232 "I have succeeded in producing a light perfectly safe and economical, which is most brilliant in atmospheres in which the flame of the safety lamp is extinguished, and which burns in every mixture of carburetted hydrogen gas that is respirable. It consists of a slender metallic tissue of platinum, which is hung in the top of the interior of the common lamp of wire gauze, or in that of the twilled lamp. It costs from 6d. to 1s. and is imperishable. This tissue, when the common lamp is introduced into an explosive atmosphere, becomes red hot, and continues to burn the gas in contact with it as long as the air is respirable; when the atmosphere again becomes explosive, the flame is relighted. I can now burn any inflammable vapour, either with or without flame, at pleasure, and make the wire consume it with either red or white heat. I was led to this result, by discovering slow combustions without flame; and at last I found a metal which made these harmless combustions visible." NORTH-WEST PASSAGE.-Vessels are fitting out by government for the purpose of attempting again the northwest passage, the season being considered as peculiarly favourable to such an expedition. Larger masses of ice than ever were before known, have this year been seen floating in the Atlantic, and from their magnitude and solidity, reached even the 40th latitude before they were melted into a fluid state. From an examination of the Greenland captains it has been found, that owing to some convulsions of nature, the sea was more open and more free from compact ice than in any former voyage they ever made; that several ships actually reached the 84th degree of latitude, în which no ice whatever was found; that for the first time for 400 years, vessels penetrated to the west coast of Greenand, and that they apprehended no obstacle to their even reaching the pole, if it had consisted with their duty to their employers to make the attempt. This curious and important information has induced the Royal Society to apply to ministers to renew the attempt of exploring a north-west passage, as well as to give encouragement to fishing vessels to try how far northward they can reach, by dividing the bounty to be given, on the actual discovery, into portions, as a reward for every degree beyond 84 that they shall penetrate. Dr BREWSTER, of Edinburgh, when causes contribute to the effect in quesexamining the optical properties of ice, tion. has found that even large masses, two or three inches thick, formed upon the It is well known that during the prosurface of standing water, are as per- cess of malting, a sweet matter is gefectly crystallized as rock crystal, or nerated in grain. When barley-meal calcareous spar, all the axes of the ele- is infused in hot water, and kept in that mentary crystals corresponding with the state for some time, the same saccharine axis of the hexaedral prisms, being ex- matter, as is well known, is formed. No actly parallel to each other, and per- light (says Dr Thomson) has hitherto pendicular to the horizontal surface. been thrown upon this process, though This unexpected result was obtained by it is essential towards the theory of transmitting polarised light through a brewing and distillation. But Kirchoff, plate of ice, in a direction perpendicu- whose views were naturally turned tolar to its surface. A series of beauti-wards this subject, by his discovery of ful concentric coloured rings, with a the method of converting starch into dark rectangular cross passing through sugar by means of acids, has lately pub: their centre, were thus exhibited, and lished an experiment, which constitutes were of the opposite nature to those an essential and important step in the which Dr Brewster had some years ago theory of fermentation. Barley-meal discovered in beryl, the ruby, and other contains both gluten and starch. If minerals. The polarising force of ice pure starch be infused in hot water, it was found, from many experiments, to is not converted into sugar. Neither be that of rock crystal being does gluten become saccharine matter when treated in the same way. But, if a mixture of pure dried pulverized wheat gluten and potato-starch be infused in hot water, the starch is converted into sugar. During the process an acid is evolved; yet the glutten is little altered; and, if the liquid be filtered, most of it remains upon the filter. But it does not answer when employed a second time to convert starch into sugar. It appears, then, that it is the gluten which acts upon the starch, and converts it into sugar. By malting, the gluten undergoes a change, which enables it to act more powerfully in turning the starch of raw grain into sugar. SIG. CONTE VOLTA has published observations on the periodical returns of thunder-storms, and the very cold and dry wind generally prevailing after them, when there has been a considerable fall of hail; he undertakes to explain a phenomenon relative to thunderstorms, in their tendency to re-appear for several consecutive days, at the same hour, and over the same tract of country, which the inhabitants of the mountainous districts in Italy never fail to observe in the course of the spring and summer. This is particularly the case in the neighbourhood of the Italian lakes and throughout Lombardy. If a thunder-storm makes its appearance over a certain valley, or some profound opening in the ridge of mountains surrounding the lake, at the hour of twelve, and if the atmosphere clears towards the evening after a shower of hail, another thunder storm will occur the next day, and for several succeeding days, at the same hour, and over the same place, without any deviation. He first supposes, that where a thunder-storm arises in serene weather succeeding a thunder-storm of the preceding day, such a repetition must be owing to some particular modification imparted to the column of air in which the phenomenon takes place, by the first thunder storm, either by a peculiar or permanent electric state communicated to the said columns of air, or a considerable and equally permanent change in its temperature; and Volta believes that both these A remarkable phenomenon took place at Gerace in Calabria, on the 13th of March 1813. The circumstance is related by Professor Sementini of Naples. The wind was westerly, and heavy clouds over the sea were approaching the land. About two hours after noon the wind fell, and the sky became quite dark. The clouds assumed a red and threatening appearance, thunder fol lowed, and rain fell, which had a red colour from a mixture of red dust. The inhabitants were alarmed, and flocked to the churches, conceiving that the end of the world was come. The red dust was very fine. It became black when exposed to a red heat, and effervesced when treated with acids. Its constituents were silica, carbonate of lime, alumina, iron, and chromium. What renders this rain the more remarkable is, that the constituents of this red dust are the same nearly with a singular nature were put on board at one of the meteoric stones. It having occurred to Mr Stevenson, that the waters of the surface of the sea must have less of the saline particles than the waters of the bottom, he lifted water from the surface at the anchorage off Fort-William, and found it to be 1008.2; at the depth of nine fathoms, 1025.5; at the depth of thirty fathoms, in the central parts of the loch, it was 1027.2.; indicating the greater specific gravity, and consequently more of the saline particles as the depth of the water is increased. Professor Berzeilus of Stockholm states, that small quantities of titanium are occasionally met with in sulphuric acid of English manufacture; and that in sulphuric acid from a manufactory at Stockholm minute portions of tel lurium, in the state of sulphuret, have been found mixed with unburned sulphur. The sulphur employed in the latter manufactory is obtained from pyrites found in the mine of Fahlun, in which no traces of tellurium have yet been discovered. 233 diately began to utter the most piercing Batavia, for a passage to England; the and distressing cries, butting instincone a snake of that species called Boa tively, at the same time, with its head Constrictor, the other an Ourang Out- towards the serpent, in self-defence. ang. The former (which only we shall The snake, which appeared at first notice,) was somewhat small of his kind, scarcely to notice the poor animal, soon being only about 16 feet long, and 18 began to stir a little, and, turning his inches in circumference, but his stomach head in the direction of the goat, it at was rather disproportinate to his size, length fixed a deadly and malignant as will presently appear. He was a na-eye on the trembling victim, whose ative of Borneo, and was the property of gony and terror seemed to increase; a gentleman, (now in England,) who for, previous to the snake seizing its had two of the same sort, but in the prey, it shook in every limb, but still passage up to Batavia, one of them continuing its unavailing show of attack, broke loose from his confinement, and by butting at the serpent, who now bevery soon cleared the decks, as every came sufficiently animated to prepare for body very civilly made way for him. the banquet. The first operation was, Not being used to a ship, however, or that of darting out his forked tongue, and taking, perhaps, the sea for a green at the same time rearing a little his head; field, he sprawled overboard, and was then suddenly seizing the goat by the drowned. He is said not to have sunk fore leg with his mouth, and throwing immediately, but to have reared his head him down, he was encircled in an inseveral times, and with it a considerable stant in his horrid folds. So quick, and portion of his body, out of the sea. His so instantaneous was the act, that it companion, lately our shipmate, was was impossible for the eye to follow the brought safely on shore, and lodged in rapid convolution of his elongated body. the court yard of Mr Davidson's house It was not a regular screw-like turn that at Ryswick, where he remained for was formed, but resembling rather a some months, waiting an opportunity of knot, one part of the body overlaying being conveyed home in some commo- the other, as if to add weight to the dious ship sailing directly for England, muscular pressure, the more effectually and where he was likely to be carefully to crush his object. During this time attended to. This opportunity offered he continued to grasp with his mouth, in the Cæsar, and he was accordingly though it appeared an unnecessary preembarked on board of that ship with the caution, that part of the animal which rest of her numerous passengers. Dur- he had first seized. The poor goat, in ing his stay at Ryswick he is said to the meantime, continued its feeble and have been usually entertained with a half-stifled cries for some minutes, but goat for dinner once in every three or they soon became more and more faint, four weeks, with occasionally a duck and at last it expired. The snake, howor a fowl, by way of a desert. He was ever, retained it for a considerable time Mrs Agnes Ibbetson, whose curious brought on board shut up in a wooden in its grasp, after it was apparently mobotanical researches have been prose- crib or cage, the bars of which were tionless. He then began slowly and cuted with equal perseverance and suc- sufficiently close to prevent his escape; cautiously to unfold himself, till the cess, has thoroughly examined, for the and it had a sliding door, for the pur- goat fell dead from his monstrous emthird time what is termed the perspira-pose of admitting the articles on which brace, when he began to prepare himtion found now and then on a few trees. he was to subsist; the dimensions of self for the feast. Placing his mouth in This is no other than the transparent the crib were about four feet high, and front of the head of the dead animal, eggs of a small insect feeding at the time about five feet square, a space sufficient- he commenced by lubricating with his under the leaf, while the eggs are left ly large to allow him to coil himself saliva that part of the goat; and then on the upper surface. A singular phæ- round with ease. The live stock for his taking its muzzle into his mouth, which nomenon is exhibited by these eggs, use, during the passage, consisting of had, and indeed always has, the appearwhich sometimes run round with great six goats of the ordinary size, were sent ance of a raw lacerated wound, he suckvelocity, when the mother insect is not with him on board, five being considered it in, as far as the horns would alnear them, for above a minute at a time. ed as a fair allowance for as many low. These protuberances opposed months. At an early period of the voy-some little difficulty, not so much from age we had an exhibition of his talent in the way of eating, which was publicly performed on the quarter-deck, on which he was brought. The sliding door being opened, one of the goats was thrust in, and the door of the cage shut. The poor goat, as if instantly aware of all the horrors of its perilous situation, imme On the morning of the 3d November an aerolite of considerable size fell in the Rue de Richelieu at Paris, with such force as to displace part of the pavement, and to sink to some depth into the earth. It was accompanied by a sulphureous smell, and seemed to have been recently in a state of ignition or combustion. The Boa Constrictor. The following interesting fact in natural history, respecting this immense creature, is extracted from M'Leod's Narrative of a Voyage to the Yellow sea: "Notwithstanding the crowded state of the Cæsar, two passengers of rather their extent as from their points; however, they also in a very short time disappeared; that is to say, externally, but their progress was still to 'be traced very distinctly on the outside, threatening every moment to protrude through the skin. The victim had now descended as far as the shoulders, and it was an astonishing 234 Fine Arts. [February 7, 1818. letter, so honourable to Mr Haydon, by hoping that the correspondence thus begun, will not end, and that " Mr Haydon will continue it for the benefit of the arts in Russia." Equestrian Statue of Henry IV. PARIS will soon exhibit a new mo sight to observe the extraordinary ac- | field and his household, of whom, if we tion of the snake's muscles when stretch-recollect aright, each individual looked ed to such an unnatural extent-an ex- stately forth in the solitude of his own tent which must have destroyed all mus-imagination. This little piece, though cular power in any animal that was not, it does not tell a tale, comprises a very like itself, endowed with very peculiar pleasing and interesting groupe. The faculties of expansion and action at the bard himself is seated in a familiar attisame time. When his head and neck tude on a bank, in the exact costume had no other appearance than that of a in which he perambulates the hills and serpent's skin stuffed almost to burst- dales of his estate, viz. a short jacket,nument in honour of Henry IV. The ing, still the workings of the muscles leather gaiters, and large white hat, ancient equestrian statue of that monwere evident; and his power of suction, with a dog-whistle suspended round his arch is shortly to be replaced on the as it is erroneously called, unabated; neck, and a huge oaken towel in his Pont Neuf. Some anecdotes relative it was, in fact the effect of a contractile hand. Behind him, on the right, are to this statue and its history, may not muscular power, assisted by two rows seen Mrs Scott, as a cottage matron, be uninteresting to our readers. This of strong hooked teeth. With all this and her daughters, two young ladies monument was the first of the kind he must be so formed as to be able to rising into the bloom of life, attired as erected to the memory of the kings of suspend, for a time, his respiration; for ewe-milkers; on the left is an admira- France. Its foundation was laid by it is impossible to conceive that the pro- ble groupe, consisting of Captain Fer- Marie de Medicis, as a token of love to cess of breathing could be carried on guson, an early and valued friend of her illustrious consort in the year in while the mouth and throat were so Mr Scott's; Mr Walter and Mr Charles which Louis XIII. her son, came of completely stuffed and expanded by the Scott, his sons, and a fine old rosy pea- age. That princess destined for the body of the goat, and the lungs them-sant, an appendage of the family. Mr monument a superb horse executed in selves (admitting the trachea to be ever Scott's gigantic stag greyhound Maida bronze, which had been presented to so hard) compressed, as they must have occupies the foreground, with some less her by Cosmo II. de Medicis, her fabeen, by its passage downwards. The important figures. ther. This horse was executed by whole operation of completely gorging order of Ferdinand, Grand-duke of the goat occupied about two hours and his own statue placed upon it. He had Tuscany, who intended to have had twenty minutes: at the end of which time, the tumefaction was confined to commissioned Giovanni di Bologna, a the middle part of the body, or stomach, pupil of Michael Angelo, to execute the work; but the prince and the superior parts, which had been so much distended, having resumed their the artist dying before the statue natural dimensions. He now coiled was completed, Cosmo II. his suchimself up again, and lay quietly in cessor, had it finished by Pietro de his usual torpid state for about three Taca, the most celebrated sculptor of weeks or a month, when, his last meal his time. He afterwards gave it to his appearing to be completely digested THE splendid picture by David, of daughter, who was regent of the and dissolved, he was presented with Bonaparte scaling the Alps, which was kingdom, and appointed the Cheanother goat, which he devoured with long in the hall of statues at Paris, and valier Pascholini to present it to her. equal facility. It would appear that al- concealed from public view by a co- These details have been chiefly collectmost all he swallows is converted into vering of green cloth, has been pur-ed from a parchment manuscript, which nutrition, for a small quantity of cal-chased, it is said, by the King of Prus- was enclosed in a leaden case, and careous matter, (and that, perhaps, not sia, and is now in the palace at Berlin. placed under the pedestal of the statue, a tenth part of the bones of the animal) and a copy of which has been faithfully with occasionally some of the hairs, preserved by historians. It is there seemed to compose his general fæces ;stated, that the first stone was laid on and this may account for these animals A set of casts from the Elgin marbles the 23d of August, 1614; that the king being able to remain so long without a are to be immediately prepared for the was present at the ceremony, accomsupply of food. He had more difficul- Imperial Academy of Arts at Peters- panied by all his court, by M. de Lainty in killing a fowl than a larger ani- burgh, under the direction and super-court, governor of Paris, by the Prevot mal, the former being too small for his intendence of Mr Haydon, to whom des Merchands, and the Echerins. The M. M. Olenin, the preident, has written horse was shipped at Leghorn in 1613, in the most flattering terms for that on board a frigate, which was wrecked purpose. M. Olenin has also, as a mark on the coast of Sardinia. The vessel of his estimation for Mr Haydon's ta- and the crew perished, and the horse lents, presented him, for his own private remained nearly a year in the sea. It study, with some casts from the impe- was afterwards drawn out, and conveyed rial collection of a bust of Achilles, a to Havre, where it arrived in the bebeautiful statue of Venus, and one of ginning of May 1614, and reached PaSilenus, which are considered as the ris, by the Seine, on the 13th of August finest things in the collection of the following. The statue was executed emperor. M. M. Olenin, concludes his by Dupre, the master of the famous grasp. FINE ARTS. MR WILKIE, the celebrated artist, has lately made a finished sketch of Mr Walter Scott and his family. The arrangement of the figures can hardly be said to compose a story; neither is it like that of the worthy Vicar of Wake THE superior talents of a young Roman painter called Agricola, are so much admired, that he is assigned a place, by connoisseurs, between Raphael and Leonardo de Vinci. A picture, representing Petrarch and Laura, has carried the reputation of this artist to the highest pitch. Casts from the Elgin Marbles. Mr West's Picture of Death on the 235 Varin. Girardon, who himself took tion were placed above the inscriptions | tial darts with a mixed feeling of savage the dimensions of this statue, informs on the pedestal, which expressed the triumph and determined ferocity. The us, that the figure of the king was ten most ardent wishes for the prosperity sable garment which enfolds one arm, feet ten inches high, and that the horse of France. Finally on the 11th of Au- and the serpent which entwines the omeasured eleven feet four inches from gust, 1792, the statue of Henry IV. ther, are excellently conceived and exthe front of the head to the extreme fell with the throne of Louis XVI. and ecuted. The horse, although painted point of the tail. The ornaments of the cannon of alarm was planted on the in an unusual colour, is too substantial the pedestal were executed by Franche-spot where the image of the saviour of for its rider: there is nothing but the ville, first sculptor to the king, who Paris had been adorned for the space blue flame which he emits that marks it copied the designs of Civoli for the of two centuries. as unearthly: there is a want of assimifigures at the four corners. The inlation between him and his rider, which scriptions on this monument have been we perceive with regret, but feel it difthe subject of much literary disquisificult to express. The Rider on the tion. The queen first of all appointed Red, who is moving in a direction with Father Cotton, a jesuit, to compose The artist has every claim to our es-him on the White Horse, does not apthem in French. But he died before timation: he is now of a patriarchal pear to us invested with those terrific this task was completed, and it accor- age, and claims from our younger and and martial qualities which belong to dingly devolved on Gilbert Gaulmin, less practised understandings deference him in the original. He is little more sieur of Montgeorget, intendant of the rather than censure. It is, however, a than an ancient warrior mounted on a Nivernais, and one of the most learned necessary, though unpleasing task, to modern charger. The Rider on the men of the age in which he lived. investigate with equal impartiality the Black Horse is finely placed, and alGaulmin was distinguished for an ex- productions of all artists; and the em-though the head is a favourite one of cellent Latin; but Charpentier, in his ployment of a critic is peculiarly re- the artist's, and may be traced in his owork on the Excellence of the French volting, when he is compelled to ban- ther pictures, it is imposing and expresLanguage, accuses him of preferring ish from his recollection the private vir- sive. The principal episode is the conLatin to French, and of having laid tues and the venerable age of such a flict of men and beasts, and it has afthe ideas of several Latin authors un- man as West, in order to dwell on im- forded a fine scope for the vigorous and der contribution. Some historians perfections which are inseparably allied correct pencil of Mr West. The unhave erroneously attributed these in- to all human undertakings. The fact daunted courage of the man attacking scriptions to Benigne Millotel, advo- is, that although Mr West's power of the lion is uncommonly well exprescate-general to the parliament of Dijon. mind and pencil are preserved to him sed. The reviving action of the figure Twenty-one years were allotted for the in an unusual degree, yet it cannot be whose back is placed to the spectacompletion of this statute, which was said of him as of the prophet of old: tor is also excellent. Of the intronot entirely finished until the year 1635." His eye was not dim, nor his natural duction of the Saracenic army oppos Since that period the equestrian statue force abated." We do not like this pic-ed by crusaders, &c. and the story of of Henry IV. has ever been an object ture as well as we do his last, nor do we the youth struck with lightening, we of veneration to the Parisians. At the admire that as much as many of his per- cannot much approve; the subject paintfoot of that monument the people have formances which preceded it, particu- ed is visionary, and we conceive that the always assembled to express their joy larly an early sketch of the present sub- principal action ought to be undisturbed: and their sorrows. The victory of De- ject, which has been the theme of uni- we here require some of that indistinctvain was celebrated on the same spot versal admiration. Parts of this pic-ness which the author of the description where tears were shed for the indispo- ture are extremely beautiful, but as a seems to consider inapplicable to paintsition with which Louis XV. was at- whole we do not think it is entitled to ing, although of such important advantacked at Metz, and where acclama- much admiration. The principal figure tage in the sister art of poetry. It is tions of joy were afterwards raised for in the action is confessedly the Rider of in this particular that we so highly adthe battle of Fontenoy. By this kind the White Horse; but instead of being mire the pictures of Mr Fuseli, on suof worship, the French people proved foremost in the picture, he is obvious-pernatural or mystic subjects; his cantheir love for the family of the Bour-ly subordinate, and he appears rather vas is the faithful transcript of visionary bons; but the same course was likewise making way for the advance of the King appearances. We suppose the mind on adopted by the instigators of the re- of Terrors, than preceding him in his such occasions to be so forcibly on the volution; at every seditious movement disastrous course. The expression of stretch as to be unable to observe any they led the populace to the Pont-Neuf, the head, too, of this figure does not, but the principal action, the remainder where they endeavoured to disguise to us, indicate those attributes which is involved in gloom, or if amid the their intentions by the respect they are so eloquently ascribed to it in the chaos any secondary form appears, it is affected to entertain for a king, the idol description before quoted. The prin- indefinite and faint. Of the family in of the French people. The statue of cipal and commanding figure is DEATH the front of the picture, the immediate Bearvais was not protected from re- ON THE PALE HORSE; and it is un-victims of the inexorable King of Tervolutionary outrages. After the 14th doubtedly the best. The sepulchral rors, we have not yet spoken, because of July, 1789, the forehead, which was and supernatural colour of the head is we would fain conclude in admiration. shaded by the plume of ivy, was pro- excellent: the livid lip seems yet howl- Nothing can be conceived more touchfaned by the cockade of rebellion. During the last sentence of a bitter curse:ing or more natural than the agony of ing the scandalous scenes of 1790 and the eye balls flash with fire, and the the husband deploring the beloved part1791, portraits of the apostles of sedi-grasped hands dispense their pestilen-ner of his joys, who, with her infant, 236 have just fallen beneath the fatal and desolating shafts of Death. The fresh colour of the daughter, who throws herself across the lifeless trunk of her mother, is also admirably pourtrayed. The subordinate parts of the picture are finely painted. The dæmon grasping his victim with one hand, and clenching with the other his impatient dagger, is a most vigorous and well imagined being. New M. Mag. Royal Academy. MR WEST lately delivered a lecture to the students of the Royal Academy, of which the following account has appeared. Literature. LITERATURE. NEW PUBLICATIONS. ENCYCLOPEDIA EDINENSIS, or DICTIONARY The Engravings accompanying this Part are beautifully executed by Lizars. The Boring Apparatus is of the most approved construction; of the three plates on Botany, two of them have much interest. One of them contains a fine groupe of the most elegant tribes of plants--the palms; and the other presents a view of the Banyan tree, one of the most singular vegetable productions. [February 7, 1818. tion, concluded his lecture by expressed of very general interest, we have no hesita ing his intention of publishing, at some tion in pronouncing this statistical and historical future period, a more full and minute view of Britain a model of perspicuous arrangement and judicious compression. It is divided explanation of the principles he had into two parts. The first comprehends a rapid thus slightly indicated.". sketch of the whole island, under the general title Statistics; and, including the boundaries, extent, &c. aspect, natural history, soil and agriculture, inhabitants, manufactures, &c. civil and ecclesiastical constitution. The second part, necessarily of much greater length, presents an excellent abridgement of the civil history of the kingdom, in three chapters; the first of which treats of the history of England; the second of the history of Scotland; and the last of that of Britain. The whole of this treatise, it is suffiIn a short notice of this work in our first num- ciently obvious, is an original composition; for ber, we expressed some apprehension that more no other work conta as so much within the same was held out in the prospectus than it seemed space. The history is brought down to the do possible to execute. bility of compressing within six volumes what is suggest to the proprietors, whether a separate We allude to the practica-parture of Bonaparte to St Helena. We would usually expected in a Dictionary of Arts, Scien- publication of the treatise on Britain would not "It consisted of observations on the ces, and Miscellaneous Literature. This esti- be useful as a school-book. principles of colour, and on the appli- mate was formed, perhaps, on a comparison with cation of those principles to the art of similar publications of far greater extent, with out considering what might be omitted without painting. Mr West began by observ-disadvantage to the general reader. But a closer ing, that light is the source of colour, examination and comparison of what has appearand that the colours of the rainbow are ed of this Dictionary, with the corresponding to be considered as a rule for the dis- parts of larger works of the same description, tribution of colours in a picture. convince us of the incorrectness of our first views. In order more clearly to express his idea, Part now before us, which begins nearly with In proof of this we need only refer to the the venerable president exhibited a BREWING, and comes down as far as the biopainting which he had executed for the graphical sketch of Buchanan, including, withoccasion, containing the representation in these limits, a very comprehensive, and, it of two globes, one of which was comay be added, a very satisfactory view of every thing relating to BRITAIN. lourless, and the other tinted with the prismatic colours. On the former he pointed out the existence of central light, shade, and reflection, of which all natural objects partake, as they are all in some degree round. By the second, he explained how the colours of the rainbow expressed the different degrees of light, half-tint, and reflection; and showed how perfectly well the arrangement of these colours was adapted to the purposes of painting. Considered in this light, he maintained that the Cartoons of Raphael are among the finest specimens of composition of co-is palatable to ordinary tastes. lour, and referred particularly to the Charge to Peter, Paul preaching at Athens, and Elymas struck blind, as proofs of that painter's attention to the principles of colour, which he had here laid down. Titian did not understand the true arrangement of colour until he visited Rome in an advanced period of his life, and after Raphael had fixed it on unerring principles. The treatise on Brewing is divided into two parts. The first unfolds the principles of the art; and the second exhibits a general view of the practice. We have taken the trouble to ject, which appeared nearly at the same time in the Supplement to the Encyclopædia Britannica; and if the practical brewer can carry with him into his malting and mashing processes the abstruse doctrines of definite proportions, that is, if he can weigh and measure the ultimate particles of carbone, and hydrogen, and compare this treatise with one on the same sub oxygen, we recommend to him to study the lat- CHEMICAL AMUSEMENTS, by Frederick Accum. As far as the author is concerned, he has sent his book into the world under a misnomer; for it ought to have been entitled Alchemical Amusements, since he makes a demand of seven shillings from the pockets of the purchasers, and puts very little in its place. This remark refers, first, to the quantity of the matter, which is at the rate of about two pages for a penny; but it is equally applicable to its quality. The work copy from the works of others, and from different It is lamentable to think, that the soundness of more vigorous years has not been exerEvery other kind of fermented liquor is no- cised in correcting the errors of garrulous serviticed in this treatise; and we have little doubt lity. The mainspring of Dr Watson's actions, of home-made wines, will derive much advan- appears, on his own shewing, to have been the that those who are engaged in the manufacture and the bar to his more prosperous fortunes, tage from perusing it, and following the direc-most inordinate opinion of his own genius and tions which are so distinctly detailed. "Mr West then reminded the stuimportance. This volume compels us to acknowdents of the great advantages they pos- BRITAIN occupies the larger portion of the ledge, that the highest gifts may be perverted by sessed in the Elgin marbles and the Part, and extends to about 120 pages; but with- overweening egotism, and the blessings of nature Cartoons of Raphael; and after adin these limits it includes a greater quantity of turned into barrenness by that single feebleness of matter than any work with which we are ac-humanity, which we imagine is strength, and call vising them to attend to the cultivation quainted; and, with the exception of some de- pride. Read, and learn that the strongest mind of their minds as much as to the at-tails relative to the early history of England, is not exempt from the most contemptible weaktainment of facility in manual execu- which are surely too minute, and are not possess nesses. |
