REVIEW. 
185 
The Meeting of the Council is to be held at 12, and the 
General Annual Meeting at 8 p.m., in the Drill Hall, Albert 
Road. 
At the Conversazione in the evening there will be various 
exhibitions of scientific interest and short addresses on points 
connected with the local Natural History and Antiquities. 
The excursions on Thursday, the 7th of July, will be 
three in number, so arranged as to specially meet the 
requirements of Geologists, Botanists, and Archaeologists, 
respectively. 
The Geologists will visit various points of interest in the 
Malvern chain of Hills and the vicinity, including the very 
fine collection of local fossils made by Mr. Piper, of Ledbury. 
For the Botanists, Twining Fleet and Bredon Hill will 
no doubt furnish a rich harvest of uncommon plants, while 
the Abbey at Tewkesbury, the almost unique Saxon Church 
at Deerlmrst, and the ancient houses of Payn’s Place and 
Birtsmorton will afford plenty of interesting material for the 
Archaeological excursion. 
A Modern Apostle, etc. By Constance C. W. Naden, Author of “ Songs 
and Sonnets of Springtime.” London:—Kegan Paul, Trench, & Co., 
1887. 
The pages of the “Midland Naturalist” are not usually open for the 
criticism of works of a purely literary character, and therefore the 
indulgence of its editors and readers is craved for this departure 
from precedent. But, on the other hand, the reviewer is of opinion 
that a perusal of the dainty volume of poems above mentioned, will not 
only justify the present notice, but will call forth the gratitude of readers 
for being introduced to it, especially as the contents of the volume 
are written on a sound scientific basis, such as that laid down by 
Mr. Herbert Spencer in his famous “Essays on Education,” wherein, 
speaking of poetry, he says:—“ Like music, poetry has its root in those 
“ natural modes of expression which accompany deep feeling. Its 
“ rhythm, its strong and numerous metaphors, its hyperboles, its 
“ violent inversions, are simply exaggerations of the traits of excited 
“ speech. To be good, therefore, poetry must pay attention to those 
“laws of nervous action which excited speech obeys. In intensifying 
“ and combining the traits of excited speech, it must have due regard 
“ to proportion—must not use its appliances without restriction ; but, 
“ where the ideas are least emotional, must use the forms of poetical 
“expression sparingly; must use them more freely as the emotion 
“ rises; and must carry them to their greatest extent, only where the 
