rity the garb of love, softens and graces its exercise, and prevents it from degenerating into harshness." "The tenderness of sympathy extended to a sinning child, measuring his temptations, weighing his propensities, feeling for his weakness, loving him through his very sin, when joined with a sound corrective system, penetrates the soul, softens the callous heart, and prepares the way for reform. We advocate no palliative system, no lessening the character of evil, no mitigation of effort after perfect right, but a healthy corrective treatment, which leans to the probe rather than the salve. We raise no question as to whether discipline shall be exercised or not. The question lies in another quarter. It asks, whether there shall be merely external compulsion and restraint, or whether attempts at personal discipline shall be induced under the guiding love, the ungiving firmness, the superior holiness, of those already disciplined by heaven?"

We have already greatly exceeded our limits, but the importance of the subject, and, as it appears to us, the prevalence of the error, which the following extract points out, will, we trust, be accepted as a sufficient reason for its insertion :

"The cares of parents to promote enjoyments coming more immediately within the comprehension of the young than their more anxious and important labours on their behalf, specially and strongly excite their gratitude and affection; they evince, in a manner which is fully appreciated, (at the age,) parental sympathy and love, and induce a return. This is true, so long as indulgence is shown in tenderness and a promotion of salutary enjoyments; it ceases to be so, so soon as it descends to gratify self-love or sensual appetites; for then, addressed to the selfish principle, which will respond, the child will make no return in love or gratitude. How should he? The generous sentiments are not awakened by the gratification of the grovelling propensities; grateful affection is not elicited by that which feeds the love of self; mental and moral vigour are not recruited by enjoyments offered to the animal."

THE BOOK OF ALMANACS. COMPILED BY AUGUSTUS DE MORGAN, SEC., R.A.S., F.C.P.S., OF TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, PROFESSOR OF

MATHEMATICS IN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, LONDON. (London: Taylor, Walton, and Maberley.)

It is

THE "Book of Almanacs" is an extraordinary publication. composed of only thirty-five almanacs, and by means of an index of reference, the almanac may be found for every year, whether in old style or new, from any epoch, ancient or modern up to a. D. 2000. We are thus furnished with a supply of almanacs for past ages, and also for nearly fifty years to come. Besides the book of almanacs the author has supplied the means of finding the day of any new or full moon from B.C. 2000 to A.D. 2000. The object and plan of the work will be best understood by an extract or two from the author's preface, and the introduction to the almanacs :

"I do not pretend to supersede the common almanac, which abounds in matter beyond prediction. But I hope to be of some use to the constructors of the almanacs, in a few details in which they are not always accurate, and in which I have only been saved from error by making all almanacs at once,

and by the inquiries which were thereby rendered necessary. My main object is, in matters purely chronological, to supply the place of the old almanac, which is never at hand when wanted-of the older almanac, which never was at hand-of the future almanac, which is not yet at hand—and of the universal almanac in every shape."

In the introduction the author observes, that "the work is intended,-

"1. To enable any one, without calculation, to place before himself the almanac of any year of old style, or any year of new style, from A.D. 1582 to A.D. 2000; with its Roman and modern European month days, its week days, feasts fixed and moveable, law and university terms.

2. To give the means, without calculation, of verifying or restoring any part of the index, in the event of a figure being misprinted or broken out of the stereotype plate.

"3. To enable the reader, without calculation, to decide on the moonlight of any month: that is, to find at once, within a day (in some rare cases with an error of two days), the days of new and full moon.

"4. To supply a very short and easy method of calculating, always within two hours, and usually within less, the times of new and full moon for any month of any year from B.C. 2000 to A.D. 2000.”

From these extracts our readers will learn the object of this valuable publication. The almanacs are preceded by some tables, two of which are tables of indices, the one termed " Old-Style Index," and the other New-Style Index;" and to find the common almanac for any year we have only to look into the new-style index and find the year; the number following the dominical letter or letters is the number of the almanac for that year. Thus, the year 1859, new style, has the epact 26, the dominical letter B, and the almanac numbered 34 in the list. There is also an almanac (36) containing fixed days of Saints, Martyrs, Festivals, &c., and another (almanac 37) for new and full moons.

These almanacs and tables of indices, &c., which occupy eighty-nine pages, are preceded by a copious introduction of nineteen pages, explanatory of the manner of using the work; but many persons will require only the directions contained in two lines at the head of the table entitled "New-Style Index." For verification of dates this work will be exceedingly useful, and we strongly recommend it. As its title imports, it is in reality "The Book of Almanacs."

GENERAL EXAMINATION OF CANDIDATES FOR
CERTIFICATES OF MERIT.
EASTER, 1851.

PHYSICAL SCIENCE.

(Three Hours allowed for each Paper.)

SECTION I.-Describe and explain any experiments you may have seen made with one of the following instruments :

1. An air pump.

2. An electrifying machine.

3. A galvanic battery.

SECTION II-1. Give examples of the expansion of metals by heat. How is a thermometer made and divided?

2. If heat be applied to a long tube full of water at the top, it will be a long while in becoming heated, but if it be applied at the bottom it will be heated quickly account for this, and describe some one of the useful applications of the principle it illustrates. If, instead of heat being applied, first at the top and then at the bottom, cold had been so applied, what would have been the result?

3. How may water be frozen in an air-pump, and on what principle? SECTION III.1. What laws do the reflexion and the refraction of light follow?

2. In what way is it that a glass prism separates a beam of light into its different coloured rays?

3. Explain the formation of the image of an object of the same size before a plane mirror, and of a different size before a convex or concave mirror.

SECTION IV.-1. How may hydrogen gas be obtained, and what are its properties?

2. What gases mingle to form the atmosphere, and how may they be separated? Which ministers to the support of animal, and which of vegetable, life? and what organs of animals and vegetables respectively are provided to receive them?

3. According to what law of quantity do all bodies unite chemically as regards weight; and gases, as regards volume?

SECTION II.-1. How do you prove that the subtraction of a negative quantity is equivalent to the addition of a positive quantity of the same numerical value. Illustrate your proof by practical examples of the truth of this rule, as applied to measures, weights, or distances.

2. Add together

a2 + ax

a2 + a x + x2'

3. Which is the greater, a proper fraction, or its square, and why? Find the difference between

SECTION III.-1. Solve one of the following equations→

x2 18 = x (4y-9).

SECTION IV.-1. What do you mean by a vinculum, a reciprocal, an impossible quantity, a ratio, a multiple, a measure, a prime number?

2. What is a surd?

having a common index.

Reduce √4a2x and √3a2x2 to equivalent surds
Find the sum of 192 and 24.

3. What do you mean by indeterminate problems? In how many ways may the sum of £5 be paid in crowns and seven-shilling pieces?

SECTION V.-Divide the number 90 into four parts, such that the first increased by two, the second diminished by two, the third multiplied by two, and the fourth divided by two, shall be all equal to the same quantity.

2. A person spends half a crown in apples and pears, buying his apples at 4, and his pears at 5, a penny: he sells half his apples, and one third of his pears at the same rate at which he bought them, and receives thirteen pence for them. How many did he buy of each?

3. A and B engage in business with a joint capital of £100. A leaves his money in the business half a year, and B for four months: each, on leaving, takes out £99 as his share of capital and profit. Determine the original sum invested by each, and the rate per cent. per annum of the profit.

MISTRESSES.

HOLY SCRIPTURES.

SECTION I.-1. Give an account of Aaron and Miriam.

2. Enumerate the miracles wrought by Elisha.

3. What events are associated with these places :-Dothan, Jezreel, Megiddo, Ezion Geber, Gaza? Name the principal cities of the Moabites, Syria, and Egypt, which are connected with sacred history.

SECTION II.-1. What prophecies of Hosea, Micah, and Jeremiah are quoted in the New Testament, and on what occasions?

2. Give an account of the predictions of Jacob. Trace the accomplishment of those which refer to Judah and Joseph.

3. Describe the Holy of Holies, and the courts of the Temple. Give references to the New Testament, showing the typical character of the Tabernacle and its ceremonial rites.

SECTION III.-1. State all that is known of Timothy and describe his character.

2. Give a full account of St. Paul's last apostolical journey.

3. What events are associated with these places in the New Testament: Enon, Bethesda, Bethany, Joppa, Lystra, Cenchrea, Paphos, Malta, Forum Appii.

SECTION IV.-1. Prepare the notes of a lesson on the parable of the wedding garment.

2. Or on the character of St. Paul.

3. What epistles of St. Paul and St. John were addressed to individuals, and on what occasions? Give an account of one of these epistles.

CATECHISM, LITURGY, AND CHURCH HISTORY. SECTION I.-1. Prepare the notes of a lesson on one of these subjects: 1. The privileges of Christians.

2. The necessity of faith.

3. Prayer.

SECTION II.-1. In what respects do the three creeds agree and differ? How is the doctrine of our Lord's person defined in the Nicene or Athanasian Creed? Give proofs from Holy Scripture.

2. Give an account of the various forms of thanksgiving in our Liturgy. Show their Scriptural character.

3. What alterations have been made in the Prayer Book since the reign of Edward VI. ?

SECTION III.-State the doctrine of our Church on one of the following points as defined by the Articles of Religion :

1. On the sinlessness of Christ.

2. On the Lord's supper.

3. On traditions.

SECTION IV.-1. Give a brief account of the early British Church.

2. At what time did these ecclesiastical writers respectively flourish : Bede, Anselm, Jewell, Leighton, Pearson, Jeremy Taylor? Give some account of one of them.

3. Enumerate the principal events of ecclesiastical history in the reigns of the Stuart princes.

SECTION V.-1. Name the most distinguished Christian'writers of the first two centuries, and give some account of one of them.

2. What heretics denied the true humanity of our Lord?

3. Give some account of Augustine, Athanasius, or Gregory the Great. 4. Does our Church recognise the authority of any general councils; If so, of which, and on what grounds?

ON SCHOOL MANAGEMENT.

SECTION I-1. Write an essay on one of these subjects.

2. The formation of moral habits in young girls.

3. The peculiar difficulties of training pupil teachers.

SECTION II.-1. What time in each week should be given to the following subjects in a school of girls between seven and twelve years old ;2. Grammar; English History; Writing from dictation, Arithmetic ; Sewing.

3. State also the best method of teaching each of these subjects.

SECTION III.-What apparatus and furniture are required for such a school, (containing ninety scholars). State exactly what use should be made of parallel desks, and of the black board.

SECTION IV. What branches of domestic economy can be taught theoretically in all girls' schools? What manual or book of reference would you recommend to your pupil teachers on this subject?

ANSWERS TO THE MATHEMATICAL QUESTIONS.

QUES. 102.-Proposed by Mr. Abbott, Twickenham.

If 3lb. of tea be worth 7lb. of coffee, and 12lb. of coffee worth 30lb. of sugar, what quantity of sugar may be had for a chest of tea weighing 50lb.?".

Answered by Mr. Bolton, Mr. Sothern, Mr. Levy, Mr. J. Scott, Mr. J. Lowres, and Mr. J. Salter.

But by the question, 7lb. of coffee are worth 3lb. of tea;

QUES. 103.-Proposed by H. M. I.

If the modulus of a hydraulic ram be '87, the water spent 18 gallons per minute, the fall of the water 14 feet; to what height will it raise a cubic foot of water in 80 seconds?

Answered by Mr. J. Herbert, Mr. Turner, A.M., Mr. G. Barnacle, and Mr. Horsman.