3s. Ansr. B Exum. Divide 32 by 4 Proportion, or If 112lb. cost 8s. what will 42lb. cost? First Term Second Term 8 Wishing to allow the subject to appear to be simple, as it really is, I will not at this time create any alarm by introducing cases in the higher parts of arithmetic; but should this introduction prove acceptable, I will furnish you with a number of highly-useful formulæ, suited to the particular practice of various classes, such as retailers of goods of all descriptions, mechanics and artizans in 'most branches, merchants and clerks in public offices, engineers civil and military, &c. &c. Leighton, January 21, 1810. Your's, &c. B. BEVAN. For the Monthly Magazine. M (Continued from p. 40.) ATHEMATICAL calculations of the proportions and differences of the lengths of vibrations, and of their acuteness or gravity of sound, afford an. interesting field for the speculative enquiry of students in elocution. We are informed by those who have written on the fundamental principle, or acoustical branch of music, that reason for the causes of harmony, is ascertained by the just node of explaining consonancy, as the coincidence of vibration, in separate bodies producing undulations in the air in certain due proportions to cach other. We are also given to understand, that what is evident to sense, in the effect on the medium (air,) by the agitation of a vibratory string or monochord, is equally discernible in the motions of all other bodies which give a tuneable sound. But there still remains in this pursuit, abundance of theorem for the elementary enquirer: and though, in our progress, an infinite variety of objects may appear, which the limited faculties of man can never hope to reach or comprehend, persevering industry on our part will so improve the stock of knowledge which we have already in our possession, that rational study will be most amply repaid. laid down, on the theory of inflexion, pronounce the far greater part of their as proofs. Walkers Elements of Elocution, p. 188 The student will take notice of the propriety of distinguishing these turns of voice, by the names affixed to the examinples. The circumflex A in the first example, falls a fifth, and, in returning, the voice does not ascend above the key note: and, vice versa, the circumflex B in the same example, rises a fifth, and, in returning, it does not descend below the key-note. To form the cadence, the circumflexes must be reversed, as in the second example. Our initial proposition is somewhat supported by two observations in the learned work of the Rev. James Adams. Speaking of the dialect of the Scots, he says, every word has some peculiar twang, or twist, discordant with received classical English sounds." "The Irish English," the same gentleman observes, "may be said to be chiefly confined to the singular tone, or false rise and fall of voice, approaching to the note of restrained interrogation." These peculiar turns of voice are given to the pronunciation of certain words in oblique phraseology, wherein more is understood than the mere words seem to express. Tropes of this class convey their meaning either by the known acceptation of the nature of the persons or things to which they are applied, by the mode of pronunciation, or by eduction from the context. If the following series be pronounced according to the marked words, and accompanied with a sneering smile, the student will discern more satisfactorily the true nature of circumflexes. "There is no doubt of it; thy integrity got thee absolved; thy môdesty drew thee out of danger; and the rising circumflex innocency of thy past life sâved thee." This form of phraseology may be consi dered peculiarly characteristic of the Scottish people; and if, in the foregoing example, the words "doubt, absolved, modesty, innocency, past, and saved,' were marked the same as the rest of the accented words, viz. with the falling circumflex instead of the rising circumflex, we should then have an instance of the turn of voice in their pronunciation. The following is an instance of the turn of voice in the Irish pronunciation: "Good môrrow my pretty fellow; upon my word thou hast acquitted thyself very handsomely." Better pronounced thus: Good morrow my pretty fellów; thou hast acquitted thyself very handsomely." By the circumflex, the contrary is under stood. The circumflex is also made use of in the pronunciation of certain words, in that class of rhetorical figures which serves to embellish the argumentation. In the concession at the end of Pope's Ode on St. Cecilia's Day, the falling circumflex on the word hell is a striking instance of the strength and beauty of the modification of sound, when used in a proper manuer: "His numbers rais'd a shade from Her's lift the soul to heaven." hell: I SIR, To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. INF N an extract which I lately read from Fischer's Picture of Valencia," I observed an account of a remedy for that most dreadful of human maladies, the hydrophobia; which ought to be more generally known, as it never failed of producing the desired effect when admi nistered in time. It is composed of seaholly,viper's bugloss, and Cretan balm. The plants are taken when they are beginning to run to seed, and hung in the shade till all their humidity is evaporated. On this each is separately pounded, the powin equal parts, and put away in wellder is passed through a hair sieve, mixed corked bottles. It is to be observed, that none of the roots must be employed, except those of the sea-holly, which pos sess very great strength. As I do not possess Mr. Fischer's book, I may not be as satisfactory on this point as your readers may wish; but some of your correspondents will, I trust, supply all the necessary information, and enumerate some of the many cures performed by this simple remedy. Your's, &c. SIR, A. OOKING a few days ago, by way of AM disposed to think that the process for preparing aromatic vinegars, recommended by Mr. 4, in one of your late Magazines, is not so cheap nor so effective a method as the author has stated. If chalk be added to common vinegar, in small quantities, taking care to stir the vinegar upon every addition, and no more chalk be employed than is just sufficient to destroy the acidity of the vinegar, little or no sediment will be formed, chalk being for the most part readily soJuble in this acid. The white matter, To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. therefore, that is found in the liquor prepared according to Mr. I's process, can only be the chalk that has been added in excess, or that was more than sufficient to destroy the acidity of the vinegar. If this white matter, by being treated with oil of vitriol, is found to afford aromatic vinegar, the vinegar can be produced from the small quantity of acetate of lime only, left in it after the supernatant liquor has been decanted; for if this sediment be well washed, it will be found to consist of mere chalk, and with sulphuric, to afford nothing but car bonic acid. The decanted liquor, so far from being "insipid," possesses a very marked taste, leaving a very unpleasant sensation of bitterness in the mouth. The usual method of purifying rooms, with a mixture of common salt, oil of vitriol, and manganese, is not only cheaper but more expeditious, and better calculated to produce the required effect, than the process recommended by Mr. I. The fumes of muriatic acid are more elastic, and more readily diffuse themselves, than vinegar in the state of vapor; besides, they are more active in destroying the principle of contagion. Bristol. Your's, &c. E. T. I. L amusement, into John Stowe's Chronicle, Edinburgh, 1573, year 146-4, I was much struck with the following, which I now literally copy: "Shepe transported into Spain.-Thisyere King Edward gave a licence to pas over certein Cotteswolde shepe into Spain, by reason whereof, it has come to pass, at this day, that the staple of wolls, of Spain, kept at Brydges, in Flanders, is so great that our staple is nothing comparable to it." From which it appears, that the wool which we have for centuries imported from Spain, and upon which our finest fabrics of woollen are manufactured, is the produce of sheep originally bred in our own country. It appears to me, therefore, worthy of enquiry, whether the Cotteswold breed has degenerated, and from what causewhether the breed of 1464 is extincthow it was improved in Spain, and still holds its value above British wool, in countries whose agricultural improve ments have not kept pace with ours; and how far it is possible to produce the finest wool in this country, without the importation importation of Merino rams as a cross to the offspring of their ancestors. The subject appears to me worthy of serious investigation; and I have not a doubt that many useful communications may be produced, by the above extract from that faithful chronicler, "honest John Stowe." Your's, &c. J. C. RANKIN. To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. SIR, N the Quarterly Review for Novem To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. I' T was with satisfaction that I observed the other day, in your Magazine for November, the letter of your correspondent I. L. P. on the forgery of Bank Notes. The lamentable waste of human life which results from the prevalence of this crime, must be a subject of deep regret to every humane and reflecting person. To the unfortunate men, six ia number, whom I. L. P. mentions as 1 been capitally recently-published travels of Mr. Ker CASTIGATOR. last assizes for Lancaster, and who have If that superior mode of engraving, could not introduce them into circu❤ lation; such notes are not wanted for every-day payments; they do not often get into the hands of ignorant people; and when taken, they are naturally subject to a closer scrutiny, in proportion to their increased value. To confirm these remarks, I may appeal to fact. How rare, comparatively, were executions for forgery, before the small Bank Notes appeared! If then the evil arises from the circulation of these small notes, it is natural to ask, Are they necessary? I reply without hesitation, No. There cannoc be a question, that a supply of cash in their place would soon be found when wanted, At present, the notes have driven and Leland have been doubled, and the baronets have never been so numerous as they at present are; those of England amount to five hundred and sixty-one, those of Scotland one hundred and forty eight, and of Ireland one hundred and three: in all eight hundred and twelve. This statement, one would think, either argued amazing magnanimity and talent in our countrymen, (thus to be able to swell our list of worthies) or afforded a convincing proof of their excessive vanity. When we look candidly into the cause, we shall indeed find it highly creditable to our country; for we shall observe that at least one-half of this honorable body is composed of men rewarded for their merits; and that to the other half, the motive of vanity is falsely and invidiously ascribed. driven the cash out of circulation, be- his Majesty's reign, the peers of England cause it could be more profitably employed. There is a gain on the exportation of gold to the continent; and much, no doubt, has gone out of the kingdom: but let the small notes be called in, and gold enough will return to fill up the vacuum. It is, like any other commodity that is permitted to circulate freely, certain to find its way to the best market; and (unlike some commodities) it is almost impossible to prevent its circulating freely, so easily is it smuggled. Those, therefore, if such there be, who think that if the small notes were abolished, we should want a medium to carry on the daily commerce of life, may rest assured they are much mistaken. To annihilate the whole, understood to be above four millions in amount, would indeed produce a temporary inconvenience. But this is neither necessary, nor, dispersed as the notes are over the country, would it be practicable. Let them be gradually-called in, and no inconvenience whatever to the public would result. To prevent then the prevalence of these lamentable crimes, and their cruel consequences, if nothing else will do, there can be no hesitation in saying that the small notes should be altogether done away. Severe methods have been tried too long. The keeper of Lancaster castle, a good and humane man, is, I am told, grieved and shocked with the numerous executions that have taken place there of late. To pass sentence on the criminals must no doubt have been very painful to the mild and venerable judge who usually presides in the court; and a strong, though perhaps unfounded, opinion, that these awful examples are necessary to the support of public credit, can, I presume, be the only reason why the individuals have not been recommended to the royal mercy. It is scarcely necessary to observe, that the measure above recommended, would not interfere with the Bank-restriction law. The Bank might be prohibited from issuing notes under 51. value; and yet privileged not to pay its notes in cash, as long as parliament may think proper. Your's, &c. T. F. Dec. 19, 1809. SIR, Thereditary distinctions, has of late for obtaining tities and years increased astonishingly. During 3 The people of this country, Sir, have of late been gradually refining; or, if I may so term it, the lower orders have been trying to reduce to the same level with themselves the well-born, the welleducated, and the affluent; and accordingly all kinds of fraud and corruption are exercised in order to enable them to effect this by the aid of dress, and every species of imitation. Hence is it to be wondered at, that the man whose family has enjoyed for many generations hereditary possessions, shou.d feel himself somewhat mortified at the upstart pride. I have alluded to? He seeks title therefore not from vanity, not from a wish of having additional superiority, but only from the honest desire of maintaining that which nature has allotted to him. How is the wife of a man of fortune to be distinguished now? Are not those persons who are most decidedly her inferiors addressed by the same appellation? Who is there that is not now dubbed an esquire and a gentleman ? From the time of William the Conqueror to the days of James I. we find every man possessing a certain tenure, a knight; and now that knighthood is rendered an inferior order by the introduction of baronetage, it certainly should be the aim of every man to get himself enrolled in this respectable order, who possesses upwards of a thousand a-year in landed property. I am far from including other men, even did their incomes amount to double or treble this sum; it would be hard to say what sort of a property should alone be included; for, medley we might then have! Landed this devolving inalienably to the heirs through |