and certainly harsher things have seldom been said about the sex than those to which Madame Bonaparte gives reiterated utterance.

The volume is embellished with a portrait of Madame Bonaparte, from the studies of Gilbert Stuart, of which it may be said that it goes much further than the letters toward explaining her brilliant social career. EDUCATION AS A SCIENCE.

By Alexander Bain, LL.D. The International Scientific Series. New York: D. Appleton & Co. Undoubtedly the most neglected part of the work of education is the teaching art itself, the imparting of knowledge by the regular professional instructor. This is the real raison d'étre for such a book as Prof. Bain's, which is intended to arouse in teachers a sense of the dignity and responsibility of their profession, while furnishing such practical information in regard to the principles and details of their work as none can afford to be without. The book exhibits the results of a wide experience, and a thorough knowledge of all phases of the various topics discussed; a ripeness of judgment which lends the weight of authority to the principles elucidated; and, withal, is written in the vigorous and thorough-going style of one who keenly appreciates prevailing evils and earnestly attempts to bring order and system out of the confusion of present empirical methods.

Education is treated by Professor Bain as a science, and all adventitious matters that usually becloud the subject are eliminated, the attention being concentrated upon that which pertains to it exclusively, namely, "the means of building up the acquired powers of human beings.". Physical training, he maintains, does not belong to education proper. Average physical health is assumed as a leading postulate, and physiology enters into the discussion only so far as it applies to the memory, which is strictly speaking only a series of nervous growths, sustained, like any other physical power, by nutrition. The bearing of psychology is of the highest importance, its various branches all being available for the work of the teacher; but especially the psychology of the feelings. In connection with the explanation of the emotions the general subject of discipline naturally attracts the attention of the author, and receives a thorough and adequate treatment at his hands. A valuable chapter is devoted to the discussion of "Education Values," in which the relative worth of the subjects included in the ordinary course of instruction is carefully estimated; science being placed highest in the list, as the most perfect embodiment of truth, and of the ways of getting at truth." In the work of practical instruction it is necessary to observe such a succession of subjects as will coincide with the

"

normal unfolding of the mental faculties. This is called the "psychological sequence.” There is also a logical sequence " or interdependence among the subjects themselves, a proper understanding of which furnishes valuable aid in the choice of studies and in fixing the time to be devoted to each. This leads up to the main topic of the book, "Methods of Teaching," under which the Object Lesson receives careful attention. Its method is critically analyzed, its real uses and limitations pointed out, as also the dangers to be apprehended from its misapplication. Special chapters are given to "The Mother Tongue,' Moral Education,' Art Education," and "The Renovated Curriculum," the latter being a summary of principles and classification of subjects in accordance with the new and more philosophical method proposed.

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But the most interesting if not the most important chapter is devoted to the vexed question of the "Value of the Classics." The arguments for and against the prevailing pre. dominance of classical study are weighed with a judicial fairness, and the result clearly shows that the usual expenditure of energy is out of all proportion to the solid advantages received. Languages should be learnt only when meant to be used as languages." The medieval reasons for the use of Latin and Greek are no longer applicable, and all arguments for retaining them, except as special studies, are more or less sophistical or dependent upon prejudice for their force; a tacit admission of which is apparent in the constant attitude of defence which classicists feel obliged to maintain.

A FIRST SKETCH OF ENGLISH LITERATure. By Professor Henry Morley. New Edition. London and New York: Cassell, Petter & Galpin.

A MANUAL OF ENGLISH LITERATURE. By Henry Morley. Revised and Rearranged by Moses Coit Tyler. New York: Sheldon & Co.

Professor Morley's "First Sketch," first published in 1873, has since become known, at least to students, as one of the most comprehensive, compact, and scholarly surveys of English literature that has yet been made, and as on the whole the best work of its kind to have at hand for ready reference and consulta. tion. Its title, indeed, is far too modest to be accurately descriptive, for neither in dimensions nor in method of treatment does it conform to the idea of a first sketch, and its standard of critical estimate makes no concession to the commonly received theory that a book for beginners must be constructed on the plan of furnishing "milk for babes." It is a closely printed volume of over nine hundred pages, covering the entire period of English literature

from the formation of the language down to writers contemporary with ourselves; and besides its survey of English literature proper it includes many side glances at those French, Italian, and Spanish literatures from which English authors at different periods have drawn so much of their inspiration and material. The method pursued is strictly chronological, but it is the books rather than the authors that are taken up in the order of their appearance, so that an author appears and disappears as often as the works of other authors intervene between his own publications. The disadvantages of this method are obvious and have been often complained of; but it possesses the very great merit of impressing upon the reader, as no other plan would, a vivid conception of the volume, breadth, and varied constituents of the literary stream, and of the too-often-forgotten fact that an author is not the voice of one crying in the wilderness, but is simply one of a multitudinous chorus whose tones are perpetually mingling with his own. As to the execution of Professor Morley's work, it would be difficult to praise too highly its learning, its thoroughness, its copious accumulation of facts, and the soberness and acuteness of its judg

ments.

The "First Sketch was apparently intended, in part at least, as a text book for college students in England, and it has been so used to some extent in this country; but its defects for such a purpose are so great that Professor Moses Coit Tyler, with the sanction of Professor Morley, has recast it into a Manual of English Literature," designed especially for use in the class-room. With this view, he has abbreviated Professor Morley's material to the extent of about one-third, expanding here and curtailing there has completly recast and rearranged the portion that has been retained; has divided it into literary periods and groups of authors has brought together in consecutive order the matter relating to special topics and different authors which in Professor Morley's book is scattered disconnectedly over many pages has corrected many of those inaccuracies which are inseparable from a work involving such an enormous number of details; and has discriminated, by means of differences of type, between those portions of the text which are essential and those which are merely illustrative and explanatory. In general terms it may be said of the "Manual" that the substance of it is Professor Morley's and the construction Professor Tyler's, though the changes involved in the latter are so great that the "Manual" is substantially a new book. Whether these changes have made it a serviceable and satisfactory text-book can only be decided by the practical tests of the class-room: but in the quality of its contents it is certainly

far superior to the compilations for which it is offered as a substitute.

SPAIN IN PROFILE. By James A. Harrison. Boston: Houghton, Osgood & Co.

This is a series of light traveller's sketches, written currente calamo in a picturesque, vivid, and rapid style, whose only fault is a too persistent and self-conscious effort at brilliancy and originality. The author insists in his preface that his book is in no sense a guide-book : and indeed it is evident throughout that he has taken special pains to avoid the sober facts with which guide-books aim to deal. “The realities of landscape, the mode of life and of travel, the aspect of the old Spanish cities, the habits of the people, the vicissitudes of a summer journey set down just as they appeared, form the staple of these pages:" which are addressed to those "light skimmers of summer books between whom and distant countries lie, not one, but many seas, and whose only hope, in all probability, of seeing them is through the more favored eyes of others." Such stay-athome travellers will derive much enjoyment from Mr. Harrison's sketches, and may even find some instruction in them-his description of the Alhambra being the best of equal length that we have seen, while his account of the bull-fights is eminently realistic and vivid. The book is hardly one to be read consecutively through, but should be dipped into now and then, as the mood is propitious-the reader bearing in mind that in a well-ordered literary diet its place would be among the lighter order of soufflées.

A COLLECTION of dramas and short stories by Auerbach will shortly be published under the title of "Unterwegs.'

THE descendants of W. Grimm have presented the Berlin University with 6000 marks to found a Grimm Fund to be devoted to prizes for the best works in the domain of German literature and modern art history.

THE Delegates of the Clarendon Press have decided to publish Prof. Jowett's translation of Thucydides in four volumes, viz., the preface, two volumes of the translation, and a fourth volume of commentary and notes.

AN exhibition of early printed books and curiosities connected with the history of printing has been arranged at Milan, on the occasion of the seventy-fifth anniversary of the foundation of the "Pio Instituto Tipografico."

of these-L'Eil de Marat, for instance, of which only three copies are known to exist are of a high degree of rarity, and all of them are of interest as historical documents.

MR. QUARITCH is about to issue a catalogue of Spanish books which will include, not only Castilian literature, but also books in Limosin, Catalan, and Portuguese. It comprises a collection of rare editions such as could only be found in a great special library like that of the late Don Pedro Saivá, and many which are not even there; several Cancioneros and Romanceros, including the excessively rare Segunda Parte of the Romancero General.

THE New Testament Revision company meeting at Westminster have made such progress in their work that the New Testament is likely to be published by the University Presses early in 1880. It is intended to issue in the first instance two editions, a large handsome octavo, and a small cheaper volume for more general use. The English and American companies, says the Athenæum, are now busy with the final revision of passages in which the same Greek words are found, so as to bring the translation into greater harmony.

WE understand that Messrs. Macmillan & Co. have in preparation for their "Golden Treasury Series" a volume of "Selections from Addison," edited with an Introduction by Mr. John Richard Green. Mr. Green has by no means confined his choice to the well-known Spectator Essays, but has gone carefully through every thing that Addison wrote, and picked out those productions which are most attractive either for grace of style or for interest of subject. The different essays will be grouped in subjects, such as "Sir Roger de Coverley,"

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Humors of the Town," Humors of the Country," etc.

This will make evident why I say 'Excelsior,' and not ' Excelsius.'

"With great regard, yours truly,

"HENRY W. LONGFELLOW."

THE number of students matriculating in the University of London continues to increase, and the statistics of the recent July examination have special interest; 919 candidates presented themselves, of whom upward of 500about 60 per cent-passed; 155 of them in Honors, and 53 of these with marks enough to obtain a prize, the number of prizes, however, being seven only. Forty-nine ladies passed, of whom more than half-28 in all-were in Honors from the third place downward; and the rest were in the first division, none in the second. Of the entire number who passed, 69 are described as gaining their knowledge by "private study" or by "private study and tuition." The rest come from colleges and schools throughout the kingdom.

SCIENCE AND ART.

SUN-SPOTS AND TERRESTRIAL MAGNETISM. -The theory that there is some relation between terrestrial magnetism and manifestation of sun-spots is strengthened by researches made at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. Mr. Ellis, one of the assistants in that establishment, after careful examination of the observations made from 1841 to 1877-a period of thirty-six years-including the diurnal range of magnetic declination and horizontal force, finds that "in addition to the ordinary diurnal and annual changes, there appears to exist, in the magnetic diurnal ranges, an inequality of marked character, and of longer period, resembling in its features the well-established eleven-year sun-spot period." And that which is true of the regular movements is true also of the irregular, as very remarkable correspondences are shown between the rapid sun-spot and the sudden magnetic variations; but generally the magnetic epochs are some

what later than the corresponding sun-spot epochs. And lastly, Mr. Ellis states that “it seems probable that the annual inequalities of magnetic diurnal range are subject also to periodical variation, being increased at the time of a sun-spot maximum, when the mean diurnal range is increased, and diminished at the time of a sun-spot minimum, when the mean diurnal range is diminished." This confirmation, under the authority of Sir George Airy, Astronomer-Royal, of an important theory, will be very interesting to physicists.

EFFECT OF COLOR ON VEGETATION.-That the different colors of the spectrum have an influence on vegetation has long been known. Plants grown under green glass soon die; under red glass they live a long time, but become pale and slender. Mr. Yung, of the University of Geneva, has placed the eggs of frogs and fishes in similar conditions, and found that violet light quickens their development; and blue, yellow, and white also, but in a lesser degree. Tadpoles, on the contrary, die sooner in colored

light than in white light. As regards frogs, Mr. Yung has ascertained that their develop ment is not stopped by darkness, as some observers have supposed, but that the process is much slower than in the light.

AN ELECTRIC PLOUGH.-A French inventor residing at Sermaize les Bains (Marne), who has been engaged in perfecting his apparatus for applying electricity to agricultural work, has had a public trial of his electric plough. The electricity which propels the plough is not produced by voltaic batteries, but by a powerful gramme-machine which works under shelter, while copper wires, resembling those of the ordinary telegraph, connect it with the plough. The gramme-machine for generating the electricity, though usually worked by a small steam engine, may be driven, when convenient, by wind or water power.

ELECTRIC LIGHTING.-The Report of the Select Committee of the House of Commons on Electric Lighting has been published, and may be regarded as favorable to the new process of illumination; but not favorable to the conferring on gas companies the privilege of laying on the electric light, which, committed to their care, might have a slow development. And the Committee are of opinion that the time has not yet arrived for giving general powers to private electric companies to break up the streets; but the proprietors of large buildings, lecture-halls, theatres, factories, are free to generate electricity for their own use without further delay or legislative sanction. As regards the light itself, attention is drawn to the peculiarity that it produces a transformation of energy in a singularly complete manner. The energy of one

horse power, for example, may be converted into gaslight, yielding a luminosity equal to twelve-candle power; but the same amount of energy transformed into electric light produces sixteen-hundred-candle power. 'It is therefore not surprising,' as stated in the Report, that while many practical witnesses see serious difficulties in the speedy adaptation of the electric light to useful purposes of illumination, the scientific witnesses see in this economy of force the means of great industrial development, and believe that in the future it is destined to take a leading part in public and private illumination. On one point all are agreed —namely, that the electric light will produce little of that vitiated air which is largely formed by the products of combustion of ordinary illuminants." And further, the scientific witnesses are of opinion that "in the future the electric current may be extensively used to transmit power as well as light to considerable distances, so that the power applied to mechanical purposes during the day may be made available for light during the night." On the question of cost as compared with gas, the Committee are not of opinion that the economy for equal illumination has been conclusively established.

ANTHROPOLOGICAL STUDIES ON THE SKULLS OF MURDERERS.-One of the most curious collections in the great Anthropological Museum in the Paris Exhibition of last year was a collection of thirty-six skulls of murderers who had been guillotined in France. This collection has been carefully studied by Dr. Bordier, who has published the results of his studies in the last number of Broca's "Revue d'Anthropologie." The most striking result of his observations is the very large cubic capacity of these crania. In fact, the average volume of the thirty-six skulls, measured with shot by Broca's method, is as much as 1547.91 cubic centimeters. Eliminating, however, one of the skulls which is of unusual size (2076 cubic centimeters), and is obviously abnormal, the average is reduced to 1531 cubic centimeters. But even this figure is considerably higher than the average of any ordinary series of modern crania. In order to find skulls of equal capacity it is necessary to go back to prehistoric times; thus the capacity of Solutré skulls is 1615, and that of the type from the cave of L'Homme Mort is 1606.5 cubic centimeters. The development of the murderers' skulls is not in the frontal, but in the parieto-occipital region; and it appears to indicate a low intellectual standard, with a strong tendency to powerful action. Most of the cerebral characteristics presented by the skulls of these criminals are comparable with those of prehistoric races. A murderer may be regarded as an an

achronism, and his character may be explained on the principle of atavism, or reversion to an early type. If a prehistoric savage could be introduced into modern society he would probably become a notorious criminal; on the other hand, if one of the brutal murderers of modern times had lived in prehistoric ages, he might have been a chief of his tribe, highly respected.

A MIRROR BAROMETER.-M. Leon Tesserenc de Bort has ingeniously modified the common aneroid barometer by substituting for the train of clockwork terminating in a pointer a mirror mounted on a jewelled axis, which is rotated by the rise and fall of the exhausted receiver, and its indications read off by a small telescope by reflection from a graduated scale. The sensibility of the instrument is said to be much increased, and all errors due to a long train of wheelwork are eliminated.

THE SECRETION OF THE GASTRIC GLANDS.Professor Heidenhain succeeded in separating a considerable portion of the fundus of the stomach in a dog from its connection with the rest of the organ, and forming it into a blind sac communicating with the exterior of the body. This enabled him to collect the secretion of the gastric glands unmixed with that of the pyloric glands, and uncontaminated by the saliva and other liquids which pass down the œsophagus. The secretion is a clear, strongly acid liquid, containing an unexpectedly small amount of mucus, and an average of 0.45 per cent of solid matter, partly organic, partly inorganic, the former consisting mainly of pepsine. The average acidity of the liquid is equivalent to 0.52 per cent of hydrochloric acid, which is far higher than that of the mixed gastric juice, free from saliva, examined by Bidder and Schmidt. Richet, from observations on the juice of a man with a gastric fistula, found that when fresh it contained only hydrochloric acid, while when kept for a time it developed an organic acid, probably sarcolactic. No such acid was observed to be produced in the secretion obtained from the dog. It was found that the introduction of nutritious food into the stomach induced active secretion in from fifteen to thirty minutes, and this continued until the stomach had completely emptied itself. But if indigestible substances were introduced no secretion flowed from the sac for upward of an hour. Water was then given to the animal, and secretion commenced, but only lasted an hour and a half. From these and other experiments, Professor Heidenhain concludes that mechanical stimulation of the stomach excites secretion only at the point of contact; general activity of the glandular apparatus requiring absorption for its production. If the composition of the secreted liquid be examined at regu

lar intervals during the digestive process, its acidity is found to remain pretty uniform, but the proportion of pepsine contained in it undergoes a peculiar and orderly series of varia. tions. During the second hour it sinks rapidly to a minimum; toward the fourth or fifth hour it rises again to a point generally higher than at first, and remains at or near this point for a considerable time. These variations are quite independent of the amount of pepsine actually contained in the glands which is known to sink steadily. The secreting surface can pour out a liquid very rich in pepsine at a time when its poverty in this substance is most strongly marked. No definite conclusion can at present be arrived at as to the cause of this phenomenon.

VARIETIES.

THE DEAD-POINT IN MIND TENSION.-It is a common subject of marvel that criminals in presence of immediate execution are usually self-possessed, and often exhibit singular composure. The doomed creature sleeps through the night before his violent death, and rises composed to pass through the ordeal. The exceptions to this rule are few, and there is no reason to suppose that the individuals who dis- . play greater emotion, or who are prostrated by the agonizing prospect of death, feel their position more acutely than those who preserve control of their demeanor. It is a prevalent but groundless error to suppose that the state of mind in which most capital offenders meet their doom is one of scare or paralyzing amazement.

They retain every faculty, taste, consideration, and even fancy. They frequently give tokens of especial thoughtfulness, and are punctilious in the observance of rules and the adoption of measures to minimize their own pain, and the trouble and sympathetic suffering of those by whom they are surrounded or who will be left burdened with their memories. Mentally and physically the criminal, during the last few hours of his life, in the immediate presence of a cruel death, is self-possessed and tranquil. His pulse is even less disturbed than those of the officials who are compelled to take part in his execution. Why is this? The answer will be obvious on reflection. The mind has reached what may be designated a "deadpoint" in its tension. The excitement is over, the agony of anticipation, the trembling doubt between hope and fear of escape, has exhausted the irritability of the mind, and there is, as it were, a pause, an interval of passive endurance between the end of the struggle for life, and the bitterness of remorse and agony of disappointment which may begin at death. In this interval the mind is released from the tension of its effort for self-preserva