gard to the oratorical powers of its inhabi- ed to the studies of the poet. THE LAY MONK. LETTERS FROM A TRAVELLER. MY DEAR FRIENDS, Edinburgh, April 10, 18—. Since my last, I have made another visit to St Mungo's city, which Bhad not yet seen. We sailed up the Forth to a small port near Falkirk, in a steamboat, which was small and mean in every respect, when compared with those of our own country. The morning was stormy, and we were confined to the cabin, and had no opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the scenery. From the landing we crossed over to the grand canal, where, as I have before mentioned, it passes Falkirk. We embarked here again in the canal boat and reached Glasgow in the evening. This last mode of travelling we found very agreeable; the boat was drawn by three horses, harnessed in a line and driven at the rate of six miles an hour. It contained a large cabin, handsomely fitted up and furnished with books, backgammon and chess boards, &c. &c. The canal is a noble work, deep and wide enough to admit the passage of vessels of small burthen; it passes, however, through a dreary tract of country, in the course of which I observed nothing which was connected with any interesting associations, except the village of Calder, which recalled the idea of a spirited Scotch air, called Calder Fair, strongly resembling our own national Yankee Doodle. | The day after our arrival at Glasgow was Saturday, which we employed in seeing a few lions, and on Sunday heard a sermon from the Rev. Dr Chalmers. His performance did little towards altering the opinion I have already expressed respecting Scotch eloquence. His voice was bad, and his pronunciation occasionally vulgar; he sometimes spoke in a low tone, and sometimes screamed and beat the pulpit cushion, but all in vain as far as my feelings were concerned. And having thus heard their most celebrated pulpit orator, I shall leave Scotland an obstinate heretic, in re In the afternoon we reached the falls of Clyde; these are three in number, of which Corra Linn is the most remarkable. Near the fall is a cave, which, for aught I know, may be the identical one, which sheltered Balfour, after the defeat at Bothwell. On a slight elevation of ground above this fall, is a summer-house, in the roof of which a large mirror is placed in an oblique direction, so as to reflect the appearance of the Linn. To a spectator, standing in this summer-house, with his back to the river, and looking up to the roof, the water seems to be tumbling down directly on his head. Though water-falls are no great curiosities to an American, it is agreeable enough to see one without a saw-mill and slabs. At Lanark are the famous cotton mills of Owen, of which you have probably seen more particular accounts, than I have either time or patience to give you. The distance from Lanark to Edinburgh is thirty-two miles, which we easily accomplished the next day in eight hours and a half. The country was uninteresting, and there was nothing to interrupt our progress. corbells, which usually represent some grotesque figure. Those at Roslin were, for the most part, heads. Among these the guide pointed out that of the abovementioned 'prentice, his master, and weeping mother; and truly the old lady looked dolorous enough to authenticate the tradition. Among the variety of odd figures, I noticed one of a cherub playing on a bagpipe. On the whole there were few particulars here to interest one much, and the chapel was different in that respect from Melrose ; but the general impression given by the building was very agreeable. We next visited Roslin Castle, of which little remains, and that entirely in ruins. Its situation is highly picturesque. There is a deep valley, or ravine, whose sides are are precipitous. The castle was built partly on the declivity of one side, and communicated with the opposite brow, by means of a draw bridge. The bridge is now of stone. At the bottom of the ravine, and round the foot of the castle, flows the Esk river, its banks bordered with the green holly and broom. The sun shone bright while we were there, and I have seldom beheld a more beautiful scene, than was presented by the Esk tumbling over the rocks in miniature cataracts before us, the frowning ruins above, and the green hills around. We remained here a long time, B― gathering mosses, and I musing. We were formed for companions in a ramble; I sit or stand with perfect composure, while he picks mosses, and rarely fret, however long he may be thus employed; and though I only answer his appeals and inquiries respecting the beauties of a cryptogamous specimen, by a nod, or interjection of acquiescence, he is well satisfied, if I listen with patience; while on the other hand he never interrupts my meditations on the picturesque, to use Dr Syntax's expression, except by the appeals before mentioned, which go for nothing; so that if we happen to find a spot, where the cryptogamia thrive and the scenery is romantic, it is hard to determine how long we shall remain. Roslin was a position to win both our hearts, and its attractions prevented our reaching Edinburgh till sometime after dark. Last Sunday I attended the service at Last week I went with B to Roslin, the High Church, and had the pleasure which is but a short distance from this of seeing the Lord Provost and the Baillies city-about seven miles. The Chapel is in their velvet and ermine, as well as the one of the most perfect remains of antiqui-judges, or Lords of Session, in their threety in Scotland, and a beautiful specimen of tailed wigs. The former occupied the front Gothic architecture. One of the pillars is seat of the gallery, on one side of the exquisitely carved. It is called the 'Pren-church, and the latter a similar situation, on tice's Pillar, from a tradition, that while the master builder was at Rome, for the purpose of learning the method of executing this kind of work, one of his apprentices finished it from a design, which he happened to see; for which good deed his master, on his return, beat out his brains with a hammer. A similar story was related to us of some part of Melrose abbey, and possibly the legend is common to many old churches. The clustered arches of the roof, in these ancient buildings, spring either from pillars, or projections from the walls, called the other. When they were all in order, they discharged a volley of low bows at each other across the interval. When the preacher had ended, he let off a bow at each party, who rose, returned the fire and marched off under convoy of the city guard, who, if one might judge from their costume and appearance, might have served under the gracious king Duncan. About a mile or more from Edinburgh, is a beautiful spot, which is said to be the scene of Allan Ramsay's Gentle Shepherd. It is a green valley, completely embosomed among the Pentland hills, through the whole length of which meanders a gentle rivulet, shooting across from side to side, as it meets with obstacles to its direct course; the source of the brook is a clear pool, supplied by a stream, which, descending from the hills, falls over a precipitous bank about fifteen feet in height. This I suppose to be "Habie's how, Where a' that's sweet in spring and simmer grow; Between twa birks, out o'er a little lin The water fa's and makes a singan din ; A pool, breast deep, beneath, as clear as glass, Kisses with easy whirls the bordering grass." Book-making, in this realm, seems to be as much a trade as cabinet or chair making. Books are poured out from the press on all subjects, of all shapes, and of all sizes, and some of them superlatively ridiculous. I have seen one, which contained nothing but the inscriptions on seals. Not remarkable ones, but such as you see every day, as "All's well," "Forget me not,' &c.; but the most ludicrous thing of this kind, that I have met with, is a book, entitled "Neck-clothiana,” or "Tyetana," consisting of descriptions of the various methods of tying on a cravat, illustrated by plates; there was the Napoleon tye, the American tye, the Osbaldistone tye, and the horse-collar, with many others equally nonsensical. society, and kept no journal. I have delay-clapped the helm down, brought her up once ed writing from time to time, till my obser- more to the wind, and we shot close in to vations of small matters have glided out of the rocks. "Hard a lee! fore sheet, fore mind, and I have omitted many things, and top-bowline!" roared the old fellow; but we might as well perhaps have omitted more, should have heard him, if he had spoken with which a letter might be filled, because in a whisper. We hardly moved a muscle they are to be found elsewhere. I shall re- while she was rounding to; and every man turn with a feeling, common perhaps to drew a long breath as the flutter of the every traveller, that the country he has fore-topsail ended in a flap against the topvisited has much to recommend it, but mast, and, swelling out on each side of it, that the one to which he is returning, has showed us that it was fairly backed. more. Great Britain is doubtless a great and happy nation-but I am persuaded that the United States, or, at least, that portion of them with which I am acquainted, contains, on the whole, a happier, and I hope will one day contain, a greater people. Farewell. One fine afternoon, on the 15th of April, I set sail from Leith, in a pretty brig of about I have lately seen two persons of note, two hundred tons. My fellow-passengers Henry Mackenzie, the author of the Man in the cabin, were an intelligent emigrant of Feeling, La Roche, &c., and Sir Walter from Northumberland and a stupid Scotch Scott. The former is now an old man, and lad. In the steerage was a company of not remarkable in his appearance. He is about one hundred Scotch and English emirather thin, which is proper enough for a grants, to which I had the honour of acting Man of Feeling. Scott is an elderly, as physician, surgeon, &c. As we beat thoughtful looking man, his hair between slowly down the Forth, against a light sandy and grey, and did not look at all as I easterly breeze, and Arthur's seat retired expected. The place where I saw him, and from our view, a feeling of melancholy prethe office, that of clerk of a court, was dominated in my mind. I can easily conrather unfavourable for poetic effect, to be ceive of the strong attachment which an sure; bundles of papers, briefs, writs, black Edinburgher feels for his native city; there gowns, tailed wigs, a row of judges in an-is something in picturesque scenery and sittique (I had like to have written it antic) dresses, barbarous law jargon, and the statue of Lord Mansfield, are as far from poetry "as from the centre to the utmost pole." Though the dress of the judges is somewhat grotesque, it looks very rich, being of scarlet cloth and white satin. The lawyers wear gowns and three tailed-wigs, which give them the air of so many monkeys. The mode of proceeding differs from that of our own, or the English courts. The juries consist of fifteen, insteadof twelve, and a plurality of voices, is sufficient to condemn or acquit. The witnesses are sworn by the judges, and not by the clerk as in our courts. The former seems to me the better practice. In a few days I shall sail for Quebec, and take my leave of this beautiful city. You will think that a residence of six months ought to have afforded more matter worthy of being related, than is contained in the few letters I have written. But my attention has been much occupied by professional pursuits, I have gone very little into uation which takes a strong hold on the affections, and though, with the exception of B and a few others of my countrymen, there is hardly an individual in Edinburgh about whom I care a groat; yet I believe I shall never think of the gude town again without a queer kind of feeling about the heart. In an hour or two we arrived off Wemyss, in the county of Fife; here the captain left us to the care of his mate, with directions to lay off and on, till he should rejoin us. While the conversation was going on between them, the vessel was running in shore, and as the boat pushed off, the mate, a young man about twenty, attempted to put her about, but, to his great consternation, she missed stays. He immediately began to wear ship, an operation which, with so little sea-room as we then had, would have probably been the last which the good brig Percival would have undertaken for some months. The captain, in his boat, stood aghast at a manœuvre which threatened such a speedy termination to his voyage. Luckily, the want of discipline was, in this instance, of service to us; an old seaman ran to the quarter deck, This was a foretaste of the manner in which we were likely to be navigated across the ocean. The following morning we left the Forth with a fair wind. Our course was north-about, as it is called, and in a few days we passed through the Pentland Frith, and by John o' Groat's house, and, steering west, lost sight of land on the great Atlantic ocean. We soon began to be aware, that both captain and mate were grossly igno rant of navigation, and that a hint now and then from myself and fellow-passenger were likely to be useful. The latter, a Mr Carr, had been formerly a clerk in some establishment at Jamaica, and had several times passed the Atlantic; while I, as you know, have had opportunities of picking up a little knowledge in this way. Most American captains, confident in their knowledge and experience would have cut us very short, had we presumed to interfere with their management; but Sawney knew better things. He had the grace, at least, to know that he was ignorant of many matters, that it was his duty to know; and "I dare say you're right," was his usual reply to our exposi tions. On one occasion, he was in much trouble about the great disagreement between his dead reckoning and the latitude by observation, till we suggested to him, that there was such a thing as variation of the compass, and that this was different in different parts of the globe- I dare say you're right," he replied, and what was more to the purpose, he became sure of it, when he made the due allowance for the said variation, as laid down in his chart. The mate assured me, that he believed the brig was unlucky, since he had never made a voyage in her without meeting with some accident. In the course of the passage, which was long and tedious, I derived considerable amusement from my protegés in the steerage. They were a simple race; most of them, having resided all their lives in an inland village, had never seen the mast of a ship, till their arrival at Leith; every thing was matter of amazement, from the beasts (whales) that raised a reek (smoke) to the bubbles (Portuguese man of war) that floated by us. We had frequent occasion to lay to, during strong head gales; and when they inquired into the reason of this cessation of the ship's progress, a waggish sailor informed them, that the object was to afford the vessel some rest. On this subject, they entertained different opinions; most of them thought it unreasonable thus to delay in the middle of the ocean; but some of the women com passionately exclaimed, "Poor thing, she must be a-weary." They were generally able to read, and, on the whole, wer peaceable and contented,-amusing themselves, in fine weather, with books or singing. A party of them would often take their seats on the quarter-deck on a moonlight evening, and sing their national songs with great effect. As we approached the Banks, we passed near several islands of ice; the appearance of these objects in the sunshine has often been described; but no description can do justice to its sublimity and beauty; I shall certainly not attempt one. About five weeks from the time of our departure, we made Newfoundland, and a few days after, came near being wrecked on its south-west point. We were running directly before the wind, with a smart gale and reefed topsails, in a thick fog, when we were startled by the white foam of breakers ahead. You may judge of the comfortable nature of our situation-it required nearly two days hard beating to obtain a tolerable offing; but we did obtain it, and soon after a fair wind, which soon carried us through the bay and into the noble river St Lawrence. In ascending the river, we had one more escape, but I will spare you the particulars of it, since it was an escape. We ran up the river at last, with a noble breeze, and without a pilot, and anchored safely opposite point Levi. Our passengers were nightily amazed at the number of churches which appeared on the banks of the river, as we approached the city,-as they had been informed there was no religion in America. The following day, we came up to the quay, and I took my leave, with some regret, of my fellow-passengers, who had nearly all, at different times, been under my care, during a passage of more than forty days;" and, I flatter myself, the regret was mutual. Fortunately we lost noue during the passage, but, on the contrary, added one, a sea-born “wee lady," to our complement. Of Quebec, you have read much, and I will tell you more when I see you. Farewell. POETRY. A SONG OF SAVOY. As the dim twilight shrouds Faint is the goatherd's song, And sighing comes the breeze: And the full moon shines faintly there, Beneath the waving firs The tinkling cymbals sound; And as the wind the foliage stirs, Where the green branches, arched above, And he is there, that sought But he has left me,--though I thought ΤΟ ΠΝΕΥΜΑ. The howling wilderness may spread There Sorrow, moody Discontent, Where nought but dreariness is found; The wildest ills that darken life To passion's dark and boundless sea! There sleeps no calm, there smiles no rest, In bosoms lashed by hidden woes; ON She was happy once, but the hours have flown Her cheek, once glowing in youth's bright bloom, Now mocks in its paleness the lonely tomb, For that form has found in the grave repose,- Oh there was a hand that could once sustain But her heart was seared by a soul untrue, Oh blest be the spot, where her head lies low, But her spirit is gone to a brighter sphere, SONNET. Sweet are the flowers that morning's light displays, INTELLIGENCE. ORIENTAL COMPLIMENTARY STYLE. Mahomed Ismael Khan, of Chiraz, who is now at Paris, was there admitted a member of the Asiatic Society. In his letter to M. de Tassy, the Secretary, accepting the appointment, a translation of which from the Persian is published, he acknowledges the honour in the following terms: "I write these words in order to announce to your benevolent mind, and to make known to your good and enlightened heart, that, having had the advantage and honor of seeing arrive at the most fortunate time, and at a most propitious hour, the message marked with the signs of your friendship, the drops of the cloud of favours of the elevated being who inhabits the garden of hope, have so refreshed and watered your sincere friend that in the middle of Autumn, the new formed bud of a delighted smile has opened into full bloom on the rose tree of his thoughts." He closes the letter by wishing "may your honorable society be ever flourishing, and may its lofty shade last for ever! Yes, I trust so long as the radiant monarch of nature continues to rise in the east, and to gild your horizon, your literary assembly being always enlightened by the luminous rays of information and knowledge, those who shall enjoy the advantage of being seated at this banquet of true instruction, will forever shine at the very summit of the orb of science." DISCOVERY OF VACCINATION. In an annual British periodical work entitled "Time's Telescope" of which the twelfth volume was issued at the commencement of the present year, is recorded the death of Mr John Fewster," a very respectable surgeon and apothecary at Thornbury. This gentleman is universally considered in that neighbourhood as the first person who noticed the effects of the Vaccine Virus. Many years past a Medical Club was established at Thornbury, where gentlemen of that profession met each other, and communicated any fact or observation that had occurred in the course of their practice. At one of these meetings Mr Fewster mentioned to the members present, that the hands of those persons that were employed in milking the cows, in that great dairy neighbourhood, contracted a complaint from the animal, appearing in the form of pustules, and that persons so affected were not liable to the contagion of Small Pox. Mr Jenner of Berkely, a brother Esculapius, being struck with the relation, requested Mr Fewster to investigate this curious fact more narrowly by a course of experiments; this Mr Fewster declined on account of professional occupations, but pressed Mr Jenner to do so. Fortunately for mankind, the advice was not neglected; and from the skill and perseverance of this gentleman (afterwards Dr Jenner) the blessings of the Vaccine Virus were distributed through the earth." of France or Britain at this day. It is the air escape, the room is shortly filled pleasing indeed to think that at the moment with an air unfit for respiration. Persons when the gigantic republics of the new experience a sense of suffocation by breathworld are starting into existence, the inven- ing it freely. The stoppage of the apertive genius of man is creating new moral tures, or the combustion of this air, renders and mechanical powers to cement and bind the atmosphere of the room salubrious. their vast and distant members together, On filling the stove with this air, and reand to give the human race the benefits of kindling it, it is so mixed with atmospheric a more extended and perfect civilization. air, as to cause a slight explosion, sufficient to force open the doors of the stove, and stove and apertures, there collects a beauthen burns steadily. On the sides of the tiful oily lamp-black. ECONOMICAL APPLICATION OF NATURAL CAR BURETTED HYDROGEN GAS. The Ontario Freeman (N. Y.) gives a curious account of the application of this gas, as spontaneously produced, to the usual purposes of fuel, in the house of Mr Allen Loomis of Middlesex. "On a declivity west of a hill, about three miles east of the east margin of the Canandaigua Lake, and 12 miles distant from this village, for several years past, places on the farm have been noticed from whence emanated an exhalation, which, on the application of a lighted torch, suddenly took fire, and continued to burn for some length of time. These spots, marked by a want vegetation, and a blackness on the surface of the earth, are comprised within an area of four acres. Between this site and the lake, there are some other places of a similar appearance. When this land was first cleared, about 30 years ago, it resembled a quagmire, and since its improvement and exposure to the sun, the earth has become more compact. The surface is a light mould, and under that rests a bluish clay, to the depth of seven or eight inches. In one of these places, whence inflammable air issues, the proprietors have sunk a well of the depth of about eight feet. The air constantly rises through water at the bottom of it, and has been confined at top by planks and earth. In the centre of these planks has been fitted a section of a hollow tree, to the height of three or four feet, and secured in such a manner as to form a pent stock. From this pent stock the air has been conducted in pump logs, of one and a half inch calibre, to the house, distant twenty-seven rods. This natural curiosity, thus improved and managed by art, excites the attention of people, and the number of visitants is so great as to interrupt the ordinary domestic concerns of the family. Therefore, for self-protection, they have commenced tav ern-keeping. The novelty of warming and lighting this house, and the mode of cooking practiced, induce the learned and the unlearned, idle and curious, beaux and belles to visit this place of resort. Perhaps not more than one twentieth part of the air capable of being collected and applied to use, is concentrated by this rude apparatus." STEAM ENGINES. IRON RAIL ROADS AND THE STEAM COACH. The French Institute have subjected to CAMBRIDGE: PRINTED AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS BY HILLIARD AND METCAL |