Teachers who have been engaged in schools receiving half-timers, under the Factory Acts, will be familiar with the machinery provided for enforcing such enactments, and they will, we feel equally sure, be profoundly grateful for such an extension of the important principle of making schooling a sine qua non for juvenile labour. We cannot too strongly urge all teachers to make themselves conversant with the provisions of this exceedingly useful Act, and to render all the assistance they can to the Inspectors and Sub-Inspectors of Factories in enforcing its provisions. If well administered, as the Factory Acts generally are, we are convinced that it will strike at the root of the greatest hindrance to our educational progress, and in that case, whether the expected Education Bill succeed or fail, the year 1868 will be the starting point of a new era in our educational progress.

Notices of Books.

The Cabinet of the Earth Unlocked. By E. S. Jackson, M.A. F.G.S. Jackson, Walford and Holder. This book touches the most prominent and salient points of Geology, and is intended as a means of awakening the interest of youthful minds in that science: while writing for children the author has avoided the mistake of writing down to them. The matter selected is within their intelligence, and this being secured, all he had to do was to make his style alluring, and well he has done so! His book is full of pleasant descriptions, graphic, picturesque and imaginative, and reminds one frequently of another writer in the same science-Hugh Miller. Perfectly free from the childish style adopted by those who would make science attractive to children, it is nevertheless perfectly childlike, as the author has completely kept in view the conditions of their intelligence and their predominant activities. And such books must be so written if they are to stimulate the faculties or produce permanent results. It is found that books that are written in a slip-shod easy style, or lessons specially simplified to the capacities of children, awake no response in their minds, and are never tenants there, while those of a higher cast, requiring some effort to attain, take permanent possession and become vital forces. Writers for children would do well to take a lesson from Mr. Jackson's little book.

Memory Pictures of the life of Christ. Macintosh and Co.-Here we have in a quarto pamphlet of ten pages 'One hundred original drawings, by William Brough, illustrating in mnemonio Groups, Mimpriss' 100 graduated lessons.' Faraday, the great philosopher and successful teacher is quoted on the title page in support of the design of the author. 'Inform the eye at the same time that you address the ear.' An admirable principle but by no means new, the utility of which has been proved in many departments of instruction. Nor has its importance been unappreciated in connection with the teaching of Scripture. Many have, with Doddridge, had their first religious knowledge, by the aid of pictures: yet it is not an easy thing to

convey real pictures to the mind of a child of a history so unique, a period so remote and customs so strange, as we have attempted for us in the pages before us. -In some cases the author has succeeded in producing what may be said fairly to represent the facts, incidents, surroundings and accessories of the points in hand, but in the majority we conceive he has failed to do so. Still some aid may be had from these drawings in family instruction, but they are on too small a scale, and orowd too many particulars into a scene to be of service in a class or section of a school.

The Standard Grammatical Spelling Book. By Henry Combes and Edwin Hines. Longmans and Co.-This book consists of four parts which have been published at intervals, but are now published in one volume. Of the parts as they appeared, we expressed favourable opinions, and a closer examination of the whole confirms us in them, Here are nearly 10,000 words, of ordinary colloquial and literary use, arranged in a graduated series of lessons, each lesson combining an exercise for dictation with the new portion of words. By means of the dictation exercise a practice is secured on the immediate lesson and a reproduction of some of the material of former ones. Of all the books published recently to aid the acquisition of orthography, this we regard as the best.

Mercantile Copy Books, engraved in the best Business Hand. By A. K. Isbister, M.A. L.L.B. Longmans and Co.-This is a series of writing books, designed to impart a good business hand, and some familiarity with the ordinary forms of mercantile accounts.' The numbers before us form three books, and are illustrative of book-keeping by single entry. They consist of forms to be copied, and when accompanied by proper instruction, they will be found serviceable in imparting the knowledge and skill that book-keeping requires. The style is remarkably good. For the classes intended they may be strongly recommended.

Stevens and Hole's Examination Cards' Word exercises in Arithmetic. Longmans and Co.-The framers of these cards tell us 'that they have been prepared to meet a want much felt.' We were not aware of the want, as certainly arithmetical cards have been in use, printed ones for upwards of 20 years, and written ones, for a much longer period, and their utility in furnishing independent practice, and silent work has been extensively acknowledged by teachers. Nor is there a 'want' of cards in which the questions are in words instead of figures. Still these cards, while not meeting a want, will be found an aid. The exercises have been carefully constructed, and are sufficiently numerous for the thorough working of a class of an average size. There are to be eight sets, of which three are issued.

Compulsory Education and the Secular System. By Coleman Ivens. Simpkin, Marshall and Co.-This is a spirited paper read at a meeting of the South Staffordshire School Masters Association in October. Mr. Ivens is a determined opponent of all Secularists, attacks them vigorously in their entrenchments, and does battle with more than one of their stout champions who has come out to defy the armies of the Denominationalists. His concluding paragraph conveys a hint worth thinking over :

"The example of last year must be followed. The way to take this matter out of the hands of the Secularists is the way Mr Disraeli took Reform out of the hands of the Whigs. Some reform is evidently necessary. If the supporters of religious education sit supinely folding their arms, and amusing themselves with eulogies on the present system, they will be playing into the hands of their opponents. What is required is the placing of the rural schools under inspection, either by a lowering of the certificate, or by an increase of the grant; and a univer

sal extension of the Factory Act, making it penal for any employer to take into his service any lad under eleven, and then only if furnished with a certificate of being able to read and write. If these two things were done, the trade of the Secularists in this particular department would be gone."

Mental Arithmetic. By William Moffatt. Longmans, Green and Co.-This is certainly the best attempt we have seen to supply a work on Mental Arithmetic which answers the requirements of the Government Examination; and we cordially recommend the book, especially to those candidates for a certificate who have not the advantage of a residence in a Training College. As the work is intended for Pupil Teachers and Students, we should prefer the omission of some of the simpler chapters, Ex. 1, 2, 3, for instance; and something more given than mere directions for working the Exercises. Rules are more easily remembered when the principles upon which they are based are well understood. Improved rules might be given for multiplying a sum of money by 365, for squaring a number, and for obtaining the exact answer when finding the simple interest of a sum of money at any rate per cent.

Patriotic Part Songs. By J. Tilleard. Novello and Co.-This little work contains about twenty well-known Standard Glees, &c, most of them arranged both for mixed voices and men's voices alone. We have often heard enquiries made for a book of this kind, by Officers and others in charge of men, either on board ship, or on a foreign station, and we cannot do better than recommend this little work to the notice of such.

Hanover Square, No. 2, and the Christmas Number. Ashdown and Parry.The contributors to this work are all well-known composers of first-class music, and are a sufficient guarantee for the excellence of its contents. Although No. II. is scarcely up to the Standard of No. I., yet the public are certainly the gainers, in being able to purchase four pieces of music for scarcely the price of one piece in the sheet form. The work is well got up; the type clear; and the size and form more convenient to our mind than the sheet music.

Educational Notices, etc.

Scholastic Registration Association.

The Annual General Meeting of this Association, open to Educators and persons interested in Education, will be held on Wednesday, 8th January, at Eight o'clock, p.m., at the house of the Society of Arts, John Street, Adelphi, London, W.C., by permission of the Council, the Rev. William Haig-Brown, LL.D., F.C.P., Master of Charterhouse, will preside, and the Hon. Secretary will give a statement of the objects, constitution, and operations of the Association. Several questions of the highest importance will be introduced for discussion, and it is earnestly hoped that all who are interested in the advancement of Education, and the prosperity of the profession, will attend and take part in the proceedings. The following are the principal resolutions :

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1st. "That Education is entitled, as much as Medicine, Divinity, or Law, to be regarded as a distinct profession, and that liberal culture, and

special training, are as much required by the Educator, as by the Physician, the Lawyer, or the Divine.”

2nd. "That a Scholastic Registration Act, by giving to Teachers a legally recognized position, would tend to increase their efficiency and, consequently, to improve their social status, while, by discouraging unqualified persons from engaging in the business of teaching, it would gradually raise the standard of Education throughout the Country."

3rd.-"That, as the need of special training for Teachers, of both sexes, is now practically recognized in the case of schools for the poorer classes, a similar provision ought, a fortiori, to be made for Teachers in schools of the Middle and Upper Classes, involving as these do a greater variety of subjects, and a greater depth and breadth of instruction."

General Examination of Normal Schools.

CHRISTMAS, 1867.

MALE CANDIDATES-SECOND YEAR.

THE BIBLE.

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.

SECTION I.

1. Give an account of St. Paul's conversion, bringing in all the facts mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, and in the Epistles.

2. How many general persecutions of the early Church are mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles P Give their dates; the origin and issue of each.

3. Enumerate all the Rulers of the Holy Land mentioned in the New Testament from the birth of our Lord, and explain the changes which the government underwent so far as is illustrated by the New Testament.

SECTION II.

1. What traces of Orders of ministers, Sacraments, and Church Government, are found in this book ?

2. What were the arguments used on each side of the question, Whether Gentile converts should conform to the Mosaic Law? How was the question decided ? and on what grounds P

3. Account for the hatred shown by the multitude at Jerusalem to St. Paul (chap. xxii.) Show that the same cause led the people' to clamour for the Lord's crucifixion.

SECTION III.-Acts xxi. 20--24.

"And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law: } And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs. What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come. Do therefore this that we say to thee. We have four men which have a vow on them; Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law."

Make notes on this passage, supposing it to have been read by a first class; you are to put down all the explanations which you suppose would be necessary.

SECTION IV.

THE EPISTLES TO THE CORINTHIANS.

How are the dates of these epistles fixed? From whence were they probably written ? What connection is there between them? Give your reasons for your answers to these questions fully.

SECTION V.

1. Mention the chief questions discussed by St. Paul in the First Epistle.

2. Give an analysis of the 15th chapter of the 1st Epistle, and explain the analogies or illustrations of the resurrection-body given by St. Paul, showing their fitness.

3. How does St. Paul argue about things 'indifferent '? What is meant by 'expedient' ? Illustrate the use of the word from the Epistle, and from St. Paul's own life and actions.

SECTION VI.

1. Relate all that is said of Titus in the 2nd Epistle, and enlarge your account from other parts of the New Testament.

2. Place in clear order the different arguments used by St. Paul to induce a tolerant and charitable spirit in the Corinthians.

3. To what end does St. Paul in the 2nd Epistle enumerate his own sufferings (chap. xi.) and revelations (xii.)? Quote as much as you can, and give the actual occurrences referred to. SECTION VII.

Explain in a style suited to pupil teachers, or a first class in a school, these passages (give the context in each case):

"The Kingdom of God is not in word, but in power." (I Cor. iv. 20.)

"Though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more." (I. Cor. ix. 19.)

"Covet earnestly the best gifts; and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way." (I. Cor. xii. 31.)

"He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." (II. Cor. v. 21.)

"He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." (II. Cor. x. 17.)

"We can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth." (11. Cor. xii. 8.)

BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER.

SECTION I.

1. What are the chief parts of the Service for the Public Baptism of Infants ? What are the (1) qualifications, and (2) responsibilities, of Sponsors ?

2. What are the principal points of difference between the offices of Baptism for Infants and Adults ? Why is it certain by God's word' that baptised children dying before they commit actual sin are undoubtedly saved? On what grounds have scruples been felt about the use of the Cross in Baptism, and How are they met ?

SECTION II.

1. Give an analysis of the office for the administration of Holy Communion.

2. What is said in the office of administration of Holy Communion of the proper qualification of Communicants? What are the arguments used to induce men to come to this Sacrament? What are the great Festivals for which proper prefaces are provided? What are the benefits of which we are partakers ?

SECTION III.

Are there any traces of 'Confirmation in the New Testament? What is the object of this ordinance ? Who are the proper recipients of its benefits? What is required of them? How is the benefit conferred? What are the manifold gifts of grace' specified in the prayer offered by the Bishop? Explain them as you would to Candidates for Confirmation from your School.

SECTION IV.

Explain these words which occur in the Psalms: to whet (lxiv. 3); to rid (lxxi.); thy saving health (lxvii. 2); to refrain (verb active) (lxxvi. 12); to cleave unto (lxxviii. 9); noisome; wroth and wrath; to knit the heart (lxxxvi. 11); the stool of wickedness (xciv. 20); froward; a proud look and high stomach, illustrate this from Shakespeare; to wax old (cii. 26).

SECTION V.

Your answers to either of these questious to be simple, and intelligible to children.

I. Explain these passages from the Psalms: "Over Edom will I cast out my shoe " (xl. 8), (cviii. 9); That there may be a portion for foxes" (lxiii. 11); "When the Almighty scattered kings for their sake, then were they as white as snow in Salmon "