death of the marrow occurs, and that it is not dessicated, nor reduced to the form of a compressed, solidified, and decomposing powder. Glycerin seems to be the best basis for preserving the biologic integrity of the extract. If iron be present in the extract of bone marrow, it is in such a shape that it cannot be detected by ordinary chemical tests, but patients who have taken it look as if they had taken a course of iron.

A new amalgam has been discovered which is said to be a wonderful substitute for gold. It consists of ninety-four parts of copper to six parts of antimony. The copper is melted and the antimony is added, together with a little magnesium and carbonate of lime, to increase the density. The product can be drawn, wrought, and soldered like the precious metal to which it bears a striking resemblance when polished. The cost of manufacture is about 25 cents a pound.

The total miles of telegraph wire in the world has reached 4,908,921, not counting 180,440 miles of submarine cable. Were this all in one continuous line it would wrap around the equator about 198 times. The moon and earth could be connected by 20 lines, with enough to spare to connect every country on the earth. Of the total amount, Europe has 1,764,790; Asia, 310,685; Africa, 99,419; Australia, 217,479; and America, 2,516,548.

The longest-lived animal in the world is the giant tortoise of the Seychelles Islands. One has recently been presented to the zoological society of London by Mr. Walter Rothschild which weighs a quarter of a ton. Its known

length of life is 150 years, its age previous to its transportation to the island of Mauritius being unknown. In 1833 the governor of Mauritius sent to the zoological gardens a tortoise weighing 285 pounds. It was four feet four inches long, and had been in the island of Mauritius for sixty-seven years. The exact period was known, for this tortoise was brought to that island from the Seychelles in 1766. At that time it was full-grown, so that its real age was probably much greater.

The question was asked one day, writes F. L. Johnson in "Power," "How much will it cost to keep the stable harness rooms warm this winter?" Some one's statement that one foot of uncovered 2-inch pipe would condense a dollar's worth of steam in a year was taken as a basis. It was decided that 25 feet of 2-inch pipe would do the heating, and that the heating would be required for thirteen weeks. This would be 325 foot weeks, which, divided by 52, gave 6.25 foot years, or $6.25, as the estimated cost of heating the rooms for one season. Fifty feet of 1-inch pipe were put in and a home-made trap devised which discharged condensation at 204°. A tub was placed under the drip from the trap, and at the end of one hour was found to have caught 60 pounds of water. Our evaporation is 10 pounds of water per pound of coal, so it took 6 pounds of coal per hour, or 1,008 pounds per week, to heat the rooms, 13×1,008= 13, 104 pounds of coal for the season. The coal costs $3.25 per gross ton on the boiler room floor; 5.85 gross tons of coal at $3.25 makes $19.01, the amount it will cost to heat a room whose estimated cost of heating was $6.25. A dollar a

year for heating one foot of uncovered 2-inch pipe is a very moderate estimate of its cost in most localities.

Foreign immigration is beginning to increase. There arrived in the United States during September 20,450 immigrants, as compared with 20,338 for September, 1896. For three months ending September 30 the arrivals this year were 49,296, as compared with 60,650 for the same quarter last year.

Shipments of Lake Superior iron ore up to November 1, are reported by the "Marine Review" at 11,270,283 tons, as against 9,093, 207 tons for the corresponding period last year. November shipments are estimated at 500,000 tons, and this with rail shipments will bring the total up to 12,000,000 tons, the largest output ever known.

Baltimore is just now enjoying a large iron ore trade. The opening of the Sparrows Point steel works has created a large demand for the Cuban ore and cargoes are arriving at Baltimore almost daily. Ore is also reaching that city from Newfoundland. The Sparrows Point works are shipping steel rails to all parts of the world.

A new "hotel for poor men was opened in New York on November 1, to compete with cheap lodging-houses of the poorer districts. There are nine stories and 1,560 bedrooms, each furnished with a white enamelled iron bed, and each light and airy. Baths are supplied to lodgers free of charge. Everything is to be scrupulously clean. The public rooms are wainscoted with white porcelain. There are spacious and splendidly lighted courts to serve as lounging places. There is also a reading-room, a billiard-room, and a restaurant, where meals will be supplied at small cost. The bedrooms will be let to men only at 20 cents a day, with no reduction for long stays. Mr. D. O. Mills, the California millionaire, is responsible for the undertaking. He expects the hotel certainly to pay expenses, and possibly to make a small profit.

A Parisian doctor has discovered that a solution of I part of picric acid to 75 parts of water will surely and speedily cure the most terrible burns and scalds, and recommends that barrels of the solution be kept in foundries, etc., in which workmen could be immersed. The pain is instantly removed, sores and blisters prevented, and a cure completed in four or five days.

From the Statistical Year Book for 1896, which has just been issued in a quarto-volume of over 500 pages, it appears that Germany has little to fear in British East India and Australia, from the denunciation of the commercial treaty. Her imports into those countries reached a total value of 270,000,000 marks, whereas her exports from them were worth only 78,000,000. The difference was less marked in the case of Great Britain herself. Germany bought goods from the United Kingdom to the value of 14,000,000 marks, and sold us wares to the value of 715,000,000. It is in Canada itself that German trade is most likely to suffer. The figures for 1896 show that Canada imported 15,000,000 marks from Germany, against exports to the value of 3,000,000 marks.

THE WORLD OF THOUGHT:

"Germany's Iron Prominent among late publiChancellor " cations as to literary merit and mechanical skill in production stands Dr. Garlepp's great work, "Germany's Iron Chancellor." It is a timely work, which, besides furnishing pleasing and entertaining reading, throws a searching light upon the condition of European affairs during the last fifty years, and especially upon that central figure which so firmly and unswervingly stood in the midst of all the political turmoil of that age as the promoter of peace and order, where heretofore chaos had reigned. Bismarck is still with us, and although it is no slight task to properly gauge and estimate the living illustrious men of a nation, the work under consideration is singularly happy in its accurate discernment of the merits and demerits of this, the greatest of all living heroes.

Bismarck's life, if scrutinized impartially, speaks for itself. The proper insight into his life, with the view of arriving at an unbiased judgment under such impartial scrutiny, is the aim of this volume. Its merit is that it presents Bismarck, during his long career of unusual activity, truthfully as statesman and man, without the attempt, in any way whatever, of either adding to or detracting from his merits, by deviating from facts, or by warping conception and judgment. Impartiality has been the watchword of the writer. The story of Bismarck, as told in these pages, impresses the mind of the impartial reader as a definite and truthful picture-certainly a gain, in view of all the vituperation, slander, and contradictions, uttered and printed, regarding this great man of action, thereby confusing the ideas and the judgment of the public who are in search of truth. It is the truth regarding this much-abused man which this work proclaims, and which enables the reader to see and fully understand the real character of one of the greatest men of our own days, whose unselfish life as a statesman incites to admiration, and as a man, to emulation.

But, furthermore, this volume lays claim to the additional merit of presenting, in a clear and succinct manner, certain political phases of modern times which, although yet in the memory of older persons, and frequently alluded to in our days, are little understood, and passed over because not understood. And yet these phases belong to the world's history, and the pages which contain them have been written in our own times. The reproach-it may be said here en passant - so often heard, especially regarding the educational aims in the

United States, that the study of history in general is sadly neglected, must be admitted as well-founded. If so, every source which approvedly helps to shed new light in that direction, should and will be welcomed, especially if such sources treat tersely and intelligentlyas does this volume of historical matter which, whatever may be the reason, seems out of reach of the general public. Thus, for instance, the question about the cause of the Schleswig-Holstein war has been asked many times in the hearing of almost every one, and yet an accurate answer, in conformity with historical facts, is seldom had. Again, that great “Seven Weeks' War" of Prussia against Austria, in 1866, and the still greater war of Germany against France, in 1870-71, are historical events which crowd closely upon our present time, both wars having occurred since the close of the American Civil War. How many have an accurate idea of cause and effect of the two wars just mentioned, which meant so much not only to Germany, but to Europe also, and which brought about a change, favorable, on the whole, to the highest interests of mankind the world over?

In view, then, of accurate historical information - regarding the political situation in Europe in general, and in Germany in particular-of the significant epoch treated in these pages, this work must be accorded especial recognition. Nor is this all. Many points offer themselves, in reading these pages, which invite the attention of even the casual reader, while to the student of history such points become of absorbing interest.

The question, for instance, of State Sovereignty, so prominent in the United States in and after the days of the great rebellion, finds its counterpart in Germany, in the days of which this volume particularly treats. Nor is this question - although settled in both countries by force of happy circumstances - beyond discussion even now, and although the standpoint is a somewhat different one in the two countries named, the discriminating student of history finds here a field fruitful of thought, and inviting to comparison. 'Bismarck's views on State Sovereignty, as applied to the relation of the various German states to the German Empire, are of absorbing interest, and we feel that his exposition of the underlying principles is sound. The attentive reader is at once led to inquire in how far such principles apply to his own country, his own surroundings, which rest upon different political conditions. Such comparison,

such research-instructive no less than pleasing-must necessarily accompany the reading of the volume here presented. In the same way, other points might be adduced from the pages of this work, which incite to thought and a closer study of maxims and truths, with which Bismarck's life and doings abound—all important, indeed, absolutely necessary for the safe conduct of man as well as the State, no matter what its form of government may be. Was ever the use and abuse of party-spirit set forth in clearer and truer words than those uttered by Bismarck on that subject? Have ever any utterances regarding civic virtues and the duties of citizenship been disseminated more manly, truer, and terser than those proclaimed by Bismarck? But space forbids the further enumeration of the advantages and the instruction to be derived from the perusal of this work, in its historical aspect.

The careful reader of "Germany's Iron Chancellor " will readily agree with the closing words of the Introduction: "It is evident that even those who are not Germans-nor, perhaps, even monarchists, as was demonstrated by Bismarck's best friend, the great American, John Lothrop Motley, will still be interested in so eventful a life which belongs to the world, will be inspired by the personal character of the great German which serves as a model to the world, and will be instructed by the lofty teachings and moral conception of duty, which run like a red thread through the record of his public career, and which, together with his singularly attractive family life, have claimed the homage of upright men in every country. All these will strongly appeal to the reader everywhere, into whose hands this fascinating narrative may fall."

A Charming Book About Birds

C. F. KOLBE.

To the bird-lover, whether amateur or professional, as well as to the student of natural history, hardly a more delightful book could be fallen in with than "Bird Neighbors," by Neltje Blanchan, with an introduction by John Burroughs (New York: Doubleday & McClure Co.). The work, which is embellished by over fifty superb colored plates, is designed to help one to "an introductory acquaintance with one hundred and fifty birds, commonly found in the gardens, meadows, and woods about our homes." The need is often felt for some such manual as the one before us, by those who have only "a bowing acquaintance" with the birds that "nest in our gardens or under the eaves of our houses, that haunt our wood-piles, keep our fruit-trees free from slugs, waken us with their song, or enliven our walks along the roadside or through the woods." The arrangement of

the book is sensible, classifying the birds according to color, the characteristic generally first noticed, as well as by the season of the year when they make their appearance as strangers. The birds are also referred to by their local as well as by their generic names, and their family traits and chief characteristics are lucidly described. The book, which is inexpensive, considering its handsome appearance and the scope and richness of the illustrations, enables one to make a delightful excursion into the domain of ornithology, and its non-scientific yet faithful presentation of the subject will be found a charm by those whose bird enthusiasm is already, or remains yet to be, kindled. The book is a work of art, and its character is well vouched for by Mr. John Burroughs, to whom we already owe much for opening one's eyes to the delights of Nature.

An Entertaining
Book on
Korea

In "Korea and her Neighbors," by Isabella Bird Bishop (New York: Fleming H. Revell Co.), we have a new and interesting book, on what to most people must be a new and unknown country. The writer, who is a keen observer as well as adventurous traveller, is the well-known author of "Unbeaten Tracks in Japan," a work that had a great vogue on its appearing some fifteen years ago. The present volume, which is attractively illustrated, is the fruit of two years' travel in Korea, immediately after its conquest by Japan, and its narrative of excursions in and about the "Hermit Nation" is replete with social as well as historic and political interest. The author enjoyed unusual advantages in seeing what she has so delightfully described, in being honored with the friendship of the king and his late consort, through whom she had access to valuable sources of information, and had placed at her service numberless facts concerning the kingdom, its customs and affairs. Her presence in the country during the late war between China and Japan, of which, at the outset, Korea was the stage, gave Mrs. Bishop the opportunity to treat of many facts which have been little understood, and the accuracy of these, as related in the volume, is heartily vouched for by Sir W. C. Hillier, late British Consul-General for Korea, who has written a preface for the work.

The war, though it won for Korea a nominal independence, by the force of Japanese arms, is, we are told, not likely to do much for the country, owing to that bane of all Oriental nations official corruption. And yet the people seem capable of better things, as we see in the Korean settlements in Russia; and were the country taken hold of by some civilized power

and its affairs ably administered, much might be made of the nation and a large and profitable trade developed. There are good harbors in Fusan, Won-San, and Chemulpo, while the capital, Seoul, can be readily reached, either from Chemulpo, or by the Han river, which, by its two branches, waters large tracts of the country. A railroad from Chemulpo to the capital is being pushed rapidly forward, and through the medium of Japanese and Western teaching the people are now beginning perceptibly to rise in the social scale. National ascendancy in Korea seems now to lie between Russia and Japan, though trade, as is usual in many Eastern countries, is already in British hands. missions, however, are largely American.

Dean Farrar's "Men I Have Known"

The

"Without being an abject hero-worshipper," writes the learned author of this entertaining volume on men he has known, "every man or woman of cultivated intelligence takes an interest in even seeing men of unquestioned greatness, the chief figures in the age in which they have lived. The famous and the supremely gifted are, after all, few in number. There are among us many inch-high distinctions and petty altitudes." It has been Dean Farrar's privilege, as it no doubt has been his happiness, to know many in his time who, in various ways, have possessed great talent, high scholarship, profound learning, and, in not a few instances, remarkable genius. It is of these men of letters, divines, scientists, among whom are a goodly number of Americans-that the learned Dean writes; and though the matter is somewhat sketchy and to a large extent personal, there is much that is of high and peculiar interest. The value of the volume is increased by the many fine portraits and facsimile letters which are interspersed through the work. Among the reminiscent sketches are those on Tennyson, Browning, Matthew Arnold, Carlyle, Maurice, Dean Stanley, Darwin, Huxley, Whittier, Holmes, Phillips Brooks, and a number of English divines and churchmen, including archbishops, bishops, and deans. The volume will make an acceptable present for the season and be found attractive to the cultivated reader. (Thomas Y. Crowell & Co., N. Y., publishers.) A Pretty Gift

Verse

In the bijou volume of verses, Book of Society entitled "Taken from Life," we have much of the gay troubadour spirit which characterizes the vers de société of C.S. Calverley, Mackworth Praed, Thackeray in his "Ballads," and the recent writers of drawing-room poetry, of whom Edmund Gosse and Austin Dobson are types. Oliver Wendell Holmes is perhaps the best known of our own

writers of this species of elegant verse, the chief
quality of which is a light wit, coupled with a
dainty touch and high finish in construction. The
original models, it is well known, are French,
which enshrine much gay thought, couched in
graceful lines, as we see in the rondel, triolet,
ballade, and villanelle. It is a style of verse
which is apt to tire by its affectation and fre-
quent strained conceits, though much of it, in
the verse of its best exponents, pleases by its
charm, joyousness, and grace. The present
volume (Doubleday and McClure Co., publishers,
New York) invites by the artistic daintiness
of its manufacture, and pleases by its many
tuneful society ditties. As an example of the
verse, not by any means the best, we extract the
following as being suitable to the season: -
WHEN NELLY HANGS HER STOCKING UP.
"The sun deserts his flaming car,

Night ends the winter's day;
Each moon-kissed snowflake seems a star
In earth's white Milky Way.
"The lights go out about the town,

Mid crash and clang of locking up,
And someone wears a snowy gown
When Nelly hangs her stocking up.
"I rarely pine for earthly dross,
'Tis just my simple way,
But being poor's the cruel cross
I bear each Christmas day.

"As chiming bells betray its birth

I drain the dregs in sorrow's cup, And, sighing, wish I owned the earth When Nelly hangs her stocking up." "Hours with the This little manual, with its Ghosts" rather clap-trap title, comes to us professedly as an exposé of spiritualism and theosophy, though it appears to be tender towards both. It is true it lifts the curtain from the exhibitions and so-called manifestations of pretended mediums and charlatans, who delude the credulous with their mummery, and impose upon the senses by sleight of hand and mere trickery. But the author, nevertheless, is kind to occultism, and says explicitly that "in the vanguard of the new order of things are spiritualism and theosophy." Though tinctured with superstition, both, he affirms, contain germs of truth, and his work aims at sifting the wheat from the chaff. In his investigations we are treated to an explanation of materializations, spirit-photography, slate-writing, and other vulgar pretensions, and above all to a lengthy biography of that arch-humbug, the late Mme. Blavatsky, whom occultists delighted to honor as "the high-priestess of theosophy." Of her propaganda, the author says some tart things, and speaks of her "Isis Unveiled" as "a hodge-podge of absurdities "; yet he is courteous to many of her extravagant admirers and hospitable to much of the bathos written in her honor. [Laird & Lee, Chicago.]

In

IN the renewing of subscriptions to SELF CULTURE for the new year, many friends of the magazine have taken the opportunity to commend the production in warm terms, to express interest in its varied departments, and to acknowledge indebtedness for no little instruction and counsel received during the year which has now closed. many quarters hearty interest has been expressed in the "Educational Studies for Youth," and especially in the series of papers dealing with improprieties in the use of words. Acknowledgment has also been freely made of the aid afforded to the correct writing and speaking of our mother tongue by the lists furnished from time to time of "Synonyms Discriminated." These important studies we design for a time to continue, believing them of much practical value, and not only to the young, but to those, of whatever age, who would avoid common pitfalls in current speech, and who transgress, often unwittingly, the rules of good grammar.

Even

No person, it may be said, of even moderate culture, with an ear for correct English, who mixes with his kind, and listens to the speech, not of the street only, but of the office, the factory, and the home, can fail to be appalled by the slovenly English spoken, and the violations of grammar as well as of taste in the daily speech of the people. more astounding evidence of defective education is exhibited in correspondence, and this not only in the ordinary business letter, but in the presumedly studied essay and type-written contribution to the press. So prevalent is the defective education and habit of careless writing and speaking, that all who appreciate the beauty and value the purity of our mother tongue must be gravely concerned at its deterioration in the common talk and written speech of the people, and incited to do something, each in his own sphere, to counteract it. It is, perhaps, little that an educational department in a popular magazine can do to stay the evil; but that little it is called upon to do; and, perhaps, it can best be done by some such series of correctives as we

have already opened our pages to, in the way of hints, to the correct writing and speaking of good English. These hints. we purpose now and for a while to continue. G. M. A.

HOW TO SPEAK CORRECTLY*

There are many kinds of errors in writing and speaking. The most objectionable are those in which words are employed that are unsuitable to convey the meaning intended. Thus, a person wishing to express his intention of going to a given place says, "I propose going," when, in fact, he purposes going. Other errors

arise from the substitution of sounds similar to the words that should be employed; that is, spurious words instead of genuine ones. Thus, some people say renumerative when they mean remunerative.

Other errors are occasioned by imperfect knowledge of the English grammar; thus, many people say: "Between you and I," instead of "Between you and me." And there are numerous other departures from the rules of grammar, which will be pointed out hereafter.

MISUSE OF THE ADJECTIVE: "What beautiful butter!" "What a nice landscape!" are often heard, when if the proprieties of speech are regarded, we should rather say: "What a beautiful landscape!" "What nice butter!" Again errors are frequently occasioned by the following causes:

MISPRONUNCIATION OF WORDS: Many persons say pronounciation instead of pronunciation; others say pro-nun-she-a-shun, instead of pro-nun-ce-a-shun.

MISDIVISION OF WORDS AND SYLLABLES: This defect makes the words an ambassador sound like a nambassador, or an adder like a nadder.

IMPERFECT ENUNCIATION, as when a person says hebben for heaven, ebber for ever, jocholate for chocolate.

To correct these errors by a systematic course of study would involve a closer application than most persons can afford, but the simple and concise rules and hints here given, founded upon usage and the authority of scholars, will be found of assistance.

Who and whom are used in relation to persons, and which in relation to things. But it was once common to say, "the man which."

*Abridged and adapted from "Manual of Useful Information." 480 pages, 12mo. Cloth (price $1.50). THE WERNER COMPANY, Publishers, Akron, Ohio.