The introduction of Dorrington to Lord Watchford was evidently one that would never rise to an acquaintance, far less cement itself into a friendship. The peer was selfish, arro gant, malignant, and tyrannical in his disposition; Dorrington was generous, humble, forgiving, and humane. How could they ever agree! They had no sympathies in common. Nature herself had erected an insurmountable barrier between them; but here they sat down in company, together with the Magistrate of Willowbranch and his daughter, upon whom the hearts of both were fixed, but entirely from opposite principles. (To be continued in our next.) other purposes. The betel leaf thrives on the low grounds, where it can obtain a supply of water; and the poppy is cultivated, both for making opium, and on account of the seed, which is much used in the sweet cakes that are eaten by the higher ranks of the natives. Our representation shows us the carriage of the Rajah of Mysore being drawn by elephants, the largest living kind of quadruped of which we have any knowledge, and which has long been noted for its intelligence. Those of Ceylon are amongst the most celebrated. Indeed, the torrid zone seems to be most favourable for the production of the largest races; for although elephants occur along the coasts MYSORE. THE CARRIAGE OF THE RAJAH. MYSORE is a large province in the south of India, situated principally between the eleventh and fifteenth degrees of north latitude. Its length is estimated at two hundred and ten miles, and its average breadth at one hundred and forty. It consists of a high table land, enclosed between the eastern and the western Ghauts, from which rise many lofty hills containing the sources of numerous rivers. This height naturally mitigates the heat, and throughout the whole of this extensive track it is remarkably temperate and healthy. The country enjoys another peculiar advantage, namely, that it is sheltered by the Ghaut mountains from the violence of the Monsoons which sweep along the lower plains and deluge with torrents of rain the coasts of Coromandel and Malabar. This country, from its natural advantages, not only produces all the other grains and vegetables of other parts of India, but also many of the fruits of Europe. It appears to have been formerly in a very high state of cultivation, and since it came under the sway of the British is rapidly recovering from the depopulation caused by its long wars. Rice is cultivated on the higher and lower grounds; and the cultivation is much aided by means of reservoirs and wells, whence the farmers irrigate their fields and gardens. The soil also produces the sugar-cane, for which the black clayey lands are best adapted. The raggy crop, a species of coarse grain which supplies all the lower classes with their common food is the most important of any raised in the dry field. Wheat is cultivated in gardens, and in the rich soil of the beds irrigation. It is only a small quantity however that is raised. of the tanks, which have been exhausted for the purposes of The Palma Christi is found here, and produces abundance of castor oil, which is used for the lamp and a variety of of Malabar as far north as the territory of Coorgah Rajah, they are inferior to the breed of Ceylon. The province of Mysore is divided into three districts, each of which is managed by an amildar, who is an officer of justice, police, and revenues, and who is accountable for his conduct to the ministers of the rajah, the latter being kept to their duties by the presence of the British resident. These amilders have under them a number of accountants to The chief manage with accuracy the affairs of the revenue. towns are Seringapatam, Bangalore, Beotmore, Chittledroog, and Sera. THE TIMES. PERSIA.-Late advices from Paris report that the differences between England and Persia are virtually settled. AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.-The Royal Agricultural Society will hold their annual meeting at Salisbury this summer. CHINA.-There is no change in the position of affairs in China. The Chinese made an unsuccessful attempt to retake Tee-Totum Fort. FRANCE. The "Indépendance" ventilates a rumour that the Emperor and Empress will be crowned at Rheims, in the month of August. A CROWD OF TOURISTS.-English, French, Spanish, Italians, Algerians, and Portuguese-are residing in the south portion of Sebastopol. TURKEY.-The Government is engaged on the question of applying the system of recruiting to the non-Mussulman population. Admiral Lyons has officially announced his speedy detwenty-five officers and men of the navy, three of Royal MaTHE VICTORIA CROSS.-This Cross is to be conferred upon parture. Two vessels have already left for Malta. rines, and some sixty of the army, for "acts of bravery performed by them before the enemy during the late war." FORTIFICATIONS OF SWANSEA HARBOUR.-It is the intention of the Government to fortify the harbour at Swansea by mounting two heavy guns on the salient angle of the east pier. The War-office have requested information as to the capability of the pier to bear heavy ordnance, as from a recent report the pier was not stable enough for a battery of guns. In reply, the authorities have been informed that there is every likelihood that the pier will be rebuilt, and that the War Department can erect any masonry that may be required. THE AUSTRALIAN SENATE ANALYSED.-The Melbourne Argus gives a synopsis of the nativity and opinions of the members of the Lower House. Of the number four are Australians, twenty-seven English, sixteen Irish, and twelve Scotch. Thirtysix belong to the Church of England, six are Roman Catholics, seven Presbyterians, one Methodist, and seven independents. In favour of state aid there are thirty-three; against it, twenty-two; doubtful, four. There are twelve ministerial and official members, thirty-two independent, and fifteen anti-ministerialists. There are nineteen merchants and tradesmen, ten barristers and attorneys, seven government officers, sixteen landowners, three medical men, three journalists, two farmers, and two squatters. that he may be enabled to judge of the dimensions of her crippled feet-the smallness of the foot being a Chinaman's beau ideal of perfection. Daughters have no fortunes in China; but the man who is about to marry agrees to give a certain sum, which is laid out in clothes and jewels for the bride. The sums of money vary according to the rank of the parties; the Mandarins frequently giving six thousand taels for a wife (a tael being six and fourpence sterling), and the bride is invariably selected from a family of equal station. The presents given to the female's parents, in the middle and lower ranks, are sometimes of a ludicrous description, according to our barbarian notions, being fat pigs, dried fish, live poultry, chests of tea, sugar-candy, preserved fruits, and such like unromantic gear; the quality and quantity of these presents is invariably agreed upon when the bargain is first struck. The ceremony of the marriage is gone through at the bridegroom's house; upon the nuptial day the bride leaves her father's home, accompanied by a numerous train of attendants; the bride is placed in a sedan-chair, most profusely gilded, and decorated most gaily with artificial flowers of brilliant hues; attendants, bearing torches and flambeaux, surround the chair, the servant who bears the key of the precious casket walking nearest the sedan for we must state, that no sooner is the lady seated in the chair than the ART IN AUSTRALIA.-Art begins to bloom in Australia. At Melbourne an Exhibition of painting, sculpture, and photography, is now open, of the prosperity of which the local papers speak warmly. Premiums are to be awarded for the best specimens of paintings in oil, water colours, and on ivory; for the best figure in marble, Caen stone, or plaister for the best design for a sixroomed cottage, adapted for the colony; for the best specimen of ornamental modelling; and for the best specimens of photo-door is locked by her father or nearest male relative, the key graphy. The exhibition is under the patronage of the acting governor, the judges, the bishops, the heads of departments, University professors, and others. The architects of Victoria have established an institute in that city. being given to the confidential servant, who has orders to deliver it only to the bridegroom. Numerous attendants precede and follow the bride's chair, carrying flags, magnifiHUNGARY.-It appears that a Hungarian committee has been cent lanterns, beating gongs, and sounding wind instruments; appointed to receive the Emperor on his visit to Hungary. the ladies of the two families are in sedan-chairs, which Among them are Prince Paul Esterhazy, Counts Bela Wenk- follow the bride's; the male relatives and friends walking in heim, Emmanuel Andrasy, John Cziraky, and Felix Zichy. the procession. There is a great display of presents of all On the 8th, the committee waited on the Archduke Albrecht, kinds, which are to accompany the bride to her new homeand informed him that the nobles would do all in their power to render the sojourn of their Majesties in Hungary agreeable, but these consist of ladies' dresses, borne on stands; carved that they could not answer for any enthusiasm on the part of the chests, which are to be supposed to contain all sorts of treanation. Count Wenhein is said to have observed that the Hun-sures; stands, in which are placed jars containing sam-shoo, garians still deplored the loss of the constitution which they and wine, and preserved fruits; cages containing the mandarin their forefathers had possessed for 800 years. Count Cziraky reducks, fowls, and frequently a fine fat pig, in a gaily-demarked that "enthusiasm" was not to be expected from a people corated bamboo cage, bring up the rear of the presents. The which was not permitted to use its mother-tongue when it had to grandeur of a marriage procession is measured by the numaddress the authorities in writing. Another member of the committee remarked that the country was inundated with foreign employés, who knew as little of the real state of the country as they did of the language of its inhabitants. CHINA AND THE CHINESE. WOOING AND WEDDING, RESUMING our subject of China and the Chinese, we find that ocasionally a poor man will go to the foundling hospital in his neighbourhood, and obtain a girl, that │ he may take her home and educate her, giving her in marriage to his son when the young folks have arrived at a proper age. The thrift and caution of the national character is fully developed in this arrangement. In the first place, the money is saved which must have been expended in the purchase of a wife; in the second, the girl is educated by her mother-in-law (that is to be), thereby falling into all the old lady's economical habits; thirdly and lastly, if the girl is not good-tempered, industrious, and respectful in her demeanour to her intended husband and his parents, she is very quickly sent about her business without the attendant fuss which ensues when a wife is sent back to her family for misconduct after her marriage. The parties about to contract a marriage never see each other, the whole affair being arranged by their relations, or go-betweens, which are old women, who describe the lady in the most glowing terms, or the reverse, according to the presents which are made to them. One of their customs before marriage, although synonymous with our fashion of sending a lady's portrait, is most extraordinary. As the damsel cannot be seen, her shoe is sent to the gentleman, ber of attendants. CHINESE SOLDIERS. In glancing at a Chinese army, it seems astonishing that the small handful of emaciated British troops, with the few Indian regiments, under Lord Gough, could have escaped utter annihilation. The Chinese coolie can lift and carry a heavier weight than a British soldier, and is often larger than our Lifeguardsman; and the Tartar, from his northern birth and education, is stronger still, though not of such large build. But the discipline is wanting. A Chinese barracks is always a conspicuous object. In front of a low, white-walled house, surmounted with dragon roofs, stand two poles, bearing the banners of the Mandarin in command. A red ball, surmounting a half moon, is painted between every two windows, of which there are generally three on each side of the door. To the left of the building in front is a look-out station, like a sentry-box on stilts; and to the left of that again are three small chimneys, for watch-fires. Besides marking a military station these chimneys are in line, at visible distances from each other along the whole length of the coast, for the purpose of conveying intelligence of an attack. The Chinese soldier labours under every disadvantage. His arms are bad, the matchlock is of the rudest kind, and not brought up in a line with the eye as an English musket. The powder is of the coarsest brand, and loose. Each soldier, besides his cartouch-box, is provided with a measure, with which he loads his piece. The lances are of the roughest order, being simply a pike placed on the head of a piece of bamboo. The bow might have been considered a superior weapon of its kind in the early part of the Ta-tsing dynasty, but THE FAMILY MIRROR. decidedly is not fitted for modern warfare. It is very difficult to string-the process is by placing one end between the ankles, bringing the other over the back, and slipping the string on in front, the value depends on the number of catties (one pound and a quarter) required to draw it into a bed sufficient for stringing, which varies from one to two hundred catties. The ordnance department is much on a par. The brass pieces are generally from four and five to twenty pounders, while the iron guns range as high as sixty-eight pounds. They are nearly all of the same shape. On the centre is the name of the foundry, city, province, and GovernorGeneral. They are all fixtures in their huge carriages. The guns are usually painted black, with red stripes, and the carriages red. The powder is provided in a large box. The dress in no way varies from that of a peasant, except in the jacket and cap. The former is blue, with facings varying in colour according to the regiment; a round white patch in front and rear receives the name of the soldier and his corps, which takes some high-flown title, as "The invinThe cap is surcibles," "The Never Conquered," &c. mounted by a red tassel, and, in the case of an officer, with a ball besides. The sword is rather a novel contrivance. It consists of two blades and handles in one scabbard, so beautifully fitted together that when drawn out it is one or two weapons, to be used in one or both hands, according to the will of the wearer, who is usually very expert with it in either way. In one of the edicts the soldiers were ordered to strike the blades | " together, and so make a noise that the barbarians would be PETER PRY'S CORNER. The finest kind of flint glass is the basis of all artificial gems. Various metallic oxides which give to them their colour and brilliancy are added. What is meerschaum, of which pipes are manufactured? Does wind always blow? There is always some motion in the air; but its force is continually varying. Where does rain fall most plentifully? Near the equator. What is the estimated number of rainy days in a year on the coast of England? Both on the east and the west coasts the estimation is made at about one hundred and fifty-two. What is hail? Frozen rain. WT HIAWATHA. LONGFELLOW. ITH a most inpoetical name Mr. Longfellow is doubtless a true poct, and the public of this country are indebted to the enterprise of Messrs. Routledge and Co. for giving his last work the means of achieving a popularity which otherwise it would not have attained. They have issued it in several editions-illustrated and unillustrated and, by means of their connection, spread its reputation "to the ends of the earth." The song of Hiawatha is an Indian Edda, founded on a tradition prevalent among the North American Indians, of a personage of miraculous birth; born of Wenonah the daughter of Nokomis. This lady was poetically beautiful. She Grew up like the prairie lilies, And although this kind of beauty suggests to our minds a loveliness somewhat cold and immaterial, yet it shows what are the Indian's perceptions of the same quality in one whom they wish to exalt far above the red or tawny attributes of their own species. This lady was wooed by the West Wind Walking lightly o'er the prairie, When he found the beautiful Wenonah lying among the The result of this wooing was Hiawatha, the hero of the lilies, and when he wooed her with his words of sweetness. Song. nature, and is watched over by the tender care of his grandThe childhood of Hiawatha is passed in the simplicity of mother Nokomis, who teaches him the song of children, which he sings. Wah-wah-taysee, little fire-fly, Ere in sleep I close my eyelids. This is very simple and characteristic of childhood; but When on earth they fade and perish, This idea of all the hues of the flowers of the prairie and the forest blossoming in the rainbow is very fine. The great mission of Hiawatha is to clear the rivers, forests, and fishing grounds of the Indians, and to instruct them in the arts of peace. When he arrives at man's state, he is skilled in all kinds of hunting-craft, is an adept in youthful sports and pastimes, as well as in the arts and labours of manhood, besides being learned in the lore of old men. |