VOYAGES AND TRAVELS.

Travels into the Interior of Brazil, partiularly in the Gold and Diamond Districts of that Country. By J. Mawe. 4to. 21. 2s.

A Narrative of the principal Events of the Campaigns of 1809, 1810, and 1811, in Spain and Portugal, interspersed with remarks on Jocal scenery and manners; in a series of

Letters. By Captain William Stothert, adjutant, Third Guards. 8vo. with a map of the seat of war. 8s.

A Sketch of the present State of Caracas, including a Journey from Caraccas through La Victoria and Valencia to Puerto Cabello. By Robert Semple, author of "Two Journeys in Spain," &c. 6s.

AND PHILOSOPHICAL.

ties in France is thirty-five; the number

attention in this country, it may not be uninteresting to glance at the state of learning amongst our Gallic neighbours. It appears unquestionably that Bonaparte is under no apprehension as to the effect of knowledge on the people of France; for, in nothing has his power been more signalised, than by the nu merous, or, we might figuratively say, the innumerable, national institutions for diffusing useful and scientific learning among his whole population. There is at present scarcely a city in France which has not its established university, while in every large town there is a Ly eum, or public Seminary, for teaching the physical and mathematical sciences. All these are supported by the direct patronage of the government, which appoints commissioners and inspectorsgeneral, and supplies funds to such of the establishments as may be in need of pecuniary aid. Imperial Decrees and Statutes are also from time to time issued for their better regulation. In most of the large towns, the Chateaux of the monks and ci-devant nobility which escaped the revolutionary furor, have been appropriated to the numerous lyceums. That of Bourdeaux, for instance, is established in the ancient and extensive buildings of the Visitation and the Feuillans; that of Calais is in the old College and the Monastery of the Cordeliers; that of Caen, in the beautiful old Abbey of St. Etienne; that of Marseilles, in what was the Monastery of the Bernadins; while minor establishments occupy various Palaces and Castles! Our readers will learn with surprise, that the Official Register, which is annually published, and lies before us, under the title of "Almanach de l'Université Imperiale," though it contains merely the names and situations of these national establishments, and those of the learned professors, fills a volume of 465 closely printed pages! From this work of reference, we discover that the number of Grand Academies, or as we would say, of universi.

of colleges, is four hundred and eightysix!!! Besides these, there are one hundred and twenty-four establishments under the title of Secondary Ecclesias tical Schools;" by which it would appear that the other institutions do not interfere with theological instruction. Thus, even after making due allowance for the difference of population between this country and France, it must be admitted that the establishments for learning and education, in the latter empire, make our own appear insignificant, and unworthy of a nation which emulates, and, in many respects, truly deserves the ap pellation of the greatest in the world! To those who may be disposed to be cynical, we exclaim," go and do thou likewise."

We avail ourselves of the interest likely to be created by the preceding statement, to invite some of our public spirited readers, in every county or district, to oblige us with a list of their local institutions for purposes of education, specifying the numbers taught in them, their objects, foundation, ori gin, &c. &c. Such a list will not only gratify our readers, but will, we are persuaded, exhibit facts honorable to the spirit of the people of England.

We speak from personal knowledge of the correctness of the following statement relative to certain wonders of the English press, which lately appeared in the Newspapers. Although the ascendancy of Moore's Almanack affords little proof of enlightened character, yet the prodigious circulation of MAVOR's improved Spelling Book exemplifies the attention which is paid to education, as well by parents as by guardians of public schools, in which we believe this Spelling Book is now generally introduced.---" Modern literature affords no examples of the multiplication of copies equal to those of Moore's Almanack and Mavor's SpellingBook. Of that famous Almanack, about 420,000 copies are sold annually; and of that generally-used Spelling-Book, about 120,000

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were actually circulated of the destruction of the Islands of Martinico and GuadaJoupe. At length, however, the follow. ing accounts from St. Vincent's explained the phenomena; and, we conceive, we are called upon by their interesting nature, to insert them at length.

The St. Vincent's Gazette of the 28 of May contains the following account of the dreadful eruption of the volcano on the Souffrier Mountain:

Amongst the evils, natural and experimental, which this island did already most woefully experience, it has now to enumerate the awful visitation of an eruption of the Souffrier mountain, which, in its symptoms and effects, surpasses the most terrific picture we can possibly draw of it. The following, as far as we have yet ascertained, are the particulars-On Monday last, a loud explosion of the volcanic mountain took place, followed by an immense column of thick, sulphurous smoke, which suddenly burst over the vicinity of the crater, and in the course of a minute discharged vast quantities of volcanic matter; the whole surface became covered with ashes, which presented an alarming appearance, and the noise which proceeded from the bowels of the mountain threw the whole neighbourhood into the utmost consternation. But this is not all, the amazing scene remains yet to be told!-The eruption, continuing with increased violence, presented, on Thursday night and yesterday morning, one of the most awful sights human imagination can form an idea of. mountain burst forth in a most tremendous blaze, throwing up huge spouts of fire and burning stones, accompanied with the most frightful thundering noise-at the same time sending down its sides torrents of burning matter, and scattering in the air large pieces of rock, which, in their descent, made a dreadful ravage among the cattle, &c. Some

The

horror to the province of Venezuela. At four p. m. the City of Caraccas stood in all its splendor; a few minutes later 4500 houses, 19 churches and convents, with all the public buildings, monuments, &c. were crushed to atoms by a sudden shock of an earthquake, which did not last a minute, and buried thousands of the inhabitants in ruins and desolation. La Guayra has, in proportion, suffered still more, as well as its immediate coast. Huge masses of the mountains were detached from the summits, and hurled down into the vallies. The following cities and towns also suffered :-Cumana, New BarceTona, Valencia, and Magueta, nearly destroyed; Barquisimeto, Santa Rosa, and Candare, totally destroyed; St. Charles and Caramaocte, very much injured; Arilaqua sunk; and the inland town of St. Philip; with a population of 1200 persons, entirely swallowed up."

tion, when stated, that showers of volcanic particles continued pouring for several hours all over the island, accompanied, at intervals, with violent shocks of earthquake, and at times, from the dreadful aperture of the mountain, were shot off rocks of enormous size, which in their fatal fall have done the the destructive impetuosity of the liquid fire, most calamitous injury, and such has been that its baneful effects are of the most serious nature. The brilliancy of the flames, which ter, had a most sublime and awful effect, majestically rose from the mouth of the craand the burning stones which darted in the air resembled the stars in a rocket. The vivid flashes of lightning, which shot forth a noise far exceeding the heaviest artillery, resembled in colour and brightness what is usually seen in a tempest; and the curling sheets of smoke so obscured the sky, that yesterday morning, until ten o'clock, was nearly involved in nocturnal darkness. dreadful were these appearances, that our terrors added new horror to the scene; the whole island was in a state of trepidation, and the people, filled with supplication and dread, precipitately retreated from their homes to places of shelter. About noon yesterday, the wind blew from the south-east, the sun made

So

its appearance, and the whole heavens began to brighten. The eruption, we find, has abated considerably in its violence, but we understand that the leeward and windward

plantations are covered all over with torrents of melted matter."

or

Another account says:"The Souffrier running through the centre of this island and Mountain,the most northerly of the lofty chain the highest, as computed by the most accurate survey that has ever yet been taken, had for and from the extraordinary frequency and some time past indicated much disquietude; violence of earthquakes, which are calculated to have exceeded two hundred within the last year, portended some great movement eruption. The apprehension, however, was not so immediate, as to restrain curiosity, or to prevent repeated visits to the crater, which of late had been more numerous than at any former period, even to Sunday last, the 26th of April; when some gentlemen ascended it, and remained there for some time. Nothing unusual was then remarked, or any external difference observed, except rather a stronger emission of smoke from the interstices of the conical hill, at the bottom of the crater. those that have not visited this romantic and wonderful spot, a slight description of it, as it lately stood, is previously necessary.

Те

"About 2000 feet from the level of the sea (calculating from conjecture), on the south side of the mountain, and rather more than two-thirds of its height, opens a circular chasm, somewhat exceeding half a mile in diameter, aud between 400 and 500 feet in depth: exactly in the centre of this capacious

bowel

bowl, rose a conical hill about 260 or 300 feet in height, and about 200 in diameter, richly covered and variegated with shrubs, brushwood, and vines, above half way up, and the remainder covered over with virgin sulphur to the top. From the fissures of the cone and interstices of the rocks, a thin white smoke was constantly emitted, occasionally tinged with a slight bluish flame. The preeipitous sides of this magnificent amphitheatre were fringed with various evergreens and aromatic shrubs, flowers, and many alpine plants. On the north and south sides of the base of the cone were two pieces of water, one perfectly pure and tasteless, the other strongly impregnated with sulphur and alum. This lonely and beautiful spot was rendered more enchanting by the singularly melodious notes of a bird, an inhabitant of these upper solitudes, and altogether unknown to the other parts of the island: hence principally called or supposed to be invisible; though it certainly has been seen, and is a species of the merle.

"A century had now elapsed since the last convulsion of the mountain, or since any other elements had disturbed the serenity of this wilderness than those which are common to the tropical tempest. It apparently slumbered in primeval solitude and tranquillity, and, from the luxuriant vegetation and growth of the forest, which covered its side from the base nearly to the summit, seemed to discountenance the fact, and falsify the records of the ancient volcano. Such was the majestic, peaceful Souffrier on April the 27th; but we trod on ignem supositum cineri doloso, and our imaginary safety was soon to be confounded by the sudden danger of devastation. Just as the plantation bells rang twelve at noon on Monday the 27th, an abrupt and dreadful rash from the mountain, with a severe concussion of the earth, and tremulous noise in the air, alarmed all around it. The resurrec. tion of this fiery furnace was proclaimed in a moment by a vast column of thick, black, ropy smoke, like that of an immense glass house, bursting forth at once, and mounting to the sky; showering down sand, with gritty calcined particles of earth and favilla mixed, on all below. This, driven before the wind towards Wallibou and Morne Ronde, darkened the air like a cataract of rain, and covered the ridges, woods, and cane-pieces with lightgrey colored ashes, resembling snow when slightly covered by dust. As the eruption increased, this continual shower expanded, destroying every appearance of vegetation. At night a very considerable degree of igni. tion was observed on the lips of the crater; but it is not asserted, that there was as yet any visible ascension of flame. The same awful scene presented itself on Tuesday; the fall of favilla and calcined pebbles still in creasing, and the compact, pitchy column from the crater rising perpendicularly to an

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inmense height, with a noise at intervals like the muttering of distant thunder.

"On Wednesday, the 29th, all these menacing symptoms of horror and combustion still gathered more thick and terrific for miles around the dismal and half-observed mountain. The prodigious column shot up with quicker motion, dilating as it rose like a bal loon. The sun appeared in total eclipse, and shed a meridian twilight over us, that aggravated the wintry gloom of the scene now completely powdered over with falling particles. It was evident that the crisis was yet to come that the burning fluid was struggling for a vent, and labouring to throw off the superincumbent strata and obstructions, which suppressed the ignivomous torrent. At night, it was manifest that it had greatly disengaged itself from its burthen, by the appearance or fire flashing above the mouth of the crater.

On Thursday, the memorable 30th of April, the reflection of the rising sun on this majestic body of curling vapour was sublime beyond imagination-any comparison of the Glaciers, of the Andes, or Corderas with it, can but feebly convey an idea of the fleecy whiteness and brilliancy of this awful column of intermingled and wreathed smoke and clouds; it afterwards assumed a more eul. phureous cast, like what we call thunder. clouds, and in the course of the day a ferrugi nous and sanguine appearance, with much livelier action in the ascent, a more extensive dilation, as if almost freed from every obstruction; in the afternoon, the noise was incessant, and resembled the approach of thunder still nearer and nearer, with a vibrasion that affected the feelings and hearing; at yet there was no convulsive motion, or sensible earthquake. The Charaibs settled at Morne Ronde, at the foot of the Souffrier, abandoned their houses, with their live stock, and every thing they possessed, and fled precipitately towards town. The negroes became confused, forsook their work, looked up to the mountain, and as it shook, trembled, with the dread of what they could neither understand nor describe the birds fell to the ground, overpowered with showers of favilla, unable to keep themselves on the wing-the cattle were starving for want of food, as not a blade of grass or a leaf was now to be found -the sea was much discoloured, but in no wise uncommonly agitated; and it is remarkable, that throughout the whole of this violent disturbance of the earth, it continued quite passive, and did not at any time sympathise with the agitation of the land. About four o'clock P. M. the noise became more alarming, and just before sun-set the clouds reflected a bright copper color, suffused with fire. Scarcely had the day closed, when the flames burst at length pyramidically from the crater, through the mass of smoke; the rolling of the thunder became more awful and deafening; electric flashe quickly succeed.

ed,