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OPERATIC ASSOCIATION (From the Morning C...
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PADDLE, SCREW, AND SAIL (From the Shippi...
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MISCELLANEOU S. In our last number we er...
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The Order of tho Black Fhigle has been p...
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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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Corsica In The Nineteenth Century. [We F...
whieh can be conferred on a relative or a countryman without risk of a public danger from lack of fitness in the recipient , be sure tbat it is reserved for an Abbatucci , a Gavini , an Arrighi , an Qrnano , or a Casabianca . "What , then , is tbat little island , whose sons are only prevented by their paucity , or their want of individual capacity , from constituting the entire administrative hierarchy of France ? Corsica , as everybody knows , is a French department . It has a Prefect and Sub-Prefects . It enjoys a Court of Appeal , a Court of First Instance , a Court of Assize , and a satisfactary number of Juges de Paix . It possesses a national guard and a gendarmerie . Yet , be ncath all this bristling exterior of French governmental mechanism , Corsica is not French . It is Italian ; and
beyond this , it is more Italian than Italy itself . It is infinitely more strange , savage , and primitive than the most backward portions of the peninsula to which it belongs by geographical contiguity and affinity of race . All the singularities which , at any period of our lives , have made up our conception of Italian society—all the social _disai'rangements which have at any time borne witness , like a running sore , to thc diseased organization of the Italian communities—may be seen existing , side by side , in that Imperial island . Do you wish to make a closer acquaintance with those banditti who , in our fathers' eyes , formed the staple product of Italian soil , and lent its chief interest to Italian travel ? The whole surface of Corsica is parcelled out among some two hundred robber-chieftains , each of
whom confines himself to his particular district , drawing from it a comfortable revenue of irregular imposts and permanent blackmail ; nay , indeed , he will sometimes reside , like an Irish absentee landlord , on the nei g hbouring coast of Sardinia , and exact , on occasional visits , or by deputy , the proceeds of his patrimonial pillage . Do you wish to create for yourself a belief in Udolpho , and in tbe tortuous crimes ot which that memorable fortress was the theatre ? There are fifty Udolphos in Corsica , and each of them has its " mysteries , " as dark and as labyrinthine as any which over unfolded themselves in the brain of Mrs . Radcliffe . Or would you _undcrstanel that hopeless blending of family quarrels with the heats of faction which bewilders the student of early Italian politics ? Every village
in Corsica , like the cities of mediaeval Italy , is distracted by a schism of immemorial date between the members and retainers of its two principal families ; while modern political distinctions are absorbed b . y , and lend intensity to , the original feud . Even the private wars which , proceeding on the letter of the lex talionis , decirnaterl Europe in the eleventh and twelfth centuries with alternate , and therefore infinite , revenge , have their counterpart in a perpetual play of sanguinary outrages . Every man in Corsica walks armed in broad daylight—every man is a client of some great House , and calls himself a Capulet or Montagueevery man is ready at all times fo pistol an opponent on
much smaller provocation than the biting of a thumbwhile political elections arc regarded , as a matter of course , hi the light of legitimate occasions for a downright battle . And the Corsiean law of honour inexorably demands that every wound , received in any kind of rencounter , must bo returned to the offending party ear a relative , down to the fourth generation . You have tbe vendetta in _Ceirsica , anel you might have at any moment thc Sicilian Vespers , if the islanel eliel not exercise a profitable sovereignty over its foreign masters . Romance , melodrama , anel ancient story , arc all realized together in a province of the most sternly governed Empire in all Europe .
We have not iu the . least _exaggerated the result of the accounts which have just been _ree-eiveel from Corsica . Tbe political disturbances of the last lour years have givem such licence , and _ceimmunicatcel such a character of ferocity to the chronic elis .. rue : tions of tho _isianef , thai , tho French Executive ; has bcc . it at last , _ceimpclleel tei institute ; an _irtquirv , anel to prennise _ene-rgeitic _Kuppn-ssieui . Our _re-aelers will form their own _eipiuiou em some ; of the- facts which have been asce'rtaineel . In May , 1818 , the Filippi and _Petrigiiiigni -the two great , I ' annlies eif _Vtuizeihtscei , whie-h i . s eli . s tnut . but a few miles from . Hasfia - _one-omite-re'el e _> nch other , with their respective _e-lienls , at the ; _e-lections for the National Assembly . A regular _ongugeunetit e . nsueel , in which twe > persons were ; killed anel a hirrrv nuinbe . 'r _wouiieh-d . The ;
rule ! e . f _retaliation lor Ihe injuries then _reeeive-el has , in the ; interval _between 1 H 1 K and thei present time ' , e-aused about te-n pcrseuiH to be ; _take-n of I * by private ; assassination . One ; of _thene was the ; _prie-st Chiavelclini , a partisan of the ; Filippi , who was shot while _ele-se-e-neling the ; _ste-ps of the ; altar . _Itshenthl be , _observe-d that the ; conteuiding _put'tics ge'iionilly mside ; _together in Ihe . same ; village ; eir elistrict ; for example , the , _ittaiisiou-heiuse's of tbe , filippi and _Pctrigliiigiti , regularly fortified anel sen ! _ine-lle'el , are ; iiiinu _; eliate > ly oppeisito each either , in the slree : t of Ven / . _eihtscei . One ; e' \ - _e-e-ptiem , _heiwe-veT , is netted in the ; ease- of _I'ielu and (' _unule-, near _Ajace-iei , which are ; _re-spe-cl ively the _e-xe-lusive ; _sl . rongheilels of a particular fue-tieiu . The- inhabitants eif the ; two village's are ! _ge-ne-rully _e-ureful to _nie-e-t emly af _churedi , where , thevy Ne ; rupule » usly confine _fbe'insi-h es ( ei tbeir _respe-e-live , _halve-s of Ihe ; buileling ; but . if a villtigcr of _I'ie-lu bars ( ei pass through Canulc , be ; take , his ritle ; us a itialti-r eif ceiurst ,
_le-ve-ls it . at the ; _wiuelows of _evie-h bouse ) hi , passes anel lire's if he ; pere ; e ; ive . _'S the , leant _meivemeuit , whie-h _inele-e-il is emly toe > likely tei arise- from the propural _itins of a _ge'ittle'iuiin so _e-epiippe'el . The _fe-iiel , _heme-ver , which' is _e-eininie-nieyjili'il as of _tildest elate ; , anel as making the- _neeire-si , appeiae-h lo regular war , is lhat eif the , ( _eiusliniani suiel Feircieili at _Cirlie-1-lara . The ; _leiwn is built em a bill . Tbe _caslh ; eif the ; I ' _ore-ieili is at the , bol . leim , and that eif ( he ; ( Jiusl iniani at Ihe ; _Hitniniit . The , hitter _eeinsistH eif lour circles eir _ceiurts , _eittt ; within nneifhor , the ; family resieling for safety in the ; innermost _e-irch ; . Hut _iiiUMutuch as this ceiustruetion is unfavouriibft ! feir keeping wu . _e-h on tho enemy _liehiw , ao unuteusely high _teiwe-r has _he-e-u _uehle-el tei the ; mansion . This tower lias licen- built within I he last fire years , and ¦ is provided with regular embrasures for cannon . If is noticed , toei , us a _histeirie-id fact connected with the ; _leuel in _epieslion , that alter the wales of warfare bad king trembled _lie-fween the two families , the ; _Hiiperietrity has recently _be-eut beuured by tho Ciuutiniani * whoso greater wealth has
Corsica In The Nineteenth Century. [We F...
enabled them tc * enter into a treaty of formal alliance with one or two famous captains of banditti in the immediate neighbourhood . Rut perhaps the incident , or series of incidents , which most strongly illustrates the whole condition of manners in Corsica , is presented by the case of Signor Malaspina de Lunio , with which we will close our selection of examples . The son of M . Malaspina had demanded in marriage the daughter of an old gentleman belonging to the opposite local faction . He was refused point-blank—an insult which he shortly revenged by shooting the father of the lady whom he had intended to wed . Thc relatives of the murdered man were instantly on the alert , but they were anticipated by the police . M . Malaspina the younger was
arrested , tried , and condemned to six years' imprisonment . Afterwards , however , through the influence of the Bonapartes , the term of his confinement was abridged to three years—an act of grace which his enemies very reasonably considered as materially altering the state of accounts between themselves and the Malaspinas . A balance having been struck , it was determined'that some net of aggression was absolutely necessary , but what was it to be ? The actual offender had still a part of his sentence to expiate , and he was safe from them , for the time , within the walls of a prison . Incredible as it may seem , their final resolution was to murder his father . An ambuscade was planned , and the elder Malaspina was assassinated in one of the government diligences .
It is remarkable that the completest administrative machinery which the wit of man ever devised for producing uniformity in the external habits of a people , should have failed to bring down this singular exception to the common level . It is still more remarkable that the exceptional province should be supplying the empire with a new aristocracy . There are some who persuade themselves that the eclipse of letters , the discouragement cf education , the superstition of the priesthood , and the oppressiveness of the Executive , are not necessarily brutalizing the intellect of France . What sort of influence do they suppose will be exerted by a system which is gradually filling her high places with needy immigrants from a nest of barbarians ?
Ar01007
Operatic Association (From The Morning C...
OPERATIC ASSOCIATION ( From the Morning Chronicle . ) Towards the close of the last season of Her Majesty ' s Theatre , it was reported that steps were being taken to remove , for the future , certain disadvantages under which the establishment had laboured , and to introduce and inaugurate a new era of administrative energy and ability . These rumours have now , we rejoice to learn , taken form and consistency . The programme of the proposed scheme has been matured and decided upon ; and everything now bids fair for its immediate practical realization .
The Association , which is in the course of being organized , comprises , as its leading members , not a few eif the most distinguished patrons of operatic art of the day . The trustees will be the Duke of Leinstcr , the Marquis of Chmricarde , Mr . Frederick Mildred , and Mr . Benjamin Oliveira , M . P . The Marquis of Chmricarde is also to be the president of tbe committee , which at present includes the Earl of Harrington , M . ijor-Oenerul Cavendish , Sir _Jeihn Bayley , anel Mr . Barry lialdwin . The prospectus published gives a
brief , but clear anel most encouraging outline of thc proposed arrangements . It dilates upon the peculiar advantages of the situation of Her Majesty ' s Theatre , as near the ; Palaces eif the Sovereign , the House's of Parliament , anel the clubs : and it justly adverts to the _be-aut y of the inlerieir of the theatre , the harmeiny of its proportions , anel its unrivalle'el _ae-emstie ; construction , as admirably fitting it for the production of the masterpieces of the greatest musicians—not forgetting to hint at , its old-established habits imd associations , nnd at
its having been the scene of the triumphs of nil the leading artists of Europe ' . It i . s next , announced flint the ! present lease , is being purchased for a sum of _meifipy _re'proseuitoel hy 20 , 000 paid-up shares—each share ! amounting tei 51 ., which sum is to form the only liability _ofe-ne-h _sharelmleh-r . There will be ! 40 , 000 _sharoheilelors , representing u total capital of 200 , 000 / . This sum will be ; _inve'slcel as folhiwh-: —in the lease ; of" the theatre ! and _e-eine-ert . _reieini , whieh has nearly forty years fo run , 100 , 000 / . ; in the ! purchase ; of fhe ; prope * r < ie \ s , A : _e-., 25 , 000 / . ; leaving an available reaely capital tei the ! amount of 75 , 000 / . With this handsome ; sum to start upem , a managing director will be' appointed , who will net _imele-r Ibe- control of the ; eonnniUee--the _hitte-r
undertaking the ! entire respemsibilily eif" fhe _roccipls anel _e-xpenelilure-. Nei name ! has yet _be'en eifliciitlly _announe-e'el for the position in questiein ; but it seems impossible tei _ehiubf that the coininilf . ee will use , _e-ve-ry _exeu't . _ieiit tei obtain the , co-opcrufiem eif the ; lute , manager , Mr . I _. umlcy — -wbeise _; unrivalle'el zeal , energy , anel fne ; f , have eleine nei much to curry the theatre through _stupe'iielous eli / Houlfics , while his aebnirable _; judgment anel taste ; have ) most powerfully contributed to promote tho interests e _> l the , l . yrie-elruinu in thin _e-euutl . ry . The- appointment ed that , g ( _, nflt ! inau would , on _eveiry grounel , all ' orel the most livel y satisfaction both tei the hairlines of the house ! , anel fo thei public , at largo . Such , then , _[„ the general outline eif the projected scheme . The _jiersonul privilege * , tti be reserved to the
Operatic Association (From The Morning C...
shareholders are to be defined and settled by the co mittee—a delicate and important matter , in which th " committee will do well to come to no hast y conclusion and the prospectus closes b y expressing a hope that with the theatre freed from many old trammels , and greatlv improved in administration , an establishment will ll realized which will prove the most distingui shed r _7 union of science , art , and fashion hitherto known in " Europe . m
Paddle, Screw, And Sail (From The Shippi...
PADDLE , SCREW , AND SAIL ( From the Shipping and Mercantile Gazette . ) Delighted as we are to notice the rapidly _increasing u < . p of screw propellers in our Mercantile Marine , as auxiliary to the sail , and in hopeful anticipation that by this aid peculiarly at hand to British Shipowners , they may be tho better enabled to compete with foreigners , we cannot avoid correcting an impression , which apparentl y prevails that the screw will supersede the paddle-wheel . For high velocities , as well as for shallow water , the wheel , we think must continue to be preferred ; whilst the experiment about to be tried , of uniting the propelling action of the screw " and the wheel , for fast passenger steamers , wo uld appear to us very likely to succeed . Indeed , constructive science owes too much to the ability of men so eminent as
Mr . Brunei and Mr . Scott Russel , to throw any doubt upon the result of such a mechanical co-operation ; and hence although the ratio of increased appliance of the screw will ' for a time at least , be the greater of the two , yet the building of paddle-wheel steamers , all circumstances considered , will be as progressively great as before . By the Custom-house returns of registered steam-vessels , made by order of the House of Commons , up to Jan . 1 , 1852 , we observe that there then belonged to the United Kingdom 1218 commercial steamers of various capacities , of which 1164 were propelled by wheels , and 54 s by screws , and whose gross burthen , exclusive of their engine-rooms amounted to 185 , 366 tons ; so that , if paddle-wheel steamers only increase in the ratio of 20 per cent ., with
the vastly extending demand for their exclusive use , and those propelled by screws should be annuall y doubled , ifc would take many years to bring the latter to an equalit y . It does not , therefore , surprise , hut rather pleases us , to find tbat the patented improvement of Mr . Lee Stevens , which is practically proved to be , on thc whole , the lightest , strongest , cheapest , and most effective paddle-wheel invented , has been taken up by gentlemen of influence and enterprise , for immediate , and , we feel assured , successful and extensive application . The continued use of these wheels for upwards of nine months in the Thames , and elsewhere for about half that period , and their undeniable
success—for instance , on board the Twilight and Atalanta —satisfactorily prove all that we ventured to say of their value , in the competitive trials to which they were subjected early in tbe year ; avoidance of vibration , adelitional speed , economy of fuel , and reduced wear and tear of engines and vessels , being also very important matters of consideration ; and for the inventor's sake , and still more so as promoting the improvement and extension of steam navigation throughout the world , wo heartily wish prosperity to the Patent Paddle Wheel Company at home , witheaut feeling nny jealousy at their success under foreign patents baroad .
Miscellaneou S. In Our Last Number We Er...
MISCELLANEOU S . In our last number we erroneously stated that Mr . F . O . Ward was present at thc Tottenham Sanitary celebration .
The Order Of Tho Black Fhigle Has Been P...
The Order of tho Black Fhigle has been presented by tho King of Prussia to the Duke of Cambridge . Mr . John Bright has gone ; to Irelanel with the view of studying in detail the land question . Tho reformers ot Belfast have inviteel him tei that city . The Scottish Press _repeirts that Mr . Macaulay is _unproved in health , and likely to take his scat next November _, ci ¦ n Mr . John Twizell Wawn , Into member for South _blucWH , was oittertiiineel at dinner by bis old _cemstitue'ribj _< ¦ _>» Thursday week . Mr . Ingham , M . I \ , anel Mr . BlackeU , M . I \ , we ; r <; prcsemt . Mr . Disruedi eliel not dine with tho Koyal Bucks
_Agricullurnl Association , em Wednesday . Absorbed ui _ynparutieins for tbe , _ceiming session , he pleads that as an excuse feir his _nbse'iie-e ! . The l ) udle _, y ( _iallery of pictures and _Se-ulpture , _cemtinning the , _cele-brateel statue eif the , Crock Slave ! , by H ' r , 1 , n I _' _oweir , nisei a Veuius by Cnnovn , is still _eipcn to the- pi »»'"' ( _IVe-e- ) , at the , Kgypl . iun-Iinll , _Pice-aelillv , without ordcrnm _e-itrels , every day ' but Mondays . Visitors are , emly re-quire to write , their names in a _beleik ke , pt feir that purpose ! .
It , bus just boe > n _determined to build a now V _^ a ( ' ° the Queem at Bahneiral . It is to be built em ii site ; be _J"V ( he ; river anel the ; present castle , fronting tho _* e . ull » , iu ¦ estimated to cost from H 0 , ( H ) 0 ( . tei K ) 0 , 00 «/ . A new tirl j , is to be ; thrown _uereiHH the Dee ; and the public rose' w neiw le ; aels through tbe iorost of _Ihilleie-hhine , is _. to W _^ up , anel abetter reiael _provided along the , seiuth biinK . river . Tho old palace , is te > be , entirely _rcnieiveel . ''» palace is alreaely _slaleeiel eiut . . i _jiiiiiie ii in _uire-iiiiy _muitce _. wi _* u . . . i ¦
At , the dinner of the _ISoyal North Lancashire _Agrim" ' _^ _Seie-ioty , at , _Proslent , one ; Mr . _Miehaelsein , in his mm _^ bespeak a newel reception for a toast tei Karl I > erby , , ' Ihe , marie , anel hit his patron .- - ¦ " When ' ><< _*»" _" _"" _)_ propeise , the be-all b of the Karl ( Ircmeuielous clieea _^ _^ be , thought it was an bemeiur tbat nei man w "'(( , ., . ) ha ' p ' orth eif _plue-le _abeiut him would rofuse ; . I _^ _^ Amongst them wore , _persems of difloront r ( 'llfi . () V , ing _polities ; but tbey could meet UW _^\™ ' _f ( , nior ini _» politics anel religion to tho winds , _couldirooJy _^ o ( J < J discussion upon agricultural interests . It was
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 18, 1852, page 10, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_18091852/page/10/
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