way they moved their heads from side to side, a great deal of talking seemed to be going on, and they decided their original leader was not fit to lead, and they chose another, while he had to make his way into the line lower down. A little farther ing up in the opposite direction, and we were curious to see what would happen when they met, imagining they might perhaps have a fight; but such was not the case: they joined the others by degrees, and so made a much longer line and marched on. "We have since heard they climb some particular kind of trees, and make their nests in them, which has a very injurious effect, and often kills the trees, unless the branches are cut off which hold the nests." presented with by the empress. Another | them again to a standstill; and from the peculiar and exclusive order of people to be met with in Russia, though of a widely different sort, are those strange patriots known as the Old Religionists. The Russians are not much given to change, but these people are as conservative as the Chinese themselves. They detest all mod-on we saw another line of forty-four comern manners, insist upon wearing the old Russian caftan, and never cut their beards, allowing them to grow to prodigious length, from purely pious motives, because "man is made in the image of God." But still more singular is their religious objection to tobacco, for they look upon smokingso common in Russia-as a sin denounced by Scripture in the text, "Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man, but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man." One would think they might get over the difficulty by consuming their own smoke; but, as a matter of fact, the Old Religionists are so particular in this respect that there are special traktirs, or tea-houses, exclusively kept for them, and where the "fragrant weed" and the "pipe of peace" are rigidly tabooed. Yet these queer folks are only a few degrees more behind the age than most other children of the czar, and probably several generations will have to elapse before Russia better deserves to be called a civilized nation than that Turkey, whose barbarism she denounces, and is endeavoring to make the pretext of a war of ambition. From Hardwicke's Science-Gossip. PROCESSIONARY CATERPILLARS. "WHILE out for a walk the other day we came across a curious incident in natural history. At Cap Martin, about two miles from Mentone, our attention was attracted by something by the roadside which looked at a little distance like a long, thin serpent. At first we thought it best not to go very near, but curiosity prevailed, and upon closer inspection we found it was a long line, consisting of ninety-nine caterpillars, crawling in single file close after one another. Our curiosity led us to remove one from the middle, a little distance from the others, and we found his place was soon filled up; but he crawled back to them and edged his way into the line again. Then we removed the leader: this brought them for a time to a standstill. After a little while they began to move on, and then we put the original leader in his proper place, but this brought All In an interesting little work on "Insect Architecture," published in 1830, mention is made of these social caterpillars, the construction of their nests, and their processionary habits. The writer says: "It is remarkable that, however far they may ramble from their nest, they never fail to find their way back when a shower of rain or nightfall renders shelter necessary. It requires no great shrewdness to discover how they effect this; for by looking closely at their track it will be found that it is carpeted with silk, no individual moving an inch without constructing such a pathway both for the use of his companions and to facilitate his own return. these caterpillars, therefore, move more or less in processional order, each following the road which the first chance traveller has marked out with his strip of silk carpeting." Further remarks are made of two species "more remarkable than others in the regularity of their processional marchings." "These are found in the south of Europe, but are not indigenous in Britain. The one named by Réaumur the processionary (Cnethocampa processionea) feeds upon the oak; a brood dividing, when newly hatched, into one or more parties of several hundred individuals, which afterwards unite in constructing a common nest, nearly two feet long and from four to six inches in diameter. It is not divided into chambers, but consists of one large hall, so that it is not necessary that there should be more openings than one; and accordingly, when an individual goes out and carpets a path, the whole colony instinctively follow in the same track, though, from the immense population, they are often compelled to march in parallel files from two to six deep. The proces sion is always headed by a single caterpillar; sometimes the leader is immediately followed by one or two in single file, and sometimes by two abreast. A similar procedure is followed by a species of social caterpillar which feeds on the pine in Savoy and Languedoc, and their nests are not half the size of the preceding; they are more worthy of notice from the strong and excellent quality of their silk, which Réaumur was of opinion might be advantageously manufactured. Their nests consist of more chambers than one, but are furnished with a main entrance, through which the colonists conduct their foraging processions." The lady whose remarks are recorded above has since written that the species she observeed feeds upon the pine-trees in the neighborhood of Mentone. S. W. U. ITALIAN Comedy gives many hints for a Tartuffe; but they may be found in Boccaccio, as well as in Machiavelli's "Mandragola." The Frate Timoteo of this piece is only a very oily friar, compliantly assisting an intrigue with ecclesiastical sophisms (to use the mildest word) for payment. Native Italian comedy did not advance beyond the state of satire, and the priests were the principal objects of it. Priestly arrogance and unctuousness, and trickeries and casuistries, cannot be painted without our discovering a likeness in the long Italian, gallery. Goldoni sketched the Venetian manners of the decadence of the republic with a French pencil, and was an Italian scribe in style. The Spanish stage is richer in such comedies as that which furnished the idea of the "Menteur" to Corneille. But you must force yourself to believe that this liar is not forcing his vein when he piles lie upon lie. There is no preceding touch to win the mind to credulity. Spanish comedy is generally in sharp outline, as of skeletons, in quick movement, as of marionnettes. The comedy might be performed by a troop of the corps de ballet; and in the recollection of the reading it resolves to an animated shuffle of feet. It is, in fact, something other than the true idea of comedy. Where the sexes are separated, men and women grow, as the Portuguese call it, affaimados of one another, famine-stricken; and all the tragic elements are on the stage. Don Juan is a comic character that sends souls flying: nor does the humor of the breaking of a dozen women's hearts conciliate the comic muse with the drawing of blood. German attempts at comedy remind one vividly of Heine's image of his country in the dancing of Atta Troll. Lessing tried his hand at it, with a sobering effect upon readers. The intention to produce the reverse effect is just visible, and therein, like the portly graces of the poor old Pyrenean bear poising and twirling on his right hind-leg and his left, consists the fun. Jean Paul Richter gives the best edition of the German comic in the contrast of Siebenkäs with his Lenette. A light of the comic is in Goethe; enough to complete the splendid figure of the man, but no more. The German literary laugh, like the timid awakenings of their Barbarossa in the hollows of the Untersberg, is infrequent, and rather monstrous never a laugh of men and women in concert. It comes of unrefined abstract fancy, grotesque, or grim, or gross, like the peculiar humors of their little earthmen. Spiritual laughter they have not yet attained to; sentimentalism waylays them in the flight. Here and there a Volkslied or Märschen shows a national aptitude for stout animal laughter; and we see that the literature is built on it, which is hopeful so far; but to enjoy it, to enter into the philosophy of the broad grin, that seems to hesitate between the skull and the embryo, and reaches its perfection in breadth from the pulling of two square fingers at the corners of the mouth, one must have aid of "the good Rhine wine," and be of German blood unmixed besides. This treble-Dutch lumbersomeness of the comic spirit is of itself exclusive of the idea of comedy, and the poor voice allowed to women in German domestic life will account for the absence of comic dialogues reflecting upon life in that land. 66 each supposed, by a stretch of imagination, hidden in caves. All trace of this interto represent a man squatting down (tiki-esting relic of heathen antiquity is now tiki tangata). Some patterns are of lost. The shape of a god adze differed recent introduction, and being mere imita- at the back from those used by artisans in tions of European designs are destitute of being rounded underneath. These artithe significations which invariably attached sans were priests; to use an adze was to to ancient Polynesian carving. The large be a man of consequence, the skill necessquare holes are known as eel-borings sary in using it being invariably referred (ai tuna); the lateral openings are nat- back to the gods as its source. That the urally enough called "clefts" (kavava). Rev. J. Williams should be able to fell a To carve was the employment of sacred tree and build a vessel as well as to preach men. The national gods of Mangaia, and teach was in perfect harmony with with one exception, were carved in iron- their traditional ideas of a priest-chief. wood by one man, Rori, who was believed The improved art of carving and plaiting to have been specially assisted by the gods cinet, etc., was long ago introduced from for the purpose. The idols were called Tahiti by a worshipper of Tane. During "carvings" (tiki in the Hervey group, tii these employments songs were chanted in in the Tahitan and Society groups). The a soft low tone to the gods to aid their stone adzes were secured to their wooden work. Some of these stone adzes were hafts by means of fine cinet, itself esteemed intended for despatching their foes. Stone divine. It was fabled that the peculiar adzes are invariably used laterally, not perway in which the natives of Mangaia pendicularly as with our steel ones. Beds fasten their axes was originally taught of stone adzes are occasionally discovered. them by the gods. A famous god, named They generally consist of about a dozen Tanemataariki, i.e., Tane-of-royal-face, was adzes, large and small, arranged in a circonsidered to be enshrined in a sacred cle, the points being towards the centre. triple axe, which symbolized the three This "treasure-trove" would have been priestly families on the island, without the property of some family exterminated whose aid the gods could not be accepta- in war. The knowledge of the localities bly worshipped. Tane-of-royal-face was where to find them was of course carefully one of the very few much-respected gods handed down from one generation to annot surrendered to the missionaries, but other until the last of the tribe was gone. THE idea has recently occurred to some small one indeed. It will be remembered that French gentlemen of starting a national sub- the Prince of Monaco gave up the communes scription for the repurchase from Germany of of Roquebrune and Mentone to France in conthat part of Lorraine which was ceded by the sideration of the sum of four million francs. treaty of 1871; and it has already become It is also within living memory, though the necessary to warn the public against certain period seems far distant, that by the treaty of persons, who have constituted themselves col- June 11, 1857, the late king of Prussia relectors, but do not deem it necessary to ac-nounced his claims to the sovereignty of Neufcount for the funds entrusted to them. Meanwhile it has been suggested that before definitively organizing the grand Patriotic Association for the Recovery of Lorraine, it may be as well to ascertain if Germany is willing to sell the territory in question. Of course there is no lack of precedents. France herself sold Louisiana to the United States in 1803 for the modest sum of fifteen million dollars, while Russia sold Alaska in 1867 to the same power for seven million dollars. But European soil is not so readily sold, the latest transaction of this nature having been a very châtel, stipulating only for the title, and a Fifth Series, No. 1719.- May 26, 1877. SFrom Beginning, CONTENTS. I. HARRIET MARTINEAU'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY, Quarterly Review, "Chronicles of Carlingford," etc. Part XV., III. CHARLES Kingsley, IV. GREEN PASTURES AND PICCADILLY. William Black. Part XIV., V. A COMING CLOSE APPROACH OF MARS. By 451 By PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY BY LITTELL & GAY, BOSTON. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. For EIGHT DOLLARS, remitted directly to the Publishers, the LIVING AGE will be punctually forwarded for a year, free of postage. An extra copy of THE LIVING AGE is sent gratis to any one getting up a club of Five New Subscribers. Remittances should be made by bank draft or check, or by post-omce money-order, if possible. If neither of these can be procured, the money should be sent in a registered letter. All postmasters are obliged to register letters when requested to do so. Drafts, checks and money-orders should be made payable to the order of LITTELL & GAY. Single Numbers of THE LIVING AGE, 18 cents. SLEEP ON: A DIRGE. BASED ON THE FRENCH. I. THE daisies prank thy grassy grave; Below, the merry runnel sings. And swallows sweep with glancing wings : Sleep on, Marie, sleep on. II. Some whisper words of doubt and shame, Or, lightly laughing, breathe thy name : Sleep on. Slander may never harm thee now, God's gentle hand upon thy brow: Sleep on, Marie, sleep on. III. Calm as a summer sea at rest, Hushed into stillness life's sharp pain, SPRING SHOWERS. SWEET is the swart earth It will give the violets birth, The woodlands are dim-with dreams Of the region they lately have left; Like man and his thoughts of EdenOf something of which he's bereft. The stars they have left their veils And truths to be seen and heard, The pansies peep by the brook, OFT let me wander hand-in-hand with Thought In woodland paths and lone sequestered shades, What time the sunny banks and mossy glades, Of hoary winter; wanton, free, and fair! |