and-forty hours after death-before the grim con- Iger, no doubt, came into his head from his not queror has had time, in most cases, to "hang his ensign there " Ere yet decay's effacing fingers Have swept the lines where beauty lingers, And then calculate, if you dare, the numbers whom no such intervening angel came to rescue from this inconceivable horror! On that head knowing what to do with his time, he being under an engagement not to write more than eighteen volumes of original romances per annum. To an ordinary mind eighteen volumes of original matter is a prodigious year's work; but to Dumas it is nothing: he has written, and can write, three times as much. His theatrical management will, no doubt, be distinguished by several daring novelties. The first is to be the production of a melo-drama, written by himself, in eleven acts, to take two nights performing! the statistics, of course, are silent, but suggest ive. Of all but these 94, the grave keeps the secret: but remember that of all who, since 1833, were about to be buried alive, these are the favored of accident: then take to your Tables of Chances, and tremble before the resulting relative CURIOUS LEGACY. -The late John Orr, Esquire, figure which they present! And for all this of Madras, in addition to £1000 left to the Monamount of horror the cure is easy. In England no trose Infirmary, has also left £1000 to the neighman is laid in the grave, till signs have set in of boring parish of St. Cyrus, the interest of which that coming corruption, which, however the is to be annually distributed according to the folheart may shrink from it, relieves at least from lowing rather whimsical terms:-Interest of this most terrible fear of all. In France, if the £200 to be distributed among the poor in tea, su dead must be put away so soon, it should be by fire, as of old-or, at least, the surgeon should operate, in mercy, before the coffin-nd be closed. Athenæum. THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE LOCUST.-In the summer evenings it is common to see upon the trunks of trees, reeds, or any upright object, a heavy-looking, lump-backed, brown beetle, an inch and a half long, with a scaly coat, clawed lobster-like legs, and a somewhat dirty aspect; which latter is easily accounted for by the little hole visible in the turf at the foot of the tree, whence he has lately crept. I have sometimes carried them home and watched with great interest the poor locust shuffle off his mortal, or rather earthly 'coil,' and emerge into a new world. The first symptom is the opening of a small slit which appears in the back of his coat, between the shoulders, through which, as it slowly gapes wider, a pale, sickly-looking texture is seen, throbbing, and heaving backwards and forwards. Presently a fine square head with two light red eyes, has disengaged itself, and in process of time (for the transformation goes on almost imperceptibly) this is followed by the liberation of a portly body and a conclusion; after which the brown leggings are pulled off like boots, and a pale cream-colored, weak, soft creature very tenderly walks away from its former self, which remains standing entire, like the coat of mail of a warrior of old-the shelly plates of the eyes that are gone looking after their lost contents with sad Fack of g 'speculation 'in them. On the back of the new-born creature lie two small bits of membrane, doubled and crumpled up in a thousand puckers, like a Limerick glove in a walnut-shell; these now begin to unfold themselves, and gradually spread smoothly out in two large beautiful opal-colored wings, which by the following morning, have become clearly transparent, while the body has acquired its proper hard consistency and dark color; and when placed on a tree the happy thing soon begins its whirring, creaking chirruping song, which continues with little intermission, as long as its harmless happy life.Meredith's New South Wales. A READY PEN.-Alexander Dumas, the celebrated novelist, has, it is said, obtained permission to erect a new theatre, of which he is to be the manager. The idea of turning theatrical mana gar, &c., at Christmas; interest of £300 in equal proportions, to the tallest married woman in the pa ish, the shortest married woman in the parish, the oldest married woman in the parish, and the youngest married girl in the parish, for the year.' Thus, in addition to a substantial benefit, the inhabitants are furnished with a subject for a little mirthful gossip annually. - North British Advertiser. AFRICAN EXPLORATION. The following is from the Malta Times of the 27th ult.-"There are letters in town from Mr. James Richardson, dated the 23d November, from Ghadames, in the Great Desert, where he had been residing for three months, and whence he was to start on the following day, equipped in the Moorish dress, in order to make his way, along with a negro and a Moor, through the wild tribes en route to Soudan; and should he succeed in reaching that place in safety, he seems inclined to proceed to Timbuctoo, and other parts of the southern interior. The road is very dangerous; for on the 20th they had news of the capture of a caravan belonging to Ghadames in its way to Sonat. Mr. Richardson had purchased a camel and had prepared biscuits, dried meat, dates, oil, and a few other luxuries for his support. His negro he stole at Jerbay, where, finding him in slavery, he coaxed him to run away, and made a free man of him. His Moorish servant is a Ghadameite-a sort of jockey-an African genius, who understands camels and things of that sort. Their route is due south, through Ghat, Aheer, Damerghon, the first negro city of Soudan, Karnac, and then to Juckaton, the capital of Soudan, and the Sultan's head-quarters-a trip of three months' duration. Should Mr. Richardson resolve at this city to return, his way back will be through Bornou and Fezzan. The people of Ghadames were very kind to the intrepid tre traveller, especially the Governor, who showed the Christian (he had never seen one before) all sorts of attention and civilities. A letter from Tripoli looks upon Mr. Richardson's enterprise as more than courageous or resolute, in fact, as foolhardy and desperate, seeing that he has no guarantee from the English or Ottoman Governments. He has been advised by every one to return; but go he would, and much fear is entertained that he may fall a sacrifice to one of two dire enemies,-savage cruelty, or the climate." SCIENCE AND ART. EARLY MAP OF THE WORLD.-Mr. Wright exhibited a fac-simile engraving of the early map of the world preserved in Hereford Cathedral, and gave orally a series of explanations and observations, which occupied a large portion of the evening. He stated that the original of this map was drawn on vellum, mounted on a wood frame with folding doors, and that it had served as an altar-piece. A copy had been made some years ago for the Geographical Society; but our general notions of antiquarian science being then not much advanced, and the Society thinking it undeserving of publication, it remained in the possession of the Society, until a copy was made from that copy for M. Jomard, the distinguished keeper of the map-department of the Royal Library at Paris, who had had it engraved at a great expense, to form one of a series of monuments of the history of geography, but it was not yet published. Mr. Wright observed, that at all periods of history since the times of the Romans, we find, more or less, allusions to the existence of maps. One of the earliest in the middle ages was that possessed by St. Gall, who founded in the sixth century the monastery which has since borne his name. Charlemagne is said to have had a map of the world engraved on three large tables of silver, which hisgrandson Lothaire broke up to make into money when his troops murmured for want of pay. One of the earliest maps of the world we now possess is an Anglo-Saxon one of the end of the tenth century, in a Cottonian Ms. in the British Museum. In the twelfth and thirteenth century they become more numerous. The earlier maps appear to have been copied from Roman models; but after the eleventh century they were evidently constructed by the person who drew them, and who placed all his notions of geographical localities as near as he could in the position they ought to hold. Thus, by the legends, and figures of animals, and men, and towns, &c., one of these medieval maps is a veritable pictorial treatise on geography. A map of the thirteenth century in the British Museum contains a curious enumeration to the four maps of chief authority at that time in England, which were, the map of Robert de Melkelcia, the map in the abbey of Waltham, the map in the king's chamber at Westminster, and the map of Matthew Paris. The Hereford map now before the meeting appeared, by the fac-simile, to be of the beginning of the thirteenth century. At the top was figured the Saviour sitting in judgment on the quick and the dead. On the left-hand corner, at the bottom, was a picture taken from the commencement of Ethicus and the common medieval cosmographies, representing Augustus Cæsar sending three philosophers to measure the earth; one of whom measured the north, the other the east, and the third the south. It is a legend founded on a passage in the Gospel of St. Luke. Augustus Cæsar is here represented delivering a writ, signed with his seal, to the three philosophers. A figure in the other corner seems to represent Richard of Heldingham and Lafford, who, as we learn from an inscription in NormanFrench verse, caused this map to be made; but of this personage we appear to know nothing. INCRUSTATION OF BOILERS OF STEAM ENGINES---In the Institution of Civil Engineers, ir J. Renni, president, in the chair. The discussion upon the incrustation of boilers was renewed, and it was attempted to be shown, that, viewed chemically, the muriate of ammonia might act prejudicially upon the copper and iron of boilers: that the two metals in combination with a saline solution would induce a powerful galvanic effect, and if aided by the unequal action of heat on the different parts of the boiler, producing a thermo-galvanic circuit, considerable deterioration of the boiler would ensue. It was instanced that on applying a small quantity of the muriate of ammonia in a locomotive boiler, the incrustation was immediately removed from the tubes, hence it was argued that a chemical action upon the metal must have taken place. On the other hand, after contesting the correctness of the chemical view assumed, it was asserted that, tempt to expose the misrepresentations in this from the small quantity of muriate of ammonia used, no perceptible chemical action could occur; and that in practice, after several trials of long duration in locomotive and marine boilers, no traces of metal could be discovered by the most delicate tests. Numerous practical instances were given of the full success of Dr. Ritterbandt's invention, and the general opinion appeared to be, that by the introduction of the system he had conferred a great benefit upon the engineering world, and most particularly upon railways where the incrustation of the tubes of the locomotives was a source not only of great expense, but not unfrequently the cause of accidents, as, by reducing the production of steam, the power was diminished, the spe speed could not be maintained, and collisions ensued. This process of keeping the boilers free from incrustation was therefore of great importance.-Lit. Gaz. BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. American Facts. Notes and Statistics relative to the Government, Resources, Engagements, Manufactures, Commerce, Religion, Education, Literature, Fine Arts, Manners and Customs, of the United States of America. By GEORGE PALMER PUTNAM, Member of the New York Historical Society, &c., &c. 12mo, pp. 292. Wiley and Putnam, London and New York, 1845. We are quite willing that our kinsman on the other side the Atlantic should have a full hearing in his own cause. He has some right to complain of John Bull, but not by any means so much as he at times seems to suppose. So far as regards the religion of America, we suspect that it is greatly over-estimated by the religious people of Great Britain; nor did we need Mr. Putnam's book to convince us that the United States embrace a large territory, with large resources, and that there are men in that country who evince a genuine sympathy with the higher forms of civilization. The weak and tender points are not these. Lynch law and slavery, and the repudiative policy, and other things too nearly resembling that policy, remain much as they were, after all the softening attempted in their favor. These are matters which do not admit of mending; they must come to an end before the talkings of the Old World will be altogether acceptable to the ears of the New. If the feeling in this country, with regard to the commercial spirit of Americans, be so unfavorable, would it not be wise, instead of placing all that feeling to the account of prejudice, to inquire if there be not some just cause for such impressions? We ask this question in all friendship. Bad as this world may be, nations and individuals generally find in it the sort of reputation they deserve. The causes are many which should dispose Great Britain and America to amity, and not to hostility, and we are sure that to this sentiment not a few of her sons would heartily re spond. In our pages no wrong shall be wittingly done to the claims of our transatlantic But let them not forget that they will reap as they sow Mr. Putnam's book is a spirited at country of the character of his own; and as the showing of an intelligent American on that subject, we think it deserving attention. Apart from this question, also, the book contains much interesting information. SELECT LIST OF RECENT PUBLICATIONS. GREAT BRITAIN. Notes on the Bucolics and Georgics of Virgil, by T. Keightley. 8vo. King of Saxony's Journey through England, by Dr. Carus. 8vo. The People, by J. Mitchelet, translated by Cocks. 8vo. Rev. Sidney Smith's Sermons, preached at St. Paul's and other churches. 8vo. Algeria and Tunis in 1845, by Capt. J. C. Kennedy. 2 vols. 8vo. Travels of Lady Hester Stanhope, forming the completion of her Memoirs. 3 vols. 8vo. with numerous illustrations. Nelson's Letters and Dispatches, edited by Sir Harris Nicolas. 8vo. 6th vol. Lives of the Kings of England, by Thomas Roscoe, Esq. 8vo. History of the Captivity of Napoleon at St. Helena, by Gen. Count Montholon. 2 vols. 8vo. Recollections of a French Marchioness. 2 vols. 8vo. GERMANY. Dorner, J. A. Die Lechre von der person Christi, geschichtlich u. biblish dogınatish dargestellt. Vol.I., Part II. Guericke, H. E., Allgemeine christliche Symbolik. Fuchs, A., Geschichte des Schriftenthums der Griechen und Römer. Kiepert's Atlas von Hellas und seiner Colonien, 24 Maps, colored. Edited by Carl Ritter. Folio. FRANCE. Bibliotheca orientalis. Manuel de Bib liographie orientale. 1. contenant les livres Etudes Critiques sur les Mollusques fossiles. Livr. IV. 4to. Exploration scientifique de l'Algérie pendant les années 1840, 41, 42. Sciences phys.-Zoologie: Hist. Nat. des Mollusques, par M. Deshayes. Liv. I. 4to. |