student of history than another, it is-that the nations which refuse to remodel their institutions from time to time, in accordance with the changes that are taking place around them, are swept out of the way; while the empire of the world belongs to those who recognise the necessity for change, and accept it. "In the mighty vortex of the world's history, which inexorably crushes all peoples that are not as hard and flexible as steel," to quote an expression of one of the greatest living historians, the English nation has hitherto held its own, and the question which Englishmen now have to decide is whether, by a timely reorganisation of the forces of the empire, they will place themselves in a position to hold their own in the time that is coming. We have endeavoured in this paper to indicate what seems to us a necessary basis for such reorganisation; and it may be remarked that now, when there is a temporary lull in the affairs of the world, is the best time that can be chosen to make the required changes. Those who, while professing to agree with the plan here proposed, talk about its being premature, and say that we are not ripe for such a change, and that a generation hence will be early enough to begin carrying such a scheme into effect— little dream of the changes that will be witnessed by the coming generation. It is extremely questionable if, under the present colonial system, the unity of the empire will survive the storms of the next twenty or thirty years; and if it does English statesmen will have other and more urgent business on their hands than that of arranging their relations with the colonies. A period of quiet, like the present, is the time above all others that a real statesman would choose for effecting any great change in the constitution of his country. Those then who proclaim that we are not yet ripe for the practical realization of a scheme that they admit is desirable in itself, must either be credited with want of foresight as to the near future, or with want of knowledge as to the conditions necessary for carrying out successfully a great political reform. In conclusion, it may be remarked that these colonies ought more particularly to take the initiative in such a proposal as this, since it is of more importance to them than it is to England. We are far less able to stand alone than she is. At the same time we believe no objections to the plan would be raised in the mother country, if the colonies were unanimously to demand it. Should they not do so, but shutting their eyes to the inexorable march of events, remain content to drift along in their present courses, they must expect

some day to be rudely awakened; and however much they may then desire to make the long-neglected reform, they will find inscribed upon the door through which they must pass in order to reach it those ill-omened words, so often ere now written in letters of blood before the eyes of expiring states and nations: Too Late.

CRITICAL NOTICE.

"KAMILAROI AND OTHER AUSTRALIAN LANGUAGES," by the Rev. William Ridley, M.A. Second Edition, revised and enlarged, with comparative tables of words from twenty Australian languages and songs. Traditions, Laws, and Customs of the Australian race. Sydney: Government Printing Office.

POOR in physique, repulsive in appearance, and with mental faculties scarcely surpassing brute instinct, the aborigines of Victoria, never numerous, are rapidly taking their place amongst the traditions of the old colonists. The "noble savage" theory has not seemed to fit them-the poetry that invests the "red browed ruler of the shade" with fictitious virtues and dignities has not been successful in awakening any local enthusiasm in their behalf, though the excellent little poems of Mr. George Gordon McCrae, “Māmba” and “Balladeādro", were a praiseworthy effort in that direction.

The

Nevertheless, unpromising as the subject may be as a vehicle for poetry or fiction, it would be a matter of lasting regret to all who have the slightest interest in ethnological science, if a whole race of our fellow-creatures should be allowed to pass away before us without some attempt towards securing a permanent and reliable record of their religion and language, manners and customs. Bureau of Indian affairs at Washington has been engaged for very many years, with the assistance of some of the leading ethnologists of the world, in the compilation of a comprehensive account of the aborigines of North America, and five ponderous volumes have been already published as an earnest of the thoroughly exhaustive manner in which it is contemplated to deal with a question that is daily fading from investigation. Some publicity

was recently given to the fact that Mr. R. Brough Smyth has been for many years engaged on a careful compilation in the direction of a history of the aboriginal tribes, but the prospect of its early completion does not appear to be assured.

The book named at the head of this page, a second edition of which has recently been issued from the Government printing office in Sydney, shows that our fellow colonists beyond the Murray are not so engrossed in material pursuits as to be oblivious to their duties in the domains of history and literature.

Though not absolutely so stated in the Rev. Mr. Ridley's book, it may be assumed from the imprimatur, and the elegant and costly style of its production, that it is published at the expense of the New South Wales Government; and they are to be congratulated on having been so fortunate as to secure the services of a writer who, in this laudable attempt towards a permanent scientific record of the fast perishing tribes, has shown himself an enthusiastic philologist, and a careful student of human nature in the crude state.

The two languages which receive the fullest consideration and grammatical illustration are named Kamilaroi, which is that of the aborigines of the Namoi Barwan, Bundurra, and Balonne rivers, and of the Liverpool Plains and the Upper Hunter, and Turrubul, the language of the aborigines of the Brisbane river. Necessarily imperfect as must always be the language of a people without the art of writing, there

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are evidences (to use the author's own words) in "the inflections of verbs and nouns, the derivation and composition of words, the arrangement of sentences, and the methods of imparting emphasis, which indicate an accuracy of thought and a force of expression surpassing all that is commonly supposed to be attainable by a

Besides the very careful examination of the two languages named above, there are phrases and vocabularies in eight or nine others, and a comparative table of a large number of leading words in twenty different dialects. Half a dozen pages are devoted to an interesting record of their principal traditions, and as many more to a collection of their current stories and songs, the latter showing some merit occasionally in their happy turn for satire. The habits and manners of the various tribes are briefly reviewed in conclusion, and a large amount of information is given respecting their tribal institutions and laws, wherein much that belongs to the Mosaic code, and much that is common to the Masonic craft are weirdly intermingled.

If the time ever comes when the united colonies shall admit the desirability of having one comprehensive history of the aborigines of Australia upon a scientific basis, it is certain that though the fervid missionary spirit of our author may render him less reliable upon the ethical questions involved, his work will be of immense service to those who may be entrusted with the final casting of the materials into their permanent form. Indeed, if a literary monument is erected to commemorate the race whom we have virtually extirpated, the Revd. Mr. Ridley will undoubtedly have contributed the chief corner stone. It is only due to the prestige of Sydney to say that as a specimen of typographic art, the book is equal to the very best efforts of the London press.

H. G. T.

"DRESS, WITH REFERENCE TO HEAT," by Walter Balls-Headley, M.D. Melbourne: J. & A. M'Kinley.

A LECTURE lately delivered by Dr. Walter Balls-Headley on "Dress, with Reference to Heat," before the Australian Health Society, has just been published in pamphlet form. We can do little more than call the attention of our readers to this eminently utilitarian publication, with the assurance that they will profit by the perusal of it. Popular in style, and singularly free from medical phraseology and scientific terms, it contains the fullest information upon the subject of dress, and one acquires knowledge in reading it without being too conscious of the effort. Perhaps special attention might be called to the remarks on tight-lacing, although judging from the popularity of that practice it seems useless to point out its evils. The doctor is occasionally jocular, as for instance where he recommends women to wear their hair of a dull yellow or light shade in winter, and a dark brown or black in summer. Considering the ponderous solemnity of most advice-giving publications, this occasional jocularity is refreshing. We have not space to notice Dr. Balls-Headley's lecture at any length, but cannot help congratulating him and the Australian Health Society upon its appearance in pamphlet form. The Society will be doing a public service if it can ensure the publication of a series of such lectures.