The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-06-02

The Popular Science Monthly for June is
a capital No. The article OF Professor
WHITNEY, of Yale College, copied from the
Contemporary Revie,o =" Dire Languages
Institutions '"-is very interesting aud in
structlye. Professor Whitney holds that
the sentimental doctrine Of pathology, at pre-
sent the prevailing one among professional
students, is " founded on the insecure basis
OF combined misappreheusion and cN'gkera-
:ion.' His position is admirably Indicated
in the sentence: " Human language began
when sign making by instinct became sign
making by intention" This seems TO US to
isa tie true doctrine, though we do not be
liave in the development theory" as so
many scientists seem to understand it. We
know that language is developed, and that
words acquire new meanings and new forms,
changing sometimes 50 as to be scarcely re-
cognized, SO far have they dritted away
from the starting-point. But we also
know that no word ever -chapged its
own form. All are changed by men.
Add so we cannot appreciate the logic
has changed bis own form and nature from the
fact that be has changed the folms Of his Ian.
guage. Objective and subjective are not the
same word. DR.. CHARLES &. ABBOTT, OF
New Jersey, contributes al article contain
ing facts deduced from the long and careful
observations of an enthusiast, and theories
that are plausible. He places the starting
point in time of birds migratory movements
not back to the "glacial period }" and sees in
migration simply temporary sojouru in u
distant locality, for the purpose of rearing
offspring In safety, where there is freedom
from enemies and an abundance Of food.
We take no stock in "glacial periods :" but
this article is readable.
DR.. A. F. A. KISe's paper on the "Cou-
servative Design of Organic Disease" though
it may be considered scientific, seems to Us
to be sensational, or rather nonsenscal. What
We call disease il the result sometimes of
Natures efforts to restore the body to health,
but in such cases, If we could 60 o step
further, we would find the disease. At any
rate we are not yet prepared TO admit that il
DR.. KING over to his brethren. They will SCI
him right.
Mr.. JAMES MAcKISTooH has an article or
"The Cyclone in the Universe" aud Mr
JoHN MIcHELs one on "Tbe Microscope anc
It's Neutrality-suspicious." showing how dItli
cult it is to obtain a true image of an objec
when viewed under microscope with bigt
power, aud con aiming suggestions that theo
ries based upon micr0scopcAl research should
not be accepted too readily, and that Ii
the cause OF justice, where life Is at stake
single-handed evidence relating to the micro
scopical examination of apparent blood
stains Should be verified by at least second
person before being received. Other papers
are Miss Z. A. YoUMANs's article on "Toad.
Stools and their Kindred; o chapter on
"Savagism and Ciyiljzatiop," from MIR
HURBEar 81. BAEcRoFr's Native Races oil
the Pac fic States y; also, an extract from the
Complies Readus, showing that more rain
falls on wooded land than on bare and culti'
waited soil. We believe DO such theories.
FiYe.seyentbs Of the surface Of the Garth are
covered with water, and we doubt not thai
IT rains as much in the brosd expanse Of the
Pacific ocean as in the painless forests Of The