +nation shall feast or starve for the next twelve months. It is +pleasing to add, that there are hopes of a change for the better in +this state of uncertainty of obtaining the necessities of life, which, +in a case like this, where so little depends upon the energy of single +members of the community, acts as a sure check upon the progress of +civilisation. Canals, excavated at a time when all India was one vast +empire, but since choked up and fallen into ruins, have been cleaned +and repaired, and new ones projected. A late order of government has +led the way to the Indus being constituted, instead of the Ganges, the +highway from Europe to the fertile and important provinces of +North-Western Hindostan. Commerce, in the pride of her prosperity, +grows nice about her roads, and she will soon take the Indus in hand, +and put a stop to its little irregularities. Mere art, perhaps, could +do but little to remove the impediments to the navigation of this +immense river. This end could only be obtained by taking advantage of +the natural causes which have made a deep channel in one part and a +shoal out a few yards lower down. Dame Nature, like dames in general, +may be easily led if we can only persuade her that she is acting of +her own accord. + +On we went, steaming, and smoking, and splashing more than ever, +buffeting against the muddy-looking stream, which, however, was +sometimes too much for us, so that we were fain to take advantage of +the still waters or back-current near the banks. The river being low +at this season, we ran aground, in spite of all the care of our +Scindian pilot and the Seedic leadsman, often enough to have wrecked a +moderately-sized navy. The leadsman was a rather pompous individual, +duly impressed with the importance of his position, in having charge +of the deep-sea line, which was something short of two fathoms in +length. He was stationed at the bows, and ever and anon proclaimed +aloud the depth of water in language that he fondly believed to be +English. As we dashed along in one fathom water, he seemed perfectly +at his ease, and drew the small lead from the river, and again tossed +it before him with a studied grace, turning round occasionally, with +an air of affected indifference, to read admiration in our eyes. As +the water shoaled to four feet, his brow contracted and his motions +were quickened; when it became three feet, he hurled the lead into the +water, as the gambler dashes down his last dice; and at last, as we +grazed on the tail of a hank, it was almost with a shriek that he +yelled out, _'Doo foots_!' But our hour had not yet come; and as the +water deepened to beyond the four yards that formed the extent of his +line, he assumed his former dignified ease, and leisurely made known +that there was 'No bot-t-a-a-m!'--an announcement which, although +gratifying in one respect, was yet somewhat startling. + +But we did not always escape in this manner. Not to speak of minor +mischances, on one occasion we stuck hard and fast for twenty-four +hours, in spite of every attempt to extricate ourselves. Here was a +predicament for the captain! He had received instructions to make the +greatest speed on his trip; his passengers were all burning with +impatience lest they should be too late to acquire glory and +prize-money--the prize-money at all events; the military stores on +board were urgently required at Mooltan; and, worse than all, the lady +began to pout! This was the climax of his misfortune; and the skipper, +growing desperate, swore a mighty oath that if the obstinate little +craft would not swim through the water, she should walk over the land, +and we should see who would get tired of it first. Accordingly, an +anchor was carried forward to a spot some forty yards off, where the +water was deeper; the greater part of the passengers were made to jump +overboard, without even going through the formality of walking the +plank; while the remainder manned the capstan-bars. The chain-cable +tightened, the capstan creaked, and the paddles dashed round; but we +did not stir an inch till the natives, who had been so unceremoniously +turned overboard, began to apply the pressure from without, when, +amidst shouts and yells, and curses in a dozen different languages, we +slid along the surface of the bank until we reached a deeper channel. +The outside passengers then scrambled on board, and again we darted +on; while the captain took snuff with the triumphant air of a man who +was not to be trifled with, and informed the lady confidentially that +she (the steam-boat) was not a bad little craft after all, but it did +not do to let her have her own way altogether. + +Let it now suffice to say, that the amphibious steam-boat carried us +to Sukkur in rather less than three weeks--our voyage in some respects +resembling the midnight journey of the demon horseman-- + + 'Tramp, tramp across the land we ride; + Splash, splash across the sea!' + +Glad we were when a bend of the river shewed us the island and +picturesque fort of Bukkur, apparently blocking up all further +progress; the left bank being studded with the white bungalows of +Sukkur, half-hidden in clumps of date-trees; while the right was +clothed to the water's edge with the bright green foliage of the +gardens of Roree. + + + + +HELPS'S ESSAYS. + + +In an age of many books, there must needs be some, highly worthy of +attention, with which the general reading-public will be but +imperfectly acquainted. Though probably known to many of our readers, +we think it likely that the writings of Mr Helps are yet unknown to +many others, who might profit by the study of them, and more or less +appreciate their excellence. Under this conviction, it is proposed to +notice them in the present pages; and we have little doubt of being +able to substantiate their claims to consideration. To readers who +require of a book something more than mere amusement, or a passing +satisfaction to their curiosity; who have any regard or relish for +independent thinking--for an enlarged observation of human life--for +the results of study and experience--for practical sense and wisdom, +and a general understanding and appreciation of the varied motives, +ways, and interests of men and of society--these volumes cannot fail +to prove delightful and profitable reading. + +All Mr Helps's writings have been published anonymously; and it is +only within the last two years that he has become known, out of his +own circle, to be the author. His earliest publications were, _Essays +written in the Intervals of Business_, and _An Essay on the Duties of +the Employers to the Employed_, otherwise entitled _The Claims of +Labour_. He has also published a work in two volumes under the title +of _The Conquerors of the New World and their Bondsmen_; a historical +narrative of the principal events which led to negro slavery in the +West Indies and America. But the books from his pen with which we are +best acquainted, and which have obtained the largest measure of public +attention, are a series of essays intermixed with dialogues, called +_Friends in Council_, and a supplementary volume, somewhat different +in plan, which he calls _Companions of my Solitude_.[1] As the whole +of his characteristics as an essayist are displayed with a more +perfect effect in these two latter works than in the others, and as +they will afford us as much extract as we shall have space for, we +propose to confine our remarks to them exclusively. Matter enough, and +even more than enough, will be found in them for illustrating whatever +we may find to say respecting the author's powers and attainments. + +The _Friends in Council_ purports to be edited by a clergyman named +Dunsford, who was so obliging and laborious as to set down the +conversations in which he, Ellesmere (the great lawyer), and Milverton +(the author), had engaged on various occasions, when the last read to +his companions a number of short essays which he was writing. We have +a page or two of introduction, informing us of this circumstance, and +of a few other particulars needful to be mentioned; and then, after a +little talk among the friends, an essay is read, followed by the +interlocutors' comments, and a discussion of its merits. These +conversations form a very agreeable portion of the work, and exhibit a +fine mastery of dialogue. They are exactly like the discourse of +intelligent and accomplished men, and therefore very much unlike the +ordinary run of book-reported talk. A few sentences may be not unfitly +quoted, by way of exhibiting their quality. We take the following, on +so common a matter as friendship; not because it is the best we might +select, but because it seems one of the passages which is most readily +extractable:-- + +'_Ellesmere._ I suppose all of us have, at one time or other, had a +huge longing after friendship. If one could get it, it would be much +safer than that other thing. + +'_Milverton._ Well, I wonder whether love--for I imagine you mean +love--was ever so described before, "that other thing!" + +'_Elles._ When the world was younger, perhaps there was more of this +friendship. David and Jonathan!--How does their friendship begin? I +know it is very beautiful; but I have forgotten the words. Dunsford +will tell us. + +'_Dunsford._ "And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young +man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the +Bethlehemite. And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking +unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, +and Jonathan loved him as his own soul." + +'_Elles._ Now that men are more complex, they would require so much. +For instance, if I were to have a friend, he must be an +uncommunicative man: that limits me to about thirteen or fourteen +people in the world. It is only with a man of perfect reticence that +you can speak completely without reserve. We talk together far more +openly than most people; but there is a skilful fencing even in our +talk. We are not inclined to say the whole of what we think. + +'_Mil._. What I should need in a friend would be a certain breadth of +nature: I have no sympathy with people who can disturb themselves +about small things; who crave the world's good opinion; are anxious to +prove themselves always in the right; can be immersed in personal talk +or devoted to self-advancement; who seem to have grown up entirely +from the _earth_, whereas even the plants draw most of their +sustenance from the air of heaven. + +'_Elles._ That is a high flight. I am not prepared to say all that. I +do not object to a little earthiness. What I should fear in friendship +is the comment, and interference, and talebearing, I often see +connected with it. + +'_Mil._ That does not particularly belong to friendship, but comes +under the general head of injudicious comment on the part of those who +live with us. Divines often remind us, that in forming our ideas of +the government of Providence, we should recollect that we see only a +fragment. The same observation, in its degree, is true too as regards +human conduct. We see a little bit here and there, and assume the +nature of the whole. Even a very silly man's actions are often more to +the purpose than his friend's comments upon them. + +'_Elles._ True! Then I should not like to have a man for a friend who +would bind me down to be consistent, who would form a minute theory of +me which was not to be contradicted. + +'_Mil._ If he loved you as his own soul, and his soul were knit with +yours--to use the words of Scripture--he would not demand this +consistency, because each man must know and feel his own immeasurable +vacillation and inconsistency; and if he had complete sympathy with +another, he would not be greatly surprised or vexed at that other's +inconsistencies. + +'_Duns._ There always seems to me a want of tenderness in what are +called friendships in the present day. Now, for instance, I don't +understand a man ridiculing his friend. The joking of intimates often +appears to me coarse and harsh. You will laugh at this in me, and +think it rather effeminate, I am afraid. + +'_Mil._ No; I do not. I think a great deal of jocose raillery may pass +between intimates without the requisite tenderness being infringed +upon. If any friend had been in a painful and ludicrous position (such +as when Cardinal Balue in full dress is run away with on horseback, +which Scott comments upon as one of a class of situations combining +"pain, peril, and absurdity"), I would not remind him of it. Why +should I bring back a disagreeable impression to his mind? Besides, it +would be more painful than ludicrous to me. I should enter into his +feelings rather than into those of the ordinary spectator. + +'_Duns._ I am glad we are of the same mind in this. + +'_Mil._ I have also a notion that, even in the common friendships of +the world, we should be very stanch defenders of our absent friends. +Supposing that our friend's character or conduct is justly attacked in +our hearing upon some point, we should be careful to let the light and +worth of the rest of his character in upon the company, so that they +should go away with something of the impression that we have of him; +instead of suffering them to dwell only upon this fault or foible that +was commented upon, which was as nothing against him in our +hearts--mere fringe to the character, which we were accustomed to, and +rather liked than otherwise, if the truth must be told. + +'_Elles._ I declare we have made out amongst us an essay on +friendship, without the fuss of writing one. I always told you our +talk was better than your writing, Milverton. Now, we only want a +beginning and ending to this peripatetic essay. What would you say to +this as a beginning?--it is to be a stately, pompous plunge into the +subject, after the Milverton fashion:--"Friendship and the Phoenix, +taking into due account the fire-office of that name, have been found +upon the earth in not unsimilar abundance." I flatter myself that "not +unsimilar abundance" is eminently Milvertonian. + +'_Mil._ Now observe, Dunsford, you were speaking sometime ago about +the joking of intimates being frequently unkind. This is just an +instance to the contrary. Ellesmere, who is not a bad fellow--at least +not so bad as he seems--knows that he can say anything he pleases +about my style of writing without much annoying me. I am not very +vulnerable on these points; but all the while there is a titillating +pleasure to him in being all but impertinent and vexatious to a +friend. And he enjoys that. So do I.' + +This certainly reads like free and natural conversation, besides being +noteworthy for the suggestions it contains. + +Mr Helps is strictly an original writer, in the sense of thinking for +himself; but at the same time, one of his excellences consists in an +adroit and novel use of commonplaces. There is, indeed, as much +originality in putting a new face upon old verities, as in producing +new ones from the mint of one's invention. As Emerson has remarked, +valuable originality does not consist in mere novelty or unlikeness to +other men, but in range and extent of grasp and insight. This is a +fact, too, which Mr Helps has noted. 'A suggestion,' says he, 'may be +ever so old; but it is not exhausted until it is acted upon, or +rejected on sufficient reason.' He has, therefore, no fastidious dread +of saying anything which has been said before, but readily welcomes +wise thoughts from all directions, often reproducing them with such +felicity of expression, as to give them new effect. Thus, in all the +elements of a profitable originality, he is rich and generous; and +from few books of modern times could so large a store of aphorisms, +fine sayings, and admirable observations be selected. We have marked a +great many more than can be incorporated in the present paper; but +some few may be, nevertheless, presented. Here, for instance, is a +fine remark on time--next to love, the most hackneyed subject in the +world:--'Men seldom feel as if they were bounded as to time: they +think they can afford to throw away a great deal of that commodity; +_thus shewing unconsciously in their trifling the sense that they have +of their immortality_.' On another familiar topic--human progress--he +writes thus:--'The progress of mankind is like the incoming of the +tide, which, from any given moment, is almost as much of a retreat as +an advance, but still the tide moves on.' Emerson has used the same +figure, but in a passage which ought not to be regarded as impairing +our author's originality. + +On the vexed and perplexing question of _Evil_, Mr Helps has said many +acute and consolatory things, from among which we have culled the +following sentences:--'The man who is satisfied with any given state +of things that we are likely to see on earth, must have a creeping +imagination: on the other hand, he who is oppressed by the evils +around him so as to stand gaping at them in horror, has a feeble will +and a want of practical power, and allows his fancy to come in, like +too much wavering light upon his work, so that he does not see to go +on with it. A man of sagacity, while he apprehends a great deal of the +evil around him, resolves what part of it he will be blind to for the +present, in order to deal best with what he has in hand; and as to men +of any genius, they are not imprisoned or rendered partial even by +their own experience of evil, much less are their attacks upon it +paralysed by their full consciousness of its large presence.' +Here, in the next place, is an aphorism worth pondering and +remembrance:--'Vague injurious reports are no men's lies, but all +men's carelessness.' And by the side of it we may place a pleasant +sarcasm attributed to Ellesmere, and apparently intended as a reminder +for stump-orators: 'How exactly proportioned to a man's ignorance of +the subject is the noise he makes about it at a public meeting.' Not +altogether out of connection here may be this brief sentence:--'Next +to the folly of doing a bad thing, is that of fearing to undo it.' In +the following, we have a brief sufficient argument against the +indulgence of unavailing sorrow or anxiety:--'It has always appeared +to me, that there is so much to be done in this world, that all +self-inflicted suffering which cannot be turned to good account for +others, is a loss--a loss, if you may so express it, to the spiritual +world.' There is plain truth, too, in the next, though it is not +likely to be much remembered by those who are most in need of it:--'An +ill-tempered man often has everything his own way, and seems very +triumphant; but the demon he cherishes, tears him as well as awes +other people.' In another place, and from another point of view, he +indicates the admirable benefits of human, sympathy. 'Often,' says he, +'all that a man wants in order to accomplish something that is good +for him to do, is the encouragement of another man's sympathy. What +Bacon says the voice of the man is to the dog--the encouragement of a +higher nature--each man can in a lesser degree afford his neighbour; +for a man receives the suggestions of another mind with somewhat of +the respect and courtesy with which he would greet a higher nature.' +Speaking with reference to the pursuits of men of literary and +artistic genius, it is written: 'Almost any worldly state in which a +man can be placed is a hinderance to him, if he have other than mere +worldly things to do. Poverty, wealth, many duties, or many affairs, +distract and confuse him.' One sentence more is all that can be added +here; and if it seems to be suggested by an aphorism of Bacon, it is +equal to it in pith and penetration:--'Every _felicity_, as well as +wife and children, is a hostage to fortune.' + +These sentences have been gathered chiefly from _Friends in Council_, +though a few of them are taken from _Companions of my Solitude_. The +two books are informed with the same spirit; and to a meditative +person, one could not recommend a choicer store of reading. Those, +however, to whom the works are as yet unknown, may wish to see some +longer and more connected extract. It is difficult to decide upon what +ought to be presented, where almost everything is exquisite; yet as a +choice must be made, we will take some sentences from an essay on +'Despair,' wherein the writer offers a few remedial suggestions +against the burden of remorse:-- + +'To have erred in one branch of our duties, does not unfit us for the +performance of all the rest, unless we suffer the dark spot to spread +over our whole nature, which may happen almost unobserved in the +torpor of despair. This kind of despair is chiefly grounded on a +foolish belief that individual words or actions constitute the whole +life of man; whereas they are often not fair representatives of +portions even of that life. The fragments of rock in a mountain stream +may tell much of its history, are, in fact, results of its doings, but +they are not the stream. They were brought down when it was turbid; it +may now be clear: they are as much the result of other circumstances +as of the action of the stream: their history is fitful: they give us +no sure intelligence of the future course of the stream, or of the +nature of its waters; and may scarcely shew more than that it has not +been always as it is. The actions of men are often but little better +indications of the men themselves.... + +'There is frequently much selfishness about remorse. Put what has been +done at the worst. Let a man see his own evil word or deed in full +light, and own it to be black as hell itself. He is still here. He +cannot be isolated. There still remain for him cares and duties; and +therefore hopes. Let him not in imagination link all creation to his +fate. Let him yet live in the welfare of others, and, if it may be so, +work out his own in this way; if not, be content with theirs. The +saddest cause of remorseful despair is when a man does something +expressly contrary to his character--when an honourable man, for +instance, slides into some dishonourable action; or a tender-hearted +man falls into cruelty from carelessness; or, as often happens, a +sensitive nature continues to give the greatest pain to others' from +temper, feeling all the time perhaps more deeply than the persons +aggrieved. All these cases may be summed up in the words, "That which +I would not, that I do"--the saddest of all human confessions, made +by one of the greatest men. However, the evil cannot be mended by +despair. Hope and humility are the only supports under this burden.' + +As our space presses, the passages we give must necessarily be short. +The beauty of the few sentences following will not be disputed. They +are taken from a 'Chapter of Consolations' in _Companions of my +Solitude_, and will serve to exhibit our author's style under one of +its more animated aspects:-- + +'Lastly, there is to be said of all suffering--that it is experience. +I have forgotten in whose life it is to be found, but there is some +man who went out of his way to provide himself with every form of +human misery which he could get at. I do not myself see any occasion +for any man's going out of the way to provide misfortune for himself. +Like an eminent physician, he might stay at home, and find almost +every form of human misery knocking at his door. But still I +understand what this chivalrous inquirer meant, who sought to taste +all suffering for the sake of the experience it would give him. + +'There is this admirable commonplace, too, which, from long habit of +being introduced in such discourses, wishes to come in before I +conclude--namely, that infelicities of various kinds belong to the +state here below. Who are we that we should not take our share? See +the slight amount of personal happiness requisite to go on with. In +noisome dungeons, subject to studied tortures, in abject and shifty +poverty, after consummate shame, upon tremendous change of fortune, in +the profoundest desolation of mind and soul, in forced companionship +with all that is unlovely and uncongenial--men, persevering nobly, +live on, and live through all. The mind, like water, passes through +all states, till it shall be united to what it is ever seeking. The +very loneliness of man here is the greatest proof, to my mind, of a +God.' + +One of the things that strikes us most in these essays, is the +author's wise moderation of statement, his habit of looking at all +phases of a question, and of saying something appropriate on each. We +believe he makes Ellesmere observe somewhere, that moral essays +commonly require another essay from the opposite point of view to +temper and qualify their meaning. This requirement has been closely +kept in mind. There is no undue vehemence, no straining of favourite +points, no clap-trap rhetoric or elaborate phrase-makings; but +everything is clear, judicious, well considered, and conscientiously +set forth. The man does not write for the sake of writing, but because +his soul is full of thoughts, and his remembrances charged with the +wholesome lessons of experience. The thoughts generally are less +remarkable for their depth than for their _breadth_--a free and +unembarrassed all-sidedness, which is, perhaps, one of the most +difficult of all attainments in the way of writing. There is a mild +meditative wisdom in his utterances which can have been derived only +through a large acquaintance with life and society; with the manifold +diversities of motive and aspiration by which men are actuated; with +everything, in short, that interests, degrades, or elevates humanity. +Only from an extensive quarry of experience could this strong and +graceful pillar of wit, sagacity, and judgment, have been built up. +From this, too, has been acquired that broad liberality of opinion +which must be welcome to every candid mind--the enlarged tolerance, +and generous appreciation of all degrees of difference in men's ways +of thinking and of acting, which is one of the most pleasing and most +distinctive characteristics of these writings. Often, in reading, we +are inclined to say, here is one of the best-balanced souls in +England--a finely-gifted and highly-cultivated man, to whom the pains +and difficulties, the joys, the sorrows, the ambitions, and +shortcomings of his race, are all familiar; who has felt them all, +seen the good and evil of them all, and, with a calm deliberation, can +testify at last, that the great Power of the Universe has so +constrained and ordered the uncertainties and perils of our lot, as +not only to reconcile all its apparent contradictions with the ends of +moral discipline and benefit, but to make even the darkness of +calamity flash rays of brightness and of hope. Thus, along with an +enlarged knowledge of men and things, he gives us the wisest counsel +about our conduct and proceedings in the world, and also the most +encouraging conclusions with regard to our final destiny and +prospects. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[1] 1. _Friends in Council: a Series of Headings and Discourse +thereon_. New Edition. Two vols. 2. _Companions of my Solitude_. +Pickering. London: 1851. + + + + +JELLY-FISHES. + + +We inscribe at the head of this paper the popular name of a class of +beings, which, though simple in their organisation, are full of +interest to the zoologist, and attractive to the common observer from +the singularity or beauty of their forms, and, in many cases, the +brilliancy of their colouring. The ocean, throughout its wide extent, +swarms with myriads of gelatinous creatures--some microscopic, some of +large dimensions--which deck it with the gayest colours by day, and at +night light up its dreary waste with 'mimic fires,' and make it glow +and sparkle as if, like the heavens, it had its galaxies and +constellations. These are the jelly-fishes, or sea-nettles +(_Acalephae_), as they are often called, from the stinging properties +with which some of them are endowed. The commoner forms are well +known, for the beach is often strewn with the carcasses of the larger +species. On fine days in summer and autumn, whole fleets of these +strange voyagers appear off our coasts. Their umbrella-shaped, +transparent disks float gracefully through the calm water, and their +long fishing-lines trail after them as they move onward. At times, +multitudes, almost invisible to the naked eye, tenant every wave, and +give it by night a crest of flame; while other kinds measure as much +as a yard in diameter. The _Acalephae_ present the greatest variety of +form and colour, as well as of size, but they are all of the most +delicate structure, frail, gelatinous, transparent. Some are so +perfectly colourless, that their presence can with difficulty be +detected in the water. + +The following description, by Professor E. Forbes, applies to a large +proportion of the species:--'They are active in their habits, graceful +in their motions, gay in their colouring, delicate as the finest +membrane, transparent as the purest crystal.' The poet Crabbe has +characterised them well in the following passage:-- + + 'Those living jellies which the flesh inflame, + Fierce as a nettle, and from that the name; + Some in huge masses, some that you might bring + In the small compass of a lady's ring; + Figured by hand divine--there's not a gem + Wrought by man's art to be compared to them; + Soft, brilliant, tender, through the wave they glow, + And make the moonbeam brighter where they flow.' + +The first thing that arrests our attention in these creatures is the +extreme delicacy and tenuity of their substance. The jelly-fish is +chiefly made up of fluid. A quantity of water and a thin membranaceous +film, these are its chief component parts. Professor Owen has +ascertained that a large individual, weighing two pounds, when removed +from the sea, will be represented, when the fluid which it contains is +drained off, 'by a thin film of membrane not exceeding thirty grams in +weight.' Naturalists have commonly described the jelly-fish as being +little more than 'coagulated water' and the description is correct. + +And yet these masses of film and fluid, floating at the mercy of wind +and wave, possess powers which we should hardly associate with so +simple a structure, and can accomplish works of which we should little +suspect them. Delicate and defenceless as they appear, they can +capture fishes of large size, and digest them with ease and rapidity. +Some of them are in truth formidable monsters. Professor E. Forbes +gives the following humorous description of the destructive +propensities of some medusae which he had captured in the Zetland +seas:--'Being kept,' he says, 'in a jar of salt-water with small +crustacea, they devoured these animals, so much more highly organised +than themselves, voraciously; apparently enjoying the destruction of +the unfortunate members of the upper classes with a truly democratic +relish. One of them even attacked and commenced the swallowing of a +_Lizzia octopunctata_, quite as good a medusa as itself. An animal +which can pout out its mouth twice the length of its body, and stretch +its stomach to corresponding dimensions, must indeed be "a triton +among the minnows;" and a very terrific one too. Yet is this ferocious +creature one of the most delicate and graceful of the inhabitants of +the ocean--a very model of tenderness and elegance.' + +The jelly-fishes are all, in their adult state, locomotive beings. +They float freely and incessantly through the ocean, either impelled +by their own efforts, or driven by storm and billow. They for the most +part frequent the open seas, and shun the shore, their delicate frames +being endangered by the perennial strife between land and water. Being +designed for constant motion, for the navigation of the great waters, +their entire organisation is adapted to such a mode of life. We find +amongst those ocean-floaters the greatest perfection and variety of +locomotive apparatus; and they have been divided into sections, +according to the modifications of this portion of structure which they +exhibit. We shall endeavour to give a popular account of the leading +peculiarities of each, and note the most interesting points in the +history of the tribe. + +In the first section, the animals are furnished with a disk or +umbrella of varying shape, which serves as a float, beneath which hang +certain processes connected with the functions of prehension and +digestion. In this division are included some of the best-known forms. +The creature, in this case, propels itself by the alternate +contraction and expansion of its disk, thus striking the water, and +driving itself forward. These movements take place at regular +intervals, and serve a double purpose. They not only propel, but at +the same time drive the water over the lower surface of the disk. Here +is situated a complicated net-work of vessels, and the fluids of the +body are thus exposed to the influence of oxygen, and receive the +needed aeration. The stroke of the disk, therefore, is not only a +locomotive, but also a respiratory act. The jelly-fishes of this +section move as they breathe, and breathe as they move. Hence the name +which has been given them--_Pulmonigrades_. We find the same admirable +economy of resources amongst the lower animalcules. The cilia which +propel them secure the aeration of the system. + +It is evident that the motive apparatus in this section of the +_Acalephae_ is but a feeble one. It only avails in calm weather. When +the sea is agitated, the jelly-fish is driven helplessly along. It +cannot choose its path. As its food, however, is everywhere abundant +around it, and it has no business that should lead it in one direction +more than another, there is no great hardship in this. + +In this section are included some of the most beautiful, as well as +common of the tribe. The forms of the umbrella are often most lovely, +and present an astonishing variety. As an example of the beauty which +they sometimes display, we may refer to a species which resembles an +exquisitely formed glass-shade, ornamented with a waved and tinted +fringe. The most perfect grace of form, the transparency of the +crystal, and colour as delicate as that of the flower, combine to +render this frail being one of the loveliest of living things. + +In another section, locomotion is effected by a modification of +ciliary apparatus. We have a familiar example in the _Beroe_ of our +own seas, a most attractive little being, and a prime favourite with +naturalists, who have described its habits and celebrated its beauty +with enthusiasm. We shall not soon forget the delight with which we +first made acquaintance with this graceful little rover. While +rambling along the shore in quest of marine animals, our attention was +arrested by a drop of the clearest jelly, as it seemed to be, lying on +a mass of rock, from which the tide had but just receded. On +transferring it to a phial of sea-water, its true nature was at once +revealed to us. A globular body floated gracefully in the vessel, +scarcely less transparent than the fluid which filled it. Presently it +began to move up and down within its prison-house, and the paddles by +means of which the beroe dances along its ocean-path were distinctly +visible. These paddles are nothing more or less than cilia of a +peculiar kind, ranged in eight bands upon the surface of the body. +They are set in motion at the will of the animal, and their incessant +strokes propel it swiftly through the water. By stopping some of its +paddles, and keeping others in play, the beroe can change its course +at pleasure, and so wander 'at its own sweet will,' through the +trackless waste. Beauty waits upon the course of this little crystal +globe. The grace and sprightliness of its movements must strike the +commonest observer. As the sunlight falls upon its cilia, they are +'tinted with the most lovely iridescent colours;' and at night they +flash forth phosphoric light, as though the little creature were +giving a saucy challenge to the stars. + +The beroe is a most active being, its habits conforming to the +organisation with which it is endowed. Such an array of paddles +prophesies of a mercurial temperament and an energetic character. It +can, however, anchor itself and lie by when occasion offers. It is +provided with two long cables, prettily set with spiral filaments or +tendrils, by means of which it can make fast to any point. When not in +use, it can retract them, and stow them away in two _sacs_ or pouches +within the body, where they may be seen coiled up, through the +transparent walls. The mouth is a simple opening at one pole of the +globular body. No arms are needed. The beroe is spared the labour and +uncertainty of the chase. As it dances gaily along, streams of water, +bearing nutritive particles, pass through the orifice into its +stomach. + +In this creature, as in many of the lower animals, there is a +remarkable power of retaining vitality after the most serious +injuries; nay, in portions actually severed from the body, it will +continue for some time. Mr Patterson, in his excellent _Introduction +to Zoology_, mentions that on one occasion he divided a fragment of +the body of a beroe, lately taken from the shore and shattered by a +storm, 'into portions so minute that one piece of skin had but two +cilia attached to it, yet the vibration of these organs continued for +nearly a couple of days afterwards!' But we must leave the beroe, +charmer though it be. + +Another member of this section--the _Ciliograde acalephae_, as they are +called--is the Girdle of Venus, which resembles a ribbon in form, and +is sometimes five or six feet in length, covered with cilia, and +brilliantly phosphorescent. This must be one of the most beautiful of +the _fireworks_ of the ocean. + +The jelly-fishes of another section are furnished with one or more +air-bags, which assist them in swimming, and hence bear the name of +_hydrostatic acalephae_. In the Portuguese man-of-war (_Physalia_), the +bag is large, and floats conspicuously on the surface of the water. +From the top of it rises a purple crest, which acts as a sail, and by +its aid the little voyager scuds gaily before the wind. But should +danger threaten--should some hungry, piratical monster in quest of a +dinner heave in sight, or the blast grow furious--the float is at once +compressed, through two minute orifices at the extremities a portion +of the air escapes, and down goes the little craft to the tranquil +depths, leaving the storm or the pirate behind. In one species +(_Cuvieria_), the floats are numerous and prettily ranged round the +margin of the body. Resting on these, the creature casts about its +long fishing-lines, and arrests the passing prey. + +One more section remains to be noticed. The jelly-fishes which belong +to it have a rudimentary skeleton--a plate which supports the soft, +circular body. From the lower part of the body hang numerous tentacles +(_cirri_), amidst which the mouth is placed. Probably these +multitudinous arms assist in locomotion; and, hence the name of the +family, _Cirrigrades_. Amongst the creatures of this division we meet +with some very interesting locomotive apparatus. There are some of +them by no means obliged to trust to their oars alone--they have also +sails. The _Velella_, large fleets of which visit our seas at times, +has a plate (the mast) rising from its bluish disk or deck, covered +with a delicate membrane (the sail) of snowy whiteness, by means of +which it traverses the ocean. This sail, it has been noticed, 'is set +at the same angle as the lateen-sail' of the Malays. We cannot doubt +that it is admirably suited to its purpose, and the Malays may be +proud of having nature as a voucher for their contrivance. + +We find in another species a still more perfect rigging. In it +(_Rataria_) the crest is supplied with muscular bands, by means of +which the sail can be lowered or raised at pleasure. These adaptations +of structure are full of interest. Nothing can be more admirable than +the sailing-gear of these little creatures. They have to traverse the +surface of the ocean amidst all diversities of weather. Paddles alone +would not suffice for them. They must be enabled to take advantage of +the winds. Sails, therefore, are added, and the mightiest agents in +nature are commissioned to speed the little voyagers on their way. + +We have already mentioned that some of the jelly-fishes possess the +power of stinging. Only a few of the larger species, however, seem to +be thus endowed; and the name sea-nettle is by no means applicable to +the class as a whole. The poisonous fluid which produces the +irritating effect on the skin, and no doubt paralyses the creatures +upon which the jelly-fish feeds, is secreted by the arms. By means of +its poison-bearing tentacles, the soft, gelatinous medusa is more than +a match for the armed crustacean and the scale-clad fish. We take from +Professor Forbes the following graphic description of one of the +stinging species:--'The _Cyanaea capillata_ of our seas is a most +formidable creature, and the terror of tender-skinned bathers. With +its broad, tawny, festooned, and scalloped disk, often a full foot or +more across, it flaps its way through the yielding waters, and drags +after it a long train of ribbon-like arms, and seemingly interminable +tails, marking its course when its body is far away from us. Once +tangled in its trailing "hair," the unfortunate who has recklessly +ventured across the graceful monster's path too soon writhes in +prickly torture. Every struggle but binds the poisonous threads more +firmly round his body, and then there is no escape; for when the +winder of the fatal net finds his course impeded by the terrified +human wrestling in its coils, he, seeking no contest with the mightier +biped, casts loose his envenomed arms, and swims away. The amputated +weapons severed from their parent body vent vengeance on the cause of +their destruction, and sting as fiercely as if their original +proprietor itself gave the word of attack.' + +We now approach the most extraordinary portion of the history of +these creatures. Recent investigations have brought to light the most +interesting facts respecting their reproduction and development. It is +now known that the young jelly-fish passes through a series of +transformations before reaching its perfect state. + +At certain seasons, eggs are produced within the body of the parent in +appropriate ovaries, where they are retained for a time. They are then +transferred to a kind of marsupial pouch, analogous to that of the +kangaroo, where their development proceeds. After passing through +certain changes here, the egg issues from the maternal pouch as an +oval body, clothed with cilia--an animalcule in external aspect, and +as unlike its parent as can well be imagined. For awhile the little +creature dances freely through the water, and leads a gay, roving +life; but at last it prepares to 'settle;' selects a fitting locality; +applies one extremity of its body to the surface of stone or weed, and +becomes attached. And now another change passes over it. The cilia, no +longer needed, disappear. A mouth is developed at the upper extremity +of the body, furnished with a number of arms. Gradually this number +increases, and the jelly-fish now appears in the disguise of a polype, +which feeds voraciously on the members of the class from which it has +itself so lately emerged. At this point there is a halt. The medusa +remains in its polype state for some months. At the expiration of this +term, a strange alteration in its appearance begins to take place. +Rings are formed round its body, from ten to fifteen in number. These +gradually deepen, until at length it is literally cut up into a number +of segments, which rest one upon the other--their upper margins +becoming elevated, and divided into eight lobes. It is, in fact, a +pile of cup-shaped pieces, very loosely connected together. A little +later, these pieces free themselves successively, and the sedate +polype disappears in a company of sprightly young medusae. These +beings, indeed, still differ in some respects from the adult animal; +but the differences gradually vanish, and we have the perfect +jelly-fish as the final result of this extraordinary series of +transformations. + +Similar observations have been made respecting other tribes amongst +the lower animals, and some interesting generalisations have been +founded upon them, into which, however, it is not our present purpose +to enter. + +The _Acalephae_ are the principal agents concerned in the production of +the beautiful phenomena of phosphorescence. The minute species--mere +gelatinous specks--swarm at times by countless myriads in the waters +of the ocean, and make its surface glow with 'vitalised fire.' The +waves, as they curl and break, sparkle and flash forth light, and the +track of the moving ship is marked by a lustrous line. 'In the torrid +zones between the tropics,' says Humboldt, 'the ocean simultaneously +develops light over a space of many thousand square miles. Here the +magical effect of light is owing to the forces of organic nature. +Foaming with light, the eddying waves flash in phosphorent sparks over +the wide expanse of waters, where every scintillation is the vital +manifestation of an invisible animal world.' Beneath the surface +larger forms are seen, brilliantly illuminated, and lighting up the +mystic depths of the sea. Fiery balls and flaming ribbons shoot past; +and submarine moons shine with a soft and steady light amidst the +crowds of meteors. 'While sailing a little south of the Plata on one +very dark night,' says Mr Darwin, 'the sea presented a wonderful and +most beautiful spectacle. There was a fresh breeze; and every part of +the surface, which during the day is seen as foam, now glowed with a +pale light. The vessel drove before her bows two billows of liquid +phosphorus, and in her wake she was followed by a milky train. As far +as the eye reached, the crest of every wave was bright; and the sky +above the, horizon, from the reflected glare of these livid flames, +was not so utterly obscure as over the vault of the heavens.' Even in +our own seas very beautiful displays of phosphorescence may be +witnessed. On fine summer nights, a soft, tender light plays round the +boat as it moves onward, and the oars drop liquid fire. For how much +of beauty are we indebted to these living specks of jelly? + +Of the extreme minuteness of some of the species, an idea may be +formed from the fact, that 110,000 might be contained in a cubic foot +of water. We can say nothing with certainty as to the cause of the +phosphorescence of the medusae, and shall not trouble our readers with +mere speculations. + +The jelly-fishes furnish us with a striking illustration of the +profusion of life in the ocean. Provision has indeed been made for +securing in all the realms of our globe the largest possible amount of +sentient being, and consequently of happiness. And to each tribe a +definite part is assigned--a special mission is intrusted. None can be +spared from the economy of nature. The shoals of microscopic medusae +store up in their own tissues the minute portions of nutritious matter +diffused through the waters, and supply food for the support of higher +organisms. All the tribes of animated beings are dependent one upon +another. That the greatest may enjoy its existence and fulfil its +work, the least must hold its place and discharge its function. They +co-operate unconsciously to secure the unity and harmony of a system +which is designed to promote alike the interests of each and all of +them. + + + + +STEEPLE-JACK'S SECRET. + + +You want me to tell you how it comes to pass that I am able to glide +up a steeple like a spider, get astride upon the cross, and pull off +my cap to the crowd below, like a gentleman on horseback saluting his +acquaintances.[2] You want me to explain on what principle, as you +call it, I do this. Well: principle, I suppose, means the rule or law +by which a man does what he ought to do; and if so, it is a very good +word to use. I will oblige you by explaining my principle, for I am as +affable as any man that creeps to his dying day upon the surface of +the earth; and I will tell you how it chanced that I found it out: at +least I will try, for I am no scholar; and if you wish to understand +me, you must have your ears open, and catch a meaning when you can. +And this will do you good, whether you make anything out or not. I +know fellows that go to the lectures, and come back as empty as they +went. But what of that? They think they understand, and thought breeds +thought; and when a man's mind is fairly astir, it is odds but +something good turns up. + +You must know, then, I began the world as a sailor; and I marvel to +this day how I ever became anything else. Sailors are the stupidest +set in creation. They are mere animals, except in the gift of speech; +good, honest, docile animals, perhaps, but dull and narrow. They go +round the small circle of their duties like a blind horse in a mill. +Their faculties are rocked by the waves and lulled by the winds; and +when they come ashore, they can see and understand nothing for the +swimming of their heads. Drink makes them feel as if at sea again; and +when the tankard is out, they return on board, and exchange one state +of stupefaction for another. Well, I _was_ a sailor, and the dullest +of the tribe. No wonder, for I was at it when a young boy. I was never +startled by the sights or sounds of the sea. The moaning of the wind, +the rush of the waves, the silence of the calm, were parts of my own +existence; and in the wildest storm, my mind never took a wider tack +than just to think what the poor devils on shore would do now. + +I was a handy lad, however. I could go aloft with any man on board, +and never troubled the shrouds in coming down when a rope was within +springing distance. But this was instinct or habit: thought was not +concerned in it--I had not found the principle. One day, it blew what +sailors call great guns; our bulwarks were stove in pieces, and the +sea swept the deck, crashing and roaring like a whole herd of tigers. +There was something to do at the mast-head; and when the order came +through the speaking-trumpet, seeing the men hesitate, I jumped upon +the shrouds without thinking twice. But at that moment the ship gave a +lurch, and, holding on like grim death, I was buried deep in the +waves. Although still clutching the ropes, I had at first an idea that +they had parted, and that we were on our way to the bottom together. +This could not have lasted above a minute or so; but it seemed to me +like a year. I heard every voice that had ever sounded in my ear since +childhood; I saw every apparition that had ever glided before my +fancy: the Sea-Serpent twisted his folds round my neck, and the keel +of the Flying Dutchman grated along my back. When the vessel rose at +last, and I rose with her, the waters gurgling in my throat and +hissing in my ears, I did not attempt to spring up the shrouds. I +looked round in horror for the objects of my excited thoughts; and as +I saw another enormous wave advancing till it overhung me, instead of +getting out of its reach, which I could easily have done, I kept +staring at it as it broke into what seemed innumerable goblin faces +and yelling voices over my head. I was down again. My leading thought +now was that I would strike out and swim for my life. But when I had +just made up my mind to this--which the sailors would have called +being washed away--I rose once more to the surface--and struck _up_ +like a good one! I was at the cross-trees in a breath, and once in +safety there, I looked back both with shame and indignation. + +When my job was finished, I went higher up in a sort of dogged humour. +I went higher, and higher, and higher than I ever ventured before, +till I felt the mast bending and quivering in the gale like the point +of a fishing-rod; and then I looked down upon the sea. And what, think +you, I found there? Why, the goblin faces were small white specks of +foam that I could hardly see; and their yelling voices were a smooth, +round, swelling tone, that rolled like music through the rigging. The +mountain-waves were like a flock of sheep in a meadow, running and +gamboling, and lying down and rising up; and in the expanse beyond the +neighbourhood of the ship, they were all lying down together, or +wandering like shadows over a smooth surface. I felt grand then, I +assure you. I looked down, and around, and above, till thoughts that +were not the instincts of an animal, came dancing up in my mind, like +bubbles upon the face of the sea. And as I returned slowly to the +deck, these thoughts grew and multiplied, and began to arrange +themselves into a form which I am not scholar enough to describe. But +through this new medium, I saw things as they are, not as habit and +prejudice make them. I did not fear the waves, and I did not despise +them. I humoured the sea as I got down towards the bulwarks, which +were still buried every now and then; and so I reached my quarters in +safety. + +And what has all this to do with it? I will tell you. With the means +of doing a thing, nothing is difficult, if you only understand +thoroughly the nature of the thing. The obstacles that commonly deter +you are not in the thing, but in you; and until you understand this, +you will keep gaping and shrinking, and saying, 'It is impossible.' +Some folk, when looking out of a three or four storey window, feel as +if they were going to fall. This is their own fault, not the fault of +the window, for that is just like a parlour window, where they have no +sensation of the sort. A man sits peaceably enough on the top of a +tall, three-legged stool, and could hitch himself round and round, and +then get up and stand upon it erect for half a day, without any risk +of falling. Now, a steeple is much more securely fixed than a stool; +its top is as broad as a table; and there is nothing to prevent +anybody from standing upon it as long as he pleases, if he only will +not think he is going to fall. You go up half-a-dozen steps of a +ladder without fear, and then persuade yourself you can go no farther; +but there is nothing more dangerous in the next half-dozen, so far as +they are themselves concerned; nor in the next hundred, nor the next +thousand, for that matter. My secret consists in my _knowing_ all +this, although I feel that I have only described when, not how the +knowledge came. Perhaps you, who are book-learned, may be able to make +it out, and shew how it is that, when anything occurs to awaken the +mind, and enable one to work from knowledge, not habit, he is ten +times the man he was. Without this, I should have climbed a mast all +my life; but with it, I took to leaping up steeples by means of a +kite, in a way that makes many ignorant persons report that I manage +it by holding on by the tail. + +But a man who goes up a steeple must take care how he behaves, for the +eyes of the world are upon him. He is not lost in a crowd, where he is +seen only by his next neighbours. That man must pull off his cap and +be affable; but he must not do even that to extravagance. When the +Queen was passing up the Clyde, an American seaman got on the +topgallant, and stood on his head. What was that for, I should be glad +to know? Suppose her Majesty was coming along Princes Street, just to +take the air like a lady, and look into the shop-windows, and I was to +go right up to her, and stand on my head--what would she say? I +surmise, that she would turn round to her Lord Gold Stick, and order +him to give me a knock on the shins. I know she would, for she is a +regular trump, and knows how people in every station should behave. I +am ashamed of that American: he is a Yankee Noodle! + +It may be said, that the Queen has the same advantage as myself--that +she is up the steeple; but so is every ordinary bricklayer or emperor. +The thing is to be able to look and understand when you _are_ up. I +once saw a curious sight as I sat with the swallows flying far under +my feet. The people did not wander about the street here and there as +usual, but hundreds after hundreds of small objects came on in regular +array. Then I could see long lines of Lilliputian soldiers marching in +the procession, with their tiny bayonets glancing in the sun; and +every now and then came up a soft swell of music, feeble but sweet. +'What is all this about?' thought I. 'Are they going to set one of +these little creatures over them for a bailie or a king?' And one did +march in the middle with a small space round him; 'but perhaps,' +thought I again, 'he is only a trumpeter.' Howbeit, the procession at +last halted, and gathered, and closed, and stood still for a time; and +there was another small swell of the instruments, with a feeble shout +from the throng, and then they all stirred, and broke, and dispersed, +and disappeared. This was just like the view from the mast-head: it +made me feel grand. But when I came down, I had not replaced one +prejudice with another. I did not despise the creatures I came among; +for they were then of the same size as myself. I pulled off my cap to +them, and was affable; only it did give me a queer thought--not a +merry one--when I heard that the official they had made that day, on +going home to his house, out of the grandeur and the din, was heard to +commune with himself, saying: 'And me but a mortal man after all!' + +Poetry? No, sirs, I have learned no poetry. I had poetry enough of my +own without learning it, and so has everybody else. I once knew a +fellow who wrote very good poetry; but few of us understood it. That +man lost his labour. It is nature that _makes_ poetry; the poet has +merely found out the art of stirring it in the hearts of men, where it +lies ready-made, like the perfume of a flower. A poet who is not +understood only makes a noise; and he is the greatest poet who makes +the greatest number of human hearts to leap and tingle. But the fellow +I mean piqued himself on not being understood. Like the Yankee Noodle, +he cut capers that had no intelligible meaning in them, just to make +people stare. As for my own share of poetry, I will tell you when I +feel it stirring most. You must know that in the view from a steeple +the form of objects is changed only in one direction--that is +downwards. The small houses, the narrow streets, the little creatures +creeping along them, and the feeble sounds they send up, make me feel +grand. But when I turn my eyes to the heavens, I see no shadow of +change. The clouds look awful, as if despising my poor attempt at +approach; and they glide, and break, and fade, and build themselves up +again--all in deep silence--in a way that makes me feel mean. Now this +mean feeling is real poetry. The meaner I feel, the grander are they; +and when I look long at them, and think long, and then begin to +descend to the earth, to mingle with the little creatures who are my +fellows, I tremble--but not with fear. + +A philosopher, do you say? Fie! don't call names: I am a bricklayer. I +know that such distance as human beings can climb to is but a small +matter. I see things as they are. I do not fancy that it is more +difficult to stand on a steeple than on a stool, or that it is more +difficult to hold on by a rope at one height than at another. I +observe that men and their affairs, when viewed from a steeple, are +very insignificant; but the same insight into things teaches me, when +I am among them myself, to pull off my cap and be affable. I know that +the things of earth change according to distance, but that the things +of heaven are unchangeable. And all I have got further to say is, that +I am quite sensible that although when up in the air I am a sign and a +marvel to the people below, when down among themselves I am but plain. + + STEEPLE JACK. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[2] See article, 'A Child's Toy,' in No. 418. + + + + +FOOD OF THE ARCTIC REGIONS--FRANKLIN'S EXPEDITION. + + +A certain class of reasoners have argued themselves into the belief +that, setting all other considerations aside, Sir John Franklin and +his companions must have necessarily perished ere now from _lack of +food_. When the four years, or so, of provisions he took out with him +for the large crews of the vessels were all consumed, how, say they, +would it be possible for so great a number of men to obtain food +sufficient to support life in those awfully desolate regions? Let us +examine the question a little. + +Men in very cold climates certainly require a much larger amount of +gross animal food than in southern latitudes--varying, of course, with +their particular physical constitutions. Now, let us grant--though we +do not positively admit it--that, however the provisions taken from +England may have been economised, they have, nevertheless, all been +consumed a couple of years ago, with the exception of a small quantity +of preserved meats, vegetables, lemon-juice, &c. kept in reserve for +the sick, or as a resource in the last extremity. As to spirits, we +have the testimony of all arctic explorers, that their regular +supply and use, so far from being beneficial, is directly the +reverse--weakening the constitution, and predisposing it to scurvy and +other diseases; and that, consequently, spirits should not be given at +all, except on extraordinary occasions, or as a medicine. Sir John +Ross, in his search of the North-West Passage in 1829, and following +years, early stopped the issue of spirits to his men, and with a most +beneficial result. Therefore, the entire consumption of the stock of +spirits on board Sir John Franklin's ships must not be regarded as a +deficiency of any serious moment. + +We shall then presume, that for upwards of two years the adventurers +have been wholly dependent on wild animals, birds, and fish for their +support. Here it becomes an essential element of consideration to form +some approximate idea of the particular locality in which the missing +expedition is probably frozen. Captain Penny tracked it up Wellington +Strait and thence into Victoria Channel--a newly-discovered lake or +sea of unknown extent, which reaches, for anything that can be +demonstrated to the contrary, to the pole. It has long been noticed, +that the mere latitude in the arctic regions is far from being a +certain indication of the degree of cold which might naturally be +expected from a nearer approach to the pole. For instance, cold is +more intense in some parts of latitude 60 degrees than in 70 or 77 +degrees; but this varies very much in different districts of the +coast, and in different seasons; and we may remark in passing, that +whenever there is a particularly mild winter in Britain, it is the +reverse in the arctic regions; and so _vice versa_. The astonishment +of Captain Penny on discovering the new polar sea in question was +heightened by the fact, that it possessed a much warmer climate than +more southern latitudes, and that it swarmed with fish, while its +shores were enlivened with animals and flocks of birds. Moreover, +_trees_ were actually floating about: how they got there, and whence +they came, is a mysterious and deeply-interesting problem. Somewhere +in this sea Sir John Franklin's ships are undoubtedly at this moment. +We say the ships are; for we do not for one moment believe that they +have been sunk or annihilated. It is not very likely that any icebergs +of great magnitude would be tossing about this inland sea in the +summer season--in winter its waters would be frozen--and in navigating +it, the ships would, under their experienced and judicious commander, +pursue their unknown way with extreme caution and prudence. It is more +probable that they were at length fast frozen up in some inlet, or +that small floating fields of ice have conglomerated around them, and +bound them in icy fetters to the mainland. Or it may be that Franklin +sailed slowly along this mystic polar sea, until he reached its +extremity and could get no farther; and that extremity would actually +seem to be towards the Siberian coasts. One thing is quite +certain--namely, that so far as Captain Penny's people were able to +penetrate the channel--several hundred miles--there was no indication +whatever that up to that point Franklin had met with any serious +calamity, or that he had suffered from a fatal deficiency of the +necessaries of life. + +Wherever his exact position may be, there is every reason to suppose +that the country around him produces a supply of food at least equal +to any other part of the arctic regions; and probably much more than +equal, owing to the greater mildness of the climate. But we will only +base our opinion on the fair average supply of food obtainable in the +arctic regions generally; and now let us see what result we shall +fairly arrive at. + +The first consideration that strikes us, is the fact that all over +these icy regions isolated tribes of natives are to be met with; and +they do not exist in a starved and almost famished condition, like the +miserable dwellers in Terra del Fuego, but in absolute abundance--such +as it is. When Sir John Ross's ship was frozen up during the +remarkably severe winter of 1829-30, in latitude 69 degrees 58 +minutes, and longitude 90 degrees, he made the following remarks +concerning a tribe of Esquimaux in his vicinity, which we quote as +being peculiarly applicable to our view of the subject:--'It was for +philosophers to interest themselves in speculating on a horde so +small and so secluded, occupying so apparently hopeless a country--so +barren, so wild, and so repulsive, and yet enjoying the most perfect +vigour, the most _well-fed health_, and all else that here constitutes +not merely wealth, but the opulence of luxury, since they were as +amply furnished with provisions as with every other thing that could +be here necessary to their wants.' + +'Yes,' exclaims our friend the reasoner, 'but the constitution of an +Esquimaux is peculiarly adapted to the climate and food: what he +enjoys would poison a European; and he also possesses skill to capture +wild animals and fish, which the civilised man cannot exercise.' Is +this true? We answer to the first objection: only partially true; and +the second, we utterly deny. The constitution of vigorous men--and all +Franklin's crew were fine, picked young fellows--has a marvellous +adaptability. It is incredible how soon a man becomes reconciled to, +and healthful under, a totally different diet from that to which he +has been all his life accustomed, so long as that change is suitable +to his new home. We ourselves have personally experienced this to some +extent, and were quite amazed at the rapid and easy way in which +nature enabled us to enjoy and thrive on food at which our stomach +would have revolted in England or any southern land. In every country +in the world, 'from Indus to the pole,' the food eaten by the natives +is that which is incomparably best suited to the climate. In the +frozen regions, and every cold country, the best of all nourishment is +that which contains a large proportion of fat and oil. In Britain, we +read with disgust of the Greenlander eagerly swallowing whale-oil and +blubber; but in his country, it is precisely what is best adapted to +sustain vital energy. Europeans in the position of Franklin's crew +would become acclimatised, and gradually accustomed to the food of the +natives, even before their own provisions were exhausted; and after +that, we may be very sure their appetites would lose all delicacy, and +they would necessarily and easily conform to the usages, as regards +food, of the natives around them. We may strengthen our opinion by the +direct and decisive testimony of Sir John Boss himself, who says: 'I +have little doubt, indeed, that many of the unhappy men who have +perished from wintering in these climates, and whose histories are +well known, might have been saved had they conformed, as is so +generally prudent, to the usages and the experience of the natives.' +Undoubtedly they might! + +Secondly, as to the Europeans being unable to capture the beasts, +birds, and fishes so dexterously as the natives, we have reason to +know that the reverse is the case. It is true that the latter know the +habits and haunts of wild creatures by long experience, and also know +the best way to capture some of them; but a very little communication +with natives enables the European to learn the secret; and he soon far +excels his simple instructors in the art, being aided by vastly +superior reasoning faculties, and also by incomparably better +appliances for the chase. Firearms for shooting beasts and birds, and +seines for catching fish, render the Esquimaux spears, and arrows, and +traps mere children's toys in comparison. Moreover, a ship is never +frozen up many weeks, before some wandering tribe is sure to visit it; +and all navigators have found the natives a mild, friendly, grateful +people, with fewer vices than almost any other savages in the World. +They will thankfully barter as many salmon as will feed a ship's crew +one day for a file or two, or needles, or a tin-canister, or piece of +old iron-hoop, or any trifling article of hardware; and so long as the +vessel remains, they and other tribes of their kindred will frequently +visit it, and bring animals and fish to barter for what is literally +almost valueless to European adventurers. + +An important consideration, is the _variety_ of food obtainable in the +arctic regions. We need not particularly classify the creatures found +in the two seasons of summer and winter, but may enumerate the +principal together. Of animals fit for food are musk-oxen, bears, +reindeer, hares, foxes, &c. Of fish, there is considerable variety, +salmon and trout being the chief and never-failing supply. Of birds, +there are ducks, geese, cranes, ptarmigan, grouse, plovers, +partridges, sand-larks, shear-waters, gannets, gulls, mollemokes, +dovekies, and a score of other species. We personally know that the +flesh of bears, reindeer, and some of the other animals, is most +excellent: we have partaken of them with hearty relish. As to foxes, +Ross informs us that, although his men did not like them at first, +they eventually preferred fox-flesh to any other meat! And as to such +birds as gannets and shear-waters, which are generally condemned as +unpalatable, on account of their fishy taste, we would observe that +the rancid flavour exists only in the fat. Separate it, and, as we +ourselves can testify, the flesh of these birds is little inferior to +that of the domestic pigeon, when either boiled or roasted. The +majority of the creatures named may be captured in considerable +numbers, in their several seasons, with only ordinary skill. But +necessity sharpens the faculties of men to an inconceivable degree; +and when the life of a crew depends on their success in the chase, +they will speedily become expert hunters. It is true that the wild +animals habitually existing in a small tract of country may soon be +thinned, if not altogether exterminated; but bears, foxes, &c. +continue to visit it with little average diminution in numbers. The +fish never fail. The quantity of salmon is said to be immense, and +they can be preserved in stock a very long period by being simply +buried in snow-pits. The birds also regularly make their periodical +appearance. Besides, parties of hunters would be despatched to scour +the country at considerable distances, and their skill and success +would improve with each coming season. In regard to fuel, the +Esquimaux plan of burning the oil and blubber of seals, the fat of +bears, &c. would be quite effective. In the brief but fervid summer +season, every inch of ground is covered with intensely green verdure, +and even with flowers; and there is a great variety of wild plants, +including abundance of Angelica, sorrel, and scurvy-grass, also +lichens and mosses, all of antiscorbutic qualities. We have ourselves +seen the Laplanders eat great quantities of the sorrel-grass; and the +Nordlanders told us that they boiled it in lieu of greens at table. +These vegetables might be gathered each summer, and preserved for +winter use. + +We repeat, that since the poor, ignorant natives live in rude +abundance, and lack nothing for mere animal enjoyment of life, it is +impossible to doubt that Europeans, who in intelligence and resources +are a superior race of beings, can fail to participate equally in all +things which the Creator has provided for the support of man in this +extremity of the habitable globe; also let it be borne in mind, that +half-a-dozen Esquimaux devour almost as much food every day as will +suffice for a ship's crew. Sir John Ross declares, that if they only +ate moderately, any given district would support 'double their number, +and with scarcely the hazard of want.' He says that an Esquimaux eats +twenty pounds of flesh and oil a day, and, in fact, never ceases from +devouring until compelled to desist from sheer repletion. Speaking +of one meal taken in their company, we have this edifying +observation:--'While we found that one salmon and half of another were +more than enough for all us English, these voracious animals (the +Esquimaux) had devoured two each. At this rate of feeding, it is not +wonderful that their whole time is occupied in procuring food: each +man had eaten fourteen pounds of this raw salmon, and it was probably +but a luncheon after all, of a superfluous meal for the sake of our +society!.... The glutton bear--scandalised as it may be by its +name--might even be deemed a creature of moderate appetite in +comparison: with their human reason in addition, these people, could +they always command the means, would doubtless outrival a glutton and +a boa-constrictor together.' + +Finally, we expressly deny that the Esquimaux can or do bear extreme +cold and privations better than Englishmen who have been a season or +two in their country. Arctic explorers testify that the natives always +appeared to suffer from cold quite as much as Europeans; and what +little we have ourselves seen of northern countries, induces us to +give ample credence to this. + +The conclusion, then, at which we arrive is this: that under such +experienced and energetic leaders as Sir John Franklin and his chief +officers, the gallant crews of the missing expedition have _not_ +perished for lack of food, and will be enabled, if God so wills, to +support life for years to come. Great, indeed, their sufferings must +be; for civilised men do not merely eat to sleep, and sleep to eat, +like the Esquimaux; but they will be upheld under every suffering by a +firm conviction that their countrymen are making almost superhuman +exertions to rescue them from their fearful isolation. What the final +issue will be, is known only to Him who tempers the wind to the shorn +lamb, and can, if He deems meet, provide a way of deliverance when +hope itself has died in every breast. Our individual opinion is, that +it is not improbable the lost crews will, sooner or later, achieve +their own deliverance by arriving at some coast whence they may be +taken off, even as Ross was, after sojourning during four years of +unparalleled severity. But it is the bounden duty of our country never +to relax its efforts to save Franklin, until there is an absolute +certainty that all further human exertions are in vain. + +[We give the above as a paper on the food of the arctic regions, and +can only hope that our correspondent's cheering views as to the fate +of the missing expedition may prove to be correct.--ED.] + + + + +THE ARTIST'S SACRIFICE. + + +On a cold evening in January--one of those dark and gloomy evenings +which fill one with sadness--there sat watching by the bed of a sick +man, in a little room on the fifth floor, a woman of about forty, and +two pretty children--a boy of twelve and a little girl of eight. The +exquisite neatness of the room almost concealed its wretchedness: +everything announced order and economy, but at the same time great +poverty. A painted wooden bedstead, covered with coarse but clean +calico sheets, blue calico curtains, four chairs, a straw arm-chair, a +high desk of dark wood, with a few books and boxes placed on shelves, +composed the entire furniture of the room. And yet the man who lay on +that wretched bed, whose pallid cheek, and harsh, incessant cough, +foretold the approach of death, was one of the brightest ornaments of +our literature. His historical works had won for him a European +celebrity, his writings having been translated into all the modern +languages; yet he had always remained poor, because his devotion to +science had prevented him from devoting a sufficient portion of his +time to productive labour. + +An unfinished piece of costly embroidery thrown on a little stand near +the bed, another piece of a less costly kind, but yet too luxurious to +be intended for the use of this poor family, shewed that his wife and +daughter--this gentle child whose large dark eyes were so full of +sadness--endeavoured by the work of their hands to make up for the +unproductiveness of his efforts. The sick man slept, and the mother, +taking away the lamp and the pieces of embroidery, went with her +children into the adjoining room, which served both as antechamber and +dining-room: she seated herself at the table, and took up her work +with a sad and abstracted air; then observing her little daughter +doing the same thing cheerfully, and her son industriously colouring +some prints destined for a book of fashions, she embraced them; and +raising her tearful eyes towards heaven, she seemed to be thanking the +Almighty, and in the midst of her affliction, to be filled with +gratitude to Him who had blessed her with such children. + +Soon after, a gentle ring was heard at the door, and M. Raymond, a +young doctor, with a frank, pleasing countenance, entered and inquired +for the invalid. 'Just the same, doctor,' said Mme G----. + +The young man went into the next room, and gazed for some moments +attentively on the sleeper, whilst the poor wife fixed her eyes on the +doctor's countenance, and seemed there to read her fate. + +'Is there no hope, doctor?' she asked in a choking voice, as she +conducted him to the other room. The doctor was silent, and the +afflicted mother embraced her children and wept. After a pause she +said: 'There is one idea which haunts me continually: I should wish so +much to have my husband's likeness. Do you know of any generous and +clever artist, doctor? Oh, how much this would add to the many +obligations you have already laid me under!' + +'Unfortunately, I am not acquainted with a single artist,' replied the +young doctor. + +'I must then renounce this desire,' said Mme G---- sighing. + +The next morning Henry--so the little boy was called--having assisted +his mother and his sister Marie in their household labours, dressed +himself carefully, and, as it was a holiday, asked leave to go out. + +'Go, my child,' said his mother; 'go and breathe a little fresh air: +your continual work is injurious to you.' + +The boy kissed his father's wasted hand, embraced his mother and +sister, and went out, at once sad and pleased. When he reached the +street he hesitated for a moment, then directed his steps towards the +drawing-school where he attended every day: he entered, and rung at +the door of the apartment belonging to the professor who directed this +academy. A servant opened the door, and conducted him into an +elegantly-furnished breakfast-room; for the professor was one of the +richest and most distinguished painters of the day. He was +breakfasting alone with his wife, when Henry entered. + +'There, my dear,' He said to her, as he perceived Henry; 'there is the +cleverest pupil in the academy. This little fellow really promises to +do me great credit one day. Well, my little friend, what do you wish +to say to me?' + +'Sir, my father is very ill--the doctor fears that he may die: poor +mamma, who is very fond of papa, wishes to have his portrait. Would +you, sir, be kind enough to take it? O do not, pray, sir, do not +refuse me!' said Henry, whose tearful eyes were fixed imploringly on +the artist. + +'Impossible, Henry--impossible!' replied the painter. 'I am paid three +thousand francs for every portrait I paint, and I have five or six at +present to finish.' + +'But, my dear,' interposed his wife, 'it seems to me that this +portrait would take you but little time: think of the poor mother, +whose husband will so soon be lost to her for ever.' + +'It grieves me to refuse you, my dear; but you know that my +battle-piece, which is destined for Versailles, must be sent to the +Louvre in a fortnight, for I cannot miss the Exposition this year. But +stay, my little friend, I will give you the address of several of my +pupils: tell them I sent you, and you will certainly find some one of +them who will do what you wish. Good-morning, Henry!' + +'Good-by, my little friend,' added the lady. 'I hope you may be +successful.' The boy took his leave with a bursting heart. + +Henry wandered through the gardens of the Luxembourg, debating with +himself if he should apply to the young artists whose addresses he +held in his hand. Fearing that his new efforts might be equally +unsuccessful, he was trying to nerve himself to encounter fresh +refusals, when he was accosted by a boy of his own age, his +fellow-student at the drawing-school. Jules proposed that they should +walk together; then observing Henry's sadness, he asked him the cause. +Henry told him of his mother's desire; their master's refusal to take +the portrait; and of his own dislike to apply to those young artists, +who were strangers to him. + +'Come with me,' cried Jules, when his friend had ceased speaking. 'My +sister is also an artist: she has always taken care of me, for our +father and mother died when we were both very young. She is so kind +and so fond of me that I am very sure she will not refuse.' + +The two boys traversed the Avenue de l'Observatoire, the merry, joyous +face of the one contrasting with the sadness and anxiety of the other. +When they got to the end of the avenue they entered the Rue de +l'Ouest, and went into a quiet-looking house, up to the fourth storey +of which Jules mounted with rapid steps, dragging poor Henry with him. +He tapped gaily at a little door, which a young servant opened: he +passed through the antechamber, and the two boys found themselves in +the presence of Emily d'Orbe, the sister of Jules. + +She appeared to be about twenty-five: she was not tall, and her face +was rather pleasing than handsome; yet her whole appearance indicated +cultivation and amiability. Her dress was simple, but exquisitely +neat; her gown of brown stuff fitted well to her graceful figure; her +linen cuffs and collar were of a snowy whiteness; her hair was parted +in front, and fastened up behind _a l'antique_: but she wore no +ribbon, no ornament--nothing but what was necessary. The furniture of +the room, which served at the same time as a sitting-room and studio, +was equally simple: a little divan, some chairs and two arm-chairs +covered with gray cloth, a round table, a black marble time-piece of +the simplest form; two engravings, the 'Spasimo di Sicilia' and the +'Three Maries,' alone ornamented the walls; green blinds were placed +over the windows, not for ornament, but to moderate the light, +according to the desire of the artist; finally, three easels, on which +rested some unfinished portraits, and a large painting representing +Anna Boleyn embracing her daughter before going to execution. + +When he entered, little Jules went first to embrace his sister; she +tenderly returned his caresses, then said to him in a gentle voice, as +she returned to her easel: 'Now, my dear child, let me go on with my +painting;' not, however, without addressing a friendly 'Good-morning' +to Henry, who she thought had come to play with Jules. + +Henry had been looking at the unfinished pictures with a sort of +terror, because they appeared to him as obstacles between him and his +request. He dared not speak, fearing to hear again the terrible word +'impossible!' and he was going away, when Jules took him by the hand +and drew him towards Emily. 'Sister,' he said, 'I have brought my +friend Henry to see you; he wishes to ask you something; do speak to +him.' + +'Jules,' she replied, 'let me paint; you know I have very little time. +You are playing the spoiled child: you abuse my indulgence.' + +'Indeed, Emily, I am not jesting; you must really speak to Henry. If +you knew how unhappy he is!' + +Mlle d'Orbe, raising her eyes to the boy, was struck with his pale +and anxious face, and said to him in a kind voice, as she continued +her painting: 'Forgive my rudeness, my little friend; this picture is +to be sent to the Exposition, and I have not a moment to lose, +because, both for my brother's sake and my own, I wish it to do me +credit. But speak, my child; speak without fear, and be assured that I +will not refuse you anything that is in the power of a poor artist.' + +Henry, regaining a little courage, told her what he desired: then +Jules having related his friend's visit to their master, Henry added: +'But I see very well, mademoiselle, that you cannot do this portrait +either, and I am sorry to have disturbed you.' + +In the meantime little Jules had been kissing his sister, and +caressing her soft hair, entreating her not to refuse his little +friend's request. Mlle d'Orbe was painting Anna Boleyn: she stopped +her work; a struggle seemed to arise in the depth of her heart, while +she looked affectionately on the children. She, however, soon laid +aside her pallett, and casting one glance of regret on her picture: 'I +will take your father's portrait,' she said to Henry--'that man of +sorrow, and of genius. Your mother's wish shall be fulfilled.' + +She had scarcely uttered these words when a lady entered the room. She +was young, pretty, and richly dressed. Having announced her name, she +asked Mlle d'Orbe to take her portrait, on the express condition that +it should be finished in time to be placed in the Exposition. + +'It is impossible for me to have this honour, madame,' replied the +artist: 'I have a picture to finish, and I have just promised to do a +portrait to which I must give all my spare time.' + +'You would have been well paid for my portrait, and my name in the +catalogue would have made yours known,' added the young countess. + +Mlle d'Orbe only replied by a bow; and the lady had scarcely +withdrawn, when taking her bonnet and shawl, the young artist embraced +her brother, took Henry by the hand, and said to him: 'Bring me to +your mother, my child.' + +Henry flew rather than walked; Mlle d'Orbe could with difficulty keep +up with him. Both ascended to the fifth storey in the house in the Rue +Descartes, where this poor family lived. When they reached the door, +Henry tapped softly at it. Mme G---- opened it. + +'Mamma,' said the boy, trembling with emotion, 'this lady is an +artist: she is come to take papa's portrait.' The poor woman, who had +not hoped for such an unexpected happiness, wept as she pressed to her +lips the hands of Mlle d'Orbe, and could not find words to express +her gratitude. + +The portrait was commenced at once; and the young artist worked with +zeal and devotion, for her admiration of the gifted and unfortunate +man was intense. She resolved to make the piece valuable as a work of +art, for posterity might one day demand the portrait of this gifted +man, and her duty as a painter was to represent him in his noblest +aspect. + +Long sittings fatigued the invalid; so it was resolved to take two +each day, and the young artist came regularly twice every day. As by +degrees the strength of the sick man declined, the portrait advanced. +At length, at the end of twelve days, it was finished: this was about +a week before the death of M. G----. + +At the same time that she was painting this portrait, Mlle d'Orbe +worked with ardour on her large painting, always hoping to have it +ready in time. This hope did not fail her until some days before the +1st of February. There was but a week longer to work: and this year +she must abandon the idea of sending to the Exposition. + +Some artists who had seen her picture had encouraged her very much; +she could count, in their opinion, on brilliant success. This she +desired with all her heart: first, from that noble thirst of glory +which God has implanted in the souls of artists; and, secondly, from +the influence it would have on the prospects of her little Jules, whom +she loved with a mother's tenderness, and whom she wished to be able +to endow with all the treasures of education. This disappointment, +these long hours of toil, rendered so vain at the very moment when +she looked forward to receive her reward, so depressed the young +artist, that she became dangerously ill. + +Mlle d'Orbe had very few friends, as she was an orphan, and lived in +great retirement; she found herself therefore completely left to the +care of her young attendant. When Jules met Henry at the +drawing-school he told him of his sister's illness: Henry informed his +mother, and Mme G---- immediately hastened to Mlle d'Orbe, whom she +found in the delirium of a fever from which she had been suffering for +some days. The servant said that her mistress had refused to send for +a doctor, pretending that her illness did not signify. Mme G----, +terrified at the state of her young friend, went out and soon returned +with Dr Raymond. + +The invalid was delirious: she unceasingly repeated the +words--'portrait,' 'Anna Boleyn,' 'exposition,' 'fortune,' +'disappointed hopes;' which plainly indicated the cause of her +illness, and brought tears into the eyes of Mme G----. 'Alas!' she +said, 'it is on my account she suffers: I am the cause of her not +finishing her picture. Doctor, I am very unfortunate.' + +'All may be repaired,' replied the doctor: 'if you will promise to +nurse the invalid, I will answer for her recovery.' + +In fact, Mme G---- never left the sick-bed of Mlle d'Orbe. The +doctor visited her twice in the day, and their united care soon +restored the health of the interesting artist. + +Mademoiselle was scarcely convalescent when she went to the Exposition +of paintings at the Louvre, of which she had heard nothing--the doctor +and Mme G---- having, as she thought, avoided touching on a subject +which might pain her. She passed alone through the galleries, crowded +with distinguished artists and elegantly-dressed ladies, saying to +herself that perhaps her picture would have been as good as many which +attracted the admiration of the crowd. She was thus walking sadly on, +looking at the spot where she had hoped to have seen her Anna Boleyn, +when she found herself stopped by a group of artists. They were +unanimous in their praises. 'This is the best portrait in the +Exposition,' said one. 'A celebrated engraver is about to buy from the +artist the right to engrave this portrait for the new edition of the +author's works,' said another. 'We are very fortunate in having so +faithful a likeness of so distinguished a writer as M. G----.' + +At this name Mlle d'Orbe raised her eyes, and recognised her own +work! Pale, trembling with emotion, the young artist was obliged to +lean on the rail for support; then opening the catalogue, she read her +name as if in a dream, and remained for some time to enjoy the +pleasure of hearing the praises of her genius. + +When the Exposition closed she hastened to Mme G----, and heard that +it was Dr Raymond who had conceived the happy idea of sending the +portrait to the Louvre. 'My only merit is the separating myself for a +time from a picture which is my greatest consolation,' added Mme +G----. + +From this day the young artist became the friend of the poor widow, +whose prospects soon brightened. Through the influence of some of the +friends of her lost husband, she obtained a pension from government--a +merited but tardy reward! The two ladies lived near each other, and +spent their evenings together. Henry and Jules played and studied +together. Marie read aloud, while her mother and Mlle d'Orbe worked. +Dr Raymond sometimes shared in this pleasant intercourse. He had loved +the young artist from the day he had seen her renounce so much to do a +generous action; but, an orphan like herself, and with no fortune but +his profession, he feared to be rejected if he offered her his hand. +It was therefore Mme G---- who charged herself with pleading his suit +with the young artist. + +Mlle d'Orbe felt a lively gratitude towards the young doctor for the +care and solicitude he had shewn during her illness, and for sending +her portrait to the Exposition. Thanks to him, she had become known; +commissions arrived in numbers, a brilliant future opened before her +and Jules. Mme G---- had, then, a favourable answer to give to her +young friend, who soon became the husband of the interesting artist +whose generous sacrifice had been the foundation of her happiness. + + + + +ACCIDENTS AT SEA. + + +On this subject an interesting return to an order of the House of +Commons was lately made by the management of Lloyd's, and has caused +some discussion in the public prints. The return applies to the four +years ending December 1850; and during this period, it appears that +the number of collisions, wrecks, and other accidents at sea, was +13,510; being at the rate of 3377 per annum, 9 per diem, or 1 for +every 2-3/4 hours. Commenting on these details, the _Times_ observes, +that 'it must not be understood that every accident implies a total +wreck, with the loss of all hands. If a ship carries away any of her +important spars, or, on entering her port, strikes heavily against a +pier, whereby serious damage is occasioned, the accident is duly +registered in this pithy chronicle of Lloyd's. Nevertheless, as we +glance up and down the columns, it is no exaggeration to say, that +two-thirds of the accidents recorded are of the most serious +description. We are unable to say to what degree this register of +Lloyd's can be accepted as a fair index to the tragedies which are of +such hourly occurrence upon the surface of the ocean. If all were +known, we fear that this average of accident or wreck every 2-3/4 +hours would be fearfully increased. The truth must he told. The +incapacity of too many of the masters in the British mercantile marine +has been the pregnant cause of loss to their owners and death to their +crews. Men scarcely competent to take the responsibility of an +ordinary day's work, or, if competent, of notoriously intemperate +habits, were placed in command of sea-going ships through the +parsimony or nepotism of the owners. The result of the educational +clauses in the Mercantile Marine Bill of last session, will no doubt +be to provide a much larger body of well-trained men, from among whom +our shipowners can select the most competent persons for command.' + +These observations called forth a reply from the President of the +Seaman's Association, vindicating mariners from the charges so brought +against them. A few passages from the letter of this respondent are +worth noticing. 'Are British sailors,' he asks, 'really so bad as you +represent? If so, then you condemn by implication the seamen of the +United States, for they are also Anglo-Saxon. Let me direct your +attention to a few facts bearing out this assertion. The desertions +from the royal navy in 1846 (see Parliamentary Returns) were 2382; +this is about 1 out of every 14 seamen annually. Nearly the whole of +these men keep to the United States' service. Again, the desertions +from Quebec in consequence of three things--first, low wages; +secondly, register-tickets; thirdly, the payment of 1s., exacted from +every man on shipment and discharge, to a shipping office, to uphold +the Mercantile Marine Act, for which the men receive no value--were +upwards of 1400 this season; and about 4000 from all other ports. From +American statistics, it is proved that two-thirds of the seamen +sailing in ships of the United States are British subjects; and if +American ships are preferred to British, it must be because they are +manned by our fine spirited tars. A large proportion of their ships +are commanded by Englishmen.' + +An effort, as is well known, has lately been made to elevate the +character of British seamen, by means of registries under the +Mercantile Marine Act, and the issuing of tickets, which must be +produced by sailors. Our belief is, that much of the legislation on +this subject has been injurious; as any law must be which attempts to +regulate the bargains of employers and employed. It may be proper for +master-mariners to be subjected to some kind of test of ability, but +it appears to us that it would be equally beneficial to encourage +young men to enter the profession. To pay well is, after all, the true +way to get good servants. Why do British sailors desert to the +American service? Because they are better paid. And having so +deserted, they unfortunately cannot again procure employment under the +British flag without producing a register-ticket, which, of course, +they cannot do. Thus, picked men are permanently lost to the British +navy. Besides offering higher wages, it might have proved extremely +advantageous to open nautical schools for youths desirous of going to +sea. According to existing arrangements, the sailor--like the French +workman with his _livret_--is considered to be a child not fit to take +care of himself; and the law interposes to say he shall do this, and +do that, under a penalty for neglect of its provisions. This is to +keep sailors in a state of perpetual tutelage; and being at variance +with the principles of civil liberty, it is to be feared that the +practice can lead to nothing but mischief. + +As to wrecks, the cause of the chief disasters seems as often to be +imperfect construction of vessels and imperfect stowage, as anything +else; while loss of life for the greater part arises from a deficiency +of boats, and the means of readily unshipping them. As victims of +ill-made, badly-found, and rotten vessels, not to speak of land-sharks +and sea-sharks--as the sufferers in life and limb when shippers and +brokers may be actually benefiting from casualties--sailors, as a +class, merit public sympathy instead of reproach or discouragement. + + + + +'VISIT TO AN ENGLISH MONASTERY.' + + +We have received a letter from the Abbot of Mount St Bernard's, +pointing out, in courteous terms, several inaccuracies in the article +which appeared with the above title in No. 413 of this Journal. Meat, +it seems, is only 'strictly prohibited' to the healthy: it is allowed +to the sick and infirm when prescribed by the doctor. Every night +before compline the brethren meet to hear some pious lecture read, not +to confess their thoughts to the superior. Instead of one meal a day, +as stated by our correspondent, the lay-brethren, who are employed +chiefly in manual labour, have at least two meals every day during the +whole year, excepting fast-days; and the choir-brethren two meals a +day during the summer, and one during the winter. To the latter, when +they are of a weakly constitution, a collation is allowed in addition. +The greatest error of all, however, appears to us to exist in the +estimate formed of the abbot, who, judging by his correspondence, is +evidently as informed and intelligent a person as is usually met with +out of the monastic circle. + + + + +AMERICAN HOMAGE TO SHAKSPEARE AND MRS COWDEN CLARKE. + + +There is a work to which many of our readers are probably strangers, +but which has roused the enthusiasm of the New World. It is a work of +immense labour, which in writing and correcting proofs occupied its +author sixteen years. This author is a lady, and the production on +which she bestowed so much unwearied patience and perseverance, during +a space of time equivalent in most cases to an entire literary life, +is a Concordance to Shakspeare. 'Her work,' says Mr Webster, the +American Secretary of State, 'is a perfect wonder, surprisingly full +and accurate, and exhibiting proof of unexampled labour and patience. +She has treasured up every word of Shakspeare, as if he were her +lover, and she were his.' But Mr Webster and his countrymen were not +satisfied even with such generous praise: they determined to present +Mrs Clarke with an enduring testimonial of their gratitude and +respect; and, accordingly, the ceremony has recently been performed by +Mr Abbot Laurence, the American minister. The list of subscribers, we +are told, 'contains names from Maine to Mexico. Even the far, far +west, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Illinois, have contributed; whilst +Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, +Pennsylvania, Ohio, and South Carolina, swell the list of the most +distinguished American literati, embracing a fair sprinkling of fair +ladies. There is even a subscriber from the shores of the Pacific.' +The testimonial is an elaborately carved library chair, bearing on the +top rail a mask of Shakspeare, copied in ivory from the Stratford +bust, wreathed with oak-leaves and laurel, and shaded by the wings of +two of 'Avon's swans.' Although an elegant and costly gift, however, +in itself, there is attached to this testimonial a meaning and a value +which we trust will make its due impression in the native land of +Shakspeare--in that mother-country to which the eyes of her western +descendants are thus turned in the lofty sympathy which binds together +throughout the whole world the children and worshippers of genius. + + + + +TO WORDSWORTH. + + + The voice of Nature in her changeful moods + Breathes o'er the solemn waters as they flow, + And 'mid the wavings of the ancient woods + Murmurs, now filled with joy, now sad and low. + Thou gentle poet, she hath tuned thy mind + To deep accordance with the harmony + That floats above the mountain summits free-- + A concert of Creation on the wind. + And thy calm strains are breathed as though the dove + And nightingale had given thee for thy dower + The soul of music and the heart of love; + And with a holy, tranquillising power + They fall upon the spirit, like a gleam + Of quiet star-light on a troubled stream. + M.A. HOARE. + + + + +INTELLECT DEVELOPED BY LABOUR. + + +Are labour and self-culture irreconcilable to each other? In the first +place, we have seen that a man, in the midst of labour, may and ought +to give himself to the most important improvements, that he may +cultivate his sense of justice, his benevolence, and the desire of +perfection. Toil is the school for these high principles; and we have +here a strong presumption that, in other respects, it does not +necessarily blight the soul. Next, we have seen that the most fruitful +sources of truth and wisdom are not books, precious as they are, but +experience and observation; and these belong to all conditions. It is +another important consideration, that almost all labour demands +intellectual activity, and is best carried on by those who invigorate +their minds; so that the two interests, toil and self-culture, are +friends to each other. It is mind, after all, which does the work of +the world, so that the more there is of mind, the more work will be +accomplished. A man, in proportion as he is intelligent, makes a given +force accomplish a greater task; makes skill take the place of muscle, +and with less labour, gives a better product. Make men intelligent, +and they become inventive; they find shorter processes. Their +knowledge of nature helps them to turn its laws to account, to +understand the substances on which they work, and to seize on useful +hints, which experience continually furnishes. It is among workmen +that some of the most useful machines have been contrived. Spread +education, and as the history of this country shews, there will be no +bounds to useful invention.--_Channing._ + + * * * * * + +Printed and Published by W. and K. CHAMBERS, High Street, Edinburgh. +Also sold by W.S. ORR, Amen Corner, London; D.N. CHAMBERS, 55 West +Nile Street, Glasgow; and J. M'GLASHAN, 50 Upper Sackville Street, +Dublin.--Advertisements for Monthly Parts are requested to be sent to +MAXWELL & Co., 31 Nicholas Lane, Lombard Street, London, to whom all +applications respecting their insertion must be made. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Chambers' Edinburgh Journal, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHAMBERS' EDINBURGH JOURNAL *** + +***** This file should be named 15481.txt or 15481.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/4/8/15481/ + +Produced by Malcolm Farmer, Richard J. 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