atrocities which have been committed in its name, and said that even now men have forgotten its primary objects, the fostering of brotherly love, and doing good to everybody. These principles are much hidden by a mass of dead leaves, in the shape of unmeaning dogmas and foolish ceremonies. He thought that people should preach more by deeds and less by speech, and should cease multiplying professions of faith and creeds. He said that the vice of intense love of self, is the only barrier to universal happiness and human brother hood. The lectures in connection with the East London As sociation of Spiritualists, will be resumed after Christmas. THE SPIRITUAL LIBRARY.—In other columns will be found reports of two of the séances held every Friday even ing, under the mediumship of Mr. Morse, at the Spiritual Library, 15, Southampton-row, High Holborn, W.C. Mr. Morse is a very good trance medium. A week or two ago he was at Cambridge, and had a séance with some of the under graduates of the University there. The philosophical Chinese spirit, some of whose sayings are recorded at length in these pages, took possession of the medium, and carried on an animated debate with those present on theological subjects. The opinion some of them expressed about the manifestations was, that they were “very curious, and probably arose from some abnormal state of the brain.” Admission to the séances on Friday evenings is by introduction, readily obtainable by those who really desire to investigate, and an entrance fee of one shilling is charged. Trance mediumship, however, is rarely convincing to beginners; and Mr. Burns, the pro prietor of the establishment, is, we are told, likely, before long, to get up regular séances for the physical manifestations. Such a circle would be a great attraction. Addresses through the mediumship of Mr. Morse would well sustain the interest of the Gower-street conferences, should they be resumed. THE FAMINE FEVER. —Great Britain, although not the most thickly-populated nation in Western Europe, has for many long years had more paupers in proportion to the total population than any other country in the world. During the last few years also the pauperism has been greatly on the in crease, as shown by the Government returns. The result is another outbreak of what is known as the “famine fever” in London, and the Medical Department of the Privy Council has just issued a circular to the London Vestries and District Boards of Works detailing what precautions should be adopted. Famine fever has not been epidemic in London since 1855. In 1861 England had an average population of 373 persons, and Wales 150 persons, to the square mile. At that time Belgium had 400 persons to the square mile. Last Sunday morning the Rev. Mr. Pennefather, Incumbent of St. Jude’s, Islington, told his congregation that in his district not only were the ordinary poor in great distress, but that actually he knew many families in respectable houses, to look at from the outside, in want of bread to eat, and suffering from starvation. The proceeds of the collection, he said, would not be given to the poor in money, but would literally be expended in food to go direct to the mouths of the hungry. English pauperism is chiefly caused by the depopulation of agricultural districts. For twenty years past, as shown by the census returus, all the agricultural districts of England and Wales, except the Midland counties, have been in course of depopulation of their agricultural labourers — men and women. Ireland, which once had 8,000,000 inhabitants, now has but 5,000,000. Many of these agricultural paupers emigrate, but most of them pour into towns seeking work, thus reducing wages by an over-supply of labour, increasing competition in business and filling the poor-houses and prisons. The destitution will keep on increasing till the over-crowding of great towns is stopped, and the population of agricultural districts is allowed to rise to its natural level. SPIRITUALISM IN CLERKENWELL.—On Sunday evening December 5th, a semi-public séance was held at the house of Mr. J. Steele, 36, Great Sutton-street, Clerkenwell. About thirty visitors were present. The proceedings began by the reading of the 17th chapter of John, after which those present sang the anthem, “I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and be fore thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.'" This was followed by prayer, after which a table with a circle of seven persons sitting round it began to move, and signalled out a message for all present to remain quiet, and wait a short time for further manifestations. Three mediums, Messrs. Woolnough, Davis, and Towns, then passed in succession into the trance state, and delivered addresses of a sermonising character. The burden of the teachings was, “ Love God, and A statement was made by one of the love one another." spirits that many spirits directly after they are released from the body at death do not know at first that they have passed through the change. They feel as if they have lost a burden, and then they see the house that they formerly inhabited lying motionless, their will-power over the organisation being severed. “Therefore," said the communicating spirit, “we want you to improve yourselves, that spirits of higher quality may come amongst us, and work with us in unity and love." He continued, that when the body sleeps the spirit does not, and that all human beings pass hours in other scenes, of which they know nothing when they awake in the body. There is no time wasted, for while the body sleeps the spirit is still progressing, though sometimes people are permitted to remember what they see while in the spirit world. In the course of another communication it was stated that the mind has a dual nature, that there is a spiritual and a bodily mind, and that the two are often not developed to the same extent and do not harmonise as they should do. This is the reason, it was said, why some highly intellectual men, so far as the bodily mind is concerned, are slow to search after truth in particular directions, and cannot investigate spiritual subjects so readily as should be the case were they more perfect. THE ANTHROPOLOGICAL SOCIETY.—Last Tuesday even ing, the Anthropological Society met, under the chairmanship of Dr. R. S. Charnock, F.S.A., and Mr. C. Staniland Wake, F.A.S.L., read a paper upon “The Race Affinities of the Natives of Madagascar.” The paper and the discussion proved that, in the shape of the skull, the Hovas of Mada gascar bear resemblances to the Kaffirs; but that the Kaffirs have woolly heads, whereas the Hovas have hair. In gram matical structure, the language of the Hovas resembles that of the Hottentot Bushmen of the mainland, whereas in verbal points it resembles the language of the Malays : the numerals and commonest words being the same in both. On the whole, the discussion perhaps tended to show that the Hovas are more nearly allied to the Malays, than to the negroes of the east coast of Africa. Traces of tree and serpent worship are found in Madagascar, as well as in nearly every other part of the world. The speakers were, Dr. Berthold Seemann, F.L S., Lieutenant Olliver, Mr. W. C. Dendy, Mr. Mackenzie, Mr. Macgrigor Allen, and Dr. Carter Blake.