ciations with equal force and freedom on all parties in their turn, with a boldness and decision quite characteristic; but not unfrequently with great indifference to the consistency of its opinions.' One, the Sun and Central Press, is printed on one side only, 'in order that the matter may be conveniently used' by editors and others. The remainder are commercial journals. shire, 28, 10 of which are devoted to the Isle of Wight; Herefordshire, 8, of which 4 are issued in Hereford; Hertford, 9; Huntingdon, 3; Kent, 65, about half of which make their appearance amongst the watering-places of the Isle of Thanet; Lancaster, 101, of which 17 are issued in Liverpool, and 9 in Manchester; Leicester, 11; Lincoln, 20; Middlesex, 8; Monmouth, 13; Norfolk, 17; Northampton, 7; Northumberland, 14; NottingOf London papers appearing during the week hamshire, 10; Oxfordshire, 17, of which 7 are and at intervals, we have 221 weeklies, 9 issued published in the city of Oxford, 1, the Oxford twice a week; 2, three times; 1, the Sportsman, University Gazette, being the official University four times; the remainder on the arrival or journal; Rutland is represented by one of the Lincoln papers; Shropshire, 12; Somerset, 27; departure of various mails, and at other intervals. Of these, 26 profess Liberal principles, of which Brighton supports 11, and Hastings 7; Stafford, 19; Suffolk, 17; Surrey, 25; Sussex, 37, 11 Conservative, 1 Whig, 1 Tory, 9 Liberal- Warwickshire, 28, Birmingham supporting 10 of Conservative, 32 Independent, 2 Independent- the number; Westmoreland, 3; Wiltshire, 15; Liberal, 1 Independent - Catholic, 1 Anglican, Worcestershire, 19; and Yorkshire, 116, of which 1 Church of England, 2 High Church and 8 appear in Bradford, 7 in Hull, 5 in Sheffield, and Liberal, 1 Cosmopolitan, 1 Roman Catholic, 17 in Leeds. The oldest established paper in the Anglo-Catholic, 1 Constitutional Toryism, 1 Radi- provinces is the Lincoln, Rutland, and Stamford cal, 2 Republican, and 1 Democratic. Mercury, which dates as far back as 1695, it thus having been uninterruptedly printed weekly for mainder set themselves down as neutral or 177 years; 11 others are more than 150 years old; non-political, devoting themselves to commercial, 27 more than a century; 25 more than 70 years; artistic, scientific, literary, or religious matters. 40 more than 50 years; whilst considerably above The London paper which has been longest estab- a third of the whole number have been started lished is the London Gazette (government property, since 1860. and published by authority), which dates as far back as Nov. 7, 1665; the most recently established (up to Feb. 4 of the present year) is Passing Events. The re Among the London journals published at intervals, 1 (exclusive of the London Gazette) has been established just upon a hundred years-the Press and St James's Chronicle; 7 have been established over 70 years, 6 considerably over 50 years; whilst an enormous number have sprung up during the last ten years, inclusive of most of the suburban papers. As to the price of these London papers, the majority are published at 1d., the rest ranging from d. to 1s., and even higher. Several are published by subscription-monthly, quarterly, and annually; a few are issued gratis; and a few vary their price according to the edition or the amount of matter. Turning to the provinces, we find England represented by 889 papers, exclusive of about a dozen concerning which no reliable information can be obtained. Of these, 270 profess Liberal principles, 163 Conservative, 30 Liberal-Conservative, 172 Independent, 8 Independent-Liberal, 1 Tory, 1 Protestant, 2 Protestant-Conservative, 4 Constitutional, 2 Liberal-Independent, 4 Independent - Conservative, and 2 Radical, the remainder being neutral or non-political, and professing to uphold the views of no particular party or sect, but giving unbiassed opinions on public matters, and advocating the interests of the districts in which they circulate.' Taking the counties separately, we find that Bedfordshire is represented by 8 literary organs; Berkshire by 12, Buckingham, 8; Cambridgeshire, 8, of which 4 appear in the town of Cambridge, 1, the Cambridge University Reporter, being the special organ of the University; Cheshire, 21; Cornwall, 16; Cumberland, 12; Derbyshire, 24; Devon, 38; Dorset, 15; Durham, 23; Essex, 26; Gloucestershire, 29, of which 7 are issued in Bristol, and 8 in Cheltenham; Hamp Wales has 2 daily journals, 6 bi-weeklies, and 51 weeklies. Of these, several are printed in the Welsh language; 24 are Liberal in politics, 8 Conservative, 2 Liberal-Conservative, 10 Independent, Liberal-Independent, 1 advanced Liberal and Nonconformist, whilst 13 profess to remain neutral, paying attention to local matters, and advocating the welfare and improvement of the districts in which they circulate.' Of these 59 Welsh papers, 2 are issued in Brecknockshire, 6 in Carmarthenshire, 6 Carnarvon, 4 Cardigan, 7 Denbigh, 4 Flint, 17 Glamorgan, 2 Merionethshire, 3 Montgomery, 7 Pembroke, 1 Radnor: the oldest being the Cambrian of Swansea, which was established in 1804; the North Wales Chronicle, of Bangor, being established three years later. Scotland is represented by 11 daily papers (5 of which also issue weekly editions), 13 bi-weeklies, 2 tri-weeklies, and 118 issued weekly and at various intervals. Of the total number, 11 are Conservative in politics, 62 Liberal, 3 Liberal-Conservative, 33 Independent, 4 Independent-Liberal, 1 Tory, 2 Liberal-Independent, the remainder neutral or non-political. Of the Scottish counties, Aberdeen possesses 9 of these 144 issues; Argyle, 3; Ayrshire, 8; Banffshire, 2; Berwick, 1; Caithness, 3; Clackmannan, 2; Dumbarton, 2; Dumfries, 7; Edinburghshire, 17, Edinburgh itself monopolising 10 of the number; Elgin, 4; Fife, 9; Forfar, 10 (of which 5 belong to Dundee); Haddington, 1; Inverness, 1; Isle of Bute, 1; Kincardine, 1; Kirkcudbright, 2; Kinross, 2; Lanark, 20 (Glasgow sending forth 16 of that number); Linlithgow, 1; Nairnshire, 1; Orkneys, 2; Perth, 6; Peebles, 1; Renfrew, 6; Ross, 1; Roxburgh, 8; Selkirk, 1; Shetland Isles, 1; Stirling, 5; Wigton, 4. The paper which has been longest established in Scotland, and, excepting the London Gazette, in the kingdom, is the Edinburgh Gazette, which dates from 1690, thus being 182 years old. The Edinburgh Courant dates from 1718; the Aberdeen Journal from 1748; Glasgow Herald, MISUSE OF WORDS. 1782; Kelso Mail, 1797; and the Greenock Adver- 287 magazines is that set apart to information concerning conveyance of all kinds. There are also many publications professedly humorous; and several printed in the Welsh language, the titles of which need not be particularised. MISUSE OF WORDS. Ireland sends forth 140 newspapers: 23 dailies, 23 bi-weeklies, 6 tri-weeklies, and 88 issued weekly and at other intervals. Of these, 30 are Liberal in politics, 6 moderate Liberal, 35 Conservative, 1 moderate Conservative, 16 Independent, 2 Independent-Conservative, 5 Liberal-Conservative, 1 Radical, 1 Republican, 1 Protestant, 1 Catholic, 2 Ir is amusing, if not something pitiable, to see how National, 1 Ultra-Liberal; the remainder being a simple English word, the word either, is systeneutral or non-political. These papers are distrib-matically misunderstood and misapplied. The real uted amongst the counties as follows: Antrim, meaning of the word is, one or the other;' just as, 14, of which Belfast has 11; Armagh, 4; Carlow, in a negative sense, neither signifies, 'not one nor 2; Cavan, 2; Clare, 4; Cork, 7; Donegal, 1; the other.' Shakspeare, in Antony and Cleopatra, Down, 3; Dublin, 28, all but 3 of which are issued uses both words correctly: in the city of the same name; Fermanagh, 3; Galway, 5; Kerry, 3; Kilkenny, 2; King's County, 2; Leitrim, 1; Limerick, 6; Londonderry, 4; Longford, 2; Louth, 5; Mayo, 5; Meath, 1; Monaghan, 1; Queen's County, 2; Roscommon, 3; Sligo, 3; Tipperary, 7; Tyrone, 1; Waterford, 9; Westmeath, 2; Wexford, 8; Wicklow, 1. Ireland is also remarkable for the age of its journals; the oldest being the Dublin Gazette, established in 1711. Eight others have existed for more than a hundred years, 3 for more than 70, and 13 for more than 50 years. The Isle of Man is represented by 5 journals, 1 Of the Channel Islands, Jersey is represented Lepidus flatters both, Of both is flattered; but he neither loves, From a strange freak, the term either has been Fine pockets, large and wide, The error This misuse of either is not new. Guernsey has 5 papers: 1 weekly, which professes no political opinions, 2 bi-weeklies, one of which is neutral in politics, the other being Liberal, and two tri-weeklies, professing Liberal and Liberal-Conservative principles. The oldest of these papers, the Gazette de Guernsey (printed in the French language), was established in 1788, the Guernsey Star in 1813. Turning to the magazines, we find the number to be, inclusive of the quarterly reviews, 630. Of these, 253 are decidedly religious in character, 'the Church of England having its special organs, and the Wesleyans, Primitive Methodists, Baptists, Independents, and other Christian denominations being fully represented.' The cause of temperance is also advocated in the pages of 15 of these magazines; whilst the opponents to the use of tobacco air their views in the Anti-Tobacco Journal, the upholders of the fragrant weed also possessing their special journal-Cope's Tobacco Plant. Science and art, of course, hold a prominent position, a large number of magazines being devoted to their dissemination, not the least important being those devoted to music. Another important class of How happy could I be with either, In pronouncing judgment, the judge dissented "both," it did not in this case before the court.' Though such was the decision, we do not expect that the misuse of either will be dropped. In comparison with each, the word is thought pretty, and it will doubtless continue to be misapplied, both in speaking and writing; though, perhaps, testators have received a salutary lesson on the subject. We might present other instances of the inveterate misuse of words, but content ourselves with drawing attention to one of daily occurrence. We refer to the word none, which is simply a contraction of 'no one,' or 'not one,' and is accordingly to be used in application to only one thing. Instead, however, of speaking of it in the singular, as 'none is,' or 'not one is,' or 'not one was,' it is almost constantly pluralised; writers saying, 'none are,' or 'none were.' They might just as well say 'no one were,' which they would hardly think of doing. As the English language is a precious. inheritance, it would surely be worth while to avoid such a petty misuse of a very simple class of terms. EXAMPLE TO MILLIONAIRES. OFF the coast of Massachusetts, there are several picturesque islands, the smaller of the group being known as the Elizabeth Islands, noted for their beauty and salubrity. One of them, called Penikese Island, a hundred acres in extent, is about to rise into some importance in relation to the science of marine life and vegetation. How such should be the case, is explained by newspaper correspondents. The account, which we condense, is so pleasing, as to deserve every sort of publicity. Professor Agassiz, being desirous to found a school of natural history on the coast of Nantucket, applied for state assistance from the legislature of Massachusetts. The correspondence on the subject, along with the comments of the press, fortunately came under the notice of Mr John Anderson, a worthy citizen of New York, who, having realised wealth as a tobacco-manufacturer, had purchased Penikese Island (valued at a hundred thousand dollars, without reckoning large sums expended in its embellishment), with a view to making it his place of residence. In the most generous manner, he wrote to Agassiz, offering him the island as a gift, saying to him he could there establish his Marine Naturalists' School. Here was everything that could be desired for the purpose-there being only one embarrassment. The professor had already expended some money on a spot at Nantucket, and the change would involve an outlay. 'Let not that trouble you,' wrote Mr Anderson, and straightway proffered a money gift of fifty thousand dollars as a nucleus for a permanent endowment fund. So there, on Peukse Island, wits amenities, will there shortly arise a high school of marine science, perhaps without its e qual in the world. To the benevolent donor, who has set so good an example in the distribution of the wealth with which Providence had blest him, be all praise the thanks certainly of both sides of the Atlantic. 138 As regards the operations of his School of Natural History, we see it stated that Agassiz has already secured the services of twenty-one professors of the highest ability in their specialties, free of charge for the first season. Instruction will be given for two or three summer months each year to students from higher normal schools, seminaries, and colleges, who desire to become teachers in special branches of the institution. The idea is for the sessions of the School for Naturalists to correspond with the usual vacations in other institutions, say July, August, and September. The school is to be in no way connected with the state of Massachusetts or any other state, but national and cosmopolitan. After being fairly set on foot, with all suitable accommodation for students, the school will doubtless attract autumn visitors from Europe. AN ENGLISH SWALLOW-SONG. And all the skies are sweet. Here, myriad welcomes greet thy wing, A speck that dims the living blue, For many a day beside the flow The sullen streams in eddies curl 'Neath clouds piled ridge o'er ridge; O bliss! when first in joyous whirl Thou dashest round the bridge; For, gleeful creature, on thy flight Charming me daily with thy wheels Above the murm'rous lime, Soothing my fancy till it feels No more the weight of time; Till hopes long dead and love's sweet pain And youthful longings bud again, A myriad welcomes, then, be thine, And round these limes, by zephyrs fanned, Printed and Published by W. & R. CHAMBERS, 47 Paternoster Row, LONDON, and 339 High Street, EDINBURGH. Also sold by all Booksellers. CHAMBERS'S JOURNAL No. 489. OF POPULAR LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART. CONDUCTED BY WILLIAM AND ROBERT CHAMBERS. SATURDAY, MAY 10, 1873. PARISH CLERK S. 'He must be known to be of honest conversation, and sufficient for his reading and writing, and also for his competent skill in singing, if it may be.' These, according to the constitutions and canons ecclesiastical, are the qualifications demanded of him who seeks the ancient and honourable office of 'parish clerk.' Clerks there are, and clerks. In one of the metropolitan parishes, the post is worth, I have been told, some twelve hundred pounds per annum; while in my own immediate neighbourhood, the churchwardens, on being remonstrated with as to the dilapidated state of the building of which they had the charge, replied that with great difficulty they raised ten pounds a year from the parishioners for church expenses, and they were obliged to give half that amount to the clerk, 'as that was all he got. If it be true, as I have somewhere read, that we all do get what we deserve,' to what a depth of depravity must have sunk the parish in which one who gets so little can be deemed to be of honest life and conversation! PRICE 1d. thought more of, but talked more of than any clergyman under whom it might be his lot to serve. For at the usual time, one morning service, he rose, and adjusted his spectacles, but produced, instead of the hymn-book, what appeared to be a copy-book, and in a louder voice than ordinary, spoke as follows (this took place, I must mention, in a Yorkshire village, where clerk and almost every one else 'spoke Yorkshire'): Let us sing to t' prayse and glowry o' God a hymn of ma oan compoasing.' I cannot remember any words of this composition, but I have reason to believe, from what my elders have told me, that though neither parson nor people had any idea of what was coming, they took it all as a matter of course, and sang through the whole to the best of their ability. Here, it may be observed, was shewn the wisdom of the proviso inserted by the framers of the canons ecclesiastical; for had not Thomas been sufficient for his competent skill in singing,' how could he, having given out each verse, have started as he did the voices of the congregation, kept the lead throughout, and come in, as was his invariable custom, three parts of a line ahead of them all! ་ It has been my privilege to know not a few of these officials. There was one—and as I write of him, I feel very old, for his voice and figure are His brother in the profession, so well known in associated in my recollection with the first church the neighbourhood of Bristol, has always seemed which I ever to my own knowledge entered-an to suffer by comparison with the self-reliant old man in those days, and as he cannot be living Tommy. Though posted in the vantage-ground now, I will tell you his name-Tommy Earnshaw of a west gallery, he was fain, when the singing—who, seated in the ground tier of a 'three-decker,' time came, to invoke external aid, which he seemed always, to my boyish eyes, a far greater did by leaning over, and addressing those below as personage than the parson, for this reason, that he follows: If there be any one of you down there used to give out the hymns. Now, what was as can sing, he mun come up here. We're coming next in the service I knew-that is, when going to have a hanthem: "Bla ye the trumpets, I was attending (I was only some eight years old bla."' at the time of which I write)-but that was not always, and I used to employ much of my time in looking through the hymn-book, and speculating as to which hymn it would be. Thus, as my curiosity was always gratified by the clerk, I came to think a great deal more of him than I thought of the clergyman. And indeed, if he lived in these days, and were to do as I heard him do, I venture to say he would not only be I was staying many years ago at a friend's house in Lincolnshire. The village church was small, and served from the mother parish church some miles distant. My offer to take the service was thankfully accepted, and, as in duty bound, I informed the clerk on the Saturday of my intention. He was the village cobbler, but an important personage notwithstanding 'Which is it to be, sir?' was his first question. 6 'Morning or afternoon? We had morning last 'Now, what time shall it be, sir?' I'll be in in the morning,' were his parting words. them.' He was nearly blind, and much liked to hear the newspaper read-a liking of which certain wags of the village often took advantage. They would get him into the parlour of the village inn, and prowhat as follows: Intelligence from the Seat of duce a paper, from which they would read someWar.-The French have landed at Birmingham, and are marching with rapid strides towards Allkirk'—the village in which the old man lived. William-that was his name-would prick up his ears at once, and in a minute or two would disappear, and make the best of his way to a den which he would set to work, doing up the sword. which he had, wherein was a grindstone, with He then sallied forth, grumbling, and imparting the startling information to all whom he met. But as he at length frightened nearly out of their wits some children who had offended him, by pursuing them with his sword, we were obliged to steal the weapon; the loss of which it took him many months to get over, for, as he said, they might come any day, and where would we all be then! We were excellent friends up to the beginning Another, Tommy, who was clerk to a church in of the service, but afterwards all was changed. I parishes, is, for anything I know, still living it is an outlying district of one of the old Lancashire had omitted to tell him that, being, as I was, a some eight years only since I last heard of him. deacon only, I should leave out the Absolution. It was the fortune of a friend of mine, whom we When, therefore, I passed from the Confession to will call H- to be asked to take the services the Lord's Prayer, he was not ready, and instead of one wintry Sunday in this church, some few days taking his part, turned round, and looked at me only after his ordination. He found a little bulletreproachfully until the prayer was all but conheaded man, with a lame leg and very large speccluded. I tried to make my peace afterwards, but tacles, awaiting him in the vestry, who saluted him abruptly with: 'Ye're in luck to-day, ye are.' to no purpose. All I could get from him was: My friend, though aware that he was to meet a 'You should ha told me, you should ha told me ; 'character,' was somewhat taken aback; but, thinkand then things wouldn't ha gone all rang.' Anding that possibly he might have yet to learn the for years after he always spoke of me as the footing on which parsons and clerks stood towards parson that put us all out.' each other, he contented himself with suggesting that it was nearly service-time and no bell had been rung. 'It'll be reet,' was the answer he got, we 'm gotten a banns, and a banns is what we 'it'll be reet. But ye 're in luck to-day, I tell ye; haven't had come Christmas two year.' One parish I know where the clerk's actual words have long been inaudible, though his voice is still strong; but he faithfully repeats every response, the clergy and people simply ignoring him he is very old, and cannot in the nature of things last many years longer. But though the congregation are used to him, he is apt to startle a stranger. Perhaps it is better that his infirmity should take the shape which it does, than that he should, as is sometimes the case, lose control of his tongue altogether. A clerical friend of mine, the rector of a small country parish, once declined at a special service to take the part which I offered to him as one of the senior clergy present, owing to, as he afterwards confided to me, this failing, telling me that on a previous Sunday he had, while saying the Litany, found himself praying for the illumination of all bishops, beasts, and deacons. Then there was the clerk who, on having a paper given to him on which was, among other appointed hymns, Psalm 122, sadly perplexed his hearers by giving out the one hundred and twoty-twoth psalm. Nor must I forget another, though he was indeed less clerk than sexton, whom I knew only in his dotage, haunted by an unceasing conviction that his country was being invaded by those upon whom, in his younger days, he had looked as her hereditary enemies. I have met him, with a wild and scared look, and an old rusty sword, muttering to himself: The French is coming, the French is coming, and we must all be ready, all be ready.' "Then please to put the book on the desk, and I'll give them out after the second lesson,' said my friend, who was particularly desirous that no hitch should occur in the performance of this his first single-handed service. 'And now, will you be good enough to go and ring the bell?' 'It'll be reet,' said Tommy; 'folks seed ye acoming.' He yielded, however, to the extent of ringing for a minute or two; and the service began with him duly ensconced in the clerk's desk, where he remained only till towards the close of the psalms, when he pompously marched to the fire in the vestry, and, as soon as people sat down for the first lesson, appeared, armed with a board supporting some dozen or so of bricks. As he passed the reading-desk, he asked audibly: "Ye'll have a 'ot brick?' H-- shook his head; and Tommy, utterly regardless of the noise he was making, passed on, lightening his load as he came to each principal parishioner. "Ot brick,' said he, and the brick was heard to drop; "ot brick, 'ot brick,' till these primitive foot-warmers were supplied to all who needed them. All this was trying enough to a young man in my friend's position, but he held bravely on, thankful that the clerk did nothing worse during the Te Deum than vigorously poke, Prayer-book in hand and singing lustily, the three fires which |