The Press. — London, England, 1854-12-16 00:00:00

that he does not communicate any intelligible mean ing to his reader, or, if any, most probably the wrong one, there ~ ,an be little doubt. It is unnecessary to multiply instances. We make these remarks only because we consider such errors—very common in similar " popular wo ks" upon science—tend to pro duce a superficial intellectuality in the rising genera tion. " Popular knowledge," said the late Dr. Knox, "is only another name for imperfect knowledge," and although we admit with Sidney Smith that in the present advanced state of science we must be content to know many things imperfectly, yet this is not to be considered as referring to certain elemen tary truths. Our knowledge of such truths should be accurate ; but if that knowledge be obtained from such works as the present, it will, undoubtedly, prove not only imperfect but also inaccurate. That Mr. Mayhew's book is one of those " popular e 1... mentary works "of the day, and that it suffers from the common error of its ciass, we are compelled to admit ; and though we are willing to allow him due praise for his intentions in behalf of education and science, yet we regret that lie is not more accurate in his statements, and at the same time, we may add, less diffuse in his scientific dissertations. A Manual of Civil Law. By E. R. Humphries, LL.D, London : Longmans. AN intelligent digest of the Institutes of Jus. tinian; the first of a series, composed for the use of law students and of general scholars desiring an ac quaintance with the history and principles of civil law, which is in great measure the foundation of the common, chancery, and ecclesiastical law of this king dom. Mr. Humphreys has composed the present manual in a clear, succinct style, and it appears well adapted to fulfil the purpose for which it is designed and to become a superior educational work. 1. Popular British Conch°logy. By George Sow erby, F.L.S. 2. A Popular History of British Mosses. By R. M. Stark. London: Reeve. A SEASHORE ramble, or rural stroll, is always more thoroughly enjoyed when some knowledge is pos sessed of surrounding objects to quicken observation and afford employment to the mind. The little and the great in nature are but relative terms, and though we do not quite agree with Mr. Stark that it is more useful to contemplate the infinitely little than the other extreme—nor go so far as Boyle, who consi dered the eye of a fly afforded better proof of design than the sun himself—yet no one can doubt that our enjoyments are multiplied, and our being improved, as we extend our knowledge of nature in any of its varied departments. 1. The natural history of the molluscous animals living about our own shores is rich in instructive facts ; and in this little volume the various species— ° how they live and where they wander "—are care fully described. The language is as free from diffi cult technicalities as regard for precision will admit, and those specimens with which we are most familiar — the oyster, scallop, Sae —are properly noticed in detail from being most useful to us. Many of our readers will be surprised to learn that the scallop in the ocean is as joyous and animated as 4 bird on the wing. It can sail as freely as the nautilus itself, and is " a happy, " active creature. It can raise itself to the surface, " and, though unaided by fins, can skim cleverly " through the waves. I have seen a little fleet of " them skipping about most merrily as if engaged in 4 • some frolicsome dance. On watching their zigzag " evolutions I found that their valves were to them " in water what wings are to the bird in the air. 4 ' Every time they opened and shut their valves they " were rapidly propelled several yards, and they had ° only to repeat their operation and their sportive movement VMS continued." The volume has twenty plates, each containing many figures, and all clearly engraved and beautifully coloured. 2. The history of British mosses, though scarcely so attractive in subject as the above, is yet treated in a manner to well reward attention. It is computed that mosses "form perhaps a fourth part of the 4 , vegetable covering of this island." Muller sup poses that there are 2,300 different varieties. In our own country we can number forty genera, and up wards of three hundred species. The coloured plates are admirable, portions of the plant being shown of natural size, and also highly magnified that the peculiarities of their structure may be better seen. Both these books well deserve success, and are appropriate as presents to the youth of both sexes. Compilel by masters of their subjects, the state ments may be relied on, though it would be an error, we fear, to place them in the hands of young people without some little previous or accompanying in struction ; for in these, as in other branches of knowledge, books, though excellent aids to learning, cequire living, present intelligence to explain their purport and direct their application. The Works of Samuel Warren. Vol. IV. London Blackwood and Sons. THE fourth volume of this cheap edition of Mr. Warren's works is a greater boon to the public than its predecessors, as the writings it contains have been less extensively circulated in other shapes. " Now and Then" has already secured its place in classic fiction for its excellent English, its portraiture of character, and its " vindication of the ways of God to man." " The Lily and the Bee " and the lecture upon the " Development of the Age" are also in cluded in the present volume. The Planetary Worlds. Being the Topography and Telescopic Appearances of the Sun, Planets, Moon, and Comets. By James Breen. London: Hard wicke. AN historical summary, by a practical astronomer, of the discoveries relative to the telescopic appearances and physical constitutions thence deduced, of the bodies of space. A trustworthy work like the pre sent, which confines itself to facts actually observed, will be found most acceptable at the present time, when the discussion of that unsettled question " the occupation by human beings of the heavenly bodies" is again agitated. Upon this point Mr. Breen seems to incline to the opinion of Dr. Alembert—"Qu'on n'en sait rien "—an opinion in which most men ex cept the disputants cordially join. The present volume is well written, and, to enhance its value, is illustrated with woodcuts of the curious appearances which some of the heavenly bodies present, derived from the earliest and latest observations. Ilanderahan, the Irish Fairyman ; and Legends of Carrick. By John O'Neill. Second Edition. London : Tweedie. JOHN O'NEILL, now near his eightieth year, is a remarkable man. By trade a poor cobbler, he has yet found time, during a long and industrious life, to write many poems, good in themselves, and marked by a vigorous and sound morality, to aid in the im provement and elevation of his class. Now he gives us a series of Irish fairy tales, simple in style but true to character, fresh from the furze-clad hills and sparkling mountain streams, concerning those bright. eyed little fairies, now fast becoming a tradition of the past, that were wont to lurk under buttercups or peep under dockleaves. These tales are so genuine and humorous, yet earnest in their tone, that, with the fair writer of the preface, we cannot help regret ting that the author did not at some earlier period of his life turn his attention to a subject in which he might have been unrivalled. We recommend them in sincerity as some of the best fairy tales ever told. First Steps in Economic Botany. For the Use of Students. By Thomas Croxton Archer. London : Reeve. ECONOMIC botany teaches the useful properties of plants, and renders us conversant with the positive raw produce, and with the origin of those materials which form the objects of commercial enterprise and manufacturing industry in this and other countries. This little volume is an abridgment of a large work by the same author, and is confined chiefly to the imported produce of this country, which is classified under regular heads. The letterpress is illustrated with lithographic plates, and forms a useful elemen tary manual. fflontg Vadat and 6itg FRIDAY Evziarro. Anticipations of the Royal Speech on the opening of the Parliamentary session occupied the speculators at the commencement of the week, and inspired them with confidence. The rise in prices noted during the previous se'nnight was established on Monday, when Consols were quoted without the dividend as high as 921. Sales effected in order to real se profits on the advance, subsequently brought down the quotations slightly, but the market showed much firmness, and the closing rates were 92 I to Before the close of business next day, the text of the Speech was known on Change, and this caused a marked depression in the quotations of stock. The anticipated effect had in fact been some what over "discounted" beforehand ; and, although the address was considered favourable on the whole, expressing a vigorous resolution for the prosecution of war, and announcing that the state of the revenue was altogether " satisfactory," nevertheless, the general term of the manifesto was not believed to bear out the sanguine expectations previously enter tained. Prices accordingly ranged down to 911 and closed a little better at 91i 2. On Wednesday, the extremely unsatisfactory description given in the House of Commons by Lord John Russell of the ac tual nature of that Austrian treaty on which so many hopes had been founded, produced a most unfavorable influence on the Stock Exchange, and the quotations experienced a reaction from which they have not since recovered. The prices declined full t per cent. during the day, and transactions were effected at one moment as far as 91/. The closing rates were 911 to 1. Yesterday the prices were considerably better, the market having experienced the usual re bound from its sudden depression. Consols were quoted as high as 91$, and lett off firm at that price for the opening. Today the market has continued to be steady, and the prices are well supported. The ruling rates have been Consols 011 1 1 ex. div. for account of the 10th. Reduced Three per Cents. 911 to 911, and New Three per Cents. 911 to 911. India Bonds from tis. to 12s. Bank Stock for the opening, 207 to 209. Exchequer Bills are better at 4s. to Us. premium. Ditto Bonds, 955. FOREIGN. There is little movement of importance to be noticed in Foreign Stocks. French Renter, which had improved, like our own Consols, at the beginning of the week, fell again when the Queen's Speech trans pired by telegraphic agency on the Bourse. In other funds we have only to mention an improvement of Turkish scrip, caused by the discovery that the set tlement was more " bearish " than had been expected. At one time these securities rose to 64 die., after having been as low as 8 0. This afternoon the prices were as low as 74 to 7 dis. SHARES. Wednesday was " making-up day "in the Railway Share Market. The subsequent settlement yesterday showed that the result was again adverse to the speculation for a fall. Business has consequently since been done at improved rates in most descrip tions of the more approved stocks. This afternoon, Eastern Counties about weaker. Great Northerly; steady, at BSI. Great Westerns have fallen 2s. ed. London and Brightens improved 11. London and North• Westerns were firm, at 1001. Loudon and South-Westerns have been done at 841. South- Easterns are i lower. BRITISH FUNDS. - Closing Prices. OFFICIAL QUOTATION. Moul l Timid. Wed. Thurs. • 7445 p. -- - - - 3 per Cent. Consols 93 1 2i; 91' —— f — Ditto for Account 3 per Cents Reduced ~ 91 1011 1 2 1 191 xdrll 111 d 1 901 01 1 911 i 3 per Cents Long Annuities Bent Stock, 7 per Cent 209 2071 209 204 India Stock, 101 per Cnt — Exch. Bills, 21d. per diem 3 ,3 Op 3 6 9p 6 India Bonds, (1,0001.) 9 12; 12 9 1 _ BANK OF ENGLAND. An Account, pursuant to the Act 7th and Bth Victoria, cap. 82 for the week eliding on Saturday, the 9th day of Deo., 1864. illlitlC DEPANTIIIENT. Notes Issued .... A 27,334,415 Government Debt 211,012,100 Other Securities .. 2,984,900 Gold Colts tt Bullion 18,334,412 Silver Bullion .... 4117,334,L16 127634,410 DANKING DICTLATIIItIIT. Proprietore'Capital 514,553,000 (Government Sect'. Rest Public Deposine ♦,611,408 Deed Weight An., £11,604.287 Other Deposita qeven Day A other rote■ BlUs -- --- A:13,938,5)9 , 0.1,936,199 • Including Exchmquer, Savings Banks. Commissioners of National Debt, and Dividend Accounts. FOREIGN RAILWAYS. Antw.& Rttrdui. Iletra.to Orals'. Belgian East. J. Cherie. & Erque. Dijon & Besting. Dutch Rhenish East Indian Do. Extension Gt. Indian Pen Grand J. of Frit G. W.of Cen„Sh „ B. (2d is.) 1578 1.e.& Pis.s p opt Luxembourg Lyons I Geneve Madras Maria Antonia Na. Lge.(w. in) rtbrn. of Frac*. Norw. Truk. l'rf. Paris A Lyons Paris & Orleans Paris & Rouen Paris & Straabg. P.,Caen & Cher. 4bec.& Melanin!. Rouen A Havre Royal Swedish 4ambre& Meuse S. E. of France dthrc of France Upper Ind. Scrip Tim. Flanders 'Attn. of France . Weetrn. of Switz. Mold. Wednes. - - d 1 i 7 2 1 f 4 i:l I I I , 1 161 741 Ilde 4i ► 81 9i 19 1 20 11' ad el 37 9 204 11 iii 1 _ is at ftli P litp I Ib e 74 d • 44e se p \2l) i 16 d dii 7i d - Lealead I- 4 * /20s 11.1 e'pl 1 4 I 4 I P - " 16j 'T Thurs. Friday .61 3 — ;Zs 8 — cli ii ill pli i 2 P i I P i 0 I iv I i IP ,161 — 1 1 1-6- 8 77e Ip l d spli - - dis di. 1 p id 1p / id in id Par - 84 7 64 7 34 84 9 944 81 te 194 p 19i 1p Il 8 48 '3 40 38 40 - r rm dig /o 4 34 14 204 1 it - d ri 1 Tt PI Pm p m *- i 4 r 84 it4P I 104 1 31 84 31 1 (19 if' db. cq 74 8 1 PI 0 „„ 1"1 1 dig j7t t 1,1 PIDj I,— 4p 31 4 d let i 161 I se 4 6 4; dim DECEMBER 16, 1854._ THE PnESS. 1195