1S53] 



NOTICES OF BOOKS. 



43 



in Canada, which in the present instance he felt the more, from 

 its being- offered by a Soeiety devoted more particularly to that 

 profession in which he had been so long and, as the address sta- 

 ted, successfully engaged. Twenty-five 3-ears ago, he said, he 

 had been in this place, when at that time he was poor and 

 unknown, and if the contrast of his second visit struck forcibly as 

 regarded himself, so also did the contrast of the appearance of the 

 city then and now. Little did he imagine then that the village 

 of " muddy little York " could have made such astonishing pro- 

 gress as he saw around hira, and he must heartily congratulate 

 the people of this country on their having shown such energy 

 and enterprize: when the various railroads in connexion with 

 the city were in full play, he thought Toronto would not be long 

 in enforcing the title she had ambitiously but not arrogantly 

 seized, " The Queen of the West" Such societies as this, lie felt 

 sure, must be productive of much benefit, particularly by means 

 of the discussions that would ensue on the reading of scientific 

 papers: such had been the case with their own Soeiety in Lon- 

 don : professional gentlemen would be very careful in putting for- 

 ward statements, and would investigate their subject more tho- 

 roughly, when they knew their opinions and calculations would 

 be liable to acute questioning by the best men of the country. 

 He would be happy to accept a cop} r of their Journal, the exist- 

 tenee of which did much credit to them, and could not fail to be 

 of the greatest service to the interests of the profession and sci- 

 ence generally. He would forward for their acceptance a copy 

 of his work on tubular bridges, and should feel highly honoured 

 at being enrolled in their Society as an honorary member. 



In the course of after-conversation, Mr. Stephenson took occa- 

 sion to pay Mr. Cumberland a very high compliment on the 

 architecture of the Cathedral, and also denounced strongly the 

 American system of Railroads, and the careless, almost wanton 

 disregard of life and property which characterized their manage- 

 ment: speaking of the single track lines, he expressed an opinion 

 that they ought never to be used, until the electric telegraph was 

 in operation throughout the whole extent, so that the passage of 

 every train at each station might be communicated at once to 

 every other station. A good-humoured discussion arose upon 

 this, wdiich bade fair to be considerably prolonged, had not the 

 Deputation, mindful of the arduous task Mr. Stephenson had to 

 go through in the evening, felt it a duty to terminate this very 

 pleasing interview. 



The Stephenson Dinner. 



The description of this elegant testimonial of respect and 

 esteem, on the part of the Civil Engineers of Upper Canada, 

 towards the most eminent Engineer of modern times, has been 

 already widely circulated in every part of this Province. We 

 content ourselves, therefore, with an extract from a lengthy de- 

 scription which appeared in the Daily Colonist of August 27th: 



"The Civil Engineers have done themselves the credit of get- 

 ting up, take it for its all in all, the most splendid Public Dinner 

 that ever took place in Toronto. It was worthy of their guest, 

 Robert Stephenson, C.E., whose well-earned world-wide repu- 

 tation, does honor to the profession of engineer. The Civil Engi- 

 neers have done well to entertain him in this manner, and for our 

 part we are obliged to them for the opportunity of hearing him 

 speak. The arrangements for the dinner were very good. The 

 old Chamber of the Assembly was used as a reception room, and 

 it answered the purpose admirably; and the dinner tables were 

 laid out in the old Legislative Council Chamber. This last was 

 most tastefully and appropriately decorated, with flags and engi- 

 neering devices, models and instruments. " Success to Railway 

 Enterprise," was one of the mottoes, and either side of this were, 



intermingled with the engineering devices, the letters, in large 

 characters, R. S. 



"As to the tables, nothing could exceed the good order of the 

 arrangement they displayed, or the tasteful manner in which they 

 were laid out. Nothing was spared ; the table service was all 

 that could be desired ; the flowers, and fruit, and ornaments pro- 

 duced a striking effect. Eveiy thing was lavish, but nothing de 

 trop. the common fault of bad taste.' 



Notices of Books. 



The Mining Magazine ; Edited by William T. Tenney, New York. 

 The second number of this now Periodical is full of interesting and 

 important maiter; besides several original and selected articles of value 

 it contains amass of information under the following; headings: — 

 Journal of Mining Laws and Regulations ; Commercial Aspect of the 

 Miuing Interest ; Journal of Gold, Copper, Silver and Lead Mining 

 Operations; Coals and Collieries; Iron and Zinc ; Quarries, <fcc. 



Journal of Education for Upper Canada. The July, August and 

 September numbers of the Journal of Education are sent forth together, 

 in order that the whole of the Catalogue of Books for Public School 

 Libraries, and the Circulars and Regulations respecting the modes of 

 their establishment, may be laid before the Local Municipal School 

 authorities at one and the same time. 



In the official Circular from the Chief Superintendent of Schools to 

 Township Councils and Trustees, upon the establishment and manage- 

 ment of School Libraries, Dr. Ryerson says : 



'•In regard to the selection and procuring of the books mentioned in 

 the catalogue, I may observe, that it is not easy to conceive, and it is 

 needless that I should attempt to describe, the amount of time, labour, 

 and auxietv which has been expended iu devising and maturing this 

 system of Public School Libraries, in making arrangements in Great 

 Britain and the United States for procuring these books on advanta- 

 geous terms, and in selecting them from a much larger number of 

 works on the same subjects ; nor am I yet able myself to form an 

 accurate idea of the extent of the additional labour and responsibility 

 incurred by making this Department the medium and agent of pro- 

 viding the Public School Libraries throughout the Province with the 

 Books for which the Municipalities may think proper to apply. But 

 on no part of the work which I have undertaken, do I reflect with 

 more interest and pleasure than on that of rendering accessible to all 

 the. Municipalities of Upper Canada — even the most remote — books of 

 instruction and useful entertainment which would not have otherwise 

 come within their reach, aud that at prices which will save them 

 thousands per annum in the purchase of them — thus adding to their 

 resources of knowledge and enjoyment by the variety and character of 

 books to which they can have access, and the increase of facilities and 

 the reduction of expenses iu procuring them." 



The Catalogue is evidently prepared with great care aud precision 

 There is attached to the name of each important book a short descrip- 

 tion of its contents, and not unfrequently short extracts of the opinions 

 of men well known by their writings or position. 



The regulations subjoined, being two out of eighteen, established by 

 the Council of Public Instruction for the management of School Libra- 

 ries, exhibit the scope of these admirable adjuncts to our Common 

 School System. It will be seen that the libraries are to be open to the 

 public under certain regulations. 



" There may be School Section Libraries, or Township Librares, as 

 each Township Municipality shall prefer. In case of the establishment 

 of a Township Library, the Township Council may either cause the 

 books to be deposited iu one place, or recognise each School Section 

 within its jurisdiction as a branch of the Township Library Corpora- 

 tion, and cause the Library to be divided into parts or sections, and 

 allow each of these parts or sections of the Library to be circulated iu 

 succession in each School Section." 



" Each individual residing iu a School Section, of sufficient age to 

 read the boots belonging to the Library, shall be entitled to all the 

 benefits and privileges conferred by these regulations relative to Public 

 School Libraries ; but no person, under age, can be permitted to take a 

 book out of the Library, unless he re-ides with some inhabitant who is 

 responsible for him ; nor can he receive a book if notice has been given 

 by his parent, or guardian, or person with whom Uu rrsides, that he 

 will not be responsible for books delivered to such rr inor. But any 

 minor can draw a book from the Library, on depositing 1 < cost of such 

 book with the Librarian." 



