138 Character of George II. period, he survived several of his children. He had the satisfaction to see in his successor, what is very rare-the most affectionate obedience, the most dutiful acquiescence in his will; and what is no less rare, contrary to the fortune of most old kings, he never possessed more perfectly the love of his subjects than in the last years of his life. And he died at the very point of time when the terror of his arms, the power of his kingdom, and the wisdom of his government, were all raised to almost as high a pitch as they could possibly arrive at; they were indeed at that height of prosperity and glory as never had been exceeded in the reign of the most fortunate of his predecessors. He was in his temper sudden and violent; but this, though it influenced his behaviour, made no impression on his conduct, which was always sufficiently deliberate and attentive to his own interests and those of his subjects. He was plain and direct in his intentions; true to his word; steady in his favour and protec. tion to his servants, and never changed, them willingly; this appeared clearly in those that served more immediately on his person, whom he scarce ever removed; but they grew old with him, or died in their places. He has been censured as a little too attentive to money; and perhaps in some minute things this censure was not wholly without foundation. But there are two considerations which greatly enervate this objection to his character. First, that this disposition never shewed itself in one [Sept. 1, rapacious act; and secondly, that it never influenced his conduct on any im portant occasion." ROYAL AVARICE. Parsimony was certainly the leading fault of this monarch, of which the following is a remarkable instance: On the death of his father, the Archbishop of Canterbury delivered to him. the late king's will in the council chamber : he thrust it into his bosom, walked out, and secreted it ever after. It hap peued that the Duchess of Kendal, mistress of King George the First, had a duplicate copy of the will, in which was a legacy of fifty thousand pounds to her daughter, afterwards married to the Earl of Chesterfield. This nobleman consulted Mr. Joseph Taylor, an eminent attorney, and member of the House of Commons, on the means of recovering this legacy. Mr. Taylor acted with so much spirit, that rather than have the will brought into the ecclesiastical court, the king thought proper to pay the le gacy, which he otherwise intended to have kept for ever in his own pocket, as he had done till that time. This is an incontestible fact. What other legacies might have been in the will I pretend not to ascertain. It was said that there was a sum of money or jewels to the King of Prussia. Be that as it may, there never was a greater degree of rancour between two persons than the Kings of England and Prussia; and neither for many years could speak of the other but in the most abusive terms. TRANSACTIONS OF PUBLIC SOCIETIES. ROYAL SOCIETY." June 30.-A paper by Sir Everard Home, bart. was read, On the Influence of the Nerves on the beating of the Arteries. He was led to his opinion of this influence, by the case of an officer who had received a ball in the leg. The ball was lodged among the fractured parts of the tibia; and after its extraction, an attempt was made to remove some parts by the application of caustic alkali; but the pain produced was so great that they were obliged to desist. The pain was not in the part to which the alkali was applied, but at some distance, and seemed to result from the violent beating of the arteries. Hence it was ascribed to the action of the alkali on a nerve, and the consequent reaction of this nerve upon the arteries. Upon laying bare the carotid artery of a rab bit, and applying caustic alkali to the intercostal nerve, the artery began to beat violently, and continued to do so for some time. This fact, in the author's opinion, throws considerable light on the action of the arteries in various parts of the animal economy, hitherto but imper fectly explained. At the same meeting, a paper by Smithson Tennant, esq., On a Method of economizing Fuel during Distillation, was read. Dr. Black long ago demonstrated, that the quantity of heat requi site to raise water from the common temperature to a boiling heat, is only about one sixth of what is requisite to convert it into steam. Hence if the steam be made to act on cold water, it speedily raises it to the boiling point; but as cannot make it boil, water heated by steam does not distil over in any consi 1814.] Transactions of the Royal Society. derable quantity. Mr. Tennant's improvement consists in this. The worm of a common still is made to pass as usual through a vessel containing water. This vessel is made air-tight, and is made in the shape of a still and receiver. As soon as the common still is made to boil, the steam is conveyed into the receiver by means of pipes, and allowed to pass till it expels the air; then the stop cocks are shut, and the steam passes through the worm as usual. It speedily heats the water surrounding the worm, which in consequence of the vacuum distils over in considerable quantity. 139 with the compound base of prussic acid. Thus sulphur combines with it, and forms what the author calls sulphureted chyazic acid, which has the curious property of precipitating peroxide of iron blood red." A paper, written by Mr. Houghson, on the formation of bones, was also read. From his observations made on foetuses, the author concludes, that the first commencement of bone is an exudation on the perosteum, then the cartilage is formed in which the bony matter is gradually deposited. The deposition is reticulated, owing to the nature of the substance in which it takes place. The society adjourned to Thursday the 10th of November. Part of a paper by Mr. Porrett, On the Salts commonly called triple Prussiates, was also read. Mr. Porrett began by stating clearly and concisely the striking differences between the common prussiates, made by uniting prussic acid directly to the bases, and the triple prussiates made by boiling the base upon Prussian blue. The triple prussiates contain in all cases the black oxide of iron; yet its presence cannot be detected by any re-agent. The reason is, as Mr. Porrett has ascertained, that the triple prussiates are not in reality triple salts, nor do they contain any prussic acid. They consist of an acid hitherto unknown, combined with the base, and neutralized by it. This acid he calls ferrureted chyazic acid, (a name composed of the first letters of the words carbon, hydrogen, and azote, with the syllable ic added,) because it is composed of black oxide of iron, carbon, hydrogen, and azote. When the triple prussiate of soda is dissolved in water, and the solution acted upon by the galvanic battery, the soda appears at the negative extremity, while the oxide of iron and prussic acid are evolved at the positive extremity, and, uniting, constitute Prussian blue. Had not the iron constituted a part of the acid, had it been a base, it would have been evolved at the negative extremity of the battery. Mr. Porrett dissolved a quantity of triple prussiate of barytes in water, and added to it a quantity of sulphuric acid exactly sufficient to separate all the barytes. The consequence was, that the sulphate of barytes, separating the acid of the triple prussiate, remained in solution in It had a yellow colour, and no smell. When slightly heated it was decomposed, the white prussiate of iron falling down, which speedily became blue by absorbing oxygen. Other acids may be obtained by the combination of other substances besides oxide of iron water. WERNERIAN SOCIETY. On the 21st of January, Professor Jameson read the first part of a mineralogical description of the county of Fife. In this communication, he confined his observations and remarks to the country around Burntisland. The whole of this small but curious tract of country is composed of floetz and alluvial strata, and affords an admirable study for the mineralogist. Although the strata, upon the whole, are well exposed, yet their structure, extent, magnitude, position, and alternation, are not to be obtained by a rapid examination or cursory view, but will occupy even the experienced naturalist for weeks. The floetz rocks are sand-stone, lime-stone, slate-clay, bitumous shale, clay-ironstone, basalt, greenstone, wacke, amygdaloid, and traptuff. The lower and middle parts of the district are composed of an alternation of green-stone, sand-stone, lime-stone, slate-clay, &c.: the upper part is composed of trap-tuff, wacke, amygdaloid, and basalt. The sand-stone rocks contain vegetable impressions and coal; and show a transition from pure quartz to sand-stone-a fact which, in connexion with others stated by Mr. Jameson, illustrates the chemical nature of sand-stone. The slate-clay presents a curious connexion with felspar,-an ap pearance in favour of the chemical nature of slate-clay, and of the connexion of slate-clay as a member of the felspar series. In the lime-stone strata are situated the well-known lime quarries of Dalgetty. The trap rocks contain veins of trap; also of sand-stone, lime-stone, and slate-clay, and portions of slate-clay and lime-stone resembling fragments: all of which appearances Professor Jameson considers as chemical cotemporaneous formations; and he concluded 140 Transactions of the Wernerian Society. by remarking that probably the prevalent theory of the mechanical formation of floetz rock would be found to be less consonant to nature than the hypothesis of their chemical formation now proposed. On the 12th of February, Dr. Macknight read a paper on the Cartlane Craig: a vast chasin in sandstone rocks above Lanark, formed by the lower part or projecting shoulder of a great mountain-mass, detached from the body or upper part, and extending more than three quarters of a mile in a curved line from S. W. to N. E., with a depth of several hundred feet. To ascertain how this enormous and striking fissure has been produced is a curious geological problem; the more interesting, as the phenomena of the Cartlane Craig are such as to furnish a remarkable test for trying the merits of the two theories which now divide the geological world. According to the principles of the igneous theory, a vein of trap, which traverses the strata in a direction almost perpendicular to the course of the chasm near its centre, renders it an example on a great scale of disruption and dislocation by explosion from below. On the other hand, the Cartlane Craig evidently possesses all the data requisite to form a case of what is called in the aqueous theory, subsidence; an explanation which Dr. Macknight is inclined to prefer, because the trap, from the smallness of its mass, seems totally inadequate, as a mechanical power, to the effect produced; because the direction of the rent, instead of following the course of the vein, which it must have done had it owed its existence to this cause, is very nearly at right angles to that course; and because it appears on examination that the trap itself had been originally a part of the formation or mountain mass, previous to the time when the rent took place. The Cartlane sandstone belongs to the oldest of the floetz rocks. In the under part of this formation, it alternates with grey wacke, and contains lime in calc-spar veins. Some varieties are good specimens of what Mr. Jameson considers as chemical depositions. The trap consists of compact greenstone; basalt including olivin and augit; and a substance intermediate between basalt and clinkstone. At the same meeting, the secretary read a communication from Dr. Thomson, containing a description and analysis of a specimen of head ore from India. It appeared to be a chemical combina [Sept. 1 This ore, supposing the iron to be ac cidental, consists of one integrant particle of sulphuret of lead combined with two integrant particles of sulphuret of copper; and hence the Doctor was inclined to consider it as a new species of lead-ore, of little value, however, in a metallurgic point of view. At this meeting, also, there was presented to the society a branch of mimosa decurrens, containing several bunches of flowers, the first time they have been produced in this country. The plant is in the fine conservatory at Milburn Tower, the seat of the Ambassador Liston; it is fifteen feet high, and was thrown into a flowering state by the judicious management of Mr. Joseph Smaill, the gardener, who checked its growth, by cutting some of the roots, and by substituting a proportion of sand for rich earth. On the 5th of March was read an interesting paper on the middle granite district of Galloway, by Dr. Grierson. It appears, from the Doctor's observations, that this granite extends from eight to nine miles in one direction, and from three to four in another. It is coarse granular, sometimes porphyritic, but does not appear to be stratified. It is situate in the midst of distinctly stratified rocks, which on the east side of the granite mass dip easterly, on the west side westerly, or in both cases away from the granite; but on the north and south ends of the mass, the ends of the strata run directly towards it. The rock which rests immediately on the granite is a particular variety of compact fine granular gneiss, and cotemporaneous veins of the granite are to be observed shooting from the granite into this va riety of gneiss. The gneiss seems to be connected with greywacke and greywacke slate, which are by far the most frequent of the stratified rocks in this tract of country. Limestone, hitherto a desideratum in the transition rocks of Galloway, was discovered by Dr. Grierson, in greywacke, near to Dalmelling ton; and it is highly probable that work able beds of limestone will be found among the stratified transition rocks of Galloway. The Doctor also described several beds of felspar-porphry, which he noticed in the greywacke of this part of Scotland. At the next meeting, Professor Jameson gave an account of overlying primitive formations, as the first part of a dissertation on overlying rocks in general. From a series of observations which were made in the Highlands of Scotland, it appears that many of the primitive overlying sienite, granite, and porphyry formations of mineralogists, are not so in reality, but are thick conformable beds of these rocks, which rise more or less above the surrounding strata. At the same meeting Professor Jameson described the Criffle district of granite and sienite, situate in the county of Galloway. These rocks occupy a considerable tract of country, and rise to the height of 1895 feet above the level of the sea; they are not distinctly stratified, and exhibit many interesting appearances, of apparent fragments, of cotemporaneous veins, and transitions into porphyry. The rocks which rest immediately on the granite or sienite are fine granular compact gneiss, slaty sienite, hornblende rock, and compact felspar rock. These rocks alternate with each other, and sometimes even with the senite or granite; and cotemporaneous veins of granite are to be observed shooting from the granite into the adjacent stratified rocks. At the Needle's Eye on the west of Galloway, the Professor observed very fine examples of cotemporaneous veins and masses of granite, &c. in compact slaty felspar; and the felspar itself points out a hitherto unsuspected connexion of this mineral with certain kinds of clay-slate. On these rocks rest greywacke and greywacke slate, and sometimes transition porphyry; and it would appear, from Mr. Jameson's ob 141 servations, that there is an almost uninterrupted transition from the gneissy · rock into greywacke; and that when the felspar of the greywacke increases very much in quantity, becomes compact, dark coloured, and slaty, the greywacke at length passes into clay-slate. At the meeting on the 16th of April, the secretary read a communication from the Rev. Dr. Fleming, on the species of mus found in Scotland. The original genus mus has been subdivided into several genera, myorus, arvicola, and mus. The first genus includes only the dormouse, which was observed in Scotland by the late Dr. Walker, but is rare. Of the genus arvicola, Dr. Fleming mentioned three species, agrestis, terrestris, and amphibius. Of the restricted genus, mus, he enumerated six species, viz. the common mouse, the field mouse, the harvest mouse, the black rat, M. rattus, the brown or Norway rat, M. decumanus, and the mus niger, which Dr. Fleming procured in Linlithgowshire, and which he considers as a species hitherto nondescript. At the same meeting, the secretary read a communication froin Mr. W. Bullock, giving an account of some rare birds observed by him among the Orkney Islands, in the summer of 1812.He found in Hoy all the four species of eagle generally accounted British, viz. the golden, the ancreous, the ring-tailed, and the sea eagle. In North Ronaldsba he observed the large snowy owl; and near Passa Westra the great auk. The first of these had not before been ascer tained to be British; the latter has scarcely been seen on our shores for the last 50 years. Specimens of both are now preserved in his museum. REVIEW AND REGISTER OF THE FINE ARTS. Publishers and Artists who may be desirous of having their productions impartially noticed, are requested to address copies of them to the Editor, to the care of the Publisher, Mr. Colburn, Conduit-street. "L'onore conferito da Grandi à bravi artisti dà vita e vigore alle Belle Arti; come il poco incoragimento, e le critiche severe, le fanno languire." Exhibition of a Selection of the Works RICHARD WESTALL, R. A. at the New Gallery in Pall Mall, next door to the British Gallery, including Two Hundred And Forty Pictures and Drawings which have never before been exhibited.-Mr. Westall's reputation and style of art are NEW MONTHLY MAG.—ÑO. 8, Condivi, vita di Michel Angiolo Buonarotti. so well known, that it will be needless to expatiate on them; and on the propriety of exhibiting the works of one artist collectively, and by themselves, there can be but one opinion, as they form in this way a better whole, than in the motley groupings of pictures of opVOL. II. U 142 the Groups from Mr. West's last Picture. posite or different styles. The pictures are arranged on the walls of an elegant well-proportioned gallery, according to the necessary distances and height from eye, and the drawings very properly by themselves, on divisional screens, and in small cabinets. Much as we have been accustomed to admire the facility of composition and industry of Mr. Westall, we must acknowledge cur astonishment at the number of his works, which, after all, are but a selection, as we well remember many equal to the generality of those in the room that have not found a place in thein. Among the most prominent are,No. 11, A Storm in Harvest, the property of R. P. Knight, Esq. which is well known by Meadows's beautiful print after it. No. 31, Queen Judith reciting 40 Alfred the Great, when a Child, the Songs of the Bards, describing the Heroic Deeds of his Ancestors, belonging to Sir G. P. Turner, Batt, 32, Dionysius and Damocles, to Thos. Hope, Esq. which is one of the most splendid, tasteful, and elegant cabinet pictures of any modern master, 38, Christ when a Child reasoning with the Doctors, belonging to Mr. Westall himself. 57, Helen on the Scaun Gate come to view the Combat between Paris and Menclaus, the Earl of Oxford. This picture must be well remembered in the Royal Academy two or three years ago, as being one of the most attractive historical pictures in an exhibition more than usually fruitful in productions of that class. The distant army and camp are peculiarly happy. 66, Dionysius and Damocles, R. P. Knight, Esq. a beautiful variation on the same composition as No. 32. 67, Elijah raising the Widow's Son, which the governors of the British Institution have stamped with their fiat, by purchasing for their permanent gallery of masterpieces of the British school. 71, Jupiter disguised as a Swan, pretending to seek the protection of Leda from the attack of an Eagle, the Earl of Aberdeen. It is not too much to say, that this is one of the most exquisite little productions in the room. 83, A Herd attacked by Lions-one of the Compartments of the Shield of Achilles, also the property of the Earl of Oxford; who, with distinguished taste and knowledge of art, has possessed himself of some of the finest pictures in the collection. 108, A Marriage Procession of the Greeks-one of the Compartments of the Shield of Achilles, R. P. Knight, Esq.; a splendid copy in oil, of the beautiful and highly-finished [Sept. 1, drawing that was formerly exhibited in Mr. Westall's private gallery. 115, The Last Parting from Shace's Monody on the Death of his Wife, belonging to Mr. Sharpe. If it is one of the provinces of painting to move the passions, and excite virtuous emotions, the painter of this most affecting scene has succeeded to the utmost: the pathetic, feeling, and affectionate regard o. the dying wife to her distracted husband is touchingly expressed. The painter, like Timianthes, has concealed the face of the latter; for what art can adequately depict the grief of such a parting, when it takes place in the bloom of youth, from the most affecting of all causes, and when nothing but the truest love and harmony has subsisted: the curtain must be dropped: it is even too affecting for recollection. We shall recur to this collection in a future number. Select Groups (in five plates) from the Grand Historical Picture of Christ Rejected, painted by BENJAMIN WEST, Esq. Historical Painter to the King, and President of the Royal Academy. Drawn from the Original Picture, by HENRY CORBOULD, Esq. and engraved by EDWARD SCRIVEN, Historical Engraver to their Royal Highesses the Prince Regent and the Princess of Wales.-This work is a selection of the beauties of West, extracted from his last and (by some esteemed) his best historical pic ture, to which we have several times called the attention of our readers. The accuracy of drawing, the strength of expression, and beauty of detail, particu larly in those most difficult and often slovened-over portions of the Luman figure, the extremities, for which the illustrious president of our Royal Academy is so celebrated, are here transcribed with abundant fidelity and beauty of cifect. The groupes which Mr. Scriven has selected begin at the (painter's) right hand side of the picture, with the centu rion and his family, which form the subject of the first plate. The second is the enraged multitude, with Joseph of Arimathea and James the less. The third is Saint Peter, with part of the enraged multitude; the fourth, Barabbas, and the condemned thieves; and the fifth, Mary, the wife of Cleophas, and the pious women from Galilee. In this work it is difficult which most to praise, Mr. Scriven, for the singular beauty and effect of his engraving; or Mr. Corbould, for the truth and style of his drawing. The accuracy of the several subjects, and the |