the chemical press upon the coloration of wines by artificial and deleterious dyes, amongst them rosaniline. The latest revelation, however, is of a very different order. Toys and other articles made of white india-rubber are frequently given to infants under the supposition that they may be sucked without harm. Unmistakeable symptoms of poisoning having, however, resulted in several instances, the india-rubber suspected was submitted to analysis, when it appeared that a large quantity of the highly deleterious white oxide of zinc had been added to the ingredients used in making up the rubber. In one instance over 50 per cent. of this substance was detected. Henceforth india-rubber dolls will be amongst suspected articles.

Reports on recent work in chemistry have recorded from time to time the production of new coal-tar dyes, until their announcement has become almost as much a matter of course as the discovery of a new minor planet. Mr. Perkin, to whom we owe so many of the early aniline dyes, has added another to the series of anthracene derivatives. This is nitro-alizarin, a substance capable of yielding tints varying from orange to reddish-purple, according to the mordant employed. Simultaneously an elaborate monograph, from the pen of Mr. Auerbach, has appeared, treating in the fullest detail of anthracene and its various derivatives. When we remember that amongst these are the valuable alizarin (Turkey red), anthrapurpurin, and a host of other useful compounds, and that this work is a complete collective record of the researches of the many independent chemists who have done something to extend our knowledge of these substances, we shall be prepared to pardon the use of even such unmanageable names as "Tetraazoanth raquinonnitrite."

A certain rising chemist whom we will not name, had recently a rather awkward experience. He was lecturing before a large audience upon the non-inflammability of fabrics dipped in tungstate of soda, and proceeded to illustrate his remarks by placing a powerful flame below a "prepared " muslin dress. Owing to some unforeseen circumstance, however, the lecturer had the misfortune to see the dress reduced to ashes by the blaze. It was fortunately placed upon a "dummy” at the time, and not upon the person of an assistant. It must be remembered that the tungstate, though a safeguard, is not an infallible protective.

M

ITALY AND VIOLENT CRIME.

UCH misapprehension exists in regard to capital punishment

But

in Italy-a country notorious for murders, and where capital punishment is supposed by many persons to have been abolished. Hence it is often said that its abolition has been a failure there. this is a great mistake. Capital punishment remains a part of the penal code for all Italy. In practice, it has long been discontinued in one province (Tuscany), and in that only; but it is noteworthy that very few murders are committed in Tuscany, as compared with Naples, Sicily, Rome, and other parts where executioners still set the example of legal murders. From the Italian statistics of crime, extending over a quarter of a century down to 1876, it appears that homicides in Sicily are (and have been) in the frightful proportion of 31 to every 100,000 inhabitants. In Naples, the proportion is 22; in Sardinia, 18; in Rome and Umbria, it is 9; but in Tuscany, only 7. Hence the provinces where the executioner gives his lessons appear to imitate the process far more effectually than Tuscany. Hence, also, on the limited scale in which the abolition of capital punishment has been tried in Italy, it has been a decided success. The last execution in Tuscany took place in 1830.

Any material decrease must be looked for, not from the executioner, but from a removal of the causes of crime, better education, and the abandonment of the general habit of carrying daggers. A larger proportion of the Italian people are unable to read or write than in most countries of Europe. As to Naples, the overcrowded and squalid condition of the masses of the population is frightful. Whilst such a state of things continues, capital punishment will also continue, as hitherto, utterly to fail in preventing violent crime.

It is only fair to the Italian Government to observe that they are making earnest efforts to improve their prisons. Indeed, in 1704, Pope Clement XI. erected the first reformatory and industrial prison in Europe that of St. Michael, at Rome. When Howard visited. Italy, he was especially pleased with that institution, and with the motto inscribed by its founder: "It is of little advantage to restrain the bad by punishment unless you render them good by discipline." He remarked of this, that it is an "admirable sentence, in which the grand purpose of all civil policy relative to criminals is expressed."

REVIEWS.

Synopsis of Paley's Hora Paulina. By JAMES A. H. Murray, LL.D., B.A. Second edition. London: Hodder & Stoughton. THIS Synopsis has been specially prepared for the convenience of those who are reading up for the Cambridge middle class examinations, and we have no doubt that such students will derive considerable advantage from its use. We hope, however, that the adoption of this summary will not be confined to them; for those who are not prepared to take up Paley, will find this outline of his argument a pleasant and profitable study. All the steps are clearly and concisely put; and various fonts of type have been employed to aid the eye in catching the points of prime importance.

The Glory of the Cross; as manifested by the Last Words of Jesus. By A. B. MACKAY. Second edition. London: Hodder & Stoughton. It is no wonder that a second edition of this little book was so soon called for. The nine brief addresses it contains are characterised by a vigour of thought, a power of expression, and an earnestness of tone such as are rarely brought together. The seven utterances of our Saviour during the crucifixion are the theme; their scope and bearing are closely searched out; and the precious lessons to be derived from them, both severally and in their relation to one another, are forcibly inculcated.

St. Christopher, with Psalm and Song. By MAURICE BAXTER. London: Hodder & Stoughton.

THE subjects treated are all very familiar; but there is a delicacy of touch and elegance of diction which has led us to read on and on. The dialogues on The Temptation, A Fine Sunday, and Law and Liberty, are well handled, and show more originality than the minor pieces; but taken as a whole we have not met for some time with any poetry of the kind which has pleased us so much. The volume is nicely got up, and is well adapted for a gift-book.

*

Amongst the smaller publications upon our table we may notice a paper, entitled Spelling and School Boards, which was read by E. JONES, B.A., at the Social Science Association last February, with specimens of the reformed spelling which he proposes for adoption ;

* The Argus Printing Company: Liverpool.

and another from New York on Reviezd Speling, by E. B. Burns, with the "roolz for speling with the Anglo-American alfabet." Both of these advocate a system which shall not call for the introduction of new letters. Another kind of reform is amusingly discussed by A. M. BROCKLEHURST, in the form of The Trial at Law of Tobacco Nicotino-the prisoner at the bar is charged with having "grievously and wilfully injured the plaintiff, British youth." We hope the account of the trial may be read by some who are suffering from similar assaults.

Thoughts on Church Orders and Government; Historically, Ecclesiastically, and Scripturally considered: by FREDERICK NEWMAN, D.D. is too much in the style of a sermon to carry much weight, the historical references being of the meagrest possible description. The writer belongs to the Free Church of England, which he seems to think approaches closely the Apostolical model; but there is not much in his essay to convince others who may think otherwise. The Song of the Church § is a poetic representation of the central theme of Christianity. Both the mode of treating the subject and the style of the versification are thoroughly original. Some of the Visionary Rhymes; or, The Tunings of a Youthful Harp,|| by J. J. BROWN, want a good deal of tuning yet to bring them up even to the normal pitch. He believes "the British are the lost ten tribes," and thinking the subject "magnificently grand," he writes a short poem upon it, though he doubts if it will be "easily understood by those who are ignorant of the identity literature!" A poor recommendation, we fancy, especially to those who have been compelled to wade through some of the stuff referred to.

WE have on former occasions referred to The Lay Preacher and Penuelas monthly periodicals. The annual volumes, forming the third series of the former, and first volume of the latter, are now before us. "Penuel" deals mostly in experimental religion; the "Lay Preacher contains critical notes, skeleton sermons, illustrations, and pulpit sketches, such as will be found useful to those who have not gone through a regular course of theological study.

* Speling Reform Asosiashon: New York.
Hodder & Stoughton.
James Reid: Glasgow

+ John Kempster & Co.
§ Church Press Company.

¶ F. E. Longley.

BY THE REV. J. ALEXANDER JACOB, M.A.

HAVE found it difficult to obtain any precise account of Agnosticism as a theory, probably because as yet it is rather a temper than a theory. Men who interest themselves in the topics of the day become sensible that on both sides of every question there is much to be said, and that many opinions about which they had entertained no doubt are by no means so plain as they had imagined. The practice, too, of leaving young persons to hear of difficulties for the first time from those unfriendly to religion produces a strong reaction, and, from finding that much is uncertain, they are tempted to believe that everything is uncertain. Then this attitude is so extremely convenient, so favourable to intellectual laziness, such an easy way of escaping from the obligations which strong conviction ever brings with it, that the looking upon everything as doubtful becomes a temper, the agnostic taking little trouble, perhaps, to work out any theory whatever.

Mr. Leslie Stephen, who certainly is no agnostic as to his own opinions, says, in his essay in the Fortnightly Review, that "the gnostic (by which he means the man with some sort of belief) is of opinion that our reason can in some sense transcend the narrow limits of experience; that we can attain truths not capable of verification, and not needing verification, by actual experiment or observation." It is not unreasonable, then, to assume that in his view an agnostic denies that we can transcend experience, or attain truths