We have no objection to the compliment to Lord Valentia (Sabrina should have recollected he is now Earl of Mountnorris), but why not have prophecied the establishment of "The Analyst" in Worcester, in 1834, a subject of vital importance sufficient to have justified the outpourings of the river at the period in question, and of more real consequence to the community than all the gems" brought by his Lordship from Persia. The Doctor hurries the river on past Bewdley and Stourport, to "Vigornia fair," and carries us up the Teme nolens volens into Radnorshire, almost in sight of Plynlimmon again! There is an old familiar rhyme celebrating some tutor, who, it is said, flogged his scholars "Out of France into Spain, And then he flogged them back again." The Doctor serves the unfortunate companions of his pilgrimage in a similar way, and has hardly got them up the river, before he hurries them down again. Our author informs us in his preface that he is a great lover of "legendary lore," and indeed he need not have made the statement, for the fact soon unfolds itself, and before we have escaped from one legend, we find ourselves engulfed in the jaws of another. This latter is the celebrated local legend of ST. CATHERINE'S MARE AND COLT Near Knightsford bridge a rivulet called Sapey brook (Dr. Booker says he gave it the name of Delamere, nevertheless still vulgo Sapey brook), flows into the Teme. Its course from Upper Sapey, through Lower Sapey to Tedstone, is strewed with blocks of sandstone, several of which bear upon them circular and semi-circular depressions in the stone, which the rustics allege are indentions made by a mare and colt stolen from St. Catherine, when she resided at Sapey, which said mare and colt being conducted down the bed of the brook by the robbers, to avoid detection, St. Catherine prayed they might leave their marks upon the stones wherever they trod. Presto! no sooner said than done, the tracks appeared, and hastening after them down the brook, the mare and colt were discovered to the great joy of St. Catherine. But let the poet narrate the case himself "A pious maiden with her sire Heedless of peril, toil, and mire, The footmarks fresh through field and lane, The maiden then this orison O Thou! who to the good art kind, Then down the stream their course they bent,— Its aid, the clear stream gladly lent; And show'd in many a shallow place, The marks by which pursuit could trace, The fav'rite pad, and filly too, That yet had never worn a shoe. These, with the robber soon they found; And fast with cords, the culprit bound, Near Hoar-Stone's rocks which tow'r sublime, (P. 40.) Here we have an every-day case of horse-stealing spun out into thirtytwo couplets of rhyme, and dignified by the appellation of a "Strange event in olden day, When some nocturnal robber stole From pasture green a mare and foal." (!!) Floating down the stream we now get into the Severn once more, when the Rhyd stops us for a moment, and the Doctor whispers the river not to forget Sir Anthony, and she takes the hint— "Yet she her current turn'd aside To where a Lechmere would abide Having thus "turned aside," the river sullenly and silently rolls on to Tewkesbury, and pursues her career to the ocean. We shall leave Vaga and the other "minor rivers" to proceed in their course, a host of notes, more bulky than the poetry itself, requiring a passing notice. As the postscript to a letter sometimes contains the only important intelligence, so the "notes" to the " Springs of Plynlimmon" are far more entertaining and agreeable than the springs" themselves. In fact, as a descriptive and topographical writer, we scarcely know a more instructive guide than Dr. Booker, and he does not consult his own good fame in attempting a poem in the octosyllabic couplet. When he employs blank verse he is more at home, and we then see the good vicar walking solemnly in his canonicals respected by all. We extract from the notes the following ADVENTURE ON THE BLACK MOUNTAIN. "The thunder storm described in the poem (p. 152) was witnessed with delight from the apex of the mountain, where in bright sunshine, myself and a friend remained on our horses some time, surveying the progress of the storm far beneath us. Perceiving, at last, it was advancing towards us, we galloped to a large heap of cut peat; and instantly alighting, giving the horses in charge to a servant, set about rearing a cove, five or six feet high, with the large masses of peat. This done, we took off the saddles and sat upon them, with our backs to the coming storm, drawing the horses as close to us as possible by their bridles. Thus we were sheltered: but not so our steeds, which the storm, attended by a furious wind (following a dead calm), assailed most violently, driving hailstones and rain in their faces, attended by lightning and immediate thunder, the most terrific I ever knew. Affrighted, they pulled us from our seats; when we were constrained to let them go, with their bridles in disorder. Away they scampered, over the wide range of uninclosed mountain, whither we knew not, till we heard them neighing in the direction of Llantony Abbey, whence they had just before carried us in their peregrinations. With them, the storm also took its departure; and the saddles we conveyed, as well as we could, toward them; but not till again we had surveyed the magnificent prospect with which we were surrounded, left illuminated on all sides with the brightest sunshine,-many objects then distinctly appearing in the glorious landscape, which before were invisible. My own horse, a petted animal, knowing his name and my voice, on my calling him aloud, as we proceeded, soon came joyously towards me; when having secured him, he, by his neighing, served as a decoy to the others, who surrendered themselves with broken bridles to our guidance; so that the incident, upon the whole, was neither disastrous nor unpleasing." It must be admitted that our author wanders about rather freely in his notes, breaking loose like his own horse, and giving long extracts from Milton's Comus, his own Malvern," &c.; but this is all done in such an apparent amiable, simple spirit, that we can scarcely complain. The 2 E NO. III. Doctor tells us, with an excusable pride, that a bold convex terrace at Malvern is now called "Booker's Mount," from the partiality displayed by himself for this particular spot in his poem. In adverting to his friend Jenner, Dr. Booker manifests a disposition to take up the cudgels against Malthus, and quotes Proverbs xiv. 28, against him and the political economists, who think "mankind have multiplied too much upon the face of the earth." A variety of other miscellanea appear on the origin of Sunday schools-size of trees-a new 'Man of Ross"— height of St. Andrew's spire, Worcester (which the Doctor says is the "loftiest in Europe for the base on which it stands ;")-Fair RosamondOstorius Scapula-the Goodwin Sands, &c. &c. for which we refer our readers to the book, consisting of 63 pages of octosyllabic rhymes, and 91 pages of notes. Having once got into the water, Dr. Booker appears very unwilling to quit the element, but invokes the aid of Taliesin, the Welsh bard, in a concluding page, to keep him and his poem "afloat." Whether, as he infers, his present work will be "kept from perishing," as the infant Taliesin was when exposed to "the uncertain fate of public opinion," is more than we dare venture to predict; for we greatly fear that, in spite of his invocation, some of the sheets will ultimately be used to line those very useful articles called trunks. A Dictionary of Terms employed by the French in Anatomy, &c. &c. Part I. By Shirley Palmer, M. D.: Birmingham. This work, the author states, 66 was undertaken with a view of facilitating the perusal of French and German Literature to the Medical Student or Practitioner;" a design which every one must admit to be most laudable, and, if executed with ability, will prove a very useful companion in our medical libraries, as it will supply a deficiency which must have been too much felt by all who are studious of the literature of the "healing art." Judging from the specimen we have before us, we are inclined to think the work will fully answer the object its author has in view; it is executed with much talent, and bears marks of great industry and research. We will lay before our readers two examples taken at hazard. ASPHYXIE, S. f.,-aopužia (a priv., opužis, pulse),—asphyxia, f. L.,-pulslosigkeit, f., scheintod, m. G. The term, Asphyxia, was long employed by pathologists, as its etymology indicates, to designate suppression of the pulse-suspension of the circulation. But it is now commonly understood to signify suspension of all the vital phenomena by causes which operate exclusively, or at least specially, upon the respiratory organs. Asphyxia may be referred to three principal sources: exclusion of air from the lungs, as in strangulation; introduction of air into them, unfit for respiration; and of air possessing deleterious qualities. Each of these species present several varieties, with phenomena modified by the peculiar causes from which they have resulted. ASPHYXIE, adj.,-aσQUxTos,-asphycticus,— asphyktisch, scheintodt, ohne pulsschlag,-asphyxiated, in a state of apparent death, without pulsation. ASPHYXIER, V. a., to produce a state of Asphyxia.” CŒUR, s. m.,-xagdia,-cor, n. L-herz, n. G.,-heart: in Comparative Anatomy, a muscular organ consisting, in Man, the inferior Mammifera, and Birds, of four distinct cavities: two Auricles, see OREILLETE; the right, receiving the blood from all parts of the system, by the venæ cave; the left, from the lungs, by the pulmonary veins: and two Ventricles,-see VENTRICULE; the right, propelling the blood to the lungs, by the pulmonary artery; the left, to the general system, by the aorta. Thus, the heart, constituted, in all these animals, of a pulmonary and aortic portion,-each comprizing an auricle and ventricle, is said to be double; and performs a double pulmonary and a systemic-circulation. In some Chelonian and Saurian Reptiles, -as the Turtle and Crocodile, the heart consists of two auricles; one, destined for the reception of the venous or carbonized blood from the system; the other, of the arterial or decarbonized fluid from the lungs, hence respectively corresponding to the pulmonary, and aortic or systemic, auricles of the higher animals: and of two ventricles, so disposed as to constitute, in fact, but one cavity; from the pulmonary portion of which, all the arterial trunks of the organ emanate. The Batraciens, F. exhibit only a single auricle and ventricle; presiding, however, over a double circulation. One auricle and one ventricle exist, also, in Fishes; they execute merely a branchial circulation; which corresponds with the pulmonary, of the preceding classes. Thus far, as regards the great order of circulation in the Vertebrated animals." FOREIGN CRITICAL NOTICES OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. Congrès scientifiques de France-Première session tenue à Caen en Juillet, 1833. Our readers have already been made acquainted with the learned meetings held annually in Germany, and on the plan of which our own British Association has been modelled. In France, too, a meeting of this kind took place last year, of which the book whose title we have quoted above gives an account. Although it would be unreasonable to expect complete success in a first attempt of this nature, and to judge of future excellency by an imperfect commencement, yet we may, without hesitation, predict that these Gallic meetings will widely depart in their character from those of Germany and England, at which we ought not to be surprised when we consider the diversity of our national character. That which immediately arrests attention is the appellation of Congress, with which they have denominated these meetings, as if they intended to oppose these peaceable and scientific meetings to the political and diplomatic rendezvous, which so greatly influence the weal or woe of nations. Already this learned Congress appears desirous of not remaining without influence on the social welfare of nations. It is by such features that the French meetings will be conspicuously distinguished from those of Germany and Britain, where learned societies are not permitted to overstep the modest boundaries assigned to scientific pursuits, and to extend themselves into the territories of active life. A learned meeting which should direct its views to social ameliorations would justly incur general censure for so widely departing from its purposes, whilst the most influential among the learned and scientific would not delay in withdrawing their countenance from it. But it is otherwise in Franceboth the Government and all classes of the people do not deem it inconsistent, that on every occasion some attention at least should be paid to public transactions, some effort be made to discover abuses, and ameliorate whatever exists. Accordingly, it is not much to be wondered, that at this Congress so many proposals, suggestions, and wishes should have been advanced in learned essays, of which we should never dream. Monsieur Caumont, of Caen, who devotes much of his time to Natural History and Antiquities, and is accordingly a member both of the Linnæan and Antiquarian Societies of that city, together with some scientific gentlemen of the provinces, first established this Congress in July, 1833, having invited thereto the learned and scientific of France and foreign countries. Above a hundred persons met, among whom there were a few from Paris, but no Academicians. From the provinces many attended. The more than usual number of speeches having been duly delivered, the meeting proceeded to the election of officers and the appointment of committees of-1. Natural History; 2. Natural Philosophy, Mathematics, and Agriculture; 3. Medicine; 4. Antiquities and History; 5. Literature and the Fine Arts; 6. Political Economy. The space we usually assign to subjects of this description will not allow us to go seriatim through the several subjects discussed in learned dissertations. The inquisitive reader will find them all in the work itself, to the number of 35. A few instances will, however, suffice to bear us out in our observations on the political tendencies of these French meetings. It was suggested that the attention of the Government, as well as of learned bodies, should be called to the neglected condition of the breed of cattle. A medical man of the name of Lafosse proposed that in order to eradicate the race of "Charlatans," medical men should form a guild; but this proposition met with an indifferent reception, from the horror the French entertain for all corporations. In the same paper the Government was censured because it did not, after the cholera had ceased, call upon the profession to publish the remedies which had been found more or less, or not at all, efficacious. For the forwarding of Archæology, the Government should transplant from the provinces to the capital ingenuous youths to pursue the study of public muniments. The advancement of belles-lettres being also an object of this meeting, there was no deficiency either of poets or poems; but the object of human inquiry, which appears to have been most inviting, was the "Economie Sociale," by which, we presume, political economy is to be understood. A Monsieur Jules Lechevalier proposed that the Congress should take into its serious consideration the question of free trade and rail-roads-in fact, every branch of commerce received from these acute philosophers the consideration it deserved-colonization, the establishment of country banks, companies for bringing into cultivation lands which no plough had ever up-turned, institutions to promote arts and trades, with many &cs. &cs. We cannot forbear noticing a circumstance showing that the characteristic gallantry of the French displays itself no less at a learned Congress than in a drawing-room. A Madame Cauvin was present at this meeting, and read a paper on botany. Nouvelle Histoire de France depuis les temps les plus reculés jusqu'à la révolution de Juillet. The prospectus states "the Chronicles of St. Denis formed the groundwork of the first history of France, by Robert Goguin, after whom appeared Nicolle Gilles, and to him succeeded Belle-forêt, Duhaillau, Mezéray, Velly, and Anquétil." These historians, as they follow each other in regular succession, display features degenerate, deceptive, and colourless, just in proportion as they have deviated from the common parent. The present undertaking promises to disinter [exhumer] not create history-to view the passed with the eyes of a contemporary, not with those of a modern. These magnificent expectations are to be fulfilled under the direction of a certain Monsieur Henri Martin, who has been preparing himself, says the prospectus, for the arduous task by the composition of historical romances. Now to us it appears that this species of preparation is not exactly that which would form an historian. The approaching publication of this work has been trumpeted forth in a style of extravagance and pretension, which excite some misgivings as to the excellency of its execution. |