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watch for any elephant that might perchance be about. We had thus waited for about an hour when Barrakee leaped up and said he saw two elephants in the distance, so we got our guns and went off to stalk them. The elephants were walking towards the south, following the main body of the herd which had passed very early in the morning. Our object was to cut them off on their way, and Barrakee led us sometimes over the low hills, and sometimes round the sides of them, and we gradually approached nearer the two elephants, who were moving along swinging their trunks about, and sometimes stopping to pick off a bit of a shrub which looked more dainty than the rest. At last there was only one little hill for us to go over, and to cross it would bring us right across the path of the two elephants.

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"We were creeping along very quietly when, as we came to a few rocks, where, in the rainy season, a torrent evidently poured down, Barrakee stopped suddenly and said, Ambasa!' which is Amharic for lion. I snatched hold of my express, rushed up and saw a fine male lion moving slowly away among the rocks. At the moment I was going to fire, H. came up and fired his heavy rifle close behind me; both barrels went off at once, and I thought at first I was shot, as nine drams of powder is rather a large charge to be let off close to one's ear. I missed the lion; so did H. I loaded again and ran after him and fired, and missed. The elephants, which were not more than forty and fifty yards off, went off in another direction, and the lion, passing through some trees, put up' a herd of large deer, which went also in a different direction. It was a sight grand enough, but we had made a terrible mess of the whole thing: we ought not to have fired at the lion, and, as the servant said, 'If you had killed the elephants, plenty of lions would have come to pick the bones.' I may tell my readers that the lions in Abyssinia are not like the familiar picture that is everywhere to be seen of animals with enormous manes, as the species in this country have no mane at all. We then walked back to the hill whereon we were to

camp that night, all of us disappointed and crestfallen."

The Abyssinians, Lord Mayo informs us, "are the only black race of Christians existing;" but, as regards the purity and rationality of their religious belief, we fear a favourable opinion cannot be entertained. They are represented as "great bigots, and the whole country is very much at the present time under the influence of the priests. The King himself is very particular about his religious observances, and priests and monasteries are very often richly endowed." The version in vogue among them concerning the "Fall of Man" runs thus:

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"Adam and Eve, who lived in a beautiful garden, were happy and contented, till one day the serpent came and said to Eve, Where is Adam? She answered, 'He is in another part of the garden. So the serpent sneeringly said, Oh, indeed, do you think so? Eve rejoined, For what reason do you sneer?' The serpent replied,

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You think yourself the only woman in the world?' and she said, 'Yes, and a most beautiful woman.' The serpent then said, Adam often stays away from you, does he not, now? I will show you another woman;' on which he produced a looking-glass. Eve saw her image reflected in it and immediately became jealous. The serpent then said, 'If you wish to secure Adam's love for ever and ever, you must eat of the fruit which I will point out to you.'

"So came about the fall of man, according to Abyssinians. This is quite consistent with Abyssinian character and ideas, as probably no people are more vain or conceited than they; jealousy in all things is one of their chief failings."

Though this volume only professes to contain the notes of a sporting tour, still there is interspersed throughout a good deal of

instructing information concerning the habits and customs of the people, as well as about the country and its resources. It will be found a very agreeable companion for a leisure hour, and, as such, we can recommend it.

Essays on the Endowment of Research. By various Writers. H. S. King & Co.-It might naturally be expected that a volume of essays by Oxford Fellows on University matters would contain much that is worthy of attention at the present time, and the expectation is amply fulfilled in the present case. But the writers travel over a wider a wider range of topics than the title of the book implies, treating rather of university management in general than simply the endowment of research.

Mr. Pattison, who was the first to preach years ago the doctrine that the universities should be not merely teaching and examining institutions, but also seats of learning, commences the volume with an interesting "Review of the Situation," in which he sketches the past history and present position of the universities in relation to the legislature and the country.

As to what future changes should be made, he is rather sparing of remark, partly, perhaps, because he has treated that subject at length in a former work, and partly because he does not feel called upon to commit himself to specific details just now. He does, however, unhesitatingly condemn the system of holding out prizes in the shape of fellowships, scholarships, and exhibitions as inducements to the pursuit of learning and science. He holds that a youthful intelligent

mind in a healthy state requires no stimulus from without to exertion. Its desire for knowledge and truth needs only guidance and control. It may want the bit, but never the

spur.

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Mr. Pattison' here writes more like a theorist than a practised teacher. He goes so far as to maintain that "nothing is truly known which is learnt for a purpose. Science which is not disinterested ceases to be science." In that case, we fear there is not much science among us, or ever likely to be. The of those who have at power and the will to scale the heights of science and dive into the depths of learning-to "scorn delights and live laborious days" in the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake-must always be very small. small. It is not every one who is gifted with Mr. Pattison's appetite for reading and power of digesting what he reads. The Jesuits, who, he tells us, first introduced the prize system, evinced a true knowledge of human nature as it is, if not as it ought to be.

Undoubtedly it would be better if knowledge were sought simply on its own account; but it is of little use to indulge in Utopian dreams and aspirations as to what might be done if men were what they ought to be. We must take them and deal with them as they are. In this practical country and material age education would be at a much lower ebb if it were not fostered by rewards and bounties in some shape or other; though Mr. Pattison says the absence of external stimulus to study is "the only true foundation on which a university can be placed," and denounces idle fellowships" as "the prizes by which we attract numbers who have no vocation for either science or letters to pretend to study

science and classics till they are twenty-two." He does not openly advocate their abolition; nor will they be converted to professorships or appropriated to the endowment of research without strong opposition and careful deliberation.

Mr. Cotton rightly observes :

Sinecure fellows and college tutors may be both alike historical abuses and economical blunders, but they may yet have their place in a country which can afford to indulge its taste for anomalies. Higher education in England has been moulded according to the demands of the academical curriculum, and has been stimulated into its present efficiency by the hopes engendered by university premiums. Much yet needs to be done before its condition can be regarded with entire satisfaction. It would be mischievous to withdraw the stimulus at a time when the minor endowed schools are still struggling in the pangs of a second birth, or before the claims of physical science have won adequate recognition."

As to the desirableness of some permanent provision for the encouragement of original research in science and literature, there cannot be two opinions, though it is not very easy to see the essential difference, so far as the worker is concerned, between giving money for intellectual work already done, and paying beforehand for work to be done hereafter. Of course the work of the discoverer in science and the original investigator in literature is of a higher character, though of less marketable value, than that of the mere learner; still, in both cases pecuniary resources are necessary, and may surely be sought and accepted without destroying the value of the work done. The advocates of endowments for the encouragement of research may

plead not only expediency, but the original intention of founders of colleges and long usage. There can be no doubt that the chief purpose for which colleges were founded, and endowments instituted, was that the fellows and scholars might be enabled to devote their whole life to study; and for many years this purpose was faithfully fulfilled. Consequently, those who ask for the endowment of re

search are merely seeking to effect

a restoration, not a revolution—a restoration, too, which all acknowledge to be desirable. It would seem, therefore, that the issue cannot be doubtful.

Mr.

But in addition to the opposition which will certainly be made to the abolition of the " idle fellowships," there is the difficulty of devising any feasible scheme for endowing research likely to meet with general acceptance, and work well. Pattison, who has pondered the subject perhaps longer and more carefully than any one else, shrinks from proposing any definite plan. "What," he says, "precisely this higher function which we now demand of a university is, and how a university is to be organized for its performance, are matters on which even the most advanced thinkers may well at present not see their way."

The other writers who touch upon the subject show similar caution. The late Professor Covington, however, in his evidence to the Commission of 1852, which is here reprinted in an appendix, entered with some hesitation into more explicit detail; and the appendix containing his remarks, together with that consisting of an extract from Professor Max Müller's "Chips from a German Workshop," forms a more important contribution to the practical discussion of the proper subject of the volume than can be found elsewhere in it. He

proposed that two-thirds of the fellowship revenues should continue to be employed as prizes for the encouragement of education, the remaining third being devoted to the foundation of pensions, tenable by resident students willing to devote themselves to the prosecution of some special branch of study in literature or science, and found competent, by examination, to do so with advantage.

"It would be necessary, too, that they should be subjected periodically, at least during the earlier part of their literary career, to some kind of additional examination in order to ascer tain the use which they might be making of their opportunities, facilities being provided for the removal of such as should be judged unworthy of their position. Probably something in the shape of a yearly dissertation would be the least objectionable duty to impose, nor would there be any reason why such occasional publications should not assist rather than hinder the course of study."

It may be questioned whether many so highly gifted as to be qualified, for making important additions to existing knowledge in literature or science would be willing to submit to such conditions. The idea of subjecting them to examination seems impracticable; for they are supposed to be studying in advance of all others in their special department. And it appears absurdly unreasonable to call upon a man to make some scientific discovery, or produce some new manuscript, inscription, reading, or interpretation, some fresh edition of an ancient author, some fresh light from the comparison of languages every year, on pain of losing his pension. Then, again, it is a question whether the encouragement of research should be in the form of a permanent pension or a temporary grant, and whether the investigator should be

partially employed in tuition or required to give his whole time to study. Mr. Sorby, guided by his own fortunate experience, is strongly of opinion that the endowment ought to be ample enough to preclude the necessity of any other occupation, and completely free the mind from all disturbing cares. But that discovery can be combined with professorial duties is abundantly proved by the case of Faraday, not to mention living professors, both in this country and in Germany, who have contributed to the advance of science. It is plain that the problem to be solved is by no means easy of solution.

We have no room to touch upon the various other university matters discussed in this volume, and must content ourselves with observing that it merits the attention of all who are interested in the advancement of learning and science among

us.

On Fermentation. By P. Schützenberger. With twenty-eight illus trations. H. S. King and Co.The value of scientific knowledge is now generally admitted. Natural science forms an essential part of the regular course of education in our universities and public schools; and special scholarships, exhibitions, and prizes are offered as inducements to pursue this study. As a necessary consequence, there is a demand for text-books adapted to the present advanced state of knowledge, and giving information with regard to the latest discoveries. This demand is intended to be supplied by "The International Scientific Series," of which this is the twentieth volume. It is a great recommendation of the series, that it is not composed exclusively of the works of English authors, or those of any single nation. The area of

choice being thus extended, greater excellence may be reasonably anticipated; when, as sometimes happens, foreign philosophers have made a particular branch of science their special study, it is desirable to receive an account of their researches and discoveries directly from them, and those who cannot read their language should at least have as much assistance as can be afforded them by means of translations. This is what is offered in the volume before us, which reads more like an original work than a translation.

M. Schützenberger's high official position as Director of the Chemical Laboratary at the Sorbonne,in Paris, is in itself an ample guarantee that he is not only thoroughly master of the difficult subjects he has undertaken to expound, but well skilled in the art of communicating the knowledge he has acquired. The student will here find as explicit and complete an account of fermentation, both direct and indirect, as he can desire.

M. Schützenberger follows Pasteur and others in describing fermentation as the vegetation of a species of fungus, to which, with Rees, he gives the name of Saccharomyces cerevisia, and which speaks of as not merely living, but breathing.

he

"Yeast is a living organism belonging to the family of fungi, genus Saccharomyces, destitute of mycelium, capable of reproduction, like all the elementary fungi, by buds and spores; its composition, as we have just seen, singularly resembles that of other vegetable tissues, and especially of the plants of the same family. The examination of its biological functions, studied more particularly in their chemical aspect, shows us clearly that this elementary form of life does not differ in essentials from other elementary cells, unprovided with chlorophyll, whether isolated or in groups, and belonging to the more complex organs.

It breathes, transforms and modifies its proximate principles in a continuous manner, and certainly in the same way as other cells; like these, it can be multiplied by buds and spores. The only important and decidedly distinctive character which seems to render it a form of life absolutely apart from other forms in creation, was removed from it by M. Lechartier and M. Bellamy, when these chemists succeeded in establishing that the cells of fruits, seeds, and leaves, and even animal cells, are capable of changing sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide."

It is only within a comparatively few years that this doctrine has been generally received, if it is even now. Liebig attributed fermentation to molecular motion communicated by a decomposing body to other matter in contact with it, "Yeast," he said, "and in general all animal and vegetable matters in a state of putrefaction, will communicate to other bodies the condition of decomposition in which they are themselves placed; the motion which is given to their own elements by the disturbance of equilibrium, is also communicated to the elements of the bodies which come into contact with them." As late as 1870 he published a treatise in which he endeavoured to show that Pasteur's experiments were not conclusive. That the action of yeast on blood closely resembles, if it is not identical with, that of animal respiration, seems scarcely disputable from what follows:

"The behaviour of the yeast with reference to blood may be explained in the following manner: The cells of Saccharomyces diffused in the liquid breathe at the expense of the oxygen physically dissolved in the plasm or serum in the midst of which swim the red globules of blood. In proportion as the plasmic liquid grows less rich in oxygen, a portion of this body, feebly combined with hæmaglobin, is separated, and enters into physical dissolution, by a dissociation comparable to that presented by potassium bicarbon

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