a

metallic packing does not exert force by its compressure of more than two cwt.; consequently the friction amounts to only 20lbs. or one-threebundredth part of the engine. It is well known to practical engineers, that the friction of a piston newly packed with hemp, when too much compressed, is often sufficient to prevent the movement of the machine; and, so long as the packing remains steam-tight, the friction greatly diminishes the power of the engine; and that by wear in working the packing allows the steam to escape, thereby wasting fuel and tallow, and also impairing the power of the machine: the loss is further increased by neglect of packing when required.

James Smith, of Droitwich, civil engineer; for an apparatus for the applying steam to the boiling and concentration of solutions in general, crystallising the muriate of soda from brines containing that salt, melting and refining of tallow and oils, boiling of sugar, distilling, and other similar purposes.-July 19.

William Harwood Horrocks, of Portwood, Chester, cotton-manufacturer; for a certain new and improved method applicable to preparing, cleaning, dressing, and beaming silk warps, and also applicable to beaming other warps.—July 24,

1825.

Richard Gill, of Barrowdown, Rutland, Fellmonger and Parchment-manufacturer; for a method of preparing, dressing, and dyeing, sheep-skins and lamb-skins with

the wool on, for rugs for carriages, rooms, and other purposes.-July 24.

William Jeakes, of Great Russel-street, Bloomsbury; for an apparatus for regulating the supply of water in steam-boilers and other vessels, for containing water or other liquids.-July 24.

shire, engineer; for certain improvements William Davis, of Bourne, Gloucesterin machinery for shearing and dressing woollen and other cloths requiring such process.-July 24.

Henry Smart, of Berner's-street, Maryle-bone, Piano-forte-manufacturer; for certain improvements in the construction of piano-fortes.-July 24.

Miles Turner and Lawrence Angell, improved process to be used in the bleachboth of Whitehaven, soap-boilers; for an ing of linen or cotton-yarn, or cloth.July 24.

John Jackson, of Nottingham, gunmaker; for certain improvements in the construction of the locks used for the disthe detonating principle.-July 29. charge of guns and other fire-arms, upon

vitriol manufacturer, and John Bland, of Joseph Bower, of Hunslet, Leeds, oil of the same place, steam-engine manufacengines as condense out of the cylinder, turer; for an improvement in such steamby which improvement or invention the air-pump is rendered unnecessary.-July31.

John Bainbridge, of Bread-street, Cheapside, merchant; for certain improvė. ments upon machines for cutting, cropping, or shearing, wool or fur from skins; silk, cotton, or other cloths and velvets, also for cropping or shearing woollen, or any other fabric or fabrics thereof respectively, whether made or composed entirely of wool, silk, cotton, or other materials of which cloth or velvet is made, respectively, and also for the purpose of or of any mixture or mixtures thereof shaving pelts or skins.-July 31.

Copies of the specifications, or further notices of any of these inventions, will be inserted free of expense, on being transmitted to the Editor.

NATURE DISPLAYED, by Dr. Si MEON SHAW, a writer familiar to the readers of the Monthly Magazine, has appeared within the month, in six volumes. The capability which the subjects afforded of splendid graphic illustration, has been seized on, and the work is, in consequence, one of the most curious and interesting in the entire circle of literature. Perhaps it

after

ties, but originally written throughout, in a style adapted to the subjects. To avoid the dull didactic and elementary manner, the whole is divided into Lectures, adapted to family-reading, or for students of all degrees. In a word, it is the fascinating work of the Abbé la Pluche, revised, amended, and modernized; and is likely to meet with as favourable a reception as that work, and, like it, form an essential part of every library for the remainder of this century. Something of the kind was wanted to rescue us from that ascendancy of novel and frivolous reading which has enervated and disgraced the taste and literature of the age. Nothing can be more likely to effect this purpose than rendering the study of nature attractive and popular, by means of such a work as the present.

The Publishers of the previous work, to forward the same object, have endeavoured to place the study of Nature on the footing of Geography, and have arranged the whole of the engravings in "Nature Displayed" in a FOLIO ATLAS, with such copious descriptions as will enable those who use it to acquire much knowledge, and gratify much curiosity, with little Jabour of thinking. This volume they call the Atlas of Nature; and it is one of the most curious, interesting, and instructive, collections of graphic curiosities ever seen. It is sold by itself, and persons who subsequently desire the whole text, may purchase it separately also.

On the recent memorable trial of Mrs. WRIGHT, the lord chief justice said, that, "the defendant was not called upon to answer for any reasonable or fair discussion on the truth of Christianity in general, or any of its peculiar tenets: the law permitted that every subject, however sacred, should be freely, yet moderately and temperately, discussed." We quote this passage, because it is printed, very appropriately, as a motto to a pamphlet, entitled, The new Trial of the Witnesses, or the Resurrection of Jesus considered, on Principles understood and acknowledged equally by Jews and Christians." Through out the whole of his work, the author ap pears to have kept his motto continually in view; for, though his arguments terminate in infidelity, they are conducted in a manner so calm and dispassionate, that even a jury of fanatics would find it difficult to pick out a single sentence that could be twisted so as to offer the slightest insult to the religion of the country. The evidences are candidly examined; and, if the decision be erroneous, this error must have been of the head and not of the heart. The writer seems to have had no experience in the

been obviously unfortunate in his choice of a printer; but these are minor considerations. On the proof of the resurrec tion the whole fabric of Christianity is erected; and a case is here brought forward, supported with much ingenuity and no little research, such as imperiously calls for refutation. But this is not all-it seems to be determined that the office of "Christian advocate" shall be no longer a sinecure; and another larger volume is now before us which has already attracted much of the attention of those who choose to employ their reasoning faculties in polemical investigatious :-" Not Paul, but Jesus, by Gamaliel Smith, esq." is the strange title of the extraordinary work of which we now speak. Mr. Bentham (for no other mortal could assume the style and manner of this book) here undertakes to demonstrate that St. Paul was a pretender; and that his religion, as unfolded in his Epistles, is not the religion of Jesus! "Whosoever," says he, “putting aside all prepossessions, feels strong enough, in mind, to look steadily at the originals, and from them to take his conceptions of the matter, not from the dis courses of others; whosoever has this command over himself, will recognize, if the author does not much deceive himself, that by the two persons in question, as represented in the two sources of information-the Gospels and Paul's Epistles; two quite different, if not opposite, religions are inculcated: and that, in the religion of Jesus, may be found ail the good that has ever been the result of the compound so incongruously and unhappily made; in the religion of Paul, all the mischief which, in such disastrous abundance, has so indisputably flowed from it." A summary of the "plan of the work," is prefixed to the volume; but, notwithstanding that it is concise as well as plain, it is nevertheless too long for insertion in oor pages. We must, therefore, content ourselves with general observations, which we do with the less regret; because, we are persuaded that the book must acquire an extensive circulation; not only on account of the celebrity of its author, but of the novel and minute investigation of the character and writings of the most illustrious of the apostles of Christianity. The divine mission and the doctrine of Jesus are no where impeached. These are sacred by "the law of the land," and it remains to be seen whether Paulism (as Mr. Bentham would call it) must be considered as equally sacred. The standing objection to the warfare of infidels, is their making use of the arrows of ridicule. Ridicule, of itself, is certainly no test of truth; but, as assuredly, it is no argument

in favour either of a fact, or of an opinion, that it can be made to appear ridiculous. The legitimate use of these appalling weapons is so well illustrated by our author, that we cannot do better than give his own words:-" Meantime," says he, "let not any man make to himself a pretence for rejecting the important position thus offered to his consideration; let him not, for fear of its being the truth, shut his eyes against that which is presented to him as and for the truth; let him not shut his eyes, on any such pretence as that of its being deficient in the quality of seriousness. If, indeed, there be any such duty, religious or moral, as that of seriousness; and that the stating as absurd that which is really absurd, is a violation of that duty; at that rate, seriousness is a quality incompatible with the delivery and perception of truth on all subjects, and in particular on this of the most vital importance: seriousness is a disposition to cling to falsehood, and to reject truth." It must be acknowledged that there are many passages in this volume that appear to have been written more in a playful than in a serious hnmour; and, on the reading of which, he who has not been impressed in early youth with the awfulness of the subject might be tempted to smile; for instance: Follows a sample of Paul's logic, wrapt up as usual in a cloud of tautologies and paralogisms, the substance of which amounts to this:-Jesus resurrects; therefore, all men will do the same. Admitting the legitimacy of this induction, what will be the thing proved? That every man, a few days after his death, will come to life again, and eat, drink, and walk in company with his friends!" We grant that it is not quite fair to reason in this flippant manner on so serious a subject. But let not the true believer be afraid of the consequences of such reasoning. He may rest assured, that the mass of mankind will never cease to look for happiness in the Heavens; nor (we fear) to persecute one another for the discordance in their belief. Were we even so unfortunate as to suspect, what it would be dangerous to acknowledge, that the Christian religion is a tissue of fables, we should reckon it a hopeless task to attempt to eradicate the belief in those fables from the creed of the multitude. Reason and knowledge are of slow growth and difficult acquirement, and can be brought to maturity only under peculiar circumstances and in certain minds; but the seeds of superstition, if sown in the nursery, will bear fruit under every climate and in every soil.

Principles of the Kantesian or Transcendental Philosophy; by THOMAS WIRGMAN, anthor of the articles Kant, Logic, Metaphysics, Moral Philosophy, and Philo

1. Consciousness is the power to distinguish ourselves from surrounding objects, and from our own thoughts.

2. Time is the form of internal sense. 3. Space is the form of external sense. 4. Sense makes intuitions.

5. Understanding makes conceptions. 6. Reason makes ideas.

The Definitions seem unexceptionable when understood, and these, with the preceding, may convey some notion of the mature object of this philosophy; which, after all, we consider rather as a system of metaphysical logic than of philosophy. 1.

space; that we can feel, see, hear, taste, or smell.

Intuition-every thing present in time and

2. Conception-every thing absent in time and space; that we can think of only, but cannot touch. 3. Idea-every thing out of time and space; that we can think of only, but which never can come into time and space.

4. Knowledge is intuition comprehended under conception. 5. Thought is conception joined to conception. Mr. DANIELL'S Meteorological Essays constitute decidedly the best work which we have seen on the intricate subjects of atmospheric phenomena. It analyzes and arranges, and tabulates much, yet it affirms and concludes little, owing to the desultory character of past observations, and to so little having previously been determined. The comparisons and collections of Mr. D. will, nevertheless, be eminently useful to all future writers, and will greatly assist the views of observers and reasoners on these interesting topics. While Mr. D. is very severe on the Royal Society, he pays a just tribute to the valuable labours of Mr. Luke Howard. The new Society devoted to Meteorology, will now confer increased value on Mr. Daniell's future editions; and we hope that, in a few years, the description of most of the phenomena of the atmosphere will equal in precision Descartes' Analysis of the Rainbow.

Mr. GOLDSWORTHY GURNEY has published a pleasing volume of Lectures on Experimental Philosophy. Being delivered before a popular audience, they are nevertheless not common-place; but, amidst the usual orthodox absurdities about attraction, repulsion, and caloric, exhibit many novel and ingenious reasonings. He tells us some pleasant anecdotes of faith in alchymy among men of intellectual reputation, proving that any folly of the day may have respectable votaries. The new electro-magnetic experiments are very neatly described, and all recent topics of philosophical curiosity are very perspicuously brought before the reader. The only faults of the volume are in the system of principles which an employed lecturer, under the direction of the com

mittee,

mittee of an institution, was perhaps obliged to teach. The style is clear and neat, and we recommend the work to those who wish to acquire not only the fashionable knowledge on its subjects, but also to correct their vague notions about crystalJization, the atomic theory, the laws of definite proportions, and other unravelled subjects of modern research in chemical philosophy.

A squib has been much read, called the Trial of the REV. EDWARD IRVING, M.A. A Cento of Criticism. The trial takes place before the high court of Common Sense. The King, at the instance of Jacob Oldstyle, clerk, v. the Rev. Edward Irving, M.A.' The court is said to be crowded to excess; and, at the extremities of the bench, but railed off, are the Duke of Somerset, Lord Kenyon, Sir Gerard Noel, Sir Harcourt Lees, Mr. Peter Moore, Mr. Parkins, and Romeo Coates.' Below the bar, waiting to give evidence, are the known or reputed editors of all the principal periodicals. The indictment is laid on seven different counts against Mr. Irving :

First-For being ugly.

Second-For being a merry andrew.
Third-For being a common quack.
Fourth-For being a common brawler.
Fifth-For being a common swearer.

Sixth-For being of very common understanding. And, seventh-For following divisive courses, subversive of the discipline of the order to which he belongs, and contrary to the principles of Christian fellowship and charity.'

It is a malicious jeu d'esprit, but not cal culated to injure the reputation of Mr. Irving, and we hope not his feelings. The attacks which he has encountered are so many tributes of envy to his acknow. ledged merit, and is a tax which ali eminence must pay. The only remedy to maintain the ascendency acquired, is to live down the calumnies. Mr. Cobbett's cross-examination is a specimen of the author's satirical talents.

You know the 'Times" newspaper, Mr.

Cobbett? The b- -y old "Times" t-Oh yes-none better.

'Do you ever write for it?

I have written all its best articles for a long time past; I wrote those famous articles about the queen, which raised its circulation from 3,000 to 20,000 in one week. To do it justice, however, I must say, that I don't think the stupid numsculls who manage it knew they were written by me: if they had, they would rather have been smothered to death (to make use of one of their own favourite similes), under the thousand and one quircs they printed daily at that time, than have adopted them. But I have a way of my own, Sir, of managing these things. I can do other people's work for them, and make them say and do what I please, without their knowing or suspecting any thing of the matter.

"Well, will you tell us one thing more? Was it not you who wrote that clever article in the Times," about Mr. Irving, beginning "there is a fashion in every thing-in wigs and bonnets," and so forth? Yes-every word of it.

You swear that?

Broil me on a gridiron if it was not.'

The jury retired, and after the lapse of about an hour, returned into court.

MACKENZIE'S collection of Five Thousand Receipts in every Branch of Art and Economy, is a work, at once, above and below criticism. Its obvious utility renders it superior to animadversion; and its details are so numerous, that to examine them would fill a corresponding volume. It will be sufficient to state, that there appears to be at least the number of receipts and processes set forth in the titlepage, which is seven or eight times more than have before been assembled in one book; and that the editor has drawn his materials from the most esteemed practical works of the age. It is a Thesaurus of useful knowledge, and a substitute for hundreds of volumes; yet we should be sorry that it were the only book left in the world, and that Hobbes's anathema against books should prevail and leave us only this volume. At the same time it must be acknowledged, that the collection would preserve an immense body of useful knowledge, and prove that mankind had not been idle in directing nature to their own service. We are deceived if, in 1810 or 50, it will not be found in every house capable of paying poor-rates, as it so addresses itself to the necessities and luxuries of every condition, as to secure its own general recommendation.

MR. R. C. DALLAS has printed Adrastus, a tragedy, and some Miscellaneous Poems, worthy of public respect; the tragedy would be seen in action, if taste alone governed such matters. The amiable and esteemed author having introduced his own portrait, we cannot refrain from presenting it our readers:

Oh tempt me not, Leaf! with the lure of thy whiteness,

To venture again where the Muses control; The trace of the pen that gives shade to thy brightness,

Should elicit some prominent feature of soul.

Persisting allure! and my heart bids be trying
To twine a new wreath, ere I pass thee along;
And tells me forsooth, too, that, e'en were I dying,
Such friendship as mine would give life to my song
Then oft may thy mistress, no care to torment her,
While enlling for pastime some tribute retin'd,
Here viewing the Portrait thou, Leat! shalt present

her,