can be more interesting than to fee, in a large hall, feveral different claffes, each of which occupies a table, over which prefides a young mafter, who exercifes his utmost attention to prepare the members of it for paffing into the hands of the profeffors. The young director cannot, however, grow too proud of his place; for when he leaves the table where he fat as mafter, he, goes to another in quality of a fcholar; perhaps under one of his juniors, whom he had just before fuperintended.The Chevalier related with pleafure, that the under drawing-master, a youth of ten years old, giving an account of thofe under his care, faid of one of them, "I think we fhall never be able to do any thing with him; and I am afraid he will turn out ill in life." This anecdote is related, amongst others of the fame kind, to fhew that the children attach themselves to the inftitution, and confider their honour as interested in its fuccefs.-They are instructed in languages, hiftory, literature, geography, mathematics, drawing, mufic, fencing, and dancing. Care is taken to communicate learning to them gradually; and, as oftentation is of no account, they are not in a hurry to acquire learning only for fhow. He rather prefers leaving their minds long on the fame study, that they may the better imbibe it; and his method of employing the more able, to affift the lefs able, is alfo very proper to make that enter into the judgment, which moft mafters only place in the me mory. 3. The Chevalier Paulet derives an advantage from his fituation which can not belong to every schoolmaster. Being at liberty to apply his pupils to the profeffion for which they feem moft fit, he is not afraid of being defired to make a mathematician of one whom nature has defigned for fome mechanic employment. The caprices of pa rents do not here fruftrate the intentions of nature. It is true that gendemen's fons are qualified for study, while the children whom he intends for trade, only learn reading, writing, and accompts. But the Chevalier ftops no body in the full exertion of their talents; and having acquired, by a long obfervation, the art of feeing the extent of a child's genius, and of perceiving their turn of mind, in fpite of their inconftancy, his fuccefs is incredible.-A boy, twelve years old, the fon of a foldier, read to us a paftoral of his own compofition in three languages; and the purity of the Latin and French gave us a good opinion of the German. Many of them are good tranflators, and fone fpeak English tolerably well. A youth of fourteen had himself the charge of a clafs of geometry; and read to us, at the fame time, a differtation on Horace and Boileau, which fhewed wit and judg ment. Two of his pupils have been fent to Rome, to perfect themselves in painting the apartments are orna mented with their drawings. The Chevalier pointed out a picture to us, which one of them had finished with out afliftance; it is the refurrection of the fon of the widow of Naim. A celebrated artist of Paris, after having mucl: praised it, wifhed to make fome obfervations to the young composer: the looks of the young man who was restored, appeared to him too anima ted. "The hand (faid he) is stretched towards his mother with too much action; he is too much alive for a man that is coming out of the grave.”"In my opinion (answered the young artift) Jefus did not raife him as a phyfician, but as a God." He was thirteen years old. The Chevalier has feen extraordinary talents for mufic difplay themselves, by a like liberty given to the natural difpofition. One of his teachers on the violin, aged fifteen years, has made an opera, which he fays manifefts genius: and we heard a concerto on the harp, a fonata on the harpsichord, and very agreeable fymphonies; the compofers of which were amongst the performers. It would be impoffible 1 the musicians, to guefs their age.-A prefident of the Parliament of Bourdeaux, who was vifiting this inftitution, it is faid, was fo much ftruck with the abilities of a scholar of fourteen, in inftructing his clafs, that he afked him of the Chevalier, to make him tutor to his fon, of eight years old. The double employment of learning and of teaching, muft certainly raife in this fchool a feminary of good maf impoffible for thofe who had not feen had compofed a catechifm, as plain as poffible, with the doctrine he had to inculcate; and conceiving it abfurd to give for trial to the capacity of a child that which requires the reafon of a man, he had refolved that this part of inftruction fhould be the laft, and the beft taken care of: but he has recei ved fo many reprefentations, and knows fo well the officious zeal of bigotry in calumniating the most innocent intentions, that he has again made ufe of the common catechifm, and teaches it to children. But, in fpite of the clamour of fome of the clergy, he has proteftants in his house; and, as they are educated in the fame manner as the Roman catholics, toleration is not fo much in queftion with them as a true unanimity. ters. When the intended additions fhall be completed, and when the Chevalier has in his houfe three or four hundred people chiefly intended for the arts, with workshops and good artifts, one cannot doubt but that, in a fhort time, he will form able perfons of every defcription. Always intent on confulting nature, he watches the firft emotions of curiofity in a pupil, at the fight of the arts with which he is furrounded. Should a young novice be uneafy and agitated at the fight of a machine of which he wants to difcover the principles, his fagacious patron fees a path pointed out; and, accuftoming his fingers to the pencil, and his head to calculation, continually of fers him new models, and engages him either to follow them, or to exercife his own invention.-In the mean time, all the arts being affembled in his houfe, the artifts gain an univerfal knowledge, and improve by the light they reflect on one another. Other artifts, in general, are not well acquainted even with their own profeffion, from being confined to that alone. 4. The care of morals is attended to, as well as the culture of the mind. "I cannot (fays the Chevalier) make diftinguished characters of all my scholars, but they may all become honeft people. Very different this, from those modern philofophers who make a practice of feparating morals from religion, that they may the easier deftroy them one after the other: the Chevalier makes it his study to unite them. He We have feen how much the intent of this inftitution is conducive to the fpreading of principles of equity, of moderation, and of mildnefs, among them; and to the inculcating mutual love. But the Chevalier explained the intention of feveral regulations of lefs importance, which tended to prevent vice, and to produce their effect without fhewing their defign. He takes off from his vigilance the ap pearance of diftruft, and contrives fome probable reafon which hinders curiofity from being gratified at the expence of morals. Experience has fhewn him, that the most efficacious method of furmounting the dangerous effervefcence of puberty, confifted in violent exercifes; which, by fatiguing the body, quiet the imagination; and, by furnishing innocent public recreation for youth, fave them from the dangers of folitude and idleness.— Each hour has its employment; even walking has its rules and, as all the motions are accompanied with martial music, a beat of the drum is fufficient to affemble all the young people that are difperfed, and to bring them to their colours. This difcipline has not the inconvenience of the authority of mafters, which they are foon accuft omed omed to elude.-The Chevalier, in giving his pupils the charge of themfelves, has found how to fpare them lies, deceit, and all that apprenticeship of falsehood, to which children ufe themselves, to avoid constraint, and the arbitrary punishment of their teachers. If there is an opportunity of giving an useful leffon, or a good example, the Chevalier does not fail to make ufe of it.-A young foldier had been received into the invalids, who had quitted the fervice with the admiration of his corps. He was carrying bombs, in a garrifon that was under fiege, for the fervice of a battery, and had his right arm taken away by a ball, which alfo wounded one of his comrades. "Poor fellow! (faid he) was not there already mifchief enough done, for you to be fpared?" Then caufing his load to be put on his left fhoulder, he added, that he was bound to ferve his country as long as he had an arm left. Paris was refounding with the praifes of this young hero, when the Chevalier refolved that the prefence of this brave foldier fhould excite the emulation of his pupils. After having related the fact, he adds, that this hero intended him the honour of dining with him, and that he invited all thofe of his scholars to meet him whose names were not fet down in the registers for any fault; fince to deserve to fit in company with a man who had fo well fulfilled his duty, the party must never have neglected his own. The Chevalier retires, the council affembles, the registers are confulted, and many of the young people find themselves excluded. Not a complaint, not a murmur, is heard. They receive the maimed foldier with military honours; he is informed of all that paffed; and the Chevalier concludes by faying, that in order to reward the repentance and fubmiffion of thofe who had not been admitted, they might furround the table, and drink his health. It is not probable that this fcene will ever cease to be engraved on the hearts of thefe young people, or fail to leave deeper impreffions than all the precepts of a fuperficial education. 5. It now remains to give fome account of the economical part of the plan, to which the Chevalier Paulet attaches himself very much: first, because frugality is beneficence; and, in the next place, he has obferved, that whatever fuperfluous expence is retrenched, fome vice receives a check. For instance, he has difcharged from his house mercenary domeftics, a certain source of corruption. The scholars having the care of the house by turns, learn early that ufeful occupations do not debafe any one; and they themselves buy most of the things for the public wants, which is an apprenticeship of life.There is no authority or dependence among them but what is reciprocal, and confequently without danger.Their drefs is fimple, but neat. In each divifion there are fome who are intrufted with inventories of the linen and furniture, and these give an account to others, who are to examine and fee that nothing is loft, and that all that is worn be repaired in time.Each pupil is committed to the care of another, and when any negligence is obferved, they not only blame the one immediately guilty, but him who in quality of infpector ought to take care of him.-The young gentlemen are not exempted from domeftic employments; they prefide like the rett over the kitchen, with this diftinction, that they do not put their hands to any thing. When the Chevalier fhall have improved his plan, and has in his house the neceffary workmen, he will not have recourfe to any ftrange tradefmen. He has in particular resolved to give a large extent of land for cultivation, and to form a great number of gardeners; not only to provide them with the refource of an ufeful occupation, but alfo to profit by their labour, and fell the productions of his garden in the metropolis. If he is deceived in his calculations, his benevolence alone has feduced him into ertor. Always animated by grand motives, he feems to forget all that he has done, to think of what he may yet do. The execution of his new plans requiring adequate means, the king has granted him the annual fum of 32,000 livres, to replace the intereft of the capital he applies to his new buildings, the plan of which may ferve as a model to all establishments of this kind. This worthy man is entirely devoted to the cares of this large family; he thinks and acts only for his children. His equipage confifts only in a little phaeton; and coarfe linen and a mean coat compofe is apparel. This neglect of himself has fomething moving and great; it fhews forgetfulnefs of himself, and a perfect indifference for all but his chief object.-Endow ed with great activity, he undertakes every thing without confufion and with out noife. He ftudies all tempers; he corrects the defects of youth with patience; and encourages thofe that do well by praifes, not fo much intended to excite felf-love, as to create a defire of furpaffing themfelves. As for those who do not fucceed, he never puts them to the bluth: "They are unhappy enough (fays he) in want ing abilities and application, and they are punished enough by the fhame of studying under their juniors." A welljudged indulgence is the ground-work of his method. He loves his pupils too well not to be beloved by them. It was very interefting to obferve their fentiments differing with their ages. They had no fervile fear, but an ho neft confidence animated their looks. They anfwer ftrangers who speak to them with a modeft affurance. Diffatisfaction is lefs felt there than in any other place of education, because the greater part of the youth are employed in what they chufe, and becaufe their ftudies are varied with useful recreations and walks. Their patron interefts himself in their amufements as well as in their labours. “They must be happy (fays he) that they may be good." All the pains he takes to finish what he has fo nobly begun, become pleafures. What pure happinefs muft this feeling man enjoy in the midst of these many pupils, to whom, in lieu of mifery, dereliction, idlenefs, vice, and its dangerous confequences, he gives a happy youth, a virtuous education, induftrious habits, an advantageous trade, and returns them back to fociety, after having made them good citizens ! The modefty of this good man is equal to his beneficence. His fchool, established these fifteen or fixteen years, is hardly known at Paris. This obfcurity is his glory; but it is fortunate that he is taken from it, as it is ho ped that fo fine an example will not remain without imitators. On the Origin and Nature of Pumice-ftone. By M. Dolomieu. LTHOUGH Pumice-ftones are exported from the Lipari iflands to every part of Europe, and though great ufe is made of them, yet perhaps there are few fubftances lefs known. No Naturalift has given any fatisfactory account of their nature or formation; their lightnefs and property of fwimming in water has been confidered as their effential character, tho' this property does not conftitute a fpeVOL. VII. No 41. T: cies, but merely a variety. It has been fuppofed, that their bafis was afbeftus, or amianthus, altered by fire; because that fpecies of pumice-itone made ufe of in the arts has a filamentous texture and filky appearance. They have been confounded with the black, light and fpongy scoriæ of volcanoes, which have been very improperly called by the fame name; in fhort, all who have mentioned this fofil have only feen the the light variety of it, and confequent- a fubftance is capable of, fo as ftill to ly must have had a very imperfect idea of the whole fpecies. The effential character of pumiceftones confifts in their being of a white, or of a light-grey colour; in being of a coarse grain; of a fibrous ftructure; in having long deep pores with a fhining, vitreous, or filky appearance: they are, in general, lighter than the common folid lavas, and much lefs hard; they never contain iron; and it is to the absence of this metal that a part of their properties must be attributed. Moreover, pumice-ftones differ from one another in denfity, folidity, and weight, and they are white in proportion to their levity. They may be divided into four fpecies. The first, which are grey, have a close grain, their pores and fibres are not very obvious, they are of confiderable weight and great folidity, and their fracture is fomewhat g'affy. Thefe are made ufe of, as they are easily wrought, for the corner-ftones of houfes, and in the conftruction of walls; the town of Lipari is almost entirely built of them. The fecond are likewife grey, but more porous than the preceding fpecies; their fibrous ftructure is more diftinct, and they are lighter; but still they do not fwim in water. They are employed in the conftruction of vaults, and great quantities of them are exported from Lipari, to be employed in the fame manner in the maritime cities of Naples and Sicily. The third are the light pumice-ftones; thefe are porous, and of a diftinct fibrous texture; they have a filky appearance in their fracture, they fwim in water, and, to a tolerable degree of confiftence, add a rough grain that makes them proper for polishing marbles and metals: thefe only are the fubftances known as pumice-ftone in other countries. The fourth fpecies is a very white ftone, exceedingly light, of a very loose texture, and of little confiftence; it feems to have been driven to the highest degree of rarifaction that preferve fome union among its parts. This variety is of no ufe. When it falls into the fea, it fwims, and is carried to great distances. It is often found on the fhores of Sicily, of Calabria, and of Naples. We might perhaps make a fifth fpecies that would comprehend the white afhes of Lipari, which have been formed of the fame foffils rarified by fire, fo as to deftroy the connec tion and aggregation of their parts, by which means they receive a fort of volatilization, and are pulverized. Pumice-ftones feem to have flowed in a liquid form like lava, and to have made, like them, great currents, which are found at different depths incumbent upon one another round the group of mountains in the centre of Lipari. They are thus heaped up in immenfe homogeneous maffes, on which they always open the quarries for the digging of fiones fit for building: the heavy pumice is always undermoft, and the lighter above. This arrangement fhews another conformity with the currents of ordinary lava, for the porous lavas always occupy the fuperior parts; and this difpofition likewife proves the identity of the nature of thefe heavy folid pumice-ftones with thofe that are lighter, and that have lefs confiftence, and demonftrates their great rarifaction or levity not to be an effential character of the genus: the pumiceftones which are in the midst of the afhes refemble the pieces of lava, whe ther compact or porous, that volcanoes throw out in detached maffes. The long fibre of the pumice-ftone is always in the direction of the current; it depends on the femi-fluidity of this lava which runs to a thread like glafs. M. d'Aubenton was the first who obferved that the filky threads of thefe light pumice-ftones were almoft perfect glafs. When we find picces of pumice that have their fibres irregularly bent in every direction, we may conclude that they have been thrown out in detached maffes, with out |