Literary Extracts.

and that in his time the island of Hispaniola was infested with large numbers of bloodhounds , Avhich ran ivild in the Avoods . These dogs destroyed enormous quantities of cattle , and so nearly exterminated the race of wild boars , " that the hunters of that island had much ado t find any . " Monsieur Oregon , the governor of Torfcugao in 1668 , sent to Franco for a store of poison to destroy ,

them . "Horses Avere killed and empoisoned , and laid open at certain places Avbei-e Avild dogs used to resort . This being continued for six months , there was killed an incredible number ; and yet all this could nofc destroy ths i-ace , or scarce diminish fchem , their numbers appearing almost the same as before . " Instinct taught the bloodhounds to hunt in packs . Esquemeling and a

Erench buccaneer of his acquaintance once heard fchem coming through the woods , and took refuge in a tree , whence they looked on while the pack ran into a ivild boar and killed him . As soon as the boar Avas dead , the whole pack lay down and Avaited till the hound Avho had first gripped the enemy had satisfied his hunger before they presumed to begin their own repast . —Hxodus of tlie

Western Nations , by Viscount Bury . CATHERINE DE MEDICIS . —The year 1570 was one in which it appeared for a moment that the landmarks so carefully and painfully raised Avere to be sAvept away . The Protestants had conquered peace ; but still their party throughout Europe Avere in doubt and dismay . Coligny , blinded by his own nobility of soul , was becoming entangled in a web of court intrigue . Elizabeth Avas thinking of a French alliance , and exchanging portraits wifch the Duke of Anjou , the Catholic hero of Jarnac and

Montcontour . Alva was treading out , as it seemed , the last sparks of liberty in the Netherlands . Philip was reenacting the Middle Ages , aud . amusing himself with cannonading the Turks , taking care , however , to make his Venetian allies pull his chesnufcs out of tho fire , which they did at Lepanto , where tbey bore the brunt of the battle , and he got the glory . Catherine , systematically

held np by history as the author and moving spirit of her time , was , in truth , but the puppet and toy of the Guises . They pulled the strings , and she bore the blame of their crimes—more than contented to do so if she might be still allowed to appear powerful before the world . She had but one passion—if any feeling she entertained be strong enough to call a passion—affection

for her children . Her heart , shalloAv aud base , perverted even that instinct ; sho loved her children , Avould make them great—but great only in her OAVU way , and as she understood the term . She plunged them from their earliest days into debauchery , that she might retain ascendancy over their enfeebled minds and enervated bodies ; then exercised every art of chicane and petty

intrigue to set them up , puppets of a puppet , in high p laces before tho eyes of men . Sho was all her life upon the side of the Catholics . Her Lorraine masters used her as a scourge of tho Huguenots , but her heart ivas not in the task . In her perfect-indifference tothe relig ious part of the question , she would willingly havo seen her son Anjou become the husband of Mary Stuart , chief

of the Catholics , King of Scotland and of Franco ; and her son Alencon the husband of Queen Elizabeth aud chief of the Protestants . —Exodti , * of the Western Nations , by Viscount Bury .

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WORKERS AKD TJIIXKERS . —On no subject has more misunderstanding prevailed between those who wrote and spoke a nil those for whose benefit what they wrote and spoke was intended . Ifc is greatly to be feared fcfmfc many- efforts , made with fche best intentions , to solve the difficult problems which the condition of the Avorking man presents , have not only failed signally in their benevolent purpose , but have served mote desperately to complicate these problems , by inadvertently and unconsciously wounding feelings which it ivas sought to soothe , embittering animosities ivhich it was sought to allay , and confirming prejudices which it was sought to remove . —The Worlcing Man .

Meetings Of The Scientific And Learned Societies For The Week Ending Jan- Uary 27th , 1866.

MEETINGS OF THE SCIENTIFIC AND LEARNED SOCIETIES FOR THE WEEK ENDING JANUARY 27 TH , 1866 .

Monday , January 22 . ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY , at 8 . 30 . _ —yj Tuesday , January 23 . INSTITUTION' OF CrviL ENGINEERS , at 8 . Wednesday , January 2-4 . SOCIETY OE ARTS , at 8 . " On the Uses of National Museums to Local Institutions . " By Henry G . Lennox , M . P . AVednesday , January 24 GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON , at 8 .

The Week.

THE WEEK .

THE COURT . —The Queen , Princess Helena , Princess Louise , and Princess Beatrice attended Divine Service afc Whippingham Church on Sunday last . The Count de Lannoy arrived at Osborne , on a special mission from his Majesty the King of the Belgians , accompanied by the Count Cornet and Count Ferdinand de Lannoy , on the 12 th inst . The Count de Lannoy ivas presented to her Majesty to announce the accession of

King Leopold the Second , and to deliver the Field Marshal ' s Baton and the Insignia of the Order of the Garter and the Grand Cross of the Bath of the late King of the Belgians . His Serene Highness Prince Christian of Scbleswig Holstein arrived afc Osborne on AVednesday evening from Dover . GENERAL HOME NEAVS . —The Aveekly returns of mortality

for tbe thirteen largest towns in the kingdom shoiv an improved state of health . The average rate of mortality for the Aveek is 29 ~ in the thousand , and London and Edinburgh are 26 , the lou-esfc in the scale . Liverpool , as usual , is highest , being 42 . The total number of deaths was 3 ,-153 , of ivhich 1 , 506 belonged to London . This is a diminution of no fewer than 169 on the

average mortality . The births were 3 , 995 , of which 1 , 928 were in London , which is slightly beloiv fche average . A meeting was held afc the Mansion House in furtherance of the movement for establishing middle-class schools in the City . The committee appointed at the meeting held for the purpose some time ago , presented a report of Avhat they had

done . They think thafc a school in which 800 or 1 , 000 children may receive education at a rate of payment not exceeding £ 4 per annum , should be erected in Finsbury . For this £ 50 , 000 would be required ; but the committe resolved to raise a fund of £ 100 , 000 , and for that' purpose asked the bankers , mevchunts , and public bodies of London to subscribe sums of £ 1 , 000 or £ 500 each . In answer fco fcheir appeal

thirty-three subscriptions of £ 1 , 000 each , and seven of £ 500 each have been promised , besides several smaller sums . The report of the committee ivas then adopted , and resolutionswere passed urging the active prosecution of the ii'ork . The two men , Farrell and Butler , who are charged Avith endeavouring to induce a soldier to join the Fenians , were

brought up again at the Thames Police-court on the 12 th inst .. They preferred that the magistrate should deal with them summarily for having soldiers' clothes in their possession , and tbey were sentenced to six months' imprisonment with hard labour .. The trial of the man Byrne for conniving at the escape of Stephens , the Fenian Head-centre , has ended in an

unsatisfactory maimer . The jury , after being locked up many hours * , ivere unable to agree , and finally were dismissed , the prisoner being retained in custody . George Hopper , one of the men charged with Fenianism , pleaded guilty , and was sentenced to two years' imprisonment . It appears that the jurymen in the Lord Mayor ' s court are munificently reivarded for their-