Literary and Scientific Entelligence. Items. The annual competition for prizes at Canton, by 3,000 of the literati, occasions there at present considerable excitement.-A society, composed of forty learned Turks, has been established for the purpose of encouraging literature and the fine arts in Turkey. --The History of the United States Exploring Expedition, under Lieut. Wilkes, is just translated and published in Germany.-M. Daguerre, the celebrated inventor of the "Daguerreotype," recently died at his residence, near Paris.-The English Sherbrooke and Yeovil Mercury lately issued its last paper, after an existence of 115 years.Experiments with chloroform, as a propelling power, in the place of steam, are now making in the port of L'Orient, and there is reason to hope, from the success which has already attended them, that they will result in causing a considerable saving to be effected in cost and space.—A gutta perche tube has been placed in colliery in Wales, having a shaft of 400 feet deep, whereby a whisper, either from bottom or top, is instantly heard: a whistle calls attention, and then follows the message.In Austria some new laws have just been issued against the press, which virtually give power to the various provincial authorities to suspend for three months the publication of any journal that may offend them. The minister of the Home Department is also authorized to prohibit the introduction of any foreign works he may deem dangerous.-Government have granted £1,000 to defray the expenses of public instructors of flax-growing in Ireland.-A warrant has been issued by the Crown, authorizing the principal and professors of Owen's College, Manchester, to grant certificates to candidates for honours at the London University, that the prescribed course of study has been completed. The Queen has granted a pension of £100 per annum out of the Royal Literary Fund to Mrs. Jameson, the authoress, wife of Ex-ViceChancellor Jameson of Upper Canada.--The celebrated Roman Catholic historian, Dr. Lingard, is dead. He is greatly regretted in England.—--The Rev. Dr. Olin, President of the Wesleyan University, Middletown, Conn., died on the 16th inst. He was an able and distinguished Minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States; and the author of several works,--among which are his interesting Travels in the East. Egypt.-At the last sitting of the Academy of Moral and Political Science of Paris, a paper was read by M. Mariette, a gentleman charged with a literary and scientific mission of the French Government in Egypt, in which he stated that having caused excavations to be made in the spot on which Memphis stood, he found, at a depth from two to twelve yards, several monuments of Egyptian and Grecian architecture, and amongst them the Serapeum mentioned by Strabo. Having had the avenue leading to the latter cleared, M. Mariette discovered a considerable number of statues, ranged in a semi-circle, and representing the sphynx, and all sorts of Grecian and Egyptian figures. Accompanying the communication of M. Mariette were drawings of his discoveries. The statues are described as of great beauty, and will, it is expected, throw a great light, not only on Egyptian art, but on Egyptian history also. In strong contrast to the behaviour of the English Government to Mr. Layard, on a representation being made to them, the ministers unhesitatingly promised that the French Government would find all the needful funds, and afford the enterprising discoverer every assistance in its power. Discovery in Egypt.-A most interesting discovery has been made in Egypt. It is known that there exists in Mount Zabarah, situated on an island in the Red Sea, a mine of emeralds, which was formerly worked by the pachas of Egypt, but abandoned in the last years of the reign of Mehemet Ali. An English company have solicited and recently obtained authority to resume the working of this mine, which is believed to be still rich with precious stones. Mr. Allan, the engineer of the conpany, while directing some important excavations in this place, has discovered at a great depth traces of an ancient gallery, which must evidently be referred to the most remote antiquity. Upon removing the rubbish he found tools and ancient utensils, and a stone upon which is engraved a hieroglyphic inscription, now partially defaced. This circumstance proves the truth of the opinion expressed by Belzoni, on the strength of other indications, that this mine was worked in ancient times. The nature and form of the implements discovered, and the configuration of the gallery, the plan of which has been readily traced, prove most conclusively that the ancient Egyptians were skilful engineers. It seems, from examination of the stone which has been discovered, that the first labours in the mine of Zabarah were commenced in the reign of Sesostris the Great, or Ramses Sesostris, who, according to the most generally received opinion, lived about the year 1650 before Christ, and who is celebrated by his immense conquests, as well as by the innumerable monuments with which he covered Egypt.-[Advertiser. Geography of Borneo.-Sir Roderick Murchison opened the business of the section of Geography and Ethnology of the British Asso ciation, on Tuesday last, by bringing before it some notes of Sir James Brooke, the Rajah of Sarawak, on the geography of the northern portion of Borneo. He pointed out the present state of our acquaintance with the geography of the great island, as derived from the researches of British travellers and naval surveyors, and as published in a recent map constructed by Mr. Petermann. He described the communication of the Rajah as important, in making known the ascent, by Mr. Low, of the lofty mountain of Kira Balow, (near 14,000 feet above the sea,) situated in the northeastern district, and the intention of Mr. St. John to proceed up the Baram River, between Sarawak and Labuan, and to visit the populous county of the Kayans, and perhaps that of the Kinneah-a people unknown in our geography, but numerous and hospitable, and speaking a language distinct from the Kayans and Dyakas. The Rajah adds, " Some letters from the Kayan chiefs of Baram have lately been printed by order of the House of Commons, and will point out where the real danger to the progress of geographical research is to be apprehended." British Association. The proceedings of the Association for the Advancement of Science have been less interesting this year than in former seasons accordingly the proceedings were truncated, and terminated earlier by a day than they would otherwise have done. The excursions on the Saturday were without features of interest to those who were not present. On Monday, Dr. Daubeny read a paper to the chemical section, in which he objected to the complicated and uncertain nomenclature of our chemists-some of their names extend to thirteen syllables. He proposed a new nomenclature; and one is amused to read that under his approved system you would have to learn such words as "dietbychlophenamine." On Tuesday, the astronomer royal delivered a discourse on the eclipse of the sun, which took place on the 28th ultimo, and be nearly total at the latitude of London. Captain Johnson read a paper on the deflection of compasses caused by telescope iron funnels in steamships the concentric arrangement of the sides of the funnel, when shut up, caused a deflection quite unexpected, and disproportioned to that caused by the funnel when it is drawn up to its full height; the difference would make a vessel run from fifty to seventy miles out of her true course in twenty-four hours. On Wednesday the proceedings were some what hastily wound up. It is stated that the sum received was not "satisfactory" -but £620. The Association adjourned till August, 1852; when the annual meeting will be held in Belfast. : Dr. Moir, of Musselburgh, the well known "Delta" of Blackwood's Magazine, expired at Dumfries, last month. Dr. Moir has been known alike in the medical and in the literary world, and his death will occasion a sad blank in both. As "Delta," Dr. Moir contributed to Blackwood's Magazine almost from its first starting, and he continued to do so to the end. His "Lament of Selim' appears in a late number, and a melancholy interest attaches to it as being the last piece the lamented author ever wrote. As a critic, as well as a writer of poetry, he stands deservedly high; and the crowded audiences who last winter attended his lectures on the poetry of the last half century, will long remember them as models of popular criticism-at once clear, condensed, and animated, and delivered in a manner that would have lent interest to far inferior criticism. Glass Pearls.-Though among the most beautiful, inexpensive and common ornaments for women now made, are produced by a very singular process. In 1656, about two hundred years ago, a Venitian named Jabuin, discovered that the scales of a species of fish called black fish, possesed the property of communicating a pearly hue to water. He found, by experience, that beads dipped in this water, assumed when dried, the appearance of pearls. It proved, however, that the pearly coating when placed outside, was easily rubbed off, and the next improvement was to make the beads hollow. The making of these beads is carried on even at this day in Venice. The beads are all blown separately. By means of a small tube the inside are delicately coated with with the pearly liquid, and a wax coating is placed over that. It requires the scales of four thousand fish to produce a half-pint of the liquid, to which small quantities of salt ammonia and isinglass are afterwards added. Dr. Neander's Library.--We understand that Lane Seminary has the refusal of the splendid library of Dr. Neander, of Berlin, for thirty days. It consists of nearly 5.000 volumes, most of which are standard works, and many of them very rare works, and of great value; and yet, for the sake of keeping the library together, we understand that it is offered on very easy terms-for something like $3,000. A member of the faculty of Lane Seminary is now in this city for the purpose of raising the needful sum. Is there not some rich man who would be willing to embalm his name with Neander's, by purchasing the library, and making a presentɔ it to Lane Seminary? or some thirty men who would join hands in good a work? DEPOSITORY OF MAPS, SCHOOL BOOKS, APPARATUS, &c, FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS ONLY, IN CONNEXION WITH THE EDUCATION OFFICE, TORONTO. SCHEDULE of the net prices for cash at which the following Maps and School Requisites may be obtained by Public Schools from the Depository connected with the Education Office for Upper Canada. In transmitting an order for any of the following articles, care must be taken to accompany it with the amount which may be required to pay for the quantity ordered-and also to give directions as to the mode of transmission to the parties sending the order. It will be observed that the prices of the Maps, &c., are much lower than they have ever been procured at in this country, owing to the arrangements which the Chief Superintendent has been enabled to make in England during the last few months : Ven. Arch. Wigram's Map of Palestine, Mimpriss' Chart of our Lord's Life and Ministry, 1 sheet, The Journeyings of Israel, The Land of Canaan prior to its Conquest, The Land of Promise divided amongst the Twelve Tribes, Palestine, or Holy Land, in the time of our Saviour,.... St. Paul's Voyages and Travels, Jerusalem, or the City of the Lord, 25 by 3: 5 Initiatory Chart of the Acts of the Apostles, 2: 6 by 2: Baker's Chart of Bible Chronology, on calico Tabular View of the Old Testament, 6. MAP PROJECTIONS, 0 13 9 0 39 Depth, 6 £ s. D. 0 17 6 England, 64 Scotland, .... Ireland, ditto 015 0 0 15 0 0 15 0 Giving only lines of Latitude and Longtitude. .... 4: 4 by 5: 8 ditto 0 15 0 Two HEMISPHERES, 0 15 0 EUROPE, 5: 8 by 4: 4 0 15 0 ASIA, ditto 0 15 0 ditto .... 0 15 0 ditto .... 0 15 0 MERCATOR World, ENGLAND, EUROPE, ASIA, Africa, AMERICA. 3 0 15 0 2: 8 by 2: 2 06 3 8. OUTLINE MERCATOR WORLD, With comparative heights of Mountains, lengths of Rivers, and sizes of Islands and Lakes. Price, plain, 1s.; coloured, 1s. 6d. Ireland, ditto 06 3 .... ................. .................. Australia and New Zealand, Palestine (Palmer's,) Old Testament, ...... .... .... 3: 3 by 2: 2: 8 by 2: do. do.. 2 by 1: 8 by 2: 2 by 1: 22828 0 12 6 Depth. SOCIETY'S MAPS. £ s. D. 050 Scotland,.. Israelites, Plan of Jerusalem, prior to Conquest by the .... .... .... ditto 63 063 66 Palestine, ditto 7 by 2 : 9 2: 2 by 1: 9 2: 4 by 1: 11 6 by 3: 3: 10 by 2: 9 .... 4 0 10 0 Asia, ditto ditto North America, ....... South America, .... .... .... 0 10 0 IV. JOHNSTON'S MAPS. 1. LARGE SCHOOL Room Maps. Map of the Eastern Hemisphere, .... .... Palestine, Map of the World Hemispheres, full and Map of Europe, ditto ditto 0 5 Western Hemisphere, 46 0 5 England, Scotland, .... 5 4 by 4: 2 ditto 4: 2 by 2: 0 17 6 Canaan and Palestine, The above 10 Maps, in a Wood Case, 0 16 3 0 10 0 Asia, ditto America, ditto 66 England, ditto 66 Scotland, 46 Land of Promise, Roman Palestine, Western Hemisphere, Europe, Africa, America, 2. SMALL SCHOOL MAPS. Map of the Eastern Hemisphere,. 66 ditto ditto 0 6 10 06104 0 6 10 IX. ATLASES. Johnston's Physical Atlas, a series of Maps and Illustrations of Dower's School Atlas, 40 Maps. Imperial 8vo, £3 0 0 1 12 6 126 4: 2 by 3: 6 ditto ditto ditto ditto ditto 3 2: 9 by 2: 3 0 6 104 1 12 6 0 12 6 0 10 0 2 New General Atlas, 29 Maps, Scottish School Association. 4to. Selected Atlas, 26 Maps, ditto 0 11 3 ditto 0 3 9. Reid's School Atlas of Modern Geography, 16 Maps, with Index Introductory ditto, 10 Maps, Educational Maps for the use of Schoolmasters, Society for Promotion of Christian Knowledge, Dr. Vogel's Illustrated Physical Atlas (Varty)... Hand Atlas for Bible readers, Murphy's Bible Atlas, ............. Guyot's Corporative Physical Geography, with Plates, col'd, . Morse's Geography, ........ Physical Chart of the World, showing the great mountain ranges, currents of the air and ocean, with Isothermal lines, &c. 4: Orbis Veteribus Notus, Græcia Antiqua, Italia Antiqua, Asia Minor Antiqua, Allustrations of Natural Philosophy, colored, No. 1. Properties of Bodies, 37 Diagrams and Descriptive Book, No. 2. Mechanical Powers, 47 Diagrams and Descriptive Book, No. 3. Hydrostatics Diagrams and Descripuve Book, V. CHAMBERS' MAPS. --- Editorial and Official Notices, &c. by the JOURNAL OF EDUCATION FOR NOVA SCOTIA, conducted Superintendent of Education.-This is the title of a new periodical, which promises to be a most valuable auxiliary to the cause of education in the Province of Nova Scotia. The Superintendent (J. W. Dawson, Esq.) possesses clear and enlarged views of the great interests committed to his management; he is evidently commencing in the right way; he proposes the establishment of a Normal School, and he has already held public school meetings in various Several Teachers' Associations have also parts of the province. been held. Mr. Dawson's expositions and suggestions are eminently practical. The following items from his Journal of Education, just received, contain facts and indications of a very gratifying character: "CHEMICAL APPARATUS.-A few additional sets of apparatus for teaching Agricultural Chemistry, have been imported for distribution in the present year. Any Board of Commissioners desiring to have one of these, as part of its share of the appropriation for Books and apparatus, is requested to apply to the Superintendent of Education, before the 14th of September; as it is expected that the whole of the supply of Books and Apparatus will be ready for being forwarded to the several counties about that time." "Arrangements have been made for furnishing the several Boards of Commissioners with their supplies of books for poor Schools, and also with the School Libraries purchased with grants for 1850 and 1851, about the middle of September. THE CONTENTS OF THE ANNUAL SCHOOL REPORT FOR UPPER CANADA FOR 1850, will be found on the 123rd page. It will be seen that the several documents embraced in the Report will render it a complete manual for the several officers concerned in the administration of the school law in this province. Its statistics extend to the several Townships of Upper Canada, and contain an amount of information relative to the state of Education in each Township never before collected, which will be valuable for reference in future years. It will be gratifying to the friends of education to read the following order of the Legislative Assembly on the subject, passed on the 30th ultimo: "The Hon. Mr. Hincks presented the Annual Report of the Normal, Model, and Common Schools in Upper Canada for the year 1850. "On motion of the Hon. Mr. Hinoks, it was Ordered, That the Report be printed in pamphlet form, under the direction of the Printing Committee, and that a copy be furnished to each Municipal Council, Local Superintendent, Board of Public Instruction and Common School Corporation in Upper Canada, exclusive of the number printed for the use of members of this House." The Report, as soon as printed, will be sent to the several Clerks for distribution among the Local Superintendents, who will supply each Trustee Corporation with a copy. At the same time, the blank forms of Reports for the current year will be forwarded to the local school officers as usual. A TEACHER (3rd Class Certificate) of many years experi ence, who is also competent to teach the Classics, History, Geography, &c., wishes to get employment in a Country School. Apply to L. M., 73, Victoria Street, Toronto. August 5th, 1851. WANTED, a qualified TEACHER for School Section No. 12 in the Township of Carradoc. A liberal salary will be given. Apply to Robert Parker, John D. Getty, and John Bateman, Trustees. Delaware, August, 1851. TORONTO: Printed and Published by THOMAS HUGH Bentley. TERMS: For a single copy, 5s. per annum; not less than 8 copies, 48. 44d. each, or $7 for the 8; not less than 12 copies, 4s. 2d. each, or $10 for the 12; 20 copies and upwards, 38, 9d. each. Back Vols. neatly stitched supplied on the same terms. subscriptions to commence with the January number, and payment in advance must in all cases accompany the order. Single numbers, 7 d. each. All communications to be addressed to Mr. J. GEORGE Hodgins, Education Office, Toronto. JOURNAL OF VOL. IV. Upper TORONTO, CONTENTS OF THIS NUMBER. FOR Canada. SEPTEMBER, V. Education and Ignorance,-the opposite effects on the value of labour... VI. MISCELLANEOUS.-1. Psalm of Life. 2. The Dead (Poetry). 3. The Art of Life. 4. The True Life. 5. Life's Last Hours. 6. Red Jacket's Study of Oratory. 7. Education of the Sikhs. 8. Jacques Cartier. 9. The Main Spring. 10. Sleeping Flowers. 11. Gold Drops. 12. Various Items..... VII. EDITORIAL.-1. A People will be Industrious in Proportion to their Intelligence. 2. A Comparative view of the Climate of Canada. 3. Altertions in the Boundaries of Townships. 4. Bad Effects of Miscellaneous Reading. 5. Methods of giving Lessons on Objects. 6. Opinion of the French Jurors on the Great Exhibition. 132 133 136 In a Circular, dated Albany, November, 19th, 1849, addressed by the Regents of the University of the State of New York, to the Trustees and Principals of various Academies in that State, the subjoined remarks and statements are offered : "With the progress of improvement and the development of new discoveries, this science (meteorology) has, of late, scarcely kept pace with the general increase of knowledge, and the Regents have, for several years, felt that their present arrangement was scarcely compatible with the increased demand upon it. The phenomena of STORMS have attracted great and deserved attention. It is a mighty problem whether human ingenuity cannot so far discover and foretel their approach, as somewhat to prevent the fearful loss of life and property with which they are usually accompanied. The regularity or the alterations of the temparature, when accurately ascertained in various parts of our State, may, as they have been already in a certain degree, be applied with advantage to the labours of the husbandman in the introduction of new articles of culture, and in the improvement of agricultural processes. Again, a proper study of climate as to its heat and cold, dryness and moisture, and all its other incidents, can alone furnish us with safe data, by means of which we can even hope to eradicate epidemic and endemic diseases, or at least mitigate their severity. These are but a few of the considerations which justify and require the full investigation of meteorological phenomena by the public authorities." The work of co-operation has already commenced in the State of New York and Canada. The simultaneous indications of the barometer and thermometer are transmitted, by means of the electric telegraph, from city to city. They only approach organization, however, in the State of New York as yet. Professor Guyot says, in 1850 :-"In compliance with the directions received from Professor J. Henry, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, who secured the co-operation of the Presidents of the telegraph lines, I have placed a barometer and a wind vane in the telegraph offices of New York, Albany, Syracuse, and Buffalo. A storm coming from the west will be announced at any place along the line before it reaches it, and in the maratime cities 1851. long before it reaches the coast.. No. 9. This is only, it is hoped, the beginning of an extensive system, from which science, as well as the whole community, may expect the happiest results." The following simultaneous report of a widely extended storm is taken from a Toronto paper, (the Patriot,) of Dec. 24th, 1850: BUFFALO, December 23rd,-i hermometer 21°. Severe snow storm last night and to-day, with high north-east wind; about 20 inches of snow. No trains from the east to-day. ROCHESTER, December 23rd,-2 feet snow, with wind from north, UTICA, December 23rd,-2 feet snow; high wind from north east. ALBANY, December 23rd, Thermometer 21°. About 2 feet snow. Strong wind. MONTREAL, 7 P. M., December 23rd,-A severe snow storm from the east. About three feet of snow have fallen last night. Thermometer 16°. NEW YORK, December 23rd,-It is now blowing a gale from the north-west. There has not been such a sea in the North river for the last 10 years. A number of vessels have dragged their anchors, and it is feared great damage has been done. . . . 7 P. M.,-the gale is still raging with increased violence. It is feared the shipping has suffered severely. Although the phenomena of our winter north-east storms do not appear to be well understood, yet it is reasonable to suppose that if arrangements had existed for conveying meteorological intelligence in a proper form, from Halifax and Quebec to New Yerk, shipowners and captains of vessels would have placed faith in the announcement, and been prepared for the reception of a tempest which occasioned so much damage. This storm is referred to, not as being the best illustration of what may be expected to result from the co-operation of magnetic telegraphs, in conveying intelligence of approaching storms, but because its occurrence is still fresh in the memories of those who witnessed its violence. Canadian merchants are necessarily greatly interested in whatever tends to diminish the risk of loss attending the shipping interest on account of storms. The Gulf of St. Lawrence and the coast of Newfoundland and Nova Scotia are peculiarly liable to the destructive visitation of tempests which show themselves inland some hours before they arrive at the coast. We have now telegraph stations in connection with one another from Port Sarnia to Quebec, and from Quebec to Halifax, covering an extent of country of more than 1,200 miles in length, and running for more than half its distanco down the valley of a great river, and in a nearly uniform direction to the north-east, by east. We ask whether it would not be advisable to imitate the example of the Smithsonian Institution, and place a barometer and wind vane in a few of the most important stations along that very extensive and important line of communication? It would at least serve to awaken ship-owners and merchants to tho important services which might be rendered by an inexpensive yet complete organization to indicate the approach of storms. It would be a storm alarm on a stupendous and magnificent scale, extending over an immense tract of country, and susceptible of indefinite expansion towards the west upon the co-operation of the telegraph companies in the Western States of the Union. A knowledge of the approach and phenomena of storms, forms but a small part of the benefits to be derived from simultaneous meteorological observations. It is true that their investigation, pursued under the splendid |