176 



♦ KNOWLEDGE ♦ 



[Maech 23, 1883. 



continent, especially in Alpine pools, and others are known 

 from the great network of lakes and ponds which threads its 

 way throughout the Northern States and Canada. T\\f 

 secret of these oddly local species is to be found in the fact 

 that an isolated lake stands to fresh-water creatures in 

 much the same relation as an oceanic island stands to 

 terrestrial animals or plants, and it is well known that, 

 under such circumstances, variation is rapid and universal. 

 Indeed, almost all oceanic islands are peopled by a fauna 

 and flora of their own, more or less like those of the 

 neighbouring continents, but altered in adaptation to the 

 special insular needs. It is just the same with isolated 

 pools or tarns ; on the one hand, the conditions of life are 

 there more fi.xed and restricted, and on the other hand 

 inter-breedins; with the parent species is practically im- 

 possible. 



LEARNING LANGUAGES. 



By Richard A. Proctor. 



{Continued from p. 146.) 



rpHE following passage is taken from the " Adventures 

 J_ of Telemachus " in the Hamiltonian series, the trans- 

 lation of which is absolutely literal, whereas, in the cases 

 formerly dealt with, the order of the original was slightly 

 altered, though I think my own absolutely literal rendering 

 showed that to be unnecessary. In passing, I note that the 

 instructions given for pronunciation in the first book of the 

 " Adventures " are not quite correct, the words Ulisse, die, 

 maUicurettse, iinmortelle, grotto, and so forth, are given as 

 though the final " e " were sounded, which is not the case 

 except in poetry, and then not systematically. 



Pour mieux supporter I'ennui de la captivite 



For better to support the weariness* of the captivity, 

 et de la .solitude, je cherchai des livres ; car 



and of the solitude, I sought of the [so»ie'\ hooks ; for 

 j'6tais accable de tristesse, faute de quelque instruc- 

 / vas orerwhelmed of sadness, fault of some informa- 

 tion qui pv'it nourrir mon esprit et le 

 tionf which mighthe-ahJe to nourish my inind and him 

 soutenir.t Heureux,§ disais-je, ceux qui se 

 to sustain. Happy, said I, those vho themselves 

 degoiitent des plaisirs violents, et qui savent 

 disg)>st\\ of the pleasures violent, and irho kiiov^ [/(Oic] 

 se contenter des douceurs d'une vie inno- 

 themselves to-content of the sweets- of a life inno- 

 cents ! Heureux ceux qui se divertissent en 

 cent ! Happy those who themselves divert in 



s'instruisant et que se plaisent a 



theinielves instructing, and who theniselves please to [in] 



cultiver leur esprit par les sciences ! En quelque 

 to-cultivate their mind by the sciences .' In ivhatever 

 endroit que la fortune ennemie les jette ils 



spot that tlie fortune lioslih them [way] cast tliey 



* Ennui in the translation ; but thongh ennui has become angli- 

 cised, it is not Knp^lish. 



+ hmlniclion in the translation ; but instruction in French is not 

 the equivalent of instruction in English, which in French would bo 

 enseignement. 



J I have altered the translation here ; put is simply translated 

 might, which is insnflicient. 



§ Hc'irevr is lies'. triiii.slated fic-ty, as a rule. 



II Disgvst is rather too strong a rendering of the French degoAter 

 in the reflective form. Se dcgodtcr de qu(dque chose means ehnply 

 to " get rid of the taste for " something or other. 



portent toujours avec eux de quoi a'entretenir ; 



carry always vnth them of ri-hat thnn-selres toentertain ; 



et I'ennui, qui dfivore les autres homraes au 



and the tceariness, vihich devours the other vvni to-tlte 

 milieu meme des delices, est inconnu k ceux qui 

 midst even of-the delights, is unknown to those vi/to 



savent s'occuper par quelque lecture. 



hnoir-hoiv themselves to-occupy by some reading. 

 Heureux ceux qui aiment a lire, et qui ne sont 



Happy those who love to read, and viho IT are 

 point, comme moi, priv^s de la lecture. 



not, like me, deprived of the reading. 



This passage should be carefully compared with a free 

 rendering such as the following : — 



To Iiear better the weariness of captivity and solitude, I 

 sought for some books, for I was oppressed with sadness 

 for want of some study which might nourish and sustain 

 ray mind. Lucky, said I, are those who lose their taste 

 for " violent delights," and who know how to be content 

 with the sweets of an innocent life ! Lucky are those 

 who find amusement in teaching themselves, and who 

 take pleasure in cultivating their minds by science ' 

 In whatever spot hostile fortune may cast them, they bear 

 always with them the means of entertainment ; and weari- 

 ness which oppresses other men, even amid delights, is 

 unknown to those who know how to occupy themselves in 

 some course of reading. Lucky are those who love reading, 

 and who are not, like me, without matter to read. 



TRICYCLES IN 188 3. 



Bt John Browning, 



Chairman and Ti-eas 



• of the London Tricycle Chtb. 



ALTHOUGH the prevailing fashion in tricycles is for 

 front steerers, yet some novel machines of great 

 excellence, which have been brought forward this year, are 

 rear-steerers. 



It should be carefully noted that in these new machines 

 the faults which have brought rear-steerers into disfavour 

 have been rectified, while their good qualities have been 

 retained. 



We are indebted to Rucker for showing us how to make 

 the rear-stearer a safe machine. He first did this by 

 bringing the cranks nearer to the rider than the axles of 

 the driving-wheels, so that his weight was further back in 

 the machine and more on the steering-wheel. By this 

 means, as the rider was more over his work, he gave him 

 more vertical action, which is invaluable for hill climbing. 

 At the same time Rucker introduced double-steering by 

 adding a second rack-rod ; both rods were brought into 

 play by using either hand ; back-lash is avoided and the 

 steering is rendered a ery steady and certain. 



I have heard Mr. Rucker say that ho can rush down a 

 steep hill with his arms folded on one of these machines. 

 Used with the smallest amount of discretion I regard these 

 machines as perfectly safe, and no machine is safe used 

 otherwise. Paradoxical as it may seem, I think there will 

 probably be less serious accidents in the long-run with 

 rear-steering tricycles than with front-steerers. 



Riders of rear-steering machines know that it is best 



T It is not possible to render litcrallj- ne-pas and ne-point. 

 The words pas and point were not originally as they now are, nega- 

 tive of themselves, so that ne pas and ne point were not originally 

 double negatives. It should be noticed that, in writing, ne-point is 

 a more emphatic negative than ne-pas. 



