Fishes, or Echinodermata. His researches | ject are numerous, and will be found in upon this family have resulted in a great the Transactions of the British Associawork containing illustrative figures, enti- tion' for 1840, in the third volume of the tled Monographes d'Echinodermes Vi-Proceedings of the Geological Society,' vans et Fossiles,' and published in parts, in the eighteenth volume of the Philosofrom 1837 to 1842. Several papers on phical Magazine,' (third series,) and in this family attest the zeal and care with the sixth volume of the 'Annals and Mawhich he has studied these animals, which gazine of Natural History.' have, through successive periods of time, played an important part amongst the organic beings of the globe. 66 Although the attention of Professor Agassiz has been chiefly directed to objects not requiring microscopic investigation, he has successfully investigated many of the forms of Infusoria, which are only seen by means of this instrument. He was not only one of the earliest to confirm Mr. Shuttleworth's curious discovery of the existence of animalcules among the red snow of the Alps, but also to point out the existence of higher forms of animal life (such as the Rotifera) than had been suspected by that observer. In some recent researches upon the habits and structure of animalcules, he has even proposed to abolish the class of Infusoria altogether, endeavoring to show that all these beings may be placed amongst the Polypifera, Rhizopoda, plants, and ova of higher animals. "His researches upon fossil animals would naturally draw his attention to the circumstances by which they have been placed in their present position. The geologist has been developed as the result of natural history studies. Surrounded by the ice-covered mountains of Switzerland, his mind naturally was led to the study of the phenomena which they presented. The moving glaciers, and their resulting morains, furnished him with facts which seemed to supply the theory of a large number of phenomena in the past history of the world. He saw in other parts of the world, whence glaciers have long since retired, proofs of their existence in the parallel roads and terraces, at the bases of hills and mountains, and in the scratched, polished, and striated surfaces of rocks. Although this theory has been applied much more extensively than is consistent with all the facts of particular cases by his disciples, there is no question in the minds of the most competent geologists of the present day, that Agassiz has, by his researches on this subject, pointed out the cause of a large series of geological phenomena. His papers on this sub A "In his writings, Professor Agassiz shows a strong tendency to generalization; and if a suspicion has grown up of the unsoundness of his views in certain departments of natural history inquiry, it has arisen from this peculiar mental disposition. He has embraced the doctrine of the successive creation of higher organized beings upon the face of the earth, and a paper of his on this subject will be found in the thirty-third volume of the 'Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal.' more detailed account of his views on this subject will be found in the Outlines of Comparative Physiology,' written by Professor Agassiz in conjunction with Mr. A. A. Gould. This work, originally published in America, has been republished in England, with notes and additions by Dr. T. Wright. It is unnecessary to say here. that these views have upholders and opponents in England. Amongst the most distinguished of the former are Professor Owen and Professor Sedgwick, whilst the latter number amongst them the late Professor Edward Forbes and Sir Charles Lyell. Both parties are equally opposed to the theory of organic development, as proposed in an anonymous work called The Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation.' Professor Agassiz has written in this controversy with great sagacity, and brought his researches on the 'Embryology of the Salmonida' to bear upon the argument. This work was published at Neufchâtel, in 1842. "Amidst all his original labors, Profes sor Agassiz has found time to devote himself to the general literature of natural history. In 1842, he published his 'Nomenclator Zoologicus,' which contains the systematic names of the genera of animals, both living and fossil, with references to the authors and the books in which they are described. He also laid the foundations of the great work entitled 'Bibliographia Zoologiæ et Geologiæ,' which has been published in England, edited by the late Hugh E. Strickland and Sir W. Jardine, Bart., in the series of works issued by the Ray Society. It consists of four volumes, comprising an alphabetical list of all writers on Geology and Zoology, with a list of their works. We must refer to this work for a complete list of Professor Agassiz's own writings up to the time the first volume was published in 1848. "When the chair of natural history in Edinburgh became vacant by the death of the late Professor Edward Forbes, it was offered to Professor Agassiz; but he declined accepting it, preferring his honorable and wide sphere of usefulness in the New World to returning to Europe, where he won the first triumphs of his great reputation." THE FIFTIETH BIRTH-DAY OF AGASSIZ, MAY 28, 1857.-The following lines are by Longfellow, and were read among friends at a birth-day dinner, which they will long keep in fresh remembrance : IT was fifty years ago, In the pleasant month of May, And Nature, the old nurse, took Thy father has written for thee. In the manuscripts of God." And he wandered away and away, And whenever the way seemed long, She would sing a more wonderful song, So she keeps him still a child, For the beautiful Pays de Vaud; And the mother at home says: "Hark! whole shank is loosened in its socket by the jar. Again, a neighbor artist's very clever sketch had just exactly dashed off nephew Robert's likeness. It was quite unmistakable-the exact twist of his mouth and wink of his eye. Nothing could be better. Think not? knowingly asked Mr. Stipple: and so he took the drawing home, worked hard at it for five days, and after due diligence in fining and polishing, brings me back the tame, gentleman-like, and fashionable mis-resemblance which we all barely recognize as our bluff Bob, subdued into a dancing-master! Again, and mingling gravity with our gayeties. Don't commentators always omit to tell us the reason why "the Lord was angry with Balaam because he went, albeit he had been told to go?" It is understandable on the same principle as this, that after a wise father has interdicted some wrong request of a son obstinately bent thereon, if that son asks again, he will say, "Do it, and take the consquences." Ask once, and take your answer: ask twice, and you get the contrary, with its punishment. One good answer should suffice. To human feelings, what can be more worrying than iteration? All our nature uprises in shouts of, "Spoke, spoke !" indignant at fretful repetitions. Further, one of the wisest of ancients gave it as his tit-bit of experience, that life should be conducted on this identical principle of ne quid nimis. Overdoing -Dwight's Journal of Music. it is to vault into the saddle so violently And my boy does not return!" HAMMER AND NAIL.-When to leave off is no small part of wisdom. Look at the carpenter's apprentice. The ten-a-penny nail was fixed firm enough right up to the head, but fussy over-hammering must give just three more blows to make all surer, and the as to fall over on the off-side. Overdoing it is to demonstrate practically that too much of any thing is good for nothing; the old proverbial evil of excess, capable of infinite and most wearisome illustration-teetotalism, asceticism, libertinism, and all other isms moral, physical, and metaphysical; but just now brought most simply home to my mind by that clumsy apprentice and his over-vehement hammer. LITERARY MISCELLANIES. LIFE OF CHARLOTTE BRONTÉ.—The very interesting article in this number of THE ECLECTIC, on the Life and Character of Charlotte Bronté, will create a desire in many minds among our readers to obtain the work itself by Mrs. E. C. Gaskell, in two neat volumes, published by the Messrs. Appletons of this city. The life, character, and writings of the three sisters of the Bronté family, of which Charlotte was in some respects the most remarkable, are wonderful, almost surpassing fable, and can hardly fail to be read with deep interest, and much profit and instruction. They form a rare trio of sisters among the sisterhood of this world. We intend to adorn THE ECLECTIC MAGAZINE with a beautiful portrait of this remarkable and talented woman as soon as it can be conveniently engraved. | guished writer. He found him living at Chelsea on the Thames, in the simplest manner, in a small house, in quite a retired situation. He talks much of American affairs, still holding to his old opinion that Franklin is our greatest man. He said he had some years ago read a book which gave a much better account of the higher sort of character in NewEngland, than any thing he had seen since Franklin's writings. That book, he said, gave him an insight into the real, inner life of the highest natures, and was a most valuable work. It was the "Memoir of the Buckminsters," by Mrs. Lee.-Boston Transcript. A BOSTON letter to the New-York Post says: "There is a rumor that Professor Longfellow is preparing a new volume of poems; which is probably true. Lowell is much engaged in his duties as professor; he lectures on the literature of modern languages, and is busy in preparing his first course of lectures. Personally, he is very popular with the students: he holds a levee for his classes every Thursday evening, and once in a while, of a Saturday, he collects a few students, and rambles off into the country for a walk and a quiet pic-nic." LIBRARY OF BROWN UNIVERSITY.—We learn from the Providence Journal, that the library of this institution is in a very flourishing condition. A careful enumeration, just made by the librarian, gives 28,203 bound volumes upon its shelves, of which 18,000 volumes have been added within the past fifteen years. Besides these bound volumes, the library has upward of 15,000 unbound pamphlets, which have been accumulating for many years. The number of volumes circulated during the year ending LORD PALMERSTON has granted to the widow of July 3, is 3959. Of this number, 2741 were taken Hugh Miller, of Comarty, a pension of £70 a year, in out by under-graduates, 635 by graduates, clergy-consideration of Mr. Miller's services to literature. men, etc., and 583 by the college officers. The library is for general reference and consultation rather than for circulation; consequently, more books by far are used in the library room than are taken from it. No book is missing, and only one book has been lost during the year. HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY.-The annual examination, by the committee appointed by the overseers of Harvard College, for visiting the library, took place Friday, July 3d. Governop Washburn presided, and Mr. George Livermore was secretary. From the report, which was read to the committee by Mr. J. L. Sibley, the librarian, it appears that there are in all the libraries connected with the University, 114,000 volumes, besides a very large number of unbound pamphlets. The library of Gore Hall alone contains 74,000 volumes and more than 30,000 unbound pamphlets. The whole number of volumes added to the library the past year is 4256, of which 3894 were gifts. LITERARY PROFITS.-The Philadelphia Evening Journal is authorized to say that the publishers of Dr. Kane's Narrative of his Arctic Exploring Expedition-Messrs. Childs & Peterson-have paid upward of $60,000 to the estate of the lamented author, which is merely the copyright money for nine months' sales of the work! The demand for this wonderfully interesting narrative continues unabated, and it is almost certain that the copyright money will reach $100,000 before many months have elapsed THOMAS CARLYLE.-A gentleman from this city, now in Europe, lately paid a visit to this distin THE FACULTY OF FEIGNING DEATH.-There are cases on record of persons who could spontaneously fall into death-trance. Monti, in a letter to Haller, mentions several. A priest of the name of Cælius Rhodaginus had the same faculty. But the most celebrated instance is that of Colonel Townshend, mentioned in the surgical works of Goock, by whom, and by Dr. Cheyne and Dr. Beynard, and by Mr. Shrine, an apothecary, the performance of Colonel Townshend was seen and attested. They had long attended him, for he was an habitual invalid; and he had often invited them to witness the phenomena of his dying and coming to life again, but they had hitherto refused, from fear of the consequences to himself. Accordingly, in their presence, Colonel Townshend laid himself down on his back, and Dr. Cheyne undertook to observe the pulse; Dr. Beynard laid his hand on his heart, and Mr. Shrine had a looking-glass to hold to his mouth. After a few seconds, pulse, breathing, and the action of the heart were no longer to be observed. Each of the witnesses satisfied himself of the entire cessation of these phenomena. When the death-trance had lasted half an hour, the doctors began to fear that their patient had pushed the experiment too far, and was dead in earnest; and they were preparing to leave the house, when a slight movement of the body attracted their attention. They renewed their routine of observation, when the pulse and sensible motion of the heart gradually returned, and breathing and consciousness. The sequel of the tale is strange-Colonel Townshend, on recovering, sent for his attorney, made his will, and died, for good and all, six hours afterward.-Phantasmata, by R. R. Madden. |