N Thompson's Chemistry, vol. 4. p.

at Vienna several seeds which had been long kept, and which had constantly refused to germinate, grew readily, when treated with oxy-muriatic acid.” He quotes Jour. de Phys. 47. 63, "that Mr. Humboldt has ascertained that seeds vegetate more rapidly when steep ed in this acid, or when watered with it; and this acid is well known for the facility with which it parts with its oxygen, which is absolutely necessary for the germination of all seeds."

Upon this statement, perhaps C. L. will think it worth the experiment, to steep some of his foreign seeds in this acid till germination is apparent, when, if put into the earth with a very slight covering, they will soon appear above ground. B. DEALTRY.

Near Wakefield; Jan. 10, 1820.

MA

For the Monthly Magazine. LETTER from ITALY, on the LIBERAL SPIRIT of a FEMALE SOVEREIGN. ARIA-Louisade Bourbon, Infanta of Spain, and reigning Duchess of Lucca, signalizes her government by a regard for the sciences and arts, which she encourages by all the means within her power. She appears to be her own minister; and public and private accounts declare that, within her little sphere, the age of the Medicis will be revived. Under her direction, houses of education have been founded, and essays on mutual instruction circulated; together with a Lyceum, a Cabinet of Physics, a Chemical Laboratory, a stud for the breed of horses, and a number of manufactories of every description. Men of letters, talents, and industry, foreigners or otherwise, are sure of her favour and patronage.

This enlightened princess, from her privy purse, has been at the charge of founding a magnificent Observatory, the first stone of which she herself laid, on the 26th of September last. The work

is rapidly advancing, and the structure will be finished in less than a year, well furnished with a complete set of instru ments. Two celebrated astronomers are procured to superintend the manage. ment: one is M. Pons, Adjunct Director of the Observatory of Marseilles, who has discovered in the remote starry regions twenty-three comets revolving in our solar system. The appointments of these situations are in a style of superior advantage, and extend to the widows in case of decease.

Her Majesty has very recently established in her Lyceum two professorships, one for the Roman Law, and the other for Moral Theology.

But,

The idea of raising an Observatory originated with the princess. before taking a definitive resolution, she consulted Baron de Zach of Gotha, whom she had invited for the purpose, and who came rather to oppose than encourage the project. He urged that, in all Europe, there were only two Observatories that fully answered the purpose,-those of Greenwich and Palermo, as all our tables of the sun, moon, and plancts, are founded on observations made for 130 years in the former, and all our exact positions of the fixed stars are derived from 'observations made in the latter during the last thirty years. The princess replied in such a manner as to astonish and convince M. de Zach of the propriety of the measure; and he was employed to fix on a proper situation. This was difficult, as the city stands in a hollow, encompassed in every direction with lofty contiguous moun tains, ditches, standing waters, &c. that discharge into the atmosphere almost incessantly a dense foggy vapour. place was at length discovered, a small elevation at Martia, about two leagues from the city, which overlooks an extensive horizon, especially towards the south. It is in the queen's park, and at a very small distance from the palace.

A

Several artists of London, Munich, Gotha, Berlin, &c. made acquainted by Baron de Zach with the foundation of this structure, have made gratuitous donations of instruments of all kinds.

Amidst all this patronage of letters, she governs according to the despotic principles of her family. She lately sent her guards, composed out of the first families in Lucca, to the gallies for several weeks, for some disobedience of her commands; and in other respects imitates, in her conduct, Elizabeth of England.

To

Another stage brought us to Inverary, the county-town of Argyleshire, where we were agreeably surprised by the sight of a steam-boat from Glasgow. This is a very respectable place, with a good iun, a court-house, a new prison, and a neat church. Here the Duke of Argyle has a castle of modern structure, and of a comfortable size; it is a square building, with a round tower at each angle, and five windows between the towers on every side of the castle. Here is a charming terrace and other walks, a fine green turf, and beautiful avenues, adorned with well grown elm and lime trees. The neighbouring hills and mountains are thickly covered by pines of the greatest lengths, and straight as an arrow. To all which is to be added, a large loch of the sea in full view. This whole place forms a very fine landscape, which includes the castle, the sea, two stone bridges, a handsome town, and mountains well timbered. There also are plenty of salmon ; and, in the season, vast shoals of herrings. From Inverary there is a good road, and an agrecable ride along the border and round the head of Loch-Fine to Cairn-dow, where there is a small clean iun, at moderate charges.

The first stage this morning (13th August 1819) was through Glen-crow, where the mountains were high and fine, second only to those of Glen-coc. These are of a different cast, not quite so lofty, more sloped, and without any of the ter rific. We then passed a mile or two along the side and round the end of Loch-Long, with pleasant villas in view, to an inn called Arowcha, at which place we had a distinct view of an exhausted volcano, of course forming the top of a mountain, and where a particular rock is called the Cobter. This house and its grounds have the appearance of being built and prepared for the residence of a man of moderate fortnne. It is now a very respectable inn, and capable of accommodating much company. The road from this place northward all the way to Fort George is denominated a military way; it is in good repair, and there are no tolls to pay.* But, from this house southward to Dunbarton, the road

We passed several parties of men enployed in improving the military roads; and, on one occasion, we observed, they were provided properly with tents, to shelter them from the pelting storm, as well as for repose during the night.

is turnpike, on which very heavy tolls are taken; these are equal to three-pence per mile for a post-chaise and pair, and the road is so much out of repair as to be barely passable; but not a man was employed upon it. We next passed by the Tarbet iun, which is surrounded by plantations on the western borders of Loch-Lomond, with the lofty mountain of Ben-Lomond in full view. A steam pleasure boat glided along this very beautiful loch as we travelled along its border to Luss, a small village, where there is an inn frequented by low company from a slate quarry. This loch is more beauttiful than any which we have seen, as it is more dressed with islands and shrubbery. Two miles before we came to Dunbarton, the narrow glen extends to a wide valley, in which the soil is excellent, and mostly occupied with genteel villas.

At Dunbarton, the Elephant is the sign of a superior inn. We viewed the glass-house, and are obliged to the proprietors of it for shewing ns the process of making crown-glass. The whole manufactory seems to be most completely arranged. Many men were employed, and three cupolas engaged. We were guided by one man for our own protection, while another with an empty tube took up a piece of melted glass two or three inches in diameter, which, at two or three operations, he increased to five or six inches; then, by repeatedly heating, aided by rolling and blowing, it became extended to a balloon of two or three feet in diameter. To this a tubo was then fixed on the opposite side, and the first tube was in a moment separated, which left a hole into the balloon of about three inches diameter. The balloon was then put into the fire, where it was turned rather swiftly round, then it was drawn out and twirled round before the fire, and exposed to the heat of it, by which the hole gradually increased in size, till what had been a globe took the shape of a circular sheet or plate of red-hot glass; it was then cautiously placed on its edge to be annealed, and that completed the operation. We then viewed the Castle Hill, a very extraor dinary elevation of basaltic rock, and brought specimens away. There is a respectable-looking church in this town, and the first dock for ship-building was in progress.

The next day we drove towards Glasgow, through a well-cultivated district, where rising grounds, on each side

of

of the river Clyde, are embellished with villas and pleasure-grounds. The picture was also heightened by five or six steamboats gliding along a very fine river. The arable land viewed during this ride is generally in the commendable rotation of potatoes, wheat, clover mixed with ray-grass, and then oats: the crops not large, and the grass-laud infested with the weeds of rag-wort, docks, and thistles. In one case, the pastures were clean, and the herbage well employed in fattening large oxen. The road from Dunbarton to Glasgow is repaired with such excellent materials, as unite the two desirable qualities of hardness and toughness. These are obtained in the neighbouring hills of whinstone, a volcanic production, which contains a small portion of iron. Recesses are prepared in convenient places adjoining the sides of the road, to which the stones are carted, and men are there employed in breaking them to pieces, which are not to exceed one-fourth of a pound; and for this labour they are said to be paid twenty-pence per yard cube. These receptacles are built in the shape of either a regular square or parallelogram, and show the quantity of stones by inspection: that is, twenty-seven feet in length by twelve in breadth, will contain one cubical yard for every inch in height. The sides of these places are figured from the ground upwards; and, when the broken or other stones are spread level on the top, every inch in depth indicates a cubical yard. This is all so excellent, that I very much wish such stones were shipped (broken or unbroken) to the port of London, for a similar purpose. Salisbury Craigs, near Edinburgh, and other places on the east coast of Scotland, are conveniently situated for that purpose.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

MOULD tea be procured in an unsophisticated state, it should be taken in moderate quantities, with milk and sugar, when no ill effects may possibly cusue; nay, it often exhilarates and refreshes the human frame, particularly after great fatigue or exposure to a humid atmosphere. But should this infusion be too freely indulged in, it occasions relaxation of the solids, tremors, hypochondriacal, hysteric complaints, and other symptomatic affections, the usual attendants of all narcotic plants. Admitting that some of these com

2

plaints are endemial to this climate, yet they are all greatly aggravated and increased by the introduction of this exotic.

This may be said of tea when it can be procured pure and unadulterated; for I very much doubt if it be imported in a genuine state, generally, even from its indigenous soil. It is a known fact, that the Chinese are accustomed to mix the foliage of the camellia sasanqua with the tea that is designed for the European market. Thus we must depend upon the honesty of a foreign merchant; and trust to its salubrity, after it has passed through the hands of our tea-manufacturers at home.

I am perfectly disinterested in what I shall offer as a succedancum. My only reasons for communicating it is, for the enjoyment and advantage of the community at large, it being economical as well as nutritious.

Dietetic Composition.

Take of the best patent cocoa and sago reduced to powder, of each equal quantities; blend them well together. Of this mixture, a table spoonful to be put in a pint of milk, to which may be added one few minutes, frequently stirring it. Sugar pint of boiling water; boil the whole for a may be added in moderate portions.

This affords a nutritious food for children as well as adults. The usual accompaniments of a dejeuné may be taken with it.

J. B.

For the Monthly Magazine. ACCOUNT of the FRENCH TRADE in various PARTS of the LEVANT. Morea and its Dependencies. THE trade with this country is

T comparatively trifling, but was much more considerable formerly.

The decline of trade there was a consequence of the revolutions that took place in this country, and to the devastations of the Albanians, who lay waste and ransack the country.

The principal towns in the Morea, are Tripolissa, Napoli de Lomanie, Carran, Modon, Patras, Oustiche, aud Corinth.

The inhabitants of these places make but little consumption of French manufactures. Coarse cloth, caps, a little cochineal, indigo, and coffee, were all we carried there; but we sent considerable sums in piastres and sequins, when they could be procured. The returns were easily effected for Constantinople, principally in silk, oil, and corn, which were paid in hard cash, because the

value

value of our goods was not sufficient to pay for them; these objects scarcely amounting to four hundred thousand franes, while the returns cost about two millions.

We have already pointed out the cause of this great disproportion between the outfit and the return; the latter being almost wholly paid in ready money. We must not be surprised, then, to sce our exports for that purpose in 1789 amount only to 351,467 francs; and the returns produce one million eight hundred and eighty one thousand eight hundred and fifteen francs. This was nearly the annual amount.

Five French houses were established in this country.

Canaan, and the adjacent country. The trade to this part of the Levant, was much like that we carried on with the Morea.

It consisted in oil and a little wax, which we paid in Izelot piastres, and caragoras; but the productions of the country greatly exceeded the value of its consumption. We had little demand for French manufactures there; their whole amount, including woollen drapery, scarcely came to four hundred

thousand francs.

In 1788 we carried there the value of one hundred and one thousand four hundred and twelve francs; and the homeward invoices amounted to two millious two hundred and sixty thousand two hundred and forty-five francs. What we have already said concerning the Morea, explains the cause of this enormous disproportion between our exports and imports.

There were but two French commercial houses in that country.

The Coast of Caramania and Satalia. During the French revolution, our traders had no establishments there. They were attempted many times at Satalia, but unsuccessfully; for the expense absorbed the profit.

Since this time, the trade has been carried on by our ship-masters, who bargain on the spot for the articles they want, Consisting of silk and cotton; these they pay for with specie, taken up at Smyrna or Cyprus, or sometimes put on-board at Marseilles. As to the merchandize shipped for this trade annually, it would be rating it high at one hundred thousand livres. We had formerly a French agent there; but, being frequently exposed to the insults of the inhabitants, the employment was suppressed.

Cyprus.

Many years before the Revolution, our trade with Cyprus had greatly fallen off from its former splendour. The vexations of the bashaws had nearly put an end to it. The cultivation being abandoned, the inevitable consequence was, a considerable diminution in the consumption of European manufactures.

This island was nearly reduced to serve merely as a warehouse, and the goods imported there were almost wholly consumed in the neighbouring cities of Syria: vessels destined for that country usually touched at Cyprus.

We brought there annually eighty bales of cloth, and many other objects of less notice; just in the same proportion, respecting the woollen drapery, as to the other straits of the Levant.

The cities of this island are Larnac, Nicasia, Limasso, and Flamagoust. The manufacture of raw silk, silk waving, calicoes, &c. employ the greater part of the cotton and silk raised in the country, and would make trade prosperous, were it not for the vexations to which the manufacturers are exposed.

If to the goods manufactured on the spot we add the silk and cotton not employed, as well as spun cotton, storax, and drugs, we have an idea of the returns from Cyprus. We sent in 1787 an hundred and five thousand two hundred and seventy-five francs' value; and the returns amounted to nine hundred and fifty three thousand four hundred francs. In 1788, one hundred and five thou sand six hundred and eighty-six francs; and the returns, nine hundred and seventy-six thousand one hundred and sixtyone francs. In 1789, one hundred and eighteen thousand two hundred and ninety-one francs; and the returns, nine hundred and two thousand seven hundred and forty-six francs. From those three years we may form a just estimate of our trade with Cyprus. We had only two French houses there.

Aleppo and Alexandretta.

Vessels fitted-out to trade with Aleppo stop at Alexandretta, which is about forty leagues distant from it, where they unload, and the goods are carried by camels to Aleppo.

This journey takes up four days, during which the caravans are frequently plundered by the Curds, who infest the country.

Aleppo is the most commercial city of Asia Minor. The caravans from Persia arrive