October 11, 1817.] Miscellaneous Repository.-Natural History. down. 59 After finishing one bottle of wine, another was ordered; and upon drinking a couple of glasses from it, the Scotchman was called out of the room. On his return, he was astonished, and very ill pleased, to find the bottle finished; and upon remonstrating, was calmly told by the Irishman, that he had drank his health in his absence, but, unfortunately, not in a bumper, for which fault he had fined himself in six bum. pers! Dr G., a wealthy gentleman, of extremely parsimonious habits, had the misfortune to lose no less than seven of his children; and soon after his lady paid the debt of nature. The expence of Undertakers' bills (no joke at any time) tempted the Doctor to make search for a secondhand coffin, but he could not find one to suit his purpose, which vexed him greatly. Disease at As it was observed that the motions commenced in the fingers, it became easy to stop the attack: six times successively she was about to commence her sportive movements, when she was as often arrested to her chair by the roll of the drum: next day she attempted four several times to rise, but was as often prevented by the roll of a well-braced drum. This woman, previously to her complaint, could never dance even a country dance, and yet she then executed with ease the most difficult steps: at times she would rise upon the toes, and move forward, alternately advancing each heel into the hollow of the opposite foot; at other times, poising the body upon one foot with the heel raised, she would beat time with the toe and heel of the other. There was no wandering of the intellect at any time; the perception and judgment were accurate and just, and all ques-length proving likely to shuffle off his own mortions were answered correctly. During the intermission, she performed many household affairs, nursed her child, &c. There was a constant wish to recover a just knowledge of her situation, and of the advantage she derived from the agency of the instrument, with an anxious desire to continue its use. This disease appears to have consisted in an highly irritable state of the mind, with which the organs of voluntary motion became associated ; and the cure was effected by interrupting this irregular association. The voluntary muscles also early associated themselves with the instrument, as was shewn by the instant cessation of their unnatural actions, when the time could no longer be kept. She continued free from any attack for six weeks, but in April began to be affected with agitations on the mus cles of the face, particularly the eye and eye-lids. She recovered, however; but in May was repeatedly seized with affections similar to those which occasioned the first attack. They were always removed by the drum, which she at length began to beat herself: after some repetition of attacks, she recovered entirely, and has continued well ever since.. by involuntary motions of the right leg and Herne's Oak.-In the Merry Wives of Wind- There is an old tale goes, that Herne the hun. Some time a keeper here in Windsor forest, And makes milch-kine yield blood, and shakes In a most hideous and dreadful manner. The traditional account is, that Herne was a keeper of the forest in the time of Elizabeth, and having committed some offence which would have occasioned a dismissal from his of fice, took the desperate resolution to hang himself upon this oak. The credulity of the times may be supposed to have encouraged the story that his ghost haunted the spot; and consequently rendered it a fit scene of action to expose the cowardice of the lascivious knight. This celebrated tree has been lately cut down; but the people of Windsor show their respect for it by the estimation in which they hold the articles of furniture and ornaments that have been formed from its remains. tal coil, he once more sent for the old Undertaker, and, after telling how much money he had already paid to him on former occasions, wished to know the lowest rate he would provide a coffin for himself! The Undertaker staring, answered, Three guineas. "Three guineas!" quoth the Doctor, "De'il be the be's mine, that e'er lies in sae dear a kist !” NATURAL HISTORY. Atmospherical phenomena.-Professor Leslie is at present engaged in a series of very curious and important experiments, which will throw new light on the phenomena of our atmosphere. Tide of the River Thames.—It has been found, that the water of the Thames opposite the London-Dock gates are perfectly fresh throughout; at Blackwall, even in spring tides, the water was found to be only slightly saline; at Woolwich the proportion of salt water increases, and so on to Gravesend. From a series of observations made at and below London bridge, compared with the river as far up as Kew and Oxford, Mr Stevenson, the engineer, is of opinion, that the waters of the Thames seldom change, but are probably carried up and down with the turn of the alternate tides, for an indefinite period, which he thinks may be one, if not the principal cause, of what is termed the extreme softness of the water of the Thames. Animal life preserved in a Vacuum.-M. Biot has observed, that the insects called by the French blaps and tenebrians, may be left in the best vacuum that can be made by an air-pump for days, without their appearing to suffer any inconvenience. Earthquake. The Lake of Canterno, known also by the name of Porciano, totally disappeared on the 25th July, about noon, when a smart shock was experienced. A great opening is now seen where the bottom of the lake was. Mount Vesuvius.-This celebrated volcano, which has been in constant activity since 1813, has entirely covered its ancient crater with a thick crust, in the midst of which the new eruptions have thrown up two little transparent elevations, whence issue smoke, ashes, and stones, which are frequently vitrified, so that after they are fallen, the ground is covered with shreds of transparent glass. This crust is so considerable, that unless it has some support, or if an earthquake should take place, the sinking in will produce an effect similar to that of the eruption which took place in the time of Titus. In the lava at present are found copper, iron, aci soda, sulphur, clay, &c. Migration of Birds. Some birds remain stationary in this country; some migrate during the summer, and others disappear during the winter, after pairing here. It seems probable, that from the tropics to the polar circle there is a successive series of migrations, certain species in each climate repairing to a more northern region as the summer advances, and returning southward again to spend the winter, in this way conforming themselves to that temperature which is best fitted for their constitutions. Thus the snow-bunting, which comes from the northern regions on the approach of winter, when it first arrives here in November, keeps the high Volcano of Idieng, ( Batavia ).—On the night that in which they float, and thus sink to the of the 23d of January, there was a great erup-bottom; when they rise again they void this tion; immense columns of fire and smoke, and water by a number of holes, of which their legs inflammable substances, ascended from the are full. The common colour of the Nautilus mountain with a noise similar to that of thunder is blackish, streaked transversely with irregular or artillery; the earth quaked even as far as lines. Baujoewaugie. A prodigious quantity of cinders, earth, and sand, vomited forth by the mountain, soon covered all the neighbouring fields, and utterly destroyed the crops of rice, which had before presented the most beautiful appearance. The air became so surcharged with clouds of ashes and sulphureous smoke, that it was scarcely possible to respire, and for several days afterwards, the light of day was scarcely visible at Baujoewaugie. The greater part of the birds have perished, and along the rivers nothing is to be seen but dead fish floating on the surface of the waters. Enormous blocks of stone, and trees of a prodigious bulk, were precipitated with a fearful crash from the high-grounds, but descends to a lower level as the est mountains, and overwhelmed in their course houses, bridges, and every thing which they encountered. The rivers everywhere burst their banks, and in many places rose as high as fourteen feet above their ordinary level. The affrighted inhabitants fled from all parts towards the shore and town of Baujoewaugie, but were stopped at every step, in consequence of the roads being rendered impassable by the inundations, and the destruction of the bridges. Many people are suffering under diseases occa. sioned by the bad quality given to the waters by the ashes, and a general mortality has seized the horned cattle. In the district of Gabang a mountain tumbled down on the 27th of February, and buried eight families who dwelt upon it. A similar event took place in the night of the 4th and 5th of March, in the district of Talaga, where a number of houses, with all their inmates, were in like manner overwhelmed in ruin, and not a trace of their existence left. Voyage to the Congo.An entirely black shark was seen, which is a novelty in ichthyology. The blue, white, spotted, grey, and even dusky, which is the darkest coloured of the squalus genus, are known. The Syngathus Hippocampus (sea-horse pipe-fish). This curious fish is from 6 to 10 inches in length; of a greenish brown colour, varying from dark to light shades. The body is much compressed; the head large, thick, and, together with the first joints of the body, beset with long weak spines or cirrhi.The neck contracts abruptly behind the head, as does the body at the tail, which is a naked finless tip. In the Voyage to New Zealand, by Mr Nicholas, it is stated that the natives of that island dry the Hippocampus, and hang it to their ears by way of ornament. A Nautilus was caught, the first that was ever taken alive. They always escape from their extraordinary dwelling when threatened by danger. The shell consists of one spiral valve divided into several apartments. There are seventeen species, distinguished by peculiarities in their shell. This genius of shell fish is called nautilos, signifying both a ship and a sailor, for when this fish intends to sail, it expands two of its arms on high, and between these supports a membrane, which it throws out and serves for its sail, and the other two arms bang out of the shell to serve occasionally either as oars or steerage. When the sea is calm, it is common to see numbers of them diverting themselves by sailing about in this manner, but as soon as a storm approaches, they draw in their legs and take in as much water as makes them specifically heavier than temperature sinks. If confined in a warm room, it dies in a few days, but will live through the winter if nourished with snow and kept in a cold room. It is probably from some constitutional difference with respect to cold, that the female chaffinch migrates in Sweden, and that the linnet, which is a bird of passage in Greenland, becomes stationary with us. Want of food is another circumstance which has some infu ence in the migration of birds. Many of our summer visitants subsist on insects, which are only to be found here during the warm weather. The cuckoo, which feeds on the larvæ of butterflies, and caterpillers, is probably obliged to take its departure early, on account of the want of this kind of food. The variation in the time of arrival is also dependent on the state of vegetation. Linnæus observed, that the swallow returned to Sweden when the bird cherry came into leaf, and when the wood anemone flowered; and that the arrival of the nightingale accompanied the leafing of the elm :-it has been observed that the swallow returns to some parts of England with the leafing of the sycamore; and that the cuckoo sings when the marsh mari. gold blows. There is some reason to believe, that the increase of population and the extension of agriculture have contributed to diminish the number of some species in this country. Egrets, a species of heron, once very numerous here, are now scarcely known; the crane, that bred familiarly in our marshes, has now forsaken the country; the plover, which is stationary in the western islands, is migratory on the Grampians; and the turnstone, which is migratory in England, is stationary in the northern islands of Scotland. But the migration of some birds depends on causes not yet discovered. The swallow and nightingale, which leave England and other parts of Europe about the middle of October, are found on the northern shores of Africa in the same month; while the razor-billed awk and the puffin make their winter retreat in the south of Spain. The lapwing appears in the inland districts of Scotland about the end of February or beginning of March, and after incubation, hastens to the shores of England, there to pass the winter, picking up small crustacea on the sea beach; but the curlew, which arrives and departs with the lapwing, remains on the shores of Scotland. The lapwing too, and the black-headed gull, which are migratory with us, are resident in England; and the dotterls forsake the Grampians about the beginning of August, leave Scotland at the end of the month, but sometimes remain in England till [October 11, 1817. November. Some distance of time is observed between the arrival of each specie. The wheatear precedes the swallow, which is followed by the martin, and afterwards the landrail. Some species, as the swallow and the woodcock, collect into flocks before they migrate. The latter, when they are about to cross the German ocean, are sometimes detained by adverse winds. Other birds, as the euckoo, are supposed to go away singly; but the males of the nightingale and some other species, are found to migrate about eight or ten days before the females. Some birds, aided by a favourable wind, fly at the rate of 100 or 150 miles in an hour. It seems probable, however, that the greater number proceed by short and easy stages. Botany. The botanic garden, Leith Walk, has lately received from Grenada a valuable accession to the excellent collection of plants of which it can now boast. Among others are specimens of the bread fruit-tree, Artocarpus Incisa; the Mango tree, Mangifera Indica, which produces a most delicious fruit; the Ca. cao, or Chocolate nut tree, Theobroma Cacao; the Avocado pear, or vegetable marrow, Laur us Persea; the Manchineal tree, Hippomane Mancinella, of which wonderful stories are told of the poisonous quality of its apple, and of the corrosive effects even of the drops of rain which fall on its leaves; and the Mammee tree, Mammea Americana, which in its native soil grows to a great height, and produces a very large stone fruit. These curious exotics promise to do well under the skilful management of Mr M Nab, the superintendant of the garden.Dahlia Coccinea, and Purpurea, two splendid species, originally from Mexico, and introduced by Lady Holland from Spain into Britain a few years ago, have displayed their magnificent flowers from seed this season in the same garden, and in some of the nurseries round Edinburgh. Their easy culture and hardy character will render them fine ornaments of the parterre and the shrubbery. A Narwhal Whale.-On the morning of the 19th ult, as two fishermen were traversing the sands of the Solway Firth, opposite to the Priest. side, about four, miles within high water mark, they discovered a whale floundering in the shallow water, and endeavouring, in vain, to extricate itself. It was groaning so loud as to be heard at the distance of nearly a mile. The fishermen, astonished and terrified, used no means of securing it, and the tide soon afterwards flowing, covered it, without, however, affording it sufficient depth to float. When the sea retired, it was found dead, having been probably suffocated, from its being totally unable, in that situation, to raise its head above the water so as to inhale air. Assistance being procured, it was quickly cut to pieces, and the blubber was carried to shore in carts.-This whale seems to have been of the Narwhal, or Monodon genus; differing, however, in some particulars, from any that have yet been described. Its skin was about the eighth of an inch in thickness, of a glossy and dusky black, in appearance, somewhat resembling Indian rubber, but of a darker hue. Its length, from the tip of the snout to the further extremity of the tail, was thirty-six feet; its height at the shoulder about eight feet; and its greatest horizontal thickness about four and a half feet. The head was not easily to be distinguished from the rest of the body, and ended in a snout, about two feet long, projecting rather abruptly, and tapering gradually towards the extremity. The back was ridged, and had a October 11, 1817.] fin issuing from it, about five or six feet from the extremity of the tail. This fin was triangular, a little hollowed in the back part, inclined towards the tail, and about a foot in height. The swimming paws were nearly of the same size. There was only one blow-hole situated over the nape of the neck. The mouth was very small, not larger than would easily have admitted a man's arm, and entirely destitute of teeth or horny plates. The lobes of the tail, which were horizontal, had a direction away from the body, and were blunt and rounded at the tip. The blubber was from one inch to four, and even six inches in thickness, and seemed to be full of very fine oil. The narwhal species usually have one tooth or horn, sometimes even two, growing out of the fore part of the upper jaw, whence they derive the name of monodon; but no such peculiarity was to be discovered in this animal; which circumstance would induce us to rank it as belonging to another genus, did not the comparative smallness of the head and mouth, and the single opening in its neck for a blow hole, as well as other indications, seem to give it a greater affinity to this kind than to any other that we are acquainted with. Sea Serpent-The last American papers are filled with accounts of a sea serpent, which is said to infest the bays and creeks of Massachusets, and is described by those who have observed it most nearly, to be about one hundred and fifty feet in length, and to be incased in an impenetrable armour of shell! Several strong nets are constructing in the hope of entangling or getting him into a situation in which he may be killed. The Salem Gazette remarks, that the bold adventurers who go a-fishing for this monster, would require the strength and implements of the giant, who is fabled to have "Sat upon a rock and bobb'd for whales," with a sturdy oak for his rod, an iron cable for his line, and a dragon's tail for a bait! A Miracle. The St Petersburgh Gazette of the 15th ult. contains an article dated Veronetz, July 9, which says, that in the environs of the city of Bobro an immense quantity of worms were discovered upon a sandy soil. These worms gnawed and destroyed all the vegetation upon the surface to an extent of 200 acres. Their number increased like locusts. Every means was attempted to destroy them, but without success:—at length, a solemn procession was made, and holy water sprinkled. The next day a cloud of ravens and other birds arrived, which ate up all the worms in three days! THE ARTS AND SCIENCES. Count Sickingen determines that the strength of Swedish and British iron is to each other as follows:-British iron 348 88; Swedish iron 549.25. Let it for ever be remembered, to their discredit, and as a proof that we are not to expect improvements exclusively from men of science, that the entire race of modern chemists opposed themselves to the introduction of the gas of coal; and that Winsor, a mechanic, laboured in London for years before he could draw the attention of a few opulent persons to the principle. Now, however, they find that it is worth all their discoveries put together for the last thirty years, and they are beginning to write about it, and make experiments upon it. Thus M. Lampadius has published a set of experiments on the quantity of gas obtained by the The Arts and Sciences. distillation of various kinds of German coal; and Mr Brande has ascertained that a chaldron of good. Wallsend Newcastle coals yields from 17,000 to 20,000 cubic feet of gas; though, in large establishments, the quantity obtained seldom exceeds 12,000 cubic feet. At the three stations belonging to the chartered Gas-light Company, situated in Peter-street, Westminster, Worship street, and Norton Falgate, twenty-five chaldrons of coals are carbonized daily, which yield 300,000 cubic feet of gas, equal to the supply of 75,000 Argand's lamps, each giving the light of six candles. At the City Gas-works, Dorset-street, Blackfriars-bridge, the daily consumption of coals amounts to three chaldrons, which afford gas for the supply of 1500 lamps: so that the total consumption of coals daily in London, for the purpose of illumination, amounts already to twenty-eight chaldrons, and the number of lights supplied to 76,500.—It was with the gas-lights as with the telescope, the chemists universally sneered at the attempt, just as the philosophers demonstrated that the telescope was an impossible instrument; and, even to this hour, they forbear to assist the several companies. 61 He plant to extract the potash, which it contains in abundance. This method consists in cutting the plants just when the flower begins to wither, at which time the stalk is in full vigour. cuts them five inches from the ground, with a very sharp instrument. The stumps left soon push forth new shoots, which suffice to bring the roots to maturity. The plants cut down are left upon the field eight days, to dry them properly. They are then burnt, as the manufacturers of soda burn the kali, in a hole five feet in diameter, and two feet deep, washing the ashes, and evaporating the lye. By this process 2500 pounds weight of the salt is obtained per acre. The author of this process calculates, that an acre of potatoes, deducting the expences of cultivation, will produce potatoes to the value of 225 francs; and in salt, deducting the expences of manufacturing, 816 francs; in all 1041 francs! Such is the advantage of this discovery! Galvanism has now been applied to clockIn the cabinet of Mr Robertson, at Paris, there is a clock, the motion of which is not produced either by springs or by weights: it has no other moving power than galvanism.→→→ He has happily profited by the action of two dry and perpetual piles of Zamboric: these piles, in the form of columns, which seem designed for ornament only, alternately attract a balance, which communicates its motion to a pendulum, which has not stopped these three work. M. Theodore de Saussure has published the result of a number of experiments to determine the relative proportion of carbonic acid in the atmosphere during summer and winter. His method was to fill a large glass globe with the air to be examined, and to put into it a quanti-years. ty of barytes water. The carbonic acid in the air was determined by the quantity of carbonate of barytes formed.-In winter, 10,000 parts of air in volume gave a mean of 4·79 parts of carbonic acid gas in 10,000 measures of air. In summer, 10,000 measures of air gave a mean of 7.13 parts of carbonic acid gas in 10,000 measures of air. The French Royal Academy of Sciences recently chose, in the room of their foreign associate the great mineralogist, Werner, the Sicilian Astronomer, M. Piazzi, who, in 1801, discovered the planet Ceres, and so led the way for Messrs. Olbers and Harding to discover, successively, Pallas, Juno, and Vesta. The foreign associates are at present Sir Joseph Banks, one of the companions of Cook; the astronomer Herschel, who discovered the Georgium Sidus in 1781; Dr Jenner; Mr Watt, the able engineer who has made such admirable applications of the power of steam; Count Volta, the inventor of the famous galvanic pile; the anatomist Scarpa; the astronomer Piazzi; and Baron Humboldt, so justly celebrated for his travels. The four first of these learned men belong to England; the three following to Italy; the last to Prussia. A country clergyman in Lower Saxony, has succeeded in accomplishing the invention of au air ship. The machine is built of light wood; it is made to float in the air, chiefly by means of the constant action of a large pair of bellows, of a peculiar construction, which occupies in the front the position of the lungs and the neck of a bird on the wing. The wings on both sides are directed by thin cords. The height to which the farmer's boy (10 or 12 years of age) whom the inventor has instructed in the management of it, and has hitherto ascended with it, is not considerable, because his attention has been more directed to give a progressive than an ascending motion to his machine. Baron The ranger of the forest of Charles Von Drais has made some highly sa tisfactory trials of his new-invented travelling machine without horses. On the 12th of July he went from Manheim to the Relay-house at Schwezingen and back again, which is a dis tance calculated at four hours post travelling (an hour being about 2 miles English) within one hour. Since then he has, with the same machine, gone over in about an hour the steep mountainous road from Gerusbach to Baden, which takes two hours by the post. The leading principle of the invention is taken from the art of skating, and consists in the simple idea, of impelling, by the help of the feet, a seat fix Doctor Romershausen, at Acken on the Elbe, has invented a pocket telescope, by means of which objects and distances can be measured with certainty and exactness. He calls it Dias-ed upon wheels. The machine that the inven timeter. It has three slides; instead of the eye glass there is a brass plate with a very small hole in it, and instead of the object glass there are 16 threads stretched across the lower orifice. Looking at a distant object, for example, a man or a steeple, the slides of the Telescope are drawn out till the object appears quite fitted, as it were, between the parallel threads, and then the figures engraved upon the sides indicate the number of paces which the object is distant from the observer. An apothecary of Amiens has just obtained a new and very lucrative product from potatoes, by burning the stalks and leaves of the tor has had made consists of a seat on only two two-feet wheels, running one behind the other, that it may be used in the foot paths. To preserve the equilibrium, the traveller has before him a little board with a cushion nailed to it, on which he rests his arms, and before which is the small pole which he holds in his hand to steer his course with. This machine, which may be used with great advantage for expresses, and for other purposes, even for considerable journeys, does not weigh 50 pounds, and may be made strong, handsome, provided with pockets, &c. for 4 Carolines (£.4 sterling) at the very utmost. 62 ANTIQUITIES. On the 23d ult. as some workmen were digging for the foundation of a building, in the cellar of the Old Dolphin Inn, Cambridge, about four feet from the surface they found the mouldered remains of a leather bag, out of which fell a parcel of gold rings, containing precious stones, in very ancient setting; also some old silver coins, and other articies of value, the whole of which will perhaps not be known. The workmen beginning to quarrel about the booty, news of the discovery reached the owner of the estate, who has recovered a part of the property. It consists of the following curious re liques, which have remained buried 550 years, about seventeen years before the foundation of the University:-1. A sapphire, rudely set in its natural form, in a ring of pure gold, weighing, with the stone, 4dwts. 2gr.-2. An ame. thyst, do. weighing 2 dwts. Sgr.-3. Ditto, do. weighing 1dwt. 19gr.-4. Ruby, do. weighing 25gr. 5. Small gem, unknown, weighing, with the ring, 21gr.-6. Large brooch of pure gold, mounted in silver, the silver being completely mineralized; originally studded with rubies, one of which remains; the whole of curious workmanship; its weight equals 1oz. wanting only 23gr.-7. Small brilliant gold fleur-de-lis, broken from some trinket that has disappeared.-8. A piece of coral set in silver.9. A collection of silver pennies of Henry the Third, struck in his fifty-first year; about which time they seem to have been buried. A curious gold ring has lately been dug up in a poor woman's garden at Ilchester-the Iscalis of the Romans. It is of a large size, weighs above an ounce, and is composed of a gold coin of the Emperor Alexander Severus, in the highest state of preservation, set within a border, as a ring; the reverse of the coin appears on the inside. It is in possession of the person who found it, Sarah Bartlett, residing at Ilchester, who has been offered £.40 for it. Lately, an ancient tomb, on which is an effigy in stone in a recumbent posture, was discovered in the burying-ground of Holy Ghost Chapel, at Basingstoke, where it had lain covered with the ruins of an ancient wall, probably many centuries. The figure is in armour, with a shield, sword, and belt, the legs laid across, which last circumstance proves that the personage to whose memory the monument was erected, was a Knight-Templar, who had made a vow of going to the Holy Land to fight against the Infidels. As the Order of Knights. Templars was abolished in 1312, this monument must be at least 500 years old; and it may be more ancient. The effigy, which is somewhat mutilated, exhibits a specimen of fine sculpture, and the drapery is well executed. Beneath the tomb a stone coffin was found, which has not been molested. A few months before another effigy in stone, in the dress of the times, the lower part mutilated, was discovered near the same spot. Several glazed tiles, with variegated figures, were also found, being a part of the floor of an ancient church, which stood there many centuries before the erection of the present chapel, in the reign of Henry VIII. A few weeks since, a very ancient hammer, much corroded with rust, was found at the innermost part of a cavern or excavation, apparently natural, discovered in Sandy-cove, beneath the eastern Hoe. The spot has been much visited by the curious, who report, that a stone thrown down an aperture within, may be heard Antiquities-Literature. to rebound from rock to rock for nearly a minute, and then audibly fall into water. There. can be little doubt, from various marine appearances considerably higher than the highest water. mark, that the sea has subsided to some depth along this tract of coast; and possibly this water is the remain of the tides which once flowed much above the place where they now do, and sunk through some opening into their present subterranean abyss, as no connection between the cave and the sea presents itself. ing path from the cave, which branches out in different directions, leads to the grass above, from which, and the discovery of the hammer, some have been induced to suppose that in for. mer times it was inhabited. A wind. [October 11, 1817. ABCHITECTURE. An attempt to discriminate the Styles of English Architecture from the Conquest to the Reformation; preceded by a sketch of the Gre cian and Roman orders, with notices of nearly five hundred English buildings; by Thoinas Rickman. 8vo. 10s. 6d. ASTRONOMY. Eight Familiar Lectures on Astronomy, with plates and diagrams; by W Philips. 6s. 6d. Ladies' Astronomy, from the French of De Lalande; by Mrs Pengree. 3s. BELLES LETTRES. An Inquiry into the Nature and History of Greek and Latin Poetry; more particularly of the dramatic species: tending to ascertain the laws of comic metre in both those languages: to show, I. That poetical licences have no real existence, but are mere corruptions; 2. That the verses of Plautus, Terence, Pindar, and lated; and to suggest a more rational and musical division of the ver es; by John Sidney Hawkins, Esq. F.A.S. 8vo. 14s. BIOGRAPHY. Memoirs of the Right Hon. Richard Brinsley Sheridan; by J. Watkins, L.L.D. Part II. 4to. £1116. Memoirs of the last Months of the Life of Mr Thomas Vaughan, late of Pentonville. 12mo. 3s. 6d. The relics of distant times are well known not to be so common in Devonshire as in some other of the English counties. A curiosity, however, has lately presented itself to notice on Mr Bowen's estate, in the vicinity of Ivy-bridge,Horace, are in many instances erroneously regu in the hedge of a field adjoining the first turnpike gate on the Ashburton-road, which does not seem to be known to antiquarians, or to have been described in any topographical work connected with the county. It is a square upright granite stone, inscribed on two of its sides, from top to bottom, but now converted to the humble office of a gate-post. Some of the letters are legible, and evidently partake of the old Saxon character: but the tenour of the inscription evades decyphering, except by persons acquainted with such subjects. Could this be discovered, it might tend to bring to light, or elucidate an event, either wholly unknown, or partially involved in obscurity. There are several barrows or tumuli on a hill about a mile distant in a northern direction, with remains of military stations, which would imply that a battle was fought somewhere in the neighbourhood, and this stone erected to the memory of some distinguished hero, who fell on the occasion, or to record the victory. One of these barrows has been opened, but nothing was found in it of a curious nature, except a large triangular stone at the bottom, under which lay a black substance or mould, resembling wood ashes. The original book upon which all our kings, from Henry I. to Edward VI., took the coronation oath, is now in the library of a gentleman in Norfolk. It is a manuscript of the four Evangelists, written on vellum, the form and beauty of the letters nearly approaching to Roman capitals. It appears to have been written and fitted up for the coronation of Henry I. The original binding, which is still in a perfect state, consists of two oaked boards nearly an inch thick, fastened together with stout thongs of leather, and the corners defended by large bosses of brass. On the right hand side (as the book is opened) of the outer cover is a crucifix of brass double gilt, which was kissed by the kings upon their inauguration, and the whole is fastened together by a strong clasp of brass fixed to a broad piece of leather, nailed on with two large brass pins. LITERATURE. NEW PUBLICATIONS. AGRICULTURE. A Review (and Complete Abstract) of the Reports to the Board of Agriculture from the several Departments of England; by Mr Marshall. 5 vols. 8vo. £.33s. DRAMA. Account of Mr Kemble's Retirement from the Stage. 8vo. 9s. Characters of Shakspeare's Plays; by William Hazlitt. 8vo. 10s. 6d. EDUCATION. Key to Mensuration; by J. Bonnycastle,12mo. 4s. A Practical View of Intellectual Education; by W. Jacques. 4s. 6d. The Dauphin Virgil, with Dr. Carey's Cla ves Metrico-Virguiliana prefixed. Don't Despair, a tale; by W Beck, dedicated to the British and Foreign School Society. Is 6d. or 15s. per dozen. An Excursion to Windsor, through Batersea, Putney, Kew, Richmond, Twickenham, Strawberry-Hill, and Hampton-Court; interspersed with historical and biographical anecdotes ; also a sail down the Medway, from Maidstone to Rochester, and the Nore; by John Evans, A.M.: to which is annexed, a Journal of a Trip to Paris in 1816, by way of Brussels; with wood cuts; by John Evans, jun. A. M. 9s. A Lexicon of the Primitive Words of the Greek Language, inclusive of several leading derivatives, upon a new plan of arrangement; by the Rev. John Booth. 8vo. 9s. The Italian Word - Book, or First Italian Book for Students of that Language; by M. l'Abbe Bossut. 1s. The Italian Phrase-Book, or Key to Italian Idioms and Conversation; by the same. 1s. FINE ARTS. Thirty Etched Outlines, from the Elgin Marbles; in one quarto volume, with a letter-press introduction; by W. Sharp, artist. 21s. Albert Durer's Designs for the Prayer-Book. imp. 4to. £.158. The Genuine works of Hogarth, with biographical anecdotes; by John Nichols and G. Steevens, Vol. III. 4to. £.44s. and £.66s. GEOGRAPHY. Historical Sketches of the South of India, in an attempt to trace the history of Mysore: from the origin of the Hindoo government of that Stratagems of Chess, or a collection of Critical and Remarkable Situations; translated from the French. Foolscap 8vo. 7s. Practical Chess Grammar, or introduction to the Royal Game of Chess, in a series of plates; by W. S. Kenny. 4to. 7s. A Letter to Sir James Allan Park, knt. reprinted from the Alfred Exeter Paper. 1s. Essays on the Mysteries of Eleusis. 8vo. 10s. 6d. The Sportsman's Directory; by J. Mayer. 12mo. 6s. 6d. An Historical Account of the Rise and Progress of the Bengal Infantry; by Capt. J. Williams. 8vo. 12s. The Art of Correspondence: consisting of letters, notes, &c. 5s. British Field Sports, embracing practical instructions; by W. H. Scott. Parts 1. and II. demy 8vo. 3s.-royal 8vo. 58. Book-keeping, adapted to the Business of the Country Corn-merchant ; exhibiting a neat and concise method of keeping the accounts by double-entry, and an improved method of calcu. lating the rent on corn granaried, at any given rate; by C. Scott. 1s. 6d. The Colonial Journal, No. VI. 8vo. 8s. Questions Resolved: containing a plain and concise Explanation of near four hundred difficult passages of Scripture, and concise Answers to important questions in History, Biography, and General Literature; by the Rev. G. G. Scraggs, A. M. 2 vols. 12mo. 10s. 6d. Literature. The Edinburgh Gazetteer, or Geographical Dic. tionary. Arch. Constable & Co. Edinburgh, and Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, & Brown, London. The wonderful events which have been of A Voyage of survey and discovery in the Pa- 63 know Aleck ?" one of them said, "Well, then' did you know Captain Bligh of the Bounty ?"At this question the knowledge of these men's history burst upon the Captain's mind. They then informed him that Aleck was the only one of the Bounty's crew who remained alive on the island: not knowing whether it would be proper and safe to land without giving notice, as the fears of this surviving mutineer might be revived, he requested the young men to go and tell Aleck that the master of the ship desired very much to see him, and would be ready to supply him with any thing which he wanted.— The canoe returned without Aleck, and brought an invitation to Captain Folger to come on shore, which not being accepted, the young men were again sent to Aleck, with another request to come on board, and renewed assurances of the friendly and honourable intentions of the master. They returned, however, again, without Aleck, as the women, who were fearful for his safety, would not allow him to leave them and their beloved island. The young men pledged themselves for Captain Folger's safety, intimated the wish of the islanders to see him, and their readiness to furnish any supplies which their village afforded. The captain having agreed to go on shore, was met on the beach by Aleck and all his family, who welcomed him with every demonstration of good-will and joy. They escorted him to the house of their patriarch, and set before him every luxury which the island afforded with the most affectionate courtesy. Alexander Smith, whom the youths in the boat, with such juvenile and characteristic simplicity, had called Aleck, stated, that he and his companions had lived in tolerable harmony under Christian's government several years after their arrival; that Christian died a natural death; and it was after this the Englishmen were killed by the Otaheitan men, who were themselves put to death by the widows on the following night. Smith was thus the only man left on the island. He had taken great pains to educate the inhabitants of the island in the faith and principles of Christianity. Morning and evening prayers were read; and all regularly assembled on Sunday for religious instruction and worship. The books belonging to the Bounty were preserved; and prayer-books and Bibles were still used in their devotions. Smith, it is believed, considered proaching the island, he was surprised to observe prayers adapted to their peculiar situation. He smoke, as Carteret had said it was not inhabit- had improved himself greatly by reading, and by ed. He proceeded, therefore, in his boat to- the efforts he was obliged to make in the inwards the shore, when he was met by a double struction of so many others. He wrote and concanoe of the Otaheitan form, and carrying seve- versed with singular propriety, of which many ral young men, who hailed him at a distance, proofs were to be found in his records and in his in English. They seemed unwilling to approach narrative. The children had made considerable him till they ascertained who he was. On be- progress in reading and writing. The stationary ing informed that he was an American from articles which were found in the Bounty supBoston, they appeared somewhat embarrassed.plied them abundantly" with the means of inWith great earnestness, they at length said,struction."-When Smith was asked, if he had "You are an American; you come from Ame- ever heard of any of the great battles between rica. Where is America? Is it in Ireland ?" the English and French, in the late wars, he Captain Folger, in return, inquired who they answered, "How could I, unless the birds of were? when they answered, "We are English- the air had been the heralds " On being inmen!"-"Where were you born?" he further formed of the naval victories of the English, he demanded." On that island," they replied.- rose from his seat, and having swung his hat three times round his head, with three cheers, threw it on the ground, and cried out, "Old England for ever!" The young people around him appeared almost as much exhilarated as himself. Smith was asked, if he should like to visit his native country again, and particularly London, the place of his nativity? He answered in the affirmative, if he could return soon to his island; but he had not the least desire to How then," he observed, "are you Englishmen, if you were born on that island, which the English do not own, and never possessed ?"-" We are Englishmen, because our father is an Eng. lishman," was the answer." Who," I asked, The Ladies' Receipt Book: containing a Collection of valuable Miscellaneous Receipts," is your father?"-With great simplicity, they and choice Secrets, in useful, elegant, and ornamental Arts, selected from various Authors; by William Pybus. 12mo. 1s. 6d. answered,"Aleck."-To the question, "Who |