but let us grant, that whatever advantage in this respect we possess, was enjoyed more abundantly by the primeval fathers, by reason of the length of their lives, so that it is morally impossible but that their material condition should have been one of high and progressive advancement during the period which is now under our survey. In further corroboration of the argument, that the recent invention of many arts, and the savage condition of many nations, is not adverse to the conclusion, that the fathers of mankind were not a barbarous, but a cultivated people, let us listen to the hypothesis built by Plato, upon natural and thoughtful reasoning from known facts. He admits that men, in these ancient times, possessed cities, laws, and arts; but desolations, coming in the shape of inundations, epidemics, malaria, and the like, those that escaped betook themselves to the mountains and kept sheep. Most of the arts and sciences, which were formerly common, were then more and more disused and forgotten among them. But mankind afterwards multiplying, they descended into the valleys; and, by degrees, mutual conversation, the necessities of their condition, and the due consideration of things, gradually revived among them the arts which had been lost by long inter mission. Sir Matthew Hale, who, in his profound work on the "Primitive Origination of Mankind," incidentally touches on this subject, says: "We are not to conclude every new appearance of an art or science is the first production of it; but, as they say of the river Tigris, and some others, they sink into the ground, and keep a subterraneous course, it may be for forty or fifty miles, and then break out above ground again, which is not so much a new river as the continuation and reappearance of the old, so many times it falls out with arts and sciences; though they have their non-appearance for some ages, and then seem first to discover themselves where before they were not known, it is not so much the first production of the art, as a transition, or at least a restitution, of what was either before in another, or in the same country or people. And thus also some tell us that guns and printing, though but lately discovered in Europe, were of far ancienter use in China.”—Hogg's Instructor. Lieut. Maury's Plan for Improving Navigation: with Some Remarks on the advantages arising from the Pursuit of Abstract Science.-Lord Wrottesley's Speech in the House of Lords, on 26th April 1853. The presence of Lieut. Maury in Europe-the Congress of Meteorologists just held in Brussels -the arrival of the Dolphin at Southamptonand the publication (see Athen. No. 1350) of the Correspondence between Col. Sabine, Dr. Bache, and the English Admiralty, combine to render a brief notice of the proposed joint investigation of the Ocean desirable, if not necessary. Lieut. Maury, so long ago as 1842, conceived that it would be useful to science if the masters of American vessels could be induced to keep their log-books in an improved fashion. Practical men shook their heads at the idea. He wished them to record the set of currents, the depths of the ocean bed, the heat of the water. They did not see his purpose, and for a long time they gave him little assistance. Materials nevertheless slowly grew in bulk under his eye; he compared the information which he obtained with older logs; and at the end of six years he announced his first practical discovery-a new route to Rio. Practical men still shook their heads. They who had crossed the line a hundred times were not to be taught navigation by a person who spent his days in star-gazing or poring over old logs. It was not easy therefore to get a sailor bold enough to venture on the new route; for seamen, more strongly wedded to tradition than perhaps any other body of professionals, were afraid of the Great Belt of Calms near the equator, and of a bugbear of a current setting on Cape St. Roche, in South America. At length a bolder than the rest proposed to sail under Lieut. Maury's directions; and the consequence was, that he reached the line in twenty-four days instead of forty-one. He had sailed nearly as the crow flies, instead of running seven or eight hundred miles out of the direct course to avoid imaginary dangers. After this great discovery Lieut. Maury had little trouble with the seamen. To use his own words, "navigators now for the first time appeared to comprehend what it was I wanted them to do-and why." It was this "why" that had made them indifferent. They could see no advantage in recording the minute details asked for by the astronomer, and they failed in many cases to give themselves the trouble. Lieut. Maury's next service was-shortening at various points the route to California. He succeeded in reducing the entire sea voyage from 180 to 100 days. It is with such practical recommendations in his hand, that the American astronomer has now come to offer to Europe a share in the glory and the benefits of a larger, more systematic, and more minute ocean survey than has ever before been made. tesley has put the case in a very lucid and inIn the pamphlet now before us, Lord Wrotthe value of scientific knowledge even when it teresting way: adducing some facts in proof of would not seem to be practically available. The story of Franklin and his thermometer is a good instance of this kind. Franklin, as every body knows, was great at experiments. He had a passion for ascertaining facts, whether isolated or other. When crossing the Atlantic he had been in the habit of dipping his thermometer "When Dr. Franklin was in England, the merchants of Providence, Rhode Island, petitioned the Lords of the Treasury, (it was before the recognition of Independence,) that the Government packets that usually sailed from Falmouth to Boston, United States, might in future sail from London to Providence; and they supported the prayer of their petition by the allegation that the average passage from London to Providence was fourteen days less than that from Falmouth to Boston. Now Falmouth and Boston being between London and Providence, this statement seemed rather startling; and Dr. Franklin, who was always on the alert when his country's interests were at stake, hearing of it, sent for Capt. Folger, an old New England Whaler, who happened also to be in London at the time. The old Captain immediately accounted for the fact that had puzzled the Doctor. "The London packets," said he, "are commanded by New England masters, who know something about the Gulf-stream; the Falmouth, by Englishmen who know nothing about the matter." This hint was enough for Dr. Franklin. He had either previously or subsequently taken the temperature of the Gulf-stream, and had found it considerably higher than the surrounding Ocean; dipping a thermometer into the sea, therefore, showed when you entered it and left it. He and the old Captain laid down its limits according to the best of the existing information on the charts, and the result was a complete change in the course taken by vessels trading between England and America." the world-and for European and American commerce it is far the most important. "This astonishing current [says Lord Wrottesley] is always from 8° to 20° warmer than the surrounding ocean, and it imparts its temperature to the superincumbent atmosphere, thus generating fearful storms. But another and very curious purpose appears to be answered by this extraordinary stream; in addition to the benefits which accrue from its transporting as it were on its waves a mild and genial climate to the shores of Europe, it acts as a great thawing laboratory for all the ice that comes down into it, in two streams from the inhospitable shores of Baffin's Bay and Greenland; it is possible that the weed may help to arrest the course of these frigid mountains, till they are completely dissolved in nature's furnace, and while their course is so stayed they gradually disappear, and are prevented from intruding on the more genial climes. of the South." Lord Wrottesley very properly adds :-" surely a current which seems to exercise such an important influence upon navigation and meteorology is worth examination till all worth knowing is known." Major Rennell, who paid great attention to the Gulf-stream, as the highway of nature between the two worlds, writing thirty years ago, says : "But nothing less than a great number of observations of every kind, and those made through many seasons, in order to embrace all the varieties of cases, can enable the most diligent inquirer to make himself master of the whole subject; and this can be the work of Government only; for individual enquiry can produce little more than unconnected facts.” trouble and expense involved-and we may say, in passing, that these are very small-Lord Wrottesley offers a striking illustration of the practical uses of real knowledge, whether it be gained by accident or by design. He writes : America is doing her part in this great work. Holland has also given in her adhesion to Lieut. Maury's plans. England could not keep aloof from such an enterprise-so important for her trading interests, so precious in the scientific reBy using or avoiding the Gulf-stream as cir-sults. To those who would still object to the cumstances required, for which the thermometer served the purpose of a sextant, the distance between London and New York was shortened from sixty to thirty days. In this way New York became nearer to England than Charleston. It grew into the point for all vessels bound to the New World to touch at-and so, assumed the importance of a great commercial depot. Charleston lost its chance of ever grow ing into the metropolis of the Republic:-and, to use the words of Lieut. Maury, "all these results are traceable to the use of the water thermometer at sea." This is an answer to be pondered by those who affect to sneer at the temperature registrations of the Dolphin. The Gulf-stream, Franklin's observation of which led to such important results for America, is still a comparatively unknown ocean current. Yet it is one of the most interesting streams in "The man who would laugh to scorn the philosopher experimenting on the leg of a dead frog would stand amazed in silent admiration before the wonderful performances of the electric telegraph; yet the connexion between the one and the other is known to every tyro in science. Who could have foreseen that Worcester's rude experiment on the expansion of the vapor of water contained the germ of that great invention, the steam engine? These are instances in which the rude ore was slowly worked into the finished manufacture; but there are cases in which discoveries which seemed likely to continue long unfruitful have been suddenly and unexpectedly applied to the arts. Thus, about forty-five years ago a gentleman was surveying through a particular kind of prism, the light of the setting sun reflected from the windows of the palace of the Luxembourg; this led to the discovery of a property of light, which gave a new character to the science of Optics. Light was observed to undergo certain modifications on being transmitted through, or reflected from, certain substances. To these changes the name of "polarization" was given; many interesting experiments were made, beautiful colors and tints exhibited, men cried out, How pretty! but what is the use? Now, your Lordships will be surprised to hear that this property of light has been lately employed by the French in the manufacture of beet-root sugar." This is very true, and very much to the purpose. But there is something better in science than the per-centage which it yields, however imposing that may appear on Change. The mental result-the growth of human power and confidence in the mastery over natural laws-is a greater thing than the material harvest of advantages. In such a cause, however, we are willing to press all arguments into the service.The Athenæum. A SIGNIFICANT FACT. During the past year, there have been incarcerated in the Albany Penitentiary, for various offences, one thousand persons, male and female. Of this number, all but twenty-five have been confessedly intemperate, and trace their downfall to drunkenness. Of these twenty-five, fifteen acknowledge to the Physician of the Prison that they have habitually used intoxicating liquors to the amount of from half a pint to a pint daily, and this they call moderate drinking! When the connection between the use of these poisons and the crime that scourges our land, is so glaringly evident, why is it that every friend of virtue does not demand the suppression of the poison-traffic?-Prohibitionist. A TRUE INCIDENT. A beautiful little girl, between two and three years of age, the only child of a Missionary in the East Indies, was attacked by the jungle fever, and in a few days the physician pronounced her case to be hopeless. Having been taught from very early infancy to repeat a short prayer every evening, as her strength ebbed rapidly away and her eye sight grew dim, she naturally supposed that the hour of rest drew nigh. Clasping her tiny hands, in a faint but earnest tone, she began By a dying infant's bed, With the dark-browed Hindoo dwelling, Far away from native soil, Far from scenes of early childhood, For his Master did he toil In the lonely jungle wildwood. But when evening brought repose, Heartfelt praises up to heaven, From that humble cot arose, For the daily blessings given, For the friends they once had left Far away beyond the water, For the boon of health and gift Of a darling, only daughter. In her parents' arms entwined, She was all their earthly treasure; And her early dawning mind Filled their souls with purest pleasure. Gentle-tender as a bird, Her blue eye with love was gleaming; And, by lively fancy stirred, All her face with thought was beaming. By her mother's pious care, Oft as came her time for slumbers, Sweetly rose the little prayer, From her lips in faltering numbers. But the loveliest scene will fade In the distant skies are swelling, From the poisoned forests springing, As before the autumn gale Shrinks the tender summer blossom, Shone the image of her Father. "Mother, dear, 'tis almost night," Said the dying babe, caressing; "Now, I cannot see the light, Mother, sweet, thy evening blessingNow, I lay me down to sleep, Thou, O Lord, who life hast given, K...," ah! that voice, how still and deep, Here unheard, but breathed in Heaven. "Dearest, now we call thee spirit," Sobbed they then in accents lowly; "Lead us where the pure inherit Mansions glorious and holy. Lord, tho' humbled to the dust, C. SUMMARY OF NEWS. FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.-The steamships Pacific and Africa arrived at New York, respectively on the 26th and 30th ults. The former brings Liverpool dates to the 14th, and the latter to the 17th ult. A flotilla of Turkish vessels conveying re-inforce ments to the army in Asia, while lying at anchor in the harbor of Sinope, whither they had been driven by stress of weather, were attacked on the 30th of the 11th month by the Russian fleet, under fessedly on the ground of opposition to a new Reform Bill, but more probably on account of differences with Lord Aberdeen on the Eastern question. Amelia Opie, the celebrated authoress, died at Norwich on the 2d ult., aged eighty-five years. FRANCE. A number of political arrests were made in Paris, on the 9th and 10th ults. Another plot against the life of the Emperor has been discovered and more than one hundred persons were arrested in consequence. been suspended indefinitely, in consequence of SPAIN. The sittings of the Spanish Cortes have the defeat of the Ministry. Admiral Nachimoff. The Russian squadron consisted of twenty-four sail, and that of the Turks of eighteen. The Turks fought with the most despe rate valor, until one ship after another was either MEXICO. Letters from the city of Mexico, dated sunk, blown up or otherwise destroyed. To the last, the 16th ult., state that Santa Anna has been deOsman Bey refused to strike his flag, but continuedclared Dictator for life, with power to appoint his to fire from his shattered ship at the Russian steam- successor. The people are enthusiastic in his ers that were towing it towards Sebastopol, until he favor. was taken, wounded, on board Nachimoff's ship, and his vessel sunk. Eleven of the Turkish vessels were destroyed, and a number of the men taken prisoners. Seven Russian vessels were destroyed, including two ships of the line, and the remaining ones were so shattered that they could scarcely reach Sebastopol.. The Russian Admiral did not succeed in conveying any of the Turkish vessels into Sebastopol, and it is supposed that the remaining seven succeeded in effecting their escape. The Turkish steamers, with arms and ammunition for the Caucasus, had returned to Constantinople, having landed their cargoes in safety. On their way to the coast of Abaca, an engagement took place between these steamers and a Russian frigate and brig, but the latter were obliged to retire, in a very dismantled state, to the roadstead of Sohound. A naval force of ten powerful steamers, under a Turkish Pacha, left the Bosphorus on the 2d ult. It was reported that at Chefliken, a Russian fleet, with 6000 troops on board, was repulsed, with a loss of 1500 men, one steamer knocked to pieces and a frigate dismasted. Omar Pacha had taken up his winter quarters, and all military operations on the Danube were suspended. The Turks have strongly fortified Kalafat, and have 5000 men at Turna. In Asia, the Turks continue to be successful. Schamyl and Selim Pasha, operating in concert, were gradually approaching each other and taking the fortresses on their line of march. Prince Woronzoff was surrounded at Tiflis, and his retreat cut off. Several important fortresses in Asia are reported as having been taken by the Turks. The Shah of Persia has declared war against Turkey. The allied Powers are still engaged in efforts of conciliation. ENGLAND.-Lord Palmerston has resigned his office of Secretary of State for Home Affairs, pro de Cuba, on the 1st ult. termination to do all in his power to prevent the DOMESTIC.-TEXAS.-The Pacific Railroad Bill passed the Texan Senate on the 8th ult. The bill grants a bonus of twenty sections of land to the mile, and stipulates that the line shall cross the Trinity, Brazos, and Colorado rivers at the 32d degree, or the nearest practicable point to it. The monster ship, the Great Republic, was destroyed by fire, on the 27th ult., at New York. The celebrated clipper, the White Squall, which recently made the voyage from San Francisco to New York in ninety days, and the Liverpool packet, the Joseph Walker, were also burned to the water's edge. Several vessels had their spars scorched, but were not greatly injured. Four large stores were also consumed, and a number of others, with the goods in them, were much injured by fire and water. The fire originated in a cracker-bakery. The Republic had taken in her cargo, and would have sailed in the course of the day. The vessel was valued at $300,000, and her cargo was estimated at $300,000 more. The insurance on the ship and cargo is said to be about $300,000. CONGRESS.-Scarcely any business was transacted by either house of Congress, during the past week, a number of the members being absent for the holidays. In the Senate, on the 27th, Senator Seward introduced a bill for a military and postal railroad between the Atlantic States and California, which was referred to the Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads. Senator Slidell introduced a bill to remove the obstructions to navigation in the mouth of the Mississippi, at the Southwest Pass and Pass a Loutre. The bill was referred to the Committee on Commerce. On the 28th, the members of both houses assembled to attend the funeral of B. Campbell, a member of the House of Representatives from Tennessee. The House then adjourned to the 31st. The Senate adjourned from day to day, no quorum being present. tinued her course, and experienced, as I think, a remarkable degree of preservation.* She is now an attender of Friends' meetings at Stavanger, and was much tendered in the sitting we had with her. I omitted to name that Berthe Danielsen and her husband, although very poor, are so hospitable, it is said, they would share their meal, even to the last, with suffering humanity. "As a striking instance of faithfulness under suffering, amongst many others, might be men SOME ACCOUNT OF THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF tioned the case of Soren Ericksen, of Stagland, THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS IN NORWAY. (Continued from page 260.; who, when he became convinced of the principles professed by Friends, felt he could no longer Isaac Sharp, in his account of the visit to allow his children to be baptized by the priest of Friends in Norway, proceeds: the district within the limits of which he resided. This brought him into much trouble. A demand "There is evidence in Norway (among some was made for the baptismal fee of sixteen schilwho have known but very little of Friends) of lings, being equal to about eightpence English. the quickening power of Divine grace immedi- In enforcing this demand, which was enormously ately revealed. And it was very striking to re-swollen by excessive charges of various kinds, the mark in some instances, how strength had been granted, from time to time, to forsake all for the love of Christ, and, in his name, to plead with the people. His whole of his cattle were seized and sold, with the exception of a single calf; yet his neighbors, who have a great regard for him, have had occasion to rejoice in the increase of his flock. "Helge Ericksen, a young man of Hagane, in sheep are now more numerous than those of any Valders, has, for most of seven years, travelled other person in the district. Endre Dahl reunder an apprehension of religious duty, endu-marks of this family: "They have kept faithful ring all the fatigue and hardship attendant on the rigour of the climate, and many changes of heat and cold, industriously supporting himself, in the interim, by making neat watchguards, and chains for fishermen's knives of brass wire, as he journeyed along. He has five times walked from South Ourdal to Gudrang, a distance of one hundred and forty miles, to visit those whom he believed to be in a seeking and tender state, and to whom his mind had been attracted. "Berthe Danielsen also left her husband, family, and home, and travelled many miles as a preacher, until apprehended in Sweden, and imprisoned there for eight weeks for conscience sake, after having been engaged in travelling for twelve months, literally without purse or scrip. "Ingebor Jeversdatter, now about eighteen years of age, commenced travelling through Norway at the age of thirteen, and continued, for three years, to preach and exhort the people, having no certain dwelling place, but over mountain and moorland, through summer's heat and wintry snow, often thinly and poorly clad, con to their testimony through many difficulties and trials.' At Stavanger also, and at other places, a noble testimony has been borne to the authority of Christ in the Church, and to the spirituality of the Gospel dispensation. The care they have extended to the poor within their borders, whether members or not, if needful and deserving, is also very exemplary and confirming; and they appear to have endeavored to the utmost to promote the education of the children of these. "All, without any exception, are furnished with the Scriptures; and to those attenders who are too poor to purchase for themselves, they are granted on loan. "The kindness with which we were regarded while journeying along from day to day, and the uniform openness evinced to receive our message of love, together with the feeling attendant on our own minds, have induced the settled trust, Jeversdatter left home to travel as aforesaid, they *At the time H. Ericksen, B. Danielsen, and I. were in no manner connected with the Society at Stavanger." |