of the 9th June, measured 117 inches. The Greenfield Valley, near Saddleworth, is situated at the foot of an extensive range of bills. On the 22nd June, the floods came down with such violence, that the valley was flooded. The cottages were inundated, and the inmates driven to the upper floors. In one cottage a woman and two children were surprised by the rising torrents and drowned.

Morayshire and Banffshire appear to have been severely visited by thunder and rain

storms.

These summer storms were very severe in France. At Paris much damage was done, and in some of the provinces the hailstorms were so destructive, as to have a material effect in lessening the corn production of that country, and necessitating the large importations which have proved so great a drain upon the currency of the Empire. Within eight days, 33 cases of death by lightning in various parts of France are recorded.

OPENING OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY GARDENS.The famous Horticultural Society of London, whose efforts for the promotion of that science have been so beneficial, and whose fêtes have been for long one of the chief attractions of the London season, have changed their name and locality, and will henceforward have a still larger sphere of utility, and be occasions of greater and more refined enjoy

ment.

The Society was founded in 1804, and was incorporated in 1809. During the long war the arts of peace had languished, and horticulture in particular had

ceased to make sensible progress. The Peace gave rest to men's minds and leisure to cultivate the elegant and useful arts, and, stimulated by the wealth which the cessation of war released, the art of horticulture in England made rapid progress. In 1822 the Society formed their garden at Chiswick, and collected within that centre every useful production of every clime, and thence distributed to every part of the United Kingdom, to the British colonies, and to foreign nations, all useful fruits improved by scientific cultivation. The result of their operations within the last 30 years has been the introduction into England of by far the larger part of the highlyprized occupants of modern gardens. In 1827 was given the first of those fetes, or more properly exhibitions of horticultural produce, which have left such delightful memories. Of late years the more gorgeous exhibitions of flowers in places of more easy access have deflected the visitors from the Chiswick fétes, and the true use of the ground-the promotion of horticulture-had not been remunerative. The Council felt that to be of public utility the objects of the Society must be placed higher than the mere productions of choice fruits-that horticulture must be raised from the rank of a useful to that of an educational art; and that for this purpose it was essential that the Society's gardens should be removed to some site near London.

The Commissioners of the Exhibition of 1851 had purchased with the surplus funds of that wonderful undertaking, a very fine estate at Kensington Gore, which they proposed to devote to the purposes of educational art, and

on which the Exhibition of Industry and the Arts has since been erected. The Commissioners deeming the developed designs of the Horticultural Society to come within these principles-namely, to encourage the arts and sciences as applied to productive industryleased to the Council of the Horticultural Society 22 acres of their land, upon most liberal terms; the rent to be contingent on the income of the Society, but with the conditions that they should expend not less than 50,000l. on the ground, the Commissioners binding themselves to enclose it with an ornamental arcade costing at least an equal sum. The institution was now entirely remodelled under the auspices of the Prince Consort, who, carrying into this science that combination of beauty and utility which was the characteristic of his accomplished mind, had taken a deep interest in the undertaking. A new charter was granted, by which the old Society was reembodied under the title of "The Royal Horticultural Society," with the Prince Consort as President.

As it was thought essential to success that the Society's gardens should be open, in perfect order, during the time of the Exhibition of 1862, the building for which was rising on the adjacent ground, and to which, considered in an educational sense, it was in the closest affinity, the greatest exertions were made to lay out the grounds on a design which should combine in the greatest perfection everything that was beautiful in architectural and botanical display. From the commencement the Council had to contend with a series of extraordinary difficulties. The saturating rains of last sum

were

mer were followed by the long frost of the winter, and to that succeeded the impediments consequent upon the strike in the building trade. These difficulties and those inherent in an undertaking of this kind appeared to postpone the completion of the works to an indefinite period. But the energy of the Council triumphed over every difficulty, and the formal opening of the Gardens by the Prince Consort was fixed-rather rashly-for the 5th of June. When that morning broke the grounds were saturated with heavy rains, lawns were still unturfed, paths ungravelled, steps wanting to the terrace, scaffolding was still standing, the awnings and benches were not erected; even painting and plumbing work was yet to be done. The process of gravelling and turfing, of removing and setting up, was continued until the very moment that the public were admitted. None who entered the grounds on the afternoon of the ceremony could have supposed it possible that as they poured in at one entrance the workmen of all trades were quitting them at another. None who passed under the exquisite medieval arcade, with its twisted columns of terra cotta, filled with glass between, would have supposed that the glaziers had been at work there almost up to the time of opening. The gravel walks were indeed rather soft, and some of the lawns were turfed here and there like badly-fitting mosaics, but, as a whole, everything appeared in perfect orderand it was difficult to imagine that such charming completeness could have been effected in so short a time. The weather was alternately bright and gloomy. Nevertheless, in

spite of the threats of a heavy storm not less than from 8000 to 10,000 persons thronged the scene. The members of the Houses of Lords and Commons received cards of invitation from the Council, and, as a matter of course, their ladies were present also. With more favourable weather the gardens would, doubtless, have been the chief source of attraction; but the wet state of the grass and paths drove the brilliant assemblage to inspect the great feature of the unrivalled show of fruit and flowers arranged in the vast conservatory and along the noble vista of the arcades. Amid the rich and varied beauty of this display, and the enlivening strains of military music, the visitors found ample enjoyment for some hours. At half-past 4 the Royal party reached the gardens, and were received by the Members of the Council and the Vice-Presidents of the Society. A procession was then formed, composed of the Floral and Fruit Committee of the Society, the Implement Committee, the Works Committee, and members of the Fine Arts Commission, the Commissioners of the Exhibition of 1851, the Council of the Society, and the four VicePresidents in immediate advance of the Royal party. H.R.H. the Prince Consort led the Princess Mary of Cambridge, and was followed by the Princess Alice and Prince Louis of Hesse, the Princess Helena, the Princess Louisa, and the Prince Arthur, and the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge, the last members of the Royal party. The Duchess of Cambridge did not take part in the procession, but remained

seated near the chief entrance to the conservatory. On the plat

form or terrace of the conservatory the Prince stood, surrounded by his family and court, while Dr. Lindley, followed by the Council, advanced and read an address to the Prince, in which the history of the Society, its hopes and designs, were set out at length. His Royal Highness made a graceful reply, in which, after congratulating the Council on the success of their exertions, the Prince expressed the aesthetic phase of the undertaking,-"That which last year was still a vague conception, is to-day a reality, and I trust will be accepted as a valuable attempt, at least, to reunite the science and art of gardening to the sister arts of architecture, sculpture, and painting." The Bishop of London then offered up a prayer for the future success of the new gardens. His Royal Highness then advanced to the front of the conservatory, and taking off his hat, formally declared the Royal Horticultural Gardens to be opened. The procession then moved forward to the east end of the terrace, where the Prince went through the formality of planting a

Wellingtonia gigantea. It was a seedling specimen of those mammoth Californian trees which fill the steep valley at the foot of the Great Yo Hamite Falls. The ceremony was soon completed, and the Royal party, after devoting half-an-hour to an inspection of the flower-show in the conservatory, partook of refreshments, and quitted the grounds shortly after 6 o'clock. The old gardens at Chiswick will not be abandoned, but will be applied to many useful. purposes auxiliary to the great public grounds at Kensington

Gore.

THE SPRING QUARTER.-The

temperature of the air during the spring quarter was very various. The weather continued cold during the first half; so much so, that in many places the corn did not grow with that luxuriance that would give promise of a fine harvest; but from the middle of May, the season was all that could be desired; the crops, though the blades were perhaps somewhat thin in some lauds, attained a vigorous strength, the flower was well set, and it became evident that the harvest, though perhaps not large, would be of admirable quality. On the 23rd May the thermometer registered 80°, in June it reached 82°, and the average daily warmth was several degrees above the ungenial atmosphere of last year. The highest point reached by the mercury in the sun was at the Royal Observatory, 108° 6'. The localities in which the highest temperatures in the shade were marked were-Banbury, 87° 5' ; Aldershott, 85° 5'; at Lampeter, 83°5'; the lowest, at Petersfield, 22° at Lampeter, 22° 2'. Thus Lampeter showed a daily range of no less than 22o; while the variation at Osborne, Guernsey, Scarborough, and Ventnor, the variation was from 7° to 10°. The atmospheric pressure during the quarter did not greatly vary from the average; the rain-fall was something below it. The cuckoo and the swallow were observed at Gloucester on the 12th April; the cherry and plum were in blossom about the middle of the month.

The season was healthy, the number of deaths, 107,721, indicating a death-rate of 2151, compared with 2.207, the average. The number of births was 184,718, which is higher than the number born in any quarter of any pre

vious year, in the proportion of 37 to 36. The number of persons married was 41,966, considerably less than in 1860. Upon the whole, the natural increase of the population was 76,997, or 846 daily. The price of wheat was 548. 9d. per quarter against 52s. 8d. at this season last year: potatoes, 130s. against 1428. Persons receiving relief, 831,587 against 799,434 in 1860.

The Census of the population of the United Kingdom was taken on the night of the 8th April. The uncorrected returns showed a total of persons inhabiting England only, of 20,061,725; an increase during the 10 years since the Census of 1851, of 12 per cent.

JULY.

SALE OF ARCHBISHOP TENISON'S LIBRARY.-This eminent divine, who was presented to the rectory of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields in 1680, made Archdeacon of London in 1689, Bishop of Lincoln in 1691, and Archbishop of Canterbury in 1694, had a peculiar affection for the scene of his early labours. He founded within its bounds a grammar-school, which he endowed while living, and to which, by his will, he bequeathed his library and manuscripts. This collection was peculiarly rich in works of old divinity and Church history. The school, having been constituted on a scheme which did not permit of progressive development, had fallen into decay-had, indeed, become utterly useless; and as no, or very few, additions had been made to the library since the

founder's time, its very existence had become almost unknown. With these times of improvement and innovation, life penetrated into this now-forgotten institution. It seemed to the trustees that the foundation, if properly managed, was capable of performing the real wishes of the wise Archbishopthe spread of education and knowledge. They therefore proposed a scheme, with the sanction of the Attorney-General, by which the whole plan of the foundation was reconstructed according to the best models of the present time. It was a necessary part of their plan that the library, which was undoubtedly inconsistent with the purposes of an elementary school, should be disposed of. The dusthidden tomes were therefore brought into light, and such was their rarity and value that the competition for their possession was great, and the prices they brought must have provided the trustees with ample funds.

Among the printed books were "The Newe Testament, both in Latine and Englyshe, eche correspondente to the other after the vulgar Texte, commonly called S. Jerome's." Faythfullye translated by Johan Hollybushe (i. e. Miles Coverdale). 4to. Black letter. Prynted in Southwarke, by James Nicolson, 1538. This is the second edition of Coverdale's New Testament, and of very rare occurrence-251. "Libri Duo Samuelis et Libri Duo Regum, sub titulo primi, secundi, tertii et quarti Regum, cum præfatione doctoris Francisci Scorini," in Lingua Slavonicâ; probably unique. 4to. Pragæ, 1518. A volume of the highest degree of rarity, being, as far as can be ascertained, the only portion known of the first edition

66

of the Holy Scriptures in the Russian popular dialect after the Vulgate-551. "Le Livre des Prières Communes, de l'Administration des Sacremens et autres Ceremonies en l'Eglise d'Angleterre, traduit en François, par Francoys Philippe, Serviteur de Monsieur le Grand Chancelier de l'Angleterre." Black letter and woodcut capitals. Fine copy, 4to, of the highest degree of rarity. "De l'Imprimerie de Thomas Gaultier, Imprimeur du Roy en la Langue Françoise, pour les Isles de Sa Majesté. Avec le privilége général du dit Seigneur," 1558. No copy can be traced as having occurred for sale-391. Hore Beatissime Virginis Marie ad Legitimum Sarisburiensis Ecclesie Ritum." 4to, printed in red and black, with beautiful woodcuts, and emblematical borders round each page; extremely rare; Paris, Regnault, 1526. The headings of many of the prayers are in English, as are also the form of confession, &c. - 197. "Biblia Sacræ Scripturæ Veteris Novæque Omnia, Græcè;" original binding, the sides impressed with various figures, in the centres the Temptation and Crucifixion; folio."Venet. Aldus," 1518-137. Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments—“ The Sealed Book;" folio, 1662; first edition of the Book of Common Prayer now in use-201. “Missale ad Consuetudinem Ecclesie Sarum. Nuper una cum dicte Ecclesie institutis consuetudinibusque Elimatissime Impressum, additis Plurimis Commoditatibus que in ceteris desiderantur;" folio, printed in red and black ink, with musical notes and wood capitals, the two leaves of the Canon of the Mass printed on vellum; blue morocco, edges