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departure is St. Thomas's Island, and that the slave ships belong to the colony. About 30 of the poor negroes were dead or sick upon their arrival, and no trouble was taken to bury the greater part of them.

Slavery-The Rev. Dr Philip, a missionary from Africa, stated at a public meeting held about the middle of June, 1829, in Manchester, that £20.000 were annually spent by the West Indian slave proprietors upon the venal part of the London press, for the purpose of advocating the present inhuman system; and that there were in the House of Commons, 67 proprietors of slaves, 20 holders of West Indian bonds, and 200 individuals who were connected with slave proprietors by marriage or otherwise.

Test of Philosophy.If you wish to know whether any body is superior to the prejudices of the world, ask him to carry a parcel for you. Diogenes Laertius tells us a story of his great namesake, that being once requested by a certain young gentleman to teach him philosophy, he gave him a piece of cheese to carry, upon which the other immediately declined to receive his instructions.

St. Pancras.-The history of the old church of Paneras is not a little singular-it is one of the oldést in Middlesex, and the parish it belongs to is one of the largest, being eighteen miles in circumference. The name was sent from Rome by the Pope expressly for this church, which has the only general Catholic burial ground in England, and mass is daily said at St. Peter's at Rome, for the repose of the souls of the faithful whose bodies are deposited therein; it was also the last Church in England whose bell tolled for mass, or in which any Catholic rites were celebrated.

Gypsies. It may appear incredible to those who have not thought upon the subject, that, upon the lowest calculation, there are at present wandering about this kingdom no less than 12,000,

Sir P. Laurie and Sir R. Birnie. It is, perhaps, not generally known, that Sir P. Laurie, one of the aldermen of London, and Sir Richard Birnie, the head police magistrate in England, are both natives of Scotland, and both commenced their career toge ther in London as apprentice saddlers, with Mr. Godsman, son of that Captain Godsman whose name is as familiar as a household word in Inverness, from the circumstance of his having formed one of the most beautiful and romantic walks in the vicinity of that town. Inverness Courier.

·Chinese Justice.-The Chinese have no idea of making a distinction between premeditated and accidental murder, as was fatally exemplified some years ago, in the case of a poor gunner belonging to an Indiaman, who was given up because the wad of a gun, fired by the command of an officer, happened to strike a native in a boat at some distance, and occasioned his death. By the Chinese laws, if the person survives the accident forty days, and after that period dies, even in consequence of the same accident, yet it is not considered murder. When any case of this kind occurs, it is best to secure the wounded Chinaman, and have him under the care of Europeans during that space of time; for the Chinese would otherwise, perhaps, bring some man who had died a natural death in the interval, and swear that he was the person who died of the accident, in hope of extorting a sum of money.-Naval and Military Magazine, No. 4.

Gout.-To a spoonful of pure Euglish gin, add three tea-spoonsful of flour of sulphur. Let this be taken over night, and the pain will gradually cease till it is entirely removed.

Blenheim-house.-The once proud seat of the illustrious Marlborough, presents now but a melancholy and desolate appearance to the visitor. The courtyards are overgrown with grass, and the wall-flower has introduced itself beneath the colonnade. Many of the windows are broken-and the ripples of the beautiful lake are intercepted by weeds, which luxu riate in all the perfection of undisturbed possession, -Berks Chronicle.

Interesting to Florists. The carnation fancier will be glad to hear of an effectual preventive against the fy, which has hitherto proved so injurious to this beautiful flower:-Take some black pepper, ground very fine, and dredge it lightly over the leaves and stalk whilst the dew is on the plant.

Newly discovered Volcano. A volcano has been discovered in New South Wales, in the direction of Hunter's River, emitting in the day-time a dense volume of flame mingled with smoke, and in the night-time a sulphureous bluish column of flame. It does not appear as if an eruption had yet taken place, and the crater seems as if it were hourly extending wider and longer. As no lava has been discovered in the vicinity, and the natives express much astonishment at the phenomenon, it is reasonably inferred that this is its first appearance.

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Delicate Exercise." I have seen," says a French traveller, yes, I have myself seen, two young ladies (of Rio) whose countenance wore the expression of mildness and benevolence, endeavour, by way of pastime, to cut, at a certain distance, with a whip, the face of a negro whom they had ordered not to stir from the spot. This exercise seemed to amuse them. I would mention their names, if their father, who came in after the first essay, had not severely reprimanded them for their cruelty-Arago's Narrative of a Voyage round the World.

Large Orange. An orange, measuring early sixteen inches round, was lately plucked from a tree in the orchard of Mr. Mobbs, near Parramatta.

Natural Phenomena. In the immense mines of Viclizka, near Cracow, in Poland, is a large block of salt, called Lot's wife; by the moist or dry appear ance of which the subterraneous inhabitants know the state of the weather above ground. Salt being pervious to the superabundant humidity of the atmosphere, before rain, becomes deliquescent; whilst marble, glass, and other impervious substances, become damp from resisting the moisture deposited on the surface. Windows, doors, and drawers swell with humid air; and this known property has been pressed into the service of mechanics for splitting blocks of granite and making millstones. The report of guns, or the sound of bells and church clocks, heard at a great distance unusually clear, are signs of wind, or at least of a change; showing the atmosphere to be loaded with vapours, since dense bodies propagate sound better than rare. Dry stones and damp earth announce fine weather; but damp stones and dry earth the contrary. When the flame of a fire or a lamp burns steadily, it is serene weather; but if it flares or crackles, it indicates rain. Offensive smells from drains, sinks, or holes, attendant on the fall of the barometer, are occasioned by the diminished pressure of the atmosphere, allowing the sulphurated hydrogen and putrescent effluvia to expand from their low abodes; and, consequently, indicate a change of weather. Tanned leather, and all other skins, particularly those of sea-animals, grow flaccid from the same cause; whilst maps and charts, pasted on canvass, relax.

Hydrophobia.-This disease is not common to dogs in all climates; according to Mr. Barrow, canine madness is unknown in South Africa. Other tempo. rary diseases are oftentimes mistaken for this fearful malady; and we, therefore, subjoin the symptoms of hydrophobia, as described by MM. Chaussier and Orfila, who have written a scientific work on this disorder: A dog at the commencement of madness is sick, languishing, and more dull than usual. He seeks obscurity, remains in a corner, does not bark, but growls continually at strangers, and, without any apparent cause, refuses to eat or drink. His gait is unsteady, nearly resembling that of a man almost! asleep. At the end of three or four days, he abandons his dwelling, roving continually in every direction : he walks or runs as if tipsy, hair is bristled up; his eyes haggfrequently falls. His fixed, and spark-1 ling; his head hangs down; his mouth is open and full of frothy slaver; his tongue hangs out, and his tail between his legs. He has, for the most part, but not always, a horror of water, the sight of which seems, generally, to redouble his sufferings. He experiences from time to time transports of fury, and endeavours to bite every object which presents itself, not even excepting his master, whom indeed he begins not to recognize. Light and lively colours greatly increase his rage. At the end of thirty or thirty-six hours he dies in convulsions." After various remedies for this terrible malady have been tried in vain, it seems now agreed that cutting or burning out the bitten part is the only one to be relied on. The Menageries.

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Farmers' Wives and Daughters.-Would it not be better if farmers' wives and daughters would with-p draw their attention a little from the forte piano. (the strong and sweet,) and from the soft and seducing novels of Sir Walter Scott, and other philosophers of a that description? If I were the owner of a great landed estate, I would find the means, I warrant them, of compelling them to keep servants in the house, and thus prevent the pauperism, and thieving, d and poaching, that are now going on all over the country. It is inconvenient to a lady, and to young ladies, to have to provide victuals and drink for a parcel of fellows in nail shoes. These fellows in nail b shoes do the work, however, and it is the bounden duty of landlords to take care that they have their due and honest share of the produce of the land. It's is troublesome to board men in the house. Is it not troublesome to me, then? Have I not some little matters to do? Have I nothing to think about but the lodging and boarding of these men? A plenty but it is my duty, and, indeed, it is my pleasure, to see that they are thus provided for, and to rescue them from the numerous temptations to which they would be exposed out of the house, and to the endless

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extortions that would he practised upon them, if they were lodging in holes here and there in the neighbourhood of the farm. Wives indeed! Where is a young farmer to find a wife amongst the novel-reading and musicing things that are stuck up in carpeted parlours with bells to call servants to them? Rather than have one of these, even with the few hundreds or thousands that a foolish father may have raked together for her, I, for my part, if I were a young farmer, just going to enter upon my business, would take my best horse and ride him to death in search of a girl that gets up by day light, milks her cows before breakfast, and knows how to bake, salt bacon, and brew. Without this, a woman in a farm-house is a species of the pestilence; so far from being a source of pleasure, she is a constant source of annoyance; she is a "trouble," indeed, and besides the trouble, the expense of her is enormous.- Cobbett.

Zoological Gardens.-The number of visitors to the Zoological Gardens, Regent's Park, last year, was 112,000, and the receipts amounted to £12,358. The Society has purchased 33 acres of ground near Kingston, for the purpose of breeding foreign animals.

Chinese Temples.-There are in China 1560 temples dedicated to Confucius. At the spring and autumnal sacrifices, it is calculated that there are offered to him 27.000 pigs, 5,800 sheep, 2,800 deer, 27,000 rabbits, besides 27.000 pieces of silk.

English Monarchs.-It is remarkable that among the thirty-two sovereigns who have sat on the English throne since William the Conqueror, although each of the eleven months has witnessed the accession of one or more, the month of May has not been so fortunate, none having ascended the throne within its limits.

The Advantages of going to Law.-Going to law has this Advantage, that it does not simply settle disputes, but in many cases effectually takes from the parties the cause of litigation, and the power of future contention. The case stated in the following lines highly exemplifies the truth of the position: An Upper and a Lower Mill Fell out about their water: To war they went, that is, to law, Resolved to give no quarter.

A lawyer was by each engaged;

And hotly they contended;

When fees grew slack, the war they waged
They judged were better ended.

The heavy costs remaining still,
Were settled without pother:
One lawyer took the Upper Mill,
The Lower Mill the other.

York Minster, Timber to the amount of £5000 has been granted by government for York Minster; and to lessen the expense of carriage, we understand the roof will be finished at the dock-yards at Chatham.

Local Memory.-Magliabechi, the Florentine librarian, remembered every book in every collection of which he had once seen a catalogue; and when he had seen a library, he remembered the place of every book in every book case. In regard to the books he had read, his inemory was such, that in more than ten thousand volumes, he could refer to the particular volume or page where any subject, argument, or suggestion was to be found; so that at last he was constantly referred to by learned men, as a kind of index to the stores of almost every library in Europe.

New Discovery in the Preparation of Flar.-A French paper states, that an inhabitant of Chatean-Thierry has discovered a mode of giving to prepared hemp and flax the fineness, softness, and whiteness of cotton, by impregnating those substances with oil, and then exposing them, during fifteen or twenty days, to the action of frost, between two layers of snow. By this means all the inconvenience of the ordinary and tedious process of steeping them in stagnant water will be avoided.

Thrashing Machine-A portable thrashing machine has been invented by Mr. Rider, a mechanic and small farmer, who resides upon the Wallop estate, in the parish of Westbury, Wilts. The inventor is recommended not to exhibit the machine publicly until he has obtained a patent, or entered a caveat for it. The principle of action is simple, and it is calculated that with the power of one man it will make three hundred effectual strokes in one minute. If the experiment proves successful (and it will be made publicly) the utility of this machine will be great to farmers who have either uplands or lands at a distance from their farms, as this machine can be removed with as much facility as a winnowing machine, and its cost will not exceed 8, or 107.

Literary Notices. Just Published.

768

History of the South Sea Islands, in 2 vols. 8vo with eight plates and two maps, half-bound in cloth, entitled Polynesian Researches, during a residence of nearly Six Years in the South Sea Islands. Including Descriptions of the Natural History and Scenery of the Islands-with Remarks on the History, Mythology, Traditions, Government, Arts, Manners, and Cus toms of the Inhabitants. By W. Ellis, Missionary to the Society and Sandwich Islands.

Also, by the same Author, in one vol. with nine plates and two maps, Narrative of a Tour through Hawaii, or Owhyhee.

In one vol. 12mo. with a map and three engravings, Journal of a Residence in the Sandwich Islands, during the Years 1823, 1994, and 1825. By C. S. Stewart. With an Introduction, and occasional Notes, by W. Ellis.

Prospectus and Specimen of the Gardens and Menageries of the Zoological Society, with beautiful wood engravings.

Fisher's National Portrait Gallery, No. IV. containing three superb engravings, and memoirs.

Lancashire Illustrated, No. X.; and Ireland Illustrated, No. V. are also ready for delivery.

The National Reader, a Selection of Exercises in Reading and Speaking. By John Pierpont, Compiler of the American First-Class Book.

The Student's Algebra, with Notes and Observations. By John Darby.

Morning and Evening Prayers, adapted for Family Worship.

Christian Nobility, a Story.

The Traveller's Prayer, a discourse on the Third Collect for Grace, By Adam Clarke, LL.D. &c. Aphorisms on the Assurance of Faith. By the Rev. William Cudworth.

The Voice of Devotion, or a Course of Prayers for the private Use of Christians.

A Concise System of Mechanics in Theory and Practice. By James ilay.

The History of the Christian Church, from the First to the Nineteenth Century, in three vols.

An Essay on the Phrenology of the Hindoos and Negroes. By James Montgomery, esq, with Strictures thereon. By Corden Thompson, M.D.

The Rise, Progress, and Termination of Moham medism, a Discourse. By H. Forster Burder. M.A. The Nature and Duration of the Papal Apostacy, a Discourse. By Robert Vaughan.

A Memorial, or Tribute of Praise to God. By Samuel Eyles Pierce.

Philosophical Tables compiled from various Authors, Ancient and Modern.

Brief Account of the Colosseum in the Regent's Park, London.

An Oration delivered before the Medico Botanical Society of London, October, 1828. By John Frost, F.R.S. Edinburgh, F.L.S. &c.

The New French Manual and Traveller's Compa. nion. By Gabriel Surenne. F.A.S.E.

Address of Earl Stanhope, President of the MedicoBotanical Society, at the Anniversary Dinner, Jan.

16, 1829.

Practical Logic, or Hints to Theme Writers, &c. By B. H. Smart.

Cottage Poetry, by the Author of "Old Friende in a New Dress."

A Universal Prayer; Death; a Vision of Heaven; and a Vision of Hell, by Robert Montgomery, 3d ed,

In the Press.

The Heraldry of Crests, 18mo., containing nearly 4000 Crests, from engravings by the late IP. Elven, with the bearers' names alphabetically arranged.

A Compendious and Impartial View of the Principal Events in the History of Great Britain and Ireland, in relation to the Roman Catholic Question. The Sabbath Minstrel, a collection of Original Hymns for Sunday Schools. By John Taylor.

Two Discourses on Public Berevements in the Christian Church. By John Sheppard, of Frome, An Embellished Chart of General History and Chronology. By F. H. Lightfoot.

Preparing for Publication.

A Volume of Sermons. By Dr. Wardlaw of Glasgow. Thesaurus Ellipsium Latinarum, sive Vocum, que in Sermone Latino suppressæ, indicantur, et ex præstantissimis Auctoribus illustrantur, cum Indicibus Necessariis, auctore Elia Palairet, 1760. Reprinted by E. H. Barker, esq. of Thetford, Norfolk, with Corrections and Additions, mbne

LONDON PRINTED AT THE CAXTON PRESS, BY H. FISHER, SON, AND CO.

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TELE BLIGH PRIEST OF TAIT CADONG THE DISTRICT OF MATAYAI TO CAPTY W.SON,

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THE island of Otaheite is said to have been first seen by Quiros, so early as 1606, but of this fact the testimonies are very dubious; and even admitting the tradition to be correct, it is certain that for upwards of a century and a half from that time, it remained unknown to the nations of Europe. In 1767, Captain Wallis, an English circumnavigator, landed on its shores, and of his interview with the natives, their customs, and peculiarities, together with his observations on the island at large, an account was published in Hawkesworth's voyages. In 1768, it was visited by Bougainville, and in 1769, 1773, and 1774, by Captain Cook. In 1788 and 1789, Captain Bligh, in the Bounty, lay at anchor about six months on its shores. Captain Vancouver touched here in 1792, Captain New, of the Daedalus, in 1793, and Captain Robert Wilson in the ship Duff in 1797.

By nearly all of the above navigators, some accounts have been published respecting this interesting portion of the human family, but it has been reserved for the Missionaries of more modern days to furnish amplified details of all that is important in the history and ancient manners of these uncultivated children of nature; and from their accounts we shall draw our information respecting the scene exhibited in the plate, and an explanation of the various figures which appear.

Otaheite, or, as it is now generally called, Tahiti, is about thirty leagues in circumference, and contains a population of about 10,000 souls. Most of its land is remarkably fertile, but there is no reason to suppose that either this or any other island in the group, is altogether volcanic in its origin, as Hawaii, and the whole of the Sandwich islands, decidedly are..

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The entire mass of matter composing the latter, has evidently been in a state of fu

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from the focus of an immense volcano, or volcanoes, originating, probably, at the bottom of the sea, and forming, by their action through successive ages, the whole group of islands; in which, nothing like primitive or secondary rock has yet been found. In Tahiti, and other islands of the southern cluster, there are basalts, whinstone dykes, and homogeneous earthy lava, retaining all the convolutions which cooling lava is known to assume; there are also several kinds of hornstone, limestone, silex, breccia, and other substances, which have never, under the action of fire, altered their original form. Some are found in detached fragments, others in large masses. The wild and broken manner, however, in which the rocks now appear, warrants the inference, that since their formation, which was probably of equal antiquity with the bed of the ocean, they have been thrown up by some volcanic explosion, the disruptions of an earthquake, or other violent convulsions of the earth; and have, from this circumstance, assumed their bold, irregular, and romantic forms.

On the north-eastern side of this island is an extensive inlet, furnishing excellent anchorage, generally known by the name Matavai Bay, which Mr. Ellis, in his Polynesian Researches, thus describes.

"On the morning of the 16th of February 1817, as the light of the day broke upon us, we discovered that, during the preceding night, we had drifted to a considerable distance from the island. The canoes of the natives, however, soon surrounded our vessel; numbers of the people were admitted on board; and we had the long-desired satisfaction of an intercourse with them, through the medium of an interpreter.

"Mid-day was, however, past, before we entered Matavai Bay. As we sailed into the harbour, we passed near the coral reef on which Captain Wallis struck on the 19th of June, 1767, when he first entered the bay. His ship remained stationary nearly an hour; and, in consequence of this circumstance, the reef has received the name of the

sion, and in that state has been ejected As we passed by it, we felt in rock.

129.-VOL. XI.

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grateful that

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