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JOURNAL OF EDUCATION

Dover, are now making capital linens, towellings, bagging, cordage, two cities, such factories would be profitable; being at the head of Besides these, we hear of new manufactories for etc. At the recent Upper Canada Exhibition, samples of these ocean navigation, Montreal appears to us an admirable point for linen goods were shown, and frequent were the expressions of sur- commencing one. prise and delight that we could now work up our home grown flax making bent stuff for carriages and waggons, platform and counter Our principal cotton scales, iron safes, looking-glasses, glues, and wire-work of various into such excellent and beautiful articles. mills are situated in Dundas, Thorold, Hastings County, and this kinds. Paper collars are now being made in Montreal and in Galt; city. We may mention here, that there is also a successful cotton the manufacture of Indiarubber combs has recently begun in Tofactory in St. John's, New Brunswick. The proprietors are Park ronto, and at Dundas a screw manufactory lately commenced busiNo little enterprise is at present being manifested by our and Son, who commenced operations in 1861. Cotton cloths, yarn, ness. and batting are made by our mills to a considerable extent, and citizens in taking up new trades which can be rendered profitable. now that the cotton crop of the Southern States is beginning to in- This is a gratifying "sign of the times," and bids us hope that Cacrease again, we may reasonably expect that the goods which Ca- nada may yet become as important as a manufacturing country as it now is as an agricultural one.-Montreal Transcript. nada requires will be fully supplied by our own workmen.

Large sums were wont to be annually spent by Canada abroad for machinery of different kinds. Machinery for mills, and even agricultural machinery, we had to go over to Brother Jonathan's dominions to procure. Thanks to a moderate Legislative encouragement-now, unfortunately, partly taken off-the Province a bounds in machine shops, which can supply nearly all our wants. Besides the extensive works of Messrs. Morland, Watson & Co., Frothingham & Workman, Mr. George Brush, John McDougall & Co., and other well-known establishments in Montreal and vicinity, there are those of McGee & Hamilton, Toronto; Goldie, McCulloch & Co., Galt; the Canadian Engine and Machinery Company, Kingston; Gartshore & Co., Dundas; Ganson, Waterhouse & Co., Brantford; Hall & Co., Oshawa, and many others of equal merit. In 1861 we made agricultural implements alone to the value of $723,220. We hope the day is not distant when we will buy no machinery from the United States which we can profitably make ourselves.

A

2. COMPOSITION OF THE PYRAMIDS. Professor Unger has lately obtained some tiles from the wellThese, like all the Egyptian bricks, have been known pyramids of Dashur, the building of which dates between Seeds of various 3300 and 3400 B.C. made with an addition of desert sand, and chopped straw, in order to give them greater cohesion and durability. plants, animal remains, and artificial products, were accidentally introduced with the materials used in the manufacture; and these bodies, encased in clay and secluded from the air have remained unaltered to the present time, and can be recognised distinctly. careful examination shows the presence, at the remote period of the building of the pyramid, of five different cultivated plants, seven field weeds, and some local plants, together with several fresh-water mollusca, and remains of fishes and insects. Most of the organisms still occur in Egypt, and have remained unchanged. Besides the Among many successful branches of manufactures which call for two cereals (wheat and barley), there were found the teff, the field mention at our hands, are the following: Tobacco and cigars, axes pea, and the flax. (Linum usitatissimum), the last being, in all and other edge tools, glass and wooden-ware, soap and candles, probability, employed as a food-plant as well as for textile purposes. The effect Great interest attaches to the weeds, which belong to the commonpaper, cards, and envelopes, starch, locks and nails, &c. of Legislative encouragement in promoting industrial pursuits, has est kinds, and have migrated with the cultivated plants, not only been well illustrated in the case of tobacco manufacturers. As if over all Europe, but over the greater part of the earth. Of artiby magic, several large factories have sprung up, giving employ- ficial products there were found fragments of burnt bricks and The ex- earthen vessels, a small piece of linen thread, and one of woollen ment to a considerable number of both men and women. istence of this branch of industry in our midst is directly attribu- thread-all of which indicate a tolerably advanced civilization at table to the duties imposed on foreign tobacco and cigars by the the time of the building of the pyramid. Moreover, the condition tariffs of '58 and '59. As early as 1861, there were 31 factories in in which all these objects-especially the chopped straw-occurred, existence, whose produce amounted to $354,586 during the twelve proves that brick-making was really carried on in the manner stated by Herodotus, and described in Exodus v. 11.-London Review. months.

Our Provincial paper market is now about wholly supplied by Canadian manufacturers. The principal mills are those owned by Messrs. A. Buntin & Co., situated at the head of the Beauharnois Canal. This paper-mill, or, more accurately speaking, these two mills, afford remunerative employment to some hundred and forty workmen. They are furnished with the most improved modern machinery, and are capable of producing paper of every description -writing, printing, coloured and wrapping. The demand upon the productive power of these mills is very large-still it is supplied with facility, and most of the journals of both sections of the Province are furnished with paper from the establishment. In addition to the manufacture of all descriptions of paper, this firm is engaged in the production of the same material for the making of shirt collars, a branch of industry which is successfully carried on by a house in this city. The manufacture of all classes of enveThe machinery lopes is also carried on extensively at these works. employed in this branch of the business is capable of turning out In addition to these are about half a million of envelopes a week. the mills of Messrs. Angus & Logan, of this city; of Messrs. Barber, at Georgetown, and Messrs. Taylor Bros., Toronto.

3. ANECDOTES OF THE MICROSCOPE.

The telescope, which resolves nebulæ into stars, and stars into suns, which peoples the firmament with myriad worlds, is not more When it came into man's possession, it wonderful than the little microscope which reveals "the grand The microscope immensity of littleness." was as though a second Columbus had appeared, announcing the existence of a new world; and not one merely. reveals in a single drop of water a globe, peopled, according to Ehrenberg, with five hundred millions of living creatures, different from everything which man has seen before. It shows us in every bit of clay or stone, every leaf, bud and flower, a world crowded with its busy multitudes. The substance of these animalculæ is usually so transparent, that the internal structure is visible,-even The eggs also can the act of digestion can be watched, and the food traced from its Thus the microscope has silently overmouth to its passage into the internal cavities. be seen within the bodies. thrown man's theories for the explanation for vital phenomena, and has furnished materials for their true elucidation.

The microscope teaches man the structure of trees, and the uses Át Gananoque, Galt, and elsewhere, edge tools, waggon springs, and hand presses are produced of first-class quality, whilst this city they best serve in the affairs of life. By it he learns the elements has become noted for its glass-ware, nails, spikes, sprigs, and simi- entering into particular soils, and is enabled to supply those fertililar articles. There is still room for progress in all these depart-zers necessary to the production of the desired crop. ments of industry, but there is much cause for congratulation at the steady advancement which takes place from year to year.

The accuracy

with which the microscope detects counterfeit bills and forged manuscripts, adulterations in food and liquors, renders this instrument a valuable ally of justice.

Among new manufacturing enterprises into which our people are In connection with this celebrated instrument, the following entering, are several well worthy of attention. Among these we give a prominent place to cheese factories. It is a singular fact curious anecdote is related. Some years since in England, barrels that, up to this time, we have imported largely of cheese from the containing gold dust were emptied of their precious contents and United States. This anomalous state of things is fast disappearing, filled with sand. The party robbed not being entirely satisfied with for throughout Western Canada, in the Eastern Townships, and the exchange, submitted the case to the microscopist, Ehrenberg. elsewhere, the production of cheese is being entered upon with The latter, by examining with the microscope specimens of sand great energy and spirit. One of the most successful factories is from the several stations on that part of the road traversed by the situated near Ingersoll, C.W., and its proprietors showed its capa barrels, was enabled by the peculiarities of its appearance to desigcity at the Provincial Exhibition at Toronto, by exhibiting a mon-nate the place at which the barrels had been filled. The officers of We understand it is justice were thus put upon the right track, and the thieves captured. ster cheese, weighing no less than 7,000 lbs. ! In our own country, not many years since, a most curious and to be sent to the Paris Exhibition. In Toronto and Hamilton two The individual towards whom the whole circumstantial large establishments for manufacturing pork into bacon, have been interesting case of murder was decided by this wonderful silent We believe they ship to Bri- witness. for some time doing a large business. tain, and handsome profits are made. At other places besides these evidence was pointed as the guilty man, claimed that the blood

stains found on a knife acknowledged to be his property, were from a lamb which he had killed the day before. The microscope was brought to bear upon the instrument by men known to be ignorant of the circumstances of the case. The blood-stains were not only found to be those of a human being, but the microscope revealed on the blade, what had been imperceptible to the naked eye, a secretion peculiar to the glands of the throat. Stranger still, it pointed to cotton fibres on the blade of the instrument. "The knife," said the microscopists in their report, "has been used in cutting through cotton into the neck of a human body." Now listen, and wonder at the power of this wonderful silent witness: The murdered man had been found with his throat cut through the neck band of his cotton shirt. The evidence was as conclusive as though a voice from the clouds had proclaimed in tones of thunder: "Thou art the man."

A few years ago, a man under trial for murder in Western New York asserted that blood-stains on an axe found in his possession were from a dog which he had killed. The case was referred to Prof. Hadley, of Buffalo, who was purposely kept in ignorance of the circumstances. Submitting the blood stains to the microscopic inspection, he decided that they were from a dog, thus confirming the poor man's testimony.

You remember how you were startled, a few years since, by a voice from the scientific world, claiming that the microscope could detect the image of the murderer on the retina of the victim's eye, thus referring the matter to a witness that cannot be bribed-to a judge that would not hesitate to condemn the duke in the heart of his duchy, or the king in his purple.

even pace with him; for each light dispenses a brighter lustre by mixing its social rays with those of others.

"And thus the youth whom Education leads

Through Wisdom's paths, and Virtue's peaceful meads;
Though in his tender years he thoughtless play,
Nor think his flow'ry Spring will pass away;
Though trifling scenes and trifling toys amuse,
Yet still bis course progressive he pursues:
Fresh streams of knowledge all their stores impart,
Wealth to his mind, and goodness to his heart;
The inspiring force of excellence confest,

Blest in himself he renders others blest,"

A discerning youth perceives that courage, generosity, and gratitude, command the esteem and applause of all his companions; he cherishes, therefore, these qualities in his breast, and endeavors to connect himself in friendship with those who possess them. He sees, on the other hand, that meanness of spirit, ingratitude, and perfidy, are the objects of detestation. He shuns, therefore, those near him who display these odious qualities, and finds that the true sources of gratification are the respect and affection of his teachers. Here he is necessitated to decide and to act for himself: his reputation among his companions depends solely on his own conduct. This gradually strengthens his mind, inspires firmness and a certain manliness of character.

It is of great importance, as Quinctilian observes, that those who are destined to occupy superior stations in society should enjoy the benefits of an enlarged and liberal education; that they should be furnished with every substantial and ornamental accomplishment; The microscope is a peace maker, a settler of disputes. Some employment, should be principally directed to such studies as are and that those who are intended for any particular profession or hundred years since, it was asserted by a learned savant of France, appropriate to their future position; and, in every rank of life, an in contradiction to history and tradition, that the wrappings of the attention to the morals of youth should be a primary object; for it Egyptian mummies were of cotton. From this sprang a curious and voluminous discussion pro and con. is by an amiable disposition, united with cultivated talents, that we In the midst of these philisophical discussions, some man conceived the idea of appealing the world. May we not therefore conclude, that a young man will secure the affection of our relatives, and the respect and esteem of to the microscope, when the question was forever settled. It was most assuredly become wiser, and probably more virtuous, by then discovered that the fibres of the cotton was composed of trans-public than by private education? For virtue flourishes in action parent tubes, while those of the flax were jointed like cane. The fibre of the mummy cloths were shown to be jointed as in the flax of the present day.

IV. Papers on Practical Cducation.

teachers, from Quinctilian to Arnold, that young people attain to a and in trial. Accordingly, it has been the opinion of successful better knowledge, both of themselves and the world, in free and populous schools, than when confined to private tuition in retired life, where we too often see contracted an awkward timidity, or an important self-conceit, for which there is no other apology than the want of experience. To advise a man, unaccustomed to the eyes of 1. ADVANTAGE OF A PUBLIC EDUCATION. the multitude, to mount a tribunal without perturbation; or tell him whose life has passed in the shades of contemplation, that he The good effects and great utility of early instruction are univer- must not be disconcerted in receiving or returning the compliments sally allowed; but we often meet with a difference of opinion, of a splendid assembly; is to reason, and to endeavor to communiwhether public or private education is the most beneficial. This cate by precept, that which only time and habit can bestow. subject has employed the pens of many ingenious writers, ancient These truths were poignantly felt by Cowper, who freely owns, and modern; and although much has been said in recommendation in his Letters, "that the want of resolution and manly confidence of private tuition, as being best adapted to form youth to virtuous was a severe check to his progress in life, and prevented his talents habits, yet it is certain that the various passions and affections of being called into action by a conspicuous and honourable appointhuman nature, as they begin very early to exert and display them- ment."-W. M. Magazine. selves, will, if not authoritatively restrained and directed, have a fatal and unconquerable influence over the whole tenor of future life. The influence of parental affection and authority does not always succeed; and then propensities of self-will take so deep a root as never to be extirpated; and the youth, from indulgence, is too often made lastingly unhappy. Liberty unseasonably obtained is commonly intemperately used. Milton, in his "Treatise of Education," very elegantly says, “Come with me, and I will conduct you to a hill-side, where I will point out to you the right path of a virtuous and noble education; laborious, indeed, at the first ascent, but on every side so smooth, so green, so full of goodly prospect and melodious sounds, that the harp of Orpheus was not more charming.”

2. CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD COMMON SCHOOL TEACHER. Communicated to the Journal of Education.

Never slovenly in his appearance; should keep the school house and the ground around it always clean and neat. A teacher.certainly deserves to be much censured who neglects his duty in this respect. Is it not altogether likely he will be just as negligent in teaching and drilling his pupils? Also, should be free from all disgusting habits, and if possible from any deformities of body. Nothing should ever appear in a teacher's dress or manner which would lead his pupils or others to lightly esteem or secretly despise

him.

This

In public schools, the nature and affections of the soul have the Not austere. Should not make his scholars feel afraid to ask fairest exercise; equality is felt, friendships are formed, and literary him questions; but on the contrary, should rather encourage them improvement is pursued with most success; the powers are called so to do. Kind and courteous to friends, enemies, parents, chilforth into exertion from the influence of example, and idleness is dren, neighbors and all. Though politeness costs comparatively avoided by the fear of disgrace and shame; the careless and obsti-nothing, yet it is almost indispensable to a teacher's success. nate heart is led into willing obedience; and it is here youth are characteristic will secure the esteem both of the ignorant and inspired with hopes of becoming worthy and distinguished members intelligent. of society. Sir Joshua Reynolds, in his Discourses, says, that it is generally found that a youth more easily receives instruction from the companions of his studies, whose minds are nearly on a level with his own, than from those who are much his superiors; and it is from his equals only that he catches the fire of emulation, which will not a little contribute to his advancement. With proper guides to direct him, he travels through the most beautiful and fruitful regions of knowledge, the mind meanwhile gradually acquiring freedom, openness, and extent; and if he sometimes find the way difficult, it is beguiled by having fellow travellers, who keep an

Cautious and sensible; possesses a good knowledge of human nature, especially that of children; knows when to praise and when to censure them; knows how to regulate their passions, affections, ambitions, &c.; and also how to manage the opinions, prejudices, &c., of more elderly persons. Works to obtain the good will of all, for "a good name is rather to be chosen than great riches."

At his school, either before or exactly at the time; never late, if there are auy means of avoiding it. How can a teacher expect his pupils to be punctual when he himself is not on hand to open the school at the proper time.

Always active. While in school, keeping himself and his pupils signification to those unfamiliar with Latin and Greek. Had our constantly employed. Out of school, employing his time in such a language descended to us from the Anglo-Saxon without any matemanner as to prove a blessing to himself and others. In small rial additions from the Latin, Greek, and French, the task of exschools there is every temptation to be indolent, but a conscientious plaining words would have been greatly lightened, for many of them teacher will (if the small number of his scholars cannot keep him would have been compounds, and the children, knowing the meaning constantly engaged) employ himself in gaining information which of the component parts, would have readily grasped the meaning of will be exclusively for the benefit of those under his charge. the whole word. Thus we should have had staff-craft (A. S. stæf

Not only makes good rules but keeps them. Always conquers cræft), letter-craft for grammar; book-craft (bóc-cræft) for literadifficulties-dishonest boys and girls included. Bears with the ture; rime-craft (rím.-cræft), number-craft for arithmetic; flite-craft children's obtuseness, and is patient in teaching. All teachers (flít-cræft), contention-craft for logic; leech-craft (læce-craft) for need perseverance, some, however, more than others, on account the art of medicine; ship-craft (scip-cræft) for the art of navigation; of the more discouragements he has to contend against. The scan-earth-tilth (eorthe-tilth) for agriculture; oath-lian (áth-loga) for tiness of the furnishing of the school house, the smallness of the perjury; book-house (bóc-hús) for library; borough-speech (burhnumber of children who attend, the negligence and indifference of spræc) for urbanity; death wic (death-wic) for sepulchre. the parents to the interests of education, and the discontentment of others all tend to discourage them, but a good teacher will surmount these difficulties, and do ALL that he ought to do.

Marsh reminds us that in abandoning some of the Saxon forms we have experienced a loss both in the beauty and force of our language. One group of very significant words began with the prefix for,-such as forbled, faint from bleeding; fordo, to ruin ; for wined, dwindled away; forfoughten, tired with fighting; forpined, wasted away; forwept, weary with weeping. So the loss sustained was great when we exchanged wanhope for despair, and wantrust for jealousy or suspicion.

Knowledge equal to, and beyond, what his pupils need to know. A thorough understanding of the branches he is required to teach. Better for him not to attempt to teach any subject which he only partially knows than to fill the young mind with confused ideas which he himself is unable to clear away. Also, should be a diligent and studious reader of good and sound works. Scarcely any In our language we still preserve some compounds, such as thunperson can put vast reading to such a useful purpose as a good prac-derstorm, thundercloud, earthquake, handicraft, &c.; and as the tical teacher. Almost every day he can illustrate and explain many separate elements are significant, they are among the most expressive things which he would be quite unable to do were he not an exten- words in our language. And there would have been no difficulty in sive reader. constructing compound terms for scientific technicalities, such as Able to communicate his own knowledge to his pupils, so that bone-craft for osteology, and shell-craft for conchology. The Gerthey shall clearly understand him. Ability to keep up the atten- man nomenclature is formed on this principle, and the words, theretion of the scholars and make them love their studies. Skill to fore, present no difficulty; but as ours are usually taken from the promote ambition in such away as not to produce jealousy or hatred Greek, it is necessary for us (would we know their exact etymologiamongst themselves. Loves ORDER and keeps it. Though he had cal signification) to study to some extent Greek forms. all the other qualifications, yet if he were not "apt to teach" he would be unsuccessful as a teacher.

One who has repented of his sins, given his heart to the Saviour, believed upon him and now loves and serves God. A moral teacher is better than a vicious one, a christian better than either. It is universally allowed that the character and disposition of the man almost entirely depend upon the influence exercised by the parents and teacher upon the child. How potent for good, then, must be the influence of the christian teacher upon the pupils of his school; His holy example will never be forgotten by them, and who knows but that it may be the means of leading many of them, either in their youth or in after years, to give their hearts to the Saviour who wept, and bled, and died for all?

Wallace, Oct. 22, 1866.

J. S. ROSS.

V. Papers on the English Language.

1. INTRICACIES OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. The construction of the English language must appear most formidable to a foreigner. One of them, looking at a picture of a number of vessels, said, "See what a flock of ships!" He was told that a flock of ships was called a fleet, and that a fleet of sheep was called a flock. And it was added, for his guidance in mastering the intricacies of our language, that "a flock of girls is called a bevy, that a bevy of wolves is called a pack, and a pack of thieves is called a gang, and a gang of angels is called a host, and a host of porpoises is called a shoal, and a shoal of buffaloes is called a herd, and a herd of children is called a troop, and a troop of partridges is called a covey, and a covey of beauties is called a galaxy, and a galaxy of ruffians is called a horde, and a horde of rubbish is called a heap, and a heap of oxen is called a drove, and a drove of blackguards is called a mob, and a mob of whales is called a school, and a school of worshippers is called a congregation, and a congregation of engineers is called a corps, and a corps of robbers is called a band, and a band of locusts is called a swarm, and a swarm of people is

called a crowd."-The Canadian Churchman.

Our Latin derivatives come to us either directly from the Latin, or indirectly through the French. The latter, in many cases, have undergone considerable change, arising either from euphonic preferences or phonetic decay. The French preferred the ch to the sharp guttural c (for c was always hard in Latin): and thus we have L. caro, F. chair; L. camera, F. chambre, E. chamber; L. cantus, F. chant, E. chant; L. capella, F. chapelle, E. chapel; L. caritas, F. charité, E. charity; L. carmen, F. charme, E. charm; L. castigare, (O. F. chastier), F. châtier, E. chastise. L. caballus, F. cheval; L. catena, F. chaine, E. chain; L. capitulum, F. chapitre, E. chapter. Again, the addition of the labial b is found after liquid labial m : as L. numerare, F. nombre, E. number; L. camera, F. chambre, E. chamber; L. humilis, F. and E. humble; L. tremulare, F. trembler, E. tremble; L. simulare, F. sembler, E. (re)semble."

The tendency to contract words, which we have already referred to as quite natural, has operated largely in changing or modifying the forms of words. Thus L. precari becomes F. prier (preari), E. pray; L. duplicare, F. doupler (dupliare), E. double; L. maritare, F. marier (mariare), E. marry; L. securus, F. sur (seurus), E. sure ; L. regalis, F. royal (realis), E. royal.

Another change was produced by the inability or the indisposition of the Celtic tribes to pronounce an initial s before a consonant; thus L. stabilare became O. F. establir, and M. F. établir, to establish; L. status, O. F. estat, M. F. état. In these and similar cases the English word was introduced before the French had reached its last stage.

66

the Latin; and these, as before remarked, present difficulty both in Very many words in our language are derived immediately from explaining the origin and the meaning. It appears to me that this difficulty would be much diminished if a more judicious method of deduction and analysis were employed. Both authors of grammars and teachers seem to assume, though quite unwarrantbly, that our derivatives have been built up from the nominative case of the substantive and the adjective, and from the first person of the present tense of the verb. Sometimes the nominative and the genitive cases are given, without any reason assigned, as Sometimes a column is given of representatives, as, grex, gregis, a flock.” "sedeo, I sit, sessum, sat, sed, sid, sess, sieg," but no explanation is attempted in regard to their representatives. Now the crude-form method of teaching etymology is interesting and philosophical, and may, par2. ON THE ORIGIN, AND ANALYSIS OF WORDS. ticularly with older pupils, cultivate valuable habits of comparison. The following exposition of the crude form of teaching etymology ployed, the naked word divested of all that is accidental. By a crude form is meant the base of all the forms actually emThe nomis extracted from a paper upon this subject read at a recent meeting inative case is a word, and something more. In its full and olden of the British Teachers' Association, by Mr. J C. Curtis, B. A. form it always has a letter s at the end, which is no part of the true Those who are familiar with practical education need not be told word, but is employed to show the relation that exists between that that there is no subject in which the untrained and partially educat-word and the other part of the sentence. So the o of the first pered teacher more signally fails than in etymology. His attempt to son of the present indicative represents the pronoun I, and the ere analyze words and to explain their meanings is generally unsatisfac- or re the modification of meaning employed by the term "infinite." tory, and too often is a signal failure; and this is due, in part, to It is very important that teachers should be careful in distinguishthe fact that our language contains a large number of words derived ing between related words" and "derived words," that is befrom classical sources. These words do not at once suggest their tween words that come from the same source, and those which are

derived from another language. Thus dental is derived from dent-, tooth; tooth is merely related to dent, both, no doubt, being modifications of some common word of the mother tongue of the Aryan race. It is worthy of notice that two words may be related to one another in which there may not be a single letter alike; as, e. g., prize, a thing taken, and hand. Our word prize is a modification of the French prize, which is formed from priz, the past participle of prendre, to take. Prendre is derived from the Latin prehendere; but the root of pre-hend-ere is hend, pre being a prefix, and ere the infinitive ending. Thus we obtain the forms hand and hend, which are obviously nearly the same. It ought to be added that there was an obsolete Latin verb, hend o, and that the Greek xavo-avo is a sister word.-Eng. Educational Record.

VI. Papers on Meteorology, &c.

1. METEORIC SHOWER IN ENGLAND.

The meteoric shower, it seems, has not universally failed. In England there has been a grand display. The New York Herald, of Thursday, publishes the following special news by Atlantic Cable on the subject:

GREENWICH OBSERVATORY, ENGLAND,

14-6 A. M.

The expected meteoric showers were observed last night. At nine o'clock a few meteors fell; at eleven o'clock they had increased in number and size, and between one and two o'clock this morning the maximum was reached. The night was clear and the stars were out in great numbers. The whole heavens were brilliantly illuminated.

A telegram from New York says that the steamer Pioneer re turned to New London, Conn., on Wednesday night, from a six months' cruise in the Arctic Ocean after whales. She penetrated as far as the icebergs and communicated with Dr. Hall and party, who were looking for traces of Sir John Franklin's expedition, on July 26, at which time they were all well. The voyage was more successful than that of any other vessel in the same waters, and it has demonstrated the practicability of our whalers using steam power. The Officers of the Pioneer report that on the night of November 13 and the morning of the 14th, a splendid display of meteors was visible from the ship. The Pioneer at that time was between 30 and 40 miles southwest of Montauk Point.

The English Intellectual Observer gives some interesting information concerning meteoric showers, one of which occur during the present month :

"Mr. Alexander Herschel recently gave a lecture at the Royal Institution, On the Shooting Stars of the years 1865-66, and on the Probability of the Cosmical Theory of their Origin.' He commenced by adverting to the probability established by Professor Newton, of Yale College, that in the current year, 1866, a prodi gious flight of meteors, the most imposing of its kind, and visible over a large area of the earth's surface, will make its appearancemorning of the 13th or 14th of November.' perhaps for the last time in the present century-either on the

three and four A.M.

and sunrise, and may be expected in greatest abundance between "The meteors should be especially looked for between midnight "They proceed, with few exceptions, from a common centre in some part of the Constellation of Leo.' "Mr. Herschel observes that between the 13th of October and the 12th of November, during the years from A.D. 903 to 1833, The showers of meteors were of great beauty and brillancy, and not less than thirteen great star showers have been recorded. They radiated from constellation Leo, near the star Gamma Leonis. are separated from each other by the third part of a century, or by Their direction was mostly from the east to the west. The paths of some multiple of this period; and are periodical reappearances of the meteors were from three to four degrees in the north. Near one grand meteoric shower, viz., that seen by Humboldt in 1799, Ursa Major twenty or thirty were observed at one time, and cross- and by Olmsted in 1833, the star shower expected to return in the ing the zenith fifty or sixty more of unusual size and duration, the present year, and known by the name of the great November majority being larger than stars of the first magnitude. Several shower. Its contact with the earth takes place one day in the year exoded from the vicinity of Jupiter; one, of immense dimensions, at each of its principal returns.' was coloured red, blue, green, orange and amber. Nearly all had According to the exact calculations of Professor Newton, 'the trails of fire. Of two flaming from Leo at the same time, one cross-next passage of the earth through the centre of the meteoric group ed Beta Geminorum and the other Mars. Two more, one red, and will take place two hours after sunrise at Greenwich on the morning the other of an oriental sapphire colour, crossed Alpha Orionis. of the 14th of November, 1866.' A watch on the morning of the Some of the meteors burst forth in splendour; one, breaking 13th is recommended, as the moment of greatest brightness may behind the rising clouds, flashed like sheet lightning, and another fall one day before the predicted time.' On the 13th of November, of emerald hue burst near Eta Leonis at fifteen minutes after two 1865, first-class meteors were seen at Greenwich at the rate of 250 o'clock, a.m., its trail of flame being visible for a minute and-a-half, per hour, and the maximum display of the November meteors and then faded away in brilliant nebulæ. expected in 1866 is several hundred times greater than that observed at Greenwich on the 13th of November, 1865. Two hundred and above the horizon of Boston on the morning of the 13th of Novemforty thousand meteors are computed by Arago to have been visible ber, 1833.'

At three, a.m., they commenced to diminish gradually, until, at the present moment, they are all, meteors and stars, fading away in the morning light.

We counted five thousand in one hour, nearly twelve thousand in all, with the naked eye.

2. THE METEORIC SHOWER.

Prof. Loomis, of Yale College, writes an interesting letter to a New York paper concerning the late expected shower of meteors. After explaining all that is known of the nature of meteors and ærolites, he says:

6

"The average height of shooting stars at the middle of their apparent paths is not quite sixty miles above the earth.

"Mr. Herschel points out a singular difference in the behaviour of shooting stars and ærolites, or meteoric stones. The meteoric stones most frequently fall after mid-day, between noon and nine p.m., while the shooting stars are most abundant after mid-night; and only one stone has been known to fall on the 10th of August or the 13th of November, when shooting stars are most numerous."

3. CLIMATIC CHANGES IN RUSSIA.

"On Monday night, November 12, a company of observers here (Yale observatory) counted 696 shooting stars in 5 hours and 20 minutes, which is about four times the average number visible for the same period throughout the year. On Tuesday night, Novem.. ber 13, another company counted 881 shooting stars in five hours, which is five times the usual number. On Wednesday night the sky was overcast, so that no observations could be made. We conclude, then, that the number of shooting stars visible about November 13 was very remarkable. Nevertheless, this display is not to be compared with that of November 13, 1833, in which the number of meteors was variously estimated at from 10,000 to 30,000 per hour. The grand display, therefore, which it was supposed might occur this year has not been in the United States, or probably not in Europe, or it would have been announced to us by telegraph. It may have been witnessed in Asia or the Pacific Ocean, but if such had been the case it seems probable that the number visible in the United States would have been greater than it was. Pro-peasant serfs, who live on black bread and salt, seasoned with sour fessor Loomis states that the above telegram from the N. Y. Herald, purporting to have come from Greenwich, is evidently spurious, but the recent English papers contain a detailed description of a magnificent display, of which we shall give copious extracts in our next number.

All changes are sudden and complete in Russia. Summer goes in a day, and winter comes. One may cross a river in a boat at night, and walk back on the ice in the morning. Doors and windows stand wide open in summer for a breath of cool air, but in the winter the cool air is barred out with double windows, triple doors, and heated stoves.-So in regard to clothing; thin linen summer habiliments are thrown aside in a day, and the reign of furs begins. Wheels are upon carriages of all sorts one day; snow comes during the night and the wheels vanish; in the morning nothing is seen but sledges. The transitions from class to class are of the same character. One class is of gentlemen and barons; the next step is to mousicks, cabbage and garlic; and who are covered with a dirty sheepskin instead of being clothed in ermine, sables and fine linen. Cronstadt is reached from Petersburg by steamers, in one week; in the next the traveller rides over the same water with three horses before him.

4. ABSTRACT of MONTHLY METEOROLOGICAL RESULTS, compiled from the Returns of the daily observations at eight Grammar School Stations for SEPTEMBER, 1866.
OBSERVERS.-Barrie-Rev. W. F. Checkley, B.A.; Belleville-A. Burdon, Esq; Hamilton-A. Macallum, Esq., M.A.; Pembroke-Alfred McClatchie, Esq., B.A.; Peterborough-Ivan O'Beirne, Esq.;
Simcoe-Rev. J. G. Mulholland, M.A.; Stratford-C. J. Macgregor, Esq., M.A.; Windsor-A. McSween, Esq., M.A.

Peterborough. 89
Simcoe
Stratford