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Literary and Scientific Mirror.

“UTILE DULCI."

This familiar Miscellany, from which all religious and political matters are excluded, contains a variety of original and selected Articles; comprehending LITERATURE, CRITICISM, MEN and MANNERS, AMUSEMENT, elegant EXTRACTS, POETRY, ANECDOTES, BIOGRAPHY, METEOROLOGY, the DRAMA, ARTS and SCIENCES, WIT and SATIRE, FASHIONS, NATURAL HISTORY, &c. forming a handsome ANNUAL VOLUME, with an INDEX and TITLE-PAGE. Its circulation renders it a most eligible medium for Advertisements.-Regular supplies are forwarded weekly to the Agents, viz. LONDON-Sherwood and Bradford-J. Stanfield; Denbigh-M. Jones; Co. Booksellers; E. Marl- Bristol-Hillyard & Morborough, Ave-Maria-lane; gan; J. Norton; T.C.Smith, 36, St. James- Burnley-T. Sutcliffe;

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Criticism, Fine Arts, &c.

THE NOTATION OF MUSIC SIMPLIFIED.

Some months since we were favoured with a copy of a ttle work, entitled "The Notation of Music simplified; , the Development of a System, in which the Characters

mployed in the Notation of Language are applied to the Notation of Music; by Alexander Macdonald." Our copy was presented to us by a friend of the author, in the xpectation, we presume, that we should notice it favour ably in the periodical works under our control. Candour, however, obliges us to say that we do not much approve of the method recommended by Mr. Macdonald, except for purposes to which we shall presently advert. This new motation, as it is called, appears to us to possess as little laim to originality as to utility; but in order that we may ot proceed on ex-parte evidence, we shall here introduce short account of the system, drawn up by a friend of the uthor, and presented to us for insertion, together with a opy of the work:—

**This little work developes a system, in which the chacters employed in the notation of language are applied that of music. The letters of different alphabets suersede the use of the stave; the value of the different tes and rests is expressed by numerals expressive of their lative proportions; the clefs are marked by fractional mbers; and the various accidental characters are repreated by the points used in punctuation.

**The system is highly ingenious, and so simple, that a ere inspection of the key is sufficient to enable any one rably acquainted with music to comprehend it. It is e of those inventions which, when promulgated, excite surprise that they, or inventions similar, were not ade earlier; and our surprise is the greater when, as in e present instance, the inconvenience occasioned by the riderata which they supply has long been experienced d acknowledged. Had this invention been made and mulgated earlier, we are confident that such captiting' compilations as The Harp of Caledonia, and The irit of British Song, would not have been ushered into world destitute of their most captivating garb, the c. To have published these volumes with the songs to music upon the notation hitherto in use, would have creased their price so to have placed them greatly bead the reach of ordinary purchasers; whilst the addimal expense of publishing them with the songs set to ic upon this notation, would not amount to more than fraction of their present price. Independently of this ring, the perspicuity of the system, the little space hich it occupies, and the expedition with which music ay be copied upon it, are such as must strongly recomend it to general adoption. The ingenious author conades with observing, that such is the simplicity of this station, and so inconsiderable the expense attending its

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application, that, were it generally known, it is highly | With respect to the novelty of the invention, as we have probable no song would make its appearance, even in the already observed, we have our doubts. most homely style, unaccompanied with the music;'—and, he might justly have added, its adoption may be the means of effecting a more general acquaintance with that delightful science."

We must refer those who are interested in the subject

The proposed substitution of letters, with their distinctions of capitals, small capitals, italics, &c. for the staves and octaves, and commas, &c. for bars, so far from being a simplification of the present mode of notation, would be a retrograde movement in the fine arts; the adoption

which, there is, however, no reason to apprehend in this age of improvements. We say a retrograde movement, because it appears to us to be a return to the barbarous and clumsy notation of former days, which has been long abandoned by common consent.

to the work itself, for the full particulars of Mr. Mac. donald's scheme of notation. The letters of the gamut supersede the use of the stave, and the small letters and different capitals are employed, to ascertain the octave to which the letter belongs. A comma represents the single Rousseau, in his Complete Dictionary of Music, page bar, the dash the double bar, &c.; sharps are expressed 267, observes, that the method by which the ancients pricked their notes was established on a very simple foun. by the acute accent, flats by the grave accent, and natu-dation, which was the connexion of ciphers, that is, the rals by a small perpendicular line; and all the other letters of their alphabet. requisite parts are represented by symbols equally foreign from those now in use.

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In 1024, Gui d'Arezzo, Benedictine, introduced the use of the stave on lines, on which he marked the notes in form of points, expressing, by their position, the elevation or the lowering of the voice.

In the same work of Rousseau which we have just named, we find a piece of music written in a peculiar way, which seems to bear some analogy to that of Mr. Macdonald. We subjoin a few bars as a specimen : + 234 3 320 5.3 42 ciel l'au ro ra e s'in

Air.

C4,

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The present mode of notation is, in our opinion, beautiful and natural. The notes, by their elevation or depression on the staff, convey an accurate idea of the interv. 1 between each, except where, for the sake of convenience, the tenor or counter-tenor clef is substituted for that of the treble. This kind of musical ladder, if we may so term it, is much more simple and intelligible than a monotonous jumble of letters and figures in one uniform row; and although, as in short-hand, a great deal more

A. 4 g8, 4BC C4D, D4 B4D, can be comprehended in a small space than in the ordinary

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B. 2/4 G8, G4 G'4G b4 G4b The only advantage that this mode of notation possesses is, that it admits of being printed, at a very cheap rate, with the ordinary types; so that our song books might combine the words and music in their collections, with very little additional expense. In this respect, considered as a musical short hand, it may have its advantages; but when the author's friend talks of its perspicuity, we are directly at issue with him. We are of opinion that, if even Mr. Macdonald's plan be adopted, it will be merely as short-hand notes, which must afterwards be translated into the ordinary long hand, or present system of notation,

mode of notation, we deny that, by any practice, it can ever be read with that rapidity which the present mode admits of. Indeed we require no other proof of the excellence of the notation now in use, than the fact, that an accomplished player is able, at one glance, to comprehend and execute a complex piece of music, the eye at the same moment taking in treble and bass, with all the intervening harmonies. This could never be done on Mr. Macdonald's system, which, like many other systems of short hand, if it be written with somewhat more expedition, is read with infinitely greater difficulty. In our next, we shall introduce a really new and most ingenious system of notation, suggested by one of our townsmen; and shall also give a specimen of "God save the King" after his method, which, for some species of music, is, in our opinion, an improvement upon the system now in use.

Criticism.

PHRENOLOGY.

TO THE EDITOR.

But the name-the name. Every schoolboy knows which we shall lay before our readers, after paying a pas that phrenology is derived from gay, mind, and λoyos,ing tribute to the late Mr. John Gough, of Kendal, t discourse; consequently, it is not improperly styled thus, gentleman to whom we have just alluded. Happening as it only treats of the faculties of the mind, deducible dine at the house of this extraordinary man, on our ret from the formation of the brain, but does not enable one from Scotland, about sixteen or seventeen years ago, t to predict actions. With respect to the latter, and that it conversation turned upon the much-neglected caves can do so, seems to be the determined stand of our re- the neighbourhood, and, as Mr. Gough had never vist viewer; witness his friend's tales of Uncle Tim's butler them, he made a proposal which was too tempting st and barber. Let me, however, bring forward a point; resisted; he offered to accompany us himself, if we won if, for example, the organ of combativeness be developed prolong our return home, so as to admit of the expeditio on a skull, it does not follow that the owner thereof is a We accordingly did delay our return, and had t pleasure of making the tour of the caves with Mr. Gou and one of his scientific friends.—Mr. Gough, as many our readers must know, was a gentleman, who, altho from infancy deprived of his sight, had acquired ungm proficiency in the learned languages, in mathematics, the sciences. He excelled particularly in botany; during our little excursion, we found that he could, means of his cultivated touch, detect those nice i tinctions, which, depending upon the shape of the see a plant or flower, are not easily discovered by oc examination.-Mr. Gough rode on horseback, fearless and without hesitation, except in certain parts of e road, which are, perhaps, as barbarous as any the kingdom. Here we led his horse, while he co tinued mounted. His conversation, during the tour, equally instructive and lively; and we have seldom e perienced a more pleasant day than that which we pas with this philosopher, in exploring Yordas Cave, and oth natural curiosities, with which the neighbourhood abound

SIR,-I should have submitted the following remarks to you somewhat earlier, had not particular engagements interfered. A writer in the last Kaleidoscope has taken up the cudgels against Phrenology, and with what success the reader is left to judge. The same arguments, which have so frequently and constantly been overthrown, are still resorted to; and phrenology seems to stand in a pre-bully, or frequently involved in brawls. The pre-dispodicament not dissimilar to Sisyphus. However, some more capable person will, no doubt, be induced to come forward in the present instance; but my present object is with a Mr. Richard Winter (Spring?) Hamilton, &c. &c. who has long been absorbed in cogitating the defeat and destruction of phrenology; which, at length, he has accomplished, with a vengeance, in a very easy pamphlet, entitled," An Essay on Craniology;" a glance at which may be had, on reference to the Literary Gazette, for July 8th, No. 494. That the science of caput-reading affords a rich field for the satirist, the wit, and the vice-president, seems scarcely to admit of a doubt, from the bold way in which our facetious author bares his powers, whets his sickle, and makes awful preparations for the harvest. Accordingly, he rushes forward, and, lo! the first sweep shears the science of its title. But "a rose by any other name," &e.

The author of this very clever and very humorous essay," remarks our blinded and misled friend, Jeerdan, "treats the science of craniology (the proper name for what is improperly styled phrenology) with the derision and satire which its folly provokes." Very good, Jeerdan; but if its folly be thus palpable, why should such extensive derision and satire be wasted on "what is improperly styled phrenology," whose flimsy pretensions to philosophy can be so apparent, even to the of ooi. Recollect, too, that derision is not argument; and, pro. bably from incapacity as well as prudence, Mr. Winter has adopted the former in preference to the latter, as all arguments against the science in disputes (and, doubtless, of wiser heads than his) have, long since, gone to the

bourne-."

sition may, indeed, lurk within; for "the natural man"
is prone to every evil, but, by the blessing of revealed reli-
gion, he may be allowed the power to curb and finally
destroy it. The Hindoos, a people remarkable for peace,
sloth, and langour, do not possess any symptom of "pug-
nacity," in the slightest degree; yet, that circumstances
may overcome this deficiency in the amor belli, we may be
assured of from the fact, that when they are compelled to
fight, and marshalled under European officers and tactics,
they prove firm and gallant soldiers, so long as they have
a leader to suggest and direct them.

Our Hamilton finds fault with the close vicinity, or
almost mixture of organs, whose sentiments clash in the
most opposite degrees,-which shows his simplicity to be
even greater than his incapacity. Are not the most oppo-
site feelings mingled together in one mind? Do we not
meet with individuals miserly in some respects and pro-
digal in others; and, in short, a thousand glaring mat-
ters known to the shallowest reader of human nature?

But I have exceeded the limits that you lay down for
your regular correspondents. Permit me, lastly, to ob.
serve, that, to cover a defeated foe, Mr. Hamilton brings
forward obtuse and acute angles, polygons, rhomboids,
trapeziums, &c. May be he could tell what a strathspey
is? If he cannot fill the bellows-bag better at one of his
native reels than he fills the character of author, "let him
him hold his peace for ever after."

Ohe! jam satis. Good night, Mr. Hamilton.
With respect to the old objections of your last corre-
spondent on this subject, if no better offer I will have the
pleasure of taking up some of his points as an amusement.
In the meanwhile, awaiting the result, I shall

The Traveller.

OF YORKSHIRE.

LOOK ON.

The regretted death of this worthy and enlighten man occurred not very long since, and we are pleased to hear that his memoirs are preparing for pros Edit. Kal.

About six o'clock, one morning in June, we set off fr Kendal, and after travelling about a dozen miles aler good turnpike road we arrived at Kirkby-Lonsdale. Abo the mid-way we left the little steep, white mountain F ton-knot, about a mile on the right; which is all compo of solid limestone, three or four hundred yards in dep Those who have seen both say, that on the west side it very like the rock at Gibraltar. Kirkby Lonsdale is a well paved, clean town, ornamented with several gere houses, adjoining to some of which are elegant gardens A small brook runs through the market-street, which useful and commodious to the inhabitants. The char is a large and decent structure, covered with lead, a containing three rows of pillars: the steeple is a squa

we were entertained with at nine o'clock. Opposite t church-gates is the old hall, taken notice of 150 years a by drunken Barnaby, in his Itinerary: it is still an and, no doubt, keeps up its ancient character.

ba

The reviewer goes on to add, "he shows us that it does not even possess the merit of novelty," &c. From this last clause, it is evident that the reviewer and author are very little acquainted with their subject, especially the latter, who seems rather shy of courting an acquaintance EXCURSION TO THE CAVES IN THE WEST RIDING tower, containing six bells, the music of which, in che with even the titles of each organ, if we may judge from his mis-calling causality" by the name of "casualty." But this is a trifle, a casualty, perhaps, or an error of the press. Phrenologists lay no claim to their science being a recent discovery; for Spurzheim says, "that those who maintain that it is an invention of Gall, are mistaken." The earliest philosophers endeavoured to account for the various faculties of the mind, and form them into some regular class. St. Augustin, too, determined with great exactness the faculties which are common to man and animals, and those which are proper to man. Albertus Magnus, archbishop of Ratisbon, in the 18th century, delineated a head, and indicated upon it the seats of the different faculties of the mind. Read Spurzheim's Outlines, page 84, for a fuller account than the present limits will permit me to adduce. Gall and Spurzheim were, however, the first who classed and reduced these problema to an organized system; yet, from time immemorial, have not such remarks as follow been handed down?" What a noble forehead! What a speaking eye' What an intellectual countenance! How noble a head!"-" Peasants, even, know that horses with large foreheads are more docile than those with small foreheads; and therefore they put them at the head of the team. Jockeys, too, and horse-dealers, base their craft on chiefly the head of the animals, and know those who are biting and stubborn by the configuration of the forehead."

While tours to the Lakes of Westmorland and Cumberland are all the rage; when every nook and corner of this charming scenery has been as minutely described We walked through the churchyard, which is large s as the lofty mountains which surround those delightful spacious, along the margin of a high and steep bank, regions, it appears to us surprising that the singular and neat white mansion-house full in view, about half a m romantic caves in the neighbourhood of Kirkby-Lonsdale distant, called Underlay. At the foot of the steep have attracted so little of the notice of the traveller, and on which we walked, being about 40 or 50 yards perp especially of the tourist writers. As a contrast to the pedicular, glided the large pellucid river Lune, amongst culiar beauties of lake scenery, these subterraneous natu- rocks and pebbles, which amused the ear, while the ral excavations possess a charm, which greatly enhances was entertaining itself with a vast variety of agreeable the interest they excite in the minds of those who admire jects. A transparent sheet of still water, about a quar nature in all its forms and modifications. of a mile in length, lay stretched out before us: at high end of it was a grotesque range of impending rod of red stone, about 30 yards in perpendicular. Our gu told us, that in winter this precipice was in some parts glared over with ice, from the trickling water down surface, as to make it appear like a sheet of alabast from other parts of the impending rocks hung evoru isicles, which made it appear like a huge organ. On return we were amused with prospects of a different ture. The church and town before us enlivened scene; and some mill-wheels between them and the ri added an agreeable variety. The vale beneath seemed dilate and expand itself; the few parts which were visi afforded sufficient ground to conceive an assemblage

These caves may have been minutely described, for any thing we know to the contrary; but we seldom hear any mention made of them, and those who repair to Westmorland or Cumberland, on a tour of pleasure, seem to regard the Lakes as the principal, if not the sole object of their curiosity.

A correspondent, several years ago, drew our attention to a tour to these caves, which we perused with much interest, as we had ourselves recently visited them, under circumstances which endear the recollection of the excursion. The recent and much-regretted death of one of the gentlemen who accompanied us upon the occasion, led us to revise our portfolio, where we found the narrative,

the most entertaining objects. Ingleborough, whose head was wrapt in a cloud, stood the farthest to the south in the rank of mountains which faced us.

After breakfast we walked by the side of the river to the bridge. The channel is deep, the stream rapid among rocks, the banks on each side covered with trees of various foliage, which serve both as a defence and ornament. The bridge is the most lofty object, ancient, and striking to the eye of a stranger, of any I have yet seen. It is built of freestone, with three arches, two large and one smaller; the height from the surface of the water to the centre arch being about twelve yards. These arches are ribbed, which made the appearance the more grotesque. Tradition is silent as to its antiquity; but we were amused with one anecdote of its founder, which seemed to be a remnant of the ancient mythology of the north; and one instance, among many, of easily accounting for anything that is marvellous. The country people affirm that it was built by the devil one windy night. He had but one apron full of stones for the purpose, and, unfortunately, his apron string breaking as he flew with them over Casterton-fell, he lost many of them, or the bridge would have been much higher.

and on the left the chapter-house, so called from their re- | sideration the vast caverns that are found in this and semblance to these appendages to a cathedral. Here we every other limestone country. About three miles from could not but lament the devastation made in the orna- Ingleton is the head of the river Wease, or Greta, on the ments of these sacred places; some Goths, not long since, left hand side of the road, only a few yards distant from having defaced both throne and chapter-house of their pen- it. It gushes out of several fountains at once, all within dent petrified works which had been some ages in forming. twenty or thirty yards of each other; having run about The little cascades which fell in various places from the two miles under ground, making its appearance in two or roof and sides served to entertain the ear with their watery three places within that distance. When there are floods, music, while the eye was busy with the curious reflections it runs also above ground, though not in all places, except made by our lights from the streams and petrifactions all the rains are extraordinarily great. around us. We were told by our guide, what a great effect the discharge of a gun or pistol would have upon our ears; but not being desirous to carry our experimental philosophy so far as to give pain to the organs of hearing, we were not disappointed in having no apparatus for the purpose." While we were regaling ourselves with the provisions we had brought, we inquired of our guide if he could furnish us with any curious anecdotes relative to this cave. After informing us that it had been alternately the habitation of giants and fairies, as the different mythology prevailed in the country: he mentioned two circumstances we paid some attention to. About eighty or ninety years We travelled near the bottoms of the mountains, on ago, a madman escaped from his friends near Ingleton, the side of Lonsdale, along the turnpike-road, about an and lived here a week, in the winter season, having had hour, being in three counties in that short interval, West- the precaution to take off a cheese and some other promoreland, Lancashire, and Yorkshire, and amidst a va- visions to his subterranean hermitage. As there was snow riety of entertaining prospects. The number of small on the ground, he had the cunning of Cacus, to pull the carts, laden with coals, each dragged by one sorry horse, heels off his shoes, and set them on inverted at the toes, that we met, was astonishing. Many of the smaller to prevent being traced. An instance, among many farmers earn their bread with carrying coals, during the others, of a madman's reasoning justly on detached parts most part of the year, from the pits at Ingleton and Black of an absurd hypothesis. Since that time he told us a Burton to Kendal and the neighbouring places, and burn-poor woman, big with child, travelling alone up this ing lime to manure their land.

After we had got about six miles from Kirby-Lons. dale, to a public-house called Thornton-church-stile, we stopped to procure a guide, candles, lanthorn, tinder-box, &c. for the purpose of seeing Yordas Cave, in the vale of Kingsdale, about four miles off. By the advice of a friend, we also took with us a basket of provisions, which we afterwards found to be of real service. When we had gone a little above a mile, we were entertained with a fine cascade, near some slate-quarries, made by the river out of Kingsdale, falling down a precipice about eight or ten yards high, which afterwards runs through a deep grotesque glen to Ingleton.

While I was musing on the many bad effects of peopling distant countries and neglecting our own, we arrived at the object of this excursion, Yordas-cave: it is almost at the top of the vale, on the north side, under the high mountain Gragareth. Having never been in a cave beore, a thousand ideas were excited in my imagination on my entrance into this gloomy cavern, which had been for many years dormant. When I had entered a little into t, I could not but imagine it like the place where Diana and her nymphs were bathing, when intruded on by Acton: and indeed there wanted nothing but an ancient wood to make one believe that Ovid, in each case, had taken from hence his lively description. As we advanced further, and the gloom and horror increased, the den of Cacus and the cave of Polyphemus came into my mind. wanted nothing but a Sybil conductress with a golden od, to imagine myself like Eneas going into the infernal egions. The roof was so high, and the bottom and sides dark, that, with all the light we could procure from our andles and torches, we were not able to see the dimensions of this cavern.

Having passed a small brook, which one of the party called the Stygian lake, we came to the western side of he cave; which is a solid perpendicular rock of black marble, embellished with many rude sketches, and names of persons now long forgotten, the dates of some being bove 200 years old. After we had proceeded twenty or tirty yards northward, the road divided itself into two parts, but not like that of Æneas's descent, each having a divine tendency. On the right was the Bishop's throne,

inhospitable vale to that of Dent, was taken in labour,
and found dead in this cave.

Leaving Yordas we shaped our course to Ingleton. The
rocks on each side of Kingsdale are black marble, of which
elegant monuments, slabs, and other pieces of furniture,
are made.
When polished, this marble appears to be
made up of entrochi and various parts of testacious and
piscacious relics. After we had regaled and rested our-
selves at Ingleton, we took an evening walk about a mile
above the slate quarries, where we had objects both of art
and nature to amuse ourselves with. On one hand was a
precipice ten or twelve yards perpendicular, made by the
labour of man; being a delf of fine large blue slate,
affording an useful and ornamental cover for the houses
in the adjoining parts of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and
Westmorland. On the other hand was the river rolling
down from rock to rock in a narrow deep chasm, where
there was no room for human foot to tread between the
the stream and the rugged steep rocks on each side.
Several pieces of the slate were bespangled with small bits
of spar, in a cubic form, about as big as a pea, and of
the colour of brass; others were variegated with various
foliages in the shape of ferns, pines, and different vege.
tables. We crossed the river by means of the broken
fragments of rocks, which afforded us their rugged backs,
above the surface of the water, to tread on, and then
returned to our quarters on the other side of its channel.

Early next morning we set off for Ingleton-fells, or
Chapel-in-the-Dale, along the turnpike road leading to
Askrigg and Richmond. We had not travelled much
above a mile before we came into the dale, which for
near three miles had something in its appearance very
striking to the naturalist. There were high precipices of
limestone rock on each side; and the intermediate vale
seemed once to have been of the same height, but sunk
down by the breaking of pillars, which must have sup-
ported the roof of an enormous vault. This hypothesis
does not seem so very absurd, when we take into con-

• We had more curiosity than the traveller. We fired a well-loaded musket, and the effect was truly terrific. It seemed as if the whole mountain was coming about our ears, and it required some presence of mind not to make a

precipitate retreat.-Edit. Kal.

When we had gone about a mile farther, being four miles from Ingleton, we turned off the turnpike road to some houses near the chapel, where we left our horses. At first we imagined we had here met with an exception to the maxim of Butler, in his Hudibras, viz. :-that no missionary ever planted a church in a barren land; for the chapelry produced neither grain nor any kind of fruit. Yet though they were destitute of these productions, they were blessed with excellent pastures, and were rich in herds of cattle, which enabled them to purchase not only the produce of other parts of England, but also the enjoyments and elegancies of foreign climes. Having little intercourse with the luxurious part of mankind, they were temperate, substantial, sincere, and hospitable. We found an intelligent agreeable companion in the Curate, who, as Dr. Goldsmith observes on a like occasion,

"Is to all the country dear,

And passing rich, with forty pounds a year." The first curiosity we were conducted to was Hurtlepot, about 80 yards above the chapel. It is a round deep hole, between 30 and 40 yards diameter, surrounded with rocks almost on both sides, between 30 and 40 feet perpendicu lar above a deep black water, at its bottom. All around the top of this horrid place are trees, which grow secure from the hatchet; their branches almost meet in the centre, and spread a gloom over a chasm dreadful enough of itself without being heightened with any additional appendages. It was indeed one of the most dismal prospects I had yet been presented with. The descent of Æneas into the infernal regions came again fresh into my imagination.

After viewing for some time its dreadful aspect from the top, we were emboldended to descend by a steep and slippery passage to the margin of this Avernian lake. What its depth is we could not learn; but from the length of time the stones we threw in, continued to send up bubbles from the black abyss, we concluded it to be very profound. How far it extended under the huge pendent rocks we could get no information, a subterranean embarkation having never yet been fitted out for discoveries. In great floods we were told the pot runs over; some traces of it then remained on the grass. While we stood at the bottom, the awful silence was broken four or five times in a minute, by drops of water falling into the lake from the rocks above, in different solemn keys. This deep is not without its inhabitants, for large black trouts are frequently caught here in the night by the neighbouring people.

When we returned to the superior regions, we pursued our journey about 150 yards farther up a very narrow grotesque glen, over a natural bridge of limestone about ten yards thick, having the subterranean river Wease, or Greta underneath. When we got to the head of this gill, we were stopt by a deep chasm called Ginglepot, at the bottom of a precipice. It is of an oblong and narrow form; and an enterprising person, with a steady head and active heels, regardless of the fatal consequences from a false step, might leap over it. It is filled with smooth pebbles at the bottom, except in the south corner, where there is deep water. The length of this chasm is about ten yards, and the perpendicular depth at the north corner about twenty yards. In our way from Hurtlepot, we could not help remarking the ruins of two small artificial mounts of earth, which we were told formerly served as butts when the inhabitants exercised themselves in archery.

Poetry.

THE DREAM OF THE DRUMSTICK; OR, THE LEGEND

OF M'CARTHY.

"Varium et elegans omni fere

Numero poema facere"-Cicero.

CANTO FIRST.

God save the King! we are arrived at last,

(No doubt about it) at some grand epocha, When poets, illegitimate, have cast

Their burthens on the muse, as if to choke her,

Intent to rein their Pegasus as fast

As they can move her with their iron poker;

Upon my honour, Sir, this is an age

Of dreams and goblins, truly, I presage!
Not long ago, your paper, the Kalei-

doscope, was fill'd with ghosts and apparitions,
Things that old virgins tremble at, but I
Despise, with all their airy coalitions.

A. B. C. D. E. F. I know not why

The other letters did not write petitions,
Perhaps their Lordships were averse to troubling
The troubled spirit of the ghost or goblin.
With your permission, now, most noble Sir, I
Intend to step into that author's shoes;
For I must tell you (I am very sorry)

He knows not how to regulate his muse;

Yet true politeness ever is my glory!

I, therefore, (should your nondescript refuse

To let me tell my dream) will be so cruel
As to plunge pen point in a poetic duel.
Why does he call me by that vile name 'M'
Carthy?" I, who am not call'd "M'Carthy!"
Could he not make his forward muses back,

Nor mix my "'nomen," as the ancient Parthi-
ans with the Persians, and the Scythian pack,
The Goths, and so forth? as the Roman party,
Pliny, the naturalist, and Cicero, the orator,
Have pledged their honour," the truth for it, or."
Alas! these, surely all, are inauspicious times,

Since I, whose muse conceiv'd ten thousand verses, Should tail a " for it, or," to make my rhymes

Run mild and gently, in their various courses. When last I left the Heliconian climes

I did not dream of Spencer's fairy verse: is "For it, or," that curious topsy turvy, Worse than "a purvey," or "nocturnal survey?"

Upon my honour, I am quite polite,

And my politeness is so very cool,
That, since this measure I must now indite,
As lawyers say, "I shortly shall show rule;

These hopping stanzas hop out of my sight,
For I am of the Addisonian school:
This measure, therefore, recollect 's my proem,
And quite unusual in an epic poem.

Now, by the honour of my grey goose quill,
I will not let this grave Philodemust
Though he be wiser than Cleobulus;‡

Give to the public my poetic pill,

I hope his Lordship will not take it ill,

(His diction doth not very much enoble us)

• He has no anonymous name.

↑ A poet and Epicurean philosopher: the "grave" Epicurean! Cleobulus, one of the seven wise Grecians.

His song is more appropriate for a pelican,
Than for the golden nightingales of Helicon.

Now for my dream, my dream? I do not mean
That I myself am a poetic dreamer;

But all the muses, in their flowery scene,

Must float down Lethe with their separate streamer:
The time's of no importance; for I deem

Time, in itself, is but a transient gleamer,
Which leaps o'er palaces or cots of sorrow;
These call the thing to-day, and those to-morrow.

I don't pretend to judge of things below,
For they are all beyond my comprehension;
But let us now to Mersey's temples go,

Dismissing fear and calming apprehension;
And, gliding gently to the floods below,

Receive whate'er the nereides choose to mention:
But stay, my Pegasus, your own poetic wings,
For, hark! the charming Calliopè sings.

When first on Mersey's stream I stood,
And saw the forests bow around,
The monarch of this silver flood,

Then started from the blue profound;

And, shaking first his dewy curls,

He rais'd to heaven his streaming hand,
And as the laughing water twirls
Around his feet, he gave command.

Ye piny groves, who leap upon

And gambol round my subject stream,
Who bow before the golden sun,

Or dance in Dian's silver beam;
The times approach when ye shall wave
No more in air your towery heads,
But sleep in some unfathom'd cave,
Beneath my cool and coral beds.
And then shall rise upon the site
Where once your spicy forests smiled,
Where once the eagles of the night

The wanderings of the storm beguiled!
A town, whose own expanding arms
Around thy bosom shall be curl'd;

A town, with such commercial charms,
The great emporium of the world.
And Indian climes, Arabian gales,

Golconda's mines, and Chili's ore,
Shall hasten in the snowy sails,

That wander where my surges roar.
'Tis not in ivy'd Birkenhead

That I my future reign shall hold,
But from my native bower I tread
Past Ilion and the mines of gold.

On Easter-hill, enthron'd above,

My silver'd arms shall bathe the sun,
When gurgling near the Toxteth-grove,
Or clasping charming Everton;
Or on the northern perch, whose eye
Surveys the beating

Confound that knocker! what an interruption this is,
I thought my Pegasus "had sprain'd a wing;
What is the matter in those blue abysses,

Where all the naiads of the fountain sing? Who's at the door?-and tell me what amiss is? "Oh! Sir, here's such an accidental thing!"

An accident! bring forth my arms, my pocket case of course.
A horse! a horse! my probang for a horse!
Liverpool, July 15, 1826.

THE EXILE'S GRAVE.

It was a spot where flowerets grew,
And wild bells wanton on the bloom,
And heaven shed its holiest hue
Above the exile's stoneless tomb;'

And near to it a gentle spring

Made music with its murmuring.

CHIRONIUS.

For there the earth, the air, the sky,

Had music in their every sound;
And each bright thing shone beauteously,
In rich profusion scattered round,
And each soft breeze, in wandering,
Brought freedom on its airy wing.

His freeborn spirit could not bear
To sleep beneath a marble stone;
It was as if he could not share

The grave that was not all his own:
He was as free in soul and mind
As ever was the mountain wind.
'Tis true he loved his father's land,
But then it owned a despot's sway;
And he had left its fertile strand

To die in foreign lands away;
And found him there a mountain home,
From which he could at pleasure roam.
And there he chose this lovely spot,
As holy as an infant's dream;
That, though he was himself forgot,

His spirit still might haunt that stream;
That it for ever still might be,
Like that lone stream, as pure and free.

For he was one whose very soul

In fancy's finest mould was wrought; He could not brook the stern control That fettered down his every thought: And there he sleeps, though not forgot, Beneath that quiet, holy spot. Manchester.

W.R

The following pleasing stanzas, printed in the Almano des Muses, are written by M. de la Claverie, Professor the French and Italian languages in this town.

Voyez cette naissante rose,

Quelle fraîcheur! quel modeste incarnat!
A peine encore elle est éclose;
Moins elle s'ouvre et plus elle a d'éclat.

Bientôt elle étale avec grâce

Le luxe heureux de ses vives couleurs;
Mais soudain sa beauté s'efface:
Que reste-t-il de la reine des Beurs?

Ainsi la fleur de notre vie

Ne dure, hélas ! que l'espace tl'un jour: Tout renaît, tout se vivifie,

Mais nos beaux ans s'envolent sans retour.

Cueillons la rose dès l'aurore;

Viendra le soir, il ne sera plus temps.
Aimons, aimons, Eléonore;
L'hiver accourt, jouissons du printemps.

TRANSLATION.

Behold that lovely budding rose,

How sweet its scent! how fair its crimson dye!

Though scarcely yet its leaves disclose;
But open'd less, the more it charms the eye.
But soon its leaves unfolding spread

A rich luxuriance through the bowers;
Yet soon its beauties are all fled,

Then what remains of thee, O ! queen of flowers?

And thus the flower of life doth fade,

It only lasts a transitory day;

But flowers rebloom in gay parade,
While ne'er-returning youth doth pass away.

Let's pluck the rose e'er dawn be o'er,
When evening comes the time will be too late;
Then let us love, my Elienore,
Since spring is ours, let's not for winter wait.
July 21, 1826, 5, Paradise-street.

W.W

The Beauties of Chess.

THE KNIGHT'S MOVE AT CHESS.

The problem to cover the 64 squares of the chess-board y 64 moves of the knight, has often been published; and

e shall here point out the rule by which it may be accomdished. We have heard that the problem can be solved from any and every square in the board, but as we are at present ignorant of any theorem of such general application, we shall confine ourselves to the method with which, and its rule, we are acquainted. This rule is always to keep as near the external squares as possible, that is, never o pass to the second row, when you can move to the first; lor to pass to the third, when you can get at the second. Whether this rule applies to every mode of setting out, re do not know, but it is infallible when the commenceBent is made from any of the outside squares.

The example we shall give, if examined, will show the rinciple. We shall set out from the white queen's rook's square, which, in our mode of notation, to which we shall adhere, is A 1. From this station it is obviously imposible to move to any square in the external row, and we aust necessarily move to the second row; we therefore go C2. From this we can arrive again at the outside ow, E 1, from whence we again move to the second row, and thus keep alternating between the first and second owe, until we arrive at the 37th move, when we are comelled to enter the third row, F 6. The next move, towever, bearing the rule in mind, brings us again to the irst row, G 8.

We trust we have made this perfectly intelligible, and, mder this persuasion, we proceed to describe the sixtyfour moves in succession.

1 ............A-123............G-1

2.C-2 24............ E-2 3............E-1 25....... ...G-3 26

4 ...........G-2

5............ H-4

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44

....... B-1

45............A-3
46.B-5

H-1

47

........

A-7

49

27........ .F-2

............G-6 28......... D-1

7...........H-8 29...........B-2

8............F-7

............D8

10. B-7

11 ............ A-5

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48............ C-8

............ E-7 50 ............ C-6

30............A-4 51............ D-4

31............B-6

32.....
33...... C-7

52............F-3

.A-8

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34............E-8

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13............

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35........ .G-7

14

...........A-2

36...........H-5

37...........F-6

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Let AB be the given base of the triangle, and from D, the middle of AB, draw DC, to form with DB the given angle CDB; produce CD below AB, making DH, the part produced, a third proportional to DG and AE, G being the point in which a perpendicular let fall from A upon DH meets it, and join AH; then draw DE parallel to AH to meet in E a circular arc described from A as a centre with a radius= half the given sum of the sides, and from A, through H, let a line be drawn to meet DC in C, and join CB; so will ACB be the required triangle.

DEMONSTRATION:

By construction DH AE :: AE: DG, and by similar triangles DH AE: DC; EC, therefore AE: DG: DC: EC; but, having drawn CF perpendicular to AB, DG: AD :: DF: DC, consequently AE AD: DF: EC, and therefore 2AE. 2EC =AB.2DF: Now, by Leslie's Geom. 21.2, 4th edition, AC-CBAB.2DF, consequently AC-CB =4AE. EC, that is (AE+EC) CB2 = 4AE.EC, therefore AE+EC+2AE. EC=4AE.EC+CB, bence AE2+EC-2AE. EC=(AE-EC)2=CB, or AE-EC=CB, and therefore AC+ CB= AE +EC+AE-EC=2AE. Q. E. D.

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E F G

H

WHITE.

SMITH'S SYSTEM OF WRITING.

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15............ B-4

9F-8

.........H-7

1............G-5

2..........H-3

40............ G-4

41...........H-2
42............F-1
43........D-2

54C-4

56......... ...F-5

57............D-6

58 ............ E-4 being omitted in the Mercury, it is here repeated.

............C-3

60D-5 EXTRAORDINARY FACILITY, ELEGANCE and UTILITY.

F-4

59

61

63

HE LADIES and GENTLEMEN of Liverpool and its
Vicinity, are respectfully informed that the true theory

62........... E-6 TH

.C-5

64 ........ D-3

Here then we have a general rule as applicable to all the twenty-eight external squares; and it must be obvious that if, instead of setting out from A 1, and finishing at D 3, we had begun at D 3, we should, at the end of 64 moves, have arrived at A 1. This consideration leads us to the conclusion, that there must be a general rule for performing the problem from any square in the board. As even the experienced chess-player who has not practised this mode of covering all the squares in succession, will be very apt to make a mistake by getting into the second row, when the first row is open to him, or passing into the third when he could have moved into the second, we advise him to try the experiment upon a chess-board of wood, and mark the square as he arrives at each with a chalk dot. These are easily rubbed out, and it is a much simpler way than covering the squares with counters. We advise him also to make a cross or some distinguishing mark on the square from which he set out.

We hope to receive such assistance from our correspondents, as may enable us to ascertain whether there be or Here the player must, necessarily, enter the third row, a there is no vacant square in either the first or second.

The numerical lengths of the sides of the triangle may be determined as follows:

DCF = 90° 10: DG, therefore

9582840

= 1.000000

10-582840 =10.000000

log. rad. log. DG of an elegant system of WRITING, together with the entire and consequently DG = 3.827. But (Euc. 47.1)

graphic powers of the hand and arm, are completely de

= 582840,

veloped, and scientifically taught, by J. B. SMITH, the ACGC + AG2 or (AE+EC)? = (GD+DC) 2
author of the method, in One single Lesson; after receiving+ AG, consequently (Euc. 4.2.) AE + EC2
which, Pupils of both sexes may, with about eight hours+2AE. ECGD + DC2 + 2GD. DC + AG2;
practice, make themselves masters of Writing, not only the and, as is shown above, AE: DG :: DC: EC,
most elegant, but the most useful style of hand ever before consequently AE. ECGD. DC, and there-
Terms for the LESSON, and complete sets of Coples, Seven fore DC =
Shillings.

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For the accommodation of those who wish to become their =
own teachers, Mr. SMITH has published his "Invaluable fore AC AE+ EC 14.912, and BC= AE-EC
Principles of Writing," price 6s. which may be had of the
Author.

Q. E. I.

Mr. SMITH'S system is essentially different from, and Lewis, or any other Professor who may have visited Liver-wood, Mr. John Holroyd, Oldham Grammar School, and mode of teaching incomparably superior to, that of Mr. We have also received solutions from Mr. J. W., Heypool; and although a number of imitators have attempted to teach Mr. SMITH'S system, yet none have proved themselves able to communicate its genuine benefits. 7, St. Vincent-street, Great George-square.

Thomas Todd, and approximate answers from J. Someright, and an Irish Labourer. The latter is informed he may have a reply to his query on applying at our office.

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