The Demetian Mirror

(From the Standard.) The conduct of the Paris Press for the last two or three months has been such as to merit little delicacy or forbearance from any, least of all from us, who find the respectability of our profession, and its character for intelligence and honesty, seriously compromised by the practices of our French brethren. This is a quar- rel superadded to our sense of the national insult and injustice, and it is no trifling one. Do what we will, men will think that the Press is the same everywhere: and that it is due to some latent circumstances that the Journals of London are not as manifestly vile and stupid at present as the Press of Paris. When we say the Press of Paris, we do not desire to be understood as making any exception. It is, then, on every account our duty and our interest, to expose to the French people the blindness, the malignity, and the sordid dishonesty of those who would kindle a war between the two countries; and the more sincerely desirous we are of cultivating the friendship and goodwill of our neighbours of France, the more will this be a labour of love. The observations that have been respect- fully offered from this side of the Channel upon the projected fortification of Paris, and upon the neces- sary tendency of the social elements in France, if put in motion by a war, to produce, first anarchy, and then settle into despotism-these respectful and just observations have necessarily arrested the attention of most of the Journals of the French capital. The Paris editors, of course, denounce the suggestions from En- gland as insulting. This was to be expected; men eager to foment a quarrel, would be very slow to ad- mit that the parties upon whom they wish to fasten the blame of it have taken, though with some sacri- fice of the argument, that course which seems likely to wound the self-love of the friends with whom they remonstrate; for questionless it is taking this line, to remind the French people rather of the dangers they may incur from themselves, as the experience of no very remote period demonstrates, than of the humili- ation that their rashness may challenge from the enemies whom they are urged to provoke. To this last class of dangers, however, our attention is forced by the reply of the Paris firebrands to our remarks upon the other. These firebrands tell us that we threaten France with anarchy and slavery from within, because we have nothing else with which to menace her. This calls for an explanation, if we would not have a fatal error imposed upon the French people-let us give this explanation respectfully and in goodwill. We admit the gallantry of the French nation, -its admirable aptitude to military service, which renders French troops perhaps the best cam- paign troops in the world, and second only to British troops in the field of battle. We admit, too, the zealous patriotism of the French people, which will cause them to make the last sacrifices in support of the national honour. These admissions are, how- ever, by no means inconsistent with the conviction that France is in no state to undertake the war to which her incendiary press would summon her.

CFrom the John Bull.) We are happy to give an exceedingly good account of the proceedings of the annual meeting of the Bri- tish Association for the advancement of Science, which, as we previously announced, has been held at Glasgow. The Marquis of Breadalbane, as we last week stated he would, took the chair, and the attend- ance of ladies and gentlemen was highly respectable; in addition to Mr. Quelty, of Munich, Mr. Espy, of America, who is universally known as entertaining views at variance with Colonel Capper and Mr. Red- field—his arrival in time for the important discus- sions of the question whether in great storms the wind from all points tends to a settled point in right lines, or that the motion of the wind is gyratory, ex- cited the greatest attention, especially amongst the ladies, and the vendors of peppermint lozenges. On Friday the different sections were crowded to excess. In that of chymistry and mineralogy, Dr. Playfair read a paper by Mr. Glover, on the employ- ment of bromite and iodine of bromine for the pur- pose of obtaining dydrombromic and hydriodic acid in atomic proportions, which was loudly applauded. Professor Bunsen read the next paper on Kalcodyle, of which arsenic is the principal ingredient. The pro- duction of this compound is very dangerous, and the Professor has been severely injured by his experi- ments. As the learned gentleman was not sufficiently communicative to state the benefits which were likely to result from his Kakodyle," it is impossible for us to decide whether the result would justify the re- search. Professor Johnson delivered a statement about coals, and Mr. W. Keir read an elaborate paper upon the geology of the turnpike road leading to Castle Hill, Adrossan. Mr. Babington announced a fact to his section which we are sure will be hailed with universal satis- faction, not only by our readers, but the British peo- ple at large-namely, that he had actually discovered some flax-dodder," in a field at Borishole, in Ire- land that which renders this discovery most important is his conviction of its being distinct from the C. Europoea of Linnaeus. In the medical section, Dr. Newbigging read an extremely interesting paper on the use of Croton oil; after a delicate discussion of its effects, Mr. Abercrom- bie suggested in lieu of at least, where very young children who had the crowing disease" were con- cerned, a combination of iron, rhubarb, and musk." —(Loud cheers.) In the statistical section, Dr. Chalmers read apaper on the application of statistics to moral and econo- mical purposes," which lasted two hours and eight minutes. At its conclusion Lord Mounteagle moved a vote of thanks to the learned doctor; but whether for the paper, or for his finishing it, we cannot say. In mechanical science Mr. Hawkins exhibited a small instrument for taking the dip of strata, which was hailed with enthusiasm. Mr. Fairbairn read a paper to prove that iron is strong, which was received with great approbation. The same gentleman exhi- bited a model of an engine for pumping water. In the evening there was a promenade at the Ex- change, which seemed to be the most agreeable part of the affair, although the professors of wine-ology thought proper to charge a wonderfully high price for gooseberry wine, converted by associated talent into Champagne. On Monday Sir David Brewster, to whom we be- lieve the world is indebted for that most useful of all discoveries, the "kaleidoscope," exhibited to the sages the daguerrotype," which, if the thing itself was not exhibited at every optician's shop in London, and pur- chasable also, would perhaps have created a greater sensation; but Dr. Reid went far beyond this, be- cause he explained to the audience that by mixing soap and water in a bottle, one may make a rainbow at command, by blowing upon the bubble. We have seen small boys and playful girls doing this sort of thing with tobacco-pipes and gally-pots it is there- fore most gratifying to know that a saving in those clay tubes may be effected by blowing into the bottle itself. Mr. Murchison, the General Secretary, gave a brief statement of his geological tour in Russia, and in the presence of another General (General Tzcheffkine), bore testimony to the respect with which he had been treated in those parts. We really do not see why he should not be so treated-Mr. Murchison is a gentle- man universally esteemed in his own country—why not everywhere else ? In the Zoological department, Dr. Lizars read an interesting paper on the intellectual qualities of the salmon. Professor Agassis, in almost every point, agreed with the learned Doctor. After this, the usual appointment of officers took place. The next assem- bly is to be held in Plymouth and Dock—nicknamed Devonport for gentility—with that most able and excellent man, Professor Whewell (who good-na- turedly lends himself to the important affair), as Pre- sident. Mr. John Taylor announced that the Association had grabbed £ 2,4.90, of which X500 was subscribed by the Corporation of Glasgow. Then came another promenade-no regular ball that we have heard of; and so the sages departed.

Abergavenny Cymreigyddion Society.-It is stated by two or three of our neighbouring Contemporaries, that Dr. Thirlwall, the learned Bishop of St. David's, who since his election to his See, has applied himself unwearyingly to the study of the Welsh language, with the view to secure the affections and promote the best interests of his people, intends to honour this Eisteddfod with his presciiee.-Sun.