may

be made to yield different fhades of brown, valuable for their variety, cheapnefs, and permanency.

• Endiometrical Obfervations. By M. Berthollet.'

These are valuable remarks, but it was not neceffary to drink of the waters of the Nile to have produced them. The endiometers which our author prefers, are liquid alkaline fulphurat or phosphorus. The former requires a long time to have its full effect, but the latter is quicker, though the remainder is increafed about of its bulk by a folution of the phofphorus in the remaining azotic gas. This increase is conftant, fo that the accuracy of the experiment is not affected. By thefe trials, the air at Cairo appears not to be worse than that of Paris, containing about .22 of oxygen.

• Obfervations on certain Proceffes for correcting the Defects of particular Kinds of Steel and Cast Iron. By M. Leon le Vavafeur.'

These observations are highly valuable, though we can fcarcely abridge them with advantage. We fhall only remark that hot fhort iron is fuppofed to owe its peculiar qualities to a mixture of fome other metal.

"It has been thought to be arfenic or zinc; I rather am inclined to think that copper also has a fhare in producing this effect. The ore of the mines of Alevard, which fupply the fmelting furnaces, and furnish metal for all the forges in the department of Ifere, often contains grey copper ore. There is likewife found another copper ore, called marcafite, which is carefully rejected, because it makes the metal very bad, and difficult to work.

I believe I have read in Jars, that a flight addition of copper gave more body to the iron. The different degree of fufibility of thefe two metals occafions the difficulty which is experienced in attempting to forge this iron at the ufual degree of heat.

If the alloy, whatever it be, enter into fufion before the iron, the union between the parts ceafes, and the bar flies under the hammer. If the heat is fo great as to foften the most refractory of the two metals, they will remain in union, and may be worked without rifk as foon, however, as the temperature is lowered, the incohefion recommences, and it is neceffary to wait till the mafs is become cold before it can be fafely wrought, fuch are the circumstances that require attention in the working of hot-fhort iron. The effect of the high heat to which it is neceffary to expofe this kind of iron is obviously not the volatilisation of the alloy; if this was the cafe, the iron, after the volatilifation of that which rendered it hot-fhort, would become pure: but, on the contrary, hot-fhort iron always preferves its peculiar properties, and every time that it is worked the above precautions are abfolutely neceffary.' P. 335.

Report on the Oafes. M. Ripault prefented to the Infti

tute, a Memoir, intitled, "Researches on the Oafes;" and M. Fourier read the Report of the Commiffioners appointed to examine that Memoir.'

The Oafes are fertile spots in the midst of the defert. The Oafis Magna is in 26° 30′, and the two others between 29 and 30 degrees. They are marked by Mr. Browne, in his map; and the third Oafis, at Siwa, is particularly defcribed by that accurate traveller. The prefent is but a meagre analyfis of M. Ripault's memoir, which must be very interesting if publifhed at length.

• Remarks on the Ufe of Oil in the Plague. By M. Defgenettes.'

All the novelty in this memoir confifts in an account of the fuccefs of oily frictions. The oil porters in Egypt and the tallow-chandlers in London, are faid to have efcaped the difeafe. Dr. Mitchell contends that the tallow-chandlers in America. were equally exempted from the attacks of the yellow fever.

Report of the Obfervations made to determine the Geographical Pofition of Alexandria, and the Direction of the Magnetic Needle. By M. Nouet.'

The longitude of the Pharos of Alexandria was found, by the watch, to be 1h 50' 17 "; by aftronomical obfervations 1 50′ 46′′; the latitude 31° 13′ 5′′. The azimuth of the fame fpot was 12° 49′ 33′′ weft. In examining the dip of the needle, we find the mean time in which the arches were defcribed to be about 31". The mean of the dip, when the face of the limb was towards the east, was 47° 30'; when towards the weft, 48° 50'.

Analysis of the Slime of the Nile. By M, Regnault.' Since the modern practice of watering ground has been ge neral, we begin to doubt of any peculiar merit in the flime of the Nile. It was, however, an object deferving attention, though the refult is not particularly ftriking. The folid contents of one hundred parts of the flime, confifts of nine of carbon, fix of oxyd of iron, four of filex, four of carbonat of magnefia, eighteen of carbonat of lime, and forty-eight of alumine. The proportions of filex and alumine vary, according to the diftance from the bed of the river, the latter containing the largest quantity of fand, while, at a great distance, the clay is almoft wholly pure. It is justly remarked, that, at different diftances, clay fitted for all the varieties of porcelain may probably be procured.

Remarks on the Management and Produce of the Land, in the Province of Damietta. By M. Girard.'

This article we cannot abridge. The rice produces about eighteen and wheat about four for one. Flax appears a much

more valuable object of cultivation.

Obfervations on the Fountain of Mofes. By M. Monge.'

The fountains of Mofes are fituated near Suez; and, though the water is brackish, it is palatable and wholefome. The humidity round the fountains nourishes herbage, which arrefts the fand, and gradually accumulates hillocks. When the weight is fuperior to that which preffes on, and raises the water, the fountain becomes dry, and other fprings burst out. The principal fpring is, from this caufe, now dry, and the water feems never to rife above forty feet. As this fountain was probably the chief watering place for fhips in the Red Sea, there feems to have been a manufactory of jars in its neighbourhood for the conveyance of the fluid.

Extracts from the Geography of Abd-er-rafhid ElBakouy, on the Defcription of Egypt. By M. Marcel.' ·

6

Difcourfe of M. Denon, to be read at the Inftitute of Cairo, on his Return from Upper Egypt.'

Thefe articles furnish little novelty, M. Denon accompanied the army in Upper Egypt, but his difcourfe is as rapid as the motions of the troops.

The Works of Robert Burns. (Continued from Vol. XXIX. p. 409. New Arr.)

BURNS arrived in Edinburgh in the month of November, 1786. His reception in the capital of Scotland was highly flattering. The literary and the fathionable world united in teftifying their admiration of his talents. Among thofe who cherithed the ruftic bard by their countenance and fupport are enrolled the refpectable names of the late Dr. Robertfon, Dr. Blair, Dr. Gregory, Mr. Mackenzie, Mr. Frazer Tytler, and though laft, not the leaft in well-earned fame, Mr. Dugald Stewart.

Though the fociety of thefe excellent characters must have tended to enlarge the fphere of Burns's knowledge, and to cultivate his tatle, the benefit which he derived from this figual advantage was unfortunately more than counterbalanced by the intemperate indulgences into which he was betrayed by the thoughtlefs and diffipated, who deemed the participation of the luxurics of the table a fufficient recompenfe for the company of a man of genius. Burns was naturally prone to excels in feftive indulgences; and the unceafing round of diffipation to which he was introduced in the gay circles of the Scottish metropolis, gave ftill more feductive charms to thofe intemperate pleafures, whofe lefs-refined allurements had too frequently overpowered his virtuous refolutions. They were certainly not very confiderate friends of the future excifeman who gave him a relish for the gilded vices of genteel life.

Ju a pecuniary point of view, Burns turned his journey to

Edinburgh to good account. He took advantage of the rifing tide of popular favour to publifh a new edition of his poems, the profits of which enabled him, as his biographer fays, not only to partake of the pleasures of Edinburgh, but to gratify a defire he had long entertained of vifiting thofe parts of his native country moft attractive by their beauty or their grandeur. Accordingly he fet out on the 6th of May, 1787, on a tour through that part of the country which is washed by the Tweed, which may be juftly denominated the claffic ground of Scotland. Having fpent three weeks in this excurfion, he vifited Northumberland, and returned by way of Carlifle and Dumfries to his humble dwelling at Mofsgiel.

It will easily be conceived (fays Dr. Currie) with what pleafure and pride he was received by his mother, his brothers, and fifters. He had left them poor, and comparatively friendless; he returned to them high in public eftimation, and eafy in his circumftances. He returned to them unchanged in bis ardent affections, and ready to share with them, to the uttermoft farthing, the pittance that fortune had bestowed.', Vol. I. p. 167.

- After a fhort refidence with his relations he again proceeded to Edinburgh, whence he immediately fet out on a journey to the Highlands. From the Highlands he returned to Ayrshire, where he spent the month of July. In Auguft he again vifited the metropolis, where, after two more excurfions, the one through Stirlingfhire and Clackmannanthire, the other into the Highlands, he fixed his refidence during the winter of 1787-8, eagerly renewing his intercourfe with the learned and the dif ipated. Dr. Currie has recorded the imoft interefting occurrences which happened during thefe various peregrinations of the hard; but as they are not fit fubjects for abridgment, we muft refer fuch of our readers as with to trace the footsteps of native genius, to the work itself.

In the month of February, 1788, Burns, upon fettling his accounts with his publifher Mr. Creech, found himself mafter of nearly five hundred pounds. Two hundred pounds of this fum he advanced to his brother Gilbert, who had taken upon himfelf the fupport of their aged mother. With the remainder be determined to eftablith himfelf in a farm. He alfo looked forward to the poffibility of increating his income by the emoluments of an excifeman's office, which liberal encouragement he had been led to expect from the munificent patronage of Caledonian aristocracy. Exhilarated by thefe bright profpects, his generous heart,' fays his biographer, • turned to the object of his most ardent attachment, and, liftening to no confiderations but thofe of honour and affection, he joined with her in a public declaration of marriage, thus legalifing their union, and rendering it permanent for life."

After quoting an interesting extract from Burns's commonplace book, which gives a detail of his views and refolutions at the period of his marriage, Dr. Currie thus proceeds.

• Under the impulfe of these reflections, Burns immediately engaged in rebuilding the dwelling-houfe on his farm, which, in the ftate he found it, was inadequate to the accommodation of his family. On this occafion he himself refumed at times the occupation of a labourer, and found neither his ftrength nor his fkill impaired. Pleafed with furveying the grounds he was about to cultivate, and with the rearing of a building that fhould give shelter to his wife and children, and, as he fondly hoped, to his own grey hairs, fentiments of independence buoyed up his mind, pictures of domeftic content and peace rofe on his imagination; and a few days paffed away, as he himself informs us, the most tranquil, if not the happieft, which he had ever experienced.' Vol. i. P. 196.

But, alas! the airy vifions of future happinefs were soon diffipated. With an eye at once gifted with the penetration of philofophy, and fuffufed with the tear of fenfibility, has the biographer of Burns investigated the progrefs of his imprudences and of his misfortunes. May the ardent fons of genius profit by the melancholy tale-Felix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum.

At the time when Burns entered upon his farm at Ellisland, Mrs. Burns was obliged by her fituation (being near the time of her delivery) to remain in Ayrshire.

It is to be lamented (fays Dr. Currie) that at this critical period of his life, our poet was without the fociety of his wife and children. A great change had taken place in his fituation; his old habits were broken; and the new circumstances in which he was placed were calculated to give a new direction to his thoughts and conduct. But his application to the cares and labours of his farm was interrupted by feveral vifits to his family in Ayrshire; and as the distance was too great for a fingle day's journey, he generally spent a night at an inn on the road. On fuch occafions he fometimes fell into company, and forgot the refolutions he had formed. In a little while temptation affailed him nearer home.

• His fame naturally drew upon him the attention of his neighbours, and he foon formed a general acquaintance in the diftrict in which he lived. The public voice had now pronounced on the fubject of his talents; the reception he had met with in Edinburgh had given him the currency which fashion beftows; he had fur-. mounted the prejudices arifing from his humble birth; and he was received at the table of the gentlemen of Nithfdale with welcome, with kindness, and even with refpect. Their focial parties too often feduced him from his ruftic labours and his ruftic fare, overthrew the unsteady fabric of his refolutions, and inflamed those pro-penfities which temperance might have weakened, and prudence