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student, before she is admitted to the Government examination, a certificate from the managers of the training school of her moral and religious character and conduct,

They also state that—

"It has long been their opinion, that all students under training should pass through the infant-school department, and be carefully trained in an infant-school, as the best mode in which to begin their practice, and as obliging them to bring their knowledge down to the comprehension_of_the youngest, and to convey it with such vivacity as to interest them. It must also be borne in mind, that in the mixed schools of our country parishes the schoolmistress has to teach children of various ages, and should therefore always be qualified to instruct infants."

We have the greater satisfaction in inviting attention to the foregoing observations, because we conceive, that, if the Government certificates were given under the conditions here suggested, many of the objections raised against them would be removed; and they would in a great degree cease to afford that encouragement to mere cleverness, apart from moral worth and aptness to teach, which is to be so much deprecated in the selection of teachers.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS IN PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY.* (Continued from page 418.)

1. WHAT is the atmosphere? of what gases is it composed, and in what proportion are these gases found in it?

2. How is the atmosphere retained close to the earth's surface? Explain how its purity is kept up, and the relative proportions of gases in it maintained.

3. State some of its physical and mechanical properties. At what height does it cease to refract the rays of light?

4. What pressure does it exert upon each square inch of the earth's surface? Express numerically the weight of the atmosphere in tons.

5. To what properties of the atmosphere are winds to be referred ?

6. Explain the causes of winds, and give examples of the expansion of bodies by the application of heat.

7. Why does heated air ascend? by what experiments may this fact be shown?

8. What is the principal agent in producing winds?

9. How is the equilibrium of the atmosphere destroyed?

10. How is the velocity of the wind ascertained? What names are given to the varieties of winds? Into what three classes may winds be divided? 11. What is meant by variable winds? Where do they prevail?

12. What general laws have been established respecting the variablewinds? 13. Account for the cold winds of southern Europe; name some of them, and point out the countries visited by them,

14. How are hot winds produced? What regions are exposed to them, and how are they variously termed ?

15. State some particulars respecting the simoom. How is this wind described by Burckhardt and by Volney?

16. Where does the harmattan prevail, and what are its effects?

17. What is the sirocco ?

What countries are visited by it, and how does

it affect animal and vegetable life?

*These questions have been constructed upon Chapters VII. and VIII. in Hughes's Outlines of Physical Geography, 2nd edit,

18. What are the trade winds? Where only can they prevail? Give briefly the theory of Halley and Hadley respecting them.

19. What are the monsoons, and what does the name signify?

20. Point out upon the map the regions of the monsoons and typhoons, and describe their effects.

21. Explain fully the causes of land and sea breezes. What are etesian winds, and where do they occur?

it.

22. Point out the zone of calms, and describe the phenomena occurring in

23. What terms have been applied to the various rotatory movements of the atmosphere?

24. What general laws have been established in respect to these movements, and by whom were they investigated?

25. What practical advantage does a knowledge of these laws give the mariner ?

26. What instrument indicates the approach of the aerial movements alluded to? How is the instrument affected? Explain its construction. 27. Give Dr. Arnot's description of a hurricane in which he was present. 28. Point out the regions visited by these rotatory movements. 29. How is evaporation from the earth's surface caused?

30. What terms are applied to visible vapour suspended in the atmosphere?

31. When is the air said to be saturated? How can it be made to hold a large amount of moisture?

32. What is meant by the dew-point?

33. Distinguish between dew and white frost.

34. State some of the experiments that have been made respecting dew.

35. Why are some bodies covered with dew sooner than others?

36. Upon what does the formation of dew depend?

37. Explain the formation of white frost and of hoar frost.

38. How are fogs produced? Account for the colour and density of London fogs.

39. What are clouds? How are they formed? 40. To what is the formation of clouds due? 41. Explain how clouds become rain.

42. Give the classification of clouds.

Name some of their uses.

43. Explain the process by which the waters of the ocean, of rivers, and of lakes supply rain.

44. Why does rain fall in drops? State some of its effects upon organized life.

45. What are the principal phenomena of drought? Point out some of the rainless districts.

46. Why does more rain fall in mountainous than in level districts?

47. Point out the zones of the variable and of the periodical rains, and of constant precipitation.

48. Account for the twofold rainy season within the tropics. Give Humboldt's description of the rains of South America.

49. Explain why more rain falls in equatorial than in temperate regions. 50. Contrast the tropical and extra-tropical rains. What is the mean annual quantity of rain precipitated in the Old and New Worlds?

51. Account for the eternal verdure of tropical regions.

52. Mention the rainy winds of Europe and America.

53. Trace out the Atlantic sea-board in Western Europe.

54. Account for the rainy winds from the Atlantic not reaching the countries skirting the Mediterranean.

55. Give the relative quantity of rain in the following districts, viz: the east and west coast of England, the coast of France and Holland, Central Germany and Petersburgh?

56. Show the influence of rains on tropical rivers.

57. Account for the formation of snow and of hail; and state what you know of the form of snow-flakes and of hail-stones.

58. Give Darwin's account of a hail-storm in South America?

59. Mention some of the purposes fulfilled by snow in the general economy of nature.

60. Give Humboldt's definition of climate?

61. Under what condition of the earth's crust would the climate of places equidistant from the equator be uniform?

62. Enumerate the causes which determine physical climate.

63. Where upon the earth's surface is the amount of heat greatest, and why?

64. Explain the term, "Point of direct sunlight."

65. Show the relation between the latitude of a place and its climate, and between elevation and temperature.

66. Where upon the earth's surface is there exhibited an epitome of the different climates and vegetable productions?

67. Give the elevation of the culminating points of the Andes, Himalaya, and Alps; also the elevation of the boundary line of the principal forest-trees and of the bread-corns.

68. How does Humboldt account for the annual mean temperature of the American continent?

69. What part of the day is the warmest, and why?

70. Illustrate the effects of aspect upon climate.

71. Why are clayey soils unhealthy? Give examples of this fact.

72. How does the cultivation of a country affect its temperature? How have the climates of Europe and of North America been modified?

73. What are isothermal lines? Isothermal zones? How are the former laid down?

74. What are isotherals and isochimenals?

(To be continued.)

Correspondence.

ON TRANSLATION INTO GREEK AND LATIN.

SIR,-Having seen in your number for January last, a letter addressed to you by "M. A., Oxon.," recommending that boys should always be made to parse when they construe Greek or Latin authors, I wish to speak of the importance of translation of English into the classical languages, in producing accurate scholarship, and perhaps more intimate acquaintance with the structure of English, as well as of the classics, than is usually obtained by merely construing. The exercise of the mind in translating English into Greek or Latin is, I think, greater than in rendering the Latin into English. Proficiency in translation into the classics is more difficult of attainment, and when attained, more satisfactory than proficiency in construing them into English; and the corresponding idioms of the different languages are more surely ascertained by translation into the classics. In this exercise the grammar and lexicon must be searched deeply and closely, the grammatical structure of the English subject-matter must be thoroughly examined, and some,

perhaps great, ingenuity must be displayed in clothing this matter in a suitable new dress. While the schoolmaster makes his scholars construe and parse, he must not omit to exercise their minds constantly by giving them select, and only select, pieces of English for translation into the classics. As an illustration of these remarks, and in order to relieve the dryness of discoursing on an exercise of the mind, which is far from dry in itself, I subjoin two specimens of translation into the classics from select and beautiful originals :

When soft winds and sunny skies
With the green earth harmonize,
And the young and dewy dawn,
Bold as an unhunted fawn,

Up the windless heaven is gone-
Laugh: for ambushed in the day

Storms and whirlwinds watch their prey.

(Fragment from Shelley's Poems.)

Venti sunt positi, atque apricus æther
Terrâ cum viridi coire visus,

Eos, orta recenter, et madescens,

Audaxque, hinnulus ut canis sequentis
Expers, per spatium vacat serenum—
Ridete insidias die sub almâ
Nimbus Turbinis instruit satelles.

Come, thou monarch of the vine,
Plumpy Bacchus, with pink eyne:
In thy vats our cares be drowned;
With thy grapes our hairs be crowned;

Cup us, till the world go round;

Cup us, till the world go round.

(Song, Shakspeare's Antony and Cleopatra, Act II., Scene vii.)

Κοίρανε, χαῖρε, Διωνύσου σθένος, ἀμπελοφύτορ,

Ὃς λιπαρῶς λάμπεις ὄμμασι φοινικέοις.

Φροντὶς ἀμαυροῦται στυγερὰ, ληνοῖο φανείσης·
̓Αμφιπόλους σε σέβειν δεῖ βοτρυοστεφάνους.
Πάντες ἰαίνονται, κυλίκων περινισσομενάων,
“Ωσπερ γαῖα τελεῖ κυκλοέλικτος ὁδόν.

Hoping that these remarks and fragments of translation will meet

with your approval,

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THE MAGIC LANTERN AS AN INSTRUMENT OF

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INSTRUCTION.

SIR, Will you allow me to suggest, through the medium of your journal, that the magic lantern might be made an useful channel of parochial information to an extent which might be worth the consideration of the Committee of Council on Education, or of that of the National Society. Probably there are few clergymen who do not feel and regret their inability to impart to their parishioners, in a popular and attractive manner, the results of their own study of general subjects and any facilities which could be devised towards establishing

this link of communication betwixt the pastor and his flock, or even the schoolmaster and the people, would certainly be a great boon to any parish. To make a lecture interesting without pictorial illustration, particularly if the subject of it has only been gathered out of books, which with most clergymen and schoolmasters are the usual sources of information, is a very difficult and embarrassing matter. There are only few men who can make their words produce pictures of what they are describing, and the consequence is, that familiar addresses upon general subjects are not often attempted, and, when they are, seldom meet with success. Now a good picture before the eye keeps alive the attention of the audience, half explains the subject treated of, and stimulates the lecturer's own powers. He is perpetually reminded of his subject, and, under this influence, he becomes more like a traveller detailing his adventures than a mere student relating what he has been reading at home. In short, the tedium and dulness often perceptible at such meetings are relieved, and an interest ensured, whenever pictorial exhibition is introduced,

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What occurs to me as a feasible plan, and one which might prove greatly assistant in spreading good general information is, that in grants made to church schools it might be worthy of consideration whether a two-guinea magic lantern would not be a most serviceable instrument, provided facilities were given for obtaining the loan of sets of slides illustrative, in a series of popular subjects, and with printed explanations. For instance, Nineveh and its remains; the colony of Canterbury in New Zealand; the ancient and present states of the Holy Land; persons and events connected with the English Reformation, &c., &c., are subjects fit to be brought before children and adults by the clergy: and I venture to think that it would answer in every way, where opportunity afforded of hiring at a small expense a series of good slides on such topics. These might be kept at the provincial depôts of the Christian Knowledge Society, or be circulated through the country during the winter months. If the clergyman or schoolmaster did not make the exhibition gratuitous (which would not be desirable), an admission of one penny would probably repay the cost of hiring the slides, and cover an insurance of them, even supposing their original value to have been 401. or 501.

That more frequent opportunities of addressing the poor collectively on such subjects, and in the way that has been hinted at, are much wanted, I am seriously convinced, from personal experience; and I have suggested the Magic Lantern as an instrument towards effecting this desirable communication, because I have often witnessed its interesting power on a village audience, when the exhibition was very inferior to what is here contemplated. Even supposing that no public aid could be obtained towards the purchase of a good lantern, I think that the opportunity of obtaining good slides would speedily make it a necessary article of furniture in most of our national schools. I should be glad to know what the schoolmasters think of this project, as well as ascertain the ideas of the clergy upon it.

Ecclesfield Vicarage, 25 Feb. 1851.

I am, Sir, Your obedient Servant,
ALFRED GATTY.

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