this faith a new one; it is three centuries old. Moreover, it rarely excites any jealousy or prejudice among the cultivated ladies of any other country, because this class are aware how much the women of all the great nations owe those of France as having been the first to prove to the modern world, both by precept and example, that woman, when properly educated, is fully the equal of man in all those intellectual traits and qualities that tend to elevate human nature and enhance the charms of life.

The female authors of France have not merely exercised a powerful refining influence on their own people; their power has been felt to a greater or less extent in every civilized country. It is not alone Mme. De Staël and Mme. De Sevigné, whose writings are studied in England, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United States, under the direction of the highest class of educators. These illustrious cultivators of the public taste of the world are but types of different classes of their country women. But great injustice is done to the French authoresses of the present day by those who, having but a limited acquaintance with the facts, judge all by a few novelists of the "sensational" class. As one error leads to another, so there are a large number of well-meaning but thoughtless people, who judge by the caricatures in the novels of such authors the whole of the women of France among whom have been found at least as many exemplary wives and mothers-noble specimens of the sex of whom Mme. La Valette is but the representative-as among the women of any other country in the world, ancient or modern.

We are concerned now, however, only with those ladies who, as we have said, are to be found engaged in teaching in every country in Christendom-nay, in every city and town where any attention is bestowed on culture and taste. Even Bismarck would throw no obstacle in the way of these good ladies, let their theological or political views be what they may. Nay, it may be mentioned to his credit that during the war he took particular pains to protect from insult and injury the large number of French ladies having charge of schools or seminaries in all the principal. cities of Germany, but especially in Berlin. True, no protection against the intelligent classes of Germany was necessary; those good ladies were as safe among them as their sisters are among ourselves; but even in Prussia, with all its educa tional advantages, there is the unreasoning multitude, whose sense of right cannot be relied upon, especially in time of war.

But why are French ladies everywhere recognized thus, as superior

to the ladies of other nationalities whose education is equally good? Various explanations are given, but the one most generally accepted among educators is the greater vivacity of the French woman, and the more earnest enthusiasm with which they devote themselves to the instruction of the young. Duclos, in describing the French character, makes the following remarkable observation:-"Le grand defaut du Français est d'avoir toujours la caractère jeune."* The same en. during marks of youthfulness, both intellectual and physical, are noted by Goldsmith in his "Traveller," but certainly not as a defect. Assuming, however, that this liveliness of spirit even beneath the burden of three score" is a defect in men engaged in some of the graver pursuits of life, it by no means follows that it is a defect in ladies devoted to the education of the youth of their own sex. In our opinion it is the reverse, and may be regarded as the secret of the wonderful success of French ladies as teachers.

That they do succeed, at all events, and, we are glad to add, succeed in this country, as well as in any other, is beyond question. Our readers can easily recall sufficient illustrations of the fact; they are aware, for instance, that among the several excellent schools we have in New York, there is not one that stands higher, or occupies a more enviable position than one founded and still conducted by a French lady; nor is there one, the thoroughness of whose system is more fully appreciated by those of our citizens best qualified to form an adequate estimate of its worth.

And if we turn to other cities we shall find the daughters of France equally distinguished for their success as educators. Take Philadelphia, for example; there is the Chegary Institute whose principal is Mme. D'Hervilly, and whose well-earned fame as a high-school for young ladies is as broad as this continent. The fine type of a French lady, who is at the head of the Chegary Institute, has grown gray be fore her time in the noble but onerous work of teaching; although she has lost none of the vigor, the vivacity, or even the enthusiasm of early womanhood. Indeed, never was Mme. D'Hervilly more powerful as a teacher than she is at this moment, and we may be permitted to add that never was she more brilliant or more fascinating as a conversationalist, whether she uses her own admirably polite language, or our more matter-of-fact and less polished Anglo-Saxon.

The lady from whose School comes the brochure whose title stands

* Considerations sur les Mœurs, chap. II.

at the head of these remarks, is probably a stranger to most of our readers; but we have the strongest assurances that she is entitled to be ranked as an educator of young ladies with those-the most accomplished of her country women in this country-to whom we have just alluded. We trust we violate no confidence by remarking that the first intimation we received as to the high character of Mlle Tardivel's School was from a well-known college President; one worthily ranked among the best of American educators. Knowing from long experience that this gentleman would recommend no school which was not faithful and thorough, we readily believed that that f Mlle. Tardivel deserves to be encouraged. Nor had we any difficulty in ascertaining that the estimate of the good college President was by no means peculiar-that, in a word, there can be no question among those competent to judge in regard either to the high qualifications of the lady, or to her success in giving a thorough training to the young ladies under her charge. Now, whatever the selfish, who judge the motives of others by their own, may think to the contrary, we have no other object in recommending Mlle. Tardivel's School to those who are capable of appreciating the value of such, than to do good, and the only reward we shall claim, or wish, is the consciousness of having succeeded in attaining that object.

We may anticipate a question by remarking that we would take at least equal pains with American ladies struggling in a similar manner in France, or any other European country. We have sought to do justice to the acknowledged merits of the daughters of France in the above remarks, because, in spite of their vivacity and enthusiasm, we can never contemplate one of these good ladies engaged in teaching in a foreign land, without being reminded of that beautiful and touching simile:

"Like yon neglected shrub, at random cast,

That shades the steep, and sighs at every blast."

The tiny pamphlet, appropriately called "Violets," is abund antly modest. Its contents are presented only as "first attempts at versification;" and, regarded in this light, they are certainly creditable both to teachers and students. There is at least one good precept of Boileau which the young ladies have strictly observed:

"N'offrez point un sujet d'incidents trop chargé."*

But, in our mind, the chief value of "Violets" consists in the

* L'Art Poetique, Chant. III.

agreeable and satisfactory evidence its versified contents afford of the fact that although French is the language of Mlle. Tardivel's School, the English is thoroughly studied there under competent instructors, who fully understand its resources.

An Elementary Geometry and Trigonometry. By WILLIAM F. BRADBURY, A.M. 12mo, pp. 171. Boston: Thompson, Bigelow & Brown.

THERE is a large and rapidly increasing class of text-books, known as "Short Courses," "Elementary," etc., which, although designed for beginners and for those not able to pursue the subject farther, are frequently written by those having the most thorough acquaintance with their theme, and are supplying a great want. In this class we place the work before us. Its object, as the author states in the preface, is to conduct the pupil by the "shortest path to the desired end." Assuming this to be an acquaintance with the practical methods dependent upon geometry and plane trigonometry, he gives only such theorems and demonstrations as are necessary to attain it. Most of those omitted are given in the appended exercises, of which the pupil is to "develop the proof if he has sufficient time and ability." These exercises will be found useful as illustrating the principles and serving to fasten them in the memory. Many excellent "problems in construction" are added, which will be valuable, if the pupil, in his desire to find the shortest path," etc., does not omit them entirely. We can, however, but deprecate the prevailing spirit which would turn all sciences to a solely "practical" purpose. It seems that even the pure mathematics must go at last, when we see geometry forced to grind in the mill of trigonometry, which in its turn is the caterer for surveying, etc.

Yet we would not say that such is the scope of this work. As serving to give an acquaintance with mathematical methods, and at the same time as an introduction to the more complete work, it is eminently adapted for its purpose. The definitions are clear and concise, the demonstrations as brief as possible, in conformity with the general plan of the work; the examples numerous and practical. Enough of plane trigonometry is given, both in the geometrical and analytical methods, to enable the pupil to solve the simpler problems; to which are appended the logarithmic tables. Indeed, considered

as an elementary work, it is remarkably comprehensive, and although there is a difference of opinion among educators as to the "desired end," in this class of text-books, we doubt not that it will be favorably received in our schools.

HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY.

The Desert of the Exodus: Journeys on Foot in the Wilderness of the Forty Years' Wanderings, etc., with Maps and numerous Illustrations from Photographs taken on the Spot, etc., etc. By E. H. PALMER, M. A. 8vo, pp. 470. New York: Harper &

THIS work is divided into two general divisions; the first giving an account of the journey from Suez to Sinai, and the explorations in its vicinity; the other being a narrative of the journeyings in the wilderness of the forty years' wanderings. As a book of travel and adventure it is full of interest to the general reader. It also possesses much value to the biblical student, and to all interested in Scripture history. As the journey was undertaken in connection with a scientific expedition, it partakes somewhat of that character. Yet personal experience with the inhabitants of the desert, and acute observations upon their characters and customs, are so interspersed as to render the whole entertaining. Its interest as a narrative of travel, however, is subordinate to its value as a work of research in a comparatively new and undeveloped field. The identification of the more important localities in the march of the Israelites from Egypt to Palestine is important in its bearings upon that event, as well as upon all history. In this feature of the work consists its recommendation to the biblical student, although he may hesitate to adopt all the author's conclusions. These are generally given in a candid manner, and evidently based upon careful observation. Mainly the author adopts the philosophical method of giving the results of his observations, and leaving conclusions to be drawn by the reader.

It is a note-worthy fact, that so interesting a locality should so long have remained unvisited for the purposes of accurate investigation, to the world in general comparatively a terra incognita. Although the peninsula was frequently visited by travellers on account of its religious associations, they were generally of a character to add to, rather than decrease, the superstitions of the place. The monks, also, who