THOUGHTS ON FEMALE EDUCATION. By Mrs. TOWNSEND STITH. Philadelphia, 1831. pp. 31.-Mrs. Stith, herself an accomplished lady, having charge of a female seminary, may be naturally supposed competent to treat with ability of the subject of female education. We have derived much pleasure from a perusal of the present essay, and would freely commend it to the attention of our female readers, as abounding in excellent truths well and forcibly expressed. The subject is examined under the three following heads:-1st, In reference to individual happiness;-2dly, The use and value of the higher kind of education to woman, in her relations in that small and particular circle-of family and friends-with whom her life is intimately connected; 3dly,-Its influence upon the tone of society at large-upon human improvements and civilization. Each of these divisions of the subject is calmly and clearly examined, and the resources which a woman requires "in the pursuits which pertain to the mind, in literature, in studying the investigation of nature, and in communion with the great or the elegant minds of other times," distinctly pointed out.

THE NEW ENGLAND MAGAZINE. By J. T. & E. BUCKINGHAM. Boston: published by Munroe and Francis, in monthly numbers. Price $5 per annum.—It is hardly necessary for us to add our mite of praise to that which has been already bestowed upon this work from various parts of the United States. The names of the editors are of themselves a sufficient guarantee for the superior manner in which it promises to be conducted. Divested of the dry, dull disputations on morals, literature, and science, as well as of the flimsy, mawkish, and common place tales and essays which adorn the pages of too many of our magazines, each number presents a sufficient variety of topics and of style to interest the man of letters, who may resort to its pages for amusement in an hour of leisure, as well as that numerous class of readers, in whose libraries a magazine holds an important and, we may add, by no means a useless station. Messrs. Carey and Hart are the agents for the New England Magazine in this city.

Literary Rooms, No. 121 Chesnut Street, Philadelphia.

PORTER'S HEALTH ALMANAC.-Ladies' Edition. The Philadelphia Gazette, says,-"A beautiful edition of this valuable annual, for such it may be termed, bound in red morocco, has just been published. The demand for the work has well attested its value; and we are glad to learn that immense numbers have already been sold."

CATECHISM OF HEALTH.-From the Pennsylvania Inquirer." The Catechism of Health, recently published by Dr. Porter, of this city, appears to have met with very general approbation, and, it would seem, is about to become one of the standard works for schools. We learn that, by a resolution of the board of controllers, it is about to be introduced into the public schools of Philadelphia, as it has already been introduced into those of other places. We have been requested to give place to the following certificate, in relation to this work:-"

(Copy)

ELIZABETHTOWN, N. J. Manual Labour Academy, Sept. 20, 1831. These certify, that I have recently introduced into this institution, as a reading book, Porter's Catechism of Health, and find it uncommonly interesting and useful as a class book. I feel no hesitation in strongly recommending to teachers of youth in general, this little work, as admirably calculated to answer the design expressed in its title page.

(Signed)

WILLIAM H. BURROUGHS, Principal.

A NOTICE to emigrants, by the society for forming a settlement in the Oregon Country, on the Columbia river, reminds us of some. interesting facts connected with climate, which are, we imagine, new to most of our readers. One grand peculiarity, not yet explained satisfactorily, is the superior mildness of the climate of the western coast of a continent, or island, over the eastern, or opposite coast, in the same latitude and elevation.

Thus, for example, while all is sterility and desolation on the eastern coast of North America, even as low as the 55th degree of north latitude, and ice and snow maintain a perpetual existence at the 60th parallel, we find on the coast of Norway, or western coast of Europe, ten degrees higher, that all is life, and animation, and beauty.

The difference of climate between the western coast of North America, and the eastern coast of Asia, is still more surprising, when we reflect that the parts of the two continents to be compared, are only separated from each other by a strait, rather more than forty miles in width. Kotzebue, in his voyage of discovery, undertaken in 1815, informs us, that the crossing this short extent of water from America to Asia, was like passing from winter to summer. While all was verdure at Cape Prince of Wales, in America, the opposite point of East Cape, in Asia, was covered with eternal ice. A few hours sailing directly to the west, sank the thermometer from 59° to 43° F.

The general agent of the Oregon Society says, "that the climate on the shores of the Columbia river is res

VOL. III.-9

and healthful." A person, ignorant of the difference of climate between the two coasts of a continent, might naturally enough look at his map, and having discovered what spot of the eastern or Atlantic coast was of the same latitude as the mouth of the Columbia river, he would infer the mean annual temperature of the latter to be the same as that which he knows the former to possess. He would be deceived in this case, as in any other in which he would take parallels of latitude to measure climates, without reference to numerous modifying causes; among the chief of which, is the kind of exposure just mentioned.

In New California, on the Pacific ocean, they cultivate with success the olive along the canal of Santa Barbara, and the vine from Montercy to the north of the parallel of 37 deg. N. lat., which is that of the country near the mouth of Chesapeake Bay. The mouth of the Columbia river, in lat. 44° 40′ N. has a mean temperature of 55° F., the same as that of Pekin, in China, on the opposite continent, in lat. 39° 54′ N. Philadelphia, on the eastern side of the continent, is in about the same latitude as Pekin, or nearly five degrees farther south than the mouth of the Columbia river, and yet its mean temperature, 52° F., is three degrees less than that of the latter.

In corroboration of these views, for which we are indebted to the celebrated traveller Humboldt, it may be mentioned, that on the shores of the narrow channels of the Bosphorus and Dardanelles, dividing Europe from Asia, the western coast of the latter continent has a more genial climate than that of the former. In the spring, says Wittman, vegetation is several weeks more advanced on the Asiatic than on the European side, and the productions of the soil more vigorous and of larger growth.

So far, we see that marine exposures to the west appear to give a milder climate; and if we carry our investigations farther, we shall find that the mean annual temperature of places in the same latitude diminish as we advance to the east. Thus Warsaw, the capital of Poland, has a less medium temperature than Amsterdam, on the same line of latitude; it is hotter in summer, and colder in winter. Astrachan, at the mouth of the Volga, is nearly in the same latitude as Lyons. The Crimea is not so warm as upper Italy, to which it corresponds, and although it also presents, equally with the latter, low grounds. Pekin is in the same parallel as Naples, but with less medium temperature, and exposed to much greater vicissitudes.

The interest with which the subject of climate is always studied, as well by the physician as by the naturalist and agriculturist, will justify our indulging in farther details hereafter. We shall then show, that even the mean temperature of a place gives but an imperfect idea of its climate, unless we know the difference between its temperature in summer and in winter.

CREAM-BUTTER.

WHEN milk has been allowed to remain at rest, for a few hours, a thin layer is formed upon its surface, of a substance having a thicker consistence and apparently a more unctuous, or fatty nature, than the fluid upon which it swims. This is the cream which has separated spontaneously, from the other parts of the milk, and from its lightness, has risen to the surface. The proportion of cream in milk, depends on various circumstances connected with the nature of the animal, from which the latter is obtained, its age, degree of health, the food upon which it is fed, &c. The separation of the cream is influenced also, by heat, and by exposure to the air. It takes place more rapidly, and to a greater extent, in summer than in winter, and in a warm than a cold apartment. The larger the surface of the milk, which is in contact with the atmosphere, the sooner and more copiously also, will the cream be formed.

As an article of food, cream, although in the highest degree nutritious, is by no means so well adapted as the milk previous to its separation. Taken in any quantity into a stomach, the digestive powers of which are slow and imperfect, it is apt to produce heart-burn-a sense of oppression, and other uneasy sensations. Diluted with water, or taken in moderation with bread or similar food, it seldom disagrees with persons in the enjoyment of an ordinary degree of health; and even in some cases of dyspepsy, agrees better with the stomach than milk does.

On its first separation, cream is not to be considered as entirely pure; it still containing a portion of the other ingredients of the milk when these are removed from it by agitation, or the process called churning, the oil appears in its proper form, constituting the well known substance butter.

In its recent state, butter resembles very nearly in its properties the unctuous and expressed oils of various vegetable substances,* and that of animal fats: it is more consistent, however, than most of the vegetable oils, in consequence of its still containing a portion of the caseous, or coagulable part of the milk. Like those oils, it is subject to the change which is termed rancidity-this change is promoted by free exposure to the air, and the heat of the weather; and it takes place also, much more rapidly the less perfectly the process of churning has been performed, and the greater the amount, consequently, of the other portions of the milk that are allowed to remain mixed with it. By proper attention to the complete separation of these, and the use of salt, the occurrence of rancidity may be prevented, and the butter preserved for a very long time, in a condition fit to be used as an aliment.

The employment of butter, as an article of food, has prevailed chiefly in modern times. It was unknown to the ancient Greeks;

and the Romans employed it only for anointing, or as a medicine, and not as food.

When fresh, and eaten in moderation with bread a day old, butter is an article of diet, which agrees well with most stomachs→→→ especially of those who use daily active exercise, in the open air, and are in the enjoyment of perfect health. With the sedentary, the dyspeptic, and gouty, it is very apt, unless taken in very minute portions, to disagree.

The wholesomeness of butter, however, as an article of food, depends entirely upon its freedom from rancidity; and therefore, whatever has a tendency to induce this change in it, either by too long keeping, exposure to heat, or the operations of cookery, as in frying, baking, or burning, renders it in the same degree injurious to the system. Nothing can be more detrimental to the stomach, than fried, or burnt butter-it renders digestion difficult and painful, and causes various uneasy sensations, which last for many hours. What, is termed sick-head ache, is particularly liable to be induced by butter rendered acrid in the processes of cookery, and often in a very short time after partaking of it. Subsequently to a meal, at which any substance fried in butter, or hot buttered toast has been made use of, the person often experiences a singular kind of dizziness of sight, objects swiftly changing their apparent position, and appearing surrounded with luminous points and angles. Giddiness succeeds, with head-ache and sickness. The same symptoms, or at least heart-burn, acrid eructation, sickness and oppression of stomach, are very liable to be produced by pastry, and various cakes, in the composition of which, butter or any other species of fat, enters: by persons who value health and comfortable feelings, such articles will never be eaten fresh. Butter simply melted by a gentle heat, cannot be considered as unwholesome, when taken in moderation; but when it has been exposed to a very considerable heat, or in its fluid state is combined with flour or crumbs of bread, it is certainly pernicious and should be banished from the table of every prudent individual. Good fresh butter then, spread on bread a day old, is seldom an unwholesome article of diet: it is injurious only when rancid, or spoiled by injudicious processes of cookery.

WHOLESOME AND NUTRITIOUS BREAD FROM SAW-DUST. To be restricted to a diet of saw-dust, would, a short time since, and by many at the present day will still, be considered a sentence of death by starvation: but the investigations of the chemist have shown him, that even from this unpromising substance a wholesome, nutritive and palatable bread may be obtained. Famine is now rendered almost impossible, until at