Such being the consequences of the traffic in ardent spirits, as proved by incontrovertible evidence, the welfare of the nation calls for its suppression. This must be accomplished, not by an appeal to the legislature for an Act of Parliament to abolish the trade, but by enlightened public opinion. If the community be convinced of the noxious qualities of ardent spirit, and the vicious and immoral consequences to which habits of drinking lead, they will cease to buy, and the traffic must come to an end. But this object cannot be attained till the nation rise as one man to crush this enemy to its happiness. This is the result which the institutions called Temperance Societies aim to accomplish. The means they employ is simply the diffusion of information through the land, with a view to correct public opinion, and unite men and women in the practice of total abstinence from distilled spirits as an article of ordinary use. They act upon the well-established maxim that prevention is better than cure; and their first solicitation is to gain the countenance and support of the sober, temperate, respectable, and influential classes of the community, whose combined example may operate upon the mass of the population. Such being their principle and object, they deserve the support and assistance of every friend to humanity and every lover of his country.
In most quarrels there is a fault on both sides.—A quarrel may be compared to a spark, which cannot be produced without a flint, as well as a steel; either of them may hammer on wood for ever, no fire will follow.
Learn of the little Nautilus to sail,
Spread the thin oar, and catch the driving gale.—Pope.
To this little fish we are said to be indebted for one of the grandest and most useful inventions since the world began. It is thus described:—It swims on the surface of the sea, on the back of its shell, which exactly resembles the hull of a ship; it raises two feet like masts, and extends a membrane between, which serves as a sail; the other two feet are employed as oars. This fish is usually found in the Mediterranean.
A DEVONSHIRE SKETCH.
BY THE LATE REV. JOHN MARRIOTT, OF BROADCLYST
Ye green hills of Devon! I love to look o’er ye;
The glow of your verdure refreshes my sight!