dimensions. They are without inscriptions; but, according to tradition, are the grave stones of some Danish chiefs, who fell in a battle fought near this place.

Observations on Mr Wilson's Exhibition of Drawings in Water Colours.

WE

E now proceed, according to the intention announced in our last, to make some remarks on the principal pieces in this very meritorious collection.

1. A view of Tivoli.-This splendid landscape which exhibits a view of perhaps the most picturesque spot in the world, seemed during the exhibition of Mr Wilson's drawings, to draw the principal attention of the public, which we do not wonder at, considering that the scene from which the drawing is painted, has attracted the attention of all the great landscape painters from the Poussins to the present day. The point of view is admirably adapted to give a correct idea of the situation of Tivoli, and the effect of light is, we believe, properly adapted to such a subject. We should suppose him a poor artist indeed, who could not produce a pleasing picture of Tivoli; but to chuse the best point of view, and best effect at the same time, is that which distinguishes the man of genius from the herd of view-takers. The luminous appearance of the sky, and the gradations of the tones of colour from the distance to the middle grounds are exquisite; and the artist-like manner of distributing the light and shadow over the buildings, is certainly inferior to nothing that any painter has attempted on the subject. The foreground is extremely well composed, and we have only to regret the want of a

little more force to keep pace with the middle ground; but this defect we would rather ascribe to the ma terials, than to the artist.

2. The Baths of Caracalla.-This picture, though not so interesting with respect to subject, as the preceding, is equally great in regard to execution; the luxuriant glow of a brilliant setting sun, which diffuses itbrilliantsetting self over the picture, produces an impression on the spectator extremely pleasing, and disposes him to consider the instability of all human greatness, in contemplating the ruins of these monuments of Roman luxury and grandeur. The foreground is most beautifully composed, and at the same time kept down to aid the brilliancy of the great luminary which is still more supported by the opposition of two dark pines on the foreground; and the impression of freshness, as well as warmth, is extremely well expressed by the cool tones of the distant part of the sky, which are most beautifully broken and blended with the warmer tones of the thin clouds catching a small portion of the sun's rays. In comparing this drawing with the preceding, we should hesitate in giving the pre

ference to either.

3. View of Rome.-What we have said of the preceding drawings, may in every respect be applied to this picture. We believe that its situation in the room, made it appear to great disadvantage, and we have no doubt that the heaviness which appeared in some parts of it would entirely disappear, had it been placed in a stronger light. This drawing, and No. 1, are to be engraved by that excellent artist Mr Turner of London, who, we have no doubt, will do them both ample justice.

4. St Giovanni in Laterani-In the drawings before mentioned, Mr

Wilson has presented us with the representation of the more simple effects of nature: in the one, however, at present under consideration, he has shewn that he can move with equal success in the higher department of landscape painting, where mediocrity has no place, and want of complete sucThe cess implies total failure. uninterrupted breath of light and shadow, produce an effect equally grand and pleasing, and the artist has judiciously avoided entering too much into minutia, which, how ever proper in the picturesque style, would be altogether out of place here: the only defect which struck us in looking at this drawing, was rather a want of dignity in the group of trees which pervades the rest of the picture.

We believe we have mentioned the principal drawings that were exhibited, although there were many others worthy of the artist's reputation, and we looked with great delight upon the few studies from nature that were shewn at the same time with the furnished drawings, which shewed that the artist looks at nature with the real feeling of a master.

within their bounds to make a collection at the doors of their respective churches, for carrying on this building; and, on Sunday the 8th of March last, a collection was made, at the doors of many places of public worship in the city of Edinburgh, for this necessary and benevolent purpose. This intended collection was intimated from the pulpits, on Sunday the 1st March; and many of the clergy recommended this charitable establishment to their congregations in the strongest terms. We are informed, that one respectable clergyman, after reading the representation from the Managers of the asylum, addressed his hearers nearly in the following words

"My Dear Friends-I shall not detain you at present with any teIt is one great dious exhortation.

object of the instructions which you hear from your established pastors, to form you to that charity which is the fulfilling of the law, and the bond of perfectness; and your conduct hitherto hath given us no cause to complain that we have run in vain, and laboured in vain.'

"The institution for which I plead at present is intended to alleviate and remedy a species of distress, the most deplorable to which in this imperfect state we are liable.

while I look around this numerous "I appeal to your own hearts, assembly; I ask you all in succession, Whether, excepting the misery which arises from conscious guilt, there is another species of distress which you would more earnestly intreat the Almighty to avert from yourselves, and from all who are dear to you.

"I need not wait for a reply. I know it is your earnest prayer, that, whatever else may befal you, whether poverty or pain, or sickness or death, it may please the Lord, even

to

History.

of this month the weather was mild, and the operations of agriculture and horticulture were carried on with advantage. By the 16th apricot blossom had appeared in some placcs, and even peach blossom were beginning to shew.

17 A Goosander (Mergus Merganser) and a Dunlin (Tringa alpina) were shot on the Esk and its banks, within the Duke of Buceleuch's grounds. Neither of these birds are common in the vicinity of Edinburgh. All uncommon birds shot by His Grace's game-keepers are, we understand, henceforth to be preserved and placed in glass cases, in Dalkeith House.

Uncommon Storm of Frost and Snow-Early on the morning of the 19th, a sudden and heavy fall of snow took place. In about three hours it lay near a foot thick all around Edinburgh. All kinds of country labour were therefore completely stopt.

21. A strong gale from N. E. with continued snow, has render ed most of the roads in this neigh bourhood impassable. In many places, the snow, where drifted, lies eight feet deep on the roads, hiding hedges and walls from the view. The mail-coaches could no longer make their way, even with six hor ses. In the valleys about Arthur's Seat hills, the snow, in some hollows, is from 15 to 20 feet deep.

22. The London Mail came into and left town this day on horseback, the roads being so blocked up by snow as to be totally impassable to coaches.

23. The snow ceased; but this evening an intense frost set in; the mercury in Fahrenheit's thermometer falling to 23° or 9 degrees

general importance, it must prove exceedingly pernicious to newly dropped lambs. The check given to vegetation in general, will not, it is believed, be attended with any bad effects.

26. The severe frost still continues, the mercury at 8 this morning standing at 24°; and having been observed, more early, as low as 21°, or 11 degrees below freezing.

According to the best accounts which have yet reached us, this heavy snow-storm has been only local. The weather in London is represented as comparatively genial and pleasant; and agricultural operations have continued to go on in Dumfries-shire and Galloway, no snow having fallen in that direction beyond the range of Lead-hills. 'In the West, the fall does not appear to have been nearly so great as about Edinburgh. How far North it had extended is not correctly known; but some had fallen beyond Aberdeen. In a southerly direction, it reached Berwick on the 21st, and extended to Durham and Carlisle, beyond which last place it is said little had fallen.

It has seldom, we presume, happened that so great a fall of snow and cold of such intensity, have taken place so late in the season,→→ after the sun has been some time in Aries, and his rays have acquired great influence.

Even now (27th March) all the lakes and pools are thickly frozen over; and to see boys skating on the North Loch ditches, on Good Friday, is perhaps rather a novelty,

N.

Memoirs

Memoirs of the Progress of Manufactures, Chemistry, Science, and the Fine Arts.

PAPER by Count Rumford, has

been read at the Royal Society, on the nature of light. The Count, firmly persuaded that it is of great commercial importance to increase the quantity of light, and that this luminous power has no distinct material existence, proceeded to make a number of experiments on wax tapers and the photometer. He began by weighing the combustible

matter consumed or transformed during a given time, and compared the quantity of light emitted in proportion to the wax burnt. In nine such experiments he satisfied himself that the light emitted bore no invariable proportion to the quantity of combustible matter consumed; but that with small tapers, which yielded very little light,

there was a very considerable increase of heat. Here he was induced to make some observations

on the nature of heat, or heated bodies, so far as their luminous qualities were concerned; all of which, he thought, tended to confirm his opinion, that there is no such matter in existence as light, and that the philosophers may for ever torture their imaginations about its nature and qualities, with out being the wiser. He observed, that no person ever looked for the nature and properties of sound in fulminating powder, and it is equally idle to look for those of light in combustible bodies. He has however made a very philanthrophic and important discovery, namely, a polyflame lamp, consisting of a number of burners, with wicks flat like a ribbon, and so placed one by the side of another, that the air can pass between them, at the same time that they are duly supplied with oil. Some

flat wick arranged in this manner, side by side, supplied with oil, and covered with a large glass which rose several inches above the

flame, yielded as much light as 40 candles!

M. Blanchard, a watch-maker at Portentru, announces, as the fruit of thirty-four years of labour and study, a repeating watch, with a new scapement and movement. This new scapement is intended to regulate with the utmost accuracy, the motion of the balance-wheel by diminishing considerably the numthat the ordinary scapement gives ber of oscillations. It is well known 17,360 hourly; this of M. Blanchard gives only 7,230; and on this diminution is founded the superior formance. With these advantages accuracy and steadiness of perthat the repeating movement is acthe inventor has connected another, ted upon by the same motive principle as actuates the wheel-work. And further, the moving power by which the watch acts, is capable of being exerted during seven days, without being wound up.

A patent has been obtained, in the United States, for a new mode of tanning. In the specification, it is stated, that sheep-skins can be tanned in 12 or 16 hours; calfskins from about 24 to 50 hours, after being deprived of their hair; upper leather from three to five days; and sole leather from 5 to 15 or 20 days, according to the thickness of the hides.

The city of Catania, which is not more than seven leagues from the crater of Etna, has again been strongly menaced by the torrents of lava, with wich the valley of Nusara has been filled. The stream of lava flowed within one league of the walls of the city, which the inhabitants in their first alarms abandoned.