VARIETIES, LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL; With Notices respecting Men of Letters, Artists, and Works THE in Hand, &c. &c. HE death of the Rev. Richard America, Isaac Weld's Travels through Cecil, M.A. having occurred North America, Lowrie's Account of whilst his works were in the press, a the Penal Laws of Pennsylvania, and fourth volume is now to be added to Turnbull's Visits to the Fhiladelphia the three previously announced, which Prisons. will consist of Remarks made by Mr. In the press, Ancient Poems from Cecil in conversation on a great vari- MSS. of the time of Queen Elizaety of topics in Life and Religion, and beth, never before published, with an which could not, with propriety, be introduction, notes, and an appendix, published before. A memoir of Mr. by John Fry. Cecil will accompany the first volume, and it is supposed the whole will be ready for publication by Christmas. Mr. Ruding's great work on the Coinage of the Kingdom and its Dependencies is in considerable forwardness, and may be expected by the latter end of the present, or the beginning of the next year. The fourth and last volume of Stewart's Athens will be published in the ensuing winter. George Ross, Esq. of the Inner Temple, is preparing for publication a work on the Law of Vendor and Purchaser, considered with a view to mercantile productions. Hints on Toleration, in five Essays, submitted to the Right Hon. Lord Viscount Sidmouth and the Dissenters, is in the press. The Rev. James Rudge, lecturer of Limehouse, is preparing for the press Twenty-five Discourses on the Creed, delivered in the parish church of St. Anne, Limehouse, at the afternoon lecture. A religious poem, called Joseph, in blank verse, historical, patriarchal, and typical, with notes, by the Rev. Charles Lucas, A.M. curate of Avebury, Wilts, is in the press. Mr. Kidd's edition of Dawe's Miscellanea Critica, is in considerable forwardness. A literary gentleman has undertaken to translate, from the French, an Abridgement of the Theological Works of the Hon. Emanuel Swedenborg; with a preliminary disservation upon his life and writings; with a preface by the translator, and notes, explanatory and critical, in one volume octavo. The Dramatic Works of Lillo, the author of George Barnwell, &c. the scarcity of which have long since fixed them at a very high price, are now reprinting in a superior style, under the inspection of a gentleman well known to the late Isaac Reed. Mr. Allnutt, of Henley, is engaged upon a new and improved edition of an Account of the Navigations of the Rivers and Canals west of London. A new edition of the works of Archbishop Secker is in the press, to be comprised in six large octavo volumes. Memoirs of the Life, Writings, and Correspondence of the late Mr. William Smellie, printer in Edinburgh, secretary to the Scottish Antiquaries, F.R.S. &c. will shortly be published; together with a selection from his hitherto unpublished Essays; with an engraved portrait. By Robert Kerr, F.R.S. and F.A.S. In two volumes octavo. This work will comprise a view of the literary history of Scotland, from 1758 to 1795, with nume A new edition of the Poetical Works of Dryden, in a uniform size, with Mr. Malone's edition of the Prose Works, with the Notes of the late Dr. Warton, Mr. John Warton, and others, will appear early in the winter. Another volume on Capital Punishments is in a state of great forwardness. To this, by way of appendix, will be added, Extracts on Mr. Windham, we understand, has Prisons, from Liancourt's Travels in left behind him three Treatises on rous anecdotes of eminent learned Scotsmen, and accounts of many important publications in which Mr. Smellie was concerned, Mathematical Subjects, which he to be inconceivable: the former apdirected, by his will, should be put into the hands of the Bishop of Rochester, in order that, if he thought them of value, they should be published. Mr. Cromek, the editor of The Reliques of Burns,' has in the press a volume of traditional poetry, collected by him in the twin districts of Nithsdale and Galloway. The volume will contain historical notices relative to the manners and customs of the peasantry. ARTS, SCIENCES, &c. Canova is at present engaged upon two colossal statues in bronze of the Emperor Napoleon, one on foot, the other on horseback. Richetti, a celebrated founder, has already produced the cast of the former. The latter will, it is said, surpass in size the largest known works of the kind, whether ancient or modern. pears of a rich marrowy consistence and fine colour, and never acquires a brittle hardness, nor tastes too salt; the latter is comparatively hard and brittle, approaching nearer to the appearance of tallow, and is much salter. lowever, it must be noted, that butter cured in the Scotch manner should stand a month or three weeks at least before it is used. If opened sooner, the salts are not sufficiently blended. The pernicious practice of keeping milk in troughs lined with lead ought to be avoided, as well as the salting of butter in stone jars, as both of these communicate a very prejudicial quality to the human constitution: neither is the want of real cleanliness so soon discovered in these as in the use of wooden dishes. The superb palm, called the cycas recolata, which in no other instance has been known to blow in Europe, is now in an advanced state of fructifcation in the Bishop of Winchester's conservatory at Farnham Castle. A Substitute for Olive Oil.-The foMr. Stephenson's patent for an imreign papers for 1807 contain the following notice, under the head of proved machine for filtering water Venice: "We have for a length of may be made in various forms: but a time experienced a great scarcity of water-tight vessel in the shape of a oil, owing to the destruction of olive chest is preferable, of a breadth and In this body or trees during the war. Luckily, the depth about equal, with a length Chinese radish has been introduced double of either. here by M. Grandi, and is cultivating lower part, and from one side to the with great success. It gives an oil su- other, there must be a division going, perior to that already known, not from the upper face or cover of the merely for the table, but for produ- body down to about an inch of the cing light, and many medical pur- bottom, and joined to the top or cover poses, particularly in pulmonary and and to the sides, so that the water can Theumatic affections, and also in pleu- not pass from one compartment of the risies and convulsive coughs; the body into the other, but only through, whole of which has been ascertained the space left at the bottom of the by experiments made by Dr. Frans- division. For the upper face or cover cisco de Olivero of Verona." Now there are two openings, one over each with what practicability the Chinese compartment, through which are to radish could be imported or culti-be introduced, first, a level stratum vated in England may be a question worthy of the naturalist. Scotch Method of curing Butter.Take two parts of the best common salt, one part of sugar, and one part of salt petre, beat them up together, and blend the whole completely; take one ounce of this composition for every pound of butter, work it well into the mass, and then close it up in the ordinary way till wanted for use. The difference between this butter and that cured by common salt is said or layer of sand, previously washed, 4 water above. This sponge is to keep and as they see it commonly towards back the foul matter that may be in the fore part of the ship, they imagine the water. The water received into it is employed in guiding and tracing the descending branch passes the com- out the course, whence it has received pressed sponge through a stratum of the name of pilot. Probably it is sand, a stratum of charcoal, and either amusing itself or pursuing its through another of sand. It then prey. It sometimes attends the dogreaches the bottom of the compart- fish and the shark, and swims at the ment under the descending branch, height of a foot and a half from the whence it flows through the opening snout of the latter; imitates all its in the bottom of the middle division movements, and seizes any part of the into the other compartment, and then shark's prey which may escape him. ascends through a stratum of char- Though so small as not to exceed six coal, and through another of sand, and inches, it will keep pace with ships in rises into that ascending branch which their swiftest course. That in Mr. serves as a reservoir for the filtered Foster's possession was lately caught water, from which it may be drawn in Solway Frith. off by a cock or otherwise. The A Method of keeping Fruit Trees in sponge must be occasionally taken out to be cleaned, and the charcoal, after a certain time, replaced by fresh and more pure. The sand also must be occasionally changed or well washed. Mr. J. D. Ross, of Princes-street, has improved the eye-bath, to clear eye from extraneous matters, and to assist the sight, which he makes as an ornament for a lady or gentleman's dressing-room. the Capt. Manby, whose ingenious invention for preserving the crews, &c. of vessels stranded on the coast, has improved the same since he met with parliamentary aid. According to his recent experiments on the beach at Cromer, he can now throw the grapple, log line, &c. from a mortar to a distance of 404 yards. Vigour.-Herbage growing round fruit trees, either in fields or orchards, being injurious to their vegetation, particularly to peach trees, to prevent which, in Germany they surround them with the refuse stalks of flax, after the fibrous part has been taken off, spreading it over the ground as far as their roots extend. No weeds will grow under this flax, and the earth remains fresh and loose. Even a withered peach tree has been recovered by these means, and bore larger and better fruit than before. The leaves of trees falling in autumn may also be employed advantageously this way; but dry branches, or something else, should be laid over them to prevent their being blown away by the wind. The walnut trees appear to be the best. Mr. Joseph Foster, fishmonger in Carlisle, has in his possession a pilot- Poppies and Carrots cultivated togefish, the only one supposed to have ther.-On light soils in Germany the appeared on these coasts. It is of the poppy branches shoot out but little, order of Thoracci, which compre- and its roots are scarcely sheltered hends seventeen genera, and upwards from the strong heats. The carrot coof two hundred and twenty species, vers these roots with its leaves, and preIt is found in the Mediterranean and serves them from drought by retaining Atlantic, chiefly towards the Equator. the moisture in the ground; at the The shape of the body resembles a same time it allows the poppy to enjoy mackerel; the head is long and the sun and air freely, and cannot insmooth, and the snout advances some jure it in the ground, as its root strikes distance beyond the mouth. It has perpendicularly downward, while that two small fins near the head, another of the poppy ramifies near the surface. running along the back from the head to the tail, and one under the belly of similar length. The colour in general is brownish, changing into gold; and there are several transverse black belts. Mariners observe, that this fish frequently accompanies vessels, The produce of the ground is thus doubled, and the poppy thus joined with the carrot is not injured in quantity or quality. Carrot seed sown between the intervals of the poppies, on a quarter of an acre of land, produced nearly seven bushels of poppy seed, from which were expressed twelve to a considerable extent, by which a quarts of clear and well flavoured oil, good deal of money is earned. and twenty-one pints of a thicker oil. Denmark. How to preserve growing Plants at Sea.-Particular care, if not placed in a cabin, must be taken to keep them covered during stormy weather, or such as Jaises the least saline spray in the air; for the chief damage plants are liable to at sea, is occasioned by the saline particles with which the air is then charged. But, during moderate weather, it will be proper to keep the boxes open, and also during moderate rain, which is much better for plants than water from the cask; how- of the body diminished. This being ever, too much moisture is more the case, 1st, What is the curve de dangerous than drought. Placing scribed by that body? 2d, If the inthe chests, in Indiamen, round the flammable matter contained in the capstan on the quarter deck seems the cylinder burns in such a manner, that best on many accounts. While the the inflamed strata are neither paral decks are washing in a morning, the lel to each other, nor perpendicular to boxes should be shut, and covered the axis, to what perturbations will with a piece of canvas, &c. When the rocket be subject: how are they plants from a cold climate get into a to be prevented or corrected? 3d, warm one, they shoot most luxuriant- As it is necessary that the cylinder he ly, and often choke or kill one ano- perforated and hollowed, so as to af ther; the longer shoots must therefore be frequently shortened, and as many of the leaves thinned as will give the rest air and room. Baskets with roots, and potatoes with succulent plauts, may be hung against the projecting part of an Indiaman which covers the wheel, or hung over the stern, if protected by a tarpaulin, or painted canvas. Seeds should be kept in a cool dry place, and never below in the gunroom, hoid, or lower deck. Roots ought to be packed in dry sand, after being moderately dried. The Academy has proposed the following prize questions for the present year: In Mathematics.-A body which has the form and figure of a cylinder, such as Congreve's rockets, is projected at : a certain elevation or angle with the horizon, and is continually impelled by the flames which issue from it. The substance which feeds the fire is gradually consumed, and the weight Africa. A knitting school, consisting entire ly of Hottentots, is carried on at Bethelsdorp with great promise, notwithstanding the death of its founder, Mrs. Smith. About thirty children have had their food in it daily, and as yet without touching their funds. The call for stockings and nightcaps is beyond expectation, as the industry of the people increases. Mats and Caffre baskets are made in abundance, and sold at Fort Frederic and other parts of the country. A considerable trade is likewise carried on by our people in salt. Soap boiling, sawing, and wood cutting for waggons, is also carried on ford the flame a greater surface, and to increase the force of the flame that issues from it, it is required to know what form or figure is most advantageous for the excavation? The So ciety wishes, if possible, that attention be paid to the resistance and pressures of the air; but yet the prize will be. adjudged to the best answer to the above three questions. In Natural Philosophy.-Philoso phers have long bestowed great pains in seeking a discovery of the connec tion between electricity and magnet ism, which exhibit phenomena sa similar aud so different. Modern ob servations have added means for pro sccuting these researches. The older philosophers have left us numerous experiments, which do not exactly correspond with those of the present day. The Royal Society, thinking upon the whole that this part of experimental philosophy may be considerably improved, offers a prize to the writer, who, taking experience for his guide. shall give the best exposition of the mutual connection between electricity and magnetism. In Philosophy.-There are persons who still deny the utility of physical doctrines and experiments in explaining the phenomena of the mind and soul: others, on the contrary, con- which ought to be employed.-Setemptuously reject the psychological cond, What is the present state of What rank observations and reasons in researches, pharmacy in France? which relate to the body, or restrain does it hold in the healing art? And the application of them to certain what are the ameliorations of which it diseases. It would be useful to dis- is susceptible? The prize for the best cuss these two opinions, to shew and memoir on the first question is a gold establish, more clearly, how far medal of 200 francs. The next is of psychology and natural philosophy the value of 100. The memoirs to be may be combined, and to demon- delivered at Paris on or before the 1st strate, by historical evidence, what of October, 1810. each of these sciences has hitherto contributed to the advancement of the other. The following account of a new optical instrument is copied from a recent French Journal:-" It is well An Universal and Characteristic Lan- known that the art of perspective conguage. That, proposed by Leibnitz, sists in representing, on a plane surhaving never been sufficiently ex- face, objects in the position in which plained by himself, and appearing not the eye perceives them. Descriptive to have been understood by any per- geometry furnishes the means of doing son, the question is, to give an accu- this; but the method which it teaches rate and luminous designation of that pre-supposes science and demands language; to point out the way that is time. The painter, without having capable of leading to this desirable recourse to geometry, draws on a simobject, and at the same time to exa- ple purview from habit and practice mine how far the methods hitherto in his art. However excellent his eye, tried in certain sciences, for instance, and however skilful an artist may be, in mathematics and chemistry, might he cannot flatter himself with obtainbe successfully employed to philoso- ing geometrical precision. A new. phy and the other branches of human instrument has, therefore, been inknowledge. For the best answer to each of these questions the Academy offers a gold medal of the value of fifty Danish ducats. Answers to all, excepting the last, to be sent, before the conclusion of 1810, either in Latin, French, English, German, Swedish, or Danish, to M. Buyge, professor of astronomy at Copenhagen. France. vented, which enables every draftsman, without knowing the rules of perspective, to design with ease and correctness all kinds of subjects on every scale not exceeding five decimetres square. This invention belongs to M. Roggero, of the Conservatory of Arts and Manufactures. 66 Among other ingenious instruments contrived with this view, that by Mr. George Adams has been pecuThe Pharmaceutical Society at liarly distinguished. But from the Paris has announced the following great number of joints of which the prize questions: First, Ascertain, as mechanism is composed, all of them far as possible, whether there exists in were more or less liable to disadvanvegetables an identical principle, tages, which M. Roggero's instrument which chemists have designated by the has entirely set aside. He has also name of extractive? Ought we to united solidity to precision in the retain the ancient classification divid- transmission of the movements, beed, according to Rouelle, into gummy, sides having furnished his instrument resinous, gummo-resinous, resino- with an achromatic glass, by which gummy, and saponaceous extracts? we may trace the perspective of obCan a more methodical and more ex- jects placed at a distance." act classification be established by means of chemical experiments made on the principal substances in pharmacy furnished by extracts? Indicate, according to the nature of their different constituent principles, the mode of preparation best adapted for each, and the nature of the menstrua UNIVERSAL MAG. VOL. XIV. Germany. Last summer an experiment of a new kind was tried at Philipsthal, in East Prussia, to split a rock by means of lightning. An iron rod, similar to a conductor, was fixed in the rock, and, on the occurrence of the first 2 G |