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THE SELF MOVING ORRERY.

the pavilion. Each of these circular tines must be the middle of a gravelwalk, which will be the track of each planet. It would not occasion a great deal more trouble to turn these circles into ellipses; but as these orbits, except that of Mercury, have little eccentricity, and have different nodes, which change situations every year, though very slowly, we must content ourselves in determining the ellipsis of the earth. The eccentricity of this orbit is the sixtieth part of the diameter of that orbit. As we have given to this diameter 20 feet, the sixtieth part of it is four inches. Then we shall trace the elliptic orbit of the earth, as usual, by ellipse figure; but in such a manner, that the north point of it shall be four inches nearer the Sun, and the other extremity of that diameter eight inches farther. This diameter is called the apsides. The other shorter diameter which crosses this one from east to west, is the equinoxial, and will be four inches less than the other diameter.

"Now that we have fixed the proportion of each planet m diameter (consequently in balk), and of the distances in our planisphere, we will represent them with globular transparencies; each of these transparencies elevated to about four feet from the ground, but more or less according to their different inclination relatively to the Earth. The Sun itself will be a collection of reflectors, or a focus of the most brilliant light possible, and the pavilion will be erected over it, being supported by light pillars, in order that the spectators or observers in the pavilion may see better the effect of the whole; which they could not, if their eyes were struck with lights.

"Each of the globular transparencies of the planets will be the head of some sort of god or goddess, such as Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and his most gracious majesty, sitting in little cars; which cars will be directed from west to east, and drawn by seven soldiers or other men accustomed to march in

measure.

"I should have said that each of these transparencies will be not only of different bulk, but also of different degrees of brightness, or apparent colour, according to their distances, or their natural aspect; and besides, on the opposite side of the Sun, a dark hemisphere must be adapted to each planet. By this means each planet can be made to have a diurnal ro tation in that dark hemisphere. It will have this advantage also, that any spectator placed near the Earth (that is to say geocentrically,) or near some other planets, will be able to see the different

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phases, even of the Earth, which will be very curious; because all these effects which require so much observation and study, will be produced at once, and in a short time, through proportionally as exact as can be expected of an artificiaexperiment.

"To put this planetary system in motion at pleasure, you have only to give your order, to make a sigual, or to say, march; then the music beginning to play a march, and each soldier making his step in measure, the planets will execute their revolution in due time relatively one to the other; that is to say, the nearest to the Sun will make as many revolutions as they do in the sky during the great revolutions of the superior ones.

"For this effect, if the musicians regulate each measure to be in two seconds in time, the soldiers will also make each of their steps in two seconds; then each soldier holding the pole of his car with the right hand, and marching on the border of his path, the extent of his steps will be regulated by as many short sticks lying flat on the side of the gravel, but not in the way of the car, and upon which stick the soldiers will place the middle of their feet at each step: so that if the orbit of Georgium, the farthest planet, is walked over in eighty minutes, (each step of the soldier being only six inches,) and the orbit of the earth (which is only thirty steps of two feet, or sixty seconds in time,) in one minute, the Earth will make eighty revolutions during one of the Gerogium, which is conformable to nature, and so on in proportion with all the others.

"In the space then of one hour and twenty minutes, you will be able to make a whole treatise of practical astronomy."

Some useful appendages to the orrery are described after this, which are, however, of minor importance, and would occupy too much space to insert. The nearest fixed star is to be represented by a light in a ship at anchor fifteen miles from the pavilion; and the various motions of the moon are to be exhibited by some wheel-work added to the inside of the car of the Earth (or Tellus) and connected with the wheels of this car, “which will give a circular motion to a little globe representing the Moon ;" and the other planets may be furnished with satellites in the same manner. The author has not even forgotten the Comets; he mentions that "some small rockets fired from the pavilion in an oblique direction would imitate pretty well the effects of the Comets, and would not diminish the gaiety of the astronomical experiments.

THE HERMIT IN ITALY.

woman knocked thrice, when the door opened without our seeing any one. She shut it behind her, and opened another, saying at the same time, Don't be afraid, you will not have long to wait.' Nevertheless, I waited some time alone and in deep darkness. My reflections were every thing but satisfactory, and I thought that it was intended to initiate me, in my own despite, into the secrets of the Carbonari, who were then forming themselves throughout Italy, and particularly in the Venetian states, for the expulsion of the French. I began to repent of my imprúdent confidence, when I heard a small door open on one side of the room where I was. The old woman entered with a lamp; and after following her some forty steps up a winding staircase, we came once more into the light of day. We traversed two rooms rather luxuriously furnished, though in an antique way, and ornamented with a great many pictures, which I felt no disposition to admire. I was then introduced into a large closet somewhat mysteriously lighted, in which, on a high seat, sat a large female, about forty years of age, but, as she appeared to me, of singular beauty. Scarcely had she beheld me, when she cried out :

THE great success of M. Jouy in his series of light essays, under the title of the Hermit, has given birth to a large tribe of imitative essayists. The "Hermit in London" was clever enough, and has been well received. M. Jouy himself appears very fond of the title, and has given it to several subsequent works, but none of them have been very successful. The volumes before us are by some anonymous author, and resemble their prototypes in name, and not in style. They are neither more nor less than travels in Italy, written in the manner of Dupaty, now and then diversified with some essay growing out of the subject. We have had occasion lately to notice so many books of travels, that we shall be as short as possible in our review of the travelling portion of this work. Whenever the author adheres to the guide book, he is just as dull as they are, but when he details his own adventures, or gives us sketches of manners, he is smart, clever, and interesting. These adventures are prettily heightened by occasional touches of imagination, as will be manifest from the following extract. We should premise that our author had fallen in with a Count Vivalda at Milan, a needy noble, who belonged to a famous detachment of brigands, and who had, out of his infinite regard, presented the author with a ring which was to serve as a protection amongst all the Italian banditti. Our traveller is now at Verona, in the Amphitheatre :—

"Whilst I was occupied in examining the outward walls, I perceived a little old woman wandering about me, and apparently desirous of entering into conversation:- My good woman,' said I, what do you want?'-Chut, chut,' said she, don't be afraid; you are quite safe-follow me.' Understanding nothing of this mysterious address, 1 could not imagine why the old woman, in speaking thus, had her eyes intently fixed on my left hand, when I recollected the ring which the Count Vivalda had given me at Turin, and which I had mechanically continued to wear without attaching to it the slightest importance. My first movement was to escape from this dangerous companion. A stranger at Verona, without a single person to whom I was known, and arrived there within the last two hours, I was fearful of having fallen into the hands of some spy of the police, and that the fatal ring had made me appear as one of the gang of Meino. Still the inquisitiveness of my nature prompted me to follow the old woman at all hazards. The old

Sbagliate, Lucia, quel Signore e un Francese.(You have made a mistake, Lucy, this is a Frenchman.) She arose; and approaching me with indescribable grace, and having motioned to the attendant to retire, begged me to sit down. We both felt some difficulty in breaking silence and entering upon a conversation for which neither of us had any topic. But I remembered my country, and said, with as much gallantry as I could muster, that the honour of seeing her was some apology for the informal manner in which it had been brought about, and I entreated her to give me some explanation, assuring her of my complete discretion. Before all, 'said she, tell me how you came possessed of that ring.' I thought my best way was to tell the exact truth. "Ah!' said she, 'the Count Vidalda was yesterday at Verona, and he learned that the public authorities were aware of his presence. He had appointed a rendezvous near the Arena, with one of his Lieutenants who was to arrive this day. The hour was precisely that which you chose for visiting the amphitheatre; and, as my servant was to recognize him by a ring similar to that which you wear, nothing could be more natural than the mistake which has taken place. For myself, I am not at all vexed at the blunder, for I like the French as much as I hate their government. You plume yourselves in

THE HERMIT IN ITALY.

France on the sagacity of your wit; and
you will, probably, smile when I tell
you that I profess to read the future,
I could
and predict events to come.'
no longer doubt that I was in company
with a fortune-teller.

"Madam,' I replied, I cannot deny that I am one of the unbelieving: and, even if I were not to admit it, your art would not be able to detect it; but, between ourselves, there are so many ways of deceiving mankind, and mocking their credulity, that, without believing in predictions, still I do not feel any of that hatred which they generally excite. I am well aware that a fortuitous concurrence of circumstances very often creates a doubt, even in the strongest minds, on points of conjectural knowledge. The good old times of oracles, however, have long since passed away, as well as those of miracles; and although I am ready to believe you a more skilful soothsayer than our own famous Mademoiselle Le Normand, yet, if my own inclinations were to prevail, the subject of our conversation should be a very different one from fortune-telling.'

"The face of the prophetess was covered with blushes, and an expression almost sublime gave something of ideal to her beauty. Her eyes glittered, her chest heaved, a spirit of enthusiasm took possession of her, and she seemed as if some divinity had inspired her as she rose and burst forth: Verona! Verona! thou hast seen him maintain with dignity the whole weight of his royal misfortune; cowardly senate of Venice! ye have chased him from his asylum, and the name of the kings of his race has been blotted out from your golden book. Venice! thou shalt never be any thing but an enslaved city. King! thou shalt revist again the throne of thy fathers. The Pyrenees shall avenge the Alps: the glory which has been gathered from the conquest of Italy shall be lost before the walls of Madrid. There it is that the deliverance of mankind shall be engendered. What art thou, oh Power! I behold thy birth, thy growth, and thy sudden de struction. In vain has the daughter of empires joined her hand to that of a great man: the neice of a beautiful queen, who perished by the hangman's stroke, shall not long wield the sceptre of authority. Do you see the Apostolic Chief of Christianity wearing out in exile his years and his virtues? Already the flames of a mighty conflagration flash forth from the Northern skies, like Oh, France! some bright fatal star. how great thy disaster after all thy

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glory! Where are the legions of Varus?

Where is Varus himself? In a solitary island at the extremity of the world, where his greatest punishment will be to know that his name and his deeds never travelled so far. But what a perilous calm succeeds to the tempest! what inWhat is that hydra testine divisions! which is preparing its hungry maw about the tottering thrones of Europe? Verona ! Verona! it is within thy walls that the powers of the world are to assemble. And for what? Yes, France! that effort over, and I behold thee, by a happy union of new glory and ancient destiny, peacefal under the authority of thy Kings and the power of thy laws, and opulent in thy industry; but, remember the inconstancy of victory and the instability of empire.

Heavens! do I not see Greece burst forth from the monuments of her ruin! But Italy! for her there is an eternity of sorrow and slavery. The waves of Tiber and Eridanus will not be subjected to the Seine: but their tribute must be carried hereafter to the Danube Oh, my country!--I have no country! ---Italy is no more!'

I listened to this burst of extravagance with considerable excitement. She ceased speaking, and wiped away the tears from her eyes: but I gazed at her without daring to address her. You will discover,' said she, with a melancholy sweetness of manner, 'You will discover nothing but idle fancy in what I have said; but if I deceive you, I also de ceive myself, for I speak from a deep conviction of the truth of what I say. Believe me, there are moments in life when an enthusiastic soul can tear away the veil which hangs before the future. You will see that nearly all those events which were just now so completely present to my imagination, will hereafter literally come to pass; but I---I shall never behold them. Death is not far remote; and why should I regret life, where there is nothing left me to do? when there is nothing left me to love? The fire of passion warms your sex, but it consumes ours. The age of illusions passes away like the flowers of the spring. Do not attempt to see me again during your stay in Verona. Leave me now.'-In saying these words, she gave me her hand, which I kissed with a better feeling than that of mere gallantry. She seemed to be deeply affected with the memory of some settled grief, and her sighs were strangely affecting. Presently she left me, and the old woman came to conduct me through a noble gallery into a large court, from which I emerged into the street in front of the Capuchin church.

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ODE TO MAKIAN H.

The sun rolls through the cloudless blue,
And, shining, paruts the scene;

The mountains, love, are decked with dew,
The vallies cloth'd in green:

Yet dewy mountains, cloudless skies,
Are darkness-gloom to me,-
My soul on love's swift pinion flies,
To gaze alone on thee.

The streams are sparkling in the ray,
And murmur as they flow;
Nor pause to hiss, or flower, or spray,
Which on their margin grow:
So. Maria, should I wander, still

My thoughts one course pursue,
And careless pass o'er vale and hill,
To rest alone with you.

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RN. BY.

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No. XXXII.-THE KING.
He that is to-day a king, to-morrow shall die.
ECCLES. x. 10.

To him who this day's sceptre sways,
In costly pride a king,
To-morrow's light, with baleful speed,
A direful fate will bring:

For him, who rules o'er nations high,
And powerful kingdoms guides,
When Death his office bids him quit,
The common lot betides.

AN EPITAPH IN A COUNTRY CHURCH YARD.

By a Widower.

Weep not for me, my only dear,
I am not dead, but sleepeth here;
Therefore make haste, prepare to die,
For shortly you must come to I.

In a fortnight this disconsolate mourner married again; and an ingenious gentleman wrote

THE ANSWER.

I am not dead, my dearest life, For I have got another wife; Therefore I cannot come to thee, For I am going to bed to she.

Simon does vow, nay, he does swear, EPIGRAM. He'll dance with none but what are fair. "Suppose we women should dispense Oor hands to none but men of sense !"Suppose !-well, Madam, and what then?"" "Why, Sir, you'd never dance again."

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No. XXXIII-THE GENTLEMAN. What man is he, that liveth, and shall not see Death? Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave!

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PSALM ixxxix. 48. Though crowds attend thee to the choir,

What man is he, however great,
Where'er his lot is cast,

Who in this mortal world shall live,

And Death shall never taste? What man is he, who that fell dart, Which conquers all, can brave? Or his own life, by force or skill, From Death can hope to save?

HATCHING FISH.

THE CHINESE have a method of hatching the spawn of fish, and thus protecting it from the accidents which usually destroy so great a portion of it. The fishermen carefully collect, on the margin and surface of waters, all those gelatinous masses which contain the spawn of fish; when they have a sufficient quantity, they fill with it the shell of a fresh hen's egg, which has been previously emptied, stop up the hole, and put it under a sitting fowl.. After a certain number of days, they break the shell in water warmed by the sun; the young fry are presently hatched, and are kept in pure fresh water till they are large enough to be thrown into the pond with the old fish. The sale of spawn for this purpose, forms an important branch of trade in China.

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And flatt'rers throng the way,

An humble suppliant thou must come,
And here thy homage pay.

For thee the Fates do loud demand,
And instant Death does crave;
A day, which no one can retard,
Compels thee to the grave.

GEORGE FARQUHAR.

AFTER the death of Farquhar, the celebrated dramatic writer, the following letter was found among his papers, ad dressed to Mr. Wilks, the actor:

"DEAR BOB,-I have not any thing to leave thee, to perpetuate my memory, but two helpless girls-look upon them sometimes, and think of him that was to the last moment of his life thine,

"George Farquhar."

It would not be doing justice to Mr. Wilks to conceal that this recommenda tion, which resembled the celebrated testament of Eudamidas, was duly regarded by him, and that when they be came of an age to be put out into the world in business, he procured a benefit for each of them to supply the necessary

resources.

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