didates were required to name the seas (generally) which wash the shores of England, Scotland and Ireland respectively; the principal mountain region in each of the three countries and its general elevation approximately; the four principal rivers of the British Isles, and the course of one of them. They were also required to state where certain towns in the British Isles were situated and for what they are remarkable; and to classify Glamorgan, Norfolk, Dorset, Stafford, York and Lancaster, as (1) manufacturing, (2) mining, (3) agricultural, (4) pastoral; also to name the situation of a few well-known seaports in Europe. The other questions were general in their character, and therefore admit of free answers. With such a summary, comment is unnecessary; but we again urge candidates to use their maps and postpone learning the heights of mountains and the lengths of rivers until they know the capes, bays and chief divisions of a country. More than half the number of questions is devoted to the British Isles-hence only a general knowledge of Europe is necessary. Candidates should make lists of the principal rivers for themselves as follows:

Arithmetic.] By carefully studying Colenso, candidates will find no difficulty in answering all the questions in this paper. After a few examples in notation and numeration, simple and compound division and multiplication, the candidate was required to add together certain fractions and simplify 43 × (3 of 7%) (3 of 7-3)

3

also to express 417 as a decimal and 3.2746 as a fraction. The last two questions are not so easy.

English History.] We have lately written so much on this subject that we do not propose at present to revive the question as to how a candidate should study it. The paper is rather easy, and the questions do not require such exhaustive answers as those set for the Preliminary Law Examination. When candidates are asked to give some account of a historical character, they have the advantage of selecting one from at least six or seven, whereas in many Examinations only one or two are named. This also applies to acts of parliament; but the following is the most difficult (?) question: "Give the dates, with results, of the following battles -Evesham, Bannockburn, Naseby, Dunbar, Sedgemoor."

The Latin paper contains a piece for translation selected from the second book of Cæsar's Commentaries, "De Bello Gallico," and six grammatical questions founded on the extract. Candidates were first required to decline throughout and give the gender of multitudinem, loco, collis, aciem, planitie, lateris; the case and government of certain verbs which can only be done with the extract. This was followed by a question requiring them to write down the principal parts of supersedere, auderent, patebat, instructa, redibat, editus; and the imperative and the perfect subjunctive of statuit, redibat, habebat, &c. A candidate who possesses a

fair knowledge of Latin can become proficient in this subject in two or three months at the most.

Euclid.] Candidates were required to work out rather short propositions. They were also asked to define a plane rectilinear angle, a right angle, a parallelogram, a square and a rhombus. No really practical suggestions can be given for the study of this subject. We are in the habit of meting out for the advantage of our backward pupils those propositions likely to be set; but we do not resort to such a means of assisting them until we are thoroughly impressed that all hopes of their being able to remember and understand the whole of the first and second books have vanished.

French.] The piece for translation is very easy, and the (6) grammatical questions are based on the extract. This is the last question in the paper: In the following sentences correct the past participles in italics.-Combien de lettres a-t-il écrit? Voici la réponse que j'ai reçu de lui. Plusieurs dames se sont présenté à la porte, je les ai fait entrer. Sa femme les a laissé avec lui, et s'en est allé.

Algebra.] After examples in multiplication, division, and G. C. M., candidates were required to find the square root of—

x6 6x5+ 13 x1 — 32 x2 + 24 x + 36

and to solve two examples in equations. The last problem is somewhat similar to those set in the Preliminary Law Examinations, but in the latter they must not be worked out by algebra, as the use of it is strictly forbidden.

Greek.] The piece for translation is extracted from the first book of the Anabasis of Xenophon, and the grammatical questions, as in the Latin, are based on the extract. Candidates were asked to decline - orparià, στρατιώτας, ὁρῶντες ; and throughout the plural βασιλεὰ ὑποζύγια, ἐκκλησίαν; also to compare μspov and woλur; and to illustrate by instances taken from the passage for translation (i) the use of the Greek article with an infinitive mood, (ii) the difference between the imperfect and aorist tenses. After a few more questions of an ordinary character, candidates were asked to render the following short sentences in Greek: The men are wise; The same soldiers; I reckon you friends and allies.

There can be no practical advantage in dealing with the other papers, for those who really intend preparing for the Examination ought to obtain the questions and look for themselves. But as there are many of our readers we know who contemplate presenting themselves for the Examination ere long, we furnish them with a brief review of the principal (compulsory) papers. We ought not, however, in justice to ourselves, to pass from this subject without adding that we were fortunate enough to anticipate the majority of the questions, and that the pieces for the Latin, French and Greek translations were among those parts to which we had specially directed the attention of our pupils.

CHAPTER IV.

A FEW REMARKS ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE MEMORY.

Is memory the purveyor of reason? If so, ought we not to do all in our power to cultivate or improve it. We have frequently had occasion to remark that many inapt individuals have an extraordinary advantage over acute and energetic men in consequence of their brilliant memories. Some are born with a memory, some cultivate the "rough diamond." Nature is kind indeed when she bestows this gift; but let those who are not so blessed console themselves that "art" treads very closely on nature's steps, and very often supplies missing links.

It would be absurd on our part to argue for a moment that it is possible to supply endowments which have not been conferred on an individual by nature, but still we all know a great deal may be done towards attaining a point of perfection; and in the case of the memory, nothing can be more simple than to cultivate it, provided it be done before a person is twentyone years of age, and even then there are various degrees of success.

It is absolutely essential that if a person wishes to enter the legal profession and attain a tolerably high position, he should have a good memory; but those who have bad memories must not run away with the idea that there is no means of improvement.

For the benefit of those who aspire to something beyond merely passing an examination, viz., distinction in afterlife, we offer the following remarks.

There is, as we sa'd on a previous occasion, a distinction between memory and recollection. Memory retains ideas without any or little effort; but recollection implies an effort to recall ideas that are past. Great care should, therefore, be taken not to confuse them. Indeed we have been frequently told by some that they have good memories, because they could recollect certain incidents which occurred years ago. If any peculiar means be adopted to impress a subject or event or any extraordinary incident on the mind, the person remembering it would surely not say he has a good memory (?) A person may remember perfectly well the circumstance of the Prince of Wales going to St. Paul's on Thanksgiving Day, or the recent attempt (!) on the life of Her Majesty, or the opening of the Bethnal Green Museum, but yet would not remember a single fact that he may have read in a book, though he had gone over it twenty times. Hence it is perfectly apparent that the excitement or the peculiarity of the former events makes an indelible mark on the memory. We therefore see that measures ought to be adopted, as far as possible, to deal with facts and circumstances very clearly. Is it not a fact that many persons can derive benefit by copying what they have to learn. A person, as a rule, cannot write as quickly as he can read. We often, while lecturing, make certain remarks in order that our hearers may be impressed with what we say, and in innumerable instances we have been informed that whenever we have again referred to the various points of the same subject the remarks crossed the memory with them.

The memory, we contend, ought to be cultivated when a person is young —when the brain is growing. No doubt there are many ways of improv

ing it; but the simplest and, at the same time, the most effectual method for the student to adopt is to learn a verse of poetry every evening, just before he retires to rest, and say it by heart on the following morning. If he continue this practice for two or three months he will certainly derive incalculable benefit from it. It would surely not take him many minutes to learn say either of the following verses, and in time he would have his memory stored with many interesting pieces:

"How happy is he born and taught

That serveth not another's will;
Whose armour is his honest thought,
And simple truth his utmost skill!"

"Lament who will, in fruitless tears,
The speed with which our moments fly,
I sigh not over vanished years,

But watch the years that hasten by."

"Keep pushing-'tis wiser
Than sitting aside,
And dreaming and sighing
And waiting the tide.
In life's earnest battle

They only prevail

Who daily march onward

And never say fail!"

Some persons prefer studying in the evening, others rise at four o'clock in the morning. We recommend those who have not laid down any rule, to adopt the following course. They should retire to rest about an hour or an hour and a-half before their usual time, and continue studying the required work until they gradually fall asleep. We must here remind them to be careful where they place the lamp. On the following morning they should read the work once or twice, and say it without the book, or if it be work which they do not wish to learn word for word, they may ask a friend to hear them. This method will, in most cases, have the desired effect, and the matter will be retained in the memory for months, ah! years. The matter becomes, as it were, photographed on the mind. In our younger days we tried this method, and have since recommended it to our pupils, who have assured us that they also derived considerable benefit from it. Of course the student must continue it for two or three months, though he will derive some benefit after a few trials.

As we have taken upon ourselves to treat of so many subjects in this number, we must postpone further remarks until another time.

CHAPTER V.

SYNOPSIS OF LEADING AUTHORS, STATESMEN, POETS AND PHILOSOPHERS. [ARRANGED IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER.]

Brunswick Period-continued.

WILLIAM LAMB (VISCOUNT MELBOURNE): prime minister of England; was the second son of Lord Melbourne, and was born March 15th, 1779 A.D. He studied for the bar, and became a member of Lincoln's Inn. Having become the representative of the family on the death of his elder brother, he was brought into the House of Commons, and gradually rose to great distinction, In 1827 he became secretary for Ireland, but in 1828 he resigned office, and the same year was called up to the House of Lords by the death of his father. In 1830 he was appointed secretary of the home department. In March, 1834, on the retirement of Lord Grey, Lord Melbourne succeeded to the premiership, but in the autumn of the same year the removal of Lord Althorpe from the leadership of the House of Commons so weakened the government, that William IV. dismissed it. In 1835 Lord Melbourne was once more made first lord of the treasury. In 1837 Lord Melbourne's government, which had become gradually weakened by the attacks of a powerful majority in the upper house, gained new strength from the accession of Queen Victoria. From this period to the close of his official career, he devoted himself to the task of instructing the Queen in the exercise of her important functions, and in this sphere of duty his talents were so eminently displayed as to elicit expressions of approbation even from his political opponents. In 1839 Lord Melbourne resigned, but he once more returned to office, and finally resigned his high office in 1841. He died November 24, 1848.

THOMAS MOORE: Ireland's national poet; was born at Dublin in 1779 A.D. In his thirteenth year he contributed to the "Anthologia," a Dublin Magazine. In 1799 he proceeded to London with the view of keeping his terms in the Middle Temple and publishing by subscription a translation of Anacreon, which, through the good offices of the Earl of Moira, was dedicated to the Prince of Wales. His next publication was entitled "The Poetical Works of the late Thomas Little," printed in 1802, with the Horatian motto "Lusisse pudet." In 1803 he obtained a government appointment at Bermuda, but speedily left his duties to be performed by a deputy, and visited the United States. In 1806 he published two volumes of Odes and Epistles, which were severely criticised in the "Edinburgh Review." In consequence of that article Jeffrey and Moore met as duellists at Chalk Farm, but no harm was done, and they afterwards became great friends. Lord Byron commemorated the event in his "English Bards and Scotch Reviewers," and Moore sent Byron a challenge, but it led to a sincere friendship between them. In 1813 he went to live at Ashbourne in Derbyshire, and wrote his "Intercepted