Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

one another, and blind one another's eyes. The Great Spirit has, ever since the world was made, and the grass grew, laid his big book open to all men, of whatever colour they may have been, and this book tells the truth to all, and deceives no man.

Brothers and Sisters,- We do not worship the Good Spirit as you do, but our belief in him, and our worship, is sincere, and we think is acceptable to him. You do not think so. If we should send out our teachers of our religion to you, you would not believe them. It is contrary to your belief, but your black-coats say that we must believe yours. You have your own teachers, let us us have ours. We are grateful for your kindness. We should be glad to have you send persons to us to learn us how to plough, and sow, and reap, and teach us all the arts of agriculture. This would make us happybut the black-coats cannot.

Brothers and Sisters,-This is the truth that you have not known before. We are your friends, and wish you may not be deceived any longer.

his

CAPTAIN GOOD HUNTER.

mark.

HARD HICKORY.
CORNSTICK, ×
SENECA STEEL.
SMALL CHORD SPICER.
GEORGE HERRING.

The Weather.-There has not been in the memory of any living man, so violent a change in the weather, as that which was experienced during the early part of the last month. The fruit trees were everywhere rich in promise on the 6th of May, on the 7th they were all struck, as if by an universal plague. The new leaves of the laurel were turned brown; those of the box became white, as if they had been burned by lightning; those of the ivy and arbutus became black, and crumbled in the hand like a cinder. The laburnum trees presented a particularly melancholy appearance; their flowers had just began to shew their golden tresses, when further progress was effectually stopped, and they were already

withered at a time when they ought to have been in full bloom. The thermometer fell as low as 20 on the 7th, being six degrees lower than it had fallen in the month of May, during the last forty years, or perhaps ever before in this climate, at the same season. The clover and rye-grass have been every where nipped and blackened, and pastures generally have retrograded to a serious extent. The stems of potatoes, the stalks and foliage of peas, have been withered to powder.

The Cholera Morbus.-It has been ascertained by the supreme Medical Board of Russia, that the cholera is contagious, that it will sometimes travel against the wind and the monsoon itself, and that, contrary to the opinion hitherto generally received, it is not checked by the approach of the cold season. It has now, we regret to say, reached Gallicia; but the government has taken decisive measures for preventing its importation intoEngland. In many cases it produces immediate death; where that does not take place, and the disease operates more slowly in the destruction of its victim, the symptoms are violent vomiting, with painful cramps, damp clammy sweats, cold and bloodless extremities, burning heat at the stomach, a sudden death-like countenance. The skin under the nails becomes incurvated, the palms of the hands and soles of the feet become shrivelled, and such is the torture endured, that it sometimes requires six persons to hold a patient in bed. The chief remedies are bleeding, calomel, opium, warm covering and friction.

British Museum.-It is with great pleasure we have to announce that the splendid Library of this Institution will in future be open on Saturdays, for the same length of time as on the other days of the week. This is a valuable accommo

dation to many literary men, and one, by the way, which they ought long since to have enjoyed. It requires not a little perseverance in the public, to beat down the selfishness and indolence of official personages.

St. Simonism.-A new religious sect under this title, is now making some way among our lively French neighbours, who have always some novel project or other in their heads or on their hands. It has its official newspaper in a philosophical journal, Le Globe, and several mission-aries, who are engaged in organising the Simonian family, not only in the provinces of France, but also in Belgium.

The Duchess of Abrantes.-This distinguished lady, it is said, is engaged in writing memoirs of that portion of the life of Bonaparte, which elapsed between his entrance into the military school of Paris, and his defence of Toulon, hitherto a blank in all the authentic biographies which have been given of that extraordinary person.

Cheap Engravings.-It is understood that the Society for the Diffusion of Knowledge, have taken measures for producing a gallery of portraits of persons, who have been distinguished for giving an impulse to the progress of the sciences and arts. The work is to be executed in the best style, and to be sold in numbers, consisting of four engravings, at a very low price. It is calculated that they must sell twelve thousand numbers before they can clear their expences.

-

A Long Sentence. We suppose that the longest sentence to be found in the English language is that which closes the article upon the subject of reform, in the last number of the Quarterly Review. The sentence in question consists of two pages, of seventeen members, of eighty-four lines, of eight hundred

and sixty-seven words, and four thousand two hundred letters ! ! !

Bishop Kenn.-The Rev. W. L. Bowles is employed in preparing for the press, his second and concluding volume of the Life of Thomas Kenn, deprived Bishop of Bath and Wells, seen in connection with the spirit of the times, political and religious, particularly those great events, the Restoration, and the Revolution in 1688; including the period of Puritanism from 1640, to the death of Cromwell.

Egyptian Writing.-Mr. Champolion, junior, is at present engaged in a course of very interesting archeological lectures, which he delivers at the College de France, and in which he explains the different systems of writing, practised in ancient Egypt. By developing the series of grammatical forms used in the hieroglyphical and hieratical texts, he proposes to establish the identity of the Copt language, with that of the ancient Egyptians.

Roman Relic.-The labourers employed in digging for the foundation of the new Goldsmiths' Hall, some time ago discovered, about fifteen feet from the surface of the ground, a stone about two feet in height, ten inches in width, and five in thickness. A figure of an archer is sculptured in very high relief upon the front face, on the obverse is an urn, near what is supposed to be a tripod. It is evidently a tombstone; but the sages of the Antiquarian Society have elevated it to the honours of a Roman Altar!

Society of Horticulturists.-Ladies are now admissible as members of this society,—a decided improvement, as they are, in the higher ranks of life, much better horticulturists than their lords, generally speaking. We know of no good reason why learned females should not also be admissible to the royal and other societies as well as men.

They shall have, at least, our vote and interest, so far as our influence extends, if ever they be proposed as candidates. How delightful it would be to read a work on Civil Law, by Miss Cornelia LF.R.S. and F.S.A.

Persian Manuscripts.—We learn that the collection of Persian manuscripts, ancient, Turkish, and modern, belonging to Sir W. Ouseley, some of which are connected with the religious doctrines of the Fire Worshippers, are announced for public sale. When examined, we fear that they will not be found of much worth. The East has produced but few valuable compositions, and those have long since been rifled by our translators of all their charms.

Paris Exhibition.-We observe that the French exhibition of paintings and sculpture, by living artists, was opened at the Louvre on the same day that the Royal Academy was thrown open to the British public. In Paris, no entrance money is required. The collection contains 2,670 different specimens of the fine arts, of which 2,238 are pic

tures.

Scientific Expedition.-After an absence of three years, the Chanticleer, we are happy to perceive, has returned from her voyage of scientific research in the southern regions of the globe. The main objects of the expedition were to ascertain the specific ellipticity of the earth, the chronometric difference of meridians on the principal stations of the Atlantic, and to make observations on magnetism and meteorology. In the course of her voyage, the Chanticleer, which was under the command of Captain Foster, visited several of the most interesting parts of the globe, among which was Prince William's Island, supposed to be the most southern tract of land on its surface. Captain

Foster, we regret to add, was accidentally drowned in the river Chagres, in the Isthmus of Panama. We shall look with much interest for the results of this expedition, and we shall here take the liberty to express a hope, that they may not be published in a form which might render them inaccessible to the great mass of the reading classes of society.

The Niger.-Letters have reached town, from which it would appear that the Landers, whose expedition to Africa was announced some time ago, have succeeded in tracing the course of the Niger from Youri to the Bight of Biafra. If this information be correct, a geographical problem of very considerable importance has at length been solved, as several travellers have traced the channel of the Niger to Youri.

Imitative Music.-A blind performer named Werner, is now exhibiting in London, who, with the simple assistance of a guitar, succeeds in producing the effect of a full band of music, consisting of the usual wind instruments. Farther than this, he imitates the crowing of cocks, the chuckling of hens, the barking of dogs, and mewing of cats, with an accuracy that is highly entertaining, and indeed quite surprising, considering the limited means which he uses.

Literary Patronage.-At the last anniversary of that admirable institution, the Literary Fund, the Lord Chancellor presided, and advocated its interests with his usual eloquence. He justly observed, that the public were the true patrons of literary men, and not, as Dr. Johnson had asserted, the booksellers, for these were but the instruments or agents of the public,in affording encouragement to letters.

Zoological Society.-This institution goes on most prosperously. Its present number of fellows, in

cluding ladies, is 814. The number of visitors to the gardens last year, was 234,745; to the museum, 14,323. The receipts during the year amounted to 15,8061, whereas in 1827, they did not exceed 4000l. The Zoological gardens unquestionably form one of the most rational curiosities of which the metropolis can boast.

German Literature.-Previously to the year 1814, the annual average number of new works exposed for sale at the Leipsic fair, did not exceed 2,000. Since that period they have been constantly on the increase; down to the year 1826, they did not exceed 5,000. In 1827, they amounted to 5,108; in 1828, to 5,654; in 1829, to 5,314, and in 1830, to 5,962.

[ocr errors][merged small]
[blocks in formation]

Locke the Philosopher.-Within the last twenty years a subscription has been before the public, for a monument to the great Locke. In very nearly that quarter of a century, no more than 8001. have been collected, and when, at last, it was proposed that a suitable memorial should be erected to the memory of that illustrious philosopher, in either Westminster Abbey or St. Paul's Cathedral, the applicants discovered that the fees required for this indulgence, would leave only a few pounds to requite the sculptor !

Irish Antiquities.It is with pleasure we learn that Mr. Dalton, the well known Irish Antiquary, has issued proposals for publishing the ancient annals of his country. We hope that all those individuals and corporate bodies, who may have it in their power to throw any light upon his researches, will afford him their zealous assistance. The object is truly national, and few persons would be more likely to succeed in accomplishing it than Mr. Dalton.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.-"Caledonnicus" may rest assured, that we never allow partyfeelings to influence our judgment upon literary productions. If he be displeased with our critical opinions, we can only say that, at all events, they are free and unbiassed.

We have received the essays and note of J. P. P; to the former we shall attend in due course; to the latter we reply, that we should be glad to see the article which he proposes to write; we cannot, however, at this moment, pledge ourselves to accept it, as much will depend upon the manner, as well as the

matter.

Mr. J. R. B. (of Bath) has our most cordial wishes for his success; but we cannot give enlarged notices of the attempts even of a fellow labourer, unless they be of greater importance than those which he has yet submitted to our inspection. We trust that he will not again talk of hostility, for no such feeling exists as that which he supposes.

With reference to the article in our last number, on "Church Reform," we must, once for all, protest against opening our pages to a controversy which would burthen them, perhaps, for years to come. Those who dispute our views, must state their own through some other channel. We have to acknowledge the receipt of several books and pamphlets upon both sides of the subject, to which we shall very soon return.

N. B. From a variety of letters which we have lately received, we are induced to inform authors, who wish to have their works noticed in proper time, in the MONTHLY REVIEW, that they should uniformly instruct their publishers to forward us one of the earliest impressions. We usually take new publications, for review, in the order in which they are sent to us.

THE

MONTHLY REVIEW.

JULY, 1831.

ART. I.-The Botanical Miscellany; containing Figures and Descriptions of such Plants as recommend themselves by their Novelty, Rarity, or History; or by the Uses to which they are applied in the Arts, in Medicine, and in Domestic Economy; together with occasional Botanical Notices and Information. By W. Jackson Hooker, LL.D. &c., and Regius Professor of Botany in the University of Glasgow. 8vo. pp. 256. London: Murray. 1831.

THIS is one of the few scientific journals that are published in this country, and for the support of which, we fear, no adequate patronage has yet been obtained among those classes who can best afford it. We must, at the same time, commend the spirit with which the enterprize has been undertaken, and the perseverance with which it has been sustained, under circumstances of a discouraging nature, and we most sincerely hope that it may be finally crowned with success. The title of the miscellany sufficiently explains the object which its learned and able conductor has in view. The present number is chiefly devoted to the botany of India and the Malay Islands, and a portion of the South-American continent, and to observations on some plants described in the English Flora of Sir James E. Smith. It contains several well-executed plates, and is accompanied by a supplement of illustrations of Indian botany, beautifully finished and coloured, under the superintendence of Dr. Wight, who, not long since, had charge of the botanical establishment at Madras. The technical portions of the journal seem to be got up with great care; the descriptions of the general character, habitats, and construction of the plants, are very full, though, we think, they would be more acceptable if they were uniformly in our own language. The use of the Latin may render the work more scientific in appearance, and perhaps more useful to foreign professors, who do not understand English; but it necessarily limits the circulation of the Miscellany at home, where, after all, the best market is to be found, and it seals the book to VOL. II. (1831.) NO. III.

Y

« ZurückWeiter »