50 BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE, 



disproportionate and nntrutliful estimation of Canada. Sucli a proce as 

 of learning history lias as mucL. utility and beauty in it as tte study 

 of oneself in a convex mirror, wliere tlie nose swells to a size tliat 

 rivals the remainder of the distorted features, and the face itself out- 

 bulks the whole dwindled and tapering figure. Canada is not the 

 greatest corner of the imiverse, nor Toronto the concentration of all 

 that is sublime and exclusively select aoid magnificent on our little 

 planet. And as it is generally thought desirable that our young, 

 eommon-sehool pupils should have some idea that this Earth of ours 

 is not quite so big as the Sun, and may even^ compare disparagingly 

 with Jupiter or Saturn : we have an idea that there may be nothing 

 unwise or unpatriotic in giving them e£[ually truthful ideas of the 

 political world at large ; instead of merely substituting a Canadiaa 

 " Morse" for the American one, which illustrates the Geography of 

 Ireland by the picture of a " Peeler distraining for rent ;" and after 

 expending some forty pages on its own glorious " United States," 

 generously spares a single page and a fraction for the whole of Brit Isb 

 [N'orth America. Eegarding as we do such teaching as peculiarly 

 injurious to the minds of the rising generation, we congratulate Mr. 

 Hodgins on setting the example of a system of schooling more in 

 accordance with wise discrimination and true patriotism ; and if suck 

 ample knowledge should teach young Canada to think less of our 

 Province in comparison with the rest of the world, we feel well assured 

 that its final effect will be to make the world at large think more,- 

 and with better reason, of this the greatest of all the colonies of the 

 Empire,, 



D.W. 



SCIENTIFIC AND LITERARY NOTES, 

 BRITISH ASSOGIATIOK FOR THE ADVAJTCEMENT OP SCIENGK 



ON THE VAaiAirON IN THE QUANTITY OF KAIN DUE TO THE MOON's POSITION IN 

 EEFERENCE TO THE PLANE OF TfiE EARTH's ORBIT. — BY ME. 0. FULBEOOK. 



The author called attention to an important diiferenee in the amount of raiis 

 which falls in these latitudes at opposite parts of the moon's course with reference 

 to the plane of the earth's orbit : — a result obtained by placing horizontally (trom 

 the daily register of Howard, in the vicinity of London) the amourtt of rain(whe3 



