-12. The shoal of Herrings mentioned last month, still occupies the

Frith of Forth between Burntisland and North Queensferry. The Herrings are in general of a smaller size than usual. They seem to be accompained by Saury-Pikes (Esox Saurus), a specimen having been found washed ashore at Cramond a few days ago. The Saury is accounted a very rare fish on the English coast. Here it is not uncommon. It is known to the fishermen by the name of Gowdnook or Gaudanook.

20. After a rapid thaw and change of wind, at half past 10 P. M., with a strong south westerly gale, and heavy showers of rain, there occurred a great deal of lightning. It continued with little intermission for several hours. No thunder was heard. Lightning at midwinter is here rather an uncommon phenomenon. In the northern islands of Scotland, however, it is frequent at that season. Dr Edmondston, in his interesting Account of the Zetland Islands, (vol. 2. page 182), says, "If there be a time when thunder and lightning may be expected to occur in Zetland more than another, it is during the months of December, January, and February, when westerly winds and rain succeed, rapidly, to northerly and easterly winds with snow, as takes place in case of a thaw." These, it will be observed, were exactly the circumstances in which the lightning occurred here on the 20th current.

Memoirs of the Progress of Manufactures, Chemistry, Science, and the Fine Arts.

A

CCORDING to accounts from Illy

rian Carinthia, a terrible rain

spout descended on the night between the 27th and 28th of August, at Hermajor and its vicinity, threatening destruction to the whole village. The water flowed into the market-place and its neighbourhood so high, as to penetrate the windows of the first floors. More than fifty persons were hurried away by the torrent; many of whom were alive, and called piteously for assistance, which no one could afford. All the bridges, and twelve houses, were washed away, and a great quantity of cattle perished in the fields.

A Bavarian engineer has invented a method of constructing wooden bridges, which, for strength and solidity, promise a duration of several centuries. They are likewise remarkable for the elegance of their form and the width of their arches. One consisting of a single arch 200 feet wide has been thrown over the river Roth. Another 286 feet wide has been made for a large city. The arches may be so constructed as to admit ships of war, or merchant. vessels, to pass through them, an aperture being made in the centre which can be opened and shut at pleasure. The bridges may be taken to pieces in two days, if necessary, to stop the progress of an enemy, or for any other purpose.

Canonmills, Dec. 26, 1810.

N.

times,

times, and when they yield water, pour them out on a dish to drain. When drained, spread them out on paper in an airy room, out of the sun, and turn them frequently that they may dry the sooner. It is necessary for their keeping, that they should not retain any moisture; for if they do, they will soon grow mouldy. French beans may be managed in the same way, and will thus keep till the next season, as well flavoured as when first gathered. A Mosaic pavement has been discovered at the Villa Palumbara, at Rome. This discovery has occasioned varions other researches. A year ago, a disccbulus was found in the same place, and a very fine engraved stone, which was sold for 25 paoli, by the first possessor. The proprietor of the villa claimed the stone, and insituted a legal process against the workman who found it. The celebrated Roman sculptor, Canova, is at present engaged upon the tomb of Alfieri. He has just finished his two pugilists, which are placed in the Belvedere of the Vatican.

64

in which the writer tells his own story."

Lastly, take the opinion of Gil bert Wakefield. "Of all those biographical relations," says he, "which have contributed so much to inform and delight mankind, those, if I mistake not, have been received with peculiar eagerness and approbation, where the writer and the subject have been the same. Who has not, for instance, felt himself interested, to a degree of uncommon avidity, in perusing the lives of Lord Herbert, William Lilly, Clarendon, and Cibber?

Nor is elevated rank, superior genius, or a dignified station, necessary to this exquisite gratification of the reader. The essential requisites of such a work, are events not wholly unimportant, nor unconnected with the political or literary transactions of the times, related in a style perspicuous, nor yet void of ornament, with the confidence of integrity, and the simplicity of truth."

IRELAND,

though often the mother of genius, is rarely its nurse. Bisset.

BARTOLOZZI

was certainly an inimitable engraver; but sometimes he was so much ocforgot the story of his picture. cupied by the effect, that he entirely When engraving Mortimer's painting of Sir Philip Sidney refusing the water offered him in the field of battle, and ordering it to be given to a wounded soldier, Bartolozzi observed that the foreground was rather bald, and, to render it moré picturesque, he inserted a copious stream of night, running at the feet of Sir Philip's horse!

TO KNOW THE WORLD! "To know the world! a modern phrase "For visits, ombre, balls, and plays."

Prizes proposed by the French Government for Proficiency in the different Branches of Art and Science during the year 1810.From Archives des Decouvertes. et des Inventions Nouvelles. - Paris, 1810.

Decennial Prizes.

HIS IS Majesty the Emperor, with the view of encouraging the sciences, letters, and arts, which contribute eminently to the lustre and glory of nations, and wishing to know the men who shall have most participated in the fame of science, of letters, and of arts, has decreed, by an imperial decree, dated at Aix la Chapelle, 24 Fructidor, year 12, and by another dated from the palace of the Thuileries, 28 November 1809; .

ten

1. That there shall be, every years, on the anniversary of the 18 Brumaire, a distribution of great prizes, given by the hand of his Majesty, in the place, and with the solemnities, which shall be hereafter appointed.

2. That all the works in science, in literature, and in the arts, all useful inventions, all institutions devoted to the progress of agriculture or national industry, published, known, or formed during an interval of ten years, the termination of which shall precede by one year the era of distribution, shall enter into competition for the great prizes.

That the great prizes shall be, some of the value of 10,000 livres, others of the value of 5,000 livres.

With regard to the nature of these prizes the judgment on the works, and the, distribution of prizes, the decree of 28 November 1809, gives the following details...

I.-Of the Nature of the Prizes. The great decennial prizes shall be thirty-five in number, nineteen of which shall be of the first class, and sixteen of the second.

December 1810.

The great prizes of the first class shall be given,

1. To the author of the two best works in the mathematical sciences; one for geometry and pure analysis; the other for sciences susceptible of the most rigorous calculation; as astronomy, mechanics, &c.

2. To the authors of the two best works in the physical sciences; one for physics, properly so called, chemistry, mineralogy, &c.; the other for medicine, anatomy, &c.

3. To the inventor of the most useful machine for the arts and manufactures.

4. To the founder of the institution most advantageous to agricul

ture.

5. To the founder of the institution most useful to manufacturing industry.

6. To the author of the best his

tory, or of the best portion of general history, either ancient or modern.

7. To the author of the best epic poem.

8. To the author of the best tra

gedy acted on our great theatres.

9. To the author of the best co

medy, in five acts, performed on our great theatres.

10. To the author of that work of

literature, which shall unite, in the highest degree, novelty of ideas, with skill in composition, and elegance of style.

11. To the author of the best work in general philosophy, relating either to morals or education.

12. To the composer of the best opera, performed on the theatre of the imperial academy of music.

13. To the author of the best historical painting.

14. To the author of the 'best painting representing a subject honourable to the national character.

15. To the author of the best work of sculpture, subject heroic.

16. To the author of the best work

work of sculpture, the subject of which is derived from facts memorable in the history of France.

17. To the author of the finest monument of architecture.

The great prizes of the second class shall be decreed,

1. To the author of the work which shall make the happiest application of the mathematical or physical sciences to practice.

2. To the author of the best biographical work.

3. To the author of the best poem in several cantos, didactic, descriptive, or generally, in an elevated style.

4. To the author of the two best small poems, the subjects of which shall be derived from the history of France.

5. To the author of the best translations in verse, of Greek or Latin poems.

6. To the author of the best lyric poem, set to music, and executed on one of our great theatres.

7. To the composer of the best comic opera, represented on one of our great theatres.

8. To the translators of four works, either manuscript, or printed, in an oriental or ancient language, the most useful, either to the sciences, or to history, or to the belles lettres, or to the arts.

9. To the author of the three best works of engraving.

10. To the author of the most exact and best executed topographical work.

Besides the prize decreed to him, each author shall receive a medal struck for the express purpose. II.-Of the Judgment of Works. The works shall be examined by a Jury composed of the President, and of the perpetual secretaries of each of the four classes of the Institute. The report of the Jury, as well as the minutes of its sittings

and discussions, shall be transmitted to the Minister of the Interior, during the six months which shall follow the close of the competition,

Our Minister of the Interior, during the fifteen months which shall follow the transmission to him of the report of the Jury, shall address to each of the four classes of the Institute, the portion of this report and of the minutes, which has a relation to the employment assigned to that class.

Each class shall make a detailed criticism of the works which have balanced its votes; of those which have been judged by the Jury to fall little short of the prize, and which have received a mention particularly honourable.

This criticism shall be more extended upon works judged worthy of the prize; it shall enter into the examination of their beauties and their faults, shall discuss the offences against the rules of language and of art, or the happy innovations; it shall not neglect any of the particulars fitted to shew the examples to be followed, and the faults to be avoided.

These criticisms shall be rendered public by the press.

The observations drawn up by each class shall be given by its President to the Minister of the Inte rior, in the four months which shall follow the communication made to the Institute.

III.-Distribution of Prizes.

The first distribution of prizes shall take place on the 9th November 1810, the anniversary of the 18 Brumaire. These distributions shall then be renewed every ten years at the same period of the year.

The prizes shall be published by the Minister of the Interior; and the authors who shall have obtained them, shall receive from the

hand

6. For the manufacture of vessels of metal covered with an economical enamel, 1,000 livres.

7. For the encouragement of engraving, by cutting out in relief, 2,000 livres.

For a writing-desk, in which only the wood of native trees, or of those naturalized in France, shall have been employed, 1,200 livres.

View of the present State of German Literature. From the French of R. C. Villiers, Author of Essay on the Reformation of Luther,' &c.&c. (Paris, 1809.)

HERE

History.

ERE it is that I must particularly guard against the abundance of materials which present themselves. The bare catalogue of all the historical writings that have appeared in Germany, during the last two or three years, would fill a volume. I must recommend to the attention of my readers only the works which bear the stamp of erudition and research, and, by the adoption of this rule, will reduce considerably the number of books

that I have to notice. Thus, notwithstanding the intelligence, the talent, the refinement, and philo sophy, which shine in writings such as that of the illustrious Prince Primate, Charles de Dalberg, “On the Character of Charlemagne," I shall pass over all this class in silence; I shall not speak of the continuation of Becker's "History of the World," by M. Woltmann, a work designed for the instruction of youth; I shall make no mention of the "History of France," by M. Heinrich, so rich in new views; nor of the "History of England," by the same; nor yet of the " History of Ireland," by M. Hegewisch, a subject on which we had nothing satisfactory before him, though Mr Gordon has published two volumes upon it in England. For the same reason, I will not speak of many biographic. 1 memoirs, which deserve, in their department, the highest praises; such, for example, as a professor of the University of Jena, M. Luden, has given of Hugo Grotius, and of Sir William Temple. I must also make another exception, in regard to some collections of charts, of historical monuments,

which have been published in difterprizes have, in general, been long ferent provinces. These great_enperly belong to the literary activity since begun, and thus do not proof the present moment. They are, besides, well known to the whole learned world. Such are the "Monumenta Boica;" the eighteenth volume of which has just appeared at Munich, and will be quickly followed by the nineteenth. It is almost superfluous to add, that books which treat of history entirely modern, can still less find a place. Whatever, therefore, may be the real merit of the "Chronicle of the 19th Century," by M. Bredow, or of the "Chronological Manual of the History of our days," by M.

Wedeland,