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36 , LITERARY. triLLIAn W. MANN, Editor. The Southern Field and Fireside 18 PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY. TEEMS—S2.OO a year, invariably in advance. All Postmasters are authorized agents. TRAVELING AGENTS: Charles Pemble, Louis Coemick, .John L. Stockton, William Clark. W T. Beall, W. M. Bussell, L. R. WniTK, Wm. P. Bottom. R. D. Phillips, Edward A. Hill. Henry Tyler, K. A Keks. J. W. Taliaferro, Josephus C amp, J. B. Overstreet, Each Traveling Agent has a written authority to col lect and receipt for subscriptions, signed by the Proprie tor, and his signature verified by the Mayor of the city of Augusta, with the seal of the city attached. SATURDAY. JUNE 25, 1859. PREMIUMS TO POSTMASTERS —FIVE HUN DRED DOLLARS IN PREMIUMS. We Invite attention to the premiums offered to the Postmasters of Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Mis sissippi and Tennessee, for the largest lists of subseribers to The Southern Fielo and Fireside. See Prospectus. — * NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS. It will bo impossible to send receipts, in future, to each subscriber, owing to the large number of subscriptions coming in daily. The receipt of Tub Southern Field and Fireside, after the money is remitted, will be evi dence to each subscriber that his money has been re ceived and his name duly entered on the mail book. —— TO CORRESPONDENTS AND CONTRIBUTORS. Please take notice that writers for the Field and Firexide must, in all cases, communicate to the editor their real names and address. Articles sent, without the observance of this rule, will lie over till it shall be com plied with. And no notice, but that of reception, will be awarded to articles hereafter received, which shall not he accompanied by the name. We hare received during the week : Chapter six of Master Mitten. The Golden Jessamine, or The Experience of a Lover. Oh, when will it be Morning ?— by Anna Wood. Isn't it Strange ?—by same. Oh, Sing me that Sweet Air—by Rosalie. To Virginia—by R. C. C. Things as they often occur. Ac. —by same. A Christian's Death— by Calmab. Our Carrier’s Address. The Good Husband—by Erie. The Summer Winds—by Carrie Bell. Bury me where the Flowers bloom—by same. OUR PRIZES. Several writers who have forwarded productions which are intended to compete for the prizes, have omitted to place us in possession of the author's name and address. This neglect must be repaired before the articles can be submitted to the committee of award. The name and address may be sent in a common open letter, or (which is better,) in a sealed envelope, stating on the back that the name of the author of such an article will be found within—the envelope to be opened, or not, as the author may direct, after the award shall be made. The names and address of authors will lie carefully concealed from the committee of award, We have received, during the week, the following productions, to be added to the list of Prize articles: An Essay on the Beauties of Nature—by Rosalie. The JJoot Empire—by X. X. A Storm at Sea—by T. 9. Night and Life—by J. W. D. Visions of the Night Night and Day—(transferred). Do Not Despair. An Evening Ramble—by Thbietos. To My Mother —by Carlos. The Maniac's Lament ’Tis Night The Pleiades. Mary, the Mother of Washington. The Bosom's Thorn—by Lois. Nothing Loves Me. Not at Home. * Luda—a novelette. The Beauty and Worth of Woman—by Philander. How can we Improve our Lands, and make Cotton?— an essay. A Song of Gold and Wine. A Dream of the Past At Sea—and “ The Wife.” A Sketch of Life—a poem. III - DR. DIONYSIUS LARDNER. Dr. Dionyisus Lardner, whose recent death lias produced so general a sensation in the scien tific world, was the son of Dennis Lardner, an Irish Attorney, pursuing his profession in Wex ford, Ireland. It was in Wexford that the sub ject of this notice was born, in February, 1790. Suffering an accident in his boyhood, which kept him in the house, he took to reading, and by the time he got well, had fallen so in love with learning that his whole course of life was diverted from the course which it had been in tended he should pursue. Young Lardner en tered Trinity College, Dublin, where he gradu ated in 1817. It was there, that he took holy orders, and became the Chaplain of that institu tion. He had entered Trinity College, as a sizar, and distinguished himself there for his scholarship, amid a host of difficulties. It wa s there, too, and then, that lie met, fell in love with, and married his first wife, by whom he had two sons. He soon gave up the office of Chap _ lain, and abandoned the clerical profession. At an early period of life, he evinced a taste for art and science, and during his subsequent active career he contributed, perhaps, more than any other man, to the diffusion ol knowledge in those branches in a popular and practical form. As a lecturer, he was most successful. His com pilations were highly interesting, clear, and in structive, and though not possessed of a large originality of genius, nor in the proper sense a great man, yet his contributions to the cause of science were very valuable. He bad the merit of producing the first cheap publication of a scientific work ever published in England— “ Lardner’s Cabinet Knclycoptedia ofScience and Arts"—of which some two hundred volumes were issued. It was to iu Mathematics and the Physical Sciences that he was especially devoted. He first published treatises on geometry, trigonom etry, and the differential and integral calculus; afterwards, a commentary on the first six books of Euclid, a treatise on solid geometry, which became a text book, and another on the steam engine; contributed articles on mathematical subjects to the Edinburgh Encyclopedia and the Encyclopedia Metropolitan, aud wrote for the Library of Useful Knowledge a series of articles on Natural Philosophy. We find him separated from his first wife even before he had divested himself of his cleri cal robes. Os the two sons, the fruit of this mar riage one has since committed suicide; the other is, at present, an officer in the British Army. He was Lecturer on Natural Philosophy and astronomy at Trinity College, and here he exhibit ed that peculiar power of imparting knowledge, ywv SOVX3KSXS VXS&D AND VIIUSBXBK. and that dearness of illustration, which subse quently became the basis of his wide popularity. Brougham, aiding in founding the London University, in 1825, applied to Lardner, with the offer of tho Chair of Natural Philosophy and Astronomy. This commenced his career in j England. " The University failed. Lardner soon vacated his chair, and devoted his attention to educational works. He suggested the idea, to ; Brougham, of the “Penny Magazine.” I The establishment of the Cabinet Cyclopaedia j under his immediate direction brought him pro minently before the English public. Among its : regular contributors were Sir John Herschel, Sir David Brewster, Scott, Southey, Mackintosh, j and others; Dr. Lardner contributed to this work some of its most valuable essays. _ j From 1831 to 1839, lie mostly spent his time in lecturing on various subjects, in the Midland and Northern counties of England, including Mesmerism, in which he was a believer. Dur ing this jieriod lie also contributed papers on physical science to the Edinburgh Review and other periodicals. From 1830 to 1840, his ser vices were in request by the British Railway Companies, in the departments of scientific sur vey. "it was in the winter of 1839 that Dr. Lardner, being then about fifty years of age. accepted an invitation from a wealthy gentleman, his friend Capt. Heavyside. to spend some time with his family, at their house in Brighton. During the visit," the Doctor became enamored of the wife of his host; and, shortly afterwards, the world was astounded by the announcement that the guilty pair had eloped to the continent. The lady had abandoned her husband and a largo family of young children. Capt. 11. pursued thorn to Paris, inflicted severe personal chastisement on the Doctor, and then obtained against him a very heavy verdict for damages. In the year 1840, to avoid, doubtless, for him self and liis frail partner, the disagreeable noto riety arising from this disgraceful affair, Dr. Lardner came, with tho fair and accomplished heroine of it, to the United States, assuming, on board the vessel in which they sailed from Havre to New York, the honest, and less notorious cog nomer, of Mr. and Mrs. Lambert. But it was im possible long to wear the incognito in New York; and they were now compelled to resume their proper names. They lived quietly, at their ho tel in Broadway, where, however, he and Mrs. 11. entertained considerable company, (mostly of the male sex,) who were charmed with her lady like demeanor, her brilliant conversation, and the display of her accomplishments. She played and sang with remarkable skill, and was no mean adept at chess. In 1841, Dr. Lardner gave courses of popular lectures on Astronomy, and other sciences, which were very profitable in a pecuniary sense, and which had an immense vogue in New York. Boston, Philadelphia, Wash ington. Charleston. Savannah, Augusta, Mobile, New Orleans, St. Louis, and in many other of the chief cities of the Union. He spent four years, thus, iu the United States: during which, it is believed, her husband, Capt. H. having died, Dr. L. and Mrs. 11. became, legally, man and wife. In 1845, they returned to Europe, and since then have resided in Paris. There, with a fam ily of three children, they occeupicd a splendid hotel in the aristocratic faubourg St. Germain-. where, in that unscrupulous, and not very fastidi ous society, they weekly received the elite of the scientific, and literary circles of the capital of France. Tho Doctor was a most fascinating lecturer. Few have possessed in equal degree with him the enviable facuty of communicating knowledge. In 1850 lie, published a statistical work, enti tled Railway Economy. In 1851, he contrib uted to the London Timex a series of papers up on the Great Exhibition, subsequently republish ed in a volume. He thou published a series of ele mentary treatises, in six volumes, entitled “The Handbook of Natural Philosophy and Astrono my.” In 1853, he commenced tho Museum of Science and Art. a periodical work. Ho after wards completed a work on Animal Physics, contributed to the transactions of tho Royal Astronomical Society. One of his latest works is a paper on the efficacy of deadly instruments of war, which owe their improvement to chemical science. Dr. Lardner died at Naples, 29th April, 1859, of inflammation of the chest, alter a very short illness. It has not boon from love of scandal, or in the indulgence of an uncharitable spirit, that notice has been taken above of tho illicit connection with Mrs. Heavyside, and of other incidents in the life of Dr. Lardner, which evince great de fects of character, and convict him of radical want of moral principle. No! These details have been dictated by a stern sense of what is due to society, when the character of one of its members presents itself for appreciation. The duty of the censor is to be just and impartial, to approve when approval is merited, to praise when praise is justifiable, and to censure, too, not spitefully, and from unkindness towards the dead, but sternly and severely,/or the sake of the living— for the benefit of those whoso characters are in process of formation—the great moral delinquen cies of the dead, who have moved prominently in our midst. We do not hold to the rule—and we say it boldly—conscious, the while, that we ? as most men, nifty some day, suffer from its non observance—we do not hold to the' rule, nil de mortuis nisi bonum. It originated in an unsound philosophy. It is a sickly sentimentality; and has been sustained to the present day, mainly, we doubt not, by the almost universal individual consciousness that one’s own memory, after death, will need its application. The brilliant, the learned, the talented, the great, will be more careful to be consistently great, to correct moral defects, to avoid blurring improprieties of con duct, during life, when assured that, after death, no brilliancy, or learning, or talents, or great ness, in one, or several particulars, will lie al lowed to cover vice; or win tolerance and silence for odious aberrations from the path of rectitude in conduct. And especially, let not the young, whose characters are being formed, whose minds are being developed, whose conscience is being taught, whose moral sense is acquiring the tem per and edge to be used through life for discrimi nation between right and wrong—let not the young, we say, perceive that it is possible for them to throw a brilliant veil of gold and silver gauze over some hideous moral deformity. And in judging of character, in private and social life, or of public and historical personages, teach them to look upon, to weigh, and properly appre ciate the evil which they find, as well as the good. We believe that Mr. Abbott, by holding up to unqualified admiration such a character as the first Napoleon's; by teaching, as he has done practically, that brilliancy of achievements and j intellectual ominence exempt a man from tlio rules of criticism applied to ordinary men —that j they cover, and almost atone, for moral defects— has done more harm to the moral sense of tho rising generation than he could correct or atone for by a whole life of ordinary teaching and j preaching. Lot it be remembered, then, that, while Dr. Larpner was one of the most learned men of the day, while his faculty for communicating knowledge was admirable, and almost unequaled j by that of any modern Professor —while he has done more than perhaps any man living by his writings, by his lectures, and by his conversa tion, to make the sciences popular, and to spread ! abroad useful knowledge—let it, we say, bo re membered against him, that he was not, in the true sense of the word, a great man—that ho was, I morally, a very bad man. As a priest, in early life, he forsook his God ; as a husband and fa ther, he abandoned his family; as a man. he in famously betrayed his friend; as a member of society, he grossly and habitually violated its most wholesome and fundamental laws. Dr. Larpner has been often, since the suc | cessful navigation of the Atlantic by steamships, ! severely twitted with an opinion, said to have | been formerly held and expressed by him, unfa i vorable to the practicability of thus making the j passage from Europe to America. The compiler | of this notice knows that its subject was parti cularly sensitive upon this point, and lias heard him, more than once, enter warmly upon his own defence. Ho considered his reputation, as a scientific and practical man, at stake. It is, in fact, an interesting question to many in this country, who will bo pleased to read the follow ing letter and extract, both clipped from Euro pean papers. They settle tho question as to Dr. Larpner's expressed opinions. Tho first is a letter in defence of Dr. L, from a personal friend and scientific colleague. The second is a retort and attack on tho Doctor, quoting upon him chapter and verse, it must be admitted, with telling effect The London Herald says: We have received the following letter from Mr. Bourne, C. E., which sets right tho erroneous impression of Dr. -Lardner’s having stated that the crossing of the Atlantic by a steamer was a physical impossibility: Sir: In a new edition of Doctor Lardner's work upon tlic steam-engine, which has just ap peared, a recapitulation is given of the leading points in the controversy on the subject of At lantic steam navigation. As the question is thus brought once more before the public, as most erroneous impressions are prevalent re specting it, and as lam able, from my personal knowledge, to state the real facts of the ease, I trust you will afford me sufficient space in your columns to set the matter correctly before the public. Most persons suppose that Dr. Lardncr declared the passage of tho Atlantic, by a steam vessel to lie a physical impossibility, and if an example bo needed to show how far the achieve ments of physical science may outrun the antici pations of scientific authorities, Dr. Lardner’s supposed declaration is usually cited as a case in point. It happens, however, that Dr. Lardner entertained no such opinion as that usually imput ed to him, but in fact maintained the very oppo site. About the time of the meeting of the British Association, in Bristol, in 1837, being then engaged in superintending the construction of tho largest steam-vessels of that day—the Don Juan, the Braganza, and the Tagus, be longing to the Peninsular Company—l was ap plied to by Dr. Lardner to ascertain my views respecting the prospects of Atlantic steam navi gation, and I then went with him with some care into the question. It was, of course, obvious to us both, that for a steam vessel to cross the Atlantic was perfectly possible. In fact, at least two steam vessels, the Savannah and the Cu raroa. had crossed it already; and although it was doubtful whether any steam vessel of that day could carry coal enough to maintain the full power of the steam during the whole voyage, it was clear, nevertheless, that any sea-worthy steamer could accomplish the voyage by adopt ing one of two alternatives—she might either proceed under full steam as far as her coals would last, and then conclude the voyage under sails, or she might pass through the whole dis tance under partial steam, working the engines with o*lx' a portion of their power, as had been repeatedly done by the Medea, and other steam vessels, when sailing with the fleet. It was ob vious to every one, indeed, that the capability of a steam vessel to carry coal for an Atlantic voyage hinged upon the amount of power put into her; or, in other words, it was a question of the pro portion of power to tonnage; so that by making the hull of the vessel very large, and the engines relatively small, a sufficient capacity for coal to enable tiie engines to be worked throughout the voyage would certainly be obtained. This ab stract question, however, was not the one which engaged the attention of the public, or upon which it was necessary for Dr. Lardner to deliver any opinion. But three distinct pro jects were at that time before the public, pro posing to connect England with New York by steam vessels of large tonnage and power; and tlie problem presented for resolution was, wheth er these undertakings, unassisted as they were by a government grant, and relying wholly upon the returns from goods and passengers, would probably bo successful. Dr. Lardner's opin ion was that they would not, and in that opinion I concurred; no one was able to answer Dr. Lardner's arguments, but they were drowned by clamor; and he was represented as having given utterance to an absurdity, in order that the force of his reasonings might be the more effectually concealed. For the moment, his ex pedient succeeded. The three schemes, which had London, Liverpool, and Bristol as their Eu ropean termini, were, contrary to Dr. Lardner’s recommendation, established and tried. The result is exhibited in the following list, which shows the eventual fate of the vessels employ ed: Sirius, withdrawn; Royal William, with drawn; Great Liverpool, sold; United States, sold; British Queen, sold; President, lost, Great Western, sold; Grei t Britain, sold. In fact, the whole of the enterprises condemned by Dr. Lardner have miscarried, and have been at tended with loss and disappointment to all con cerned. The Cunard and American lines of packets, being supported by large government subventions, of course, do not come Under the conditions I)r. Lardner had to consider, which were those of an enterprise subsisting only on its own returns. Nor had his prognostications any reference to the class of auxiliary screw vessels now plying across the Atlantic—that class of vessels having been unknown in 1836. His remarks had reference exclusively to pad dle vessels with full power. And since the whole of the vessels of that class, except those supported by extraneous aid, have been driven from the field, and since the Cunard line, not withstanding the great ability with which it is conducted, requires a government contribution of one hundred and forty-five thousand pounds a year to enable it to be carried on, it appears certain that the doctrines Dr. Lardner promul gated in 1836 and 1837 are irrefragable still, notwithstanding the improvements which have since taken place in steam navigation. One by one, the schemes he condemned have exploded. No one would now think of ro-constructiug them. Who, then, shall say that his anticipa tions have not been borne out by the result. London Herald, Nov. 15. The following has been clipped from Galigna ni's Messenger, Paris: Danger of Prophecies.—Dr. Lardner is a favorite subject of persecution. Having written many clever books and papers, he once made rather a serious mistake. In his work upon the steam-engine he expressed an opinion that little hopes of success could attend the project of Trans-atlantic steam navigation; and ever since Cunard established that line of steamers which had so many imitators, and is now as familiar as the railway, or the electric telegraph, there has been a periodical resuscitation of Dr. Lardner and his mistake. The Doctor has not taken kindly to this peri odical roasting; he remonstrates, and endeavors to justify himself. At one time, if we remember rightly, lie expressed himself to have meant not that such projects were impossible, but that they could not pay. In a letter to the Times, the other day, referring to his eighth edition, he denied point-blank -that he ever uttered such an opinion. “An Observer of 1845,” however, brings a telling witness against the Doctor—not his eighth, but his sixth edition. In page 320 of that volume, Dr. Lardner hopes that “ a due consideration of the facts and principles in tho present chapter” would awaken tho projectors to a “better sense of the mechanical obstacles which would stand in the way of an unbroken sea voyage between London and New York.” At page 320 lie calculates that it would be prac ticable to construct a steamer capable of carrying fuel, without intermediate depot of coals, for two thousand five hundred miles, and not for three thousand five hundred miles; hence, the idea of “the little hopes which can at present attend this project.” The project did not succeed “at present,’' but it has amply succeeded since; and we do not know why Dr. Lardner should bo made accountable for having failed to perceive the success which has accumulated in 1853, but was not existent in 1845. It is less just, since the Doctor's foible is a truly national one. We English are fond of judging only by experience and practical considerations, just as Dr. Lardner did. He found what steamers had done, applied that to the proposition for crossing the Atlantic, and did not feel warranted by the experience of the Admiralty steamers in anticipating success. ——i«> FASHIONABLE WOMEN. An energetic and truthful writer thus sums up tho unhappy life of fashionable womens. Fashion kills moro women than toil and sor row. Obedience to fashion is a greater trans gression of the law of woman’s nature, a greater injury to her physical and mental constitution, than the hardships of poverty and neglect. Tho kitchen maid is hearty and strong, when her la dy has to bo nursed like a sick baby. It is a sad fact that fashion-pampered women are almost worthless for all the good ends of human life. — They have but little force of character; they have still less power of moral will, and quite as little physical energy. They live for no great pirpose in life—they accomplish no great ends. They are doll-forms in tho hands of milliners and ser vants, to be dressed and fed to order. They dress nobody; they feed nobody; they instruct nobody; they bless nobody. They set no rich examples of virtue and womanly life. If they rear children, servants and nurses do all, save to give them birth. And when reared, what do the children amount to? Whoever heard of a fashionable woman’s child exhibiting any vir tue and power of mind for which it became emi nent ? Read the biographies of our great and good men and women. Not one of them had a fashionable mother. They nearly all sprang from strong-minded women, who had about as much to do with fashion, as with the changing clouds. Lives Lost in Great Steamers.—The Lon don Shipping Gazette publishes the following list, from which it will be seen that the lives lost in the ill-fated Austria are in excess of the great est previous disasters: Value of vessel Lives lost. and cargo. President, British, 130 $1,200,000 Arctic, American, 300 1,800,000 Pacific, “ 240 2,000,000 San Francisco, “ 160 400,000 Central America, “ 887 2,500,000 Independence, “ 140 100,000 Yankee Blade, “ 75 280,000 City of Glasgow, British, 420 850,000 Tempest, “ 150 300,000 Lyonnais, French, 160 280.000 Austria, German, 471 850,000 > s i • [Written for the Southern Field and Fireside.] TO LIZZIE OF THE “HILL,” BY NETTIE NOBODY. When the sparkling dew is resting upon the fragrant flowers, The fairest and the swectest'that bloom in Southern bow ers— The lily pale—the blushing rose—the violet half hid, Nestling among its dark rich leaves, as if it fain would shed Its fragrance, and be beautiful, unseen by “mortal e'e"— Fit emblems, then, these flowers all are, my darling friend, of thee— Thy purity and loveliness—thy modesty and grace— Os thee, as oft in fancy, still, I see that much loved face! Alone, or with my new found friends-or singing light and free, 1 think of thee, sweet Lizzie—dost thou e'er think of me ? When shadows of the twilight hour come stealing slowly on, Laden with mcm'rics of the past, I love to sit alone, And muse on all our pleasures gone, when it was joy to me, To watch the play of that dear face, unseen, perhaps, of thee; To note the varying of thine eye—thy graceful form—thy brow— Thy lips, with their pure freshness, and their dewy, row.' leaf hue; And then I dream thy voice is near, until I wake and find 'Twas but caressing Fancy, softly whispering to my mind. Thus, in twilight, come fond memories; but the silent shadows flee! I sigh for thee, sweet Lizzie—dost thou e'er sigh for me Misery often wears a mask of smiles. FUN, FACT, AND PHILOSOPHY. No authority, however great, caa change error into truth. Our National Starr —The act of Congress establishing the form and character of our nation al flag, passed April 4,1848, declares that, on the admission of every new State into the Union, one star shall be added to the cluster already group ed on the “ Union ” of the flag, and that such addition shall take place on the 4th of July next succeeding such admission. Let our flag-makers take notice. Thirty-three stars must adorn the national banner from and after the 4th of July next. In whatsoever house ye enter, remain master of your eyes, and of your tongue. Dr. Franklin, speaking of Education, says: “If a man empties his purse in his head, no one can take it away from him. An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.” Among the vows that a man lias to make in Japan when he is married, is one that he will find plenty of tea and rice for his wife, during her life. New Use of the Stereoscope. —Professor Dove, a Prussian, has discovered that the best executed copies of steel or copper-plate engrav ings can be distinguished from the originals, by placing them together in a binocular stereoscope, when the difference between the print produced by the original plate, and the spurious copy, is seen at a glance. Tliis will be a sure method of detecting counterfeit bank bills. Your character cannot be essentially injured except by your own acts. The Vicksburg Whig contains a description of a lusus naturae , in the shape of a couple of well developed young turkeys joined together at the head. The editor vouches for the truth of his description. The average fall of the Mississippi, for the whole distance from the Gulf of Mexico, to the confluence of tho Ohio, at Cairo, during low water, is very nearly three inches to tho mile. Life Without Trials. —Would you wish to live without a trial? Then, you would wish to die but half a man. Without trial you cannot guess at your own strength. Men do not learn to swim on a table; they must go into deep water, and buffet the surges. If you wish to understand the true character of your boys—if you would know their whole strength—of what they are capable—throw them overboard! Over with them!—and if they are worth saving, they will swim ashore of themselves. A tar's idea of a locomotive was as follows: 11 Why," says he, “ there’s nothing manly about it. Watch a ship, now, with her canvass belly ing out, laying down to it just enough to show she feels the breeze, tossing the spray from her bows, and lifting her head over the seas, as if she stepped over’m. Thero’s something like life there! There’s something noble about a horse; he steps as if he knew he was going, and proud, of his duty, and able to do it. But the lubber —bah 1 that there concern comes insinivating, sneaking along, crawling on his belly, like a thundering long snake with a pipe in his mouth.” During the seventeenth century, the patents granted for inventions in England were two lunched and fifty; in tho next hundred years tfcewkiountcd to two thousand five hundred, and Hi t(Hirst fifty years of the present century theyTiad exceeded two hundred and fifty thou sand. There are twenty-nine thousand post-offices in the United States. The parent who would train up a child in tho way he should go, must go the way he should train up his child. Try to take a cheerful view of divine things. Dwell on your mercies. Look at tho bright as well as the dark Side. Do not cherish gloomy thoughts. It is generally observed that persons of about forty years, especially young ladies of that age, are very forgetful of those with whom they were acquainted in childhood. This remarkable dim ness of memory has been appropriately styled “ the darkness of the middle ages.” A Yankee captain was caught in tho jaws of a whale, but was finally rescued, badly wound ed. On being asked what he thought while in that situation, he replied: “ I thought he would make about forty barrels!” Peculiarities of lleat. —lf water is poured upon an iron sieve, the wires of which are mado red-hot, it will not run through; but, on cooling, it will pass through rapidly. M. Boutigny, pur suing this curious inquiry, has proved that the moisture upon the skin is sufficient to protect it from disorganization, if the arm is plunged into baths of melted metaL The resistance of the surface is so great, that little olevation to tem perature is experienced. Patience. —“ I remember,” says the celebrat ed "Wesley, “hearing my father say to my mother, ‘ How could you have the patience to tell that blockhead the same thing twenty times over?’ ‘Why,’ said she, ‘if I had told him but nineteen times, I would have lost all my labor.’ ” “ V ell, Jim, I »n’t see how you sells your brooms cheaper than me, when I steals “ tho stuff?” “ Vy, you fool, I steals mine already made.” It is folly for men of merit to think of escap ing censure, and a weakness to be affected with it. Fabius Maximus said, he was a greater ■ coward that was afraid of reproach, than he that fled from his enemies. The Memphis (Tenn.) Ap>peal estimates the population of Memphis at considerably over thir ty-one thousand; and that of Shelby county at seventy-five thousand. Horse Flesh as an Edible, —A Hanover pa per says the “silly prejudice against horse flesh” has altogether vanished in Denmark and north ern Germany, and that in the city of Hanover alone, in tho course of Whitsun week, about two thousand pounds of horse flesh were consumed. The number of horses slaughtered for eating in that city is between two and throe hundred a year. That was a beautiful idea expressed by a Christian lady on her death lied. In reply to a remark of her brother, who was taking leave of her, to return to his distant residence, that he should probably never again meet her in tho land of the living, she answered : “ Brother, I trust we shall meet in the land of the living.— We are nowin the land of the dying." An Irishman, having accidentally broken a pane in a window of a house in Chestnut street, attempted, as fast as he could, to get out of tho way, but he was followed and seized by the pro prietor, who exclaimed: “You broke my window, fellow!—did you not ?” “To be sure I did!—an’didn’t you see me running home for the money to pay you for itt" Paddy’s description of a fiddle cannot be beat: “ It was tho shape of a turkey, and tho size of a goose; he turned it over on its back, and rubbed its belly with a stick, and och! St. Patrick 1 how it did squeak I”