HUMAN LIFE.

WRITTEN IN THE AGE OF SHAKSPEARE,

The world's a bubble,

And the life of Man
Less than a span,

In his conception wretched,
From the womb

To the tomb.

Curs'd from his cradle,
And brought up to years,
With cares and fears.

Who then to frail

Mortality shall trust,
But lines the Water
And doth write in dust:
Yet whiles with Sorrow
Here we live opprest,
What life is best?

Courts are but
Superficial schools

To dandle fools.

The rural parts
Are turn'd into a den
Of savage men.

And where is a city
From all vice so free,
But may be term'd

The worst of all the three?
Domestic care

Afflicts the husband's bed,
Or pains his head.

Those that live single,

Take it for a curse

Or do things something worse.

Some wish for children;

Those that have them, none;

Or wish them gone.

What is it then to have,

Or have no wife,

But single thraldome,
Or a double stryfe?
Our own affections

Still at home to please,
Is a disease,

To cross the seas
To any foreign soil,

Peril or toyl:

Wars with their noise affright us,

And when they cease,

We are worse in peace.

What then remains?

But that we should cry,

Not to be born,

Or being born, to die.

SCIENCE.

MR. PERKINS' STEAM ENGINE.

It being reported that an accident had occurred in some part of the apparatus, during the working of Mr. Perkins' new engine, we are enabled to give the following accurate statement of the accident, and the probable cause of its origin.

Mr. Perkins having, on two or three previous occasions, designedly burst open the cylinder called the "generator," by way of ascertaining the internal pressure of the heated water, he tried the experi ment on the working engine, by urging the fire beyond its ordinary intensity. At this period, whilst Mr. P. was explaining to a few gentlemen the construction of its parts, a mass of steam was observ. ed issuing from the cylindrical fire-place which surrounds the generator; the ac tion of the engine immediately ceased. On extinguishing the fire, and examining the generator, it was found to be cracked across the bottom, through which crevice the water had issued, and produced the steam before-mentioned. After the first surprise of the parties had subsided, that no report or explosion accompanied the bursting of the generator, the ingenious inventor proceeded to account to the gentlemen present for the occurrence. That the water of the generator, though perhaps at the time little short of 500° Fah., was still a liquid, or non-elastic fluid; and consequently would be governed by the same laws of expansion as other fluid bodies, which, when subjected to heat, will expand, and burst the vessel or metal which contains them, but will not disperse or explode.

This accident, however, has afforded proof of a most important fact, and which must eventually serve to banish the apprehension entertained by some gentlemen as to any danger from the use of this new engine. Whilst the expansive, or, more accurately, the elastic force of steam, renders the utmost vigilance necessary to guard against accidental explosion, a vessel containing water, or a non-elastic fluid, even at a temperature of 500°, may be rent asunder with perfect impunity to the by-standers. The accident, therefore, proves the perfect safety of the principle upon which Mr. Perkins constructed his engine that of subjecting water to an immense pressure, which enables it to bear an elevation of temperature above 500°, without producing

steam beyond the small quantity requisite for giving motion to each succeeding stroke of the piston.

Mr. Perkins seems inclined to attri

bute the accident to an unequal degree of expansion, from unequal distribution of the fire: but from an inspection of the fracture, we are of opinion, that the tenacity of the metal was destroyed by the very elevated temperature (probably 700° to 800°) producing a semi-fusion. It is well known that all the alloys of copper melt at a lower degree of heat than that of metal per se; and although a cylinder of gun-metal, from its superior hardness, may retain its figure better than a copper vessel, the large portion of crude zinc and tin, which is contained in the ordinary gun-metal, must, doubtless, render tirat metal both more brittle and more fusible than copper. We understand

Mr. Perkins has devised an entire new arrangement, by which a series of pipes, either copper or iron, are to be substituted for the gun-metal generator.

POWER OF MOONLIGHT. Gurney, in his Lectures on Chemistry, says, "With regard to light, we would mention the singularly useful, and hitherto unobserved "effect of moon-light," in assisting the completion of certain important phenomena. The crystallization of water, under the form of those light frosts which so much prevail during the early spring, and which are of such important service in assisting the operations of agriculture, by rendering the surface of the earth mellow, and better susceptible of the manure that is necessary to it, are greatly assisted, and in many cases entirely brought about by the intervention of moonlight. It is well known, that under certain circumstances, water will sink to the temperature of 22°. before it freezes or takes the form of crystals. Indeed, it will invariably do so in the absence of any mechanical agitation, and in the absence of light. It is an unquestionable fact, but one which has not hitherto been observed generally or attended to: and indeed, at other periods, before the moon rises on a still clear night, when the atmosphere is at a lower temperature than 32, the water remains in a liquid state; but immediately on the moon rising, and diffusing its lights around, the water freezes, and performs the salutary offices required of it, without subjecting us to the severity of a low temperature.

THE DIVING BELL.

The first diving-bell we read of was nothing but a very large kettle suspended by ropes, with the mouth downwards, and planks to sit on fixed in the middle of its concavity. Two Greeks at Toledo, in Spain, in the year 1588, made an experiment with it before the Emperor Charles V. and a great concourse of spectators. They descended in it, with a lighted candle, to a considerable depth. In 1683, William Phipps, the son of a blacksmith, formed a project of searching and unlading a rich Spanish ship sunk on the coast of Hispaniola. He represented his plan in so plausible a manner, that Charles II. gave him a ship, and furnished him with every thing necessary for his undertaking; but being unsuccesful, he returned in great poverty. He then endeavoured to procure another vessel from James II., but failing in this, he got a subscription opened for the purpose, to which the Duke of Albemarle largely contributed. In 1687, Phipps set sail in a ship of 200 tons to try his fortune once more, having previously engaged to divide the profits according to the twenty shares of which the subscription consisted. At first all his labours proved fruitless; but at last, when he seemed almost to despair of success, he was fortunate enough to bring up so much treasure, that he returned to England with the value of 200,000l. sterling. Of this sum he got about 20,000l. and the duke 90,000l. Phipps was knighted by the king, and laid the foundation of the fortunes of the present noble house of Mulgrave. Since that time diving-bells have been very often employed. The situation of the Royal George, a first rate, which sunk at Spithead many years ago, has been frequently examined, and the impossibility of again weighing her ascertained by means of this machine. In the beginning of the late war, the Lutine, an English frigate, having a great quantity of gold and silver on board, and bound to Holland, was lost on the coast of that country. The wreck remained undiscovered till the year 1822, when the very low tides which took place in March of that year showed it to the eyes of some delighted fishermen. In general, however, it is some fathoms under water, and at the present time people are employed, who go down in a diving-bell, and have already recovered a large quan tity of this long-lost treasure.

ASTRONOMY.

It has ever been a considerable source of regret that so little attention is paid in our schools to the science of Astronomy. There are many young men who with laudable exertion have made themselves master of Euclid, yet are ignorant of the name and place of a single star. This perhaps arises from the simplicity of means and frequency of opportunity for viewing the heavenly bodies. We contemplate them as things of course, and are there too apt to rest, without entering into the wonders and glories which every where present themselves. Saturn and Jupiter have now become beautiful telescopic objects, affording a rich and gratifying sight to the lovers of science, and not confined to them alone. Saturn is visible a little below and to the right of the Seven stars, and may readily be known by his superior brightness and fixed light, without scintillation or twinkling. He has not fewer than seven moons, besides a beautiful and luminous ring surrounding his body, but detached from it; and small as this planet appears to us, it is nevertheless nearly 78,000 miles in diameter, and upwards of 900 millions of miles from the Sun : and though the earth is at one season of the year 190 millions of miles nigher to him than at another, yet we perceive no alteration in his size or appearance. Saturn for some time to come will continue to rise between the hours of six and seven in a N. E. by E. direction. Jupiter rises between nine and ten, a little more to the Northward and to the right of the Twins. He has a brilliant and beautiful appearance, and is thereby easily distinguished. This planet is calculated to be 81,155 miles in diameter, and 254,908 in circumference; his axis is perpendicular to the plane of his orbit; consequently there is no variety of seasons, and the poles are constantly illuminated. He turns on this axis once in about nine hours fifty-six minutes of our time, and has several belts formed round him, which change in their appearances. He is attended by four satellites or moons, that revolve very regularly round him the first three are eclipsed every revolution, and come in conjunction with him every seventh day. These eclipses are of very great importance to us, as they afford the readiest and best method of determining the longitudes of places on our globe; and it is much to be lamented that persons who visit distant countries do not more frequently make observations and report the results. The

immersions or instant disappearance of the Satellite, by entering into the shadow of Jupiter, is carefully calculated for the Meridian of Greenwich in the Nautical Ephemeris, and the difference between this time and the time by a well regulated clock or watch, under any other meridian where the same observation can be made, will give the longitude by allowing fifteen degrees to an hour of time.

ANECDOTES OF ANIMALS
AND INSECTS.
No. IV.

THE ITALIAN FIRE FLY. The beauty of the bees and butterflies in Italy, whose warm sun gives luxuriant brilliancy to all the tints of nature, may easily be imagined; but there is one insect of so fairy-like a nature and lustre, that it would be almost worth going to Italy to look at, if there were no other attraction.-It is the Fire-Fly.-Imagine thousands of flashing diamonds every night powdering the ground, the trees, and the air, especially in the darkest places, and the corn-fields. They give at once a delicacy and brilliance to Italian darkness, inconceivable. It is the glowworm winged, and flying in crowds. In England, you know, the female alone gives light; at least, that of the male, who is the exclusive possessor of the wings, is hardly perceptible. Worm is a wrong word, the creature being a real insect.

The Italian name is lucciola, little light; in Genoa, cœe-belle (chiare belle), clear and fine. Its aspect, when held in the hand, is that of a dark coloured beetle, but without the hardness or sluggish look. The light is contained in the under part of the extremity of the abdomen, exhibiting a dull golden-coloured partition by day, and flashing occasionally by day-light, especially when the hand is shaken. At night, the flashing is that of the purest and most lucid fire, spangling the vineyards and olive trees, and their dark avenues, with innumerable stars. Its use is not known. In England, and I believe here, the supposition is, that it is a signal of love. It affords no perceptible heat, but is supposed to be phosphoric. In a dark room, a single one is sufficient to flash a light against the wall. I have read of a lady in the West Indies, who could see to read by

the help of three under a glass, as long as they chose to accommodate her. A few of them are generally in our rooms all night, going about like little sparkling elves. It is impossible not to think of something spiritual, in seeing the progress of one of them through a dark room. You only know it by the flashing of its lamp, which takes place every three or four inches apart, sometimes oftener, thus marking its track in and out the apartment or about it. It is like a little fairy, taking its rounds. These insects remind us of the lines in Herrick, inviting his mistress to come to him at night-time, and they suit them still better than his English ones. Their lights the glow-worms lend thee, The shooting stars attend thee; And the elves also,

Whose little eyes glow, Like the sparks of fire befriend thee.

It may not be generally known that the male spider is supplied with a little bladder, somewhat similar to a drum, and that ticking noise, which hath been termed the death-watch, is nothing more than the sound he makes upon this little apparatus, in order to serenade and allure his mistress.

A lamb, six months old, the property of Mr. Charles Hall, jun. of Englishbatch, near this city, was seen by him on the 31st of August: On the follow ing morning (Sept. 1.) the lamb was missing from the field; when Mr. H. made every enquiry and search after it, but all in vain. On Sunday se'nnight (Sept. 28) Mr. Hall was walking in the same field, accompanied by his dog, through whose sagacity he discovered the lamb in an old drain, living, and apparently in good health, though of course wasted in flesh. Mr. H. dug out the poor animal, and conveyed it home, where proper care has been bestowed on it, and it appears likely to live. Its place of concealment was three feet deep, two feet wide, and five feet long. The ground must have sunk under the creature, as there was no appearance of the old drain.-Buth Gazette.

INSECTS IN AMBER.

Mr. Schweigger having very attentively examined the insects contained in the bits of yellow amber of the coasts

of Prussia, and which at first sight might be thought to be the same as the present insects of that country, has found that they in fact often belong to the same genera, but not to the same species as those living at the present day. Among the small number of insects described and figured in the work of this author, we observe, in particular, an unknown species of scorpion, and a spider which differs from all the species living at present, in not having the head of a single piece with the thorax. M. Germar, Professor at Halle, has given the result of a similar investigation in an Entomological Journal, where he tries to determine some species of those amber insects, the analogues of which are not found alive at the prevent day

SINGULAR PRODUCTION.

Mr. Pym, a farmer at Heywood, in the parish of Diss, in Norfolk, had a kitten, produced by a cat in his possession. This kitten was of four distinct colours, a thing said to be exceeding scarce.

What was more remarkable, it had eight legs and two tails: it lived twenty-four hours, and is preserved in spirits for the inspection of the curious.

A cat in the possession of a person of Exeter, on Monday three weeks kittened three kittens, which lived but two days; on the same day fortnight she again brought forth three more; and, after a lapse of five days from her second, and almost three weeks from the period of her first kittening, one more made its appearance-this last is the largest and strongest of the four, all of which are living.

THE HOUSEWIFE.

No. VIII.

TO EXTRACT OIL FROM
BOARDS OR STONE.

Make a strong lye of pearl-ashes and soft water; and as much unslaked lime as it will take up; stir it together, and then let it settle for a few minutes; put the mixture into a bottle, which cork well. Have ready some water to

Clean your teeth at night, because when eating, particles of meat are apt to cleave about the mouth, and enter the crevises of the teeth, and which, through the natural heat of the mouth, will putrify if they be left in till the morning; consequently, these putrid particles will become harbours of animalculæ, which are the ruin of the teeth. Also, the grossness which is collected in the day, will not be so easily erased in the morning, as at night. Never use any powder (or at least very seldom) the composition of which being in general prejudicial to the teeth, as it rubs off the enamel, the preservation of which constitutes the goodness of the teeth; only use a dry brush, or else water that is milk-warm to wash your mouth with-liquids either too hot or too cold, ought to be avoided-ice creams, for instance :drawing of corks with the teeth, or cracking of nuts, are very prejudicial to the teeth, as they destroy the enamel. Transitions from hot soups to cold water, instead of bracing up the teeth, only tends to enervate and make them

ache.

L'ALLEGRO.

No. VII.

WINE SHARPENS WIT. A gentleman on a time going to see his son at Westminster School, when the celebrated Dr. Busby was master thereof, was invited to partake of a bottle of wine by the Doctor. Whilst they were in discourse, the Doctor sent for the boy. On his entering--"Come," said the Doctor," as your father is here, take a glass of wine;" at the same time the Doctor quoted the Latin sentence: Paucum vini, acuit ingenium, (a little wine sharpens wit). The boy immediately replied-Sed plus vini, plus ingenii! (the more wine the more wit!)" Hold young man," exclaimed the Doctor," for though you argue mathematically, you shall have but one glass."

When Moliere, the Comic Poet, died, the Archbisop of Paris would not let his body be buried in consecrated ground. The King, being informed of this, sent for the Archbishop, and expostulated with him about it: but finding the Prelate inflexibly obstinate, his the consecrated ground reached? This Majesty asked how many feet deep question coming by surprise, the Archbishop replied, "About eight.""Well," answered the King," I find there's no getting the better of your scruples; therefore, let his grave be dug twelve feet deep,-that's four below your consecrated ground, and let him be buried there."

Two Irish labourers, who were lately serving some masons, happened to quarrel, when one of them, who was remarkably stout and tall, struck his neighbour a smart blow on the ear, without betraying any very marked symptoms of irritation. "Is that in earnest or joke, Pat?" cried the sufferer, smarting under the chastisement, but frightened to retaliate. "In earnest," said his relentless antagonist. "Och, then its all very well," replied the injured man coolly, "for I like no such jokes."

The clerk of a retired parish in a neighbouring county, during the late heavy rains, inquired of his Rector, evidently piquing himself upon his own intelligence, whether St. Swithin's Day was not the anniversary of the Deluge?

Garrick roused the feelings more than any actor on record, and most probably suffered as much from their exertion. A gentleman once making the above remark to Tom King, the comedian, he received this reply: "Pooh! he suffer from his feelings!

why, Str, I was playing with him of a most passionate and afflicting part, one night in Lear, when, in the middle and when the whole house was drowned in tears, he turned his head round cheek, whispered-D—me, Tom, itʼill to me, and putting his tongue in his do!" So muck: for the stage feeling. In fine, an actor may make others feel without feeling himself, as a whetstone can work up steel until it cuts, which the whetstone never does.