I

operates more strongly than that which is prefixed to this essay. know not, if I assert a new opinion, in affirming, that man is constitutionally benevolent. It is from this cause that he is too prone to yield implicit credit to appearances, to decide before he has properly examined, and to consider that as a reality, which only bears to it a specious semblance. How often do we clasp him to our bosom with all the glow of generous and affectionate feeling, whose pretended zeal for our welfare, and professed regard for our happiness, have endeared him to our nature. How often do we confide in one, who acquires our confidence but to betray it, or to calumniate its communications. If prudence were more frequently exercised in decision, and scrutiny employed before resolutions were adopted, numerous errors and misfortunes would be prevented. We should consider how probable it is, that he who is desirous to gratify his wishes, will sometimes have recourse to those means best calculated to promote his endeavours, however hostile they may be to truth and honour.

Dissimulation is a trait in the human character, of extensive agency, and is generally successful in its attempts, because the repugnancy of its import is conciliating, and not so flagrant as many other vices. Thus the midnight reveller and the seducer will conceal with ability their unhallowed intentions under the garb of religion or friendship, and the envious will praise with dissembling fervour, even while the heart is devoured by malevolent passions. Hence, in the presence of those, whose dignity and purity of manners can awe by their superiority, the most abandoned will pretend to be what they are not, and artfully conceal what they really are.

In the formation of friendship, that most delightful of social connexions, the truth of the remark contained in my quotation should be ever remembered. Such a remembrance would cool the intensity of juvenile ardour, and prove a shield from many future

evils.

To observe well, before we determine, is the dictate of wisdom. And in addition to the many miseries we should avert by the constant practice of this precept, in approving of wickedness under the mask of innocence, we should not so often deprive real merit of its exclusive right. That praise should be given where praise is due, justice itself demands; but to commend, for want of a proper assurance of its claim, what has nothing but artful dissimulation to recommend it, is culpably to lavish that, which, when prudently applied, might prove a stimulus to excellence, and excite in the mind a noble emulation.

Amid the many engagements and occupations we are necessarily connected with, a cautious examination would prevent disagreeables, and confusions which frequently arise from a total neglect of it. I do not mean to encourage a niggardly suspicious temper, which delights in questioning the reality of appearances, when honesty and integrity are sufficiently conspicuous to remove every doubt. Such a temper is the concomitant of a little mind. What I wish to enforce is, the absolute necessity of exercising a wise and prudent discrimination before we can with safety draw our inferences. Appearance, for example, in dress, is not always a proof of respectability of character; and should we be deluded by these gaudy trappings, it is not improbable that, on the contrary, we may imprudently be induced to form a slight opinion of one possessing sterling worth, because he has not silver buckles to ornament his shoes, or a laced coat to adorn his

Although a strict conformity to the rules of politeness is both pleasing and requisite in the commerce of the world, yet some may be found, whose external appearance is defaced by a repulsive austerity of manner, and an unpleasant and uncouth address; but in whose minds, on an enlarged acquaintance, we may find a concentration of vigorous intellect and wisdom. Hence, were we resolved, in all our transactions, to be slow and cautious in forming our opinions from external recommendation, it would yield an important advantage; as we should not only prevent ourselves from being mistaken, and rendering injustice to him whose character we may estimate; but, what is of still deeper moment, genuine worth would remain unsullied by the decisions of impertinent arrogance, while society would be protected from any innovation which the fraudulency of fiction, or vain pretensions to merit, may attempt to introduce.

THE EFFECT OF EDUCATION.
MR. EDITOR.

SIR, Though I have frequently derived gratification from the perusal of your intelligent publication, yet I do not recollect any subject, however ably handled, having afforded me so much pleasure as your correspondent R. T. in the 71st and preceding number of the Imperial Magazine, on the advantages which are derived from a religious and domestic mode of Education.

Of the correctness of his statements upon the subject he has so judiciously treated, I have had a personal opportunity of judging; for a particular friend and relation of mine, some years back, had the misfortune of losing the partner of his affection immediately after her fourth confinement. At this period, I was likewise destined to encounter one of those vicissitudes to which the most affluent are liable; in consequence of which my friend implored me to take up my residence with himself and his four motherless children, the eldest of whom, at the period I am alluding to, had not completed her fourth year.

The surviving parent of these lovely but fragile infants, was making a large

"

fortune by his mercantile concerns; but the object of his affection having died in a deep consumption, he considered country air as essential to laying a foundation for the future benefit of their constitutions, and a beautiful house and ground, in the vicinity of Blackheath, had been taken for them previous to their amiable mother's dissolution.

And now, Mr. Editor, I am going to evince the utility of your correspondent's idea, by informing you, that air and exercise soon strengthened constitutions naturally delicate, whilst each child, as soon as able to use a spade, had a separate garden to him or her self. This garden was attended by something superior to the strengthening the constitution, (though it doubtless had the power of producing that effect,) for in every flower these innocent gardeners cultivated, they were taught to trace their benevolent Creator's hand.

It might justly be said, that these tender scions inherited their mother's malady; a beautiful hectic bloom gave animation to their countenances, while a cough succeeded every cold with which they were occasionally affected.

Doctor Douglas, a physician, at the time particularly eminent in diseases of children, recommended that every species of athletic exercise that did not excite too much fatigue, should be adopted; merely keeping the feet warm, and the upper part of the body covered by a flannel jacket. Though no regular hours were devoted to improvement, I never met with four children altogether so intelligent; and for this reason,-whatever subject excited animadversion, they had been taught to draw the natural consequence of cause and effect.

To the great Cause of all, however, the minds of these children, in a peculiar manner, appeared directed; and their highest gratification seemed derived from perusing Mrs. Pilkington's Scripture Histories, a work published some years back by Mr. Harris.

As the constitution of two of these children naturally strengthened by careful and judicious treatment, their father felt the necessity of sending them to Eton, as they were intended for learned professions.

In an establishment of such a nature there doubtless were characters who

boys of different principles to themselves; but these lads quitted the institution, apparently as immaculate as they entered it. The elder of the two girls, at the age of thirteen, was transplanted from the bosom of domestic life, to the world in miniature, at Camden House; where the head of that well-regulated establishment acknowledged she had seldom conversed with a new pupil who possessed such general information.

This circumstance proves the justness of R. T.'s hypothesis, that the conversation of domestic society is beneficial to youth; for her father was not only a man of literature, but a perfect gentleman, and all his associates were consequently of a similar description. What an advantage must it become to youth in general to have an opportunity of attending to intelligent discourse, and listening to those observations which result from age and experience.

If these minor advantages are allowed to be beneficial, of how much greater consequence must it be to the young and inexperienced to have an opportunity of listening to those subjects, which turn upon the sacred theme of our religion!-subjects upon which an archbishop could not converse more clearly than the surviving parent of these fortunate children.

Yet, Mr. Editor, as contrast renders circumstances more impressive, and the artist blends his colourings so as to produce the most striking effect, I will venture to give your readers a sketch of another family, with whom, from the ties of consanguinity, I was intimately acquainted.

I will designate my relation by the name of Belmont, and inform you, the gentleman was the youngest son of an Irish baronet, whose fortune would have been very trifling, but for the partiality of a rich godmother, nearly related to him. The bequest of this liberal old lady induced him to make a total revolution in his style of living, and the humble cabriolet was meta morphosed into an elegant chariot and four horses. The interior of his establishment underwent a similar revolution; his two daughters, who had been placed at a seminary in which the highest principles were inculcated, were removed from thence, and placed under the tuition of a French gover

be said to have improved upon Lord Chesterfield's principles of politeness; and every idea seemed to be centred in the applause bestowed upon her pupils' accomplishments.

Nature had not only conferred upon these ill-educated young females a loveliness of person, but a quickness of understanding, so as to have become an ornament to human nature, had their principles been properly or religiously directed. They played, sung, and danced, to admiration ; spoke with fluency the French and Italian language; and so universal was the admiration they excited, that at nineteen and twenty each young lady was married.

Fain would I draw a veil over succeeding circumstances, from being personally connected; yet, as a moralist, it is necessary that the truth should be firmly established.

That females educated upon principles of politeness, instead of probity, should have deviated from the paths of rectitude cannot excite astonishment in any reflecting breast; and therefore, without expatiating upon their frailty, I shall merely say that, Doctor's Commons terminated one sister's popularity, whilst the other was prevented from being exposed to animadversion, by an accidental death.

are two

Here then, Mr. Editor, striking instances of the advantages which may naturally be expected to arise from giving children that species of education, which your correspondent R. T. so feelingly recommends; and, where the opposite method was adopted, how affectingly impressive is the contrast !

Though the youngest of those amiable children fell a victim to an infectious disease, a short period before the time fixed for her entering into the marriage station; the elder is at the present moment, as a mother and the head of a family, evincing the advantages which accrue from a moral and religious mode of education; and in the neighbourhood of Exeter, lady H-E- is frequently held up as an example. The two brothers, particularly the elder, are allowed to be equally worthy of imitation; in short, unless the heart is corrupt above measure, a proper education seldom fails of producing the desired effect.

That R. T.'s judicious observations,

HINT TO MECHANIC'S INSTITUTIONS.

Ar the end of one of the gratuitous lectures which Dr. Gregory has lately delivered to the Mechanic's Institution, at Crayford, he suggested to them a plan by which they might become their own lecturers; which was this-Select some instructive popular work, as Ferguson's Select Lectures, Millingford's Lectures, the 2nd volume of Gregory's Mechanics, Bonnycastle's or Brinkley's Astronomy, Tilloch's Mechanic's Oracle, the London and Glasgow Mechanic's Magazine: let these, or appropriate portions of them, selected by the committee, be read in order, and made the subject of conversation at alternate meetings. To render the subjects equally plain to readers and auditors, let three or four boards be provided, each presenting a face of about 4 feet by 3, and let them be painted black. Let some member or members of the committee draw such figures and diagrams of reference, with chalk, on a large scale, upon one or more of these boards, as may be required for the evening's reading. These boards, placed in suitable positions, and with a good light thrown upon them, will render the respective subjects as intelligible to the auditors as to the individual who reads; and thus remove the great obstruction to the communication of knowledge, where diagrams are concerned, to a large auditory by a single reader. Moulds of circles, ellipses, squares, parallelograms, &c. along the centres of which chalk may be drawn, will much shorten the labour of sketching the diagrams.

Taking into consideration the date of the book (1661) when this indictment was tried, there can be but little doubt, that it has reference to a charge for the crime of witchcraft; which seems frequently in those days to have found a place in the criminal calendar, at the assizes. In old books of that period, and even later, frequent mention is made, in the histories and anecdotes of the lower order of wicked men, of the practice of selling themselves to the devil, sometimes in order to secure an assured portion of life free from sickness, or in the full enjoyment of pleasure, sometimes for some other advantages, often of a very frivolous nature. The old Serpent is sometimes represented as frequenting alehouses in disguise, and buying both body and soul for a pot of beer. Such stories usually terminate in his assuming his own likeness, taking forcible possession of his prize, and carrying it through the air in sight of the assembled multitudes.

It was a common charge against Oliver Cromwell, that seems so have formed a part of the political creed of the thorough-bred Cavalier—that he had entered into a solemn compact with the devil, duly sealed on parchment, the signature written with blood, by which he was allowed uninterrupted success for a certain term; after its expiration he was to belong totally to the spirit to whom he was indebted for his success. The terrible storm that happened at the time of his decease, was devoutly believed by his enemies to have been the accompaniment of the visit of the black prince to take possession of his purchase.

INDICTMENT.

brought forward to frustrate the contract.

should have been fully impressed with the truth of the opinion, that old women and other weak and ignorant

tering with the devil for the possession of some extraordinary or supernatural gifts, for themselves or their friends. The poor woman to whom the query relates, must be considered as having had a narrow escape, for when a charge of this nature was once considered as proved, it was looked upon as of such a heinous nature as to preclude all idea of pardon.

ANSWER TO A QUERY INSERTED COL. 304, ON THE DIMENSIONS OF A DITCH.

In our preceding number, col. 390, an answer was given to the above question by J. L. C. to which we added,

that a similar answer had been received from Wm. Oakes, of Harlow. We have since heard from Wm. Oakes, who states, that the former solution is erroneous, and begs that he may not be charged with participating in the blunder. To meet his views, we now give his answer entire.

=

Put a 200, b 18 inches half a yard, n = 7854 and x= the required breadth also the depth, then by mensuration, and the question (2 a—2 x) 2 xnx (a-2x)2 × nb; which reduces to x3-bx2—ax2—abx-a2b; or in nun

Road Making. Mr. M'Adam, to whose genius many streets in London are indebted for corporation feather-beds, has given it as his opinion, that the whole principle of road-making consists in keeping the sub-soil dry, first, by a drain to carry off the under water, and secondly, by the compactness of the materials to prevent the rain-water from descending. A road well made will be as tight as the roof of a house. If the sub-soil were kept constantly dry, he thinks no road would give way; and that had it not been for the wet which we have in this country, no artificial road would be necessary. A road should be more considered as the means of keeping the sub-soil dry, than as supporting the carriages passing over it.

Education in Siberia.-The Counsellor Slovtsoff, in a tour of inspection which he recently

in Siberia, having occasion to explain to the elders of the tribes of Bouriaates, on the banks of the Selenga, the most simple mode of teaching their children to write, he was much surprised to learn from them that their lamas were in the habit of using boards covered with sand in teaching arithmetic to their pupils, and that this method had been originally borrowed from Thibet.

Boiling Point of Fluids. From some experiments and observations lately made, it would appear that the boiling point of water and other fluids, is by no means so uniform, under equal degrees of pressure, as has generally been imagined; for it seems fully established that the introduction of any solid matter, such as chips of wood, bits of glass, metallic particles, &c. into a heated fluid, will cause it to boil up, that is, to discharge vapour, at a lower tem. perature than it otherwise would have done. fact in the process of distillation, to which it It has been proposed to take advantage of this may in all probability be very happily applied.

Ancient Coins.-A great number of pieces of ancient coin have been lately deposited in the Museum of Warsaw. These pieces were found in a village not far from Plocksko; they and belong to different countries, but principaldate from the beginning of the 11th century, ly to England. It is difficult to explain by what means such English coins were introduced into that country in times so remote.

Condensation of Smoke, &c.-A simple and lic vapours, and other sublimed matter, not ingenious method of condensing smoke, metal

liable to be infused by admixture with water, has lately been made public by a Mr. Jeffreys of Bristol, and its efficacy is, we are told, fully established by experiments. This method consists in having connected with the fire, a furnace, two parallel funnels communicating together at the top, up one of which the smoke or vapour ascends, and thence passing into the other is immediately condensed and carried down by a shower of water, which falls unceasingly from above, and passes off by an opening below.

Vaccination.-Dr. Bryce's Test of Perfect Vaccination, now in general use in Scotland, consists in vaccinating the other arm with matter taken from the pustule on the arm first innoculated.

Statistics: Iceland.-The number of inhabitants in Iceland, in the year 1822, was computed at 48,386 souls. In the course of the same year the number of births of males amounted to 369, and of females to 855; and of the number of deaths of males to 418, and of females to 423; which gives the entire population of Iceland, on the 1st of January, 1823, at 49,269 souls.

Toleration in the United States.-A Bill to relieve the Jews in the state of Maryland from all constitutional disqualifications to hold offices, has lately passed both houses.-A national tract society has also been lately formed, to concentrate the exertions of all Christian denominations, to supply the inhabitants of the United States with religious tracts. A subscription has been opened for the erection of a building for the accommodation of this society.

Criminal Jurisprudence.--Mr. Roscoe, of Liverpool, has lately presented to the public