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flackened perfpiration, are the evils entailed on their mistaken conduct.

The Doctor having recommended a simple bark bitter as a prefervative of health in marshy fickly countries; and as a proper fecurity to nurfes and attendants on or about the fick, against the infection of fevers; we shall give one of the proofs which he produces of the extraordinary efficacy of the bark against fickness and contagion.

Hungary is acknowledged to be the moft fickly climate in Europe, and indeed as bad as any in the world. Here it was, where the Chriftian armies, in marching only through the country, in the expeditions against the Saracens, formerly called the Croifadoes, often loft half of their number, from the fickly quality of the country; and where the Auftrians, not long fince, buried in a few years above 40,000 of their best troops, who fell a facrifice to the malignant difpofition of the Hungarian air. Now, the fame caufes, which fubfift in an emiment degree in Hungary, render fome fouthern countries injurious to the health and conftitation of ftrangers. Hungary abounds in rivers, which, by often overflowing, leave that low, flat country, Overfpread with lakes and ponds of ftag. nating water, and with large, unwholefome, putrifying marfhes. So great is the impurity of thefe ftagnant waters, that by them the rivers, even the Danube, whofe courfe is flow, becomes, in places, tainted and stinking.

Epidemical distempers begin conftantly to rage in the hotteft months, which are July, Auguft, and September. Thefe complaints, according to the accurate obfervations of a physician who practifed long in Hungary, are altogether the fame with thofe which are e. pidemic upon the coaft of Guinea, and in the fickly climates of the Eaft and West Indies, viz. malignant, remitting, and intermitting fevers, dyfenteries, and diarrheas.

The heat of the fun in fummer, is more intenfe in Hungary than in any other part of Europe; and in proportion to the heat, the more peftiferous the marthy exhalations. It is conftantly ob* Dr Kramer, physician to the Imperial army.

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ferved, that the nearer any city or fort is fituated to a morafs, or an ample river with foul and oozy banks, the more unhealthy the inhabitants. At fuch feafons, and places, the air fwarms with numberless infects and animalcules; a fure fign of its putrid and malignant difpofition.

The hotter the fummer, the more fre. quent and mortal the difeafes. This was fatally experienced by the Auftrians, in the unufual fultry fummer. months of the year 1717 and 1718, when they found the climate of Hungary a much more dreadful and destructive enemy than the affailing Turks.

In the former of these years, at the fiege of Belgrade, the fever of the country, and the dyfentery, occafioned a very fingular and extraordinary mortality among the troops. The dread of these difeafes, caufed every one (as may naturally be fuppofed) to have recourfe to different precautions, for felf-prefervation. The great Prince Eugene, who commanded in chief, had water, and the provifions for his table, fent him twice a-week from Vienna. The pure stream of the river Kahlenberg was regularly brought to him. He avoided all exceffes, and lived regularly, or rather abftemiously; refreshed himself often by eating a cool melon; and mixed his ufual wine, which was Burgundy, with water. But, notwithstanding his utmost care, this illuftrious hero was feized with a dangerous dysentery, which would have quickly terminated life, had not the fpeedy conclufion of that campaign permitted him a quick retreat.

At this unhealthy feafon, when hardly one Imperial officer, much less their feveral domeftics, efcaped thofe malignant fickneffes, the renowned Count Bonneval, and his numerous retinue, continued, amidst this peftilential contagion, in perfect health, to the furprise of all who beheld him. The only precaution he ufed was, to take, two or three times a-day, a fmall quantity of brandy, in which the bark was infufed; and he obliged all his attendants and domeftics to follow his example.

It is no lefs remarkable, that the Count, placing his certain prefervation in the use of this fimple bitter, lived for many years afterwards in the most unhealthy spots of Hungary, without any attack, or apprehenfion of difeafe; and continued to enjoy a perfect ftate of health during the hottest and most sickly feafons. And thus, with an unbroken and found conftitution, which is feldom the cafe of those who refide long in fuch climates, he lived to a great old age.

The philofophy of EARTHQUAKES. T His piece is extracted from The history and philofophy of earthquakes, from the remotefl times to the prefent, by a member of the Royal Academy at Berlin.

In the historical part of this work notice is taken of all the phænomena that have distinguished one earthquake from another, and of those that are common to all. From these phænomena the following fyftem is deduced.

1. That earthquakes always happen in calm, warm, dry, fultry feafons; or in a dry frosty air.

2. That they are felt at fea, or on lakes, rivers, even in the main ocean, as well as on land; and at that time the fea and waters are calm.

3. That earthquakes differ very much in magnitude. Some shake a very large tract of country, at the fame inftant of time; fometimes extend to many countries, feparated by mountains, lakes, feas, and the ocean.

4. That earthquakes differ much in quantity of their vibratory motion; whence, in fome, though largely extended, they are innocuous; in others, both small and large, they lay all in ruins.

5. That a hollow thundering noise accompanies them, or rather feems to precede the fhock, which rolls in the air like the noise of cannon.

6. That they are felt more fenfibly in the upper flory of houses, than in the lower; on lofty buildings, fteeples, Turkish minorets, and the like.

7. That the fhock is more violent ppon more folid buildings, churches, caVOL. XIX.

1

ftles, towers, and ftone houses, than on those of flighter materials.

8. That many people find themselves fick at ftomach, with headachs, vertigo's, pains in their joints, and the like; which fometimes laft for the day after, or longer.

9. That earthquakes generally happen to great towns and cities; and more particularly to those that are fituated on the fea, bays, and great rivers.

10. That earthquakes do not cause any damage to fprings and fountains; but the water in wells becomes foul for fome time.

11. That they are frequent in the neighbourhood of a volcano.

12. That earthquakes often fhake rocks, mountains, cliffs hanging over the fea, split them from top to bottom, throw down great parcels of them.

13. That domeftic fowls, birds in the air, cattle in the fields, are affrighted, fishes in the water much affected therewith.

14. That chandeliers in churches vibrate, bells in fteeples and houses ring.

15. That fometimes the hollow thundering noise accompanying an earthquake, is heard without any motion of the earth.

16. That fire-balls and meteors are frequently observed then.

17. That the furface of the earth is chiefly, and moft frequently, the object of earthquakes.

18. That earthquakes affect to run up rivers and fea-fhores, and act more violently on places adjoining thereto.

It is then remarked, that in electricity, and in that alone, there is an affemblage of all those properties and circumftances which are obferved in earthquakes.

If a cloud raised from the fea, which is a non-electric, happens to touch a cloud raised from exhalations of the land, when electrifed, it muft immediately caufe thunder and lightning. The electrical fire flowing from the touch of perhaps a thousand miles compafs of clouds, makes that appearance which we call lightning. The fnap 3 F

which

which we hear in our electrical experiments, when re-echoed from cloud to cloud the extent of the firmament, makes that affrightening found of thunder.

From the fame principle I infer, fays the author, that if a non-electric cloud discharges its contents upon any part of the earth, when in a high electrified ftate, an earthquake muft neceffarily enfue. The fnap made upon the contact of many miles compafs of folid earth, is that horrible noife which we hear upon an earthquake; and the fhock is the earthquake itself.

This hypothefis is fupported, and the objections which might be brought a gainst it are obviated, by a great variety of arguments, drawn from the meteorological phænomena that have generally preceded, accompanied and followed earthquakes; for which the reader is referred to the original, which may be looked upon as an ufeful repertory of all that has been written of earthquakes, and their caufes. Gent. Mag.

GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE.
Mr URBAN,

A$

S I am utterly unacquainted with the manner of applying to the great, and yet think I have difcovered fome things worthy their attention; I beg leave, by your means, to make known my pretenfions, and folicit en couragement.

I propofe, by various improvements in the art of gunnery, to render it more effectual for the annoyance of our enemies at fea, under the following heads. 1. To fhew, by a new method, how a whole tier of guns, when loaded, may be brought forward, in order to be fired, and placed, without difficulty or lofs of time, fo that their lines of direction will be parallel; and how the fhip may be eafily brought to fuch a pofition, that the guns will all alike bear on the enemy.

2. How to discover infallibly, by the ufe of a new mathematical inftrument, when the guns all bear truly on the object defigned to be hit.

3. How, with the affiftance of a fmall apparatus, the fame perfon that takes

infallible aim by the inftrument, may, by only a touch of his hand, instantly difcharge a whole tier of guns, or so many as fhall be thought proper, so as certainly to hit the mark, notwithstanding the object aimed at, and the ship fired from, are both in motion.

4. How a bomb, or carcaffe, may be thrown pointblank at the rigging of an enemy's fhip, fo as to burst with incredible violence while it is over the deck.

I am well aware, that the execution of thefe propofals will, at firft fight, appear to be impoffible; and yet I affirm, that they can be as clearly and as easily demonftrated, as the moft fimple propofition in Euclid.

It is well known, that the more quick the whole quantity of powder in a piece kindles, the greater the explosive force will be.

Although the explofion made by ganpowder be exceeding quick upon any particle of it being touched by fire, yet the firing large cannon may be impeded by damp air, mealy prime, and other unforeseen causes; all which take place in proportion to the thickness of the me. tal, or the depth of the touch-hole.

The powder, when fired at the touche hole in the common way, expands it. felf chiefly upwards into the open air; whereby the discharge of the piece is not only retarded, but its explosive force is rather diminished than increased.

But experience hath taught me an eafy, fimple, and infallible way to remedy this inconveniency, let the touch-hole be ever fo deep; for my contrivance will inftantly and effectually convey the whole force through the touch-hole into the powder in the chamber; fo that the explofion will immediately follow, or rather accompany, the first kindling of the prime, whereby the explosive force will be rather increased than diminished.

In firing ordnance in the common way, the gunner, after having taken aim, must have some time to place himfelf out of danger from the recoil; and it often happens, that the piece hangs fire a fmall time after being touched; fo that, fuppofing the aim to have been exactly true, an object in motion may

efcape

escape out of the line of direction before the explofion takes place.

But the method before hinted at will effectually remove both these causes of delay in difcharging large pieces, and will alfo caufe the whole quantity of powder in the chamber to be kindled and discharged, upon the firft touch of the prime, as fuddenly as a pocket-piftol. In order to prevent delay in kindling the powder in the chamber, recourfe has been had to fmall tubes of tin filled with prime. But there is fome trouble in the use of these tubes, which are befides of very short duration; neither do they at all direct the expanfion of the prime downwards, fo as to increase either the speed or the force.

But the apparatus I fhall offer will be durable, and always fixed, fo as to caufe neither trouble nor delay; and will effectually increafe both the quickness of the firing and the force of the explosion. It fometimes happens, that the fmoke of the guns that are firft fired, prevents the gunners from fecuring their aim in difcharging the reft. But the perfon that takes aim by the inftrument mentioned art. 2. may take the advantage of the windward part of the fhip: for the obfervation which secures the aim, may be taken either from the poop, quarterdeck, forecastle, or any other part that is most free from fmoke, or other obftructions to the fight; and it may from either of thofe places be obferved truly when a whole broadfide bears upon the enemy.

By the help of one of thefe inftruments, the perfon at the helm may, without any directions, eafily fee which way to bear, in order to caufe all the guns to point exactly at the enemy's Thip; and may also fee how to keep the fhip in that pofition till the whole broadfide is discharged.

Whoever takes an observation by this inftrument, may discharge all the guns himself, or give the fignal, upon which it may inftantly be done.

The apparatus propofed will be fo very fmall, that it will not at all be incommodious, either during the action, or at any other time; neither will the

charging or priming be rendered in the leaft more difficult or tedious. On the contrary, the whole will be performed with more fpeed, fafety, and certainty, than in the common way, and with very little additional expence.

I propofe alfo to difcover a new method to know when a piece of ordnance is exactly in an horizontal pofition, in order to difcharge it when within pointblank of the object, and how much a piece is elevated or depreffed; alfo, how to elevate or deprefs it to any number of degrees and minutes required, with the utmost dispatch and certainty.

As to art. 4. I muft obferve, that fome inconveniencies occur in throwing bombs at fea, by the methods hitherto used, which render their effects extremely uncertain.

For although it be very easy to throw a ball or bomb fo as to hit an object at tolerable distance that ftands perpendicular to the horizon, or at an elevation fo as to come within the compass of a fhip's rigging; yet a bomb that is to be kindled by a fuzee when thrown point blank, will be of no more effect than a common ball, there being no chance of its breaking over the deck while it is paffing the rigging, but the utmost probability that it will pafs through, and lofe itfelf in the fea.

And as the distance of two fhips at fea cannot be truly and speedily determined, there can be no probability of throwing a bomb at an elevation fo as to fall within fo fmall a compass as a fhip's deck.

But by the methods I fhall offer, bomb, carcaffe, or granada, may be thrown with certainty pointblank at the rigging of an enemy's fhip, fo as to cause the whole body of the powder to kindle within the fhell, and burft the bomb with incredible violence the inftant it approaches any part of the rigging.

Thefe and many other improvements I am ready to difclofe and demonftrate, if properly called upon fo to do.

I am, &c.

A. B.

Any letter for A. B. that fhall be left at St John's Gate, will be forwarded by the direction the gentlemen has given us for that purpose.

A

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A PASTORA L.

While we retire from noife of city-blades;

O Fl-mm-g, to gay fields and cooling
mades,

Where Nature deck'd in all her richest dye,
With pleafing landscapes holds the ling'ring eye,
Permit the mufe to chant a rural fong;
For rural frains to rural fcenes belong.

A fhepherd youth beneath a beechen shade
Thus fong his griefs, as on his pipe he play'd.
Alack-a-day! why heaves my beating heart
For one who fcorns to cure its am'rous smart,
Who gives for love returns of cold disdain,
And adds not joy to joy, but pain to pain?
What tho' in plants and herbs unmatch'd my skill,
I know whate'er will cure my theep, or kill?
That boots me little, fince, alas! I find
No herb that grows can cure a love-fick mind.
When I from love's corroding cares was free,
By turns 1 fwam the brook, or climb'd the tree:
The firft in ev'ry rural fport was I,
And rare did fate the victor's prize deny:
No fwain like me could deftly turn the rhyme,
Nor dancing keep fo true the meafur'd time.
But now, alas! to no gay fport inclin❜d,
I load with fighs alone the paffing wind;
Alone I fit inactive all the day,
Nor tune the pipe, nor chant the sprightly lay.
Ah! would the maid I love no more deny
The tender joy for which alone I figh! (pear,
Look round, my love, how gay the fields ap-
What blooming flow'rs adorn the rifing year;
Yet ere 'tis long thefe flow'rs will all decay,
Thefe fields appear as if they ne'er were gay:
Then by the forelock catch infidious Time;
The winter comes, enjoy these hours of prime.
Scorn not a shepherd, nor his rural sports;
There's more content in cottages than courts.
Tell me what bribe will gain thy wifhful heart;
With all my flock to gain that bribe I'd part;
My brindled heifers and my milk-white kine,
I'd freely give, could I but call thee mine.

Alas! fond boy, thy gifts the fair disdains, In vain the giver of his love complains; Ronfe, Colin, then, thy country's now at arms, And court fair Freedom's never-fading charms. Gloucefter, July 8. 1757. ·

T. F.

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Be cautious, fair-one, how you taste its juice; 'Tis moderation juftifies its use.

The draught is pleasing, was its virtue fo,
But latent poison lurks conceal'd below.

See Lady Harriot, in her nineteenth year,
That life of frolic, and that all that's dear,
With pallid checks, where roses us'd to blow;
With livid lips, where cherries lov'd to grow.
"Reftore me, Doctor, to myself," the cries,
"Revive that lightning which has fled my eyes.
E'en Lady Charlotte plumes at my difgrace;
That awkward thing, with bloated milkmaid face,
My power ufurp'd, the reigns at every ball,
Shines at the play, and fparkles in the mall.
Oh! could my beauty but renew its grace,
That beauty, fatal to her rival face,
I'd have my lords, and beaux, as well as the;
Inftead of her, they then would die for me."

Her cafe defcrib'd, the doctor play'd his part, And found her cure fuperior to his art. A ftreak of bloom would fometimes paint her face, But rebel palenefs foon ufurp'd its place. His phyfic baffled, other arts he tries; Tea he forbids, or elfe his patient dies. Tea fhe gives up, fince ev'ry med'cine fails, And health returns, as abftinence prevails. Alas! too foon her refolution falls, The Syren cup her eager with recalls: Spite of relapfe, the long'd-for potion quaffs, Lords, beaux, and beauty, vanish at her draughts. Now view the rofes faded in their bud, Her nerves all trembling, and her ftagnate blood; Her eager hopes the fatal cup deftroys, And fterner minifters grim Death employs.

Forewarn'd, avoid the wretched Harriot's cafe, Left the fame end attend your blooming face. Too large a potion is a dangerous thing, Juft fip, or tafte not that Circean fpring; There potent draughts corrode the vital part, But moderate cups exhilarate the heart. Windfor.

F. W. a young gentleman of fourteen, to Miss A. C. of B- — a young lady nearly of the fame age,

N infant ftrains permit me, fairest maid, To footh my heart, and to intreat your aid. At every letter which you deign to fend, I feel more than the transport of a friend; Whene'er I hear your name, my heart beats high; And when I fee you, all is ecftafy:

Whence all these thrillings of my infant heart! Whence all the joy you give! Oh! whence the fmart!

Whence but from Love?-And yet all men agree,
Childhood and age are from his empire free.
Thus Reafon bids me what I feel disclaim,
And makes me change (tho' not the thing) the
I feel 'tis love! but must that name fupprefs, [name.
And only term it friendship in excefs.
Yet tho' our years admit a longer stay,
My heart forebodes 'tis more than childrens
Our riper years the fmiling god may please;
The feeds are fown, and will with years increase;
O fmile, thou faireft, and thefe ftrains approve,
And what is Friendship pow may foon be Love."

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