The Cardiff Times

WORKMEN'S TOPICS. BY MABON, M.P. The Eight Hours' Movement. The Effects upon Sweating Dens in Large Towns. Here again it is often urged that an Eight Hoars' Bill could not been forced, and it is with these oases, everybody admits, that it is most needed. It is argued that without the services of an army of inspectors, with powers to enter at all hoars the dwellings of the poor, such a thing is impossible. However, those who thus argue seem to forget that no sweater's victim who takes work borne to slave over half the night does so from choice. The fact is that he or she is driven to it. But if the reduction of boors so accomplished would so increase the demand for labour that even those poor creatures would have some freedom of choice, and when they could get employment in a factory at a decent wage for eight hours' work, they certainly would refuse to take work home under less favourable conditions, The sweater would soon find that be could not make the work pay unless be made use of the factory system. It is said that in one particular part cf London I no less than 2,000 tailors are all at work in small shops attached to their dwelling rooms, for which exorbitant rents are paid. It is obvious that tbe centralisation of this work in large factories would cause an enormous saving, and any scheme that would compel the sweater to become an employe of a big firm, or to set up a factory of bis own, is worthy of support. Its Effect upon Railways. The means of transit, railways, tramways, and omnibus companies especially, work their employes by far too long, indeed outragously long. It is not, of coarse, contended that if the railway com- panies adopted the eight hours' system their profits would be increased, as is and can be con- tended when dealing with production. Where the railway compam6s would to 80me extent gain would be in the increased amount of travelling consequent upon the increased well-Deing of society and the greater immunity from accidents, many of which now arise through fatigued points- men. However, the case of railways should be con- sidered from another standpoint. In this case, where, in addition to the well-being of the rail- way men themselves, it becomes a matter of increasing public safety, it may be considered without reference to increased gain. HOW THE REVENUES ARE APPROPRIATED. At the present time it is computed that the best lines are paying from H to 10 per cent., some of the small ones paying only 2 to 3 per cent. The average would be at least five per cent. The total capital invested in railways is £900,000,000, the annual in- come of the railways being, from all sources, £70,000,000, or equal to one-thirteenth of the nominal investments, being also equal to 8 per cent, or Is 7d in the £ on the nominal invest- ments. Of tho £70,000,000 anuual income 47 per cent., or £ 33,000,000, is paid away in divi- dends to shareholders. The remaining JB57,000,000 covers the whole of the working expenses, keeping up rolling stock, and material for permanent way; £17,000,000 of it pays the wages of 380,000 employes including 6,165 station masters. THE EFFECT OF THE EIGHT HOURS BULB. The average working hours are computed to be twelve a day for an average of JM5 a year. To adopt the eight hours working day on the entire system would mean giving employment to 50 per cent. more workmen, i.e., 190,000; and to pay them at the same rate would mean an increased expenditure of J68,500,000, making a total wage bill of JB25,500,000 per annum. Now, if we deduct this £8,500.0,,0 from the £33,000,000, the annual dividend would Rtilllea.ve to the iibareb81ders the sum of dB24,500,000, or more than one-third of the total annaal income of the railways or, in other words, would still give the ncta-working share- holders, within j31,100,000, the same amount as is paid in wages to the 380.000 employes including, as is already stated, 6,165 station masters. Then I ask the reader, I does he not think that such a' sum is ample to satisfy any reasonable and every legitimate claim that the shareholders can put forward t STATE CONTROL. There is but little doubt that the railway companies will certainly resist, with all their might and enormous strength and influence, the proposal to reduce the working hours but if they do, that will simply give stronger force to the arguments in favour of national control of the country's iron roads; and when that becomes an accomplished fact, not only will the boars of labour thereon be reduced, but; wages will be increased also. I am prepared to be told that to reduce the hours of labour, even on the railway, by legislation would be unduly and un- necessarily introducing Government interfere into the management of railways and other means of transit. But it must not be forgotten that government already has to interfere greatly in these cases. To commence with, no railway can be constructed by private enterprise without com- pulsory powers being given to purchase the requisite land, aud this compulsion necessitates a very grave interference with the rights nf property as usually understood, and which is only justified by public necessity. Hence at the outset Government interference is indispensable. Doubtless the enormous develop- ment of our railway system would hardly bave taken place in the absence of the stimulus of pri- vate enterprise, and in the eailier stages of Mie development of railway communication, when ihe undertaking was still of a more or less specu- lative nature, and new improvements were con- stantly being introduced, the mutual rivalries of private companies were much more efficient luarantees of due care for the in- terest of the public than Govern- ment management would have afforded. Now. granting all this, yet it is not in itself conclusive, •»s, with other classes of undertakings, their ten- dency has been to pass from state control into the Hands of private owners, and after attaining inder those conditions their utmost development fp be re-absorbed by the state when the evils of taonoply began to over-balance the advantages of private enterprise, and it cannot ba denied that in the case of railways these evils have made themselves seriously felt for some time. Even in England the system of private ownerships in railways has been main- lined subject to Government regulations tend interference to some degree, while ibroad State ownership, as a general rule, has been preferred. English trains, I suppose, must be admitted to be supe. in speed, but foreign 7ailways generally have the advantage of greater Comforts and lower fares. Moreover, the Engo- lish Government, besides imposing regulations for ibe purpose of insuring safety, has interfered in ";wo other ways. First, by imposing a limit on "beir fares and, secondly, by a passengers' duty. our. TRAMWAYS. The tramway system, being of more recent '.ntroduction than railways, has been subjected from the beginning to regulations based indoubtedly on the experience gained 'n dealing with the latter. Parliament has gone to far in this case as to provide for the possible 'redemption of the tramways by the municipal authorities at the end of 21 years at the cost of the plant and permanent way only, such cost to be fixed by a Government referee. The same authority is empowered to impose various condi Mons on the companies in the interest of the public, and, under some circumstances, to grant the usa of the line to other persons. And, iicdeed, there is a growing feeling in favour of :omplete state control over our system of internal iommunication.

FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH.—A church oiganist at Aratoff, near Kief, had murdered a farmer. The murder wvs premeditiated, and the murderer, to throw off suspicion from himself, bad stolen and ased a pistol belonging to the priest of the church. He replaced the weapon in the sacristy. To make sore of the priest he confessed the crime to him and then publicly denounced him as the culprit. All eaidence, was, ot cours against the priest, and in vafn be protested bis innocence. The only way in which he could extricate himself was to reveal the confession. The world would then be rid of one more murderer. But had he not sworn before Heaven to keep the secrecy of the confes- tional ? Could be lie to Heaven ? He was exiled and sentenced to bard labour for life. At last came the organist's death-bed confession, and then the liberation of the priest was applied for. The answer came,—"He died several mpatas ?go, faithful onto death!

FACTS FOR FARMERS. J Current Notes on Agriculture. By a Practical Farmer. FRUIT CULTIVATION. In the Fruit Farm Review and Land Record there is a series of pble articles on small fruit farms, written by an expert in such matters. He deals with the subject from many points, such as the needs of such farms, how they can be made to pay, and gives details of the prac- tical part of the work, such as location, planting, pruning, soil, &c. The articles commence b. emphasizing the special needs of such an industry to help the distressed cultivators, as the condition of farmers was never worse than at the present time, a truth to which nine out of every ten farmers will not hesitate to testify. Yet in the face of the great depression in agriculture we import £130,000,000 worth of food products annually, and, as the writer I have referred to says, "half of which, under an intelligent system of culture, could be raised at home, and it seems to us that it is time some united effort was made to prevent 50 or óO millions of money being taken out of the country by the foreign growers." THE JrRUIT MARKET. It will be well to remember that although England is the home of the apple, the American, Canadian, and colonial growers continue to increase the areas of their orchards principally for the English markets, whilst, on tbe other band, we have more land in the county of Kent alone devoted to corn than we have to fruit in the whole of the United Kingdom, In London fruit is said to change bands to the extent of from £10,000 to £12,000 every day. At Liverpool the fruit brokers may be seen disposing of American apples in the season at tbe rate of from 100 to 200 tons daily. In the London markets the auctioneers sell continuously from ten in the morning till five and six at night, and yet more than 76 per cent. of the goods we refer to are sent us by the foreign growers. The reports from the market gardens of Paris and the Channel Islands show that their exports are also increasing every year. Thus whilst from Guernsey, in 1882, we received 124,533 packages of fruit, vegetables, and flowers, in 1887, or five years later, the total was 284,000, or more than double. Surely in the face of such facts as these fruit calture deserves the serious attention of the English grower. THE QUESTION OF CLIMATE. Of course we shall be told that the foreigner is in possession of a more favourable climate, and that therefore it is impossible for the English farmer to compete successfully with him. But the argument is fallacious, inasmuch as the exhibits we have shown prove beyond doubt that the English climate is sufficient to produce some of the finest samples of fruit tlat can be f,rown. Take the climate of the United States and Canada. There tha apple season is all over, from the beginning to the end, nearly in the space of three months. But in this country we have a looser fruit season and a slower growth, consequently our fruit gets as much sun, and, though the supply of heat is spread over a longer period, yet this is an advantage to us, and ac- counts for the fact that no fruit is equal in quality to that which is English-grown. It is this slower growth which is productive of the rich juices and flavour for which our fruit is justly famed. ihe writer, to prove this superiority of home-grown, states the fact that they realise from 10 to 15 per cent. more money than those im- ported. THE POasiBHJTIKS IN WALES. It is hard to foretell to what extent Welshmen will in the future take to this industry of fruit- growing. I mean as to whether their whole time should bG/Úvon to this-branch nf Caxmmg aluue,*r whether it would profitably repay them by itself but this may be safely assarted that fruit-growing as an adjunct to other things, to hundreds of farmers, from their natural and favourable positions, would pay well. We have many a dingle and doll that for climate and situation for this purpose would be unsurpassed, and with soil naturally fitted to receive the roots of fruit treeh. A rev. gentleman drew my attention lately to a spot where thou- sands of trees could be advantageously planted. Its profitableness could with certainty be seen from the very heavy crop produced from the few trees in dristence there. This is not a solitary instance. There are all over South Wales hundreds of such spots exceedingly well adapted for fruit growing. How then is it we do not utilise these spots which could be made so remunerative for this purpose! No doubt the main reason is the un- certainty of our land tenure, as Mr Sampson said in his speech at St. Alban's some 15 months ago. All the products of tbe farm may bo said to come from the soil and air. The fruitful field of a well-managed farm represents really so much stored-up material, just as the furnace of the engine may be said to contain so many pounds of coal. The engine will in due course run, but only for a certain length of time—that is, until the supply of coal is exhausted. In the same way, the farmer may remove from his land, in the shape of produce grown, those elements of the soil without which stunted and impoverished crops will be but the natural reward of his labour. THE EFFECT OF THE PRESENT LAND TENURE. How,then,under the present inequitable system of tenure, can you expect the farmer to supply those costly elements to enrich his landlord's land ? No man can be expected to plaut fruit trees unless he has some prospect of recouping himself for his investment, and to do this, if he cannot become the actual owner, then I say be should be able to obtain an equitable lease of at least fifty years. My argument is equally favourable to the land- lord as to the tenant, sinca, were more land devoted to the culture of choice and hardy fruit, its rental value would be considerably increased, and there would always be an increased demand for land. The mere fact that arable land is worth from £2 to £3 per acre, whilst orchard land is worth from jgt to £10, will clearly show that those owners who screen them. selves behind their legal rights are not ouly the enemies of the people, but also their own. This is the reason why so contracted an area of land in Wales is under fruit. It would be useless to ask most of our landlords to grant long leases for any purpose, and it is folly to expect tenants to plant fruit trees when those will not give any return within five or six years. Therefore the foreigner reaps a benefit through our unrighteous land tenure. The Weather and the Crops. The Mark-lane Express of Monday says;— At the close of the old year, the prospects of growing crops throughout the Northern Hemis- phere were generally satisfactory, and, turning to the Southern Hemisphere, we hear of the harvest in Australia being in active progress. The dam- age from rust is said to be exaggerated. The harvest in New Zialund commences in about a month. With regard to trade in London, the average price of English wheat in 1889 was ex- ceedingly low, and the neW year opens with a quotation that can only be called depres- sing. The past week's markets, however, shew 35 firm to 15 depressed exchanges, so that 70 per cent, of the growers appear to be inclined to ask rather more money with the New Year. The flour market does not show any real weak- ness, though sales have recently oeen difficult. Foreign wheats at Liverpool on Friday were a penny per cental dearer on the week, and though London did not quote improvement, the tone was more hopeful than at the close of the old year. The markets for spring corn have been firm, but inactive. In consequence of the heavy supplies the price of linseed was difficult to support, whilst rapeseed was neglected, but cottonseed showed signs of recovery.

IN THE CONSERVATORY. —She: What sort of a flower is this ? Man fwho stutters): It is a chris —an—an—chrisan—chris— She At that rate the Jower will fade away before you say what it is. HEREAFTER.-—Ted Do you think old Barler is a hypocrite? Ned: Well, rather. Every Satur- day night when be cotaes to think of all the mean things he has done during the weel^he becomes sacred and goes to church on Sunday. UNDER THK MISTLETOE BOUGH.—She (coyly): Now, you must only take ooe, George. He (gallantly): But one from one leaves nothing, Mabel. Let's make it one each and tie. She (blushing): It's very sudden, George, but you may ask papa. JOHNNY'S IDEA OF SEASICKNESS.—Here is a good description of seasickness by a six-year-old boy Little Johnny had been visiting lately at a place where they bad a big swing, which is highly popular with the rising generation. When be bad returned home bis father asked Well Johnny, did you swing in the big swing!" Yes, a little, papa; but it made my bead ache in my stomach 80 tbat I bad to stop,

I WELSH GLEANINGS. I --0- By Lloffwr. In the current issue of "Y Cerddor" there is an interesting account given by Mr D. Jenkins, Aberystwytb, of a visit paid to the Leeds Board Schools. After describing the musical exercises by the children at these schools, Mr Jenkins says My thoughts naturally turned to Wales. Although some attention is paid to the musical training of children in Wales, it would well repay us to give still further attention to it. We are at present deeply indebted to many elementary teachers for the services they have rendered to the caase of music in Wales. Music would be in a very low state in many a parish, town, and village in Wales were it not for the untiring efforts of our schoolmasters. But inas- much as they have done ao mncb in the past,tbey will perhaps permit us to make a further appeal to them to not only prepare their children for the certificates, but also to pay due attention to voice training. I believe Welsh children could, if properly trained, show as good results in this direction as Yorkshire children. I am firmly convinced that they could sing up to G and A without either screaming or shouting if they ware properly taught. Indeed, the possibilities in this direction, if a proper start be made, are almost incredible. I understand that a proportionately greater number of children pass for certificates in Wales than any other country; but it is one thing to win a certificate, and quite a different matter to eing properly. Would it not be possible to establish a children's orchestra in connection with some of our schools ? This is sometimes done in England, especially with stringed instruments. Who knows but that in time we might induce our County Councils to render some assistance in the way of providing suitable experts to give the necessary instruction to teachers and scholars. Very few adults ever make expert instrumentalists unless they have been taught when young. It is among the youths and maidens who have enjoyed the advan- tages of education that we have to look for recruits for the Welsh orchestras of the future. I commend the suggestion to the notice of our Association of Welsh Musicians." I have just had sent me the first number of Yr Hauwr ("The Sower "), a new monthly magazine intended chiefly for the use of the pupils of Welsh Baptist Sunday-schools. There has been recently established for the principality a Welsh Baptist Sunday-school Union, and I understand that it is under the auspices of this union that the Hauwr is issued. It is, indeed, a remarkable pennyworth, and will bear favourable comparison to almost anything published at the price in Welsh or English. The editorial super- vision has been entrusted to the Revs W. Edwards, B.A., the College, Pontypool T. Morgan, Dowlais; S. Morris, M.A., the College, Llangollen and D. Evans, Llangevni, Anglesey while the musical department is under the efficient charge of Mr W. T. Samuel, of Swausea. This now candidate for public favour contains many good features which other caterers for the Sunday-school public might well copy. Not the least interesting and valuable feature is the revised translation of the Bible lesson for the month the arrangement and variety of type used in this section deserves special notice. I note that in several contributions the name of the writer is given, while there is no guide to the authorship of others, an<4;it would not be safe to assume that all unsigned articles are necessarily editorial. Wales is by no means the only country whore a bilingual difficulty exists. The confusion of tongues in the Baltic provinces was recently described as a Babel in a madhouse." It seems that in their zeal for the Kussification of the Provinces the powers that be in Russia have summarily forbidden the use of the German language in any court of justice. Now it so happens tbat the majority of tbe population on the Russian side of the Baltic knows little or no Russian at all, and the scenes in t'be courts, where the peasants seeking justice and the lawyers pleading their clients' cases are unable to communicate their grievances to the learned judge who knows no German, must indeed be very entertaining for the outsider, while for those personally concerned the matter is anything but agreeable. it • One barrister, on being required to sign an oath, demanded that ho might be allowed to study the document with the aid of a dictionary before he put his name to it. This request, however, was denied as "unseemly and impudent." The judges themselves are in an awkward plight, being ordered to go to the Baltic provinces from their posts in other parts of Russia, sometimes at only a moment's notice. One of them complained recently that his call had been so sudden that he had been able to take no luggage except two shirts. The pay of the "men ofjfiw" is also wretchedly bad in the districts, and altogether the chaos seems to be about as great as it possibly could be. ♦ «- Is Welsh a foreign language in Wales? My readers will probably laugh at the question, but I find that at the last meeting of the Anglesey quarter-sessions a discussion arose as to the appointment of an interpreter. The clerk, in the course of the discussion, stated that "if a foreign witness was brought forward, the party bringing him would have to find an interpreter/' The question I should like to have cleared is, would the clerk to the Anglesey quarter-sessions look upon a Welshman as "a foreign witness?" The absurdity of such a supposition brings out in a clear light the absurdity of the rule which has hitherto obtained of conducting all proceedings in a Welsh law court in English instead of in Welsh. • This reminds me of an incident which recently occurred in Cardiff. Two Welshmen entered a large shop ip one of the leading thoroughfares, and requested to be shown a certain class of goods. The shopman—who in this parti- cular instance happened to be the manager- after the manner of his class, displayed his wares and began to descant upon their merits. The would-be purchasers, however, wished to form their own opinion, and compared notes in Welsh upon the marits and defects of the articles shown. The shopman, happening to be a monoglot Saxon, was rather put out at hearing his goods criticised in what was to him a strange tongue, and with more warmth than sense or courtesy protested against his customers "speaking in a foreign language about his goods One of the Welsh- men was not slow to retort that the language he bad used was not a foreign tongue, and that it was the shopman's fault that he attempted to carry on business in Wales without the least acquaintance with the native language. Both customers left the shop, and left the shopman sorrowing over a pile of unsold goods. « » The death, at St. Petersbarg, of Mr John Hughes, called forth many laudatory obituary notices in the Russian press respecting the life and work of this remarkable Welsbmaq. It is, therefore, a matter of some surprise that this event shonld have passed unnoticed in his native country. The late Mr Hughes was born at Merthyr Tydfil, and aftel: receiving his elemen- tary education at home, entered as quite, a young man tbe Cyvartbva Works, where be worked as practical meohanic under bis father's guidance. Thence he migrated to the Ebbw Vale Works, and later on set up works on his own account at Newport. He was here able to display his brilliant mechanical talefots by erecting the first direct- acting coal elevator in Great Britain. He then entered the rolling works at Millwall, and a few years later, in 1860, became their manager. Through Colonel Gern's instrumentality, John Hughes was iojj 1809 invited to undertake the working of a concession which had been obtained from the Russian Government by Prince Kota- chubey in 1868, for the establishment in the South of Russfa of works for the production of iron rails. In January, 1872 the first blast furnace was lighted, and in 1873, the manufacture of iron rails was commenced. A few years later, when the Imperial Ministry of Ways and Communica- tions determined to replace the iron rails by steel rails, Hughes turned his attention to their manu- facture, and by 1879 had produced steel rails of excellent quality made from local materials, At the present moment these works of the Novcrossisk Company (better known as Hughas* Works) are incontestably th e most extensive in Russia. But Hughes' services to Russia are not confined to the erection of these works. At the time of his sudden death he was elaborating fresh projects for increasing the annual out-put of coal to 725,800 tons, and that of pig-iron to 242,000 tons. Tbe semi-official Journal de St. Petersburgh, in com- menting on John Hughes' work, said that the miniature Sheffield which he had founded was a monument of the indus trial genius and persever- ance of the deceased, who enjoyed the respect and esteem of all who knew him." His career is but an example of what Welshmen may expect to attain to when they bavn taken full advantage of the educational capacities which will soon be within their reach.

SEASONABLE REFLECTIONS. BY DR. JOSEPH PARRY, LECTURER ON MUSIC, UMVEESITT COLLEGE, CARDIFF. LOOKING BACK. 1889, with its monthly time chariots, has stately and noiselessly moved along and run out its mission, like all its preceding annual time trains, by reaching the great terminus, and plunging itself into the great boundless I and indefinable gulf and chasm of eternity. This huge, significant, and memorable time train bad its twelve chariots full of events and recollections, which were to us as living personal realities. Not only have they borne with them the doings, industries and neglects, successes and failures, pleasures and griefs, virtues and vices of the year, but the chariots as they passed along have also stolen away from thousands of happy homes many a dear one, leaving behind them an empty, desolate, and sorrowful home. Then to many, it may be safely said, looking back is not all gain. Many a heart now aches with paio. LOOKING AROUND US. As we leave the dead and silent past," and look for the present," we find that there is no such thing as present," for the very instant we dwell in meditation upon it it is gone, and is and shall be no more. Yet we may with some degree of interest, and even satisfaction, lock around us," and healthful, toneful hearts and minds can find much to cheer them and set their merry heart-bells pealing forth their chorus of merry chimes for the birth of a Happy new year." Whilst the sorrowful, the vicious, the disappointed, and the miserably ungrateful find the whole of our beautiful garden world, with its air echoing the chirpings of gold-winged birds, but a flowerless desert; and the dreadful silence is but broken with the dismal, sinful, and remorse- ful echoes within their own guilty and dark dungeon-like hearts. The state of our hearts and souls have indeed much to do in giving colour and complexion to what we see around us. In fact, they act asapair of dark-coloured spectacles to miserable minded persons, that even if they gazed at snow- white circumstances these would appear to them quite black, whereas all who have their minds and hearts toned and tuned rightly, to them even the dark side of events will appear as silvery white. LOOKINC FORWARD. This draws forth the claims of anticipation and hope which are two great invigorating and pro- pelling powers and incentives. The future has an unlimited sphere and scope for the highest yearnings of our hearts it awakens and brings forth the human heart's noblest aspira- tions on the time beach of the vast ocean of the future new desires are created and fresh resolutions formed. As we also longingiy peep into the unvisited and the mysterious future, the faculty of our imagination is also, as if by a resurrection, roused from a death-like sleep, and instantly Hope. like a true artist, comes and paints upon the canvas of the imagination a living, loving, and movable picture as if by an enchanting dream. That such blissful dreams may be yours and mine is one of my many good desires.

THE ADVENTURES OF A DIAMOND BRACELET. An amusing story is being told in society of the adventures of a diamond bracelet, intended as a testimonial for the wife of one of our colonial governors. On the official announcement that this gentleman was to be transferred to another sphere of labour the ladies of the colony deter- mined to make a handsome present to bis wife, in recognition of her social qualities as an enter- tainer and leader of society. The sum of jBl.600 was collected for this purpose and a diamond bracelet having been agreed upon as the form the testimonial should take, the lady herself, with the assistance of the wife of a British Ambassa- dor, selected it in Paris. It was then despatched to the Southern Seas to be presented on the spot; but when the vessel reached harbour, it was found that the local Customs laws imposed a duty of 25 per cent. up<m such articles, and the consequent demand for J6400 rather staggered the would-be donors. The tirst way out of the difficulty that was suggested was that, as the law imposed no duty upon an article which was immediately re- exported, the package should be redirected and transferred to the lady as she took her out- going ship but as this was felt to be undig- nified, it was thought that an appeal to the local legislature to waive the claim in such circumstances would be better. The more ardent Protectionists, however, stoutly objected, and then the mayor of the capita!. t0 terminate the incident, handed a cheque for 940C to the Customs authorities. Even about tbis, however, there was some informality, and the colonial Governor himself, hearing of the annoy- ing imbroglio, forwarded his own cheque for the amount but this could not be accepted, because of the previous difficulties and, according to the latest ad vices, the Customs still hold the bracelet, and a lively discussion continues as to whether and by whom the duty should be paid.

RATHER WEARING. "Why don't you go to work? Why do you waste your time begging?" "Did you ever beg?" No, of course not." Den ye don't know what work is."

WELSH NOTES. StB HORAOE DAVitt AT AN EISTEDDVOD. Sir Horace Davey has been speaking t Middlesbrough. He presided, above all things, at an eisteddvod which was promoted by tbt Welsh Presbyterian Church in aid of their funds, Notwithstanding his rebuff at Gower, Sir Horaot now claims to be "himself in part a Welsbmai by blood." Moreover, be 8ajd 80me very prett3 things to flatter the national vanity. He stated that it was hardly an exaggeration to add that Welshmen had fouudsd Middlesbrough, and baG developed the resources of that important dis- trict. They still form a large and important part of its working population. It is interesting to learn that in Middlesbrough the national senti- ment and the national language are maintained. A VOLUBLE J.P. A correspondent writes:—It has frequently been my lot to attend various police-courts, and J have often seen many amusing incidents. Talka- tive witnesses and loquacious lawyers are exceed iagly common, but it is not often that I have come across magistrates who persist in talking for the sake of talking, or for the purpose of makib. their voices heard. One notable exceptiou, however, is the Neath county police-coart. Here one of the great unpaid" almost invariably prolongs the hearing of the case; by superfluous observations and ridiculous inter- rogations, to the amusement of some and to the evident annoyance of others, including bis co) leagues, who have occasionally endeavoured tv show their displeasure in a mild, practica manner. This enlightened administrator ur ustice is, however, other too obstinate or tc thick-skinned to take the hint, consequently tbl, time of the court is taken up with frivolous inter ruptions. This is a matter which has long beev considered a public grievance at Neatb, and it it sincerely to be hoped that the magistrate referred to will ere long be convinced that" brevity is the soul of wit," and that perpetual talking is no criterion of either wisdom or ability. A little more discretion and less volubility would be » great relief to those having business at tbe court. 8rK JOHN LUBBOCK 3 BILL. In the Cardiff Times last week Mabon alluded te the grievances ot shop assistants. It is quite true that the long hours which are inflicted on these workers in a vitiated atmosphere are detrimental to their health, and, conse- quently. to the health of any children they may afterwards bring into the wtikld. The difficulty is how to deal with the subject. 1 am of the opinion that Sir John Lubbock's Bill would readily pass if be would consent to include in his exceptions those shops which do not employ hired labour. The huge ware houses of the present day experience littlt or no competition from the tiny shops, because tbe latter cannot sell so cheaply as firm; with unlimited capital. Moreover, these bumble emporiums, as a rule. are managed by a man or bis wife, and they rely for most of their business upon keeping open after the large stores are closed. I have now in my mind's eye s grocer who employs norlands he alone does ak the work. His goods are a trifle dearer than those of an extensive undertaking, but he catches many a late customer who has forgotten or has been unable to obtain his wares at the shops which close earlier. These tradesmen are of great benefit to the public, and moreover they are not rivals to the establishment in which a staff of assistants are kept. Thus I have come to the conclusion that if Sir John were not to in- clude in his early closing bill shops which are ran without hired labour, it would stand a verj good chance of passing. i THE BRIDGEND WORKHOUSE. More than once an attempt has beeu unsuccess- fully made to appoint a paid Ciiurcit ot England minister to attend to the religious wants of the inmates ot the workhouse at Bridgend. The un- fortunate folks were left to the care of the Dissenting ministers of the town, and to th* credit of the latter it should be said they framed. a rota of attendance at the workhouse which was very fairly observed. It so happened, however, that owing to an o\ersight the tuiuisters did no! attend in rotatiou ou two successive Sundays, and the matter was brought under the notice of tht guardiaus. It was decided to call attention tc the hiatus, aud, will it be believed, that » Churca of England minister seconded the motion that the secretary of the Disseutiug Ministers' Association should be reminded ot the short- coming "I Remembering tbat the Church of England professes to claim all persons of un certain religious belief as of tbe Chureh, and that in Bridgend the Protestant clergyman take Oil part in the cure of souls at the workhouse, the action of the rev. seconder pertaiQs to b,. pocrisy with a vengeance. THE BRIDGEND OOTTAGE HOMES. Another peculiar feature is the treatment of tbf poor children at the Bridgend Cottage Homes which shows out in strange contrast to the iuao tion of tbe clergy in absolving themselves from an obvious duty to ths inmates of the workhouse. Some years since, cottage homes were established in the vicinity of tue above-named town, and they have been carried on at a considerable cost to the ratepayers, and without general approval of the success of the system as developed. The children are not taught auy trade, their domestic culture is not very apparent, but they are undoubtedly well cared for-eveD much better than the children of some who have to share the cost of maintenance of the home: and its inmates. Now, here the Dissenting ministers display a lack of duty, for those children who are not sharpiy looked after by the Roman Catholic priest are regularly taken to the Protestant Church. The officiating minister is the chairman of the board of guard- ians, and he is consequently au ex officio member of the committee, and knows all the iu mates of tbe home. If be (Íoes not deem it a duty ta look after the spiritual welfare of the old folk at the workhouse, be manages to gather a large share of the children into the fold at Nolton. Cardinal Manning has lately attacked the noble work done by Dr Barnardo, and brought against the pbilantrophic doctor a charge of proselytising. Without making any suggestion of the kind as regards the case under criticism, the dissenting ministers of Bridgend might with advantage take a religious census at the Bridgend Homes, and see how the work is being done by two sections of religionists. The public may be left to draw their own inferences upon the question. It may be incidentally stated that a majority of the local board at their last meeting decided to make a pathway for a con- siderable distance, presumably for the convenience of the inmates of the homes, although the road is a very narrow one. The unjustifiable resolve to expend public funds in this unnecessary work, which will interfere seriously, if not dangerously, witn the carriage way, has occasioned great indig- nation in the town. STBELWORKERS AND MECHANICS. It is seriously proposed to establish a sliding scale for the regulation of the wages of the steel workers of South Wales and Monmoutbsbire. and it is understood that the committee is to consist of six workmen's representatives and a like number of tbe employers. Such scales are in operation in several Northern centres of the industry, and the conference, which is to take place upon the subject at Cardiff, will be aD important local event. But I am sorry to state that a discordant note has been sounded by the men themselves in connection with the preliminaries. The steel workers insist upon having the greater share in the representation upon the workmen's side of the committee, on tbe ground that they are more directly concerned, and that they form the majority, and their proposals not being accepted by the mechanics, they proceeded on Saturday at Tredegar to nominate the whole of tbe workmen's representatives from their own body. This would have tbe effect, if carried out, of leaving the mechanics in the cold. Tbis would be a pity and, now tbere is an opportunity of establishing a comprehensive scale, it is for all parties on tb" workmen's side to see to it that they do nothing rasb. It is t,.t yet too late, I fancy, for the two sections to adjust tbeir differences.

Jj-OTICE OF REMOVAL, Sea.* T. GRAHAM YOUNG, Successor to the late Mr W. M. Parson, L.D.S.) DENT AL SURGEON (Bv Examination), 37 PARK-STREET, BRISTOL. PROFESSIONAL ATTENDANCE. CARDIFF.—FIRST and THIRD WEDNESDAY in Month, from 4 to 7 p.m., at 22, CHARLES. STREET (adjoining theCatholicChurch). Next visits, WEDNESDAY, January 1st and lbth, February btb and 19th. BRIDGEND.—FIRST and THIRD WEDNESDAY at 22. CAROLINE-STREET, from 9 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. Next visits, WEDNESDAY, January 1st and 15th, February 5th and 19th. CHEPSTOW.—k VERY TUESDAY, at No. 1, BEAUFORT-SQUARE, from 10.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m, Thorough Efficiency with Moderate Charges. No fee for consultation. VACANCY FOR PUPIL. 10aS5-1059

A LIMITED SUPPLY.-G. So you are going to marry another one of those Jones girls ? H. Yes, G. You have been married to two of tbem, haven't you ? H.: Yes. G. And there are only two unmarried sisters left? H. Yes. that's all. G. Well, then, you ought to be careful with those Jones girls and not waste any more of them, or they will not bold out. SERVED HIM RIGHT.—-Mr Layman: See here, doctor, you said there wasn't any such disease as hydrophobia. Dr Sebmerz (emphatically): No, sir, there is not. Mr Layman But old Grubbs got it all the same, and last night he died. Dr Schmerz (meditatively) Well, a man who goes and catches diseases that don't exist ought to die. PAINTING IN SAND.-Parisians have been enter- tained by a remarkable artist, who displays won- derful skill in her peculiar form of painting. With plates of various coloured sand before her she takes the sand in her right hand and causes it to fall in beautiful designs upon a table. A bunch of grapes is pictured with violet sand, a leaf with green sand, the stalk with brown sand, and relief and shadows by other sands when the work is brushed away, a bouquet of roses and other objects are represented with the same dexterity and delicacy. Lines are drawn by the stream of sand distinct as though made with an artist's brush.

Welshmen Abroad. AND HOW THEY GET ON, By the Hon. T. L. JAMES (EX-POSTMASTKR GENERAL OJP THE UNITKD STATES). On a beautiful June day, near the close of the last century, the good ship Brutus, of Hudson, Captain Solomon Bunker, cast anchor in the port of New York. The Brutus was about as large as an ordinary Erie canal boat, being 285 tons burden. She bad sailed from Milford Haven and Fisbguard, Wales, and was some seven weeks in making the passage. Among ber passengers were Joseph Harris and family and Thomas Price and family, of Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire. My interest in them arises from the fact that Joseph Harris was my father's grandfather, and Thomas Price my mother's father. Richard Francis, probably the ablest and wealthiest man among the passengers, was also aboard the ship with his family. This Richard Francis was the father of John M. Francis, editor of the Troy Times. RICHARD FKJJNCIS. Richard Francis was boru in the parish of Llys-y-vran, near Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, South Wales, April 3, 1761. His parents were well-to-do farmers, and he was thoroughly trained in tbe schools of tbat day and highly educated. When a mere lad be was appointed midshipman in the British navy, and served with distinction in Adm:rai Rodney's flagship in the celebrated naval engagement against the French about the beginning of our own revolution. Shortly after- wards be resigned his position in the navy and engaged in business in Pembrokeshire. He visited the United States in 1782 and 'S3, bringing letters of introduction to General Washington, who was then presiding over the convention to frame our constitution, in session at Philadelphia. He bad several interviews with "the father of his country," and applied for a position in the United States navy. General Washington replied GEN. WASHINGTON » ADVICE. My young friend, we have no navy. We have not yet a government. I hope we may be able to frame a government, and a navy will naturally follow. Then, with such testimonials as you bring, there would soon be an opportunity for you." After spending more than a year in this country, visiting many sections and making him- self thoroughly familiar with its vast resources and possibilities, he returned to Wales, and some time after was married there. But he could not content himself in a quiet place like Wales, for he longed for the freedom of the new republic, iu whose future greatness he believed, and so he sailed with bis family from Fishguard to New York in the Brutus, as we,have stated. A STRANGE CARGO. The Brutus brought as passengers thirty-six men, fifty children, and twenty women. Her manifest shows that her cargo was made up of casks of pewter, hats, leathsr, window-glass, frying-pans, brass wire, spades and shovels, tin- plates, ironmongery, anviis, paints, barrel-heads, iron hoops, lead, twenty barrels of shot, sulphur, saltpetre, and apothecaries' wares, earthenware, one case of warming pans, 453 iron pots and various other articles to;) numerous to mention,* consigned to New York while ten casks of nails, 356 grindstones, 342 iron pots, and 2,000 busbds of coarse salt were consigned to the owners of the ship, Thomas Jenkins and Sons, of Hudson. The ship and cabin storesconsisted of teu pounds of cheese, ten pounds of butter, fifteen pounds of sugar, eight pounds of coffee, three pounds of tea, two gallons of brandy, four gallons ot rum, 50U pounds of bread, two tierces of pork, and ten dozen of porter. The amount of duties collected by the United States en this cargo was 8,393.06 dollars. OF THE HCDSON AND MOHAWK. After spending a few d ys iu Now Yoili, gos- siping with the Welsh people, renewing old acquaintances and telling the news from Wales, the cArgo of the Brutus consigned to New York having been landed, the passengers once more re-embarkei and sailed up the North river to Hudson. This second voyage consumed more than a week. From Hudson the party took a sloop to Albauy, a wagon from Albany to Schenectady and from thence to Utica on a flat- boat wbich was poled up the Mohawk liver. Fightiug the current of the mighty Mohawk was no easy work, and locomotion was accord- ingly slow. After two weeks of steady, pushing work on the part of the two hands of the boat, they made Kipp s Landing, just below what is now the station of the Central Railroad at U,ica. HOME OR RICHARD FRANCIS. Tn this rather uninviting place, which was, however, at that early day the headquarters of the Welsh emigrants to America—a sort of saints' rest—Mr Francis and bis friends came. Mr Francis first settled in Utica, but subsequently purchased a tract of land at Frankfort Hill, about four miles east of that place, where, in addition to farming, he practiced bis profession as eeg-ineer and surveyor. His wife dIed there, and in 1804 he married Mary Stewart, whose name betokens her Irish-Scotch lineage. In 1815, his family becoming large, he removed to Pitts- burgh, Steuben county, N. Y., then little more than a wilderness. He was a man of sterling common sense, of engaging manners and of pronounced business integrity. There was uo obstacle too great for him to overcome. With the native obstinacy of his race be surmounted all difficulties, and lived honoured and respected in his new home, wielding bis sceptre wisely and spreading a good influence. He died March 13th, 1845, at the ripe age of 84 years. Like the people uf that day, he reared a large family, consisting of 13 children, of whom live are now living, JOHN M. FRANCIS. John M. Francis, the next to the youngest child, was born at Prattsburgh, March 6th, 1823. With Thurlow Weed, Horace Greeley, and Ellis H. Roberts, the highest ambition in bis boyhood life was to become a printer. His father yielded to his solicitations, and be commenced the study of the "most learned of all learned professions" in tbe office of the Ontario Messenger at Canandaigua, where he remained from 1838 to 1842. Writing with great facility, be early during bis printer's career became quite a power on the editorial page—although ho was first employed in 1843 as an editorial writer on tbe Palmyra Sentinel. For a time he was editor of the Roches- ter Daily Advertiser, and then became associate proprietor of the Troy Budget, which under his energetic supervision grew to be one of tbe best papers of tbe state. PUBLIC SERVICES. He was a member of the state constitutional convention of 1868 69, and took a front rank in the deliberations of that body. In 1871 General Grant appointed him minister to Greece, where he served nearly three years. It was the inten- tion of President Garfield to nominate Mr Francis as Minister to Brussels, but this was not realised, owing to the bullet of an assassin. President Arthur, howevef, sent him as Minister to Portugal. In 1882 be was promoted to be Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipoten- tiary to Austro-Hungary, where he remained until be was relieved by-his Democratic successor. Since that time Mr Francis has been engaged in making the Troy Times what it has always been, one of tha most interesting, fair-minded, progres- sive and honest journals in this great state. A CLOSING TRIBUTE. I may be permitted to say in closing that the life and labours of John 1\1, Francis present to my mind one of the most attractive and instruc- tive objects which one can contemplate. Industry, conscientiousness, absolute fidelity to duty, and a preference for a high plane of moral conduct have been conspicuous traits jof his character. They were the adequate guarantee of tbe eminent success that has crowned tria efforts, and of the tribute of esteem that is paid to him by all who enjoy the privilege bf his acquaintance, "Not he alone," -said the Roman moralist, "serves the^t state who presides in the public councils, or administers affairs of peace or war; but he iff ho by earnest advoca- tion cares for the edacatVofl and elevation of the people, and thus in a pfi&te station is filling a public office." This is the Present station in life of the father and foundëiõf the Troy Times. [NOTE.—The Troy TVtot* referred to in this article is a leading 'paper, consisting of twelve pages of the si^e^ those of the Cardiff Times. Mr Francis is the proprietor, and still remains the active director and controlling power of the paper which he founded, has personally conducted continuously tor nearly forty years, aud has bailt up to its present success Add prQj¡}- perity.EJD. Cardiff

MUSICAL AND EISTEDDVOD NOTES. By Maelgwyn. WHO IS RIGHT? Now the Christmas eisteddvodau are over, and the programmes of those to be held at Easter are not yet out, things musical and eisteddvodic are very quiet. There is not even a grumble at the result of some of the Yuletide competitions. But all the same, there has been a somewhat amusing controversy—if it deserves the name—in connec- tion with a contest which was of little or no public interest. An eisteddvod was recently "beld at which there was a violin solo competition, and somebody won the prize. The newspapers faithfully chronicled the event. But in a day or two afterwards a letter appeared from a juvenile competitor declaring he bad won one-half the prize. But with the publication of this letter the editor's woes only began. In due course a second letter appeared declaring that another competitor had been very highly praised by the adjudicator, and bad received one-third of the prize. This by inference left the public in the belief that tbe other two-thirds of the prize had been equally divided between the competitor whose name had appeared in the newspaper account of the eisteddvod and the writer of the first "letter of correction."— All tbis was bad enough, surely-three claimants for the prize, all of whom had won a portion of it, ought to have satisfied everybody, and outsiders must have thought there was a goodly number of juvenile fiddlers in the Morriston district. But even this was not the end of the affair, for immediately afterwards a third letter appeared. In this it was declared that not one of the state- ments previously put forward was true that the prize had not been divided at all, but that it had been given in full to Mary Thomas, and that if necessary the letter of the eisteddvod secretary proving this assertion could be produced. I have seen and read many eisteddvod disputes, but I think we must give not only the biscuit, but the whole box to this one. What a splendid text would the above supply for a sermon by Judge Horatio Lloyd INTOISITIVENESS KEBUKED. Mr Jacob Davies, the weil-kuowu choir leader of Cardiff, can bit out right lustily when he has a mind to. Last week somebody signing himself "Cardiffian" wrota a letter to the papers enquir- ing why Mr Davies's choir called itself the Car- diff Prize Choir; what prizes it had won bow many of the present members of the choir belonged to it when it had won prizes and so on. Now, if Mr Davies had answered all the questions that "CardtfEan" set him, we should in all proba- bility have seen another bitter controversy similar to that which was waged a few years ago between tbe friends of the opposing parties at Ebbw Vale. Iu the silly season such a controversy would no doubt not have been unwelcome to the editors. But Mr Davies was not to be drawn-h3 knew a trick worth two of that. Briefly and bluntly he replied to the effect that in his opinion "Car diffian" was not a Cardiffian at all, but some- body else; that when be ("Cardiffian") would sign bis request for information with his proper name and address his questions would be answered and finally, tbat the success or failure of a choir did not depend so much upon the name by which it was called as by the excellence of its performance. This, as tbe American would say,was most tremenjusly hard, and up to the time of writing Mr Car- diffiian"bas not replied. Mr Jacob Davies, as ail the world knows, is bitterly bated by a section of the Cardiff people, but his friends need not despair if he can as easily dispose of the rest of bis opponents as be has of "Cardiffiaa." I THE atKBIALS. The" Cerddor" begins the second volume very strongly. Besides the Biographies of Eminent 1 Musicians," Gossip," Events of i,be Mouth," and tbe lessons in "Instrumentation,"the chief con- tents are "Ymweliad a Byrddais Ysgol Leeds" (by Mr D, Jenkinfl), "Diwylliad y Llais" (by Parson Davies, New York), and the continuation of Psncerdd Gwyue id's paper on eisteddvodic choral competitions. There are twelve pages of litera- ture and four of music. Cerddor y Cymry has not yet come to band. "Ci\8sell's History of Music" deals this month with the reign of Elizabeth, and for a supplement we have a facsimile cf Sebastian Bach's music writ- ing. "Cassell's Library of English Literature," part 12, deals with religious works from 871 to 1,328. Lovers of poetry will be charmed wtth the new edition of "Longfellow" which Messrs Cassell are now issuing in monthly parts. It promises to be the finest edition of Longfellow that has ever been given to the world. Cassell's Doi« Gallery "is another serial which cannot be too highly spoken of. Art students will find it invaluable. Each part contains five beautiful plates, fully described by Edmund Oilier. The Art Journal has a very attractive programme for the New Year. The papers on "Wiuter Photography," "The Scottish Portrait Gallery, "and "The House of Tudor are extremely interesting and splendidly illustrated. "Neptune," the frontispiece, is a noble study of tbe sea—full of movement, a thing very rare in English art. A series of articles on the Loves of the Poets is promised. WELSH AND ENGLISH ORTHOGRAPHY. If "Lloffwr" did but look into the present part of Cassell's Library of English Literature," he would nnd a grand argument which he might hurl at the beads of those who foolishly contend tbat we ought to leave Welsh orthography alone. Judging by the specimen therein given of English poetry as written in the lltb and 12[.h centuries, it must be patent to all tbat reform has touched with no gentle band the extraordinaiy spelling of those times. Here are a few lines froID" Ormin's Metrical Homilies :— Thurrh thatt to Laferrd seggde thuss Till Nicodem withth worda Swa lufede the Lafeird Godd The werelld tatt he sennde His aghenn Sune Almabhtig Godd To wurrtben mann onn ertbe To lesenu mannkinn thurrh his death Ut off the defless walde. The above looks very strange when we dress it up in modern spelling, when it becomes In that the Lord said thus To Nicodemus with word So loved tbe Lord God The world that he sent His own Son, Almighty God, To become man on earth To release mankind through bis death Out of the devil's power. It is quite possible that our ordinary spelling will look as ridiculous when the people have ad- vanced sufficiently to write phonetically. CURIOSITIES OF MUSICAL COMPOSITION. I quote the following from the January part of Cassell's Saturday Journal," a periodical which for quality, quantity, and variety of its contents has no equal :—"One night as the composer Tartini was asleep in bed be dreamed that after the fashion of Faust be had made a compact with the Devil for his soul. The Evil One was to do for him everything he wanted so long as he lived, after which Tartini was to pay the orthodox penalty. The dreamer imagined that the bargain was duly entered upon and answered admirably, his every wish being anticipated and fulfilled before he had time to express it. After a time the idea occurred to him that he would hand his fiddle over to the representative of the lower regions, bid him play, and see what sort of music his Satanic Majesty could produce. No sooner thought than done. The devil took the instrument, and great was my astonishment," said Tartini afterwards, when I beard him play, with consummate skill, a sonata of such exquisite ueauty that it surpassed the boldest flight of my imagination. I felt enraptured, transported, enchanted, my breath was taken away, and I awoke. Seizing my violin, I tried to retain the sounds I had beard, but it was in vain. The piece I then composed, "The Devil's Sonata," although the best I ever wrote, was far below the one I had beard m my dream. Such was the origin of the world-famous sonata 11 Trillo del Diavolo." I shall give further extracts from this deeply interesting article next week. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. T. F. (NEATH).—Your reasoning is good, bat you build on a false foundation. The sub- dominant is, of course, the note next below the dominant, bat the sub-mediant is not, therefore, the note below the mediant. The sub-mediant is the sixth note in the scale, and not the second. If the instruction book you are studying does not explicitly warn you against the pitfall, you bad better throw it on one side. Glad you thought my reply to your question some months ago satisfactory. NEMESIS.—Better let tbe matter drop. Every- body must have noticed the strange event to which you refer, but after all it may have been nothing more than an accident. Anyhow, it is best to let bygones be bygones, and I Gertaiply canoot allow anyone to be persecuted^ •

I The Charities of Wales. From the Reformation to the Civil Wars. [ARTICLE 1,1 (BY A SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR,) The 13 counties of Wales and Monmouth, with exemplary unanimity, havo appointed their joint committees to apply the provisions of the Inter- mediate Education Act. It is desirable, on that account, that we 6houid endeavour to determine, as far as possible, the number and tbe value of the local charities which are destined, in some measure, to swell the common fund for the erec- tion, the equipment, and the maintenance of our future secondary schools. The history of the charities is extremely interesting. In times previous to the Reforma- tion the gifts of the charitable flowed into the treasuries of the great religious bouses. The monks and the nuns were the dispensers of the charities of the rich, and the rich in the course of the centuries endowed monks and nuns with a huge proportion of the estates of the kingdom, only, however, in trust for the uses of the poor. For centuries, as a work of charity, the monastic bodies educated the youth of both sexes. To the very close theycarried on the lower part of the work, and a good deal of the higher. The ancient colleges at Oxford and Cam- bridge to a great extent represent a move- ment to rescue education from the hands of the monks. The utmost limit of that movement has not been reached even now. The dissolution of the monasteries, and the partial disendowment of the parochial clergy had the effect, among other things, of sweeping away, for the most part, the charitable trusts and trustees together, and the inheritance of the poor, and the educational endowments of all classes in the middle ages were distributed among the members of the new nobility of tne Tudor dynasty. The destruction of the monastic schools was a great national calamity. To them, directly or indirectly, we owe that brilliant gaiaxy of Welshmen which appeared shortly after the Reformation, William Salesbury, the translator of the New Testament. into Welsh; Bishop Richard Davies, Edmund Prys, John Penry, Sir John Price, of Brecon, Bishop R. Vaughan, on the Protestant side; Griffith Roberts, the founder of the Welsh college at Milan; and Dr Rossher Smith, of the college at Rouen, on the Roman Catholic. The connection between the Church and the public chanties did not cease at the disruption. The bishops, and the established clergy took the place in some measure of the abbots and the monks. They lost the broad monastic lands, but the vicar, or rector, with the assistance of the churchwardens and the overseers, were henceforth ior ages the dispensers of the charities created by present deed or by will. The succeeding waves of cuanfcy, moreover, were in point of timej coinci- ueut, as we shall see, in some cases at least, with waves of religious seutimeut which passed over the face of the land. But the dissolution for a time proved disastrous, not merely to the charities but to the very spirit of charity itself—so far at least as chanty is represented by gifts to the needy. The public confidence in the law as the guardian of charitable trusts was shattered. The total number of Welsh cliarities which survive from the sixteenth century is only fifteen. Ot the fifteen, one had its origin in Mont- gomeryshire as early as tbe reign ot Edward II., aud another in Glamorganshire in 1515. Heury VIII., in order probably to allay the general dis- content which in some places led to riots over the destruction of the schools, partly, perhaps, out of a genuine desire to repair to some extent the mischief done, founded a number ot grammar schools, and among them Brecon in 1542 aud Abergavenny a year later. Queen Elizabeth fol- lowed ber lather's example by establishing the Carmarthen school in 1576, and she granted a charter to the Maudlin Hospital at Tenby. Four of the schools are due to tbe generosity oi private individuals. We uwe Holt Grammar Scboul to the famous Sir Johu Gresbaui in 1555 Bangor to Dr Stephen Giyuue iu 1561; Prostoigu to John Boddoes in 1565 and Ruthiu (1595) to Gaoriel Goodman, the Deau of Westminster, the frieud of Bishop Win. Morgan, the translator of the Uible into Welsh. Of the rest of the charities, so far as we know, founded in the 16th centuiy, three are in Brecoushire, one in the county of Denbigh, and oue in the county of Pembroke. Oue of the distinguishing features of the 16th century everywhere was theological conflict, and the champions on either side were men of distinguished attaiumeuts. Out ofb that couflicc arose a new order of thing: The Roman Catholicism of Wales passed away, though a tew of tbe richer families clung for generations, and one or two to our own day, to the Roman iaitb. The dawn of the new day lasted from 1567 to 1538, when the new Testament and the Bib.e were i.-sued from the press. The high noon, however, was not reached till 1630, when the sacred Scrip- tures, hitherto chained to the pulpits of the churches, or treasured in a iew rich families, were published for the first time by the gena- roua subscriptiou of benevolent persons, whose names, with perhaps two exceptions, are lost to us. The volume, admirably priuted and edited, was sold for five shillings. The religious senti- ment could not long exist unaccompanied with active charity. As early as 1600, William Vaughan, of Golden Grove, brother of the first Earl of Carbery, expressed the benevolent wish that a free school might be erected in every parish. The folly of dtsendowing the schools as well as the monasteries more than half a can- tury before was oy this time only too visible. Dyecsy'n pallu, "mourned thegood vicar of Llan- dovery. Readers of nis work, if there are any remaining among us, will remember that he has left a warning to the sick to make a will in time. "Rhybydd l'r claf i wniuthur ei ewyllys mewu pryd." Cofia'r 'fengyl, cofia'r egiwys, Cotia'r college a'lh fanteihiwys; Cofia'r dref a'r wlad fager, Os bydd ttenyd fotld a phwer. Os goludos wyt heb cupil, Ac yn caru Crist a'i fengyl, Adail ysgol rydd yug Nghvmru, Lie mas eisiau dyag sy'n pallu. Y intent y roech i'r tlawd a r truan, Storio'r wyt i ti dy hunan. Remember the claims of the gospel, of the Church, of the college where you were educated, of the town and country which bore you, if you have the power. If you are both rich and child- less and love Christ and his gospel, leave a free school where one is wanted in Wales learning decays. That which you give to the poor and helpless you are only storing up for yourself. So wrote the godly Vicar Pricbard. The tide had turned at last. The feeling of distrust did- appeared slowly in North Wales, and still more slowly in the South. Vaughan's works were probably equally popular in both sections of the principality. Rees Prichards's poems remained wholly unpublished till 1646, and then a few only were included in the edition of that year. Their influence was limited probably to Llandovery, Llanedi, Llawhaden, and the city of St. David's. Bishop Baylys's Practice of Piety," that wonderful little volume with a wonderful history immediately on its publication, somewhere between 161G and 1616, gained the public favour, and then influenced public opinion for many generations. Its influence in North Wales was probably greater than anywhere else, and may explain the fact that the foundation of charities proceeded more rapidly in the north than in the south. But the course of charity was slow though sure. The following table will illustrate the facts up to 1640 Charities established in the first four decades of the 17th century SOUTH WALES. 1600 to 1610 to 1626 to 1530 to T 1610. 1680. 1630. 1640. To«MS. ¡;= 0 2 2 2 6 Cardigan. 0 0 0 0 0 r Carmarthen. 0 0 0 4 4 Glamorgan. 0 0 1 1 2 Pembroke 1 2 1 1 5 Radnor 1 1 1 2 5 Totals 2 1 5 S 10 22 NORTH WALES. 1600 to 1610 to 1620 to 1630 col 1610. 1620. 1630. 1640. AOKUS- Anglesea 1 3 2 1 7 Carnarvon ..0 3 5 1 9 Denbigh 3 4 5 ? 19 Flint 4 1 4 3 12 Merioneth 0 0 0 0 0 Montgomery 1 1 0 2 4 Totals. 9 12 16 14 si Thus, from the evidence we have, we find in the 40 years not a single charity founded in Cardigan or Merioneth; in the first 10 years not one in the counties of Carnarvon, Brecon, Car- marthen, and Glamorgan not one in the second 10 years in Carmarthen and Glamorgan not one in the third 10 years in Montgomery and Carmarthen 2 in the first 10 years in all South Wales, against 9 in the north in the second 10 years 5 in the south against 12 in the north in the third 10 years 5 in tbe south against 16 ia the north and in tbe fourth 10 years, 10 in the south against 14 in the north. In the whole 40 years 2 charities in Glamorgan against 7 in Anglesea 6 in Brecon against 9 in Carnarvon; none in Cardigan and 19 in Denbigh; 4 in Carmarthen and 12 in Hint; 5 in Pembroke and none in Merioneth 5 in Radnor and 4 in Montgomery a grand total of 22 in a'l South Wales, and 51 in North Wales, up to 1640, a, year introducing mighty changes, national miseries, the end of one reign anO practically the beginniog of lUQtheE th^PPgfa the of wt wwalwfl.

Samuel's Sentiments. GI Samuel's this Year's Resolutions. AFTER THE NEW TEAR'S JONKETTINDS I COMES REFLECTION. COMES REI'LECTION. MEAN it this time, I do indeed— I'll turn over a new leaf in a lot of things. I wish to goodness I could turn over a new leaf in my solitary account book—and forget all about the past ones. 1, myself, would willingly forget all about them, but other people won't let me some people have such bothersome inconvenient memories. They remember that one's grandfather was banged, or that one's mother formerly worked at a mill, or that one's aunt ran away with a soldier, or that one owes them money —or something or another disagreeable. Perhaps I am a little bit late this year in forming good resolutions. I usually make them about the 3rd of the month just before I have got used to writing down the correct date so far as the year is concerned-just as the bills begin to come in. Talking of bills, I always knew when a splenetic tradesman is bilious and bad as a consequence of his festive (ugh !) season orgies. He goes down to his busines on the 2nd of January, after ap all-night sitting at a party. He feel like a piece of chewed string, limp, "boiled-owliab," nasty-and then he vents his wretched spleen by writing out applications for money "outstanding" (horrid item of commercial jargon), and politely intimating that this is the third "application." Application, indeed, as though the word were a liniment to be rubbed in night and morning. Or be gets more spiteful still as he finds that his band as be writes is getting more and more II dithery" and that his clerk is palpably aware of the fact that in his (the tradesman's) grasp the leaves of the ledger fairly rattle, and be then goes and scrawls intimations to the effect that he shall be reluctantly compelled to place the matter (it doesn't matter what matter) in the hands of his legal adviser." Perhaps he says "legal adviser" and not" solicitor" on account of bis being in the habit of consulting an accountant who does a bit of law business on the sly, I can I'LL NEVER GO ROUND WITH THE COLLECTING BAG AND A SHAKING HAND AGAIN——AWFOL TO DROP THE BAG. fancy the tradesman doing all this, and yet do I not envy him the aspect of his ledger very often, for there are a good many people on tue" up sticks and off" stakes nowadays—people whose whereabout is described in the Post Office records as "gone no address." But I was saying that I am a bit lace in forming all my good resolutions this year. The reason of that is I have prolonged the New Year festivities rather further into the year than ubual. Never mind, there's lots of time for a start yet. Let's see-I have emphatically come to the conclusion that I smoke too much, aud I am equally deter- mined that I will not smoke in future-that is, I should say, smoke cigars of my own. I am quite willing to smoke other people's, if only to oblige. I shouldn't like to cany a good resolution too far, you know (drat it, I had forgotten entirely that his Ejironh;p sometimes offers me a very go.:d J cigar indeed J). and be downright rude. Regard- ing drinking, all good resolutions are Wholly unnecessary with me. I never drink mire than is good for me—I can't, somehow. I have often heard men register the resolution that they wouldn't drink at all, and that, of course, not because they had been drinking too much, but because, just to please their wives, you know (or any other reason you like—the more trivolous the better), they thought they would give total abstinence a trial." I am winking, my gentle reader—as the divine poet Milton remarked when he pocketed the wrong change. I have certainly determined that I will economise during this year of grace. Yes, I will pay nobody that does not force me—and I'll stick, like the engaging and pleasing devil-fish, to all I can get hook on." I'll live according to my means yes my means- of getting credit. I'll never spend a shilling where ninepence would do-indeed, I'll never spend any- thing at all when I can get anyone to treat me. That is true economy. I, unfortunately perhaps, was not born with that proud and haughty order of disposition which will not allow its possessor to receive favours, and, as I do not care to thwart what is evidently an ordinance of nature, I'll take all I can on the cheap and praise the prophet be chesm, on my head be it, an' I do not. I will study the great and universal science of Copoiogy," or getting as much as you can for as A RESOLUTION NEYER TO FORK OUT FOR SUN- DRIES" UNLESS I'M COMPELLED. little as other people will take. Riches are a great and glorious thing; they enable one to become a Justice of the Peace and to send other folks to gaol without the option of a fine. I should like to have presented to me the freedom of this city-I would make free, you stake your stockings. I have certainly resolved that I will never under any circumstances stand as a candidate for the School Board even if I am asked-which I don't think is likely to be the case. I didn't want, you see, to be bullied by a chairman, or to be charged, on the other hand, with an abnormal love of game Pf* u again, I shall certainly not indulge in late hours—except, perhaps, in a morning. And then again, I shan't reel off copy by the yard instead of taking pains with it-I sometimes take a good deal of pains" with it nowadays, with being in too great a hurry. Then I'm resolved never to miss my meals—oapeciaUy when anyone else pays for them. It is a silly thing to miss one's dinner-wben one is invited out. I shan't, on consideration, turn vegetarian. I tried a vegetarian dinner once. It cost 8d. only-eigbt common "d." I thought how economical I was. But I was so ravenous half an hour afterwards that I had to go out and spend a whole shilling in ,the succulent steak of commerce. Besides, there i8'- P»rta<?i"™al though it may seem, something so frightfully animal about vegetarianism—it is so suggestive of mysterious creatures which live on the roots and herbs of the fields. One resolution I shall stick to-I shall always have a loyal regard for the readers of the Cardiff Times and South Wales Weekly New. SAMUEL HIS SENTIMENT,

A STARTLING COMBINATION. I JAM ANN: Say, look here, John I Here's I something handy for ye, A .Gosk«Gtew,*a', sba?in' Jttjpfc *U iu oae I

AN UNLUOKY PBESENT.—Blauche: I bear that Poile/ uaade y°u a preaent of a book fort night, Amy? Amy; Yes, and I hate him • } »tr.i;iire. No, it isn't! He brutally « s 10 suA<*?J"e* book ia o«U«d