fouthern ocean, and to have observed the natives, of both sexes, of the Friendly and Sandwich islands, &c. almost inceffantly swimming in the neighbouring ocean, and braving the waves when running frightfully high, either skimming over the liquid precipices, with all the facility of the finny race, or shooting through the basis of watery mountains, and re-appearing on the fummit of the waves, not only without difmay, but enjoying the daring exertion with strong expreffions of fatisfaction, and that too for many hours together, would almost induce us to believe, that man is more nearly allied to the scaly tribe than is generally imagined.

The celebrated Dr. Franklin, that friend of philofophy and of man, observes, that the whole human frame is specifically lighter than water, the head only excepted, which confifting principally of bone, strong and compacted, for the defence of the brain, is confequently heavier than its cubical fize of water; and he adds, were it not from timidity, we cannot naturally fink. He bids us look to the African, or the Indian, who can fit, lie, and stand, almost on the furface of the ocean, in its calm or perturbed state; or darting along, with a sharp-pointed knife in his hand, can engage, in mortal combat, the voracious shark, and vanquish the scaly monster in his own element! So that, if in this respect, it is not " confcience," it is timidity, that "makes cowards of us all."

Bathing, therefore, must prove highly conducive to health; and medical men affure us, that, in many cafes, arifing from a relaxed state of the nervous fyftem, fea-bathing is, in general, a fovereign remedy. Swimming, however, must be the most certain mode of deriving advantage from bathing; as, by stretching the limbs in the briny fluid, the whole system of nerves, arteries, and veins, receive a new and invigorating tone, and the most pleasing sensations pervade the whole frame.

This is the purest exercise of health;

And that fame Roman arm,

Which rose victorious o'er the conquer'd earth,
First learn'd, when tender, to fubdue the wave.

THOMSON'S SUMMER.

The public baths of this town are very pleasantly fituated without the West-gate. They were built, a few years ago, by the late eminent phyfician, Dr. Hall. They are now the property of Edw. Kentish, M. D. who has made many neceffary improvements, in respect both to particular conveniences, as alfo in the general appearance of the place. He has also added an apparatus for giving the gaseous fluids, in diseases for which their use experience has found falutary: and, in order to extend the benefits of the institution, he has lately reduced the terms of bathing.

They confift of medicated vapour baths, hot, tepid, or of Buxton temperature; together with enclosed cold baths for ladies and gentlemen; also a large open, or fwimming bath, where young gentlemen acquire this necessary and useful art, free from the danger of those fatal accidents which too frequently happen in large rivers, or deep ponds.

The fituation is peculiarly inviting; it encloses a large area, elegantly laid out with gravel-walks, bordered with a variety of fragrant flowers: the whole being furrounded and interfected with lines of ornamental shrubbery.

BENEFIT SOCIETIES.

SOCIETIES, of voluntary affsociation, have been found, by experience, to answer the most valuable purposes. They tend greatly to leffen the poor-rate, which has been, in many towns and counties, during the late preffures, an intolerable burden upon the induftrious and middling claffes of the community.--They are alfo highly favourable in their moral influences upon the characters of their members. By operating as a stimulus to frugality and industry, they counteract the pernicious tendency of parochial relief, which manifeftly encourages idleness and diffipation. The lower class have little profpect of being able, individually, to lay up a comfortable provision for old age; but by entering fuch focieties, they may fecure these ineftimable advantages, without being too much degraded. With these views, many a poor member depofits here his shilling, when he has not another in the world. Indeed it is evident, that there are many, even in the lowest stations, who would prefer support erned by their own exertion, however painful or laborious, to that received from a parifh. They likewife actuate the members of which they the are composed, with fraternal affection; and their wise and laudable regulations against vice and profaneness have tended to polish and civilize their manners, with more effect than even the statute-laws of the realm. While their fick and aged members are, in general, provided for with humanity and attention.

However diverfified the mode of their respective administration, the manner of conducting their annual meetings, or head-meeting days, the different ages of admitting or rejecting candidates, giving more or less to their fick and aged, a greater or less fum for funeral expences of deceased brethren or fifters, and legacies to their surviving relations or friends; however various these regulations are, yet one general principle pervades the whole,---a tendency to promote the general good of the fociety, and embrace in its advantages all the members of which it is compofed.

In general, a fick or disabled member is allowed fix fhillings per week during a certain specified number of weeks; then reduced to one half that fum, till the member, by a lingering disorder, or disability to work, has exhausted all his fick-money; he then becomes a penfioner for life, and commonly receives half-a-crown or three shillings per week. The funeral expences are about forty or fifty shillings, and fometimes three pounds. The legacy to the widow is from fix to ten pounds; with which she frequently trades in a small way, and, with the parish allowance, supports herself and her fatherless children.

There are between thirty and forty of these societies of men in this town, which, together, confift of not less than five thousand members. It is fuppofed there are nearly the fame number of female benefit focieties, focieties, which are, in general, more numerous than those of the men.

To detail these circumstances is far from being beneath the dignity of hiftory. Homo fum, et 'nibil humani a me alienum puto."---I am a man, and am concerned in whatever interests man,---was one of the finest sayings of antiquity.

SCHOOLMASTER'S ASSOCIATION.

We have already mentioned the names of the schoolmasters in Newcastle, and have observed how greatly the rich shops, warehouses, and extensive compting-houses are indebted to that useful class of the community, for the accuracy and expedition with which their quondam pupils are capable of tranfacting business. We have only to observe further, respecting these gentlemen, that whilst they, as clerks, direct the concerns of the numerous benefit societies, they are not inattentive to their own.

November 19, 1774, was held (fays Mr. Brand, in his 2d vol. p. 547) at Newcastle upon Tyne, the first meeting of the affociation of schoolmasters in the north of England. The object of the society, in this inftitution, was the relief of their distressed and aged brethren, and their widows and orphans. He adds, in a note, "See a pamphlet, intitled, An Address to the Public in behalf of the Aflociation among Proteftant Schoolmasters,' &c.

The regulations observed in conducting the concerns of this institution, are such as became enlightened men to plan, and men of integrity to execute. We will not, however, trouble our readers with a detail of the rules of this association; only, they are upon