t is amusing to see how conscious the male birds
are of their beauty; they have reason to be so, but we scorn the vanity
of the savage who decks himself in their spoils. Many women without
remorse allow the life of a pretty bird to be extinguished in order that
they may deck themselves with its corpse. In fact, humming birds and
other foreign birds have become an article of commerce. Our kingfishers
and many of our other birds are on the eve of extinction on account of a
cruel fashion.

I have just received from Frances Power Cobbe an essay, in which she
controverts Darwin's theory,[18] so far as the origin of the moral sense
is concerned. It is written with all the energy of her vigorous
intellect as a moral philosopher, yet with a kindly tribute to Mr.
Darwin's genius. I repeat no one admires Frances Cobbe more than I do. I
have ever found her a brilliant, charming companion, and a warm,
affectionate friend. She is one of the few with whom I keep up a
correspondence.

To Mr. Murray I am indebted for a copy of Tylor's "Researches on the
Early History of Mankind, and the Development of Civilization"--a very
remarkable work for extent of research, original views, and happy
illustrations. The gradual progress of the prehistoric races of mankind
has laid a foundation from which Mr. Tylor proves that after the lapse
of ages the barbarous races now existing are decidedly in a state of
progress towards civilization. Yet one cannot conceive human beings in a
more degraded state than some of them are still; their women are treated
worse than their dogs. Sad to say, no savages are more gross than the
lowest ranks in England, or treat their wives with more cruelty.

* * * * *

In the course of my life Paris has been twice occupied by foreign
troops, and still oftener has it been in a state of anarchy. I regret
to see that La Place's house at Arcueil has been broken into, and his
manuscripts thrown into the river, from which some one has fortunately
rescued that of the "Mecanique Celeste," which is in his own
handwriting. It is greatly to the honour of French men of science that
during the siege they met as usual in the hall of the Institute, and
read their papers as in the time of peace. The celebrated astronomer
Janssen even escaped in a balloon, that he might arrive in time to
observe the eclipse of the 22nd November, 1870.

* * * * *

We had a most brilliant display of the A