PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. ROYAL SOCIETY. Feb. 5.—An abstract was read of Capt. Kater's paper on the length of the pendulum vibrating seconds in the latitude of London. The conclusion deduced by Capt. Kater from his experiments is, that the length of the pendulum vibrating seconds, in vacuo, at the level of the sea, is equal to 39-1386 inches of Sir George Shuckburgh's scale, the scale being at 62°, and the latitude of the place of observation, 51° 31' 83. An appendix to Capt Kater's paper on the pendulum was also read, containing a demonstration, by Dr Young, of a theorem discovered by M. Laplace, that if a compound pendulum be made to vibrate on cylinders instead of knife edges, the distance between the surfaces of the cylinders (the vibrations on each being equal) will be the length of the equivalent pendulum. This was followed by a paper, by the same author, On the Length of the French Mêtre estimated in Parts of the English Standard;" from which it appears, that the length of the metre in parts of Sir George Shuckburgh's standard scale, is equal to 39.37079 inches, each standard being brought to its proper temperature. A paper by Mr Knight was also read, on the heart wood of trees; the principal object of which was to show, that this portion of the plant bears a more active part in the vegetable economy than is usually assigned to it. The heart wood has been supposed to be chiefly useful as a mechanical support to the other parts, and as retaining only an inconsiderable share of vitality; whereas Mr Knight endeavours to prove, by a series of experiments, that it serves as a reservoir for the sap, or other juices of the plant, during their torpid state, whence it is again expelled, and sent to the bark at the renewal of vegetation in the spring. Feb. 12.-A paper, by Sir H. Davy, was read, on the subject of the experiments that have been lately performed at Edinburgh by Dr Ure, on the nature of chlorine. A paper by Dr Marshall Hall was also read, on the action of water and oxygen on iron. GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. Jan. 2, 1818.-The reading of Mr Phillips's paper was concluded. The cliff's extending from Dover towards Deal on the east, and towards Folkestone on the west, have afforded to Mr Phillips the opportunity of a minute examination of the different strata of the chalk in that part; and the numerous falls on the shore have enabled him to collect various organic remains, which he has transmitted to Mr Parkinson, who has undertaken to examine them, and to communicate the result of his examination to the Society. The highest point of the chalk hills here described is near Folkestone, whence they gradually decline in height towards Dover and Walmer, being in the direction of the dip of the strata which is to the N. E. The dip, however, is very small, being less than 1o. A letter was read from Capt. Carmichael, accompanying drawings of the Table Mountain at the Cape of Good Hope. The Table Mountain rests on granite, Green Point and the Table Valley on schistus. The upper part of the Table Mountain consists of sandstone in horizontal beds. The junction of the granite with the schistus is visible at Sea Point; and here a very conIn fused mixture of the two rocks occurs. some parts they form alternate layers of various thickness; in others, fragments of the schistus, of all figures and sizes, lie imbedded in the granite. Between this mixed mass and the pure schistus there is interposed a rampart of granite, apparently differing from that which composes the 200 yards, is unmixed; but as it approachmass of the mountain, which, for about es the schistus, becomes mingled with it. Along the shore from Camp Bay to Sen Point are numerous veins of trap in the granite. Jan. 16. The reading of a paper, by Mr Parkinson, entitled "Remarks on the Fossils from the East of Dover to Folkestone," was begun. Feb. 6.-General Annual Meeting of the Society. The report of the Council, on the general state of the Society, was read; and the following is the list of officers for the ensuing year: President.-George Bellas Greenough, Esq. F.R.S. &c. Vice-Presidents.-William Blake, Esq. F.R.S.; Rev. Wm. Buckland, Prof. Min. Oxford; the Right Hon. Sir John Nicholl, F.R.S.; Sir Henry C. Englefield, Bart. F.R.S. &c. Secretaries. Henry James Brooke, Esq.; F.L.S.; John Bostock, M.D.; Hen. Heuland, Esq. For. Sec. Treasurers. Daniel Moore, Esq. F.R.S. &c.; John Taylor, Esq. ROYAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. Feb. 2. Mr Thomas Allan read a very interesting paper on the geology of the country round Nice, a country which, from the circumstances detailed in the paper, appears to be peculiar; or, at least, not to have been hitherto examined with that accuracy which it merits from the interesting facts which it presents. It appears evi dent that many revolutions have taken place in this quarter; that the rocks have not only been deranged, but that the sea has stood at a much higher level. The fissures in the rocks are often filled with marine shells of the same species that now exist in the Mediterranean; and shells of a similar kind are often found high among the alluvial soil, and down by the sea from the Harmetine countries. Among the fossil shells found in the peninsula of St Boassure, more than twenty hitherto undiscovered species have been found. At the same meeting, Mr Playfair communicated a paper, by General Sir Thomas Brisbane, on the determination of the time by equal altitudes. LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE. State of the Weather in Iceland during the Spring of 1817; from the Danish Official Gazette, Copenhagen, Oct. 13, 1817. Reikevig, Aug. 17, 1817. LAST winter was one of the severest we have had for a long while, in particular from the beginning of February to the end of March, with changeable winds and heavy snow, by which several persons lost their lives. From the beginning of the month of April until the 1st of May, we had often fine and mild weather with thaw, so that we began to flatter ourselves with the hope of a good spring. But on May 2, we had a storm from the north, with much snow; and from that day until St John's Day, (July 7,) we had nothing but norther ly winds with frost and cold weather; which was the reason that a considerable quantity of sheep, in particular in the district of Skaptefield, as well as a number of lambs, died. The growth of the grass began very late; so that even about St John's Day it became necessary in many places to give hay to the cows, which is very uncommon in this country. The Greenland drifting ice, which had left the northern lands in the beginning of April, returned again in the first days of May, and surrounded the whole of the western, northern, and eastern lands, from the Birdmontain, (Lábrabiarg,) west of Braide fiord to Easterhorn; from the eastern land it drifted along the coasts of Skaptefield, Rangervalle, and Arnæs districts, even to Reykenss; yet it has left the southern and eastern coasts of the country for some time; but only very lately the northern Jand. From about St John's Day, the weather has been very dry, and often pretty warm. The first traders arrived here in the latter part of May, and it is reported, that those destined for the northern and eastern lands VOL. II were obliged to wait a long time befor they could reach the ports of their destination. The class of medicine and surgery of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris presented the following list of candidates for the vacant place of correspondent; viz. Prof. Gregory, of Edinburgh; Baillie, of London; Lauth, of Strasburg; Mannoir, of Geneva; and Foderé, of Strasburg. Prof. Gregory was elected a corresponding member. Sir William Adams having had the honour to be nominated by his Majesty's Government to superintend that part of the York Hospital, Chelsea, which has been appropriated for the reception of the blind pensioners belonging to the army, navy, and artillery, feels it a duty fully to lay open to the profession at large his new modes of treating them. This duty is suggested as well by the distinguished confidence which has been reposed in him, as by the high sanction thus conferred upon his improvements in ophthalmic surgery. He therefore freely invites all medical practitioners, as well as students, who take an interest in the advancement of this part of surgery, to attend his operations at the York Hospital, which, for their convenience, will be performed in future on Tuesdays and Fridays, between the hours of seven and nine in the morning. To remove all doubt or misconception with regard to Sir William Adams's practice, he proposes, on the days of operating, to give a short description of the nature of one of the diseases to be operated upon-the general modes of performing the operation-his peculiar mode--and his reasons for deviating from the usual practice, when such deviation has been found necessary. The records kept of each patient's case, from his admission into the hospital to his final discharge, will be open to the inspection of such gentlemen as attend on the M m days mentioned, so that the profession will be enabled fully to appreciate the character of the new, compared with the old, modes of practice. It is expected that from 1500 to 2000 patients will be placed under the care of Sir W. Adams in this institution. Dr Brewster has lately constructed an instrument for distinguishing the precious stones from each other, and from artificial imitations of them, even when they are set in such a manner that no light can be transmitted through any of their surfaces. The same instrument may be employed to distinguish all minerals that have a small portion of their surface polished, either naturally or artificially. The application of the instrument is so simple, that any person, however ignorant, is capable of using it. Dr A. Brown, Professor of Rhetoric in the University of Edinburgh, who was some time resident in America, and be came possessed of numerous valuable documents in regard to the history of North America, has, for many years, devoted his leisure hours almost exclusively to the composition of a great work on the physical, moral, and political history of Ame*rica, which, it is understood, is nearly ready for the press. Mr Paterson, author of Views in Edinburgh, proposes to publish by subscription, in one volume 4to, The Scenery and Antiquities of Mid-Lothian. The views to be given are-1. Edinburgh and its environs.-2. View from Corstorphine Hill, comprehending Lauriston Castle, Craigcrook, Donibristle, and Inchcolm.-3. View near Stockbridge.-4. Ruins of St Anthony's Chapel, and surrounding Scenery.-5. Merchiston Tower.-6. Craigmillar Castle. 7. Roslin Castle and Chapel.-8. Dalhousie Castle.-9. Hawthornden.-10. Crichton Castle.-11. Borthwick Castle.-12. Tomb of Lord and Lady Borthwick-Vignette. A full Investigation of the Principles of Population and Production is forthcoming from the pen of the Author of All Classes productive of National Wealth, which was published last year. In the new work, the theory of Mr Malthus, as taught in the Essay on the Principle of Population, and the theory of Mr Gray, as detailed in the Happiness of States, are analysed and compared in all their principles and bearings, and tried by the principle of circulation, and the actually operating causes and their results in real life. The author, in the course of the investigation, discusses the following highly important practical questions:-Does population regulate subsistence, or subsistence population?-Has the latter, in its increase, a tendency to overstock, as to employment or wealth? And should Government encourage or check early marriages? A very promising society has recently been instituted in London by some young men, following the profession of civil engineers, for the purpose of mutual communication on the many important topics immediately or more remotely connected with their professional pursuits. The principle of their association is the diffusion of useful knowledge amongst all the members; on which account the society is restricted to practical engineers, and to such students of general science as have especially directed their attention to those subjects which particularly concern the civil engi neer. Those who feel interested in the progress of the arts, will be gratified to know that paper-hangings are now manufactured capable of being washed with soap and water, and by this peculiar quality alone are they to be distinguished from those in common use. Where they have been used, we understand that they have been highly approved of. The public are indebted to Messrs Creese and Co. of Great NewportStreet, Long Acre, for this valuable and useful discovery; and we have no doubt they will receive that patronage which they so justly deserve. The method of making French varnish, for cabinet work, as published by Mr Gill, is to take shell lac, three parts; gum mastich, one part; gum sandarach, one part; alcoltol, (rectified spirits of wine,) forty parts. The mastich and sandarach must first be dissolved in the alcohol, and then the shell lac: this may be done either by putting them into a bottle loosely corked, and placing it in a vessel of water, heated below the boiling point of alcohol, until the solution is effected; or by putting the ingredients into a clean Florence oil-flask, the neck of which is partially closed by a cork, having a narrow slit along it, and heating it over a spirit-lamp. The alcohol which escapes during the process must be replaced by an equal weight of it, after the operation is over, as it is desirable that the varnish should consist of the proportions given, in order to be good. The solution may be poured off for use from the impurities which remain, but it must not be filtered, as that operation would deprive the lac of some of its qualities. In cases where a greater degree of hardness in the varnish is desirable, and its colour is but a secondary consideration, one part of shell lac, with eight parts of alcohol, is to be preferred. Mr H. C. Jennings announces that he has discovered a Method of insulating the Magnetic Needle, in such a degree as, under the ordinary circumstances, will prevent, and protect the Compass from false and dangerous attractions, by the designed, or accidental approach of iron, or substances containing it; a defect which has already cost the government and nation many lives and ships.-A striking instance of the uncertainty and imperfection of the ordinary compass was exhibited in the loss of H. M. S. Apollo, and 70 sail of convoy; and if this event were the only one of the kind on record, it would be sufficient to convince every person of the vast import ance of a method which shall effectually preclude the possibility of the recurrence of such a disaster. A valuable mine of plumbago, or graphite, was last summer discovered at Glenstrathfarar, about thirty miles from Inverness. It promises to be of considerable importance, as there are, we believe, only two mines wrought in Great Britain for the production of this useful article. The new mine is in a schistose rock close to the Farar, and crops out to an extent of fifty feet in five different seams, some of them twelve to eighteen inches thick. The seams appear to converge into one, and to enlarge and in.prove in quality as the workmen penetrate deeper. The altitudes of remarkable hills in the south-east and south-west of England above the level of the sea, from observations made in the course of the Trigonometrical Survey, conducted under the direction of the Board of Ordnance, are as follows: Feet. 132 240 were of a sparkling brilliancy. The heavens, towards the north, exhibited some whitish shootings, which, becoming less uncertain, soon displayed the appearance of the aurora. The light of it extended from the north, in a space terminated by a vertical circle, the plane of which was nearly perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic needle. The zenith was the last part luminous; it seemed a centre, from which the streamers emanated, and which, as they developed themselves, became more and more brilliant in proportion as they approached the horizon. However, they never descended that length, but terminated irregularly at fifteen or twenty degrees above it, presenting an angulous contour, like those glories with which painters environ the throne of the divinity. The most remarkable circumstances were the play of the rays, and their luminous undulations. They were projected in large groups, which alternately approached and receded from each other. At one time they seemed to rise in a body like an im mense rocket, and at other times to descend like a shower of light. The light was generally silvery white, or rather of a light orange hue. Brockhaus, of Altenburg, has just pub lished A Collection of the best Spanish Ballads, with Notes and Introduction, by M. Depping. The collections of the ancient Spanish ballads, such as the Romancero and Cancionero, have beconfe very 329 rare, and fetch high prices at public sales, 469 though in general badly printed. This 497 circumstance induced M. Depping to se214 lect, for the lovers of Spanish literature, 446 the best ballads contained in the ancient 322 collections, to divide them according to 790 their subjects into historical, chivalrous, 620 Moorish, and erotic, and to accompany them with notes pointing out the beauties 463 of these productions, or explaining the his993 torical allusions scattered through them. 389 For this purpose, M. Depping has laid un1368 der contribution the very rare works con1203 tained in the great royal library at Paris, 1086 and he has been careful to select only such 1011 pieces as possess genuine literary merit. 1208 In an introduction prefixed to the work, 1792 he gives a complete history of this kind of 1184 poetry, in which, as it is well known, the 1668 ancient Spaniards excelled, but which they 1034 have now almost entirely forgotten. 1011 ral authors have ascribed exclusively to the 1067 Arab-Moors the honour of the invention 1444 of the ballad; but M. Depping proves, 1549 from some Arabic ballads extracted from manuscripts in the library of Paris, that those people adhered to the Oriental style, whereas the Spaniards composed in the style of the Scotch and Scandinavian ballads. M. Chey. Dupin has communicated to the French Institute, an account of an aurora borealis, observed by him at Glasgow, on the 19th of September last. The night was fine, and the moon and stars Seve Prot. 1132 290 197 241 107 659 100 Rostock, Thus, instead of the 36 universities which existed previously to 1802, there are now but 19, of which 5 are Catholic, 2 mixed, and the rest Protestant. The total number of students is about 8500, which, taking the population of all Germany at 29 millions, is about 288 for every million. Dr Olbers, of Bremen, the celebrated astronomer, discovered a new comet, on the 1st of November, in the west shoulder of the Serpent, between the Stork and the Star, 104 of Bode's Catalogue. It is small, but brilliant, particularly towards the centre, and cannot be seen without a powerful telescope. At fourteen minutes past seven, its ascension was 253 6'; its north declination, 9° 14'; its rotatory motion in the direction of east and west. Intelligence has been received from Cairo, that M. Louis Burkhardt, youngest son of Colonel Gideon Burkhardt of Basle, died there of dysentery, under the assumed name of Sheik Ibrahim. Being in England, M. Burkhardt, an ardent and enterprising man, offered his services to the Society for prosecuting Discoveries in the Interior of Africa. After learning the languages, and acquiring the knowledge necessary for an expedition of this kind, he set out several years ago, and proceeded to Cairo to join the caravan which comes thither from Tombuctoo, and penetrate into that country hitherto inaccessible to Europeans. But the troubles which intervened in that part of the world delayed the arrival of the caravan a whole year. Favoured by his mussulman habit, and his perfect acquaintance with the Turkish and Arabic languages, M. Burkhardt made a great number of new and important discoveries. At length the caravan so long and impatiently expected arrived; but before the time fixed for its departure, M. Burkhardt was attacked by the disease which proved fatal, and his death has annihilated the fairest hopes. His attachment to his native country was not weakened by absence, for, during the last winter, he sent home a bill of exchange for a considerable sum, as a contribution towards the relief of the poor.-The result o the observations made by M. Burkhardt has lately been announced as preparing for publication under the auspices of the African Society. He has left by his will all his oriental MSS. to the University of Cambridge, to be deposited in the Public Library, under the care of his friend the Rev. Dr E. J. Clarke, the librarian. WORKS PREPARING FOR PUBLICATION. LONDON. LETTERS of a Prussian Traveller, interspersed with numerous anecdotes descriptive of a tour through Sweden, Germany, Hungary, Istria, the Ionian Islands, Egypt, Syria, Cyprus, Rhodes, the Morea, Greece, Calabria, Italy, the Tyrol, &c. &c.; by John Bramsen, Esq. will soon appear. The Rev. E. W. Greenfield, of Bath, has in the press a work on the Connexion of Natural and revealed Theology. The Rev. T. T. Haverfield is preparing a volume of Lectures on the Church Catechism. Thomas Bowdler, Esq. is preparing a new edition of what he calls the Family Shakespeare; containing all Shakespeare's Plays, with the omission of some ex pressions not proper to be read aloud in a family. Mr Joseph Gwilt, author of a Treatise on the Equilibrium of Arches, has put to press a work entitled "Notitia Architectonica Italiana, or Concise Notices of the Buildings and Architects of Italy;" arranged as a book of reference, as well for the traveller as for the study. It is expected to appear in April. The same gentleman has just completed a translation of Vitruvius, which will shortly appear. A New Picture of Rome is in the press; containing a general description of the mo numents and most distinguished works in painting, sculpture, and architecture, both ancient and modern, of that celebrated city and its environs; by M. Vasi; and |