Messembria, which has preserved its ancient
name. It lies east of Varna, near Cape
Emona. It has frequently been mentioned in
history, but is now a small place of three
thousand inhabitants, two-thirds of whom
are Christians. It trades in wine and firewood
brought from the neighbouring forests,
but its port is little frequented, being
exposed.

Achelon, further to the south, is almost
entirely inhabited by Christians, to the number
of four thousand. The people, especially
the women, speak Greek. There are two
schools, one on the Lancasterian principle,
and the other especially devoted to the Greek
classics, to history, and geography. The
entrance of the port is very difficult for large
vessels, on account of the shallows and hidden
rocks strewed in front of it. Many wrecks
take place every year on account of the
imprudence of foreign masters, who generally
are quite ignorant of these parts. It is
frequented, in general, only by small coasters.
A great many turbot are caught there, and
also small mackerel, which are preserved,
salted in barrels, for the Constantinople
market. Some excellent wine is also
exported.

Next comes Sozopolis, which possesses the
best road in all the Black Sea, being protected
on every side except the north. During the
winter vessels come in by hundreds for
refuge, and the city assumes quite an
animated appearance. The regular trade is in
wine, firewood, and charcoal. It is mentioned
by the historian, John Cantacuzena,
as a great, well-peopled city, but now contains
only about two thousand Greek rayahs.

The most celebrated port of Roumelia, in
the Black Sea, is that of Bourgas, situated at
the bottom of a deep gulf, overlooked on the
north side by the termination of the Balkan
range. Large vessels may cast anchor in the
gulf. Since eighteen hundred and forty-eight
it has been made a station for the Austrian
steamers which come from Constantinople in
ten hours. All the export trade of the
north-east parts of Roumelia is carried on by
way of Bourgas, which exports wheat, barley,
maize, wood, tallow, butter, cheese, and other
productions of the country; among which,
one of the principal articles is rose-water.
As for import trade, there is scarcely any.
Two thousand of the inhabitants are Moslems,
and the remaining thousand are Greeks,
some rayahs and some free. The latter have
a church, of which the priest keeps an
elementary school. The Turks also have a
school, a mosque, and a bath to which the
Christians are allowed to go. The environs
of the city are well cultivated, and covered
with vineyards. Clay, for making pipe
bowls, is excavated and sent to the manufacturers
of Constantinople and Adrianople.
The climate is not healthy on account of the
marshes in the neighbourhood. The inhabitants
who get fevers go for cure to some
hot baths at a place called Litzia, situated at
a distance of two hours, in the midst of a
vast plain. The bath-house formerly stood
alone, and visitors were obliged to erect
temporary huts, or to sleep in their covered
waggons. At present, however, a little
caravanserai has been established, together with
a bakal or general grocery shop. The
presence of carbonate of soda gives a peculiar
quality to the waters.

We have thought that these slight details
would be interesting at the present moment
when public attention has been particularly
drawn to the western coast of the Black
Sea, and when the ports and cities which
we have thus summarily described, are now
receiving the visits of a British squadron.

            SCHOOL-KEEPING.

Prizes are now being oifered to the pupils
at training schools in several English counties
for the purpose of promoting a knowledge of
the art of conveying sound instruction in
common things, to the children of the working
classes. In the movement that has thus been
set on foot by Lord Ashburton, the whole
English public claims to participate; the need
of much more sense in school teaching, and
even (with reverence be it said) in university
systems, is so very obvious, that Lord Ashburton's
suggestion has gone off like a gun in a
rookery and has set every quill flying.

Doctor Quemaribus declares to all friends
and parents in his private circle, that his
school is exempt from the prevailing attack.
Public opinion seizes upon schools, now, like
an epidemic and, as is the way with epidemics,
fastens with most severity on those that
happen to be in a bad condition. Dr. Q.
pronounces his own school to be intact, for
does he not give object-lessons to his junior
boys, does he not provide lectures on
chemistry for all the boys, does he not teach
the elders botany?  I, for my own part,
do not agree with Dr. Quemaribus in his
opinion of the state of his own kingdom
at Verbumpersonale College. I have the
highest respect for that distinguished LL.D.
I know, too, that he is a good, earnest man, and
that the boys he turns out do him credit. They
possess much knowledge though they are not
well educated —for to know much and to be
well educated are two perfectly distinct things
— and they are gentlemen. They leave school
with a respect for their teacher, and they
grow up excellent people. When the hairs
of Dr. Quemaribus shall have become white,
and when his voice of power shall have become
weak and thin, there shall collect together
stalwart men, tradesmen and merchants,
quick lawyers and slow divines, and shall dine
in his honour, and acknowledge him their
friend, present plate to him, and comfort him
with words of generous and loving recognition.
He will deserve all they may say of
him or do for him. There is a legion of quack