was made in the thigh of a dog, into which were dropped eight grains of the juice. The dog soon began to vomit, and continued vomiting at intervals till he became convulsed, and died in twenty minutes. Six grains were put into the thigh of another, which was seized with the same symptoms, and died in fifteen minutes. A cat was treated in like manner, but the effects were more speedy and powerful: she expired in a few minutes. All these animals died howling, and in great agony. The author also made several experiments on the effects of this poison when applied internally. A grain and a half being introduced into the stomach of a dog, produced only a slight purging. To another were given four grains, which, in about four hours, produced the same effect, together with vomiting, and the dog died in the course of half a day. On examining the bodies of these animals after death, no very extraordinary appearances were discovered; the ventricles of the heart were full of blood, and some slight traces of inflammation appeared in the stomach; but the derangement was not so great as might have been expected from such a violent and sudden death. From this circumstance the author concluded that the absorbents had transmitted the poi son to the nerves of the stomach, and that this peculiar species of vegetable poison acts exclusiv ¡y on the nerves. Mr. RICHARD WALKER, of Oxford, having been for a long time engaged in thermometrical experiments and observations, during which the imperfection of all the scales in use frequently occurred to him, has proposed a new one. It is founded on the principle of 62°. of Fahrenheit, being the point at which the human body in a state of health, is unconscious of either heat or cold, that is, in a state of rest, or when free from any bodily exertion; so that any temperature above 62°. shall give a sensation of heat, and any temperature below that point, a sensation of cold. Mr. Wilson accordingly places 0 at 620. of Fahrenheit, which will make 150°. the boiling, and minas 30°. the freezing point of water. All other points on Fahrenheit's scale may be reduced to this, by subtracting 620. for any degree above 0 of Fahrenheit's, and adding 620. for any degree below 0. Fahrenheit's divisions are adopted in this new scale as most conve nient; those of Reaumur, the centigrade, &c. being considered too few, and decimal divisions unnecessary, During some experiments recently. made by Messrs. CUTHBERTSON and SINGER, on the comparative powers of cylinder and plate electrical machines, it was found that their power may be greatly increased by the adoption of multiplying wheels to communicate motion to those instruments. From the obser vations hitherto made on this subject, there is reason to conclude, that by the proper application of a moving power, the quantity of electricity given out by any machine in a determinate time, may be doubled, trebled, quadrupled, and even increased six or ten-fold. The discovery of this principle is of the bighest importance, as it offers the most effectual and ready means of obtaining a very considerable accumulation of electric fluid; a circumstance of considerable interest in the present state of electrical and chemical inquiry. During the last session of parliament, an act was passed to enable the governors of Bethlem Hospital to exchange the present contracted site of that institution, for a piece of ground containing near twelve acres, in St. George's Fields, on which spot the unhappy subjects of mental derangement will, in addition to their former advantages, possess the superior requisites of air and exercise, which they have never yet enjoyed, and which are not only likely to add in a considerable degree to their comfort, but also to accelerate their cure. The plan of the ancient structure has long required improvement; and it is hoped that from the great light which has been thrown upon the study of architecture within the last century, and the extensive improvements made in the science of medicine during the same period, the most favourable results for the new building will be obtained from the combined talents of able architects, and experienced medical professors. With this view the governors have offered 2001. for the best, 1001. for the second, and 50. for the third best designs; in the full confidence. of being adequately assisted in their anxious desires to erect an hospital, which may be at once a monument of a benevolent and enlightened age, and an ho nour to a great and distinguished nation, The present intention is to erect a build. ing capable of containing 400 patients, but not to confine themselves even to that enlarged number, if they shall be enabled, by the liberality of the public, to proceed farther in their design. The funds of the hospital, which are appli cable cable to the purpose of a new building, amount, however, at this time, to little more than 27,000l. while the cost of a new hospital, upon the scale proposed, can hardly be estimated at a smaller sum than 100,0001. To effect therefore so desirable a purpose as that in view, it will be obvious that nothing short of a liberal subscription on the part of the public at large can suffice. An eye-glass micrometer has been recently contrived to measure the diameter of the filaments of wool from different fleeces, to the 10,000th part of an inch. This instrument promises to be of considerable use in determining the comparative fineness of wools. In pursuance of a petition to the House of Commons, from the trustees of the British Museum, Mr. GREVILLE'S Collection of Minerals has been valued by Drs. Babington and Wollaston, C. Hatch ett, esq. and four other gentlemen, who report, that the whole collection consists of about 20,000 specimens; that the series of crystallized rubies, sapphites, eme- ralds, topazes, rubellites, diamonds, and precious stones in general, as well as the series of the various ores, far surpass any that are known to them in the different European collections; and that the value of the whole is 13.7271. including the cabinets, which cost 16001. Harriet Wilson, a poor girl in Marshlane, Leeds, some time ago had both her arms torn off by some machinery. By the aid of some kind friends she was lately conveyed to town, introduced to Mr. MORRISON, who obtained the silver medal and forty guineas at the last meeting of the Society of Arts, for inventing implements by which persons having lost their hands, may usefully assist them selves. By the use of these implements this unfortunate can now feed herself; and incredible as it may appear, there is a prospect of her writing legibly, at no distant period, and of her being other wise employed, so as to be able to contribute to her own support. SWEDEN. M. VIBORG, professor in the Royal Veterinary School, has published a dissertation on the use of horse-flesh. This publication is said to have had the effect of introducing the use of this article as food throughout Sweden, in consequence of which the butchers' shops are now supplied with the carcases of horses, in addition to those of oxen. M. Viborg assures his readers that the flesh of the horse, when roasted, is preferable to that of the ox. GERMANY. A German chemist has, by the aid of various substances, extracted from the green shells of horse chesnuts very beau tiful yellow and brown colours, and the latter in the greatest diversity of hues. They are to stand both on woollens and silks, though the stuffs have been wetted and wrung out, and some of them even washed in caustic liquids. The present state of politics did not lessen the number of typographical productions exposed for sale at the last Leipsic fair; but it is remarked, that the intrinsic value of the works is yearly decreasing. Political troubles having oc casioned a great decrease in the sale of books, writers and booksellers no longer dare publish solid works, but eagerly. contend for several kinds of frivolous productions which have some vogue. Some works, however, have been noticed, of superior merit, and worthy the attention of Europe. The Mithridates of the late Mr. Adelung has been just finished; Mr. Becker has published two new numbers of his Augusteum, or Description of the Dresden Gallery; Mr. Boettiger has given the public a Commentary on the Aldobrandine Nuptials. The Universal, History of Literature, by Eichhorn, is drawing towards its conclusion; that of the Christian Church, by Hencke, is finished. The German Encyclopedia, began by Krumitz, has reached the 144th voluine; Mathison the poet, has published, under the title of Recollections, some sentimental and picturesque Journies. The Universal History, a posthumous work of Johannes von Müller, forms the first number of the complete works of that author: most of the sovereigns of the confederacy of the Rhine have forbidden spurious editions, under severe penalties. There has appeared a fifth volume of Nestor's Russian Annals, by Schlötzer. M. Wiebeking has given important Memoirs on Hydraulic Architecture, especially concerning bridges, quays, and piers. Six numbers of an. cient Basso Relievos, by the late M. Zocga, are published; and lastly, M Cotta has been generous enough to publish all the proceedings of the Art of Engraving on Stone, the secret of which he has purchased. In belles lettres very few works have been published; and the run after Mr. Goethe's new novel entitled Elective Affinities, is a good deal slackened by the severe criticisms to which it has been exposed. Forty new editions or translations of Latin and Greek authors were offered offered for sale. The learned also remarked an edition of a German poem of high antiquity, and highly interesting for the history of European languages; it is entitled the Song of the Nibelunges; but its author, and the age in which it was written, are equally unknown. Several writers have undertaken to write the history of Arts and of Artists, especially that of Musicians; but few of their productions have so much merit as the History of Painting in Italy, by Ripenhausen; and the Almanack of the Fine Arts, which contains letters and memoirs of artists residing in Rome, and edited by M. Sickler, a learned antiqua rian. The Berlin newspaper had announced that the late Mr. Ritter had, previous to bis death, retracted his opinions on the Rhabdomancia, or the art of finding water and metals hidden in the bosom of the earth, by means of a wand. These papers have since contradicted their for mer assertion, and declared that this otherwise learned man had persisted to the last in those absurdities, despised by all truly learned men. Mr. D'Aretin has been discovered as the author of a literary trick, which was announcing in a newspaper a pretended History of Academies, a work which does not exist, but by which means he had an opportunity of attacking the Dresden Academy, of which he is a member. Augustus la Fontaine has given six or eight volumes of novels, in which he still reproduces his family pictures, even to satiety. Ini, a novel of the 21st century, by Julius Voss; Novels by Renbeck; and Comic Stories, by Laun, have occasioned some talk. Comic Stories have the most vogue. Still, however, there will be found in the Fair catalogue, a competent number of banditti, conjurors, and secret associations. In theatricals, there is nothing remarkable. ITALY. For several days towards the end of May, prodigious crowds of people thronged the banks of the Tiber at Rome to witness a singular phenomenon. A wind from Africa had brought thither an im ́ense swarm of locusts. These insects, having laid waste the country, began to nake war upon and devour one another. The weaker party betook themselves to flight, and being pursued by the conquerors, threw themselves in myriads into the Tiber, which, at times, was quite Dovered with them. AFRICA. By vessels arrived from Goree and Sierra Leone, we are enabled to state, that so late as the month of March last, considerable hopes were entertained that the celebrated and enterprising Mungo Park, so often reported to have lost his life, was still alive. The ship Favourite, of London, Captain Truman, is arrived at Plymouth from Goree. Previous to the departure of that vessel, information had been received at Senegal by a native of the Mandingo country, who accom panied Mr. Park as far into the interior as Sego and Sansanding, that he was alive in the month of January. Colonel Maxwell, the governor of Senegal, had, in consequence of this information, directed that a decked boat should immediately be fitted out to proceed up the river Senegal, for the purpose of giving assistance to Mr. Park in his indefatigable exertions in exploring the continent of Africa. This account is further corroborated by a letter, dated in March last, received by a vessel from Sierra Leone, from Dr. Douglas, who writes as follows "Permit me to lay before you some information respecting Mr. Mungo Park, which I was favoured with from an intel ligent Mahomedan, whom I met at Goree, and who had acted as a guide to Mr. Park, from the time of his landing on the continent of Africa to his embarka tion on the Niger. He states, that the king of Sego had shewn much favour to Mr. Park, and that the report of his assassination there was untrue. He had passed far along the Niger without any molestation whatever from the natives. My informant could not recollect the date of his embarkation on the Niger, but thinks it must be about three years ago. Mr. Park had taken four months provisions for himself and two followers, with whom he intended to proceed to the eastward, and onwards as far as the Red Sea. Some travellers, who had fallen in with his guide, informed him, that about two or three months subsequent to Mr. Park's embarkation, he had been severely scorched in his breast by the bursting of a gun while firing at some birds, but that he passed Tombuctoo in the night by water." NEW HOLLAND. Several persons at Sydney, have begun to cultivate the hop vine. A Mr. Squires, in the year 1808, planted two acres, from which he gathered five hundred cwt. of clear hops. Last year he had four acres acres in hops, which he poled about the middle of November last; they continued to look remarkably well, the weather being moist and favourable until the middle of December, the perceptible growth of the vines being from 12 to 18 inches in the course of a day and night. Seve ral hot days, however, so affected the vines, that, though the crop was estimated at a ton, not more than one-third of that quantity was obtained. REVIEW OF NEW MUSICAL PUBLICATIONS. "O, this Love;" or, The Masqueraders! a Comic Opera in Three Acts, as now performing with universal applause at the English Opera. Written by James Kenny, esq. Composed by M. P. King, esq. 10s. 6d. M R. KING, in the music he has furnished to this opera, has af. forded another evidence of his talent for dramatic composition. The overture is diversified in its movements, and pleasant in its general effect; while the Vocal parts of the work, though not stamped with any extraordinary degree of novelty, are conceived with ingenuity, and possess much character. The melodies are clear and natural in their style; the basses are, in general, chosen with judgment, and the piano-forte accompaniment is skilfully arranged. In a word, the public will find in "O, this Love!" seventy-nine pages of music, masterly as to its degree of excellence, and as familiar as operatical in its general cast. The Minstrel's Tale;" or, Alice Brand; a "Be a good Boy, and take care of Yourself;" a favourite Comic Song, sung with unbounded applause at the Theatre Royal Covent Garden, by Mr. Webb. Composed by J. Whitaker. This is a song of humour, and Mr. Whitaker may be said to have well en tered into its style. In general, the air is so happily appropriate, that it is nat have given the author's meaning with the easy to imagine that any other would and highest quality in comic melody. saine force; and this we deem the first A Grand March, three Allemands, and three Waltzes, for the Piano-forte or Harp. Compo sed and Inscribed to Miss Cecilia Nassier, by Theodore Smith, esq. 45.. The "Minstrel's Tale," is comprised in four numbers, (five shillings each,) which now lie before us. The words are from Mr. Scott's last poem, the "Lady of the Lake," and are here presented to the public in the form (to use Dr. Clarke's words) of a "Glee and Solo," but more accurately speaking, in that of glees, duetts, and solos. We have perused the whole with a sedulous attention, and shall be found justified in awarding it our warmest praise. The trios possess all the science that the simplicity of style which the composer has so properly prescribed to himself, would fairly admit; and the other parts are marked with an originality and strength of feature, that place Dr. Clarke's powers in this species of composition very high. We should not be just to Mr. Phipps, the publisher, were we to dismiss this work without observ. ing, that he has brought it out with un common neatness and accuracy. 1 Mr. Theodore Smith is so old and fair a claimant upon our commendation, that it is with peculiar pleasure we re-enter upon the task of holding up his merits to the public. The present publication is every way worthy his known ingenuity and science. The march is bold and spirited, and the other pieces are sprightly and pleasing; while the whole serves to exhibit the man of superior talent, and the real master. A Second Duet for the Harp and Piano-forte, or Two Piano-fortes, as performed by the Author and Miss Gautberat. Composed by, and dedi cated to, the Miss Gautherots, by J. Wolf, esq. 65. Mr. Woelf has, in this second duet, kept pace with the taste and know. ledge of effect, so fully displayed in his first. conceived, and the parts so judiciously The passages are melodiously arranged, as not only to set off each other to the highest advantage, but to produce a most masterly combination. Blanche f Devon's Song, " They bid me Sleep, they bid me Pray;" the Poetry from the Lady of the Lake. Composed and dedicated to Mrs. Campbell, by Dr. Clarke, of Cambridge. 25.. Ease and sweetness are so truly the characteristics of this song, that it will not, we trust, fail to highly please the lovers of simplicity and nature in me lody. Where the sentiment of the poetry is truly given, and the ear soothed and gratified, fastidious must those be who can withhold their commendation. s. Les "Let me die;" a Ballad. The Words by Miss T., the Music composed by T. Attwood, esq. ts. 6d. Mr. Attwood has, in the present little ballad, given the public another sample of his taste and fancy. The melody is highly pleasing, and not without some original traits. Analogy cements the music to the words, and a graceful and impressive effect corroborates their union. Why does my Love ber Linnet mourn?" A fav urite Song, Composed and Arranged with an Accompaniment for the Piano-fome, by Sir J. A. Stevenson, Mus. Doc. Sir John Stevenson is always easy and graceful in his melodies, but in no instance has, perhaps, been more so than in that now before us. The passages are remarkably smooth and flowing, and the sentiment of the words is given with no less simplicity than truth and force. The Persian Dance, a favourite Air, Composed and Arranged as a familiar Rondo for the Pianoforte, by J. Parry. 1s. 6d. This little exercise for the piano-forte is skilfully arranged, and will not fail to be acceptable to young practitioners on that instrument. The passages lie well for the juvenile hand, and the pleasing ness of the effect is upon a par with the ease of the execution. "Little Winny Wilkin;” a favourite Song, sung wib unbounded applause at the Theatres Royal, Covent Garden and Haymarket, by Mr. Liston. Composed by Mr. Whitaker. is. 6d. This little ballad is intended as an effort of humour, of which quality it is by no means destitute. Mr. Whitaker has given to it a melody perfectly appropriate, and has accompanied it with a part for the piano-forte, which does much credit to his taste. "I will not have you, Harry;" a favourite Comie Ballad, sung with great applause at Vauxhall Gardens, by Miss Acres. Composed by Mr. W. T. Parke. 15. This is so pleasing a trifle, that we will ensure it the suffrage of all the lovers of light and airy melody, in combination with gay and sprightly words. We have to announce that John Staf ford Smith, esq. (organist to his Majesty) is distributing proposals for publishing by subscription, a curious and interesting collection of ancient music, chiefly consisting of melodies in canto fermo, provençal lays, and other pristine pieces, produced antecedent to the invention of counter point; to which will be added, hymns and anthems, by the celebrated Orlando Gibbons, and other distinguished masters of " the good old school.”. The publication, we understand, will be fur ther enriched by selections from the Mass; l'Homme Armé; some very scarce madrigals by Adrian Willeart, Orlando de Lasso, Stradella, &c. up to the time of Bonoucini; and also with two Italian songs, by Geminiani. The whole is to form a view of music, from the 7th to the 18th century; and is intended to be illustrative of the Histories of Burney and Hawkins, and to trace the sources and progress of melody in the British isles. To further this latter object, the whole will be accompanied by remarks, biogra phical and critical; and every effort is promised to render the work worthy the notice of the curious and refined. The publication is to be dedicated to the earl of Dartmouth; and from our knowledge of Mr. Smith's high professional qualifications, we doubt not of its doing every honour to the talents of the editor, and fully justifying his lordship's patronage.” REPORT OF DISEASES, Under the Care of the late Senior Physician of the Finsbury Dispensary, from the 20th of June to the 20th of July, 1810. THE HE writer of this article finds that some expressions have been misun'derstood which he has made use of in former reports, with regard to the hopeless nature of consumption. In the passages alluded to, he has been far from meaning that every affection of the lungs is necessarily fatal; or even that there can be no wound in their structure which is not irreparable. There is a number of gradations in pulmonary disorder; and it is perhaps only in the last or penultimate stage of the di:case, when it is fully formed, that the signet of death is marked upon it beyond the possibility of erasure or removal. There is an important distinction between the state of being consumptive, and that of being in a consumption. One who is in the posture of leaning over a precipice, may yet escape a fall. With regard to this malady, and more particularly at this season of the year, it may not be improper once more to repeat a caution which has been ofteu inculcated, but which can never be suffi ciently |
