Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub

tween any given sound, as C and its octare. Now a-days, when we have so many scales, as Hawkes', Loeschman's, Dr. R. Smith's, Liston's, &c. some new terms may be useful; but I do not like that they should be more than half French; nor do I approve of their having the termination in are, because octave and septave, two established terms, are not employed to express that the interval 1:2 or viii. has so many different sounds between the two that constitute that interval as to divide it into eight or seven smaller intervals, but they are employed according to the musical degrees, ac cording to the literal names of the terminating sounds of the interval. The nomenclature of no science is so much Ja need of reformation as that of music, and, the longer Mr. F. may persist in the use of his mongrel names, the more will reformation be necessary: it will make him the jest of the learned, though he may become the wonder of the ignorant. April 29, 1812. A. BODORGAN.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

[blocks in formation]

order to prevent farther imposition on your readers, be pleased to insert a few remarks: philosophers say, Look before you leap, which “ F. S. S." has certainly omitted to do; for in the first place he, probably like Colonel Johnes, doubted the truth of its marvellous effects when he read of them, and he most likely set out with a mind filled with prejudice against rice; or, what is still more probable, he is a rice contractor for the British army in Portugal, or a regrater of bread corn, and is fearful of diminishing its consumption, as well as increasing the demand for rice. In the second place, he will recollect that rice is like most other things, composed of good and bad, and most likely he procured very bad rice, on purpose to endeavour to frustrate Colonel Johnes's well-meant intentions. Exclusive of that gentleman's recommendation, in your Magazine for June, there was another under the signature of " Philanthropist," in the number for May; nor is this all, for I have seen it (with mine own eyes) recommended in twelve Magazines, which I could and would specify were it necessary, exclusive of several country and London Newspapers; and what, sir, have they all been "deceived by their servants!" for they were all under signatures.

MONTHLY MAG. No. 237.

Now, to a moral certainty,(which some folks say is no certainty at all) I have not been deluded by my servants, for, none can I afford to keep; lastly, as to its extreme unwholesomeness, I can only say that, I have eaten freely of it, and never felt any of the injurious effects; and, if it is so very unwholesome, how comes it to be used so much in our boarding-schools as it is, for puddings, &c. Again, I am acquainted with a very worthy gentlewoman, mistress of a small family of children, who have eaten ricebread for the last nine months, which I am sure would not have been the case, had it been judged in any degree inju rious to the health. S. LUKE. Newbury.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. sin,

THE

HE liberality which first induced you to afford me an opportunity of submitting to an impartial public, through the medium of your highly valuable publication, my claim to be considered the actual inventor of the improvements on the piano-forte, for which Mr. Loeschman obtained a patent, will, I trust, be ato

trespass further on the patience of your numerous readers, whilst I briefly offer a few remarks on the conduct of the two gentlemen Mr. L. mentioned in his reply to mine of February last.

In these Mr. L. made a feeble attempt to invalidate my statements, and to remove the impression they were calculated to make on the public mind, by endeavouring to establish two points: First, that he was under no obligation what ever for any assistance from me in the construction of his instrument, either scientific, original, or mechanical; for, at the period when he first requested my attention, "though he had not one coinpleted, yet he had many in hand with six pedals."-Secondly, That all the sci entific knowledge I pretended to have afforded him, as something exclusively my own, was to be found in Kercher's and Dr. Smith's Harmonies; though he omitted to inform your readers at what part of either of these authors' works, the knowledge in question is to be found; and stating that, it was from repeated interviews with an Honourable Gentleman and Dr. Kemp, he was induced and enabled to perfect his invention."

My circumstantial refutation of all these particulars, by a full detail of facts, dates, and an explicit statement of the information

E

information I actually afforded Mr. Loeschman, through your kind indulgence, appeared in your Magazine for 'June last. And I flatter myself, I must have fully substantiated my claim, and satisfied your readers of the veracity of all my respective statements.

And, so conclusive, so unanswerable, were these statements, that Mr. Loeschman has never since ventured the slightest animadversion on any one of my charges or observations.

That Mr. Loeschman should introduce the name of Dr. Kemp, and allude to an Honourable Gentleman, in the hope of prejudicing the public by their united respectability against crediting my single assertion, is not at all surpri sing; but, that these gentlemen should seem by their tacit acquiescence to give currency to his misrepresentations, is what indeed does surprise me! Particularly, as soon as I had read Mr. Loeschman's answer to my statements, and found their names implicated as supporting his misrepresentations, I waited upon Dr. Kemp and requested a few minutes' conversation with him; bot received for answer, "he was so much en

gaged, he could not see me." In consequence, I communicated my business by letter, requesting he would have the goodness to inform me what instructions he had afforded Mr. L. in the construction of his six-pedal instrument, and at what time. Though this was at the beginning of April, I have never yet received any answer.

About the same time, I also addressed a letter to the Honourable George Pomeroy, the gentleman to whom Mr. Loeschman alludes. It was delivered at his residence to a person who promised to give it him the moment he returned. The contents was similar to the one addressed to Dr. Kemp, but I have not been favoured with any reply.

I, therefore, thus publicly call upon the Hon. George Pomeroy and Dr. Kemp, either to disavow all participation in Mr. Loeschman's misrepresentations, or to substantiate by indubitable evidence, that, previous to October 1808, they furnished Mr. Loeschman with the precise instructions which enabled him to construct his "six-pedal patent pianoforte." THOMAS GRENVILLE. No. 24, Store-street, Dec. 2, 1812.

For the Monthly Magazine.

METEOROLOGICAL ABSTRACT for the last TWELVE MONTHS at CARLISLE.

[blocks in formation]

experienced a dead calm. The range of the thermometer, this month, gives the excessive variation of forty degrees. February was most unseasonably mild, and extremely wet. The average temperature 41° 05, and density 29.53 inches, are in unison with the quantity of rain, 4'62 inches. The surrounding mountains were sometimes covered with snow.

March. The average temperature of this month 360-65, is 404 lower than that of the last, and nearly as low as January, excepting one mild day (28th,) the weather was throughout extremely cold. Much snow fell here, and in the surrounding country it was drifted to an immense depth. Not a mild shower of rain fell; the quantity 2.75 inches, is sleet and meited snow. Two brilliant parhelia were observed here from eight o'clock till near eleven on the morning of the 9th; the sun was in the centre, and the parhelia on each side, distant about twenty-five degrees, in a line exactly parallel to the horizon; the sky, during this period, was streaked with horizontal lines of thin white vapour; the parhelia were tinged with prismatic colours, like those of the rainbow. Barometer at the time S0 87, and rising.

April. The weather continued with unabated severity during the whole of this month. The highest degree of the thermometer 51°. and the average for the whole month 40°-97, are unprecedented here; the snow which fell frequently covered the ground, and a great quantity lay on the neighbouring mountains. On the 26th we had a loud peal of thunder, and a heavy shower of hail.

May. The first week was extremely cold and ungenial; between the 7th and 8th we experienced an increase of 37° of temperature. The weather afterwards was seasonable and pleasant, with light showers, till the middle of the month, when it again became cold and very drouglity, which continued till the 23d. The remainder was exceedingly fine, with refreshing showers, when vegetation began to make rapid progress.

June. The former half of this month was temperate, but very droughty, not a drop of rain having fallen. The latter part was wet, gloomy, and exceedingly cold for the season; the rain which fell was generally mixed with hail. On the 17th and 25th we had some peals of thunder. The great quantity of snow which fell in March, and drifted on the sides of the mountains in this neighbour

hood, was not all dissolved before the end of this month.

July. The greatest height of the thermometer this month 68°, and the aver age 56o8, are unusually low for the season. The weather was invariably cold; from the 3d till the 19th it was very dry, with parching northerly winds.

August. The weather during this month was also cold for the season; the average temperature 57° 3 is only half a degree higher than that of the preceding month. The quantity of rain 2.58 inches, fell chiefly in moderate showers. On the 3d we had some peals of thunder; and on the night of the 18th, and the following morning, distant thun der, with incessant gleams of lightning.

September was fair and seasonable til the 9th; the remainder of the month was often showery and drizzling, and rather unfavourable for the harvest. In the latter part of the month, the temperature was very variable; on the morning of the 29th we had a hoar-frost, when ice was observed.

October. The weather during this month, though moist and gloomy, was not marked by violent winds, or heavy rains, yet the barometer continued unusually low, the average being 29'4. On the 19th, the mercury sunk to 28-13, and, excepting on the 15th of December, 1809, when it was 28-06, is the lowest ever observed here.

November. The 7th, 8th, 19th, 20th, 21st, and 22d, were severe frost; ou the 21st the thermometer was 12° below the freezing point. The rest of the manth was moist and drizzling, and at times rather stormy. On the 17th, snow was observed on the mountains.

December.-The first six days were very mild and moist; on the 7th, a severe, but dry and pleasant frost, commenced, which continued without intermission till the 16th, when that and the two following days were rather stormy, with show ers of snow. On the 22d, upwards of three inches depth of snow fell. The weather continued varying between frost and thaw from the 16th till the 28th, when the snow was all dissolved. The last four days of the month were ex. tremely mild and stormy.

In the Monthly Magazine for Febru ary 1809, page 10, will be found a summary of the temperature, density, aud quantity of rain at Carlisle for the eight preceding years, Perhaps it may not be uninteresting to bring into one point E 2. of

of view, the average for the whole of the last twelve years.

The annexed meteorological summary of the last twelve years, may be considered as sufficient to establish the temperature, density, and quantity of rain of this place. The instruments are very superior, and the times of registering have been attended to with a mechanical exactness. The barometer has a large open bason, and the column of

Thermometer,!
Annual Mean

mercury is perfectly free from air and
moisture. The rain-gauge is a copper
vessel, the cylinder of which is four
inches diameter, and the area of the
funnel is ten times that of the cylinder;
consequently, when there is ten inches
of rain in the cylinder, it is one inch of
surface. Other particulars, with respect
to the hours of registering, local situa-
tion, &c. will be found in the former
voluines of the Monthly Magazine.

Barometer,
Annual Mean. Annual Range. Annual Quantity.

Barometer,

Rain,

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine,

T

SIR,

and scientific view of those diseases termed bilious, than is vulgarly enterTHE prevalence of chronic complaints tained; and that the hints suggested will in that class of disease which arises tend to warn him of the first encroachin an almost imperceptible way, and ad- ments of disease in the animal system; vance by slow degrees, will naturally in- by which means he may place himself duce the inquirer to ask for the cause of under medical treatment, ère the malady that prevalence, as the increase of those becomes established; as it is a fact, I bemaladies within late years fully evinces lieve, generally admitted, that many disthat there are some very active agents eases, which have baffled and rendered engaged in their origin and existence. void all the efforts of professional skill, To ascertain this cause is perhaps a very and which, in the event, have proved difficult task, as it is veiled in some ob- fatal, might have been checked and rescurity; but it is the wish and intention of strained in their commencement, had the writer, in the prosecution of the sub- their first symptoms been watched and ject, to point out some of the most general early treatment adopted. I could adduce causes. To discover the exciting agents many striking instances, within my own of disease is certainly gratifying to the knowledge, of the truth of this assertion; physiological inquirer, and must afford but it is needless, as it is a fact too well instruction and amusement to the man of known to be doubted. Medical assist. general science; but it ranks far behind ance is seldom resorted to, until sympin respect to importance, to possessing a toms become desperate, and a disease knowledge of the plan of treatment best confirmed; consequently, much more adapted to combat disease, or to stay its time is required, and less chance of a progress when only in a state of com- perfect recovery, than if the first advances mencement; and, though it is far from were watched and attended to. Bile, as my intention in these pages to enter into is vulgarly known, is a very undefined the minutia of disease or its treatment, term; and, as there are so many miscon vet I conceive, that the observations in- ceptions, which will be taken notice of terspersed, will have the effect of giving respecting the term bilions, among the the unprofessional reader a more rational - unprofessional public, I conceive it as

absolutely

absolutely necessary, in order to substantiate my future observations, to give the reader a general idea respecting the true nature of bile, and the mode of its secretion, not with any view to particuJarize, but merely to state what is sufficient to correct any errors he may have imbibed upon the subject; without this previous explanation, it is impossible the unprofessional peruser could perfectly comprehend the remarks suggested.

27, Carburton-street, D. II. DAVIES. Fitzroy-square.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

THE

HE observations of an ingenious commentator on Shakespeare, in your Miscellany, some months since, drew my attention to the beautiful lines:

"Blow, blow, thou winter's wind;"
and reminded me of a translation, in
Latin sapphics, I had made of them
many years since.
I found the two
words cacos and visus marked under-
neath; which, with the word temerè,
sufficiently shew how decided I must
have been at that time for retaining the
reading "seen." I cannot recollect
what could induce me so pointedly to
maintain the text; though my prejudice
runs strongly on all occasions in that di-
rection, unless the case is absolutely des
perate. Possibly there may have been
some discussion on this subject, about
the year 1787. I subjoin a copy, and,
with great deference to your correspon-
dent, must beg to be excused for conti-
nuing in the same opinion.

Blow, blow, thou winter's wind-
Estuent imbres hyemale, venti
Dira bacchantor: furias nivales
Vincit ingrate malus ille mentis
Crimine fœdus.

Dente mordaci rabidæ procellæ,
Ingerunt cæcos temere dolores ;-
Visus ingrati feriora pangit
Vulnera cordi.
Jupiter durus rigeat pruinâ,
Aura brumalis gelidum rigescat;
Contulisse, eheu! benefacta frustra,
Acrius urit.

Tu licet rugis glaciale flumen
Asperas, pejora hyemis nivosæ
Spiculis imum peredunt omissi
Pectus amici.

Leckhamstead.

J. T. A. REED.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

Shakespeare's mixture of Buffoonery and
Solemnity,) that he says, This mixture is
intolerable. These severe criticisms of
Voltaire might have been, perhaps, thạ
result of wit, more than of judgment and
precision; I should be inclined to think,
our immortal
that these criticisms on
countrymen may fail, as well as that of
bis knowledge of our history: of the lat-
ter, his own pen has dropped glaring
evidence.

In his Preface to Thomas Corneille's Earl of E-sex, Monsieur de Voltaire al lows, that the Truth of History has been he pleads (which is natural for him), that, grossly perverted in that piece; in excuse,

when Corneille wrote, the Noblesse of
France were much unread in English
story; but now, says the commentator,
that they study it, such misrepresen
tations would not be suffered. Yet, for-
getting that the age of ignorance is
elapsed, and that the learned may yet be
corrected, he undertakes, from the over-
flowing of his reading, to give the nobi-
lity of his own country a detail of Queen
Elizabeth's favourites; amongst whom,
(he says) Rubert Dudley was the first;
and the Earl of Leicester, the second.
Is it possible that we must inform Vol-
taire himself, that Robert Dudley, and
the Earl of Leicester, are the same per-
sons! This fully certifies, that the
greatest minds are subject to error.
Enfield,
Nov. 13, 1812.

N perusing Voltaire's edition of Cor-
neille, we find, (in his speaking of

M. COGAN.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

I

SIR,

SEND you the subsequent composition for insertion in your repository It of useful and entertaining varieties was written in a few minutes, by a young man who is diffident of his own abilities. He has composed various other short pieces, both in rhyme and blank verse; and, as your Magazine is perused by many readers of great taste and discrimination, I am desirous of the opinion of some of your correspondents, upon this communication, to ascertain whether the author ought to cultivate his powers of fancy, or turn his attention to other subjects of a different nature and importance. Sept. 14, 1812. HENRY ENFIELD.

[blocks in formation]
« EdellinenJatka »