what is known to occur in the barometer, which, when carried out to sea in a calm, rests at the same height at which it would stand on the shore; but when the ship falls by the subsidence of the wave, the mercury is seen apparently to rise in the tube that contains it, because a portion of its gravity is then employed in occasioning its descent along with the vessel; and accordingly, if it were confined in a tube closed at bottom, it would no longer press with its whole. weight upon the lower end. In the same manner, and for the same reason, the blood no longer presses downwards with its whole weight, and will be driven upwards by the elasticity which before was merely sufficient to support it. The sickness occasioned by swinging may be explained in the same way. It is in descending forwards that this sensation is perceived; for then the blood has the greatest tendency to move from the feet towards the head, since the line joining them is in the direction of the motion, but when the descent is back'wards, the motion is transverse to the line of the body, it occasions little inconvenience, because the tendency to propel the blood towards the head is inconsiderable. Dr. Wollaston thinks that the contents of the intestines are also affected by the same cause as the blood; and if these have any direct disposition to regurgitate, this consequence will be in no degree counteracted by the process of respiration, "In thus referring," says our author, "the sensations of sea-sickness in so great a degree to the agency of mere mechanical pressure, I feel confirmed by considering the consequence of an opposite motion, which, by too quick ly withdrawing blood from the head, occasions a tendency to faint, or that approach to fainting which amounts to a momentary giddiness with diminution of muscular power. At a time when I was much fatigued by exercise, I had occasion to run to some distance, and seat myself under a low wall for shelter froin a very heavy shower. Ju rising suddenly from this position, I was attacked with such a degree of giddiness, that I involuntarily dropped into my former posture, and was instantaneously relieved by return of blood to the head, from every sensation of uneasiness. Since that time, the same affection has frequently occurred to ne in slighter degrees; and I have observed that it has been under similar circumstances of rising suddenly from an inclined position, after some degree of previ ous fatigue, sinking down again immediately removes the giddiness; and then by rising a second time more gradually, the same sensation is avoided." In his observations on the salutary effects of riding, &c. Dr. Wollaston observes, that although the term gestation is employed by medical writers as a general terin comprehending riding on horseback, or in a carriage, yet he suspects that no explanation has yet been given of the peculiar advantages of external motion, nor does he think that the benefits to be derived from carriage-exercise have been estimated so highly as they ought. Under the term exercise, active exercise has too frequently been confounded with passive gestation, and fatiguing ef forts have been substituted for motions that are agreeable, and even invigorating, when duly adapted to the strength of the invalid, and the nature of his indisposition. His explanation of the effects of external motion upon the circulation of the blood is founded upon a part of the structure observable in the venous system. The valves allow a free passage to the blood, when propelled forward by any motion that assists its progress; but they oppose an immediate obstacle to such as have a contrary tendency. The circulation is consequently helped forward by every degree of gentle agitation. The heart is supported in any laborious effort; it is assisted in the great work of restoring a system, which has recently struggled with some violent attack: or it is allowed, as it were, to rest from a labour to which it is unequal, when the powers of life are nearly exhausted by any lingering disorder. In the relief thus afforded to an organ sc essential to life, all other vital functions must necessarily participate, and the offices of secretion and assimilation will be promoted during such comparative repose from laborious exertion. Even the powers of the mind are, in many persons, manifestly affected by these kinds of motion. It is not only in cases of absolute deficiency of attended the man through his sufferpower to carry on the customary cir- ings, has laid before the Royal Soculation, that the beneficial effects of ciety a most accurate and minute gestation are felt, but equally so, when comparative inability arises from redundancy of matter to be propelled. When, from fullness of blood, the circulation is obstructed, the whole system labours under a feeling of agitation, with that sensibility to sudden impressions which is usually termed nervousness. The mind becomes incapable of any deliberate consideration, and is impressed with horrors that have no foundation but in a dis- local irritation is so sudden and so tempered imagination. The com- violent, that death soon takes place, posed serenity of mind that succeeds but the only alteration of structure of to the previous alarm, is described by the body is in the parts close to the some persons with a degree of satis- bite, where the cellular membrane is faction that evinces the decided influ- completely destroyed, and the neighence of the remedy. Dr. Wollaston bouring muscles very considerably inquotes a very striking fact in justifica- flamed. When the poison is less intion of his theory; and adds, "If tense, the shock to the general system vigour can in any instance be directly does not prove fatal; it brings on degiven, a man may certainly be said lirium in a slight degree, and great to receive it in the most direct mode, pain; but if the poison produce a when the service of impelling forward the circulation of his blood is performed by external means. The first mover of the systems is thereby wound up, and the several subordinate operations of the machine must each be performed with greater freedom, in consequence of this general supply of power." In many cases (he further observes), the cure of a patient has been solely owing to the external agitation of his body, which must be allowed to have had the effect of relieving the heart and arteries from a great part of their exertion in propelling the blood, and may therefore have contributed to the cure by that means only. Different degrees of exercise must be adapted to the differ ent degrees of bodily strength; and in some cases, a gentle, long continued, and perhaps incessant, motion WERNERIAN NATURAL HISTORY may be requisite; and, in these circumstances, sea voyages have some statement of the symptoms that occurred, and of the means made use of to avert the evil. After this, he refers to several other cases sent from India to Dr. Patrick Russell, and to an experiment which he made in the year 1782, while on the island of St. Lucia: from all which he infers, that the effects of the bite of a snake vary according to the intensity of the poison. When it is very active, the local injury of sufficient exent, the patient also dies, while all slighter cases recover. The effect of the poison on the constitution is so immediate, and the irritability of the stomach is so great, that there is no opportunity of exhibiting medicines till it has fairly taken place, and then there is little chance of beneficial effects be ing produced. The only rational local treatment to prevent the secondary mischief, is making ligatures above the tumefied part, to compress the cellular membrane and set bounds to the swelling, which only spreads in the loose parts under the skin; and then scarifying freely the parts already swoln, that the effused serum may escape, and the matter be discharged as soon as formed. advantage. SOCIETY. Ta late meeting of this Society, Mr. Campbell, of Carbrook, read some observations on the cause It will be recollected, that a young of the anti-lunar, or inferior tide, man, in the autumn of last year, went impressing the Newtonian theory on into a room in which were two healthy that subject; and Dr. Thomas Thomrattle snakes, and that after teazing son read an account of two natural them some time, one of them bit him, combinations of hydrogen and carbon, of which wound he lingered from the viz. carburetted hydrogen and super17th of October till November 4,when carburetted hydrogen, neither of them he died. Mr. Everard Home, who containing any oxygen. THE BRITISH INSTITUTION. the students; and, as a contrast to HE gallery is now open for the this, the Louvre, at Paris, has been students, but something farther mentioned, where no restriction whatit seems is expected, from this patrio- ever is laid upon the students in copytic society. The restrictions of the ing any of the pictures, entirely, or "size of canvas," copying only of parts in part, and which is open every day, of pictures, limited days and hours, but Saturday and Sunday, to artists have given a tinge of dissatisfaction to and visitors. VARIETIES, LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL; · With Notices respecting Men of Letters, Artists, and Works. in Hand, &c. &c. A SECOND volume of the Juve- by several engraved views of ancient nile Tourist, by the Rev. J. buildings yet remaining there, and Evans, of Islington, is preparing for others long since removed; together the press. with an old plan of the village, several A New Theory of Inflexion, adapted miscellaneous plates, &c. to the English language, by Mr. Julia de Vienne, an interesting noWright, is in the press, and speedily vel from the pen of a lady nearly rewill be published. lated to a family of distinction, is publishing by subscription. Inscribed, with permission, to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. A Translation of Bretkopf's Remarks Shortly will be published Juvenile Instruction, or Moral and Religious Lessons, Information on General Subjects; including a natural and easy explanation of Heathen Mythology, on the History and Invention of Print&c. &c. By an Experienced Govering, and the Prospectus of a larger work on that subject, will speedily appear. ness. Family Sermons for every Sunday in the Year, selected, by the Rev. G. B. Mitchell, from Archbishop Secker's Works, are nearly ready for pub lication. The eight volumes of the Spectator, comprised in one commodious octavo volume, will be published in a few weeks. Mr. William Walton, who has been long resident in St. Domingo, is engaged in drawing up a statistical Account of what is called Hispanola, to distinguish it from Hayti, now governed by three chiefs, viz. Christophe, Peytion, and Philippe Dos, a relative of Toussaint. Mr. Westall's Illustrations of the Lady of the Lake will be published in submitted to the inspection of the a few weeks. The drawings will be public at the same time. John Williams, Esq. of the Inner Temple, is preparing for the press an Epitome of the Laws relating to Com merce, with the present state of mercantile practice and customs, and the duties of consuls and supercargoes. Dr. Carey has, in the press, a new edition of his Practical English Prosody and Versification, or Descrip tions of the different Species of Eng lish Verse; with exercises in scauning and versification; gradually accomMr. Hogg has lately edited the pos- modated to the various capacities of thumous works of Mr.Roberts, a young youth, at different ages; calculated man who evinced, it is said, great ge- to produce correctness of ear and nius. These, mostly poems, will be taste; with occasional remarks on sold for the benefit of his family, who etymology, syntax, and pronuncia reside in Bristol. He died of a con- tion; and a key for the use of teachers, sumption at the age of twenty-five, or those who learn without a teacher, and an interesting account of his life will accompany the publication. ARTS, SCIENCES, &c. Mr. John Nelson, of Islington, is preparing for the press a quarto vo- A species of hemp, manufactured lume on the History, Topography, and from the leaves of a particular kind Antiquities of that Parish; illustrated of palm in Sierra Leone, and its neigh bourhood, has been tried and found to suspend, without breaking, a weight of 53 lbs. being ten pounds more than could be borne by any hempen cord manufactured in England. The French Minister of the Interior has announced, from the chamber of arts and manufactures, that in consequence of a recent invention, by a M. Appert, for preserving fruits, vegetables, meat, and all kinds of animal food, and even vegetable substances, several years, and which having been tried, was found to succeed to the complete satisfaction of the members, he had been adjudged a premium of 12,000 francs as a recompence, on condition of publishing his said invention, which he has lately done, in a book upon domestic economy, entitled, "L'Art de conserver plusieurs Années toutes les Substances Animales et Vegetales." now said, will be the engraving he made of Mr. Howard's copy of the picture at Mr. Coke's, from Michael Angelo; the eternal subject of envy and praise duly merited, where the Florentine soldiers are springing from the Arno to encounter their enemies. The plate makes a part of the Rev. Mr. Forster's classical publication. William Whitmore, Esq. of Dudmaston, Salop, has obtained a patent for a magnetic toy, to facilitate the teaching of children to spell, read, and cypher in any tongue, with ease to the teacher, pleasure to the children, and proportional expedition. Mark Isambard Brunel, of Chelsea, has also obtained a patent for certain machinery, for the purpose of making or manufacturing shoes and boots. Another patent has been granted to Mr. Peter Durand, of Hoxton, for a method of preserving animal and vegetable food for a long period. Mr. Peter Hawker's fossil alligator is now united, and set up in fine style at his parsonage near Stroud, in Gloucestershire. It came from Weston Quarry, near Bath, and is an unrivalled recovery. An account of the great sand-stone crystals, discovered by Dr. Fox in digging the canal at Bristol, has lately been presented to the Ceological Society. M. Parpouteer's new discovery of the use of the potatoe for stucco- The Copenhagen medal for last year plaisterers, has recently been adopted has been adjudged, by the Royal Soin England. Hence, from the starch ciety, to Mr. Edward Troughton, for of potatoes, quite fresh, and washed the account of his method of dividing but once, a fine size, by mixture with astronomical instruments, printed in chalk, has been made, and is very use- the last volume of the Philosophical ful, particularly for ceilings. This Transactions. kind of size has no smell, being very little subject to putrefaction, and also seems to be more durable, both in tenacity and whiteness, than animal size. G. Cumberland, Esq. of Bristol, has proposed a new scheme for preserving the lives of persons shipwrecked, principally by having the mattresses used in ships formed of cork-shavings. He thinks it might answer the end proposed, by filling these mattresses in a proportion equal to the support of a single man, and that, consequently, a mass of them thrown overboard, linked together by ties at each corner, would form an extensive raft capable of sustaining a number of men, and thus convey them to the rocks or the shore in safety; while common rafts, on the contrary, come on shore with too much force, and are frequently disjointed by the blows they receive, and the people thrown off; besides, every time they pitch, the people are covered with the waves, and some of them are unable to retain their hold or rise again. Schiavonetti's best monument, it is A most exquisite etching by Barden has lately been given away to antiquarians for the Rev. Mr. Thornbury, of Avening, near Stroud, representing three ancient sepulchres lately discovered in Avening, but since removed and placed in the home ground of that gentleman, nearly in the same position as when they were found. Squaring the Circle.--A letter, lately received from Leghorn, says, "Sieur Pascal Cioffo, painter, architect, and geometrician, resident in this city, conceives he has discovered the famous problem of squaring the circle, and proposes to demonstrate it in an assembly of the mathematicians, who,` with the professors of physic, are invited to be present, and give their judgment upon his demonstration." The Hydrostat, which is now in a state of improvement since it has been tried at Paris, renders a diver able to remain under water at pleasure, while shut up in the machine, and with the help of pincers to pick up things at the bottom. The Hydrostat is made of copper, in the shape of a deep basket, into which a man is introduced. It is then, hermetically, closed by a cover, resembling a cap or helmet, which forms the upper extremity. In the front and back parts of the top two pieces of glass are fixed to admit light. In the middle the tubes are fixed, one to introduce air, the other to expel it, and the third is used as a speaking trumpet. The hands of the diver are covered with leather, in the form of gloves. Dr. Gregory, of the Royal Military Academy, has recently invented a theory of solid angles, which is, at once, simple, satisfactory, and univer sal in its application. By means of this theory, the relative magnitudes of solid angles may be ascertained, not only when they are of the same class as those formed by the meeting of three planes, those by the meetings of four planes, the angles at the vertices of cones, &c-but angles of one class may be compared with those of another, with respect to magnitude; and their mutual relations determined by processes, as obvious and elementary as the usual operations in plane trigonometry. He finds, for example, that the solid angles of the regular tetraedron, octraëdon, hexadiëon, and of the right angled cone, are denoted by the numbers 87-73611, 216-35185, 250, and 292-89922, respectively; the maximum limit of solid angles, being expressed by 1000. The custom in Italy of supporting the vines by the poplar, has been improved here by planting it with the hop for the same purpose. It is found, also, that its leaves, after having sheltered the hop from injurious winds, would serve as manure when they fell. It is only the Italian poplar, populus fastigata, which is capable of this application. The following is given as a certain method of curing the foot-rot in sheep:-" In sheep, thus affected, pare their hoofs, leaving no hollow to hold dirt; if there be matter formed, be particularly careful to let it out; after which, take some stale urine and wash their feet quite clean from dirt, and wipe them with a sponge; then put the sheep into a house or shed, the floor of which has been previously spread about two inches thick with quick lime, reduced to powder by a small quantity of water. The fresher the lime is from the kiln the better. Let the sheep stand upon it for six or seven hours, and the cure will be ef fected." America. Mr. Wood, of Richmond, Virginia, has published a new Theory of the Diurnal Rotation of the Earth, demonstrated from the properties of the Cycloid and Epicycloid; with an Application of the Theory to the Expla nation of the Phenomena of the Winds and Tides. Two gentlemen in Richmond, having laid a wager on the question, Whether the top and bottom of a cart, or carriage-wheel, in motion, move with equal or unequal velocities? The consideration of it led Mr. Wood to consider, that every point of a carriage-wheel moving along a right line in a horizontal plane, describes a cycloid, a leading property of which curve is for the generating point to describe unequal arcs in equal times, and that any point in the upper semicircle of the wheel, must therefore move with greater velocity than the corresponding and opposite point in the under semi-circle. This he applies to the motion of the earth; the motion of any point on the earth's sur face, with the exception of the two poles, being compounded of two motions, a rotary motion round the axis of the earth, and a progressive motion along the plane of the ecliptic, will also describe a curve of the cycloidal, or rather epicycloidal species, possess ing a similar property with the com mon cycloid, generated by a carriage wheel. The cycloidal motion on the points of the earth's surface being established, several important consequences obviously present themselves relative to the fluids which encompass the earth, the phenomena of tides, |