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Till all the frighted sailors stood like posts;

And, hopeless to escape impending evil, At times they all seemed praying to the devil,

And sometimes praying to the Lord of

Hosts.

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DR PERCY has led Dr Beattie into a radical error concerning this order of men. The minstrels never were the authors of the poems they recited, any more than the ballad-singers in the streets compose the ballads. In the middle ages, ecclesiastical music bore the sway, and was chiefly used in the minsters or monasteries, (Westminster, &c. &c.) whence minstrel, who was merely and solely a singing musician, and never had any preten

sions to the sacred character of a maker, trouvere, troubadour, "finder," or inventor.' Other names for the minstrels were, chanteurs, conteurs, and, in contempt, jongleurs or jugleurs, from the jingle of their instru

ments.

Even in the earliest times, (Fauchet Poesie Fr. p. 74,) the reward of a menestrier or chanteur who had pleased the lord of the castle was an old cloak, which would have been a pretty recompence for a poet or maker, a profession which included kings, princes, and barons, among its followers!

One of the last minstrels on record is mentioned by Fauchet, p. 74. “I remember to have seen Martin Bara

ton, the old minstrel of Orleans, who at festivals and weddings struck a silinscribed with the coats-of-arms of ver tabor, studded with bits of silver, those he had taught to dance."

Thus a minstrel might very naturally be a dancing-master; but a poet has a very different trade, and would have said to a minstrel, sus ad lyram. Blind Henry, who chaunted his own verses on Wallace, is a striking exception, (exceptio firmat regulam ;) but who will call his rhymes poetry, a term which specially indicates invention, united with fire, force, and beauty?

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(which is sweeter than Tibullus or tus,) has passages worthy of Tacitus, even than the Attic honey of Hymetsuch as "in tantâ famæ prodigalitate, exiguæ pecuniæ parci," &c.

tle (lib. 20) is minute and elaborate, His description of Dunbarton Casrock, says he, is very hard, and, when as he was born in the vicinity. The broken, exhales an odour of sulphur. Is this true at present, Messieurs the Vulcanists? adds, by a saxum magnesii lapidis, It is surmounted, he quite coherent, which in modern language would be magnetic rock.

In the first edition, Edinburgh, 1582, the Greek words are left blank, land. In the account of the bold conthat type not being then used in Scotquest of Dunbarton Castle, the Elzesoldier is seized with a fit. The word virs have put ἀποπλήξιαν, when the is too strong, as in apoplexy he would have fallen at once.

Resolution of some English Verbs.

WE have been favoured with the following resolution of such phrases, as It rains, it snows, it thunders, it lightens, &c. &c.-Each of these phrases constitutes, of itself, an entire proposition. How then, it may be asked,

is the pronoun to be resolved in such cases as these, where there is nothing to which you can refer as explanatory of the insulated pronominal word in this unique and peculiar application? The difficulty is only apparent, not real. It is a very common practice in language to utter, first, a most unqualified affirmation or negation, and immediately to limit, modify, or even neutralise it altogether, by the qualifying words subsequently uttered: Thus, "I believe not one word of what you say:"-" I deny -nothing:"-" I hate no man.' Now, it is most unquestionable, that the meaning of the first part of these several sentences is totally altered, modified, and restricted, by the qualifying clauses subjoined. Let us apply this principle to the case before us.-(It rains.)-It, by itself, is indeterminate, but it must refer either to what goes before or follows, or is immediately understood. Here nothing goes before or follows, to which it can refer; and hence something must be intuitively understood. This being admitted, we have next the verb rains-a verb descriptive of a state, or condition, which can only be predicated of one thing, of all the things in the universe, namely, the sky, or firmament. We cannot say the earth, or the sea, rains:-we can apply the verb only in one way, with respect to which no one can be mistaken. The object to which it, therefore, refers in such phrases as, it rains it thunders-it lightens-it snows, and the like, is as apparent as if it had been named or affirmed with the formality of a proposition,—and is nothing more than one of those neces→ sary abbreviations without which language would be an imperfect and clumsy vehicle of thought. These observations, however, will only apply to phrases of the description which I have just mentioned; namely, to those that refer to an object known to all the world the instant the verb is enunciated. Such phrases, therefore, as it happens it appears, &c. &c. are nonsignificant, until joined with something in the shape of a determinate proposition.

Artigas.

ARTIGAS is a native of Monte Video; he took an active part in the com

mencement of the Revolution, and at one time had some share in the new government of Buenos Ayres; but the time he began his active career was the period of the Portuguese extending their territories to the River Plate, and it has been his never ceasing hostility to that power that has made him known to the world. Upon their invading his native territory, he swore eternal enmity, repaired to Monte Video, and endeavoured to defend it against the invaders; it, however, fell, but he annoyed them in the possession of it, keeping the country, almost to the gates of the town, under his power. He was indefatigable in his efforts to rid his native soil of its enemies, and, with means apparently no way proportionate to the effect, kept the power of an extensive kingdom at bay. Without any regular resources, he continually kept the field, and, with a handful of men, harassed an organized army. Defeat to him appeared only to call forth new exertions. He disputed every inch of ground, and did all without assistance from neighbouring chiefs. Every chief and government around are his mortal enemies, and he is universally branded by them with the epithets of bandit and robber; but he is evidently a man of energy and consistency, and is the only public man that has yet appeared in South America, whose character and actions take a hold of the imagination. He has always been a friend to the English, and, during the fiercest war he had to carry on, the British flag was the only one that waved in safety in the waters of the Uraguay and Parana. In fact, there was a treaty of commerce entered into between him and the British commander, Commodore Bowles.

Blandine.

(From the Nederslandsche Muzen-Almanack.) DE winter blies hagel en sneeuw op het land: Blandine stond blij als een bloempje te pronken;

De lente steeht loover aan hester en plant:

Blandine zit bleeh en ir droef heid verzonken ;

Zij lachte big 't rouwen der velden van vreugd:

Nu zit zij en schreit, nu natur zich verheugt.

Wat gingen de buijen des winter's haar

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1891.

Literary and Scientific Intelligence.

LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE.

Noble's Arabic Vocabulary.—Sometime ago, Mr James Noble, Teacher of Languages, Edinburgh, published "Remarks on an Index to Richardson's Arabic Grammar," by which he has rendered an eminent service to Oriental Literature, at present so much neglected in our country. It is no less novel than interesting to hear of such a work issuing from the press in Scotland, where there are no public endow ments for the encouragement of those inclined to study the languages of the East, and where a few meagre lessons in Hebrew have hitherto been dignified with the deceptive title of Oriental LearningThe Arabic is known to be the richest and most copious language on earth. It contains immense, and yet unrevealed, manuscript treasures of history and poetry; and consequently promises a rich reward to the ambitious and indefatigable student. Whether, therefore, we regard the value and importance of the acquisition, considered by itself, or with reference to our gigantic Eastern Empire, and to those individuals whose views of interest and ambition may attract them to the "Land of the Sun" we cannot but consider Mr Noble's attempt as likely to prove eminently useful, as well as in the highest degree creditable to his talents and industry. In the words of an ingenious correspondent," Mr Noble is a young man of very promising talents, and the most indefatiga ble industry; and we hope that the patronage of a generous and enlightened public will encourage him to still greater exertions in the study of Oriental Literature."

Cause of Mildew.-In the Philosophical Magazine for 1805, Vol. XXI. page 320, there is a paper by the late Sir Joseph Banks on the subject of Mildew or Blight, which he ascribes to a minute parasitical fungus, which has been drawn in its various states by Mr Bauer. We are not sure that the existence of such a fungous formation has been positively ascertained; but granting that it has, the phenomenon in question appears to us to proceed from a different cause. Blight takes place more frequently in wheat than in other sorts of grain, and generally about the end of July, or the beginning of August. This we ascribe to the compact formation of the ear of wheat; this, during a fog, absorbs a great portion of moisture, which, in days when the sun does not break through till noon, being rapidly evaporated, produces cold, and kills the plant. Oats are seldom blighted. The reason is obvious. The long arms or levers of the ear, when agitated by the slightest breeze,

VOL. IX.

shake off the moisture deposited. A para-
sitical fungus, did it really exist, could only
produce mildew, by absorbing a quantity
of moisture to be evaporated as already
mentioned. See Dr Wells on Dew. The
experiments detailed in that ingenious
treatise corroborate this explanation of the
phenomenon in question. If our notions
are well founded, a very simple and effec-
tual preventive against mildew, in all si-
tuations, may very readily be applied.

Destructive Marine Worm.-Sir R. Ker
Porter, in his Travels in Georgia, Persia,
&c. relates the following remarkable fact:
-"A dock-yard has been established on
the eastern shore of the Ingul, for building
ships of war. An arsenal of this kind, and
to be constantly at work too, is necessary
to maintain a navy on these shores; for
the Black Sea possesses a peculiarity more
hostile to its fleets than the guns of the
most formidable enemy,-nothing more
than a worm; but the progress of that
worm is as certain and as swift as the run-
ning grains of an hour-glass; it preys on
the ship's bottom, and when once it has
established itself, nothing that has yet been
discovered can stop its ravages.
coppered vessels are ultimately rendered
useless, when an opening admits the per-
foration of this subtle little creature.'

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Even

New Barometer.-Mr Barth of Strasburg has just published, in the Gazette of Mayence, his discovery of a New Barometer, which will announce every change of the weather thirty hours before it happens. This instrument, which, in the time of Galileo, would perhaps have conducted the inventor into the prisons of the Inquisition, will, it is asserted, give notice of thunder storms twelve hours before they occur.

Literature. The literary world will be glad to learn, that the long celebrated library of Count Melzi has lately been bought at Milan, by Messrs Payne and Foss of London, by whom it has been resold to Frank Hall Standish, Esq. in an entire state, and is coming over to this country. This magnificent collection contains, among many other rarities of the 15th century, the Livii Historia Spiræ, 1470, printed upon vellum with capitals, most tastefully illustrated; the most perfect copy known. The Lucretius Brescia Ferrandi, of the first edition of which there are only two other copies besides this, which are in the libraries of Lord Spencer, and Count Delzi of Florence. In the collection is also the first Virgil of 1469, &c.

Water Velocipede. The terms, "Walking upon Water," applied to Mr Kent's

I

recent exhibitions, are improper. The apparatus which he uses consists of three hollow tin cases of the form of an oblong hemispheroid, connected together by three raised iron bars, at the meeting of which is a seat for the exhibitor. These cases, filled with air or some gas, are of such a magnitude, that they can easily support his weight; and as the length of the machine, from the tin case in front, to each of the two in the rear, is about ten feet, and the breadth, between these two, is about eight feet, he floats very steadily upon the water. The feet of the exhibitor rest on stirrups, and he attaches to his shoes, by leather belts, two paddles, which turn round a joint when he brings his foot forward to take the stroke, and keep a vertical position, when he draws it back against the resisting water. By means of the alternate action of his feet, he is enabled to advance at the rate of five miles an hour.

New Chemical Apparatus.-Mr Charles Cameron of Glasgow has invented and superintended the construction of an apparatus for Dr M'Gavin, Nelson Street, Glasgow. Its purpose is for the manufacture of Soda-water, or of any other mineral water requiring to be charged with Carbonic Acid Gas. The apparatus displays great ingenuity, having neither gasometer nor air-pump, yet a boy is capable of compress. ing into any vessel thirty or forty atmospheres of gas in as many minutes as half a dozen men would with the forcing pump, (commonly used,) in as many hours; in fact, it is the discovery of a new power equal to steam; more applicable to many purposes, although more expensive. An apparatus equally effective as a forty horse power steam engine, would occupy a space of four feet square, requiring neither fire nor water. The present price of Sulphuric Acid alone prevents it from superseding the steam engine, in its application to the propelling of vessels. It is, however, to be hoped that the progress of the arts will at a future period overcome this barrier.

Paper Making.-A manufactory of paper from straw has been established at Okanion, near Warsaw, the success of which is expected to reduce the price of paper. This manufactory will be confined, for the present, to pastehoard and thick paper.

Surgical Cuse. In the lately published Transactions of the Literary Society of Bombay is an account of a surgical case, in which the loss of a portion of bone in the arm of an Arab has been supplied, through the dexterity of a native surgeon, by a silver tube.

New Musical Instrument.—The Terpodion, a musical instrument of an entirely novel description, has lately arrived in London from Germany. It combines the sweetness of the flute and clarionet with

the energy of the horn and bassoon, and yielding a full and rich harmony, resembling an orchestra of wind instruments. This surprising effect is said to be produced by the most simple combination of a range of wooden staves!

Remedy for Swelled Cattle.-Mr J. Bligh of Stone, Cornwall, thus communicates to the Editor of the Furmer's Journul, a remedy for swelled cattle: "I have often had cattle prodigiously blown out in the hide, particularly about the flank, by eating turnips or green clover, and have found hog's lard (either mixed with salt or without) an infallible remedy. I have a couple of lumps, each about the size of a pullet's egg, put down the throat with the hand, the person who does it holding fast the tongue at the same time rather out of the mouth; and upon withdrawing it the animal swallows the lard. I generally mix about a tea-spoonful of salt with each ball of lard.

The effect appears to be the discharge of wind upwards, as eructation immediately follows; and it is not improbable but that the stomach might be deprived of the salutary action by the swollen state of its contents."

Medical Case.-Professor J. D. Herholdt of Copenhagen, Knight, delivered in the Royal Medical Society at Copenhagen, on the 8th of March last, an interesting Latin dissertation; it relates undoubtedly to one of the most remarkable cases in the annals of medicine. A woman, after having been subject for several years to violent pains and spasms, was freed, by the ability of this physician, from 273 needles, which were cut out in different parts. is a question of great interest how this extraordinary number of needles should have come into her body, and how far the pains which she suffered have been caused thereby.

It

The woman is now doing very well. Reading Societies and Literary Institutions in the United Kingdom.-It may be imated that there exist at present not less than 6500 of these useful institutions of various degrees, and for various purposes, in the United Kingdom; and that, owing to their convenience and proved utility, above 1000 new ones have been formed within the last three years.

Some of them have permanent and accumulating libraries, and of these there are about 260; others circulate the books from member to member, and every two or three years sell them to augment their capital; of these there are not less than 500; while others, to the number of 750, are Magazine Societies, for the circulation of Magazines, Reviews, and periodical Journals. The 260 permanent libraries accommodate about 8000 families with books and periodical works, that 600 book societies about 14,000 families; and the magazine societies about 9000 families;

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