EDITORIAL NOTES. 



323 



larger faith in the possibilities of Ufa, to put forth more energy in preparation for 

 that which Hes beyond and to be more resigned to the inevitable — the Hmitations 

 of our being. One must regret, however, that so sweet a writer as Mr. Alger 

 should allow the divine benevolence to overshadow the other attributes of the 

 Divine Being. The book will doubtless have a large sale. 



How TO Tell the Parts of Speech. By Rev. Edwin A. Abbott, D. D., i6 

 mo. pp. 143. Roberts Brothers, Boston, 1881. For sale by Kansas Book 

 and News Company. 



In this hand-book the author attempts to ehminate the vernacular from the 

 Latin nomenclature which grammarians have fastened upon it. The inflections 

 of the Latin language have no correspondence in the uninflected English, and 

 it is impossible to find English things for Latin names. English words must be 

 classified according to their functions in the sentence. Taking this as a key to 

 unlock the mysteries of English grammar, the author thinks that a very young 

 child may be taught almost without knowing it, the various parts of speech. 

 Some intelhgent teachers have already pursued this plan with success, and this 

 hand-book may be made very valuable to teachers. The English language un- 

 folds more easily under natural methods. 



EDITORIAL NOTES. 



The Cincinnati meeting of the American 

 Association began on the 17th of August, 

 and in spite of the prospect of hot weather, 

 attracted the largest attendance of any meet- 

 ing in the history of the Association, except 

 that of last year at Boston, Many of the 

 leading scientific men from all parts of the 

 country were present and papers of much in- 

 terest and value were read in the various 

 sections. We have given a very full synopsis 

 of the Proceedings of the Association in this 

 number of the Review, and we hope in fu- 

 ture numbers to publish some papers in full 

 which seem more immediately to demand at- 

 tention as contributions to science. The 



members of the local committee were inde- 

 fatigable in their efforts to make everything 

 move on smoothly and happily, and the hos- 

 pitality of Cincinnati was boundless. The 

 proposed changes in the constitution were 

 effected by which the number of sub-sections 

 was increased, and some other alterations 

 made which it is believed will add to the 

 value of future meetings. The meeting of 

 next year will be at Montreal. Excursions 

 to Madisonville, Chattanooga and Mammoth 

 Cave were organized and a large number of 

 the Association enjoyed these trips, where 

 science and pleasure seeking are so pleasant- 

 ly combined. 



