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M I S C E ft fc ASSfIgS.
• J. G- WHITTIER.
Whittier gave earlv indications of poetic pow
ers. Several of his-juveniie poems having found
their way into the newspapers and magazines of
the dav, attracted the attention of some literary
gentleman, who appreciated the merit of the
productions, and resolved to make their author a
visit, to oiler their assistance in introducing the
‘ quaker poet’ to literary notoriety.
Accordingly they took a conveyance that soon
set them down in the picturesque town of Weare,
N. H., the residence of the young poet. With
some difficulty they found the dwelling of Whit
tier, and were ushered into the best room of the
house by the mother, to whom they made known
their desire to see her son.
All this time young Whittier was working away
at the certainly rather unpoetical business of clean
ing out the hogstv. He plied his shovol with
right good will, totally unconscious ot the honor
that awaited him.
Judge of his astonishment, when Lizzy, his
sister came running from the house, and informed
him that it was full of very great people, who
were waiting to see him.’
‘ What shall I do? ’ cried the young poet iti
agony. ‘ Run, Lizzy, and get my boots, while
1 wash me in the brook.’
The boots were brought, but the bare, wet feet
of Whittier refused to enter. At length, after a
deal of tugging, one was drawn on, but oh, hor
rors! the other would not go on, neither would
the first one come oil!
‘ A pretty looking spectacle I shall present for
their inspection,’ murmured Whittier, as with
one boot in his hand, and the other on his foot,
he entered the house. But in a short time, the
flattering words of his visitors made him quite
forget the awkwardness of his attire.— Madison
Family Visitor .
THE VANITY OF THE WORLD.
A bund red*vears ago Lord Chesterfield was the
most admired of England’s gay and voluptuous
grandees. But while others were envying his
wit, his splendor aad his popularity, the weary
libertine was thus pouring forth his chagrin : “ i
have seen the silly rounds of business and pleas
ure, and have doue with them all. I have en
joyed all the pleasures of the woild, and conse
quently know their futility, and do not regret their
loss. I appraise them at their real value, which
is, in truth, very low ; whereas those, who have
not experienced them, always overrate them.—
They only see their gay outside, ind are dazzled
with their glare; but I have been behind the
scenes. I have seen ail the coarse pulleys and
dirtv ropes which exhibit and move the gaudy
machines ; and 1 have seen and smelt the tallow
candles which illuminate the whole decoration,
to the astonishment and admiration of an igno
rant audience. When I reflect back upon what
I have seen, what I have heard, and what I have
done, I can hardly persuade myself that all
that frivolous hurry and bustle, and pleasures of
the world had any reality; but I look upon all
that has passed as one of those romantic dreams
which opium commonly occasions; and Iby no
means desire to repeat the nauseous dose, for the
sake of the fugitive dream. Shall I tell you that
1 bear this melancholy situation with that merito
rious constancy and resignation which mos? peo-
Fle boast of! No ; for l really cannot help it.—
bearit because I must bear it, whether 1 will or
no. I think of nothing but killing time the best
way I can, now that he has become mine enemy.
It is my resolution to sleep in the carriage the re
mainder of the journey.”
Never Murmur. —'file Boston Transcript tells
a story of a poor man who stepped into the second
class cars for the train going into Boston on Satur
day, and who was rejected by the conductor be
cause be had not a quarter of a dollar to pay his
fare, and was left to pursue his way on foot. As
he trudged along he revolved harsh thoughts in
his mind at what seemed the disfavor of Provi
dence and the cruelty and injustice of his fellow
men, until on turning an angle in the track he
saw the cars at a stand still, and hurrving to the
spot, beheld the car from which he had been
thrust, dashed to pieces, and the mutillated and
disfigured bodies of his fellow-passengers scat
tered on the ground. The poor man’s heart
ceased its murmuring, and he could have taken
the conductor’s hand and blessed him as the in
strument of Providence in saving him from a
frightful death. He left the scene “ a wiser and
better man.”
Pressure of the Sea . —If a piece of wood which
floats on the water, be forced down to a great
depth in the sea, the pressure of the surrounding
liquid will force into the pores of the wood and
so increase its weight that it will no longer be (
capable ot floating or rising to the surface.—
Hence the timbers ot ships which have founder
ed in the deep part ot the ocean never rise again
to the surface, like those which have sunk near to
the shore. A diver may, with impunity, plunge
to a certain depth of the sea ; but there is a. limit
beyond which lie cannot live under the pressure
to which he is subject. For the same reason, it is
probable that there is a depth beyond which fishes
cannot live. They, according to Joslin, have
been caught in a depth in which they must have
sustained a pressure of eighty tons to each square
ibot of the surface of their bodies.
AN ELOPEMENT IN OLDEN TIMES.
FROM THE AMERICAN UNION.
The dowager Lady Ashburton died at Gosport,
England, a short time since, and her history con
tains material for a splendid romance, this lady
was an American, and among other incidents ol
note recorded in connection with her name, the
following will be read with interest:
She was the daughter of Hon Wm. Bingham,
a Senator in Congress, and fifty years since,
her father was a wealthy and prominent mer
chant of Philadelphia. He was a man of fashion,
and the family were among the leaders of the
ton, in the Quaker city at that period. Then he
was identified with the interests and the institu
tions of the United States, he was recognized as
one of the aristocracy, and was always remarka
blv attentive to the nobility visiting this country.
About the period he was elected by the State of
Pennsylvania to the Senate then sitting in Phila
delphia, he built what was then called a splendid
and costly mansion, occupying an entire square
of ground, with gardens and all kind of embel
lishments, enclosed by a brick wall, fronting on
Third and Spruce Streets, and now known as
Head's Mansion House . Mr Bingham entertained
strangers, senators, legislators, and the cabinet,
with princely hospitality. His family led the
fashions of those times, and a very friendly inti
macy existed between him and General Wash
ington.
The French revolution drove several noblemen
to the United States as exiles, among whom were
two professed duelists, Count de Tilly and Vis
count de Noailes. The Viscount either brought
letters to Mr. Bingham from Gen. Lafayette, or
he obtained an introduction to him which led to
his admittance as an inmate in the family. Hav
ing acquired the confidence of Mr. Bingham bv
his address and accomplishments, he managed
to introduce the Count de Tilly into that hospita
ble mansion. The Count was as noted for his
profligacy as he was for his skill with the small
sword; and understanding all the arts of a se
ducer, he soon obtained the good opinion and ad
miration of Mrs. Bringham, and Miss Mariah
Matilda Bingham, an only daughter.
In those times, and even since, a nobleman—
French, English, or German—was received with
marked attention in all werlthy families. There
was much patrician blood coursing through the
veins of the young republic—royalty and nobility
were not then, as now, at a discount. Marquises,
Viscounts, and Barons, were lionized whenever
they made their appearance, and young ladies
were enamored with the titled. This Count de
Tilly soon persuaded Miss Bingham to elope with
him, and also bribed some clergyman to unite
them. The city was not then very populous, and
the whole world of fashion was thrown into the
greatest excitement at hearing that Miss Bingham
had run a wav with the French Count de Tillv ;
and Mr. Bingham himself—a very honest, well
meaning, but not very distinguished man, exept
ing for wealth—was dreadfully mortified at this
rash step of his daughter, then not sixteen years
of age. The whole city called it a vile abduction.
The greatest indignation was everywhere ex
pressed; and Captain Barry, commanding a
packet ship, and a man of fashion, took occasion
to thrash the Count for some insolence. The
couple were forthwith separated, and the affair
was the subject of tea-table conversation for some
time, such an event seldom occurring in those
quiet and innocent periods.
Mr. Bingham almost sunk under the blow, but
it bectftue necessary to open some negotiations
with the Count to buy him off, as he only ran
away with the girl for her fortune. The Count
in the course',of these negotiations, represented
himself to be deeply in debt, and that it was im
possible to leave the country” without satisfying
his creditors to the amount of .£SOOO in ready
money, and an annuity of ,£6OO, which was paid
and secured to him, and he left for France, the
marriage having been declared fraudulent. Mr.
and Mrs Bingham never recovered from the shock,
and died shortly afterwards.
A young English merchant bv the name of
Baring subsequently arrived in Philadelphia with
letters to Mr. Bingham, and forming an attach
ment for his daughter, married and carried her
home. Her husband, afterwards the head of the
great banking house of Baring & Brothers, was
created a baron under the title of Lord Ashburton,
and was the negotiator here of the celebrated Ash
burton treaty. The Dowager Lady Ashburton,
recently deceased, was the girl who had created
so much attention and polite gossip when ran
away with by the Count de Tilly in Philadelphia
fifty years ago.
Wetting Bricks. —Few people, except builders,
are aware of the advantages of wetting bricks
before laying them. A wall twelve inches thick,
built up of good mortar, with brick well soaked,
is stronger, in every respect, than one sixteen
inches thick built dry. The reason of this is,
that if the bricks are saturated with water, they
will not abstract from the mortar the moisture
which is necessary to its chrystalization, and, on
the contrary, they will unite chemically with the
mortar, and become as solid as a rock. On the
other hand, if the bricks are put up dry, they im
mediately take all the moisture from the mortar,
leave it too dry to harden; and the consequence
is, that when a building of this description is taken
down, or falls down of its own acord, the mortar
falls from it like so much sand.
EXPENSIVE HAIR CUTTING.
From a letter from the 44 Panama” steamer on
her way to the gold country (says the N. Y. Ex
press) we learn that in the absence of a profes
sional barber, one of the passengers cut the hair
of another, for which he brought a bill of $9 50.
Suit was brought in the Court above referred to,
to recover the amount of said Bill. They had
several able lawyers on board, who conducted the
case. Mr. N. E. Smith of New Hampshire, acted
as Chief Judge, Mr. Mcllvaine, our Purser, asso
ciate Judge, Mr. Charles Ellet, Esq., Sheriff, Mr.
Judah and Mr. McAllister as couscl for plaintiff,
and Mr. Hver and Mr. Livingston for defendant.
The defendant’s counsel demanded a 44 bill of
particulars,” which was furnished. The follow
ing are a few of the items, For cutting hair—red
hair, $2 50; combing the same, 25 cents; cutting
whiskers, 50 cents ; timming mustache, $1; at
tempting to curl same, 50 cents ; time emplo) T ed
90- minutes,at 3 cents per minute, S3 ; use of comb
and brush, 25 cents; cleaning same, 25 cents;
extra charge on account of sanguinary color af
fecting the nerves, SI.
Power from Water. —We see they are using
the pressure of water in air-tight pipes in Scot
land, in order to obtain power. The Glasgow
Citizen describes a model engine in the office of
the Corbals Gravitation Water Company, Port
land street, as a beautiful contrivance. The mod
el is about one-horse power, with a horizontal
cylinder, and having a 12-inch stroke. The wa
ter, which here lias a pressure of about 210 feet,
is introduced to it Itom a common house pipe ;
and such is the simplicity ot the machine, that a
child could work it, and regulate its speed at
pleasure, by the mere turning of a handle. The
great advantage of this engine consists in the
fact that it can be put up in any part of the
house—wherever, in fact, there is a water-pipe.
It takes up very little room ; it registers the quan
tity of water which it uses, and it may be erected
in those localities in cities where stearnpower is
prohibited on account of danger and nuisance
from smpke, and without raising the rate of in
surance.
There is a deadly feud at Cincinnati between the
homeopathic physicians and the practitioners of
the old school, and it seems to have led into some
very unbecoming physical demonstrations. One
Physician is mentioned as having taken another
by the neck and treating him* very unprofession
ally. This circumstance has led one of the wags
of that city into the perpetration of an atrocious
pun. He says it is the first case of collar]) that
has occurred among the medical profession.
Bostoji Times
We hope our physicians will follow no such
example.
Old Maids. —Thoughtless young people often
delight in making fun of old maids. A little
of consideration would teach them better. Some
of the kindest and truest and best of women we
have ever known, were old maids. It is a pity—
nay, it is cruel to wound the feelings of any one
by taunting —a generous beart will not stoop to it
—more especially if that one be a woman. Alas !
how little do we know of the trials and sufferings
of many who are sneeringly denominated old
maids? Perhaps the constancy of youthful af
fection—the pure and deep devotion of a first and
only love, has kept many a woman single for
life.
While New Orleans is threatened with almost
utter destruction by the encroaching waters, one
of the theatres is making fun of the flood in a
farce called 44 Hydraulics. ” It reminds us
of the mtn who told Noah to go to a warm
climate with his unblessed old ark, as he did not
believe there would be much of a shower.
Lore. —There is a gloom in deep love as in deep
water ; there is a silence in it which strspends the
foot; and the folded arms and dejected head are
the images it reflects. No voice shakes its sur
face ; the Muses themselves approach it with a
tardy and timid step, and with a low, tremulous
and melancholy song.
Religion helrneted is religion no more; but in the
wars of the League, even in the midst ot that
blind and bloody hurtling of human passion, the
forms of holiness, and eharity, and devoted faith,
were to be seen moving, like impassive spirits,
through the ranks, binding up many a dreary
wound, and turning many a dying eye to heaven.
44 1 never knew any man,” says an old author,
“who could not bear another’s misfortunes perfect
ly like a Christian which reminds us of the old
lady who thought that every calamity that hap
pened to herself a trial, and every one that hap
pened to her friends a judgment.
A gentlemau, who at breakfast the other morn
ing broke an egg, and disturbed the repose of a
sentimental looking biddy, called the waiter and
insinuated that he did not like to have a bill pre
sented 44 till he had done eating.”
44 Our prospects is very dark,” said Break, the
Baker, on the occasion of the recent rise in flour.
44 Yes,” said Mrs. Partington 44 and so is your
bread,” but said that estimable lady, looking be
nignly on her specs, your loaves are light
enough.”
The Bath, Me., ship builders have a thousand
men now in Virginia getting out oak timber, and
as many more in Georgia cutting pine.
OSZSISAI arosv2t¥.
TO MISS .
BT L. T. VwICT.
As the streamlet, that sparkling
In light, leaps along,
Now glittering—now darkling
And gleeful with song;
So lady ! thy laughter,
Rings joyous and clear,
Oh! blythe, as that water.
Still, still, may it be !
As the spray foam that pillows
Its pearl wreaths of light,
On the fast flashing billows
That glance on the sight;
So may each hour—maiden !
Till time waves be past,
With new joys be laden,
Brighter each than the last!
(From Arthur’* Magazine )
LINES ADDRESSED TO A FRIEND.
ON BEHOLDING HIM WEEP AT HIS MOTHER’S ORATE,
BT LEWIS TOWION YOIGT.
** How oft do they their silver bowers leave
To come and succor us that succor want!
How oft do they with golden pinions cleur#
The flitting skies, like flying pursuivant,
Against fowle feinds to aid us militant,
They for us fight, they watch, and dewly ward;
And their bright squadrons round about us flank ! !
Spender's Faerie Qutea Book //, Cant#
Aye !—weep—thy grief becomes thee—gentle friend!
Blush not to let that sacred tribute fall,
Blush not upon thy mother’s grave to bend,
In tears dissolved—her love deserved them all!
And thank thy God that now thy conscience reads,
• Through the recorded past on memory’s scroll.
No words of thine—no thought—no unkind deed,
To mingle gall with sorrow in thy soul.
Weep—tears befit earth’s farewells! and the love
To thee now lost, the unwearying, anxious, deep.
The love, earth’s purest love, far, far above,
Sealed by the grave, may well claim tearsi —then weep.
Sealed by the grave. O! may she not be near then,
Her angel spirit with sweet influence still,
Through darkling paths with holy faith to cheer thee,
And with high hopes and aims thy heart to fill.
If angels truly round our patlnvay hover,
Their heavenly promptings gently to instill,
On our faint souls from Hell’s assnults to cover ;
That guardian task may not a mother fill!
Then, as through clouds the rainbow smiles, thy spirit
May joy to deem her s hovering by thy side ;
Let tiiß glad thought thy droop'ng soul inspirit,
That still to Heaven thy mother is thy guide.
A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY.
SAVANNAH, THURSDAY JUNE 28. 1849.
AGENTS.
Mr. J. M. Boakdman is our Agent for Macon.
Mr. S. S. Box for Rome.
Mr. Robt. E. Skylk for the State of South Carolina.
James O’Conner, Travelling Agent.
Vj£T Our readers may expect in our next jssue an Original
Tale of unusual vivacity. We respectfully assure the fair
writer that we appreciate the compliment of choosing our sheet
as the setting in which this brilliant shall appear,—and wt
humbly request that other gems may cluster round this jewel
—may w’e hope so ?
Wo cordially th ink L. for his able paper, it shall appear
in our next, we regret that press of matter has forced us to
this delay.
We were desirous of concluding Madame D’Arbou
ville’s admirable story this week, but its length compelled ui to
continue it to next week.
GP* The steam ship Cherokee left at 1 o’clock with about
90 cabin and 20 steerage passengers.
SOUTHERN LITERATURE.
Within the past six months more effort has been made to
build up our literature than for the ten years previous, every
two or three weeks we have been called upon to notice some
new aspirant for public favor. The general improvement
execution of the new papers and periodicals shows that
that is wanting at the South is encouragement. If book a°d
pamphlet makers will have their works printed at home* n *
stead of sending them abroad, in a very short period the dif
ference in price will be in favor of the South, even now, add*
ing freight, exchange, editing, for the press, dec. Arc., there
is little or no difference. If proper encouragement had been
given to the mechanic arts South for the past twenty yean,
we should not now be compelled to make the humbling ac*
knowledgement of the superiority ot the North—not in fh®
matter of workmanship so much as facilities—want of meant
arising from a want of encouragement, is the real secret ol
our inferiority. Tho mechanical class add as much to tfo |
prosperity of a country as the agricultural—it is the base
England’s prosperity, and fixes her pre-eminence aver the
other nations of Europe.
In a literary point of view, the improvement is very
not that the South has ever been deficient in literary aft* 11 ’’
ments, but that the outlet has been circumscribed, and tn!e n! *
has lain dormant except in some few instances when write*-
have sent their contributions to the northern periodical p reil
for publication; this state of things is passing away,
papers and periodicals increase so will writers multiply*
Our State can now boast, a score or tw r o as good papers
periodicals as those of the north, among which there are
superior to the specimen before us of IVheler's c° u
Monthly Magazine , for July, 1849. Printed at Athens*
by William N. White, at one dollar per annum* 6
convinced that a work of so much merit will be duly
ciated by the public, and that Mr. Wheler will be amp)
warded for his exertions. If any of our readers wish to •
scribe for the work, by leaving a dollar with us we will f ,,rD
it to them.