Thefe ceremonies over, the executioner proceeded on his bufinefs in the following manner: Thirteen pofts, each about five feet high, had been previously erected. To thefe the delinquents were faftened, and their breafts fripped naked. In this fituation they remained a short time in continual prayers, attended by feveral priefs, until a fignal was given by the judge to the executioner; on which the latter produced an inftrument, much like the fpring lancet ufed by farriers for bleeding horfes. With this inftrument, it being poifoned with the gum of the Upas, the unhappy wretches were lanced in the middle of their breafts, and the operation was performed upon them all in less than two minutes. My aftonishment was raifed to the highest degree, when I beheld the fudden effects of that poifon, for in about five minutes after they were lanced, they were taken with a tremor, attended with a fubfultus tentinum, after which they died in the greatest agonies, crying out to God and Mahomet for mercy. In fixteen minutes by my watch, which I held in my hand, all the criminals were no more. Some hours after their death I obferved their bodies full of livid fpots, much like thofe of the Petechiae, their faces fwelled, their colour changed to a kind of blue, their eyes looked yellow, &c. &c. About a fortnight after this, I had an opportunity of feeing fuch another execution at Samarang. Seven Malayans were executed there with the fame inftrument, and in the fame manner, and I found the operation of the poifon, and the fpots in their bodies exactly the fame. Thefe circumftances made me defireus to try an experiment with fome animals, in order to be convinced of the real effects of this poifon; and as I had then two young puppies, I thought them the fitteft objects for my purpcie. I accordingly procured with great difficulty, fome grains of Upas. I diffolved half a grain of that gum in a fmall quantity of arrack, and dipped a lancet into it. With this poifoned inftrument, I made an incifion in the lower mufcular part of the belly of one of the puppies. Three minutes after it received the wound, the animal began to cry out moft piteously, and ran as faft as poffible from one corner of the room to the other. So it continued during fix minutes, when all its ftrength being exhaufted, it fell upon the ground, was taken with convulfions, and died in the eleventh minute. I repeated this experiment with two other puppies, with a cat and a fowl, and found the operation of the poifon in all of them the fame, none of thefe animals furvived above thirteen minutes. I thought it neceflary to try also the effect of the poifon given inwardly, which I did in the following manner. I diffolved a quarter of a grain of the gum in half an ounce of arrack, and made a dog of feven months old drink it. In feven minutes a reaching cnfued, and I obferved, at the fame time, that the animal was delirious, as it ran up and down the room, fell on the ground, and tumbled about; then it rofe again, cried out very loud, and in about half an hour after was feized with convulfions, and died. I opened the body, and found the ftomach very much inflamed, as the inteftines were in fome parts, but not fo much as the ftomach. There was a fmall quantity of coagulated blood in the ftomach, but I could difcover no orifice from which it could have iffued, and, therefore, fuppofed it to have been squeezed out of the lungs, by the animal's ftraining while it was vomiting. From thefe experiments I have been convinced, that the gum of the Upas is the most dangerous and moft violent of all vegetable poifons; and I am apt to believe that it greatly contributes to the unhealthinefs of that ifland. Nor is this the only evil attending it, hundreds of the natives of Java, as well as Europeans, are yearly deftroyed and treacheroufly murdered by that poifon, either internally or externally. Every man of quality or fashion has his dagger or other arms poifoned with it; and in times of war the Malayans poifon the fprings and other waters with it; by this treacherous practice, the Dutch fuffered fuffered greatly during the laft war, as it occafioned the lofs of half their army. For this reafon, they have ever fince kept fish in the fprings of which they drink the water; and centinels are placed near them, who infpect the waters every hour, to fee whether the fith are alive. If they march with an army or body of troops into an enemy's country, they always carry live fifh with them, which they throw into the water, fome hours before they venture to drink it, by which means they have been able to prevent their total deftruction. This account, I flatter my felf, will fatisfy the curiofity of my readers, and the few facts which I have related will be confidered as a certain proof of the exiftence of this pernicious tree, and its penetrating effects. If it be asked why we have not yet any more fatisfactory accounts of this tree, I can only answer, that the object of most travellers to that part of the world confifts more in commercial purfuits than in the study of Natural History and the advancement of sciences. Befides, Java is fo univerfally reputed an unhealthy ifland, that rich travellers feldom make any long stay in it, and others want money, and generally are too ignorant of the language to travel, in order to make inquiries. In future, those who vifit this ifland will probably now be induced to make it an object of their refearches, and will furnith us with a fuller defcription of this tree. I will, therefore, only add, that there exifts alfo a fort of Cajoe-Upas on the coaft of Macaffar, the poifon of which operates nearly in the fame manner; but is not half fo violent and malignant as that of Java, and of which I fhall likewife give a more circumftantial account in a defeription of that ifland. J. N. FOERSCH. [We fhall be happy to communicate any authentic papers of Mr. Foerfch to the public, through the channel of the London Magazine.]. MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. TO THE READERS OF THE LONDON MAGAZINE, ENLARGED AND IMPROVED. T THE mifcellaneous department of the London Magazine this month confifts intirely of ORIGINAL COMPOSITIONS, which have been written folely for that work; and in fuch a style as cannot but increase its reputation. Let it not be imagined, however, that papers will ever be excluded, because they have been already published, if their merit intitles them to a place in our repolitory. Our readers now, we truft, are convinced of the eminent fuperiority of the London Magazine, both on account of the novelty, the variety, and the confequence of its contents, in every department. FOR THE LONDON MAGAZINE. MEMOIRS OF MRS. ANNE WILLIAMS. Την περι Much εφίλησε, διδε δ' αγαθόν τε κακόν τε, RS. Anne Williams was the MR daughter of a furgeon and phy fician in South Wales, where he was born in the year 1706. Of her early life little is known, but in all probability, fhe did not wafte her youth in Hoм. Odyff. VIII. 63. idlenefs, if we may form a judgement from the female accomplishments, and from the ftores of knowledge which she poffeffed at a more advanced period. Her father, Mr. Zachariah Williams, during his refidence in Wales, imagined that that he had discovered, by a kind of intuitive penetration, what had efcaped the reft of mankind. He fancied, that he had been fortunate enough to afcertain the longitude by magnetifm, and that the variations of the needle were equal, at equal diftances, eaft and weft. The idea fired his imagination; and prompted by ambition, and the hopes of fplendid recompence, he determined to leave his bufinefs and habitation, for the metropolis. Mifs Williams accompanied him, and they arrived in London about the year 1730; but the bright views which had allured him from his profeffion foon vanifhed. The rewards, which he had promised himself ended in difappointment, and the ill-fuccefs of his fchemes may be inferred from the only recompence which his journey, and imagined discovery procured. He 'was admitted a pensioner at the CharterHouse. When Mifs Williams firft refided in London, the devoted no inconfiderable portion of her time to its various amufements. She vifited every object that merited the infpection of a polifhed, and laudably inquifitive mind, or could attract the attention of a ftranger. At a later period of life, the fpoke familiarly of thefe fcenes, of which the impreffion was never erafed, though they muft, however, have foon loft their allurements. Mr. Williams did not long continue a member of the CharterHoufe. An infringement of rules, or fome other mifconduct, obliged him to remove from this afylum of age and poverty. He was now expofed to fevere trials, and every fucceeding day encreafed the gloominefs of his profpects. In the year 1740, Mifs Williams loft her fight, by a cataract, which prevented her, in a great meafure, from alifting his diftreffes, and alleviating his forrows. She ftill, however, felt her paflion for literature equally predominant. She continued the fame attention to the neatness of her drefs, and what is more extraordinary, continued ftill the exercife of her needle: a branch of female accomplishment in which the had before difplayed great excellence. During the lowness of her fortune, fhe worked for herfelf, with nearly as much dexterity and readinefs, as if the had not fuffered alofs fo irreparable. Herpowers of con verfation retained their former vigour. Her mind did not fink under theie calamities; and the natural activity of her difpofition animated her to uncom mon exertions: "Though fallen on evil days: "On evil days though fallen: "In darknefs, and with dangers compafs'd round, "And folitude! *" In the year 1746, notwithstanding her blindnefs, fhe published the Life of the Emperor Julian, with notes, tranflated from the French of F. La Bleterie. In this tranflation fhe was aflifted by two female friends, whofe name was Wilkinfon. This book was printed by Bowyer, in whofe life by Nichols, we are informed, that he contributed the advertisement, and wrote the notes, in conjunction, with Mr. Clark, and others. The work was revifed by Mr. Clark, and Mr. Markland, whofe names are too well known in the literary world to require any commendation. It does not appear what pecuniary advantages Mifs Williams might derive from this publication. They were probably not very confiderable, and afforded only a temporary relief to the misfortunes of her father. About this time, Mr. Williams, who imparted his afflictions to all from whom he hoped confolation or aflistance, told his ftory to Dr. Samuel Johnien; and among other aggravations of dift.efs, mentioned his daughter's blindness. He fpoke of her acquirements in fuch high terms, that Mrs. Johnfon, who was then living, expreffed a defire of feeing her; and accordingly, the was food afterwards brought to the Doctor's houfe, by her father; and Mrs. John.fon found her poffetfed of fuch qualities, as recommended her frongly for a friend. * Milton's Paradife Loft. VII. 25. † Martial. intimacy 1 intimacy foon took place; but the enjoyment of their friendship did not continue long. Soon after its commencement, Mrs. Johnfon was attended by her new companion in an illnefs, which terminated fatally. Dr. Johnfon ftill retained his regard for her, and in the year 1752, by his recommendation, Mr. Sharp, the furgeon, undertook to perform the operation on Mifs Williams's eyes, which is ufual in fuch cafes, in hopes of reftoring her fight. Her own habitation was not judged convenient for the occafion. She was, therefore, invited to the Doctor's. The furgeon's fkill, however, proved fruitless, as the crystalline humour was not fuficiently infpiffated, for the needle to take effect. The recovery of her fight was pronounced impoffible. After this dreadful fentence, fhe never left the roof which had received her during the operation. The Doctor's kindness and converfation foothed her melancholy fituation, and her fociety feemed to alleviate the forrows which his late lofs had occafioned: Α. Μεγάλη δε θνητοίς μοιρα συμφοράς 42445 Ιερὸν ἐυρέιν, ὡς ἐγώ σε λαμβανώ. Β. Δει δή με κἀκέλευστον, εἰς ὅσον σθένω, Μόχθη επικυψίζωσαν, ὡς ράον φέρης Συνεκκομίζειν σοι τόνοις. * When Dr. Johnfon, however, changed his refidence, the returned to lodgings; and in the year 1755 her father publifhed a book, in Italian and English, intitled, "An account of an attempt to afcertain the Longitude at Sea, by an exact theory of the Magnetical Needle." With the following Table: A corse Table of the Magnetical Variations at the most remarkable Cities in Europe. Commencing d. D. 1660, and ending 1860. This Table, formed upon the true doctrine of magnetism in the year 1754, is recommended to the notice of pofterity, by ZACHARIAH WILLIAMS. This Eurip. Elecra. 69. We have taken the liberty to divide the speech, as if it were fpoken by two different pertons. This copy has been procured for the fatisfaction of the curious reader. In this year 1755, Mrs. Williams's circumstances were rendered more eafy, by the profits of a benefit play, granted her by the kindnefs of Mr. Garrick, from which the received two hundred pounds, which were placed in the ftocks. While Mrs. Williams enjoyed fo comfortable an afylum, her life paffed in one even tenour. It was chequered by none of thofe fcenes which enliven biography by their variety. The next event of any confequence in the hiftory of Mrs. Williams, was the publication of a volume of " Mifcellanies in Profe and Verfe," in the year 1766. Her friends affifted her in the completion of this book, by feveral voluntary contributions; and an hundred pounds, which was laid out in a bridge bond, was added to her little flock, by the liberality of her fubfcribers. In thefe mifcellanies, is inferted a poem on the death of Mr. Gray, the celebrated electrician, which we fhall tranfcribe, not only as a fpecimen of the work, but because it mentions her blindness, and fhews that the was the first who obferved and notified the emiffion of the electrical fpark, from the human body. About the year 1766, Doctor Johnfon removed from the Temple, where he had lived, for some time, in chambers, to Johnfons-Court, Fleet-ftreet, and again invited to his houfe the worthy friend of Mrs. Johnfon. The latter dered eafy and comfortable. Her days of Mrs. Williams were now renwants were few, and to fupply them, fhe made her income fufficient. She fill poffeffed an unalterable friend in Dr. Johnfon. Her acquaintance was felect, rather than numerous. Their fociety made the infirmities of age lef intolerable, and communicated a chear fulness to her fituation, which folitary blindnefs would otherwife have rendered truely deplorable. She died at the houfe of her friend, in Bolt-Court, Fleet-ftreet, whither they removed about the year 1775, on the fixth of September 1783, aged feventy-feven years. Her death was occafioned by a ftone in the gall bladder, a diforder with which phyficians have not been long acquainted. The pains which the endured were not very acute, ON THE DEATH OF STEPHEN GRAY, although they occafioned a continual F. R. S. reitlefinefs and languor. She bequeathed all her little effects to a charity, which The author of the Prefent Dorine of had been inftituted for the education of Electricity*. LONG haft thou born the burthen of the day, Where Bacon waits, with Newton and with Boyle, poor deferted girls, and fupported by the voluntary contributions of feveral ladies. The character of Mrs. Williams, which in many refpects well deferves to be made an object of public obfervation, will be difficult to defcribe with juftice: fince thofe who knew her well will undoubtedly perceive omiffions. Let them be attributed to ignorance rather than defign. All who were intimately acquainted with her muft have felt the highest re gard *The publisher of this mifcellany, as he was affifting Mr. Gray in his experiments, was the first that obferved and notified the emiflion of the electrical Ipark from a human body. |