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each of the extremities of zinc and copper. When the chain is thus constructed, and saturated with muriate of soda, it is fit for use. According to M. Struve, it is less oxidable than the common apparatus; its e. nergy is thrice as great; for a chain of 15 or 20 of these cones is as powerful as a pile of 50 or 60 discs.

M. MARECHAUX has improved the pile of Voita. He formed one of nine discs, composed of zinc and copper, separated by rounds of dry blotting paper. Silken cords supply the place of the glass tubes in the ordinary apparatus, and keep it suspended to a hook. M. Marechaux thought he observed, by means of this apparatus, that the electrical tension of the pile encreases and decreases in proportion to the electrical state of the air, and that its action is stronger the more the air is charged with moisture.

A simple and accurate method of constructing gasometers, for purpo ses, where uniform pressure is essential, by the application of the hy drostatic regulator, has been invented by JOSEPH STEEVENS, Esq. See Phil. Mag. No. 94. p. 163.

The following excellent varnish for wood has been published by M. PARMENTIER in the Annales de Chymie, tom. 56. Take of lintseed oil 1 pound, amber 1 pound, pulverised litharge 5 ounces, pulverised minium (red lead) 5 ounces, pulverised white lead 5 ounces. Boil the lint seed oil in an unglazed vessel; put the minium, litharge, and white lead into a bag of linen, and suspend it with its contents in the vessel, without reaching the bottom. Continue the ebullition till the oil begin to become brown; then take out the bag, with its ingredients, and continue to boil the oil, adding a clove of clean garlic; and when this is dried up, put in another, and so on, to the number of 6 or 7. Then melt the amber, in an unglazed earthen ves

In or

sel, in the following manner, and pour it into the lintseed oil. der to melt the amber, take about 2 ounces of the lint seed oil, and add it to the amber, and facilitate its melting by a strong fire; when melted, mix it with the rest of the lint seed oil, and boil the whole two minutes: then remove it and strain it through a fine linen cloth; and when it is cold, put it into a bottle, and stop it well, in order to prevent it from drying up. Before the varnish is applied, the article must be dried in a stove, and completely polished. When this is done, take lamp black, and a little essence of turpentine; mix them with the varnish, and, with a pencil, lay a coating upon the piece to be varnished; when that coat is dry, lay on others, to the number of four. When these are dry also, place the article in a stove, and, when it is completely dried, polish it with powdered pumice stone and Tripoli. When the varnish is wanted of a red colour, a little minium, or cinnabar is to be added.

Messrs. NAUCHE, GRAPERON, and BAGET, have found, that the galva. nic action is increased when the pile is exposed to a high temperature, and when it is plunged into flame, or into oxygen gas, or carbonic acid gas. They found also, that the effects of the pile are not transmissible in vacuo, and that they are scarcely perceptible, even by means of a condenser. Several of these facts were ascertained at an earlier period by Mr W. H. Pepys, who, however, instead of finding that the effects were not transmissible in a vacuum, found that the metals may be deflagrated in vacuo.

According to the experiments of M. BRUGNATELLI, the diamond, which has been regarded as pure carbon, is a non-conductor of Galvanism, altho' it has been found, by M. CURTES, of Brussels, that the oxide of carbon is one of the best conductors of Galvanism.

D. B. Memoirs

Memoirs of Dr. ALEXANDER PENNECUICK of NEW Hall.

(Continued from p. 908, 1805.)

AS with regard to its rude mem

bers in this domestic, patriarchal state, at the commencement of society; shining characters, on its extension and aggrandizement, being but few in number, are, in general, sufficiently distinguished by one name. The prenomen, and nomen, are, therefore, usually dropt, as having become superfluous, by the disappearance, or comparative insignificancy of those, who, had they not been eclipsed by their splendour, could have been mistaken for them. Cæsar, and Cicero, are as distinctly particularised by these single terms, as James and John are, by their Christian names, among children in the same cottage, and are as seldom mentioned with any additions. In the highlands of Scotland, where the clans are unerringly discriminated by their several appellations, the chief of each is known, like the individuals in the infancy of social union, or in a family under the same roof, by one name only. The Chisholm, the MacIntosh, the MacFarlane, for Chisholm of Chisholm, or of that Ilk, with the Christian name prefixed, MacIntosh of MacIntosh, or of that Ilk, marks out the person referred to with all the accuracy that can be required. Additions, from necessity originated, and therefore were, as naturally, disused, whenever they could be dispensed with.

That stage in this progress, by which, to the Christian name, was added that of the lands, is distinctly seen in the list of those in Scotland who swore fealty to Edward I. in 1296, as extracted by Prynne (Collect. v. 3.) from the record in the tower of London called Ragman Roll, April 1806.

In it, few of those enumerated have any other surname but that of their property. Thus, Malcolin de Boughcanain (Malcolm of Buchanan), one of those in the catalogue, was the root of the Buchanans, and proprie. tor of the lands and parish of Buchanan, on the east side of Loch-Lomond. Of this family was George Buchanan, the elegant Latin historian and poet, who observes, it was "familia magis vetusta quam opulenta." The last, as well as many preceding proprietors, to distinguish him from the rest of his clan, like other chieftains, had the nomen Buchanan, already acquired from his lands, prefixed to, of Buchanan, or of that Ilk. He was designed Buchanan of Buchanan, Buchanan of that Ilk, the laird of Buchanan, The Buchanan, and often, merely, Buchanan. of the branches of the family as were in the same district, and had similar Christian names, were either distin guished from each other by a patronymic, or by some natural, or artificial mark of difference, of their own. Gilbert de Drymmond, another of those who swore fealty to the first Edward of England, was, in like manner, the root of the Drymmouds, who were possessed of the lands and parish of Drymmen, 'near the Forth, above Stirling, and between it and Buchanan. From him sprang the family of Perth, Drummond of Hawthornden, the historian and poet, and all the other Drummonds in Scotland.

Such

But, notwithstanding of the policy and sagacity of the intention, it does not appear that Malcolm Canmore's "wise inventions to divide and break the clans," by encouraging those to whom he parcelled out his lands to take new names from them, could be altogether successful in destroying, or loosing the liga ment of these patronymick names." Even still, where the names are differ

ent

rent, the highlanders, overlooking plifies a moral which may be of some

that circumstance as of little importance, trace up their descents from their original chiefs with equally enthusiastic attachment and zeal, and rivet themselves by as strong ligaments to their respective clans, as if they were the same.

Whatever, antecedently, may have been his designation, or whatsoever was the clan to which he belonged, the first proprietor of the barony of Pennecuick of the same name, evi

dently took it from the lands, which, in spite of its uninviting sound and signification, he was probably induced to do, by the grant of the property and the encouragement of the King. According to the Earl of Cromarty, this fixes the time when the Pennecuicks of that Ilk, from whom the subject of these memoirs was descended, acquired the barony of Pennecuick to the reign of Malcolm III. called Canmore, and the eleventh century. The derivation of the word Pennecuick in the former quotation, together with. the following one, plainly shows that the proprietor did not give his name to the lands agreeably to what was more commonly practised before that time. "In old writings," the author of the statistical account of the parish, "the name of the parish

says

is Pennecook, now commonly Pennycuick, said to signify in gælic "Gouk's (or Cuckoo's) hill, probably "" from the number of these birds that "haunt the surrounding woods in "spring." Our physician and poet, was fond of a jest, and of rallying his facetious neighbours in the country. Thewitsand wagshave not beenbehindhand, in profiting by the derivation of Pennecuick, the seat of his ancestors, from Beinn na Guachaig, translated Gouk's Hill, in order to obtain a laugh. The following playful, jocular poem, which appeared in print, we shall insert, as it is not commonly to be met with, and likewise exem

use. The verses show that the scene of it is laid near the romantic rocks of Hawthornden on the North Esk, below Pennecuick.

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ed,

He still cuckoo'd, and coughed, by rote,

Till he had drowned the Thrush's note.

Sir, says the Mavis, by your look,
And from the road, to this, you took,
I see you come from Pennycook.

But, as the Gouks that we have here,
Are always birds of passage,
I beg you'll up the valley steer,

And carry back this message
To all the Gouks about Gouk's-Hill,
That they may keep their music still,
And cough, and cukoo, there, at will;

These

These cuckoo-notes are, here, misplaced,

They only suit a cuckoo's taste; What, there, may be quite à propos, May, here, I warn you, not be

so.

Sir, then, return the road you took <; By your accomplishments, and look, I see you come from Pennycook.

But all the Thrush's hints were lost,

As well as the advices; He cuckooed, coughed, and rudder tost,

Like one who words despises; When, off the Mavis, sudden, flew, And left the Gouk, without adieu, To cough and sing, alone,—cuckoo !

Till, from a cragg, on t'other side, Across the glen, a hollow wide, He saw him leave his station high, And, quivering, up the valley fy. Sir, loud he call'd, with parting look, Rejoiced that he this method took, I wish you well to Pennycook.

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15,000, paid by William King of Scotland as a portion to his two daughters, who had been contracted to the two sons of John king of England. About this time Perth received a charter, by which all the merchant strangers are prohibited from carrying their goods to any part of the shire except the town; the burgesses received also the exclusive privilege of manufacturing dyed or shorn cloth, all the rest of the country being prohibited.

In 1241, the emissaries of the pope drew three thousand pounds of silver out of the kingdom.

1249. Lewis IX. being engaged in collecting a fleet for an expedition against the Mahometans, employed the Carpenters of Inverness to build a large vessel for him. That city, situated near the mouths of several considerable rivers, which ran thro' large forests of oak and fir, seems to have applied very early to shipbuilding.

it

1272. The Queen Dowager of Scotland, being entitled to a third of the net royal revenue, had thence an income of above 4000 marks. Thus appears that the net royal revenue of Scotland was above 12,000 marks (8000l.) The fishery was now carried on to a considerable extent on the coast of Scotland. In some negociations carried on between Edward King of England and the Countess of Flanders, the Flemings are accused of killing 1200 English In short, fish seems to fishermen. have been a staple article of export from the east coast of Scotland.

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Account of the Origin and Progress of Aberdeen was particularly famous,

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and is said to have learned the art of fishing even before the Flemings. Fish of Aberdeen is mentioned as being exported from Yarmouth, it

self

counts it would then have purchased 240,000 bolls of Oats at 4d. the highest price, or 48,000 bolls of Wheat at 2od, ditto.

self a capital fishing town. The fish of Aberdeen cost somewhat under 3d. each, stock fish id. and the half last of herrings 30s.

In the years 1283 and 1284 Robert Durham, Mayor of Berwick upon Tweed, together with Simon Martel, and other good men, enacted the Statutes of the Gild. By these the most absurd privileges are granted to gild brethren. No others were permitted to buy hides, wool, or woolfells, in order to sell them again; or to cut cloth. If a burgess happened to be present at a sale of herrings, he was entitled to a share at the original cost. Strict regulations are made against regrating. Brokers were elected by the community of the town, and their names registered. They paid annually a tun of wine for their licence.

The court of the four burghs in Scotland consisted of representatives from Berwick, Edinburgh, Roksburgh, and Striveline (or Stirling ;) whose province it was to judge of all matters concerning commerce,and the constitutions and customs of the burghs, so that it formed a board of trade and police.

The chamberlain's court in Scotland appears also to have had a jurisdiction over the burghs, and the inspection and regulation of many things connected with trade and police. The Chamberlain went through the country at stated periods, carrying with him standard weights and measures, in order to prove those kept by the Magistrates of the towns; and it was his duty to prevent those who took up goods for the King's use at the King's price (which thus appears to have been under the market price) from taking more than was wanted for the King, in order to get a profit to themselves, and also from defrauding the merchants of payment. By the regulations of this court it appears, that inspectors were appointed to examine and certify, by their seal of of

fice, the quality and quantity of cloth; bread, and casks containing liquors; that other officers called troners, had the inspection of wool; that the salmon fishery was carefully regulated, and fishing during the night, or while the salmon was not in season, was prohibited.

Alexander III. during the long course of a peaceable and happy reign, paid the utmost attention to the prosperity of the country, tho' he did not always understand the best means of promoting it. He made laws for enforcing agricultural industry, and restricted the number of pleasure horses. The Scots began now to build merchant ships; for before this reign we hear only of one ship belonging to the country. But, as from want of experience they were at first unskilful, and several vessels were in consequence lost, Alexander issued a law, by which the merchants of Scotland were prohi bited from exporting goods in their own vessels. This strange edict must, no doubt, have impeded greatly the formation of a navy. How. ever, either by means of his regulations, or in spite of them, the country is said to have flourished exceedingly. The Lombards, under which name were comprehended the great commercial states in the north of Italy, made proposals to the King for establishing factories in different parts of Scotland. One was actually esta blished by the Flemings near Berwick, which received from that port wool, woolfells, hides, salmon, and other goods, the produce of the neighbouring country.

Berwick was now by far the greatest commercial town in Scotland, and was even called a second Alexandria. Its customs were assigned by the King to a merchant of Gascoigne for 21971. 88. sterling, which would have purchased at that time 32,961 bolls of wheat. Of 1500 marks a year, settled on the widow of Alexander

prince

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