NOTES AND CORRESPONDENCE.

Mem. for Professor Ruskin.

The following is taken from the ‘Edinburgh Courant’ of 2nd inst.:—

‘The “Nautical Magazine” leads off with a bold and original article, the second of a series, on the somewhat startling subject of “The Commercial Value of Human Life,” in which it states that human life has its commercial value, and that “those who bring forward its sacredness as a plea for protective legislation of any and every kind are assuming not only a false position, but a position that is likely to work a serious injury upon the country at large.” An elaborate discussion of “The Plimsoll Protest,” and a description of the “Inman Line” of steamers, with the usual technical matter, make up an unusually interesting number.’

What can this mean? Does it point to something still more brutal than the ‘carnivorous teeth’ theory?8

Submitted, with much respect, to Mr. Ruskin, for the Notes and Correspondence in ‘Fors’—if deemed admissible.

J. M.
4th September, 1875.

[298]

A peculiarly sad instance of death from lead-poisoning was investigated this week before Dr. Hardwicke, at an inquest held in London. The deceased, Mary Ann Wilson, only three weeks ago went to work at a white-lead factory. After being there two or three days she felt the effects of lead-poisoning, which turned her lips blue. Subsequently the neighbours found her lying on the floor in convulsions, and in a dying state; and the next day she died from congestion of the brain, and disease of the chest organs, consequent on the evil effects of her employment. The coroner recommended that persons who follow this employment should drink diluted sulphuric acid, to counteract the action of the poison.—Birmingham Daily Post, Sept. 2, 1875. [299]

1 Missing, in the phrase ‘that our hearts may be set to obey,’ the entire sense of the balanced clause in the original,—namely, that the Law of God is given to be the shield and comfort of the soul against spiritual enemies, as the merciful angels encamp round us against earthly ones. ↑

2 Most of these will be merely old English laws revived; and the rest, Florentine or Roman. None will be instituted but such as have already been in force among great nations. ↑

3 See first note in the Correspondence. ↑

4 Thus excluding all inferior kinds: wine which will keep ten years will keep fifty. ↑

5 I shall use this delicate coinage as a means of education in fineness of touch, and care of small things, and for practical lessons in arithmetic, to the [288]younger children, in whose hands it will principally be. It will never be wanted for alms; and for small purchases, as no wares will be offered at elevenpence three-farthings for a shilling, or ninepence four-fifths for a florin, there will be no unreasonable trouble. The children shall buy their own toys, and have none till they are able to do so. ↑

6 The beginning of the last verse of the prayer of Moses, Psalm xc. ↑

7 I never saw a rough diamond worth setting, until the Bishop of Natal gave me a sharply crystallized one from the African fields. Perhaps a star or two of cut ones may be permitted to the house-mistresses on great occasions. ↑

8 Yes, certainly. It points to teeth which shall have no meat to eat, but only the lead of coffins, and to tongues which shall have no water to drink, but only the burnt sulphur of hell. See, for example, succeeding article. ↑

FORS CLAVIGERA.