watcher, hiding its stricken head beneath its wing, quietly by other men showing infirmities. Burke says "a vigorous and silently dies. How would it be if the bird fanciers of our American cities were to import these guardians of faith and honor into our midst? Would our fair matrons wear them as their chiefest ornaments on breast and brow, fearless of the silent record of this tender songster, to which deeds, not words, bring death? Who shall tell what its fate would be-how long its life! The Eccentricities of Genius.-The world often wonders why it is that those men and women who dedicate their lives wholly to authorship, literature, art, or science, are in their manners and habits so odd and peculiar, as contrasted with those engaged in other occupations. Is it because their genius or inventive power makes them oblivious to current events and customs? The greatest characters in the field of literature have won distinction for their eccentricities. They seem to shine as stars in the firmament for a little while and then we behold them in the gloom of despondency -dull and melancholy. One hour buoyant and entertaining to friend and stranger; another, morose, peevish and disagreeable. Indeed, there appear such irregularities and uncertainties in the practical life of the great body of those who make books for the multitude to gather instruction and amusement from, that the writer with many friends would feel thankful for any information that would illuminate the matter. The effects are visible, and there must be causes perfectly rational for what appear to many of us as vagaries and freaks of fancy in men and women of recognized genius. Could not the Editor of POTTER'S AMERICAN MONTHLY, throw a little light upon the subject? V. R. M. Information is much easier solicited on this subject of character, or rather causes of character, than furnished. Curious to the world at large-and we might almost say a mystery are the operations of the human mind and heart. We cannot penetrate the inner-temple, and see thought and emotion. We only can witness the external movements and their results. True, there are those who seem to be able at times to fathom even the thought of others. The eye is said to be an index to the soul, and he who can read that aright may know even the operations going on in the mind. The causes for such eccentricities are no doubt traceable to influences external or internal, which we have not the pow of discerning. These influences are as changeable as the mind itself; and this change would seem as one of the necessities of a literary life. The thinking and exploring mind takes always great delight in new mental excursions and scenes, and appears to feast on variety, as the spice of mind-life. During the period of these ramblings into the new and unknown realm the outer world is lost sight of, and only the new creations are lingered upon. This isolation from a normal to what might be called an abnormal condition would as a logical result, produce one or more evidences of the peculiar, or eccentric. This deviation from the simple rule in word and act, is the strange in literary characters. Some writers have considered these peculiarities as the infirmities of genius. With them we do not agree. There is no more evidence of such acts indicating weakness, than superlative acts and measures in other directions performed mind is as necessarily accompanied by violent passions as a By passion driven, But yet the light that led astray "It is seldom the lot," says Madden, "of the wayward child of genius to have a Currie for his historian, and hence it is that frailties, which might have awakened sympathy, are now only mooted, to be remembered with abhorrence. It is greatly to be regretted that eminent medical men are not to be met with qualified, by literary attainments, as well as professional ability, for undertakings of this kind. No class of men have the means of obtaining so intimate a knowledge of human nature, so familiar an acquaintance with the unmasked mind. The secret thoughts of the invalid are as obvious as the symptoms of his disease: there is no deception in the sick chamber; the veil of the temple is removed, and humanity lies before the attendant, in all its helplessness, and for the honorable physician it lies—if we may be allowed the expression-in all its holiness. No such medical attendant, we venture to assert, ever went through a long life of practice, and had reason to think worse of his fellow-men for the knowledge of humanity he obtained at the bedside of the sick. Far from it; the misintelligence, the misapprehension, that in society are the groundless source of animosities which put even the feelings of the philanthropist to the test, are here unknown; the only wonder of the physician is, that amidst so much suffering as he is daily called to witness, human nature should be presented to his view, in so good, and not unfrequently in so noble, an aspect. It is not among the enlightened physicians of this or any other country that we must look for the dis ciples of a gloomy misanthropy." There is a sort of charm around and about the sanctum saniam or insaniam of genius which leads many to walk in its footprints. Swift, Sharpe, Tasso, and Cooper took special delight in this field of labor, although their visions were considered distempered. There are many instances of minds depraved, not so much from excessive study, as from protracted broodings over unpleasant subjects. This twisting of the faculties into tortuous channels cannot fail to give us eccentricities, but it does more-furnishes the world with certain kinds and degrees of insanity. Festus told St. Paul that much learning had made him mad; and Sophocles has lauded the beatitude of ignorance. The wise course is the middle course. Temperance in literature, as in all things, should be the guiding principle. "When the growth of intellect" says Madden, "is too prompt, its faculties are too early developed, and mental application is permitted proportioned to this development; the body receives no part of it, but the nerves cease to contribute to its energies; the victim becomes exhausted, and eventually dies of some insidious malady." During the transition from the one state to the other, many of the so-called peculiarities are witnessed. Surveying the subject from different positions we are led to the conclusion that order, uniformity and law should guide all human operations. Too great a strain upon any faculty or function will recoil to the injury of him or her who makes it. We may advance to the gate of the temple of celestial knowledge, yet we should know the boundaries which human science cannot pass. If we glance at the closing scene of many men who gained the admiration of the world through their productions, we will find much to illustrate our observations: Addison once said to a prodigal young nobleman, "Behold with what tranquility a Christian can die!" Roscommon repeated on his death-bed two lines of his own version "Dies iræ." Bede quit life in the act of dictating. Keats, just previous to his death, in answer to a question as to his condition, replied in a subdued voice, "Better, my friend. I feel the daisies growing over me." The ruling passion in life generally lingers till the light goes out. Man, however, notwithstand. ing all his imperfections, is a wonderful creation. In reason, how noble! In faculties, how infinite! In form and motion, how grand and graceful! In intelligence, how like Jehovah! To lift him up on to higher planes, and enable him to achieve greater possibilities, is the mission of human brotherhood. Let us hope for its success. CURRENT MEMORANDA. The Trade Problem.-Intimately connected with the Capital and Labor problem is our relation with adjoining countries and governments, and the interchange of their products with those of the United States. In a former number of the MONTHI Y we briefly outlined the benefits which would be derived from extending our intercourse in a manufacturing and commercial sense with Mexico and other adjacent States. The weakness of the cry of over-production, we felt sure, would soon be apparent to all, if once we utilized the opportunities offered us. We are told that "there is a tide in the affairs of men which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune," and no less truthful is it when applied to nations. This tide has for many years borne millions of dollars across the Atlantic to enrich the merchants and Government of Great Britain, and just because we have been blind to our best interests. To find markets for our cotton manufactures and other products is to find employment to labor now idle, and capital now stored away in bank vaults. As bearing directly upon this subject we extract the following from the Philadelphia Record: The Centennial Exhibition has proved wonderfully fruitful in opening new avenues of trade, and it is probable that the fame of Philadelphia manufactures thus disseminated over the civilized world will create demands from quarters heretofore unnoticed. It will be remembered that a society was formed, composed principally of public men, to advance American industries. That association now reports a large number of export orders from sections entirely new, and will show, on the authority of some of the best business men in the city, that the export of our manufactures is practicable in almost every department, and entirely successful in all cases that have been tried, the goods being sent and paid for here without any speculation whatever. As an outgrowth of that movement a more specific organization has been effected by twenty leading business firms to open up the trade with Mexico, Central and South America, among whom are conspicuous, Messrs. Jessup & Moore, William Cramp & Sons, Collins & McLeester, Henry Disston & Sons, Martin Landenberger & Sons, Lloyd, Supplee & Walton, Stephen F. Whitman & Son, Sausser, Son & Co., John Gibson's Son & Co., W. L. Elkins & Co., Loper Brothers & Co., Hale, Kilburn & Co., and James Long, Brother & Co. They have aided in the formation of a general agency under the firm name of Fralick, Murphy & Co., in this city, which has arranged to create correspond. ing agencies in all the leading cities of Central and South America, representing in each case a sufficiently large assortment of goods to secure a fair business to every such agency. The parties to this arrangement are under a specific contract which secures permanence and makes the effect as strong as the united strength of the houses concerned can make it, representing not less than $20,000,000 of capital. No such organized effort has been made in any previous case," said a gentleman recently, thoroughly acquainted with the export interests of the country. "This proceeding places Philadelphia in advance of New York, Boston or St. Louis, each of which has made some considerable effort to open this trade. The parties believe it will result in the early establishment of steam lines of communication, and will secure to Philadelphia its rightful place in this immense Southern trade." "There are now $60,000,000 worth of cotton goods consumed in South America, nearly all of which has previously been sent there by England. It is now found that American cotton goods are not only much cheaper, but best suited to the uses of all those countries, and the same preference exists for almost everything in our ordinary range of manufactured goods.". "A gentleman received this morning," continued our informant, "an order for 1,200 dozen glass tumblers from Rio Janeiro, South America. It is only necessary to open communication with those countries to inaugurate a very large trade, for the simple reason that Brazil and South America have been supplied for years with the poorest of English cottons, their clumsiest tools and most inferior machinery of every sort. The only thing necessary to give Philadelphia entire possession of the market is to go there and open up proper agencies to represent us." Capital and Labor.-For want of space in our last issue, we were obliged to break off rather abruptly our remarks upon Capital and Labor. We continue the discussion from where the thread was broken, trusting that the interest awakened in the September number will be more fully compensated in this. nocent. Should the loss and reduction come entirely from neglect of his business, the capitalist, in this case, would be guilty from a moral standpoint, in so far as others are made to suffer through this violation of their—the employés-trust The principal causes for the reduction of the prices of in him. He would be, however, according to the usual inlabor are the following: 1. Selling wares or commodities at non-paying profits. 2. Extravagance in the style of living. 3. Mismanagement of business. 4. Falling off of the amount of sales. 5. Withdrawal of capital from business. 6. Shrinkage of the values of investments. 7. Decrease of consumption. 8. Surplus of production. 9. Surplus of labor. 10. Increase of the purchasing power of the dollar. It becomes our duty, then, to inquire, how far the laborer should uncomplainingly bear the effects of any one or all of these causes. If the manufacturer or merchant sell his goods, or railroad companies transport freights at non-paying profits, in order to compete with or break down his or their rivals, is a reduction of wages justifiable to make up the losses sustained in such a struggle for supremacy? This question touches the heart of the recent railroad trouble. The war between the railroad companies growing out of their desire to control the bulk of the carrying-trade of both property and person, has entailed heavy losses, which have been made to recoil unjustly, we think—upon the operatives of the road. A fair and equitable competition may be wholesome, but that which is productive only of injury, should be everywhere and at all times severely condemned. Competition as practiced for the last decade has been the death rather than "the life of trade." "WE DEFY COMPETITION" is the drawing card in the merchant's window. The spirit it displays is born of deception and cradled in dishonesty. Its reward is either gain unfairly won, or bankruptcy. If neither of these, the wreck of the merchant is only saved by the discharge of the employé, or the curtailment of his salary. The SECOND in our table of causes for the reduction of the prices of labor, is extravagance in the style of living. If the business man consume his working capital by excessive opulence and expenses uncalled for in the natural order of comfort and happiness, is he justified in repleting his exhausted treasury by contracting the daily or weekly compensation of the diligent worker in his employ? An affirmative answer to this is certainly not tenable. The same principle applies to the THIRD cause, i. e. mismanagement of business. We next come to consider the FOURTH source of trouble, the falling off of the amount of sales. This may be the result of one or more causes: Not advertising judiciously the business; not keeping pace with the new ideas current, and the wares and fashions of the day; lack of business courtesy (an important element of success in trade); or a want of demand for goods, after exhausting all due attention and diligence to the business. The responsibility in this is more of a complex character than in the first, second, or third causes before named. Here, no blame, directly, may rest upon the employer. If he reduce the wages of his clerk, or workmen, as the sequence of his losses, superinduced by no neglect of his, but general falling off of trade, he is morally and legally in terpretation of our civil laws, entitled to full liberty to manage his own business, according to his own will. Right here we need reform. We should have our laws so framed that the moral law would be their spirit and foundation. The other six causes for the reduction of the prices of labor: withdrawal of capital from business, shrinkage of values of investments, decrease of consumption, surplus of production, surplus of labor, and the enhanced value of the purchasing power of the dollar, are, in the main, on the side of the monied capitalist. Reduction of wages predicated upon any one or more of them is generally justifiable, and should cheerfully be acceded to by every reasonable employé. More than this, it should be the spirit of Labor to sympathize and coōperate with Capital suffering from any of these causes. The removal of them can only be accomplished by concord and cooperation. Now, in order to bring about the required reforms, and at the same time stay the growth of anti-democratic principles, the masses, while obeying the law and all duly constituted authority, should labor as a unit together. From our definition of labor or capital uncrystallized, it will be readily inferred that the right to unite in brotherhoods and trades-unions is inalienable and belongs to every man who can justly claim citizenship. The liberty to exercise this right is also specially declared in the Declaration of Independence, as a fundamental principle of a free government, and this principle is clearly laid down in our GREAT NATIONAL CHARTER; yet there are many that claim to be public guides who ignore this right, and practically deny the power to exercise it. The same right is guaranteed to the laborer to centralize his labor-capital, that is accorded the monied capitalist in the organization of banks, insurance, railroad, and other forms of joint stock companies. This union is the strength of monied capitalists, and only through it can their power and influence be wielded in gigantic and effective form. So great has this power become that legislators, both State and National, and even courts of justice have been made creatures of their dictatorial will. This concentrated power sometimes has been used for the public weal, but more frequently has its force been directed for individual aggrandizement, at the expense and to the injury of the laboring classes. To check these encroachments upon personal rights and liberties, the labor capitalists of the country must exercise their equal rights, and organize, not into a few local unions, but into one broad, general brotherhood, national in its character and equitable in its object. This NATIONAL LABORCAPITAL UNION could have as many State and district subdivisions as the respective occupations require, each with its local officers, with local government, while subject, in a degree, to the deliberations of the National Council. The doctrine of Communism in these societies should be specially excluded. All influences of a sectarian or political nature should be zealously guarded against. The motto "a fair day's work for a fair day's wages," might take definite shape in a schedule of certain standards of prices for certain qualities of services. "JUSTICE TO EMPLOYER AND EMPLOYĖ" should guide the members in all their counsels and actions. The will of a large majority of the people of the several States could be manifested through such Unions, and such laws be made as would best promote the interests of the whole people. It may be here asked, What will alleviate the suffering population? We answer, that there are many remedies which to us seem practicable. Chief among these is the recognition by the monied capitalists of the rights of the laborer. "Not how little can I secure his services for, but how much can I afford to pay him," as expressed by an eminent manufacturer of New England, must be the spirit of the managing powers. This sort of policy would yield its own reward; for just in proportion to the amount of disbursements to the labor-market, so is the business augmented in all the mercantile and commercial markets. If A pays out $100,000 more this year than last, $100,000 more is put in active circulation by the labor recipients, and A, with the rest of the community, shares in its benefits. He sells more to his employés, and more to those who provide food, clothing, and shelter for his workmen. The reverse of this policy has, in no small degree, brought about the general shrinkage of business. Another way by which relief could be obtained, is the commencement of National, State, and City improvements that would enhance the value of the public estate, while furnishing employment to many now on the verge of starvation. The General Government might open up new highways across the Continent, take into its hands the construction of a Southern Pacific Railway, and complete the Northern Pacific Road. There are also many harbor improvements sadly needed. There are millions of acres of new land, needing only settlers to open and cultivate. If proper aid and encouragement were given to thousands of those now idle, tides Westward and Southward would soon set in, and new life would be given to what now are forests and prairie wilds. Homesteads would soon be seen scattered as blossoms of civilization, in regions long known only to the buffalo and wild man of the forest. The productive industry thus utilized would augment the national wealth in such a ratio that it would pay the Government to give to each settler one hundred and sixty acres of land, free transportation to it, and a supply of provisions for six months. Retrenchment of expenses is all right in certain directions, but it is no retrenchment to discharge a faithful worker, only to support him in idleness. A wise and beneficent Government should make the happiness and prosperity of its people its chief concern. "penny wise and pound foolish" policy is crippling all forms of exchangeable values. The The paying off of the national debt and restoration of specie payments are not near as important to the whole country as the utilizing of the labor capital, now yearning for something to do. How this can best be accomplished is a subject for the consideration of Congress and the Government. It seems to us that some system could be easily devised by which this utilizing of the now unmarketable labor capital could be made productive. As an adjunct to the Department of the Interior, it would be no difficult matter to establish A NATIONAL LABOR BUREAU, under the management of a chief, the same as the Bureau of Education, the object of which would be to gather all information possible bearing upon capital and industry, and the devising of ways and means to best promote the productive industry of the nation. This bureau, being confined in its sphere of usefulness mainly to the labor and capital problems, would be fully competent to make such recommendations to Congress for its action as the real facts warranted. Among the needed reforms is the revision of our National Banking Law, by taking from it the feature which gives a premium of about six per cent. in gold to the banker, more than is now allowed on mortgages and other forms of security. In ordinary business, among business men, if A borrows from B $10,000, and give for security a first mortgage on his (A's) property, B, the lender, expects to receive say seven per cent. interest on the bond he now holds against A. Under the banking law, the Government, who is the lender to the banker of his circulating medium in the form of currency, with its (the Government's) indorsement thereon, really receives not one cent for the loan, as B does in business, but the Government (corresponding to B) actually pays to the banker (corresponding to A) six or more per cent. on the bonds deposited for security. This is radically wrong, as it imposes an unjust tax upon the people. In a period of war such a law was, perhaps, made a necessity; now it should be abolished. Another reform necessary is the repeal of the law under which the Government stamps its depreciation on the national currency, by discriminating what it shall and shall not pay for: "This note is a legal tender at its face value, for all debts public and private, except duties on imposts and interest on the public debt." The words we have italicized make the distinction and consequent depreciation. The Bank of England note is not depreciated in any such manner, and the result is it passes at par with gold all times and places. A third reform is called for, and that is the remonetization of silver in such quantities that it and gold shall form a basis of values to regulate all other values that are interchangeable. The present generation has already liquidated a large portion of the public debt, and should it not be equally incumbent on those who succeed us to contribute their share of the cost of preserving and perpetuating the blessings of a free government, which they will enjoy? The value of a government, like that of a commodity, is measured by what it costs, and he who shares in the country's expenses is more likely to inquire into its workings and needed reforms than the free recipient of its favors. This is an accepted truth, demonstrated by the experience of societies, ecclesiastical and secular. Responsibility in any form tends to create a better type and style of citizenship. The man who is at the head of a family generally makes a better citizen than he who can roam at will, without restraints or any of the home-burdens to bear. Stability of purpose, frugality and sobriety, in the aggregate is on the side of the married population of the country. This condition of life should be encouraged, and in no better way can this be done than by rewarding those who settle upon our great public domain. LITERATURE AND ART. Sumners' Poems: By SAMUEL B. SUMNER and CHARLES A. SUMNER. New York: The Authors' Publishing Company. The authors and publishers have presented to the public in this book a production which commends itself. It comes to us in very attractive form: a 12m0, 500 pages, heavy tinted paper, prefaced with steel engravings of the authors, and elegantly bound in imitation morocco. The spirit of the brothers in sending the book out into the world is manifested in the words which mark its DEDICA TION: "To the memory of our mother, Pluma Amelia Barsstow Sumner, long since dead, from whose cultured lips we learned our first and best lessons, this volume is affectionately inscribed." The origin of the Poems is best set forth in the Preface: "Written at different periods of our lives, and alternating from grave to gay, will not lack variety at least; and will afford some entertainment, we trust, to all classes of readers. Some pieces may be deemed lacking in dignity or poetic art, many are juvenile compositions, and many are of special local interest; but for reasons which will be obvious, and by advice of those whose judgment we value, we insert them in this collection. Not without timidity, but relying upon the public indulgence, we launch this little venture on the uncertain sea." We give the spirit and origin, so to speak, of this collection, that the public may know something concerning the creative sources, that those interested in poetical writings may get an insight of the characters who speak to the world in verse and rhyme in this publication. They can only be fully known and measured after an intimate acquaintance with their thoughts and emotions. These are exhibited in many forms of expressions and shades of meaning. On page 14, in the poem "THE TRUE LIFE," we read: "The dearest homage which the soul can show To its great Author, is, itself to know, Itself to cherish and develop here, Its ripening only for a higher sphere. As but rehearsing on the stage of time, For that grand Drama-awful and sublime- When Heaven's full orchestra their strain begin, This stanza shows one style of the brother Samuel, and certainly in all, except the last four lines, exhibits clearness of perception and force of expression. The measure is good, however, throughout. The first four lines show condensed thought and power. We extract from " PRESENTED AS A SILVER WEDDING GIFT," on page 462, as showing the style of Charles A. "Full five and twenty years ago Ah, me! what recollections swarm- To please her Francis Maudlebaum." There is great variety of style throughout the book, and this is one of its values, as the mind does not weary with the Nimport, of the Wayside Series. Boston: Lockwood, Brooks & Company. This is a neat little volume of nearly 500 pages, 16mo, printed on cream tint paper, and bound in cloth. The typographical work is good, and the matter throughout very entertaining. "Nimport," the title of the book, is the name of "a goodly city," and as the author says, "clean, busy, and fair to look upon." The Fonde family, composed of Paul, an artist of noted ambition; Philip, a member of the army, who scorned civil occupations; Margaret and Theodosia, sisters of tender age, and an orphan cousin named Copplestone Crownds, whose age bordered on six. These five characters lived in a three-and-a-half-story brick house, their own estate. In addition to this property they owned a little railroad stock, all of which comprised the estate of the late Andrew Fonde, the father of the two sisters and two brothers. The death of this devoted sire threw the quartette upon their own resources for a livelihood. This book tells in a most animated manner what these resources were, not as related by a stranger, but with all the spirit of Paul, the senior member of the household. The birth of the book, in the writer's own language, is attributed to "a bunch of old letters written by Peg, and tied up in a bit of green ribbon." The experience of the several members of the Fonde family in their struggles for what they considered the prizes; the source of happiness and misery, and the ever shifting scenes which confronted them, are presented almost as real as life itself. In order that the reader may form an idea of the style, we give the following extract from one of Peg's letters: Dropping the curtain immediately, I sat still and speechless. I would have given worlds to cry out, but was really -laugh at me as you may-quite dumb with fright. After a severe struggle I controlled myself sufficiently to look again. The figure stood as before, but the slight movement I made, in lifting the curtain perhaps, attracted its attention, for, turning, it advanced with long quick strides towards where I sat. My blood now stiffened in my veins! My limbs were paralyzed! I tried in vain to shriek! In abiect terror I felt myself swooning, when the apparition spoke; said, in soft, deep, pleading tones: 'Oh, Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo! The sound of human voice, speaking intelligent and familiar words, brought me to myself enough to take presently another observation. The figure had retreated from the corner, and was standing as before, in the middle of the room." Throughout the book there is a sort of naturalness that can hardly fail to amuse and instruct. |