ever, are not the essence; and this essence will survive all the trials of political mountebanks. England is the first empire, which embraces the whole earth, every nation; yet the chief weight and the chief value are not in the extent of its dominion, but in the highest activity, united with progress in the sciences, and the most laudable solicitude for the spread of religion. England is the intellectual eye which turns to every quarter, penetrates through every zone, and prepares an exalted future destiny for the human race. Before this noble, comprehensive, glorious destination, the low and violent disputes of domestic parties lose all their importance, or are but shadows that relieve the higher lights. »

(ATHENEUM.)

HORSE-TRAINING.

By A. J. Ellis, B.A. Windsor, Oxley.

Mr. Catlin, in his work on the manners and customs of the North American Indians, gave the following account of their method of taming the wild buffalo calves, and wild horses :

"I have often, in concurrence with a well-known custom of the country, held my hand over the eyes of the calf, and breathed a few strong breaths into its nostrils; after which I have, with my hunting companions, rode several miles into our encampment, with the little prisoner busily following the heels of my horse the whole way, as closely and affectionately as its instinct would attach it to the company of its dam. This is one of the most extraordinary things that I have met with in the habits of this wild country; and, although I had often heard of it, and felt unable exactly to believe it, I am now willing to bear testimony to the fact, from the numerous instances which I have witnessed since I came into the country. During the time that I resided at this post, in the spring of the year, on my way up the river, I assisted (in numerous hunts of the buffalo, with the Fur Company's men), in bringing in, in the above manner, several of these little prisoners, which sometimes follow for five or six miles close to our horses' heels, and even into the Fur Company's fort, and into the stable where our horses were led. In this way, before I left for the head waters of the Missouri, I think we had collected about a dozen.»

In the same way, the wild horses are tamed. When the Indian has got him well secured with the laso, and a pair of hobbles on his feet, he gradually advances, until he is able

to place his hand on the animal's nose and over his eyes, and at length to breathe in its nostrils, when it soon becomes docile and conquered; so that he has little more to do than to remove the hobbles from its feet, and lead or ride it into camp.

Mr. Ellis chanced to read this account when on a visit in Yorkshire, and forthwith resolved to try the experiment. He and his friends were alike incredulous, and sought amusement from the failure, rather than knowledge by the result-but two experiments, all he was able to try, were both successful. Here are the particulars of one of them :--

Saturday, Feb. 12, 1842.-While the last experiments were being tried on the yearling, W. espied B--, a farmer and tenant, with several men, at the distance of some fields, trying, most ineffectually, on the old system, to break-in a horse. W. proposed to go down and show him what effect had been produced on the yearling. When the party arrived at the spot, they found that B. and his men had tied their filly short up to a tree in the corner of a field, one side of which was walled, and the other hedged in. W. now proposed to B. to tame his horse after the new method. B., who was aware of the character of his horse, anxiously warned W. not to approach it, cautioning him especially against the fore feet, asserting that the horse would rear and strike him with the fore feet, as it had 'lamed' his own (B.'s) thigh just before they had come up. W., therefore, proceeded very cautiously. He climbed the wall, and came at the horse through the tree, to the trunk of which he clung for some time, that he might secure a retreat in case of need. Immediately upon his touching the halter, the horse pranced about, and finally pulled away with a dogged and stubborn expression, which seemed to bid W. defiance. Taking advantage of this, W. leaned over as far as he could, clinging all the time to the tree with his right hand, and succeeded in breathing into one nostril, without, however, being able to blind the eyes. From that moment all became easy. W., who is very skilful in the management of a horse, coaxed it, and rubbed its face, and breathed from time to time into the nostrils, while the horse offered no resistance. In about ten minutes, W. declared his conviction that the horse was subdued; and he then unfastened it, and to the great and evident astonishment of B., (who had been trying all the morning in vain to gain a mastery over it), led it quietly away with a loose halter. Stopping in the middle of the field, with no one else near, W. quietly walked up to the horse, placed his arm over one eye and his hand over the other, and breathed into the nostrils. It was pleasing to observe

how agreeable this operation appeared to the horse, who put up his nose to receive the 'puff.' In this manner W. led the horse through all the fields to the stable-yard, where he examined the fore feet, and then the hind feet of the horse, who offered no resistancebut while W. was examining the hind feet, bent its neck round, and kept nosing W.'s back. He next buckled on a surcingle, and then a saddle, and finally bitted the horse with a rope. During the whole of these operations, the horse did not offer the slightest resistance, nor did it flinch in the least degree.

Two experiments are all Mr. Ellis has had an opportunity of either witnessing, or hearing the results of. But, as he states, these have been to him perfectly satisfactory; and, as he has no opportunity of carrying them on, since he is unacquainted with the treatment of horses, and neither owns any, nor is likely to be thrown in the way of unbroken colts, he has resolved to publish these particulars, that gentlemen, farmers, trainers, and others may at least try so simple a plan, and thus test and determine its value. Mr. Ellis is of opinion, that this is the secret of the celebrated Irish horsecharmers, and we remember that in more than one recorded instance of their power, they pretended to whisper to the animal, and played with his head, and thus probably, breathed into his nostrils. (ATHENAUM.)

NOTICE OF NEW BOOKS.

The 59th. Report of the visiting justices of the Lunatic Asylum at Hanwell. The Resident Physician's Report, and the Report of the Chaplain. This work contains much curious and interesting information on the modern system of mild treatment in the case of Lunatics, as adopted at the pauper hospital at Hanwell, containing nearly 1000 patients, and proves statistically its great superiority over the old system of severity, not only as regards the number of cures in this the greatest of earthly calamities, but also in the increase of comfort and comparative tranquillity afforded to its unfortunate inmates.

Frederick the Great and his Times, Edited, with an Introduction, by Thomas Campbell Esqre. 2 vols. An acknowledged compilation, ushered into the world under the name of Campbell, a name however only lent to the publisher for the purpose of bringing the work before the public in the most advantageous manner,-one of the modern clap-traps of booksellers. It nevertheless contains much amusement and instruction, though without any pretension to being ranked in philosophical history.

Five years in India, by H. E. Fane Esqre. 2 vol. These volumes contain the rough notes of an aide-de-camp, who made a tour of inspection through India, and afterwards served in the Affghan war. His military duties prevented him from gaining much information, but what he did glean is given in a pleasing unpretending form.

VOL. II.

39

A Pilgrimage to Auvergne from Picardy to Le Velay. By Louisa Stuart Costello. 2 vol. The former productions of this lady's journeying, having been favourably received by the public, has induced her to continue her itinerary through the provinces of France, lightly touching on the antiquities and remarkable objects on the route, in her usual lively and observant manner. Amusement as well as instruction may be derived from a perusal of these volumes.

Essays written in the intervals of Business. Many of them very valuable, and more particularly to men employed in commercial affairs, being written by one of their own members and it is delightful to see in them the highest principles of honour and probity inculcated as the leading feature of the mercantile man.

:

Narrative of the late Expedition to Syria, &c. By W. P. Hunter Esqre. A reprint from the notices on the above expedition which had already appeared in the United Service Journal, interesting at the time, but of hardly sufficient consequence to publish as a separate work."

Notes of a Traveller, on the Social and Political state of France, Prussia, Switzerland, Italy, and other parts of Europe, during the present century. By P. Laing Esqre. Author of A Residence in Norway,» and «Tour in Sweden. 8-vo. Mr. Laing has already made himself known as an acute and profound thinker, and his opinions and observations on the present political, social, and moral state of Europe cannot but be valuable. His principal object in this publication has been to collect materials for the future historian or philosopher, who shall endeavour to describe and estimate the new social elements in Europe which are springing up from, and covering the ashes of, the French Revolution."

Madame de Sévigné and her Contemporaries. 2 vols. A collection of biographies of the different persons mentioned in this lady's correspondence, and intended to facilitate a better understanding of her letters. The more important lives are too well known to allow of anything new being said on them, but amongst the minor personages much novelty will be found.