rent in all, or nearly all, persons, and not only in all tables, but in all other materials capable of being moved and especially hats-the experiment was successfully performed in the lecture rooms of provincial societies, in public rooms, and even at private parties; and received the faith of incredible numbers. Many persons of presumed scientific acquirements wrote treatises explanatory of the principles of the new science, attributing it to electricity, magnetism, attraction, mesmerism, or to some new unrecognised physical power able to affect inanimate bodies, giving it a systematic scientific dignity. Clergymen preached or lectured upon it, and the advertising columns of the newspapers teemed with essays and pamphlets treating the subject in its religious bearings. So singularly did the subject take possession of the public mind, that Professor Faraday did not deem it beneath his dignity to publish an address to expose the delusion, on the simple principles of inductive science. Mr. Faraday declared himself "greatly startled by the revelation which this purely physical subject has made of the condition of the public mind," and administered the severe rebuke that the system of education that could leave the mental condition of the public body in the state in which this subject had found it, must have been greatly deficient in some very important principle. According to this acknowledged philosopher, the phenomenon is due to nothing more than the preponderance or resultant of physical force in one direction, given by a quasi-involuntary muscular action of the experimentalists, when their minds have been deadened by long waiting in vacancy, and the sense of touch in the fingers is benumbed

by continued pressure. Several simple and conclusive experiments showed most clearly that the movement resulted from the will of the operators, and that the supposed miracle was nothing more than pushing the table round. When an indicator was placed upon the table, concealed from the experimentalists, the index wavered about as though under the influence of contending forces, until it finally took a decided direction, and the phenomenon occurred in the usual manner; when, however, the apparatus was kept in sight, it proved to possess a corrective power over the mind of the table-turner-the instant each perceives that he is pressing obliquely instead of directly downwards, as he supposes, the power is gone; and this only because the parties are made conscious of what they are really doing mechanically, and so are unable unwittingly to deceive themselves.

By this explanation, so scientifically exact and popularly intelligible, the delusion was dispelled. The imposture passed into the hands of mesmerists, clairvoyants, and conjurors, and degenerated into "table rappings" of the ordinary vulgar class; and though some parties who ought to have known better declared themselves duped, the experiments became matter of holiday amusement.

THE WEATHER The spring quarter has been singularly cold and ungenial. From the 20th of April to the 15th of May, a period of bitterly cold weather was experienced. The temperature was frequently 8°, 9°, and 10° below the average; on two days the defect was 13° and 14°. Snow fell frequently in April, and very heavily in the first two weeks of May. In

the neighbourhood of Sheffield the lines of railway were shut up by snow. Several trains were imbedded in snow-drifts, and the passengers endured much danger and privation. The untoward character of the spring weather produced very evil consequences to the corn crops, and contributed much to the deficiency and inferior quality of the harvest of this year.

JUNE.

SALE OF ENGRAVINGS. A very fine collection of etchings and engravings has been sold by Messrs. Sotheby and Wilkinson, some of the specimens in which brought unprecedented prices. A "Bag-piper," by Berghem, 35l. 10s.; "Adam and Eve," by Albert Durer, 261. 5s.; "St. Hubert," esteemed the masterpiece of that artist, 287. 10s.; The Resurrection of Lazarus," by Lucas van Leyden, the finest impression known, 50l. 10s.; the "Passion of our Lord," the rarest of that artist, 761.; Christ presented to the People," 771.; Interior with Peasants Drinking," Ostade, 391.; "Queen Elizabeth," Crispin Passe, 271. 58.; "St. Cecilia," Raimondi, 441.; "Christ Healing the Sick," by Rembrandt, known as "the guilder print," 50l.; "Portrait of Old Haaring," Rembrandt, 581.; "The Burgomaster Six," Rembrandt, 801.; "St. James Fighting the Saracens," Schoengauen, 421. 10s.

2. DREADFUL STEAM-BOAT EXPLOSION. A dreadful accident occurred to the Times, a Screwsteamer plying between Dublin and Liverpool, by which 12 persons lost their lives. The vessel left the North Wall, Dublin, hav

ing on board 308 deck passengers, seven cabin passengers, and some cattle. When off the Pigeon House (a fort in Dublin Harbour), one of her boilers exploded, or rent, and the vessel was instantly enveloped in scalding steam. The unfortunate passengers, who were crowded chiefly in the waist, were injured in the most shocking manner by the jets of scalding water and still hotter steam, and uttered the most piercing shrieks and cries; and the cattle, exposed to the same injuries, bellowed in agony and became furious. When the alarm had in some degree subsided, the unfortunate passengers were landed, and it was found that 33 persons were injured, some of them very severely, and that a boy and girl were dead. Ten of the wounded died in the hospital.

5. GREAT FIRE IN THE CITY ROAD.-A terrible fire, by which property valued at 100,000l. was consumed, occurred in the City Road, about 10 o'clock A.M. The premises in which it broke out were those of the Patent Gutta Percha Company, situate at the edge of the Wenlock Basin, City Road.

Adjoining the Gutta Percha Company's works on one side, was an extensive factory for making Edwards's fire-lighters, belonging Mr. W. Gorton. In the yard of these works stood a pile of wood, containing 140 fathoms, or about one ship-load and a half.

From the fact of the Wenlockbasin, which was 100 feet wide, being behind, and filled with water, not the least fears were entertained of the flames being able to attack the wharfs and warehouses on the opposite side; but, unfortunately, such was the extraordinary progress of the fire, that

several buildings on the opposite side of the water were ignited.

The fire seems to have burst out at once into an immense conflagration, the materials being of the most combustible nature; and the first notice was given by the appearance of a great body of flame. When first perceived, the main part of the building was in flames, and two immense tanks of naphtha were blazing from the manholes. Some daring neighbours stifled these vents, and by so doing probably prevented the greatest disaster which has occurred since the great Fire of London. The light of the burning mass speedily brought six engines of the brigade, who, from the nature of the combustibles, could do little to check the progress of the flames, which ignited two vessels lying in the basin, and thence spread to six large warehouses on the other side. Six more engines arrived to cope with this new conflagration. For a long time, notwithstanding an ample supply of water, the flames raged unabated; but by great perseverance their progress was finally stopped. Had all the warehouses which caught been consumed, the destruction of property would have amounted to more than half a million.

The Gutta Percha Works were almost totally destroyed. It is well known how highly inflammable this substance is; the adjoining works were a Patent Firewood Factory; next to them the premises of a Patent Cooperage Company! The fury of such a conflagration may therefore be readily imagined.

7. ASCOT RACES.-The following were the results of the principal races at this favourite meeting. "The Queen's Vase" was won by

Mr. Thellusson's "Rataplan;" the "Ascot Stakes," by Lord Palmerston's "Buckthorn;" the "Coronation Stakes," by "Catherine Hayes," the winner of the Oaks. Her Majesty, accompanied by the Duke of Genoa, eldest son of the King of the Two Sicilies, and a suite of illustrious visitors, honoured the course with her presence on Thursday, the "great day," when the "Emperor of Russia's Plate" was won by Mr. J. M. Stanley's "Teddington."

9. RIOTS AT QUEBEC, AND Loss oF LIFE.-Father Gavazzi, an Italian priest and Church reformer, after lecturing in London against the abuses of the Roman Catholic Church with great eloquence and success, proceeded to Canada, where he followed the same course. In a lecture in the Free Church at Quebec, the Father made some allusion to the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland, which was of fensive to some Irish who were present. A general row ensued, in the course of which the Fa. ther, after defending himself with great valour, was thrown out of the pulpit and severely maltreated.

From Quebec, Father Gavazzi went to Montreal, the capital of Catholicism in Canada. Here, on the 9th, he lectured, guarded by a strong body of police. These officers were attacked by an infuriated crowd, and nearly overwhelmed. Shots were fired on both sides, and two or three of the assailants were killed and several wounded. The mob were driven from the chapel, but conducted themselves so riotously in the streets, that the military were called out; and as the rioters increased in audacity, and attacked the soldiers, the latter fired, in defence of themselves and society.

Unhappily, seven persons were killed on the spot; six severely or mortally wounded; and ten or twelve others more slightly.

10. FIRE AT SEA.-The ship Condor, of Liverpool, was totally destroyed while on her passage from Melbourne round Cape Horn, by a fire, which originated in spontaneous combustion. The Condor was a fine ship of about 900 tons register; she had about 60 passengers, a quantity of Australian produce, including a large bulk of wool, and 22,000 ounces of gold. She sailed from Melbourne on the 11th of April, and seemed likely to make a rapid passage. After doubling Cape Horn, and just as she was about to cross the line, the wool on board of her ignited from spontaneous combustion, and the fire could not be kept under. There were about 100 persons on board, passengers and crew, but only two boats. The destruction of the majority of the crew and passengers appeared in evitable, for she had sighted no vessel for seven days; but happily, on the evening of the day on which the fire broke out, a ship hove in sight, and bore down upon her, and proved to be a French vessel. The weather was squally, but fortunately not very tempestuous. The Frenchman kept company with the burning ship, but sent no boat alongside to assist the escape of the persons on board. Before midnight, however, the whole of the passengers and crew had been conveyed on board the French ship in their own boats, together with the gold. When the ship bore away, the Condor was a mass of flames below and aloft. The French captain treated the rescued persons with the greatest humanity, and conveyed them to

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he put in a claim for salvage to the amount of 20,000l. Among the passengers of the Condor was a fortunate gold speculator who had purchased for 18007. a nugget of gold which weighed 32 lbs., and other nuggets, weighing in all 80 lbs. These valuable specimens he had with him, and about 4000 ounces of the same precious commodity; but as he brought this wealth with him as passenger luggage," and had not insured it, salvage will fall to his own loss. THE MONSTER BALLARAT NUGGET.-There is now exhibiting at Wyld's Globe, in Leicester Square, a nugget of gold which was found in Canadian Gully, Ballarat Diggings, 66 feet below the surface. It is imbedded in, or rather encrusted with, quartz, the whole interior being a mass of gold. The weight of the precious metal, free from the quartz, is calculated at 134 lbs 11 oz., and its value is computed at 6000Z.

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IN

12. DREADFUL MURDER GLASGOW.-A murder of singularly savage character, and brought clearly home to the perpetrators, in a most extraordinary manner, was committed in Glasgow.

Two ship - carpenters named Boyd and Law had been drinking freely to a late hour on Saturday night. About one o'clock on Sunday morning they were enticed by two prostitutes into a low den in the New Vennel. About an hour afterwards Boyd was precipitated, half-naked, from the window into the street-about 23 feet-and killed on the spot.

The circumstances of the atrocious deed were witnessed by two boys who had hidden themselves under the woman's bed, and by two girls who were looking through

the chinks of the room-door, and who gave the alarm.

The evidence of these persons, given before the High Court of Justiciary, will show the cold blooded atrocity of the deed. The parties indicted were Hans Smith Macfarlane, Helen Blackwood, Mary Hamilton, and Ann Marshall or Young.

The boys, William and James Shillinglaw, were aged respectively 11 and 9 years. The elder stated, that the house (i.e. in the Scotch sense) consisted of only one room. There was one bed in it. His brother and himself slept under the bed. Remembered Saturday, the 11th of June last. Went to bed that night about 9 o'clock. Helen Blackwood was the only one in the house at that time. They crept under the bed as usual, and fell asleep. Witness awoke during the night, and saw no person in the house, and fell asleep again. He awoke a second time. There were people in the house then. Saw Mary Hamilton and a man named Law, who appeared to be drunk. About five minutes after that there came in Blackwood, Marshall, Macfarlane, and the man who was thrown out of the window. There was a candle burning at the time. The man was drunk. Law and be appeared to be acquainted. Helen Blackwood asked the last man who came in to give her money to get whisky. He gave her some, and she brought in whisky. The whisky was brought in a jug, and it was poured into a cup. It was then handed round, and all the company drank some of it. Saw the man drink some of it. Before he drank it, Hamilton took the cup from Blackwood and poured whiskey into it from the jug. She

took a paper with half an ounce of snuff out of her pocket, and put it into the cup, and then handed the liquor to the man. The man by this time was sleeping, with his hands on his knees and his head hanging down, and did not see her do this. The man drank all that was in the cup, and then he lay gasping. He appeared to get sick from it, and "stupid like." He rose up, and attempted to strike Helen Blackwood. She was standing near the bed. She lifted up the chamber-pot and struck him on the side of the head with it. They were standing face to face when she struck him. When the man got the blow he fell back all his length, and his head struck on a stone which was used for a stool. The man lay there gasping. Law at this time was sitting on one of the stones near the window. He was quite drunk and helpless. Blackwood and Marshall said to Macfarlane, "Oh, what 'll we dae wi' him? Macfarlane said, "Oh, its dark, naebody 'll see, heave him out o' the window." Before Macfarlane said this the man's clothes had been taken off. Blackwood proposed to take them off. She said to Marshall, "Let us strip him," and they did so. They took off him a pair of moleskins, a dark coat and waistcoat, and a cap. Macfarlane was sitting near the door while this was going on, and Hamilton was sitting beside him. Blackwood took out of his pocket a handful of money. The clothes were at this time lying on the bed. The man made no resistance while they were stripping him. He appeared to be quite unable to resist. It was after the man was stripped that Macfarlane said, "Throw him over