is therefore very probably the case in the moon.

The absence of water in the moon prevents the adoption of any definite level by which to make a comparative estimate of the height of the mountains. All that we are consequently enabled to ascertain, regarding the elevation of these, refers only to their immediate vicinity. At the same time the absence of an ocean exaggerates the comparative differences of elevations and depressions, and thus we must imagine our earth as divested of seas likewise, if we wish to form any just conclusions as to the comparative height of lunar and terrestrial mountains. The apparently much greater elevation of the former will then be materially diminished, although they may still continue to remain larger than our own. Very certainly the height of the former, when compared with the size of their sphere, is vastly superior to that of the latter, when compared with the size of the earth. In addition to this, it is very certain that the lofty mountains of the moon must afford a much more imposing spectacle to the explorer of that sphere, than the proudest peaks of the earth; for even, where the ascertained height is equal, it must be remembered that that of the lunar mountains refers only to the rise above their immediate base, so that those mountains are necessarily much steeper and more rugged than ours. This is not surprising when we reflect that the entire list of the results of atmospheric and aqueous action are not to be found on the moon.

the craters of our volcanoes, although in almost all cases greatly exceeding these in dimensions. The circular ridge surrounds a basin, in the centre of which rises a cone, sometimes itself depressed at its apex. Unlike our volcanos, the cone is, however, always much lower than the encompassing ridge, as Beer and Maedler assert. Besides, no appearance of any streams of lava is afforded. "The bright streaks," says Cotta, "which radiate from the centre of many of these ring mountains cannot possibly be regarded as such, since they traverse mountains and valleys with equal regularity." Bessel explains these vast mountain circles as indicating the boundaries of enormous bubbles, which collapsed during the congelation of the lunar surface, and compares them to the bubbles of cooling pitch, which very often exhibit similar forms.

The bright streaks, and the long and regular rills, which are so common on the surface of the moon, are difficult of explanation. Cotta suggests that they may be veins and crevices, but the fact cannot yet be satisfactorily established; while numerous other phenomena await the farther developments of observation; for even those portions of the moon, once supposed to be level, are now known to possess very uneven surfaces.

The following highly interesting narratives of Revolutionary experience are from the pen of an old soldier of the Revolution, written by his own hands, and preserved carefully by his grand-children. They are furnished us by his grandson, an able writer and distinguish ed lawyer of Tennessee. It will be seen from the narrative that the old soldier was no common man, but could handle his pen as dexterously as he did his broad-sword, and that he utters himself in the simple, clear, straightforward and emphatic manner in which, as we may reasonably conjecture, he went into battle; having a serious purpose of making himself felt, and knowing exactly how and where to put in his blows. We give the letter of his grand-son, with which the MSS. were transmitted to us. We can only add that these are bona fide revelations. They are no inventions, but constitute that sort of material out of which the inventions of art in fiction are apt to be most happily wrought. The intrinsic interest of these narratives will suffice to commend them to the reader; but when we perceive that the statements belong to our own section, and form a valuable addition to our Carolina chronicles, we feel the interest of the story to be doubled; and there are few Southrons who will not find it becoming and grateful to preserve a copy of these well written reminiscences of the times that tried the souls and sinews of our most noble ancestry. Our correspondent's letter runs thus:-We only suppress his name, as not distinctly authorized to reveal it to the public.

J. C. T. TO W. G. S.

NASHVILLE, Feb. 25th, 1858. Dear Sir:-Your very kind letter was duly received, and would have been answered at once, but that our circuit court has been in session almost from that time to this. Since its adjournment, a week ago, I have busied. myself almost entirely in preparing the copies which are herewith enclosed.

I was a good deal disappointed to find so small a part of my grandfather's writing devoted to the subject about which his own experience and participation had made him so well informed-the Revolutionary War. The three papers I send are all I can now find, out of which you can likely pick some one or two facts of more or less value. I hope, however, that you will personally be interested in the naiveté with which the old gentleman tells his story. It will explain that, and also the possession of these papers, to tell you some little of his history. After the war, he studied medicine, but being independent of a profession, he never practiced to any extent. He, had, however, a natural love of science, and the pleasure of his life was to increase his very considerable proportion of theoretical and practical acquaintance with it. He was a member of the first one or two Legislatures of South Carolina; and then, strangely enough, with his family and negroes emigrated to Tennessee in 1796. Much as though you and I were now with our negroes and wives, to remove to the remotest of Utah. Among other things brought with him were apparatus suitable to a student of the philosophy of electricity, then