March last, at which all the members were present. The president, Mr. R. Entwisle, was in the chair. After tea, he gave a lecture on "Mutual Improvement Societies," and said that societies of this kind were of no small importance, as they took for their chief consideration the most dignified and happy of human occupations-the improvement of the mind; and that it was no less pleasing than instructive to prefer the refined and elevating pleasures of knowledge, than indulging in low, sensual gratification. After which he showed how our feelings of wonder and admiration were called forth by the study of the sciences. The meeting was afterwards enlivened by recitations, from Cowper and Shakespeare, by the members. After singing the National Anthem, the meeting separated about ten o'clock.-THOMAS PEERS, Hon. Secretary.

Milngavie Mechanics' Institution.The members and friends of the above institution celebrated the termination of a very successful lecture session by a social meeting in the village hall, on the 12th March. H. Carmichael, president of the institution, occupied the chair, and delivered an able address. Addresses were also delivered by the Rev. D. S. Maxwell, of the Quoad Sacra Church, "The Importance of General Knowledge;" and by the Rev. G. McQueen, M.A., of the U. P. Church, "The School, in its relation to the Pulpit." For the entertainment of the meeting, the directors had engaged Mr. J. Muir and Miss Smith, the well known vocalists, from Glasgow; and Mr. H. Ross, Junior, a member of the institution, favoured the company with two recitations. Refreshments were served during the evening. In conclusion, the chairman briefly congratulated the members on the course of lectures just terminated, and the present prosperous condition of the institution in this the twentieth year of its existence, and forcibly pressed its claims upon the audience.

The meeting was characterized by its lively interest and good feeling.

The Woodbridge Young Men's Association for Mutual Improvement, in connection with the Quay Chapel, held their first public meeting in the schoolroom adjoining the chapel, on Friday, March 21st, 1856. After tea, of which about 130 friends partook, the Rev. A, Duffy, the president of the society, delivered a lecture, entitled, "Recollections of a Recent Visit to Paris." At the close of the lecture, the secretary, Mr. D. J. Munro, presented a report, which set forth that the society had recently attained to a very flourishing condition. Several new members have lately been added, and some donations had been received, so that the society was enabled to purchase and circulate several periodicals, among which are "Excelsior" and the British Controversialist. In addition to numerous recitations, lectures had been given, during the past quarter, on "Architecture; "China and the Chinese;" History of Woodbridge;"

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"The

Natural History,' ""America and the Americans;" and "Popular Superstitions." Lectures are to be delivered, in the course of the next quarter, on "War and Peace;" "Physiology;" Human Eye;" "The Ruins of Babylon;" "Biography of Eminent Artists; "Plants mentioned in the Bible;" and "The Steam Engine." The meeting was addressed by Messrs. Kerridge, Fisk, Munro, senior, and Brukets; and poetical recitations were given by Messrs. Wilson, Elvis, Booth, and Taylor. The pleasure of the assembled company was also contributed to by frequent brilliant performances on the harmonium, by Misses Clapp and London. The attendance and proceedings on this interesting occasion were such as to stimulate the young men of the association to determine to persevere in the path of mental improvement, progress in which has hitherto been so delightful.

Petersfield Young Men's Improve

ment Society-A conversazione was held on Friday evening, December 28th, 1855, at the National Schoolrooms, at which upwards of 200 persons were present. The chair was taken by the Rev. J. Williams, vice-president of the society. After a congratulatory and encouraging speech from the rev. gentleman, recitations and addresses were given by members. A public discussion also took place on the question, "Was Elizabeth justified in signing the warrant for the execution of Mary Queen of Scots ?" which was taken part in by Messrs. Meeres, Blackman, Henson, and Macfarland. The entertainment was varied with vocal music, very efficiently conducted by Messrs. J. Jones and E. Sears. The company broke up at half-past ten o'clock, apparently pleased with the evening's entertainment.-G. H., Secretary.

London-St. James's Literary and Scientific Society, 15, Clifford Street, Bond Street.-A soirée musicale, by the members of the vocal class, conducted by their professor, Mr. R. E. Lyon, and assisted by Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Gilbert and Miss Susanna Cole, R.A.M., took place at the Hanover Square Rooms, on Wednesday evening, March 12th. The entertainment consisted of solos, duets, glees, madrigals, part songs, and choruses. We are happy to state that the musical talent displayed by the class was sufficient to call forth the loudest applause from the crowded audience that thronged the rooms. We are also happy to learn that although the members of the society were admitted free, yet the amount realized for tickets sold to their friends was sufficient to cover every expense. On Tuesday, March 25th, the members of the elocution class gave their second public entertainment in the rooms, 41, Brewer Street, Golden Square, the chair being filled by Edward Swaine, Esq. The programme, which was selected with the greatest care, included extracts from the speeches of Cicero and Curran;

the dramatic literature of Shakespeare, Addison, and Sheridan Knowles; the poetry of Sir Walter Scott, and enlivened by selections from the comic writings of Dickens, Hood, Ingoldsby, and Douglas Jerrold. The gentlemen who more particularly distinguished themselves in the course of the entertainment, and who well deserved the loud applause they received from the audience for the very high elocutionary talent which they displayed, were, Mr. E. Godart, for the recital of "Cato's Soliloquy on the Immortality of the Soul;" Mr. S. Key Watson, for the delivery of an extract from "A Speech, by Curran, in Defence of Hamilton Rowan;" and Mr. E. Ashmead, for the humorous rendering of Dickens's parish sketch, "The Election for Beadle." About 400 persons were present.

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The

St. James's Junior Mutual Improvement Society, Hull.-The third quarter of this society began on the 1st of April, 1856. The members have had, during the past half year, several instructive and interesting papers read to them by various members; the majority of which have caused animated discussions at the close. following are the principal:-" On Mutual Improvement Societies;" Solar System;" "Earthquakes;" "War;" Desecration of the Sabbath;" "Learning;" Oliver Cromwell;" Capital Punishment;" "Is Episcopacy Scriptural ?" &c. A library is in course of formation. The number of members already amounts to between forty and fifty, and the average weekly attendance is about thirty. The meetings of the society are held every Friday evening, commencing at a quarter past eight.

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Glasgow Polytechnic Society.-Persons desirous of forming such a society, for mutual improvement, are requested to communicate, stating their own opinion relative to the fee to be charged (which should be as low as possible), &c., with Hugh Cunningham, Glasgew Post Office.

A monument to William Roscoe, the historian, has been erected in the Unitarian chapel, Renshaw Street, Liverpool, where Roscoe was interred. The monument consists of a bust of the historian, placed in a niche of grey marble. The inscription is, "William Roscoe, Historian, Poet, Patriot, and Christian Philanthropist, born in Liverpool, March, 1753; died, June, 1831. This Monument was erected by his Fellow-worshippers, 1852."

At a sale of the engravings, drawings, &c., of Messrs. Hering and Remington, which took place this week, by Messrs. Southgate and Barrett, a copy in water-colours, by Louis Haghe, of David Roberts's grand picture of the "Destruction of Jerusalem," was sold for £210, and the stock and lithographic stones of the same work realized £700, while the other lots in the same sale brought good prices.

Heinrich Heine, the poet, has left all his MSS. to his nephew, Herr Embde, a resident of Hamburg, with the intention of having them revised, and, when put in order, incorporated in the entire edition of his works, which is now preparing for the press.

The proposal of erecting a monument to the memory of Alexander Wilson, poet and ornithologist, in his native town, Paisley, is likely shortly to be realized.-Prof. Hopfgarten, of Biebrich, has repaired to Paris, in order to execute, in Carrara marble, a monument of the late Prince Ypsilanti.

Mr. Layard, in re-assuming the office of Lord Rector of Aberdeen, has offered two prizes to competition. The first is offered for a paper, "On the Influence of Liberty and Commerce on Literature and the Arts, as illustrated by the Greek and Italian Republics," and is to be a copy of Mr. Layard's own works.

The second is offered for a paper on the question, “Whether are Despotic or Free Governments more likely to pursue an aggressive policy towards other States? the discussion of the question to be illustrated by references both to ancient and modern history," and is to be a complete set of Mr. Hallam's works.

Abd-el-Kader has been made a member of the Paris Zoological Society of Acclimation. The Emir having been informed during his sojourn at Broussa that the society was desirous of acclimatising Angora goats, sent a flock of these animals as a present.

The celebrated Bowyer Bible, in forty-five folio volumes, and containing 6,000 engravings, was sold by auction at Bolton, and bought by Robert Heywood, Esq., for £550.

The Marquis Wielopolski, who has inherited the immense fortune of the late Count Swidzinski, is about, in compliance with the testator's wishes, to establish a library and museum at Warsaw, and he has purchased the large Zaluski Palace for the purpose.

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The two statues of "Tragedy" and "Comedy," by Flaxman, and the two bas-reliefs by the same artist, on the Bow-street front of Covent-garden Theatre, have happily escaped uninjured from the fire.

A Brussels paper reports that a portion of a printing-press, bearing the initials of J. Guttenburg, and the year 1441, in Roman numerals, has been discovered in digging a well near Mayence.

The Duke of Cambridge has consented to preside at the 67th anniversary dinner of the Royal Literary Fund, which is fixed to take place at Freemason's Hall, on the 7th of May.