employed perhaps with great economy as torches or flambeaux. Solid balls have also been made of it, that are light, and of an amazing degree of elasticity; but what useful purpose could be made of thefe, does not at prefent appear. It might alfo be moulded into the form of riding whips, and would probably anfwer that purpose admirably well; and after they were wore out, they might be employed as torches. 8th. As a material for chirurgical purposes, it might be employed on many occafions. Catheters have alreany been made of it, after having been diffolved in æther, that have been found to answer the purpose wanted, and to occafion much lefs irritation in the parts than those of any other fort that have yet been tried; but the great price, when thus manufactured, prevents them from coming into general ufe. The little bottles, when applied to the breafts of women diftreffed with fore nipples, can be fo managed, as to occafion a more gentle fuction than can be effected any other way, and have therefore afforded very great relief. In fhort, the variety of uses to which they might be applied, as bags for injecting or for fucking, are too numerous, to admit of being here fo much as pointed at. 9th. Elaftic fprings. In all cafes where a fpring is wanted to act by its contractile power, no substance can be conceived more proper, than that of which we now fpeak, especially in cold climates; and there are innumerable cafes in which it might be employed in this manner with the happiest effect, in various kinds of machi nery. ioth. It is many years fince Dr. Bergius at Stockholm, made fome experiments on this fubftance in Papin's digefter: By subjecting it in that way to an intenfe degree of heat, it is faid to have been converted into a hard, elaftic, horn-like fubftance. I have not heard that these experiments have been repeated; but if upon farther trial, this fhall be found to be invaria bly the refult, it would extend the utility of this fub. ftance, far beyond the limits we have hitherto thought of; but in the ftate of uncertainty that at prefent prevails on that head, it would be improper to fay more. I might go on at this rate for many pages together, pointing out various other ufes to which it might be applied; but I fhall content myself with specifying one other only. Geographical globes are at prefent an article of great expence, efpecially when of fuch a fize, as to admit of exhibiting a tolerable view of the earth's surface. These could be made of coutchouc of any fize reqnired, at a very moderate expence. The favages of America whom our philofophers reprefent as deftitute of every mental endowment, will teach us the way of proceeding. The little bottles we import from thence, are formed upon moulds of clay dried in the fun. When the coutchouc has hardened on the furface by the process already defcribed, a little water is introduced at the mouth of the bottle, which gradually foftens the clay, and in time allows it to be washed entirely out of it. A globe of clay might be easily moulded of any dimenfions required, leaving at one of the poles a fmall protuberance for a little neck. This ball, when dry, might be covered with coutchouc till it acquired the thickness required; and for the purpose here wanted, this might be very thin. The clay might then be washed out, fo as to leave it empty. The remainder of the process might be here defcribed, were I not afraid of encroaching too much on the patience of the reader. It now only remains, I should give the reader fome notices concerning the tree that produces this fingular fubftance. In no one inftance that I know has the inattention of mankind to useful improvements been more confpicuous, than with respect to the object of our present difcuffion. It is not much less than fixty years fince Mr. de la Condamine firft made known to Europeans this fingular fubftance, which poffeffes qualities that obviously render it one of the most useful bodies that hath ever come to the knowledge of man for many important purposes in life; yet the culture of the plant which affords it, has been, till this moment, entirely neglected by every European nation; nor do I believe, that ever a fingle feed of it was planted by one perfon in the universe.. The tree which yields this juice is large and stately. Its trunk is ufually about 60 feet in height, and from two to three feet diameter. It grows naturally in Brazil, in French Guiana, and in feveral other provinces of South America, and alfo in China, as it is fuppofed. It is called by the natives Hevea, and Mr. Aublet has preferved that name. He calls it Hevea Guianenfis. It is the Pao Seringa, act. Paris, an. 1761, Fatropha foliis ternatis ellipticis integerrimis fubtus canis longe petiolatis. Lin. The form of its leaves, and botanical characteristics, will be well understood by the plate. Its feed is a nut, of a pleafing tafte, very much refembling that of a filbert, and much esteemed by the natives. The tree grows very freely, and might doubtless be easily reared, were feeds brought hither for that purpose, either in fome of the rocky parts of our Weft India islands, or the Cape Verd iflands, or along the coafts of Africa, where there are fuch extenfive tracts of uninhabited country laid waste by the depopulation that our deftructive trade in flaves occafions. What a difference would there be in the ftate of the inhabitants of that unhappy country, were they to be taught to cultivate the arts of peace, and to enrich themfelves by induftrious labour, inftead of thofe cruel wars fomented by our miferable trade in flaves. Could this juice be had in abundance fo near to Europe, it might be fent hither in its fluid ftate in clofe cafks or bottles, fo as to be here manufactured for the purposes it were fitted to answer. Several other trees in thofe regions afford juices approaching to the nature of the coutchouc, though differing from it in certain refpects, which might be applied to other uses in life; but an account of thefe fhall be reserved for another occafion. SIR, Ir Anderson To the Editor of the Bee. THE following lines appear to me to merit a place in your weekly miscellany exclufive of their merit in point of poetical compofition, they prefent us with a view of human nature, which can fcarcely fail to excite in every perfon poffeffed of even the least portion of fenfibility, a mixture of fublime and tender fentiments. We here contemplate one of our fpecies, under circumstances very different from our own, in the face of his tormentors, exulting under the most excruciating tortures. The hoftilities and depredations which he and his tribe exercised upon their enemies, are now regarded by him as the pride and glory of his life, and prove an antidote against the sharpest pains of death. The idea of his father, whofe fpirit he confiders as witneffing and applauding his fortitude, warms the bofom of the dying favage, and gives an intereft to his fullen and indignant exit, more eafily felt than expreft. The whole discovers the hand of a master, and presents us with an affecting picture of uncivilized man *. C. T. The Death-fong of the Cherokee Indians. The fun fets in night, and the stars fhun the day, Remember the arrows he fhot from his bow: Why fo flow?-Do you wait till I shrink from the pain? The air, or fimple melody of the original fong, of which thefe lines exprefs the fpirit, was, we are told, introduced into England fome years ago, by a gentleman of the name of Turner. Remember the woods where in ambush we lay, And the scalps which we bore from your nation away. Now the flame rifes faft.-You exult in my pain; But the fon of Alknomock will never complain. Now I go to the land where my father is gone: His ghoft fhall rejoice in the fame of his fon. Death comes like a friend: he relieves me from pain, And thy fon, O Alknomock, has scorn'd to complain. To Robert Burns. AH! wherefore doft thou drop the founding lyre, That wont to fill my foul with noble fire, In bleft philofophy's unerring road, Gay thro' the cloud, the fun may dart his ray; May banish darkness from the dungeon's gloom. But ah! how flow the heavy moments roll; Then, touch again thy eafy-moving string; K. 1 |