price were lowered, by turning the gas to account, it could hardly fail to become a favourite fuel.

We have taken no notice of the tar and alkaline liquor which are copiously produced in the distillation; because we have few facts to go upon in estimating their value. The former is useful as a coating to preserve, from the worm and rot, timber exposed to the air, or lying under water. And it is not unlikely, that other more important uses may be found for it. As to the liquor, we believe it to be of no use whatever. And it is one of the absurdities of Winsor's calculations, to reckon at one shilling per gallon, a substance, of which, we are convinced, no man in London would purchase a hogshead at the expense of warehouse

room.

When we said that the facts of Mr. Winsor and his friends are less satisfactory than the others we recorded, we alluded to the circumstance, that, while he makes us stare at the unparalleled extravagance of his tables, where he gravely strikes a balance of annual profit to the nation at large, of one hundred and fifteen millions, and while, by a singular effort of moderation, he reduces the gains of his subscribers to the "absolute certainty" of only " 600'. a year for every 57. adventure," he cautiously avoids detailing minutely the expense of the apparatus, or taking, as an item on the debtor side, the interest of capital sunk, which, in Murdoch's statement, exceeds the annual expense, in the ratio of 11 to 1. We need not add, how much this must falsify all his conclusions, even if he had not disproved them himself by a deductio ad absurdum. The committee, composed, as their report shows, of sensible, but not scientifick men, do away half the value of their experiments, when, in a memorial addressed to the king, they candidly subjoin to their account of them: Their present experience does not enable your majesty's memorialists

to calculate the expenses of the process, of management, of tubes, and pipes, &c. with any tolerable degree of precision." p. 19. The experiment in Pall Mall, therefore, proves, as yet, nothing more than the possibility of lighting up a street with gas; a curious fact, without doubt; but we cannot call it a very important one, till we be enabled to add, that this can be done at a cheaper rate than with oil. It is not unlikely that it may; and we strenuously advise the committee, while they have the command of money, instead of basking in the sunshine of delusive hopes, to institute another trial, in which all these expenses shall be rigidly noted, and faithfully carried to ac count. It is a point which it is desirable to ascertain, though we by no means agree in the common opinion, that on its decision depends the ques tion of the economical advantages of the gas lights. The committee were unfortunate in choosing this for their experimentum crucis. The lights required in streets are at considerable intervals, and, consequently, the range of tubes is extensive and costly; and, going to a great distance from the centre of supply, must be subject to accident and derangement. In lighting the streets, too, the gas must beat out of the market the coarsest and cheapest of all materials; so that we can imagine a failure, in this instance, not inconsistent with its producing great national and individual benefit.

There is one circumstance in which, as far as we can judge from our imperfect knowledge of Winsor's process, it is superiour to Murdoch's. The latter seems to follow the usual mode of distillation, by putting the vessel that contains the coal into the centre of a furnace. But Winsor puts the fire in the centre, and (leaving only space sufficient for a draught of air) surrounds it with the coal that is to be carbonized; the evident advantage of which is this, that the least possible heat is wasted, as, in flying

off, it encounters the coal on every side. Accordingly, we find, that in Murdoch's statement, a sixth part of the annual expense goes for the purchase of common coal to distil the cannel which he employed; while Winsor's carbonizing process is performed by the refuse cinder of a former operation; and as this cinder does not appear in the estimate of coke produced, it may, in fact, be considered as costing nothing. Before taking leave of Mr. Winsor, we shall present the reader with the results of his analysis of coal, which, from the specimen he has given us, of his pow ers' of exaggeration, we should have been cautious of admitting among authentick facts, had not the committee declared, that the experiments were repeated in their presence, and that they corroborated Winsor's printed statement in the most satisfactory manner. Two pecks of Newcastle coal, weighing 36 lib. produced 3 pecks of coke, weighing 24 lib. 2 oz. about 3 lib. of oily tar, and about 4 of alkaline liquor; and, as the only other product was gas, it is concluded that gas constituted the remainder of the weight, amounting nearly to four pounds.

From the foregoing facts and reasonings, we think ourselves entitled to draw the following conclusions.

I. In all manufactories, whether on a large, middling, or small scale -in all publick offices, printing hou ses, theatres, lighthouses, &c.-in short, wherever much light is required in a given space, the gas lights may be introduced with very great advantage. We need not remind the reader, how large a proportion of the artificial light used in this manufacturing country is comprehended in this description. It may be objected to the universality of our conclusion, that the price of coals differing very much in different places, will occasion a variation in the expense of procuring gas. But there are two reasons why this should have less effect than at first sight might be

VOL. II.

imagined. In the first place, we find, upon examining Mr. Murdoch's statement, that of 6004. the estimated yearly expense of lighting the cotton mill, 550/. consist of interest of capital, and tear and wear of apparatus, leaving the cost of coal only 50l. a sum so trifling, when we reflect, that it replaces 2000l. worth of candies, that the price of coal, even where it is highest, can but slightly effect the general profits. Secondly, the coal, by yielding the gas and other volatile products, is converted into a substance, increased in bulk, and in the power of producing heat. And as a manufactory generally requires heating as well as lighting, there will be a gain both ways. By distilling his coal, instead of burning it as it comes from the pit, the manufacturer will save his candles, and improve his fuel. One effort at the outset, in erecting a proper apparatus, will reduce his annual disbursement, for these two articles of prime necessity, much in the same manner, though in a far greater degree, as the farmer gains by building a thrashing machine, and laying aside the use of the flail.

II. When we reflect on the small number of trials that has yet been made, and the expensiveness and awkwardness of first attempts, we may reasonably expect considerable improvements as the practice becomes more general, so as to turn the scale still more decidedly in favour of the gas lights. Anxious as we are to avoid the charge of visionary speculation, we cannot help anticipating the pretty extensive intro duction of them into private houses. Mr. Lee has set the example. The whole of his house at Manchester, from the kitchen to the drawing room, is lighted solely by gas. Its properties render it particularly fit for ornamental illumination. As there is nothing to spill, the flame may be directed either downwards, upwards, or horizontally. And the points from which it issues may be disposed in

any form that taste or fancy may suggest. We are perfectly aware of the difficulties that oppose such an application of the gas; but we have unbounded confidence in the skill and ingenuity of our countrymen, when they are once fairly brought into action. The gigantick steam engine has been reduced to a convenient, and even portable size; and its power made so divisible, as to be dealt out in portions to petty manufacturers, who know nothing of the machine, but by the power which they hire. It

has been proved, we think, that, in the case before us, there are materials to work upon; and, whenever this becomes the general opinion, we shall not be afraid of the best means being adopted to turn them to ac count. Whether ingenuity should be left to its own workings, and the stimulus of private gain, or restrained and directed by the interference of government, is a question which we do not feel ourselves called upon te decide.

AT certain protracted intervals of time, some extraordinary phenomenon makes its appearance in the intellectual world, so gifted and so distinguished above its fellows as to excite one universal feeling of wonder and admiration. No one will presume to deny that this has happened more frequently in one sex than in the other; and that though many females have appeared, whose claims to genius and learning also will never be denied, there have been no rivals to the illustrio names of Homer, Plato, Archimedes, to Newton, Locke, or Milton. Never, how ever, since the time of madam Schurman, have we heard of a woman whose endowments, natural and acquired, have been equal to those of the individual, the Fragments of whose writings are here preserved, and edited with great modesty, though with a becoming animation of friendship.

Of what kind they are, and how generally acceptable, is sufficiently apparent from their having already passed through three large editions. Who, from authority less strong and less satisfactory than that which is in this small volume before the reader,

could believe that a very young woman should be, not superficially, but thoroughly and familiarly acquainted with Hebrew, Arabick, Persick, Latin, Greek, Erse, and all, or almost all, the languages of Europe; that she was expert in mathematicks, perspective, musick, dancing, drawing, and, to crown the whole, a charming poet. That she was not equally and alike accomplished in all these branches of art and science may easily be imagined, and her warmest admirers may readily concede; but sufficient proofs remain that she was elevated in powers of mind, natural and acquired, above all general competition.

Her life, we are sorry to add, was short, and checkered by misfortune. All that seems necessary on our part is, first, to thank the editor for the part she has acted, in erecting this durable mausoleum to her friend; and, in the next place, by a selection from the Fragments, to enable the reader to judge how far the high commendations which precede, are to be justified.

The first feature which presents itself, is that of poetical taste and talent. In these accomplishments,

No more, in deeds of arms renowned,
You'll dare the single fight;
Or with exulting laurels crowned,
Assert your country's right;
But to the woods and marshes driven,
Ingloriously you'll sigh;
For ah! to you it is not giv'n
Amidst your friends to die!

"To Piercefield's Cliffs I'll now a pilgrim go,

Shed o'er my prince beloved the tears of

Wo;

There will I seek some deep and rocky cell,

Amidst the thick entangled wood to dwell;
There indulge my plaintive theme,
To the wan moon's icy beam;
While the rocks responsive ring,
To my harp's high-sounding string;
Vaga stops her rolling tide,
Listening to her ancient pride;
Birds and beasts my song attend,
And mourn with me our country's fatal
end!" p. 13.

What next, and very strongly impressed us in the perusal of this volume, is the turn and employment of the author's mind, in the general conduct and occupations of her life. This is apparent from her reflections from time to time written down in her little pocket books. Some of these also we transcribe.

"From the little information I can col. lect by tracing languages towards their source, it appears probable that when the inhabitants of the earth quarrelled at Babel, and dispersed in consequence, Ham turned, as is generally allowed, towards Africa, where Egypt was afterwards called by his name, and by that of his son Misraim. Shem remained in the western parts of Asia, and spread from thence over Europe. This opinion is founded on the very strong traces of the Persian language which yet remain in the Celtick and all European tongues, not excepting Greek and Latin; though the modern Persian, with which I compare them, is itself derived from the Pelhevi, the ancient language of Persia, which probably had a much greater affinity with the Cel tick, Noah says, in the 9th chapter of Genesis: "May Gon extend Japhet, and may he inherit the tents of Shem." the 10th chapter it is said, that the islands were peopled by the descendants of Japhet. From these circumstances I conclude that the family of Japhet went eastward from Babel, till, coming to the sea,

In

some went over it to the islands within sight, which form the Eastern Archipelago; and others followed the coast northwards, till they came to some point from whence they could see America. Thither some of them went; while others spread themselves westward, and these people I take to be the barbarians of the north, who afterwards overran all Europe, and who were the same as the wandering Tartars, Thus the protheir brethren, now are. phecy is fulfilled; for Japhet is indeed extended, and at this day inhabits the tents of Shem all over Europe. This theory seems to me to derive great force from the similarity of manners between the wandering tribes of the north, the Tartars, and the Americans; for though some nations of America, from a long residence in one place, have acquired a degree of civilisation, yet there is always a tradition of their having been in a wild state. It is reasonable to suppose the descendants of Japhet, in constantly travelling about, would lose all the knowledge they had gained from Noah, except such as was absolutely necessary for their subsistence. We find the descendants of Shem alone, who remained nearly stationary, and the Egyptians and Chinese who settled soon after they left Babel, had leisure to cultivate the sciences before the elements of them were lost. From my ignorance of the Chinese language, I am at a loss to determine whether the inhabitants of China are descended from Shem or Japhet; the position of the country would incline one to believe the latter; though their manners, so unlike their Tartar neighbours, seem to contradict it; yet this objection may be done away, by supposing them to settle immediately after the dispersion, which appears probable from their reckoning the cycle of sixty years from a period so remote as 2277 B. C. which answers exactly to the building of Babel. Their language consists entirely of monosyllables, which, with their known dislike of innovation in every thing, inclines me to think that it may, perhaps, differ less than any other from the original language, or at least from that of Noah." p. 52.

Let those, and alas they form too numerous a class of society, who spend their time either in idleness, or in continually making good resolutions, of which the seductions of the world prevent the practice, read and meditate on what succeeds.