60 Literary and Philosophical Intelligence. A Second Journey through Persia to Constantinople, between the Years 1810 and 1816 with a Journal of the Voyage by the Brazils and Bombay to the Persian Gulph; together with an account of the proceedings of his Majesty's Embassy under his excellency Sir Gore Ousley, bart. K.S.L. 4to. with maps, coloured costumes, and other engravings from the desigus of the author; by Jas. Morier, esq. 31. 13s. 6d.. A Journey from India to England, through Persia, Georgia, Russia, Poland, and Prussia, in the Year 1817; by Lieut. Col. Johnson, C.B. 4to. 21. 2s. A Journey round the Coast of Kent; containing remarks on the principal objects worthy of notice throughout the whole of that interesting border and the contiguous district; by L. Fussell, esq. 8vo. 9s. FRENCH BOOKS, [Aug. 1, Just Imported by J. Souter, 73, St. Paul's Church-yard. Les Petits Bearnais, ou Leçons de Morale Convenable à la jeunesse; par Madme. Julie Delafaye (Brehier), auteur de six nouvelles de l'Enfance, &c. 4 vols. 180. avec seize jolies gravures. 8s. Les Soupers de Famille, ou Nouveaux Contes, moraux, instructifs, et amusans pour les Enfans: avec seize jolies gravures; par Mme. Delafaye. 4 vols. 18mo. 88. Fables de la Fontaine; par C. Nodier, ornées d'un portrait. 2 vols. 12mo 8s. Dictionnaire des Gens du Monde, a l'usage de la Cour et de la Ville. 12mo. 48. Fables de Florian, précédées d'une notice sur savie; par J. C. Turnel, et ornées de dix gravures en taille-douce. 18mo. 2s. 6d. VARIETIES, LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL, Including Notices of Works in Hand, Domestic and Foreign. IT T has been our rare fortune, in the progress of this miscellany, to be the harbingers of the various important discoveries which, during the last twenty-five years, have done honour to the genius of man. Notwithstanding the lofty pretensions of learned bodies and societies, we have, with few exceptions, been the first to draw these discoveries from obscurity, and exhibit to the world their claims in a clear and popular manner; and it is our glory, in regard to several of them, that, in recommending them, we have often stood alone, and have generally been opposed by contemporary journalists, and not unfrequently by professors of science. We have now to announce another application of philosophy to the arts of life, so pregnant with advantages, and so extensive in its purposes, as to threaten an entire revolution in the economy and formation of our domestic establishments. In the Number for April last, we introduced the details of a system of warming houses, by means of the Steam generated in a small boiler, worked in any out-building, and conveyed by pipes to hollow-sided cylinders placed in the rooms of a house; and we stated in such clear terms the advantages of this elegant mode of propagating heat, that the work-shops engaged in the manufactories have had more orders than they can execute. The experiments made in the course of these erections have, however, determined a fact which cannot fail to lead to a great extension of the system. It appears that steam, conveyed in pipes nearly half a mile in length, has suffered at the extremity no sensible diminution of its heat; consequently, hot steam may be diffused for purposes of heating houses, in a radius from the boiler of at least half a mile; and perhaps even of two, three, or more miles. Here then is a principle by which heat may be conveyed from a public boiler or magazine, where it is generated, to any desirable distance; and thence may be conveyed into houses for the purpose of keeping the rooms at any temperature, just as gas for light, or water for culinary purposes, is now conveyed into them. We thus divest ourselves at once of coal or wood fires, of all their smoke, filth, and dangers; and also of chimneys, grates, and their accessories. In cost, the ratio is very high in favour of the heat of steam, as ten to one, and twenty to one, according to circumstances. In effective heat, in wholesomeness, in enjoyment, and in luxury, there can be no comparison. Thus a bushel of refuse coal and cinders, costing eight-pence or a shilling, will boil a copper for fifteen hours, and generate steam enough to keep ten or twelve rooms at a uniform and equally-diffused temperature of sixty or seventy degrees. Of course it is the same whether these rooms are in one house, six houses, or twelve houses; and hence the incalculable advantages of this application of steam. Houses, It is proved, by experiment, that every superficial foot of a metallic hollow cylinder will heat 250 cubic feet of air, at 60°, 70°, or 80°, as may be desirable. A cylinder, four feet high, and sixteen 1818.7 Literary and Philosophical Intelligence. Houses,manufactories, schools, churches, hamlets, villages, cities, and even the great metropolis itself, may thus be heated from one or many boilers, or from one or many stations, as may be most convenient. Smoke, the nuisance of towns, will thus at once be exterminated; because that which is generated at the public boilers may easily be consumed, or condensed. We thus also clear society of the stigma and the crimes of chimney-sweeping; and diminish the hazards and the horrors of those conflagrations which are as dangerous to our property as our lives. In fine, we expect that these observations will, in due time, have the effect of rendering STEAMHEATING SOCIETIES as general, as popular, and as lucrative, as GAS-LIGHTING SOCIETIES; and we hope, in consequence, to witness, in the universal success of both, a greater triumph of philosophy than philosophers themselves have ever contemplated. 1 Being anxious to render the Monthly Magazine a focus of intelligence relative to the so new and important applications of aqueous and inflammable gas for heating and lighting, we shall give every encou ragement to communications on those subjects till their advantages are understood, and their introduction has become general. We regard them as the greatest practical improvements of this age; and, therefore, shall devote a column or two every month to the subject. Dr. CLARKE ABEL will soon publish, Personal Observations made during the Progress of the British Embassy through China, and on its Voyage to and from that Country, in a quarto volume, illustrated by engravings. Dr. A. B. GRANVILLE has in the press, Memoirs on the Present State of Science and Scientific Institutions in France; interspersed with anecdotes, and illustrated by plates and tables. An Account of the Small-Pox, as it appeared after Vaccination, will shortly appear, by ALEXANDER MONRO, M.D. professor of Anatomy in the University of Edinburgh; including, among many cases, three which occurred in the author's own family. 611 A Geographical and Statistical Description of Scotland is in the press; by JAMES PLAYFAIR, D.D. F.R.S. and F.A.S.E. principal of the United College of St. Andrew, and Historiographer to the Prince Regent. JOHN GALT, esq. is preparing the second part of the Life of Benjamin West, esq. Captain KATER has undertaken a journey to the North, with a view of ascertaining the length of the seconds pendulum at the principal stations of Colonel Mudge's Trigonometrical Survey, and the government has afforded liberal assistance towards this important investigation. At the last meeting of the Caledonian Horticultural Society, a report was read from Messrs. HAY, MACDONALD, and NEILL, who, at the desire of the society, had paid a horticultural visit to somo parts of the continent. They stated, that grafts of nearly fifty new pears, and about forty new apples, of the most approved kinds, raised by M. Van Mons at Brussels, had been received last spring; that they had been grafted on suitable stocks. It also mentioned that a collection of cones of some of the new species of pine-tree, originally brought from South America, had been received, and were now under trial. The Introduction to the Critical Study and Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, by THOMAS HARTWELL HORNE, A.M. illustrated with maps and fac-similes of biblical manuscripts, in three volumes, octavo, is nearly ready for publication. The statue of Memnon, sent from Egypt by Mr. SALTE as a present to the British Museum, now lies in the Museum yard, and consists of one solid block of granite, weighing about nine tons. The face is in high preservation, and remarkably expressive. The same ship also brought presents of antiquity. from the Bey of Tripoli to the Prince Regent, consisting of columus, cornices, chapiters, &c. found at Lebida. The columns are mostly of one solid piece, one weighing near fifteen tons, and being twenty-two feet in length. They were selected by Capt. W. H. Smyth, of the inches diameter, that is, having sixteen royal navy, in which he was assisted by feet on the outside, and sixteen feet on the inside, will therefore heat 8000 cubic feet of air, or a room thirty feet square and nine feet high. It appears, also, that one small boiler will keep four such cylinders at 70° of heat; and, therefore, will heat twelve rooms, that are eighteen feet square and eight feet high, the British consul at Tripoli. SIR HUMPHRY DAVY'S experiment of the glowing platinum wire can thus be made when the combustible used is camphor:-if a piece of camphor, or a few small fragments in a heap, be placed in any convenient situation, as on a shilling, the bottom of a glass, &c, and a piece of platinum 62 platinum wire, either coiled or pressed up together, be heated and laid upon it, the platina will glow brilliantly as long as any camphor remains, and will frequently light it up into a flame. Literary and Philosophical Intelligence. Mr. THOMAS SCOTT, paymaster of the 70th regiment, stationed at Kingston, in Upper Canada, is reported in the United States to be the author of Waverley, the Antiquary, &c. &c. An acknowledgment of the fact was made (says the Port-Folio,) by one of the family of Mr. Scott to an American gentleman during the last autumn. In addition to this, an individual of Philadelphia has seen the manuscript of one of these works. Mrs. Scott, the lady of Mr. Thomas Scott, lately passed through New York, on her way to Great Britain, and the time of her arrival was distinguished by an advertisement of a new tale in three volumes, entitled "Rob Roy," as having been put to press in England, by the author of Waverley and other novels. The intimate connexion which Mr. Walter Scott is known to have had with these publications is fully accounted for upon the supposition that the author is his brother, and lives in Upper Canada. A river of the first magnitude has been found in the interior of New Holland, running through a most beautiful country, rich in soil, limestone, slate, and good timber, by Mr. OXLEY, the surveyorgeneral. Its course was northerly, in Latitude 32 deg. 45 min. S. and 148 deg. 58 min. E. longitude. To ascertain the course and direction of this river is to be the object of an early expedition. There has long been a great and increasing population in India-the descendants of Europeans from Indian mothers and their progeny. Many of them are well educated, and people of considerable property; and, latterly, they have been studiously investigating their civil rights as free-born British subjects. They have commenced a newspaper to facilitate the objects of their inquiries, and all public measures in India will now be openly canvassed, and Europe will no longer be abused respecting the condition of the Eastern hemisphere. An Historical Account of Discoveries and Travels in Asia, by HUGH MURRAY, F.R.S.E. will speedily be published. Mr. JOHN NICHOLS is preparing for publication, in three octavo volumes, the Miscellaneous Works of the late George Hardinge, esq. Dr. SPIKER'S Travels through England have been published at Berlin, and [Aug. 1, an English Translation is preparing for the press. Capt. GOLOWNIN, the Narrative of whose Captivity has been recently published, is printing Recollections of Japan, comprising an account of the people and of the country. Mr. J. W. WHITAKER, of St. John's College, Cambridge, has in the press, a Critical Examination of Mr. Bellamy's Translation of Genesis. Dr. ANDREW DUNCAN will soon publish an Account of the Life, Writings, and Character, of the late Dr. Alex. Monro, delivered at the Harveian ration at Edinburgh for 1818. In a few days will be published, Family Worship considered, and some hints suggested for its more effectual performance, with prayers. On the 17th of June the Russian brig Rurick, under the command of Lieut. KOTZEBUE, reached Portsmouth, last from the Cape of Good Hope, having been out two years and eleven months on a voyage of discovery, The honour of the British nation is so deeply compromised by the base conduct of the ministry, which abuse its name, in the person of the Emperor Napoleon, that we feel it our duty to mention with applause some very eloquent Essays on this subject, which, within the month, have appeared in the Sunday paper called the Luminary. These Essays, if widely circulated, may tend to counteract the malignant and black-hearted doctrines maintained by the conductors of certain unprincipled Newspapers and Journals, whose bypocritical canting on other subjects obtains them credit with many worthy readers. Carthage, at the return of Regulus, was doubtless misled by wretches like these to commit a crime which brought on it the resentment of the whole world, and has since rendered that city and its fate a proverb to all posterity. Truth will finally prevail over the effrontery of falsehood, and all experience proves that similar causes never fail to produce similar effects. Mr. CHALMERS has in the press, an abridgment of Todd's edition of Dr. Johnson's Dictionary. Professors WOOD, PLAYFAIR, and PICTET, have certified that Dr. BREWSTER is the original discoverer of the kaleidoscope as at present made and used. It seems, however, that in Kircher's Ars Magna Lucis et Umbræ, published at Rome in 1646, there is an account of the kaleidoscope. At p. 890 of 1818.] Literary and Philosophical Intelligence. of that work is a description of the appearance of the circle divided into its aliquot parts by means of two plane mirrors, which are set at the angles of 120°, 90°, 72°, &c. &c. with one another. He afterwards goes on to describe the multiplication of images by reflections from mirrors, set in different situations with one another, and expressly mentions the variety of combinations which may be produced by changes in the objects which are reflected. Speedily will appear, Sermons, by the Rev. C. R. MATURIN, Curate of St. Peter's, Dublin, in octavo. The Rev. R. BROOK is preparing for publication, the State and Progress of Religious Liberty, from the first propagation of Christianity in Britain to the present time. Mr. WM. CAREY has in the press, a Biographical Sketch of B. R. Haydon, esq. with critical observations on his paintings, and some notice of his essays in the public journals. We have often maintained the opinion, that the increase of the population in 1811, compared with 1801, arose from the greater accuracy of the last census; but a periodical writer maintains, that the baptisms and burials of Hampstead, Hendon, and Edgeware, afford evidence of a proportionate in ⚫rease between 1811 and 1818. Dr. JACOB, demonstrator of anatomy in the University of Dublin, has discovered and demonstrated in his lectures on the diseases of the eye, this spring, a membrane covering the external surface of the retina in man and other animals. Mr. W. AUST, of Gray's-Ion Road, has invented an instrument for freeing the shaft horse when fallen with a loaded cart. The instrument consists of the simple addition to the common props of the cart, of an iron bar and hook, about half their length, attached to the top of each prop, and a bent iron prong at the bottom, to prevent their slipping; the props are strengthened with an iron ferule at each end. Dr. HALLARAN has in the press a second edition, with considerable additions, of his Practical Observations on the Causes and Cure of Insanity. No. VI. of Mr. DYER'S Lives of Illustrious Men is nearly ready. The following letters throw some light on the late expedition to the Niger. They were sent from Senegal to Wm. S. Shaw, esq. of Boston, by whose po 63 liteness they have been published in the North-American Review. Dear sir, Senegal, Sept. 5, 1817. Finding nothing here now worthy of your acceptance, and thinking an account of the English expedition intended for the quested a French friend of mine, who was Interiour would be interesting, I resome time with Capt. Campbell about the coast last year, before the expedition started, and was at Sierra Leone when it returned, to give me an account of par ticulars. I am not certain that entire confidence can be placed in his account, though he had every means of being rightly informed. It seems the expedition started from the banks of the Rio Nunez in February, that they proceeded about a hundred and fifty miles, when the chief of the country prevented their proceeding farther, under some feigned pretext. After stopping there about four months, and almost all the animals having died, and seeing no prospect of being allowed to proceed, Capt. Campbell determined on endeavouring to regain the Rio Nunez, that he might save front pillage and total loss such articles of value as remained. He died in two days after arriving at the point he started from, and was buried by the side of his friend, Major Peddie. The circumstances attending the loss of offe Peddie and Capt. M'Rea died before they were somewhat singular. Major began their march; Capt. Campbell and a Mons. Comer, a French naturalist, who was with them, died after their return, and they were all buried near each other. Though the loss was great in officers, it was very small on the part of the mentwo only were lost on the journey, one of whom was drowned. Of over two hundred animals which they took with them, three only, I think, arrived again on the composing the expedition are bank of the Rio Nunez. The persons Sierra Leone, and meditate another attempt. Lieut. Stoko, of the navy, is now the senior officer. He was on the lakes attached to Sir James Yeo, but was made prisoner, and was since then in our back country. He is gone with three men to visit a powerful chief at Peembo, to en deavour to secure his protection. If he succeeds, another attempt will be made, but under the most unfavourable circumstances, as most of the men are discouraged. cers now at The following is a translation of a letter containing the French account above mentioned. Dear sir, Senegal, Sept. 4, 1817. I will endeavour to gratify you with a statement of the facts which I have been able to collect during my stay at Sierra Leone, 64 Literary and Philosophical Intelligence. Leone, concerning the unfortunate expedition to the Niger. On the death of Major Peddie, Capt. Campbell succeeded to the command. He felt the desire, he had always cherished, of tracing in his route the course of the Gambia, and of determining the geographical position of various points. He resolved to take a more easterly direction, which obliged him to pass through a rugged and dan gerous tract of country,-a circumstance very unfavourable to the success of the undertaking. The company left Kakundy on the first of February. The baggage was so great an incumbrance, at that time, that the fine Arabian horses, which were designed for the use of the officers, were necessarily employed in transporting it. The whole company began their march on foot. This measure was the more unfortunate, as the health of the officers suf. fered from it severely, and it proved fatal to the horses, which, little accustomed to support so great burdens, sunk under the fatigue. In the mean time, the company arrived, after a painful march of about twelve days, at the village of Panietta, at the distance of a little more than one hundred and fifty miles from Kakundy. During this march, so many of the beasts of burden died, that Capt. Campbell was obliged to employ the natives to carry his baggage. This mode of transportation was the cause of many robberies, and of much disquietude to the travellers. At the commencement of his journey, Capt. Campbell had made the chief of the country acquainted with the object of his voyage, and received many protestations of friendship. But, on his arrival at Panietta, it was easy to discover that the natives were alarmed at seeing so great a number of Europeans coming among them. He was, therefore, detained under various pretexts for the space of four months, expecting, each moment, a faYourable determination on the part of the King of Fouti, to enable him to pursue his route towards the Niger. During this long and unexpected delay, the expedition had to struggle against the unhealthiness of the climate, famine, and a disease still more terrible than either. In spite of all the means which were used to procure necessary provisions, the scarcity became so great, that the company were reduced to a very small allowance. After having long waited in vain, and employed every means to obtain permission to continue their march towards the east, Capt. Campbell was forced to return in his first track. Having a vast quantity of baggage, but very few animals of burden remaining, he was obliged to employ the same mode of transportation as before, and this was followed by the same consequences. Many of his effects were pillaged, others were destroyed. Finally, after a very painful [Aug. 1, march, the expedition arrived at Kakundy, the point from which it started. Capt. Campbell's health had already begun to decline by reason of fatigue, and the chagrin he felt at the ill success of his undertaking; these, together with the unhealthiness of the climate, had worn down his strength and exhausted his spirits, and he died in two days after his arrival at the Rio Nunez. The Oolite, or freestone, found at Bath, is very soft and porous, is easily penetrated by, and absorbs a considerable quantity of, water. It has of late been formed into wine-coolers and butterjars in place of the common biscuit ware, and, from the facility with which the water passes through it, so as to admit of evaporation at the surface, it succeeds very well. But the most ingenious application of this stone is in the formation of circular pyramids, having a number of grooves cut one above the other on its surface; these pyramids are soaked in water, and a small hole made in the centre filled; salad seed is then sprinkled in the grooves, and, being supplied with water from the stone, vegetates; and, in the course of some days, produces a crop of salad ready to be placed on the table, The hole should be filled with water daily, and, when one crop is plucked, the seeds are brushed out and another sown. Number of Persons executed for Forgery in 1790 1791 1792 1 1793 3 *1794 1795 .... 8 1796 1797 |