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pa Oe eee PALES & Seas ei & Pees VOLUME 1 bras TORONTO, CANADA WEST, SATU DEVOTED TO ANTESLAVERY, TEMPERANCE, 66 Belf-eMeltance is the True Goad to. Bndependente." RDAY, JANUARY 20, 1856. CS ERTS: OES EEL ORES some = PROSPECTUS -.OF THE PROVINCIAL FREEMAN, The Provincial Freeman: will 'be devoted to Anti-Slavery, Temperance and General Litera- ture. The organ of no particular Political Party, it will open its columns to the views of men ot different political opinions, reserving the right, as an, independent Journal, of full expression on all questions or projects affecting the people in a po- litical way; and reserving, also, the right to ex- press. gmphatic condemnation of all projects, hav-" eir object ina great-or remote degree,' the subversion of the principles of the British. Constitution, or of British rule in the Provinces. | ing for t Not committed to the views of any religious sect exclusively, it will carefully observe the. rights of every sect, at the same time that a reser- vation shall be made in favor of an existing dif-: ference of opinion, as to the views or actions of, the sects respectively. - As an advertising medium, as a vehicle of in-' an enemy to vice in any and every conceivable form. formation on Agriculture,--and as anda promoter of -good morals, it shall be made worthy of the patronage of the public. > .|M, A. SHADD, Publishing Agent. at REGULAR 'CONTRIBUTORS. The Canadian Contributors are: J. J. Cary, and Amenia.C. Sxapp, of Tor- onto; and A. B. Jones. of London. Friends in Chatham, Windsor, Buxton and other places westward, do also correspond; whose names will be announced hereafter, if not objectiona- ble to the parties. Aut Lerrers, whether intended for publication or on Business; must be addressed, post-paid, to M. A. Suapp, Toronto, C. W. Office, 5, City Buildings, King Street East Toronto. Business Directory. CHARLES MARCH, FOUSE Sign and Ornamental Painter, Grainer, Glazier and Paper Hanger, Carver, Gilder and Glass Stainer. Mixed Paints, Putty, Enamelled and Plain Window Glass and Looking Glass, for Sale at the lowest Cash prices. ' "No. 29, King Street West, Toronto, 10th April, 1854. 4 TR. S. S. MACDONELL, Barrister, At- torney at Law, Notary Public, &c., &c., Windsor, C. W. N /TESSRS. R. P.& ADAM CROOKS, Bar- _yisters at Law, Attorneys and Solicitors, Wellington Street, Toronto. Church Street, next door to the Court House. "WinuiamM CayLey, Marruew Crooxs CaMERON. A. B. TIGNES, DEALER IN SES GROUERIES AND" Unoormeny WARE, No. 314 DUNDAS STREET, . LONDON, C. W. A NDREW HENDERSON, Auctioneer and A Commission Merchant, No. 32, Yonge St., Toronto. : References,--Thomas Clarkson, Esq., Presi- dent of the Board of Trade; John Robertson, Esq:, Messrs. A. Ogilvie & Co.; Messrs. How- ard Fitch; Messrs. D. Crawford & Co. D. FARRAR, & Oo., IMPORTERS AND WHOLESALE DEALERS IN GROCERIES, WINES, LIQUORS, &c: &C. NO. 15; DUNDAS STREET; LONDON, C.W. CAYLEY & CAMERON, Barristers, &c., &c., Office VANKOUGHNET & BROTHER BARRISTERS, Atntoreys, &c. &c.--Office in Church Street, over " The City Bank" Agency, two doors south ef St. Andrew's Church. ' ._GHARLES FLETCHER, BOOKSELLER anno STATIONER, No. 54, Yonce STREET, TORONTO, British and American Works imported and for sale at the smallest possible advance upon the wholesale prices. PUNCTUALITY ! ! i,k. BRO WN, _. Late of Philadelphia, ; WASMNIONABLE BOOT AND SHOE MAKER, No 33 - King Street West. All work warranted to be done ina Superior Style. Repairing done with neatness 'and dis- atch. Feet measured on anatouical principles. Toronto, March 18th, 1854. 2 G. HARCOURTS CLOTHING STORE, KING STREET EAST. od Broad Cloths, Cassimeres, Doeskins, T weeds, Vesting of the newest pattern and material. Every article belonging to a gentleman's com- plete outfit kept constantly on hand. GEO. HARCOURT, ma. 13--1m. _--_11, King Street East. _ REMOVAL. Fashionable Hair Cutting ! 4 Nate SUBSCRIBER grateful to his old patrons, and the public {generally, for their ' past favors, would respectfully invite them to visit him atthe CITY BATHS, Front Street, Fast of Church Street, to which place he has jately removed, where he will take great pleasure in waiting on all who may favor him with their Barwin in the line of HAIR CUTTING, HAVING, HAIR CURLING, or SHAM- POOING. \- pe Warm and Cotp BATHS at all hours. £7] Rew THOS. F. CARY: Toronto, August 12, 1854, ie PEOPLE'S AND FUR WAREHOUSE 34, Yonex Srrezt, Toronto. HAT Ww. H. ASHWORTH Ty) ESPECTFULLY informs the public of To- R ronto and vicinity that the above Establish- ment is now open with a very large and well assorted stock of Hats, Caps, Kossuths, &c. 'Manufactured under his own immediate inspection from the best materials. + € favour at the Lowest possible Price. a Children's Fancy Hats in great Variety. * "ENO SECOND PRICE. £4 Toronto, May 61h, 1854. bie NEIE Subscriber has just received a very su- T erior assortment of West of England ip As W.HEL. A. intends to adhere strictly to the 'CASH SYSTEM, he can. promise those who him with their custom @ Furst rate Article Poetry. LPL LPLDAPLLPILOPPOPLOLIPIIIII From the London Punch. © The Due of the Dead. I sit beside my peacefal hearth, ~ I watch my children's noisy mirth ; I drink in home, and its delight. I sip my tea and criticise _. The war from flying rumors. caught; 'Trace on the map, to curious eyes In intervals of household chat, I lay down stratégetic laws ; Why this maneuvre, and why that; Shape the event, or show the cause. Or, in smooth dinner-table phrase, Twixt soup and fish, discuss the fight; Give to each chief his blame or praise; Say who was wrong and who was right. Meanwhile o'er Alma's bloody plain The scathe of battle has rolled by-- | The wounded writhe and groan--the slain Lie naked staring to the sky. The out-worn surgeon plies his knife, - Nor pauses with the closing day; | While those who have escaped with life Find food_and fuel as they may. And when their eyes in sleep they close, After scant rations duly shared, Plague picks his victims out, from those Whom chance of battle may have spared. Still when the bugle sounds the march, He tracks his prey through steppe and dell; Hangs fruit to tempt the throats that parch, And poisons every stream and well. . - All this with gallant heart:is done: All this with patient hearts is borne ; And they by whom the laurel's won Are seldom they by whom 'tis worn. No deed, no suffering of the war, But wins us fame, or spares us ill; Those noble swords, though drawn afar, Are guarding English homesteads still. Owe we a debt to these brave men, Unpaid by aught that's said or sung: By leaders from a ready pen, Or phrases from a flippant tongue. The living, England's hand may crown With recognition, frank and free; With titles, medals, and renown; The wounded shall our pensioners be. But they, who meet a soldier's doom-- -- Think you, it is enough good friend, To plant the laurel at their tomb, And carve their names--and there an end ? No. They are gone: but there are left. --Thasa thay love best while they were here-- Parents made chidiss ; Tapes Bereht Desolate widows, sisters dear. All these let grateful England take ;' And, with a large and liberal heart, Cherish, for her slain soldiers' sake, And of her fulness give them part. Fold them within herjsheltering breast ; Their parent, husband, brother, prove, That so the dead may be at rest, Knowing those cared for whom they love. Literature: From Chambers's Journal. Russia and the (Czar. Russian society--that is to say, aristocra- tic society--on the surface resembles the society of other European countries, but on the whole it differs from it. It has two centres--St. Petersburg and Moscow. In St. Petersburg it is the court, or rather Nicholas himself, who fashions society ac- cording to his desires. It bears entirely the official stamp; preponderence is given to officers, and to the high officials of the state. Dance, feasts, music, and the ballet, occupy the attention; politics and science are ex- cluded from fashionable life. Times have changed since the epoch of Catherine, who liked to be praised by Voltaire and the French Encyclopzedists as a protectress of literature ; they differ also from the epoch of Alexander, who delighted in the mystical dreams and sentimental philanthropy of Madame Kru- dener. Both sovereigns allowed to science some liberty; and Dershaven the poet, and Karamsin the historian, could, with the full approbation of the court, publish such com- positions as now might be visited by banish- ment to the Caucasus. It is true, towards the end of their reign, both Catherine and Alexander became more cautious, and drew the fetters of censorship tighter; yet their reign, as compared with that of Nicholas, was a reign of liberty. In the eyes of the present Czar, science and literature are too dangerous tools for despotism--a two-edged sword which he does not wish to weild; though he often becomes furious that the attacks on Russia cannot be met by the offi- cial Russian authors in a readable shape. Jealous of his power, he hates and fears any of his subjects whose name becomes known without the previous permission of his go- vernment. 'The fame of his generals throws an additional splendor on the Czar, who has selected them for the command of his 'armies. He can unmake them, by putting them insome obscure corner of his empire. But an author may become popular without the Emperor's leave; and though he sends him to Siberia, as he did with Bestusheff, or to the Caucasus, as happened to Lermon- 'toff, their thoughts cannot be banished, their exile does but enhance the excitement of the public, and the desire to read their productions. The Czar, with all his un- limited power, cannot create talents, nor can he destroy their results." Still, Nicholas at- tempts to put down the spirit of independent Russian authors, by withholding from litera- ture the im@rial approbation; it is not fashionable in St. Petersburg to become an author. Nicholas is surrounded by medio- crity; by generals whose highest ambition is to be severe disciplinarians; by pliant German functionaries from the Baltic pro- | vinces; by servile conservative Russians, enemies of all progress; himself cold, ob- With curtains drawn and lamp trimmed bright; iow here they marched, and there they fought. : stinate, distrustful, without. compassion, without elevation of soul, as mediocre as the persons around him. In the time of Alexander, during the war with France, when so many Germans and + French entered.the Russian service, from. hatred of Napoleon, and in 'the hope of find- ing in Russia the lever for raising European | liberty and independence from under French | oppression, the army was surrounded by a. | halo of universal respect, asthe refuge. of 'European liberty. The officers were the soul of Russian aristocratic society; they - represented not only 'the gallantry, but' likewise all that was liberal in the empire. But from the time of the accession of Nicholas '| to the throne, and of the military conspiracy "| of 1826, the army has been purged of all the elements of independence. The Czar | gives a marked preference to the officers 4 over the civilians; but he has introduced a coarse tone into the army--drilling seems to be its only aim. Under Alexander, the troops were machines; but the officers felt themselves patriots, and were proud to be the most enlightened and _pro- gressive part of society. Now, they have become lifeless machines, [servile ministers of the Czar, without any sentiment of their own dignity. During a reign of twenty- seven years, the jealousy of Nicholas has, in St. Petersburg, killed every feeling of independence: his government officials are his clerks, his officers of the army his drill- sergeants. : , Moscow presents in every respect a dif- ferent picture. Functionarism could not get ascendency in the society of the old heart of the empire. 'The dress-coat prevails here over the regimentals; still the civilian go- vernment. officer is only exceptionally ad- mitted to society. Moscow is the seat of the old aristocracy of the empire, and so- ciety here consists principally of independ- ent rich Jandowners, who do not covet go- vernment offices, but occupy themselves with the administration of their estates, and with science and literature, without requir- ing anything from the Czar, save to be left alone. It is entirely the reverse of the no- bility of St. Petersbutg, which is attached to the court and to public service, devoured by servile. ambition, excepting all from go- vernment only, and living upon it. Not to demand anything, to remain independent, and avoid public office, is in despotic coun- tries a sign of opposition; and the Czar is angry with those idlers who spend their _____] winter in Moscow. and_remain for the re- mainder of the year on their estates, reading all that is published in Western Europe. To possess a library, belongs now to the ne- cessities of the Russian country gentleman; and to have a secret cabinet filled with pro- hibited books, is the pitch of fashion. Thus St. Petersburg and Moscow are the two opposite poles of Russian society, re- presenting the Court and the opposition; yet in such a despotic country as Russia, the personal tastes and inclinations of the monarch have so great an influence, that even the life of Moscow is in a great degree controlled by his supreme will. The rich Moscovite prince may dare to despise go- vernment offices, after he hasin his youth served for a few years in the army or-in the bureaux, one or other of which is necessary to maintain his nobility ; he may live far from the Court, retired upon his estates, enjoying the forbidden bgoks he gets by the smug- ler; yet he cannot but be sometimes re- minded that he lives under the sway of the despotic Czar, who does not forget those silent opponents of his authority. Not that he would banish them; such punish- ment is reserved for those who talk of poli- | tics, not for those who look apathetically on the doings of government; but he sends them word, that he expects them to do something for the progress of the. country ; to build a cotton-mill, and to employ their serfs in manufactories; or to raise wine on hills of the Crimea, and on the banks of the Don, or to have mines in the Ural worked. The Czar does not expect that they should make money by such specula- tions; on the contrary, he is well aware that the mill and the vineyard will remain heavy incumbrances on the income of the per- sons to whose patriotism he has appealed, and that the gold dug out in the Ural may perhaps cost twenty-five shillings the sove- reign. But the glory of the country 1s to be raised in such ways; and the Manches- ter manufacturer, who finds one wing of the baronial castle turned into a workshop, is de- lighted to see the mighty aristocracy of Rus- sia paying tribute to industry. And, in fact, itis a tribute which the aristocracy residing around Moscow willingly pays to the whim of the Czar, in order to be al- lowed to remain undisturbed. However, the immense power of the Czar, which changes the aspect of society in every new reign, has largely affected the mind of the Russian. Peter I. gave the first coat of varnish to the original barbarism of Russian aristo- cracy; he drilled them into soldiers, ship- wrights, sailors, courtiers, and chamberlains. They had to accept German and French manners, but he did not educate them. Gluttony and luxury of every kind remained the adherent vices of the people. Under his successors--nearly all of them females, for the most. of the males soon died the na- tural death of Czars--the scandalous con- duct of the court soon demoralised society, though German and French forms were in turn adopted, and rigorously enforced. Rus- sia was again, under Catherine II, ruled by an imperial mind; like Peter, she aimed continually at the agerandisement of the' She was in correspondence with. empire. Voltaire, and protected science and litera- ture; she gave the second and more brilliant varnish.to Russian society, which, by her licentious example, was encouraged in de- bauchery: The'madness'of her som Paul, more fit for a drill-sergeant than for an em-. peror, again aroused the original rudeness. But soop after his death, | of the Russians. his successor, Alexander, gid all he could to assimilate his aristocracy« to the western: civilized nations.' In opposition. to Napo- leonic France, Russia became liberal; and the French and German emigrants instruct- ed the Russians in good manners and the elegances of life. Still, all their efforts acted upon. the.surface.: Napoleon only knew it,. and remarked, therefore, justly: ' Gratez le Russe, et vous verrez le Tartare'? Western civilization is in Russia only the varnish of the original savage. Yet Alexander's mys- tical and half-liberal turn of mind had, in his long reign, a soothing influence on the character of the Russian aristocracy, which, during the wars with Napoleon, had seen more of Europe in fifteen years than be- fore inacentury. Foreign literature proved to be fertilizing; it roused the native ener- gies, and a national literature began to de- velop itself. At this time Russians began to read Russian books, and no longer only French and German; they began to wean themselves from foreign influences; they dared to think for themselves; they grew warm in their sympathy for struggling Greece. A crisis was impending, when Alexander died. The spirit of the higher classes of the army were in a state of fer- mentation; but the outbreak of Décember 26, 1825, which was to destroy the omni- potence of the Czar, was quenched by the energy and personal courage of Czar Nicholas. The conspirators and rioters were shot down with grape, and the totter- ing imperial throne was founded more firm- ly in the midst of a poolot blood; the flower of Russian aristocracy, the most generous hearts in the army, were executed, or sent: to the mines of Siberia. The aspect of: so- ciety suddenly changed; the French doc- trinaire liberalism, and the visionary Ger- man mysticism of the time of Alexander, had-to disappear: Nicholas is a matter-of- fact man and despises speculation. Gene- rous aspirations became dangerous; mate- rialism, pedantry, discipline, were the watch- words for the new reign. Czar Nicholas transforms the organisation of government into barracks and offices. He fears the in- fluences of Western ideas, and throws diffi- culties into the easy intercommunication with foreign countries: to get a passport is now become a favour, whilst, formerly, travelling in Europe. was encouraged: nor are foreigners any longer admitted into the empire, unless they are merchants, or above all suspicion. But, on the other side, he en- deavours to arouse a national exclusive spirit, which may in future isolate Russia, and keep it back from the waysof Western Europe: the ladies at court must wear the Russian costume; moreover, the Russian language, which since Peter I. had been ex- cluded from Society, becomes again fashion- able by command of the Czar. Peter I. worked for years to make the Russians Europeans, and his successors followed his example for a whole century; Nicholas now works to separate them from the West, and once more to arouse their nationality. He has succeeded, perhaps, beyond his expecta- tion; the original Russian nature has been roused; and the present crisis is but the ne- cessary consequence of the revival of nar- row-minded bigotry and savage combative- ness. Russia has been put in opposition to Europe; Russia is 'holy,' and Europe is wicked. A few epigrams of Lermontoff describe this reaction and its consequences very strikingly: No traitor to my native land, Nor of my sires unworthy amI; In that, unlike to you, to limp On home-made crutches 'likes me not. For that [ blush their deeds to see, Nor music hear in clanking chains, Nor glittering arms think beautiful ; ~ Wo patriot am I, they say! Since not of the ancient mould I am, Since backward I decline to go, I (in their view).ill understand My country, and disparge it. Haply they're right ; the devil appreciates it ; For here, who go but backwards, most advance, And earlier far they at the goal arrive Than I, who onward ever took my way. With eyes God blessed me, and with feet; but when I, venturesome, commenced with feet to walk, With eyes to see, the prison was my doom. God gave to mea tongue ; but I began To speak, andhad to rue. How strange a land! The wise man, here, only to be a fool Uses his mind, and wants his tongue for silence. Lermontoff had sufficient reason for his epigrams. When the untimely death of the great poet Pushkin by the pistol of Dantes d'Heeckeren, suddenly aroused the poetical genius of the young man--who up to that time had lived a life of pleasure at St. Petersburg, and his innignation dictated to him some beautiful stanzas addressed to the Czar, claiming justice and revenge--he in three days had become a celebrated and re- puted man. His stanzas were spread, in manuscript, all over the capital; they had, indeed reached the Czar; but in the same hour, the imperial order reached the young poet, which banished him to the Caucasus, on account of his boldness and sudden popularity. The Czar does not' allow any one to censure his conduct, even in the form of loyalty, or of hope for the future. His person issacred; and, like the idols of old, not to be approached but behind a cloud of incense. Nicholas is, in this respect, just as exacting as his father was, who, when the French ambassador mentioned a Russian scholar, calling him eminent in science, Ozar Paul seemed offended, and replied, that in Russia no man is eminent unless the Emperor allows it. The jealousy of Nicholas is not less striking; not even his favourites can dare to express the slightest doubt of his infallibility. Prince Woronzoff, whom the Czar honoured with personal friendship, had to experience the disgrace of his master, In consequence of a curious incident at the camp at Woz- nosensk.. An army of 60,000 men was as- sembled there, and the sham-fights had, in- deed, the dimensions of actual war. The Czar, who believes himself to be a first-rate strategist and .a great general, made all the plans for the general action, which was to close the performances. He took command of half the army, and gave the other half to Prince Woronzoff, so as to represent the enemy. The battle had begun in the morning; and after a series of most skilful manoeuvres, the Czar was to out-general the enemy on all the points, and in the evening | to capture Woznosensk, supposed to be the centre and stronghold of the enemy. All the exercises were executed in the most masterly way, according to the plan of the Czar; but on the paper he had forgotten one brigade of the adverse army, which at the } end of the action was neither defeated nor cut off; and Prince Woronzoff, therefore, as a good strategist, retired with it to Wozno- sensk, which according to the Czat's opinion, was not defended. When, therefore, in the evening, Nicholas, at the head of his staff, galloped triumphantly into the city, to re- ceive the submission of the enemy, he saw himself suddenly surrounded by a force which he did not expect, and Prince Wo- ronzoff approached him with these words: " Your majesty is my prisoner." Nicholas smiled, and handed his sword to the prince, who, not accepting it, delivered his own sword to his master. But instead of making a compliment to the prince for his clever generalship, the Czar, on the same evening, sent orders to Prince Woronzoff to take care of his health, and to visit the spas of Ger- many. He was banished in this form, for having been a better general than his impe- rial master and friend, and for several years he remained in diserace. It was only when Shamyl's mountaineers had repeatedly de- feated the Russian army, that the Czar re-. membered Woronzoff, and intrusted the civil and military command of Transcaucasia to the accomplished prince. I have this anecdote from one of the Austrian officers, who was present at the camp at Wozono- sensk; and I do not doubt its authenticity, as it is entirely ia the character of the Czar. Two foreigners only, both of them having had an opportunity of seeing Nicholas at his court--Custine, the Frenchman, and Henningsen, the Englishman--give us a aeseription of lits Character and of his mea- sures. : Custine says: "It is easy to sce that the Emperor cannot forget who he is, nor the constant attention of which he is the ob- ject: 2 pose tncessamment (he attitudinises unceasingly), from whence results that he is never natural, even when he is sincere. His features have three. distinct expres- sions, not one of which is that of simple benevolence. The most habitual seems to me to be that of constant severity. Another expression, though rare, better befits that fine countenance--it is that of solemnity. The third is politeness; and into this glide a few shades of graciousness, which temper the cold astonishment caused by the other two. But notwithstanding this. gracious- ness, there is one thing that destroys the moral influence of the man; it is, that each of these physiognomies, which arbitrarily re- place each other on his face, is taken up or cast aside completely, without leaving any trace of the preceding to modify the ex- | pression of thenew. Itis achange of scene with upraised curtain, which no transition prepares us for. It appearsa mask taken offand put on at pleasure. Do not misun- | derstand the sense I here attach to the word mask; I use it according to its etymology. In Greek, hypocrite means actor--the hy- pocrite was the man who masked himself to perform apart. I mean, that the Empe- ror is always mindful of his part, and plays it like a great actor." Henningsen says of his character: "The Emperor Nicholas has not the brutal "in- stincts of the Czar Peter I., any more than his talents; he has not the disordered pas- sions of Catherine, his grandmother, any more than her brilliant intellect. and her in- nate liberality; he has not the fitful ferocity of Paul, his murdered sire, any more than his enthusiastic generosity ; neither has he the irresolute, impressible nature of Alex- ander, his brother and predecessor, nor Alexander's benevolence of intention. "The Emperor Nicholas, who nervously shudders at the physical danger in which he sees a private soldier placed, is probably not innately cruel; but absolute and irre- sponsible power, the self-deification to which his auto-veneration has led, acting ona limited intellect and selfish heart, have made him think himself the irate Jupiter Tonans, whose wrath should be as terrible as his in- terests and glory should be sacred from com- petition with those of humanity. When they are so, he passes over them ruthlessly and remorselessly, without even apparently the consciousness of evil-doing. "he influence of wealth, of family, of customs, and of privileges, affords no longer any shelter. Prudentas he is in disposition, being aware that he possesses a power un- paralleled, he uses it ina manner unpreceden- ted. Not only.does he hourly trample on both his great vanquished enemies--the nobility of his empire and the Polish nation; not only has he uprooted whole races, and succeed- ed in extirpating the religious creed of mil- lions; but he seems now bent both on des- troying the nationality and religious faith of the whole of Poland, even, if required by transplanting its population to Asia. Pollt- tical violence and cruelties, the mere extir- pation of races or of creeds, would be no- thing, however, to the condition to which his subjects. are reduced--comparatively nothing---because races are doomed,. ac- cording to the law of nature, to perish, and ereeds flourish and wither, and being im- material, spring again from their ashes. But the dull, monotonous, hopeless, ail-pervading oppression to which his subjects are re- duced, producing the same moral effect on the human mind as the slough of his north- ern bogs on the human frame sinking into it, blinding the eye, silencing the tongue, and paralysing the agglutinated limbs, is in- finitely. more terrible--doubly terrible-- because it is a destiny the sufferers must not increase of population." Miscellaneows. P®PLLL LLLP IIIL{PIISLI LOL LL Female Prudishness. Ln The other day we offered our hand to a lady who was about to pitch out of an omni- bus into the mud. She took no notice of it, but choose to swing herself down by the rail- ing, regarding us meanwhile with a look of rebuke as if we had insulted her. Now we do not pique ourselves upon etzquette, but we flatter ourselves that the hand aforesaid was tendered with the modesty and propriety be- coming a gentleman ; but no matter for that, if it had been the brawny fist of some honest- hearted Patrick who had dropped his hod to help the lady, her rejection of such well- meant kindness would have been an act of insolent hautier. Had we offered to assist a well bred French lady, her sweet toned " Mercie Monsieur, mercie," would still have lingered on our ear. A true English lady would have accepted the courtesy with a smiling " I thank you." A lady who is not afraid to receive the common civilities of life from a stranger, shows far higher sense of character than one who draws herself up stiffly within silks and kid, and pouts at every man as if he were a roue. What we have referred to is a national trait. Our case is not isolated. The above is part of an article we found in the New York Independent. " The " national trait" there spoken of is true, and pity tis, 'tis true. Every man-- that is every gentleman--has had a like ex- perience. No woman on the face of the earth--we speak of them collectively--re- ceive a proffered kindness, from a stanger with such an ungracious manner, as Ameri- can women. No matter what the civility is, or what expense of personal comfort render- ed, it is all the same; the favor is accepted, rather it is taken, as a matter of right, and with an' of course' frigidness of manner, and repulsive stiffness, as if there was not a joint in their body which would bend a gracious nod, or a grateful courtesy. Ina ear, in church, in the concert room, in the street, at the public table, every day the occasion occurs in which it is a duty-- and if appreciated, would be a pleasure--to render civilities to ladies, who, although strangers, have a claim upon common polite- ness for such services. How amply repaid one feels, on the bestowal of a casual atten- tion, to receive a hearty ' thank yow' from a pair of generous lips. The reward is so rare you are almost inclined to follow up the gra- cious donor in hopes ' something else may turn up, again to call your services into re- quisition. Of course there are exceptions among American woman--there are many exceptions--and to these were turn thanks in behalf of mankind for their thousand smiles, and winning ways so handsomely tendered, when a lost veil bas been picked up, a fip passed to the omnibus driver, a sash shoved down to keep out the sun, or a glass shoved up to keep out the rain, or a seat yielded in the centre of the car to accomodate the last one of a party, or the bill of fare, or the cake dish passed at table. As to the unpardonable impertinence of a passing remark, that is not to be thought of, sucha thing can't be tolerated without an in- troduction, even in a private circle by an in- vitation from a mutual friend. No, a formal, set introduction must be suffered. Drawn up in front in position number three, dancing master style, " Miss Prude will you allow me the pleasure to make you acquainted with Mr. Timid, my particular friend ; Mr. Timid, Miss Prude," and one bows like a well sweep, and the other sinks like a sand-crane, and permission is granted to offer a cream ora nut, and--if you know all about each other ----even a motto with a sugar plum. American woman--then whom no earthly beings receive more homage or attention-- owe it to themselves to thus mend their man- ners, as to always acknowledge a politeness from a stranger, more marked, it should be, than if from an acquaintance ; they should look upon an invitation froma mutual friend, as sufficient introduction--at least for the time being--to entitle a gentleman to a rea- sonable amount of small talk, and to render those numberless little civilities which smoothe an hour, and make mellow and happy a tran- sient evening.-- Clev. [erald. ap ee Good Advice. John H. Prentice, in his recent valedic- tory on retiring from the editorial chair, which he had filled for forty years has the following : " No man should be without a well con- ducted newspaper. He is far behind the spirit of the age, unless he reads one, is not upon equal footing with his fellow man who enjoys such advantages, and is disregardful of his duty to his family, in not affording them an opportunity of acquiring a knowledge of what is passing in the world, at the cheapest possible teaching. Show me a family with- out a newspaper, and I. venture to say that ignorance most strikingly in contrast with Feven of twelve years, I would read a news |The boy who reads will learn to think only endure, but propagate by foreign con- } quest, and by the natural reproduction and | there will be manifest in that family, a want of amenity of manners, and Indications. of. the neighbor who allows himself such a ra+__ tional indulgence. Young men especially, should read newspapers. If I were a hey, * paper weekly, though I had to work by torelie light to earn money. enough to pay for it. \ analyze ; and, if so, he will. be almost sur make a man of himself, hating vicious indul- _ gence, which reading is calculated to beget a distastefor; = sod hs 4 London Charities. Magnificent, indeed, are the charities of © London! By their help many thousands -- persons can get born for nothing, nursed for : nothing, clothed for nothing, edueated for nothirig, pet to a trade for nothing, attended when they are sick, helped when they are poor, and buried when they are dead--all. for nothing. HH charities could avail for the: poor, then no city in the world were better < off than London. If subscribing money - were all that is necessary for the elevation of the people, then money enough is surely subscribed in London, where about two millions sterling are yearly raised for chari- table purposes alone. 'Take the free hospi- tals of London for example, and you find twelve magnificant public institutions mait- » tained for general purposes, and forty-six for specific purposes. Among the latter, are hospitals for Germans, for Spaniards, for seamen, for prostitutes, for nurses, for lunatics, for idiots, for invalids, for cripples, for incurables and women and for ehildren. Besides these, are hospitals for the cure of particular diseases--hospitals for consump-- tion, for fever, small pox, diseases of the skin, diseases of the eye, diseases of the ear,--for scrofula, for cancer, for hernia, for hip and spinal diseases, for fistula, and for glandular diseases. Besides, there are the public dis- pensaries, which administer medicines, medical and surgical advice, soup, bread, blankets, coals, homceopathic pills, and help of all kinds--for nothing. The charities of Ly . London volunteer to do everything for men ae and women except marrying them, and that ; too, is done by the officials of a public insti- tution supported on public money, the ceremony being performed for a very low charge. Once married the road through London, life is lined with charities. Is there a prospect of an increase of family? Then the expectant mother, if poor and respect- able, has only to apply to the visitor of the district Visiting Society, who will obtain for her a ticket of admission to the British Lying-in Hospital, the City of London Lying-in Hospital, or the Royal Maternity Charity; or she canbe attended at herown = house by a surgeon from the Queen Ade- laide and British Ladies' Institution. By means of these societies she gets herself churched, and her child registered and bap- tized--for nothing. If she still wants as- sistance, the District Visiting Society will provide her with coals, linen, blankets and bread, or recommend her to numerous s0- cieties which furnish all these. If she re- quires the help of a nurse, she has no diffi- culty in obtaining the loan of one from the' work-house, through the agency of the Ma- ternal Society. When the child is of sufficient age, the mother gets it vaccinated for nothing: \ at the Royal Vaccine establishment, or the Royal Jennarian and London Vaccine Insti- tution, or by the vaccinating surgeon of the district--by any of them for nothing. If 4 the child takes ill, there is the Royal-Infir- a mary for children and the Hospital for sick ' children. Ifthe parents of the child should. die, there are many orphan schools provided --if a boy, to educate him in a trade or pro- fession; if a girl, to bring her up well, and in some cases, to present her with a marriage portion of £100, as in the case of Raine's Charity. A great number of the charity schools feed, clothe, lodge and educate the children, and then put them to.a trade--all 4 for nothing. Thus, through life the poor / man in London is accompanied by charities : of all sorts, which volunteer to bring him : into the world, to suckle him, to nurse him, to vaccinate him, to educate him, to teach him a trade, to supply him with blankets, coals, soup, physic, Scripture reading and ' friends in need"--all for nothing! = The Thames was visited one day last week ve by a shoal of whales, numbering between =e forty and fifty, some of them apparently - thirty or forty feet in length, who disported themselves in the middle of the river, be- tween Gravesend and Tilbury Fort. They proceeded up as far as off Rosherville, then reversed their course, having come in con- tact with two steamers coming down the river. They were of that class of whales ealled by the fisherman " finners"---a name, judging from the immense dorsal fin, which, when they arose to the surface, appeared to be from eight to ten feet in length, most 4 appropriate to them. The appearance of 4 these fish in the river so high up as Graves- end created the greatest surprise, as a similar visit, as the watermen and fishermen averred, had never before been observed. The whales were pursued by some fisher~ men in boats, but succeeded in escaping un- hurt, (<= Macauley's continuation of his His- tory of England, which was nearly ready for the press, it is to be kept back for the pre- sent. It seems that some one has found, and given him, a vast collection of Stuart papers, hitherto unedited, which throw light on the Jacobite movements, in and out of ~ England, in the reign of William and Mary A Fireman's Toast--The ladies --their q eyes kindle the only flames which we cannot ' extinguish, and against which there is'no"in- * simnee? ic: piceged gorsaere 6 a