Hot Springs.-Three leagues from Valencia are the hot springs of La Trinchera, which form a rivulet two feet deep and eighteen feet wide in the driest seasons. Their temperature is 90.3 centrigade. Those of Urigino, the hottest known, are at 100°. Eggs were boiled in the Trinchera springs in four minutes. But what is truly singular is, that at the distance of forty feet from these are other springs entirely cold.Humboldt's Personal Narrative

INTERVIEWS WITH A SHADE.

No. II.

I dined the next day at an ordinary, and was attempting, after dinner, to read the accounts from Ireland, relative to the distress that unfortunately prevails in that part of the Steam Frigate-In America, steam is applied even united kingdom; but the good humour of the to the navigation of ships of war. now lies in the bay of New York, three hundred feet serious, without it being imagined that I treatA steam frigate company, made it impossible that I could be in length, two hundred in breadth, and thirteen feeted them with indifference and contempt. I thick at its sides, which are composed of oak planks

are 100 pounders, the others are from 42 to 60. Besides which in order to prevent boarding, it can discharge upon its assailants a hundred gallons of boiling water every minute. By the same mechanism, likewise, 300 sabres are moved outside its port holes with the utmost perfect regularity; and, four times every minute, as many long spears are darted out with the most incredible force, and pulled back every time for a fresh emission.

·

table where we had sate, I perceived he had
vanished, and relieved me from my uneasy
situation.
A. A.

METEOROLOGICAL REPORT

Of the Atmospherical Pressure and Temperature, Rain, Wind, &c. deduced from diurnal observations made at Manchester, in the month of June, 1822, by THOMAS HANSON, Surgeon.

BAROMETRICAL PRESSURE.

...

Highest, which took place on the 12th.
Lowest, which took place on the 15th...
Difference of the extremes.....
Greatest variation in 24 hours, which was on

the 14th

Spaces, taken from the daily means...
Number of changes.......

TEMPERATURE.

and cork alternately; it carries 44 guns, four of which laid down the Courier,' and joined in the pre- The Monthly Mean....
vailing mirth, and general roar, when excited
by the wit and pleasantry of the lively few..
On one of these occasions VOLATILE entered,
and, almost unobserved, seated himself beside
me;-he waived all compliments and cere
mony, and began to say something of "the
accomplishments" of the ladies we had seen
on the preceding day, "their neat and elegant
dresses, with the known prudence, and domes-
tic excellence of their mother;"-the reiterated
bursts of laughter, however, prevented any
further commendations. We sat about two
minutes longer, but the blanched visage of my
companion was inflexibly grave and motionless,
which was so very unpleasant to me, that I rose
from my seat, and moving to the laughter-lov-
ing party, walked out of the room, and V-
followed. "That little gentleman with specta-
cles," said he, "whose endeavours to please
are indefatigable, is a commissioner and a man
of talent; he had a good opportunity of being

Fire ye most perfect of elements, and yet endowed every acquaintance is his butt;—and so pointed

with ye most vehement motion.

Fides quid? quod non vides.

Spes? Futura res.

Charitas? magna raritas.

Inches.

29.97 30.15 29.60 .55 .30

2.10

Degrees. 65.92

Monthly Mean......
Mean of the 8th. decade, commencing on the 1
30th. of May
9th.

66

66

........

66.6 63.5

Highest, which took place on the 5th and 9th.
10th. "ending on the 28th June. 65.5
Lowest, which took place on the 13th.......
Difference of the extreme..
Greatest variation in 24 hours, which occurred
on the 9th....

........

....

85 48 37

29

3

2

2

......

5

Calm.

6 Brisk..... . ...

8

Boisterous.

and sparkling are the sallies of his levity, that
there is no coping with him;-the laugh is
seldom against him, and his spirits are infalli- South-west.......
ble." We had now reached the Exchange,
and, after taking a turn or two, seated our-

Finest of our raiment ye silk-worms grave, before it selves. A gentleman of very thoughtful aspect
can be our garments.

passed us at the moment, and looked very hard at V, but did not speak; he was a hand-5th, the temperature of the pastnight no lower than some figure, and advanced in years. That Faith makes some martyrs, hope makes 'em trium- "is the husband of the lady whom we saw Gentleman," said my communicative friend, phant. yesterday morning with her daughters ;-he is Four farthings and a thimble, make a taylor's pocket at the head of an extensive establishment in single.

this town, a firm which is in high credit ;-the poor in his neighbourhood, find in him a steady had the sympathy of a whole district to console him, which was a more honourable testimony of his worth, than the shout of millions." He now approached us again, in conversation with a gentleman that I recollected as a schoolfellow of mine, and as my car caught a word or two that passed, I observed that the elderly gentleman was a Scotsman;-"Yes," said V. but is an old resident ;-I have known him from my youth, when his name was stampboasted upon my memory, by a favour which he handsomely conferred upon a branch of our family." I stood up and moved to my early

65. the maximum about 2 o'clock, p. m. 85.0—8th, Barometer gradually falling, chilly in the evening. 9th, very warm, clear day, in the evening, nimbus in the south-west, which deposited some rain, but there was no thunder beard; the high temperature of 85, occurred about 2 o'clock, and it was no lower than wind during the day, in the evening more calm; from 69. at bed time -10th, fine, with a strong south-east eight o clock to midnight, it lightened most extraor dinarily with loud peals of thunder: a cotemporary observer of the weather noticed, that there were upwards of nine hundred distinct flashes of lightning during the evening,-15th, gloomy, part of the day, barometer falling; towards the evening it began to rise, and no rain fell.-23rd, showers of rain, a. m. in the afternoon distant thunder with heavy rain.

The monthly mean temperature of 65.920, is very unusual for the month of June. results of fourteen years observations, the reporter In looking over the finds, that the mean of June, 1818, was 65.910, but the average of all the years is not more than 5.55. The lowest month's mean for June, was in 1816, which was 54.990, being a difference of upwards of tions of temperature, are often followed by sudden ten degrees, from the present month. Great elevadepressions; the latter were not so marked in the

more than all ye devil's in hell, Virgin Mary, and kind friend, as he called him,—and the worthy present month, however, when lightning and rain fol

St. Michael ye Archangel; being his rent-dayes.

Flowers surpass us in beauty, Bruits in strength.

Fortunam reverenter habe.

's animadversion. This circumstance puzzled me not a little, as I felt some difficulty, in no knowing how to conduct myself towards V, but on turning to the

lows high temperatures, they are sure to lower it, as
in the present instance; the 9th decade is three
degrees lower t..an the 8th.
Bridge-street, July 3rd, 1822.

WEEKLY DIARY.

JULY.

REMARKABLE DAYS.

sort of hinge, for the purpose of being folded
together when the family removes. The best
houses seldom exceed twenty feet in length,
and twelve in breadth; the sides are about
seven feet high, and altogether it is so light,
that six people can easily transport a house
of an ordinary size; and, being so small, each
family is possessed of a number proportioned
to its wants. A bulrush palisadoe eight feet
high, bound together in the same manner as
the sides of the house, surrounds the whole.
Within this inclosure, the goats, sheep, and
hogs, &c. are always kept during the night
the entrance is secured by a door of similar
materials to the palisadoe. Simple as the in-
closure is, it would appear from the natives
having no other, that it completely answers
their purpose; although from an adventure
which befel Captain R. Norris, of Liverpool,
in his factory at Whidah, (where all the trade
is carried on in factories,) we may conclude,
that the Congoese owe their nocturnal safety
more to the wild beasts being well fed in the
woods, than to the bulrush screens.

MONDAY, 15.-Saint Swithin. Swithin, in the Saxon, Swithum, received his clerical tonsure, and put on the monastic habit, in the old monastery at Winchester. He was of noble parentage, and passed his youth in the study of grammar, philosophy, and the Scriptures. Swithin was promoted to holy orders by Helmstan, Bishop of Winchester, at whose death, in 852, King Ethelwolf granted him the see. In this he continued eleven years, and died in 868. Swithin desired that he might be buried in the open churchyard, and not in the chancel of the minster, as was usual with other bishops; and his reIn the kingdoms of Whidah, Dahomy, and quest was complied with: but the monks on Benin, the houses and family inclosures are his being canonized, considering it disgraceful built of clay or mud, within which, the inhafor the saint to lie in a public cemetery, re- bitants, with their herds and flocks, are prosolved to remove his body into the choir, which tected during the night. Captain Norris being awakened one night by an unusual noise, was to have been done with solemn procession, looked out, and discovered that it was caused on the 15th of July. It rained, however, so by a large panther endeavouring to leap the violently for forty days succeeding, that the outer wall, with a milch-goat in its mouth. design was abandoned as heretical and blas-The goat was brought from the ship to supply him with milk, and having heard it bleating, phemous, and they honoured his memory by the panther had scaled the wall, and was now erecting a chapel over his grave, at which in the act of returning with his prey. Almany miraculous cures of all kinds are said to though the wall was fourteen feet high, the have been wrought. To the above circum- panther almost succeeded in clearing it the stance may be traced the origin of the old three first attempts, getting his fore feet upon saying, 'that if it rains on St. Swithin's, it the copping each time, but the weight of the goat always brought him down; after this, will rain forty days following!' every succeeding attempt falling shorter of the mark, he might have abandoned his prey and regained his liberty, had not Captain Norris, hoping to save the goat, shot him. He was obliged, however, with the assistance of his black servant, who was the only other person at the time in the factory, to bury him in the yard before morning; for, if it had come to the King of Dahomy's ears, his voyage would have been ruined, Whidah being a conquered province of Dahomy; and the panther and the snake, the King's fitishes.

OBSERVATIONS

On the Countries of Congo and Loango, as in 1790.-(Continued from our last.)

By Mr. Maxwell, author of the Letters to Mungo Park, &c.

Canoes-At Cape Lopez and Jabon, the canoes are formed out of single trees of redwood. They are flat-bottomed and well-sided. I have seen some of them seventy feet long, six broad, and four deep, capable of holding a considerable number of people. I am told of one belonging to King Passeall, at Cape Lopez, that holds two hundred men.

Houses. The construction of these, though simple, is very ingenious. The body of the house consists of four parts, the ends and sides, each made separately of bulrush-stems. The bulrushes, which are about an inch in diameter, are first cut of the proper length, and laid parallel to one another upon the ground; they are then secured in this position by transverse branches of bamboo at the ends and in the middle, three on each side, which are firmly bound together by slips of the palmetto leaf. In one end, a square opening is left for the door. The frame-work thus completed, is fastened to four upright posts driven into the ground, and is then ready to receive the roof, which is made of bamboo or palm-leaves overlapping each other: it consists of two parts, attached to each other by a

Villages. No detached dwellings are to be seen here as in Europe. Mutual safety obliges the inhabitants to live in villages and towns. Each village is the property of some chief, who exercises uncontrolled authority over all its members. These may be divided into two classes, the slaves and dependant relations of the chief, both so entirely devoted to his service, as almost to realize our idea of a clan. There are a few instances where rich traders have villages of their own, consisting of two or three hundred families, but they are much exposed to the avarice and cupidity of the Chiefs, whose favour they are frequently obliged to purchase at a great price.

These possessions constitute the power and wealth of the Chiefs, who can at any time call out the male population to vindicate their rights, real or imaginary. The slaves, who comprise a large proportion of the population of this part of Africa, are employed in various ways, according to their ability and address. They live in great indolence, and are rapidly increasing in numbers,-equally to the comfort and affluence of their masters; by whom,

upon the whole, they are treated with much humanity.

Chiefs. Each Chief is regarded as the father of his own district, from whose judgment there lies no appeal, save only to Boonzie. Although they all acknowledge the King's sovereignty; yet a few, combining their resources, can at any time resist his authority. Indeed, there is reason to think that they seldom or never act in concert, except when threatened by an enemy; and even then, their quota of men and period of service, are liable to various contingencies,-want of arms for instance, or scarcity of provisions; either of which will render their assistance of no avail, or, rather, will make their presence a scourge. The only power capable of controlling them is the priesthood. The Chiefs, as well as their dependants, are remarkably fond of tobacco, which, however, from the method of curing it, is very bad. European spirits are in great request among them, even Boonzie himself is not exempt from their bewitching influence, -so, what can he say to his erring flock? (To be concluded in our next.)

WINE AND WALLNUTS;

OR,

AFTER-DINNER CHIT-CHAT.
By a Cockney Greybeard.

BREAD AND CHEESE AT GARRICK'S.

I have heard poor Lawrence Sterne say, that

he really envied Hogarth and Reynolds more than all men, for the unceasing happiness that flowed to them through the channel of their profession; and further remember Mr. Bunbury, that happy genius at caricature, saying, that Sterne once observed, speaking of Sir Joshua (somewhat with too much levity perhaps for a priest,) that he had had a foretaste of Heaven in the undisturbed bliss of his painting-room for five and twenty years. True it is he was devoted to his study, and delighted in his art; but his was a steady philosophic course, whilst that of his contemporary, the lively Gainsborough, was a skipping and gambolling backwards and forwards from side to side on the same road to fame. Of all the painters I could name, and many a wag and worthy wight among the long list that uncle Zachary and I have known, come rushing on my memory-worthies, whose happy works are already ""mellowed by the stealing hours of time," none for enthusiasm and vivacity could compare with him.

66

Why, in the name of wonder," Garrick used to say to these his mutual friends, "why are not Gainsborough and you, Master Joshua, oftner seen with your legs under the same table?" And to Gainsborough, "Why, Tom o' Bedlam, do you not go learn sobriety from our son of Nun." True it is, Sir Joshua would have been none the worse, and Gainsborough much the better, by a more frequent collision. But somehow, though most delighted with each other's converse, and each held high in the other's esteem, though different in manner as two such public favourites and kind contemporaries could be, which made them more interesting to each other-yet they rarely met.

Reynolds was wise and sagacious-he thought deeply, and never committed himself. Gainsborough was all genius, and the impetuosity of his imagination led him away. He gave utterance to all he thought. Hence the even

Well ! say Reynolds, once more I ask, will you make one of us to-morrow and take a squinney through your magical chromatics at this new summer stock of carnations [the old technical phrase for flesh colour.]-Sterne, who cracks himself a connoisseur, roundly swears, and we shall see if his dictum be orthodox-he swears by Jupiter, that the mothers in their prime were the superior deisses. like, a consummate judge of this new maiden Tom of Gainsbro' too fancies himself, limner

Palace Gate another Acteon."
He will be hovering about the old

"Not I," said Gainsborough. "Devil take their fascinations-'tis like gazing at the sun, the witches-I'll be charmed no more with and deranges one's optics so, that one is blinded for awhile. Such a glittering-ten mile long-everlasting chain of beauty-dragging | one's imagination after it link by link, is more than flesh and blood can bear. It makes me somehow so melancholy, I could go hang | myself all of one side and sing it like poor

Barbara."

"Faith, such romantic chaps had better stay at home," said Garrick, accompanying the observation with a slap on Gainsborough's thigh, who was not at that moment in his such moody, melting stuff, I had been wasted usual spirits. "What if I had been made of to the socket, years ago."

thought when I have beheld so many bright "Yes, by the lord! Davy, I have often eyes concentrating their admiring rays upon feet salamander, you had verily been conyour marble phiz, if you had not been a persumed, and swept away with the orange peel, a cinder, from the stage."

"Nonsense, Tom! you would have become a salamander too had you been drilled into an actor-it is all nothing, after a time."

An interesting female, instead of poring over novels and romances, which have a tendency to What are reviews?-Books which are written by strengthen the passions, and weaken the moral printhe friends or enemies of people who have written ciples, will find a pleasure in the more tranquil and other books, and which praise or blame them accord-useful pursuit of science. A taste for rational stuingly. dies will prevail; and the softer sex will in this way How can I get into them?-You must write a good acquire fresh charms, which fade not like their beaudeal better or worse than other people.

FOR THE IRIS.

THE NORMAN.

Advertisements.-The last column of the Iris is open to such advertisements only as are of a Literary or Scientific nature, comprising Education, Institutions, Sales of Libraries, &c.

PRICE 3 d.

of the bloody transactions that had taken, to his wounded breast, but the effort was place while she was insensible, now opened unavailing, his strength was now waxing fast her eyes, and gazed with a bewildered vacancy weaker and weaker. But Mary quickly reof expression, on the objects that floated covered to reason and to misery-to behold around her. But she soon became more col- the fast glazing eyes of her father fixed upon lected, and the confused glance was suc-her-to hear his deep and suppressed sighsDeath is honourable, advantageous, and necessary- ceeded by one of the deepest horror and and to feel him breathe out his last breath in astonishment. her affectionate arms.

CHAPTER II.

honourable in old men to make room for younger-advantageous to those that get legacies by it;-and necessary for married people that have no other goal-delivery.

FANE'S LOVE IN THE DARK.'

But death against the will
Is but a slovenly kind of notion;
And though prescribed by heaven,
It goes against men's stomachs.-

ANCIENT DRAMA.

DREARY and desolate were the late proud walls of Rochby; and the still silence of the night was alone broken by the groans of the wounded and dying Sir Hugh. Around him lay strewed the bodies of his retainers, and what struck a keener pang to the heart of the dying Knight was, the sight of his beloved child's situation, and the thought of what might befal the suddenly snatched away Eva.

The hand of death is upon me," murmured he, "I feel it but too surely, and my children, my dear, dear daughters-I tremble to think what may be the consequences of this night's calamity. Eva snatched away by the violence of a brutal ravisher-by whom and he racked his brain in futile attempts to conjecture who the blighter of his happiness was-then again vengeance predominated in his heart, and he breathed forth bitter curses against him.

"The everlasting curses of an injured and abused parent fall upon the head of the ravisher and murderer-sorrow and despair blight and mildew his happiness-rest or respite from agony be his portion never-oh, that the strength of my younger days had not departed from me, he should not thus have

bearded me."

"My child-poor orphaned Mary," exelaimed he, uttering his words as the gasps of convulsive mental agony would permit him.

The beautiful form of Mary now gave evident tokens of returning animation, and the Knight, wounded, weak, and anguished as he was, endeavoured to crawl towards her, that he might die in her arms. He exerted his little remaining strength, and raised himself over her body, but it was too much, the blood burst in streams from the wound in his side, and drenched the white garments of the lady Mary. The beautiful being, unconscious

She spoke to him, and sought to remove the vestment, which was clotted fast with blood to his breast, but this Sir Hugh would not permit. "The tide of my life," said he, "is now fast ebbing-and do not, dearest, afflict me thus-'tis useless-of no avail-I feel I cannot recover."

Is there then no hope," said Mary wildly. "I fear not," said the wounded man, "but let us not waste the little time left in unavailing complaints; saw ye not who the Knight was that took away Eva?"

"I think I know the form, but terror and astonishment, and the close drawn vizor of the helmet, prevented me from knowing with certainty;-was it, think ye, Sir Reginald Fitzurse?"

"What is this?-do I dream?-Oh, heavens!"-exclaimed she, as she suddenly raised herself," Walter, Cuthbert, Frances, deaddead-dead-and my father-my fatherwhere is my father?"-and casting a scrutinizing glance of fear around, she saw-his long white venerable locks dripping with blood-the body of her father, to all appearance dead. A scream burst from her suppressed lips; it was terrible and appallingit was low, yet piercing, and of that peculiarly awful kind, which it is impossible to conceive without having heard-it was more dreadful than the war-cry of the Indian-this was all that escaped her-the blood ran back to her heart, and she remained as a thing of stone, every faculty enchained and entranced in horror;-her eyes were glassy and awful to look upon, and had a fixed and spirit-like intensity of gaze, which seemed not to belong to one of this world;-her arms were bare and extended, and her long black tresses, having "I think, nay I am almost sure on't,-but burst their bondage, flowed down in beautiful my dear father-without one follower-withluxuriance over her marble neck and shoul-out one assistant-how shall I revenge your ders;-her nostrils were slightly dilated; fall." but, not even the moving of a muscle-not even the heaving of her breast, denoted that the spark of being was existent within. She looked like one whose soul has departed in the bloom of life, in full health, and in the possession of every faculty; or as some exquisitely wrought statue, which wanted but the soul to be complete. A spectator would have thought her one, but for the unearthly and fearful glare of her fixed and motionless eye.

Sir Hugh, who had only fallen through weakness and loss of blood, now, with great difficulty, slightly raised himself; he beheld the lady Mary struck with horror, as we have described, and his soul shrunk before her wild and fearsome glance.

"Mary, my child," exclaimed the old Knight, supporting himself feebly with one arm, and endeavouring to extend the other towards her-" Mary."

The whole frame of Mary now seemed to be shook by some deep and new emotion; her eyes rolled round wildly, and giving a convulsive gasp, she fell down close by her father, and sobbed piteously. The Knight again bent down over the beautiful form of the drooping lily, and raised her pale and blanched cheek towards his; he even attempted to press her

"I think 'tis even so ;-who, but he, could have created this work of slaughter;-look at the mangled forms of my brave fellows-slain by one-it must be he.""

"Trust to heaven, my child;-look for the body of Cuthbert, he was but struck down by the hand of the ruffian; perchance he survives if so-something may yet be done."

The lady Mary examined the body of the fallen domestic, and found it warm and breathing; he had only been stunned by the force of the Knight's blow; and, by the attention of the lady, was soon perfectly recovered. The other two were quite dead, and lay covered with coagulated blood.

"Haste thee, Cuthbert," said the old Knight to him, "to my brother Osborne; bid him haste here as speedily as he may, and with all the followers he can muster-tell him of the brutal attack that has been made upon us; haste, and God speed thee; but stay, I would that the holy brother Allan, would come with him-I would see him ere

I die."

The bewildered Cuthbert, shaking his bushy head, adjusting his stiff cap which was barred with slight ribs of iron, and casting a sorrowing look at his fellows, departed to the neighbouring castle of Osborne. Meanwhile, Sir Hugh's strength perceptibly diminished, and his eyes grew dimmer and dimmer. He concealed not his situation from Mary; he spoke