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642 THE LEADER. fSATURDAr,
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PE QUINCEY'S THIRD VOLUME. Miscellanies?...
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A SECOND BATCH OF NEW BOOKS. Giving tlie...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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*• Simon On Outt Sanitary Condition. Rep...
frequent in . the metropolis , in persons after the first strength of youth , that , for large classes of society , a perfect discharge of the natural process of digestion ( such a discharge of it as a lecturer would describe to be the exact type and intention of nature ) is exceptional and- rare . Unquestionabl y in large numbers of cases , wine and beer and spirits , Tather than water , have to do with this effect . Unquestionably , other influences of metropolitan life— -and , not least , the mental wear and tear which belong to its large excitement , -contribute immensely to tftis chronic derangement of health ; but there are reasons likewise for believijjg that the- quality of water consumed is- not a matter of indifference to the result . Wo cannot bat give it an important place among those influences of health or tmhealth which we consider local ; and we cannot refuse to recognise the fact ,, that in recommending , pur patients- ( as sve do often recommend them ) to try ' change of air for ¦ complaints whjch" baffle us by their obstinacy , so long aa the subject of them remains in London , the course on which we rely for success implies ¦* change of water , ' equally with that -other . change to which more popular importance is attached .
.. " In illustration of tbfe view , I' may quote to you the experience of two other towns . Dr . Sutherland stated in evidence before the General Board of Health , that having lived for a ' © umber of years at Liverpool , ( where . the water is said to be of about the same degree of hardness as ours ) , he had long entertained a conviction that ' the hard water , in a certain class- of constitutiQHs , ' tends tot ' produce visceral obstructions ; that it diminishes the natural secretions :, produces a . constipated or irregular state of the bowels , and consequently deranges the : health . He . \ badi repeatedly known these : complaints to vanish on leaving tbo town , and to > reappear immediately on returning to it , and it was such repeated occurrences -which fixed his attentiou . oii . the hard selenitic water of the new red sandstone as the pro"bable cause , as he believed it to be , of these afFectionsi * And Dr . Leach , of Glasgow , stated before the same Board , as the result in that town of two years' experience of a substitutionof ^ soiV ^ ib ^ li ^ tftoriking ^ watep / tbat in ms' 6 pihiofl | * dyspeptic complaints had be-¦ corrie 'diminished iitnuni !^^ 'and ' that it'had * beea observed , ' since this change , urinary diseases have . becomelessfnaauent , especially those attended by the deposition of gravel . '
, M , Inferences useful for ourselves cannot be drawn from statements like the above , on tlie fjpgsVasStrrripttou ^ df their "^ ccdrac ^ , without comparing , tlie waters referred to with our own , i & pjfe cotop % t « l y itian is cWnVb * y ' 1 tte % ej"ch ^ % ensfct & of . ' hardness ; ' and there may likewise be" other ; ^ uallficatlbtls ^ eqAiisite 1 for arf application . ' of the aualbgy . But ; those disorders -of liealth whichare speciSed b ' y tlie gentlemen quoted , as produced by the use and diioyji ^ hed by the ; iipuiskot hard waters ; are such as mi $ bt ' very jpfobaWy stand in the rela-Jtiarrof effect to their alleged cause "; results , nametyj primai ^ y and secondary , of disordered ¦ digestion ; r ^ . ; ' . ' _ '" . ' : ' ' . , ' ¦ ''' . "¦ . . ¦ ' , - '' Practically I mayitellyoil ] thai ; there are many individuals whbse ' stbmachs are ex--tremely sensitive to the impression of hard water , who derive immediate iuconveriiende from ife use , an ^ l . wW refuse" fo drink it without artificial , reduction of its objectionable quality I may likewise . infojtai joy . . tlkt ^' physician , recently : deceased ; whose knowledge of indi-^ estibn and its' chronic effects "; ( especially in reU ^ bn' to tfte skin and urinary organs ) was incist ptoibiuid ancl ' , aecTirat ^ ana ' wnos ' e c 6 ns ; ulting practice , Iijisuch disorders" was for many iiwyv / jl nao Jiit 4 ± viiluiiLllti
jv »»» o ** n ^ (* . uxyuujjuijr y ^ Aucau .-L ^ , ^ xfuvj- .-. JU , AiigUi . u u * vjl ills y <* blcUbO ffieuse of distiljeld wate £ ' He' evidently" considered ^ that tlie ' consump ' tion of subh ' waters as at ^ h ^ bituall ^ delink in' thf metropolis was detrimental at least to an en & ebled digestion . , MfeJsaii ' ODinlbii ; which , I have" reason to believe , is generaUy ' entertained by medical prac-^ none ; rs 5 il JLbn ^ pni .. ' ....... ; ., - . ... . > . -. " . ' u i £ msiy' n ot "'^^^^^^^^^^ ' mention to ' you ^ sitice the Influence of imagination Or of artificial ^ habits cafftia ^ Mfe te ' . 'dfwitli' this result ) ' tbkt horses are liable , to be mucli ancohVenieiflbfed "by hatd' ^ teri'if ' uTiaccustbtned to' its U 5 e ; ~ and it is , I betibye , notorious that grooms in charge of racers habitually take . the trouble of conveying wita them , to ^ tlieir tiftni ^ qiJaiy racing sjgiblesy a , sttpplybf the accustomed water . Veterinary surgeons say that under ^ ef ctatuiued use of lard water ,, whjcb ^ .. horses yritt aypid if possible , their coats become iough > and' si ' aring ^ -iatf effect , I niSy : pbsfery ^ j analogous " to '' thbses skin-disorders of the human subje ^ ct ^ TiijiH ^ aptW _ We need ? dhly reject ^ to tb ; e reader t ^ e curiou ' s oBservations bf M . Chatinformerly- noticed in tltese columns 1 ^—wticli proved-tlie esastehce of goitre to ^ iteb ^ n ^ -oto" tlitf # at &* dfiitik id'the gbi ; tr 6 ! localities—to eriabfse tHe foregoing
prie word ih' conclusion' —tliere is no index $ o tnis volume , nor even the . suDstrtute in tne saa ^' e idf rutitiin ^ titles ; ap tlie Vort is one for frequ en t Reference , we hope to" see / this omission rectified in a future edition .
642 The Leader. Fsaturdar,
642 THE LEADER . fSATURDAr ,
Pe Quincey's Third Volume. Miscellanies?...
PE QUINCEY ' S THIRD VOLUME . Miscellanies ? : pMefltj Narrative . By Thomas do Quincoy . Being Vol . Ilf . of " Selections .. GVavtianJ Gav : ^ , ¦ , ,.: ; i- ¦' - -.. . . . Groombridgo andSohs . "V ^ s'liave 30 recently ^ xpresaeAour opinion on De Quincey ' s powers generally aB * d ; <> n the attractiveness of tnfe ) reptibHeatipn , jtiow gathmrig the scattered , ^ hes into accessibly cajsketa , iha ^ a ve ^ rylbiief noHce will suffice for tto awfesent-volume . It opens with an account of the adventurous Cataliaa de Erauso ' a exploits and advehturea , which have inspired him with great adrmratioo , but n 6 t with- admiration great enough to tame into sobriety his incomprehensible freaks of hnmour . Almost the : only pages we would wish tft blot jtn Pe Quincoy ' a writings ave those in ^ liich he attqmptsto be funny . The story of Gatalina is so romantic * and parts of it are here so finely told , ? liat few -will be disposed to leave it unread in spite of these said attempts at fcumow ? but . t fe chapter in the volume which will bo read by the greatest
number is that on tlie last davs of Kant , a very minute and interesting page of biography . JEIere is a bit for the psychologist : — / " | On- returning , froni-his walk , ho sat down to l »! s UbjCary tablo , and read till dusk . PT ^ wi ^ u Jui >>^ ' S % V ¥ ?* W to ' ft ' ou ^ ti , ho rested In tmyiquil mc < 3 itat 5 on tot . * h » th 4 had'bcfeiqi rdadihg , prov ^ od ' thrfbrfolcw 6 Ve voi'fclvit ; if not , ho " sliot'ched ' hti''l « ic-^ ^ tn ^ n ^^ wsftrnopartof any bbokhe mijcjfatr thon bo composing . During this ^ to ' oPreposoivhB'foofc hfs station winter and sinrnnW by the stovo , looking tlirouKll the tHn % W at thoW mo * o ? tobenioht i Mt that'ho cqiild be said properly to aoe it , but the * < Jwer rested upttn ' ufsldyo aadislaiit music on the ' on ' r—obscurely . or but half rovoalod to 7 i * iii * it * ot tao errat fi
: r "" v , , rv ' .. !< - ** ± I »« w « < wwxuxu uuuu ^ u * uAproaa « y sense a ca ** *!?? wh Ai- i x ^" ^ T ' J ? t ? W , l ^ '» Wli ^ n aeon unde Aheao circumstances of twilight rtra' quietrrtverie , - Tho a ^ uei ; tn ^ e ea | rihb ^ oa how imnortant ithad become to his comfort : S ?"^* if *^ Wrsori ^ poflte ** »"» ri p # bo " uring garden allot npto aucha hoiglit ns to obscure 4 ne-toWer , upon-whlolrlCwnt boCamh'very itndttay and reatlcsd , and « t longth found lumsolf yosiUVely tinaW ^ to' pwsuo his' fivoWhg ^ rileditationt ) . Fortunately , rtve ^ ropriotof of tlve co rdon- ^ a v « ry « fns 5 d <» rate ant } obliginfj ! noreon , who had : boaidos , a liigli regard for SK' I ?*? 1 # A , Wt . . ? P re « ontat » on-of the < caBO being mido to l | Sm , 1 , Q gaVa . ^ W thafc tho-popWi . ho ' uiaijb cropped ; ThSs ' whsdottoythooia ' towor of dbonlclitwaa ff SSSSfflffiS ^^ artd onc ) ^ ° eom < i hlmsolf ftWo to p » ratto
One carious detatt about Ifanb here given Is , that he never perspired night ov < ja . y » and yet ho alwaya contrived to keep himself in an atmosphere of lugu tfcinpcWitiirc i—i lie ' cl ? ffll ^? i ^ f £ , Fft TOlA J ! l lt H . inv » " «^ ° temnoraturo of this room in whioh lie o ilotty . 4 jyed , and if Jt Ml below tlmt pomr ., no matter at what aonaon of the your , lio Iwd nvi &^ SiW ^ i ^ ^ » ijual » t »» d » rd . In tbo hcata of summer ho wont tUbVCS , £ LSrlS ^^ V ** £ &*?&} *** as Qvcn tllia <] r 08 B « ouW nofc Rlffftya » co « ro hun ngafnat Hi ! § ' * * m \ onW $ * » n « oUvo oxoroiso , ho had a singular remedy in reHorvo . Kotirlac Iwtcnrag , or jn eusponac—until hia wnulariditt ; w «» roatorod . Even in the most sultry
summer night , if the slightest trace of perspiration had sullied his night-dress , he spoke of it with emphasis , as of an accident that perfectly shocked him . " On this occasion ; whilst illustrating Kant ' s notions of tho animal economy , it may be a 3 well-to add'one other particular , which is , that , for fear of obstructing the circulation of the blood , he never would wear garters ; yet , as lie found it difficult to keep u £ his stockings without them , he Kad invented for lumself a most elaborate substitute , which I will describe . In a little pocket , somewhat smaller than a watch-pocket , bnt occupying pretty nearly the same situation as a watch-pocket on each thigh , there was placed a small box , something like a watch-case , but smaller ; into this box was introduced a watch-spring in a wheel , round a . boat which wheel was wound an elastic cord , for regulating the force of which there was a separate contrivance . To the two ends of this cord vrere attached hooka , which hooks were carried through a small aperture in the pockets , and so , passing down the inner and the outer side of the thigh , caught hold of two loops which were fixed on the off side and the new side ' of each stocking . As might be expected , so complex an apparatus was'liable , like the Ptolemaic systetn of the heavens , to occasional derangements ; however , b y good luck , I . was able to apply an easy reme'dy to these disorders , which otherwise threatened to disturb the comfort , " and even the serenity , of the great man . "
The follovdng details * give a vivid bttt"painful picture of the waning of a great mind : — - "In December , 1863 , he becama incapable of signing his name . His sight , indeed , had for some time failed < him so much , that at dinner no could not find Ms spoon without assistance ; and , when I happened to dine with him , I first cut in pieces whatever was on his p late , next put it into a deserfc-spoozi , a » d then guided his hand to find the spoon . But his inability to sign his name did not arise merely from , blindaess : the fact was , that , from irretention of memory , he could nofc recollect the letters wliich composed his name ; and , when ttiey were repeated to him , lie could not represent tha figure of the letters in his imagination . At ' the latter end of November , I had remarked that these incapacities were rapidly growing upon him , and in consequence I prevailed on him to sign beforehand all the receipts , & c , which would be wanted at the end of tlie year ; and afterwards , on my representation , to prevent all disputes , he gave me a regular legal power to sign on hi 3 belialf . .....
" During the last fortnight of Kant ' s life , he busied himself unceasingly in a way that seemed not merely purposeless , but self-contradictory . Twenty times in a minute he would unloose and tie his neck-handkerchief ; so also with a . sort of belt which he wore about his dressing-gown ; the moment it was clasped , he unclasped it with impatience , and was then eqmvlly impatient to have ifc clasped again . But no description can convey an adequate impression ot the weary restlessness Vithwliich from morning to night he pursued these labours of Sisyphus—doing and undoing—fretting that he could not do it , fretting that he had done it . lV By this time he seldom knew anylof iis who were about him , but took us all for strangers . This happened" first with his sister , then with me , and finally with his servant . Such an alienation from us all distressed me more than any . other instance of his deca \ - «
though ! knew that he had not really withdrawn his affection from rhe , yet his air and mode . of addressing me gav . e . me constantly that feeling . So much the more afifecting was it , when tliesanity ' of his peirceptiions and liis remeinbrances returned , but at intervals of slower and slower recurrence . In this condition ^ silent or babbling childishly , self-involved and torpidly / abstrsjcted ; pr else , busy with self-created ghantoms and delusions , waking up for a moment to trifles , sinking back for hours to \ vbat might perhaps be disjointed firagments of grand = perisTiing . reverjpa , \ yhat a contrast did he offer to that Kant who had once been the brillianl" centre ' of tno ' : most ? brilliant circles for rank , wit , or knowledge , that Prussia afforded 1 : A distinguished p erson :. ' from Berlin , who had called upon him during the ' preceding summer , was greatly shocked at his appearance , and said , ' This is not Kant that I have seen , but the shell of Kant ! , ' How much more would he have said this if he had seen him now I" ' ¦
: We cannot l'esist the following note , added by De ^ uincey a passage in the text , where the dying Kant bids his friend kiss liiia : — ° _ "' _ Tliat I should kiss Trfm •'—Thepathos which belongs to such a mode of final valediction 13 dependent altogether for its eflecb upon tho contrast between itself and the prevailing tone of manners amongst the spciety where such an incident occurs . In some parts of the Continent , tliere prevailed during tlie last century a most effeminate practice amongst men of exchanging kisses as . a regular mode of salutation on meeting after any considerable period of separation . TThde ' r such . a standard of manners , the farewell kiss of tho dying could have no special effect of pathos . But in nations so inexorably manly as the English any act , which for the moment ( seenis to depart from tjie usual standard of manliness , becomes exceedingly , impressive when , it locals thq spectator ' s thoughts to tlie mighty power which has been able to work such a revolution- —the power of death in its final agencies . The brave man has ceased to be in any exclusive' sense a rniuh : ho has become an infant in his weakness : he has become a wttnian in his cravine for tenderness and nitv . Fomnrl hv
a yr ho has laid down his soxual character , and reuins only his generic character of a human creature . And he that is manliest amongst thp . bystandprs , ja also tho readiest to sympathise with this affecting change . Lmllow , the parliamentary general of horse , a man o £ -i ! ro . , . !? ? s , and peculiarly hostile to all sceniqal displays of aqntiirient , mentions , nevertneless , in bis Memoirs , wu / i sympathiaing tbnderhess , " tlio case of a consin—that when lying mortally wdurid & a on tho ground , and feeling his life to bo rapidly welling away entreated I 113 relative to dismount * and kiss him . ' Everybody must remember tho im-, mortal scono on board the Victory , « t , &« r l » . ? r , on October 21 , 1803 , and the farewell , f-us me , Hardy P of the mighty admiral . And hero again , in the final valediction of tho S 1 ' J 1 ' j w £ ? ftd anotho 5 indication , speaking oracularly from dying lips of natures the sternest , that ! the last necessity—tMfc call which survives all others in men of noble and impassioned hearfcs ^ -is tho necessity of love , is the call for some relenting oavoss , auch as may . simulate for a moment some phantom imago of female tend « rao 3 s 111 an hour when tho actual presoncoof fomulpsisimpossible . ?'
Jt' -seems Astonishing- that the man who could have compiled thesis last days of Kanrcould ; ih'thxs same volume ; perpetrato- euoh a jocosity as that wherein J 9 e Qumcey declines to aVguo against " such a swell as Kant , " This phrase occurs somewhere in the article on the Eevolations of Lord Jtosse'a telescope , one of Do Quiiwfey ' a fantasias , not to be road with any soberness ol ^ thought . The long note appended to this article , endeavouring to make the acictitific blunders in Soripture evidences of its Divines Authorship , would be pitiable were it not paralleled in a thousand instances , and were it ' not reternblo to the intense desire of ingenious minds to " reconcile" thin" -3 irreconwloable . , The chapter on Joan of Arc is a splendid page of eloquence in Do (^ mcey's best munnor . The chapter on Rommi moala is an arnusin ^ ana erudite bit of gossip ; that on Modorn Superstition is both ourious anfl sufggestive ; but we have no space for further extracts , for most of our readers it is enough to name tho publication of another volume by Thomas do Quincey . J
A Second Batch Of New Books. Giving Tlie...
A SECOND BATCH OF NEW BOOKS . Giving tlie first place , aa in critical duty bound , to Histouy , let us put at tho head of our second Batch , The Life of Cardinal MicheHen , by William Robson — - ( Koutledge ) . Mr . Robson' has two excellent qualifwations to At hinx for the busmeas of writing historical biography : —ho has groat perseverance in coloctmg nrntonala , and groat impartiality in forming his opinions from what Jjo collects . Riohohou Ime been more indebted for the perpetuation of his lame to novelists and play-writers than to historians . Mr . Kobson . boin apparently well aware of tlue , has dono hiabo & t to extricate tho f « cta in oon-
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), July 8, 1854, page 18, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_08071854/page/18/
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