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9j[2 1 he Saturday Analyst and Leader. \...
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INDIAN ROMANCE.* TPVOUBTLJESS most of ou...
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l^OltEIGN CORBESPONDENCH, BJ'KCIAL. IlAN...
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""" » ' Afiti'v ttocfe, or Jft/'r A(lvii...
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dual processes to a more generalised purpose . Like the pvomoters of that movement , their early advocates were content to regard their success as valuable only so far as it conduced to something hio-lier , viewing their own mission as a means to an end . Like the pioneers of an army , they but opened the way that others might enter in and gain the actual victory . What has been done is partly recorded in these little volunms . They also state wnat remains to be done , and propose , to some extent , the manner m which it may be accomplished . . . The expressed desire is that society may advance in all that is truly valuable to man , as an intelligent and moral being , llus is the ultimate purpose of such missionary labours , llio Juirly Closing movement claims to be called the Pioneer of Progress . The Saturday Half-holiday is the immediate result sought , together with-the early payment of wages as its natural adjunct .
" But there are some reasons for looking upon this latest development of the Early Closing principle as being a kind of short road to the success of the entire movement . Saturday night is the especial season of late shopping . If the late hour system can be beaten on the Saturday night it cannot be expected to afford a very vigorous resistance on the other evenings of the working week . Saturday night is the very citadel of late tracing , and , when that yields , the remainder must follow . Ihus the Saturday Half-holiday—which may be considered as including what is called the Saturday Early Closing Movement—really aims at the root of that great evil which , we designate the Late . Hour system .
The prize-essayist in question hits the point at once when ho speaks of the kind of slavery which most prevails in an advanced state of society . This , he says , has in a direct and tangible form crept into this land through the avenue of trade and commerce . Overwork , at the bidding of a labour-proprietor , is the evil of the day . Too many act as if the only end of life were to get money . Mind and body require attention which has been , denied . "Nature and man should be more familiar friends than they have been . The case is thus powerfully stated : — . ; .
¦ " The struggle for existence , or at least for a competency , has become ; to a large class of the community , the main battle of life . For any higher thoughts or aims they have neither leisure nor inclination . They cannot redeem the time , because they hav-e no tiine to redeem ; they cannot live like sentieut , thoughtful , immortal beings , because , from their daily bread ^ gettiiigr there is scarcely a pause in which they may look before and after . Obviously these nieh are not themselves in a position to , gain the freedom they require . Tho movement must come from without . It must be conducted by those whoso own position is freer and happier , and it must be encouraged and accelerated by the employers who are the immediate participatprs ^ in the fruit of this toil . "
The period of " the all-work system , " under the harrows of which we have inost of us suffered , is now happily past , and the character of young nieh lias greatly improved in consequence . This fact \ ve have confirmed to us by the testimony of the best masters . Since the adoption of the Saturday ltalfT lioiiday , workmen , says Messrs . Guest anil Chrim . es , of Ilotherham , " are more orderly , sober , and attentive to their w ° rk . " Hosts of others witness to the same result . The concession has hot been abused . It has been , and will be , the interest of employers to grant it .
. '*• Wot many years ago , sleep and work seemed the sole occupations of a large majority of the working classes ; eating and drinking tlioic only recreation . ¦ •• With stealthy steps the hours of labour were , rapidly auginentingr— . were almost indefinitely pi'olonged . Inttle children were suffered to . exhaust their yourig- life in toil , the continuous monotony of whioh was enough to destroy the energies of full grown ^ xen and women j and if haply a voice was now and then raised against the oppression , its warning and admonitory tones were too faint to bo heard atdmidst the din of machinery and the noisy strife of trade . But at length the true Words ofbruo men have soundedt on the nation ' s heart like tike blows of the smith upon his anvil . Sparks of pity have shot forth , rays of light have at least enabled us to eep how great the .. darkness was , and there isi no longoi' silent acquiescence in an unnecessary evil , but a firm resolution to use all legitimate means to lessen its weight , or to destroy it altogether . " ,
Lunacy is ojao of the fearful results of overwork , and tho crowding of great pities . Even tho progress of sooial reforms brings its evil . Scientific . disoovoiy has more than ono issue . Wo may xnove and live faster than oxxv forefathers , without being really better off . "Rapidity of locomotion has no affinity to wiadom , and though wo may be able to put ' a , girdlo round the earth in forty minutes , ' may be very unhappy and very iooliah , too , wlion wo havo done . it . Inuood , muoh of whioh wo ave proud in , this strungo ago will no |; boar a close jLnspeotion . Our gvoab cities , for instance , how wo laud thorn as the marts of industry , and tho eoureos of the most widely extonded oonnuerco thafc tihe world has over Boon 1 Groat towns may bo great blessings I the questionis ouo that claims wido discussion—but assuredly
they bring mighty ovus m thon * train , Tho atmosphere becomes overloaded , and wo want snaoo to bvoatho ; tho markets are glutted , and we wont room to sell ; labour cannot find a frco outlot , for it is crushed by competition , whtfe intense mental activity and prolonged bodily exertion destroy' the healthful growth both of body and irilncl . ^ Vo live jfasfc ihdoed , but wo do not Jive well . Nature ie afc strife with us , fofc wo trample on her laws ; G-od is at strife with us , for wq too often forget His } ftnd so wo hurry on , madly , blindly , wilfully , too bviey ever , to be calm , to cngqr and restloes tp be happy . Js not this picture a tlruo ono P or , rather , is ifc not Miq elightoijti possible sketch ; , with every additional tough would rondo ) , more faithful , and which , if i ( i wore fllled mp with pro-fta ^ hwute minuteness , would Btand true of tho larger pOHion of our Oily . populn'Uona P If this bo no r- » and O , how umiiy ' gloomy fo « tut'ce might be uddod to the piofcuye | - ~
we had better he altogether silent about our progress and civilization . 13 lit though silent not supine : there is work for each of us to doc " The evil is one of the results of what is regarded as respect - ability . Well-to-do people judge unjustly of the Avorknian . They wonder at his ways , so far as they differ from their own , and declare , in line , that he is irreclaimable . Having , says Mr . Dennis , impressed this belief distinctly on their minds , they are convinced that their responsibility , as far as he is concerned , is altogether at an end . But the middle classes are , at length , though slowly , learning their true interests . They , however ,
require more intelligence still ; and Mr . Hole rightly argues for more and better education . He regrets that influential and religious denominations have held aloof on _ grounds as mistaken as conscientious from co-operation in ulterior measures . As the case now stands , " three children out of four leave school , with only a smattering of education . " Moreover , " the children of the working classes rarely preserve that skill in reading and writing which makes the practice of those arts easy or agreeable pursuits for their own sake ; and manual labour , to which they are called so much too early , does not stimulate the exercise of the intellectual faculties . "
Alas ! and is it even so still ? Have we no further progressed than this ? Is this the whole of the ' illumination received ? Well may the writer exclaim , " Light ! more light ! ' * There are practical suggestions which it is hoped will be well considered for the rcmedy of these defects . Many of these are contained ? n Mr . Hole's . work , and merit the most earnest attention . -Onemotive he presses with ¦ « Teat force . Free trade and free government demand the largest possible development of education . " We arc entrusting the fate of the greatest empire the world ever saw to the hands of the people . To the people , then , must be given the moderation , the sense of justice , the knowledge of sound political and economical principles ; which will make them use that trust rightly . If free institutions are not to prove'a curse rather than a blessing , we must have an intelligent people . In a word , the problem may be very briefly statedto be—educationor anarchy ?"
9j[2 1 He Saturday Analyst And Leader. \...
9 j [ 2 1 he Saturday Analyst and Leader . \ JSov . 3 ,. 1869
Indian Romance.* Tpvoubtljess Most Of Ou...
INDIAN ROMANCE . * TPVOUBTLJESS most of our readers are more or less familiar with JLJ the novels of Fennimore Cooper , so celebrated for their description of prairie scenery , and their delineation of the habits , peculiarities , andXanguiuary temperaments of the native Indians , tog ether with their hatred of the whites , and the dangers to which the latter were occasionally exposed from their singular and illicit mode of warfare . These novels , so deservedly world-famous , and which are remarkable for the author ' s brilliancv of imagery , and extraordinary powers of invention , are written with such a zest and gusto , and are moreoverwrought up to such an intense pitch of excitement ,
, the ' story and situations being developed in the most masterly manner , that they become perfectly irresistable to the reader , and have seldom—in fact , never been equalled by any succeeding writers . Any modern novelist following in the steps of this inimitable master must necessarily draw upon himself comparisons which , tho chances are ten to one , will prove in his-disfavour , and will besides find innumerable obstacles created in his path from the popular prejudice in favour of an older and in or o established favourite . It is -not our intention , however , in expatiating upon the merits of tho work before us , from the pen of Percy B , St . John , a name already favourably known to literature , to make use of any such
comparisons , considering the same to be not only premature ana uncalled for , but altogether unfair to an author struggling into public notice . Marv Hock , or Mi / XdventuwuiTcxii ^ is written with much skill and power .-and ^ exliibits considerable information on tiio part of tho author relative to life and character in that iuf-ofl region . There arc some very spirited descriptions of Texmi scenery , ana two or throe lively personages introduced into tho imrrativo , wlueli srivo it a zest and heartiness peculiarly its own . Tho Juult ot the book is , however , that the story U not Huniciontly Bustiunwl . irom thq cominoncoment to tho end , being iiiterlurdcd with too nuich extraneous mattertho heroineMary Bockwhose nanio giviw tny
, , , title to the work ; playing a very unimportant part » n «» o action ot tho drama . Novortholess wo do , not think it posHiblo lor any ono to take up tho prosont volume without dorivinjr thereiroin n-luwo dho . ro of amusement . For ourselves , we cun fairly promise » ucu renders a « shall fool inclined to accept our recommendation , fum posscHs themselves of tins decidedly clover production , that moj shail ) be therewith edified by n number of interesting ttnoedotoa upon Indian clmructeriatics and oxtravagancos , and vccoivo mucn valuable instruction upon a variety , of HubjoclM with which they ucio previously xiuacriuuxntcd .
L^Olteign Corbespondench, Bj'kcial. Ilan...
l ^ OltEIGN CORBESPONDENCH , BJ'KCIAL . IlANOVISIt , . OCTOHISll U <> , 18 < IO . rpHJli ) Austrian Dijalom , oscovtod by twenty-flvo Iinpowwl »«*»" X graph lottors to tho oxouufcivo prtindoca , hurt boon puWiHncu " > duo form j und donbtlostt a groat mimbqr of poraonv' will vun ww with tho idea thatq , free Constitution , or n frbo rtwowtion m tiio munogonftnt ' or thoir poUtidal aftUi » ' «» hiva been { rrantod to tho anfero ' nt nations whioh compose tho Austrian- qmph' 0 . Tho orijiw «»» of tho urosts will uncmoHtionably , in duo timo , not thorn v » tflit upo » this point , The ollloinl ovuurw of tho Gyvornmont wnto uh xt n « IQinpuror wore boconio a tnorouurhly ooiiBtitutlonal monavuJi , iuhi
""" » ' Afiti'v Ttocfe, Or Jft/'R A(Lvii...
""" ' Afiti'v ttocfe , or Jft /' A ( lviintuveq in Tuxn « . JV l ' oi'cyM . fiit . Jwlm , wutlior of il »' Arctlf Cniioo , ty ? , London i Clmrlffa 3 . Uliu'Ko ,
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 3, 1860, page 8, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_03111860/page/8/
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