Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, February 17, 1877, Page 9

THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1877—TWELVE PAGES: LITERATURE. New Lands Within the Arctic Circle. The Discoveries of the Austrian Polar Expedition. Chambers?’ Encyclopxdia of English Literature. The Science of the Bible—DBret ¢ Harte's Last Story, Antarctio Explorations—Duloz and the ““Revas des DenxMondes.” Barentz Isles---Diamonds—The Sand- Darter---Growth of Coral, LITERATURE. ARCTIC EXPLORATION: NEW LANDS WITHIN TIIE ARCTIC CIRCLE. Nannative or tug DiscovEmirs of THE Aus TRIAN Bitie *‘TROETTHOPF " IN TRE YEATS 18° 1874. By Jutivs Parsn, One of the Command- ersof the ExFe tlon. \With Maps snd Numer- ous Ilustrations from Drawings by the Authi Translated from the Usrman, with the Author's Approbation. In Two Volumies, 8vo., pp. 3 3df*Lopdon: Macmillan & Ca, Chicago: Ji sen, McClurg & Co. Price, $12. At a time when the [nterest fu Arctle explora- 1lon bas bieen freably excited by the return of an extended expedition equipped oud sustalned by England, the narrative of a protracted and heroie effort undestaken by the Austrion Goy- ernment, for the purpuse of increasing the ‘world's knowledge of the North-Polar regions, willnot fail foattract gencral attention. In this, as in the later voyage of the Alert and Discov- ery, no open Polar Sca was observed, aud on lusurmountable barrler of Ico was found puarding the approach to the Pole; yet new landsand new seas were added to the geogra- phby of the earth; valuable observations - fu me- teorology wero madej exteusive contributions were given to geology, botany, sud zoology$ and a strikdog lesson was furnished of the ca- pacity of mankind for brave, putient, prolonged sacrifice Iu the fulillment of obiigation sud of duty. Austria has herctofore taken little part in tho work of solving the great geographical problems of our thme; but, stimulated by the nctive exer- tions of other nations to determine the question depending upon Arctic exploration, her states- men at last resolved to Joinin the work with appropriate zeal and abllity. Count Wilezek, o #enerous nud high-spirited Huugarian, cou- tributed 40,000 florins in ald of the euterprise, and, by his influence and material assistonce, cu. couraged the Government In its hanorable de- termipution, In laylug out the plan of the expedition, b was declded tuat its maln object should be the achleveinent of un eutrante luto the central Arctle regious by way of tlhe scas between Novaya-Zemlya and Bpltz- bergen. Nelther the exlsteuce of an open Polar Sea, nor the possibility of reaching the Pole hy sledgo or boat expeditions, was assumed by the promoters of the undertakimg, The aln was ‘wisely lmited to the exploration of portlons of the great unkoown truct of 190,000 square miles Iying within the Avctle Clrcle, snd the attain- wment of as much fresh Inforwation of the reglons visited as cireumstances would allow, 10 prevent g far as possible o waste of cxpen- diture In the proseeution of a mistaken course by tue chief expedition, a plonecr voyage over & part of the coutemplated route was made, in the swmwmer of 1871, Ly the commuanders, Licuts, \Vc)ipmht and ‘Payer, In o salling- veasel—the li:,Jum {lw:-u:.-ur?—o! fitty tous. On the 20th of June thy_ship left Tromsee, the most portherly city o Europe, and for above three tonths the party on board pursued the workofreconnolssunce inthe Novaya-Zewmlya Sea. Inthe course of thls explotion the Jshjorn reached & polnt fu 78 deg. 83 miu. north lati- tude, thus penetrating o hundred miles In previously-unkuown scas. ‘The results of the voyage aloug thesouthern const ot Bpitzbergen, oud in mld-sea to the nortberumost locality guined, favored tho juferences that the navigu- tlon of the Novaya-Zewmlya Sea I3 possibleevery suminer, and thut o water-way is ‘open irom ft into the Sea of Kara, whbich 18 free from fvo fn sutwmn; and alsy, it moy be, foto the * Polyu- 3" in the north of Asta. Shaplug ita plans nccording to these conclu- sfons, the Austro-Hungarlun Arctfe. Expedition embarked nt Bremerhaven on the steamer Tegottholl, n vessel of $%) tous burden, built for the purpose, and flited out for u voyage of two years and o ball. The ship left the harbor ou the mornlng of Juny 18, 1972, with o crew and_ stal of twenty-threamen, all of whom had renounced l:|r u forwal decd every cluf to an expedi- tlon for thelr rescute In“ease they were unable toreturn. A month later they departed lrom Trotneve, where hud been udded to thelr naober g searnon of long experience in Arctie navigu- tlon, who was toact as Ivemaster aud Harpoon- ¢r. Ieavy sess aud unusunlly cold weather were {muedlately cucountered, aud, in the midst of dense Togs, the Tegetthofl steered norttward fts lonely, devious wuy through the thickening loes o2 lce. Buddenly, on tho 12t of August, a ship flylne the Austrinn thus wos seen on tho borlzon, aud, a half-lour later, the hbl?m wos nlungside, and Count Whezek was exchangine greetligs with the delighted ofileers of tue Tegetthofl. Fora week the ships kept company, aud then the threatenlng sspect of the fee compelled the hb{urn to turn back to safer waters, It was with decp emotlon that e Jittle band of cxplorers watched the disap- earance of the Isbjoru in the mist, which bore rom them the friend who bad spared no effort to foster thelr expeditlon, and no'personal peri] o assure himsell up to thie last moment that all way poing well with the enterprise, But the tll-fatea TegetthoX was already en- taogled in the fee, and, on the evening o{ the d‘-{ u which it parted from the Isbjorn, it blew olf steam aud was made fast for the night to a floe, frum which it was destiued never agaln to be released. The following morning the fee wos found 1o bave vlosed fu around the ship, and from that time on {t_was held o an fey grip, o Lelpless prisoncr, Its position was then near 1he northweatern coast of Novaya Zeinlya, In 0 deg. 23 min. N, Lat., 83 dez. Swln, B, Long, For wecks oflleers uod uen labored dillgently 10 free the vessel from ita bonds, but ol ai- tewpts were un: sful. Sawing und blustlng were alike lucilectual. The broken blocks o; e shut togethicr as soon us they wera sepa- rated, wnd finally every hope of making u pas- sage for the 'fegettlioll futv open water was sbandoned, Houceforth the vessel wus ut the werey of the winds and waves, and drifted with he flve o which it was attached witiersoeyer pened 1o be impelled. Thoe vourse tak- slowly to the northeastward wutil Febru. ary, 1878, when the dirccilou was abruptly clianged, and beld to the west aud orth for wany dreary months in suceession. Turouglout the winter of 1872-'3 the In- 1oates of the Tegettholl were I constunt terror trow the violeut tovements ot the surrounding dce, which Lourly threatened to crush and ens gull them. ‘The Orst alorm oceurred on the 13th of October, Early tu the morniug the floe burst immediately under the ship, witha ter- ritle convulion.” “ Hushing on deck," says Licut, Payer, *we discovered that we were aur- rounded and squeezed by the leo; the after purt Of the shilp was alreudy bipped und pressed, and 1he rudder, which was the rat to encouuter its sinault, shook and ‘xro.mud; but, as the great weizhit did ot admit of its betwe shipped, we ‘wero content to lash [t tirmly, We next -&rug‘ ou the fee, tho louluf. tremulous wotlon ol which literally filled the alr_with nolses us of siricks and howls. . . . Mountains threst. euingly ralsed themselves from wut the level fields of fce, aud thy low groan which fssued from = its depths pgrew into a deep- rumbling souud, and at lust rose futo & furlous howl, as of wyriads of volees, Nolse aud vonfusion rematued supreine, and step by atep destruction drew vigh fu the crash- ing Logethicr of tho Nelds of fce. Our floe wus oW crushed, and its blocks, piled up fute mwouu- drove hither and thitber, Here, they tuwered [athoms Nfll above thoshlp, uud forved the protectiug thuburs of wusslve vak, us if i nockery of thelr purpose, agalnat the Lull of ibe vegsel; there, masses of feo foll down as {uta an ubyss uuder the ship, Lo bo engulied In the rushing watcrs, so that the quantlty of fee betcath the ship wis t'ollllnllullyliuueu- aud o lx: “l‘l l:;l)uu 10 rulse bier quite above thelovel Tho frighttul commotlon lasted thro he day, aud ofiicers and crew prnfi)‘am.l ‘(‘fl‘%‘: Drobulle scessivy of leaving tbo of P Blodgey and tents were got ont and enuipped, and each man stoodd with & bundle in hand, containing n few cesentlal articles, ready to start—*! whither, no one pretended to know! For not a frag- ment of the fee around us remaincd whole; ., . nay, not a block, mnot a tavle of fee, was at rest; all sbspes nnid eizes of ft wero in netive motlon,—some rearing up, some tiftming and fwisting, none on the level. A sledge wonld at once liave been swatlowed np, and in this very circumstance lay the horror of our situation. For, If the shi ehould elnk, whither shiould we ro, even witl the smallest stock of provisionsi Amfd this confuston, how reach tha land, thirty miles dis- tant, without the most lml]wen-nhln neees- rares?’ The pressure of the fee, however, mwderuted toward night; and, when Ivd-time came, continnes Licut. Pager, *We fell asleep with onr eluthes on, though our slcep was dis- turhed every now and then by the onsets of fee, recurring lees Irequently and in diminished forve; hut datly—nand for one hundred and thirty —we yvent through the same experiences in greater or lesser mensore, almost always (n sun- lees durkness,” The hirave men on the Tegetthoff never eon- fessed (o cach other thelr fears, but ln every breast there was a calm voaviction that with the destriction of their yeasel thelr own doom was sealed, In tho daya immediately following Oct. 1, they perfected armngements for r}ul!llug the ship sliould it be sunk §n the fee, though per- suaded that their labors were vain, *\Wo must,” writes Lieat, Payer, for our mutual encouragement, keep up the appearance of he- leving ig thun.” Becoming aceustomed to the perlls environing them, they somcetimes von- tured toundress ot night, and slept onild the tumult of eracking fee, from very cxhaustion. In the daytine, says the narrator of these try- ing experlences, **When any one coracs down frutn the deck into the cabin, the eyes of all are involuntarily turned upon him to read fn the exprerston of his face what {s_going un ebove, aod cach dreads to Liear it sald that the fce fs in wotlon, .« . . “During the day, no qulet for reading or working: aud, every night almost, our aleep is disturbed by o horrible awaking within a great creaking, yawoiug coflln, Meu can sccustom themselyes toalmost unnlnlng; but to these dafly-reciering shocks, aud _the constantly-re- vurring questionasto ‘the end and [ssuc of i all, we caunot grow accustoned, o . . One ofus to-lay remarked very truly, that he saw per- fectly well liow one nieht fose kis reason with thie continuance of these sudden and fncessunt assaults, . . . Every nightwe are startled out of sleep, and, Jike "hunted anlinals, up we spring toawait amid un awful darkness the end of an enterprise from which all hope of success lias clepurted. - It becomes at last o merc me- chanfeal process to seize our rifles aud our bag of necesuaries, and rush on dezk.” The weeks passed slowly by, but brought no change In the situntion of the Tegettholl. In the beginnlng of November, In_clear weather, the day mu]h be distingalshed from the nlght; s yet the darkueas, even ot noon, was so great thiat mists could not be seen, but feit only." The men had now seitled into a regular round of employment, In order to divert the mind from the ploom enveloping it. **The effect of the long Polar night,—when the range of the light of o lamp I8 the whole world for man,—Is most oppressive to the feellogs, writes Licat, Payes r can habit ever reconcile tioee who have lved under the influences of civiliza- tiou to Its gloom and solitude. It can be a home unlly to men who spend their exlstence In eating, aud drinking, and sleeping, without any disturo- ing recollection of better exlstence,” Thoe de- presslon was made moro Intense by tho con. sclousiess that we had been driven (nto an ut- terly-unknown reglon, and with our eyes bound. Work, Incessant work, was the only resource In these circumstances.” The ship was provided with alibrary of 400 clivlce volumes, aud these were an fuvaluable resourcs to the Inmates of the cabju, In the ovenings a school was syatematically taught lo the forecastle,—the lifiterate crew, conpused cufefly of Dalinatlaus, beiug the doclle, yet of- e dl:cuumglng.vufifln of the patient commanil- ers. For exerciae, the men lald out paths about the vessel, which required daily clearlng from the drifs, aud bullt statcly structures of ice, as urpuseless as the tabricof a dream, Ye lubored as zealously at such Idle constructions as though fate huug on the lesue; and in sume sense it dld, for pbeorbiug cmploy- ment wos an essentlal safeeuard of Lodily uud weatal bhealth, Every means was contrived to vccupy the fazulties and cheer tho spirits, Among the crew oo fucessant chatler \as sus- talaed. 'Their tougues secmed never still, It Was therepetition of the practies of ehildren, who talk loud and fast to Lide thelr fears when In the dark, In the cabinall toples of conversation wery carnestly discusaed; “but very acldom,’ writes Fayer,” “did we yenture to speak of ‘Wlufl. fllled the minds of all,—out captivity Inthe e, ‘The comm{ssary of tho ship was well supplicd, and plenty of fresh imeal, such as it was, was afforded by seals and Polar bears, A littio bed of eress aud cubbnges, suspended over the stove, furnlshed occasional ealade. 'I'tie plants geown in the darkuess of n Polar night turned thelr Tuces ateudily toward the lamp Imnqlng near by, whose feeble rays were rellected In thelr own pallid follage; but they extracted from the soll wad the atmosphiere o true cress-tiavor, ‘The awful clashing of tho lee with the ele- ments continued witls intervals of abatement, until at fost, worn out with the torture of fear oud suspense, many of the stoutest hearts felt that It would be a_glad relesse to have the dreaded catastrophe suddenly consummated, Bearing the date of Jan. 20, the _following pase ruge stands in Payer’s journal, Tho weary men bave just fallen”naleep in thelr berths, when *Tue watch comes to snionnce to those below that the terrible novement inthe fve has begun, aud once mwre we all spring from our beds, put on our far clothes, our ready-fllled bags, and ammid the darkn nd ready on dleck, and listen to the wur between the fce and the cle- ments, In mutumn, when the fre-flelds were not nearly 5o large a4 in the winter, their col- lislon was accompanted by a aeep, dull sound; Lut uow, rendered bard mod brittle by the ex- treme mfd,u goutil us of a howl of Tage was emitted oy thef crished togethet. Even neaver come the rusbing, rattling suunds, as it o thou- sand bieavy wagons were driving over a plain,” But tho'winter wore away, aud the ship Teg- eftholl keld together through all tho terrlbie straly, Ou the 19tk of February, when the sun Ouce more ruse above the lurlzonand poured lts Leams over the world of fce, the wen for tho frat tlme in months could look upon cach uther In a_tlear, searcblng light, Aud then was revealed the effect of thelr long and patoful captisity. * How shocked nud surprlsed we were,” Biates tho simply narrative, % with the thange which Lad been wroughit in us I the Joug” Polar nieht! Our sunken cheeks were overspread with pallor; we had all the sigus of convalescence after o long iliness,—tho barp- pointed nose, thie sunken cye” Hut the bee nicficent lufluence of the sun’ broughs back the color to the men's fuced aud cheerfulucss tu thelr bearts, Aguin the hoj spranc up that the vessel wouiil be freed from the feo during the coming aumner, lvnvlmi the cxplorers an opportunity *to accomplish_the aims of the exmdn on. But the ‘Tegetthofl continuzd fast-bound to the foe, anddrifted cver helplessly ulong a frozen sea. Wuen August and September, the open woutns Uy Arctic waters, bad gove by, changiug in bo reapect the conaition of things, the fntulerably thought that another winter must be apent lke the Prfl'edlnz ons becamns & tern fact, and, weites Payer laconleally, » Wy wepted and endured {69 All expeciation of discoveries had departed, when, on the 2Uth of August, tho vessel buving_drifted to 70 deg. 43 miu. N. Lat. sud 80 deg, 83 wiu. E. Long., land was deserled, 1t wasa joyous surpriss to the hnprisoned men, who wers thus lited from the depths of dedpalr by the certainty that one prize at least had dropyed luto thelr posscsslon. ' The expedition would not be utterly barren of fruia, aince it could now return with tne Intellyzence of a hitherto unkpownluud. The newly-dlscoy- ered tentory was namncd, fu hunor of the Aus. trian Emperon, ¢ Kaiser Franz-Jusef's Land." The legufilml! wos driven by the winds aro:ud the suthern point of the laud, whose rocky shores wers generally in view; hut the explorurs wuere not sble to reach It until No- Veluber, when two short excurslons were accous rlhhud, which perniitted very meagre fuvestiga- dous, Still the sight of tie new laud was sufilcient to dizsipate the oppressive fvar of an inglorjous end ol the expedition, which had until uow welzued so lieavily ou the ininds of the party. Tho wiuter of 1873-'4 was pass: tiuch more comfortably than that of the year Just past, as the fee remalued Hro aod’ the Tegettholl gave its {nmutes the shelter and ac- curity of o hume. Un the firat day of suvrise iu 1874, which full on Feb. 24, Licuts. Wey- crechit and Payer resolved to waske a series of sledze-fourneys of discoverv, and thea to abandol thelr ship, and attenipt 8 return to urupe by means uf bouts aud sledges. Tho flrst sledye-fournoy was performed be- tween the 10th and Uth of March; the secoud aud lougest, between tho 23th of March and Zith of April; oud tho third, betwecn the 2ith of April uud 3d of Slay, The distance traveled Iu these three cxpeditions was about 450 wiles, aud the bighest point reached was fu 83 deg, 5 iy, N.“L, about 100 wmiles uorth of the place where tho Tegettholf was then ., fxed. o excunilons wero cunducted with slgual ublm,r by Licut. Payer, and the tremendous hardstilps which they bu- Ejml upon sll who 100k part [n thewm wers rue Wil herole fortitude. Yet here us else- where ther 18 ne effort wade by the bivtorian to excito the sympathies or socure the spplause of tha peader (Or sutferiugs quxnl.hy caducod aud courageous deeds uobly uchileved. The record ves %4 plain, unvarufshed tule™ of the fu- cldeuts of tee expedition, proving by its sia. plicity that but o slugle Lupylig muved toe entfre party: that of dning thelr duty in a man. Iv fashton, and _wihh the eole recompense of duty perfeetly done, The exploration of Franz-Josef Land revealed adeeolate tr: barren, at the verfod visted, of lfe of y kind, ' The mountali-ranzes wera compoted of [solated clevations, varying from 2,000 t0 5,000 feet i height. Ehormous glaclers extended from their Jofty solitudes, and reached down to the sea. A covering of fes avd suow wrapt the whole carth from view. Even I summer, Lieut. Payer thinks the Laud mast e burled inder perpetunl anow. On debuded spots an extreincly scanty vegetatfon was visl- ble, resenbling It eharaiter the vegetation of the Alpsat an_clevation of 9,000 or 10,000 feet. No (races of humsn fohabitants wern found, and Polar beara and_migratory birds wern the only antnals obrerved. ‘Fracks of foxes aud of an Arctle bare were seen, but the scanty vegeta- tion forhade: the presence of the musk-ux or the relndeer. From ' the examination made, Franz. losel Land would seem to comprise a grounp of ands, rather than an nndivided body of lund. While Lieut. Payer was conducting the sledge-cxpeditions, Licut. Weypreeht was busy on tie Tegetthofl, compleling ()nrcmrntlnm for the abandonment of the ship. On the 20th of 674, ull was readys nnd the little band, 1 ering one less—throngh the death by con- sumption of Kusch, the eugincer—than when they ontered the Arctic Circle, took thele line of mareh southward. The col- lectlons In zoology, botany, and geology, that had been gathered with vast. labor, were Ieft be- Iind In the deserted yessel. Three Loats on three sledges, laden with the journals and fn- strumcnts of the ofticers, and & sinall stuek of provisions aml clothing, coustituted the entire porsessions of the returning expedition, Thelr rate of progress over the rough {vc-hummocks covered with snow was eo snail-like that, after the lapse :;r 1:x0 months of tndescribable efforts, the party hod ot traveled a distance from the ahip of more than fwo German iles/” “*Not & tman among us," enys Payer, “Imagined that we could bo saved, except by some extraordinary and happy turn of fortune, smnll signs of which were at present to be seen. To escape from this derrunlng fear, we dellberately avolded every allusion to the future.” O the 14th of August the open sea was reached, fu Jatitude 77 deg. 49 min. The fol- lowing day the bLoats were sct afluat, and the Iittle party cominittod themselves to the tacrey of tho deep, The voust of Nuvayn Zemlys was sighted on the 10th, and thence the boats kept close to its snores, hoplug to mecet suine fistiing-vessel still Hogering in the desolate re- glon, ~ On the evenlog of the 24th two Russian schooners came Into view, and the safety of the men_was assured. Bince the abandutiment of the Tegetthofl they hud lived inthe open ale ulnety-six days, and, including the sledge-jour- neys, about five mouths, Oue of the schooners bore the party directly to Vardoe, where they took passage on tho mail-steamer to Tromsoe, where they arrived Bept. 5, after oo absence o{ iwo years and two months, Thie histery of the expedition, by Licut. Pay- cry cmbraces, besides the deeply-Interesting record of the adveutures which befell It, very valuable chapters treating of the phoscs of the frozen ocean, of tho most feasible methods for its navigation, of the funer Polar Sea, the future of the Polar question, of Polar equipments, and of the vonduct of sledye-expeditions, To the discussion of these tuples the au- thor has brought the intelligence gained during three separate Arctic cxpeditions, Ils uplnfons and sugeestions are worthy of consideration, uspecially by thoss fnterested in Polar explora tlon. [t'is "the bellef of Lileut, Paver that th Polo can never be reached by ship, as he cof siders that the state of the ice fs the same be tween 82 deg. and 00 deg. N. L. that it has been Tound south’ of 83 deg., or that, if there be auy chaoge, ftIs for the worse, Rut, in fact, the ol of reaching the Pole by future expeditions he regards as fur less desirablo than the cffort, by systematic research o Avetlc reglons, to n- crease our knowledge of Natural Science. It would be wiser, {n his oplofon, for explurers to content thewmsclves, untll serial pavization to the Pole shall bo attempted, with studying the Jauds alrexdy discovercd witlun thy Arctle Clrcle, whose coast-llue ouly is thus far knowwy. SCIENCE OF TIIE BIBLE, TIIE BCIENCE OF TIEDIBLE; on, AN AXALTalS' or tue lenuew Mrraoiont, By Mittox Woottey, M. D. Chicago: Printed for the Aue thor by Kuight & Leonard, In tbis worky the author, Dr. Woolley, of SBtreator, IlL., essays to prove that what (s gen- erally regarded ns the *Listoricul’’ portion of the Old Testatnent s really an allegorical treat- ment of the most obvlous natural phcnomena. Ile regards the Bibleas cutitled to take rank with the Rig-Vedas avd other works whichhavs been recently rccognized as symbolical; g fog o portion of the history of Nature, as the ‘Nazareue lustructed [is digclples, in parables, ‘The {dea s not exactly n mew onej but Dr. ‘Woolley’s treatment {8 novel and the applica- tion more cxtensive and general than that adopted by any previous author, The suspl- clon that the twelvo tribes of Israel are nothing more or luss thau the twelve Zodiatal Constel latlons, secms to have Leen entertained by doubters hicre and there all ulong the stream of huwman bistory. Bo too, it was promincutly proclalined, half o century ago, that the Biblj- cal names of God, and of the (false) gods wor- shiped by tho Israclites, were only uppellatives of the sun in Lis varlous degrees of exaltation or abasement; and that the Blblical Invoca. tions of the true God arc only disgulsed veralons of tho ancleut sun-worship, — But a good deal of the Bible remalned which was conceded to bo history, or at jeast to have a thread of bistory for {ta warp, the woof to which had been fliled In by yrlcmy or poetle inagina- tion, Woolley has relezated the whols of it to tho domaln of pure mythology. Even thestory of Un-n(lun—wgluh both those who have nttacke ed it on geologie gronuds, and those. who de- fended ity bave taken literally, except perbaps i regurd to the ncasure of time deyoted by tho word ‘‘duy”—{s cut dowa by this ruthless {conoclast,’ Ile opens Lls work with an analysis of the weaulugs of the wordd Elsbini aud Juhvel; holds that the fiest Includes the second; and fhen arzues that the whole mccount fs slinply o symbolle account of the history of Nature through purt ol o year, The six days of creation, lie tells us, are the slx montlis or consteliations of summer; and the Sabbatical rest was winter, or the bunnulmi of that half of the year. It ls no wonder i, atter Laving disposed of thisstutnbling-blovk at “one lell's\\'oo ,"? lie 18 prepared to mako lesser havoe with what tollows, Accordingly he finds that A was the enrth, and Eve the crops of sum- mer, taken from his side; while the serpent fs the Winter portion of the s path. Hetells us that Cain was winter, and Abel sum- mer. Noah was tho earth, and his sons -were the threv agclent seasons of tho year; whilu the recorded dimen- sluns of the Ark are fugeslously shown to uee cord with gucient time-meastures, e treats Ishmael and Isaar, and Esau and Jacob, as other verslons of tho frst pair of brotherd,— Cuin and Abel, Ho makes Moses to ba the Aquaries of the Zoliac; sud Virgo to suceessive- ly represent Saruh, Rebekah, Miriam, the Virgin Mary, and (by fuference) most of the women of tho Bible, 'I'ne guing back of tho shadow on the sun<Mal, |uthe days of Hezekiab, was a reconstruction of thy caloudsr; and tho sun represents Elljoh, Jooah, aud many other of the male characters, W huve written enough to Indleate the gen- eral conclusions at whichtheauthor has srrived 3 but it would be dificult togivean Idea of his mode of reasoniog without “voplous extracts. Wo nay say, Lowever, tuatit s largely etymos logteal,—either real or fancitul, e coinmenced thystudy of Mebrew atthu ogo of 60, for the express purpose of betue able to (sh out tho true from the seeming, and his work bears the stamp of rescarch. It {3 far from belog the result of & littlo day-dreaming, thouwh it ap- puars probable that a goud deal of fuucy 18 built up from @ fule foundation of fact, 1t wo sdmit that the fundameutal idea Is ‘)luu-tblo. We cun scarcely reslat the conclusion hat some of his rcasontngs are pushed to the oextreme of absurdity, futhe attempt tomake ull the promtuent storivs of the Old_Testament fit futotho one Procrustean bed. The work does nat even afford us the relle? of varlety met with in the comparative study of Greelay sy where the moon sad the “live” plal coing Inta playus ubjocts ta Ly Vrraoafed, The fact that the days of tho weck wero uamed after the planctsatd very early period, bas not escaped utteutlon but the signiicauce of that fact as an ;.-Icmeull: wyth-muking sccms to have becn gnored ‘The book wiil, however, well repa rusal, because it will help tho yeader to "u’fm‘i’f,_m, thut In & new direction. We tave happliy out- grown the time when [t was lmproper to com- wend o bouk every position tuken in which could not be fndorsed a8 true, and when it was deemed finpossible to read o work without sub- seriblog fu ful) toall it contatned. This work 18 certululy cutiticd to bo regarded s a vatuable coutribution to the fuud of human thought, even by those who will atoutly deny both™ jts prewlscs aud couclusions. ST THE NISTORY OF NEW YORK. By M. Mamtus J. Lanw. New York snd Chicago: A. . Barued & Co, Farts 5, 6, and 7 of this work, which Is belng published serially, carry the histery of the Mctropolls of the Unlted Btates Irom the year 1664 to tho year 1639, Ju the early part of this perlod the dominlons of the Dutch in Americ, focldded yinder thotitle of New Netherlund, . 2 were captured by the Eneliah, nnd the name of New Amsterdain_was changed to New Yo I honor of the Royal Duke who had ruc.eas- fully planned the skillfnl stroke of arms, The grofvthof the city_nnder the ndministration of fts successive Englall (Guvernors, Nivolls, Lovelace, Andros, and’ Donzan, Is related in an entertaining narrative, which presentsin chrono- logleal requence many finportant and Interest. ing cvente relatinz to the city and its [nbablt- ants, not elsewhere readily necessible. £ ENGLISH LITERATURE, CTIAMBERS' CYCLOPADIA OF ENGLISH LIT- ERATURE. A Tsronry, Cpiticar, axo Bio- GRAFHICAL, OF firits rTIORE, WiTH Spret. wESH o Tein Writiva Urlflnu‘!{ Kdited by Rosenr Cluasnr ‘TRird Editlon, Me- vired by Ronent Camnitue 1L1.D. 18 Two Yolnmes, Eva,,pp. K10-811, iladelphia: J, B, Tippincott & Co.” Chl ¢ Janeen, McClarg & o, Frice, 38, The first_editfon of “Chambers' Cyclopedia of English Literature” was published fn 1843, Fiftcen years later o second editfon was pub- llshed, bringing Its contents down to the year 1858, After o further lapee of cighteen yenrs, the work is now agaln revised, continulng tho extracts and blographical notices to the date 157, Since its first appearance the hook has oceupled =n important place In English and Amcrlean lbrarfes, and nothing has vet been produced caleulated to supersede It. The scope of the work combinea a Llographical dictionary of authors. with a history of the progress of Engzlish Hterature, from I8 carliest beginningi with the Anglo-Baxon writers of the seventh century. Althiough the scheme of the Cyclopedia re- maing the sume, its latcst editor, Dr. Robert Carruthers, has made very considerable chnnges in the substance aud arrangement of its matter. In order to make room for new authors with ex- amnples of thelr wmrosmml.many of the notices nd extracts forierly given have been curtalled and condensed. In' Ircttw.'nl instances fresh pleces have been substituted for those which were originally sclected for the Niustration of an author, he old woodeuts, too, which were interspersed in the text, have been removed, and the deficlency In part squllcd by portraits of authors In groups of s half-dozen or soona separate page. n cither of its past forms the work has been amost nseful voe, as multitudes of erateful students will attests and the present atended cdition will undoubtedly perpetuate for years to come its excellent reputation. NOVELS, TIIANKFUI, DBLOSSOM. A RoMANCR oF THE denseva—1770, By Daxr Hanvz, linstrated, . loston: James N. Usgoud & h';?ug : Hadley Bros. & Co. ‘l'mc. bt THE FRAU DOMINA, From the Qerman of Cratne Vos Guunen., Authorized Translation, 1Umo,, pp. 250, Boston: Lozkwood, Brooks & Co. Price, 81.00. The story of *Thankful Blossom " has so slender and tenuous a plot that one can easily see the daylight through it fn many a critical spot, and yet it Is a clever Nttle production. It Is fresh and vigorous In style, uud the central figure, honest, sweet, nud willful Thaokful Blossun, {s drawn with a strong, skillful hand. The sketeh of Washington, though lightly lafd In, shows In its suggestiveneas the fioe fusight uf the artlst, The romance Is taken from the Thistory of the Revolutioy, and is tinceured with the quaint ruanner of the period. “Tlhe Fran Dowmina® 14 a tale of about the same dlmenslons, consuming an bour or two in the perusal, Ttisa fervent love-story, well cynstriteted and smowhly written, " Like ¥ Thankful Blossom,” it belongs to the schoul of light and IR!Q(.'I'J‘E Aetion, 18mo, [ BOOKS RECEIVED. THE MOLLY MAGUIRES. Tue Omal!.‘annwfl!. AND CHABACTER OF TiE ORAAXIZ) . By E. P, Dewxxs, a Member of the Schuylkill Connty Bar. 12m0., pp. $50. Philadelphis:J. B, Lip- piucott & Ce, Chicago: Hadley Uros. & Co, FOURTEEN WEEKS 1§ ZOOLOGY, Uy J, Donsax Streee, Ph. b, ¥, O, Author of LS. the Fourteen-Weeks Serles in Natural Belence., 12mo., vp. 408, Chicago: A. 8. Hames & Co. Price, 81 .4‘8. ART IN ORNAMENT AND DRESS. Translated from the Frenca of Criantes BLaxc, Mewber of the Institute, and Formerly Director of Fine Arta, \WIth Hlustrationys, Hve., pp. 274, York: Scnbaer, Welfunl & Armstron RO Jenyen, MeClurg SUNU-VICTURIES Of' ** THE BLISS AND 8, KEY UYMNS": UziNo 4 CoLLECTION 0P OXE MUuNDRED INCIDENTS iN REGAND To THE OmiuiN AXD POWER uf T8 LY XS CORTANED 1% ** Gose rru JlvdNy aXp SAcnzu Bosus, ™ With sn'Intro- ductory Leiter by the Rev, (xonoe ., Prxtee gor U B, and_ Liggragiical Sketchés of 3ir. Ina D. 8axkxrand Mr, P, P, Blwe. 12mo., evp. 158. floston: D. Lathrop & Co. TWICE DEFEATED: Un, Tux STony or A Danx SocteTy 13 Two Coustnics. By Roulin Epe . 490, Thiladelphin: 3, 18, Lhicago: lindley ros, & Co. THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF MARTIN CIUZZLEWIT, - By Cnantxsa Dickess, In Two Volumes. WithSteel.Plate lllustrations. 1¢mo., ), 433438, Now York: Hurd & Honghton. Bhicago: Hadley Dros. & Co. Prica §¢ per Yolune, CENTRAL AFRICA: NaRED TarTis or NARKD Prorie. AN AccOUNT of EXPEUITIONS TO TUE Lagz Victonta NTANZA axp_Tue MAnARA Niax-Nia¥, Wzar or 7Tur_Baun-zL-Asian (Wntre Niue), Uy Col, C. Cuaiix Laxo, of the Eyyptian Staff, lilustrated from Col. Loxa’ Own bketches, 12mo., pp. 0. New York: Jlarper & Dros. Chlcago: Jansen, McClurg & Co., Price, §2.60. A PRINCESS OF TAULR. A Novet, By WiLLe 1Ay Brack, Author of **Madcap Violel," ete. 12mo,, pp, 404, Now York: lMarper & Chicawo: Janecn, McClurg & Ca, Frice, $1.50. ‘THE SUN-MAID, " A LlowaNcr, Dy the Anthor of *Artisi cle. Paper. New York: Harper & D Chicago: Junwen, McClurg & Co. Prce, 50 conts, MADCAP VIOLET, A Novzi. By Wittnx fiLack, Author of “*A Princess of Thuje." Yuper. New York: \llrpl!r & Dros, Chicago: Jansen, MeClurg & Co. Price, 00 cents, 2, 3 TERIODICALS RECEIVED. DARPER'S MAGAZINE for March (tsrper & na: **Contempors . W, Benjamin (with **Bunshine, " s Poem, an Weuds, and Their rhert Tul with fourteen lllus- ++A Foutoll.” 3 Poem, by Anna C. Urucke(t: **Litchfiold 1111, " by Jun, (with four portraits) pensed, '’ o Poomw, by Carl Speacer; ributlon of Anlmale,” by B. R, Co: veiliustrations) s +* A Womnn.1ster, " Part ** Eatranzed, " & boont, by Phlily Boarke o1 ston: **Love's Voyaye" a Poem, by C. P, Csanch (with one Mlustrstion); ** A Summer. Crulye Aoy the Atlantic Islands," by Dr. A. L. Gihon (with fen [llustrations); ** About Dolly, " a Story, by Itose Terry Cooke ' (with one Illustration) : “*Popular Expositlon “of Kowne trutions) elentile Lxporiments,—I., Atout Hed-iut Bodies, ** by DF. dobn W, Draper (wlth six {llns- tratione) 3 ** Jd "y Story, by Edward Everets lalo; ** El ur, My Father's 8lo,' by K. Mackmore: ** Webster and tho Hon, 1enry W, 1111 Ly Boery Cornivally & Ktory, by El . tine, & Voews, by Sary 8. Dres o dihun Hawthorne; ** Ei Cliairs*™ **Rdilor's Literary Necord:™ +* Eaitos Sclentifie Necard *>Editor's llatorieal Rec. |‘ml.l '.‘ Editor's’ Drawer™ (with thres jllus. ratigny), ATLANTIC MONTILY for March (H. O, Jlough. llostuny, Contonts: ** Rodinan the by Constans Fenlimore 0ld Engll Woolson; StA Jowry fellow; *+'p) Henry Jam Aunc Remble; ¥ Whipple; '* cent Litvruture: ‘ducation: o Attuntic fur April will contaln extracts from the *+Original Dury of & Dritleh Onicer during the Blege of Hostuns* the unal chapter of Mra, RKemble's ** Ol Woman's Uossip,™ und the con- cluslon of Mr, Jlowells' comedy, **Out of the uestion.” Au artlcle ou **ho Races of the Danube, ¥ Ly Jobn Flike, will appesr In the Atlanile, Mr. E, U, Bt Lovi ung, 0w Dudley Buck Las set to mualc for uumber of the dtlantic Month! ALAXY March (Sheldon & Co. Tho Epglish Peeruge, a; *Mine M Clapiers 1 tin - McUseth) uoson Couni, **Poriralt Iuconnue, Galerle V. 5. 45, M. Tiueels A Golde M Ly Monry " by Mary L. Ritter; **8hall Punfabment Pupleh h[ Chauncuy Hickox; *Renunclatiun," by Kate Hillard; * Ei ‘emine ub " by n ing lurty with the Cosvicks of t i by Lavid hlu; *Drift-Wood, " by Dun, Phillp Quilibel dc Miscellaucy;" rare MR LR B e o tJ * Nebula, tuo or, LIPFINCOTT'S MAGAZINE for March (J. .B. Livplocott & Co., Philsdelphla), Contents: **in tho Valleyw of Peru™ (illusl d) 3 ' AL Ad- ventury In Jopan ™ (Illustrated| * With Life— Hope, ** by Charles Do Kay; th, "' & Story, by Funale lodgeon Buraett:’ + Rewlctacences Of & Pout-Paiuter, " by Jubn It Twit; ** The Marquis of Losale, " by Grorge Macdonuld; ** A Jewnb Fpally, " a sm(; from e Geran, lewera- blrod Buale, ¥ By Rate Dillards b Mace. wux Lawes; or, The Ladlcs Speak st Last ** Red- breast fu Tatups, ™ Ly Biduvy Lanlar; * Youog Alaya: or, Tha Gawk from Amerien,™ by Ber. thoid Aucrbach translated by Charles T. Jirooks +*Our Monthly Goselp;® ** Literature of thy Day. THE MAGAZINE OF AMERICAN HISTORY, Wit Noves axn Quenins. Febroary Number, Contentt . **Mount Warhington and [ta Cap- N 16, 1770 " (with an orizinal map), by Edward F. De Lancey: 11., **8ketchof Plerre Daille.the First Hoguenot Pastor of New York "' 1L, **Uriginal Docaments:” IV., *% Reprinta of liare Liocamente; V., **Notes id Qoerles, .y ete. g FAMILIAR TALK. ANTARCTIC EXPLORATIONS, As o Oiting supplement to the sccount of the experience In Polar Reas of the Anstrian Arctie Expedition of 1872-1874, which fs given in the precedirg columns, we present the following light sketch of the most Important explors- tions hitherto made in the Antarctic regions, In consequence of the prepoderance of the sea over the dry land In the southern hemisphere, the temperature Is very much colder In high Bouthern Ilatitudes than in correspond- fng parallels fn the North, where farge continents form an slmost continuous circle around the Polar Sca. The thermometer has been kiown to rise fn summer in Spitz- bergen to X 88)¢ deg.: In Melvtile Island (T4 deg, 47 min. N)) it has risen to X 0% deg.; whilo fu 70 deg. 42 min. N. L. the mean temper- ature of the summer months is X 202.8. In the Antarctic Polar area, un theother hand, 8ir James Ross never once noted, in three suminers spent Ip exploration fn its acas, a riso of tem- veraturc above X 412,55 while the wean tem- peraturc of the sumimer months within the Antarctic Circle was only X 272.3, In Siberla and the Hudsou's Bay territories vast forests exist fu high latitudes; and in favored places the cercals may be cultivoted as far North as the 70th parallel; but, {n the South, no vegetation, not even a moss or a lichen, bas bLeen observed beyond 63 deg. 12 min, 8. Lat, Polar_ bears, and _the traces of foxes and hares,’ were observed by Licut, Payer in Franz~Josef Land, north of the 82 parallel; but not o Jand-quadru- ped 1s known to inhabit the countses beyond 63 deg. of Southern Latitude. The sea never freezes around the Faroe Tslunds, whereas the New Shetlsud Islands, Iving in necely the same lutitude fu the Sonth (61 deg. 63 min,), are bleak and barren wastes of snow and Jue. The large 1sland of Buuth Geos having a situation in Bouthern seas corresponding to that of the Northeru counties of Eugland (5% deg. 55 min, 8, L.) s & dreary, lcfy- waste, *‘The wild rucks,® says Capt, Covk fu the history of his expedluou‘ “raiscd thelr lofty suminits |{II they werelost 1o the clouds, aud the valley lay cov- ered with everlasting snow. Notatree wastobe seen,—not o ebrub even big encurh to make o touthpl The only vegetation was o coarse, strong-bladed grass, growine {n tufts, wild burnet, aud a plant like moss, which sprung from the rocke? “In the Arctic reglons such desvlation docs not prevall uotil o distance of 20 or 24 dep. nearer the Pole has been traversed., Althougb no land-quadrupeds are found bes youd the 60th deg. of Southern Latitude. innu- uterable sca-birds iohablt the highest parallels; and whales, dolplins, seals, aud other mariue animals abouud [ all the Antarctic waters. One of the earliest pavigators of the Anturctic reas was INrk Gheritz, a Dutch sallor, who, while on a whaling voysge, was driven by a storm far south of bhis course, and thus uniutentionally discovered the New 8hetland Islands, In 1600, After him, at various Interyals, adventurous mariners roving the seas 1n quest of new lands, or drifting helpfessly be- fore the winds, peuetrated Into high Bouthern Iatitudes, and touchied the shores of numervus 1slafids untll then uuknown, The Hlrst uavigutor irho entered the Antarctic Clrele with the detinite purpose of sclentific ex- loration was Cupt. Jatwes Cook, who salled rom Plymouth, Eui)nllfl‘ In 1773, aad for three ears cruised about In the Southern and Pacifie ceans. This famous discoverer traveled over a space of 100 deg, of longltude south of the wth cg-rnllc:, but fogs and fce effectually pre- vented bis advance beyond 71 der., 8. L. In 1510, M. Smith, Maater In the Royal Navy of Englaud, was borne out ol "Mis course Ly perverso wales, and rediscovered New douth Shetland. ' Threo years after thls, Capt. Weddell, a sealer, reached tho latitude 74 deir. 15 min, 8., three degrees beyond the latis tude attuined by Capt. Cook, and within about 1.003 miles of the South Pole, o 1831, Blscoe discovere! Euderby Land and Graham's Laud; aud, fu 1899, Batleuy for the first time lald down on the Antarctle mup the Balleny Islands and Sabrina Laud (69 deg. 8. L.), lu 1837, Louls Pbilippe dlspatched an Aut- arctic expedition. under the command of Ad- ufral Dumont d'Urville, which, during o threc years’ voyage, discovered Louis ?hllfi;e'- Land (63 deg, B1 win. 8, Lat.), and Adele Luud, yome ed alter bis wiie 88 deg. 67 miv, 8. Lat.), to- gutber with a large sumver of fslands. About the samo time, tuo Uovernment ot the United States utted out an expedition, in charge of Lieut. Wilkes, which speut four vears navigat- Ing unknown portions of the Antarctic Ocean. But " the most distinguished and successful . voyage of exploration 10 the Southern seas was that made by Sir Janies Ross, Ju the years 1530-1843. Capt. Ross salled 1n the um}; “ Erebus,’ accompanied in tho ship * Terror b{ Capt. Crozler, Liis sccond i command,—a gallant oflicer who died with Franklin jo the Arctie Sea, Fur two montlis Capt, Koss gmlecnled sclen- il rescarches st Kerguelen Island, and then turued his prow southiward. Oy New-Year's Day, 1341, he crussed the Antarvtic Circle, and on thie 11th of Jauuary came In sight of land rlslnf in two lufty mountain-praks, exceeding 7,000 feet in lielght, and visible for more than & hundred mitles. In honor of his soverelgm, this newly- dis:overed recion was called Victorfa Land, but ft was many doys before the Captain, with a bost’s crew, was able to effect & lauding, The small fsland, jolned by fee to the malnland, on whose soll ke was first ablo to set his fuot and pluat the British fag, wus situated in 70 deg, 8 min. 8. Lat, Continulpg his coursc east- ward uear the shores of a lonz stretch of laud, & magniticent mountain-chaiu was sighted amid which two voleanle peaks towered,—~the one vamed Muuat Erebus (77 deg. 5 min. B,) to 2 helght o 12,400 fert abovo the level of the sva, ol the otber, numed Mount Terrur, to the helght of 10,900 fect, Mount Ercbus was In & state of eruption, and on one oceaslon was abserved by the cxplorers “to emit smoke aod fame in unusual quantitics, producing a most grand apcetace. volume of = densy suoke wus projected at each successive jet, with great force, in_ 8 vertical column, to o Lelght of bes tween 1,500 aud 3,000 feet above the mouth of the crater; when, condensiug first at {ts upper part, it descended in mist orsuow, and graduslly dlspersed,—to be succeeded by another splendid exhibition of thesamo kind'tn about Lalf au hour afterwards, although the lntervals between the eruptions were by no tweans regulur. Tho fameter of the columnsofl smoke was between 20U aud 300 feet, a3 near us we could measure it. Whenever the smoke cleared away, a bright-red flame, that Hilcd the mouth of the crater, wus clearly perceptible; and suine of tho offlvers be- Uevo they could see streams of lava pouring down Its” sfdes until lost benesth the snow, which deacended froin a few hundred fect bels the centre, and cllfY severul mil For 450 miles Capt. Koss coasted along this land in search of a water-way oy which be might penetrato nearer o tue oblect of his ambition, ths coveted polot in 90 deg, 8. Lat, which (s called the Bonth Poles but an uninterrupted wall of fee, attalnlugr an average clevation of 180 feet, forbade the con- summation of his_hope. At ouo polnt, where tho frozen bLarricade dropped tu @ beight of Capt. Hoss was able to survey from ead the lund bevond. In the distance, svruss & level plain, wountalns wers discloae to view, situsted -prm-utly in the 77th degree of latitude, ot less than 700 nautical wiles from the Pole. Capt. Ross passed the winter months, when uavigation ~was jwpossible 1u the Autarctic ‘Tusmanla or tho Falks d Lo En{hud u 1843, For the skill and biavery which he extibited in the conduct of this expedition, he received tho bouor of Imolfimhoal. The Pagoda, commanded by Lleut, Moore, which was sent out by the Engllah Adiniralty to ubserve mfinuuc plenomens tu the Bouthiern scas, attalued the T3d in & quarter uot Vhited Ly James Ross, ‘Tho combined obacrvatious of all these Antarctie explorers Dave furniehed us with a sum_of infuriation regarding the Bouth Pole which smounts, as a recent wrlter bus sald, siwply to this: **That nobudy has got within 700 or 800 smites of t; that vy burrlers are met with quite eclipslng auythiug known ju the North Frigld Zoue; thut wouutains have been ween (uno shootiug forth voleanie Humes) loftier than ::l‘y discuvered by qur Nocthern explorersy that all the lund s covered with suow at sl scasons; that uo huwman bgug s buen et with beyond 58 deg. of latitude; that po vegetable growth, except licheus, bas beaa seen besond 80 deg. of Tutitudo; snd that 1o land-quadruped {s kuown to exist beyond 6 deg. of latitude.” —— BULOZ. Francols Buloz, the editor of the Zevus des |. Dewz-MUondes, who dled at Parly Jan. 13, &t the aze of T3, was of bumble estraction. He was born jutu & peasant fawily of Bavoy in 1504, snd In his youth was gmployed as a shiepherd Ly M. aville, the father of the Geoevese anthor, M. Erneet Naville. The unusnal talcnts exhibited by the young peasant Iad awakened the kindly interest of his employer, who gave him an edu- cation and sent him to Paris, Ile there entered a printing-office, acting first as type-sciter, and worklug his way uo to the position of foreman. By maklng translatfons from the English he succeeded in accumulating tbe sum of 10,000 francs, with which ho purchased the Jewus des Deuz-Mondes, * then a little, valueiess monthly brochure, devoted principally to geography, and bearing for its siternative tltle the words, *Travele, Literature, and History,”” The indomitahle coergy and resolution of Bu- loz enabled him rapldly to Improve the financial conditlon of the Remue, and fn 1941 Le was ahlo 1o become the proprictor of the Jerue de Parls, a publication which proved Lo have littte vitality, and enjoyed but s ehort life. For reveral yenrs M. Buloz was Director of the Theatre Francole, resigning the place in 1843, 1t wns under his admninfatration that Racbe) achieved ber most Drilliant triumpha. In tho conduct of the Rene M. Buloz was despotic; and yet his sseacity In criticism, his Kkeen discrimination, his knowledge of the needs and the testes of the public, and s recoznition of the merits of literary productions, attached to him and his periodical a large and falthful clreic of the most talented writers In France, In time many werc alfcnated hy his rigid and Unaparing censorship, as, for example, Alexan- dre Dumas fils and Alphonse Dandet? but the majority accepted his terms, and modeled their rmdm.llnn.n iu occordance with his sugges- fons, **Ifad he been less pitlicss and less disagreeable, Buloz would have been 8 less successful editor of the Jevue des Deuz- Mondes.” “Among the authors who continued loyal to the cditor were Mignet, Ch. de Hemus sat, George Band, A.de Musset, and Heine. Others, aller serving bltin tor o time, became weary of his exactions, and finally abandoned him.” Among these may he cited Balzac, Ste. B_i_cn‘xre. J. Ston, Maxime Du Camp, aod H. afne. It was not until 1848 that the Keue was es- tablished upon a Srm _pecunlary busis, it having three times betore that date abrorbed the eu- tire capital of its proprictor. Thencefurth it cuntluted prosperous, and latterly returned to M. Buloz an iucome of 375, francs. The monthly cditfon Js sold to have been 20,000 coples. - M. Monod, from whom we have these particul relates in the dcademy that the death of UGeorge Sand bastened the deceare of the editor of the Jtevue. **I hear ler calllni me," was his constaut cry. *It was the frequent acknowledgment of Géorge Raud, that to the encouragement of M. Huluz, ond the place he gave ber in the Nevue, was alone due the fact ;‘I:M’ :,lhe lod not despaired of herself und of e, In forecasting tbe future of the Rerne, now that be who su long stood at fts helm bas passed nway, M, Mouod remarks: * Doubtless 1t will lung vuntinue even to prosper, thanks to the fmpetus it has recelved: but we may ven- ture to predict that it will slowly lose ground, througli the ever-growlng predominance of the sclentltic over the litcrary epirit. Writers and readers alike, every one {s becotning o speclalist. We shatl cense little by little to write and to read hlgh-clnu popular articles, such as those of the Hevue des ljeuz-Mondes; aud it Is proba- ble tbat there will soou be v’ medium between the dfll{ apers or weekly reviews, with, their thoroug] f'po ular and sketchy articles, and the speclal revle evoted to research and to origival work.” ICELANDIC NAMES. According to the offleial census of 1835, the population of Iceland was 64,003, The most common Christian name borne by the men wus Jun; and, among the women, Uudrun, The latter name was Lorne by every elghth woman, After Jon the most frequent msscullne names were Gudrmund, Sigurd, Mognue, and Olaf; aud, after Gudrun, the most frequent feminine names were Sigird, Marget, Kristin, and Ingib- Jore, The names mentloned in the Eddaare atll) in popular favor with the Icelauders. In 1555 there were among the male Inhabitants 1,553 haviug the name of Sizund; 119, Sinuud; 16, Hognl; 150, Guanurs 21, Guttorm; 3, Atll; 12, Biggeir; 2, Agoar; 9, Gelrmund: and W), Helgl. Among the women there were 4,003 named Gudruns 1, Grimblid; 8, Bryoltld; 34, Herborgs 1, Glaflang; 815, Thoras 56, Siguys 16, Borahtid; and 183, erdis. (Htordts). - &1 these vames occur in Mr. Morris' * Story of the Volsuuys ana Niblings. i SPARKS OF SCIENCE, THE BDARENTZ ISLES, Close to the coast of Novaya Zemlys, in 70 deg. 18 min. N, L., sud 01 deg. 17 min. E, Long., lie the detached fragments of land called the Barentz Isles. Their surface is fat and girt with cliffs, while the soll Is 30 thickly set with sbarp-edged pleces of rock ns to resemble a stretch of macadamized ground, The fsles are the product of the Carboniferous era, and thelr rocky foundations are composed of strata of black, firable slate and mountain limestone. These strata are highly fossiliferous; and the organlams with which they are charged declace, according to Prof, Hofer, that the climate in these high latitudes was In aes past of a trop- fcal temperature, and that the land was covered witba rich, luzuriant growth of palms and ferns, whitle In the seas disported animals which can exlst only in tepld water, Too fauna Inclosed fn the rocks of the DBareutz Jsles 18 closely related o _ that of the Carbonlifcrous formatlon of Russla, eapecially of the Ural. Hence it Is supposed, by the logist whose name we have cited, that 41l the Carboniterous age n sen Wwas spread over Emstern Europe from the 50th to. the 7ith degrees of North Latitude, or o distance of 430 geographicat miles; and that (¢ was peopled, from its northern to 1ts southern shores, with the same aulmal races. Scattered over the surface of the Jevel fslands, sbout 8 tathom’s leugth from each other, are {mchu of brownlsh-green, which, on_ examina. fon, prove to be an assemblage of multitides of small’ planta of the Sarafrga opposietifolia, **whose lttle stalks,” writes Prof, i!u!er' “arg covered with dark-green leaves, which are allve, and also with brown leaves Which have been dead for years and yvears, but wither {n the cold much tiiore gmlunlllr thau with us, From this swall heap, tender, rosy blooms ralso their little heads, bidding defiance o the bitter, snowy weather, which siveeps over the miscrable plalii, Another specles of saxi- frage (Sazifruga easpltosa), with sborter stalks aud yellowish-white lowers, L;mwlu;: in thick clunips, forms, together with the Urst-named varlety and the more rarely-appearing Sazifraga rlvulorls, the hardleat represcntatives of this famlly of plants, so frequently found i the Polar regions. If to theso wo sdd Draba Aretica, with fts litle yellow fluwers, forming :’n vuulvyt large p}khcs of ‘?k:” )l\m yellow- owerlng pop aparer nudicawle), and a rure wlilow (H-B‘t’z p,’n(urf:f which, with soms lew leaves, 8““ forth trom the sul, deseribed tho whole tlora of that wuste, in wmchnmefi: passing glanco would svarce detect the exlstence of vegetably life RuLOgE the debris of rocks and the leaps of suiow, A few mosses are found in damp fissures of thie rocks, sud lehiens thrive in the sbelter of the laut-mosscs, o oceasfonallyin solitary custers. he Jeeland woss (Cetraria Jslandica) und o rein- deer livhen (tladonla pyzidata) sre among the st common forms, A pecullarity of the Arctic fora Is its growth inciumps. “Only thus," says Urof, Hofer, Svcun these tender Organisma walntain thelr ex- lsteuce sgainst the stern clements; ond this, fudeed, 1 & chiaracterlstic of all Arctic creation, which [s geen In tho anfmal world alao, wiien Its meaus of nourishment are hard to fiud, We will polut only to the herds of refudecryuf lem- mings, of walruscs, of scals, ete.,—lastly, to the vaat locks of birds; all of which llusirate the p_rlnul?lux Conunon danger beyets sommon de- Jonae,! wa have desolate TIE DIAMOND, ‘The anclents prized the besuty and britlfancy of the diamoud as Liglly zs do the moderns, while theyset upounthe gem a still greater vulue from the superstitious notfon that it posscssed tallsmaule virtues, and n some mysterious way was endowed with seutient aud potent facultles. ‘The real nature of the stone was not suspected untll Newton sunouuced, in his * Treatlse ou Optlchs,' that It was probably combustible. us It bad the wonderful power of vefractiug ligot, which belongs to other combustitle substauces, The first biut of its chemlcal composition Is given by the great philosopher in the following seutence:’ ** Aguln, the relraction of cunpbire, oyl-olive, Mntseed-oyl, splrit of turpentive, and aber, which are fat, sulphurcous, wuctuous bodics, and adismond, which probably s sn uuctuous substance cvagulated, bave thew re- fractive powers lu proportion to une suother as thelr densitles, witbout any couslderable va. ratlon.” The Englisk chemlst, Robert Boyle, dbscovers ed, about thy widdloof the seveatcenth cen- tury, that the diamond dlsappearvd uunder the lutiucove of great beut. [o 1684 su experiwent provivg this fact was conducted befure the Academy of Florence, under the supervisfon of || Cosmo the Third, Dukeof Tuscany. Averin, © preceptor of the son of Cosmo, and Targlont, sn_scademiclan, performed the experimeuts ond the lens or hurning-glass which was used by i them to bring the sun's rays inton focts fs nuf’l 10 be scen in Gallleo's tribune at Flatence, To the astonfshinent of the operators, it was fonnd “that ruies, cmeralds, and oflier precious stoncs withstood thu high femperatare to which they wero exposed In the coucentrated rays of this burning-glass, remaining quite un- altered, whilst ths diamonds, the “bardest of known gens, disappeared altogether.” In the pruceas of combuation or evaporation, the dia- - monds Grst. split, then emitted sparks, and gradunils and totaliy dirapprared. The experiment was many times repeated, with the same results, but with no increased underatanding of the ‘)hcnnmma of the com- hustion, Finally a tttle more light was thrown upon the anbject I;; a series of obscrvations wade i Parls in 1571-'3 by Daucet, Bonelle, and Maequer. It was then discovered that the dias mond disappears in a brief thne when coxposed | tosirat a l:.-mpn.-mure lower than that requtred to melt silver, but that it will resist o very In- tense deerec of heat when protected from the atmosphicre. In the course of these tests, a sklilful lapldary named Malllard demonstrated by repeated trials that, by fnclosing the Qfa- mond Iy powdered charconl, it will rema{n un. altered althourh subjected to the highest tem- perature for a lcngthened period, In 1774 Lavolsicr enzaged in the examination of thediamond, and fn the end determined that 1t was compored malnly of pure carhon, After Lavoisier, 8ir Humphrey Davy continued the * rame course of invertigation, proving as the re- eult that carbon Is the sole constituent of the ddaond, He even procured charcoal from the diamond. From the §ns In which dlamond Tiad Leen burnt he obtalned chalk, and from the chalk he r:‘jmrcd black carbou or soot, und this, when ignited, burned like cotnmon charcoal. » And what 18 the dlamound{” asks Babloet. “The most precious thing In the whole world. Aud whnt 1s carbonf! The snost comnmon ma- terial that {s known,—one that not only exists in vast quantities in the buwels of the earth, but that plauts and trees of vvery kind contaln, in on_inconceivable quantity. Silver can hardly poy for the dlsmond; fur, If we Imagive o diamond of the weight of a 2i-franc pluce, it would welgh about 125 cvarats, and cost at least 4,000,000 francs; while an cqual welght of car- bon, eveu huving recourse to the smullest cope per pleces, would have mo appreclable value. And yet the disinoud and carbun are Ideutleal. Diamiond is erystallized carbon." TIHE SAND-DARTER. Tu the sandy bottoms of clear streams in Ohfo and Indlans, there fs common o lttle fish (Pleurvlepls pellucilus, Agassiz), with o slim, cylindrical body, measuring two or three luches fu leugth. The diminutlve creature is of g pluk- Ish hue, with a line of steel-blue apots ulong the sides and back, but it Las no more consistency or opaclty than a molil of felly. Not much of it 13 known among naturallsts, but Jurdan and Copeland have lately contributed some vbserva- tious I.Iroll ita hablts tothe Awmerican Naturalist. A specitmen was placed in an aquarlum, to which it casily necommodated itself; but, in the course of a few days, it was missing, After a careful search in the shingle at the bottom, the upper edge of 1ts caudal fin ond its Yttle black eyes were discovered peesfug ovut of the said. “Pleurolepls was burled! Was be deadf Slowly oue eye was closed {u a darter’s {nlinita- ble way, for ‘they can outwink all aufmala in vreation except owla; and the touch of a finzer on its tall shuwed that it bad lost none of its activity,” Many days elapsed before the little burrotwer was oUserved in the st of entering the sand, but finally the process was twatched by avigilaut spectator. The tiny darter pressed” its horny nose agalnit the botton, standing meanwhile almost on its Lead, und, with a rapld motion of 1ts tall from side to alde, completely bucled it- self within tive seconds. The sand was_stirred vivleutly by’ the action: but, as it bad nearly scttled in the course of hall a minute, the dar- ter thrust its nose out, and, quictly drawlug it' back, “ left the twiukllg eyes and narrow fore- Lead alone visible." ‘The study of scores of different {ndividuals has deufonstrated thut the Pleurolepls reaain buried whilo the water In the aquariuin Is pure and cool; but, when it needs chauging, they leave their burrow and lle on the botton, paut- ug violently. The motive which the darter has for burrowine Is nat yet vxplained, *Itseemsto bewholly unpremedituted, teatlfy the observers, A numiber of them In conflucruent lie helplessly on the bottom, motlonless and slowly ureathi- ing, wlhen one suddenly starts aud Lurles Its head and neck In the now whirling sand, by a motlon as quick as thought] a headless tall beats frantically about; and, when the gulck- saud lics smootbly on the bottom agaln, the little eyes are looking at you like two glisten- iog beads, s If ta wituess your applause ot so clever o trick.” A Boleusomna (B, brevipinne, Cope), inthe same aquarimn with “the sand-darters, las been auticed burrowlug In the sand qulte as poeaist- ently and {n the sime manner as its companions. ‘The'habit Is puasibly catching, as it hns not be- forc been obrerved fu au” {ndividual of this ‘lfu‘lu. ‘Tlie food of the Pleurvlepls js minute, not microscopie. ROCKY-MOUNTAIN ASTRONOMY, From cxperiments made during a trip In the Rocky Mountains by Prof, Henry Draper, M. D., in the summer of 187, and reported In the Journal of' Sclence and Arls, ho arrives at the conclusion that It would be {nJudicious to erect 2 large telescope {n that region with the hope of doing continuous good work. In one locallty, 8,000 feet above the ses, and In the vicinity of mountains rising 10,000 and 11,000 feet, the at- mosphere was remarkably tranguil, and Antures hardlv tw d when near setting, while Arc- turus o the telescupe exhibited four diffsaction rings unbroken by tickering, But the combl tion of steadiness and transparency o the at: mospliere was not met with ¢lsewhicre, nor here furs prolonged ¢cason, Wind, rain, sod cold Intertere during the greater portion of the vear with the stuay of the heavens, probibiting alto- pether work of o delicate chiaracter. From the mlddle of October until the middle of May, uv astronomical work would be possible on account of the cold, Flerce winds, heavy falls of suow, and s low degree of temperature prevall cou- tiuuously through seven months of the year, GROWTIL OF CORAL, An ltem of evidence rezarding the growth of coral is furnished by 2 Melbourne paper. A plece of thu ordinary specles, measuring about dlve Inchies in height, six foches [0 dismeter at the top, and about two fnchea at thoe base, was tuken off tho submaring cable near Port Dar- win, It1s perfectly formed, aud the base bears tho distinet fmpressfon of the cable,—a few tlbres of thy rope, used 54 colr a sheath for the telegraph wire, still adhering toft, As the cabls nos been Jald only four years, It Is evident that this speclinen must bave KT 0 its present height in that time, which [ moru rapid than bas be Lo prove that the irowth of coral is muck pposed. Fe il BRIEF NOTES, White is the prevalllng color smong flowers, and a larger proportion than of eny other colur simell sweetly. Only 8.2 per cent of red Aowers are fragrant, while 14,0 of white fowers are odoriferous. The departinent of fish-culture i the Smith- sonlan Institution distributed, fn 1874 aod 1875, 15,080,650 young shad, 224,468 Penobscot sal- mon, und 4,581,340 Califorula salmon,—making & total of over 25,500,000, Addiog the distribu- tiou, fn the winter and spring of 1875-'76, of theseand otber lishes, and the Commission bave fu three years supplivd 40,000,000 Qs The remains of a fosall elephant bnvyeen discorered in Washington Territors. Thhzs fuclude a pelvls, jaw-bune, tusk, and . The pelvis weasures five feet ten Inses Kiuss the widest part, und the tusk s ren rect lung, The jaw-bone Is two feet whie, aud bas vue tooth on & shle, mun“"“{ a4 top ten fucbes three, The discoverer thinks Lo Las fopud por~ tious of at least tive individuals, THE VOICE THAT CALMS. 'pon that night, . That stormy uight vn Galllee, When wind aud wave were high; When v'er that vessol, drifting un, There huug a gloomy sky; When terror catua tu thoss an deck, Who feated the angry deep; While Jesus, 'nud the danget wild, Lay on }1s couch, avlevp: *Twas then flo roce, aud Joi His volce Did soothe their wild alarm; Ho hushed the wind, and siilled the sea—~ lie wrought & woudrous calm, Oua ualilee! ‘When sorrow's storm Cowes Jarkly o'cr the way of ife, ‘That wo {1 beart wust Drat And when we scent adriig at s Al lhlnu{ wind and wave: *Tis then, b “This sawe biest Lord sppeurs. ll? spoake, and lo! His sacred volce Gre the oye of Falth, Hlswweet reliefl Euwaxp A. Bupxzs. Criedao. ¥eb. 14, 1577,