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form an ample collection of inscriptions, manuscripts, and medals, and other valuable monuments of antiquity, whether Hebrew, Phenician, Greek, or Roman.

18.-Estimate of the present population of Palestine, with details of the manners and customs of the inhabitants.

19.-Vestiges of ancient cultivation in parts of the country now desolate and unproductive.

20-Weights; and measures of time, distance, and capacity.

21. The present modes of dividing the year and day, in use ainong the Arabs, Turks, Christians of each denomination, and Jews; as well as the state of trade and manufactures within the limits of Palestine, and its vicinity.

A variety of other subjects of inquiry of a more particular and detailed nature cannot fail to suggest themselves to the committee, when they are preparing their instructions for their travellers.

The following is a list of the members of the committee appointed by the association:

A. Hamilton, D. D. F.R S. V.P.A. President.

Earl of Aberdeen, Treasurer.

that this country does not gain any accession of riches from her trade; that her wealth, her prosperity, and her inherent in herself; and consequently power, are wholly derived from resources that we have no reason to be alarmed, although our enemies should succeed in their attempts to exclude us from commerce with every part of the globe.

A new Spanish and English Grammar is announced by Mr. THOMAS PLAN

QUAIS.

The first number of the Transactions of the Entomological Society of London, is expected to make its appearance early in June.

Mr. BREWSTER, of Edinburg'), has invented a new Astrometer, for finding the rising and setting of the stars and planets, and their position in the heavens, which is said to be more simple in its construc tion, and more extensive in its application, than any before invented. The use of this instrument is thus described: To find the name of any particular star that is observed in the heavens, place the astro

William Hamilton, Esq. F.S.A. Secretary. meter due north and south, and when George Browne, Esq.

Rev. W. Cockburn.

J. Spencer Smith, Esq. LL. D. F.R.S. F.S.A.

Mr. BYERLEY'S Translation of Machiavel's Prince, is in the press, and will be printed in an elegant octavo volume, embellished with a head of Machiavel.

The same gentleman's Translation of Don Quixote, which has been finished these two years, will be immediately put to press, and appear in six elegant cabinet volumes, embellished with engravings.

Mr. DIEDIN, the celebrated composer, proposes to publish a new periodical work, consisting of a series of short and simple Essays and Songs; calculated in their general operation, progressively to assist the musical education of young ladies at boarding schools, called the Musical Mentor; or, St. Cecilia at School.

An Essay on the Authenticity and Antiquity of the Poems of Ossian, in which the objections of Mr. Malcolm Laing, are particularly considered and refuted, is preparing for publication, by PATRICK GRAHAM, D.D. minister of Aberfoyle.

Mr. WILLIAM SPENCE, F.L.S. bas in the press a work, entitled Britain Independent of Commerce. The object of this publication is to show, in opposition to the commonly-received doctrines,

the star is near the horizon, shift the moveable index till the two sights point to the star. The side of the index will then point out, on the exterior circle, the star's amplitude. With this amplitude enter the third scale from the centre, and find the declination of the star in the second circle. Shift the moveable horary circle, till the time at which the obserration is mude, be opposite the star's declination; and the index will point to the time at which it passes the meridian, The difference between the time of the stars southing, and twelve o'clock at noon, couverted into degrees of the equator, and added to the right ascension if the star comes to the meridian after the sun, but subtracted from it if the star souths before the sun, will give the right ascension of the star. With the right ascensions and declinations thus found, enter a table of the right ascensions and declinations of the principal fixed stars, and you will discover the name of the star which corresponds with th se mun bers. The astroneter may be employed in the solution of various other problems,

Dr. THORNTON hastaid before the pub. lic two new cases, in which the oxygen gas has performed striking cu es in asth ma. The subject of one of these was, Mr. Williams, who had been afflicted in the most alarming manner for several years, but who, by inhaling the oxygen

gas,

gas, aided with tonic medicines, was perfectly cured in a few weeks. Mr. Williams has now been free from asthma upwards of two years, which be ascribes entirely to the pucumatic medicine.

Mr. TAUNTON, surgeon to the City and Finsbury Dispensaries,has again appealed to the public upon the necessity of establishing a fund, to be connected with charitable institutions, for the relief of the ruptured poor. He contends, that nearly one-tenth part of mankind are afflicted with hernia: of course the prevention of an evil attendant upon this calamity, is of the utmost importance. The distressing scenes which he is called on frequently to witness, and which he has described very pathetically, might, he says, generally be prevented by a proper bandage or truss, applied in the beginning of the disease, and continued with care. This might be accomplished at a small expence, compared with the good that would accrue to society; it would even be a saving to the community at large, by the prevention of accidents which always tend to increase the parochial rates.

Dr. OLBERS has written to Dr.Young, foreign secretary to the Royal Society, announcing his discovery of another new planet, on the 29th and 30th of March last. This planet, which he calls Vesta, is apparently about the size of a star, of the 5th or 6th magnitude, and was first seen in Virgo. On the 29th of March, at 8h 21m, mean time 18-4° 8': N. declination 11° 47′; on the 30th at 12h 33m mean time 189° 52′ N. declination, 11° 54'. It has since been seen by Mr. GROOMBRIDGE, at his observatory on Blackheath, who says, it appears like a star of the sixth magnitude, of a dusky colour, similar in appearance to the Iterschel.

In the Duke of BUCCLEUGH's Collection, there has lately been found a curious manuscript of the Statutes of the orders of the Garter and Bath, with various old drawings; among the latter are portraits of Richard III. and of Anne, his queen. These drawings prove to be the originals from which the late Lord Orford's outlines were taken, as represented in his "Historic Doubts."

Mr. GEORGE FIELD has invented an improved Stove for heating rooms, or drying various articles, which unites the various advantages of beating, boiling, steaming, evaporating, drying, ventilating, &c. The height of the stove is

about five feet and an half; its diameter two and a half, and that of the flues four inches. The external part is constructed of brick, and the internal parts of thin Ryegate or fire-stone, except the top of the fire-place, which is a plate of castiron. This stove might be adapted to the drying of malt and hops, perhaps of herbs, corn, and seeds, generally. It might also be accommodated to the purposes of sugar-bakers, connected with the great tires employed for their boilers.

Dr. PARRY has laid before the Bath Society, some account of his improved sheep by Spanish mixture,, in a series of propositions which he demonstrated by specimens exhibited before the society. Dr. Parry in his experiments employed Herefordshire ewes, and the rams employed for the original crosses were Merinos. (1.) The first proposition is, that the wool of the fourth cross of this breed is fully equal in fineness to that of the male parent stock in England. (2.) By breeding from select Merino-Ryeland rams and ewes of this stock, sheep may be obtained, the fleeces of which are superior both to those of the cross-bred parents, and of course to those of the original progenitors of the pure Merino blood in England. (S.) From mixed rams of this breed, sheep may be ob tained, having wool at least equal in fineness to the best that can be procured from Spain. (4.) Wool from sheep of a proper modification of Merino and Ryeland, will make cloth equal to that from the Spanish wool imported into this country. (5.) The proportion of fine wool in the fleeces of the cross breed, is equal, if not superior, to that of the best Spanish piles, and it is more profitable in the manufacture than the best Spanish. (6.) The lamb's wool of the Merino-Ryeland breed, will make finer cloth than the best of that of the pure Merino breed. (7.) Should long wool of this degree of fineness be wanted for shawls, &c. this can be effected by allowing the fleece to remain on the animal unshorn two years. (8.) This stock is already much improved as to the form of the carcase, compared with the Merinos originally imported.

Mr. THELWALL is about to commence, at his Institution for the Cultivation of English Qratory, aird Cure of Impedimeats, in Bedford-Place, a Course of Six Lectures, particularly addressed to the junior Members of the New Parlament, on the objects and genuine characteris

tics of senatorial and popular eloquence, the causes of the present declming state of oratory and popular talent, and the means of improving our national clocution. The lectures will commence on the evening of Monday, June 8th, and will be continued on Monday evenings only. They will be illustrated by oratorical récitations, extemporary declainations, and critical sketches of several of the most celebrated statesmen and parliamentary orators of the preceding generation; including Lords Chatham, Mansheld, Camden, Ashburton, Mr. Grenville, Charis Townshend, Pitt, Burke, Fox, &c. Mr. Thelwall also proffers his private instructions to young senators, desirous of improving their oratorical talents; and offers to superintend a select number of pupils from the colleges and public schools, during the approaching recess.

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Much has of late years been done in Denmark for the education of the poor, A law, respecting the establishment of country schools, which was promulgated in October last year, seems to crown the honourable endeavours of the Danish government towards this important object. Schools for the peasants and the poor have long been established throughout the country; but partly they were too few; partly the school-masters were not sufficiently paid, and therefore mostly compelled to seek a livelihood by other employments. The present law directs that the country shall be divided into school-districts, in each of which there is to be a school, and no district must be larger than the children may, as to the distance, without inconvenience attend the school. A decent income, with free house, is appointed for the masters; and all parents are compelled to send their children regularly to school after the age of seven years. The children are divided according to their age and proficiency into different classes, which are to attend the school at different tines of the day and the week, so that no child is taken away from its parents more than a part of the day. Instruction is to be given in reading, writing, arithmetic, and religion, and to those who have capacity and inclination MONTHLY MAG. No. 157.

for it, in the history and geography of their country. None are to be dismissed from school before they can read both print and plain writing, and give a rational account of the principles of christianity. These regulations are, for the first, limited to the islands of Zealand, Funen, Coland, and Galster; but after they have beca tried, they will, no doubt, perhaps with some alterations and improvements, be extended to all the rest of Denmark.

The Supreme Court of Justice at Copenhagen, has laid before the King an account of all criminals in the Danish dominions, (including Iceland and the Indiau colonies,) on whom sentence has been passed in the year 1806; in which it is stated that two hundred and five crminals, eighteen of whom were foreigners, were ia that year sentenced to corporeal punishment, five for murder, eight for other capital crimes, seven for forgery, the rest for inferior fences, and that the number of criminals bears a proportion to the whole population of the kingdəm and colonies, as one to ten thousand.

A. Gross, a furrier of Copenhagen, has invented a method of making black hats of seal-skin, and has obtained a royal patent, which entitles him to the sole fabrication of that article for three years.

An official paper of Copenhagen, gives an account of the state of the Danish colonies in Greenland for the year 1804; from which it appears that there were in that year caught forty-seven whales, five thousand one hundred seals, six bears,and two hundred and ninety unicorns. Seven ships were employed in the trade, and exported goods to the amount of sixtynine thousand one hundred and five ris dollars, of which were provisions for twenty-five thousand three hundred and forty-five rix dollars. The total population of all the colonies was, as far as could be ascertained up to June 1805, six thousand and forty-six persons, which is an increase of one hundred and eightyone since the year 1802. It is much complained of tha, nothing could till that time be done in the inoculation of the cow-pock, because the matter sent from Copenhagen had been found ineffective.

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Harding rather more than half that less intense, by diluting the solution of

the atmosphere of Piazzi is nearly fifteen times denser than that of the earth; that the atmosphere of Olbers is about ten times denser than that of the earth: and that the atmosphere of Harding is nearly equal to our own. But he adds, that there is still reason to suppose its atmosphere denser than that of any of the earlierdiscovered planets, from the changes in the appearances of its light.

FRANCE.

M. DE LALANDE, to whose scientific labours this Magazine has been so frequently indebted, died at Paris or the 7th of April, aged 75. By his will he ordered his body to be dissected, and the skeleton to be placed in the Museum of Natural History. His relations, however, regardless of the injunction, caused him to be interred a few days after his death. His funeral was attended by the members of the National Institute.

The class of sciences in the French National Institute, has just published the first volume of Memoirs presented to it by learned foreigners, and vol. ii. of its own Memoirs. It has also published the first volume of The Meridian of Dunkirk, being the basis of the metric-decimal system: this work will contain all the observations and methods of calculation, which have fixed the fundamental principles of the metrical system, the imetre and the kilogramine.

Mr. HAUSMAN has given an account of the manner in which the solution of indigo is prepared by means of an alkaline solution of red arsenic, for the use of calico printers. He merely makes a caustic alkaline solution of red arsenic, to which he adds, while it is in a boiling state, a sufficient quantity of indigo bruised, in order to obtain a very deep shade, which may be rendered more or

indigo with a weak ley of caustic potash. M. VEAU DE LAUNAY, in a letter to M. De Lametherie, says, he has frequently repeated the experiments made by Messrs. Pacchiani and Brugnatelli, relative to the formation of the munatic acid, and always with success, that is with the formation of the muriatic acid at the zinc pile, in a manner more or less perceptible.

Messrs. BIOT and ARRAGO have finished a grand work upon the affinities between the different gases and light.

ITALY.

M. PIAZZI at Palermo, and M. CALLANDRELLI at Rome, have recently made observations on several stars, from which it appears that some of the stars give a grand parallax of five seconds, particuJarly Lyra, which, next to Sirius, is the most brilliant star in our hemisphere, from whence it would result that it is one of the least distant. If there be five seconds of simple parallax, the distance ought to be fourteen hundred thousand millions of leagues, that is, five times less than has previously been supposed.

EAST INDIES.

The city of Batavia contains about one hundred and fifteen thousand inhabitants, the annual loss of which by death is about four thousand; and the Dutch in proportion to their numbers, contribute most largely to this list of mortality. The Dutch, including the half-cast, lose nine in one hundred; the Chinese, three and three-fifths; the natives and Malays, two and one-fifth; and the slaves, seven and four-fifths. The mortality among European females is not nearly so great as among the males; and this fact proves that intemperance is the principal cause of mortality.

PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FRANCE.

REPORT of the TRANSACTIONS of the PHY-
SICAL and MATHEMATICAL CLASS of
the NATIONAL INSTITUTE in 1800.
By M. CUVIER, SECRETARY to the

SOCIETY.

URING the year 1806, M. Cuvier Dobserves, several new and important experiments have been made by different distinguished chemists on crude platna, from which the most clear and satisfactory results have been obtained.

It will be recollected, he proceeds to say, that in endeavouring to discover the cause of the different colours of the triple salts of platina, M. Descotils per ceived that the red colour of some of them was owing to the presence of au unknown metal.

Foureroy and Vauquelin, on their part, examined the black powder, which remains after dissolving platinn; and find ing that, in some of their expernments,

it exhaled a strong metallic odour, and in others assumed a more fixed form, they were led to regard it as a new metallic substance, the different properties of which they attributed to its different de grees of oxygenation.

During this same period, Mr. Tennant examined this black powder, and suececded in separating it into two metals, one of which was fixed, and the other extremely volatile; while Wollaston, another British chemist, discovered that in the solution itself, which was supposed to contain only platina, there was a mixture of two other metals, which not only differed from those which form the black powder, but also from platina itself.

Thus after having been subjected to a long series of the most accurate experiments during the course of forty years, chemists have succeeded in detaching eleven different metals from this singular mineral, viz. platina, gold, silver, iron, copper, chrome, and titanite; the two last were discovered by Fourcroy and Vauquelin, in the different coloured sands, which are always mixed with it. The two new metals separated from the solution of platina in the nitro-muriatic acid, by Mr. Wollaston, are:

1. Palladium, a white ductile metal, heavier than silver, very fusible when united with sulphur, soluble in nitric acid, colouring its solution of a beautiful red, precipitable in a metallic state by the sulphate of iron; yielding a dingy green precipitate with the prussiate of pot-ash, forming with soda a triple salt, solable in alcohol.

2. Rhodium, a grey metal, easily reducible, fixed and infusible, imparting a rose colour to its solutions in acids, which is rendered much deeper by the addition of muriate of tin, precipitated by the alkalies of a yellow colour, but not at all by the prussiate of pot ash, the triple salt of which with soda is insoluble in alcohol. M. Cuvier concludes this part of his report by observing, that the two metals discovered by Mr. Tennant in the black powder after solution are:

1. Iridium, a very hard white metal difficult of fusion, nearly insoluble in the nitro-muriatic acid, and wholly so in all the others; oxydizable, and soluble by the fixed alkalies, the oxyde being suluble in all the acids, and imparting to the different solutions various vivid and lively colours. It is these salts which give the red colour to those of the platina.

2. Osmium, a metal hitherto irreducible, the oxyde of which, in the form of a

black powder, is extremely volatile, having a strong odour; it is very fusible, dissolves readily in water, exhales with it in the form of vapour, to which it imparts a strong taste and smell. The solution becomes of a blue colour by the addition of the smallest quantity of tinc ture of galls.

We know not, adds M. Cuvier, whether to be most astonished at the singularity of this mineral, or the sagacity and perseverance with which it has been reduced to its original elements.

The chrome which was several years ago separated from crude platina by Vauquelin, has lately been discovered by M. Laugier to form a component part of meteoric stones. It has since been found by M. Thenard, in those which lately fell near Alet, in the department of Gard, and which the Academy of Nismes caused to be collected, and sent to the Institute.

These stones, the fall of which is equally well authenticated as that of the former, differ from them, however, considerably in colour and consistence, being blacker, and more friable. But from the analysis of M. Thenard, they would ap pear to contain nearly the same principles, only the metals are more oxydized, and the proportion of carbon is somewhat greater. This result, we are informed by M Cuvier, has been verified and confirmed by a committee of the physical class of the Institute.

We last year, proceeds the Reporter, intimated the opinion of M. Pacchiani, respecting the composition of muriatic acid, which, he conceived, could be produced by depriving water of a portion of its oxygen by means of the galvanic pile. This discovery would have proved of the greatest importance to chcinical science; but, unfortunately, subsequent researches have shewn that it was not well founded, since, after the most accurate experi ments, Messrs. Biot and Thenard did not succeed in producing it, when all substances that could furnish marine salt were carefully kept at a distance from the apparatus.

During the year 1806, a work on the subject of refraction has been published by M. Biot, the original intention of which, we are informed, was to aid the progress of astronomy. In the course of his labours the author was led, however, to apply the action of different bodies upon fight to the analysis of transparent substances.

It has been long known that the rays of hight are refracted when they pass

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