which is perhaps best expressed by-an aposiopesis.

And here I would guard against a possible misconception: In the heat of the controversy which has raged round the story of the Rear Column, it is little wonder if many persons, stung to the quick by the report of horrors committed by members of an expedition which was started for philanthropic purposes, and was supported by men whose philanthropy is beyond suspicion, have asked indignantly-as if the question needed only to be asked to answer itself what right had Mr. Stanley and his followers to carry martial law across Africa at all? Did they receive the right to flog and slay from the English Government or the Government of the Khedive; or, thinking themselves outside of all European law, did they act as legislators and policemen, judges and executioners, all in one? With such a line of argument I cannot sympathize. It proves either too little or too much; and, to make it hold good, we must go much further back, and condemn not Mr. Stanley's expedition alone, but all expeditions into barbarous and unknown countries, which are prepared, in the last resort, to have recourse to force. There is much to be said for and against the abstract right of civilized men to force their way into uncivilized countries, to "discover" aborigines who knew well enough where they were all the time, and had no wish to be "discovered" by any one else; but it would take me too far away from my present object, if I attempted to weigh the good against the evil, and to show, what I believe to be the case, that, on the whole, if proper precautions are taken, the evil is outweighed by the good.

But what I would insist on is this, that, if it is right to go on such an expedition at all, it is not only right, it is absolutely necessary, to entrust its leaders with exceptional powers. An expedition like that for the relief of Emin Pasha-whatever other objects there may have been in the background, and some of these are now gradually oozing out-must have a large following, native and English. Mr. Stanley took with him some 650 souls-English, Zanzibaris, Somalis, Soudanese-not to speak of the 600 "carriers" or slaves to be supplied by Tippoo Tib; and such a following necessarily becomes a mob, unless its leader has extraordinary powers

committed to him. He could not take with him, even if he would, and he ought not to take with him, even if he could, all the bulky and the clumsy paraphernalia of English law-a panel of twelve British jurymen, a bevy of clerks, solicitors, and judges, a library of English law books; and, even if he did, it would be exactly as illegal to administer English as any other law, in these wild and unknown countries. Any law, whether martial or, if the expression may be coined, "jungle," or merely "personal" law, is better than no law at all, and is absolutely essential to the safety and well-being of both natives and Europeans. The range of possible offences is unlimited, while the range of possible punishments is only too sharply defined by the conditions of the case. There are no jails, no treadmills, no appliances for enforcing solitary confinement. One act of desertion, on the other hand, one act of wholesale theft, the example of one bold and influential mutineer, may imperil the existence of the whole force, and the only punishments possible are those which are sure, swift, and severe. In other words, there are two deterrents only, corporal punishment and death. To deny this, while we defend the policy and morality of such expeditions, is the part of a well-meaning but an illogical humanitarianism which defeats its own object. When, therefore, Mr. Stanley or Major Barttelot flogged men, or even put them to death, they did what ex hypothesi they had a strict right to do, and their action can be properly condemned only as being too severe, or not severe enough, for the particular case.

But severity may amount to cruelty, and cruelty may amount to demoniacal barbarity, if personal malice, or race hatred, or indifference to human suffering, or positive delight in seeing it inflicted, and, still more, in inflicting it oneself, accompanies the judicial act. And it is because there is only too much reason to believe that such feelings did actuate Major Barttelot in his deeds of wild and almost incredible brutality, in the kickings, and the clubbings, and the floggings to death, or to what was almost worse than death, whereof it was not Africans alone, but English gentlemen who were the eye-witnesses, that the conscience of the English nation has been stirred to its inmost depths, and that it feels that it would gladly give up all the fruits of Mr. Stanley's expedition,

if only what has been done upon it by individual Englishmen could thereby be undone. And it is because Mr. Stanley, knowing well what kind of man Major Barttelot was, knowing what he had done in Egypt, knowing his hatred to the natives of Africa, and being warned against him by those who had the best right to do so, selected him for his expedition, when he might have had the pick of all England from which to choose; because he put arms into his hands, and, when he was removed from all the restraints of civilization, invested him with a vast responsibility, and then, when the natural result followed, abstained from condemning what had been done, and, two years afterward, revealed it, not on public, but on purely personal grounds;-that the English people will always consider that there is a dark spot upon even his most splendid achieve

ments.

Martial law is in itself so terrible a necessity, it is liable to such grave abuse: the sight of means to do ill deeds, among a people so widely different from our own, so often makes ill deeds to be done by all but those who are restrained by the highest moral and religious principles, that it is hardly too much to say that the first, second, and third requisite for him who should ever be allowed to wield such a weapon at all is a keenly sensitive humanity. More valuable this than the patience and the prudence, than the courage and the address, than the strength of body and the strength of mind, than the firm faith and the indomitable hope, which go to make up the ideal-an ideal which has, happily, been so often all but realizedof a great English explorer!

In all Imperial races, especially in those which have also strong colonizing and commercial instincts, there is an element of the wild beast. The Phoenicians, in ancient times the Portuguese, the Spaniards, and the Dutch in modern timesare conspicuous instances of this. It seems almost like a law of Nature that civilized men, when thrown among uncivilized, should assimilate themselves to their surroundings, and should catch something, and at times—as in the case of the Spaniards in America and the West Indies- -8 double measure of their ferocity and their barbarism. Great Britain is no exception to the rule. Indeed, in some respects, sho is exposed to even greater temptation than

any other nation. Our empire is so worldwide; we are brought into such close contact with natives of every stage and of no stage of civilization; our colonists are so hardy and so energetic; our traders so restless and so aggressive; our explorers so fearless and so resourceful; as a nation, we are so self-reliant, so self-contained, so conscious of our own superiority; the chances of detection and of punishment, in case of wanton cruelty in the outlying portions of our vast dependencies--the very portions, I would remark, to which the most enterprising and the least scrupulous members of the community tend to gravitate-are so infinitesimal, that we need to be saved from our baser, and recalled to our nobler selves, by every engine at our command.

And what engine can be compared, with this end in view, with Public Opinion? And how can Public Opinion ever be brought to bear in such remote corners of the earth, unless we lay it down as a fundamental axiom that, throwing all such maxims of false esprit de corps as I have enumerated above, to the winds, we should denounce and punish wherever it is possible-of course, with all allowance for attendant circumstances, but with all seriousness, and all severity-any and every act of greed, of injustice, of oppression? The atrocities committed by certain members of the Rear Column might have been all, or almost all of them, prevented, had this principle been frankly recognized. If the accounts which reach us may be relied on

and some of them, I would remark, notably those of Mr. Bonny and Assad Farran, bear every internal mark of truthfulness and accuracy-Major Barttelot himself, whether criminal or madman, was, once and again, restrained from a violent outbreak by the pertinent suggestion that "the English newspapers might get hold of it."

When he heard of the cannibal orgies on the Upper Congo, he seems to have been thrilled by a spasm of emotion -not at the horror of the deeds done, but at the thought that they might cost him his commission," and Mr. Jameson, when he had scen and done his worst at Riba Riba, was certainly recalled to his better self-and it is clear that he, like Major Barttelot, had a better self-by the discovery that what he had seen and done was known and was condemned by the Belgian officers of the Congo.

But if the temptations to which we are exposed are greater than those of any other nation, so also, happily, on the other hand, is our experience wider, and the safeguards which a sensitive and enlightened public opinion at home may be made to lend us, are immeasurably greater also. For it may be said of England, without fear of contradiction, that, of all the Imperial races which have ever existed, there is not one -as the history of our Indian Empire, rightly viewed, will prove-which is more disinterested, more merciful, more just, more anxious to serve those whom she rules, and to rule by serving them. Panic, indeed, is always cruel; and, in times of great excitement and great danger, as in the Indian Mutiny, or the Jamaica Insurrection, it is little wonder if some who were on the spot did deeds of which they were afterward ashamed, and if many also, at home, clamored for an all too sweeping and indiscriminate revenge. But the reaction is never long in coming; and it is found, when the conflict is over, that it is not those who have interpreted, perhaps only too faithfully, the passing popular passion; but it is the Cannings, the Outrams, the Lawrences-men who, in the prolonged life and death struggle, lost neither head nor heart, who have planted their memories most deeply in the affections of the English people.

It is a mere calumny to say, in face of our recent history, alike in Africa, in India, and in other parts of the world, that new countries cannot be explored, new trade routes opened out, immemorial rivers traced to their fountain-head, barbarous tribes influenced, controlled, civilized, assimilated, by men who have a conscience which is keenly sensitive to right and wrong, and who, to the robuster qualities which we usually associate with the pioneer and the discoverer, add the gentler and the more distinctively Christian virtues which we expect to find in the philanthropist and the missionary.

Mungo Park discovered and explored the Niger; Denham and Clapperton reached Lake Tchad and the Western Soudan; Rajah Brooke acquired and civilized part of Borneo; Gordon ruled the Egyptian Soudan, and led and moderated a great war in China; Speke and Grant discovered the Victoria Nyanza and "settled" the Nile; Cameron crossed Africa for the first time; Moffat spent a lifetime among the

Bechuanas; Hannington faced torture and death in Uganda; missionary bishop after missionary bishop has thrown himself in a forlorn but cheerful hope on work and no uncertain death in Nyassa land; Livingstone exhibited in his own person, through a long lifetime, the very highest qualities alike of the explorer and the missionary ; and all of them, so far as I am aware, without having done a single deed of violence at which any Englishman need blush. In the days, at all events of the earlier of these explorers, there were no telegraphs, no giant commercial companies,

no

spheres," imaginary or otherwise, of European "influence" in a continent which was, almost as yet, undiscovered; there were no unlimited resources of men and money placed at the disposal of the intrepid explorer. Other African expeditions have in these later days been heroically undertaken, and carried through with marvellous, I would almost say with miraculous energy, tenacity and address, amidst the plaudits, the well-deserved plaudits, of an admiring world, and with results more striking, though hardly more important to geography and science. But they have been at an enormously greater expense, and they have left behind in their track too many burned or ruined villages, and too many bleaching human bones. It was on a modest £2000 that the "Nile was settled," by Speke and Grant, and the two men left behind them in their" walk across Africa," a streak, as it were, of kindly light, and an example which future explorers, warned by the accompaniments, perhaps the inevitable accompaniments of semi-military expeditions, like Mr. Stanley's, will do well to follow.

Never, since, by a stroke of the pen, Pope Alexander the Sixth divided the undiscovered world into two portions, and, with true Pontifical liberality, gave all to the west of his imaginary line to the Spaniards, and all to the east of it to the Portuguese, calling forth the shrewd remark of the French king that "he should like to see the will of Father Adam before he assented to the arrangement," and, in the process, handing over whole continents to the treachery and ferocity of men like Cortes and Pizarro, has a large portion of the earth's surface been appropriated, and carved up with such splendid audacity, as has Africa been lately portioned out, among the jealous and scrambling nations of

"

Europe, at the instance and under the auspices of Lord Salisbury. Perplexing questions may, no doubt, occur to us, as to the Right Divine of Lord Salisbury, or of anybody else, so to parcel out what does not belong to them; but, rightly or wrongly, for good or for evil, the sphere of English influence' is, henceforward, to extend over something like an eighth of Africa; and it is the most pertinent, as it is one of the most burning of all Imperial questions, in view of recent revelations, whether Africa is once more, as she has been for centuries, though in a rather different sense, to be the prey of European

nations, anxious only for their own enrichment, devastating her by their fire-arms, and decimating her by their flood of ardent and poisonous spirits; whether the "influence" at work is to be that of men like Barttelot and like Jameson, or of men like Gordon and like Livingstone; whether Africa is to be exploited" by great commercial companies chiefly for their own benefit, or whether she is to be helped forward-Africa for the Africans-to a natural development of her own, redolent alike of the people and the soil.-Contemporary Review.

AMONG the many who have wended their way through the country of the Passion Play, doubtless it may have suggested itself to some to think how beautiful this country is in summer, but how dreary it must be when there are no leafy woodlands, no flowery meadows, no busy peasant life in the fields. It must seem as if a white shroud had been thrown over Nature's death, and that there was nothing for the inhabitants to do but to endure patiently till the resurrection morn of spring called all forth to new life and beauty.

But this would be a very mistaken idea. Winter has its smiles as well as its frowns, and very brilliant smiles, too. Among those who know the country in all its phases, there are those who prefer the grandeur of winter to the blooming beauty of summer. When the pure sunny peaks stand up against the deep blue of the winter sky, and the whole surface of Nature's white mantle is covered with crystals that glisten and sparkle in the sunlight like diamonds, rubies, and emeralds; and, in moonlight, not only glitter but shine like huge glow-worms-the scene has a look of fairyland that those who only know the ordinary English snowfall cannot conceive. There are lovely atmospheric effects also that can be seen at no other time. One that occurs about sunset can only be described as the whole landscape being bathed in the glow of a soft, deep, rosy light. Of it words can give no idea to those who have not witnessed it. At least, some will NEW SERIES.-VOL. LIII., No. 3.

say, the lovely Bavarian lakes must have lost their charm when the vivid coloring of the water-green, blue, what shall we call it is no longer there; when there is no rowing over sunny waters, no waterfalls leaping joyously down the surrounding cliffs, no mingling of the varied hues of pine, beech, birch, service tree, beneath the gray rocks that pile themselves against the summer sky. But surely, there is something to compensate for this when the lake lies like a glassy mirror, so smooth on its surface that a skater can go about two miles in eight minutes and a half, so clear that fish can be seen swimming below, and an involuntary tremor cannot but be felt in launching on it, it is so impossible to believe that a firm surface lies between the foot and untold depths. On more exposed parts exquisite crystals like flowers, feathers, or stars, may be found piled up on the surface of the ice. What can regulate the varied shapes of these ice formations? No one has yet been able to discover. Some think that electricity has much to do with it. And as to the surroundings, though the frozen waterfalls may want life, they have a still pure beauty all their own Though the trees may be leafless, yet how lovely their covering of soft, feathery snow, and crystals sparkling like frosted silver, which brings into strong relief the varied growths, from the majestic pine, with massive drooping boughs, to the light, graceful birch, looking more than ever the lady of the woods"-thus compensat

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ing by diversity of form for monotony of color. Besides which, while all may be absolutely still below, on the mountain-top the fitful currents of air may be blowing the snow into fantastic clouds, or sending it down the precipices as snowfalls. Yes, truly the lake of the Bavarian highlands has its winter as well as its summer beauty. To turn from the scenery to the inhabitants of the country. Winter is no time of hibernation for them, either as to labor or amusements. There is a quantity of gypsum in the limestone rock in the neighborhood, and several mills for converting it into plaster of Paris, and a favorite industry for men whose usual avocations are at a standstill is the making of small casks for its conveyance. It is not a very remunerative occupation, as they only get 30 pfennigs, that is 4d., per cask, but they can make five in a day, and even about double that number if they have all the wood prepared.

Cattle, sheep, and goats being all stabled for the winter makes early hours necessary, and gives work, especially for the women. The women also have their wool to card, and their wool, flax, and hemp to spin, besides knitting stockings and getting through as much needlework, etc., as they can; because, as soon as field-work begins, their time is fully occupied out of doors.

As to amusement, you may trust a Bavarian not to be behind in that. The men meet almost nightly in the different inns and beer-houses, according to their status in the local society, where they have talk, singing, music, cards, etc., the large glass mugs of beer at their side being constantly replenished. The beer is fortunately light and wholesome, but the amount drunk is a serious expense, and much more than the men usually can properly afford. Besides these nightly gatherings, there are different clubs or societies that meet at certain times at one or other of the inns for an evening's amusement, some of them under the patonage of the priest. In many of them the women join, but the women's chief enter tainments are kunkl, or spinning parties, at home; and very cosy and picturesque these spinning parties are. The great feature in a Bavarian sitting-room is the large porcelain stove, that stands out into the room and that is usually lit from the 'passage outside. Round this stove a bench runs, making a delightfully warm seat, the back being the porcelain stove. But be

sides this stove, in the older houses there is in the wall a hole with a chimney, where a particular sort of pine, that burns brightly without sending out sparks, is burnt at night for the purpose of light only. In olden times, when such luxuries as lamps were unthought of, it was often the only means of illumination. Some still use them constantly, others keep them only for festive occasions. A man (generally the wag or story-teller of the party) sits beside it to keep it replenished. The women have their spinning-wheels or knitting, and the men sit in the darker corners ; and there are always some to sing songs or tell stories, or keep the fun going in some way. One such scene specially recurs to

me.

Imagine an old, dark-panelled room. In her arm-chair, close to the stove, in the full light of the blazing pine-wood, sits the handsome old hostess, in her picturesque costume, busy with her spinning-wheel. A young woman with a wheel is in an opposite corner. Three daughters knitting and guests sit in a circle, more or less, the light playing on the varied faces and timeworn furniture, as bright fire-light alone can. One man has a guitar, and two young girls sing Tyrolese songs, and the compositions of one of the men present, pleasantly together. At last Schnapps of different kinds (a sort of cheap liqueurs) and delicious coffee, with home-made cake, are handed round, and the evening ends with hearty farewell greetings.

During the Carnival young men masked, and dressed so as to disguise themselves as much as possible, go from house to house, especially to where spinning parties are known to be going on. Several of them bring harmonicas, which they play with their mouths under their masks. Music being thus provided they dance with the girls and each other; the excitement on the part of the girls being to find out who the different maskers are, and greatly crestfallen these maskers are when the secret is found out. They all force their voices into one peculiar tone, so that if they speak it does not betray them. Their manners are as quiet and decorous as if they were not masked. In one village where the masking seemed to lead to riotous conduct the authorities prohibited all masking for the future. Men may dress as women, but it is not deemed correct for a woman to go about masked.