earliest work, on the "Method of Divine Government, Physical and Moral," made a marked impression on its first appearance twenty years ago, and has exercised a most wholesome influence ever since; and we are not acquainted with any work of a similar character which we would more heartily commend to the attention of those who would understand exactly how strong is the theological conception of nature, and who would examine both sides of the great question before they decide that God as a personality has been "naturally selected" out of his own uni

verse.

In it the author shows the faculty, which is conspicuous in all his books, of treating profound and complex questions in a simple, lucid, and straightforward manner -of bringing metaphysics down to the comprehension of the people without thereby compromising their character or destroying their utility. He meets even "popular science" on its own ground, and pretty much with its own weapons of inductive investigation.

Besides his pursuits as an author, moreover, Dr. McCosh has, for many years past, in Scotland and in Ireland, been engaged in practical education of the young, and it is in this latter capacity that he has come over to us. His scholastic attain ments are of the highest order, and his training as an instructor long and thorough, and notwithstanding his conservative views on education in general, Princeton College, in calling him to the chair of her Faculty, has not only conferred a benefit upon herself, but through her on the coun. try at large.

Below we give such a brief outline of President McCosh's career as we have been able to obtain from authentic

sources.

James McCosh was born in 1811, in Ayrshire, Scotland. He was educated at a parochial school, and at the age of thirteen entered Glasgow University, which he attended for five seasons. When he commenced the study of Theology he went to Edinburgh University, where his talents began to show themselves, and he stood very high in the estimation of his illustrious preceptors, Dr. Chalmers and Dr. Welsh. Toward the close of 1835 he was elected by the people minister of the Abbey Church, Arbroath, and during the three years he was there he com

menced in that district, along with Thomas Guthrie and others, the movement which culminated in the formation of the Free Church of Scotland. At the close of 1838 he was appointed by the Crown, on the recommendation of Dr. Welsh, minister of the first charge, Brechin, and there he and his colleague, Mr. (now Dr.) Foote, had under them a congregation with 1,400 communicants. In 1843 he surrendered the desirable living which he had there, and became a minister of the Free Church. For years at this time he led a very bustling life, having not only to preach to large congregations, and to visit sedulously among them, but to assist in planting new congregations in the north of Forfarshire and in Kincardineshire. This last work had been in some measure completed when he felt himself enjoying a period of comparative quiet, and here turned eagerly to his old and favorite studies in philosophy, and commenced to write the "Method of Divine Government, Physical and Moral." The work was published in 1850, and immediately came into notice in Scotland and America, being greatly indebted to a review of the book by Hugh Miller in the Witness newspaper, and a favorable opinion expressed by Sir William Hamilton. the end of 1851 he was appointed Professor of Logic and Metaphysics in Queen's College, Belfast; he held that office for upwards of sixteen years, and created a taste for philosophy among his pupils, several of whom are Professors of Mental Science in Ulster. While occupying this most important office he exerted himself to support and extend the national system of education in Ireland, and to increase the liberality of the Presbyterian Church in maintaining its ministers. While he was Professor in Belfast he wrote "Typical Forms and Special Ends in Creation" (this conjointly with Dr. Dickie); "The Intuitions of the Mind, Inductively Investigated" (his most elaborate philosophic work); "The Supernatural in Relation to the Natural;" "The Examination of Mill's Philosophy;" also some articles in the North British Review, the Dublin University Magazine, the British and Foreign Evangelical Review, on the Scottish Philosophy. In 1868 he was elected President of New Jersey College, Princeton, and removed thither with his family in the autumn of that year. With the concur

At

rence of the Trustees and Faculty he has been seeking to improve the courses of education and raise the standard of examination and learning. Friends of the College have subscribed upwards of 500,000 dollars for new buildings and for establishing new chairs and fellowships. Since his arrival in America he has published his inaugural lecture on "Academic Teaching," and "The Laws of Discursive Thought, being a Text-book of Formal Logic," and "Christianity and Positivism, being Lectures on Natural Theology and the Evidences of Christianity." It is also It is also

announced that the Doctor has in a forward state of preparation a work "On Natural Theology and Apologetics." Among the subjects which will be dealt with in this work are the Relation of Physical Science to Religion, Conservation of Force, Star Dust, Protoplasm, Origin of Species, Natural Selection, and Evidence of Plan in the Development of the Physical Worldsubjects of such vital significance in modern scientific thought that its appearance can hardly fail to excite a very high degree of interest, both here and in England.

Fragments of Science for Unscientific Readers. By JOHN TYNDALL, LL.D., New York, D. Appleton & Co. 1871.

"My motive," says Professor Tyndall, "in writing these papers, was mainly that which prompted my Royal Institution lectures; a desire, namely, to extend sympathy for science beyond the limit of the scientific public;" and there is no doubt that the gathering of them together into the present volume (which is dedicated to the author's friends in the United States) will greatly extend the influence which they exerted in their detached and uncollected form.

The volume itself is made up of the essays, lectures, and reviews, which epitomize the author's work during the last few years, and includes "The Scientific Use of the Imagination," "Dust and Disease," "Matter and Force," "Radiation,' "Miracles and Prayer," "Science and the Spirits," and the various other articles which, as they appeared from time to time, have aroused so much interest, and stimulated so much discussion wherever Science has her votaries. Whoever would understand accurately a little of what science has accomplished, what are its tendencies, and at what rate it is progressing, can scarcely acquire the knowledge better or more agreeably than by giving days and nights to the study of these Fragments; and whoever would comprehend the precise attitude of its leading exponents toward the great questions of morals and theology, will find them the very best guide he could procure.

We say the best, because Professor Tyndall, more frequently than any of his colaborers in the work of popularizing science, deals with the ethical aspects of science;-to him, among the few great men who march with him at the head of the noble army of physical investigators, seems to have been assigned the task of lessening the friction which must inevitably ensue when scientific thought clashes with the beliefs and opinions which man has held dearer than life. And the selection is fortunate, both for Religion and for Science; for while he never conceals his convictions, and sometimes goes out of his way to insure their being clearly understood, he is always tolerant and conciliatory, and is seldom betrayed into that studied and aggressive contempt with which Professor

Huxley, for instance, sometimes retaliates upon his assailants. His intellect is not merely the "clear, cold logic-engine," and his emotional nature has far larger scope than Professor Huxley is willing to concede to the "truly educated man;" but for that very reason, probably, he is the most popular of all the expositors of scientific truths.

As to the "Fragments" themselves, judged by their avowed object of "extending sympathy for science beyond the limits of the scientific public, it would be impossible to speak too highly. No one can read them without admiring the consummate art with which they are written, their exquisite and limpid lucidity of style, and the simplicity with which problems and processes are explained to us which we yet know to be among the most complex and difficult in nature.

Before closing we would say that the publishers (Messrs. Appleton & Co.) deserve cordial thanks and encouragement from the American reading public for the series of scientific works-compris ing some of the finest fruits of modern thought -which they have issued during the past year or two in such handsome style.

the appearance of the " 'Complete British Housewife," and there is scarcely a publisher who has not on his list one "which is generally declared by the press and the public to be superior to any other in the market," and which renders the complexities of the kitchen as plain and easy as the multiplication table; yet, as the Table-Talker points out, there is scarcely any improvement to be seen in the art of cooking in general, and none at all outside the domain of "pastries." Even as regards pastries, there are many housewives no doubt who are prepared to maintain that while they have increased in number they have retrograded in quality; and we believe it is Mrs. Stowe who would rank the preparation of a certain New England pudding-noblest of its class-among those "lost arts over which the wail of Mr. Phillips has been heard throughout the land.

Why this is so is a question which we hesitate in attempting to answer,-it being one of woman's special "wrongs," that she is criticized concerning her method of doing work about which (so she thinks) she alone can know anything from practical experience. But if we may venture, we should say that it is far more generally the fault of the housewives than of the cookery books, for even the feeblest and most foolish of the latter doubtless contain many things which every housewife would do well to study. The most ignorant of cooks will never confess that she has anything to learn about such commonplaces as roast beef, bread, and potatoes; and it is only when visitors are to be tickled with novel desserts, or when John is to be conciliated through his appetite, that the neglected book is brought forth and its pastry receipts curiously conned.

If Mrs. Terhune really succeeds in introducing common sense into the average household, she will certainly place Americans under far greater obligations than she has ever done by even the best of her novels. She has chosen an opportune time for making the experiment, for we are glad to believe that a more wholesome and intelligent interest is now beginning to be felt in culinary matters than has been exhibited for many years before; and though we are not able to say that the book is the best of its class, or even to point out what are its special excellences, we have no doubt that it merits the cordiality with which it has been received. has a general aspect of trustworthiness; the ex-cathedra remarks concerning Diet, Servants, Children, and kindred topics, are eminently sensible and frank; the author assures us that all the receipts have been actually tested, and we ourself have the testimony of a certain housewife whose opinion we are bound to respect, that "it is clear, practical, and really helpful in its details as well as in its suggestions."

It

Every Saturday. An Illustrated Weekly Journal. Boston: James R. Osgood & Co.

Rather more than a year ago Every Saturday abandoned the field in which it seems to have attained but indifferent success, and joined the ranks of the "illustrated journals." Since that time it has fairly earned for itself a leading place (if not the leading place) among the papers of this class in America. Its illustrations have not only been unprecedentedly numerous, but greatly superior in character to those we had been accustomed to; and the credit belongs to it of having first introduced really artistic wood-engraved portraits to American readers of popular journals. Its literature, too, has been on the whole extremely good; and it is scarcely more than justice to say that Every Saturday has elevated the entire standard of our illustrated journalism. It is true that since it joined the " original" weeklies it has fallen more or less into their habit of appropriating pictures and literature without leave or credit; but that is one of the chief differences between them and the confessedly "eclectic" periodicals, and is scarcely a legitimate subject for comparative criticism.

Our purpose, however, in speaking of Every Saturday here is not so much to commend it at this late day, as to call attention to an invention which promises to prove not only a great con

venience to casual readers of magazines, but to add one more to the mechanical marvels of the art of printing. The invention is described as follows in an announcement by the publishers "to the Press:"

"Every Saturday for this week (June 3d) comes to its readers with a new claim to favor. Every copy is trimmed, neatly pasted so as not to disfigure the paper, and held together as securely as if stitched. Sheets of a larger size are used, so that they may be trimmed and yet leave the page quite as large as before.

"The machine which produces this result is the invention of Messrs. Chambers & Co., of Philadelphia, and was made by them under arrangement with Messrs. James R. Osgood & Co., especially for Every Saturday. It is the only machine of this kind in the world, and is really a wonder in its working, accomplishing the various processes of folding, pasting and trimming at one operation. The two sheets of which Every Saturday is composed are fed in at opposite ends, are taken up by the machine and carried toward each other, while, by a series of automatic movements, they are folded, trimmed and pasted, in transitu; and arriving simultaneously at the centre of the machine, the smaller sheet is placed accurately inside the larger one, and both receive their final fold and are deposited carefully in the box placed for them, a perfect paper. This operation is repeated, when the machine is at its highest speed, thirty times a minute, producing 1800 copies an hour, without mistake or variation."

The American Annual Cyclopedia, for 1870. New York: D. Appleton & Co.

Ten times has the annual volume of the American Cyclopædia made its appearance, and almost as often the ECLECTIC has given it hearty commendation. It is far more comprehensive, accurate, and reliable than any other Annual published in America, and exceptional value is attached to it from the fact that it is prepared in the strictly impartial spirit of pure science. These characteristics have belonged to all the volumes alike, but the present one for 1870 is of unusual interest and significance. Last year was one of the most eventful ones in modern history, and full details are given "of the census, so far as completed; the debates in Congress upon important questions; the details of the internal affairs of the United States; the revenue and expenditures of the Government; the measures taken to reduce the public debt; the modifications of its currency; its fluctuations; the changes in the system of taxation to promote the relief of the people, with its effects upon their industrial interests and prosperity; the banking system, with its expansions and contractions; the fruits of agriculture, and the spread of internal trade and commerce; the proceedings in the Southern States to establish securely their social affairs; the various political conventions of the year, both national and State; the results of elections; the acts of State Legislatures; the surprising extension of the facilities of transportation, especially of railroads, etc. The great

events in Europe are also fully presented. The civil, military, commercial, and social condition of each nation, with its population by races, is stated; the irresistible march of the German armies in the

heart of France is described day by day, and illustrated with complete maps. The proceedings of the Vatican Council and its suspension, the occupation of Rome, and the organization of the Italian Government in the city, are set forth in detail. In a word, the present condition and relations of the various nations of Europe, and their transactions during the past year, are fully related."

Besides all this there are carefully prepared records of the Progress of Science, Art, Literature, and Religion; full biographical sketches of the notables who died during the year; and the volume is embellished with portraits of Gen. Robert E. Lee, Gen. Von Moltke, and King Victor Emanuel.

Papers for Home Reading. By JOHN HALL, D.D. New York: Doda & Mead. 1871.

It seems to have become an established precedent now, that when a preacher or a writer has made a reputation and begins to excite popular interest, advantage shall be taken of it for floating again such specimens of his early work as can be dug out of his faded manuscripts, or rescued from the files of his scrap-book. This is not always kind to the public, and it is usually far from kind to the author; and we are not sure that the present volume is one of the exceptions. It is made up of articles which Dr. Hall contributed years ago to a periodical devoted exclusively to the discussion of moral and religious questions," which he started (and which is still published) in Belfast, Ireland, and these articles are not only local in flavor and somewhat crude in treatment, but they seem to us to lack the sturdy, vigorous, and incisive thought which marks the Doctor's more recent

sermons.

For home reading, however, for reading around the fireside when all the family is present, they will, no doubt, prove stimulating, bracing, and instructive; and they can be comprehended by all. They have this advantage too, over a sermon-they are considerably shorter, and are less dogmatic, declaratory, and aggressive.

The contents of the volume are very various, comprising stories, essays, and biblical exposition; and they are published again by the author "under the conviction that for substance they are true and vital to the best interests of men on both sides of the Atlantic."

Personal. The author of that pathetic and tender poem, Recompense, which appeared in the ECLECTIC for June, and which was one of the best poems in our last volume, is Mr. Henry L. Abbey, of Rondout, on the Hudson. It gives us the more pleasure to place this honor where it is due, because we had occasion a long while ago to speak somewhat severely of a book of verses which Mr. Abbey was tempted rather too hastily to confide to the public at that time. It is but just to say that Recompense is not the only good poem which Mr. Abbey has written since we invited him to abandon versification.

BOOKS RECEIVED.

[The Publisher will send any book reviewed in the ECLECTIC, or any other new publication, postage paid, on receipt of the price.]

Congregationalism. What it is; Whence it is ; and How it Works. By HENRY M. DEXTER. Third Edition, Boston: Noyes, Holmes & Co. 12mo, cloth, pp. 394. Price $2.00.

Bench and Bar. The Wit, Humor, Asperities, and Amenities of the Law. By L. J. BIGELOW. New Edition, greatly enlarged. New York: Harper & Bros. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, pp. 532. Price $2.00.

Drawing Book, for Schools and Beginners. Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4. Designed and drawn by M. H. HOLMES. New York: Harper & Bros.

The American Cardinal. A Novel. New York: Dodd & Mead. 12mo, cloth, PP. 315. Price $1.75.

Bos

American Religion. By JOHN WEISS. ton: Roberts Bros. 16mo, cloth, pp. 326. Price $1.50. Nigel Bartram's Ideal. By FLORENCE WILFORD. New York: D. Appleton & Co. 8vo, paper, pp. 125. Price 50 cents.

Paralysis and other Affections of the Nerves: their Cure by Vibratory and Special Movements. By GEO. H. TAYLOR, M.D. New York: S. R. Wells. 16mo, cloth, pp. 149. Price $1.00.

Science for the Young. Part II. Light. By JACOB ABBOTT, New York: Harper & Bros. 16mo, cloth, illustrated, pp. 313. Price $1.50.

The Knightly Soldier. By CHAPLAIN H. CLAY TRUMBULL. Sixth Edition, illustrated. Boston: Noyes, Holmes & Co. 16mo, cloth, pp. 331. Price $2.00.

SCIENCE.

Periodical Changes in the Physical Condition of Jupiter.-Mr. A. C. Ranyard notes evidence in favor of Mr. Browning's view that the recent changes in the appearance of Jupiter may be associated with those solar disturbances which have recently been so remarkable. "A similar increase of color and bright egg-shaped markings" in the great equatorial belt "were observed," he remarks, in the years 1858, 1859, and 1860. Mr. Huggins, Mr. Airy, and Sir W. K. Murray all noticed and figured them, their drawings, in many respects, corresponding with those made in the course of last season." ,, In 1860 the sun showed many spots. In 1850, when the sun was also much spotted, Jupiter was similarly disturbed. Mr. Ranyard also quotes earlier instances. notices "a most interesting remark of Cassini's,” which relates, however, to a well-known peculiarity of Jupiter's spots. Cassini "observed that the bright markings upon Jupiter had a proper motion of their own, and that that motion was greater the nearer the spots were situated to

He