Page images
PDF
EPUB

ANTIQUARIAN RESEARCH.

A Work of great merit and value has recently appeared on the Continent, under the title of "Archæologie Pyrénéene, ou Antiquités Religieuses, Historiques, Domestiques et Sépulcrales, des Volcæ-Tectosages, des Sardones, Consuarani, Consorani, Garumni, Convenæ, Önobusates, Bigeronnes, Sibillates, Sibutzates, Osquiditates, Datii, Tarbelli, Sotiates, Elusates, Ausci, Garites, Tasconi, Albienses, et autres peuples Celtes et Aquitains."

It is by M. Alex-Louis C. A. de Mége, a member of many learned societies, and a man evidently of very great abilities, as well as most persevering industry; and consists of four octavo volumes, with a small folio Atlas of a hundred lithographic plates. The early history of the Gauls is replete with interest; and it is gratifying to see so clever an investigation of their customs, religion, &c. previous to the Roman conquest; a period which has been too slightly touched upon by writers previous to M. de Mége. Many monuments of this remarkable people yet remain in the South of France; and these our author appears to have traced with much fidelity, and to have thrown great light npon his subject. His work is, we think, highly deserving of notice in this country. AFRICAN EXPEDITION.

"We have (says the Cornwall Gazette, and repeats every other newspaper) seen a letter written from a native of this town, who accompanies Major Clapperton on his perilous expedition to Africa. It states that the Brazen reached Teneriffe on the 14th of September, and was to sail on the 18th for Sierra Leone, and not, as has been erroneously stated, to proceed direct for the Bight of Benin. At that period Major Clapperton and his adventurous companions were all in good health and spirits, in the full hope that they should be able to accomplish the important object committed to their charge, and solve the geographical problem in which the source and course of the river Niger has been for ages involved."

The Cornish Native seems to possess no very precise information respecting his companions; having promoted Captain Clapperton at once to be a Major. His intelligence respecting the destination of the Expedition is, we fancy, about equally correct. Captain Clapperton's original instructions certainly were for the Bight of Benin; and however they may have been altered since, in consequence of Arabic inscriptions on maps becoming (through translation) intelligible to the higher authorities, certain it is that the Cornwall Gazette could not be informed of any change from a correspondent at Teneriffe. The mistake which led to Captain C.'s being sent on a sleeveless errand is a very droll one; but, as it was discovered soon after his departure, and the earliest opportunity would, of course, be taken to forward other directions to him, it is now of the less consequence, except as showing that the severest critics are not themselves infallible.

Letters giving the latest intelligence have been received from Sierra Leone. They mention, that Captain Clapperton and

Dr. Dickson, with their party, had visited Sierra Leone in passing. They started thence in excellent health and spirits, for the Benin River, at the nearest point on the coast to Succattoo. It was considered very questionable, whether the route which the expedition has now pursued from Sierra Leone by the Benin River, or that through the Foulah country was the best. By the latter, from the recent rapid increase of British influence, a safe conduct could now be obtained to within a short distance of Timbuctoo. But, by the Benin River, though there is no British influence on that part of the coast, or near it, the length of the journey is greatly diminished. The officers and men who composed the expedition, anticipated nothing but a prosperous termination of their labours.

TUSCULUM.

VARIETIES.

The king of Sardinia has ordered the excavations on the site of ancient Tusculum to be carried on with assiduity, and some very interesting remains are being gradually discovered. Roads, walls, columns, a theatre, mosaics, inscriptions, sculpture, and paintings, will thus be added to the antiquarian stores with which this portion of the world is already enriched.

DREAMS.

A posting-bill in the streets of Paris, gravely and pompously announces the possession of "a unique Manuscript, containing, among other matters, an explanation, by true and possitive analogy, of all the Dreams which can occur to any body." The proprietor of this "unique Manuscript," who has taken up his abode at Neuilly, intimates, "that persons who wish for the explanation of a Dream may call on him, and that whatever may be its nature, they shall receive complete satisfaction." The price of a verbal explanation is twenty francs, of a written one forty.

NATURAL HISTORY.

Her Royal Highness the Princess of Orange has presented to the City of Brussels, for its cabinet of Natural History, a splendid collection of specimens of Russian minerals, estimated by connoisseurs at 50,000 rubles. The Municipal Council has voted an address of thanks to her Royal Highness; and resolved that this collection shall be placed in a particular apartment in the Museum of Natural His

[blocks in formation]

There are now in London a number of pieces of gold, found in Aruba, belonging to Curacoa, some of which weigh from three to thirty-six ounces. The Government of the Netherlands has looked at this subject in a very serious point of view; and the Governor of Curacoa has published an order forbidding any person to visit that little desert island without his permission. The gold in London is solid, and exceedingly fine; but, as it was found on the surface, there are great doubts as to its origin; and it remains to be determined whether it is really a product of the soil, or whether it was left by pirates, whose favourite rendezvous the island of Aruba has always been. The ore is to be immediately sent to the Netherlands.

THE FINE ARTS.
MOSAIC GOLD.

Among the novelties of the age, we

bear of the invention of a metallic composition of considerable importance to the arts and manufactures, and which is designated by the attractive title of Mosaic Gold. The story relative to the discovery of this Gold is rather a curious one. An enthusiastic person of the name of Hamilton was, about twenty-one years ago, struck by a passage in the Book of Judges, which spoke of "a metal more precious than gold." Convinced that nothing was stated in the Holy Scriptures which was not literally true, he devoted himself to find out what this metal could be; and the result of his investigation, experiments, and labours, at the end of nineteen years, is the composition in question. Having brought it to what he considered perfection, we observe him associated with an individual of the name of Parker, who, as "Resident Director," is the manager of the concern, as it now shows itself to the public.

The specimen submitted to the inspection of several gentlemen was a Wreath, such as may be seen at the end of bell-pulls; and certainly it has a rich and brilliant appearance. For harness, and balusters, and rails, (like those of the Tuilerie gardens,) and all similar articles, it is likely to be eminently useful and beautiful: for one of its advantageous qualities is said to be that of resisting the effects of air and moisture, so that it does not tarnish on being exposed to the weather. To prove this a piece of the Mosaic Gold and two pieces of fine brass were submitted to the action of the sea atmosphere, in the Isle of Wight, for several weeks; and the consequence was, that the former remained quite bright, while the latter, in sixty or seventy hours, were rendered perfectly black and rusty. It is farther stated, that this metal is susceptible of a higher polish than gold itself; so that it may be employed for splendid furniture in innumerable ways. Indeed, it is in weight alone that the inventors confess it to be inferior to that precious metal; since it can be drawn into the finest wire, or wrought to astonishing thinness. Yet it seems that being a compound of the cheapest metallic substances, the price will be very low-less, it is asserted, than twopence per ounce in the ingot, into which it is manufac

tured. The materials too,are so abund ant as to insure any supply which could be required. It is easily cleaned by mere washing with soap and water. The advertisement of the patentees gives such other information as curiosity may desire; or those who think well enough of the matter, to wish to speculate upon it, need for their guidance. On inquiry in what respect the new metal differed from, or surpassed Egyptian ore and Petit-or, it was found that there was not only the extraordinary difference of price, (being perhaps only a thirtieth of the cheapest of these,) but in not requiring the same constant cleaning or being liable to the same deteriorating accidents. This metal, we understand, has obtained the high patronage of His Majesty, who has not only ordered a large quantity for the alterations in Windsor Castle, but also for Buckingham Palace, and the Waterloo Monument, which is intended to be placed on its front.

The New Company for the manufacture of this Gold are about to erect a magnificent warehouse near the barracks in the Regent's Park; where their establishment must rival tho wonders of Perkins's steam guns, or the Panorama of London from St. Paul's.

PORTRAIT OF THE REV. M. SIBLY. A most striking and well executed likeness of the Rev. M. Sibly, Minister of the New Jerusalem Chapel, Friar Street, London, has been engraved on copper by Mr W. Wise of Somers Town. It is engraved from an original painting executed by Mr. Joseph Clover, and now in the possession of Mr. Sibly. A smaller portrait of the same Rev. Gentleman, equally well executed, and exhibiting a similar striking likeness, is also finished by the same artist. We understand that the price of the large one on India paper, is 7s. 6d. and the small, 2s. 6d.

LITERARY NOVELTIES. Mr. Walter, one of the Librarians of the British Museum, is preparing for publication, a Translation of B. G. Niebuhr's History of Rome.

Italia in Pollonia.-The prospectus of a new work by M. Ciampi, under this title, has been published at Florence. It is the result of the residence of the author at Warsaw, and

of his particular occupations in Italy as a corresponding member of the Royal Commission of Public Instruction in the kingdom of Poland; and it will contain a history of all the religious, political, and scientific relations existing between the two countries.

NEW PUBLICATIONS.

dy's Varieties of Literature, 8s. Middleton on Consumption, 4s. Poole's Essay on Education, 7s. 6d. Wiffen's Translation of Tasso, 3 vols. £2. 2s. Turner's Arterial System, 8s. Warton's Death-bed Scenes, 10s. 6d. Whateley's Essays on Religion. 7s. Hurwitz' Hebrew Tales, 7s. 6d. Friendship's offering, for 1826.£1.4s. Marmontel's Incas (Whittingham's French Classics)

Jortin's Sermons, 3 vols. 14s. Bra- 18mo. 6s. bds.

Obituary.

DIED on the 5th December, 1825. Louisa, youngest daughter of John Barge, Esq. of Broughton, near Manchester, in the twentieth year of her age.

"The vernal flower, by early blight,
Expires, to bloom again no more;

But youth's fair blossom, snatch'd from light,
Blooms fairer in a happier shore.

What solace for paternal love!

What antidote to dark dismay!

To know life's closing scene shall prove

The herald of eternal day."

POETRY.

THE NEW YEAR.

FOUNTAIN OF LIFE! Eternal Source of good!
Thou Spring of purity and Truth divine!
Whose love supplies both man and beast with food;
On thee for ever may our souls recline.

In quick succession days and years pass by,
But slowly we the path of wisdom tread:
Teach us t' improve the moments as they fly,
And feed our hungry souls with heav'nly bread.
The circling year hath just perform'd its round,
Still we thy richest mercies ever prove :
O! may we in Religion's path be found,
Still going onward to the realms above.

While time with rapid wing pursues its way,
May we thy great and sacred name revere;

Then shall we hail with joy the rising day,

That brings the New, the welcome dawning, Year.

T. G.

THE

NEW JERUSALEM MAGAZINE,

AND

Theological Enspector.

FEBRUARY, 1826.

FAITH IN THE SOLE DIVINITY OF JESUS CHRIST, THE ONLY SOLID BASIS OF RATIONAL, PURE, AND

EXALTED PIETY.

WHEN our Lord was upon earth, we find, it was his constant practice to go about doing good, both to the souls and bodies of men: it was his meat and drink, as himself says, to do the will of his heavenly Father: but it is observable, that persons in general who suffered under any malady, and who applied to the benevolent Saviour for relief, were not immediately gratified, on many occasions, by having their desires granted. Thus we read, he frequently, in the first instance, addressed the petitioner in these remarkable. words, " According to your faith be it done unto you." By an attentive examination we shall be enabled to discover many grand secrets of wisdom involved in this apparently simple expression;-According to your faith." What faith? Our Lord we will suppose, had not long before given sight to a man who was born blind; he had raised Lazarus from the dead, who had laid three days in the grave: he had fed many thousand people with five barley loaves and a few small fishes: now, a poor paralytic presents himself before him; and who, not unlikely, had both heard of his fame, and been an eye witness of some of the wonderful miracles he had performed. The trembling wretch makes known his request; the Lord replies in the following indirect manner: According to your faith, be it unto you." Now we again repeat, What faith? Are we to infer, that our Lord was unacquainted with the character and real state of mind of the many persons who sought his favour and relied on him for aid; and that before he complied with their requests, he was desirous of ascertaining in what light they viewed him; or, how they stood effected towards him? This VOL. I-No. 2

D

« PreviousContinue »