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About The Oregon Argus. (Oregon City [Or.]) 1855-1863 | View Entire Issue (May 9, 1857)
THE OREGON ARGUS. , IVUUfllH) EVCRY ATlltlllAT MoRMXO, BY WILLIAM L. ADAMS. Office-Good's Building Main st. Edito rial Uooin in tirsL story. 7TW.V-S' The A sons vill lie furniihed at Three Vtillnit and fifty I' full per annum, In nuitfie iMncrurr I litre liuuuti tarktaclubioj ten at une office. fioil teethed f'it cm net in J. tV No paper ditroiituiiifil until all arrentaei are paid, unleit at the option nf the putilither, VhyMiwKomy of l lie lluuum Vnrin. Wo find n lung article in ilio Quarterly Il.'ieWoii this subject, from which wo make tiiu following extracts : Stitlttrr, tie. In stature, llin extremes of Loili hugeness nnd hniiilliiMi nro nl- way ussociaiod with defective mental bkull is not thus smooili, wo must diitiiu. and inaciiity of mind, power. Excess obovo tho mean stature j guish between inequalities which are an-j Nuct. Tlio thick and larger forms of may lead ono lo expect a proportionate ulur and abrupt and llioso which are curved snub noso in either sex commonly indicate manliness) of charactor; tho falling short or undulating. Generally, tho, more tho tho predominance of tho material sensuous of it will often indicate the feminine mind. 1 human skull approaches llio features of character J and a turn up noso with wide Especially, this symbolism of groat mat- llio brutal in angularity of surface, the obvious nostrils is an open declaration (so tire is well exemplified among women. ' more docs it indicate a degradation of tho far as noso can mriko one) of an empty The cool strong will, energy for self scr. j mind. j nnd infiuted mind: of a mind in which vice, eTiolf r'c temperament, doininanl inlet- Certain foreheads are smooth, feature- j there is but tho spurious imitation of that leU, and largo grusp of mind, are rarnly : less, with ono uniform arched surface from s! length and loftier pride which tho wide found in woimu without a coi respondent ! '.he orbits upwards. Such a shape always' nostrils in a well-formod noso might iu .manliness of stature, nnd a strongly-built j augurs badly for the intellect; but pecu-1 dicatc. frame, large-boned nnd sinewy. And, in liarly it does so when tho forehead becomes Ono division of noses includes all that contrast with these, the majority of liille narrower as it ascends. It is no better au-i are, in proportion to tho face, loo small, men arc no far cHeiiiinnto that they are gui- gury when a forehead, of whatever size, 1 '. c, all such as are decidedly less than led by their feeling more than by their , is all flat 'complete perpendicularity j ono third of iho length of iho face, or less intellect ; they pa..s in tho world as warm- I fioni the hair to the eyebrows is,' as Lav- long thai: tho fnxhead is deep. Tho va Leaned, or hot-headed, impulsive men ; their hearts, as Aristollo says, are very near their brains; their most prominent mental fuaturo may bo courage, or self-conceit, or devotion to a 6i'ngle object, or a hasty tem per j but thoy uie much less often than lucn of nvcrngi hight eminent for intellect or an iron will. There are, however, nu merous remarkable exceptions to this rule, ns, for instance, Aristotle himself and Napoleon ; and Lord Clarendon, after mentioning that Chillingworlh 'was of lit lie stature,' adds that 'it was un age in which many great und wonderful men were of that size.' Corpulency, though it may ba associated villi a great variety of undcrstHiiding-i, is : . rely found with iiiicilcclual acthiiy, wiih n fervent disposition, or an earnest, ener getic will. It most commonly indicates tiiiemde nnd slowness of mind; a mind which may be very genial, and gentio, nnd good-humored, ns being sluggish alike in passion and in action, but which will never be sc Ifwa-iting iu intellectual production or in deep contemplation. 'If,' says Cains, 'iu corpulency the symbol bo seen of a certain dullness, inac tivity, kIowucss, and, in a word, corporeal ity, so is llu-ro in kiiuti' as such, rather : the symbol of a certain lihlurss, activity, r.ipidiiy, ami mental power.' In the mental leanness, ihe body is com monly Mini and clastic, and iho slender limbs all wear the expression of clear rc lined perception, nnd of quick nnd apt re-i-prmso. ; with a sensitive or cerebral con slitulion, nnd a psychical er sanguine teni .perameiil, the wholo body has a psychical expression. The mental leanness, in n well-proporiioni'd body, indicates talent, or moi'o rarely, genius ; and, especially, deli cacy of feeling, refined intellectual puWer, and a mobile but energetic will. Heads. A huge head (one which cvi dently exceeds the average of twenty-one iii'.-l.es, or three modules, in circumference) on ihe whole, augurs well for the mind Ihat it belongs to; but, to make it certainly significant of good, many conditions must ba fultilled. There are just as ninny, tin tho other hand, by which heads that are, within certain limits, below the average of size, may vindicate for themselves some thing better than that 'small esteem for small heads' entertained by the older phys iognomists, ns well as by many of a later date. Form, it mu-.t always be retnem .Lerod, is symbolical ns well as size; and excellence of form may compensate for some defect of size, though no size can Compensate for error of form, or for that Sg-like smo:?!l;cs which, in comparison with the undulations of the well-made bead, may be called the absolute negation of form. If proportionate largcmwa of head, without regard to shape, were al ways characteristic of mental power, the child's mind should have more power than ihe adult's. It speaks as well for small heads as for Largo heads w lion Ae chief development is 5n the forehead. Jf ihe largo heads thus Well formed are often symbolical of genius, the small ones are as often symbolical of talent. A frontal development always gives a small head stipsriority over a largo one in which tho forehead is defective. Women with heads thus formed have as cendency over men, notwithstanding their naturally smaller brains ; and, among both men aud women, very considerable minds have been often f und acting in small heads with dominant frontal regions. Raphael, Clwis XII., and Frederick the Great "are insUnces. On the other hand. Leads that are alto - ru.. small, and have the forehead even less develop than tho other regions, are j ' i fisn,l in those who. for: lW3t VUlliUluitiJ want of the restraining ers of llio unuertandin and guiding pow- a and the "eason, are moved by everv bresth of wimi, ana are apt to cive way timmDderatc excite - menu cf le'.iing, or to dciires of tvery kind. 'A great part of the misery of so i j ..... lit. i..is Suijotuncs and simplicity aw natural I" , , ! A Yccklv Kl'WSltll)Cr, tloYOtPU Vol. III. in tlio child's head, and in it nro beautiful and iiihv bo hopeful : tlicy are consistent with mere prettiucss In women; but, as symbol of the adult mind, ihey indicate, . at tho best, one that is child-likn and fee- bly developed. When the surface of I lie ster says, ' tho sign of a total want of tin-1 derstauding.' Nor is it better when the j forehead is bowed with ono Btrong arch overhanging tho fuce : 'Such foreheads,' he i says, 'belong to fecblo and contracted ' minds, and which will never attain to ma- luiiiy.' Thoro aro foreheads in which tho chief elevations of the undulating surface aro on ! the median line most marked, therefore, I in the very profile. Th'se elevations de cidedly exalt the expression of objective force of intellect in a forehead whose gen eral dimensions are good, and provided the hollows between tho elevations be not too deep, (for all such deep hollows bear the imbress of feebleness, symbolizing vacuity uitliin.) It is of the well-formed foreheads of this kind that Lavater says, 'Aiw'ays consider ns tho sign of n clear and sound understanding and of a good complexion, every forehead which presents in profile two proportioned arches, of which t lie lower advances.' Such arches nro the symbols of acuteness of observation, of thoughtfulucss, and tho habit of reticctiou. They nro generally developed lute, and urc especially masculine forms. Another variety of foreheads includes those m whoso undmaling surfaces there aro two clin t lateral elevations, two w oll- marked frontal prominences, strengthen thai expression of These analytic power already assigned to tho broad ex panded foreheads; they symbolize the sharply discriminating, analyzing intellect. They are much more frequently well marked in iho tnalo than in tho female head as indeed aro nil tho strongly mark ed undulating forms of the forehead. Iu another variety of foreheads the chief elevations of surface encompass tho upper borders of the orbits. These elevations correspond with tho prominent orbital margins of the keen-eyed animals nml biids; they indicate the degree of devel opment of tho sense of sight, nnd tho cor responding psychical character. They are frequent iu the clear-sighted observers of natuie; in good painters from the life; in those generally whoso organization is especially fitted for occupation in the world of light. Tho deep-set eyes, over hung nnd guarded by tho prominent brows, are as if that natural expression were fixed with which, transiently, we knit the brows, and feel us if we drew back th eyes w hen we woold see clearly into any thing; and in this likeness they properly symbolize the mind that, with na'ural power and inclination, looks out into the visible world. Their opposite is in that less depth of orbits, nnd less dominance of the sense of sight, in which the eyes look hvgo and prominent, gazing but not fixrd, j and like ihe ryes of one listening. In these e the signs of verbal power, in so much as they aro a mark of llio mind nat urally directed to tho world of sound and speech. And, lastly, wo seo foreheads chiefly characterized by elevations at their sides, lending toward the cars. Some foreheads of whatever other shape or size, aro, in their temporal regions, nnd just above them, nearly flat; others hero swoll out; and this prominence of the fore-brain toward lha ear symbolizes a mind especially influ enced by sound. It is strongly marked in ihe- heads of Liszt, .Mendelssohn, and Beethoven. Jlnlr. -Lon?, soft, and light hair, which is the more natural to women and chil- I drrn, wil! in a man betray a feminine or a 'childlike character; and dark coarse hair in a woman will reveal her hard and too 1 masculine natu-o. In a man dark coarse bair symbolizes strength and firmness, in whatever direction may bo indicated by the rest of bis organization. Generally, j the coarseness or the fineness of tht hair is ! the signal of an analogous solidity or deli- t. ji i-.i. i..: Mcyoi ."I'm. IcbicSy seen in those i active cnaracmr re'i ana u.ouj urn! .."v. with a ctits.n pasy.Ter.:. KeJ hair : T of, rraf characterizes a man bin- . .... . . gc irlv gO 'J ar itnguiariy tau j aui, ne at.,. to tllO I'l'maiiK'S Ot J flmOIililll OltEGON CITY, OUKfiOX, MAY 0, 1S57. adds, 'a striking contrast between llio color of llio li air and the color of ill') eye-brews inspires mo with distrust.' Xatiir.il lo.s;cycs huvo, gfiiciiilly, the um meaning as of llio hair in men oftcu indicate n richly productive power of mind. Its abunddiice and pcrHislonco lute in hfo betray poverty Holies ot theso nro numerous in tho snub, fla'-, retrousse, and upturned or celestial noses. The natural types lo which ihey aro generally rcferablo aro either die little noses of children, or llio flat, broad nous of negroes; and it is consistent with this that in men of civilized races all such noses indicate defective intellectual power; and do so with a certainty of symbolism which nothing but cxcellenco in iho form of the head, as in iho case of Socrnles, can neutralize. They tell of an unfinished intellectual development ; and tho lower and flutter and more snub they are, llio more certainly do they indicato feebleness ami meanness of intellect, und of a mind in which bad temper more than good judg ment will havQ sway. It is not quite eo with women. In them tho wholo organi zation, in its gradual development, di verges less than that of men docs from tho almost similar form which ihey both hnva in early childhood. .The retention, therefore, of the little child-like noso im plies no such grave defect in tho w oman's mind. If her head bo well-formed, such n noao may express naivete, or, perhaps smartness of wit and dextrous intelligence. Cut oven in women such noses nocd to be associated with good features. If ihey aro not, they add much to the expression of j insignificance or even of coarseness. Lurgo noses in men nro generally good signs ; especially they add emphasis to the indication of a well-formed head ; but Ihey must not be loo fleshy or too lean. If tlmy are long (yet short of being snout-Iikf), tlicy mark, as prolongations of the fore head, the intelligent, observant, and pro ductive nature of tho refined mind. If Roman, arched high and strong, ihey arc generally associated with a less developed forehead, nnd a larger hind-head ; and they discloso strength of will and energy, rather than intellectual power; ihey show also iho want of that refinement which is indicated by a slraighter noso. Tho Jew ish or hawk-noso commonly signifies shrewdness in worldly matters ; it adds force to Ihe meaning of the narrow con cuiitrntive forehead, symbolical of single ness of object ; and its usually narrow nos trils wear iho unfailing sign of caution and timidity. The Greek, straight nose 'indi cates refinement of character, lovo for the fine arls and Idle httrcs, astuteness, craft, and a preference for indirect rather than direct action.' Perpendicular noses, that is, such as approach (his form, suppose a mind capable of acting aud suffering w ith calmness and energy. A nose slightly bifid at its end, nltcnds and corroborates the indication of the onalylic forehead. Such noses, large and broad-pointed, are frequent in men with acute practical knowledge of tho world. The same bifid md is often seen in the cogitative or wide noslriled nose, wide at tho end, thick and broad, indicating a mind that has strong powers of thought and is given to close and serious meditation. Willi these sym bols Lavater's dicta fall in : ' A nose whose ridge is broad, no matter whether straight or curved, always announces suporior fac ulties. I have never been deceived in it, but this form is very rare.' And again, 'A small nostril is a certain sign of a timid spirit. The thick, fleshy noso tells its own tale, and sometimes highly colors it. iyfs, The ryps in the physiognomy of daily life ore certainly the most Ulling features in the whole face. rrimaiiiy the eyes ymbuliz'? the feel ings rather than the intelligence or the will. In ihe colors of ihe eye, both the white and Ihe tarioui tints of the iris must be studied. In a clear pure wniie e tuitively a mind that might be so deserv ed : a dirty or yellowish white makes r 1 J ' suspect the opposite cu.aacr that is too bluo, like the, of suspect the opposite cusractcr; a white white & delicate' '.t,:i,i :..;..! . r : , . a r . , on, tual s,i0oJsto!, il it Goes not conns ....-...t........v.c --ea ' p.etliora or violence ot irmp-jr. Dark !.'.! .- ant rri mmmoti in . . . j.u ... r , perrons oi Qcucate, reuntu, or -iv 11 m l Dl'lllOl TiirT, nnt al VOCIllllU,' till) nature, light blue, nnd, milch more, (trey ryes, in tiiu linidy nnd nctivo. (JreruMi tho grey. Lavatrr says they are, 'in some ort, a disliiielivo sign of viwicily mid courage.1 'Hazel eves are Iho iii'ho uual indications of n mind masculine, vigorous, nnd profound; jut as genius, properly so called, is ulino.1t always associated with eyos of a yellowish cnit bordering on hazel.' lltnuh Elemental hands nro such as betray a certain approximation nt once lo the hand of tlio little child and to the paw of tho mot man-liko brutes. Tlwy are distinguished by tho metacarpal pnrt (thai is, of tho hand wiihout iho fingers and iho thumb) being both long and broad ; tho palm large, thick, nnd hurJ ; tho fingers short, thick, nml squared a! their ends ; the thumb stumpy and often turned back ; the nails short, strong, aud hard. Such hands symbolizo a rough, unfinished mind, a mind lowly developed, obtuso intelligence, slow resolution, dullness uf feelings. The motor hand, which is especially (he ninlt) hand, is characterized partly by its great size, partly by its strength of bone and muscle, aud its strong projecting jninis and sinews. Such n hand symbolizes strength of will, and aptness for strong sus tained efforts of mind. The thumb, which is in all hands tho most significant, because, tho most essentially human, mem ber, js especially so in these; its large size always symbolizing an energetic na luro. Tho sensitive is iho proper feininiuo hand. It is never very large, nnd is often rather below I lie modulo iu its length, nnd nil its textures are ih:li,.Jle ; the thumb is small aud delicate. Tho fingers are divi ded in soft and ovul forms, with full rounded lips. Men w ith such bauds nro generally distinguished by feeling, by fan cy, nnd by wil, moro than by intellectual acuteness and strength of will. The psychics! bund, the most beautiful and the rarest of all tho forms, is that which is most unlike the elemental and the childish hand. It is of moderate size in proportion to tho whole stature. It should measure in its length just one module; the palm is a little longer than broad, never much furrowed or folded, but marked with single largo lines. Tho fingers aro fine, tdender, aud rather elongated ; their joints are never prominent ; their lips are rather long, taper, and dulicately rounded; nnd ihey have fine nails of similar shape. Tho thumb is slender, w ell-funned, and only moderntelv long. The skin of the wholo had is delicate, aud, even in a man, has but very little hair. Iu their perfection py. chical hands can be seen in only tho bloom and strength of life. Such rarn hands aro found with nouo but raro minds. They indicate, Cams says, n peculiar purity and interior grandeur of feeling, combined with simplo clearness in knowhidgo und in will. . l lio War in HI. l.ouls. The emancipationists nnd niggeriles of St. Louis are warring with words voho mently. The Democrat says that at tho convention " Free labor was a potent spell word, responded to whenever ultered, in a peal of cheers and stampings. II num bers, earnestness, and unity aro fuvornble prngnosiics, wo may alii Jo tho result of tho election with tho tranquility which the know ledge of "victory imparls." Tho Re publican is hard down on tho emancipa tionists, and rings iu tho name of Col. Ijcnton I bus: " Does Ronton countenance this course ! Did Benton adviso tho course of his pro tended friends in tho Legislature on this question ? No, ho 'Iocs not. Had ho been in tho Legislature ho would have fought to the last s".iinst any act looking to I bo agitation of tho Emancipation question in Missouri. He will condemn just as em phatically the course of those wdio have been instrumental in gotting up the re cent Black Republican convention in this city, and on this division, were he here, bo would vote r.g.iinst tho whole ticket.- Benlon, we repeal, condemns this agitation; and if there be those who yet give heed to his counsels, tho will join in tho effort to defeat a party which is intent only up on securing the spoils of victory, though it may les at the risk of ihe peace of tho States'." The Democrat boldly puts tho question before the people, thus : "The issue in this canvass is thus! clearly defined. Shall we submit to 'ot gagged! feliall we ncKD',wleilj!n that slavery is too sacred far discission is it dearer to us ll-an tee State If a conflict of interest should ar.c between the State and the :nstilu!:,0n, shall we commit our sches in a'ivance for the institution and a''aira' the Slate 1 The dny may come clicn loyalty to slavery may bo treason to ! Missouri. It may have come already. - 4 I .Alls i si.o't -, then refuse to enliehtiiti our- oSIa! ..We nt such a liincture, and forhid inqui. . r snd invcstiiraiion i ino cau'-o uiai ' .imr.s innu'.rv and rei u!::cs inesl;gasion is - j UJ Wc do r.oi suppose thef.ee mfnu suiiouu nuiuiLgii.ujcw ing any man cm mag.kirug oi lum nj : who a t;lites wi n uio'e wuv vrw. Uil rf Kao-as wi'lt fraternal blood, who ' ' 0 'V i' ' ' HKlU Ol ll'lltil 111 CVC'iy HSllf. No. 1 cxtilti d ai the introduction of club law iu tho seiiato chamber, who blockaded the Missouri riier.nnd c.vriul out ibn fig'" of senrch on every su-pecteil steamor up ward bound, who have rioted in every clas and digrco of crime for a long period. It staggers belief that the pnrty of Atohi son nnd Slringfulloiv, of Calhoun nnJ Ueed, iho party that not only commits noonday hominidc, but that encourages a bsnd of nssnnsins lo make way with ono umn : (he party thai breaks open the I'm led States mail, and llint meditate the destruction of the States themselves it staggers belief, we say, I hut such a party should hnva ihu .temerity to run a tiekM In a cily which is governed by law, and which is devn'ed to the peaceful pursuits of inbitstry and ait. That party ia dtsi rous (if makin!! conquests nil round ol having its minions in power in St. Louis, and of making our municipal government tho confederate of tho Rluo Lodge." nisnprtsrunoe of Slavery from wImohi'I. Slavery n ill never bo formally abolished in Missouri, 1 '.mancipation, cither im mediate or gradual, w ill norr bo enacted into law, in this State. Rut yet slavery will soon cease lo ex tot in Missouri. Tho lint is irreversible. It will not be abolished. Ii will disappear. It will melt a way, as tho snows of tho win ter. It is going now ; aud onco started it will gather increased nccelersti n, like, a slono rolling down a rnrutitnin side. It is a strange ihing that just as tho pro- slavery sentiment in M'ssouri was supposed to Ln c reached ils acme just afier pro s'avryism had inveded Kaunas, iu the ri otous self sufficiency of (btarmiiied pro. ptgandism just niter all other parties in the Slate had succumbed lo ihe doiu'uiaiicy "f tho 'party arrogating lo b, tir txcel Uiice, the pis-sluvery parly of tho Stato just afier tho entire South had proclaimed their pride in Missuiiii as thn bulwark and very citadel of tho "Institution" it is slraugn that at this very instant tho fatal sotrol tl.oulJ leak out and bo whispered through tho laud, that slavery is w lining in Missouri, and lo be truuin; is lo be dead. It is as if a warrior clutching victory in the fight, should, llutiustuut, hav3 an ar row pierce his heart. Vi'o have no words lo waste on the Iho orctio view of slavery. We nre not oppos ed lo slavo:y jitr sc. It is an iustsiiuliou useful tohealhcii races, whom it Christian izes aud enlightens. It is useful lo com merce and civilization, in furnishing it with colion, sugar mid codec, products thai freo labor will prohubly never yield iu abundance sufficient to supply tho wauls of tho world. It is useful, ognin, in the development of iho highest quiiliiios of u governing class, ns evidenced in Southern ascendency in tho political history of this country. So much for slavery, jitr sc. But it is out of place in Missouri. VTe hnvo enough slaves in .Missouri to drier hundreds of thousands of freo laborers from coming here. But wc have not enough t do one tenth of the servile labor of iho Slate. So Missouri languishes. Slio is neithor Free nor Slave. She would bo better od'either with half n million moro slaves, or with none at all. Aud as tho slaves cannot be had, and the Stato must tako a moro posi livo character than she hu0 heretofore held, slavery is of ils own accord yielding, nnd will rapidly disappear from tho Statn. Tho fertile fields, tho vast forests and rich mines of Missouri must bo worked, and w ill bn. It is manifest destiny. As tho slaves cannot bo got hero to develop tho wealth that God intends shall bo developed, free while moll will and that is tho end of slavery. Wo shall publish such nrgunicnls, 2ro and eon, on this subject as bear on the econ omy of '.he slave pystem of Missouri. Facts that nflect men's pockets will, nfier all, rulo iho world, well as shape the so- cial and political opinions of men. If sluv ery is disappearing from Missouri, il is be cause it can make more money elsewhere; and because Missouri can make mere mon ey wiihout it. That's the full extent of all iho negro philanthropy afloat in this Siato. Hi. Louis InltlUyrncer. Sitting in Chlrcii. An American writes from London, that in the ehuichea ho has attended there, whoc'.cr comes first, whether gcntlcimn or 'mdy, lakes tho fur ther scat i'.i the tf'i'ij,, and ihoao that follow fill Ihe. remaining seats, preventing tho awl yard distuibance which occurs iu our churches ot home in the proe'ss of filing in and out by tho males, in order lo isolate '.lie women at tho further end of iho pew. The habit so universal among us originated with the early settlers, the men silling near the doors of the pens, so that in case of an attack from Indians they might be ready for action. The custom is one wliinh fnit'lit t.n advatitai'eouslv changed. OCrThe Scientific American says :-Liery pound of cochineal curtain 0,000 in sects, nnd from 000,001 to 700,000 poun Ii are annually exported to Iiurope fr sear What a destruct 1 lion of inwcl life to fjrnu.li a coloring ; material '. AD UflLslMl UATKS. Ono tyv.xe (12 linen vr luu.i uer iiiitl.iti, (.1,00 " " two iiwriieiis, 4,11 1 " " llir.f lim. rtiotm, fi.im Kueli miW'jurnt inxri'l.on, 1,1:0 Ui'JMiliiuVii ilcilec iuiia lo lle-M) who u.ltortite by tho y. ar. JOB 1' It I N 1' 1 X (i . Tuk rnnrniKrort or tub Alt'! I'M m nrrr to inform tlio .'il.!in ileit lio tins' juxt reejivH a huge iitoel'. of, lull TVI'Kmid o.herniw i.rint ih; milt r! i! , nml hill l.o in the ee.ly riieijit of ii'Miticew miin-il to nil the r iiii tiiin:s of lies lo enliiy. JIAXPIIII.l.'. I'l'STl;!:, ;,ANKH. CAiiiw, 1 1 iter i. Aits, rAMriii.KT-woKK I ether kin In ili.nn to nr.ler, uu short notice. ive A ntti If.Mf il I unlet. It is poib!o ihnt fumo of our reader may have been uliiiniid nl he statements which have ban mad", on iho authority of M. liuhinct, a French cuiunt, to the llict that tliis globe of outs was to bo prcfty severely shaken by coining iu coti- tact nith a comet neU June. Hut wo are happy lo be able to announce, on very good authority, that no such calamity is likely lo occ nr. The editor of tho Won Daily Advertiser has applied to Professor Tierce, of Cambridge, for information on iho sii'ijcit, and has received llio followinp satisfactory reply from that distinguished mathematician : lhi;vA!;r,Cr.:.i.D,s,Msich2l, 18S7. My Ik'tr Sir What Unbind, who is an excellent popular lecturer, a good physi cist, but no geometer or astronomer, mav have written about n possible cornel orcoi-, lision with n cimt or what muno un known tinman may have done of llio fame kind is wholly unknown to me. But neither of lhein, supposing the German tn be of equal scientific position with Cabinet, can have predicted in Juno any such col lision ; for am posilire lml there are not the tlulit fur tuch a eampiitutivn, and Habi. net is st least nf too respectable abilities lo involve himself in such an absurdity. Tim only matter of prediction, relating to comets, which has recently como under my observation, coiiila of a series of sig nal failures commuted by tho Knglish as tronomer Hind, which have born discussed wiili cutting sevrrii) by a German ma'h emalieiau, and found to bo utterly without , foundation. This Hind is Ihe man who was riernlly appointed lo the control of the Knglish Nautical Almanac, in opp..i. lion lo the rival claims of Adams, whoso nuine is so deservedly celebrated in roll-' ueetion with the discovery of Noptuue. Yours, Are., Bum jam in 1'ikrck. M. 1 '.u hi i n't himself, of the French In stitute, iu the course of some remarks which ho has published concerning the comet which is expected by astronomers in the year 185, says : " With regard tonne of tho questions to which this question 1ms given rise, I must protest "gainst tlio idea that a comet pos sesses the powor of imparling a perceptible iiiuchauical shock. 1 can prove tint the collision of a swullow, intent on suicide, and flviug with full force Aguinst a train of n hundred carriages, drawn by t in .steam engines, would be a thousand limes more dangerous for the train in question than would be iho simultaneous shock of all Ihe known comets ngaiust tho earth. What is a comet! Il is a visible nothing." Ijii'okta.nt Lmi'rovkment i.n Trintixu Fressrs. We learn fiom the Scientific American that Moses Y. Beach, Esq, of tho Now York Sun, has patented iu Eu rope aud this country nn apparatus for printing both sides of a newspaper before il leaves the press. The paper is placed before the cylinder, and uftor an impress ion a doublo or twin sol of fingers, which shut aguinst oaeh olhor, are so arranged as lo grasp tho baek or tail end of tho shct beforu il leaves the printing cylinder, and after llio first iinpicssion is takuii. The sheet, thus held fust while tho cylinder continues le revolve, is drawn in again for the second impression, aud thus the feed ing the jloct by hand tho second time, or fifty per cont of tho labor now required is saved, and, practically, the shoot is print ed on both bides nt onco two forms in stead of one being placed upon the press. OCT In making anvils au important dif ficulty has been overcome It has long b?cn known thut tho centor of tho steg! face in the process of hardening is gener ally much softer Ihuu the surrounding parts, and that ibis lias been caused by ihe imperfect easting of tho tiuia of metal. To obviate this diffiotiliy mid lo make tho face perfectly hard, the body of the ntivil is cast with a cavity of some sizo rxleiiding from its bottom nearly lo ils face, by which a port inn of tho mulul nt ils center is dis pensed with. This cavity permits the in troduction of a stream of water into tho mass, and tho center it thus cooled as rap idly as ifs oxterbir, giving to it a sound and equally hard s'jifnes. dCp Thnre is no doubt about iho Vir ginia volcano. It is on the great Backbone mountain in lVndleton county. On tho 1st day of January iho reports caused by the bursting forth of tho subterranean fire were heard for a distanco of twenty or ihir ly miles. Vast columns of flame and smo'.ie is-iUd'i irom uiu urim-i-a, nu " stones wero thrown up in the air several i . .. I...t hundred feet above the month of the era- ttr. Tho people in tho vicinity aro bocom- inr alarmed at tho pertiuaeily with which the flame are kept up, and the rumbling noise, like distant thunder, is coniiminlly reverberating through the deop ciiverm of the mountain, which, at times, seems to tremble fmm summit to base. I'hintf.rs r Pe.nnsylvamia. It is a singular fuel that not only the two United States Senators from Pennsylvania, and tho State Supreme Judge, but the present .Speaker, Clerk snd assistant Clerk of tho 1 loufce, the Clerk cf the Senate of J'ennsy 1 vauia, and the democratic candidates for Governor nnd canal couimi.'sioner, are a;! practical 1 'in'.us.