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resounded through the apartment, tables and
benches were upset, jugs and glasses broken.
The hostess screamed for help. But the
strife and tumult were brief; and Gerard sud
<lcn!v found himself in the street, stunned
and bruised by the blows he had received.
Settling his cloak, and smoothing his crushed
hat. he went his way, scarce bestowing an
other thought upon the scuffle; for things far
weightier, tar more painful and engrossing,
crowded upon his excited mind-.
[concluded next wee®.]
(Drigtnd JJoctrg.
For the Southern Literary Gazette.
THE DYING FLOWERS.
The fresh and fragrant Spring is past,
The Summer winds hate sighed tlieir last;
Chill Autumn comes with frosty breath,
And whispers —“ Flowers, ’tis time for death.”
I would, pale blossoms, I could stay
The ruthless hand of stern decay ;
1 would I could retain your smile,
To light my heart a longer while.
If Nature's God in you hath wrought,
Too fondly frail the hallow’d thought—
’Tis sweet to think, pale, dying flowers,
Ye come again with “ April Showers.”
I envy not the flower, because
’Tis daily honored with applause,
From lips that virtue made discreet,
And hearts that scorned to use deceit;
I care not for the morning breeze,
That sings the flowers soft melodies;
Nor would I wish to dwell where grew,
The bowing blossom bathed in dew:
But where’s the heart so wondrous cold,
That would not give its treasur'd gold,
To pass each day such sinless hours,
And die at length as die the flowers !
Midway, Oct. 1848. J ll* N.
fetters from a Jlljgsmatt.
For the Southern Literary Gazette.
HOMEOPATHY—NO. 4.
Roswell, Cobh Cos., Geo., )
October 31, 1848. j
My dear Col. —l thank you for the hint,
and will again quote from “ the quaint wri
ter” :
‘“’Tis above reason,’ cried the doctors on
one side; ‘’Tis below reason,’ cried the
others ; ‘ ’Tis faith,’ cried one ; ‘ ’Tis a fid
dlestick,’ said the others; ‘’Tis possible,’ cried
one; ‘’Tis impossible,’ said the others.”
I am well aware that “contradictory state
ments have been made of Homeopathy.” —
Some have said it was “faith” —others with
as much learning and honesty, have said —
{, Tis a fiddlestick.’ The learned Fleischmann
would have us believe that it is a plan of
treatment calculated “to cure in a mild,
prompt, safe and durable manner” (Organon).
And so we might believe, could we put any
reliance on his statements; but unfortunately
for the statistics published by Dr. Forbes in
the Br. and For. Med. Rev., No. XLIV, M.
Balfour, after an examination of the books of
the establishment in which Dr. F. pursued
the homeopathic practice, has proved the said
statistics to be mere forgeries. In his report,
Dr. F. had stated, that of 64 cases of pneu
monia admitted during 1846, only two died—
or three per cent. —whereas it has been found
in the books, that in the space of three months
three pneumonic patients died out of 19. —
Take this as another item of homeopathic
honesty. If you have an opportunity, read
the letter of M. Balfour, published in the Br.
and For. Med. Rev., April, 1847, and I am
sure you will say of Homeopathy, “ Tis a
fiddlestick.” It will not do to point to the
cures performed by infinitesimal doses, for
every quack medicine, however ridiculous or
inert, as every body knows, has its numerous
extraordinary cures or coincidences. \ou
cannot take up a village newspaper without
reading a long list of cases of the same dis
ease, which have been cured by quack nos
trums entirely at variance with each other in
® as sir ins.
composition. Swaim's Panacea astonished
the Philadelphia physicians for a time, till
Dr. Hare detected mercury in that “ purely
vegetable compound,” which had been recom
mended by some of our most distinguished j
M. l)‘s. The mind of a German was requir- 1
ed, and is the proper soil, for such alnonsens
ical theory as that advanced by Hahnemann, j
Ihe German people, as you are aware, are
less practical in every thing than their neigh
bors. t hey are peculiarly a literary people,
but there is always a tinge of the supernatu
ral or immaterial about their writings—“ a
glow of that immaterialism or transcendental
ism, which arises from studying the wonders
of the world of thought and imagination; in
short, from looking at the world within, ra
ther than at the world without.” But the
difficulty comes not from their bringing the
monstrous out of realities —in this they are
not different from other nations—but only in
concieving such fancied dreams to he truths.
You are not to be at all surprised, then, when
I tell you that the old original doctrines of
Hahnemann are already abandoned, and that
the new theories are legion. There is confu
sion and war in the very camp of Homeopa
thy. As an evidence of this fact, I refer you
to a work not long since compiled from the
German of Dr. Griesselich by my friend, Dr.
A. C. Beeker, in which Hahnemanmsm is
pointedly condemned, and what Dr. G. is
pleased to call “rational Homeopathy,” of
fered as a substitute. Dr. G. tells us that
“ Hahnemannian medicine and Homeopathy
have, of late years, become two distinct sys
tems, and should, as such, be clearly distin
guished.” The illusions of Hahnemann are
o
ridiculed by this new light, who says —“11.
has in many things entangled himself in a
mass of contradictions.” “ Hahnemannism
is an aggregate of truth and untruth, and can
not, in its totality, he adopted by any scien
tific physician.” Let me ask you, Colonel,
if you have ever seen a house divided against
itself, stand against the storms and winds?
The ultra-infinitesimalists are warring w ith
the more rational dose-givers ; the “ spezifik
ers” are rejected “by those who have more
deeply studied the subject,” and we find what
was once pronounced “so peerless and so
perfect,” “ a mild, prompt, safe and durable
means of cure,” is now “not so far perfected
that its disciples may always, and in all
cases, eschew other modes of treatment.” —
(Vide Griesselich.) Consistency, thou art a
jewel!
With a quotation from Dr. Bell, of Phila
delphia, I wall close this epistle; and I tran
scribe it, to keep prominently before your
mind the honor (?) of homeopaths : “Among
the practitioners of Homeopathy there are
three classes —one consistent, acting out their
belief; and another who, under the pretence
of homeopathic doses, give common, but small
ones, and those of active and sometimes poi
sonous articles; and a third, who are ready
to practice either way, allopathically or ho
meopathically, paying their own judgment
and science the odd compliment of asking
their patients how they wish to be treated,
and according to their reply, either bleeding
them, or giving them a Hahnemann phial to
smell, (ala Dr. Gross,) and caring not at all
how they earn their fees, provided fees come
into their pockets.” We find the candid Dr.
Kirby obliged “to place the statement in his
columns, with the deep regret that he is com
pelled to admit the truth of what Dr. Bell
states.” (Am. Jour. Homeop., p. 14, vol. iii,
No. 1.) Imagination, my friend, peopled the
ancient world with daemons; in later days, it
formed hohgoblins, sylphs, and faries —set
witches on broom-sticks —made them dart
through the air with telegraphic velocity, to
stop the growth of children, blast cabbages,
and curdle milk. It possessed men with evil
spirits, and now disposes the weak-minded to
give credit to “latter-day saints,” to the reve
ries of a Swedenborg, the theories of Mesmer,
and the follies of Homeopathy. It creates
powers and principles, and points out signs
by which they may be known, so that pro
found legislators shall make wise laws against
witchcraft, and conscientious jurymen shall
show their abhorrence to this craft by con
demning old women to the flames, who could i
not prove their innocence by drowning in a
pond! Your’s, truly, BAYARD.
Col. N. J. B.
fjome tforrespouDcnce.
For the Southern Literary Gazette.
NEW-YORK LETTERS—NO/27. j
Rathbun Hotel, New York , \
Nov. 1, 1848. )
My dear Sir: —Dropping in at Putnam’s
the other day, l looked into some pleasant j
shadows of the past, in the shape of sundry
old placards printed in London at the period
of the Bonaparte terror. From these venera
ble looking gentlemen in type, it seems that
the threats of the ‘Corsican Tyrant,’ as they
politely call the Grand Ernpereur, were to
the good citizens of London like those of
Cassius to Brutus. They looked upon the
conqueror’s threatened invasion of England
as a capital joke, admirably suited for a scare
crow to naughty boys and girl. Among
these hand-bills is the following pleasant ad
vertisement :
In Rehearsal:
THEATRE ROYAL OF THE UNITED KINGDOM.
Some dark, foggy night, in November next.
will be attempted by a strolling company of
French vagrants, an old pantomimic farce,
called
HARLEQUIN’S INVASION:
OR THE
DISAPPOINTED BANDITTI.
With newmachinery, dresses,decorations, etc.
Harlequin Butcher, by Mr. Bonaparte,
irom Corsica,
(Who murdered that character in Italy, Egypt,
Switzerland, Holland, etc.)
To which will be added, by command of
His Majesty, and at the particular request of
all good citizens, the favorite comi-tragic up
roar, of
THE REPULSE, or BRITON TRIUMPHANT!
The parts by John Bull, Paddy Whack,
Sawney Mac Snaeth, etc. —with chorus of
‘Hearts of Oak,’ by the Jolly Tars and Army
of Old England, assisted by numerous bands
of provincial performers, who have volunteer
ed their services for the occasion.
The whole to conclude with a grand illu
mination and transparency of
BRITANNIA RECEIVING THE HOMAGE OF GALLIC
SLAVES.
The new satire entitled “ A Fable for Crit
ics, etc.” is now amusing the town. It is
said to he very impudent, without any won
derful degree of point. It is published anon
ymously, but is known to be from the pen of
Lowell, the poet. Lord Brougham’s Letter
on the French Revolution attracts the atten
tion of the philosophically and politically giv- j
eti. It is considered to be rather heavy.
The most beautiful of the numerous gift
hooks of the season, is the “Lays of the
Western World,” just published by Putnam. |
Tt is a superbly illuminated edition, in exqui- i
site binding, of a few short poems by popular 1
American writers. In artistic and mechani- 1
cal execution, it is unsurpassed by the Euro- j
pean press.
Intelligence of the death of a Mr. Ilallet
here, was recently telegraphed westward, and
at the other end of the line came out “Hal
leck,” whereupon the papers thereabouts went
into obituary hysterics and panegyrics upon
the great public loss, in the death of the gift- ‘
ed author of Marco Bozzaris! The Courier ,
fy Enquirer hopes that the news is at least
fifty years in advance of the mail. Indeed,
it would he a very great pity if the poet should
live so short a time to enjoy the generous an
nuity of two hundred dollars bequeathed him
by his particular friend, John Jacob Astor!
Let him live half a century longer, and he
will realize the mighty sum of ten thousand
dollars from the lavish kindness o£ liis de
funct patron.
A son of Tyrone Power, the lamented com
edian, made a debut the other evening, at the
Park. Much was expected from him, of
course, but unfortunately very little was re
alized.
At Mr. Macready’s benefit, a German mu
sician made a very amusing “ first appearance
in America.” His odd personel , and his gro
tesque bearing as he seated himself at the
piano, excited a titter all over the house. —
He took his scat with a jerk, drew off his
white gloves and dashed them on the instru
ment with a jerk, made use of his cambric
and cast that down with another jerk—then,
being very near-sighted, he bowed his bushy
noddle, so that his locks swept the keys, and
made a grand dash at the middle of the board;
a pause and a second dash on the right; ano
ther awful pause, and a third onslaught upon
the bass ranks ; then a moment's respite, and
sixteen or more rapidly consecutive and fu
rious dashes all about! His performance
ended, he retired amidst the continued plau
dits of the audience, interpreting into
an encore , he retraced his steps across the
stage, and again perched himself upon the
stool. Scarcely had lie struck a note, before
the stamping was renewed. Disconcerted by
what he considered an interruption, he hesi
tated. halted, and rose to retire. The ap
plause, mingled with counter hisses, increas
ed, and once and twice and thrice again, he
sat down and got up, and finally withdrew
disconcerted, amidst a hubbub of laughter,
hisses, and bravissimos! Although really
an excellent performer, this awkward affair
will probably affect all his cis-Atlantic for
tunes. Upon what trifles do success or fail
ure hang in this sublunary sphere!
The Hon Dixon 11. Lewis, U. S. Senator
from Alabama, died in this city last week,
and his remains were conveyed to Greenwood
Cemetery on Saturday. The highest civic
honors were paid by the municipal authori
ties, and by the people, to the memory of the
deceased statesman, and he was followed to
the grave by a large concourse of sorrowing
admirers and friends.
The late intelligence of the appearance of
the Cholera in England, has not a whit abated
the fear that it will, ere long, reach our own
shores, It is a theme of constant converse
among sickly old gentlemen and the antiqua
ted fair of Gotham, but I hope that we may
long he able to laugh at their terrors, and to
find pleasanter subjects of gossip than lugu
brious reports of Boards of Health.
FLIT.
uin historical Skctcl).
For the Southern Literary Gazette.
THE SOUTH SEA BUBBLE.
BY C. L . WHEL.ER.
The people of Rome —and others of the South
of Europe who “do as the Homans do,” —are
privildged to play the fool during the few days’
continuance of their Carnival; hut when two
nations, alike celebrated for tlieir industry and
sedateness, play the Tool for years, the matter
becomes a wonderment to the historian. We
allude to the “ Tulip Mania” and the “ South
Sea Bubble,” two of the most striking instan
ces of infatuation known in the history of the
human race. We have deemed that a succinct
account of the latter would not be out of place
in your Literary Gazette .
In the year 1711, a charter was granted to a
company of South Sea Traders, —a company
, formed somewhat on the plan of the celebrated
East India Company. In the interim from
l 1711 to 1718 the Company bad prospered in an
i undreamed-of degree; —a bill had passed both
, Houses of Parliament enabling the King, (Geo.
the First,) to accept the gubernatorial control
of the Company, which honor.ho accepted by
appearing in the House of Lords and giving
his signature to the bill. On. the 27 th ot Jan
| uary, the next year, (1719,) the Company sub
mitted a scheme to Parliament for paying off
211