The Brecon Reporter and South Wales General Advertiser

AGRICULTURE. IN Windsor Great Park and Woods, as appears from the Commissioners' report, there are 11,000 acres of grazing and woodland producing RS,095 per annum, .and costing £ 18,922. AGRICULTURAL WAGES IN EAST LOTHIAN.— --At the Haddirigton feuing-market on Friday, the first market held since the recent movement for an increase of farm servants' wages, a rise was obtained of 'from .£1 to X2, except in the case of men having the privilege of keeping a cow, in whose wages there was no alteration. The demand for increased wages was the subject of discussion at the meeting of the East Lothian Farmers' Club, held the same evening. The chairman (Mr. Smith) said the rise was rather in the way of equalisation than increase, the rate in some districts having been too low. Mr. Hope said he thought the reoent agitation had been on the whole advantageous to the farm-servant, and he was glad to think it had been so, although it was for the farmers, as practical men, to get their work done as cheaply and as well as possible. He was glad that the men who were allowed to keep a cow seemed to be satisfied with theii position. Mr. Douglas said he did not think that the rise granted (in some cases from .£16 to .£18) was exorbitant; it would help to equalise the rate with those who had "other advantages. He thought the wages should rise for good and continued service, to avoid that absurd desire for change, which, on each occasion, cost the man from 30s. to .£2. Some dis- cussion took place with regard to the allowances of the men in the way of potatoes, Mr. Douglas stating that he allowed 1,000 yards, sometimes realising eight or nine bolls, while others thought a guaranteed allowance of five bolls was more acceptable. Mr. Shepherd thought the farm servants were as well off, on the whole, as labours with .£1 a week; and that, with good management and good wives, there were few of the working classes better off. Many of the men had cottages as good as houses rented in Edin- burgh at £ 12 a-year. A meeting of farm-servants was held at Peebles on Thursday, at which it was agreed to agitatefor.;Mof wages and fortnightly payments; ready money, to avoid the credit sjstem, being esteemed worth £ 2 a year. Numerous other meetings ^laira hflfln held m »he southern countma nf Snnfian^ during the last three weeks. ww..u A Visit to a Stud Farm. A correspondent of the Field says: How much was he Scottish Chief once in the mouths of men; how eagerly, in the spring of '64, was the intelligence ,43 from Eassley looked for, and, true or false, how greedily was it swallowed; what consternation did not an unfavourable bulletin-to the effect that the crack had ■" hit his 16g or done one of the thou- sand-and-one things that Derby favourites are always doing about three weeks before the event-cause on Salisbury racecourse, I remember; how nervous were backers, and how pleasantly facetious was the ring! And the great day at Epaom, when Mat Dawson led him proudly through the paddock, and with General Peel he divided the honours of the occasion how, if he could have got clear in coming round- Tattenham Corner, it was thought he would have been much nearer Blair Athol than the General was; and his fine performance subsequently at Ascot, when, after a severe race with Knight of Snowdon, he squandered 'his field, including the great Lord Clifden, for the -CuP-are all matter, of history. I had not seen him alnee that day, and, remembering the rather leggy and •shelly horse he was, I was astonished when Mr. Donald -threw open the door of his box, and I beheld the very handsome animal he had grown into. Scottish Chief, by Lord of the Isles out of Miss Ann, by the Little Known, her datn Bay Missey, by Bay Middleton out of Camilla, by Young Phantom, a splendid-topped bril- liant bay, with remarkably good shoulders, powerful loins, and muscular thighs, has replaced the rather angular animal who paraded the yellow jacket" in the Royal inclosure. on the Cup Day of '64.. It was evident that the Chief would want time to develop his large frame. This he has had, and he looks fit to take a prize at any horse-show in the world. The Lords of the Isles are not celebrated for their size, and Mr. Merry's horse is the biggest that has yet been out. His colour is remarkable—one of the richest bays I ever saw, with a beautiful golden shade iu it more particularly on hia neck and quarters, which, though fashionable and common enough at this time among Belgraviau maida and matrons, does nat often crop up in our studs. Mr. Donald has certainly corn menced well with him and with the aid of Costa, a very neat-looking horse, rather small, but with breed- ing enough-belug by The Baron out of Catherine Hayes-to satisfy the most fastidious, the East Aeton I stud ought to be a successful enterprise. Mr. Donald has already done a good deal in the way of providing accommodation for about fifty mares, and proposes doing much more. A large stable containing 36 boxes is in course of erection, in addition to the very com- modious ones already built. I was amused by his telling me, on my admiring the neat painting of the doors, that they were made out of old cham- pagne boxes. Verily, there is a pull in having more than one string to your bow. The cases which contain the excellent Mumm and Perrier Jouet of the St. James's. hall are made to do double duty in offering a resist- ance to the rather exuberant spirits of well-fed thorough-breds. I may add that Scottish Chief has already secured fifteen mares, and that from the Acton station on the London and North-Western, within five minutes' walk of the farm, the traveller, biped and quadruped, may come and go from the Land's-end to John o'Groat s without break of gauge. The farm is what has been called classic ground." That is to say, that here the grand old Sir Harcalea disported himself, the lord of many harems, and Irish Birdoatcher and other sires of note date their pater- nity. May it be a good omen for the future fortunes of the new stud.

SPORTS AND PASTIMES --+- A PIKE weighing 291bs., three feet eight mohes in length, and one foot eleven inches in girth, was caught a few days ago in one of the lakes near Belvoir Castle by the Duke of Rutland's fisherman. THE Qaorn hounds, under the leadership of Captain Clowes, the worthy master, chased a fax, thebther day, into the neighbourhood of Nether Broughton. On arriving at a certain wheat field, belonging to a farmer named Brett, the M. F. H. and his supports were somewhat surprised to find their passage interfered with. The impediment offered to the hounds and field was no less than a body of peasants armed with sticks and bludgeons, and commanded by Mr. Brett, who intimated pretty plainly that he did not mean to have his wheat destroyed. The eccentric-looking little army under his direction proceeded to keep both dogs and huntsmen from entering the field, and a parley being demanded, Captain Clowes gave up the chase, the scent being broken off. CHILDREN remarkable for their powers of calcula- tion have been exhibited at different times in this country, but there is one about to visit England, aged seven, whose skill seems to transcend what has been as yet met with. He was examined a short time back, in the presence of more than 400 people at Palermo, when the readiness with which he replied to many complicated questions created universal astonishment. THE AGRIC ULTUP.A.L- HALL, -Brilliantly lighted by thousands of jets of gas arranged in all sorts of fanciful designs, with a length so vast that the per- spective almost recalls the wonderful pictures of Martin, and crowded with a surging mass of human beings, is for its own sake worthy of a visit, and con- stitutes one of the most truly remarkable among the many sights of London. Mr. Rudkin has, however, provided at the hall attractions which, varied from night to night, seem to increase in popularity, and collect crowds by which powers of accommodation so vast even as those of the Agricultural-hall are tested. Visiting these amusements on an evening of the past week, which we regret to see is the last of the management, we were struck with the prodigality dis- played in the matter of amusements. In addition to the great tournament—in itself an affair of great splendour and attractiveness, and one in which we are told, andmay well believe, performers, suits of armour, and horses are numbered by hundreds-a score other features of almost equal interest are provided. The more re- markable among these are the following:-A little sylph, who with uncommon agility trips upon the tight rope with no aid of pole or balance of any kind; Mdlle. Rose Rossetti's flying acts of equitation and the equestrian trick aota of Herr Gold schmidt; Mr. Ginnett's clear jump of twenty-two feet, and the mar- vellous number of consecutive summersaults (fifty-two the night we were there) taken by Mr. Barnes; the performance of Jean Bond on the magic ladder, and Ginnett's clear jump of twenty-two feet, and the mar- vellous number of consecutive summersaults (fifty-two the night we were there) taken by Mr. Barnes; the performance of Jean Bond on the magic ladder, and the displays of intelligence nightly afforded by the well-trained animals Kepitoke and Tancred. Besides these there were chariot races, and hurdle races, steeple chase, comic soenesbetween the clowns, and all customary amusements of the circus. These enter- tainments concluded last Saturday (evening), when the performance was for the benefit of Mr. Rudkin. ths proprietor.

I REPEAL OF THE MALT TAX. A public meeting of farmers and others desirous of promoting the repeal of the malt duty was held on Monday at the Freemason's Tavern, Great Queen- street, Lincoln's-inn. The attendance was very numerous. Lord Berners ocsupied the chair, and he was supported by the following among other gentle- men :-Lord Sondes, Lord Faversham, Major Parker, M.P., Sir Fitzroy Kelly, M.P., Colonel Bartellot, M.P., Colonel North, M.P., Ormsby Gore, M.P., the Hon. Ralph Datton, M.P., Sir Charles Mordaunt, Bart., M.P., Lord Eustace Cecil, M.P., Sir Thomas Western, Bart., M.P., Charles Du Cane, M.P., Lord Carzon, M.P., Mr. Cobbett, Mr. Adderley, M.P., Sir J. Tyrell, Bart., G. Rebow, M.P., Colonel Fane, M.P., R. B. Harvey, M.P., and Sclater Booth, M.P. Lord Berners, in opening the proceedings, said he had been an advocate for more than thirty years for the repeal of this most obnoxious tax, and it was to him a source of great gratification to see so large and influential an assembly as the present (hear, hear). He desired to impress upon them that on all former occasions they had failed in their object for want of union and perseverance. When he saw an assembly like the present, however, he felt assured that the farmers from every part of the country were now united, and that they were at least determined for the future to press upon a reluctant Government the rights to which they were entitled. This was a time when it was the bounden duty of every farmer, during the ravagesof this sad scourge whioh was now desolating their herds, by every means which science and practice could adopt to supply to this great kingdom the largest amount of wholesome food for the people. At such a time as this the Government was greatly responsible if they withheld from these producers any of those means which were known to be the best for fattening and restoring the condition of cattle (cheers). He said it was a great consumers' question, and he quoted the opinion of Sir H. Parnell, a great financier, who said that so soon as a sufficient quantity of barley was assured to the country, so soon were the Royal com- mission of opinion that the malt-tax should be reduced one-half. He (Lord Berners) trusted that all those gentleman who were present at this meeting would press this question upon their friends (cheers). Let them speak to their Parliamentary representatives, and press upon them the necessity of carrying out that which was juat and right. They did not seek for any exclusive immunities, and they desired no exclusive privileges; but they demanded, and would continue to demand—(loud cheera)—right and justice (cheers). Mr. P. S. Pnnnett (Kent) said the subject of the > malt-tax had become hackneyed, but he had made up his mind, after years of experience, that the malt-tax [ was one of the most iniquitous that could be conceived, [ and he was determined to get rid of it if passible. The time had come for the subject to be considered by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and for the farmers of the kingdom to demand justice at the hands of the Government. Next Saturday a deputation would wait upon Mr. Gladstone, who this time had limited the number of the deputation, inasmuch as on the last occasion he was waited upon he had not room to ex. press, as it were, hia views. He (Mr. Pnnnett) be- lieved that they had a better chance of getting the tax repealed by this Parliament than they had by the last. He concluded by moving the first resolution, which expressed the Opinion that the duty continued to in- flict great and serious injustice upon the growers and consumers of barley, especially, as regards the latter, npon the working classes, by whom beer was so largely used as a portion of their diet. Mr. C. S. Read. M.P. (Norfolk), seconded the resolution. Sir Fitzroy Kelly said that the time had come*again when they had: to confront the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and meet, he feared, an adverse ma- jority of the House of Commons. He repudiated any idea of politics in this matter, yet he could not but remind the meeting tbat the party to which he belonged had ever endeavoured to do their duty to both agriculturists and labouring men. It was by them, under the Administration of Lord Darby, that the only attempt was made that had ever been made by any Government during the last half-century to relieve the nation from this burden of the malt-tax. The real effect of taking off the malt-tax he illustrated by referring to the time when no such tax existed, and when beer was only ld. per quart. Be saw no reasos why at this day the effect should not be, beer at 2d. a quart all over the kingdom. He did not look to the total repeal of the tax in this Session of Parliament, but if the farming interest would unite together, and total repeal of the tax in this Session of Parliament, but if the farming interest would unite together, and if the labouring classes poured into the House of Com- mons their petitions for justice, he did not despair that relief would come at no distant day. Colonel Barttelot, M.P., assured the meeting that whenever any resolution was brought into the House of Commons having for its purpose a diminution of the malt-tax.with a view to a total repeal, he should support it. It was high time that the agricultural interest should receive that consideration to which they were entitled from the Government, but which had been denied to them during the entire period that free trade had been in operation, and which had bene- fited almost solely the manufacturing interest. If the CbanoellQr of the Exchequer had any diffieulty in the adjustment of taxes, let him take off the tax on malt and put it on beer (" No, no"). He was as anxious as any of them that the working man should have his beer at a cheap rate, and therefore did not desire to see a tax placed upon beer; he would, indeed, like to see the tax done away with entirely. Lord Curzon, M.P., likewise supported the resolu- tion. The cattle plague, he argued, made it the more imperative that the malt-tax should be repealed. Mr. G. Sclater-Booth, M.P., and Mr. Baldwin, of Birmingham, also spoke in support of tne motion* which was then submitted to the meeting and carried. Mr. Joshua Fielding, of Yorkshire, moved the second resolution, which called upon all the supporters of this cause to persevere in using every possible means to obtain the immediate reduction and ultimate total repeal of the malt tax, and it strongly advised that public meetings should be held forthwith throughout the country, at which a petition to Parliament should be agreed to. He said they had to deal with two matters in connection with this question-the first was the ignorance which existed upon the subject, and secondly there were the misrepresentations that had been made. These misrepresentations had not been made by obscure persons writing in the public papers, but by persons high in office and supposed to be in the confidence of the Queen. These state- ments had been spread far and wide by a cor- rupt press. Until lately the tax had never been represented as a tax of 70 per cent. The inference to be drawn from the reports of the debates in the House of Commons last year was that the tax was only 30 per cent., but the fact was the tax to the poor man who brewed his beer at home was 100 per cent., and to the man who bought his beer over the counter of the public-house it was 140 percent, (cheers). Mr. Milner Gibson, in a speech made in 1864, said that the malt tax was only 121 per cent. (cries of Shame "). But Mr. Gibson would doubtless soon have to admit that he was wrong when he placed the pressure of the tax at that amount. It had been alleged that the labour- ing classes did not brew at home. He had made a calculation in his own neighbourhood, including the parishes of Huddersfield, Halifax, and Rochdale. There were 7,340 families, of whom 77 per cent. brewed at home, 8 per cent. would brew but had no means, 7 per cent. bought their beer, and 9 per cent. did not drink beer at all. Champagne was only taxed to the extent of 11 per cent. (cheers), while beer, as he had said, was taxed to the extent of 70 cent., which was an iniquity which should not be longer allowed to remain (loud cheers). Mr. Chas. Lattimore, Colonel North, M.P., and Mr. Adderley, M.P., also supported the resolution, which waa then put and carried unanimously. Mr. J. K. Fowler (Bucks), proposed the third reso- lution, which was to the effect that the meeting pledged itself to support by subscriptions and other- wise, the Central Anti-Malt-tax Association, and re- quested the council to take prompt measures to have the question brought before the House of Commons on an early day. The resolution was spoken to by Mr. Cobbett, Mr. Surtees, and Sir Fitzroy Kelly. A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the proceedings.

THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON'S "JULIUS C2ESAR." The first volume of this masterly biography from the pen of the Emperor of the French has been some time before the public, and although its contents are bat introductory to the real subject of the work, yet many valuable and interesting facts are detailed which serve to justify the expectation that on the appearance of the second volume, which has been care- fully translated, and will be published in a few days by Messrs. Cassell, Petter, and Galpin, the world will be placed in possession of ths most complete treatise on the life of Csasar ever written. The object of the fol- lowing article is to bring forward some of the most remarkable of the facts which are found in the first volume. From the position in which the Imperial author is placed, we should naturally expect from him a work of greater interest than from an ordinary critio, and in this hope we are not disappointed. The first chapter, abounding with references and quotations from the best classic authorities, is devoted to a review of the social and political organisa- tion of the Roman people. The Empefror remarks, at the commencement of the first chapter, that the kings laid the foundation of those institutions to which Rome owed her greatness, so that on the close of the 244 years during which the kingly power lasted, Rome had become the most powerful state in Latium. The rising greatness of the new power had been gradu- ally increased by the establishment of numerous colo- nies. As a proof of the importance of Rome, even at that early date, we are informed that as many as 47 different petty states took part in the inauguration of the Temple of Jupiter Latialis. To show the pomp which sometimes characterised the kingly processions, a quotation is given from the historian Dionysias of Haucarnassus, who tells us that Tarquinius Superbus, the last Roman king, carried during the rest of his life a crown of gold, a toga of embroidered purple, and a sceptre of ivory, and his throne was also of ivory." The population of Rome is estimated at about 290,000 persons in the time of Servius Tullus, the 6th king, who caused a census to be taken, accompanied by a religious celebration, in which a bull, a ram, and a he. goat were sacrificed in the Campus Martins. This census gave the number of 80,000 men capable of bearing arms; and a classic author is quoted to prove that the estimate of 290,000 for the population is not far from the truth, as on the occasion of a subscrip- tion for Horatius Codes, 300,000 persons gave the value of what each might expend in one day for his t'nnrl The kings having disappeared, in consequenoe of their mission being accomplished, the establishment of the consular republic contributed powerfully to expand the gradually advancing power of Rome. An interesting chapter is devoted to the Conquest of Italy," over which we pass to dwell at greater length on that treating of the prosperity of the Mediterra- nean previous to the Punic wars. In this and the following chapter we have a formidable array of facts, which serve to exhibit the wealth and luxury enjoyed by neighbouring cities and nations when the power ef Rome seemed about to be extended by successful con- quests. The most powerful rival of the Roman people was Carthage, a celebrated maritime city of Northern Africa, founded by Dido about a century before Rome. Carthage, we are told, had a citadel two miles in circuit. On the land side the city was defended by a triple enclosure five stadia in length, thirty cubits high, and supported by four storeys, capable of giving shelter to 4,000 horse, 300 elephants, and 20,000 foot soldiers." The population of this famous city, after 100 years' struggle with Rome, was not less than 700,OCO. Carthage had at one time ag many as 200 agricultural colonies. The Carthaginians had com- mercial relations with various parts of the then known world-in the interior of Africa, Syria, and even as far as the Cassiterides (the Scilly Islands), whence tin and copper were obtained.. At the time of Scipio's conquest Carthage gave to him from her arsenal200,000 suits of armour and 3,000 machines of war. To show the wealth of this famous city, we learn that on three sepa- rate occasions] Carthage paid to Rome as tribute the enormous Sum of £ 2,352,896. Besides this, Scipio brought 123,0001bs. weight of gold from this town. Her troops, according to the reckoning of Livy, amounted to 291,000 foot and 9,500 horae. On the authority of Strabo, we are told that "Carthage, under certain circumstances, could make daily 140 shields, 300 swords, 500 lances, and 1,000 darts for catapults." Several nations served under her stan- dard. The small town of Leptis paid to Carthage the I enormous contribution of a talent a day (.£232 16a.) Other instances might be cited to show the growing importance of this powerful African colony. The Pllnic wars shortly afterwards wrested from Carthage her power, and transferred it to her youthful rival. ¡ Yet there was a marked difference in the aristocratic I portion of the two rival powers, as the following j quotation shows:—" At Rome the nobles, identified continually with the people, set an example of patriotism and of all civic virtues; while at Carthage, the leading families, enriched by commerce, made effeminate by an unbridled luxury, formed a selfish and greedy caste, distinct from the rest of the citizens, i At Rome the sole motive of action was glory, the principal occupation war, and the first duty military service. At Carthage, everything was sacrificed to interest and commerce; and the defence of the father- land was, as an insupportable burdeD, abandoned to mercenaries. After a defeat, at Carthage the army was recruited with diffioulty; at Rome it immediately recruited itself, because the populace was subject to the recruitmenij. If the poverty of the treasury caused the pay of the troops to be delayed, the Carthaginian soldiers mutinied, and placed the state in danger; the Romans supported privations and suffering without a murmur, out of mere love for their country." This quotation illustrates the opening sentences of the chapter devoted to the Punio wars, in which the author plainly states that the power of Carthage must soon fall before the rising power of her formidable opponent. The first ground of quarrel was the posses- sion of Sicily, which was situated at an equal distance from the two rival powers, and was held jointly by the tyrant Hiero, the Carthaginians, and the Mamer- tines. Hiero espoused the cause of the strongest party, ana in three years most of the towns of the interior fell into the hands of Rome, while the Cartha- ginians remained masters of the sea. It was soon found necaBsaryfor the Romans to construct a fleet, taking—on the authority of Livy-for a model a Carthaginian galley which had been wrecked on the coast of Italy. In a short time 120 galleys were con- structed on this model, and by the help of these the Carthaginians were defeated in two engagements, thns losing the supremacy of the sea. Soon afterwards Carthage possessed 350 decked vessels, and the Romans 330. Each vessel carried 300 rowers and 120 soldiers, making for the Carthaginians 147,000 men, and for the Romans 138,600; and after a memorable oombelt, victory remained with the Romans. The road to Africa being now open, Regulus at first was so suc- cessful that he imposed upon Carthage the hardest conditions, but the arrival of Xanthippus, a Greek general, almost annihilated the army of Rome. For a time it seemed that the Carthaginians would recover their losses, when their fleet was destroyed by Lutatius. At this time the conquered people paid as tribute 2,200 talents ( £ 520,000). An attack on the Roman territory by the Gauls soon after this caused such a panic at Rome that an army of 150,000 infantry and 6,000 cavalry was dispatched to the scene of danger, and by this army under the command ef two consuls, the Gaula were totally de- feated. On this occasion the forces of Italy are com- puted to amount to 699,200 men, with 69,000 cavalry. Yet Carthage, by the genius of Hannibal, makes another effort to repair her previous losses. At this period the Carthaginians had several important colonies in the Spanish peninsula. The city of Sagun- tum, after a siege of several months, was compelled to surrender to Hannibal. The assistance of Rome was then desired by the conquered inhabitants, and the Republic promptly answered the request. The Roman ambassadors experiencing from the Cartha- ginians insult and inattention, war became unavoid- able. Two consuls were dispatched; one was to pass into Sicily, and thence into Africa; the other was to expel the Carthaginians from Spain. Hannibal marched rapidly across the Alps, and encountered Seipio oa the banks of the Rhone, when the Carthaginian general obtained a brilliant victory. Hannibal then marched towards Rome, with an army of 30,000 men, destroying on his way another Roman army. On another ocoasion, at the battle of Cannse, Hannibal defeated two consular armies, amounting to 87,000 men. As many as 40,000 Romana were killed or taken, so that the conqueror was enabled to send to Carthage a bushel of gold rings taken from the fingers of knights who were left on the field of battle. The greater part of Italy now declared for the conquerors, and almost at the same time one of the consuls was defeated by the Gauls, and his army cut to pieces. In this alarming state of affairs every Roman has- tened to the reaoue of. the Republic. Various sacri- fices were made for the purpose of replenishing the exhausted treasury, and no one was allowed to have more than a certain value of gold, silver, or oopper. For sixteen years Hannibal Hin willo .IfVt —f -R^man arms, marching close to Tf T £ yetno^ darin& to attack it. In the south of Italy he maintained his position for several years, and at last quitted the Italian soil when w™ fPProac?\mS doom of hia native city summoned him to her aid. At this time the Romana possessed a considerable fleet, as is clear from a comparison of several references to the historian Livy. After Hanni- lu i reac^e<^ Africa, he was signally defeated on the plains of Zama by Seipio, who enjoyed the high honour of dictating terms to the conquered. As the result of this victory, Carthage was compelled to give up her ships and her elephants, to pay 10,000 talents (X2,320,000), and to enter into the humiliating engage- ment not to make war again without the sanction of v/X0, *en^0d the seoond Punic war. In the battle of Cannas alone 2,700 knights, two questors, 21 tribunes, and so many senators had fallen, that it was necessary to name 177 new ones to fill their places. Hannibal then took refuge with Antiochua, the king of Syria, and encouraged him to resist the Roman re- public, and after an engagement at Thermopylae the Syrian king was defeated, and compelled to sue for peace. The Roman armies were successful in various parts of Greece, which cannot here be alluded to in detail, when once more Carthage waa besieged by 80,000 men, and compelled to give up her arms and 2,000 engines of war. They yet recover their energy, and send Asdrubal with 70,000 men against the Romans. Yet after a desperate siege of three years, the city of Carthage is razed to the ground, and As. drubal surrenders with 50,000 inhabitants. "Nowdid Rome feel herself free from all fear, and the mistress of the world." From other portions of this interesting work we learn that at an early period the Carthaginians had established colonies in various parts of Europe One of these may be mentioned. Spain (then called Iberia ( possessed six great rivers, which were navigable to the ancients. It was rich in mines, long chains of moun- tains, and fertile valleys. The Carthaginians and the Greeks had settlements on the coasts. From Cadiz a P^ ^TZnC?J°nyA8hl^S Sefc/ail Armorica, the isle of Britain (for the tin produce of Cornwall), and even as far as the Canaries, on the south. Cadiz came into the possession of the Carthaginians after the first 1). -L. L1. „ -p i' secona it surrendered voluntarily to the Romans. About 227 years B.C. it had so large HAn^fT1 Xt was nearly equal to Rome. It was f fc! the commerce and agricultural wealth of the whole of the Spanish peninsula. Nor were Cordova and Seville behind Cadiz in mercantile and marine prosperity. In the Spanish peninsula mineral wealth was abundant. Mines of silver were worked at Osca: at oiaapo, silver and mercury; and at another place £ ?PPer and gold were extracted. In the time of Poly. ?luf„ the historian, one silver mine gave employment to 40,000 persons, and produced daily 25,000 drachmas (about £ 1,000). In 32 years the Roman generals brought from Spain 767,695 pounds of silver, and 10,918 pounds of gold, without reokoning what was furnished by certain partial impositions, sometimes very heavy, such as those of Maroolioa, 1,000,000 sestertii ( £ 9,200), and of Certima, 2,400,000 sestertii ( £ 22,000). Oa one occasion (150 years B.C.), a Roman general imposed a contribution of 30 silver talents (X6 984) upon a small Celtiberian town, which imposition was regarded by the neighbouring states as moderate. The same race of people also paid tribute on another occasion to the extent of £ 139,704. Besides being rich in minerals and other valuable articles of commerce, the Spanish peninsula had a large population. Some historians ]is represent Tiberius Graoohus taking, as many as 300 towns. Strabo says that in Turdetania (part of Anda- lusia) there were 200 towns. There were also a number of petty princes, and Appian, the historian of the Spanish war, tella ua that in Scipio's camnaicrH m0re than 120 submitted to him. Yet Pompey affirms^hat he received the submission of 827 towns The popu- lation may be gathered from the fact that the large number of 317,700 men were killed or made prisoners in the campaigns with the Scipioa. After the battle of Zama, Hasdrubal was furnished with an army of 50,000 footmen and 4,500 horsemen. On one occasion Cato was menaced with a force of 40 000 Spaniards. Even in Portugal, Servius Galba and Luoullus killed ¡ 12,500 men. Yet, notwithstanding some of these re- verses, in a short time Viriafchus was furnished with considerable forces.

• ♦ — A telegram from her Majesty the Queen inquiring in her Majesty's name how Mr. Gibsen is; and to express her regret at hearing of his illness/ was read tehim at Rome by Mr. Odo Russell the day before his death, and he perfectly understood itl1 prjport.

— A. letter from Wiesbaden states that three days back Captain Vogler killed in a duel Lieutenant < Baron de Marschal, aged only twenty. The motive of 1 he meeting was a dispute at the last Court ball. j

FACTS AND F ACETIÆ. —♦—. It is less painful to learn in youth than to:be gnorant in old age. Very shocking-testing the power of electricity' The king of clubs-Tidd Pratt. All up Hill-The Recorder of Birmingham rl!' signing. It is stated one of the judges has set the exAmPle of playing cards in railway carriages. It may •?., reasonably presumed that plenty of knaves turn up. If a pretty woman asks you what you will bet" answer that you will lay your head to hers. What is the difference between the sun when it'! shining bright and a man going to throw a ,sPe^L The one is darting his rays, and the other raising dart. Cato's Philosophy.—"Cato, what do you sap' pose is the reason that the sun goes to the soutn'r the winter P" Well, I don't know, masaa, unless no stand the clemency of de norf, and am so obhg^ to go to de souf, where he speriences longimitude." ) They're always giving things different reBigll tiona from what they used to have," said Mrs. t ington to Ike. "In my opinion, what they call ralgia is catamount to old rhumatiz." "Bob," said a young fellow to his companion fancy fair, "you are missing all the sights on^n aide." "Never mind, Bill," retorted Bob, I'm sit- ing all the misses on the other." j A French lover, at a ball in Paris lately given the Austrian Embassy, observing hia intended J at a star, is said to have whispered, Do not Iocs 9 J it, for, alas! I cannot give it to you." Queery ?— it, for, alas! I cannot give it to you." Queery ?— Making all my days unquiet- Robbing all my nights of rest— Mixing aleea in my diet— Planting nettles in my breast— Answer me, O Fate, the question— Answer, and accept my thanks- Is it love, or indigestion, Planting nettles in my breast— Answer me, 0 Fate, the question- Answer, and accept my thanks- Is it love, or indigestion, That is playing me such pranks ? 9 Paddy Again.—An Irishman, upon viaitiof?., medical museum, waa Bhown some dwarfs, and ot specimens of mortality, all preserved in sJ0,0, Well," said he, "I never thought the dead could in such good spirits." The driver of a coach from Bristol to Bath asked by a passenger a great many questiona tee^ ing the objecta which attracted his attention. seat ia that?" "What is the name of that rif0* i] What description of manufactory is this P tfj »t these questions Jehu had but one answer, know." The passenger, getting nettled, said >< sharply, Is there anything you do know ?" „ said the man, I knows how to drive the coach.' A quack doctor, under the pretence that t, been tha means of saving a number of persons' J had a testimonial prepared for himself, to whio*1. waa the only contributor. Our readers will rexn^^g the well-known lines on Shakespeare, thus.- When learning triumphed o'er her barbarous £ o6& >t,j Wide o'er the stage th' immortal Shakespeare r°s An Irish wag, disgusted with the quack's pretellc parodied these lines, and had them printed and .j, up at an hotel where the doctor was a freqset Thev ran thrm ?— The Southwark people once had dangerous foes; A plague amongst them, and a quack arose. The plague with vague succeaa pursued its L, But thoae whom it made bad, the quack made *or8 With various drugs he many a victim slew, And these being coffined he sought out for new; For sending many a neighbour to the grave, A testimonial to himself he gave." Our Condolence.—We condole with our tunate friends, the Fenians. It is too bad that the simple-minded, patriotic men should have bee.D timised to that lamentable extent by lucre-loviol Head Centres and rascally treasurers. AlaoK well-a-day! that the hard earninga of so many and of so many confiding Micks, piously contribn 3 to lay the foundation atone of the Irish Repubbc> at the same time to knock out tHe rotten of the dilapidated country house occupied bf V„ gouty, old John Bull,—alas! that these sacred 9. inga should go to keep Colonel O'Mahony, dent," and Doran Killian, Treasurer," in ffW" L and 'baocy, with a taste, perhaps, of other cre»tfll comforts, for the rest of their natural lives. It is it is aad! And success so near at hand, too—for 50,000 dollars would have Bettled the business °f "Saxon oppressor beyondperadventure.—1 cisco News Letter. A Yankee Prayer.—In the State of Ohio resided a family, consisting of an old man of the of Beaver, and his three sons, all of whom are "pets," who had often laughed to scorn and entreaties of a pious though very eccentric ter, who resided in the same town. It happened o» of the boys waa bitten bv a rattlesnake, and was e? pected to die, when the minister was sent for in S'vL haate. On his arrival he found the young man veW penitent, and anxious to be prayed with. The oaf? ter, calling on the family, knelt down, and prayed this wise:—"O Lord! we thank Thee for snakes. We thank Thoo because a rattlesnake bit Jim. "We pray Thee send a rattlesnake to John; send one to bite Bill; send one to bite Satrlt and, O Lord! send the biggest kind of rattlesnake K bite the old man; for nothing bat rattlesnakes ever bring the Beaver family to repentance." Joshua Billings on Horses.—Pedigree is/0: important for a fast-trottin' hoss. If he can trot never mind_ the pedigree. Thare iz a menny fast even who ain't got no pedigree. Thare ain't much in drivin' a trottin' hoss; just hold him back hard, holler him a head hard, that's awl. A hoss will the fastest down a hill, espeshili if the birchin Kaller ia no criterior. I've Been awful mean bosses °\ all kullera except green. I never seed a mean one this kuller. Hosaes live tew an honorabil old age.. often seen them that appeared fully prepared f deth. Jleathens are awlus kind to hosaea; it is 'l Christian people that a hosa haz to trot heats in a hot day, for 25,900 dollars counterl01" munny. Mental and Corporeal Suffering.—There ig a curious Persian apologue on the difference betwefl mental and corporeal suffering. A king and J1}* minister, who were discussing the subject, differed^ opinion. The minister maintaining the first to °0 more severe, and to convince his sovereign of itj took a lamb, broke its leg, shut it up and put f°°r before it. He took another, shut it up with a which was bound with a strong chain, so that th beast could spring near, but not seize the lamb, also put food before him. In the morning he the king to see the effect of the experiment. T»e lamb with the broken leg had eaten all the food plftOeCi before him—the other was found dead from fright.. Government Examinations.-There is a story r going about that a candidate not many weeks ago W&0 "pluoked" at an examination for a clerkship in the Board of Trade because he was unable to give the length of a small river in Ireland. I have heard also of another who, I fear, has completely destroyed }¡jS chance with the learned examiners. He found on one of his papers: "Who were Napoleon's princip generals P Where were they stationed in the year -—" and where were they born P The last query so completely overcame his self-command, that he cooBy returned the paper to his examiners with the temptuons addition of—" And who was their boot- j maker ? Who's the Fool P-M. Serjeant Parry, in mIlS- tration ot a case, told the following anecdote ••—Soic0 merchants west to an Eastern Sovereign, and exhi- bIted for sale several very fine horses. The king ad- mired them, and bought them; he, moreover, gave the merchants a lac of rupees to purchase more horses for The king one day, in a sportive humour, ordereo the viaier to make out a liat of all the fools in his dominions. He did so, and put his majesty's name at the head of them. The king asked why. He replied, Because you entrusted a lao of rupees to men you know, and who will never come back." 5 s but suppose they should come back ? Than I 8hJ erase your name and insert theirs."