―151―For the Literary Magazine.
recent news from london,
literary and philosophi-
cal.
KOTZEBUE has lately publish-
ed at Berlin some volumes of Tales,
Episodes, and Nouvellettes, a trans-
lation of which has been undertaken,
and will speedily appear, in three
volumes, corresponding with his
various travels. This gentleman and
M. Muller are understood to be the
authors of the admired and spirited
manifesto of the king of Prussia.
Sir William Young, bart. and M.
P., has just completed an arrange-
ment of facts and documents rela-
to the West India islands, which he
intends to publish under the title of
the West India Common Place Book.
This work will include all that it
can be desirable to know, relative
to the commerce, produce, and
―152―
other interests of the West India
islands.
Dr. Cogan, of Bath, is preparing
for the press an Ethical Treatise on
the Passions. The first part, which
will appear in the course of the
winter, will treat of the agency of
the passions in the pursuit of well-
being; of the intellectual powers,
as directories in the pursuit; and of
the nature and sources of that well-
being of which the human species
is susceptible.
A new History of Jamaica will
speedily make its appearance, writ-
ten by a gentleman some time resi-
dent in that island. To give a more
complete view of the present state
of that valuable colony, the author
has written separate disertations on
the climate and soil, topography,
laws, trade, natural and commer-
cial productions, state of the ne-
groes, and proposals for the amelio-
ration of their condition; diseases
of Europeans and negroes, and the
customs, manners, and dispositions
of the inhabitants.
Mr. Burnev, the eminent con-
ductor of the Naval Academy at
Gosport, will publish, in a few days,
two works calculated to increase
that thirst for glory which has al-
ready rendered the navy invincible.
One of them is a succinct account
of the lives and actions of all illus-
trious admirals and commanders,
to appear under the title of “Naval
Heroes;” and the other is a com-
plete historical view of the rise and
progress of the navy to the present
time, under the title of the “Bri-
tish Neptune”
Mr. Thornton, who has resided
many years in Turkey, is prepar-
ing for publication an Account of
the Government, Religion, Man-
ners, military and civil Establish-
ments of that country.
Mr. Walpole, a relative of the
celebrated writer of that name,
has just completed, under the title
of Recollections, a biography of that
distinguished statesman, Mr Fox.
It will contain a great number of
curious and interesting anecdotes,
and will be comprised in the com-
pass, of a neat pocket volume.
Mr. Dallas has a new romance
in the press, under the title of The
Knights.
Mr. Barclay's new work on the
muscles may be shortly expected.
Mr. Vetch is preparing a new
work on ophthalmia.
A beautiful monument to the
memory of Schwartz, the German
missionary, has been just finished
by Mr. Flaxman, intended for In-
dia. The subject is a bas relief,
representing the rajah of Tenjore's
last visit to the venerable priest
while on the bed of death; it was
chosen by the rajah himself: one
or two of the rajah's ministers are
represented as accompanying him,
with three boys, in the fore-ground,
belonging to the school which
Schwartz superintended for many
years. The inscription is in Eng-
lish.
Mr. Gardner, of the City Dispen-
sary, has, in the course of some
galvanic experiments, been led to
try the effect of the galvanic fluid
upon vegetable infusions. Turme-
ric with distilled water was first
submitted to trial; the circuit being
made with iron wires, gas was given
out from both, and the infusion be-
came gradually changed from a
bright yellow to a deep brown, be-
ginning at the upper part of the
tube; both wires became black,
probably from the oxygen evolved
from the water. The same quanti-
ty of the infusion of litmus was then
subjected to the galvanic action; in
a few minutes the blue tinge began
to fade; the liquor became diapha-
nous, and at length exhibited a
greenish colour, gas being given out
from both wires, which were also
turned black. From these experi-
ments, he conceived an alkali had
been formed during the operations;
to prove the truth of the conjecture,
he was enabled to restore the blue
colour to the litmus, by means of
dilute sulphuric acid. He repeated
the experiment several times with
the same success. Syrup of violets,
―153―
diluted with an equal quantity of
distilled water, and galvanized with
silver and iron wires, turned as
perfectly green as it could have
done on the addition of pure ammo-
nia, potash, or soda.
Dr. Thornton, the metropolitan
professor of pneumatic medicine,
has laid before the public the case
of a young lady, who, from a violent
cold, lost the use of her voice, in
which state she continued, notwith-
standing much medical assistance,
upwards of eighteen months. By
means of the oxygen gas, the lady
was perfectly restored to health,
and the powers of voice, in a fort-
night. Hence the doctor infers, 1.
That the loss of voice is a disease
that usually resists all common
means made use of; therefore oxy-
gen gas is in this a desideratum.
2. The mode of cure is probably by
strengthening those muscles which
give tone to the voice. 3. Hence in
the more oxygenated climate of
England, the nightingale has so me-
lodious a strain, while it only croaks
in Egypt, whither it retires in the
winter. 4. A remarkable strength
of voice has been observed by many
after inhaling the vital air.
The same distinguished professor
has invented a pneumometer, by
means of which the capacity of the
lungs may be ascertained. By ex-
periments with this instrument
made on the late Mr. Fox, Mr.
Courtnay, Mr. Kemble, sir James
Mackintosh, and others, he found
that the power of the voice was in
exact proportion to the quantity of
air inhaled, and therefore to the
oxygenation of the muscles of the
larynx.
Mr. Taunton, of the Finsbury
Dispensary, has lately performed
the operation on two poor persons
for the femoral hernia, with com-
plete success. With a truly philan-
thropic spirit, he appeals to the
public, particularly to the mana-
gers of all charitable institutions,
upon the necessity of supplying the
poor with trusses, by which very
many lives would be saved, and
painful operations be prevented.
Mr. R L Edgeworth has invented
a new odometer for a carriage,
which he conceives is more simple,
and less liable to be out of order,
than those commonly used. It may
be easily attached to the axle of any
carriage.
Mr. Arthur Young, the father of
agricultural science in England,
after many experiments and obser-
vations on the subject, affirms that
sea-salt acts as a very powerful ma-
nure, especially when added to
dung. He says also, that very con-
siderable benefit has been found
from the application of sea-water to
vegetables, and that, when mixed
with dung or compost dunghills, it
possesses a septic power that pro-
motes putrefaction.
From other experiments of Mr.
Young, charcoal is found to be a
good manure for vegetables; but
nothing in comparison to hydrogen
gas, from iron filings, and dilute sul-
phuric acid thrown up to the roots
every day. In both cases the prin-
ciple is the same; for charcoal de-
composes the water, imbibing the
oxygen, and giving out the hydro-
gen for the nourishment of the
plants.
Mr. Logan has made many ex-
periments on gypsum, with a view
to ascertain its qualities, and the
differences between the American
gypsum and that found in Europe.
His conclusions are, 1. That there
is no difference between European
and American gypsum. 2. That it
acts as an immediate manure to
grass, and afterwards in an equal
degree to grain. 3. That one dres-
sing will continue in force several
succeeding crops. 4. That it does
not produce any remarkable effects
used as a top-dressing for grain. 5.
And that on stiff clay soils it will
produce an increase of vegetation,
but not sufficient to pay the expence
of the manure. The quanity per
acre should be six bushels.
A periodical work, published by
M. Storch, and entitled, Russia un-
der Alexander I, furnishes the fol-
lowing particulars :—In the Ger-
man provinces of the Russian em-
―154―
pire there are at present six print-
ing establishments, three of which
are in the government of Livonia,
one in Courland, and two in Esthonia.
These are, 1. The printing-house of
the university of Dorpat, establish-
ed in 1789, by M. Genzius, who, in
1802, had the title of printer to the
university. Ever since its establish-
ment, a political gazette has been
printed there. 2. The printing-
house of the crown and city at Riga,
established as early as 1522. It has
always enjoyed the privilege of
printing all the church and school
books for that city; it may be con-
sidered as the mother of all the fo-
reign printing-houses in Russia. Since
the year 1785 it has belonged to Mr.
J. D. K. Muller. 3. The same city
contains another printing-house, be-
longing to M. Hacker, established
in 1777. 4. The printing-house of
the government of Mittau, where
there was probably one so far back
as 1584. It is only of late years
that it has become flourishing under
the direction of M. Steffenhagen,
who has conferred signal benefit on
his country by circulating in it many
excellent German and Lithuanian
works. 5. The printing-office of
the town and gymnasium of Reval,
founded while the country belonged
to Sweden. Its proprietor is M.
Minuth, who publishes the only
newspaper that appears at Reval.
6. Gressel's printing-office, establish-
ed in the same town in 1802. All
these houses, especially that of Mit-
tau, are furnished with a great
quantity of types.
M. Esmark, a learned mineralo-
gist, and formerly the pupil of the
celebrated Werner, has lately dis-
coverd at Arandal, in Norway, a
new mineral, of which he has made
a distinct species, under the name
Datolithe. M. Klaproth has ana-
lysed this mineral, and found it to be
composed of
| Silica | 36.5 |
| Lime | 35.5 |
| Boracic acid | 24 |
| Water | 4 |
Hence, it appears to be a corate of
lime, mixed, perhaps accidentally,
with silica. It is of a white colour,
more or less tinged with green. It
is found in such large masses as to
he considered a rock, and in crys-
tals of the shape of rectangular
prisms. Its fracture does not exhi-
bit a lamellated texture; it is im-
perfectly conchoidal, with small
cavities, and of an oily lustre. Some
masses are composed of large grains
adhering to each other, but perfect-
ly distinct; and of which the sur-
face is far from being brilliant.
This substance is not so hard as
feldspath. It is semi-transparent,
and weighs 293. When exposed to
the action of the blow-pipe, it swells
into a large white mass, and at last
becomes converted into a glass of a
pale rose colour. It dissolves with-
out the aid of heat in nitric acid,
leaving the silica at the bottom of
the vessel.
A circumstance deserving the at-
tention of naturalists recently occur-
red at the menagerie of Schonbrunn,
near Vienna. The male Bengal ti-
ger kept there is usually fed with
butcher's meat; but being at times
subject to a kind of ophthalmia, he
is then provided with young living
animals, whose warm blood contri-
butes to his cure. Being in this
state, the female whelp of a butch-
er's dog was thrown into him; the
tiger was just then couched with
his head resting on his fore feet.
The whelp, recovering from her first
alarm, approached and began to lick
his eyes, which was so agreeable to
the tiger, that, forgetting his appe-
tite for carnage, he not only spared
the animal, but even testified his
gratitude by caresses. The bitch,
having entirely overcome her fears,
continued to lick him, and in a few
days the tiger was cured. Since
that time the two animals have lived
in perfect friendship; before he
touches his food, the tiger always
waits till his companion has satisfi-
ed herself with the daintiest mor-
sels. He puts up with every thing
from her, and even when she bites
―155―
him in play, he shows no resent-
ment, but is continually caressing
her.
Never were such pains taken as
within these few years to vary the
number of musical instruments. An
artist of Prague, named Holbein,
has invented one, to which he has
given the name of uranikon. One
of its properties is to swell the
sounds progressively from pianissi-
mo to fortissimo, and vice versa.
This instrument likewise produces
the sound of a horn, the echo of
which seems to reverberate in the
mountains; and the adagio is sung
ad libitum, by one of the sweetest
female voices.
At a late meeting of the Academy
of Sciences at Munich, M. Baader
exhibited the model of a machine of
his invention, which he denominates
hydrometrograph, and which has
already been tried on a large scale
at the salt-works of Reichenhall.
By means of this machine, the
measure of any quantity of water
that has passed through a pipe of
certain dimensions is determined
and marked in cubic feet.
A literary notice, at the same
capital, proposes the publication of
an engraving of a bird, which has
never been methodically described
by any naturalist, and which is men-
tioned for the first time in the second
volume of Gmelin's Natural History.
This bird, which is truly a curiosi-
ty, has four sorts of wings, or rather a
very thick collar of feathers, which he
spreads over his back when it rains,
in the form of an Umbrella. The
editors of the same work promise a
description of several other original
species, which cannot fail to prove
interesting to ornithologists.
At a meeting of the Academy of
Useful Sciences at Erfurt, M Buch-
ner rend a memoir inculation for
the natural small-pox, and on the re-
mit of the first vaccination at Bergen,
in Norway. He gives a circumstantial
account of the latter, and states a
remarkable case which fell under
his observation in the performance
of his medical duty. He was sent
for to a child a year old, belonging
to captain Paasche, who command-
ed a ship, and who absent at the
time on a voyage to France. The
mother imagined that the symptoms
of the disorder proceeded from den-
tition; but M. Buchner soon disco-
vered all those that usually attend
the natural small-pox. Before its
eruption, he several times endea-
voured, but in vain, to prevail on
the mother to have her other two
children vaccinated. The next day
the eruption appeared, the small-
pox became malignant, and on the
sixth day the child died. The dis-
consolate mother then repaired to
the physician, imploring him to save
her two remaining children. He
resolved to vaccinate them, after a
suitable preparation. He directed
them both to be removed to the most
distant apartment in the house, to
be put into a warm bath, to be well
rubbed, and all the clothes they had
before worn to be changed. The
vaccination was successful; the
punctures became inflamed, the
eruption took place at the proper
time, and the tumours approached
to perfect maturity. But after the
eighth day, the two children had a
very restless night; they felt an in-
clination to vomit, head-ache, in
short, all the symptoms which usu-
ally precede the natural small-pox.
The next day the eruption of the
latter actually took place, and the
bodies of the two children were
coveted with it. This small-pox
was neither of the favourable nor
yet of the malignant kind, and both
the children got very well over this
crisis. But it was remarkable, that
the vaccine pecks continued their
progress, and their scabs did not fall
off till after the desiccation of those
of the small-pox.
The French emperor has granted
a patent, for ten years, to Mr. Fir-
min Didot, for his new invention in
stereotype printing, being that of
giving the letters in what is called
the English written character, be-
ing without any interruption between
the letters.
M. Klaproth has published a me-
moir on sulphuric acid, the result of
―156―
many experiments, from which it
appears: 1. That 100 parts of sul-
phuric acid, of the specific gravity
of 1.850, are composed of concrete
acid 74.04, and of water 25.06; or
of sulphur 31.05, of oxygen 42.09,
and of water 25.06. 2. That 100
parts of concrete acid are formed of
42.03 of sulphur, and 57.07 of oxy-
gen. 3. That 100 parts of calcined
sulphate of barytes contains of ba-
rytes 67, of sulphur 14, and of oxy-
gen 19.
M. J. N. Gardeur, an artist of
Paris, has invented a method of imi-
tating the most beautiful sculptures,
by means of old paper reduced to
paste. This new composition adds
to a wonderful lightness and solidity
the requisite truth in the expression
of the figures. Almost all the thea-
tres and public halls in Paris are
decorated with statues and other
ornaments made of this composition.
They are as cheap as common
painted paper; and, from their
lightness, may be transported with
little expence.
M. Vauquelin has laid before the
National Institute an account of ex-
periments on hair; the object of
which was to ascertain the nature
of the animal matter of which hairs
are formed, and if there was any-
thing analogous in the animal eco-
nomy. The results of these experi-
ments are, that black hair is formed
of nine different substances, viz:
1, an animal matter, which forms
the greatest proportion; 2, a white
concrete oil; 3, another greenish
grey oil, very abundant; 4, iron; 5,
some articles of oxyde of manga-
nese; 6, phosphate of lime; 7, car-
bonate of lime; 8, silex; and 9, a
considerable quantity of sulphur.
Red hair does not differ from black,
except that it contains a red oil in
place of a greenish black one.
White hair differs from the others,
inasmuch as the oil is nearly colour-
less, and it contains some phosphate
of magnesia, which is not found in
others.
M. Laugier has discovered in me-
teoric stones some chrome; though,
before he undertook the analysis, it
was supposed the component prin-
ciples of these stones were silex,
iron, manganese, sulphur, nickel,
with accidental traces of lime and
alumina. The analysis of M. Lau-
gier was made upon a meteoric
stone, which is said to have fallen
at Verona, in the year 1633. The
inferences drawn by him, and which
are countenanced by M. Vauquelin,
are, 1. That the five meteoric stones
of Verona, Barbotain, Ensisheim,
Aigle, and Apt, contain, besides the
principles just enumerated, about
the hundredth part of chrome. 2.
That it is very probable, that all
meteoric stones possess this princi-
ple, since they resemble each other
in their physical and chemical cha-
racters, and have all, as far as has
hitherto been ascertained, the same
origin. 3. That in many cases, in
order to attain the requisite preci-
sion of chemical analysis, it may be
expedient to treat the same sub-
stance with acids and alkalies, as a
principle may be overlooked in one
case, which will be obvious in the
other.
At the distribution of prizes re-
cently made by the Academy of
Fine Arts, of the city of Bruges, a
medal was adjudged to a young
man, who, though deprived by na-
ture of the use of his hands, has
nevertheless produced drawings ad-
mirable for their execution.
The new king of Holland has un-
dertaken the presidency of the So-
ciety of Arts and Sciences of Ha-
erlem, and in future its title is to
be the “Royal Society of Haer-
lem.”
The government of the kingdom
of Italy has founded an annual com-
petition for one heroic drama, and
two comic dramas, which are to be
represented at the theatre della
Scala. A prize of 60 sequins will
be given to the author of the best
heroic drama, and one of 40 sequins
to each of those whose comic dra-
mas shall be crowned.
The corridor, leading to the li-
brary and the museum of the Vati-
can, will be the finest in the world.
From the present entrance to the
―157―
museum, to the place where the
iron gate used to stand, the statues,
busts, and basso-relievos, found in
the different store-rooms of the Va-
tican, are now placing. The tablets
on which the busts are fixed are
composed of antique pieces of frieze
and entablatures, and they rest upon
pillars and fragments of columns
which once embellished the edifies
of ancient Rome. By means of this
arrangement, the gallery will be-
come of some utility to architecture,
that important branch of the arts,
unfortunately too much neglected
in the museums of sovereigns and
of the curious. From the place
where the iron gate stand, to that
where you descend to the lodges,
persons are employed in encrusting
the walls of the gallery with innu-
merable inscriptions of the pagans
and of the early christians. The
chevalier Canova places the works
of art, and Cajetan Marini classes
the inscriptions. The wall which
formerly separated the lodges and
the corridor, is no longer in exist-
ence; the space which it occupied
is transforming into a handsome
vestibule, which will be ornamented
with columns and other relics of
antiquity. Thus the whole length
of one part of the lodges is added to
that of the corridor, which increases
it nearly 225 feet. It will afford a
view truly magnificent, and worthy
of Rome. In the present vestibule
of the museum are seen several epi-
taphs on the Cornelian family, and
the celebrated sarcophagus of Scipio
Barbatus. Accordingly, throughout
an extent of 1200 feet, there will be
a series of authentic monuments,
both of art and science, of more
than twelve centuries, commencing
with the first Punic war. This
gallery, the largest in the world,
will lead to the library and the mu-
seum of the Vatican, or, to speak
more correctly, that superb gallery
will form an integral part of an un-
rivalled whole, exclusively dedicated
to the arts and sciences.
The Society of Arts, Manufac-
tures, &c. of London, have adjudged
a silver medal and thirty guineas to
Mr. Gilbert Gilpin, of Shifnal, for
an improved crane and flexible
chains. From the simplicity of
form, and facility of manufacture,
the common chain, formed of oval
links, has been in use from the earli-
est ages, and that it did not answer
every purpose of a hempen rope in
working over pullies, was not owing
to its peculiar form, but from an er-
ror in the application. Every chain
of this nature has a twist in itself,
arising from a depression given by
the hammer to each link in the
welding, which causes a perpetual
tendency to assume a spiral form.
Hence the alternate links of a chain,
in coiling round a barrel, or work-
ing over pullies, form obtuse angles
in assuming the spiral shape, bear-
ing upon the lower parts of their
circumferences, and forming as it
were two levers, which wrench
open and crush each other in pro-
portion to the weight suspended, as
well as prevent the freedom of mo-
tion in the links themselves, and
thereby load the chain with addi-
tional friction.
To prevent this and other evils
attaching to the common chains, Mr.
Gilpin has grooves cast in iron pul-
lies of sufficient dimensions to re-
ceive the lower circumferences of
the links of the chain, which work
vertically; those which work hori-
zontally, and form the gudgeon part
of the chain, bearing upon each side
of the grooves. The barrels are
also of cast iron, with spiral grooves
of the same dimensions, at such a
distance from each other as to ad-
mit the chain to bed without the
danger of a double coil; by these
means the links are retained at right
angles with each other, the only
position for free and uniform mo-
tion.
The links of the chains are made
as short as possible, for the purpose
of increasing their flexibility, and
they are reefed perfectly free from
twist, in the pullies, and on the bar-
rels.
When applied in blocks, the
grooves in the pullies prevent the
different falls of the chain from
―158―
coming in contact, and render plates
between them totally unnecessary;
the pullies are in consequence
brought closer together, the angle of
the fall from block to block conside-
rable diminished, and the friction
against the plates entirely avoided.
Brass guards, with grooves opposite
to those in the pullies, are rivetted
to the blocks to prevent the chain
getting out of its birth from any ac-
cidental circumstance. This method
of working chains has been applied
to cranes capable of carrying from
ten to fifteen tons and to steam en-
gines used in raising coal and ore
from mines; and in all cases, we are
assured, it has performed the busi-
ness with the utmost safety, unifor-
mity, and flexibility.
The same method is applicable,
at a trifling expence, to all machines
at present worked by ropes, or by
chains in the usual way. It is also
assumed, contrary to the general
opinion, that chains are safer than
ropes, for it is an established axiom
that those bodies whose fibres are
most in the direction of the strain,
are the least liable to be pulled
asunder. The discovery is of far-
ther additional importance, as, it
substitutes a durable article for a
very perishable one.
Mr. Thomas Parker has received
a premium from this society, for an
invention of a machine for the use of
shoe-makers to perform their work
in a standing posture, and then by
to prevent all those disorders
which, it is known, a bending pos-
ture of the body is liable to engen-
der.
The silver medal and ten guineas
were given to Mr. Saimon, of Wo-
burn, for his geomatrical quadrant
and staff, which serves for plotting;
as a level and calculator or the use
of navigation and land-surveying;
for ascertaining inaccessible dis-
tances, and for demonstrating and
determining various problems in
geometry and trigonometry. In the
staff there is an improvement, viz.
a screw at the bottom, by means of
which the stall may be readily fixed
in the ground, in a manner that it
could not be without it, nor could
the instrument be used without the
screw.
Ten guineas were voted to Mr.
Peter Herbert, for an improved
book-case bolt, to facilitate the
opening of both doors at once, and to
secure the same, without trouble of
bolting two bolts the common way.
It will answer equally well forward-
robes, French casements, or folding
sash-doors. It will also make a
good sash-fastening, if let into the
bottom sash, with a small brass
knob to slide as common; it would
bolt in the frame by the side of the
sash cord, both sides at once.
To Mr. Andrew Flint have been
voted fifteen guineas for his inven-
tion of an expanding band wheel to
regulate the velocity of machinery.
The usual method of connecting ma-
chinery is by a band running over
two wheels or riggers; hence the
relative velocity of the wheels is in
the inverse ratio of their diameters,
and these diameters always remain-
ing the same, no alteration of ve-
locity can be obtained, but by a cor-
responding variation in that of the
moving power applied. By Mr.
Flint's invention, the artizan is ena-
bled to regulate the velocity of his
machinery at pleasure, the moving
power remaining as before, or to
retain the same motion with an al-
teration in that of the applied force.
He proposes two methods of attain-
ing this object: in both, the periphe-
ry of the band-wheel is divided into
any convenient number of parts,
which may be placed at any given
distance from the centre of the wheel,
and thus, by enlarging the circum-
ference of one band-wheel, while the
other is equally diminished, to alter
the relative velocity of each at plea-
sure.
Mr. Salmon, of Woburn, obtained
a premium and the silver medal,
for an improvement in canal-locks,
and for preventing a waste of wa-
ter.