Scientific and Miscellaneous Information. and this revolution round our globe causes the different appearances it presents to us. When it is between the earth and the sun, it cannot, of course, reflect the solar light to us. We do not see it shining, and we say there is no moon. By and by it turns, and gets a little of the sun's light, which it reflects, and then we call it a new moon. The farther it advances in its path, the more sunlight falls on it. The half is illuminated. When it is exactly opposite to the sun, it is covered with reflected light, and we call it a full moon. it On goes in its course; the light diminishes; and we call it a waning or decreasing moon, till at last it disappears from our sight, as we have said, by coming between us and the sun, and moonshine is over for a week. All the first discoveries in astronomy were made by observations on the moon; and the study of it is most interesting still. The rays of the moon are very cold, and are believed to be injurious to the sight-at least in the tropics-if people sleep exposed to them. Gazing at it through a very strong telescope, astronomers have discovered in it mountains, apparently extinct volcanoes, gulfs, and seas. It presents, in fact, the appearance of a ruined and uninhabited world. An eclipse of the moon is caused by the earth coming between it and the sun at certain points in its orbit or path, and covering it with her shadow. An eclipse of the sun is caused by the moon coming between him and the earth, and casting her shadow on him. However, as the moon is smaller than the sun, the latter is never quite obscured; there is always a ring of light round the shadow. Not more than seven eclipses can occur in year, but two at the least must happen. If seven, five will be of the sun, and two of the moon. If only two, both must be of the sun; for there are two solar eclipses at least every year. There are never more than three lunar eclipses in a year, sometimes none. The number of solar to lunar eclipses is in the ratio of three to two; yet more lunar than solar eclipses are visible at any particular place; for a lunar eclipse is visible to an entire hemisphere, while a solar eclipse is only visible at a particular part. ABBREVIATIONS EXPLAINED. I.N.R.I. Jesus Nazarænum Rex Judæorum, Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. I. H.S. B.C. A.C. A.D. A.M. Jesus Hominum Salvator, Jesus the Saviour of mankind. ante Christum, before Christ. anno Domini, in the year of our Lord. anno mundi, in the year of the world. A.U.C. ab urbe conditá, from the building of the city. A.M. ante meridiem, forenoon. P.M. post meridiem, afternoon MS. MSS. e.g. i.e. manuscript, a written book. manuscripts, written books. exempli gratiâ, for the sake of illustration or example. id est, that is to say. A.B. et cætera, and the rest. et, and. artium baccalaureus, bachelor of arts. A.M. or M.A. artium magister, master of arts. LL.D. legum doctor, doctor of laws. LL.B. legum baccalaureus, bachelor of laws. medicine baccalaureus, bachelor of physic. M.D. medicinæ doctor, doctor of physic. ई EXPLANATION OF A FEW COMMON LATIN WORDS AND PHRASES. Ab initio, from the beginning. Alibi, elsewhere, or proof of having been elsewhere. A posteriori, from the effect to the cause. A priori, from the cause to the effect. Bonâ fide, in reality. Cum multis aliis, with many others. Dei gratia, by the grace or favor of God. Delenda, things to be blotted out. Ex, late, as the ex-minister means the late minister. Felo de se, self-murderer. Habeas Corpus, an Act of Par- Id est, that is; contracted, i.e. In propriâ personâ, in his own person. In statu quo, in the former state. Ipse dixit, on his sole assertion. Item, also. Lapsus linguæ, a slip of the tongue. Magna charta (karta), the great charter of England. Multum in parvo, much in little. Ne plus ultra, no further. Non compos mentis, not of a sound mind. Nem. Con. (for nemine contradicente), none opposing. Omnes, all. Per cent. or per centum, by the hundred. Primâ facie, at first sight. Pro et con, for and against. Quid nunc? what now? Sine quâ non, an indispensable voce, Vice versa, the reverse. K EXPLANATION OF A FEW COMMON FRENCH WORDS AND PHRASES. Aide-de-camp, an assistant to a general. A la bonne heure, in good time. A la Française, after the French fashion. Au naturel, to the life. Beau monde, the fashionable world. Bagatelle, a trifle. Bon mot, a witty saying. Bon jour, good morning. De tout mon cœur, with all my heart. Début, first appearance in public. Dénouement, discovery. Dieu et mon droit, God and my right. Depôt, store or magazine. Double entendre, double meaning. Eclât, applause. Embonpoint, in good condition, stout. En masse, in a mass or body. En passant, by the way. Entre nous, between ourselves. Faux pas, a wrong step. Fête Champêtre, rural festival. Incognito, disguised under another name.† Jeu d'esprit, play of wit. Mal à propos, unseasonably. Savant, a learned man. Tant pis, so much the worse. Tant mieux, so much the better. Tête-à-tête, a private interview. Un bon vivant, a jovial fellow. Valet de chambre, a gentleman's servant. Vive le roi, long live the king. Vis-à-vis, opposite, over against. WARNE'S VICTORIA PICTURE SPELLING BOOK. MORNING HYMN. O TIMELY happy, timely wise, Through sleep and darkness safely brought, New thoughts of God, new hopes of heaven. If on our daily course our mind Be set to hallow all we find, New treasures still, of countless price, Only, O Lord, in Thy dear love, -KEBLE. EVENING HYMN. SUN of my soul ! Thou Saviour dear, Be Watch by the sick; enrich the poor Till, in the ocean of Thy love, We lose ourselves in heaven above.-KEBLE. CAMDEN PRESS, LONDON. |