plan, and a wish to fee it more generally adopted, and more liberally fupported.

In the Appendix is a curious letter from Dr. Benjamin Waterhouse, of Rhode-Ifland, defcribing the means by which they have prevented the fmall-pox from ever becoming epidemic in the island.-Though the object is meritorious, the method is certainly objectionable: it has had, however, fo much fuccefs, as to deserve attention in its more important outlines.

Tranfactions of the Society, inftituted at London, for Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce. Vol. III. 8vo. 45, in Boards.

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Cadell.

HE progrefs of the Society's labours is an additionalproof of the ftrength of their judgment, and the propriety of their views. The premiums are directed to important objects, and the feveral defigns are purfued with fteadiness and perfeverance.

The firft fubject, as ufual, is that of agriculture; and we, with pleafure, perceive the progrefs of plantations; but we with that the ufeful oak was more often chofen to enrich the foreft with its foliage, and the nation in future with its tim ber: its extenfive employment requires immenfe fupplies. We have a fhort account of dibbling or dropping wheat; a mode of fowing practifed in Norfolk. But, as a premium has been offered, in order to obtain a more exact account of its utility, when compared with broad-caft and drilling, we shall not enlarge on it. The Howard or clustered potatoe is the next object; but the experiments are probably not fo favourable aş we may expect to find them in better foils; yet they are fufficiently fo, to induce us to continue the cultivation. On this fubject we are promised fome farther fatisfaction.

In the clafs of polite arts are inferted very particular defcriptions of the pictures, painted by Mr. Barry, for the great room of the Society. These are now very generally known.

In the year 1760, premiums were, offered for cloth made from the ftalks of hops; but no proper claims have been made. As this defect was fupposed to be owing to the want of fome farther information, a short account is now published of what has been already done in this way. For the fame reafon we fhall tranfcribe it. The obfervations chiefly to be attended to in this experiment are,

Firft, That the faid fpecimens (viz. those left with the register of the Society) are fufficient to evince that hop-binds will afford a material for making cloth.

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Secondly, That the fpecies of cloth intended to be made from the material produced, would very well anfwer the purpofe of fine facking, and coarfe bagging for hops.

Thirdly, that the fole caufe of my not producing a stronger material, and a fufficient quantity to have entitled me to the premium propofed, was, that the material was too long immerfed under water, and its texture was thereby deftroyed.

Fourthly, That fuch binds as I took occafionally from the large quantity I had put to foak, at the end of about fix weeks or two months, afforded filaments fufficiently fine and strong, for any purpofe,

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Fifthly, That the time neceffary to reduce the inner subftance of the hop-binds to a fitnefs for ufe, by maceration, will abfolutely decay the outer coat, as appears from thofe which have continued under water above a year,'

In mechanics, the floating-light, for the prefervation of failors falling overboard in the night, at fea; the gun-harpoon (formerly mentioned, of whofe utility we have additional evidence); a new and very convenient crane, by Mr. Braithwait; a new invented fecret efcutcheon, and fome improvements on common locks, are defcribed. Thefe we cannot examine without the affiftance of the plates; but they appear generally ufeful. We fhall tranfcribe, however, an account of the properties of the efcutcheon.

The marquis of Worcester, in his Century of Inventions, N° 72, after having fpoken of three kinds of locks invented by him, says an efcutcheon to be placed before any of these locks with thefe properties.

"The owner, though a woman, may, with her delicate hand, vary the ways of coming to open the lock, ten millions of times beyond the knowledge of the fmith that made it, or of me who invented it."

Many attempts have been made to form a machine equal in its properties to the description here given, and from thence it is probable, arofe the kind of padlock which have been long made in this country in great numbers, which having feveral letters on different rings, can only be opened when a certain fet of those letters are arranged in one order, but this was in no degree equal to the end propofed, for befides the workman who made it being at all times informed of the position the letters must be in, and confequently enabled to open it; the letters and rings admitting of no variation of place, at the will of the owner, referving at the fame time a power of opening the locks, whenever the proper arrangement became

known,

known, the fecret was divulged, and all fecurity at an end; but by the improvement made by Mr. Marshall, the letters or figures allowing an almoft infinite variety of changes, the owner may, in one minute, alter the fecret in fuch a manner that even the maker would be as unlikely to open it, as he would be of gaining the highest prize in a lottery, by the chance of a fingle ticket; thus this kind of efcutcheon is infinitely more fecure than any hitherto in use, especially as the alteration of the letters may be made every day for years, without recurring to their firft ftate, and as the owner may, at one time, chufe to truft a friend or a domeftic with the fecret, fo that they might have recourfe to his valuables, &c. he may alfo, at another time, wish to exclude them from that privilege, which this contrivance renders very eafy to be done. As this improvement relates only to the efcutcheon, it is obvious that every attempt to pick the lock it covers, or to open it by means of falfe keys, is prevented; a circumstance of no small importance, when locks of a curious conftruction, and with a number of fine wards are made ufe of."

Next follows an abstract of the proceedings of the Society, from which we can extract nothing particularly interesting, and the ufual lifts of the members, &c. The volume is concluded by a list of the premiums offered in the prefent year.

Among the premiums, we perceive an encouragement for the propagation of the red willow, fometimes called the upland willow. It is certainly, in many refpects, an useful plant; but it alfo tends to chear the fandy waftes, as it flourishes in dry fandy grounds, and its cultivation will contribute to cover them with mould, fo as to make them fit for better purposes.

We cannot enlarge on the different fubjects, for which the Society have offered premiums; bat would only hint that, with refpect to rhubarb, their good intentions may be fruftrated, if they do not limit the age at which the root of the plant fhould be taken up. We fufpect that, at three or four years, it may be apparently good, yet not nearly equal in its properties to the Rufian rhubarb; and it is moft probable, that the Society confine their remarks to the obvious properties only. It certainly is not at its greatest perfection, under eight years, and probably not under twelve. We particularly mention this circum.ftance, because we perceive an eagerness to use it much earlier; and the character of the remedy will of course fuffer by this precipitate conduct.

We fhall only add, that the Society confines its views of improvement of wafte lands to thofe which have been hitherto useless,' and we shall conclude with wishing them all the success which their benevolent designs deserve.

The

The Adventures of Six Princesses of Babylon. 410. 35. Buckland.

T HE age of allegory is now paft, for it approaches too nearly to pofitive precept; and we wish to be allured into virtue, and cheated into health. The luxuriance of Hawkesworth, and the energy of Johnfon, for fome time fupported it; but their labours, in this mode of inftruction, are, we believe, lefs popular than any other parts of their lucubrations. These objections are not intended to depreciate the pleafing performance before us, but to animate the exertions of the author in a more fuccessful line. There is much fancy in the defcriptions, and much wholesome inftruction from the events: the wonders of fairy land, calculated to engage the imagination, are employed to fix the leffons more firmly on the heart. If there be a fault in the moral, it is, that the heroines are too often relieved from the distress, induced by their own misconduct, by fupernatural affiftance, without any efforts of their own. The great leffon to be inculcated on young minds, on the contrary, is, that though they have fuffered from diftrefs, yet that they do not deferve affistance, till they have amended the fault and rectified their conduct.

A king and queen, driven from their dominions, are obliged to feek fhelter in a lonely defert; but the queen, fitting one day on the fea fhore, fees a benevolent fairy, who tells her that he will be restored to her throne by the virtues of her daughters. These young ladies are, however, to be educated by the fairy, who adorns their minds with every valuable quality; and, after a proper education, the addrefies them in the following words.

• You have now lived, my dear children, several years in this folitude, infenfible of the great designs for which you were brought hither. But, before I proceed farther on this subject, it is neceffary to inform you, that the fate of your parents is fo ftrongly connected and bound up in yours, that is in your power, by your fortitude and virtue, to restore them again to empire and dominion, or, by your mutability and vice, bring them with shame and mifery to the grave.-Know then, that there are fix wonders lie hid in nature, ordained as a trial of your conftancy; they are attended with innumerable perils but when once poffeffed, and kept among you, will render you more powerful than the most abfolute monarch.

The firft, (faid fhe, addreffing the eldest princess) is the Distaff of Industry; an ineftimable treafure! for, by apply ing one end of it to your right hand, you are inftantly put in

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poffeffion of the thing you defire. This, (continued the) Miranda, is allotted for your pursuit.

The next, (faid fhe) Floriffa, must be your care: a Bottle of Water, taken from the River of Good-nature, no less valuable than the Distaff, being endowed with the power of reconciling all differences; one draught uniting the most bitter enemies and it has alfo this peculiar quality, that, when once attained, it can never be exhaufted, fince the more it is ufed, the more it continues to increase.

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The Spear of Truth is the next, and poffeffes even fuperior virtues to the former, having the power of overcoming all evil enchantment. Provided you keep the ftraight road, you need not fear any thing; but, fhould you once turn aside, the dangers are fo numerous as to require the greatest experience and fortitude to furmount. Be this your purfuit, Clementina.

The Mantle of Meeknefs is the fourth, which confers a degree of immortality on the poffeffor: fhe who is fortunate enough to obtain it, immediately becomes beautiful as an angel, and, though fhe fhould live to the most extreme age, will ftill continue to wear the full bloom of youth on her countenance. May your best endeavours, my dear Bonnetta, not be wanting to acquire fo great an ornament!

The fifth (faid fhe) is the Magnet of True Generofity: whofoever is poffeffed of it, is endowed with the power of transferring that pleasure they poffefs to another, which, at the fame time, increafes it in themfelves. This, my dear Orinda, is the reward held up to you.

Laft of all comes the White Wand of Contentment (not lefs defirable than the reft), poffeffing the pleafing power of rendering the most disagreeable objects in nature agreeable. Let it be your care, Matilda, to return with this invaluable treasure.'

Their Adventures are the fubjects of the work; and, with the affiftance of benevolent fairies, the fix heroines furmount every difficulty, and conquer the impediments which the bafer paffions fcatter in their path. They procure these rarities, and each adventurer brings home a gentle knight,' to whom fhe is afterwards married. The father and mother are alfo reftored to their kingdom.

We fhall not enlarge on the particular Adventures, or anticipate the public curiofity by any extracts. The young readers who perufe this work with attention, will be amply repaid both by its entertainment and inftruction.

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