LESSON LXX.

Rules of Walking and Riding in London.

THE crowds that are almost constantly moving through the principal streets in London, are so great, that if a very exact etiquette were not observed, it would be impossible to move either with expedition or safety. The coaches, carts, and vehicles of all descriptions, are arranged in two rows, (whenever the street is crowded,) one on the right, and the other on the left, passing in opposite directions, like a revolving rope, or the return of an eddy. In Cheapside, for example, I have sometimes seen a double row of this kind, extending towards Cornhill, as far as the eye could distinguish, and occasionally carriages passing upon the cross streets, or foot passengers wishing to pass over, have been compelled to wait a considerable time. The principal streets of London are furnished with side-walks, both wide and well flagged, and upon these a similar etiquette is observed with great precision, and that even at night; for, in general, the great streets are so well lighted, both by the lamps and by the shops, that one may in many instances recognize his acquaintance. The rule is, 'keep to the right, and, of course, give those whom you are passing, your left hand. This, divides the passengers into two opposite, but not interfering currents; one half are moving one way, and the other half the opposite. In the great thorough-fares, such as Oxford road, Holborn, Cheapside, Cornhill, Ludgate Hill, and the Strand, it is quite indispensable to observe the rule; and if one, either through accident or ignorance, happens to get into the opposite current, he is elbowed and jostled, and his toes are trodden upon, till he is again in his proper place. You will not

exhibits this

But, in such

understand that every street in London order, or that it is necessary in every one. streets as are named above, and other similar ones, it is often amusing to survey from a shop door, these vast currents of busy moving mortals. To an American, dropped in London, in the busiest periods of the day, and busiest parts of the town, it would seem as if some great solemnity, or alarm, had called all the population into the streets, and congregated them from the neighbouring country. On the contrary, it is said, that, to a person familiarized to London, the first view of our cities suggests the idea that some peculiar occasion has drawn the population from the streets, to the churches, or to the country. It is easy to see, however, that our city population must have vastly the advantage in point of accommodation, because they have much more room to live in.

It is not the denseness of the population alone, and its exact order of moving, that strikes one in London. The motion is also very rapid. There can be no doubt that the people of cities generally move more rapidly than the people of the country, and in general the motion is more rapid as the city is larger.

LESSON LXXI.

Dr. Herschell's Telescope.

EARLY in the morning we repaired to Dr. Herschell's, and were admitted to see his famous optical instrument. His sister, Miss Herschell, was so good as to come out into the back court-yard, where the telescope is, and expressed her regret that her brother's absence should preclude us from the most advantageous view of his

apparatus. She then explained to us the most important parts of the arrangement, and, after making all proper apologies, withdrew, and left us with the servant, to examine more minutely.

The tube of this telescope is forty feet in length, and five feet in diameter. The servant told us that his majesty had walked through it, and a boy of thirteen might do it without stooping. It is managed by machinery and ropes, and as it is always in the open air, exposed to the weather, the tube is painted, to prevent it from rusting. The end in which the reflector is placed, is constantly closed, and the other also, when the instrument is not in use.

On

A swinging seat is connected with the elevated end of the tube, and moves with it when it rises and falls. this Dr. Herschell sits, when he makes his observations. He looks in at the elevated end of the telescope, through a small interior tube, which receives the reflected light from the great mirror at the lower end, and thus transmits the rays to his eye. He therefore sits with his back towards the celestial body..

On the framed work at the lower end of the telescope, which is contiguous to the ground, there are two small lodges, one on either side of the great tube. In one of these a servant attends, and in the other Miss Herschell sits, ready to record her brother's observations. These he communicates to her, without leaving his seat, by means of a speaking trumpet, one orifice of which is at his mouth, and the other at her ear.

There is so much machinery and cordage to suspend this great telescope, and to give it motion, that the apparatus looks like the masts and rigging of a ship. The lower end of the instrument has only a circular and horizontal movement, and, with the greatest facility, it is

elevated to any angle, or directed to any point of the

compass.

The basis of the whole machinery is a circle of forty or fifty feet in diameter; beneath this circle is a system of rollers, which rest and move upon another flat circular rim of wood. When the horizontal movement is wanted, not only the telescope, but all the machinery is turned around on the rollers, while the centre continues fixed. When the vertical movement is required, nothing more is necessary than to pull or loosen a set of ropes, which pass over pulleys, and thus sustain the elevated end of the telescope, and serve also to raise or depress it.

There is also a swinging gallery, which moves independently of the tube, but always accompanies its elevated orifice, being sustained by ropes; there is a flight of stairs to ascend to it, and here, as Miss Herschell informed us, parties of ladies sometimes assemble, not as objects of telescopical observation, but to take tea in the air; and then, as evening comes on, to gaze at the stars, through the largest telescope in the world. This instrument is indeed a wonder, and does equal honour to the talents of the great astronomer, and to the munificence of his royal patron.

In the same yard is a great telescope, which Dr. Herschell has recently caused to be constructed for the emperor of Russia; it is, apparently, about half as large as the one which I have been describing, and there are besides this, several others, of such magnitude that each of them would appear a wonder, were it seen by itself.

Dr. Herschell's residence is a very plain, and not large house, between Windsor and Slough It is immediately on the public road, and almost by itself; and the Doctor is under the immediate patronage, and indeed almost literally under the eye of his majesty, for the house is on the plain, near the foot of Windsor-Hill.

Miss Herschell's treatment of us was very courteous, and she obligingly requested us to renew our visit for the sake of seeing her brother.

LESSON LXXII.

Manufacture of Pins.

BRISTOL is celebrated for its manufactures of various kinds, and we have spent this day in visiting such of them as we found accessible. We went first to a manufactory of pins. You would be amused and instructed to see the various processes which are instituted, before this little instrument is completed.

In the first place, the brass wire of which pins are made, is extended by the force of a wheel, for the purpose of rendering it perfectly straight. It is next cut, by a huge pair of shears, into pieces of the length of five or six inches, and the points are immediately formed on both ends of the pieces; they are then cut into two, again and again, until they become of a proper length, and, as often as a blunt end is formed by cutting, a new point is made by holding a number of pieces at once against a wheel, which revolves, and performs the office of a grind-stone.

The point being formed, the pin goes next to receive its head. The heads are made by twisting fine wire spirally, around another, of the same diameter with the pin, till it assumes the form of the little elastic brass cylinder, which is used in making suspenders, and was formerly worn by sailors as a hat-band. This spiral cylinder is cut lengthwise, and the pieces are then in a proper form for heads. A little girl sits with a quantity of these in her lap, and, catching one at a time on the