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TRANSACTIONS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES.

ROYAL ACADEMY.

is me,

paring the pictorial banners against

Each Muse is sobbing, and cries "Woe the dread affiay; and, agreeably to this report, it is to consist of a fiery Who but must weep, when Limmers dragon, with a diploma round his disagree?" neck, holding a pound brush in one

Vide, the Sorrows of Somerset Place. claw, and brandishing a huge pallet

ARTISTS, like poets, are of the by the way of a shield in the other, genus irritabile!-Whether it with this inspiring quotation as a ariseth from their nervous system being motto, in red characters.

more delicately arranged by Nature, than that of other classes, we cannot ascertain, yet certain it is that they are more ready to catch fire. They are fraught with more inflammable gas than ordinary members of society, and sometimes run a-tilt, and beat their heads against stone walls, on occasions where the causes of dissatisfaction do not precisely square with the ends of resentment.

"We can boast the King's name, Which is a tower of strength, that They of the adverse faction want!" The British Institutionists boast of standing upon what they term, the indepent interest (if any body can understand it, or ascertain where it is to be found) and, in this spirit, they mean to call upon the country gentlemen for support; that is, by supplying their exchequer with the sinews of war, without which it would be ridiculous to take the field.

Admitting these premises, it will not greatly surprize the lovers of Virtu, to understand that the Royal At the late anniversary of the InstiAcademicians and the managers of tution of the Royal Academy, the folthe British Institution are getting up lowing gentlemen were elected officers the farce of The Devil to Pay, and for the ensuing year: President, preparing to take the field in dire Benjamin West, Esq.; Visitors, W. array against each other; but which of Owen, H. Thomson, 1. Nollekens, J. the parties will come off, eventually, Northcote, and S. Woodforde, Esqrs. with flying colours, is an important Succeeded by rotation to the Council; secret, as yet concealed by time. A. W. Callcott, J. M. W. Turner, I. Soame, and C. Rossi, Esq. Auditors, S. Dance, and J. Farington, Esqrs.

Ever since his Majesty gave an added and requisite dignity to art, by giving his Royal countenance to the Silver medals were given to the confederation of the painters, under following young students, M. C. W. the proud title of the Royal Academy, Ross, for the best drawing of an there has been a spirit of rivalry and academy figure; Mr. J. Lennell, for jealousy existing, which hath been the best model of the same; Mr. Louis sometimes allayed, but never wholly Vulliamy, for the best architectural extinguished!-Opposing bodies have drawing.

SOCIETY OF ARTS. JOTWITHSTANDINGthe short

been formed from the malcontent artists, and these have been more or less influential, but there never was so broad a stand made against the authority of the R. A.'s as now. The period which has elapsed since leaders of the British Institution are the Society have resumed their labours said to have denounced those artists for the season, a variety of improvewho may exhibit at the Royal Aca- ments have been already submitted to demy: and the Academicians are re- their notice The attention of the ported to have denounced those who Committee of Mechanics has been may exhibit at the Shakespeare Gal- called to a Capstan, supposed to be lery!-Thus the Belligerents are cir- constructed on such a principle, that cumstanced at present, but hostilities it only requires half the number of are expected to commence before the men employed in the common way, spring, as each party have began to to work it: a model of a telegraph, marshal their light troops. a quadrant, and staff; a model of a machine to ascertain the number of

M. Fuseli, it is whispered, is pre-
UNIVERSAL Mag. VÒL, XIV.

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days in any intermediate time; a model sorts of aquatic plants, that no sheep of a garden-seat; a door lock with had ever been known to be pastured additions; a machine to sweep chim- upon them; whereas, for the last nies; a model of a pump on a new eight years, I have not had a single construction; a model of a fire instance of a rotten sheep. I first cut escape; a model to explain a new the rivulet, which runs through the method of making bricks; and hints on meadows, three hundred and fifty-two improvements in musical instruments. roods in length, (reckoning seven Several communications have like- yards to a rood) and eight feet wide. I wise been made on agricultural im- also cut one thousand one hundred provements, and others relating to and sixteen roods of open drains; and the polite arts, the merits of which, the turf, or sods which came out of will very early in the session, be in- them, I laid to dry in the months of vestigated by the respective commit- February and March, and as soon as tees appointed to superintend those dried I gathered them on large heaps branches of the Society's business. of sixty and a hundred loads, and burnt them to ashes. On the secord of April 1796, I dibbled about two acres of that part of the meadow which was most dry, and immediately I carried on, in half-load-tumbrils with broad wheels, about fifteen loads per acre of the turf ashes: then I sowed sixteen or eighteen pounds of Dutch clover, and two bushels of rye-grass per acre.

At a late meeting a ballot was commenced for the election of a vice-president, in the room of the late Earl of Dartmouth. The candidates were the Earls of Liverpool and Morton, the former of whom was elected by a majority of eight.-An invention is before the society which is likely to afford great comfort to the water-gilders. The process in carrying on this branch of business is most pernicious to the health of those concerned in it, owing to the noxious effluvia from metallic and other substances, which compose the preparation used for gilding. The machine in question is so contrived, that persons in that line of business may pursue their avocations without the least injury to their health.

BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. New mode of improving Grass Lands. By Mr. Salter of Norfolk.

A

S Mr. Coke, President of the Norfolk Agricultural Society, has expressed himself in terms of approbation upon my method of improving poor pastures and boggy meadows, &c. I have sent you the best information I can of the method which I have now pursued these ten years in that line of farming; a method which originated in accident, but which has been ever since carried on systematically.

At Michaelmas 1795, I entered upon this farm, consisting of upwards of six hundred acres, of which the greatest part is wet, springy, cold land. There were at that time about one hundred acres of bad meadow, so verrun with rushes, sedges, and all

These I brushed with a pair of ha rows, bushed, and rolled three or four times with a very heavy roll, in order to make them as firm as possible. Upen that part of the meadow which was boggy and rushy, I laid from eighty to a hundred tunibril loads per acre of sand, fine gravel, and mould, as I could most conveniently come at them, cutting, or carrying away every hillock, or waste earth which I could find. Having harrowed and rolled this, I dibbled upon every acre, two bushels of summer vetches, bushels of Poland oats, alt mixed toge one bushel of early grey peas, and two ther; and then sowed Dutch clover, and rye-grass, as I did upon the dry part of the meadow, in which I omitted the oats, knowing they would not have succeeded. In dibbling thus, the holes ought to be four inches square from each other, and from two to four seeds should be put into a hole; peas and vetches thus growing upon grass land, whether on low meadows or glass uplands, have never failed with me of having excellent effect. They entirely destroy moss and ame liorate the soil. Upon dry uplands, I omit the rye-grass. When the cm) is forward in the pod, I mow it fer hay; and as soon as it is dry i put it upon small cocks, and then on to large ones so as to prevent the leaves

from falling off; and if I do not want the present time. And whenever my this hay for my sheep, I cut it for my lays of clover fail, instead of breaking horses; it is so nourishing that it them up, I dibble or drill vetches serves both for hay and corn.

early in the spring. The rye-grass and Dutch clover, upon my meadows, come much earlier and grow faster than the lays upon my arable land. This is worthy of remark.

In 1803, I grew thirty acres of vetches, peas, and oats, managed as above; the crop was not less than two and a half to three loads per acre, by a load I mean as much as a waggon P.S. I often use the drill roll for drawn by four horses can carry. In vetches and peas as I do the dibbles; the same year I sowed one hundred please to observe also that I never acres of turnips three times over, and plough, pare, or scarify my grass at last lost my whole crop, except a lands. single turnip. I had 582 breeding ewes to maintain in the following winter; and having provided thirty throughs, twelve feet long, and a straw-cutting machine, I cut the hay

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thus fed my sheep, which produced me a greater number of lambs, and a greater quantity of milk for the lambs than I ever had from turnips. They were kept in the straw-yard, from the 10th of October till the middle of April; and thus I kept them last year, and shall always keep them while I remain upon a heavy land farm. They eat the straw well and make a far better yard of muck, than that from bullocks. It was by much the best muck I ever had, exeept a yard of muck, where I fatted 200 pigs, by scattering peas about the yard. As a proof of my success in lambs in the year 1804, my shepherd, Thomas Nunn, gained one of the premiums, (five guineas) from the Society.

In February 1805, a seventeen acre meadow was become solid. I filled up the open drains, with bushes and stones, and on the 4th of April began to dibble vetches and peas, then carried on about 15 loads per acre of outhollowing muck, and mould together; sowed Dutch clover and rye-grass, and brushed thein as usual; the crop was abundant. 1 got 63 loads of hay from the 17 acres. This was the meadow which Mr. Coke, Mr. Gurdon, &c. admired so much, deeming such an improvement in grass land, deserving of high commendation.

The accident from which this method of managing grass lands originated, was this; In 1754, I had a piece of grass land eaten up by grubs; I sowed vetches upon it and harrowed them. They produced so good a crop that I have continued the practite to

EDINBURGH INSTITUTE.

HIS new institution was opened at

popular plan on the 1st of October. Its object is to afford courses of lectures on various sciences,, and on the most useful branches of polite literature, adapted to the capacity and convenience of a large class of individuals, who possess a tase for knowledge, but want opportunity or leisure for acade mic studies; and it is conducted on a plan of economy which places its advantages within the reach of persons of every description.

The lectures are given by individuals, members of the institution, selected by a committee appointed for the purpose; they receive a small pecuniary compensation, and enjoy several honorary privileges. It is conceived that the means of supporting such an institution may easily be found in Edinburgh, where there are so many professed students, as well as individuals in private life, who dedicate a considerable portion of their time to literary and scientific pursuits, and who would willingly embrace an opportunity of rendering their acquirements beneficial to others. The present establishment may therefore bring such persons forward and give effect to their exertions. The lectures are delivered three times a week, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings, at half past eight o'clock, and are continued during eight months of the year, one science succeeding another, each being treated at such length as its importance requires. The funds for the support of the whole arise from an annual contribution of half a guinea from each

member, part of which is expende! tronized, he proceeded to the busiin purchasing philosophical instru- ness of the evening, viz. "to explain ments for the common use of the the manner in which ONE man may members; the rest is applied to dis- govern and teach 1000 children with charge the necessary expences of the as much facility as 20, in balf the meetings, and for remunerating the usual time, and at one third of the lecturers. An extraordinary meeting common expence the principle of is held once a month for the purpose order-the method whereby N of discussion, at which any member book will serve for 500 or 1000 chilmay controvert the principles laid dren-and the manner in which 500 down by the lecturer, or illustrate the scholars may spell at the same instant subject under discussion. The com- of time." In elucidation of the first mittee elect members, and arrange part of his subject, Mr. L. observed, the courses of lectures for the session. that the system was purely a miliEach member is allowed to bring a tary one. He had noticed for a long stranger, aud free admission is given period, to what proficiency in discito ladies. pline a number of men could speedily be brought in the army; and it for cibly struck his mind, that if the same were adopted in a school-room, the effects would be precisely similar. The success of this plan was now tolly established; and surely no person would argue, that because the system had been hitherto exclusively used

The society meet at present in Mr. Wallace's Mathematical Academy, South Bridge-street, where lectures on Astronomy have till lately been delivered.

ROYAL LANCASTRIAN SCHOOL.

PURSUANT to public advertise- to train men for war, that therefore it

ment, the philanthropic Mr. Joseph Lancaster delivered a lecture on his new system of education, at the Theatre Royal in Newcastle, on Wednesday September 5, to a numerous and enligtened audience. When the curtain was drawn up, a number of boys, selected from those who have for four months past been under tuition at the preparatory school in the Postern, were discovered seated at two desks, with their slates before them; and who afterwards gave the audience ocular demonstration of the order and discipline observed in the schools on the Lancastrian system. Mr. Lancaster soon after made his appearance, when he was received with those marks of congratulation so justly due to the advocate of such a cause, and which were equally honourable to the auditory whio complimented him. In commencing his lecture, he acknowledged the want of many of those qualifications expected to be met with in a public speaker. He stated, that he was the son of a poor man, and that man a soldier; and, though he had a family of ten children, was enabled, by the pension he received from his Majesty, to educate his children with credit. After noticing the bounty of the royal family with which his labours were pa

ought not to be resorted to, in order to enlighten the youthful mind, and to familiarize it to habits of peace and industry. The Lecturer then adverted to the disadvantages attending the common mode of tuition, and forcibly contrasted them with the advantages connected with the new plan. According to the old mode, the autho rity of the master is merely personal. When he absents himself he takes his authority with him, and the conse quence is, that the school instantly becomes a scene of uproar and confusion. When the master returns, he finds, according to the old proverb, that "Bedlam has broke loose," and generally begins to correct the evil by a❝wholesale" whipping. Accordingly to work he sets, and as the task is not a very easy one,(particularly if it be ou a hot summer's day) each successive victim comes in for a double share of the "good things," the master's indig. nation always increasing in proportion to the number of offending pupils he has to flog. Not so in the new plan, and for this obvious reason - the authority of the master is interwoven with the system; among the boys are monitors, sub-monitors, and a monitor-general, and these are as able, in the absence of the master, to carry on the work of instruction, as the cap

tains, &c. of a regiment are compe- emulation, and is what is usually tent to put the soldiers on parade termed a dunce, is hung up in a large through the several military ma cage to the top of the school room, nœuvres, when the commander him- while the rest of the scholars parade self happens not to be present. In- round him, displaying their honours, deed, to be convinced of the superio- &c. in exultation. Any of the boys rity of the new plan, it is only neces- who may be addicted to the dirty sary to visit the preparatory school in practice of sucking his own fingers, this town, under the superintendance is on the first offence placed in a of Mr. Drury, where boys in a few conspicuous situation in the school, months, have made such progress in with his fingers in his mouth, and a learning, as cannot but forcibly re- label affixed, of "Suck-finger baby;" commend the "British system of and should two be guilty of such an Education," to every unprejudiced offence, they are paired off, with their mind. The Lecurer then noticed fingers in each other's mouths; and as the advantages that arise from the they have each a hostage, there is scholars being divided into classes, little fear of their biting hard. The and the excellent effect produced by success of his first experiment enabled a judicious distribution of rewards Mr. Lancaster to feel the ground and punishments, by which a spirit of upon which he stood, and convinced emulation was strongly excited, and him of the efficacy of the principle, without which spirit, little improve- in directing the ductile mind of ment could be made in the youthful youth into habits of virtue, industry, mind. The rewards generally consist and knowledge. By pursuing the of a variety of little useful articles; principle steadily, he has raised a those, however, who eminently dis- monument to his memory, more dutinguish themselves, are rewarded rable than marble of brass, by enwith medals, the highest and most grafting his instructions into the honourable of which bear a striking minds of at least fifty thousand chillikeness of his Majesty. Mr. L. par- dren.-The system of rewards and ticularly noticed thimbles as being punishments is the fulcrum of his among the rewards, and observed, grand machine. He implants the that the audience would be ready to seeds of ambition into the youthask, What have boys to do with ful mind, which is so directed as to thimbles?" I have seen (said he) a animate the boy to the paths of hoboy 14 years make choice of a thimble, nour and sound morality. When a and when asked what he would do misdemeanour happens in the school, with it, he frankly replied, Make a the punishment is degradation; and in present of it to my mother.' And that case the sight of a petticoat to a ought we not to cherish disposi- boy, who previously considered himtions like these, by putting such ar- self a man, has become, in the plan ticles within their choice, that boys of Mr. Lancaster, a more dreadful may thus shew their gratitude to a infliction than the, severest corporeal fond and indulgent mother, or their chastisement than can be imagined. fraternal affection towards a beloved If we ever were tempted to smile at sister?" The punishments are likewise the whimsicality of his punishments, calculated to affect the mind rather we could not help admiring the exthan the body, and are at complete variance with the corporeal flagellations so uniformly practised in common schools. For instance, a boy who acquires a harsh, uncouth way of pronouncing his words (of which Mr. L. gave a specimen) is sent round the school, crying, Buy my matches!" One who is in the habit of going from his seat, is clapped in a place resembling a heu-coop, and yeleped Strayed chicken." A boy who appears insensible to the spirit of

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cellence of the principles they were calculated to produce; and we are persuaded, that the more generally they are practised, when necessity requires them, their very whimsicality will the more insure their success. A variety of those punishments he eluci dated to the audience by the exhibition of drawings, commenting upou their consequences and effects with much perspicuity and good-humour. After that part of his subject was finished, he made some pertinent re

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