184 PRESENCE OF MIND. be thrown into a paroxysm of the same feeling by events of greater moment; nor is it less true that a steady and sober way of viewing small matters will fit us for viewing great ones without the excitement which produces confusion of mind. We verily believe that the stupid habit of getting up a clamor about trifles, has led in many instances to that wildness of alarm in cases of danger which not only forbids escape to the unhappy being exhibiting it, but tends to paralyze and endanger others. The general safety often depends on an entire suppression of excitement and out sequence that every person should be trained to a quiet, not to speak of a firm manner of acting under trivial difficulties. HE differences of the conduct of individuals in situations of danger and sudden emergency are very striking nor do we always find the best conduct in such circumstances from those who act best in the ordinary affairs of life. Often has it happened that a clever shrewd man of the world, has lost all reflection and power to act when un-cry, and it is therefore of the greatest conexpectedly overtaken by danger; and not less frequently do we see prompt and vigorous conduct manifested, on like occasions, by women who have never before given token of their being in any respect endowed above their neighbors. Presence of mind thus appears as something not necessarily to be found in union with high intellect or skill. A cunning bravery of the timid, a cowardly, but laudably cowardly adroitness of the brave, it sometimes almost appears as an inspiration; and yet we know that it is but a natural endowment, capable, like all others, of being cultivated in everybody by the use of appropriate means. We have heard of a gentleman who took his son to bathe, and actually threw him into a situation of danger, in order to elicit and train his presence of mind: we also know that barbarous nations of warlike character use similar methods with their youth, by way of fitting them for every kind of peril and ambuscade. It is not, perhaps, desirable that any such plans should be resorted to in our present civilized circumstances; but certainly there is much need to prepare the minds of the young for difficulties and crises, by a full explanation of such as are still likely to occur in the course of life, and by accustoming them as far as possible to habits of prompt action and self-reliance. Much might be done in parlor existence, merely by establishing a certain cool manner for the treatment of all extraordinary matters; for we are so greatly creatures of habit, that, if we allow ourselves to be thrown into an excitement by all the little out-of-the-way occurrences of life, we are extremely likely to The value of such conduct on occasions of peril involving many lives, was never perhaps better exemplified than in the destruction of the Kent East Indiaman by fire, when not even from the women and children was one sound of alarm heard, the consequence of which was, that the officers and sailors were enabled to do all that was possible in the circumstances for the preservation of the people on board, and the whole of the procedure connected with their transference to the saving-vessel was conducted with as much regularity and almost as much safety, as if it had taken place on an ordinary occasion. striking contrast was the scene on board the Halse well, where the two daughters of the captain, losing all self-command, threw themselves upon their father with such frantic cries and lamentations, as overwhelmed his naturally intrepid mind, and thus extinguished the energies upon which at the moment so much depended. In We so continually, in the journals of the day, see evil consequences from want of presence of mind, in circumstances where the proper conduct has long been generally agreed upon, that we might be tempted to believe it a quality beyond mortal reach, if we were not aware how many things, which appear notorious to all, are in reality unknown to many. Hardly a week passes without telling us of a female having caught fire and lost her life in consequence of rushing out into the open air, instead of rolling herself in a carpet, or at least prostrating herself on the floor. Panics occasionally take place in theatres | their infant in his arms. It proved to be and churches, and scores of lives are lost but a pillow which he had snatched up in by a crowding to the door : not one instance his haste! A moment devoted to a steady, do we remember of an alarm in such thoughtful consideration of the circumstanplaces of resort being attended by the prop-ces, might in all these cases have been er conduct-sitting still. Individuals are attended with the opposite consequences. also still much given to throwing themselves out of runaway carriages, an act which may be pronounced the very opposite of the proper conduct. But the fact is, that, while some of these errors are the consequence of mere confusion of mind, many are also the result of ignorance. The right conduct in situations of difficulty is far from being generally impressed, as it ought to be, on the minds of the young. Or, if it has been taught as a lesson, there has at least been no effort to train the mind to look to it as the only course of action in which there is the least safety; so that when the critical moment arrives, we are still too prone to act upon some mere instinct for self-preservation. Presence of mind is exemplified in its simplest form, where all that is necessary is to take a deliberate view of the circumstances, and then do that which seems most advantageous. It may be shown, for example, in a choice between the door and window in a case of fire, or in the selection of something to be saved, as that which is most important. In the year 1716, when a captain came with his troop to execute the vengeance of the government upon the house of a Jacobite gentleman in Perthshire, he humanely gave the inmates a few minutes to remove whatever they deemed most valuable. A lady, the sister of the absent landlord, flew to the storeroom, thinking to save the plate; when she afterward inspected the contents of her apron on the lawn, she found, too late, that she had only rescued a quantity of old candlesticks, butter-boats, and similar trash. A gentleman just escaped from a fire in his house, joyfully told his congratulating friends that, in the midst of the confusion, he had been able to open a drawer and save his principal papers. He emptied his pockets, and found only scraps of no use, which had chanced to lie in the same place. We have also heard of a gentleman and his wife who escaped with great difficulty from their burning house, he bearing, as he thought, Presence of mind is occasionally shown in quick conception of some device or expedient, such as we usually suppose to be an emanation of superior intellect. This has been repeatedly exemplified in rencontres with the insane. A lady was one evening sitting in her drawing-room alone, when the only other inmate of the house, a brother, who for a time had been betraying a tendency to unsoundness of mind, entered with a carving-knife in his hand, and shutting the door, came up to her and said, "Margaret, an odd idea has occurred to me. I wish to paint the head of John the Baptist, and I think yours might make an excellent study for it. So, if you please, I will cut off your head." The lady looked at her brother's eye, and seeing in it no token of a jest, concluded that he meant to do as he said. There was an open window and a balcony by her side, with a street in front; but a moment satisfied her that safety did not lie that way. So putting on a smiling countenance, she said, with the greatest apparent cordiality, "That is a strange idea, George; but wouldn't it be a pity to spoil this pretty new lace tippet I have got? I'll just step to my room to put it off, and be with you again in half a minute." Without waiting to give him time to consider, she stepped lightly across the floor, and passed out. In another moment she was safe in her own room, whence she easily gave an alarm, and the madman was secured. Some anecdotes of escapes from assassins and robbers, by the prompt exercise of presence of mind, are much to the same purpose. A young man, travelling in one of the public coaches, was much interested by the accounts of robberies which his fellow-passengers were detailing. An old gentleman mentioned that he always took the precaution of secreting his money in his boot, merely keeping silver for his incidental expenses in his pocket. The old gentleman appeared to be captivated with the politeness and intelligence of the young man, to whom he addressed much of his conversation, who on his part was equally pleased with the kindness and urbanity of his elder companion. Thus some hours had passed agreeably, when, just at nightfall, as they were passing a wild and lonely moor, the coach was stopped by robbers, who rifled the pockets of those nearest to them, giving the old gentleman a hearty execration for having his purse so badly furnished. They came last to the young man, who was seated in the far corner, and demanded his purse. "I never carry any money," said he. "We'll not take your word for that," said his assailants. Indeed I don't," said the young man; "my uncle always pays for us both, and there he is," continued he, pointing to the old gentleman, "and he has got our money in his boot." The old gentleman was dragged from the coach, his boot pulled off, and three ten-pound notes were found. He was then suffered to resume his seat, and the coach drove on. Hot was his anger, and bitter were his upbraidings, against his betrayer, whom he did not hesitate to accuse both of treachery and pusillanimity. The young man listened in silence, as if ashamed and conscience-stricken. They passed over some miles, and at length reached an inn by the wayside. The travellers alighted, and on going in, the young man requested the old gentleman would allow him to say a few words in private. They retired into a room by themselves. "I have not only to ask your pardon, my dear sir," said the young man, "but to thank you for the fortunate expedient with which your confidence furnished me, and to hand to you the sum of thirty pounds, in lieu of that which I appeared so unceremoniously to point out to the robbers. I am sure you will forgive me, when I tell you that the note-case in my pocket contained notes for £500, the loss of which would have been utter ruin to me." It need scarcely be added, that the adopted uncle shook hands cordially with his young acquaintance, and took him into more marked favor than ever. But there are more painful tests to which presence of mind may be put than even personal danger, however great. It is when, seeing a beloved object in imminent peril, one inadvertent word, one pas sionate exclamation, one burst of sensibility, might increase the risk tenfold. It were needless to insist on the urgent necessity of presence of mind, in the form of self-command, at such a time, and we will merely illustrate the subject by an example where the strongest sensibilities of our nature were suppressed, while some, without one particle more of affection, but many thousand degrees less of sense and self-control, would have screamed, or fainted, or acted so as to hurry on the catastrophe most dreaded. A lady one day returning from a drive, looked up and saw two of her children, one about five, and the other about four years old, outside the garret window, which they were busily employed in rubbing with their handkerchiefs, in imitation of a person whom they had seen a few days before cleaning the windows. They had clambered over the bars which had been intended to secure them from danger. The lady had sufficient command over herself not to appear to observe them; she did not utter one word, but hastened up to the nursery, and instead of rushing forward to snatch them in, which might have frightened them, and caused them to lose their balance, she stood a little apart, and called gently to them, and bade them come in. They saw no appearance of hurry or agitation in their mamma, so took their time, and deliberately climbed the bars, and landed safely in the room. One look of terror, one tone of impatience from her, and the little creatures might have become confused, and lost their footing, and been destroyed. It has sometimes happened that, in hurry and confusion, a wrong medicine has been administered by the hand of one who would have sacrificed life to save a beloved object from the danger with which they were threatened by a sudden illness or accident, and who, had they preserved their presence of mind, might have been spared one of the bitterest misfortunes that can be conceived. To have self-possession in such a case, may be life and health to one who is everything to us. It may happen, too, that illness or accident may overtake us while away from medical aid, or distant from any friend. Presence of mind may also be brought NEAPOLITAN MACCARONI-EATERS. 187 to bear with good effect in many of the trivial conjunctures of life. It is often shown in a ready answer, turning anger into good humor, or overturning a false accusation, which otherwise might have proved troublesome. There can be no question that it may be improved for serious emergencies by being cultivated in these familiar and more simple cases. But there is one caution to be observedlet presence of mind be used only as a defence. When employed for purposes of deception, or to advance selfish objects, we may admire it as an intellectual feature, but regret must at the same time arise, that the direction given to it is one in which we can not sympathise. MUSIC. WHAT is that strange enchantment which results from harmonious sounds given forth by an instrument or the human voice? We call it music, but what is there in the harmony of sounds or the melody of voices, that should so strangely affect the human mind? The infant falls into a gentle slumber while listening to the cradle-song of a watchful mother or nurse. The proud and haughty spirit of the boy is subdued by the charms of song. The wayward youth is roused from his profligacy and melted to tears and penitence, by the recurrence of some simple melody heard often in childhood. The heart of manhood is chastened and mellowed, and the soul lifted from earth as it listens to or joins in the swelling anthems of the sanctuaries of God. Under the influence of martial music, the soldier rushes heedless to slaughter and death. The spirit-stirring drum must be beaten and heard above the discharge of musketry and roar of cannon, to nerve him to conflict. The Marseilles hymn will rouse the populace of France to madness, and the British soldier dies upon the field of battle in triumph, if he can but listen to his national anthem. And why is this, if the soul of man be not itself an exquisite instrument, attuned to the harmonies of the universe-an immortal harp, whose strings catch the breath of every melody? NEAPOLITAN MACCARONI-EATERS. ACCARONI or maccheroni (the learned are divided as to the orthography and etymology of the word)is the principal food of the poorer, and the favorite dish of all classes of Neapolitans. So much is this the case, that the people of Naples have had for many ages the nickname of " Mangia-maccaroni," or maccaroni-eaters. M The best maccaroni is made entirely of the grano duro; but, in the inferior qualities, this is sometimes mixed with soft wheat. The conversion of the flourwhich is somewhat more coarsely ground than that intended for bread-into the long, round strings called maccaroni, is effected by a very simple process. With the addition of water alone, the flour is worked up into paste, and this paste is kneaded for a length of time, by a heavy, loaded block of wood, which beats into the trough where the paste is deposited; this block or piston is attached to a beam, acting as a lever, whose fulcrum is near to the block, while the other extremity of the beam is some eight or ten feet from the fulcrum. One or more men or boys seat themselves astride at the further end of this beam, and descending with their own weight, and springing up by putting their feet to the ground, give the requisite reciprocating motion to the lever. They, in fact, play at see-saw with the block at the shorter end of the lever; and the effect produced on the eye of a stranger by a large manufactory where several of these machines and a number of sturdy fellows, nearly naked, and all bobbing up and down, are at work, has something exceedingly ludicrous in it. When the paste has been sufficiently kneaded, it is forced, by simple pressure, through a number of circular holes, the sizes of which determine the name to be given to the substance. That of superior diameter is maccaroni, that smaller is vermicelli, and that smaller still is called fedelini. The maccaroni is hollow throughout, and many persons have |