Biographical Notices.

THE LATE MR. FARQUHAR.

The Bouquet.

"I have here only made a nosegay of culled flowers, and have
brought nothing of my own but the thread that ties them."

CUSTOMS OF LANCASHIRE
THIRTY YEARS AGO.

[From the Museum Europæum.]

MONTAIGNE.

when the public curiosity was highly excited by the unexpected offer of Mr. Beckford's far-famed seat of Fonthill Abbey, and all its long hidden treasures for sale, and conjecture became weary in searching for a purchaser amongst the most wealthy portion of the Aristocracy of the land, "Mr. Farquhar was a native of Aberdeen, and went curiosity was converted into amazement by the anout early in life to India, as a Cadet on the Bombay estab-nouncement, that the frugal Mr. Farquhar was become lishment, where he was a chum of the late General Kerr. the proprietor of so much splendour. The price paid While at Bombay, he received a dangerous wound in the for the estate and all the works of art contained in hip, which caused lameness, and affected his health so the Abbey, which Mr. Beckford spent a life and princely much, that he was recommended to remove to Bengal. fortune in collecting, is now pretty well understood Mr. Farquhar's mind was ever occupied in study, and to have been £340,000. Mr. Farquhar, soon after chymical research was his favourite pursuit; from its prac- the purchase, went to reside at the Abbey, of which he tical application the foundation of his immense fortune occupied but a small part. Our readers will probably rewas laid. There was some defect in the mode of manu- member that some time ago the enormous tower of the facturing gunpowder in the interior, and Mr. Farquhar Abbey fell on the roof of the building, and turned almost was selected to give his assistance. By degrees, he got the the whole pile into one mighty ruin. Mr. Farquhar, management of the concern, and finally became the sole with his domestics, were in the Abbey at the time of this contractor to the Government. In this way, wealth and sudden destruction, but fortunately sustained no personal distinction rapidly poured in upon him, and he attained injury. He did not attempt to restore the building, which the particular favour and confidence of the late Mr. War- would have been attended with great expense; but, as a ren Hastings. In Bengal, he was remarkable for the close-residence abandoned it altogether, and has since principally ness of his application, unabating perseverance, and ex-resided in the house in the New Road, in which he died." traordinary mental vigour, and also for the habits of penuriousness which, in a great degree, adhered to him to the end of his life. After years of labour, he came home from India, with a fortune estimated at half a million of money, the principal part of which was invested, through Mr. Hoare, in the funds, at the rate of £55 for 3 per cent. Consols. On landing at Gravesend, Mr. F. got on the outside of the coach to London, and his first visit very naturally was to his banker. Full of dust and dirt, with clothes not worth a guinea, he presented himself at the counter, and asked to see Mr. Hoare. The clerks disregarded his application, and he was suffered to wait in the cash-office as a poor petitioner, until Mr. Hoare, passing through it, after some explanation, recognised his Indian customerWith feelings of indescribable pleasure the editor of the man whom he expected to see with a Nabob's pomp. this work calls to his remembrance various customs and Mr. Farquhar requested £25 and took his leave.After scenes familiar to the early years of his existence. Still leaving the banking-house, he went to a relation's, a baro-present is the delight with which he hailed the approach net, with whom he for some time resided. About Christ-of May-day morning, when a select company of the musimas a grand rout was to be given by the relation of Mr. cal rustics of Worsley and Swinton, near Manchester, Farquhar, in consequence of his return. One evening, a would assemble at midnight to commence the grateful week previous, Mr. Farquhar received a hint from his re- task of saluting their neighbours with the sound of the lation that his clothes were not of the newest fashion, and clarionet, hautboy, german flute, violin, and the me. recommended a Bond-street tailor to him. Mr. Farquhar lody of a dozen voices. On this occasion the leader of the asked him if that really was his opinion; the answer was band would commence his song under the window or begiven in a way with which Mr. Farquhar did not feel fore the outer door of the family "he delighted to honour" pleased; he went to his bed-room, packed up his trunk, requested the servant to call a coach, in which he set out, and never after associated with his titled relative. He then settled in Upper Baker-street, where his house was to be I hope you'll not be angry at us for being so bold, distinguished by its dingy appearance, uncleaned windows, Drawing near to the merry month of May." and general neglect. An old woman was his sole attend- In this strain, including some encomium or happy allusion ant, and his apartment, to which a brush or broom was to the various-qualifications of the mistress and other never applied, was kept sacred from her care.—Books and branches of the family, the whole were saluted; after papers were strewed on the floor; the spot where the book which a purse of silver or a few mugs of good ale were diswas concluded, there it was thrown, and never removed. tributed among the company; thus they proceeded from His neighbours were not at all acquainted with his charac-house to house, filling the air with their music and happy ter; and there have been instances of some of them offer- voices, till six o'clock in the morning. ing him money as an object of charity, or as a reduced gentleman. He became a partner in the great agency house, in the city, of Basset, Farquhar, and Co. and also purchased the late Mr. Whitbread's share in the brewery. Part of his wealth was devoted to the puchase of estates, but the great bulk was invested in stock, and suffered to increase on the principle of compound interest. Every half-year he regularly drew his dividends, his mercantile profits, and his rents, and purchased in the funds. His religious opinions were said to be peculiar, and to be in fluenced by an admiration of the purity of the lives and moral principles of the Brahmins. It is said that he offered £100,000 to found a college in Aberdeen, on the most enlarged plan of education, with a reservation on points of religion; to which, however, the sanction of the Legislature could not be procured, and the plan was dropped, Mr. Farquhar, a few years since, set up a handsome chariot; but his domestic habits continued the same, and his table seldom laboured with a pressure of heavy dishes. He was diminutive in person, and by no means prepossessing in appearance; his dress had all the qualities of the antique to recommend it; and his domestic expenditure, until lately, had not exceeded £200 a year, although his possessions, money in the funds, and capital in trade, are

said to amount to a million and a half.

That Mr. Farquhar was an amiable but an eccentric person, there can be no doubt; though seemingly penurious in his habits of life, he was princely in his liberality; and many mornings when he had left his house with a crust of bread in his pocket, to save the expense of a penny at an oyster-shop, he has given away hundreds of pounds in works of charity. In the summer of 1822,

with

"O, rise up Master of this house, all in your chain of gold,
For the Summer springs so fresh, green and gay,

Another custom was for the lads of the villages on May. day-eve, to compliment their sweethearts, and lasses whom they knew, by decorating their doors or the eaves of their dwellings with May flowers or boughs of trees emblematical of affection, or some good quality the lady was supposed to possess: for instance, a Birch for a pretty wench, an Oak for the lover of a joke or a merry girl, &c. Some times these compliments were of a rougher cast, as the IIazel Nut for a dirty slut, the Alder (pronounced Owler) for a scolder, or the Willow Green for a forsaken queen. Much amusement was derived from the bustle the lasses would make to have any unwelcome emblems removed before the neighbourhood was apprized of the supposed degradation.

One of the most laughable and amusing customs was observed at Easter, when the young men and young women would disguise themselves in the most fantastic and ridiculous habits, and go from house to house a Peace Egging" or begging eggs; the most respectable farmers' sons or daughters would indulge in this custom, and very often no mean display of humour and wit was to be met with among these masked rustics. All spirits flowed buoyantly and in unison, while a good song was frequently given in return for the convivial glass of the generous

farmer.

The Marriages of the weavers and other mechanics were at that period of the most joyous description. A young couple intending to be married, would invite their acquaintance for miles round to attend them to church, and to dine with them at a neighbouring inn, after the ceremony. The editor has seen a couple attended by three hundred young men and women; ribbons streaming from

the hats of the youths and waving on the bosoms of the maids. Now all this was no burthen to the nuptial pair every guest paid his own expenses at the inn, and the married couple were totally exempt. Fiddling and dan cing finished the joyous meeting; and many future matches were often the consequence of the celebration.

Their Funerals were also most numerously attended, especially amongst the colliers of Walkdenmoor, tear Worsley, and in the whole parish of Eccles. No invite tion whatever was necessary on these occasions, every onewent who felt the slightest regard for the deceased, or deed who wished for a holiday: from one to three hun dred was no uncommon attendance.

Various other customs we could revert to as peculiar to that part of the country; many of them now in total di use; partly occasioned by depression of trade during the late war, and the consequent poverty of the Lancashire weavers and other artisans, by which their native energies, cheerfulness, and happiness, have been nearly annihilated; and many of them, even at this moment of peace and prosperity, scarcely earn sufficient to render life desirable

Miscellanies.

TO THE EDITOR.

SIR,-The following narrative is at your service, if think it worthy of a place in your entertaining miscellany, the Kaleidoscope. It is translated from the fourth book de l'Histoire de Charles Neuf, par le Sieur Varillas, and happened at Rouen, in 1562.—Yours respectfully, LECTOR.

An accident which happened to the most daring and hardy of the besieged, in the combat that we have just re lated, deserves to be told. François de Civille, a young Calvinistic nobleman in the neighbourhood of Rouen, entered that city before it was besieged, and had been ap pointed, by Montgommeri, to command a company of foot-soldiers, with orders to guard a station between the gate of St. Hilaire and les Fourches. In this place be was shot in the right cheek by a musket-ball. The vi lence of the ball, which penetrated a long way into his head, threw him from the top of the ramparts down to the ground, where the pioneers were working at an intrend ment. These unfeeling men, too much familiarized with scenes of blood to be moved by pity, considered Civille dead, or at least they imagined that he would very soon be so: despoiling him of his clothes, they payed themselves beforehand for the sepulture they were about to give him, and, although he was but half dead, they cast him into a grave by the side of a soldier that they were then intering He had been buried six hours when the assault terminated His groom, who was waiting with his horse for him, ob serving that he did not return, and hearing a confitse rumour that he was dead, went to Montgommeri to asce tain the fact, who told him in what manner he believe Civille had been killed. The groom, much grievel begged that at least they would show him the place when his master was buried, in order that he might take away his body, and convey it to his relatives. Jean le Clere, lieutenant in the guards of Montgommeri, offered to show him the place. The night was very dark, and they durs not take a light with them, as the enemy would have fire at them immediately. However, the lieutenant ba marked the grave so exactly, that the groom found the t bodies; but the wounds that they had received in the face and the mud with which they were besmeared, had so dis figured them, that it was not possible to distinguish Civill from the other; thus the groom was compelled to replac them in the grave whence he had taken them. The dar ger to which he exposed himself in performing this melat choly duty, and the distraction of his mind, occasioned his singular adventure, allowed him to do it with so litt exactness, that he left one of the arms uncovered. He turned, overwhelmed with grief; but as he was about t enter the street, and had lost sight of the spot where he ha buried his master, he turned his head to look at it ont more. The moon, which was rising, enabled him to per ceive the arm lying out of the ground, and the fear lest might allure the dogs to grub up the bodies and devou them, had so much influence over him as to induce him go back for the purpose of covering the arm. In takin hold of it he found a ring on one of the fingers, which h escaped the observation of the pioneers, who had been too great haste to make a particular examination. Her cognised the diamond that Civille had been accustomed wear; then unburied his master, and finding, on takin him up, that he was still warm, placed him on his hors

nd conveyed him to the monastery of St. Claire, the vapours. The visitors should be few; no one must stay from the chin, in order to elevate the head as much as lace destined for the wounded. The surgeons having long in the room, and on quitting should avoid swallow- possible above the surface of the water. To keep it zamined Civille, deemed it useless to dress his wounds, ing their spittle, and clear the mouth and nostrils. Vi- down to the shoulders, the most obvious method was by ad restored him to the groom, who, not knowing what to negar, camphor, &c. are useless, without attention to bandages passing under the arms, or across the back, and e, took him to the inn where he abode. In this place he cleanliness and fresh air. Fumigate the room once or mained four days without taking any nourishment, and, twice a day, in the following manner:-Mix an equal tied or strapped over the breast. It was found, however, a the fifth day, Grente and Le Gras, two celebrated phy-quantity of nitre and vitriolic acid in a teacup, stirring it that unless the bandages were drawn so tight as to be incans, having heard that he was still alive, went to visit now and then with a tobacco pipe or piece of glass, re- convenient by pressure, the collar would rise from the im, more from curiosity than with any hope of being move the teacup occasionally to different parts of the room. shoulder a little, and, of course, the head become proble to afford him relief. They forced his mouth open, With these precautions, fever will seldom, if ever, spread; leaned his wounds, and discovered, on applying the first to a neglect of them, may be attributed the great mortality portionably depressed. The upper circumferent rim of Aressing, that nature had yet sufficient strength to recover, by fever. this collar being out of the water, if there be any conprovided she were seconded by art: and, indeed, he began siderable ripple or swell, the waves are apt to splash over recover, to the great astonishment of the inhabitants of the face. Such were the defects of the first apparatus, Louen. When that city was taken, some Catholic officers which I have thus minutely detailed, because I know that bo had had a quarrel with the brother of Civille, ran to se inn where they had heard he resided. The persons very many persons have, in consequence of my first letter, procured cork collars of that description. Fig. 1.

The Philanthropist.

We particularly request that our fellow-journalists who have noticed the letter on this subject, which appeared in the Kaleidoscope of the 27th of June, will apprize their readers of the improvement suggested in the following communication:

TO THE EDITOR.

ho had informed them were mistaken, for the two bro-
hers bore the same name. The intention of the officers
as to kill their enemy; and their vexation when they
and that he had escaped their revenge (for he had already
ft Rouen) was so great, that they wreaked their ven-
sance on his unfortunate brother. However, they were
ot willing to finish it entirely themselves, but commanded NEW, EFFECTUAL, & CHEAP MARINE LIFE-PRESERVER.
heir servants to throw him through the window, which
order was immediately executed. But nothing can take
way the life of a man when his last hour is not arrived.
aville fell upon a dunghill that was unobserved by those
no threw him through the window, and, as their thoughts
ere only fixed on pillaging the room as speedily as pos-
ble, in order that they might hasten to do the same else
there, they put themselves to no more trouble about what
yas become of him than their masters had done, who had
one out after having given their order. He remained
hree days on the dunghill without receiving any nourish-
aent, until his servant informed his relatives of what had
tappened to him. One of the most charitable of them, by
neans of a bribe, prevailed on the Catholic soldiers to re-
nove him from that place, and to convey him to a country
Bouse near Rouen, where he recovered, and lived almost
fity years afterwards.

Specimen of the John Bull's Wit or Ribaldry." On the death of Mr. Butterworth, the malicious wit (who is, evidently, given over to the d-l, and incapable of any feeling of saintly excellence) says, the event strangely concides with a question which this grass-consuming weather auses to be frequently asked by one neighbour of another, what is Butterworth to-day?"-Again, The papers elate the death of one wretch by drinking gin, and of Another unfortunate individual by drinking cold water. What pity, says the wit, these persons had not been acjusintances; for then, by mixing together the gin that talled the one, and the water that was the death of the sther, both might now have been alive and merry."

Abernethy.—This very sagacious surgeon, it is well known, soon lowes his temper unless a patient tells his story in a clear and concise way. A lady, aware of this, went to consult him for a severe bite on her finger, and After a curtsey the following dialogue took place."Your ame, if you please, Ma'am." "Of no moment."What is the matter with you?" The lady held out her inger, but said nothing." A bite?" "Yes."-" By a "No."-"By a cat?" "Yes."-" By H—s, Ma'am, you are a sensible woman; let me know your address." Of not the least consequence."-The prescription was silently exchanged for the usual fee, and Cropping another curtsey, the lady as silently withdrew.

The Housewife.

"Housekeeping and husbandry, if it be good, Must love one another as cousins in blood: The wife, too, must husband as well as the man, Or farewell thy husbandry, do what thou can.” Purifying Water.-Four or five drops of vitriolic acid at into a large decanter of bad water are said to make the toxious particles deposit themselves at the bottom, and

render the water wholesome.

SIR,-In the Kaleidoscope of the 27th of June, I addressed a letter to the public on the subject of a new cork life-preserver, which had been constructed only a few days previously. That letter was published rather prematurely, and as the suggestion it contained has been very generally noticed, I take this method of giving equal publicity to the very material improvement which daily experience for the last month has enabled me to effect in this most simple, but important life-preserver.

I may be taxed with publishing a discovery first and making the experiments afterwards, nor do I affect to deny that there will be some justice in the charge; but the fact is, that from the moment that the thought of this mode of applying cork suggested itself, I was convinced that it would ultimately lead to most important consequences; and that if the precise method first suggested should not be generally adopted, it would serve as a hint, which would ultimately produce a more simple, effective, and economical life-preserver than any hitherto known.

The first rude experiment I made, and which, as I have already admitted, was published rather precipitately, so thoroughly convinced me that it would lead to important results, that bearing in recollection the anecdote of Columbus and his egg, I could not resist the temptation of putting in my claim to the first thought of a simple apparatus, which will, in all probability, become very general, or will lead to still better methods of saving human life.

ъ

In order that the collar, while it rests upon the shoulders, should be immersed either wholly or in a great degree in the water, it should be shaped, not as originally described, but ought to be sloped gradually from the central hole to the circumferent rim, so as to resemble in shape a double convex lens. This may easily be understood by an inspection of the figures. Fig. 1 represents a back view of the collar, with two pieces of strong tape firmly stitched to its under rim, and hanging down at right angles with it. To the end of these are to be fixed a cross strap, with a buckle, to go round the chest, and fasten in front. This belt, although not shown at fig. 1, may be seen at fig. 2. The two tapes a and b (fig. 1) are to be of such a length, that when the strap or belt is fastened to their ends, it may lie close under the arm pits, which will keep the back rim of the collar from rising from the shoulders. A small leather strap, which is not shown in fig. 1, is also secured from the under rim of the front of the collar. This, by being passed through a small buckle sewed on to the cross belt, will keep the collar from rising in front. When the tapes and straps are thus adjusted, which may be done in a very few seconds, if the wearer enter the water he will be buoyed up in an upright position, which, if he cannot swim, is the best position he can retain. While thus floating, the whole of the collar, unless it is unnecessarily buoyant, will be immersed in the water; and the wearer will find himself so entirely at his ease, that if the collar be used for the purpose of learning to swim, a Since the date of my former letter, I have made at week's practice will effect the purpose. When in the act least thirty trials of cork collars, or jackets, in various of swimming, part of the back rim of the cork will be forms, in the Floating Bath, and the result has been the out of the water; but this is of no importance, if there be most complete success; nor do I fear committing my-sufficient buoyancy in the part which is immersed. The self when I assert, that, for a few shillings, a simple life. dimensions of these collars will, of course, vary with That with which a great many expepreserver may be made, which can be applied as readily that of the wearer. as a man can put on his coat and waistcoat, and which shall riments have been made, and which is found quite suffibuoy him up higher in the water than any man can cient to float a person of thirteen or fourteen stone swim without it. In addition to these properties, a weight,is of the following weight and dimensions:-The little extra cork will render it capable of floating two, whole collar, about sixteen inches in diameter. or three persons, or even more. It may also be in- thickness of the part which comes in contact, or nearly so, stantly applied without taking off the clothes, if necessary. with the neck, is three inches, from which it tapers -I have already adverted to the defects of the first collar off towards the edges to about half that thickness. The suggested. It was a mere circular piece of cork, of an weight of such a collar is about three pounds. It only reuniform thickness of about two inches, the head passing mains to explain why the hole for the head to pass through through the central opening. When resting on the shoul- is oblong. The head being narrower from side to side, ders, it stood out horizontally at right angles with the than from back to front, the hole is cut thus to prevent a body, somewhat like a Queen Elizabeth's frill or ruff. waste of cork, and to bring the collar as near as possible to the neck. The inner rim of the circular hole may be padded with a little linen or flannel, to prevent the friction of the cork against the skin.

Ruler in cases of Contagious Fever.-Fresh air in the
patient's room is indispensible, especially about the bed; This kind of collar, if it contains about three pounds of
erefore, keep a window partly open day and night, cork, will accomplish every thing which I promised in my
taking care to prevent the wind from blowing directly on letter; but it is liable to an objection, of which, in my
the patient's bed. Cleanliness is of the utmost importance;
the patient's linen should be often changed, and the dirty eagerness to convey the hint to the public, I was not
clothes instantly put into fresh cold water, and then well aware, but which is now completely obviated. In order
washed. Cleanse the floor of the room every day with a to have all the advantages of the buoyancy of the cork, it
vet mop; immediately remove all discharges, and cleanse should be wholly, or nearly immersed in the water: for
the utensils. Nurses and attendants should avoid the
patient's breath, and stand on that side of the room from this purpose, it was necessary that the collar should rest
Watch the current of air comes, and carries off the noxious on the shoulders, or at the greatest practicable distance

The

Having thus described as minutely and as clearly as I can the construction and mode of wearing the simple collar, I shall pass on to another kind of preserver, which many people may prefer, as it buoys up the wearer higher in the water than the mere collar, guards his

*For fig. 2, see next page.

breast and back, keeps him warmer in the water, and
is better adapted for swimming. It is composed of a
collar, or a half collar, attached to a kind of front
and back stays. As it is a most complete apparatus, I
shall reserve its description for a separate article, in an-
other form; my principal object in writing this rather
long letter being to correct some faults and deficiences
which had found their way into my former communication.
The importance of the object I have in view must be
my apology with those who may deem the details prolix.
I remain Yours, &c.

EGERTON SMITH.

P.S. On a very sudden emergency, when it is requisite merely to buoy a person up awhile until he is picked up, the cork collar is most effective, as it is only necessary to put the head through the hole, and, with each hand, hold down the upper surface of the collar on each side, which will keep it in contact with the shoulder, and buoy a person completely up, as long as he can retain his hold, without any belt or bandages.

The Kaleidoscope.

DESCRIPTION OF A MOST EFFECTIVE AND SIMPLE
CHEAP MARINE LIFE-PRESERVER, OR IMPROVED
A Fig. 3.

CORK COLLAR AND JACKET.

Fig. 2.

B

D

the simple preserver we have described may be afforded when made to a regular pattern. It cannot be much, as independent of a little labour in cutting the cork and stitching it to the canvass, there is the mere cost of a yar and a half of sail-cloth or linen, and three or four pound of cork.

Barometer

at

noon.

METEOROLOGICAL DIARY.

[From the Liverpool Courier.] Extreme Thermo-Extreme State of during meter 8 heat u-the Wind Night. morning ring Day. at noon.

Remarks

is not necessary, nor indeed proper, behind as before,
because the position of the head throws the body, when
in the water, into a sloping position, as if leaning for-
wards. The corks in front, in our specimen, are somewhat
more than an inch thick, and weigh about two pounds;
those in the back being rather thinner, weigh about
one pound and a half; so that the whole jacket, inde-
pendent of the half collar, weighs about three pounds
and a half. The collar (C, fig. 3) is firmly stitched
to the upper part of the front sail-cloth, and, when
worn, projects out, horizontally, about five inches. Its
thickness, nearest the neck, is about three inches, from
which it is cut down to a blunt edge, as may be easily
understood by inspecting figure 2. The weight of the
collar may be about half-a-pound, making the whole
preserver four pounds, independent of the sail-cloth and
belt. There is more cork in this specimen than is requi-
site, as it was made for the purpose of being worn over the
clothes, which it is always desirable to preserve;
so that the wearer, when he reaches shore, may not
be, as is too often the case, naked and wholly destitute of Marine LIFE PRESERVER.-We are glad to perceive that the

apparel. A preserver of this description, will enable him
also to carry off a considerable quantity of money in his
pocket, if he should happen to possess it. When this sim-
ple apparatus is used, the wearer passes his bead through
the central aperture in the sail-cloth (fig. 3), and the
front and back instantly arrange themselves, so that all
that remains to be done is, to fasten them together. A
E strap or belt, formed of diaper web or saddle girthing, &c.
(D, fig. 3) is secured to the back collars, at such a distance
from the neck as to pass just under the arm-pits; so that
when buckled in front, the whole jacket is prevented
from slipping up, which it would otherwise do, owing to
its great buoyancy. A piece of strong tape (E) is stitched
to the lower row of the back corks, and tied tight in
front, over the centre of the lower row of the front corks.
When the preserver is thus arranged, which may be done
in a few seconds, the collar projects horizontally, as seen
at fig. 2, and the front corks are brought into close contact
with the breast. The back corks, which are not exhibited
in fig. 2, are brought equally tight, and the body is braced
up most comfortably, and protected behind and before from
external injury; while the buoyancy of the whole keeps
the head elevated, much higher than swimmers in general
can carry theirs, the half collar, which may easily be
made into a whole collar by adding a back part, greatly
helps the wearer to remain upright in the water when ne-
cessary, and prevents the body turning round, or lying
"lob-sided", as it is apt to do when a mere cork waistcoat
is applied. The belt or strap should be braced tight, and
kept as close to the arm-pits as possible, as the body is
thereby prevented from coming into contact with the cold

Having, in the preceding letter, described the simple cork collar, and the mode of applying it, so as (we trust) render the matter intelligible to every person, we shall proceed to give a brief description of the collar, or half-collar and jacket, and the mode of constructing it, which is extremely simple::—A B fig. 3 is an oblong piece of light sailcloth or strong linen, of length and breadth proportionate to the stature and bulk of the wearer. It has an aperture in the centre, through which the head passes; the part A falling down in front, as far as the waist, and the part B hanging down behind. To the front and back are stitched pieces of cork, of size and shape according to the fancy, or the bulk and weight of the wearer. That we shall here describe is similar to one which we have tried with complete success and satisfaction. The cork for the front and back may be of one piece, hollowed out a little to fit the shape; but we are of opinion that it adapts itself better to the body, and lies closer, when composed of several parts. The reader will perceive we have six pieces of cork in front, and six in the back, ranged in rows of three. In our specimen (fig. 3) the pieces which lie upon the middle part of the back and front of the body are about seven inches broad, while the side pieces are only four, making the whole breadth fifteen inches, leaving half an inch of the linen or sail-cloth on each side. The upper row are about 9 inches long, and the lower row about 6 inches. The back corks are nearly of the same dimensions, but rather of thinner cork, as the same quantity of buoyancy

water.

With respect to keeping on the clothes, there can be no question that they should always be retained, if possible, as the wearer can by that means sustain the cold much longer than when naked; besides, as we before observed, saving his apparel and money.

We have already said that there is in the preserver here described, much more cork than is requisite, and we feel confident that if the front cork were one pound and a half, the back cork one pound, and the collar half-apound, it would be found sufficient. However, as it was our intention to use our apparatus with our ordinary clothes on, even to the shoes, it was necessary to have a little extra buoyancy.

There are many minor points which must be reserved for another communication. Amongst those are some hints for the construction of the preservers, with as little waste and expense as possible. The experiments we have made, with repeated and almost daily alterations in the proportions or shape of the cork, and other parts of the apparatus, afford no correct estimate of the price at which

*The buckle and strap or belt when passed round in front are put through two loops in the front cork, represented by two white stripes hanging down just under the collar.

July

Cloudy.

0 68 0 W. 59 0 65 0 S.S.E. Rain.

56 O 62

56 O

subject begins to excite a considerable degree of interes Nothing but a sense of the great importance of the subje should have induced us to bestow upon it so much of time, and so large a portion of our journal. But when w recollect that three or four pounds of cork, properly d tributed will preserve any man from drowning, and kee two or even three persons afloat, we shall, we trust, b acquitted of attaching too much importance to the matte Since we last addressed our readers, we have been thre times in the river, with the following apparel on:under waistcoat, a pair of calico drawers, a pair of stee ings and shoes, a thick sailor's jacket and trowsers, nee handkerchief, and a hat. With these we swam with eas from the Floating Bath to a Scotch vessel opposite the Duke Dock, and could have proceeded ten times the distance with out fatigue or exhaustion, if a very severe cold and hoars ness under which we laboured, had not rendered it nee sary to be rather cautious. The preserver used in these e periments from the Floating Bath, was that represented figs. 1 and 2; and such is its buoyancy, that in the prese of a great number of spectators, we supported two young men-one holding before, and the other behind; not of the three stirring either hand or foot. Such was the confidence which this experiment inspired, that a gentl man, who had never ventured outside of the Floating Bat before, requested to try the preserver; with which he wa so pleased, that he remained in the river upwards of fort minutes, during which time he must have swam at lea three quarters of a mile. We intend to make some whim sical experiments with the collar, such for instance as a taching a light chair or seat to it, so that a person wh wears it may float with the stream, sitting all the while his ease. He may take a light umbrella as a sail, and se away like another Nautillus.

AIR JACKET. We shall insert the letter of a corresponde

on this subjeet next week.

CHESS.-J. B., of Broughton, as well as some other corresp dents who have addressed us on the subject, imagined, bela the solution of No. C. was given, that the black had th move. The white, they say, need not have taken fo moves to give checkmate, and it could have mated t black in one move. This is very obvious, as the whi castle, by simply moving to A 8, would have finished th game. But that was not the point at issue. Have correspondents never heard of those games, where one sis (white, say) having the power to give checkmate ima diately, declines the obvious mode of doing it, and, placin a finger-ring on a particular pawn or piece, engages to gi checkmate with that pawn or piece, and no other, in certain number of moves? No. C. is one of those kind challenges, and a very beautiful specimen of the ring ga We have one of these kind of games this week. The whi should give immediate checkmate, but engages to do it wi the pawn.

We thank Genista for the trouble taken to transcribe t chess problems. One of them, No. 24, has already a peared in the fifth volume of the Kaleidoscope, page 37. T other one we shall have as much pleasure in appropriatin as we shall have in hearing further from this corresponden

FRESH ANd Salt Water BarM.-The letter of Dr. Timali

Twist, on this subject, shall appear next week.

FILTERING WATER. The letter of A Stranger shall appear

our next.

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E. SMITH & Co. 75, Lord-street, Liverpool.

Literary and Scientific Mirror.

miliar Miscellany, from which all religious and political matters are excluded, contains a variety of original and selected Articles; comprehending LITERATURE, CRITICISM, MEN and CERS, AMUSEMENT, elegant EXTRACTS, POETRY, ANECDOTES, BIOGRAPHY, METEOROLOGY, the DRAMA, ARTS and SCIENCES, WIT and SATIRE, FASHIONS, NATURAL HISTORY, &c. forming adsome ANNUAL VOLUME, with an INDEX and TITLE-PAGE. Its circulation renders it a most eligible medium for Advertisements.

therefore their powers cannot be similar." And do we not also see that one eye is sometimes weaker than the other? And yet, when the person looks with both his eyes, he does not perceive the difference, not even though he has entirely lost the sight of one eye. Thus, though one side of the brain be smaller than the other, or almost entirely destroyed, yet the subject will retain his powers without any sensible alteration. For some analogy to trength and activity of mind, the Lover of Justice, who is at a loss to find any, needs go no farther than to strength and activity of body.

We now meet with three moral objections to phrenology, which will not give us any more trouble than their physial and metaphysical prototypes.

1. "That this science promotes scepticism." The Friend of Justice thinks that many people, when they oppose the principles of phrenology to their old pre. judices in favour of free will, will be startled at their discrepancy, and accordingly give up both. The same argument will be equally valid when applied to the conersion of a Jew to Christianity; which, I suppose, will not be objected, for fear that the convertee, seeing the difference between the two religions, should embrace neither. But there is one great error in this argument, which, when removed, will leave nothing to be sceptical about. The fact is, that the common notions of free will, and those entertained by the phrenologist, are the same; but, as that is the subject of the second objection, I will

leave the consideration of it till then.

2. "It strikes at the root of free agency, and promotes the doctrine of fatality."

by a recapitulation of what was said upon free will; and,
as I have already shown that the arguments upon that
subject were founded upon a misconception, it will not be
necessary for me to go over the ground again here.
There is one more objection: Amicus Justitia complains
that we only find out the organs to be large, after the
faculty has become well known to be large. Thus, that
we have found ideality in Raphael and Haydn; destruc-
tiveness in Robert Bruce; and constructiveness in Sir
Christopher Wren. But this is a remark unworthy of a
Friend of Justice, or of any man of candour. He dare not
assert the organs not to be large in these instances, because
he knows that the fact will not bear him out; but he
meanly insinuates it, without compromising himself by
an assertion. But the insinuation will not have any effect;
for the casts of those heads are to be seen by any one who
thinks it worth the trouble, and there he may see the truth.
The remainder of the paper, nearly two columns, is
employed in that most easy of all modes of argument,
ridicule. When a man proceeds to ridicule, it is a sure
sign that he has no more sense to communicate; and, as
I have no ambition to cope with any one in this style of
argument, I will leave the Lover of Justice, and any one
else who feels inclined, to chuckle undisturbed over their
jokes, and applaud their champion upon his successful
sally, when he denominated the science Bumpology.
There is a feeling observable through the whole of this
paper, rejecting phrenology because it is contrary to the
opinions and prejudices which existed before it made its
appearance. At every turn we see it denominated "a
new theory," "a novel system," &c. and the very motto
shows us what we are to expect. But phrenology is not
the first new discovery which has been thus ridiculed for
its novelty. It was once the case with the circulation of
the blood, and the rotation of the earth; and phrenology
will soon be as universally believed as these truths are now.
One more observation, and I have done. Your corres-
pondent makes one most obvious misrepresentation. He
says that phrenology, on its first appearance, had the tide
of prejudice in its favour, but that its present languid
state plainly predicts its fall. Now, I appeal to every one
of your readers to judge whether the exact contrary of
this is not the truth. Were not the first believers in it
considered as litte better than madmen? and do the pre-
sent extensive societies and increasing number of converts
look like a speedy decay? If I may be allowed to pre-
dict in my turn, so far from thinking the time so near,
when phrenology will be considered only amongst the
things that were, I look forward with pleasure to the time
when those who have maintained the truth, notwithstand.
ing the jeers of the incredulous, may retort their ridicule,
and when every one will be able, like myself, to subscribe
himself

This objection, with which your correspondent is so very much pleased, as to extend it through nearly two columns, I trust it will not take me one-tenth of the space to refute. The doctrine of fatality is so abtruse, and has been a stumbling-block to so many learned men, that it is no wonder that your correspondent has been deceived in it. The fact is, that no system of the human mind can be devoid of some tinge of it, and phrenology is not more imbued with it than any others. Whether it is allowed that faculties and propensities act by means of certain parts of the brain, and that their force is denoted by the size of those parts, or whether that idea is rejected; yet one thing is certain, that some men are gifted with greater talents, or loaded with more ungovernable passions than others; and though a deficiency in the one may be remedied, and the force of the other mitigated, by care and education, yet it is impossible entirely to overcome nature, and therefore predestination must in some measure be admitted. And so far only is it admitted by phrenology; for the same effects are allowed to be produced by education in both cases. How far allowances may hereafter be made for the frailties of our present nature, it is not my place now to consider; but one thing I think I have plainly proved, P.S. Your correspondent, wishing to take away from namely, that however the difference is shown, there is a the merit of Dr. Gall, says that the discovery of the brain difference in men's dispositions, and that therefore phre- not being a single organ, originated in Boerhave, above a nology is no more liable to the charge of promoting fata-century ago. He should have known, and he may now lity than any other sytem of the mind. learn from your correspondent in this week's paper, that the discovery was much older. But he ought particularly to have known it, as there is a poem in the English language upon the subject, as early as the reign of Elizabeth, in which it is called "a received opinion." August 2, 1826.

3. "It promotes the fallacious doctrine of materialism, and tends more to encourage vice than to advance virtue." To prove the former part of this proposition, the Friend of Justice adopts a new style of argument. It has, indeed, the recommendation of novelty, but certainly the logic is f the most extraordinary kind. Casting off the "outward limbs and flourishes" of his reasoning, the naked syllogism stands thus :-" Phrenology asserts, that, in order to think, there must be a joint action between the brain and the soul, or that the brain and soul together think; but if the brain assists in the action of thought, the brain. thinks that is, matter thinks; therefore, phrenology promotes materialism."-According to this new system of logic, we come to this conclusion:-A cripple and his crutches together walk; but if the crutches assist in walkng, the crutches walk; therefore, a pair of crutches walk. -The second clause of the proposition, that phrenology encourages vice more than it advances virtue, is proved

A PHRENOLOGIST.

the stage-lamps. She confesses that she is jealous of the attentions of her rustic lover, to the lady in chains. Th villagers crowd round. She appeals to the dairy maid we will lay the scene at Drury-lane; because whate sorry picture we may draw, that theatre cannot be a maged by the application, as it is expected to show qui as a different thing under a new and judicious matag ment.

Gentle reader, link your arm in mine, if you ples, ti Brydges-street. There is no mob, you see, unles count in the bill-mongers about the entrances. The p lic promenade without a single shriek to the pit, and ar particularly nice and fickle in their selection of situatio There is no Hobson's choice about seats. There is root for small families in the gallery. The first, "first com pany,' two youths in black cravats, and three ladies i Braganzas, monopolize the dress circle. Nineteen ge tlemen, on the free list, straggle in about five minutes be fore seven. The pittites, and the party in No. 6, looka each other for half an hour longer, till the tiny tink the overture," a medley of music discomposed for bell announces that the orchestra are going to "play an occasion, and called new, as we speak of the new n It commences, according to the recommendation of Mr. Puff, in the Critic, with three crashes, or guns;" and then away go the notes, capering and s pering up and down the gamut, shivering and quivering sometimes in concord, sometimes all discords, shriek and scratching and grating, like the dragging abo ragged iron-fenders, with every now-and-then a sma crash like the splitting of a piece of new Irish Ite Anon, a bumping running bass, as if the double drum had a bad tumble down stairs from the garret to the bot tom of the house. The secondary violinists seem to be sawing, and the leader, with a finer hand-movement, m be filing their instruments. The music has something a the sound of both of those harsh mechanical operations The trombonist, with despairing energy, seems operaut on himself with a patent stoniach-pump. The kete drummer, good with both hands, like Randall, is perist ing his instrument up in a corner. Heads and arms are wriggling with universal rapidity, the music is in tul the listening faculty is canted head-foremost a good yar gallop, when suddenly it pulls up on its haunches, a in advance. A dead pause-and then the fiddles fall aga into hysterics. Another rumble of thunder, and a s peaking pipe drops in, all alone, like a driblet of al beer, or the childish treble of an infant at a christer weary of standing so long upon its head. And the Before it is turned off, the bass-viol grumbles in, 1 fresh crash, followed by three little crashes. The trumpet blow up for a storm, the fiddles work themselves tearing passion-(it is Orpheus being torn into piece anew by the raving Bacchanals!)—the whole winding what noises the music speaks for; like the labelled pa in a row of descriptive uproar. There is no need of tem sages in the Battle of Prague, the delighted Londent easily recognises the beating of beds, the Tower gue runaway coal-waggon, the mail coaches, and a chorus v copper-smiths.

high, succeeds. The musicians rub down their bald head A moderate applause, running about fourteen hand and shining brows, with their handkerchiefs; and this a modern overture. Our remarks upon the music a suspended by the rising of the green curtain; and th stage discloses two walking gentlemen, in feathers, p paring the foundation of the play. They are the pionee of the plot, and have a deal of rubbish to clear off, befu the piece can begin its march. One of them is a mila officer, and his sweetheart, it appears, has just been ca ried off by banditti. He orders, of course, an immedia pursuit, but loses his start by coming forward to sing t verses about love and a soldier's duty; and as there is 1 time to be lost, the audience encore the song. The and the robbers might get a good five miles a-head in interval; but you shall see in the next scene that t ruffians forego all the advantage, by stopping to dan with some holiday-making villagers on the road.

The captive lady quickly interests the youngest a handsomest of the countrymen, and they converse apa uninterruptedly, whilst the head robber is hob-nobbi with the fariner's wife. She declares that she can s the tale of her woes, though she cannot speak; and t only of females that speak, but cannot sing. In the mea clown listens most attentively, for he has heard hither time, the militia come up so secretly that not one of! robbers discovers that he is a prisoner, till, on prepart for a dance, à la ronde, he feels that the regulars have t his legs. While the felons are disposed of, a young and shepherdesses for a character, and they all range at male, in a Hampshire Leghorn, and a short russet p

* Vide the last Guerilla.