ke a A like judgment nay be pronounced on both to the man of science and the hist the etchings : they are not quite equal to rical inquirer, as facilitating their r Landseer's, though certainly clever; but searches either with respect to the natur the distorted attitudes, and the hats and phenomena of past ages, or the transa coats in wbich the animals are disguised, tions of bygone generations of the huma will be rather puzzling than pleasing to family. We need only say in its prais children. They are, however, brilliantly that it has received the approbation coloured ; and in all respects the publisher Mr. De Morgan, Mr. Davies, and othe has done his best to make the little book learned professors. When seen it wi attractive. recommend itself. If the calculation b limited to months, as for bills of exchange “A Commercial Perpetual Almanac, &c. we can equally recommend Mr. MAX and Table for Verifying Dates, by Samuel NARD's Desk Almanac, which has an ac Maynard, editor of the works of Keith and cessory table of the Old Style, for Russia Bonnycastle,'' cannot fail to be acceptable letters, &c. ROYAL SOCIETY hed the beautiful effects of refracting light Eon, from the objects around it which are ob. served in the different forms of the mirage." olv. es." Lays of Christmas. By the Rev. Thoesti mas Boyles Murray, M.A. Rector of St. with Dunstan in the East, and Prebendary of St. Paul's. 19mo.-Mr. Murray, whose tion efforts to recommend divine truths in the the attractive form of simple verse have been previously crowned with success in An Alphabet of Emblems, and The Two City Ву Apprentices, (illustrated by Hogarth’s In. of dustry and Idleness,) which we have already the introduced to the notice of our readers, - the has prepared for the present season a corasts, respondent little book under the above in title. It is, like the former, very prettily ents, embellished, and its contents are prepared e to with the like care for the holy object in has view. It is evident that the author's de. ork sire is rather to inculcate pious sentiments gth, than to manifest his own poetical skill. Of hole the latter, however, he need not be ashamed . uch We have been particularly pleased with in his lay on " Christmas Plants," of which the we quote a part. 3. s of How I love thee, burnish'd HOLLY, ook Trim with berries red and bright; in. Chasing thoughts of melancholy, Sparkling like a sudden light. i is Happy childhood, thee surveying, kes, Looks for days of mirth to come ; nto Age, amidst its own decaying, For a new unfading home. bok Come, too, in this festal hour, Paly-headed MISTLETOE; is Welcome as the fairest flower In the Summer's richest glow. 'al Wintry winds have never nipp'd thee, Since at Yule-tide, with a frown, e) From the oak the Druid clipp'd thee h With his brazen sickle down. Who can tell the solemn madness h Of that superstitious time, f Ere the light of truth and gladness Settled on our favour'd clime ? Christmas Rose, thy leaf is waving Cheerly with the northerp blast ; Well it bears the tempest's raving, ca LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE. Col. Edward Sabine, Foreign Secretary Nov. 30. At the anniversary meeting, Other members of the Council :- :-*Tho the Marquess of Northampton, President, mas Bell, esq. *Robert Brown, esq. *Si took the chair, and delivered his annual James Clark, Bart., Samuel Cooper, esq address, giving an outline of the progress Sir Henry De la Beche, Edward Forbes of science during the last twelve months, esq. *John P. Gassiot, esq. *Thomas Gra and obituary notices of the most eminent ham, esq. *John Thomas Graves, esq Fellows deceased. The medals were then *Sir John F. W. Herschel, Bart., Wil awarded as follows :—The Copley Medal liam Hopkins, esq. *Sir Robert H. Inglis to Sir John Herschel, Bart., for bis work Bart., *Charles Lyell, esq. *The Duk entitled, “ Results of Astronomical Ob of Northumberland, George Richardson servations made at the Cape of Good Porter, esq. and Lieut.-Col. Sykes. Hope, &c."' One of the Royal Medals to Dr. Roget, the Secretary, announced hi W. R. Grove, esq. for his papers pub intention of retiring, at the next anniver lished in the Philosopbical Transactions, sary, from the office he has so long hel " On the Gas Voltaic Battery, or certain in the Society, having succeeded to Si Phenomena of Voltaic Ignition ;" and John Herschel in the year 1827. Н. “On the Decomposition of Water into its alleged as his reasons the continually in Constituent Elements by Heat;" and the creasing labour which had devolved upor second Royal Medal to Professor Fownes, him in consequence of the numerous for his papers published in the Philoso- changes that had taken place in the mode phical Transactions, “On the Artificial of conducting the business of the Society Formation of a Vegeto-Alkali,” and “On and of the Council. He wished to retire Benzoline.” The Fellows then proceeded while his strength was yet unimpaired, to the election of officers and council for and that he might dedicate his time to the ensuing year. The following poble. the pursuits of science, with which the men and gentlemen were declared to be labours and cares of office have seriously elected :--The Marquess of Northampton, interfered. President ; George Rennie, esq. Trea [The Fellows whose names in the presurer ; Peter Mark Roget, M.D., Samuel ceding list are marked with asterisks, Hunter Christie, esq. Secretaries; Lieut. were not members of the last Council.] ne ds, ct. ve е 3 Firm and fragrant to the last. Fables for Children, Young and Old, in ARCHITECTURE. Nov. 3. The first meeting this term trace the remains of the earliest and most was held, the Rev. W. B. Heathcote in curious portions of the building, referring the chair. at the same time for collateral evidence as Mr. E. H. Lechmere, of Christ church, to date, &c. to the few monuments which read the first part of a paper, illustrated still survive the general wreck of the arby plans and drawings, “ On the Archi chives once belonging to the cathedral. tectural Antiquities of the cathedral of The cathedral, which is dedicated to the Basle." Mr. Lechmere commenced by Virgin, and, as is usual, built in the form of briefly enumerating the leading events in a Latin cross, consists of a nave, (decidedly the early history of the cathedral, which the earliest portion of the edifice,) two was founded by the Emperor Henry II., aisles on each side, two transepts, or cross aisles, and two towers at the west ger of fire which they are found to involve, gested that an arched wire covering might Trinity college, was anxious to learn The report next directed the attention whether it would not be possible to make of members to the proposed restoration chimnies ornamental. The President and the colouring in the sacrarium of mentioned the introduction of an orna. Swincomb church, Oxfordshire. mental chimney into Merton college, and The question of the best mode of warm of a pinnacle at Abingdon pierced to ading churches was brought before the So. mit of the escape of smoke. ciety by the President. The Rev. W. The Rev. W. Sewell exhibited an Sewell stated some of the objections which interesting ancient chest, consistiug of can be urged against warming by stoves; stamped leather, adorned with sacred he alluded to the irregularity of the tem mobograms, and some lines in German, perature which they diffuse, and to the dan massively bound and ribbed in steel. ANTIQUARIAN RESEARCHES. be no doubt that the middle-age writers Professor Corrie made a communication attempted to describe with accuracy what upon the prodigies recorded in history, they supposed they saw in the sky, and He pointed out the mode by which a small did not invent the accounts given in their portion of truth of a kind which would works. It was probable that most of appear incredible in ignorant ages was these prodigies were to be explained by used as the foundation of a legend, in natural causes, such as Professor Corrie other respects totally devoid of truth; had pointed out. Professor Willis made and instanced the case of a goat, belonging some remarks on a Clock, found in an to St. Patrick, which was taught to carry old house near Royston, but now in the water, as a true foundation of a legend of Museum of the Society, for which it had later times,--that this goat having been been purchased by the private subscription killed, was heard bleating in the stomach of a few of the members. He considered of the killer, and all his descendants bad it to have been made the time of Henry goat's beards, &c. He then proceeded to VIII., but not in England. The works read an account of an aurora, seen at York having an escapement and pendulum, by Professor Phillips, and compared it could not be of that date, since a penduwith a prodigy recorded in the Annus lum is believed to have been first applied Mirabilis, of figures of animals and ar to clocks in the year 1678. The case is mies seen in the sky,from which it appeareal in the form of a tower, with corner pinthat the latter was undoubtedly an aurora. nacles. The parapet of the sides is orna 1 "all THE RECENT EXCAVATIONS AT POMPEII. west ger of fire which they are found to involve, acter and was anxious for information on the Eedral use of braziers. The President observed Itine, that the best mode of warming churches which was an important practical question of e fif. some difficulty. He mentioned the disad. Ented, vantages attending the use of charcoal in edral braziers, especially the dust which they per. ishes mit to escape. The Rev. T. Chamberlain ches, spoke favourably of the result, in St. Tho. and mas parish church, of the introduction of -1 pe moveable stoves, nearly on the Ecclesiwithological Society's plan : they are intended rpas. for coke. The Rev. J. L. Patterson sug. gested that an arched wire covering might Ettee, repress a good deal of the dust, that in work some churches openings might be made arch, in the floor in a style appropriate to the encaustic tiles, and underground pipes ffect might be introduced, but that an objec. aced tion to this mode of conveying heat is that it can only be introduced with advantage n of into new churches, and entails much erThe pense. Mr. Patterson mentioned the sucele cess which had attended the introduction the of braziers into two churches with which the he was acquainted. Mr. F. Meyrick, of Tripity college, was anxious to learn cion whether it would not be possible to make tion chimnies ornamental. The President of mentioned the introduction of an orna. mental chimney into Merton college, and rm of a pinnacle at Abingdon pierced to ad. So mit of the escape of smoke. W. The Rev. W. Sewell exhibited an ich interesting ancient chest, consisting of S; stamped leather, adorned with sacred monograms, and some lines in German, massively bound and ribbed in steel. f an erve mented with what is termed flamboyant failure of his attempt to persuade the tracery, formed of “pierced work." On King of Denmark to betray the Dutch each side of the face is a pile of buttresses, he excused his conduct by saying, supporting an ogee arch inclosing the means were lawful to humble an insolent clock-face, the space between which and and ungrateful enemy." Among the methe arch is filled up by a mass of most dals struck by the Dutch at this period, beautiful “ stumped" tracery. As stumped and referred to by Mr. Haggard, was tracery was not used in England or France, one to record a tax upon hearths to enthe Professor supposed the clock was made able the Dutch to carry on the war against in Germany, probably at Nuremburg. England, inscribed “By the fire which He dates it at about the year 1500. He comes from the hearths of Holland they remarked that this case, being ornamented damped the warlike ardour of Great Briwith true Gothic mouldings, arches, and tain." pinnacles, disproved Mr. Pugin's statement,--that architectural forms were not to be applied to small domestic objects. In the magnificent street leading from the ancient sea-shore, in the neighbourNUMISMATIC SOCIETY. hood of the theatres, to the so-called Nov. 25. W. D. Haggard, esq. Presi. crossway of the Fortuna, and thence in a dent, in the chair. Mr. Cuff exhibited a direct line to the northern city wall, there gold British coin found in Hampshire, has been excavated a house that surpasses reading on the obverse comF in a label, in richness and elegance all that has been and on the reverse vir above a horse ; it discovered previously. The space of the resembles one found on the Sussex coast court-yard is open, has a mosaic pavea few years since. Mr. Cuff also exbi. ment, and at the walls fantastic pictures bited a remarkable gold coin which bore a of the richest and most tasteful style. At strong affinity in the design on the obverse the sides of the atrium (court-yard) are (a rude head and cross, with letters) to small sleeping rooms, with the following the early Saxon silver coins termed sce wall paintings :— Polyphemus who reattæ; the reverse being an obvious copy ceives a letter from Galathea by an amoof Victory crowning two seated figures, a rino riding upon a dolphin ; Venus occudesign of frequent occurrence on the By- pied with fishing ; a Narcissus ; a few zantine coins. It was stated to have been swimming gods of Love ; a Victoria upon found near London, a cart; and several landscapes. In the A paper by the President was then read, background of the atrium opens a tabliin explanation of some fine silver medals num, the reception hall, with chequered struck by the Dutch in commemoration marble pavement. At the walls of this of the repulse of the fleet of Charles the room there must have been wood paint. Second, in the attack of the port of Ber- ings, the spaces which they once filled are gen, in Norway. The obverse has a spi- still plainly seen, as also the charcoal rerited representation of the engagement. mains of those paintings. They were, The reverse of one is inscribed :-"On perhaps, from the hands of those celethe robbery of Charles the Second, com. brated masters who, according to Pliny, mitted the tenth of August, 1665. It is preferred painting upon wood. At the thus that the pride of the Englishman is side of the reception-ball is a dining-room, stopped who extends his robberies even to where are seen three large paintings of his friends, and who, in insulting the forts full-sized figures. They represent Herof Norway, violated the rights of the ports cules and Omphale holding his club, and of King Frederick ; but, as a reward for wrapped in the skin of the Nemæan lion. his audacity, he sees his ships sunk by the Next, Bacchus as a boy, and arm-in-arm thundering bullets of the Dutch.” Other with Silenus, on a cart drawn by two medals state that the fleet was com oxen, and followed by Bacchantines. manded by the Earl of Sandwich, and Thirdly, a Bacchanal procession of triconsisted of fifteen men-of-war, four umph with a Victoria, who engraves into smaller vessels, and two fire-ships, and a shield the exploits of the victorious god. that the Dutch force comprised ten East Here were also the Triclinian or reposing India ships, and some other merchant sofas, the feet of which are richly adorned vessels, assisted by the fortifications of with silver. Behind the reception hall Bergen. Mr. Haggard gave a review of there appears the garden, with a magnifi. the events recorded by these medals, which cent fountain at the end, adorned with reflect strongly upon the treacherous and much mosaic and a little marble statue of base conduct of Charles towards the Silenus. In the middle is the water reDutch, the only people on the Continent servoir, adorned round about with elegant who had expressed any friendship or civi. and rich marble sculptures, such as lity towards bim. On the occasion of the small Faunus drawing out a thorn from n N RESEARCHES. Professor Willis remarked that there could be no doubt that the middle-age writers attempted to describe with accuracy what they supposed they saw in the sky, and į did not invent the accounts given in their works, It was probable that most of these prodigies were to be explained by natural causes, such as Professor Corrie had pointed out. Professor Willis made some remarks on a Clock, found in ad old house near Royston, but now in the Museum of the Society, for wbich it had been purchased by the private subscription of a few of the members. He considered it to have been made in the time of Henry VIII., but not in England. The works having an escapement and pendulum, could not be of that date, since a pendulum is believed to have been first applied to clocks in the year 1678. The case is in the form of a tower, with corner pinnacles. The parapet of the sides is orba a the foot of a goat, a beardy, satyr, a stag, adult size, but the other bones are very TOMBS AT JERUSALEM. The new Pasha is said to have a taste for price, and obtains pieces of ancient sculpOn Friday, Nov. 19th, the men employed ture from all parts of his government for in excavating for the branch line from the the purpose of enriching the museum now railway station at Gloucester to the docks forming at Constantinople. One beautiful found a very large leaden coffin, about two piece of sculpture in his possession has feet below the surface of the ground, in a been seen by Mr. Finn, representing a field the property of Mr. G. Goodyer, sleeping female, near a cavern, about to immediately opposite “Regnium style" be attacked by a serpent, at which a man field, and about 200 yards from Burton is in the act of hurling a stone. Another street turnpike. The dimensions of the man stands in surprise at the beauty of coffin are 6 feet 6 inches in length, 2 feet the woman. A goat, a sheep, and a 6 inches wide, and 1 foot 3 inches deep. sphinx form part of the group. It is formed of lead, and of a great thickness, from a quarter of an inch in the thinner to half an inch in the thicker parts, A letter from Copenhagen, the 26th Its construction is rude and clumsy, and Sept., informs us of the destruction, the of the shape of an elongated parallelogram, same morning, by fire, of the rich and having no increase of width at the should valuable library of the Royal Society of ers, and without any appearance of having Icelandic Literature in that capital. The borne any inscription. From having been loss is distressing, inasmuch as this library long under ground, the lid, although so contained more than 2,000 unpublished massive, can easily be broken with the MSS., and a numerous collection of single fingers. The contents of the coffin were copies of ancient Icelandic works. The a skull, a few decayed bones, and a quan destruction of this library recals to mind tity of dirt, partly, no doubt, the remains that of the Arna-Magnæan Institution, of mortality, and partly some of the soil composed of more than 40,000 Icelandic which had found its way into the re manuscripts, which was burnt during the ceptacle through the opening made by the famous bombardment of Copenhagen by workmen's pickaxes. The skull is of the the English in 1807. LEADEN COFFIN AT GLOUCESTER. orna TOMBS AT JERUSALEM. zs, and a stag, adult size, but the other bones are very apon a small, and scarcely indicate that they be. zeping long to a full-grown man, although the nother coffin is of a size sufficient to contain al3 legs. most the remains of a giant. Two or open three months ago another leaden coffin Here was found by the railway workmen in ex. with cavating some 500 yards from the spot where these remaios were discovered, and y neat it was described in our October number, aces of p. 411. e after other st ele. At the meeting of the Royal Asiatic ch sur Society, held on the 6th Nov. a paper, by bottles Mr. Finn, British Copsal at Jerusalem, The was read, on some recent investigation second made in the so-called Tombs of the Kings wide at that place, by the new Pasha, who has ose to been digging there in search of water. carcely The labourers have shown that there is no house, passage from the northern termination of ndica. the portico into any subterraneous cham. Deuriæ bers like those at the southern end, as had }}s and been supposed by Irby and Mangles, Dr. with Robinson, and others'; but some curious es, and regularly-formed excavations were found og girl sunk in the rocky pavement; one of them, house which was circular, was eight feet in e della diameter and five feet deep. Some human bones were found in other excavations. The new Pasha is said to have a taste for antiquities. He buys old coins at any price, and obtains pieces of ancient sculployed ture from all parts of his government for in the the purpose of enriching the musenm now locks forming at Constantinople . One beautiful t two piece of sculpture in his possession has in a been seen by Mr. Finn, representing a lyer, sleeping female, near a cavern, about to yle" be attacked by a serpent, at which a man is in the act of hurling a stone. Another the man stands in surprise at the beauty of feet the woman. ep. sphinx form part of the group. ckthe its, A letter from Copenhagen, the 26th nd Sept., informs us of the destruction, the same morning, by fire, of the rich and d- valuable library of the Royal Society of 2g Icelandic Literature in that capital. The loss is distressing, inasmuch as this library contained more than 2,000 unpublished MSS., and a numerous collection of single copies of ancient Icelandic works. The destruction of this library recals to mind that of the Arna-Magnæean Institution, I composed of more than 40,000 Icelandic R. ton A goat, a sheep, and a m, 30 1e "e HISTORICAL CHRONICLE. PROCEEDINGS IN PARLIAMENT. . manuscripts, which was burnt during the famous bombardment of Copenhagen by the English in 1807. HOUSE OF LORDS. kill game, or licensed by the Lord LieuDec. 2. The Marquess of Lansdowne tenant to carry arms for their own defence. moved for the appointment of a Select Com- The arms taken away, in case they were mittee, “ to inquire into the causes of the found, would be forfeited at once to the recent COMMERCIAL DIStress, and how Crown. All persons in a proclaimed disfar it had been affected by the laws for trict, not included within the enumerated regulating the issue of Bank-notes payable exceptions, would be required to deliver on demand."- On the suggestion of Lord them up, by a day named in the notice, Stanley, the words “ commercial distress' at the nearest police station or any other were altered to those used in her Majesty's place therein mentioned. He further proSpeech, and the committee was then agreed posed that the justices and constables of to. any district in wbich a murder was comHOUSE OF COMMONS. mitted should be empowered to call on all males between the ages of 16 and 60 to Nov. 26. The Chancellor of the Ex assist in the pursuit of the murderers; and chequer obtained leave to bring in a Bill that any one refusing to assist should be to extend the time for the purchase of land deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and be and the completion of works by RAILWAY liable to be imprisoned with or without Companies. He likewise moved for a com hard labour for any term not exceeding mittee on Railway Bills of this session. two years.-Mr. Wakley moved as an He rested his motion on the ground that amendment, “ That it is not just to enact the increased demand for capital on the any Bill of a coercive character for Ireland part of railways had been one and a ma without enacting other Bills for its relief." terial cause of the recent commercial pres. The house divided, --For the amendment, sure, and that it would be wise to let loose 18; against it, 224; majority 206. The into the channels of commerce that capital house again divided on the original mo. which would otherwise be absorbed in those tion, when the numbers were-Ayes, 233 ; undertakings. Noes, 20. Nov. 29. After having moved that so Nov. 30. The Chancellor of the Exchemuch of her Majesty's Speech as referred quer moved the appointment of a Select to the state of IRELAND should be read, Sir Committee to inquire into the causes of George Grey described the present state the late COMMERCIAL DISTRESS, and of crime in that country, and stated that how far it had been affected by the law for her Majesty's Ministers had determined to regulating the issue of Bank-notes payintroduce a Bill, applicable to all such dis- able on demand. He attributed the prestricts as the Lord Lieutenant upon his dis sure recently, and still felt, to these circretion should proclaim disturbed. The cumstances—that there began in the sumLord Lieutenant would also be empowered mer of 1846 a drain of our available capi. to increase the constabulary force of any tal, partly owing to the importation of district to any extent which he might foreign corn and partly owing to the conthink fit, out of the reserve force at Dublin, struction of railroads, and that that drain which would be increased from 400 to 600 acted upon a state of credit for which The increased force would be paid, the capital employed was inadequate.in the firstinstance, outof the Consolidated Mr. J. Wilson admitted the necessity of Fund, but, ultimately, out of the district appointing the committee, but moved to which it was sent to protect. He next erase nearly all the words of the motion. described the regulations intended for the and to insert in lieu of them words which purpose of restraining the use of firearms. would limit the inquiry to this point,“ how Any persons carrying arms after proclama. far the recent commercial distress has been tion made would be guilty of misdemeanor. affected by the laws for regulating the issue and would be liable to imprisonment for of Bank-notes payable on demand.”—The a term not exceeding three years. The debate was continued for three nights, exceptions would include all justices of the when it was closed with a speech from Sir peace, persons in the army, navy, revenue, R. Peel, who cordially approved of the coast.guard, police, or constabulary, spe. course pursued by the Government, and cial constables, and all parties licensed to considered they were quite right in not men. 2 |