The British Almanack and Companion maintain their usual superiority over
all others, for the amount, variety, and usefully scientific character of their information, as well as for the work- manlike pains with which it is put together. The " Miscellaneous Register" of the Almanack contains a mass of facts a knowledge of which is constantly requisite in the business of life. The con- tents of the Companion are of a more enlarged and elevated kind, but equally useful. Amongst them may be mentioned, a very valuable history of the statistics and legislation of the Wheat Ti-ache; good papers on Steam Navigation, the Railways of Great Britain, and the Uniform Penny Postage; and a pleasant review of Public (Architectural) Improvements during the last twelvemonth.
Mr. MURPHY, nothing disconcerted, has brought out his Wea- ther Almanack for isms; which is rather more explicit in its prognostications than his first, as well as more flattering in its prospects of fine weather. The coming Christmas will, according to MURPHY, be a bitter one : we are to have a storm on Christmas Day, frost sets in three days before the New Year and lasts a fortnight, and after a week's intermission returns for a few days more. The general character of the weather is, however, favour- able, for our climate, during the year. February, March, and
April have many clays marked " fair ;" May is very "change- able," and June looks lowering; but July and August wear a smiling and sunny aspect, and there are a good proportion of fine days in September : the next year's October, too, may match with the one just passed ; while the November is a great improvement on the present year's, and even dreary December shows a fair face.
The Sporting Almanack marks in its calendar all race•days, and the seasons and events interesting to sportsmen; contains lists of hounds, yachts, and cattle-fairs ; and gives useful information to anglers, recipes for horse diseases, and laws of racing, coursing, cricket, &c. It is ornamented with some pretty etchings of field sports ; and is altogether a handsome and complete vade mecum for the turf.
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