March 17, 1870 | 
NOTES 
WE are informed that it is probable that Dr. Sharpey, Prof. 
Huxley, and Sir John Lubbock will be among the members of 
the Royal Commission to inquire into the present state of Science 
in this country. 
THE Society of Arts has resolved to hold a morning con- 
ference on the same subject, which will probably take place 
on Friday week. The council of the Society has requested 
Lieut.-Colonel A. Strange to open the discussion with a paper, 
the title of which will be ‘On the inquiry by a Royal Com- 
mission into the relations of the State to Science.” We 
understand that the Society intends to invite the attendance at 
the conference of Her Majesty’s present and late Ministers, 
of all members of the Legislature known to be interested in 
analogous questions, of the councils of all scientific societies, 
and of learned bodies generally. 
It is surely a sign of the times that we should be able to lay 
before our readers a scientific lecture delivered on a Sunday before 
a great audience, composed chiefly of the middle classes. The 
history—the all too short history—of English Sunday lectures is 
very curious and, withal, instructive. Some years ago the move- 
ment was commenced by lectures in St. Martin’s Hall, which 
lectures, thanks to the activity displayed by ‘‘The Lord’s Day 
Observance Society,” were brought to a close somewhat suddenly. 
They were afterwards revived (such is the perfection of our Eng- 
lish law) with impunity, by the simple process of enrolling the 
lecturers and their friends asa religious body! But many of 
those who had taken an active part in the origination of the 
lectures declined to shelter themselves under what they conceived 
to be an unworthy, as well as an unnecessary, subterfuge ; and, 
believing that the law was really on their side, determined to take 
the earliest opportunity of obtaining experimental proof of the 
justice of their views. So we have had two movements—one, 
embodied in the Sunday Lecture Society, a lecture pur e¢ simple 
being delivered each Sunday afternoon, and another, emphati- 
cally the working men’s movement, in which the exact programme 
which was at first threatened with prosecution is reproduced. Both 
these movements have been in operation, and have been the 
means of doing much good, for some time past ; and no attempt 
has been made to interfere with that ‘‘ Free Sunday” which is 
of a good deal more importance to the working men of this 
country than even a “‘Free Breakfast-table.” Surely one of 
those quiet victories by which each step in the march of real 
progress has been made good in English history, has been won. 
A NEW mathematical journal, edited under the direction of 
MM. Chasles, Bertrand, Serret, Delaunay, Puiseux, Darboux, 
&c., is about to appear, under the name of Bulletin des Sciences 
Mathématiques et Astronomigues. Twelve parts will be issued 
yearly, 
WE have received from Mr. Murray a pamphlet on Compul- 
sory Education, by the Hon. Dudley Campbell, which is clear 
enough in treatment, and sound enough in argument to do great 
good at the present time, when the Government bill is before 
the country. It is very hard for a man of scientific training to 
bear with the shifts and compromises with which politicians are 
too often apt !to cover their own shortcomings and lukewarm- 
ness, but in the matter of compulsory education there is less halt- 
ing than usual. Mr. Campbell well points out that people are vacci- 
nated and otherwise dealt with compulsorily for the public weal, 
and he asks why should this system stop just at the point where 
our lamentable backwardness points in the clearest way for the 
necessity of Government action. ‘The country not only asks for 
compulsory education, but we are convinced in time that the 
system of local boards will be swept away. In connection with 
this subject we would call special attention to the fearful state to 
which the voluntary system has reduced education in Birming- 
NATURE 
511 
ham, Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester, as recorded in the reports 
of Messrs. Fitch and Fearon just presented to Parliament. 
THE fund raised in this country for the benefit of the family of 
that great naturalist, the late Professor Sars, now amounts to 
2652. 6s. tod, Among the contributions from the provinces may 
be especially noticed those of Newcastle and Glasgow, showing the 
favour with which science is regarded in those places. Devon- 
shire and Wales have hitherto given no sign, although it might 
have been expected that the last meeting of the British Association 
at Exeter would have left some impress of its visit. The French 
and Belgian subscriptions amount to 6283 fr. or 2517. 6s. 10d. 
THE Lectures of the present year at the Royal College of 
Physicians will be delivered at the College, Pall Mall East, 
at five o’clock on each of the following Wednesdays and 
Fridays :--Goulstonian Lectures, by Dr. Maudsley, March 18, 
“*On the relations between body and mind, and between mental 
and nervous disorders.” Croonian Lectures, by Dr. Sibson, 
March 23, 25, 30, ‘‘On aneurisms of the aorta.” Lumleian 
Lectures, by Dr. J. R. Bennett, April 1, 6, 8, ‘On the natural 
history and diagnosis of intra-thoracic cancer.” 
Novices of motion have been given by Mr, Strutt for a 
return relative to the expenditure of the Meteorological Com- 
‘mittee, voted in Class 4 of the Civil Service Estimates, 1869- 
70; by Mr. Grant Duff for a copy of report on measures 
adopted for sanitary improvements in India; by Mr. Macfie 
for a select committee to consider and report on the law 
relating to letters patent for inventions; by Mr. Mundella of 
an amendment to Mr. Macfie’s motion. 
A Natura History Society has just been formed at 
Winchester College. The subjects it embraces at present are 
botany, ethnology, and geology, these being the most easy of 
access under the existing circumstances. One of the main objects 
of this society is the formation of a museum, which, it is hoped, 
will tend to keep up an interest in scientific subjects among the 
members of the school. The meetings have been largely at- 
tended, and there is every reason to expect that the society will 
prove a lasting benefit to the college. 
WE must congratulate the Leamington Philosophical Society 
and its energetic president, Dr. O’Callaghan, upon the successful 
way in which they are doing the good work of fostering science 
in Warwickshire by means of lectures, and upon the fact that 
they can prevail upon such busy men as Mr. E. J. Reed and Sir 
Bartle Frere—to mention two of their recent lecturers—to help 
them. Mr. Reed’s lecture on ‘‘ Our Ironclad Navy” was given 
last week, and we hope to place some parts of it before our 
readers. 
THE prospectus of the forthcoming course of instruction at the 
Working Men’s College is a most gratifying one. Besides classes 
in Art, History and Law, Languages and Mathematics, we have the 
following in physical science :—The Use of the Microscope, Mr. 
J. Slade; Astronomy, Mr. R. B. Litchfield, B.A.; Muscular 
Anatomy of the Human Body, Mr. J. Beswick Perrin, Besides 
these classes, there are free general lectures at 8.30 on Saturdays, 
among which we note four on Crystals, by Prof. N. S. Maske- 
lyne, of the British Museum. All should feel grateful to those 
connected with this institution who, without fee or reward, devote 
their small spare time to the arduous work of teaching. 
WE regret to hear that Dr. Kirk, the indefatigable friend and 
former companion of Livingstone finds his efforts to send sup- 
plies to the latter paralysed by the presence of cholera on the 
East Coast of such severity that 10,000 have died in Zanzibar in 
the course of six weeks. He adds that ‘‘the scourge rages up 
and down the coast. At Quiloa, by the last accounts, there were 
200 deaths a day among the slaves ; when offered at one dollar 
a head they found no purchasers, so very worthless had slave 
property become from the disease. It is also going inland, which 
