To Captain G. W. Manby, of Yarmouth, the Society have this Session voted their Gold Medal, for forming a communication with ships wrecked, or stranded, by means of a rope thrown over the vessel from a mortar on the shore. The rope is attached to a shell fired from the mortar: one end of the rope remains on shore; the shot having passed over the ship, the rope attached to the shot lies across the ship, is secured to the mast, or some permanent part of the ship, by the persons on board; or forms the means of connection with the shore by stronger ropes, on which a cot to hold persons or property is made to traverse to and from the shore-The idea of throwing a rope from a mortar was suggested by Lieutenant Bell, in the year 1792, and then rewarded by the Society. He proposed the mortar to be on board the ship, and from thence the rope to be thrown on land. Captain Manby thinks the reverse of that mode to be attended with more advantage, and has been successful in the experiments he has made." thousand, the Silver Medal. To the Cheval hier Edelcrantz, of Stockholm, for his model of the Telegraph used in Sweden for conveying intelligence, the Silver Medal. To Mr. Henry Ward of Blandford, in Dorsetshire, for an ingenious Crank used in working Telegraphs, &c. Ten Guineas. To Mr. Robert Richardson, of Keswick, in Westmoreland, for an easy and simple method of raising large stones out of the earth, Ten. Guineas. To Mr. William Barlow, of the Dock yard, Portsmouth, for a Screw Wrench to fit different sized heads of Screws, Five Guineas. To Mr. John Tad, Little Hermitage street, Wapping, for a method of preventing doors from dragging on carpets, Five Guineas. "The next and the last class, (said the Doctor,) in which rewards are, at present, to be given, is that of Colonies and Trude. In this department it has been the study of the Society to form that connexion between this empire and her colonies, which would tend to the mutual advantage of both, and prevent our specie from being transferred to foreign governments, whose interests might at one period or other be inimical to ours. The great events which have taken place on the Continent have shewn that the Society have acted with good policy in taking such measures. The Society have been on the alert in encouraging the British Fisheries, and in promouing the culture of Hemp in Canada and the East Indies. The quality of the Canada To Captain William Bolton, R. N. a Silver Medal has been voted, for the model of a plan for fitting ship's jury-masts when the original masts hare been broken by storms or in engagements. These jury-masts are formed from the spare spars usually carried on board King's ships, and in every merchant ship that is properly found; and will enable a ship to carry as much sail as on her usual mast. This invention is of great im-Hemp is much like that from Russia; but portance to ships after a general action, as they will by this means be enabled to prosecute their voyage or service without any deficiency of sail. To Captain H. L. Ball, R. N. a silver medal has been presented for an improvement in anchors, which renders them less liable to damage, than those made in the common mode, and of course gives greater security to the ship. His double fish hooks, for fishing the anchors, effect that business with ease and without risk. To Mr. Thomas Roberts, of the Navy Office, a Silver Medal has been given for in provements in ship building, by securing the ends of the beams of ships by cast iron work instead of wooden knees: which method, owing to the present scarcity of proper timber, will be a saving of upwards of £300 in the construction of every 74 gun ship, besides giving equal security to the vessel, and allow ing more room on board to work the guns. His Majesty has been so satisfied with this invention, on the recommendation of the Navy Board, as to present him with £800 for it, and many ships of war are built, and others are building upon this plan. To Major Charles le Hardy, of the isle of Jersey, for a Telegraph of a new construction, referring to any number of words under forty the scarcity of hands in Canada, and the want of machinery to assist in the preparation of the Hemp, when grown, has been an obstacle to its increase in the proportion that is wanted. The Society, desirous of giving every aid in their power, during the last Session, rewarded Mr. Bond, for a Machine or Brake, to separate the filaments of Hemp from the plant, by the power of a water wheel; and this Session have voted to Mr. Cleall, of West Coher, the sum of Twenty Guineas, for a Machine to thresh out, or separate Hemp seeds, or Flax seeds, from their respective plants, with much greater ease and less damage to the seeds. An account of these machines is already in the press, and with an explanatory engraving, will be forwarded shortly to Canada gratuitously.-With a view to give every possible information respecting the mode in which the Dutch Her ring Fishery is conducted, they have also published a translation of the Dutch Ordidinances on that subject, to be also gratuitously distributed amongst the persons concerned in. the British Fisheries. They have this Session voted their Silver Medal to Mr. George Errington, of Yarmouth, for curing herrings, which, though somewhat inferior to the Dutch, are superior to those generally cured in England, and equal to the Swedish her rings. I have the pleasure to add, that although | represents to the Holy Father, that it was upwards of £60,000 raised by the voluntary contributions of the members of the Society have been expended in the objects of the institution, the funds of the Society are in a most hourishing state, and 116 members have been elected during the present Session." THE GATHERER. No. IV. no wonder the Cardinals remained at Avignon, and shewed no great forwardness to return to Italy, because they would not there find the wines of Beaune which were their favourites. Bus forty years after this fainous thesis, a still bolder proposition was maintained in this school: that the wines of Burgundy were not only preferable to those of Champague, but that these last disordered the nerves, put the humors of the body into fermentation, and brought on the gout. This opinion was I am but a Gatherer and disposer of other men's supported by the authority of Fagon, first Stuff-WOTTON. physician to the king, who was said to have recently forbad Champage to Louis XIV. At this those who favoured Champagne wine took fire, and attacked the Burgundians; who defended themselves bravely, and affirmed that to the two ministers, Colbert and Louvois, Champagne wine owed its vogue, as one of them was a native of the province of Champagne, the other had great estates in vineyards there. This imputation, however, was unfounded, as long before that time the wine of Champagne had been in great repute. In the sixteenth century the wine of Ai in that province was so famous, that the Emperor Charles V. Pope Leo X. King Francis I. of France, and Henry VIII. of England, were anxious to procure this wine, as a nectar, and each of them purchased at Ai a certain extent of land with a house upon it, where he maintained a vine-dresser at a regular salary, who every year sent to his principal a store of this excellent liquor. Such was the attention of our temperate ancestors to the pleasures of the table! Curious Method of Collecting Books. The following advertisement is extracted from the Amsterdam Courant, of 27 May last. M. J. Aloisius Martini Laguna, who by his Epistola Critica ad Heynium, had become celebrated for upwards of twenty years, as a man of science and erudition, and who ever since has been occupied at his favorite villa in preparing many learned works for the press, which a happy intermission of leisure, industry and the possession of a well selected rare library, had enabled him to finish; and who by his Letters of Cicero published at Leipzig had raised the utmost expectation among the literati in general; has unexpectedly been deprived of all his literary treasures and the fruits of an incessant labor and study of more than thirty years, by a fire, occasioned, as is conjectured, by some malicious incendiary, which has consumed all his manuscripts and library at his country seat at Zwickau in Saxony, containing more than six hundred of the most celebrated voyages and travels together with a choice selection of the best Greek An Egg in a Salt-Spring, or Truth between and Latin classics, as well as a singular collection in all the arts and sciences; this unfortunate event has induced many of his friends to present him with various valuable books in order to make up the loss he has thus so unfortunately sustained. All lovers of literature, are in consequence hereby called upon to follow their generous exainple, and to send their presents addressed for him at No. 2, Warmaer Street, Amsterdam. Champagne versus Burgundy: Foreigners at great Expence to procure genuine Wine. In 1652, a violent controversy arose between the wines of Champagne and Burgundy. The occasion of this quarrel was a thesis maintained at the school of medicine in Paris, this year, in which the wine of Beanne in Burgundy was described as more agreeable and more wholesome than that of Champagne. This proposition excited no complaint, as the wines of Beaune were in the highest repute: witness the letter of Petrarch to Pope Urban IV. in which he two Waters. At Sallies in Bearne, in the middle of the town is a spring of salt water, which, though small, is suflicient to fill twice a week, a deep bason of 40 feet diameter, whence the water is distributed in an orderly manner to the inhabitants of the town, for the purpese of yielding salt. During heavy rains, the rain water runs into the bason, and fills it. But it floats on the salt water, and does 1 ot mix with it. On these occasions a committee of the citizens throw into the baton a new laid egg, which sinks through the rain water into the salt water. Then they pump away the water boldly, till the egg, rising to day, presents itself on the surface of the salt water, and this they distribue as usual. I have some suspicions, that in certain questions debated in a certain assembly, the truth resembles this egg. In the first place, truth is seldom so entirely engrossed by any party, as wholly to belong to it: like the egg, it rather preserves a station between both ;secondly, there is usually a great deal of rain water to be pumped away, from the effusions of our most forward orators, on the subjects they introduce, and, after all, the truth of the matter in question may often, very often, be comprized-in an egg-shell. Antiquity of Oil Painting. No additional testimony is in fact wanting, after the evidences produced by Mr. Smith [compare Panorama, Vol. III. p. 252], that the art of painting in oil was known long before the days of John van Eyck, to whom the Italians usually attribute it. We have several proofs of this fact in our own island. A wellpreserved picture of John van Eyck has lately been added to the national museum at Paris. This artist lived from 1373 to 1441, and died at Bruges. Some years ago, in newly arranging the gallery at Vienna, M. Mechel brought into notice two pictures painted in oil, the oldest of which is dated 1292, almost a century before the birth of Van Eyck. It is a performance of Thomas Mutini, a Bohemian gentleman, and contains devotional subjects in the taste of the times, in three compartments. However, it does not appear, that Italy was the birth-place, or the very early seat of this practice; and it may be true, that the reputation of Van Eyck attracted scholars to him from Italy, whence the Italians were induced to consider him as the inventor of a mode of practice, of which, perhaps, he was the improver; whether by the addition of a greater choice of colours, or of varnishes, or by some other mean, is a matter or conjecture. The following paper has been handed about at Shrewsbury; whence we have been favoured with it by a respected correspondent. While we were considering on the propriety of its admission, we were seriously assured from another quarter, that Buonaparté has not more than a month to reign. We decided immediately that we would contribute to predict his death before it happened, lest we should be too late, and so our previous information be disputable: Nevertheless as, in our opinion, his secession from mundane authority, is an event rather to be wished than expected, within that short period, and, in fact, is too good news to be true,”—we determined to have something to chew for our persuasion, which refers his exit to a greater distance. We have repeatedly cautioned our countrymen against attributing too much importance to the death of this usurper: whatever becomes of him, personally, whether" by suffocation or by drowning," (and often have we cried out" hang him!") IS LINE OF POLITICS WILL BE PURSUED BY HIS SUC CESSORS, TILL THE IMMOBILITY AND INDECEPTIBILITY, TOO, OF BRITAIN, BE AS EVIDENT AS THE DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE FIRST BOOK OF EUCLID. Yes, countrymen, not the weakness of your enemy, but your own strength must be your security! The Etoile heureuse of this unhappy imp of fortune may forsake him ; but, be your courage, patriotism, and virtue, in constant and effectual opposition to evi! stars; be it in fact a brilliant and favourable constellation, to which posterity may look up with veneration and reverence, in perpetuam rci memoriam. From the time given by Bonaparte himself to an Astronomer in Corsica, (viz. August 15, 1769, at a quarter before 10 A. M.) calculations have been made, but as there is a small difference in the manner of calculation, &c. &c. I beg leave to produce mine which I think is more agreeable to the writings of Ptolemy than any of them.By only turning the equal time into the solar, and working the directions, I find that at 15 years and 2 months, the Horizon was directed to the trine of Venus in mundo, and Sun to the sextile of Venus in the Ecliptic: at this time Bonaparte had an intrigue with a Washerwoman's Daughter: and a few months afterwards Mars was directed to the sextile of Saturn, and Venus to the Opposition of the Moon, when he poisoned her with a pill of Arsenic and Verdigrease. At 20y. 10m. Part of Fortune to the trine of the Sun, and at 23y. Sun to the sextile of Venus, and parallel of Jupiter. At these times he was in great repute with those who were disaffected to government, but at 22y. 10m. the Moon affected were in jeopardy, he was driven to to the opposition of the Sun, when the dispoverty and disgrace; and the like at 25 when the Sun came to the opposition of the moon, and almost at 26, when the Part of Fortune came to the Square of Saturn, and Horizon to the Square of the Sun: But at 26v. 5m. the Sun came to the sextile of Jupiter when he was made General of the Armed Force of France: soon after the Horizon to the trine of Venus in the Ecliptic, when he married the widow of Beauharnois who had been a kept mistress to Barras. la his 28th year he had Venus to the parallel of Jupiter and Moon to the parallel of Venus shewing success, but the Sun to the Body of Saturn shews danger of Death. The Directory, who feared and hated him, being anxious to destroy him (according to Carnot) sent him on thai tedious and uncertain Expedition to Egypt. At 29y. 6m. the Part of Fortune to the square of the Moon, when he was defeated before Acre by Sir Sidney Smith, and all his hopes blasted by the Victor of the Nile. At 30y. 5m. Part of Fortune to the trine of the Sun and Venus to the Body of Mercury, when he was made First Consul. 31y. 3m. Sun to the trine of the Moon, and soon after Mercury to the sextile of Venus, at this time he was very successful over the Austrians, and likewise in his 33d year when the Moon came to the trine of Venus, and Sun to the trine of Jupiter; but at 33y. 9m. the Horizon to the square of Mars, and part of Fortune to the square of the Moon, when the French Gun boats were bombarded and obliged to take shelter in their Batteries from the attack of the English Vessels. At 34y. 8m. the Meridian to the Body of the Sun, when he was made Emperor of France. In his 37th year he had the Horizon to the Body of Jupiter, shewing the success he had over the Austrians; but Horizon to the square of Mercury, Venus to the parallel of Saturn and body of Mars came up the same year, viz. in 1805, and shew ill luck, which was verified in that Grand Victory of Lord Nelson. In the beginning of his 38th year Moon to the trine of Venus, and Horizon to the Body of Jupiter in the Ecliptic which point out his success in Prussia and Poland; but the latter end of the year the part of Fortune came to the square of Mercury and square of the Moon, and in the beginning of his 39th, the Moon to the opposition of Mars: these point to his loss of the Danish Fleet, and the Emigration of the Portuguese to the Brazils; about the same time the Sun caine to the trine of the Moon and shews his Victory over, and Friendship with Russia. In his 40th year, viz. 1808 and 1809, Mercury to the sextile of Jupiter, Moon to the parallel of Venus, and Moon to the trine of the Sun; these point out great success, probably the downfall of the Turkish Empire, and an end to the Roman Catholic Religion. In his 41st year Saturn and Mercury to the sextile of Venus, these also give him success and raise his Ambition to such an extravagant degree, that the eyes of Europe will be alarmed and no longer duped by his treachery, and in his 42d year, viz. the latter end of 1810 or bebeginning of 1811, the Sun which is Hyleg comes the parallel of the Moon, to the parallel of Saturn, and to the sextile of Mars (evilly affected: At this time I expect, the world will be convinced that he has reigned too long, and HIS DEATH. will be sudden and violent, either by Suffocation or Drowning. 0. 53n. For the satisfaction of those who will be at the trouble of making these calculations, the planets, places and latitudes are as follow, viz. 25. 46. lat. 0. 30. 24 15. 9 m. ở 12. 2 nk. 0. 58n. O® 22. 43. 7. 13. 10s. 6. 20 so. 30n. D 28. 47 vs 2. 59n. Moon's ascending node 20. 47. Right ascension of part of fortune 8. 28. and the right ascension of the meridian is 110. 30.-The method here taken admits of two kinds of aspects, viz. one in the ecliptic without latitude and the other in mundo, viz. with the planets declination, and is a proportional part of the diurnal and nocturnal arches; and the meridian and horizon, as well as the planets may be directed to both; the modern aspects viz. semiquadrate, sesquiquadrate, &c. are rejected, because not mentioned by Ptolemy; the Imperans, and Obediens are equal distances from the tropics without latitude, and the measure of time, (contrary to the method used by some of the moderns of reducing the distance by the geocentric motion of the Sun; but perfectly agreeable to the doctrine of Ptolemy), is one degree of directional motion to one year. The mundane parallels are equal distances from the meridian and horizon; and because when the Sun and Moon are not qualified for being Hyleg, Ptolemy takes that planet which has dignities in the places of the Sun and Moon (even in cases of life and death) I conclude that he directed all the planets for other purposes, which were of less importance. The Sun with Mercury in his own sign Leo, in the 10th house, viz. the house of honour and preferment and near to the Cusp of the 11th house, (the house of friendship) shew that the native will arrive to the greatest degree of eminence; and that he will be very skilful and successful in his undertakings; but Mars in the 11th near to the Cusp of the 19th (which is called the evil demon) shews that his successes arise chiefly through treachery. Venus near the Cusp of the 10th, in trine to Jupiter in the 2d. the house of riches, shews that he will become very rich; but Saturn evilly affected, near the meridian in opposition to the moon, shews him to be tyrannical, cruel, revengeful, deceitful, ambitious, and destitute of every quality that may be called generous, or honest. This position also shews that he will die a violent death, for Ptolemy says, "Saturn posited in moist signs, configurated to the Moon, will cause death by water, being suffocated and drowned;" and there are other testimonies, to shew that he will die by slaughter, either civil, hostile, or by himself. Shrewsbury, May 23, 1808. A. B. POETRY. For the Poet Laureat's Ode on his Majesty's Birth- ODE FOR HIS MAJESTY'S BIRTH DAY, Awake, my harp, thy sweetest sound! For great the theme, and great the day, Thy wood-note wild, thine artless lay, Have cheer'd thy meek simplicity. To hail a happier age, a more auspicious morn. Ne'er may the tempest's suriy roar This morn in gloomy terrors dress: But still Britannia's lovely shore The Monarch's smiles, and Nature's bless. And still along her flow'ry glades, Her lofty hills, her vallies green, Of friendship, and of loyalty, Of hardihood, and bravery, Dwell in our sacred isle !-the loveliest mid the sea, Yon tow'ring cliff serenely braves White as the winter's fleecy snow! . The mistress of the storm-tost main, She grasp'd, she firmly grasp'd beneath her Since last this happy morn arose, What varied scenes have pass'd in view! What joys to hell's infernal crew! Why trepidates th' Hispanian plume? Where are thy kings, Hispania? whither gone? The crafty foe half smiles, while nature bleeds: Her canvas wide, to catch the favouring gales: Beyond Atlantic seas, to Brazil's peaceful vales! Long peaceful be those vales: but, Lusitania, turn Where Honour calls to arms, and patriot passions burn; Where bands of heroes rise in dred array, And struggling Freedom's shouts enrage the bloody Rise, rise, to chace this starless night, Shed wide and far thy lustre bright To quell the sons of pride, and break th' Usurper's And see in gleaming steel array'd, A chief unsheath the vengeful blade By honour urg'd, around their king, The heroes haste along : The wonders that his fathers wrought: And triumph'd where they fought. * Extract from a prayer offered, in the cathedral of Moscow, after that famous and ever to be remembered display of Swedish heroism: "Infinitely great St. Nicolas, holy comforter sent from heaven to be our consolation in all our adversities,-When in our praises, our prayers, our acts of humiliation, penitence, and alms, have we sinned so as to draw down thy displeasure upon us? We implore thine assistance against these insolent, emaged, terrific, hitherto invincible destroyers, who, like lions or bears deprived of their young, have attacked, terrified, and made havoc of thy church. Spare us holy saint, spare and protect thy people, and since without the aid of witchcraft and the infernal spirits, such wonders could never have come to pass, we humble supplicate thee, oh great St. Nicolas to be our champion, and our standard bearer. Deliver, oh great Saint, deliver us from this crowd of inhuman wizards. Drive them, oh drive them from our frontiers, and crush by thy superior might the power of the devil."Agreeable |