143 THE WEEKLY RECORD. In one ings in various places, and issuing printed statements. The people of England are far more heavily taxed than any other nation under heaven, as the following comparative statement will show: Taxation per Head per Annum The United States among the principal Nations. 0 9 THE CHURCH PLUNDERING THE MEETING HOUSE. My dear Howitts, In your report of some recent Church-rate larcenies in Bishopsgate ward, I observe the item of forty-two chairs taken from the Frien is Meeting-house. Has it occurred to you that these chairs may be intended for "free seats" in one of the many superfluous new churches about the metropolis? Such things are known to have come into fashion, since the public eye has been more observant than formerly of priestly avarice, and its sneaking temple-traffic. Now the seats in a Quaker's Meeting-house are well known to be all free, and as "our venerable establishment" is very much of a novice at doing anything without an equivalent, she may have felt it a great relief, to grab so many real original free seats ready made. The honesty of such doings she has yet to be taught how to estimate; but the lesson is arriving, and she must needs con it, either by persuasion, or under the rod. I am, yours faithfully, Avonside, Feb. 2, 1848. PROGRESS OF SOCIAL REFORMS. ELIAS. The numbers of reports that we receive of the movements of associations for social improvement, are at once cheering and perplexing. We find it impossible to state them at length. We must from time to time, content ourselves with a brief reference to the main facts of these reports, as below. I. THE ICARIANS. The effect of the government arrest of M. Cabet has been all that the friends of the cause could desire. The enthusiasm excited, and the propulsion given to the scheme of emigration is immense. It does not confine itself to France but already extends to England, Belgium, and Spain. Dr. Rovira has taken his departure with the Avant-garde of the French Icarians, who embarked at Havre on the 3rd instant, as the pioneers of the Spanish, and particularly the Barcelona Icarians, who are about to purchase a vessel furnished with everything, both necessary for the voyage and for their settlement on their arrival in Texas; and who propose to sail in March. The Avant-garde, consisting of 69 healthy and intelligent men, made a sort of triumphal procession to Havre, amid the great excitement of the people. We are happy to announce that Mr. Sully, the agent of the Icarian Society in London, has not been shipwrecked, as Goodwyn Barmby supposed, on the coast of Spain. The Committee have received a most cheering account of his voyage from him, dated January 12th, at the Virgin Isles, on his route for New Orleans, so that he hopes to be at Texas to receive the Freneh Avant garde. So far, all bids fair for this great enterprise. The main drawback to our expectations for the future being, however, the dreadful state of society in Texas from the influx of slaveowners and abandoned Americans since the annexation. M. Cabet's colony will enjoy protection from their numbers; and there lies the chief hope for them. Of climate and fertility there can be no question. II. UPHOLSTERERS' INSTITUTE. Russia Austria Prussia France England 9 And wherefore is this? Mark well the following figures. The interest of the National Debt, every penny of which was incurred by the War system, amounts annually to £28,045,000. Add to this the present annual cost for the Army, Navy, and Ordnance, together with the charge of collecting the taxes for these, of £20,000,000 more. England are taxed more than double the amount of any other It will thus appear, that if the people of nation, and more than four times that of most nations, it is because 178. 6d. out of every pound they pay, is brought upon them by the past or present cost of War operations and establishments. And yet, with all these facts staring us in the face, it is now proposed to introduce a measure still further to augment taxation for similar purposes, IV. EARLY CLOSING MOVEMENT IN HAWICK. Through the instrumentality of the young men in their employ, the Grocers, Drapers, Tobacconists, and others, with very few exceptions, have agreed to shut their places of business at seven o'clock during the winter months, and at eight o'clock throughout the rest of the year. V. PROGRESS OF THE EARLY CLOSING MOVEMENT IN About three months ago, after a steady though protracted The "The practice of early shop-shutting, by the avarice of masters, the thoughtlessness of the public, and the indifference of shopmen themselves, is now little more than a name. In scarcely a shop in the city is business suspended at the appointed hour. Grocers and other dealers put up their shutters in sufficient time, but the doors are kept open long after, and all who enter to purchase are served, whatever may be the hour. The result of a movement, which has cost so much time and agitation, and received the sympathies of all good men, by want of di cretion on the part of the public, and a little exercise of firmness on the part of the young men, is gradually being destroyed." This witness is true. Closing Association, on Thursday night, to those employers who A supper was given by a few members of the Grocers' Early had remained faithful to their engagement, when the interchange of sentiment on both sides was such as to gratify every real philanthropist and lover of equality, and to give evidence of approaching amelioration. Too long has a false dignity seWe regret to learn that this excellent association, which has parated the served from the servant. set so laudable an example to the other trades of quitting pub-revelation; too long has the latter fawned and crouched on moToo long has the former assumed airs of superiority sanctioned neither by reason nor lic houses, and holding their festive meetings with their wives and female relatives at places where temperance and intellectual enjoyment may prevail, has suffered a severe loss from the defalcation of a confidential member, and is in need of a helping hand from institutions of a similar character and object. The Committee-room is in Great Marlborough-street. III. PEACE SOCIETY.-NATIONAL DEFENCES. The Peace Society is manfully at work to defeat the plundering schemes of the Aristocracy. They are holding public meet nied ignorance. "A better time is coming." Such meetings as the above are its harbingers. Up, men of independent mind in both classes, up! up! Give to the world not your theory, but your practice of thoroughly benevolent Christian masters, served by devoted diligent servants. The bulk of the Goldsmiths, Watchmakers, and Jewellers, also, about the beginning of winter, agreed to close their places of business at seven o'clock-an hour earlier than the others and so far as I have had opportunities of observation, have kept regularly to their time. gious bodies in the city, were requested to bring the subject The Curriers and Leather Merchants have just announced their determination to shut also at seven o'clock. A printed bill, which I now enclose, gives the names of the various employers. The same has been done by the Ironmongers. Most of the Drapers are now closing at seven o'clock, although inside work and open doors after that hour are lamentably prevalent. Two or three firms, whose names ought to be published, are particularly noted for this. One of them, a bang-up cheap Young men, shop-assistants of Glasgow, of London, of Briestablishment, where a great number of young men are em-tain, your hopes, doubtless, have been crushed by the failure of ployed, and where a great amount of business is done, makes it a scheme you thought would emancipate at once your mind and Make it your business, by a regular practice to work inside one hour, two hours, and your body, but hope on, work on. sometimes three hours after the street-door is shut. They means of tracts, lectures, public meetings, &c., thoroughly to came out lately in a newspaper advertisement somewhat to this enlighten the public mind as to your position, influence, aims, and requirements, and the public once gained, everything is effect:Owing to the great press of business, our young men have gained; opposition, if offered, will be feeble, and soon vanagreed to sacrifice their dinner hour, and we, on our part, have quished; you will advance to knowledge, feast upon her trea resolved to close our warehouses at six o'clock; we hope, there-sures, and take your place as the lights of the nation. No fore, that our numerous friends and the public will come for- slumber, then, no sleep! ward and make their purchases before then. Glasgow, 5th Feb., 1848. WHITTINGTON CLUB. J. B. J. What is the result? Still the deceptive, roguish, inside work continues; and with aching stomach and wearied limbs, the young men frequently sit down to dinner at eight o'clock p.m. ! Yet such employers have the impudence to appear on the plat- Besides the many privileges which the members of this club form at our public meetings, and express great sympathy with have for some time past been enjoying, there have recently been their assistants. Thus they impose on the public, and the pub- some interesting classes established for the benefit of the Instilic-aptly termed, "a gullible animal"-heaps upon them its tution. Both the City and West End branches have now Disfavours and caresses. What can the young men do at a time cussion and Elocution classes, which are likely to be well like the present, when trade is so wretchedly bad? Why, they attended, and to be productive of great benefit. On Tuesday evenmust submit to the treatment, and keep quiet. Expostulation ing the 1st inst., the Discussion Class of the City branch held its or temperate resistance would, in most cases, cast them penni-weekly meeting, when the question of "Our National Defences," less on the wide world. When selfish and unprincipled men which was proposed by Mr. Passmore Edwards, was searchingly After an interesting and spirited discussion, the can get hundreds, aye thousands, to do their work uncomplain-investigated. ingly, at a rate of compensation barely sufficient to keep body proposer of the question replied at some length to many of the and soul together, they will not submit to be lectured by an in-statements made on the other side, and judging from the feeling ferior, even mildly, on humanity, justice, or benevolence. Disunion appears to be the chief element in the failure, past and present, of the Early Closing Reform in Glasgow. It is so in all our popular reformatory movements. The moral power of individuals can only make itself felt when bearing unitedly and harmoniously on a given object; when divided, its strength becomes weakness. One man is not thoroughly convinced of the badness of such-and-such a cause, therefore he intermits his efforts and vigilance for its downfall; another is jealous of his neighbour's reputation or influence, so he gratifies this personal animosity by injuring in some shape the common good; another, of a quarrelsome temper, resents a supposed insult by abandoning his professed principles; multitudes are similarly influenced; thus the defection goes on, till the whole scheme is frustrated. So in the present case. One employer agrees reluctantly to be sure, but still as the movement appears general, and as his neighbours are signing the requisition, he He observes the agrees to close his shop at a particular time. regulation for a few nights; customers, however, somehow crowd in upon him just as he is about to shut the door; he can't thrust them out; a few shillings more are added to the day's proceeds; the assistant's time is encroached upon, and An by and by the old long-hour system is resumed as before. opposite neighbour, grasping and avaricious, who, ever since the first night's experiment of short hours, has been eager to detect a transgressor, now sees the above, and, emboldened by precedent, forthwith becomes the public's servant till-any o'clock Others, after the novelty has subsided, lose all interest in it, and swing back, like a struck pendulum, to their old regular pace. Thus the game goes on, till the whole affair is completely dished. Here comes in the necessity of public action. If the public were deeply convinced of the evils resulting from long hours of business to themselves and others, and firmly resolved to put a stop to them by making their purchases during daylight, or at least early in the evening, it is not likely that shopkeepers would pay for two or three hours'gas, or keep a number of persons hanging on, when there was nothing to do. I know there are some hard-headed, hard-hearted persons, who, even in such oircumstances, would contrive to spin out the young men's time to its utmost length, sooner than let them have it to themselves; but these are in the minority, and public odium would soon shame them into liberality. Hitherto the Early Closing Movement in Glasgow has been regarded more as a matter of accommodation between master and servant, than one on which public feeling must be elicited, and public influence must decide. Some time ago, the ministers of different reli of the assembly as manifested by warm demonstrations of ap- CONTENTS. These Conspiracy against the Sugar-Pot. By WILLIAM HOWITT— PRINTED for the Proprietor by WILLIAM LOVETT, of 16, South 1 1 PRICE 10. STAMPED, 24d MEMOIR OF ANNA CORA MOWATT. BY MARY HOWITT. Her dawn Was bright with sunbeams whence is drawn A sure prognostic, that the day Philip van Artevelde. IT has been my happy lot to introduce many noble and distinguished Americans to our readers. Again another American worthy of our warmest regard is amongst us, let us hasten to show this regard in the best manner we are capable of, let us hold forth a hand of fellowship, and speak those kind words of welcome which are always so cheering to the heart of the stranger. Our readers need not be told that we consider the stage as capable of becoming one of the great means of human advance and improvement; and for this reason it is that we especially rejoice to see amongst its ornaments men and women, not only of surpassing talent and genius, but which is far higher and much rarer, of high moral character and even deep religious feeling. Let not the so-called religious world start at this assertion; we know what we say, and we fearlessly assert that there is many a poor despised player, whose Christian graces of faith, patience, charity, and self-denial, put to shame the vaunted virtues of the proud pharisee; nor are they always the purest who talk most about purity. Welcome then, and doubly welcome be all such reformers as come amongst us, not only with the high argument of their own pure and blameless lives, but who having passed through suffering and trial know experimentally how to teach, and who teach through the persuasive power of genius and the benign influence of a noble, womanly spirit! Anna Cora Mowatt was born in Bordeaux. Mr. Ogden, her fatherwas a man of large fortune, the capitalist in the well-known Miranda expedition into South America. which ultimately involved him in ruin. He then embarked in mercantile business, which connecting him with Europe, caused him to remove from the United States with his family to Bordeaux, where he resided some years. The wife of this gentleman belonged to a family of high standing in America. She was the grandaughter of that Francis Lewis, whose signature, with those of so many other noble republicans, is affixed to the Declaration of Independence; and whose brother, General Morgan Lewis, distinguished himself greatly in the revolutionary war. Mr. Ogden had a large family; of seventeen children living, by his first wife he had fourteen children, the tenth of whom is Mrs. Mowatt. The years spent in France were delightful, and Anna's recollections of her childhood are of the most pleasing kind. Her father's mercantile transactions being very successful, enabled him to live in a magnificent old chateau, in the immediate neighbourhood of the town to which-as is often the case in these old French houses-a theatre was attached. Little Anna, as well as such other of the children as were born at this place, became French citizens, it being the law of Bordeaux that all children born there should be so registered, within four and twenty hours of their birth. She was then according to legal registration, presented to the needful authorities, within the specified time, and made a citizen of France. It is a singular fact that although neither of the parents had a more decided taste for the stage than people of cultivated minds have commonly, yet that all the young members of this numerous family had more or less a degree of histrionic talent, which this domestic theatre enabled them to indulge. Amongst Anna's earliest recollections is one particular occasion on which "Othello" was performed. The elder brothers and sisters furnished sufficiert persons for almost all the characters of the play, whilst the younger ones, Anna amongst them, were dressed up in wigs and gowns, and served to personate the judges in the first act. One little domestic custom is worthy of mention, as being not only interesting in itself, but as calling forth the poetical tastes and feelings of the children. On the birthdays of the parents, the children entered the breakfast room in procession, walking two and two, beginning with the eldest and going down to the youngest, to offer congratulations to the parents, and to present a bouquet and poem, which they had either composed themselves or had carefully copied out. These poems were often the labour of weeks and even months, and all the little talent that the children possessed was exhibited in them, not only in their literary composition but in their embellishment; for as some of them had considerable talent for drawing this was an opportunity for its exhibition which was not to be missed. Speaking of this talent, we may as well mention here that as they grew up, some of them cultivated it to a great extent, and Charlotte, the eldest, in after years, having married unfortunately, and having five children to maintain, became a professional artist, and succeeded so well as to provide a handsome maintenance for herself and family. Wishing to perfect herself still more she left America for Paris, where she studied with unexampled industry, and having exhibited pictures at the Academy of Drawing and although her name was unknown there, and amid thousands of native competitors, she carried off the highest prize. Her devotion to her art and her anxiety for her children, however, were more than her strength could sustain, and at an early age she died. veral others of this remarkably endowed family have turned their attention to literature, and one of the sisters has distinguished herself by her theological works which take a high rank. These works have all a Swedenborgian tendency. Se The But now to revert to Anna. At about six years of age she returned with her family to America. They embarked at Havre, and on reaching the gulf-stream were wrecked. During the first commotion and dismay of the tempest in which they suffered, two of the brothers, one nine the other eleven, were swept overboard. distress and agony of the mother were indescribable--as yet there had been no deaths among her children; the youngest only was recovered, and to the end of her days she continued to bewail the one thus lost, who to her yearning and bereaved heart seemed the most beautiful and bright of all her children. The crew and passengers remained for many days on the wreck suffering extremely, and at length when nearly perishing of cold and hunger, they were rescued by a vessel and taken back to Havre, whence they again embarked and reached their native land in safety. Mr. Ogden settled in New York in his old family residence, and where the children still pursued their theatrical amusements, at the same time that no pains nor expense were spared in perfecting their education. As Anna grew older she became remarkable for her exquisite talent in reading aloud. It is customary in American schools to cultivate this faculty much more than with us, and in this respect they are wiser than we; whether they are so in some other particulars which we will mention seems to us doubtful. It is customary even in ladies schools of the highest reputation and fashion in the United States as it was in this country half a century ago, to have public examinations and public distributions of prizes. The manner of the thing this: the day before the school vacation commences, a numerous company assembles according to invitations sent out; ין the young ladies are publicly examined, and prizes awarded according to the degree of proficiency displayed; a play, generally a French one is performed by the children, and if the school be large, two and even three are exhibited that all the school may have a chance of distinguishing themselves in some way; to this succeeds performances in instrumentai music and singing, and the whole concludes with a ball in which all unite. It was on these occasions as a school-girl that Anna obtained her first triumphs--the prizes for reading and recitation was always hers, while her skill as a juvenile actress drew the attention of every one. younger At thirteen she was a literal devourer of books; she read immensely, and among other works great numbers of French plays, altering several of Voltaire's for private theatricals, in which she took part. One of these, Alzire," which was represented on her mother's birthday, and in which she performed the heroine, led to an important event in her life; but, before we speak of this, we must turn back a year or two. Mr. Mowatt, a lawyer of wealth in New York, having become acquainted with the elder sister Charlotte, the artist, was introduced by her to her family. At this time Anna ranked among the branches of the family, and belonged rather to the school-room and nursery, according to the arrangements of American domestic life, than to the drawing-room and its visitors. But though she was not permitted to take her place there, her curiosity being much excited by all she had heard about this new acquaintance of her sister's, she resolved, at all events, to get sight of him and judge for herself. Coming in, therefore, one day from school, and hearing that he was there, she rushed into the drawing-room where otherwise she had no business, with her satchel of books on her arm, her straw hat carelessly thrown on her head, and her beautiful hair flying wildly upon her shoulders, and having given a sly glance at the much-talked of visitor, departed abruptly. "Who is that?" asked he, no little astonished at the sudden appearance and departure of the little girl. "It is only one of the children," returned the sister; "she has no business here." 'Do send for her again!" begged he with a sentiment very unexpected even to himself. The child was recalled but would not come. On leaving the house he met her, however, in the hall, and then the thought again passed through his mind, "If ever I marry woman I have now seen my wife." From this day he became a constant visitor in the family, and whilst his feelings were still unknown to all, took upon himself the pleasant and grateful task of cultivating the taste of the young girl, and of directing her mind, which had hitherto been almost entirely devoted to light literature, to more important and beneficial study. This continued for nearly two years, at which time the play of " Alzire" was got up in the family, the character of Alzire being performed by Anna. She was then but fourteen. The following day Mr. Mowatt declared his passion, and made a formal proposal to her parents, which was accepted by all parties, with but one restriction, namely, that they should not be united until she had attained her seventeenth year, her extreme youth being the only objection to the marriage. This new state of affairs made no difference in her life; she still went to school as formerly, and still found her best and most efficient instructor in her affianced husband, who took the utmost pride and delight in his intelligent and accomplished pupil. We do not like hackneyed phrases, even though they be Shakspere's, but in this case we must make use of one, because none better can be found, "the course of this true love did not run smooth." In spite of the good off. the lover will and countenance of both father and mother The 17th of October was the father's birthday, and this occasion, as usual, was to be celebrated by the performance of a play. The piece selected was the Mourning Bride," the part of Almira being, as a matter of course, given to Anna. For weeks beforehand had the play been in preparation; new dresses were made, parts studied and rehearsals had. Anna perhaps entered with all the more zest into her part because, about two months before she had, for the first time in her life, been within the walls of a regular theatre. Nothing was talked of, or apparently thought of among the young people, but this celebration of the father's birthday, which was intended to be more than ordinarily splendid. A very unexpected termination, however, was put to all these theatrical doings-unexpected, at least, to all but two members of the family, who knew that the 6th was fixed for Anna's wedding-day. As her notions were very proper and aristocratic, she resolved to be married by no less a personage than the bishop, and the lover accordingly waited upon this dignitary of the church to announce his intentions and engage his services. The bishop, to whom all parties were known, refused to perform the ceremony, stating that he had daughters of his own, and the example which he should thus sanction would be bad for them. From the bishop he went to another noted clergyman, but he again refused on the plea that Anna's family attended his church. A third was applied to, but he also had some reason for declining. At length, hearing of It seemed quite a hopeless affair. a French clergyman who had eloped with his wife, Mr. Mowatt applied to him, for he certainly could have no objection, and with him the whole business was satisfactorily arranged. Before we get them married, however, we must be allowed to remark that it was a singular fact that, though three of the most respectable clergymen in the city knew that such a marriage was clandestinely to take place, not one betrayed them, so great was the confidence that all had in the parties themselves. Some months after the marriage, the bishop meeting Mrs. Mowatt, voluntarily gave to her his blessing, which he had refused to her on a former occasion. The 6th of October came, as beautiful a morning as ever dawned upon earth; and Anna having put on her. new embroidered cambric muslin dress with white roses and a sprig of geranium in her hair, went into the parlour where both father and mother were sitting, kissed them both, and then left the house, neither of them taking the slightest notice of her dress or appearance. Her sister accompanied her; the bridegroom and his friends met them on their way to the French clergyman's, where the |