portion to the increasing prevalence of female deformities in the middle and upper ranks of society, arising from an erroneous system of education; or, we may rather say, from the absurd methods employed to prevent deformities, and produce elegance of shape and carriage, which very methods are certain to produce precisely the opposite effects to what is intended.

We give Mr. Duffin credit for a simplification of style which is as rare as it is valuable among professional men, and we cannot too strongly recommend his example to those who undertake to impart their scientific knowledge to the public, by means of the press. As a specimen of the short a in which he justly says, of the author's manner, we select passage, conductors of Boarding Schools, that:

They forget the difference in the age and understanding of the persons upon whom they wish to produce similar effects, and they know not that they are operating upon a frame-work of bones, divided into at least three times the number of pieces that compose it when arrived at the adult age, and which at present are very loosely connected together. Every long bone in the body consists of three separate pieces in the child, and these do not unite perfectly till the sixteenth, eighteenth, or in certain habits, even the twentieth year.'—p. 18.

It strikes us that the style of this passage is quite a model for a writer who wishes to be popular, as it goes directly to the scientific principle and expounds it in terms so plainly perspicuous to all, that they cannot be misunderstood, instead of pursuing the common and very culpable method We shall select of prosing along in a series of useless generalities. another important and well-written passage from Mr. Duffin's work, on the subject of stooping:

To correct the habit of stooping, it is customary, in some schools, to keep the head upright by means of a ribbon passed round the forehead, and fastened to the iron plate of this back-strap, or attached to a weight. allowed to drop down along the back. This apparatus, while worn, causes the figure to look straight, though stiff and constrained, but the moment. it is removed, leaves the head and shoulders to fall more forwards than before its application. As long as the head is forcibly held back by this means, the muscles, in the back part of the neck, are in a comparatively quiescent or passive state, while those on the fore part of the neck are necessarily brought into a more than ordinary degree of action, in order to prevent the head from being pulled too far back. If the ribbon, by which the weight is suspended behind the back, be suddenly cut through, without the knowledge of the wearer, the head is immediately noddel forwards; from whence we infer that the muscles on the fore part of the neck were those by which the head was enabled to support the weight, and that the muscles on the back part of the neck, those in fault, instead of acquiring power by the remedy employed, were actually, from their action being superseded, deprived, to a certain extent, of that which they naturally possess. When a weight is employed to correct stooping, it should be suspended in front of the body by means of a strap, supported on the back part of the neck. It will, then, call into a contraction, tending to prevent the body being pulled forwards, the muscles at the back part o the neck, and those between the shoulders. Thus, we observe that pedlar

and other persons who carry before them by means of a strap passed round the neck, weights, as baskets and the like, are generally very upright, and broad-chested, but that persons, habituated to carry on the back burdens, supported in part by means of a band passed round the forehead, as porters, and the fish-women of Scotland, are round-shouldered, narrowchested, and very much bent forwards.'-p. 120.

Mr. Duffin's style, though for the most part plain and unadorned, rises into beauty and eloquence, when he warmly urges upon the attention of parents, the judicious principles so perspicuously unfolded in his book. His concluding paragraph struck us as being no less important than well

written:

'Though the cultivation of the mind be undoubtedly an object of the highest importance, yet we should not forget, that man has a body; or that, however the language of stoic philosophy may designate the earthly tenement of the soul a clog, a hovel, or a prison, the mind a flower, a jewel, or a treasure, the human individual being composed of both body and mind, each of these respectively demand his care. I should, indeed, like to see the argument of the moralist, who would undertake to contend that he has a right to neglect the cultivation of either. The pedant may affect to disregard the trifling evil, spinal deformity, as he affects to disregard every other physical infirmity: the cynic may sneer at personal symmetry, as he sneers at all other human excellence; but I know of no principle that authorises a wanton neglect of, or deviation from, the standard of physical perfection. Nor is the question so trifling in importance as the cultivators of mental accomplishment only may be disposed to imagine. There would, perhaps, be less vanity in the world were there less physical inequality. In every instance, moreover, in which we avert deformity, we stop at least one fruitful source of mental inquietude, or even of bodily suffering. It would afford room for much interesting speculation, were we to trace the mysterious connection that exists between corporeal and mental defects; to inquire into the causes of the harshness of a Johnson, and the melancholy of a Pascal. But there is one consideration which the prudent parent will do well not to overlook. If there be a good quality which, more than all others, conduces to comfort and happiness, it is-good temper. Deformity is always irritable and illtempered. With many, indeed, trials of this nature have been attended with the happiest effects, have exercised patience and strengthened fortitude. The parent does not, however, thence derive any right to expose his offspring to such trials. By cultivating those blessings, which Providence, in his bounty, may bestow, the beauty and fragrance of the flower, as well as the richness and flavour of the fruit, he will shield himself from the mortification of beholding the most brilliant endowments paralyzed by the baneful influence of trivial defects, and secure for himself the enjoyment of that which far surpasses all the triumphs of the ball-room, all the exhibitions of the study-the domestic happiness of his child.'-p. 135.

If so eloquent an appeal as this fail to open the eyes of parents to the evils of the present system of education, any thing which we could add must be quite superfluous and supererogatory.

ART. XIII.-The Library of Religious Knowledge.—Natural Theology. Part 1. London: Hessey. 1829.

AMONG the many designs which are at present in active operation for the diffusion of knowledge, the one which has given existence to the pamphlet before us, is highly, deserving of attention and patronage. Without interfering with other publications formed on a similar plan, it is calculated to supply a chasm in popular reading, which has hitherto escaped the consideration it merits. The very circulation, in fact, of the treatises intended to diffuse the principles of science among the people, is one of the greatest arguments in favor of its appearance, the best and most enlightened friends of humanity requiring that knowledge and morality should depend mutually on each other. It is a consideration which cannot be too forcibly insisted upon, that truth is of various kinds, and that to neglect or repress it in any one of its species is to be guilty of gross illiberality-of an illiberality more talked of in the world than properly despised. In respect to the general knowledge of religious truth, this is especially the case, and we regret to find, and have often expressed our regret, that the least possible attention is paid by the patrons of popular education, to its moral departments. The consequence of such neglect will, we have not the smallest doubt, be the ultimate destruction of the best laid plans for diffusing knowledge. The natural sciences can neither make any progress nor produce any effect, but in proportion as the moral sense of a people is cultivated and strengthened. They may be the fashion for a time, but whatever is to produce any strong and permanent effect, must appeal to the deep-laid inward principles of our constitution-to hope which is stronger than curiosity-to feeling and the desire of elevation and of a more extended existence, which have a weightier influence on the character and thoughts than situation.

From the above considerations, we are happy to find that a work like the 'Library of Religious Knowledge,' has been undertaken. If it continue to be conducted on the judicious plan, which its projectors have marked out, we have little fear but that it will produce many beneficial effects. A series of Essays on the most fundamental branches of natural and revealed religion is much wanted. The valuable works in which they are treated of at full, are generally of too learned a character to be fit for ordinary readers, and are, therefore, not to be mentioned as fit for the purposes of the present publication. Derham and Paley, to an uncultivated mind, would not make the argument clear on which the sublime truths they demonstrate are founded, and though we possess several very excellent small treatises on the evidences and character of revealed religion, they have not yet been presented in the regular and connected form which is most likely to give full force to their instructions.

The numbers which have already appeared, contain a very ingenious and useful exposition of the proofs which nature offers of the being of a God; the manner in which the work is written, may be understood from the following short passage:

The next instance of mechanical arrangement in the human skeleton, that is peculiarly suitable to our purpose, is seen in what is called the fore-arm; that is, in that part of the arm between the elbow and the wrist.

The uses obviously accomplished by this part of the arm are two. We can move the arm at the elbow backward and forward; and we have also the useful power of turning the hand round, as in the action of twisting or turning a gimlet. How are these uses provided for? The fore-arm, it is well known, consists of two bones; one of them is called the radius, from its resemblance to the ray or spoke of a wheel, and the other the ulna, from its having been used as a measure. These bones, as will be observed, by recurring to the representation, lie by the side of each other, and touch only towards their ends. One of these bones, and only one, the ulna, which is the greatest, is united to the upper part of the arm at the elbow; and the other alone, the radius, which is the least, is united to the hand. The ulna, by means of the hinge-joint at the elbow, swings backwards and forwards, and carries along with it the radius and whole fore

arm.

'As often as we have occasion to turn the palm of the hand upwards, the radius, which is joined to the hand, but not joined to the elbow, rolls upon the ulna, which is joined to the elbow, but not to the hand.

• The ulna has a small round head, called the lower head, which is received into a hollow on the side of the radius. Thus the radius turns upon this lower head of the ulna like an axis. But it is just the reverse at the end towards the elbow; for then a protuberance of the radius plays into a cavity of the ulna. If both these bones had been joined to the upper part of the arm at the elbow, or both to the hand at the wrist, we could not have turned the palm upwards.

• The first was to be at liberty at one end, the second at the other. Thus the two actions are performed. So completely are the two uses served by the construction, that the great bone which carries the fore-arm may be swinging upon its hinge-joint at the elbow at the very time that the lesser bone, which is joined to the hand, may be travelling and bringing the hand round. We can shake the wrist regularly, and at the same time move, if we please, the arm at the elbow.

⚫ Contrast with the utility resulting from this wonderful adaptation of parts the diminution of power and speed which would ensue upon any imaginable change in the structure. Suppose we had one bone only instead of two, in the fore-arm, with a ball and socket-joint at the elbow. This, indeed, would admit of motion in all directions, and would have served for the purpose of both moving the arm and turning the hand; but the reader may form some idea of the slowness of such a motion, by contrasting the quickness with which he can turn his hand, and at the same time swing his arm, with the comparatively slow motion with which he turns his arm round at the shoulder through the means of the ball and socket joint.

'If such a construction does not indicate intelligence, and the ability to select the best, out of several means, by which the same end might be answered, it would be difficult, indeed, to say what sort of construction could indicate such properties.'-pp. 39-41.

We cordially recommend the Library of Useful Knowledge' to the attention of our readers, considering it calculated to produce the highest benefit to the community, and as deserving, at least, an equal degree of patronage with the other and at present more popular works of the same class.

ART. XIV.-Apician Morsels: or Tales of the Table, Kitchen, and Larder, containing a new and improved Code of Eatics, Select Epicurean Precepts, &c. &c. &c. By Dick Humelbergius Secundus. London: Whittaker. 1829.

No doubt the Author of the above title gives himself no little credit, for the rich and piquant fancy which he intended to exhibit in its composition. We wish he had shown half the wit in the compilation of the volume which he was willing to waste, if he had possessed it, on the title, for a greater quantity of dullness was never heaped upon fewer grains of humour. Such is the general good nature of enormous eaters, that a work of real wit and fun might be composed respecting their habits, their great feats, and undertakings, temper, and constitution. But the present volume is filled up with bills of fare, abortive attempts at ludicrous instruction, a great deal of vulgarism, and an equal quantity of dullness. If the compiler had managed his materials, of which he appears to have had a large store, with something like tact, he might have avoided most of these faults; but, he has thrown together whatever came in his way, and what is worse, teased his readers with observations of his own, which are almost invariably fearfully deficient in point. The only redeeming passages in the book are such as the following, which certainly fill us with no trifling astonishment:

This emperor (Claudius) had a strong predilection for mushrooms; he was poisoned with them by Agrippina, his niece and fourth wife; but as the poison only made him sick, he sent for Xenophon, his physician, who pretending to give him one of the emetics he commonly used after his debauches, caused a poisoned pen to be passed into his throat.

'Nero used to call mushrooms the relish of the gods; because Claudius, bis predecessor, having been, as was supposed, poisoned by them, was, after his death, ranked among the gods.

'Domitian one day convoked the senate to know in what fish-kettle they should cook monstrous turbot which had been presented to him. The senators gravely weighed the matter. But as there was no utensil of this kind big enough, it was proposed to cut the fish in pieces: this advice was rejected. After much argument and deliberation, it was resolved that a proper utensil should be made for the purpose; and it was decided that, whenever the emperor went to war, a great number of potters should accompany him. The most pleasing part of the story is, that a blind senator appeared to be in ecstacy at the sight of the turbot, by continually praising it, at the same time looking in the very opposite direction.

Julius Cæsar sometimes eat at a meal the revenue of several provinces. Vitellius made four meals a day; and, at all those he took with his friends, they never cost less than ten thousand crowns. That which was given to him by his brother was most magnificent. Two thousand select

fishes were served up, seven thousand fat birds, and every delicacy which the ocean and Mediterranean Sea could furnish.

Nero sat at table from mid-day till midnight, amidst the most monstrous profusion.

'Geta had all sorts of meat served up to him in alphabetical order. Heliogabalus regaled twelve of his friends in the most incredible man