VI NOTES BY THE EDITOR 



relative intensity. The area of supposed land and sub-oceanic sub- 

 sidences are also indicated. The map conveys at a glance the portions 

 of the globe in which volcanic eruptions are most prevalent. These 

 appear by contrast to be the islands and oceans surrounding Borneo, 

 where alone are given upwards of one hundred indications, the Gulf 

 of Mexico, and the Andes of South America. In the northern regions, 

 Iceland alone stands out in marked prominence ; whilst the whole of 

 Africa, with the exception of the Cape and its northern boundary, and 

 the continent of South America east of the Andes, appear to be totally 

 unaffected by the laws of earthquakes. The greatest area of subsidence 

 appears to be in the Pacific Ocean, extending in a direction southeast 

 from the Philippine Islands to Pitcairn's Island. 



The National Association (Great Britain) for the Advancement of 

 Social Science, held its second anniversary meeting in Liverpool, in 

 October, with distinguished success, about three thousand persons being 

 in attendance. The special object of the association, as stated in the 

 constitution of the Society, is " to form a point of union among social 

 reformers, so as to afford those engaged in all the various efforts now 

 happily begun for the improvement of the people, an opportunity 

 of considering social economics as a whole." At the Liverpool meet- 

 ing, Lord John Russell presided, and delivered the introductory ad- 

 dress. During the continuance of the session, an address of great 

 interest was also delivered by Lord Brougham, on " Popular Education 

 and Popular Literature." From this address we make the following 

 extract, in which the author illustrates the benefit accruing from the 

 labors of the Society for diffusing useful knowledge, and defends the 

 publications issued by it from the charge of encouraging superficial 

 acquirements : " When it is said, or sung, by such objectors, that ' a 

 little learning is a dangerous thing/ we can see no harm in adding, that 

 there is another thing somewhat more dangerous great ignorance ; 

 not to mention that the one cures itself, while the other perpet- 

 uates itself ay, and spreads and propagates, too; for it is almost 

 as true in point of fact that they who have learned a little have their 

 half-satisfied curiosity excited to obtain more full gratification, as it 

 is false in point of fact that sobriety results from excess of drinking. 

 We object, therefore, to this hackneyed maxim, not because it is hack- 

 neyed, but because it is unfounded ; as illogical when delivered in 

 plain prose as inapposite when clothed in humorous verse the false- 

 hood of the position in the one case being equal to that of the 

 metaphor in the other. ' Better half a loaf than no bread/ is the old 

 English saying. ' All wrong/ say the objectors, ' a little food is a 

 dangerous thing ; rather starve than not have your fill.' ' Better be 

 purblind than stone blind/ is the French saying. ' No/ cry the ob- 

 jectors ; ' if you can't see quite clearly, what use is there in seeing 

 at all ? ' ' In the country of the blind/ says the proverb, ' the one- 

 eyed man is king.' Our objectors belonging to the people there 



