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A VISION.

ALL the heart wish'd was she. A full orb'd eye
Reveal'd a fuller soul, and grace bespoke,
And loveliness, such as might angels win.
A brow of polish'd beauty rose above,
On which, luxuriant, the parted hair,
In calm magnificence of aspect lay,
That told of state, simplicity, and truth,

Which her bright spirit deck'd. A mildness soft,
Like that the musing fancy sees and loves,

In beings of the brighter spheres, sat crown'd
Upon her every feature-kingdoms meet,
Where dignity, benevolence and love,
Did reign in queenly elegance and ease,
Pendant around a shining tress or two,
Fell to their rest upon a bosom pure,

Where beat, enshrin'd, a heart, that knew a world
Of joys, and hopes, and sympathies, and tears.
Her step was as the light gazelle: yet, when
She would, with measur'd gait, and slow, and firm,
In grandeur mov'd she. 'Twas a solemn step,
That spoke of solemn feelings, and deep thoughts,
Which plann'd God's glory and a creature's good.
Anon did expectation light its fires-

And the staid gait flashed into buoyancy.
Intention found an avenue in act-

In calmness then reclin'd th' relieved soul.
Yet, 'twas a calm that liv'd to nourish deeds
The past surpassing, when the fit hour dawn'd.
Her form-Praxiteles had search'd no more,
Had his eye fell where others gaz'd and lov'd.
Unsuspicious she; and when wonder paus'd
To praise, a greater wonder came, and went,
And came, in her unconscious spirit's glance,
Which shrunk alarm'd, and look'd around, and blam'd.
Oh! 'twas a lovely vision-where one's heart
Might rest and hope, and feel, yes! feel repose.
It fill'd a higher place-the low it rais'd,
And pour'd its light upon the dark, and health
Made spring in gurgling fountains to the skies!
I saw that vision-and that hand would take
Which ever proffer'd good. I clasp'd it once
And twice, and more-it seem'd to grant return;
Made sure by gentle words, and looks, and smiles,
Which in possession drown'd methought, my hopes !
I saw that seraph vision! Yes! and mine
I call'd it to the air, the stars, the woods,
The fields and fields, woods, stars and air replied,
And the air's tenants, and the streams and brooks
Replied-Mine!-and fled forever the last doubt!

So dream'd I. Yet now blooms in Heaven her soul, And I am walking life's dark paths alone!

LINES FROM THE GERMAN OF TIECK.

WHERE wandereth now her foot!
Through the green, fragrant meadows
Or through the forest shadows
Where the sweet violets shoot,

While thrills the conscious earth with bliss
From every footstep's silent kiss,
And many a spring flow'r waketh,
Where'er her course she taketh.
To her the bird doth sing
Right gladly if she passes;
Zephyrs with fluttering wing
O'ertake her with caresses.

Her breath, like balm, doth sweeten
The very breath of Spring,
For her, the roses deepen,

For her, their odors fling.
A fresh and verdant Paradise
Around her ever seems to rise,
In every place, with flowers to greet,
The pressure of her maiden feet.

Ye woods, with early sighing,
Speak in her ear my name !—
Speak of the glen deep-lying,
Where first I felt love's flame:
Where mingled pains and joys,
Began in the forest-shade,
While the brooks' low soothing voice
A pleasant murmur made.
And neath the pale moon's light
We sat by each other's side:
O, I've called her, since that night,
My own, my beauteous bride.

SCIENTIFIC.

THE NOVEMBER METEORS.

THE following interesting notice of these meteors, has been prepared by one of our correspondents, from the article of Wolfgang Menzel, to which we refer our readers. A fair translation is given in the American Eclectic, for February. Much interesting information may also be found in Silliman's Journal for the year 1834.

Meteors, now divided into Fire balls and Shooting Stars, have become well known phenomena. It is only of late years, however, that they have

attracted any particular attention. They have obtained the name of November meteors, because, by far the greater number have been observed during that month. Alexander Von Humboldt and Bonpland, the celebrated travellers, witnessed multitudes of them during the whole night of Nov. 12th, 1799, at Cumana, on the coast of South America. Since this event, they have secured a more general observation. They were seen at different intervals, and at different places, and in other months of the year, but nothing seems to have been known of a periodic return of them, till about the year 1821; when, and in the years immediately following the regular return of the great meteoric shower, on certain days of the year, particularly in Novetnber, was first clearly acknowledged. On November 12, 1831, they were observed by Berard, on the coast of Spain. On the same night, in 1832, they were seen almost throughout Europe. And in 1833, on the saine night, they were seen in America, when were enumerated at least 240,000 falling stars. In 1834 they were again observed, though fewer in number, and but one night later. Nothing noteworthy occurred in 1835. On the night of the 13th and 14th Nov., 1836, the younger Herschel witnessed numerous fireballs at the Cape of Good Hope: and in North America, shooting stars were seen on Nov. 17th. The year 1837 was destitute of these phenomena: but in 1838, meteors were seen again in Germany, on Nov. 12th; and in 1839, from the 10th to the 14th of November. These, together with other accounts named in the article from which we quote, seem to have established for the phenomena, the name of the November meteors. But then fire balls and falling stars have been seen at all times of the year; and besides the 13th and 14th of November, three other critical days, as they are termed, have been fixed upon by the scientific; viz.: Nov. 29th, July 29th, and Aug. 10th. The writer traces back these showers of falling stars, to the times of Justinian, in 533. The month of November was first distinguished in A. D., 1099. Several very remarkable instances are noticed of falling stars, and meteoric stones, and fire balls, in different parts of the world; one of which, that seen at Novogorod, Feb. 22d, 1720, in shape of an immense red cross, would seem to settle the much vexed question of the cross of Constantine.

Other striking phenomena have been observed to occur in connection with the falling stars; such as lightning, momentary flashing of the heavens, long luminous streaks, zodiacal light, aurora boreales, strange rednesses, singular clouds, storms, flood-tides, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and even unusual obscurations of the sun, and spots on its surface. All these appearances have been seen on the critical nights: either contemporaneously with the falling stars, or without them, as their compliment and substitute.

It was mentioned that Meteors are now divided into Fire-balls, and Falling Stars. They differ much in their appearance. Fire-balls appear first a distant streak of light, which, as it approaches nearer, rounds itself into a ball. Several streaks have been seen crossing each other, which are supposed to flow together from different directions, and unite in one ball. The form is that of a round body, revolving rapidly on its axis, sometimes running to a point behind, pear-like, or extending far out in a fiery beam, sometimes emitting flames, throwing off glowing balls, or, like a detonating rocket, leaving behind a long line of smoke. Their color is red, sometimes white, more rarely blue, and still more seldom green. Sometimes they vanish without detonation; frequently with a very loud crash, which has been heard 40 German miles, and then they regularly throw out the so called meteoricstones or other materials. The chief ingredients of the dejected masses, are always iron, pyrites of sulphur, Olivin, Nickel, Chrome, Magnesia, etc. No similar composition can be found among the minerals of the earth.

VOL. I.-NO II.

26

Falling-stars are distinguished from Fire-balls, by a whiter, mostly phosphorescent light, denominated planetary, whilst the glaring red of the fire-balls is somewhat solas. These stars, too, fall noiselessly; at least the rustling supposed to have been heard in connection with them, is very questionable; moreover, they leave no solid material behind. They appear, partly as small, quickly evanishing sparks, partly as long, rocket-like starshootings, or large, moon-like globes, with sparkling tails. The smallest ones, and those falling obliquely, are always pale: the bright ones are said to fall perpendicularly. Some put on the colors of the rainbow. Sometimes the tail continues to be luminous for minutes after the star itself has disappeared. In 1833, strange forms were seen; one sickle-shaped, another quadrangular. The height of falling stars, has been estimated to be sometimes 100 miles. Their velocity, Brandes has reckoned to be 5 German miles in a second. They have been seen in all directions, shooting out from and towards all parts of the heavens, and although falling in immense numbers, yet rising in much less, or floating down and up again in a wavelike line. Alexander Von Humboldt, observed their direction in 1799, to be from the north-east, towards the south. In 1838, they came in, part from the constellation Leo, in part from that of Cancer, of Orion, and of the Great Bear: and, indeed, shooting out again from these four centres in divergent

beams.

In regard to the origin of Falling Stars-Fire-balls and meteoric stones, these exist two opinions. One refers them to an atmospheric origin, and a second to a cosmic or supra-atmospheric. The supporters of the atmospheric, among whom are Lavoisier, Volta, Reynolds, Dalton, Von Humboldt, suppose them to originate from vapors ascending from the earth, from fine mineral particles, gases, from oleaginous mundane vapours, and metallic vapors which daily ascend from mines, etc. They suppose these diffused above the lower atmosphere; and by certain processes going on there, occasioned by changes of temperature, these fine materials become combined and form, towards the poles, the northern light; and towards the equator discharge themselves in fire-balls and shooting-stars. To this the advocates of the cosmic origin oppose many objections. The first to maintain the latter, was Chladni and Bergmann Chladni believes them to come from parts of space in the solar system, where our earth exercises no attractive power, and that they may be first ignited by friction on the circumference of our atmosphere. They were too insignificant to be considered planets, nor could they be considered as comets revolving round the sun supposed to be connected with the earth, and related to it as comets to the sun. Zach calls them earth-comets; Fasey, very small satellites of the earth. Von Hoff would assign them neither to the sun nor the earth: but supposes them ignited by a gaseous matter which is diffused abroad amid the heavenly bodies, without belonging to the atmosphere of one the other, and that they come in contract with our earth in its course round the sun. Capocci makes fire-balls and falling-stars the immediate relatives of the comets, and are originated out of the atoms diffused amid the heavenly bodies. The smaller formations yield to attraction and fall down upon the planets; the comets, on the other hand, sweep on freely among the planets, and follow only the attraction of the sun. Professor Wildt regards fire-balls and falling-stars as small planets, or remains of a shattered planet. As to the meteoric stones, Lalande, Bezenberg, and lately, the distinguished chemist Berzelius, maintain them to be really ejected from volcanoes in the moon. It will be seen from the above how entire and irreconcileable is the opposition between the purely cosmic, and the purely atmospheric hypothesis. Yet incongruous as they seem, the author attempts an accommodation of the two, which we do, (and must much else for want of space) recommend to our readers as remarkably ingenious and interesting.

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A DESCRIPTIVE AND HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF HYDRAULIC AND OTHER MACHINES FOR RAISING WATER, ancient and modern, with observations on various subjects connected with the mechanic arts, including the progressive development of the Steam Engine, etc., etc., etc., in five books, illustrated by nearly three hundred engravings. By THOMAS EWBANK. New-York: D. Appleton & Company, 1842.

This large and beautifully printed volume has reached us just in time for a brief announcement in the present number-a mode of treatment, which will in no wise content us, as the rare combination of curious research, and scientific accuracy which characterize it, make it one of the most valuable and interesting works which has been issued from the American Press for From the following brief summary of its contents, the reader many years.

may form some idea of its design.

A few chapters of the first boek, are occupied with remarks on WATER, on the ORIGIN of VESSELS for containing it: On WELLS and FOUNTAINS, and cisterns connected with them. The author then proceeds to a scientific classification and description of HYDRAULIC MACHINES, the first, including those by which the liquid is elevated in moveable vessels, by mechanical force; the second, such as raise water through tubes, by means of the elasticity pressure, or weight of the atmosphere. Those which act by compression are described in the third class. The fourth class embraces several machines, supposed to be exclusively of modern origin, such as the Belier Hydraulique, or ram of Montgolfier, and the original Steam Engine, or machine of Worcester, Moreland, Savary, and Pepin. In the fifth class are noticed such modern devices, as are either practically useful, or interesting from their novelty, or the principles upon which they act. An account of Siphons, Cocks, Valves, etc, is comprised in this class.

Under each of these divisions is introduced, by way of illustration, a great variety of curious learning, which gives the work almost the interest of a The author, we believe, is a practical machinist, and by the production of a work so correct and elaborate, has rendered a most important service to mechanical science in this country.

romance.

FREEZING CAVES.

MR. R. I. MURCHISON, the distinguished English Geologist, returned about a year ago, fron his second visit to Russia. He was loaded with honors by the Emperor, and every facility was afforded for the prosecution of his researches. The November No. of the London Philosophical Magazine contains a notice of a singular freezing cave, which Mr. Murchison visited, situated near Orenburg, some three hundred miles north-east of the Caspian Sea. This cave is situated at the southern base of a hillock of gypsum, at the eastern end of the village, connected with the imperial establishment, and it is one of a series, of apparently for the greater part, natural hollows used by the peasantry for cellars or stores. The cave in question is, however, the only one which possesses the singular property of being partially filled with ice in summer, and of being destitute of it in winter. Standing on the heated ground, and under a broiling sun, says Mr. Murchinson, I shall never forget my astonishment when the woman to whom the cavern belonged, unlocked a frail door, and a volume of air so piercingly keen struck the legs and feet, that we were glad to rush into a cold bath in front of us, to equalize the effect." Three or four feet within the door, and on a level with the village street, beer and quash were half frozen. A little further on, the narrow chasm opened into a vault fifteen feet high, ten paces long, and from seven to eight wide, which seemed to send off regular fissures into the body of the hillock. The whole of the and the sides washung with solid undripping icicles, and the floor was coverwish hard snow, ice, or frozen earth. During the winter, all these phenomena disappear, and when the external air is very cold and all the coun

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