well known for his researches into the radiation of heat, and for the soundness and originality of his views. His death is a real loss to science.

The Commissioners of the Great Exhibition of 1851 have sent a circular to the authorities of the free museums throughout the kingdom, offering" to present to them collections of illustrative samples, amounting to some hundreds of specimens, and consisting chiefly of raw produce, taken from the trade collection." To which may be added the fact, that thirty-five certificates for proficiency have been granted by the Government Department of Science and Art to as many students. Is not this a sign that the schools are progressing?

may hope that it will be found possible to detect differences of the earth's action upon them, at the surface and far below it. These differences being determined, will furnish data for calculating the effect of different strata, Captain Galton's report of railways, just and show what is to be allowed for geological published, shows the total length of finished structure, and what for density. Although railway in the United Kingdom in 1853 to these experiments may not solve the whole have been 7686 miles, leaving more than 3000 question, it is impossible not to wish them suc- miles still to be made. Nearly 6000 miles of cess, when we remember of what importance the amount are in England. The total receipts the answer will be to astronomical science. in the same year were £18,035,872; and the A curious experiment has been made in number of passengers 102,286,660-being France, apparently to show that swallows can 13,000,000 more than in 1852. It is worthy be made to do the work of carrier-pigeons; of remark, that while the first and second for in these days of telegraph wires, any other class receipts show a decrease, those from third object seems to be out of the question. Six class passengers present a considerable inswallows were carried to Vienna, where, a crease. Perhaps it is for this reason that the slip of paper, bearing a written communica- third class carriages on the Great Western tion, having been tied under the breast of Railway are now improved into most comforteach, they were let loose to find their way able and convenient vehicles. back again. It was seven in the morning when they started; two reached Paris at one in the afternoon of the same day; a third, between two and three; and the last, at four; while two of the six never made their appearance at all. Leaving this fact to speak for itself, and be accepted for what it may seem worth, we go on to remark that a project is talked of for laying a submarine wire from Corfu, or Cephalonia, to some Dalmatian port. Another attempt is being made to carry a wire from Holyhead to Howth; and six of our principal dockyards are in direct telegraphic communication with the Admiralty offices in Captain Penny's whaling-expedition to DaLondon. Again has an attempt been made to vis's Strait, which we mentioned at the time send a signal through water without a wire; this of its sailing, has proved completely successful. time, at Portsmouth, where it was attended It was undertaken with a view to see whether with partial success. The thing has often been a resident establishment would not prove tried a few years ago, a couple of savans more profitable than the ordinary mode of fishmight have been seen sending their messages ing, and the two vessels which sailed in July across those minor lakes known to Londoners last year, wintered at Kumsooka; and now as Hampstead ponds. It must not be reckoned the captain has come home with one of his among the impossibilities. An Aeronautical ships, and the other is following-both full Society is on the tapis-to experiment on, and investigate the possibilities of aerial navigation. Not yet, we fancy, will Tennyson's vision of "argosies with magic sails" gliding through the heavens be realized. In a freestone quarry at Airdrie, nearly forty feet below the surface, a fossil tree has been found, The Commissioners of the Irish Fisheries, with roots in some parts six feet thick. Some in their Report for 1853, give some particulars fossilized nuts were picked up in the same respecting the artificial production of salmon, place, forming altogether a most interesting which we have much pleasure in repeating prize for geologists. Dr. Livingston, who, a here, as helping on a work the success of year or two ago, made a remarkable exploration which will add so largely to the food resources in Eastern Africa, has just been heard of at a of the nation. Having considered that the place in Angola, 150 miles from the coast, to persons who rear the young salmon in the which he had travelled through the interior spawning-beds, should not lose the reward for from the Cape of Good Hope. If this be their trouble on the migration of the fry to the true, the worthy missionary will have made salt water, the commissioners suggested the one of the most successful journeys on record. Among the victims of cholera, we regret to see the name of Signor Melloni of Naples, so

of oil, valued at £8000. There are deposits of plumbago and other minerals near the settlement, and it is possible that in time these may come to be worked in conjunction with the fishery, though it is but an inhospitable region for colonists.

formation of a reservoir on the margin of the sea at Kingstown, which appears to have been effected, for they say: 'This may be termed a

sea-pond, 200 feet long by about 50 feet wide, things, should be at this time of day so arrantly and 6 feet deep at low-water. A rise of 6 or stupid and credulous as to believe in the far7 feet occurs at every tide, flowing in through rago of sense and nonsense of which this queer a grating placed across the entrance to confine document is composed. We shall endeavor the fish within. We took fry from the fresh to give our readers some notion of it — no waters of the Liffey and Bray rivers, at the light task.

proper age and migratory state, and have The life and soul of the insurrection is one transferred them to this pond, where they can Yang-seusing, whose title, according to the now be seen daily. They are watched by translation, is the "Eastern Prince." This many persons anxious for the result of this ex-personage is a prophet. Whenever convenient periment, and appear to be thriving well, and to him, he falls into a trance, whereupon he have increased considerably in size. has communion with the Deity, who, like a

Very small fish pass in through the grating Hindu Avatar, descends on earth to reveal his from the harbor, and the young salmon are will to him. The women of his own family seen feeding upon them. If,' continue the (so many Ayeshas), are implicit believers in commissioners and we gladly support their his divine mission, and are instruments emsuggestion if this experiment should suc-ployed to inculcate its truth. The other chiefs ceed in demonstrating that salmon may be thus of the insurrection are also either believers or successfully kept under control, until they connivers. All this is very much after the attain to a size rendering them valuable in an edible point of view, innumerable enclosures may be made around the coast, varying in extent according to circumstances; and by these means, the artificial production of salmon may become of vast importance.

From the Examiner.

manner of the inspirations of the Arabian prophet, though the Chinese want the hot enthusiasm, the enterprise, the courage, and the poetry of the early Moslems.

But now comes the emperor on the scene. The prophet and his associates appear to have fabricated this emperor for the nonce, very much after the fashion that bees are said to do a queen when they have lost their old one; and naturally he appears to be a little better THE PROTESTANTISM OF CHINA. than a puppet in the hands of the prophet. As soon as the first news of the conversion of But let us give each his due designation. The the insurgents of China reached us, we ex-respective rank of the chief parties who enact pressed our disbelief in it. We had not a par- the strange and to us very indecent drama, ticle of faith in the miracle by which the dis-appears to be expressed by the domestic relaciples of Fo, Confucius, and " the Queen of tion of elder and younger brothers, while the "Heaven," were represented as having sud-Supreme Being is designated the "Heavenly denly adopted -no one knew by what agency Father," a term obviously translated from the the rational religion of Protestant Europe; Gospel. The first elder brother in rank is for we knew that the Chinese, though the Jesus; the second the Celestial King, that is most industrious, are at the same time the most the Emperor; the third, the Heir Apparent; conceited, the most sensual, and the least im- and the fourth, the Eastern Prince, that is, the pressible people of all Asia. The translation Prophet himself. The Northern Prince," of a State paper of the insurgents, brought and other officers, are the "younger brothers." over by the last India mail, now lets us into the true character of the new religion; and it turns out to be no more Protestantism, or any other form of rational Christianity, than is the superstition of the gross and barbarous Abyssinians, who were nominal Christians for centuries before the conversion of the AngloSaxons, the Franks, or the Normans, the forefathers of the now most polished nations of Europe.

Here, as a sample, is an account of the first descent of the Deity, premising, as to the date religion seem to have adopted the Jewish, inof the transaction, that the framers of the new stead of the Christian sabbath, whether by mistake or design does not appear.

On the morning of the 25th December, 1853, being the day of worship, the Northern Prince, accompanied by the Marquis Tingtheen, the Minister of State, and other officers, came to the palace of the Eastern Prince, (the Prophet) to pay their compliments and to deliberate on the affairs of Government. When the deliberations ral) with all the officers, knelt down and exclaimwere completed, the Northern Prince (the Gene

The State paper in question is of great bulk; but it is a big bushel of chaff, with but a very few grains of corn in it. One wonders indeed how a people who invented paper, printing, and porcelain, the discoverers of tea, of the arts of fabricating a beautiful tissue from ed, "May your highness the Eastern Prince enthe entrails of a caterpillar, and of manufac-then commanded the Northern Prince to rejoy felicity and repose!" The Eastern Prince turing sugar from a grass, and who did all this turn to his palace, and all the officers to retwo thousand years ago, when Greeks and pair to their official residences, after which the Romans were completely ignorant of such Eastern Prince retired to his inner palace. In

a short time the Heavenly Father came down in- down and shouted, "May your Highness enjoy to the world, and summoned Yangshway-keaou, abundant longevity! We beseech you. the EastHoo-kan-keaou, Tan-wan-mei, and Sang-wan- ern Prince, tranquilly to ascend your sedan chair." mei, saying, "Do all you young women come The Eastern Prince then commanded the Northforward and listen to the commands of me, the ern Prince and all the officers to go first to Court. Heavenly Father." (ladies of the Prophet's Fa- The Northern Prince was about to proceed thimily). Yangshway-keaou, together with the ther accordingly, when he suddenly addressed female chamberlains, then approached into the the Chamberlain of the Northern Palace, saying, presence of the Heavenly Father, and kneeling Do you quickly go to the sedan of the Eastern down, inquired, saying, "since the Heavenly Fa- Prince, and request the favor of his instructions, ther has taken the trouble to come down into the as to whether we are first to go to the Hall of world, we young women have all come forward Audience, or to enter straight into the door of reverently to listen to the Heavenly Father's sa- the palace." The Chamberlain, receiving this cred commands, and to solicit his instructions." charge, went immediately to. the sedan of the The Heavenly Father then manifested consider- Eastern Prince, and requested one of the serable displeasure, and for some time would not vants of the Eastern Palace to obtain and comspeak. The female officers implored, saying, municate to him the wishes of his master. The "The moving of our Heavenly Father to take servant said, "The Eastern Prince is enjoying the trouble to come down into our world is to be repose in the sedan, and I do not dare to disturb ascribed to the faults of his sons and daughters, him." The Chamberlain of the Northern Palace, whose transgressions are multiplied. We, there hearing that the Eastern Prince was enjoying refore, earnestly beseech our Heavenly Father's pose, did not presume to repeat the inquiry, but forgiveness, and entreat the removal of his dis- hastened back to inform the Northern Prince.pleasure, for which we pray, and pray again, with The Northern Prince hearing that the Eastern all imaginable earnestness." The Heavenly Fa- Prince was enjoying repose, hastily descended ther then said, " Since you little ones are sen- from his sedan and proceeded on foot to the midsible of your faults, do you immediately call dle of the road, where he knelt down and inquiyour Northern Prince to come hither and listen red, saying, "Has the Heavenly Father troubled to my commands." The female chamberlains himself to come down into this world again?" then replied, "We will obey the Heavenly Fa- To which the Heavenly Father replied in the ther's sacred commands." The female chamber- affirmative, telling the Northern Prince to convey lains then hastened out of the door of the second the sedan into the Hall of Audience. The Northpalace, and sounded the drum, announcing the ern Prince replied, "I will obey the injunctions descent of the Heavenly Father, and informing of the Heavenly Father," whereupon he hastily the male chamberlains that the Northern Prince commanded the female officers of the Court to had been summoned into his presence. The inform the Celestial King of the circumstance, male chamberlains, in obedience to the orders which done, he, together with the Ministers of given, went immediately to the Northern Palace State and the other officers, conveyed the sedan to make this announcement. The Northern of the Eastern Prince within the gates of the paPrince then came to the Eastern Palace to listen lace. The Celestial King, Thae-ping-wang, havto the sacred commands of the Heavenly Father, ing heard the message which the female officers who had come down into the world. The Heaven- brought from the Northern Prince, intimating ly Father also commanded the female Minister that the Heavenly Father had taken the trouble of State, Yangshway-keaou, and Hoo-kan-mei, to come down into the world, hastily went on saying, "Before the arrival of your Northern foot to the second gate of the palace, to receive Prince I command you to take my sacred will, the Heavenly Father. The last named, on his and announce it to your Eastern Prince, com- arrival, was angry with the Celestial King, saymanding him to go to court, and inform youring, "Sewtseuen! You are very much in fault; Lord, the Celestial King, that my appearance is on account of the impetuous disposition of your Lord, the Celestial King. Since he is of the same nature with myself, he ought to be as forbearing as myself."

On one occasion, the Celestial King, for some offence or another not named, but probably for some irregularities in his household, is threatened with the Chinese panacea of the bamboo, and escapes the infliction only by a full admission of his un-named sins. The following is the account given of the interposition of the Deity in this matter:

are you aware of it?" The Celestial King kneeling down with the Northern Prince and all the officers, replied, saying, "Your unworthy son knows that he is in fault, and begs the Heavenly Father graciously to forgive him."The Heavenly Father then said, with a loud voice, "Since you acknowledge your fault, you must be beaten with forty blows." At that time the Northern King and all the officers prostrated themselves on the ground, and, weeping, implored the Heavenly Father to manifest his favor, and remit the punishment which their master had deserved, offering to receive the blows themselves in the stead of the Celestial King. The Celestial King said, "Do not my younger breThe Eastern Prince again said, "The Heaven-thren rebel against the will of our Heavenly Faly Father has made known his sacred will com- ther? since our Heavenly Father has of his goodmanding us all to go to Court; we ought, there-ness condescended to instruct us, I, your elder fore, to proceed thither immediately." Having brother, can do no less than receive the correcsaid this, he told them to wait a little, and the tion." The Heavenly Father would not listen Northern Prince, together with the officers, knelt to the request of the officers, but still insisted on

the blows being given to the Celestial King, ple, will not dare to do anything rashly. From whereupon the Celestial King replied, "Your un- henceforth, therefore, I, your elder brother, will worthy son will comply with your requisition;" in every case consult with you, my younger broand, so saying, he prostrated himself to receive ther, before I proceed to act. It will have the the blows. The Heavenly Father then said, effect also of inducing future Princes to imitate "Since you have obeyed the requisition, I shall their predecessors, and consult with virtuous not inflict the blows: but those women, Shih- Ministers before they decide on action, by ting-lan and Yang-chang-mei, must both be sent which means they may possibly prevent misto the palace of the Eastern Prince, and stay takes." along with the Imperial relatives, to enjoy Royal The Eastern Prince also said." This suggesease and tranquillity. There is no necessity for tion is not what I, your younger brother, could their aiding in the business of the state. The have thought of spontaneously; it is solely in elder and younger Chow-kew-choo, having for- consequence of the regeneration of mind confermerly attained to a degree of merit, may also red by our Heavenly Father and celestial elder enjoy ease and tranquillity. With regard to other brother: it is also to be ascribed to the kind conmatters, you can wait till your brother Yang-sideration displayed by you, my second elder sew-tsing sends up his report." Having said brother." this, the Heavenly Father returned to heaven.

The translator gives a note in explanation of this transaction, which is equally an explanation of the other inspirations of the Prophet.

The Celestial King further said,-" What you have now suggested is very right; let it be recorded, therefore, for the instruction of future ages, that throughout all generations sovereigns and subjects may act according to this plan, and thus, perhaps, the intention of our Heavenly Father in fostering human life will be perpetually displayed, and the spirit of gentleness and tranquillity be handed down, world without end."

The Eastern Prince said, "In this way, also, the intelligent virtue of you, my second elder brother, will be everlastingly established, and your example will be truly lovely and worthy of imitation."

The Eastern Prince (the Prophet), says he, it appears had seated himself in his sedan, and was about to proceed to the Court of Thae-pingwang, when it was said, all of a sudden, that he was enjoying repose; which means, that he had fallen into a trance. While in that state it is pretended that the Heavenly Father had taken possession of his body, and, without the individual affected being conscious of the fact, he says and does things which are supposed to be the The Eastern Prince further said,-" All you sayings and doings of the Heavenly Father.- who are officers, when you meet with inferior The Northern Prince seems to have been aware officers coming to report some case to you in a of the supposed possession as soon as he heard of respectful manner, no matter whether he be in the repose of the Eastern Prince, and therefore the right or not, you should wait until he has realighted from his chair, knelt down in the middle ported it clearly; you must not, on any account, of the road, and asked if the Heavenly Father while he is in the middle of his report, on finding had come down. The colloquy that ensued was some impropriety in his expressions, bawl out between the Eastern Prince (personating the and rail at him until he lose his presence of Heavenly Father) and the Northern Prince. The mind, for when people get alarmed they are liketrance over, exhaustion succeeded, and the East- ly to commit more errors. But you must wait ern Prince was informed of what had happened, until he has done speaking, and then quietly tell of which he himself pretended to be uncon-him what is right. If you do not, it is to be scious. Such pretended possessions are common in China.

But besides these special revelations, it would seem that whatever comes from the Prophet must be considered as the injunctions of the divinity. This is plainly stated in a colloquy between the Prophet and the Emperor, of which the following is a sample:

feared that when he has anything to say which is right and proper he will not dare to make it

known."

The Heavenly King then gave orders to all the officers, saying, "All you officers must mind what the Eastern Prince says, which is all one as if it were addressed to you by the Heavenly Father; you must all reverently obey." To which all the officers replied,-" We will comply with your commands."

In his character of Vicegerent of the Deity, the Prophet gives much good advice to his sovereign, not forgetting the domestic administration of his household.

The Celestial King then said, "That which you, my younger brother, have said is very right, and is truly in accordance with the benevolent feeling displayed by our Heavenly Father, who loves what is good, and hates what is evil, while he carefully discriminates between the one and the other. The disposition displayed by me, With respect to the female apartments (says your elder brother, is impetuous, and if you, my he), Royal reformation must begin there. The younger brother, had not made this suggestion, Palace is a fountain from which all government it is to be feared that I should have wrongfully springs; hence he who wishes to illustrate intelput some persons to death. Now, in consequence ligent virtue throughout the empire will first reof your advice, not only shall I be prevented gulate his country, and he who wishes to have from wrongfully inflicting condign punishment, his country well regulated will first put his family but future generations, observing this our exam- in order. At present, through the favor of our

Our Chinese Prophet, moreover, not con

Heavenly Father, the number of ladies at Court

is very great, the daughters of the Prince are tent with the rank already blasphemously asalso very numerous; it will not, therefore, be sumed, has affixed to his other titles that of right to listen only to the statements of the elder the Comforter, or the Holy Ghost, and this ladies, and not give heed to the complaints of from a hint thrown out by his own self-made the younger ones; still less would it be right to mind the prattle of the younger branches of the Emperor, in the following passage of consumRoyal family, to the exclusion of the remon- mate, though most probably unintentional, strances of the elder ones. In every case you blasphemy: should allow both parties to make their statements clearly, and thus you may decide between The Celestial King said, "That which you, my them as to which party is in the right and which brother Tsing (the prophet) have reported may in the wrong, without showing any partiality to be considered an important specific and a preeither. When the ladies wait upon you, my cious remedy, every word of which is consistent elder brother, it is of course their duty, but with the highest reason, and fit to be preserved sometimes they may be apt to excite your right- as a rule for succeeding generations. When our eous displeasure, in which case you must treat Celestial elder brother Jesus, in obedience to the them gently and not kick them with your boot commands of our Heavenly Father, came down on, for, if you kick them with your boot on, it into the world, in the country of Judea, he admay be that some of the ladies are in such a state dressed his disciples, saying-At some future as to call for the congratulations of their friends, day the Comforter will come into the world.' and thus you interfere with the kind intentions Now I, your second elder brother, considering of our Heavenly Father, who loves to foster hu- what you, brother Tsing, have reported to me, man life. Further, when any of the ladies are and observing what you have done, must conin the state above alluded to, it would be as well clude that the Comforter, even the Holy Ghost, to manifest a little gracious consideration, and spoken of by our Celestial elder brother (Christ) allow them to rest from their labors, while you is none other than yourself. " select some separate establishment for their residence and repose. You may still require them This new religion of the insurgent Chinese, morning and evening to pay their respects. Such in short, seems to us to have been adopted a method of treatment would be proper; and, if chiefly as a political engine, and, hitherto, not still any of the ladies should commit any trifling fault, so as to give offence to my Lord, it would unprofitably. For can we doubt that it has be as well to excuse them from being beaten with proved a powerful auxiliary, when we see its followers depriving masters of two centuries' the bamboo. You may, however, scold them severely, and tell them not to offend any more. standing of one-half of an empire of three Should any of them commit any grievous crime, hundred and sixty millions of people, with you should wait till after their confinement, when every prospect of soon getting the remainder? you can inflict punishment. The Celestial King It is earnestly to be hoped, however, that in then praised his adviser, saying, "Your observa- due time it may produce better sacred fruits, tions, brother Tsing, are all important, and may for in its beginning there can be no question be considered the specifics for managing families, that it is Christianity only in name, and that governing countries, and ruling the whole em- under it are perpetrated the very same atropire." The Eastern Prince replied, "That which cities as under the worship of Buddha or ConI have just observed is what Princes would not of themselves think of; hence the necessity of a faithful Minister to report."

fucius.

From Fraser's Magazine.

-

tion and the mental faculties form a problem which must be solved, so far as it is capable of solution, at the very threshold of the investigation.

PSYCHOLOGICAL INQUIRIES.* KNOW THYSELF, said the wise Grecian a simple but significant form of words, worthy, from its pregnant brevity, of the place with a sufficient degree of certainty; there are Some points may be considered as established which it occupied over the portico of the Del- others as to which opinions may reasonably dif phic temple. Self-knowledge is the first step fer; while there is still a greater number of others towards the attainment of that greatest of all as to which we must be content to acknowledge sciences the science of human nature; and that, with our limited capacities, we have no the mutual relations of the physical organiza- means of forming an opinion at all.

"Psychological Inquiries: in a series of Ess says, intended to illustrate the Mutual Relationof the Physical Organization and the Mental Faculties." London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans. 1854.

DXLVI.

LIVING AGE. VOL. VII. 18

When we read the last sentence, extracted from the advertisement of the valuable book before us, we felt satisfied that the volume was the production of no ordinary mind, but that