held to affect any sales made under the provisions of any statute permitting the sale of methylated spirits for use in the arts and manufactures of the United Kingdom.

XI. In the construction of this act, the following words and expressions shall have the following meanings assigned to them respectively :-" Municipal borough" shall mean city, borough, burgh, or any corporate town. "Parish" shall mean any parish, township, village, tithing, extra parochial place or place maintaining its own poor. Mayor" shall mean also provost, high constable, high bailiff, baron bailie, or other chief officer of any city or borough. "Overseers of the poor," shall mean any person authorised and required to make and collect the rates for the relief of the poor and acting as overseers of the poor. "Alcoholic liquors" shall include all spirituous liquors, wine, ale, beer, cider, perry, and every description of intoxicating liquors.

TAKE NOTICE." If any person wilfully commits any of the acts following, that is to say, fabricates in whole or in part, alters, defaces, destroys, abstracts, or purloins any voting paper, or personates any person entitled to vote in pursuance of this act, or falsely assumes to act in the name or on the behalf of any person so entitled to vote, or interrupts the distribution of any voting papers, or distributes the same under a false pretence of being lawfully authorised so to do, he shall for every such offence be liable, on conviction before two justices, to be imprisoned in the common gaol or house of correction for any period not exceeding three months, with or without hard labour."

(Signed by the mayor or other officer.) INTEMPERANCE HEREDITARY.- It is a remarkable fact that all the diseases from drinking spirituous or fermented liquors are liable to become hereditary, even to the third generation, gradually increasing, if the cause be continued, till the family becomes extinct. -Dr. Darwin.

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The Formation of Total Abstinence Societies in Country Districts.

WE are always in favor of giving a practical turn to counsels on the subject of Total Abstinence and every other good thing. So we sit down to write a practical paper on this subject.

It is not in every place that the leading man or men, the rector, the squire, the justices of the peace, are in favour of a temperance reformation. In fewer places still will these persons be total abstainers themselves. But it is satisfactory to find (as we do from records in the "Church of England Temperance Magazine") that 500 of the Episcopal clergy in Great Britain and Ireland are abstainers.

We would recommend that wherever-in town or country-a person of influence sees the evils of intemperance, the blighting effects of publichouses, the fruits of sinful indulgence in strong drink, he should seriously ask himself whether it does not devolve on him, as a centre of influence, to take active steps to resist these evils. And when he resolves to do something, and asks what he must do, we do not think it possible for him to give any other answer than this:-Endeavor to make drunkards and moderate drinkers total abstainers; to induce young men and women, for the sake of personal security and good example, to take a similar pledge; to unite the children in some society of the nature of a Band of Hope; and lastly (but not because it is of least importance), become himself an abstainer.

Such is to be the general aim of the local philanthropist; and, by-the-bye, if there were local philanthropists everywhere, most home societies for doing good in Great Britain would become superfluous.

But he must begin by degrees. He must have patience. He must begin with faith and prayer. It is with drunkenness in the two-fold aspect of a sin and a social evil that he is to deal. And if he be the minister of the parish or district he will regard the first of these as even of greater importance than the second; just as eternity is of more importance than time.

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We know of no work of this character more deserving of imitation and more useful as pointing out steps to be taken and paths to be avoided, than that of Mrs. C. E. Wightman, as described in Haste to the Rescue," and Annals of the Rescued." It will be seen that she worked upwards from the effects to the cause, from the evil to the remedy. She did not start as a fanatic in total abstinence; she "hated the very name of the pledge" when she began, but ere many weeks she was driven to take it herself. This renders this lady's testimony and example of double value. And this is one grand argument for the pledge. If in any small population a movement be set on foot to reform drunkards by a pledge, and if none but drunkards are asked to sign it, no signatures in all probability will be taken; your pledge-book and pile of cards will lie on your shelf. For every man who signs, by the act brands himself before all as a drunkard, and few are willing to do this. Therefore, others should sign, and, put it as you will on the ground of per

sonal security, or of example (it is both), the temperate young men and others of the neighborhood should be urged to give up their moderate drinking for the sake of the poor drunkards.

The village reformer for whom we write, be he clergyman or layman, should, in our opinion, begin thus:-First, let him prayerfully sign the pledge himself, and then let him call a meeting together, and put shortly the facts of the case before it; pointing out the two main arguments: viz. that there is no doubt that a drunkard who becomes a total abstainer is cured, and therefore that in cases where the pledge is kept, there is a perfect cure effected, and next, that others, for the reasons alleged, should sign also, in order to induce drunkards to sign.

The next step to be taken is, to have meetings of the members from time to time. In the first enthusiasm of the society it will probably be proposed to hold weekly meetings; experience, however, would suggest that monthly gatherings are enough.

Working people find it tiring to go out too often in the evening, and it is only in the evenings that they can be collected at all. We should suggest, therefore, that during the first week in each month a meeting of abstainers should be called, and that non-abstainers should be also invited to be present.

At these meetings this should be made the prominent thought:-" This reform cannot be carried out without the help of God through the great Friend of Sinners; therefore the tone of the meetings, and of the whole society, should be religious.” For this cause we should urge that meetings be begun with prayer, having special reference to intemperance as a sin and social crime; and asking strength from above to help all the members to be true to their principles.

A pledge book should be obtained; the pledge administered in the following form, or one equivalent to it :-"We, the undersigned, hereby promise to abstain from all intoxicating liquors as beverages, and to promote temperance."

Rules of the society, few and simple, should be added or introduced at the beginning, which rules should be read at every meeting. They explain to others what they are expected to do as abstainers, and may be so drawn up as to convey strikingly the reasons for total abstinence. Cards of membership having a corresponding pledge printed on them, should be given to members.

At the meetings, after prayer has been offered up, and if convenient, a hymn to Almighty God sung, the conductor should read, or all should read consecutively, a passage of Holy Scripture and the president should select a passage suitable to the poorest understanding of those present. The stories of the Old Testament, and the Parables and Miracles of the New, are as interesting to working men as to children, and often quite as

new.

This part of the meeting over, some directly temperance subject should be introduced. There are many ways of doing this. The obvious one is the temperance lecture. This may either be a harangue on the general subject, or an interesting series of narratives or descriptions illustrating it.

Another mode is that of reading extracts from

books bearing on the subject. Mrs. Wightman's books, and Mrs. Bailey's; Tweedie's, Jarrold's, and Partridge's, publications, now give a nearly boundless range for selection. And, perhaps, few methods of interesting the meeting in a country district, will tell better than that of reading aloud in an intelligent lively manner, some of the stories bearing on the subject, from the "Penny Readings" of Partridge, or from the "Household Tracts" of Jarrold. Occasionally, a conversation meeting is good, at which general subjects might be freely talked about, and tea or coffee as freely taken. The president should not erect himself above his meeting, either in his conversation or his chair; a great deal is gained for the general success of the cause, by his appearing as "one of them."

These meetings furnish a special opportunity for the enrolment of new members, and it should be one of the rules" that all members shall regularly attend the meetings." It is found that where poor men are not looked after, either by personal visits or by meetings, or both, they after a while drop off the society; while regular meetings keep up the esprit de corps, and are useful as opportunities for prayer for strength from Him without whom "nothing is strong, nothing is holy."

The occasional visit of a temperance advocate to address a public meeting in the place, will, if the speaker be an able and interesting one, kindle new feeling in favor of the movement, and will spread the knowledge of the subject amongst a wider and wider circle. The Irish Temperance League sends such public speakers to address meetings in various places, and a list of such meetings held, appended to the present number of this Magazine, will show how extensive the labours of the League are.

We have dwelt on but one topic in connection with the effort to promote temperance in country places. Several others remain to be discussed. Bands of hope; mothers' meetings; the adoption of the Permissive Bill, should it become law; to these we hope to address ourselves in a future number.

A Ship's Fate.

SHE sails upon an ocean thick with dangers,
A very noble bark,

And steers her way amid a fleet of strangers;
While all gaze on and mark.

With wondrous treasure is this vessel freighted,
Borne from the distant mines;
Her canvas, with the breeze of heaven inflated,
Bright as the sun that shines.

Away, away across the blue sea bounding--
Chasing the rushing waves-

While wind and rope, and wave, their chorus sounding,
Sing to the distant caves.

Fresh in the morning is the wind that's blowing;
Fresh in the noon-day while the sun is high;
For every sheet is taut, a crisp sea flowing,
A favoring tide, and an unclouded sky.

* See Article in March Number.

We beg to recommend amongst these latter, the tract, "That Sight has Saved me." Price ld. In packets of 12 one shilling. Free by post from Jarrold & Sons, Norwich.

And down below, a score of jolly sailors,
And up aloft, a good half-dozen more;
Of yarn and pipe and song no mean retailers,
But wholesale hearties as the best on shore.

They like their biscuit, with a drop to soften,
And give the tasteless bread a little spice;
And if they ask a treat, it is not often,

Yet sailors, like land-lubbers, know what's nice.

So on sailed "Anna Lee" with all her timbers
Staunch as her captain's chest of heart-of-oak,
Till one dark day that every one remembers,
When autumn morn like winter twilight broke.

September sixth, by the ship's log, was breaking,
The red sun rose, then hid himself away,
And Captain John, his early breakfast taking,
Said to the steward, "We shall not mess to-day.

I never knew that sun rise in September

But some foul work was done before the night; And though I'm no grey-beard, I can remember

A few year's longer than you'd think I might.” "Aye, aye, sir," said the steward with due precision, His total creed being just his captain's word (For stewards, like miners, are of narrow vision; Seamen, not sailors, they're a hybrid herd.)

'Skipper! all hands on deck to shorten sail! Pipe down the stu'n-sails, and top-gallants all, If I mistake not, we shall have a gale." "Aye, aye, sir; and to prove it here's a squall!"

Fast on the rigging swarmed the ready hands, Down dropped the canvas, flapping in the wind, Obedient to the skipper's shrill commands,

They knew their work and did it with a mind.

Then on the deck again the hands are crowded,
Just as the black storm-cloud is hurrying on-
Just as the thundering hail-storm has enshrouded
The black hull of the Anna, Captain John.
Scudding before the gale under bare poles,
The naked ship is flying, riding high
The black and seething sea, with forty souls
Calm, as on land, beneath that horrid sky.
Crash goes the ceaseless thunder overhead,
Roaring unsatisfied from cloud to cloud,
With echoes fit to raise the sleeping dead,

A hundred fathom deep in sea-weed shroud.
Blue lightnings searched the crevices of heaven,
Quivered from storm above to storm below;
And bursting clouds, their mighty sides all riven,
Revealed within their wild and furnace glow.
There, 'mid the fire and hail, the helms-man stands
(The captain's at his side) with hard-knit brow,
And now the wheel flies hotly through his hands,
As swerves the ship, sea-struck upon the bow.
Crash! splinters glowing strew the hissing deck;
The bolt of heaven has shivered the main-truck;
And an unearthly flame--a distant speck

Burns bluely where the ship has just been struck. Flash! crash! again those ceaseless lightnings tear The well-tarred rigging from the scorching mast; A sheet of flame flings out its horrid glare:

Good Lord! so sudden! is this hour their last?

"The ship's in flames! skipper, twelve hands to throw The powder overboard, or we're dead men!" Down to the hold all fearlessly they go,

Lost in the smoke and glare, and scorning pain.

Oh! 'twas a fatal moment. That command
Sent them to face a perilous powder store;
But in the hold beside, there lay at hand

Another danger which imperilled more.

There, side by side, the powder and the cask
Of captain's rum, with body rich and rare.
Accursed be the hand that threw a flask

Beside the opened butt, and left it there!

One after other, passionately filling

The fatal flask, each drank the bumper down ;— The fearful heat-drops all the while distilling From every brow, into the liquor brown.

Now to the work!-but no; the reeling crowd Stood helpless, swaying, rolling in the hold. Then shrilled the pipe on deck! the call was loud, But drowned in thunder that above them rolled.

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They carried not the powder from the store;
The boatswain stood above and piped them up;
They heard him not, but fought and clutched for more,
And tore each other's hair to catch the cup.
Then onward moved the wicked fire that charred
And licked the powder casks with ruby flame;
Then rudely hissed to find the bands so hard,
Then struggled-won! and the explosion came.
Oh, heart of oak! Oh, ship! Oh, seamen brave!
Oh, English flag! Oh, noble-hearted crew!-
A few charred bodies scattered on the wave ;-
A few burnt beams;-and is this all of you?
Oh, horrid curse that scattered England's sons!
Oh, hellish drink that ruined that fair ship!
Reader, take lesson from those reckless ones,
Let not another dram bowl touch your lip!
A SOBER LAND-LUBBER.

The Shadow of St. Sepulchre's.

A LONDON STORY.

CHAPTER VIII.

ABOVE the noble elms which clustered in the park; above the bounding piles of brick, whose chimnies were but beginning to show, in their curling smoke-wreaths, the first signs of life again, rose the glorious sun, as gloriously at least as he can rise in London, flashing from the crisping wavelets of the ornamental water, where the choice ducks and swans, and other waterfowl, were beginning to disport themselves, and to look out for the liberal little boys and girls who daily share their biscuits and their buns with the feathered favorites. The roar of wheels in the neighboring thoroughfares of Pimlico and Whitehall was not yet well begun. A few soldiers, turning out for some morning manoeuvre, tramped behind the clumps of green that stud the park. There at one end of the park rose the York column above its long flight of steps, catching the very first rays of the sun every morning, and sending them down step by step to flood the grass beneath. At the opposite end the long massive pile of Buckingham Palace, not as yet saddened by that hatchment above the main entrance, which has since made the eyelids of every passer-by droop in sympathy, and has called up the prayer warm from the depths of many thousand hearts" God bless her in her sorrow!" It was among such scenes that our young hero awoke that Monday

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morning - awoke with a strange commingled sense of something bad and of something good which had happened. As dreams faded away into reality, and the vision of home melted into this reality of self-elected banishment, the lad heaved a long sigh, and, jumping up, tried to recollect himself. The something bad was the scene at the "George," which now was painted on his brain with loathing; the something good was the general whole made up by the Westminster bells, the sermon, the music, the hallowed influences of the place. As he moved aimlessly away from his night's resting-place, shivering in the early morning, and damp with night dew-for the sun, though beginning to be bright, had no heat yet -he felt the old foe hunger beginning to gnaw him; and he was scarce Spartan enough to let it gnaw on without either complaint or effort to appease it.

He made the effort; he was too lonely to make the complaint. Passing through the dark courts of St. James's Palace, and making his way up towards the club-houses, he was arrested at the door of one of them, not by the sight of its polished red granite, but by that of a young officer who stood on the steps with a carpet-bag in his hand and ramrod-like umbrella under his

arm.

"Boy, boy!" shouted the young man, twirling his incipient moustache. The possible connexion between the summons and a breakfast led Jem's steps fast enough to the young man's side.

66 Want earnn-shilling-eh?" asked the little swell, practising a strict economy of monosyllables. "If so, carry bag No. 3, Street -confounded early start-no cab."

Yes, sir, wherever you like," answered James with alacrity, and, seizing the bag and offering to take the little umbrella too, he began to run on before his employer, reviewing the possibilities of sausages for breakfast-a dream which faded at the recollection that sausages are poor food raw.

"Not s' fast, youngster-breath-hurry-confounded lively," said the little man, who had neither the inteution nor the power to keep up with Jem, whose steps were rapid in proportion as his hunger increased by thinking of it.

"I say, look here. Decent sort of face, youngster-what's name?-where-live? Have you nothing-support?

Jem slackened his steps and tramped on by his employer's side, hopefully conjuring up visions of employment, and extensive patronage in carrying carpet bags for military men.

I'm a stranger in London; I'm from Yorkshire

"Which Riding?"

"From the East Riding, sir, and unfortunately I am idle here, and want something to do. I'm hard up for every day's food."

66

Where-live, where-sleep?"

Last night I slept in that park down the steps; and if you ask where I live, I say I live in London."

"London-big place," remarked the young officer; "deuced big place--no other address than London-eh?"

"Well, the fact of the matter is, sir, I came up here to see the world, and I've seen so much of it I'm getting tired of it; I want something to do?"

66

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Here we are, then, where I stop," said the other. Look-play billiards? Know anything of game? Mark? eh?"

Jem's face brightened. Strange to say he did know how to handle the cue a little, and had marked games before this in a little billiard-room at Easton. The talent however, had for some time lain dormant, but he said,

"Billiards? Aye do I know billiards: that is, I have played before this, and helped to mark."

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'Our billiard marker, precious idle sleepy soul -uncommon sleepy-uncommon fond of punch -plenty mistakes. You're tolerably livelybright eye, quick sort of chap-eb. Come tryhand at marking. Evesham Court billiard-rooms." Willingly," said Jem, catching at the idea, as though he were already pocketing his first quarter's salary. "What o'clock?"

66

Come eh. Say eight, to-night. Ask-Capt. Small-shew this card-you'll do. But you must be lively-precious lively-or go where old Sniggs is going; keep sober-we drink-marker sober, that's it," said he, giving Jem a shilling which felt like gold in the poor boy's hands.

Here was an opening of profit, but an opening of temptation. So any one would say who knew what billiard houses are. But Jem thought only of the profit-why shouldn't he, just then.

over.

That shilling was soon converted into bread, cheese, butter-sixpence, and sixpence That sixpence, I am sorry to say, went in beer. Oh beer is harmless, who's the worse of it? asked Jem.

With steps shaking from nervous excitement, and heart full of hope, the lad sought out and found the billiard house, about eight o'clock that evening. "Captain" Small was leaning against the door, gripping a small cane between his legs, a small wide-awake on his head, the small moustache, vainly pulled out to make it visible in the profile, and a small clay pipe in his fingers, which he was just filling. The impersonation of smallness was Captain Small.

"Oh-ah! in time-sharp-well-come this way;" and Jem threaded a dark passage, and passed through a green baize door at the end, into a sort of smoking room, lit up with gas, which just then had the detestable habit of jerking up and down with "water-in the pipes," a sort of hydro-cephalus to which gas pipes are subject. Several hats and caps, several overcoats and umbrellas lay on black horse-hair couches all round the room. The air was faintly tinged with the smoke of cigars, and suggestive of brandy. A second green baize door stood at the far end of the room, pierced with six small holes, which were surmounted by a card, on which was printed, "Please wait for the stroke." Captain Small, however, thinking all attention to rules undignified, jerked the door open just as a tall whiskered player was aiming for a splendid cannon. The result was a very bad stroke, and a very bad oath to follow it up.

"Here's youngster-coming-take Sniggs' place. Where's the fellow ?"

A gentleman with black hair and eyebrows was marking in Mr. Sniggs' absence, for Sniggs' customers must wait till his brain has nightly arrived at saturation with brandy and water; a process which usually left him a better joker than inarker. As correctness, however, in a billiard marker is appreciated by the players even more than wit, however pleasant, Mr. Sniggs was beginning to drop out of the favor of the very estimable company which haunted Evesham Court; and yet he was fearfully unconscious that his score at the "Duck in a Thunderstorm" down at the corner, must be eventually settled in other cash than billiard earnings.

Jem was a ready and quick youth, as I have said, and a sharp ear and eye came to his help, so that ere two hours were over, the aristocratic billiard marker was able to give up to the novice his place at the marking-board, and to take a hand himself at the table. Mr. Sniggs was not there at all that evening, so Jem had the place to himself, and, I can tell you, thought himself uncommonly lucky. He had time to look about him, every now and then, and to study the pale, thoughtless faces of the roues of the "upper" class who frequented the room, who lounged on sofas, who smoked and drank, who cursed and betted, who swore and sometimes cheated. The sight did not fall in very well with the good impressions of the night before; but Jem satisfied himself that it was no matter. He must get his living; and, after all, what harm was it?

"What harm was it?" Yes. After all was over, two or three of the players, including the diminutive captain, surrounded Jem, and clapping him on the back, assured him that he would "do the trick." They then brought him off to the bar of the aforesaid public, and solemnly warning him against the evils of intemperance and the sad results of excess, namely, uncertainty in the use of figures, and a tendency to confuse with 3, 6 with 9, and especially 1 with 11, and 2 with 22, they poured out, as the reward of that night's exertions, a steaming tumbler of brandy and water, and bade him finish it and be off to bed. It was too tempting to Jem; besides, the sermon he had heard was now 24 hours old, and it is not in reason to think that one sermon could remain in the mind actively for a whole day! Jem tippled off the comforting punch, and sat down on a chair rather bewildered, and growing every moment more so. He saw his kind treaters finishing two or three tumblers each, and then they turned to him, and chaffing him for his silence, asked him where he was going to sleep?

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And, by the by, he has on an awfully seedy jacket, and fags not worth throwing to a beggar. Cheer up youngster-what's your name? We'll rig you out in fine style."

"Young 'un-poor head, not used-punchbetter times coming-must keep good head— Sniggs stupid! Billiard marker must be able hold-glass punch-and clear in noddle all time -that's billiard marker," reasoned or explained Captain Small, rather obscurely, after his own libations.

And Jem stole out as soon as they left the door, but shuddered to see the company which each of

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his patrons selected as he entered the streets-to add a few more hours of sin to the revels of the earlier part of the night. To ruin, in further scenes of vice, bodies which drink had already stupefied-to admit to the once holy citadel of the human breast, enemies more deadly still, for drink steals the key, and opens the gates, and then they enter in!

CHAPTER IX.

A fortnight of billiard-marking added not a little to Jem's knowledge of the sinful ways of the world. Knowledge theoretical and practical did he acquire very fast. The seeds sown that Sunday evening were, if not lost, at least trampled into a soil so hard that, till the "share" of the plough of sorrow should stir up the surface, it was impossible that they should germinate.

There are one or two sins which Jem did not see committed-one or two forms of human guilt which did not actually pass before his eyes either in that den, in the public-house, or in the streets. But that is all that can be said. For his own part, he sought out no paths of sin; he stepped not into the mire of corruption, but the splash from his patrons' doings and goings bespattered his moral nature fearfully.

One night, being let off earlier than usual, Jem was wandering slowly homewards, gazing in now at some late open shops, now stopping to listen to groups of laughing or quarrelling men or women, who were still abroad, turning the night into a sinful day, and eating the poison of the tree of the knowledge of evil, when Jem suddenly found a hand laid on his shoulder, and heard a voice saying aloud, "James Neville, you are my prisoner, come this way," and, shaking off the tempting one, the rough hand of the rescuer of that hapless, lonely boy drew him off speechless in the opposite direction.

Soon both captive and captor stood beneath a gas lamp.

Tully!" cried out Jem, half-fainting, "Tully, what in earth brought you here? and who told you to interfere with my liberty?" The son of the Master of Easton Workhouse had assumed his old tone of superiority to the porter.

"Tell 'ee wot, young maister, I've got thee noo, and'll keep thee, a'll be roite sure o' thot. Wur does 'ee live? and wur wast 'ee goin'?"

But

James Neville was utterly unprepared for this arrest, and completely thrown off his guard. He had not a word to say, so was silent. second thoughts, strengthened by his recollection of Tully's fine character, noble honesty, and withal stalwart strength, suggested to him that all he could do was to submit; for, no matter how just his cause of complaint, the porter actually had him by the arm, in a grip which promised to be a lasting one, or to last at least until he should get him under lock and key in some quiet room, where all the truth must come out at last.

"O ye ungrateful scapegrace! Maister Jim, ye be a thoughtless, bad boy, ye be. And if you knowed as how your mother and them bonnie sisters of yourn a bin a wailin' and pinin' for you these weeks agone. O ye heartless boy! ye'd a pitied the poor things and gone home, or wrote 'em a scrop of a note.'

Soon Jem was with his captor, crest-fallen and