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Written tor Moore’s Rural New-Yorker, 
MONTREAL AND ENVIRONS-No. H 
SPECIALTIES IN EDUCATION 
It will be readily conceded that there are certain 
branches of study which every boy and girl ought 
to pursue, A fair knowledge of arithmetic gram¬ 
mar, geography and orthography is really indispen¬ 
sable; aud this any scholar, even the dullest, may 
acquire. This every one should be made to acquire, 
however much the acquiring may go against his or 
her inclination, or however little his or her taste 
may harmonize with it. For a grown-up. active life 
must have a fair allowance of these fundamentals of 
education, in order to keep pace in any successful 
degree with those around it. A boy sadly dull in 
figures may have splendid business capacities with¬ 
in him, which in time will compel him to master 
addition and subtraction; and you will be doing 
him a favor by beating somewhat of the scieuce of 
numbers into his head while young, inasmuch as 
time is more precious in later years. 
But allow us to protest against the very common 
practice of forcing the young to learn, or to attempt 
to learn, something in no wise practical, for which 
they have no taste whatever. It is sheer waste of 
brain-worlc,—a positive damage, in many instances, 
—and the hours devoted thereto might be more 
profitably employed, in every case. A boy with au 
absolute dislike for mathematics is little the wiser 
for being pushed or dragged through geometry aud 
trigonometry. The rather is it showing proper 
mercy to cease the rorclug process, with him, when 
a tolerable understanding of elementary arithmetic 
is obtained. Very likely there is some other branch 
toward which his taste inclines, and in which he 
would show marked proficiency. If you will dis¬ 
cover just what that is, before sowing ycur seeds 
of knowledge, they may bear splendid fruit. 
Teachers and parents, as a rule, do not show the 
best of judgment in regard to this matter. To be 
plain, we may as well say that the parents are offcen- 
estat fault It is natural to wish your child “ac¬ 
complished,” even as those of your neighbors are. 
Whatever is fashionable in education, as well as in 
other matters, you wish her to possess. So you 
send her to Madame Francats’ boarding scnool. 
She is to learn French and German, and drawing 
and music; to learn them because, forsooth, they 
are fashionable. Not because you have discovered 
in her auy particular talent for either, but merely 
for the reason that in some way or other they are 
comprised in the meaning of that little, yet very 
potent word—"accomplished.” If you happen to 
be posted tn them yourself, and hud she is not 
making rapid progress, directly you begin charging 
her teacher with ineompetency, rarely stopping to 
consider that possibly your child may be the re¬ 
verse of gifted in these particulars. 
We remember a case in point. A gentleman of 
Trust your mother, little one; 
In Life’e morning jnst began, 
You will find some grief some fears, 
Which perhaps may cause yon tears; 
Bnt a mother’s kiss can heal 
Many griefs that children feel; 
Trust your mother—seek to prove 
Grateful for her thoagkful love. 
Trust your mother, noble youth, 
Turn nor. from the paths of truth 
In Temptation’s evil hour 
Seek her, ere it gains new power. 
She will never guide you wrong; 
Faith in her will make you strong; 
Trust your mother, aim to prove 
Worthy of her fondest love. 
Trust your mother, maiden fair: 
Love will guide your steps with care 
Let no clond e’er come between— 
Let no shadow e'er be seen 
Hiding from yoar mother’s heart 
What may prove a poisoned dart; 
Trust your mother, seek to prove 
Worthy of her faithfnl love. 
Trust your mother to the end, 
She will prove your constant friend; 
If ’tis gladness wings the hour, 
Share with her the joyful shower; 
Or if sorrow should oppress, 
She will rattle and she will bless. 
O, be trustful, loving, true. 
That she may conilde In yon ! 
THE CHURCH OF NOTRE DAME. 
There is a kind of connection between 
nunneries and churches, (in Canada,) and 
you will therefore naturally proceed next to 
this extensive edifice, ranking as the largest 
of its character in America, and very cele¬ 
brated as the Great Cathedral. It stands on 
Notre Dame Street, (the Broadway of Mon¬ 
treal,) fronting an open square embellished 
by a fountain. It has no architectural beauty 
whatever, either without or within. Its exte- J 
rior is simply massive in appearance, while k 
its interior is plain, sombre, and surprisingly C 
roomy. A cower about twenty feet square ’ 
rises from each corner of the front, and with 
no perceptible variation in size reaches upward 
about two hundred and twenty feet. The sole 
ornaments of the front are three colossal 6tat- x 
ues, standing in niches, one representing St. 
Joseph, another St. John the Baptist, and the 'J 
third the Virgin Mart. J 
Before entering the enormous pile, and tra- 1 
versing its aisles, going about the Great Altar, 
and counting the pillars which support the 5^ 
central arch, you will be sure to think the 
stated dimensions — two hundred fifty-five 
feet and a half in length by one hundred 
thirty-four and a half feet in breadth —are V, 
pure exaggerations. After measuring it fully > 
with your eye you may still claim the benefit 
of a doubt. You may even discredit the as- J 
sertion of a friend of mine, that he once saw 
a funeral service in progress at one end of the 
Cathedral at the same time that a marriage . 
service was being solemnized at the other end. % 
But it is certain the two would not materially 
Interfere with each other. Seating capacity is ^ 
claimed for seven or eight thousand persons, 
and I should say as many more could stand < 
in the open spaces. 
Visitors are permitted to ascend one of the 
towers. The stout woman sitting at the en¬ 
trance will admit you for a silver “quarter,” 
and yon will begin your winding way upward. 
There are three hundred steps in the ascent,— 
just four more than Banker Hill Monument 
numbers. Half way up you come, to the Great 
Bell—positively the largest on the Continent— fi 
nine feet in diameter, as many feet high inside, 
aud weighing 2-1,780 pounds. It has a deep 
rich, sonorous tone. Owingto its great weight £uij 
it is seldom rung by means of the wheel attach- £/Sfj 
ed, but is struck by a hammer at the eud of a Ijf* 
lever. 
Written for Moore’s Rural New-Yorker. 
FANNY AND THE CHESTNUTS 
One cold day in winter the fire blazed and 
crackled with a good deal of noise, and the tea ket¬ 
tle hummed the old-fashion tune of long ago, while 
little Fanny Floyd sat by the window, watching 
for her papa to come home. 
He left very early that morning, saying he should 
be home to a late dinner. Mr. Floyd was a kind 
man, and a loving father had little Fanny always 
found him. From the time she could first remem¬ 
ber he always brought her something when he 
came from town,—an orange or cocoa-nut, maybe, 
and often something useful, such as new shoes, 
warm tlannel for dresses, and such things. 
Like some children, Fanny did not merely watch 
her papa's coming for the sake of the bon-bons; 
his smiling face and fond kiss were better than all 
else; then, to climb upon his knee, nestle down 
in his strong arms, and hear him tell of what he 
hud seen, was her delight. 
So this day, she watched and soon saw her 
father’s team turn the corner, and in a moment 
after in came her papa. He looked very happy, 
and his eyes shone merrily as he caught up Fanny 
and kissed her rosy lips. Mrs. Floyd stirred the 
slow fire, that sputtered out a welcome; the tea 
kettle bubbled forth a gurgling chorus as Mrs,. 
Floyd poured the water over the tea; and all 
gathered round the table. Fanny covered her eyes 
reverently as her papa asked God to bless them. I 
think He must have blessed them, they seemed so 
happy. 
When the meal was over, Mr.' Floyd treated his 
wife and Fanny to a dessert of chestnuts. These 
Fanny loved dearly, and she thought, as her papa 
rose from the table, he must have a great many, his 
pocket looked so large aud heavy. She knew he 
did not always give her all at one time: but never 
before had she thought so much about it as now. 
Soon Mr. Floyd wont out, and while Fanny’s 
mamma was busy Fanny went softly into the room 
where her papa’s coat hung. Oh, how full the 
pocket looked, and how tempting! With her little 
hand she could only touch the pocket, so 6he 
brought a chair, thinking she would just see if 
there was anything there. In her chubby hand 
went, even to her elbow, among the chestnuts. 
"How I want some more,” she whispered, while a 
low voice said—“You haven’t asked for them,” 
and another replied—“ What of that?—your papa 
The tower opposite contains a tine set K& afe 
of chimes. T Sjj 
The view from the top of the tower is not 
surpassed for extent and magnificence, com¬ 
prehending the entire city, a wide range of 
country on every hand, and a long reach of 
the noble St. Lawrence. The regularity of 
the city appears to fine advantage, spread out = 
beneath you, with its numerous couspicaous con¬ 
vents, churches, etc., standing out so plainly in 
relief; Mount Koval rises gracefully to the west¬ 
ward, forming a pleasant contrast to the otherwise 
uniform level of the island, and disclosing at inter¬ 
vals elegant residences half hidden in the rich ver¬ 
dure that beautifies the mountain side; and midway 
in the river, opposite the town, sleeps the lovely 
island of St. Helens, where the British Lion crouches 
among dense foliage in the guise of strong fortifica¬ 
tions. 
TEE JESUIT CATHEDRAL. 
The French Catholics have erected a new Cathe¬ 
dral, up by the Jesuit College, which is well worth 
visiting on account of its fine frescoes. Though not 
as large as the one before spoken of, it is an im¬ 
mense structure, and will he the most conspicuous 
in the city when its two towers are completed, being 
located on high ground. The frescoing is elaborate 
In the extreme, and is probably not equaled else¬ 
where in the country. All the groupings are very 
beautiful, and full of rich color and effects. I 
have found in each new study of them, a new in¬ 
terest. Once, while sitting near the Great Altar, 
looking at the painter’s representation of the Ascen¬ 
sion, two friars came in, from the College close at 
hand, with a band of about oho hundred boys, and 
L was a witness to their devotions. Never did I see 
more meaningless worship. The only zeal of the 
tittle fellows seemed to be to get through the forms 
as soon as possible, and the good friars’ appearance 
was not indicative of the most earnest piety. 
bonsecocr’s church. 
While speaking of churches I would not overlook 
one which is doubtless the smallest, and certainly 
the oldest, in Montreal. The Bonsccour’s Church 
stands in the oldest portion of the town, not far 
from the river. It is au unpretentious little edifice, 
with a very peaked tin roof and the merest apology 
for a tower, and strikes one as being very small for 
its age. T wo hundred years is something to boast of. 
The antique land-mark holds its own remarkably 
well, and looks likely to see a couple of centuries 
more before succumbing to time. Within it are 
several paintings, very old and very small also,— 
indeed, the memory of man ranneth not back to the 
day of their creation. You can live a hundred years 
or so very readily, by sitting down for a few mo¬ 
ments in the chapel's dreamy twilight, and think¬ 
ing of the forms that have knelt here, aud the 
generations of hearts to which this has been a con¬ 
fessional. The dingy paintings, the worn benches 
and the smoothly trodden floor are like an inspira¬ 
tion from History. 
bossecour’s market. 
Sea ce a stone’s throw from the suggestive little 
church, is an imposing building, bearing, in part., 
the same name, which is decidedly the most curi¬ 
ous institution the Dominion or any other civi¬ 
lized nation can lay claim to. It is a veritable om- 
'iurn gatherum. Of all the articles manufactured, or 
grown, or picked up by any means, under the sun 
or on auy of the planets, i should judge a specimen 
could be found here. It is not only a market, where 
you can procure all kinds of eatables, but is an 
enormous huckstering establishment, having on 
sale everything muntionable, from a skein of silk 
to a ship’s cable, — from a bit of jewelry to an 
anchor. And in addition the municipal government 
has all Its offices in the same building, and by get¬ 
ting admission to the Council Chamber you can see 
the almost regal chair in which His Honor, the 
Lord Mayor, presides over the deliberations of the 
“ City Fathers.” A. Drift. 
eras, two cantatas, thirteen symphonies, twenty-four 
piano-forte sonatas, besides a large number of con¬ 
certos for different instruments, trios, quartettes, 
marches, and othef minor pieces. He was then a 
consummate violinist, a grand organist, and the 
first pianist in the world. His celebrated Requiem 
was completed bnt a short time before his death, 
which occurred in his thirty-fifth year. 
Ludwig Van Berthoven was a pupil of Haydn 
aud Mozart. Wiiile they perfected instrumental 
music as to form, he inspired it with new life. Ills 
warm nature breathed out in all his compositions, 
and the feeling and sentiment he put into them at¬ 
tracted general attention, and never ceases to fasci¬ 
nate. An unfortunate deafness strongiy affected his 
acute mental organization daring the latter years of 
his life, and greatly interfered with composition. 
As a performer on the organ, Johann Sebastian 
Bach had no equal except Handel, and his works 
for that instrument are held in the highest esteem. 
He was born at Eisenbach, Upper Saxony, in 1085, and 
died in 1750, like his illustrious rival, totally blind. 
Unlike the preceding, Felix Mendelssohn Bar- 
tholdy had no struggles with poverty, the while he 
cultivated his taste for harmony. He, too, was a 
prodigy. At six years of age he wvoie music that is 
considered standard, and was a skillful performer. 
The oratorio of Elijah will always entitle him to 
fame, while his Song* Without Weeds will never fail to 
find a place in piano forte repertoires the world over. 
Of Gioacchino Rossini, the greatest of Italian 
musicians, and Daniel Francois Esprit Auber, 
his French contemporary, we need say little. The 
former was bora at Pesaro, Italy, in 1702, aud now 
lives at Paris; the latter’s birth place was at Nor¬ 
mandy, in 1784, and France has always been his 
country. The two stand at the head of the Italian 
and French schools of music, and have their ad¬ 
mirers wherever the opera is known. 
THE GREAT MASTERS OF MUSIC 
Who can tell what an influence the compositions 
of that galaxy of Great Musiciaus presented above 
have had upon the world ? Those eight apostles of 
Miisic—grand old Handel the central figure—have 
been going up and down among mankind for genera¬ 
tions, through their undying works, moving all the 
nobler impulses of men’s natures, drawing them with 
a power at once tender and strong nearer to the good 
and the beautiful, awakening holier desires, calming 
the troubled passions, and adding to life a wonder¬ 
ful sweetness which can never grow old,—a some¬ 
thing that keeps us not far from our childhood and 
heaven. “Giant Handel,” cheerful Haydn, sub¬ 
lime Mozart, pathetic Beethoven, earnest Bach, 
tender Mendelsshon, spirited Rossini and lively 
Aceer, — the world owes them all a debt which it 
can never pay. Only the last two still live to hear 
somewhat of the gratitude expressed towards all; 
and they are singing on, at an age when other men 
are generally sighing over the past,—singing on in 
the voices of the many thousands who perform their 
sprightly operas, and In the hearts of those who 
listen to their happifying strains. 
George Frederick Handel was born at Halle, 
Prussian Saxony, February 23,1085. When thirteen 
years of age he had learned to play on nearly all in¬ 
struments, and was a proficient on the organ. At 
eighteen, while engaged in playing a violin in the 
orchestra of the opera at Hamburg, he composed 
his first opera, Almira, Nero , Florinda and Daphne 
rapidly followed. From Hamburg he went to Italy, 
and in Florence composed his first Italian opera,— 
Rodrigo ,—which wasabrilliantsuccess. riis Agrippa, 
produced in Venice, was. alike successful. In 1710 
he returned to Germany, but soon removed to Eng¬ 
land, where he was patronized by Queen Anns and 
the nobility, ayd where he spent much of the re¬ 
mainder of his life. In 1733 he began the composi¬ 
tion of his oratorios, Esther being the first. Samson 
and the Messiah were composed for the benefit of 
the Foundling Hospital in London. The composer’s 
sight began to fail while he was at work upon 
Jeptha , and he became entirely blind, so that when 
the work was produced he had to be led into the 
orchestra. On the seventeenth anniversary of his 
first performance of the Messiah, the grandest of his 
oratorios, (April 18, 1759,) he breathed his last. He 
was buried in Westminster Abbey. His composi¬ 
tions were majestic and sublime, their predominant 
character being massiveness. 
Joseph Haydn, born in Rohrau, Lower Austria, 
March 81, 1732, the oldest of twenty children of a 
poor wheelwright, conquered poverty, and won a 
fame second only to Handel, if not, indeed, co¬ 
equal with his. In the composition of symphonies 
he was without a rival. In I7G0 Prince Nicholas 
Esterhazy placed him at the head of his private 
chapel, which position he held for nearly thirty 
years. Esterhazy once meditated dismissing his 
band, and Haydn composed the famous symphony 
known as “ Haydn’s Farewell. 
The Monument to Luther.— The Luther Mon¬ 
ument at Worms is described as a magnificent work 
of art, combining great size with rich variety of de¬ 
sign. It consists of eleven statues grouped round 
the gigantic likeness of LuLher. Wickllffe, Petrus 
Waldus, Savonarola and Has* are seated on four pil¬ 
lars at the corners of the pedastal of the principal 
figure, and seven other statues are distributed 
around a granite vase forty feet square. Around 
this square is a battlemeuted balustrade, and seated 
in the center of each of three sides of this are three 
majestic women, representing Magdeburg, Augsburg 
and Spires. The balustrade is decorated with es¬ 
cutcheons of 24 other German cities, and the pedes¬ 
tal with scenes from Luther’s life. It is estimated 
that 100,000 strangers, including many clergymen, 
were present at the opening ceremony. 
Cornell University.— The Hon. Ezra Cornell 
has received from the Hon. Andrew D. White, 
President of the Cornell University, now iu Lon¬ 
don, advice of the engagement of Goldwin Smith, 
late Professor of Oxford U diversity, as Professor of 
English aud General Constitutional History at Cor¬ 
nell University; also of James Law of Belfast, Ire 
laud, as Professor of Veterinary Medicine and Sur¬ 
gery. Goldwin Smith's literary ability is of the 
highest order, and must prove immensely beneficial 
to the new institution, while the professional repu¬ 
tation of Professor Law is of the highest character. 
These gentlemen are both to become residents of 
Ithaca immediately, and will devote themselves to 
the service of the University from its coinmeuee- 
ment. President White’s purchases in London 
also make large and valuable additions to the 
library and apparatus of the University. 
The Moon.— Mr. W. R. Birt has called the atten¬ 
tion of astronomers to a spot now visible on the 
surface of the moon, and presenting the same phe¬ 
nomena as those latterly observed in tue crater Lin- 
naius, and the true nature of which might be inves¬ 
tigated by means of photography. The spot in 
question is situated under two degrees W. longitude 
aud five degrees 8. latitude, and presents variations 
of appearanc% which can hardly he explained other¬ 
wise than by volcanic action, exactly as in the case 
of Linmeus. Now, in Mr. Birt’s opinion, these ap¬ 
parent changes of shape can only be explained by 
supposing that these two craters are provided with 
a sort of lid, which from time to time conceals the 
orifices. 
National Education.— The National Association 
of School Superintendents will meet in annual ses¬ 
sion August 17; the American Normal School Asso¬ 
ciation, August 18; the American Teachers’ Asso¬ 
ciation, August 19, 20, 21, all at Nashville, Tenn. 
Tickets for the round trip, good from August L to 
September 1, from New York to Cincinnati, via 
Erie, Atlantic and Great Western railways, thence 
to Louisville by steamer, thence to Nashville by 
rail—may be obtaiued for $34.90, en application, iu 
person or by letter, to the office of the Eric rail¬ 
way, 241 Broadway, New York. Mammoth Cave is 
on the route from Louisville to Nashville. The 
occasion promises to be one of more than ordinary 
interest. 
I,” for the separating 
occasion, in which one instrument after another be¬ 
comes mute, and each musician, as soon as he has 
ceased to play, rolls up his music and leaves the 
stage. There was no dismissal. Haydn spent some 
years in England, and was made Doctor of Music by 
Oxford. His last public appearance was on March 
27, ISOS, when his master-piece, the Creation, was 
performed at the University in Vienna. He died a 
few weeks later, aged seventy-eight years, leaving a 
long catalogue of works to perpetuate his memory. 
Johannes Uhrysostomcs Wolfgang Amadeus 
Mozart, (what a name for genius!) born at Salzburg, 
at the age of sixteen had produced two requiems, a 
stabat mater, numerous offertoires, hymns, four op- 
Ue Sees, and 1 See.—A boy fills his pipe, and he 
sees only the tobacco; but I see going into that pipe 
brains, books, time, health, money, prospects. The 
pipe is filled at last, and a light is struck; and things 
which are priceless are carelessly puffed away in 
smoke. 
Napoleon is historic in his associations. His 
sleeping apartment at Fontainebleau is that once 
occupied by his great uucle; in this bed have slept 
Louis Phillippe, Charles X., Louis XVIII. aud Na¬ 
poleon I.; his study is furnished with articles used 
by the first Napoieon, and he writes at the desk on 
which that Emperor signed his abdication. 
A French journalist writes the following geo¬ 
graphical paragraph: — Paris chatters, Marseilles 
sings, Munich drinks, Rome prays, Lyons works, 
Leipzig reads, Madrid smokes, Manchester packs, 
Hanover sleeps, Edinburgh dreams and Constanti¬ 
nople bathes. 
A Committee of New York teachers have peti- 
tioned the trustees of Cornell University to open 
the doors of that Institution to women. Why not? 
Little Daisy’s mother was trying to explain to 
her the meaning of a smile. “Oh, yes, I know,” 
said the child, “ it is the whisper of a laugh.” 
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