the immediate guidance of the masters, attend a place of divine worship, and the rest of the day is occupied chiefly in receiving moral and religious instruction from these masters. "The example afforded by this distinguish ed manufacturer,-of philanthropy in unison with patriotism,-confirms an axiom in ethics, that virtue begets industry, and industry wealth. To promote good morals in the poor, is the most certain means of insuring wealth to the employer; and while sympathy and humanity are rewarded on one hand, gratitude and thankfulness are excited on the other; and thus a moral reciprocity is maintained between the poor and the affluent, which contributes to mental happiness, and constitutes the most durable bond of social order in the various classes of the community."-Bristed's Tour through part of the Highlands of Scotland.

Since the death of Mr. Dale, the works at Lanark have been carried on by his successor and son-in-law, Robert Owen, Esq. who had married Mr. Dale's daughter. In conducting the business at these cotton mills, the same principles are retained, on which they were primarily founded; and this individuals of the community exhibit, on the whole, an aspect which no part of this kingdom can rival. Their manner of living has already attracted much of public attention, and it will probably lead to some important changes in the condition of the poor. But whatever the event may be, the founders of these works have already immortalized their names, and, what is more pleasing, they are deserving of the fame they have acquired.

GLEANINGS FROM LITERATURE, SCIENCE, &C.

Application of Machinery to the Calculating of Mathematical Tables.-A very eminent Mathematician, C. Babbage, Esq. F.R.S. Lond. and Edin., &c. in a letter addressed to Sir Humphry Davy, President of the Royal Society of London, has announced to the world that he has invented various machines, by which some of the more complicated processes of arithmetical calculation may be performed with certainty and dispatch. Hence, if the sanguine expectations of the ingenious inventor be completely realized, the mathematician may, in many cases, be relieved from the dull drudgery of computation, and tables of almost every kind may be constructed with a facility and accuracy hitherto unknown, by a process purely mechanical.

Specific Gravity.-Mr. Creighton, in the Journal of the Royal Institution, recommends a very useful and ingenious instrument for determining the specific gravities of solid bodies. It consists of two cages of wire, which are suspended, the one under the other,

to a sensitive spiral spring. The lower cage being immersed in water, the weight of the body in air will first be indicated by the tension of the spring when it is placed in the upper cage; by then removing it to the lower one, its weight, in water, will be pointed out on the graduated scale. Mr. C. gives a formula for ascertaining the specific gravity from these two observations, without recurring to the usual tedious calculations.

Poisonous Dose of Opium.-At a late meeting of the London Medical Society, Mr. Wray, an eminent surgeon of London, related some instances of individuals, whom he had roused from a state of stupor (occasioned by swallowing large doses of tincture of opium) by dashing, suddenly and repeated over their heads, basons-full of cold water. The effects, in all the cases, were very remarkable: the patients were able to swallow emetic draughts, stupor was so completely removed, that the which succeeded in emptying the stomach, and in obviating any bad consequences.

Improvements in Pedal Harps.-Mr. Dodd, of considerable improvements in the construction St. Martin's-lane, has lately made some very of these elegant instruments. It is well known, that owing to the crooked form of the neck, where it joins the body of the harp, it is quite impossible to procure wood with its grain running in that direction which its shape regrained; and, accordingly, harps very frequentquires; the consequence is, that it is crossly

break in that part. Mr. Dodd has completely remedied this evil, by forming the necks of his improved harps of a number of layers of wood firmly combined, and bent into the required shape.

Corrosive Sublimate.-Dr. Taddei bas discovered, that gelatine mixed with corrosive sublimate renders it innoxious. He gave 12 grains of it to two rabbits, and they did not it in the least degree; whereas a single grain exhibit any symptom of having suffered from of the sublimate, administered in its pure form, was sufficient to kill them. The injurious effects of a grain of sublimate are neutralized by 25 grains of fresh, or by 13 grains of dry, gelatine.

Preservation of Grain in Granaries of Cast Iron.-In order to preserve grain for any length of time, from those insects which habitually devour it, and which cannot exist in air hygrometrically dry, M. Clement suggests the propriety of constructing granaries of cast-iron, into which no air should enter till it has passed through a body of unslaked lime. He proposes also some contrivances for allowing the expanded air to escape, and for inspecting the grain when necessary. The saving of manual labour in turning over the grain is one of the advantages of the plan.

New Power-An apparatus has been invented at Glasgow, for the manufactory of any mineral water requiring to be charged with carbonic acid gas, which amounts, in fact, to the development of a power hitherto unknown, but equal to that of steam. This machine is described as having neither gasometer nor air pumps, yet the strength of a boy is ascertained to be capable of compressing into any vessel from thirty to forty atmospheres of gas, in a few minutes; while to effect the same with a forcing pump would occupy the strength of

In our Number of the Imperial Magazine for August last, col. 783, we inserted a letter from the Cape of Good Hope, in which the writer announced that he had seen a Mermaid. Of this natural phenomenon he gave a general description, which we copied, concluding his statement with an intimation, that this singular creature would probably be exhibited in London. Since the above account was published, the Mermaid has arrived, and, as might naturally be expected, has excited a considerable share of public attention.

Among those who have visited this wonderful creature, there have been many scientific men, possessing ability to detect a fraud, and sufficient integrity to avow it, who have decided in its favour; and the general current of popular opinion flowing in the same

channel, has exempted it from the charge of imposition.

Some few individuals, however, affecting to have more penetration than their neighbours, have not hesitated to avow their opinion that the mermaid is an artificial composition, manufactured with much ingenuity, to deceive a credulous age. Among these, is the editor of a weekly journal, whose scepticism is in direct opposition to the evidence of his senses. He has examined it with much minuteness, but thinks it to be a well-contrived deception, formed by the extraordinary efforts of Chinese and Japanese ingenuity, containing nothing beyond the admirably put together members of various animals.

Since reading the above description, we have seen and examined this Mermaid for ourselves; and feel no hesitation in declaring, that we were unable to discover the slightest evidence of imposition; and without this, we have no right to sanction insinuations either of its being an artificial composition, or an unnatural combination of animal substances, curiously united together. These remarks, however, do not imply that we think an imposition of this kind to be absolutely impossible. But so far as the Mermaid is involved in this charge, it is a point which nothing but its dissection can fully determine. Nevertheless, from the strong resemblance which it bears in every visible part to animal existence, the probabilities are, that it was once endued with life.

The description which we gave in col. 783, is on the whole tolerably correct; but in the figure which accompanies these observations, the artist has availed himself of the privilege of his profession, and given a flattering likeness. As the creature actually appears, the features of the human coun tenance are exhibited in frightful distortion. The head is disproportionably large; and, from its union with the neck, is projected considerably forward. The face is much elevated; the lips have nearly disappeared; and the cheek-bones are extended almost equal with the point of the nose. From the extremity of the chin to the throat, the distance is very great, bearing in this part a stronger likeness to the feline or canine, than to the human species. At the commence

ment of the vertebre, just behind the head, there is a singular projection, exhibiting such a mark of deformity as a dislocation might be supposed to produce.

On the shoulders, on the arms, and on most of the upper parts of the body of this creature, a few scattered hairs are to be seen. The skin is of a dirty brown colour, deepest towards the nether extremity, turning into a dirty gray, as the eye wanders towards the head. In every part that may be presumed to coincide with what is human, the skin is much shrivelled, and every feature and limb exhibits signs of advanced age. One of the ears is concealed by the hand that is elevated, and the other seems to form a continuation of the wrinkles leading from the cheek, but its aperture we had no means of minutely examining. The teeth are sufficiently open to expose the cavity of the mouth, which could be traced to a considerable extent; but no tongue could be noticed as distinctly visible. Its whole length is nearly three feet; and its strange appearance excites interest, wonder, and disgust.

On the whole, if this be an imposition, it is one that will perhaps stand unrivalled in the arcanum of fraud; and the spectator, though convinced of the fact, will half forgive the author of the deception in his admiration of the excellence of its execution.

Literary Motices.

Just Published, Charles Lorraine, or the Young Soldier, by Mrs. Sherwood, Author of Little Henry and his Bearer, with neat engravings, 18mo. boards.

A new series of Tracts, by the same Author, and the Author of Margaret Whyte, Village Nurse, &c. No. 1 to 20, 1d. each, are already published, to be continued monthly.

Eliza, or Traits of Character in Humble Life, with a neat engraving, 18mo. boards. Providence and Grace, an interesting Narrative, plate, 12mo.

Veteran Soldier, by the same Author, plate. Gleanings and Recollections, (Moral and Religious,) to Assist the Memory of Youth. By a Parent, dedicated to his own Son, 18mo.

In 12mo. and containing 152 pages of closely printed letter press, A Treatise on the utility of Leech Bleeding, in the Treatment of a great variety of Diseases, by Rees Price, M.D. Surgeon.

Also, by the same Author, An Epitome of Pharmaceutical Chemistry; exhibiting the Names of the various Articles of the London Pharmacopoeia, in contrast with those with

Prices of Foreign Stock in London, October 26.
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