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thus passing rapidly over the ground, with the aid of our alpenstoks, we reached the Grand Mulets, and, finally, the valley below. The bells rung a merry peal-we were Nos. 33 and 34 of those who had ascended Mont Blanc-then the cannon boomed, and the damsels of Chamounix presented bouquets. Seldom had there been so propitious an ascent; and, with Mr. Albert Smith as chairman, the whole party sat down next day to an excellent dinner in the open air, and with all the travellers then in Chamounix as admiring spectators of the very characteristic scene. The bridge was illuminated, the guns were fired at intervals, the Englishmen made speeches, and the guides sang lugubrious songs. The moon looked on, too, brightly, but with a calm radiance; and an immense soup-tureen full of capital punch was distributed among the guests with an enlivening effect.

Thus ended the last ascent of the highest mountain in Europe; and I cannot conclude this account of the proceeding without the observation, that a repetition of the enjoy ment is within the reach of every one who has good weather, good guides, a good head, and sufficient energy for a walk of 24 hours chiefly over deep snow, and without sleep. Your's faithfully,

JOHN MACGREGOR.

Chamounix, September 24.

COMPULSORY GOODNESS.

A LETTER has been addressed to the public papers, by an individual signing himself "S. G. O." It has reference to the state of the present times; and, amidst much that is misty and obscure, there is some good sense locked up in it. We extract, for our purposes, the following:-

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"The Cholera is among us, has affrighted us; and we are, with our usual national courage and perseverance, calling to our aid every help of science, every result of experience, to disarm it of its power. We are pursuing death to destroy it, as we have pursued distance, with steam to almost annihilate it-as we profess to pursue religion to disarm death of its worst sting. We find that cholera, as such, is our master. When once adult, it defies us; but we find we can strangle it in its birth. There is vicious inclination before there is vice-depravity has its premonitory symptoms. So we find with cholera-it has its premonitory state; there we can contend with it and conquer it. We do so, and Heaven blesses us in using the means to which the reason Heaven has given us has led us.

"Look at the scenes house-to-house visitation is opening out to us,-scenes long known

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to some of us. The nation which, by common consent, has stamped its people as "immortal," has been content to leave a very large proportion of them to live in a state of brutality, lower than that of the brutes which die and perish! Portions of our large towns have, by tacit consent, been allowed to exist as the natural refuge of human living refuse!

"We have bred human beings, as maggots are bred; in atmosphere contaminated by the unopposed accumulation of all possible moral and physical filth. Knowing what vice is, what it costs us here-the vicious in common hereafter-we have had but little regard to its premonitory stages. We have kept by us vast stores of matter directly provocative of vice. We have accumulated a population, existing in and about these stores, who must thus be reared in the deepest moral degradation. We have had police to be at war with them; gaols and hangmen to scare them from trespassing beyond their own squalid vicious misery, to maraud on our better territory. We are now cleansing their drains, whitewashing their houses, in ling them medicines, coffins, "tracts," and tents. Did we ever yet try seriously to combine a cleansing of the creature with a cleansing of the scene of its existence?

"It is one thing to brew gallons of cinnamon water with chalk mixture and opium, and to implore all premonished of the poison of cholera to come and drink gratis. It is another, to tell them there is a mental poison; for which God has given to man (free of cost) that which can arrest the premonitory evidence of an approaching life and death in vice.

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NOTHING GIVES US more sincere pleasure than to know that we have been useful to society. The remarks we offered some monthis since, about tight-lacing, have carried such weight with them that there really does appear now to be a move in the right direction.

Women have, for so many years, been the slaves of habit-the victims of fashion, that to get them to listen to reason has hitherto been a matter of impossibility. Some few kind husbands, however-determined that their offspring shall not be born deformed, have seriously taken the matter up, and insisted on their wives adopting a more rational mode of attiring. This point gained, and "

use becoming second nature," women are now gradually learning to prefer ease to torture-contenting themselves with simple and natural gentility, in lieu of making them selves fashionably ridiculous.

We do not take upon ourself to affirm that this change is by any means universal. It is not; but there are many converts to good sense daily coming forward, and they will, let us hope, by their example, win over others.

The first reformers of ladies' "bad-habits" were Mesdames Marion and Maitland, to whom we have accorded all due honor. Their example has since been followed, and with great spirit, by Mesdames E. and E. H. MARTIN, of 504, Oxford Street (near the British Museum), who have invented a Bodice that will for ever render stays unnecessary. Cheap, light, durable, and a strict preserver of the symmetrical proportions of the female figure, it needs only to be tried to be universally adopted. We say this on the authority of one of our own household.

In our recent notice of Dr. Kahn's Anatomical Museum, and on a variety of other occasions, we have dwelt forcibly on the injustice done to the female figure by tight ligatures-producing disastrous consequences to themselves, and entailing on their families (to the last generation), evils the most deplorable.

The lungs must have fair play, if a woman would be well. It is really shocking to see into how small a space the fair sex squeeze their insides! And yet, though it gives them unceasing agony, they persevere with the resolution of martyrs. Oh, Fashionthou art a tyrant!

It is hardly needful for us to describe the

shape of Mesdames Martin's Bodice; yet would we remark that it assimilates closely to a French-cut dress body. It is purely elastic, always retains its shape, and enlarges laterally, as the wearer moves hither and thither. It fastens in front, by the simplest of all simple adjustment; and one minute

sees it either on or off.

After this, if Mesdames Martin lack patronage at present we hear they are overwhelmed with business-we shall indeed think the world is turned upside down!

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

dear Sir, you are but half converted. More of the Domestic Cat.-At present, my You can it is true, think with tolerable complacency on the feline race; but I must secure (if possible) a small space in your heart for Puss, or I shall not be contented. The following will, I imagine, prove that some cats (I do not say all) are capable of real, disinterested affection; and that they do occasionally form and retain an attachment to persons, regardless of place. The animal I am about to bring before you, was the pet and associate of an ford's classification). old bachelor (not an old maid, despite Dr. Ollafallen short of the care and attention that was Many a spoilt child has

lavished on that animal. Never did cat revel in

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such a home, and never was cat more grateful. No reverse of fortune ever befel her master; but had such been the case, I firmly believe that cat would have clung to his altered home and lot with a fidelity and constancy that man need not blush to follow, or woman either." Pussy's parents resided at Bath; and when quite a kitten, Miss Pussy was sent as a present to her first and only house was exactly opposite to that in which a master, who then resided near Evesham. His friend of ours resided. Being on intimate terms, of course Pussy saw the different members of that family frequently; and to one of the sons she took an especial liking. He was not a boy, as some might fancy, but grown up, when Puss arrived from Bath. It was from that gentleman, whilst paying us a long visit, we heard of the many virtues of this extraordinary cat; and, warming with the subject one evening, he said, "Although Mr. B. had left Evesham for more than four years, and he had never seen him since, or heard of poor Puss, he would go some day (during his stay with us) and see if the cat was still alive." Mr. B. then lived about ten miles hence; and true to his word, in a few days our friend went. He returned late in the evening; and to our unutterable astonishment, brought the cat with him. Such an animal, I imagine, is rarely to be seen for size and beauty. He assured us we need fear no disagreement between her and a terrier that was lying on the rug, or with our own pets-nor arrival at Mr. B.'s, the cat's delight to see him was there any. He then told us, that on his was so great that her master had consented to his bringing her back for four days, in order that she might be with our friend. She was so perfectly happy at seeing him, after that lapse of time. Nothing could exceed the docility, or amiability,

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of that animal. She was gentle to all, but "affectionate to our friend only. She would sit on his knee, purr, and rub herself against his shoulders or face. At mealtime, no choice morsel would

Where spring coming warblers, with home birds combining,

And all, but the nightingale's song, we may hear.

notes, too, would charm, but their sweetness

betrays them

And kingfishers dart o'er the stream-waving
reed,-

For the market of lucre the trapper waylays them,
To music and beauty sad martyrs indeed! *
Yet, praise to the owner; no meek tiny being,
No sweet-throated warbler at his will may
bleed;
Far richer his pleasure, in hearing and seeing
Their joy in that life which their Maker

tempt her from his side; and at night-wishing His
to treat her with all hospitality-a snug bed was
made up, and carried into our friend's sleeping-
room. But this would not do for Pussy, till some
article of his clothing was placed in the basket;
and then all was right. During the day, our
friend was generally absent for some hours. Puss
would then, for a time, trot about the house
as if quite at home; and when tired of looking
for her favorite in-doors, she would go and place
herself on the limb of a tree overlooking the
road, and there patiently await his return. Once
in sight, she was happy. She would jump down
and run to meet him, and her loud purring
would tell of his return. Singular as the affec-
tion of this animal was, it was not less extra-
ordinary that she should come to a strange place,
and to all (save one) strange people, yet never for
an instant appear lost or perplexed! From the
time of her first arrival, she was at home; and
neither our dogs or cats offered the smallest annoy-
ance, or exhibited any symptoms of jealousy at the
introduction of such a visitor. Neither did Puss
once attempt to touch any one of our birds. She
made herself a favorite with one and all; and
at the end of four days, was sent home to her
master's house, where she at once fell into her
old habits, and where she probably hopes some
day again to see her favorite.-Puss.

Stainborough Woods, and their Feathered Inhabitants.-I send you an Ode, which I have written to accompany a small volume on "Stainborough or Wentworth Castle," by a townsman of mine. The scene is endeared to many, by the recollection of numerous gala excursions, and delightful reflective rambles.-[We print a part of this, only; and preserve the note," which is interesting to naturalists.] It is too long, I fear, for insertion in OUR JOURNAL:

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What boon to us townsmen, from stifling crowds stealing,

When freed some bright day to enjoy this

domain;

In moments of leisure to hive each sweet feeling.
To lighten and solace our labors again!
To mark in those gardens the many-hued flowers,
Which foreign lands send us to blend with our

own;

decreed.

Long, Stainbro', delight us through each varied

O!

season,

In Spring's verdant promise, in Autumn's rich gold;

hallow the gross, bring the thoughtless to

reason,

Shed light on the heart which the world hath
made cold!
Barnsley, Oct. 10.

T. LISTER.

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On Packing and Sending "Game."-At a season, my dear Sir, when one's kind friends in the country are in the social and very commendable habit of sending us Londoners up some specimens of poultry, game, &c., a word from you as to the proper mode of "packing" the same will be useful. While so much wet prevails, and there is such universal dampness in the air, nothing will "keep" long; therefore no animals should be sent up with their internal machinery removed. "Pick" them, by all means, if they be of the feathered tribe; but do not "draw" them. Just hint at this; do.-A. W., Hampstead.

[Your remarks are correct. Many perishable articles, owing to want of thought in the kind purveyors of game to their London friends, are spoilt ere they come to hand. Many persons are in the habit of paunching hares, and drawing poultry, before they pack them in baskets; but the practice is a bad one. The entrails of the

* Yet Stainbro' Woods, to the naturalist, are rich in

small birds of the kinds less likely than the above to attract the rapacity of the bird-catcher, or from whose stealthy arts they enjoy a comparative protection. Of the rarest, the pied and the grey flycatchers seek each spring these sheltering woods, which contain also the nuthatch, creeper, and the greater and lesser spotted and Where the chesnut and beech smile in beauty green wood-peckers. All the summer warblers find their full-blown.

To seek the cool shade of those fresh-tufted bowers,

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way here from southern lands, except the Reed and Dartford warblers. All the tits are here permanently,

except the bearded and crested tits. Large birds, too, abound, as daws, pies, jays, harmless kestrels; and, more rarely, sparrow-hawks and herons, and the white and brown and the long and short-eared owls. These would be more plentiful, but for the prejudices against those kinds which claim a morsel of game or fish, which is so

strong, that, as a neighboring gentleman remarked, if

a wish existed to preserve these noble but lessening tribes from extinction, the keepers would overrule this repugnance to destruction. Few offer a sanctuary, like Waterton, for persecuted birds; it is pleasant, however, to record that none but game and rapacious birds are

allowed to be destroyed by any one about the place; this merciful edict applying also to squirrels, whose agile movements add such grace to the scene.-T. L.

animals should be left, and no air admitted into the interior of the body until they are required for trussing. It is, however, easier to complain of than to remedy the evil complained of by "A. W.; " because sportsmen, who have much ground to walk over, usually paunch a hare as soon as killed. They do this to lessen the weight to carry. In country towns, where poultry can only be bought on market-days, it is generally drawn and trussed ready for cooking by the farmers' wives and daughters before they leave home. We would suggest, that when it is intended to make presents the poultry should be ordered for the occasion, and sent just as we see it exhibited in the London shops-undrawn and untrussed, with the head on. Sportsmen designing to make presents of their game, should also avoid paunching it; and above all, dry it before it is packed, as hares or birds killed in wet weather, and packed wet, are apt to become fetid if they have far to travel. It is sad for us to be "grumbling," when our dear kind friends are under the impression we are including them, thankfully, in the "Grace before meat!"]

Curious Petrifaction.-M. Meyer, a Hanoverian geometrician, has sent the following communication to the Weser Gazette:-"In an arid plain near Donner, lies a block of granite of about 7 feet square, named by the neighboring inhabi tants, Drachenstein (dragon's stone). On it is the figure. in alto relievo, of a serpent, formed into twenty-three folds, and being somewhat more than eleven feet in length, the head hanging down by the side. At about two feet from the head, a very wide part is to be seen, as if the reptile had been crushed there. Although the body of the serpent appears to be formed of the same material as the stone, it is supposed to be a petrifaction, and not the work of man; inasmuch as there is no mark whatever of the chisel of an artist in any part of it."-HELEN W.

Another Good Word for the Barn Owl.-The parish clerk of our church-a very large and ncient one-who has had charge of it more than forty years, and is well acquainted with the nuisances which bats occasion, says that the church was never more free from them than at the present time; and this freedom he attributes to the presence of "that useful creature the barn owl;" the feathers of which he frequently finds in the church, and which, doubtless, makes the bats its prey.-C.

but the musical talent, being brought into action and developed, exciting the latent powers of the mind, strengthened them, and kept them in action. Did you, my dear Sir, when at Hanwell, see any illustration of this pleasing effect of music?NANETTE.

[Yes-not during our last, but on our previous visit. A man, with his "eyes full of music," was seated at a piano as we passed through one of the passages. His soul was rapt" for some minutes; the sounds he drew from the instrument we shall never forget. They were seraphic. We tarried near him until his inspiration ceased, when—oh, that sad look!-he again became " possessed," and the demon of insanity once more usurped its hideous power.]

Song of the Tom-Tit.-I am equally "astounded" with yourself, my dear Sir; not only at the Tom-tit (Parus cœruleus) singing like a robin, but at the other assertion, namely-"We at present have a Blue Tit's nest in our garden in a Laurestinus (!) and regularly the male Tit sits, after his feeding the brood, on the top of the shrub, and sings away very gaily." It surely must have been the Black-cap (Motacilla atracapilla). Who ever knew a Tom-tit to build otherwise than in the holes of walls, or in a treestump, or in an inverted flower-pot, and similar snug situations? I have been a close observer of birds from my "youth upwards; and had flattered myself that few things relative to them had escaped me; but this locale for a Tit's nest (a Laurestinus bush) is certainly new to me. should much like to know whether the nest was a domed one, like that of the Parus caudatus, or not. Perhaps some light may be thrown on the subject, if this were ascertained.-J. F. Woop, F.H.S., The Coppice, Nottingham.

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[We quite agree with you in this matter. It is sad to see statements published which are so at variance with all common experience. serious injury to a good cause.]

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Remarks on the Spider.-I am glad to note the frequent allusions you make to the spider, and the pleasing illustrations you offer of what you yourself have witnessed in their wonderfully-constructive habits. These are indeed subjects worthy of being dwelt upon! It is odd, but nevertheless it is true, that a great many of us either loathe this insect, or are positively afraid of it. I freely admit that there is something in the large, black, hairy house-spider, which is decidedly repugnant. Music-Its Effects in Insanity.-We are told His untiring activity-his cruel voracity-his by Winslow, of a schoolmaster in the hospital at defying form-his extreme velocity in springing Halle, who for a year and a half had been help-from his concealed den (seizing and carrying away lessly insane. It having been hinted to his keeper that he had formerly displayed a fondness and taste for music, he was one day led to the piano. After some feeble touches, it might be seen, says Winslow, how love and taste expanded the pinions of the soul. He not only practises more and more, but better and better; and soon began to compose songs for one or four voices-practising moreover, as a master over the other patients. The musical talent was in action long before the restoration to mental and corporeal strength. He was dismissed cured. Winslow adds, "It was not music, simply as such, which led to restoration;

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his prey), are quite astounding. Still these creatures are harmless in themselves; and if we could accustom ourselves to look at them with calmness, and with the attention they deserve, we should find not only a great deal to admire, but to wonder at. The "Aranea avicularia" and 'Spithamea" are decidedly gigantic fellows; but what can be prettier than those lovely small creatures we meet with in swarms, in the spring of the year? The variety of garden and geometric spiders is more than interesting;-but I must not encroach. I only ask space to record a pretty little trick I witnessed about a month since. It

times repeated, had still the same success. There was formerly in the Chateau de Simonette a windowed wall, whence what was said was forty times repeated. Addison and others, who have travelled in Italy, mention an echo which would repeat the report of a pistol fifty-six times, even when the air was foggy. In the memoirs of the Academy of Sciences at Paris, for the year 1692, mention is made of the echo at Genetay, two leagues from Rouen, which has this peculiarity, that the person who sings does not hear the echo, but his voice only; and, on the contrary, those who listen do not hear the voice, but the echo, and that with surprising variations; for the echo seems sometimes to approach and sometimes to retire. Sometimes the voice is heard distinctly; at others, not at all. Some hear only a single voice, others several; one hears to the right, another to the left, &c. This echo still exists, but is not what it was, because the environs have been planted with trees, which have greatly hurt the effect." I am as anxious as yourself, my dear sir, to investigate the true cause of these echoes, which seem to puzzle all our philosophers.

may have been often observed before, but I never
saw it in print; and not knowing whether or not
it has been so, I give it you just as it occurred. I
was rather later in rising than usual: it was about
five o'clock. I could not, however, help tarrying
in bed a few minutes just to admire the evolutions
of a host of flies which were darting backwards and
forwards, upwards and downwards, in every pos-
sible direction. Their movements were as graceful
as their buzzing was mirthful. I was struck, how-
ever, by seeing something drop from the ceiling,
and remain suspended at about eighteen inches
distance. Reaching my spectacles, I perceived it
was a spider, curled up like a little ball, and
making himself appear quite lifeless-a master-
piece of treachery this! The flies continued
their amusement; but no sooner did one come
within reach, than Sir Araignée darted out all
his claws with wonderful velocity, and with equal
velocity was a ball of apparent innocence resumed!
It so happened, however, that some of these flies
in their flittings, struck against Sir Araignée's
suspension thread, and this made him very wrath.
He absolutely tumbled head over heels four or
five times! At length, he would stand it no-HEARTSEASE, Hants.
longer; and suddenly, by jerks, he lowered his
poisonous body to within an inch of the carpet.
After a few seconds, finding this “ a weak inven-
tion," he commenced winding himself up to his
former position. Encore, patience! It was all
of no use. He then rose to the ceiling, moving
about two feet in a better position (as he thought),
down again. Five minutes more, but no better
success. The flies continued their annoyance.
Down again dropped the enemy on the carpet;
soon, however, he flew up again, and this time at
once to the ceiling. He now changed his position,
and went two feet in another direction, and
became soon again suspended. Another moment,
and an unfortunate fly, approaching too near, was
hugged in the irresistible embraces of his cunning
enemy, who actually ate him for breakfast whilst
hanging from the ceiling! Afterwards, he coolly
wound him up, and dragged him away-where, I
know not, as I had already stopped in bed too
long to admit of my further watching this adven-
ture. I have since seen the same process repeated
in my bed-room; whether by the same spider or
not, I really cannot say.-BOMBYX ATLAS, Totten-

ham.

Remarkable Echoes.-I read, recently, your very delightful remarks about the echo near Hammersmith Bridge. Connected with the subject, about which you appear so interested, I send you the following, recorded in the diary of Madame de Genlis." There is a remarkable echo near Rosneath, a fine country-seat in Scotland, situated to the west of a salt water lake that runs into the Clyde seventeen miles below Glasgow. The lake is surrounded by hills, some of which are barren rocks, others are covered with trees. A good trumpeter, standing on a point of land that gives an opening to the water towards the north, has played an air and stopped; the echo repeated the air faithfully and distinctly, but not so loud; this echo having ceased, another has done the same; and a third, as exactly as the two former, with no difference but that of becoming more feeble. The same experiment, several

The "Provincial" Names of Birds.-A full and explanatory system of nomenclature is necessary to the dissemination of knowledge in all branches of science; in none, perhaps, is it more essential than in natural history, where the popular names of plants or animals may be dif ferent in various parts of the same country. Mr. Yarrell, in his book on British Birds, has shown a due appreciation of this by adding, in many instances, the popular names of the birds described. In one instance, however, he does not seem to be aware of the popular names given, in several parts of this country, to two well-known birds; these are the redwing and the fieldfare. The former is called the fieldfare by the peasantry, and even by some of the farmers and sporting gentry; although, when reminded of the mistake, they acknowledge the distinction. The other bird is, in the same manner, misnamed the pigeon-felt, or pigeon-fieldfare. I have ascertained this fact beyond question, and have found that the error prevails in Kent, Cambridgeshire, and the Lake Counties. It appears also that the fieldfare is known in Wiltshire as the blue-tail; and the redwing is called swinepipe in some parts of the north. It would therefore, perhaps, be as well, in so widely prevalent an error, that the above popular names should be added in scientific books on the subject. The learned naturalist cannot prosecute his researches successfully without aid from the unlearned; and any new facts which may be learnt about the two birds I have named will not be understood, unless an ornithologist should be aware of the popular error as to their names, or those of any other birds about which he may have to correspond. Country people may be equally misunderstood from the same cause.- -W. HOLT, Bromley, Kent.

The New Tax on Dogs.-By the new Assessed Taxes Act, lately passed, a new tax is to be levied on all dogs. From the 5th of April next, for every dog, of whatever description or denomi nation the same may be, the annual duty is to be

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