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an Italian sculptor . It will be placed in tho interior ol the '" ' School of Alines , " and ivill bear the inscription , " A Alexandre dc Humboldt , le Mexique reconnaissant . " Mr . James Augustus S't . John is engaged on a " History of England , " which , from ' ' peculiar sources of information lie has , " will throw much neiv light over the era previous to the Conquest . The work will bo in

six or seven volumes , and published separately , the first of which may be expected in the spring . A commission , appointed by the French Academy of Sciences to draw up a report on the results of the scientific expedition undertaken to observe the late total eclipse in Brazil , calls attention to the very important total eclipse which will occur in July next year , and will be visible in Spain and Algeria . The commission believe that at least forty

astronomers , from France , England , Germany , Russia , and Italy , will assemble in Spain or Africa to witness this eclipse . Humboldt , by a will in his OAVU handwriting , bequeathed all his moveable property , including his library , to 31 . Seyffert , w-ho for forty years served him as valet-de-chambre . M . Seyffert requested the seals to be removed , AA'hich were placed on the effects of Humboldt when ho died , and demanded his legacy . The relations of fche philosojdier have

protested against both these measures ; but the urban tribunal of Berlin ordered the seals to be broken , and the legacy to be delivered in terms of the will . HoAvever , upon the appeal of fche relatives , the Royal Court of Berlin has just granted a delay of three months to put in proofs in support of tho protestation they have made . The contest lias , naturally enough , created great sensation in the learned world , which is curious to knoAV what ivill become ofthe immense library of Von Humboldt , AA'hich

not only contains works of great importance iu oi'ery branch of science , of literature , and the arts , but which contains also numerous volumes presented to Humboldt by the most celebrated men of the present clay , and thus containing many autographs .

AA'ith regard to the rectorship of the University of Edinburgh , we ¦ understand that the election will be betAveen Mr . Gladstone and Lord Neaves . The committee Avhich had been formed for Lord Campbell and Lord Jolm Russell have united with the Gladstone committee . Ifc is reported at Sfc . Andrew ' s thafc the prineipalship of the united college , vacant hy Sir David Breivstor ' s removal to Edinburgh , has been conferred on Dr . AA ordsAvoi-th , Bishop of St . Andrew ' s , ancl the report has

been so far credited that both the senatus and the provost aud magistrates have memorialised government against the appointment . The Illustrated News of the World says : —Air . AAllls has been successively the sub-editor of Chambers ' s Journal , tho Daily News , I Household Worih , and All the Year Round ; the former tAvo owed something to him , but the latter two owe , perhaps , most of their success to him . The critic of tho A thenceum speaks thus of die popular entertainer : —

' ¦ ' Mr . Albert Smith has re-entered China at a dash , carrying Canton , as the French revolutionary baud carry Paris— with a song . His audience came , and laughed , and went away . AA hafc more is to bo saicl of this amusing traveller and showman 1 You do not go to tho Egyptian Hall to learn anything about China , and you succeed to a marvel . Among many good jokes ancl satirical bits is that in ivhich Mr . Albert Smith assures you , ivith a roguish gravity of face , that about IAVO hundred millions of the Chinese havo no other conception of a future life than

squatting in a lotus flower , gazing at butter I " Pr"M . Amedee Renec , tho ivell-kuoivn French journalist , is just dead . AL Kendo was the author of several works . The lust were , " The Nieces of Alazarin , " and " Maimers and Characters of the Eighteenth Century . " He formerly contributed to the " Revue do Paris , " and to the " Encyclopedic des gens du Monde . " Iu tho spring of 1857 ho replaced M . do Cdsena as redaeteur-en-chef of tho Const Uulionncl and of

the Pays , but was not acting in that capacity at tho time of his death . Mr . Charles Kingsley has nearly completed a new novel , which may be expected in the spring . Tho subject is different from most of Mr . Kingsley ' s fictions ; consequently more than usual interest is felt among critics for its appearance . A great deal of the attention both of the Tuscan Government and the population turns upon matters connected with the Ministry of Public

Education . The Marquis Ridolfi . is thought to havo bean anything but felicitous in his IIOAV appointments . The vacations aro drawing to an end , and the Universities of Pisa and Siena are soon to feel the benefit of their enlarged endowment and tho nowly-added professorships . The same activity in the same branch of administration is exhibited by all the Governments of Central Italy . AVhole batches of new professors are seated on neivly-orccted chairs at Parma , Modena , and Bologna . Iu the ' alter place Count Carlo Pcpoli , long a resident in England , and well

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known as a poet ancl scholar , was offered the dignity of Fetter Magnifico , or President , cf thafc eldest of all Alma Masters . He answered , he ivould only accept on one condition , and that was that he should be alloAved to open the university in the morning , to close it again immediately in tho evening of the same day , after distributing to all students applying for a certificate of matriculation billets of achmssion into the ranks of tho various corps of the national army .

One Mr . Charles Butterworth , of MainsAvorth , has in the press a " History of the County of Durham , " of which " high expectations aro entertained . " It contains illustrations of most of the ancient specimens of architecture for which the county is celebrated . The matriculation examination of the Bombay University commenced on the 3 rd of October , simultaneously at the town-hall in Bombay , and at the assembly rooms in Poomh . It is satisfactory to notice that

eighty-eight candidates presented themselves for examination at Bombay , and forty at Poonah , making a total of one hundred and twenty-eight candidates . j M . Philoxene Boyer has interrupted his course of Lectures ou Shakespeare in order to pronounce an oration upon the genius of Schiller . The salon , of the reunion of the learned societies was crammed to excess , there being a large number of Germans present to hear an eloquent

Frenchman express his appreciation of their renowned countryman . AL Boyoi- 's oration , delivered entirely without the aid of notes , occupied nearly two hours ; and the admirable manner iu which he exhibited the prominent points of tho poet ' s character , the fervid eloquence with Avhich he extolled the genius and the simplicity of the man , and tho masterly way in which he gave to general principles of liberty an indirect , but telling application , constantly drew from the closely-packed audience the most enthusiastic applause .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

[ T HE EDITOR does not hold himself responsible for any opinions entertained l > g Correspondents ^ TIIK BOYS SCHOOL . TO THE ETJITOU 01 ? TUB 1 'UEEMASOSS' MAUASilSE AXB MASONIC JIIttr . OR . DEAU Sn ; AXD ] ji ; o'nii . ; i ;—I hope the world will not attribute

, to me , as you have done iu your article of this day on the Boys School , the additions now in progress there . The llev . Mr . "Woodward has , I believe , had the sole direction . I prepared designs for some additional buildings , which I understand were not immediately acted on for want of sufficient funds . I subsequently examined some plans , 1 know not by whom made , but submitted to me by the House Committee , which were not

adopted , in consequence of my report . Since then a few pounds wore demanded , with 1113- ' approval , for the temporary provision cf a school room , to be made by clearing aivay some of the partitions of the existing building , under the direction of the schoolmaster . 'This sum appears to have swelled to several hundreds of pounds , but in what way applied I do not yet IUIOAA ' except that there are

, some IIOAV buildings erected without professional advice or superintendence . I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , EDAVAKD IvOBEJrrs , Architect-10 , Holies-street , Cavendish-square , 12 th Nov ., 1859 .

NEWSPAPER COMMUNICATIONS . TO ' 11113 EDITOR OP THE EUEEMASOBS' MA . QAZISE AXD MASONIC JtmUOP .. DEAR Sin AXD BROTHER , —As I hear that certain iiiisreprcseutions have been spread respecting the letter written by me to the Era newspaper , in May last ; and as I do not ICUOAV whence they have arisen , I can only refute them through the medium of tho

2 < VeemajiO ) is' Magazine . On the occasion in question , it may be remembered , that the Era had given an erroneous account of the proceedings at the meeting held at the Grand Registrar's chambers , and had also given my name as being present . The latterassertion being false , I lost no time in contradicting it ; and I cannot see how such an act could be considered an offence , as it appears to me only an additional evidence of the untruth of the whole statement . I however soon discovered that my motives had been mistaken , and I then wrote to Bro . Roxburgh upon the subject , and his reply led me to consider him satisfied with my