be so elevating as that of God's works, and none so favourable to breadth of mind and humility of spirit.

Owing to the neglect of Natural Science, hundreds of interesting and useful facts are passed unnoticed. If they do attract attention, it is to be put down as singular, wonderful, and so on, and the only reason why that suggests itself in many cases is that such and such is the "nature" of the thing.

As a mental training, the classic languages and literature cannot but have a narrowing and cramping tendency, being, of necessity, limited and stationary. On the other hand, Science has unlimited possibilities; facts are ever accumulating, and previously hidden relations constantly coming to light. Natural philosophy teaches most emphatically that "there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of" in any theory. The horizon becomes wider the higher we ascend, and we obtain a more intelligent idea of the seemingly irregular summits and straggling valleys. In like manner, the apparently arbitrary and discordant phenomena of previous systems resolve themselves into grander generalizations and simpler laws.

The classic and scientific minds may be compared with the Mongolian and Caucasian races respectively. The former are very plodding and painstaking in their study of ancient authors; but they have no originality, they still move along in the old well-worn groove. Learning is with them the end. The European natures, on the contrary, make themselves acquainted with the literature and discoveries of the past only to make further advances. As some one says of geology-"the goal of yesterday has become the starting point of to-day." Centuries before Guttenberg and Caxton, the Chinese printed from wooden blocks: they do so still. Only a few years after the invention of the same system in Europe, moveable metal types were introduced, and improvement in the art of printing has never slackened since. Tennyson might well sing

"Better fifty years of Europe, than a cycle of Cathay."

It may with equal truth be said "Better one year's training in Natural Science than seven years' application to Classics." I must not be understood, however, to advocate their exclusion from the educational curriculum. I am contending against their misuse, and complaining of the system which makes the Latin and Greek languages the "Shibboleths" of scholarship. At present a man cannot obtain a degree in Science unless he has considerable classical knowledge as well: knowledge which can be of very little use to him. The Classics are all very well in their way, but it is a matter for much rejoicing that Shakespeare's education in that direction was neglected. Who does not feel a lasting regret that Milton was so imbued with the mythologies of Greece and Rome that he could scarcely write a dozen lines without some reference to them?

If we compare the two kinds of study by their results; their influence on our every-day life; we find that of the one to be almost infinitesimal,

that of the other to be practically infinite. The enumeration of all the applications of Science to the Arts would fill volumes. It bears on the growth and preparation of our food; the weaving, bleaching, and dyeing of our clothing; the safety of our homes and streets. It enables us to communicate with the ends of the earth in a few moments; to circumnavigate the globe in a few weeks. In medicine and surgery its blessings are incalculable, and it gives promise of still greater good in the possible prevention of many diseases to which our flesh is the supposed entailed heir. Evidences of the usefulness of Science meet us on every hand. In one short century most of this wonderful progress has been made; who will venture to predict its future course? Nature's storehouse of wonders is not yet exhausted.

C. B. C.

BIRTHDAY ODE,

ADDRESSED TO

THE CENTRAL LITERARY ASSOCIATION,

On its attaining Twenty-one years of age.

Hail! master mine; good master mine, all hail!
A willing servant sends his artless lays;

May length of days be thine, may strength ne'er fail,
May long succeeding years resound thy praise!
When in thy nurses' arms thou first appeared,
They tended thee with care and zealous pride;

Through happy boyhood's days thy course they steered,
Through youth to manhood all thy steps did guide;
And now at man's estate arrived, thou art

With honours crowned: thy movements now are made
With steadfast purpose and courageous heart;
And, confident in right, thou'rt not afraid.

A glorious future doubtless is in store ;

Long may'st thou live the minds of men to bless ;
On problems dark the ray of truth to pour;

And exorcise the demon Idleness.

Long may'st thou live if energy be thine,

While vital force and pride of life shall stay;

But if, perchance, thy powers shall grow supine,
Swift dissolution seize thee,-not decay.

November 28th, 1877.

A.L.

CUSTOM: IN RELATION TO INTEMPERANCE.

As fashion-in relation to dress-is a tyrannical master, so is custom, with regard to many habits which obtain in society, from the thraldom and baneful effects of which thousands of our thinking population would thankfully release themselves, and thereby help on the solution of some questions, crying out for redress, which law seems powerless to control: and confer a great boon on many who long to be free from shackles which custom has riveted, and which the force of a wholesome example only will enable them to break. These thoughts are forced upon us as we contemplate some of those evils by which we are surrounded, which all men unite in deploring, against which societies and governments are continually acting, and which, nevertheless, assert their old sway with unlessened force, and threaten to exercise an increasingly baneful influence. The power of habit is too little heeded in our social economy, and we are too anxious to regulate all our affairs by acts of parliament and municipal laws. We do not sufficiently estimate the force of example over precept: and are not careful enough (even if we recognize the duty) to apply to our daily life in all its numerous details, those principles which we rejoice to proclaim generally, and whose universal sway we are eager to pray for. "Custom is the law of fools"-said an ancient writer, and if it were ever true, the saying will equally apply to most of our countrymen in our own day; but although it may be "almost as difficult to make a man welcome his errors as his knowledge," the time seems to have come when, in two or three directions, an effort should be made to revolt against the old tyranny, and when earnest, conscientious citizens for very love of country, should determine to try the strength of their convictions when brought to bear against acknowledged evils, by means of a bold example in refusing to follow a pernicious custom, even if they cannot succeed in establishing at once a new rule. Now, leaving all other habits, many of which, however, some may consider even more influential for evil in their connection than those we now proceed to allude to, let us apply these ideas to the master-curse of our land-the curse of intemperance. We have no need to argue the point, it is allowed on all hands that the evil of drunkenness is a tremendous one, increasing rather than diminishing. Against it, and to lessen it, all manner of weapons are employed, and yet the evil remains. Associations agitate and protest-magistrates exercise control and curtail liberties, legislators scheme and enact, and still the curse continues and the danger grows. We want to ask, then, if custom may not have something to do with the difficulties of the question: and whether a potent force, weak at first, perhaps, but daily increasing-may not be brought against the outworks of the citadel, and a few steps be taken towards better things. Apart from the general question of intemperance, and

all its associated complications-licensing-hours-drinking on the premises, &c., &c.-with which we have now no concern-there are certain "drinking customs" which help on the general evil, which we think ought to be overthrown; and upon which a little wholesome example may easily be brought to bear, affecting the whole question very perceptibly, and setting up a new influence of conduct and opinion which could hardly fail to be most salutary. Now, whereas we drink presumably, to quench our thirst and possibly to supplement the food we take to nourish our bodies-who will deny that our use of liquor goes far beyond this, and enters into all the ramifications of our social and public life. We cannot be friendly and courteous without it; apart from it we are not hospitable; it has a constant and close connection with our benevolence and indebtedness: and without its aid we cannot wish prosperity and health to institution or to friend. Now, if we cannot say, without fear of contradiction, "these things ought not so to be," we do not hesitate to declare there is mischief in them :-and that a revolution in sentiment and action with regard to them would have an effect in favour of temperance generally, greater than most would at first be willing to admit.

Are we then "living in a fool's paradise?" when we think it worth while to suggest that those who can at all sympathize with these views should at once begin to alter their practice and encourage others by example and precept to imitate them. When we meet our friends, let us no longer think it necessary to add to the usual greetings the request "to take a glass :" and especially, let us be careful, when wishing to reward a public servant, or any humble benefactor, not to offer liquor as the recompense; for such rewards, coming frequently from many hands, must lead to excess, and possible disgrace.

cup

More difficulty attaches doubtless to the question of "toasts:" but even here it is possible to act in the direction of changing a strange and sometimes baneful custom. As guests-we may let our objection be known to our neighbours: and we can substitute water for the " where danger lurks :" and as hosts or chairmen we can boldly suggest a deviation from the established rule and recommend the adoption of some rational plan from which not our most cherished institutions would suffer-while the thoughts of all present would be turned into a new channel with advantage to themselves and their neighbours :

"Example is a living law whose sway

Men more than all the written laws obey."

These are only hints-and we have not touched the other questions of the moderate use only, or entire disuse of alcoholic drinks, which belong to a wider issue :-though here again custom is a strong agent, and example may exercise a most excellent influence.

But a "word to the wise is sufficient," and these will duly ponder whether some of these matters are not only too true-and may be remedied.

Lux.

A MOUNTAIN IDYLL.

(From the German of Heine.)