history is as yet unknown in Europe. As also every particular that can be learned concerning the chittigong cows, whose tails are used as fly flaps in India

21. To pick up as often as you can find them, skins of all quadrupeds, especially those animals noted for any valuable peculiarity; being very careful to mark down as many particulars respecting their natural history as you can learn, and the uses that are made of them in economy or arts. These skins if dried, and laid back to back with some ground pepper between them, and a few small grains of camphor, may be easily brought safé to Europe.

ADDITION TO THE MEMORIAL ON THE SALT DUTIES BY THE E. OF GALLOWAY &c.

omitted in our last, from p. 299.

FROM the foregoing state of facts it, appears that the duty, payable to the revenue on a barrel of beef or pork in England, is, at the present time, For one bushel of home-made salt, One-half ditto of foreign salt,

£.050

052

Total,

24

if for home consumption, in both countries, or for ship provisions, no duty or drawback being allowed

them.

on

Irish beef, if brought to England, pays a duty of one fbilling per barrel on exportation in Ireland; and, say, one fhilling more for freight: At that rate, a barrel of Irish beef can be afforded in England, 7s. 11d. cheaper than a barrel of British cured beef--the prime cost of the meat being supposed the same.

A British barrel of beef contains 32 gallons; an Irish barrel ony 28: therefore, if equally well packed, "the Britifh barrel will contain 28 lib. more than the Irish barrel: which, at 3d. per lib. is 7s. An Irish barrel of beef, therefore, may be afforded for fhips provisions, at the rate of 16s. 11 d. cheaper than an English barrel of ditto, supposing the fresh meat had cost in both cases threepence per pound.

Irish beef imported into Britain, pays no duty to the British revenue; but a barrel of British ditto pays 10s.

2d. And as there remains in the barrel, about half a bushel of salt after the beef is taken out, which is good for culinary purposes, the duty on which would be at least 2s. 6d. The British revenue, at this rate, loses 12s. 8d. for every barrel of Irish beef and pork imported into Britain, or consumed in ships provisions, which it would have drawn if British salt-meat had been used in its stead. We thus may be said to have given a bounty of 12s. 8d, on every barrel of Irish beef consumed by British subjects, with a view to give them a monopoly of this branch of trade against ourselves.

It has been shown (page 214) that about 156,000 barrels of Irish beef and pork are annually consumed in Britain; and, computing fhips provisions to equal that, it

would be 312,000 barels per annum; the bounty of which amounts, at the above rate, to 197,600l. per annum: What good reason can be assigned, why Britain fhould sacrifice so much for reprefsing her own agriculture and manufuctures?

INDEX INDICATORIUS.

T. K. sends a pretty elaborate essay on éducation, which our room did not permit us to insert. Among other particulars he observes, that "A man without education is like a watch without wheels, for it is impofsible he can fill any station of life without it.” And again, "How does an ignorant person look in a learned company? He looks like a fool without either sense or judgement; for he does not know what they are speaking about, &c." I know few words the meaning of which are less generally understood in Scotland than EDUCATION. In general it seems to be applied, as here, to what is commonly called learning, which in its turn is almost as much wrested from its original meaning, and is now almost exclusively applied to the acquisition of foreign languages, a thing which in itself, deserves not the name of learning; but is merely a scaffolding by means of which knowledge may be attained.

Were I to give a definition of learning, 1 fhould call it the acquisition of knowledge; and were I to specify what education should perform, it would be to put a person in the right train of acquiring useful knowledge. In that sense the acquisition of language may have its share. But much useful knowledge may be attained without that: by consequence a man may have obtained a very good education without having been taught any other language than his mother tongue. A man of sense never will look like a fool, unless when he departs from his real character, and attempts to afsume another, and then he does not look like a fool only, but actually is a fool in that instance. No one will ever be blamed by persons of common sense for not knowing things that his situation in life and circumstances did not put within his reach; but he may be blamed for acting foolishly if he attempts to learn what his circumstances do not put within his reach, and what if he had attained, by having deprived him of the means of earning a proper subsistence, has rendered him a dependent, and consequently a mean and despicable animal. How many men may be found in Scotland who have got what fools call a good education, who have been this

totally deprived of the means of earning a suitable subsistence, and rendered miserable through life, who, if they had acquired a proper education, that is to say, had been instructed in a business suited to their station and circumstances, might have acted a becoming part in life, and been very useful members of society.

TO THE READERS OF THE BEE.

Peru.

THE Editor has a rare opportunity of receiving intelligence from PERU, by means of a literary gentleman going thither at present, and after a fhort stay there, to return hither, by whose means authentic information may be received relating to interesting objects in that country. The Editor intends to make up a memorial specifying particularly, such objects there, as occur to himself that are only imperfectly known here, and require farther elucidation; and will be glad to insert in it such farther particulars as may appear interesting to his readers. Any hints that shall be transmitted to him in two weeks from this date, post paid, shall be duly attended to. Botany Bay.

He has a similar opportunity to Botany Bay. Hints for that quarter of the world, also fhall have all necefsary attention paid to them. Nookta Sound.

A similar opportunity occurs also to Nookta Sound at the present time, by the favour of a gentleman who has made botany and natural history, a particular study; so that any memorandums on these subjects will have a good chance of procuring satisfactory elucidations.

Bengal, Madras, China, &c.

As the East India hips are soon to sail from Britain, he can have opportunity of receiving elucidations respecting any particluar object that may be peculiarly interesting to particular readers from almost any European settlement in those quarters, and will be glad to lend his aid in forwarding such memoirs or queries as they fhall think proper to transmit to him. But he requests that these queries may rather respect particular objects that are already in part known, than genera questions, which seldom he finds lead to any active research.

***To those readers of the Bee, by whose encouragement and punctual payments, the Editor has been enabled to carry on the work, his best thanks are due. But to others who seem to forget that an extensive circulation, without punctual returns at fhort periods, is only a source of embarassment, instead of profit, he must take this opportunity of once more reminding them that the price of the work was put very low entirely on the faith of having regular returns, and that both in justice to himself, and his other readers, he will be put under the painful necessity of charging the price to them at a higher rate, as formerly advertised, which he hopes they will prevent by a more punctual attention to this trifling matter, as it must be to them.

H

A

LL the

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 25.

FOREIGN.

Retrospective view of the political state of France.

governments which sprung up in Europe on the downfall of the Roman empire, were founded on the model of an army. The chief, under whatever name he was known, with the advice of his council; in other words, the general in a council of war, on extraordinary occasions were vested with unlimited authority; and on ordinary occasions the authority of the chief was undisputed. The great body of the people were bound implicitly to obey. When the men were put into cantonments, as we may say, during peace, and thus withdrawn from the immediate power of the chief, each chieftain exercised unlimited authority over those of the district where he presided. By degrees, as a change of circumstances took place in the progrefs of society, this system of government also suffered a change. Universally, the people, properly so called, acquired more power;—their persons and property were better secured, and their exertions of industry respected. In England, this progress, from a peculiarity of circumstances, was greater than in any other country; which has given rise, by'slow degrees, to that constitution of government which is so justly and universally admired. In France the people had not been so effectually secured from the power of the cheiftains. But for near two hundred years past, the privileges of the people had been gradually becoming more and more respected, and their industry encouraged. Under Colbert, and several other ministers, the importance of the industry of the people, and the good policy of encouraging them, were well understood.

The greatest bar the monarchs felt in their attempts to encourage industry, was the great power and privileges of the grandees; and various were the devices adopted to moderate that power: but of late the most efficatious was thought to be the dread of the bastile, and lettres de cachet, which gave to the prince a summary power of checking them when he pleased. This, to them, was therefore an object of dread, and just apprehension. The late unfortunate monarch, had the interest and happiness of his people more at heart than perhaps any other monarch that ever sat upon that throne, H. Iv alone excepted; but his indolence of disposition did not allow him to take those decisive measures which were best calculated to effect his purposes. That beneficent disposition made him choose a minister who was ob noxious to his nobles, because a stranger and a plebeian, which excited secret