It is impoffible, in the limited bounds of this paper, to give the particulars of all the variety of profeffions in which he engages, and in which he is allowed by the whole inhabitants around him to excel. His genius feems univerfal; and he is at once by nature, Botanist, Philofopher, Naturalift, and Phyfician.

The place where he refides feems indeed peculiarly calculated for affifting him in these favourite pursuits. Within a flone's throw of his hut, a deep enormous chaẩm extends itself up the mountain for more than four miles, through the bottom of which a large body of water rages in loud and fucceffive falls through the fractured channel, while its ftupendous fides, ftudded with rocks, are overhung with bushes and trees, that meeting from oppofite fides, and mixing their branches, entirely conceal, at times, the river from view; fo that when a spectator stands above, he fees nothing but a luxuriance of green branches, and tops of trees, and hears at a dreadful distance below the brawling of the river. In this vale or glen innumerable rare and valuable herbs are discovered; and in the harvest months, this is his continual refort. He explores it with the moft unwearied attention, climbs every cliff, even the moft threatening and from the perplexing profufion of plants, collects thofe herbs, of whofe qualities and value he is well acquainted. For this purpose, he has a large bafket with a variety of divifions, in which he depofits every particular fpecies by itself. With this he is often feen labouring home to his hut, where they are fufpended in large and numerous parcels from the roof, while the fage himself fits fmiling amidst his fimple ftores.

In cultivating his little plot of ground, he proceeds likewise by methods entirely new to his neighbours. He has examined by numberlefs ftrange experiments, the nature of the foil, watches every progreffive advance of the grain, and fo well is he provided for its defence against vermin, that they are no fooner seen

than deftroyed. By thefe means he has greatly enriched the foil, which was by nature barren and ungenerous, while his crop nearly doubles that of his neighbours; the more fuperftitious of whom, from his lonely life, and fuccefs in these affairs, fcruple not to believe him in league with the devil.

As a mechanic, he is confined to no particular branch. He lives by himself, and feems inclined to be dependent on none. He is his own fhoe-maker, cutler, and taylor; builds his own barns, and raises his own fences; threshes his own corn, and with very little affittance cuts it down. From his infancy, he has enjoyed an uninterrupted flow of health; but there is scarce a neighbouring peafant around, who has not, when wounded by accident, or confined by fick nefs, experienced the falutary effects of his skill.

In thefe cafes his prefence of mind is furprifing, his applications fimple, his medicines within the reach of every cottager; and in effecting a cure, he is feldom unfuccefsful. Nor is his affiftance in phyfic and furgery confined to the human fpecies alone. Domeftic and useful animals of every kind profit by his refearches. He has been known frequently to cure horfes, cows, fheep, &c. by infufing certain herbs among warm water, and giving them to drink. In fhort, fo fully perfuaded are the ruftics of his knowledge in the causes and cure of diforders, to which their cattle are subject, that in every critical and alarming cafe, he is immediately confulted, and his prescriptions obferved with the moft precife exactnefs. I fhould arrogate too much to my own praise to fay that I was the first who took any particular notice of this folitaire. He is known to many ingenious gentlemen in that place of the country, and has been often the fubject of their converfation and wonder. Nor has the Honourable Gentleman whose tenant he is, fuffered this ruflic original to pafs unnoticed or unbefriended; but with his ufual generofity, and a love to mankind, that dignifies all his actions, haś

from time to time tranfmitted to him parcels of new and useful plants, roots, feeds, &c.; while the other fhews himfelf worthy of fuch bounty, by a yearly fpecimen of their products, and a relation of the manner in which he treated them.

About fix months ago, I went to pay him a vifitalong with an intimate friend, no less remarkable for a natural curiofity. On arriving at his little hut, we found, to our no small disappointment, that he was from home. As my friend, however, had never been in that part of the country before, I conducted him to the glen, to take a view of fome of the beautifully romantic fcenes, and wild profpects, that this place affords. We had not proceeded far along the bottom of the vale, when hearing a rustling among the branches above our head, I difcovered our hoary botanift with his bafket, paffing along the brow of a rock, that hung almost over the centre of the ftream. Having pointed him out to my companion, we were at a lofs for fome time, how to bring about a converfation with him: Having, however, a flute in my pocket, of which mufic he is exceedingly fond, I began a few airs, which by the fweetnefs of the echoes, was heightened into the most enchanting melody. In a few minutes this had its defired effect; and our little old man stood befide us, with his basket in his hand. On ftopping at his approach, he defired us to proceed, complimented us on the sweetnefs of our mufic, expreffed the furprife he was in on hearing it, and leaning his basket on an old trunk, lif tened with all the enthusiasm of rapture. He then, at our request, presented us with a fight of the herbs he had been collecting, entertained us with a narrative of the discoveries he had made in his frequent searches through the vale, which, faid he, " contains treasures that few know the value of."

Seeing us pleafed with this difcourfe, he launched forth into a more particular account of the vegetables, reptiles, wild beafts, and infects that frequented the

place, and with much judgment explained their various properties." Were it not, fays he, for the innumerable millions of infects, that in the fummer months fwarm in the air, I believe dead carcafes, and other putrid substances might have dreadful effects; but no fooner does a carcafe begin to grow putrid, than these infects, led by the smell, flock to the place, and there depofit their eggs, which in a few days produce fuch a number of maggots, that the carcafe is foon confumed. While they are thus employed below, the parent flies are no less busy, in devouring the noxious vapours that inceffantly afcend; thus the air by these infects is kept sweet and pure, till the ftorms of winter render their existence unneceffary, and at once deftroy them. And heaven that has formed nothing in vain, exhibits these things to our contemplation, that we may adore that all bounteous creator, who makes even the most minute and seemingly destructive creatures fubfervient to the good of man.

In fuch a manner did this poor and illiterate peasant moralize on the common occurrences of nature; thefe glorious and invaluable truths did he deduce from vile reptiles, the unheeded infect, and fimple herb, that lies neglected, or is trodden under foot as ufelefs and offenfive; and what friend to mankind does not, on contemplating this hoary ruftic's ftory, fondly wish, with its writer, that learning had lent its aid to polish a genius, that might have one day furprised the world with the glorious blaze of a Locke or Newton.

I have nothing, Sir, to offer as an apology for the length of this paper, but the entertainment I hoped it might afford your numerous readers, and its truth, which is not unknown to a number of your respectable subscribers in this quarter, fome of whom may perhaps favour you with more particulars respecting his discoveries, than can at present be given by

1.}

Paifley February 16th 1791.

A. W-n.

SIR,

To the Editor of the Bee.

Ir would be deemed a very valuable acquifition by many of your readers, would fome of your philofophical correfpondents give a defeription of an electrical machine fufficiently powerful to melt a brafs wire a hun dredth of an inch thick, and to be as fmall, compact, and little expence as poffible. I am, &c.

February 14, 1791.

SIR,

To the Editor of the Bee..

W..

I HAVE seen the first number of the Bee; and I, as well as my acquaintance here, promife ourselves much plea fure from a work of that kind, conducted by a gentleman of your known and approved abilities. I thank you for the early intimation you have given us of the new and important difcoveries in Germany, refpecting thofe calces, which have hitherto been deemed earths.

I am now in poffeffion of a very cheap and eafy procefs for feparating the foffil alkali from Glauber's falt, without the intervention either of vegetable alkali, or barytes. Will you be fo good as to give the following intimation in your extenfively circulated publication and if it fall within your plan, I will afterwards fend you an account of the process, to be inferted in your periodical work t.

;

"It has long been wished, that an eafy way of fepa rating the foffil alkali from Glauber's falt could be invented: We are informed, that the Reverend Mr. James Wilfon A. M. of Stockport, is in poffeffion of a procefs which does this completely without the aid of vege table alkali or barytes. Yours &c. R. O.

Stockport

February 18th 1791.

+This communication will be highly acceptable. Edit. VOL. II.

D