July 26, 1889.] 



SCIENCE. 



65 



plains the rationale of the plot with reference to the Aristotelian 

 method of analysis ; discusses the artistic structure of the tragedy 

 as to prologue, narratives, d^nouemenl, etc.; and gives a complete 

 exposition of the metres and technique. In the notes, the gram- 

 matical material is presented with sufficient fulness, but mostly in 

 a condensed form, with references to Goodwin and to Hadley & 

 Allen ; while the higher and more edifying matters of exegesis re- 

 ceive explicit treatment. 



— A sketch of the colleges of Wisconsin by William F.Allen 

 and David E. Spencer, recently published by the United States 

 Bureau of Education, does not aim to give more than a very gen- 

 eral outline of the career of each. In the sketch of the State Uui- 

 versity, only such matters are dwelt upon as have had a direct 

 bearing upon the fortunes of the institution, and those which con- 

 cern its relations to the educational movements that have taken 

 place during its history, to the school system of the State, and to 

 the practical progress of the people. While the graduates of the 

 university are filling positions in many cases of greatest trust and 

 usefulness, it is yet too early to estimate the precise drift and 

 measure of the influence of the school upon the educational, politi- 

 cal, and social life of the community. The older graduates are but 

 now in the prime of life, in the midst of the years of greatest activ- 

 ity and influence. The university has not a sufficiently distant past 

 to make its inner life of special interest as matter of histor)' ; nor 

 idoes it fall within the scope of this sketch to trace, in any special 

 manner, the influence of the graduates of the institution beyond its 

 walls. There is considerable variety in the character of the chap- 

 ters devoted to the five private colleges, since the sketches for the 

 greater part are adapted from articles previously published ; but 

 the leading features in the character of each college, and the scope 

 and tendency of its work, are indicated. Many other colleges have 

 from time to time, especially in the first twenty-five or thirty years 

 of our history, been established in Wisconsin. Of two of these 

 which still exist, brief notices are given at the end of the work. 



— With the June number commences the second volume of In- 

 sect Life. The last number was somewhat delayed by the prep- 

 aration of the extensive indexes, which, however, will greatly in- 

 crease the value of Volume I. Largely through the kindness of 

 the authorities of the Government Printing-Office, the numbers 

 during the past year appeared more regularly and promptly than 

 anticipated, and it is hoped to continue this regularity through the 

 coming volume. As stated in the salutatory to the first volume, 

 however, the force of the Division of Entomology is so actively en- 

 gaged during the larger part of the year with field-work and ex- 

 perimentation, that some lack of promptness in publication cannot 

 but ensue. The publication of the bulletin met with even more 

 favor than was hoped at the start, and almost no adverse com- 

 ments have reached the editor's eye. The only criticism noticed 

 was published in the review column of the Atlantic Monthly, in 

 whicti slight exception was taken to the idea of the publication of 

 a magazine by the government, which, by its free distribution, 

 would compete on unfairly advantageous terms with private en- 

 terprises. 



— A monograph on " Education in Georgia " has been prepared by 

 C. E. Jones of Augusta, Ga., a son of the historian of that State, and 

 late graduate student of Johns Hopkins University. This work 

 was undertaken under the supervision of Dr. Herbert B. Adams, 

 editor of the present series of Contributions to American Educa- 

 tional History, published by the United States Bureau of Educa- 

 tion. Mr. Jones discusses the history of education in the State of 

 Georgia. The paper opens with a sketch of the educational ad- 

 vantages afforded by the few schools which existed during the 

 colonial epoch. The formation and conduct of academies after the 

 revolutionary war are next considered. The author then addresses 

 himself to a review of the elementary education afforded in the 

 rural schools, the teachers of which were supported by the tuition 

 derived from the attending scholars. Carefully, and with an ex- 

 haustive analysis of the laws and constitutional provisions bearing 

 upon the subject, are the rise, development, and decadence of the 

 " poor school system," noted. Prior to the late civil war, steps had 



been taken to establish a system of common schools accessible to 

 all white children between the ages of six and eighteen. They 

 were, however, interrupted by the war, and it was not until some 

 five or six years after the cessation of hostilities that the present 

 system of public schools was inaugurated. Having discussed these 

 preliminary topics, Mr. Jones turns his attention to the history and 

 present status of higher education in Georgia, as represented in the 

 university of the State and its branches, in various denominational 

 colleges, and in special institutions designed to facilitate studies in 

 law, medicine, theology, science, and art. All charitable and liter- 

 ary institutions ministering to intellectual, social, and moral im- 

 provement receive due consideration. 



— The August St. Nicholas contains a full and interesting arti- 

 cle by Dr. Jastrow, concerning the late Miss Laura Bridgman, with 

 a portrait, — an exceedingly good likeness ; Dr. Charles S. Robinson 

 offers to mathematicians some curious speculations as to the pres- 

 ent value of " An Egyptian Girl's Gold Necklace," if its value is 

 regarded as having increased at compound interest for over three 

 thousand years ; and " Among the Florida Keys " is continued. 



— In the August Magazine of American History, Dr. Everett's 

 " Earliest American People " touches upon a theme dear to every 

 antiquarian reader. "England's Struggle with the American Colo- 

 nies," by Dr. William M. Taylor, is one of the prominent features 

 of the number. The author traces the events in England, the 

 needless misunderstandings and the crude mistakes which led to 

 the war of the Revolution, and bestowed upon the Colonies their 

 independence, and he does it so that fresh life is infused into the 

 narrative ; and one of the best condensed accounts of this part of 

 our history extant is the result. Hon. J. O. Dykman concludes his 

 series of papers of " The Last Twelve Days of Major Andre " in 

 this number. J. P. Dunn, jun., contributes " The Founding of Post 

 Vincennes," and Mr. William S. Pelletreau writes of " The Philipse 

 Patent in the Highlands," furnishing portraits of Col. and Mrs. 

 Roger Morris, and an interesting map. Mrs. Lamb's opening arti- 

 cle is a vigorous pen-picture of the " Career of a Beneficent Enter- 

 prise," — now one hundred and four years old, — " The General 

 Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen," and this paper is profusely 

 illustrated. A portion of the address of President Merrill E. Gates 

 of Rutgers College, to the class of 1889, appears in these pages, 

 entitled " Life and its Activities — the bearing of the Past on the 

 Present and Future ; " and there is a " Tribute to Mrs. Rutherford 

 B. Hayes," from the editor. The frontispiece of the number is a 

 portrait of Alexander Hamilton. " The Wit and Wisdom of Keo- 

 kuk, Chief of the Sacs and Foxes," is one of the short articles ; and 

 an unpublished Washington letter is given to the reader in Origina 

 Documents. 



— The subject of a monograph, just published by the United 

 States Bureau of Education, is the history of education in North 

 Carolina. In this monograph Mr. Charles Lee Smith, who was 

 trained in historical methods at the Johns Hopkins University, 

 gives the results of a thorough and careful study of the educational 

 history of his native State. For North Carolina this is pioneer 

 work. The writer has traced the genesis and development of edu- 

 cation in North Carolina from the first settlement of that State to 

 the present time. For this purpose he is the first to exploit the 

 colonial records, the publication of which was begun last year, and 

 the early laws of the State. He has also utilized early newspaper 

 files, and all the published biographical and historical works relat- 

 ing to his State to be found in the public libraries of Raleigh, 

 Washington, and Baltimore, besides certain private collections and 

 personal correspondence. The government is perhaps to be cen- 

 sured that schools were not earlier provided. It is an error, how- 

 ever, to suppose, as has been stated by some writers, that there 

 were no good schools in the State previous to the Revolution, for 

 it is shown that there were many creditable institutions, several 

 having a wide reputation. The higher education has been princi- 

 pally treated in this sketch, although the history of primary and 

 secondary instruction has not been neglected. The influence of 

 certain classes of immigration and of institutions outside the State, 

 especially of Princeton, which previous to the establishment of the 



