*

W.

The whale vessel which brought Captain Ross's despatches, brought also several boxes, containing minerals and objects of natural history, for Sir Joseph Banks, Bart.; Sir Everard Home, Bart.; Mr. Barrow, Professor Jameson, and Dr. Brewster; all of which were released at the Custom-house by an order from the Lords of the Treasury. The box for Professor Jameson contains specimens of the mineralogy of the different places on the coast of Greenland, at which the expedition touched, and three bottles of water, one from a field of ice, one of the water taken from the surface at the temperature of 3240, and the other at the depth of 80 fathoms, as brought up by Sir H. Davy's apparatus. When this apparatus is kept down 15 minutes at 80 fathoms, it gives the same temperature, when drawn up, as the self-registering thermometer. Some water, when taken up, was at 30°; and, at the same time, the self-registering thermometer, at 200 fathoms, gave 28. The wind was south, and the ice driving to the north. The specific gravity of the sea-water, in latitude 74° and temperature 46°, is 1·0266, and at temperature 49°, 10260, when taken from a depth of 80 fathoms. The temperature was 31° when it was brought up; but it could not be weighed at that temperature, as it contained much fixed

air.

*We regret to learn, that the boxes landed at Leith were opened by the Custom house officers, and so roughly handled, that a very important part of one of the collections was utterly ruined. We trust that, in future, an order from Government will prevent such unnecessary and absurd interference.

Ta recent meeting of the Shrop

Archdeacon Corbett, in a speech deli shire Auxiliary Bible Society, vered on that occasion, drew a parallel between Mr. Samuel Lee (one of the preachers) and the Admirable Crichton. From the Reverend Gentleman's statement, it appears, that Mr. Lee had merely the education of a village school (where he was born, about six miles from Shrewsbury); viz. reading, writing, and arithmetic ; that he left school at twelve years of age, to learn the trade of a carpenter and builder. While thus employed, he became, selftaught, a Latin, G-cek, Hebrew, Chaldee, Syriac, and Samaritan scholar. These languages he acquired in six years, at the hours during which he was relieved from manual labour. Since that period, Mr. Lee has had more assistance, and is now, in addition

to the tongues we have mentioned, familiar with Arabic and Persian, Hin, dostanee, French, German, Italian, Ethiopic, Coptic, Malay, Sanscrit, and Bengalee-in all, seventeen languages, in fourteen years.

ANECDOTE OF THE PRINCESS CHARLOTTE.

The late beloved Princess Charlotte was in her early youth somewhat warm, but always submitted herself to the mild injunctions of her reverend Preceptor, who at length presented her with an essay on the government of the passion of anger. A short time after, she was very indignant against one of her attendants; and on being surprised in the midst of her anger by the entrance of the Prelate with the exclamation, “I fear you have not read the book I gave you, Madam, the other day !" she instantly replied, in a repressed tone of voice, "Yes, indeed, Sir, I have; and had I not, I am sure I should have knocked her down."-It is only doing justice to her reverend Preceptor, and to the memory of his illustrious pupil, to say, that by his careful admonitions, and her watchful obedience, a complete triumph over a naturally warm temper was effectually ensured considerably previous to the period of her union with the man she loved.

SION COLLEGE.

Upon the King's recovery in 1789, the Librarian and others connected with Sion College, were at a loss what device, or motto, to select for the illumination of the building; when the following happy choice was made by a worthy Divine from the Book of Psalms:-" Sion heard of it, and was glad."

INFANTILE QUERY.

A child, three years of age, hearing it said that she was born on the King's birth-day, took no notice of it at the moment; but in a day or two after, asked her father if she and the King were twins!

PRINCES OF BRUNSWICK.

The Princes of Brunswick were, from their very carly years, boys of what

the French call, très grande esperance. It was from about the age of eight till twelve they were in England for their education. One day, the younger, Prince William, had been mimicking several persons remarkable for their eccentricity of speech, when the elder, Prince Charles, boy-like, began to copy his brother, but in a very awkward manner. His tutor checked him, observing, the talent was natural in his brother, but absurd in himself; when the Prince pettishly replied, "I know it is natural in William; he was, as you say, born an ape !”

BISHOP HORNE.

The merits of the amiable Bishop Horne were acknowledged by men of all sects. John Wesley, who was not accustomed to speak highly of the Clergy of the Establishment, once observed, on seeing him pass the window of an inn, at which he was standing, "There goes a man, who, had he lived in the first days of Christianity, would have been an apostle!"

REV. MR. ROMAINE.

Romaine, though a very worthy man, had no small portion of vanity in his composition, as the following anecdote will testify:-Mr. Jones, of Nayland (in whom the virtue of Christian humility shone most conspicuously, but who was too orthodox in his opinions for the evangelical part of the community), was walking with a friend over Black-friars' Bridge, when they espied Mr. Romaine on the other side of the way. Jones knew him imperfectly, as he was known by Romaine, but be determined, at all events, on crossing and asking him how he did. The other, however, pretended not to remember him." What!" exclaimed Mr. Jones, "do you not know me, Mr. Romaine ?"-" No, Sir," replied the vain Calvinist, "neither do i, nor does my Master, know you!"

DR. WATTS

was of so extremely mild a disposition, and so averse from dissension, that when reproached by a friend for not having severely reprimanded a man who had done him a serious injury, he exclaimed, "I wish, my dear Sir, you would do it for me."

Narrative of a Journey in the Interior of China, and of a Voyage to and from that Country, in the Years 1816 1817: Containing an Account of the most interesting Transactions of Lord Amherst's Embassy to the Court of Pekin, and Observations on the Countries which it visited. By Clarke Abel, F. L.S. and Member of the Geological Society, Chief Medical Officer and Naturalist to the Embassy. Illustrated by Maps and other Engravings. Quarto.

OTWITHSTANDING the disadvantages, impediments, and even disasters, which Mr. Abel encountered in his progress through "the celestial empire," he has succeeded in collecting some very important contributions to its natural history, and in amassing a variety of details illustrative of its political and social condition. The sense of difficulty indeed seems to have animated his exertions, and his very disappointments were often compen sated by results scarcely less desirable than those which were contemplated; for, when his inquiries were thwarted by collision with the settled habits and feelings of the people, they afforded him the means of tracing with greater accuracy the lineaments of their character. This work, constructed on the simple plan of a narrative, records the most interesting transactions of Lord Amherst's mission, and the author's personal adventures, interspersed with such facts and observations as came within his cog nizance as chief medical officer and naturalist of the embassy. These materials, disposed in the order in which they presented themselves, appear to greater advantage, and possess a more altractive interest, than if they had been formally classed and distributed

under distinct heads. By the latter process they would not have been rendered more available for purposes of reference, and might have lost much of that force and vividness which transports the reader in imagination to the country described, associates him in the enterprise, and makes him, as it were, a party to all the researches of the traveller.

Foregoing, for the present, our intention to quote Mr. Abel's most amusing account of the scenes which took place at the Imperial Court, we shall advert to the scientific part of the work, and present to the votaries of Flora the following elegant description of the Nelumbium speciosum, the Lien-wha of the Chinese.

་.

This splendid flower, celebrated for its beauty by the Chinese poets, and ranked for its virtues among the plants which, according to Chinese theology, enter into the beverage of immortality, flourished in the greatest vigour in the gardens of Tung Chow. It was raised in capacious vases of water, containing gold and silver fish, supported on stands a few feet from the ground. These were surrounded by steps of different elevation, supporting other plants mingled with artificial rocks, representing a hilly country, and covered with diminutive houses, pagodas, and gardens. In this situation, the nelumbium was certainly an object of exceeding beauty. tulip like blossoms, of many petals, tinted with the most delicate pink, hung over its fan-like leaves, floated on the surface of the water, or rising on long footstalks of unequal height, bent them into elegant curves, and shaded with graceful festoons the plants

beneath.

"The nelumbium is used by the Chinese to decorate lakes and other orna

mented water, and to give a charm and productiveness to marshes otherwise unsightly and barren. Near Yuen Ming Yuen, and under the walls of Pekin, I saw it cover with pink and yellow blossoms large tracts of land, and could sympathise with the enthusiasm of the Chinese bards, who have sung of the delight of moonlight excursions on rivers covered with the flowering lien-wba.* Its seeds, in size and form like a small acorn without its cup, are eaten green, or dried as nuts, and are often preserved as sweetmeats: they have a nut-like flavour. Its roots, some times as thick as the arm, of a pale green without and whitish within, in a raw state are eaten as fruit, being juicy and of a sweetish and refreshing flavour; and when boiled are served as vegetables. Both seeds and roots were frequently sent with the desert to the ambassador's table: the former were relished by us, but the latter were too fibrous to be eaten with pleasure. The leaves are said to possess a strengthening quality; the seed vessels to cure the colic, to facilitate parturition, and to counteract the effects of poison.

"The nelumbium is readily raised by the Chinese in all parts of the empire through which we passed, but seemed to flourish better in the northern than the southern provinces; and, according to the missionaries, grows most luxuriautly beyond the great wall. I was unable to obtain much information respecting its culture, and none that was

new.

It does not appear that much art is used. Its leaves are watered in the summer, and cut down close to the roots on the approach of winter."

tribute to the intrepid firmness and heroic presence of mind displayed by Captain Maxwell in this appalling emergency. We have not space for so long an extract, and must close our notice of this interesting work, by subjoining a well-sketched and impressive portrait of

the exile at St. Helena.

"Buonaparte's person had nothing of that morbid fulness which I had been led to look for. On the contrary, I scarcely recollect to have seen a form more expressive of strength and even of vigour. It is true that he was very large, considering his height, which is about five feet seven inches; but his largeness had nothing of unwieldiness. The fine proportion of his limbs, which has been often noticed, was still preserved. His legs, although very mus cular, had the exactest symmetry. His whole form, indeed, was so closely knit, that firmness might be said to be its striking characteristic. His standing posture had a remarkable statue-like fixedness about it, which seemed scarcely to belong to the graceful ease of his step. The most remarkable character of his countenance was, to me, its variableness. Buonaparte has the babit of earnestly gazing for a few seconds upon the person whom he is about to address; and whilst thus occupied holds his features in perfect repose. The character of his countenance in this state, especially when viewed in profile, might be called settled design. But the instant that he enters into conversation, his features express any force or kind of emotion with suddenness and ease. His eye, especially, seems not only to alter its expression, but its colour. I am sure, had I only noticed it while the muscles of the face, and particularly of the forehead, were in play, I should have called it a very dark eye; on the contrary, when at rest, I had remarked its light colour and peculiar glary lustre. Nothing, indeed, could better prove its changeable character than the difference of opinion which occurred amongst us respecting its colour. Although each person of the embassy naturally fixed his attention on Napoleon's countenance, all did not agree on the colour of his eyes.

* Memoires concernant les Chinois, tom, iii. 437.

There was nothing in the appearance of Buonaparte which led us to think that his health had at all suffered from his captivity. On the contrary, his repletion seemed to be the consequence of active nourishment. His

form had all that tone, and his movement all that elasticity, which indicate and spring from powerful health. Indeed, whatever sympathy we felt for the situation of any of the prisoners, received no increase from any commi seration for their bodily sufferings: they were all in excellent plight."

Henry Fitzosmond: A Moral Tale.

12mo. pp. 278.

A MORAL TALE like that before us, written with the pen of intelligence and taste, and with the best motives that can actuate the heart of the writer, to inform and improve the young mind, demands and deserves the attention and recommendation of every one who is alive to the pure interest which dic tates it. We learn from the preface, that it is the work of a female "little known in the busy scenes of life, and entirely unknown to the literati of the present day."-This obscurity, however, the author has succeeded in rendering useful to those for whom her book is designed; and we are disposed to predict, that the favour with which it will be received will throw a ray of approbation over this first effort, that may not be without its cheering encouragement to induce her to persevere in the laudable pursuit, in which she has engaged, with more self-confidence than the humble opinion which she expresses of her own talents has allowed her to

assume.

The design of this tale, the fair writer tells us, isto pourtray maternal affection and filial tenderness in an humble address to the feelings of the heart." The incidents which she has chosen for her purpose are well calculated to effect it-and although some of them have more the air of those of a novel than, perhaps, a due regard for the probability of the events of which they consist will altogether permit us to justify, yet the moral reflections that accompany them in great degree reconcile us to the invention. The following, however, which we select, bears too much the character of common fact, unfortunately for the peace of social life. to be classed among such effusions of the imagination.

"Miss Nelson being so much alone with her friend, imparted to her the wish she had to be informed of her mother's history, as it appeared to her concealed in darkness-when, in comEurop. Mag. Vol. LXXIV. Nov. 1818.

pliance with her request, that friend, without prolixity, began a brief sketch of Mrs. Nelson's sad story."

"With your grandfather's family you are well acquainted, and long, very long, may you live to enjoy the fortune you so justly inherit in right of your dear mother, who was his only child. She was sent early in life to one of those fashionable mansions in the vicinity of London, distinguished by the conspicuous board in front, " Seminary for young Ladies."-At the age of fifteen she was taken home, endowed with each external accomplishment, so much the wish of her parents. A great share of natural wit, and the engaging charms of her person, joined to the attractive allurement of a good fortune, soon gained her a number of admirers; among the rest of her slaves, was a young lieutenant of small fortune; and though her youthful heart seemed to give him a preference, yet by her parents he was not deemed a suitable match, and the gay son of Mars was dismissed the house: this prohibition brought on a secret correspondence, and might have produced the fatal consequences of a private marriage, had not the young officer been ordered on foreign service.

"Soon after this event, Mr. Nelson came to settle in the parsonage-house; his visits at your grandfather's were frequent; and his agreeable conversation and excellent character soon gained him the old gentleman's esteem; he became much charmed with your mother, made an offer of his hand, and was not refused. They had not been long married, when a particular circumstance happened in my life,* which caused me to seek protection in your father's house, where I was received by your mother with those marks of friendship which rendered her memory dear to me to the last hour of her existence; and the remembrance will make you, my love, dear to me for life. When a change in my fortune took place, and I left the parsonage-house, your mother continued with me the most friendly intercourse, till you were near two years of age; your father was gone a distant journey, young Freeman's regiment was returned, and he advanced to the rost of captain. He paid his respects to your grandfather; he heard your

* Alluding to our heroine leaving the house of Mr. Hartlepoole, her guardian. 3 K