Volume 25 — EVERY CONVICT HIS OWN CHESTERFIELD.
Reading edition
Mr. John Mitchel—by the astute and graceful manner with which he resigned his "comparative liberty," revoking his "parole of honour"—displayed a politeness that would have charmed Lord Chesterfield, and a casuistry that would have ravished Ignatius Loyola. Determined upon escaping from bondage—(for which we say the smallest blame to him)—he nevertheless resolved to escape like a gentleman. He would resign his "comparative liberty" gracefully, as a bride resigns her hand—he would revoke his parole smilingly, as a high-bred cardplayer would revoke at whist. He enters the police-office—walks into the magistrate's room—gives him a bit of paper. "What's this?" asks the magistrate. "That's to signify," says John Mitchel, "that you may chain me—lock me up." "May I, indeed!" cried the magistrate. "You may," answers the magnanimous patriot; who, disdaining to take the least advantage, bolts from the court, jumps on a horse ready saddled for the work, and gallops his hardest.
We have heard of splitting a hair; but never before was word of man—parole of honour—broken with such nicety. The flaw is so delicate, it is hard to say where it begins or ends. In future, perhaps, when an Irish convict gentleman waits upon an Australian magistrate, to surrender, on paper, his "comparative liberty," the magistrate, before perusing the document, will take the precaution of shutting the office-door.
The Milky Way in Lancashire.
Many of the farmers about Preston are giving their cows apples, in consequence of that fruit being more plentiful, and so much cheaper, than potatoes. We wonder whether this difference of diet produces any difference in the milking; and whether a cow, so fed, instead of yielding so many pints of milk, gives now so many bottles of cider; or whether it was a combination of both—a sort of milk-cider? In the cause of temperance, we pause for a reply.
Caledonian Fiddle-de-dee.—The irritation of the Scotch agitators may be only skin-deep, but the disorder nevertheless may prove contagious.