Monmouthshire Merlin

THE CRY -AT THE COMING ELECTIONS. Whoever hat perused the brilliant and entertaining novel o- "Coningiby," must remember the importance attached by certain Downing-street mediocrities to the selection of a good Ministerial" Cry," as one of (he most essential preparations for meeting a dissolution of Parliament. The necessity of such a prelude to the turmoil of an election, has not been lest sight of by the newly-installed Conservative Government. A II Cry" has been duly invented, and will speedily be forth. coming. It has, indeed, been already rehearsed at certain meetings, presumed to represent what is commonly termed the Country Interest, with a loudness and distinctness of articu- lation which allows of no doubt or misconception as to the precise words of which it is intended to consist. "Cheap Bread and Low Wages" is discarded as a worn-out and exploded formula which has long since had its day. ''Pro. tection to British Industry" is laid on the shelf, as a spell with which it may be dangerous to the electioneering interests of landlords themselves any longer to conjure, In the place of these, "Confidence in the Adminstration of the Earl of Derby" is to be the received watchword—the new I. Rune" or charm to be used for spreading delusion before the eyes of the British farmer, and of insuring the voices of rural constituencies to the support of a government, which has h therto done absolutely nothing to insure their gratitude, consideration, or respect, and which, judging from present appearances, is likely to do as little in days to come.-Leicester Chronicle.

A POWERFUL MICROSCOPE. A German named Hasert, residing in Cincinnati, has manu- factured a microscope, which has a magnifying power of 600 The Cincinnati Times, speaking of its extraordinary powers, says the dust which, in contact with the wing of the butterfly, adheres to the finger, was shown to be a number of feathers on these little feathers are observed longitudinal and transverse lines, but this has been, so far, the utmost that has been seen. This new microscope, however, shows that between each pair of longitudinal lines there are five or six rows of scsles, like those of a fish, and appear to have the same form in all the feathers, differing only in size. A dust particle, taken from the back of the body of a sphinx, which is the largest of these feathers shown, measuring one-fifteenth of an inch in length, and one two-hundredth of an inch iu breadth, had 104 longitu- dinal lines. Between each pair of lines six rows of scales were visible, making the number of these little scales, laterally. 624 the number of scales, longitudinally, downwards, would be 2,228 therefore, tha entire number of these on this little fea- ther amount to one million four hundred thousand, which gives the number of fourteen thousand millions to one square inch. Oa a very minute particle of dust from the wing of a jimes, meaiuring only one fiye-hundredth of an inch in length, and one-thousandth of an inch in width, the number of scales is found to be 84,000, which gives the enormous sum of 42,000,000,000 to one square inch. We observed, also, large sizes of the cat and common house flea, the eye of a fly, and the wing of a small bug, the latter presenting the most brilliant colours and beautiful shawl pattern we ever beheld, with a magnificent border, elaborately ornamented,

PHEASANTS. M. Temminck based his hopes on a wrong foundation, when he prognosticated the silver pheasant a denizen of our poultry yards. No breed of pheasant., wilh freedom, will ever becotnlt domesticated for a continuance a few exceptions there will be, and have been, as I shall be enabled to show, but their inherent disposition is erratic they will go miles for a freak, the worst of which is,they will not come back again. So far as the pugnacity, courage, and self-posstssion of the silver pheasant is allowedi the breed is all that can be dtsired, with this trifling etception-" if he have not any of his own species to bully, or meet with the spirited resistance oflome cock, his fighting propensities are sO intolerant, mean, and cowardly withal, that he will attack the poor hens of the poultry yard. And no race of savages are more dexterous at scalping. But I am anticipating. I have in my days had the care of, and entered with spirit for some years into, the management of poultry, in a plain and ob" servant way; and, so far as it was possible, aided by my em- ployer, we tried to domesticate the gold and silver pheasant, and the common pheasant, and the partridge also, but could 100' suoceed; for no sooner did the breeding season arrive, t^an the whole race of them, if at large, would disappear; the common pheasant and partridge to the woods and fields, to live and not be recognised amongst their fellows; their gaudierspecies to be' come an easy prey to the foxes, or otherwise, if an inkling of re* ward should flit across the minds of another description of captors, nearly ellied, they would find their way home again io a basket, then to be placed in durance vile till the breeding se&* son was over. Did any of my readers ever witness a pheasant's lfitting from an uonatural domicile 1 It is delightful to witness the cunning of the hens (as to the cocks, it is a mere follow my leader"), apparently conscious of the proceeding; now with measured, cautious pace, under covert of some hedge now scudding their way over open and exposed places, till they fancy themselves • fairly distanced from the eye of observation, is so beautifuily done, at least I think so, that the sight can only be witnessed to be conceived. I really would advise a few incarcerated beings ( to be purpostly let loose, in order that so rich a treat might be enjoyed. But n.ind,they must be caught doing the thing of fhair o.vn accord-not be driven or frightened 'o r. Twenty years ago, my empioyer bought his origina stock of gold and silver pheasants of the late Duke of Marlborough, the former at ten, and the Iaiter, at seven guineas a brace. For some years we bred a great many for the London market, Mr Castang, & being purchasers. Finding them of late years a drsg on our hands, and their determination not to become poultry, but for ever to remain game, my growing laste inclining to cows and pigs, and to cultivating the substamial culinary products of the garden, &o., the birds were disposed cf, with the pheasantry and bantams into the bsrgain.-Cottage Gardener,

AUSTRALIA. GOLD FIELDS.—EXTRAORDINARY YIELD. Advices dated Melbourne, January 13th, 1852, have reached London by an unusually quick voyage, of only three months. The following is a copy of a letter, on the truthfulDess of the statements contained in which, full reliance may be placed. Melbourne, Jan. 13, 1852. The yields of our gold fields have been still more astonishijg sioce I last wrote to you. To enable you to form an idea, 5 will give you a statement of the quantity weekly received at the Treasury, in Melbourne, by the government escort, for the last seven weeks For the week ending 26th Nov., 13,169 ounces, 3rd Dec., 16669 I I Oth 26,656 „ 11 17th 19,492 24th 10,851 „ M 31st 10,634 „ 7th Jan. 10.998 And the escort, to arrive to-day, will bring 15,035 ounces. As I mentioned before, what the escort brings is no criterion what- ever, and it has been estimated that it only forms one-third part of the whole. The shipments of gold up to 31st December, consisted of 144,825 ounces, which, at the very low valuation of f3 per ounce, gives .£43!,475 as the result of three months. But the above only forms a portion of the total exported, as it only shows the quantity taken on freight. There is no duty pay- able the only thing the master of the vessel has to do is to make a declaration of how much he has on board, to satisfy the govern* ment. Of course he cannot say what quantity the passengers have with them, and it is well-known that passengers, generally, do take away as much as they can bear with them. The Bril- liant, the Statesman, and Sarah Ann, 3 ships are departing new for London, all of which will take away a very large quantity; the two first certainly not less than 40,000 ounces each, and the last about 35,000 ounces. The ship Melbourne took away 60,586 ounces. Sailors are so scarce, that they are coolly asking .flOO for the run home. Common labourers get lOsa-day, fo« merely helping to load ships.' Frequently we have 1,000 souls landed in the 24 hours !rom South Australia. Even New South Wales, with all her gold fields, cannot retain her population, as* when the last steamer left Sydney, a few days ago, there were no fewer than 10 vessels filling up wi'h goods and passengers for Melbourne; and even this day (13th Jan.,) already there are no fewer than 238 pas engers. Adelaide, however, is suffering the most, as no gold has been found there as yet, and a few days; ago, nine ships arrived in one day from that port. "The price of gold is now firm at 60s* per ounce shortly after the first arrivals from the gold fields, it was 62s; but when the large quantities begun to pour in, the price fell to 56. 6d and 57s; but a number of fresh buyers has again raised it to 60s. Ihe freight to England is J per cent,, valuing it at £ 3 per ounce and commission oa buying and selling at 1 per cent. The quantity in the market is stillvery large, and fresh arrivals take place every day. Looking amlie quantities brought down by the escort, one would be led to believe that the quantity was falling off, but such is not the case, as the deficiency can bo easily accounted for, from the fact of the immense number of miners who had left the gold fields to spend their Christmas holidays in town, and who brought their own gold with them, instead of paying the J per cent, escort free. Numbers are still arriving, many having left on account of the scarcity of water during the hot weather, as well as the badness thereof, owing to its being so much disturbed with the continual washing of the gold. The city (Melbourne) has been very crowded in- deed, for the last month with diggers, who have been spending their money most freely, but great order and good conduct have prevailed. Shopkeepers and publicans have teen making a great deal of money." GOLD DUST. Should Everything that is gold, glitters," be used as a set off to the venerable adage which warneth us, All is not gold which glitters 1" There is certainly a great and universal fas. cination in the m)stic metal, from which few are able to preserve themselves; so the columns of news from the gold regions" is seldom unread. There is no lack of glitter in the last file of Australian papers. Every paragraph seems racy of the soil." We select a few "A miner lately weLt into Redfern's, the pastry cook, in Collins-street, and bought a few shillings' worth of confec- tionery; he threw down a five pound note, and declined to re- ceive any change." Women are driving water catts about Melbourne, tieij husbands having gone goid-hunting." "No less than twenty-four government clerks intend sloping off to the diggings, when their engagement* terminate in December." "The quantity of gold purchased in Melbourne, during the week ending 24th November, was 11,444 ounces." By the arrival of the barque Jane," says another paper, "Captain Norris, from the river Wairo Kiapara, we have re- ceived intelligence that gold has been discovered in abundance near some extensive plains, between the Bay of Islands and Hokiangs that the natives of that locality are determined to op- pose the government and others from either trespassing upon, or taking possession o,4 the land on which it is found. The natives in the district of Kiapara, are .in a state of actual starvation, and no prospect of relief until their crops are ripe." But unhappily this pleasant picture has its reverse. The- following pithy announcement suggests uncomfortable consi- derations A petition for a gold escort from Mount Alexandria to Gee- long is being got up."

A CURIOUS TURN or FORTUNE—We (Limerick Reportery understand that the exertions of our respected mayor in search of the heir to the extensive property left by a clerical gentlemen named Eugene M'Namara, who lately died at Paris, has been successful. He turns out to be a member of the police force in this city, named John M'Namara, a native of Corofin, county Clare, and the only surviving brother of the deceased Rev. Eugene M'Namart, who, through his connection with some close relatives engaged in mining spesulations in Mexico and elsewhere, became possessed of property to a very considerable amount in lands and money in a foreign country, and was oft his way home when he was taken ill, and died intestate in Paris. Some good friends there, cognisant of deceased's cir- cumstances, and supposing him, from some papers in.hia pos- session, to be a native of Limerick, at once communicated the- state of bis affairs to the mayor, who instantly set inquiry oa foot to discover the nearest of kin to deceased, whom he ha& discovered. The sum just now available of his monied property is no less than 1,200.000 francs, or about £ 48,000 English currency documentary evidence to secure which it in the haDde of the Parisian correspondent, and John M'Namara possesses incontrovertible proof of his close alliance with tbe deceued rev, gentleman. DECREASE OF THE POPULATION.—The details of the census of the union of Skull, in 'he county of Cork, are published. In the division of Ballybawn the population of 184) was 1801 in 1851 it was but 893. Several other electoral divisions exhibit as serious a falling off, while two or three in which villages are situated have but sligMlv decreased. The town of Skull itself has increased from 2895 to 3226. On the whole union tit.. fslling-off has been from 26,620 to 16,866. m

PRESENTATION TO EARL FTZHARDINGE, BY THE BERKELEY HUNT MEMBERS. [FP.OJI OUR CORRESPONDENT.] Cheltenham, Saturday. The dinner took place here at the Plough Hotel, last evening, on the occasion of the presentation to Earl Fitzhfirdinge, by members of the Berkeley Hunt and other sportsmen of this district, of a splendid piece of plate, subscribed for in testimony of the subscribers' appreciation of the noble lord's generosity, in maintaining a pack of fox hounds and noble stud for hunting the Berkeley and Cheltenham country. The chair was taken by C. E. Hanfoid, Esq., of Weller's Hill, Farl Pitzliardinge sitting on his right, End Sir Charles Morgan, Bart., on his left. Most of the members of the Berkeley Hunt were present. The Duke of Beaufort sent an apology, excusing himssifon account of the state of his health. After the usual introductory toas's had been given, the Chairman, in the name of the subscribers, presented the teEt!- motia) to Earl Fitzherdinge. It is a massive piece of silver plate, intended to represent an incident in the history of the Berkeley family. The following is a description .Robert Fitzhnrdinge is represented on horseback, in the act of rallying the Normans in the fight at Hastings to a fresh onslaught on the fiercely-resisting Saxons. A Norman chief, to whom the tradition gives the name of Taillefer, has fallen by his side, and the courage of the invadess appears for a moment to be daunted. Fitzhsrdinge ins'antly pricks forward, and with uplifted lance shouts to the wavering Normans to follow him. The figure of the knight is a model of manly vigour and youthful grace. Esquisitely poised in the saddle, he bestrides and controls his foaming charger with all the easy firmness which is the true characteristic of the accomplished horseman i and by the free bearing of his limbs, no less than by the high resolve depicted on his handsome features, gives token of the stout and manly heart that beats withia his bosom. The horse upon which the artist has mounted him would, in the days of chivalry, have been a prize for emperors to contend for. Sharing the courage of his rider and glowing, like him, with the animation of the fight, he presents also the same beauty of control and freedom of action and without the encumbrance of mere fleshy bulk, exhibits io the sinewy strength of his limbs, and the rounded compactness of his form, a perfect epitome of animal spirit and power. Subor- dinate to these principal figures, a number of Norman and Saxon soldiers are introduced into the group, and are represented as engaged in the various vicissitudes of the battle. Conspicuous amongst them is a Saxon bowman, whose form and attitude will not fail to win the admiration of every one by whom the woik shall be seen. EarT Fitzhardinge having acknowledged the testimonial, entered upon some remarks on the duties of a master of fox hounds, and traced his own ardent love of the chase to bit perusal, when a boy, of Somerville's poem of The Chase," from which he quoted largely. He became master of hounds at twenty.one years of age. He had a liberal allowance, but not enough to keep two whippers.in, and therefore he became first whipper-in himself. But he bad great difficulties to encounter. The first of these was want of experience, so that in giving his health after dinner, his friends used to name it as "The Pack and the Puppy." Then his was not a regular pack of hounds. He was obliged to take what he could get —the refuse of other kennels—those whose capital sentences had been commuted to transportation so that he looked upon his kennel as a sort of penal settlement, to which the reprobates of all other packs, guilty of serious offences, had been drafted. He had mute hounds, and babblers, and skirters, and hounds so slack that they would not hunt anything, and other hounds so wild that they would hunt everything. He was, however, not to be daunted, or his first essay might have put him down. His lordship then gave an amusing account of his first day's sport at Newent Woods on the 24th September, 1803, when his houndi, instead of fox hunting, gave chase to a cur, and afterwards worried a flock of sheep, and after that another cur. But Ihough so untrained, there was good stuff in them, and they "ere the ancestors of his present pack, which were acknow. ledged to be good hounds. The past season was admitted to have been one of the worst ever known, but his hounds had been out 108 days, and had killed 112 foxes. But. his lordship added, the formation of a pack of fox hounds was not solely confined to the sports of the field there were a great many friendships formed and cemented in the hunting field, and charmingly interwoven with the other relations of life. Othertoasts followed, the party sitting late.

1V0XDERLAND. MouRxruLLY listening to theyave's strange talk, And-marking with a sad and moistened eye The summer days sink down behind the sea- Sink down beneath the level brine, and fall Into the Hades of forgotten thingc- A mighty longing stealeth o'er the soul; As of a man who pineth to bshold His idol in another laaJ—if yet Her heart be treasured for him—if her eyes Have yet the old love in them. Even so, "With passion strong as love, and deep as death, Yearneth the spirit after Wonderland. Ah happy, happy Land L The busy Soul Calls up in pictures of the half-shut eye, Thv shores of spl-ndour—as a fair blind girl "Who thinks the roses must be beautiful, But cannot spe their beauty. Olden tones, Borne on the bosom of the breeze'from far- Angels that came to the young heart in dreams, And then like birds of passage, flew away- Return. The rugged steersman at the wheel. Softens into a cloudy shape. The sail, Move to a music of their own. Brave barque, Speed well, and bear us unto Wonderland leave far behind thee the vext earth, where Spend their dark days in weaving their own shrouds And Fraud and Wrong are crowned kings-and toil Hath chains for hire-and all creation groans, Crying in its great bitterness to God,— And Love can never speak the thing it feels, Or save the thing it loves—is succourless: For if or.e say, "I love thee," what poor words They are I-whilst they are spoken; the beloved Travelleth, as a doomed lamb, the road of death, And sorro-,v blanchetii tfle fair hair, and pales The tinted cheek. Not so in "Yonderland! There, larger natures sport themselves at ease, Neath kindlier suns that nurture fairer flowers, And richer harvests billow in the vales, And passionate kisse3 fall on god-like brows, As summer rain. And never know they ther2" The passion that is desolation's prey- The bitter tears begotten of farewells- Early renunciations, when the heart JjOJeth the all it lived for-vows for.-of- Cold looks—cstranced voices-all the woes That poison enrih's delight. For Love endures. Nor Lde nor changes in the Wonderland —Alasi the rugged steersman at the wheel Comes back again to vision. The hoarse sea Speaketh from its great heart of discontent, And in the misty distance dies away The Wonderland !—Tis past ar.d gone. 0 Soul Whilst yet unbodied, thou didst summer there, God saw thee-led thee forth from thy green haunts, And bade thee know anoihev wori(i-iess fair, Less calm. Ambition, knowledge, and desire, Drove from thee thy first worship. Live and Iearn- Eeiieve and wait, and it may be that He Will guide thee back again to Wonderland,

THE DISCONTENTED, A garden bloomed in an Eastern clime, Fairer and brighter than poet's dream, Though his glowing vision were more sublime Than thought can picture, or fancy deem, With murmuring music a river flowed Through the flowery banks of the garden along And its fragrant trees were the bright abode Of the birds of beautiful plumage and son^, On a verdant bank, where ambrosial flowers Their transient reign of glory began, Drearnlessly wasting Time's young hours, Was Earth's chief glory-the new-born MAN, Ah: what hath that garden'of Eden for him, With its radiant flowers, and its birds of song?— There stealeth upon him a troubled dream- Vague hopes and wishes-a wildering tiirong Tor Discontent-a brooding thing That jarreth all harmonies—darkeneth light— Now hovers above him with gloomy wing And the garden of Eden no longer is bright Tk1 i!ie-i/air re"'on bloometh for him alone Tho U ♦•t7eJn?asure of gJory him runs o'er, The insatiate Spirit hath raised his throne- And Man is unhappy HE WANTETH MORE AIiS that in Paradise-bright though it shone-, And the holiest spot man ever hath trod— The demon of Discontent begun To mar the noblest work of GOD! For since that hour, hath the bright world been No longer the innocent Eden of old Man now but craveth to grasp the Unseen, Whose beauty is power-whose worth is gold Newport. J. M. Scon.

¡ FACETIyE. Mrs. Partington, junior, asked a daguerreotypist, the other day, if he could daguerreotype a picture from recollection A poor man, who had a termagant wire, after a long dispute, in which she was determined to have the last word, told her that if she spoke one more crooked word, he'd beat her brains out. Why, then, ram's-horn, you rogue," said 6he, "if I die for it." The most original mode of spelling that we have ever Been is the following it beats phonetics :—80 you be—A tub. 80 oh! pea-A top. Be 80—Bat. See 80—Cat. Pea 80—Pat. Are SO-Rat. See O! double you—Cow. See you be-Cub. See a bee-Cab. Be you double tea-Butt. Be a double ell—Ball. Look out, up dare, how you trow bricks—guess you want to kill this nigger," said a lusty black hod carrier, the other day, when a large brick fell from a two-story scaffold uppn his head, and broke in two without any fuither damage. The note book of a reporter gives the following definition, on fne authority of an Irish cook A raal gintleman is one that never earned a ha'porth for himself or any one belonging to him." A poem, in a southern paper begins, I've lived upon thy memory." That is about as bad as Jerry Bryant's boarding- house feed, where they had nothing for dinner, and had it warmed over for supper, and what was left served up the next morning for breakfast. Why is John Bigger's boy larger than liis latner I 13ecause he is a little Bigger The following sign on Western Row, Cincinnati, bears the impress of originality Kaiks, Krackers, Kandies, Konfek- shunnarys, Holesale and Retaile." Mrs. Parting:on says that because dancing girls are stars, it is no reason that they should be regarded as heavenly bodies. Young Sniffkins married Betty Blotchett for her money but cannot touch it till she dies, and he treats her very badly on account of what he calls her "unjustifiable longevity." The other day, Mrs. Sniff kins finding herself unwell, sent for a doctor, and declared her belief that she was pisoned," and that he (Sniffkins) "had done itt" "I didn't do it I" shouted Sniffkins. "It's all gammon; she isn't pisoned. Prove it, doctor open her upon the spot—I'm willing."

0 ANSWER TO G. F. HOLBROOKS'S CHARADES OF APRIL 16TH, 1852. A ROSE is a beautiful flower, Growing beside the jessamine bower. MARY'S the name of a charming maid, ROSEMARY, I think is your charade, 2. Youit second is four letters, Of which many think and stare, I think I am not wrong to say, That the whole is a briny TEAR. 3. FOUR letters contains your third, Which to many a puzzle seem': And if the whole is a number, I really think it is TEAM. Cwm Bran. W. C. V.

BARLEY BROTH. AIR—"The King, God bless him!" A BASIN of Barley Broth make, make for me Give those who prefer it, the plain No matter the broth, so of barley it be, If we ne'er taste a basin again. For, oh! when three pounds of good mutton you buy, And of most of its fat dispossess it, In a stewpan uncovered, at first let it lie Then in water proceed to dress it. Hurrah hurrah hurrah In a stewpan uncovered, at first let it lie; Then in water proceed to dress it. What a teacup will hold-you should first have been told- Of barley you gently should boil; The pearl- barley choose—'tis the nicest that's sold- All others the mixture might spoil. Of carrots and turnips, small onions, green peas, (If the price of the last don't distress one Mix plenty; and boil altogether with these Your basiu of Broth when you dress one. Hurrah! hurrah! hurrah! Two hours together the articles boil There's your basin of Broth if you'd dress one. —Punch.

0. MR. JEREMIAH TOPS' ADVICE TO THE FARMERS. I BB a zimpul varming mun, a plane unpolished veller At meetuns and at 'lection, zur, I cannot blare and beller; I loike a price vor wot I grows, but yet I can't agree As wuts and tummuts arn't as dear as such loike ort to be. Purtection may be woundy nice, but then I allus zay, That if it gives me zummat more, whoi! zummun helse mun pay; And as I loike to vind things cheap, wen I be vorced to buy, I'm not zurproised that hother men should veel the zaam as I. But if un be, or if un baint, there's such a coil about un, I tell 'ee plain, we varming men mun even do without un; Foive Bob a quarter munnot set the land agin the town. Or make we country chaps vorget our dooty to the crown. And, dang it! wen I think of all the row and hagitashu* Wich zuch purceedings mun purdooce throughout the British nashun; Wot mischief-loving chaps would come a ripping up old sores; Wot poor men's scowling faces we should see about our doors; Wot heaps of learned herrings we mun hear on either side Wot jokes and gibes and cuttin words we varmers mun abide; Wot cute long-winded velters from Lunnun would come down, To tease and haggrawate us in hevery market town Wot angry meetuns there would be disturbin hevery shue; Wot landlords there wouM rave and swear, vor tenants to admire; I veel as such a row as this would be too much for we Zo darn the Dooty! let un goo and let we farmers be. If we have been but hardly used, yet still I mun maintain 'Tis voolish to purwoke our foes to beat us onte again And he lbool be the varmer's friend who first the matters dropB, Mun be the fixed and firm belief of -Punch. JBRJSMUH TOPB.

THE LATE ELECTION. [TO THE EDITOR or THE MERLIN.] SIR,-Though my name is often before the public, it is always with great relactance I put my pen to paper: I therefore seldom do to, but I see a letter from Sir Thomas Phillips in your impression of yesterday which I must not pass unnoticed. Sir Thomas is pleased to taunt me as a man "embittered by defeat and smarting from disappointment." From his pen these words are out of place. We were, I thought, alike advocates of the great principles of progress and reform, and I would have thought that he would have felt" as I did when these principles were trampled under foot to meet the views of the autocrat houses of Beaufort and Tredegar, and serve the purposes of him, who for the time being, is the membtr for the Monmouthsh:re borough?. To show that though our cause appeared in a minority, the bugbear of Protection had NOT in your boroughs triumphed over Free Trade, was the SOLE reason why I made public the pro- ceedings of the election. To me personalty it was a matter of no moment whatever. A large body of the electors know full well that a seat in parliament was an honour which I had pre- viously declined, and, that, unlike Sir Thomas Phillips, I had all to lose and oothing to gain by bscoming a member of the legislature so that on my own account I had more reason to rejoice than feel "embittered" by defeat. But I did feel when I saw the noble cause of freedom crushed by the iron hands of oppression, a»td assisted in their machinations by those fT/ends. oj Sir Thomas who had ever- professed to be the enemies of retrogression and of all taxes which enhanced the price of the poor man's bread. I am not aware that I ever used the words I am reported to have done in reference to Sir Thomas. I rather conceive that he has to thank the reporter for a greater amount of delicacy than he and Jiis friends, under the extraordinary circumstances, deserve, iu cot fully stating what I did say at the meeting to which he refers. What I then said, to the best ofmyiecol- lection, was :-That when I first saw Mr. Prothero, he had stated to me, that feeling annoyed with the liberal party for not bringing forward his f fiend. Sir Thomas Pliillips, he had promised his vote to Mr. Bailey but that he would allow all over whom he exercised any influence to vote as they pleased,-that in fact he would not, after what had passed, interfere in any way in the election, but that he would not be sorry if 1 was relurmd,— that he had confirmed these statements to metv.o days previous to the election and that very much to my surprise he had on that very evening, attended a meeting of Mr. Bailey's com- millee,-and spoken strongly in favour of my opponent and his principles. That, further, to my surprise and disgust, I had heard that Mr. Prothero had, contrary to hii pledge, used eveiy influence in his power against n:e,—and that on the forenoon of the day ofetection he had said to a leading member of my committee,—"Now, Mr. as Lindsay is sure to be defeated, will youjoin me in getting up a requisition to Sir Thomas Phillips, who is now in town, leady to act, so that we may throw out Bailey at the general election!" The reply which my friend gave was an indignant" No." Allow me now, sir, to say to Sir Thomas, that I had reason to be embittered-though not on my own account—with such discreditable conduct on the part of one, too, who acknowledged and had advocated similar principles to my own. And if what my informant stated ba correct, of which from his position, I have no doubt, I have merely in conclusion to remark that of all the disgraceful scenes to which I was a witness in Newport, the worst of them all wa3 the conduct of Mr. Prothero, who at the very moment be was exercising all his endeavours: and all his cunning to place in power my opponent, was secretly labouring <n overthrow him at the general election.— Let Mr. Bailey beware of such friends. For my own part, I trust, sir, that if Mr. Prothero has acted, as on good authority he is stated to have done, he will, from henceforward, never desecrate the great cause of liberty by recording his name in its favour. I am, Sir, your very obedient servant, W. S. LINDSAY. Fuiham, Saturday Evening. [The above letter was received last week.-— Ed.M.M.]

NEWPORT AND PILLGWENNLY WATER SUPPLY. [TO THE EDITOR.] SIR,-I am aware of the power of a public journal, in coirect- ing, so far as practicable, any existing and justly.complained-of evil. It is with this view I avail myself of the columns of the MERLIN, to complain of the present and loag-exietiag bad con. dition of the water supplied by the Newport and Pillgwenlly Water Works. I Pay a fair charge for the supply of good water from this company, and the rates are of course bated on the sup- position that the article supplied shall be of a quality required for daily consumption. Now the fact is notoiious, that the quality is not what it ought to be and it has long been so. lodeed, it being unfit to drink, my family, in common with others, are obliged to seek a supply from other quarters. The water from the works being stipulated to be fit for human con. sumption, as well as for other domestic purposes, it becomes the bounden duty of the company at once to adopt the most effective means of rendering it drinkable. Yours obediently, Newport, April 23. A DOMESTIC MAN.

WORCESTER AND HEREFORD RAILWAY. [TO THE EDITOR.] SIR,-Since my last communication to you, in respect to this railway, which is intended to be a continuation of the Newport, Pontypool, Abergavenny, and Hereford line, now in progress, I find that the following business has been done before the com- mittee of the House of Commons, in reference thereto; and I heartily concur in the last expression in the summary here given. "The Promoter", after much oratol ical opposition from a phalanx of counsel, triumphantly succeeded in overthrowing the objection as to the estimates of the cost of the line, and the arrangements with the canal company. The committee, after patiently listening to the speeches of the learned opponents, decided to proceed with the evidence accordingly the examina- tion of the engineer, Mr Liddel, was then proceeded with his evidence was followed and corroborated by that of Mr Lock, Mr Hawkshaw, and Mr P. Ballard which occupied the sittings up to Wednesday afternoon, and closed the promoters' case. 00 Thursday the entire sitting was occupied with speeches in oppo- sition from Mr Alexander, on the part of the Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway Mr Denison, for the Oxford and Wolver- hampton Mr Merewether, for the Worcester and Birmingham Canal; Mr Burke, for the Hereford Turnpike Trust; and Mr Selfe, for the Severn Commissioners when time being "called," it was four o'clock, and the Speaker was announced to be at prayers; the committee adjourned. Sergeant Wrangham, who appears in opposition for the owner of a few perches of land in Lugg meadows, opened with his speech on Friday. It is con- fidently expected that the preamble will-be proved." The committee resumed their sittings on Friday. Yours obediently, April 26th, 1852, A NE^^ORT TRADESMAN.

TO THOMAS BROWN, ESQ., OF EBBW-VALE. SIR,—You profess yourself a liberal in politics, and it is gene- rally understood that the other proprietors of the Ebbw Vale and Sirhowy Works hold the same views. It is intimated in the papers that you intend to stand at the next general election as a candidate for the Monmouthshire Boroughs, and that Mr Darby will stand for the county. If so, you will not consider it an ira- pertinent meddling, in a party whose vote you may soon solicit to ask you, and Mr Darby through you, the following questions: Are your dsy.schools at Ebbw Vale and Sirhowy, &c in- tended for the children of the workmen indiscriminately or'for a certain portion of them 1 Is it true that at least nine-tentbs of your workmen are dis- senters from the Church of England t If the schools are intended for all the children, how is it that they are conducted on the National system,—an exclusive hich- church system 1 6 Would not the British or Lancastrian system,—a system adopted by the majority of liberal churchmen, and by all dis. senting denominations,—be more in accordance with the views of your workmen, and more consistent with your professions as a liberal politician, than the sectarian system which you have adopted ? Is it true that the children are expected to attend service in church on Sundays, and that they are led to church in procession on Sundays and holidays, by the teachers? Is it true that some of the Independents were denied the use of Ponty-Gdf school to kpap a sabbath-school, at the request of a churchman who keeps a day-school in that room ? I trust you will not put an unfavourable construction on my conduct in proposing these questions to you in this public man- ner. Nothing can be further from my purpose than the thought of prejudicing the minds cf the electors against you. My sole object is to give you an opportunity to set yourself right with the consistently liberal electors of the county and boroughs, in case you should solicit their suffrages at the coming election, for your. self or for your friends. I am far from being a Conservative, but I would decidedly prefer a Conservative in theory, provided he should be liberal in practice, to a theoretic liberal but a practical tory. The Messrs Bailey, to their honour be it mentioned, are thorough liberals in practice. They do not interfere with the religion and education of their workmen. They leave them to build their own meeting- houses and school-rooms, and to choose their own preachers and schoolmasters; and whenever an appeal is made to them for assistance, ;hey contribute liberally to all sects indiscriminately. I could mentioa many other companies, of Conservative princi- ples, who act in the most liberal manner towards their workmen, in the matters of religion and education. The Messrs Neville and Co, of L!anelly, Carmarthenshire, deserve an honourable mention. Some years ago they built a large schoolroom, and left the selection of a master and governess, and the whole management of the school, to a committee elected by the work. men from amongst themselves, and I venture to say that their school is one of the best conducted, and one of the most efficient, in the kingdom. There are, I regret to say, on the other hand, some instances of managers of works, professing liberal opinions, while acting in the most illiberal manner,—the Cwmavon is an instance of this. Far be it from me to institute a comparison between you, sir, and the gentleman there but I mutt be per- mtited to say that your sectarian and exclusive schools appear to me, and many others, to be glaringly inconsistent with the liberal views which you and the rest of the company profeES to hold in politics. Trusting that you will not suffer this stain to remain long upon your characters as liberal gentlemen, and that you will kindly condescend to furnish the public with some ex. planaticns upon this subject, if I am in error, I am, sir, your obedient servant, April 24th, 1852. A LIBEP.AI, ELECTOR,

THE GHOST-RAISER. "UNCLE BEAGLEY, who commenced his commercial career very earJy in the present century as a bagman, will tell stories. Among them, ha tells his single Ghost Story so often, that I am heartily tired of it. In self-defence, therefore, I publish the tale, in order that when next the good, kind old gentleman offers to bore us with it, everybody may say they know it. I remember every word of it. Thus it began: One fine autumn evening. about forty years ago. I was tra- velling on horseback from Shrewsbury to Chester. I was to- lerably tired, and was beginning to look out for some snug way-side inn, where I might pass the night, when a sudden and violent thunder storm came on. My horse, terrified hy the lightning, fairly took the bridle between his teeth, and started off with me at full gallopthrough lanes and cross-roads, until at Jeng'h I managed to pull him up just near the door of a neat-looking country inn. Well," thought I,' "there was wit in your madness, old boy, since it brought us to this comfortable refuge." And angtiting, I gaee him in charge to the stout farmer's boy who acted as ostler. The inn-kitchen, which was also the guest* room, was large, c!ean. neat, and comfortable, very like the pleasant hostelry described by Izaak Walton. There were several travellers already in the room-probably, like myself, driven there for shelter-and they were all warming them- selves by the blazing fire while waiting for supper. I joined the party. Presently, being summoned by the hostess, we all sat down, twelve in number, to a smoking repast of bacon and eggs, corned beef and carrots, and stewed hare. The conversation naturally turned on the mishaps occa- sioned by the storm, of which every one seemed to have had his full share. One had been thrown off his horse ano her driving in a gig, had been upset into a muddy dyke; all had got a thorough wetting, and agreed unanimously that it was creadrul weather-a regular witches' sabbath. Witches and ghosts prefer fgr their sabbath a fine moon. iignt night to such weather as this These words were uttered in a solemn tone, and with strange emphasis, by one of the company. He was a tall dark-looking man, and I bad set him down in my own mind as a travelling merchant or pedlar. My next neighbour was a gay, well- looking, fashionably dressed young man, who, bursting into a peal oflaughter, said You mast know the manners and customs of ghosts very well, to be able to tell that they dislike to get wet or muddy." The first speaker, giving him a dark fierce look, said "Young man, speak not so lightly of things above your comprehension." •> • Do you mean to imply that there are such thiogs as ghosts '• Perhaps there are, if you had courage to look at them." The young man stood up, flushed wi'.h anger. But pre- sently resuming his seat, he said calmly "That taunt shou'd cost you dear, if it were not such a foolish one." .i, 1^- 1foo,l?h one' exclaimed the merchant, throwing on the taole a heavy leathern purse. There are fifty guineas. I am content to lose them, if. before the hour is ended, I do cot succeed in showing you, who are so obstinately prejudiced, the form of any one 01 your deceased friends and if, after you have recognised him, you allow him to kiss your lips." We all looked at each other, but my young neighbour, still in the same mocking manner, replied You will do that, will you Yes," said the other—"I will stake these fifty guineas, on condition that you will pay a similar sum, if you lose." After a short silence, the young man said, gaily Fifty guineas, my worthy sorcerer, are more than a poor college sizar ever possessed but here are five, which, if you are satisfied, I shail be most willing to wager." TONE^ °THER T0°K H'S PURSC' SAYING' IN A CONTEMPTUOUS Young gen'Ieman, you wish to draw back I draw back exclaimed the student. "Well if I had the fifty guineas, you should see whether I wish to draw back! Here," said I, are f guineas, )which I will stake o your wager." No sooner had I made this proposition than the rest of the company, attracted by the singularity of the affair, came for- ward to lay down their money and in a minute or two the «mro were subscribed. The merchant appeared so JiAnrle *n'}n,nS> tnat he placed all the stakes in the student's 0 prepared for his esperiment. We selected for the Jated, and hSJing'S?^mean^^eiitb6^^0"erfeC!iyH iB°* r ii °.mean8 °* exit but a window and door. Zlht W? n!! y •a8tenfd' after P]aci"S the man within. We put writing materials on a small table in the summer.house. and took away the candles, We remained outside, with the pedlar amongst us. In a low solemn voice be began to chant the following lines :— What riseth slow from the ocean CiiTes And the stormy surf? The phantom pale seta his blackened foot On the fresh green turf." Then, raising his voice solemnly, he said You asked to see your friend, Francis Villiers, who was drowned three years ago, off the coast of South America— what do you see ?" replied the student, a white light arising near w" °W ^Ut 1185 no ^orm > 's an uncer,a'n cloud," II I see," J eplied the student, "a white light arising near tbè window; but it 1185 no form; it is like an uncertain cloud," We-the spectators—remained profoundly silent. J Are you aIraid; asked the merchant, in a loud voice. I am not," rf? ied the student, firmly. After a moment's silence, the pedlar stamped three times on the ground, and sang And the phantom white, whose clay-cold face Was once so fair, I- Dries, with his shroud, his clinging vest, And his sea-tossed hair." Once more the solemn question "You would see revealed the mysteries of the tomb—what do you see now V The student answered, in a calm voice, but like that of a man describing things as they pass before him "I see the cloud taking the form of a phantom its head is covered with a long veil-ie stands still i Are you afraid ?" I am not l' i We looked at ea.ch other in horror-stricken silence, while the merchant, raising his arms above his head, chanted, in a sepulchral voice And the phantom said, as he rose from the wave, He shall know me in sooth I will go to my friend, gay, smiling, and fond, As in our first youth!" What do you see ? said he. J' I see the phantom advance he lifts his V;}lI- tiS Francis Villiers he approaches the table-he writes!—'tis his sig- nature Are you afraid ?" A fearful moment of silence ensued; then the student re- plied, but in an aiteied voice; "I am not." With strange and frantic gestures the merchant then sang And the phantom said to the mocking seer, I come from the south Put thy hand on my hand-thy heart on my heart— Thy mouth on my mouth What do you see ?" What do you see ?" He comes—he approaches—he pursues me—he is stretch- ing out his arms—he will have me Help help Save me Are you afraid now?" asked the merchant, in a mocking voice. A piercing cry, and then a stifled groan, were the only reply to this iernble question. "Help that rash youth said the merchant, bitterly. I j- have, I think, won the wager but it is sufficient for me to have given him a lesson. Let him keep his money, and be wiser for the future." He walked rapidly away. We opened the door of the sum- mer-house, and found the student in convulsions. A paper, signed with the name Francis Villiers," was on the table. As soon as the student's senses were restored, he asked vehe- mently where was the vile sorcerer who had subjected him to such a horrible ordeal-he would kill him He sought him throughout the inn in vain then, with the speed of a mad- man, he dashed off across the fields in pursuit of him—asd we never saw either of them again. That, children, is my Ghost Story And how is it, Uncle, that after that, you don't believe in ghosts r' said I, the first time I heard it. "Because, my boy," replied my Uncle, neither the stu- dent nor the merchant ever returned; and the forty five guineas belonging to me and the other travellers, continued equally invisible. Those two swindlers carried them off, after -having acted a farce, which we, like ninnies, believed to he real."

THE LATE ELECTION FOR THE BOROUGHS. [T^THE EDITOR.] Sin,—Mr Lindsay has^ated in his first letter to the Times, and which you have inserted in your paper, that he was offered one hundred "free and independent electors," for 20s a-head, and again says in the one of the 9th instant, that the purity of the election ought to be tested by one hundred voters offering themselves at ii per head. A person making the foregoing remarks, detrimental to the electors, in a public paper, for the world" read, ought to be very positive as to what he states. Mr Brian, a tailor, cf this (own, who was, I believe, one of Mr Lindsay's committee, stated to me, on the 20th instant, that he heard Mr Lindsay say at the Westgate, after the ejection, that fifty votes were offered to him at £1 per head. If Mr Lindsay can state one number before his committee, and the next day double it in the Times, what are we to think ? Why, that the oiter 01 one hundred votes, at fl each, is merely a fable of Mr Lindsay's, written in malice, and that not one word of his letters is to be relied upon. Your insertion of this will oblige, Your obedient Servant, 24th April, 1852. GEORGE WELLS.