Science, Art, And The Drama.

Science , Art , and the Drama .

ENGLISH COTTON TRADE . It was the maritime adventurers of Elizabeth ' s days , who first made this country commercially acquainted with the cotton fabrics of the East . In their semi-p iratical voyages to the East in competition with the Portuguese and Dutch , they secured supplies of cotton fabrics , calicoes , muslins , prints and dyed textures , which , when brought home won the favour of those best able to purchase them , who paid good prices for them . Thus , on the one hand , a

stimulus was given to maritime adventure in the East , and on the other , with the spreading favour accorded to these fabrics , a spirit of jealousy was aroused among the textile workers at home who could not hope to rival the fairy-like productions of India . Thus the elements of a conflict were soon generated , and this developing , the most important consequences flowed therefrom . Strong efforts were made to crush out the new trade by

legislative measures , heavy punishments being decreed , by law , against the importers and users of them , and it was made a penal offence to bury the dead in any other fabric than one of wool . But the trade was only driven into subterranean channels ; an extensive system of smuggling soon grew up and the use of Indian fabrics continued to extend . The native artisans were foiled ; there was nothing left to them but to contest the advance of

the new favourites as best they could , and the outlook before them , as far as they could see , was not bright . But , unawares to them , they were living in that dark hour which preceded the dawn , the dawn of a brighter day than has ever yet arisen , except once before upon the earth . It was the dawn of the day of emancipation of all workers from the slavery of manual labour , which was accomplished by the revolution in our industrial system .

This has transformed them , in the course of a couple of centuries , from manual to mechanical ones . About the time we have been speaking of , the great wizard of mechanics made his fi rst appea ranee upon the scene , incarnated in the person of young John Kay , of Bury , in Lancashire , the son of a woollen manufacturer . Young Kay invented the fly shuttle , which enabled one weaver to do the work it before required four to produce ; while in

the case of the wider fabrics , which needed two weavers to each loom , one weaver , with the new invention , could do the work of eight . This disturbed the whole of the industrial system ; cotton wefts could not be obtained in sufficient abundance , and the weavers had to " play " more than half their time owing to their scarcity . The weaving trade waited for another inventor to redress the balance . He made his advent in the person

of James Hargreaves , of Blackburn , who , in 1766 or thereabouts , invented the multiple-thread spinning wheel , which afterwards became known as the " spinning jenny . " This machine was the most wonderful ever seen up to that time in connection with the textile industries . It first spun eight threads at a time which were soon increased to 20 . Still , these were only wefts , it could not make warp yarn strong enough . But the celebrated

barber , who afterwards became Sir Richard Arkwright , came close upon Hargreaves ' s heels with his spinning machine based upon the different principle of the flax wheel . This would also spin a number of threads at a time , and , what was better , the yara could teased for vrarps . it did not take long to discover this fact , and England could then make true calicoes . This soon resulted in a further rescue of the home market from Indian

domination . Prints imitative of Indian designs had continued in favour , and these by the production of all-cotton fabrics were greatly improved . Fabrics in the grey , and yarns as well , began to be exported , and Indian textile goods not only ceased to be imported , but , in the early years of the present century , were called upon to defend themselves from their erstwhile despised competitors . We have , however , pursued the subject far enough to bring out the contrast we desired between then and now .

THE CONTINENTAL GALLERY , 157 , NEW BOND-STREET IMPORTANT PICTURES BY MICHAEL DE MUNKACSY .

At the above gallery there are now to be seen 25 pictures of the celebrated Hungarian aVtist Munkacsy . His name has been usually associated with his famous " Ecce Homo . " Here we have examples of what he is capable in secular subjects . In the catalogue there is an interesting sketch of his life , from which we learn that , like many other great men , he rendered

himself famous in art by indomitable energy and perseverance . He had many severe struggles and privations to undergo , which would have subdued the spirit of an ordinary man , but the faith he had in his own powers enabled him to surmount all obstacles which seemed to hinder his attaining the summit of his ambition . When the talentof the artist was publicly

acknowledged , success followed on success , until he was afflicted by the unhappy malady of insanity , which caused his withdrawal from the world . The most noticeable pictures are—Nos . 1 , "The Strike ; " full of animation ; the grouping of the figures good ; 3 , " The Incorrigible ; " the picture cleverly tells its own story ; 4 , " The Recital ; " one of the most brilliant

in , the collection ; the picture well lit up ; the story he tells seems to have enwrapt his audience ; 6 , " A Peasant ' s Home , Hungary , " showing the artist ' s versatility ; 11 " Park Monceau ( Paris ); " 13 , " Park Colpach ; " in these we see how delightfully Munkacsy has represented scenes from nature ; and 20 , " Mozart Dying ; " a most pathetic sketch .

WATER-COI . OUR DRAWINGS HY MISS CONSTANCE DAINTRY . ( Thess are in the West Room of the Continental Gallery , 157 , New Bondstreet , W . ) Miss Daintry has wandered afar , from Norway to Italy , through France and England . She has represented skilfully the varied scenes through which ihe has passed . The fair artist revels in colour , and yet her

harmonies are so perfect that nothing offends the most critical taste . We notice a few , especially worthy of commendation among many excellent pictures : ' Norway—No . 4 , Trondheim Harbour ; and No . 8 , Fortun , entrance to the Jotunheim District . — Switzerland . —No . 10 , Bridge at Goschenen ; 12 , In the Maderaner Thai .

France . —No . 14 , Old Town of Hjues , from the Avenue des Palmiers ; 29 , Town and Castle of Grimaud , Ancient seat of the Princes of Monaco , from La Foux . England . —No . 36 , Bridgnorth ; 37 , Cottage Minehead ; 4 i , Yarmouth Boats ; 47 , River Park Pond , Sussex . Italy , —No . 49 , Cypresses , Lake of Como ; 55 , In Griante ; 64 , On Lake Como ( three small ) ; 08 , Side Canal , Venice ; 71 , Palazzo Vecchio , from the Boboli hardens , Florence ; 73 , Thc Gulf oi Genoa , from Ruta .

Science, Art, And The Drama.

THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF PAINTERS , PICCADILLY , W . THE PASTEL SOCIETY . In this branch of Art there is a splendid collection of pictures now exhibited at the above galleries . Taken as a whole the works are so excellent that we find it almost difficult to make a selection in accordance with their respective merits . We will , however , mention a few which we think especially deserving of commendation . Fritz Thatilow , No . 2 , Evening at

the Riverside ; 4 , Night in Norway—good . Lady Sassoon , 12 , A Study —very fine . j . T . Nettleship , 14 , Polar Bears Playing . Julius Rolshoven , 15 , Portrait of Mrs . A . C . Macleay . A . Dampier May , 20 , Little Maiden Wonder Laden . J . R . K . Duff , 25 , A Suffolk Lane . Ernest G . Beach , 31 , Study ; 37 , Study . W . ' J . Hennessy , 38 , Day ; 42 , Night . J . McClure , Hamilton , 44 , A Welsh Woman ; 47 , The Toilet . Derrick

Williams , 51 , St . Jacques , Dieppe ; 53 , The Last Load . The late St , Clair Simmons , 55 , The New Governess . Cesare Formilli , 58 , News from the Front . J . Bernard Partridge , R . I ., 63 , A Norman Cottage ; 6 j , Portrait of Mile . Augustine Malville . George Satiter , 72 , The Prolocutor ( Souvenir of the Guildhall Masque ) . Cesare Formilli , 76 , An Old Sage . Miss Mary Baylis Barnard , 80 , Just Awake . L . Lhermitte , 98 , A

Noonday Rest . Mark Fisher , 115 , Heifers Drinking . Solomon J . Solomon , 129 , After the Dance . By am Shaw , R . I ., 133 , Inspiration chained to Poverty and Riches ; 134 , A Knave . Harold Speed , 145 , The Right Rev . the Lord Bishop Johnson . Professor A . Legros , 148 , Portrait of Mr . Sydney Rowland . G . F . Watts , R . A ., 151 , Dorothie , daughter of N . C . Macnamara , Esq . J . M . Swan , A . R . A ., 177 , Ocelot and Fish . Horace Mann Livens , 191 , Herrings . £ . Melton Fisher , 202 , Abla . L . Lhermitte ,

20 9 , The Vegetable Market . Walter Crane , R . W . S ., 227 , Drawing the Curtain . Ferdinand Lungren , 248 , London Bridge , 5 . 30 p . m ., November ; 252 , Piccadilly Circus . Geo . H . Boughton , R . A ., 256 , Novah ; 260 , An Autumn Reverie . Miss Flora M . Reid , 270 , Bonne Bouche . Mrs . Branson , 275 , Sunset Picardy . Miss Florence Small ( Mrs . Derrick Hardy ) , 293 , Arthur Liberty , Esq . ; 295 , Mrs . Oscar Thompson . Miss Anna Nordgren , 301 , The Little Heir—a Galway interior .

THE LYRIC THEATRE . " Florodora" is the name of a musical comedy now being played at the above theatre . The book , which is fairly well written , is by Owen Hall , to which Leslie btuart has supplied some bright pleasing music . It appears that Florodora is a small island in the Philippines . From the flowers growing in the many island-farms , a perfume is manufactured which is called " Florodora . " The secret of its production is known only

to the proprietor of the island , Cyrus W . Gilfain . Frank Abercoed is the manager of the business , and he takes a fancy to one of the Florodean girls who are the heads of the various farms . Her name is Dolores , the fancy ripens into love , this love is returned by the maiden who has long been secretly attached to her young admirer . Gilfain is much annoyed because he is enamoured of the girl himself , and is indignant at what he considers

his clerk ' s presumption . A wandering showman and phrenologist , Anthony Tweedlepunch , happens to visit the island . By his pretended skill in phrenology , he declares that Gilfain and Dolores have an affinity for each other , and are destined to be united . Dolores altogether rejects this arrangement , and refuses her master's hand , preferring rather the young clerk ' s love . Gilfain dismisses him and compels him to leave the island .

1 he scene then changes to Wales , where Gilfain has become the master , by purchase of Abercoed Castle . Under different disguises , Frank , Dolores , and Tweedlepunch appear again , and unite in bringing to light the perfidy of Gilfain , who has wronged Dolores by appropriating to himself the wealth left to him in trust as her guardian . We will not enter into the amusing details by which this is accomplished . There are love passaees between

Gilfain s daughter , Angela , and Captain Arthur Donegal . There is also a captivating widow , who is able successfully to carry out her plans . The artistes are well suited to the characters they undertake . Miss Evie Greene , as Dolores , has a fine voice , and sings with much expression . Miss Kate Cutler takes the part of Angela in a most effective manner . Lad y Holyrood , the widow , is enacted by Miss Pattie Browne , whose clever archness is very successful . The two lovers , Frank and Arthurare taken by

, Messrs . Sydney Barraclough and Edgar Stevens ; Gilfain by Mr . Chas . E . Stevens ; and Anthony Tweedlepunch by Mr . Willie Edouin , who , in his well-known manner , brings out the comic element of the character . The songs , duets , trios ( especially the laughing one ) are well rendered , and , combined with the dances , render the piece most attractive . The long run of the piece shows that the public appreciate it , and we consider the success to be well deserved .

GENERAL NOTES . The relations of forest trees to insect ravages , insects ito forest fires , diseases of trees to insects , and insects to fungous diseases , are not obvious at first sight , but Dr . A , D . Hopkins shows in a report on the insect enemies of forests , in the north-west , just issued by the United States Department of Agriculture ( Division of Entomology ) , that there is a close connection and , to a certain extent , interdependence of all these factors in

the destruction of valuable forest products . Trees dying by injury from fires , or weakened in vitality , offer favourable conditions for the multiplication of vast numbers of destructive insects . Moreover , trees which have been killed by insects furnish , in their fallen branches , standing and fallen partly-decayed trunks and dry bark , a most favourable condition for the starting , rapid spread , and perpetuation of forest fires . It is well known

that forest trees , weakened by disease , contribute to the multiplication of their insect enemies ; therefore , the study of the insects associated with unhealthy forest trees should lead to results of economic importance . As an example of insects contributing to the spread of fungous diseases , Dr . Hopkins reports that the heartwood of the white fir , throughout the region examined by him , was commonly rendered worthless by decay , as the result of wounds in the living bark made by the Scolytus bark beetles .

A very brilliant meteor was observed at Chesterton , near Peterborough , on the 28 th ult ., about 5 . 56 p . m . Attention was drawn to the meteor by an almost blinding flash that resembled lightning . Then the ball of light was observed to travel across the sky , like a large rocket , in an easterly

direction , and with a conspicuous trail , a few degrees wide on either side of its course . Before vanishing there was a distinct gap left , in which the trail did not appear , i . e ., between the point of departure of the meteor and the end of the trail . The me ' . eor disappeared inbtintaneousl y . No sound was heard .