13 MARCH 1886, Page 18

AN ADVANTAGE OF BEING SNOWED-UP.

[To THE EDITOR OF THE " $PECTATOR." J SIR,—Last week, during three whole days, people hereabouts, like the people of neighbouring districts, were completely cut off from all communication with the outer world. Even Morpeth, scarcely three miles distant, was put beyond our reach by the mountainous snow-wreaths which, strange though it may seem, compelled us, for a while, to transform the hedge-tops into foot- paths. But it is not my intention to trouble you with second- rate descriptions of the wonders of the storm. What I would like to draw your attention—and, with your permission, that of your readers—to, is a decided benefit which, I feel, from un- willing experience, would be likely to accrue to mankind in general from occasional similar isolations. Deprived of letters and, especially, newspapers, we were thrown unexpectedly and entirely on our own resources. Yet I make bold to assert we are all the better for it. Like most mortals now-a-days, we spend far too much time "diligently informing ourselves," as Mr. J. Russell Lowell ironically tells us, "of such inspiring facts as that a horse belonging to Mr. Smith ran away on Wednesday, seriously damaging a valuable carryall ; that a son of Mr. Brown swallowed a hickory-nut on Thursday; and that a gravel-bank had caved in and buried Mr. Robinson alive

on Friday." This, I would respectfully suggest, is one of the causes of the present "flabbiness of public opinion." We so burden our brains with tittle-tattle-like trivialities, that our thinking faculties are absolutely deadened. To quote one of your own articles in the issue of March 6th, "we are too much distracted by the multitude of new things,"—new things, that is, in the sense of fresh occurrences. In other language, we waste so many of our precious hours perusing the recorded puerilities of individual doings, that we leave ourselves but an infinitesimal portion of it to "read, -mark, learn, and inwardly digest" what- ever is of vital importance ; and, moreover, of that portion which is left, most is occupied in the tiresome task of trying to forget. And herein is seen one at least of the" advantages of being snowed-up." Though denied the latest gossip, yet our minds, not consenting to total inanition, are themselves forced to supply their own food of thought, and to come to their own conclusions. Home-rule, Disestablishment, and other "burning questions," have thus a chance of obtaining their due share of consideration, without our understandings being weighted by an avalanche of earthly impertinences." The moral is obvious.— I am, Sir, &c,

Peg wool, Moepsth, March 8th. THOILIS HUTCHINSON.