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¦N March 22, 1856.] T H E XLIEABE&. ^ 8 ...
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CIVILISATION IN BOMBAY. Tfie Bombay Cale...
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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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A Batch Of Books. Crosst Purposes; Or, T...
which cannot fail to command immediate attention , and will at once create an intense interest , as to the characters , as well as to the incognito who wields a vpen which fairly glows with the brilliant impulse of genius- ' ' Rustic Adornments for Homes of Taste . By Shirley Hibberd . ( Groombridge . )— -The Leader was not tardy in recognising the public value of the Vivarium established some time since by the Zoological Society in their gardens in the Regent ' s-park ; and the popular appreciation of the boon has Fully justified all that was written in these pages on the occasion . The flourishing appearance of at least a score of new shops , prrncipftilly stocked with the compact crystal tanks , which have quite superseded the old unvarying globe of gold and silver fish , is evidence that the Vivarium has filled the part of a useful public instructor . A fit companion for this new and agreeable ornament of London houses is the Wardian Case , for ferns and
other botanical specimens ; and here is a little book which we can honestly and cordially recommend to all urban lovers of nature , as treating , in a simple , pleasant way , of the Vivarium , the Ward ' s Case , the Aviary , and other rustic adornments of the town dwelling . It should be urged on all who would desire to become acquainted with the mysterious habits of corallines and testacea , but dread the trouble and risk of a perfect marine establishment in a parlourwindow , that the difficulty of managing such an establishment is far less than that of keeping up a show of three or four stupid , gulping gold-fish in a globe which requires frequent replenishment with fresh water . The secret of the Vivarium is . to maintain such a natural balance of elements as will satisfy all the requirements which are fulfilled by constant changes . For instance ,
we are told by Mr . Hibberd that the sea-water in the great tanks at the Zoological Society ' s gardens has been kept in equilibrium for many months by the due apportionment of animal and vegetable life . On a smaller scale the same thing is more easy of practice ,, as the domestic naturalist will soon discover . With Ward ' s cases , indeed , the trouble is infinitessimal . The inventor has in his own possession ferns which have , in a space of eighteen years , attained a perfect and beautiful growth under their glass donrehaying never once been uncovered , or supplied with a drop of water in addition to the little store which was given them eighteen years ago ! Mr . Hibberd ' s book , let us add * is embellished with remarkable taste , and contains some excellent specimens of colour-printing .
Longfellow ' s Golden Legend , and the Sonpof Hiawatftci , with a Sketch of the Author's Life and Writings . By W . B . Rands . ( Knight . )—This is a new edition of Longfellow ' s two principal poems , and the book calls for notice on several grounds . It is prettily got up , at a moderate price ; the illustrations , by Gilbert , show all the mastery of drawing and of touch , in the effective display of which he is unapproaehed by any artist of thei same school ; and the introductory notice is a well-considered paper , which is likely to surprise any literary man who may come upon it accidentally , with preconceived ideas upon the general subject of biographical introductions . One passage we are tempted to transcribe . Mr . Longfellow , it seems , is buoyant and playful in his general demeanour ; and , though physiognomists would discern in him the evidence of latent self-control , yet coarse or superficial observers—especially , w / e may imagine , such as are conventionally uninformed upon the manners of poets—would be apt to set him down as " flippant . " On this point the biographer says : ¦—
But it is the rankest stupidity and conceit of moral criticism to suppose that this mobility of demeanour is not compatible -with deep feeliug . Sullenness and silence ha . ve nothing to do with intensity . Coleridge tells a story of an elderlygentleman who got credit in company for profound wisdom merely on the strength of a stolid tacitxirnity and a long face , but who at last disclosed his real nature by the unphilosophic exclamation , of " Them ' s the jockeys for me ! " when some apple-dumplings were brought smoking in . "We once met a mourner of the stolid order . His sister was just dqad , and from his demeanour we should have supposed his grief was eating away his heart ; but he soon overthrew at once our gravity and oar sympathy , by observing that the dead girl " made a very neat corpse . " All our observation of life leads us to the conclusion that it is the mobile and playful natures that suffer the most continuously .
¦N March 22, 1856.] T H E Xlieabe&. ^ 8 ...
¦ N March 22 , 1856 . ] T H E XLIEABE & . ^ o
Civilisation In Bombay. Tfie Bombay Cale...
CIVILISATION IN BOMBAY . Tfie Bombay Calendar and Almanac for 1856 . Bombay Times Press . Had " good Cob" lived in these our days , he would hardly have been so bitter against " these filthy almanacks , " or have ascribed their manufacture to some fishmonger ' s son , who " puts in more fasting days than he should do , because he would utter his father ' s dried stock-fish and stinking conger . " It would be as easy for the Administrative Reform Association to turn out a genuine statesman , as for any but a professional scribe to compile such a and useful book
complete of reference as the one at the head of this notice . The contents are naturally , indeed , more serviceable and instructing to our fellow-countrymen in India than to the general reader at home . And yet so few families are there which have not some connexion with our Indian empire , that it would be difficult to find one altogether indifferent as to the varied information so nbly condensed into a small compass . To the civilian or Company ' s officer , the Bombay Calendar is almost indispensnblo ; and those who desire that the government of India should be conducted on principles analogous to those which prevail in Europe will thence discover
that hitherto at least such hag not l ) ecn the case . Prom 1838 to 1848 the Bombay Marine , it appears , was under the superintendence of Captain , afterwards Sir Robert Oliver , Possessing the coarseness , but not the kindliness of a Commodore Fcnnimore , this great sca-khi K ruled Ins subordinates with a rod of iron , which he swayed with little reuard to either justice or common sense . The Hugh Lindsay having been laden with stores lor Aden , to an extent that not only seriously impeded her . progress , but even compromised her safety-a letter impaired in a local newspaper describing her ami plight . Lieutenant Balfour , one of the officers being suspected of its authorship , was immediately placed under arrest , and sent on board the hulk Hustings , where he was detained four months exposed to the inclemency of the rainy season . On the return of the Hugh Lindsay , Mr , J 3 aUonr was brought before n court-martial and fully acquitted . Not only was there no evidence of his having written the letter in question , but it was proved that he had never held any intercourse whatever with the oditor
of the journal . Another officer , Lieutenant Bird , having fallen ill in the 17 th year of his service , proceeded on two years' leave to the Neilgherry Hills . While enjoying the repose * so neeessaiy to his shattered health , he one day received a packet from head quarters which he opened with the gleeful anticipation of finding himself promoted-to the rank of Commander . Instead of this , he read that he was-summarily dismissed the service . Only-a portion of the court ? s letter which furnished the pretext for this tyrannical injustice was ever made public . Two grounds of offence-were alleged . The one , that some years previously , the Berenice had gone ashore under his command , although he was honourably acquitted afcthe time by the court-martial * that tried him . The second , that he had once incurred the displeasure of Sir C . Napier , though it was well known that 1 the hasty old general , on being made acquainted with all the circumstances of the ease , had expressed his entire approbation of Mr Bird ' s conduct . So grievous was the Oliver despotism , that the junior officers at length took heart of grace'and memorialised the
India House . The only result was a violent reprimand to tlemselves . Mr , Willoughby , a member of council , and a most distinguished public servant , fared no better when he recorded an unfavourable opinion of Sir "Robert ' s proceedings—being told that his views were calculated to promote discontent in the service—and were , therefore , highly disapproved at home . As a pendant to this picture , we have a similar portrait of a Bombay Puisne Judge . In 1841 , this high functionary on a certain occasion commenced his address by the admis > ion that " an impartial or soothing judgment on thissubject can hardly be expected from me ; but , as my opinion regarding it is ' already formed , and is , I believe , unalterable , I shall not concur in any' opinion of the chief justice that he can be entitled to order a petition , 'on 'which I have endorsed my reasons for refusing the application to be taken o ~ ff the file . " This same Sir Henry Roper , when he became chief justice , conducted "himself in such a " stupendously outrageous" manner , that the mercantile community were at length compelled to petition the Queen in Council for his recall .
The territory of the Bombay Presidency is computed to contain 120 , 000 square miles , and a population of 11 millions—^ the annual expenditure being nine millions and a-half . Now , the Court of Directors at home have for some time past professed the greatest interest in the cause of education , and have uttered many brave words as to the encouragement afforded by themselves . In 1852 they made a vigorous effort , and actually sanctioned the yearly outlay of ^ 25 > 000 . This was the extreme assistance they could lend towards the education of eleven millions of people scattered over so wide a territory . In consequence of this marvellous liberality the Government
institutions at the close of 1854 numbered 18 , 000 pupils , of whom not one-sixth received any instruction in English . The total amount annually expended by them on that account throughput the Indian Empire is less than MU ) 0 , OOQi of which nearly one-rhalf is consumed by the salaries and travelling expenses of the Inspectors , chosen , for the most part from the Civil Service , as indifferent magistrates or keen collectors were the best judge of educational progress , and the best fitted to criticise the labours of gentlemen vastly their superiors in intellect , and trained for this particular pursuit from their youth upwards .
It is more amusing to turn to the very imperfect notice of the newspaper press in India . So much , has been said about the scurrilous personalities exchanged by rival editors , that the English reader will perhaps scarcely be surprised by the following extracts from a list of the most remarkable events connected with the journals of the different Presidencies . But if such be the tone of the press , what must be the tone of the public that so liberally supports that press ? 1825 . —Mr . McNaghten , editor of the HurTcd-ru , challenges Mr . Greenlaw of the John Bull : Capt . Hubbard , tlxe friend of Mr . Greenlaw , refuses to be his second . Mr . McNagljten having permitted , himself to be called " a crest-fallen bully , " " a bravo , " & c . & e ., a violent altercation ensues , discussions lead to "two courts-martial , & c . & c . . Mr . McNaghten and Mr . Greenlaw having for a time withdrawn frorn . the press , the Hurkarn is conducted by Mr . Theodore Dickens , bar r ister , the John Bull by Mr . Meiklejolm , brother-in-law of Dr . Biyce . The parties , who had been friends before , quarrel and fight a duel .
1831 . —Capt . McNaghten goes to the house of Mr . Alozario , of the East Indicm , and chastises him for some expressions made use of in that journal towards a writer in the John Bull , subscribing himself " Tit-for-Tat . " 1833 . —Mr . John Cochrane , the Company ' s Standing Counsel , challenges Mr . Sutherland , editor of the Hurlcaru , fora misrepresentation of his speech at a steam meeting . Mr . Sutherland , declines , and Mr . Win . Smith , tho proprietor , is challenged . ' He also declines . Mr . Cochrane posts Mr . Cobb Hurry , Mr . Sutherland's friend , and Mr . Sutherland , and' Mr . Smith as cowards , for refusing him tho satisfaction of a gentleman . Mr . Hurry denounces Mr . Cochrane as a public liar , lie ( Mr . Hurry ) uovor having been asked to fight , or having had any intercourse with Mr . Caclmme . Mr . Murphy , editor of tho Gazette , challenges and , on the challenge being d « - cliued , posts General Vans Kennedy : is prosecuted , and fined rs . SOO .
May . —A letter having appeared in tho Bombay Gazette complaining of tho injustice done the Queen ' s troops by the rates of oxchango at which their pay waa romitted , tho editor , Mr . Boden , was threatened with iiiafciuifi deportation unless tho author was given up . The author canio forward and gave liis name—Private O'Oonnol , of the Queon ' a Royals , and was ooudoinnod to roooivo corporal punishment and six months' imprisonment , tlio letter having been pronounced false and dangerous . Tho whole of tho statements contained in it woro soon afterwards found truo—tho lottox unexceptionable in point of expression , and so sound in practico tliat tho grievances complained , of wore redressed . 1886 .. —Tho Delhi Gazette announces tho retirement of its oditor , in coxiHoquenoo of tho violent and poraonal nature of tho attacks of tho Aura Ulchlar . Tho
I / urkarv , doacriboB tho grout objoefc of oditoiiid life in tho mohiBHil ( i , e ., in tho provinces ) to bo to spalbor ouoh othor with mud in ovory numbor of tlvoir respective journals . Duol at Mvorut in oonsocLiionco Of certain newspaper disouttfllonp . 1838 . —Tho proprietor of tho MudruH Examiner oust iu diunngoa rs . 800 . Sir 0 . Malcolm |> roHooutoH Mr . MoAllum , oditor of tho Bombay Gazette , an < 3 obtainn divmngoH im 1 , 000 . 1864 . —Editor's Moovi , opened in tho Bombay Sooretivriah , when oxtraote fron tho Government record * * aro placed at tho disposal of tho uowpnpoi'H . 1855 , Doo . 10 . —Tho Governor Qenoral Ihbuob an order , directing Editor * Rooms to ho eutublUihod uudor all tho Governments .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), March 22, 1856, page 19, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_22031856/page/19/
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