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some curious discoveries might be made, were specimens procured from various quarters of the world.

April 1793.

Minute and rare fhells in sand.

The first discovery of minute fhells in sand, originates with Mr Boys of Sandwich, in the county of Kent and ninety of them are engraved, and a description of them published by George Walker in Fever ham.

His method of examining them was thus: He placed small portions of the sand under Dr Withering's botanical miscroscope, in order to separate the fhells from the sand, and afterwards proceeded to enlarge every single fhell with greater magnifiers, in order to take his drawings of them with mere precision. To facilitate the more easy discovery of these minute objects, after the sand is perfectly dry put an handful of it on an open fheet of paper, and gently shake it from side to side; by which means the minute fhells being lighter than the sand are separated from and lie above it, and are thereby much more expeditiously procured, than by any other method. The objects for inspection fhould be placed in a situation free from sudden blasts of air, to prevent their being blown away; a careless breathing or cough being frequently the cause of their being lost. Most sand contains a greater or lefs variety of minute fhells; and the inquirer should not be discouraged although some parcels of sand are found to contain none, or at least only the most common kinds.

The sand examined by Mr Boys was that of Sandwich in Kent, and from thence to Feverfham and Sheppy Island, and a number of fhells heretofore unknown added to the British Conchology, equal to nearly one half of all the engraved English séries-a sufficient inducement to

339 gentlemen of a philosophic turn of mind, and who are admirers of the beautiful works of our beneficent Creator, to employ occasionally a few hours in similar rescarches.

Besides fhells, some specimens of sand to contain minute varieties of the echinus or

are found

sea urchin, also the asterias or star fish; on sea weeds and corallins small shells are often found adhering which are not to be met with in any other situation.

We would therefore suggest the propriety of preserving specimens of sand found in all the different places which the naturalist has an opportunity of visiting. Before the specimen is laid aside for further examination it should be gently dried either in the sun or before a fire. Chip boxes, or phial bottles, fhould be 'employed for keeping the sand, to prevent the fhells being crushed, and the name of the place where found written on a slip of paper put in along with the sand.

In a packet received this day, May 4. by post from Russia, the Editor is favoured with the following obliging communication,

Extract of a letter from Dr Pallas dated Nov. 3. 1792.

"Had there been an opportunity of sending any thing to Britain, I could make up a parcel. In my journey to Astrahon, I will certainly collect for the Bee whatever economical curiosities I can."

Farther extracts in our next.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

BOTH the copies of verses by A. L. are received, and under consideration. They fhall be duly taken care of.

The critique by Frost, is indeed too snell for the occasion, though it is not without foundation; an opportunity will be embraced on some future occasion to do justice to his remarks, in the Index Indicato

ru s.

The anecdote by a Scotsman is received, and fhall have due attention paid to it.

Both the communications by G. R. H. are received and shall be duly attended to as soon as pofsible.

The benevolent proposal by Humanus, for establishing an institution for succouring sailors in danger of fhipwreck, is received; and every aid the Editor can give for promoting the plan fhall be affordIt shall be printed with the first convenience.

ded

The Editor is much obliged to Zora junior for the trouble he has taken in sending the account of the Hamster. The peculiarity he describes is now very generally known; and the figure is so bad that no use can be made of it. Some proper opportunity will be taken to specify the peculiarity to the readers of the Bee.

Thanks to Asiaticus for the trouble he has taken in transcribing the eastern tale; which fhall have a place when an opportunity offers. The verses by B. C. having accidentally been mislaid were not sooner acknowledged.

The communication by Curiosus junior is received, as also the former one. It is expected next week to be able to take more particular notice of it.

The communication by Hurry Punt is under consideration. He will be sensible it is not quite suitable for many of the readers of the Bee.

The address by Cosmopolitan, it is thought may now be deemed unnecefsary. The other communications may have a place when a spare corner offers for them. It was impofsible to insert any of them at the time he expected.

The letter by Tibius is received, and under consideration. The subject treated of by I. M-n has been so often agitated, that it is difficult to say any thing new upon it; but the Editor will try to introduce the substance of the hints he throws out in one way or other. The paper by W. R is received, and will be more particularly noticed on some other occasion.

The short poems by Physicophilologus are received, and some of them fhall soon appear.

The verses by Y. Z. are received.

The Epitaph by a Constant Reader is received, and though the poetry is of the usual clafs of such compositions, to please him it shall have a place.

The hints by R. are received.

W. E. has forgot the promise he made with his last communication. Acknowledgements to correspondents deferred.

To the Readers of the Bee.

The Editor of this work earnestly requests that all those of his subscribers whose accounts are of considerable standing, to discharge them as soon as possible.

All persons empowered to collect monies for this publication to whom payments have been made, would greatly oblige him by transmitting the sums received, and the names of the subscribers who have paid.

While every grateful acknowledgement is due to those whose punctuality has enabled the Editor thus far to continue the publication, he is obliged to observe that so great is the expense attending its prosecution, and so large the amount of arrear that unlefs a considerable part of that amount is speedily realised, it will be impossible for him to continue the Bee with any reference to a distant and extensive circulation.

He requests his readers in the remote parts of Scotland, to embrace the opportunity that now occurs, of making remittances by the clergy who will soon be coming to Edinburgh to attend the General Assembly.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27. 1793.
WEDNESDAY

FOREIGN.

FRANCE.

NOTHING

OTHING can be more precarious than the fortune of war. For some months past the arms of France were crowned with succefs in all quarters; and the neighbouring nations began to tremble for their safety. One con quest was followed by another; and as they advanced, they succefsively annexed the dominions they had over-run to that of France, under the alluring names of freedom and equality. Some nations acknowledged the authority of the present powers of France; and others temporised, in order to avoid be ing subjected to the severe scourge of war and pillage. Among the first were Sweden and Tuscany; and Venice, with her wonted policy, declared The would acknowledge the powers in France, when the other powers in Europe recognised them; and, in the mean while, would preserve the strictest neutrality, and treat France as the most favoured nation.

But while hopes of extended conquests swelled the bosom of the subjects of that new republic; and while the rapid progress of Dumourier in the United Provinces gave them reason to believe, that the conquest of that country was so certain, as to authorise the National Convention to decree in what manner the property of the Staldholder, heritable and moveable, fhould be disposed of; one post brought such an accumlation of news, as totally blasted these fairs prospects, and reversed the apparent state of things. Breda had already been given up to the successful arms of Dumouriér, --not without suspicion of treachery; Klundart, a small fort, had been carrried by afsault; and Gertrudenburg surrendered by capitulation. Williamstadt was closely besieged; and Heusden, and Bois le duc, and Bergenopzoom, threatened. In this situation news were received that a decisive victory had been obtained over the French at Aix la Chapelle ;—that they had been driven from Leige, in which the magazines for carrying on the operations on the upper Maese and the Rhine had been formed, all of which fell into the hands of the enemy;-that the French were driven from the neighbourhood of Venloo; and Ruremonde taken, in which their magazines for the operations in Guelderland, had been formed;-that the seige of Maestricht had been raised, and the French driven backwards towards Brufsels. To com. plete the disastrous catalogue, the same post brought an account that the French fleet under Truguet had made an unsuccessful attempt upon Cagliari in Sardinia, from whence it had been beat off, with with great lofs; and the VOL. XIV.

squadron had returned to Toulon, in a distressed condition, without effec ting the object for which it had been fitted out.

Since that time all these pieces of news have been confirmed; together with the additional circumstances that the French had been attacked in their retreat near Tongres, and again routed ;-that all the different armies that had been driven from the places above named, had formed a junction near to Louvain ;-that general Dumourier had withdrawn the bulk of his army from Dutch Brabant, and marched them towards Antwerp, leaving a detachment to push the seige of Williamstadt, and to cover his retreat;-that while this small fort was thus vigorously attacked, and as vigorously defended, Dumourier himself had pushed forward towards the united French armies, and having assumed the command, had withdrawn them off from Louvain, and had occupied a strong post between that town and Brussels, called the Iron Mountain, where he seems to repair, to wait the attack of the combined forces of Germany which are advancing against him;~ and finally, that the siege of Williamstadt had been raised;—that the seige of Heusden, which was threatened, had been abandoned;-that the fort of Klundart and Gertrudenburgh had been evacuated;—that the cannon the French could not carry off, had been thrown into the canals;-and that the French troops were all marching southward with the greatest expedition;that 12,000 Prussians had reached Bois le duc, and were preparing to march directly towards Breda, which they are in full hopes of recovering in a short time.

Such was the situation of things in the middle of last week, in the Low Countries. On the Rhine, Custine still keeps pofsefsion of Mentz; but by the last post an account has been received of the capture of Konigstein; sothat there is every reason to believe that Mentz must soon fall, and the retreat of Custine be entirely cut off. Reports also prevail, with much appearance of probability, that Dumourier has been defeated near Louvain, that his army is disbanded, and flying in every direction, in the utmost fear and consternation. A large body of fugitives reached Dunkirk, and brought

this news.

No words can be found to describe the consternation that prevailed in Paris on the receipt of these disastrous news. That ill fated town had been lately threatened with an insurrection on account of the alleged scarcity of bread, which had been with difficulty allayed. Lyons, ever since receiving the news of the death of the king, had been in a state of rebellious ferment, which had not fully subsided. The National Convention had been harassed with daily accounts of riots and insurrections in various parts of the kingdom, on account of the scarcity of corn. Many of its members had been dispatched as commissioners to quell these multiplied disturbances. In this situation, the news of these disasters produced a kind of desperation of mind. The generals, the ministers, the members of the Convention, were summarily

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