360 White.

It may perhaps be found that this is the most harmonious combination of colours poffible; and that which perfons of tafte would adopt with the happieft effect in their drefs, in the colouring of their apartments, or in any fubject which colours are employed to embellish.

1

In part 2d, of the 76th vol. of the Philofophical Tranfactions, for the year 1786, a very interesting and ingenious memoir is published, containing various 'experiments by Dr. Robert Darwin, on the ocular spectra of light and colours. In this memoir it is obferved, that if a piece of coloured filk, about an inch in diameter, be placed on a fheet of white paper, about half a yard from the eye, and it be looked upon steadily for a minute, and the eye be then removed to another part of the white paper, a spectrum will be feen of the form of the filk; but of a colour oppofite to it, viz.

Now thefe fpectra are precifely of the colour which, combined with that colour which produced them, compofe_white, agreeable to the Experiments from F 1 and F 7.

In the Philofophical Tranfactions for the year 1794, Part 1ft, page 107, there is an account of fome very interefting experiments on the effects of light trant mitted through coloured glafs, by Sir Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford: e. g. provide two candles, and let the light proceeding from one, pafs through a coloured glafs; let the other candle be fo much farther removed from an object intercepting the light of both, that the two fhadows of that object produced by the candles be equally ftrong; or in other words, let the light tranfmitted through the glafs, when it falls on the object, whofe shadow is to be received, be equally

intenfe with the light proceeding immediately from the more diftant candle; one. of these fhadows will be of the colour of the glafs, the other will be the oppofite colour, or that colour which combined with the tranfmitted colour would produce white.

The two fhadows produced by two candies, one tranfinitting the light through a coloured glafs, the light of the other. failing immediately on the object will be, If the glafs be Violet -Violet and green yellow Indigo Indigo and yellow orange BlueBlue and orange red Green-Green and red violet Yellow-Yellow and violet indigo Orange Orange and indigo blue Red Red and blue green.

Thefe Experiments, which are easily made, and very amusing, coincide with those from F 1 to F 7, No. 30 to 36, and with the Experiments on the Ocular Spectra, made by Dr. Robert Darwin, and referred to in Dr. Darwin's Zoonomia ; a work which may be confidered as one of the first productions of the human mind.

Fig. 3. Is a table fhewing the numeral relation which the feveral colours, bear to each other, beginning with any colour in the prifimatic fpectrum. Birmingham.

S. GALTON, Jun.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

SUP

UPPOSING the National Debt to be equal to four hundred millions (or more of 3 per cent. Annuities, of the va lue of 50 per cent. that is, two hundred millions fterling; fifty millions, or more if it can be employed, of this property, may be put into circulation, in the following manner. Let any ftockholder, who would wish to circulate fome part of his ftock, without felling it, transfer a cer tain quantity of it, fuppofe twenty thoufand pounds 3 per cents. to the Governors and Directors of the Bank, who are then to deliver to him fifty certificates, or notes of transfer; each of them to be marked as of the value of 100l. or a greater quantity in number, and of lefs

value

1

value refpectively; but the whole together to be of the amount of 5000l. ferling. By this means every particular quantity of stock might produce a fourth part of its nominal amount for the purpofes of circulation; for it is prefumed, the mercantile world would receive and circulate thefe Stock Notes as readily as they now do Bank notes, as 100l. flock muit be allowed a fufficient fecurity for 251. money, by all who give any degree of credit whatever to the public funds. The ftock thus transferred in truft, would not be tied up, as the proprietor might redeem it by bringing into the Bank a quantity of Stock notes equal in amount to thofe originally obtained by him, or he might fell his ftock fubject to the charge upon it. The notes being fuppofed to circulate with the fame facility as Bank notes do, would be confidered as money, and confequently if lent by the original holders, would entitle them to receive intereft on the loan, in like manner as the lender of Bank notes now receives the intereft for the loan of thofe notes; therefore, if according to the firft fuppofition fifty millions of money could thus be brought into circulation, the gain to the ftockholders would be 2,500,000l. annually, and fo in proportion, if the circulating medium fhould be ufed in lefs or greater extent; but this would be too great a gain for the ftockholder, particularly as he would derive other advantages from the fcheme; it is therefore propofed that Government and the Bank of England fhould participate in the profits. It may be thought proper that fo much of the dividends as is equal to 5 per cent. on the ftock notes fhould be kept back by government; that is, that the payment of fo nuch of the dividends fhould be fufpended during the war, and that the amount of thefe dividends fhould, at the end of the war, be divided between the Government and the Bank of England, and the perfons who should then be the ftock-holders; or if a fulpention of dividends fhould be thought improper, fome other arrange inent might be adopted, as the mutual interetts of government and the stock proprietors might dictate. The liberty of iffuing the notes is not meant to be general, but to be given as a privilege to the fubfcribers to future government loans, who will in confequence be induced to accept of a lefs rate of intereft; and as the increafe of money is intended to be confined in its firft application, to the affiftance of the landed intereft, which "is the

I

SIR,

SEND you a fmall communication, but am not fure, that it deferves infertion in your Magazine.

In the year 1778, or the beginning of 779, as I was walking by the docks in Liverpool, I obferved a fort of oblong wooden box, emitting fteam through all the junctures of the wood. Upon an enquiry into its ufe, a failor, who was paffing by, informed me, that fhip-timber was fottened in it by the action of steam: a recent difcovery; to the great faving of materials and labour, confumed heretofore and expended in accommodating the planks to the various curvatures of the veffel. No long time afterwards, I was furprised to find in the Argonautics of Valerius Flaccus, that fome fimilar procefs, according to the poet, was employed by the builder of the first fhip Argo in the fabrication of that renowned veffel. The words are thefe, book i. verse 125. Fervere cuncta virûm cœtu, fimul undique cernit

Delatum nemus, et doctâ refonare bipenni Litora: jam pinus gracili diffolvere lamnâ Thelpiaden; jungique latus, LENTOQUE SE

QUACES

MOLLIRI VIDET IGNE TRABES. Hewn down, and axes founding through the The bustling throng of men, and groves he fees

fhares :

the business kind, I am not well pleafed when I find the public determined, as it were, to stand still and devote their whole attention to one thing only. I do not like to hear people fay, "now we have got a fit fubject for converfation through the reft of our lives, let us defpife and forget every thing else." And yet, Sir, fomething very like this I have certainly heard fince the first performance of Pizarro; the very words may not have been expreffed, but as I have fince heard nothing but about Pizarro, it is but fair to conclude that the fentiment prevails. Now, Sir, I fhould really be glad to know how long this play is to engross our attention, or whether fashion, in fome evil hour of omnipotent fway, has not decreed that both at bed and at board, whether walking, riding, fitting, eating or drinking, whether in town or country, in church and fynagogue, in the fenate or at the bar, we are to hold no converfation for the remainder of our lives unless about Pi

zarro.

I fay, Sir, I really should be glad to know this, for although I am ready to allow all the merit due to this play in all its editions and tranflations, and as many more editions and translations as the admirers of Kotzebue, or the mutilators of Kotzebue, fhall in their great liberality be pleased to give us, and although I would not for the world throw out the leaft hint of disapprobation or exception to any one line or word that either Kotze bue, Mr. Sheridan, or any of the tranflators, or mutilators aforefaid, have written or fhall hereafter write, yet I own my failing: I do not like to be Pizarroed out of my memory and recollection, in every company I enter, and every fociety I frequent. I fhall make no objection to Pizarro at Drury-lane, or in the bookfeller's fhops, but I do not like to meet him at the corner of every street, to fee him lurking among the dishes of the table, difputing or caufing difputes among the quidnuncs of the coffee-houfe, and following us not only to the doors, but half up the ailes of the churches.

Yes, Sir, monotonously grievous as this is, if it were all, it were nothing to the giant ftrides Pizarro is taking to annihilate all fubjects of converfation but himself. He marches through Germany and Switzerland and Italy, and in a moment obliterates the memory of the Archduke Charles, of Marshal Suwarrow and General Moreau. In Egypt he combines with Sir Sidney Smith and that other hero,

whofe name is easier to write than pronounce, Ghezzar Pacha, to annihilate Buonaparte; and as to France, he has really and truly rendered the affairs of the Directory and Councils not worth talking about, compared to himself. Is fuch a monopoly of human attention to be tolerated, a monopoly compared to which the Ireland-Shakespeare, or Shakespeare-Ireland, was a meteor which glided by me in a moment, with Edmund Malone and George Chalmers hanging at its tailcompared to which the difpute about the author of the Pursuits of Literature took up no more time than the authorship of a halfpenny ballad, or a Vauxhall fong generally occupy.

I afk

This is a ferious confideration. again, are we to be thus eternally Pizarroed out of all we ever knew or heard, all that is faying and doing, and has been faid and done in this wide world? Is the Royal Society or the Antiquary Society to have their labours neglected in order to afcertain the merits of Pizarro? Is the parliament to neglect all acts of their own making for the five acts Mr. Sheridan has prefented to the public? Is the Bench of Bifhops, converfant as they are in tranflations, to determine who has done most jultice to the German dramatist? Are counties, cities and corporations to affemble, and prefent petitions and remonstrances on the merits of Pizarro? Are the clergy to recommend Pizarro by a brief read in all churches and chapels? In a word,, Mr. Editor, is Pizarro for ever to engage the attention, the thoughts, words, and actions of "all people that on earth do dwell?"

The diftreffes of an individual in fuch a cafe may perhaps appear trifling, and be laughed at, but I cannot help faying, that not being aware of the univerfal mandate to "fpeak nothing but what had Pizarro in it," I have lately got into fome whimsical fcrapes by attempting to direct the converfation to other topics. Indeed among my acquaintances 1 fhould give lefs offence by afking for money, than by putting a question that had no connection with the dear Pizarro.

The fact, however, is, that having by fome means efcaped the general contagion, I flatter myfelf I am qualified to give a more impartial criticifm on this celebrated play than many others, and as I have ever found your Magazine open to the advocates for both fides of a question, I. fhall now take the liberty to tell you exactly what I think; and this I hope to be

able

able to effect, as far as human infirmity will permit, with the utmoft candour, with all due deference to those who may differ from me, and without any of that authoritativeness, petulance, and pofitive affertion which are fo frequent in polemical writings; and I hope without any fpark or atom of hatred, malice, and all uncharitablenefs."

"Suppofing, then, that Pizarro is to be the object of attention to all fucceeding ages, it does not appear to me, after due confideration of the matter, that it will lead to any very important difcoveries in the philofophy of chemistry. I really do not fee how the much-contefted points re fpecting the production of gas can be adjufted, even if Mr. Sheridan had done more juftice to his author., Nor can I conceive that our advancement in the bealing art will be greatly promoted by placing Pizarro at the head of the college, for although the first four acts are very little altered by Mr. Sheridan, who, it mult be confeffed, was exceedingly fparing of his trouble, yet they throw no light on the doctrine of fever; and although Cora is made in the fifth to fing a bravura fong, it will not determine the rifing controverly on the cow pox, nor decide whether the gout be always a hereditary dif eafe. If we pass on to other branches of knowledge, we fhall perhaps find that the univerfal topic is fomewhat deficient in moft of them. We cannot, for example, acquire a certainty in hiftorical facts, when we fee that a hero who was privately murdered in one hiftory, is publicly killed in our play. Nor will our advances in geography, I am fore afraid, be greater under the reign of the monopolifing Pizarro, than when people used not to think it impertinent to mention fuch, men as Vancouver, Peyrouse, Parke, or Browne. With refpect to trade and manufactures, îndeed, I am ready to allow, that fomething may be done; but I unfortunately am none of thofe who confider making money as "the whole duty of man ;" and I remember the time when writers used to confult their fame, and managers refpect true taste. But de mortuis, &c.

It would be quite unneceffary to run round the circle of fciences and point out to you exactly where Pizarro may or may not come in contact. Doubtlefs its annilating influence may mount upwards and affect our aftronomical fyftem, and indeed from these beautiful inflated paragraphs with which the morning papers have been for fometime diftended, I already perceive,

to ufe an old faying, "that there is fomething in the wind." But, leaving fcience out of the queftion for a moment, I wifh, in the fame fpirit of candour which has hitherto animated my pen, to obferve, that in my humble opinion, Pizarro will not affect the political state of Europe to much as fome very refpectable tea-tables and crowded coffee-rooms have fuppofed.Sufficient time, I allow, it may be faid, has not been given; but three months are elapfed fince the appearance of this sweeping comet-tail, and yet I can fee no material change in the difpofition of the French council, nor, except the late victory gained by marthal Suwarrow, have we as yet feen that it is likely to refore the ancient states of Italy. Nay, what I advance with more,' yet I hope pardonable boldness, if we look nearer home, its effects are not proportionate to the univerfality of its fame. It has not fhortened the number of taxes, nor the length of debates. Its influence upor religion and focial order is ftill deemed lefs than may be expected from a zealous and cordial co-operation of the allied powers. We know it did nothing at Raftadt, and, as fome think, there has been no privy council yet called upon the fubject. But what is more in point, I have it from a confidential perfon in the office of Mr. Dundas, one of his majefty's principal fecretaries of ftate, that in the whole train of preparation now making for a fecret expedition, the merits of Pizarro have not once been fubmitted to the board.

And now, Mr. Editor, if thefe things are fo, as I humbly conceive they will be found fo, let me, by way of conclufion, afk whether it will be worth while to eftablifh a chaos in the world of science and politics, with the exception only of Pizarro? Or may we not, as we have been accuftomed, give to every thing its due and proper thare of attention? I hope, Sir, that in a year or two (it would be prefumption to expect it fooner) we may again hear of Pitt and Fox, Suwarrow and Buonaparte, Jacobins and Antijacobins, Whigs and Tories, High Church and Low Church, Prefbyterians and Independents, for the gentlemen; and caps, bonnets, flounces, ribbons and fafhes, elopements, and crim. cons. for the ladies as ufual; and that it may one day be as common to fay "how do you do?" as it is now to fay "how do you like Pizarro ?"

I am, Sir, your's, &c.

A LOVER OF VARIETY
ACCOUNT

Atalaiay, Mother of the Mandarin.

Acina, First Wife of the Mandarin.

virtue, the only one which can lead to renown, and render him worthy to please the Divinity.

After this difcourfe, which the mandarin hears in an upright posture, because a fon in China never fits down before his father, he proftrates himself at the feet of the authors of his days, and, with his head bent under, implores their benediction; which they give him, each being feated, and in a tone breathing fomewhat of majefty. The father efpecially impreffes veneration; but the mother alfo lets fall ex

Mother of Siou-yé.

Aouana, a female Servant.

Atay-Moncon, an old Servant of the House.
Siou yé, Son of the Mandarin.

Ouong-fou, a Meffenger of the Emperor.
Mutes.

The Suite of the Mandarin.
Sailors employed in the champanes.

The duration of the action comprises an interval of eighteen years.

All the fpeaking characters of the piece appear in it fucceflively, and at different intervals.

ACT 1.

THAYE', a mandarin of letters, has two

wives. The fecond (Alaya) is brought to bed of a fon called Siou-yé. On occafion of this birth a grand feaft is given in the house of the mandarin. The relations who compofe the family, repair to it to blefs the child, and to partake of the common joy.

During this feftival, which lafts many days, there comes an order to the mandarin from the emperor, who, informed of his great merit and his talents, invites him

to court.

The mandarin, wishing to obey, affembles all his family, among which appear his father and mother. He communicates to them the order of the fovereign, and his design to conform to it as foon as poffible. His two wives and his relations appear very much alarmed at this departure; but he confoles them, and gives counfels and inftructions to his wives and domeftics. He maintains, in a difcourfe, the neceffary obligation which he lies under to ferve the monarch and his country with all his might, and to be faithful to them.

Then his father, a venerable old man, ftrongly recommends to him a faithful regard to his duties. He exhorts him never to deviate from the path of honour and * Our readers will recollect, that M. Van Braam has lately published an account of the Embally, which has been tranflated into English.

MONTHLY MAG, No. XLVII,

Thayé rifes, thanks his parents, and parts from them, as well as from his wives, with marks of reciprocal attachment. His last movement of regret is for his old domeftic Atay, and for his female fervant Aouana; to whom he recommends obedience and fubmiffion towards their two miftreffes, the care of whatever concerns the

houfe, and, above all, attachment to his fon, during his own abfence. He promifes them to fupply their wants.

[Exit. The curtain falls.

After a space of four or five years with out any news from the mandarin, whose father and mother are dead, and the family in the greatest uneafinefs, the two wives become very difcontented. They deliberate together, and form the project to abandon the house of their husband, and go, while they are yet young and beautiful, to feek a better deftiny, perfuaded that the mandarin has perished in an expedition with which it was said the emperor had charged him.

Having well concerted their defign, and being firmly decided in their refolution to execute it, they impart the fame to the old domeftic, as well as to Aouana. Thefe laft exprefs the greatest aftonishment, and a juft indignation at the fhame with which these two wives would cover their mafter, or his manès, if he be really dead. Both thefe two faithful domestics address the ftrongest reprefentations to the two wives. They draw an energetic picture, of the fublime sentiments with which chaf tity inspires the women in China; but their cares are of no avail, they only obtain from thofe degraded women a smile of disdain.

Aouana, who is touched ftill more by this inflexibility, runs, takes up the infant and prefents it to its mother, as a bond which ought to attach her for ever to the house of her husband. She conjures her to have compaffion at least on her own 3 X

blood,