STAR SATURDAY SUPPLEMENT

AUCKLAND, SATURDAY. OCTOBER 14, 1882.

Shakspeare and Euphuism

[Read Before the Auckland Intitute by Dm J. Murr.y Moore.]

(Concluded.)

IT ia clear that Euphuism oxisted in the highest circlci of Spain, as this neblcman was from that country; and it U plain that he was expected to furnish both novelty and amusement to the Kiug and Court of Navarre. The subordinate characters who share in the scenes f shall quote, are- Costard, a stupid countryman, a butt for everyone; Anthony Dull, a slow-witted constable—(Shakspeare loved to ridicule constables aud country justices)— Sir Nathaniel, a simplc-miuded parish priest; Jaquenetta, a couotry lass ; aad Armado's page, Moth, a witty and saucy youngs.or. The plot of •'.Love's Labour's Lost "is briefly this: The young King of Navarre, being sci.ed with a notion for ascetic separation tiom the world, haa induced his three Lorde-in-waitiog — Biron, Dumain, and Longavifle—to join him, under solemn oa'hs, iv a three years' seclusion from all society, in order to devote them-elves to study, fasting, and self-mortification. To make their isolation more complete, the King has issued an edict indicting severe penalties on auy woman found within one mile of the Koyal Park, and ou any man seeu speaking to any woman within the same area. Don Armado, walking in the park, discovers two countiy lovers, Costard and Jaquenetta, and arrests them by Constable Dull, sending Costard to the Kiog for punishment. The king's retreat" is suddenly broken in upon by tbe news of'the arrival, as au embassy, of the Princess of 1. ranee, who comes entrusted by her bed-ridden father, the King, with the im portant mission of negotiating tho cessioa of Aquitain to France. The Princess has three cbarming aod vivacious ladies in waiting, Kosahnd, Maria, and Katherine, with whom, of cour-e, the three whilom ascetic lords fall passionately in love ; the lords write love-letters aod amatory versoa to their sweehearts, which, by vari ous mischances, reach tbe wrong persons. 1/on Armado write- an extraordinary love letter to the country maid, Jaquenetta, which is conveyed by the blundering Costard to the Princes* of Franc.. Lively jesting tournaments ensuo between the ladies and the gentlemen ; a masque is got np by Hol-fernes, which is rudely interrup ted by the n-blemen, in revenue for his spoiling a masquerade in Kussian dresses wbich they had previously attempted. In the midst of mirth, the sad news come-- tbat the Kiog of France is dead, and the comedy abruptly ends without any marriage, con trary to the usual rule, so that, after all the elaborate verses, letters, and love-making, " Jack hath not his Ji 1," and the "Labour of Love is Lost." The whole ot the ld.a of the pJav seems to be to satirise the vain desire for glory (tbe King), aud thirst for fame based upon an appear ance of knowledge (Holofernes) and a show of valour (Armado). Don Armado is first introduced into tbe play by a pre posterously euphuistic epistle, wh'xh he sends to the kiog by Constable Dull, an nouncing tbe arrest of Costard and Jaquen etta :-_■•• Great deputy, the welkin's* vice gerent and sole domiu .tor of Navarre. so it is, beseiged with sable-coloured melan choly, I did commend the black-oppressing humour to the most wholesome physic of thy health-giving air; and, as lam a gentle man, betook myself to walk. The time when? About the sixth hour, when basts most graze, birds best peck, aodmeu sit down to that nourishment which is called supper Then for the place where I did encountt-r that most preposterous event that draweth from my snow-white pen the ebon-colom ed ink, which here tnou view est, beholdest, survcyeic, or seeat. It standeth north-north-east and by east from the west corner of tby curious-knotted garden. There did I see that low-scirited swain, that base minion of tby mirth, that unlettered, small-knowing soul, bight Cos tard—he sorted and consorted, contrary to thy established, proclaimed edict, with a child of our grandmother JSve. • • • ■ Him I have sent io thee, to receive the meed of punishment, by thy sweet grace's officer, Anthony Dull, a man of good repute, car riage, bearing, and estimation. "Thiae, iv all compliments of devoted and heart-burning heat of duty, " Do* adkiano d_ Abmado."

The Don's sentimental raptures of love, expressed iv cenversaiion with his page Moth, after he has taken a fancy to J.quenetta, and his love letter, would greatly amuse my audience, did space allow of quotation. Onu euphuis tic principle of conversation seems to be, to strew synonyms as thickly as possible, and to use the most circuitous phrase for the simplest idea. Thus, Armado, ordering hi. page to sing, conveys his wish thus : " Warble, child, make passionate my sense of hearing." .Desiring an audience of the King (Act V. scene 2), he says : " Anointed, I implore so much expense of tby royal sweet breath as will utter a brace of words." As the Ist scene of Act V. gives us some insight into the pronunciation ot the Eu phaistF, I shall quote a part of it. The interlocutors ore—Holofernes", the schoolmaster, aud Sir rfathaniel, the parish priest. . ... it.- Sir Nathaniel: I did converse this quondam day with a companion of the King's, who is intituled, nominated, or called " Don Adriano de Armado." Holofernes : Novi hominem tanquam te. [I know the man as well as I Know you.] His humour is lofty, his discourte peremptory, his tongue filed, his eye am bitious, his gait majestical, and his general behaviour vain, ridiculous, aud thrasonical. He is too picked, too spruce, noo affected, too odd, as it were, too peregrinate, as I may caU it. . ■ , , . Nathaniel : A most singular and choice epithet (makes a note of it). ... Holofernes : He draweth out the thread of his verbosity finer thanthestaple of his argu ment, [Surely a useful bintto Mr Gladstone, sometimes.] I abhor such fanatical phan tasms, such insociable and pomt-deyise [exact] companions ; such racket's ot ortho graphy, as to speak " dout," fine, when he Ihouldsay " doubt," (let ; when he should pro aounce "debt" — d-e-b-t not d-e-t. he classed a calf, cauf; half, hauf; neighbour, vacatur nebour; neigh abbreviated ne. This is abhominable (which he would call abominaUe) ; it insinuateth me of insauie. Enter Armado, Moth, and Costard. Armado: Men of peace, well en countered. ~., ... Holofernes: Mo3t military sir, saluta tions . . •

Armado: Artsman, pnvambula [walk in front]. Wc will bo singled from the barbarous. Do you not educ.tc youth nt tbe charge-house [frca sctiool] ou the top of the mountain?

Holofernes : Or, mons, tho hill. Armtvio: At your sweet pleasure, for tho mountain.

Holofernes : I do, sans questioa. Armado: Sir, it is the King's most sweet pleasure and afftction to congratulate the Princess at her pavilion in the posteriors of this day which the rude multitude call tlio afternoon.

Holofernes : The posteriors of the day, mo*t goncrous sir, is liable, congruent, and measurable, for the afternoon : the word ia well culled, chosen, Bwcet and apt, I do assure you, I do assure.

Armado: The King would have mo presout ths princess with some delightful ostentation, or show, or pageant, or autick, or firework, &c., &c.

During the scene, Costard exclaims, with good point, "Oh l thoy have lived long in the alms-basket of words," and tho page Moth wittily sums up their style of t.lk in one phrase, " They have beeu at a great feast of languages and have stolen tho scraps." Thus you have presented by Shakspoaro the ludicrous aspect of Euphu ism. In tho comedy of "As You Like it" (date 1600), euphuism may be discerned iv the speeches of tho melancholy Jaqucs. For example iv Act IV, tcauc 1 : —"l bave neither the scholar's melancholy, which is emulation; nor the musician's, which is fantastical; noV tho courtier., which is pond; nor tbe soldier's, which is am bitious ; nor tbe lawyer's, which is poetic ; nor the lady's, which is nice ; nor the lover's, which is all these ; but it is v melancholy of mine own, compounded of many simples, extracted from mauy objects ; and, indeed, the sundry contemplation of my travels, in which my often rumination wraps me, is a most humorous tadness." ln the nobis play of Hamlet (1602-3), where tbe sombre element is seldom relieved by humour, some critics discover euphuism in tbe conveisa tion with the sad Prince of Koscncrantz and tiuikUnstern ; yet to my mind, Usric, the dandified c-urtier, is the only cuphuist among the dramatis persona;. He extols the vrtaes of Laertes in a thoroughly euphuistic fashion—(Act V. sc. 2)— Hamlet answering him iv tlia sama vein, in order to " fool him to the top of his bent." After O-ric's exit, Hamlet pertinently remark* to Horatio "Thus his he (aud many more of the same biced that 1 know the drossy age dotcj on) only got tue time of the time, and outward habit of encounter : a kind of yeasty colectio-, which carries them through and through the most fanned and winnowed opinions; do but biow them to their trial, aud the bubbles ato out."

I hava thus proved that a knowledge of Euphuism, and of its fa.hionablenes., casts an important side-light on some of Shake speare's plays. Did time permit other passages might be cited. With the decline of the iuiluence of tbe Italian language upon our literature, and the more vigortus growth of an oriain.l English style among our writers, Euphuism degenerated into extiava«anza; became unfashionable; aud gradually disappeared. When Blount's edition ef Lyly's selected plays of 1632 was used up, the whole works of the EuphutSt passed out of print, until 1858, when Fairholt collected and published Dramatic Works complete. But no general interest among dilettanti in Euphuismw a. arouted until Mr Edward Arbex, to whom the literary world owes much for his care ful reprints of early aud middle English authors, edited "Euphues" entire, in the year 1870, from which edition I have given three exrracts of a serious and earnest tenor. 1 have not taken special notice of the caricature of a euphuistic courtier by Sir' Walter Scott, in his novel • The Monistrry," in the personage named Sir Piercie Sbafton, for the reason that Scott himself confcs«ed this character to be a failure; and both Morley aud Kingsley believe that Scott could never have even read "Euphues," judging from the sweeping and harsh censure upon Lyly and Euphuism in Scott's "LifeofDryden." An amusing diversity of opinion has for two and a half centuries past existed among critic, relative to Euphuism; but the majority of competent modern writers upon tbe subject give a favourable verdict upon its merit-". Viewed in relation to the cen tury of its birth, Lyly'a Euphuism was but an exaggeration of the quest after increased dignity and pithintss in prose style, which we find in al authors of tbat age, Sidney, Bacon, aud Shakspeare included. In rela tion to its effect upon subsequent literature, it is thought by Masson that the Euphuistic passion for florid phrases and quaint an titheses did our prose some good; and Craik even believes that oiir modem Kng luh is indebted to huphui-m for not a little of iS present euphony. When we p-ss from mere outward form to inwaid meaning and purpose, it IS evident to an impartial mind tbat one great excellence niuet be conceded to old John Lyly, namely, the high tone of reiigi-n and morality which pervades the BUbj'Ct matter of his prose writings. His plays he wrote lor a bare subsistence, and to gain the favour ot tbe Queen and. her courtiers, but his " Euphues" came from a heart tbat vearnod to stem the rising tide of atheism and immorality; and in spite of pedantry and prolixity this booK must have had a good influence on aU thinking men of that period. Charles Kingsley, in his hearty enthu siasm for all that is true in our literature, calls Euphues "as brave, righteous, and pious a book as a man need Io ik into, and wish for no better proof of the noblenes and virtue of the Elizabethan age, tban tho fact that' Euphues ' and the ' Arcadia^ were^the two popular romances of the day. In tact, we may ossert that so for as the in fluence of this book was felt, it elevated the whale tone of Elizabethan prose litera ture ; althongh, regarding its subsequent lapse into obscurity, we cannot give Euphu ism either a high or a permanent position in the general literature of onr nation. As & fashion of speech, indeed, Euphuism was an exotic—a compound of Italianisms, Gallicisms, and Latinisms, wholly foreign to the genius of our flexible yet forcible English language, and could not therefore lon- survive. Its absurdities have a parallel in tbe "esthetic j-rgon of Oscar Wilde and his friends, which, ongmally founded upon certain eccentricities of ex pression ot Kuskin.and Matthew Arnold (men of true genins, as was John Lyly), has de-enerated into a mere affected cant of "culture" and " Intensity," wbieh is being extinguished by the laughter of the common-sense world. But, as a new creation in the way ot literary style, true, that is original Euphuism has

had au influence on our literature which may bo traced down through many genera tions of authors, if tbe criticisms I have quoted arc substantially oorrcct. Indeed, wc may fairly credit the founder of Euphuism with having inspired, in the eigutceuth century, the wcll-balnnced sen tences of Johnson, Addisou and .-toole ; and, in our own Victorian age, with having indirectly contributed to the brilliant antitheses of Macauly and Motley.

NO-K.—"Euphuism," which is fully described in the abovo essay, imißt not be confused with "Euphemism," from tho Greek word euphemU tcin," to speak words of good omen," which Is " a delicate way of expressing a harsh or indelicate word or idon" (Webster).

Mr. Milner Stephen, in Melbourne.

Ma Milnor Stephen has net been heard of lately in Sydney, but it will bo seen from the following that he lias neither given up tbe ghost nor the practice of "healing." Respecting a recent seance the Melbourno " Herald " says : —" Mr Stephens described two famous cases of which the subjects were present. Ono ot these waa ihat of a Miss Jones, for 10 years a teacher at the Sandhurst Asylum for the Blind, who bud herself boen blind for 3S years. This lady can see now, aud Mr (Stephen claims, and she has sworn, that he not only restored her sight, but that one of tier eyes, which was supposed to bo entirely absent, np pea-cd, nnd has since dcv.lopod in siz_. Aa Mr Stephen says, "Tbe day after she came to nic she saw her own hands for tho first time iv her life, and her stepmother saw her second eye for the first time in her life." Tbis same lady was_ at the time weatiug a boot with a bcel six inches in heighi, having one leg that was much shorter than the other. Tho boot is now shown to tbo public, and the patient now walks about with aa ordinary pair on, limping, n is true, but apparently from v distortion of the hip, and uot from any remaining in equality in the length ol her limb*. A second and much more interesting, it less wonderful case is that of Mrs Grace Hnllcy,. Mr Stephen's assistant, who was formerly employed by Messrs Kock & Co., the up holsterers This patient had beea suH'cring for a long time, ano. bad ono log three inches shorter than the other. She shows the sur gical bandages which she wore while the doctors were attempting to help hor, aud certifies to Mr Stepnen's cure |of ber case. Whoever cared her, t-ha is certainly quite well now, and walks as (irmly and grace fully as the average run of young women ef her age. On. can ot course only repeat these statements as they are made, and leave the reader to accept them or not at his pleasuie. Mr Stephen claims to have cured 50 cases of this kind, and makes a more extraordinary claim still, with re gard to the case of a Mr Joseph Walters, of Stawcll. Thi - patient suffered from a cancer in the windpipe, and was in danger of immediate death. Mr Stephen's treat ment made bim not only cough up the can cer, but later the fibious roots of the cancer came away under his passes, and they aro preaorved in spirits for the delectation of the public. At any rat- they are shown, and very ugly looking things they are to think ot as growing in and around one's windpipe. After a discursive address, in which these and many other matters were dea't oa at length, Mr Stephen began bis afternoon's work by reading a short and perfectly appropriate prayer, about the length of a collect of the Church of England service, in which he asks that the angels may De directed to bring him power from the Almighty to cure those whom he heals. Various persons then presented themselves, and wore subjected t~ bis manipulations and breathings. These are performed through a silver tube like an ordinary stethoscope, but the red flannel which ba3 been spoken of was not used, though I saw some in his bag when he opened it. One poor old woman, Mary Morrison, an inmate of the Immi grants' Home, stated that she was much relieved by his treatment. She is so crippled by rheumatism as to have been ad vised by the doctors of the institution to take permanently to her hed. She has only been treated twice by Mr Stephen, and she declares that her pains have abated. A very sensibly-spoken, modest-lookiog young woman, a Mrs Clements, of Brighton, was treated for deafness, and declared tbat ber hearing improved then' and there under Mr Stephen's hinds. She certainly heard and answered easily what was said to ber in a very low tone; but the difficulty in all these cases i* to measure tbe extent of the previous affliction and the power of tbe exciting circumstances when Mr Stephen begins to treat the snflerer.in presence of a number ot others. By the time Mrs Clements was under treat ment there was at least eighty people in the room, and it is easy to understand that tbe effect of tbe prayer, exhortation, de.-crip tion of other cases, and various influences of the sort, muat be of a very exciting character. William Laurence who is being gradually cured of a cancer ; Mrs Taylor, who is being relieved of lune disease'and heart disease; and several more, whose names were not mentioned, preaented them selves, and were breathed upon,manipulated slightly, and retired, all more or less im improved, so tbey said.

Little Folks.

" I guess dad wishes we'd all die and go to Heaven," said a miser's son to his maternal parent. "Why so?" she asked upon recovering from her astonishment. "Oh, 'cause Heaven's such a cheap place to live in."

Poor little Daisy, with rufHcs and tucks, Has to sit still, lest she spoil her fine dress, Dear little Rose, in a calico gown, And a checked gingham pinafore.plaided and brown, Is the happier girlie, I guess.

Little Johnny, wbo has been observing the difficulty with which gorged mosquitoa fly remarks to his little brother at tbe ■breakfast t~blc : " If you eat so much you w jU die, Billy, and be an? angel, but you won't be able to fly much." Just down the intervale, where the brake ferns grow rank, she placed her easel and sat down by it, and sketched from nature. '< Please ma'am, is thiit me you're drawing milking that cow in tbe picture ?'' " Why yes, my little man. but I didn't know tbat you were looking." " Cnz if it's me," con tinued the boy, unmindful of the artist's confusion, "you've put me on tbe wrong side of the cow, and I'll get kicked way off the lot."

LADIES' COLUMN.

Tho wolf Changes his hair once a year. The young lady oi the period does belter ; she changes hers every afternoon.

" How docs painting agree with my daughter ?" asked an anxious parent, "it makes her too red iv the face," replied the teacher.

" I declare," said Julia," "you take the words right out of my mouth." "JSo woudcr; they arc so Bwect," said Henry. Tue day was iix.d tbat evening.

Thero will soon bo another marriage in the Kothechild family. Tins fourth daughter of the Frankfort Rothschild is betrothed to the I'lince of Wugram, brother-in-law of

Prince Joachim Mural —and, of cour.c, a Christian,

"Ho," he said,- as they congratulated bim on his engagement. " I'm not so par ticularly charmed with tbe girl, but I ex pect to be veiy happy. Her mother is about the best-tempered Woman I know Of."

A New York Court has decided that a wife has a right to usk her husband for a kiss, und; if be refuses, she can hit him in the lace, nud he can have her lined ior tho blow, aud pay the flue himself.

It was at a party. Mies Angelina had been persuaded to preside at the piauo. " There," mid Sciapnina, us Angelina took up a piece of music, ".ho has taken a tune from the rack, aud now she will put us all on it."

Kecolleetiona of the Capitol.—Tbe wife of a member ul one of the loteigu ligations at Waabingtou was recounting ber impres sion of her lirst attendance at a session of the Bouse of Kepresentatives, when one of hor hearets as~oJ whether it was the appearance of tbo members that particu larly struck her. "IXo," she answered, "1 think not." " Was it their eloquence?" "Decidedly no." "Well," pcr.i.ttd ber questioner, "what was the most charac teristic thing tbat you noticed?" She thought a tnw seconds, and then, as if recalling something she had forgotten, said, "Ob, tue jets of tobacco juice."

Lady Mary Hamilton gained a leading article In a daily paper by celebrating ber muri'i-go in rather a novel manner in the matter of bridesmaids, for tbera were none. Duly a pago in fancy dress iollowcd the bride; but as her costume was short— another novolty _ his ollice was a siuecuie. I scarcely fancy young ladies will cordially assent to this new idea in tbe maniage festivities—no bridesmaids, uo trained skirt; next no favours, uo cake, "no nothing."

How the Women are Oppressed in England,

The inferior fomale sex appears to me ib be sat _pon and oppressed in almo.t every way iv England. Men are waited on first at table. I saw a row of perhaps a dozen ladies at dinner, with ono man near the oeatre. The waiters went past the ladies at each side of him to a tend to his wants first. Be was a superior being. A Mrs Meredith has been doing a benevolent work among discharged convicts heie. Her labours were undertaken under tbe auspices of Frincess Mary of Tcck a royal name to give the performance a send-off, as it wero. The lady's success was so great, and her efforts were so enthusiastic aud untiring as to attract general attention. She' was gradually cilled on more and more to give an account of her undertaking at town meetings and elsewhere, until, without any intention on her part, she became something of a public . peaker. Princess Tcck herself became greatly interested in the good work at length, too, aod even went to tbe point of t.king part in >t personally. Without ever tbiuking of the enormity of what she was dolnu, Frincess Mury agreed to address a meeting ou behalf of the children of convicts. The Queen beard of it nnd was in a high old temper. She peremptorily ordered the Princess to cancel the engage ment at once, and the poor lady was obliged to obey and break hor word. Think of being all yonr life undei tbo thumb of an ironclad pesky old dame, who isn't even your mother-in-law! Her Majesty sent word to Mrs Meredith that she must not speak ln public either, at mixed meetings. Sho might speak to women alone on the subject of prison reform, strictly—nothing else. But Mrs Meredith is only a common body, not a princess, and therefore not j obliged to knuckle under to the whims of royalty. She sent back word to tbe Queen that she was sorry to disobey Her Majesty, bui she had given ber word and could not break a promise. She made her speech and keeps on at it. — " Cincinnati Eoquirer,"

An Adventurous Goorkha.

Tim present position of the two armies at Alexandria recalls a singular episode in one of England's later wars in India. During the campaign of 1814 against the Goorkhas of _> epanl, a small body of the latter entrenched themselves in the hiU for tress of Kalunga, on a spur of the southern Himalayas, where, after an abortive effort to carry the place by storm, tbey were blockaded by General Ochtorlony.' Por nearly a fortnight the besiegers and besieged faced each other without any movement of import ance on cither side. During this interval a good deal of rough soldierly " chaffing " passed between the two parties, the Goork has taunting tbe English as " pigs," and the latter retorting with the epithet of "mountain monkey," which never fails to goad a Goorkha to frenzy. At length, early one morning, one of the Nepaulese garrison was seen descending the hill toward the Biitish camp, with his hand pressed tightly to his cheek. Accosting tha nearest sentry, he requested to be taken before the General, to whom be ex plained that hi 3 jaw bien cut open by tbe bullet of a British skirmisher, and that there being no doctor in the front, lie had come to put himself under the care of the English " fathers of medicine." General Ochteilony, laughing in spite of himself at the coolness of the request-, colled up one of the Brish regimental surgeons and committed this novel patient to his charge. The wound soon healed,, and the adventur ous Goorkha, after vainly endeavour ing to press upon his benefactor all the little money that he possessed, walked coolly off to rejoin his own party, amid the lusty cheers of the English soldiers.—" _.. Y. times."

SELECTED POETRY.

ONE OF THESE DAYS.

Curled in the window-seat, Watching the leaves Whirling, whilst raindrops beat Down on the eaves. Dark seemed this world that day, Wo two alone. Changing to gold tho gray, Lived in our own. Dreaming as childhood dreams, Life must bo good, Whispering of nobler themes Scarce understood. Dreaming all love was true, Kager with praise. Smiling at all we'd do " Ono of these days."

Hero lo tho window-seat Came you and I, Whilst with h's noiseless feot Timo hurried by, Hero as in childish day 3 Used we to dream, Careless of wiser ways, Love wus our theme. Somotimes I wondered, dear, How it should last. But the next moment, dear, Doubts were all past. Past as you answer mo, "Love never strays, Happier still we'll be One of theso days."

Now by the window-seat Standi alone. Whilst the wind drives the sleot, Making ils moan. Clouds might, obscure tho sun, Sometimes of old, But while Hope's sands do run, Hearts llnd tho gold. Love, when the angel band Called you away, A Vhen In my clasp your band Passively lay, Faintly your whisper then, Answered my gaze, " Love, wo shall meet again One of these daya."

A DAY,

Sunrise fresh, and tho daisies small Silver tho lawn witli their starlets fair; Huttlio blossoms of noon shall be stately and lull, Tropical, luscious, of odours rare: Ah well I Noon shall bo gorgeous beyoud compare.

Noon, und the sky is a blinding glaro; Tho (lowers have fainted while wc havo strayed; Wo wandered too far to tend them thero. And they drooped for lack of tho dew and shade:

Ah well I Evening shall right the mistake wo made,

Evening: 'tis chilly In meadow and Blade, The last pale rose has died in the west; Tho happy hour is long delayed, Our wandering is but a long unrest: Ah well! Wc will homo to tlio -reside. Home is best,

Nothing but ashes gray? Noblest Faint glimmer of light on roof or wall. A weary search was this day-long quest. And on empty hands tho shadows fall: Ah well! Let us creep to bed aud forget it all. — Tlie Atlicnecum,

Philadelphia Religion.

The Brooklyn "EagleV Ssnday lolly shots contain the following charges :— "There was a man trom Pike couuty who happened to be in Philadelphia over Sun day. Not knowing what to do with him self, ho visited one of the churches, and listened to a sermon on tho fateful words, 'Mcne.mone, tekel uphar.in.' When be re turned home hojiave his wife a full account of bis adventures, and among i.ther things the impression which the sermon had made upon him. 'I think,' said he, "that Philadelfy luin't got no rale, true religion, Jalio.' Jane expressed her surprise by elevating ber eyebrows aud regarding him intently, while the Pike county man con tinued. ' But what kin wc expect where a preacher, without enny one sayin' a word agin bim, btan's up, an' star in' at a gal in one of tho nigh pews, holl rs out every now an" then, 'Minnie, Minnie, tickle your parson.'" _____________________________

Renan's Appearance.

RENAH is more than ngly, be is repulsive as a monstrosity. Bis companions of tho Seminary of Saint Sulpice used to consider tbat his ugliness was equivalent to one o£ those deformities wbich are obs ac'cs to en« tering the orders of the church. He is more an animal than a man. His body is one block of flesh ; arms and legs move heavily, mechanically.iil.c the members of the hippo potamus. His nwsive head falls like burden over his breast; he drac* it rather than carries it. The colour of bis pendant cheeks disgusts like the slime of the tnail. His forehead suggests the anathema graven on the face of C-in. His little, deeply sunken eyes cannot meet tbe glance of men ; forci bly downcast, they are c-ndemned to have no other spectacle tban thn mud acd the dust.— Nicolardot'a " Confessions de Sainte Beuve."

An Artful Device.

Thk neatest way, says a New York letter, to modestly display a foot, is to cross tho leg which it belongs to over the other. This lifts the foot about 6 inches from the floor, and lots it bane; in easy graceful suspension. The lower edge of the skirt sbouldlie across the instep, so that only tbe front half of the foot is shown, but that is sufficient in the present fragmentary state of slippers and .andals, to show a good bit of tbe finely-embroidered or delicately woven stockings. The p-sition is a com mon one to the most, el- gant am.- refined girls in tho politest circles of society, not ooly here, but in London and Paris. It is ' not in the least bold or awkward. .Still my grandmother—dear old lady-says that it is vulvar for a woman to cross her knees. She" was taught so when .lie was young, and she stoutly maintai-.s that the law on the subject has never y~t been changed. She well remembers a week spent in the aame house with Mm.. Jerome Bona parte, in Baltimore, than whom she be lieves no more ladylike person ever lived, and she recalls that tho madam, always sat with her knees two inches apart— no mqre and no less. She declares tbat no girl with pretensions to delicacy should sit cross-legged. 1 have thus stated both sides of the subject, leaving my re_ders tO, de cide whether they will practise a. pose that is both comfortable and artful, or avoid it because there is a tradition that it is im polite. I suppose tbat. the sticklers will pretty soon object to women crossing one foot over tbe other. Even tbat feminine babit of silting ou one foot, to the peril of getting it caught in the bustle and making the owner go hop-sco'ch on rising, will next be assailed,