they pointed out a boat in which he also was going to town with his beds and family. All these circumstances continued to alarm us, especially as no one was allowed to go through the bridge, vessels of every kind being obliged to pass by the same sluice. Even those laden with provisions, which ought to have landed their cargoes, and returned to fetch fresh supplies, were detained equally with pleasure-boats; indeed the latter, by means of money, frequently accelerated their departure. The critical situation of affairs made no change in these forms, which, though sometimes perhaps useful, were now attended with very ill consequences. Alterations in this particular might easily be made, without affecting the interest of the crown. The great Frederick had enacted that all carriages and vessels, whatsoever might be their lading, or the place of their des tination, should remain a stated time at every station, custom-house or toll-house; so that no driver, nor master of a vessel, should have reason to complain of being obliged to continue his journey, with-, out having reposed some hours. This regulation was disapproved even during the reign of that monarch, which makes it surprising it should have existed so long. Travellers being detained in alehouses and inns cannot possibly be advantageous to a nation; and an able minister cannot be ignorant that the countries easiest of access are the most frequented; that the less difficult it is to transport merchandise, the cheaper it is; and that the fewer obstacles thrown in the way of traders and travellers, the more they are in

duced to quit their native place; consequently the only method to attract foreigners, and to encourage trade, is to facilitate the approach to a country, and to im pose as little restraint as possible upon the interior circulation.

It appears very extraordinary, that in so commercial a city as Magdeburgh, there should be only one sluice, which is opened only once in two hours, and then only three vessels are admitted at a time. Fortunately for us, our captain obtained permission, by a douceur of twenty dollars more than the customary duties, for his boat to enter the sluice out of its turn, and, against the rule, as there were already three vessels in it. By these means we had an opportunity to observe, that it is really not sufficiently spacious to contain more than three large trading vessels, since it was with difficulty we crowded in ours, though comparatively a small one. Having once got out of the sluice, we flattered ourselves that we should meet with no further delay, but in this we were mistaken; for scarcely had we passed the fortifications, before another toll detained us above an hour. Here I landed, and walked to the last wooden bridge between the town and country. At the same moment a hussar arrived fuil gallop, and stopping, whispered the officer who commanded the nearest post to the bridge; he then immediately rode into Magdeburgh. This officer was in the artillery, and never quitted the cannon planted in that place, for the purpose of destroying the bridge: it was ready pointed, and the cannoneers, with lighted matches, only waited for the sig

nal

nal to fire. Having observed a decent dressed citizen talking with this officer, who appeared much alarmed on quitting him, I ventured to ask him, what news was brought by the hussar? I was answered, "that the French would be in sight in an hour." This most disagreeable intelligence I kept to myself, not wishing to alarm my fellow travellers, but my impatience to proceed can easier be imagined than expressed.

At last we quitted this ill-fated shore, but, though our boatmen were very alert, and rowed on with great perseverance, we could only go seven miles beyond Magdeburgh; for the Elbe being full of sand-banks in that part, it is scarcely possible to avoid them in the dark. We passed the night in a solitary spot, at some distance from the shore. The morning of the 19th was beautifully fine, and we set off very early; but we had only proceeded half an hour, when we felt our vessel touch the ground at different times, and at last we were completely stranded in the middle of the river. Our boatmen, during two hours, vainly endeavoured to extricate us from this distressful situation, and appeared to despair of success. After what we had heard of the rapid march of the French (which, however, proved not exactly true) it is to be supposed, that our feelings were not of the most enviable kind, Several vessels passing by, we called for assistance, but no one chose to risk striking on the same bank. We then offered a reward to our crew, which induced them to renew their efforts, and joining our strength to theirs, we at last succeeded in getting the vessel

afloat, and continued our voyage. The left bank of the Elbe is in several places finely wooded; but we remarked very few good houses: the only handsome one belongs to Count Schullemburg; a little beyond which is a row of newlybuilt alms-houses.

Before we arrived at Tangermünde, the Elbe forms a considerable angle: fourteen miles from the above-mentioned place is a toll-house, so inconveniently situated, that we were necessarily detained a great length of time. We passed the night near Tangermünde, where we walked about, and were much astonished to find the inhabitants entirely ignorant of the late events, though the Queen of Prussia had slept in the town the night before. From thence, till within fifteen miles of Wittembergen, the Elbe is crowded with small islands and sand-banks, which make the navigation very difficult. We, however, were hap-. py enough to avoid them, and to arrive safely at Sandau on Monday the 20th at noon. Here we were detained a considerable time, there being two toll-houses, 'distant from each other. The King of Prussia had passed through the town, and proceeded as fast as possible to Berlin, whither the French were making forced marches. We could now no longer doubt of the total defeat of the Prussian army; indeed the scenes we had witnessed at Magdeburgh gave us but too much reason to believe it was the case. The ill effects of the delays caused by fiscal forms were particularly obvious between Sandau and Hamburgh, since we met numbers of large vessels laden with provisions of all kinds for. Magdeburgh.

Magdeburgh. The first of these informed us there were above three hundred more bound for the same place, which we afterwards found to be a fact. They eagerly in quir d concerning the state of affairs at Magdeburgh; and, on our assuring them, that they must not lose a moment, if they wished to arrive in time to enter the port, they declared the frequent tolls made it impossible to proceed more expeditiously: but though they certainly were exposed to real danger, not one of them expressed the least dissatisfaction. They had, however, the advantage of a favourable wind, which continued nearly a fortnight, and which delayed us extremely; but we could not complain of a circumstance, which we hoped might be productive of such good consequences. The inconvenience sufiered by these yessels at so important a moment, naturally led us to inquire, whether a method might not be found to obviate it and we immediately thought, that it would be easy to place flat-bottomed boats on the river, of the same kind as those on which the millers erect their houses and mills. The custom-house of ficers, their clerks, &c. would then have a better opportunity of examining vessels and receiving the tolls, and the trader and traveller would be presently at liberty to continue their voyage, and, even if they wished it, could have no plausible pretext for delay. The custom-house might indeed object to this new kind of dwelling, but the discontent of a few individuals is trifling, when compared to the general utility of such an arrangement. Besides, it is but reasonable that those who live at the

public expense should sacrifice their personal interest to the public good; and I am perfectly as sured, that this plan would be a great saving to government, and produce advantage to commerce beyond all calculation.

Our boatmen were so extremely fatigued with rowing constantly against the wind, that they were obliged to stop for the night fifteen miles short of Wittembergen. After passing that town the following morning, the Elbe was again crowded with small islands and sand banks. We landed at a small village in Hanover, where, though the custom-house officers were not very strict in examining the baggage, we were detained some time. They were equally indulgent at Lenzen in the Prussian territories, which is half a mile from the shore. There we cast anchor, and passed the night in company with ten of twelve vessels laden with provi sions for Magdeburgh, which were not suffered to proceed, till past ten in the morning, though the custom-house officers had time enough to examine them the evening before, and though they knew the importance of the commission with which they were charged.

The wind rising and blowing violently, we could not possibly proceed any further; and being told that it might probably conti nue in the same quarter for several days, I consulted with my fellow travellers, and determined upon going by land to Hamburgh. The idea of being separated from my friends, and leaving them exposed to dangers which they thought it more prudent in me to avoid, was so very painful, that I was more than once tempted to return, dur

ing

ing my walk to Lenzen. I, however, went on to that town, where I was informed at the post-house, that orders had been received to keep seventy horses in readiness. A species dollar (four and sixpence) induced the hostler to provide me with an open waggon and a pair of miserable horses. The first post was twenty-five miles (before it was measured they only charged twenty-one), and the road so dreadful, that it would be scarcely passable for a large English carriage. I was, however, driven tolerably fast, and found a very excellent inn at Lupthen, which, though large, was so crowded, that ten or twelve people, who arrived some hours before me, were forced to remain in their carriages. The master of the inn spoke good English, and taking me for a courier, invited me into his own room, and promised to procure me a peasant's waggon, and a pair of horses; he added, that he was greatly embarrassed, having a hundred horses bespoke, and that he was going to send an express to order eighty at every post, the whole of the way to Hamburgh. I gave a mark (sixteen-pence) to the man who carried the express, to order me likewise a post waggon and pair,which he faithfully promised, but forgot to keep his word. I passed a wretched night in my open waggon, it raining violently, and blowing a strong north-east wind in my face, I was five hours in going the seventeen miles between Lupthen and Boitzenbourg, where I found no horses ready at the post house, and was told I could not possibly have any for seven or eight hours. Two light carriages-and-four arrived at the same moment, and

received the same answer as myself. I entered into conversation with these travellers, who were Jews from Leipsick, and who told me they had been constantly within sight of the French ever since they had left that town; adding, that they would give any sum for horses, sooner than fall into their hands. This induced me to bribe my postillion with a species dollar, who presently procured me a pair, and I went the twenty miles to Eschburg so fast, that I soon passed the two light carriages, though they had paid enormously for dou ble the number of horses, and rewarded the postillions most handsomely. Lauenbourg is the only remarkable place on this road, and when time is not wanting, is well worth seeing. A Swedish officer at Eschburg asked me very politely for my passport, and when he heard my name, almost insisted upon my dining with him. I could not help acquainting this hospitable officer of the fate which awaited him, and the troop under his command, should they persist in remaining in their present situation: "You know the king," replied he, "and not a Swedish soldier, let the number of the enemy be what it may, will ever quit his post, till he has received orders to abandon it."Impressed with sentiments of admiration for a man so heroically devoted to his duty, I quitted him with my heart full, and had nearly been too late for the gates at Ham. burgh, from having conversed with him so long. Indeed I was the last person who entered the city that evening, and I had no small difficulty in procuring a lodging at La Ville de Londres (the City of London), which is in much the

finest situation in Hamburgh, though certainly the dearest inn in the whole place. My first inquiry was naturally respecting the march of the French army, but no one could give me any exact intelligence, and I did not learn till the next morning that it was at too great a distance to overtake my friends; yet still the wind continued so violent and so contrary, that I suffered great uneasiness; the French marching with such rapidity, and losing no time in pursuing their enemies. Happily, however, on the sixth day after our separation, I was joined by my fellow travellers.

HISTORY OF FATAL EFFECTS FROM THE ACCIDENTAL Use OF WHITE LEAD. By John Deering, Surgeon, F.M.S.; with additional Remarks by William Shearman, M.D. F.M.S.

From the Transactions of the Medi

cal Society of London.

Aldersgate Street, Oct. 4, 1809. If the following narrative do not convey any important medical information, it may not be wholly uninstructive, as it relates to a domestic calamity, occasioned by a circumstance which at the time was wholly unsuspected; and it may at least inculcate the necessity of a closer investigation of symptoms from causes not fully ascertained, and at the same time evince the fallacy of hasty prognostics.

On the 21st of October last, I was desired to visit Mrs. R. the wife of a respectable tradesman in Aldersgate-street, who complained of violent pain in the scrobiculus

cordis, with great soreness of the epigastric region when pressed upon.

She had vomited a considerable quantity of bilious matter, and at the same time her bowels were constipated: the pulse was calm and regular, the tongue clean and moist, and there was no symp. tom of fever present. She imme diately took a cathartic, which operated, and an opiate in the evening. The following morning the patient appeared relieved; in the evening, however, the pains and vomiting recurred, and these symptoms continued for some successive days, in so distressing a degree, that it was deemed adviseable to consult the family physi cian, which was done on Nov. 4, 1808. At this time these symptoms continued as already intimated, without any appearance of fever, and hence the physician was induced to consider the affections as of a rheumatic and spasmodic

nature.

In a few days, in consequence of the amendment of the patient, he discontinued his visits. In about a week after this period, a boy in the same family, nearly sixteen years of age, was seized with symptoms exactly similar to those of the preceding case, and similar remedies afforded only partial relief, till at length he was removed into the country, and thereby recovered his health.

A week after the attack of this youth, the eldest child, a boy six years old, was also seized with analogous symptoms, and, the mother having relapsed into her former state, the physician was again consulted on the 19th of November. At this time three other persons in the family la

boured