Page images
PDF
EPUB

price were lowered, by turning the gas to account, it could hardly fail to become a favourite fuel.

We have taken no notice of the tar and alkaline liquor which are copiously produced in the distillation; because we have few facts to go upon in estimating their value. The former is useful as a coating to preserve, from the worm and rot, timber exposed to the air, or lying under water. And it is not unlikely, that other more important uses may be found for it. As to the liquor, we believe it to be of no use whatever. And it is one of the absurdities of Winsor's calculations, to reckon at one shilling per gallon, a substance, of which, we are convinced, no man in London would purchase a hogshead at the expense of warehouse

room.

When we said that the facts of Mr. Winsor and his friends are less satisfactory than the others we recorded, we alluded to the circumstance, that, while he makes us stare at the unparalleled extravagance of his tables, where he gravely strikes a balance of annual profit to the nation at large, of one hundred and fifteen millions and while, by a singular effort of moderation, he reduces the gains of his subscribers to the "absolute certainty" of only " 600. a year for every 57. adventure," he cautiously avoids detailing minutely the expense of the apparatus, or taking, as an item on the debtor side, the interest of capital sunk, which, in Murdoch's statement, exceeds the annual expense, in the ratio of 11 to 1. We need not add, how much this must falsify all his conclusions, even if he had not disproved them himself by a deductio ad absurdum. The committee, composed, as their report shows, of sensible, but not scientifick men, do away half the value of their experiments, when, in a memorial addressed to the king, they candidly subjoin to their account of them: "Their present experience does not enable your majesty's memorialists

to calculate the expenses of the process, of management, of tubes, and pipes, &c. with any tolerable degree of precision." p. 19. The experi ment in Pall Mall, therefore, proves, as yet, nothing more than the possi bility of lighting up a street with gas; a curious fact, without doubt; but we cannot call it a very important one, till we be enabled to add, that this can be done at a cheaper ratę than with oil. It is not unlikely that it may; and we strenuously advise the committee, while they have the command of money, instead of basking in the sunshine of delusive hopes, to institute another trial, in which all these expenses shall be rigidly noted, and faithfully carried to ac count. It is a point which it is desirable to ascertain, though we by no means agree in the common opinion, that on its decision depends the question of the economical advantages of the gas lights. The committee were unfortunate in choosing this for their experimentum crucis. The lights required in streets are at considerable intervals, and, consequently, the range of tubes is extensive and costly; and, going to a great distance from the centre of supply, must be subject to accident and derangement. In lighting the streets, too, the gas must beat out of the market the coarsest and cheapest of all materials; so that we can imagine a failure, in this instance, not inconsistent with its producing great national and individual benefit.

There is one circumstance in which, as far as we can judge from our imperfect knowledge of Winsor's process, it is superiour to Murdoch's. The latter seems to follow the usual mode of distillation, by putting the vessel that contains the coal into the centre of a furnace. But Winsor puts the fire in the centre, and (leaving only space sufficient for a draught of air) surrounds it with the coal that is to be carbonized; the evident advan tage of which is this, that the least possible heat is wasted, as, in flying

a

off, it encounters the coal on every imagined. In the first place, we side. Accordingly, we find, that in find, upon examining Mr. Murdoch's Murdoch's statement, a sixth part of statement, that of 6001. the estimated the annual expense goes for the pur- yearly expense of lighting the cotton 'chase of common coal to distil the mill, 5501. consist of interest of capicannel which he employed; while tal, and tear and wear of apparatus, Winsor's carbonizing process is per- leaving the cost of coal only 501. a formed by the refuse cinder of a for- sum so trifling, when we reflect, that mer operation; and as this cinder does it replaces 20001. worth of cand:es, not appear in the estimate of coke that the price of coal, even where it produced, it may, in fact, be consi- is highest, can but slightly effect the dered as costing nothing. Before ta- general profits. Secondly, the coal, king leave of Mr. Winsor, we shall by yielding the gas and other volapresent the reader with the results of tile products, is converted into a subḥis analysis of coal, which, from the stance, increased in bulk, and in the specimen he has given us, of his pow. power of producing heat. And as a ers of exaggeration, we should have manufactory generally requires heatbeen cautious of admitting among ing as well as lighting, there will be authentick facts, had not the commit- a gain both ways. By distilling his tee declared, that the experiments coal, instead of burning it as it comes were repeated in their presence, from the pit, the manufacturer will and that they corroborated Winsor's save his candles, and improve his printed statement in the most satis. fuel. One effort at the outset, in factory manner. Two pecks of New- erecting a proper apparatus, will recastle coal, weighing 36 lib. produced duce his annual disbursement, for, 3 pecks of coke, weighing 24 lib. 2 these two articles of prime necessity, oz. about 3 } lib. of oily tar, and much in the same manner, though in about 4 of alkaline liquor; and, as a far greater degree, as the farmer the only other product was gas, it is gains by building a thrashing ma. concluded that gas constituted the chine, and laying aside the use of the remainder of the weight, amounting flail. nearly to four pounds.

II. When we reflect on the small From the foregoing facts and rea- number of trials that has yet been sonings, we think ourselves entitled made, and the expensiveness and to draw the following conclusions. awkwardness of first attempts, we

I. In all manufactories, whether may reasonably expect considerable on a large, middling, or small scale improvements as the practice be--in all publick offices, printing hou- comes more general, so as to turn ses, theatres, lighthouses, &c.-in the scale still more decidedly in fashort, wherever much light is requi- vour of the gas lights. Anxious as fed in a given space, the gas lights we are to avoid the charge of vision. may be introduced with very great ary speculation, we cannot help anti, advantage. We need not remind the cipating the pretty extensive introreader, how large a proportion of the duction of them into private houses, artificial light used in this manufac- Mr. Lee has set the example. The turing country is comprehended in whole of his house at Manchester, this description. It may be objected from the kitchen to the drawing to the universality of our conclusion, room, is lighted solely by gas. Its that the price of coals differing very properties render it particularly fit much in different places, will occa- for ornamental illumination. As there sion a variation in the expense of is nothing to spill, the flame may be procuring gas. But there are two directed either downwards, upwards, reasons why this should have less or horizontally. And the points from effect than at first sight might be which it issues may be disposed in

VOL. II.

[ocr errors][ocr errors]

any form that taste or fancy may sug- has been proved, we think, that, in
gest. We are perfectly aware of the the case before us, there are mate-
difficulties that oppose such an appli. rials to work upon; and, whenever
cation of the gas; but we have un- this becomes the general opinion, we
bounded confidence in the skill and shall not be afraid of the best means
ingenuity of our countrymen, when being adopted to turn them to ac.
they are once fairly brought into ac- count. Whether ingenuity should be
tion. The gigantick steam engine has left to its own workings, and the sti.
been reduced to a convenient, and mulus of private gain, or restrained
even portable size; and its power and directed by the interference of
made so divisible, as to be dealt out government, is a question which we
in portions to petty manufacturers, do not feel ourselves called upon to
who know nothing of the machine, decide.
but by the power which they hire. It

FROM THE BRITISH CRITICK.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Fragments in Prose and Verse. By a Young Lady, lately deceased. With some Ac

count of her Life and Character. By the Author of “Sermons on the Doctrines and Duties of Christianity.” Fourth Edition. 8vo. 227 pp. 1808.

AT certain protracted intervals could believe that a very young woof time, some extraordinary pheno- man should be, not superficially, but menon makes its appearance in the thoroughly and familiarly acquainted intellectual world, so gifted and so with Hebrew, Arabick, Persick, Ladistinguished above its fellows as to tin, Greek, Erse, and all, or almost excite one universal feeling of won- all, the languages of Europe ; that der and admiration. No one will she was expert in mathematicks; presume to deny that this has hap- perspective, musick, dancing, drawpened more frequently in one sex ing, and, to crown the whole, a than in the other; and that though charming poet. That she was not many females have appeared, whose equally and alike accomplished in all claims to genius and learning also these branches of art and science will never be denied, there have been may easily be imagined, and her no rivals to the illustrious names of warmest admirers may readily conHomer, Plato, Archimedes, to New- cede; but sufficient proofs remain fon, Locke, or Milton. Never, how. that she was elevated in powers of ever, since the time of madam Schur- mind, natural and acquired, above inan, have we heard of a woman general competition. whose endowments, natural and ac- Her life, we are sorry to add, was quired, have been equal to those of short, and checkered by misfortune. the individual, the Fragments of All that seems necessary on our part whose writings are here preserved, is, first, to thank the editor for the and edited with great modesty, part she has acted, in erecting this though with a becoming animation durable mausoleum to her friend ; of friendship.

and, in the next place, by a selection Of what kind they are, and how from the Fragments, to enable the generally acceptable, is sufficiently reader to judge how far the high apparent from their having already commendations which precede, are to passed through three large editions. be justitied. Who, from authority less strong and The first feature which presents less satisfactory than that which is in itself, is that of poetical taste and tathis small volume before the reader, lent. In these accomplishments,

was

fall,

with scorn,

Miss Smith, for so we understand Words such as ne'er were given to mortal this excellent young woman

ear;

I tell the wos to morrow's sun shall bring, named, might, by cultivation, have

Cambria shall fall, shall lose her muchattained the greatest reputation. The loved king following ode will sufficiently prove, On Vaga's banks, near to where once that in making this assertion, we do Buillt stood, not pass the limits of truth.

O’erlooking fair Sabrina's silver flood,

Pierced with a spear ingloriously, he'll fall, A supposed translation from a Welsh

Whence future times that spot shak Poem, lately dug up at Piercefield, in the

Piercefield call.' same spot where Llewellyn ap Gryffyd

So saying, like the meteor's blaze, was slain, Dec. 10th, 1281.

The spirit Aies; • Round Snowdon's shaggy brows grim

And while I gaze, darkness hung,

The dim red light in darkness dies ! Save that the moon, the gathered clouds

“ But, oh, my country! how shall I de. among, Shot forth at times a dimly-gleaming ray, Thy cruel doom?

plore

Cambria shall be no Then watery, pale, turned her sad face

more! away.

Llewellyn too, our guardian king, shall In Merlin's cave I sate, And marked her tearful eye:

In him we lose our only hope,mour all! Which seemed to mourn the fate Decreed for some on high.

Blow, ye winds; and roar, ye waves;

Rend the mountains' in most caves; “What fate's decreed by heaven, blest Let loose the spirits of the storm, beam of night,

Bid them rise in human form. That so disturbs thy sweetly-smiling light?

“ More fierce than they, in human form No more it shines ;-Thou turn'st thy face

appears

That barbarous prince, who causes as And darkly leay'st me, wretched and for

our tears ; lorn.

A tiger's heart he bears beneath that face, Down the steep the torrent roars,

Which seems to promise honour, goodLoud the thunder rings from far,

ness, grace. Billows shake the rocky shores,

Let lightning flash,
All resounds the din of war.

And thunder growl, " But hark !-This elemental war is Let torrents dash, drowned

And the black tempest o'er me In one more great, and more terrifick

scowl ;

This soul, in unison with every gust, A sound high Snowdon from his base to Shall rage and burn till I be turned to tear,

dust; A sound the spirits of the dead shall fear! Ne'er shall I patient brook my country's Spirits of my sires, attend !

doom, Down from your clouds, ye blest ones, But sighing, sorrowing, sink into the tomb. bend!

“ DAUGHTERS OF CAMBRIA, with me Tell me, whence these shrieks of wo

mourn, With cries of death confusedly flow? Sing the sad wo-breathing strain ; “Great Merlin, thou, the chief of prophets, From your fair heads the ringlets torn hear !

Scatter round the 'ensanguined plain.

No more in summer's even tide To thy own cave ʼmid stormy winds draw near ;

Your gentle flocks you'll lead Pour on my darkened soul thy light divine,

To where the brook, with Aowery side, And give it in fair truth's bright blaze to Slow wanders through the mead; shine,

But soon to conquerors rude a prey,
He comes, he comes, in mist arrayed, You'll quit your native land,
Slow and solemn glides the shade!

And drag through life your mournful way,
And while he speaks, the earth stands A wretched, captive band !
still,

“ WARRIOURS, break the sounding mail, Listening to his mighty will.

Cast down the lance, the helm untie ; “ Heaven-favoured bard, my words at- Arms shall now no more avail, tentive hear,

For you before the foe shall Aty,

sound;

WO;

;

No more, in deeds of arms renowned, some went over it to the islands within You'll dare the single fight;

sight, which form the Eastern Archipelago; Or with exulting laurels crowned,

and others followed the coast northwards, Assert your country's right;

till they came to some point from whence But to the woods and marshes driven, they could see America. Thither some Ingloriously you'll sigh ;

of them went; while others spread themFor ah ! to you it is not giv'n

selves westward, and these people I take Amidst your friends to die!

to be the barbarians of the north, who “ To Piercefield's Cliff's I'll now a pilgrim afterwards overran all Europe, and who go,

were the same as the wandering Tartars,

Thus the proShed o'er my prince beloved the tears of their brethren, now are.

phecy is fulfilled; for Japhet is indeed exThere will I seek some deep and rocky tended, and at this day inhabits the tents cell,

of Shem all over Europe. This theory Amidst the thick entangled wood to dwell ;

seems to me to derive great force from There indulge my plaintive theme,

the similarity of manners between the To the wan moon's icy beam;

wandering tribes of the north, the TarWhile the rocks responsive ring,

tars, and the Americans ; for though some To my harp's high-sounding string ;

nations of America, from a long residence Vaga stops her rolling tide,

in one place, have acquired a degree of Listening to her ancient pride ;

civilisation, yet there is always a tradition Birds and beasts my song attend,

of their having been in a wild state. It And mourn with me our country's fatal

is reasonable to suppose the descendants end !” p. 13.

of Japhet, in constantly travelling about, What next, and very strongly im. gained from Noah, except such as was

would lose all the knowledge they had pressed us in the perusal of this vo- absolutely necessary for their subsistence. lume, is the turn and employment of We find ihe descendants of Shem alone, the author's mind, in the general who remained nearly stationary, and the conduct and occupations of her life. Egyptians and Chinese who settled soon This is apparent from her reflections

after they left Babel, had leisure to culti

vate the sciences before the elements of from time to time written down in

them were lost. From my ignorance of her little pocket books. Some of the Chinese language, I am at a loss to these also we transcribe.

determine whether the inhabitants of “ From the little information I can col.

China are descended from Shem or Japhet; lect by tracing languages towards their

the position of the country would incline

one to believe the latter; though their source, it appears probable that when the inhabitants of the earth quarrelled at Ba

manners, so unlike their Tartar neiglia bel, and dispersed in consequence, Ham

bours, seem to contradict it; yet this obturned, as is generally allowed, towards jection may be done away, by supposing Africa, where Egypt was afterwards

them to settle immediately after the discalled by his name, and by that of his persion, which appears probable from son Misraim. Shem remained in the west

their reckoning the cycle of sixty years ern parts of Asia, and spread from thence

from a period so remote as 2277 B. C. over Europe. This opinion is founded on

which answers exactly to the building of the very strong traces of the Persian lan

Babel. Their language consists entirely guage which yet remain in the Celtick

of monosyllables, which, with their known and all European tongues, not excepting clines me to think that it may, perhaps, dif.

dislike of innovation in every thing, inGreek and Latin; though the modern Persian, with which I compare them, is

fer less than any other from the original itself derived from the Pelhevi, the an

language, or at least from that of Noah.” cient language of Persia, which probably p. 52. had a much greater affinity with the Cel. Let those, and alas they form too tick. Noah says, in the 9th chapter of numerous a class of society, who Genesis : “ May God extend Japhet, and spend their time either in idleness, or may he inherit the tents of Shem.” In the 10th chapter it is said, that the islands tions, of which the seductions of the

in continually making good resoluwere peopled by the descendants of Ja- world prevent the practice, read and phet. From these circumstances I con. clude that the family of Japhet went east

meditate on what succeeds. ward from Babel, till, coming to the sea,

« PreviousContinue »