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328 yHE ^ LEAPEB, [No. 367, Saturday,
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NEWS FROM ICARIA. loAitiA is at St. Loui...
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PROGNOSTICATIONS OP THE COMET. Nemo utiy...
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THE MIDDLESEX ELECTION. The Middlesex co...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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White-Handed Non-Electors. A Vehy Proud ...
guiled or frightened "by the glisten of girlish eyes , or the toss of haughty heads , and political topics are left out of the question . Thus Captain . Vebiton attempted to insinuate himself into Berkshire by proving to the free and independent that he was admired by the white-handed non-electors in the gallery of the county halL "I am not a lily , but I appeal to the ladies in the gallery—am I "black ? " The ladies in the gallery showered down their suffrages on the Boyal Engineer , and every lack-brain in the assemby desirous of co-operating , however distantly , with those
jewelled graces , cheered the confident orator . This is corruption , we say . " What are banners to it ? "What is beer ? What is a paid canvasser in comparison with a beauty who aslis for a vote as she would for a flower , as a favour you cannot think of refusing ? For ten days the horses were perpetually in the carriage of our EtrpBCiioSYirE ; she was at Bath , and the snow-white pennon—her suffrage—¦ floated out when that Batabd of the hustings , the dashing , generous-hearted Mr .. "Way , stood gallantly before the electors . What was Mr . The to do ? He had no charms to
to counteract the windows crowded with delicate faces , all hating him for opposing such a dear man as Mr . Way . There must have been three hlind voters in the crowd , who voted for Mr . Tite and kept out the handsome Tory . But elsewhere , Euphkosyne attended the nominations , irresistible in bonnet , in mantle , in spring-tissues , in patrician sympathy with the candidates who dwell in
castles , and whose moutaches curl with the pride of classical ancestry . She bent like a fairy courtier to the hard-fisted Boeotian who promised to " vatite" for the young lord ; she turned away petulantly disdainful from the farmer , who had given Ins promise and would not recal it " merely to oblige her . " "He could not refuse ! " But he did , and Ettphbosyne retired with a cloud upon her face that has ever since haunted the man like
the shadow of a crime . He wishes he had the Ballot . EuTHBOsYNE , however , is not for the Ballot . She is deeply interested in the ploughing successes of that abashed boy in gaiters ; but his father coining along the path , she recollects suddenly " Our county election is next week ; you will promise me to vote for Mr . Montgomery deMosxgomeey . " Meanwhile EupHiiosYNE would prefer electing the county member herself , plumping for him , " and have done with it , " girding on his sword , and
sending hiui to sit fearfully silent in the House of Commons , or adventurously loquacious somewhere else ;—but lie will be in London , of course , attending to his Parliamentary duties . We must have the Ballot , if only as a safeguard against this French cambric influence , this guah of wood-violet perfume stealing over the hustings , and intoxicating the susceptible voter . Otherwise we must class all blooming girls with soldiers in uniform , and prohibit their presence within three miles of any hustings or polling-booth whatever .
328 Yhe ^ Leapeb, [No. 367, Saturday,
328 yHE ^ LEAPEB , [ No . 367 , Saturday ,
News From Icaria. Loaitia Is At St. Loui...
NEWS FROM ICARIA . loAitiA is at St . Louis . If you write to an Icarian , address your letter " St . Louis ( Mo ) Post-office . T 5 ox 5 O . America . " The Icarians have gone from Iowa , gone from Nauv °° 5 W now they flourish in this new place of their fond adoption . When they assembled here , they numbered a hundred and seventytour persons—sevent y-four men , forty-five women seven youths and girls , and fortyseven children wider fifteen years of aoe Un to tho 1 st of February , 1857 , the following changes had taken place : M . Cabet himself had died , and boon buried , exhumed , and buried again . Two other members of tho colony had also died . One famil y , consisting
of seven persons , had withdrawn ; and one citLzen had been expelled . Thus , eleven individuals had been lost to the settlement , leaving a hundred and sixty-three , of whom only one was absent , the citizen Kijcng , authorized by the community to undertate a journey to some distant station . . "We have alluded to the death and exhumation of M . Caiet . It was proposed at first to "bury him in a lead coffin ; but the Icarian Elders objected that his principles of life weie too simple to justify a method of interment so patrician . He was laid , therefore , commonly coffined , in an ordinary grave ;
but a remonstrance came from Prance , urging a cofiin of metal and oak , and a public tomb . The assembly debated the question anew ; the women and " young people * ' were consulted , and acquiesced , and the assembly adopted the proposal . The report on the proceedings that followed is written in true Icarian style , the state of the body being described with singular minuteness . "We pass on to the reinterment . Cabet's head was placed on . a linen pillow stuffed with feathers , a crown of natural moss and artificial white flowers was wreathed across his
foTehead , and a bottle containing a catalogue of his works was placed between his knees . The body , in an immense cast-iron coffin , painted and varnished in an Egyptian pattern , was then deposited in a tomb of masonry . Not , however , before the adepts in Icariai . naystery had noted " a celestial mansuetude " in their dead founder ' s face . But the Icarians have not been engaged only in burying their dead . Like good social philosophers , they have been taking care of
t aeir " surroundings . " The family lives well , freely , cordially , and reports no particular quarrels . It has celebrated its ninth anniversary . On the 3 rd of [ February last , the little nationheld high festival—a breakfast , a dinner , a concert , with interludes of oratorical melody . All night the Icarians laboured at the decoration of their common hall ; a vast garland of artificial flowers was festooned upon rosettes round the walls ; elegant urns adorned the chimney-pieces ; a portrait of M . Catjet smiled upon the scene , laurelled and blossomed . On each table was a roti , a dish of
maecaroni with cheese , an apple cake , and a pot of coffee . Napkins were allowed- —an inroad on the simplicity of Icariau manners , upon which , the conservative Elders cast a morbid eye . Then when , the rage of hunger was appeased , although no draughts of scarcely-mingled wine infused ambrosial joy into bosoms iresb . as the dcedal earth , citizens and citizenesses rose in rapid succession , and saluted in votive speeches the proverbial philosophy of Icaria . Virtue , Poetry , Perseverance , Harmony , and Gratitude were drytoasted ; theatrical performances followed ; and Icaria condescended to imitate the
amusements of the outer world . But , although one of the orators was named Wisk ^ , no purple or yellow potations enriched the conviviality of the hour , while , according to a decree of the citizens and citizenesses and " young people consulted , " no smoking was allowed . They do not smoke iu Icaria . We
have no doubt tho " nation 13 very happy and self-satisfied ; but every Rasselas in search of felicity need not go for it so far as St . Louis , for , after all , Icarians , iu spite of thoir special surroundings , live much as we do in tho denser atmosphere of Europe , and now and thon , to illustrate tho power of illimitable lovo , expel an obnoxious member .
Prognostications Op The Comet. Nemo Utiy...
PROGNOSTICATIONS OP THE COMET . Nemo utiyuam cometam imjpune v ' ullt . Tho tremblings of a goneral oloction forebode a blazing apparition in Juno . It is to
comes and goes when the phenomenon of the thirteenth of June is brought into a dialogue upon the point of an allusion . " We do not expect that the ' , comet . will much , damage the earth . The Voleur predicts that , in the shape of a superhuman locomotive—whatever that may be—it . will rush over a bridge of stars upon our globe , and do infiaite harm , amid the a pplause of anarchists . Meanwhile , the less-endangered moon will wink from afar in a window of
little purpose that Mr . Hind indicates the probable course of the comet . Mathied -Ljenshjebg did not prophesy for nothing Ine Galhcian peasants are devout in the ? belief that one object of the manifestation is the devouring of this populous globe ; and in England there is a good deal o f Gallicia n piety . Not among the unwashed only—if such a class there be in this highly civilized kingdom . These brooding terrors build their nests among the Corinthian capitals of polished society , and many a secret flutter
heaven , and promise herself more agreeable neighbours in future . The fixed stars will be avenged upon the impertinences of astronomy ; the planets will coalesce in a horrid , joy , and the believers in . a plurality of worlds will be compelled to float fov ever upon fiery exhalations in the train of the great comet . Thus , we see , the subject has Uvo sides , the grave and the grotesque . But it has also elicited a multitude of minor questions —whether we -shall not all be very warm next summer ? whether the colours of our silk
dresses will not fly under the influence of the hot and biilliant spectre ? whether Mr . Disraeli will be able to bear it ? whether the Scotch , the most intensely feudal people in . the world , according to Mabtiax , will aiot feel . .. so .: pleasant in the light and geniality of a double sun , that they will for evermore curse the cold of Argyllshire ? whether the Reform Bill had not better be postponed to a less agitating season ? -whether Mr . P . Peeii will delight his friends by retiring
into private life ? Upon the tail of the comet hang these , topics ; Imt if we are to have the physical fervour , it will not come too soon . " We have been cooling lately ; the earth , they say , is driving northwards , so that a comet glow may be really a boon . What if it should tiuge with sudden lustre Louis Napoleon ' s nobility ! The Asiatics , -we know , who ripen on the suuny side of the world , have literally warmer blood thau runs in the veins of Englishmen and Samoyedes .
Perhaps a new calorical presence , passing though it may be , may tint our side of the earth , aud-while it gives a pomegranate blush to our peaches , and infuses an Oriental flavour into our grapes and pines , we may look up like Parsees , and borrow from tho comet a dash of cordiality . Iu times to come , then , it may be hoped , that to hold up ; i shallow head on a neck , stiff" us a feudal spike on Temple Bar , and to walk our ^ ways in frozen apathy , may not be to mimics the attitudes or the seutiineuts of c ; a p erfect gentleman . "
The Middlesex Election. The Middlesex Co...
THE MIDDLESEX ELECTION . The Middlesex contest promises to l > e very severe , Lord GnosVENoa aud Mr . Hanmtuv arc confident ; Lord Chelsea is confident also . The Tory Viscount seems to have surveyed the Bribery A . ct lo good purpose , and to . have detected all its flaws . J- spite of his auriferous agents , however , it ; is to w hoped that Middlesex will ho ' true to its colours . It rejected Maibstone , why should it- accept Ciiklska P Because CjikIiSE \ would mulce Chelsea a separate borongli ? JJut Lord Komnu G iiosyKSOB and Mr . Hankujiy would support 1 ho prhjcijne ol giving representatives to plucos wilh largo p » plll ! l lions . Whatever tho Viscount is , Ik- is not a lieformer , and if Middlesex he on Monday wiuit it mboon for ycava , ho will not be a member ol In *' liamont ,
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), April 4, 1857, page 16, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_04041857/page/16/
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