Spiers, of Merchant Taylors' School,-two French works by Mr. W. E. Russell, of Haileybury, viz., 'An Easy French Reading Book' and Easy French Passages for Unseen Translation,'-an edition of the Duc de Fezensac's "Souvenirs Militaires"The Russian Campaign in 1812,' by Mr. Granville Sharp, of Marlborough, and an edition of Molière's L'Avare,' by Mr. A. H. Gosset, of New College, Oxford. Messrs. Ward & Downey's announcements include 'Folk and Fairy Tales,' by Mrs. Burton Harrison, author of 'Old-fashioned Fairy Tales,' with twenty-four original illustrations by Walter Crane, Christmas Angel,' by B. L. Farjeon, with illustrations by Gordon Brown,- -a story for boys, entitled 'The New River a Tale of the Days of Hugh Myddelton,' by the author of The Hovellers of Deal,' 'Robertson of Brighton,' by the Rev. Frederick Arnold, 'Eight Months of Peril and Privation,' by John Augustus O'Shea, The Letters of George Sand,' with a memoir by Ledos de Beaufort, 'Gladstone's House of Commons,' by T. P. O'Connor, M.P., 'Japanese Life, Lore, and Legend: a Visit to the Empire of the Rising Sun,' from the French of Maurice Dubard by William Conn, -a new edition of An Apology for the Life of Mr. Gladstone,' bringing the work down to the fall of the Gladstone administration,—a new edition, in one volume, of Stepniak's ́ Russia under the Tzars,'—and a new edition of Philosophy in the Kitchen,' by an Old Bohemian. Among the new novels to be issued by the same firm are 'At the Red Glove,' by Mrs. Macquoid, Where Tempests Blow, by the author of Miss Elvester's Girls, Mind, Body, and Estate,' by Mrs. F. E. M. Notley,'Dulcie Carlyon,' by James Grant,- Lord Vanecourt's Daughter,' by Mabel Collins, each in 3 vols.; and Coward and Coquette,' by the author of The Parish of Hilby,'-That Villain Romeo!' by J. Fitzgerald Molloy, and Eve at the Wheel: a Story of Three Hundred Virgins,' by George Manville Fenn, each in one volume. New editions will appear of the following novels: Viva,' by Mrs. Forrester,-"The Prettiest Woman in Warsaw,' by Mabel Collins, -'A Maiden all Forlorn,' by the author of 'Phyllis, Lil Lorimer,' by Theo Gift,-and an enlarged edition of Mr. G. Manville Fenn's 'Dark House.' Mr. T. Fisher Unwin will publish a twovolume novel by Miss Jane Spettigue, author of 'The Gregors: a Cornish Story,' When I was a Child; or, Left Behind,' by Madame Linda Villari,-and a new edition of Mr. Mackenzie Bell's 'Life of Charles Whitehead,' and was much in George Eliot's company, mentions many traits and observations which are thoroughly characteristic of the future novelist. MR. CHAMBERLAIN has revised his principal speeches since 1880 for publication in a popular form. They will be issued at once, under the editorship of Mr. H. W. Lucy, by Messrs. Routledge & Sons. STEPS are now being taken with a view to the preparation of an adequate memoir of the late Bishop Colenso. His family have materials of a very interesting character. He kept up for several years a continuous correspondence with his friends in England. Ar the meeting of the London Libr Committee on Monday, Lord Tennyson appointed to the presidency of the soci rendered vacant by the death of I Houghton, and Sir John Lubbock was pointed trustee, an office also previo held by Lord Houghton. A CORRESPONDENT writes:"At Mr. Quaritch's trade sale on the Capt. Burton made an interesting speech garding The Thousand and One Nigita which the gist was to show that his translat performs a double office. It is not only a fa ful and racy version of the true original, also represents a better text than any which been hitherto accessible in print or manuscr He, in fact, produced for his own use, and collation of the existing materials, a care critical recension of the original; and his dering may, therefore, claim to stand towa the Alf Lailah in the same relation as the I version of Plato by Marsilius Ficinus to the Greek text." MESSRS. CHAPMAN & HALL have in press a novel entitled 'Arnold Robur two new authors. The book is inter to be a protest against the teaching so-called Naturalistic school. MESSRS. J. & R. MAXWELL are abou issue a three-volume novel entitled vock,' by Mr. Charles Gibbon. GREAT curiosity is felt regarding Dr. Schliemann's forthcoming work on Tiryns, just announced by Mr. Murray. It is well known that the work was printed in its four Germany, and America, six months ago. simultaneous editions, for England, France, But no sooner were the last proofs corrected than most important discoveries were made at Tiryns by the excavations again begun at Dr. Schliemann's expense, under the able direction of his architect, Dr. Dörpfeld. The results of these discoveries were telegraphed to the author during his visit to England in the early part of the summer, when some account of them was also given in the Athe-History, 1880-1885,' by Mr. Wm. Pin A NEW book entitled English Po It was hoped that these new disof the Bolton Guardian, is announce coveries might have been dealt with in an Mr. Elliot Stock. appendix or fresh chapter, but the recent revelations have necessitated the preparing of quite a different ground-plan from that already printed. The workmen have now struck a deeper level, and laid bare the walls of buildings of an earlier date than any hitherto suspected. How the difficulty is got over will presently appear. næum. MESSRS. MACMILLAN & Co. have in the press a small volume of essays by Mr. Frederic Harrison, on the choice of books and other kindred subjects. THE MSS. recently discovered at Belvoir Castle, to which we alluded last week, turn out to be even of greater importance than was anticipated. The collection is especially MR. THOMAS SINCLAIR, author of 'Q 'Goddess Fortune,' The Messenger, & adding to his forthcoming book Huar a new paper, composed chiefly of extr from letters on artistic and human subjects (addressed to a correspondent England) from Italy, France, Austria, Germany. MR. E. F. IM THURN, who read twop at the recent meeting of the British ciation in Aberdeen, intends to pub narrative of his explorations in E Guiana. UNDER the title of Russia's Po attacking India,' a new popular pa on the Russian advance and the v Marvin, and will be issued by M of the same writer's 'Verses of Varied Life' and rich in MSS. of the times of the English India has been prepared by Mr. C Old Year Leaves.' Messrs. Cassell & Co. will this year publish the "Little Folks' Annual" under the title of 'Winter Blossoms'; it will be illustrated by Harry Furniss, Alice Havers, W. Hatherell, and other well-known artists. Literary Gossip. THE first volume of the new edition of George Eliot's Life,' which is now ready for publication, will contain some further contributions to what Mr. Cross has already told regarding the period during which Miss Evans's religious beliefs were undergoing a change. An appendix of recollections by Mrs. John Cash, of Coventry, gives many interesting particulars of conversations with Miss Evans while questions of religious doubt were uppermost in her mind; and Mrs. Cash, we understand, comes to the conclusion that discrepancies between religious professions and practical conduct. were at that time one of the chief causes of Miss Evans's repulsion from Christianity. Mrs. Cash, who during the Foleshill days sovereigns from Henry II. to Queen Elizabeth, and includes communications from nearly all the eminent statesmen of those days. There are some valuable letters from George, sixth Earl of Shrewsbury, who for some time had the custody of Mary, Queen of Scots. Lord Shrewsbury was nearly connected with the Manners family, having married Gertrude, daughter of the Earl of Rutland. The Vernon correspondence, which forms part of the collection, is also very interesting. Haddon Hall, as is well known, came into the possession of the Earls of Rutland by the marriage of John, second son of Thomas, thirteenth Lord Ros, with Dorothy Vernon, daughter and heiress of Sir George Vernon, "the King of the Peak." under his pseudonym of Max O'Rell, has M. BLOUET, well known to the public arranged for the issue of an illustrated edition of John Bull and his Island,' the engravings being supplied by Mr. Harris, art master at St. Paul's School. M. Blouet, who is leaving England on a two years' lecturing tour in the United States, has now relinquished his mastership at St. Paul's. W. H. Allen & Co. next week. MR. J. C. NIMMO will issue in a weeks an edition of Mr. Frank R. Stock Rudder Grange' with many illustra by Mr. A. B. Frost. MR. WILLIAM BROWN, of Edinburgh tinuing his reprints of scarce books rei to the islands of Orkney and Shetland publish immediately An Exact and A tic Account of the Greatest White H Fishery in Scotland,' by Dr. John Cam reprinted from the edition of 1750 impression will be limited to 1000 each of which will be numbered. Mr. will also publish at the end of the to be entitled The Crofter in month a new work on the crofter qu which will contain information, of from residents amongst the crofters cerning their position and prospects. MESSRS. PHILLIPSON & GOLDER, of C have in the press an edition of the of Horace,' rendered into English ve Mr. Charles William Duncan. L PROF. W. BOYD DAWKINS has sent us a of the memorandum 'On the Antiies of the Isle of Man and the Best ms of Preserving Them,' drawn up by him he request of the lieutenant-governor of Island. The professor says that "the his of the ancient monuments in the island nexion with the Rochdale Road Branch THE Bradford Citizen, hitherto published of the island is of singular and fasci-weekly, will in future appear as an evening To meet in some measure the wants which " have prompted the proposal for a teaching university in connexion with the leading will be delivered at King's College by Profs. colleges in London, special courses of lectures Warr, Perini, H. G. Seeley, Buchheim, and Laughton. The inaugural lecture will be given by Prof. Warr at 5 P.M. on the 26th that any bird can, through the extirpation of natural checks on its increase—hawks, owls, &c.-become so numerous as to be positively and distinctly injurious. They are under a sort of general impression, without having much real experience of facts, that even if the pert familiar little bird does eat some grain, yet the damage must be countervailed by the amount of injurious insects, weeds, &c., that it farmers and many keen observers, who consumes. On the other side are the assert, and adduce plenty of proof, that the annual tax upon the products of the soil, house-sparrow's ravages amount to a serious compared with which the supposed benefits conferred are infinitesimal. Under such circumstances the evidence of Mr. J. H. it is evident that his unfavourable decision is given with regret. Yet, like the peer at the trial of the Lords Kilmarnock and Balmerino, "Guilty, upon my honour, and I of six hundred and ninety-four dissections, am very sorry," is his verdict. A summary made in various places and during every month of the year, shows that throughout its life 75 per cent. of the food of the sparrow is corn of some kind; 10 per cent. seeds of weeds; 4 per cent. green peas (in young birds much more); 10 per cent. beetles, caterpillars, and flying insects (in young, to the age of sixteen days, about 40 or 50 per cent., but afterwards unripe corn and vegetables)-a very strong case against the sparrow. 8. GORDON FORD, of New York, is inst., the subject being 'Prehistoric Greece. Gurney, jun., becomes of unusual value, for ring a biography of her grandfather Webster, the lexicographer. ERICAN papers record the death, in on, Michigan, of Mr. Robert Rome, it is alleged, was once a schoolmaster omas Carlyle. He died at the age of 7-six. WYNDHAM ROBINSON, of Virginia, f the descendants of Pocahontas, has n the history of that famous princess. . J. E. COOKE, of Virginia, is writnovel, one of the prominent figures in will be General Lewis Littlepage, a r of fortune in the last century, who ne friend and chamberlain of Stanislaus stus of Poland, but returned to Virand was buried at Fredericksburg in E. C. STEDMAN has completed the to his 'Poets of America, and the ill soon appear. E. EVERETT HALE is gathering ial for a monograph on Franklin in For this purpose he will visit and no doubt examine there the kable collection of books and pictures g to Franklin in the possession of Mr. Huntington. Queen of Italy, the Duke and of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, and the magistrate of the city of Frankfort ongst those who have recently joined oethe-Gesellschaft. The society now ers about 950 members. Prof. Erich dt, the director of the Goethe-Archiv, ermanently settled in Weimar. The ublication of the society, the Briefe au Rat an die Herzogin Anna Amalia,' e issued at the end of the present year members, but will not come into the 3 of the book trade. Most of the letters the grand-ducal family archives, but ars in the series will be completed from oethe-Archiv. E Hammersmith and West Kensington aittee have successfully started their tional work in the West-End of London roviding a class of between sixty and ty students of both sexes for a course ures on physiology, to be delivered g the next ten weeks by Mr. Walter one of the lecturing staff of the Society e Extension of University Teaching. opening of reading-rooms for boys in xion with the free libraries in Manr has resulted in a success. On Monday additional room was opened in con THE Monthly List of Parliamentary Papers for September contains one House of Lords Paper, viz., the Report from the Select of Commons Reports and Papers; and Committee on Forestry; twenty-nine House thirty Papers by Command. Under the second head will be found the nineteenth number of the Statement of the Progress and Condition of East India for 1882-83; and the Report of the Thames Conservancy for 1884. The Papers by Command comprise the thirty-second number of the Statistical Abstract of the United Kingdom, 1870 to 1884; the General Report on Railways for 1884; the Fourteenth Annual Report of the Local Government Board, 1884-85; No. 1 of the Reports on Insects injurious to Hop Plants, Corn Crops, and Wheat Crops in Great Britain; the Report of the Commissioners on the Housing of the Working Classes in Ireland; the Report on the Investigations made by a Committee of the Trinity House into the Relative Merits of Electricity, Gas, and Oil as Lighthouse Illuminants, part i.; and the Reports of the Historical Manuscripts Commission on the Manuscripts of the Earl of Eglinton, Sir J. Stirling-Maxwell, Mr. Moray, Mr. Underwood, and Mr. Digby. BESIDES the large Turkish printing establishment in Constantinople of Osman Bey, there is now a rival in that con ducted by Tevfik Bey Abuzzia, which is doing more Arabic work. Under the stimulus of competition Tevfik Bey has introduced a novelty. This is the use of the ancient Kufic character as a kind of black letter for head-lines and otherwise, to break the uniformity of Turkish typography. The hitherto unknown Kufic has become popular, with the amusing result that inscriptions in it may now be seen in Armenian and Greek shops of Stamboul. SCIENCE The House Sparrow, by an Ornithologist, J. H. Gurney, jun.; by a Friend of the Farmers, Col. C. Russell; and The English Sparrow in America, by Dr. Elliott Coues. (Wesley & Son.) THERE can be little doubt that the question as to whether the sparrow does a sufficient amount of good to compensate for its larcenies is a burning one; and, as in other similar cases, it has not been easy to arrive at the truth. On the one side are arrayed the sentimentalists, who will hardly admit Passing from the would-be friend to the avowed enemy, the sentimentalist might, perhaps, be inclined to skip Col. Russell's portion of this book, under the supposition that his arguments would be based upon a foregone conclusion. Yet this is precisely the part which the sentimentalist ought to read, for in it is set forth, not merely the damage caused to the crops by this parasitical finch, which no more lives upon insects than boys do upon nuts and blackberries, but also the harm which it does in driving away really beneficial insectivorous birds. Col. Russell shows and there is abundance of corroborative testimony-that in many places the housemartins (Chelidon urbica), "the templehaunting martlet," of which Shakspeare has observed that "Where they most breed and haunt the air is delicate," have been almost dispossessed by the sparrows. A Londoner can see an instance of this in Sussex Square, Hyde Park, where the martins' nests have been occupied by the sparrows to the exclusion of the rightful owners, which have in consequence deserted the spot. There is an old story-too good to be true, we fear of the united action taken by a band of martins in plasabode; but we can, of our own experitering up the robbers in their ill-gotten ence, corroborate Col. Russell's statement respecting the appreciation shown by the martins for the destruction of their enemies, and their rapid increase in consequence. Since Col. Russell began to wage war against the sparrows the martins have increased until where they were formerly unable to hold their own there are now no fewer than 237 nests under the eaves of a single house! We have seen the martins flying around in great tribulation while one sparrow sat inside keeping watch over the appropriated nest, and the other brought materials for its lining; but no sooner were the two thieves and their dwelling blown to pieces by a charge of shot than the martins joyously resumed their labours, and in a very short time had constructed a new abode in the same place. Of the cruelty and tyranny of the sparrow to smaller birds, such as the willow-wren, there is ample evidence. In America the ill-advised introduction of the sparrow has proved to be a perfect curse, and a war of extermination has been almost universally decreed. It is quite certain that there the sparrow does not devour the caterpillars and the potato-beetles as it was expected to do; and not only does it inflict considerable damage upon the crops, but it also drives away the more interesting softbilled native species. In fact, the voluminous literature of the " sparrow controversy shows scarcely a word in favour of this little pest; but upon the naturalizers of this and other noxious species in the United States and in New Zealand we cannot waste much pity: Vous l'avez voulu, Georges Dandin." In the British Islands it is not necessary-nor, indeed, would it be easyto eradicate the species, but for some time to come, if this testimony is to be received, as we think it should be, "Delendus est Passer domesticus" should be the watchword of the agriculturist. ASTRONOMICAL NOTES. Two appendixes to the 'Washington Observations for 1881' have been published before the appearance of the volume itself. Both are by Prof. Asaph Hall, the first on the orbits of the two outer satellites of Uranus, and the second on the orbit of the satellite of Neptune. Soon after the 26-inch refractor of the Washington Observatory was mounted in November, 1873, a series of most careful observations of the satellites of Uranus was made with it, chiefly by Prof. Newcomb, who discussed the results in the appendix to the 'Washington Observations for 1873.' The mass of the planet was thus determined with considerable accuracy, and the interesting facts were proved that the orbits of the satellites are sensibly circular, and that all four move in nearly the same plane, known to be almost perpendicular to that of the planet's orbit. The earth being nearly in the plane of the orbits of the satellites in the year 1882, an occasion which was favourable for a good determination of the position of this plane, Prof. Hall commenced a series of observations of the two outer satellites, Titania and Oberon, in 1881, and continued it until the month of May, 1884. These he has discussed and published in the first paper before us, including in the discussion the earlier observations in order to render it complete. The results obtained show that the elements calculated by Prof. Newcomb require but small corrections. The planes of the orbits of the two outer satellites are "practically coincident." The value of the mass of Uranus deduced from these observations is, compared with that of the sun, 22882±27 Prof. Hall confined his attention in this investigation to the outer satellites because the other two, Ariel and Umbriel, are very faint objects, and can only be well observed on fine nights, which do not often occur at the time of the year when Uranus now comes into opposition. Careful examination for possible new satellites was made on several very favourable nights along the orbit plane of the known satellites, but no additional ones were found. In the second appendix before us Prof. Hall has fully dis 1 satellite of Neptune made by himself and by 1 19092±64 General Bäyer, President of the Central Bureau of the European Trigonometrical Survey and of the Royal Prussian Geodetical Institute, died at Berlin on the night of the 10th ult. He was born at Müggelsheim, near Köpenick (a few miles to the south-east of Berlin), on the 5th of November, 1794, and was, therefore, at the time of his death far advanced in his ninety-first year. He fought as a rifle volunteer in the campaigns of 1813 and 1814, but the greatest part of his life was devoted to geodesy. His first labour in tion of Eastern Prussia, undertaken at the prothis department of science was in the triangulaposal of the Russian Government in 1829 in order to connect the Russian and Prussian measurements, and carried out under the chief direction of the illustrious Bessel. Of the far greater work of which he was for so many years the head and chief, it may here suffice to quote the words of his obituary in No. 2687 of the Astronomische Nachrichten: "Die Begründung der Europäischen Gradmessung ist sein eigenstes Werk!" The Prix Broca, founded by Madame Broca, to be given once every two years for the most important work on anatomy, comparative anatomy, or physiology from an anthropological point of view, was awarded for the first time last November. Seven authors, all French, competed, and the prize was gained by M. Testut, Professor of Anatomy at Lille, for his treatise on muscular anomalies in man explained by comparative anatomy, and their importance in anthropology. The prize is of the value of 60%. The Sixth International Congress of Prehistoric Anthropology and Archæology is to take place at Athens next year, under the patronage of the King of the Hellenes. A principal object of the session will be to study on the spot the passage from prehistoric to historic times in the Homeric ages. It is proposed during the congress to make excavations in the great tumulus of Marathon. The transformist "conference at Paris last that morale is that of the future; it see urge the young generations into new and ways, to adapt them not to an imperfect state, against which the English philoso gent, and more just state of society. T the first to protest, but to a higher, more the only way by which we can one day atta the realization of the brief and beautiful for which we owe to H. Spencer himself—a com life in a complete society." The lecturer present year is M. Hovelacque. In a paper on Ceylon and its inhabitan ancient, medieval, and modern times, before the Society of Anthropology of Pari Ollivier Beauregard sought to establish f Veddahs, in common with the Cinghal Malay origin, upon considerations of lan and customs, rejecting the evidence derived physical anthropology to the contrary. paper occasioned a lively discussion, and views of the author were not accepted Mr. R. G. Haliburton, son of the auth 'Sam Slick,' has lately come upon the tras a prehistoric race in Jamaica. Judging the specimens of the skulls which he has obt they were a people of great natural intell Mr. Haliburton has reason to believe that habits were peaceful and industrious. MEETINGS FOR THE ENSUING WEEK Science Gossip. SIR PHILIP OWEN, at a dinner given Inventions Exhibition by the Standar gineering Works Company, stated t Colonial and Indian Exhibition had arranged to open on the 1st of May as desired by H.R. H. the Prince of The allotments of space have already made, and every inch of space so al has been appropriated and will be ful cupied. The subject has been brought the notice of the legislatures of the res colonies, and unlimited supplies have been with the object of rendering the Exhib every sense representative. MR. P. H. GOSSE is approaching the the monograph on the Rotifera on w has been engaged for several years. It published in conjunction with the resen has not been persuaded to relinquish a younger savant, Dr. Hudson, but M of his share of the labour. Though the microscopist is more than half way thr seventy-sixth year, he still works hard text and plates. At the Ben Nevis Observatory on We September 30th, a most remarkable s wind was recorded. At 4 A.M. the w blowing a full gale-force 9 on the scale; and it continued to increase in s to force 10 at 5 o'clock, its maximum observations became almost impossible, reached about 6 o'clock, when, for a sho at that hour being 11, which represents PROF. ALEX. B. W. KENEDY, MI.C. menced on October 13th a course of ten on 'Mechanics' at University College, For the convenience of those who are e during the day, the hour for these le fixed at 6.15 P.M. MR. G. MASSEE will deliver at th Place Institute, Finsbury, year was an eloquent lecture by M. Ch. Letour-city of over 100 miles an hour. neau on the evolution of morals. The concluding remarks are as follows: "In that which relates to education, I am sorry to differ entirely from_the_principal founder of transformism in morals, H. Spencer. How can I admit with him that the end of education should be to bring men as much as possible into perfect harmony with the society in which they have to live, and that with the sole object to provide for them a comfortable existence? Nothing would be better calculated to make the present state of things perpetual and to retard evolution; entertained by a transformist, the idea is singular. On the contrary, it is of utilitarian morale, in the best sense of the word, that one must say, 'It comes not cussed the observations of the only known to bring peace, but war.' Before everything, a course of ter on biology, the first on Tuesday next a THE colliery proprietors of Northu and Durham have been, within the weeks, engaged in organizing classes encouragement of scientific study of coa in the mining districts. It is very grai note how heartily both masters and men tributing to the success of these classes. Spen Colliery science classes in soun on at, and mathematics were commenced LESSES. L. REEVE & Co. announce for im- ollections of Natural History and Sport,' by Rev. G. C. Green. B. LIEBENON, in Biedermann's Central Blatt -Agrikultur Chemie, Vol. XIV. Part III., ibes his experiments on atmospheric elecY and proposes a new theory of thunrms. The experiments have been made ans of small balloons of a very small power ending. The author explains the almost bly positive condition of the atmosphere continued friction of the water dissolved air against the moist surface of the earth, urface of the sea, and especially the drops W. writes from Naples, October 4th :der the title Un nuovo Vulcano in Sicilia,' Naples and Sicilian journals publish the ing statements. A brigadier stationed in vince of Palermo observed every evening a the summit of Mount Busambra. The brave ier, with his head full of thoughts of brigands, ted that it was one of their retreats, and. sier as he was, he decided on going and anz them in their den. One evening, therefore, fuza body of well-armed men, by guidance esme he ascended the heights. After a tof several hours, on arriving at a lofty level, and a formidable subterranean roaring, then puting like the hard breathing of a Titan, the same time a shower of incandescent falling around him put to flight the valiant FINE ARTS VALE OF TEARS.'-DORE'S LAST GREAT PICTURE, comfew days before he died, NOW ON VIEW at the Doré Gallery, Pond Street, with Christ leaving the Prætorium, Christ's Jerusalem, The Dream of Pilate's Wife,' and his other ctures From Ten to Six Daily.-Admission, 18. RECENT AMERICAN ARCHEOLOGY. of pioneers had still nearly everything to learn when they set foot on Athenian soil and boldly established their school. The present volume shows that they made excellent use of their time, and no one who has seen this and other evidences of American energy and skill in this department of study can doubt that in a few years they will be in a position to advance the bounds of knowledge no less strenuously than their fellow workers in Europe. The papers here collected are, first, 'The Inscriptions of Assos and Tralleis,' edited by Dr. J. H. Sterrett. These are real contributions to know ledge, and have the further interest of being the first collection ever made by an American expedition in classic lands. Then come three school theses-on the theatre of Dionysus, by Mr. J. R. Wheeler; on the Olympieion at Athens, by Mr. Louis Bevier; and on the Erectheion, by Mr. H. N. Fowler-contain useful and intelligent summaries of what has been done by previous archæologists on these subjects. Finally, Prof. W. W. Goodwin, the first director of the school, contributes a very interesting discussion, topographical and historical, on the battle of Salamis, which deserves the attention of all scholars. On the whole, these first fruits of a new enterprise are full of promise. We hope it will not be long before we are in a position to speak as hopefully of the first publications of the British School at Athens. We understand that the school-building on Mount Lycabettos fast approaches completion, and the promoters of the scheme are already casting about for a director. The funds for his salary, however, and for the working expenses of the school still fall far short of the desired level, and we take this opportunity of once more earnestly commending the matter to the attention, and the purses, of our readers. The American Journal of Archaeology and of kins; venture all success. The first volume of the Papers of the E activity of our American cousins in the Fine-Art Gossip. THE printers to the House of Commons have issued the Index to the Report from the Select (166). It is one of the most elaborate documents Committee on Westminster Hall Restoration to the most remarkable protest of our time of the kind, and of considerable value in reference against the wholesale and injurious project of restoration in which it is concerned. Although much mischief is inevitable under the circum the anti-restoration party materially weakened their otherwise excellent case, there can be no doubt much good has accrued by means of the inquiry. Would that a similar inquiry had taken effect with regard to the proceedings which have made of the Tower of London a mere corpus vile for architectural experiments, resulting in the production of the largest sham antique in London. LAST week we protested against destruction of historic sites at Chiswick. This week a correspondent refers to Aberdeen : "Perhaps you will allow me a portion of your space in which to enter my protest against an act of vandalism threatened to be perpetrated in the good town of Aberdeen, so recently illumined by the rays of the scientific stars' there assembled. On the Schoolhill' of that town there stands a very charming and characteristic specimen of burghal architecture, belonging in point of time to about the end of the sixteenth century. The house, though the roofs of its turrets have suffered sadly from the ' renovations' of some nineteenth century Goth, is still singularly picturesque, and attracted the notice of Billings, who figured it in his Baronial and Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Scotland.' But the building possesses an historic interest of no mean sort. It George Jameson, the earliest Scottish (indeed, if belonged to, and was for many years inhabited by, mistake not, British) portrait painter. His residence is now, unless vigorous measures are taken to prevent it, about to be pulled down and a railway contractor's stables erected in its stead. If this is done it will be an everlasting disgrace to the 'Granite City,' though it is doubtful whether any municipal action will be taken in the matter, seeing that the Provost of the town is a member of the firm of architects who have supplied the plans for the new structures which are to take the place of this venerable mansion. Scotland has not so many men of distinguished eminence among her sons as to be able to obliterate, without being worthy of censure, an interesting record of one of the most distinguished amongst them all." MM. BOUSSOD, VALADON & Co., 116, New Bond Street, are preparing an extensive exhibition of the works of Mr. Carl Haag, to which the Queen has promised to lend seven pictures. The gallery will be opened to the public from the first week in November until the corresponding week in December. Mr. D. C. Thomson, representative of the above-named firm, will be glad to hear from owners of Mr. Haag's paintings who may be willing to lend them for exhibition. THE first general meeting of the Hellenic Society for the present session will take place at 22, Albemarle Street, on Thursday next, at 5 P.M. Among the papers to be read will probably be one by Mr. A. S. Murray on a terracotta Diadumenos. A CORRESPONDENT writes: "During a recent storm the Lilburn Tower at Dunstanborough, which, as is well known, is one of the grandest of the Northumberland castles, both on account of its architectural features and its strikingly grand position, suffered some damage from lightning. Several stones were dislodged from the top, and, rolling down the almost precipitous bank on which that side of the castle is built, caused the death of a number of sheep which were feeding at the bottom of the hill. It had for some time been the intention of the owners, the trustees of the late Mr. Eyre, to do something towards the preservation of the castle, and this accident has had the effect of causing that intention to be put into execution at once. Under the direction of Mr. C. Hodgson Fowler, architect to the Dean and Chapter of Durham, some restoration' in the true sense of the word has been successfully carried out. The fallen stones of the Lilburn Tower have been replaced, and that part of the building has been strengthened in places where it showed signs of weakness. At the south-east end of the castle a deep chasm in the basaltic rock breaks through the outline of the cliff. During a storm from the north-east the sea rushes in through this chasm, which is locally called the Churn, and bursts forth at the top in a vast volume of foam. On the edge of the Churn, and overhanging the sea, is Queen Margaret's Tower. The lower part of the wall nearest the sea had fallen away, and the tower itself was hanging to destruction. It is now being carefully and substantially rebuilt, and in a short time will once more be in a condition to stand for centuries. We cannot too much praise the careful way in which this needful work has been done, and every lover of our historical and picturesque buildings must be grateful to the trustees for their zeal and care." MISS JANE E. HARRISON generously proposes to devote to the funds for the British School at Athens the fees from the lectures which she will deliver on the relation of Greek vase painting to Homeric mythology. THE Committee of the Académie des BeauxArts appointed to form a list of candidates nominated for election to the chair vacant on the death of Prof. Donaldson has recommended, first, Signor Pietro Rosa, architect and archeologist of Rome, renowned in relation to recent works in the Forum; second, Signor Monteverde, sculptor of Rome; and third, M. Antokolski, sculptor of St. Petersburg, who is now engaged on the monument to be erected at Moscow in honour of the Czar Alexander II. THE directors of the Berlin National Gallery have commissioned Karl von Piloty, the Director of the Munich Academy of Arts, to execute a colossal picture of the death of Alexander the Great. Piloty, who has not as yet been represented in the Berlin National Gallery, has advanced far with the painting. The young hero lies deadly pale in his magnificent tent; Roxana is holding the hand of the dying man; through the open door a crowd of warriors stream in to say a last farewell to their great leader. THE Musée du Luxembourg, closed from the beginning of the current month, will not be reopened until February next. In the interval M. Étienne Arago, Directeur du Musée, will continue the arrangement of the contents of the new buildings. So says the Moniteur des Arts. A MEMORIAL plaque has been placed on the façade of No. 6, Rue de Farstemberg, Paris, with the following inscription: "Le peintre Eugène Delacroix, né a Charenton-Saint-Maurice le 26 Avril, 1798, est mort dans cette maison le 13 Avril, 1863. H. W. writes from Naples : "It may be as well to remove any painful impression which may have been produced amongst archæologists by erroneous information lately published. It has been affirmed,' says the Pungolo, A recital at St. James's Hall on Monday after the 26th inst., when his programme will Bach's Prelude and Fugue in a flat ('Das tempirte Clavier,' Book 2); Beethoven's tions in E flat, Op. 35; ten of Chopin's prel and items by Liszt. THE Kensington Choral and Orchestral So has issued its prospectus for the coming sea Three concerts will be given at Kensing Town Hall, at which Cowen's 'Sleeping Beat Costa's Eli,' and Smart's 'Bride of Dunker are to be performed under the conductorshi Mr. William Buels. THE Concert given last Saturday aftern the Crystal Palace was devoted, with the e tion of one unimportant number, to a sele from the works of an American composer, Silas G. Pratt. It was a rather bold step t giving an entire afternoon's music by who, at least on this side of the Atlantie still to make his name, and the natural ( quence was that the large concert-room Palace was nearly empty. The regular scribers to the Saturday Concerts were pro reserving themselves for the opening and their places were not filled by the g winter season, which takes place this after public, who. as a rule, care very uk novelties. The programme of the after included a 'Centennial Anniversary Over dedicated to the late General Grant; Mr. E second symphony, entitled 'The Prodigal a selection from his opera 'Zenobia; a that some objects of art have been withdrawn from MUSIC Musical Gossip. THE first of the three autumn Richter Concerts is to be given at St. James's Hall next Saturday evening. THE full prospectus of Messrs. Brinsmead & Sons' Symphony Concerts has now been issued, and if the enterprise is not successful it will certainly not be on account of any want of interest in the programmes. At the first concert, on November 7th, the chief works will be Mr. Prout's Birmingham Symphony in F, conducted by the composer; Beethoven's Concerto in E flat, played by Herr Emil Bach; and Mendelssohn's Melusina' Overture. On November 21st the Eroica' Symphony, Rubinstein's Pianoforte Concerto in G, No. 3 (to be played by Miss Zimmermann), and Goldmark's overture 'Sakuntala' will be the principal items. These concerts will be conducted by Mr. George Mount. The third concert, on December 5th, will include Raff's Lenore' Symphony; M. Saint-Saëns's Pianoforte Concerto in c minor, No. 4, Op. 44, to be played by the composer; two movements from Mr. Cowen's Sleeping Beauty'; and a Septuor for solo trumpet, strings, and pianoforte, by M. Saint-Saëns. Mr. Wilhelm Ganz will conduct on this occasion and also at the final concert on December 19th, when Berlioz's symphony 'Roméo et Juliette,' the pianoforte prize concerto, the Prelude to M. Saint-Saëns's 'Le Déluge,' and the overtures Egmont' and 'Tannhäuser' will be performed. A novel feature in the undertaking will be the gratuitous distribution of analytical programmes edited by Mr. Joseph Bennett. 6 THE first Monday Popular Concert, on November 9th, will include Beethoven's Quartet in c, Op. 59, No. 3; Haydn's in D minor, Op. 42 ; some violin pieces by Wieniawski; and Raff's Giga con Variazioni, Op. 91, for piano, Madame Néruda being the first violinist, and M. de Pachmann the pianist. The first Saturday programme will contain Spohr's Quartet in D minor, M. LEON HAYON, who obtained a Medal of the Op. 74, No. 3; Beethoven's Trio in D, Op. 70, Third Class in the Salon of 1883, is dead, at the No. 1; and smaller solo items. age of forty-four years. Mr. Walter BacHE announces a pianoforte orchestra. In his compositions Mr. Prati himself by no means deficient in invention has abundance of ideas, some of which instance, the themes of the slow mover his symphony, prove the possession o musical feeling. Unfortunately his te studies appear to have been either ine and proper development of his subjec or wrongly directed. Of the coherent treat appears to have only a vague ides, the sequence being that it is extremely dishon times almost impossible, to follow the tr his thoughts. Of form, as understood a emplified by the great masters, we fin trace. It is not in our power to give a d notice of the music performed, beca impressions produced by it were too vagu Mr. Pratt has talent it would be unfair t but his talent needs careful training if produce the results which he would des is only needful to add that the symp admirably played under Mr. Mannss and that the composer conducted thes from his opera. The solo vocalists W Gertrude Griswold, Madame Hélène H (a new-comer who possesses a very the soprano voice), Miss Lena Little, Mr. Harley, and Mr. B. H. Grovė. Theatre on Monday evening, the tr A SPECIAL Concert was given at Covent house being seated. There was an e miscellaneous programme, and the s numbered 6,000 persons. Among the who appeared were Madame Frickenh Carrodus, Miss Mary Davies, Madame Mr. Sims Reeves, and Mr. Ludwig. concert will be given on the 29th inst.. Freeman Thomas prize overture will formed. A STUDENTS' concert was given on evening, under the direction of Mr. Buels, at the Kensington School of Mu AT the first concert for this seas Glossop Dale Philharmonic Society 6th inst., Mr. F. Prout's cantata was performed, under the direction o Hall, the conductor of the Society. A COLLECTION of minor works four Richard Wagner's papers is announce the title of Entwürfe, Gedanken, Fr (Leipzig, Breitkopf & Härtel) |