too long retension of the urine; excessive perspiration. All other things equal, those who drink little, will be more exposed to these attacks than those who drink largely of weak liquors. One more circumstance—the temperature of the urine, is particularly favourable to the development of this disease in old age.

M. Magendie announces that in youth this temperature is higher by some degrees than at a certain age; so that the urine of the aged, having a less dissolving power, will more easily allow of the precipitation of the uric acid.

Nautical Instrument.-Mr. Hunter, of Edinburgh, has invented an instrument of great importance in navigation. From two altitudes of the sun, and the interval of time between the observations, he can determine within five minutes after the second observation, the latitude of the place, the bour from noon, and the variation of the compass. According to the common form of calculation for double altitudes, the latitude by account is supposed to be known, which in the use of this instrument is not necessary. Mr. J. Cross, of Glasgow Observatory, attests that he has tried it in several instances, and always found its results very near the truth. If a vessel were driven from her course by storms or currents; if the reckoning was altogether lost, and the mariner could not get a meridian observation; with this instrument, and a chronometer, he could in a few minutes after the second observation, ascertain his position on the ocean with accuracy.

New Inflammable Gas.-Dr. Thomson has discovered a new compound inflammable gas, and has called it, from the nature of its constitution, hydroguretted carbonic oxide. Its specific gravity is ,913, that of common air being 1. It is not absorbed nor altered by water. It burns with a deep blue flame, and detonates when mixed with oxygen and fired. It is a compound of oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon; and Dr. Thomson considers it as being three volumes of carbonic oxide, and one volume of hydrogen, condensed by combination into three volumes.

See Annals of Philosophy, August,

1818.

WALTZING.

From Mrs. Opie's New Tales.—' I am glad to find you do not waltz, miss Musgrave-nor you, miss Delancy.'

'Do not mistake me, however,' said he; I do not mean to say that I consider all young ladies who waltz, as devcid of modesty, delicacy, or proper feeling; but I feel that I should wish my sister, or my mistress, or my wife, to have a sort of untaught aversion to the farailiarity which waltzing induces. I would have her prize too highly, from self-respect, the sort of favour which a woman confers on a man with whom she waltzes, to be willing to bestow it on any one of her acquaintance. I would wish her to preserve her person unprofaned by any clasping arm, but that of privileged affection. For indeed, dear miss Musgrave, if I saw even a woman whom I loved, borne along the circling waltz, as I see these young ladies now borne, I should be tempted to address her partner in the words of a noble poet-What you touch you may take.'

LITERARY INTELLIGENCE.

Observations in the catalogue of the Leipsic fair of 1818.-(From the Parisian Journal General de la Litterature Etrangere.)

The catalogue of the Easter fair of Leipsic is, as usual, very voluminous, and would convey an exalted idea of German literature, if it were estimated by its bulk, and by the titles of the books announced.

The number of the works detailed, in Latin and German, is 2,230; to these are to be added 104 novels; 60 dramatic pieces; 246 books in foreign languages; 45 atlasses and geographical maps; 416 pieces of music; a total of 3,101.

But from the 2,230 Latin and German works, we must deduct a considerable number merely reprinted or to which new titles only have been given. We may leave out of the account, also, a larger number of translations from the French, the English, the Italian, &c. which do not of course belong to German literature. The number of works really new and properly Ger

man, is thus reduced to about from 1500 to 1800.

The German critics themselves express great surprise at the immense heap of dissertations, sermons, pamphlets, &c. produced on the occasion of the feast of the Reformation, and upon Luther; and of which the major part contains absolutely nothing that is new. Every village curate seems to have thought it a duty to print a sermon, (good or bad) on this occasion. It should be mentioned that no small number of these writings were published at the instigation of the booksellers, and a part composed by them.

Several of the authors are of extraordinary fecundity; as for example Draeseke, who has given eight sermons; Hoch, as many works on Jurisprudence; Wilmsen nine works for youth; Julius de Voss eight novels, &c.

Nevertheless, this catalogue is not wanting in works which do honour to literature; and in this class are to be ranked the many treatises of philology and classical literature, published by Schow, Bothe, Schneider, Beck, &c.the Zootomia of Carus; the laws of polarization, and the scientific physiology of Walter; the Treatise on the Maladies of the Heart, by Kreyssig; many historical works of Voight and others. Among the works in foreign languages are Visconti's Iconography, and a considerable number in the Danish tongue, for the most part translations.

The catalogue announces 352 works as in the press, of which some are very interesting in respect to ancient literature.

In the department of music, the best works produced, belong to compositors of Vienna and Bohemia, such as Beethhoven, Kozeluch, Neukomm, de Call, the chevalier Seyfried, and other disciples of the school of Haydn. Northern Germany has never been distinguished in this line.

Six hundred guineas are said to be paid to writers for every number of the Quarterly Review; the whole expenses are estimated at ten thousand pounds sterling per annum; ten thousand copies of each number are sold; the article

on Evelyn's Memoirs in the 37th number is understood to be from the pen of Southey; that on the 4th canto of Childe Harold from Walter Scott; that on Bellamy's translation of the Scriptures from Dr. Barrow, &c.

Birbeck's letters from Illinois are, like the notes, about to reach a third edition in London. A lively interest seems to pervade all England with respect to America, and the rage for emigrating to this country, has suffered little abatement.

Lalla Rookh is now in its eighth edition, as also the 'Fudge Family.'

Lord Byron continues at Venice, where he has resided for two years past.

The emperor of Austria has established in the Universities of Pavia and Padua particular chairs for the Veterinary Art. The Professors are to enjoy an annual stipend of 1000 florins.

The Academy of Fine Arts of Vienna distributed in the spring of 1818, a great number of honorary degrees to members and prizes to pupils. The arch-dukes Charles, Anthony, Reynier, John and Louis; the dukes Maximilian, Don Francisco de Paula, and Albert de Saxe-Teschen were present at the ceremony. The foreigners elected as honorary members werethe princess of Brazil, the duke Maximelian d'Este, the Spanish duke don Francisco, the count de Caraman, the French ambassador, and the marquis of Marialva, the ambassador of Portugal.

Prince Metternich presided on the occasion, and in his opening discourse announced that the empress wished to be put on the list of protecting members of the Academy.

A Parisian Journal states that the Cossacs of the Don have sent statues of the twelve Apostles, cast in massive silver, of the size of life, to the church of our Lady of Casan at St. Petersburg.

The university of Moscow has been reestablished in great splendor and upon broader foundations as to instruction. Several Russian noblemen have followed the example of the emperor and empress-mother, in contributing large sums of money to this institution.