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LESTER WALLACES SCHOOL-DAYS.
LESTER WALLACES SCHOOL-DAYS. My first experience on any stage was at an establishment at Mitcham, in Surrey, called Baron House Academy, a fine old mansion which had become a private school. Colman's Heir at Law was produced immediately before the beginning of the summer holidays, upon an improvised stage in the school-room, with the English usher as prompter and general manager. As the son of "the celebrated Mr Wallack," it was felt proper, naturally, that I should take part, and I was billed for the speech from Home's tragedy of Douglas —" My name is Norval" — although I was only ten years of age. I was dressed in a red tunic trimmed with fur, whi e trousers, and red shoes, and carried a round wooden shield and a wooden sword painted blue. As for the lines, I suppose 1 must have painted them. red. How I spoke them heaven only kuows. I only remember that I never missed a syllable. My next appearance was at another school performance given at Brighton, when I was about fifteen y3ars old. This was at a seminary kept by a Mr Allfree, which was then rather celebrated, and the play was Pizarro. At that time my uncle, Henry Wallack, was stage-manager at Covent Garden. Of course all the boys were racking their brains and ransacking the shops to find what they should wear. My mother applied to my uncle, who sent down a lot of splendid properties, a leopard skin robe and all the necessary things for Rolla, all of which were of course very much too large for me, particularly the sandals. I remember nothing of the play except that it went off with a great daal of applause, but I do remember that the end was a most undignified one for me, be- cause as I fell dead I fell just exactly where the curtain must come down on me and when it began to descend the boy who played Alonzo and one of the soldiers stepped forward, and taking me, one by one leg and one by the other. dragged me up the btage, a bit of new business which was greatly appreciated if I might judge from the roars in front.-From Memories of the Last Fifty Years," in Scribner't Magazine for October.
A FACT ON THE FACE OF IT.
A FACT ON THE FACE OF IT. Great Scott, what a rattling good time I most have had last night
[No title]
"If women are really angels," writes an old., bachelor, "why don't they fly over the feti0e°~. instead of making such a fearfully awkward job p[- climbing j TAKING SOUNDINGS.—Mr Schwirmer (to the young widow of old Otard): And so you realty say, Mrs Otard, that a girl of twenty can actually be sincere when she says she truly loves a man of fifty ? Mrs Otard: Sincere! Of course I do Mr Schwirmer: Ob, thank you Then maybe there'll be some chance for «me;-4wenty years hence* after all J r'
FACTS FOR FARMERS. ...
FACTS FOR FARMERS. Current Notes on Agricultural Topics. BY A PRACTICAL WELSH FARMER. [SPECIALLY CONTRIBUTED.] LANDLORD AND TENANT. The invariable argument used by the class of landlords referred to in my notes of last week is that inasmuch as the land in their possession has either been left them, or that they have bought and paid fcr it themselves, they are the owuers, and are at perfect liberty to do what they like with their own possessions that no one has a right to take them to task for getting as much income as they possibly can from the land and that, if it pleases them better, they have the right to let the land lie idle and totally unproductive. Now, the first of these arguments that they have unrestricted possession is denied. They may have some sort of possession for the time being, but every authority says that the legitimate owner of all the land is the State, which allows the so-called landowner certain rights, subject to its control. This will be seen when application is made in Parliament for land for any publfc purpose, such as reservoirs, rail- ways, etc., when the State reasserts its owner- ship, and compels the transfer of land for these purposes, without the consent of the landlord. The persons who now stand as proprietors of land mipht more properly be regarded as agents or holders in trust for the State. And we may before long see the land taken once more under the immediate control of the State without the interference of these landlords if things do not shortly improve between landlord and tenant. But putting this all on one side, what moral right has any one to do what he lilres with land, a thing which supplies the necessaries of life to the people ? Yet the law as it now stands allows anyone that can find capital enough and get the present pro- prietors to sell, to buy Dyffryn Clwyd or Dyffryn Towy, and make a rabbit warren of it, compelling all the present occupiers to evacuate their holdings. The landlord, if he sees fit, may allow his land to lie idle and run wild, producing nothing for the good of the state, and bearing none of the burdens of the commonwealth, for such land would be excused from paying the rates, the burden of which would consequently fall heavier upon others. Some may say it is foolish to imagine anything of the sort. The idea s, however, not so wild as might be supposed, for, on a somewhat smaller scale, something similar has, to my knowledge, taken place within the last few years in South Wales. Others may also know of similar cases. FARMS LYING IDLE. The instance I refer to is, of course, on a smaller scale, but on a single estate—a tract of land that comprised seven or eight valuable farms, most of them formerly assessed at their hundreds of pounds rent—were left to run to waste. The landlord, an old man, had four of five of these farms thrown on his hands through the tenants failing to pay the high-reut demanded. Others were bought by him, and he would not let them at their commercial value. Many farmers had tried and failed to take these farms, as the rent demanded for them was out of all proportion above what any one could hope to make out of them. The landlord being possessed of a headstrong temper, aud unwilling to confess he had made a mistake, kept all these farms idle for some years, and idle they would yet have been but for one circumstance. He played the dog in the manger; he would not let the farms unless he could get the specified amount of rent he had fixed upon neither would he farm them himself Consequently, each years' grass and hay crops wan allowed to rot on the land, and when any one ventured to remonstrate with him about it his reply generally was: "Never you mind; my farms belong to me, and I can do what I like with them. If I please myself it is no one else's business to interfere, as they do not tose anything by it." This, however, was a great mistake. The produce of all these farms was lost altogether to the country, and this through these farms being in possession of a whimsical, headstrong man. What if all the land- lords of Great Britain were to take the same course of keeping their land idle for a year or two ? We should soon have a new act passed compelling them at least to let the land, at a fair and reasonable valuation, to those who were willing to put them once more into cultivation. Every acre of land that might ba made productive, but is not, is a direct loss to the commonwealth, and every shilling of rates that is not paid by any farms which lie idle has to be paid by those which are cultivated, and thus a double burden is entailed. COMBINATION OF WELSH MEMBERS NECESSARY. There is no doubt whatever about the ingenuity and perseverance displayed by many landlords in getting more than the value for the land in South Wales, As to their right in this matter, the wisdom of the proceedingbeing entirely out of the question, I very much doubt. I dare say there would be a cry of confiscation and robbeiy raised by these gentlemen if webadaLandBlllsomethmg similar to what our Irish brothers have managed to secure through their spirited representatives. Yes, these gentlemen would most likely oppose such a measure for Wales, and that not without some reason, as it would curtail their income to an appreciable extent by the compulsory reduc- tion of rents to their commercial value. But such a measure we, as farmers, are anxiously waiting for. We hear now and then of such a bill being forwarded by Mr Bowen Rowlands and others, ,but so far we think there has been a lack of combination on the part of our members to carry a measure that will be of real benefit to the principality. Our hopes have been revived lately by the prospect of the early formation of a Welsh party in Parliament, and we shall be disappointed if they cannot effect some good in this direction. The Need of a Land Bill for Wales. As to the thorough need of such a measure there can be no question it is beyond doubt as much needed hereasit was in Ireland. But when a Land Bill is iutroduced let us have something substan- tial, and not a farce and a sham like the present Agricultural Holdings Act, an act that has not one redeeming point that is worth mentioning. The chief point in that is the security for improve- ments clause, but in that there is no compensation available unless the improvement is done with the landlord's consent, and, of bourse, in such cases when both parties agree, and with such landlords no Act of Parliament is required. I have never heard of any farmer iu South Wales getting any compensation of any value through this act. This act is all very well with such land- lords as do not require the interference of the law —those generous landlords who have shown such sympathy towards their tenatns in these bad times. What we want is an act of a comprehensive cha- racter, and, of course, compulsory, with no loop- hole to escape. Without making it absolutely compulsory it will be no good, as the very landlords whose actions required the inter- vention of the legislature for the due protec- tion of the tenants would soon contract themselves out of it as they have done in the past. We want an effective land bill that would confer on the tenant farmer all the practical advantages of ownership in his labour and his outlay; one that would enable the tenant to sell his improvements to the highest bidder, as that would do away with the unsatisfactory and vexed question of valuation, and it would entail no unfairness or hardship on the landlord. A Suggestion for Mr Bowen Rowlands. There is now one landlord in Carmarthenshire that does voluntarily allow all his tenants when leaving to sell their improvements to th", highest bidder. I should strongly recommend that when ii some of our members have drafted any such bill, that it should, before being actually introduced in the House of Commons, be printed and circulated through the whole of Wales, that our tenant farmers might be able to criticise it and give their opinion upon it. No one knows better where the shoe pinches than the wearer. By doing this some valuable suggestions might, and probably would, be forthcoming. Our farmers are twitted and condemned for not showing more enterprise in their business. How can it be expected otherwise when it is considered what restriction is applied to them ? Any im- provement made by the tenant on the holding is soon confiscated by. the. landlord b# an juuseaso of rent. But when a good Land Bill is passed, and I he has a clear field before him, the Welsh farmer will soon alter this state of things, and I will venture to say that land will be made to produse double what it does at the present time. THE CATTLE TRADE, As I anticipated some time ago, the high prices which have recently prevailed at Welsh fairs have been superficial, and cannot be maintained. At Rugby market there has been experienced a considerable check in the sale of storers, a good many dealers being unable to sell any at all. It should be remembered, too, that this was not the result of overcrowding the market, as the number of beasts offered was not large. The glut was due to the very bad price the farmers are getting for fat stock, fat bullocks fetching extraordinary low prices. Rugby market is one of the most important in the kingdom, and, as at Northampton and other places, many hundreds are sold each week. Butchers attend Rugby from Birmingham and other large centres of population. The method of procedure would appear strange to frequenters of Welsh fairs and markets. The grazier never sells his own beasts, but entrusts his fat stock for sale to a recognized salesman, of whom there are two with their assistants at Rugby market every Monday. These two will knock down or sell in two hours time as much stock as our ordinary auctioneers would do in a two days' sale. The Rugby salesmen have their counting-houses in the market, and all transactions are strictly ready money. The business done is great, and materially influences the trade throughout the country. Monday's Mark Lane Express, reviewing the week, says :—Rain, which fell in most localities early last week, and heavy dews at night have prevented the later harvest being secured in good condition. From inquiries among correspondents, it appears that the bulk of the wheat crop is variable, but that the general bulk of crops is greater than anticipated. Condition, however, is generally very poor. This fact, together with the presumption that farmers deliveries of new wheats must now fall off for the time, has improved the tone of the trade, and values may be considered as about Is higher since Monday last. London top price nominal of flour reduced 33 late in the day on Mouday, and now stands at 36s, but values have since gained bd. The difference in the value of wheats of this year s growth and those of last year's growth at the corresponding period of the year is practically that between 581bs. and 631 bs. per bushel. New barleys appear to be useful, but there are few really fine samples. The trade for foreign wheat off stands in London has been hardening since Monday. The Liverpool market was Id to 2d per cental dearer on Tuesday, and again on Friday. Flour gained 61 per sack since Monday.
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- WORKMEN'S TOPICS. ..
WORKMEN'S TOPICS. 6Y W. ABRAHAM, M.P., Mabon. THE GREAT LOCK-OUT IN THE BUILDING TRADES OF LONDON. Altar the recommendations made by the em. ployers' committee to lock out all the workmen in connection with the building trades, it became more evident from day to day that they were going to make strenuous efforts to crush out any spirit of independence the workmen may have had. They expressed a firm determination to crush out the pernicious nine hours' movement of what they called "the self-constituted con- ference," and in this eflort they were most pleased to afford their peaceable and well-disposed workmen an opportunity of co-operating with them in so doing. They would be most happy tore-engage at their respective works all who would be ready, honestly and without any equivocations, to agree to the following conditions. They were to distinctly pledge their word to the observance of the conditions required, and after agreement read over to then receiving a copy thereof, and their names e^fd on e engagement book, each person would be allowed to resume his work, the terms of the agreement being as followT "I declare that I am not now' nor will during the continuance of my engagemen with you, become a member of. or support, any society which, directly or indirectly, interferes with the arrangements of this or any other establishment, or the hours or terms of labour; and that I recognise the right of the employers and employed individually to make any trade engagements on which they may choose to agree." Such were the terms offered to free Englishmen in one of the most insulting and degrading docu- ments ever agreed to by a body of English gentlemen. However, degrading as it was, it found a few workmen servile enough to fall in with its terms, and to form an anti-strikes committee. Moreover, the employers' actions displayed the grossest inconsistency while they were denouncing combinations on the part of their workmen, they were promoting the same line of conduct themselves. For simultaneously with the publication of the agreement referred to above, and even in the same document, were found the following recommendation :—" Your committee would further advise that every firm connected with the metropolitan building trades should be invited to become members of the association, and to co-operate in observing the foregoing suggestions." On the 2nd of August, 1859, Lord Brougham, in the House of Lords, called the attention of the Government to the strike and threatened lock- out. Lord Granville, on the part of the Govern- ment, said their attention had already been drawn to the subject, and that as far as it was competent for them to interfere, which could only be in maintaining peace and order, they would do so. On the 3rd of August, the operatives engaged iu the building trades made an open air demonstra- tion in Hyde Park, for the purpose of showing their disapprobation of the proposed document. Many thousands were present, and the proceedings were conducted with regularity, and quiet and order were strictly observed. Several speeches were made, and the following resolution waa, carried unanimously — That this meeting views with regret the antagonism assumed by the ,employers, inasmuch as the spirit they display is calculated to widen the breach already existing, by endeavouring to trample out the apirit of unanimity which originated and still anitnates the nine hours movement, and as the pledge which they would exact from us by signing the document they propose submitting would rob 118 of every privilege of free men, and reduce Ua to ttre condition of serfs, we determine to use every moral power of resistance, and pledge our- selves to use all constitutional measures for bringing the nine hours movement to a successful termination." On Saturday, August the 6th, in conformity with the recommendations of the committee, THE GREAT LOCK-OUT took place 225 of the largest firms of the City of London, employing, it was said, 24,000 out of 140,000 artisans, closed their shops. Several very large and important works were closed. In some eases an extension of time was conceded to the builders, in others the emergency had been provided for by the insertion of a strike clause in the builders' contracts. To obtain money for the men on strike and lock-out, meetings were held at various towns throughout the country. About the same time a movement was got up by some men who dis- approved of the strike and of the interference of trades' societies between masters and men, and an anti-strike committee was formed. They received subscriptions from the public, and were joined by about 500 men, mho enrolled their names and declared themselves ready to go to their work under the declaration, on condition tbat it should be made a shop mie only, and that the actual signing should be dispensed with. The movement met with no success, and shortly fell through. On the 12th of September the employers agreed to reopen their establishments to all that were willing to work under the condition of their declaration. But as they adhered to the docu- ment, their efforts to obtain men were in mos- cnses without success: though after a time they made some progress in engaging workmen by scouring the country in search of men to supply %be places of those who refused to go in. About this time several attempts were made by independent parties to induce a compromise between employers and workmen, on the under- standing that the men should resume work on the old terms, and that the document should be withdrawn. Prior to these negotiations the operative masons had not been supporters in the strike by their separate trade union, the object of the strike not being approved by the society in general. In these negotiations the masters abso- lutely refused to withdraw the obnoxious declara- tion, and the men were informed that they could resume work on no other terms than those of the declaration, and this at once legalised the strike, and the masons became entitled to strike pay. The masters who still adhered to the declaration were gradually filling their shops with workmen from the country. The number of men out of work, which had been upwards of ten thousand in August, had fallen gradually to about five thousand in October, at which they remained stationary for many weeks. The men and their families suffered severely, of which the returns of the Registrar-General of the mortality in the building trades bore melancholy evidence, and showed both the nature of the hardships which they were undergoing, and the strength of purpose which induced them still to bold out against going to work under the document. THE LAW AGAINST INTIMIDATION. In the beginning of December a suggestion was made by Lord St. Leonards that the document should be withdrawn, and that in lieu of it there should bo hung up in every shop a paper em- bodying the law affecting masters and men, and inasmuch as this law is of the greatest possible interest to the workmen of the present day, and they have to duly regard its provisions it will need no apology for appending it here. This Act of Parliament (iTGeorge IV, cap. 129) repeals all the former laws relative to the combination of workmen, and states that combination interfering with the free employment of capital and labour are injurious to trade and commerce, dangerous to the tran- quility of the country, and especially to the interests of all who are concerned in them. The object of the act is then declared to be to make'provision, as well for the security and xtsrsoual freedom of individual workmen in the disposal of their skill and labour, and for the security of the property of persons of masters ttnd etaptoyers. The act then makes the following offences punishable by imprisonment not exceeding three months, with or without hard labour, viz., where any person shall, by violence to the person or property, or by threats, or by intimidation, or by molestation, or in any way obstruct another- 1.Force, or endeavour to force, any journey inan, manufacturer, workman, or other person not being hired or employed, from hiring himself to, or accepting work or employment from, any person or persons 2.—Or prevent, or endeavour to prevent, any Journeyman, manufacturer, workman, or other ^persons not being hired or employedt from hirwg = himself to, or from accepting work or employment from, any person or persons; 3.—Or for the purpose of forcing or inducing any person to belong to any club or association or to contribute to any common fund, or pay any fine or penalty, or, on account of his not belonging to any club or association, or not having contributed, or having refused to contribute to any common fund, or to pay any fine or penalty, or on account of his not having complied, or his refusing to comply with any rules, orders, resolu- tions or regulations made to obtain any advance, or to reduce the rate of wages, or to lessen or abate the hours of working, or to decrease or alter the quantity of work, or to regulate the mode of carrying on manufacture, trade, or business, or management thereof 11 4,-Or shall force, or endeavour to force, any manufacturer or person carrying on any trade or business to make any alterations in his mode of regulating, managing, or carrying on such trade, manufacture, or business., or to limit his number of apprentices, or the number or descrip- tion of his journeymen, workmen, or servants. I shall deal with the provisional modification of this and other subsequent acts in my next letter.
Musical Reminicences of Swansea.…
Musical Reminicences of Swansea. -< By DR JOSEPH PARRY. This will be my last letter from Swansea, where I have spent some seven years and a half of my existence, during which time I have laboured in behalf of musical education in this my native country. The journey of life is a long one, and to some of us a most varied and restless one,being full of changes. Such changes carry with them events loaded with associations and recollections that cling to us through life. In leaving Swansea I once more see, as in a dream, all the chief in- cidents of the Swansea period of my life. I, like most mortals, find a good share of pleasures, blessings, and friends, which cheer and swell the heart with emotions of delight aad gratitude; yes, such as that time cannot easily wipe away. Here arise happy recollections within the concert room, my place of worship, and my classes where I met the many young musical students who were entrusted to my care and guidance. May I modestly hope that at least a few of my many intended hopes and labours in the concert room, tended in the right direction of high musical culture, both vocally and instrumentally And in the sanctuary, Ebenezer, and its fondly attached choir members, let me ardently trust that the many happy hours during which we sang, and offered up together our strains of devotional praise, will be long remembered by the chapel members, the choir, and myself. The friendship of the choir and myself was an uubroken sequence of sweet concord and Christianlike brotherhood. I feel that there are just reasons to hope that much good was accomplished in the elevation of purely high-class devotional music within the sanctuary, and by our effort to bring the anthem into the service, so as to widen the scope of sacred music in our Welsh Nonconformity places of worship, for we sang an anthem every Sunday night all the year round, thus giving to this class of music all the rehearsing hours and singing in the chapel, and never for competitive struggles, as is so much the case with our Welsh chapel choirs. Also many happy hours are vividly recalled, hours spent in company with my pupils, both in private lessons and at the various classes held by us, when we enjoyed the heavenly inspirations of the great masters of all schools and nationalities of musical composition, and when we analysed and closely examined their works, their mode of construction of the highest and most scholastic forms of our art, from the partita, suite, sonata, the fugue, and still later forms of the modern school. By these means youthful minds were led gently and e^er upwards to the summits of our art, ao that they, I trust, may go still higher, and able to keenly enjoy, intelligently understand, and finally intensely feel their warmth and beauty of expres- sion, which is the kernel, pith, and soul of art. Cardiff is destined to be my next field of industry, and, I hope, of usefulness. One would like to know for how long My present letter has more to do with Swansea and its recollections of the never repeated past than with Cardiff and its antici- pations of the future. As I leave thee, Swansea, holding as thou dost my friends and pupils, I do so leaving behind me my best and purest wishes for your successes, and as I depart, lot me hope to have your best wishes in return, that we may with sincerity join uniting our hearts together in that most beautiful word-farewell.
A NARROW ESCAPE.
A NARROW ESCAPE. From Theodore Roosevelt's illustrated paper on "Frontier Types, "in the October "Century," we quote the following description of one of his trappers, a French Canadian Once or twice he showed a curious reluctance about allowing a man to approach him suddenly from behind. Altogether his actions were so odd that I felt some curiosity to learn his history. It turned out that he had been through a rather uncanny ex- perience the winter before. He and another man had gone into a remote basin, or inclosed valley, in the heart of the mountains, where game was very plentiful; indeed, it was so abundant that they de- cided to pass the winter there. Accordingly they put up a log-cabin, working bard, and merely killing enough meat for their immediate use. Just as It was finished winter set in with tremendous snow- storms. Going out to hunt, in the first lull, they found, to their consternation, that every head of game had left the valley. Not an animal was to be found therein they had abandoned it for their winter haunts. The outlook for the two adventurers was appalling. They were afraid of trying to break out through the deep snow-drifts, and starvation stared them in the face if they staid. The man that I met had his dog with him They put themselves on very short com- mons, so as to use up their flour as slowly as. possible, and hunted unweariedly, but saw nothing. Soon a violent quarrel broke out between them. The other man, a fierce, sullen fellow, insisted that the dog should be killed, but the owner was exceedingly attached to it, and refused. For a couple of weeks they spoke no words to each other, though cooped in the little narrow pen of logs. Then one night the owner of the dog was wakened by the animal crying out; the other man had tried to kill it with his knifet but failed. The provisions were now almos exhausted, and the two men were glaring at each other with the rage of maddened, ravening hunger. Neither dared to sleep for fear that the other would kill him. Then the one who owned the dog at last spoke, and proposed that, to give each a chance for his life, they should separate. He would take half of the handful of flour that was left and start off to try to get home; the other should stay where he was; and if he tried to follow the first, he was warned that he should be shot without mercy. A like fate was to be the portion of the wanderer if driven to return to the but. The arrangement was agreed to and the two men separated, neither daring to turn his back while they were within rifle-shot of each other. For two days the one who went off toiled on with weary weakness through the snow-drifts. Late on the second afternoon, as he looked back from a high ridge, he saw in the far distance a black speck against the snow, coming along on his trail. His companion was dogging his footsteps. Immediately he followed his own trail back a little way and lay in ambush. At dusk his companion came stealthily up, rifle in hand, peering cautiously ahead, his drawn face showing the starved, eager ferocity of a wild beast, and the man he was hunting shot him down exactly as if he had been one. Leaving the body where it fell, the wanderer continued his, journey, the dog staggering painfully behind him. The next evening he baked his last cake and divided it with the dog. In the morn- ing, with his belt drawn still tighter round his skeleton body, he once more set out, with apparently only a few hours of dull misery between him and death. At noon he crossed the track of a huge timber-wolf instantly the dog gave tongue, and, rallying its strength, ran along the trail. The man struggled after. At last his strength gave out and he sat down to die; but while sitting still, slowly stiffening with the cold, he heard the dog baying in the woods. Shaking off his mortal numbness, he crawled towards the sound, and found the wolf over the body of a deer that he bad just killed, and keeping the dog from it. At the approach of the new assailant the wolf sullenly drew off, and man and dog tore the raw deer-flesh with hideous eagerness. It made them very sick for the next twenty-four hours; but, lying by the carcase for two or three days, they recovered strength."
AN OCEAN MASQUERADE.
AN OCEAN MASQUERADE. Altogether, you can hardly help fancying that the sea-slug has dressed himself up in the sea- weed's clothes and is playing a sort of masquerade. But the sea-slug has been disguised as a plant for a good reason, for the sea is full of hungry fishes, always roving about on the lookout for just such a tidbit as a sea-slug. The sea-slug therefore has been coloured and shaped like the sea-we.'d it lives on, in order that, when some sharp-eyed fish oomes swimming along, he may never dream so tempting a morsel to be near. I suppose he looks at it and turns up his nose, saying to himself Pooh that's nothing but an old sea-weed 11 and off he goes, while our sea-slug no doubt laughs in its sleeve and says," Sea-weed indeed This wonderful resemblance is an example of what naturalists call Protective Resemblance which in this case is so perfect as to merit the name of Mimicry." Because, you see, the animal mimics the plant, and is thus protected from its enemies.—Edmund Wilson, in "Si- Nicholas for October. r-
HARD TO CLASSIFY.
HARD TO CLASSIFY. [Re-engraved from Harper's Weekly ] John (who has just had his head shaved) How < muchee ? Barber (in perplexity) Wal, mistah, I ha'dly knows whudder it's a shave ur a ba'r cut; but just wait a minit till I speak wid de boss.
[No title]
A young man ought not to propose too grace- fully. If he does the girl may get the idea that he baahadauae practioe than she ddezos deeirable.
WELSH GLEANINGS. I
WELSH GLEANINGS. I By Maelgwyn. | "Flashes from the Welsh Pulpit" is the title of a book to be issued this I month by the well-known London publishers, I Messrs Hodder and Stoughton. The Rev Gwynoro Davies, of Barmoutb, is the editor, and I be will, no doubt, give English readers a fuller < conception than they now have of the pulpit J strength of Wales, old and new. ( ♦ ( My friend Iorwerth, who is alwnys much I interested in Welsh matters, has just favoured ] me with a very interesting correspondence which < passed between him and the late Bishop Oilivant, j of Llandaff. In the course of one of these letters, j the Bishop, writing from Llandaff under date I February 24th, 1882, says With reference to I such children as usually attend national and I similar schools, and are living in a thoroughly I Welsh parish, never hearing English in their homes or from their companions, I would say that to endeavour to give instruction to such chil- c dren in a language they do not understand is, I in my opinion, vain. It may make them parrots, but cannot really educate them. At the I end of such a course, generally speaking, their i minds must be almost as stagnant as when they began. On the other hand, if you stimulate their acuities by presenting information of an elemen- tary kind through a medium by which they are capa le of receiving it, they will spontaneously ?eek for additional knowledge for its own sake erea ter. It should be remembered that this was written three years before there was any idea of forming a Soc.ety for Utilizing the Welsh anguage. I wonder whether the present Bishop J,, a isequally favourable to the movement? The hero of the Goitre episode should be. Those who remember th# late Matthew Arnold's kindly sympathy with Wales and the Welsh, and have not yet forgotten tho»e last words of his to us, will be interested to lewn that his daughter is D,°^, °n ,a1) v'SIt to her aunt, Mrs* Benson, A "KZ" "U er* Some years ago, Matthew Arnold, while staying at the same place, attended Divine service one Sunday morning at the Calvinistic Methodist Chapel at Burry's Green. The officiating minister at the time was, the Rev Samuel Price, the pastor. He joined in the communion service as well.. • Some months ago the directors of the Barry Dock advertised for a (lockmaster for their new dock now in course of construction at Barry. Out of a host of applicants the directors appointed to the i position Captain Richard Davies, deputy- 1 dockmasteratPenarth. Captam Davies, who is about 40 years of age, w,ll bring tc the duties of < the office all the energies of a man in his prime. He is, I understand, a thorough Welshman being a native of « Cardiganshire. After aervi„g his apprentice: ship m he mercantile *e:v,ce out of Liverpool, he rap,dly obtained prott0ti0I1, and was pu^ command of a large ship when only 22 years of age. Captain Davies was at tinst chiefly engaged m the colonial and California trade, but subse- quently took command of a large steamer. Some four years ago he was appointed deputy-dock- master at Penarth Dock, where he has proved himself a thoroughly competent and efficient officer. Capt. Davies takes on the duties of his new position forthwith.and will thus bring to bear upon many points affecting the completion of the magnificent works at Barry his nautical know- ledge and experience. His departure from Penarth will be generally regretted. Mr Alfred Davies, of Hampstead, has been solicited to stand as a Gladstonian candidate for the Lowestoft division ot Suffolk, in opposition to Sir Saville Crossley, the dissentient Liberal member. This division of Suffolk is considered a safe seat for a true Liberal. Mr Davies felt compelled to decline the consideration of the question on the ground that he was not free his heart being set upon his native country Wales whose interests one day he hopes to represent in the House of Commons.
UNIQUE RAILROADING.
UNIQUE RAILROADING. A young lady who had just returned from a far Southern tour wtit narrating experiences away t Za ? X,S to 4 Nashville American reporter who!! that happened upon the hole trip she said, "was travelling through Alabama. We had just passed a little town in was called tn>e COtt°n ^lstrFict uwilen my attention was called to one enl of the coach, where T oticed several passengers standing around a bov about twelve years old. He was yelling voc.fe rously, with his hand poked into one eye Aladv whom I took to bo his mother was doing ,11 in h« power to quiet him. Between the yells he STS I" expl*ln,the cause of bis mishap. He said that he was looking out qf the window when as the S° W3S HUn'1'ng near the tra<* '» a field, as the train was passing, picked up a rock and panTshatter™' tT,la ,stono 8truck the window- pane, shattering it, and a piece of g]ass cut a Inner and painful gash under the young tourist's eve as offet ing some suggestion and interfering with those who were trying to bind up the wound. < Wme "P" "W «hi. time Upon learning the situation he imme- diately stopped the train, and began backing it to MS S"8-1" *«• A° the trail! miIes frnnf thi rate> ifc several miles trom the scene of the action. The lad who threw the stone was standing Dear the track with t ^ar stonnmi ?k comiDffc back. b»t when the car stopper withm a few must havegues8ed the reason, for he immediately grasped his hat in his hand and started like a racehorse across the muddy fields. In a few minutes all the male passengers ou the train were in hot pursuit and all the females were at th™ windows watching the chase. Over fences and across fields the little toy and bis pursuers ran Finally a bill hid the race from our view Frr nearly half an hour we waited in suspense the ( result of the chase. The first man to make his ( appearance was a drummer, who explained that after chasing the yourg miscreant about a mile they came to a broac, shallow creek, which the boy plunged through without hesitation, but the c passengers, not.desirous of gettiog wet, decided to discontinue the fursuit. It was the most A ridiculous thing I evar witnessed. Just imaeine aftflrVfwef 0r f0Cty 17f bi&r,)Wn men running ( after a twelve year old boy just as hard as they could tear. Anotb# half Sour Was „ t £ waiting for the scattered passengers to get back to the train, and finally we resumed our journey on 1 South. » r
FELL OFF THE TRAIN. • --21
FELL OFF THE TRAIN. • 21 8 litailroad Man Are you &j}y hurt, air? » Victim, Hart ? na.w Do you suppose I've s practiced tobogganing for nothing 8 118
[No title]
First Baby.—Fen 1 y SEMjmother to proud young father Albert dear, Hid you hear the sweet darling cry his dear little eyes out last night ? Proud young father I thought I heard r oni angel twitter. Second Baby.—She Albart, L you unfeeling wretch, to hear that child screech- b ing all night and never offer .to take him. Ha t demo* bowL > ] t4ip,
WELSH NOTES. .
WELSH NOTES. ODESSA AND THE WELSH COAL TRADE. Our Consul at Odessa,Mr Gerald Perry,has just ent over a special consular report on the coal rade of Odessa, in which South Wales has a teculiar interest. It will be remembered that ome littlo time ago a duty of three gold copeeka cas levied on all foreign coal imported into )dessa. The imports at once decreased, and rhen in the middle of last winter the great block 'ccurred on the railways prevented the transport if Russian coal, rates went up to famine prices. U the present moment, while coal costs at the >it's mouth 8 copecks per pood, the 8 becomes 22 iefore the mineral reaches Odessa. This is not ill, The deep pits being full of water," says Mr ?erry, pit-owners have commenced to work the ipper layers, in which the coal is inferior in luality, and produces more clinkers and ashes hon the want of rolling stock on the railways prevents such coal as the pit-owners are able to jut forth from being conveyed to Hariupol, in ;he Azoff, or to Alexandrovsk, on the Dnieper md as the best Newcastle coal, including ,he 3c. duty (in gold), can be delivered at Odessa for 18c. paper per pood, there is every jrospect, for the present at all events, of a revival )f the active coal trade with England. More- jver, if the Russian Government take off the duty m coal, or even a portion of it, aud the rouble ieeps its present vaiue, English coal will become cheaper still, and regain its ascendency over Russian coal even as regards price, for in quality it is superior. In addition to this, outward-bound steamers will, on account of the fine harvest, be more plentiful this year than ever they have been, so that vessels coming to .Odessa for grain should gladly take coal at reduced freights. 42,000 tons Ji English coal have already reached Odessa, and )0,000 more are shortly expected." For "English :oai read Welsh and English coal," and the situation will be more accurately represented. As matter of fact, an enormous proportion of the shipments has been entirely Welsh coal, and more is on the way. LONGEVITY AT SWANSEA. I some time ago alluued to the high position Swansea holds as a health resort, and for proof pointed out the very low death-rate. But there is mother striking illustration of the advantages of living here—I mean the longevity of the inhabi- iuts. Quite recently several people have died at in advanced age; but here we have living imougst us an old lady who declares she is 107 years old. She lives in the worknouse, and is the jbject of much kind attention there. Within the past few days she celebrated her birthday, and was entertained to a specially dainty meal at the expense of the medical officer. She still possesses all her faculties, ind took a special interest, in the preparation of ;he dinner given in her honour, afterwards sharing the good things with her ward companions. There ire people who doubt her age, but it is certain ;hat that quoted is not far wide of the mark, for, though there is no entry of her birth to be found in the parish register, there ts one of her marriage, md, assuming this took place when she was 19, ihe would now be 103 years of age. Mrs Jane Jones, however, says she was 23 when led to the iltar. A CRISIS FOR 'HE WELSH CHURCH. Under this u-ading a noteworthy article in yesterday's Times uiscusses the approaching probable retirement of the Bishop of St. Asaph md the appointment ot a successor. After jbserving that neither before nor since the neritable absorption of tbeanoient British Church nto the See of Canterbury has the Church in Wales been so critically placed as it is at present," ;be writer goes on to say, the man chosen must De a Welshman. AtiEnglishman or a Scotchman planted in a Welsh See cannot appreciate the character and the temperament of either people or clergy; an Englishman never has succeeded and never will succeed "s a bishop or a clergymau in Wales' Strange as it may seem, the difficulty is not merely une of lauguage. In a parish of Welshmen who speak English, it is unwise to appoint as rector, victor, or curate a man who is not of Welsh blood. The unwisdom of such a course has not always been recognised iu the Church, but the Nonconformists have, fruin, the outset, been better advised. It is not, however, necessary that in the case of St. Asaph Englishmen should be asked to accept the view which has been Lid down, for a Bishop of St. Asaph, if he is to 01' understood by the people, must speak Welsh iuently aud well, and to do <,0 be mu-t oe a í Welshman. This is a tongue which, tcr purposes of conversation and oratory, cannot ba acquired by a foreigner in anything approaching to pertec. Lion, Many honest acu couscientious men have devoted great intellectual powers to the attempt, and have failed, fhe new Bishop ot St Asaph, then, must be a Welshman but he must be something more, ua I must be a mau capable of reaching the affections Df his clergy and his people. Cu.ture he must tiave, aud it he has identified himself with the traditional studiet and pursuits of the Wei?!; ¡ peoyle so much the better. That Welsu derRY- men are not indifferent to these things and not unmindful of their influence the records of tha last eisteddfod abunuantiy show. There are men who in a manner at once quiet and effective iiave demonstrated their love of country and their knowledge of her traditions. Others there IN with strong polemical tendencies, auci these, AS is perhaps inevitable, are the Weishmii whose names are best known to the public. The waters ire troubled enough as matters stand the temper A the people is sufficiently exasperated; the iimes are rips for the appoimmem of a peace- maker—of a man whose aim it shali be to smo-.th ind not to accentuate differences whicu all quiet men deplore. A FBKNCH VIEW OF WKLSH NATIONALISM, I have been favoured with a copy ot a discourse in the Celtic world, delivered receut-ly by Monsieur Ie Bras, at the distribution of prizes to ihe successful students of the academy oi ^uimper, the French Cymmer. The following is » free translation of a portion of it;—"I believe a assured to-morrows for a race which has iriumphantly outlived the vicissitudes of 20 centuries. The trunk of the symbolic "Ilk is not 10 dessicated that it has no robust sap existing n its branches, and I have faith in their future expansion. It would certainly be absurd to expect an integral reconatitution of that which las been dissolved by time. To desire a Celtic nviliz itiou would be a chimera of an evil spir:t. tJut why should not the Celtic element prevail vithout destroying the concert of modern forces 1 )ur brethren in Wales have afforded an example. Conciliating their iuterests with their aspirations, hey have become English to the degree neces- lary in order to uphold themselves to the highest legree possible, The Queen has DO subjects more aithful, the old race has no sons more respc ^Mul. iVby should not the experience of the Kyuuy in srreat Braitain serve the Bretons of France i AND or THE WELSH LANGUAGE. Further on the eloquent lecturer, speaking of he Breton language, says :—To destroy tb e natenal form of a thought is to annihilate the bought itself. Every dead language entombs i dead people. The Kymry will not, therefore, illow theirs to perish, and their 14 periodical ouruals, without counting innumerable publics- ions, evince each week its vitality. In Ireland, I he Government intervening and encouraging, u s better still. Every master receives a grant of ,0s for each of bis scholars who succeeds in passing ,u examination in Gaelic. Compare with that he lot of the Celtic ianguage in France. It is rue that we have devoted to it two chairs, both f which are equally weli occupied, one in Paris, I nd the other in Rennes. Yes, but the Bretou is tilled in its own original country. Being chased rom the towns by disdaining bourgeois, and xiled from the schools by the programmes, the vil of to-day runs the risk of the death cf to- aorrow. What a fruitful implement we should hereby lose 1 &k those who have long used it, ■nd know its profound faculties. Limpid as our ea, our dialect reposes as on a bed of granite. Strong and clear as it io, rich in appropriate vords, enabling one to say fully what be wishes to ay, alluringly bold and finely humorous, it is veil that it should be spoken by a race whose upreme merit rests on freedom. ¡ When the last yllable of this language shall expire on oar lips, ve shall have signed oar last capitulations.
[No title]
ALwArs READI.—Locomotive builder (on a ailway train): The reason we are kept waiting tere is because the engine has broken down. I lave examined it, and if I only had the proper ools I could fix it in half an hour. Hopeful wue; lore's a baiipiq. detto
Samuel's Sentiments. .I
Samuel's Sentiments. Samuel on Automatic Machines. WHAT SAMUEL CALLS A VERY GOOD SUGGESTION. UPON my word, sir, I verily believe that we shall be a very idle lot some day (a v good many of us are now) judging by the way in which everything is done for us nowadays by machinery, automatic or otherwise. Look at the railway station auto- matons—or automata (sounds too much like tomato, some- how, does that word), why, they do quite a lot of things 4 one wants doing—when they act, which is not always. j They conjure up quite a host nf nnssiKilitioo r1nn't f9 "t"vu, U ",LI\I3" For instance, sir, it would be wonderfully con- venient to me if you had an automatic cashier-a figure into the mouth of which I could put my bill and expect to receive the exact sum stated, minus all deductions such as flesh and blood cashiers are accustomed in the must sordid fashion to make. It strikes me that, in such a case, if anything went wrong with the automatic cashier's J works, we should precious soon prize him open. Of course, sir, you might say that automatic authors would be ot great service to you-figures that L- uiigui, ue reiiDu upon at any given moment to turn off so many folios 1 of copy about anything under the sun immedi- ately you put a fee and a little drop of U ail" for their works into their slot," but in re- gard to this 11 should contend that we have rather too many automatic authors as it is beings I i k e Anthony Trollope, who suc- ceeded in making d6100,000 by auto- matically scrib- ling, on I system,, so many hours a J e i THE AUTOMATIC JOURNALIST. I uay some or me most consummate twaddle that "serious" author ever perpetrated. Yes, sir, there are too many automatic authors already. Bat, in their general application, automatic machines are very wonderful things indeed. The automatic doctor already exists—-in America. You put your coin in the slot and out come medicine and advice. What a glorious thing it would be if we could have automatic barristers on the same principle in England, for in that case we could, after paying our big fees, at least rely upon our automaton being present in court, and not immediately handing over our ] brtef" to a junior doffing automaton, who would mull our case, as is the rule at present. And an automatic solicitor, too, would be an excellent institution, for we should at least THE AUTOHATIC HAMLET. know how > much we were ] expected to put in the slot to make the figure move, which is 1 not the case at present by any < means. And there would be iio fear of the f automatic soli- citor fingering trust moneys, ( which would be nn immense 1 advantage. I venture to assert, too, that- automatic clergymen 1 would come as a boon and a btassingtotheir parishioners. Take the sermons of such, for example. The automatic clergyman might be wound up. after tteing escorted to the pulpit, for a given time — ten minutes, say, and one could absolutely rely then upon getting home < in time for dinner and not listening to the usual "lastly and in conclusion" and "finally that seem so interminable. And if the automatic clergyman could be wound up to see so many parishioners a day, what an excellent thing it would be, seeing bow generally remiss in this regard the generality of our non-automatic parsons are. I speak feelingly, sir, in this matter, for I have lived in one parish for three years, and have never been visited by the clergy- man yet. Perhaps he thinks me irredeemably bad—or I think him irremediably lazy. I admit, sir, that the universal application of automata would have its drawbacks. Thus, an automatic debt collector that called so many times a day upon one with diabolical persistency would be somewhat of a nuisance. But even in that case one would at any I rate know by the regular working of the machine (for it would be bound to work on a regular system) when it would be likely to call, *xnd one could contrive to be out at such times. And then again, one could disarrange its works and kick it downstairs without fearing a criminal prosecution whea it becomes disagreeable. I really don't think that machinery would be needed in the case of actors anj actresses, for they are about as automatic as flesh and blood can be made already, thank" be mainly to such organisations as that of D'Oyly Carte and other managers descended from the chosen people. The automatic actor is a living and a breathing reality, and so long as he is wound up with undue praise and a salary which he takes care to have exaggerated in the newspapers he can walk through as many parts like a veritable machine as it is possible to iurnish him with. His slot for receiving flattery js always wide open. and a huge one it is. Perhaps a' UVLI occurred toc the many people who* have been. agi tating> tiemselves" regarding such que- ries as, "Why don't the re jn pro- pose ?" and Is m&r- < r i a g e a failure ? whet an ir.at eos p advantage THIS GENTLEMAN WOULD HAVE NO 1 OCCASION TO DO THIS SORT OF THING 1 IF HE ONLY HAD AN AUTOMATIC WIFE. t to persecu- I a t^ei, gullible man automatic wives would be. e Th{" automatic wife would settle such qie&tioris at once. When you wanted her 1 to talk you could wind her up for so 1 !.o <g and uo l inger by putting a stated sum in her outstretched automatic hand, which hand would be the characteristic feature of the machinery of automatic wives and attorneys. In tba case of w-ves as they are at present constituted a it h generally absence of the oil of palms that sets r her talking gear in motion, but the reverse would B be the ease as regards the automatic wife, which t yoi could wind up to go to sleep at a certain hour wI^d you wanted to go to you club, and with the r certainty that the machinery would all be n perfectly at rest when you got back at 2 a.m lay. i Of course these ideas as to automata are but vague and undigested as yet. It may be urged by f some that even the comparatively simple auto- matic machmes of the present day are liable to t THE AUTOMATIC BESTAUBANT. go wrong and not to work. ,But then, if, say, your au. Jtomatic wife doesn't act properly,you can at least knock ber in bits, and sell her for scrap iron, which V is not the i case at pre- sent, for if you knock her in bits j now a days | yon are quite liable to be fined a few shillings,and • L J auuiuDiBQea, That reminds me that automatic magistrates (there are a few now a days) would be an immense-to certain living chairmen of e justices — advantage. I daresay that our own Mr Blank, J.P., might vastly appreciate i them. for he could sit as chairman and wind up all the automata to nod approval of his decisions and utterances, and this would save a lot of trouble in court, and prevent his being referred to by popular solicitors as a plenipotentiary." In being charged before the automatic magistrate —minus Mr Blank, J.P.-a" drunk might just plead gnilty, put 5s and costs into the automatic one's slot, and then it could say, ".We I are sorry to see a respectable man like you in such a position. You must not let this occur again, or we shall have to take a more serious view of the case." That is what the automatic | justice of the present day always says, so of course the machine would have to follow suit. t SAMUEL: His SBXTOIKNTS, f
The Royal Commission and Sectarian…
The Royal Commission and Sectarian Education. BY IWAN JENKYN, F.R.H.S. LETTER7.—THE"MlNORfTY" REPORTS AND YR IAiTH GYMRAEG. Before proceeding to give extracts bearing on what is termed the bilingual difficulty/' the reader's most earnest attention is called to the following paragraphs. The commissioners who signed the minority reports—especially the second minority report—deserve well of their country. As it is, the majority report is bad enough but even this reactionary report would contain more objectionable matter had it not been for the benign presence of a few good m«n and true. It has been well said that there is no passage in their report which should be pondered by the public more carefully than this: — In recording our dissent from so many of the conclusions of our colleagues' report we would add that we have further this general objection, that their (majority) report appears to us too often to approach, proposals for the improvement of educatwn from, the point of view of considering how such improvements may affect the interests of certain classes of schools rather than how far they are desirable and that it does not do justice to the wish that we entertain for an expansion of educa- tion, a widening of its aims, and its establishment on a broad basis of LOCAL SUPPORT and POPULAR MANAGEMENT, which would enable us to dispense with much in the present system of education which we think unfavourable to the best modes of imparting knowledge." HELP FROM THE RATES." co We object to the proposal made by onr colleages that voluutary schools should be enabled to receive help from the rates up to a possible maximum of ten shillings a head, on the ground already indicated-that such a proposal seems to us unsound in principle, destructive of the settlement of 1870, and certain, if it became law, to embitter educational politics and intensify sectarian rivalries." THE SCHOOL BOARD SYSTEM. U We recommend that throughout the country, where there is a reasonable number of persons desiring them, there be schools of an undenomi- national character, and under popular representa- tive management. THE FREE SYSTEM." "We dissent from tha recommendation* on page 192 that the Education Department should not be entrusted with any censorship of fees in voluntary schools. It is necessary that the poor should be secured as reasonable a fee in districts where there are no board schools as where there are, and we think the remedy suggested, of the possible action of the inspector, illusory, as it would only be used in a very extreme case. We think that IF THE FREE SYSTEM IS TO BE MAIN- TAINED it needs many corrections to make it work fairly and tolerably to the poor, and to prevent the imposition of varying fees in the same school from being used as a means of oppression and of selection and exclusion of scholars." We think that the fee should cover all the cost of the school to the parent, and should, as a rule, be uniform, not rising with the class or standard." A SYSTFM OF FREE SCHOOLS." Mr Sydney Buxton, M.P., signed the "Minority" report subject to this significant reservation :— "I feel obliged to express dissent from the above report on one point, namely, on the question of the abolition of school fees. The arguments and the evidence are, it seems to me, on the whole, in"favour of the introduction of a system of free schools—a system, however, not compul- sory, but permissive. In order to obviate any injury to the voluntary system, the same terms ought to be offered to voluntary as to board schools, namely, that the managers cf any and every public elementary school should, if they desire the abolition of the fee, be entitled to demand an additional annual grant from the consolidated fund." On this question the minority report dwells thus: We think that whether free education be or be not desirable, no practicable scheme for universal free schools, consistent with the con- tinuance of the voluntary school system, has been presented to us." Evidently, Mr Joseph Chamberlain, M.P., has made one proselyte in the person of Mr Sydney Buxton, M.P., to his system of free schools." But Mr Chamberlain's scheme for re- endowing the self-elected managers of mis-called voluntary schools from the consolidated fund is impossible! The sectarian schools will not be made free at the price of an equivalent (of the fees) from the general taxation of the country "Voluntary "schools must become publicly con- trolled institutions before we can obtain "a complete system of free schools." The Commis- sioners were right when they stated that no practicable scheme for universal free schools, consistent with the continuance of the voluntary school system, has been presented to us." The Church," Catholic," and other denominational schools, cannot be further subsidized out of the taxes— not, at all events, without as fierce a battle as any that has been waged this century Of free education we are certain—but not on the clerical lines of Messrs j oseph Chamberlain and Sydney Buxton, PAYMENT EY RESULT." "In reference to the Parliamentary grant, and to payment by results, we are of opinion that the best security for efficient teaching is the organisa- tion of our school system under local representative authorities." Such a system, in our opinion, would enable us to dispense with the present system of State grants variable according to the results of yearly examination and inspection, which, in our judg- ment, is far from being a satisfactory ,method of securing efficiency, and is forced upon the country by the irresponsible and isolated character of the management of the majority of our schools. In the mean- time, as the system we prefer (namely, the school board system) cannot, in deference to existing denominational interests, be secured, we reoommend that there be a material change in the method of distributing the grant," etc., etc. It is clear that thIS minority commissioners —but for the nurseries of English Churchmen h —would have boldly recommended the speedy abolition of that infamous system, payment by results also the establishment of a complete system of free education. These so-called volun- tary schools have stood in the way of many reforms ere to-day; but if they are the means of buttressing "payment by results, as we believe they are, the time has come for their utter destruction. "Payment by results" is the teacher's bane. The system has been and is being condemed ad nauseam by the teaching profession. Ever since its formation, the National Union of Elementary Teachers has persistently and continuously called for its removal. Practical educationists, as distinguished frcm back-parlour theorists, demand the substi- tution of rational methods for the wretched absurdities of our present "oast iron code." Payment by results," and its many attendant evils, have reduced the education of this country to a miserable system of mechanical cram. And still this system owes its existence to the Church." and other sectarian schools "Payment by results" must perish. The Rev A. W. Jephson, a member of the London School Board, describes it thus:—" A system devised by a colonial lawyer like Lowe, and. a Sheffield merchant like Mundella, and bearing in every line of it distrust of the teacher, suspicion of bis methods and capabilities, and contempt for all and everything save the almighty dollar." Mr W. J. Pope, F.G.S., in his presidential address at Cheltenham, said: The system is not English nor even European. It was an Australian idea, developed in the mind of I Mr Robert Lowe when ruraJising on the Darling Downs It oontains 137 musts and shalls.' Uniformity is the g>re. idol which our Nebuchadtiesir.r? se up. All children are alike J teachers re alike; all inspectors are allL, &.1: sorts aid conditions of men and neigbbourtr-ods are aliki, and under all circumstancet..b ?asne results ar": demanded. 0: waois Fystarn is I gigantic mistake, as anything oppo«H to rhe laws of nature must inevitably be," <kc. Lord j Chief Justice Cock burn once fiascribed it as being worse than a Bradabftw." Yenajfuanatoral system, in the weighty words of the Commissioners, is forced upon the country by the irresponsible and isolated character of the management Df the majority of our schools." Hence the question Which shall we abolish sectarian schools or payment by results? Every teacher not hopelessly blinded by religious pre- judice, is prepared to vote and act without any delay. THE WELSH LANGUAGE. resting to question—especially inter- timber and stone with WELSH TCrvr» thereon9 is -j Y¥-I>OT engraven D<iv- ffi! I"' P°llte Richard John Davieses of that day were zealous in their vii.fioa- tion of everything Cymric, and fate has favoured us of to-day with a few « specimen exhibits "of that weH-night extinct sleeve-creeper! Occasion- ally they are on view, and seldom imbue the visitors with p ty for their extermination 1 But a great change has come over Cambria. Her young men and inaidens are now animated by patriotic motives. The spirit of liberty je heard on its mountains and in its valleys. Her most gifted rrr 7h° have di8tiD*™bed themselves in the world of thought—are to the fore, and ready to sacrifice anything for their fatheriand and mother tongue. A society for the utilization of yHm™, langiiage ,a day schools has been formed. That society has enlightened the public on this question. The justice of its aim is allowed on all hands. Even the R,yal Commissioners have made startling concessions. So they ought, for has not the Government that appointed the commission been drawing the taxes of the Cymry for generations? Have not the English, many of tbem. waxed wealthy at the expense of "poor little Wales? A nation's taxes ought to be devoted to the amelioration of that nation. In our country they have been exploited by English officials in enslaving our race. It is full time, I trow, for the English to make amends to the Celts of Cambria. They that seek their freedom let them, then, strike the blow. In a timely shilling volume, Mr John E. Southall, of NeWport- has published the evidence of Mr Beriah Gwynfe Evans, the late Mr Dan Isaac Davies, B.Sc., Dr Isambard Owen, M A uLeWh <Mertfay). Arcbdeacoc Griffiths (ISeath), Mr T. M. Williams, B.A. Professor Henry Jones, M.A., Mr W. Williams, M.A. (her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools for Wales), and Mr Ebenzer Morris (Porth- aethwy, Anglesey). May every true patriot pro- cure a copy and master its contents. Mr Soutball, in his excellent preface, observes: The sub- ject of bilingualism would probably have almost escaped the notice of the Royal Commission had not that veteran champion of Wales (the deeply lamented), Henry Richard, secured the insertion of the subject in the syllabus of points of enquiry." On perusal of this op- portune volume, the reader will perceive that it was Mr Richard himself who conducted the examination of witnesses on the claims of his native tongue. Noble Henry Richard! "Here was a patriot! When comes such another?" Gwell cAr mewn Ilys, n&R aur a'r fys." No wonder, then, that the report of the Royal Commission contains a section devoted exclusively to the special condition of schools in Wales. fHE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMISSIONERS FOR WELSH SCHOOLS. The following is the full text of this section ;— "We have dealt with the question of Welsh schools and the bi-lingual difficulty. Many of these schools labour under this difficclty, which arises from the fact that although the native language of the children is Welsh, they are practically treated by the code as if they alwayt spoke English. It has been stated in evidence that fully two-thirds of the people in Wales habitually 8peak Welsh, and although a con- siderable portion of the adults also speak English with ease, the bulk of the children, wt lire told, come to school wholly ignorant )f that language, and yet Eugiiah is the vehicle through which they have to learn sverytaing, and in which they will have to be sxammed. The knowledge of English which they acquire while at school is said to be 10 meagre and superficial that, according to evidence, in the Welsh-speaking districts, English is lost in a great measure soon after the child leaves school. The only provision of the code which at all attempts to meet the difficulty is one in which it is laid down that the intelligence of the children in the ordinary reading exami- nation may be tested by her Majesty's inspectoi allowing them to explain the meaning ol the passages read. There has been no desire sxpressed before us that the use of the English Language in the schools should beat all diminished. But it is felt that to enable these schools to over- some the special difficulties with which they have- to contend, they should be allowed, at the discre- tion of the managers, to teach the reading and writing of the vernacular concurrently with that jf English. As the Welsh ianguage is almost purely phonetic in character, and does not present the difficulties which are experienced in mastering English, the permission to use bi- lingual reading books would meet the objection of the teachers, who complain that the amount of reading matter to begot up in Welsh schools is too great. But it is felt that they should be allowed to take up welsh as a specific subject recognised in the code ,o adopt an optional scheme for English as a class subject suitable to the special needs of Welsh iistricts, such scheme being founded on the pnncipls of substituting a graduated system of sranslated from Welsh to English for the present requirements in English grammar; toteach Welsh uong with English as a clfss sudject and to delude Welsh among the language- in which the Queen's scholarships and Lor certificates of merit nay be examined. All these points are advanced n the answers we have received in circular D from -be head teachers in the counties of Glamorgan md Merioneth. Since concessions somewhat iimilar to those now demanded in Wales have tlready been granted in the Scotch Code to the x laelic-speaking population of Scotland, there appears good reason why they should be conceded u the English Code for the relief of our Welsh- ipeaking population." The "Second Minority Report," signed by E. [jyulph Stanley, R. W. Dale, Thomas Edmund Seller, Henry Bicbard, and George Shipton, also sinpbasises the recommendations of the majority 'eport" for the utilisation of the native language n the elementary schools of Wales, and for exceptional consideration for the special needs of Welsh schools. This portion of the report, signed jy the five commissioners named above, says i 'In the greater part of Wales the language nterposes many difficulties in the way of caching according to a code which is irawn up for English-speaking children. We ;hink. in addition to agreeing with the recom- nendatious of our colleagues as to the use to be nade of the Welsh language in teaching, that the jeculiarities and difficulties of the Welsh-speaking population should be continually borne in mind n conducting the Government examination, and n any modifications of the regulations which may )e hereafter made by the central educational iathority." This is one of the few redeeming points in the recommendation of the oommis- lioners from the point of view of Radical and Nonconformist Wales. True, it is a question which has nothing to do with party politics, and t is probably for that reason alone that the iommissioners have not gone astray on it. The najority report will be briefly considered in the ifixt.
A DUBIOUS COMPLIMENT. -
A DUBIOUS COMPLIMENT. He-" What is it, boy or gal 1* She—" Boy." He-u Ab, I thought Bo Biess his httle hearty [ was 4-1,1 such X, at hia age."
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NOTL EXFRBSSED ,1 \JET Riwrfi.—I am so glad four sister ec- yed heT vs»»it to is, Mr Smith." 'On, well, yrs kaav*. • -i* the sort of girl who ian enjoy herself i»ywbf"e, you know, A brigh youth una rfjiag Civil Servic* £ xaiC!B&t:oti found bimeeH confronted with too !jne?t>on— W is he distance from the earth to Lbc Mjc ?" Not bav-ng the eract number of miles witii him, w, wrote it rarly I am Uiaab'e to siaie acov-'iteiy, bui ? .icr?'. ijifc!: tbe sun near enough tc .nserfcre wise a pr • perform BAce of my duties if I get fchtr ;z4wuhir, íLt set it.