SALUTARY SENTENCES. To him nothing is possible who is always dreaming of his past possibilities. By thy ability to lose must thy genius, by thy ability to gain must thy valour, be measured. Francis Albertini, an Italian Jesuit, who died in 1619, published a Latin work, in which he maintains that the lower animais have, like men, their guardian angels. The tolerance of the English for blockheads and stupid corporations seems to confirm the opinion. In the morning the sun strikes us as the giver of light; at noon, as the giver of heat; and in the evening as the giver of colour. Thus, happy the man on whom God first bestows wisdom, then moral strength, then an opulence of religious insight into the manifold beauties of the universe. The Emperor Siegmund said that he who cannot leap over a thing must crawl under it. How well is a wise boldness taught in these words, and how much our English statesmen need the lesson! Under how many things they have to crawl for want of courage to spring over them! God has given thee an abiding place, thou sayest, in the midst of pestilential swamps. If thou hast courage to banish, by persevering toil, the putrid waters, the swamps will change into fertile and beautiful fields, the deadly fever will depart, and thou wilt rejoice as a strong man in thy health. But, moreover, the curtain of vapour which was ever around thee will be rent asunder, and night after night thy eye will be gladdened and taught by the glory of the stars. Fire is its own law as it is its own life. Send forth the fire in one swift devouring mass, and it will neither heed your counsel nor heed your guidance. But when the fire has burned itself out and has done its work, all the more quickly and effectually from being its own inspiring demon, its own resistless doom, how silly to sit down beside the black and blasted paths and say-Behold how strong a thing is fire, let us trust in it evermore, disdaining all slower agencies! AURELIUS ARPIMONT, in the Critic. PROVERBS OF THE NEW ZEALANDERS. A man who is of no consequence at home, is one of importance abroad. It is not good to lean upon a man, for he is a moving bolster. If it was a sun just appearing, well; but it is a sun which is setting. 1. SHERINGHAM'S VENTILATOR. This is a very useful invention for the purpose of ventilating either public or private rooms. We have examined very sim ple; and he principle of the invention is perfectly sound. It is also exceedingly economical; and may be put up at a trifling expense. The cost of a ventilator varies from 6s. 6d. to 18s. 6d. The cheaper kinds are quite as efficacious as the high-priced ones. The ventilator is to be fixed in the wall, for which nothing more is required than the removal of a single brick. The valvular opening is placed upon the wall of the room (not the chimney), whilst, in the outer wall, an ornamental air plate is set to occupy the corresponding space caused by the removal of the brick. The effect of the ventilator will be found in the following illustration : most heated from the fire of the day, and now the gas. The introduction of fresh air is more conducive to ventilation than providing means for the exit of the impure air-inasmuch as if you admit the fresh air, the foul air must be driven away. The supply of air through the ventilator is modified to any degree by a simple pulley. These ventilators are manufactured by Messrs. Haywood Brothers, 196, Blackfriars-road, London. 2. HULL'S PATENT NUTCRACKERS. - This is an invention which strikes us at once by its usefulness and simplicity. The old nutcracker, (whose nose will certainly be put out of joint by the new favourite,) consisted of a pair of handles working upon a hinge, the nut being received In the new Nutcracker, instead of the between flat toothed plates, and crushed. flat plates, there are oval hollows, with the oval, and the shell is cracked withtoothed border. The nut drops into out injury to the kernel. Price 2s. 6d. To be had at C. Green and Sons, 44, Newgate-street, London. 3. THE PATENT EGG BEATER is a little invention of great utility, enabling its possessor to beat or whisk any number of E eggs most effectively in a few seconds. It consists of an earthenware mug, from the inside of which a number of points completely intersect the vessel. The eggs are dropped into the mug, a tight fitting cover is placed upon it, and it is then shaken for a few seconds, by which means the eggs are most perfectly beaten, and rendered fit for the most delicate operations of cookery. The only precaution that we see necessary in the use of the egg-beater is to rinse it out with hot water immediately after use, to prevent the remains of the eggs hardening upon the intersecting points. The prices are 1s., 1s. 3d., and 1s. 6d. Sold at Deane, Dray and Co's, 46, King Wiliam-street, London Bridge. A. Section of External Wall.-B. Section of Ventilator-C. Ceiling. D. Candles at 1 ft. from the Ventilator, and 8 inches from the Ceiling. E. Candle at 2 ft. from the Ventilator, and 2 inches from the Ceiling. It should be placed in the wall which is at right angles to that in which the fire-place stands, but not opposite a door, for this reason, that the air coming in at the ventilator, being met by the air coming in from the door, is precipitated to the ground, thus causing a draught-but if the incoming current from the ventilator is allowed to pass freely, it glides along the ceiling. Unlike any other ventilator, its action is not impeded when the shutters are closed, at which time the rooms get the 4. WORTH'S PATENT KNIFE AND FORK CLEANERS are inventions of which we can speak highly. The knife cleaner consists of a board to which are fastened transverse cuttings of stout buff leather, so that the knife is brought in contact with a series of leather edgings, polishing, without scratching them. The fork cleaner is so constructed that it will clean the four prongs of a fork thoroughly, and at the same time. The prices of the knife cleaner vary from 6s. to 16s., of the fork cleaner, from 8s. 6d. to 10s. 6d. There are other articles of the same material. 5. BARLOW'S CASK STAND is a good invention for preventing the disturbance of fermented liquors by the tilt ing of casks. When a cask upon the old cask stand requires tilting, a block of wood, &c., is jerked under it; the consequence is, that the sediment is disturbed, a second fermentation often ensues, the fluid is never bright again, and eventually, two or three quarts at the least in every cask are wasted and thrown away. The frame of this new machine is on a sharp incline; its action is remarkably simple. By turning the wheel from left to right, the cask is raised, without trouble, beyond its level; so that any sediment or hops recede from the tap; and when the cask requires tilting, by moving the wheel from right to left, it is lowered so gradually, that sediment of the most limpid fluid by no possibility can get disturbed, and the last gill of ale, wine, &c., may be drawn off perfectly bright. They are made to suit every size cask. The cask stand, price 14s., suits the 9, 18, or 36 gallon cask; the the machine; the cover is then replaced, and the machine standing on the floor is rocked backwards and forwards, the dust in a few seconds separates from the cinders which remain in the moveable sieve, and are then ready for use; and the cover remaining closed for a few minutes, all dust is dissipated, and the dust in the lower part may be emptied into the dust-bin. Price 11s. 6d. 7. BARLOW'S POTATO STEAMER. -We very much approve of the prin ciple of this invention for cooking potatoes by steam without soddening them with the moisture of condensed steam. In Fig. 1, the old-fashioned bath on the potatoes, completely soddening them with the condensed water, I which then finds its way into the lower vessel, the water of which it contaminates with its disagreeable flavour, rendering it completely useless for the purposes of cooking a fowl, pudding, vegetables, &c. In Fig. 2, showing a section of this invention, it will be seen that the potatoes are placed in the upper vessel, round the conical bottom; the steam enters from the top of the cone, and cooks the potatoes in perfection. The condensed water trickles down inside the flutes of the conical cover, and passes into the external receiver, thus avoiding its falling on the potatoes or into the lower vessel, by which means it is available for cooking anything else simultaneously, thus giving the space of an extra saucepan on the fire. Fig. 3 is an external view of Barlow's PotatoSteamer covered for use. There IS one great advantage connected with this Steamer, which is, that when the po tatoes are cooked enough, the skins crack, and the potatoes almost peel themselves; and thus by carefully taking off the skins, a perfect potato is sent up to table, which is so different to potatoes as they are generally served, they being not only indifferently cooked, but often so cut and mangled by the cook in peeling, as to convey the impression that they were diseased. In connexion with the thirteen ways of cooking potatoes given in Enquire Within (122) these steamers will be found invaluable. The prices vary from 6s. to 11s. 8. GREENWOOD'S PATENT INDIA RUBBER STOPS.-This invention is an ingenious application of a thin band of Indian rubber to the exclusion of draughts and dirt from rooms, &c. Manufactured by J. Greenwood, 10, Arthur Street-west, London-bridge. 9. BOURRELET'S COMPRESSIBLES.-This is another invention, for the exclusion of dust and draughts from rooms, &c. It consists of the ordinary wool-wadding, manufactured into rolls, or soft cords, and stained of various colours, to match the woodwork. It is not, we think, so perfect an invention as the India rubber stops, but it is less expensive, costing only from 1d. to 4d. per yard. That it is very useful, and will greatly increase the comfort and cleanliness of sittingrooms, there can be no doubt; and it has this advantage, that any one with a gluepot can fix it. It is supplied by Mr. R. Helbonner, the patentee, 265, Regentstreet, London. buff leather, so that the knife is brought in contact with a series of leather edgings, polishing, without scratching them. The fork cleaner is so constructed that it will clean the four prongs of a fork thoroughly, and at the same time. The prices of the knife cleaner vary from 6s. to 16s., of the fork cleaner, from 8s. 6d. to 10s. 6d. There are other articles of the same material. 5. BARLOW'S CASK STAND is a good invention for preventing the disturbance of fermented liquors by the tilt ing of casks. When a cask upon the old cask stand requires tilting, a block of wood, &c., is jerked under it; the consequence is, that the sediment is disturbed, a second fermentation often ensues, the fluid is never bright again, and eventually, two or three quarts at the least in every cask are wasted and thrown away. The frame of this new machine is on a sharp incline; its action is remarkably simple. By turning the wheel from left to right, the cask is raised, without trouble, beyond its level; so that any sediment or hops recede from the tap; and when the cask requires tilting, by moving the wheel from right to left, it is lowered so gradually, that sediment of the most limpid fluid by no possibility can get disturbed, and the last gill of ale, wine, &c., may be drawn off perfectly bright. They are made to suit every size cask. The cask stand, price 14s., suits the 9, 18, or 36 gallon cask; the the machine; the cover is then replaced, and the machine standing on the floor is rocked backwards and forwards, the dust in a few seconds separates from the cinders which remain in the moveable sieve, and are then ready for use; and the cover remaining closed for a few minutes, all dust is dissipated, and the dust in the lower part may be emptied into the dust-bin. Price 11s. 6d. 7. BARLOW'S POTATO STEAMER. -We very much approve of the prin ciple of this invention for cooking potatoes by steam without soddening them with the moisture of condensed In Fig. 1, the old-fashioned steam. |