Page images
PDF
EPUB

on Tuesday with Mr. Fowler against pri- | descent, however clear, from barbarian mogeniture; nor have the Jews, either in swordsmen, is a title to govern men. In Austria or Germany, ever seemed anxious political life their tendency, as far as we to introduce any radical change in the perceive, is to follow Mr. Disraeli's adtenure of landed property, a reform which vice to "eschew political sentimentalism," in Austria, where the Jews have great to accept any form of government which strength in Parliament and where the admits of free careers, to gain all the land laws are singularly bad, appears to power they can, and to use it so as to sehave been postponed in favour of many cure the largest attainable measure of maother changes of much less permanent im- terial comfort, personal freedom, and sciportance. They have no especial regard entific education for the bulk of the peofor the great solvent of modern times, the ple. Very impatient of practical abuses, principle of equality, and so long as all and especially of stupid abuses, abuses careers are free, and the Administration the result of thickheadedness or want of tolerably lenient — they have a horror of proportion between means and ends, they cruelty seem able to adapt themselves are not equally eager to follow an ideal, without irritation to almost any form of to pursue ideas to conclusions, or to estabgovernment. In America they belong to lish any platform whatsoever. Except in both parties, though their leaning is to the the region of speculation, where in modern Democratic, the Republican party being times they have always been singularly biassed towards liquor laws and other daring, the tendency of their influence is Puritanic ideas; and in France, though towards moderation, towards lenient govthey cannot be Legitimists, as many of ernment, and an administration anxious them are Bonapartists as Republicans. to meet each difficulty as it arises with the The Empire, indeed, with its tawdry mag- easiest and most handy of the expedients nificence, rather attracted them, just as likely to succeed, without, if possible, any theatrical and operatic enterprise attracts visible application of force. Their ascenthem everywhere, and four or five of them dancy in politics, allowing of course for were amongst its most conspicuous and individual genius, would not be an elevateffective supporters. Even in Germany, ing, but it would be a moderating force, though the Emperor dreads them, they and this more especially in the region of have never shown any dislike of the State foreign policy, for which, from their desystem, which offers them in its bureaucrat-tached position and instinct of cosmopoliic arrangements some remarkable advantages; though no doubt they dislike and will help to destroy the decaying social system, which, based as it still is on birth, is as opposed to their interests as their pride. It is not for them to think that a

tanism, they have a special aptitude, not yet recognized, because in this department above all others they come into competition with the class which is likest themselves, - the cosmopolitan aristocracy.

LAKE VILLAGES IN SWITZERLAND.-An interesting archæological discovery has recently been made on the shores of the Lake of Bienne. The Swiss Government has been for a long time endeavoring to drain a considerable tract of land between the two lakes of Morat and Bienne, but in order to do this effectually it has been found necessary to lower the level of the latter by cutting a canal from it to the lake of Neuchatel. At the beginning of the present year the sluices were opened, and the waters of the Lake of Bienne allowed to flow into that of Neuchatel. Up to the present time the level of the Bieler See has fallen upwards of three feet, and this fall has brought to light a number of stakes driven firmly into the bed of the lake. This fact becoming known, a number of Swiss archæologists visited the spot, and it was decided to remove the soil round these stakes to see

whether any remains of a Lacustrine village, which they suspected had been raised upon them, could be traced. At a distance of between five and six feet from the present bed of the lake the workmen came upon a large number of objects of various kinds, which have been collected and are at present under the custody of Dr. Gross, of Locrass. Among them are pieces of cord made from hemp, vases, stags' horns, stone hatchets, and utensils used apparently for cooking. The most precious specimen is, however, a hatchet made of néphrite (the name given to a peculiarly hard kind of stone from which the Lacustrines formed their cutting instruments). This hatchet is sixteen centimetres long by seven broad, and is by far the largest yet discovered in any part of Switzerland, no other collection having any measuring more than eight centimetres in length. A quan

none

tity of the bones found at the same time have tion of the singers) without success, for " been sent to Dr. Uhlmann, of Münchenbuchsee, I could be found" - a result at which we cannot for examination by him, and he finds that they affect to be surprised. On hearing this singubelong to the following animals, viz:-stag, lar word I was for the moment greatly puzzled; horse, ox, wild boar, pig, goat, beaver, dog, mouse, &c., together with a number of human bones. If the level of the lake continues to sink, it is hoped that further discoveries will be made, and the scientific world here is waiting the result of the engineering operations with keen interest.

Standard.

66

but remembering the old French aistre, mean-
ing a fireplace, hearth — and remembering, too,
the variant estres, passages, chambers, apart-
ments-I perceived at once that "oysters'
really meant aistres or estres, in its connection
lodgings," and the problem was solved. Now
the word aitres, denoting the rooms, partitions,
or closets of a house, is still in use in the patois
of France; but the curious thing is, that the
Somersetshire peasant has retained the s which
formed part of the original word, which is now
silent in France. In the form estres it occurs
in Chaucer, Lydgate, &c.
J. PAYNE.
Notes and Queries.

Kildare Gardens.

The following regulations have, according to the Alsatian Correspondence, been laid down by the German Government with regard to those inhabitants of Alsace and Lorraine who may wish to adopt the French nationality. For this purpose the population is to be divided into three classes first, those who were born in In the evidence given by Mr. R. GodwinAlsace or Lorraine, and were residing there on Austen before the Royal Coal Commission, that the 2nd of March, 1871; second, those who re- gentleman expressed himself as being strongly sided in the country at that date, but were not of opinion that there is a connexion between the born there; and third, natives of Alsace or Lor- Belgian and the Somersetshire coalfields, and raine who were not residing in the country on that probably coal may be found within the the 2nd of March, 1871. Persons belonging to Wealden area. the first and third categories must take up their an experiment will be made with a view to testIt is now highly probable that residence in France and sign a declaration of ing this. It is seriously proposed to put down a their wish to be Frenchmen; in the second cate-bore hole near Brightling, about six miles northgory no such declaration will be required, but west of Battle-a point at which the problem residence in France is to be a sine quâ non. of the extension of the Paleozoic rocks from the The option of adopting the French nationality is Boulonnais, under the secondary rocks, will be only to be valid up to the 30th of September most satisfactorily determined. It may be of next, after which date all the inhabitants of interest to many of our readers to know exactly Alsace and Lorraine will be treated as Germans. the views entertained by Mr. Godwin-Austen For such persons as live out of Europe, how- upon ever, this period is extended to the 30th of Sep-depression of the Thames valley represents, and this important question. He says: "The tember, 1873. Natives of Alsace and Lorraine is physically, a continuation of that which, exwho serve in the French army or navy have the tending from Valenciennes by Douai, Bethune, right of deciding whether they will adopt the Therouanne, and thence to Calais, includes the German nationality, which is to be done by sign- great coal trough of those countries"; and he ing a declaration to that effect before the mili-infers "that we have strong à priori reasons tary authorities. Minors are to follow the nationality of the father, unless they are not natives of Alsace and Lorraine, in which case they are to come under the rules laid down for persons of full age.

OYSTERS FOR AISTRES.-I have just been informed of a very curious old Christmas carol, which was sung in the streets of Frome only a few weeks ago, and which is well worth a note in "N. & Q." I have not yet been able to procure the entire song; but the fragment before me contains a remarkable instance of the persistence from age to age of old French words. It relates to the visit of Joseph and "his lady" to Bethlehem, in search of accommodation in view of the expected birth of the Saviour; and we are told that "they wandered up and down a-seeking for oysters" (this was the pronuncia

for supposing that the course of a band of coal measures coincides with, and may one day be reached, along the line of the valley of the Thames, whilst some of the deeper-seated coal, as well as certain overlying and limited basins, may occur along and beneath some of the longitudinal folds of the Wealden denudation."

[blocks in formation]
[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]

NUMBERS OF THE LIVING AGE WANTED. The publishers are in want of Nos. 1179 and 1180 (dated respectively Jan. 5th and Jan. 12th, 1867) of THE LIVING AGE. To subscribers, or others, who will do us the favor to send us either or both of those numbers, we will return an equivalent, either in our publications or in cash, until our wants are supplied.

PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY BY
LITTELL & GAY, BOSTON.

[blocks in formation]

FOR EIGHT DOLLARS, remitted directly to the Publishers, the LIVING AGE will be punctually forwarded for a year, free of postage. But we do not prepay postage on less than a year, nor when we have to pay commission for forwarding the money; nor when we club THE LIVING AGE with another periodical.

An extra copy of THE LIVING AGE is sent gratis to any one getting up a club of Five New Subscribers Remittances should be made by bank draft or check, or by post-office money-order, if possible. If neither of these can be procured, the money should be sent in a registered letter. All postmasters are obliged to register letters when requested to do so. Drafts, checks and money-orders should be made payable to the order of LITTELL & ĜAY.

THE STRANGE COUNTRY.

I HAVE come from a mystical Land of Light
To a strange country;

The land I have left is forgotten quite
In the land I see.

The round earth rolls beneath my feet, And the still stars glow;

The murmuring waters rise and retreat, The winds come and go.

Sure as a heart-beat all things seem
In this strange country,

So sure, so bright, in a glow of dream,
All things flow free.

It is life, all life, all awful and plain,
In the sea and the flood,

In the beating heart, in the wondrous brain,
In the flesh and the blood.

Deep as death is the daily strife

Of this strange country;

All things move up till they blossom in life And tremble and flee.

Nothing is stranger than the rest,

From the pole to the pole

The world in the ditch, the eggs in the nest, The flesh and the soul.

Look in mine eyes, O man I meet

In this strange country!

Come to mine arms, O maiden sweet, With thy mouth kiss me!

Who goes by with a crown on his brow? King Solomon?

He is a stranger too, I vow,

And must journey on!

O wondrous faces that up start In this strange country!

O identities that become a part Of my soul and me!

What are ye building so fast and fleet,

O humankind?

"We are building cities for those whose feet Are coming behind.

"Our stay is short, we must fly again From this strange country;

But others are growing, women and men, Eternally."

Ay, what art thou, and what am I
But a breaking wave?

Rising and falling, swift we fly

To the shore of the grave.

I have come from a mystical Land of Light
To this strange country;

This dawn I came, I shall go to-night,
Ay, me! ay, me !

I hold my hand to my head and stand
'Neath the air's blue arc,

I try to remember the mystical Land,
But all is dark.

And all around me swim shapes like mine,
In this strange country;

They break in the glamour of gleams divine, And they moan, "Ay, me!"

Like waves in the cold moon's silvern breath
They gather and roll -

Each crest of white is a birth or a death,
Each sound is a soul.

O what is the Eye that gleams so bright
O'er this strange country?

It draws us along with a chain of light,
As the Moon the Sea!

[blocks in formation]

SAIL on, O silvern moon, through placid plains,
Of cold blue ether, for the world is low-
Still, as Old Time, thy glory comes and wanes,
And bears the secrets of the long ago.

The white tombs glisten on the churchyard rise,
The dim woods sleep in shadows at thy feet;
A silent world beneath thy watch-light lies,
Ere yet the stillness and the morning meet.

Sail on, O stately, silvern moon, until

A reckless world forgets the tranquil night; And newer sins, and joys, and sorrows fill A later story for thy morrow's light.

STANZAS.

Once a Week.

BARE is the land and brown, so brown and bare; The storm-vexed woods sway sighing in the gale;

And Nature sits and grieves, for everywhere
Fell ills prevail.

Keen frosts, frosts that repeat themselves so oft, Clamp the cold ground, and bough and blade retard;

While e'en the skies, that late were wholly soft, Seem half-grown hard.

The long-fallen leaves rot in the fields and lanes; The very sap stands still within the wood; And sluggish through the pinched and shrivelled

veins

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

Το

are seen only in heaven and Italy. And
unseen guardians should wander about,
woodland creatures, with penetrating eyes,
to charm away all newts and toads, as once
they did from Titania's slumbers.
place Wordsworth or Burns in such a
scene would be ludicrous; and the puzzled
movements of the astonished Titan thus
surrounded would move the world to inex-
tinguishable laughter; but with Shelley it
would be natural. Those soft shades
would caress him like the touch of angels.
The dreamy quiet, the soft varieties of
bliss, would heal all his wounds. Not
heaven nor earth, but this elysium be-
tween the two, would be his natural
sphere.

It is a very common error in the world, when dealing with persons of genius, and especially with poets, to swamp the man in the writer, and to regard as poet only, an individual probably strong in natural characteristics, and with a most solid and muscular basis of humanity to make a pedestal for his genius. With such poets as those we have already discussed, this idea would be a thoroughly false one, for they were all most distinguishable men apart from their inspired condition, and while no numbers were falling from their lips. But with our present subject the case is differ- It is one of the triumphs of modern civent. Shelley was a poet only an em- ilization to have placed all the world on bodied Song- scarcely a man at all. He the same level before the law; but this stands before us with glitttering eyes rule, though inevitable in public affairs, is, looking out from among the shadows, as everybody knows, subject to all manner as his friend Trelawney saw him first- of modifications at the tribunal of private a wild and wayward figure, more like the judgment. There are always some people Faun of the classic imagination, or those whom, according to the nature of things, strange beautiful beings who dwelt be- we judge more leniently than others; and tween earth and heaven on the heights of some upon whom we find it impossible to Gothic fancy, than a mere plodding mortal put any serious moral stigma, though like ourselves. He is a creature whom, their offences, according to the letter, have though his sins were not passed over by been as grievous as those to which in his contemporaries, we who come after others we allot the deepest condemnation. can scarcely think of as bearing any weight Even in this point, which would seem the of moral obligation at all. He has no re- easiest of all, no such thing as equality is sponsibilities, no duties, except to be hap- possible between man and man. And py when he can, and kind, and to sing. Shelley is emphatically one of the excepInstinctively we feel that here is the being tions against whom the most inexorable who ought to be Nature's spoilt child. Rhadamanthus could wield no sword of The sun should always shine for him, and justice. As a man, we should be comhis own west wind blow, and the lark pelled to say that he discharged very badmake delicious music. His world ought to ly all the obligations of life, and was combe that garden in which the sensitive plant mendable in none of its relationships. He flourished. There should be a river for surrounded himself with a youthful brathis favourite of earth to float upon in his vado of infidelity, which most likely meant boat under the overhanging trees, inter- very little. He was not particular about rupted by nothing worse than here and truth-telling, nor any of those usually nethere a fragrant copse of water-lilies; or cessary moralities. Such weaknesses reneven a delightful mimic sea, a sheltered der a man very objectionable; but they celestial inlet, which he could gently dare do not affect a Faun one way or another, and safely attain the flowery isles and rosy or alter our opinion of that beautiful woodrocks, with ever a safe piece of silver land creature; and Shelley was much more strand at their feet to beach his fairy ves- a Faun than a man. He was sheer poetry sel. And there should be woods deep and only half embodied at any time—a spirit soft, breathing coolness and balmy rest of an intermediary world—a wandering and solitude; and blue mountains, such as genie-nothing more.

« PreviousContinue »