Page images
PDF
EPUB

EPITAPH, BY MALHERBE.

salem, that traitorous correspondence

The following epitaph, on a man of with the Egyptian court, which tended

ninety, is ingenious:

Qui se loue irrite l'envie ;

Juge de moi par le regret,
Qu'eut la Mort de m'oter la vie.

UNION OF THE MEDICAL

AND ECCLE

SIASTIC PROFESSIONS.

Among the Egyptians, and among the Jews, it was of old a regular thing for the clergy to study medicine. Accominodations for the sick were attached to the temples; and Alexander the Great, when he sent for advice to the priests, offered to go and sleep under their care at the Serapeum. The E-senes, in like manner, employed, in behalf of their patients, both medicine and prayer.

Much of this usage passed over to the Christian monks, insomuch, that as soon as the education of the clergy came to be undertaken in the north of Europe, it was held necessary to provide for them medical instructors. In the Capitulary issued by Charlemagne at Thionville, in 305, it is enjoined, that in every cathedral school medicine should be taught.

In this country there is no deficiency of medical instruction; but there is perhaps of medical patronage. In a thinlypeopled neighbourhood, a country sur geon cannot earn enough to repay the value of a liberal education. Why not, in every hundred or wapentake, set apart one central ecclesiastic benefice, to be held by a medical tenure; to be made the successive reward, the pension of retreat, of the most active and skilful surgeons of the district?

ANECDOTE OF A PAINTER.

Rembrandt, being in want of money, and finding his works of heavy vent, put into the newspapers that he was dead, and advertised a public sale of the finished and unfinished paintings in his house. Crowds flocked to the auction, eager to possess one of the last efforts of so great a master. The meanest sketch sold at a price, which entire pictures had never fetched before. After collecting the proceeds, Rembrandt came to life again; but the Dutch, who resent improbity even in genius, never would employ him after his resurrection.

CHINESE CHARACTER.

The same flourish, or character, of the Chinese, stands for an adulterous woman, and for traitorous correspondence. It is curious, that the Jewish prophets should continually employ this very metaphor; and describe, as the adultery of Jeru MONTHLY MAG. No. 205.,

to separate Palestine from the Babylonians. Were these characters already employed throughout civilized Asia? Were they those, of which the Jewess Maria (Syncelli Chronographia, auno 5058, page 248), taught the use to De mocritus of Abdera? If so, they would throw light on the hieroglyphs of the Egyptians, and derive historic elucida

tion from them.

DEAF AND DUMB.

Three writers have lately pub'ished concerning the instruction of the deaf and dumb: at Paris, the abbé Sicard; at Berlin, professor Escike; and at London, Dr. Watson. They all agree in considering attempts at articulation as needless for the purpose of associating together the ideas of words and things. A picture-dictionary of rare objects, and the exhibition of common objects, is found to be the best medium of providing that fund of nomenclature for visual ideas, which is afterwards extended to the abstract ideas. If the curious observations of these experienced men be correct, it is clear that apes, and indeed all animals that can guide a pen, might be taught to use written human language, with as much correctness as the deaf and dumb. The Turks are fond of founding hospitals for dumb animals: would it not be worth while to attempt their literary instruction? How much the animals could tell us of the nature of instinct and thought!

PAINTED GLASS.

One of the uses of painted glass, is recorded by a French satiris::

Si pour votre noblesse il vous manque des titres,

Il faudra recourir à quelques vieilles vitres, Où nous ferons entrer d'une adroite façon Une devise antique avec votre écusson.

The love of heraldic distinction is a fit basis for bringing back the art of painting on glass. It is indeed content with splendid colouring and unshaded delineation, and is indifferent about truth of contour, and beauty of execution; but in this, it typefies its nature, which covets rather praise than justice, illu-tration than definition, conspicuity than appro bation. And as the pedigrees of the herald prepared the chronicles of the historian, so blazonry can insensibly give rise to the art of picturesque delineation.

2 Y

EXPRESSION

EXPRESSION OF BURKE.

Much has been written about the assertion of Burke, that vice lost half its evil, by losing all its grossness. The expression is borrowed from Diderot's Code de la Nature. Speaking of Rousseau's Dissertation against the Utility of the Arts and Sciences, this phrase is used: "I a pris pour corruption de mœurs des vices devenus moins grossiers, moins d'hypocrisie, moins de cette farouche et pedantesque morosité, qui se gène pour acquerir le droit de censurer le reste des hommes." This sentence furnishes at once the source, and the apology, of Burke's.

BOMBYCINE.

A stuff composed of silk and worsted now bears this name, which is commonly died black, and worn by widows in mourning. A more transparent texture

LINES,

must formerly have been so called; for Martial says, Lucet sic per bombycina corpus. The other passage, Panniculus bombycinus urit, decides nothing; it might be understood of modern bombycine.

STYLE OF ADDISON.

Godwin's attack on the style of Addison, extends from page 437 to page 443 of his Enquirer. Surely the point has been there established, that Addison is but a secondary writer, full of solecism and vulgarity, and exuberance of diction; of trifling playfulness, which misses its aim at wit; and of feeble think ing, which is mistakeu for argument, be cause employed in the support of trivial notorieties. He may fair-sex it (as Swift says) to the world's end; but he must remain content with his public of wo

men.

ORIGINAL POETRY.

Written after the Death of a young Lady on the point of Marriage, in a sweet Dale, which she had visited, and admired.

HERE, in this dell, lovely in loveliness-
Here, where the breeze, low murmuring
o'er the leaves,
Steals, scarcely stirring them;
Where, even the wanderer's step, slow and
unequal,

Loiters and lingers; and the noisy world,
Its busy, bustling, triflers-all are forgotten,
Or thought of with disgust! bere I had hoped,
In such a night as this, twining mine arm in
thine,

[blocks in formation]

To view thy swimming eye, to Heaven up- WHAT pow'r inspires the soldier's breast

turned,

Beaming, beneath yon white moon's streaming light,

With mute, adoring, reverence; and to feel, like thee,

A sacred calm move o'er my swelling heart.
Oh! in such rapt, such hallowed moments,
Gazing on that half-sainted countenance,
I have felt, most sure, the hope,

The dear warm hope, of an immortal soul!
But thou art gone, my love! Heaven willed

thee hence,

And I am lone and cheerless in the world! Yet here I wander still-Thou once wert

[blocks in formation]

Like heav'ely woman's charms? What lulls the coward's fears to rest, And stills his timid soul's alarms,

[blocks in formation]

ODE, TO EURILLA IN ADVERSITY. ALONE and pensive in those wilds I stray, Where, save the feather'd choir, who carol gay,

No sound obtrudes; where Silence rears her throne,

By dull Oblivion's poppies overgrown;
And with such sway despotic rules the soul,
As e'en the starts of Sorrow to controul;
As e'en to bid the tears of Friendship cease,
And make me fancy all thy cares at peace.
Yet, wheresoe'er my wand'ring footsteps
tread,

My thoughts, by some spontaneous impulse led,

Fly fast to thee: nor will I pause to own
Thou most art with me, when I'm most alone.
But if my Muse, too sedulous t' impart
The balm of comfort to thy anguish'd heart,
Hath oft disgusted by officious zeal,
And widen'd wounds she fondly hop'd to heal,
More irksome now thou'lt deem th' obtrusive
lyre,

Whose notes I waken with encreas'd desire Thy woes to soothe. Forgive the advent'rous strain,

Which dares the rigours of thy fate arraign; Which dares bewail (0, grant me pardon, Heav'n!)

That Peace to selfish Apathy is giv'n; Whilst peerless Worth, with lamb-like Meek

ness join'd,

To dire, infuriate Warfare seems consign'd. Full well I know reproach were vainly

hurl'd

Against th' unfeeling baseness of this world;
Full well I know how impotent each art
To melt, with Pity's drops, the flinty heart;
To check the bitter taunts of scowling pride,
Make ranc'rous Envy throw her snakes aside,
Compel curst Falsehood at Truth's shrine to
kneel,

Or rob the hand of Malice of its steel:
Yet, tho' thy woes, with my upbraidings
join'd,

In vain would strive to meliorate mankind, Still are there means all potent to confound The iron breasts thy sufferings fail to wound; Still to their pow'r superior thou may'st rise, And ev'ry arrow of their wrath despise.

Too just, too ample, is thy cause for woe, Then check not tears, but freely let them. flow;

Afiction's tide, by constant force represt,
And closely pent within a single breast,
There rages fierce, with direst mischiefs rife,
Dethroning Reason, and o'erwhelming life:
Then yield it scope, and to some kindred
heart,

Thy ev'ry care, thy ev'ry thought, impart ;
For Sympathy, blest instinct of our kind,
Is purest opium to the tortur'd mind.

Seek then, some friend, who early learnt

to grieve

At others' woe, who lives but to relieve; Some breast so much in concert with thy own, As, when thou smil'st, or weep'st-to joy, or groan;

With sweet Mimosa be her temples crown'd, By patient Prudence let her lips be bound, Of all thy griefs let her have felt the smart, And shew where once they rankled in her heart;

Let her (rare gift!) possess the skill to know When to check tears, and when to bid them flow;

Thus will her hand be competent to spread
Comfort's soft roses o'er thy thorny bed.

But, once again, dear suff'ring saint, take heed

This friend be deck'd with Caution's choicest meed,

For Grief unlocks the soul, and brings to view Each thought, each merit, and each failing

too.

Seek then a friend, sage, cautious, faith

ful, kind:

But hold! I know the temper of thy mindIf some good angel such a friend bestow'd, To rescue thee from Grief's o'er whelming load, Thy soul would doat on her's--and shou'dst thou lose

This first of blessings-Hold! Ah, hold, my Muse!

Nor paint a scene which Nature could not bear

Yes, seek a friend, a firmer friend than e'er Inspir'd our mortal clay; a friend, whose mind

Not all the malice of this world combin'd Can e'er wean from thee: a celestial guard, Who, from thy breast each stroke of Fate to ward,

O'er Fate herself presides, o'er time, o'er

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

Hark! What sounds assail my ear?
Hark! a suppliant voice I hear!
"Ope, (it cries), ah, ope thy door,
Friendly shelter 1 implore;
Yield relief-I sink-I die,
Drown'd by torrents from the sky!"
Swift I grant the stranger's pray'r;
And, tho' darkness fills the air,
By the splendours of his face
Cupid's witching form I trace.
Pie s'd, Ian my fading fire,
Quick I cry his wet attire,

And, by warmth and gen'rous wine,
Re ovate my guest divine.

When, grasping his redoubted bow,
"Fain (exclaims the boy) I'd know
If this string has lost its pow'r
From the late tremendous show'r."

Th' elastic bow he instant tries;
Strong the whirring arrow flies,
Aim'd, alas, (ungrateful part!)
Aim'd at my defenceless heart.
Thus, by those whom most we aid,
Thus, are benefits repaid. M. STARKE.

JUDGE FOR YOURSELF.

UOTH Tom to Sue, "My life, my dear! "I'm fascinated when you're near; "But when you're absent from my sight, "No object can afford delight:

[blocks in formation]

PATENTS LATELY ENROLLED.

MR. THOMAS ROBINSON'S (SALEHURST,
SUSSEX), for a Mashing Machine.
THE principal object to be attained

Jabour, inasmuch as in a tub not exceeding thirty quarters, the malt may be worked by one man turning a winch, in nearly as short a time as if done by a horse, which requires from fifteen to twenty minutes. The machine may be thus described: In the centre is an upright shaft, on which is fixed a wheel; this is moved by another connected by a shaft with the horse-wheel, or turned by means of steam, wind, or water. From this shaft projects a beam, one end of which turns loosely on a collar on the shaft, the other end runs on the edge of the tub on two small rollers, one fixed on each side of the said beam. On the upright shaft is a wheel, which, communicating with another, turns the agitator or stirrer, composed of an upright spindle, in which are inserted vanes or blades of iron; the upper parts of these work in a box through the centre of the beam, the lower rts through the beam or bar ef iron. Che end of the said tar works

[ocr errors]

in a collar near the bottom of the shaft, the other near the outside of the tub, where it is suspended by a forked bar, each side of an arm. On the top of the agitator or spindle is a wheel communicating with another which turns the agitator; on the spindle of which there is a pinion turning another wheel, and that working in teeth fixed round the inside of the tub, carries the machine forward, whereby the goods are moved, and the liquor completely blended. The struc ture of this machine is such, that it can he worked with great facility in an oval tub, by means of the shaft being formed crankwise, and a pinion placed between the wheels, by which means the machine and shaft will work in contrary direc tions, and give it the necessary elliptic motion. Where the tub is of small diameter, the machine may not require more than one agitator, but if larger, it may be necessary to have two, three, or four, Another advantage attaching to this invention is, that the agitators or stirrers of this machine working horizontally, do not expose the liquor to the atmosphere,

whereby

whereby it might be cooled. The pro- MR. JOSEPH ANTHONY BERROLLA'S (COP per degree of heat, therefore, being retained, dissolves the saccharine properties of the mait in the most effectual

manner.

MR. WILLIAM SHAKESPEAR'S, and MR. THOMAS OSLER'S (BIRMINGHAM), for a new Method of Manufacturing Glass or Paste Drops.

This invention is thus set forth in the specification: "The drop being formed according to the usual methods, the part intended to receive the metallic loop, or piece of metal with which such loop is intended to be made, is re-melted, or so far softened by heat as to admit of the metallic hoop or piece of metal with, which it is intended to be made being pressed or worked into it; and the said metallic loop or piece of metal is then carefully inserted in the drop, by means of a pair of pincers, or other proper tool. Or the loop, by being previously inserted in the mould or die, may be fixed in the act of moulding or forming the drop; though we prefer the former method, as being most secure. Any metal may be employed; but we prefer silver or copper. A small notch or groove, is also frequently cut in that part of the loop to be inserted in the glass; but this is not essential."

MR. JOHN ONION'S (BROSELEY), for a Machine for Thrashing Corn, &c.

It will be difficult to give any clear account of this machine without the aid of drawings; the reader, therefore, must be referred to the specification for an explication of the principle, while we obserye that the thrashing-wheel, with its beaters, are carried in a cast-iron frame. Besides this, there are feeding rollers that take in the unthrashed grain: there are also a cast-iron receiving-box, and a east-iron bar for delivering the straw; likewise a cast-iron bridge bar to carry the horizontal shaft, made to fit both sides of the large frame, so that the machine may be fixed on any side of the barn doors; two whorls, for driving the feeding rollers with a cross bolt; a wire riddle, to separate the grain from the straw; a board with hinges to prevent the grain from flying forward; a tilt ring, covered with boards, to keep the dust from the man that feeds the machine. The dimensions and proportions of the several parts are given in the specification, to enable workmen to construct a ma chine of the kind♪

PICE-ROW, CLERKENWELL), for a Warning-watch upon a new Construc

tion.

The inside of the movement is not different from that of a common watch, excepting a barrel, which is fixed with two screws on the under side of the top plate, as near to the main-spring as possible. The arbour of the side barrel, made in the same manner as a clock watch, has a brass wheel with sixty teeth, with a steel wheel fixed to it; this wheel has thirty-three teeth, cut like a ratchet, which cause the hammer to act. This hammer placed between the main and warning barrels and the side of the hammer, strikes on a bell-spring, which bell-spring is fixed with two screws on the pillar plate. The spring in the warn ing-barrel is wound up five turns, which occasions the hammer to give 165 knocks on the bell-spring. Opposite the hammer is a pinion with six teeth, which act in the arbour-wheel. This pinion is planted on one side of the upper plate, and on the other in a bar on the back of the pillar. On the side pinion is a wheel with forty-five teeth, which wheel acts. in a pinion with six teeth planted in the bar on one side; and on the pillar plate for the other, on the said pinion is a wheel with twenty teeth, like a rachet, which acts in a pallet planted in the pillar plate on one side, and in a bar on the other, which form all the warning parts. The motion part, though the same as that in a common watch, is accurately described: so also is the outside of the watch. After which the patentee makes a variety of observations to show the su periority of his invention above the methods already in use; part of which we shall describe as interesting to the general reader.

per

"A mechanism" says Mr. B. “ forming the part of a monitor, by reminding us of any hour at which we may wish to wake in the morning, or any ap pointment we may have to attend in the course of the day, is incontestably one of the most convenient and most useful objects that can be wished: indeed, to many people it is of absolute necessity. The utility of such an invention had long since been justly appreciated, and an attempt was made to put the idea into practice, by introducing a kind of mechanism called a waker, at first into table-clocks, and afterwards likewise into watches.

"The alarm-watches, hitherto known,

put

« PreviousContinue »