merely with the energy of an opponent, but also with the venom of one desirous to avenge private injuries; for Hamilton never acknowledged any merit in James Mill's writings, of which J. S. Mill complains in his work. The caustic style and energetic reasoning of the "Examination," led many to regard the a priori school as overthrown, and one of the London reviews modestly remarked: "The followers of Hamilton may buy the monument for his philosophy and write its epitaph, for its work is done." The a priori school, however, does not accept this decision, and Dr. McCosh has published an examination of Mr. Mill's philosophy, in which he defends intuitive or fundamental truth as the true basis of a system, but does not wholly support Hamilton, to whose system he has in previous works taken many and serious objections. The main effort is to destroy the system of Mr. Mill, which he looks upon as mere empiricism and utilitarianism. In Chapter III. he lays the axe at the root of the matter by showing the selfcontradiction of the positive school, which he there proves to rest, not upon sensations, as its defenders assert, but upon intuitive principles freely accepted and admitted by Mr. Mill, but not pursued by him to their consequences. In another portion of the work Dr. McCosh argues earnestly against the materialistic tendency of the sensational system, and offers a noble defence of the Christian religion against the aspersions of Comte, Mill, and other Positivists.

Few works equal to this have yet appeared in defence of fundamental truth. It is well fitted to counteract the skeptical and speculative philosophy of the day, and to increase respect for true Christian philosophy. Although essentially metaphysical, yet it is adapted to the wants of the general reader, and cannot fail to advance the author's reputation among many to whom his previous works, more technical in language, were as sealed books. The argument is marked by sound reasoning and vigorous common sense, and is expressed in an attractive style. The whole is manly, unmarred by any display of personal bitterness, or by appeals to the readers' prejudices.

(5) AN EXAMINATION OF MR. J. S. MILL'S PHILOSOPHY: Being a Defence of Fundamental Truth. By JAMES M'COSH, LL.D. New York: Carter & Brothers. 8vo, pp. 434, $3.

PHYSIOGNOMY, as a system, owes its origin to the ingenuity of Lavater, who, in 1778, published his celebrated "Fragments." Others, among them some eminent scientific men, have since written upon this subject; but the majority of works are superficial or purely speculative. The most recent treatise is that of Mr. Wells, which, though less original, is more practical and popular than any preceding it. By most writers the term Physiognomy is restricted to study of the mind through the countenance; but Mr. Wells uses it in a wider sense, and regards every part of man as an aid in forming a just conception of character. In working out his system he has produced an interesting work, in which he contrives to give important information on many topics besides Physiognomy. It is a digest of ethnology, it gives us the symptomatology of insanity, it treats of physiology and hygiene, and incidentally of zoology. The chapter on grades of intelligence is instructive, and that on comparative physiognomy is exceedingly entertaining. The work is embellished with numerous portraits of distinguished men, and contains many fac simile autographs. It is a useful book, and we view it as a worthy addition to our library.

THE "Memoirs of a Good-for-Nothing" is a characteristic novel of the romantic school of Germany, which was inspired by the restoration and imitation of the arts and literature of the middle ages. In it the hero tells us his early history, his wanderings and his unique adventures, yet nowhere gives us his name or that of any leading personage in the story. He does not describe his personal appearance, yet so artfully hints concerning it that we are firmly convinced that he possesses a strikThe "Goodingly beautiful presence. for-Nothing" is clearly a shiftless person, with no large share of worldly wisdom, but so fascinating and so good-humored amid all circumstances, that good luck seems never to forsake him. The plot is simple, the hero meets with no extraordinary mishaps, and the narrative is told in a natural

(6) NEW PHYSIOGNOMY, OR SIGNS OF CHARACTER. By SAMUEL R. WELLS. New York: Fowler & Wells. Crown 8vo, pp. 768, $5.00.

(7) MEMOIRS OF A GOOD-FOR-NOTHING. From the German of J. VON EICHENDORFF. By CHARLES G. LELAND. New York: Leypoldt & Holt. 16mo, pp. 192, $2.00.

and ready manner, reminding one somewhat of the "Easy Writer." The story seldom causes a laugh, but a vein of quiet humor pervades the whole, and renders it exceedingly pleasant reading. It is the more interesting to us, in that it gives us a clear view of the free and rollicking artistlife of Germany. It is just the book for a summer day, light and entertaining, yet indirectly instructive. The translator has rendered it into excellent English, and the publishers have got it up in an elegant

manner.

The American Journal of Education for June contains: I. Pennsylvania System of Normal Schools; II. The Oswego Nor

mal and Training School; III. Advice on Studies and Conduct; IV. National Teachers' Association; V. Educational Duties of the Hour; VI. Object Teaching; VII. State Normal School System; VIII. Education as an Element in the Policy of Reconstruction; IX. National Educational Bureau; X. American Educational Association; XI. Forination of Character the Main Object of Education; XII. Home and School Training One Hundred Years Ago; XIII. Public Instruction in Austria; XIV. State Educational Conventions and Associations; XV. American and National Conventions and Associations; XVI. Educational Miscellany and Intelligence. Price, single number, $1.25.

-It is a fact known to philosophical instrument makers that if a metal wire be drawn through a glass tube, a few hours afterward the tube will burst into fragments. The annealed glass tubes used for the water-gauges of steam-boilers are sometimes destroyed in this way, after the act of forcing a piece of cotton waste through them with a wire, for the purpose of cleaning the bore. This will not happen if a piece of soft wood is employed. The late Andrew Ross once stated that on one occasion, late in the evening, he lightly pushed a piece of cotton wool through a number of barometer tubes, with a piece of cane, for the purpose of cleaning out any particles of dust. The next morning he found most of the tubes broken up into small fragments, the hard silicious coating of the cane proving as destructive as he had previously known a wire to be. In these times, when glass lamp-chimneys are in such wide use, it is of no little importance that this fact should be made known.

-Photography in colors has progressed so far, that a doil dressed by the operator can be perfectly reproduced on the plates. A greater triumph is photographing a peacock's feather. It has been found that none but pure colors take well, those that are made by a mixture of'.two primary colors giving but one of the primaries on the plate. These photographs will not stand a full light long, as they turn brown, but may be preserved in an album.

-Dr. C. R. Von Hover has found that an alloy of cadmium, 224 parts; lead, 517.5; tin, 295; and bismuth, 1,050, will

melt at 149.9° F. An alloy of cadmium, 8, and 4 each of tin, lead, and bismuth, fuses at 158.5°. An alloy of cadmium, 1, with 2 each of the others, or an alloy of one part of each of the four metals, fuses at 155.8°. They all become pasty at lower temperatures, and all oxydize rapidly in water.

NEW AND SIMPLE MODE OF REPRODUCING DRAWINGS, ETC.-The drawing having been made with a solution of gum, glue, varnish, or any other fluid which will impart hardness, it is transferred to a plate of plaster of Paris, chalk, or any thing else that is easily pulverized. This plate, having been allowed to dry, is brushed until the material between the lines of the drawing, which is not affected by the process, is removed to a sufficient depth; after which, it is immersed in gum, or glue, to harden the entire surface. The result is an admirable copy of the drawing in relief, and from this a fac-simile in metal may be obtained in the usual way.

-A Baptist minister visiting the oil region in Kentucky, found actively engaged in the work of getting petroleum, one of his brethren, who insisted that it was a Scriptural occupation, Job having been in the oil business. Some doubt being expressed at this novel statement, he got a Bible, and, turning to Job 29: 6, read: "The rock poured me out rivers of "Now," says he, "what use do you suppose Job had for three thousand camels and five hundred yoke of oxen, unless it was to carry his oil to market? He certainly did not need that number for farming. As they had no railroads then, he

oil."

needed them if he had a flowing well of oil."

-It is said that the Buena Vista Vineyard in Senora County, California, is the largest in the world. It consists of 6,000 acres, with 272,000 vines planted previous to 1865, and 700,000 planted, or to be planted this year. Last year the yield was 42,000 gallons of still wine, 60,000 bottles of sparkling wine, and 12,000 gallons of brandy. One hundred men are constantly employed, and double that number during the vintage. There are 8,000 fruit-trees, and large varieties of grapes.

-The city of Lyons consumes annually two million of pounds of spun silk. Four cocoons and a fraction are necessary to produce a gramme (the five hundredth part of a pound); consequently the consumption of Lyons alone requires 4,200,000 cocoons. The length of silk thread in each being about 500 metres, the total is equal to 2,100,000 millions of metres, which is fourteen times the distance of the earth from the sun, or 5,494 times that of the moon from the earth. That length would encircle the globe at the equator 52,505 times, or reach 200,000 times round the

moon.

THE DESK SETTEE.-In most of our schools, both public and private, the opening exercises, examinations, and receptions are usually conducted in the principal room, where all the pupils are assembled. As these rooms are commonly furnished with ordinary settees, to accommodate the largest number possible, they are almost useless except for just such occasions. . D. J. STAGG, Esq., New York city, has recently invented THE DESK SETTEE, which fully remedies this great difficulty and loss.

The construction of the Desk Settee is such that it may be easily transformed from a Settee to a Writing Desk, or vice versa, by any boy or girl. The seat-board D, in figure 2 of the illustration on the next page, is turned upward to form a Desk, as shown at C, in both figures. The plan is so simple and effective that, in a moment, an Assembly or Lecture Room may become a busy school-room, furnished with seats and desks, in alternate rows; and requiring but little more material and expense than for ordinary seats alone. For country school-houses, which are sometimes used for religious meetings, this invention seems invaluable.

Behind each row of Desk Settees may be an ordinary seat, but to give uniformity in appearance the FOLDING SEAT SETTEE is recommended to accompany. When not in use this seat may be turned against the back, to allow additional space for passing, for gymnastic exercises, marching, or for the purpose of sweeping the room.

In many villages and towns where Public Halls or Lecture Rooms are desirable,

but cannot be afforded on account of the expense, the introduction of the Desk Settee would contribute largely to their support, for the same room could be used for school purposes during the day, and for lectures in the evening, without the trouble of removing desks and seats.

The side frames, or stanchions, and the pieces to which the seat boards are attached, are of cast-iron. The seat boards and backs of those now used in our city schools are of cherry-wood, but they can be made of any other wood that may be desired. The Settees are made of different heights, ranging from 11 to 16 inches in height of seat; and by use of intermediate stanchions, they are made in sections of 4 to 5/2 feet each, and may be extended to any length required.

The merits of this invention seem to be readily appreciated. The Desk Settees are being rapidly introduced into the public schools of New York city. Though but recently patented, they are already used in twenty-four assembly-rooms in the city; among them are those of Grammar Schools Nos. 1, 8, 15, 17, 40, 45, 49, 54, 55, and Primary Schools Nos. 8, 10, and 36. It is also in use in the Normal School at Oswego, N. Y.; in the public schools at Yonkers, N. Y.; at Hudson City, N. J.; also in the Hall and School at Webster, Missouri. In all cases they give perfect satisfaction, because of their real convenience, economy, and durability. See cuts on next page. Specimens of this furniture may be seen at the publication rooms of the MONTHLY, 430 Broome-street, N. Y.