the particulars of any remarkable sales of land, as a criterion to judge of the value and price?

179. Has land risen or depreciated in price?

180. Is there any peculiarity in the measurement of land? If so, state the difference between the local and statute acre?

181. Is there any thing remarkable in the form or management of agricultural instruments or machines in common use?

182. What is the usual mode of ploughing, and what is the average quantity of land a team can plough in a day?

183. What is the usual price given for cattle in leys for the season, beginning and terminating on certain specified days?

184. What is the usual price given per square or running foot, for the various species of timber; or by what measure, and at what price, are other lots of wood sold?

Minerals, Quarries, Mineral Waters.

185. What minerals are found?

186. State the particular circumstances of situation in which they are found?

187. If there are mines, state the mode in which they are worked, with any particulars observable in the mode of extracting or purifying the ores?

188. Describe the position, whether horizontal, vertical, &c. of the different veins, and their thickness, depth, &c.?

189. What proportion of pure metal is extracted from a given weight of ore?

190. What wages do the miners receive?

191. What is the price per cent. on the ore for procuring metal pure

from the matrix ?

192. Does the health of the miners suffer, and in what way?

193. Is there any thing new or remarkable in the machinery used for working or draining the mines?

194. Is there any thing remarkable in the character of the miners, which can, directly or indirectly, be attributed to the nature of their employment?

195. What is the character of the stone quarries on level, high, or low ground?

196. Are they nodules of rock or strata passing through the country? 197. What is the expense per ton, or pod, or yard, for getting stones? 198. For what purpose is the stone usually used?

199. What is the general character of the springs?

200. Are they deep, numerous, &c.?

201. If there are mineral springs, have they been analysed; if so,

state the result?

202. To what purposes or disorders are the waters applied?

203. Do the wells or streams often overflow; and if so, is there any thing remarkable or unusual in the cause?

Geological Remarks, and Face of the Country.

201. Are there gravel pits; and if so, what is the general character of the pebbles? Are they clean, or mixed with clay or earth? Are

they large or small, and of what predominant quality does the mass appear to be, a stratified deposit, or a heterogeneous and sudden disordered accumulation? If paving stones are found imbedded, what is their qualities; distinguishing the character of the granite, slate, &c.; and ascertaining, if possible, the nearest point where masses of similar rock exist?

205. Have any large, insulated masses of rock been found resting upon the surface, or buried in the soil; if so, state the probable weight and quality, and whether they appear to have been smoothed down by friction, or may be considered as rugged shattered remnants, torn from rocks, and deposited, without much appearance of friction, by rolling from a distance?

206. Are there any commanding views or eminences; if so, state the leading and most interesting objects within the range of vision, and the height, whether by barometrical or mathematical measurement?

207. Do these eminences or headlands terminate abruptly, or otherwise?

208. To what point of the compass do they project?

209. If stratified, is the inclination of the dip considerable, and in what direction?

210. What is the nature of the soil, stating proportions of sand, clay, chalk, gravel, marl, lime, &c.?

211. State whether the clay, sand, marl, &c. are found in nodula or strata, and the depth and character of the different strata? 212. Have any petrifactions, fossils, or crystals, or living animals, been found imbedded in rocks or stones; and if so, in what strata, and where now preserved?

Climate-Meteorology.

213. Is there any remarkable change of temperature observable at different times in the wells, rivers, and lakes of the district, not absolutely attributable to the usual change of seasons?

214. Ascertain the temperature on the surface, and at different depths of water, and the soil at different times of the year?

215. What is the annual average of rain on the low grounds, and what on the higher? *

216. What the mean temperature for each month? What the mean barometrical pressure for each month? Have any atmospheric or other phenomena been observed ?

217. What are the general properties of the air; moist or dry, clear or foggy, healthy or the reverse?

218. Have any phenomena been observed, connected with electricity of other natural causes, such as lightning, storms, meteoric explosions, &c.

219. State any extraordinary effects produced by storms, lightning, &c.

It is not generally known that rain gages on higher and lower levels, for instance, the top of a steeple and a field near the base, will often give different results.

Natural History.

220. What animals have been observed, with the reasons why some species are more abundant than others?

221. Are any particular species of undomesticated animals beneficial or injurious in any way?

222. What birds have been discovered?

223. Mention the time of year, with the precise days, if possible, when particular species have appeared or disappeared?

224. What birds of the rarer sort have been known to breed? describe their nests and place of building?

225. State any particulars you may have observed, or collected from others, respecting the habits, &c. of birds?

226. Is any superstitious attention paid to any species of animal, bird, or insect?

227. Does any local prejudice exist in their favour, or the reverse? 228. Is any particular mode adopted for catching them?

229. What fish frequent the rivers, lakes, &c.

230. To what size have any species been known to grow, and has their age been ascertained in any instance?

231. Observe the precise times when particular fish come up rivers, brooks, &c., for spawning, and when they return?

232. Is there any thing remarkable in the mode of dressing or using them for food?

233. What insects have been observed?

234. Have any new species appeared of late years injurious to vegetation, fruit trees, &c.

235. If so, what means have been used for their destruction?

236. Have any been observed more abundant in certain seasons or years

than others?

237. If so, ascertain the nature of the previous winter or summer, or state of weather about the time of their appearance ?

238. Are any of these insects used for food, or any other purpose? 239. Enumerate such plants as may be considered at all rare or uncommon in other parts?

240. Mention the soil in which particular plants grow more abundantly?

241. Are any plants used for medicine, culinary, or other purposes connected with art or science?

242. Are the fruit or timber trees subject to any remarkable blight, or

disease?

243. Name such insects as may have been observed feeding on or partial to any particular plant?

244. What trees thrive best, or are most common, and to what poses are particular woods applied in the neighbourhood?

pur

CURIOUS RELIGIOUS CONTROVERSY BETWEEN THE CHIEF CHAPLAIN OF THE GRAND SIGNIOR, AND PANAIOTTI NICUSSIO, INTERPRETER TO THE GRAND VIZIER KIOPRULI, IN THE YEAR 1662.

Translated from an Italian Manuscript, dated 1665, hitherto unpublished.

THIS valuable piece of polemics is contained in a small volume, written in a fair Italian hand, and bound in a style, that shows how highly the original proprietor valued it. It was procured at the sale of what remained of a library that had been valuable before the French Revolution, but which the proprietor, when he returned from a long emigration, was forced to sell, as the trifling income arising from his dilapidated estates was not sufficient to satisfy debts he had contracted in this country, and which a feeling of gratitude that did him honour, made him so impatient to discharge, that he disposed, at a public sale, of the last remains of that splendid collection, which in his youth had been his delight, and which he had hoped would have been the solace of his age. R. E. S.

Conference of Panaiotti Nicussio, Interpreter of Hamet Kiopruli, Grand Vizier, with Vanni Effendi, Chaplain in Ordinary to Sultan Mahomet the Fourth, Ottoman Emperor, on the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, and other points of the Christian Religion, thrown into a Dialogue, 1665.

The festival of Meulond being held in high consideration by the Turks, they observe it with the greatest regularity; and because it is the commemoration of the birth of Mahomet, who affected, during his whole life, an apparent simplicity and poverty, the Turks, to show how zealously they mean to follow his example, affect, on that day, much simplicity and modesty in their external appearance, and in all their actions.

The grand signior, accompanied by the mufti, the grand vizier, the kaimakam, and his ordinary suite, all clothed in the simplest manner, goes without any pomp to the mosque of Eyup Sultan, † at one extremity of Constantinople, adjacent to the upper end of the harbour, to repeat his prayers, and hear the panegyric of the virtues and the miracles of this false prophet, which is made by the preacher in ordinary of his highness; after which, he returns with the same humility to the seraglio, accompanied only by his domestic officers.

This festival, which is moveable like that of the Baivam, on account of reckoning by lunar months, occurred in the year 1662, in the month of July and, on account of the excessive heat, the grand vizier determined, at the conclusion of the ceremony, to repose himself at the seraglio of Abu Suhut Effendi, the situation of which is very agreeable, having the harbour and scutais in full view, and in which there is a considerable library collected, partly by Abu Suhut himself, and partly inherited from his father, and his more remote ancestors, who had been preceptors to several of the emperors, and which consisted of

* Meulond, festival of the nativity of Mahomet.

This mosque is named Eyup Sultan, because the grand signior, at his inauguration, goes there in state to gird on the sword deposited there.

more than ten thousand manuscript volumes, in the Turkish, Persian, and Arabic languages.*

The intention of the grand vizier was not, however, so much to repose himself here, as to endeavour to draw over Panaiotti (whom he Îoved, and who was indispensably necessary to him on account both of his fidelity and his capacity) to the mahometan religion, that he might attach him closer to his interests, though he had already given strong proofs of his devotion to his person.†

In order to this, he had privately asked thither to dine with him, the two Kadileskers of Anatolia and Romelia, the Stamboul Effendi or judge of Constantinople, and Vanni Effendi, preacher in ordinary to the sultan, that they might be witnesses of the abjuration of faith which he hoped to induce Panaiotti to make, whom he had ordered to attend under pretence of business.

This meal was extremely frugal, on account of the hypocritical affectation of simplicity practised during this festival; so, as soon as the table was cleared, the servants withdrew, leaving with the grand vizier only those who had eaten with him, and Panaiotti; and then, instead of passing his hours of recreation in vague or indifferent conversation, he arose, and went to examine the library.

There were in this apartment a sphere and a globe, to which the grand vizier paid more attention than any thing else; and asked several questions relative to them, which, though they were answered with tolerable precision by Abu Suhut, did not quite satisfy the minister, who, wishing to engage Panaiotti in conversation (who had hitherto been silent through respect, and because he wished to avoid a religious dispute), asked, for this purpose, the Turkish names of the circles, the meridians, the poles, and the situation of several considerable kingdoms and cities, which, notwithstanding, he was by no means ignorant of; but as they were in Latin, Abu Suhut told him, that none but Panaiotti could satisfy his excellency's curiosity.

Panaiotti, thus forced to speak, discoursed most eloquently on astronomy and geography, upon which the entire company declared, as with one voice, that it was a heinous sin such a learned man should shut his eyes on the only true faith.

His master, who really loved him, and did not wish to put the least constraint on his inclinations, now presented him with a large sum in sequins, and promised he would advance him to rank and riches, if he would forsake the Christian religion, and embrace that of Mahomet.

But this interpreter, neither dazzled by presents or promises, answered him, though with much respect, that he was born a Christian; that he would die in this religion, which he had sucked in with his mother's milk; and that he should no longer deserve his excellency's confidence, if, through avarice or ambition, he should change his opinions. Upon which Vanni Effendi undertook the task of converting him.

The Turks do not arrange their books on shelves, they merely pile together all those volumes which treat on the one subject.

+ Panaiotti knew several languages thoroughly, and had an intimate knowledge of the interests of all the princes of Europe. It was through his agency the Emperor Leopold made peace after the battle of Raab, by which means he saved both the honour and life of the grand vizier.