32 On the State of Covent Garden and Drury-lane Theatres. [Feb. 1, sublime scenery in sailing up the river to the town. Montreal, on the other hand, has no feature of sublimity. The town, from its low situation, attracts no attention at a distance. The river expands before it to a breadth of four miles, and is embellished with wooded islands. The surrounding country is rich and fertile, but as flat as Essex. In the island of Montreal however (which is thirty miles long by about fourteen broad), there rises a beautiful mountain of the softest contour, and completely isolated: it is crowned with timber, cultivated to the top, and dotted over with gentlemen's seats and farm-houses. The interior of Montreal, as to its plan, buildings, and streets, is superior to Quebec. Montreal is not the capital of Upper Canada, nor within that province at all. The river Otowa falls into the St. Laurence near the west end of the isle of Montreal; its stream is nearly as large as the latter; but being obstructed by ridges of rocks, which form a succession of cataracts; it is not navigable. It takes its rise near the north coast of Lake Huron, not of Lake Superior. The population of the two chief Canadian towns is nearly equal; that is, each about 16,000 souls. Quebec has the appearance of being more crowded, from the crews of the shipping that frequent it, there being sometimes 200 sail in the basin. Montreal is rapidly increasing, and its improvements keep pace with its increase. It bids fair to take a foremost rank among transatlantic cities. They have lately erected there a fine monument to the memory of Nelson. It is extraordinary that there is none erected at Quebec to commemorate Wolfe, to whom we are indebted for the possession of the country, and who, like Nelson, died on the spot in the arms of victory. The French language is spoken gene rally in the lower province: there are but few remains of the French in Upper Canada; these passed over from Detroit rather than live under the government of the United States, when that Eden of North America, the south side of the lakes, was given up in 1793. The majority of the inhabitants are American royalists and settlers from the States.— They fully evinced their loyalty and courage in defence of their adopted country during the late war. The exports of the Canadas are, peltry, lumber, corn, and potash. The North-west Company has no charter. The trade is open to any one who chuses to embark in it; but the experiment would be very hazardous. There have been several desultory accounts and travels of the country published; of these, Weld's Travels, made more than twenty years ago, is the best. A well written and correct history of this important colony is still wanting. AMERICUS. London, Jan. 6, 1818. IN reply to your Greek correspondent, who animadverts upon my comparisons between the two London theatres, it is only necessary to state, that "facts are stubborn things." The gas-lights at Covent Garden evidently occasion a considerable saving of expense; and as to the state of the pit on the night of opening that house, it is a fact that the editor of a respectable morning paper was prevented from noticing it only by the manager calling upon him to promise that the grievance should be remedied. It is also a fact which cannot be denied, that the lobby at Drury-lane theatre was constructed for the public accommodation. Unless your correspondent can bring forward evidence to disprove these allegations, all that he says must pass for vox et præterea nihil. Bath, Jan. 8, 1818. T. Q. MEDICAL MISCELLANIES.-BY A PHYSICIAN. HYDROPHOBIA. ALTHOUGH there is no other certain preventive of this cruel malady but cutting out the part bitten; and although no effectual method of cure has yet been found to stop the malady when it has once commenced, yet there is reason to believe that the disease is of a highly inflammatory nature, from some dissec tions which have been made, and consequently that early and copious bloodletting, after all, bids fairest towards a cure. A labouring man was lately bitten by a dog at Portsmouth, and five or six weeks afterwards became affected with hydrophobia. He was visited by Mr. Webster of the 51st regiment, and se veral other medical gentlemen; butdied 1818.] Tic Douloureux-Diseases of Children-Bath. on the third day of the disease. Al- TIC DOULOUREUX; OR NERVOUS FACE- This is a terrible disease, and has too often resisted every remedy. The nerves of the face have even been divided, and but a temporary mitigation of suffering has ensued. Calomel and opium given till the mouth becomes sore, and kept at that pitch for some time, have occasionally succeeded. Lately, Mr. Bailey, a surgeon, of Ipswich, has drawn the attention of the medical world to the use of Extract of Belladonna in this tormenting malady, and relates several cases where it has proved successful. He gives it in doses of a grain or two twice a day, till some constitutional effect is produced, or till the pain is relieved. DISEASES OF CHILDREN. The UNIVERSAL DISPENSARY for diseases of children, lately instituted in London, bids fair to be of the greatest service to medical science: Dr. Davis, one of the able physicians of that institution, publishes quarterly reports in the Medico-Chirurgical Journal of the diseases; which reports are fraught with the most important information. — Throughout these reports we observe one striking phenomenon, the great power which children possess of sustaining evacuations both from the bowels and the circulation, by purging and bleeding.Indeed these two remedies are of all others, the most essential in the treatment of infantile diseases, and did practitioners employ them strenuously and early, many an innocent and interesting victim would be snatched from a prema Dr. Sanders, of Edinburgh, has just published in the last number of the Chirurgical Journal, some important observations on this subject. He shews that the spinal marrow is almost always compressed by turgid blood-vessels in spasmodic and convulsive diseases. NEW MONTHLY MAG,-No. 49. 33 ture grave! Parents cannot be too attentive to this important subject. NITRO-MURIATIC ACID BATH. This remedy is now becoming so ge. neral in bilious diseases, that some account of it may be acceptable. A bath for the feet and legs of medium strength is thus formed. Take half an ounce of nitric acid, and half an ounce of muriatic acid, mix them in two gallons of warm water, and immerse the feet and legs for 20 minutes or half an hour, every night before going to bed, in this bath. It ought to be kept in a wooden bucket, and a part of it warmed up every time it is used in an earthen vessel, and added to the rest. This bath will do for five or six nights in succession, when the ingredients are to be renewed. When continued for some time, it occasionally induces faintness, and a nervous irritation, or restlessness, with sometimes head-ache, purging, and bad taste in the mouth. It increases the secretion of bile for a time, and therefore is proper where that fluid is scanty. But this is too generally the case in this country, that little need be apprehende.. from it in the whole range of bilious disorders. Indeed a most erroneous idea prevails respecting the superabundance of bile in what are termed bilious complaints; for in nine-tenths of them there is a deficiency or depraved quality o this important secretion. In the diseases, however, to which the bath is applicable, we have some of the following symptoms, viz. - Derangement of the stomach, giddiness, feverish heat, headaches, restlessness at night, cramps and spasms, melancholy, and those unhappy feelings to which the term NERVOUS has been applied. In such cases the bath will give rise to the expulsion of darkcoloured motions, or bright-coloured bile, or bile of various colours. It is necessary, therefore, to take some opening medicine occasionally, while using the bath, and if it be continued for a sufficient length of time, it will conduce much to a restoration of health. See Dr. JOHNSON's recent work on the Influence of the Atmosphere on Health, page 289. The following is an excellent form for antibilious pills:-Take compound extract of colocynth, one drachm; calomel, one scruple; tartarized antimony, two grains; oil of cassia, six drops-make into twentyfour pills, one, two, or three occasionally at bed time. On the Death of the Princess CHARLOTTE. Sad are the sounds which swell the ev'ning gale, As slow it sweeps its breezy course along; The shades of death in thickening pomp prevail, [song. And Pleasure hush'd suspends her airy 'Tis Beauty's knell that strikes the list'ning [vale afar From yon grey tower, which down the Casts its dark shadow through the rolling year ear, In the calm light of eve's unclouded star. Soft through the mellow'd twilight of the grove [strain, The harp of sorrow breathes a plaintive As o'er its strings her dewy fingers move, While to the requiem fairy forms complain. Yes!-to the cold relentless hand of death Britannia's hope resigns her peerless bloom, Blends all her charms with Nature's fading wreath, And sinks a martyr to the icy tomb. Yon list'ning moon, along the Cyprian bower Where once the enchanting fair one smil'd serene, [power Cold from her throne of clouds with feeble Sheds her pale light and saddens all the scene. But there, methinks, a widow'd form appears, Nor to that eye had Nature's rural hand One lonely charm unfolded e'er in vain ; The throne of greatness in her opening mind Each bright example of the good and fair. freedom dwell, Thyself remov'd, shall all thy graces smile, Till Time and Virtue bid the world farewell. Nor shall the mockery of unreal woe At folly's shrine insult thy hallow'd shade; And, O! forgive a bard, whose trembling And bow'd, by grief, may chide the loiter- Queen Street, Oxford, Dec. 7. ing day, May breathe her virtues on his pensive ear, And all the sorrows of his soul renew. Yes! the fond thought of what she was, recall'd [gaze before, By each dear scene which charm'd his Just lights that sunless heart-too soon appall'd [more! Where all proclaims-the charmer is no Far from the dull routine of life retir'd, 'Twas her's, in Nature's dearest scenes, to move, [spir'd, Where calmer joys than grandeur e'er inBreathe on the Eden of domestic love. There, with a world of beauty in her eye, Oft would she pass the scenes of grandeur by Or the harp's melting cadence, when ceases the strain, [again. With which, as it dies, the chords vibrate Dec. 11. HENRIETTA MOSSE. LINES ON THE ROYAL INFANT, A throne on earth awaited thee; And father of a mightier race. Vain hope! that throne thou must not fill; Thee shall that nation ne'er behold; Thine ancient house is heirless still; Thy line will never be unroll'd. Yet, while we mourn thy flight from earth, Snatch'd by Eternity from Time. His path to Heav'n:-the meeting there, I thought 'twas hard in youthful age, To quit this fine, delightful stage, No more to view the day; Nor e'er again the night to spend In social converse with a friend, Ingenious, learn'd, and gay. No more in curious books to read Incircled with congenial clay, Oh, horror! by this train of thought The fever raged still more without, At length, with grave yet cheerful air, As summer's evening sun; At sight of whom ecstatic joy Did all that horrid scene destroy, And every fear was gone. Written, on reading the above elegant and If join'd in concert with one voice, pathetic Lines, By E. T. PILGRIM, Esq. of Bath. No frantic "grief," nor anxious "love," Appear'd before the throne: Her cherub flew to realms above, Chaunting-"Thy will be done!"* To those blest words, devoid of guile, A look benign was given ; Attending Angels saw the smile, And caught her up to Heaven. REPENTANCE. [Found among several miscellaneous MS.S. in the hand-writing of a distinguished Statesman, who lived in the early part of the last century.] At midnight, when the fever raged, And tortured me with pain; And hiss'd thro' every vein; Which terrified my heart. The expression used by the Princess Charlotte, when the death of her child was made known to her, Angels at such a change rejoice, I heard their joy exprest; If there be music in the spheres, That music struck my ravish'd ears, And charm'd my soul to rest. 5 Far other scenes that on th' expanse appear Or dead, or dying, ne'er to rise again; plough; The sharpen'd axe, which fells the lifeless But leaving these-the cheerful blazing fires; The young's gay gambols round their smiling sires; The mazy dance; the song; the bursting cries Of merry laughter which each moment rise; The feasts which are o'er bending tables spread That we, Oh happy mortals! may be fed ; The starving robin who so longs to taste, And at our windows chirps for what we waste; The tim'rous hare who shrinks from piercing cold, [hold; While the hot sportsman drives her from her The sportsman who now runs where once he rang'd [chang'd; At leisure, wond'ring how bright Nature's Nature herself, who smil'd in fair array; The hours which bring the speedy close of day; [drear The night which casts a gloom so dark, so All, all remind me of the op'ning year. LINES G. J. B. Addressed to my Sister, on the 21st Anniversary of her Birthday. When thou wert in thine infancy, And sported in our native bow'rs, And I thy playmate us'd to be In that gay round of life's young hours; This was the blithest day we knew, Which in thy book of years display'd Another spotless leaf to view, Where all life's passing scenes were laid. Those days of childhood now are fled; Thy years of youth have glided on : The book of time again is spread; Its leaves are turn'd to twenty-one. Come, let us trace the record through, Up to this age of perfect youth: How spotless is the tablet's hue; How bright with innocence and truth. Fair written in thine early age; And winning look that knows no shame. Here prudence with reserve unites Improvement, industry, and care; [Feb. 1, And, above all, sublime and bright, Gay smiling scenes are scatter'd round Oh! without stain of tears or grief, Through all thy course of future years! 3, Durham Place, Chelsea. W. P. |