ference to the laws relating to special irritability, there were others which must be understood. For example: each organ was supplied with a stimulus, which was necessary for the maintenance of its health and of its functions. It must be likewise understood, that each organ that was irritable also possessed a certain amount of irritability. Thus, one muscle or muscular organ has a greater share of irritability than another. The blood vessels of a larger size were endowed with very little irritability, comparatively speaking; but those that were capillary, or a hair's breadth in size, were endowed with most exquisite irritability. Another law is this, that every contraction is at the expense of a portion of the irritable principle. Whence, every contraction must be followed by repose. The heart went on contracting, dilating, contracting, dilating; but all the parts of the heart were not in a state of contraction and dilation at the same time. The two parts called the auricles dilated and contracted simultaneously; and the two larger cavities called the ventricles dilated and contracted at the same time; so that, when the blood entered, the heart contracted, and drove it onwards; and thus, therefore, there was a succession of dilations and contractions, with a view to carry the blood from the heart towards the extremities. This fact may be illustrated in connexion with voluntary muscles, thus-How long could a person keep his arm extended? Not a very long time; circumstance would determine the time; it was so long as his muscles of extension retained their irritability; but, as soon as ever the muscles lost their stock of irritability, the effort became exceedingly painful, and at length abortive. Here there was an expenditure of irritability, which, in certain cases, would bring about the dissolution of the body. But suppose the opposite extreme. Suppose they did not exercise the muscles at all, or allowed them to remain in repose for too long a period. For instance, in reference to the stomach; to allow too great a distance of time between meals. What was the result? An accumulation of irritability in this organ, and a state of matters which, by the application of a certain stimulus, might cause a rapid expenditure of the irritable principle, bring about disease, and perhaps death. How death? Persons had been shut up in coal mines, and individuals who had been taken out of the canals, or had been frozen to death or nearly so; animation in these cases becoming suspended. Take the individual, then, who had been shut up in a coal mine for three, four, or five days; bring him into a room, rouse him with stimulants, feed him with roast beef and plum pudding, allow him to eat till he was satisfied, and what would be the result? Death. If, on the contrary, they gave him, on being released from his incarceration, a little meal or sago gruel of moderate temperature, and then went on gradually supplying him with more generous nutriment, they would save his life. And why was this? Because there had been an inordinate accumulation of irritability in the stomach, which was exhausted in toto by the vigorous effort of digestion, and the result was death. In the same way precisely the law would apply to a person who was frost-bitten. If they were to expose his toes to the fire, the result would be mortification. If, on the contrary, they were to rub them with snow, mortification would probably not take place, and the individual would be restored. ANECDOTES OF THE LATE MR MURRAY. MANY gratifying instances of the liberality of the late Mr Murray have transpired since his decease. Often, after having made an agreement, he went beyond it. Thus we learn that to Campbell he gave 1,000l. for his Specimens of the Poets;' the price he had engaged to pay being no more than 500/. To Allan Cunningham he acted most generously on the occasion of his writing the Lives of the British Artists.' He paid 50l. per volume over the sum engaged for, and gave this handsome resolve a retrospective operation. The following letter will be read with pleasure. It proves that he behaved very nobly by Sir Walter Scott. "To Sir Walter Scott. "Albemarle street, June 8, 1829. "My dear Sir,-Mr Lockhart has this moment communicated your letter respecting my fourth share of the copyright of Marmion.' I have already been applied to, by Messrs Constable and by Messrs Longman, to know what sum I would sell this share for; but so highly do I estimate the honour of being, even in so small a degree, the publisher of the author of the poem, that no pecuniary consideration whatever can induce me to part with it. "But there is a consideration of another kind, which until now I was not aware of, which would make it painful for me if I were to retain it a moment longer. I mean the knowledge of its being required by the author, into whose hands it was spontaneously resigned in the same instant that I read his request. "This share has been profitable to me fifty-fold beyond what either publisher or author could have anticipated; and, therefore, my returning it on such an occasion you will, I trust, do me the favour to con sider in no other light than as a mere act of grateful acknowledgment for benefits already received by, my dear sir, your obliged and faithful servant, "JOHN MURRAY.” Mr Murray, by judicious liberality, secured many a valuable copyright, which more sordid, misjudging publishers allowed to go by. He made one memorable mistake in declining the 'Rejected Addresses' of the Smiths. "I could have had the "Rejected Addresses' for 10%.," said he, "but I let them go by as the kite of the moment. See the result! I was deter mined to pay for my neglect, and I bought the remainder of the copyright for 150 guineas." It ought to be known that Mr Murray originally suggested the Quarterly Review:' he nobly sustained it. He brought out a new morning paper, called the Representative.' It was boldly conceived, and intended to be carried on with princely magnificence. It failed to gain public support in time to save it from sinking. Mr Murray sustained a heavy loss by this speculation. Mrs Markham's History of England,' published by him, was originally brought out by Constable, and failed. Mr Murray perceived it had great merit, and gave it the title just quoted: it is now a standard and highly profitable work. Mr Murray was intimate with many distinguished literary characters. His correspondence with Lord Byron (some of it that we have seen) was very curious. He had the honour of being playfully commemorated by the noble Lord in the following stanzas: experienced the common fate of a pub- COMFORT FOR INVALIDS. SOME curious facts have been established, by inquiries made in connexion with the conditions on which life assurances can be safely affected, by Mr Neison, the actuary of the Medical Invalid and General Assurlife is generally of greater value, or more ance Society. He shows that though likely to be prolonged in the country than in cities, that in the diseased life, the varieties of town and country are of little importance. The wounded life will endure in town as long as in the country, but life which is established in the country is less exposed to a fatal wound. He says:"As an example of this-the expectation 36.7 years; in cities (viz. Glasgow), 27.6 at the age of 30 in the country districts is years-difference 33 per cent. nearly; but take the case of persons of that age in whom the consumptive tendency is developed, and who will ultimately die of consumption, and their expectation of life in the counties of Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk, will be found to be 14.5, in cities (Glasgow), 144, and in the metropolis, Manchester, Birmingham, 13.9; difference 017 per cent. (or 1-57 per cent.) therefore appears that while the difference between country and town life in the former case is about 33 per cent., that in the latter instance (consumption) the difference is almost nothing, and the results nearly uniform. The same thing holds good with some other diseases which have been investigated in this manner. It "It hence appears that the fluctuation in the mortality of diseased lives is much less than among select lives and the population generally, and therefore the risk of assuring diseased lives must also be less." This is a discovery most interesting to humanity. It opens a door by which persons in declining health, compelled by circumstances to reside in crowded cities, who were formerly denied all participation in the important advantages offered by life assurances, may be admitted to make, by a small sacrifice, some provision for those who must otherwise be left destitute. The comfort hence afforded to the sinking heart, so intimate is the connexion between mind and body, will in many cases arrest the course of disease, and give the patient a longer career than if left to the unmitigated gloom which formerly hung over him. Arms. Quarterly; first and fourth, or, on a chief sable, three escalops of the field-Graham; second and third, argent, three roses gu.-Montrose. Crest. An eagle preying on a stork, all proper. THE NOBLE HOUSE OF MONTROSE. THE family of Montrose is traced back to the restoration of the monarchy by Fergus II. It derives its origin from the renowned Græme, who governed Scotland during the minority of Eugene II, Fergus's grandson, whose reign commenced at so remote a period as the early part of the fifth century. No family in Scotland boasts higher antiquity. Sir David Graham, Knight, Lord of Montrose, held lands in the county of Forfar, obtained in exchange for the estate of Cardross, from Robert I. This Sir David, a patriot distinguished for his valour, was one of the Scottish barons who negotiated for the release of David II, who was taken prisoner at the battle of Durham in 1346. His son, Sir Patrick Graham, Lord of Dundoff and Kincardine, Knight Banneret, was one of the hostages given on the occasion of the king being liberated. He was succeeded by his son, Sir William Graham, of Kincardine, one of the Lords of the Regency during the minority of James II. He became a Lord of Parliament, under the title of Lord Graham, in or about 1445. William, the second Lord Graham, succeeded him in 1465. William, the third Lord Graham, the eldest son of the former, became the wearer of the title in 1472. He was raised to the dignity of Earl of Montrose, March 3, 1504-5, in consideration of the gallantry he had displayed at the battle of Sauchyburn, wherein James III lost his life. His Lordship fell, with James IV, on Flodden field, February 7, 1513. William, his only son, succeeded the last Earl, who, on his decease, May 24, 1571, was succeeded by his grandson John, the third Earl, posthumous son of Robert, Lord Graham, who was slain at the battle of Pinkey, Sept. 10, 1547. He was appointed Chancellor in 1598, and held the seals till 1604, when it was required that the Chancellor should be a lawyer. He died in 1608, and was succeeded by his eldest son John, fourth Earl. He was appointed The James, fifth Earl of Montrose. He having been on the side of the parliament, warmly espoused the cause of Charles I, and distinguished himself by many gallant actions; but being at length vanquished, when he saw the day was absolutely lost, he threw away his cloak with the star upon it, and meeting with a countryman changed clothes with him, and thus assumed a Highland habit. He wandered about three or four days without being discovered. The Laird of Assint with some of his tenants at length found him in a place where he had been almost ever since the battle, without food or drink. He had only one man with him. laird had formerly been under his command, and he had hopes of prevailing on him to allow of his escape. In this he was disappointed. Assint, eager to gain the reward offered for his apprehension, lost no time in securing him. Montrose then begged that he might be instantly put to death, but this favour, like the former, was refused him. Taken to Edinburgh, he was soon tried, and doomed to die. On the 18th of May, 1650, being met at the gates of Edinburgh by the magistrates, who had formerly presented to him on their knees the keys of the city, he was treated with every indignity. The hangman wore his bonnet; Montrose was compelled to sit behind him in a car, bareheaded. He read the sentence which they exhibited to him with great composure. When taken from the cart he gave the hangman money, declaring that he regarded the vehicle in which he had rode as "his triumphal chariot." So calm, so unruffled, was the mind of this brave soldier, that on the night before his execution he composed those lines on his own situation, which a short time since were inserted in the Mirror,' in an article entitled 'Lays of the Dying.' Cruelty was on the alert to wound the unfortunate nobleman. Some of "the bigots of that iron time" declared "he was a fagot in hell, and that they could actually see that he was burning." At length an end was put to his sufferings, on the 21st of May, 1650. About two in the afternoon he was brought from the prison to the place of execution, dressed in a Scotch cloak trimmed with gold lace. Having reached the scaffold, the ministers of religion, because he was excommunicated, refused to pray for him, and reproached him for his crimes. He prayed for a quarter of an hour with his hat before his eyes; his book, declaration, and other papers, were then tied round his neck. He asked to be permitted to wear his hat and cloak, but He this poor boon was harshly denied. then, having implored mercy for his enemies, serenely passed to the top of the gibbet, which was of extraordinary height, He inquired how long he was to be suspended, and was told by the executioner three hours. He desired that he might be thrown off when he should lift up his hands. This wish was attended to, and the hangman, shedding tears while he did it, on the signal being given, thrust him from the ladder. When cut down, "without so much as any to receive his fallen corpse, his head was smitten off, his arms by the shoulders, and his legs by the knees, and put into several boxes." His head was fixed on the Tolbooth, his limbs were exhibited at Stirling, Dundee, Glasgow, and Aberdeen; but after the restoration they had all the honours of a gorgeous funeral. His son and grandson, bearing the same name as himself, succeeded him in due course. The son of the last, also named James, fourth Marquis of Montrose, was appointed by Queen Anne, Admiral of North Britain, and advanced to the dignity of Duke, April 24, 1707. His third son, William, was the second Duke, who was succeeded by James, the present Duke, September 23, 1790. THE PARLIAMENTARY THE Cartoons submitted for the decoration of the new Houses of Parliament are now open to public inspection at Westminster Hall. A shilling is charged for admission. This has, by many, seemed objectionable. It is, however, understood that the object in view is to restrain the too ardent curiosity of the public, and is only to be demanded during the first fortnight of the exhibition. The money received is to be applied to the promotion of the Fine Arts, in some way to be hereafter determined on; and in and after the third week the public view will be gratis, with the exception of a few hours on the Saturday in each week, reserved at the price of a shilling, for THIS able writer and high-minded man died in Fifeshire, on the 14th ult. A peasant originally, a peasant he continued, after he had displayed talents which would have made a sordid, ambitious man look forward to fame and fortune through exertions very different from those to which he was content to owe his daily bread. His independent spirit was finely manifested when, on the publication of the life of his brother John, a subscription was made for him. The money was, with great delicacy, anonymously sent to him through his publisher. It was, however, without loss of time, not merely declined, pro forma, that he might be moved to accept it, but returned to the senders. His circumstances then were very humble, but this was the language he held: "As I am not in want, and as all those for whom I had all along been more anxious than for myself are now gone, I do think I should be doing wrong in appropriating to myself those funds which may be made to do the work of benevolence elsewhere. It is not pride which makes me decline accepting the gift so generously and deli cately tendered; but, upon principle, I consider it a duty in every man, so far as Providence may enable him, to provide for his own wants; and I have always felt a sort of pleasure in the consciousness of being able to keep my wants within my means of supplying them, however limited these might be. I do not trust to liters. ture, moreover, but to the labours of my hands for my support; and therefore I cannot be subjected to those vicissitudes which literary men so often experience. With an ordinary share of health, the task of supplying myself with the necessaries of life will be a light one: and, if spared for a few years, I may even provide a small fund for sickness or accidents. For these reasons I would still beg you to forward the letter., * * I must say, also, that though I had not the slightest hankering after the money, yet, from an idea of the disappointment which it might occasion, it was only by a painful effort that I could bring myself to write the letter in which I declined accepting it. I would humbly beg to suggest that the money may be bestowed upon literary men who have no other means of earning their bread, and who, in the absence of literary rewards, might be reduced to a state bordering on starvation." * Nor was this a momentary effusion of pride that caused him so to act. He remained firm to his resolution till he reached "life's goal." The money above-mentioned was placed in a bank to his credit, in the expectation that he might change his determination; but he could not be prevailed upon to touch it, even in his last sickness. He had saved enough to pay for his funeral, and would not have that spent on him which other labourers in the service of literature might want. SPECULATIONS ON THE NATIONAL DEBT. It is amusing to see with what awful alarm politicians contemplated the increase of the national debt to about one eighth of its present amount! The following sage reflections on the subject are from the Craftsman,' Feb. 14, 1747 : "A minister of state, eminent for his reign of almost twenty-four hours, has said, that England could bear a national debt, and pay the interest, of an hundred millions, but if there should be a necessity to go beyond that sum, a sponge must wipe out all.' If there should be any such men in the ministry as would not scruple to increase the public debt annually, in pursuit of such measures only as can keep them in power, and only for the sake of improving their own fortunes, who would not rejoice to see them dragged to Dover Cliffs, and from thence plunged, as from the Tarpeian rock, as a sacrifice to the British seas, the empire of which they had long disgraced and injured? "Consider, countrymen, that seventy millions make a near approach to an hundred; and we have seen no endeavours used to diminish the principal; and one million is this year taken from the sinking fund a fund appropriated to the payment of the principal of the national debt: and when men are at the head of affairs who are unable to judge what to tax, and how to proportion taxes when layed, instead of a surplus they will find only deficiencies. We see a great one in the duties on spirits and on glass, which are put together, though on examination, I doubt not but the great deficiency would be found to be from glass." Reviews. History and Antiquities of Highgate, with Illustrations. By Frederick Prickett. Published by the Author. THE advice of an eminent nobleman to his son, was always to buy the local history of any place in which he might find himself. We consider the advice good; but at the same time we must remark, that many books of that description have been got up with so little effort, and with such an obvious anxiety to conciliate "our highly respectable townsman, Mr So-andSo," and "the beautiful and accomplished Misses Something else," that they are of little intrinsic value. Here, however, we have a volume cleverly put together, embodying much careful research. It is one that well deserves a place in every library in the neighbourhood; and many of the facts brought together have interest for the general reader. The fame which Highgate has for salubrity is not of very modern date. It shows in the opening that Highgate seems to have enjoyed a perfect exemption from the great plague of 1665. It only lost sixteen of its inhabitants, although an immense number of contagious corpses were brought from the metropolis and buried there. "The depository is a hollow near Muswell-hill road, adjoining the wood, which, with the spot itself, still retains the name of 'Churchyard Bottom,' and where, at a few feet from the surface, have been found vast quantities of human bones, intermixed with darkened strata of earth." Highgate used to be the spot selected for royal sports, for, by a proclamation of Henry VIII, it seems that it was necessary more strictly to preserve the game. "A proclamation yt noe p'son interrupt the king's game of partridge or pheasaunt. "Rex majori et vicecomitibus London. Vobis mandamus, &c. "Forasmuch as the king's most royall matie is much desirous to have the games of hare, partridge, pheasaunt, and heron,p'served in and about his honor, att his palace of Westm' for his owne disport and pastime; that is to saye, from his said palace of Westm Islington, to or Lady of the Oke, to Highto St Gyles in the Fields, and from thence to gate, to Hornsey Parke, to Hamstead Heath, and from thence to his said palace of Westm', to be preserved and kept for his owne disport, |