ON T1IE PROGRESS OP SCIENCE. XVII 



author at "Wiry-Lester College, Hants ; and by its chief English 

 exponent, Dr. Williamson, at University College, London. 



In the erection of a new Museum at Oxford University, England, 

 designed to afford room for the various collections, pertaining to the 

 several departments of natural and physical science, belonging to the 

 university, a curious and interesting feature has been introduced into 

 the plan and architecture of the building. Thus, in the main hall 

 there are, on the ground-floor, thirty-three piers and thirty shafts ; 

 on the upper floor, thirty-three piers and ninety-five shafts. Thus 

 one hundred and twenty-five shafts surround the court ; and if we 

 include the capitals and bases of the piers, there are one hundred and 

 ninety -one capitals and bases. The material of each of these shafts 

 has been carefully selected, under the direction of the Professor of 

 Geology, from quarries which furnish examples of many of the most 

 important rocks of the British Islands. Thus, commencing in the 

 lower arcade, on the west side, we have, first, a column of Aberdeen 

 gray granite ; next, Aberdeen red granite ; then, porphyritic gray 

 granite of Lamonna ; then, syenite from Charnwood ; then, mottled 

 granite, Cruachan, Scotland; then, red granite from the Isle of Mull. 

 Succeeding these are the metomorphic rocks, the serpentines, por- 

 phyries ; the English, Welch, and Irish marbles, breccias, gypsum, etc., 

 etc. In the upper corridors the same order is preserved, no two 

 columns being of the same material. Furthermore, the capitals and 

 bases of the columns represent various groups of plants and animals, 

 illustrating different climates, and various geological epochs, all 

 mainly arranged according to their natural orders. A series of 

 sculptured portraits of the great in science also constitutes a marked 

 feature of the building. Mr. Ruskin, who has taken an active part 

 in the designing and construction of this museum, thus sums up its 

 object : " To make Art expressive rather than curious fixed rather 

 than portable publicly beneficial rather than privately engrossed, 

 to convey truthful information of form, and promote intelligence, 

 has been attempted and carried out in the building." The expendi- 

 ture contemplated is upwards of 60,000. 



The following resume embraces most of the geographical explora- 

 tions and investigations for the fast two years. 



The Geographical Society of St. Petersburg, has sent a number of 

 naturalists to Siberia ; and a learned Finn, Dr. Nordenskiold, of Hel- 

 singfors, has pursued his observation as far as Spitzbergen. He there 

 discovered anthracite coal, and such a multitude of seals and walrusses 

 as promises rich returns to fishermen in years to come. He has also 

 ascended the Sneehattan Mountain. 



On the American continent, an officer of the English Navy, Capt. 

 Palliser, has been so fortunate as to find a passage through the Rocky 

 Mountains, in British America. 



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