face, and confines the coloured particles. If this theory be just, it will not be surprising that the folvents are so numerous and various, for they must not only carry the tinging matters in a diffolved ftate, but muft have fufficient activity remaining to diffolve the animal or vegetable matter.

M. Hellot's theory differs from this in various circumftances; but we cannot examine the one, or explain at a greater extent the other. He defcribes the utensils at length, the various primitive colours, with their combinations, and the principal dyes employed. The diftinction of true and falfe dyes, with the different experiments on proof liquors, to try the permanency of the colour, are very valuable; but a more extenfively useful proof is now known, viz. the dephlogisticated muriatic acid, The fpecimen of the author's accuracy, which we shall extract, relates to a circumstance we believe not always adverted to, the materials of which the cauldron should confift to dye fcarlet with most fuccefs.

• I took two ells of white Sedan cloth, which I dyed in two cauldrons, one of copper, furnifhed with a packthread net, and the other of tin. I weighed the cochineal, the compofition, and other ingredients, with as much accuracy as poffible. They boiled exactly the fame time. In fhort, I was fufficiently attentive to make the operation the fame in every particular; that in cafe of any perceptible difference it could only be attributed to the different materials of the cauldrons. After the firft boiling, the two patterns were abfolutely alike, except, that the piece done in the tin cauldron was rather more marbled, and not quite fo even as the other; but this, in all probability, might be occafioned by their not having been equally cleanfed at the mill. I finished each piece in its proper cauldron, and they were both of them very beautiful. Nevertheless it was very evident, that the cloth which had been dyed in the tin was more fiery, and the other rather more crimfoned. They might have been eafily brought to the fame fhade; but this was not my object. From this experiment, it appears that, with a copper cauldron, the quantity of the compofition fhould be increafed; but then the cloth grows harsh to the feel. Those who dye in copper, to prevent this evil, add a little of the turmerick, which is a drug only used for falfe colours, and therefore prohibited by the regulations to dyers in grain, but which gives fearlet that daz zling fiery colour, fo much the fashion at prefent.. It is however, if you have any fufpicion, eafy to difcover the deception, by cutting the pattern with a pair of fciffars. If it has no turmerick the cut edge will appear white, otherwite it will be yellow. When the clofe texture is equally dyed with the fuperfi cies, let the colour be what it will, they fay the colour cuts; and the contrary, when the middle of the texture remains white. Legitimate fcarlet never cuts, I call it legitimate, and the other

falfe,

falfe, becaufe that with the addition of the turmerick is more able to fade. But as the taste for colours is fo variable, as the bright fcarlets are at prefent the mode, and as it is neceffary, in order to please the buyer, that it fhould have a yellow caft, it were better to authorife the ufe of the turmerick, though a falfe colour, than to allow too large a quantity of the compofition by which the cloth is injured, being more liable not only to dirt, but also to tear, as the fibres of the wool are rendered brittle by the acid.'

The art of dying filk is written by M. Macquer; and, when we fay this, it will be a fufficient hint to the chemical reader refpecting its general merits. It unites, we believe, all the accuracy of M. Macquer to his ufual fagacity, though it cannot contain the later improvements. But we must confefs that on this fubject we cannot fpeak from experience.

The laft tract is by M. le Pileur D'Apligny, on the art of dying and ftamping cottons, and of dying linen threads. But, on these subjects, if we can truft the information of respectable artists, the English manufacturers can furnish confiderable information to the French chemifts. The improvements in this branch are numerous and important: we are forry to add, that they are concealed with an anxiety, which may be prudent; but, to the fpeculative enquirer, is difpleafing. What we have been able to learn of these processes were communicated under the promife of profound fecrecy.

These tracts are tranflated with fufficient accuracy, and the tranflator has added occafionally fome ufeful information; fince to him, we fufpe&t, we are indebted for the paffages in Italics included between brackets. It would probably have been more pleafing if he had confined them to the margin. On the whole, we think this an ufeful volume, and we can fafely recommend it to the younger artifits.

Literary Relics: containing Original Letters from King Charles II. King James II. the Queen of Bohemia, Swift, Berkeley, Addifon, Steele, Congreve, the Duke of Ormond, and Bishop Rundle. To which is prefixed, an Inquiry into the Life of Dean Swift. By George-Monck Berkeley, Efq. 8vo. 65. Beards. Elliot and Kay.

THE

HE private Letters of men diftinguished for their rank or genius, never fail of meeting with a favourable reception from the public. In writings of that kind there feems to be a charm, which, independent either of novelty or literary merit, peculiarly captivates the imagination. Even the most trifling circumstances afford pleafure, when related in the form of familiar Letters, from perfons of the defcription above mentir n

ed. The editor of thefe Relics, we may prefume, was fufficiently acquainted with this principle in human nature, before he determined on the publication of the prefent epiftolary collection; for it certainly contains nothing which would prove interefting, were it only the produce of perfons in an obfcure fituation. The Letters from the three crowned heads to the marquis of Montrofe confift of the confidential communications of perfonal friendship, more than of political intelligence; but, in the former of these views, they exhibit the character of the feveral perfonages in an amiable light. Thefe Letters were copied by a friend of the editor, from the originals; which, with many others, we are told, were lately purchased from the widow of a respectable clregyman by the marquis of Graham.

The next feries confifts of Letters from Dean Swift to Varina and Mrs. Whiteway; with one or two from the Dean, and likewife from Mrs. Whiteway to Mr. Richardfon. The firft Letter to Varina is dictated with all the ardor of the most impatient lover. When we have anounced this circumftance we need make no apology for the following extract:

• Madam, impatience is the most infeparable quality of a lover, and indeed of every perfon who is in purfuit of a defign whereon he conceives his greatest happiness or mifery to depend. It is the fame thing in war, in courts, and in common butiness, Every one who hunts after pleafure, or fame, or fortune, is fill restless and uneafy till he has hunted down his game: aud all this is not only very natural, but fomething reasonable too; for a violent defire is little better than a distemper, and therefore men are not to blame in looking after a cure. I find myfelf hugely infected with this malady, and am eafily vain enough to believe it has fome very good reafons to excufe it. For indeed, in my cafe, there are some circumstances which will admit pardon for more than ordinary difquiets. That deareft object upon which all my prospect of happiness entirely depends, is in perpetual danger to be removed for ever from my fight. Varina's life is daily wafting; and though one juft and honourable action could furnish health to her, and unfpeakable happinefs to us both, yet fome power that repines at human felicity has that influence to hold her continually doating upon her cruelty, and me upon the caufe of it. This ful ly convinces me of what we are told that the miferies of man's life are all beaten out on his own anvil. Why was I fo foolish to put my hopes and fears into the power or management of another? Liberty is doubtlefs the most valuable bleffing of life; yet we are fond to fling it away on those who have been thefe 5000 years using us ill. Philofophy advises to keep our defires and profe&is of happiness as much as we can in our own breafts, and independent of any thing without. He that fends them abroad is likely to have as little quiet as a merchant whofe

ftock

stock depends upon winds, and waves, and pirates, or upon the words and faith of creditors every whit as dangerous and inconftant as the other.

I am a villain if I have not been poring this half hour over the paper merely for want of fomething to fay to you; - or is it rather that I have fo much to fay to you, that I know not where to begin, though at last its all very likely to be arrant repetition?

Two ftrangers, a poet and a beggar, went to cuffs yesterday in this town, which minded me heartly to curfe both employments. However, I am glad to fee those two trades fall out, because I always heard they had been conftant cronies: but what was the best of all, the poet got the better, and kicked the gentleman beggar out of doors. This was of great comfort to me, till I heard the victor himself was a most abominable bad rhymer, and as mere a vagabond beggar as the other, which is a very great offence to me; for ftarving is much too honourable for a blockhead. I read fome of his verfes printed in praise of my lady Donegall, by which he has plainly proved that Fortune has injured him, and that he is dunce enough to be worth five thousands pounds a-year. It is a pity he has not alfo the qualification to recommend himself to your fex. I dare engage no ladies would hold him along in fufpence with their unkindness: one fettlement of feparate maintenance, well engroffed, would have more charms than all the wit or paffion of a thousand letters. And I'll maintain it, any man had better have a poor angel to his rival than the devil himself if he was rich,'

The enamoured author concludes with this paffionate apostrophe.

Oh Varina, how imaginations leads me beyond myself and all my forrows! 'Tis funk, and a thoufand graves lie open!No, madam, I will give you no more of my unhappy temper, though I derive it all from you.

Farewell, madam; and may love make you a while forget your temper to do me juftice. Only remember; that if you ftill refufe to be mine, you will quickly lose him that has refolved to die as he has lived,

The most numerous clafs of Letters in this volume are those from the Rev. Dr. George Berkeley, afterwards bishop of Cloyne. They are chiefly addressed to Mr. Thomas Prior, a particular confidant of the author's, and relate moftly to his private affairs; but a few of them are written from abroad, to Pope, Arbuthnot, and others, at the time when Dr. Berkeley was fecretary of embafly to the earl of Peterborough, then ambaffador to the king of Sicily and the other Italian flates.

One

One of thefe, to Dr. Arbuthnot, and dated in the year 1717, contains a defcription of mount Vefuvius, which the author had repeatedly vifited.

The Letters from Mr. Congreve, confifting of forty-three, are all to jofeph Keally, efq. at Dubiin, and written in the moft familiar ftrain of a long and intimate füiendship. The following extract, from a Letter, dated Nov. 30, 1703, gives an account of a remarkable hurricane.

I think it a tedious while fince I heard from you; and though, to the best of my remembrance, I answered your last, yet I write again to put you in mind of your old friends, every one of whom has very narrowly escaped the hurricane on Friday night laft. The public papers will be full of particulars. 'Tis certain, in the memory of man, never was any thing like it. Most of the tall trees in the Park are blown down; and the four trees that stuod diftin&t before St. James's between the Mall and th. Canal. The garden-wall of the priory, and the Queen's garden there, are both laid flat. Some great fafh-windows of the banqueting-house have been torn from the frames, and blown fo as they have never been found nor heard of. The leads of churches have fome of them ben rolled up as they were before they were laid on : others have been skimmed clever off and transported crofs the ftreet, where they have been laid on other houses, breaking the roofs. The news out of the Country is equally terrible; the roads being obftructed by the trees which lie acrofs. Anwick, Coventry, and most of the towns that my acquaintance have heard of, are in great measure deftroyed, as Bristol, where they fay a church was blown down. It it endless to tell you all.'

In another letter he says:

We are at prefent in great grief for the death of Sapho. She has left fome few orphans; one of which, if it can live, is defigned for you. Nich. Bolton lives at Peckham, fomewhere beyond Camberwell, in a farmer's houfe, and follows the plough, and reads Homer at the fame time; as Baker the actor and paver ufed to pave with his part pin'd upon his fleeve, and hem and rehearse alternately.'

The five letters from Mr. Addifon, and three from fir Rich. ard Steele, are written to the fame Mr. Keally, with whom likewife they appear to have been intimately connected. From one of Mr Addison's letters, we learn that he had fuftained a great lofs, but no circumstances are mentioned.

The letters from the duke of Ormond, three in number, and all very fhort, are addreffed to the fame Mr. Keally, whom we find to be of Keally Mount, in the county of Kilkenny.

The volume concludes with a letter from the right rev. Thomas Rundle, lord bishop of Derry, to Mr. Richardson,

The