Though to the last, in verge of our decay, first But all too late, so are we doubly curst. Love, fame, ambition, avarice-tis the same, Each idle and all ill-and none the worstFor all are meteors with a different name, And Death the sable smoke where vanishes the flame. "Few-none-find what they love or could have loved, Though accident, blind contact, and the strong Necessity of loving, have removed Antipathies-but to recur, ere long, Envenomed with irrevocable wrong; And Circumstance, that unspiritual god And miscreator, makes and helps along Our coming evils with a crutch-like rod, Whose touch turns hope to dust, the dust we all have trod." The author's morbid sensibility has cast a cadaverous hue over every aspect of life. We cannot but pity the mental misery which could prompt him to interçede with Time and Vengeance, in such plaintive accents as these, "Oh Time! the beautifier of the dead, And only healer when the heart hath bled- My hands, and eyes, and heart, and crave of thee a gift: "Amidst this wreck, where thou hast made a shrine And temple more divinely desolate, awake. riven, Hopes sapp'd, name blighted, Life's life lied away? And only not to desperation driven, Because not altogether of such clay As rots into the souls of those whom I survey." Though we have already extended our extracts to such a length, we should be inexcusable were we to omit the follow. ing beautiful lines: "Oh that the Desert were my dwelling place, With one fair Spirit for my minister, That I might all forget the human race, And, hating no one, love but only her! Ye Elements!-in whose ennobling stir I feel myself exalted-Can ye not Accord me such a being? Do I err In deeming such inhabit many a spot? Though with them to converse can rarely be our lot. We may apply to lord Byron what Dr. Johnson says of Gray, in speaking of his "Elegy:" "Had he often written thus, it would be idle to praise, and useless to condemn him." It is unnecessary for us, here, to repeat the opinion we have so often had occasion to express of the general tenor of lord Byron's writings. We do not perceive that he has amended much in those particulars, in which we have considered him most reprehensible. same egotism, the same misanthropy, and the same folorn atheism, which have for The merly disgusted us, recur in this poem. His lordship's strain is, as ever, " I seek no sympathies, nor need! The thorns which I have reaped are of the tree I planted-they have torn me, and I bleed; I should have known what fruit would spring from such a seed." If his lordship has such a disdain for sympathy, we wish he would seek some other solace, or, at least, cease to repine. By his own showing, he has, indeed, little claim to commisseration, and since he is not even disposed to allow any one to medicate his wounds, it is a ridiculous and offensive ostentation to display them. His lordship confesses that his afflictions are the fruits of his own folly; -the natural remedy would seem to be a change of conduct. If he have not resolution to reform, nor yet hardihood to persevere in a course which he condemns, his case is a hopeless one. "To be weak, is to be miserable, We intended to point out some of his lordship's numerous violations both of syntax and prosody, but to any reader, who has a competent knowledge of the language, it will be easy to detect them. Blemishes are the more to be regretted, regretted, in proportion to the richness of the mantle which they tarnish. E. I ART. 9. ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. Burying Places in Cities. MESSRS. EDITORS, T is universally acknowledged that we live in an enlightened age. The progress of scientific improvement, and of whatever may meliorate the condition of mankind, is certainly great. Yet, in some respects, we are inferior to those generations who lived in what are called the dark ages. In the present age of civilization and progressive improvement, when religion and science exert their benign influence over a vast portion of the habitable globe, we still tolerate prejudices and customs of which we must be divested, before we can presume to say that we are truly enlightened. In most eastern countries it was customary to bury the dead at some distance from any town. This practice obtained among the Jews, the Greeks, the Romans, &c. Among the primitive Christians, burying in cities was not allowed for the first three hundred years, nor in churches for many ages after. Many of the American tribes and nations whom we generally characterize as savage and ignorant, never permit a corpse to moulder away in or very near their villages and towns. But in regard to this wise regulation, the civilized inhabitants of our cities stand in the back ground. In this very populous and crowded city-this enlightened city of New-York, you meet with burying places and cemeteries in the most central and populous parts!-Daily, in this warm season, you are annoyed by the opening of vaults on the very verge of the footways, where thousands of passengers are forced to witness dead bodies in every stage of putrescence, and to in hale the noxious effluvia that escape from the gloomy charnel-houses. In other instances, dead men's bones are sacrilegious ly disturbed to make room for the the recently deceased, which are deposited within a few feet from the surface of the ground. Here they undergo decomposition, and the putrid exhalations are continually contaminating the atmosphere to the great annoyance and injury of the living. Customs so pernicious and inexcusable, should not be tolerated. It must however be acknowledged, that various religious communities in New-York leave their burying places in the city undisturbed, and bury their dead " without the city." There they can point out the very spot where rest the remains of dear departed friends. There, free from the city's din, we can indulge in those pious reflections which the melancholy place suggests. There, in solemn silence, we can meditate on "the way of all the earth." And, whilst with tears of affection unseen, we bedew the drooping flowrets on the sepulchral hillock, we look with the eye of Christian faith to that "building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." "Hark! how the sacred calm, that breathes around, Bids every fierce tumultuous passion cease, In still small accents whisp'ring from the ground, A grateful earnest of eternal peace." R. N. K. For the American Monthly Magazine. MESSRS. EDITORS, The following errors in the Nautical Almanacs for 1815, 16, 17, 18 and '19, are offered for insertion in your Magazine. I wish them to be made public, not from a disposition to injure any individual concerned in that work, but from a sense of duty: for I regard the Nautical Almanac as a public standard, to whose correctness every one is bound to contribute, whenever it is in his power. The errors were found in Blunt's edition, and whether the same are in the London copies, I know not; that is for the four first named years; the Almanac for 1819, having been recalculated by Mr. Blunt. It is thought of consequence to mention the errors in the copies for the years previous to 1818, since observations may have been made during those years, that are not yet calculated. In the copy for 1815. Page 31, Moon's Lat. 13th day, midnight, for 4° 48′ 15′′, read 1° 48′ 15′′. Page 52, Mars' Heliocentric Lat. 1st day, for 1° 2 S. read 1° 26′ S. Page 101, Moon's Long. 6th day, midn. for 6s 0° 27′ 45′′, read 7s 0° 27′ 45". Page 139, Moon's Parallax, 20th day, noon, for 59′ 49", read 59′ 45′′. For 1816. Page 4, Venus' Heliocentric Lat. 1st day, for 3o 15' read 3o 15' Ν. Page 19, Moon's Parallax, 7th day, noon, for 56' 53", read 56' 33". Page 31, Prop. Log. 8th day, midn. for 4907, read 4873. Page 52, Jupiter's Declinat. 25th day, for 11° 50, read 10° 50. Page 79, Moon's Semid. 10th day, midn. for 15' 19", read 15' 9". Page 100, Venus' Declinat. 25th day, for 5° 5', read 5° 59′. There is some cause for suspecting that this error may not be found in all copies. Page 113, Moon's Long. 4th day, noon, for 11s 30° 34′ 35′′, read 11s 20° 34′ 35". For 1817. Page 6, Moon's Declinat. 1st day, noon, for 23° 43′, read 23° 43′ N. Page 40, Mars' Geocentric Long. 19th day, for 10s 3o 54', read 11 3° 54'. Mars' Geocentric Long. 25th day, for 10s 8° 26', read 11s 8o 26'. Page 41, Moon's Lat. midu. May lst, at bottom of page, for 0° 38' 28", read 0° 33′ 28′′. Page 43, Prop. Log. 15th day, midn. for 5300, read 5233. Page 101, Moon's Lat. 1st day, midn. for 1o 10′ 16" S. read 0° 10' 16" S. Page 127, Moon's Parallax, 30th day, noon, for 55' 26", read 56' 26". For 1818. Page 5, Moon's Lat. 1st day, noon, for 2° 48′ 46′′ Ν. read 1° 48′ 46′′ Ν. Page 16, Venus' Geo. Lat. 7th day, for 1° 11', read 1° 1'. Page 18, Moon's Declinat. 1st day, noon, for 25° 56', read 25° 56′ S. Page 30, Moon's R. Ascen. 12th day, midn. for 47° 5', read 57° 5'. Page 55, Moon's Parallax, 1st day, midn. for 53' 32", read 55' 32". Page 64, Mercu. Helio. Lat. 7th day, for 6° 58′, read 5° 58′. Page 66, Moon's Declinat. 1st day, midn. for 18° 33′, read 18° 33' Ν. Page 79, Moon's Semid. 2d day, midn. for 14' 48", read 14′ 45". Moon's Semid. 22d day, midn. for 15' 8", read 15′ 28′′. Page 113, Moon's Long. 21st day, midn. for 2s 24° 32′ 51′′, read 3s 24° 32′ 51′′. Page 115, Moon's Semid. 9th day, noon, for 16' 57", read 15' 57". Moon's Semid. 10th day, noon, for 16' 51", read 15′ 51′′. Page 121, Conjunction of Planets, 12th day, for, read. Page 126, Moon's Declinat. 1st day, noon, for 26° 35', read 26° 35' S. Page 137, Moon's Long. 22d day, midn. for 8s 27° 19′ 46′′, read 6s 27° 19′ 46′′. Page 25, Conj. of Planets, 16th day, for 34 N. read 34 S. Page 37, Conj. of Planets, for 7th day 2, read 9th day. It is gratifying to find that Blunt's edition of the Almanac for 1819, has been published so much neater and more distinct than those of former years, and containing a modest preface, without any " pledges of reputation" for infallibility, or offers of reward for the discovery of errors. In particular, he deserves much credit for having procured a recalculation of the London edition, in which a great number of important errors have been detected. Conducted on such principles, it is believed, his edition cannot fail of patronage from men of science. The following errors in this corrected copy for 1819, are not pointed out with a view to detract from its merits, nor in compliance with Mr. Blunt's "challenge!" but because they are thought important to be known. And here I would take occasion to observe, that in the communications I have heretofore made to your Magazine on this subject, I was not influenced by a wish to depreciate the general correctness of Mr. Blunt as a publisher. What was said concerning hin in the first communication, was forced 4 from me by a failure of every other method to obtain any satisfactory explana tion, and did not proceed from a spirit of resentment. To the matter of his communication in your Magazine for January last, so far as I can understand it, it would be easy to reply; and to show that the facts of the case are but partially stated. But this is conceived to be unnecessary; for any one who examines it, will perceive that it is but an unwilling acknowledgment of most of the errors I had pointed out. As to the "Chronological Cycles," &c. a London copy has been examined since my first statement, and these were found to be correct in it, or as I had put them down. The manner of Mr. Blunt's communication is such as not to deserve a reply. By writing with so much warmth, he defeats his own object. As to my statements, I shall only say, that what is written, is written; and though I would make no pretensions to accuracy, and wish not to engage in any public dispute, yet, whenever I may chance to notice any errors of magnitude in a work of such vital importance as the Nautical Almanac, I shall consider myself bound to offer them for publication, whether they be made by A, B, or C. For 1819. Page 4, Mercury's Helio. Lat. 16th day, for 6° 22', read 6° 42'. Page 16, Mercury's Helio. Lat. 10th day, for 3° 40', read 1° 40′. - Venus' Geo. Lat. 25th day, for 4° 35', read 3° 35'. Saturn's Geo. Long. 1st day, for 11s 6° 18', read 11s 16° 18'. Page 19, Moon's Parallax, 6th day, noon, for 54' 2", read 54' 0". Prop. Log. 6th day, noon, for 5226, read 5229. Page 23, Distance Moon and Regulus, 14th day, III hour, for 45° 0′ 56′′, read 48° 0′ 56′′. Distance Moon and Spica, mm, 17th day, midn. for 59° 0′ 13′′, read 39° 0′ 13′′. Page 25, Conj. Moon and Mercu. for 25d. 7h. 29m. read 26d. 3h. 56m. Page 28, Mercury's Declinat. 28th day, for 4° 8', read 7° 8'. Page 29, Moon's Lat. 10th day, midn, for 3° 9' 7", read 3° 29′ 7". Page 31, Moon's Semid. 9th day, midn. for 14' 0", read 15' 0". Moon's Parallax, 11th day, noon, for 55' 4", read 55′ 41". Moon's Parallax, 25th day, noon, for 59′ 43", read 58′ 43", Page 37, Conj. Moon and Mercury, for 23d. 23h. 3m. read 24d. 22h. 33m. Page 40, Mercury's Declinat. 7th day, for 13° 15', read 15° 15′. Mercury's Declinat. 25th day, for 19° 43′ read 18° 43′. Page 49, Conj. Mars and Venus, for 45′ S. of g, read 17' S. of . against the 19th day, for) read). Page 52, for Inf. * 8 2d. 16h. read Inf. 6, 28. 16h. Page 53, Moon's Lat. 1st day, midn. for 5° 3′ 28′′, read 5° 3′ 28′′ N. Page 58, Dist. Moon and Sun, 1st day, 9th hour, for 82° 32′ 46′′, read 83° 32′ 46′′. This error is also contained on the 6th page of the Almanac, previous to the calculations, as an erratum to the London copy. The minutes in that copy appear to have been corrected; but the degrees are put down one less than the true number. Page 65, Moon's Lat. 1st day, midn. for 2° 29′ 36′′, read 2° 29' 36" Ν. Page 76, for 6 1d. 3th. read Sup. 1d. 34h. Mercury's Geo. Lat. 25th day, for 1° 51', read 0° 51′. Mercury's Geo. Lat. 28th day, for 1° 27', read 0° 27'. Mercury's Geo. Lat. 31st day, for 1° 1', read 0° 1'. Page 77, Moon's Lat. 1st day, midn. for 0° 38′ 41", read 0° 38′ 41" S. Page 89, Moon's Lat. Ist day, midn. for 4° 24' 11", read 4° 24' 11" S. Moon's Lat. 30th day, midn. for 4° 10' 41", read 5° 10' 41". Page 100, for Inf. * 8 6d. 16h. read Inf. 66d. 16h. Page 133, for enters 24, read enters, or capricorn. Page 134, Sun's Declinat. for North, read South. For the American Monthly Magazine. If J. G. the learned correspondent of the Magazine for May, will take the trouble to look into Lowth's Syntax, he will tind the phraseology which he so justly censures, distinctly authorized. To the authority of Lowth is undoubtedly to be ascribed the prevalence of the error in question. This opinion of Lowth's has been often controverted:-by Campbell, in his " Philosophy of Rhetoric," book ii. ch. 4-by Crombie, in his "Treatise on the Etymology and Syntax of the English Language," Syntax, rule xv.-by Priestly, in his "English Grammar," Notes and Observations, sect. ii.-by " Murray, in his English Grammar," ! For the American Monthly Magazine. MESSRS. EDITORS, There is a circumstance, of which I have taken notice, during the continuance of very hard frosts, which appears novel to most people in this country to whom I have mentioned it; and it has sometimes subjected me to the alternative of stating facts in a very positive manner, or of running the risk of being disbelieved. As I do not recollect to have seen it mentioned in any work I have read, I should be gratified to have you take notice of it in your very valuable Magazine. The circumstance alluded to is that the best gun locks will not fire gun-powder during intensely cold weather, or when the Mercury stands 20° or more below 0, if exposed fairly to that temperature. On the day, known all over this country as the cold Friday, in the year 1809 or 10, a gentleman, one of the N. W. company, observed to me, as he was going to the cupola of the Cathedral with his thermometer, that my gun (which was one of Fletcher's patent breeches, with a fine agate flint) would not fire gunpowder; and on my expressing some doubt on that point, he followed by saying, that he had hunted many days in the north when he could not get his gun off from the effects of cold, to his great mortification, when game was plenty. We immediately prepared for the experiment, and left the gun for twenty minutes or more in the most exposed place we could readily come at, when to my very great surprise, on repeated trials, the flint'slid as ineffectually over the steel as if it had been wood, and it did not fire until it had been in a warm room for more than 20 seconds. This experiment was tried at Quebec, in Lower Canada, where I resided at that. time. On the cold Friday of last year, and on the cold Wednesday of the present past winter, I tried it with the same effect, only in these cases the gun was not as good an article as in the former experiment, yet it almost immediately flashed on being brought into a room with a stove. Every one who saw the experiment tried, immediately formed some theory to account for it-which were so contradictory and unsatisfactory as to leave me in the dark as to the real cause. It is well known that all metals when ex- Your most obed'nt serv't, A. L. |