duced by the will on the nervous system posed it only an intellectual observing maand so downwards, a certain slight increase of capacity to assimilate food to the failing organic powers of the body. In other words, we conclude, just as the organism is failing to draw supplies of physical force from the outward world, its power of doing so may be slightly prolonged, the outward world drained of a small amount of force it would otherwise have kept in stock, and the organism compelled to absorb it by a pure volition. Can there be a clearer case of action of the supernatural on the natural,- even granting that the sum total of physical force is not altered, but only its application changed?

chine, not a free will with knowledge of its own that there is a power which is not caused, and which can effect real modificacations in the relation even of physical forces which never vary in amount. But nevertheless it would be wrong, and could never know the truth, namely, that the ordering of the succession in these physical forces, the interchanges between one and the other, the physical influences over the body exerted by the command of the appetites and passions, were all of them really traceable in great part to supernatural power, though to supernatural power which does not either add to or subtract from the sum total of physical force present in the Universe. And we maintain that the men of pure science, as they are called, the men who study everything but Will,

fall into precisely the same blunder as such a rationalizing particle of a human body, and for the same reason. They are quite right in their inferences from their premises, but their premises are radically defective.

-suc

What more do we want to conceive clearly the room for Christian miracle, than the application of precisely the same conception to God and Christ? The students of the Universe appear to us to be in precisely the same condition with regard to the Universe, as a scientific observing mind secreted in some part of a human body (not the mind moving that body, but some other) would be in with relation to the structural, chemical, mechanical laws of In truth the room for miracle remains as that body. Suppose an atom of your wide as ever. Admit all the discoveries blood able to retain its identity constantly of science, and still they only prove a cerin a human body, and to travel about it on tain constancy in the amount of physical a tour of scientific observation. It would force, and a certain invisible law of sucvery soon arrive at the conclusion that cession between the same phenomena. But there were great laws of circulation of the just as a man who puts forth a great effort blood and the fluids which supply it,- to retain his consciousness and reason or such as we see in nature in the astronomi- even life for a short time longer than he cal laws, great laws of force by which would otherwise do, may succeed, the legs and arms are moved, like the forces ceed, that is, in pumping up the failing of tides or falling waters in the Universe, supply of physical force from the Universe - great structural laws, by which different to his system for a few minutes or hours, tissues, like the hair, the skin, nails, the when without such an effort it would have nervous and muscular tissues, grow up out fled from his body and passed away into of the nourishment supplied them, just as other channels, -so miracle only assumes we notice the growth of trees and flowers that a supernatural power infinitely greater out of the earth, and great though some- than man's will might, on sufficient reason, what uncertain laws of alternation between-which every Christian believes to be far activity and repose, like the laws of night more than sufficient, do the same thing and day; and such a scientific particle infinitely more effectually, and for a far as we have supposed would undoubtedly longer time. Miracle is in essence only the soon begin to say that the more deeply it directing supernatural influence of free studied these things, the more the reign of mind over natural forces and substances, pure law seemed to be extended in the whatever these may be. In man we do not universe of the body, so that all those un- call this miracle, only because we are accertain and irregular phenomena (which customed to it, and in nature scientific we, however, really know to be due to the men refuse to believe that any such directchanges effected by our own free self-gov- ing power exists at all. But nevertheless, erning power), must be ascribed, it would every accurate thinker will see at once, say, not to any supernatural influence, but that free will, Providence, and Miracle do to its own imperfect knowledge of the not differ in principle at all, but are only more complex phenomena at work. And less or more startling results of the same such a scientific particle would be perfectly fact, which true reason shows to be fact, justified in its inferences; for we have sup

that above nature exist free wills, pro

bably of all orders of power, which do not, | shall readily understand that the vital quesand greatness indeed, ever break the order of nature, but tions for the wealth, progress, "Is our supply can and do transform, as regards man by of our country are these: very small driblets, but as regards higher of coal inexhaustible? and if not, how than human wills in degrees the extent of long will it last?"-Mr. Jevons enables which we cannot measure, - natural forces us to answer both these questions. It is from one phase of activity into another, so very far from being inexhaustible; it is in as greatly to change the moral order and process of exhaustion; and, if we go on significance of the Universe in which we augmenting our consumption from year to live. year at our present rate of increase, it will not last a hundred years. Our geological knowledge is now so great and certain, and what we may term the underground survey of our islands has been so complete that we know with tolerable accuracy both the extent, the thickness, and the accessibility

From the Economist, 6 Jan.

THE DURATION OF OUR SUPPLY OF of our coal fields, and the quantity of coal

COAL.

annually brought to the surface and used up. The entire amount of coal remaining in Great Britain, down to a depth of 4,000 feet, is estimated to be 80,000 millions of tons. Our annual consumption was in 1860 about 80 millions. At that rate the available coal would last for 1,000 years. But our consumption is now steadily increasing at the rate of 34 per cent. per annum, and will in 1880 be, not 80 millions, but 160 millions; and, if it continues thus to increase, will have worked out the whole 80,000 millions before the year 1960. Nay it would reach this climax probably some time earli er; for our calculation includes all the coal down to 4,000 feet; and no coal mine has yet been worked at a greater depth than 2,500 feet; and we do not believe that mines can be worked profitably, and we have litthe reason to think they can be worked at all, at such a depth as 4,000 feet.

UNDER the title of "The Coal Question," Mr. Jevons has furnished the public with a number of well-arranged and for the most part indisputable facts, and with a series of suggestive reflections, which every one interested in the future progress and greatness of his country will do well to ponder seriously. Few of us need to be reminded how completely cheap coal is at the foundation of our prosperity and our commercial and manufacturing supremacy. Coal and iron make England what she is; and her iron depends upon her coal. Other countries have as much iron ore as we have, and some have better ore; but no country (except America, which is yet undeveloped) has abundant coal and ironstone in the needed proximity. Except in our supply of coal and iron we have no natural suitabilities for the attainment Of course we know that, practically, our of industrial greatness; nearly all the coal-fields will not be worked out within this raw materials of our manufactures come to period. Of course we are aware that our us from afar; we import much of our wool, present rate of annual augmentation cannot most of our flax, all our cotton and all our be maintained. Every year we have to go silk. Our railroads and our steamboats are deeper for our supply; and going deeper made of iron and are worked by coal. So means incurring greater and greater exare our great factories. So now is much of pense for labour, for machinery, for ventilaour war navy. Iron is one of our chief arti- tion, for pumping out the water, for accicles of export; all our machinery is made dents, &c. Going deeper, therefore, implies of iron; it is especially in our machinery an cnhanced price for the coal raised, and that we surpass other nations; it is our ma- that enhancement of price will check conchinery that produces our successful textile sumption. But it is precisely this imminent fabrics; and the iron which constructs this enhancement of price, and not ultimate exmachinery is extracted, smelted, cast, ham-haustion, that we have to dread; for it is this mered, wrought into tools, by coal and the steam which coal generates. It is believed that at least half the coal raised in Great Britain is consumed by the various branches of the iron trade.

enhancement which will limit our rate of progress and deprive us of our special advantages and our manufacturing supremacy. Let us see a little in detail the modus operandi. The difficulty of working and raising coal increases rapidly as the mine grows deeper, or as inferior mines have to be worked; the heat grows more insupporta

ble, the shafts and passages longer, the dan- | ger greater, the ventilation more costly, the quantity of water to be kept out or got out more unmanageable. A very short period may raise engine coal and smelting coal from 5s to 10s per ton. Now a cotton mill of ordinary size will often use for its steampower 80 tons of coal per week. This at 5s is 1,000 a year; at 10s per ton, it is 2,000l. But the cotton mill is full of machinery; and one great element in the cost of this machinery is the coal used in smelting and working the iron of which the machinery is made. The railroads which bring the cotton to the mill and take the calico and yarn back to the place of exportation are made of iron and worked by coal: so are the steamboats which bring the cotton to our shores and export the yarn to Germany;the cost of carriage, therefore, which is a very large item in the contingent expenses of our factories, will be greatly increased both directly and indirectly by a rise in the price, of coal. An advance in that price from 5s to 10s per ton, may be estimated to be equivalent to 2,000 a year on the working cost of a good-sized cotton mill. That is, as compared with the present state of things, and as compared with foreign countries, every manufacturer would have a burden of 2,000 a year laid upon him, and would have to raise the cost of his goods to that extent. How long could he continue to compete with his rivals under this disadvantage, or (it would be more correct to say) with his present advantage taken away from him? And how long would coal continue to be supplied even at 10s a ton?

66

Nor does there seem any escape from these conclusions theoretically, nor any way of modifying them practically. We may, it is said, economise in the use of coal. But, in the first place, the great economies that can be reasonably looked for have been already introduced. In smelting iron ore we use two-thirds less coal than formerly, and in working our steam engines one-half less; and, in the second place, it is only a rise in the price of coal that will goad us into a more sparing use of it; and this very rise of price is the proof and the measure of our danger. Export no more coal," it is suggested, and so husband your stores. But we could not adopt this expedient, even if it were wise to do so, or consistent with our commercial policy, without throwing half our shipping trade into confusion by depriving them of their ballast trade; and even then the evil would be scarcely more than mitigated? “Why," ask others, "should we not, when our own stores of coal are exhausted, import coal from other countries which will still be rich in mineral fuel, and thus supply our need?” Simply because of all articles of trade and industry coal is the most bulky in proportion to its value; and that it is the fact of having it at hand, of having it in abundance, of having it cheap, of having it without the cost of carriage, that has given us our manufacturing superiority. With coal brought from America, with coal costing what coal then would cost, we could neither smelt our iron, work our engines, drive our locomotives, sail our ships, spin our yarn, nor weave our broad cloths. Long before we had to import our fuel the game would be up.

as

And, be it observed, the check to the consumption of coal- the retardation i. e. in our progress towards ultimate and abso- Of 136 millions of tons now annually lute exhaustion -can only come from in- raised throughout the world, Great Britain crease of price, and the moment that it does produces 80 millions and the United States come, the decline of our relative manufac- only 20. But this is only because we have turing pre-eminence has begun. We shall had the first start, and because our populaavoid the extinction of our coal in the short tion is far denser, and because our iron and period of a century; but we shall do so only our coal lie conveniently for each other and by using less now; -and using less now conveniently for carriage. As soon means producing less iron, exporting less America is densely peopled, to America calico and woollens, employing less ship- must both our iron and our coal supremacy ping, supporting a scantier population, and all involved therein be transceasing our progress, receding from our rela- ferred; for the United States are in these tive position. We may, it is true, make our respects immeasurably richer than even coal last a thousand years instead of a hun- Great Britain. Their coal-fields are estidred, and reduce the inevitable increase in mated at 196,000 square miles in extent, its price to a very inconsiderable rate; while ours are only 5,400. But this is not but we can do so only by becoming stationary; all: their coal is often better in quality and and to become stationary implies letting incomparably more accessible than ours, esother nations pass us in the race, exporting pecially in the Ohio valley. In some places our whole annual increase of population, the cost at the pit's mouth even now is 2s 2s per growing relatively, if not positively, poorer ton in America, against 6s in England. and feebler.

From the Spectator.
HAIRDRESSING IN EXCELSIS.

ed-up nose,

a man's hair is naturally as long as a woman's strikes them with a sense of surprise, and have almost ceased to dress it. They use It is not easy to understand the differen- pomade still, or at least hairdressers say ces in the popular appreciation of the mi- so, and a few of them, unaware that a nor trades. Why is a tailor considered rath- mixture of cocoa-nut oil and thin spirit is er contemptible, when no idea of ridicule in all ways the absolutely best unguent, attaches to a bootmaker? Both make waste cash upon costly coloured oils, but clothes, and in trade estimation the tailor, hairdressing for men is out of fashion. The who must always be something of a capital- average hairdresser contemptuously turns ist, is the higher man of the two, but the over the male head to some beginner, who popular verdict is against him. Nobody snips away till hair and tournure are got calls a hosier the eighteenth part of a man, rid of with equal speed. Up to 1860, too, yet strictly speaking his business is only a women wore their hair, even on occasions minor branch of tailoring. No ridicule at- demanding a grand toilette, after a very taches to a hatter, notwithstanding the lu- simple fashion, one which the majority of natic proverb about his permanent mental them could manage very well for themcondition, but everybody laughs internally selves, and which required only careful as he speaks of a hairdresser. Is it because brushing. This fashion was not perhaps hairdressers were once popularly supposed altogether in perfect taste. Simplicity has to be all Frenchmen, and therefore share charms, but still a custom which compelled the contempt with which dancing-masters women with Greek profiles and complexare regarded by people who, while they ex- ions of one shade only and girls with cherry press it, would not for the world fail to profit cheeks and turned-up noses equally to wear by their instructions? A singing-master is their hair like Madonnas, was open to some allowed to be an artist, often one of the slight attack on artistic grounds. Madonnas first class, but a dancing-master is consider- should not have laughing blue eyes, or pouted a cross between an artist and a monkey. ing lips, or flaxen hair, or that look of esOr are hairdressers despised, like men mil-pièglerie which accompanies a properly turnliners, because their occupation, especially - not a snub, that is abominain modern Europe, where men have aban- ble, but just the nez retroussé which artists doned wigs, long locks, and the careful ar- detest and other men marry. The Second rangement of the hair, is essentially femi- Empire, however, does not approve simplinine? That may be the explanation, for city, and gradually the art of dressing hair nobody despises the lady's-maid more or has come again into use. The fashion of less because if she is "very superior" she wearing hair à l'Impératrice was the first can dress hair as well as any hairdresser. blow to the Madonna mania, and young Or is the sufficient cause to be sought in women with no foreheads, and with pointed their pretensions, in their constant but un- foreheads, and with hair-covered foreheads, successful claim to be considered artists, all pulled their unruly locks straight back something a little lower than professionals, because an Empress with a magnificent but a great deal higher than mere trades- forehead chose to make the best of it. Anymen, a claim which induces them to indulge thing uglier than this fashion in all women in highflown advertisements and the inven- with unsuitable foreheads and all women tion of preposterous names, usually Greek, whatever with black hair it would be hard but not unfrequently Persian, for totally to conceive, and the mania did not as a useless unguents? The claim is allowed in mania last very long. Then came the day France, but in England, like the similar of invention, the use of false hair, the inone of the cook and the confectioners, sertion of frisettes, the introduction of goldit has always been rejected, a rejection en dyes, the re-entry of the vast combs prized which excites the profession every now and by our great grandmothers, the admiration then to somewhat violent and therefore ri- of pins stolen from the Ionian and Pompediculous self-assertion. They perceive an ian head-gear, and a general attention to opportunity just at present. For a good the head-dress which we can best describe many years past the business of the coiffeur by quoting from the Manners and Customs has been comparatively a very simple affair, of Ancient Greece a paragraph on the hairrising scarcely to the dignity of a trade and dressing of Athenian women: -"On nothentirely outside the province of art. Men ing was there so much care bestowed as all over Europe have adopted the fashion upon the hair. Auburn, the colour of Aphof the much ridiculed Roundheads, cut their rodite's tresses in Homer, being considerhair habitually close, till the assertion that ed most beautiful, drugs were invented in