addition of certain canals, the blocks were brought by water carriage. The first conception of the edifice was in the Gothic style; but the celebrated Pellegrini gave another, in a later age, which departed from that style --much as our famous Inigo ningk, a preacher, of the Dutch church, at Amsterdam. His experiments were made in May last, in the presence of a Commitfee named by the Royal Institution of Sciences, and by the Governor of the provinces of North Holland and Antwerp. This apparatus has been found more sim-Jones attached a Corinthian colonade to ple, and therefore not so costly as those constructed in London; while the quantity of light obtained has been greater. The object of obtaining light from turf must be very great in Holland; bat, moreover, this instrument, if really more simple, might furnish a hint, to those applied to the purpose of procuring light from coal. ITALY. Additional Fragments of Cieero found. M. Niebuhr, a Prussian, Counsellor of state, reports the discovery, in the Vatican Library at Rome, of the fragments of Ci cero's Orations for M. Fontejus and C. Rabirius (perduellionis reo) which have hitherto been given up as lost. He means to publish them at Rome, with additions belonging to the ninety-first book of Livy, and others belonging to Seneca. If we are not mistaken, M. Niebuhr is son of Carsten Niebuhr, the famous traveller into Egypt and Arabia. He has lately published a life of his father, in one volume, Kiel, 1817. It is printed under the inspection of the Academic Library. Geological Studies. In the month of April, 1814, Mount Antelao, one of the highest mountains of the then department of the Piave, crumbled and fell down, in what may properly enough be called ruins. These ruins overwhelmed the two villages of Taoleu and Marcana, with all their inhabitants. This disaster was deeply afflicting; but the event afforded an opportunity not to be lost by a geologist. Sig. Tommaso Antonio Catullo, examined these ruins with the eye of a scientific man, and published an account of them under the title of Lettera Mineralogica, &c. which has reached several editions: the fourth or fifth is now published at Verona. Cathedral almost finished. "Church work," has passed into a proverb for a slow, endless, undertaking. If proofs of the accuracy of this were wanting, we might appeal to the instance of the Cathedral of Milan; an edifice, begun in the year 1385, and if nothing prevents, Fikely to be finished very shortly. This structure was planned by John Galeas Visconti. That prince gave to the intended building a quarry of proper stone, not far from the Great Lake, by which, with the the Old Cathedral of St Paul's, London, a gothic structure, Pellegrini's plans were, followed, unhappily enough. In spite of the persevering zeal of some, and the rich presents made by others, the work languished at intervals. Before the revolution, there remained of all these gifts but about £3,000 of revenue, and the work was almost abandoned. Buonaparte ordered its continuation. In 1813 the portico was finished; and the sides wanted little, but some additional ornaments. The works are still continued under the direction of Sig. Soavo and Amati, who possibly, may enjoy the glory of terminating this time and patience-consuming labour. We hope it will bear in some conspicuous part of its front the inscription BEGUN A.D. 1885, FINISHED 1818. From the extent and magnitude- we might say magnificence, of some of the works projected and announced on the subject of Pompeii, it is clear that our countrymen, who since the peace have visited that ancient city, have attached an interest and importance to its remains, much exceeding what previous reports had given reason to expect. In fact, it is an instance of the resurrection of a city, such as it was in the first century of Christianity. It was covered with ashes, (probably water was mixed with them,) rising and rolling from the Crater of Vesuvius. For many ages, the upper walls of the houses appeared above the soil, so slightly was it covered in some places.The researches made here, have now for their object, the clearing of the whole city, and its walls, which is partly accomplished. In the course of the last four years, the extent of the excavations is much enlarged; a whole quarter of the city is cleared, with another gate of entrance. In a few years more, the whole of the town will be brought to light, and Pompeii will revive from the tomb, in which it has been enclosed during almost eighteen centuries. Every thing remains as left by the Romans, its late masters. Every thing denotes their customs and habitudes. It may be said, that we live with them ; that we use their furniture; that we eat at their tables; that we inspect their decorations; that we read (been gathered, occupied the ground till the following Spring-so that, in five years, the agriculturist obtained eight crops.These prepared the ground, each for the succeeding; and perhaps the principles of fertility cannot be better combined. Whether some of our colonies may not take a hint from this industry, must be left to themselves: in most places, more may be done than is done, under judicious management. At a very few miles' distance from the plains of Sorrentum, distinguished by its fertility, (which ends at Salerno,) begins a Marenna, or country afflicted with a pesti their manuscripts. An intelligent traveller lately spent some hours in watching the progress of the labourers employed. They threw clods of clotted ashes into wheelbarrows, for the purpose of being carried away. They opened on the wall of a house painted in fresco. Little by little appeared prettily painted devices, representing Bacchantes and boy Cupids. The continued labour, by clearing the apartments, brought to light a charmingly elegant Bronze, a Candelabrum, in the form of a tree, resting in a vase of the same metal, the fruits of which formed lamps, with projections for holding the wicks. By the side of this bronze was found a Bust of Marius.lential air. An unhappy quality, frequent -These labours are continued till the ap- on the shores of the Mediterranean; but proach of night obliges the workmen to rare on those of the Adriatic gulf. On entering these districts, the highways lose themselves in the turfs of the commons:the property of the soil is in the hands of a few proprietors, and the whole has the aspect of a desert; yet here rise majestic oaks, aloes, and cypresses: the soil is rich; and vegetation is thriving. Scattered ruins seen from time to time, some Roman, some Gothic, are enveloped in fig trees: and among these vestiges stray now and then, shepherds armed with lances, who watch the motions of their flocks No solid residence affords them shelter; a few huts of reeds are all their resort; and silence reigns around, both day and night, cease. CULTIVATION OF COTTON. Beyond Pompeii, the fields no longer shew the effects of the ravages caused by eruptions of Vesuvius. Nature, in all her freshness, young, beautiful, and vigorous, intermingles olive-trees, mulberry-trees, vines, and orange-trees. The plain of Sor- | rentum is, perhaps, the only part of the kingdom of Naples, in which the action of an enlightened and lively industry may be distinguished. In this highly-favoured | country, the peasants had attempted, with | great success, to extend the cultivation of Cotton. It had previously been followed at Naples; but, till within a few years, they had been accustomed to produce no more than was required by local and limited consumption. When the Continental System was in vigour, the value of the product was enhanced, and additional grounds were brought under this kind of cultivation.— Taking advantage of their soil and climate, the farmers furnished in 1812, not less than 600,000 bales of Cotton to the manufactures of the Continent. To introduce this article among the regular courses of crops, was an object of much consideration; for, already were those courses filled with indispensable articles, according to the established economy of the country. They continued, therefore, to begin their course with maize, for which they manured the land; corn followed; then beans, immediately after harvest. This plaut being des tined for the purpose of feeding cattle during winter, was quickly consumed; and the soil was prepared for receiving the cotton-seed, about the month of May. The same Autumn as the cotton was gathered, corn was repeated; to which succeeded the purple-flowered trefoil: melons followed on the trefoil; and pulse of some kind, planted immediately as the melons had PESTUM. After long perseverance in these unwholesome plains, the horizon presents to the traveller's observation, indications of solitary edifices, long respected by time.— These enlarge as the spectator approaches, and disclose massive colounades and regular forms. They are the three temples of Pæstum, and are usually the termination of travellers' excursions. Of all the ruins extant in Italy, these temples are the most ancient, and the most awful: they date from a period of which we know so little, that we describe it as the heroic ages.Certainly civilization was in no decripid state, when those unknown nations who built the Cyclopean walls, in Italy, as well as in Greece, perhaps, at the same time, raised in Egypt the wonderful pyramids, and the avenues of sphinxes. Those people have left behind them, proofs of inconceivable skill; though now they serve only to shelter a few straggling buffaloes. Their colonnades have defied the effects of ages, and will long defy them -who, then, and what, were they? History gives us some light on the inhabitants of Pompeii, and on the fate of their city; on the city, of whatever description, connected with the temples of Pæstum, it is silent. These three edifices, placed on a line, were neither so placed by accident, nor were they erected without design: but, what was that design, and to gratify whom they were built, we know not.Could they be erected by any but a powerful people? Would a powerful people inhabit countries so dangerous to the health of their citizens? Have these countries become dangerous since their former inhabitants were ejected, perhaps destroyed? Were they once flourishing, populous, rich, polite, learned, and ingenious? How many questions multiply upon us! to which the only answer is that of these forsaken plains -a dead silence. Equally expressive the silence of Pompeii aud that of Paestum. Here we see the marks and evidences of civilized life, of busy traffic, of learned leisure, of military ardour, of scenic amusement, but no inhabitant: none to answer a question; none to explain a single particular. And there we contemplate temples, raised, no doubt, to be thronged, to be adorned, to witness libations and hecatombs, -but priests and people have disappeared; the festive rites have ceased; the assembled multitudes have left no representative:all we know, is-here was Pæstum; as all we knew before, was-here was Pompeii. WIRTEMBERgh. Universities united. * layer of wax is then laid all over the body, so as to prevent the admission of air; upon that is put a layer composed of lac and some other ingredients, and the whole covered over with leaf gold. The body of this person was stretched out at full length, with the arms laid over the breast. When one of these people dies, the body is thus prepared at the house where he died. After about twelve months, the corpse is removed to a house built for that purpose, where it is kept a year or two longer, till the Poongees order it to be burnt. At one of these places I saw the body of this man, about a month before it was taken out for the purpose of being destroyed. It was then placed upon a stage, which was in a house made like one of their Kuims, rising in a conical form, aud about thirty feet in height. The stage was made of bamboos and wood, and the house which contained it was covered with paper, and over laid with leaf gold. By the side of this stage lay the coffin in which the body was to be carried out; this also was over laid with gold, and ornamented with several figures, designed to represent death in a variety of forms. In the court yard, two large four-wheeled carriages were preparing, one to carry the coffin, and the other the stage with its apparatus. The carriage in which the corpse was to be drawn had another stage built upon it, similar to the one in the house, only it was larger, and fixed upon an elephant, made in a kneeling posture. When the time for the ceremony ap The King of Wirtembergh has united the Catholic University of Ellwangen, very lately founded by his father, the late Kingproached, the principal people of every Frederick, to the Protestant University of Tubingen. And further, it is under consideration to unite the Catholic University of Friburgh, in the Brisgaw, to that of Heidelbergh. FUNERAL CEREMONIES OF A The following curious account of the Fu neral Ceremonies of a Poougee, or Burman Priest, was written by Mr. Felix Carey, who resides at Rangoon, and was an eye witness of the scenes which he describes. It was communicated to the Asiatic Society by his father Dr. Carey, and is to be found in the 12th volume of their "Researches." The man whose funeral ceremonies I am going to describe, died about two years ago. After the death of a Poongee, the body is embalmed in the following manuer. First, the intestines are taken out, after which the body is filled with spices of differeut kinds, and the opening sewed up. A street were commanded each to prepare a rocket, and an image (the shape of some animal,) to which the rocket was to be fired. Besides these large rockets, a great number of smaller ones was also prepared, as well as other fire-works. The Burman new year began either on the 13th or 14th of April, I do not exactly remember which, when the festival celebrated by sprinkling of water commenced, which would have continued six or seven days had not the viceroy put a stop to it to admit of the burning of the Telapoy. On the 17th, the figures to which the rockets were to be fastened were drawn in procession round the town; and from this day to the end of the ceremony, all the people of the town and its vicinity, both male and female, were compelled to assist. The figures were drawn in procession, one after the other, in the following order; first, six or eight flags A sort of Colleges, where instruction is given to any one who wishes for it; but the members are subject to a discipline not very different from that of a monastery. were carried, these were followed by a iron hoops, and rattan lashings. The last number of dancing boys and girls, then the of them, when discharged, ran over a boy carriages with the figures, some drawn by of ten or twelve years old, who died in a boys, and others by bullocks, followed; and few minutes; three or four grown-up per after them went a number of young women sons were also much hurt. Towards evendancing and singing, with an older woman ing a great number of fire-works were between each row, to keep them in order. | discharged, which made a very fine apWomen were never known to attend such pearance. processions bef re, but this was done in consequence of a particular order from the viceroy. On this occasion even the wives and daughters of the principal officers of government were obliged to dance, some with umbrellas held over them, and others under an awning large enough to shade forty or fifty persons, and supported by six or eight men; last of all followed the men in like manner, singing, clapping their hands and dancing, with two men between each row to keep them in order. The people of each street attended their own carriages, and in this manner proceeded round the town, one company after another. The figures were very large, much larger than the animals they were intended to represent. Some of them were representations of buffaloes, others of bulls, lions, bears, elephants, horses, or men. There were not less than thirty of a very large size, about thirty feet in height, and a great number of smaller ones. The next day was the time appointed for blowing up the corpse. On this occasion, a quarrel arose between the two parties who had pulled the former day; the party which had been unsuccessful insisting that the cables had been cut, ad not broken, by the opp site party; they, therefore presented a petition to the viceroy, requesting that they might have another trial at pulling. This was granted, upon which, having procured four new European cables, from the ships in the harbour, they recommenced their trial of strength: however, the party which had been victorious before, won again, and broke the cables of the other. The unsuccessful party was not yet satisfied, but insisted on another trial of strength, the following day. This day neither party obtained the victory, upon which the viceroy issued an order to stop the coutest, and to burn the Telapoy the next day, which was accordingly done. the shape of a Kuim, with a stage in it upon which the coffin was set to be burnt. This was performed with small rockets, fixed upon ropes with rings of rattan, so as to slide along them, from the top of a hill, to the coffin, which was placed on the top of another hill. The rockets being discharged, slided along the ropes, over the intermediate valley, to the coffin, which was set on fire by them, and, with its contents, quickly consumed. The next day was spent in drawing the That day the corpse was burnt in a tembody of the Poongee in his carriage, back-porary house, erected for that purpose, in wards and forwards, or rather in pulling against each other. All the people, being divided into two parties, drew the corpse, from the place where it formerly was, to an extensive valley, near the hill where it was to be burnt. In the front of the valley the viceroy had a temporary house erected, from which he could view the whole shew. Four cables were fastened to the axle-tree of the carriage, two each way; these were held by the people, who every now and then uttered a loud shout and pulled both ways at the same time. That day neither party gained any advantage over the other, till near evening, when one of the cables broke, and the opposite party gained the victory. The Gatherer. No. XIV. stuff." A plain Country Fellow. The following day they discharged the "I am but a gatherer and dealer in other men's large rockets. Early in the morning they carried all the figures and their rockets from the town, and each of these figures was fixed upon a carriage of four wheels, and the rockets were secured by rattan loops, to strong ropes, which passed be tween the feet of the animal, so that when discharged, they, sliding on the ropes, ran along the ground. Some of these rockets were from seven to eight feet in length, and from three to four in circumference, made of strong timber, and secured by This character by Bishop Earle, though written for the time of Queen Elizabeth, is equally descriptive, in many points, of the rustics of the present day." He is one who manures his ground well, but lets himself lye fallow and untilled. He has reason enough to do his business, and not enough to be idle or melancholy. He seems to have the punishment of Nebuchadnezzar, for his conversation is | among beasts, and his tallons none of the shortest, only he eats not grass, because he loves not sallets. His hand guides the plough and the plough his thoughts, and his ditch and land-mark is the very mound of his meditations. He expostulates with his oxen very understandingly, and speaks gee and ree better than English. His mind is not much distracted with objects, but if a good fat cow come in his way, he stauds dumb and astonished, and though his haste be never so great, will fix here half an hour's contemplation. His habitation is some poor thatched roof, distinguished from his barn by the loopholes that let out smoke, which the rain had long since washed through, but from the double cieling of bacon on the inside, which has hung there from his grandsire's time, and is yet to make rashers for posterity. His din ner is his other work, for he sweats at it as much as at his labour; he is a terrible fastner on a piece of beef, and you may hope to stave the guard off sooner. "Elis religion is a part of his copyhold which he takes from his landlord, and refers it wholly to his discretion: yet if he give him leave he is a good Christian to his power, (that is) comes to church in his best clothes, and sits there with his neighbours, where he is capable only of two prayers, for rain, and fair weather. He apprehends God's blessings only in a good year, or a fat pasture, and never praises him but on good ground. Sunday he esteems a day to make merry in, and thinks a bagpipe as essential to it as evening prayer, where he walks very solemnly after service with his hands coupled behind him, and censures the dancing of his parish. His compliment with his neigh bour is a good thump on the back, and his salutation commonly some blunt curse. "He thinks nothing to be vices, but pride and ill husbandry, from which he will gravely dissuade the youth, and has some thrifty hob-nail proverbs to clout his discourse. He is a niggard all the week, except only market day, where, if his corn sell well, he thinks he may drink with a good conscience. He is sensible of no calamity but the burning a stack of corn or the overflowing of a meadow, and thinks Noah's flood the greatest plague that ever was, not because it drowned the world, but spoiled the grass. For death he is never troubled, and if he get in but his harvest before, let it come when it will he cares not. Legal Anecdote. My Lord Chancellor Elsmere, says Sir Francis Bacon, when he read a petition "What, you And which he disliked, would say, The Large Lie and the Little Lie. evil.' his appearance Pooh pooh!' said the merchant, 'I look upon this as a mere trifle.' He accordingly purchased the boy and took him into his service, and finding him expert and skilful in duty, placed him at the head of all his servants. But it happened some time after, that the merchant accompanied by some of his friends went out to his garden, and sent the boy home about sunset to bring him his ass, but the boy as soon as he approached his master's house rent his clothes and threw dust upon his head and exclaimed, 'O alas, alas, my master! the lord of my bounty!'-The merchant's wife concluded from that some misfortune had happened to him, and said 'alas, my boy, what is the meaning of this outcry?' Ah!' replied he, the roof of the house has fallen in upon my master and crushed him to pieces with all the other merchants.' The wives of the merchants who happened to be invited there by the lady of the house, as soon as they heard the report of the slave beat their faces in despair, and began to run towards the garden, but the boy got before them and entered it tearing his clothes like a frantic person and throwing dust on his head, in the same manner as he had done before the women. surprised at his appearance asked the cause "Ah! I believe,' he replied, of his distress. 'a spark of fire escaped from the hands of one of the maid-servants and has set fire to your house, and I do not think there is a single child that has not been burned to death, nay not one even of the maid The merchants |