citing cause. The degree of injury inflicted upon the internal organs of the body will depend greatly upon the robustness of the external as well as the soundness and healthiness of the internal structure of our frames. Nevertheless, let the muscular structure of the body be ever so strong and vigorous, it is unable to sustain any long-continued resistance to the excessive and unnatural demand made upon its resources, by the prolonged action of any such unwholesome stimuli, and hence the internal organs must suffer sooner or later, whenever the enduring power of the muscles is overcome by fatigue. The all-subduing power of fatigue is well known to physiologists; it is employed instead of force to conquer the action of muscles in the reduction of dislocated and broken bones; and if the principle so acted upon is applied to explain the manner in which the peculiar fatigue is induced by travelling in the present omnibus carriages, it will at once be seen, how directly they operate to produce the effects complained of. No sooner have the muscles, employed in supporting the body erect, recovered from one shock than another succeeds it, throwing the body into a new position, and requiring another, and a fresh contractile power, to compensate for and newly adjust the disturbed equilibrium of the frame: thus shock succeeds shock with the greatest rapidity, inducing the body to assume an infinite variety of forms and inflexions, and inevitably calling into action a corresponding and infinite complexity of muscular contractions and relaxations, until at length the fibres, being thoroughly jaded, lose their contractile energy, and, giving way, are no longer able to perform their functions in protecting the internal parts from injury. It is then that the work of destruction commences upon the softer and more vital organs within the body, more especially upon those already morbidly sensitive. It is now that the delicate female, with a predisposition to consumption, is most terribly exposed to all the exciting causes which induce a rapid progress of the fatal, though, perhaps, hitherto, dormant malady. It is at this period of exhaustion of muscular energy without, and of resisting power within, the breathing laboured and the circulation hurried, that the noxious and impure air contained within the omnibus, or, mayhap, a current of cold air, from a side-window, excites the latent inflammation and establishes disease. Countless are the number of instances which weekly might be recorded of this disease being irrecoverably confirmed in persons (amongst whom the germ is already sown) by this exciting cause: but it is not only the consumptive subject who suffers materially; at this moment of physical exhaustion all persons with a tendency to diseases of the chest of any kind are peculiarly liable those with affections of the heart more particularly suffer. A number of cases might be quoted to prove the fact, but it will be sufficient to mention one. he A gentleman, of a full habit of body, had for some time been suffering from what his family medical man in the country conceived to be a disturbed state of the digestive functions; but finding that a fair trial of the usual remedies for such disorders availed him nothing in getting rid of the complaint, he was induced to resort to further advice, and for this purpose came to town, and consulted several eminent physicians, all of whom were of opinion that he laboured under an organic disease of the heart, consequent upon a rheumatic attack, and palliative treatment was advised, enjoining him to avoid all exciting causes of the heart's action, amongst which, it is not presumed that omnibus exercise was enumerated, and it was not likely to occur to the patient that this mode of travelling would prove injurious, as he never complained after it of either pain or uneasiness. One day he was passing along the Strand, on his way to the city, in an omnibus, and suddenly he fell, as if stupified, across the seats, where, in a few minutes, he died. Upon an examination of the body it was ascertained that he had recently partaken of a full meal of animal and vegetable food, which had been interrupted in its digestion, no doubt, by the jolting of the omnibus. The bloodvessels of the chest and those about the stomach were unnaturally full, and this had impeded the proper flow of blood from the diseased organ the heart and was quite sufficient to give rise to the fatal catastrophe. All diseases of the bones are particularly aggravated, and many are even produced by this mode of travelling. Young people whilst growing, and with a tendency to curvature of the spine, invariably suffer; the muscles which support the back being tried to the uttermost, yield to the frequent concussions which have exhausted their feeble powers, and the bones of the spinal column losing their support, are exposed to the most certain and the most frequent causes of this complaint. But there is another way in which the greatest possible mischief is occasioned, when these muscles become fatigued; it is the excitement and often the injury produced in the brain itself. Every shock now given to the lower part of the trunk is conveyed, with terrible precision, from one vertebra to the other, up the spinal column to the base of the skull. The functions of the brain are in this way affected. Persons may at the time only feel either exhilarated, or more than ordinarily excitable; a rapid flow of ideas rush across the mind; in some the imagination is morbidly at work, and all kinds of fanciful creations are engendered; a quick succession of thoughts upon a variety of subjects pass before the mind with very little connection, and are too transient to be retained by the memory afterwards. Almost all persons who are much given to travel in omnibuses, will plead guilty to having experienced some degree of this kind of excitement. There are many to whom these sensations are so disagreeable, that it is the greatest torture to be exposed to their infliction. To some persons such sensations may appear only temporary in their effects, whether they are accompanied either with disagreeable or pleasureable excitement; nevertheless, the condition of the brain, at the time we feel them, is a morbid one, and in some respects resembles that state which is produced by drinking any highly stimulating liquor, - a determination of blood to the head is the result, and the habitual excitement of this morbid action, no matter how it is produced, provokes disease of the brain in the healthiest subject, and of course aggravates it excessively where there is the slightest natural tendency to it. The headach, which is so commonly complained of, after travelling in these carriages, when the attendant noise and excitement has subsided, is a positive proof of the disturbed functions of the brain. It is not within the limits of this journal to bring forward individual cases in proof of the alleged unfitness of these carriages for public conveyances; they have been denounced long since by many; every one feels and admits their discomfort; and if their tendency to aggravate and promote disease is rendered evident upon scientific principles founded on facts, it surely becomes important for the health of the metropolis that the evil should be corrected. The number of persons daily travelling in these carriages is averaged at about thirty-five thousand in and about the neighbourhood of London; if, therefore, there is any truth in the arguments made use of here against them, how vast must be their influence in swelling the bills of mortality. Diseases ending in death are seldom very carefully traced to the specific causes which excite them; and though the exertions of the statistical society, formed of late years for this purpose, in London, have, aided by the faculty, given very careful averages, derived from particular data, of the amount of persons whose deaths are occasioned by the various diseases incidental to a million and a half of people; yet there does not seem to be a sufficient distinction drawn, in the mode of calculation, between the diseases which cause death, and the exciting causes of those diseases. To know that a hundred people died of pleurisy is one thing, but to know that they all died of pleurisy from exposure to currents of cold air in omnibuses, is another thing. In like manner a hundred persons may die of apoplexy, excited by the pernicious stimulus given to the brain by jolting in these carriages; but where is the use of knowing merely that apoplexy killed them?-With as much correctness might all the people who have their throats cut by murderers be registered amongst those who die from hæmorrhage. Inquiries of this kind can only be useful in ascertaining the most fruitful causes of disease, with a view to caution persons against exposing themselves to their liabilities; in this way only can the bills of mortality be lessened, and an inquiry into the effects of locomotion by omnibuses upon the health of the population of London is well worthy of careful investigation. Carriage exercise, to be perfectly free from all the injurious consequences here enumerated, may be summed up, in two words, to consist of pleasant locomotion. If the motion of the conveyance is agreeable, we need not examine the springs to ascertain whether they possess the proper degree of flexibility: do we breathe, unembarrassed and freely, the fresh air, uncontaminated by any admixture of other persons' breath, we need not look to see whether the carriage is well ventilated, for whenever locomotion is unattended with any thing (sensibly to our feelings) either noxious or disagreeable, we may fairly, and without any manner of doubt, conclude that, if we are fit for exercise of any kind whatever, this cannot prove injurious, but, on the contrary, may be even accessary to our bodily health, and thus contribute to the prolongation of life. ON A WITHERED FLOWER. O WONDROUS Power of Thought, Back on my heart a sunny day of spring. Wakes from its silent death, And that long perish'd bird once more I hear it sing. Grows stronger on my sight, Shaping itself into a form most dear. Once more I gaze upon Features I deem'd had gone, My child my buried child-I know that you are near! I feel a bright form stand (One of the scraph band) Close at my side as in the days gone by: I hear his little feet, With my long steps complete I walk along nor turn around mine eye. T. P. A WEST INDIAN STORY. THE INSTALMENT OF A JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, AND "WETTING" OF HIS COMMISSION. It was in a narrow and steep road,-bordered on one side by deep ravines, the remaining evidences of the desolating effects of earthquakes and hurricanes, to which the island of Jamaica is subjected, and which tradition asserts were the seat of verdant plains anterior to the memorable earthquake of 1692, which engulphed half of the town of Port Royal in the briny depth, and on the other with overhanging honeycomb rocks, with here and there a palmetto displaying its smooth and unknotted trunk, and towering in majesty above the stunted shrubs which issued from the fissures of the rocks, that Howard Thornton walked, contemplating, as he went along, the omnipotence of Him who can create and destroy with a breath, and picturing in his vivid imagination what might once have been there, conjuring together a combination of luxuriant cane fields, substantial sugar mills, plentiful herds of cattle, and a cheerful peasantry, each receiving improvement from active industry, aided by the protective hand of God. In the midst of his reverie a stentorian "hollo" apprised him that something human was near. Turning round to ascertain from whence proceeded so unusual a salutation, he perceived the overseer, or agricultural superintendant, of a neighbouring estate, cantering down the hill on a pony, something under the size of a Galloway. The superintendant introduced himself by remarking on the beauty of the morning. After a few commonplace remarks, he inquired whether Thornton was going to the Bay, and was answered in the negative. "Then," replied the superintendant, "as we are but a mile and a half, perhaps you will favour me with your company to the Bay, where I purpose to be present at the installation of Mr. M'Doodle." "Into what dignity, pray, is he to be installed?" "A justice of the peace," said the superintendant." It is the usual practice, you must know, with our custos, to dispense his favours on those who are likely to add to the increase of his finances. Tommy M'Doodle was lately made overseer, and, being a son of the north, he knows how to curry favour. A dreadful epidemic raged among the labourers of his estate, and he fell short of hands; he immediately waits on the custos, and, making as many salaams as the subject of an eastern prince in the presence chamber, informs him of the event, and applies to hire his 'jobbing gang,' with many assurances of the pleasure it will afford him always to call on 'his honour' on a similar event happening: the employment of the 'jobbing gang' was followed by that of waggons, carts, and carpenters. Such a succession could not but kindle gratitude in his honour's' bosom, and being colonel of the militia he made Tom an ensign. On the other hand, this generous appointment conferred an honour on Tom, and gave an impulse to his ambition; he sought still further to gratify the custos, and endeavour to eke something more out of him; - he has succeeded, and is this day to be sworn in as a magistrate." "I presume talent is one of Mr. M'Doodle's conspicuous attributes, but I doubt much whether integrity of purpose is akin to such subserviency." "Talent! no- our custos, like the blind goddess, distributes his favours without a proper consideration of individual merit, and all that M'Doodle can boast is his good-nature, which may counteract the evils that ignorance might otherwise produce." At this time our travellers were within sight of the clerk of the peace's office, and the superintendant, alighting from his horse, entered with Howard, through a gaping ignorant crowd, who were assembled to witness Mr. M'Doodle's elevation. In a large room, called the magistrate's court, at the upper end of a table, stood an old man of a majestic stature, apparently about sixty: his face bore witness to the tanning effect of a tropical sun; he had an aquiline nose, a lofty forehead, a pleasing countenance, and what would be called by phrenologists a good head: all these completed the tout ensemble of this picture of judicial discrimination. Howard, rather disposed to judge him by the tests of Lavater and Spurzheim, felt some hesitation in giving credence to the tale told by the superintendant. ""Tis impossible," he said, "that under that manly brow can lurk such selfish feelings as you have described, and such a betrayal of judgment; I am sure his actions are not swayed by self-engrossment." """Tis too true," replied the superintendant; "your physiognomist is not more correct than I am: you seem to have taken Lavater for your guide; if he has been generally right, he is here individually wrong, and our custos is a known exception." 66 On the custos's right hand stood M'Doodle, and on his right stood a little man with a red face, holding in his right hand a Bible, which he tendered to Mr. M'Doodle; and in the left a parchment writing, with a large waxen seal appended, called the "Broad Seal of Jamaica;" it was indeed a broad seal, for it was equal in its breadth to its length. M'Doodle's intimate friends placed themselves around the table, and the spectators filled up the surrounding space, some of them standing on chairs, to see more distinctly the ceremony. The principal parties being arranged, the constable commanded silence: the gazing multitude, among whom before were heard murmurs and whisperings, now became as still and as quiet as midnight. The custos, in an audible voice, then said, "Gentlemen, by virtue of this dedimus potestatem to me directed, I shall proceed to administer the oath of allegiance and supremacy, and the oath of office, to Thomas M'Doodle, esquire, whom his excellency the governor has been pleased to appoint a magistrate." Poor Tom stood in mute astonishment, apparently unconscious of the preparation, till the not inharmonious appellation of esquire, the first time added to his name, raised within him a feeling of exultation, and he seemed aroused from his abstraction. To Thornton every thing seemed clothed with an injudicial appearance, and was indicative of any purpose but that for which they were assembled. The oaths were administered and taken, as oaths there are frequently taken, not preserving in the reading that tone impressive of the solemn appeal, but hurried on in a low voice by the clerk. The formality of swearing being over, M'Doodle was on all sides congratulated on his elevation, and his "blushing honours" came quite thick upon him: he thanked, and re-thanked, and as the great arbitress, Custom, had on those occasions, from time "whereof the memory of man runneth not to the contrary," established a precedent, M'Doodle was too glad of an opportunity to follow the dictates of his own inclination which so well accorded with established usage; and he therefore invited his friends to a "feed." The proverbial hospitality of the country would not allow him to exclude Thornton, although he was a stranger, from the evening's assembly: an invitation, through the superintendant, was given and accepted in the same manner; and the formalities of an introduction having |