number should in turns give up their bread and soup to the blind man and his daughter. The mistress now proposed that each child should give a spoonful from their own basons, which they immediately did, making a decent quantity for their poor friends outside. The next day this was given immediately after grace, and after proving their constancy and generosity a few days, orders were issued to furnish it from the kitchen, without diminishing their own portions. This kindness of the schoolmistress made a deep impression on many of the children, and it was observed for some time afterwards, that the one whose turn it was to carry out the soup, invariably came with a slight present of flowers or fruit, which I have seen offered without that sheepishness and timidity I am afraid would be characteristic of English children. Why it should be so with the English I cannot say, unless through the curb we too often put on the expressions of the sentiments so often heard in the stupid recommendations-ask no questions-speak when you are spoken todon't be so forward, and the like. Children, on the contrary, should be led to ask questions, and to say every thing that enters their mind, of course, under those restrictions that are absolutely necessary for order and good breeding. Would they could take a lesson in this respect from the Italians. - MS. Two Years in Italy.

TRURO INSTITUTION.

SULPHURIC ETHER.

ON Friday se'nnight the concluding lecture of the session was delivered by Mr. W. E. Gill, manager of the Truro Wood Works. The subject selected for the occasion was fermentation and distillation. The lecturer passed in review the various stages of fermentation, from the saccharine to the puterfactive; and the distillation of liquids from the grosser, to the most volatile. By interspersing the scientific with interesting description, the lecturer secured the attention of a large audience, which was freely embarked in the subject, and kept up without flagging. Mr. Gill fully maintained the dignity of science, by claiming for it a just appreciation of its merits; e.g.— After referring to those who are content to "let well alone," the lecturer said, "Mark, by way of contrast, yonder philosopher, who permits nothing to escape his analysing glance; exploring

new regions for the excercise of mind and matter; delighted to the full, if after all his toil, his sympathies with human nature be but gratified by the discovery of some new arrangement for the alleviation of suffering humanity. Does Cornwall tell him that here and there we have dug and discovered riches, but can go no farther on account of the water; and we want employment to earn honest food for our little ones? Science listens, and immediately commissions Dr. Black to trim his midnight lamp, so that in solemn serenity he may discover the laws of latent heat. These laws he hands over to the immortal Watt, to confirm and apply them. You are already well aware of the result. For, not only have millions of tons of water been pumped by the steam engine, and millions of tons of copper been raised from their dark abode, but also millions of human beings have been fed and clothed; and many, guided by their prudence, have been raised into a state of worldly independence. Humanity again points science to the miner, who, after a hard day's toil, has to climb some two hundred fathoms to the earth's surface. Science bids Michael Loam construct his man-engine; and the miner rises or descends with comparative ease. But humanity comes again to science, with hurried step and quivering lip, and asks, do you not hear the fearful shriek of yonder women? It is the fire-damp that has mangled and destroyed all that is dear to them on earth; come, come, lend me your help! Humanity is not permitted to plead in vain; for science turns to our own immortal Davy, who hastens with his lamp to show the collier how this subtle foe can be conquered. Does murky, dark revenge appeal to science on behalf of woman? Instantly a messenger is despatched by the electric telegraph, as it were a thunderbolt vaulting through the air with a speed contemporaneous with the lightning-flash— strict to its aim-hurling the lustful monster to the earth. There can be no doubt but that humanity has made another appeal. She told a sad tale about a poor mortal whom accident had mutilated, yet must suffer additional pain—a pain, if possible, more exquisite than that which had nearly deprived him of life. Could he not be spared this second torture? Science, thanking humanity for the opportunity, offers her that very drug (alcohol), the effects of which had often

caused poor humanity to mourn over the frailties of human nature, and shewing her a new use of it, she has thus been enabled to rejoice in her triumphant success. Yet, while success has crowned her noble efforts, she must not be held responsible for the failures of ignorance nor the temerity of the imprudent." The lecturer then pointed out the necessity for the administration of ether being guided by the most competent science. At the close of the lecture the medical profession were invited by him to administer the ether to any one present who wished to test its efficacy. Three medi

cal gentlemen offered their services, and three persons offered to try the ether. From one of the patients a large molar tooth was extracted at his desire, with much skill, by Mr. Spry, surgeon; the whole of the time occupied being but forty-five seconds! and on the patient rising he declared that he felt no sensation but one of a highly pleasurable

character. Thanks were then unanimously voted to the lecturer, the medical gentlemen, and the patients. The aim of the lecture was amply realized, and the public confidence is complete-as far as Truro is concerned-in one of the finest medico-chemical discoveries of the age.

LOLA MONTES. IN person, Lola Montés is attractive enough to arouse the passions of a blaz é, even if a king. She is of a middling height, has an excellent and well proportioned figure, slight well formed feet, splendid hands, beautiful black hair, features of exquisite delicacy, and above all admirable eyes, mild and penetrating at the same time, and at times inflaming one with love, or killing one with anger.

Lola's stay in Paris, a year or two since, was very short; but whilst there, she distinguished herself by her audacity and violence, which, nevertheless, were at times mingled with a deal of wit and firmness. As a danseuse, she appeared but once at the opera, and then she had a violent quarrel with the director, because she insisted on dancing without the usual dresses. She is recollected by the lovers of the ballet of that theatre by the following curious incident. On that very evening, whilst springing and dancing about the scene with all the carelessness and grace imaginable, her garter became loosened, and wound, or rather unwound itself, down her well formed leg, till it lay trailing on the

ground. Those of the public who are amused at every thing, applauded the display. Lola then quietly picked up the long blue ribbon, aud without discontinuing her dance, tore it, with tooth and nail, into twenty or thirty small bits, and approaching the front of the scene, scattered the whole among the spectators in the stall of the orchestra.

She danced but twice, too, at the Porte St. Martin. On the first evening, she beat one of her companions for contradicting her; and at the second, she tried to kill another with a little Castillian dagger she generally wears in the manner of the Castillian ladies.

ETIQUETTE OUT OF PLACE. SANGUINARY as the celebrated battle of Fontenoy proved in its progress, its commencement was marked by some traits of politeness, rather at variance with the scenes which followed. Lord Charles

we

Hay, a captain of the English Guards, advanced in front of his company, and was met by the Comte d'Anteroche, a lieutenant of Grenadiers in the French Guards," Fire, gentlemen of the French Guards," exclaimed Lord Charles. "No, my lord," replied D'Anteroche, never fire first." A similar etiquette is recorded of Curran, the Irish Barrister, who being challenged for some imaginary offence to meet an officer, on reaching the ground, Curran desired his antagonist to fire first, observing that “as you gave the invitation, I request you will open the ball.”

POLITENESS & OSTENTATION. GEORGE IV., when Prince of Wales, was in the habit of returning every salute he received, however lowly the rank of the individual. Beggars formed the only exception, because, as he said, to return their civility without giving them a trifle, would be to insult their poverty; to accompany the salute with any thing less than silver, would be meanness in a prince, while to stop for the purpose of accompanying the bow with sixpence, would savour of ostentation. When Sir William Young was governor of Tobago, and on a visit to his brother governor, the parvenue Lord Lavington, at St. Kitts, he justified his recognition of the salutes of the negroes, by observing, 'My lord, I never allow a blackguard to be more of a gentleman than myself." Urbanity to all, is the truest criterion of nobility of mind.

quired equation, which, with the literal parts added, will stand thus:-x+4x1

==

25 x 40 x + 204 x- 144 0. This is perhaps the easiest mode of proceeding for juniors.

Again, if the signs of the roots should all be changed, it will obviously cause a change of sign in each of the partial factors constituting the equation; and on examining the effect such a change will above, it will be readily perceived that produce upon the development performed while the numerical magnitude of the terms in the final result will remain the same as before, the signs of the alternate terms will be changed from + to, or from to +.

If the operation here indicated be actually performed, the result will give us x4x4 25 340 x2 + 204 x +1440; which is the same as the former equation with the alternate signs changed.

From this we learn, that if, in any complete equation of the above form, we change the signs of the alternate terms, we shall then have an equation, the roots of which are the same as those of the proposed, but having opposite signs.