THE

Scots Magazine,

AND

EDINBURGH LITERARY MISCELLANY,

FOR JUNE 1806.

Description of the View.

I

T!

'H E frontispiece exhibits a view tie, which, at a short distance, falla

of the house of Monzic, in Perth into some very beautiful cascades.shire, recently built by General The woods in the neighbourhood are Campbell, whose ancestor, of the same remarkably fine, and contain some name, distinguished himself so ho- trees of extraordinary height. The nourably in the affair of Darien. whole country round abounds with Before the house runs the river Kel. fine scenery.

Heroic Death of WILLIAM CHALMERS at the Battle of TRAFALGAR. SIR,

Thas often been your happy lot " till the firing ceased, then with a

to record the heroic deeds of the 65 feeble voice exclaimed, Could I bus sons of the British navy. Such in- “ live to read the Gazette of this glostances can never be too multiplied. Orious day! and with the remains of Their contemplation delights, they “his breath gave three feeble cheers, animate our hopes in this arduous “joined by another dying man, and conflict, and hold up glorious models s both immediately expired." - of imitation to ages yet to come.

It Genuine constitutional courage is was but to-day that I heard of ano. a rare quality, the inborn attribute ther, and I hasten to communicate it. of freedom, and the companion of The hero was William Chalmers, true piety. It is easy to conceive Master of his Majesty's Ship the that the heat of passion, and the hur, Royal Sovereign, who fell in the ever ry of battle, may excite to the pere memorable battle off Trafalgar. A formance of actions, which in cooler gentleman who had every opportunity moments could not be thought of of being familiar with the circumstan- without horror; and it is natural to ees, when writing to his friend in Lon- suppose, that when these causes have don, thus expresses himself: “How ceased to operate, and the body lan“heroically our poor friend Chalmers guishes under pain, and the conscious* died ! His last words, and extraora: ness of inevitable death, that the “ dinary marks of real courage, sur. mental energies should decay as the

pass every thing I have yet heard. frame they inhabit approaches dis• Part of his side was carried away solution. All this is consistent with « while steering the ship towards the received notions of animal life. But “ close of the actions he just lived when protracted torture cannot ex

tort a murmur ; when the positive the degree of Master of Arts. The assurance of death is heard with a eminence with which he discharged smile, and when the last efforts of the duties of the humble office which expiring nature are expressive of joy, he now occupied, soon paved the way contentment and hope, we are lost in for his promotion. In 1747, he obadmiration of such intellectual supe- tained the office of Assistant-teacher riority, which the sophistry of ma- to the Grammar school of Dalkeith, terialists will in vain attempt to ex- which had acquired great reputation, plain.

and then was taught by Mr John Mr Chalmers was a native of Shet. Love. Four years after, through land, and fell at the age of thirty-five. the recommendation of the late ProThirteen years of his short life were fessor George Stewart, he was apspent in the service of his country, in pointed Joint Master of the Gram. the respectable situation of master in mar school of Dumfries. His col. the British navy.

Amicus. league was Mr Robert Trotter, who Edin. 16th June 1806.

being now old and infirm, left him most of the active duty. Here Dr

Chapman taught 27 years, and, unMemoirs of the late DR CHAPMAN.

der him, this seminary acquired a re

putation which is not surpassed by THIS eminent teacher, and respec- any other of the kind in this country.

table writer, was born at the Besides public scholars, he kept also farm of Little Blacktoun, in the parish boarders; but both these at last inof Alvah, in Banffshire, in August creased to such a degree, that he 1723 The farm belonged to his fa- found it necessary to make a choice ther, and had descended to him from between them. He preferred a board. his ancestors from time immemorial. ing house, which he established on Young George, their only son, re. the other side of the towo ; but at ceived his education at the parish the desire of the Magistrates he some, school, then taught by Mr George times inspected the grammar school, Robertson, an excellent teacher, by which was now taught by Mr James whose instructions he profited so Wait. Dr Chapman however was so well, that being sent to the compe. highly satisfied with the merits of this tition for bursars in King's college, teacher, that he thought it unfair to Aberdeen, in October 1739, he gain discourage him by keeping a separate ed the second prize over a considera. boarding house, and generously withble number of candidates. By means drew from the competition. He then of the bursary which this afforded, he returned to the neighbourhood of was enabled to study the languages Banff, and took possession of the farm and philosophy for four successive which had been held by his father, winters. Here he met with the en- keeping at the same time a small acatire approbation of his instructora, demy. Some time after, however, he and formed, with Professor Rait in let the farm advantageously, and was particular, an intimacy which lasted invited by the Magistrates of Banff till his death. He then went into to superintend the grammar school the family of a Mr Stewart, by whose of that city. With their approbation recommendation, on the resignation he converted it into an academy, and of Mr Robertson, he was appointed appointed such as he knew to be skil. to his own parish school of Alvah. ful teachers. About the same time, Being allowed to employ a substitute the Magistrates of Banff having formin winter, he completed his education ed the benevolent design of establishat Aberdeen, and in April 1741 took ing an institution for the instruction

and

a

a

a

favour on,

and employment of poor children, are told of its acting as a laxative
Dr Chapman zealously assisted in

on strangers visiting Inverness, as
making ihe necessary arrangements well as their horses;- of its never free-
and regulations. He then removed zing, &c.; but in no work which I
to Edinburgh, and took some share have yet been able to meet with are
in the management of a printing the causes of these effects satisfacto-
house ; but finding living in town rily explained, neither can I discover
expensive, and being fond of the any account of an analysis of the wa-
country, he purchased a small piece ter of this Loch. It will be very ob-
of ground near Libberton, and built liging if any of your learned corres-
a house there.

The fine and healthy pondents will answer to the above situation encouraged him to resume points ;

;-or if any man of Science, what seems always to have been his who may soon be going Northward, favourite employment, the keeping a will take the trouble of ascertaining small private academy.

the same by experiment, and convey
In the year 1782 Dr Chapman the result thro the medium of your
published his treatise of education, a excellent miscellany, it will confer a
subject on which his talents and ex-

Yours,
perience rendered him an excellent
judge. His work was accordingly Edinburgh, 2

D. B.
well received by the public, and has 17th June, 1806.
passed thro' several editions. When
Dr Buchannan in 1804, proposed, as
the subject of a prize essay and poem,

,

NATIONAL DEBT.
the civilization of India, and the
diffusion of the light of Christianity AN account, shewing what has
through the Eastern world ; Dr

been redeemed of the National
Chapman was animated by the great. Debt, the Land Tax, and Imperial

'
ness of the subject to take up the Loan, to the 1st May 1806 :-
pen, and produced a treatise which, Redeemed by annual mil.
notwithstanding his advanced age, lion, &c. ... L. 59,076,889
breathes all the warmth and sanguine Ditto by L,I per cent,
benevolence of youth. Perhaps his per annum on Loans, 48,099,277
hopes may be too flattering, and his Ditto by Land Tax, 22,469,160
schemes of improvement rather pre.

Ditto by L.I per cent.
mature ; but it is impossible not to
;

per annum on Imperial
recognize, in every page, an amiable • Loan,

673,126
mind, warmly interested in the dif.
fusion of religion, virtue, and happi-

Total L. 130,318,452
Dr Chapman died on the 22d
of Feb. 1806. in the 82d year of The Sum to be expended in the ensu.

(See Scots Magazine for
March last.)

ing Quarter is L. 2,193,562 8 II

}

ness.

his age.

QUERY respecting the PHENOMENA of CELESTIAL PHENOMENA for July
Loch Ness.

1806.
To the Editor.

Friday, July 4th.
IN all the varied tours thro' Scot. BOUT a quarter before ten

land we have the different pheno. o'clock in the evening all the sa-
mena of Loch-Ness mentioned : we tellites of Jupiter will be situated on

the

SIR,

AI

the western side of his disc. in the the same phenomenon will happen on same order as they lie in the system ; the 16th at the same time. the first being nearest, and the fourth

Sunday, July 13th. farthest from the planet.

The Moon will be in conjunction Saturday, July 5th.

with the planet MARS at 31 minutes The third satellite of Jupiter will

after 11 o'clock in the morning, in immerge into his shadow, at 40 mi. longitude, 2...150..41.55" and lati. nutes and 16 seconds after 9 o'clock

tude 6 minutes North. His decli. in the evening, mean time; and after nation is 22°..48' North, and he continuing eclipsed for the space of souths at 9" 25' in the morning. 3...4'. 34" it will emerge from Jupi. Monday, July 14th. ter's shadow at 44 minutes and so The GEORGIUM SIDUS will be in seconds after 12 o'clock in the even. quadrature with the sun at 7 minutes ing.

after 9 o'clock in the evening, in lon. Sunday, July 6th.

gitude 6... 21°.:38'..46", and latitude The second and third satellites of 34:41" North. Its declinatiop is 7o.. Jupiter will be in conjunction on the 55'..19" South, and he comes to the eastern side of his disc, at 47 minutes meridian about 12 minutes after 6 after 9 o'clock in the evening : the o'clock in the evening. : first and fourth satellites of Jupiter are

Tuesday, July 15th. situated on the other side, the first

The planet SATURN will be in qua. being nearest the planet. The same

drature with the Sun at 47 minutes phenomenon will be seen on the 12th, after 9 o'clock in the morning in

7 izth, 19th, 20th, 26th, and 27th, longitude 65.22°..4..46", and latiat the same hour of night.

tude 2°..29'.."40" North. His de. Tuesday, July 8th.

clination is 60..15' South, and he The first and fourth satellites of souths about 5"...57'.

. Jupiter will be in conjunction on the On the same day the first satellite castern side of his disc, about a quar. of Jupiter will emerge

from his shater before ten o'clock in the evening. dow at 28 minutes and 8 seconds af. The third satellite is situated on the ter 10 o'clock in the evening. About same side at a greater distance, and the 40 minutes before this emersion, the second on the other side of Jupiter. third and fourth satellites of Jupiter Wednesday, July 9tl.

will be in conjunction on the eastern The planet VENUS will be in con.

side of his disc; the second is situajunction with e Tauri, a star of the

ted on the other side of Jupiter. 3.4 magnitude, situated in the north

Wednesday, July 16th, ern eye of the Bull, in longitude 2... The planet VENUS will be in conSo..45':.31", and latitude 20.35'.-37" junction with . Tauri, a star of the South. The latitude of Venus being 4th magnitude, situated in the south2o. 14'..29" South, the distance of ern horn of the Bull, in lon. 26. 14°, their centers at the time of conjunc- 6'..10" the latitude of Venus being rion 21'..8", and Venus will pass to 1.58'..35" South, and that of 7 the north of the star.

Tauri 10..13.41" South, the nearest On the same day about a quarter approach of their centers will be 44'.. before ten o'clock in the evening, the 54", and Venus will pass to the first and tbird satellites of Jupiter South of the star. will be in conjunction the western

Friday, July 18th. side of his disc. The second and The first and second satellites of fourth are situated on the other side, Jupiter will be in conjunction on the the second being nearest the planet ; western side of Jupiter. The third

and

on

and fourth are situated on the same will be 51..3", and the planet will
side at a greater distance, the third pass to the North of the star.
being nearest the planet. The same

Sunday, July 27th. phenomenon will be visible the 21st, The Moon will be in conjunction 25th, and 28th, at the same hour. with Jupiter at 29 minutes after 10 Wednesday, July 23d.

o'clock in the morning. The Sun will enter the sigo Leo

Wednesday, July 30th. at 5 minutes after 3 o'clock in the ' The planet VENUS will be in conafternoon.

junction with n Geminoram, a star af On the same day the planet VENUS the 4.5 magnitude in the foot of Caswill be in conjunction with & Tauri, tor, situated in lon. 3.......44':.32", a star of the 3d magnitude, in the and latitude 55'-.4" South. The laSouthern horn of the Bull, sicuated titude of Venus being 1°..19'..8" in longitude 29..22°..5'..16', and la. South, the shortest distance of their titude 2°..3'..29" South. The lati- centers will be 24..4", and the planet tude of Venus being 10..40'.-25", the will pass to the south of the star. distance of their centers at the time On the same day the planet Merof conjunction will be 33'-4", and CURY will be in conjunction with the planet will pass to the north of Leonis, a star of the 4th magnitude, the star,

in the fore leg of the Lion, in lonOn the same day, about 2 minutes gitade 5..3..41..20", and latitude

The latitude of and 53 seconds after 10 o'clock in the 8'..29" North. evening, the second satellite of Jupi. Mercury being 211..38" South, the ter will emerge from behind his sha- nearest approach of their centers will dow.

be 30'..7", and the planet willpass to Saturday, July 26th.

the South of the star. CONJUNCTION OF MERCURY AND Thursday, July 31st. REGULUS.

About 47 minutes and 14 seconds About 4 o'clock in the evening

after 8 o'clock in the evening, the the planet MERCURY will be in con

first satellite of Jupiter will emerge junction with REGULUS, or as Leonis, from behind his shadow. a star of the 18t magnitude in the

Mount Annan,

D.B. Lion's heart, situated in longitude

June 24th 1806. S 46.27o..8'43", the latitude of Mercury being 23'..35" South, and that of Regulus 27'. 27" South, the short. Memoirs of the Progress of MANU. est distance of their centres will be

FACTURES, CHEMISTRY, SCIENCE, 3..52", and the planet will pass to and the FINE ARTS. the north of the star. This phenomenon will afford an excellent tunity for seeing the planet Mercury, DTHORNTON has laid before the

public some cases which show as the superior lustre of Regulus will the efficacy of vital air, or as it is u. direct the eye to the very place sually called, oxygen gas, in the cure where the planet is situated.

of fits. These cases, deemed by the On the same day the planet MARS faculty beyond the reach of human will be in conjunction with 132 Tau art, have been completely and radi. ri, a star of the 4th magnitude, si. cally cured by the continued use of tuated between Orion and the Bull, the pneumatic medicine. According in longitude 2..24°..48'..25", and la. to the doctor's theory, vital air gives titude 19.7..21" North. The lati- energy to the muscles, and thence to tude of Mars being 16'.. 18" North, the nerves, taking off inordinate acthe nearest approach of their centers tion from an undue balance of prin

cipals.

}