but the term occasional is a vague expression, and subject to several constructions. As there are some who would deem smoking a pipe once in a week as coming under that head, whilst there are others who would severally consider it an occasional indulgence down to two, or even three pipes in a day. Taking, however, one pipe in a day as a moderate medium, or less if this can be proved to be really injurious to the health, then we arrive at this interrogatory :-Should we discontinue a habit from which we derive pleasure and genial comfort, and which does not injure the health, simply because if it were indulged in to excess, it would injure the health? Why, if such reasoning as that were good, it would also apply to the rise of numerous other actual necessities, such as tea, water, ale, &c. Excess in any of these would also be deleterious; and should we on that account destroy their use altogether? Most decidedly, No!-J. C.

Dr. Close, Dean of Carlisle, condemns the use of tobacco on religious and moral grounds. Sir Benjamin Brodie and Sir C. Hastings confine themselves more particularly to the effect it produces on the nervous system. Some condemn the use of tea; some of coffee; some of flesh; and we have no doubt there could be some found who condemn the use of cabbages. The allopathist condemns the homoeopathist, and the hydropathist condemns them both. One medical anthority says that "he has used tobacco for twenty-three years, without observing any injurious effects." Another says:-"It has the effect of deranging the nervous system; of rendering the smokers lazy and listless, indisposed to bodily, and incapable of much mental exertion." Tobacco is used very generally by working men: are we to infer that working men, as a class, are lazy and listless, and indisposed to bodily exertion"? To admit such, would be a libel upon the industrious orders of our country. All the arguments that have been used against the use of tobacco, if not convincing, might

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"

have been very instructive, had they been confined to the abuse of it. "Everybody believes that it is bad to smoke in excess; and a man knows when he has smoked too many cigars, just as he knows when he has drunk too much wine, or eaten too much pudding." But we are told, that to use it at all is destructive alike to sound health and good morals. It is characterised as a "useless, foolish, vulgar, offensive, and demoralizing habit." A reverend gentleman goes to the length of saying:"The use of tobacco is a criminal indulgence, unbecoming the professors of the wisdom of God." By what train of reasoning he found out that tobacco was a criminal indulgence," we have no means of knowing. Acts of a criminal nature are, in general, done in secret; smokers do it openly. We are inclined to suppose that the reverend gentlemen meant to say that, if he had the power, he did not want the inclination to make the person using tobacco a criminal, and to punish him accordingly. We don't doubt it. Dean Close has given to the world one real case of cancer in the tongue, and considers it as sufficient evidence for smokers to fling away their pipes and cigars. We may yet hope to hear of some one insisting that the use of turnips should be given up, because a case of colic had occurred through using them. All classes of the community, with a few exceptions, use tobacco, in some form or other. It would be a very interesting and curious inquiry if, by any means, reliable statistics could be collected of a given number of smokers and non-smokers (other things being equal), to note accurately the various phases, as they occur, of the rapid development of the non-smoker in physical strength, moral excellence, and intellectual vigour, with the gradual deterioration of the smoker,-stunted stature, physical debility, and an intellect shrouded and "wasting away before the poisonous drug; the glories of Britain eclipsed in clouds which her own children have helped to make." We hold that the use of tobacco is the source

of an innocent and harmless enjoyment to thousands. Let its opponents point out the actual amount of injury the use of tobacco is capable of producing; give us something that we can grasp, and it will deserve the attention and serious consideration of all who wish the social elevation of mankind. We must have more than a few isolated facts, and inconclusive abstractions,-some tangible reasons why the use of it should be abandoned. The facts for its use are all on the side of the smoker. Its soothing influence is attested by the smoke of a million pipes. The gentle curl of the ascending "cloud" from a million cigars proves incontestibly that

The Southampton Society for Mutual Education.-The half-yearly meeting of the above society was held at the Society's Rooms, Hanover-buildings, on Friday, October 5th. There was a good attendance of the members. The secretary read the report, which showed that the number of members on the books was smaller than had been for some time before, principally owing to the fact of several having left the town; it is fully expected, however, that in a few weeks the number of members will

be as large as ever. The magazine still continues to be one of the chief features of the society, and the library has been made good use of. The report having been unanimously adopted, the following officers for the next half year were elected; Eustace H. Jones, Esq., President; Messrs. Pooley and Marshall, vice-presidents; Mr. Edward J. Knight, Editor; Mr. Bance, Secretary. The lectures (the whole of which are delivered by members of the Society) will be commenced during the present month.

The Amateur Literary Society.-The council of this Society has resolved, in compliance with numerous requests, to

D. R. R.

abolish the annual subscription heretofore required of members, and thus the great objection of expense which has been urged is for ever done away with. This association consists of those who are desirous of ensuring purity and correctness of thought and style in literary composition, whether for the ordinary purposes of life, or with a view to following literature as a profession. It is by no means exclusive, but admits into full communion all grades and denominations; and gentlemen who wish to enter for the ensuing session should at once communicate with the Honorary Secretary, William Whyte, Esq., 28, St. Vincent-place, Glasgow. Every candidate for admission must send in a probationary essay or poem, and, if this be approved of, he will be enrolled on payment of the entrance fee of 3s. 6d. The Honorary President of the Society is the Rev George Iliff, of the Grange School, Sunderland, author of "An English Education," &c. The President of Council is John W. W. Penney, Esq., B.A., author of "Talk and Talkers," &c.; and the Honorary Fellows are Rev. G. Gilfillan, M.A.; W. M. Thackeray, Esq.; Charles Dickens,

QUESTIONS TO WHICH ANSWERS ARE SOLICITED.

112. Can any of your numerous readers tell me who wrote the National Anthem, and when?-J. EVANS.

113. In Gilfillan's "Literary Portrait of De Quincey," there is the following passage:" It is painful to be compelled to inscribe upon such a shield the word Desdichado." The sentence is to me unintelligible, from my unacquaintance with the concluding word. Would you kindly give an explanation in the "Inquirers' Section," and any hint as to supplying the desideratum, under which it will be seen, and the labour will be gladly acted on?-SELFTAUGHT.

114. Be good enough to inform the subscriber if any of the works of the celebrated Spaniard, Lope de Vega, are to be found in England; and, if so, the particulars thereof. English translations are what is wanted.-ADOLESCENS.

115. Can any of your readers inform me whether any of the mitres of the bishops of the Church of England are still in existence? and, if so, on what occasions are they worn?-CHURCH

MAN.

116. Where can I find an account of the lives of the Lord High Admirals of England?-J. E. H.

117. Can any of your correspondents inform me where a history of the Irish Houses of Parliament may be procured, and where one might be enabled to find the names of the Speakers of the Irish House of Commons?-J, E. H.

118. What is the most complete

history of the Isle of Wight, and who are the publishers?-VECTIS.

119. Can any of your readers inform me where the chapter relating to scholarships of "Normal Seminaries," under the Minutes of Council of 2nd June, 1856, is to be got? An early answer will favour.-D. R. R.

120. Can any of your readers give me an idea of the approximate number of distinct species of animals now existing?-E.

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS.

101. Quotations. May I be permitted to inform "Augustine," in the pages of your valuable serial, in reply to his inquiry, that I have found the "Homilist" in valuable as a mine for originality, and condensation of eloquent passages and gems of thought, and doubt not the work would be equally valuable to him?-W. G.

107. Latin and French Grammar for self-instructors. In respect to the question asked by "Sylvia May," in the October Part, I may say that the best manual for students instructing themselves in the Latin tongue, is the work called "Lessons in Latin," by the Rev. J. R. Beard, D.D. London: John Cassell. Price 3s. It contains all that is to be found in ordinary Latin grammars, conveyed in a more lucid and intelligent manner, with easy and progressive exercises, to test the advance of the learner. It is specially designed for those studying Latin without a master. For French, I may recommend the "Lessons in French," by Professor

Fasquelle, price 4s. 6d., published by the same firm.-FRED. A. R.

107. Cassell's "Lessons in Latin; Latin an Elementary Grammar of the being Language; intended especially for those who are desirous of learning Latin without a Master." Cloth, 3s. Cassell's "Lessons in French," by Professor Fasquelle. Complete in one vol., 4s 6d. The above works are likely to be useful to "Sylvia May." They are published by Cassell, Petter, and Galpin, London. If, however, "Sylvia May" is one of the earnest students of the British Controversialist, and is determined to obtain a thorough mastery of the Latin tongue, if he will rigidly follow out the plan we are about to lay down, we can promise him an amount of success no less gratifying than encouraging. Procure, at once, Kennedy's "Latin Grammar" (in which the quantities are all carefully marked), price 3s. 6d.; Longman and Co.; and Virgil's 66 'Eneid," Book I. (with interlinear translations), price 1s. 6d.; Walton and Maberly. Study these two works with the greatest care, taking a few lines of Virgil and a very small portion of the grammar DAILY. Let it be done thoroughly. When "Sylvia May" has thoroughly acquired a knowledge of the words, and their meanings, in his first author, let him procure "Parsing Lessons to Virgil," price 1s. 6d.; Walton and Maberly. Let a few words be taken at first, and let each noun and each verb be carefully worked out. Be careful not to overstrain the attention by taking too great a range at one time. When these two books have been mastered, a school-like acquaintance with the First Æneid will have been obtained, as well as a general knowledge of the grammar. This much accomplished, let "Sylvia May" procure the "De Amicitiâ," "De Senectute," and "Brutus," of Cicero, published at 1s., by John Weale; also Riddle's "Young Scholar's English-Latin and Latin-English Dictionary," price 12s.; Longman and Co. Translate, every day, one page of the "De Amicitiâ"

This

into close but idiomatic English, and on the day following, re-translate it into Latin, and correct it from the text. Let this be done throughout. Then read the whole in course, and copy it out, verbatim, three or four times. is hard work, but it brings a glorious harvest. The practice of reviewing is a very great help to accuracy and thoroughness. Every day let the lesson of the preceding day be gone over; at the end of the week, the studies of the week; and so on. If "Sylvia May" will unswervingly follow our advice, he will acquire a foundation, strong and firm, on which he may, at his leisure, build a knowledge of the Latin language both sound and critical.-T. L. P.

111. Origin of Wakes or Feasts.— "The festival of the day on which the church of any parish was dedicated, is specially enjoined in the law of Edward the Confessor; and from this festival originated the wakes of more modern times; a name derived either from the verb wicken, to consecrate, or, as seems more probable, from the Saxon word for the vigil, by which the festival was preceded. The institution of these festivals is to be traced to Gregory the Great, who advised Mellito, whom he had sent as Abbot into Britain, to encourage the people to hold festivals around the churches on the days of their consecration, or of the commemoration of the martyrs whose relics were placed there, that he might prevent them from attending their idol feasts. An old English sermon states how the vigils were changed from feasts to fasts; how, "in the beginning of holy church, men and women comyng to church over nyghte, with candelus, and other lyghte, and woken in the church alle nyghte in her. devocynes;" but, "by processe of tyme," they "turned the good, holy devocyon, into synne; wherefore holy faders ordeyned the people to leve that waking, and faste the evon, and so turned the wakyng into fastyng; but yett holdith the olde name, and is called in Latin vigilia, that is, wakyng in English."— Hampson, ii. 125.

Charles Knight's historical labours have materially affected his health, and the monthly-part issue of his "England" has been discontinued, to afford leisure for mature study.

Herbert Ingram, M.P., proprietor of the Illustrated London News-one of the self-made men of our age, was drowned in Lake Michigan, North America, in September.

Her literary labours, such as they are, are said to have enabled Miss Warner to purchase a bit of "The Wide, wide world," in the middle of the Hudson, for 11,000 dollars. It is to be called Warner's Island, This is both Say and Seal.

The Liverpool Free Library, the gift of William Brown, is opened. There are nearly 20,000 volumes upon its shelves. This is a volunteer movement, of which there is much need, and for which there ought to be much heartfelt praise and appreciation.

Mr. E. Landells, one of the original proprietors of Punch, and one of the most popular illustrators of the day, is dead.

Messrs. Chapman and Hall are to publish Mr. Peter Cunningham's new biographical and autobiographical work called "Father and Son."

A marble monument, by M. Strackee, has been erected in the New Park, Rotterdam, in honour of Tollens, the merchant poet,-a poet as well circumstanced as Rogers, as popular as Burns, —who died at Ryenrick in 1854.

Under the auspices of the Prince Consort, Blanchard Jerrold is to issue a 'History of Industrial Exhibitions."

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The speeches and proclamations of Napoleon III. have been collected and published.

Hannay's contributions to the "Quarterly" are to be republished.

Eliza Cook's" Poems," illustrated by Gilbert, are to be issued as a Christmas book by Messrs. Routledge.

The gift-villa in the Avenue de l'Imperatrice, from the city of Paris to Lamartine, is now ready for occupancy.

A poem full of fine philosophy and of genuine poetry, "imagination all compact," bearing the name of "Merlin the Sorcerer," has been lately issued by Edgar Quinet, the historian philosopher, and is exciting a great deal of interest.

Since January, 1858, C. E. Mudie has added to his library of history and biography 87,210 vols.; travel and adventure, 50,572; fiction, 165,455; science, religion, reviews, and miscellaneous works, 87,856; total, 391,083 volumes.

In the third volume of Lamartine's own edition of his works, now publishing by subscription, a hitherto unpub-lished production, entitled "Saul,' appears.

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Engineers and Engine-makers" is the new work undertaken by Mr. Smiles. "The Mormons and their Territory" is a book creating much stir in France. The author is M. Jules Remy.

It is asserted that Dickens, Thackeray, and Trollope, will each come on the tapis with a new monthly serial novel.

The Harpers, of New York, are said to have paid £1,000 to Dickens for the American copyright of "Hunted Down."

Biographies of James Watt and George Stephenson have been issued in German.

The prose works of Hood, the humourist, are to be issued in monthly volumes by Derby and Jackson, New York.

"The Remains" of Daniel Manin, president of the republic of Venice, 1848-49, have been published at Paris, edited and revised by Madame Planat de la Faye.

The late Robert Stephenson is to have a bust beside his father, in the library of the Literary and Philosophical Society of Newcastle. Mr. Wyon sculptured the father, and has been commissioned to produce this bust of the

son.

Oxenford is said to be about to resign the baton as Times dramatic-critic to Tom Taylor, who is also art-critic.