The Illustrated Usk Observer and Raglan Herald

THE COURT. THE Queen arrived last week safe at Windsor again after her continental trip. Her Majesty landed at Woolwich, and the ridiculous regulations which were enforced when the Queen left England were modified, and numbers of people witnessed the disembarkation, and her Majesty was lustily cheered throughout her route. THE Queen, accompanied with one or other of the Royal family, took her usual walks and drives in the vicinity of Windsor throughout the week. ON Saturday her Majesty held a Council, which was attended by the Earl Granville, the Duke of New- castle, Viscount Palmerston, and the Right Hon. Sir George Grey. At the Council Parliament was ordered to be further prorogued from the 14th of October next. Mr. Arthur Helps attended as Clerk of the Council. The Hon. H. Elliot was presented to her Majesty at an audience. Sir Andrew Buchanan had an audience of her Majesty. Earl Granville and Viscount Palmerston had also audiences of the Queen. HER Majesty left the Castle on Monday afternoon from the Windsor terminus of the Great Western Railway, and reached Aboyne, the nearest railway station to Balmoral, at a little before two o'clock the following morning. Carriages were provided for her Majesty to repose, as she travelled through the night and was nineteen hours on the journey. We are happy to add that her Majesty appeared to be in good health and spirits. THE Prince and Princess of Wales were at Aber- geldie during the past week, and his Royal Highness the Prince has killed five beautiful stags, while her Royal Highness the Princess has taken her accus- tomed drives, fishing on the Dee, and sketching in the neighbourhood. THE Prince and Princess of Wales will bring their residence in the Highlands to a close in a short time, and return to Sandringham-hall, his Royal Highness's seat in Norfolk. Their Royal Highnesses, accompanied by their suite, attended, as usual, the parish church of Crathie on Sunday. Dr. Fowler, of Ratho, con- ducted the services. The rev. doctor preached a re- markably powerful sermon from the text, "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." There was a large and very attentive con- gregation. In consequence of numerous other engage- ments the Prince of Wales cannot undertake to go to St. Andrews at the beginning of October next to preside over the October meeting of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, on the occasion of his Royal Highness being made captain. IT is expected that Prince Alfred and one of the Danish Princes will be present at one of the concluding meetings of the Social Science Association, which is to assemble in Edinburgh on the 7th of October. _u.

POLITICAL GOSSIP. WE hear that it is probable that the Hon. Captain Denison, a brother of Lord Londesborough, who has large property in the neighbourhood, will be a candi- date for the representation of Scarborough in the Conservative interest at the next general election. THE barrister appointed to revise the list of voters for the City of Westminster has given notice that he will hold his court on Thursday, October 8, at the Lords Justices' Court, Westminster-hall. THE Act of last session relating to naval prize money, which revives the old system of permitting captains of ships of war to appoint their own prize agents, will come into operation on the 1st proximo. THERE is no truth in the report that Admiral Wilkes's vessel had been sunk by the Alabama, and Wilkes gone to the bottom to turn into wilks and winkles. A DISPUTE has arisen between the Pontifical and Italian Governments, which is likely to result in the withdrawal of the exequaturs from their respective consuls in Italy and Rome. The brigands taken from the steamer Aunis have been finally handed over to the Italian authorities. IT is an absurd notion of France to want to borrow cash from England as a reward for whacking the Mexicans. A loan is contemplated, to which Capel- court will be asked to subscribe largely. This, says a contemporary, is the height of impudence. IT is proposed to erect a marble bust of Mr. John Laird, M.P., in the Borough Hospital at Birkenhead, which has been erected at the expense of that gentle- man. Several Federal gentlemen, a contemporary facetiously says, have been asked to subscribe, and have not been zealous to do so. WE are sorry to perceive, says the Court Journal, of late frequent court-martials on privates of the Royal Marines for flagrant acts of insubordination- very unusual occurrences in that gallant corps, so highly extolled for loyalty and good conduct. These offences have mostly occurred afloat, and are generally directed against officers or non-commissioned officers of the corps. IN Galway a newspaper has just been started to aid Federal recruiting under the guise of emigration. It is styled the United Irishman and American, and dis- plays at its head the mingled emblems of the United States and Ireland. The inducements offered the emigrants are high pay, and a future war with England-both powerful inducements to a poor and ignorant population. THE charges on which Colonel Crawley is to be tried, are, says the Times of India, as follows1. For having caused the orders under which Sergeant-Major Lilley was placed in arrest, in May, 1862, to be carried into effect with unnecessary and undue severity, whereby the sergeant-major and his wife were subjected to great and grievous hardships and sufferings. 2. For having stated in his reply to Mr. Smales's defence before the court-martial that it was Mr. Fitzsimons's fault if the sergeant's wife was inconvenienced by having the sentries placed near her bed, whereas he knew well that Mr. Fitzsimons had acted in the matter by his express orders and directions. IT is reported that there are several steamships of war now building in France under the same mysterious circumstances as those at Messrs. Laird's yard, Bir- kenhead, and probably for the same purpose-either for the Confederate navy, or, as some assert, for the nucleus of a Mexican fleet. The two building in a private yard at Nantes are represented as pierced for 22 guns each, with engines of 400 horse power, and intended to have a speed of fourteen knots an hour. A condition of the contract is said to be that these vessels are to be delivered to the owners, twenty miles out at sea, off Belle Isle. Two others, of similar character, are building in the yard of M. Arman at Bordeaux. A CORRESPONDENT of a contemporary calls atten- tion to certain appointments in the Arsenal at Wool- wich, which, to say the least, are of a very doubtful character. Although the number of workmen engaged in the gun factories has been largely reduced, the Commander-in-Chief appears to think that more super- intendence is required. To provide this he does not appoint men who have been engaged in the manufacture of ordnance, and who might, if that were the case, be supposed to know something about that with which they had to deal; but he chooses three additional officers of the Royal Artillery, of which his Royal Highness is colonel. It is difficult to understand either the advantage of, or the necessity for, these appointments, and it is to be hoped either that some satisfactory explanation will be given, or that the obnoxious nominations will be cancelled. THE Duke of Athol's health shows no symptom of improvement; on the contrary, it is understood that his eyesight is failing' rapidly under the medical treat- ment which has been adopted with a view to induce sleep, from the loss of which he has of late suffered much. The most sincere sympathy is universally felt for this esteemed nobleman, whose benefactions to the labouring classes on his estates have greatly en- deared him in their estimation. WE regret to announce the death of the Marquis Townshend, whichoccurred at Raynham, in Norfolk. Some years since his lordship suffered from a paralytic attack, and his death, which happened suddenly, was caused by a renewal of the attack. The deceased was son of the late Lord John Townshend, and married, in 1825, the daughter of the late Lord George Stuart, sister of the late Lord Dudley Stuart. His lordship, after leaving Eton, where he was educated, entered the Naval College at Portsmouth, and became a cap- tain, R.N., in 1834; naval aide-de-camp to the Queen in 1854; and rear-admiral in 1856. He represented Tamworth from December, 1847, to January, 1856, when, upon the death of his cousin, he succeeded to the marquisate. The marquis was high steward of the borough of Hertford. On the news of his death reaching Hertford, the Union Jack was raised half- mast high on the Town-hall. The deceased nobleman is succeeded in his title and estates by his son, John V llliers Stuart, Viscount Raynham, born in 1831, who nas represented Tamworth since 1856.

LITERATURE AND THE ARTS. THE people of Stafford are at last making an effort to erect a memorial of some sort to their old towns- man and benefactor, Isaak Walton. A statue is spoken of, and endeavours are being made to hook subscribers. THE project of obtaining a duplicate of the Calcutta statue of Lord Hardinge for London has failed; the requisite funds were not forthcoming. TWENTY-SIX new statues, intended for the fagade of the Cathedral of Milan, are being exhibited in the court of the archbishop's palace of that city. They are executed in GandogHa marble, and by Milanese sculptors. One half of these statues at least are described as being masterpieces. St. Astero, by Bernascomi is considered the best. PERHAPS there never was a period when good sterling educational works were more appreciated than the present. In last'week's advertisements we notice the 388th edition of "Hamilton's Modern Instruc- tionsfor the Pianoforte." The great popularity of this work is, of course, shown in its circulation, and when we come to analyse its merits, we are bound to observe that the author has won a lasting reputa- tion by contributing to the supply of the intellectual needs of children. It is well known that Hamilton was eminently qualified for the compilation of such a work, not only from his varied acquirements, large resources, and accurate knowledge, but still more from the logical method which prevailed in all he did. His mature judgment always truly dictated what exactly, according to the pupil's previous knowledge, ought to be said; and his large didactic experience and tact in' elucidation always suggested the best method of say- ing it. We are, therefore, glad to find that his other works, which have been previously introduced, are now brought out in cheap editions, such as Hamilton's Catechisms" (Miniature Course of the Theory of Music and Composition), comprising Thorough Bass and Har- mony Counterpoint, Melody, and Comliosition Double Counterpoint and Fugue—Writing for an Orchestra, and Playing from Score—Musical Ideas, their Nature, Invention, and Exposition, &c.; and we have no doubt the public will be obliged to the enterprising music publishers, Messrs. R. Cocks and Co., of Now Burlington-street, for bringing forward such valuable acquisitions to knowledge. THE South Kensington Museum has just acquired, by purchase, a bas-relief in marble, representing the Virgin and Child, very admirably carved and full of the sweetness and somewhat archaic grace of the school of Donatello if not by the master himself, this has certainly, says the Athenwum, been produced under his inspiration. The same establishment has obtained a life-size head, in marble, much resembling that of the statue of David by Michael Angelo, which is remarkably beautiful and perfect in preservation. The surface, which is intact, indicates the teaching and system of a noble school, decidedly that of the master named, if it be not produced by his own hand. SOME strange and exceedingly interesting statements have been laid before the Academy of Science, by M. Luca, respecting the bread discovered in Pompeii. It will be remembered that in August, 1862, in continuing the excavations there, the house of a baker was dis- covered, and in the oven were eighty-one loaves. The weight of them somewhat varied, but their shapes were all circular, most of them measuring twenty centimetres round, and raised at the edges. They were so arranged that divisions starting from a centre something like a star, divided them into eight lines. Though this bread has been just the same as if it had been hermetically sealed, the alteration in it is curious. The outside is nearly black, but in the centre it has much the appearance of ordinary bread; the crust is hard and close; the crumb sparkles very much. The quantity of water it still contains has been proved, but when the surface of the bread was passed the variations were great. The hydrogen and oxygen have diminished to a very large extent. What the effect of air will be on this bread is a question that will soon decide itself. It is to be hoped it will not cause it to crumble to powder. THE ladies of Worcestershire having subscribed amongst themselves for a local present for the Princess of Wales, a set of Worcester china vases was determined upon, and the articles have recently been completed at the Worcester Royal Porcelain Works. There are three vases, the centre one being sixteen inches high, and the two others twelve inches high, without the pedestals. The colour of the ground is a rich Royal blue, which throws out the vhite enamel subjects in high relief, and forms a rich basis for the burnished and chased gold with which the handles and lines are decorated. The form of the vases is strictly classic, and was designed specially for the work. The subjects chosen for the decorations are peculiarly happy. On the two side vases are painted Paris and Venus, taken from Flaxman's illustrations to Homer's "Iliad." Paris is awarding to Venus the golden apple-the prize of beauty. The centre vase is decorated with a subject from Flaxman's outlines to iEschylus, the figures con- sisting of the charming group, Venus attended by Harmony and surrounded by Cupids, in illustration of the lines- Round thee where'er thou lead'st the way, Joyful the frolic Cupids rove." The reverse of the vase is decorated with a head Of Hymen, supported by Amorini with flaming torches. The various details of the vase are very elegant- Amorini, classic heads, and classic borders in gold, being introduced with great taste. IT has recently been related that the porter of M. Ingr&s' house at Paris was pestered by all old woman, who for days continued calling, and asking to see the celebrated artist of "La Stratonice." "Next time she comes show her in," said M. Ingres. The following morning she was admitted to the painter's studio, and Ingres saw before him a bundle of rags. You don't know me, sir," said the old woman, in a broken voice. No, madame," replied M. Ingres, after closely ex- amining his visitor. "I believe you," she said. "Oh, I am much changed since you painted my portrait." "I painted your portrait! what, IP" cried the artist. Yes; and at that time I was young, I was beautiful, and I was worshipped! Ah, you see I do not speak of yesterday," and the old woman sighed. And to what period must I go back to re- call who you are P" "To the year 1806." "In 1806!" repeated Ingres. "Yes; I am the same person that was then called 'La belle Zelie.' I have eaten off golden plates, engraved with my own iuitials; and now—I have not a bone to pick from off my earthenware dish. Years came, and misery and poverty with them. Of all my rich possessions but one remains, my portrait, that the Marquis de —— gave you the order to paint." The poor "woman named an Italian diplomate who filled a post of importance at the Court of the Great Napoleon. "Buy my portrait, sir," said the wretched old woman I will give it you for what you like, only save me from starving, for I am at that point. God, who hears me and knows what I suffer, knows that I am telling you the truth." Touched with pity, M. Ingres told her to send him the portrait. It was ex- posed in his salon, and soon bought by an amateur artist, M. Cet, for 15,000 fr., which money was paid over to St. Perine, for the old Zelie to pass quietly and peacefully away, having comfort and care to the last. The picture is now in M. Cet's gallery, and is called "La Dame de 1806."

TOPICS OF THE WEEK. THE NEW FREEMAN OF DUNDEE. 0 high is the honour of Russell the Earl, And his brain is no doubt in a regular whirl, For the Sheriff and Provost, and Baxter, M.P. Have made him a freeman of bonny Dundee. How modestly all his past honours are worn The freedom of Catholics, freedom of Corn, Repeal of the Test Act, and so on," says he, Are due to this freeman of bonny Dundee. "Reform Bills I've framed without number, you know, But I gave up that business a short time ago Now in Foreign Affairs very safe you will be In the hands of this freeman of bonny Dundee. 0 white is the linen you bleach by the Tay- But whiter to me this most fortunate day Very sweet is your marmalade—sweeter to me That I now am a freeman of bonny Dundee." The Press. THE OBSTACLE TO THE SPREAD OF CHRISTI- ANITY.-The Bishop of Oxford calls for more sacri- fices in Central Africa. He is, indeed, almost as insatiate as the King of Dahomey. He confesses that no good has been done, but is for persevering all the same in the waste of lives and money. The Scotch liken folly of this sort to thrashing water for bubbles, but the thrashing in this instance is much worse than idle. Dr. Wilberforce is quite content with the deaths of the bishop and Mr. Martin, and coolly declares that they do much more good in their graves in the vvilds of Africa than they could have done by their ministrations at home. It is a pity he cannot himself set the example of this sort of service, of speaking, as he says, from the tomb, as he might do it, perhaps, to better purpose than from the chair. Bishop Wilber- force says that the great obstacle to the reception of the Gospel in heathen lands is the contradiction between the lessons of Christianity and the lives of its professors and he asks whether poor savages can be disposed to believe in the Gospel when they see a drunkard. But that example is not the worst. What can the heathen think when 'c he sees or hears of a rich bishop professing the religion in which riches are declared the root of all evil ? What can the poor savage think when he hears the purple and fine linen condemned as the types of the pomps and vanities, and learns that the heads of the Church clothe their servants in the one and them- selves in the other, as if in outward and visible con- tempt and defiance of Christianity? We admit, of course, the impossibility of acting literally and strictly up to all the- self-denying precepts of primitive Chris- tianity; but this being so, let a bishop have the prudence to refrain from declaring that the contra- diction between lessons and lives is the impediment to the propagation of the Gospel, citing the drunkard as the example, when the Prelate, in lawn and luxury, as described by Sydney Smith, would serve as well, or better, to point the moral. The episcopal palace is a glass house from which stones should not be thrown against the contradiction between precept and practice. -Examiner. THE WELSH EISTEDDFOD. — The great national Eisteddfod, or gathering of the bards, has just been held in Wales, and another blow has been dealt to English tyranny and English cruelty. The Lord Bishop of St. David's, who took the chair at one of the meetings, advised that certain of the odes and addresses should not be published, in consequence of their strong expressions against the hateful Saxon; but it is hardly likely that men who bear such names as Genedlaethol, Cywiad, and loan ap L will consent to have their feelings thus outraged. Any Englishman who went to the Eisteddfod, and was not stunned bv the uproar made by the shrieking of the glorious bards, would probably be puzzled at the course of the busi- ness. The Welshmen compete for prizes, and rave out what they call poetry, in what they consider the finest language in Europe, amid incessant cheers from the audience. The prize is generally divided among several competitors, or the blood of the one successful man might peradventure be spilt. The reports of the affair are written in the jargon which passes for good English down in Wales, and a local paper announces that "North and South (Wales) are now united under one bardic banner." This is, indeed, a cheering result. Bishop Thirlwall was made a Druid, which was another great achievement, and the bards spluttered odes to him in their uncouth gibberish till the episcopal vic- tim must have fancied himself in an assemblage of Ojibbeways. A Dr. James, the fiery orator, as he is called in those parts, made a beautiful speech, in which he smote the Saxons hip and thigh. God had said that He would keep the Welsh alive, and here they were alive on that day, that hereafter they might sway the sceptre over the whole length and breadth of the land, if they had not done so for many years past." The Welsh will yet have their own again. The assurance greatly delighted the bardic conclave. This last meeting has caused them to retire to their caves for the rest of the year in happiness; but it was rather too quiet for them, since they only managed to break one gallery down and nearly kill a number of -Doople-all Welsh too. That would have been a blow to Christendom, and another convincing proof of the unquenchable malice of the Saxon. What has become of the bards now we know not, but by the time they next issue from their native wilds, we hope intelligent Welshmen will have found out that antipatkies of race would not help them, even if they were oppressed, and discover further that they are not oppressed at all, but have the same laws and enjoy the same privileges as Englishmen. All the harm we have done them is to feed them well, dress them decently, and offer them a civilised language. The first two they receive gladly—the last they may take or leave alone; but if they are wise they will forget their prejudices, and throw their "language" away after the skins which once clothed their noble forms.-The Spectator.

OUR MISCELLANY. Royal Adulation.—Among the addresses pre- sented upon the accession of James I. was one from the ancient town of Shrewsbury, wishing his Majesty might reign as long as the sun, moon, and stars endured. Faith, mon," said the King to the person who presented it, If I do, my son, then, must reign by candle-light." A Hint to Parents.—Do all in your power to teach your children self-government. If a child is passionate, teach him by patient and gentle means to curb his temper. If he is greedy, cultivate liberality in him. If he is selfish, promote generosity. Good Advice.-Those who have become addicted to evil habits must conquer them as they can—and they must be conquered, or they will conquer us, and destroy our peace and happiness. And those who have not yet yielded to bad habits must be on their guard lest they should be unexpectedly assaulted and sub- dued. A Flunkey Outwitted by a Bishop.-Bishop Morley was fond of a joke. Once, when the footman was out of the way, he ordered the coachman to fetch some water from the well, to which the coachman made a grumbling objection that his business was to drive, not to run errands. Well, then," said Morley, "bring out the coach and four, set the pitcher inside, and drive to the well. a service which was several times repeated, to the great amusement of almost the entire village. The Laugh of a Child.- I love it, I love it—the laugh of a child, Now rippling and gentle, now merry and wild; 'p Ringing out in the air with its innocent gush, Like the thrill of a bird at the twilight's soft hush: Floating up in the breeze like the tones of a bell, Or the music that dwells in the heart of a shell; O the laugh of a child, so wild and so free, Is the merriest sound in the world for me." Notes and Queries. Lord Aberdeen at Sea. I was very much amused by an anecdote Rogers gave us of little Queen Victoria and her nautical vagaries. Lord Aberdeen has had to attend her in her cruisings, very much against his will, or, at least, against his stomach. You know he is one of the gravest and most laconic men in the world. The Queen, one day, undertook to reconcile him to his fate. "I believe, my lord," said she, graciously, you are net often seasick?" "Always, madame," was the grave reply. "But," still more graciously, "not very seasick?" With profounder gravity, "Very, madame!" Lord Aberdeen declares 's that if her Majesty persists in her cruisings he will have to resign.-Thc Life and Letters of Washington Irving. Lord Eldon's Father's Second Marriage.— After the death of his first wife, he rose one morning with the whimsical resolution of marrying any one of his maids who should first appear on his ringing the bell. He rang, and the chambermaid came up, to whom he abruptly said: Get yourself ready, and go with me to be married." The silly girl, treating the affair as a joke, refused, and withdrew. He rang the bell a second time, when the cook maid appeared, to whom he said: "Well, my girl, I intend this day to make you my wife; go and dress yourself with the best you have, and order the coach immediately." She took him at his word, dressed herself, and coming downstairs, was met by the silly chambermaid, who asked her where she was going? "Abroad; I have my master's leave." She had scarcely uttered these words, when her master came down and took her by the hand to the coach, which drove to St. Bennet's church, where they were married. Advice to Wives.-A wife must study never to draw largely on the small stock of patience in a man's nature, nor to increase his obstinacy by trying to drive him; never, never, if possible, have scenes. I doubt much if a real quarrel, even made up, does not loosen the bond between man and wife, and sometimes, unless the affection of both be very sincere, is lasting. If irritation should occur, a woman must expect to hear, from most men, a strength and vehemence of language far more than the occasion requires. Mild, as well as stern men, are prone to this exaggeration of language; let not a woman be tempted to say anything sarcastic or violent in retaliation. The bitterest repentance must needs follow if she do. Men frequently forget what they have said, but seldom what is uttered by their wives. They are grateful, too, for forbearance in such cases for, whilst asserting most loudly that they are right, they are often conscious that they are wrong. Give a little time, as the greatest boon you can bestow, to the irritated feelings of your husband. Descended to the People.-The nominal father of Madame Lamotte, of diamond necklace notoriety, who announced herself as the descendant of Henri II., was a cobbler. "There are in France, "says a Paris correspondent, several individuals who claim to be allied with sovereigns." At Troves there is a woman who looks after the cattle who' is known to be the descendant of the Lacerda, who reigned over Spain. At Venddme there is a pastrycook recognised as a descendant of Rodo.'ph of Hapsburg, who proposed to pay a visit to his august cousin Francis Joseph a* Frankfort, but was forbidden by his wife. The Revolution swept away many noble families, and claimants constantly start up who believe th8m,¡,c.¡ves their legitimate descendants. Patronising the Poor.-How often have I heard the unfortunate working man lectured, as if lie were A little charity-cliild, humid as to his nasal develop- ment, strictly literal as to his catechism, and called by Providence to waFc all his days in a station of lifoe represented on festive occasions by a mug of warm milk-and-water and a bun. What pop-guns of joke-s have these ears tingled to hear let off at him, what asinine sentiments, what impotent conclusions, what spelling-book moralities, what adaptations oi the orator's insufferable tediousness to the assumed level of his lluderstandillg: If his sledge-hammers, his spades and pickaxes, his saws and chisels, his paint- pots and brushes, his forges, furnaces, and engines, the horses that he drove at his work, and the machines that drove him at his work, were all toys in one little paper box. and he the baby who played with thorn, he could not have been discoursed to more impertinently and absurdly than I have heard him discomsecl to afc times innumerable. Consequently, not being' a fool or a fawner, he has come to acknowledge his patronage by virtually sayillg-" Let me alone. If you under- stand me no better than that, sir, and madam, lot me alone. You mean very well, I dare say, but I don't like it, and I won't come here again to have any more of it."—All the Tear Round. Smoking by Women.—As the special chroniclers of the world of fashion, and bound to record all events that occur in high life, we must refer to a custom which has lately been introduced into this coimtry, and which,, we venture to predict, will ere long become very pre- valent—we allude to the smoking of cigarettes by ladies. Fashion holds such a tyrannic sway over society, that we need never be surprised at seeing the most astounding changes of manners, custom?, and. dress brought about through its magic influence. High waists, short waists, no waists at all, chimney- pot bonnets, fiat bonnets, powdered hair, dishevelled hair, rouge, patches, enamel, hoops, farthingales, crinoline, high-heeled boots, sandals, high dresses, decolleices dresses, have all had their day; we have lived to see the time when duellists and four-bottle men no longer exist, and when every man, high and low, rich and poor, old and young, indulges in the German and Dutch luxuries of the short pipe and mild Havannah. But a more startling change is likely to come over the spirit of our dream ladies belonging to la cr&me de la creme of society have introduced cigarettes. We could mention the names of many of England's aristocratic daughters who openly indulge in mild Latakia. A clever contemporary has alluded to fast matrons; let us hope that unmarried ladies will be slow to follow the example of those who would introduce the noxious weed into female society. If Belgravo ladies seal their lips against pleasant contact by such a, custom, let the outer circles hold aloof, and believe not that there is aught celestial and godlike in entering such unfragrant clouds.— Court Jon-ma I. The Magnetic Pole.—A magnetic mountain has been discovered in Swedish Lapland, on the left bank of the Rautusjoki, and the vein, which is several feet thick, promises to be one of the richest sources of natural magnets at present known. Mr. Berg, to whom it belongs, hopes to obtain from it enough to supply specimens to all the collections in Europe. Among the facts mentioned in proof of the magnetic force which these magnets derive from this source, it is stated that the galvanometer traverses 10 to 15 degrees in their presence, and that a contact of a few minutes imparts a sufficient charge to a piece of soft iron to enable it to support a weight of one or two Swedish pounds. A natural magnet, weighing 4001b., has already been obtained, and larger ones may be ex- pected. M. Done, of Berlin, has already possessed himself of one weighing 68 Swedish pounds the price varies from 80 centimes to 3 francs the kilogramme. The Abbe Moigno, from whose able journal, LeG Mondes, the above account is taken, remarks that the extraordinary magnetism of this mountain suggests the question whether the magnetic pole of the earth must not be sought in Lapland rather than in Siberia, the more so as the existence of the pole in Siberia more than doubtful. What Wines are Made of.—Hiram Cox, M.D., of Cincinnati, has made the following startling state- ment :—During the summer of 1856 I analysed a lot of liquors for some conscientious gentlemen of our own city, who would not permit me to take samples ta my office, but insisted on my bringing my chemicals and apparatus to their store, that they might see the operations- I accordingly repaired to their store, and analysed samples ef sixteen different lots. Among them were port wine, sherry wine, and Madeira wine. The distilled liquors were some pure, and some vile and pernicious imitations; but the wines had not one drop of the juice of the grape. The basis of the port wine was diluted sulphuric acid, coloured with the elderberry juice, with alum, sugar, and neutral sprits. The basis of the sherry wine was a sort of pale malt, sulphuric acid, flavoured from the bitter almond oil, with a percentage of alcoholic spirits. The basis of the Madeira was a decoction of hops, with sulphuvie acid, honey, spirits from Jamaica rum, &c. The same week after analysing the above, and exhibiting the quality and character of the liquors to the pro- prietors, a sexton of one of our churches informed me that he had purchased a gallon of the above port wine to be used in his church OI: the next Sabbath for sacramental purposes, and that for this mixture of sulphuric acid, alum, and elderberry juice he paid S dols. 75c. a gallon." England and America in 1840.—Mr. Irving had been much disturbed of late by noticing, in the Madrid Gazette, articles from English journals, in which all our acts and intentions in regard to the Oregon question and the disputes with Mexico were grossly misrepresented, and we were reviled as a. people without principle or faith. As the Gazette was exclusively a court paper, edited by persons about the Government, he took occasion to inquire of Mr. Isturiz, the minister of state, whether these British calumnies were believed and countenanced by the cabinet. Mr. Isturiz assured him that he had not not noticed the offensive articles, and that he would take care to have them excluded for the future. In another letter, showing how much he deprecated the effect of these persevering attempts to debase the national name, he remarks :—" A rancorous prejudice against us has been diligently inculcated of late years by the British press, and it is daily producing its fruits of bitterness." "Bulwer," he once exclaimed to the British minister at Madrid, in strong excitement on the same subject, I should deplore exceedingly a war with England, for, depend upon it, if we must come to blows, it will be serious work for both. You may break our head at first, but, by Heaven! we would break your back in the end.The Life and Letters oj Washington Irving. British Pluck.-The inhabitants of the British. Islands have ever exhibited the most dogged courage in the defence of the colours. The history of the battle of Waterloo displayed two brilliant examples of the strength of that feeling which we have designated as the sentiment of war. Some of the Polish Lancers succeeded in reaching the 79th Highlanders, at that time drawn up in line, and one of them made a dash at the colours. He inflicted a painful wound in the eye of one of the young ensigns who bore them, and succeeded in seizing the flag. The gallant boy, though suffering the most dreadful agony, had resolution enough, even while in the act of falling, to retain his grasp of the precious charge. Ere another instant had passed, the adventurous horseman was killed, and the wished-for prize remained in the hands of him who had shown himself so well fitted to be its guardian. In another regiment, we cannot remember which, the ensign, a mere boy, who bore one of the colours, was shot. The enemy were advancing in overwhelming force, the regiment was being gradually pushed back, and the colours that had waved above their heads in many a dearly bought victory seemed destined to become the prize of the foe in whose discomfited faces it had so often proudly flaunted. At this instant, a gallant sergeant rushed to the front, determined to avert the threatened calamity. The attempt appeared, certain death, but he had only one thought—the honour of his regiment. Reaching the spot where the colour lay dabbed in mud and the blood of its bearer, lie seized it with a nervous grasp, and strove to tear it from the dead man's hands. He found it impossible to do so. In the moment of death, the ensign's fingers had tightened round it like a vice. The flag could not be moved. His own comrades were retiring, the French advancing-nay, were almost upon him. With- out a moment's hesitation, the sergeant, by a vigorous effort, cast the corpse and the standard together across his shoulder, and thus nobly freighted rejoined his own ranks, friends and foes both uniting to greet the exploit with hearty cheers.— Cclbv.vn's V,¡Ue,.f Service Magazine.