feparated from each other and reaffume their proper characters. There is no abfurdity, therefore, in supposing that the fixed air may be continually decompofed by the vegetables which grow all over the furface of the earth; and the atmosphere not only thus preferved from any taint from it, but fupplied alfo with a quantity of pure dephlogifticated air, which it is certain that vegetables do emit. It is alfo certain that, whenever the atmosphere is fuffered to be in contact with the bare furface of the ground for fome time, a confiderable quantity of fixed air will be produced, unless. there is a conftant circulation of atmospherical air to carry off the former before it has time to produce any fenfible effect. Hence we may account for the damps in wells, cellars, and even in the confined places of old caftles and ruinous buildings, where the air is not in contact with the furface of the ground itself, but with mere heaps of rubbish and old walls.

With regard to what is called the fire-damp, the case seems to be more plain. In the Philofophical Transactions, No. 136, we have the following account of one of this kind, which feemed evidently to iffue from the earth. "This work is upon a coal of five yards in thickness, and hath been begun upon about fix or eight and thirty years ago. When it was first found, it was extremely full of water, fo that it could not be wrought down to the bottom of the coal; but a witchet or cave was driven out of the middle of it, upon a level, for gaining room to work, and drawing down the fpring of water that laid in the coal to the eye of the pit. In driving of this witchet, after they had gone a confiderable way under ground, and were scanted of wind, the fire-damps began to breed. They appeared in the crevices and flits of the coal, where water had lain before the coal was opened, with a small bluish flame, working and moving continually; but not out of its firft feat, unless the workmen held their candles to it; and then being weak, the blaze of the candle would drive it with a fudden fizz away to another crevice, where it would foon after appear blazing and moving as formerly. This was the first knowledge of it in this work, which the workmen made but a fport of; and fo partly neglected, till it had gotten fome ftrength; and then upon a morning, the collier that first went down, going forward in the witchet with his candle in his hand, the damp prefently darted out fo violently at his candle, that it ftruck the man down, finged all his hair and cloaths, and difabled him from working

working for a while after. Some other fmall warnings it gave them, fo that they refolved to employ a man on purpose that was more refolute than the reft, to go down before them every morning, to chase it from place to place, and fo to weaken it. His ufual manner was, to put on the worst rags he had, and to wet them all in water, and when he came within the danger of it, then he fell down, grovelling upon his belly, and fo went forward, holding in one hand a long wand, at the end of which he tied candles burning, and reached them by degrees towards it, then the damp would fly at them, and if it miffed of putting them out, would quench itself with a blast, and leave an ill-fcented fmoke behind. Thus they dealt with it till they had wrought the coal to the bottom."

Some colliers in Scotland, working near an old mine that' had been long clofed up, happened inadvertently to open a hole into it, from the pit where they were then employed. By great good fortune, they at that time perceived their error, and inftantly fled for their lives. The next day, however, they were refolved to renew their work in the fame pit, and eight of them ventured down, without any great apprehenfion; but they had scarce got to the bottom of the stairs that led to the pit, when coming within the vapour, they all inftantly dropped down dead, as if they had been fhot. Amongst thefe unfortunate poor men, there was one whose wife was informed that he was ftifled in the mine; and as he happened to be next the entrance, fhe fo far ventured down as to fee where he lay. As the approached the place, the fight of her husband infpired her with a defire to refcue him, if poffible, from that dreadful fituation; though a little reflection might have shewn her it was then too late. But nothing could deter her; the ventured forward, and had scarce touched him with her hand, when the damp prevailed, and the mifguided; but faithful creature, fell dead by his fide. Thus the vapours that are found beneath the furface of the earth, are very various in there effects upon the constitution and they are not less fo in their appearances. There are many kinds that seemingly are no ways prejudicial to health, but in which the workmen breathe freely; and yet in these, if a lighted candle be introduced, they immediately take fire, and the whole cavern at once becomes one furnace of flame. In mines, therefore, fubject to damps of this kind, they are obliged to have recourfe to a very peculiar contrivance to fupply fufficient light for their operations. This is by a great wheel; the circumfer ence of which is befet with flints, which ftriking against fteels placed for that purpose at the extremity, a ftream of

fire

fire is produced, which affords light enough; and yet which does not fet fire to the mineral vapour. Of this kind are the vapours of the mines about Briftol: on the contrary, in fome other mines a single spark ftruck out from the collision of flint and fteel, would fet the whole fhaft in a flame. In fuch, therefore, every precaution is ufed to avoid it; the workmen making ufe only of wooden inftruments in digging; and being cautious before they enter the mine, to take out even the nails from their fhoes. Whence this ftrange difference should arife, that the vapours of fome mines catch fire with a spark, and others only with a flame, is a question that we must be content to leave in obfcurity, till we know more of the nature both of mineral vapour and of fire. This only we may obferve, that gunpowder will readily fire with a spark, but not with the flame of a candle: on the other hand, spirits of wine will flame with a candle, but not with a spark; but even here the caufe of this difference is not, as yet, known. [To be continued.]

A THING THAT ALL MANKIND AGREE IN. To the Editor of the Univerfalift's Mifcellany.

SIR, If the following little effay is not inconfiftent with your plan, (being extracted from a printed work, viz. "Virtue's Friend,") by giving it a place in your refpectable Mifcellany, I trust you will pleafe at least fome of your younger readers. Yours, with respect, CLIO.

IT

SUNDAY MORNING.

T was Sunday morning-all the bells were ringing for church, and the streets were filled with people moving in all directions. Here numbers of well-dreffed perfons, and a train of charity children, were thronging in at the wide doors of a large, handfome church. There a fmaller number, almoft equally gay in drefs, were entering an elegant meetinghoufe. Up one alley a Roman Catholic congregation was turning into their retired chapel, every one croffing himself with a finger dipt in holy water, as he went in. The oppofite fide of the street was covered with a train of quakers, distinguished by their plain and neat attire, and fedate aspect, who walked without ceremony into a room as plain as themfelves, and took their feats, the men on one fide and the women on the other, in filence. A fpacious building was

filled with an over-flowing crowd of methodists, decent and ferious in their demeanour; while a fmall fociety of baptifts in the neighbourhood quietly occupied their humble place of affembly. Prefently the different fervices began. The churches refounded with the folemn organ, and with the indistinct murmur of a large body of people following the minister in refponfive prayers. From the meetings were heard the flow pfalm, and the fingle voice of the leader of their devotions. The Roman Catholic chapel was enlivened by strains of mufic, the tinkling of a fmall bell, and a perpetual change of fervice and ceremonial. A profound. filence and unvarying look and pofture announced the selfrecollection and mental devotion of the quakers.

. Mr. Ambrofe led his fon Edwin round all thefe different affemblies as a fpectator. Edwin viewed every thing with great attention, and was often impatient to enquire of his father the meaning of what he faw but Mr. Ambrose would not fuffer him to disturb any of the congregations even by a whisper. When they had gone through the whole, Edwin found a great number of questions to put to his father, who explained every thing to him in the best manner he could. At length fays Edwin, "But why cannot all these people agree to go to the fame place, and worship God the fame way?" And why should they agree?" replied his father. "Do not you fee that people differ in an hundred other things? Do they all drefs alike, and eat and drink, and keep the fame hours, and ufe the fame diverfions ?" Aye-but thofe are things in which they have a right to do as they pleafe.' "And they have a right to worship God as they pleafe. It is their own bufinefs, and concerns none but themfelves."-" But has not God ordered particularly ways of worshipping him?""He has directed the mind and spirit with which he is to be worshipped, but not the particular form and manner. That is left for every one to chuse, according as fuits his temper and opinions. All these people like their own ways best, and why fhould they leave it for the choice of another? Religion is one of the things in which mankind were made to differ."

The feveral congregations now began to be dismissed, and the street was again overfpread with perfons of all the different fects, going promifcuously to their respective homes. It chanced that a poor man fell down in the street, in a fit of apoplexy, and lay for dead. His wife and children ftood round him crying and lamenting in the bittereft diftrefs. The beholders

beholders immediately flocked round, and with looks and expreffions of the warmeft compaffion, gave him help. A churchman raifed the man from the ground, by lifting him under his arms, while a diffenter held his head, and wiped his face with a handkerchief. A Roman Catholic lady took out her fmelling-bottle, and affiduously applied it to his nofe. A methodist ran for a doctor. A quaker fupported and comforted the woman, and a baptist took care of the children.

66

Edwin and his father were among the fpectators. "Here," faid Mr. Ambrofe, is a thing in which mankind were made to agree."

Letter to a Profeffar of Humanity at the University of Glafcow, Dear Sir,

YOUR very kind letter demanded a much earlier answer,

but unwillingness to put you to the expence of postage for what might probable be conceived my fpeculations, prevented my writing; an opportunity now offering of writing to my brother, and through him to you, with pleafure I embrace it.

By the ten kingdoms into which the Roman empire was divided, I understand the whole western extent of that government (Bishop Newton, in his Differtations, having, I think, fully proved, that in whatsoever manner it is confidered, whether by the friends or enemies of the Romish Antichrift, by Proteftants, Deifts, or Atheists, they cannot make more or less than ten, and all of them include Great Britain in the number). Every part of the western empire profeffes Christianity, and till the present days of revolution, had national religious establishments, and confequently where Antichriftian. The kingdom of Chrift not being of this world, neither in spirit or form. In the kingdoms of this world the wealthieft or strongest fit as chief, and the poorer and weaker wait upon them; in the kingdom of Chrift the wifeft and meekest fit as chief, and manifeft the greatnefs of their character by being the fervants of all for Chrift's fake. The kingdoms of this world are upheld, and increased by the power of the fword; the oppreffor rules the oppreffed. But. the kingdom of Chrift is upheld and increafed by the fpirit of truth, and love alone fways its fceptre over all the subjects thereof. Rome was the feat of Antichrift; there he fat, manifeftly a temporal prince, and exercised a temporal power, under a fpiritual pretence, through every nation that owned his authority. In those nations called Proteftant,

the