of the
plucking. The young and tender leaves of course make finer tea than tough
and old ones.--_Asiatic Register_.

_Portsmouth Literary and Philosophical Society_.

We have been much interested with the report of this Society for 1827-8,
and we are happy to record the prosperity of the establishment. Some
of the lectures, especially those on Geology, or Mineralogy, are very
attractive; and in the curator's report, we notice that the Museum,
previously rich in fossil organic remains, has been enriched by numerous
donations in this department, during the past session. The entire number
of specimens in the Museum is upwards of 9,000.

We have not been at Portsmouth for these three years, and till we saw
this report, were not aware that the State Chambers, lately on the
Platform Battery, had been pulled down towards the close of last year.
The building was of some interest. It was of stone, with walls of
considerable thickness, and square vaults below, descending to a level
with the parade, and used at different periods as dungeons. The part on
which the vane stood, was erected in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and
the other part was built in the time of Charles II., whose name, with the
date, was on a marble slab above the doorway. Of late years the building
had been modernized and used as a signal-house and subscription
reading-room. If we are not mistaken, the edifice had often been much
injured by the encroachments of the sea, and probably this led to its
removal.

_Conversations on Geology_.

We notice with much pleasure a handsome volume under the above popular
title, which represents that delightful science in the very attractive
form of a series of dialogues between a mother and her children.
The Huttonian and Wernerian systems and the Mosaic Geology, are here
familiarly explained, and illustrative phenomena and recent discoveries
glanced at in the progress of the conversations. How much more profitable
are such family recreations than sitting hours over spotted pieces of
paper, counting the pips of dice, or simpering over fashionable novels
and tales of scandal run mad. Bookish families are usually the happiest,
at least if we rightly estimate the term. In an early number we shall
endeavour to find some portion of these "Conversations" for our columns.

"_Arcana of Science for_ 1829."

This work will appear early in January. It will be on the same plan as
the volume of last year, and will contain at