ing of the Edinburgh Horticultural Society, a communication was read from Mr. David Dow, stating, that he has found the shellings of corn, the refuse of the manufacture of oatmeal, to answer all the purposes of supplying gradual and permanent heat, in growing exotic plants, for which oak leaves, tan, &c. were heretofore employed.

New Musical Instrument.-M. C. Latour read a paper before the Academy of Sciences in Paris, during the last month, in which he describes a new musical instrument invented by himself. He gives it the name of "La Syrene ; it is a sort of flute, in which the sounds are produced by the action of a current of water, instead of by a current of air, as in the common Aute.

Lord F. L. Gower.-In addition to the tragedy entitled "Ann of Cleves," which has been accepted for representation at Covent Garden, and now only awaits the recovery of Mr. C. Kemble, Lord F. L. Gower has written another play, which is to be reserved for the next season.

Robert le Diable.-Among the fashions of Paris, the newest rage is a mantle called "Robert le Diable," the name of an opera which has been lately produced there, with extraordinary success. The story upon which it is founded is one of complete diablerie, and the scenery and dresses are said to have cost no less than 200,000 francs.

The Duchess de Berri is fond of painting, particularly in the ornamental style, in imitation of japan. A gentleman who had the entrè of her hotel, when she resided in Paris, going in suddenly one morning, found her royal highness, her two maids, and her drawing master, painting the legs of a set of chairs, which she intended as a present for the king.

Sir Walter Scott has arrived at Naples, whence it is his intention to return by way of Vienna, and to pay a visit to the illustrious Goethe.

Hugh Little John.-Among the deaths of the last month was recorded that of Sir Walter Scott's grandson, John Hugh Lockhart, alias Hugh Little John, to whoi his "Tales of a Grandfather" were addressed. He was a fine boy, in his eleventh year; his dissolution had been for some time expected.

The St. Simonists (or Owenites) of France have now two journals in their pay; one of these is a daily paper, 'Le Globe," the other a monthly one, the "Revue Encyclopedique."

Cholera.-The Cholera at Sunderland and Newcastle is but a joke to the malady at Smyrna, where it has attacked as many as five hundred in one night. The greater number of the shops are shut, and the city is almost deserted.

German titles.-An office for the sale of German titles of honour is now open in Paris; a knightship may be had for 5,000 francs; a countship for 20,000, and a marquisate for 40,000.

Lord Grey.-A story has been going the round of all the papers, stating that Earl Grey has been for some time haunted by a spectre, and that his health has in consequence been materially injured. It is quite true that the noble Premier is very far from being in a good state of health: but he is now in his sixty-seventh year, and the cares of such an office as his are a burthen at any time of life. It is also true, in one sense of the word, that he is haunted by a spectre, but it is one created either by a defect of vision, or an affection of the cerebellum, proceeding from the disordered state of the stomach.

Madame Malibran has recently

published an "Album Lyrique," comprising fourteen romances, chansonettes, and nocturnes, all music of her own composition.

Longevity. The "St. Petersburgh Gazette" mentions that there is at present a shepherd, named Demetrius Grabowski, residing at Polotski, on the frontiers of Lithuania, who has attained the age of one hundred and sixty-eight years, and has two sons, one aged one hundred and twenty years, the other ninety-seven !

Garrick Club.-A club for the promotion of the interests of the drama has been established, under the title of the Garrick Club. It is intended to be opened early in January.

The Duke de Bourbon.-A process is now pending before one of the Courts at Paris, for nullifying the will said to have been made by the late Duke de Bourbon, by virtue of which the Duc d'Aumale, one of the younger sons of the reigning King of France, is to enjoy the principal possessions of the deceased. The evidence already adduced makes out a strong case against the validity of the will, as it appears to have been made under the terrifying influence of Madame de Feucheres, the mistress of the deceased, who exercised a complete tyranny over him. Some letters have been laid before the Court, written by Louis Philip, which indicate a strong propensity to accumulativeness. The case is likely to lower the new monarch in public

Lord Edward's death, she made an unfortunate marriage with a merchant, named Pitcairn, from whom she subsequently obtained a divorce. She lived for many years in the greatest indigence; but when Louis Philip was raised to the throne, she proceeded to Paris, expecting that she would be noticed by the companions of her youth. She was not long in Paris, when she was suddenly seized with severe indisposition, which terminated her life, after three days of violent agony. She preserved the remains of her beauty to the last.

Perpetual Motion.-One of the Secretaries of the Treasury was lately applied to, to patronise a new discovery of the perpetual motion ! The following is his reply:

London, Oct. 25.

Sir, I am much obliged to you for communicating your ingenious design, which I return. I fear you will, however, find that the friction on the pivot, as well as the re-action of the air, would, with other difficulties, interfere with your discovery, of the merits of which I do not, however, pretend to be a competent judge.-I am, Sir, your obedient servant, T. SPRING RICE.

The Sun Flower. This plant is now cultivated in the United States of America, on a considerable scale, on account of the very superior oil which it produces. One bushel of the Sun flower, which can be raised at the expence of about a shilling, will yield a gallon of oil, which when made into cake, forms excellent food for cattle.

Steam Boat.-The largest steam boat in the world is one now plying on the river St. Lawrence. It is 189 feet long, and 70 feet broad in the widest part, 12 feet deep in the hold, and draws 7 feet 9 inches of

water.

Hint to Friendly Societies.-According to the new Act of the 10th Geo. IV. c. 56, called Portman's

Act, those Friendly Societies which are not enrolled by the end of the Quarter Sessions, next April, will be out of the pale of the law for several weeks. This result will appear obvious to those who consider that Mr. Portman's Act takes effect on the 19th June, but no Quarter Sessions are held until July.

New Bible Society. - Another manifestation of the inconsistency which marks the conduct of the friends to the indiscriminate circulation of the Holy Scriptures, has just been given in the formation of a new Bible Society, from which all who do not believe in the Trinity are excluded. Is it intended by this Society to distribute the Bible without note or comment?

In

Pompeii.-A very interesting relic has lately been dug out of Pompeii, which is represented as being more valuable than any single speeimen that has yet been recovered from those celebrated ruins. the Triclinium of a house supposed to have been once the habitation of Faunus, a picture in mosaic was found, about eighteen feet long and nine wide. The subject of the picture is the battle of Sarpedon, from the Iliad, and the figures are half the natural size. In every quality which is looked for in such a performance, this specimen of Roman art is said to be quite unrivalled.

Cholera. It is an ill wind that does not blow somebody good and the proverb holds good even with the deleterious vapour of the Cholera-for Dr. Russel is about to be made a Baronet, and Dr. Barry a Knight, for their exertions in hunting down this destructive enemy of the human race.

March of Printing.-A printing press is now at work at Tananarivo, the capital of Madagascar. It has been put up by the missionaries

who are composing a translation of the Bible in the Malagascar language.

Old and New Style.-There is a very general error abroad on this subject, which it may be of consequence to correct. Since the commencement of the present century another day in addition to the prior eleven has been thrown out, so that the difference for all years since 1800 is twelve days.

un

"The Tongues." —The known tongues" are beginning to produce some effect. It is stated that several ladies have been thrown into convulsions on hearing them, and that at the present moment, there is a young lady labouring under mental derangement from the same cause.

Wall Paper.-A sort of cloth made of cotton wool, pressed by means of calendars into a flat sheet, resembling in colour and appearance a sheet of demy paper, and printed into a variety of suitable patterns, is now getting into use as a substitute for paper, for covering the walls of dwelling-houses.

English Tea. A patent was granted some time ago to a tea dealer, for a new mode of preparing the leaf of the hawthorn, for producing a beverage which can hardly be distinguished from an infusion of black tea.

The Two Pipers.-Mr. Stuart, the descendant of a respectable family in Argyleshire, and Count Bender, a French nobleman, agreed, in 1828, for the sum of 5,000l., to travel as common musicians for three years in the United Kingdom, and to pipe twice in the streets of every city, London excepted; the piper who earned the most at the end of that period, to receive the 5,000l. The match is now concluded, but we have not heard the result.

A New Light.-A new inflammable liquid is said to have been just discovered, which establishes that light is not the result of any principle resident in combustible bodies.

Pope's Villa, at Twickenham, now the residence of Sir Wathen Waller and the Baroness Howe, has, within a few years, been entirely rebuilt, and thereby denuded of all the simplicity with which it was adorned by the Bard of Twit'nam. The stump of the willowtree planted by Pope, and the grotto under the house, together with the urn, in the back-garden, containing the heart of the poet's mother, are the only relics of its original cha

racter.

Flax. It has been discovered that the hollyhock (Altha rosea) is an excellent substitute for flax. Several individuals have embarked in the manufacture of it.

New Bankrupts.-A moot point has been started, as to whether the sale of game authorized by the new Act of Parliament, will not render gentlemen amenable to the bankrupt laws as "dealers and chapmen."

The Moravians. - The entire number of Moravians in civilized countries, is estimated at 16,000. They support 127 missionaries in foreign lands, at an expense of 40,000 dollars annually. The fruits

of their missions have been 33,000 converts.

New Ordeal.-Two students at Berlin lately introduced a new method of duelling, To render the chance equal, they went to a patient attacked with the cholera and kissed him. Neither of them having been taken ill after twenty-four hours, the witnesses stated that the matter was ended.

Eclipses. In the next year there will be but two eclipses-both of the sun. The first will take place on February 1st, and will be invisible at Greenwich; the second takes place on July 17th, visible at Greenwich, begins two hours three and a quarter minutes p.m., ends two hours twenty-eight and a half minutes, digits eclipsed one-fifth. On the 5th of May the planet Mercury will appear, like a black spot, to move over the sun's disc.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

We must inform the writer of a letter signed "An Admirer of Truth," that if we were to enter into a discussion with him upon the subject which he has mentioned, it would occupy, for months to come, a very large portion of our Journal, and after all do very little good. If he wish to gain information calculated to lead him to that which he so much admires, we should recommend him to read" Milner's End of Controversy."

To Laicus and C. T. we beg leave to give the same answer.