512 sir james Alexander's 



should be made to the trustees of the British Museum, to have the shells 

 in that institution so arranged as to facilitate comparison of the actually 

 existing shells, with fossil remains and impressions in rocks." From the 

 manner in which this recommendation is worded in the Athenaeum Re- 

 port, its precise meaning is not clearly apparent. The systematic arrange- 

 ment and naming of the collection of British testacea in the national 

 collection, would he of the most essential aid to the geological inquirer, 

 and, as this has been a consummation long and most ardently hoped for, 

 but as yet in vain, we understand the above recommendation as a round- 

 about but ingeniously delicate way of attempting to get so important an 

 object effected. 



We see with pleasure in the leading article of the Athenaeum, a few 

 brief but well-timed observations on the abuse directed by the Times 

 newspaper against the British Association as a scientific body. That the 

 attack in question has originated in the grossest ignorance on the part of 

 its promulgators, of the constitution and real objects of the Association, 

 there can be little doubt ; and the regret with which we must confess 

 we have seen the course pursued by the latter journal, has arisen more 

 from witnessing such a prostitution of the talent and extensive influence 

 which it commands, than from the apprehension of any injurious effect 

 being produced in the quarter against which its hostility has been pointed. 



Sir James Alexander has paid us the same compliment with which, on 

 a late and somewhat similar occasion, he favoured the editor of the Athe- 

 naeum, having written us a letter expressive of his displeasure at our late 

 review of his exploring expedition. 1 He has the incivility to style our 

 very handsome notice of his original discoveries, " a disparaging critique 

 upon those portions of his narrative which relate to Natural History." — 

 We are sorry to find that we did not give the narrative that attentive pe- 

 rusal which was certainly incumbent upon us in our editorial capacity, 

 for it appears that had we done this, we might have seen that Sir James 

 " repeatedly entered the waters of the Orange, and wandered along its 

 banks, in spite of the dread Leviathan and hairy monsters." Further- 

 more, Sir James tells us, " He [the reviewer] strangely concludes that 

 because my attendant fled from the attack of a five-feet high baboon, I 

 must also have had a salutary dread of these animals. I never was at- 

 tacked by a baboon, and never fled from one." 



1 The letter is given verbatim on the wrapper. 



