Elizabethan Miscellanies, Drummond of Haw- time when books first began to be brought thornden, Sir William Alexander, Cowley, together, the art of rendering them easily acWhitehead, Christopher Smart, Thomas War- cessible has occupied a considerable share of ton, Cowper, Macaulay, and Clough ; and the attention of librarians. Of course, with so among those who have co-operated with him many different minds directed to the subject, in the work are Matthew Arnold, who, besides many plans have been devised and numerous furnishing the General Introduction, has dealt experiments made ; but, in general, one of two with Gray and Keats ; Professor Skeat, who systems has been adopted—that which arranges deals with “ Piers Ploughman;" Professor the bunks under authors and titles, or that Dowden, who deals with Shakespeare, John which classifies them according to their subDyer, Falconer, Goldsmith, Lamb, Leigh ject-matter. Each of these methods has had Hunt, Ebenezer Elliott, and Hartley Coleridge; its advocates and defenders, and each of them Dean Church, who deals with Sackville, Spen. possesses such unquestionable advantages that ser, and Wordsworth ; Professor A. W. Ward, it must always have been a difficult matter to who deals with Ben Jonson, William Cart- choose between them ; but Mr. S. B. Noyes, wright, John Oldham, and Dryden ; Dean of the Brooklyn Library, has devised a plan Stanley, who deals with Keble and the Wes- which combines the characteristic merits of leys; Professor Nichol, who deals with Dun- both, and the result is so happy as to cause bar, Sir David Lyndesay, Swist, and Sydney surprise that it was not thought of sooner. Dobell; Dr. Service, who deals with Burns The distinctive feature of Mr. Noyes' Cata. and Ferguson ; Goldwin Smith, who deals with logue is that it combines in one general alphabet Marvell and Sir Walter Scott; Lord Hough- a systematic arrangement of authors, titles, con, who deals with Landor; George Saints- subjects, and classes. The authors and titles bury, who deals with William Warner, Samuel appear in the manner which usage has renDaniel, Drayton, Garth, Armstrong, Blair, dered familiar ; and when, in its proper alphaYoung, Shenstone, and Beattie ; Austin Dob. betical place, we reach one of the larger groups son, who deals with Congreve, Prior, Gay, --such as Architecture, Arts, Astronomy, BiGreen, Bowles, Frere, and Praed ; Professor ography, Education, Fiction, Government, Mark Pattison, who deals with Milton and History, Law, Mathematics, Medicine, Music, Pope ; J. A. Symonds, who deals with Byron; Philosophy, Poetry, Political Economy, and Frederick W. H. Myers, who deals with Shel- the like-we find a sub-list of the contents of ley ; A. C. Swinburne, who deals with Col- the library in each of these departments lins ; Edmund W. Gosse, whose contributions arranged in alphabetical order, and not inare very copious; and many other writers, frequently subdivided into smaller groups, whose names are less familiar to the public, which still further facilitate and expedite but whose work vindicates their selection. reference. Where the contents of a book are

A very large proportion of what is distinctly of such a character that it might reasonably best in English poetry is brought together in be looked for in more than one group, it is in. these four delightful volumes ; and the critical serted in each of them; and affiliated topics introductions which precede the selections are bound together by an elaborate network from each poet are not less instructive, and of cross-references. scarcely less interesting, than the poems them- One other feature which, if not distinctive of selves. For cultivated readers who can afford this Catalogue, immeasurably enhances its but one anthology, this is undoubtedly the one value, is the fulress with which, in the case of to choose ; and it should find a place in every collected works (voyages, essays, compilations, collection, however smail.

and the like), the contents are given. To quote

the Preface on this point : “ Volumes of misANALYTICAL AND Classev CATALOGUE OF cellaneous essays

biographical, historical, THE BROOKLYN LIBRARY. Brooklyn, N. Y. :

etc.-have been carefully analyzed, and the Published by the Library. Large 8vo, pp.

contents distributed under their special sub

jects. A considerable portion of the Periodi. Strictly speaking, perhaps, a catalogue of cal Literature issued since the year 1852 (the books can hardly be regarded as literature, but date of publication of Poole's Index) has reas an auxiliary to literature nothing could well ceived like treatment, particularly in the line of be mure important. A library without a cata- biography and criticism.... Many thou. logue is little more than “a fortuitous con- sand references to magazine articles, and to course of atoms ;” and it would be scarcely an chapters and parts of books, are entered in exaggeration to say that the utility of any large the Catalogue, under the subjects of which collection of books will be almost exactly pro- they triat. There are about eight thousand portioned to the thoroughness and discrimi- such references in the class BioGRAPHY alone ; nation with which it is catalogued. This, how- and in this connection it should be stated that, ever, is no novel proposition, and irom the in the same class, a brief characterization is

IIIO.

death."

cover.

given of each of the persons (about three thou. in their own collections. By doing this, lisand in number) whose biographies are re- brarians would be aided in making additions corded, together with the dates of birth and to their lists, and readers assisted in the selec

Some idea of what all this involves tion of such other works as they might apply may be gained from the statement that upward for elsewhere or acquire by purchase. Even of twenty-five thousand distinct essays and in the smallest private collections the utility of articles in periodicals are placed nder the sub- the Catalogue would be very great. Very jects of which they treat.

often the most difficult task of the student or Even this, however, by no means exhausts reader lies in discovering what works are to the special merits of the Catalogue. In the be found in the field which he proposes to case of the more important subdivisions, at

In this Catalogue the greater part of the end of the list of titles, a brief paragraph such work has already been done for him, and usually summarizes the qualities of the leading its results are as accessible and as easily reworks, or indicates which are best worth at- ferred to as a word in a dictionary or an article tention. Thus, under the group“ Countries," in a cyclopædia. sub-group.“ United States," class . General History, we find the following note :

GREAT SINGERS. Second Series. Malibran to

Titiens. By George T. Ferris. Appletons' “Of the above-named works, those of An- New Handy-Volume Series. New York : derson, Quackenbos, Scott, Willard, and the D. Appleton & Co. Grammar School History' of Lossing, are elementary text-books in excellent repute. All

Mr. Ferris's little books on musical comhave illustrations, and, with the exception of posers and singers are among the most attracWillard, have been published since the Civil tive and popular that have appeared in AppleWar. Those of Bonner and Dodge are more tons' New Handy-Volume Series, and the presnarrative in method, but written for juvenile

ent volume is quite as interesting as any that readers. Those of Higginson and Doyle tell

has preceded it. It contains chapters on Malthe story in a clear and accurate manner, for young and old. Patton's History is consider. itran, Schröder-Devrient, Grisi, Pauline Viarably fuller in its narrative. Barnes' Centenary dot, Fanny Persiani, Alboni, Jenny Lind, History, and the larger histories of Lossing, Sophie Cruvelli, and Titiens ; but it touches and Mrs. Richardson's History are also broader incidentally upon nearly all the lesser lights of in their scope, treat their subject in a pic- the operatic stage who were contemporary turesque and popular way, and are copiously with these stars," and furnishes what might illustrated. The Compendium, by . H.

almost be called a history of the lyric art in Stephens, is written from a Southern standpoint. The most elaborate histories are those of Europe during the past three quarters of a Bancroft, Hildreth, Tucker, and Bryant and century. Mr. Ferris has evidently taken parGay. The last volume of Bancroft ends with ticular pains to portray the personality of his the close of the Revolution ; Hildreth carries subjects, and numerous piquant and character. his narrative to 1821 ; Tucker, passing lightly istic anecdotes lend animation to his pages ; over the Colonial period, reviews at length while the more serious questions suggested by the political history of the country from the

the careers of the several artists are treated Revolution to the election of Harrison in 1840. His political sympathies appear to be those

with as much fulness and perspicuity as space of a Southern Jeffersonian Democrat, while would permit. Taken together, the little volHildreth's are with the Federalists."

umes on “ The Great German Composers,"

“ The Great Italian and French Composers," It will be seen that, without venturing upon and the two series on “Great Singers," form controverted points of criticism, this furnishes a collection which every lover of music will an invaluable guide to readers, who are in find it convenient to have at hand either for most instances simply bewildered by being reading or for reference. confronted with a list of books about whose scope or contents they know nothing.

ANIMAL LIFE AS AFFECTED BY THE NATURAL It remains to be pointed out (and this is our CONDITIONS OF EXISTENCE. By Professor

Karl Semper. With two Maps and 106 excuse for dealing with it here) that such a Cata

Woodcuts. International Scientific Series. logue possesses usefulness for a constituency

New York : D. Appleton & Co. far wider than that of the institution for which it was made. A well-selected library of 60,000 The gradually lengthening list of the Intervolumes will be apt to comprise all or nearly national Scientific Series shows few volumes all the books that smaller popular libraries will more interesting to the general reader than contain ; and it has been well suggested that this of Professor Semper's, for it deals with the such libraries might avail themselves of the elementary principles and processes of that fruits of Mr. Noyes' labors by purchasing great law which has now become the almost copies of this Catalogue and marking upon universally accepted “working hypothesis" of them the titles of such works as are included scientific men-the law of Evolution. Con

vinced that “enough has been done in the way FOREIGN LITERARY NOTES. of philosophizing by Darwinists,” and that the

MR. SWINBURNE is writing a somewhat time has now come to apply the test of exact

elaborate article on Keats for the new edition of investigation to the hypotheses that have been

the “Encyclopædia Britannica." laid down, Professor Semper addresses himself to the task of proving by experiment that “ this

Mr. H. G. Bonn, the well-known publisher imaginary process of development is indeed and bookseller, is, is said, engaged in arthe true and inevitable one.” “It aspears to ranging the letters he has received during his me,” he says, “that of all the properties of long life from people of note, with a view to the animal organism, Variability is that which an autobiography. may first and most easily be traced by exact PROF. SKEAT hopes to finish the words of investigation to its efficient causes ; and as it

his Etymological English Dictionary in about is beyond a doubt the subject around which at two months from this time. Then will come the present moment the strife of opinions is

the list of roots and the words grouped under most violent, it is that which will be most likely each, the index of affixes, with their derivato repay the trouble of closer research. I have

tions, and the corrections and additions, etc. endeavored,” he continues, to facilitate this

The British Museum has lately acquired a task, so far as in me lies, by here presenting a general view of those facts and hypotheses collection of terra-cotta inscribed cylinders

and tablets excavated at Bagdad. which bear upon the subject, and are either of

Among universal significance, or, from my point of

them are cylinders of Esarhaddon, Assurbani. view, appear to offer favorable subjects for ex

pal, and Neriglissar, and tablets of Kinaladanu

or Kinneladanos, Nabonidus, Cambyses, and perimental treatment." The latest results of the Challenger and

other late Babylonian monarchs. other deep sea explorations are availed of, and A LITERARY curiosity of the day is “ The the book throws light upon what is now among Heptalogia,” just published by Messrs. the foremost problems of scientific research- Chatto & Windus. It contains seven parodies the problem as to the geographical distribution of contemporary poets, and bears no name, of animals.

but, says the Squire, I hear that it is by none

other than Mr. Swinburne. Some of the bur. WIT AND WISDOM OF George Eliot. With lesques are as clever as any by Mr. Calverly a Biographical Memoir. Boston: Roberts or Bon Gaultier. Perhaps the best are those of Brothers.

Browning and Coventry Patmore, but all are

witty. This is a new edition of a little book which

At the last meeting of the Académie Fran. was first published several years ago, but which çaise it was resolved not to give any prizes appears to have attracted less attention than its

this year for poetry, all the pieces sent in merits should have secured for it. The dis

being marked by une faiblesse déplorable." tinctive feature of the present edition is the bio

The same subject, “ Eloge de Lamartine,” has graphical memoir, which, without attempting been appointed for 1883. Next year the to define her position in the world of letters, Académie will award its prize for eloquence, brings together in consecutive order all that is

the subject being “ Eloge de Rotrou." now known about the life and career of “George Eliot." The body of the book con

Prof. Max Müller, in a letter to the author

a

It is reported that Mr. Hormuzd Rassam, born is still standing, being inhabited by the who is prosecuting the British Museum archæ- village gravedigger. The actual room is deological researches at Nineveh and Babylon, scribed as measuring only four or five feet in has discovered quite a new ancient Babylo- width by eight or nine fect in length, with a nian city, a short distance fronı Bagdad, on the bed-place formed in the old style of making a renowned ancient canal called Nahr-Malka or recess in the wall. The house into which his Flumen Regium. We learn that Mr. Rassam father afterward moved, and where Carlyle has already unearthed a valuable collection of was brought up, situated in a lane known as inscriptions, both in the cuneiform and hieratic “Carlyle's Close," has become the village characters.

shambles. The building of the old Secession AMONG eccentric visitors to Parisian libra

Kirk, to which his father belonged, also exists ries, a French paper mentions a monomaniac

to this day : and the parish school, in which who frequented the Arsenal library for twenty Carlyle received his earliest education, is now

used as a casual poorhouse and soup-kitchen. years for the sole purpose of reading and rereading “ Paul and Virginia." He knew the tale by heart, and recited it on summer even

SCIENCE AND ART. ings as he paced to and fro in the Jardin des Plantes. When M. Victor Massé's opera was

SOUND AND Heat.–From recent experi. brought out at the Gaieté, he was present in

ments made in France, it is believed that the the theatre, but lest before the end of the first

curious sounds obtained by Professor Bell act, exclaiming. “ Your music spoils the whole

from different substances in connection with thing !"

his photophone researches, are due to heat,

and not to light. The same effects are said to A HITHERTO unknown Goethe portrait is at

have been obtained from similar substances by tracting much allention in Germany It is a

means of a gas jet without the intervention of chalk drawing by Gerhard von Kügelgen, and

a lens. In one case a metal plate was emappears to be the original study for the three ployed which was silvered on the side next the oil portraits of Goethe painted by this artist.

gas jet, when the sounds were very feeble ; Those who have seen this drawing declare

owing, presumably, to the circumstance that that it surpasses in beauty and vivacity any the heat reflected back to its source. When other portrait of the great poet. It was taken

coated with lampblack-which would of course in 1808. It is about to be reproduced photo absorb the heat-the sounds from the same graphically, and will thus be accessible to the plate were very strong. In another case a multitude.

plate of copper gave distinct sounds while at Gaelic literature seems to be attracting at- a red heat ; but they gradually ceased as the tention in the west of Scotland. A course of inetal slowly cooled. lectures on subjects connected with the Celtic

ELECTRIC Watch.-It is reported that an language and literature is to be delivered

electric watch has been produced by a clock. under the auspices of the Glasgow Ossianic maker at Copenhagen. It is especially suitable Society. One of these will treat of “the List for persons of irregular habits, for it requires Poet," and will be given by a gentleman who no winding up. The sole attention necessary possesses many unpublished poems of the

must be devoted to the battery which accombard. Besides, a work on Celtic literature,

panies it, and which needs replenishing once which is written by the Rev. N. MacNeill, is in six months. We are curious to know the to appear in instalments in the Giasgow Weekly dimensions of this battery. Most things of the Herald.

kind with which we are acquainted are of the MESSRS. G. ROUTLEDGE & Sons propose to size of an ordinary flower-pot, and would be depublish an edition de luxe of Shakespeare from cidedly inconvenient for the waistcoat pocket. the text of Mr. Howard Staunton, which is

REMEDY FOR DIPHTHERIA.-A South African certainly one of the best texts we have. It will

paper gives the following simple remedy for be comprised in fifteen iinperial octavo vol. curing that distressing and commonly fatal umes, printed in larger type than is used in

maladv diphtheria. It is vouched for as being any extant edition, and will contain the well

efficient in the most obstinate cases, provided known illustrations, upward of eight hundred that it is applied in time. A spoonful of flowers in number, by Sir John Gilbert, R.A., which

of sulphur is well stirred in a wineglassful of will be worked from the original wood-blocks

a

cess.

LIFE IN METEORITES.-Dr. Otto Hahn has Dr. Haycraft communicated an explanation of just published a volume under the title of " Die the amoboid motions of masses of protoMeteorite und ihre Organismen," in support plasm. By a simple mechanical contrivance he of the theory, advanced by Sir William Thom. illustrated these motions with remarkable sucson several years ago, that life probably origi

An india-rubber ball, perforated with nated on the earth from seeds brought to it on several small apertures, was filled with cul. meteorites from the ruins of another world. ored white of egg, and immersed in a solution Dr. Hahn's work contains a number of illus. of sugar of about the same density as the altrations of the microscopic aspect of meteoric bumen. When a gentle pressure was applied stones, and he concludes that meteorites are the albumen was forced out in long continuous full of fossil débris of spongiaria and polypes, strings or processes ; and when the pressure some of which exist on the earth and others was relaxed, the processes at once retracted inwhich belong to other planets. M. Meunier, side the ball. This curious result was thought of the French Academy of Sciences, has dem- to be in virtue of the action of the viscosity onstrated that the figures in question are and surface tension of the gelatinous matter, merely clustering crystals of eulatite ; in fact, and was illustrative of the manner in which M. Meunier has successfully created the 200- the amaboid processes, after being expelled phytes in his laboratory.

by contraction of the internal muscular strucArtificial PROPAGATION OF SPONGES.-An

ture, are again withdrawn. interesting report upon the artificial propaga- LOCALIZATION OF SOUND BY THE BLIND.-A tion of sponges has, at the request of the Sec- correspondent writes to Nature : “My friend retary of State for the Colonies, been prepared the Rev. H. J. Marston, Second Master of the by Professor Ray Lankester. It chiefly deals School for Blind Sons of Gentlemen at Worwith the results obtained in some experiments cester, has communicated to me some very initiated by Professor Oscar Schmidt in the singular instances of the power of localizing waters of the Adriatic during the period 1863- sound possessed by blind boys. One of the 2, From these experiments it has been games in which his pupils most delight is that proved that a sponge cut into small pieces will of bowls. A bell is rung over the nine-pins form independent masses of growth. Each just as the player is ready to throw the bowl, piece was fixed to a movable support, and sunk when, totally blind as he is, he delivers it with in a suitable locality in salt water, when it was considerable accuracy of aim. Mr. Marston found that it grew into a well-formed sponge

vouches for the fact that it is no uncommon of marketable size in about seven years. One feat for a boy to strike down a single pin at a condition of success was that the cuttings must distance of forty feet three times in succession. be left in open unprotected beds, where the It is significant that this game cannot be played natural food of the sponge is not withheld by the blind boys in windy weather. And yet from them. This condition unfortunately led the allowance for windage on a heavy bowl to the abandonment of the experiments in can be no very large quantity. The boys also 1872 ; for the regular fishers were so hostile to play football with great zeal and considerable the scheme-considering that it might in time skill. Bells are rung at the goals throughout to come endanger their trade-hat they con- the game, and the ball contains two little tinually robbed the experimental beds, and bells. With these guides the boys manage both finally brought the trials to an end. The re- to follow the ball and to direct it to the goals." sults obtained are nevertheless valuable, as

DYNA-MAGNITE.-A new explosive, dynapointing to the possibility of growing sponges

magnite, is said to give remarkable results, in localities at present free from them. It

while at the same time it will resist every seems but yesterday when the sponge was regarded as a vegetable product; we now not

effort to ignite it by simple percussion. It is only recognize it as an animal, but are con

composed of seventy-five per cent of nitro glysidering schemes for its artificial nurture.

cerine and twenty-five per cent of carbonate Human knowledge indeed makes rapid strides ;

of magnesia. It will be seen, therefore, that it but how much there is still to learn about the

differs only from ordinary dynamite in the embryology of a bit of sponge, those who have

character of the porous earth used as a vehicle studied the subject most alone can guess.

for the glycerine. Hitherto the monopoly of

this class of explosives has, by means of THE AMEBA.- It is now well known that patent rights, been secured to one firm. But one of the lowest forms of animal life is the as the patent under which these benefits are Amæba, a small gelatinous mass of matter, or secured has nearly expired, competition will protoplasm as it has been termed, which has step in and reduce the price of these destructhe power of shocting out limb-like processes tive compounds. This will be a matter fur con. and withdrawing them again. At a recent gratulation to the mining interest, if not particmeeting of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, ularly so to the public at large.