54 Foreign Scientific Intelligence. that excellent poet was born. The fides of the monument are to bear the following four infcriptions. Firft infcription: Primus ego in patriam mecum (modo vita fu- Aonio rediens deducam vertice mufas: Olim [Jan From these experiments it should seem❜ that the only circulation of the fap in trees is effected by the parts which border on this centrical medullary canal, by means of the infinite number of horizontal radi, at the extremities of which the buds are formed, which establish a fucceffive communication with the centrical canal. This communication, of courfe, augments Nec fpes libertatis erat, nec cura peculi. in exact proportion to the growth of the Third infcription : bud till it becomes a branch. Nunc O Melibee, Deus nobis hæc otia fecit. Natali Pub. Virgilii Maronis facrum. The Theophilanthropifts have founded a fchool under the title of Ecole Theophilanthropique, in which the young pupils receive inftructions in writing, arithmetic, the elements of the Latin tongue, French grammar, hiftory, geography, &c. They are likewife taught the relative duties which they owe to God, to their parents; to their country, to all their fellow creatures, to themfelves. No clementary books on religion will be put into their hands but fuch as have or shall receive the fanction of, and be adopted by, the fociety. Citizen Coulomb, fome time fince, caufed feveral large poplars to be cut down on his eftate. It was in the fpring feafon, and the fap had begun to mount into the branches, which were covered with new leaves. As he was infpecting the workmen, he noticed that one of the trees, on being cut nearly through to the centre, emitted a found fimilar to that produced by air bubbling from the furface of water. He perceived that this noife, as well as the difcharge of a limpid and taftelefs liquid, did not take place till the trees were nearly cut through to the centre, This led him to furmile, that the fap in large trees was only imparted to the branches by the medullary canal in the centre, with which the branches have a direct communication. To afcertain this point, he caufed feveral large poplars to be pierced with a borer, when it appeared, that, within a certain diftance of the centre, the inftrument remained nearly dry; but no fooner did it penetrate to the middle, than a watery fubftance was emitted in great abundance, accompanied with the bubbling noife before mentioned. This cffet was regularly produced on every repeated experiment during the fummer, the found, as well as the liquid emitted, bearing a due proportion to the precife degree of heat, and confequent tranfpiration of the foliage. At night, and during cold, damp days, very little effect was difcerned. Hamburgh fociety, having remarked, that Dr. Reimarus, correfpondent of the a few drops of belladonna diffolved in water, and applied to the eyes, cause the pupil to dilate in fo extraordinary a manner, that the iris is nearly reduced to nothing, was led from this circumftance to fuggeft the propriety of having recourfe to this expedient, preparatory to the operation of couching the eye for a cataract. Of this intimation Dr. Grafmeyer, who practifes this operation with great fkill at Hamburgh, has made a very fucccfsful experiment. The effect produced by the folution in queftion on the eye, continues about half an hour, affording, lent opportunity of performing the ope by the dilatation of the pupil, an excelration, without danger of hurting the iris; and the palfy, if it may be fo termed, which invades the retina, prevents the baneful confequences which otherwife might accrue from too fudden acceffion of light. Bothe, of Magdeburg, is engaged upon a new critical and exegetical edition of the works of Plautus. has already published, of his undertaking, A fpecimen, which he proves him completely qualified for the tafk, and poffeffed of great critical knowledge. Gerard Vrolick, profeffor of phyfic and botany, at Amfterdam, has published a differtation, at Leyden, on the annual defoliation of trees and vegetables; in which he maintains, that the leaves of trees have a diftin& vegetable life, characterized by different periods, though connected with the life of the parent tree, and in fome measure dependant thereon. On the annual return of the period of defoliation, the leaves drop off and perish with age, but the life of the ftock fubfifts. He maintains that the dead leaves detach themfelves from the branches by the fane laws which caufe any mortified part of an organized body to feparate itself by the abforption of the live particles imracdiately connecting the decayed and healthy members. To prove this affertion, he cites examples from organized animals, which, as well as vegetables, poffefs many parts endowed with a diftin&t and separate 1798.] Varieties....Dr. Beddoes on the Nitrous Acid. life. Thus, for inftance, the fœtus of frogs are furnished on the fides of the head with organs of refpiration, analogous to the gills of fishes. Thefe organs in a fhort time become indurated, die, and drop off, before the individuum has attained to the perfect developement of its exiftence. The horns of ftags, which fa!! off and renovate every fpring, complete in the fpace of a year all the fucceffive periods of their diftinct life; but a series of years is neceffary to achieve the different periods of the existence of the animal. Some remains of a Roman antiquity have been lately discovered at Nimes, in France, in confequence of an order given by the municipality to demolish a parapet to a convent of Dominicans. Under the parapet was found a Corinthian entablature, the cornice of which was much impaired. On the frieze, which was in tolerable prefervation, was this infcription, engraved in the one, with holes to retain the metal which had been melted into it: COS. XI. TRIB. TEST. VIII. In the third year of the republic, the director of the military hofpital, of his own authority, overturned the infcription, fo that many parts of it were dafhed to pieces. It was not then fufpected that under the entablature there exifted an antique edifice, which was the reason that almost all the architrave was taken away at firk; but the municipality having perceived, by the demolition of a small part of the modern wall, which ferved as a lining to the ancient one, the appear. ance of Corinthian capitals, they ordered all the modern wall to be demolished, the architrave to be repaired with as much care as poffible, and the frieze on which was the infeription to be replaced. They also caused the earth to be raifed again up to the ancient pavement, and a wall to be built at the diftance of lix feet from the monument, in order to fecure it from injury. The ancient edifice is twentyfive feet feven inches in height, and fixtyone feet fix inches in length, frontwife (in façade) not including two round towers, nineteen feet in diameter, at each cad, and forming an avant-corps of nine feet. Four pilafters, twenty-eight inches wide by twelve inches in projection (de faillie) with a column in the wall, the whole of the Corinthian order, divide the overtures of the monument, in which are yet founded, ift, two large porticoes, full arched, in the centre, having twelve feet overture, and feparated from the impoft to the architrave by a column which refts upon a cupola, level with the im 55 poft; 2d, two other porticoes, also fullarched, of fix feet overture each, over which is a femi-circular niche, covered by great ftones decorated with mouldings, which anfwer to the architrave. The form of this edifice, to judge of it by what remains, indicates a fortrets, which the Romans had ornamented with all the elegance of architecture. Some of the connoiffeurs imagine it to have been a capitol. More than 300 medals of the latter æra of the Roman empire, in high prefervation, have been lately dug up in the neighbourhood of Is-fur-Tille; among which are the following: A. D. 117. Two medals of Lucila, wife of Ælius 138. Cæfar. Two ditto of Fauftina, wife of Antoninus. Two ditto of Antoninus, emperor; on the reverfe a figure feated on a globe. There are four more medals of the fame emperor, but not with this device. 161. One model of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus The difcoverers of this new historical treafure have been invited to bestow them towards the enrichment of the cabinet of medals belonging to the central school at Paris. [The following Letter, by foine accident reached us too late, to appear in its proper place.] To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. SIR, IN the collection of obfervations on nitrous acid, now in the prefs, and of which the firft (and perhaps the fecond) century will appear in March next, I fhall have the fatisfaction of producing evidence from very various and diftant quar ters. I fhall give a fecond letter from Mr. SCOTT of Bombay. The pofitive evidence is fuch as appears to be incapable of being invalidated by negative; efpecially as the facts to be brought forward will account to a certain extent for the general failures that are faid to have been experienced in fome places. Some correfpondents, who are advan. tageously fituated, have been obliging enough to vary their trials confiderably; and even to extend them to gonorrhoea. I am, fir, yours, Clifton, Jan. 1, 1798. T. BEDDOES, P. S. I have feen great fervice from the nitrous acid in hepatic and dyspeptic cafes. Several facts of the fame nature have been generally mentioned to me. If particulars were tranfmitted to me, I would print them as an appendix to the Siphylitic Collection. DESCRIP 56 India Houfe....French National Institute. [Jan. DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW INDIA-HOUSE IN LEADENHALL-STREET. (With an Engraved Elevation.) THIS handfome edifice, conftructed under the able direction of R. Jupp, Esq. is from east to west 190 feet in length. The principal ftory is plain funk ruftic, with five circular-headed windows in each wing. The portico, from a Grecian example (the temple of Minerva Polias at Priené.) Upon the centre of the pediment of the portico will be an emblematical figure of Britannia; on the caft fide Afia; on the weft Europe. On the keyftones of the windows of the principal ftory within the portico are to be heads in relief, emblematical of the greatest rivers in India. The flory over the principal ftory is neat, and occupied in the old building the height of two ftories. whole is to be covered with hand fome balustrades. The PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FRANCE. Notices of the Memoirs prefented to the Inftitute, during the laft Quarter, communicated in the Public Sitting of OA. 16th, 1797. CLASS OF MORAL AND POLITICAL MERCIER TOULONGEON, a me read fome obfervations upon the contents of the Petits Auguftins, or Museum of French Monuments. CREUZE LA TOUCHE read a difcourfe upon philofophical Intolerance as well as one upon religious Intolerance : moir, intitled, The Influence of a National Obfervance of a dietetic Regimen upon the political Condition of fuch Nation: and REDERER a dialogue upon the following question: Is it poffible to unite men fo perfectly in fociety, that they have no nor ccafion for Chiefs to control them, for coercive Laws? LEVESQUE in an ideological memoir upon fome acceptations on the word Nature, did away the abufes which are made of this word, in the three ways it, is ufually expreffed The Man f Nature, the Religion of Nature, and natural Law. Man, according to Levefque, never ccafes to be the man of nature. It is true, that in paffing through the different periods of the focial ftate, he fucceffively acquires the ideas they fuppofe, or infpire; but the progreffions which he makes therein, are only thofe which nature permits, or even which the commands him to make at the periods which the herself has fixed. The mtellectual faculties, which the progrefs proportions to itself, at the different ages of each fociety, were made the object of another memoir, wherein TOULONGEON defcanted in the way of an anaighs, upon fenfations and ideas. He compared the faculties purely intelbund with thofe of the fenfitive, diftributed over the furface of the human body; and he has entered largely into thofe relations, which are found to exift between the one and the other. The titles of men of genius have been given to thofe in whom it has been believed that thought, more exerted, more ftrong, or more happy, had fuddenly enriched the arts and the fciences with ufeful and illuftrious creations. But has there truly exifted a man of genius? MERCIER has put it in doubt; in two memoirs which he read the clafs, he expatiated on the fenfe, and explained the motives, of his opinion. and -to never on a He admits among the mental eapacities, fenfible inequalitics, very difcernible fhades: he further acqnowledges that the fciences and the arts in their courfe from age to age are enlarged and perfected. Difcoveries are made, inventions are proclaimed; but, according to MERCIER, they are fudden, and therefore, of confequence, na one ought to be confidered as the work of an individual. It is to the human understanding he is willing we should render homage, and not to the underftanding of an individual. That which we call invention is (fays the author) only a fucceflion of trials and attempts which follow each other, more or lefs eafily or laboricufly, in the courfe of many ages, and the man to whofe name wont to attach all the glory, would find it difficult to recognize all the attributes of the work imputed to him, or even to comprehend the leffons of those who believe themfelves, and above all, call themfeives, his difciples. one is Among the causes which are wont to excrt an influence upon the progrefs of the human understanding, public inftruction is, without doubt, the mott powerful. of This has been the object a work in which MENTEILL has reconciled the various confiderations upon primary fchools, with thofe of the central fchools. The law and the inftruction 1798.] Proceedings of the National Inftitute. ftruction established by it, ought to have no connection with the various religious worship: MENTELLE has given to this maxim, an expanfion which was never lefs fuperfluous than in the circumftances under which he read his memoir. He requires that the inftruction be directed, above all, towards fcience, duties, and manners: he defires that the public teachers become the guardians of morals, and that they perform, even in the heart of the countries where they may refide, fome of thofe kind, fometimes for the fulfilling of which; the minifters of worship were formerly called upon. Continuing to Occupy himself about the central fchools, MENTELLE Combats the project of ef fentially changing the fyftem of thefe new schools. DELILLE DE SALLES read a memoir, entitled The Three Kinds of Morality. Of man, confidered individually confidered with relation to his country; and with his relation to all other countries; or, as may be faid, of the human fpecies. The three moral confiderations, among which bad politi cal inftitutions have often eftablished fatal oppofitions, tend (according to our author) to harmonize together, according as the facial fcience advances towards perfection. A Roman law limited the power of devifing by will, and tended above all, to keep women out of fucceffion; this was called Voconia lex. The learned are not agreed about the extent of the difpoitions of this law, concerning which the establishment, or abrogation, muft neceffarily have had fo confiderable an influence upon fociety, as to render it worthy of examination. Bou CHAUD, after having made known the author, and the epoch of the Voconian law, applied himself to determine its chief principle, and to give its true fenfe. He has difcovered what was the punishment incurred by those who contravened this law; and has pointed out the divers modifications it fucceffively under went, until it was entirely abolished. A country filled with great events, upon record, and which is again become the object of great expectation, Italy, has furnished ANQUETIL, with the fubject-matter of two memoirs. In the firft he has treated of the History and Character of the different Governments of this heretofore fo diftinguished part of Europe. He has confidered the political interests of Italy in general, and MONTHLY MAG. XXVII. 57. of each of the particular powers exifting within her limits. The fecond memoir offers a picture of the productions of Italy, of her manufactures, of her commerce, of the privileges and restraints which favour or fhackle it. FLEURIEU read, during feveral fit, tings, various fragments of a relation of a Voyage round the world, made in 1790, 1791, and 1792, by CAPT.STEPHEN MARCHAND, commanding the fhipSolide, fitted out by the house of Beaux, as Marseilles, to establish a traffic in Peltry, on the north-weft coaft of America. In an introduction, which precedes the narration of this Voyage, Fleurieu fketches out a brief hiftory of the difcoveries in the north-west of America, fince FERNANDO CORTEZ, down to Stephen Marchand. This period of two centuries and a half, includes the expeditions of Coronado, of Drake, of Fuca, of Admiral Fuenti, thofe of Cook and of Peyroufe, and in hort, thofe of many other navigators, as well Ruffian, Spanish, English, and Americans. Ja retracing fummarily the ancient difcoveries, of which fome were almoft for. gotten, and the modern navigators, which have extended the fphere of commercial speculations, Fleurieu applies himself to reduce to a juft value, the hopes which the firft were capable of infpiring, and the fruits which have been gathered from the fecond: he feeks to unfold the motive which has determined each expedition, and afcertain the fucceffive increafe to the ftock of human know. ledge which has refulted from them all and thus, through this introduction, the history of the difcoveries to the northweft of America is blended, as it were, with the political and commercial history of Europe. The voyage of Captain Marchand is the fecond voyage round the world, undertaken and accomplished by the French; until that time Bougainville had had in France neither a model nor an imitator. Fleurieu has compared this relation with a journal, kept by Chanel, fecond captain of the Solide, and who, in the courfe of the voyage was employed in reconnoitring the coafts, in elevating plans, and in aftronomical operations. Fleurieu has farther made ufe of a journal of Roblet, first furgeon of the hip, but in working upon these various memoirs, the author has compared the recitals which they contain, with the relations published by the Spanish and English navigators. The work includes, I befides, 58 Proceedings of the College of France. The Solide fet fail from Marseilles the 14th December, 1790, and after having doubled Cape Horn, came-to in the port Madre de Dios, in the ifland of St. Chriftina, one of the ifles of the Archipel de Mendoca, difcovered by Mandana in 1595, and visited by Captain Cook in 1774. In quitting thefe iflands, and making way for the north-weft, Captain Marchand difcovered, in this direction, a fecond Archipelago, until then unknown. Thence, after having taken a plan of this new cluster of ifles, the fhip run before the wind towards the north-weft coaft, and they anchored in the Bay of Guada lupa des Espagnols, named fince by the English, Norfolk Bay, and a traffic for fkins and furs was entered into. The Solide next visited Queen Charlotte Islands, to which the English have added alfo this name, although Peyroufe made the first difcovery of it in 1786. The feafon was too far advanced for Captain Marchand to continue to trade on the coaft of America. He refolved to go to China: after having paffed, through the Sandwich Islands and the group of Marianne Ifles, he let go the anchor at Macao. An imperial edict had juft prohibited the introduction of fuis in China. He was compelled to renounce the defign of exchanging the cargo for the merchandize of Afia. Thus after having repaired and victualled the hip, Captain Marchand betook himself by the Straits of Gafpa, and by thofe of the Sunda to the port in the north-weft fide of the Ile de France. There he let the crew enjoy fome repofe, who, during thirteen months and a half, had kept the fea, and had been but thirty days in harbour all that time. The Solide left the Ile de France the 11th of April, 1792, touched at the Iland of St. Helena the 4th of June, and, on the 13th of Auguf, caft anchor in the road of Toulon.. This voyage is remarkable for the fhortnefs of time the Solide took up in making the tour round the world, in taking her route by Cape Horn, and making her return by China The duration of the voyage was only 608 days, and even only 498, if we fubtract the days paffedin harbour; and the space run over, is 14,328 fea leagues, or 18,000 common leagues. [Jan It is farther to be remarked, that in the courfe of twenty months, in the midst of fatigues and privations, infeparable from an expedition of this nature; traverfing all the climates, experiencing all the variations of the temperature, the Solide out of fifty men, which compofed her fhip's crew, loft only one man, who died in a fit of apoplexy. It became neceffary to awaken the attention of the French navigators to the ufe, too much neglected among them, of aftronomic methods. This relation, which the prefs is going to render public, will show them that it is to the conftant employment of the exact methods, adopted by Captains Marchand and Chanal, that they owe the fafety of their courfes, the shortness of their voyage, and the advantage of making land with precifion upon thofe points which they defigned to touch at. COLLEGE OF FRANCE. On the 15th of November laft, this inftitution opened its courte of study, in the prefence of the minifter of the home department, the greater part of the foreign minifters, and a full affemblage of fpectators. The fitting was opened by Poiffonnier, who pronounced an eulogium on this ancient afylum of the fciences, which, fince the time of Francis I, has conftantly produced great men, and which, like a rock, always immovable amid the ftorms and tempefts of the revolution, has furvived the ruin of all the other cftablishments. Lalande proceeded to defcribe the fituation of the exact fciences, their progress, the difcoveries made in them, and the labours of learned and fcientific men during the last year, François, affifted by his wife, Lalande's nicce, obferved, during the last year, 6,000 new stars, which brings the number of thofe hitherto obferved to 42,700. Thefe aftronomers truft that they wil foon be enabled to carry them to 50,000. A new comet, difcovered this year, brings to ninely the number of thofe whofe orbits have been calculated up to this time. Tables of the moon, published by Delaplace, and an analysis of the great labours executed to complete the meafure of the earth, make up the inventory of aftronomical acquifitions. A letter from Buonaparte to Lalande was read... In this letter, the general affures him that the funds of the fociety of Verona will be refpected, and that its obfervatory, damaged by the bomb-fhells, will be repaired. Buonaparte farther ftates |