Mr. Brodie, who has so much im a topographical description of the dif, ferent districts and principal houses, specifying the propriety of establish ing villages for improving the fisheries and the woollen-manufactures, as a great fund of subsistence, employ ment, and wealth to the people, and as an effectual prevention of emigra

proved the Botany of Scotland. A letter read from Peter Collinson to Linnaus related a remarkable instance of hybrid fruit on an apple-tree, produced by the proximity of a tree bearing another kind. The president mentioned a similar fact which had come under his own observation at Nor- tion. wich: a peach and nectarine tree grew close together, and bore sometimes LONDON ARCHITECTURAL SOCIETY. peaches, sometimes nectarines, and at

of

other times a fruit partly resembling T have recently published their

each of them..

WERNERIAN NATURAL HISTORY

SOCIETY.

PROFESSOR Jamieson has lately

first volume of Transactions, and intend to present the public with an annual selection from the labours of its members. The first volume contains

four papers: the first by Mr. Edmund,

read an account a method on Architecture, or constructing and colouring mineralo- that stile of building which arose from gical maps. These maps shew dis- an imitation of the remains of Roman tinctly the figure of the cliffs, terraces, antiquity, and revived with the fine acclivities and summits of single arts in the fourteenth and fifteenth mountains, and also the characters centuries, and that finally, but graof mountain-ranges, and mountain- dually prevailed over the Gothic style. groupes; and the colouring exhibits This work contains a short historical a true and harmonious representation view of architecture, beginning with of the alternation, extent, and relative that of Greece and ending with that position of the different rocks that appear at the surface. The professor at the same time lead a series of mineralogical queries, in order to direct the attention of mineralogists to a great variety of objects.

BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. TWO lectures have been delivered

TW

of the middle ages. The other parts review the Saxon and the Norman architecture, and from thence descends down to villas and cottages, not forgetting the portico and artificial accompaniments of villas, and naturally and characteristically ending with dilapidations.

by Mr. Arthur Young, being the THE HIGHLAND SOCIETY.` first ever delivered on this subject in MONG the laudable objects to England. They will speedily be pub. which the Society has paid conlished. At a late meeting, Sir John siderable attention, is the cultivation Sinclair exhibited specimens of pre- and encouragement of Gaelic Literaserved potatoes, which, after a voyage ture and Celtic Antiquities; and with to New South Wales and back again, this view the Society is about to esta were as good as at first. The mode of blish a Regius Professorship of Celtic preserving them is to slice them, and Literature in the University of Edin bake the slices on iron plates, or on a burgh, to which the Senatus Acade kiin; they then assume a horny ap- micus has given its consent. Hitherto pearance, but may be reduced to flour, the Society has chiefly directed its by any of the means used to pulverize attention to the general amelioration grain of any kind, Sir John Sinclair of the Highlands; but it is in contemalso introduced specimens of cordage plation to act ou a more extensive made from long coarse wool instead scale, and to comprehend the whole of hemp; these, in some respects, ap- of Scotland within the sphere of its peared superior to hempen cords. The useful action. And, should the funds Board of Agriculture proceeds with of the Society keep pace with that! increased zeal and activity in the pre- laudable zeal and spirit for the proparation of the county reports.

The survey of Invernessshire by Dr, Robertson, of Callandar, will contain UNIVERSAL Mag. Vol. IX.

motion of public good with which it is at present actuated, of which no. doubt can be entertained, the High3 F

land Society of Scotland, which owes made by himself, which was of too de its origin to mere whim, bids fair to licate a contrivance to admit of being out-rival all the Societies of Great used with effect in a public lecture. Britain. There is hardly any person He offered reasons why the intensity who bears the name of a Gentleman of the electrical power diminished as in Scotland, who is not ambitious of the squares of the distances from the becoming a Member of this Society; electrified body were encreased:-he and the greatest honour, perhaps, that then explained the difference between Scotland can confer on an English- conductors and non-conductors, obman, or a Foreigner of Distinction, is serving, that every body in nature to make him an Honorary Member. might be classed either with conducAnd it appears, the London Society, tors, imperfect conductors, or nonfrom some Resolutions which it has conductors, and enumerated some of lately adopted, not disdaining to copy the principal bodies that ranked with the example of its offspring, is about each class. Metals and charcoal were to pursue the same path of public and the most perfect conductors: -in national utility. A Caledonian Asylum comparing water with alcohol, he said for the reception and education of a the former was 60 times a better concertain number of Boys and Girls, the ductor of the electric fluid than the children of Highland Soldiers, and latter: to prove the truth of this, he Seamen or Marines, who have served made an experiment with two bent his Majesty for a certain rumber of tubes, one filled with water, the other years, or who were rendered incapable with alcohol: and according to the of serving from wounds, or who had times which these took silently to disfallen in battle; and a Gaelic Chapel, charge the jar, was their excellence as where Divine Service is to be per- conductors to be estimated. In the formed in the Celtic or Erse Language course of the lecture he exhibited a every Sunday, are by these resolutions galvanic battery, on a large scale, and proposed to be established under the shewed the mode of fusing metallic auspices of the London Highland wires by its means. He then explained Society. the nature of muscular excitement in a prepared dead frog, shewing that the same animal might be excited by common electricity several successive galvanic

ROYAL INSTITUTION.

R. DAVY has delivered four

the order of the course, was intended trough. Mr. Davy commenced his to illustrate the nature and aws of third lecture by noticing the effects of electrical attraction and repulsion. In heat on bodies, as not only enlarging a crowded room it is wholly impossible their dimensions, but likewise their to perform experiments in electricity electrical energy. He considered the so as to give a general satisfaction: air in its different states of dry, heated, for disappointment on this head Mr. and moist; described the structure of, Davy prepared his audience, as also and all the curious electrical phenofor the want of interest which might mena belonging to Tourmelin. He be expected in a discourse on first repeated a number of experiments to principles. He began by observing, shew the nature of electrical attraction that every change in bodies was the and repulsion; explained the differ result of motion; that motion implied ence in operation of common electri a cause, a first mover; that there was city from galvanism; the effects of the in truth no automatic machine in na- one taking place at a distance from ture, that all was of Divine origin. the electrified body, but those of the He shewed the excitement of electri- other are visible only when in or city by heat, and explained the theo- nearly in contact. The professor then ries of Dufay and Franklin. He illus- exhibited some experiments on the trated the nature of electrical attrac- galvanic battery, the force of which tion and repulsion by some very instantly fused iron wire, and deflabeautiful and striking experiments: grated charcoal in water: he then explained the construction and uses explained in what way the power of of the electrometer, as invented by galvanism was encreased, viz. that the Bennett and Colomb; and of one intensity encreased with the number

of plates, but that the quantity was in the great importance of pointed conproportion to the surface. He then ductors, as one of the grandest discowent into the subject of meteorology veries of modern times. Mr. Davy as dependent on electricity, and then anticipated the time when the shewed by drawings the nature and elective fluid, like fire and steam, appearances of thunder clouds, and might be brought under the manage how the reverberation of the sounds ment of man, and made, like those from thunder was to be accounted for, agents, subservient to his wants. In which was not from distant buildings, speaking of the phenomena usually &c. as commonly supposed, but from denominated falling stars, he denied the difficulty which it had in passing that they were the effects of electric through the air, and owing to which fluid, because lightning was instantathe sound declined in proportion to neous, but that these were noticed the body of air through which it goes. during succeeding times. He there. He then explained all the phenomena fore seemed willing to infer that they of lightning, how it struck and da- were falling stones., maged buildings, and descanted upon

VARIETIES, LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL;
With Notices respecting Men of Letters, Artists, and Works
in Hand, &c. &c.

N the course of next month will 1805, for the best treatise on "Injus be published, a supplementary ries of the Head, from external volume of Birds to Barr's edition of Violence."

Buffon's Natural History. The pro- Mr. Renny, author of the work prietors of that work have engaged a intitled "A Demonstration of the Neliterary gentleman to collect all that cessity of Free Trade to the East has been discovered in ornithology of Indies," has now in the press another an interesting nature since the death performance on the State of the East of the illustrious Buffon, and for that India Company, which will speedily be purpose procured the splendid edition published. of his works lately published by Son

Mr. Samuel Roole has nearly comnini in 114 volumes. From this has pleted a translation of the select been selected every article of import- works of Anthony Van Lewenhoek, ance or of curiosity from the additions from the original Greek and Latin of Sonnini and J. J. Virey. Several editions, which will make two vonew plates of rare birds will accom- lumes in 4to. pany the volume, the contents of Mr. Cumberland's novel, John de which will bring down the era of dis- Lancaster will soon be forthcoming. covery in this interesting branch of This work he announced in his menatural history to the present day. moirs in the following words-" I Mr. Mayne, author of the poem of have also planned, and in great part Glasgow, has in the press, and will finished, one more novel, upon which publish, in the course of the month, I have bestowed much time and care, the Siller Gun, a poem in four cantos, anxious to leave something behind founded on an ancient custom of me which may instruct the scholar as shooting for a silver gun, first given well as the idler; something which as a prize to the best marksman among gravity may read without contempt, the corporations of Dumfries. The and modesty without a blush; a work poem will be illustrated by notes and of fancy, that may prove I have not a glossary. quite exhausted my capacity, nor The Royal College of Surgeons quite abandoned my endeavours to have adjudged the Jacksonian Prize instruct."

for 1807 to John Hyslop, esq. of Mr. C. Lucas, author of the InFenchurch-street, for the best Disser- fernal Quixote, has a novel in hand, tation on "Diseases of the Eye, and entitled the Abyssinian Reformer, or, its appendages, and the treatment of the Bible and Sceptre. This will The same gentleman ob- make three volumes. Sir John Carr's new Tour in Scot

them.'

tained the prize from the College in

land will speedily be published: it plished for such a purpose, possessed will form one handsome volume in of a strong and vigorous constitution, 4to. with highly-finished plates from great ardour in the pursuit of knowdrawings by the author.

ledge, a temper ready to submit to any privations, &c. to which the prejudices of the Africans may possibly expose him. Of course, great expectations are formed of his success.

Mr. Robert Bakewell, of Wakefield, is preparing a work, the chief object of which is to prove the possibility of improving the value and quality of clothing wool, by the most To prevent thunder from affecting simple and easy means, hitherto neg- liquor, &c. it is recommended to put lected only through ignorance of the a common iron nail, about three real structure and nature of wool, inches long, into each cask, previously and the effects which difference of to a thunder-storm. At a brewery, a soil and climate produce on the horse-shoe, or any other piece of growing fleece. iron, may be thrown into the tun.

Mr. Richard Walker, of Oxford, A gentleman in Forfarshire recom. intends to publish Experiments and mends the following as an approved Observations on the Production of receipt for making gooseberry wine, Artificial Cold; a new edition, con- which has often been mistaken for a siderably enlarged. foreign wine of a fine quality, viz.

The second part of Hints to the to every Scotch pint of full ripe Public and the Legislature on the gooseberries mashed, put an equal Nature and Effects of Evangelical quantity of water, milk-warm, in which Preaching, by a Barrister, is in a has been previously dissolved a pound state of great forwardness. Report of single refined sugar: the whole is ascribes this work to the able and then to be well stirred, and the tub learned author of the Critical and covered up with a blanket, to preMiscellaneous Remarks upon Black- serve the heat generated by the ferstone's Commentaries. mentation of the ingredients. After The Medical Lyceum of Philadel- three days the liquor may be first phia have offered a gold medal, of the strained through a sieve, then through value of 50 dollars, to the author of a coarse cloth. The time of fermenthe best English Essay on the Question tation in the cask is from ten days to -"Does the human body possess the three weeks, at the end of which twa power of absorbing substances applied or three bottles of brandy or whiskey to its surface?" The essay must be is put into the cask. To make the delivered in before the 1st of January, best kind sherry should be used, with 1809. a quarter of an ounce of isinglass dissolved in water. These ingredients must be added to the cask before it is bunged up.

Mr. Walsh Wilson has in the press the History and Antiquities of Dis senting Churches, Chapels, and Meeting Houses in and about London, As many farms' are infested with including a chronological series of Mi adders, the writer of the following nisters at each place, with biographical receipt conceived he should be use anecdotes of their lives and characters, fully employed in pointing out a The work has engaged his attention for remedy, which he had four times many years, and is to be accompanied successfully applied to a pointer, with portraits from original paintings, stung by one of these venomous repThe Under Graduates of Trinity tiles. It is his custom to procure as College, Cambridge, not being al- many adders as possible in the month lowed the privilege of contributing to of May, and deprive them of their the monument of the late Rev. Tho. fat, which is to be simmered over the Jones, have raised a subscription fire to extract the oil, which at that among themselves for engraving an period they yield in great plenty. elegant portrait of their late tutor. When the adder stings any animal or The Committee for managing the person, the swelled parts should be association for the discovery of the opened with a phleam, to discharge interior of Africa has engaged another the corrupted blood, and the wound traveller in their service, viz. a person afterwards moistened several times now in this country, highly accom- with the viper's oil, till the swellings

begin to decrease. After this, any taste. We are drawn to this observaother healing medicine or ointment tion by the circumstance (which we may be applied.

The following is recommended as an excellent mode for improving pathways bordering the turnpike-roads, viz. to lay the scrapings of roads in a straight line under the banks and hedges, instead of suffering them to remain an irregular rude mass, by which means a causeway would be formed in the course of two or three seasons for the accommodation of foot passengers. ways to be kept on the same side of the road. The ueat raised walk from Calne to Chippenham, in Wiltshire, is mentioned as air example of this kind: and it is further suggested, that scrapers formed in the segment of a circle, would clean roads more ef fectually than the straight ones universally adopted.

also lament) of all the pictures and drawings of this flashy and brilliant surface, being the only ones that have found ready purchasers at the different exhibitions-a thing which is not very creditable to the connoisseurs, who call themselves the patrons of the English school.

In this exhibition of the Royal Academy we can boast of no giant, no young Apelles, but the appearance This causeway al- of the Great Room is striking, from its variety, and many of the subjects are deserving of high praise. We lament the absence of our best painter, Mr. Hoppner, who does not exhibit this year; and we look in vain for the vigour of another Opie.

Mr. Bacon, the sculptor, has closed his exhibition of his equestrian statue of William III. in bronze, for St. James's Square: it will therefore very soon be removed froin his house in Newman-street, to occupy the place intended.

France.

A natural remedy for human eyes in a state of irritation or inflammation, viz. The eyes being kept over a vessel filled with hot water, will imbibe a plentiful portion of the subtle, yet simple aqueous particles, M. Curadau, professor of chemistry, which will supply the place of the has lately read a memoir to the French patural secretions, when they are de- National Institute, in which he has fective, and dilute those which have demonstrated that oxygen is one of become acrid from concentration. the component parts of soap; that to Two or three applications will give this principle oxygenated oils, or relief, and half a dozen will generally those which easily oxygenate, owe effect a cure.

FINE ARTS.

their property of making the best soap. He has also pointed out a simple process, by which the making of soap may be accelerated and im proved.

ROYAL ACADEMY.-We rejoice to find that the Exhibition for the year is distinguished above every other by the variety of its character. There The Pyrosoma Atlanticum is thus is not the monotony of which we have described by M. Peron, in his late bad occasion to complain. The many voyage to the Isle of France. It is well exhibitions, and particularly that of known that some animals possess very the British Institution, though upon peculiar phosphorescent qualities. The the whole they may not be auspicious light of the glow-worm is universally to the cultivation of a chaste and cor- notorious, but the Pyrosoma Atlantirect style of art, have certainly had cum has not been described by natu the merit of stimulating the painters ralists. M. Peron observed this anito undertake subjects of history, and mal-in between the 3d and 4th degrees to go beyond the mere study of por- of North latitude. Its luminous protrait. The mischief of those glaring perty readers it one of the most splenexhibitions is, that it forces the artists did of all known zoopbites, and its to have recourse to glitter. Nothing organization ranks it among the most will stand the test of competition with singular. The darkness was intense glowing roses and crimson robes, but when it was first discovered, the wind an excessive warmth of colouring, blew with violence, and the progress and therefore we see a meretricious of the vessel was rapid. All at once style is daily getting ground, and there appeared, at some distance as it threatening serious injury to all true were, a vast sheet of phosphorus