Bank METEOROLOGICAL DIARY, BY W. CARY, STRAND, DAILY PRICE OF STOCKS, 27 Shut. Shut. 87 | 87 28 30 31 874 Shut Shut 102 12 Shut Shut Shut 10132 102′′ 2 50 pm. 51 53 pm. 57.58 pm. 57 58 pm. 58 59 pm. 52 53 pm. 58 61 pm. 52 54 pm. 60 61 pm. 53 pm. 60 61 pm. 96 61 59 pm. 60 61 pm. 50 pm. 96 59 58 pm. 58. 55 pm. 195금 95호 102곱슬 11 209 86 96 102 19 232 49 pm. 58 60 pm. 49 50 pm. 57 59 pm. 57 58 pm. 1033 193 231 48 49 pm. 58 57 pm. 103 19 58 59 pm. 51 pm. 59 60 pm. 51 pm. 59 60 pm.. 24 211 87 88 25 Hol. 96 96 103 104 19 231 49 51 pm. 58 59 pm. April 6, 863-18, 864-22, 87 New South Sea Annuities, April 9, 87-14, 873.-22, 88.-Old South Sea Annuities, J. J. ARNULL, Stock Broker, Bank-buildings, Cornhill, late RICHARDSON, GOODLUCK, and Co. J. B. NICHOLS AND SON, 25, PARLIAMENT-STREET. MINOR CORRESPONDENCE. Our kind Correspondent J. A. R. (of Springfield, near Chelmsford) says, "In a collection of French tracts I have met with a curious work, entitled, Le Grand Calendrier et comport des Bergers, &c. à Troyes, chez Pierre Garnier' (circa 1723). Page 55 contains the Ten Commandments as delivered by the Roman Catholics, wherein the 2d is omitted. At the head is a rude wood-cut of the Deity delivering the two Tables to Moses. In this work are several wood-cuts. From the costume of the figures, &c. I have little doubt of their being coeval with the reign of Henry the VIII., as the same blocks were frequently used for other works of a much later period. In a tract entitled La Grande Danse Macabre,' containing many wood-cuts, one of them represents a man sitting in a study, leaning his elbow on a chair, and before him is a curious lutrin or desk, with several books, &c. with a window of quarry-glass in the back ground; and on referring to a wood-cut inserted in an early edition of Le Rommant de la Rose, nouvellement imprimé à Paris,' (lett. Goth.) and examining it very minutely. line for line, it will be found to be the very same block used two centuries previous to this publication in 1723, except that part of the back of the chair has been cut away, and the block split in one place."-The same Correspond ent remarks, "Whoever has passed through Braintree and Bocking in Essex, must have observed that the inhabitants have a custom of standing with their hands in their pockets. Not only men and boys, but even women, are generally seen in this attitude. This seems to be an old subject of observation; for I remember forty years ago, when walking with my hauds in my pockets, I was asked by an old friend whether I had been staying at Bocking. Perhaps some Correspondent would favour you with an account of a strange tradition about a great stone in the town of Bungay." VIATOR states, that he lately saw a Funeral Sermon of the Protector Cromwell, thus entitled, "A good Prince bewailed by a good people," by George Lawrence, A. M. Minister of St. Cross's Hospital, near Winchester. It is very neatly half-bound, and printed in 1658; is of the quarto size, has 36 pages, and inserted are the heads of the Protector and his son Richard. In answer to Sexagenarius (p. 290), it is probable that the Rev. David Roderick, Vicar of Choulsbury, near Tring, Herts, is the immediate descendant of the Mr. Roderick alluded to as "Upper Master of Eton School." He was well known as the friend of the late Dr. Parr, and was assistant with him both at Harrow and Stanmore. If so, it is not unlikely that he can give the in formation required respecting the volume in question. In the Letter on Welsh Pedigrees (p. 304) Thomas Johns, of Tregaron, was, by the misprint of a date, represented to have lived at the termination of the 17th instead of in the 16th century; he was the son of Sion David of Tregaron, by Catrin, a natural daughter of Meredydd Wynn, of Gwydir, who died in 1525. A Correspondent would be obliged by any account of a book intituled "A Short View of the long Life and Raigne of Henry the Third of England. Presented to King James. Printed clɔ lɔ cxxvii." W. Z. M. wishes to know whether and where there exists a Pedigree of the family of Justinian Povey, Auditor-general temp. Car. I. In a pedigree of the Sherbornes in Le Neve's valuable Genealogies of Knights in the British Museum, there is this reference (Harl. MS. 5801), "Vide Povey Pedigree.' No pedigree of this family, it is believed, is in the Heralds' College. E. P. observes, "The frequent instances of executions for crimes of a less heinous description than murder, have long excited in many minds feelings of lamentation that the loss of life should so often take place, and that this punishment, severe as it is, has not the desired effect of preventing the commission of forgery and other crimes. Feeling this subject deeply, I have been led to consider how far such a sentence could advantageously be changed into condemnation for life to slavery in the West Indies. This exchange promises to answer two objects, severe punishment of the culprit, and a prevention of the necessity for any additional innocent negroes being imported; and if crimes increase as fearfully as they appear to have done lately, might we not almost hope for a gradual abolition of negro slavery. The degradation such a substitution would necessarily inflict upon the guiltless and unhappy negroes, might be avoided by difference of treatment, fewer privileges, and separate labour: the complexion of the convicts would be a sufficient mark to distinguish the innocent blacks from the guilty whites." J. S. has our thanks for his communication. For memoirs of Henry Burton the Puritan, we beg to refer him to Chalmers's Biographical Dictionary. J. W. of Lincoln's Inn, is requested to favour us with his promised communication. ERRATA.-P. 323, 1.21 from bottom, dele own; 1. 16 from bottom, for he himself, read Miller himself.-P. 324, a. 1. 28, fur Miller speaks of, read Miller is ignorant of. P. 370, a. l. 16 from bottom, for national read maternal. Ibid. b. 1, 24 from bottom, for V.R. read V. P. THE GENTLEMAN'S. MAGAZINE. MAY, 1829. ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTIONS, WITH WELL-SELECTED LIBRARIES. MR. URBAN, THE May 1. HE establishment of Mechanic Institutes has been hailed as a measure likely to promote the interests and happiness of the working classes in a remarkable degree, by infusing into their minds a taste for mental improvement, an active and strong desire to acquire knowledge, and to enjoy the gratifications arising from its possession, and consequently weakening their attachment to pleasures of a more sensual kind; but whether or not these bright expectations will be fulfilled, still remains a very doubtful question. There indeed appears more reason to fear the result of the experiment than otherwise. Scientific instruction is indeed dispersed, but moral knowledge and religious truth are withheld. The mind is subjected to no wholesome and salutary discipline. The objects of these Institutions is to disseminate the principles and applications of Mechanics and Chemistry only; to search only the laws which regulate the material world. Whether it be wise to exclude what ought to be the primary objects of education, (namely, the inculcation of sound moral principles, and the enlarging and strengthening of the mental powers from these or from any similar establishment, whether it be called an Institute or an University,) will be seen at no great distance of time. The object, however, which I have more immediately in view, in this present communication, is to call the attention of those who wish for the general diffusion of all wholesome and useful knowledge to a plan by which that object may be considerably promoted, by providing for the establishment of Institutions possessed of well selected libraries, wherever circumstances may appear to call for their introduction. The manner in which I propose to accomplish this purpose, is by forming a society, consisting of such persons as may be willing to advance a certain sum [say 100/.] towards the object in view. For this sum the contributors should be entitled to receive the same amount of interest which they could derive from its investment in the public funds, or other eligible security; this interest to be derived from the different institutions themselves. The society should undertake to provide a library, together with the usual appendages of a Literary Institution, in any district of the metropolis, or in any country town, receiving a reasonable security that a sufficient number of persons would subscribe to repay them * Institutions of a scientific character are, we are happy to observe, forming, or are already formed, in nearly all the principal towns.in England. The erection of Mechanics' Institute, on a commodious and elegant scale, was lately determined on at Hull, a view of which appears in the Hull Advertiser of the 22d inst. The interior accommodations will be ample, comprising spacious rooms for the public meetings, lectures, or discussions of the Society, with appropriate rooms for the library, the museum, the committee, and the private instruction of the members. Upon the ground-floor will be, on one side of the entrance-hall, the committee-room, 14 feet by 10, and, on the other, a room for the drawing class, 20 feet by 144; and behind these, will be the principal lectureroom, 38 feet square, lighted by a dome in the centre. On the second story, to which an ascent is gained by a handsome flight of stone steps in a circular form, will be, in front, the reading room, 22 feet by 10, with the library, 20 feet by 144; and behind them a gallery over the lecture-room, capable of containing upwards of 100 persons. On the third story will be the room for the writing and arithmetic classes, 16 feet by 11; the museum, 22 feet by 13; and the modelling-room, 14 feet by 9.-The cost of the building, including the site, is estimated at 1500%, of which sum, upwards of 600l. has been already raised, partly by donations and subscriptions. The whole is to be finished in nine months. EDIT. 388 Scientific Institutions, with well-selected Libraries. [May, the stipulated interest upon the sum they shoul dadvance. By this arrangement the two great obstacles to the establishment of libraries upon a respectable scale, (namely, the providing a suitable place for its reception, and the delay which must occur when the books have to be purchased from the annual or other contributions of the members,) would be entirely removed; for the Society would erect the library, and stock it with literary food, if they were protected from the loss of their stipulated interest; but perhaps this part of the plan will be better understood, when the particular items of expenditure come to be stated in detail. Suppose then in any district of London, or in any country town, a number of persons should wish to obtain the establishment of a Literary Institution, where instruction might be dispersed by books, by lectures, and by experiments. If they are willing to engage to pay a certain annual subscription for that purpose, the Society undertakes to fulfil their wishes, and to erect and support a library upon a scale proportionate to the annual sum they are to receive. Thus the delay of years is at once removed a well-selected library is at once accessible, and other means of diffusing knowledge are at once brought into operation. If the amount of the annual subscription were 100l. the accounts between the Society and the Institution might be thus stated: Cost of erecting a suitable li brary, with appropriate accommodations Providing a collection of 2000 books Interest upon the sum advanced For Miscellaneous expenses . 500 500 £1000 50 20 10 10 10 £100 This estimate of what might be accomplished for a hundred pounds a year, will probably be objected to in some particulars; but from an attentive consideration of the subject, I am thoroughly convinced that it is founded in truth, and that a little impartial examination will convince every unprejudiced person, that it is so. Where the contributions are to a larger amount, the Society will be enabled to effect, comparatively speaking, even more than in smaller Institutions. If we take one, books Interest upon the sum ad- Increase of library 1500 £3000 £150 50 15 30 100 100 80 £525 Of course these details would be liable to considerable alteration. If the plan is ever carried into execution, in towns, for example, where it might be wished to form a more extensive library, the charges for lectures and experiments might be omitted, and some other items considerably reduced; so that if a subscription of 5001, were offered to the Society, a library of 10,000 volumes might be established in the first instance. Upon these points, the local committees must exercise their own discretion; if they are enabled to offer the general Society a certain annual sum, that general Society would expend a proportionate capital in gratifying their wishes. The Shareholders in the proposed Society are of course not expected to look upon it merely as a source of profit; they are to be secured a reasonable rate of interest for any sums they may advance, and if any additional profit should arise, it ought to be applied towards increasing the libraries of the local institutions. Shares would only be held by those who are desirous of promoting the diffusion of knowledge of a really useful and unexceptionable character; and if 100 individuals entertaining these wishes were each to subscribe 100l. the proposed Society might immediately commence operations, as 10,000l. would be amply sufficient to try the experiment. If it succeeded, no limit could be put to the Society's exertions. Every new institution would more strongly demonstrate its usefulness, and encourage others to enrol their names among its members; and indeed arrangements might be made by which prosperous local institutions might gradually redeem the debt due to the parent Society, and so enable it to extend its services still far |