The Second Number of the Education Magazine, published under the
superintendence of the Society for the Diffusion of Use- ful Knowledge, has redeemed the expectations we had formed of the first. It contains several articles of considerable value, and embraces a great deal of miscellaneous information respecting the actual progress of institutions and methods at present established. The "Reasons for establishing a Public System of Elementary In- struction in England," are exceedingly cogent, and demand the attention of a Reformed Parliament. We recommend the obser- vations, in this article, on the fluctuations in the demand of labour, as rendering education an absolute necessity, to those who think on these subjects. The account of the "School of Athens" in the fourth century, is in the highest degree curious. The ex- posure of LEMPRIERE'S Classical Dictionary is complete, and we hope final. The articles on Reading made Easy, on the DARTON and HARVEY books, on JACOTOT'S System, with several others, conspire to render this a 'valuable Number of a well-designed pub- lication.
The Westminster Review has also made its appearance, with a very able, and certainly a very miscellaneous Number. The talents of the writers of this Review have never been doubted, and their activity and variety is now pretty nearly as conspicuous as was their power. The present Number contains some remarkable papers : such is the first, abounding in curious facts and views respecting Asiatic literature. The paper on the Society for the Diffusion of Knowledge is full of sound views; at the same time, we think the writer should have pardoned the Society for not 'doing much that they might have done, for the sake of their hav- ing done much that lay in their power. . He condemns, for in-. stance, such publications as those classed under the head of " Li- brary of EntertainingKnowledge." We freely admit they are not calculated for labourers in their present condition ; -but we are very sure that compilations like the one which has lately appeared, entitled the " ArchitectUre of Birds," must tend very greatly to the. excitement of an inquisitive spirit, and the habit of deriving plea- sure from the attainment of knowledge.
We beg strongly to recommend this work on the Architecture of Birds to all persons desirods of choosing a charming and in- structive present for youth. Its facts are most curious and inte- resting; and tender-hearted parents must not think the worse of it that it may be considered as the science of foreign and domestic bird-nesting.
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