Monmouthshire Merlin

SELF-CONFIDENCE. WHEN- Sir Walter Raleigh, in a meditative mood, scribbled the line, 1 fa in tvould climb, but that I fear to fall, he was, doubtless, screwing Lis courage to the sticking-place." His royal mistress added, If thy heart fail thee, do not climb at all." This taunt stung him to the quick his wavering self- confidence was restored, and permanently fixed. Disappointments throw weak minds off their balance; the strong and the wise perceive that they are from without, and make use of them for their own advantage. Instead of con- tinuing under the dark' and sullen clouds of discontent, they emerge into clearer light, and go on with more cheering ala- crity. It has sometimes been remarked, that great occasions produce great men. Not so the great men already are such; they only want occasions to call foith their talents. Give them a fair field, and the confidence which belongs to true greatness will enable them to prove their strength. There is an immense difference between self-confidence and self-conceit. When the young artist, Correggio, first saw ihe beautiful paintings of Raphael, ana exclaimed, I, too, am a painter," it was not arrogant self-conceit, it was the con. sciousness of similar power. admiral Nelson was exceedingly piqued, when he was a young man, because he was not mentioned in a newspaper paragraph, in which an action was briefly described, where he had been present. Never mind," said he, "I will one day have a Gazette of my own." The consciousness!of courage and naval skill prompttd this proud resolution. Self-conceit is a wren in peacock's feathers self-confidence, the soaring eagle. You may have been puffed up into over-weening con- ceit of yourself by thr ilattery of o'hers; but nothing, except- ing the interna- conviction of power, can give you self-confi- dence. I have read in some marvellous story, Some legends strange and vague," of a man who was cast upon a desert island among a people who had lost their king. The story says not how he became a runaway; but when the people saw the stranger, thev fancied he was their sovereign, and immediately placed the glittering crown upon his brow, and the golden sceptre in his hand. "Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown;" the head of the hapless runaway must, indeed, have been un easy, and the hand that had lately held the plough, or grasped theblacksmith's hammer, must have trembled as it lilted the sceptre. Many a time and ort would he have relinquished these em- blems of power, and with them the grea'ness that had been thrust upon him. But, no he was their king, and a king he must remain. It is a mistake fraught with direful consequences that a man can only be respectable or distinguished, by belonging to one of "the learned professions." As for the honour of different vocations, there never was a truer sentence than the stale one of Pope-stale now, because it is so true- Act well your part, there all the honour lies." And it is the just boast of our own country, that in no civilised e nation is the force of this philanthropic maxim so nobly illus. trateci as in ours; thanks to our glorious institutions. When the celebrated Governor Morris, of America, left college, he lost no time in deliberating on the choice of a pro- fession, for he seems to have destined himself for the law from the time of his first reflections on the subject. His an. cestors had gained renown in this career, and it was natural that his inclination should lead him in the same direction. He knew, moreover, that his success in life, his fortune and fame, his futuie usefulness and consideration, depended upon his own efforts. Naturally active, sanguine in his temperament, conscious of his powers, and rot warning in ambition, he had an early and continued confidence in himself, which enabled him to command all the resources of his mind, and to convert them, on any given occasion, to rhe best account. In fact, this self- 1 confidence was one of the remarkable features of his charac. ter through life, and perhaps its tendency was rather to err on the side of boldness and presumption, than on that of timidi:y and reserve. But there are few more enviable quali- ties of the understanding, than the power of ascertaining its own bias and strength, and of causing these to unite and co- operate in the attainment of a difficult object. No man had this power in a greater degree than Governor Morris, nor ex- ercised it with more skill and effect. He has often been heard to say, that in his intercourse with men, he never knew the sensation of fear or inferiority, of embarrassment or awk. wardness. Although this almost daring self possession, which never forsook him, may, at times, have deprived his manners of the charm which a becoming diffidence and gentleness of demeanour are apt to infuse, yet as a means of advancement in the world, it must be allowed, when properly regulated, to tak- the precedence ofany other quality." "Self-depreciation is pot hurmnty, tflough often mistaken for jt. Its source is oftener mortified pride. Self confidence must have its foundation in self knowledge. A proper, a just estimate of one's abilities, alone can ensure that confidence, which is neither arrogant nor presumptuous. It might have been supposed by some persons, who were contemporaneous with the poet Milton, that he possessed an arrogant confidence in his own genius but time, the best test, has prc v. d that lie did not over estimate his abilities. He says, These abilities, wheresoever they be found, are the inspired gift of God, rarely bestowed." Yet so conscious was he of the "gift," that he deems himself prepared for a woik," not to be raised from the heat of youth, or the va- pours of wine, like that which flows at waste from the pen of some vulgar amourist, or the trench fury of a rhyming para- site, nor to be obtained by the invocation of dame Memory and her seven daughters., but by devout prayer to that Eter nal Spirit, who can enrich with all utterance and knowledge and sends out his seraphim, with the hallowed fire of his altar, to touch and purify the lips of whom he pleases." But, notwithstanding this consciousness of power, and this acknowledgment of the source from which it was derived, did Milton expect success, without vigorous effort on his own part? No read, young man, for your special benefit, what he says of his mode of life. "My morning haunts are where they should be, at home; not sleeping, or concocting the surfeits of an irregular feast, but up and stirring in winter, often ere the sound of any bell awake men to labour or devo- tion in summer, as oft with the bird that first rouses, or not much tardier, to read good authors, or cause them to be read till the attention be weary, or memory have its full freight T!?' useful and generous labours, preserving the body's health and hardiness, to render lightsome, clear, and not lumpish obedience to the mind, to the cause of religion, and our country s liberty." Sic iter ad astra. The self-confidence which accomplishes the end designed, success, is not founded upon self-partialitylorsel fex agge ration —but upon true, consistent, self-knowledge, and self-respect. — Heme Companion.

INTEMPERANCE IN POETS. A GREEK poet has said, "It is pleasant to be mad now and then." Plato assures us, that No man who was not some- what beside himself, had ever found his way through the por- tals of the muses." Aristotle has a similar remark on the in. timate relation subsisting between genius and madness, and the same sentiment has been echoed bv an English poet of later times. We agree with Messrs. Plato, Aristotle, &c., so far as to admit that poets have evinced a strange taste for me. lancholy, misery, and madness; but whether this is a neces- sary state of mind, or a morbid and sickly impulse, is another question. It is owing to this unfortunate proclivity for mad- ness, we suppose, that so many of the children of song have fallen victims to the intoxicating cup. They wished to become mad, that they might enter the portals of the muses and there was certainly no easier or more expeditious way to ac- complish their purpose than that which they adopted. They sought glory at the bottle's mouth. It was not so much the pleasure of drinking, as the pleasure f being drunk, which se- duced them from the path of sobriety. There is to this day the flavour of wine and gin about their works, and their names have come down to us, embalmed in-fourth-proof spirits. Byron is a prominent example in point-we all know whence I he was wont to draw his inspirations. Burns had a similar taste. Pope remarks, that ParnaH was a great fol'over of drams, and strangely open and scandalous in his debauch- eries. Pope also tells us, that Cowley's death was occa- sioned by a mean accident, while Lis great friend, Dean Pratt, was on a visit with him at Chertsey. They had been sioned by a mean accident, while Lis great friend, Dean Pratt. was on a visit with him at Chertsey. They had been together to see a neighbour of Cowley s, who, according to the fashion of the times, made them too welcome. They did not set out on their walk home till it was too late, and had drank so deep, they lay out in ihe fields all night. This gave Cowley the fever, and carried him off." Pope himself, ac- cording to Dr. King, hastened his end by drinking spirits. In- deed, in the time of Queen Anne, drunkenness was rather po- [ pulir and fashionable than otherwise. In the manuscripts of the British Museum, there is a letter from the private secre- J tary of the celebrated Duchess of Marlborough, addressed to Pope, which begins thus—"Sir, my lady the Duchess being drunk, was unable to see you when you called yesterday." Shakspere and Ben Jonson sometimes drank too hard and, if the vicar of Stratford-upon-Avon may be credited, the former diedofa fever contracted at a merry-meeting" with Jonsonand Drayton. Prior was not free from the charge of intemperance. We are told that the temper of Addison was jealous and taci- turn, until thawed by wine." Dryden, in his youthful days, was conspicuous for sobriety but for the last ten years of his life," observes Dennis, he was much acquainted with Addi- son, and drank with him even more than he ever used to do, probably so far as to hasten his end." Lamb was a victim to the habit, and has left a touching confession of the misery it occasioned him. Coleridge was addicted to the free use of opium,and his gifted, but erratic son, Hartley, was a miserable drunkard. The last days of Thomas Campbell were embit- tered by his habits of too great conviviality, to use no harsher name. This list might be extended to any desired length, and not a few poets of our land might be added to the number; but we must desist. Of late years, we believe, the custom of seeking inspiration at the bottle has become less common. Either Apollo has so far reformed his "code of practice," as to dis- pense with the qualification of madness in those who woo the muses, or else our modern poets do not all come fully up to his requirements. It is to be hoped that the day of rum inspi- ration has for ever passed away. Strong drink has slain its thousands of mighty men, in every department of human great- ness, but the holocaust of genius and talent is not always to continue. Poets are not always to be like "maniacs dancing in their chains," who -gaze upon the links that hold them fast, With eyes of anguish execrate their lot, Then shake them in despair, and dance again!" The direful effects of alcoholic liquors upon the intellect, will no longer admit of a question. It is now beginning to be un- derstood, that to stimulate the mind by fiery potions, is like cutting down the vine to gather the fruit. Who can calculate the loss which the literature of the world has sustained, from the intemperate habits of so many of its brightest lights ? Could the world behold the tribute of human brains which Bacchus has exacted, as porter to the "heavenly nine," the sight would send a thrill of horror and astonishment to every heart, and lead every one to exclaim, Why was this waste ?" -Home Companion.

ELECTION EXCITEMENTS. This is the last time, everybody says, as they wash their hands and face after a contested election, that I shall trouble myself, and worry myself, and put myself in a passion and heat about these matter*. Parliament, candidates, and the country, too, may go to old scratch before I again get into as many rows as I have just got out of. This feeling seems con- firmed as the flatness that invariably follows excitement, ensues, and all your neighbours say the same thing, and look ashamed of one another at having got into a rage with one another, and all but throttled one another, in fighting for some unfortunate elector, who did not know his own mind sufficiently well to walk on his own legs to the poll, without being tugged three dif- ferent ways. Then, is there anything in the world so vapid as election squibs and election placards after the election is over 1 A bottle of soda water, with the cork drawn two days, is a very flat thing-to go into a room where there has.been a carouse the preceding night, before the broken glasses and the empty bottles are removed next morning, is a drearisome thing enough j —to visit a tea-garden after a fete, ere the withered gailands are cleared away, or the skeletons of the exploded fireworks thrown aside, though all types of exhaustion and expended interest, bear no comparison to the dead walls of a city while still draped with the squibs and addresses of an election fought and over. Paople look at them, with their stale jokes and poor pointless witticisms or awkward contortions of would-be humour, and laugh at themselves for having ever been excited by them, or laugh at one another for having ever got into a passion about such things. But let another election occur, even within a twelvemonth, and the man who begins by declaring he will have nothing to do with it, being gradually wotked upon by the surrounding irritation, finds himself at last almost foaming at the mouth, in a state of rabid party feeling, with his coat off, working like a Tartar, and ready once more to throttle his neigh- bour or be throlled himself, for some candidate to whom, a week before, he would not lend five pounds. And this is the funniest phase of all, that people can get into su--h a ferment of enthusiasm for some fellow-citizen he never cared a kick in the shins for, until he was named as a candidate, or some Mr. Smith, Browne, Jones, or Robinson, he never heard of before in his life. I have often caught myself shouting Smith for ever!" and being excited at seeing it chalked on the walls, though before that Mr Smith passed my door ten times a day, and never e!icited from me a greater proof of interest than a short nod, and have had all the buttons of my waiscoat and the front of my shirt torn out for a Mr Browne, who, until that moment, I never knew or heard of. Thus does a man as a representative of principle or party, shoot up at once from the lameness of a next-door neighbour, or the obscurity of a stranger, into importance or unpopularity. How I have can- vassed—at what hot and co'd suppers I have presided-what speeches I have made in committee-rooms and tap-rooms, myself quite uoconscious of what thundering nonsense I have been talking-what insolence I have put up with to get a vote, what drunken wives I have paid deference to, what long stories I have listened to, what hands I have shaken in times and contests gone by, I need not recount to any one "ho has canvasied a parish. But the present are puny days for con- tests, compared with the past—where do you hear now of a couple of inns being carried by assault and gutted—of barrels of beer, and Banks all but drained, to carry a point or a candidate— When Romans, in Rome's quarrel, I Spared neither land nor gold, Nor son, nor wife, nor limb, nor life, In the brave days of old. -Bristol Times.

♦ EMIGRATION TO AUSTRALIA. We have been favoured with the following extracts from an interesting letter, just received by parties in Bristol, who have several friends and relations in the gold regions. The letter gives a little of both sides, and we have no doubt is a correct and fair view of the state of things. New Town, Geelong, 22nd Feb. MY DEAR,- W e regret so much you are not here at the present time, so many young persons are required. B- felt much disappointed you did not accompany us; he is keep- ing an opening for you, for you to join with him. He has cleared JE803 after paying all expenses, the last three months, which is enormous, as the outlay is very great. The situation very beautiful, the river running through the land at the back of the house, some parts of it so narrow you could leap across others wide and deep, but never dry, and at times up to the house Beautiful large evergreen trees, many like the weeping willow, only larger leaves; fine trout, black fish (like carp), and eels, where they have fine sport. We see more stylish equipages here than even in London. You could see at E-'s tandems, dog-carts, gigs, &c. ladies upon the finest horses, that could manage the most spirited, and crack a stock whip with any of their male companions. I cannot recommend any one to leave home unless they seriously make a deter- mination to rough it in everything in fact, it is quite a differ- ent life from the time your vessel sails. You all at once feel the comforts of home gone, which, however, prepares you for vour 'new homeland when out for a few years the feelings, health and mode of life appear to make you unfit ever again for Eng- land. E-, T-, R-, T-, and many others I have met with, say, should they ever come home they would not remain, at which I am not surprised. The independent free- dom, healthy horse exercise, with such numerous openings in different modes of life in the bush or towns, with good conduct and strict upright charactors, will soon enable such persons to realise, with management, a goodincome in this golden climate. A- returned from Mount Alexander ten days since almost overdone, the weather so intensely hot, obliged to cart water two miles to wash the gold, his feet burnt and blistered; he has worked hard, and been exposed to more hardships than you can ever imagine. Wehave just recovered him by good nursing and attention. A-, T-, J- and H- are gone to the Ballarat diggings, about fifty-five miles hence. A- has scarcely recovered the fatigue of his first journey, but wished T to try his luck before he commenced any regular employment, therefore they both walked through the bush from here last Thursday at sunrise, with their swags strapped round them, to meet E- and his dray, to take them up, with the necessary tools, food, tents, &c. J. H- rode up the day previous with blankets, rugs, &c. It is not safe to be quite alone, as there are so many desperate charac- ters after sunset no one can safely venture out. Rents, house- keeping, and servants' wages, are very expensive—you can almost choose your own salary: money no object. The lowest digger that ever got gold wi 1 never work again, spend it most imprudently, and when spent will take to the road! Atpresent the whole colony is truly in a fearful state-at the diggings many never return; the women are as reckless as the men many always mad with drinking and excitement. J. H. likes the colony very much. Whilst 1 am writing the heat is so op- pressive I can scarcely breathe. It is night, but we are afraid to keep the house open for fear of the blacks, who are dreadful to look at, remarkably thin, faces resembling a mixture of the dog and human countenances; they wear a black blanket fastened round over on one shoulder with a stick. The Africa# black is beautiful compared with this fearful tribe. If persons will take care of themselves not work exposed to the sun, keep exceedingly clean, changing often, not sleeping in clothes used by day, avoid excess in everything, their good looks will last as long as in merry England. The birds are really beautiful, many of them have sweet plaintive notes, but the magpie/which makes a loud sound like the creaking of a heavy gate. Parrots no larger than the house sparrow, all sorts of fowl, turkeys, geese, swans, &c. The absence of small birds, excepting swallows, accounts for the enormous quantities of insects. We are fortunate in not once being stung with mosquitoes, which are numerous in many places (particularly Melbourne.) All sorts of flies are in abundance, one in particular, which fre- quently gets in the eye, which rapidly swells and closes (with- out much pain) for a few days. You will laugh at E 's remedy-his cook was stung in both eyes, of course they soon closed he made him put two nuts with holes cut in them,raising the upper lid, which enabled the man to see. This invention he has practised upon many of the diggers, much to the amusement of their companions. Perhaps you may benefit by this prescrip- tion. We have killed three trinculas in the house; they are a poisonous spider, as large as young crabs. The centipede is fre- quently seen poisonous as the snake a neighbour found one in her baby's basket. A upon lying down in his tent at the diggings, found a diamond snake undei his pillow—an unplea- her baby's basket. A- upon lying down in his tent at the diggings, found a diamond snake under his pillow-an unplea. sant bedfellow-he crawled under his canvas and was shot. 23rd March.—E ■— is longing for you to come out to relieve him from some of his toil, and trusts you are on the passage. The grapes are now ripe and in great plenty; for sale in great carts drawn by a pair of bullocks they are most delicious in this sunny Climate. It is now blowing a perfect hurricane of sand I can scarcely see or write, the paper is so gritty, perhaps in an hour all will be calm, with a slight shower. An extraordinary climate, but I think you would, upon the whole, greatly admire it more than chiily England. Everything is enormously dear, but salaries accordingly to meet it. L300 per year for shopmen in the linen drapers' shops, where you will see the diggers and I"" «»e. drinking champagne upon the counter, with satins, silks, &c. A pound i day for shoemakers, three guineas per week tor butchers, five shillings per day washerwomen, from 8 o clock A.M., to 6 r.M.; six shillings and eight shillings per dozen washing, one shilling per quart milk, sixteen shillings to make a cotton dress. We heard our party, viz., A. T., and J. H., had reached the gold—three ounces per day, three weeks back, at the top of their pit. They intend purchasing four bul- lock drays, and remain the winter at the diggings, I sincerely rfj TI—"w'(h many other young men, are upon the beauti- T,.eP "'ue sei> hastening to the diggings." This letter was commenced the 23rd February, and finished the 23rd March, as above.-Brisiol Mirror.

These six—the peevish, the niggard, the dissatisfied, the pas- sionate, the suspicious, and those who live upon other's means —are for ever unhappy. The heart is a small thing, but desires great matters. It is not sufficient for a kite's dinner, yet the whole world is not sufficient for it. I hold it to be a fact," says Pascal, that if all persons knew what they said of each other, there would not be four friends in the world." The following knotty question claims the attention of one or all of our debating societies:—" If a man had a tiger by the tail, which would be the best for his personal safety-to hold on, or let go ?" A Jester, in the court of Francis I., complained that a great lord threatened to murder him if he did not cease joking about him. If he does so," said the king, "I will hang him in five minutes after." I wish your majesty would hang him five minutes before," replied the jester. At the theatre, one evening, behind the scenes, Suett observed a performer put something under his cloak, and asked him "What he had got there?" Oh. only my dagger," answered the player. Suett, however, drew out a small bo tile, and having ascertained that it contained his favourite beverage, drank the contents, and returned him the bottle, with these words— there's the sheath." A wretched artist, who thought himself an excellent painter, was talking pompously about decorating the ceiling of his saloon —"I am whitewashing it, and, in a short time, I shall begin painting." "I think you had better," replied one of his audience, paint first, and then whitewash it." The captain of one of the British frigates, a man of undaunted bravery, bad a natural antipathy to a cat. A sailor, who, from misconduct, had been ordered a flogging, saved his back by presenting to his captain the following petition :— By your honour's command A culprit I stand- An example to all the ship's crew I am pinioned, and stript, And condemned to be whipt, And if I am flogged-'tis my due. A cat I am told, In abhorrence you hold- Your honour's aversion is mine; If II cat "ith one tail Makes your stout heart to fail, Oh, save me from one that has nine The genuine Down Easters are all poets. One of them thul practically advertises his truant wife On the 16th of July, on the night of Monday, Eloped from her husband, the wife of John Gundry ) His grief for her absence each day growing deeper, Should any one find her, he begs them to-keep her. A GOLD DIGGER'S STORY. The following private letter from Sydney, dated February 29, shows that gold digging is by no means so easy a life as one would imagine I have had plenty of hardships and hard work, with making a fortune; however, I made what we called in England, good wages-£2 a week clear of rations and all expenses-but, oh, what labour and discomfort to make that! But I will endeavour to give you a slight sketch of my expedi- tion. I started from Mr. S 's house on a Thursday morning I forget the exact date—with a chart of the road, made for me by a friend who had travelled it before. Fifty miles from Sydney I crossed the Razor Back, a particularly high and steep mountain. After I got over, I had for the rest of the road, a distance of 130 miles to travel over mountains, and through the bush, with few houses in the way, and some of them 50 miles apart, and going without seeing a single human being for a couple of days together. Plenty of kangaroos, oppossum3, bandicoots, parrots of all species and colours, cockatoos, both black and white. They were new to me, and their novelty lightened the tedium of a long and weriasome journey. I ar- rived in Braidwood, a small village. 14 miles from the scene of my future labours on the night of the eighth day from the time I left Sydney, and the next morning wended my way to the digging, situated in a gully or creek between the mountains, and with mountains all round. There I joined a party of three rough kind of characters, but honest hardworking men. The first week or ten days was a hard trial to me handling the heavy tools, I assure you that for the first fortnight I never lay down in the tent at night, without every bone in my body aching as if it were broken, but I persevered and soon became hardy and strong The government regulation and system of working at the diggings is this—you pay to the commis- sioner appointed by government 30s. for a month's license, and get 20 feet ofground measured out to you. Thus a party of four by paying jE6, get SO feet of ground in length, and the breadth of the gully or creek, to work, and no man is allowed to put spade into the ground without paying his 30s. a-month license money. The gold is found at various depths from the surface down to 30 or 40 feet beloiv it. We did not get any until we had gone down from 15 to 20 feet, to large rocks -called boulders. When we were down about 10 feet, the water came in upon us, and two out of the four had to keep constantly baling. From daylight in the morning till dusk in the evening 9 -1 have f frequently worked up to my middle in water, and that water fairly poisonous, so impregnated with mineral matter. that if it touch any place where the skin has been knocked off in the slightest degree, you are very safe to have a festered wound there, and one that you will not get well in a hurrv either; it also effects the eyes; no one escapes sore eyes; mine are very much weakened, but much better than I expected they would be at one time, from the state they were in but I must go on with the digging. We open a hole about 12 feet by 7 or 3 broad, and go down through the top soil, red sandstone, blue and white clay, and some stuff like rotten granite, till we come upon the boulders—we move them with crowbars, and under- neath lies the vein, a bluish kind of gravel, containing the gold in greater or less quantities. Through our claims the vein runs very thin—in some places not three inches deep, and very poor, only a few pennyweights of gold in 3<» or 40 buckets full of stuff; but as yet we have only worked the bank, but expect the bed of the creek will yield a rich harvest. A party, about 200 yards higher up the creek, have by the aid of pumps, succeeded in working the bed, and with great success, making from 30 to 48 ounces a man per week, and they say the vein runs right down the creek into our claims, so I suppose when the water goes down we shall have our turn at making a trifle. But I will tell you how we procure the gold. When we get down to what we suppose workable stuff, one takes a large round tin dish, called a Prospecting pan." put a shovel-full of the stuff into it, and washes it in the stream running through the creek the gold, if any, falls to the bottom, and you wash the rest of the stuff away—100 specks in a dish is a very fair prospect." The stuff is then passed up in buckets and washed in the cradle -that I need not describe you will have seen plans of them in Liverpool. The construction is exceedingly simple. You have no idea what labour and hardship there is con- nected with gold digging. The whole time I was up there I do not think I worked dry two days together. Your fare is coarse, and you eat your meat cooked almost any way. You sleep at night on the ground, rolled in a blanket, with a calico sheet to keep the dew off. With daylight in the morning your labours commence, and close at dusk in the evening. The work is hard, the life is a rough one, and the characters you have to associate with rougher still, but as long as money is to 9 cl be made I can bear all the discomforts. As long as a man is willing to work, he can always earn a living there, and has the same chance as others of making a fortune, and there have been very many nice little fortunes made since the diggings commenced. Of the many thousands who will be drawn out here by the news of the gold, those who come here with the fallacious notion, that when thev get to the diggings they will have nothing to do but stoop and pick'the gold up, will be most woefully mistaken. They will have to work hard and endure privations and hardships that no one in England can imagine. While I was up, I saw many parties who came out from Sydney bent on making their fortunes they came down to the creek, looked down in the holes, saw men working up to their middles in water, and then, thoroughly disgusted, turned away and returned to Sydney, without ever putting a spade in the ground. I have come down to buy a few things ready for the winter campaign. On the hill, about a hundred yards from where our tent is pitched, is a favourite tree; in the evenings, when it got dusk, I used to retire and sit under this tree,°to smoke my pipe and think. My reflections, I must confess, are sometimes Jsad and lonely, when I think how far distant I am from ail that are dear to me in this world. The gold market is fluctuating, it has been up to E3 10s. and down to f3; £ 3 4s. and jC3 6s. are the present prices given. Fruit is very plentiful and cheap; beautiful peaches Id. a dozen; grapes, apples, and pears equally cheap. I have lost six or seven pounds in weight while up at the diggings, taken out in perspi- ration, I suppose, but am exceedingly well in health, with face, neck, arms, and hands almost as dark as a black fellow's, from exposure to the sun. I shall have a different complexion on my return to England to what I had when I left."—Bristol rimes.

Local Intelligence. NEWPORT. MAGISTRATES' OFFICE, HIGH STREET. SATURDAY. Magistrates present—Rev. Thos Pope and the Rev. Chancillor Williams. Aa man of colour," named Castor, a green-grocer, was ordered to pay cost" tor which he was ailowed a fortnight, for having been found cc-nraitting the offence of cutting wood, the property of Sir Charles Morgan. REDWICK PARISH AFFAIRS. Messrs. Joliti Roberts and Edward Walter, overseers of the parish of Red'.vick, were summoned for not having paid the sum of £83., a call demanded by the Union, from tie poor's rate.—Mr. Cathcart was solicitor for Mr. Roberta—This eiae arose out of unpleasant circumstances counected with parish affdirsat Redwicn". fne a ppoiatmeDt of overseers wss displeas- ing- to Mr. Roberts, because, as he said, he did not like his fellow-overseer, whom he did not consider a responiib'e man and would not work with him.—The Rev. T. Pope warmly com- mented on Mr. Roberts' conduct, and designated it ungrateful; for he (the magistrate) had twice acted illegally. Mr! Kessick, tke clerk No, not illegally.—Mr. Pope Well, he had twice gone out of the regular mode to oblige Mr. Roberts, as to the appointment of overseers; aud now came that person's refusal to act and to pay, thus causing anaoyance to the Bench, as his reward for having so acted. The fact was, RIf. Roberts wanted to be at the head of parish affairs fit Redwick, or, at least, his neigbours said so and there were continual troubles in consequence.—Mr Roberts repudiated the impeachment, and ddcbred that his neighbours appreciated his efforts on their be- half.—Mr. Pope You are an obstinate man.—Mr. Roberts: No, I only wish to do things iu a regular manner,—Mr. Pope And 10 do I and 1':1 take care that all your parish affiiig that come before me in future, shall be done in a regular manner. The Rev. Chancellor: And 1 am sure that if I am on the bench at the time, I'1i see that nothing ilregular is allowed to pass.- Mr. Roberts: You don't know so much of me as or her people. I am a more upright man than many people say,—Mr. Pope I don't know much about that. People who boast of virtues, do not always possess them—Mr. Roberts declared that he had re- fused to perform the duties of his office, simply from the fact that he did not like hi. brother ove seer, aod would not work with him, because he was not a responsible man." He himself was always ready to perform his duty to the parish, in any and every office but the truth was, he was so willing to assist in parish business, that he had it sometimes thrust upon him in a manner which was quite disagreeable to him.—Mr. Cathcart having addressed the Bench, was privately spoken to by Mr. Pope and afterwards had a confeitnce with his client; when, we under- stand, the matter litigated, was arranged sctisfaclor'ily, A boy, about fifteen years of age, was sect to the House of Correction for twenty-one days' hard labour, he having refused to do the work allotted him at the Union, where he was a pauper. A FERRET THIEF CAUGHT. John Evans, who might fairly be supposed, from an exclama- tion made by the Chancellor, indicative of the rev. magistrate's surprise at seeing the man in Newport, to have left his country for his country's good," Wt8 charged with stealing eight youog ferrets, the property of haac Sargent, farmer, Machen, on Monday morning last.—Mr Cathcart defended the prisoner; and the prisoner was dealt with summarily.—Sergt. Pratten and other persons gave evidence. The prisoner was shown to have had seven ferrets in his possession on the Monday of the theft; which ferrets he disposed of to various persons, on the pretence that he was selling them for Joe Ingram, the keeper"—a first- rate breeder of feirets; but he had also stated that he had pur* chased them of a gipsey and, again, that he knew nothing about any ferrets whatsumdever."—Mr. Sargent identified the ferrets as his property.—Mr. Cathcart admitted that rather a stroog case was made out against the prisoner but urged that the identity of the ferrets had not been clearly established. The learned gentleman also urged the condition of the prisoner's poor mother, in mitigation of pnnishment.-The Rev. Chan. cellor said the latter was the best and indeed only ground which could be urged in behalf of the priioner.—Mr Pope said no better Ippeal could be made for the prisoner than that to feeling, in consideration of the poor parent; but the offence was clearly proved, #nd Evans was comicted in the penalty of £ 2, and 2s.- for the ferrets, with costs; or tWcnty-eight days' hard labour. GAMBLING AT THE ST, JUUAN'S INN. Roger Edmunds, landlord of the St. Julian's Inn, was char- ged with allowing gambling in his house.—The case had been partly heard on a previous petty sessions, when a witness named Limbrick was called for the prosecution but alleged that he saw no gambling whatever, and knew nothing of it.-To-day, a wit- ness named William Collyer, a labourer, swore that not only had Limbrick challenged him to play at dominoes, and, playing with him, had beaten him a game, but the same man had also played with defendant, the hndtotd.—Edmunds If I was never to remove from this place, that is false. I did not play.- Mr. Pope: It really terrifies one, to hear such solemn declara- tions, made against testimony sworn to on oath.—Defendant ad- mitied that dominoes had been played in his houseat other times, but not at the time named. But he was never aware that it was illegal.—Convicted in £ 2 6i., which included costs; and severely admonished as to future conduct.-An altercation en- sued between defendant, who paid the money, and Cook, the constab'e, in which curious recriminations and grave accusations were fiuog at each other. Cook, however, appeared to have the better of it. Both were sent out of the office, to settle their disputations, where they liked. A c instable, named Burr ice, whose language was represented as being foul and disgusting, was fined Is. and expenses, for an assault on Kezia Price, whose replies to the observations im- puted to Bunice, were shown to be still more filthy and dis. graceful than that of her antagonist. \Ve have the pleasure to announce the safe arrival of the ship Try in New York, on the 19th ult., after a speedy and pros- perous passage. The late Hon. John Chetwynd Talbot's successor, as Recorder of Windsor, is understood to be Mr. Skinner, of the Oxford Circuit. HENLLYS. The Anniversary of the Philanthropic Society, held at the Castle-y-bwch, took place on Monday last. the brethren walked in procession to the village church, where an appropriate sermon was preached in Welsh by the Rev. Ilr. Davies. A good dinner was provided by Host Thomas, which gave great satis- faction. The Newport band weie in attendance, and played several pieces of their favouiite music. Several excellent speeches were delivered and the evening's proceedings passed off very pleasantly. ABERGAVENNY. ABERGAVENNY POLICE COURT—MONDAY. Magistrates present F. H. Williams and W. Williams, Esqrs. THE NAVVIES. James Leahey, a healthy-looking and Hercuteao "navvy," was charged with an assault on John Watkins, a quiet-looking fellow, whose slop" was sprinkled thickly with blood, which had flowed from the blows inflicted by defendant on his nose, mouth, &c.—Watkins said he lodged ia the same house with defendant, with whom, some time age, he had a quarrel, which had since been patched up. On Sunday morning, however, the defendant hailed him in an apparently friendly lone, and desired him to come down stairs. He did so, and was at once violently assailed by defendant, who pulled his hair, and knocked him about shamefully. He said he was really afraid the navvy would some day kill him, and therefore prayed he might be bound over to keep the peace.—Defendant was severely lectured by the Bench, and ordered to find two reaped- able suretiea to keep the peace for six months but failing to do so, he was committed to prison until he found bail. CHARGE AGAINST CHARGE. George Harris, a Hampshire navvy, woiking for the contrac- tors, Messrs. Hughes and Larkins, was put to the bar on a charge of riotous conduct and assaulting a special constable, named Joseph Morgan, whose head presented a queer appear- ance from divers tranverfe strips of white plaster: while Harris's nose, or rather the tip of that organ, was completely stripped of its cuticle, and presented a coating of blood, earned, it was alleged, by the staff of one of the officers,—The special stated he had been desired to run to Ned Arice's yard last Saturday evening, where there was said 'o be nothing short of dreadful murder." He ran thither, and was accompanied by the redoubt- able Patrick, one of the "regutars" of the police force, who, on coming to the mob, cried out to the witness, Now, Special, do yer duty, like a man." The defendant was the obstreperous party, and was causing a terrible hubbub. He was taken into custody, aod taken to the vicar's, who ordered him into custody, without bail. At the "gate house," Morgan kicked the special, and inflicted some injuries on the others who- assisted and he was now charged with the offence.—Mr. F. II. Williams said the defendant appeared to be a most desperate character; but thereupon his master, Mr. Hughes, a very re- spectable-iooking person, stepped forward, and said that from the inquiries he had made of tradesmen and other parties, the defendant had been savagely treated by the policemen, and that, too, without any cause.—Patrick, violently: Och, sure, ye're as bad as the baddest of them. (Laughter.)—" Do not interfere impertinently with me, sir," replied Mr. Hughes; "Your ob- servation is unwarranted." You are very impertinent, Patrick," observed a bystander; and the Bench hinted to Patrick that he was not to assume the office of judge, and con- demn persons according to his prejudices.—Mr. Hughes said, so satisfied was he that his man had been improperly treated, that he would pay whatever fine was imposed upon him, for a better- behaved man he had not in his employ.—The Bench &aid that in consideration of this good character, the defendant migi>t be allowed to settle the case with the officers, on paying the costs,—The expenses were aii defrayed by Mr. Hughes, and the case thus terminated. One or two issues being partially heard and remanded to Wednesday, the Court rose. THE RAILWAY WORKS.—We hear of the satisfactory progress which is being made in the extensive works of the Pontypoo), L% Abergavenny, and Hereford Railway, and are assured there is no dcubt of its being completed by September, 1853. The expe- rienceo contractors, Messrs. Rennie, Logan, &, Co., with a Zealand enterprise beji.ting so great an undertaking, spare no exertions to forward the accomplishment of the most important works on the line. AGRICULTURAL PROSPECTS.—Io this district, the hay harvest is general it being admitted that more excellent weather need not be desired. The crops will be large. Happy are wa io learn that farmers are rejoicing at the prospect of a bountiful harvest; anl, indeec', from all that can reasonably be anticipated, Providence wiii this year abundantly bless the "tillers of tbe. | land." BLAINA. BLAINA POLICE—FRIDAY. Magistrates present: the Rev. D. Rees, and T. L. Brewer, and John Conway, Esqrs. Thomas Cox was summoned by the Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Company for t.espatsing on the Western Valleys Line.—He was hoed 10s. and costs, Robert Bsdford was lummoned for a like offence. He strongly denied the charge, which, however, was clearly proved by Superintendent Hill.—Fined U. and costs. Mary Ann Dar^scombe was summoned for a like offence, and fined Is-. and costs. CHEPSTOW. THE RAILWAY BRIDGE OVER THE WYE. (From the Gloucester Chronicle.) There is little doubt now that the "through traffic" from, hecce, via Newport, to Swansea, &c., by means of the South Waies Railway, will, ere another month has passed away, from the present time, be complete for we learn, from the best authority, that the transit across the river Wye at the Chepstow and Tulshil 1 picturesque rocks, at the point of the highest tide ia England, will, before the Ist of August next, be unbroken. At ¡ present the 26th instant is fixed for the opening of the bridge for traffic. The down-line of the bridge, suspended from the stupendous iron tube, which was so successfully carried across that river, and raised, without mishap, to its final resting place, last April, is now nearly complete, and with about a fortnight's continuous labour, after the same rate of the last few weeke, will be quite finished, and ready for carrying engines and trains over this romantic river. The Government inspector has already partially gone over and examined these unique and original works, and the line, should his report hereafter be favourable, will be opened for public traffic on the 26ih, as already stated. From thenceforth the present break from Chepstow East into the town and the west station, and the omnibus transfer and road route of a mile and a half, will be done away with, to tiie great delight of the tra- veller. The tube has now a far better appearance, with railroad and- side plates, or retaining iron walls attached, than before, pre- serving, at the same time, its light and most graceful effect, so much admired, while its unities and connection is evident, for it no longer seems to stretch ilseH aloft. and alone, having nought to do with the embankment and line, on perpendicular iron cylioders on the west end, and excavated work and stone columns and arch at the east end. When complete and opened to the public, this magnificent bridge, after the excitement of elections and political contests are over in the provinces, will afford another feature of attrac- tion in this already highly-favouted locality, for tourist and tra. veiler, this autumn, and doubtless hundreds will be led to these parts to reconnoitre another of the vast wonders of civilization and art achieved in this happy and highly-favoured land during late years. The second tube for the bridge is nearly finished, and ready for swinging across the river and elevation to its final resttng- place, at the side of its elder sister. A vast increase in the goods traffic is anticipated after August, and to our vicinity, and the town of Cheltenham, much benefit will, doubtless, accrue by the transmission of the cheap and excellent Monmouthihire and G lamorganshire coal, the use and advantages of which have as yet been denied us, for want of a cheap and facile means of communication, and we may safely calculate on a still greater diminution in its price at our doors. Indeed,J we hear this coal will be sent to the Reading and Loudon markets, and sold at prices below either the Forest, Somersetshire, West Gloucestershire, or North Country coals and will effectually compete with the ship transit and coast trade. A large traffic in iron and other merchandise to London and the north, through our city, will also take place; and new markets in iron districts will be opened to the depressed agri- culfnisls of our country. To any rtspect we regard the full opening of the South Wales Railway as of the first importance to our city. Would that we could offer congratulations on the progress towards the conversion of the two old tram-roads from Bullo Pill and Lydney into the heart of the Forest, into locomotive lines on the broad gauge. We trust the Woods' Commissionei* letter will stimulate the parties interested. CARDIFF. CORONERS' CHARGES—THE ABERDARE EXPLOSION. At the last Glamorganshire Sessions, held at Cardiff, the Financial Committee, in tbeir report, said— Your committee regret that a great increase in the expense of coroners' inquests has taken place in the last quarter, occa. sioned by the late accident at Aberdare. They recommend that Mr. Overton's bill be allowed at the sum of £97 16.. lid." The Clerk of the Peace read correspondence which had taken place between himself and Mr. Overton, in reference to the ex- penses attendant upon the inquest on the unfortunate sufferers in the recent calamitous colliery explosion at Aberdare. From what we could gather, Mr. Overton submitted that he was entitled to a separate fee on each body, and maintained that this would not remunerate him for the labour and expense attendant upon the inquest. The inquiry continued during a fortnight, taking up the whole time of himself and clerk, to the exclusion of other business. In addition to this, he had to conduct much correspondence with the Home Office, while the inquiry into so serious a catastrophe involved great mental anxiety. It will be observed that the finance committee did not agree to the allow- ance of the full fee on each body, but they were willing to allow for four separate inquisitions, and 6s. 8J. for the permissive warrant to bury in the 64 other cases. Mr. Overton britfly stated he would not again go over the grounds set forth in the circular for belie-ving that he was entitled to a separate fee in each case. He had consulted the coroner in Yorkshire, who had lately held inquests in a colliery explosion under similar circumstances, as well as*Mr Payne, coroner for London. Both these gentlemen advised him that he was bound- to hold a separate inquest in each case, and the allowance which he now submitted he was entitled to, had been made to the coroner of Yorkshire. He deemed it necessary to state these facts, and would leave the case in the hands of the magistrates, believing that the court would not wish to place the coroners of Glamorganshire in a worse position than those of other counties. The Chairman did not think that the practice of othercountiee ought to form an invariable precedent for this court. It bad been the usual practice to allow the expenses of one inquisition where the deaths had taken place from the same canse. At the same time it appeared that:tbis was a peculiar case, and that there existed three separate causes of deaths but the finance. committee were of opinion that the full fee for four inquests, with theallowance of 6s 8d for warrants to bury, in the remaining cases,, would be a fair compensation for the labour and ansiety under- gone. He, the chairman, was disposed to coocur in thatopiniot),. and would therefore move that the report of the finance com- mittee be adopted. No other magistrate rising to address the Court, the chairman'. proposition was carried nem con.

AN IfusH GRACE.—Some years ago, when the Duke of Devonshire paid a visit to bis estates in Ireland, the steward o the mansion at which his Grace intended to sojenrn, called- all the domestics together to tell them how to demean them- selves, saying, among other things, that their master was- much higher than a Lord—he was a Duke; "and," said be, qu,aintly, whenever he speaks to you, you must say 'your grace. This made a deep impression on a housemaid whose province was to conduct the duke to his sleeping apartments. When on the stairs, the Duke said, good-humouredly, Well, my girl, what is your name 1" The girl, thinking of the, steward's injunction, put up her hands, and began, For what I am going to receive, the Lord make me truly thankful.'