Notes On Literature Science And Art.

fire when it had gone out in all others . ' The confidence of a Divine cause—the light of a Divine trust—the scaring passion of a faith mighty to subdue mountains—these are the grand elements of his character . AA ' e recognise in Cromwell , therefore , above all , tbe reality of religious conviction . He lived by faith . It w-as the firm perception and hold of the Divine that carried him forward through all his difficulties and amidst all his triumphs . God he

felt to be with him and to be his God ; and his firm persuasion of this it was that strengthened his heart and consecrated his sword , and bore him erect , when weakness or blindness left others struck down or groping helplessly amidst the confusion and darkness . The spirit of Puritanism found in him its most thorough expression as well as its greatest representative . He was penetrated to the very core of his being by the thought that God was ever near to him and guiding him' ordering him and affairs concerning him '

, , ¦ end that the cause which he served was His cause . It inspired , and guided , and blessed him—it carried him to triumph and power ; made him a tower of strength to the persecuted Protestant abroad , and a protection to the peaceable Protestant at home . But even when its highest passion swayed him , and the very hand of God seemed upon him and his ways , his own eye was clear , and his heart soundand his hand stead and while the whispers of the

, y ; Divine were in his ear , there was no intoxication nor delusion in liis soul . Selfish and despotical as may still be judged many of the acts of Cromwell ; puzzling ancl obscure as must remain some of the shades of his character ; perilous as may be the very glory claimed for him—such as no other in our national liberty can ever share , and none without crime could ever again dream of ; yet this true parallel will be found not in the vul despotwho triumphs

gar , by terror and rules by the bayonet , but in the Divine hero who , interpreting the instincts and necessities of a great people , rose on their buoyancy to the proud position which , having seized by his commanding genius , he held , upon the wdiole with a beneficent influence , as he did with an imperishable glory . "

The foundation-stone of a new building for the Stalybridge Mechanics' Institution was laid by David Harrison , Esq ., J . P ., on Saturday afternoon , August 17 th . The annual meeting of the Ray Society ( established in 1814 for -the publication of works on natural history ) is to be holden at Manchester , on Friday , September 6 th . John Ray , the great naturalist , from whom the society takes its name , was the son of an Essex blacksmith .

Bohn ' s Illustrated Library volume for September is a new edition of Southey ' s Life of Nelson , with additional notes and a general index . The engravings , sixty-four iu number , are from designs by Duncan , Birket Foster , Westall , & c . A new Irish weekly penny periodical , The Illustrated Dublin ¦ Journal , commences to-day .

In Frazer ' s Magazine for September , a new tale is to be commenced , entitled " Barren Honour , " by the author of " Guy Livingstone" and "Sword and Gown . " The Critic of August 17 th gravely informs its readers that Mr . Peacock ( whoever he may he ) is the author of these tales . Our contemporary , it seems , has been guessing at the authorship , and stating fancies for facts , and now has to " eat humble pie , " as the publishers , Messrs . Parker , Son , and Bourn deny that any Peacock is the author .

The Marquis of Normanby is about to publish a defence or attempt at defence of his friend the ex-Duke of Modena . Letters , however , are not the noble Marquis's forte . The trivial subjects of dispute from which great lawsuits have sprung , are happily ridiculed in the following extract from tho The Republic of Fools , recently translated from the German of

C . M . Yon AA'ieland , by Henry Christinas , M . A ., F . R . S ., & c . : — "The poor dentist sighed for tbe shade , where he might repose and for a time enjoy the fresh breeze , and obtain a little water ; but , far and wide , no prospect of such luxury could he see . Vainl y did he look around for trees , shade , or water . At last , epiite worn out , and parched with thirst , he bethought himself of dismounting , and lay down accordingly in the shadow of the ass . ¦

'" Now sir , ' said the donkey-driver , ' what are you doing ?' '" I am sitting a little in the shade , ' said Struthion , 'for the heat is insupportable . ' "' No ! no ! my good sir , that is no part of our bargain ! You only hired the ass , and not its shadow—not one word was said about that . ' "' Why , ' replied the dentist , smiling , ' I only sat myself down

Notes On Literature Science And Art.

for a moment in the shade , because the sunbeams almost spS . my head , and every one knows that Hie shadow goes with the ass / "' But , by Jason ! ' exclaimed the driver fiercely , ' that is not what-I understood ; the ass is one thing , the shadow another . You hired ! the ass at so much a clay , and had you wished for the shadow also , you should have said so . In a word , sir , get up , and agree to pay me what is reasonable for the use of the shadow , or go on with

your journey . " ' What ! ' said the dentist , jeermgly ; ' I have paid you for the ass , and must I pay you for its shadow ? Call me a double-distilled donkey myself if I do anything of the kind ! Tho animal is decidedly mine for the whole day , and I will sit in its shadow as often as I wish , and remain there as long as I like , that you maydepend upon !' '" Is that really your determination ? ' said the other , with all

tbe coolness of a Thracian donkey-driver . "' It is truly so , answered Struthion , looking at him earnestly . "' Get up , I say , then 1 ' cried the master , ' and return at once to Abdera , where you shall soon learn who is right 1 So may the God of Gardens be good to me and my ass , as I stand up for our rights ! You shall see if you are to cheat me out of the shadow without paying me for it !' " The dentist was greatldisposed to let his antagonist feel the

y justice of his cause through the strength of his arm ; he clenched his fists , he raised his hand , and , looking closely at his rough antagonist , he—let it fall again , and determined to try milder measures . But as the Thracian stood out for the hire of the shadow , and as the dentist was equally resolved not to pay him , there remained no other means than to go back to Abdera , and to lay the matter before the police magistrate . "

In a volume on The Human Foot and the Human Hand , hy G . M . Humphry , M . D ., F . R . S ., it is remarked : — " AVhen we wish to determine whether a substance be perfectly smooth , and are not quite satisfied with the information conveyed by the figures , we apply it to the lips and rub it gently upon them . AVe do so , because we know by experience that the sense of touch is more acutely developed in the lips than in the hands . Accordingly ,

when we wish to reciprocate , the warmer feelings we are not content with the contact of . the hands , ancl we bring the lips into the service . A shake-of-hands suffices for friendship , in undemonstrative England at least ; but a kiss is the token of a more tender affection . Possibly it occurs to you that the tongue is more sensitive than either the hands or the lips . You have observed that it will detect an inequality of snrface that escapes them both , and that minute , indeed , is the flaw in a tooth , which eludes its searching

touch . You are right . The sense of touch is more exquisite in the tongue than in any other part of the body ; and to carry out my theory , it may be suggested that the tongue should be used for the purposes of whicli we are speaking . It is so by some of the lower animals , But , in man , this organ has work enough to do in the cultivation and expression of friendship in its own peculiar way , and there are obvious objections to . the employment of it in a more direct manner for this purpose . "

Correspondence.

C ORRESPONDENCE .

The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed hj Correspondent s . PRIVATE SOLDIERS .

TO THE EDITOR OE THE _ . ItEE 3 rAS 0 _ . S MAGAZINE AlfD S . ASO-. IC MIRROR . DEAR SIR ANB BROTHER . —Allow me to refer "Brother Peter " to the Booh of Constitutions , page 82 , where it is ordered that every candidate must be not only a free man but " his own master , and , at the time of his initiation , in reputable circumstances . " Perhaps Bro . Peter may say that the same rule would

apply to non-commissioned officers . He must remember , however , that the law does not allow any but military lodges to initiate them , and no doubt for the same reason . Bro . Peter may ascertain on encpiiry in proper quarters , what he does not at present know , that the question of military lodges with their rig hts and relative duties , has , at various times , been well considered by Grand Lodge , and that such

a disregared of our landmarks as he proposes will not be countenanced . Yours fraternally , SECRETARY _ Nb . 162 . Sheffield , August 26 th , 1861 .