QUESTIONS REQUIRING ANSWERS.

346. In Sydney Smith's essay on Counsel for Prisoners, he mentions a judge then living who never sentenced a prisoner to death without first giving profound attention to all the circumstances of the case in retirement, and seeking direction of God. Who was this judge?-S. S.

347. What is the best course to be pursued by one who desires to become fully equipped for the sacred ministry, who has all his time at his own disposal, who will not spare any pains to attain his object, but who suffers continually from wandering thoughts and idle speculations?-NECESSITAS.

348. Would you be kind enough to inform me where I could get, and the probable price of, "The History of Sacred Metres"?-A. C.

349. Would some kind reader inform me where I may procure one copy of the Scriptures in French, and another in German, and the price? Also name a work or two, in either language, suitable for sabbath reading, where procurable, with price, &c.-FRANCOGERMAN.

350. How does the cryophorus act? -S. S.

351. Would any of your readers furnish the names of public writers authentically known to be, or to have been, unable, either from nervousness or other infirmity, or over-consciousness, to speak in public?-R. D. R.

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS. 338. The following notice of Dr. D'Aubigné's new work on the " History of the Reformation in Europe in the time of Calvin," has been issued by the Messrs. Longman, in explanation of the new work by the Genevese theologian, and may satisfy "S. S." pro tem., viz.: -"A comparison of the nations which have received the Reformation of Luther

with those who adhere to that of Calvin (as Switzerland, Holland, England, Scotland, &c.), shows that the latter have been more firm in their faith, and more active in the propagation of the Gospel, while they have carried out more fully the development of social life, especially in all that relates to constitutional liberty. This distinction has been carefully brought out by Dr. D'Aubigné in his new work on the second Reformation, the first and volumes of which will appear in the present autumn. He has devoted a part of these two forthcoming volumes to Geneva, the centre of the new phase of the Reformation, as Wittemberg had been to that of Luther. The struggles of the first Huguenots in this city, at the beginning of the sixteenth century, to maintain their independence and their ancient freedom, may be said to have initiated the Reformation. Geneva was the first ecclesiastical principality in Europe which fell to make way for liberty, as Rome will be the last. The energy of the freemen of Geneva recalls the heroic times of the old republics; and the fate of those who fell martyrs for freedom teems with human interest. In another part of the work, the author narrates the history of the Reformation in France during Calvin's sojourn in that country, from 1525 to 1536, in which year he went to Geneva. The character of Calvin has been hitherto very imperfectly understood; and after the lapse of three centuries, the time seems come that the great reformer of Geneva should cease to be regarded solely as a cold theologian-that we should appreciate him as a man of warm heart, kindly feelings, and estimable personal character. The forthcoming work throws, it is believed, a new light on his conversion, which is not less striking than that of Luther, and on his first years of Christian

the wide-spread reputation of the Edinburgh Medical School might be dated." Principal Forbes then adverted to the Philosophical Society of Edinburgh, which published volumes in 1754, 1756, and 1771, and of which the second Professor Monro and David Hume were for some time secretaries. "The Philosophical was the immediate parent of the Royal Society, which took its rise in a meeting of the Professors of the University on the proposition of Principal Robertson, towards the end of 1782, and the last survivor of the original body was Sir William Miller, Lord Glenlee, who died in 1846, in his ninety-first year. The society started at once into vigorous existence. The members were divided between science and literature, giving 101 to the former, and 114 to the latter. The earliest period of the society was marked by the efficiency of the literary department, and the first two volumes showed a substantial if not a precise equality in the extent of the published contributions devoted to literature and to science. In less than twenty years, however-indeed, in little more than ten-the activity of the literary class was sensibly impaired, for the great men of letters who lent the weight of their names to the society hardly maintained its reputation by their pens. From the paucity or absence of literary papers, the distinction between the two classes had almost entirely disappeared; but notwithstanding this, the form of a literary class, having presidents, vicepresidents, and a special secretary, was continued down till 1827, when, from no other cause than the want of communications by literary men, it was abandoned. But that was no reason why the substantially literary character of the society should not be restored, as they were all most anxious to see it; but that could only be by the individual efforts of the literary gentlemen who ought to compose that class." The Principal then proceeded to consider what changes the progress of science or of society rendered necessary or de

sirable in the working of associations such as the Royal Society, and how far such changes are safe and prudent. "The Florentine Academy was an excellent type of what a physical association of the seventeenth century was and ought to have been. The members collected apparatus, they had a laboratory, they furnished funds for these, and the associated philosophers, who were select in number, met to witness the experiments, and to argue upon the conclusions to be deduced from them. The Royal Society of London, as well as the lesser societies from which it sprung, took a precisely similar course. They had a paid operator, and editor of their Transactions, and they remitted to individual members or small committees to try experiments, and to report the results to a succeeding meet. ing. This seemed to be the most perfect constitution of a society for investigating nature which they could well imagine. It bore a close analogy to the Philosophical College' of Bacon -to Solomon's House in the allegory of the New Atlantis,' which was generally believed to have been really an antecedent, in the way of suggestion, to the formation of the Royal Society of London; but it was now less practicable because of the large numbers of persons belonging to such societies-the minute subdivisions into which the sciences are now split rendering the perfect comprehension of one science alone almost the occupation of a life, and the fact that, nowadays, the hard work of science was not done by men in their collective capacity as associations. We rarely find even two philosophers engaged in a investigation. Another cause," he went on to say, "is the alteration of domestic habits in some important particulars. Most of the older societies commenced in clubs, which met at taverns, in conformity with the all but universal usage of the period. The 'Philosophical Club' met in 1649 at the Bull's Head, in Cheapside; and the germ of the Royal Society of Edinburgh was a

common

club meeting at Ranken's Tavern. All this is past and gone. The Drydens, the Addisons, and the Johnsons of our day hold forth no longer at Will's or the Mitre. If a more domestic, we are certainly a less clubbable' generation. The effect tells even upon our literary and scientific undertakings. The clubs of modern London are rather institutions for the luxurious accommodation of individuals, than for social intercourse; and the attempt of Sir H. Davy and others to combine them in any degree with literary conversation, in the case of the Athenæum, proved a total failure. An analogous influence is found in the vast expansion of intellectual intercourse through the means of the press, and in the filtering of knowledge of all kinds-of scientific knowledge, perhaps, especially-through the widely extended system of popular lectures. In these two features of the age we find sufficient reasons alone to account for much of the social change to which we have referred. Newspapers, magazines, and ephemeral literature of every kind supplant the oral intercommunication characteristic of the days of clubs. A man takes home with him to his fireside the gossip, the jokes, the discoveries, the discussions, grave or gay, of the day. And in matters of science it is somewhat the same. Much he finds of all that is most occupying the thoughts of able men pursuing natural knowledge set down in the pages of the periodicals. Nothing of importance can be communicated to a society which does not soon become matter of public notoriety through such channels. But still wider is the influence of those popular discourses or lectures, which now practically supply to many persons of general information, but not professed students, the intellectual interest formerly sought in the meetings of our learned societies, and I believe I might add, in the case of Edinburgh, in some measure from our university courses also. The Royal Institution of London commenced this system with splendid advantages, and

its popularity (which could scarcely increase) has been maintained with little if any diminution for sixty years. But in fulfilling its own task of instructing intelligent persons in the latest results of scientific discovery, often from the very mouths of the discoverers themselves, it has deprived of one great attraction the meetings of the Royal Society, the great fountain and source whence such knowledge naturally flows. Similar influences have prevailed in Edinburgh, to the diminution of the attendance in this place. Those who can look back to the audiences assembled in this room from twenty-five to thirty years ago, when ordinary scientific papers were read, will corroborate my testimony as to the change which less than even one generation has brought about. The social spirit of coming together for common objects, self-improvement in the first place, and the charm of a periodical (a fortnightly) meeting with like-minded persons (seldom, perhaps, met with in the interval), counteracted the tendency to criticize, and the intolerance of hearing something read not immediately or directly interesting to the hearer. Were I to enumerate the names of that large band of our fellow-citizens, our professors, our distinguished lawyers, our country gentlemen, and mere amateurs, who, meeting after meeting, used to occupy almost the same individual places on these benches, so that their loss or absence could in a moment have been noticed, I should recall to many even now present the different phase in this respect which the Society of Edinburgh presented then from now. Let me just name almost at hazard a few of those whose images live in my memory as I now address you, as among those who as a rule attended, and as a rare exception were absent. There was the ever-animated, zealous, and punctual president, Sir Thomas Brisbane; the polite and decorous Dr. Hope; the indefatigable, unassuming Lord Greenock; the sagacious Dr. Abercrombie; the lively, unresting Sir

George Mackenzie; the hospitable Professor Russell (whose academic suppers are not even now forgotten); the beneficent, large-minded Dr. Alison; the kindly, genial Professor Wallace, close to whom usually sat Mr. James Jardine, with his finely-chiselled features and intellectual forehead; the accurate Mr.

Adie; and the conscientious, modest astronomer, Mr. Henderson: there were also the ingenious Sir John Robison ; the frank and manly Dr. Graham; the quiet, humorous, and ornithological Mr. James Wilson; the encyclopædic Dr. Traill; and the shrewd and wellread, but reserved Mr. W. A. Caddell."

Course;

"OUR Collegiate Course" has been carried on during the year 1862, as an interesting and valuable experiment. It has not been attended with so much apparent, though with much more real success, than we anticipated. The numbers entered on our books as students by no means indicate the actual receivers of benefit from the examination papers set in these pages. Many who were unwilling or unable to bind themselves to the regular and statutory performance of the requirements of the several classes, have had their thoughts and their reading directed into a somewhat systematic train, and have been enabled to test their own powers by answering, or attempting to answer, the queries contained in the brief pages allotted to this department. Others, who did not publicly join our student lists, formed themselves into mutual improvement parties, and used the questions set as the groundwork of their studies and readings; while a few, who shrunk from the actual competition of the registration, still tested their knowledge by our prescribed tasks, and thus gained some profit by the publication of those tentative questionings. Thus far they have been beneficial in a subsidiary sense, and to an end beyond the immediate sphere of our calculation. Within that sphere, however, the assigned studies have been productive of

considerable good results. Though the questions proposed were few in number monthly, they were yet searching, and, what is of far greater value, were, in general, such as to require, or at any rate afford, opportunity and inducement for research. Many of the students saw this and acted upon it-others, unfortunately, saw this, and shrank from the toilsome task. We were sorry to notice some active-minded individuals thus take their hand from the plough upon which they had placed it, and, startled by apparent difficulties, turn from "Our Collegiate Course" with a hesitant step and a look of discomfort, as if anxious to go on, and yet afraid of being overtasked. A little more confidence in our sympathy might have spared them the self-conscious humiliation. The competition to which our students are exposed is not such as to wound the self-love of any one. The secret of the personality of each student is safe with us-indeed, in some instances, only the nom de plume was known to the conductor of a class, the name itself and the address being only in the matriculation-book of the projector and general manager of the scheme. The relative progress of each student was carefully marked, and in some cases it will be observed by those who have consulted the register, that greater actual progress has been made