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1807.]

In Afric does the sultry gale

Thro' spicy ower, and palmy grove,
Bear the repeated Cuckoo's tale?
Dwells there a time, the wandering Rail
Or the itinerant Dove?

Were you in Asia? O relate,

If there your fabled sister's woes
She seem'd in sorrow to narrate;
Or sings she but to celebrate
Her nuptials with the rose?

I would enquire how journeying long,
The vast and pathless ocean o'er,
You ply again those pinions strong,
And come to build anew among
The scenes you left before;
But if, as colder breezes blow,
Prophetic of the waning year,

You hide, tho' none know when or how,
In the cliff's excavated brow,

And linger torpid here;

Thus lost to life, what favouring dream
Bids you to happier hours awake;
And tells that dancing in the beam,
The light goat hovers o'er the stream,
The May-fly on the lake?

Or if, by instinct taught to know
Approaching dearth of insect food;
To isles and willowy aits you go,
And crouding on the pliant bough,
Sink in the dimpling dood:
How learn ye, while the cold waves boom
Your deep and ouzy couch above,
The time when flowers of promise bloom,
And call you from your transient tomb,
To light, and life, and love!

Alas! how little can be known,

Her sacred veil where Nature draws ;
Let baffled Science humbly own,
ysteries understood alone,
By Him who gives her laws.

Her

my

Our mode of examining this posthumous volume, for as such we must still consider it, will acquit us, we trust, from the imputation of intending to depreciate the fame which Mrs. Smith deservedly possessed antecedently to the publication in question. We have always esteemed her as holding a very high rank among those who have in this country cultivated the composition of sonnets; a species of versification which, from the unsuccessfulness with which it has been attempted by the herd of poetasters, seems to have fallen into unmerited obloquy, but which must nevertheless be highly estimated when selected by the few who know how to communicate their feelings in the genuine language of poetry, and who join to the natural endowments of genius an enlightened taste.

It is not unworthy of remark, that we owe to the talents of two ladies, Charlotte Smith and Anna Seward, the greater portion of the Sonnets with which our language is enriched. We have no wish now to enter upon a critical investigation of the respective claims of these distinguished females to literary eminence: indeed, we do not see that any relative comparison of this kind could be fairly made. They differ from each other, both as to their turn of thinking, and their style of writing. The sonnets of Mrs. Smith affect by their extreme melancholy of feeling, and by simplicity of expression; while those of Miss Seward delight by felicity of thought, by classical allusions, and by their polished construction.

The

Not a Sonnet have we been able to discover, throughout the miscellaneous poetry, accompanying Beachy first interests our affections, the latter Head! enforces our admiration.

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THE NEW PATENTS.

Mr. CHARLES SCHMALCALDER's of and from two to twelve feet, or still Little Newport Street, Westminster; longer, chiefly made of copper and for a Delineator, for taking Profiles, brass, sometimes wood, or any metal and for copying recersely upon Copper, &c. in any required Proportion, directly from Nature, Landscapes, Pictures, &c.

applicable. The one end carries a fine steel tracer, made to slide out and in, and to be fastened by the milled head, screwed; the other end of the Dated December 22, 1806. rod having likewise a round hole, to HIS invention consists in con- take up either a steel point, black-lead structing a machine, which pencil, or any other metallic point; is called a Delineator, consisting which may be fastened therein by a A tube is fixed in of a hollow rod, screwed together, milled head screw. 2 G 2

THIS

a ball about ten inches long, and in this invention, so as to enable any diameter sufficiently to allow the rod person to work and make an instruto slide easily, and without shake in ment accordingly, the use of the deliit. The ball with this tube is move- neator is as follows: 1st, for taking proable between two half sockets, forming files, previously to the fixing of the together what is commonly called a instrument against the partition, you ball and socket. A frame is then must have taken the height from the made of wood about two and a half bottom to the middle of the face of a or three feet long (this length depend- person sitting upon a chair; and, that ing from the length of the rod), and height transferred upon the partition supported by two brackets. Through in the place where the sockets are to the sides of the frame are holes at cer- be fastened, let the person's head rest tain distances, corresponding with the against a piece of wood lined with marks on the rod; hence it is evident leather. Begin tracing at the back; that in copying any original, supposing and in tracing observe, the screw to to the size of one-eighth, one-fourth, form a right angle with every part of one-half, three-fourths, &c. a swing- the face in passing over it; in conse board, and a clamp-screw must be quence whereof, tuin the rod round transplanted to the different holes and in the socket, and the cutter, previdivisions corresponding. The paper, ously fixed in the rod, will cut out the ivory, or copper, &c. is fastened upon profiles. 2dly, when pictures, landthe swinging-board, either by screws scapes, &c. are copied and traced, or by a brass frame formed of two flat bang the original up, so as to swing, pieces of brass joined together at the and fix either paper, ivory, copper, end by hinges, and having on the &c. upon the swinging board; then, other end two buttons to fasten the placing the tracer to the edge of the paper between. In the uppermost of original picture, begin following and this plate an opening is made to allow tracing over every part of the; icture; the point to mark upon the paper. by which means a copy is received The edges of this fiame form and slide in a dovetail moveable upon the swinging-board, and kept in the proper situation by a spring. On the back of the board is affixed a weight with a hook, to which is attached a spring, forming a pulley, serving to prevent the point from acting upon the paper when not wanted.

upon the copper, ivory, &c. reversely from the construction of the instiument. It is evident that the original as well as the ivory, &c. must swing, on account of the tracer in the rod describing a circle from the centre of the ball. Supposing, however, a picture of the size of eight feet square is to be copied upon copper to half The machine is fixed either to a the original size, by a red of about partition in any room, or to any piece ten feet, or even eight feet long, the of wood portable, and so constructed circle described by the red or tracer as to be easily fixed upright with a from the centre of the bail would not screw clamp, upon a table or any other deviate above one foot from the plane stand. The instrument is perfect, surface of the picture. Hence this 1st, when all the parts are firmly con- would be the space the original would nected, and without fluctuation: swing during the operation, and the 2dly, when the ball and sockets are swinging board in proportion. Sdly truly circular, and move easy: 3dly, and lastly, when landscapes are copied when the rod passes truly through the from nature, or whatever object excentre of the ball: 4thly, when the poses itself to view, the machine rerod is perfectly straight (the diameter mains as during the operation above, of the rod is from half an inch to two and looking along the od keeping inches and upwards, according to the the tracer and the perpendicular oblength); 5thly and lastly, in turning ject together in sight, the latter is folthe rod round in the sockets the tracer lowed and traced; and a copy is reand point in the two ends of the red ceived as above.

must remain in the centre. To ob

tain which, sometimes an adjustment Mr. JOHN BYWATER'S of Notting with four screws, is required. Having ham, (now of Ratcliff Cross Stairs) thus described the construction of for reefing the Square Sails of Ships

and other Navigable Vessels, particularly Topsails, without shaking the Sail, starting the Sheet, or going Aloft.

M

Dated August 22, 1806.

where they are worked by a single and double block purchase, or such other as may please any one to apply. Suppose the whole topsail to be set and a reef wanted to be taken in. Ease away the halliard handsomely, and haul upon the reef lines, and in proportion as the yard is lowered the reef is made at pleasure from a hand's breadth to a close reef, whether sail

R. BYWATER describes his invention as consisting in the application of a roller to the fore part of the yard, working by means of gudgeons in iron arms strongly fixed ing large or hauled on a wind, and near the cleats at the yard-arms, and most snugly made when it blows fresh. supported by two or more sets of fric- It appears from experiments on the tion-rollers, according to the square- Exchange of North Shields, which ness of the yard, so as to shorten the made her passage from London with bearing of the main roller, and ren- a foretopsail and yard fitted by Mr. der it by intermediate supports capa- Bywater, that the sail was close reefed ble of bearing the same stress as the in one minute, and that in passing yard itself. These friction rollers the bar at the mouth of the Tyne, a are so disposed, as to keep the main reef was taken in and loosed out roller at all times parallel to the yard, again with the top gallant sail set upon in iron clamps attached to which they it, without shaking either sail, and work. To the main roller the sail is bent only by easing off the topgallant halwithout any robins or headrope; but liards along with that of the topsail; instead thereof, a fal e head is added and hauling upon both at the same to the sail, and the depth of this head time, when the reef was to be shaken determined by the diameter of the out. Neither reefbands nor points roller, to which it is marled, and are used, but one breadth of canvas then the roller having made one revo- is sewn on the fore part of the sail lution, the cylet holes in the old head extending from the head to the lowest will come up nearly parallel to those reef, on that part which is under each first marled on. The old head is to set of friction rollers. A cringle is be marled in the same manner, and worked in each leech at the lowest the earings hauled out to cleats at reef, and a light rope called the spread the ends of the roller. Instead of old line leads from each of them to the earings, the leah rope is cut off 3 or extremity of the lower yard arms, and 4 inches above the old head of the thence through quarter blocks on sail, along which it is worked, forming deck. This has many uses, but the an angle enclosing the outermost eylet principal is to keep the leeches from holes, which being enlarged and running in, in light winds when the having a grommet worked upon it, reefs are seldom wanted. This Mr. Bysupplies the place of the old earing and water calls the rolling reef. But his thimble. The ends of the roller are patent includes another method which enlarged in diameter, as well to take consists in the application of a set of up the leach in proportion to the 6, 8, or more reef lines to the bunt of bunt, as to give additional leverage the sail, which, when the old reef to the reef lines, which being of sub- tackles have done their part, are to be stance equal to, or greater than the hauled upon and leading through leech ropes, are fastened by staple or cheek blocks on the yard, and thence otherwise to the enlarged ends of the in one or more legs upon deck haul main roller, and passed round as many up the after part of the sail, to which times as the buat of the sai! must a new head rope has been added at the pass round when close reefed, but in reef band, and this becomes the head an opposite direction to the sail. The of the sail, the reef part hanging loose reef lines are then reeved through cheek blocks on the under or upper side of the yard arms, and thence lead through quarter blocks to the deck,

before, which is hauled down by light preventers to the lower yard arms. This patent is extended to Scotland, Ireland, and the Colonies.

TRANSACTIONS OF LEARNED & ECONOMICAL SOCIETIES.

Hained in the tenth volume of the moderately glistening

N our account of the papers con- ral triangles; exteriorly, shining, and

interiorly, Transactions of the Royal Irish Aca- glistening; the lustre adamantine. demy (vol. VI. p. 41), we were only The principal fracture is foliated barely able to mention the following with a two-fold cleavage, cutting each Account of a new semi-metallic other at right angles; the transverse substance, called Menacane, and its fracture is imperfect and minute conores, by the late G. Mitchell, M.B." choidal. The fragments are cubical. and we now give a detailed account of It sometimes exhibits slender, the different species of that mineral. columnar, distinct concretions; is Since the discovery of Menacane usually translucent, sometimes only by Mr. Gregor, the distinguishing translucent at the edges; hard; brittle; properties of the peculiar metallic gives a pale orange-yellow streak; is substance it contains have been so easily frangible; heavy in an inferior fully developed, and satisfactorily as- degree, about 4,200. certained by the united exertions of Kirwan, Klaproth, Vauquelin, and Lampadius, that little is left to wish for, so far as chemical characters are concerned. Of the genus Menac we are already acquainted with five some distance from one another, and species or ores. It is, however, sufficiently probable, that several new species will, at no distant period, be added to the list; and that this metal is more widely distributed, and more generally diffused, and plays, perhaps, a more important part, than is at present suspected. Menac

Tribe of Rutile

Tribe of Menacane

Genus.

1. Rutile
2. Rutilite
3. Nigrine
4. Menacane
5. Iserine.

First Species. Rutile. Titanite of Kirwan.-Rutil of Werner.-Sagenite of Saussure.

OBSERVATIONS.-The larger crys tals, particularly those from Hungary, are often curved, have frequent transverse rifts, are sometimes broken entimely across, the ends removed to

the interstices filled up, with the substance of which the matrix consists; sometimes two crystals meet under an angle more or less obtuse, and are joined like the corner of a frame. The crystals are, moreover, subject to great irregularities, are seldom fully crystallized, and therefore rarely acuminated; the four-sided prisms are often slightly rhomboidal; the sixsided prisms, from Hungary, are usually dilated, and seem composed of accumulated acicular crystals, from whence arise the columnar distinct concretions; the six-sided prisms, from France, are said to originate from the truncation of two opposite External Characters.-The colour lateral edges of the four-sided prism; varies from light hyacinth to dark the capilliform crystals are sometimes brownish red. It is found crystallized, coloured green, from chlorite earth. 1. in right angle four sided prisms, By some authors this fossil has been acuminated by four planes, which said to resemble red silver ore; but are set on the lateral planes-2. In six- the slightest acquaintance with the sided prisms, which are said some- oryctognostical characters is sufficient times to exhibit a tendency to a six- to shew the difference; a geognostical sided acumination-3. In acicular and character also furnishes us here with capilliform crystals, whose regular an easy means of distinguishing this shape is no longer determinable, and fossil from other ores of a red colour. which are, moreover, strongly com- Rutile is generally of cotemporaneous pressed. formation with its associated fossils; The crystals are longitudinally sul- whereas red silver ore, red orpiment, cated, often very deeply; are common- &c. being formed in veins, are always ly small, and very small, rarely middle of later formation than the rock on sized. The acicular are often fascicular- which they are seated. Some sys ly aggregated: the capilliform crystals are often in a singular manner retion lated, the interstices forming equilate

tematie writers have confounded it with rubellite, with which it has scarcely two characters in common.

CHEMICAL CHARACTERS.-With- colour is dark-brownish black, passing out addition, or even with phosphoric into velvet-black.

It is found in salts, it is infusible by the heat of the larger and smaller angular grains, and common blow-pipe; with borax or pebbles. alkali, it affords a hyacinth red transparent glass; with the heat excited by pure air, it gives a milk-white head, and suffers a considerable loss of weight. It is insoluble in the mineral acids before it has been melted with alkali, but yields readily to acid of sugar; is precipitable by acid of galls with a bright red, and by Prussian alkali, with a handsome dark green colour.

Externally it is moderately glistening. Internally, the principal frac ture is glistening; the transverse frac ture moderately glistening; its lustre is adamantine.

The principal feature is imperfectly foliated, with a single cleavage; the transverse fracture is flat, and imperfectly conchoidal. The fragments are indeterminately angular, and sharpedged. It is perfectly opaque; semiSecond Species. Rutilite. hard; brittle; gives a yellowish brown Calcareo-Siliceous Titan Ore of streak, and is heavy in a moderate Kirwan-Titanit of Klaproth. degree, 4,500.

EXTERNAL CHARACTERS.---The colour varies from brownish red to dark reddish brown. It has been hitherto found only crystallized in very rhomboidal four-sided prisms, acutely bevilled at the extremities, the bevilling planes set on the obtuse lateral edges. The crystals are small, and very small, seldom middle-sized.

CHEMICAL CHARACTERS.--The Nigrine is infusible per se by the blow-pipe; but with the assistance of borax it melts to a transparent hyacinth of red bead; to acid of sugar it readily yields its menac contents, which furnishes the characteristic precipitate of this genus. Klaproth and Lampadius have given the constituent ingredients, 8 or 9 per cent. Menac calx, and 2 or 1 calx of iron; but it is probable the proportion of menac calx was over-rated.

Fourth Species-Menacane. Menachanite of Kirwan-Menacan

Exteriorly they are shining; interiorly, glistening, with a resinous lustre. The fracture is imperfect and minute conchoidal, passing into the uneven. The fragments are indeterminately angular, and tolerably sharp edged. The transparency varies from translucent, though translucent at the of Werner. edges, to opaque. It is semi-hard, bordering upon hard; brittle, gives a greyish white streak; is easily frangible, and not particularly heavy, approaching the heavy, 3,500.

CHEMICAL CHARACTERS.-Before the blow-pipe it suffers no change, nor in the heat of a porcelain furnace, when exposed in an earthen crucible; but in a crucible of charcoal it melts to an imperfect black glass, owing to the partial reduction of the metallic contents. With considerable difficulty, and only by repeated digestion, marine acid dissolves a third part of the weight of this fossil, consisting partly of the menac contents. Klaproth, from whom these characters are taken, found it to consist of nearly equal parts, menac-calx, silex and lime, to which Vauquelin joins a large portion of iron-calx.

Third Species-Nigrine.

Nigrin of Werner.

EXTERNAL CHARACTERS.-It is of a greyish black colour, inclining somewhat to iron black; it is only met with in very small, flattish, angular grains, which have a rough, glimmering surface. Internally, it is moderately glistening with adamantine lustre, passing into the semi

metallic.

The fracture is imperfectly foliated, approaching to the slaty. The fragments are indeterminately angular, and sharp-edged.

It is perfectly opaque, soft, brittle, retains its colour in the streak, easily frangible, and heavy in a moderate degree, 4,427.

PHYSICAL and CHEMICAL CHARACTERS.-Menacane is attractable by the magnet, but much more weakly than iron sand or magnetical iron ore; it is infusible by the common blowpipe, or heat of a porcelain furnace, exposed in a coal crucible, but melts

EXTERNAL CHARACTERS.-The whien in contact with a clay one; it

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