hectolitres in 1854, produced 6,500,000 in 1858, including 3,700,000 hectolitres for distillation. The port of Cette, which exported in 1854 only 25,240 hectolitres of wine, and 2637 of spirits, exported, in 1858, 293,121 hectolitres of wine, and 18,583 of spirits. This improvement, Lord Chelsea remarks, presents a strange contrast with the state of things described in Sir J. E. Tennent's work. The same improvement has manifested itself in the Gironde. The total quantity of wines exported from the Gironde to England was, in 1857, 425,818 hectolitres, as contrasted with 16,562 in 1855. Picardan wine, commonly sold as sherry in Paris, and which we quite agree with Lord Chelsea in designating as far better than the inferior sorts of that wine, is stated to be worth 12 fr. 8 "velte," or measure of 7 litres-a barrel containing from 30 to 40 veltes. In 1854, the total yield in the Gironde was 300,742 hectolitres; in 1857, it rose to 1,073,781 hectolitres. In the Var, where the wines of Brandol and Pierrefeu are of superior quality, and are largely exported to India and the United States, the mountain growths being exported to Algeria, Senegal, and the French West Indies, the blight had nearly disappeared in 1858; out of 671,601 hectares, constituting the surface of this latter department, no less than 52,671 are devoted to the cultivation of grape-vine.

There is no difficulty in acquiring a knowledge of the different wines of France. The "Ampelographie Française" of M. Victor Rendu, inspector-general of agriculture, contains an account of all the vine-growing regions, the nature of the soil, the different systems pursued, the cha racteristics of the various wines, their value, and their destination; and as the grape blight has now nearly disappeared from every region, the average produce may be assumed for nearly all. But we do not possess the same valuable information regarding other wine-producing countries -Austria, for example-and yet Mr. Fane, her Majesty's secretary of legation, remarks that, as regards the value and quantity of the wine production, Austria holds in importance the second rank amongst the winegrowing countries of Europe. The total value of an average vintage in Austria is estimated at 158,986,000 florins, while the value of the wine productions amounts only to 40,000,000 florins, great quantities of grapes being used for other purposes. This as compared with an average annual wine production of the value of 478,000,000 francs in France. The Austrian wines are, on the great average, but of middling quality, but there are some which can bear comparison with all but the very best Rhine, French, and Spanish wines. The greatest future, our secretary of legation remarks, is probably reserved to the Hungarian and Lower Austrian and Dalmatian wines, the latter, as well as the coast land wines, being principally dessert wines. It is remarkable that while the price of a bottle of ordinary Bordeaux wine at Constantinople is from 8 to 10 francs, a bottle of good Hungarian wine costs only from 40 to 50 kreutzers. On the other hand, the customs duties levied by the Zollverein upon Austrian wines are so high as to be almost prohibitive. There cannot be the slightest doubt that, with the lowering of duties, a market for the middling as well as the best qualities of Austrian wines might be opened in this country. Already, our secretary of legation tells us, a considerable quantity of Hungarian wine is sold as port wine, and both countries are losers by not facilitating and legitimatising the trade. The red wines of

Erlau, Carlowitz, Szeksard, Buda, Adelsberg, Villau, and St. André; the white wines of Pesth, Steinbruch, Berg, Totfaln, Moor, Teting, Vöslau, Rust, &c., would meet with approbation at any table.

The price of wine in Sardinia in good years is only from 4 to 5 sous a bottle. One million gallons are consumed annually in Turin. There is an opening to commerce and developed production there. So also with regard to Tuscany and the other Italian states. Much of the Italian wine will not bear exportation, and is therefore used for home consumption; but this is owing to a false state of things, more particularly to the existence of obstacles to the free development of foreign commercial speculation, which annihilate all individual enterprise. But, as is justly remarked by Mr. Corbett, her Majesty's secretary of legation in Tuscany, "it is hoped that the time is approaching when the importation of articles for which, in the normal condition of the country, there is only a limited demand, will, as formerly, be regulated alone by the requirements of legitimate commerce, and be made only in exchange for the national and manufactured productions of the country." All countries would, indeed, profit by the introduction of such liberal principles of interchange and intercommunion. Experience has shown that every prohibition upon foreign produce is as much a loss to the country that prohibits as to the country prohibited, and we cannot impoverish a country except at the expense of ourselves and other countries. The wealthier a country is, the greater its consumption of the necessaries and luxuries of life; and while a Sahara remains useless to civilisation, a great metropolis like London radiates prosperity over the whole world. It is as much the interest of second-rate nations to encourage commerce by the removal of burdens, and thereby develop their national resources, as it is of first-rate countries to uphold such legitimate struggles by every kind of encouragement, commercial and fiscal. One nation prohibiting the importation of wine because another nation prohibits its manufactures, or one nation prohibiting manufactures because the other places a prohibitive duty upon its wines, or a duty that becomes almost prohibitive, by prostrating instead of encouraging the development of its national and peculiar industry, are, at the best, two nations that not only do not understand, but that are utterly blind to their own interests. They go on from year to year impoverishing one another from mere spite, instead of lending one another that mutual aid and encouragement which is the best guarantee of peace and good will among all branches of the great human family.

YONGE'S LIFE OF THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON.*

An ornate or vehement style of writing, such as is so much affected in modern times, more especially by the biographers of the great men of our commonwealth, would have as little suited the combined grandeur and simplicity of the Duke of Wellington's character as any filigree Gothic would be a fit monument to his genius. Mr. Charles Duke Yonge's Life of England's greatest hero was written, no doubt, from partiality to the subject, from a sense that a clear and concise biography was still a desideratum, and from the not unworthy impulses of literary ambition. Profit, now-a-days, except to the fortunate few, lies in the same far-off misty horizon which is supposed to be sometimes lit up by the refulgence of Fame as with an Arctic Aurora. Some have said that too much has been attempted within a small compass; others, that they wanted more of the inner life of the man developed, and less of his deeds. Had the latter purport been carried out, and everything that was illustrative of the man been added to the history of the soldier and the statesman, too truly too much would have been attempted within a small compass. But Mr. Yonge has avoided both extremes. He has evidently laboured to give a simple, clear, and faithful account of the entire career of the most illustrious of our countrymen. He has been assisted in his task by information derived from the present Duke of Wellington, by the use of the copious and valuable political diary kept by the late Lord Colchester, and by much communicated to him concerning the Duke's private habits by Mr. Algernon Greville, his private secretary for many years. If we miss, perchance, those bursts of eloquence which a Macaulay had to restrain rather than to summon up, in the biography of the Duke as a statesman, and the martial spirit that stirred the inmost man in Napier's details of the soldiers' exploits, still the narrative, as here given, leads on, like the steady flow of a great stream, calmly and placidly past difficulties in India, by parliamentary headlands, over the perils of the Peninsula, through the roaring surge of Waterloo, into the eddies of Paris, out again along the whirl of politics into the ruffled sea of ministerial power, till the indomitable and iron spirit of the old Duke is stranded in the Cinque Ports, to ultimately encounter the fate of all mortals. Such a plain and simply-told narrative was a great desideratum; it is usefully as well as instructively illustrated by maps and plans, and it will constitute a valuable work of library reference when many a more declamatory work shall have passed away and become forgotten.

The Life of Field-Marshal Arthur, Duke of Wellington. By Charles Duke Yonge, Author of "A History of England," "Parallel Lives," &c. 2 vols. Chapman and Hall.

A HOLIDAY TOUR IN SPAIN.

BY A PHYSICIAN.

AFTER passing Cape Cat about mid-day, the coast remained constantly in sight on the vessel's starboard side. Almeria, being distant, could not be discerned, but the sail by Adra, Motril, Torrox, and Velez-Malaga was very fine; the high mountains behind being striking and picturesque. Their defined outline appeared very marked, while the clear sky above and beyond attracted special attention. Adra looked rather a pretty object; and at Motril some green trees were observed, with a small plain called by natives the "Vega." Consequently, there must be some population who are supported by its cultivation. Still, the entire coast is wild, very arid, and mountainous. The Sierra Nevada, seen at a distance, had several fields of snow on its summit, especially the Picocho Mulahacen-the highest top of the whole range, which had thus resisted the excessive heat of the recent season. On the northern declivities, snow is said to be much more plentiful than on the side towards the Mediterranean. In reference to these snowy collections in such a southern climate as this region of Spain, a curious fact merits mention, which perhaps many Englishmen may not readily believe-viz. the mines in this neighbourhood can only be worked during about five months of the year, or the summer season, from the miners being impeded in their labours by snow throughout the other portion. Such an occurrence, and of so long duration, could not happen in England; and although the above fact regarding Spanish mines near its hot, scorching shores may be considered a paradox or unfounded, it is not the less veritable. Torrox and its vicinity were pleasing objects; so was also Velez-Malaga. The green sugar-cane seen on its shores, and other evidence of an industrious existing population, having something like animal life, were pleasant to behold, and contrasted with Alicante, seemed the very opposite. Altogether, the progress from Adra to Malaga proved interesting, especially as the weather continued beautiful; and when, towards afternoon, an agreeable west-by-north wind began to blow, which prevailed till nightfall, the heat became so much moderated, that, although the evening remained clear and cloudless, it even felt cool, if not refreshing. Indeed, after the steamer approached Malaga, about nine P.M., the air was not warmer than in England at this season. Hence, had there existed no other evidence of being in so southern a portion of Europe as the district now mentioned, the low existing temperature would have made the writer incredulous.

Owing to existing police sanitary regulations, passengers were not allowed to land, in consequence of cholera being prevalent in several localities, near which the vessel had so lately passed. Nay, the pilot told the captain it was doubtful if he could disembark any person, since the steamer not only entered the harbour of Alicante, where cholera had recently broken out, but he there received some new second-class passengers, while several temporarily went ashore from the ship and then returned; which proceeding might make his ship liable to quarantine. This appeared by no means pleasing information, and made those who heard such a con

tingency probable exceedingly uncomfortable. A fellow-passenger, by way of consolation, said to the writer, who expressed his English zeal to keep moving, and demurred to being compelled thus to lose precious time in formalities," El señor must have pacienza, and implicitly obey board of health orders, since against such there is no reclamacion." He further added, if quarantine became decreed by that authority, it would likely continue five days at least, perhaps longer. Should, however, any individual on board be found labouring under disease, especially if at all like cholera, the steamer might, in that case, have to perform fifteen days' quarantine at Port Mahon in Minorca, that being the chief Spanish quarantine station in the Mediterranean. Besides such detention, as sometimes three days were required to go there and as many to return, three weeks might be thereby employed in a very unpleasant manner. These were far from cheering pieces of intelligence, especially to the Spanish gentlemen on board, one of whom had come from Paris to join his relatives at their family "quinta," or country-house, near Malaga, he being a native. This party looked very melancholy when fearing his anticipated pleasure might perhaps be postponed for one month. But, like the present narrator, pacienza and esperanza" were the only feelings which any one could then entertain with satisfaction.

Occupied with such reflections, all finally retired to bed, if not to sleep soundly, at least wishing, when they awoke next morning, the despotic health official's fiat might then prove favourable; whereby they would soon be allowed to touch terra firma, which now became more valued, seeing difficulties were interposed, and must be removed, before that much-desired object was accomplished. Fortunately, the lugubrious forebodings respecting quarantine, either temporary or that the steamer might be even sent to Minorca, were not realised; since, towards six o'clock in the morning, permission arrived for the captain to land both cargo and passengers. This announcement of course produced great satisfaction. Whereupon all were actively occupied, in order to avail themselves thereof, by speedily leaving the splendid Tajo, which some just previously dreaded was to become their prison. However, every former unpleasant anticipation was soon forgotten in the bustle of getting ashore to see Malaga, as also to enjoy its much-renowned climate. Whether that opinion is justly founded or otherwise, will be discussed subsequently.

It may prove useful to future tourists who shall visit the Mediter ranean coast of Spain, and perhaps interesting to readers, if one or two remarks were made in reference to the time employed and expense incurred, when travelling by the steamers which ply on that route. The writer, therefore, would briefly say, that from Barcelona to Malaga the distance sailed over was about five hundred and sixty-five miles, and the time occupied fifty-nine hours; excluding stoppages at the two seaports previously named. Hence the average speed was upwards of nine miles per hour, or very fair travelling. Respecting the rate of passage. money, if compared with fares paid on board of British sea-going steam vessels, particularly in those passing from London or Liverpool to Scotland, the amount was exorbitant. For example, as a first-class passenger occupying the chief cabin, the writer paid for the above voyage at least one shilling for every five miles of the sea he traversed, exclusive of provisions or beverages of any description. Whereas, had he sailed from Lon