language which we believe he holds in common with the Roman Church, - as to the purely negative and unreal character of sin. But it is Colonel Maurice's great merit that he conceals nothing. He weaves together with great art, and in a fashion that must have cost continuous labor car. ried on through a very great portion of the twelve years since his father's death, passages of Maurice's letters revealing his thoughts and hopes as to all the main events of his life, inward and outward, and interpreting them, when they need interpretation, by the light of his own deep insight into his father's works and his own profound reverence for his father's character. From The Economist. lowed, too, to see quite frankly where ITALY AFTER THE RESUMPTION. THOSE Who prophesied ill for the sucCess of the resumption of specie payments in Italy in April last year have been greatly wide of the mark. There were many who held that so soon as the gold got together so carefully in 1881 and 1882 was set loose it would forthwith leave the country almost as rapidly as it entered it, or that in order to retain it the rates for money in the country would have to be YEAR 1883. 66 66 £ 1,558,938 327,732 1,231,206 Trade-Imports 55,234,424 Increase on 1882 1,413,920 7,170,936 64 1,713,128 817,088 collected Market discount rate, Genoa (December) 4 Pct. Fall on the year 1/2 P ct. At the present time, the market discount rate is down to four per cent., or lower, and on all these points it will be It will be seen that a reduction has been seen the contrast is distinctly in favor of effected in the liabilities which are not Italy. The export of gold coin was alto- inscribed; but that in these three years gether trifling, the increase in the trade the increase in the annual charge has been exports was a good deal larger than in the 1,565,3017. All this increase, however, is imports, while the increase of the customs not to be attributed to the abolition of the receipts was as much as thirteen per cent. forced currency, and the growth in the net in a single year. As far as the trade of interest is smaller than is shown in the Italy with this country is concerned, there table, for the reason that the "income was last year a rapid expansion in our tax" of thirteen and two tenths per cent. shipments of coal to that country, she imposed in 1868 has still to be deducted having taken 2,227.964 tons, as compared from the totals in each case. Considerawith 1,821,394 tons in 1882, and with ble sums are being provided annually for 1.727.829 tons in 1881; and this greater the construction of State railways, and demand for fuel is not by any means an these have to be covered by extraordinary unhealthy sign. Since the resumption revenues, or, in plain English, by loans. the exchanges with Italy have remained But the State railways are increasingly remarkably quiet, and have shown no in-productive, and contrasting their earnings clination to rise above par, and the change for 1880 (1,300,000/) with those of 1883 has in every way been effected speedily, and with as little disturbance of the country's mercantile and monetary relations as could have been hoped for. But, it may be said, the burden entailed by the resumption upon the finances of Italy is no light matter. The 29,200,000/ loan of 1881-2 of itself involved an additional annual expenditure of nearly 1,300,oool, while the very advance of the Italian currency from a considerable discount to par entailed a heavier actual, though not a heavier nominal, expenditure. But the object to be gained was well worth the effort required, and it is to be remem bered that there is a considerable gain to be set against this loss, because, as the debt is for the most part a gold, not a currency, interest-bearing debt, the raising the currency to par was a relief, as it abolished a heavy item of loss by exchange. But apart from this, there was, it is admitted, an increase in the annual charge of the debt, as the figures below will indicate. AMOUNT of RENTE (or Nominal Interest Consolidated 5 Pct. Rente 3 ct. 5 ct. permanent annuity to the Holy See Debt awaiting inscription Railway loans, Canal Cavour Miscellaneous debts, including December, December, £ 256,208 129,000 256,320 (2,700,000.), it is apparent that they have doubled in this period. In spite, therefore, of the additional charges recently incurred, Italy is able to maintain the budgetary equilibrium first established in 1877. That the country is progressive the successful effort just made to return to specie payments sufficiently shows; and the verdict of the stock exchanges of Europe as to the value of Italian rente is, we are inclined to think, a just one. LONDON PRICES OF ITALIAN RENTE IN 1884. 1883. 1882. 1881. 1880. 1875. 1870. 1868. From Nature. THE MECHANICAL THEORY OF MAGNETISM. IF Prof. Hughes were as great a master of writing English as he is of experiment17,410,274 15,602,852 ing, his views on magnetism would receive speedier acceptation, for they would then 129,000 probably be understood without that close study which his involved sentences and heterogeneous paragraphs now demand. It is very remarkable that such an ardent worker, such a deep thinker, and such a clear and simple experimenter should 19,388,372 17,423,786 have such dificulty in expounding his 17,795,482 15,988,172 540,667) 1,475.000 1,435,614 views on paper. His experimental dem1,763,650 onstrations are always clear and convinc560,635 ing, his recent lecture at the Royal Insti21,313,372 19,748,071 | tution appealed to every degree of intel ligence present, but his papers at the Royal Society want some strong external directing influence to render their meaning evident. What is magnetism, according to this expert philosopher? It is an inherent quality of the molecules of matter, as determined and constant as that of their gravity, affinity, or cohesion, and like these qualities it differs in degree with every kind of matter. He does not attempt at present to define it closer than this. We cannot tell what gravity is, neither need we say what magnetism is. All Prof. Hughes says is that every molecule in nature is a little magnet imbued with a certain polarity varying in degree but constant for each substance, in virtue of which it has a north and a south pole along the same axis, and that the only change that takes place is a change in the direction of this polar axis. When these molecules are symmetrically arranged by some external directing influence, so that all their poles lie in the same direction, we have evident magnetism. Iron be comes a magnet in virtue of the fact that its molecules are free to move under the influence of external magnetic action, while copper is not a magnet because its molecules are immovable and irresponsive to the same cause. Steel becomes permanently magnetized because its molecules are rigid, and retain the axial direction impressed upon them. Soft iron is readily demagnetized because its molecules have great freedom of motion. Coercive force is therefore simply absence of freedom of molecular motion — it is, indeed, molecular rigidity. The extent to which the axis of polarity can be deflected from its normal direction is its point of saturation. Evident magnetism is the symmetrical arrangement of the polarized molecules along one line; neutrality is symmetrical arrangement of the same molecules in closed curves. In both cases the sum of the magnetic influence of all the molecules is the same; but in evident magnetism it is directed outwards, in neutrality it is directed inwards. Remaining magnetism is partial neutrality. The experimental way in which Prof. Hughes demonstrated these conclusions is the most beautiful investigation he has yet made. He proves the existence of the same polarity in the atmosphere and in the ether, and he attrib utes diamagnetic effects to the higher mag netic capacity of the ether than of the sub stances suspended in it. It is therefore a differential action. Molecules, moreover, have inertia — they resist being put in mo tion; and when in motion they resist stop. page they possess momentum. The direction of the axis of polarity can be displaced by the physical forces, such as mechanical stress, heat, or electricity. He shows that mechanical motion, heat, and electricity are of similar kind - they are vibratory, or some mode of motion. Magnetism, however, he considers not to be a mode of motion, and therefore it is not a physical force. It is simply an arrangement of the molecules of matter in symmetry or dissymmetry under the influence of some physical force. He seems to imply, though he does not directly say so, that the influence of electric currents upon magnets is not due to any direct action between them, but to the fact that the currents have polarized the ether in which both are suspended. His views are very broad and highly suggestive, but there are some points that are not clear and that demand further elucidation. Why, for instance, does mechanical elongation and contraction take place when bars of iron are magnetized and demagnetized? How can heat and strong sonorous vibrations be produced unless there be a considerable expenditure of energy? How does he account for the attractive and repulsive properties of magnets, and for magnetic induction? He has certainly wrested magnetism from the realms of hypothesis and brought it within the domain of theory. The days of Coulomb and Poisson's fluids and Ampère's elementary currents of electricity are over; the molecular character of mag. netism is experimentally established; but what is a molecule, and how becomes it polarized unless it be in rotation? How does the external directing influence act? We are also inclined to ask, Has Prof. Hughes sufficiently grasped Ampère's theory? It was purely mathematical, based on the assumption of the circulation of currents around each molecule. goes no further than Ampère did, for he has not answered the question, What is polarity? In fact his polarized molecules are all little magnets, and no theory of magnetism will be complete until it explains these little magnets. Thus the difference between Ampère and Hughes is the difference between a current and a magnet. He However, on the assumption that a molecule is a magnet, Prof. Hughes has built up a very complete theory, which he has demonstrated experimentally in a way that places him in the very front rank of experimental philosophers. GREEK From The Gentleman's Magazine. SUPERSTITIONS. this not be the case, the dead man is supposed to be possessed, and, in punishment of his known or unknown crime, walks THE brigands of the Balkan Peninsula, the earth at night as a vrykoloka. Many both Muslim and Christian, have, besides of the local superstitions take the form of all the common superstitions, a great offerings to the spirits of the earth, air, or many peculiar to themselves, and more di- water. When a vine is planted, a glass rectly concerning their profession. These of wine is thrown in "for good luck." vary somewhat according to locality, but Wine spilt on the ground or the table is in the main are very similar all over the also considered a good omen. Oil, on the country. On the occasion of a marriage contrary, denotes the approach of evil. which lately took place in Macedonia be- A child, stunned by a fall, was picked up tween the son of one brigand chief and by an English lady, who brought him to the daughter of another, notice was sent consciousness by sprinkling water on his to a village that the brigands intended face. His mother came to claim him to honor it by having the ceremony per- shortly afterwards, and, after assuring formed there. Promises of protection herself that no bones were broken, poured were made if the villagers maintained si-a pail of water on the spot where he had lence with regard to the intended visit, fallen, and added a handful of sugar, "to and dire threats of vengeance if they be satisfy the demon." Thunder is believed trayed them to the Turkish authorities. to be produced by the demons of the upper On the appointed day the wedding party|regions, and bells are rung during a storm arrived, accompanied by a Greek priest, to drive them away. Saturday is consid and the ceremony was performed accord-ered an unlucky day on which to begin ing to the rites of the Orthodox Church. work of any kind, and equally unlucky to This concluded, the bands formed a circle round their chiefs. The latter then bared their left arms; an incision was made in each; the blood that flowed from them was allowed to mingle; and a solemn vow | of brotherhood administered by the priest. Festivities of various kinds followed; sheep and goats were roasted, and the villagers invited to join the feast. Then, amid many mystic ceremonies, a sheep was sacrificed, and libations of wine were poured out. The customary auguries were drawn from the appearance of the intestines, and the villagers were then informed that pursuit would be made after them; but if the soldiers came to the village to molest them the brigands would come to their rescue. One of the most ghastly Greek superstitions is that of the vrykolokas, or vampire. It is customary to visit the grave of a deceased relation at the expiration of three years after burial, and ascertain if the body is decomposed. If this process has been performed to their satisfaction, the bones are collected, and, after a further religious service, placed in a mortuary. But should finish work upon. 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