A complete new chemical apparatus, for the use of the College at Cambridge, procured in London by an agent, expressly sent for the purpose, has been shipped and will be used in the lectures next spring.

A plan to raise a small fund for the commencement of an institution for the promotion of the Fine Arts in this town, has been for some time past in agitation, and some steps towards commencing a subscription, have been taken, which several gentlemen have promised to aid. Its further prosecution is postponed for a short time. In the next number some observations on the subject will be given, and some mention of the artists, now living here, as well as of those who are temporarily absent, and whose return would be certain, if they could hope for that encouragement, which an institution of this kind would greatly contribute to afford.

The Agricultural Society of Connecticut have published an Almanack for the use of farmers, which is said to be on a very improved plan; and as every farmer purchases an Almanack, much useful information is given to them in this way. We have not seen one of them, but, a work of this kind might certainly be made of increased utility, and might be issued under the direction, or patronage, of the Agricultural Societies of other States.

The Cattle show, and exhibition of domestick manufactures at Pittsfield, is stated to have been very fully attended this season, and to have afforded the most satisfactory proofs of the melioration of our breeds of cattle and sheep; and the improvement of many branches of domestick manufactures. Exhibitions of this kind have greatly contributed to the present flourishing state of agriculture in England, and it would have the most beneficial effect to multiply them here. An annual show of this kind, in Boston or its neighbourhood, for the distribution of premiums, would be attended with salutary effects, and is much wanted. Perhaps there might be added to it, in some village in the neighbourhood, a Fair for the sale of fat cattle, as such numerous droves are brought here annually to be slaughtered.

The militia reviews of this autumn, have been extensive and satisfactory. The First Division, consisting of three brigades, amounting in all to between five and six thousand men, were reviewed at Dedham. The Second Division was also reviewed by brigades, at Boxford and Danvers, each brigade containing upwards of two thousand. The equipment and discipline of the militia has greatly improved within a short period in this State. They are all well armed, all the officers, commissioned and non

commissioned, all the cavalry and artillery, and many of the infantry companies are in uniform. There are upwards of one hundred brass field pieces, with all the appendages complete, distributed among the different companies of artillery; and a greater degree of emulation exists in this important branch of service than formerly.

Proposals are issued for publishing the biography of the late Rev. John Murray, in one volume.

General Wilkinson intends to publish memoirs of his own time, in three volumes.

A collection of books recently imported from Holland, will be sold at auction in Boston, on the 20th of December. Descriptive catalogues are ready to be issued. A more rare and valuable assortment of books was never before exposed for sale in the United States, and there are among these several, which it may be safely affirmed cannot be found in any library in the country. There are some modern German and French authors, but the greater part are chosen editions of the ancient classicks, standard works in theology and criticism. Among them may be cited a splendid edition of Calvin in nine folio volumes, bound in veilum, a copy of the Byzantine historians, the most valuable edition of Bayle, &c. &c. Among the criticks, are the works of Buxtorf, Erasmus, Le Clerc, Lipsius, Hammond, Lightfoot, Salmasius, Schultens, Crellius, Scaliger, Socinus, Poole, Przipcanius, Father Simon, Dupin, Carpzovius, Vitringa and Vossius. An opportunity is offered to theologians, literary men, and college libraries, of obtaining invaluable standard works, such as has never offered in this country, and but rarely in Europe. We shall not dwell on the value of these books, as those who are capable of appreciating them, will be able to judge of them by the catalogue which will be distributed in season, in all our principal towns.

BOOKS RECENTLY PUBLISHED IN ENGLAND.

A volume of posthumous poetry of William Cowper, Esq. and a sketch of his life by the Rev. John Johnson.*

Travels through Poland, Austria, Bavaria, Saxony, and the Tyrol, in 1807 and 1808, by Baron Uklanski.

PREPARING FOR PUBLICATION.

Fragments of several orations of Cicero, with a commentary of Ascanius Vedianus, from original MSS. lately discovered in the Ambrosian library at Milan. To be published under the direction of Mr. J. G. Jackson.

* Mess'rs Wells and Lilly have re-printed this volume. Vol. II.

No. 4.

18

The life and campaigns of Field Marshal Prince Blucher, translated from the German of General Gneisenau, by J. E. Marston.

Memoirs of John Duke of Marlborough, two volumes quarto, drawn from private correspondence and family documents, preserved at Blenheim, by Mr. Archdeacon Coxe,

The life of James the Second, King of England, collected out of memoirs written by himself, also his advice to his son, and his last will. By the Rev. J. S. Clarke.

Dr. Young is printing a work, entitled a practical and historical treatise on consumptive diseases, exhibiting a concise account of the state of medical science in all ages.

:

It is said to have been discovered in England, that larch trees are very noxious to many others, such as poplars, plane, and willows, and that the decay of the orchards, the fruit not only being blighted but the trees themselves being in a dying state, is owing to these trees. That the larch contains a kind of white powder on every twig, which is full of insects, and which being carried to the other trees occasions their destruction. In the county of Essex, they are considered by many persons, on account of these very insects, noxious to man. That many families who had suffered by having these trees grow near their dwellings, had recovered when they had been cut down..

There has been lately published in England, a ' Memoir on the Ruins of Babylon. By Claudius James Rich, Esq. president for the Hon. East India Company, at the court of the Pasha of Bagdad, with three plates.' From some account of this work, and extracts from it in the Literary Panorama, for August last, it must be a very interesting one, particularly as illustrating several texts of scripture, in relation to the mode of building, and the destruction of that city..

In some account of the proceedings of the Royal Society in the Monthly Magazine for August, there is the following article. J. G.Children, Esq. submitted to the society, a description of his very large galvanick battery, each plate of which consisted of 32 square feet, and related the effects of a great number of experiments made with it in producing intense heat, in melting metals, &c. one experiment was on iron. He and Mr. Pepys took a piece of soft iron, made a cavity in it to hold some diamond powder, and then submitted it to the action of the galvanick battery; when the iron was instantly converted into blister steel, and the diamond entirely disappeared. This experiment the author concluded, was quite satisfactory to prove that the diamond contains nothing but. pure carbon.

[There have been several instances of springs of fresh water that have ebbed and flowed with regularity; various conjectures have been made about the cause. By the following account taken from the Monthly Magazine for August, a very remarkable effect was discovered on a stream of fresh water, which is clearly produced by the ebbing and flowing of the tide, though the mode of its operation does not seem perfectly ascertained.]

On an ebbing and flowing stream discovered by boring in the harbour of Bridlington; by John Storer, M. D.

The following account of certain peculiarities attending a spring of fresh water, which was tapped in horing within the harbour of Bridlington quay, Yorkshire, is given from repeated observations made during a residence of some weeks there, in the months of July and August, 1814. The harbour of Bridlington quay is dry at low water, except for a rivulet which traverses its bed: at high water it has from fifteen to seventeen feet of water. Mr. Rennie, civil engineer, was consulted in the year 1811, respecting certain improvements projected in that harbour. At his desire, with a view to ascertain the depth of a stratum of clay in the harbour, the boring, which terminated in forming the well to be described, was begun under the direction of Mr. Milne, collector of the customs for the port. The spot fixed upon is opposite to the termination, of a street leading to the harbour, and has about six feet of water at high water in ordinary tides.

After the workmen had bored through twenty eight feet of very solid clay, and afterwards through fifteen feet of a cretaceous flinty gravel, of a very concrete texture, the augur was perceived to strike against the solid rock; but, as they were not able to make any impression upon it, the work was given up for that tide, without any appearance of water from the first. In an hour or two afterwards, the bore was found filled to the top with fresh water, of the most limpid appearance: it soon flowed over, and was even projected some inches above the summit of the bore, in a stream equal to its calibre. When it was ascertained that the water was of the purest quality and taste, perfectly fit for washing, and every culinary purposes, the bore was properly secured by an élm stock, ten feet long, and perforated with a three-inch augur, driven to its full length; a copper tube well tinned on both sides, of a circumference to admit of its being passed through the bore of an elm stock, and thirty-two feet in length, was then forced to the bottom of the bore, so as to rest on the rock. The upper part being properly puddled round the elm stock, and the well thus completed, the following singular circumstances were observed, and have continued with great uniformity ever since.

As soon as the surface of the sea water in the harbour, during the flowing tide, has arrived at a level of forty-nine or fifty inches lower than the top of the bore, the water begins to flow from it in a stream equal to its calibre, the impetus of which is increased as the tide advances, and may be observed to be propelled with much force after the bore is overflowed by the tide. The discharge continues from four to five hours, i. e. till the tide in returning falls to the same level where it began to flow at this point it ceases completely till the next flood shall have regained the same level, when the same phenomena recur, in the same succession, and without any variation, but what arises from the different degrees of elevation in the tides. The rule appears to be, that the column of spring water in the bore is always supported at a height of forty-nine or fifty inches above the level of the tide, at any given time. This at least was the result of every observation I made during several successive weeks in the months of July and August last; and, I am assured by Mr. Milne, on whose ingenuity and habit of accurate observation I can place the firmest reliance, that his habitual experience, for three years past, goes to convince him, that the variations from the rule stated above, are very inconsiderable during the summer and autumnal months; but, that in winter, after any unusual fall of rain, he has known the column of fresh water raised eight feet above the level of the tide, and the period of its discharge proportionally prolonged.

For the use of the town and shipping, a reservoir, of brick work, capable of containing one thousand gallons, has been constructed within two or three yards, and upon a somewhat higher level than the summit of the bore, and is made to communicate with it by a tube of the same diameter, fitted with a valve to prevent any reflux into the well. Two waste pipes are placed within a foot of the top of the reservoir, for the regular discharge of the water, and it has also been made to communicate with a pump adjoining, by which the reservoir may be emptied; and as the bore of the well is now closed and secured at the top, it is obvious that the commencement of the flow of water, from the pipes of the reservoir, will happen a few minutes sooner or later at each tide, according to the quantity of water it contained at the time. Such, however, is the known regularity of the discharge from the waste pipes, that at the expected time of the tide several of the inhabitants are always on the spot with their vessels, and are rarely obliged to wait for more than five minutes.

Such is the state of facts, and it appears to open a subject of curious investigation to those whose habits and practical knowledge qualify them for it. The appearances seem not to admit of any satisfactory explanation, without supposing some mode of subterranean communication, by which the water of the sea, and that of the spring in question, are brought into actual contact, so as to exert a reciprocal action. This supposition receives con