We would here remark that this result must depend on the nature and value of the letterpress with which the plates shall be accompanied; otherwise we think that forty picturesque views can do little to. wards raising the structure of a County History: nor will they, if drawn on stone, be afterwards available for insertion in such a work. The most effectual method of promoting County Histories, as it appears to us, will be found to be this, -to print, by subscription, a small impression of such materials as are of frequently recurring use, as Sir R. C. Hoare did for Wiltshire in his Repertorium Wiltunense; and with the addition of county documents and records not printed by the Record Commissions, to place such collections in the hands of several gentlemen of talent and leisure in each county, to fill up their lacunæ, and to work out more minute researches in their own neighbourhoods. To make collections

at the County Library is an excellent method; but the spirit of collection should be kept alive by occasional printing and circulation of the most useful materials.

FOREIGN LITERARY INTELLIGENCE.

A Translation of Dr. Buckland's Bridgewater Treatise has appeared at Paris, in 2 vols. 8vo. by M. Doyère; and an abridgement of the same, by M. Joly.

M. Marcel de Serres, a well-known Geologist, has just published a work on the Cosmogony of Moses, compared with the fact of Geology.

M. Rénouard, son of the celebrated bookseller, has just published a work on the Rights of Authors, in Literature, Science, and the Fine Arts.

The Russian Government has just published a magnificent volume in folio, of Observations by Professor Struve, of Dorpat, on the system of Double Stars. These observations extend from 1824 to 1837, and were made with one of Frauenhoffer's largest and most perfect instruments.

Philadelphia has become quite the Leipzig of America. A Book Fair is held every year, in the spring, and booksellers from all parts of the Union then assemble. This year there were present 113 venders, and 130 purchasers.

M. Letronne, one of the first Greek Scholars and Antiquaries in France, has announced, in the Journal des Savans, that some of the Egyptian papyri, possessing great interest, may possibly be published. But, with one exception, he has not stated the subjects of his discoveries; this exception consists of inedited fragments of Thespis, Ibycus, Sappho, Ana

creon, Pindar, Euripides, Timotheus, &c. found in a Treatise on Logic, in which these fragments, consisting only of one or two verses, are given as examples. The MS. is of the second or third century before Christ-a degree of antiquity belonging to only a very few of the papyri hitherto discovered in Egypt.

The French papers tell us that a Sig. Guglielmo Marzano has published, in the Venice Gazette, of the 14th of September, an important discovery which he has made in searching through the private archives of the town of Bologna. He professes to be able to prove that La Pucelle d'Orléans belonged to the old family of the Marquis Ghislieri, that she was the daughter of Ferrante Ghislieri, who was obliged to fly from Bologna in the year 1401, when Giovanni Bentivoglio usurped the sovereign power in that republic.

A new Society has been formed in France, to be called the "Société Française pour la propagation et le Progrès des Sciences Naturelles." Those who belong to it take shares, and its objects are, 1st, to generalize and facilitate the public instruction of natural sciences; 2ndly, to render the taste for these sciences an object of popular study; and 3rdly, to assist even savans in their pursuits, by regulating classification and nomenclature. The principal centre of this Society will be in Paris, but it will have auxiliary Societies in Marseilles, Nantes, Havre, Strasbourg, Clermont, and the Pyrenees.

The Emperor of Russia has founded a Professorship in the University of Kasan, for the purpose of teaching the Chinese language. The archimandrite, Daniel, who has resided at Pekin, has been appointed to it, and a great number of Chinese books and MSS. have been purchased by the government. There are now four Professors of Oriental languages in this university; the three others being for the Persian, Arabic, Turkish, Tartar, and Mongolian tongues.

King Louis Philippe has sent the decoration of Commander of the Legion of Honour to the celebrated traveller, Baron Alexander von Humboldt, and also to the Genevese botanist, M. de Candolle. He has not confined his honours to men of science, for he has sent the same mark of distinction to Prince Puckler Moskau; MM. Blumenbach, Heeren, and Creutzer, Professors at the Universities of Goettingen and Heidelberg, have been made Chevaliers of the same order.

A catalogue of the MSS. in the Senatorial Library of the city of Leipzig, has lately appeared. The assistance of scholars, versed in every department of lite, rature, has been procured, to render this work as Satisfactory satisfactory as possible, by the accurate description of the various MSS.Aberdeen, 28-Glasgow, 21-Edinburgh, 30-Dublin, 29-Cambridge, 49-Oxford, 32. The sixth table was a summary of the preceding.

The third volume of the Travels of the celebrated Niebuhr, in Arabia, which was in the press at Copenhagen nearly sixty years ago, but destroyed by a fire in the printing office, is now again in the press at Hamburgh.

Twenty years ago Ritter published the first edition of his Geography of Eastern Asia, in one middle sized 8vo. volume; now the work has increased to six huge volumes, each containing from 1000 to 1200 pages. No other language contains such a mass of valuable materials on Asia, collected and arranged by a man of first rate acquirements.

In a review of twelve different editions of Thucydides, carried on through several numbers of the Berlin Jahrbücher der wissenschaftliche Kritik for October 1837, Dr. Arnold's is described as by far the most remarkable of all that have appeared out of Germany; and the reviewer states that Dr. A. stands alone among the foreign editors who have commented on Thucydides, in his knowledge of all that has been done by German scholars for the illustration of that author.

AnalectaGrammatica, maximam partem Anecdota, 2 parts, royal 8vo. Vienna, 1837. Two books of Claudus Sacerdos, and several productions of the grammarian Probus, are now published, for the first time, in this collection, of which they form the chief part. Critical and explanatory notes are added, with an ample index, a literary and historical introduction, and fac-similes from the very old and celebrated MS. which is in the Imperial Library of Bobbio. The whole supplies an important gap in Roman philology.

A splendid work on Painting on Glass, embracing specimens from the twelfth century to the present time, is announced at Paris by F. de Lasteyrie. The work will be completed in about thirty folio livraisons, at 36 francs each.

A curious work on the trades and professions of Paris, drawn up in the thirteenth century, and known under the name of the "Livre des Métiers d'Etienne Boileau," is now published entire, from a MS. in the King's Library and the Archives of the Kingdom, with notes and an introduction, by G. B. Depping, in one vol. 4to.

A new edition is announced by M. Pauthier, of Basile de Glencona's Chinese and Latin Dictionary. It will be in imperial 8vo. (the former was in folio), and will be revised, corrected, and enlarged. (Oxford Herald.)

UNIVERSITIES.

The following are the most important particulars of the "Statistical Illustrations of the Principal Universities of Great Britain and Ireland," communicated to the British Association by the Rev. H. L. Jones.

The books used in compiling these Statistical Tables, were the Oxford, Cambridge, and University Calendars for 1838, and the Report on the Scotch Universities, presented to the House of Commons in 1831: besides this, much private information had been used in determining the value of fellowships, the number of members resident, &c. The College Revenues of Oxford, Cambridge, and Dublin, were minutely detailed, and the result may be thus stated :

To found a Professorship of the Irish language at Trinity College, Dublin, the sum of 1,300l. has been already subscribed, including 100l. from the Lord Primate, and 501. from the Archbishop of Tuam. The Board of Fellows will give chambers and 501. a-year to the Professor. About 400l. more will complete this desirable object.

BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE.

The Eighth meeting of this Association was opened at Newcastle on Saturday the 18th of August. The Earl of Burlington, the President of last year, being absent on the continent, Professor Whewell, V. P. took the chair; when the Secretary, the Rev. J. Yates, read the Report of the Council. It announced that a further addition had been made to the funded property of the institution, which now amounted to 5,500l. 3 per cent. consols. The Council stated, that it had not fulfilled the recommendation of the Association, in procuring a report on the effects of Voltaic and Thermal Electricity in Crystallization, &c. on account of the difficulty of finding a person fully qualified to superintend the inquiries and experiments necessary for the elucidation of such a subject. The question of International Copyright it had resigned to her Majesty's Government, and it congratulated the Association on the recent passing of a law, completely in accordance with the recommendations of the Association. The Council lamented the loss of two foreign members, Professor Moll, of Utrecht, and Dr. Bowditch, of Boston; and announced the election of two new foreign Associates, Professors Dumas and Liebig. The astronomical observations made at Madras had been given for the use of the Association by the East India Company; and the reports of the Tidal Observations made at the expense of the Association had been placed in the custody of the Royal Society. The Council had taken into consideration the subject of petitioning Parliament to remit the assessed taxes on the buildings belonging to literary and philosophical institutions, and had resolved not to interfere in the

matter.

The following list of the officers of sections, recommended by the Council, was approved of by the meeting:

Section A.-Mathematics and Physics; meeting in the Lecture-room of the Philosophical Society. President, Sir John

Herschel; Vice-Presidents, Sir David Brewster, Sir William Hamilton, Rev. Dr. Robinson, and Mr. F. Baily; Secretaries, Major Sabine, Rev. Professor Chevalier, and Professor Stevelly.

Section B.-Chemistry and Mineralogy; in the County Court.-President, Rev. W. Whewell; Vice-Presidents, Dr. T. Thomson, and Dr. Daubeny; Secretaries, Dr. Miller, Dr. Apjohn, and Mr. Richardson of Newcastle.

Section C.-Geology and Geography; in the Music Hall.-President, Professor Lyell for Geology, and Lord Prudhoe for Geography; Vice-President, Dr. Buckland; Secretaries, Mr. Trevelyan, Major Portlock, and Captain Washington.

Section D.-Zoology and Botany; in the County Court.-President, Sir Wm. Jardine; Vice-Presidents, Dr. Greville, the Rev. L. Jenyns, and the Rev. F. W.

Hope; Secretaries, Mr. G. E. Gray, F.R.S., Professor Owen, and Dr. Richard

We shall first give a condensed account of the principal papers read in the different sections throughout this scientific congress; and afterwards notice the general meetings and other occurrences.

SECTION A. MATHEMATICS AND PHYSICS.

Monday. Prof. Stevelly (one of the Secretaries) first read the following reports:

1. That the Committee appointed to represent to Government the importance of reducing the Greenwich Observations on the Moon, had waited on the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and that the sum of 2,000l. had been appropriated for that purpose, which was placed at the disposal of the Astronomer Royal, who had undertaken to superintend the reductions.

2. That the Reduction of the Stars, intended to form the enlarged catalogue of the Royal Astronomical Society, was in progress: that a small portion only of the original sum appropriated had been expended, but that, in all probability, the whole would be required in the course of the ensuing year.

3. That the reduction of the Stars in the Histoire Céleste, &c. was now in progress: that a small portion only of the sum appropriated had been expended, but that the whole amount would be required.

4. That the Sub-committee, appointed to arrange the establishment of an Observatory at Liverpool, had laid a plan before the local authorities, who approved of the proposed arrangement, and expressed their readiness to carry it into effect as soon as the necessary power could be obtained from Parliament.

Lieut.-Col. Reid, R.E. then read 'A Report explaining the Progress made towards developing the Law of Storms, and a statement of what seems desirable should be further done to advance our knowledge of the subject.'

Sir John Herschel laid before the Section, - 1. "Reduced Observations of 1232 Nebulæ and Clusters of Stars, made in the years 1834, 5, 6, 7, 8, at the Cape of Good Hope, with the 20-feet reflector; 2. Reduced Observations of 1192 Double Stars of the Southern Hemisphere; 3. Micrometrical Measures of 407 principal Double Stars of the Southern Hemisphere, made at the Cape, with a 7-feet achromatic equatorial telescope; 4. A list of the approximate places of 15 Planetary and Annular Nebulæ of the Southern Hemisphere, discovered with the 20-feet reflector; and 5. Drawings illustrative of the appearance and structure of 3 principal Nebulæ in the Southern Hemisphere."

Tuesday. The first paper read, was "An Account of a Level Linc measured from the Bristol Channel to the English Channel, during the years 1837-8, by Mr. Bunt, under the direction of a Committee of the British Association," drawn up by the Rev. W. Whewell, one of the committee. Then followed, A Note on the effect of Deflected Currents of Air on the quantity of Rain, collected by a Rainguage by Prof. A. D. Bache of Philadelphia; and papers-On the Climate of North America, by Dr. Daubeny; -On some points connected with the Theory of Light, by Prof. Powell; and On the construction of a portable Mercurial Pendulum, by Mr. Dent.

Wednesday. Prof. Whewell made a Report on the Discussions of Tides, performed under his directions, by means of the grant of money made for the purpose by the Association; Mr. Russell, of Edinburgh, brought up the Report of the Committee (consisting of Sir John Robinson and himself) on Waves; Sir D.

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Brewster read a paper on some Preparations of the Eye, by Mr. Clay Wallace, of New York; and another on a new kind of Polarity in Homogeneous Light, by himself; Sir W. R. Hamilton made a communication relative to the Propagation of Light in vacuo; Sir J. Herschel, a Note on the structure of the vitreous humour of the Eye of the Shark; and Mr. Ball, of C. C. Cambr. a paper, On the meaning of the arithmetical symbols for Zero and Unity, when used in general symbolical algebra.

Thursday. On Subterranean Temperature; and a notice of a Brine Spring, near Kissingten, Bavaria, which emits carbonic acid gas, by Prof. Forbes; A description of a Substitute for the Mountain Barometer in measuring Heights, by Sir John Robison; A communication respecting Halley's Comet, by Sir John Herschel; On a new phenomenon of colour in certain specimens of Fluor Spar, by Sir D. Brewster; On the Helm Wind of Crossfell, by the Rev. J. Watson; On the variation of the quantities of Rain which falls in different parts of the Earth, by Dr. Smith; On Binocular Vision, and on the Stereoscope, an instrument for illustrating its phenomena, by Prof. Wheatstone (whose invention was highly commended by Sir D. Brewster and Sir John Herschel); and on a general Geometric Method, by the Rev. Charles Graves, F.T.C.D.

Friday. Sir T. M. Brisbane reported the result of an experiment to determine the difference of Longitude between London and Edinburgh. A letter was read, On the means adopted for correcting the local Magnetic Action of the Compass in iron steam ships, by G. B. Airy, esq. Astronomer Royal; which was followed by a paper entitled, "Recalculation of the observations of the Magnetic Dip and Intensity in Ireland, with additional elements," by Prof. Lloyd; a report on the Magnetic Survey of the British Islands, by Major Sabine; four distinct papers on Vision, Light, and Diffraction, by Sir D. Brewster; Some remarks on the propagation of Light in Chrystals, by Sir W. R. Hamilton; A description of an ancient Compass and Astronomical Box, belonging to the Duke of Northumberland; A report of Meteorological Observations made at Plymouth, by Mr. Snow Harris ; and some other communications of a like character by other members.

SECTION B. CHEMISTRY AND MINE

RALOGY.

Monday. The following papers were read: On a native Diarseniate of Lead, found at Caldbeck Fell, Cumberland, by Thomas Thomson, M.D. Prof. of Chemistry, Glasgow; Observations on the constitution of the Commercial Carbonate of Ammonia, by Mr. Scanlan; On the blackening of Nitrate of Silver by Light, by the same; An Examination of Sphene, by Mr. Thomas Richardson; On the specific gravities of Nitrogen, Oxygen, Hydrogen, and Chlorine; and of the vapours of Carbon, Sulphur, Arsenic, and Phosphorus, by Mr. Thomas Exley; and, A qualitative analysis of the waters of the Dead Sea, by Mr. Murray.

Tuesday. On some salts of Mercury, in which Chlorine and Cyanogen enter as component parts, by Mr. West; On Diabetic Sugar, by Dr. T. Thomson; On a new case of Chemical action of Light, in the decoloration of recent solutions of Caustic Potass of commerce, and on the nature of the colouring matter, by Mr. Robert Mallet; On a new process for the extraction of Silver from Lead, by Mr. H. Pattinson (who stated that the quantity of Lead raised annually in England and Wales was about 45,500 tons, the whole of which contains Silver, at the average rate of about 5 oz. per ton); Observations on some of the products of the action of Nitric Acid upon Alcohol, by Golding Bird, M.D.; On the possibility of obtaining, by voltaic action, crystalline metals, intermediate between the poles or electrodes, by the same; and, On a a blue pigment submitted to the Section last year by Dr. Traill, by Mr. R. Phillips.

Wednesday. A Note on the constitution of Salts, by Prof. Graham; On the influence of Voltaic Combination on Chemical Action, by Dr. Andrews; a report, by Mr. R. Mallet, of the experiments, instituted at the command and with the funds of the Association, "On the Action of Sea and River Water, whether clear or foul, and at various temperatures, upon Iron, both cast and wrought," by himself and Prof. E. Davy, of Dublin;" and the last paper read was one "On the construction of apparatus for solidifying Carbonic Acid, and on the elastic force of Carbonic Acid Gas in contact with the liquid form of the Acid at different temperatures," by Mr. Robert Addams.

Thursday. On the foreign substances contained in Iron, by Thomas Thomson, M.D.; On some exceptions to the law of Isomorphism, by Prof. Johnston; On the decomposition which is produced by the action of Emulsin on Amygdalin, by Dr. R. D. Thomson and Mr. T. Richardson; On Chemical Combinations produced in consequence of the presence of bodies which remain to continue the process, by Mr. Exley; On a new process for TanGENT. MAG. VOL. X.

ning, by Mr. W. Herapath; On the best method of promoting the absorption of Muriatic Acid by Water; On the appli. cation of Gas obtained from Water to the manufacture of Iron, by Mr. J. S. Dawes ; and a Description of an improvement in the construction of the Reflective Goniometer, by which it is rendered portable, by Prof. Miller.

Friday. On Galactin, by Thomas Thomson, M.D.; On Lieut. Morrison's instru

ment for measuring the Electricity of the Atmosphere; On the formation of crystals of silver, by the contact of brass with nitrate of silver, by Mr. J. C. Blackwell; On the Resin of Gamboge and its Salts, by Prof. Johnston; On a new compound of Carbon and Hydrogen, by Mr. Maugham; On the Fusion of Platinum, by Prof. Hare, of Philadelphia.

SECTION C. GEOLOGY AND GEOGRAPHY.

Monday. In Geology, -A description of a Bone Cavern, containing human bones (including nine skulls) with those of animals, on the summit of one of the Mendip hills, by Mr. Walter Long; a very elaborate description of the Newcastle Coal-field, by Mr. John Buddle.

In Geography, - Recent intelligence respecting the Frozen Ground in Siberia, by Prof. Von Baer, of St. Petersburgh.

Tuesday. In Geology, - An abstract was read of the remainder of Mr. Buddle's important memoir, which is illustrated throughout with a profusion of accurate drawings. It was succeeded by a paper, On some vertical lines of flint traversing horizontal strata of chalk, near Norwich, by Mr. Lyell; and a short notice of Lunar Volcanoes, by Mr. T. W. Webbe.

In Geography, -A memoir of a Mandingo, formerly servant to Mungo Park, by Capt. Washington, R.N.; A sketch of the recent Russian expeditions to Novaïa Semlïa, by Prof. Von Baer; and An account of the new Government Map of Mexico, by Lieut. Col. Velasquez de Leon.

Wednesday. On the recent expeditions to the Antarctic Seas, by Capt. Washington, R.N.

In Geology,-An account of a geological map and sections of the border counties of England and Wales, by R. I. Murchison, esq.; An account of a geological map of Ireland, by Mr. Griffith; On the Stratification of Rocks, by Mr. Liethart, of Newcastle; and, On the occurrence of Marine Shells over the remains of Terrestrial Mammalia in Cefn Cave, Denbighshire.

Thursday. On the Geology and Thermal Springs of North America, by Dr. Daubeny; On the structure of Fossil

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