"You assume a strange, narrow, extremely limited soul, which you lend me as mine. From it you utter these things with which you think to perplex or convince me. I see, I have entirely and for ever lost your respect. I must therefore go my own way; and I will do so. My sole wish to God is ' --folding his hands together-that you may live long, very long, and still see with your own eyes, how much you erred in me, how much you wronged me.' He turned from his father to the window, his heart distracted and lacerated by the most adverse feelings.

"The father could not require more than such a proof of his sentiments, and of the total change in his character. After a deep, solemn pause, in which he gave the son time to collect himself, he called him gently by his Christian name: Charles!

"The mild, trembling accents of this tone, irresistibly compelled the son to turn round. What were his feelings, at seeing the good, venerable old man standing there, his eyes filled with tears, and his fatherly arms opened to receive him! 'Charles!' again exclaimed the old man : 'why have you so long concealed yourself from me?'-and now the son, overpowered by his emotions, although still uncertain what he had to hope for, rushed towards his father, seized one of his hands in both his, and covered it with kisses.

"Will you,' said the old man, 'in this beautiful, and for us both, certainly neverto-be-forgotten hour, swear to me, sacredly swear to me, that you will never think otherwise than as you have just declared yourself? that you will never, not even in the inmost depths of your heart, reproach the good Madame Lyk, or her children with their want of fortune? that you will look upon her love and virtue, as more than all fortune, and always regard her children, as if they were your own?'

"The son was not only moved, he was overwhelmed. 'I will, I will!' he stammered, and was incapable of uttering another word.

"I take your emotion as an oath.' And now laying his hand on his shoulder, he drew him to himself, and kissed him repeatedly and from his heart. 'As to the position in which I shall place you, depend upon me; I am no ungenerous father and therefore take my house and business; and further—my tender fatherly blessing on your love!" "

effected one of the greatest improvements in the Daguerreotype, namely, the fixing of the image, is the discoverer of this new mode of engraving. Professor Grove has tried the process, which consists in dissolving, by the electrotype process, those parts of the picture which consist of pure silver. Thus the plate is etched in, and transformed into an engraved plate for printing; the action, however, of the galvanic battery sometimes extends to those parts which should remain unattacked.

Dec. 20. W. H. Hughes, Esq., V.P., in the chair.-A. H. Simpson, S. Lewis, jun., and C. K. Dyer, Esqrs., were elected members. The secretary explained the Automaton Calculator invented by Dr Roth, of Paris, by which any number, either simple or compound sums, may be rapidly and accurately added together, provided the whole amount does not exceed 999,999, or 999,999/. 19s. 11 d. The instrument consists of an oblong mahogany box, fifteen inches and a half long, two inches and a half wide, and one inch thick, having a metal plate at top, in which are nine semi-annular perforations, beneath which are fixed the requisite trains of wheels. Round the perforations are engraved the index figures, opposite to which, in the perforations, are the teeth of corresponding wheels. Under the indexes are nine circular holes, in which the numbers set down appear, as if written on paper or a slate. To set down any required figure, a pointer is inserted in the notch corresponding with that figure on the index, and by pressing the pointer against the left-hand tooth of the notch, it is moved down to the left extremity of the annular perforation, and the figure is at once exhibited in the circular hole beneath. When the operation of adding up any amount within the range already mentioned is finished, it is requisite that 0 should be shown in each of the semicircular holes, before another operation can be performed; this is done by pulling out a slide at the left end of the instrument, which first gives 999,9997. 19s. 11 d., and by adding 4d., the nine Os are obtained at once. Mr G. A. Hughes, who has been blind for seven years, exhibited his system of Stenography. The system consists of two dots, the one smooth and the other rough, which, with the aid of a guide line, are so arranged that all the letters of the alphabet, as also the numerals, are readily represented, merely by impressing the paper, either with the smooth end or rough end of the embossing instrument, in squares, regulated by what Mr Hughes calls the formula, consisting of a brass frame, furnished with vertical and horizontal bars.

MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY.-Dec. 20.-A communication from Mr Tuck, upon certain Parasites in the Dog, was read. These parasites were found by Mr Topping, on

:

and other animals, leaving entire the bottoms of the feet, and the palms of the hands this extraordinary circumstance reminding him of the passage recorded in the 2nd Book of Kings, ix, 35: "and they went to bury her (Jezebel), but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands.".

In 1834, a middle-aged man, an American by birth, appeared at Westminster Hosptal, in order to show himself to the physicians and surgeons of the establishment. He was covered over with a green horny substance in the shape of quills, excepting his face, the palms of his hands, and the soles of his feet. He was known at the fairs as the 'Porcupine Man.'

In the Philosophical Transactions (vol. Xxxviii, p. 299), mention is made of another man covered with a horny substance, like the quills or bristles of a hedge-hog, all over his person, excepting his face, the palms of his hands, and the soles of his feet.

In 1841, a Welsh youth named Thomas Jones, called the 'Cambrian Porcupine Youth,' was exhibited at the Cosmorama Rooms, Regent street: he also was covered with a coat of hardy thorns, resembling that of a hedge-hog or porcupine: excepting his face, the palms of his hands, and the soles of his feet.

Again: small pox never affects either the soles of the feet, or the palms of the hands. G. S.

PLAN OF WOLFF, THE MISSIONARY TRAVELLER, FOR SEEKING BRITISH CAPTIVES AT BOKHARA. RECENT advices encourage a hope that Colonel Stoddart and Captain Conolly, who were reported to have been murdered by the Khan of Bokhara, are still in the land of the living. Curiosity now anxiously turns to what may be accomplished by Mr Wolff, the missionary, who has volunteered to endeavour to ascertain their fate, and if possible effect their release. The enterprise is one of difficulty and beset with danger. From the 'Friend of India' we learn Wolff proposes to go as a Christian

minister. On the former occasion he entered Bokhara on horseback with his Hebrew Bible and his Greek Testament in his hand. He now proposes to enter it on foot, robed as a doctor of divinity, with his gown and hood. We question whether the haughty King of Bokhara will open the prison doors of the captives at the request even of the wisest doctor of Cambridge or Oxford. As a rigid Mahomedan he can have no respect for the sacred orders of the unbelievers. Neither can Wolff expect to obtain their release for money or without it. If he takes no money he will be laughed at; if he carries the money in his portmanteau it will probably be taken away, and he himself sent to keep the prisoners company, with the hope that the ransom of three will be higher than that of two. To invest him with a public character, and depute him as an envoy from the government, would be to compromise the character of that government, without any hope of effecting the object. King of Bokhara would be infinitely more likely to cast the accredited agent into a dungeon than to liberate the prisoners at his request. Every effort that could be made, short of the despatch of a public mission, was made by Sir W. Macnaughten to effect the release of Colonel Stoddart at a time when we were all-powerful in Aff ghanistan, and seemed to hold the destinies of Central Asia in our hands; but he failed.

Miscellaneous.

The

MESMERISM.-A boy was lately said to have been mesmerised at Deptford. Mr D. Hope, surgeon to the Dreadnought hospital ship, treated the case as an attempt to impose on public credulity. Mr Vernon, the individual reflected upon, a lecturer on mesmerism, in consequence requested, in the course of last week, the presence of a number of medical men to witness a renewal of the experiments. The result of these is described to have been such as to

shake the opinions of those who had been most sceptical on the subject, and to establish the skill and integrity of Mr Vernon.

LAST MOMENTS OF CASIMIR DELAVINGE, THE CELEBRATED FRENCH POET.-"The invalid, accompanied by his wife and son, was obliged to stop at Lyons by his malady. A physician was called in, who considered his illness fatal, and informed Madame Delavigne that her husband had only a few hours to live. He succeeded, however, in restoring calmness to the patient, who had been alarmed. About eight the same evening, the poet, lying in bed, and in full possession of his faculties, asked his wife, in order to amuse the son, to read aloud. She took up 'Guy Mannering,' and continued reading for three quarters of an

hour, at which time the patient asked for drink. As she was taking some precaution, when offering him the glass, not to fatigue him, he cried, 'Oh! give it, I am strong enough!' He raised himself up with some difficulty, and, leaning his head on his right hand, asked his wife to continue. But his features were changed, for death was near. Madame Delavigne perceived the alteration, but, concealing her grief, resumed her reading, which her emotion rendered unintelligible. Why,' said the dying man, 'you are skipping whole sentences; and, addressing his son, told him to go on himself. A moment after the head of Casimir Delavigne fell back on the pillow. He began to recite some verses of a tragedy at which he had been at work for some time, and which was to be called 'Mélusine.' In two minutes after life had fled, and the nearly concluded work, which occupied his thoughts during his last moments, perished with him, for the deceased never wrote his pieces until after having completed them in his mind, and then recited them from memory at the moment of preparing them for the theatre." CHARCOAL MOST EFFECTIVE IN THE GROWTH OF PLANTS.-Mr Barnes, of Bicton, says, "Charcoal is the most astonishing article to make use of for all purposes of cultivation, and especially for plants under artificial treatment. Ijudge from many years' experience in its use. My pine soils consist of nothing but charcoal and loam, without a particle of manure of any sort. Every plant under my care has some charcoal used about it. Inever yet saw the plant that did not delight in it, and to heaths it is most especially acceptable." Mr Stewart, gardener at Stradsett hall, has exhibited to the Horticultural Society some cucumbers grown in equal parts of loam and charcoal, without any manure. No stimulant could have given better fruit, so far as health was concerned.

OPENING OF THE TOMB OF HENRY THE FIRST AT QUEDLINBURGH.-His Majesty of Prussia paid a visit to Quedlinburgh at the end of last month, to the celebrated vault beneath the chapel of the castle in that town,-which chapel is built entirely of sandstone, whose exhalations are reported to have the property of preserving bodies from corruption. To test the virtue of this species of embalming, his Majesty caused to be opened the tomb containing the remains of the Emperor Henry the First, who died in 936, and that enclosing the body of the famous Countess of Koenigsmark, the mother of Marshal Saxe, who died in 1728. The body of the Emperor was dried up, the features were undistinguishable, and the vestments crumbled into dust :-but the body of the countess was wonderfully preserved, the face yet retaining the traces of her mar

vellous beauty. Her dress, consisting of a robe of silver brocade, a Mary-Stuart cap, in white velvet, embroidered with silver and pearls, white silk stockings, and white satin shoes, had all the gleam and freshness of novelty.

FRENCH HUSBANDS WITH ENGLISH WIVES.--It is a curious fact that, notwith. standing the strong prejudices which the French entertain towards England and the English, the French gentlemen give a decided preference to English ladies, when they mean to marry. An Englishman visiting Paris is surprised at the number of English ladies with French husbands, whom he meets with in society. If an English lady, of passable appearance, remains long unmarried in Paris, the presumption is that the fault is her own. It is worthy of remark, on the other hand, that an English gentleman, resident in Paris, very rarely marries a French lady.-Paris and its People.

STATISTICS.-The rate of increase of the population between 1831 and 1841 in England, varies from 2-4 per cent. in the county of Hereford, to 36.9 in Manchester. The rate of increase in the number of inhabited houses for the same period, varies from 4.7 to 41.1 per cent., the houses in Westmoreland having only increased 4.7 per cent., whilst those of Durham have increased 41.1 per cent. In the following counties of England the number of males exceeds that of the females:-Hereford, 78; Lincoln, 914; Monmouth, 6,857; Rutland, 140; Stafford, 7,224: and in Wales-Brecon, 545; Flint, 697; Glamorgan, 4,550; Radnor, 296. The greatest excess of females occurs in the county of Middlesex, where there are 1,133 females to 1.000 males, no doubt arising from the great number of female servants in the metropolis and its suburbs. In the county of Bedford, 25 in 100 women marry under age; in Huntingdon, 25; in Cambridge, 23; in Essex, 23; in Northampton, 22; in Hereford, 22; in the West Riding of York, 21; in the East Riding of York, 11: Cumberland, 10; Westmoreland, 10; Devon, 9; Salop, 9; Hereford, 9. The lowest annual value of real property per square mile in England, is 3497., being the county of Westmoreland; and the highest the county of Middlesex, 25,6831. In Wales, the lowest in the county of Merioneth, 1757.; and the highest in the county of Flint, 8771.

THE DUCHESS OF MARLBOROUGH. — It was her temper that involved her in lawsuits with her own children. Her eldest grandson, Robert, Earl of Sunderland, died before he had forfeited her favour. Charles was no sooner elevated to his father's dignity, than she openly quarrelled with, and in the Court of Chancery pleaded her own cause against him. She accused him of

pawning, one by one, the diamonds in the famous baldric of the great Marlborough's sword, and his extravagance gave point to the charge; yet John, her youngest grandson, who was no less profligate, retained her favour in the midst of his excesses. Her grand-daughter, Lady Anne Egerton, was as proud as the duchess herself, and no less fiery; on some quarrel between them, the Duchess of Marlborough had Lady Anne's picture daubed with black, and over it this inscription, "She is much blacker within." With her the ruling passion was strong even against death. About four years before her demise, the duchess was attacked by a dangerous disease, and had lain a great while ill with out speaking; her physician, believing her case very bad, said, "she must be blistered or she will die." Her grace, who had listened with attention, called out, won't be blistered, and I won't die!" kept her word.

66

'I

She

SCENES AT TAUNTON. -Taunton was

-

twice in possession of rebels during the reign of Henry VII. First it was seized by one Flemmock, a Cornish lawyer, and Michael Joseph, a blacksmith, who here murdered the provost of Penryn, a commissioner of that subsidy which provoked the Cornish to rebel. Not long after the impostor, Perkin Warbeck, took possession of it, but was soon compelled to fly by

the Devonshire forces. In the time of the civil wars a garrison was first placed here by the parliament, which was soon driven out by the Marquis of Hereford's men. Nor did the royal party long continue in possession; for the place was in a little time taken by Colonel Blake, afterwards general and admiral, who was appointed governor. Not long after it was besieged by a party of the royal army, under Lord Goring; but Blake defended it till he was relieved. Taunton was also, after the defeat of the Duke of Monmouth, the chief scene of Jeffrey's and Kirk's inhuman executions. The latter caused nineteen wounded men to be hanged here without even permitting their friends or relations to speak with them. Vast numbers were condemned by Jeffreys. He persuaded the poor wretches to confess their guilt, and throw themselves on the king's mercy. But this was only a snare: he caused them to be immediately executed, and their quarters to be exposed upon trees by the roadside. Above twenty gentlemen were ignominiously executed; and when James II issued a proclamation of pardon, forty young ladies were particularly excepted, because they had presented the duke with colours made at the expense of the town. Taunton has two annual fairs-the first 17th of June, and the second 7th July and two following days.

The Gatherer.

lately taken of the cruel practice of making Workhouse Occupations. The notice in workhouses garments at a very reduced efforts in the metropolitan parishes to put price, has caused several praiseworthy a stop to the evil. The Hackney Union guardians were summoned for this week low remuneration of sempstresses, and to consider of a resolution deprecating the ordering that the master be now desired not to receive any more slop-work at the fact, at any priee until the same has been present remuneration paid for it, nor, in previously submitted to, and approved by, the board; in the hope that this example maybe followed by other boards of guardians, and the evil so loudly complained of redressed.

Metropolitan Drapers' Association.-From an able address on the subject, which appears among our advertisements, it will be shorten the hours of business, now useseen that a powerful effort is making to lessly protracted, with every prospect of

success.

Density of Population. In the county bitants to a square mile, while in the of Westmoreland there are only 74 inhacounty of Lancaster there are 944. In the county of Middlesex, the number is 5,591 inhabitants to a square mile. In Wales, the numbers vary from 59 in the counties Flint. The average number of inhabitants of Merioneth and Radnor, to 274 in that of to each house in England in 1841, was 5'4, and in Wales 4·8.

Master Printers in the Time of Charles I. Archbishop Laud procured a decree to be passed in the Star Chamber, July 1, 1637, "to regulate," says Heylyn, "the trade of printing, and prevent all abuses of that excellent art to the disturbance of the church." By this decree it was ordered, "That the master printers from thenceforth should be reduced to a certain number; and that if any other should secretly or openly pursue that trade he should be set in the pillory, or whipped through the streets, and suffer such other punishment as that court might think fit to inflict upon him.

Alarms of the Rich and Poor.-In no government can the powers be so balanced, and rights and duties so clearly defined, as to obviate all suspicion that the authority entrusted for the welfare of the community will not be abused. The wealthy dread the open aggression of the poorer classes. The latter stand in no less alarm of the silent invasion of their liberties by the rich, who, being usually possessed of considerable legitimate power, have no occasion to set the laws at defiance when endeavouring to increase their own