the cube of the distances decrease, so that the moon at half her present distance would produce a tide eight times greater! " Attractive pow'r! whose mighty sway And mounting upward, seemed to raise The heterogeneous labours of the maritime speculator are crowned by a unique illustration of the sciences, in which, despite of the questionable qualifications held to be indispensable for so noted a discovery, he asserts his claim to having found the longitude. His method is on the principle of lunar distances, being a compound of the moon's true place taken from the Nautical Almanack,―ay, the very ephemeris computed on the erroneous Newtonian theory, and a rough estimate of her mean motion, from a given instant. Despising the investigations of those who have displayed the rare qualities of power of analysis, depth of judgment, and comprehensive knowledge, he sets all minutiæ at defiance, by omitting the correction for the effect of parallax and refraction, as well as the difference between the true and mean motion of the moon. Why did he not carry his theory of the planetary motions into practice; we should in this case have seen a lunar distance cleared of parallax, whose equatorial horizontal value, as we have shown according to their reduced distance, would be for the moon 18°, and for the sun 9°! The reader will not be surprised, in this painful exposition, that the brilliant discoveries of aberration and nutation, the solar parallax as deduced from the transits of Venus,-and of the Moon and Mars from simultaneous observations in different latitudes, should be passed over without remark. In fact, the established truths on which the Newtonian theory of the celestial motions is founded, are either omitted or garbled for the promulgation of a system as mystified as the conundrums of Rabelais. Indeed, we have never met, in a similar number of pages, so many assertions without proofs, premises without conclusions, and conclusions without premises: and throughout is the leaden rule observed "Decry all things, for to be wise Is not to know, but to despise." We may now notice the mode in which the mighty Newton is else where attacked, sometimes by men of high pretensions, and at others by smatterers, as is perceivable in running a scale from Godfrey Leibnitz down to Sir Richard Phillips. This pseudo-mathematical knight once called upon us, without any previous acquaintance, to discuss those errors of the philosopher which he almost blushed to name ;" and which were inserted in the Principia "to puzzle the vulgar." He sneered with sovereign contempt at the "Trinity of gravitating force, projectile force, and void space;" and proved that, all change of place is occasioned by motion," parturiunt montes!" did we need to be told this? He then exemplified the phenomena by placing some pieces of paper on a table, and slapping his hand down close to them, thus making them fly off, which he termed applying the momentum. All motion, he said, is in the direction of the forces; and atoms seek the centre by a property which he calls "terrestrial-centripetation, and which causes universal pressure," but in what these differ from gravitation and attraction, "the deponent sayeth not." The majority of this phalanx have allowed speculation and conjecture to forestall observation and experiment: it being much easier to please the imagination than to satisfy reason,-to hatch theories than to ascertain results. This it was that decoyed Cardan and Albertus Magnus from the path of genuine science, and plunged them into unsubstantial labyrinths and fugitive mazes. To the character of our matchless Prince of Geometers, these attacks are as the spots on the solar disc, to the glowing brilliance of the radiant orb of day. It is in looking back to the rude observations of the heliacal risings of stars in ancient times, and thence to the present astronomical system, that we are to estimate a portion of his powers. The geometry of the Greeks undoubtedly contributed to the discovery of the planetary laws by Kepler; and these, with the dynamic principles by Galileo, gave birth to Newton's sublime doctrine of attraction, which afforded demonstration to all others. By his supreme invention of the fluxionary calculus, he enabled a galaxy of profound mathematicians to pursue his physical researches, and develope the most abstract and abstruse effects of the simple cause which he had advanced. Amongst other labours, we may proudly quote the investigation of the planetary perturbations, or the refined doctrine of their reciprocal influences, by which every inequality of motion is ultimately redressed, and the permanence and stability of the solar system, incontestably established; a result which stamps the pre-eminence of modern science, and forms its experimentum crucis. Newton himself had not only discovered the cause and principle of the universe, but, by the balance of an exalted geometry, ascertained its law and intensity. His principle being then assumed by other philosophers, the calculated phenomena of nature were found to agree with observation, by which a conquest far above the circle of mere geometric truths was obtained. Still the retardation of planetary motions sorely perplexed the astronomical world; and the knowledge requisite for their developement was of tardy growth. But the veil is at last withdrawn, and the Newtonian theory of the mysterious influence of attraction, successfully carried to an extent beyond the warmest anticipation of its discoverer. "These inequalities," says La Place, the most gifted follower of Newton,"seemed formerly inexplicable by the law of gravitation; but they are now one of its most convincing proofs. Such has been the fate of this brilliant discovery, that every difficulty which has arisen, has been for it the subject of a new triumph." In whatever degree of national exultation we may indulge at having produced this father of Inductive Science, the world at large has united with us in venerating him; and in France especially, the noblest estimate of his merit has been made. Bailly, whose glowing portrait of the philosopher is stamped with skill and dignity, remarked, that "as the empire of Alexander was divided among his successors; so the sceptre of Newton passed into the hands of Clairaut, Euler, and D'Alembert;" and their labours, perfected by those of La Grange and La Place, have established the empire of their illustrious founder, and reared an imperishable trophy to his fame. In thus abandoning the airy and hypothetical notions of Descartes, and perpetuating the immutable truths of one whom Halley considered a near approach to the divine intelligence, the names of the continental geometricians must for ever be associated with that of their great prototype, in the history of physical astronomy. Yet the services thus rendered to science by the disciples, eminent as they are, are not to be put into competition with those emanating from the vast genius of their master; whose mind, superior to common barriers, and equally distinguished for extent and accuracy of intellect, not only discovered the existence of a solid principle, but even created the calculus by which alone it could be demonstrated, and all its difficulties vanquished. Without anticipating the share of renown which may be allotted to the joint authors of the " Divine System of the Universe," upon which we have somewhat unwillingly been led to expatiate longer than we intended, we may safely assert, that the name of Newton will be pronounced with rapturous enthusiasm, when the more fleeting glories of England may have faded, and her monuments of marble and of brass become crumbled in the dust. 66 THE SOLDIER'S BRIDE. FROM THE CHAPEL OF THE MIDNIGHT MASS," A GERMAN LEGEND. BY MRS. LAWRENCE. FROM war's far plains where roams my lover, Blest visions o'er my slumber stealing, More bliss than e'er in life may bloom. His joy-winged step, his spurs' light ringing, Soon the mild dawn of peace returning, Shall light to bliss these tear-fraught eyes. Beam! beam, blest stars! on that bright morrow, Ere grief and care our fates divide; Ere hope expire in doubt and sorrow, And death, not love, have claimed the bride. SURVEY OF THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA IN 1825-6.* HAVING Completed our survey of this harbour, (Port Lopez,) and made some necessary repairs, we proceeded to the northward. The coast for a considerable distance from the Cape is extremely fertile, but apparently has not many inhabitants, as we only observed two small villages along shore for many miles. As we approached Sandy Point, the country became very low and thickly wooded to the water's-edge, the interior rising gradually to rich fertile hills. Sandy Point or Corner forms the southern entrance to the river Gaboon, off which place the sea is constantly bubbling and agitated in consequence of the shoalness of the water and the bottom being very foul. Having rounded this corner, we made Cape Clara, which forms the northern point of the river, and shortly after came-to, when a boat of European structure came alongside, but the head man was so thoroughly drunk, we could obtain no information from him: it appeared, they were on their way to Cape Lopez, and that the boat had formerly belonged to a Portuguese vessel, whose crew had been murdered somewhere in this neighbourhood. for the purpose of away On the following day, we sent two boats sounding the entrance to the river, while the ship stood across to the westward, but the sea breeze falling compelled us shortly to anchor, when we observed two Spanish brigs lying a little higher up on the southern shore. In the morning, some large canoes with natives came on board, who brought a very seasonable supply of poultry and vegetables. Upon the sea breeze setting in we got under way, and entering the river, observed the two brigs standing out under all sail : we afterwards heard they had been trading for slaves and quitted immediately upon our approach, fearing we might deprive them of their illicit cargo. As we were proceeding up the river to Parrot Island, Those who have never beheld we passed an English brig at anchor. our national colours floating proudly in the breeze, far from their native gales, cannot conceive the mingled feeling of pride and pleasure with which it fills the bosom: to see that flag-the envy and terror of the world-receiving homage and respect from every nation of the universe, is a sight that makes the Briton proud of his country, the respect of and boastful of her fame: even the savage African pays fear to that well-known emblem of the ocean's queen; he has learnt that honour, courage, and integrity, are always found beneath the staff which supports it. Let none, therefore, who were born under its protecting shade, forget what they owe the soil where it was first planted, for the shield of Britannia covers her sons wherever fate or inclination may lead them; and the best safeguard a man can possess in a foreign country, is the name of- Englishman! —But to return from this national digression. On the morning of the following day, several canoes came on board to barter. These people were from a town situated on the north-side of the river, called King Glass Town; they appeared extremely docile and very desirous of making trade with the English, a character quite opposite to that which report had given them, or rather the jealousy of * Continued from page 193. their neighbours to the southward; in fact, many of them had certificates from different masters of vessels, both English and Portuguese, wherein they mentioned having left with them articles of barter to a very large amount, which on their return were faithfully given up or accounted for, and as they have great intercourse with our traders, many of them speak English with some fluency. We anchored near the brig which lay just off the town where the British colours were hoisted-having procured an ensign from some vessel, and not being particular--numerous canoes immediately came on board well stocked with fruit, fowls, &c. and through the master of the brig, who possessed some influence, we obtained a quantity of goats and vegetables, which are, otherwise, very difficult to procure in consequence of their scarcity. During the day, a man employed in the watering-party lost a shirt that he had been washing, and laid out to dry, and which he suspected to have been stolen by one of the natives. Upon the officer informing the king of this, he immediately had a consultation with his Fiteesh, and by its assistance, as he informed us, the man was shortly discovered with the stolen article in his possession: his majesty gave orders for him to be publicly whipped, after which the shirt was returned. The ladies came on board in great numbers, never having seen "A man-of-war-ship," as they expressed it, before. These women are possessed of much natural grace and beauty (noir) with, in some instances, shapes that would make the Venus de Medicis blush at her own deformity: every facility was given to form a correct idea of their symmetry, as the everlasting fashion amongst the ladies of King Glass Town, has been founded upon the oft quoted passage that, 66 Beauty Needs not the foreign aid of ornament; But is when unadorn'd, adorn'd the most!" What a whimsical young gentleman that Love is! and how unfairly he is charged with directing his darts only at the heart of his victims: could we, as the Irishman says, but have seen these beauties in the dark, many of us would have been subdued by their tender blandishments, but the eye resisted the well-shot arrows of their sable cupid, and as that is at least the high road to the heart, he gave it up in despair. These women were the first we had met entirely free from a disease to which nearly all the female negroes are subject, and which they rather aptly call the craw-craw. But as a description of this complaint might offend the refinement of an English reader, I shall content myself by merely mentioning it as a fact connected with the inhabitants of this coast. Polygamy is here allowed at discretion, and his majesty is considered extremely moderate, as he only possesses fifty lawful wives. The king's name is Qua Ben, and he appears a very popular monarch, as all his subjects speak in very high terms of his justice and other royal virtues. Whilst taking a stroll through the town with two or three hundred people at my heels, they led me to a large building which they called their prison. Here I saw a miserable-looking mortal stretched on his back upon the ground, with a small spar of wood extending his arms, and another his legs; this was done by fastening the wrists and insteps to the end of the stick at their utmost stretch, which placed the body |