THE MAGAZINES FOR AUGUST.

THE present number of Fraser contains much variety. In the opening paper, Mr. Fronde has drawn attention to a remarkable manuscript existing in Balliol College, Oxford, which he terms "The Commonplace Book of Richard Mlles." It belongs to the beginning of the sixteenth century, and is full of interest both for the antiquarian and for the lover of early English poetry, as will be easily seen from the following description of its contents. "There are stories in prose and verse, collections of proverbs, a disserta- tion on Horticulture, a dissertation on Farriery, a treatise of Confession, a Book of Education, a Book of Courtesy, a Book of the Whole Duty' of Man; mercantile entries, discourses of arithmetic, recipes, prescriptions, marvels of science, or pseudo-science, conundrums, tables of the assize of food ; the laws respecting the sale of meat, bread, beer, wine, and other necessaries ; while above and beyond all are a collection in various hand- writings of ballads, songs, hymns, and didactic poems of a religious kind, some few of which have been met with elsewhere- but of the greater num- ber of them no other copy, I believe, exists."

From this rich stock of materials Mr. Fronde has culled some very beautiful specimens—here is one of them, a short hymn, or carol.

!' "There is a flower sprung of a tree,

The root of it is called Jesse, A flower of price, There is none such in Paradise.

Of Lily white and Rose of Ryse, Of Primrose and of Flower-de-Lyse,

Of all flowers in my devyce'

The flower of Jesse beareththe prize, For most of all To help our souls both great and small.

I praise the flower of good Jesse, Of all the flowers that ever shall be, Uphold the flower of good Jesse, And worship it for aye beautee ; For best of all That ever was or ever be shall."

Extracts are also given from the "Diary," of considerable his- torical interest. The writer ends with the expression of a hope, that the whole collection may be shortly published. We cor- dially concur in this hope • and we trust the present article may be taken as a first instalnlent of a rich mental treat which*. Fronde has in store for us. Ile will surely not delegate to any other the task which he has so well begun.

A paper on "The Geology and Extinct Volcanoes of Central France" is interesting not only as giving an able account of the geological features of Auvergne, but as pointing out in what way Mr. Poulett Serope's labours in this important district bore upon the general progress of the science, and the contest between the " Watermen " and the "Firemen." The exploration of central France had considerable effect on this controversy, by redressing the balance which had inclined unduly to the aqueous theory, as promulgated originally by Werner ; of whose career and labours the writer gives an interesting sketch, The following is an aft- count of the first discovery of volcanic remains in Auvergne. "Just one hundred and seven years since, two members of the French Academy (MM. Guettard and 3ialesherbes) stopped, on their return from a visit to Yeeuvius, at Montelimart, on the left bank of the Rhone; and, after a dinner which was doubtless a very good one—for they dined with a party of resident sevens, and philosophers are not entirely regardless of creature- comforts, nor do geologists eschew the conglomerate of a good cook—sallied out like giants refreshed to explore the vicinage. Faujas de St. Fond was one of the party. Their attention was instantly attracted to the streets paved with short articulations of basaltic columns, planted perpendicularly in the ground, after the fashion of the hexagonal blocks of some of our ex- ploded wooden pavements, and resembling the ancient roads near Rome, formed of polygonal slabs of lava. But whence came the Montelimart blocks ? From the rock which is crowned by the castle of Rochemaure on the opposite side of the river, was the reply. Further inquiry elicited, the information that the Vivarais abounded with such rocks. The academi- cians at once determined to turn their steps thither, and every succeeding day brought proof of the volcanic nature of the mountains which they tra- versed on their way to the capital of Auvergne, where doubt vanished. The currents of lava in the vicinity of Clermont, black and rugged as those of Vesuvius, which they had so lately seen, descending uninterruptedly from some conical hills of scorice, most of which present a regular crater, coh- vinced them of the truth of their conjectures, and they loudly proclaimed the interesting discovery.' " "Hints for Vagabonds, by One of Themselves," is a very plea- santly written paper, intended for those who prefer to forsake the beaten tracks of Continental travel, and search after districts where " commissioners" and picture-galleries are unknown. "The choice is not perhaps a very wide one but still cosy little Goshens, where the vagabond may sojourn without being plagued to any serious extent, are to be found even on the Continent." A graphic description follows of one of these sequestered districts —the Eifel, lying near the old Roman road from Troves to Co- logne, and including the valley of the Mar river and the pictur- esque town of Altenahr.

In the article "Concerning a Great Scotch Preacher," the cha- racteristic merits of Mr. Caird's pulpit oratory are delineated with much force and warm appreciation.

Turning to the pages of Blackwood, we find, first, a thoughtful and well-reasoned article on Mr. Gladstone's Homer. The writer dissents from a large portion of Mr. Gladstone's criticism as being fanciful and visionary ; and accounts for the haste with whieh the work appears to have been written 137 the distractions of poli- tical life.

"The literary man ought to have done his work before he enters Parlia- ment; or he must retire from it, or from a prominent part in its debates, if he would prosecute any profound study or elaborate any great work. If it is hard for the man of letters and of reflective habits to become an acti*e politician, it is still more difficult for the active politician, engaged night as well as day in parliamentary warfare and party atrifes, and in all the pass- ing topics and urgent interests of the current year, to f ive himself with the necessary concentration to any great literary task. W e do not demand im- possibilities from any man. We might perhaps fairly complain of those who attempt impossibilities."

The artificial explanations of Greek mythology and the over- strained analogies between this and Hebrew traditions are well pointed out. The writer does not share Mr. Gladstone's opinion as to the deficiencies of Homeric studies in our schools and universities; believing that the more penetrating and subtle inquiries which Mr. Gladstone desires can never be introduced into academical training, but must be left to the genius of indi- viduals. "Along this path we must go one by one. We have acquired all we can from schools and academies before we venture on it." After an elaborate paper which undertakes fully and philosophically to answer the question "Did Harvey discover the circulation of the blood ?" and an essay on Mr. White's work on the Eighteen Christian Centuries, we come to a disquisition on "Byways of Literature," which contains an interesting account of cheap serials and popular journalism. The delight of "the million" in a story for a story's sake, (in opposition to the theory of the societies for the diffusion of knowledge,) is well and forcibly pointed out. The following remarks refer to the popular prefer- ence for scenes and characters belonging to the higher circles of society, over those which delineate their own class.

"Yes! let all the teachers learn—hitherto you have adopted quite a wrong mode of action. Who cares for your John Pound, your poor old cob- bler, who gathered the ragged lads about his stall, and taught them there ? tell the real story where you please, but make John of Yarmouth a Lord John at least when you bring him before the crowd. Don't tell the people of themselves ; they know beat about themselves, and do not wish to hear. Tell them of the benevolent Earl and the Lady Meliora—tell them that the teacher in that ragged school has her footman waiting outside the door, and her carriage mazing the lane with its splendour a few yards off, ready to carry her to the blind alley, where some poor woman will receive her as an angel of elegance and fashion ought to be received. When you find in- stances of heroism, of self-denial, of noble truth and virtue, among the poor, as, let us thank Heaven, such instances abound, tell them to the rich. But let your palette be splendid with all the colours of the rainbow, and fill the treasury of your imagination with the wealth of the Rothschilds and the

blood of the Rewards, when you wish to fix the interest and gain the atten- tion of the erowd !

"So, at least, says the crowd itself, in its unconscious testimony, through the publications it delights to honour."

The Englishwoman's Journal, which has just completed a first

volume, is remarkable not only for literary merits of a high and varied kind, but for serious and earnest purpose. The writers have an object in view, which with them is far more important than the achievement of mere literary success. They contend for the - admission of women into the field of practical work, to far larger extent than has been hitherto deemed possible. And this claim is advanced with much moderation and sobriety, as well as dignity and firmness. The following is the conclusion of the introductory article to this number.

"Our character as a people, of more importance than our numbers, would, through the development of the higher energies of women, be unquestion- ably improved. To argue that they are too weak to work, their minds too flimsy for mental effort, is to insist that the poor shall be ignorant and vicious, the rich idle, vague, and morbid; while in truth it were easier to decide for what efforts the capabilities of our women were unsuited, if ex- ercised, than the reverse. What a few have accomplished, all may in a measure accomplish; the first are not exceptions, so much as tried samples of an untried stock. For success, the support of the other sex being of course required, husbands and fathers should associate the female members

of their families in their own pursuits; the educated and opulent should be

left to choose their occupations in the various departments of utility and taste ; general instruction should be offered to others, and their employ- ment encouraged publicly and privately on as wide a scale as possible.

"We see women now suffering from what may be called the inherited re-

strictions and tendencies of their ancestresses for ages. Conditions only are wanting for their advance, not as the sex,' as they are so curiously styled, but as the daughters of God, in whose likeness they were created."

The writers appear to be guided by their main purpose both in the selection and the treatment of their subjects. Under the head "Gallery of Illustrious Italian Women" we have an interesting account of the lives and writings of Caterina Laura Bassi and Maria Gastana Agnesi who in the earlier half of the eighteenth century occupied at iologna University the chairs of Philosophy and Mathematics. The article on" Workhouse Visitation" shows much earnestness of feeling as well as knowledge of the subject, and ends by transcribing the rules and practical suggestions of the "Workhouse Visiting Society." From workhouses we pass on into dreamland. The short poem called " A Summer Night's Dreaming" displays much force of imagination, as well as fa- cility of rhythmical expression. It is a description of two con- trasted landscapes, the Italian scene which the writer beholds around her, the English home to which her memory reverts. The first few Aanzas are occupied with reminiscences of England. The writer then passes to a description of the scene which lies before her, compared with which, the "fresh old memories" seem' like "a dream within a dream."

"For here the fervid eve lies prone Along our sweep of hills. The mart stone-pine that bends alone Across the wayside shrine, (loth own No pulse of airy thrills. And villas gleam through haze as fair, as white sails poised in golden air.

All down the scarp of Fiesole The terraced gardens glow. Old Appennine, streaked red and gray, Basks as he basked beneath the sway Of some grave Lucumo, When his Cyclopean walls rose white in rugged youth along the height.

The city from the warm hill's breast Leans forth with spire and dome, Painted against the burning west, As olden painters limned the blest, In robes of violet bloom, Whose skirts trail forth in misty sheen, with silvery river-lines between.

And where one rosy cloud, full blown, Shakes out its radiant leaves, The Vallombrosan hills enzone Their rocky loins with hues unknown To northern summer eves ; And melt through changes faint and fine to hoary olive, corn, and vine.

Anon the lissome belfry tower Through the hot stillness clangs

The twenty-Ante—the vesper hour— Few moments, flushed with failing power,

The queenly daylight hangs. And hardly deigning to look back, glides down the sun's red chariot-track.

Then knots of girls round doorsteps close 'With straw-plait on the knee. And busy, kerchiefed mothers prose O'er distaff quaint or half .knit hose Like chafers round a tree.

And cool church portals thro' the street send incense-breezes faint and sweet.

Brown children in the freshening night Toss their bare arms and sing The gay old round join left and right.' 'Who'll buy carnations red and white ?'

While cypress hedges ring With games that Ser Boccaccio played with his bright bevy in their shade.

a And to the languid watcher come With charm of triple power, Those visions of a younger home Unwatched by Brunelleschi's dome And Giotto's peerless tower. Dear English pasture, wood, and stream, how lovely and how far ye seem !

Oh for the bold green waves, to shake Dull Anto's sleepy bed ! You calm sky like a stagnant lake,

Oh for the grand west wind to make

Its clouds fly over head!

Oh for one breath of English hills, tempering the heart for joys and ills : "