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Leader (1850-1860), 22nd March 1856, Edition 1 of 2, Page 283, Untitled Article

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      which cannot fail to command immediate attention , and will at once create an intense interest , as to th « characters , as well as to the incognito who wields a pen which fairly glows with the brilliant impulse of genius . " B-astic Adornments for Homes of Taste . By Shirley fiibberd . ( Grootnbridge ;)—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appearance of at least a score of new shops , principally stocked with the compact crystal tanks , which have quite superseded the old unvarying- globe of gold and silver fish , is evidence that the Vivarium has filled the part of a useful public instructor .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 testaeea ., 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 m 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 tinder their glass domehaving never once been uneoveredj 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 .

      JLongfellotv ' s Golden Legend , and the Song of Hiawatha , 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 aiotiee on several grounds . It is prettily got up , at a moderate price ; the illustrations , by Gilbert , sliow all the mastery of drawing and of touch , in the effective display of which he is unapproaehed by any artist of the same school ; and the introductory notice is a well-considered paper , which is likely to surprise any literary man who niay 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 , thougi physiognomists would discern in him the evidence of latent self-control , yet coarse or superficial observers—especially , we 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 i-ankest stupidity and conceit of moral criticism to suppose that this mobility of demeanour is not compatible with , deep feeling . Sullenness au < l silence have nothing to do with intensity . Coleridge tells a story of an elderly gentleman who got credit in company for profound wisdom , merely on the strength of a stolid taciturnity and a long face , but who at last disclosed his real nature l > y the unphilosophic exclamation , of " Them ' s the jockeys for me I" when some apple-dumplings were brought smoking in . We once met a mourner of the stolid order . His sister was just dead , and from hie demeanour we should have suppos&d his grief was eating away his heart ; but he soon overthrew at once our gravity and our 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 .

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      of the journal . Another officer , Lieutenant Bird , havirig fallen ill in the 17 th , year of his service , proceeded On two years' leave to the Neilgherry Hills . While enjoying the re-pose so necessary 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 prete&t for this tyrannical injustice was ever made public . Two grouWds of i <* Sfenee were alleged . The one , that some years previously , the Berenice had gdrie ashore under his command , although he was honourably acquitted at the time by the court-martial that tried him . The second , that he had once incurred ; the displeasure of SirC Napier , though it was well known that the hasty olid general , on being made acquainted with all the circumstances of the case , 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 an-d memorialised the

      India House . The only result was a violent reprimand to themselves . Mr . Willoughby , a member of council , and a most distinguished public servant , fared no better when he recorded an unfavourable opinion of Sir Hotrerfs proceedings—being told that hisviews were calculated to promote discontent m 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 certaia occasion commenced his address by tlte admission that " an impartial or soothing judgment on this sutjjeet cam hardly be expected from me ; but , as fivy opinion regarding it is already formed , and is , I believe * unalterable , I shall not concur in any opinion of tie 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 oWthe 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 ; , 0 u 0 square miles , and a population of 11 millions—the annual expenditure being nine millions and a-half . Now , the Court of Directors at hotne 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 tliei yearly outlay of ^ 25 , 000 . This was the extreme assistance thsjr , could lend towards the education of eleven laillioiis of people scattered over so wide a territory . In consequence of this marvellous liberality the Government mstrtutions at the close of 1854 numbered 18 , 000 pupils , of whotti not one-siitB ; received any instruction in English . The total amount annually expended by them on that aecount throughout the Indian Empire is less than ^ € 100 , 000 ,

      of which nearly one-half 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 su « h be the tone of the press , what must be the tone of the public that so liberally supports that press ?

      CIVILISATION- IN BOMBAY . The 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 os easy for the Administrative lleform Association to turn out a genuine statesman , as for any bu t a professional scribe to compile sucli a complete and tfsemi oook of reference as the one at the head of this notice . The contents are naturally , indeed , more serviceable and instructing to our fellow-countrymen hi 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 ably condensed into a small compass . To the civilian or Company ' s officer , the Bombay Calendar is almost indispensable j and tlioae who desire that the government of India should be conducted on principles analogous to those which prevail in Europe will thence discover that hitherto nt least such has not been the case . From 1838 to 1848 the Bombay Marine , it appears , was under the superintendence of Captain , afterwards Sir Robert Oliver . Possessing the coarseness , but not the kmdlineas of a Commodore Fennimore , this great sea-king ruled his subordinates with a rod of iron , which he swayed with little regard to either justice or common sense . The Hugh Lindsay having been lad « n turior to extent

      w » u « «« H Auen , an that not only seriously impeded her progress , but even compromised her safety-, * letter appeared in a local newsp aper describing her sad plight . Lieutenant Balfour , one of the officers , being suspected of its authorship , was immediately placed under arrest , and sent on hoard the hulk Hastings , where he was detained four months exposed t » the inclemency of the ramy season . On . the return of the Hugh Lindsay , suit . JSaltour was brought before a court-martial and fully acquitted . Nut only was there no evidence of his having written the letter in question , but it was pro-ved that ho had never held any intercourse whatever with the editor

      1825 . —Mr . McNaghten , editor of the Hnvkam , challenges Mr . Greenlaw . of the John Bull . Capt . Hubbard , the friend of Mr . Q-reenlaw , refuses to be liis second . Mr . IitcN " aghten having permitted himself to he called " a crest-fallen bully , " " a bravo , " &o . &c , a violent altercation ensues , discussions lead to two courts-rnartial , &c . &c . Mr . McNaghten and Mr- Greetilaw having for a time withdrawn from the press , the Hurlcaru is conducted by Mr . Theodore Dickens , barrister , the John Bull by Mr . Meildejohn , brother-in-law of Dr . Bryce . The parties , who had been friends before , quarrel and fight a duel . 1831 . —Capt . MeKTaghten goes to tho house of Mr . Alozario , of the East Indicm , and chastises him fox * 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 JTurkaru , for a misrepresentation of his speech at a steam meeting . Mr . Suthei'land declines , and Mr . Wm . Smith , the proprietor , is challenged . He also declines . Mr . Cochrane posts Mr . Cobb Hurry , Mr . Sutherland's fvifnd , fmd Mr . Sutherland and Mr . Smith as cowards , for refusing him the satisfaction of a gentleman . Mr . Hurry denounces Mr . Cochrane as a public liar , he ( Mr . Hurry ) never having boen asked to fight , or having had any intercourse with Mr . Cochrane . Mr . Murphy , editor of tho Gazette , challenges and , on tho challenge being declined , posts General Vans Kennedy : is proseouted , and finod rs , 500 .

      May . —A letter having appearocl in the Bombay Gazette complaining of tlie injustioo done tho Queen ' s troops by tho rates of ' exohange at whioli their pay was remitted , the editor , Mr . Boden , was threatened with instant deportation unless the author was given tip . The axitkor camo forward nnd gave Iiis name—Private O'Connol , of tho Queen ' s Royals , and was oondonmod to roooive corporal punishment and six months' imprisonment , tho lettor having boon pronounced falso and dangerous . The whole of the statements contained in it wore soon afterwards found true—tho letter -unexceptionable in point of expression , aud no sound in practice that the grievances complained of woro redressod . 1836 .- —Tho Delhi Gazette announces tho retirement of its editor , in oonaoquenoo of the violent and personal nature of the attacks of the Agra Ulchba / r . Tb . 6

      liwrkarw describes tho groat object of editorial life in tho mofussil ( i . mbay Gazette , and obtains damages rn 1 , 000 . 1854 . —Editor ' s Room opened in tho Pombay Scorotariali , when extracts fronb tho Government rooordo oro plncod at the disposal of tho nowpayora . 1855 , Doc . 10 . —Tho Governor General issues an order , directing Editor * * Booms to be established under nil tho Governments .

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      March 22 , 1856 . ] THE LEA > -DEE , ' 2 & 3-

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), March 22, 1856, page 283, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2133/page/19/