January 1, 1887.] 



♦ KNOWLEDGE ♦ 



67 



I AM obliged for the note ; but it involves no correction. 

 Tlie beginning of the seventeenth century would be quite 

 old enough to show that " in the dumps " and " dumpy " 

 are not Americanisms but old English. In reality the 

 usage must be much older. I suppose the passage referred 

 to as belonging to about 1530-15-10, is Surrey's 



My sinews dull in dumps I stand. 



(Surrey died in 1517.) Of course this use of the word by 

 Surrey shows that it was a familiar word in his day, and it 

 may fairly be regarded as already an old word then. But 

 as a matter of fact, its derivation from the Norse domp or 

 dunij) would sutiice to prove that it is Old English as well 

 as old English, which last was all I said of it. "The 

 dumps " would be equivalent to " the vapours." Chaucer in 

 the " Nonnes Preestes Tale " speaks of one who needs 

 purging '• of melancholic," as " replete of humours bote." 

 Dumps, i.e. damps, humours, vapours, all equally imply 

 gloom. 



* * * 



The verse about Witherington in the ancient version of 

 "Chevy Chase" (which T have long known by heart), runs 

 thus : — 



For Witheringlou my lieart was wae, 



That ever he slaine should be; 

 For when both his legs were hewn in two, 



Yet he kneol'd and fought on his knee. 



(The poet seems to have striven to make Witherington some 

 amends by throwing in an extra foot in each of the last two 

 lines.) In the comparatively modern version, quoted by 

 Addison in apparent ignorance of any older one, we find 

 Witherington's sad lot dealt with less poetically : — 



For Witherington needs must I wail, 



As one in doleful dumps ; 

 For when his legs were smitten off. 



Ho fought upon his stumps, 



* * * 



We s^hall do such of our readers as may not have seen 

 the December number of the Fortnightly Review a service 

 by calling their serious attention to Professor Huxley's 

 article on " Science and Morals " in that journal. It is a 

 reply to a charge by Mr. Lilly that the Professor, together 

 with Mr. Herbert Spencer and the late Professor Clifford, 

 agree in setting aside as unverifiable everything which the 

 senses cannot verify, or which lies beyond the bounds of 

 physical science, or which cannot he analysed in the 

 laboratory. If Mr. Lilly has read with dua care and com- 

 prehension Professor Huxley's essays on " Descartes " and 

 " Berkeley," on " Sensation and the Sensiferous Organs," 

 and notaljly the celebrated essay on the " Physical Basis of 

 Life," it is difficult to acquit him of wilful misrepresentation 

 of their writer's consistent attitude towards what is commonly 

 understood by materialism. Professor Huxley has, how- 

 ever, an easy victor}', and we are inclined to thank Mr. 

 Lilley for having educed a manifesto as to the non-atheistic 

 and non-spiritualistic character of science, truly so-called, 

 the permanent value of which cannot be overrated. The 

 paper is worth reading for its crispness, clearness, and dignity 

 of style alone, and as to the matter, let it be read and 

 re-read until it is thoroughly assimilated. 



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The Methods of Glass-Blowing. By W. A. Siiexstone. 

 (London: Rivingtons. 1886.) — With the exception of the 

 directions given in a treatise which appeared many vears 

 ago, and then only existed in the form of two or "three 

 unbound sheets, nothing worthy of the name of instructions 

 in glass-blowing have appeared since those given by Faraday 

 in his "Chemical Manipulation," first published in 1827. 

 Mr. Shenstone then has supplied a very real want in the 

 little book before us, and has earned the gratitude of all 

 students of chemistry and physics by his simple and well- 

 illustrated description of the methods adopted in the con- 

 struction of all such glass apparatus as is ordinarily in use 

 in the laboratory. He begins by describing the few and 

 simple tools and materials requisite ; explains the difference 

 between lead glass and soda glass ; and then initiates the 

 beginner in the simple operations of cuttin<r, bending, 

 widening, and piercing tubes, and teaches him how to blow 

 bulbs and grind stoppers. In a subsequent chapter the 

 knowledge thus acquired is directed to the production of 

 complicated pieces of apparatus, and the work concludes 

 with an account of the way in which glass vessels and 

 tubes are graduated and calibrated. An appendix gives full- 

 sized sectional diagrams of the various glass tubes pur- 

 chasable, with their trade numeral designations appended. 

 We have two tiivial faults to find with this capital little 

 book. The first is, that its author's description of the blow- 

 pipe and its adjuncts applies solely to that form in which 

 gas is used, and is, therefore, of use only to those resident in 

 towns. The second complaint we have to make is that every 

 measure in the book is given in millimetres, centimetres, 

 and the like, the honest English inch being as absolutely 

 ignored as the Chinese chid. When the metric system is 

 made compulsory in this country, it will be quite time 

 enough to make this cheaj) display of learning. 



Circular Work in Carpentry and Joinery. By George 

 CoLLiNGS. Weale's Series. (London : Crosby Lockwood 

 & Co. 1886.) — Mr. Ceilings has made a real contribution 

 to technical education in the work before us ; and the joiner 

 who will thoroughly master its contents will possess an 

 amount of knowledge but too rare among his confreres, and 

 hence be in a position to demand the highest remuneration 

 that his trade affords. Both the theorv and practice of 

 curved work in timber are explained intelligently and intel- 

 ligibly by our author, who, beginning with the most simple 

 examples of single curvature (such, for instance, as .segment- 

 headed window frames and the like), leads his pupil through 

 others of gradually increasing complexity to such master- 

 pieces of carpentry as domes, and ogee and apsidal roofs. 

 Mr. Collings's mathematical illustrations of the principles 

 underlying the construction of the various pieces of work 

 he describes are in no case beyond the apprehension of any 

 moderately well-educated artificer ; and, in short, both 

 theoretically and practically, his book leaves nothing to be 

 desired. But we do wish that he would not write minutes 

 and seconds of arc for feet and inches. 



lIoiK to develop General Vocal Power. By J. P. Saxd- 

 LANBS, M.A. (London : Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, & 

 Ivivington. 1886.) — While primarily, apparently, addressed 

 to stammerers, for whose cure the major part of the exercises 

 it contains are intended, Mr. Sandlands' volume may also be 

 recommended to all who wish to read distinctly and im- 

 pressively. His vocal gymnastics seem to be well adapted 

 at once to remove vocal impediments in those suffering from 

 defective articulation, and to improve declamatory power in 

 those not so afHicted. It may be profitablj' studied by both 

 the stammerer and the would-be orator. 



