upon an idea which was exploded in 1840, he row sea, with only one good channel, swept ignores the best part of their case, and is set by an overwhelming monsoon for six months aside by his own act. The costliness of the in one direction and for six months in another. work, again, is a matter of commercial calcu- He might reach India in less time; but could lation, as practicability is of engineering. But he make more Indian voyages within the the most formidable difficulties remain: the year?

ciple has vanished, and England has enlarged her traffic with India most rapidly since she has been stimulated by American competition. Moreover, the French, Italian and Netherlands cities keep up a direct communication with India and China. But, from a political point of view, this liberality does not affect the question of the ship-canal.

political, besides those which are associated Assuming these facts, as they are stated in with the navigation of the Red Sea. The opposition to M. de Lesseps, we will recapituquestions proposed are:-If the canal were late the political contingencies that might constructed would it be available for purposes render the Suez Canal a dangerous interof general commerce ?-If it were available, ference with the existing conditions of interwould it be in harmony with the policy of course between Europe and the East. On all England? Several years ago, while the battle of sides it is agreed to give up the claim to com"influences" was exciting the European commercial monopoly. Portugal, Spain, Holland, Lunity in Egypt, and before Waghorn's route and the East India Company in turns attemptwas adopted, there was a discussion in Eng-ed to enjoy the sole benefits of trade with the land on the merits of three steam-routes:- several regions of the East. But that printhat by the Cape, that by the Red Sea, with transit across the Isthmus, and that by the Euphrates. The last had many advocates; the first few. In 1825, the steamer Enterprise had made an experimental voyage to India round the Cape of Good Hope, and reached India in 113 days; the average of sailing vessels was then 120 to 130; and two sailers from Bordeaux making the voyage simultaneously with the steamer, reached three days before her. With the Cape de Verd, St. Thomas, the Cape of Good Hope, St. Johanna, and Mauritius as stations, the Atlantic route did not then appear to offer many "facilities" for steam navigation. However, the Red Sea, at first rejected, proved the preferable line for steamers. It will easily be understood why such a distinction should be observed. Steamers move" stem on," and almost "straight a-head." Sailing vessels vary their course with the currents and winds. The Red Rea, 1200 miles long, is only 200 in width; but a line drawn direct from Tineh to Bab-el-mandeb does not touch land on either side, and scarcely an island, a rock, or a shoal. There is, consequently, a deep and clear channel for steamers. But the borders abound with reefs and intricacies. Lieut. Burton, who sailed in a native craft, describes the ha- As the roads to India now lie, in the event zards and anxieties of the navigation. A yet of such a war an attack upon Eastern ports more significant fact is that of the half-yearly by any fleet from the Mediterranean would be monsoons. M. de Lesseps quotes some res- all save impossible. If the Russians have a pectable authorities on the subject; but he does station in the Pacific dangerous in its ultimate not quote Sir Harford Jones, who says, "There developments, that is only a reason against are six months in the year that you cannot increasing the danger. England, it may be get into the Red Sea, and six months that you urged, cannot always reckon upon terrifying cannot get out." The Arab vessels therefore the Russians, and inducing them, by a mere only leave their ports during the south-west declaration of war, to scuttle half their navy. monsoon, and only return during the north- At present, however, any Northern or Southwest, and even then they timidly creep along, ern power designing an attack upon our Inanchoring under the first headland on the sus- dian possessions must have two immense fleets, picion of a gale. A captain of the Northern cut off from each other-one in the Mediterocean, indeed, is not supposed to fear every ranean, a second in the Red Sea. Aden here cloud or shallow that alarms the Arabian Rais; occurs to the mind. It is a naval station of but it is a question how far our East Indian some importance, as the key to a close sea, trade would benefit by passing through a nar- but not a Malta; yet a Malta and an invinci

No great act of public policy-we are still mere exponents of public opinion, not advocates either way-ought to be executed without a reference to future contingencies, probable or even possible. Among the chances of the next European crisis, a coalition against Great Britain is undoubtedly one. Supposing, therefore, the maritime and military powers united, would a ship-canal through the Isthmus of Suez (admitting the navigation of the Red Sea to be practicable for convoys and fleets) create such a peril to our Indian possessions as would counterbalance any advantages derived from it in time of peace? Would the securities of our Oriental empire be impaired in fact? Because, any circumstance that would shake the basis of our Eastern power would be a national calamity, and any act that would result in such a circumstance would be an inexpiable error.

To

ble fleet would be necessary for the guardian- cised in ocean traffic, representing an immense ship of those narrow waters if they constitut- body of wealth, and engaged in long and ed the naval highway between the East and costly voyages. If the Red Sea Line sucWest. M. de Lesseps insists with earnestness ceeded, it would abolish this magnificent maon the neutrality of the channel, under a Eu- rine. To some minds such abolition would be ropean guarantee; but when the French were a disaster, and a prelude to commercial decay. chased from Toulon, and when they eluded The East Indiamen that lie in our docks susNelson, does any one affect to believe that tain, perhaps in a high degree, the maritime European guarantees would have prevented prosperity and supremacy of England. them from flying to the head of the Mediter- divert our trade from the Cape Line would, ranean, gliding into the Indian seas, and com- consequently, in the eyes of such thinkers be mitting havoc from Kurrachee to Malacca ? a mistake and a misfortune. It would also Unless, indeed, the canal would be open to ruin the Cape Colonies, and throw Southern military expeditions, what becomes of the as- Africa back again into barbarism. sertion, that it would "increase the stability of When a necessity exists for a brief and rathe British power" in India? The Egyptian pid transmission of materials to India, it is not Government, which continually seemed to proved by the experience of commercial men, thwart the policy of the Ottoman Porte,-and that breaking bulk at Suez is an impediment thus nurtures an anti-English feeling in Cairo of serious importance. Many of the German whenever an English feeling prevails in Con- traders from Hamburgh break bulk at Hull, stantinople, would hold the fortifications of and ship their goods again from Liverpool Suez, and would, at best, be the trustee of the At all events, as the girdle of sea-sickness European neutrality. The issue, therefore, round these islands is valued as a cheap nawould much depend, not only on the willing- tional defence, so the bank of land at Suez ness of any warlike power to trample on guar- appears to a certain class of politicians the antees, but on the capacity of a Turkish gar- barrier of our Indian empire-the break water rison to resist it. If the defences of the canal which would keep the Indian waters tranquil, were strong in themselves and the original de- though a new Trafalgar had to be fought in fenders weak, that nation would command the the British seas. M. de Lesseps himself expassage which could forestall the others in plains how difficult it would be for a Mediterseizing the position for itself. Thus, indeed, ranean fleet to turn the point of Gibraltar, would a new Dardanelles-a new Gibraltar and pass southwards to the Cape. Neverthebe created as an object of permanent and pe- less, since all facilities of intercourse are in rilous contention. English statesmen know themselves valuable, we do but present this that if such a fortress is to exist, it must be side of the matter for public debate. To open garrisoned by our forces, like Gibraltar. How new channels for trade is a beneficent work, many years of war—of victory-would be re- provided the dangers do not increase in unquired to compel Europe to submit? Gibral- due proportion to the advantages. That is the tar cost us one mighty war. Malta caused us question:-our task is accomplished when we all the strife from Amiens to Waterloo. have put the opinions of public men into The difficulties which England is invited to shape for discussion, and suggested the diffiexchange for these dangers are simple. Her culties as regards English interests, which M. Indian commerce necessitates the maintenance de Lesseps very naturally overlooks. of a vast commercial navy, perpetually exer

OPAL, ITS ORIGIN. How charmingly told in the following lines! By whom were they written?

A dew-drop came, with a spark of flame
He had caught from the sun's last ray,
To a violet's breast, where he lay at rest,
Till the hours brought back the day.

A cold north wind, as he thus reclined,
Of a sudden raged around,
And a maiden fair, who was walking there,
Next morning an opal found

Notes and Queries.

M. DE GASPARIN has communicated to the

The rose look'd down, with a blush and frown, Central Agricultural Society of France, the result But she smiled all at once to view

Her own bright form, with its coloring warm,
Reflected back by the dew!

Then the stranger took a stolen look
At the sky so soft and blue,

And a leaflet green, with a silver sheen,
Was seen by the idler too.

of some experiments which he had made on the SMUT IN WHEAT: On placing a small quantity of the powder, slightly wetted, in a microscope, a number of small worms were seen moving about like cels. M. de Gasparin cautions farmers against using wheat as seed which has been attacked with smut.

From Household Words.
SYDNEY SMITH.

to resemble caps of liberty, began to talk of the rights of man-meaning by that, their own right to a fresh lease of power and pelf. But the country laughed at them, for it could not give them credit for anything but selfishness and stupidity. So, the great lords betook themselves to little jobberies of their ownbought small boroughs, and bribed large ones but still with no effect. They appeared ridiculous whenever anybody compared the liberality of their speeches with the narrowness of their actions. And at this time, seeing no real individual of their party able to aston

wisdom to the ordinary political banquets of both the parties, my theory is, that they imagined one, and called him Sydney Smith. The class of men most deeply sunk at that

I HAVE always had great historic doubts about the reality of SYDNEY SMITH. That there may have been a person of that name, I don't deny-I think it likely, from Thiers's account of St. Jean d'Acre, and other authorities, that there was. Perhaps there were more than one; but it is very evident to me that the witty and wise, the manly and independent Sydney Smith, about whom we have all laughed so often, and for the supposed loss of whom many of us have wept, was a phan-ish the Tories with the addition of wit and tasm-or, at most, a character imagined by some gentleman of dramatic power, and admirably sustained throughout every scene. How can it be otherwise? How can we believe that a man with all those qualities time in dulness and self-seeking were the the kindness that wins affection, the genius clergy, so they called Sydney Smith a clergythat commands respect-was left unrecognized man. They made him a scholar, a humorist and unappreciated for fifty years of his life, eloquent, gay, benevolent, and, above all, by those who had the best opportunities of with a mind perfectly free from the trammels knowing his virtues and qualifications? Let of sect or party; a Christian philosopher in us see who those persons were. The Whigs holy orders. And they knew how, in this exof eighteen hundred were a large and influ-cellent creation, to unite perfect propriety of ential joint-stock company for the seizing of conduct, perfect orthodoxy of belief, with the loaves and fishes from the Tories. There was no end of their fondness for those piscine and cereal repasts. For many years before that date they had been kept from the public bakeries and ponds, and had complained of the exclusion as a grievous wrong. They had produced the glorious Revolution, they said, and they considered themselves and their wives, and their sons and their sons' wives, and their daughters and sons-in-law, entitled, by right of birth, to all the good things the country could bestow. The country bestowed all the good things it could; and, at last, gorged and replete, the leeches dropped off, and the Tories took their place. They were like a great man under a cloud-with digpositively stuffed to within an inch of apoplexy nity and self-respect. The wit and scholar with the fat of the land. There were Whig ate his potatoes in hope; and promotion came. lords in all the counties, in the enjoyment of He led a bear, and made him dance to the patriotic sentiments and immeasurable estates; genteelest of tunes, and the authors go on to both estimable possessions dating from the say, he became tutor to his squire's son, and arrival of the glorious Deliverer. There were conducted him to Edinburgh. A very unstewardships and secretaryships, and commis- likely thing, I should say, to have occurred in sions in the militia, and livings in the church, reality; for Mr. Beech could have sent to Oxin their gift, all independent of kings or go- ford or Cambridge, and could have had a tutor vernments. They formed a little colony of for his son who would have licked the plates abdicated monarchs in the midst of the people and laughed at his patron's jokes, instead of whom they had sucked and ruled. Diocle- pouring back bright wit of his own, and who tians, and Syllas, and Charles the Fifths, were would have listened to his stories, and united plentiful in every shire; and the "gray, dis- the offices of toady and instructor in a strictly crowned kings' were not without their cour- ecclesiastical manner. But we pass this over tiers who followed them (for salaries, of course) as an oversight. The imaginary creation, into private life. But years passed on-their Sydney Smith, is thirty-one years of age. former glories began to be forgotten-Salona His fame is instantly secured. He is the cenand St. Just became tiresome, and the soul of tre of a large circle of the rising talent of the Whiggery panted for a change. Pompous time. He projects the Edinburgh Review. aristocrats, with coronets fantastically twisted He casts a new glory on the whole Whig

more brilliant and captivating qualities of
their hero. But, there are liberties people
may take with fictitious characters which they
could not venture on with flesh and blood.
So they put this youth, brimful of energy and
goodness, in a curacy on Salisbury Plain.
They left him with a broken-down cottage and
a hundred a-year; a population not much
above the Calmucks in intelligence; and po-
tatoes, enriched with a little butter and salt,
on the days when the butcher did not come
into the parish, and they were many.
how did this imaginary curate bear up ? Like
Caractacus at Rome-like Marius at Carthage

Yet

party; arms it with new weapons, and places fession, would have exterminated Rabelais, it on higher ground. The hereditary castle and Swift, and Sterne.-Is he to spend his life doors begin to turn on their hinges as the mo- at Foston-le-Clay? Where, in heaven's name ment of his admission to the domestic hearth is Foston-le-Clay?" And somebody would draws nigh. The doors are thrown open; have brought him a map, and if he had been marquis and earl and baron receive him with secretary for the home department, he would outstretched arms, and mouths distended from have been able to see it was in Yorkshire; ear to ear. They almost discover the treasure and he would have said, "Let us show we of wisdom hidden under all that prodigality of can appreciate genius, and mirth, and goodfun. He makes their homes delightful to ness; let him have the best living in our gift them they can scarcely tell why. Their and we will make him a dean." "A dean, stiffnesses get thawed out of them by that per- my lord?" replies the confidential private petual sunshine of heart and brain. They secretary; a nephew, who was plucked at feel, somehow, as if they were men, and not college, and afterwards ran away with anmere images of departed grandeur. They other gentleman's wife; "you can't mean that! almost think they could descend to the arena, The man is a notorious wit." "Ah, I didn't and have a manly struggle, for the love of think of that. What would the bishops say the people and the enjoyment of power. if I promoted a wit? But hang it, let him Wherever meanness and darkness lurked, have a living of a thousand a-year. Your there was this tremendous curate with his governorship, Charlie, is six." Ithuriel spear. Wherever there was an argu- The determined carrying-out of this satire ment too heavy for the feeble hand of a super- is a great failure in the work called The Life annuated duke, he set feathers to it and fined of the Reverend Sydney Smith (otherwise it down, and gave it a throw into the enemy's most tenderly and charmingly written by his camp, which transfixed dozens at a time, as daughter); and when the next edition comes Munchausen transfixed the ducks upon his out, I hope a new series of adventures will be ramrod. All this was acknowledged by these introduced, for it must be sickening to any of rich and right honorable men; cradled states- the younger clergy who have aspirations for men and pap-boated leaders of the nation. the kind and true, and who consider an occaAnd what did they in substantial acknowledg- sional laugh no sin against any of the comment? He must be a myth! Does it enter mandments, to perceive what their fortune is into the imagination of the dullest of men that, likely to be. They will look for comfort into in actual life, these dreamy pieces of state the realities of life, and subside from Christianwould have left such a man altogether unpro-ity and Sidneyism into selfishness and sucvided for, out of their private patronage, and cess. Iwould have rewarded him, after much en- There is a glimpse allowed, to be sure, of treaty, with a government living, without a house, in the wilds of Yorkshire, with the descriptive name of Foston-le-Clay? Le-Clay, indeed! Not very good French, but very expressive English.

recognition at the end. After giving a good exchange to Combe Florey, the Whigs are supposed to follow the example of a noble Tory-a nobler than the one I have just imagined-and to make him a canon of St. Paul's. The fancied Sydney still goes on. He estab- So says this veracious chronicle. But he is lishes himself in the Yorkshire wilderness. old; he has seen all his juniors promoted over He builds a house, the ugliest and most com- his head. He has two dozen superiors in his fortable in England, at a great expense out profession, who look down from the awful plaof his private pocket; and sets such an exam-teau, or flat elevation, upon which their merits ple of a cheerful performance of duty and (and other considerations) have placed them, universal good-will, that we forget his wit, and at the man who never shuffled, nor lied, nor his literature, and his learning, and see only truckled, who was only a sayer of good things, the generous man, the useful minister, the noble soul. This lasted year upon year. And year upon year Whig preferments must have been falling vacant. But Whigs have sycophants, and cousins, and nieces' husbands; and Sydney is supposed still to be left in Foston-le-Clay. It must be a satire, this biography-a bitter satire. And the Tories are scarcely less satirized in it than these grateful precious Whigs. What! If this were not a merely fanciful picture, do you think no Tory minister, no Tory magnate, would have said, "Well, here is a man who, if he had gone to the bar, would have forced his way into the

ds: if he had taken to literature as a pro

but not a claimant of them; who did not heap all his official preferment on himself, and did not even put his son into the church. Shut up the book; it is a malicious libel on the Whigs.

I suspect, after all, it is a mere reversal of somebody's else career. Instead of an honest, true, open, independent, gallant gentleman of the name of Sydney Smith, it is perhaps the topsy-turvied record of a grovelling, grasping turncoat of another name. of wit and brightness, put down dinginess and stolidity; instead of earnest determination to make the best of the ills of life, of poverty, and neglect, and wilful misrepresentation, put

Instead

down a grasping after everything to be got, a Foston-le-Clay, and even Combe Florey, and craving for wealth and station, adulation to a a canonry at St. Paul's-hey-Room there lord, insolence to a curate; and instead of a for my lord the bishop!