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All those laml societies which sprang up at the touch ot the (lospellers of greed are not yet among the things that were. Ap- parently some must still believe in the un- selfish benevolence of their promoters; else they Would have before this utterly co- lapsed. The amount spent in mhertising must have been very great. Still something is necessary in order to net the gudgeona. It is about time the "man and brother" style were given finally up. llut stay, per~ haps tln “oily men of Hell " have all by this time ” unloaded ” at a handsome pro- iit. What share ‘of the pioiits, \re \wulrl like to know, went into the collers oi the church and to the North-West mis- sions? Not much it is to be feared. “'0 have seldom seen or heard of a meanor trick than that which has heen go- ing the rounds. about a so called lawyer my the name of \Varmoll getting 310 out of a poor drunk old man, on pretense that he was his lawyer and hwl helped him out of trouble. It was so fnr well that \h: poor skunk was made todisgorge. l’e‘mps he was, after all. no Worse than a good num~ her (f the long to )c, who know right well how to pile on tlu agony and only laugh when the taxing nrmter remorselessly cuts down their nbouunaule charges. Still. some~ thing ought to he done, Were it only for the credit of the cloth. anent \‘ery (lecillelly “ unprofessional comluc:." When manufacturing establishments are paying dividends of so and so per eent., is it not time that somebody were asking who pays for all this in the long run? Some- body does. That is evident. and there is as little doubt the consumer is that somebody, and why he should ,be obliged to pay so much above the cost of production and of reasonable living profit would puzzle a good many people to make out. If the manufac- turer pays himself so well. why doesn't be lower his price? Because he newer will as long as he can help it. and ‘25 or 30 per cent. of duty ellertually keeps out all outside emu- petition. Just so. and up to that point Charivmis are very old affairs. They were a protest against what were regarded as ill-assorted marriages, and were hundreds of years ago very much as they are in some cases to day. In 1577 the Archbishop of L on: excommunic'ited any who engaged in t ese proceedings which are thus de- scribed: “ Marchim: in masks, throwing poisons, horrible and dangerous legends be- fore the door. sounding tambourines, doing all kinds of dirty things they can think of until they have drawn from the husband large sums of money by force." The sooner such things are put down here the better. It is a great deal more than time that the very strongest measures were taken to put a stop to the ravages of forest fires. Gener- ally they result from very culpable careless- ness which can not always be discovered or punished. But if right measures were taken a great deal might be effected in tre right direction. Already, in spite of the wet backward weather. they have begun in Quebec and the lower Provinces, and before the summer's over, hundreds of thousands of dollars will have been lost. Better spend a good deal of money in forest rangers and so forth, than have such a state of things per- petusted. The Presbyterian on the other side are determined to be on good terms with their brethren on this. “'hen any minister ap- plies for admission into the Presbyterian Church of the United States, he must be on probation for a year before being finally ad- mitted. This rule has been abolished as far as Presbyterian: minister! of Canada are concerned. This is all right. “'1'" the cor- responding rulc be in like manner suspended in Canada? Practically it is so already, whenever it is thought desirable. So let brotherly love both continue and flourish. In the days of Henry the Eighth, able- bcdiel tramps and sturdy beggars were whipped and passed on. Not a bad idea, as it eeems to us. The world is getting fast sick of those peripatetic gentry, and may soon begin to think that they ought to be legally "held to service” in one way or other. The world, at any rate. is under no possible obligatmt to keep them in volun- tary idleness. If they can't get a dollar, why letlliem work for a half. If not a half- yet a quanter is always better than nothing. “'8 fully believe in President Al'- thur‘s truthfulness. That gentleman says that no pl ssihle inducement could lead him to take another term of the Presi-lentship. He i1 dead sick of the whole thing, and no doubt it fully more indignant at (initteau and the whole crew of “Stalwart: ” who in {ne way or another helped to tcke Garfield Hf. The worry of such a place must be aw! u‘. No wonder thnt an ear'y going. plea. sure loving man like Arthur heartily wish- es that he had never occupied the White House, or played at Presidentship. So the French have invaded Madagascar and are busy at their work of slaughter, and of ending as fast as they can a nascent and Christian civilization. It is too bad everyway. The wolfanll the 'lamb over again. though to be sure, the French are I ot the only peo- ple who have played such a p nrt in their in- terccu so with the comparatively feeble nnal unchilzzd. Perhaps, before all the play is played out. they may get more than they are calculating upon. Anu if they did. who could h- sorry? ’1‘ not poor unfortunate mortal, Mr. Asho mead Birtlettâ€"the old Indy '1: ”curled dar- lipg’ â€"ie determined to take Dieraeli‘e ad- vice and “ bustle about. " He tries to worry, b t he has no fangs . to had ger, but he has no wit; andto or ue, but he has almost no bra us. Port .‘el ow, he wants to be some- thing more than his wifo’ a husband, but he cannot manage it. Nature hos been too strong for him. and forestall-1 all his etforts. Poor Lady Burdett l Tue quc-ation he: been gnvely asked why in lltouc «n p'acel an the back of a m'ln’a coat. 040: and all will giro it up. It is a lnyster tout-eat fur solution. But. so are many things about the raiment 0! bath men and women. There is no use about bother- ing. however. A wise mm knows when the darkness is impenetrable, 3nd therefore on such occasions do a not strain his eyes. '1‘ acre uoquc n uretha- or less measure of hulvunw-u 'Im w-I-M ova. Even Germws III.J u‘nruuu wbiuot lllluialel’l don't sum“ to hgl'uu u cuIIcI-guua ought. There in more ho In in the warll {mm some folks quarrel! in; New in their being “together of one mind. I l 50 ELLANIOUS. How could English-speaking people man- age to get along without the Derby? To very many it would be a poor world indeed, without that attraction. Still, a considera~ hle quintity might rub along, though it had ceased to exist. Indeed, the vast majority don't know what it is. and it does not mat- ter. Better for the morals of the communi- ty and their manners as well. if all the racers of the Derby and every other were swept out of existence and their owners and riders were forced to whistle at the plough or at some other equally honest employment. It must be terrible to be incurably homey. At the same time if they would only keep thin? within bounds there is no reason why peep 0 should not take very innocent and very praiseworthy pleasure in the rearing and training of horses. The great mischief is that apparently everything. and this horse- matter among the rest. is made the excuse or tlzo occasion for any amount of gambling, and kindred and attendant delinquencies. \\'e do not see why all popular ileas- urea and relaxntions shoidd he stained and degraded by this gambling _I'urorr. llut they are, and so it comes to pass that such a thing as an hours" rat-e, whether with horses or heats. or in any other way. is not so much as thought of. Nobody believes in its ex- istence. 'l‘tmse in the secret know all about the result before the allair comes oil. In fact, noise racing and boating and all the rest of those so-called popular amusements, are nothing without the betting. Without this they would not be worth a year's pur- chase. Surely such a state of things is much to be regretted. \\'h_v not have horse racings and boat racings without any bets or lilaekguartlisni or dishonesty? Why not.’ hit then the misery. apparently. is that it cannot he managed. 'l‘ake away the betting and the cheating and the great charm seems gene. leor troubles seem to be far greater and ofa far more formidable character in the States than here. Canada will have enough of them also before all the play is played out. And why not? “"hat reason is there in the manufacturers being so protected that they can divide their ‘20. 30. 40 or even 60 per cent of yearly dividends while there is no protection whatever to the workman, who may be any day underbid by the im- portation of hordes of foreign workmen from other lands? The masters say when they please ”we put down your wages 20 per cent., and if that does not suit you can leave, we can get plenty on those terms." Yes plenty! But what kind of protection is that? We cannot but think it is of an awfully jug~handled kind. Yes, and whi e we believe neither in strikes nor lock- outs. it cannot but have a great deal of sym. pathy with those who are juggled with the cry of protection, while they are every day undersold by the low-priced labor of Europe, brought in to compete with them and so far at the very expense of the Very men who are being thus supplanted. It is a poor rule that won’t work bot-h ways, and unless workmen were blind they would see that they are being fooled and crushed all the same. Everything which they buy is made dear that the manufacturers may ll )urish, but the labor that they have to sell is made cheap by free importations that these same manufacturers may be able to dictate the terms on which the toiling mil- lio: s shall have bread. Who the “ living writer" is, who makes the following unmrks, we though struggling to be omniscient. or at least to appear so, do not know. Nevertheless the same is hereby fully endorsed and com- mended to the notice oi all masculine and unmarried readers. "The best husband I ever met." says the gentleman. “ came out of a family where the mother. a most heroic and self den ing woman, laid down the absolute law, ‘ irls first ’â€"not in any authority, but first to be thought of as to protection and tenderness. Consequently the chivalrous care which these lads were taught to show to their own sisters natural- ly extended itself toall women. They grew up true gentlemenâ€"gentlemen generous, unexacting. courteous of speech, and kind of heart. In them was the protecting strength of manhood, which acorns to use its strength except for protection ; the proud honesty of manhood, which infinitely pre- fers being lovingly and openly resisted to being ‘ twisted round one’s finger,’ as mean men are twisted, and mean women wi.l alâ€" ways be found ready to do it, but which I think all honest men and brave women would not merely dislike, but utterly des- pise.” Of course. True, every word of it. Here is another thing which in our estima- tion seems to indicate that the world is not yet altogether given over to idiocy and kindred weaknesses. A teacher at St. Louis had punished a boy corporeally when all forms of moral suasion Were found unavail- ing. For this he was pulled up into Court. but very soon disch urged by the Judge. who ruled that the teacher lllllst determine the necessity, the nature and the extent of pun- ishment required, his acts 0! course, like those or a parent, being subject to judicial review. The Judge addeu: â€"â€"Fonr years experience in the administration of criminal law convinces me that the boys who become criminal: are boys who don't get whipped ; and when it is remembered that a large per- centage of the bolder crimes known to the law is committed by youths ranging in age from 14 to 20 years, the question arises, is it better to whip first or imprison afterward? Now then for the flowers. The fl )wer mission is anything rather than a mere piece of pleasant amusement to those engaged in it. “'e have no doubt that those en aged in lhat work feel pleased and gratifie . out besides that they are doing real honest ef- fectual work. for hulmnity and heaven. in periodically bringing flowers from their own abundance. to cheer and gratify the sick and (suffering. We would like to see this haul of willing workers greatly increas- ed, their loads of fresh sweet snxellin ilowers greatly multiplied. and their kin words in ever increasing amount awakening Lind echoes in many sorrowful hearts. flush- ing with pleasure many a wan cheek, and gladdening some who had almost forgot ten to smile. 0 girls and young ladies. aye and old too, if you cm do nothing else, bring flowers and kind words and pleasant smiles into sick rooms and sad hearts. and the God of heaven will bless you. when such competition comes in the home produce will ununlly churge and the cou- sumer pays the piper 2 The " Darby." Atarecent Southern vamp-meeting the elmmentdivine said: ”The wheels of the righteous shriek and groan as they toil up the hill of salvation and over the nuts of temptation and the. bridge of damnation, and have to serowdge pretty lively to get up at all: but the sinner. with greased wheels and liying v-nlors, slips down to lar- nation, like :{du‘t'o of oil; \Vi-lll n ripp and a whim, am! nuaus no dust whatever." Now who says oratory is hm? i‘O‘lI‘ARISUN WITH OTHER BRIDGES, (‘ IIclsm. suapomlvd” ...... .. . .. ... (‘ iIIvinqui IIII_d(_‘ m ingmn (0\ or the Ohio). suspendvd. lmilt 1867. .. .. V. .. .. .. (‘lmon (over Niagara River). suspended Frihorg. huill lKk’, suspended .......__ llun crfortl. suspumled.......... .. Kcil . suspemlvd" . . . .. ..... Mvnni, built lsm-L’fv, suspended.. . . . . .‘ Niugum. huill lx‘fi, auspvndvd... . , .. l'vslh. built IMO-m. suspvmlul.. . .. . .. That is all very well: but at the same time it is no reason for sending pauper-s to Canada unless those who send them guaran- tee them support till they can support them- selves. There is more needed for peop'e go- ing to the North-West than the mere ex- pense of their journey to \Vinnipeg. Ener~ gelic people will soon make their way, but they ought to have n year’s subsistence money at. any rate. Those who lane “ith only their ten fingers, will find themselves In a poor way. The great bridle between Brooklyn and New York is by far the greatest engineering feat of its kind vet attempted. It was be- gan on the 3rd of January. 1870, and com- pleted in 1883. The length of its river span is 1695 feet 6 inches. The length of each land span is 930 and 1850 feet. The total length of the bridge is 5989 feet, and its width 85 feet. The number of cables is four, and the diameter of each cable is 152 inches. The first wire was run out May 29. IS77. The length of wire in four cables, inclusive of wrapping. is 14,36l miles. Wei lit of four cables, 35,882 tons. The deptho tower foundation below high water mark on the Brooklyn side is 45 feet; on the New York side 73 feet. The height of towers above high water is 278. Clear height of bridge in centre of river span above high water at 90° Fahr 135 feet. Height of towers above roadway is 159 feet. The cost was estimated at three millions, the actual is about fifteen millions. “ Lord Lorne, the present Governor-Gen- eral of Canada. may :urely by this time be allowed to be a judge of the capabilities of Canada, and most decidedly would not so enthusiastically love the land and its peo- pie, or lone for the continual inroad of his fellow-countrymen. did he not Ically and truly believe that by so doing they would lay the corner stone of theirlutnre success. Before many years have flown the Govern- ment of this country will have to purchase probably whole regions as a refuge for the destitute of this countryâ€"England Scotland and Irelandâ€"in order to prevent actual starvation, and give thousands the chance of blessing those so sending them and provid- ing them, at all events, with some means of gaining a livelihood in ‘ Greater Britain.’ Vast tracts of rich soil do not exist for noth. ing, and those who have seen those lands of the Far “'est and do not advocate emiga~ tion must be worse than fools. ‘All day long, often,’ my brother told me, when journeying toward the ‘ Rockies,’ he won- dered, ‘ why no.inhal;itants were there,‘ so rich and lovely was many a land they passed through. I refer to the GovernorGeneral of Canada‘s journey of last_ year." Lord Archibald Camp bell, brother of the Marquis of Lorne. discourses in the London 'l'i mes on the attractions of Canada. in the following fashion :â€" “ There are quite a number. A short, clear beak, head of moderate size, with a full neck, a strai ht wide back, wings which do-not cross at t e tips, a broad, full chest, which gradually expands from the neck, a rather short tail, compact but thin, and feet and legs of a light flesh color or whit-u. A person lamiliar with birds can distinguish them at a glance. There are six classes of Norwich canaries. " “ Are they very healthy birds? ’ “ Very healthy and long of life. They are used to our climate and are not subject to the ailments to which German birds so than fall victims. They seldom suffer from cold. I once had a Norwich bird which lived five years without being sick a day as far as I could see. I expect that it would have been living yet if it not met with a queer accident. Its cage was on a table when a procession passed the door. My wife went to the window to look at it. Her little dog jumped on the table, and the bird fluttered against the side of the cage and sgmk its head too far out. and the dog bit it o .f) “ How long ought it to have lived 1'" “ For seven or eight years. The reason why many birds die young is that they are not tveated properly. In mistaken kind. ness their owners give them too much sugar, cake, and other rich food, wuich destroys their digestion. They lose their song, become listless, and die." “It is a clear Norwich canary,” he said to the reporter. “which I have just received. Notice What a compact form he has, and how handsome hie lumage is. People cm talk about their 1 elgian birds, Inn. for my part I think there is no canary like the Nur- wich canary. Of course they are not as aristocratic in appearance as the Belgians, but they are more robust, and, it well tu- tored, cannot be surpassed. Their notes are bold and musical, and their large chest cap~ acity gives them a very _long song."_ “II" aclty gives them a very long song." “What are the points by which 13 Norwich bird can be told? 83' to tell 5 Norwich Caner-y na-m n mumâ€"Tho Mnstn cf Their Lives. The big goldfish swam around and around in his glo‘ie regardless of the cll‘nrts of the green parrot to attract his attention. 'I he white mncane were screaming with all their might in rivaly with a mocking bird which was making a variety of mun-la. A score of white mice scampcred hither and thither in a glue-sided box. while a squirrel made a wire wheel spin. The bird fancier was examining a deep yellow canary bird. not verx lnrge, _but beautifully ahapegl._ ABOUT CANARY BIRDS. Brooklyn‘s Bridge. Canada Abroad. .v I‘Illl UIIIIIII lll‘ll'lllu‘. Ilvdu . .............. 700 ‘ovilmmn 1m orthc Ohio). hullt INST. 1.067 nmlrn Rim-r) suspendch 1,263 {$2, suspended .......__. .. $70 upended .. 1.:h0 lL. nu... .................. . .,.Ir‘. . -a. suspemled.. . . . . . .. C'u auspvmlmlu .. ' ' 'I'D. suspmulul............. (tnâ€"'â€" â€".'-!-l oâ€"â€"‘-.â€"â€"o 0a-». “ pitch into ” hill}, but; they formally ecn- surcd him in a strong and serious resolution, against which censure he has appealed to the Synod. We are not sure if they have henavod in a very wise fashion, though, of their patriotic motives there can, luckily, he no doubt. Speaking of our new country and immi- gration thereto, it was an amusing and live- ly scene when the llnmilton Presbytery “ pitched into" one of their brethren for speaking “ lying onlumnies” nncnt the lam] of his adoption. Not. only (lid they This is the. " 'eafy_ month 'of June,” the month of roses and marriages in England, but not of the former in Canada, whatever may be the fact about the latter. In any case, it is generally a pleasant month even in Ontario, and there is no reason to believe that the present one will be an exception. The leaves are out and,â€"and,â€"but TRUTH is not eloquent, especially in the descriptive line. Better leave that to every one's own experience and imagination and in the mean- time say a few things on the superstitions and enjoymeuts associated with the .name. It is sometimes said that nobody is super- stitious now-a days; that people have all be. come so educated and shrewd that they are no longer frightened at ghosts or even stag- gered by omens, Aha! but this is quite a mistake. Just think for amoment. It has been, time out of mind, thought unlucky to marry in May, and how many have put oll‘ their marriages till the present month on that very account? More than some would think. They would not marry in May i wouldn’t some very sensible folks! no, not for aqueen’s ransom. Didn’t the Romans think it unlucky? lladn’t evil and malig- nant spirits especial power during that month? Aye, and not only that, but wasn’t it held unlucky for a bridal party to meet a monk, or a priest, or a hare, or a dog, or a cat, or a lizard? Is there nobody in Toronto who has the same feeling yet? \Vhy, lleav- on help you, there are some who would not get married in May, or on a Friday, on any account, and if they met a eat when they were setting out on a journey they would immediately turn luck. But never mind, the ominous month of May is away and young men and maidens may marry with all freedom if they only avoid Friday, though why Friday, no feel on the face of the earth could tell ! Speaking about marrying it may not be generally known that it is only lately that the law allowing the husbaud to give his wife and apprentice “ moderate chastisemeut" was repealed. Indeed 'l‘aUTu is not quite sure if it is repealed even yet. At any rate in a g )ml many cases it has still practically a great deal of force. Marriages in Canada have got down to a very prosaic and matter of fact point. The license, the ceremony, the wedding breakfast, the mar. riagc trip and then the steady humdrum routine as if the couple had been married a hundred years. The stage beard looks as much like a heard that. grew there as a. cow‘s tail would if tied to the bronze dog on the front porch. then you tie a heavy black bessd on a young so- tor, whose whole soul would be churned up if he smoked a full-lie lgCll cigar, he looks about as savage as a bowl of mush and milk struck with a club. A new coachman has been advised to be scrupulously polite toward his employer it he wishes to keep Ins place. Accordingly, when his master visits the stable the follow- ing conversation takes place : “\Vell, John, how are the horses this morning ? ” “ Quite well, sir, thank you. And you?” “You know I’m in a. great hurry," says an American amateur to a French artist ; ”I want to take your picture to America. be- fore the new tarifl' goes into operation. Sign your picture and I will have it finished over there !” And now the small boy gazeth admiringly at the gorgeous cirzus poster, and he impor- tuneth his mother for her hard-earned sav- ings. and when she refuseth he abstracteth her flat-irons and selleth them for old metal. Louis Veuillot was not tenderfor any one. but above all he was bitter against literary people. One evening that he had dined in company with several of them, he said : “These people astonish me ! they write much better than they talk !" Rich uncle to his physician: “So you think there is hope for me?” “Not only that, but I can assure you that you are saved." “ Very well ,- I wish you would in- forltln mv nephew, but break the news gently to im.” Miss Rosebud‘s partner: “\Vere you at Mrs. J ones' ball two seasons ago 2" he said to Miss Rosebud at the Patriarch’s ball. “ Oh, no," she answered ; “I'm a debutante this winter." “Are you 2“ he exclaimed; “why somebody told me your folks were Episcopalians.” In a lecent article on etiquette appears the advice ; “ Never pull your watch out in compnnv unless you are familiar with the people. ’ This is simply a new version of the old warning, “Beware of pickpockets.” A Newark drummer, who travelled for a jaw elry firm, has beat. his (mployera to the tune of several hundnd dollam. lie was a snare drummer. Princess Louise says she was very much pleased with Boston, and the Bostoniaua are so proud over it that they think of building a wall around the city and charging an ad- mission fee. Carpenter: who refuhion the old dry- umula lmxcu should be called “Circum- stances, " because they alter cases. The sea-mu has arrived when the funny farmer will send his cousin a package of shoe-pegs bowing the label, “fresh oats." “ Tho alphabet is the key which unlocks the atonehouseu of knowledge," says an ex~ change. But it's the whiawey that loc sens the tongue. Since tho telephone has connoiutoc nstant uw Nu m hm! been a remarkable Increase of the ycl-low fm'cr. ()uo uwalluw nny make a sulmm r, but a swallow-tailed coat. noes not. necessarily make ugentlunmu. A hum of confidence ~[ailure ofa savings bank. A humane equestrian will never stir-mp his horau. 0 5 RN!!! ID WITI‘ICISMS. The Leary Month. M 4'..>oo And puor Count Von Moltke can not take a brief holiday in Italy without all the papers declaring that the old gentleman is preparing for a campaign against France by way of Italy. The “Silent Dane " is doubt- less enjo ing himself, as he has a perfect right to ( 0 on his holiday tour, and the peace of Europe will be in no way endangered thereby. The triple alliance consummated the other week has had a good deal to do with raising the suspicions, whilst the action of both (iermany and France in keeping themselves ready for war, uml steadily in- creasing the number of their battalions until each has a standing army of some 1,200,000 men, hasa great deal to do with the note of alarm that every new and then is sounding from the continent. 'l‘he Primitive Methodists seem a unit for Union. Nothing in the future can be more certain than the consolidation of tlioMctllo- dists of the Dominion into one strong, earn- est nnd cmngelieally aggressive body. 80 may it he, and We will add. so may all the prophecies of evil from finish a. stepbc found in due time to llfu‘c lICCII without foundation. Foolish Litiganzs. Every day afl‘ords fresh proof of the need and the reasonableness of arbitration in the settlement in the great number of disputes which have now to be settled in a court of law with no end of expenses. A few dollars in a great number of cases constitute the whole bone of contention, and in order to settle about that witnesses are called. time and temper wasted, and lots of the tea coni- mandments broken into slivers. Is there no reason in people? Apparently not. There is such an amount of what is called “ big feeling,” and of a subordinate kind of infallibility, that nothing apparently will do but the nlt'mate appeal to law with all its excitement and all its outlay. Very well. So be it. But the litigants are generally great fools all the same. A little common sense, a little reasonable feeling, and an honest, sensible neighbor or two, might manage the whole thing, and leave the limbs of the law and the courts leisure for more important matters. “'hile we advise in this sensible wa , we knows that no change will be ell‘ecter . Very well ! The advice is good, all the same, and those who won't follow it are not much to be pitied it they get their fingers pretty severely burnt. i The Safety Pinâ€"Its Antiquity. Taking the common “safety pin " as a starting-point, the various types into which the variants fall are classified and exempli- fied very thoroughly in this little study. Not a single part of the simple, though not primitive, instrument but has suffered some strange metamorphosis. Now the catch is flattened into a disk or diamond-shaped Elate, now lengthened into a tube, now nobbed and put back to the bow ; the bow is alternately shortened, lengthened. aquar- ed, rounded, decked with studs, grain-work, braces, rings, plates, amber beads. figures of birds and beasts and men, or tricked with hanging ornaments ; while the spring is found doubled, multiplied into coils, chans- ed into a solid roll, or hinge, or magnified into gigantic proportions in relation to the other parts of the brooch. The Italian groups, with either simple or two-springed how, are very distinct; the Hungarob‘candi- navian exam les are marked by their spiral catch and coi spring ; the Greeks character- istically seized on the spring as the feature of lhe fibula, and curled the wire into two spirals, from the centres of which catch and pin spring. The history of the fibula can be traced for some 2, years, starting from its first appearance about 10 centuries before Christ. ’What is the use of so man ‘, pee )le crying out about spelling refnrm 1' Let t em go at it in their own individual practice, and with all the influence they can personally and socially exert. and they will do more to bring round what they want than by all the talk in which they are indulging, though they continued it til doom «lay. I. unguage is in a continued state of flux, so is its spell- ing. There is no reason why it should be thus and not otherwise, but general or uni~ versal consent. Nobody is hindered from s ellin the English languageiu any way he thinksfimst, and any change will have to he brought round in the gradual form of indi- vidual usage growing always more cmnnun till the old plan becomes 0 Isulete and tilt' appears. It William Gladstone and al the other great men mentioned are in favor of spelling reform, why dan't t'iey begin in every letter they write, in every book they publish, in every newspaper over a h‘ch they lave any influence? Nobodv forbids them to write “0v" instead of “ of" if they chose. \Vhst is to prevent their droppzi g the final si'ent “e" as often as they Mouse? or doing anything else which may strike their fancy, or commend itself to their judgment? Do they think by agitating there will be a grand universal strike against the abominations ot the present mode of spelling,so thaton thefirst of January c-f a certain year the change will take place much as the “New Style” in time reckoning took place last century? If they do they are mistaken. And it is well that they are. The transition. come when it may, will be gradual, and for the interests of the language and the reading millions it ought to be. Why should Grip and \Villiam Houston, and many others cry out for a change. and yet in a humble, somewhat cowardly fashion bow to the present con- ventionalism which they say is worthless as a drunkard’s dream, and cumbrous as an ele- hant that has the gout! Let everyone who lieves in spelling reform start it in their own individual practice. If it is rational and satisfactory it will make progress, and surely they are too whole-soulsd and too thoroughly convinced of the impreguable position they occupy to care one straw for the jibes of puny wit~crackers, and careless worshippers of use and wont. though these were a great deal mt re formidable than they are ever likely to become. Spelling, after all, like freedom. must “broaden slow~ ly down from precedent to precedent. ” Come, good, reforming friends, show your manhood and the might and mastery of the truth and reasonableness that are in you. by actually “ sweeping before your own doors.” The best plan for learning to walk is to walk, and the best plan for‘reforming the spelling is to spell. Come, go in and win. Bpomux Retorm. O. 10.05 N IM-F”1