rates; nay, it insures all who have been rejected by others, and has already paid large sums to those who had sought policies in vain elsewhere. We should like to speak in similar terms of the Travellers' Insurance Company, but the facts do not seem to justify us in doing so. It may be a reliable concern, but we confess that we should rather have any of our limbs entirely safe-nay, even our little finger-than hold the policy of the Travellers' for $5,000. We do not mean, however, that its plan is not feasible, or that it would not do much good if carried out in good faith by a company having sufficient capital. We are informed that there is a company now being organized which will insure at a moderate rate against all accidents whatever, and whose officers and trustees will be regarded as a sufficient guarantee, from their high standing as New York and Boston merchants, that what it engages to do it will faithfully perform. If any other new life company prove as successful as the Globe Mutual, all concerned may well congratulate themselves; for the simple facts illus trative of the success of the latter would seem almost fabulous if stated in their natural order. But Mr. Pliny Freeman, its president, is now the oldest underwriter in America; he has served three apprenticeships to the profession, and graduated as the actuary of the New York Life, one of the most skilfully managed corporations of the kind in the world. In the course of six months the Globe Mutual has issued 691 policies, insuring lives to the amount of $2,000,000, and receiving premiums to the amount of $82,993. We believe that nowhere, except in the great metropolis of the Western world, could such results as these have been produced within the same space of time, even by so skilful a master in the business as Mr. Freeman. The Guardian Life continues in the hands of a physician; nor does it seem to derive much benefit from his treatment. Whether it be that Dr. Peckham has forgotten his ancient skill (for we take it for granted that he once knew a good deal about medicine), or whether the complaint of the Guardian is of too chronic and malignant a nature for human ken to remove, certain it is that it stillseems to us in a very precarious condition. But the reverse is true of theKnickerbocker Life, which was never more full of vigor and energy than it is at present-never in a more prosperous condition. Its presiding officer was always an energetic and thoughtful business man, and one of the most accomplished of our underwriters but during the last two years he has redoubled his efforts, and at the same time secured the services of the best general agent in America. Talent, intelligence, and industry never fail in New York; and this is the best reply we can make to those who enquire for the causes of the pro sent remarkably prosperous condition of the Knickerbocker Life. We believe the United States Life makes its full statement and divides its profits only once in three years; but none doubt either its ability, or its disposition to meet all just claims, according as they become due. Ite assets exceed one million of dollars; and there are no more prudent, skilful, and honorable underwriters than Mr. Joseph B. Collins, and Mr. John Eadie, the president and secretary. The Manhattan Life presents various evidences of prosperity and suecess, not the least interesting of which is its recently completed white marble building, erected at an expense of one hundred thousand dollars. It is in the form of a trapezium, and in the latest Florentine style. The grand hall, occupied by the Manhattan Life, is 60 feet long, 40 feet wide, and 26 feet high. The walls are adorned with graceful pilasters of the Corinthian order. This spacious hall is at once ornamented and finely lighted by a dome of 20 feet in diameter. The effect of the fine volume of light thus produced on the variegated floor, which consists of marquetry, inlaid with walnut, maple, and other deep-colored woods, in the modern Venetian style, is very pleasing. One hundred thousand for so elegant an edifice is but a small amount for a corporation that has received $2,452,502.61 during the past year, and whose assets amounted to $1,991,225.38, on the first of January last. Verily, let the grumblers say what they will, there is, after all, a wonderful virtue in life insurance, which enables the insurer to amass a princely fortune, while it not only effectually protects those that are most dear to the insured, but often secures them an ample competence for life! Eye, Ear, Throat Diseases, Bronchitis, Catarrh, Asthma. A Book for the People. By FRANZ ADOLPH VON MOSCHZISKER, M. D., Oculist and Aurist. Author of "The Ear, its Diseases and their Treatment;" "A Guide to Diseases of the Eye and their Treatment." 12mo. pp. 153. Philadelphia: James S. Claxton, 1865. THE contents of this volume are such as might be expected from its title. It is not a pretentious book, but is much better than those that are. The author is equally opposed to the imposture of the quacks, and to the stereotyped "rules and regulations" of the regular faculty; nor does he hesitate to criticise the latter as well as the former. That he thinks shrewdly and expresses his thoughts boldly, may be inferred from an extract. In his Introduction he gives a pretty correct portrait of a certain individual of whom we have given a sketch ourselves in an article entitled "Our Quack Doctors and their Performances." All who read the paper alluded to will remember that we did not spare the fraternity; we made their impostures as conspicuous as possible, because we felt certain, and still do, that no class of impostors inflict more injury on a credulous community. For the same reason we now *N. Q. R., No. XVI. allow Dr. Von Moschzisker to give his impressions; we need hardly say that we do so all the more readily because, so far as they go, they fully corroborate the worst allegations we have made ourselves against those impudent vampires. Speaking of a somewhat famous member of the fraternity, the Doctor observes: "The quack in question we have some personal knowledge of, and we do not hesitate to pronounce him the most ignorant, illiterate, and at the same time, most brazen-faced specimen of the whole genus of mountebanks. Some years ago he was travelling through the South, in the professional character of a corn-cutter, which exalted position he attempted to dignify still more by styling himself professor of the Pathology of the foot.' The name he then went by was "Ealing" but when, some time afterwards, on attempting to practice in Washington, D. C., as oculist and aurist, he was arrested on a charge of imposture preferred by Dr. May, of that city, against him, he found it advisable to assume a new one. Retaining the first letter of the old name, and changing the rest, he prefixed to it the preposition 'Von' (E--g), and enlarged his sphere by setting up as a professor of eye, ear and throat diseases."—pp. 22, 23. Barefaced and impudent as the individual thus described is, we have one of the tribe in this city who is still worse if possible. Not content with swindling hundreds of silly people out of their money, under pretence of curing them of various diseases, while in reality he does much more harm than good to his dupes, he outrages public decency by exhibiting his kept mistresses as trophies. Since ignorance, pretension, and imposture all are always arrogant and overbearing, it is not strange that of all who pollute the atmosphere of the Central Park by their presence, none drive their fast horses more recklessly, or with less regard to the safety of others, than the notorious quack alluded to. A book that helps to unmask characters of this kind is worthy of perusal on this ground alone; but that before us may be regarded as a valuable popular treatise on the most distressing and dangerous diseases of the eye, ear, and throat, and as such we do not hesitate to recommend it. Reports of Railroad Companies, 1864, 1865. As most of our railroads only make occasional reports, we have not many of those documents before us; but such as have reached us exhibit a considerable increase in business, and show that those who have issued them have gained rather than lost by the war, and that, in general, they are in a prosperous condition. Although we have no statistics before us of the business done during the last year by the Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore railroad, we have satisfactory evidence that its business has been largely increased. This, indeed, might have been taken for granted; since it is universally admitted that no road in this country is more judiciously and ably managed. The Philadelphia and Reading road continues to improve. Its gross receipts for 1864 amounted to $9,269,341; this shows an increase on the receipts of 1863 of more than $3,000,000. After deducting the expenses from the total sum, there remains a net pro fit of $4,308,150. It does not take long to make fortunes at this rate, The Camden and Amboy road seems to thrive on abuse; the more fiercely it is attacked the more money it makes; for the people in general are rather prone to sympathise with those who are handled more roughly than they deserve. Indeed, in all cases of this kind, the public is apt to say, like a good master: "As long as you do your work honesty and well, as you now do, I will support you, let interested parties allege what they will against you." The Report of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company exhibits a total of earnings for 1864 of $14,759,057.66. On deducting ordinary and extraordinary expenses from this, there remains a net profit to be divided among the stockholders of $4,065,113.47. The total earnings of the canals of the same company amount to $308,615.23. We are also shown how the money was earned. Thus the number of passengers carried dur ing the year was nearly two millions and a half (2,360,213), the average distance travelled by each on the road being sixty-two miles. The num ber of tons of freight exceed the number of passengers, the former being 2,764,876. If the company were not already distinguished for the judicious skill and intelligence with which it is managed, these figures would go far to prove that it was entitled to that distinction. Perhaps no other road in this country has made more progress in fortune-making during the last five years than the New York and Erie. From official statistics now before us, we see that, from 1859 to 1864, the total increase of its business has reached nearly nine millions in round numbers ($9,000,000). Most of this success is due to superior management. Be it remembered that in 1859, so great was the financial pressure upon it that a receiver had to be appointed for the benefit of its creditors, whereas it is now one of the most flourishing and prosperous enterprises in this country. TO THE TENTH VOLUME OF THE National Quarterly Review. Autumn Holidays of a Country Parson, no. -experiments with sections of flame, 152 Cilizing Forces, the, article on, 33--knowledge Currency causes of depreciation, article on, -should be available and permanent, evils, 113-greenbacks a loan without in- Enoch Arden, reviewed and criticised 381, et seq. De Sales, his Golden Sayings, noticed, 392-3. Fragrance from Crushed Flowers, noticed, 200. |