And it might also prepare the way for an improvement in our legislation. No doubt, as was more than once said at Liverpool, we cannot "make men sober by Act of Parliament." But then there is truth in the rejoinder, that at present we "make them drunk by Act of Parliament." Is it too much to say that hardly less than this is done in Liverpool when "the Sailors' Home" is surrounded on every side by drink-shops, licensed, of course, according to Act of Parliamentforty-seven of them within a radius of 150 yards-turned like guns upon a foe, as the Archbishop said, and all competing with every loose attraction to catch" Poor Jack," just landed from some weeks' confine. ment on board ship, and with a pocket full of money? Associations such as are proposed could everywhere discuss suggestions like that of Sir Harcourt Johnstone-next Session to come before Parliament-for granting no new licences to public-houses until the number is reduced. to one for every 500 persons; or that for shutting up such houses altogether on Sundays; and, being affiliated one to another through. out the country, could report results to a common centre, and bring their united force to bear. They would soon accomplish so much as in this matter can be done by legislation. But there are many other things in which the Legislature can less directly, if at all, intervene, but which local temperance associations might attend to with the best results. The providing of recreations and amusements without the presence of intoxicating drinks; the establishment of coinmodious and attractive coffee-rooms, with newspapers, magazines, &c.; encouraging friendly and benefit clubs to do their business elsewhere than in public-houses, and giving facilities for their doing so; the circulation of publications bearing upon the whole subject, and arranging for lectures, addresses, and meetings: these are but a few of the openings for good which await the Parochial Temperance Society. The division of a parish into districts, over each of which is set a visitor to look after the enrolled members of the society-all the visitors working under the incumbent, as chairman or president-has been tried with good results. And the Church of England Temperance Society, is in this thoroughly right, that it treats the deplorable intemperance

of our people as one of the works of Satan; and proposes to counteract it, not by merely human means, but by avowedly religious agencies, working according to the principles and system of the Church of England.-Guardian.

MRS. DEBORAH KNYVETT.-The Oldham Chronicle gives the following account of this once celebrated singer :-Her father was one John Travis, fustian manufacturer, and in her early days Deborah worked as a handloom weaver at Shaw. The first recollections of her singing go as far back as the time when, a girl of thirteen or fourteen, she sang in the choir of the old church at Shaw, which has long since passed away with the memories of many happy musical festivals held there. For many years Shaw and Royton held their ground against any district in Lancashire for musical abilities and the production of great singers, and amongst these stood foremost Miss Travis. A little circumstance at this period of her life shows how much of a difference there is in the remuneration of "professionals " now to what was paid in the early part of the present century. We are told that she received eighteenpence when she was about sixteen years of age for singing during the anniversary at Royton Church. However, greater things were in store for her as her fame began to be noised abroad. At the instigation of Lord Wilton she accompanied her aunt to Heaton Park, and it is said that she frequently sang at that place. So much was his lordship taken up with her talents that, at his own expense, he introduced her to the great Gretorex, of London, who was then, with his company, in his palmiest days. She was bound for five years, and during that time she gained her popularity. Gretorex was organist at the Chapel Royal, and also played at Westminster. While in London Miss Travis came under very distinguished notice. The "Ancient Concerts " given every morning during Lent, and under the personal patronage of the late Duke of Wellington and other distinguished noblemen, were then in vogue, and in these festivals the name of Miss Travis was associated with that of Mrs. Salmon, Miss Stevens, Haigh, Vaughan, (the great tenor), and the talented William Knyvett, to whom she was afterwards married. During the five years of her probation Miss

Travis visited Oldham several times, and on one occasion there was very nearly being a considerable "hitch" in the accomplishment of a performance at St. Peter's Church. She and Braham (tenor) and Lees (bass) were engaged for a number of selections from Handel's oratorios at that church. Braham and Miss Travis arrived safely in Oldham, but it was not so with Tommy Lees, as he was called. The stage coach which should have brought him safely from York Cathedral either upset or lurched very badly, for he was thrown off the coach into the road, and in consequence sustained a broken leg. Fortunately, however, the services of Mr. Usherwood, a bass singer of some note in Manchester, were secured, and everything passed off smoothly. This was in the morning, and in the evening of the same day she sang at a miscellaneous concert in St. Domingo-street School along with Bellamy. Braham was also there, and sang what was then a popular song, "The Death of Abercrombie." Miss Travis sang at an anniversary of St. Peter's some time after this. Her selection was Handel's "What through I trace." It was not long after this that Miss Travis, singing the same solo at the York musical festival, received an encore from the Archbishop. Between this time (about the year 1825) and our next notice of her, Miss Travis was married to Mr. Knyvett, and they took up their residence at the Isle of Wight; but she did not give up her professional duties, being seen not only in London but at the Birmingham and at other musical gatherings. On the 12th December, 1830, she was back again in Oldham, at the opening of the parish church, and at that time she sang, "Comfort ye my people" and "Rejoice greatly” (Handel). Her husband opened the fine organ of that church, and was heard to remark, as he rose from his task, "What a fine box of whistles." Besides his duties at the organ on that occasion Mr. Knyvett, who was an accomplished musician, sang, "Lord, remember David." Mrs. Knyvett was present, and sang at the Birmingham festival in 1847. For some years she had suffered from blindness, but, notwithstanding this great affliction, this remarkable lady, up till almost the time of her death, has been noted for the vivacity of her disposition and her continued good spirits.

THE

VICTORIA MAGAZINE.

MARCH, 1876.

Through Deep Waters.

BY INA LEON DREWRY.

CHAPTER VIII.

"WELL, Cambaceres, how does the portrait get on ?" asked Albrecht von Elsinger, sauntering into the studio one day, and throwing himself into an arm-chair.

The Spanish painter looked up from the work upon which he was engaged, putting the finishing touches to a small picture of the meeting of Elijah and Ahab, and answered-"It is growing fast; there it stands, Albrecht; I expect my sitter in ten minutes."

"And she is punctual-a singular virtue in her sex," said the German, rising to look at the easel indicated by Don Cola. "Ah! Gemini !" he added, directly, "it will be a perfect work; what a treat, what a rare pleasure to paint such beauty; how often has she been to you, Cambaceres ?"

"This is the fourth sitting."

"You have worked well at it in the intervals, then, to have got so

B

far; you must have drawn upon memory, an easy task to you; the sittings are almost superfluous."

"I shall only need two more after this, at the outside. No, not superfluous; it is better to have your copy before you, from time to time."

"Are they in a hurry for this portrait ?"

"Not that I am aware of," returned Cambaceres, "they have not told me so, if they are, and I should not hurry if they asked it."

"You are high and mighty. By the way," said Elsinger, resuming his place in the arm-chair, "I received as I was coming here a signal evidence of the worth of on dits and club gossip."

"What was that?"

"I met in the Park yonder-St. James's—a young man whom we saw at Count M-'s, the other night, Spencer, and he told me that there is an on dit going the round of the clubs, that Agnes de Clifford is to be the bride of that old rascal, Grant-Faulkner. I laughed at the story, and so did Spencer; but he declared that something of the sort had been said in Grant-Faulkner's hearing and he had not contradicted it, which looks as if it came from him."

"Possibly," said the painter, indifferently, "but none the more credible for that. He might not object to sacrifice her youth and happiness to his love of wealth; but I do not believe anything would induce her to consent to the sacrifice."

"She is certainly not likely to fall in love with the scélerat," said Elsinger, half laughing; "she has far too many young and handsome suitors to choose from for that. It is the multitude of riches rather than poverty of choice that is likely to be the difficulty."

He looked at the West Indian as he spoke, but the painter went on with his work without seeming to pay much attention to the subject. He was either really indifferent to it or was a good dissimulator; that he was the former, Elsinger could hardly bring himself to believe, that he was the last he knew well; hut he only added—

"I suppose I had better absent myself when la diva and her mother come?"