least in this island, the present inhabitants.

Does it not appear, says Mr Parkinson, from this repeated occurrence of new beings, from the late appearance of the remains of land animals, and from the total absence of the fossil remains of man, that the creative power, as far as respects this planet, has been exercised, continually, or at distant periods, and with increasing excellence, in its objects, to a comparatively late period? the last and highest work appearing to be man, whose remains have not yet been numbered among the subjects of the mineral kingdom.

Literary Intelligence.

MRS HAMILTON, who is well known

to our readers by many popular and admired publications, has in the press, a work entitled, "A series of Popular Essays, illustrative of Principles essentially connected with the improvement of the Understanding, the Imagination, and the Heart."

The third Session of the Edinburgh Institute, commenced on Tuesday the 13th of October last, and continues till the third Friday of May 1813; during which period Lectures on the following Subjects will be delivered on the Tuesday and Friday evenings, at Half past eight o'clock.

Introductory Lecture-Tuesday, 13th October.

ON THE TUESDAY EVENINGS.

Pneumatics Mr James Morton,

Tuesday, 20th October. Oratory-Continuation of a former Course-Mr John Wilson, Tuesday, 24th November. Aerostation-Mr John Hutton, Tuesday, 26th January. Ancient and Modern Philosophy Historical View of Mr John

Christison, Tuesday, 16th Febru-

ary.

Geology and Hydrography-Dr James Millar, Tuesday, 30th March.

ON THE FRIDAY EVENINGS. Recreations in Mathematics-Mr John Wallace, Friday 16th, and Friday 23d October. Chemistry-Dr James Millar, Friday 30th October, and every Friday evening during the remainder of the Session.

By a regulation introduced at the close of last Session, the Members of the Institute are divided into three classes: namely, Proprieters, Life Subscribers, and Annual Subscribers.

A Proprietor pays Ten Guineas, and, in addition to his own permanent Ticket, receives Two Ladies' Tickets, and One ordinary Member's Ticket, for each Session, to be disposed of as he pleases.

A Life Subscriber pays Five Guineas, for which he is entitled to free admission during his life, and to One Ladies' Ticket each Session.

An Annual Subscriber pays One Guinea, for which he receives, besides his own Ticket, a Lady's Ticket, and twenty Strangers' Tickets.Proprietors and Life Subscribers are intitled to the same number of Strangers' Tickets each Session.

Admission being now given without balloting, Gentlemen are at liberty to enter into any of these Classes, upon paying the requisite sum to the

Treasurer.

The Institution is managed at present by a Council elected annually, and acting under the controul of the Society; but as soon as the number of proprietors amounts to twenty, the property belonging to the Institution, with the right of management, will be vested exclusively in them.

It has for some time past been in contemplation to form a Museum, to be attached to the institution; and, with this view, Donations of rare Minerals, Petrifactions, curious Books,

ancient

1 0 0

shall be restricted to 12

per cent. per ann. on the cost of the railway,

ment,

0 10

0 38

The distance between Edinburgh and Glasgow, by the way of Airdrie, is 42 miles, but by reason of curves may be called 45 miles, and would, on Mr Telford's estimate, as above, of £.2,925..12 per mile, cost £131,652; but as it may be thought expedient, on account of the great intercourse between Edinburgh and Glasgow, to have the rails made a little stronger than those proposed by Mr Telford, viz. 34 lb. of iron, per yard, I shall state the expence to be £.150,000. The ground to be occupied by this railway should be given gratis by the present proprietors. The greater part of it does not bring them 5s. per acre of yearly rent, and the advantages they would derive to the rest of their estate by this railway, would much more than indemnify them for the value of the ground so given away. And if it came to be valued by a Jury in the usual way in such cases, I should conceive that such a jury would, while estimating the value of the ground to be occupied by the railway, be bound to take into their consideration these advantages. I now premise the following suggestions:

Nov. 1812.

£.18,750

5,250

To be raised yearly, £.24,000 3d. The toll dues to be 5s. 6d. per ton. 4th. That the waggons will travel 290 days in the year; 5th. Which, at 5s. 6d. per ton, would be £.79..15 per ton, per annum. 6th. The consumpt of coals for Edinburgh, Leith, and St Cuthberts, is 270,000 tons a-year, and if one half of this quantity only shall be brought by the railway, or 135,000 tons on an average of 24 miles, this, at 3 halfpence per mile per ton, would be £.20,250.

But if this toll should be lowered to one penny per mile for every ton of coals, it would be per annum, £.14,100, leaving only £.10,000 more to be collected for the carriage of all other goods by the railway, in order to make up the sums required as per No. 2.-or, 7th. The whole sum of 3 halfpence

per mile might be collected, and the surplus, after setting apart £.24,000 per annum for dividend, repairs, and management, as above stated, vested in trustees and laid out in Government stock for the purposes,

1st. Of raising a fund of £.150,000 for the purpose of repaying the proprietors for the money they laid out in erecting the railway. 2d. Of raising a further sum of £.120,000 for defraying future repairs and expence of management-when the railway should be declared Toll-free.

With regard to the advantages which would accrue to the cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, as well as the country through which this railway would pass; consider these to be at present incalculable, and shall

there

therefore only consider a few of the most apparent of them. 1st. Glasgow, besides the advantages of a cheap and sure, as well as uninterrupted, communication with Edinburgh, and all the east coast of Great Britain, the Baltic, &c. &c. would have her intercourse with London greatly facilitated, and would acquire all the advantages she expected to derive from the railway between Glasgow and Berwick, at about one-third of the expence.

2d. The country lying between Bathgate and Airdrie would get, from the quarries in the neighbourhood of Edinburgh, a plentiful and cheap supply of lime-stone; an article they are in great want of at present. 3d. Edinburgh would be greatly benefited by the new trade which this railway would occasion.

But the benefit she would derive from a reduction in the price of coals is so great as to deserve that I should attempt to ascertain it, apart from other advantages which would generally attend the plan proposed-And I will observe, 1st. That there are 108,000 inhabi. tants in this city and neighbourhood. And supposing each family to be composed of five persons, there will be 21,600 families. 2d. Each family will consume on an average 20 carts, of 12 cwt. each, per annum, or one such cart in 18 days, which is 432,000 carts, 259,200 tons.

or

3d. The public offices, the garrisons, the distilleries, breweries, founderies, glasshou

Short Remarks on the Conduct of the Magistrates of the City of EDIN BURGH in the present times of pub

lic Distress.

THE administration of whattends to the relief of the indigent part of a community is as much the business of the magistrate as the exercising any

part

part of that authority which he is of ficially invested with. How far, however, this precept is at all times regarded, I shall not pretend to say, but we are furnished with a very striking instance of its being religiously fulfilled in our metropolis, when we reflect on the conduct of our magistracy in the present distressful crisis.

At a time when the poor is labouring under all the miseries which must arise from a general want of employment and a scarcity, and, necessarily, dearth of provisions-in such a time has the public bounty been liberally and judiciously bestowed! By a politic and well-regulated system of our city government in establishing charitable contributions, &c.; and, from the zealous exertions of all concerned, a considerable revenue has been providentially raised for the purpose, by a proper economy and judgment in the distribution of which the deserving poor have been happily delivered from the greatest part of that wretchedness which otherwise would have inevitably fallen to their share.

On a retrospective view of the general state of our poor, it will not be thought that the popular interest which they have at present excited, has been unmeritedly lavished; it will appear that, for endurance and submission, they are peculiarly characteristic; for it must be allowed, that even in cases of the greatest urgency, they have borne their hardships with a fortitude beyond all example: though labouring under their present distresses, it must be observed, that the temperance which marks the common tenor of their conduct seemed for a while to have forsaken them*; and here the wisdom and policy of our governors is again highly worthy of remark. When

Alluding to the riot which happened on Tuesday the 18th of August last, in conse

desperation and a mistaken zeal had got possession of some of the lower and unenlightened classes, who as sembled in the face of all reason and justice for the most unlawful purposes!-When the frenzy of the multitude wore the most alarming appearance, and when the safety of private property came to be universally dreaded, all was wisely foreseen! Lenity was considered the most efficacious antidote in favour of peace, and by lenity all was conquered! Printed warnings, filled more with friendly admonitions than threats, were carefully issued, and by such means was the public peace again restored, at the expence of neither life nor limb. Such a bright example of public prudence and magnanimity deserves the attention of every other well-governed city, and may serve to shew in what degree the horrors arising from the unnatural measure of having recourse to arms in such cases may be avoided: a measure which, it is to be lamented, has in too many instances rendered itself the object of much commiseration and just reproach.How condemnable, indeed, must this rigorous mode of restoring the public tranquillity appear, when the simple means of giving the rabble a just conception of the magnitude of their crime, and a well-timed moderation, has proved equally, if not more effectual, than all the advantages obtained at the price of much bloodshed and confusion. It should, at the same time, be considered, that those concerned in such depredations cannot be viewed in the light of banditti, or professed disturbers of the peace, for, although their actions may be judged equally unlawful, yet the passions by which they are stimulated to such acts, by no means partake of the same criminality. Governed by ignorance, and under the apprehension of being wronged, hence arises their error, and

meal.