,illustration3 ,,chambers',s ,,journal ,,of ,,popular ,,literature1 ,,science1 ,,and ,,art ,fifth ,series ,,established ,,by ,,william ,,and ,,robert ,,chambers1 #ahcb ,,conducted ,,by ,r4 ,,chambers 7,,secundus7 ,,no4 #dj4--,,vol4 ,i4 ,,saturday1 ,,october #d1 #ahhd4 ,,price #a;d4 ,,the ,,future ,,of ,,electricity ,,and ,,gas4 ,more than eighty years ago1 ,davy first produced and exhibited the arc-light to an admiring and dazzled audience at the ,royal ,institution2 and forty years later1 at the same place1 ,faraday1 by means of his memorable experiments in electro-dynamics1 laid down the laws on which the modern dynamo-electric machine is founded4 ,though known at the beginning of the century1 the electric light remained little more than a scientific curiosity until within the last ten years1 during which period the dynamo-electric machine has been brought to its present perfection1 and electric lighting on a large and economical scale thus rendered possible4 ,the first practical incandescent lamps were produced only seven years ago1 though the idea of lighting by incandescence dates back some forty years or more2 but all attempts to manufacture an efficient lamp were rendered futile by the impossibility of obtaining a perfect vacuum4 ,the year #ahha will long be remembered as that in which electric lighting by incandescence was first shown to be possible and practicable4 ,the future history of the world will doubtless be founded more or less on the history of scientific progress4 ,no branch of science at present rivals in interest that of electricity1 and at no time in the history of the world has any branch of science made so great or so rapid progress as electrical science during the past five years4 ,and now it may be asked1 where are the evidences of this wonderful progress1 at least in that branch of electricity which is the subject of the present paper8 ,quite recently1 the wonders of the electric light were in the mouths of every one2 while at present1 little or nothing is heard about it except in professional quarters4 ,is the electric light a failure1 and are all the hopes that have been placed on it to end in nothing8 ,assuredly not4 ,the explanation of the present lull in electric lighting is not far to seek2 it is due almost solely and entirely to speculation4 ,the reins1 so to say1 had been taken from the hands of engineers and men of science2 the stock-jobbers had mounted the chariot1 and the mad gallop that followed has ended in ruin and collapse4 ,many will remember the electric-light mania several years ago1 and the panic that took place among those holding gas shares4 ,the public knew little or nothing about electricity1 and consequently nothing was too startling or too ridiculous to be believed4 ,then came a time of wild excitement and reckless speculation1 inevitably followed by a time of depression and ruination4 ,commercial enterprise was brought to a stand-still2 real investors lost all confidence2 capital was diverted elsewhere2 the innocent suffered1 and are still suffering2 and the electric light suffered all the blame4 ,the government was forced to step in for the protection of the public2 and the result of their legislation is the ,electric ,lighting ,act1 which authorises the ,board of ,trade to grant licenses to ,companies and local authorities to supply electricity under certain conditions4 ,these conditions have reference chiefly to the limits of compulsory and permissive supply1 the securing of a regular and efficient supply1 the safety of the public1 the limitation of prices to be charged1 and regulations as to inspection and inquiry4 ,that the electric light has not proved a failure may be gleaned from a rough survey of what has been done during the past two years1 in spite of unmerited depression and depreciation4 ,in this country1 permanent installations have been established at several theatres in ,london and the provinces2 the ,royal ,courts of ,justice1 the ,houses of ,parliament1 ,buckingham ,palace1 ,windsor ,castle1 the ,bank of ,england1 and other well-known buildings2 while numerous railway stations1 hotels1 clubs1 factories1 and private mansions throughout the country1 have also adopted the new light either entirely or in part4 ,in addition to this1 over forty steamships have been fitted with the electric light during the past year2 and the ,holborn ,viaduct1 with its shops and buildings1 has been lighted without interruption for the past two years4 ,on the continent1 in addition to a large number of factories1 private houses1 and public buildings1 numerous theatres at ,paris1 ,munich1 ,stuttgart1 ,brunn1 ,vienna1 ,berlin1 ,prague1 and ,milan have been electrically lighted4 ,in ,new ,york1 an installation of ten thousand lights has been successfully running for the last year or two4 ,any one wishing to see the electric light to advantage and its suitability to interior decoration1 should visit the ,holborn ,restaurant4 ,this building1 with its finely decorated rooms1 its architectural beauties1 and ornamental designs in the renaissance style1 when viewed by the electric light1 is without doubt one of the chief sights of ,london4 ,the electric light in the form of the well-known powerful and dazzling arc-light is the favourite illuminant for lighting harbours1 railway stations1 docks1 public works1 and other large spaces4 ,but it is to the incandescent lamp that one must look par excellence for the #8light of the future4' ,it has been satisfactorily established that lighting by incandescence is as cheap as lighting by gas1 provided that it be carried out on an extensive scale4 ,very contradictory statements have from time to time been published as to the relative cost of lighting by electricity and gas2 and a few remarks on the subject1 without entering into detailed figures1 will explain much of this discrepancy4 ,these remarks will refer to electric lighting by incandescence4 ,in the first place1 the lighting may be effected in one of three ways--7#a7 by primary batteries2 7#b7 by dynamo-machines2 or 7#c7 by a combination of dynamo-machines and secondary batteries4 ,the expense of working with primary batteries is altogether prohibitory1 except in the case of very small installations2 while secondary batteries have not yet been made a practical success2 so that the second method mentioned above is the only one at present in the field4 ,in the second place1 a distinction must be made between isolated installations and a general system of lighting from central stations4 ,up to the present time1 nearly all the lighting by electricity has been effected by isolated installations4 ,if every man requiring one hundred or even several hundred lights were to set up his own gas-works and supply himself from them1 the cost of lighting by gas would be enormously increased4 ,hence it is manifestly unfair to compare the cost of electric light obtained from isolated installations with gas obtained from gas-works supplying many thousands of lights2 yet this is being constantly done4 ,central stations supplying at least1 say1 ten thousand lights1 and gas-works on an equal scale1 must be compared in order to arrive at a true estimate of the relative cost of electricity and gas4 ,several such extended installations are now being erected in ,london and elsewhere4 ,with improved generating apparatus1 and above all1 with improved lamps1 it is confidently anticipated that the electric light will eventually be cheaper than gas4 ,even if dearer than gas1 it will be largely used for lighting dwelling-houses1 theatres1 concert-halls1 museums1 libraries1 churches1 shops1 show-rooms1 factories1 and ships2 while perhaps gas may long hold its own as the poor man's friend1 since it affords him warmth as well as light4 ,the incandescent light is entirely free from the products of combustion which heat and vitiate the air2 it enables us to see pictures and flowers as by daylight2 it supports plants instead of poisoning them1 and enables many industries to be carried on by night as well as by day4 ,add to this an almost perfect immunity from danger of fire and no fear of explosion4 ,when it is realised that a gas flame gives out seventeen times as much heat as an incandescent lamp of equal light-giving power1 and that an ordinary gas flame vitiates the air as much as the breathing of ten persons1 some idea may be formed of the advantage of the electric light from a sanitary point of view4 ,to this may be added absence of injury to books1 walls1 and ceilings4 ,visitors to the ,savoy ,theatre in ,london will doubtless have seen the adaptability of this light for places of public amusement1 and it is now possible to sit out a play in a cool and pleasant atmosphere without incurring a severe headache4 ,to theatrical managers the light offers in addition unusual facilities for producing spectacular effects1 such as the employment of green1 red1 and white lamps to represent night1 morning1 and daylight4 ,the freedom from weariness and lassitude after spending an evening in an electrically lighted apartment must be experienced in order to be appreciated4 ,the electric light very readily adapts itself to the interior fittings and decorations of houses and public buildings1 and it can be placed in positions where gas could not be used on account of the danger of fire4 ,the old lines of gas-fittings should be avoided as far as possible1 and the lights placed singly where required1 and not #8bunched' together4 ,for the lighting of mines1 electricity must stand unrivalled1 though little has as yet been done in this direction4 ,its speedy adoption either voluntarily or by ,act of ,parliament1 with the employment of lime cartridges instead of blasting by gunpowder1 will in the future render explosions in mines almost an impossibility4 ,in some cases1 gas may yet for some time compete with the electric light both in brilliancy and economy2 for the electric light has spurred on the gas ,companies to the improved lighting of many of our public streets and places4 ,with the general introduction of electricity for the purpose of lighting comes the introduction of electricity for the production of power2 for the same current entering by the same conductors can be used for the production of light or of power1 or of both4 ,the same plant at the central stations will supply power by day and light by night1 with evident economy4 ,electricity will thus be used for driving sewing-machines1 grinding1 mixing1 brushing1 cleaning1 and many other domestic purposes4 ,in many trades requiring the application of power for driving light machinery for short periods1 electricity will be of the greatest value1 and artisans will have an ever ready source of power at their command in their own homes4 ,is electricity to supersede gas altogether8 ,by no means1 for gas is destined to play a more important part in the future than it has done in the past4 ,following close upon the revolution in the production of light comes a revolution in the production of heat for purposes of warming and cooking1 and for the production of power4 ,gas in the future will be largely used not necessarily as an illuminant1 but as a fuel and a power producer4 ,when gas is burned in an ordinary gas flame1 ninety-five per cent4 of the gas is consumed in producing heat1 and the remaining five per cent4 only in producing light4 ,gas is far more efficient than raw coal as a heating agent2 and it is also far cheaper to turn coal into gas and use the gas in a gas-engine1 than to burn the coal directly under the boiler of a steam-engine2 for gas-engines are far more economical than steam-engines4 ,bearing these facts in mind1 it cannot but be seen that the time is not far distant when1 both by rich and poor1 gas will be used as the cheapest1 most cleanly1 and most convenient means for heating and cooking1 and raw coal need not enter our houses2 also that gas-engines must sooner or later supersede steam-engines1 and gas thus be used for driving the machine that produces the electricity4 ,in the case of towns distant not more than1 say1 fifty miles from a coal-field1 the gas-works could with advantage be placed at the colliery1 the gas being conveyed to its destination in pipes4 ,thus1 coal need no longer be seen1 except at the colliery and the gas-works4 ,with the substitution of gas for coal1 as a fuel1 will end the present abominable and wasteful production of smoke4 ,when smoke1 #8blacks1' and noxious gases are thus done away with1 life in our most populous towns may become a real pleasure4 ,trees1 grass1 and flowers will flourish1 and architecture be seen in all its beauty4 ,personal comfort will be greatly enhanced by the absence of smuts1 #8pea-soup' fogs1 and noxious fumes2 and monuments1 public buildings1 and pictures saved from premature destruction4 ,the present method of open fires is dirty1 troublesome1 wasteful1 and extravagant4 ,with the introduction of gas as a heating agent1 there will be no more carting about of coals and ashes1 and no more troublesome lighting of fires with wood1 paper1 and matches4 ,no more coal-scuttles1 no more smoky chimneys1 no more chimney-sweeps6 ,on the other hand1 the old open coal-fire is cheerful1 #8pokable1' and conducive to ventilation2 while the ,englishman loves to stand in front of it and toast himself4 ,all this1 however1 may still be secured in the gas stoves of the future1 as any one could easily have satisfied himself at the recent ,smoke ,abatement ,exhibition in ,london4 ,the gas stove of the future must be an open radiating stove1 and not a closed stove1 which warms the air by conduction and convection chiefly1 and renders the air of a room dry and uncomfortable4 ,it has frequently been pointed out that our coal-fields are not inexhaustible2 but they doubtless contain a sufficient supply for hundreds of years to come4 ,long before the supply is likely to run short1 other sources of nature will be largely drawn upon4 ,these are the winds1 waterfalls1 tides1 and the motion of the waves4 ,the two former have to some extent been utilised2 but little or nothing has been done or attempted with the latter4 ,before these can be to any extent made use of1 means must be devised for storing energy in the form of electricity1 a problem which is now being vigorously attacked1 but as yet without much practical success4 ,that electricity has a great future before it cannot for a moment be doubted4 ,,by ,,mead ,,and ,,stream4 ,,by ,,charles ,,gibbon4 ,,chapter ,l4--,a ,,crow ,,to ,,pluck4 ,the two men stared at each other--,mr ,hadleigh with an expression of stern inquiry2 ,caleb with a sullen audacity which failed to conceal the confusion and disappointment he felt4 ,but he made no attempt to apologise1 to explain1 or to retreat4 ,after a brief inspection of the man1 ,mr ,hadleigh was reassured3 this was no common burglar he had to deal with1 and no immediate violence was to be feared4 #8,my good man1' he said calmly1 #8you have wasted your time and labour if you expected to find money or plate here4 ,that safe1 which you see is open1 contains my cheque-books2 but they are worthless to you without my signature4 ,as for what plate and jewels there may be to reward your adventure1 they are in different parts of the house1 and before you can leave this room to seek them you must murder me4 ,and before you do that1 ,i shall sound this alarm4' ,as he spoke he took up a green cord which lay beside his desk4 ,the cord communicated with a bell in the butler's room1 which if rung at that time of night would certainly have aroused the household4 #8,i didn't come here to rob2 ,i didn't expect to find you in this room1 and ,i don't mean to hurt you4' ,gruff and surly as ,caleb's manner was1 ,hadleigh1 even in that moment of peril1 did him justice4 #8,i believe you1 ,kersey1' he said quietly2 #8and to prove it1 ,i shall sit down and listen to what explanation you have to give4 ,something very unusual there must be to have caused you to act as you have done4 ,i told you at the end of the harvest that if ,i could serve you at any time1 ,i should be pleased to do so4 ,is that why you have come8' #8,no1' was the sulky answer4 ,although tortured by passion1 ,caleb was not only sensible of the confidence which ,mr ,hadleigh showed him under such peculiar circumstances1 but felt his self-respect raised by it1 and was wishful to make matters clear4 ,the thing somehow stuck in his throat1 for he who had broken into the house at midnight had to tell this man of his son's guilt--as he believed--and of ,pansy's shame4 #8,then what did bring you here and in such an outrageous fashion8' #8,i thought to find your son ,mr ,coutts here4 ,i've been waiting for him nigh on six hours4 ,when he came1 he wouldn't tell me the truth1 wouldn't wait to speak to me1 and ,i am determined that he shall--not only speak to me this night1 but speak true4 ,i thought ,i heard him hollering to me from that window4 ,i didn't want to make a row if it could be helped1 so ,i got a ladder and came in1 meaning to ask him to do things straight and quiet4 ,that's all4' ,as ,coutts's room was above the library1 ,mr ,hadleigh comprehended the mistake ,caleb had made1 and was satisfied that no intention of robbery had brought him there4 ,his own intense preoccupation had prevented him from observing any disturbance4 #8,what is it you wish him to speak truth about8' he inquired4 #8,i'd rather speak to himself1' was the gloomy response4 #8,you are aware that breaking into the house in this way might be an awkward thing for you if brought before a magistrate4 ,but since the matter is important enough to induce you to run the risk you have done to-night1 you had better take me into your confidence4 ,i have no doubt of being able to assist you4' #8,well1 then1' said ,caleb1 after another minute of hesitation1 and the blood tingling in his honest cheeks on her account1 #8,i want to know what he has done with ,pansy ,culver4' #8,what can he have to do with the girl8' #8,more than ,i care to think--more1 maybe1 than you would care to learn4 ,he has wiled her away from home and won't tell me where she is4' #8,there must be some stupid mistake here1 ,kersey4 ,mr ,coutts ,hadleigh is too careful of his reputation to perpetrate such a monstrous act4 ,on what grounds do you accuse him8' ,bluntly and speaking with less difficulty now that the ice was broken1 ,caleb gave his reasons for believing ,coutts guilty--what he had observed at their chance meetings1 and particularly her rejection of himself after she had led him to think that she favoured him4 ,mr ,hadleigh allowed him to tell his story to the end without interruption4 ,he could see that the man was blinded by jealousy and rage1 was unconsciously exaggerating trifles1 and distorting them into proofs of his foregone conclusion4 #8,it is fortunate that accident has made me the first hearer of this accusation1' he said calmly1 when ,caleb stopped4 #8,i had little doubt from the first that you were labouring under a delusion3 ,i am now convinced of it4 ,i will undertake to convince you of it in the morning1 if you will be advised and remain quiet to-night4' #8,i won't wait till morning--,i'll have it out of him now4 ,where is he8' #8,stay where you are1 sir6' said ,mr ,hadleigh authoritatively1 as ,caleb made a movement towards the door4 #8,if you have no care for yourself1 you must have some for the girl4 ,a brawl between you and my son on her account would disgrace her for ever4' ,caleb halted as if his feet were suddenly clamped to the floor4 ,for the first time1 he saw the danger with which his impetuous conduct threatened the being he wished to save4 #8,what am ,i to do1 then8' he asked with more humility in his manner than he had yet displayed4 #8,what ,i have told you4 ,wait as patiently as you can till the morning4 ,be here at eight o'clock1 and ,i promise to have everything explained to your satisfaction without causing the girl annoyance4' #8,it's kind of you to think of that1 sir4' #8,show your gratitude by doing what ,i tell you4 ,go back the way you came2 if you mounted by a ladder1 return it to its proper place2 and when you come in the morning bring ,culver with you4' #8,i can't speak to him about it until ,i know she is safe4' #8,there is no need4 ,you have only got to say he is wanted here4 ,it is better you should take the message than one of the servants4 ,the less gossip we have the more likely the girl is to escape scandal4 ,good-night4' #8,good-night1 and 444 thank you kindly4' ,the ,agitator had never imagined that there would come a day when he should be compelled to speak such words of gratitude to the owner of ,ringsford4 ,he obeyed his commands slowly but faithfully3 all sense of humiliation was stifled by the knowledge that whatever might be the upshot of the meeting in the morning1 the advice given him was sound1 and that in adopting it1 he was rendering the best service to ,pansy4 ,mr ,hadleigh knew that he had conquered the man1 and did not think it necessary even to look at him as he parted the heavy hangings and stepped out on to the balcony4 ,a few minutes after the window had closed1 however1 he bolted it4 ,that operation had been forgotten by himself during the evening1 and had not been performed by the servant1 who had instructions on no account to enter the library unless the bell rang4 ,resuming his seat at the desk1 ,mr ,hadleigh completed the task in which he had been so unpleasantly interrupted4 ,he sealed the two envelopes1 and placed them in the drawer of the safe1 which he locked4 #8,i have done with these things now1' was his mental observation1 and yet he lingered over the words1 as if reluctant to pledge himself that he should not again look at those records of a sad life4 ,with more firmness he said presently3 #8,i shall not look at them again4' ,he drew a curtain aside and looked out4 ,the moon was shining dimly through a haze2 the white space before him looked like ghostland1 and it was peopled for him by ghosts of blunders in the past and of hopes disappointed or relinquished as unattainable4 ,if we could live our lives over again6 ,what use8--unless we could start with the bitter experience which inspires the wish4 ,then how steadily we might steer through the shoals of folly1 passion1 and falsehood4 ,in that still ghostland on which he was gazing1 there rose a new phantom offering comfort4 #8,i will find my happiness in fostering theirs1' he said1 as he turned from the window1 and with hands clasped behind him1 head bowed1 began to walk up and down the room4 ,here happened one of those trifles which make and mar existence4 ,he was tripped by a hassock and fell3 in falling1 his temple struck the corner of the table1 and he lay insensible4 ,about the same time there was a strange sound outside like the distant boom of a heavy sea rushing upon a shingly beach3 it was the wind forcing its way through the snow-laden trees of the ,forest4 99 99 99 99 99 ,caleb ,kersey had reached the village1 his hand was on the latch of his lodging1 when looking backward1 he saw a red glare in the hazy atmosphere4 ,the terrible word #8,fire6' rose to his lips1 and his landlord--,dr ,joy's successful pupil in the science of economy--heard him4 ,the alarm spread through the village with mysterious rapidity1 and whether moved by a desire to render assistance1 or mere curiosity and a craving for any unusual excitement which might break the monotony of their lives1 groups of men1 women1 and boys were soon tramping through the snow in the direction of the blaze4 ,the little engine of the village volunteer fire brigade was dragged from its shed1 and with a shout the lads started to the rescue4 ,there had been much rick-burning during the past few months1 and it was at first supposed that this was another outrage or accident of the same kind4 ,but the wonder grew1 and the pace was quickened when it became known1 from messengers who were riding in search of assistance1 that it was ,ringsford ,manor-house which was on fire4 ,already there were people at the scene of disaster1 and as the broad flames shot out from windows and roofs1 there were murmurs of wonder such as one hears at a display of fireworks4 ,the murmurs1 however1 were those of terror4 ,the luminous glare cast a blood-red shade over the white ground2 the snow quickly dissolved1 and was trampled into a black puddle by the feet of the gathering crowd4 ,the fire had got complete possession of the building before it had been discovered4 ,still1 gangs of men were passing buckets of water from the wells1 which others heaved on the burning mass2 whilst ,coutts was vainly exerting himself with an #8extincteur4' ,eager questions passed from mouth to mouth as to the servants and family4 ,all were safe except one--the master of the house1 and it was feared he had perished4 ,four men bearing a ladder came running from the direction of the stables4 ,the ladder was placed against the portico1 which protected it somewhat from the fire4 ,three of the men drew back from the scorching heat2 the fourth1 whose form reflected by the light was like that of a giant1 dipped a big handkerchief in a bucket of water and fastened it over his mouth4 ,that done he ascended the ladder and reached the balcony4 ,he tried to open the nearest window1 but it was fast1 and a slight murmur of dismay rose amongst those who watched the rescuer4 ,placing his shoulder against the casement1 he with one vigorous heave burst it open and disappeared4 ,suspense lengthened ten minutes into an hour4 ,the man came out carrying another in his arms1 and all knew that the other was ,mr ,hadleigh4 ,the rescuer reached the ladder3 instead of descending step by step1 he twined his legs round it and slid down1 sailor fashion1 supporting his burden with the right arm and steadying himself with the left4 ,it was one of those feats of combined daring1 courage1 strength1 and agility which always win the heart of a crowd1 and he was greeted with as hearty a cheer as if he had saved the life of their best friend1 instead of one who was at ordinary times no favourite4 ,nevertheless1 there were not wanting expressions of sympathy when the report went round that ,mr ,hadleigh was dangerously burned1 and unconscious4 ,the young ladies and some of the female domestics had taken refuge in the gardener's cottage1 and thither ,mr ,hadleigh was conveyed1 whilst messengers were despatched for ,dr ,guy and ,dr ,joy4 ,by this time the engines from ,kingshope and ,dunthorpe were at work4 ,the fire had raged within the house for some time before the roof fell2 now it came down with a great crash1 and the melting snow aided the engines in checking the extension of the flames to the right wing2 but it was long doubtful whether or not that portion could be saved4 ,to this object all efforts were now directed1 and there were constant relays of willing hands to work the pumps4 ,by daylight the blackened walls of the main building remained standing1 with a smouldering heap inside4 ,thanks to a thick wall between it and the right wing1 the latter had sustained relatively little damage4 ,the first question asked by the county police was how had the fire arisen4 ,no one could guess1 until ,coutts ,hadleigh said briefly3 #8,i believe it was that ruffian1 ,caleb ,kersey4' ,he stated his reasons for the surmise1 and ,caleb was arrested that day on suspicion4 ,v ,,victis6 ,what ,brennus shouted on the banks of the ,allia1 and the ,romans made into a proverb after him1 history has re-echoed ever since in deeds as well as in words4 #8,woe to the conquered6' is traced in letters of blood on the sable lining of the golden shield1 of which the legend in front1 written in lines of light1 is #8,hail to the victor6' #8,v victis6' is the discordant echo of #8,io triumphe6' ,woe to the conquered has been the experience of all who have fought either for a principle or a cause2 a strip of land to add to the imperial territory1 or for the integrity and freedom of the country and for dear life itself4 ,strike and spare not2 kill all1 even to the babes and sucklings1 the aged men and the young women2 tread under foot those who are prostrate2 leave to perish by the wayside those who have fallen out from the ranks--v victis6 woe to the conquered1 and death to the weak2 but hail to the victor1 and increase of power to the strong6 ,so goes the world2 so has it ever gone in the moral life as well as in the physical2 the struggle for existence being as true of thoughts as it is of races4 ,we must remember the heroic past1 when haply times are a little hard to ourselves1 and we are bound to suffer in the comparatively mild way of modern days4 ,we have to fight our fight1 whatever it may be1 as the heroes of old fought theirs1 till our cause conquers1 or we are convinced that we are on the wrong--not the weaker--side4 ,but till then1 we have to endure private loss that humanity may have greater gain2 and to remember that conscience is better than victory1 and that truth has ever been buffeted before she has been crowned4 ,the world has this cruel cry for others beside the pioneers and martyrs of a cause4 ,if nothing succeeds like success1 so nothing is so fatal as failure2 and v victis6 is in truth the sentence recorded against those whose fortunes fail1 whose card-houses tumble to pieces1 and whose flapping wings of ambition prove themselves to have waxen attachments1 which melt in the using and land the poor highflyer in the mud4 ,that fatal settling-day on ',change3 that bad debt made through the bank1 and added to indefinitely1 on the theory of possible redemption if enough time were allowed and enough rope paid out3 that terrible spell of ill-health which prevented the completion of the book1 the painting of the picture1 the execution of the order3 that failure1 that fiasco--and v victis as the commentary6 ,v victis6 to the unhappy--to those vanquished by pain and cast down by sorrow4 ,only a very few compassionate souls care to give their time and strength to the miserable who sit in darkness ever unlifted1 and with ashes never shaken off their bowed and melancholy heads4 ,we naturally like the light better than the dark2 and perfumed pomade1 beneath rosebuds and fine feathered caps1 is a more pleasant thing than ashes taken out of the grate and scattered over our hair4 ,we get tired of enduring sorrow4 ,at first1 we are keenly sympathetic2 but as time goes on1 we wonder why the wound does not heal4 ,our own sympathetic pain has passed long ago2 why cannot that of their real hurt8 ,they are always so sad6 ,they take no pleasure in the last fashion1 the newest gossip1 that good story which is going the round of society1 or that smart saying of the ill-natured wit1 whose epigram rips the skin from the flesh of his victim as neatly as if it were a rapier4 ,they are always so dull1 these poor creatures--it is really impossible to go and see them6 ,v victis6 ,they are conquered by grief1 by loss1 by pain2 and they must suffer1 as all those who are overcome have to learn how4 ,v victis6 to the outspoken who cannot back their words by that kind of substantial evidence which passes by the name of legal proof4 ,thus they are in the power of those against whom they sought to warn the unwary and enlighten the blind4 ,if they cannot so back their words with legal proof1 they are conquered1 and have to suffer the fate of the conquered--in the law-courts this time1 as a change from the battlefield2 and with such punishment as belongs to the law of libel to inflict4 ,all the same it was maybe no libel1 no falsehood1 but the absolute truth that they said2 but all the same1 too1 truth which is only a moral certainty and not a substantive fact to be demonstrated by undeniable evidence1 is not to be said without danger1 and v victis6 to those who cannot substantiate it4 ,by which we are taught the lesson of that silence which is golden2 and1 in private things1 the wisdom of not interfering in the affairs of others4 ,as the ,italian proverb has it3 #8,a fool knows his own affairs better than a wise man knows those of others2' and again another3 #8,he knows much who1 knowing nothing1 knows how to keep silent4' ,a great deal of trouble is made for ourselves by this interference in the affairs of others4 ,but it is difficult not thus to interfere1 when we see all awry1 things which we think a few honest words would put straight4 ,but we must look out for signal discomfiture1 unless we can hold the reins we seek to clutch1 and make those with whom we have intermeddled see according to our lights and act according to our judgment4 ,if their will is stronger than ours1 it is v victis6 to us in good sooth6--with the not over-pleasant reflection1 that we have pulled that pot of boiling water over ourselves1 and in not letting comparative well alone1 have stirred it into active ill4 ,v victis6 to the unsuccessful aspirant1 whether it be for honours1 a pass1 a post1 or for love4 ,no one really pities him4 ,he who droops on the way and falls short in his stride is passed by1 and the triumphant reach the goal amid the plaudits of the crowd4 ,who cares to console a failure8 to reconstruct a ruined cloud-tower8 to follow after a fading rainbow8 ,v victis6 and let the pale illusions of a dead hope lie where they have fallen6 ,the poor fellow was rejected1 was he8 ,well1 he really ought to have been more sure of success before he made the effort6 ,perhaps he was led on1 as you say2 but even so1 this does not excuse him1 nor in any way affect the principle of quasi-certainty before the attempt4 ,when you hazard a great stake1 you ought at least to know how to throw the dice1 and to be sure that you have counted your cards4 ,it is no use rushing darkly into enterprises for which one has not the material2 and to offer one's self for a place1 whether of love or honour1 without having taken pains to measure one's strength against those forces which oppose1 is to be more rash than brave1 and more foolish than energetic4 ,to be sure1 no one can have who does not try4 ,that is true for itself4 ,but it none the more softens the verdict of the world for him who has failed1 nor deadens the echo of the cry raised against him4 ,if we do not try1 we cannot get2 but woe to those who try--and fail6 ,v victis6 also to the stupid1 to the poor1 to all born conquered by fate even before they have begun to strive with fortune--who are thrust into the battle unlearned and heavily weighted or ever the lists are set4 ,who pities the dunce8 ,who cares to realise all the days and hours of hopeless endeavour to get those facts1 that task1 rooted in the sluggish brain8 ,is it his fault1 poor dunce1 that the atoms are slow to move8 the nervous fluid insufficient to stir8 the blood too thick to run or too poor to animate8 ,he does his best2 but as a schoolboy he gets flogged1 as well as over-tasked2 as a man he gets distanced1 and perhaps ruined1 unless he has the luck of hereditary bread with butter superadded4 ,but what is not his fault1 is nevertheless accounted to him for blame2 and because he is a dunce1 he has recorded against him the sentence of disfavour4 ,what else1 too1 have the poor8--not the very poor1 whose want of bread of their own baking forces the oven-doors of the rich--but the comparatively poor--those who have enough whereby to live1 but nothing left for enjoyment--who have the necessaries1 but not the comforts1 nor the graces1 nor the pleasures of life8 ,no one pities them1 though they suffer in their own way quite as much as those ragged brethren who go cold and hungry for want of clothing and food4 ,these others have to offer a brave front to the world1 and to make a little seem a mickle1 and not enough a full measure4 ,it is done only at the cost of the night's sleep and the day's peace--at the cost of this thing pinched and that pared1 and the deft interlacing of two gaping ends4 ,no one pities all this1 because no one realises it2 and it may be1 as has been known too sorrowfully before now1 that those who have almost more than they can do to live decently are blamed for parsimony because they do not live luxuriously4 ,perhaps no people deserve more sympathy than those poor gentry whose means fall below the standard of their original condition1 and thus fail the present needs and degrade the future position of the family4 ,gentlefolks born and bred1 with the niceness of feeling and delicacy of taste included in that term1 they are forced to abandon all the embroideries of class refinement1 and to see their children grow up with manners below their own mark1 and with an education of less beauty if of as substantial value4 ,they cannot give them the #8advantages' which count for so much4 ,the girls do not learn music from the best masters1 and their painting lessons leave much to be desired4 ,the boys have to associate with lads of lower breeding1 who teach them rude ways and vulgar expressions1 so that all the influence of home goes to undo what that of the school has done4 ,neither boys nor girls can learn to ride1 to hunt1 to shoot1 like their cousins--the rich branch of this unequally developed family tree2 they cannot be taken to the seaside if they fail in health2 and1 when they are ill1 they cannot be nursed so sedulously as if mamma had nothing else to do1 and a nurse with brains and experience could undertake the rest4 ,they are heavily handicapped all through1 and set to play blindfold with ,fortune1 who holds loaded dice and marked cards4 ,from the first1 v victis6 has been recorded against them2 and unless they have exceptional power1 on which we cannot always count1 they are foredoomed to comparative failure1 and to that painful process of winnowing whereby the conquered fall through the meshes into the abyss1 and only the victors remain safe on the surface4 ,so it is3 ,v victis all through6 ,nothing succeeds like success1 and nothing is so fatal as failure4 ,the law is inexorable1 and tears cannot dissolve the links of brass and iron which ,fate has forged4 ,the survival of the fittest is only a form of v victis6--the destruction of the weak1 and woe to the conquered6 ,but--and herein lies the balm to the sore--it depends greatly on ourselves whether we will be the conqueror or the conquered2 whether we will make ourselves strong by endeavour1 resolution1 self-control1 and the cultivation of our reason and common-sense1 or let ourselves go to ruin by self-indulgence1 weakness of will1 unreasonable desires1 and the gratification of tastes which we cannot rightfully indulge1 and of impulses which1 even if good1 are unworkable and disastrous4 ,if we resolutely determine that it shall be ,io triumphe6 with us1 for the most part we come to our goal2 and at the worst we can always mitigate our failure4 ,,one ,,woman',s ,,history4 ,a ,,novelette4 ,,by ,t4 ,w4 ,,speight4 ,,chapter ,i4 #8,you are a rank heretic1 ,mac1 neither more nor less1' remarked the vicar1 #8to say that you don't care for our lovely ,lake scenery4' #8,but listen1 my dear friend1' protested the doctor2 #8,i never said anything of the kind4 ,what ,i did remark was1 that your ,english ,lake scenery was not to be compared to our ,scotch scenery4 ,it's pretty--very pretty1 but when you have said that1 you have said all4 ,if you want grandeur1 if you want sublimity1 you must go'---- #8,to ,switzerland and see ,mont ,blanc1' broke in ,miss ,gaisford as she looked up for a moment from her writing4 ,the doctor shook his head4 #8,i have reason to believe that the ,swiss scenery has been very much overrated4 ,and then1 just consider the expense6 ,i'm told that the innkeepers there are rogues--every man-jack of them4 ,no--no4 ,i've been half over the world in my time1 and all ,i can say is1 that old ,scotia's mountains and lochs are quite good enough for me4' ,the scene was the lawn of the ,palatine ,hotel1 overlooking a lovely stretch of ,windermere1 with the purple-buttressed hills that guard the head of the lake for an imposing background4 ,the time was about four o'clock on a sunny afternoon4 ,of the three people who had engaged in the conversation just recorded1 one was ,dr ,m#8,murdo1 an army surgeon1 the greater part of whose life had been spent abroad4 ,he had just retired from the service on a small fortune left him by a relative1 but had not yet quite made up his mind where to settle for the remainder of his days4 ,he and the vicar had been great friends when young men1 but had not met for a number of years till to-day1 the doctor having arrived at the ,palatine a few hours ago on a visit to his friend1 who in his turn was spending a portion of his holiday with other friends at the hotel4 ,dr ,m#8,murdo was well on towards his fiftieth year4 ,his hair and beard were already grizzled1 while his once fair complexion was deeply tanned by many years of torrid sunshine4 ,he was a tall1 lean1 high-dried man1 somewhat formal and old-fashioned in his attire1 with an expression of mingled shrewdness and good-humour4 ,his friend1 the ,rev4 ,septimus ,gaisford1 was about the same age as himself1 and had been the vicar of a small country parish in the ,midlands for nearly a quarter of a century4 ,he belonged to the homely1 unobtrusive type of country parson of which1 even in these days of unrest and innovation1 specimens happily are still to be found4 ,he looked after the needs of his poorer parishioners both spiritual and temporal1 and left the well-to-do pretty much to themselves4 ,he abounded in good works in a quiet unostentatious way1 while his ,sunday discourses were as homely as himself and such as could always be #8understanded of the people4' ,like his friend the doctor1 he had never ventured on the perilous sea of matrimony4 ,but the vicar was not without a worthy coadjutor and companion in his parochial labours4 ,his sister1 ,miss ,gaisford1 who was ten years younger than himself1 not only managed his small household1 but looked after such portion of his parish duties as can often be performed better by a woman than a man1 while it was even whispered that she occasionally wrote his sermons for him4 ,so that1 all things considered1 it was no wonder the ,rev4 ,septimus had more than once been heard to remark that #8,pen'--short for ,penelope1 if you please--was far more useful to him than any curate he had ever had4 ,for the rest1 ,miss ,pen was a bright-eyed1 vivacious little body1 not in the least inclined to be sanctimonious1 but fond of a joke and a laugh1 yet with an innate fund of sympathy about her which by some attraction of its own seemed to draw all who were in trouble or difficulty to her side4 ,on this sunny afternoon1 the doctor and the vicar were seated one at each end of a rustic bench in the shade of a leafy elm4 ,the former had his thumb in the pages of a medical review1 to which1 however1 he was paying but scant attention2 while the latter was mending his fishing-tackle1 for our worthy parson was a genuine brother of the angle4 ,at a small rustic table a little distance away sat ,miss ,gaisford1 busy with her writing1 but not so busy as to preclude her from taking an interest in any topic which the others might introduce4 ,presently she looked up1 and as if in answer to the doctor's last remark1 she said3 #8,i am quite aware that we poor mortals who have the misfortune to live south of the ,tweed are very badly off as regards many things4 ,still1 we do now and then manage to produce an article which even you cool-blooded ,northerners can't help admiring1 and would find it difficult to excel4' #8,the application1 my dear madam1 the application4 ,to what particular article do you refer8' #8,at present ,i refer to ,madame ,de ,vigne1 the charming widow to whom you paid such very marked attentions at luncheon4' #8,ah-ha4 ,i noticed something of that myself1' chuckled the vicar4 #8,everybody noticed it1' said ,miss ,pen emphatically4 ,dr ,mac rubbed the end of his long nose with his review and laughed uneasily4 #8,ha1 ha6 ,very good--very good indeed4' #8,come now1 ,mac1 you can't say that you didn't cast sheep's-eyes at her1' put in the vicar blandly4 #8,let the pawky ,scot deny it if he dare1' said ,miss ,pen with a shake of her little fat curls4 #8,very good1 my dear friends2 if you choose to make yourselves pleasant at my expense1 you are welcome to do so4 ,that ,i admire ,madame ,de ,vigne1 ,i am quite willing to admit4 ,from what little ,i have seen of her1 she seems to me a very agreeable person1 and if we could trace back her ancestry1 ,i have no doubt we should find her to be of ,scottish extraction4' #8,oh1 come1 ,mac1 give us poor ,southerners credit for something4' #8,well1 ,i don't mind admitting to you1 who are one of my oldest friends1 and to ,miss ,penelope1 that ,i am getting tired of a bachelor's life4 ,i want a home and ,i want a wife4 ,i have a little money judiciously invested--and--and ,i thought1 in fact--that--that'---- #8,don't be bashful1 ,mac1' chimed in the vicar softly4 #8,you thought1 in fact1 that the charming widow would make you a charming companion for life1' put in ,miss ,pen briskly4 #8,perhaps ay1 and perhaps no1' responded the doctor quietly4 #8,all ,i can say is1 that you may think yourself a particularly lucky fellow if you succeed in winning her1' remarked the vicar4 #8,well1 well2 ,i know that both of you are friends of ,madame ,de ,vigne1 and that she and her sister are parishioners of yours4 ,what ,i should like you to do is to tell me all you know about her1 and then leave me to consider what my future course ought to be4' #8,all that we know about ,madame ,de ,vigne is very little1' remarked the vicar4 #8,very little indeed1' assented his sister4 #8,still1 my dear'--to ,miss ,pen--#8,i am not aware that we should be abusing any confidence in telling our friend all that there is to tell1 so far as we know it8' #8,there can be no possible harm in that4 ,besides1 it will only be charitable to take pity on the poor man4 ,and now1 please not to interrupt me again for ten minutes at the least4' #8,it is now nearly two years1' began the vicar1 #8since ,madame ,de ,vigne and her sister1 ,miss ,loraine1 came down to ,oaklands1 bringing with them a letter of introduction from my ,london lawyer1 a certain ,mr ,railton1 whom ,i have known for a dozen years or more4 ,how ,madame ,de ,vigne came to be known to ,railton1 or what he knew with regard to her and her antecedents1 ,i had not the curiosity to ask at the time1 and ,i have never since made it my business to inquire4 ,it is sufficient to say that ,madame ,de ,vigne had seen advertised as being to let a certain furnished cottage which she thought would suit her requirements2 hence her visit to ,oaklands4 ,the cottage did suit her4 ,she became its tenant1 and there she and her sister have lived ever since1 shunning rather than courting such society as our neighbourhood affords1 but visiting a good deal among the sick and poor4 ,one day about six months ago1 while ,i was out fishing ,i encountered a young fellow who was similarly engaged4 ,we met again and again1 striking up an acquaintance as brother ,piscators have a knack of doing1 till finally ,i invited him to dinner at the vicarage1 on which occasion ,penelope there took quite a fancy to the young man4' #8,of course ,i did1' answered ,miss ,pen1 looking up quickly4 #8,any one else placed as ,i was at the time would have taken a fancy to him4 ,i was just in want of some one to sit for the hero of my next novel1 and ,archie came in very handy4' ,dr ,m#8,murdo started4 #8,but1 my dear ,miss ,gaisford1 you don't mean to say that you make a practice of introducing portraits of your friends and acquaintances into the stories you write8' #8,don't ,i though6 ,i shall have your portrait jotted down in my note-book before you are many hours older4 ,i have no doubt it will come in useful one of these days4' #8,good gracious6 ,i hope you won't paint me in very dark colours4' #8,not blacker than you deserve1 you may rely upon it4' ,then to herself she said3 #8,where was ,i8--,yes--yes1' and so went on with her writing4 #8,well1 that first visit of young ,ridsdale to the vicarage was but the forerunner of several others1' resumed the vicar as equably as though he had not been interrupted4 #8,it was there that he met ,madame ,de ,vigne and her pretty sister1 and with the latter he at once fell desperately in love4' #8,and the young lady fell desperately in love with him8' #8,that is exactly what came to pass4 ,but ,i'm nearly sure the affair might have been nipped in the bud had not ,penelope1 with true feminine perversity and reckless disregard of consequences1 encouraged the two young nincompoops in their folly4' #8,what else could you expect me to do8' asked ,miss ,pen1 without looking up4 #8,when ,i see a little romance of real life going on under my very nose1 do you think ,i'm the one to try to put a stop to it8 ,no1 indeed4 ,besides1 it supplied me with a lot of hints for love-making scenes2 it was what the painters call 8a study from the life40' ,the vicar shrugged his shoulders1 as much as to say3 #8,you hear the kind of arguments ,i am compelled to listen to4' ,then he again took up the thread of his narrative4 #8,it was not till after young ,ridsdale had become engaged to ,clarice ,loraine that we discovered he was the son of ,sir ,william ,ridsdale1 a wealthy baronet of ancient family4 ,the next thing was to obtain the baronet's consent to the engagement4 ,it would appear that the family estates are not entailed1 and1 as a consequence1 should ,master ,archie run counter to his father's wishes1 the latter can dispose of his property in any way he may think best4 ,well1 the all-important missive was written and posted to ,mentone1 where the baronet was at that time residing4 ,the answer was--well1 what do you think it was8' #8,a peremptory order by the first post to the young man to break off the engagement4' #8,nothing of the kind2 but a visit one afternoon at the vicarage from a certain ,colonel ,woodruffe1 who had come as plenipotentiary from the baronet4 ,sir ,william was an invalid1 and could not travel1 so he had deputed the colonel to act in his stead4 ,the father had no doubt in his own mind that his son had fallen into the toils of an adventuress1 and the colonel's instructions were to break off the engagement at any cost1 and take ,master ,archie back with him4' #8,a sensible man that ,sir ,william4 ,and how did the affair end8' #8,in a way that you would hardly guess4 ,the gallant colonel1 instead of carrying out his instructions1 and breaking off the engagement between the young people1 ended by falling in love himself with the fascinating widow and proposing marriage4' #8,a change of front with a vengeance6 ,and the answer8' #8,a rejection4' #8,check for the colonel4' #8,but1 old bachelor though you are1 ,mac1 ,i daresay you know quite enough of the sex to be aware that a woman's ,no is not always final4 ,at anyrate1 the colonel1 who is really a very fine fellow1 is evidently a believer in that doctrine1 seeing that five days ago on his way to ,scotland he stopped here for an hour1 had an interview with ,madame ,de ,vigne and renewed his offer4' #8,and the answer to his second offer8' queried the doctor eagerly4 ,the vicar shook his head4 #8,pen1 perhaps1 can tell you more about that than ,i4' ,miss ,pen looked up quickly4 #8,the answer is to be given him to-day4' #8,to-day6' #8,the colonel will call here this afternoon on his way back from ,scotland1 when ,madame ,de ,vigne has promised that he shall have her final decision--,yes or ,no4' #8,so that1 my dear ,mac1' said the vicar with a smile1 #8all things considered1 your chance of winning the widow does not seem a very promising one4' #8,well1 well1' answered the doctor sturdily4 #8,if a better man than ,sandy ,m#8,murdo wins the fair prize1 why then ,i'll--,i'll be his best-man at the wedding4' ,for a minute or two nothing was heard save the busy scratching of ,miss ,gaisford's pen4 #8,how will this do1 ,septimus8' she asked presently1 and with that she began to read from her manuscript4 #88,her eyes of tenderest ,april blue glance up shyly into his dark volcanic orbs1 in which there is a half-smothered fire that causes her heart to flutter like an imprisoned bird4 ,a moment later1 and her slender willowy form is swept up in a passionate embrace by those stalwart arms1 and ,love's first burning kisses are showered on the sweet rosebud of her lips40' #8,rather tropical1 is it not1 my dear8' hinted the vicar mildly4 #8,oh1 there's nothing namby-pamby about my readers1 ,i assure you1' answered ,miss ,pen with a merry laugh4 #8,they like their love-making warm--and plenty of it4' ,for ten minutes longer the busy scratching went on2 then ,miss ,gaisford laid down her pen with a sigh of relief4 #8,there--not another line to-day1' she said4 #8,now that ,i have got my hero and my villain in the midst of a terrific encounter on the verge of a precipice1 ,i can leave them there for a few hours in comfort4' #8,that seems rather cruel to the pair of them1' remarked ,dr ,mac4 #8,oh1 heroes and villains are used to that sort of treatment4--,but ,i hope you will keep my little secret a secret still1 doctor4 ,if it were to reach the ears of any of the goody-goody people at home1 that the parson's sister writes foolish love-stories for young people1 what hands would be uplifted in holy horror--what ejaculations over her backslidings would be whispered across half the tea-tables in the parish6 ,neither the squire's wife nor ,lady ,pinchbeck would ever speak to me again1 and what1 oh6 what would existence be worth under such terrible circumstances6' #8,my dear madam1 you may rest assured that your secret is perfectly safe with me4' #8,it will be a bad day for the poor of my parish when ,penelope gives up writing her love-stories1' remarked the vicar1 who was busy with his tackle book4 #8,every penny she earns goes to buy blankets1 and coals1 and such-like comforts for those who have no money to buy them for themselves4' #8,my dear ,septimus6' exclaimed ,miss ,gaisford with a flaming face4 #8,my dear ,pen6--,now that ,mac has been taken into our confidence as regards one side of the question1 it is only right that he should be made acquainted with the other4--,but here come our two truants1' added the vicar a moment later1 as ,mr ,archie ,ridsdale and ,miss ,clarice ,loraine1 looking somewhat conscious1 emerged from one of the winding walks1 and came towards the hotel1 each of them laden with a quantity of wild-flowers1 ferns and grasses4 #8,the lovers1 eh1' said ,dr ,mac1 half to himself4 #8,a very bonnie young lady--very bonnie indeed4' #8,we were just thinking of sending the bellman round1' said ,miss ,pen1 as the truants came up4 #8,ting-ting-a-ling4 ,lost since early this morning1 a pair of sweethearts4 ,when last seen1 he had his arm round the waist of she1 and she had her head on the shoulder of he4 ,whoever will'---- #8,stop1 do6' cried ,miss ,loraine1 as she dropped her ferns and grasses on the table and stuffed her fingers into her ears4 #8,we have been botanising1' observed ,mr ,ridsdale with the most innocent air imaginable4 #8,and a pretty lot of rubbish you seem to have brought back1' remarked ,miss ,pen4 #8,rubbish1 indeed6 ,and not one among them without a long and beautiful ,latin name of its own4--,ask ,archie4' ,the vicar rose1 and addressing the doctor1 said3 #8,allow me the pleasure of introducing you to ,miss ,loraine4--,clarice1 my dear1 this is ,dr ,m#8,murdo1 a very old friend of mine4' #8,i had the pleasure of being introduced to your sister this morning1 ,miss ,loraine1 and now the pleasure is doubled1' said the doctor with a touch of old-fashioned gallantry4 #8,i am happy to make the acquaintance of any friend of ,mr ,gaisford1' answered ,clarice with a smile and a little blush4 #8,mr ,archibald ,ridsdale--,dr ,m#8,murdo1' said the vicar4 ,the two men bowed4 #8,a capital fellow to know1 so long as you are in good health1 ,archie1 but a fellow to fight shy of the moment you begin to feel yourself out of sorts4' ,suddenly a shrill whistle was heard4 #8,here comes the steamer1' exclaimed ,miss ,penelope4 #8,i'm going by it as far as ,bowness4 ,any one going my way8' #8,i will walk with you as far as the landing-stage1 and see you safely on board1' answered her brother4 #8,that way will suit me as well as another1' added ,dr ,mac4 ,as the two men turned to go1 ,miss ,pen drew ,clarice aside4 #8,any news8' she whispered4 #8,none1' whispered back the girl with a doleful shake of the head4 #8,if ,archie and ,i only knew the best or the worst6 ,it is this suspense that's so hard to bear4' #8,it seems hard to bear at present1 but it will be delightful to look back upon1 by-and-by4' #8,o ,miss ,penelope6 how can that be8' #8,just now you are in the middle of the first volume of the romance of your life4 ,now1 ,i should like to know how a romance can be worth anything without suspense1 without mystery1 without your being unable to guess what may happen from one hour to another4' #8,penelope1 you will certainly miss the boat1' called out her brother1 who was already some distance away4 #8,we will talk more of this anon1 my dear1' said ,miss ,pen hurriedly4 #8,meanwhile1 don't get downhearted2 all will come right at the end of the third volume3 it always does4' ,and with a nod and a smile1 the bright little woman tripped off after her brother and the doctor1 and presently the trio were lost to view down the winding path that led to the landing-stage and the lake4 ,,popular ,,amusements ,,in ,,germany4 ,when one thinks of the downright substantial way in which ,english people amuse themselves1 with cricket1 football1 lawn-tennis1 rowing1 foot-racing1 leaping1 c41 all over the kingdom1 it is strange to find so little of active sport of the kind among our muscular cousins of the ,vaterland4 ,to be sure there are boating clubs and athletic societies1 and gymnasia in the schools and elsewhere2 and soldiers are exercised in gymnastics1 but there is too much of military stiffness about it4 ,amusements of a passive character find most favour4 ,to #8make' a walk in a leisurely fashion1 to drive in an open conveyance1 or to sit down in a shady grove to listen to a band playing1 is the most acceptable mode of enjoying relaxation4 ,with beer at a penny-farthing a glass1 and a tolerable cigar for a halfpenny1 and a military or string band discoursing sweet music1 the time passes pleasantly enough4 ,it makes a great difference when you have not to pay very dearly for your whistle1 and they certainly know how to get the most for their money in the land of the ,teuton4 ,many houses of refreshment1 even in towns1 have gardens or courtyards thickly planted with trees1 so that their branches meet overhead and form a pleasant and inviting shade4 ,a large shed1 too1 is provided1 open on the garden-side1 in case of rain4 ,frequently1 music is introduced1 and on these occasions1 an extra halfpenny is charged on the beer1 to cover the expense of the entertainment4 ,on ,sundays and festivals1 there is music1 beer1 wine1 and tobacco everywhere4 ,and yet these people know how to amuse themselves without going to excess4 ,sometimes a tipsy man is seen1 but rarely till very late at night1 and the occurrence is so infrequent1 that1 compared with the usages of our own country1 it is quite remarkable4 ,we have more than once asked the question3 #8,is it that the beer is weaker1 or that the ,german heads are stronger than the ,english8' and we have been told3 #8,perhaps it is a little of both4' ,perhaps1 too1 there is something in the fact that there is in some respects less class distinction in ,germany1 and the middle classes may be seen sipping their wine or coffee in the same place with their hard-working brethren4 ,perhaps the national and natural good opinion1 self-respect1 or self-esteem--call it what you will--of the ,german helps to keep him straight2 and then he takes his creature-comforts in a staid1 stolid1 philosophic way4 ,noisy fellows there are1 of course2 but they do not squabble and fight1 as a rule2 the utmost they are guilty of being the national practice1 even at midnight1 of singing rollicking choruses1 to the great disturbance of peace-loving1 law-abiding1 slumbering citizens4 ,the fact that soldiers are permitted to wear their side-arms constantly1 speaks volumes for the sobriety of the men as a class1 and redounds to their credit4 ,a ,turnfest or athletic festival1 generally held on a ,sunday1 is a great affair1 often the event of the year in a small provincial town4 ,there is a wonderful display of flags everywhere2 and in the afternoon1 a procession of the competitors and visitors with bands and banners and every variety of costume1 the medals1 badges1 and ribbons of former contests being worn with great ostentation4 ,the most is made of everything2 and shouting and singing and cheering1 and dust and noise1 seem to be the order of the day4 ,rowing-matches provoke immense enthusiasm1 and a regatta is an affair that induces the keenest interest4 ,a people with so much love for the wonderful and so much regard for themselves1 cannot help throwing into such occasions an amount of enthusiasm and national pride as would do credit to the ,oxford and ,cambridge boatrace itself4 ,the members of the ,boat ,club are the heroes of the hour1 and their costumes the object of great admiration4 ,though not so peculiar as the ,french in this respect1 our ,german neighbours are nevertheless great in their #8get-up' for every particular sort of occupation or sport that they engage in4 ,if a man brings down only one snipe in a day1 he looks tremendously cut out for business notwithstanding1 and appears every inch of him a sportsman when going to or returning from the #8hunt1' as he calls it4 ,the exercise of riding cannot be properly accomplished without a complete and appropriate rig-out1 so that even when he is not actually on his horse1 the equestrian gives to all the world the assurance of a man at home in the saddle4 ,if spurs and jack-boots do not make a rider1 they at anyrate look very much in earnest4 ,never did a be-uniformed people more thoroughly believe in the dignity of dress and the necessity for effect than the ,germans4 ,however we may smile at the eccentricities and oddities of the ,germans1 we must admit that they beat us in the provision of cheap music for the people1 most of whom understand and appreciate it4 ,every school-teacher is bound to be a musician and to pass in music1 so that the people have a chance of learning from childhood4 ,if the ,prince of ,wales succeeds as well in popularising the study of music as his father did in popularising art1 we may hope to see before long a great reformation in the morals of our own people2 and the wandering ,german bands1 composed of the worst players in their own country--where they would not presume to play in public--will no longer be tolerated in ,england1 because the taste of the people will be educated above such wretched performances4 ,good music1 then1 everywhere is what is wanted to enable the lower classes to enjoy themselves rationally1 and no better means of promoting the sobriety of a nation can be devised4 ,the more the masses are leavened with a knowledge and love of music1 the more indeed we imitate the ,germans in this respect1 the less necessity there will be for restrictive measures in the way of #8local option1' and the lighter and easier will be the work of temperance reformers4 ,a great reform will have been effected4 ,if music can charm savages and snakes1 it can do much more for our toiling1 amusement-lacking countrymen and countrywomen4 ,the theatre is much patronised in ,germany1 the prices being cheap1 the music good1 and the performances fair4 ,the play begins at seven1 and ends about nine or half-past4 ,concerts1 too1 both instrumental and vocal1 are frequent2 every town has its ,choral ,society1 and every district its ,choral ,union1 so that there is never any lack of vocalists of both sexes for the performance of an oratorio or the celebration of any great occasion4 ,where a people is satisfied with simple pleasures1 these can1 of course1 be provided at little cost4 ,children have their swings1 climbing-poles1 bowling alley1 merry-go-rounds1 horizontal bars1 c41 in the public gardens2 and when one sees groups of officers deeply interested in the game of dominoes1 it does not cause so much surprise to witness a huge whirligig worked by horses or steam1 where servant-maids and soldiers are driven round and round upon painted wooden horses to the enlivening strains of a barrel organ1 aided by a cornet or two and the universal drum4 ,this sort of affair is a great attraction to the masses1 and being generally placed near a beerhouse1 admiring friends sit round on benches with their beakers of frothy beer1 their cigars or large pipes1 waiting to take a turn on the machine after a time4 ,music everywhere seems to be the rule--there can never be too much of it to please the people4 ,wherever there is a company of soldiers marching along the road without a band at their head1 they make up for the deficiency by singing popular melodies and martial songs1 keeping time with their feet2 and this always gives strangers a favourable impression of the hearty1 happy1 and even merry ,german soldier4 ,a torchlight procession headed by a band of music is a favourite mode of making a demonstration on any particular festive occasion2 and last1 but not least1 is the highly popular serenade4 ,the ,choral ,societies of a town will unite--as was the case in ,darmstadt on the night before the marriage of the granddaughter of ,queen ,victoria1 the ,princess ,victoria of ,hesse--to the number of three hundred men1 and parade before the residence of the person they delight to honour1 each member carrying a lighted ,chinese lantern at the end of a stick4 ,a selection of popular songs and glees suitable to the occasion is sung1 and in many instances the melodies and words are peculiarly fitting4 ,one might write a whole chapter about the amusements of the ,carnival time1 the masked balls and street displays2 and although these affairs are somewhat stolid and quite decorous in character1 they contain the elements of simple fun1 innocent recreation1 and hearty enjoyment4 ,here1 again1 music is an important factor1 for it enters into everything1 and forms the beginning and the ending of every variety of popular amusement4 ,,printers' ,,errors4 ,it must be1 to say the least of it1 annoying to the speaker or writer possessed of any degree of sensitiveness1 when he finds his plainest statements1 or it may be his most carefully prepared flights of fancy1 turned into nonsense by the substitution or omission of a letter in the printing2 and by some unhappy chance it often seems that the mistake is made in just such a manner and place as will do the most mischief4 ,the unlucky poet who wrote1 ,see the pale martyr in his sheet of fire6 must have been completely crushed when the line appeared as-- ,see the pale martyr in his shirt of fire6 ,we can sympathise also with the poet who1 writing of his love1 asserted that he had #8kissed her under the silent stars1' and found the compositor made him state that he #8kicked her under the cellar stairs4' ,true1 it has been doubted if these two poets ever existed2 but others1 of less mythologic fame1 have suffered as badly at the hands of the printer4 ,burns1 in a cheap edition of his works1 is made to say1 ,oh1 gin my love were yon red nose4 ,a well-known temperance lecturer was indignant at finding the sentiment ascribed to him that #8drunkenness was jolly1' whereas he had declared that it was #8folly4' ,for the explanation of many of these blunders it is necessary to bear in mind that in setting up the type the compositor has the various letters arranged in separate divisions of his case and selects them one by one as required4 ,habit enables him to do this with extreme speed and accuracy2 but it will easily be seen that the presence of a wrong letter in a division or a dip into the wrong box may occasion one of these unhappy blemishes4 ,in this manner we find oats rendered #8cats2' songs1 #8tongs2' poets1 #8posts2' or as once happened in the report of a railway accident1 #8confusions of the limbs' for #8contusions of the limbs4' ,and by the substitution of n for h1 a newspaper report was made to state that #8the people rent the air with their ten thousand snouts4' ,the blame1 however1 does not always rest with the compositor4 ,incorrect spelling and slovenly writing have much to answer for1 especially in the case of proper names and quotations from foreign languages4 ,boerhaave becomes #8,boershave2' and ,et tu1 ,brute6 #8,eh1 the ,brute6' ,authors should remember that the proof-reader is fallible2 he is not1 as is sometimes expected1 a #8,universal ,compendium' of facts1 people1 places4 ,if a passage reads clearly and grammatically1 although conveying anything but the sense intended1 it is not to be wondered at that the error is often undetected until too late4 ,much surprise was occasioned by ,sir ,archibald ,alison1 in his ,history of ,europe1 including amongst the persons present at the funeral of the ,duke of ,wellington the name of #8,sir ,peregrine ,pickle4' ,there can be little doubt that the author had made an unconscious slip1 intending to name ,sir ,peregrine ,acton4 ,sir ,thomas ,brassey having referred in a speech to the ,golden ,treasury of ,songs and ,lyrics1 the compositor transformed the title into the #8,golden ,treasury of ,soups and ,cynics4' ,a report in a ,manchester paper of a recent dramatic performance mentioned the well-known farce of ,no4 #a ,round the ,corner under the amusing and suggestive title of #8,no ,one ,round the ,corner4' ,mistakes in punctuation1 such as the omission or misplacing of a comma1 may cause serious alteration to the sense of a passage4 ,the contract made for lighting the town of ,liverpool by wick lamps1 during the year #ahai1 was rendered void by the misplacing of a comma in the advertisements1 thus3 #8,the lamps at present are about four thousand and fifty1 and have in general two spouts each1 composed of not less than twenty threads of cotton4' ,the contractors would have proceeded to furnish each lamp with the said twenty threads2 but this being only half the usual quantity1 the ,commissioners discovered that the difference arose from the comma following1 instead of preceding1 the word #8each4' ,in the following instance1 it was no doubt a bachelor-compositor who1 in setting up the toast1 #8,woman1 without her1 man would be a savage6' got the comma in the wrong place1 and made the sentence read1 #8,woman1 without her man1 would be a savage6' ,all the above-mentioned errors may fairly be ascribed to carelessness and mischance4 ,others1 however1 are on record which have been committed knowingly and intentionally1 and so can scarcely be classed as errors4 ,they have been mostly connected with ,biblical matters1 and intended to further party interests4 ,it is said that ,field1 a printer of the time of ,charles ,i41 was paid fifteen hundred pounds by the ,independents to alter a single letter in the third verse of ,acts ,,vi41 so as to make the word we read #8ye1' and so give the right of appointing pastors to the people1 and not to the apostles4 ,the deplorable state of the press in ,field's time may be realised from the fact that ,bishop ,usher1 on his way to preach at ,paul's ,cross1 asked at a stationer's for a copy of the ,bible2 and on examining it1 found1 to his astonishment1 that the text from which he was about to preach was not in the book6 ,the well-known #8,vinegar ,bible' was published in #agag1 and obtains its name from the ,parable of the ,vineyard being printed as the ,parable of the ,vinegar4 ,one of the most wilful alterations of the text1 and one which cost its perpetrator her life1 was committed by the widow of a ,german printer4 ,one night1 while an edition of the ,bible was being printed in her house1 she took the opportunity of altering the word ,herr into #8,narr1' making the verse read1 #8he shall be thy fool1' instead of #8he shall be thy lord4' ,the celebrated ,bibles of ,sixtus ,v4 are eagerly sought for by collectors4 ,their sole fame is the multitude of errata which crowd their pages1 notwithstanding that ,his ,holiness ,sixtus ,v4 carefully superintended every sheet as it passed through the press1 and finally prefixed to the first edition a bull forbidding any alteration in the text4 ,a curious jumble appeared in a cabled critique of ,mr ,irving's acting on one of his appearances in the ,states4 ,instead of saying that #8the taste for ,irving1 like that for olives1 must be cultivated1' the critic was represented as giving utterance to the incomprehensible assertion that #8the toast for ,irving1 like the toast for olives1 must be cut elevated4' ,a ,glasgow divine1 and one of ,her ,majesty's chaplains in ,scotland1 was lately reported as saying that #8personally he violated the ,lord's ,day as much as any member of the ,court4' #8,venerated' was probably the word actually employed by the reverend gentleman4 ,similarly1 in an edition of ,men of the ,time published in #ahef1 the then ,bishop of ,oxford is thus described3 #8,oxford1 ,bishop of 7,rt4 ,rev ,samuel74 ,a more kind-hearted and truly benevolent man does not exist4 ,a sceptic as regards religious revelations1 he is yet an out-and-out believer in spirit manifestations4' ,this description really belonged to #8,owen 7,robert7 of ,lanark4' ,the edition was soon suppressed1 but not before the ,bishop had possessed himself of a copy for his private library4 ,although both the chaplain and the bishop had reason to complain of their treatment1 it must have been considerably more astonishing and mortifying for ,herr ,franz ,liszt1 who is still delighting his musical admirers with his productions1 to find that in ,haydn's ,dictionary of ,dates 7#ahgj7 he is represented as dying in ,october #ahfh4 ,the ,queen's ,speech at the opening of a recent session of parliament was hurriedly published in a ,scotch newspaper without being revised by the press-corrector1 and ,her ,majesty1 instead of saying that certain negotiations #8will1 ,i doubt not1 lead to satisfactory results1' was reported as saying1 #8will1 ,i doubt1 not lead to satisfactory results4' ,so much for the misplacing of a comma6 ,with increased literature have come better systems of #8reading' and correcting1 and greater accuracy has been attained4 ,such mistakes as above quoted are exceptional1 and the morning newspaper may now be read week after week with but few misprints4 ,a good example of accuracy in printing tables of figures--in which it is so difficult to avoid errors--may be seen in ,bradshaw's ,railway ,guide1 every monthly part of which contains from seven to eight hundred thousand figures4 ,astronomical and mathematical tables require great care in printing1 and very few are issued which can be relied upon as absolutely correct4 ,charles ,babbage superintended the production of a set of trigonometrical tables in #ahbg which perhaps stand unrivalled in this respect4 ,they were prepared for the ,ordnance ,survey of ,england and ,ireland1 and a limited number of copies printed--it is said only thirty4 ,they consist of tables of logarithms and log4 sines1 tangents1 cosines and cotangents1 to every second4 ,roughly speaking1 they contain about six millions of figures4 ,the proof-sheets were revised by several sets of readers1 and were carefully examined and compared with other tables no less than seven times4 ,from ,mr ,babbage's preface1 we learn that after the final stereotyping1 seven errors were found in the logarithms and one in the differences4 ,these being corrected1 the stereotyped sheets were hung up in the ,hall at ,cambridge ,university1 and a reward offered to any one who could find an inaccuracy4 ,since their first issue in #ahbg1 no error has been discovered1 and it may reasonably be concluded that they are absolutely correct4 #8,,the ,,king ,,country4' ,the recent visit of ,king ,tawhiao to this country has awakened a deep and widespread interest in ,new ,zealand and its inhabitants4 ,the ,maori king has been fted and feasted far beyond his desires1 and has paid the penalty of greatness4 ,but he has suffered martyrdom in a good cause2 and if he has not succeeded in bringing the wrongs of the ,maoris home to the ,pakehas1 he has certainly aroused a very general curiosity as to the character and resources of the mysterious #8,king ,country' of which he is the titular chieftain4 ,the publication of ,mr ,j4 ,h4 ,kerry-,nicholls's volume of travels--entitled ,the ,king ,country1 or ,explorations in ,new ,zealand 7,london3 ,sampson ,low7--in this unknown region is1 therefore1 peculiarly well timed4 ,until within the last few years1 #8the ,king ,country'--as a vast tract of the finest land in ,north ,island is still known--was a terra incognita to ,europeans4 ,rivalries of race constituted a barrier more impassable than the aukati line itself1 which separates the ,maori lands from the ,european portion of the colony1 and is marked on the one side by the farms and homesteads of the settlers1 and on the other by the huts of the natives4 ,in its vast forests1 over its precipitous mountains1 along its trackless plains1 the natives alone wandered4 ,it was an imperium in imperio1 a fastness in which aboriginal sovereignty sat enthroned1 deaf to all the offers of civilisation4 ,it was through this unknown country that ,mr ,kerry-,nicholls pushed his way in company only with an interpreter4 ,with but three horses1 which were ultimately reduced to two1 he accomplished more than six hundred miles of travel1 discovered many new streams1 penetrated almost inaccessible regions of mountainous forest1 found extensive plains1 traced the sources of three of the principal rivers of the colony1 examined the unknown shores of its largest lake1 ascended one of its highest mountains1 experienced degrees of temperature varying from eighty degrees in the shade to twelve degrees below freezing-point1 and successfully traversed from south to north a territory with an area of ten thousand square miles1 which had been1 from the early history of the colony1 rigorously closed to ,europeans4 ,it is scarcely necessary to add that the records of these wanderings constitute a singularly interesting volume of discovery and adventure1 which can hardly fail to prove of some practical utility to the colony1 and a welcome contribution to geographical science4 #8,the ,king ,country' comprises one of the finest tracts of land not only in ,new ,zealand1 but in some respects in the southern hemisphere4 ,it is much more than merely picturesque1 and in this respect alone it can compete with the finest scenery the world can produce4 ,its natural advantages are of the highest order4 ,it is throughout well watered1 and in parts exuberantly fertile2 while even the mountains are richly clothed with forest trees and shrubs4 ,the southern portion is drained by the ,whanganui ,river1 which is fed by many tributaries1 flowing from the highest mountain-ranges in the central and southern divisions of the island2 while the ,mokau ,river and its affluents flow from the central region to the coast4 ,in the north1 the ,waipa and numberless minor streams flow from the mountains into the ,waikoto ,river itself1 which has from time immemorial been renowned in ,maori fable and romance4 ,again1 more than a dozen streams flow into ,lake ,taupo1 an immense reservoir1 some twenty-four miles long by fourteen broad1 which lies almost in the midst of the central tableland2 while the ,waikoto is the only effluent river4 ,during the rainy season1 the waters of this lake1 having only this one outlet1 rise rapidly2 and with the continuance of heavy winds1 its waves are lashed into fury1 and break upon its shores with all the force of a raging sea4 ,geologically speaking1 this district presents problems of surpassing interest4 ,here can be seen side by side the relics of the stupendous action of volcanic fires1 and of the scarcely less potent force of the glacier4 ,it is contended that the formation of ,north ,island must be attributed to submarine volcanic eruptions1 which1 perhaps by slow degrees1 perhaps rapidly1 forced upwards the ,taupo tableland4 ,these fires bursting again through the plains1 caused mountains to rise up in the form of serrated ridges and truncated cones1 which poured out streams of lava and enormous deposits of pumice over the surrounding country4 ,probably the basin of the lake was once an active crater1 from which the first vast pumice-plains flowed2 while later1 the mighty ,ruapehu1 and1 when it became extinct1 the still active ,tongariro1 became the outlet of the volcanic fire4 ,that this element is still largely active in many parts of the country is shown by the geysers1 solfataras1 fumaroles1 and hot springs which form one of the characteristic features of ,north ,island4 ,thus the #8lake country'--as the district round ,lake ,rorotua is commonly known--is #8a region of eternal fire4' ,the conditions of existence here are certainly novel4 ,the natives bathe in such of the thermal springs as are of suitable temperature1 at all times of the day1 and in a very primitive fashion4 ,in others1 again1 they cook their food and warm their houses by the same means4 ,these natural phenomena occur in many other districts1 such1 for instance1 as that round ,lake ,rotokawa1 and the districts near the native settlement of ,tokanu1 on the south side of ,lake ,taupo2 while on the northern slope of ,tongariro are some of the largest and most active boiling springs in the country4 ,moreover1 the mountains possess all the rock formations in which gold1 coal1 iron1 and other minerals are found to exist4 ,thus1 the ,kaimanawa ,mountains1 which are situated in almost the centre of the island1 and stretch across the great central tableland to an extent of eighty miles1 offer a peculiarly rich field to the geologist4 ,mr ,kerry-,nicholls reports the existence of abundant auriferous indications1 and confidently expresses his opinion that here lies a probable ,eldorado4 ,it is not our purpose to do more than mention the adventurous journeyings recorded in this volume4 ,frustrated1 owing to disputes between the natives and the colonial government1 in an attempt to enter #8the ,king ,country' from the north1 the traveller successfully essayed to pass the southern boundary-line4 ,by throwing himself upon the good-will of the natives1 going fearlessly among them1 respecting their customs1 and following as nearly as possible their mode of life1 and1 in fact1 for the time becoming a ,maori1 he succeeded at a time when many ,europeans would not only have failed1 but probably have paid the extreme penalty for their rashness4 ,in one case1 it is true1 he only achieved his purpose by dint of exercising the greatest secrecy4 ,tongariro is tapu1 or strictly sacred1 in the eyes of the ,maoris1 and could only be ascended by a ,european without their knowledge4 ,this is one of the most perfect volcanic cones in the world4 ,but the resources of this rich district1 from whatever point of view they may be considered1 are still awaiting development4 ,its flora and fauna have still to be collected and classified4 ,its agricultural and industrial resources are still unknown2 but we have evidence to show that these are worthy of attention4 ,,the ,,moulmein ,,elephants4 ,some time ago there was a discussion in the learned journals regarding #8intellect in brutes2' and ,i thought then1 as ,i think now1 that much of the controversy depended on the definition we assign to the word #8intellect4' ,some say that it is merely an exaltation of the natural instinct of the brute2 others1 that it is an exhibition of true reason4 ,but then1 what is instinct8 ,some arguers mystify their hearers1 and exhibit their own ignorance of the subject by replying3 #8,instinct is only that in animals which we call reason in man4' ,well1 this is not the place to argue the subject2 but ,i shall exhibit certain facts1 observed by myself1 in the behaviour of the elephants employed in the ,moulmein timber-yards1 and leave my readers to judge whether they were due to instinct or reason4 ,anchored abreast of ,aga ,synd ,abdul ,hosein's timber-yard1 and within bare swinging distance of the shore1 ,i had ample opportunities of minutely observing and recording the marvellous illustrations of the elephant's intelligence4 ,these animals are largely employed in the timber-yards1 and their functions consist in helping to embark and disembark the huge teak-logs1 or move them about the yard2 in fact1 without them work would be at a stand-still4 ,what struck me at once was the wonderful combination of enormous power with the gentlest1 most loving docility4 ,here were huge logs being moved about as if they were matches1 and yet with the utmost regard to any one in the way4 ,a case in point4 ,we were landing one day at the ,aga's wharf1 and found that the ebbing tide had left a thick layer of treacherous slime on the wooden slope1 rendering it impossible for a lady to land4 ,seeing this1 the manager called out to a mahout or driver1 and in a moment his elephant pushed a log down the slope1 just stopping short of the boat1 and affording the lady a dry surface to step out upon4 ,there must have been intellect in this act2 for the great log was not pushed down at random on the wharf1 nor into collision with the boat1 but exactly at the right spot and into the right place4 ,all elephant-work is performed either by the trunk or right foot in pushing2 by trunk and tusks combined1 as in carrying logs2 or by the strength of the whole body in dragging4 ,dragging-elephants are furnished with a light wooden pack-saddle1 on which the mahout sits sideways1 and to which the traction-chain is attached4 ,this is ,y-shaped1 the leg being greatly prolonged and ending in a hook4 ,let us watch the handling of this log--twenty feet long1 by sixteen inches square--which has to be dragged across the yard4 ,the chain is passed round it by an assistant and then firmly hooked2 and now the elephant has to do the rest4 ,his first action is to get his hind-legs well within the ,v of the chain1 and then he starts1 the log helplessly following4 ,arrived at its destination1 the elephant disencumbers himself of the log by unhooking the chain with the finger of his trunk1 and then pulling it from under the log1 or pushing the latter to one side4 ,now1 mark what was involved in this apparently simple operation1 the sole guidance to which was either the voice of the mahout1 a pat from his stick1 or a tap from his heels4 ,first1 there was the getting inside the ,v4 ,why did the old fellow do that8 ,he has learned from experience that if he did not1 traction would be interfered with1 and his legs rubbed by the chain4 ,was not his action1 therefore1 dictated by reason8 ,secondly1 there was the unhooking of the chain1 which instinct never could have prompted4 ,imitation was at work2 the elephant had seen that the unhooking of the chain liberated the log1 and had learned to follow the example2 showing thereby the domination of reason4 ,here are some logs being adjusted on the wharf-slope4 ,note the ease with which the elephant pushes each into its place with1 apparently1 the slightest movement of trunk or foot4 ,mark this one1 which1 by a greater than necessary exercise of force1 has become tilted up against its fellow4 ,the elephant has noted it too1 and half-kneeling1 and getting his tusks under it1 he pulls the log backwards a little1 and it drops square with its fellow4 ,what dictated that action8 ,mathematical order and precision belong to the bee1 and are said to be instinctively implanted in that humble animal2 but could there have been anything in this elephant's antecedents to have prepared it for rearranging a dislocated log8 ,surely the impulse seized it at the moment1 and must have been due to a sense of order or tidiness implying the presence of reason4 ,odd lengths of log1 varying from four to six feet1 are carried about the yard by elephants1 a species of work which is distasteful to them1 as exhibiting their awkward points4 ,indeed1 they evidently feel degraded by it1 for they set to work with an air of resignation quite foreign to their shifting or dragging feats4 ,there they rejoice in their great strength1 and are fond of exhibiting it4 ,here1 little strength is needed2 but the operations involve roughish treatment of the nose1 and we know that all animals1 including man1 are very particular as to how their noses are handled4 ,the elephant is proud of his strength1 but sensitive with regard to his trunk1 especially when that delicate organ is brought to bear upon any rough work2 and as the securing of a log between the trunk and tusks necessitates a large amount of awkward movement1 ,i noticed that the selected elephant approached the job with reluctance4 ,resigned to his fate1 he half-kneels before the odious object1 and gets the points of his tusks under it2 then he wriggles it up the ivory tramway with his trunk1 and secures it therewith in situ4 ,his troubles now commence2 for on rising to his feet1 the hateful log1 obeying the laws of gravity1 at once tends to drop2 and to obviate this1 the poor brute has to raise his head on high4 ,thus constrained1 he commences his march with slow stateliness1 as if to make the best of a bad job1 and not let the world at large know that he is virtually walking blindfold4 ,and so he is2 for the elevation of his head upsets the axis of his vision1 and he has to walk more by touch than by sight4 ,i have thus attempted to describe the main duties which elephants have to discharge in the timber-yards1 and ,i have mentioned that they are guided by the voice1 stick1 or heels of the mahout4 ,watching them from shipboard1 you are quite close enough to note every movement of the animal1 but not sufficiently near to catch the signal1 so that the elephantine actions seem purely automatic1 and therefore the more astonishing4 ,but when you are alongside the animal1 and can see and hear the simple signals under which he works1 you are equally astonished at the thorough manner in which he understands what he is expected to do1 and the very little prompting he requires4 ,on one occasion1 ,i arranged with a mahout to bring up his elephant to where ,i was standing1 that ,i might indicate the work to be done1 the mahout to be absolutely silent4 ,standing by a six-foot log1 ,i beckoned to the mahout1 and up came the elephant4 ,arrived at the spot1 and being without chains1 he must have opined that dragging was not intended4 ,there remained1 then1 pushing or carrying1 the latter operation being the one which the sagacious creature saw was intended1 for he proceeded at once with his awkward preparations for carrying it away4 ,throughout this test the mahout was absolutely silent1 and1 as far as ,i could see1 quite passive4 ,the result of it was that the elephant divined3 what ,i1 a stranger1 wished it to do1 and did it4 ,on another occasion1 ,i applied the test to a difficult object1 an eighteen-inch cube of teak1 which the dear old fellow at once arranged to carry off2 but how to do it1 he could not at first determine4 ,as his tusks diverged more than eighteen inches1 they were no support1 and the many sharp corners of the cube sorely tried the delicate trunk4 ,after some failures1 he managed to seize the fragment by the centre1 and then raise it up below the tusks against his lower lip4 ,as he had virtually accomplished the task1 ,i discontinued the experiment1 expressing my satisfaction and delight to the manager1 who somewhat damped my ardour by informing me that the mahout1 while abstaining from use of voice or stick1 might have conveyed his wishes to the elephant by pressure with his heels6 ,but a moment's reflection increased my admiration at the elephant's intelligence1 for1 allowing that the mahout's heels had pressed his side1 how could such pressure inform him that he was neither to drag nor push1 but carry8 ,surely the mahout could not have possessed a code of pressure-signals with which he had indoctrinated the elephant in prospect of curious visitors4 ,if he had1 then it must have included voice and stick signalling as well1 to either of which ,i might have resorted4 ,no2 ,i believe that the elephant acted independently of signals1 and reasoned on what he had to do1 by what was laid before him4 ,hitherto1 we have seen the elephant in the yard2 let us follow him into the mill1 and there admire the triumph of reason over instinct4 ,we all know how naturally timid and nervous the elephant is1 and how susceptible to noise4 ,well1 watch this noble old fellow solemnly dragging in a huge log to the sawmill4 ,onward he moves1 undismayed by the horrid panting of the engine or the screeching of the saws4 ,instinct would have tempted him to turn tail and flee from the noisy turmoil2 reason keeps him at his task1 confident that amid the uproar and apparent confusion1 perfect order and safety prevail4 ,and so1 with flapping ears and swaying trunk1 he yields up his log to the grip of the remorseless saw1 and goes off unconcerned to find a fresh victim4 ,it was very pleasing to see that the ,aga's elephants were kindly treated and well cared for2 the goading nks 7iron hook2 and prod7 was nowhere to be seen4 ,a daily as well as a rigidly observed weekly rest was secured to them2 besides1 their cleanliness is well looked after2 and morning and evening they are taken into the river to be well scrubbed1 the termination of each bath being a triple dive1 which they enjoy immensely4 ,on a second visit to ,moulmein1 ,i noticed another totally different illustration of confiding reason in the elephant4 ,we were at anchor in the river in a strongly flowing tide1 when a deeply sunk raft laden with green forage1 two men1 and two elephants1 swept swiftly past4 ,the elephants stood motionless and quite unconcerned1 knowing that they were under secure pilotage1 and quite safe as long as they remained quiet4 ,if they had proved restless1 the raft must have come to grief4 ,,gum-,,arabic ,,and ,,the ,,soudan4 ,according to the ,scientific ,american1 the gum-arabic supply appears to have been in a great measure cut off owing to the state of affairs in the ,soudan4 ,it says3 #8,gum-arabic comes almost exclusively from the ,soudan1 and owing to the operations of ,el ,madhi1 there have been no receipts of any consequence for a year past4 ,in confectionery it makes about thirty per cent4 of the best quality of gum-drops1 marsh-mallow1 and jujube paste4 ,the annual supply from the ,soudan has heretofore been from twenty to twenty-five thousand bags of four to six hundred pounds each1 and there is usually a stock held in ,london about equal to one year's receipts4 ,this reserve is now about exhausted1 and the gum has been steadily advancing in price from the ordinary figures of fourpence to fivepence per pound1 until it now commands from one shilling and threepence to two shillings1 according to quality4' ,,one ,,by ,,one4 ,though from the boughs to which they've long been clinging1 ,the autumn leaves are dropping one by one1 ,yet from their dust1 new forms of beauty1 springing1 ,shall smile again in summer's gentle sun4 ,though one by one the pearly drops of morning1 ,from drooping flowers1 on viewless pinions rise1 ,we'll see them yet the gorgeous clouds adorning ,with glowing arches of celestial dyes4 ,though one by one the stars are fading slowly ,that all night long kept vigil in the sky1 ,the distant mountain-peaks1 like prophets holy1 ,proclaim that morning's light and song are nigh4 ,though with slow step goes forth the sower weeping1 ,and on earth's lap his precious treasure leaves1 ,yet comes the harvest1 with its joyous reaping1 ,when shall be gathered home the ripened sheaves4 ,though one by one the friends we fondly cherish ,withdraw from ours1 the cold and trembling hand1 ,and leave us sorrowful1 they do not perish-- ,they yet shall greet us in a fairer land4 ,yes2 from all climes1 where'er the faithful slumber ',neath scorching suns1 or arctic snow and frost1 ,stainless they'll rise1 in myriads without number2 ,all1 all1 shall meet--there shall not one be lost4 ,a4 ,m#8,l4 99 99 99 99 99 ,printed and ,published by ,w4 ,r4 ,,chambers1 #dg ,paternoster ,row1 ,,london1 and #cci ,high ,street1 ,,edinburgh4 99 99 99 99 99 ,all ,rights ,reserved4