striction of the larynx, and this effect takes place soonest in young animals. The effect of the operation is to prevent the access of air to the lungs; but, when another passage is opened, respiration is carried on, and the change of venous into arterial blood takes place, in the same manner as before the section of the nerves. It was announced by Dr. Davy, that he had, by the action of the voltaic battery, produced hydrogen, or inflamma ble air, from carbon, and some of the anetals; and he believed, that future discoveries would prove that hydrogen formed a constituent part of all inflammable substances. He exhibited the fusion of platina in vacuo, by a powerful voltaic pile of 2000 plates, which is the first time the experiment had been shewn. During the fusion, intense light and heat were produced, and very vivid scintillations were emitted from the platina, which, Dr. Davy supposed, were occasioned by the separation of an elastic gas, probably hydrogen. The fact of the separation of hydrogen from carbon and the metals, is highly important: if Dr. Davy's con clusion be established, it will lead to the revival of that part of the phlogistic system, which considered hydrogen as the base of metals and other inflammable substances. Of this opinion Dr. Priestley was firmly convinced. A very short time previous to his death, he wrote a friend of ours in Yorkshire, expressing his firm belief, that before the expiration of ten years, the fact would be fully established, and the illusions respecting many parts of the new theory of chemistry, be completely destroyed by future discoveries. The voltaic battery, made use of in these experiments, is the most power ful instrument of the kind which has yes been constructed. The striking distance of the discharge was more than one inch in vacuo. All the metals which were acted on by it, immediately fused; oil, water, and spirit of wine, were rapidly decomposed, and vivid sparks given ouc from the wires, which were immersed in the fluids, and connected with the two extremities of the plates. Dr. Davy informed us, that he believed the full shock from it would occasion instantaneous death. He once, by accident, received a shock from a thousand plates; but, the discharge being made upon the dry cuticle of the hand, which is an im perfect conductor, the force of the shock: was much weakened; and, though it was extremely painful, he did not receive any permanent injury. On examining his hands, he found the skin burned in that part where the discharge, had been made. VARIETIES, LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL. THE Article will always be thankfully received. pieces of that art, and we learn that the works of the French painters are equally transcendant. As one instance of Na poleon's patronage of engraving, he lately placed 1,200,000 francs at the disposal of the proprietors of the magnificent se ries of engravings called the Musée Nas poleon, to enable them to finish it in the style in which it has been commenced. It is not a little singular that men of letters, chemists, and mathematicians, are preferred and employed, in every department of the French government; and that the Institute, and every thing appertaining to art and science, is de scribed as being eminently distinguished and encouraged; at the same time, that an inquisitorial police strikes terror into every family, and a general distrust and want of confidence paralyses every private energy of the people; and com mercial credit and trade are even in a worse worse state in France than they are in England. The known taste and love' of letters possessed by the Prince Regent of England will, we are confident, create an honourable rivalry in this species of patronage, should it so happen that his Royal Highness continues to wield the power with which, with so much satisfaction to the country, he has lately been invested. The letter of Mr. HAYTER will explain his Royal Highness's attention to one of the most interesting literary topics of this age; and we venture to inform the public, that the period will be Augustan, in regard to arts and letters, whenever it may so happen that his Royal Highness shall be perinanently clothed with the executive autho rity of the realm. We hail the period when the governments of England, as well those of France and America, shall unite in exciting a literary and scientific competition among their subjects; and hope to survive that iron age, in which, unhappily, the only competition has been in cutting of throats, and in arts of inu tual injury and destruction. In the course of the ensuing month, the new edition of the Rev. Mr. DIB DIN's Bibliomania, which is now entitled a Bibliographical Romance, will make its appearance. It is in six parts; and will contain upwards of 600 pages; being a review of our most eminent scholars and book-collectors from king Alfred. to the late Mr. Gough; with an account of their libraries. In the course of the volume, there is a copious list, with particular notices, of the most valuable Foreign Catalogues; including the public 'ones of our own country. We are requested to correct a statement which appeared in our last, respecting the publication of Mr. DIBDIN's English De Bure. This work will not be published these two years. At the same time we are requested to state, that the second volume of the new edition of Ames's Typographical Antiquities is al ready gone to press. Sir JOHN CARR has in forwardness for publication Descriptive Sketches of the South-east Parts of Spain, and of the Island of Majorca, Minorca, Sardinia, Sicily, and Malta, during a tour in those countries in 1809 and 1810; accompanied by engravings of views taken on the spot. Mr. W. JACOB has in the press, in a quarto volume, with plates, Travels in Spain, in Letters written in 1809 and 1810; containing an account of the mas nufactures, commerce, productions, &c. with biographical anecdotes, and à view of Spain under the Mahominedan domis nion. Dr. MILLAR, lecturer on Materia Medica, in the University of Glasgow, bas in the press Disquisitions on the History of Medicine; exhibiting a view of physic as observed to exist during remote periods, and among nations not far advanced in refinement. Mr. HAMILTON BRUCE is preparing, from authentic sources, an elaborate work, giving a detailed account of all the Scot tish families of note, from the peopling of Scotland by the Scythians to the pre sent era; also a copious account of the different Scottish monarchs, and their existing posterity. The Rev. JOHNSON GRANT will spee dily publish the first volume of a Sunnmary of the History of the English Church, and of the Sects which have separated from it, from the earliest periods to the Reign of James the First. Mr. WILSON has in the press, and nearly ready for delivery, a second edi tion of the Analysis of Country Dancing, with numerous additions and improve ments; consisting of a great number of new figures, with some entire new reels, and a plan for composing to any tune one thousand different figures; together with the complete Etiquette of the BallRoom; embellished with nearly 260 engravings on wood, by BERRYMAN The first volume of the Transactions of the Geological Society, in quarto, with many plates, is in the press, and will be ready for publication in the month of May next. The Rev. Dr. T. D. WHITAKER, the historian of Whalley and Craven, an er roneous report of whose death has been circulated in some of the provincial papers, has in the press a new edition of the Vision of Piers Plowman, printed from MSS. of higher antiquity than any that have yet been collated, and forming a text almost entirely different from that of Crowley; together with a prefatory dissertation, paraphrases, glossary, and notes. Dr. Joseph Reade, of Cork, has in the press Critical and Practical Observarions on the Diseases of the Inner Cor ner of the Human Eye, with a new arrangement and method of cure. Mr. BENJAMIN GIBSON, vice-president of the Literary and Philosophical Society of Manchester, and surgeon to the Man chester chester Infirmary, will shortly publish Practical Observations on the Formation of an Artificial Pupil in several deranged States of the Eye; to which are annexed Remarks on the Extraction of soft Cataracts, and those of the membraneous Kind, through a Puncture of the Cornea. The work will be illustrated by plates. A Report of the Speeches of the late Mr. Fox in the House of Commons, from his entrance iuto parliament in 1768 to the close of the session of 1206, is preparing. The Rev. JonN MITFORD will soon publish" Agnes, the Indian Captive;" with other poems. A volume of Latin and English Poems, by Mr. E. B. IMPEY, is in the press, The number of Provincial Banks in this country decreased from about 280, in the beginning of 1793, to about 230, in the beginning of 1797. Since that period the increase has been truly asto nishing. It appears that in 1810 the total number of Banks in Great Britain was 796, viz. In London, Westminster, and South-7 wark, including the Bank of England S In the rest of England 67 613 25 Mr. THOMAS BINGHAM, of Woodseats, near Sheffield, has invented an improved method of making reaping-hooks, which is not only attended with greater facility and expedition in the manufacture, but, as the improved blades are made of cast steel, they must be far preferable for sharpness of the edge and durability, The process is as follows: When the steel comes from the furnace, it is rolled in a rolling-mill into sheets of proper dimensions. Out of these the blades are cut according to sizes, and the rivet holes pressed out in the fly. Pieces of iron are then slit for the back, and bent to fit the blades, and the holes are bored in them by an upright drill, after which the back and blade are riveted together, These hooks may be made with or with out teeth, to suit purchasers; and, not. withstanding the superior quality of the cast-steel blades, they will he afforded, from the expeditious inode of manufac ture, at nearly as low a price as the old ones. MONTHLY MAG. No. 210. The Provost and Senior Fellows of Trinity College, Dublin, have conferred an honorary degree of LL.D. on Professor DAVY, in testimony of their admi. ration of the extraordinary discoveries made by him in his Electro-chemical Philosophy, and communicated in his late course of lectures at the Dublin Society. The Directors of the British Institution for promoting the Fine Arts in the United Kingdom, have given notice, that the three following premiums are proposed to be given for Pictures, by Artists of, or resident in, the United Kingdom, painted in the present year, and sent to the Bri tish Gallery on or before the 4th of Ja nuary next: 1st. For the best Picture in Historical or Poetical Composition, Three Hundred Guineas.-2d. For the next best Picture in Historical or Poetis cal Composition, Two Hundred Guineas. 3d. For the next best Picture in Ilis torical or Poetical Composition, Que Hundred Guineas. The Directors reserve to themselves the power of withholding either of the premiums, if they think proper. A picture's being painted by commission, will not exclude it from competition for the premiums. Any picture painted for such premium, may (if otherwise worthy) be exhibited for sale at the Gallery next winter, for the be nefit of the Artist. The magnificent collection of curious productions of nature and art deposited in the Hunterian Museum at Glasgow, last year received considerable additions by valuable donations, of which the following may be mentioned: Three different specimens of Calcspar, from the Cave of Strathaird, Isle of Skye, by the Rev. Dr. McLeod, Kilmarnock, John Locke, Esq. and Hector M'Lean, student. Three polished specimens of Portsoy Serpentine, by John Mavor, Esq. London.-Speci mens of Pyrope, or Portsoy Serpentine, and of Petrified Wood, from Loch Leagh, by Pro. fessor Muirhead. The Fish Callionymus Lyra, by John Jos. Dillon, Esq. barrister at law. A large specimen of Petrified Wood, by Mr. Dinwiddie, of Germistoune.-An an cient Urn found in a Cairn, by William CochGarnets from the East Indies, by Major James rane, Esq. of Ladyland.-Twenty-one rough Campbell.-Specimens of the only two Mcteor Stones that are known to have fallen in Britain, viz. one in Yorkshire, 13th December, 1795; another, at Possil, near Glasgow, 5th April, 1804; by Miss Crawford, of Possil.-Thirty-four Silver Medallions of the present Royal Family of Spain, executed in Mexico and the Philippine Islands, presented by a citizen of Glasgow, The Tenth Volume of the ExcycroPÆDIA LONDINENSIS, will be ready for the Subscribers on or about the 10th of March. This celebrated Dictionary of Arts and Sciences continues to be pubTished regularly in weekly Numbers, with elegant Engravings, price &d. each, or beautifully coloured Plates, 1s. 2d. Dr. SMITH'S two prizes of 25l. each, for the best proficients in Mathematics and Natural Philosophy, have been adjudged to Messrs. DECEY and FRENCH, of Trinity and Caius Colleges, Cambridge. The Governors of Bethlem Hospital have adjudged to Messrs. Good and LOCHNER, of Hatton-garden, the first premium, for their design for a new Lunatic Asylum about to be erected in St. George's-folds. Nearly sixty names appeared in the list of candidates. The following is an accurate statement of the quantity of rain which fell, during the last year, at Dalkeith, Bothwell Castle, M'Farlane Observatory, Glasgow, and Brisbane Observatory, Largs, on a line extending almost quite across the island: 28.552 24.440| 25.132 40.624 A simple and ingenious plan has been in foggy weather, a buoy, similar in form to a life-boat, on which is fixed a bell of considerable magnitude and powerful tone, which the motion of the buoy, occasioned by the undulation of the sea, will keep perpetually ringing. The buoy may be placed at any convenient distance from the mouth of the harbour, or the mechanism in the beacon might be so constructed, as to cause a bell to ring, or a'bass drum to beat, in hazy weather. By placing a buoy or boat of the above de scription on a sunken or dangerous rock, in any part of the sea, the mariner might be warned by the alarm-bell to keep at a proper distance. FRANCE. A ball of fire appeared in the commune of Chargouville, on the 23d of November, which, bursting with a tremendous explosion, let fall three large stones, ac companied with smoke, and darted with such force, that they entered the earth to the depth of near 80 centimeters. One of the stones is covered with a crust of greyish black, while the inside is more clear. It is very compact, and hard enough to cut glass. It appears to con tain globules of iron, pretty large and brilliant.. Accounts from Rodez, in the depart ment of Aveiron, of the date of the middle of December, state, that the winter had there set-in with extraordinary se verity, the snow in many of the surrounding districts being six or seven feet deep; and that in the whole country the most dreadful alarm was occasioned by the ravages of the wolves. These ferocious animals, unable to subsist any longer in their native mountains, sally forth in flocks of many hundreds, and, entering the villages, make the peasant and his cattle their prey. The villages on the open plains are entirely deserted; a num. ber of the poor people having fallen sa crifices in defending their tame animals, houses the construction of Light and the survivors not choosing to expose which, if generally executed, might prove beneficial to the shipping of the United Kingdom. The beacon consists of a lantern made of cast metal, in which there is a piece of clock-work, which makes the lamp turn round every two or three minutes, and exhibit different enlightened figures. The figures can be so varied, as to distinguish one light house froin another, and to prevent the possibility of mistaking the light of a lime kiln, or accidental fire, for that of a beacon. The projector, Mr. Farmer, also recommends, as a substitute for light, themselves to similar danger. The Prefect, with the humane view of reimburs ing the sufferers, and preventing the de partment being depopulated, has ordered an inventory to be made of the losses, which almost exceed belief. It is ascer tained, that within the last month, 8000 sheep, 400 goats, and 800 horses, have been killed by these ferocious animals. In the departments of the Lozere, and the Upper Loire, the ravages are still greater. It has been found that the quantity and quality of oil extracted from olives, has has been augmented by wetting the fruit with vinegar before it is pressed. The vinegar must wholly cover the fruit. The quantity of liquor obtained is one-tenth greater than by any other procedure; the oil is better flavored and more limpid. · A method has been discovered of uniting marble without iron, which is hable to rast, and after rains gives a greenish colour to the marble. For this purpose acement is used, which prevents the rain from penetrating and spoiling works of art exposed to the weather. AUSTRIA. A prodigy of precocious acquirement has appeared in Germany, in the person of John Spitzler, a youth only 13 years of age, who is said to be well acquainted, with ten different languages, most of the mathematical sciences, and to be a proficient in music. He is a native of Lower Austria, and the son of a reduced clergyman: for the last six months he has been blind. The Emperor Francis has settled a pension on him. The base of the Carpathian mountains, near Makonitza, fell on the 6th of No vember, with a report so loud that it was heard at the distance of twelve miles. Six villages have been destroyed by this precipitation, and 34 lives lost. The astragalus baticus has been successfully cultivated in large quantities near Schönberg in Moravia, as a substitute for coffee. It is sown in April, and gathered in September, and requires but very little labour. The seed is treated in the same manner as Arabian coffee, and inany judges affirm that it is deficient only in smell; it approaches nearer in taste to real coffee than any other vege table. ITALY. M. PAREA, inspector of woods at Ravenna, has discovered the secret of extracting from the plant-seed of the thorn (remus paliurus of Linnæus) a clear sweet oil, without smell, and fit for domestic purposes. All the vines and cotton within 14 miles of Mount Vesuvius, were destroyed by the eruption of the 12th of September, Every thing else within eight or ten miles was also destroyed. The lava, in some places, was 100 feet deep. A Society for the promotion of Agriculture has been established at Rome. At its first meeting, it was resolved to offer a prize of the value of about 30 guineas, for the best Memoir on the construction of a plough adapted to the soil of the country, which would unite the principles of least resistance with work. ing to the greatest depth. The extraordinary Consulta has directed that the Schools of the Fine Arts dependent on the Academy of St. Luke, shall be composed of sixteen chairs, viz. six of the highest class, ten of the second, and three adjuncts. The professors of the first class will enjoy a salary of 1200, francs, those of the second 800 francs, and the adjuncts 500 francs. Gratifications will be annually granted them from the funds of the city. Out of the 25,000 francs granted to the Academy for its expences, 8300 will be allotted to the candidates for the prizes, and other variable demands, for the schools. The buildings of the convent of Ara Cœli, in the Capitol, are given to the Academy for the establishment of schools of design, exhibition-rooms, cabinets, museums, &c. and for attendants on the Academy. M. CANOVA is appointed perpetual director. The public works undertaken in the same city, for the purpose of clearing away the earth from the remains of antiquity, are prosecuted with activity. The remains of the Temple of Vesta, also that of Fortuna Virilis, are being put into a state of order and better condition. The workinen have cleared the hase of the temple of Jupiter Stator, and the ground about it is completely levelled. The diggings in the Coliseum proceed, and in many places the bases of the pi lasters are discovered. The Tabularium, now disencumbered from the ruins which concealed it, displays its beautiful Doric order. The excavations about the tem ple of Antoninus and Faustina, are also going on briskly. Other works are proceeding in the Forum Romanum, now called the Campo Vaccino; in the Baths of Titus, with a view to discover the subterraneous grottos and their paintings; and also at the Arch of Janus Quadriformis. M. Rosa, of Rimini, formerly a professor, and well-known to his countrymen by his works on natural history and natural philosophy, has discovered an indigenous substance proper to be substituted for indigo, for communicating alt shades of blue tints, either to silk, wool, thread, or cotton. He asserts that the colouring fecula of this matter is in no wise inferior to indigo, whether as to beauty, or vivacity of colour, or as to durability and resistance to the effects of exterior bodies. - EAST INDIES. A forest in India, G5 miles in length, |