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as well as he was able; and after poring over the pages of the most celebrated mathematical works, we have been unable to find any such kind of expressions. We have therefore concluded that our correspondent, in his haste, made some mistake in writing his formula, as we certainly believe him to be a gentleman of mathematical attainments.

We hope that either Mr. A. Y. or some other person, will favor us with an explanation of this magic formula, which Mr. A. Y. informs us is possessed of such wondrous power.

BOSTON HIBERNIAN LYCEUM.

A SOCIETY has lately been organized in this city, under the name of the 'Boston Hibernian Lyceum,' whose object is the elevation and improvement of that class who are either natives of Ireland, or of Irish parentage.

Its projectors being aware of the prejudices which now exist towards the people of that unfortunate nation, have endeavored to unite the services and assistance of the young men of that country, which is their adopted home-that thus their combined exertions may be secured to elevate and improve the rising generation in all that may serve to remove that prejudice, and make them useful and virtuous members of society. The following circular is now published in furtherance of the object-confidently anticipating that their laudable exertions will be seconded and approved by an enlightened and generous community.

TO THE GENEROUS PUBLIC.

The undersigned, a Committee appointed for the purpose, respectfully beg leave to call your attention to a Society of Young Men recently organized in this city, under the name of the BOSTON HIBERNIAN LYCEUM, for mutual improvement in the various subjects deemed deserving the attention of its members, and calculated to aid in qualifying them for the important responsibilities which, as members of an enlightened community and supporters of a free government, they will soon be called to assume.

Aware, from the general expression of public sentiment, of the confidence entertained in the utility of similar associations, we deem it unnecessary on this occasion to urge their claims to your support.

While, however, we feel a pride in acknowledging the success of cotemporary associations, we regret to say that many of our countrymen withhold their aid and influence under the mistaken idea of inequality, or want of confidence, and an unfortunate, but prevailing opinion, that their fellowship is not desired.

This Society had its origin in the conviction, that another added to the number already successfully maintained, designed to address itself more particularly for its interest and success to the class of young men who may feel themselves embraced in the name under which it has been organized, might become extensively useful in affording opportunity for social intercourse with young Americans, and uniting the services of those who wish to assist them in diffusing a taste for improvement among its members.

Its past success and increasing prosperity have afforded happy confirmation of our hopes.

To encourage a taste already awakened, this society has commenced the collection of a small Library of Books, Periodicals &c., to which it is designed each member may have free access.

From the desire, however, of bringing it within the power of every young man to join, the whole expense of membership has not been permitted to exceed the average of $2 a year.

The discharge of the necessary expenses of rent, fixtures, &c. &c., have required all our funds, and forbid the hope of being able to appropriate any portion in aid of this object. Unwilling, notwithstanding, to abandon a project designed to aid the cause in which this community are known to entertain a deep interest, they have adopted this method of appealing to the liberality of that portion of the community, whose known character affords sufficient guarantee of the result of their application.

Any further information may be obtained on application to the following gentlemen, to whom they have leave to refer.

Boston, Jan. 29, 1834.

MR. JAMES BOYD, 27 Merchants' Row.

MR. JAMES MEANS, 49 India Street.
MR. ABRAHAM HOWARD, 30 Central Wharf.
MR. ISAAC MEANS, 14 Central Wharf.
GEO. S. HILLARD, Esq. 11 Court Street.
REV. JOHN S. STONE, Temple Place.
WILLIAM SULLIVAN, Esq. Court Square.

ORIGINAL MISCELLANY.

SCIENTIFIC DOINGS.So little has been done the last few weeks, that no interesting items have been collected. Whether the removal of the government deposites has had any influence upon the progress of scientific bodies, we leave for others to determine. One thing, however, is certain, viz., that an intellectual poverty is beginning to be manifested. Solar influences are very unfavorable to profound thought, and particularly when the sun shines with summer splendor in the middle of February, as it does at the moment of penning this remark.

GOOD'S BOOK OF NATURE, Abridged from the original work, and adapted to the reading of children and youth, with questions, for the use of schools, is no catch-penny affair; and we can conscientiously recommend it to parents. With such a book as this, the young may and will be made wiser and better. In the next number, two weeks hence, a regular semi-monthly review of new books will be commenced, and this work will then be critically analysed.

SAND AT SEA.-The following items are from the notes of a Boston gentleman of our acquaintance, now abroad. If any of our readers will explain to us in a more satisfactory manner than the journalist, certain phenomena, they will much oblige.

OCT. 10, 1833. Lat. 50 N. Long. 30 W. Do you recollect what Byron says, in the Corsair, I think, about the shining of the water in the Levant, in the night? If not, look for it. I never saw it so bright as it is this evening. It is very dark, the clouds are not heavy, the stars overhead shine through them; but about the horizon, it looks like half an hour before a a snow-storm begins. As far as the eye can reach, in every direction, the water shows as many blazes as there are stars in the sky; every ripple on it is a light. There is a good breeze, but not heavy; we have all sail set, going eight knots an hour. When the vessel stirs the water, it is very light. The moon at the full would not give more light on the sails than this does. I can read by it, but it is not steady.

When the vessel drives into the water, off of a swell, it makes a greater movement of the surrounding water than when her motion is more regular; therefore the light is in flashes. The wake or track of the vessel is seen further astern than in the day-time. The light is not red or glaring, like that of a fire, but silvery, more like the moon. I do not recollect seeing it very bright in high latitudes, except in an east wind, and never in clear weather. It is quite common in the Levant; and once, in the North Sea, I saw it very bright, and read a chapter in a common-size Bible by it. The wind was then westerly.

OCT. 13. Lat. 10 N. Long. 27 W. Did you ever hear of the sands of the African deserts blowing a long way from them? We are now 600 miles west of the most western part of Africa, Cape Verd. Yesterday our sails were covered with sand, so much as to have the appearance of rusty iron, or sails that had been tanned with bark; and all about the yards and masts aloft, it was the Last night we had a heavy rain, which washed them clean, so to-day there is not the least appearance of it. I have heard of this before, but had much doubt of it. It must be very fine: we are not sensible of it, until we find the sails colored. We have had a brisk breeze from the east for several days.

same.

OCT. 16. Lat. 10 N. Long. 26 W. We had two visiters from the shore on the 14th,-two common swallows: they appeared tired, and would rest a little while at a time, on the yards; but, there being a considerable swell and but little wind, so that when the vessel rolled they lost their equilibrium, they were obliged to fly. They remained with us till night, and then left us: where they went, I do not know. Yesterday, another more unexpected than the former, a butterfly. I do not know that the land is within 500 miles. The poor fly must have had a long journey, and a fair wind helped him, no doubt, materially.

DEC. 25. Lat. 12° 40′ N. Long. 48 W. The breeze continues fine and favorable: latitude to-day at noon, 12° 40'. These last two days we have run 380 miles. Flying-fish abundant as grasshoppers in June, at home. The sails are again covered with red sand, as they were on the passage out. We are at least 1800 miles from the nearest point of the African coast. How is it possible that the sand should be blown so far? If it does not come from Africa, whence does it come? The wind here is at all times of the year from the eastward. If it be not sand, what is it? There has never been any other account given for the color of the masts and sails than this;

and when a rain comes, it is all gone, and the masts and sails are restored to their original color again: nor have I ever heard of its occurring in any other part of the world than this.

Ꭲ .

CHEMISTRY.-What has become of our former correspondents on chemistry? It is quite desirable to know what is doing these days in this interesting science. Since the death of Sir Humphrey Davy, no works of consequence seem to have made their appearance. There is no want of students, however, to keep the present amount of knowledge alive, but it must be confessed, that in this country, at least, a most woful neglect is perceivable among the admirers of this useful department of human wisdom, in concentrating the experience and discoveries of the day.—Any communications on this subject, as advertisers say, will be thankfully received.

IMMENSITY OF THE UNIVERSE.-Baron Zach, an eminent astronomer, computes that there may be a thousand millions of stars in the heavens. If we suppose each star to be a sun, and attended by ten planets, (leaving comets out of the calculation,) we have ten thousand millions of globes like the earth, within what are considered the bounds of the known universe. As there are suns to give light throughout all these systems, we may infer that there are eyes also to behold it, and beings, whose nature in this one important particular, is analogous to our own. To form an idea of the infinitely small proportion which our earth bears to this vast aggregate of systems, let us suppose 5000 blades of grass to grow upon a square yard, from which we find, by calculation, that a meadow one mile long by two thirds of a mile in breadth, will contain 10,000 millions of blades of grass. Let us then imagine such a meadow stretches out to the length of a mile before us; and the proportion which a single blade of grass bears to the whole herbage on its surface, will express the relation which our earth bears to the known universe!

But even this is exclusive, probably, of millions of suns, 'bosomed' in the unknown depths of space, and placed forever beyond our ken, or the light of which may not have had time to travel down to us since the period of their creation.

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