no means liked the discipline to which he was subjected, but more than all the rest the prescribed regimen displeased him. One day when the surgeon called, John's door was found locked. No intreaties could prevail upon him to open it. No, no,' said he, 'no want more physic-no want doctor-not sick now.' After a time, finding him resolute, the doctor took John at his word, and went away. One of his friends called to remonstrate with him on this proceeding; when it came out that he had no objection to seeing the doctor; but,' added he, doctor say-John, you no eat fish (Yakees* man no like, no eat fish)-I go out buy little fish-doctor come-I make fry fish on fire-no like doctor see fish-lock door!'

His dying moments were soothed by the anxious attendance of his friends. He felt and acknowledged this attention, but said it was of no use, for his sister had appeared to him and called to him to come away. It must not be supposed, however, that this arose from superstition, or was any thing more than the effect of the fever under which he was then suffering; for he was unaffectedly pious; and having been early instructed in the christian faith, continued to derive support and consolation from this source, to the last hour of his life. He held in his hand an Icelandic catechism,† till his strength and sight failed him, when the book dropped from his grasp, and he shortly afterwards expired.

He was followed to the grave by a numerous company, among whom were not only his old friends and patrons from Leith, but many gentlemen of high respectability in this city.

It is pleasing, in every point of view, to see such attentions, and honours, paid to so humble and insulated an individual as John Sackeouse. It is also worthy of remark, as affording a striking example of the distinction between a civilized, and a savage state of society. To the rude tribe to which this man belonged, all this might appear very insignificant;-but with what satisfaction should we not hear (what, alas, we can never hope to hear!) that our unfortunate countryman, the enterprising-the philosophical Park, had been cheered in his last moments, or honoured after his death, with half the attention which was here so freely bestowed upon a poor Esquimaux Indian.

IN

ART. IX.-Lithography.

N this number, we present our readers with a specimen of American Lithography: the design and the execution from beginning to end-from the drawing to the impression inclusive-is by Mr. B. Otis; who, following the suggestions of judge Cooper, and Dr. Brown, of Alabama, has by means of their hints, and his own more successful improvements, produced the specimen now submitted. The drawing was made on a stone from Munich, presented to the American Philosophical Society, by Mr. Thomas Dobson of this Copenhagen, 1777.

* His name for the Esquimaux nation.

city. But the art has been successfully tried on specimens of stone from Frankfort, in Kentucky, procured by judge Cooper, Dr. Brown, and Mr. Clifford-from Doe run in Kentucky, furnished by Dr. Blight from a quarry about two miles from Maytown, Lancaster county-and also on some pieces of white marble from White Marsh, commonly found at the stone-cutters in this city. Dr. Brown in particular has felt great interest in the progress of this trial, and has written to various places in the western country for pieces of stone as similar as may be, to the stone of Munich; which are now on the road: so that the next print will probably be from a limestone of our own country. M. le Sieur also, whose exquisite designs are well known to men of science and artists here, has procured some stones, such as are used at Paris by M. de Lestayrie, and is proceeding with the experiment, we hope successfully; for in truth, it is an experiment in which the whole circle of science and of literature, is very greatly interested.

That our readers may have a tolerably correct idea of the process, of which the impression at the head of this number is a specimen, we shall give the best account we have yet been able to procure, of the art of lithography, or drawing and engraving on stone: being very desirous, that other artists may succeed in their attempts, as well as Mr. Otis; who deserves great credit for the patience, perseverance, and ingenuity, which has enabled him hitherto to succeed so well.

The original inventor of this art, is a musician of the name of Alois Senefelder, a native of Prague in Bohemia, who, after a sufficient number of trials to insure success, obtained from the elector of Bavaria, in 1801, an exclusive privilege for the exercise of it in Bavaria; and in 1803, a like privilege from the emperor of Austria. Senefelder, in consequence, established stone-printing houses at Munich, and at Vienna; and under his direction, similar establishments have been made at Paris and in Italy.

The prints from stone that have reached us here, are chiefly by M. Engelman of Germany, and by M. de Lestayrie at Paris. They are beautiful imitations of black crayon and Indian ink drawings. Those who wish to see one of the best specimens, may inquire for a stone-impression of two wrens, by M. de Lestayrie, now exhibiting at the Academy of Arts in this city.

It is only within this twelve-month, that any thing has been successfully done in this way in England. Messrs. Carey have some tolerable lithographic designs in outline, published by Mr. Ackerman, and the last number that has appeared here, of the Journal of Science and the Arts, by Thomas Brande, Esq. of the royal institute, also contains two specimens of lithography, with which, the design furnished by Mr. B. Otis, may be compared without any loss of credit to the American artist.

We shall proceed to treat 1, of the kind of stone fit for the purpose: 2, of the ink, and the composition of crayons: 3, of the various modes of drawing, etching, &c. on the stone: 4, of the

method of taking off impressions: 5, of the uses to which this art may be put.

First then of the stone. The properties required, are, that the stone employed shall bear a tolerably smooth, and perfectly uniform surface; free from any heterogeneous veins or specks, when it has been rubbed down with sand, and then with emery, to the fineness of the surface of glass, roughed for shades or moonlights; or a little finer. It must have just roughness enough and no more, to catch hold of the crayon, and take the mark of the drawing: hence, although smooth, it must not be polished. Another property is, that when dry, it shall imbibe on its surface a sufficient quantity of water, to become so moist that a greasy or oily substance, will not adhere to the moist part of the stone: but it is not necessary that it should contain any argillaceous matter; the stone from whence Mr. B. Otis took the impression in question, is purely calcareous, dissolving without residuum in marine or muriatic acid. The stone should be at least two inches, or rather two and a half inches thick, to bear the force of repeated pressure in taking off the impressions. The stone used at Munich and at Paris, is a secondary or floetz limestone; probably a member of the lias limestone, being the white calcareous flagstone that covers the blue lias; there is hardly any difference in appearance, in quality, or in properties, between the Munich and Parisian stones, and the limestone of Kentucky; as was first suggested by Mr. Clifford of Kentucky, at judge Cooper's mineralogical lectures, and as has been proved by the experiments of Mr. Otis.

The Parisians make two imitations of, or rather substitutes for the genuine stone; one, by means of finely sifted, well burnt, white plaister of Paris or alabaster, mixed up with water, in which some alum has been dissolved-and another, when they wish to transfer writing to the stone. In the latter case, they proceed thus: thick smooth paper is prepared with gum arabic, and a little finely powdered and sifted chalk or whiting. This is written upon with the crayon, and immediately before it is dry, transferred to the stone, which then furnishes an impression in the natural order of the writing. Whether plaister of Paris itself would answer the purpose, has not yet been tried. The limestone near Maystown, is a yellowish white stone of the transition formation.

The stone being thus prepared, smooth but not polished, the proposed design is traced upon it, either by liquid ink, or solid

crayon.

Secondly, of the ink and the crayon. The German receipt for the ink is as follows:-Take white soap of the best kind, one part by weight; mastic in drops one part: melt them slowly and carefully together, in a glazed earthen vessel; then add, shell lac by weight five parts, and continue to stir the mixture over the fire. Then add, by degrees, to prevent boiling over, one part of pure or caustic soda (or potash deprived of its carbonic acid), dissolved in six parts of pure water; stirring the mixture at each addition, to