of MOZART are set forth with a degree of vivid and graphic reality which no biography, however complete, could ever succeed in giving.

But indeed it may be said that these letters are in themselves a biography, to which a deeper interest is imparted from the very unconsciousness of the writer that he was drawing a portrait never to be forgotten. They tell, in short, the story of a life kindled early with the splendour of a rare genius, crossed by frequent and bitter disappointments, cloude from time to time by forebodings of premature death, to be realised in a way which showed that his mind had performed its full work, and could bear no longer the incessant strain upon it. But the spirit in which he met and surmounted the difficulties that beset him; the cheerful sprightliness of his temper; the scrupulous regard for his honour; the warmth of his love for his father, his sister, and his wife; the full consciousness of marvellous power, which never passed into vanity or pride, can be fully appreciated only by those who read his letters, and who there trace, in the highly-wrought enthusiasm of his life, the cause of the sudden drooping of his courage at a time when less brilliant intellects have not reached maturity. Even without these letters, no vindication would be seriously needed for his character; but the letters themselves will be not the less valuable because they furnish evidence of the high conscientiousness by which he was actuated even in the few passages of his career which have most been called into question.

TRANSYLVANIA is a country of which it has

been said, 'It is an unknown land, that must first be discovered.' Few persons know anything about its features or its products, and still fewer think of making it the object of a tour. Yet Transylvania abounds in beautiful scenery, and its products are such that, under less unfavourable circumstances, this province would be one of the wealthiest and most flourishing in Europe. Its mineral waters alone, more varied and potent than any on the Continent, ought to attract visitors from far and near; yet only a few persons from the neighbouring countries are to be found occasionally in the season at the baths of this neglected Austrian province.

Everywhere good openings present themselves

for men who have a little capital and much energy. Gold and silver are found there in abundance, with iron and copper of the finest quality, as well as coal, sulphur, and salt to an extent which almost passes belief. The land is fruitful in the highest degree; yet its produce does not enrich the landowner or bring revenue to the exchequer. There are wine, wood, and water-power in abundance; but not one of these natural advantages is turned to account.

It is hoped that the present volume, written with the view of calling attention to the country, and to the opportunities which it presents for successful enterprise, may prove attractive and interesting to the general reader also. Accounts are given of the face of the country, both on the mountain and in the plain, as well as of the game found there, and the pursuit of the most formidable inhabitant of the forests, the bear. The costume of the different people, their modes of life, their characteristic customs and social festivals, are described at length.

To the German inhabitants of the provincethe so-called Saxons -some chapters are specially devoted; and it is believed that the story of these immigrants from the Rhine and Flanders, who, amid so many difficulties and hostile surrounding influences, have preserved for 700 years their customs and their nationality, will be found to possess the interest of a novel, while every line of it is founded on historic fact.

The introductory chapters describe scenes between Vienna, Pesth, Belgrade, Orsova, the Baths of Mehadia, and the pass called the Iron Gates, which forms the entrance to Transylvania. From this point the Author traversed the country in all directions, north, south, east, and west, and obtained various information upon manifold subjects, political, social, agricultural, and industrial. Two chapters entitled Sketches of (political) Character' give the peculiarities-faults as well as virtues of the Hungarians and Germans; and it is believed that features in the character of the former are here brought prominently forward which by preceding writers on the subject have been little heeded or entirely overlooked.

The work is enriched with about 50 illustrations and 5 maps, one being a map of the province, while another gives the railways of Transylvania and of Turkey, both projected and completed or begun, with the adjoining countries of Turkey, Egypt, and Asia Minor; so that a glance suffices to show the vast importance of these countries and their progress for our own possessions in the East.

The remaining three maps give the distribution of the nationalities-the Saxons, Hungarians, and Roumains-over the province of Transylvania, with the density (per cent.) of each.

IN

Travels in Egypt and Syria. By S. S. HILL, F.R.G.S., Author of Travels in Siberia,' &c. 8vo. pp. 746, price 14s. cloth. [October 21, 1865. N the present work the Author has endeavoured to describe simply, and without exaggeration, the impressions on his mind during a series of journeys in countries confessedly among the most interesting in the world. These journeys led him to Cairo, and up the Nile to Denderah, Thebes, and Philæ; through the Desert of Sinai to Jerusalem, thence to the Dead Sea, and along the Jordan, to Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee, to the Maronite settlements in Lebanon, to Damascus, Baalbec, and finally to Beyrout.

Throughout the work the Author, while keeping clear of controversy, has written without reference to the theories or prepossessions of other travellers, in the conviction that the countries which he describes have not lost their attractiveness for English readers because steam

his death, and the accession of CHARLES I. which is virtually the opening of the History. All the leading circumstances of this reign and the Commonwealth have been most carefully digested by the Author, and the picture he has presented may enable the reader to form a just estimate of transactions, and the policy from which they flowed. On the subject of religion he has been particularly copious, and in recording civil events he has endeavoured to abstain from abstract speculations, taking his standard only from the state of the government, society, and public opinion of the period. The work concludes with the restoration of the STUARTS in the person of CHARLES II.

A History of England during the Reign of GEORGE the THIRD [1745 to 1802]. By the Right Hon. WILLIAM N. MASSEY. Second Edition, revised and corrected. 4 vols. post 8vo. price 24s. cloth. [December 30, 1865.

access.

stowed much labour. Aware of the importance of the portion of British history treated of, he has left no source of information unexplored, carefully sifting the numerous authorities on the subject, and, by a collation of the various facts, endeavouring to place the actors and events in their true light. A great part of the first volume is in the form of an Introduction, tracing the progress of society in England from the feudal times till the close of the reign of ELIZABETH, with a particular account of the different institutions and usages under the TUDORS and their predecessors, and an investigation of the circumstances which affected the constitution of England during the reign of JAMES I. A picture of the state and government of Scotland, and the condition of Ireland at that period, finishes the Introduction. The Author then proceeds to give a rapid sketch of the principal events of JAMES the FIRST's reign,

much aided by information derived from private sources. About forty years since, the iate Mr. EDWARD HAWKE LOCKER, a Commissioner of Greenwich Hospital, with the sanction of the Royal Family, and with the assistance of many distinguished persons, collected voluminous materials for a life of GEORGE the THIRD. The progress of the work, however, was stopped by the interposition of Lord LIVERPOOL, then at the head of the Government, who thought the time had not yet arrived for such a publication. Mr. FREDERICK LOCKER has placed the papers collected by his father at the disposal of the Author, who has thus been enabled to obtain much curious and interesting information, relating both to the public transactions and the secret history of this reign. In addition to the private collections to which he has had access, Lord BOLTON has likewise permitted him to refer to the extensive correspondence of his grandfather, the first peer, who was for many years in office, and in confidential intercourse with Mr. PITT, especially during the earlier years of his administration.

The Elements of Botany for Families and Schools. Tenth Edition, revised by THOMAS MOORE, F.L.S. Curator of the Chelsea Botanic Garden; Joint-Editor of LINDLEY and MOORE'S Treasury of Botany.' Pp. 212; with 154 Woodcuts. Fcp. 8vo. price 2s. 6d. cloth. [September 29, 1865.

IIE following synopsis shows the arrangement of the CONTENTS of the present volume, and likewise conveys an idea of the concise but popular mode of treatment adopted. Introduc

tion; Elementary Organs, Compound Organs. The Plant. The Root. The Stem. The Bud. The Leaves. The Epidermis and its Appendages. The Flower Bud, &c. The Flower. The Calyx. The Corolla. The Stamens. The Disk. The Pistil. The Fruit. The Seed. The Elementary Organs. The Structure of the Stem. The Germination of the Seed. The Food and Secretions of Plants. Flowerless (or Cryptogamic) Plants. Observations on the Irritability of Plants and on the General Aspects of Vegetation. The Classification of Plants. Remarks on the Mode of Studying Botany, on Common Plants for Study, and on the appliances necessary for the Study. GLOSSARIAL INDEX, copious and specially prepared, occupying 54 pages.

This work, which was originally published under the direction of the Committee of General Literature and Education appointed by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, has now been thoroughly revised and in parts rewritten. It is printed in a more suitable form than the earlier editions, and is further improved by the introduction of more numerous illustrations of a superior character to those formerly employed.

The Treasury of Botany, or a Popular Dictionary of the Vegetable Kingdom; with which is incorporated a Glossary of Botanical Terms. Edited by JOHN LINDLEY, Ph.D. F.R.S. F.L.S. late Emeritus Professor of Botany in University College, London; and THOMAS MOORE, F.L.S. Curator of the Chelsea Botanic Garden, Author of Index Filicum,' and Joint-Editor of The Gardener's Chronicle: assisted by numerous Contributors. Pp. 1,264, with 274 Woodcuts by W. H. Fitch and R. Branston, and 20 Steel Engravings by H. Adlard. Fep. 8vo. in Two Parts, cloth. [Dec. 1865.

THE

HE Treasury of Botany was designed to bring together, in the form of a Dictionary, a concise account of all the plants concerning which a general reader was likely to seek for information. This information it was proposed to diversify by woodcuts, and also to illustrate by views of scenery, representing the peculiar physiognomy of vegetation in different parts of the world.

The genera under which botanists have arranged the subjects of the vegetable kingdom are, however, as is well known, so numerous, that they could not be all included in a moderate-sized textbook like the present; and hence selection became a necessity. In the choice of subjects, it has been an especial object that none of the more important

plants, whether in regard to their utility, their beauty, or their interest to botanical students, should be overlooked. What the Treasury of Botany really comprises, therefore, is an account of those genera of plants which possess especial interest from the medicinal qualities or economical importance of their species, or for their beauty or utility as garden plants; while to these two groups has been added a still larger one, comprising a selection of genera serving as representatives of the whole series of natural orders and their subdivisions.

The remaining features comprised in the text of the Treasury are-a Comprehensive Glossary of Botanical Terms, prepared by Dr. LINDLEY; an extensive selection of English Names of Plants, arranged, as far as possible, under their substantive terms; and a series of French Names, both of genera and species, besides a large number of the Local Names of plants and vegetable productions in different countries throughout the world. In the Introduction will be found some excellent observations, by Dr. SEEMANN, descriptive of the Plates, and serving as illustrations of Phytogeography.

The Nomenclature-in-chief (that is to say, the names under which the articles pertaining to genera are written) is that of LINDLEY'S Vegetable Kingdom, or DECANDOLLE'S Prodromus, so far as those books contain generic names forming the subject of an article.

The

The utility of this epitome of Botany depends very much on the able assistance which has been afforded, in carrying out the plan thus briefly described, by the various contributors. following list of their names, with the signatures adopted, will afford a sufficient guarantee of the value of their communications. The whole of the articles, of whatever kind, without signatures are editorial: Professor BALFOUR [J. H. B.]; Rev. M. J. BERKELEY [M. J. B.]; Mr. A. A BLACK [A. A B.]; Mr. W. B. BooтH [W. B. B.]; Professor BUCKMAN [J. B.]; Mr. W. CARRUTHERS [W. C.]; Mr. B. CLARKE [B. C.]; Professor DICKIE [G. D.]; Mr.W. B. HEMSLEY [W. B. II.]; Mr. R. HEWARD [R. H.]; Rev. C. A. JOHNS [C. A. J.]; Dr. MASTERS [M. T. M.]; Dr. MOORE [D. M.]; Dr. SEEMANN [B. S.]; Mr. A. SMITH [A. S.]; Mr. J. T. SYME [J. T. S.]; Mr. R. THOMPSON [R. T.]; Mr. W. THOMPSON [W. T.]

In the preparation of the WOODCUT ILLUSTRATIONS, the work has had the advantage of the admirable botanical and artistic talent of Mr. W. H. FITCH, whose drawings have been engraved with great fidelity by Mr. BRANSTON. The STEEL PLATES, reduced by Mr. ADLARD from well-known originals, are not less faithful as examples of the aspects of vegetation in other lands.

The time necessarily taken up in the passage through the press of a work of so comprehensive a character, has been unhappily lengthened by the complete failure of Dr. LINDLEY'S health, which took place at an early stage of the progress of the work, and has not permitted him to witness its completion. The plan of the book had, indeed, been perfected under his supervision, but he was unable to continue his editorial labours beyond letter C, and the supervision of the subsequent portions has devolved entirely upon the surviving Editor, who feelingly alludes to the great blow which has fallen on botanical science by the too early loss of one of its soundest and most profound expositors.

Elements of Physics or Natural Philosophy, written for General Use in Non-Technical Language. By NEIL ARNOTT, M.D. F.R.S. &c. Physician-Extraordinary to the Queen, Member of the Senate of the University of London. PART II. completing the work and comprising the New Chapters on Electricity and Astronomy, with an Outline of Popular Mathematics. Svo. pp. 326, price 10s. 6d. cloth. [September 16, 1865.

** PART I. price 10s. 6d. may also be had, and the Work complete in 1 vol. price 21s. cloth.

THIS

THIS book differs from books having nearly the same title in the following particulars:The INTRODUCTION, sketching the whole field of human knowledge, is offered in the hope that it may serve as a useful guide to students.

In the APPENDIX, entitled 'Outlines of Popular Mathematics, or the Mathematics of Common Sense and Common Experience,' it is shown that the people of a modern civilised community unavoidably learn, through their intercourse with one another, and often without being aware of the fact, as much knowledge of fundamental mathematical truth as to be able, with a little help, to comprehend clearly the principal laws of the phenomena of nature. A common, but erroneous, opinion on the subject has prevailed, that only persons versed to a considerable extent in technical mathematics as taught in schools can acquire useful knowledge of natural philosophy. Although a sagacity like that of NEWTON, aided by profound geometry and algebraical analysis, has been required at first to discover and prove some of the general laws of natural phenomena, like those of gravitation, ordinary minds can afterwards, with simple explanations given, clearly comprehend and use them nearly as ordinary persons are easily taught to use aright watches, telescopes, and other

such instruments, which they could not originally have conceived or constructed.

In this work the required explanation of general laws is given, and interesting facts, both from nature and from the arts, are described, to illustrate the laws and to explain one another.

In the review of these facts it becomes apparent that a large proportion of the most ingenious contrivances have sprung from persons who had little or no acquaintance with technical mathematics. Thus for the conception and construction of the railway and locomotive engines which are now rapidly changing the condition of the world, we are indebted to GEORGE STEPHENSON, an uneducated worker in a coal mine. With such instances may be noted the invention of spinning and weaving machinery; of steam printing-presses; of fire-arms, ships, wheel-carriages, and innumerable other objects of the highest utility.

The record of many such facts, given in untechnical language, is interesting to general readers, and when presented to minds of superior natural endowment, is calculated to suggest to them new applications, possibly of great value.

Another object which the writer has had steadily in view while arranging the materials of his book has been thoroughly to arouse the reader's attention to the momentous fact of the progressive condition of the human race as compared with the stationary condition of inferior beings. He has judged that persons kept fully aware of this fact are placed altogether on higher ground than those who are not, judging more truly of the dignity of human nature, and having new and powerful motives to pursue wise conduct through life-that is to say, conduct which, while benefiting theinselves, shall be promoting the good of all around them.

The mode of treating, in this general work, some parts of engineering, chemistry, meteorology, geology, electricity, astronomy, &c., differs considerably from what would be appropriate in books restricted to the business of special societies, and some members of such societies might desire more detailed statements, but the assigned limits of the work would not allow of that. The work is intended to be an attractive introduction to the study of the physical sciences generally, and a useful aid and direction to beginners, how far soever they may intend to push their special researches. Every day renders it more apparent that the well-being and safety of modern civilised nations depends much upon the amount of knowledge of the natural sciences diffused among the people.

In the present, and now completed edition, the subjects of electricity and astronomy appear for the first time; and important novelties, whe

ther in science or the arts, which have arisen since the fifth edition, are separately noticed. In science a very important step has been made in regard to HEAT, by the ascertainment, through the experiments of Dr. JOULE and others, of the exact measure of heat which produces a known mechanical effect (now termed JOULE'S mechanical equivalent), and the relation of that to known amounts of other forces of nature, which are mutually convertible one into another.

Respecting the intimate nature of heat in bodies, considered as modifications of undulatory motion, connected with an invisible elastic medium pervading all space, the Author has not found reasons to change what he said on the subject in the earlier edition of 1833, here reprinted in pages 401-5 of the present. Eminent scientific men are now gradually agreeing in opinion on the subject. Lord BACON, Count RUMFOrd,

and Sir HUMPHRY DAVY, would have erred to suppose there could be motion anywhere, without there being a something to be moved.

The Author has in the present edition described also new suggestions of his own with respect to heat and the modes of using fuel, for which the Council of the Royal Society of London, in 1855, honoured him by the award of the Rumford Medal; and he has described also other novelties bearing on the alleviation of disease and the preservation of health (as the water-bed and cushions, and modes of ventilation), for which the authorities of the last International Exhibition in Paris awarded him their Grande Medaille and the Cross of the Legion of Honour.

Notes upon the Errors of Geology, illustrated by reference to Facts observed in Ireland: 1. Objections to the Theory of Hutton; 2. New Views. 3. Geology and Genesis. 4. Defects in the Succession in Ireland. 5. On the Fossils. By JOHN KELLY, VicePresident of the Royal Geological Society of Ireland. Pp. 316; with coloured Diagrams and Maps. Post 8vo. price 6s. cloth.

THE

[November 9, 1864.

HE object of this work is to expose what the Author maintains to be the false theories adopted by geologists, and the consequent errors made by them in that branch of natural science. Those blunders, so adverse, in the Author's view, to truth and fair induction, give the appearance of falsehood to the account of the Creation recorded by MOSES. The Author's object is further to endeavour to reconcile those apparent differences, and bring them to agree with one another, by showing that the six days of Creation,

and the six geological systems of the sedimentary rocks, corrected up to the present state of our knowledge, are in complete harmony.

A Dictionary of Practical Medicine, comprising Special Pathology, the Principles of Therapeutics, the Nature and Treatment of Diseases, Morbid Structures, and the Disorders especially incidental to Climates, to Races, to Sex, and to the Epochs of Life; with an The Appendix of Approved Formula. whole forming a Digest of Pathology and Therapeutics. By JAMES COPLAND, M.D. F.R.S. F.R.C.P. &c. Lond. Abridged from the larger work by the Author, assisted by J.C.COPLAND, M.R.C.S. M.S.A. and throughout brought down to the present state of Medical Science. Medium 8vo. pp. 1,560, price 368. cloth. [September 16, 1865.

The Work, thus carefully abridged, retains all the matter of the former edition which may be considered practically useful, and comprises, further, all that has been contributed, deserving preservation, to medical knowledge since the appear. ance of the original edition.

In order that all really practical subjects should be retained in this Edition, and not be so abridged as to impair their value to the medical practitioner, the Author has been obliged to omit several articles appertaining rather to the subsidiary sciences than to practical medicine. But he has retained others connected with both general and special pathology, that have a more or less intimate practical relation, and are more or less connected with special therapeutical indicationssuch as Irritability, Irritation, Sympathy and Sympathetic Connexion of Disorders, &c.

Many of the Prescriptions contained in the work, especially those given in the text, have been also omitted, the Author relying chiefly on those in the Appendix. The enumeration of remedial means in the abridgment has been so stated and so associated in the text, as to render their disposition in formulæ generally unnecessary; and when formal prescriptions have appeared requisite, references to those contained in the Appendix have been numerically supplied.

The Author has retained, without abridgment,