brightness; and, upon mentioning this idea to Mr. Dunn, he regarded it as an explanation of the above being one of the best burning lamps he had ever manufactured.

New Books.

LETTERS OF THE EARL OF DUDLEY TO THE BISHOP OF LLANDAFF.

[OUR object in returning to this workcertainly, the most acute as well as entertaining specimen of epistolary composition which has appeared for some time,—is to select a few of its most piquant passages, such as constitute the main charm of well-regulated correspondence; for brevity is not only the soul of wit, but the life of letter-writing. The passages which we have detached from the Letters bear

upon questions of general criticism, political as well as literary; whilst they occasionally illustrate shades of character more effectively than would a grave biographical memoir; and, in their salient

points, may be recognised the high

bred mind of the noble author. To the right-reverend Editor we can scarcely be too grateful for this very acceptable contribution to our literature. The publication of these Letters appears to have been interdicted by the writer's executors; but, an attentive perusal of them will bear out the Bishop of Llandaff, in these admirable prefatory remarks, as to the tendency of their publication :]—

"Every year would thin the ranks of those who remembered, and admired, and esteemed the writer, and who would recognise the stamp of his characteristic qualities almost in every page: and while I felt perfectly sure that nothing would appear which could lessen their admiration and esteem, I had no doubt that the effect of the work would be, to correct errors and misrepresentations which had often prevailed in the world to his prejudice, and to create a just and favourable opinion in the public mind, of his political character, of his strong attachment to his country, and of his excellent moral qualities."

[We now proceed to our delightful task of unique quotation. In the following remark, there is much soundness of observation and high moral justice.]

A Selfish Relative.-I have forgotten to say a word about the death of my uncle. It was impossible to be almost a witness to the last moments of so near a kinsman, or, indeed, of any person, without some painful emotion. But there was nothing in his character that particularly endeared

him to me. He never took the smallest interest in me, or shewed to me the smallest kindness-and, though I flatter myself that there is no person more capable of returning affection than myself, yet I fairly own that I am wholly unable to bestow it quite gratuitously even upon a near relation. The fact is, Mr. Bosville cared for nobody.

University Reform.-It is by literature and philosophy that the understandings, not yet hardened by interest and habit, truth, and such a light kindled without, as may be prepared for the reception of will, at last, glimmer through the very windows of the Corpus Common Room. The present race is quite hopeless; though it includes many persons entitled to great respect from their learning, virtues, and talents. There are some exposures in which the mind seems to lose its plastic quality: Oxford, I suspect, is one of them.

The place abounds in sense, learning, and worth; but the power of giving a fair consideration to anything that is or appears new, is precisely what it wants.

fit to enjoy so large a share of liberty as the English, but they really ought to be indulged with a little more than was allowed them by the forms of the old monarchy.

French Revolution.-The French are not

Byron's Corsair, (1814.)-To me it appears the best of all his works. Rapidity of execution is no sort of apology for doing a thing ill, but when it is done well, the wonder is so much the greater. I am told he wrote this poem at ten sittingscertainly it did not take him more than three weeks. He is a most extraordinary person-and yet there is G. Ellis, who don't feel his merit. His creed in modern poetry (I should have said contemporary) is Walter Scott-all Walter Scott-and nothing but Walter Scott. I cannot say how I hate this petty factious spirit in literature-it is so unworthy of a man so clever and so accomplished as Ellis undoubtedly is.

Logic of Aristotle.-For several centuries the logic of Aristotle occupied almost exclusively the attention of all persons that made any pretence to philosophy or literature:-these centuries form a

period of deplorable darkness, barbarism, and ill taste, during which the human mind seems to have made little or no progress towards the refutation of error, (which it seems is the main business of the syllogistic method,) still less towards the discovery of truth-the decline of this art is pretty nearly coeval with the rise of science and true learning—and in the last century, which has produced so many pro

-

is so fine, and the public buildings and palaces bear so large a proportion to the whole size of the place, that, altogether, I know nothing that can be compared to it. Roman Churches. Nothing looks its best, and most things look their worst, except St. Peter's, for, to do them justice, they have the grace to keep that in good order. All the rest looks as if it had been thrown into Chancery for the last twenty years. I believe the substantial repairs (as our builders speak) are in general pretty well attended to, but, in spite of that, they contrive to preserve all the effect of incipient ruin. Rome is like a beautiful woman slip-shod, in a dirty gown, with her hair en papillote.

THE YEAR-BOOK OF FACTS, 1840. THIS is the second volume of a very useful, and, we must add, amusing Annual, or, rather, Perennial; for we perfectly agree with the motto quoted in the titlepage, that the very amusements of life have taken a scientific colour. So much has already been said in praise of the series, of which this volume is an integer,

-so numerous have been the commendations of eminent men of science, that have indirectly reached our ear, and so unanimous has been the approval of the critical press,-that, even were we not the Prometheus of the work, we should scarcely deem our eulogy worth addition. All we shall say, is, that if the reader experience half the gratification in the perusal of this volume, that we have felt in its preparation, he will not complain of having paid "too dear for his whistle." Many a time and oft has a kindly critic, during the past thirteen years, sympathized with our labour of compiling volumes similar to the present Year-book: its predecessor (1839) was characterized as "one of those laborious productions of patient industry, for which all classes of readers are bound to be grateful;" and the reviews of the same period bear like evidence of critical liberality. Yet, in reference to the toil of compiling these volumes, unaffectedly have we replied, "Labor ipse voluptas." The progressive scientific education through which this "labour of love" has led us, is, doubtless, evident throughout our compilations, now num. bering upwards of fifty volumes. So fascinating was the pleasantness of the project, that, at its commencement, in 1827, in playful enthusiasm, we fished out this Shandean motto: "The more my uncle Toby drank of this sweet fountain of science, the greater was the heat and impatience of his thirst." And, it is not too much to say, that, judging from the encouragement of the series, our own

gratification has been advantageous to the public; since each possessor of the work, as, year by year, he has placed a volume upon his shelves for reference, has cheerfully acknowledged the economy of time and cost which this compact system of condensation presents: now, condensation, we learn from the illustrious author of the Organum, is the result of thought, which rejects what no longer appears necessary; and, though the reader may smile at the anti-climax-our Arcana was first suggested by the admirable aphorism, (81. Organum, lib. i.,)" In science, the true end is to enrich human life with new discoveries and wealth." Meanwhile, in carrying out this design of recording the "discoveries" of each year,—the sinews of wealth, as they unquestionably are, in connexion with our manufactures,-a "scientific colour" has been given to the

literary journals entrusted to our conduct, which, we hope, has grown with the growth of the science of the day, and has the better enabled us to bring each branch of knowledge up to the time-a very desirable point in an age like the present.

To return to the Year-book, (1840,) a brief enumeration of its leading contents will substantiate the above observations, and may interest the general reader. In this volume, as in its predecessor, the progress of science, in its various applications to social improvement, is sought to be "Herein the mepopularly registered. chanician and the student of natural philosophy, and of electrical and chemical science; the naturalist and the lover of nature; the geologist and the meteorologist, the observer of the phenomena of the earth and the heavens-may alike be gratified with the novelty and variety of the several Facts recorded; whilst their stock of useful knowledge, in each section of science, will be refreshed and kept up by each accession of information.”

In the Mechanical and Useful Arts, are registered improvements in the steam-engine, and the progress of steam navigation and locomotion, with the details of steamships, the progress of railways, their construction and economy, the adaptation of galvanic and pneumatic telegraphs. The abstracts on Lighting detail Parker's new hot oil lamp, Gurney's oxy-oil lamp, Hemming's shadowless lamp, the Bude Light, and Dr. Ure's comparative experiments upon lamp and candle light. The novelties in stoves are not forgotten; and several new researches on Caoutchouc are recorded. This division is unusually copious; extending through nearly 100 pages, and twice as many papers and

abstracts.

In Natural Philosophy, the inquiries are

too miscellaneous for classification; but we may mention, that the researches on Waves, the Tides, Light, Heat, and Cold, Respiration and Vitality, Animal and Vegetable Physiology, are very attractive. Of results with the Daguerreotype, a pré

cis is introduced.

The Electrical Science comprises descriptions of new batteries, electro-magnetic experiments, and miscellaneous phenomena; including the researches of Daniell, Schoenbein, Reich, Faraday, Graham, Grove, Gassiot, Lloyd, Becquerel, Airy, Jacobi, Harris, and Gauss.

The Chemical Science consists of new phenomena, experiments, and processes; with notices of the principal new substances and compounds; interesting analyses, &c.

In Natural History, the Zoological Section extends to forty pages, containing nearly double that number of abstracts. In the Botanical Section, will be found a Report of the year's culture of Tea in Assam. In the Section of Geology, numbering about thirty pages, are abstracts of Mr. Lyell's paper on the Crag of Norfolk and Suffolk; carboniferous and Devonian Systems of North-western Germany; and of the Sandpipes in the Norwich chalk; all important contributions. The most striking phenomena of the year are registered; as the Devon Convulsion and Landslip; the shocks of Earthquake; and several pages of Fossil Organic Remains discovered through the year; the latter a very attractive collection.

Under

Astronomical and Meteorological Phenomena are recorded the new Comet; Asteroids and Meteors; Phenomena of Storms and Remarkable Temperatures; with an original Meteorological Summary of the year, obligingly communicated by Dr. Armstrong, of South Lambeth, who has been our collaborateur in Meteorology for eleven years past.

To the above succeed Geographical Discovery, and the Obituary of persons eminent in Science or Art in 1839; and the volume closes with a copious index, by which, to borrow an odd simile of Swift, "the whole book is governed and turned, like fishes by the tail." Among the Engravings are, a plan of the Thames Tunnel, shewing its present state; and a vignette of the Living Electric Eel, at the Adelaide Gallery.

The most important proceedings of the British Association and other Scientific Societies are quoted under the several heads; and, what must always be considered a recommendatory feature of the Year-book, the advances of eminent experimenters in certain inquiries are recorded continuously.

Ben Brust sat with his eyes fixed on the table, as if wondering to himself "why a quart jug was no bigger, and why they could not charge so much for a bellyful, without having such troublesome things as measures, which were only made to keep a waiter running in and out like a dog in a fair." There he sat, with his breeches' knees unbuttoned, the tie of his neckerchief twisted in a line with his ear, one stocking half down, his waistcoat just as he had slipped it on, and his boots covered with dust, for a brush had never passed over them since the day they were first given him by butcher Hyde.

And he

But let us not wrong Ben, for he could both feel and think; and he who cared so little for himself, had been known to heave a sigh for the sorrows of others. was then talking with the host about old times, and old faces passed before him. Death had removed many good dinners, harvest-homes, and May-games, and all the good things he so well remembered, that were passing away with these ancient customs. And Ben sighed, a longer and a fainter sigh than what other people heave, but, nevertheless, as sincere. But we will resume the conversation which was carried on between these worthies, leaving our traveller, meantime, engaged with a good breakfast.

"Hey! it's a many years, then," said Ben," since you left our village. I should think almost before my time?"

"A long while! a long while!" answered the host, with a mournful shake of the head. "It's fifty years come next Lady-day, Ben. I was born in that old thatched cottage, that fronts the large elm on the green. My grandfather was born under the same roof."

"It's been pulled down above seven years," replied Ben. "Farmer Rudsdale has built a new house on the spot; you wouldn't know the place now, it's so altered:" and he drank another glass of ale.

is so fine, and the public buildings and palaces bear so large a proportion to the whole size of the place, that, altogether, I know nothing that can be compared to it.

Roman Churches. - Nothing looks its best, and most things look their worst, except St. Peter's, for, to do them justice, they have the grace to keep that in good order. All the rest looks as if it had been thrown into Chancery for the last twenty years. I believe the substantial repairs (as our builders speak) are in general pretty well attended to, but, in spite of that, they contrive to preserve all the effect of incipient ruin. Rome is like a beautiful woman slip-shod, in a dirty gown, with her hair en papillote.

THE YEAR-BOOK OF FACTS, 1840. THIS is the second volume of a very useful, and, we must add, amusing Annual, or, rather, Perennial; for we perfectly agree with the motto quoted in the titlepage, that the very amusements of life have taken a scientific colour. So much has already been said in praise of the series, of which this volume is an integer, -so numerous have been the commendations of eminent men of science, that have indirectly reached our ear, and so unanimous has been the approval of the critical press,-that, even were we not the Prometheus of the work, we should scarcely deem our eulogy worth addition. All we shall say, is, that if the reader experience half the gratification in the perusal of this volume, that we have felt in its preparation, he will not complain of having paid "too dear for his whistle." Many a time and oft has a kindly critic, during the past thirteen years, sympathized with our labour of compiling volumes similar to the present Year-book: its predecessor (1839) was characterized as "one of those laborious productions of patient industry, for which all classes of readers are bound to be grateful;" and the reviews of the same period bear like evidence of critical liberality. Yet, in reference to the toil of compiling these volumes, unaffectedly have we replied, "Labor ipse voluptas." The progressive scientific education through which this "labour of love" has led us, is, doubtless, evident throughout our compilations, now num. bering upwards of fifty volumes. So fascinating was the pleasantness of the project, that, at its commencement, in 1827, in playful enthusiasm, we fished out this Shandean motto: "The more my uncle Toby drank of this sweet fountain of science, the greater was the heat and impatience of his thirst." And, it is not too much to say, that, judging from the encouragement of the series, our own

gratification has been advantageous to the public; since each possessor of the work, as, year by year, he has placed a volume upon his shelves for reference, has cheerfully acknowledged the economy of time and cost which this compact system of condensation presents: now, condensation, we learn from the illustrious author of the Organum, is the result of thought, which rejects what no longer appears necessary; and, though the reader may smile at the anti-climax-our Arcana was first suggested by the admirable aphorism, (81. Organum, lib. i.,)" In science, the true end is to enrich human life with new discoveries and wealth." Meanwhile, in carrying out this design of recording the "discoveries" of each year,-the sinews of wealth, as they unquestionably are, in connexion with our manufactures,-a "scientific colour" has been given to the literary journals entrusted to our conduct, which, we hope, has grown with the growth of the science of the day, and has the better enabled us to bring each branch of knowledge up to the time-a very desir able point in an age like the present.

To return to the Year-book, (1840,) a brief enumeration of its leading contents will substantiate the above observations, and may interest the general reader. In this volume, as in its predecessor, the progress of science, in its various applications to social improvement, is sought to be popularly registered. "Herein the mechanician and the student of natural philosophy, and of electrical and chemical science; the naturalist and the lover of nature; the geologist and the meteorologist, the observer of the phenomena of the earth and the heavens-may alike be gratified with the novelty and variety of the several Facts recorded; whilst their stock of useful knowledge, in each section of science, will be refreshed and kept up by each accession of information."

In the Mechanical and Useful Arts, are registered improvements in the steam-engine, and the progress of steam navigation and locomotion, with the details of steamships, the progress of railways, their construction and economy, the adaptation of galvanic and pneumatic telegraphs. The abstracts on Lighting detail Parker's new hot oil lamp, Gurney's oxy-oil lamp, Hemming's shadowless lamp, the Bude Light, and Dr. Ure's comparative experiments upon lamp and candle light. The novelties in stoves are not forgotten; and several new researches on Caoutchouc are recorded. This division is unusually copious; extending through nearly 100 pages, and twice as many papers and

abstracts.

In Natural Philosophy, the inquiries are