The Sun.
London, England, 1862-01-23 00:00:00

LITBR.4TUBE.

The Medical Critic and Psychological Journal.
John Davies, Princes-street, Leicester-square.
This Serial appears likely to maintain a good
position among the numerous publications which
now treat of the human frame in all its mighty
and mysterious aspects of mind and body. Aris-
totle and Galen would be astonished to see our
pamphlets on Physiological Chemistry; our hand-
books on Operative Surgery; and the myriad octavos
and folios dedicated to principles of Anatomy and
investigation of Diagnosis. There is, without ques-
tion, very much put forth under the guise of expe-
rienced and genuine enlightenment on these sub-
jects, which savours more of egotistical vanity or
prejudiced quackery, than of sound, practical judg-
ment and competent skill; and when we find a few
hundred pages devoted to prove the infallible
agency of calomel: whether the purpose of its minis-
tering be to reduce a dislocation or check a fever—
and when we meet with a serious argument held
through a lengthy article, avowing that "salt" i=
now found to take the established bad character of
" idleness" as " the root of all evil ;" why, we feel
induced to exclaim, " Would it not be better, good
Master Leech, that thou shoald'st mend thine own
brain with a patch or two of plain wisdom before
sending it out on the highway to preach to thy
neighbour's rags." As the school of novel" Writ-
ing is overrun with the productions of ladies and
gentlemen who mistake vivid imagination for accu-
rate perception, and inflated verbosity for graphic
power; so is the field of Medical Literature throwing
its weeds of this "fast writing" age to the surface ;
in the shape of countless volumes indited by those
whose talent and knowledge may be safer in con-
nection with the printer than with the
patient. We confess we have little faith
in the " M.D." whose ambition prompts him
to seek immortal fame by means of an abstruse
treatise on "Anatomy, Pathology, and Physiological
Analysis of the Thumb-nail ;" or an elaborate article
on " Microscopic and Comparative investigation of
the Spasmodic and Muscular action connected with
Winking." We have little faith, we say, in much
of the medical pretension which now gallops into
type on the various hobbyhorses of " Speciality,"
" Homoeopathy," Hydropathy, Vegetarianism, and
divers other hacks of showy, but not enduring
breed; and would back the venerable Culpepper
and a sensible old nurse against many a learned
trio of consulting physicians,
Who know so little, and who do so much.
We are glad to perceive that the work before us
preserves a fair amount of common sense and plain
deduction, in conjunction with its scientific and
speculating tendency; moreover, it is not so
strictly professional in its character, but that
subjects of publ:c and general interest hold
a prominent place, and attract readers of all
classes. There are several articles in the
present number which must claim unqualified
praise. That by J. Q. Rumball, on " Instinct and
Reason," presents a combination of evident facts
and broad thoughts, which cannot fail to arouse the
reflective faculties of any who would fain learn
something of the strong and delicate links which
marvellously unite the wisdom of the man and the
intelligence of the brute. It is concise and clear in
its style, forcible in its argument, and very sugges-
tive in its influences. A few pages on " The Street
Folk" are at once pleasant and painful; founded
on Henry Mayhew's " London Labour and the
London Poor," and Mr. Hollingshead's " Ragged
London in 1861." They give an insight into the
existence of metropolitan life and poverty, that poet,
philosopher, or philanthropist could scarcely bring
home to his mind. It is sad to learn all that is re-
vealed in these bo iks, touching the very poor of this
noble and world-famed city. The following is a
well condensed bit of information—
The street folk afford a study of remarkable psychologi-
cal and physiological interest, and Mr. Mayhewhas happily
sketched the many points of comparison which exist be-
tween them and nomadic tribes. "The nomad," he says,
"is distinguished from the civilized man by his repugnance
to regular and continuous labour; by his want of provi-
dence in laying up a store for the future; by his inability
to perceive consequences ever so slightly removed from
immediate apprehension; by his passion for stupifying
herbs and roots, and when possible, for intoxicating liquors;
by his extraordinary powers of enduring privation ; by his
comparative insensibility to pain; by an immoderate love
of gaming, frequently risking his own personal liberty upon
a single cast; by his love of libidinous dances; by the pleasure
he experiences in witnessing the suffering of sentient crea-
tures; by his delight in warfare and all perilous sports ; by
his desire for vengeance ; by the lowness of his notions as
to property; by the absence of chastity among his women,
and his disregard of female honour; and lastly, by his
vague sense of religion, his rude idea of a Creator, and
utter absence of all appreciation of the mercy of the
Divine Spirit." The nomadic races of England include
the vagrants, pickpockets, prostitutes, street-sellers (a large
and important class, the chief agents in retailing food to
the poor), street-performers, cabmen, coachmen, watermen,
&c. The life of these classes partakes more or less of the
vagabond, and in all there is noticed a greater development
of the animal than of the intellectual and moral nature of
man ; they all also (like the nomadic tribes proper) possess
more or less a peculiar physical conformation, use a slang
language, and are distinguished for their lax ideas of pro-
perty, their general improvidence, their repugnance to con-
tinuous labour, their disregard of female honour, their love
of cruelty, their pugnacity, and their utter want of religion.
Happily there are many points of relief in this charac-
ter, points which afford a good ground a hope to the
philanthropist. The street folk are exceedingly susceptible
to kindness, and often among themselves display rare traits
of honesty and self-denial. Mrs. Chisholm lent out at dif-
ferent times among them no less than £160,000, and the
whole of this large sum was returned with the exception of
£l2l Mr. Hollingshead tells of a woman, who works at
clump-box making, picking up an orphan boy from the
streets and giving him a place amongst her own children.
He rightly adds, "Many cases of such self-sacrifice and
large-hearted generosity may be easily found amongst the
poor. The cases of heroic endurance under the most
frightful trials are even more frequent, and they make us
respect these creatures even in their dirt and rags."
" Medical Jurisprudence" and " The State of Lunacy
in Ireland" are both excellent papers, and the
general editing and contents of this periodical
reflect the highest credit on its conductors.

The Boy's Own Library. Vol. I. Wild Sports of
the World. By James Greenwood. S. 0. Becton.
Mr. Greenwood has completed the first volume
of this interesting periodical of natural history and
sport. We have from time to time noticed it
during its monthly publication, and called atten-
tion to the plain and concise manner in which the
description of the animals is furnished, and the
adventures compiled. The habits of the elephant,
and the various ways in which it is captured,
occupy a considerable portion of the work. The
adventures of many celebrated hunters with the
lion, tiger, and other wild beasts are full of inte-
rest. The book is illustrated with several well-
executed engravings and maps, in which the ani-
mals indigenous to various districts are delineated.
There are also several portraits of celebrated
hunters, among whom arc those of Jules Gerard,
the Hon. Grantley Berkeley, Captain Rice, &c.
Mr. Greenwood, although most of the adventures
he narrates are authentic, does not hesitate to give
many interesting legends believed by the natives in
different countries. We quote the following as a
sample, that the reader may form his opinion from
his own judgment :
A marvellous legend concerning a puma is treasured by
the good folks of Buenos Ayres—a legend that for romance
and pathos quite eclipses the world-famed: story of An-
drocles and the Lion ; and I am bound to state that the
most thorough investigation has discovered no reason for
doubting the authenticity of one legend more than the
other.

During the Goverement of Don Diego de Mendoza, in
Paraguay, a direful famine swept the land. A murrain fell
on the cattle, and the hard-hearted earth, lacking the rain's
soft persuasion, refused to yield a single green blade. As
the inhabitants sauntered listlessly through the silent
streets, their garments hung sluttishly on their lean bodies,
and, as they regarded each other with eyes great with hun-
ger, they thought on all they had heard of the way in which
famishing men at sea had ere now assuaged their appetites,
and the more they dwelt on it the more excusable the thing
appeared. That was how the strong, gaunt men viewed
the matter; it is probable, however, if the tender youth of
the city, and the little men who wore constitutionally
plump, had been consulted on the subject, they would
probaly have been of a different way of thinking.
What made the destitution more aggravating was the fact
that out in the country and beyond Don Diego's jurisdic-
tion, there was food in plenty; but the food was in the
hands of the Indians, with whom the Spanish gov_eio'nq
should
reveal at war, and he did not choose that his subjects h
reveal the weakness of his camp by appearing
enemy as lean beggars suing for bread. this end
forbade the people on pain of death to go into the fields in
search of relief, placing soldiers at the outskirts To
he
beforeof the city the
on Many ma et e
walls. At
to shoot down all deserters from the pale banner of hunger
that hung over Don Diego's dominions.
attempt, and were duly brought down by the bullet, much
to the satisfaction of the animated carrion
feathers that perched disconsolatel
donata, cheated tle y
b
last, however, a woman, named Mafled into the open country.
elapsed sol-
diers, vultures, and all,
legend •
but
rewarded
How long a time aendd fi
before her indomitable courage
was with a meal the does not record ,
ge
anngc h she
crept into a cavern, and night came, and
athereMaldonataroucsre ndu
crbheyeq
dut ree required
downao
sttloomd sleep. y
and• by, however, she was
her astonished eyes met
y
meanings, and,
puma pacing up and
those of a great female
raising her head,
the cavern entrance. The puma presently paused in its
uneasy pacing and approached Maldonata with the full in-
tention, as that person naturally supposed, of eating her
but, wonderful to relate, instead of falling on her tooth
and nail it merely applied its tongue, and licked Maldonata's
up ;
hand as a lap-dog might, hers being the lap it was familiar
with. The fact, however, was, the poor puma was about
to become a mother; and when the cubs were born, and
the animal out of its trouble, it still maintained the friendly
spirit it had at first evinced, and signified, as plainly as a
dumb beast could, its desire that Maldonata should con-
tinue
to make herself at home—cheerfully taking upon
itself the whole responsibility of providing food for the en-
tire family.
This state of things continued till the cubs grew up and
went about their business, as did their parent, leaving Mal-
donata to shift for herself. But, venturing abroad, she
speedily fell into the hands of the soldiers, who brought
her back to Buenos Ayres, and took her before Don Francis
Ruez de Galen, who then commanded in Mendoza's stead.
" Take her," said Do Galen, who was a man of coarse and
bloody mind, " take her into the forest and bind her to a
tree; as to her death, let starvation and the wild beasts