But I won't, like some authors, make all things a riddle, No mortal can equal the architect's whim; And each house is so frizzled from bottom to top, It's like a great paradise, Susan, I'm sure And we cut a great dash and play'd many a prank So getting impatient, we thought the best case Was to go down in style to a watering place. But Margate so vulgar, we can't bear the sight on, So in our own coach we went post haste to Brighton. But thanks to good horses, good roads and postillion— With his stays laced so tight that his waist may look small, He's powdered and curled, and he's scented so sweet, And he wears a small pig-tail, 'though 'twixt me and you, But a man of such ton, and so beautif❜lly dressed, Ma begged him to make our house his resort, Saying, pray, Sir, your name-Ma'am, my name's Mr. Short. And thanks to my stars, I'll soon make you confess, Then she scolds him downright, but whilst she is prating, But he's grown so perverse he won't bear contradicting : D. E, W RUSSIAN DISCOVERIES. MISCELLANEA. The two yachts, Bocmokb and Muph bin, under the command of Captain Bellingshausen, remained at Port Jackson from the 30th of March to the 8th of May, 1820, whence they sailed to New Zealand. After watering in Queen Charlotte's Strait, they sailed on the 9th of June from the canal which divides Cook's Island. On the 29th, they came within sight of Oparro, discovered by Captain Vancouvre, from which they steered to the East of the Society Islands. From the 5th to the 19th of July, they discovered sixteen islands of different magnitudes, all of which appeared to be inhabited, though the inhabitants, who, apparently, had never beheld a European before, would not venture to approach the yachts, notwithstanding all the inducements which were held out to them. These islands have lesser islands in the interior, which are lined with wood and shrubbery. On the 20th of July, the yachts approached St. Matthew's Island, and on the 22d, they arrived at Cape Venus, in the island of Otaheite. On their arrival here, they received a letter from the King, written in English, by which his Majesty invited them to enter Port Matawan. On the 27th, they weighed anchor, and steered Northwards. On the 30th, they discovered a little island of coral, and on the 7th of August one still greater, about six miles in circumference, where they beheld several spots inhabited. The inhabitants approached the yachts, in canoes constructed with great art, and accepted the presents which were offered them; but when they perceived the yachts approaching the coast, they Bung stones at them in all directions. On the 11th Captain Bellingshausen prepared to return to New Holland, and on the 9th of September, after passing Lord Howe's Island, he cast anchor at Port Jackson. On the 31st of October, the two yachts undertook a second voyage to the South Frozen Ocean, and after remaining upwards of two months between the ices, they discovered, on the 10th of January, 1821, a large island, 24 miles in circumference, which they baptised Peter the First; and on the 17th of the same month, they came within sight of an elevated coast, which they were preEur. Mag. Vol.81. May 1822. vented from approaching by the ice. To this coast they gave the name of the Coast of Alexander the First. They next directed their course to New Shetland; and after visiting this coast, which is covered with eternal snow, they continued their voyage to Brazil, where they arrived at Rio Janeiro on the 28th of February, after being 120 days at sea. On the 23d. of April they weighed anchor from Rio Janeiro, and arrived at Lisbon on the 18th of June, from which they departed on the 28th, and reached Cronstadt on the 24th of July, having completed in two years and twenty-one days a voyage of considerable interest in many respects. AMERICAN POPULATION. From 1800 to 1810, the white inhabitants in the Independent States, namely, New England, New York, New Jersey, Pensylvania, and Ohio, increased from 2,442,200 to 3,388,498, which is about 39 per hundred. The blacks increased within the same period about 11 in the hundred. The population of freemen among the whites in the Independent States, namely, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Columbia, increased, during these ten years, from 1,601,148 to 1,908,362. The increase of blacks was from 904,439 to 1,164,739. A Journal of South Carolina supposes, that the present census will give a population in the Independent States of 2,270,000, and 1,500,000 blacks, between freemen and slaves; and that, according to this augmentation, the blacks will exceed the whites in less than fifty years; and that, during the life-time of the grandchildren of the present generation, they will probably double their number. BIRD CALLED THE HONEY-EATER. Captain Kotzebue, in his voyage of discovery, mentions the remarkable instinct of a bird, called the honey-eater. The Hottentots, who, he says, possess an excellent sight, perceiving a bee retreating with what honey he has collected, pursue it; but they would be frequently unable to discover his retreat without the assistance of this bird, whose instinct makes him acquainted with their intention. He pursues the bee, and gives the Hottentots, who pursue them both, a signal by chirping from the SL place where the honey is deposited. The Hottentots, after seizing on the honey, give a little of it to the bird, as a recompence for his services. THE GREEKS. Professor Thiersch has published at Munich, in modern Greek and German, a project for establishing a German legion in Greece. He has fixed upon Volo, or the ancient Chalcas on the coast of Thessaly, as the place of rendezvous. UNIVERSITIES OF MOSCOW AND BER 1 LIN. The university of Moscow, restored after the conflagration of the city, consists at present of four faculties: morality and politics; physics and mathematics; medicine and the belles lettres. There are thirty-one professors, twelve adjuncts, two professors of languages, two of gymnastics, and one of natural history, but scarcely 200 students. There is a library, a museum of natural history, a cabinet of medals, a botanic garden, an anatomical theatre, and an observatory. The printing office attached to the university, contains twelve presses. The pension granted for its maintenance is 150,000 roubles. The university of Berlin has fiftythree professors and 110 students. SIERRA LEONE. Public instruction continues to make great progress in Sierra Leone. The masters are, for the greater part, ecclesiastics sent by the African Society of Missionaries, who are assisted by a few men of colour. In 1820 there were 674 pupils at Freetown, the capital, 499 at Regent's Town, 211 at Leicester Mountain, 237 at Lissey, 242 at Glocester Town, 103 at Leopold, 55 at Wilberforce, 96 at Bathurst, and 88 at Charlotte. POPULATION OF GREAT BRITAIN AND THE COLONIES. The population of Great Britain in 1811 was 11,800,000 souls, besides 500,000 soldiers. From the census made last year, we find it has increased to 14 millions. The present population of Ireland is 6,500,000. The English colonies is estimated at upwards of 75,000,000, of which there are 70 millions in the East Indies, 2,040,000 in Asia, 130,000 in Africa, 150,000 in the Mediterranean islands, 1,500,000 in North America, and 900,000 in the West Indies. The Roman empire counted 150 millions of subjects, of whom nearly one half were slaves. FREEMASONRY. By a decree of the emperor of Russia, dated the 15th of October last, all the Freemason Societies have been prohibited, and their lodges shut up. By another, dated the 6th of December, all secret associations have been forbidden in Poland. Professors of schools and universities who are found to associate with them will be discarded. FINE ARTS ON THE CONTINENT. Two copper plates have been found in the imperial library of St. Petersburg, representing the geographic plan of the taking of Smolensko by the Poles, in 1636. Three new observatories have been established in countries the most remotely situated from each other: at Nikolajew, on the borders of the Black Sea, at the Cape of Good Hope, and in New Holland. The statue of Washington, by Canova, represents that great man in the act of writing his farewell letter. He is seated on a curule chair, the right foot elevated, and the left negligently stretched out, holding a quill in one hand, and in the other a roll of paper. A field marshall's staff is placed at his feet, and an ancient Roman sword. The costume is equally Roman. The bead and neck are uncovered; the head of which encompasses his body, and some Medusa is represented on the girdle other classic emblems. The statue and pedestal are of the most beautiful white marble. Each side of the pedestal is ornamented with bas reliefs commemo rating the most important circumstances of his life. Martini, the sculptor at Venice, has been engaged to mould six of the principal sculptural works of Canova, as well as the bust of this celebrated artist. The statues of Hebe and Venus are completed, of which models are to be had in plaster. Part of a series of medals, representing the head of celebrated men, has appeared at Munich. The collection will be composed of 200 medals, and the most distinguished artists in the country are invited to assist in promoting the undertaking. The subscription price of each medal in bronze is one Horin, 30 kr. Three medals will be completed each month. A similar undertaking is announced at Berlin, by Professor Levezow. Strixner, the Lithographer at Munich, announces a collection of lithographic plates, from the picture galTery of the Ancient German School, belonging to M. M. Boisserée and Bertand, at Stoucard. The collection will be published in 48 parts, each containing three plates. The subscription price is 24 florins. A collection of 286 plates, representing plans of houses, harbours, colonades, balustrades, &c. has been lately published in Russia by order of the Emperor, who seems desirous of encouraging every plan which may contribute to the embelishment of his empire. M. Bystram, a most distinguished sculptor at Stockholm, has lately completed a most delightful group in marble, representing Harmony. On the knees of the principal figure, which holds a lyre in his hand, repose Love and Hymen fast asleep. The first has his arm thrown over the neck of his brother, and the goddess views them with a look expressive of joy, solicitude, and maternal tenderness. She fears they may awaken, and to render their situation more easy, one of her legs, more elevated than the other, supports them with care. The composition is exquisite, and manifests at a glance the hand of a master. The work will not remain in Sweden, having been purchased, according to report, by a stranger, before it was completed. The celebrated Botanist, Mutes, who was sent by the Spanish government into the most delightful regions of South America, has lately sent to Madrid the fruit of his researches and labours during forty years. There are 400 drawings, most elegantly executed, representing the plants and indigenous flowers of those countries in all the splendour of their native colouring, for he has taken care to copy them the moment they were collected. In this collection are many hundred plants unknown in Europe. They have been deposited in the botanic gardens of Madrid, and given in charge to Professor Gasco. The Zodiac of Denderah has been the object of many discussions and scientific researches; and all the foreign journals have spoken of this monument more or less at large. But the most de tailed accounts which have been given of it, could not convey so clear an idea of the orignal, as may be given by a drawing, M. Denon has given excellent and faithful engravings of it, in two of his, but they are in few hands. This inconvenience is lately remedied by the lithographic press, which has published a drawing of it nearly of the same dimension with that of M. Denon, in his work upon Egypt. UTILITY OF SOLDIERS IN PEACE. Since the late peace, the Swedish military are employed in such services as are most useful to their country. More like the Roman legions than the standing armies of European sovereigns, their time is employed in the completion of public roads, which will be the admiration of posterity. They havé, besides, cut new canals, rendered rivers navigable, and erected fortifications round many places. The number of days they have been employed upon these important works, during the last seven years, amounted to 3,510,314. It is observable, that the soldiers were never in such perfect health as they have been since the commencement of these labours. ANTIQUITIES FOUND NEAR TURBINGER. Many tumuli, or eminences have been opened in the neighbourhood of Turbinger, at the expense of a society. The largest are about sixty feet in circum ference; others about thirty, and some about twenty. In almost all of them is found a layer of ashes and charcoal, mingled with the remains of human bones. In the centre of these tumuli are found urns, vases, bronze rings, iron lances, and other articles of a similar nature, the urns, in general, contain earth, ashes, and bones. They are not of the same mould with the Roman pottery, which is sometimes met with in the same country. Neither medals nor inscriptions are ever found in these tumuli. The same society has discovered the traces of Roman fortifications, which the inhabitants of the country called Teufelsmauer, or the Devil's Wall. Other lines of defence have been discovered, both north and south. Among the medals have been found that of Valentinian the First, which leads to a supposition that the Romans remained in these entrenchments longer than is generally imagined. |