If the London signs did no honour to the literature of the age, they were of some service in fostering the arts they formed the school in which many an eminent painter first practised, and which some even ranking high in the profession have not disdained. Mr. Cotton, Mr. Lamb, (well known in the middle of the last century), and even Mr. Wale, one of the founders of the Royal Academy, and the first Professor of Perspective in that institution, were sign painters.

In the beginning of the last century the signs in the streets were so cumbrous, that the iron-work alone of one of the signs frequently weighed five or six hundred pounds. In 1762, an Act of Parliament was passed for the better regulation of the streets, when the signs were all taken down, and Ben Jonson and Shakspeare, Esculapius and Galen, were condemned to mingle with the blue boars, red lions, and other incongruities, in the warehouses of brokers and carpenters, until they were rescued from oblivion by some virtuoso.

THE PROGRESS OF SCIENCE.

The following paper from the Philosophical Transactions, is by Mr. Faraday, relative to his experiments to bring several gases to a liquid

state:

which it has been subjected. In endeavouring to open, at one end, the tubes containing it, they have always burst into fragments with powerful explosion. Tubes which have held it for two or three weeks spontaneously exploded with great violence, on some increase of temperature, from a change in the weather. Its vapour exerts a pressure of 36 atmospheres, at 32°.

Euchlorine-is a very fluid transparent substance, of a deep yellow colour, which, when exposed to the air, instantly passed off in vapour, causing the tube containing it to burst with considerable violence.

Nitrous Oxidie-is a very limpid colourless fluid, and so volatile, that the warmth of the hand makes it easily pass into vapour, which is again rapidly condensed by the application of a mixture of ice and salt. It boils by the difference of temperature between 50° and 0°. It remains fluid at 10°; when a tube containing it is opened at one end, it immediately rushes out in the form of vapour, the pressure of which is equal to above 50 atmospheres, at 45o.

Cyanogen-is a limpid colourless fluid, remaining so at 30°. When the tube in which it was prepared was opened, the expansion within did not appear to be very great, and the liquid passed with comparative slowness into vapour, but producing great cold. The fluid acid does not at first mix with water, but floats on it. At the termination of some days, however, the water had become black, owing to a chemical action having taken place, similar probably to that which occurs in aqueous solution of cyanogen.

Ammonia--Chloride, or muriate of silver, possesses the property of absorbing a large quantity of ammoniacal gas, which it gives off when heated to about 100o. When a portion of this compound was put into a bent tube, afterwards hermetrically sealed, and was heated; it gave off the alkali, which condensed in the opposite limb, kept cold by ice. Liquid ammonia, as thus prepared, is transparent and colourless; but, as the chloride cools, it immediately passes off in vapour, and combines with it, producing a curious combination of effects. The chloride, by the absorption of the vapour, has its temperature elevated nearly to 100°; while, at the distance of a few inches, considerable cold is

produced by the evaporation of the ammonia.

Muriatic Acid-is a colourless fluid, passing off in vapour on exposure to air, the pressure of which is equal to nearly 40 atmospheres, at the temperature of 50o.

EARTH WORMS.

Leo, of Berlin, has lately confirmed what Swammerdam has already remarked with regard to earth worms, that they multiply by eggs, which are found in springs, and which allow not only the enclosed young, but also the circulation of the blood to be seen.

These observations have likewise been

confirmed by Rudolphi. According to him, what some naturalists have found in the body of worms, and which they have considered as the young, is merely an intestinal animal, which he has seen, not only in the worms themselves, but also in the eggs.

BIOGRAPHY.

LEWIS CORNARO

Was descended from one of the most illustrious families in Venice: but, by the misconduct of some of his relations, had the bad fortune to be deprived of the dignity of a nobleman, and excluded from all honour and public employments in the state. Chagrined at this unmerited disgrace, he retired to Padua, and married Veronica, a lady of the family of Spittenberg. Being in possession of a good estate, he was desirous of having children; and after a long expectation of this happiness, his wife was delivered of a daughter, to whom he gave the name of Clara. This was the only child, who was afterwards married to John, the son of Trantini Cornaro, of a rich family in Cyprus, while that land belonged to the republic of Venice. Though he was very far advanced in life when his daughter Clara was born, yet he lived to see her very old, and the mother of eight sons and three daughters. He was a man of sound understanding, determined courage and resolution. In his younger days, he had contracted infirmities by intemperance, and by his indulging his too great propensity to anger; but when he perceived the ill consequences of his irregularities, he had command enough of himself to subdue his passion and inordinate ap petites. By means of great sobriety,

and a strict regimen in his diet, he recovered his health and vigour, which he preserved to an extreme old age. At a very advanced life, he wrote his celebrated Discourse on “Health and Long Life," wherein he acquaints us with the irregularities of his youth, his reformation of manners, and the hopes he entertained of living a long time. Nor was he mistaken in his expectations, for he resigned his last breath without any agony, sitting in an elbow chair; being above an hundred years old. This happened at Padua, April 26, 1566; and he was buried on the 8th of May. His lady, almost as old as himself, survived him but a short time, and died an easy death. They were both interred in St. Anthony's Church without any pomp.

These discourses, though written in Cornaro's old age, were penned at different times, and published separately. The first, which he wrote at the age of eighty-three, is entitled "A Treatise on a Sober Life," in which he exclaims against every kind of intemperance; and his vigorous old age speaks in favour of his precepts. The second treatise he composed at the age of eighty-six; it contains further encomiums on sobriety, and points out the means of mending a bad constitution. He says he came into the world with a choleric disposition, but that his temperate way of life had enabled him to subdue it. The third, which he wrote at the age of ninety-one, is entitled, "An Earnest Exhortation to a Sober Life;" in which he uses the strongest arguments to persuade mankind to embrace a temperate mode of living, as the means of attaining a healthy and vigorous old age. The fourth, a letter to Barbaro, Patriarch of Aqueleia, written at the age of ninety-five, contains a lively description of the health, vigour, and perfect use of all his faculties, which he had the happiness of enjoying at that advanced period. In the "Spectator," vol. iii. Mr. Addison, speaking of abstmence, has the following passage: "The most remarkable instance of the efficacy of temperance towards the procuring long life, is what we meet with in a little book, published by Lewis Cornaro, the Venetian, which I the rather mention, because it is of undoubted credit, as the late Venetian ambassador, who was of the same family, attested more than once in conversation when he resided in England.

Cornaro, who was the author of the little treatise I am mentioning, was of an infirm constitution till about forty, when, by obstinately persisting in an exact course of temperance, he recovered a perfect state of health; insomuch, that at fourscore he published his book, which has been translated into English, under the title of "Sure and certain Methods of attaining a Long and Healthy Life." He lived to give a third or fourth edition of it; and after having passed his hundredth year, died without pain or agony, and like one who falls asleep. ABSTRACT OF BUFFON ON THE VARIETIES OF THE HUMAN SPECIES.

Buffon begins with the Northern parts of the globe, and observes, that in Lapland, Greenland, and Nova Zembla, and the most Northern parts of Russia, Tartary, and America, we find a race or species of men of small stature and bizarre figure, whose phisiognomy is as savage as their manners. This whole race of men, he continues, are but four feet high, and the tallest not above four and a half. They have a great head, with black lank hair, a large flat face, a flat nose, a yellowish deep-brown eye, eyebrows turning towards their temples, their cheek bones extremely high, their chops thin, with thick blubber-lips, and a very wide mouth, a squeaking voice, a tawny skin, and a squat body, though meager. This is, says Buffon, a description of this race of men, though they differ a little in some countries, being more ugly than others; and, what is remarkable, the most Northern are the most tawny; and in Greenland the women's breasts are so long and lank, that they throw them over their shoulders for their children to suck behind their backs, and their nipples are as black as charcoal In mind and manners they all seem to agree, having near the same affections, and the same customs. They are equally clownish, superstitious, and stupid; and though they are robust and nimble, they are all so cowardly that it is impossible to make them soldiers, the experiment having been tried in vain by Gustavus Adolphus. They have neither modesty nor shame, for they bathe altogether, men and women, mothers and sons, brothers and sisters; and have no fear of being seen in a state of nudity. They do not scruple

to offer their wives and daughters to strangers, and feel honoured by the acceptance. Their clothing is of the skins of deer, of wild-fowl, and seadogs, having no such thing as linen among them; their food is of dried fish, and the flesh of deer or bears; their bread some fish-bones bruised to a powder, and mixed with the tender bark of pine or birch trees; their drink whale oil, and water, with an infusion of juniper berries; and their habitation in huts dug almost entirely under ground, and always filled with smoke, in winter to keep them warm, in summer to prevent gnats, which the country, notwithstanding the severity of the winter, is full of in that season. The next, which constitute a particular race, or species of the human kind, is the Tartars. These people have a very large flat face, and wrinkled even in their youth; a short thick nose; small hollow eyes, almost covered with large eyebrows and thick eye-lashes; narrow chops, with a long chin; long teeth, distant from each other; and a thin beard. They are of a middling stature, but very strong and robust, with large thighs and short legs. Their complexion is of a tawny olive, and their hair black. Of all these people, the Calmucks are the most ugly, and the most savage; for they have such a broad, large face, that some of them have the breadth of five or six fingers from one eye to the other, with their nose so flat, that instead of nostrils you see only two holes. As to the whole Tartar race, they are for the most part without any religion, modesty, or decency, and all given to thieving, especially the Calmucks, who have no settled habitation, but live in tents, and move with their herds of horses and cattle from place to place; their most ordinary food being the flesh of horses, camels, &c. which they eat quite raw, or a little mortified between the horses' backs and the saddles on which they ride. Buffon looks upon the Chinese to be of the same race with the Tartars, though their temper and manners differ materially. The Tartars being generally fierce, warlike, clownish, and rough, even to brutality; and they are also great lovers of hunting, fatigue, and independence. Whereas, the Chinese are effeminate, pacific, indolent, superstitious, slavishly submissive, and nauceously ceremonious. The peninsulas of Malacca and Malabar, the island of Sumatra, and several

of the other islands in the East Indies, says Buffon, are chiefly inhabited by people which seem to be of a different race. They are quite black, with long black hair, black eyes, a longish visage, nose of a moderate size, and thin lips; but in all those eastern parts, there seems to be a great variety of different sorts of people, and often in the same island. In those unknown countries, called New Guinea, New Holland, there is a sort of people which seem to be the very same with the negroes of Guinea in Africa. And in the island of Formosa, and the Ladrones, there is a race of men different from the former, being of a larger size, and much stronger than any in Europe, of a dark tawny complexion, frizled hair, large eyes, nose, and lips; a long visage, and a fierce countenance.

[To be continued.]

TRUE HEROISM.

The plague raged more violently than ever in Marseilles. Every link of affection was broken, the father turned from the child, the child from the father: cowardice, ingratitude, no longer excited indignation. Misery is at its height when it thus destroys every generous feeling, thus dissolves every tie of humanity! the city became a desert, grass grew in the streets, a funeral met you at every step. The physicians assembled in a body at the Hotel de Ville, to hold a consultation on the fearful disease, for which no remedy had yet been discovered. After a long deliberation, they decided unanimously that the malady had a peculiar and mysterious character, which opening a corpse alone might develope, -an operation it was impossible to attempt, since the operator must infallibly become a victim in a few hours, beyond the power of human art to save him, as the violence of the attack would preclude their administering the customary remedies. A dead pause succeeded this fatal declaration. Suddenly a surgeon named Guyon, in the prime of life, and of great celebrity in his profession, rose and said firmly, "Be it so: I devote myself for the safety of my country. Before this numerous assembly I swear, in the name of humanity and religion, that to-morrow, at the break of day, I will dissect a corpse, and write down as I proceed what I observe." He left the assembly instantly. They admire him, lament his fate, and doubt whether he

will persist in his design. The intrepid and pious Guyon, animated by all the sublime energy religion can inspire, acted up to his words. He had never married, he was rich, and he immediately made a will, dictated by justice and piety; he confessed, and in the middle of the night received the sacraments. A man had died of the plague in his house within four and twenty hours. Guyon, at day break, shut himself up in the same room; he took with him an inkstand, paper, and a little crucifix. Full of enthusiasm, never had he felt more firm or more collected: kneeling before the corpse, he wrote, "Mouldering remains of an immortal soul, not only can I gaze on thee without horror, but even with joy and gratitude. Thou wilt open to me the gates of a glorious eternity. In discovering to me the secret cause of the terrible disease which destroys my native city, thou wilt enable me to point out some salutary remedy-thou wilt render my sacrifice useful. Oh God! (continued he), thou wilt bless the action thou hast thyself inspired." He began,— he finished the dreadful operation, and recorded in detail his surgical observations. He then left the room, threw the papers into a vase of vinegar, and afterwards sought the lazaretto, where he died in twelve hours-a death ten thousand times more glorious than the warrior's, who to save his country rushes on the enemy's ranks, since he advances with hope, at least, sustained, admired, and seconded by a whole army.--La Peste de Marseilles by Madame de Genlis.

To the Editor of Saturday Night.

Sir,

The following fact, witnessed by a friend of the writer's, a short time since, may not be uninteresting to such of your readers as are observers of. nature. Your's, &c.

X. Y. Z. Mr. W walking in his orchard, his attention was attracted by a slight hissing, and looking towards the spot from whence it proceeded, he observed a snake contending with a toad. They attacked each other with great courage; and when exhausted by its exertions in struggling with the snake, the toad made towards a root of Plantain, from a leaf of which, having extracted, seemingly, refreshment, and thereby acquired fresh vigour, it again courage

ously attacked the snake, whose aim seemed to be, to prevent the toad's reaching what appeared his sovereign remedy. This the snake at length effected, when the toad became, apparently, an easy prey, and was killed by the snake.

SPAIN.

Spain, which has been ravaged by long and destructive wars, within the last twenty years, is situated in a large peninsula, which forms the southwestern part of Europe. It is bounded on the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea and Streights of Gibraltar; on the north and west by the Bay of Biscay and Atlantic Ocean; on the south-west by Portugal; and on the north-east by the Pyrenean Mountains.

The most ancient name of Spain was Iberia, supposed by some to be derived from the Iberians, a people inhabiting Mount Caucasus, a colony of whom settled in the country. Others derive it from Ebra, or Ibra, signifying a passage or limit. By the Romans it was called Spania, or Hispania, from the Phenician name Sphanija; and this again from Shaphan, a Phenician word signifying a rabbit, because the western part of Spain abounded with those animals.

Spain is supposed to have been peopled by the Celtes; but the Spanish historians themselves contend, that they had their origin from Tubal, the fifth son of Japhet, asserting, that Spain had been a monarchy for 2,226 years before the coming of the Celtes into it. But until the coming of the Carthaginians into Spain, nothing certain can be affirmed of the Spaniards. Their origin, like that of many other nations, is involved in impenetrable obscurity.

THE HOUSEWIFE.

No. IX. DISSERTATION ON THE ART OF COOKERY. The science or art of Cookery, like all other sciences and arts, had its infancy; and did not arrive at a state of maturity but by slow degrees, and after numerous experiments. Volumes might be written, and reams of paper ex hausted, without ever arriving at the knowledge of the origin of cookery, and of the hero or heroine to whom the honour of the discovery is due.

Perhaps, like many other discoveries, accident gave it birth; and relish, from time to time, so perfected her favourite child, that he must indeed be a truly fastidious being, and much to be pitied, who could not more than satisfy the cravings of his appetite either after the substantial manner of John Bull, or from the savoury dishes conjured up by the light fingers of Monsieur Le Restaurateur. In the infant age of the world, mankind contented themselves with the simple produce of nature, such as apples, nuts, herbs, and various other productions of the teeming earth, which succeeded each other in due season; and they needed no other stimulus but a good appetite, which a healthful and vigorous constitution, a clear, wholesome, odoriferous air, moderate exercise, and an exemption from all anxious cares, always supplied them. We read of no palled appetites in those days, but what proceeded from the decay of nature by reason of old age; but, on the contrary, even a craving stomach upon a death-bed. When Isaac (Gen. 27.) was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau, his eldest son, and said unto him,

Behold, now I am old I know not the day of my death. Now, therefore, take, pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver, and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison, and make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, that my soul may bless thee before I die." In those days, food and physic were the same thing; and for more than two thousand years there were neither physicians to prescribe, nor apothecaries to compound, medicines. Some historions relate, that the ancestors of the afterwards renowned Greeks fed on acorns. But when mankind began to pass from a vegetable to an animal diet, and to feed on flesh, fowls, and fish, then seasonings grew necessary, both to render it more palatable and savoury, and to preserve it from putridity. It is probable that salt, of which we read, (Gen. xiv.) was the first seasoning discovered. We read of no account of any want of appetites, but of those who had advanced in age, and whose palates, with their bodies, had lost their vigour as to taste, and whose digestive faculties grew weak and impotent; hence proceeded the necessity of soups and savoury messes; so that cookery, it is probable, then began to assume