side of the cañon. Overlapping the ruins for at least fifty feet, at a height above them of sixty feet, it spread its protecting roof five hundred feet from end to end. No moisture ever penetrated beyond the edge of this red shield of nature; and to its shelter, combined with the dryness of the atmosphere and preserving nature of the sand, is to be attributed the remarkable state of preservation, after such a lapse of time, in which the houses of the cliff-dwellers were found. Some of them still stood three stories high, built in compact form, close together within the extremely limited space, the timber used to support the roof being in some cases perfectly sound. The white stone employed is gypsum, cut with stone implements, but having the outer edges smoothly dressed and evenly laid up; the stones of equal size placed parallel with each other presenting a uniform and pleasing appear ance. erations. The same elements which in geologic time fashioned the caves and recesses of the cañon walls, have in later times worn the approaches away, so that to-day they do not even furnish a footing for the bear or coyote. In what remote age and for how many generations the cliff-dwellers lived in these strange fastnesses, will probably never be determined. Faint traces of still older buildings are found here and there in the bed of Cañon de Chelly; and it is conjectured that this region was once densely populated along the watercourses, and that the tribes hav ing been driven from their homes by a powerful foe, the remnant sought refuge in the caves of the cañon walls. Of the great antiquity of these structures, there is no question. The Indian of to-day knows nothing of their history, has not even traditions concerning them. The Navajo, with a few poles plastered with a heavy deposit of earth, constructs No remains of importance were found his hogan or wigwam, and rarely remains here, excepting a finely woven sandal, and in the same place winter and summer. some pieces of netting made from the He has no more idea of constructing a fibre of the yucca plant. But on proceed- dwelling like those so perfectly preserved ing two miles farther up the cañon, an- in the cliffs, than he has of baking speci other group of ruins was discovered, mens of pottery such as are found in frag which contained relics of a very interest-ments amongst the walls. In the fine ing character. The interior of some of the larger houses was painted with a series of red bands and squares, fresh in color, and contained fragments of ornamented pottery, besides what appeared to be pieces of blankets made from birds' feathers; these, perhaps, in ages past bedecked the shoulders of some red beauty, when the grim old walls echoed the fierce war-songs of a long-lost nation. But the most fortunate find at this spot, and the first of that description made in the country, was a cyst, constructed of timber smoothly plastered on the inside, containing remains of three of the ancient cliff-dwellers. One was in a sitting posture, the skin of the thighs and legs being in a perfect state of preservation. These ruins, as in the former case, were protected from the weather by an overhanging arch of rock. quality of paste, in the animal handles — something like old Japanese ware - and in the general ornamentation, these exhibit a high order of excellence. Some specimens of what is called laminated ware are remarkable; threadlike layers of clay are laid one on each other with admirable delicacy and patience. In these fragments may yet be read something of the history of a vanished race. They illuminate a dark corner in the world's history, and seem to indicate a people who once felt civilizing influences higher than anything known by those uncouth figures whose camp-fires now glimmer at night across the silent starlit prairie. From The Saturday Review. GERMAN STUDENTS' DUELS. IN the German Schläger combat the position is the same as in back-swording, save that the left arm is kept, as in sabre play, behind the body; commonly the waistband of the trousers is grasped by the left hand. The weapon is a long, narrow blade, like a pointless rapier, but much more flexible. It is sharpened for a length of twenty centimetres (say eight inches) on the true edge, and five on the false edge. For practice and instruction century at the battle of St. Quentin and blunt and rather stouter blades are used. elsewhere. They gave neither sweeping The mask is like an English single-stick horizontal cuts like Orientals, nor drawmask, but stronger and heavier. A pad- ing cuts like most European swordsmen, ded leather vest, coming almost down to but struck in the line of their own motion the knees, covers the body, and the right with a continuing forward impetus, and arm is encased in a sleeve attached to a did great execution. With the modern gauntlet, which may be compared to an Schläger the blow comes entirely from the elongated Rugby football. In the actual wrist, and (as in English backswording) duel there is an even more elaborate sys- has no movement of the body or limbs to tem of defence; the right wrist is guarded aid it. Really serious wounds are hardly with a ring of mail, and the arm with folds known, but it is quite possible for the of silk, which, like the turban of the East, surgeon in attendance to have a troubleare enough to stop any ordinary cut. some piece of work. Small arteries, for Practically, though not according to strict example, may be divided and have to be rule, the body is altogether covered. The taken up. On the whole, there' is not eyes are protected by iron spectacles, with more danger to life or limb in a Schläger strong wire net instead of glasses. A duel, for healthy men and with the usual padded cap, defending the top of the head, precautions, than in any other rough pasis added to all this for students in their time: probably there is not so much as in first year, who fight only under the direc- the Rugby game of football under the old tion of their seniors. The more advanced rules. But the effusion of blood and the Burschen do not wear these caps, and are necessary presence and use of surgical thus exposed to much more serious blows. appliances make it appear a barbarous It is known to English readers by many affair to any one not bred to familiarity descriptions that the duels are not, as a with it. And the play is said to be falling rule, the outcome of any real quarrel; they off in the skill which was its only justifiare arranged by the leaders of the fighting cation. Twenty years ago the players "Corps" of students, or by the senior hardly ever led off with a direct attack, members between themselves. At the which was thought too rash, but feinted same time challenges to serious duels with and watched for their opportunity on a the Schläger are not unknown. Such a return. Of late years it has become a duel is called "glace," because only town fashion to discard policy, and try for hits gloves (glacé-Handschuhe) may be worn by main force; the weapons are also and the ordinary equipment is discarded. heavier than they used to be. Some local It involves very serious danger, and is differences exist, or existed not long ago, outside the rules of the game, no man be- in the fashion of the Schläger. The ing held bound to accept a challenge in Glockenschläger, common in the norththis form. There are, however, sundry German universities, has a peculiar degrees of severity in recognized duels. mounting, and is grasped like an Italian First-year men (Füchse) fight with caps foil with a finger round the cross-bar. for twenty-four rounds (Gänge, equivalent Formerly the small-sword was used as to the French phrase in fencing) of seven well; it is mentioned by Crabb Robinson blows each. The regular form of duel in his diary as being somewhere (at Jena, for seniors is a quarter of an hour's fight- if our memory serves us) the regular ining without caps. This may be made strument of students' duels. This usage, sharper by dispensing with seconds; for however, survives only, if it still does surthe second in a Schläger duel has not vive, at Munich. Possibly some reader merely judicial or diplomatic functions. may be curious concerning the literature He stands close beside his man, holding of the Schläger. We believe that of techan unsharpened Schläger with which he nical literature there is little or none. may parry as many blows as he thinks fit, The rules of the duel are preserved in and often he does parry a large proportion. manuscript books, and may probably be As to the manner of play, the cuts are found in print. But the art seems to deaimed only at the head, and are delivered, pend wholly upon oral tradition, which is not with the centre of percussion, but with to be regretted. For whatever we may the extreme forward part of the blade, think of Schläger duelling, it has been for which alone, as we have said, is sharp- many generations a singular feature of ened. It is worth notice that the Schläger German university life; and it deserves is derived from the long straight sword of to have some better record than the cas the German Reiters, the force of whose ual descriptions of strangers before it blows made them famous in the sixteenth goes the way of English backswording. For EIGHT DOLLARS, remitted directly to the Publishers, the LIVING AGE will be punctually forwarded for a year, free of Remittances stage. be made by bank draft or check, or by post-office money-order, if possible. If neither of these can be procured, the money should be sent in a registered letter. All postmasters are obliged to register letters when requested to do so. Drafts, checks and money-orders should be made payable to the order of LITTELL & Co. Single Numbers of THE LIVING AGE, 18 cents. TWO SONNETS. LOVE'S WATCH. FAIR falls the dawn upon thy face, O sea! And from thy furrows, crested white with foam, The gray mist brightens, and the hollow dome Of pearly cloud slow-reddens over thee: Eastward, the line of jagged reefs is bright spray; And laughing blithely in the golden light, The fretted surf runs rippling up the bay; Westward, from night-Ö bear it safe, fair sea! Slow sails the ship with freighted love to me. LOVE'S TRANSFIGURATION. O strange sweet loveliness! O tender grace, That in the light of passion's dayspring threw Soft splendor on a fair familiar face, Changing it, yet unchanged, and old, yet new! Perfect the portrait in my heart, and true, Which traced the smile about that flowerlike mouth, And those gray eyes with just a doubt of blue, Yet darkened with the passion of the South, And the white arch of thoughtful forehead, crowned With meeting waves of hair; but still I found Some undreamt light of tenderness that fell From the new dawn, and made more fair to see What was so fair, that now no song can tell How lovely seemed thy heart-lit face to me. GEORGE LOGAN MOORE, A.B. Chambers' Journal. THE RIVER'S SONG. THE Voice of the river is sweet and strong, Of narrowing channels and wild rocks past, OLD AGE. THERE is a beauty Youth can never know, snow. How gay the laugh of Youth! but, oh! how brave The stately weakness of a reverend Age! LORD ROSSLYN. A DAISY. O DAISY "Day's Eye" on this New Year's Day Opening thy circlet on our grassy mount To greet the low-arch'd sun far south-away, As mystically perfect each small ray As the vast billow of light and life whose fount, Glorious beyond conception, yet doth count Only as one flow'r in God's garden, - yea, Face, little bloom, the sky's lord-paramount ! Ye both are creatures of one substance wrought, In deeps beyond our subtlest exploration, Thence into living form and due relation Lifted by power that works in beauty; nought So made but with its home too in man's thought, Microcosm of the whole divine creation. WILLIAM ALLINGHAM. Athenæum. January 1. From The London Quarterly Review. THE UNCERTAINTIES OF SCIENCE.* It is no part of our purpose to criticise the scientific positions of this work; any such task must be left to scholars with adequate technical knowledge. We sim. ply desire by indicating the argument of our author to note the grave uncertainties which prevail in the realm of science; and then we may proceed to one or two manifest inferences. It may be necessary to say at once that the aim of this book is in no sense whatever theological; it has not been written in the remotest degree in the interests of religion; it is intensely and exclusively scientific; the "metaphysical" and "ontological" are with our author terms of reproach. natural phenomena are mechanical expla nations." Very early in the history of modern physics the doctrine that all physical action is mechanical, was stated in terms. All the great scientists Descartes, Hobbes, Leibnitz, Huygens, Newton - held that everything in nature is effected mechanically; that change is of necessity nothing else than motion of the parts of the body changed, that all motion is caused by impact. The most definite statement, however, of the proposition that the true aim and object of all physical science is a reduction of the phenomena of nature to a coherent mechanical system is found in the scientific writings published during the second half of the present century. Kirchhoff, one of the founders of the theory of spectral analysis, is quoted to this effect: The belief is that modern physical science has not only made its escape from the cloudy regions of metaphysical speculation, and dis-"The highest object at which the nat carded its methods of reasoning, but that it has likewise emancipated itself from the control of its fundamental assumptions. It is our conviction that this belief is but partially conformable to the fact, and that the prevailing misconceptions in regard to the true logical and psychological premises of science are prolific of errors, whose reaction upon the character and tendencies of modern thought becomes more apparent from day to day. It will be seen at once, upon a most cursory glance at any one of the chapters of this little book, that it is in no wise intended as an open or covert advocacy of a return to metaphysical methods and aims; but that, on the contrary, its tendency is throughout to eliminate from science its latent metaphysical elements, to foster, and not to repress the spirit of experimental investigation, and to accredit, instead of discrediting, the great endeavor of scientific research to gain a sure foothold on solid empirical ground, where the real data of experience may be reduced without ontological prepossessions. Our author sets himself to question the validity of the mechanical theory of the universe, as that theory is now held, and with its ordinary assumptions. "The founders of modern physics proceeded upon the tacit, if not upon the declared, assumption that all true explanations of Concepts of Modern Physics. By J. B. STALLO. The International Scientific Series. Kegan Paul, Trench & Co. 1882. ural sciences are constrained to aim ... is, in one word, the reduction of all the phenomena of nature to mechanics." Helmholtz and Clerk Maxwell are quoted as expressing the identical view. The physiologists are equally explicit with the physicists. Wundt writes: "Physiology thus appears as a branch of applied phys ics, its problem being a reduction of vital phenomena to general physical laws, and thus ultimately to the fundamental laws of mechanics." Still more broadly Haeckel: "The general theory of evolu tion .. ... assumes that in nature there is a great, unital, continuous, and everlasting process of development, and that all natural phenomena, without exception, from the motion of the celestial bodies and the fall of the rolling stone up to the growth of the plant and the consciousness of man, are subject to the same great law of causation that they are ultimately to be reduced to atomic mechanics." So Huxley speaks of "that purely mechanical view toward which modern physiology is striving." Our author concludes: - With few exceptions, scientific men of the present day hold the proposition, that all physical action is mechanical, to be axiomatic, if not in the sense of being self-evident, at least in the sense of being an induction from all past scientific experience. And they deem the validity of the mechanical explanation of |