The Press. — London, England, 1857-01-24 00:00:00

. 90 spoken of you with regard, and who will yet be, if you will let me, Tour affectionate brother and humble servant, Hon. WALPOLE. We look with interest to the next volumes of this work, which, taken altogether, must be considered as the most important of all the editions of Walpole's letters yet published. The chronological arrangement, undoubtedly, adds considerably to its value. At a future time we may expect to see "The Select Letters " of Walpole," containing his choicest compo sitions ; and amongst other effects which may result from this edition now before us, we may reckon upon a re-discussion of Walpole's character. We shall have some remarks to make upon that subject on another occasion. The Education of Character. By Mrs. Ellis. London : Murray. Alas. ELLts has issued what must be termed a suggestive volume on the " Education of Charac ter?' Its tone, we think, is rather too meta physical and didactic for popular use, and it is wanting in that direct practical aim which sets forth rules for the attainment of objects, and apportions means to ends. Mrs. Ellis only pretends to explain the principles which should preside over the education of character, her leading idea being, that as moral excel lence is the highest good of life, moral training should be the first object of all educational discipline. She shows that intellectual culture, and even external refinement, may be void of influence on the heart, and may tend to good or evil according to natural disposition or cir cumstance ; she insists that in all educational systems, moral training should go hand in hand with intellectual training, and that nothing can be more injurious to the welfare both of individuals and of societies than that the former should be sacrificed to the latter. With this principle kept steadily in sight, many of her remarks on education clash with established ideas. She thinks, for example, that competitive examinations should not be encouraged, as injurious on the whole to moral elevation : In fact it has often struck me that the emulation so much commended at schools is closely connected, if not abso lutely identified, with that kind of spirit which creates some of the most selfish as well as the most Eerce and bit ter conflicts which have ever destroyed the peace of society or frustrated the efforts of philanthropy. The keen desire to gain something for self is not all that belongs to emula tion. Another person must lose if we gain, it may be the first place, the first prize, or any other goo d which emula tion makes us anxious to possess. . . . The system is generally advocated on the ground of the giving of prizes being a useful means of stimulating effort. lint whom does it stimulate? Not the dull boy who most requires to be stimulated, because he knows that he shall never gain the prize, and consequently does not try for it ; but the sharp, keen boy, who is not unfrequently the artful and selfish boy. I do not pretend to say that selfishness is necessarily allied to sharpness, but he may be both selfish and artful, and many other disagreeable things, and yet he may work hard, and so receive public honours ; while a far more really noble boy may leave the school without any public testimony to his merit. According to this, much may be said in favour of routine. The reflection of Mrs. Ellis must have occurred to most thoughtful minds, but does not the principle of emulation pervade all humanity—and even all animal life—too deeply to be eradicated? Must not a senti ment so universal have been appointed to ful fil some wise purpose in the Divine Econony? After all, the prize can only be taken for what it is worth. It is not a certificate of moral worth, but of some kind of intellectual profi • ciency. It is no more in degree than a certifi cate of strength or of heizhth would be. It may be urged that such certificates should not be exclusively of an intellectual character. But evidently certificates of moral excellence would be far more invidious, and might not be real, as moral worth could be counterfeited, which intellectual ability could not be. Love, reverence, and a sense of right are, Mrs. Ellis thinks, the three principles in human nature which a proper course of education should zealously labour to develop, and she leans to 'on that schools might advantageously heads, one for intellectual the other culture. But, as we have said, her • take a practical shape. With her de all must agree, that the ethics. ally defective, and may lead to floes Act cultivate the • AWE - C*1,1./151:1 HALM! the notion tha I• have two head for moral cults ideas rarely to main principle tion is radics eriouri 11111111116— THE PRESS: moral as well as the intellectual element of humanity, which does not seek to make people good as well as quick, and to bring into action the sentiments of conscience equally with the intellectual faculties. LITERARY NOTICES. Two beautiful little bcoks on Botany have lately been issued from the press of Messrs. Reeve, which it gives us great pleasure to notice from the combina tion of admirable qualities they exhibit. One of these volumes is on " British Lichens," the other on " Palms and Their Allies" (1). These works are popular without being superficial, and sci,mti6c without being technical. Liclisus are extremely attractive from their variety of form and beauty of structure. The name is comparatively modern ; it is supposed by Mr. Lindsay to be derived from the Greek word auxsy, a wart, characteristic of the development of this class of vegetation. The most striking varieties are exhibited in a number of well drawn and coloured plates. To dwellers in the country the volume must be peculiarly acceptable from the charm with which it invests rural excursions. The volume on palms takes a wider range, and shows the varieties of this graceful plant prevailing in different parts of the globe. The author appears to be thoroughly master of his subject. His proof sheets were submitted to the veteran Humboldt. We quote a passioa which that distinguished savant, in a letter to the author, states he had read with the greatest pleasure. It follows a description of the Palm house at Kew : Enough has been said to convince the student of palms that the great Conservatory in the Royal Botanic-gardens at Kew is a place worthy of his attention, and a school where much valuable information may be obtained. For the purposes of study, no doubt, a bright sunny day is to be recommended ; but to see the palms to the greatest advantage, in an (esthetic point of view, a dull or rainy day should be selected, especially when the shades of even ing are approaching—a time when they always look best, owing partly in Kew to some local causes, but principally to the fact that the generality of palms are intended for the gloom of the virgin forest, and are therefore, like some pictures, not well adapted for bright and strong lights. If at such a time the visitor will take up his position in the gallery, and cast his eye upon the thick foliage filling the vast area of the building, his thoughts cannot help wander ing to those far-off regions whence the beautiful objects before him have with so much difficulty and care been imported. such reflections, the verdant masses will assume before his mind's eye more extensive dimensions than they actually possegs, become endless forests where strange animals and barbarous people have taken up their abode. The more he looks, the more new beauties, fresh charms, will be revealed ; and the more he reflects, the more uses, the more properties beneficial to mankind, will be dis covered ; until, fully impressed with the grandeur of the subject before hint, he will exclaim :—" What a pity that our northern countries are deprived of palms, plants alike beautiful and useful ! I wonder why this is,—why a country should not be able to supply all the wants of its own people, and thus insure the perfect independence of one nation from another. Why have we to go to Africa for our dates, to America for our cocoa -nuts, and to Asia for our sago?" Nature does nothing without an object, and must, in acti.'g thus, have intended to convey a lesson. What can that lesson be ? A great and glorious one, repeated in all her works, even in the smallest details. She has never lavished on one country all the productions which its inhabitants require, nor heaped, to quote another instance, upon an individual being all the talents and beauties of our species, though she may have been ex tremely liberal, but sown them broadcast over the face of the whole earth, divided them judiciously among the whole race of man. She has, by distributing her gifts in such a manner, wished to point out the mutual dependency of one country or one man upon another, thus practically teaching us peace, humility, love !—the three great watchwords without which human society cannot prosper, and human happiness becomes an impossibility. Both volumes are produced with great care. They are thoroughly genuine, and the most agreeable introductions to the study of the subjects on which they treat that can well be conceived. " Thom's Irish Almanac for 1857 " (2) has as sumed proportions approaching those of " Kelly's London Directory." It is now a volume of 1450 pages, containing an immense mass of idormation on all subjects relating to the trade and social state of Ireland ; and as Ireland is now an integral part of the British empire, this Directory takes in a wide range of imperial subjects, giving the principal statistics of the United Kingdom and colonies, with complete lists of imperial dignities, of the army and navy, of Govern. ment offices, of banks, and other information of analogous character. The statistical department is especially valuable. It is satisfactory to find from a variety of indications that the social state of Ire land is improving, though the decrease of population from emigration does not yet seem to have ceased. The total population, which was 8,173,0003 in 1841, had sunk mainly through the terrible years of famine (1) Popular Hatory of Bnt.sh Lichens. By \V. L. Lludsay, M.D.—Popular tiastory of the Palma and their AUks. By Berthold apeman. ph. D. London : Reeve. (2) MEC s kWh Almanac for 1657. Dublin: Thom and bons. SATURDAY, to 6,551,004) in 1851, and was supposed to ke 6,077,000 in 1856. The tide of emigration has bees remarkable. In 1841 the total number of en grants was only 16,000, nor until 1847 was the total emigre- Lion equal to the increase by births ; but in that year the emigration rose to 215,000, and obtained its highest point in 1851, when it wa5249,000. In MO it bad sunk to 91,000, which would show a decrbase in the number of the people for that year of abovt 30,000. The number of paupers, 2,142,000. is 1849, was only 305,000 in 1855, and the expendi ture in the same years was respectively 2,174,0001: and 685,000/. The criminal convictions have sunk from 10,454 in 1852, to 5,220 in 1855. The total railway receipts amounted to 418,0004 in 1849 and to 999,000/. in 1855. In 1850 the sheep sold at Balli nasloe fair amounted to 51,000, in 1856 to 23,000 ; the horned cattle sold in the former year were 2,000, in. the latter 18,000. The total income of Ireland, which was in 1850 4,413,0001., was in 1856 7,164.,000L. The tonnage of new vessels built was in 1851 only 96i tons, and was in 1855 10,123 tons. These are but a few indications of the progress made by In land in the last few years. If the country be ban preserved from the baneful influence of agitation, we may reasonably hope that the improvement will con tinue. We may add that the continual expansion of this really national volume is not one of the least convincing proofs of the onward movement of Irish enterprise and industry. A " Medical List" (3), just published, supplies a want which must have been long felt in the profes sion. It gives the names of all qualified practi tioners of medicine in both town and country. An alphabetical arrangement of places is adopted, anti the names of practitioners, with their qualifications, are conveniently ranged under each locality. Great. care has evidently been bestowed to make this list as correct as possible. The book contains, besides, much information useful to the medical profession— as a poor-law medical guide, the names of all medical officers in the army, navy, and East India Company'le service ; a compendium of medical universities, col leges, and schools in the United Kingdom ; with lists of wholesale druggists, instrument makers, book sellers, insurance.offices, &c. Mr. Bradshaw, long celebrated for his railway guides, has now issued a "Descriptive Railway Hand book" (4), intended for the use of tourists in all parts of the United Kingdom. In connection with the rail way guide, descriptions are given of each line of railway, and of the several towns and objects of interest in their vicinity, with the names of hotels, banks, money order offices, and such information as the traveller is likely to require either for pleasure or business. Views of remarkable buildings and scenery, and a series of plans of great towns, and maps of picturesque localities—as the lake districts—are given. The compilation appears to be altogether complete and serviceable, and, for its size, is a marvel of cheapness. We recommend that in future editions the monthly guide should be so inserted as that it may be easily taken out and a new one put in its place, as the general contents of the handbook are not of temporary, but of permanent benefit. Dod's book of dignities (5) enters, with this issue, on the seventeenth year of its existence. It is one of the merits of this volume that all the titled classes are included in it, and the statement that it records seventy thousand facts shows the range of its usefulness and the amount of labour expended on its production. We are glad to see that the same care is bestowed on the work by the present editor—a son of Mr. Dod, we presume—which its able and in dustrious originator employed to establish its charac ter and bring it to perfection. An essay on the Camel (6), from the United States' press, agreeably narrates the natural history and characteristics of the animal, and discusses the expediency of naturalising it in the United States, for use in the wide tracts west of the Mississipi to the Pacific. For the commissariat of the States' army the author thinks the camel nsight be ex tremely useful. His arguments have great plausi bility to recommend them, but we can only notice his essay for the complete and amusing history of the camel it supplies. Dr. Hassan, in a bulky well-produced volume (7), enters fully into the large question of the adultera tions of fool, his main purpose being to furnish plain instructions for the discovery of fraudulent adulteration. Such instructions, however, can rarely be available for other than professional persons. He insists on the great use of the microscope as an agent for the detection of impure and foreign sub stances in edible commodities, and in his highly- (3) The Medical List; or, Ediglish Medical Directory for 1.: , 57 London : Lane and Lan. (4) Bradshaw's Descriptive Railway Guide and Illustrated Handbook. London: Adams. (5 ) The Peerage, Baron:lay, and Kaifettage of Great Britain and Irelandfor 1657. By B. I'. bud. Loudon : Whittaker. (e) The Came fly G. P. Marsh. London : Trul,ner and Co. (7) AdiateratiONDficded, P 7 A.ll. gisoall, M.D, PuiloPi 1.044n3014s