Mr. Editor, If the following extract from "Elliott's Selection of Curiosities" be deemed worthy a place in your entertaining publication, its insertion will oblige, Sir, Yours, &c. THE HALF-PAY OFFICER. Mark you the man, whom all so often meet, His form erect-his visage sad to view : How sadly chang'd! Where is that smirking air→ H. The maid that sigh'd, whose charms his art had smote, That PEACE which brightens, and which nations bless FRAGMENT OF A POETICAL ROMANCE. I. Bright gleam'd the Hghtning thro' the sky, T' implore the aid of bounteous heav'n II. Loud rag'd the storm thro' Borrowdale Press'd fearful to the blazing fire, III. * Amid the storm, near Bowder's stone, And all hope's brightest dreanis- Beneath the moon's chaste beams. The hour he clasp'd his blushing bride. IV. Long had he toil'd-no cot in sight, Long had hope whisper'd in his ear "Despair not, friendly hearts are near!" But hope began to fail. More loudly howl'd th' increasing storm, And darkness held the vale- He meekly rais'd his suppliant eyes, The celebrated rocking stone in the Gorge of Borrowdale, Cumberland. From humble cot a friendly blaze R. S. ABSENCE. [From an unpublished Opera, by T. Campbell.] It is not doubting what thou art; The fondest thoughts two hearts can cherish, Although untouch'd by jealous madness, From more than light, or life, or breath? The pain without the peace of death. MARRIAGES.-Last week, Mr. Wheatley, of the Cannon House, Buxted, to Miss Knight, of Maresfield.-On Wednesday se'nnight, by the Rev. David Williams, Prebendary of Chichester, William Glenn Ponsonby, Esq. barrister at law, to Sarah Hetty, second daughter of the Rev. W. Goddard, of Stargrove House, Hants.In this town, Vice-Admiral Sir Richard King, Bart. K. C. B. to Miss Maria Susannah Cotton, daughter of the late Admiral Sir C. Cotton, Bart.-May 21, at North Mundham, by the Rev. John Thompson, A. M. John Cursham, Esq. Capt. in the Hon. the East India Company's service, to Louisa, second daughter of Richard Merricks, Esq. of Runkton House, Sussex. In this town, on the 26th ult. by the Rev. Mr. Everard, A. M. Charles Burrows, Esq. of Brighton, to Eliza, third daughter of E. Wilson, Esq. of His Majesty's Customs. DEATHS.-On Tuesday, the 21st ult. Mrs. Horth, of Crescent House, in this town, aged 71.-On the 18th ult. of a decline, Mr. W. J. Lupton, aged 23, son of the Rev. Mr. Lupton, of Ringmer.On the 18th ult. Mrs. Featherston, of the Cliff, Lewes, aged 60.-On the 17th ult. Mr. Smith, High-street, Cliff, Lewes.-On the 15th ult. Mr. Smart, of Lewes, aged 63.-On Sunday, the 19th, Mrs. Clements, wife of Mr. Clements, Grocer, of West-street, aged 51. TO CORRESPONDENTS.-" Rhetoric" will perceive we have made use of part of his communication; the remainder, with a little alteration, shall appear: we shall be thankful for future favours." Q.” is inadmissible-we admit no personalities. THE BRIGHTON GLEANER. No. 5. "Honour and worth from no conditions rise; MONDAY, JUNE 17, 1822. VOL. I. EPITOME OF BRIGHTON-continued from page 123. SEA WATER. Of the efficacy of sea water, much has already been written, much is understood, and much yet remains to be discovered. The vast collection of water which we call the sea, surrounds the whole earth, and, consequently, washes whatever is contained between its opposite shores, as sub-marine plants, salts, fishes, minerals, &c. and which is, therefore, enriched with the particles which it receives from these bodies, either being washed off, or passing into the water by their transpiration; for their fine and subtle particles, perpetually transpired and endeavouring to escape in the air, are intercepted by the water and mingled with it. Salts, bestowing their particles to the water, preserve it from putrefaction. This wondrous collection of waters, thus preserved from corruption, performs the will of the omnipotent by various means; for the sun separating the fresh water from the salt, and gently attracting it upwards, causes also many sulphureous and nitrous particles to ascend in the same vapours, which, being driven over all the immense spaces of the earth and seas, are, probably, the cause of all the various phenomina and changes of the air. Now these vapours having per formed their destined task in the air, return in the shape of dew, rain, hail, or snow, supplying the earth with moisture, and affording drink to all kinds of animals, the superfluous quantity returning by the rivers to the ocean, the common parent of them all, and thus the due order of things appear to be preserved. The principal qualities of sea water are four, saltness, bitterness, nitrosity, and unctuosity. The first is apparent to every one: and this salt consists of a certain peculiar acid and a mineral alkali, but the acid part is so entangled and restrained by the alkali, that it can scarcely exert its power in a concrete form. And salt is of such a fixed nature, that it never yields to putrefaction; whence it preserves other bodies so remarkably. The next quality is bitterness, which it is supposed to acquire from the bituminous parts of the subjacent earth; for it is probable, that sulphureous exhalations are expelled through innumerable passages by subterranean fires, which impregnate the sea water, as the fume of sulphur penetrates wine wherefore, it is presumed, that sea water is the more bitter the deeper it is taken. Physicians have always esteemed bitumen to be a dissolving medicine, consisting of volatile, salt, sulphur, and a little earth; and as all bituminous bodies have a power of heating and discussing, hot baths and medicinal springs that contain sulphur and bitumen, are used with success to disperse cold humours in the palsy, epilepsy, and the like maladies. Its third quality is nitrosity. Nitre consists of a saline, volatile, oleous matter; and Hales by no means considers it strange that such a nitrous salt should be formed in the bitter salt, and the oleous bitumen of the ocean. Its last quality is oilyness; and, indeed, this quality is so evident, that after many and accurate distillations, it has been found, though deprived of its salt, to retain a viscid matter, which adhered to the sides of the vessel if the water were disturbed, but sunk to the bottom when left without motion. This kind of oilyness is totally foreign to spring water; but the same quality is found in salt-for if the cleanest common salt is liquified in a moist air, it lets fall its earth with a certain oily, acid, and austere liquid. It is certain that salts contribute greatly to all cures perform ed by medicinal waters; and all these qualities combined, &c. have afforded, from this part of nature, some valuable additions to the Materia Medica. OF SEA BATHING.-Bathing in the sea attenuates the blood, strengthens the solids, and by that means renders the circulation equal through all parts of the body, which is the chief thing to be attended to for the preservation of health. Sea water is not simply a cold bath, but a cold medicated bath; and yet whatever virtues this water may have, we cannot so exactly calculate its force as to determine what number of immersions are sufficient for the recovery of any particular patient; yet many are so simple as to expect this, and sometimes physicians are so rash as to comply with their requests. Much has been written on cold bathing, and accurately, in which the preference, for many and judiciously assigned reasons, has been given to that of the sea, the specific gravity of sea water being increased by the salt. Besides, the salt, as a stimulus, is an efficacious cleanser of the glands of the skin, and those who come out of the bath, if valetudinary, perceiving a kind of firmness, with heat over the whole surface of their bodies, may regard it as the forerunner of re-established health; while the hale therefrom may be convinced, that the practice is congenial and acceptable to their constitutions. But if this heat does not come on spontaneously, it may be procured by moderate exercise: but in the failure of that, it may be considered as right, that the bath should be discontinued. The efficacy of sea bathing is not a modern discovery; it was well known to the ancients and fathers of medicine while it was in its infancy. However, it is by no means to be regarded as a panacea to be resorted to unadvisedly in any case; and those who wish to benefit by its use will take the surest method of rendering it effectual, by previous medical advice, and of submitting to such preparations to insure its salubrity as their habits of body may require. |