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210 THE LEAD.EB. [No. 414, February 27, ...
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WESTERN AFRICA. Impressions of Western A...
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THE LETTERS OF A BETROTHED. The Letters ...
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Transcript
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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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Shelley And Byron. Shelley And His Writi...
against one another , and dashing the enthusiasm of those who had risked all fjrtbeir aakes . Bot two of oar own countrymen were no better . These persons , being shut up with Mr . Trelavray in the cave of Odysseus during the absence of toe chief , made an attempt on the Cornish hero ' s life . _ He was shot in the baek , and seriously wounded . The one who fired the pistol ¦ was almost immediately afterwards killed ; and the other—who seems to hav « been a weak-minded and half unwilling accomplice—was magnanimously forgiven and set at large by Mr . Trelawny , though the retainers -desired to roast him alive by a slow fire . For the incidents of this story we must refer the reader to the book itself . They are almost melodramatic in
their wild pieturesqueaess . The friend of Byron and Shelley has produced a very amusing volume of recollections ; and hi « work will add to the stock of our knowledge of a most interesting period and a most remarkable set of men . We look forward with interest to the forthcoming volumes by Mr . Hogg , to which we alluded last week . They are being written with the sanction , and we believe almost the co-operation , of Shelley's son , tite present baronet ' ; and will doubtless contain letters throwing still further light on the character and opinions of the poet .
210 The Lead.Eb. [No. 414, February 27, ...
210 THE LEAD . EB . [ No . 414 , February 27 , 1858
Western Africa. Impressions Of Western A...
WESTERN AFRICA . Impressions of Western Africa . With Remarks on the Diseases of the Climate , and a Report on the Peculiarities of the Trade up the Rivers ia the Bight of Biafra . By Thomas J . Hutchinson . Longman and Co . Reaueks of Dr . Livingstone ' s narrative should take in hand this valuable book , by Mr . Hutchinson , British Consul for the Bight of Biafra and the Island of Fernando Po . Mr . Hutchinson has resided eight years on the West African coast , in a medical as well as in an official capacity , living at Old Kalabar , accompanying the last Government expedition up the Niger , study ing the climate of Sierra Leone and the Kru coast , tvnd adding some singular corroboratives of the statements brought home by Barth and Limnsstone as to the power of the native races to work out the industrial
development of the interior and of the maritime territories . He rests his confidence in the future less upon the ivory , gold-dust , and copper ore of the country , than upon the production by tne people themselves of cotton , shea-butter , palm-oil , and other materials of inland , coast , and ocean trade . It will be remembered that Mr . Hutchinson has already published an interesting account of the Niger , Tshadda , and Binue explorations ; in this volume a few passages from the former work reappear , but the principal part is original . The author ' s consulship , enlarging his facilities for acquiring infornation , dates , indeed , since that period , and this volume is , in fact , a record of two years * additional experiences , including a voyage from Liverpool to Madeira ' and Santa Cruz in 1856 . From Santa Cruz he proceeded to Senegal , not far from Goree , voyaging thence along the coast to Sierra
Leone , Cape Coast Castle , and the most important towns and settlements in the Bight of Benin , Brass River , and the Old Kalabar River , thus glancing f & r into the interior , and remarking upon the habits , character , and capabilities of some of the most extraordinary nations of the globe . We have not suet with a more suggestive view of the various theories entertained on the Subject of malaria than that of Mr . Hutohinson , who contributes , moreover , some very explicit and practical advice to visitors and residents . Arriving at Sierra Leone , he remarks , full of the traditionary idea of it as the white . man ' s grave , its appearance at once dissipated this imaginary gloom . It uras impossible to believe that perpetual fever lurked amid the varying tints of verdure upon and below the Lion Mountain . The health y of Freetown is said , indeed , to have improved materially since the sowing
of Bahama grass in the streets , between the carriage-way and the side-paths , rendering the walk delightfully cool and agreeable . From tins place we receive much red pepper , arrowroot , teak wood , palm-oil , coffee , gum , and -copal , with small quantities of ivory and gold . The colony produced five hundred tons of ginger in 1851 ; and in 1852 from eight to nine thousand pounds' weight of cotton were sent to England by the African Improvement Society . At Cape Coast Castle Mr . Hutchinson gathered some fresh evidence with reference to the long-disputed question of Miss Lsindor ' s death , certain statements affecting Governor Maclean and the suicide of his wife having been carelessly revived by Dr . Madden , in his Life of Lady Blessington . Lndy Blessington ' s letter on the subject is represented , Mr . Hutchinson . says , by " an intimate acquaintance of L . JE . L . ' s , " as " a tissue of errors from beginning to end . " This gentleman—one of the principal merchants of Cape
Coastflaw L . E . L . the night before her death , and was noxt morning requested by her , in a note , to come up and sec Mr . Muclcan , who wns unwell ; " on his way to the castle , about half an hour after receiving the note , he met a messenger , who informed him that she waa no more . " He had " ¦ passod many 41 pleasant evening with the former and Mrs . Maclean , and nover saw or heard of any domestic unhappineas between them . " This testimony must be taken , of course , for what it is worth , but Mr . Hutchinson ' s statement is At leant interesting . Passing from the Bonny to the Old Kalabar River , Mr . Hutchinson makes an observation illustrutive of the state in which the geography of Wcstorn Africa till remains the lorers and the
s , notwithstanding exp diligence mapmaker's facility . ** Of the next river , the Andony , nothing is yet known . " Of the Kulabar itself , his description is almost the only one that is full or authentic . Up this stream , at Dukctown , lived King Eynmba , in on iron house , ¦ consisting of two stories and an attic , manufactured in Liverpool , and erected uponi mangrove postl'lib'Out-Bix-feet'highrr-Eyftmbahad-inBiBtod-upon . having an English carriage , but horsca being unknown in his country , the people were compelled to « oin a new appellation , and therefore styled them the 'White man ' s cowa . With admirable consistency , the coach was next christened the wftite mnn's cow-house . Eyamba , however , having procured A -wheeled vehicle , could not find a road in his kingdom , and therefore , hawing levelled a apace of a few yard 9 , wae acoustomea to hnvc the carriage drawn before him by a number of slaves , wliilat ho walked after it , with his shining brass crown upon his head , and an immense party-coloured purnuol
held aloft by a strong-armed man . This monarch acquainted Mr . Hutchinson with his desire to see Wellington and Napoleon " that he might show his pre-eminence over them ; " he was accustomed to sign himself" King of all Black Men . " We have here a curious insight into indigenous African society * . With reference to the developmeut of trade upon this coast , Mr . Hutchinson refers to a number of local authorities whose opinions converge , on the subject of cotton , in a statement which will interest the commercial community in England . For fostering the culture of cotton for export in Western Africa , the most effectual method would seem to be for merchants or others in Britain , and chiefly those in the manufacturing districts , to promote it by puTchasing from the natives all the best cotton grown . In aid of this plan , during the commencement of the growth , the native cultivators should be supplied with a good kind of seed and a proper cleaning
implement . These things would , however , be only auxiliaries . The chief consideration would remain in the purchase of the cotton at a fail price . In doing so it would probably be found essential to make long contracts ; since the poverty of the natives would not permit them to sow a plant requiring a three years' culture without sufficient guarantee for a market during the whole period . This would apply more particularly were tlie produce ( as in the case of the cotton-plant ) unsuitable for home use . For the effectual promotion of its culture , then , the buyers would have to enter into contracts with the natives , agreeing to take from them all their superior cotton at a fixed and reasonable price for the term of three years . The testimony of what has taken place in another country suffices to show the
value of the above suggestion with respect to the purchase of cotton in Western Africa . In British India , the Agri-Horticultural Society of Calcutta having continued during many years to distribute tlie best varieties of seed , but not having associated this with the purchase of the produce from the native cultivators , have failed in rendering the culture of any of those varieties take root in any part of India . Yet we see the native cottonmanufacturers in the extreme south of India , through buying the produce of a superior variety called the Bourbon cotton-plant—introduced into this country by the East India Company about tlie beginning of the present century—have succeeded in making its culture become rooted in their own neighbourhood ) and in obtaining a supply of it from year to year .
There are strong reasons for believing , also , that if the British cottonmanufacturers would follow out this plan by the purchase at a fair price of the pi-oduce of the Bourbon plant , they might greatly extend the culture established by the native manufacturers ; and as the growth of the Indian . Bourbon plant is superior to that of the uative Indian , or even to that of the Indian from New Orleans , there might thus be obtained the supply of an article peculiarly suitable to the general requirements of the . JJritish . cotton-trade . Headers interested in the actual condition , resources , social developments , and facilities for commerce of Africa , will find much in Mr . llutcliinson ' s volume which will inform them , and widen the prospect opened by the researches of Barth , Livingstone , and Richardson .
The Letters Of A Betrothed. The Letters ...
THE LETTERS OF A BETROTHED . The Letters of a BetroUied . Longman and Co Aswjeet and ' touching narrative is contained in these letters—not aronmuce of stirring , incidents , but a story of affection , growing , expanding , wanning day by day , until Honoria , who first addresses " dear Mr- M , " concludes with— " And now , my love , I wind up , solemnly ; for I feel that this letter ends a long and most trying , and in some things awful phase of our lives , and that in passing from it and standing on the threshold , of a . new existence , radiant with hope , yet still shaded with the risks and uncertainties of mortal existence , exuberance of expression is out of place . " Originally , however , the correspondence is in its tone most quiet and demure , and " clear Mr . M " is invited to join a pic-nic : — " My brother being obliged to go to
town to-day , on business , and your note requiring an immediate answer , he desires me to say we shall be delighted , & c . . . . Ho bids me ask if you will come in our boat ? There is plenty of room ; and , indeed , he thinks you will be very comfortable—more so than in the W . s' boat , as there arc only he and I , besides the boatman . " There is more than one gcmiinu touch of truth nnd nature in this little epistle . Then followelh , upon the next day , a letter to "My dear Mr . M , " beginning— "Forgive mo if 1 vuxod you ; " and thence the transition is startling—" and so you really love mo V " From that moment "dear Mr . " appears no more , imd "Frank" i . i addressed , until liia Christian name is sweetened into " mio caro , " " ¦ my own , " " my darling , " "dearest , " " love , " and " my blessing , my tivusure . " We have no doubt that the progression is philosophically indicated , hut ( ho following letter casts a doubt upon the reality of the correspondence ; it describes a residence of the Betrothed in Paris : — I saw a good many celebrities—chiefly political , and a fow litorury ; also some foreigners of moro or loss distinction . There was there , with her mother , a rein irkably interesting-looking girl , a Madrid beauty , Mile , de M o ; aho is i ' uii , with golden hair and d « . rk eyes , and , though not to my taute , beautiful , 1 ms an nir nf distinction , coupled with a degree of rneluncholy in her expression , that irresistibly attracts your attention . There is something about her manner , too , that ia peculiar and very difficult to describe ; a sort of little quiet , halt ' -iiulin ' oront , Ijulf-punaivo air , as if aho know oho were charming , but cared little ubout the nmUsi '—still less about making those about her think so . Tlria struck mo particularly , boeauao it was ao strongly opposed to the manner * of the Fiouchvvoinon round her . She hus u charming bust and hands , but not Bufllciont length , of log for proportion . ~^ Thi 84 fldyrof-Bourflet T » B-tho .. Enipro 3 d-EM » 3 ' aoro like the letter of ft Betrothed : — *"" And ao , most dew and moat foolish , you think thia now lifo will spoil mo ? for that iv the aum and substance of your Lout letter , though otherwicio expressed . How iw you think it will spoil mop Will It make wo love you luaa ? LiaUm to mo . Tho ( bought of you h with mo night and day , waking and stooping , in crowds < u » d " » solitude ; everything is coloured , everything Is Influenced by it . It is true I am sometlmea amuaed , sometimes interested , by tho things nnd tho persona I boo . Does the earth treasure leas preciously tho diamond in bin' bosom ,
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 27, 1858, page 18, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_27021858/page/18/
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