Difference less 12 58 sun eclip. It is to be noticed that although there will be at least four eclipses this year neither of them is visible to us; they will no doubt excite much astonishment and fear in the coast of New Zealand, New Holland, Guinea, California, and Japan, and especially in Madagascar, on the 3d October, where the moon will rise eclipsed, and in the Sandwich Islands it will set eclipsed; it will have the same appearance in Persia, the Caspian Sea, and west of Poland. Whatever appearances the moon ever assumes they are always interesting to the followers of Mahomet. HORACE. The singular esteem which some learned critics have always expressed for the works of Horace, became at last so fashionable, that scarce a man who affected the character of a polite scholar ever travelled ten miles from home without an Horace in his pocket. The late E. of S. was such an admirer of Horace, that his whole conversation consisted of quotations out of that poet, in which he often discovered his want of skill in the latin tongue, and always his want of taste. But the man whom I looked on (if I may be allowed the expression,) as Horace-mad, was one Dr. Douglas a physician of some note in London; I made an acquaintance with this gentleman on purpose that I might have a sight of his curious library, (if it might be called a library) which was a large room full of all the editions of Horace which had ever been published, as well as the several translations of that author into the modern languages. If there were any other books in this room, as there were a small number, they were only there for the sake of Horace, and were on no other account valuable to the possessor, but because they contained some parts of Horace which had been published with select pieces or excerpta out of other latin authors for the use of schools, or because the translations of some of the odes and satires were printed in miscellanies, and were not to be found any where else. However I must acknowledge that the Doctor understood his author, whom he had studied with great care and application. Amongst other of his criticisms, he favoured me with the perusal of a dissertation on the first ode, and a defence of Dr. Hare's famous emendation of "Te doctarum," &c. instead of "Me." VIRGIL. Although Virgil was a court poet, and a favorite of Augustus, and was not only rewarded but enriched by that Emperor's bounty, yet his principles were republican. He retained a secret veneration for the patriot senators, and abhorred that venality and corruption by which the first Cæsar overturned the liberties of his country, and fixed his usurpation. There are two passages, one in the 6th and the other in the 8th book of the Eneid, which sufficiently prove my assertion. And I have sometimes wondered why Tucca and Varius did not expunge them, out of a compliment to the prince, but it is probable that their principles of government (for they were both men of a distinguished character) were the same as the poet's, whose work they were commissioned to revise. Vendidit hic auro patriam, dominumque po tentem Imposuit. Portrait of an ancient Dandy It was never forgotten by others, not apparently by himself, that the Lord Chancellor Hatton was brought to Queen Elizabeth's notice by his dancing, and even after he had attained this dignity of Lord Chan cellor he laid aside his gown to dance at the wedding of his nephew. The circumstance is pleasantly alluded to by Gray, in the description of Stoke-pogie's house, with which his " Long Story" opens: Full oft within these spacious walls, Instance of Vanity. Vanitus, a man possessed of more money than sense, called a coach from a stand in London, and throwing himself all along upon the seat, told the coachman to drive In the papers lately was given the trial of J. Robinson, a cotton spinner, at the Salford quarter sessions, for a conspiracy in conjunction with other cotton spinners, to raise their wages during the late turnout. This man with his elder brother and two other persons, built that large pile of buildings which stands on the banks of the Irwell at Manchester, still known by the name of Robinson's Factory. In this they carried on an extensive and lucrative business for many years; they also pur chased large estates in Yorkshire, and the elder brother commenced building a wall of three miles in extent, round his park and mansion. They failed, however, from over speculation, and the brother who was the principal in the firm is now an inmate of the poor house; the other is reduced to the humble situation of a journeyman spinner. Manure. In a letter of Mr. Dinsdale to the editor of the Annals of Philosophy, we find a complaint of the ill management of manure by the majority of farmers, which is at once very just and of very old standing. They collect their manure of all descriptions in a corner of the yard, where they suffer it to remain uncovered, and the liquid and most valuable part to be drained away, and to emit exhalations, which however they might benefit the soil, are extremely insalubrious to themselves and their cattle. They even suffer dung to be carted on the land in a raw and unfermented state, there to lie in small heaps, until entirely exhausted of its goodness by the sun and wind. Instead of this unprofitable practice, they are advised, as they have so long and often been before, to pay more attention to the fermentative process on their dunghills, to stir them more frequently, aud to keep them covered that they may not suffer exhaustion by the air. Sods or sward are recommended as the best covering. Dung treated in the supe rior manner, Mr. D. warrants will prove more powerfully contributory to vegetation, than all the boasted powers of muriate of soda (common salt.) The Chinese farmers (undoubted economists in some respects, and arrant bunglers in others) keep their dung in vats or deep trenches well lined, in a constantly liquid state, to obtain which, if they have not sufficient urine, they substitute water. They steep the whole of their seed corn in liquid manure, in order to promote its fecundity, sometimes adding to the steep nitrate of potass. Marriage of Lord The marriage of this eminent Lawyer is not generally known, although it took place so far back as October last, at GretnaGreen. It is certain that little notice of this remarkable event has yet appeared in the public prints. In October his Lordship arrived at Gretna, accompanied by Miss the present Lady, by whom he had had several children out of the pale of wedlock. He was dressed in fashionable female attire, with a large Leghorn bonnet and long veil. On the arrival of the officiating Priest of the Temple of Hymen, his Lordship threw off his dress and appeared in propria persona, and the usual ceremony being goue through, the parties were declared man and wife! His Lordship again put on his female vestments, and was on the point of taking his departure, when his son, the Hon. made his appearance in a chaise and four; but the knot was tied, and shortly after the new married couple drove off. The bride is about 35 years old; the Noble bridegroom nearly 70. The object of this very extraordinary step is said to be for the purpose of legalising the children of this connection, who, according to Scottish law, cease to be illegitimate on the marriage of their parent at any time. Shakspeare. The following very singular reasons have been assigned by Mr. C. Butler, as grounds for a belief that Shakspeare was a Roman Catholic: "May the writer premise a suspicion, which, from internal evidence, he has long entertained, that Shakspeare was a Roman Catholic. Not one of his works contains the slightest reflections on Popery; or any of its practices; or any eulogy of the Re needs say for the honour of Wales, that they have more grounds for what they say, when those which look for this new world in the Atlantis of Plato, the Atlautick Islands of Aristotle and Plutarch, or the dis am not so far convinced of the truth thereof, the use of the mariner's compass being not so ancient (without which such a voyage could not be performed), but that I may conclude with more satisfaction, that this country was unknown to former ages." formation. His panegyric on Queen Elizabeth is cautiously expressed; whilst Queen Catharine is placed in a state of veneration; and nothing can exceed the skill with which Griffiths draws the panegyric of Wolsey. The Ecclesiastic is never pre-coveries of Hanno the Carthagenian: yet I sented by Shakspeare in a degrading point of view. The jolly monk, the irregular nun, never appears in his drama. It is not natural to suppose, that the topics on which at that time, those who criminated Popery loved so much to dwell, must have often solicited his notice, and invited him to employ his muse upon them, as subjects likely to engage the favourable attention, both of the Sovereign and the subject? Does not his abstinence from these justify a suspicion, that a Popish feeling withheld him from them? Milton made the gunpowder conspiracy the theme of a regular poem. Shakspeare is altogether silent on it."Butler's Memoirs of the English Catholics, vol. ii. p. 322. We will only oppose a single observation to Mr. Butler's "suspicion." Shakspeare was buried at his own desire in a Protestant Church, with this rather ominous inscription, which we recommend to Mr. Butler's pe rusal: Good Friend, for Jesus' sake forbear Blest be the Man that spares these stones, Welch Indians. Saffron supposed to prevent Sea Sickness. of 1817 in London, mentions that when he M. Cadet, who spent part of the summer crossed the channel from Calais to Dover, he observed an English gentleman with a bag of Saffron suspended over his stomach. On enquiring the reason, he was told by the gentleman that it was a practice which channel, because it preserved him from sea he always followed when crossing the sickness. The remedy was found out, he said, in the following way. A small merchant, who had occasion to make frequent voyages, was always tormented with sea sickness when on ship-board. One day he embarked, after purchasing a pound of saffron, which he put under his shirt in order to avoid paying duty for it. He escaped without experiencing any sea sickness, though the sea was rough. Ascribing this lucky escape to the saffron, he communicated his discovery to several of his friends, who made repeated trials of the remedy, and always with success. HINTS, PLANS, and PROCEEDINGS or Benevolence. Homo sum: GENERAL PENSION SOCIETY. In the Cosmography, written by Peter Heylyn, and printed early in the 17th century, is the following paragraph relative to the first discovery of America:-"Finally, in the History of Wales, writ by David Powell, it is reported that Madoc, the son of Owen Gwinedth, Prince of Wales, of purpose to decline engaging in a civil war raised in that estate, in the year 1170, put himself to sea, and after a long course of navigation came into this country, where, after he had left his men, and fortified some places of advantage in it, he returned homely Meeting of the Pension Society for the for more supplies, which he carried with him in ten barks; but neither he nor they were looked after by the rest of the nation. To which some add, that there is still some smattering of the Welsh or British tongue to be found amongst them; as that a bird with a white head is called Pengwin and the like; in which regard some sorry statesmen went about to entitle Queen Elizabeth unto the soverignty of these countries. Others, more wise, dissuaded from that vain ambition, considering that Welshmen, as well others, might be cast upon those parts by force of tempest, and easily implant some few words of their own among the people there inhabiting. And though I must relief of the decayed Artizans, Mechanics, and their Widows, was held at the Albion Tavern, Aldersgate-street. The room appropriated to this proceeding was nearly filled by respectable persons, many of whom were ladies. The Lord Mayor took the Chair, and after the minutes of a former meeting had been read, they proceeded to the order of the day. The Lord Mayor then addressed the company, and read a letter from His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent, expressive of his satisfaction at the progress of the institution. The letter was followed by very loud applause. It was a pleasing reflection, observed the Lord Mayor, that the greatest characters in this country were daily found among them, promoting every effort to benefit the objects of charity. Adverting to the proceedings of the Institution, he said that they had charitably placed on the Pension List a most respectable decayed mechanic, 79 years of age, another of 66, a woman of 80, and a woman of 60. They had bestowed bread on six persons, all of the most respectable characters. He expressed a hope that he should have the pleasure of seeing this charity extended, and many more persons provided for. He called upon them to exert their zeal, and to spare no pains to accomplish the object they all had in view-Loud applause. The Secretary then reported the state of Subscriptions since the establishment of the institution in February last, and after the election of Directors and other routiue business, the meeting adjourned. will be greatly augmented by the improvement. It would also appear to have been an oversight, to levy a duty upon draining-bricks, since draining-tiles are exempt from duty on account of their utility for agricultural drainage; the same reasons which are urged in favour of exempting draining-tiles from duty are equally applicable to draining-bricks; and as the latter requires less skill, and no building, the work may be resorted to as an employment for the poor in any part of the country where clay is to be found, and therefore is the more entitled to the exemption. Bible Societies. The cause of the British and Foreign Bible Society has very particularly flourished in the western counties in England, during the past year. Numerous Bible Associations have been formed, and attended with the most happy circumstances of success amongst the different classes of the poor. The Earl of Liverpool, when travelling in the West, in the course of the past Summer, observed that, he was persuaded, from accurate observation upon facts, more advantage was to be expected The object of the above Institution is to relieve distressed artizaus and mechanics, upwards of 60 years of age, by a peusion of 131. per annum, and poor widows of such persons with 71. 16s. payable by the D-in regard to the amelioration of the charectors of their Monthly Meetings. The pensioners are elected by ballot. ENCOURAGEMENT of Industry, AND RE DUCTION OF POORS' RATES. racter, circumstances, and morals of the poor of this country, from the influence of the Bible Associatioas, than from any other project which had been suggested. As such, that he in common with several other principal Members of the Cabinet, hoped to see the universal establishment of these manifest tendency to improve both the Societies, being fully convinced of their temporal and moral condition of the national population. The Labouring Poor. Ir is hoped that the attention of the Legislature will be attracted to the impo. litic duty of 5s. a thousand imposed upon draining-bricks: as this duty is paid in an early stage of the process of making, it is levied equally upon those which are spoilt as upon those which prove fit for use. This tax is, therefore, a greater obstruc- Mr. Arthur Young, in a letter dated tion to the progress of agricultural im- Bradford Hall, Sept. 2, 1816, says, "In the provement than might be supposed by counties of Rutland and Lincoln, the practhose who judge only from the rate of its tice is to attach land to cottages, sufficient assessment: moreover, losses must be more to support that number of cows which the frequent if the bricks are manufactured cottager is able to purchase; they are tewithout the usual buildings, and under the nants to the chief landlords, and not subsuperintendence of an individual only tenants to the farmers; yet these latter are wanting a supply for his own purposes, very generally friends to the system: well than if the business were conducted upon they may be so, for the poor rates are next an extensive scale, professedly with a view to nothing when compared with such as to sale. But where draining-tiles are not are found in parishes wherein this advan within a reasonable distance, it is contem-tageous system is not established. In the plated that each proprietor may burn upon his own premises as many draining. bricks as are required for his estate. By adopting this method, the expence of carriage (a most material consideration) will be avoided; and, while poors' rates will be reduced, and employment be diffused amongst the lower orders in making bricks and in land-draining, the value of property late minute inquiries made by the Board of Agriculture into the state of the labouring poor throughout the kingdom, many persons were written to, who reside in the districts where this system is common; and it was found by their replies, that the practice stands the test of present distress, as well as it supported the opposite difficulties of extreme scarcity.-It is much to be regretted, that so admirable an example is not copied in every part of the kingdom. In those counties where no such practice is met with, it is very rare indeed to meet a labourer who has saved any money, their reliance is entirely on the parish, and their present earnings dissipated in the alehouse. Not so in Lincolnshire; the men who wish to marry save their money to buy cows? and girls who wish to have husbands take the same means to secure them. Sobriety, industry, and economy are thus secured, and children are trained from their infancy to the cultivation of a garden and attend. ing cattle, instead of starving with unemployed spinning wheels. No subject can better deserve the attention of men of considerable landed property. If some change of management, decisive in its nature, do not take take place, poors' rates will continue to increase, till they will absorb the whole landed revenue of the kingdom." For the Encouragement of Industry, and reduction of Poors' rates. The public we doubt not will have much gratification in learning that the Committee for the Encouragement of industry, and reduction of Poors' rates are daily receiving communications of the greatest import ance, from every part of the country. Two much praise cannot be bestowed on the indefatigable exertions of Mr. Benjamin Wills, the Secretary of the Committee. The Meetings of the Committee, it may be useful to state, are held at the Kings Head, Poultry. sexes, from 10 to 14 years of age. Refreshments were served to the whole of them, and the dancing rooms contained between ten and eleven hundred. The old and young were neat and clean, and without disorder or confusion of any kind, they appeared to enjoy themselves to their hearts' content. But the unaffected good humour and happiness which prevailed throughout the evening cannot be imagined by those who have not seen young persons in this situation in life, trained on a principle of kindness without any fear of punishment. No one could witness it without wishing that others could be permitted to enjoy similar advantages. Account of the Harmonites. The Dutch Society, formed by Frederick Rap, a Minister of the Gospel, settled some years ago in the Western part of Pennsylvania, made extensive improvements on lands they purchased at a reduced price, built a town with a number of good brick houses, which they called Harmony. They also planted a vineyard, made wines, &c. established almost all kinds of mechanism, and cultivated the land very extensively as Dutch friends joined them in a few years their Society increased. Many of their and placed all their property into the hands of Frederick Rap, their spiritual teacher, leader, and protector. They willingly submitted to his government and laws, which they delighted in, All their property, like to feed the hungry and clothe the naked of such as joined them in a destitute situation. Their discipline was strict, prohibiting them from keeping bad company, drinking ardent spirits, or marrying; all which they considered sinful. that of Shakers, was one common stock, New Lanark, Jan. 15 1819. Yesterday being the anniversary of the re-establishment in this village of the practieal system of kindness, to supersede the necessity for punishment, introduced by Their society becoming large, and the Mr. Owen, the inhabitants to commemo-climate not suiting for their vineyards, rate a day which secured to them so many they made extensive purchases of land on well-devised means of improvement and the Wabash, in the state of Indiana, where enjoyment, spent the evening as usual in they are making rapid improvements. rejoicings of various kinds. They com- They have lately sold property to the menced, on a signal being given, by an al- amount of one hundred thousand dollars, most instantaneous illumination of the exclusive of which, it is said, they have whole village, which, placed in the ro- upwards of two millions of dollars in gold mantic valley, produced an extraordinary and silver. They have purchased upwards effect, and from the distant hills appeared of one hundred thousand acres of land on like enchantment. It continued about the Wabash, at two dollars per acre, which two hours, during which the village band from their industry and neatness of inplayed national airs in the area belonging provements will no doubt in a few years to the infant school, which is in the middle be worth from twenty to fifty dollars per of the establishment. When these ceased, acre. Their town is called New Harmony. seven of the public rooms were thrown-The climate is well suited to vineyards, open, for the amusement of the populatien, and it was soon found that five would scarcely accommodate those who wished to join the merry dance, and two of them were filled with young persons of both and they will doubtless soon be able to supply that country with the best of wines, malt liquor, &c. All kinds of mechanical business will be carried on as before. This will greatly improve that part of the State, |