prudence venture to limit their ultimate efficacy. The prize schemes of the mining and manufacturing districts of Staffordshire certainly appear to have had a very cheering effect in these districts, and it is not easy to say, when once a good example has been set and a high standard raised, what may not be the eventual good done. Our limits will not allow us to extract from the highly interesting Special Report of the Rev. J. P. Norris, on the workings of this prize-system. Somewhat akin to these extra and special attempts to meet cases of great difficulty are, in agricultural districts, the industrial schools, which are springing up in many hitherto neglected localities-some designed for the instruction of boys, some of girls. The former, when the boys are permitted to cultivate small allotments of their own, seem to be popular; not so if this advantage is denied; the parents with some justice observing that they can teach their sons to dig at home, and do not send them to school for such a purpose. In like manner, it is not found easy to secure the domestic training of girls at a proper and efficient age, unless some direct and immediate inducement is held out to the parents to spare them. Our school inspectors are, we observe, rather at cross-purposes in their ideas of female employment. Mr. Arnold, eschewing crochet and ornamental needle-work, which, he says, managers and teachers should, in his opinion, utterly prohibit in schools.* While Mr. Mitchell, the Eastern Counties Inspector, is happy to see ornamental work introduced into female schools; drawing and embroidery, &c.-p. 668. Touching these contradictions, it * P. 1,050. " may be said that the Rev. Mr. Mitchell seems to have no adequate idea of the necessity of a thorough initiation into the art of plain sewing, in order to the formation of that important person in a family establishment-a good mender. The "sewing-machine," over which he rejoices, will do little to effect this object, we imagine. On the other hand, we differ from Mr. Arnold, and think the introduction of fancy-works often useful as well as ornamental. It is a subject of regret with many who are concerned with female schools in England that there is among our English girls so little of the quickness, invention, and delicate manipulation, which distinguishes the Irish and Scotch, to say nothing of French girls. In our Irish schools the best managed and best taught institutions appear to be those which combine both the manufacture and the school; and we have lately had the pleasure of visiting a Normal school for teaching the making Valenciennes lace to girls, in Wentworth Street, Dublin, in which the measure of attention bestowed on ordinary accomplishments, both of the head and hands, equalled, indeed surpassed, what we often see in England.† One caution in connection with all our industrial schools we feel indeed strongly impelled to make. We should deprecate them did we see them encroach too far on the precious time which poor children possess for moral and intellectual training, and for such application of their rudimentary learning as may give a fair chance of its being carried on. We mean by this, that pains must be taken to get them beyond the mere capability of hammering out a chapter in the Bible or a few pages of a school book. Till they + The excellent institution above alluded to was established only in 1851, and has already sent out upwards of 40 pupils to different districts of Ireland, competent to teach the art of lace-making, in which they have been carefully instructed by a Belgian teacher. From 25 of the schools to which the girls have been sent we have reports; others are of too recent establishment to give account of themselves. All those which are reported on teach reading, writing, &c. In some the pupils are well instructed also in grammar and geography. The lace is patronized as a probable future benefit to the girls, though the earnings at present are small; we have seen specimens, which, though not fine, were better made than any known English laces of a similar kind, and were pronounced by a London tradesman to be fully equal to much of what he received from Valenciennes. Whether the exquisite fineness of the Belgian flax thread can ever be equalled in Ireland, either in cultivation or manufacture, remains to be seen. Could this be secured, there seems no doubt that laces of the most perfect quality might be made in Ireland. D GENT. MAG. VOL. XLIII. arrive at the point of reading with ease and comprehension such plain and simple literature as is likely to reach them, we have really done next to nothing for them. Let us be very careful that the positive, practical manual labour which it is proposed to give in some of these schools, does not supersede what should be done towards raising the general character of the scholars as rational beings. Everything depends, we are aware, on the manner of communicating instruction "in common things;" it may elevate boys or girls, or it may reduce them to mere machines. In schools for servant girls, for instance, there is often, we fear, an artificial atmosphere and position created, which precludes the exercise of comparison and judgment, and deadens the faculties while it facilitates the performance of certain manual operations. But it is time to bring these somewhat miscellaneous observations to a close. With all the disadvantages, and they are many, against which education in England is labouring, we conclude as we began, by a congratulation on the spirit of emulation evoked throughout the country, and ascribe it in large measure to the encouragement of the Government and the efforts of its agents. It is delightful to remark on the numerous instances of private contribution to this good cause. Such an example as that afforded by the Whitkirk Sunday Reading Room* is most salutary. All such attempts to render friendly service to a parish or a district, conceived in no overbearing spirit, but in a manner at once Christian, kindly, and with due regard to the love of independence, are among the most blessed characteristics of our day. THE TRICOLOR UNDER the above rather fanciful name, the Messrs. Nelson have recently published a volume which professes to afford details, especially, of Algeria and the French Conquest. The information given, however, is not confined, as the fanciful portion of the title might seem to imply, to the period since the fall of the Deys and the founding of the French settlement. The book accomplishes much more than this. It embraces a succinct, intelligible, and interesting history of the country from the earliest times down to the present era. It further contains an admirably written description of the Regency of Algiers, comprising pictures of the city and of city life; the scenes in the vicinity of the capital, the sea-coast, and the inland provinces. A still more attractive portion of this book is that which is devoted to a picturesque description of the native races of the Regency of Algiers. In this portion we are permitted to gaze at some very magnificent pictures of fierce Arabs and fiercer Kabyles, of placid Moors and fatalist Turks, and of crafty Kuruglis, the offspring of Turk and Mooresses, of patient and persevering Rev. F. Watkins's Report, p. 492,-the ON THE ATLAS. Jews, of faithful and courageous Negroes, and of Mozabites, singular alike in person and pursuit. To the portion wherein is described the history of the Regency we have already alluded. It is only necessary further to state that the narrative commences with the earliest times; and the drama played thus far in Northern Africa is replete with scenes of painful interest, grandeur, sublimity, meanness, suffering, and triumph. Numidian, Roman, and Greek, soldiers of the Caliphs, mercenaries of the Turk, savage Deys, and conquering Frenchmen, all are successively crowded upon the stage, with rare and artistic skill. The concluding portion, from the French conquest to the present time, is perhaps as interesting as any other division of the volume, embracing, as it does, the words and deeds, theories and practices of men of whom we have heard much, and of whom we really know but little. Among these are Bourmont, who blundered into the conquest; Clauzel, who endeavoured to consolidate it by colonisation and further bloody victories; Berthezene, the governor of good intentions; Savary, Rev. Arthur Martineau's Reading-room. Duke of Rovigo, the viceroy who loved the smell of blood; Voirol, unlike his predecessor in all things save courage; D'Erlon, the easy; Damremont, the incapable, albeit he took the city of Constantine, before whose gates Clauzel had failed; Valée, who had a sharp eye to his own interests as well as those of his country, not that he was by any means singular in that respect; and Bugeaud, under whose administration Abd el Kader surrendered, upon a promise that was most disgracefully violated. Such is an outline of the contents of a volume, touching whose authorship we have now to speak. The book, then, is in part a translation from the work published in 1841 by the Bavarian naturalist, Dr. Moritz Wagner, who resided three years in the regency, and took notes, from which he constructed subsequently a very amusing account for the benefit of the public,--and himself. When we say that the present work is chiefly a translation from Dr. Wagner's volumes, we hardly describe it with sufficient accuracy. Mr. Francis Pulszky, who is the compounded or composite translator, editor, and author of "The Tricolor on the Atlas," considering that Dr. Wagner's lively work had become somewhat antiquated, only condensed the first volume of it, translated the second, and added from his own pen an account of later events, from the capture of Constantine to the surrender of Abd el Kader, and a general view of the present state of the French possessions on the north coast of Africa. We have been thus particular in description, because a book like the present has long been wanting, and this volume by Mr. Pulszky may be pronounced as perfect both in matter and manner. Having said thus much of the edifice generally, let us now look at some of its details, and even handle a few of the bricks. In treating of the city life of Algiers the invincible, a name as little applicable as that of Peronne la Pucelle,the editor mentions some characteristic traits of Moorish manners and morals. Thus we are told, that in the schools a pleasant relation and mutual confidence subsist between master and scholar. The teacher rarely displays severity, and then the pupil is so deeply afflicted with sorrow, that the schoolmaster has to appease him by kind words. It is further added, that the friendly relation between the teacher and his former pupils usually continues long after the latter leave school, which they seldom do before their fourteenth year, and "the old preceptor rarely fails to appear at the nuptials of the grown-up scholar." We wish there was as much happy wisdom in orthodox lands as is displayed in that of the Moslem,-at all events, with regard to this single question. In Christendom the pupil, too commonly, hates his preceptor; but, as his parents generally rank the poor pedagogue below their tradesmen, little wonder need be expressed that the scholar should entertain only scorn for the sage. But, luckily for our pride, the civilization of the Moors is something like our own on one point. They have a barbarous custom in common with the English, they like to bury their dead among the living." Setting aside the spirit which animates these same Moors in the house of prayer, there is something in their deportment there from which a Christian, the most careless of God's created beings in presence of his God, might learn something. In the mosques, the devotees with faces turned towards the recess in the sanctuary where stands the mufti with the Koran, form several long rows, standing or sitting, with crossed legs, motionless and dumb as statues. At the first sound of the voice from the priest, a thrill seems to run through the audience; and is maintained as he recites the titles of the Almighty, reads from the Book of the Prophet, or in prostrate self-humiliation puts up the prayer at Ramadan. With every modulation of his voice, "the devotees are seized with the strangest convulsive fits, precipitating themselves head-foremost on the carpet, kneeling, bowing, convulsively rising again, and again crouching." All this, however, is done systematically, but it is nevertheless a striking sight to see a mixed assembly, with no distinctions of rank and race (no cushioned pews for the wealthy miserable sinners, and hard boards and stone floors for the vulgar), all aspiring to the Creator with the same pious devotion,-the aristocratic Turk side by side with the apish negro of Sudan. "The perfect sentiment of equality is one of the characteristic features of Islam." But there are always two sides to a medal, and, turning over the page, we read that "on their way home many of these devotees do not hesitate to plunder their co-religionists, or to cut the throat of the very first Christian whom they may chance to meet in lonely paths." Christians retiring from church usually murder only reputations, or fall foul of the sermon, which has trodden upon the very tenderest corn of their conscience. They must not plume themselves as being so much better than that poor publican in the mosque. Indeed both have many vices in common, particularly gambling. "The Bedouin of Algiers in this respect is as depraved as the Parisian of the Palais Royal." This gambling goes on in the day-time in the market-place. In the evening, "everybody returns home. The way to Beledu and to Coleah is lined by a procession of white-clad persons, all riding on mules, asses, and horses, a few on camels;"-a clever feat, which we should like to see, and which reminds us of the catastrophe of the boys in the ballad who went upon the ice at Midsummer, and of whom we are told that "they all fell in, the rest they ran away!" A really creditable trait of the Arab is worth narrating. A Polish settler at Rosolta, Prince Mirski, placed on the top of his house a gigantic cross, "which gave no offence to the Arabs, since they have respect for the religious symbols of other nations, and on the whole love zealous Christians better than sceptical unbelievers." This spirit of toleration is accompanied by a more practical virtue still, and one equally worthy of our imitation. The author was at a sort of pic-nic party with some French officers, when a party of Bedouins arrived at the spring near which the revellers were banqueting. "They came to fill their sheep-skins with the crystal water. We offered them in vain our purple claret. Even the example of Karfalla, who was drinking with his two nephews, could not induce them to taste the forbidden wine; they drank their water and rode away singing, and no less merry than we wine-drinkers were." The Bedouins and the lions seem to divide some of the plains in the western portion of the Algerian territory between them. The plain of Ceirat, watered by the Sig, is, according to the Arabs, one of the most favourite plateaus of resort for these lords of the forest. They are but very questionable fellows after all, it would seem; "our guide told us that they never attack a man if he rails at them as thieves and sons of thieves, and spits on them, and goes boldly onward; but whoever shows them respect is inevitably lost." By this recipe we now know how it was that lovely Una and Gordon Cumming kept such dangerous company without peril of life or limb. We have been as much mistaken about African lions as we have about Arab hospitality. The author does not deny that this is "the renowned virtue " of the Arabs, but he declares that its exercise is confined chiefly towards countrymen and co-religionists. Foreigners, and those especially of a different religion, who have no previous acquaintance in the encampment, or who are not introduced by some friends, find generally but an unwilling reception, and are often sent away with rough words. Upon the text of Dr. Wagner, Mr. Pulszky makes this not very complimentary comment. the German, and yet more to the Hungarian and Pole, accustomed to exercise hospitality to everybody, this seems strange; the English will find that the Arabs are right." "To The last words of this paragraph are simply impertinent, and the paragraph itself lacks truth for a prop. As for German hospitality, our own experience shows us that it is generous and unreserved to strangers bearing a proper introduction, but to no other sort of strangers. An Englishman has no more chance of finding his way into society in Vienna, Berlin, or any other German city, without an introduction, than a German has in London. Moreover, if that Englishman were a political refugee, he would not even be permitted to tarry and rest in those cities. Of Hungarian hospitality we can say nothing from experience. We know something of that of the Poles, and can speak of it with grateful memory. It does not follow, however, that we are bound to open our houses and give the freedom of our hearths and homes "to everybody," as Mr. Pulszky writes it. Heaven forbid that we should be compelled to do so to all the Hungarians and Poles who are sojourning among us! Assuredly there are among them very many of high character, to be familiar with whom is an honour to the host who is so fortunate as to have them for guests and friends-but all! We ask Mr. Pulszky himself, not if he would in Hungary entertain every Englishman who needed entertainment, but if he would make an ami de la maison of those whom he appears to like better-every Pole? We can only say for our own parts that we never met with three of this particular class of Sclavonians without finding them "daggers drawn" upon the commonest of topics before their discussion was five minutes old. Why, Mr. Pulszky ought to know that even the "lodges" of the Poles are but the tents of the sons of discord, where intrigue, selfishness, noisy words, and little hearts, alone abound. With many a Pole we may feel honoured to enjoy brotherhood, but we do so upon the good assurance that they are worthy of respect, the Arab fashion, which Mr. Pulszky sneers at us for deeming a right fashion. Nevertheless, all Arab fashions are not good for Europeans. The author speaks of some ardent youths who, being led away by a theoretical admiration for the unrestrained life of the Arab, have sought his tents on the plateau, put on the bournouse, sat down to rice-and rheumatism, persevered through false pride even to assume a false faith, and remained miserable and despised ever after. One of these renegades, a German baron of education, was encountered by the author in Mas cara. We are told that his adventurous turn of mind had led him to join the Bedouins, and that he became a great favourite with one of the most influential chiefs, accompanying him on all important expeditions, and being treated by him with a measure of favour more abundant than was vouchsafed to any other renegade; "but in a very few weeks he got tired of the happiness of the Arabs, and would have preferred to read its description in novels and poetry, rather than to taste of it in reality." The fact was, he was not born to it, nor built for it, nor had bowels to bear it. The Arab is as strong as a Scotch Highlander, can bear hardships as uncomplainingly, and is able to thrive on his kuskusu as the other does on his oatmeal. Fancy a young German, with tight gloves, polished boots, easy principles, and a waist like thread-paper, pretending to profess Bedouinism! There have been German travellers who have laid open the very heart of Africa; but these were not men who affected to be Arabs, but who were hearty honest Germans, and philosophers and Christians, with more courage in one finger, and more sense in the head, than were to be found in all the bodies of all the German renegades who have turned away from German stoves, to grow dirty and disgusted in Arab tents. So it was with this "Baron O." He disliked living beneath skins, and hard riding was a terrible torture to him. He could not, German though he was, get up even a little obfuscation by gazing at the starlit canopy of heaven, and trying to "think he was thinking;" and as for the boundless wilderness, he could not contemplate it with patience. He tried all he could to be devout, but devotion would not come for such trial. He missed no form, filled up his time by endeavouring to obey the law, and surpassed the most zealous of Arabs in his fervour. Had he tried half as sedulously to have been a good Christian, he never would have been so miserable a mountebank of a Mahometan. He had, of course, a perpetual remorse of conscience that he was playing an infamous jugglery with God and with himself. "Faith and inspiration did not come, and the unhappy fool, who in the Nomade life had expected the realization of the Arabian tales which had filled his imagination in early youth, found now his only consolation in tears. But even this comfort was not granted to him, except when his comrades had fallen to sleep. To them he could not disclose his feelings without danger, except when the howling of the hyenas drowned his nightly sighs, and but the dumb stars above saw the confession of his tears." We confess we do not pity him, nor is there majesty in such a sorrow. A disappointed dandy who has turned Arab, and cannot turn back again to |