In the general concerns of the church, he was deeply engaged, and was universally considered as one of the great bulwarks of the moderate party. Yet he seldom or never spoke in the assembly; he wanted the readiness and fluency which are requisite to the eloquence of a public assembly. But as a chamber counsel, if the expression may be used, he was held in the highest estimation. A paper which he drew up on the subject of Chapels of Ease, had a great influence in setting to rest a question, which had long formed the chief ground of distinction between the two parties, and which has not since that time been revived. His private character was considers ed, by those who knew him best, as completely upright and respectable. He was liberal and generous in an uncommon degree, We have heard that he made it a rule never to take money from a clergyman's son. His secret beneficence was attested by the smallness of the sum, (not, we understand, exceeding 20001.) which he left behind him, when compared with his frugal habits, and the great emoluments which he had long enjoyed.He was uniformly kind and attentive to his parents, who had for some time been almost wholly dependent on him, and whom he supported comfortably and respectably in their own station. In his manners, he was not considered, by strangers at least, as peculiarly engaging. He spoke little, and the gravity of his manner sometimes bordered on severity. His intimate friends, however, were warmly attached to him, and were accustomed even to extol his gentleness and indulgence. He was about the middle size, and stout made. The expression of his countenance was suited to the character of an understanding rather solid than brilliant. His eye was singular ly expressive of deep and penetrating intelligence. It is understood that he left some manuscripts in a state fit for publication. Among these we have been informed is a volume of sermons to be printed for the benefit of the sons of the clergy. We have been told also that he left permission to publish his lectures, should his friends judge it expedient. Celestial Phenomena for March 1808. Tuesday, March 1st. THE planet SATURN will he sta tionary in longitude 7..22°..16', and latitude 2o..21' North. His declination is then 16°..4' South, and he comes to the meridian at half past 4 in the morning. Saturday, March 5th. The planet MERCURY will arrive at his greatest elongation from the Sun, and may be seen in the evening after Sunset, near the Western point of the horizon, where he will set. Sunday, March 6th. The planet VENUS will be in conjunction with 19 Capricorni, and the nearest approach of their centers will be 35'. Thursday March 8th. VENUS will be iu conjunction with Capricorni, a star of the 5th magnitude, and will pass to the north of it, at the distance of 33 minutes. Wednesday, March 9th, The Moon will eclipse the star marked 1 ad a Cancri. The immersion of the star will not be visible, but the emersion happens at 6 minutes after 6 o'clock in the evening, when the star is placed about 3 minutes to the South of the Moon's centre. Friday, March 11th. The GEORGIUM SIDUS is at present situated in longitude 75..4°..35', and latitude 31 minutes North. His 1 distance from the Equator is 12°..34' South, and he Souths at 40 minutes after 2 o'clock in the morning. Sunday, March 13th. The longitude of JUPITER is at presen 11..1°19', and his latitude 50 minutes South. His declination is 11°48' South, and the time of his Southing 10..36' in the forenoon. Saturday, March 19th. The Planet Mars is now situated in 0..5°..59′ of longitude, and 39' of South latitude. His declination is 1..46' North, and he comes to the meridian at 20 minutes past noon. Sunday, March 20th. The Sun will enter the sign Aries, or the Vernal Equinox, at 12 minutes after 6 o'clock in the evening. Monday, March 21st. The GEORGIUM SIDUS will be in conjunction with a Virginis, a star of the 4th magnitude, situated in the left foot of the Virgin. The distance of their centres at the time of conjunction is so small, that it will not exceed 40 seconds. Tuesday, March 22d. The planet MERCURY will arrive at his inferior conjunction with the Sun at 20 minutes past 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Monday, March 28th. CONJUNCTION of JUPITER & VENUS. The planets Jupiter and Venus will be in conjunction with each other; the nearest approach of their centres will be 5 minutes, and Venus will pass to the South of Jupiter. Thurday, March 31st. The planet VENUS will be in conjunction with a Aquarii, a star of the 4th magnitude. The distance of their centres at the time of conjunction will be 43 minutes, and the planet will pass to the South of the Star. Memoirs of the Progress of MANUFACTURES, CHEMISTRY, SCIENCE, and the FINE ARTS. PROFESSOR DAVY's interesting experiments on the fixed alkalies, of which we gave the results in a preceding Number, have been repeated before the Ashesian and Mineralogical Society, with Mr Pepy's large Galvanic Battery, composed of 120 pairs of plates, each of 36 inches area, containing nearly 7 cwt. of metal. Caustic potash, in a solid state, slightly moistened with the breath, was subjected to the galvanic action, and a metal was obtained, which was with difficulty separated from the potash. It was exceedingly inflammable; swam in Naptha; and when water was dropped upon it, the particles exploded like grains of gunpowder thrown into the fire. The metal obtained from Soda is not so highly inflammable, and is therefore more easily collected. A small globule of it, thrown upon moistened paper, appeared instantly to become red hot, and gliding from the surface of the paper, fell illuminated through the air. Results similar to these have been obtained by Mr Allen, by four troughs of fifty pairs, each having an area of sixteen inches. Mr DAVY has likewise discovered, that some of the primitive earths, such as Barytes and Strontites, which have many alkaline qualities, are composed of metallic bases and oxygen, forming compound bodies, analogous to the two fixed alkalies. Several new telegraphs have been invented by Captain PASLEY of the Royal Engineers. A full account of them may be seen in the Philosophical Magazine, v. 29, p. 210, 292. M. GRIEBEL of Paris has invented a new clock of a globular form, and without weights. Its dial plate is transparent, and by means of a lamp, shews the hour of the day at a great distance. It is so constructed that neither the wheels, the hands, nor the pendulum, cast any shadow. It may be used in private apartments, and answers the purpose of a timepiece and a lamp at the same time. Dudingston, the Chaffinch or Shilfaw (Fringilla coelebs,) was this day heard for the first time this season. Feb. 16.-The thaw continuing, the songs of different Motacilla were this morning heard in Hope Park; Monthly Memoranda in NATURAL particularly the Hedge-Sparrow, the The Feb. 7.-14.-From the 7th to the 14th inclusive, the frost continued intense. For six days the lakes of Dudingston and Loch-end, in the neighbourhood of this city, were covered with skaiters and curlers. deepest parts of Dudingston lake were not, however, frozen over; but on the last-mentioned day the surface of the new bason at Leith, (which contains pretty pure sea water) was nearly covered with ice. In this interval the fishermen were unable, on account of the severity of the weather, to prosecute the Haddock fishery at the mouth of the frith: they betook themselves therefore to the catching of young Plaise, and sent large quantities to market. The Plaise (Plueronectes Platessa,) it may be remarked, is easily distinguished, in all stages of its growth, by the red spots on its back. In England the weather had been equally severe, and in some parts accompanied with very great falls of snow. The London mail due on Sunday the 14th did not arrive till Wednesday the 17th, having been retarded solely by the snow and wind. On the 14th the weather began to grow milder. At Prestonfield, near Red-breast, and the Wren. The Skylark was also heard, but he has not yet resumed his towering carol. Feb. 18.-The Throstle, or Mavis, (Turdus musicus,) was heard to sing at Prestonfield. The Missel-thrush (T. viscivorus,) has not yet saluted us with his powerful notes. The Winter-Aconite, (Helleborus hyemalis,) and the Snowdrop, are in flower in the borders. P. S. ORNITHOPHILUS, (a correspondent in last month's Magazine) may rest assured that he was right in considering as the Woodlark, the vocal songster whose nocturnal warblings so highly delighted him last summer. He must pardon me for remarking, that if he had consulted any of the popular works on ornithology, his doubts would at once have been resolved. The Woodlark, (Alauda arborea) has often been denominated the Scotch Nightingale: it is not however a common bird in this country. Its notes bear some resemblance to those of the blackbird. Foreign Animals.-It may perhaps be excusable in a reporter on objects connected with natural history, to take some notice of the large collection of foreign animals now exhibiting in Scotland, and at present in this city. The collection is contained in several caravans, placed together, so that the animals can be viewed at once. There are several species of the genus Felis, particularly a very fine speci men of the Tiger, a male, in great health and beauty: a Lion and Lioness, with a Leopard, a Panther, and a pair of Tiger-cats. In one apartment are no fewer than four Kanguroos, (Didelphis gigantea, or Macropus of Dr Dr Shaw,) and what is particularly observable and interesting, one of the females has at this time a young one in her abdominal pouch, which very often extrudes its head to see what is passing, and occasionally comes out altogether. There are several of the Simia tribe, the largest being the Mandril, (Simia Maimoon,) not the Real Satyr, or Simia Satyrus, which is much superior in size. Of the feathered tribe, a pair of Emews (Cassowaries) are the most interesting. Both are of the same species, though, by some unaccountable blunder, the printed advertisements declare one of them to be an Ostrich. The distinction is exceedingly simple: the emew has three toes, the ostrich only two; and the ostrich bears in his tail those snow white feathers, of which, when dres sed, the well-known ornamental plumes are formed; while the emew has only a few bare stumps in his tail, like porcupines' quills. The Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia,) and the Stork, (Ardea Ciconia,) were, in their wild state, formerly regular visitants of the fens of Lincolnshire; but it is now a rarity to see them alive in Britain, even in a state of captivity: there are here a pair of the former, and one specimen of the latter. There are no fewer than three specimens of the Falco leucocephalus of Linnæus: these are ridiculously enough magnified, in the nomenclature of the caravans, into three different species, and announced as the Silver Falcon, the Eagle of the Sun, and the Silverheaded Vulture! The most marked characteristic of the Vulture consists in the head being bare of feathers; but there is no bird of this description in the present collection. There is a fine pair of the Horned Owl; and several specimens of the Psittacus tribe with the most splendid plumage. Among a number of foreigners, it is amusing here to meet with one native acquaintance-the Common Heron (Ardea major,) who could not have the ho nour of a seat here, without being dig- FRENCH FLATTERY. N. THE following address to Louis XV after the campaign of 1745, will shew that French adulation did not take its rise in the present day. "The conquests of your majesty are so rapid, that we think it absolutely necessary that future Historians should be cautious in their relation, lest posterity should consider them as fables, unworthy of belief. Yet they must be told as an undoubted fact that your majesty, when at the head of your army, wrote yourself an account of your exploits, having no other table but a drum. The most distant ages must learn that the English, those fierce and audacious enemies, jealous of your majesty's fame, were compelled to yield to your prowess the palace of glory. Their allies were only so many witnesses of their shame, and hastened to join their standards only to become the spectators of your majesty's triumph. We venture to tell your majesty, that whatever may be the love you bear your subjects, there is still one way to add to our felicity, by curbing the high courage which you possess, and which would cost us too many tears, if it exposed to the certain danger of war your majesty's precious life or that of the young hero, the object of our fondest hopes!" Answer BEING enabled to give some answers to the enquiries of Mr Henderson in the Magazine of Nov. last, I transmit to you the following; and at the same time hope, that his wish respecting the insertion of bibliographical notices into that publication may be gratified in its fullest extent. Among the numerous advantages derived from literary journals, I consider the sheltering of such ephemeral notices from oblivion to be one of the chief; and, where they relate to the history of Scottish literature, they have a double claim for admission into your Magazine. The poem of Calanthrop and Lucilla is of the utmost scarcity. I am not informed of the existence of any copies, but a compleat one in the possession of an eminent antiquary in London, and another, imperfect towards the end, in Mr Constable's catalogue for this year. The following is the full title: "The History of Calanthrop and Lucilla. Conspicuously demonstrating the various mutabilities of fortune in their loves, with every several circumstance of ioyes and crosses, fortunate exploites, and hazardous adventures, which either of them sustained before they could attaine the prosperous event of their wished aimes. By John Ken nedie. GratisCorycio,mihi nectar Castalis vndæ, Mnemosynes natæ, nocte dedere novem. Edinburgh: Printed by John Wreittoun, and are to be sold, at his shop, a little beneath the Salt Trone, 1626.” After a dedication to Sir Donald Mackaye, of Stranever, Knight, Lord Colonel, &c. in which the author speaks of this, as "the first perspicuFebruary 1808. ous invention of his sterile braine," follows an address" to each reader, of whatsoever qualitie or condition." In this, he professes a high contempt for those envious carpers, who may attack his production. If the reader be a poet, he thus advises him: "Doe not with Theon, satyrickly inveigh at those who are thy betters, because thou thyselfe comest short of their worke, and therefore canst neither meritte, nor attaine the like commendation."—" But if thou be illiterate," he continues, "and yet aime to censure (if thou hadst understanding) this poeme invectively, I will advise thee for thy profite, (tho I have small reason so to doe, in respect of thy malevolent intent) to desist, lest thou give me occasion to say, Ne sutor ultra crepidam: or smiling at thy peevish humour, intreate thee to meddle onely with such things as come within the compasse of thy capacitie." He thus concludes his address, which somewhat resembles a letter of defiance: "For as the old Scotish adage goeth, love cannot stand on the one side, so, Reader, (whatsoever thou be) according to thy censure of these my labours, rest towards thee affected, even thus, Thine as thou meritest. John Kennedie, Philetaros.” Notwithstanding Kennedie thus ushered his work into the world with a bold defiance against criticism, and, with the high commendations of Galterus Bellendinus, R. Fairlæus, and Patrick Mackenzie, who furnish a poetical" mappe of this muse," he and his productions have suffered extreme neglect, and we are unable to say, who he was, and at what time he quitted, or entered this world. His work is a mythological romance, which, with the allegorical, was engrafted, by a sickly exuberance of fancy, upon the ancient metrical romance, the bold, but unadorned stile of which was too inartificial for the days of Elizabeth and James I. The fable |