istophori Clavii_ 1556. By the courtesy of
some members of the Jesuit body in London, I procured a tracing of the
signature of Clavius from Rome, and the shapes of the letters, and the
modes of junction and disjunction, put the matter beyond question. Even the
extra space was explained; he wrote himself Cla_u_ius. Now in 1556, Clavius
was nineteen years old: it thus appears probable that the framer of the
Gregorian Calendar was selected, not merely as a learned astronomer, but as
one who had attended to the calendar, and to works on its reformation, from
early youth. When on the subject I found reason to think that Clavius had
really read this work, and taken from it a phrase or two and a notion or
two. Observe the advantage of writing the baptismal name at full length.

A COUPLE OF MINOR PARADOXES.

The discovery of a general resolution of all superior finite equations,
of every numerical both algebraick and transcendent form. By A. P.
Vogel,[761] mathematician at Leipzick. Leipzick and London, 1845, 8vo.

This work is written in the English of a German who has not mastered the
idiom: but it is always intelligible. It professes to solve equations of
every degree "in a more extent sense, and till to every degree of
exactness." The general solution of equations of _all_ degrees is a vexed
question, which cannot have the mysterious interest of the circle problem,
and is of a comparatively modern date.[762] Mr. Vogel {374} announces a
forthcoming treatise in which are resolved the "last impossibilities of
pure mathematics."

Elective Polarity the Universal Agent. By Frances Barbara Burton,
authoress of 'Astronomy familiarized,' 'Physical Astronomy,' &c.
London, 1845, 8vo.[763]

The title gives a notion of the theory. The first sentence states, that
12,500 years ago [alpha] Lyrae was the pole-star, and attributes the immense
magnitude of the now fossil animals to a star of such "polaric intensity as
Vega pouring its magnetic streams through our planet." Miss Burton was a
lady of property, and of very respectable acquirements, especially in
Hebrew; she was eccentric in all things.

1867.--Miss Burton is revived by the writer of a book on meteorology which
makes use of the planets: she is one of his leading minds.[764]

SPECULATIVE THOUGHT IN ENGLAND.

In the year 1845 the old _Mathematical Society_ was merged in the
Astronomical Society. The circle-squarers, etc., thrive more in Eng