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analyfes of this chemift prove that the emerald is compofed of filex of alumine, of a particular earth, to which they have given the name of glucina, of lime, and of oxide of chrome. Hence it appears, that the emerald, and the beryl or aiguemarine, are two ftones perfectly fimilar, compofed of the fame principles, with the exception of the colouring matter.

By a fcientific application of chemical experiments to the art of dying, Citizen CHAPTAL has difcovered a fimple procefs of eafy execution, to give cotton a yellow fhamoy colour, more or lefs intenfe. It is particularly by mixing alumine with oxide of iron, that this chemift impreffes on his colours a foft velvety glofs, which is never given by oxide employed alone. He has examined the different proceffes by which the fame oxide is combined with the red of madder, to form the violet colour, and has reduced fome very complicated operations to fimple principles. He has alfo explained the reafons why no other vegetable fubftance can be fubftituted in dying cotton to the gall-nut, whatever quantity of it may be applied.

To give a stuff the beautiful red colour known by the name of Andrinople red, they make ufe in the operation of kali, or foda, oil, gall-nuts, fumach, madder, fulphur mineral, and many other fubftances. Citizen CHAPTAL has inveftigated the action of the three principal mordicants, oil, gall-nuts, and allum, employed in dying cotton red. Afterwards treating of the more complicated and obfcure operations of the art of dying, he has furnished a new proof of what chemistry may do for the improvement of the arts, when it is directed by a fimple and luminous theory.

Kali or foda is not confined to the operations of dying cotton only. Soapmanufactories, glafs-houfes for white glafs, and bleaching fields have a demand and occafion for Spanifh kali. France imports of it annually to the amount of four millions, by the ports in the Mediterranean only. It was neceffary therefore to encourage amongst us the culture of the plant which furnishes the kali of Alicant, in order to fecure on the fpot, fupplies for our most valuable manufactures, and to enrich agriculture and commerce with an annual product of four millions. This is what Citizens CHAPTAL and TEXIER have performed; the first by proving, from a feries of many years' experiments, that the plant which furnishes the kali of Alicant, may be cultivated with fuccefs on the fouthern coafts

of France, and that the kali produced by it is precifely of the fame quality as that of Spain: the fecond by laying down all the neceffary inftructions hitherto wanted, relative to the culture and combuftion of this plant, for the fabrication of kali.

Some years ago Citizen CLOUET, an affociate member of the inftitute, had announced the poffibility of converting iron into caft-fteel, without having recourse to any preliminary cementation. This proceis which he has brought to perfection, is fo much the more valuable for the arts in which cast-steel is employed, as it may be procured by this means without having recourfe to cementation, or to natural fteel, wherever there is to be found good iron, a mixture of alumine and filex, and chalk.

The goodness of a piece of artillery is well known to depend effentially on the operations connected with the alloy and the fufion of the metal. The pewter which enters into its compofition sometimes acquires fo much heat during the fervice as to enter into fufion, whịch has a tendency to injure the cannon. medy this inconvenience, Citizen BEAUME propofes to harden the copper with nickel ar with what was formerly called regulus of antimony; neither of these fubftances being fo fufible as pewter.

To re

Experiments made at Rambouilet and in different parts of France, have already demonftrated the poffibility of propagating and preferving in all its purity the race of Spanish fheep on the foil of the French republic. Citizen GILBERT has communicated the moft copious inftructions on this important point of rural economy, and has furnished grounds for the best founded hopes relative to the naturalization in France of thofe valuable fheep, whole race is perpetuating without any dege neracy.

The conquefts which we owe to our army of the north, by augmenting the riches of the mufeum of natural history at Paris, have given Citizen LAMARCK an opportunity of tracing with precifion the diftinctive characters of the cuttlefish, (la feche) the calmar, and the pulp, (la poulpe) which had been confounded and blended into one fingle kind. He has expofed an error prevalent among fome naturalists, who had mittaken a pulp, which has a habit of lodging in the fhell of the argonaut or the papyraceous nautilus, for that animal itself; there is a fpecies of cray-fifh called Bernard the Hermit (Bernard L'Hermite) which lodges, in a similar manner, in diferent forts of hell-fish.

We

We learn, from a very extenfive memoir on the organ of the voice, by Citizen CUVIER, that moft birds have, independently of an inferior glottis, which is the principal organ of the voice, a fuperior larynx; a mechanifm, which enables them to vary their tones with the more facility, as they can, by means of it, eafily change the fate of their glottis, the length of their trachea, and the aperture of their upper larynx. It refults from this organization, that the deepeft tones, and the harmonics of the fame tones, are produced by the allongation of the trachea, and the greatest relaxation of the glottis; whilft, by the contraction of the trachea and the condensation of the glottis, the bird produces tones higher in proportion to the fhortnefs of the trachea, together with all the harmonics of the tone, which corresponds to that degree of contraction.

Some obfervations, which confirm the utility of mild mercurial muriate, or calomel, in the treatment of the fmallpox, by Citizen DESESSARTS, together with fome profound refearches by Citizen HUZARD, on a malady which affects the organs of generation in hories, have alfo been the object of the attention of the clafs. Many of its members have been principally occupied with the care

intercepting fubftances, prefent very fenfible analogies between the phenomena of Galvanism and thofe of electricity. Some eflential differences, however, appear to militate against this analogy, and will not fuffer us to admit, at least for the prefent, the identity of a common principle. However it may be, thefe phenomena, excited by art, are fo intimately connected with thofe of the animal economy, that it may be advifeable, in order to catch these connections, to look in the one for the application of the others. The refult of thefe experiments, made to verify the phenomena of Galvanism, have been lately committed to the prefs.

(The other claffes in our next.)

PROGRAMMA of the Prizes of the NA-
TIONAL INSTITUTE of SCIENCES and
ARTS, propofed in the public Sitting of
July 4th.

CLASS of Moral and Political Sciences.

PRIZE OF POLITICAL ECONOMY.

THE clafs of Moral and Political Sciences the fubject of the prize for the year VI.:' had propofed the following question as

What are the objects and conditions for, and according to which, a republican state may judge it expedient to open pubiic loans?

PRIZE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE.

How far ought the power of a father of a fa

to it, in a well-conflituted republic?

PRIZE OF GEOGRAPHY.

To determine what are the great changes which bave taken place on the furface of the globe, and which are either indicated or proved by Liftery?

PRIZE OF MORALS.

VII.:

The clafs of Moral and Political Sciences had propofed the following question as a fubject of the prize for the year What are the propereft inflitutions on which ta found the morals of a people?

CLASS of Literature and Fine Arts,

PRIZE OF POETRY.

of afcertaining by a multiplicity of expe-mily to extend, and what limits should be preferibed riments, the phenomena of Galvanilin. This name is given to a difcovery which Dr. GALVANI, a member of the Inftitute of Bologna, made many years ago, and from which it refults, that when a contiguous feries of metals, commonly different from one another, are put into contact on the one fide with a nerve, and on the other with a mufcle, or even with different and diftant parts of the fame nerve, at the inftant of the double contact, a rapid and convulfive motion takes place in the mufcle into which the nerve is diftributed. This phenomenon feems to prefent to the mind the idea of a circle, a portion of which is formed by the excitatory metals, and the other by the nervous and mufcular organs. Different fubftances may concur to form this circle, and to excite its effects. Other different ones may break the circle, and fufpend or intercept thofe effects. It has been remarked, that there are fubitances which feem to extinguish this fingular faculty in the animal, whilft others excite and re ellablith it when it appears dead or dormant. The rapidity of the effect, and the promptitude of the communication, the nature and the participation of the exciting and

The clafs of Literature and Fine Arts propofes for the fubject of the prize of poetry: Liberty; as an ode, a feem, a difcourfe in verje or an epistle.

CLASS of Mathematical and Phyfical Sciences.

SUBJECT OF TWO PRIZES IN PHYSICS. The clafs of Mathematical and Phyfical Sciences of the Institute had propofed in the year IV. as the fubject of a prize which it demiaire, of the year VII. the use to which was to adjudge in the public affembly of Venthe liver is applied in the different claffes of animals-The memoirs were to have been received before the 1ft Germinal of that year, as the clefs had judged it neceffary to referve

te

to itself fix months for the examination of the labours, and the repetition of the experiments which it expected from the candidates.

This fubject, fo important, which the Academy of Sciences had propofed in 1792, and which the Inftitute judged it fhould again offer to the refearches and meditations of the learned, has not been handled as was expected; only a fingle memoir has arrived, in which the queftion is not even fo much as sketched out, and its author, who has neither perceived the fcope nor true ftate of it, has bewildered himself in the labyrinth of ancient hypothefes, and has not profited by the anatomical and chemical resources which the Inftitute had pointed out in its programma.

This fcantiness of works on a fubject fo interefting to one of the finest and most ufeful branches of phyfics, has led the Inftitute to imagine that the magnitude and extent of this question, and more efpecially the difficulty of finding united in one fingle perfon the anatomical and chemical knowledge which the folution required, were the causes why no candidate had as yet appeared. Not to sheck the zeal of naturalifts in the agitation

of fo important a question, the Institute has thought fit to divide it into two branches, and to make it the fubject of two prizes, by devoting to it, with the medal which was to have been adjudged in the year VII. on the totality of the queftion already indicated, that which is to be difpofed of for the prefent year; confequently it propofes for the fubject of the two prizes, to determine the functions of the liver, by feparating what has a relation to the anatomical ftructure of the hepatic system, from that which belongs to the chemical examination of the liquids and folids of that system.

The firft of these prizes will have for its object the form, the fituation, the magnitude, the comparative weight, and the defcription of the paren-chyma, of the vessels, of the canals of the appendices of the liver, confidered in the principal classes of animals, from man to infects, the mollusca and worms.

The fecond prize will have for its objec the analysis of the bepatic or cyftic bile in the dif ferent claffes of animals already noticed.

The works may be written in French or Latin, or in any other language the authors chufe to adopt.

WALPOLIANA;

OR, BONS MOTS, APOPHTHEGMS, OBSERVATIONS ON LIFE AND LITERATURE, WITH EXTRACTS FROM ORIGINAL LETTERS, OF THE LATE HORACE WALPOLE, EARL OF ORFORD.

NUMBER X.

*This Article is communicated by a Literary Gentleman, for many years in habits of intimacy with Mr. WALPOLE. It is partly drawn up from a collection of Bons-Mots, &c. in his own band-writing; partly from Anecdotes written down after long Converfations with him, in which be would, from four o'clock in the Afternoon, till two in the Morning, difplay thofe treasures of Anecdote with which his Rank, Wit, and Opportunities, bad replenished his Memory; and partly from Original Letters to the Compiler, on fubjects of Taste and Literature.

CXLI. CELLINI'S BELL.

NE the pieces in collection of the most highly value, is the filver bell with which the popes ufed to curfe the caterpillars, á ceremony I believe now abandoned. Lahontan, in his travels, mentions a like abfurd custom in Canada, the folemn excommunication, by the bishop, of the, turtle-doves, which greatly injured the plantations.

For this bell I exchanged with the Marquis of Rockingham all my Roman coins in large brafs. The relievos, reprefenting caterpillars, butterflies, and other infects, are wonderfully executed. Cellini, the artift, was one of the most extraordinary men in an extraordinary age. His life, written by himfelf, is more amusing than any novel I know.

CXLII. ENVY.

Envy, though one of the worft and meanest of our paffions, feems fomehow natural to the human breast. This fenti

ment is well expreft by a French poet, in a drama on the banishment of Ariftides:

Je ne le connois point; Je l'exile à regret ;
Mais que ne jouit il de fa gloire en fecret?

CXLIII. SULLY'S MEMOIRS.

"It is hiftory, madam: you know how the tale goes," faid Cardinal Maza rine to the queen dowager of France. But in no refpect is hiftory more uncertain than in the defcription of battles. Sully obferves that when, after the battle of Aumale, the officers were standing around the bed of Henry IV. not two of all the number could agree in their ac count of the engagement.

Though the original folio edition of Sully's Memoirs be very confufed in the arrangement, it is worth while to turn it over for many curious particulars. The account of his embassy to James I. is particularly interefting, and lays open the politics of that day with a mafterly hand."

It

It appears from Sully's original work that Henry IV. intended that all Europe fhould be compofed into fifteen dominations, fo as to form one vaft republic, peaceful in itself, and capable at all times of pacifying all its conftituent fates' This fcheme was to be adjusted in fuch a manner, that each state would find it most for its own intereft to fupport it on all occafions.

I have marked a paffage in the firit volume, p. 31, full of terrific truth. Look at it. "Les plus grandes, magnifiques, et ferieufes affaires d'Eftat tirerent leur origine, et leurs plus violens mouvements, des niaiferies, jaloufies, envies, et autres bizareries de la Cour; et fe reglent plutoft fur icelles, que fur les meditations et confultations bien digerées, ny fur les confiderations d'honneur, de gloire, ny du foy." THE MOST GRAND, MAGNIFICENT, AND SERIOUS AFFAIRS OF STATE DERIVE THEIR ORIGIN, AND THEIR MOST VIOLENT MOVEMENTS, FROM THE SILLINESSES, JEALOUSIES,

ENVIES, AND OTHER WHIMS OF THE COURT; AND ARE RATHER REGULATED BY THESE, THAN BY MEDITA

TIONS, AND WELL-DIGESTED CONSULTATIONS, OR BY CONSIDERATIONS OF HONOUR, GLORY, OR GOOD FAITH."

EXLIV. SCEPTICISM AND CURIOSITY.

Chi non fa niente, non dubita di niente, "He who knows nothing doubts of nothing," fays an Italian proverb. Scepticifm and curiofity are the chief fprings of knowledge. Without the firft we might reft contented with prejudices, and falfe information: without the fecond the mind would become indifferent, and torpid.

CXLV. SIR JOHN GERMAIN.

I fhall tell you a very foolish but a true tory. Sir John Germain, anceftor of lady Betty Germain, was a Dutch adventurer, who came over here in the reign of Charles II. He had an intrigue with a counters, who was divorced, and married him. This man was fo ignorant, that being told that Sir Matthew Decker wrote St. Matthew's gofpel, he firmly believed it. I doubted this tale very much, till I asked a lady of quality his defcendant about it, who told me it was most true. She added that Sir John Germain was in confequence fo much perfuaded of Sir Matthew's piety, that, by his will, he left two hundred pounds to Sir Matthew, to be by him diftributed among the Dutch paupers in London.

When Sir John Germain was on his

death-bed, his lady defired him to receive the facrainent. "Do you think," said he, "that it will do me any good?"— "Certainly," the answered. He took it: and, after half an hour, faid to her, "My dear, what was that little thing you made me take? You faid it would do me good, but I do not feel a bit better."

CXLVI. VIRTUOSI.

Virtuofi have been long remarked to have little confcience in their favourite

purfuits. A man will steal a rarity, who would cut off his hand rather than take the money it is worth. Yet in fact the crime is the fame.

Mr. *** is a truly worthy clergyman, who collects coins and books. A friend of mine mentioning to him that he had feveral of the Strawberry Hill editions, this clergyman faid, "Aye, but I can fhew you what it is not in Mr. Walpole's power to give you." He then produced a lift of the pictures in the Devonshire, and other two collections in London, printed at my prefs. I was much furprized. It was, I think, about the year 1764, that, on reading the fix volumes of "London and its Environs," I ordered my printer to throw off one copy for my own ufe. This printer was the very man who, after he had left my fervice, produced the noted copy of Wilkes's Eflay on Woman. He had ftolen one copy of this lift; and I must blame the reverend amateur for purchafing it of him, as it was like receiving stolen goods.

CXLVII. ORIGINAL LETTER.

Strawberry Hill, Sept. 17, 1785. You are too modeft, Sir, in asking my advice on a point, on which you coud have no better guide than your own judgment. If I prefume to give you my opi nion, it is from zeal for your honour. I think it would be below you to make a regular anfwer to anonymous fcriblers in a magazine. You had better wait to fee whether any formal reply is made to your book, and whether by any avowed writer, to whom, if he writes fenfibly and decently, you may condefcend to make an answer.

Still, as you fay you have been mifquoted, I fhould not with you to be quite filent, though I fhoud like better to have you turn fuch enemies into ridicule. A foe who mifquotes you ought to be a welcome antagonist. He is fo humble as to confefs, when he cenfures what you have not faid, that he cannot confute what you have faid--and he is fo kind as to

furnish

furnish you with an opportunity of proving him a liar, as you may refer to your book to detect him.

This is what I would do: I would fpecify in the fame magazine, in which he has attacked you, your real words, and those he has imputed to you, and then appeal to the equity of the reader. You may guefs that the shaft comes from fomebody whom you have cenfured, and thence you may draw a fair conclufion that you had been in the right to laugh at one, who was reduced to put his own words into your mouth, before he could find fault with them: and having to done, whatever indignation he excited in the reader must recoil on himself, as the of fenfive paffages will come out to have been his own, not your's. You might even begin with loudly condemning the words, or thoughts, imputed to you, as if you retracted them--and then, as if you turned to your book, and found you had faid no fuck thing there, as what you was ready to retract, the ridicule would be doubled on your adverfary. Something of this kind is the moft I woud stoop to: but I woud take the utmost care not to betray a grain of more anger than is implied in contempt and ridicule. Fools can only revenge themselves by provoking, for then they bring you to a level with themfelves. The good fenfe of your Work will fupport it and there is fearce a reafon for defending it, but by keeping up a controverfy, to make it more noticed: for the age is fo idle and indifferent, that few objects strike, unless parties are formed for or against them. I remember many years ago advifing fome acquaintance of mine who were engaged in the direc

tion of the Opera, to raise a competition between two of their fingers, and have papers written pro and con-for then numbers woud go to clap, and hifs the rivals refpectively, who woud not go to be pleafed with the mufic.

Dr. Lort was chaplain to the late archbishop, Sir, but I believe is not fo to the prefent, nor do I know whether at all connected with him. I do not even know where Dr. Lort is, having seen him but once the whole fummer. I am acquainted with another perfon, who I be lieve has fome intereft with the prefent archbishop; but I conclude that leave must be afked to confult the particular books, as probably indifcriminate accefs coud not be granted.

I

I have not a fingle correfpondent left at Paris. The Abbè Barthelemi, with whom I was very intimate, behaved most unhandfomely to me after Madame du Deffand's death; when I had acted by him in a manner that called for a very different return. He coud have been the most proper perfon to apply to; but I cannot ask a favour of one, to whom I had done one, and who has been very ungrateful. might have an opportunity perhaps e'er long of making the inquiry you defire, tho the perfon to whom I must apply is rather too great to employ; but if I can bring it about, I will; for I shoud have great pleafure to affist your pursuits, tho from my long acquaintance with the world, I am very diffident of making promifes that are to be executed by others, however fincerely I am myself

Sir, your obedient humble fervant,
HOR. WALFOLE.

ORIGINAL POETRY.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

THE following lines were written on contemplating that heterogeneous mixture of war and religion which has been for fome time fo fashionable. War and religion incorporate like oil and vinegar; they may be beat up together, but they do not unite kindly. There is however one defcription of the military, whofe profeffional duty includes nothing in it inimical to the pureft fpirit of chriftianity. When a Citizen is armed for the defence of his country, he has more need, as Uncle Toby obferves, to pray to God than any man alive; and he may confecrate his colours with a fafe confcience.-Some friends, to whom I have read the following lines, are pleafed to object that the parties are not altogether fuch as I have represented them; that our priests do now and then breathe holy urfes, and that our military affociations have MONTHLY MAG. No. XLI.

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