Ariginat Commuititatimm FLORIDA AND THE FLORIDIANS. 111. BY H. E. C. Do not believe all that is told you, gentle reader, in regard to this wonderful country. Papers reach us from the North, containing ar ticles on Florida, so over-drawn that we grow in dignant; and many are the poor invalids, de ceived by such fine writing, who come here to a great disappointment. Some of these• glowing pictures, I very much fear, are drawn by inter ested parties; and persons are induced to come here for permanent settlement, who are glad to • get away again as soon as possible. FLORIDA AS A HOME It would not be my choice, I say frankly and firmly. I come here an invalid, 'and, for the sake of regaining my health, am willing to put up with the many' unpleasant things I encounter; but what can include any one, without that mo tive, to leave a good Northern home„ with all its conveniences, wholesote food, society, means of education, and.ireligiotts privilege, to settle 'in Florida, is a gfeat mystery to me. If health were the object, I could understand it; but when I see men coming here with their 'families, pur chasing land perhaps along the river, hastily throwing up a house, and beginning to call it home, I am not disappointed to see them, a year later, broken with chills and fever, sadly retracing their steps northward, as from a land of graves. Again and again,' as I have seen these disappointed people, I have been reminded of Chuzzlewit's Eden, and have almost expected to hear some Mark Tapley crying out, " This is a wonderfully good place to be jolly in." Such a man settled on the Indian Rive, that Paradise of Floridian glory, and not long since he was seen on the wharf' at JacksOnville, waiting for the steamer to take him North. Sallow, ema ciated, alone, he pointed to a solitary trunk near by and said, "That's 'all there is left." FLORIDA AS A WINTER RESIDENCE FOR INVA- This is its chief recommendation. The summer fevers once past, you have a climate, some sud den changes excepted, the most delightful that could be imagined. The winter abounds. in cheerful sunshine, and you can spend much time in the open air; and such air, particularly, in the morning, so grateful to the lungs, so delicious, so exhilarating,' must be breathed in to be apprecia ted. My best idea of luxury is fulfilled when I breathe, I had almost said drink, this Florida air on a fine winter morning. If, therefore, disease has not progressed too far, an . invalid often receives great benefit by a winter or two in Florida. • JACKSONVILLE AND ATJGIISTINE These are the most desirable places of resort, on the whole, perhaps, in the State. If you push on to Enterprise, or go out upon the Indian River, you will, indeed, be less afflicted with , sudden changes of climate, but your discomforts, in other respects will be ! greatly increased. An invalid needs a. little pleasurable excitement. His mind must be diverted from himself; and at hese two places he will have sufficient society to assist in this purpose. But let him not ,judge either of these places by what he hears at the, other. • The old town and the new are rivals, and each tells naughty stories about the other. If anybody says to you at Jacksonville, that it is. "manslaughter to take an invalid to Augustine," wait a little and investigate for yourself.. And, if any one at Augustine expatiates upon the chills and fever at Jacksonville, treat that in the same way. For persons with extremely. delicate lungs, the sea-air at Augustine is sometimes irri tating; but for a large class of patients it is sim ply exhilarating and bracing. Jacksonville has better accommodations, however, and is a much more stirring and lively place. WHAT SHALL WE EAT? A very vulgar question, but one you must an swer ; and one which is for an invalid sometimes a question of very grave importance. .If you can rent a small building, and bring your own cook, and order ,prOyisions from New York, you will get on very well. If you hire board, and can not afford to pay very extravagant prices, you will eat hominy and tough steak, and have very few delicacies, such as your case may per haps require. And, as your impressions of a place always depend,a good deal upon the food it furnishes, in the latter case, you will call Flu rida a kind of purgatory, requiring a good many prayers, and some pretty large votive offerings, for your deliverance. AGGRAVATING THE CASE That is•wbat we are doing with ourselves here, if not upon our guard, every day.. We are here by the thousand, coughing, comparing symptoms; now worse, now better, all dreadfully home-sick at times, every few days some one going home— in a coffin. Your : sympathies are being constant ly worked uppp i . At breakfast it is " How did you rest last night ?" At dinner, " Have you taken exercise, and did it bring up your pulse to a. hundred ?" arid at tea, grumbling a , little, very weaiY, a Poor appetite, and, if you are a lady, a little c'r'y for =something good which you used to have at home. An invalid needs to be kept as far as possible from other invalids ; THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN, THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 1869. but here we swarm together. It can not be avoided. Pity us, poor home-sink souls, and do not wonder if we sometimes say, " -would ra ther die at home than live in Florida." CHANGES OF WEATHER Much has been written of the equable temper ature of Florida. But we are subject to changes of a very trying character. It may be different when you go up to Enterprise, or on as far as the Everglades, or somewhere else where nobody lives; but at Augustine and Jacksonville, where most of the invalids go, we sometimes pass, in a few hours, from a summer heat, to a temperature in which we need warm fires and our winter wrappings. The 'last winter has been particu larly unfortunate in this respect; and if such fearful frosts repeat themselves as we have just had, Florida will quite lose its good' name. Of course these changes are the exception, but they occur more or less every' winter, and persons. 'coining here for their health should be apprized of them, and come prepared.' No person should think of passing a'winter here Without 'securing a room in which he can haVe a fire, • Or without furnishing himself as warm' a winter `outfit as he would ordinarily need at the North.' Slavery has left itS blight here, as in all the South. The negroes swarm about as,' n some cases sadly putting to flight our airy fancies in regard to their educational aptitudes and rapid improvements. A band of great hearted teach ers are among them, however, and there will be light. The poor whites are also about us, and many ignorant whites who have not usually been reckoned among the poor. Romanism also has a strong grasp upon us, partioulately at St. Au gustine; and, as eveiywher%sep i s tkelf against free schools, and plays upon tlit, superstitions of an ignorant people. The Redemptorist Fathers are holding a mission among'us, and.one of them recently reproved his congregation, who were in attentive, by telling them of a marvel he had just witnessed. "`While standing at the wharf," he said, "I_ called the name of Mary, and the fishes leaped up out of the water andbowed their heads in plain sight." The incredulous Pro testants call that a fish story. LIBBABIES , FOR XINING 'TOWNS.. The devil•always has a fit agent ready, in or der to carry out each and every scheme of evil. In the matter of selecting and appointing officials suited to the business in hand, -his Satanic majesty has become, -by: long and varied practice, a thorough adept, in comparison with whom Gen. Grant is as. nobody.: It is -thin ,that ,so few of his plans for the injury of our race either come to nought, or fail of their intention. Did the children of light, use. but Ulf the sagacity and discretion with the•skill and energY practieed•by the- evil one, -their- efforts in .belalll :of righteous ness would not so frequently cramp- up, .dwarf, and fizzle. . • DITPR.NG ,TOTTIEL. ' These strange busy 'humanity .scat tered here and there .through. , the "Great Amori: can Basin—in Tjtah,, •NeVdda;;.l.dalko, Montana, Colorado, and parts Of California, are still inul tiplying, and daily .becoming of greater. kn-. portance.both to. oar -Atlantic Tand Pacific .slopes. A more distinct reflexive . .infltience..from. these' surging centres of , our people, will' at once , ibe . felt on the comi.letion of the overland Bairktoad.' Out Christian communities have more att stake in the miner, than .the amount of gold or silver he may chance to bring back with him, The populations of these towns and districts, are peculiar, sul generts, deeply interesting, shrewd, intelligent, actiire 'atid 'wicked. 'Man's demandsgregarious nature for them, in each town, a place or places for evening congregating. The miners are generally without families, and their, individual.accoMmodations for passing- theiricvs nings often fininviting 'ancUcheerless.' 'Hence, if a cheerful and comfortable place of common resort be found, where without intrusioh - their' leisure hours may be passed, it is almost certain to be largely occupied. In every such place, Satan prompts some publican,' for the love of money, to erect a large saloon, with bar, billiard and gambling tables ;. having it also well heated, lighted, and seated: This becomes at once the Tabernacle of Congregation for the district, and, with what results, each thoughtful mind can readily imagine. FREE - 'REAMING ROOMS No where else dOes there seem to be such a . necessity for a 'free reading-robm with Christian influences, as in our Widely scattered and far separated mining ' towns. In none ,of these, however, was I able to find even a"beginning . for so desirable a result. Were such an accommo dation offered 'in* each mining centre, it would prove 'a rival establishment to the saloon, and be filled every evening..' This 'was the'decided'Opin ion of every intelligent person: in these Places with Whoin I conversed` ou this 'subject:' _Before leaving `the PaCifi r o side; a general un deiatanding was had' between myself and a, number of earnest men more Ciiniteaeil - With - mining in-. tereits; in the neili'a l nd . 4oi!edr'ttilTrea'snre City, in 'Nevada':' They - that "they . would provide snitableioonag for rostding, - writing letters, and eongiggatingT and * - PPrOVide- 'the library.`-"This 184;riliiiiin"a - .6noini)likb'edi. - tci be not only for: a. ble'isirig . to{TiihilireOity; bat with , / the MO' that aii1 , 00,3 eitimiil' would be fol lowed by every other mining town. Thislusi- ness progresses. As suitable books are obtained they are sent to Treasure City by mail, as the readiest and cheapest way of getting them to that, far away and interior locality.. As the cost of a library suited to such a place will be con siderable, those desiring the pleasure of assisting can have the privilege. All, who know the good ly influences connected with the free reading rooms of our various Young Men's Christian As sociations, will desire to share in such a work. In every help sent to our Pacific slope, the Atlantic side of our continent has a ten-fold in terest. " Westward the star of empire takes its way," may remain fine poetry, but is truthful no longer. As the star of the East stood when reaching Bethlehem; so the star of Empire stands on the Pacific coast. The tidal waves of human influence will ere long, from accumulated strength, roll back from. West to East, vastly augmented in power, from Japan, from China; yea from every land of the East. Are, we fitly preparing for such wonderful re sults and so near in the future? A. M. STEwAaT. Pittsburg, March 29, 1869. OUR THEATRIOAL AMUSEMENTS. If, through a miracle, there were to come down "on this country, a sudden delightful afflu ence of temporal amelioration, a universal pros perity, so that all should' be placed in ease and plenty, it would require another miracle to pre vent.thia benignity:of heaven . from turning to a dreadful mischief: These are the words of an estimable foreign writer. ' He adds, also, in sub stance, Every one. can safely predict that, in such a conjuncture, most of us would consume one half of the-time thus given to Our disposal, in idleness, vanity or abomination. The'truth of this assertion has been. frequently demonstrated among us and in many ways, but in none more completely than in the way certain classes of our people rush' to the amusement which, night af ter night, is prepared for them at 'our theatres. A' prosperity almost unknown to any other country has enabled certain classes 'here to follow their bent. They have appropriated, from time to time, vast sums to the construction of edifices for theatrical entertainments. 'Decked in purple and jewels, they throng these haunts of pleasure, to witness and enjoy whatever is presented to them. Were these -resorts fountains, from which elevated ideas of men- and- things or even ass thetic refinements and elegancies could be drawn, there would be leas reason for complaint. But on the contrary, the entertainments offered are miserably puerile, when not positively indecent., Now the makfel is, how a father can expose his daughter, or a husband his wife, to the palpable grossness -they are sure to encounter at these or gies. It is true that,' by the' ingenuity of the ca terers to the tastes of our pleasure-seeking try, their audiences are debauched by degrees,— that in all-the-decline in the -'haunts of dissipa tion' from bad to worse; , the worst foot is , not shown 'first. , But it is' also true that,at last,-they -have= reachedoehat, to some minds, is utterly in tolerable. 'What woul(p be bald nonsense or re volting abomination,' if' produced separately, is put forth in conibinations.of ' flashy scenes, gro tesque 'buffoonery,' intisic; and the.:dancing ex ploits and exposures of semi-nude women. It is a disgrace and - 'burning• shame, that while the nastinesses of the lewd opera have been , interdicted frequently at some'of the theatres of Europe, they should have ever been permitted to gain a footing here. It.has come,. waknow, through the encourage ment and influence of certain coxcombs of both genders, whose own or parental means• have been sufficient to graduate them at Paris. Parties of this stamp, who "have resided , for even a few 'months in that worst capital- of the world, take readily, nay, naturally to its frivolities, fashions and , dissipations,' and are the very ones to aid in' the importation, and to give Parisian sanction to just such "refinements - " as these in their native land. We are well aware that no remarks of ours can ever 'reach these characters or great numbers of their calibre and tendencies around us; our only hope must be to put on 'their guard some who have not, as yet, been drawn into their ignoble and degraded vortices. It has icing been charged that our ladies dress, a la palais 'royal. Our entertainments, sadder to say, many of'them, arelrom nabetter source. Our, theatres, however, and whatever they may present of vapid' folly or degrading immorality, after all, Would fail of success among us, but for the ardent support they gain from the secular press.: 'Our countrymen have not yet learned 'how Unsafe,-indeed, how dangerous it is, to be guided by' the' popular press, in anything, but - especially in all 'Matter§ 'where an , advertising in terest is to be propitiated. Alas! for .eur coun try, :when 'the' 'mercenary principle takes the - reins;' when the (Villeins of those who aspire to lead, like merchandise, citable' bolight'and sold. But above-all ; ithen'tfie press'r'uns into irrespon- Bible licentiousneas E : D. M. TT' ivas rdsolved'at 'a late ternperance . meeiing in VPisconain that.t,lie 'absolute temperance is in-: dispensable to. raise men to. the level of other animals. , .DiEftras:an,aAti-Cbinamark Ko-lilux-Klan in citiiforgia. The organization is sending secret ,circulars to ail who ,cmploy . '9hinsse,'labOrers, warning ` them to desift or to expect, serioui con- sequence. tabit. Die Publishers will confer a favor by mentioning the prices of all books sent to this Department. SERMONS PREACHED BEFORE THE UNIVER SITY OF OXFORD, by H. P. Liddon, M.A., now in the third edition, are written from the apolo getic point of view, and are designed to neet the current objections and unbelieving tone of feel ing, as they would address themselves to the stu dent class of the English Universities. They are not direct arguments against unbelief, but dis courses on great moral and evangelical topics, in which there is a generous recognition of those na tive wants and tendencies of the human mind which error perverts and which the Gospel alone can guide and train aright, but which narrow minded religions teachers have often discouraged and denounced. Firmly adhering to the Evan gelical circle of ideas, the preacher in his manner of meeting objections preserves the sympathy between Mmself-and those whoth he would warn and enlighten. He keeps up the interest of the reader by - constant reference to questions of pfe sent and vital interest. His style is calm, thought ful, and for the most part clear ; without being decidedly powerful or riveting, it often rises to true and pare eloquence; lacking the condensa tion, the glow, the profundity and the charm of style of great sermons, they are wise, suggestive, earnest and seasonable. N. Y.: Scribner, Wel ford & Co. London: Rivington's ; Philadelphia : Smith, English & Co. $2 25. SERMONS BY CHAS. WADSWORTH, of the Cal vary Church, San Francisco, will be received with great interest by the large circle of hearers in this city, who can never forget how; they crowded his church, and hung charmed upon his lips, with scarce any fluctuation in numbers or in ad miration, while his labors in the Tenth Church continued. In these pages, indeed, we hear not that Wonderful, melancholy-musical voice, we see not that restrained but nervous gesticulation, which added such marked interest; and while we miss them greatly in the reading, there is yet so much vigorous - thought, so much finely express ed, spirited indignation at wrong ; so many bold conceptions, ingenious turns, instances of the argu ment ad h,orainem, and more than all, the free play of so rich, (though scarcely a great, deep or power ful) imagination, that the Sermons make a most attractive and readable and even elevating vol ume. Mr.. Wadsworth is quite as averse from doctrinal rigidity, as he is from dry formalism in his homiletic style. In his sermon on the " Gos pel Call," which strikes us as among the most ef fective on its theme, we have almost ever read, he says, among many other like, emphatic things : " God says these waters flow freely unto all men. And the man who dares to use any - divine attri bute as an obstacle to any man's salvation, per verts God's own truth and makes God a A good word, in thesb days, to come across from the other side of the 'Continent. The volume is handsomely printed and bound. Published by A. S. Roman & Co. San Francisco. 12mo. PP. 367. PULPITG:ERMS, by Rev. W. W. Wythe, is a most pains-taking and praiseworthy, attempt to aid the sermonizer, in the preliminary stages of , his work, without,:however, offering a premium to, laziness by the fullness of-the aid rendered, but rather stimulating the mind to action by the great va-, riety of the topics briefly treated. Als to the mode of treatment of the 455 texts, every one of which is "opened" and divided into the leading thoughts of the proposed ,sermon, we find few.of what might, be called fresh, striking, or ingenious, plans, and but little attempt is made to hold up a' single controlling thought et. proposition to give unity and force to the sermon: Tinted paper, pp. 219 with Index. Lippincott & Co. $1.50. Vol. I. of the AMERICAN YEAR BOOS, pub fished by 0. D. Case & Co., Hartford, and edited by David N: Camp is the recommencement of an undertaking involving so much labor and expense, and so uncertain of practical returns, that one of our best publishers and most enterprising men, Mr. Geo. W. Childs, after issuing two capital volumes, gave it up. We trust that those who now have undertaken it will be encouraged to give it a longer trial. Their work is more ex pensive and on a greater scale than that just re ferred to. It embraces six parts: 1.-Astronomical Department. 11. Statistics of the'United States. 111. Foreign States of the World. IV. Reli gious Statistics. V. Essays on Agriculture, Fi nance, MiningAbiterature. VI. Presidential Election Returns by Counties since 1836; Re• cord of Important Events--Obituaries American and Foreign. This, it will be seen, is a wide field, and will cover interests touching almost everybody 'in some way. Of course accuracy in all respects is itnpos,sible, but errors must not be overlooked in criticising the .volume. ' For ex ample; Ccilleges and Collegiate Institutions Male and Female; are all grouped together in one tabular statement.' Under Theological Seminaiies, no mention is made of Auburn, 'While Blackburn— al:nem Academy,- is Intedowtr as in operation as `a• Seminary. The itepOrt.of Public School Ex penses, for Philadelphia, is given only for 1866. In the exceedin,gly 3 faultpand' meaningless list of -i` National-Societies we find General Assemblies Conventions put;doivn, As well as Missionary , 'Boards, &n. Thelittle Mission Board of the 0. S. Reformed Church (Covenanters) is named, but not one of our denominational schemes. It seems almost a waste to give page after page of office-holders, whose places are being vacated even while the book is going into the hands of readers. But there is such a vast amount of information of permanent value, and which every one who thinks, calculates or writes, needs to have by him, all brought into manageable shape in this hand some octavo, and made accessible, with a full in dex, that we bespeak for it a hearty welcome from the public. MY RECOLLECTIONS OF LORD Bvltow may be described as belonging to the pamphlet class of books; being simply an extended argument in defence of Byron's character in every point in which it has been assailed by critics or compro mised in his own writings. From the position and relations of the writer—the Countess of Guiccioli—it might have been expected to con tain much unfit for the general reader. The un &nest is confined, we believe, solely to the fact that an adulteress should come before the public with the cool' impudence which takes on itself the forth of unconscious innocence. While the volume contains an extraordinary and plausible array of testimony to the unblemished virtue, ascetic habits, and undeserved persecutions of its subject, the force of all is broken by the nature of the source from which it comes. Besides, the attempt to exonerate not only the private charac ter, but even the entire writings of Byron from the charge of impurity reveals the low standard of morality which we might expect in the writer, and serves to justify- and fix the judgment long since rendered by the community as to the poet mid the tone of maby of his works. We prefer Kirke White to this Countess: • He might have soared, a miracle of mind, &c JUVENILES. CHOLULA, or the YOUNG MEXICAN, is an ad venture in an entirely new region of juvenile fic tion. The historical events on which the story is founded belong to the conquest of Mexico by the Spaniards. The heroine is a Mexican maiden who is represented as having been led to the Sa viour through the teachings of a good - priest who came with Cortez. The incidents of the arrival of Cortez and the conquest of the City of Mexico are well rehearsed, and the customs and social life of the people reproduced with care. The story is unpretending, and without great invention in the plot or discrimination or force in the char acters; but its novelty will commend it to young readers. It is as suitable for the Sunday School as nine tenths of the books that go there. Skelly & Co. • LITTLE FREDDIE FEEDING HIS SOUL, by Say `Putnam, is one of the most captivating stories of child-progress in the knowledge and love of Jesus, that we have ever met. It is natural and health ful in every part, and doubtless pibtures an actual instance of original and genuine piety in very tender years. CARTERS; for sale at the Presby terian House. MRS: SHERWOOD must be recognized as one of the founders of that department of literature which has grown to such vast proportions and which- is commanding such a wide and brilliant array-of talent in our generation—that of juven ile books. THE LILY SERIES, just issued by CARTERS, is a republication of those choice sto ries, from her pen, which recall some of the hap piestassociations of the-men and women of forty years 'or thereabouts. The first volume of the six, FLOWERS QF THE FOREST used to be called "in our day," the LILY OF THE VALLEY. Few , stories of modern origin can vie with it in the elements of legitimate interest and in wholesome evangelical tendency. The other five are : The. Young Forester, The Little Woodman, The Little Beggars, The Two Orphans, Joan. They are packed in a neat box,, and each volume is hand somely illustrated, with full paged wood cuts. For sale at the Presbyterian Book Store. The ininiitable BESSIE BOOKS are continued, BESSIE AT THE MOUNTAINS having just appear ed. In new places and circumstances and under new joys and trials, the attractive group of young and old people is again presented to us. Bessie is still a quaint and wise little darling, but older and less of a kitten, and scarcely so surprising; as before. The highest lessons of duty are inter woven with perfect naturalness in the gracefully told story. Some of the illustrations are fine spe cimens of wood-engraving. 18mo. pp. 356. $1.25. Published and for sale as above. THE CLERGY OF AMERICA, Anecdotes illus trative of the character of ministers of religion in the United States, is apparently a reprint of a volume somewhat antiquated. No recent inci dents are recorded, and many stories are what might be called musty. Still among so many there are not a few gems, and being rendered ac cessible by table of contents and index, the whole, in place of a-better, is worth possessing. 12mo. pp. 478. .1". B. Lippincott & Co. PERIODICALS AND PAMPHLETS BLACKWOOD FOR MARCH, contains : Histori cal Sketches of the Reign of George 11., No. X., The . oveliit (Richardson); Doubles and Quits, A. Comedy of Errors V ; New Zealand and its Gold Fields; The Northmen, Heathen and Chris tian; A Whist Reminiscence, by an Old Hand; Stage Morality and the Ballet, [A. Cry for Re form The Arts in the Household. New York: LEONARD SCOTT PUBLISHING. CO. Phila.: W. B. Zieber. $4. THE LONDON QUARTERLY RENEW for Jan uary contains : Lord Campbell's Lives of Lynd hurst and Brougham; Realities of Irish Life; Earthquakes; Mr. Gladstone's Apology; - The Ultra Ritualists; Lord Liverpool and his Times; Efficiency of Alas Navy; Dean Milman and St. Paul's ; Animals and Plants . ; Politics as a Profes sion,; Published as above. , 64. Blackwood and Quarterly, $7. [The delay in 'iSsning these re prints, is on account Of We strike among the book printers of ,NewiYork-City.] (Continued on Page 115.)
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers