NEGATIVE.

Contrast our knuckle-down policy on all international questions to France, Russia, and the United States, with the manner in which we bravado it over the semi-civilized nations, and we shall scarcely feel that our Government can have been right in acting upon mere suspicion as if it were proven guilt, and accepting the impression of our consul in opposition to the express assurance of the Brazilian Government, forwarded diplomatically, as the only authentic view of the case. At all events, we are not so strict and imperious in our resentment of similar matters, in concerns of the same nature, arising between the greater nations and ourselves; and, therefore, our dealing with Brazil was imprudent and improperimprudent because it indicated conscious weakness, which is always tyrannical to the weaker; and improper, because we deal a different measure to the strong country than to the weak, while justice has an equal law for each and ali.TOM JONES.

We are perfectly at a loss to conceive what motive could have influenced Her Majesty's Government in taking so impolitic a step with regard to Brazil, not only calling upon that country to compensate for the plunder of a vessel which we venture to submit could not have been justly claimed, but also, with the most surpassing sang froid, estimating a separate item as a set off to certain murders supposed to have been cominitted somewhere in that locality, but of which fact there is, unfortunately, not the slightest proof. The Brazilian Government have made every endeavour to discover the offenders, but have been totally unable to obtain any information on the point. With regard to the reprisals ordered by the English Government, we do not think such a policy can call for a single comment on our side of the argument; the insult is too clearly intelligible, and too evidently inex

cusable. Under these orders, five vessels were taken and detained as hostages, amounting, as the Brazilian Minister has with reason complained, to a practical declaration of war." In order, however, to dispense with further annoyance, they have, on the demand of our Foreign Minister, paid the sum claimed, amounting altogether to £3,200 We need of course, scarcely refer to the case lately decided by the King of the Belgians, as to a fearful insult offered to Her Majesty's navy by arresting, on civil authority, three naval officers in plain dress, and without a sign to indicate their appointment. The royal arbiter appears to have taken a very rational view of the case, and has adjudged that, as the only executive parties were the police, acting in discharge of their duty, no blame could be attached to the higher authorities, who, on its coming to their notice, ordered an immediate release. Surely the comity of nations, the just and equitable rules of international law, are not to be so lightly discharged, so unceremoniously dismissed from view; surely no one who is acquainted with the circumstances, and unbiassed by partiality, will say we are without sufficient premises, when we assert that the Government of Great Britain has not only deviated from sound po icy, but has acted with the greatest imprudence and impropriety in the whole of her conduct towards that of Brazil. -W. H. S.

The Brazilian difficulty was not so much a piece of John Bullism as John Bullyism. In it we exacted requital through fear, not conviction; and by it we have left a rankling feeling of injustice in the minds of the Brazilese. How differently did we act towards the Northern States, when Wilkes' act was repudiated by his Government; for we did not hold them liable for that underling's insane attempt to violate the rights of nations.-THEODORE.

QUESTIONS REQUIRING ANSWERS. 390. I have read with pleasure

Gibbon's "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," and for some time have been endeavouring to get a work on the same subject preparatory thereto, tracing up the rise of the empire to the period where Gibbon commences his history. As I live at a distance from any public library, and have therefore no means of examining the contents of many works on the subject, will some one kindly furnish me with a list of one or two of the best works published, with their prices.-HISTORICUS.

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS.

387. Caviare.-"'Twas caviare to the general," in Hamlet II.ii., is explained by Dr S. Johnson to mean, "too good for, or above the comprehension of; so called from a delicacy made of the roe of sturgeons, eaten by the quality." Giles Fletcher, in his Russe Commonwealth," 1591, speaks of the fish as

very good and delicate," "as," he says, "the belloga, or bellogina, of four or five elnes long; the ostringa, or sturgeon, but not so thicke nor long. These four kinds of fish breed in the Volgha, and are catched in great plenty, and served thence into the whole realme for a great food. Of the roes of these foure kinds, they make very great store of icary or caveary," p. 11.

John Marston, in "What you will," II. i., says,

"A man can scarce put on a tuckt-up

cap,

A buttoned frizado sute; scarce eate
good meate.
Anchovies, caviare, but hee's satired,
And termed phantasticall."

Ben Jonson, in "Cynthia's Revels," III. i.,-" Come, let us go and taste some light dinner, a dish of sliced caviare, or so."

William Cartwright, "The Ordinary," II. i.,

"That weapons be not wanting, We'll have a dozen of bones well charged with marrow,

For ordnance, muskets, petronels, petards;

Twelve yards of sausage by, instead of match,

And caveary, then prepared for wildfire."

Thomas Randolph, in "The Muse's Looking-glass," II. iv.,—

"Aneletherus.

Prodigal child, Thou dost not know the sweets of getting wealth.

Asotus. Nor you the pleasure that I take in spending it;

To feed on caveare and eat anchovies. Aneletherus. Asotus, my dear son, talk not to me

Of your anchovies or your caveare.
No! feed on widows," &c.

The Russian naine is ikra; German, kaviar; French, caviar, or cavial; Italian, caviario, or caviale; Spanish, caviario. Shakspere seems to give the best English form. It consists of the roes of the sturgeon, &c., which are separated from all adhering membranes, washed in vinegar or white wine, and spread out to dry; then salted, and, after eight days, pepper and fiuelyminced onion is added; the whole is pressed in a bag, and thereafter packed in kegs, being then ready for sale. The best is made at the Crimea. It is used by itself, with oil and lemon juice, or with toasted bread, or bread and butter, as a relish, in Russia, Italy, &c. Very little is now brought to England, but in the palmy days of the drama, Italian habits were much in vogue. It seems to me that the word means, a luxury, of which the multitude seldom partook, for which, without culture, they had no taste, and for which, therefore, they had no appreciation, though it conveyed

an exquisite delight to accustomed palates-R. M. A.

"'Twas caviare to the general" is, as H. F. L. is probably aware, from Hamlet, II. ii., and is thus explained by Staunton:-"The play was of too peculiar a relish. like caviare, for the palate of the multitude. Caviare is a preparation of sturgeon's roe, and the taste for it was considered a mark of refinement in Shakspere's day. —

J. S. S.

Caviare had but recently been introduced into Britain in Shakspere's day; consequently, was but little known, and those of our countrymen who had access to it probably manifested no great relish for it. Shakspere seems to use the word figuratively, as if he had made Hamlet say, "The style and matter of the play I refer to, like caviare, is not to the taste of the general, or public, and to them almost unknown."E. D. N.

Ceylon-Kandy Young Men's Christian Association.-During the secoud year of the above society, which has been just brought to a close, four public lectures were delivered at the United Service Library, opposite the Esplanade. The first was by the Rev. C. C. Fenn, principal of the Cotta Church Missionary Institution, who took for his subject, "The first nine chapters of Genesis." In this lec ure, Mr. Fenn dwelt on the principal topics mentioned in the opening chapters of Genesis, and refuted the objections generally brought against the authenticity of the work; the Mosaic account of the creation, the deluge, and several other matters. The audience seemed highly delighted with the lecture, and evinced their appreciation of it by long and continued applause. At its conclusion, Captain D Stewart proposed a vote of thanks to the able lecturer, which was seconded by Captain De Butts, and carried. The Rev. Mr. Fenn then moved, that the thanks of the meeting be given to the chairman, (Mr. Advocate Dunuwille) for kindly consenting to preside, and the meeting closed with prayer. The second lecture was delivered on the 11th of July, 1862, by Captain H. Bird, on "The Campaign of Blenheim." In the absence of the

Deputy Queen's Advocate, who had promised to preside, the Rev. Canon Wise was, on the motion of Mr. Charles Bird, called to the chair. With a few preliminary remarks, the chairman introduced the lecturer to the meeting. Captain Bird gave his audience a very minute account of the campaign, its causes and results, illustrating his remarks by reference to well-executed plans of the scene of action, and march of the allied powers. The usual votes were accorded, after which the proceedings terminated with prayer by the Rev. Septimus Hobbs. The Rev. E. T. Higgens delivered the third lecture on Friday, the 19th of September, 1862. The subject of his remarks was "London," and he treated it in a manner that evinced careful observation and great ability. Not only were the audience treated to a very graphic description of the principal buildings and other wonderful sights the metropolis, but they were also favoured with very interesting statistics and amusing sketches of life in the city. The audience was the largest that had a'tended the meetings of the society during the year, the room being crowded to the doors. Almost all the men of H. M.'s 50th regiment had been furnished with free tickets, and were pre

sent to hear the lecture, while the number of ladies was greater than on any previous occasion. Those who could not obtain seats (about onefourth of the audience) were compelled to remain standing in the hall, outer verandah, and passage, during the evening. Never was a lecture better or more universally liked than Mr. Higgens's. Every person in the room felt greatly interested on listeuing to the remarks of the rev. gentleman, and the English soldiers were quite in raptures on bearing the scenes so familiar to them recalled to memory in a foreign land. It is hoped that we shall have more of such lectures in connection with this society. The fourth and last lecture was given by Captain D. Stewart, president of the association, on the 10th of October. The following report of it appeared in the leading journal of the colony, the Colombo Observer, authenticated by the secretary.

1

Captain H. Bird, having taken the chair, called upon the Rev. G. W. Sprott to open the meeting with prayer: With a few remarks, the chairman introduced Captain Stewart. The lecturer, after a few preliminary observations on the supposed incompatibility of the profession of arms with religion, proceeded to the principal divisions of his subject, which were (1) Religion as it existed among soldiers in the time of the apostles; (2) In the time of Henry the Fifth of England: (3) That of Queen Elizabeth; (4) Of the Protectorate under Cromwell; (5) Of the command under Marlborough; (6) At the time of the command under Wellington; and (7) At the present day. On each of these points Captain Stewart dwelt at some length, ably reviewing the religious condition of the army, and the effects which it produced on the men. The audience frequently interrupted the lecturer, throughout the reading of his lecture, by loud bursts of applause, and at its termination, the cheering continued unchecked for soine time. It was then proposed by Mr Advocate Dunuwille, and seconded by

Mr. D. B. Warakagodde, 'that the thanks of this meeting be voted to Captain Stewart for his very excellent lecture' Mr. H. J. Barton, the founder and vice-president of the society, being on the eve of leaving the island for a temporary stay in England, a resolution was recorded in acknowledgment of his unwearied exertions on behalf of the young of this town. Mr. W. E. Sharpe, the assistant government agent, in proposing the resolution, said: 'Ladies and gentlemen, it is with par ticular satisfaction that I find devolve upon me the gratifying duty of proposing a resolution expressive of our acknowledgments to our valued friend Mr. Barton, who is, as you are aware, for the last time amongst us this evening. I regard Mr. Barton's departure as a public loss. It is now about three years since he came to sojourn among us, and I remember being at once struck with the unselfish entire devotion of the man to the mission of his life, labouring incessantly for the good of the young. This impression deepened, as his judicious plans, large sympathies, and untiring exertions, developed themselves. Foremost among them was the establishment of the Kandy Young Men's Christian Association; of this, as he was the founder, so has he ever continued to be the unceasing director and mainstay. And here I would observe, as I did once before, that it is well nigh impossible for us, who only assemble at these periodic gatherings to enjoy the flowers of eloquence and fruits of wisdom lavished upon us by accomplished lecturers,-it is almost im possible for us to appreciate the labour and perseverance required for the ordinary management and working of such an institution. To devote the hours of evening, after a day of laborious toil, not to the enjoyment of ease, or comforts of the home circle, but to the preparation of subjects, or maturing of plans; to attend the ordinary meetings, week after week, fair weather or foul, and this apart from the accompaniment of a crowded audience and the recompence of popular

applause.-to do this in the face of discouragements and in spite of often seeing one's self-denying efforts unappreciated by those most interested,-all this requires more than a passing enthusiasm. All this Mr. Barton has done, and more. He, I may say, alone brought up, trained, and guided the infant association, with what tact, judg ment and kindness, its members well know; he secured for it its present efficient president; and he is now able to transfer it to others with confidence and hope. Fortunate has it been for our association that it has had in its early directors the

resume his labours among us, may he find the Kandy Young Men's Christian Association one of the permanent institutions of this country, and largely blessed to the advancement and elevation of that "Young Ceylon," in the future welfare of which we are all so deeply interested. I have the honour to move

"That the thanks of this meeting are justly due and are hereby given to Mr. Barton, for his unceasing interest in, and exertions on behalf of, the young men of this town, and especially for his labours in connection with the Christian Association, of which he was the founder."" Mr. J. H. Sproule seconded the resolution in a speech for which we regret we cannot inake room. Mr. Barton having responded in an impressive address, Captain Stewart moved, and Mr. A. C. Ambrose seconded, 'That a vote of thanks be passed to Captain Bird, for his able conduct in the chair.' The Rev. Canon Wise pronounced the benediction, and the meeting adjourned."-FRED. C. SOLOMONS, Secretary.

PART I.

I Figurate.-1. A person had two silver cups, but only one cover for both. The first weighed six ounces. If this cup is covered it will weigh twice as much as the second; but if the second is covered it will weigh three times as much as the first. What is the weight of the second cup and cover separately? 2. Three times a certain number, with 15 added to it. equals twice the same number with 30 added. What is that number, and what is three times that number? proving the question by actual figurate exhibition. 3. A man was hired for 3 months on condition that for every day he worked he would get

4s., and for every day he was idle he would forfeit 3s. At the expiry of the time he received £12. How many days did he idle? 4. A lady wished to buy a certain number of yards of silk, of which there were two sorts, one at 3s., the other at 4s. per yard. If she buys that at 4s. it will cost 12s. more than the other sort. How much did she want to buy?

Commercial.-1. A merchant bought a certain number of yards of cloth at 2 yards for 5s. 6d., and as many more at 5 yards for 6s. 3d., and sold them all at the rate of 10 yards for 18s. 9d., and by these transactions lost £8 38. How many yards did he purchase?